The Mets Meaningful Number – the number of games they probably need to win in order to reasonably considered part of the wildcard race on September 1 – is still stuck at 19.

For those that missed the initial posts on the MMN, here is the methodology:

Step 1 – Take the number of games remaining before September 1 and multiply by the winning percentage of the current wildcard leader.

27 x .575 = 15.52

Step 2 – Take the number of games out of the wildcard lead and subtract 5.

7.5 – 5 = 2.5

Step 3 – Add the results of Step 1 and 2

15.52 + 2.5 = 18.02

Step 4 – Take the result from Step 3 and round up

18.02 = 19

So assuming the wildcard leader will play at a .575 clip between now and September, the Mets will have to go 19-8 during that time to remain within five games of the wildcard lead. Hopefully, they can lower the number to 18 so I can Photoshop the number 18 onto a different photo of Funkmaster Fred.

Let’s go Meaningful Mets!

To quell the legions of fans screaming for a better product on the field, the latest talking point in the media and blogosphere is that the Mets’ problem is not that they don’t spend enough money, but that they don’t spend it wisely.

Hogwash.

While I agree the Mets do not spend their money wisely (*cough* Oliver Perez …. *cough* Luis Castillo), they also do not spend enough — not for a New York City baseball team with a brand-new ballpark and their own TV network.

The Mets’ 2010 Opening Day player payroll was right around $126M, which was about $23M LESS than their 2009 payroll and $12M LESS than that of the Phillies’ 2010 payroll and about $18M less than the Cubs’.

Yeah, yeah, I know — spending doesn’t necessarily equate to winning (just ask Peter Angelos). And yes, there are teams that spend a lot less and do much better. But those facts are convenient excuses, and irrelevant to the argument. Why? Because

MetsGazette – Despite yesterday’s drubbing at the hands of Arizona, Tom Greenhalgh is optimistic.

MetsMerizedOnline – Ten reasons why the Mets were right to do nothing at the trade deadline.

The Daily Stache – Aaron Yorke says the Mets HOF induction ceremony was not ruined by the team’s embarrassing loss.

ESPN NY – A preview of the upcoming series against the Braves.

And here is the latest from Playing for Peanuts, featuring another Wally Backman team meeting.

This is NSFW, but mild for Wally Backman:

From the video description:

South Georgia Peanuts manager Wally Backman holds a team meeting to announce that the coaching staff is no longer speaking to local newspaper reporters and he would like his team to do the same. The local newspaper had accused Backman of staging his ejection from a game as a publicity stunt for the South Coast League and the TV show Playing for Peanuts.