I was hoping I was wrong, but my concerns for Ollie seem to be coming true. Earlier this year I worried about Ollie's mental state. As stated in my Feb. 23rd blog entry, I was concerned which Perez would show up this season. Since he won that big arbitration case and is pitching for a contract next year, I worried how he'd handle the stress of the season. So far, not good at all.
Perez seems to be a headcase. For someone who has such great pitching talent, he has the attention span of a fly. He frequently seems unable to throw strikes or to get out of tough innings. When he's pitching OK, he'll be great one batter, and awful the next. How do you walk 5 batters in 1 2/3 innings? How can you not come out fired up when facing your old team? The same team that begged the Mets to take you in a trade. I'd like Perez to be pitching for the Mets next year, but when he melts down for no reason it makes me wonder if he's worth the money and risk next year.
The only reason the hitters and the lack of offense isn't the top headline is because of Ollie's meltdown. One of my common gripes is how the Mets hitters make journeyman pitchers look like Cy Young winners. It seemed like every inning the Mets would have someone on base due to a walk. But only Ryan Church was able to drive in a run. And Delgado is the only other batter to get a hit. It's all the more evidence that there are issues with this team that Witless Willie can't seem to recognize. Here's what I think the batting order should look like when Alou' returns this weekend.
1- Reyes
2- Church
3- Wright
4- Beltran
5- Alou'
6- Delgado
7-Castillo
8- Schneider/Casanova/ Molina
9- pitchers
When Church was batting 2nd, the Mets won 5 out of 6 games and scored runs early and often. When Alou' returns there will be a Rt. handed bat to cover Beltran, and the line-up will stay balanced and productive. Even though Castillo is starting to hit again, he lacks the power to drive in runs early in games. The Mets need to score runs early so that pitchers doesn't feel as if they need to throw a shutout to win.
The defense today was terrible. It once again shows that there is a lack of focus on this team. Perez didn't help with his pitching, but the fielders messed up routine plays. Has Pagan forgotten how to catch a ball? I thought Castillo was a Gold Glove fielder? He can't even shovel a ball 10 feet to Reyes for a double play. Perez probably had the fielders asleep because of his lack of control, but they need to show some life in the field. And where was Willie in the dugout? Why wasn't he kicking them in the butts and telling them to wake up?
I know people think I'm crazy, but alot of these infield errors and such started happening when Valentin broke his leg last year. He was a mentor and father figure to Reyes. Ever since Jose' got hurt there isn't that older, respected, trusted, tough, hard nosed player there to keep Reyes on the straight and narrow. Castillo has never been a leader, and he seems lazy in the field at times. I don't think he's a good influence on Jose' and I think he's got something to do with Jose' lack of results the last few months.
I believe if Valentin was at least in the dugout, Reyes would be a better player at the plate and in the field. Valentin wouldn't allow him to lose focus, and would never allow him to just go thru the motions. Beltran and Delgado don't have the stature of Valentin. He's old school and tough. Just what Reyes needs by his side now. Maybe Valentin could come back as some sort of a coach or special assistant. I think Reyes would benefit from his presents greatly.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A Few Words of Praise for Ryan Church
I wanted to take a few moments here to say thank you to Ryan Church. Because he played for the Nationals, I had very little knowledge of his talents. All I can say is thankyou Washington.
If Schneider never plays as well as his history says he should, the Milledge trade was worth it. Ryan Church himself was worth the price of Lastings. He's been nothing but great in the field and at the Plate. He has great speed in the field and a cannon for an arm. He covers ground with ease and always seems to get to balls. At the plate he's showing that he can be a RBI force in that line-up. He's hit where ever Willie's put him, and he's crushing left handed pitching. He's hitting .353 and slugging at a .559 clip against southpaws. He also has a .421 OBP angainst them. I thought he couldn't hit left-handed pitching? I guess HoJo knows more about hitting than Lenny Harris does. Ryan said he never got any hitting instruction in Washington, and that HoJo has helped him level his swing and see the ball better. I see Ryan becoming a left handed version of Wright. Someone who will hit for average, drive in runs, get you 25-30 homeruns a year, and 40+ doubles. He seems comfortable in NY and has a knack for the big hit.
So here's to Ryan. I hope he stays around for many years to come, and has a great year in the Orange and Blue. The Mets need a young healthy hitter to compliment David and Beltran, and Ryan may just be that player.
What do all of you think about Ryan? Does anyone still miss Milledge? I don't, do you?
If Schneider never plays as well as his history says he should, the Milledge trade was worth it. Ryan Church himself was worth the price of Lastings. He's been nothing but great in the field and at the Plate. He has great speed in the field and a cannon for an arm. He covers ground with ease and always seems to get to balls. At the plate he's showing that he can be a RBI force in that line-up. He's hit where ever Willie's put him, and he's crushing left handed pitching. He's hitting .353 and slugging at a .559 clip against southpaws. He also has a .421 OBP angainst them. I thought he couldn't hit left-handed pitching? I guess HoJo knows more about hitting than Lenny Harris does. Ryan said he never got any hitting instruction in Washington, and that HoJo has helped him level his swing and see the ball better. I see Ryan becoming a left handed version of Wright. Someone who will hit for average, drive in runs, get you 25-30 homeruns a year, and 40+ doubles. He seems comfortable in NY and has a knack for the big hit.
So here's to Ryan. I hope he stays around for many years to come, and has a great year in the Orange and Blue. The Mets need a young healthy hitter to compliment David and Beltran, and Ryan may just be that player.
What do all of you think about Ryan? Does anyone still miss Milledge? I don't, do you?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Mets Scalp the Braves this Weekend
In my last post I stated my concerns with the Mets ability to beat the Braves. As luck would have it the Mets finally managed to beat Smoltz and Hudson and win 2out of the three games this weekend.
Friday's game was a joke. The rookie pitcher of the Braves walked in 3 runs and still managed to beat the Mets. Pelfrey didn't do himself any favors either. I don't understand Mike. Some games he's great mixing his pitches and keeping them low in the zone. Other games he can't find the plate and everything is up in the zone.
David can't get out of his slump, Castillo showed no signs of life at the plate, Beltran continues to struggle too. The only hits came from Casanova and Anderson. All in All a pretty sad night when the Mets allow a struggling pitcher to limit them to only 2 hits.
Saturday's game was a little better. John Maine pitched well, although he developed a cramp in his pitching hand after 5 innings. He struck out 7, walked 3 , and only allowed 2 runs. He complained that his hand cramped up from having to rub up the balls so often. John said that they were slippery all day. After John left the game, Heilman starts the 6th inning and then things get interesting. He gets 2 quick outs, and then can't get the last one. He walked one batter, allows a couple of hits, and a run to score. It was Deja Vue' all over again. Aaron did manage to get out of the inning, and the rest of the pen kept the Braves from scoring anymore runs. Wagner did his usual. 3 batters up, three outs made. Billy truly is the "SANDMAN" this year, and everyone should enjoy his work. Who would have thought that going to a full wind-up would help him so much. I've seen him hit 99 MPH this year, and he's over 95 frequently.
The offense decided to wake up and score a few runs too. David came out of his slump with 2 hits, Delgado had an RBI, Beltran and Church also had hits and drove in runs. Ryan has been just spectacular at the plate and the field this year. I bet no one is complaining about Milledge now. What was troubling was the fact that all the Mets scoring came in the 3rd inning. That is a common problem this year. They score some runs, and then forget to add more to the board in later innings. Thankfully Hudson had a short day, and the Mets got to him early.
Sunday's game was another chance for the Mets to finally put a kink in Smoltz' armour. He's been off the charts this year. Coming into this game he hadn't given up more than 1 run in a game this year, and had an ERA of .78!!!! And he's almost 41? Why couldn't Glavine pitch like that when he was with the Mets? Figueroa pitched well today. Although he seemed to be troubled by the mound conditions, he kept the Braves off balance enough to get the win.
David has a real problem with Smoltz. He can't hit John and looks bad doing it. But thankfully Delgado and Casanova were hitting Smoltz. They both hit home runs off John and staked Figueroa to a lead. Delgado then hit a 2nd home run in the 7th inning to extend the lead. Castillo had 3 hits today and may be coming out of his funk. What was nice to see today was the fact that the Mets continued to add runs during the game. All too often that hasn't happened this season. Maybe this will help turn the season around for Carlos and Luis. It makes it very difficult to win games when they're automatic outs.
Next up are the Pirates. Maybe Omar will take this opportunity to talk up a trade for Nady. With Alou's messed up ankle, who knows what if anything the Mets will get from him this year. Yes folks that's right, Alou' has a messed up ankle that may be broken. He had an CT scan and it shows what could be a broken bone in his ankle. He showed up to the park in Port. St. Lucie with a swollen ankle. What was he doing to hurt that? Walking down the hall? It's time to call it quits with Alou'. Mets fans can't sit and wait for him to decide to get healthy. If his body is so fragile, how long can he stay healthy if he ever does get to NY?
What do you think? Should the Mets send Alou' packing and find another bat for the order now? Or should we hope and pray that he somehow gets healthy and stays healthy for the rest of the year?
Friday's game was a joke. The rookie pitcher of the Braves walked in 3 runs and still managed to beat the Mets. Pelfrey didn't do himself any favors either. I don't understand Mike. Some games he's great mixing his pitches and keeping them low in the zone. Other games he can't find the plate and everything is up in the zone.
David can't get out of his slump, Castillo showed no signs of life at the plate, Beltran continues to struggle too. The only hits came from Casanova and Anderson. All in All a pretty sad night when the Mets allow a struggling pitcher to limit them to only 2 hits.
Saturday's game was a little better. John Maine pitched well, although he developed a cramp in his pitching hand after 5 innings. He struck out 7, walked 3 , and only allowed 2 runs. He complained that his hand cramped up from having to rub up the balls so often. John said that they were slippery all day. After John left the game, Heilman starts the 6th inning and then things get interesting. He gets 2 quick outs, and then can't get the last one. He walked one batter, allows a couple of hits, and a run to score. It was Deja Vue' all over again. Aaron did manage to get out of the inning, and the rest of the pen kept the Braves from scoring anymore runs. Wagner did his usual. 3 batters up, three outs made. Billy truly is the "SANDMAN" this year, and everyone should enjoy his work. Who would have thought that going to a full wind-up would help him so much. I've seen him hit 99 MPH this year, and he's over 95 frequently.
The offense decided to wake up and score a few runs too. David came out of his slump with 2 hits, Delgado had an RBI, Beltran and Church also had hits and drove in runs. Ryan has been just spectacular at the plate and the field this year. I bet no one is complaining about Milledge now. What was troubling was the fact that all the Mets scoring came in the 3rd inning. That is a common problem this year. They score some runs, and then forget to add more to the board in later innings. Thankfully Hudson had a short day, and the Mets got to him early.
Sunday's game was another chance for the Mets to finally put a kink in Smoltz' armour. He's been off the charts this year. Coming into this game he hadn't given up more than 1 run in a game this year, and had an ERA of .78!!!! And he's almost 41? Why couldn't Glavine pitch like that when he was with the Mets? Figueroa pitched well today. Although he seemed to be troubled by the mound conditions, he kept the Braves off balance enough to get the win.
David has a real problem with Smoltz. He can't hit John and looks bad doing it. But thankfully Delgado and Casanova were hitting Smoltz. They both hit home runs off John and staked Figueroa to a lead. Delgado then hit a 2nd home run in the 7th inning to extend the lead. Castillo had 3 hits today and may be coming out of his funk. What was nice to see today was the fact that the Mets continued to add runs during the game. All too often that hasn't happened this season. Maybe this will help turn the season around for Carlos and Luis. It makes it very difficult to win games when they're automatic outs.
Next up are the Pirates. Maybe Omar will take this opportunity to talk up a trade for Nady. With Alou's messed up ankle, who knows what if anything the Mets will get from him this year. Yes folks that's right, Alou' has a messed up ankle that may be broken. He had an CT scan and it shows what could be a broken bone in his ankle. He showed up to the park in Port. St. Lucie with a swollen ankle. What was he doing to hurt that? Walking down the hall? It's time to call it quits with Alou'. Mets fans can't sit and wait for him to decide to get healthy. If his body is so fragile, how long can he stay healthy if he ever does get to NY?
What do you think? Should the Mets send Alou' packing and find another bat for the order now? Or should we hope and pray that he somehow gets healthy and stays healthy for the rest of the year?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Nationals slam Mets with Heilman's Help
What started out as a good game quickly turned into a rancid pitching display by the Mets. I'm glad I was drifting in and out of sleep while watching this game tonight. Not seeing Heilman serve up the 3rd Grand slam surrendered by the Mets bull-pen made for a better nights sleep.
What is up with Heilman and Sosa? They absolutely suck this year. They've always had their bad games, but this is getting ridiculous. In all of MBL only 4 Grand slams have been hit this year. The Gopher Ball Bothers have given up 3 of the 4 !! Heilman needs to go. I've now come to believe that his personal feud with Omar and Willie is being brought to the mound. He wants to start, they won't let him, so I believe he's doing his best to force a trade. How else can his continued failures be explained? Unless he's hurt, I can't think of any other reason. Sosa, is a mystery. He seems to fall in love with his slider, and won't throw anything else. The hitters sit there waiting for on to drift over the plate, and then hammer it.
Perez did his normal Dr. Jeckle , Mr. Hyde routine. I don't understand what his problem is. He's like a little kid at times. Someone who gets bored with what's going on, and loses interest in the game. For the 1st 4 innings, he was good. He was fighting the strike zone, but was getting the hitters out. Then in the 5th, he does his Heilman imitation. He can't find the plate and gives up hits that cost him runs. Still, he left the game with the score tied, before Aaron came in and served up desert to the Nats. Willie and Omar need to do something to keep Ollie head on straight. He can be so overpowering, and so awful all in the same inning. Sometimes I wonder about Ollie's attention span. And it's times like last night's game that you have to wonder if he's worth investing $60-70 million into for the next 5 years.
The hitters didn't do us any favors last night either. Why do they always seem to let bad teams hang around? David is slumping, and Jose' is reverting back to his rookie year. All too often he's swinging at bad pitches and not getting into a hitters count. David I believe is the key to this offense. When he doesn't hit, the Mets don't win. Jose' is important too, but without David's power bat driving the ball, everyone else is being pitched around. As of last night, Ryan Church is the most consistent bat in the line-up. And he can't do it alone. Willie started on the right path by moving Delgado down the order, but more needs to be done to improve the offense. Beltran needs to hit better, David needs to get out of his slump, Jose' need to be more patient at the plate, and Castillo needs to get the ball out of the infield consistently.
The Braves are coming to Shea tonight, and I'm worried about this weekend. Chipper has been on fire, and he has a way of killing the Mets. With the Mets offense sputtering, the pitching will have to carry the team this weekend. The starters have been doing their jobs, but Willie's buddies in the pen have made life tough lately. As long Heilman and Sosa stay out of the games, the Mets stand a chance of winning. If they come into games, all bets are off.
What is up with Heilman and Sosa? They absolutely suck this year. They've always had their bad games, but this is getting ridiculous. In all of MBL only 4 Grand slams have been hit this year. The Gopher Ball Bothers have given up 3 of the 4 !! Heilman needs to go. I've now come to believe that his personal feud with Omar and Willie is being brought to the mound. He wants to start, they won't let him, so I believe he's doing his best to force a trade. How else can his continued failures be explained? Unless he's hurt, I can't think of any other reason. Sosa, is a mystery. He seems to fall in love with his slider, and won't throw anything else. The hitters sit there waiting for on to drift over the plate, and then hammer it.
Perez did his normal Dr. Jeckle , Mr. Hyde routine. I don't understand what his problem is. He's like a little kid at times. Someone who gets bored with what's going on, and loses interest in the game. For the 1st 4 innings, he was good. He was fighting the strike zone, but was getting the hitters out. Then in the 5th, he does his Heilman imitation. He can't find the plate and gives up hits that cost him runs. Still, he left the game with the score tied, before Aaron came in and served up desert to the Nats. Willie and Omar need to do something to keep Ollie head on straight. He can be so overpowering, and so awful all in the same inning. Sometimes I wonder about Ollie's attention span. And it's times like last night's game that you have to wonder if he's worth investing $60-70 million into for the next 5 years.
The hitters didn't do us any favors last night either. Why do they always seem to let bad teams hang around? David is slumping, and Jose' is reverting back to his rookie year. All too often he's swinging at bad pitches and not getting into a hitters count. David I believe is the key to this offense. When he doesn't hit, the Mets don't win. Jose' is important too, but without David's power bat driving the ball, everyone else is being pitched around. As of last night, Ryan Church is the most consistent bat in the line-up. And he can't do it alone. Willie started on the right path by moving Delgado down the order, but more needs to be done to improve the offense. Beltran needs to hit better, David needs to get out of his slump, Jose' need to be more patient at the plate, and Castillo needs to get the ball out of the infield consistently.
The Braves are coming to Shea tonight, and I'm worried about this weekend. Chipper has been on fire, and he has a way of killing the Mets. With the Mets offense sputtering, the pitching will have to carry the team this weekend. The starters have been doing their jobs, but Willie's buddies in the pen have made life tough lately. As long Heilman and Sosa stay out of the games, the Mets stand a chance of winning. If they come into games, all bets are off.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Has Willie seen the Light?
I don't know if Willie has seen the light, or he's feeling some heat on his butt. What ever the reason, he did some good things with this team tonight. Maybe he had a visit from Omar or Fred, or maybe he talked to HoJo about putting some pressure on the Mets hitters. What ever the reason, the Mets showed some life tonight.
The Mets seemed more aggressive on the bases, and more patient at the plate. Pagan was doing his best imitation of Jose'. Ryan was moved to the 5th spot in the order. He continues to produce big hits and drive in runs. SNY ran a poll during the game about who should hit 2nd in the order, Castillo or Church. Ryan got 81% of the vote. I think the poll results are a huge stamp of approval for someone that too many fans were saying was no good. Ryan is a good hitter that will prove his worth to this team. Beltran came out of his slump and even Castillo and Delgado got on base. Santana is turning into a secret weapon at the plate. He had 2 doubles and never looks over matched at the plate. I believe he'd be valuable as a pinch hitter if needed. He certainly can handle the bat.
Johan was also very good on the mound. He went 7 innings and only gave up 2 runs. His fastball was hitting between 90-95 MPH [so much for losing velocity], his change-up was as low as 76 MPH, and his slider was in the low 80's. Everything was working, and most hitters didn't have a chance. I also couldn't believe what I saw as the 7th inning was coming to an end. Sanchez was warming up in the pen, and no Heilman or Sosa in sight. Hooray !!!!!!!!! Sanchez was lights out. He belongs in the 8th inning. His fastball was hitting 93 and his change-up was dropping off the table.
Heilman's head is messed up, and he's overused. He should never see the 8th inning unless the Mets are up by 5+ runs. I really don't think Aaron's heart is in the job. He wants to start, and that won't happen in NY. So find a trading partner for a right-handed 1st baseman/outfielder and get him. Can we all say NADY? Pittsburgh needs pitching, so make a trade. X man will come cheaper than Tex and he's liked by the fans and the players.
Overall it was a good night for the Mets. They hit and ran all over the Nationals, pitched well, added runs on the board late in the game, and showed life at the plate and in the field. Now if they could do the same this weekend against the Braves, life would be good in NY.
The Mets seemed more aggressive on the bases, and more patient at the plate. Pagan was doing his best imitation of Jose'. Ryan was moved to the 5th spot in the order. He continues to produce big hits and drive in runs. SNY ran a poll during the game about who should hit 2nd in the order, Castillo or Church. Ryan got 81% of the vote. I think the poll results are a huge stamp of approval for someone that too many fans were saying was no good. Ryan is a good hitter that will prove his worth to this team. Beltran came out of his slump and even Castillo and Delgado got on base. Santana is turning into a secret weapon at the plate. He had 2 doubles and never looks over matched at the plate. I believe he'd be valuable as a pinch hitter if needed. He certainly can handle the bat.
Johan was also very good on the mound. He went 7 innings and only gave up 2 runs. His fastball was hitting between 90-95 MPH [so much for losing velocity], his change-up was as low as 76 MPH, and his slider was in the low 80's. Everything was working, and most hitters didn't have a chance. I also couldn't believe what I saw as the 7th inning was coming to an end. Sanchez was warming up in the pen, and no Heilman or Sosa in sight. Hooray !!!!!!!!! Sanchez was lights out. He belongs in the 8th inning. His fastball was hitting 93 and his change-up was dropping off the table.
Heilman's head is messed up, and he's overused. He should never see the 8th inning unless the Mets are up by 5+ runs. I really don't think Aaron's heart is in the job. He wants to start, and that won't happen in NY. So find a trading partner for a right-handed 1st baseman/outfielder and get him. Can we all say NADY? Pittsburgh needs pitching, so make a trade. X man will come cheaper than Tex and he's liked by the fans and the players.
Overall it was a good night for the Mets. They hit and ran all over the Nationals, pitched well, added runs on the board late in the game, and showed life at the plate and in the field. Now if they could do the same this weekend against the Braves, life would be good in NY.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Will the Wilpons Rescue the Mets Season?
After seeing the way Witless Willie is managing to ruin this season I have to ask these questions. Does Willie have any clue how wrong he is? Will Fred and Jeff Wilpon intervene and tell him to do something about Delgado? Will Omar admit that Delgado is done as a player, and order Willie to do something? Somehow I feel Willie's firing is the only thing that will solve the issues the team has.
In the post game interview, Willie didn't look too good. He looked like he knew there were problems and that he's going to have to make some hard choices. I believe he knows there are major issues with Delgado. Willie's problem is that he painted himself into a corner with all of his praising of Delgado this spring. He knows that to remove Carlos from the line-up, or to platoon him, or to bench him, would be an admission of failure on his part. And we all know how much willie like to admit he was wrong.
Delgado just doesn't get it. He's no good anymore, and he doesn't seem to care about it either. Has anyone ever heard of him asking for help from HoJo? Has he ever thought that he might need to change his bat, or change his stance at the plate or take a little extra batting practice off a live arm, not a coach? He's living in the past. Pitchers don't fear him anymore, and if Willie doesn't realize that he's a dumb as a box of rocks.
During spring training Fred Wilpon said he expects to play deep into the post-season. If that's going to happen, Willie had better start using the players he has correctly, or Fred will fire him sooner than later. Here are some things that need changing ASAP.
1st- Sanchez pitches the 8th inning, not Heilman or Sosa.
2nd- Delgado gets benched or platooned at first base. Have Clark or Easley play 1st base against left handed pitchers. If Castillo isn't playing 2nd, Clark plays 1st and Easley plays 2nd base.
3rd- Castillo stays out of the #2 spot in the batting order. Ryan Church has proven his ability to hit left and right handed pitching. He's also proven to be a guy who can drive Jose' in or get on base for David Wright. When he batted 2nd, the Mets went on a 5 game winning streak and scored runs in the 1st inning. As soon as he has removed from that spot in the order, the Mets went on their current losing streak.
4th- No more automatic days off for players. All too often Witless Willie puts out a line-up with 5-6 bench players in critical games. Either that or he removes hot hitters from the line-up in critical games. There was no reason to sit Church today. By sitting Church, Willie played Pagan in Rt. Field and Clark in left field. Pagan has played all season in left, so why sit Ryan and have Angel play right field? It only made sense to the Witless Wonder.
If anyone else has any ideas as to how to fix this situation with the Mets, I'm willing to listen. I'm getting so discouraged with Willie's lack of improvement, that I really doubt the Mets will even be in 3rd place by the end of this month. But, as I said before, if the Mets failure on the field gets Fred to fire Willie, I'm willing to deal with the Mets being in last place come June 1st.
How about you out there? Would you be willing to see the Mets fall into last place if it means getting Willie out of the Orange and Blue?
In the post game interview, Willie didn't look too good. He looked like he knew there were problems and that he's going to have to make some hard choices. I believe he knows there are major issues with Delgado. Willie's problem is that he painted himself into a corner with all of his praising of Delgado this spring. He knows that to remove Carlos from the line-up, or to platoon him, or to bench him, would be an admission of failure on his part. And we all know how much willie like to admit he was wrong.
Delgado just doesn't get it. He's no good anymore, and he doesn't seem to care about it either. Has anyone ever heard of him asking for help from HoJo? Has he ever thought that he might need to change his bat, or change his stance at the plate or take a little extra batting practice off a live arm, not a coach? He's living in the past. Pitchers don't fear him anymore, and if Willie doesn't realize that he's a dumb as a box of rocks.
During spring training Fred Wilpon said he expects to play deep into the post-season. If that's going to happen, Willie had better start using the players he has correctly, or Fred will fire him sooner than later. Here are some things that need changing ASAP.
1st- Sanchez pitches the 8th inning, not Heilman or Sosa.
2nd- Delgado gets benched or platooned at first base. Have Clark or Easley play 1st base against left handed pitchers. If Castillo isn't playing 2nd, Clark plays 1st and Easley plays 2nd base.
3rd- Castillo stays out of the #2 spot in the batting order. Ryan Church has proven his ability to hit left and right handed pitching. He's also proven to be a guy who can drive Jose' in or get on base for David Wright. When he batted 2nd, the Mets went on a 5 game winning streak and scored runs in the 1st inning. As soon as he has removed from that spot in the order, the Mets went on their current losing streak.
4th- No more automatic days off for players. All too often Witless Willie puts out a line-up with 5-6 bench players in critical games. Either that or he removes hot hitters from the line-up in critical games. There was no reason to sit Church today. By sitting Church, Willie played Pagan in Rt. Field and Clark in left field. Pagan has played all season in left, so why sit Ryan and have Angel play right field? It only made sense to the Witless Wonder.
If anyone else has any ideas as to how to fix this situation with the Mets, I'm willing to listen. I'm getting so discouraged with Willie's lack of improvement, that I really doubt the Mets will even be in 3rd place by the end of this month. But, as I said before, if the Mets failure on the field gets Fred to fire Willie, I'm willing to deal with the Mets being in last place come June 1st.
How about you out there? Would you be willing to see the Mets fall into last place if it means getting Willie out of the Orange and Blue?
Maine Pitches Well, but the Offense is AWOL
I went into last nights game hoping o see some life in the Mets offense. I was disappointed to say the least. Willie's stupidity continues to hurt this team, and the only fix is to fire Witless Willie.
In the games where Ryan Church has hit 2nd, the Mets have scored early and often. Everybody I saw on TV and in print said Ryan should stay in the 2 hole. Even Lee Mazilli said before the game, "I'd continue riding the wave". Ever since Castillo has moved back into the 2 spot, the Mets have lost games. And the Carlos Brothers are lost. Delgadud needs to sit. Put Easley at 1st base and send Delgadud to AAA to learn how to hit again. And Guinness says he's one of the best hitters on the Mets? Maybe for the 1st few games, but he's no f__king good. Everyone I heard yesterday was saying that Alou' should move to 1st when he comes back, and Carlos should sit. Alou' certainly can't do any worse than Carlos at 1st base. Maybe Alou' would stay healthy if he didn't crash into walls and drive for balls in the outfield. Either way, Delgado can no longer be considered a full time player.
The Pitching was mixed at best. John struggled, but definately did his job. He only walked 2 and gave up 2 runs in 6 innings. He pitched much better than his previous starts. The walks were really hurting him before. Sanchez pitched the 7th inning, and looked good doing it. He hardly gives the batters a chance to get any hits. His fastball hit 93MPH and his change-up was working well. The 8th inning, was a nightmare. Heilman couldn't get anyone out when needed, and gave up 2 runs. The Sosa comes in and does his impression on Aaron. With 2 on and 2 outs, he serves up a gopher ball for another 3 runs. Can we possibly talk some team into doing a trade for these 2 bums? Can we trade them to someone for a 1st basemen who can hit and field his postion?
There is a pattern developing for the last 2 seasons, and it's not getting better. All too often only 1-2 players are doing the hitting. It's hard to win games when the other 6 hitters are standing around waiting for something to happen. Beltran is lost, Castillo is done, Delgado is finished, and Jose' is up and down too often. It's time to get someone in the manager's office that will keep these guys focused, and prepared. Willie has never shown that ability, and needs to go.
In the games where Ryan Church has hit 2nd, the Mets have scored early and often. Everybody I saw on TV and in print said Ryan should stay in the 2 hole. Even Lee Mazilli said before the game, "I'd continue riding the wave". Ever since Castillo has moved back into the 2 spot, the Mets have lost games. And the Carlos Brothers are lost. Delgadud needs to sit. Put Easley at 1st base and send Delgadud to AAA to learn how to hit again. And Guinness says he's one of the best hitters on the Mets? Maybe for the 1st few games, but he's no f__king good. Everyone I heard yesterday was saying that Alou' should move to 1st when he comes back, and Carlos should sit. Alou' certainly can't do any worse than Carlos at 1st base. Maybe Alou' would stay healthy if he didn't crash into walls and drive for balls in the outfield. Either way, Delgado can no longer be considered a full time player.
The Pitching was mixed at best. John struggled, but definately did his job. He only walked 2 and gave up 2 runs in 6 innings. He pitched much better than his previous starts. The walks were really hurting him before. Sanchez pitched the 7th inning, and looked good doing it. He hardly gives the batters a chance to get any hits. His fastball hit 93MPH and his change-up was working well. The 8th inning, was a nightmare. Heilman couldn't get anyone out when needed, and gave up 2 runs. The Sosa comes in and does his impression on Aaron. With 2 on and 2 outs, he serves up a gopher ball for another 3 runs. Can we possibly talk some team into doing a trade for these 2 bums? Can we trade them to someone for a 1st basemen who can hit and field his postion?
There is a pattern developing for the last 2 seasons, and it's not getting better. All too often only 1-2 players are doing the hitting. It's hard to win games when the other 6 hitters are standing around waiting for something to happen. Beltran is lost, Castillo is done, Delgado is finished, and Jose' is up and down too often. It's time to get someone in the manager's office that will keep these guys focused, and prepared. Willie has never shown that ability, and needs to go.
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