" Will you be watching ?"
Well here we stand pretty much at the crossroads of the season. Our Mets go into this All Star Break with a record of 46-45. Most people didn’t think this team of question marks and AAAA players would be this good.
The funny thing is during this past 7 game road trip – a venture that many people thought could be the death knell for this team. But the Mets surprised almost everyone ( including themselves?) by going 4-3 . In all honestly, this team could have gone 6-1 if it were not for some costly errors. But as the old saying goes ” If if’s and buts were candy and nuts “yadda yadda yadda . The fact of the matter is that this team is holding their own against the upper eschelon teams.
I know at this same time last season the Mets under the fragile stewardship of then manager , Jerry Manuel had a better record that this years squad, but there was a underlying foreboding feeling that the bottom would drop out at anytime. As we all know it did .
The question remains now is if this team, a group of players who have fought from their first at bat to their last out can sustain this momentum . Will players like Beltran, Rodriguez and Isringhausen still be on the roster by seasons end ? Will Johan, Ike and David come back and be difference makers ? Can Terry motivate this team to finish over .500 for the first time in 2 seasons?
I will be tuning in to watch – will you ?
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Mets coach from the ’77-’78 seasons, Denny Sommers is 71 (1940) .
Pitcher from the ’66 season, Dick Rusteck is 70 (1941) .
The New York Mets sold the contract of pitcher, Don Cardwell to the Atlanta Braves on July 12, 1970. Cardwell was a no thrills type of pitcher. He worked both as a starter, and as a reliever for the Mets. He was regarded as a wily veteran that took the younger Mets pitchers under his wing during his four season tenure as a Met.
The New York Mets signed free agent utilityman, Marlon Anderson of the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 12, 2007. Anderson was a good pick up for the Mets that season. Used primarily as a pinch hitter, Marlon batted .319 with a .355 on base percentage. He had 3 homers and 25 RBIs in 69 at bats . Too bad he was never able to replicate those numbers for the Mets in ’08 and ’09 – but he was considered a good clubhouse guy.
Mo Vaughn is in Phoenix for tonight’s All Star Game. He said he is going to Mel’s Diner for a bowl of their famous chili. I didn’t have the heart to tell him That Mel’s was a fictional place from a ’70′s sitcom !
19 comments
MetsFan4Decades
7/12/2011-12:34pm at 12:34 pm (UTC -4)
The answer to this question depends so much on who is on the roster this second half. It’s hard to make any predictions not knowing who will make it back healthy sooner rather than later and who will still be here come August 1st.
I know their record is worse end of first half than it was same time last year. Yet for some reason, this team inspires confidence they can finish better than last year, even if only by a couple of games. If nothing else, even with a patched together IF right now and less than ace like quality pitching, this team is so much more enjoyable to watch. They seem to never give up and most nights if down, are still scoring runs late so you always think they’ve got a chance. I believe a lot of that credit has to go to Collins.
It’s baseball so anything can happen. But even if this is just a transitional type year, I’m thinking they can at least remain competitive deep into the season. I’ll be tuning in because much like the game with the two grand slams recently, you never know what you might see.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-1:22pm at 1:22 pm (UTC -4)
I feel they have a damn good shot at staying at 500 even if Beltran and KROD are gone. They continue to show that they don’t care who is in the lineup, whoever is up, they fight. That said I will continue to stick with my 73 win prediction at the beginning of the year, but I will be really bummed if that kind of drop happens.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-2:03pm at 2:03 pm (UTC -4)
“According to Newsday, Mets ratings on SNY are down 29 percent from this point last year.” I am shocked by this. Compared to last year, this team is a joy to watch. I guess it also has to do with how much each game is watched. For my I’ll throw on a couple innings, then watch something else for a half hour, then check back in and if it’s somewhat competitive I will usually stick around for another 2 innings or the rest of the game depending on how it goes.
MetsFan4Decades
7/12/2011-3:06pm at 3:06 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve got a question…..I believe many fans are now in the habit of DVR’ing these games. I’m wondering if you do that, and watch it later, if by DVR’ing it it counts towards ratings.
I read somewhere that YES viewing is down also and was wondering if taping it would account for some of those lower numbers.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
They are able to calculate DVR use and it is based on if a program is not watched within 7 days of recording there is a 90% chance that it won’t be, which is far from the truth in my house. For commercial ratings they usually look at a 1-3 day period after it’s aired. Many times they will only take day one since after that the commercials have a higher tendency to get skipped. For sports I would bet that they look at day one only since if people don’t get to it they know the result immediately and skip to the next game.
MetsFan4Decades
7/12/2011-3:43pm at 3:43 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting….thanks.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-5:40pm at 5:40 pm (UTC -4)
I agree, this team can be over .500, even without Krod & Beltran, but that is assuming that Wright and Ike are back and producing and Parnell decides to harness that amazing God given talent and not be a meat head.
I still think if they send Beltran & Krod packing, check on any other rentals or situations that would make this team better. Cap? Paulino? Byrdak? Izzy? Any one of them would be on the list. Obviously, trading to improve, but I don’t see any of those on the team next year (Cap, only because he has value again and someone with throw some bling-age his way. I wouldn’t mind him back, but he’s really going to be in that 6th man spot with Santana, Niese, Dickey, Pelf, Gee with Harvey and possibly Mejia as early to mid summer call-ups).
He could have a spot if Big Poof gets traded (waiting for the groans from everyone but Salty on that one). Trade Pelf, resign Cap for slightly less on an incentive deal… Hmm, I may be onto something…
Anonymous
7/12/2011-6:22pm at 6:22 pm (UTC -4)
Who has the better trade value is interesting between Cap and Pelf. Pelf has been injury free, makes a little coin but not much this year, is controlled through next year but is inconsistent and falls of the mound. Cap definitely has the injury bug, but it looks like it’s behind him and makes no money. Still thinking Pelf probably gets a little more back but feel it’s close. They can both take a hike if it nets the team something good.
TRS86
7/12/2011-6:39pm at 6:39 pm (UTC -4)
Pelf has much more value than Cap at this point. Even with Cap pitching “well” and Pelf “poorly” their stats are similar. Cap also stands to make a decent amount if all his incentives are met.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-7:22pm at 7:22 pm (UTC -4)
Sorry Chief, Big Poof stays.
First off, other than Ks and ERA (granted, important numbers) Poof and Cap’s stat similarities might surprise you.
Pelf’s too young and throws too hard and stays too healthy to give up on.
Can’t do it.
A lobotomy might be a nice idea though.
TRS86
7/12/2011-10:27pm at 10:27 pm (UTC -4)
There is really not that much difference in their ERA and 90% of that would be due to his horrible start. Take out his first four starts and his ERA is 3.66.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, and take away 19 losses and he’d be .500 lifetime against the NL East.
He wishes he had Bobby Jones’s stat’s through the same age for perspective. And a lot of fans consider Mr. Jones tenure poor but he had his 1 hitter moment in the post season against the Giants with the big K of Bonds. Here’s to hoping Pelf get’s his act together and can have similar moments instead of say chewing on his uniform on the mound in Philly.
TRS86
7/12/2011-11:38pm at 11:38 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah he has stunk against the NL East. No doubting that. However, I am not sure it is so easy to replace him and as I said he certainly has more value than Cap.
Anonymous
7/13/2011-1:33am at 1:33 am (UTC -4)
Totally agree. I’ve viewed Cap from the start as part of the bridge till Harvey and Mejia are ready. With Mejia down his value’s increased some but the role’s still the same just waiting for Harvey first now. Pelf is just maddening because of his upside unrealized. We’ll have till 2014 I believe to find out thought.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-6:39pm at 6:39 pm (UTC -4)
David Lennon posted his “report card” and it looks like RDM was his inspiration. Really only one difference of opinion and that was with Cap:
King Kong Bundy – RDM David Lennon – Newsday
Jose Reyes A A+
Carlos Beltran A A+
Francisco Rodriguez B+ A-
Daniel Murphy B+ B+
Justin Turner B+ B+
Ronny Paulino B+ B
Jonathon Niese B+ B+
R.A. Dickey B+ B
Jason Isringhausen B+ B+
Dillon Gee B+ A-
Angel Pagan B+ B-
Ruben Tejada B+ B-
Chris Capuano C+ B+
Jason Bay C C-
Willie Harris C C
Scott Hairston C C
Josh Thole C- C
Mike Pelfrey C- C
Lucas Duda C- C
David Wright INC INC
Ike Davis INC INC
Terry Collins A A
TRS86
7/12/2011-6:50pm at 6:50 pm (UTC -4)
Down right plagiarized. LOL.
Anonymous
7/12/2011-7:12pm at 7:12 pm (UTC -4)
Wow, that’s interesting! It’s even closer than you think, as I believe I gave Paulino and Dickey Bs, and Pagan and Tejada B minuses.
Thanks for taking the time to post this Gary. But Cap’s no B+!
Sue this plagiarist TRS!!
Anonymous
7/12/2011-11:05pm at 11:05 pm (UTC -4)
I knew I should have copyrighted Big Poof. :p
Anonymous
7/13/2011-2:44am at 2:44 am (UTC -4)
I’ll make sure I mention Hazmet in the footnotes next time I steal, err, use it.