Lucky Seven (and counting)

The Mets were finally able to sweep a 3-game series this year, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates by scores of 7-3, 10-1, and 8-4 this weekend. They are now at a season-best 4 games over .500 (17-13) and on a 7 game winning streak. And everyone on the team is looking like they are playing like they should be. David Wright and Jose Reyes are hitting, the starters and bullpen are holding the leads that the offense is giving them (except for Sean Green. . . grrr), and the offense is actually scoring in the later innings to extend the leads that they do have.

The Mets have 3 more games at home against the Atlanta Braves (I'll be at Tuesday's game) before heading on a tough 10 game road trip, sending them to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston. With Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and Jon Niese pitching the next 3 days, there's a decent chance that they could leave Citi Field on a 10 game winning streak.

A couple of things I saw this weekend that I thought were hilarious. First, Gary Dell'Abate (aka Baba Booey) threw out the first pitch at Citi Field before Saturday's game. The video is self-explanatory! (sorry, couldn't embed).

Second, Boston had a pretty busy sports night on Sunday, with the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics all playing games. The ending of the Celtics-Magic game actually had an effect on the Red Sox-Rays game. Watch this video and note the reaction. (sorry again, same deal here)

Finally, a kudos to my cousin Nicolas up in MA for throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Friday's Red Sox-Rays game. He did a better job than Baba Booey.

Manny being Manny?

Guess you've heard by now, but Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games on Thursday by MLB for failing a drug test for performance enhancing drugs (PED's). While this is another big name superstar to have his career tainted with taking PED's (Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, etc.), he is the first big name player suspended under today's policy.

I'm getting tired of hearing about players that are using these substances. I love the game of baseball! It's the first sport I fell in love with. But every time a new name is released, it's like a shot to the gut. And it's a pain that doesn't go away. It just keeps getting worse and worse. I say release the list of 100 or so baseball players who failed the "anonymous" test back in 2003 and get this shit over with!! Not that his name would be on it, but it would show the current major leaguers that this situation is serious and would teach them a lesson.

Manny explained that the failed test came from a prescription that he was taking, but the substance rumored to be in question is a woman's fertility drug (hCG) that's actually used by bodybuilders. I would assume that bodybuilders aren't looking to get pregnant (the male ones, at least), so they gotta be using it for another reason.

This news about Manny is just another footnote in a long line of events in his career. Makes you question what he's thinking. But unlike the past, where the actions of him were perplexing yet funny, this news is no laughing matter. He loses the distinction of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. He'll probably lose the respect of fans across the country (he's lost mine). His once-assured admission into the Baseball Hall of Fame is probably lost as well.

Maybe it's not Manny being Manny. . .

Game 4 - Mets vs. Phillies - May 6, 2009

If you're a fan of a pitcher's duel, tonight was a game you would have appreciated!! Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0, with Carlos Delgado scoring all the way from 1st base on an error by Pedro Feliz in the bottom of the 7th inning. Johan Santana continued his great start by pitching 7 innings, striking out 10, giving up 2 hits and walking only 3. Chan Ho Park, the Phillies starter, arguably pitched a better game. He gave up 1 hit (Daniel Murphy double with 2 outs in the 5th) and walked 2 in 6 IP. The 2 teams combined for 5 hits in the game (Mets 2, Phillies 3). As for the Mets relievers, Pedro Feliciano pitched a great 8th, outside of the ground-rule double that he gave up to Shane Victorino. But he recovered by fielding a Chase Utley comebacker and holding Victorino at 2nd. Then, after a wild pitch (ok, maybe it was a very good inning, not great) he was able to strike out Ryan Howard to end the inning. Francisco Rodriguez came in and got the easy 1-2-3 save in the 9th.

As for the atmosphere, i was surprised by the number of Phillies fans at the game. I could see a number of Phillie fan clusters throughout the Promenade level, and there was one cluster who was loudly chanting "Let's Go Phillies" throughout the game. Definitely annoying, but nothing crazy. I do have 2 other Phillies games later this year, both in August, so we'll see then how the atmosphere is.

Current record of games I've attended: 3-1

Ollie's like a box of chocolates . . . continued

I turn on the Mets pre-game and I see Kevin Burkhardt talking about good ol' Ollie and what the Mets decided to do. Well, turns out he's gonna be a left-handed specialist . . . .

As calmly and kindly as I can say this, WHAT THE $%&*#$%)*# ARE THE METS THINKING?!?!? That's not gonna work!! How can you put him in the bullpen at all? I understand the argument that you can't have him be the long man because you really don't know how often he will get action in that spot. But keeping him up as a specialist, while possibly building confidence on a batter-to-batter situation, will not help in building his confidence as a starter. And you can't argue "well, he can throw for 2 innings in the bullpen, come in get a batter or two, then go back to the bullpen and throw another 2 innings." He needs in-game pitching to fix whatever is wrong. And I believe that until he gets sent down to the minors, the odds aren't good that he'll be a successful starter. At least for this year.

Ollie's like a box of chocolates

Another start by Oliver Perez, another game where the bullpen has to clean up his mess. And for the most part, they did their job. But this is just another outing that makes me question why we re-signed Perez to a 3-year, $36M contract. Something has gotta be done to fix this. I don't want to give up on the 27 year old kid, he's shown signs of brilliance. But his consistent inconsistency makes him like a box of chocolates. Every 5 days, you never know what you're gonna get. Some have suggested that he be sent down to the minors. But he would have to accept such an assignment. I hope he agrees to it. Whatever is wrong with him (mechanics, mental stability, etc.) could be corrected. And this wouldn't be the first time something like this has been done.

Roy Halladay is one example. After having a decent year in 1999, he was sent down to the minors in 2000 (4-7, 10.64 ERA), eventually to Single-A to work on his mechanics and his mental approach to pitching. He spent the first half of the 2001 season in the minors as well. But since the 2002 season, he's had a 118-50 record, a 3.20 ERA, a 5-time All-Star, and a Cy Young award winner in 2003.

Another example is Steve Trachsel. Yes, he's mostly remembered for making the flow of molasses seem quick. But he was sent down for 3 starts in May 2001. Before his demotion, he was 1-7 with a 8.24 ERA. When he was called back up, he posted a 10-7 record with a 3.35 ERA.

A final example, which is currently in progress, is Dontrelle Willis. He was the 2003 NL Rookie of the Year and was second in the Cy Young Voting in 2005. But something went wrong somewhere and he was traded to the Tigers before the beginning of last season. Unfortunately, a change of scenery wasn't a solution for him. It wasn't. At the beginning of this season, he was placed on the DL for an anxiety disorder. He's made 3 rehab starts since and seems to have shown progress.

Ollie, if an assignment is offered to you to the minors, pleeeeeease accept it!! It's a win-win situation, for both you and the team!!

Shades of Kenny Rogers

Ok, I admit, it's a totally different situation. It's May, not October. It's game 23 of the regular season, not game 7 of the NLCS. And Kenny Rogers was a lefty. Sean Green (not Shawn Green) is a righty. But they both walked in the winning run. Then, it was Rogers walking Andruw Jones to end the 1999 Mets playoff run. Today, Green walked Shane Victorino in the bottom of the 10th inning to end today's 6-5 loss (recap) to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Remember, it's only May . . .

Who Am I?

I'm at my parents house watching the Mets play the Phillies, but I had to mention something that I read earlier today.

In last night's 8-2 Marlins win over the Cubs (boxscore), the Marlins scored 6 runs in the top of the 10th inning. Here's the line of the pitcher who started the inning:

6 batters faced, zero outs recorded, 6 runs (5 earned), 3 hits, 2 walks

Who Am I? (hint: I pitched a complete game 1-hitter for the Mets in 2005)