That’s right, I’m leasing my soul, temporarily that is, to the New York Yankees. It just goes to show you just how much I hate the Phillies.  I hate Interleague play.  I don’t like the fact that the schedule is always unbalanced and this is a prime example. While the Mets play the Yankees six times, the Phillies play them only three. Now if the Phillies played the SAME teams for the SAME amount of games as the Mets, I’m all for it. But it is what it is so lets deal with it like adults.Â
The Yankees will take the Phillies on for the next three games starting tonight and I want the Yankees to deal them three demoralizing defeats. I want Halladay and all the starters out by the fifth inning, I want to see their closer blow a couple of games. I want Utley, Victorino and Howard to go into a slump.  I’m asking a lot I know, Halladay owns the Yankees and as far as the Phillie hitting is concerned, it will heat up sooner than later…or maybe it won’t
This could be the perfect storm to send the Phillies reeling;  The Yankees are tough at home and the Phillies are scrambling for wins. The Phillies have trouble scoring runs and the Yankees are getting hot. Let’s understand something, a sweep would send the Phillies back to 500. and into the basement of the NL East. It might even cause a “Charlie Manuel Watch” to begin”
Hopefully by Friday, the Yankees would have used all their good Yankee luck and  ghosts to pull out at least a couple of wins against the Phillies.
And then I want the whole team to go into a slump for the weekend series against the Mets.Â
I can hope can’t I?
61 comments
ceetar
6/15/2010-9:06am at 9:06 am (UTC -4)
Eh. I can’t root for the Yankees especially when the Phillies are behind the Mets in the standing and the Mets control their own destiny. Mets can’t keep the Phillies out of the playoffs, they can’t keep the Yankees out. But I’m not rooting for either of them. 2-1 series split ,with Thursday’s game going a billion innings taxing the bullpen and Rivera throwing 50 pitches in this series.
stickguy
6/15/2010-9:13am at 9:13 am (UTC -4)
Ditto Gonzo. I want the Phillies to lose as many games as possible. I just don’t want the Mets to have to show up after them!
So best bet, both team scuffle, but the phils just botch up and give away ugly games.
20 inning marathon Thursday sounds good too.
Or, if you can’t decide who to root for, you can go with my Son’s approach. Root for a meteor to hit the stadium! Just kidding there BTW. WOuld not ever root for mass carnage!
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-9:16am at 9:16 am (UTC -4)
I have to agree with Gonzo I would much rather watch the Yankees take 3 straight from the Phillies then watching the Phillies win 1 game from the Yankees.
The Yankees losing does nothing for the Mets at all but every game the Phillies lose does help the Mets by making that much harder for the Phils to come back from the hole they seem to be digging.
Now rooting might not be the best word but looking forward to the Yankees winning 3 straight may be a better way of putting it.
stickguy
6/15/2010-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
well, this is kind of a win-win for us.
If the Phils are going to get hot and beat a team, at least if they do it this series, it means the yankees get beat upon!
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
Agreed again Will!
I rooted for the Phils in the WS because the Mets were home watching.
I hate the Yankees more than the Phils (I definitely like the Phils less the more apparent their reliance on cheating becomes) but what is good for the Mets is what I root for.
Go Yanks! (For the next three; then lose every damn game the rest of the year.)
metsfan4decades
6/15/2010-9:29am at 9:29 am (UTC -4)
Ha! My kind of thinking…
metsfan4decades
6/15/2010-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
Lifelong Yankee hater here. And as much as I am, I too am rooting against the Phillies for this upcoming series. Bottom line is as a Met fan, it makes far more sense for the Phillies to lose than it does the Yankees right now…
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-9:28am at 9:28 am (UTC -4)
Seeing the Yanks lose, while satisfying, does nothing for the NL East Standings. Let the Yank$ win all 3.
stickguy
6/15/2010-9:31am at 9:31 am (UTC -4)
just noticed on the spyder feed that FWICG has up a piece abot the mets and seattle talking about Lee. And the M’s like Neise.
well, that is a total non-sterter in my book.
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
agreed.
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-9:35am at 9:35 am (UTC -4)
You are aware though that the Mets will have to give something of value for him right?
I don’t say trade Niese but just hoping I don’t have to start hearing about sending them Jesus Feliciano and Dillon Gee for Lee type trades.
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-9:36am at 9:36 am (UTC -4)
Is Seattle just looking for propects in general or a specific need?
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-9:40am at 9:40 am (UTC -4)
I have no idea Tx.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
so far, in 2 trades, all you heard was you had to clear out top prospects to get the guy. Then he went for decidedly less than that. ANd even those guys have stunk since the trades!
so no, jesus and gee isn’t getting it done.
But Mejia, FMart and neise is way too much!
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
No way they trade Niese for the dramatically overrated Lee.
A 5-year 80-90 mil contract for a guy who is almost 32 and has had two very good years and several injuries?
A joke and a non-starter.
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
So i guess what Lee did for the Phillies was a fluke?
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
He threw a total of 17 games for the Phils including the postseason.
I am not saying Lee is not good; sure he is. But take a really good look at his career. He is NOT an established frontline ace and suggesting a Johan or CC contract for him is comical; he had a very good year in 2005, a great year in 2008, overall a good, not great, year in 2009 (when he led the league in hits allowed), and has otherwise been mediocre and injured.
Look at his 2004, 2006, and 2007. And he was hurt in 2007 and earlier this year.
I would only take him as a rental, and then only if we can keep Ike, Mejia, Niese, and FMart.
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
Are we discussing his value long term then?
Because if that is the case then I think everyone is well aware of Lee’s desire to be a free agent will limit what Seattle will get back in prospects so I think players like Ike, Mejia, Niese, and FMart will not be part of said deal.
That is unless Lee is willing to agree to sign and trade deal before hand. In which case I think the chances of the Mets giving him a 5 year deal are slim to none. At best I would think he gets a 3 year deal from Mets with a possible option for a 4th.
In the end I think a trade would be most likely as a rental player so what the Mets give up will be weighed with that in mind so the idea of giving up Niese while not likely if it was done straight up may beat out any other teams offer for Lee.
Now the question is are you willing to give up straight up Niese for renting Lee for the rest of the season?
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
no, I do not make that swap. Not enough upside this year to make up for the future.
But, you will get a couple of draft picks too when Lee leaves. Not that I expect much out of Met draft picks (probably a supp. and a 2nd rounder).
If you really want to trade neise, trade him for a stud position player prospect. Then trade for a couple of salary dump SPs to fill out the rotation.
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
STUD position player?
I only see 2 spots for such a stud position player that being 2nd base and Right Field if you would like to get rid of Francoeur.
What stud position players are available at those positions
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
Absolutely would NOT trade Niese for Lee. Niese has a decent chance to be as good as Lee soon.
Again, have you examined Cliff Lee’s very checkered career?
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
I said positin player PROSPECT. And no, I do not know which one!
How about that catcher blocked in Minn that TRS loves so much? Or some 2B hot shot.
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
I understand that Niese has pitched great his last 2 starts and I don’t want to sit here and say what I think Niese will or will not be because the truth is I’d be lying because I have no idea if Niese will be as good as Lee or not.
If your opinion is that Niese is on the verge of becoming a Cliff Lee caliber pitcher then I would not do the trade and leave Niese in the rotation the rest of the way.
I have no idea what the Mets will do and my intent was not to suggest that they should trade Niese for Lee but that to get a Lee type pitcher will require something of value. How much value has yet to be determined.
Time will tell what if anything at all the Mets do. Odds are every pitcher they want will cost more than they are willing to give up and they will in the end do nothing.
Then again maybe I am wrong.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
That’s very interesting. But I wouldn’t trade Niese either just because Lee will test the FA Market after this season. If Lee is willing to sign extension for 4/64-65 range then maybe. But not for a 2 months rental.
So if not Niese, who do the Mets give?
Knowing that there will be a lot of teams chasing after Lee, the cost will be expensive. I still think trading for Oswalt might be a better option in terms of giving up prospects.
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-9:58am at 9:58 am (UTC -4)
I agree on Oswalt, but I would assume we’d be talking Fmart and 2 more (1 decent and 1 lower prospect) to start out.
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
And by that package, I’m meaning for Lee.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
i just dont think we should trade a 21 year old who should be our starting RF next season when we can just sign Lee in the off-season…
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-10:09am at 10:09 am (UTC -4)
I guess it comes down if we are making a run for it or not. I’m at a coin flip on what to do at the moment. I guess we’ll see where the Mets stand after the next 3-4 series.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
I wouldn’t call FMart the next starting RF just yet. At this point, Frenchy or Pagan looks better than FMart.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
If, and I know it is a big If, F Mart can stay off the DL for the next couple of months, he looks primed to go off on a major tear. even 6 weeks of smoking the ball (man, he crushed that HR last night!) vaults him right back into the mix.
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-10:04am at 10:04 am (UTC -4)
And Oswalt is much better than Lee. By a longshot.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
You mean in terms of giving up prospects
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
I mean in terms of pitching.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
seriously? i think Lee is a better pitcher though not by much.
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-12:09pm at 12:09 pm (UTC -4)
Then you should go to baseballreference and compare their stats.
Not even close over their entire careers.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:05am at 10:05 am (UTC -4)
The Mets already have some holes to plug in the rotation. Trading their best young starter (pelf is a “vet†now!) for another SP rental does nothing to plug that hole. You only get whatever marginal difference there is between the 2. And if his recent outings are any indication, then there really isn’t any difference!
Neise is a hugely valuable commodity in BB. Young, high seiling, cheap and controllable LH SP? everybody wants those.
And he is probably worth MORE than lee, when you factor in age, salary, and controllability (5 years vs. 2-3 months).
If you are trading for a SP to beef up the rotation, pelf and Neise have to be off the table. But, you certainly can trade Mejia, since that is a projection that isn’t helping now, and may not for a few years. Especially if you can get someone that will be around for a few years too.
Mejia + tejada for Haren? Something in that ballpark makes a ton more sense for the Mets to pursue than neise for Lee.
metsfan4decades
6/15/2010-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
I agree with this.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
i always hope the Yankees help us out during the season but last WS, i was fully rooting for the Phillies to win…
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
Same here.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-9:52am at 9:52 am (UTC -4)
i was hoping that some bazaar thing happened and that the WS was canceled.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
I would trade any prospect we have expect for Davis, Niese, Mejia, Flores, F-Mart and Nieuwenhuis.
i just don’t think we should make a move for a SP now when our “worst SP” right now has an ERA of 3.81
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-10:04am at 10:04 am (UTC -4)
Play Tejada every day, drive up that value!!!
And I could part with Mejia and Fmart in the right deal. Fmart, Tejada, & Mejia for Haren anyone???
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
take out F Mart, add someone like Campbell, and drive them to the airport.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
Omar is not trading Mejia…
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
don’t be surprised. He is the best chip they have to get a real player back without piling on mutlitple good prospects. And it doesn’t hurt them over the next couple of years.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
i think he’s overhyped but Omar and co are pretty sold on him…just dont see them moving him
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
you only make that move if you are 1 SP away from a WS…we have too many question marks to make that move…
Kingman 26
6/15/2010-10:06am at 10:06 am (UTC -4)
I am with Oleo once again. Maybe even throw Havens in that group.
And there is zero need to trade away the amazingly bright future for an aging pitcher with a checkered career who will demand a ridiculous contract.
No on Lee.
Yes on Roy Harvey or Haren in the right deal.
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:09am at 10:09 am (UTC -4)
yes i forgot to add Havens…
Mr North Jersey
6/15/2010-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
I believe Havens is hurt again.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
sore oblique. He needs to get himself a diet and =flexibility coach or something!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:28am at 10:28 am (UTC -4)
I wouldn’t mind trading Flores, FMart and Kirk. But keep Havens.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
What do you think about Ted Lily? MLBTR has an article on Fukudome and Theriot as good trade candidates. What do you think about prospects for Lily and Theriot?
Lily is FA after this season and a solid #3 behind Johan and Pelf. Theriot is an upgrade from Castillo and is cheap & under control thru 2012.
Who do the Mets give up? I would think similar combination of getting Oswalt or Lee would definitely get the job done.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
Lilly would be fine. Put him in the Westbrook, Myers catagory.
But Theriot is really, really bad offensively. As in, sub-luis (at least last years Luis).
His OPS plus over the last 3 years has been in the 70 range (so really, really bad), and he has no power.
might as well just use Tejada if you want a slick glove that can’t hit!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/15/2010-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
Theriot has little more power than Luis (granted not much more) and his range is supposedly better than Luis. Much cheaper (something like 2.3M). But you are right, I’d rather stick with Tejada than giving up prospects for Theriot. Did not think of that.
njstuckintx
6/15/2010-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
Lily would be an upgrade, but I’m not enamored with him. “The Riot” would be an upgrade, but I wouldn’t trade prospects for him when we have prospects ready to take Gimpy’s spot anyway.
An out of the box idea, though, so kudos and kix cereal to you!
oleosmirf
6/15/2010-10:28am at 10:28 am (UTC -4)
Lilly is not in the same league as Oswalt, Haren or Lee.
i would however be interested in trading for Jeremy Guthrie and Garrett Atkins…Now i dont think Atkins has much value but you would think taking that contract would allow the Mets to give up less
tkfj2
6/15/2010-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
Trading Niese + for Lee, is almost exactly what the Phillies did trading Lee for Halladay, except we would be trading a young pitcher under control for a guy in Lee who is not Halladay’s caliber and on the wrong side of 30. I would not be opposed to Lee but if they want Niese or Mejia then I say no.
Mejia is untouchable. Maybe if he was in the minors where he belongs and lighting the place up, people would not consider trading a 20 year old who has the potential to become an ace of a rotation.
I have Yankee fan friends and family, and will do like I did in last years world series, root for the city of New York. Although their fans can shove their smugness and entitlement where the sun don’t shine.
stickguy
6/15/2010-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
the phils didn’t trade lee for halladay. They traded Lee for crap because they were either stupid or cheap. Or both.
It was not a 3 way deal.
tkfj2
6/15/2010-10:57am at 10:57 am (UTC -4)
Forgot about that. But they replaced Lee with Halladay, and I’m opposed to giving away a young pitcher under control in Niese for Lee, on the wrong side of 30.
GravediggerHebner
6/15/2010-12:28pm at 12:28 pm (UTC -4)
I’m no fan of either team. Obviously the Phillies losing helps the Mets more. I just can’t get into this Phils-Yanks series. I didn’t watch an inning of the 2009 WS and I probably won’t watch any of this series.
I guess if I’m rooting for anything in particular it would be along the lines of what Ceetar suggested up top, that the last game of this series goes deep into extra innings and taxes the bullpens of both teams, handicapping them for the next week or so.