May 14th, 2013 by Lou
I have become about as apathetic as I have ever been in regard to the New York Mets. I don’t even care if I see the games anymore . Oh I will turn on the pregame show, a full hour now, and listen to Bobby Ojeda’s terrific analysis of what is going wrong with team but when the game starts, all bets are off. After a couple of inning of futile at bats, I usually wonder elsewhere, either on the dial, or around the house. Look, I am a life long Mets fan but enough is enough. I cannot allow myself to suffer this type of abuse night after night.
I do think the Mets are on the right track by rebuilding a farm system that was neglected for years. Money thrown at big name ballplayers was the only methodology used by the club. It is precisely because of that approach that we suffer every day in May of 2013. It’s David Wright and Matt Harvey. They are the only reason to tune in these days. I was hoping Ike Davis would be launching them out of the park and in the gaps like he did so often the second half of last season. But so far he is playing exactly as he did the first have of 2012 and that was terrible.
The problem with the Mets is simple…
The Mets need hitting. That’s the answer. By not scoring runs, the offense is putting tremendous pressure on the starting pitching. The starting pitching is very thin beyond Harvey. Jeremy Hefner is really not that bad but he needs four or five runs to work with every time out. He ain’t gettin that. Neither is Marcum, Niese, or Gee. These guys are unable to pitch shutouts, they simply are not that good but they would be better on a team like the Cardinals that can put up runs. With the pitching unable to stop the other team from scoring, the bullpen is brought in too early and is getting burned out and we are not even to Memorial Day. Nope, the problem is not pitching, it is an offense that simply cannot score. The Mets rank near the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category. And what is in the pipeline to come up from the minors? More pitching. Yes, catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud could be an offensive force but by and large the Mets are hitting weak in the minors. Sandy Alderson is going to have to trade or sign offensive players or this team will continue to struggle. Pitching is the most important aspect of baseball but runs are what win ballgames.
So while the Mets continue to struggle, I continue to remain uncommitted. Take a look at the crowds, or should I say gatherings, at Citi Field. Last week, except for the Matt Harvey near perfecto, the new ballpark looked almost entirely empty. So am I alone in my apathy? Highly doubtful. You might say if I really wanted to support the team, I should go to the ballpark anyway. Not at those prices, no thank you. Lower the field level tickets to 25 or 30 dollars a seat and I would go. But no way will I pay 300 dollars to watch this charade.
And yes, when the Mets do get good again, perhaps in 2014 or 2015, I will become more interested. But I am no frontrunner. A frontrunner would be following the Yankees or the Braves now. I hate both those teams and would never root for them. Here’s what I do. Each night I take a look at the Mets minor league affiliates to see how some of their prize prospects are doing. I wonder how they will be when they come up or what major league players we might be able to get for them. To view night after night, these predictable and boring ballgames is an exercise for the most dire masochists. I refuse to inflict such mental anguish upon myself.
I can’t totally disconnect from the team. I know what they are doing. I just can’t sit there watching the train wreck over and over again.
May 10th, 2013 by Lou
The 2013 Mets are in good company. Their current record after last night’s walk off win is 14-17. That is the identical record of the 1969 world champion Mets after 31 games.
After 31 games the 1973 Mets were 17-14 but they lost the World Series. The ’86 Mets… well they of course were unbelievable that season. Those Mets were 22-9 after 31 games. And the last Mets team to get to the World Series, the 2000 edition, had a 17-14 record like the ’73 team.
So what does all this mean for the 2013 Mets? Really, not much. We can find all kinds of records after 31 games from losing seasons as well as winning seasons. Last season the Mets were 18-13 after 31 games looking pretty good just a half game out of first. Ultimately, what good was it?
They all count however and seeing just how anemic this team is at the plate, they will be lucky if they win 75 games this season.
May 9th, 2013 by Lou
Mets fact… Last night’s 6-3 loss to the White Sox was the first time this year a Mets game was decided by 3 runs. You can look it up.
The Mets have been in nine one run games (losing 6 of them), four decided by 2 runs, seven decided by 4 runs, and five games decided by 5 runs. There have been four games decided by 6 or more runs and surprisingly the Mets are 3-1 in those games.
The next inter-league series for the Mets will be against the Yankees at Citi Field on May 27th. That will be a home and home series, two at Citi and then two at Yankee Stadium II (really III). Isn’t it interesting that I actually thought the Yankees were headed for oblivion this year and the Mets would be the surprise team in New York. Will I ever learn?
Instead of the Astros, maybe the Mets should have moved to the American League. Since 1997 the Mets are 138-128 (.519) against the junior circuit. And that’s with a 36-54 record against the Yankees. Remove the Yanks from the mix and the Mets are 102-74 (.580). You can look that up too.
May 8th, 2013 by Lou
Last night’s win was only the fourth time in history the Mets played the White Sox. It was the first game ever that the bunch from the south side of Chicago played in Flushing. There is one more game tonight then next month the Mets will play a two game set at US Cellular field. It will mark the first time in many years that the Mets made more than one trip to Chicago in a single season.
The Mets will play at Wrigley Field next weekend for a three game set. Then they will return to Chicago the last week of June to finish their four game inter-league series with the White Sox.
The last time, prior to last evening, the Mets played an inter-league game against the White Sox was in June of 2002 in Chicago. The Mets won the first game of the series by a score of 3-1. Pedro Astacio was the winner. The Mets lost the next two games by scores of 10-8 and 2-1.
The Mets never played the ChiSox again even in seasons when they went head to head with AL Central teams. It’s odd considering the Mets had played the Tigers 15 times the Twins 12 times (not including this season) and the Indians 9 times. The Mets have played the Royals only six times but that is still more times than the three games they had played against the White Sox in all of these years since inter-league play began.
April 26th, 2013 by Lou
The Mets are at 10-10, at the .500 mark. For those of you new to baseball or sports, .500 means a team has lost as many games as it has won (wins/total games).
On one day, the Mets will win a dramatic game like on Wednesday night when Jordany Valdespin launches a grand slam into the net over the MoZone for the walk off win. Then the next day, Ike Davis hits a meaningless home run in the bottom of the ninth with the team coming up one run short. Win one day, lose the next. That’s the Mets and I guess that’s what we all really expected.
Here are some interesting stats to support the Mets run to .500…
Other than being .500 on the season the Mets are
-
- 1-1 in extra inning games
- 2-2 in rubber games
- 1-1 in series sweeps
- 8-8 vs. right handed pitching
- 2-2 vs. left handed pitching
- 5-5 at night
- 5-5 during the day
If anything, the Mets are consistent. On a positive note, Jeremy Heffner pitched a fine game against a tough lineup. Dillon Gee pitched better last Sunday, and Shawn Marcum will start on Saturday. If the Mets can get strong in the rotation behind Matt Harvey and Jon Niese, that will certainly bode well for the team as they head into May. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt for Ike Davis to remember how to hit again when it’s needed. If everyone in the lineup can play up to their potential then something fun and exciting could happen this summer.
No, I am not suggesting a playoff appearance, but a team four or five games above .500 would be a nice treat for Mets fans as the farmhands continue to develop.
If anyone cares, last season after 20 games, the Mets were 11-9. So the pessimists among us would say the Mets are getting worse.
April 24th, 2013 by Lou
With last evening’s loss, the Mets are 0-4 on Tuesdays this season. They also have yet to win a game on a Thursday having gone 0-2. The Mets are undefeated on Sundays and Mondays with a combined 4-0 record. When the Mets score the first run they are 7-3. When the opposition scores first, they are 2-6.
Only one extra inning game so far and the Mets lost that one at Colorado in 10. They have been involved in one shutout. That was Sunday’s game when they defeated the Nats 2-0 at Citi Field. Mets are exactly .500 against righties and lefties going 7-7 and 2-2 respectively.
In games started by Matt Harvey and Jon Niese the Mets are a combined 6-1 therefore they are 3-8 with anyone else taking the hill.
In one run games, the Mets are 1-3 (not good) but are 3-1 in blow outs (winning by 6 or more runs). Most runs scored in a game were 16 against Minnesota. Most runs scored by the opposition is 11by the Rockies. In series, the Mets are 4-2 having swept a weather shortened two game set against the Twins and losing another weather shortened series in Denver 3-0.
Overall, at 9-9 a fairly ho-hum start for the Amazin’s. We still need to be patient. There are studs on the farm but they are still a couple years away. Keep the expectations low this season and you will not be disappointed.
April 23rd, 2013 by Lou
Once again, baseball helped a city heal from a terrorist attack.
On Saturday (delayed one day), the Red Sox began a ten game home stand against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. No one believes a baseball game could possible undo the havoc those two terrorist brothers unleashed on the city of Boston, the lives they ended and many others who will forever be changed, both physically and mentally. But symbolically there was something special when a large amount of people congregate and cheered and showed the world that Boston will survive and not be intimidated to change their way, our way, of life. And what better place where people come together that so epitomizes the American way of life than a baseball game, especially at one of the two most historic ballparks in the country, Fenway Park.
We in the New York area know all too well how much both New York baseball teams helped New Yorkers, residents of both New Jersey and Connecticut, begin the healing process after the 9/11 attacks. The Mets played the first game in New York after the attacks ten days later when they defeated the Braves at Shea Stadium. Later in October there was the classic games five and six of the ’01 World Series when the Yankees came back with dramatic home runs to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although the Yanks ultimately lost the series, those games helped everyone in New York distract themselves from the horrors of just a month earlier.
The Red Sox are an integral part of the fabric of Boston and its people. The Marathon bombings will not be forgotten because the Sox took the field on Saturday but you can be sure they helped to put a smile on the face of the great people of Boston.
It did not matter if the Red Sox won or lost on Saturday. Ultimately that was not the point. The fact that Fenway was packed, that people showed they would not be intimidated, that they could cheer and heal together is really what mattered. However, something of baseball significance did happen and was eerily similar to what happened back on September 21, 2001 at Shea Stadium.
Mike Piazza hit perhaps his most significant home run as a Met that evening. In the bottom of the eighth with the Braves leading 3-2, Piazza hit a monster home run to center field with a man on to give the Mets the lead and ultimately the 3-2 win. No baseball game could ever comfort those who lost friends and loved ones or those simply in shock of such tragic events as 9/11 but at least it allowed people to feel somewhat normal again, at least for a little while.
Strangely reminiscent of that game was the one on Saturday at Fenway. Like the Mets, the Sox trailed for most of the game until the eighth inning. With the Royals leading 2-1, Boston rallied.
Jonny Gomes led off the inning as a pinch hitter then doubled. Dustin Pedroia walked setting up the Hollywood version of the inning with David Ortiz coming up. Now for this truly to be a parallel in history event, Big Poppi should have homered as Mike Piazza once did, capping off an F-bomb dropping day. However, Oritz hit into a double play letting the wind out of the Red Sox sails. However after import Mike Napoli walked, Daniel Nova hit his fourth home run of the season into the right field bleachers giving the Red Sox a 4-2 lead as the crowd simply went wild. The Royals’ Lorenzo Cain homered in the 9th to make it a one run game but closer Andrew Bailey shut the door for the emotional 4-3 win.
Of course it had to end that way, it just had to. Again its not much and certainly pales in comparison to the losses suffered by so many people that simply wanted to celebrate a great Massachusetts tradition known as the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day. Ultimately America is about moving on, slowly but surely. The Red Sox and baseball helped their city do just that.
Once again, baseball will help a city heal from a terrorist attack.
Tonight, the Red Sox are scheduled to begin a ten game home stand against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. At this moment it is unclear if tonight’s game will be played as Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown are in complete lockdown while the FBI and Boston Police authorities attempt to find the remaining terrorist at large.
We in the New York area know all too well how much both New York baseball teams helped New Yorkers, residents of both New Jersey and Connecticut begin the healing process after the 9/11 attacks. The Mets played the first game in New York after the attacks ten days later when they defeated the Braves at Shea Stadium. Mike Piazza hit perhaps his most significant home run as a Met. In the bottom of the eighth with the Braves leading 3-2, Piazza hit a monster home run to center field with a man on to give the Mets the lead and ultimately the win. No baseball game could ever comfort those who lost friends and loved ones or those simply in shock of such tragic events but at least it began to allow people to feel somewhat normal again.
Then there were the classic games five and six of the ’01 World Series when the Yankees came back with dramatic home runs to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although the Yanks ultimately lost the series, those games helped everyone in New York distract themselves from the horrors of just a month earlier.
The Red Sox are an integral part of the fabric of Boston and its people. The Marathon bombings will not be forgotten when the Sox take the field tonight or sometime later this weekend but you can be sure they will help put a smile on the face of the great people of Boston.
Once again, baseball will help a city heal from a terrorist attack.
Tonight, the Red Sox are scheduled to begin a ten game home stand against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. At this moment it is unclear if tonight’s game will be played as Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown are in complete lockdown while the FBI and Boston Police authorities attempt to find the remaining terrorist at large.
We in the New York area know all too well how much both New York baseball teams helped New Yorkers, residents of both New Jersey and Connecticut begin the healing process after the 9/11 attacks. The Mets played the first game in New York after the attacks ten days later when they defeated the Braves at Shea Stadium. Mike Piazza hit perhaps his most significant home run as a Met. In the bottom of the eighth with the Braves leading 3-2, Piazza hit a monster home run to center field with a man on to give the Mets the lead and ultimately the win. No baseball game could ever comfort those who lost friends and loved ones or those simply in shock of such tragic events but at least it began to allow people to feel somewhat normal again.
Then there were the classic games five and six of the ’01 World Series when the Yankees came back with dramatic home runs to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although the Yanks ultimately lost the series, those games helped everyone in New York distract themselves from the horrors of just a month earlier.
The Red Sox are an integral part of the fabric of Boston and its people. The Marathon bombings will not be forgotten when the Sox take the field tonight or sometime later this weekend but you can be sure they will help put a smile on the face of the great people of Boston.