Meet the Mets

The Marlins made a huge mistake - they didn't read my blog.

Give the Mess loaded bases with NO outs so they hardly score. Not that I always equate "clutch" with Mess, but the Mets came through today.

My issue with the Mess overscoring in one game, and coming up just short in the following games to lose a series still stands (I'm not making any predictions).

To add to my previous post, yes, gauging the Mess after they've played the Phillies and Braves a dozen times in the next couple dozen games will sway my decision toward purchasing MLB.TV, but I don't think the math is right, adding the Cubs' 2 games to those other 12. It's just the law of numbers.

haha

Eat a fat one, Braves. Congrats, Nats, on Opening Night.

Phillies, Braves, and who?!?!

As it is, it's understandable that when the Mets organization tries to sell me a multi-game pack of tickets, they are going to throw in Mets v. Nats, or Mets v. NL Central, because they want me to buy tickets to those shitty games, where I'd otherwise not in hell. You take the good, you take the bad...

But, when I'm reading this gem by Marty Noble on the Mets website:

No single sequence of games in a season defines a team. But playing the Phillies (six times), Braves (six) and Cubs (two) a total of 14 times in the first 24 games ought to tell the Mets where they stand comparatively to some of the other top teams in the NL.

Marty...the Cubs? Sure, stats people are projecting them to finish first, but the Mess destroyed the NL Central last year, posting 5-2 or 4-2 records against each of those teams. I am not worried when the NL Central comes calling. The Nats on the other hand...

The Mess lose the games they're not supposed to lose, and they win some games that they're never supposed to win. I would not be surprised if Mark Hendrickson and the Fish beat the Mess on Opening Day. Further along, I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate Fox Saturday Baseball and its worst announcers (yes! worse than Morgan and Miller!), and the Mets have a horrible record on Fox Saturday. So when the Mess are up against the Braves' five-hole on Saturday, I'm rooting for a not-so-embarrassing loss. That's the max I give the Mess on that Saturday. ESPN might grab that Sunday game if John Smoltz is healthy enough to tear the Mess a new one versus Johan.

Home opener against Philly? I don't know who is responsible for the MLB schedule anymore, it used to be a couple of boring ass statisticians who lived on Staten Island and never watched baseball, stating that their favorite team was the Senators, but there is no reason whatsoever to bring the Phillies to New York for Home Game 1. None. Even if the Mess destroy them, they will, guaranteed, waste all of their scoring in the first game, lose 2-1 or 1-0 each of the next two games, and then those jerks will be laughing and all over the airwaves saying how awesome they are, even though they aren't. It is still incomprehensible how the Phillies managed to get to a point where they could embarrass themselves on the national stage. Laughing, Rollins, is a defense mechanism.

Here's something that eats it for the Mess - Home ->@Yanks ->@Braves ->@Colorado ->Home. Granted, I believe the Rockies 2007 campaign was a fluke, and who knows how healthy the Braves will be at that point, and the Yanks don't have the Mess' number anymore, but @Yanks for any team in the MLB is the blackest day on the calendar. And to go the thousands of miles to make the round trip? First class flights aside, it's still a long trip.

Deception

The depth chart image is deceptive in that it leads you to believe that there are more uninjured players then there really are. Three of the uninjured are Damion Easley, who can't play third, second and right field at the same time. It's debatable that he can play one of those positions at one time.

Did I miss any?

On the bright side...

at least the Mets were smart enough to drop Kaz Matsui back in 2006. For if we was still a Met, he would be just another addition to the injury report.

But wait, that's not the whole story. Matsui is expected to miss four or five days after being diagnosed with a condition known as "anal fissure."

Do I even have to make the joke?

The living end.

So.

Johan.

Way to go fending off the Jerx.

Now, if only we could do something about our fans.

That's right, jerks! With a 'k!' Mets fans, it's one thing to bemoan exorbitant Regular Season ticket prices for a team that's only going to rip your heart out just when you've thought the team has it locked, but Spring Training games are cheap, and your attendance prevents articles in the NY Times like this:

For Mets, Tradition Field Looks Like Red Sox Nation

James A. Finley/Associated Press

Red Sox fans were a vocal majority of the largest-paid crowd (7,353) in Tradition Field history.

By BEN SHPIGEL

Published: March 11, 2008


PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Johan Santana received a pleasant round of applause when he was introduced as the Mets’ starting pitcher before Monday’s game. The fans, though, were just warming up their vocal cords. They were really waiting for the next player to be announced: “Leading off the game for the Boston Red Sox, the center fielder, No. 46, Jacoby Ellsbury.”

His name could barely be heard over the din. The Mets might have batted last and worn their white uniforms, but they were not the home team in Monday’s 10-inning 1-1 tie. Red Sox fans swooped into Fenway Park, er, Tradition Field, comprising a vocal majority of the largest paid crowd (7,353) in the stadium’s history.

A quick scan of the lower seating level could find Ortiz and Matsuzaka jerseys with every swivel of the head, although green Red Sox caps were popular, too. One man wore a T-shirt exhorting the Yankees to do, um, something not nice, but it was unclear where his allegiances stood Monday.

The Mets and the Red Sox, despite their memorable tussle in the 1986 World Series, are unofficial allies. They share a common enemy in the Yankees...

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

Ben, you're a die-hard fan, you're the Times' Mets Beat Writer, you've got a blog, but where's your brain? Fans of the Mets are fans of the Mets, and root for whomever is playing against the Yankmees. When the Jerx and Yanks play each other, we want both teams to lose. The Jerx are earning their right to be rooted against during the season as well. Mets fans would love nothing more than to see the Jays or Rays win the AL East. Sorry, Orioles, you suck.

Hey Wilpons, listen up! Let Mets fans buy Mets tickets. Subway Series is supposed to be filled with Dodger/Met Blue, not that other blue. And, if we make the World Series ever again, make ticket buyers pass a Mets trivia quiz before purchase. Look at the f'in guy in this Times article!

Everyone, most of the Mess are still hurt.

This just in...

Today, the Mess fielded a squad of minor leaguers behind Oliver Perez...and won! Oliver didn't help.

Cliff Lee, fighting for the five hole in the Indian wagon circle, gave up two runs immediately, and left the game in the first. Olmedo Saenz (We have Olmedo Saenz? My perennial black horse to sit on my fantasy bench, Olmedo Saenz?!?!) doubled and then scored in the first on a walk, the last pitch from Lee. Saenz also added a solo shot in the fourth. A career day for Olmedo.

We also got some quality out of Reyes today - second baseman Aregnis Reyes.

And why would I spend so many words on these guys? Because these guys are your New York Mess.

From ESPN:

Lee faced a Mets' lineup missing all of its big names as manager Willie Randolph's injury-bugged squad didn't have Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Moises Alou, Ryan Church, Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo and others, who all stayed back in Port St. Lucie to either rehab or work out.

And Oliver Perez? ...tagged for six runs and six hits in his second start this spring.

Meet the Mess. Greet the Mess. Come on out to Shea, or watch on your tv, and pay an exorbitant amount of money to watch the other teams Beat the Mess.

Also, this is awesome:

Oft-injured pitcher Mike Hampton of the Atlanta Braves left his spring training start Friday because of a strained right groin.

Hampton's return

After sitting on the sidelines for 2½ years thanks to injuries, Mike Hampton is back in spring training with a baseball in his hands. And he's loving every minute of it. Story

Hampton, who hasn't pitched in a major league game since August 2005, made it to the second inning of his second outing this spring before getting hurt.

Mike Hampton is awesome.

Wait and see. We'll get one of these two All-Stars to fill one of our gaping holes.

Which Way to the Infirmary?

Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth and hope. And while Mets fans are hoping that their team will recover from the epic collapse that marred the 2007 season, the advent of spring training has not done much to renew their faith in the Metropolitans.

Every day brings news of another injury - the latest being card-carrying AARP member Moises Alou's impending hernia operation, which will keep him out of action for four to six weeks. Meanwhile Carlos Beltran has yet to play a spring training game after off-season knee surgery, and Endy Chavez hasn't played a game this month either.

Well, at least our infield looks good...wait, what's that you say? Delgado is hurt? Again?

That's right; as if having question marks surrounding the entire outfield isn't enough, the right side of the Mets infield is also not at 100%. Carlos Delgado has a sore hip (surprise, surprise - is Doug Mientkiewicz still available?), which required a MRI recently, and Luis Castillo is also recovery from off-season surgery.

(If Omar Minaya was smart he'd wrap Jose Reyes and David Wright in bubble wrap for the rest of March just to be safe).

Okay, so our position players are hurting - but how about our pitchers! They're looking good...right?

Not really - El Duque is still in pain...from a bunion. That's right, one of the starting pitchers for the 2008 Mets apparently shares the same problem as geriatric senior citizens. Meanwhile, our newly-acquired ace, Johan Santana, got shelled in his first outing, and question marks still surround Pedro Martinez as he enters the last year of his contract following a season where he sat out most of the year after surgery.

So there you have it - your 2008 New York Mets! Sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance and Dr. Scholl's Foam Bunion Cushions.

And the sick ward gets bigger and bigger...

Is anyone surprised?

I'm not. Moises Alou is out until May with a hernia. Originally reported as 4-6 weeks, now 8 due to surgery. Minimum. And he's not what you'd call a quick healer.

Does anyone on this team have legs that function? Beltran - knees, Castillo - knees, Schneider - hamstring, Delgado - hip, Hernandez - foot. Christ, someone buy these guys an Ace bandage or two.

the mets blog is born!

Hi all. My name is Vin, and I am a die-hard Mets fan. My fellow blog authors are the same.

We equate our devotion to the Mets with being addicted to black tar heroin, or being a part of the Corleones - we want to get away, but we keep getting pulled back in. And for those who know, it's like living on Staten Island.

There will be no sugar coating on this site - shredded wheat, not frosted mini wheat.

I have little hope for the Mets this season (any season). From firejoemorgan.com:

Aside from Santana, Jose Reyes and David Wright,

That's a little like saying "aside from Bird, McHale, and Parish." "Aside from Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson, there are like no fucking presidents on Mt. Rushmore."...

Can the addition of Santana, who can help out only once every five days, really cure all that ailed the 2007 Mets, the failures of heart and discipline and character?

No. They're doomed. It's March 4th. Rebuild. Put 'em on a submarine and launch it into space. Santana too. Who ever said he had any heart? He sucks, am I right people?

The Mets suck, and the season hasn't started yet. Abort now, take the season off, and come back next year.