Here we are just days away from the inevitable. Yes I am talking about the Mets pipe-dream of making it to the playoffs. No Matter what line Jerry Manuel gives us about there being one big run left in this team, just realize he is toeing the company line. We know what they know but are afraid to admit - IT’S OVER !!!
So I now give you songs that best fit the 2010 season.
“Promises, Promises” by Naked Eyes . It best describes the Omar Minaya , Dave Howard and Jeff Wilpon appearance on Mike Francesa’s show last October.
“( We’re ) On The Road To Nowhere” by The Talking Heads. Kinda sums up this team since the All Star Break.
“End Of The Innocence” by Don Henley. That was how we all felt when the July 31st trade deadline came and went with no trades made.
Diamonds and Rust ( Judas Priest version) – It’s kind of fitting for center-fielder Carlos Beltran . Do us a favor Carlos – swallow your pride and play right field !
“Fade To Black” By Metallica
“The End” & “When The Music’s Over” by The Doors
“Can’t Find My Way Back Home” by Blind Faith
“No Time This Time” by The Police
You might ask what do these songs have to do with the Mets? Well I feel that these songs best sum up the last month of the season, but I think Free Fallin’ by Tom Pettywith it’s title alone pretty much encompasses how us Mets Fans feel.
Oh and by the way, lets not forget Fred Wilpon’s favorite song of late – “Tomorrow” from the Broadway musical “Annie “
” Even Hall & Oates are embarrassed to be linked to the Mets !”
And with that said … HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Celebrating Birthdays today are:
Former coach from the ’77 team Tom Burgess is 83 (1927).
One time highly touted Mets pitching prospect, Dave West is 46 (1964) . He found success after being traded to the Twins in the Frank Viola deal.
Reliever from the ’96 team,Derek Wallace is 39 (1971).
The currently over-matched Ruben Tejada turns 21 today(1989) . Lets leave the kid alone – he has plays great defense – he just has to learn how to hit on the big league level.
New York Mets traded reserve outfielder,Rod Gaspar to the San Diego Padres for reliever,Ron Herbel on September 1, 1970.
New York Mets traded minor league pitcher,Kyle Kessel to the Detroit Tigers for journey man pitcher,C. J. Nitkowski on September 1, 2001.
New York Mets signed Cuban defector and free agent, Alay Soler on September 1, 2004. How do you say major league bust in Spanish?
And you know the old saying that it’s not over until the fat lady sings? Well Mo Vaughn has been spotted recently wearing a blonde wig and a pink tutu singing ” Who Let The Dogs Out” ! I take that as a bad omen !
39 comments
Dirtysanchez
9/1/2010-8:31am at 8:31 am (UTC -4)
Wake Me Up When September Ends-Green Day
rustyjr
9/1/2010-8:35am at 8:35 am (UTC -4)
It’s the end of the world as we know it – R.E.M
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-9:34am at 9:34 am (UTC -4)
I’ll say this, seeing Chapman hit 102 on the gun last night, the Mets in desperate need of pitching and for all purposes Chapman just costing money (no prospects), I think the Mets screwed the pooch on this one by being cheap.
Prismo
9/1/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
The Mets have the 5th best ERA in the NL this season…are they really in desperate need of pitching?
With one of the worst offenses in the majors, wouldn’t they be more desperate for batters?
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
Yes, always pitching. Who is the Met’s #5 pitcher? A misch-mass of players who rock the AAA? We are putting a lot of trust in Dickey, who has be wonderful this season but has had his breakout season at the age of 36 and while I hope he’ll do that again, I’m not ready to bet the ranch on that. Your starters are Johan, Pelf, Niese, Dickey and _________. I’m not ready to anoint anyone for that 5th spot, be it Mejia or Gee(?) or whomever they will sign. Having Chapmen in that rotation would have been well worth the investment.
And for the offense, where are you looking to upgrade? 2B? Cause unless you are flipping Beltran for someone or doing something extreme like looking to bring in Fielder or Dunn or Vmart or something like that, you have Bay, Beltran, Pagan, Reyes, Wright, Ike and Thole as your starters, with an offensive hole at 2B. If that group can’t hit, well, I don’t know what else to say but tell Wilpon to find a clone of Steinbrenner, sell the team and start stockpiling heavy hitters ASAP.
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
Also, while my computer’s email is down and out, might as well sip some coffee and spew out some nonsense on this site. I’m glad Frenchy’s gone. Looking forward to seeing the kids out there.
I love me some “Animal”, but his arm is a wet noodle. He’s going to be, at best a PH and random spot starter. I like Murphy in the OF more than Carter. And speaking of the man who hits but has no position, I’m thinking he’s going to be a nice addition in attitude and ability off the bench next year. Hopefully he can learn a little 2B, relearn some 3B and be that supersub/DeRosa/old school kevin mitchell type player.
And here’s to hoping that Mejia pitches well and can compete for the #5 spot, start the season in the minors and then a May call up and dominate from there. Do I expect domination? No, but I’m channeling my inner Ceetoptimist on that.
stickguy
9/1/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
I thought Fred’s favorite song was “money” by Pink Floyd?
And Tx, they have to make a real effort to find a solid 2B that can hit. Especially if they are not planning on going radical and blowing up other positions (moves like trading Beltran, somehow unloading Bay, or moving the Core. Stuff not likely to happen).
Of course, the “new” GM could also decide to snag a vet on a ST deal for C (not that there are any), or (more likely) 1B, and just have Ike or Thole get another year of seasoning in the minors (ike) or potentailly be a back up (thole). Again, not likely.
BUt one thing that has to happen is they get a solid, proven SP. mid-tier guy (like a Lilly) to solidify the rotation. Start Mejia in AAA, and build him up slowly (he is only going to be 21, with relatively few innings this year). If he dominates, he will get a shot soon enough.
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
Agreed on Mejia and another SP (which was part of my Chapmen comment. You have him, you shouldn’t have to go searching for another SP, other than an SP that could start the year in the BP).
And as we are seeing with Niese now, we can’t go too crazy with the number of innings on these kids arms. Niese is about a 4-5 inning pitcher. I almost hope they shut him down after 2 more starts. So yes, Mejia in the minors to start unless he starts to channel his inner Doc-K.
stickguy
9/1/2010-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
I assume you mean that neise is a 4-5 inning pitcher lately, but not at best? SInc eup until the lst couple of starts, he was solidly going deep into games.
This screams of fatique/hitting the wall, and needing to get a rest. Even just skip his next start, and shut him down early.
Yanks going through exactly the same thing with Hughes at the moment. Heck, sherman even compared him to John Maine (pre injury) today, which is actually a good comp for PHil.
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
Meant that currently niese is a 4-5 inning pitcher at this point in this season. I have high hopes for him next year.
fongy2
9/1/2010-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
My mood and feeling about being a fan of this team brings me more
to Johnny Cash’s cover of NIN’s Hurt than anything else.
Ownership MUST for the first time in 30 years go OUTSIDE the
organization for a new GM and allow him to bring in a commanding
presence as our new Mgr. They missed the boat on Showalter which
was seemingly too obvious for the Wilpons.
It would seem we have a pretty good, not great BUT pretty good core
of players in their 20s with which to go foward with in Wright,Reyes,
Davis,Thole and Pagan. Hopefully Bay can “Get comfortable” here
and return to form since it’s doubtful he’s going anywhere…..And since
Beltran also is likely back, new Mgmt can simply TELL….And NOT ASk
him to move to RF and see if he can play his arse off in his walk-year.
That leaves 2B to attempt to bring in an “impact” type player.
Anyone thinking this years surprisingly good SPing meansthats a given
for next season is fooling themselves!…To be a serious contender thisteam NEEDS to bring in a solid 2/3 SPer to go with Johan,Pelf,Niese and Dickey. Then theres the 8th and 9th inning situation….SO theres obviously ALOTof work to do!….BUT first and most importantly Omar and crew simply CANNOT be allowed to be the ones making the moves
any more.HE is at the very root of all that is wrong with The NY Mets.
stickguy
9/1/2010-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
agree totally that Omar cannot be allowed anywhere near the fixing process.
But, not sure how far outside for a new GM they will go. Wayne K. has only been here 1 year, so does he still count? Maybe they can snag Towers, if you like him. Daniels would be great, but not likely Texas lets him leave.
but, unless you are going to somehow toss a grenade in and blow up the team (meaning do something racdical like try to unload Bay, or one of the core), then there is probably less work to do this year than in the past! Mostly because they have a solid 4 guys for the rotation already. And I agree 100% they need to ass a legit, vet, reliable mid-rotation guy (and not count on a rookie or reclaimatin project to step up).
Oh, and they have to bite the bullet and make some of the lingering problems go away. Ollie and slappy, get rid of them for whatever pennies ont he dollar you can get, just to purge them from the negative culture.
with Frenchy already gone, get rid of those two, and the rest is window dressing(beyond the core guys you want to stay no matter what).
fongy2
9/1/2010-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
I also guess The Rangers are now the clear-cut Favs to get to
The Series, seeing as how they’ve added Cora’s and Frenchy’s
leadership to an already real good team??……No???
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:17am at 11:17 am (UTC -4)
They have 2 or 3 solid guys for the rotation.
Johan and Pelf and MAYBE Dickey are to be counted on, and Niese, as we have seen lately, is far from a sure thing.
Without KRod and Feliciano, who regardless has conclusively proven he is a lefty specialist, the pen is almost completely in need of rebuilding.
We have no idea if Bay and Reyes and Beltran will ever again be stars.
Next spring, it will be nearly 3 years since Reyes was a star. He is now an injury-prone, inconsistent fielder, and streaky but not spectacular hitter with a terrible OBP for a leadoff man and an attitude which clearly says he cannot move down in the order.
The bench is absolute garbage beyond Blanco, the 2B situation is a complete black hole offensively and Tejada cannot yet hit at all. And Pagan’s numbers have come down to Earth to show what he is, which is a good- to-very good player, but far from a star.
We have 2-3, and MAYBE 4 reliable starters, we have a hopefully good catching situation, we have a fine 3Bman, a good OF in Pagan, and a team of question marks in Niese, Mejia, Ike, Reyes, Beltran, and Bay.
The team has a tremendous amount of work to do.
It should begin this week, with Bobby/Wally/Obie/Tim T taking over and beginning to evaluate and get to know the kids.
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
WOW!!!….Holy Crapola!!…What happened to the optimists’
train???…Missed a stop and ended up at Willets Point???..
Is this the REAL-Brock Kingman??….Or the fake stalker one?
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:34am at 11:34 am (UTC -4)
As Jules Winfield said, my eyes are wide f****** open.
Fong, I tried to maintain optimism, but the last 2 months have cured me of irrationality.
The team is filled with players who think they are infinitely better than they are, who are unwilling to work to improve, and who would rather play cards than watch pregame film.
I love the team, I am still watching a lot of most games, but right now I am focused on the kids. Even Ike—who the hell is he to be bitching and whining at the umps a few months into a career that thus far is Mike Jacobs 2.0!
Ojeda’s postgames tear into them every day, and no matter what I used to think, this is a fatally flawed .500 team–in a division with two very unflawed teams, and the damn frigin Marlins, who clearly will win at least 85 next year.
We need serious change on and off the field. This team mails in so many innings and so many games, they should be sponsored by the US Postal Service.
If we go into 2011 counting on Bay and Reyes to be what they used to be, we are simply nuts.
stickguy
9/1/2010-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
KNog, I think you have gone a bit too far into the worst case scenerio mode of thinking. And I know you have lost it when you say the Phillies (and braves) are “unflawed” teams!
you can also play the doom and gloom game for pretty much every team. Even the yankees, and certainly yhe Phils.
Marlins? why should they be any better next year than this year?
I do agree the Mets need a bat at 2B. I also think that wil be a key addition this year. along with another SP, and the usual shuffling of bench and BP arms. usual stuff.
But, most of what you seem to be raging on about it more cultrue/attitude/mental aspects. And I will say to that, a new manager (and a new GM setting the tone) can make a huge, huge difference in that area, immediately.
weed out any blatant malcontents (the ollies and slappys of the world), and let the manager take care of any remaining lollygaggers.
90 wins next year my friend. Book it. In the bag. Guaranteeeeed.
fongy2
9/1/2010-12:00pm at 12:00 pm (UTC -4)
Stick, Put the bottle down!….It’s barely Noon!
stickguy
9/1/2010-12:10pm at 12:10 pm (UTC -4)
don’t scoff. I was about the only person that took a stand before the season and said that the rotation would end up being a strength of the team.
TOo bad I did not know that the offense was going to let them down this badly!
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:55am at 11:55 am (UTC -4)
A little harsh I think with Big Ike but I don’t disagree on
most of your points. Again, I’m hoping the Wilpons see the light and go outside the org for help.
I’ve seen a half dozen Padre games in the past couple
weeks since I get The Phil And Pirate feeds AND as I
felt back in April, I ask “How does THIS team have the best
record in The NL???… Jed Hoyer?…Bud Black?…a 40million dollar payroll, a few good prospects, a bunch
of scrubs, AGon and Heath Bell?….AND 113-80 record
since LAST July???
metsfan4decades
9/1/2010-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
“End Of The Innocence” Love it…
Since you know I watch all games, I can only hope these Sep call ups bring some life to this team. This week has been almost unwatchable.
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:16am at 11:16 am (UTC -4)
No……ACTUALLY….They’ve become completely unwatchable.
For the first time in almost 40 yrs, I turned off a 2-2 game the
other night……..To read.
The game was actually distracting me………THEN, it hit me…..
WHY am I watching THIS???….Pat Misch Pitching….And Luis (WHO)
Hernandez @Short………Why bother?…..Tough enough trying to read a 500pg book on Garibaldi w/o getting agita from watching
The Bad News Mets!
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:25am at 11:25 am (UTC -4)
Garibaldi is interesting! Is it the one by Hibbert and King?
My summer reading has included Revolutionaries by Jack Rakove, a GREAT new personal look at the figures behind the Amer Revolution, and the Tudors by GJ Meyer, a great look at the 16th century British rulers–always knew Henry VIII was vermin, but DAMN was he a bloodthirsty bee-atch, as was Eliz I!!
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:28am at 11:28 am (UTC -4)
It is!….And it’s friggin’ long!
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
Is it good? I was seriously thinking about tackling that book…
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
Very, very interesting……To me.
BUT then again 19th and 20th century Italian history is
to me since thats where almost all of both sides of my
family came from AND the cause and effect of that
history is the very reason for MY existence…….I think?
Mr North Jersey
9/1/2010-11:40am at 11:40 am (UTC -4)
Hey Fongy it’s been a while I am assuming you fixed your pc issues?
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
Not totally…..But at least I’m back to late 90s standards….
metsfan4decades
9/1/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
I hear you but I just can’t turn it off.
Last night was the first time since SNY stood up (and I’ve had access to all games) that I came close to turning it off after that grand slam. Close, but didn’t do it.
I think it points to even if they stink on any given night, I’m watching to see how those returning are doing individually. Stat sites are a great addition but I like to see with my own eyes where some of these players stand. Stats don’t tell me Niese’s night was god awful partly b/c the defense behind him was even worse. Have to be watching the game unfold to see that.
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:38am at 11:38 am (UTC -4)
I watch now thinking of the future. Cannot wait to see Mejia and Duda.
Have really enjoyed Thole and even Tejada, and Niese as well.
It’s like Sept of 1980. Let’s hope it does not take four years to be competitive.
fongy2
9/1/2010-11:58am at 11:58 am (UTC -4)
Duda’s NOT a serious prospect my friend. A big lumbering
DH…Sort of a young, poor man’s Adam Dunn without quite
the eye or power…..Mike Carp Part2.
stickguy
9/1/2010-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
carp never hat the plate discipline or control that Duda has shown so far. THe HRs arrived this year, but he always had good peripherals in terms of K/BB rate and OBP.
I will reserve judgement on his defensive prowess until I see him play a few games in LF.
And if he keeps hitting at the ML equivelancy rate to he MiL season, he will not have to be the next beltran (the old version, not the current one) to hold down a job!
Still, quite possible he becomes trade bait this off season, to an AL team that could use him as LF/DH/1B. Or a cheap/building team like Pitt that could really use some LH pop in the lineup.
fongy2
9/1/2010-12:18pm at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve seen him!…Granted only four times in LF…..
He’s Adam Dunn out there.
metsfan4decades
9/1/2010-12:28pm at 12:28 pm (UTC -4)
Concerning Duda, I see him as trade bait as well.
GravediggerHebner
9/1/2010-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
I like “Meet The Mets” by Yo La Tengo but it has little to do with this topic, just throwing that out there.
kingman 26
9/1/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
“Got Me Wrong” by Alice in Chains somehow seems right.
rustyjr
9/1/2010-11:37am at 11:37 am (UTC -4)
Too positive – how about ” I wanna be yer dog” by the stooges ?
GravediggerHebner
9/1/2010-11:43am at 11:43 am (UTC -4)
“How Many Sixpacks Does It Take To Screw In A Light?” by American Music Club. Oh sorry, again has nothing to do with the topic but man I love that title.
njstuckintx
9/1/2010-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
“How Near How Far” by …And You’ll Know Us by the Trail of Dead, though that more sums up 2007 & 2008, but then again, we did have high hopes for 2009 and 2010.