Lets murderize them !!!
It is generally foolish this early in the season to say that the games that are played now are as vital as games that are played in the heat of a pennant race. But in the case of this seasons Mets, I feel that this series against the Phillies has a chance to either help build this teams psyche, or conversely tear it down.
Just hear me out before you call me a nervous fan. If the Mets take the next 2-3 games – or better yet sweep the Phils, it would be more than a self esteem builder – it could also inject the team with the swagger that has been sorely missing these last five seasons. The Mets would take the first step in proving that they are for real, and that they have not just come to play – but to dominate.
When you see how the pitching match ups : Chris Young vs Cole Hammels tonight. Mike Pelfrey vs Joe Blanton tomorrow, and Jonathan Niese vs Roy Halladay on Thursday, it would not be an impossibility to confidently think the Mets couldn’t take at the minimum two out of three from the Phillies. Joe Blanton has never impressed me – if anything he is the weak link of the Phillies rotation. The Mets have shown in the past that they own Hammels, and the hardest test will be against Roy Halladay – one of the premier pitchers in the sport.
The Phillies are marred by injury right now. Chase Utley is out for the time being with a knee injury, closer Brad lidge as well as their rookie outfield sensation, Dominic Brown are on the shelf with injuries, and lets face it they are a team whos median age is on the wrong side of 30.
Yes the Phillies just dispatched the Astros, sweeping them in three games, but I think the Mets are a different entity than them. This Mets team knows they are good, and they so far seem to have showed a resilience that has been rarely seen over the past two seasons.
Look I am not saying that at the end of the season when the dust settles the Mets will be ahead of the Phillies in the standings, but I do not believe the Mets will be perceived as laughing stocks ( at least with the team itself – not the financial matters).
There are 159 games left in this season, winning two of these next three may help determine what kind of team we have playing in Flushing.
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today are :
Reserve catcher from the ’65 season, Jimmie Schaffer is 75 (1936) .
One time can’t miss rookie phenom, outfielder Lastings Milledge is 26 (1985) . Lastings had all the tools to be a big league hitter, He had power, speed and energy. Too bad he lacked patience, plate discipline, and couldn’t hit a breaking pitch. His cockiness in the clubhouse alienated him with many of the other players, and was traded in the ’07 off season to the Washington Nationals fro Ryan Church and Brian Schneider.
Sadly on this date in ’02, Mets third base coach from the mid ’60′s, Sheriff Robinson passed away. He is credited for developing such players as Jerry Koosman, Tug McGraw and Nolan Ryan .
The New York Mets purchased the contracts of relief pitcher, Butch Metzger from the St. Louis Cardinals on April 5, 1978.
The New York Mets purchased the contract of middle reliever, Danny Boitano from the Milwaukee Brewers on April 5, 1981.
The New York Mets released reserve third baseman, Mike Cubbage on April 5, 1982.Unfortunately he would come back to the organization as a third base coach, and later on as an interim manager.
The New York Mets sold the contract of second baseman, Gary Rajsich to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 5, 1984.
The New York Mets signed free agent middle reliever, Julio Machado on April 5, 1989.
The New York Mets traded starting pitcher, Bruce Chen, reliever, Dicky Gonzalez and minor league shortstop, Luis Figueroa to the Montreal Expos for reliever, Scott Strickland, reserve outfielder, Matt Watson and minor league pitcher, Philip Seibel on April 5, 2002.
The New York Mets claimed utility infielder, Marco Scutaro on waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on April 5, 2002.
The New York Mets signed free agent outfielder, Gary Sheffield of the Detroit Tigers on April 5, 2009. Omar took a gamble by signing Sheffield off of waivers. It was a gamble that nearly paid off. Sheffield was long removed from his prime years, but he still had some power left in his bat ( notching career home run number 500 in the process), and he was far from the clubhouse cancer many people thought he would be. He was on his best behavior until being released by the Mets, when he blasted them for not trading him to a contender.
And while you prepare yourself with tonight’s battle against the Phillies, just remember that there are just 3 more Days until the Mets Opening Day against the Washington Nationals !!
Mo Vaughn has bought up all the TastyKakes in the Philadelphia area !!!
33 comments
Dirtysanchez
4/5/2011-8:23am at 8:23 am (UTC -4)
Its always nice to beat the phillys but its way early to attach meaning to this series. I just want to see a well played series win or lose. If the mets can keep scratching like they did against the marlins and not lay down and die, ill be happy with that.
stickguy
4/5/2011-9:21am at 9:21 am (UTC -4)
oh, there is meaning I think, even if it is early. I agree with Rusty. Not so much that any wins/losses take the mets out of the race (or guarantee them anything), but there is certainly a psychological component to this one.
And it is not just for the team, who I believe know they are good, and don’t care that much what the pundits say. It is for the fans, that are still sitting nervously on the sidelines, waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under them. A well played series, with the Mets fully able to hold their own with the Phils (and a couple wins of course to prove it) could easily boost the confidence level of the fans.
and, the best way to get attendance up is to hook the fans (on the team, if not a dream). A likeable team, with a couple young guys to get excited about, playing winning baseball? Hell yeah that will get some folks to go out and get tickets when they might not otherwise.
how they play will certainly be important. Losing a couple of nailbiters, still sends a message to look out. Getting blown out 3 times? not so much!
TRS86
4/5/2011-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
I think as fans we just need to relax a little. Getting worked up over a .500 team is most likely going to lead to a frustrating season. We are going to look great at times, terrible at others and average a lot. There’s a 90% chance we finish somewhere between 75-85 wins. So instead of getting caught up in is this team going to win the division, lets get caught up in is this team past it’s past and ready to take the next step towards being relevant again.
Ceetar
4/5/2011-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
That’s boring. That’s a team you check in with occasionally, read a recap the next day to see who did good.
This team is a team that plays exciting baseball, has a lot of talent, and is capable of winning on any day against any opponent. If you don’t want to get wrapped up in projections, that’s fine. Watch the games and stop worrying about it. After all, good or bad, it’s the individual games that are enjoyable. The AB, the home runs. The pitching performances. Not reading the “8-2 W4″ line in the paper.
stickguy
4/5/2011-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
also, I have never subscribed to the theory that you should not expect much or get your hopes up, so you won’t be disappointed. Not, at least, when rooting for a sports team! You are supposed to get all sucked in and excited for the team, then get crushed if (when) they don’t win! Hell, the giants do it to me most years too.
real life is different of course. Not good to get your hopes up to get into Harvard if you can’t break 1000 on your SATs, but that is why it is real life!
remember, fan and fanatic, same root word!
Ceetar
4/5/2011-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
If you can’t break 1000, that’s pathetic as they’ve rejiggered the damn test to be out of 2400
TRS86
4/5/2011-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
This is not for the realistic fan stick. This is for a kid like TK. A kid that is ready to jump off a bridge when they lose or is driving the bandwagon when they win.
TRS86
4/5/2011-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
lets get caught up in is this team past it’s past and ready to take the next step towards being relevant again. In other words lets get caught up in watching a team that works hard and players that have something to prove. Not worrying about panicking or thinking your team is a lock. The team does not need that right now either, they do not need fans that are going to be booing them when they get home because they lost 2/3 to the Phillies.
stickguy
4/5/2011-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
actually, I am caught up with looking for the Mets to beat (and beat around) the Phillies this week. To build wins, and shut the obnoxious fans and media up (at least a little).
they may only win the 85 or so I pegged them for, but I have not changed my mind that they have the potential to be a playoff contender, so every game counts, especially against the better teams in the division.
metsfan4decades
4/5/2011-11:28am at 11:28 am (UTC -4)
‘actually, I am caught up with looking for the Mets to beat (and beat around) the Phillies this week. To build wins, and shut the obnoxious fans and media up (at least a little).’
Me too. It think Stick and @ I lead the ‘I hate Philly bandwagon’.
metsgirl31
4/5/2011-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
Room for one more on that bandwagon?
ajgmets
4/5/2011-1:30pm at 1:30 pm (UTC -4)
Phuckers are off to nice start, of course this gets our ire up and we Mets fans start either trash talking or looking to see positives forthcoming in this early season series in the city of bro…Ah, who am I kidding .. http://bit.ly/fIfkor
metsfan4decades
4/5/2011-9:16am at 9:16 am (UTC -4)
I’ll be curious to see how the ‘back end’ of our rotation makes out this weekend. If they have a plan and our offense can put some runs up, we could very well leave Philly with a good series.
Sign me up for 2 out of 3. Obviously a sweep would be real sweet.
stickguy
4/5/2011-9:23am at 9:23 am (UTC -4)
I don’t think we really have a back end. more like one giant middle. And if anything, the 2/3 guys are really our 1/2. But I am curious to see how Young does. If he is for real back and can stay on the mound, huge boost to the team.
metsfan4decades
4/5/2011-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
Agreed. I really just meant the 2 pitching 4th and 5th in the rotation.
And couldn’t agree more with your response to Dirty’s comment.
I’ll go one step further. If we can win this series maybe this will shut up the media for a short while on all the Met bashing.
stickguy
4/5/2011-9:31am at 9:31 am (UTC -4)
I think it will take a WS title, or at least a playoff birth, to stop that.
every series win will just lead to more “well, that’s just one, let’s see them keep it up” or “sure, but how about when they trade Reyes soon” pieces.
Ceetar
4/5/2011-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
Nah, don’t need a title, need the projections to look like their original story was wrong. If the Mets go into August in first place with the Phillies not hitting and the Braves struggling, everyone will fall over themselves to rewrite the narrative and talk about Alderson’s great moves, about Collins leadership.
The main goal of the MSM is to be writing stories about the teams that are still getting attention.
stickguy
4/5/2011-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
not sure though that 1st place on 8/1 gets them to change the tune, but I suppose if Reyes is still here, they might actually focus on the games more! At least if he has already signed an extension.
Ceetar
4/5/2011-10:25am at 10:25 am (UTC -4)
was just an example. If it looks like the Mets are going to win the division, they’ll change their tune.
oleosmirf
4/5/2011-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
or they keep bringing up the “collapse” especially in mainstream media.
kistics
4/5/2011-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
Yeah I think we have five #3 type pitchers. And on good days, they can be #2s. Which is not that bad
Prismo
4/5/2011-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
What’s wrong with having five #3′s?
How many wins would you expect from a stereotypical #3 starter?
For me, maybe around 14 wins.
14 x 5 = 70 wins
So, that’d be 70 wins just from our starters. I’ll take it!
kistics
4/5/2011-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
Nothing’s wrong with five #3s.
TRS86
4/5/2011-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
5 3′s would normally get you in the playoffs where you would most likely lose but hey….
I don’t expect 5 3′s either however. I expect 3 3′s a 4 and a 5.
stickguy
4/5/2011-9:23am at 9:23 am (UTC -4)
Oh, and our Rusty, king of the understatement: “Joe Blanton has never impressed me – if anything he is the weak link of the Phillies rotation”
Ceetar
4/5/2011-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
Blanton is a flyball pitcher, gives up home runs. It’s a small park.
Of course Young is a flyball pitcher too, but he’s better at hitting his spots, and the Phillies lineup isn’t great. Outside of Howard, Ibanez’s power has dropped each year, and Victorino, Polanco, Valdez aren’t really home run hitters.
Prismo
4/5/2011-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
It’s so quiet here…very strange. You wouldn’t think the season just started, the Mets won a series, and are starting a new one against the Phillies.
metsfan4decades
4/5/2011-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know about anyone else but I’m trying to ‘clear my desk’ (so to speak) this afternoon so I can watch the game tonight with no distractions. It’s been a busy day…..
TRS86
4/5/2011-12:29pm at 12:29 pm (UTC -4)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/sports/baseball/05mets.html?_r=2&ref=baseball
LOL, funny thing is I have this exact cart. It’s my camping cart.
Prismo
4/5/2011-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
That thing’s AWESOME. I want it. I have no idea what I’d use it for, but I want it.
TRS86
4/5/2011-12:52pm at 12:52 pm (UTC -4)
I think I paid 18 bucks at Wal-mart.
metsfan4decades
4/5/2011-1:28pm at 1:28 pm (UTC -4)
Dang….doens’t appear Stanley sells this model anymore. At least they don’t have it on their web site. I know someone who’d like one of these.
Closest I could come to it was another type mobile tool chest that goes for about $80.
TRS86
4/5/2011-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
Lowes