Well I guess if we look on the bright side to this lousy and uneven season we would point out that the fact we didn’t finish dead last . No that award for futility goes to the Washington Nationals , but to be seventeen and a half games out of first place and four games under five hundred stings none the less. Hell when you think about it the only weak national league team not to have a winning record against us is the Pittsburgh Pirates, but then again when you can’t even beat up the Nationals, you know your team has serious flaws. Jonathan Niese looked like a pitcher in need of rest right now. He is tired. I am impressed that he found enough intestinal fortitude to get through five and two thirds innings, but let us face the facts , he should have been shut down about two starts ago. But since the latest Mets motto – Prevention and Recovery has rang hollow, The Mets are forced to trot him out every fifth day.It is great to see that Ike Davis has busted out of the slump he was mired in for the past month and a half ,while possible outfielder of the future, Lucas Duda is trying to surge pass the Mendoza line, hopefully they will be stalwarts in this line up for the near and distant future, but right now they are just playing out the string of yet another disappointing season.
We know change is on the way , whether it is the severing of ties with Jerry Manuel and the banishment of Omar Minaya ( I’m not so sure he will be removed from his position as General Manager) and with it will hopefully bring a change of attitudes, and bring a winning culture back to Flushing, But in the meantime we will most likely be satisfied with saying – ” Hey ! At least we didn’t come in last !”
” At least we didn’t finish last !!
And with that said ….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Birthday wishes go out to pitcher , Pete Harnisch (1966). Pete pitched for the Mets from ’95-’97 nd had a record of 10-21 during his duration with the team. In his last season with the Mets, he got into a altercation with then manager Bobby Valentine, and was soon traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for reliever, Donnie Moore.
New York Mets purchased the contract of pitcher, Bob Miller from the Detroit Tigers on September 23, 1973. This was his second tour with the Mets . He was a original Met in ’62.
Mo Vaughn is openly lobbying to Mets management for the base running coaches job next season !!
And don’t fret !! – There are just 10 more games left until Jerry Manuel joins the ranks of ex Mets managers !
18 comments
gategem
9/23/2010-7:45am at 7:45 am (UTC -4)
While it’s possible that Jonathan Niese has hit the proverbial brick wall that affects many young pitchers it’s also possible that the league has adjusted to him. We’ll have a better idea next year.
TRS86
9/23/2010-8:27am at 8:27 am (UTC -4)
Of course that is possible but I don’t think that is the case. He is just maxed out on innings. Good thing is that if he can get through this uninjured he could be much stronger for next year.
TRS86
9/23/2010-8:35am at 8:35 am (UTC -4)
Just a couple of stats here. In August and September his K rate has actually increased up to 8.9 and 8.3/9. That does not appear to be hitters adjusting well. However, his walk rate has increased dramatically which screams lack of control. After listening to a lot of MLB network most of the guys on there talk about how when you are young and tired it’s not usually the velocity to go but the control. I also look at his h/9 and it has not increased dramatically however his BABIP has increased from June and July substantially.
rustyjr
9/23/2010-8:44am at 8:44 am (UTC -4)
I think he acquitted himself rather well as a rookie on a mediocre team
TRS86
9/23/2010-8:50am at 8:50 am (UTC -4)
Agreed, this day and age an under 4.00 ERA is not thing to laugh at. Although this year those ERA’s have went back down.
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:54am at 8:54 am (UTC -4)
Agreed!…A little off topic BUT Wilson Valdez……
THAT guy is good!…..Maybe as I told my wife (The Phillie Fan), like Jeter, he’s alot more important and looks alot
better as aplayer on a winning team than a sub-.500 club.
I’ll tell ya though, this guys been a season saver for the
Phils with JRoll being injured almost all year AND The Phils
having so little MLB ready talent in the minors.
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:16am at 8:16 am (UTC -4)
Your take on Omar ruined my breakfast Rusty!….Hope your happy!
If Omar returns, I’m done!…..Promise to return as a fanatic when hes
gone. And Happy B-Day to my Mom in Fla who officially becomes a
senior citizen today!
rustyjr
9/23/2010-8:30am at 8:30 am (UTC -4)
Wow she’s as old as grave !
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:35am at 8:35 am (UTC -4)
Who, as we know is as old as Dirt
TRS86
9/23/2010-8:36am at 8:36 am (UTC -4)
I thought Dirty was younger than I was?
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:40am at 8:40 am (UTC -4)
Oh…That’s right!….Rocks older…….Dirt younger!
rustyjr
9/23/2010-8:42am at 8:42 am (UTC -4)
Dirtydrinks the blood of young Phillie phans to stay young :-p
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:45am at 8:45 am (UTC -4)
I hear it tastes like Quik Strawberry Milk!!!……..Yum!
fongy2
9/23/2010-8:43am at 8:43 am (UTC -4)
Can someone tell me why when I gave a quick look at current Mets stats on mets.com, Ramon Ortiz and Brian Bruney’s names are listed?
I know I’ve been a little detached from our Mets for about the past month BUT didn’t we release Ortiz? And when was Bruney called up?
TRS86
9/23/2010-8:48am at 8:48 am (UTC -4)
Good question. I wonder if they perhaps keep the stats of all MLB players that get on the 40 man?
metsfan4decades
9/23/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Omar should not be the GM going forward but nothing would surprise me. The Mets, for whatever reason, seem very slow to fire anyone (re: Willie, Bernazard, Jerry…).
Of course, if you’re put in the position of replacing the GM you gave an extension to days before the epic collapse and have to be shamed/forced into firing your assistant GM b/c of bad publicity, then it speaks volumes concerning the decision making going on at the Wilpons level.
GravediggerHebner
9/23/2010-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
I’m inclined to agree with Gategem’s note on Niese. Not that he came to a conclusion one way or the other but just that it’s possible this Niese situation may be less fatigue, more he’s just not that good. He certainly was never touted to be as good as he was earlier this season not that that is a true indicator either.
He’s an open question I guess is the point. Not a guy I’m just penning in to be a stalwart member of the rotation for years to come but rather someone in the mix of consideration.
Mr North Jersey
9/23/2010-3:40pm at 3:40 pm (UTC -4)
I haven’t been able to watch Niese of late well enough to know if he is tired or not and would be curios to know why this is being said of him? Has he himself hinted to it in his interviews? Has the coaching staff? Is his velocity down?
Just curious since I don’t know why it is believed that he is tired.
2011 will be interesting indeed. This season the Gm leaned on the hope that Ollie and Maine would rebound now in 2011 my fear is that the GM will lean on the hope that Mejia and Niese and Dickey and Pelfrey will be enough to get them through 2011.
They may get us through it I just hope that when they say through they are not saying through to the post season but rather just through the season end of statement as they hope to set themselves to be financially flexible come the end of 2011 season.