From a 21-Year Military Veteran: Leave Them Alone

I am a 21-year veteran of the Armed Forces, and a disabled vet as well.  I am absolutely appalled by the Press coverage that Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez are getting for not going to Walter Reed.

Why?  It is not big deal that they didn't go.

Carlos Beltran said he visited a VA hospital this off-season and had meetings to attend about his charity on the day of the Walter Reed visit.

Luis Castillo said he is not comfortable around amputees and those with other disfigurements.

Oliver Perez refuses comment, which is his right.

The fact of the matter is that this wasn't a visit to the zoo, it wasn't some mandatory fun, it was a visit to Walter Reed to pay tribute to fighting men.  Why on Earth should someone be forced to do it?  If it was voluntary, then why make a fuss over anyone who didn't attend?

Oliver Perez is from Mexico.  Does that mean if an American works in Mexico he needs to go visit a Mexican veteran's home?  Should they wear a Viva Zapata! shirt while doing so?

If Luis Castillo doesn't want to see disfigured people, do you force him to go and deal with the trauma?  Do you make the soldiers uncomfortable by forcing a guy on them who refuses to look, or possibly gets physically ill in their presence?

Do you force Carlos Beltran to delay the meetings for his $10M charity, and his lifelong dream, so that one more baseball player goes to Walter Reed?

Here's something you may or may not care about--those guys at Walter Reed get visits all the time.  It's not like this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet their hero.

I am staggered by the reporting here, and I guarantee you that if you speak with any Walter Reed Soldier, Airman, or Marine, they would tell you to leave those three guys alone. 

Related articles

• New York Mets' Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez skip visit to veterans' hospital (sports.espn.go.com)
• Three Mets Skip Visit to Walter Reed (nytimes.com)

The Mets Lineup: What Would You Do?

Jerry Manuel gets beat up a lot on the blogs and on the chat boards, and I'm as guilty as the next guy of thinking, at times, that my ideas are better than his, especially when it comes to the lineup.

There are a few things I would do if I were manager:

GMJ would be shown the door on day one, that is a given.

More importantly, I would put Reyes back at the top of the order and restore normalcy to the world in an attempt to appease the baseball gods.

In fact, my lineup would be as follows:

Jose Reyes
Angel Pagan
David Wright
Jason Bay
Ike Davis
Jeff Francoeur
Rod Barajas
Luis Castillo

Batting Reyes at leadoff is a no-brainer.  The top of the Mets order is not a place for an experiment.

For his career, Jose Reyes is batting an even .300 when leading off a game.  In 2008, his last healthy season, he hit .340 when leading off a game and .327 when leading off an inning.

More importantly, he scored 43 first inning runs when leading off a game in 2008.  That's over 1/4 of your season with a run in the first frame.  If you think that was a fluke, it's not.  He scored a first inning run 37 times in 2007.

I did a detailed stats piece here on why Angel Pagan must bat second in this lineup.  Memo to Jerry:  Playing second base does not mean you have to hit second.

The rest of the pieces fall in place naturally, and Alex Cora or Henry Blanco fit right in when their caddy role dictates they play.  The rest of the lineup consists of every day players.

When Carlos Beltran gets back I would actually hit him in the 2 hole, which would give the Mets a mini-murderer's row of:

Reyes
Beltran
Wright
Bay

The bottom line is this--the manager's role before a game starts consists primarily of putting out the lineup that will maximize production.

I believe Jerry has failed in that capacity.

It's Time for Chris Carter

In my last piece I wrote about why it's time to end the Jose Reyes batting 3rd experiment.

The other move to make is to replace Frank Catalanotto with Chris Carter.  The Mets will need to keep GMJ on the roster until Carlos Beltran returns, but Frank can be replaced now.

On the year, Cat is hitting a not so robust .143 with a pathetic .182 OBP and a so low it's almost unheard of .190 Slg %.

Moreover, he is useless against lefthanded pitching.  Last year he was 1 for 11 against southpaws, and for his career, he hits them at a .239 clip with a .331 Slg %.

Chris Carter, the hero of spring training for three years in a row, continues to toil in the minors.

He is currently hitting a robust .329 in AAA, with a solid .987 OPS.

For those that argue there is no defensive spot for him, I would counter with the same can be said of Catalonotto.

Carter can pinch-hit, play RF, LF, a little first base, and is certainly more of a threat in the batter's box than Cat.  Catalonotto has only started one game this year, at first, but he's pinch-hit 18 times with a grand total of 2 hits.  Oh, and against those lefty's?  He's 0 for 6 this year, and again, he was 1 for 11 against them last year.

Look, I like Cat, he's a good guy, a solid guy, but he has nothing left in the tank.  He was a part time player with a sub-MLB average OPS the last two seasons, and at age 36, he is at the end of the rope.

Why not give Carter, and his superior offensive skills, a shot?

I think his energy and intensity will help the club, and there is no question he'll be more productive than Frank.

It would also prove that the Mets did, in fact, get some value from the Billy Wagner trade, and the fans would love it as Carter has already attained something of a cult hero status.

I can see him winning a few games for the Mets this year with some late inning power.

Mets 2010 Season Prediction

The Mets will be better in 2010 than they were in 2009, the question is how much better?

While many pundits are predicting a long season, I believe there is reason for hope and that the Mets will compete well and challenge for the division.

Let's begin with a look at the positions:

Catcher. In the off-season I thought the Mets would fare best with a youth movement, both here and at first base.  Last year's catching duo of Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro are long gone, and I truly felt Josh Thole could handle the job provided the Mets added a veteran caddy.  Instead of going with this plan, the Mets added a bunch of veteran backstops, and two of them are poised to handle the catching duties in 2010.  Both Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco are pretty sound defensive catchers with power and a canny knack for not getting on base.  I do think these guys will help the staff and do what doctors promise to their patients--do no harm.
Verdict:  Upgrade

First base. First is the other "youth movement" position.  Ike Davis had an outstanding 2009 minor league campaign, followed by a brilliant fall, and an even better spring--he goes to the minors.  Daniel Murphy, a big-time punching bag in 2009, had a steady spring, especially defensively.  Unfortunately for Mr Murphy, he tweaked his knee and start the season on the DL. It looks like once promising slugger Mike Jacobs has won the role as the opening day first sacker.  Jacobs has a very long swing, strikes out a ton, and plays defense like my grandmother--but he is a super nice guy and he'll hit the occasional long ball when his bat somehow finds the ball.  Fernando Tatis, who had a horrible spring, figures to get some playing time here as well.  I really would have liked the Mets to go with Chris Carter here.
Verdict:  Status Quo 

Second base. Let me start by saying I actually like Luis Castillo a lot.  That said, Jerry just uses him the wrong way.  He hit for average last year, and his OBP was terrific, but the man has no business in the 2 hole.  He bunts too often, has zero power, and his range at second is more limited by the day.  I am certainly OK with Castillo at second this year, but he should bat 8th--period.
Verdict:  Status Quo

Third base. Mr Met David Wright needs a big season--and he is going to have one.  Last year he was a mental train wreck, and he suffered more than most from the AAA lineup the Mets put out in 2009.  His power is back this spring, and he looks like the David Wright of old.  I think he'll hit 30+ homeruns with a ton of doubles and RBIs while playing slightly above league average third base.
Verdict:  Upgrade

Shortstop. Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose!  He's back, and he could be back on opening day if the Mets weren't so gun shy right now with injuries.  Jose is going to bring the go-go Mets back and spark the entire lineup with his talents.  With Carlos Beltran, David Wright and Jason Bay behind him in the lineup, Reyes can easily score 120 runs in 2010.  He is going to miss the first 5 games of the season, but that's fine if he stays healthy the rest of the year.  I am expecting the best season of his career.
Verdict:  Upgrade

Outfield. Call me crazy, but I think the Mets 2010 outfield might be the best the team has ever had.  Jason Bay is a tremendous hitter and veteran presence who will provide the stability and power that the Mets never seem to find in their leftfielder.  Carlos Beltran, who should be back in a few weeks, is one of the premier centerfielders in the game.  He is a true five-tool player and a clutch performer.  Jeff Francoeur seems to have a new lease on life.  If he gets on base at anything above a .330 clip, the rest of his game will be there, including excellent defense, an agressive attitude, and a wonderful clubhouse presence.  This group will delight Mets fans all year--after Beltran gets back that is.  I am confident in Angel Pagan and Gary Mathews to fill in well--both guys are big time talents that add a great deal of depth to the team.
Verdict:  Major Upgrade

Rotation. Oh boy--this is the tough one.  The Mets really failed to address rotation concerns this off-season.  Johan Santana was lit up regularly this spring, but you just know he's going to compete for the Cy Young this year.  After that, it's a game of who knows?  John Maine has one excuse after another.  I expect him to battle all year, and struggle a lot.  A 10-15 record would not surprise me with a 4.50 to 4.80 ERA.  Mike Pelfrey is the real wildcard--he looks great from a physical perspective, but his pitches were really flat this spring.  That could be a function of him working on stuff, or it could be that he's lost some of the sink on his fastball.  Regardless, I do think he is the most overcoached pitcher in the rotation.  Oliver Perez might be done.  With the spring he's had, the Mets might be wise to send him to AAA for a month--the issue is there aren't many other options other than to start him wit the big club--and hope for the best.  Jonathan Niese had a solid spring, and seems ready to resume what looks to be a promising big league career.  Expect at least 15% of the Mets starts to come from pitchers other than these five.
Verdict:  Status Quo

Bullpen. The Mets bullpen looks pretty strong to me right now.  Francisco Rodriguez is a gamer--yes he had some health issues, but he's had a really solid spring, and there's no reason to think his 2010 won't be anything short of outstanding.  The setup man job was won by default by Pedro Feliciano.  This is not great in that Felciano excelled at his specialist role and has for quite some time--he is death to lefty's and can pitch almost daily.  Takahashi seems like a great fit, and he will definitely get some starts mixed in with his long relief role.  Kiko Calero should get the final spot--he will become a fan favorite.  The other members of the bullpen, which could feature Jennry Mejia (60% chance of him making it per Adam Rubin), are a decent mix of talents that should provide Jerry Manuel with a lot of options.
Verdict:  Upgrade

Prediction. While the Mets aren't on anyone's radar scope as anything near a favorite, they are also much better than many of the fourth and fifth place finishes that are being spouted by various pundits.  The team is solid offensively, has a true Ace, a great closer, and there is serious potential lurking in that starting rotation.  The bench is the best the Mets have had in a while, and the bullpen is really stocked with arms of different flavors that could be a real difference-maker in many a close game.

Survey Says.....

86-76, third in the NL East, miss the playoffs by 3.5 games.

Jason Bay's Excellent Spring

With all the hand-wringing over Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, combined with the hand-wringing over the starting pitching, the hand-wringing over the bullpen, and the hand-wringing over the various options at first base and catcher, Jason Bay has been largely ignored this spring.

Sure, he's the biggest free agent signing in these parts since Johan Santana, but he gets less ink than Daniel Murphy, Mike Jacobs, or Omar Minaya's haircut on any given day this spring.

The most coverage he's had was during the Olympics when he tried to explain curling to his Latin American teammates, or when he took a few hours to convince Jeff Francoeur that they do speak English in Canada and that it is actually a country.

So I'm here to give him some props, and his 1.135 OPS deserves it.  Jason Bay is having a very, very nice spring--he's hitting, he's blended in well with his teammates, and he is poised to have an outstanding year.

He sure looks and acts like the big slugger the Mets desperately needed to anchor the middle of the lineup.

Status: Active

• Born: 9/20/1978 in Trail, BC Canada

• Bats/Throws: R/R
• HT: 6'2''
• WT: 205

• Debut: 5/24/2003
• College: Gonzaga

• Last 10
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• Quick Splits

DATE	OPP	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG
03/07/2010	WSH	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.143	H	2010/03/07/wasmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/08/2010	@FLA	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	.200	A	2010/03/08/nynmlb-flomlb-1	S
03/09/2010	HOU	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.167	H	2010/03/09/houmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/11/2010	BOS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.143	H	2010/03/11/bosmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/13/2010	DET	3	2	1	1	3	0	1	0	.176	H	2010/03/13/detmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/14/2010	@FLA	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	.200	A	2010/03/14/nynmlb-flomlb-1	S
03/15/2010	STL	3	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	.261	H	2010/03/15/slnmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/18/2010	@FLA	3	2	2	1	2	0	1	0	.308	A	2010/03/18/nynmlb-flomlb-1	S
03/19/2010	MIN	2	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	.357	H	2010/03/19/minmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/23/2010	ATL	4	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	.344	H	2010/03/23/atlmlb-nynmlb-1	S
TOTALS		27	8	10	2	7	2	5	0	.370

Will the Mets Spring Training Power Surge Last?

In 2009, the Mets, and Mets fans, were frustrated by the lack of power throughout the lineup.

Injuries to key players and the dimensions of Citi Field were mentioned most frequently as the culprits, and for good reason.

Let's compare 2008 and 2009:

2008 HRs
Apr.	16
May	34
Jun.	24
Jul.	33
Aug.	36
Sep.	29
vs. RHP	119
vs. LHP	53
as LHB	94
as RHB	78
Home	95
Away	77

2009 HRs
Apr.	13
May	20
Jun.	16
Jul.	13
Aug.	14
Sep.	17
Oct.	2
vs. RHP	61
vs. LHP	34
as RHB	60
as LHB	35
Home	49
Away	46

Just looking at the "by month" totals, we see that the Mets best month of 2009 was 20 HRs in May.  This was a month when the club was relatively healthy, yet the total would represent the second worst month of 2008.

Looking at the "home field" homeruns, we see another major difference.  95 homeruns at Shea in 2008 vice a paltry 49 homeruns for the team at Citi Field in 2009.

Last year around this time I wrote a piece called "Jerry Has It Wrong on Power."

In the article I described how Jerry's overall mindset was incorrect given the state of the game and how power translated to success.  If you recall, Jerry's mantra in spring training 2009 was "More Lemke, less McGwire."

We all know how that worked out.

Now in 2010 we are watching the Mets hit homeruns in bunches, and the team is winning--yes it's spring training, yes the winds are blowing out in Florida, but there is also a sense that the 2010 Mets just might have an offense capable of quick strike innings with crooked numbers courtesy of the longball.

Part of me thinks the change in mindset has something to do with the freer swinging we're seeing this year.  The inclusions of Jason Bay in the lineup, along with some subs with power (Carter, FMart, Ike Davis, etc), has totally changed the makeup of the team, and there lies the rub.

The guys hitting the homeruns this spring are more often than not headed for the minors here in a few weeks, leaving us back with the same core players from last year.

The Mets will get more power from catcher and leftfield, that is a given, but if David Wright struggles again, or Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes don't come back healthy in May, it looks like the same power shortage we witnessed last year will be back tormenting us all.

I know the Mets are telling everyone that FMart is headed to the minors to start the year, but if the club wants to continue powering through to wins, they should seriously re-think the makeup of the team that leaves Florida--power is still king.

Finally, remember 2006?  That was a pretty good Mets team--they also hit of ton of homeruns, 200 to be exact compared to 95 last year:

2006 Mets
Apr.	33
May	37
Jun.	40
Jul.	33
Aug.	31
Sep.	26

Channeling your inner Kingman is the right mindset for 2010.

Break Up the Mets!

These guys sure look like they came to spring training ready to hit.

On the backs of homeruns by David Wright, Daniel Murphy, Gary Mathews, Jr, and Jason Bay, the club just put up a very nice nine run inning.

It looks more and more like Mets version 2010 is going to be a club quite capable of putting up a lot of runs, especially with a very solid and professional middle of the order.

Yes having Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran out for a few weeks to start the year is not great, but adding Jason Bay, having DW back on track, and with Murph a year older and more mature, the offense is looking up.

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Staying Optimistic on Beltran

Although news of Beltran's knee surgery came as a surprise, now that we've had a night to let it sink in, there are reasons for optimism.

By way of background, Carlos Beltran had surgery on his troublesome right knee Wednesday and the All-Star center fielder will miss the start of the season. There are conflicting reports on whether or not the Mets gave their permission, but there is no question that Beltran and his doctors felt he needed the procedure to have a productive 2010 campaign.

And that's the real point here--having the surgery in mid-January, almost 3 months prior to the season's April 5th Opening Day, or having it later and delaying his season even further.

If the doctor's 8-12 week estimate is true, Beltran can reasonably be expected back in the lineup in mid-May.

Yes, this is absolutely bad news for the Mets, especially on the heels of 2009 when it seemed every player on the team went down with one ailment or another. In fact, the Mets had more disabled list days than any other team in history, and the record certainly showed it.

There is still the issue of whether or not Beltran's physician spoke with Mets medical personnel, but according to Beltran's agent, Scott Boras, Dr Steadman spoke with Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek on Monday and again after Beltran was examined in Colorado on Tuesday, and that Steadman obtained Altchek's consent for the surgery.

From the AP:

"Dr. Steadman has represented to us that he spoke with the Mets' physician and he received consent to go forward with the plan and the surgery," Boras said. "Dr. Steadman has told us that his office contacted the Mets trainer and obtained the appropriate insurance forms and received approval for payment to go ahead with the surgery."

"The doctor said eight weeks, possibly, and a window to 12 weeks to resume baseball activities. With elite athletes, the timetable is sometimes shorter than the original prognosis," Boras said.

In a statement released Wednesday night, the Mets said Beltran's osteoarthritis worsened during the offseason and he decided to have arthroscopic surgery to clean out the arthritic area of his knee.

The procedure was performed by Steadman, considered one of the top knee surgeons in the world. He is noted for his work performing microfracture knee surgery on basketball players.

Boras said Altchek had been examining Beltran once a month during the offseason.

"Since the beginning of November, he was feeling discomfort and pain," Boras said. "They found some fragments in there that had to be removed."

Mets fans are rightfully worried about these events, especially given that the team's rack record on injuries has been less than stellar. I also think they should remain optimistic that 4-6 early season weeks without Beltran is much better than the alternative of missing major chunks of time mid to late year.

For now Angel Pagan looks to be the leading contender to start the year in CF, though Rick Ankiel could be a decent stop-gap or platoon option and 4th outfielder.

Let's Play Lineup

One of the most talked about items going into the season is "what will the Mets lineup look like on Opening day?"

My money's on...

Jose Reyes, SS, SW
Luis Castillo, 2B, SW
David Wright, 3B, RH
Carlos Beltran, CF, SW
Jason Bay, LF, RH
Carlos Delgado, 1B, LH
Jeff Francoeur, RF, RH
Bengie Molina, C, RH
Johan Santana, P, LH

While many Mets fans may be down on that lineup, there is no question it has the potential for greatness, or at least "very goodness", but it also comes with a fair share of questions.

• Will Jose Reyes come back fully healed and capable of playing 150+ games?
• Same question--Carlos Beltran.
• Can David Wright truly return to form, or will 2010 be another frustrating year?
• Will the Mets re-sign Delgado to an incentive laden deal, and if so, what will his production look like?
• Is Jeff Francoeur the .311 BA hitter the Mets had for a few months, or the .282 OBP player that was essentially let go by the Braves.
• Does Bengie Molina get done, and is a little bit of power enough for a guy that struggles to get on base and is fairly average defensively at this point? (threw out 23% of basestealers last year)

Personally, I want Daniel Murphy no where near the Mets starting lineup--too many holes in his game--if the Mets don't think Delgado is worth the risk, then a very difficult decision will have to be made, to include going with Ike Davis now.

Davis turns 23 in March, and the time might be now vice 2011. There's also Chris Carter, who played over half of his minor league games at 1B.

I'll ask you this...are you ready for another year of Daniel Murphy?

David Wright to the Disabled List

With a big sigh, the Mets announced that All-Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger David Wright has been placed on the 15 day Disabled List.

The full story from my friend Ted Berg at Metsblog:

Omar Minaya announced after Sunday’s game that David Wright has been put on the 15-day DL with his head injury.

Minaya stressed that Wright wanted to stay with the club, but that after consulting with medical experts, the team decided it was in Wright’s best interest to rest.

Wright joins John Maine, Jon Niese, Fernando Nieve, J.J. Putz, Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado, Ramon Martinez, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Fernando Martinez on the Mets’ disabled list.

Is This the Corner?

Mets fans have been waiting patiently for the team to turn the corner.

Thus far the team is a middling 7-9 in July after posting an awful 9-18 record in June.

So why the optimism?

For one, the schedule is very favorable for the team for the final 70 games of the season.

The Mets play the next two games at Washington (26-66), then travel to Houston (47-46) for three games.

The Mets then return home for a 10-game homestand against Colorado (51-42), Arizona (39-54), and the Cards (51-44).

Those are 15 games that will tell the tale of the season. For the Mets to remain in the hunt, they will need to go 10-5 in those games and creep back above .500.

After those games the Mets go back on the road for three at San Diego (37-56) and three at Arizona (39-54). The Mets need to think sweep in each series and win 4 or 5.

If they can win 4 of those 6 games the team will be 5 games over .500 and return home for 11 straight home games, including a 4-game series against the Phillies and 3 against the Braves.

In all reality this is it--this is the time for the team to start winning, and it can happen, especially if at least two of the big three of Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado come back.

So let's take this in steps.

• Step 1. David Wright needs to wake up. He's batting .200 in July with 2 RBIs. This is a big surprise as Wright has been one of the best second half hitters in all of baseball over the past 3 seasons (.334 BA, .418 OBP, .552 Slg %).
• Step 2. Find a way to win 4 or 5 games against the Nats and Astros.
• Step 3. Get Jose Reyes back after the road trip.
• Step 4. Come home and dominate--a 6-4 or even 7-3 homestand.
• Step 5. Go back on the road and beat up on the Padres and Astros--win at least 4 of 6.
• Step 6. Get Beltran and Delgado back before the homestand.
• Step 7. Come back home for 11 games and win 7 or 8.

If that happens the Mets will have a record of 8-9 games over .500 with 34 games left.

They'll have leapfrogged 4 or 5 teams and would be 3 to 4 games out of the wildcard.

It's certainly a tall order, but it can be done.

At this point in the season, every game counts--every game--and the team cannot afford to lose any of them.

Missing Beltran: Enormous Impact

For all those Mets fans that still think Carlos Beltran isn't the most valuable member of the team, consider the following.

Since Carlos Beltran went on the DL:

The Mets have been shut out 3 times

The Mets have scored less than 3 runs 8 times

The Mets have scored 3 runs or less 10 times

That is a huge impact, and I for one believe it's causal despite the relatively small sample size (he's been on the DL 14 games).

Now here's the thing--I am telling you now to not give up hope.

We have to weather one more week of this and then...

Carlos Beltran comes back

Jose Reyes comes back

Ollie will be back this week, and I believe both John Maine and Carlos Delgado will be back within 3-4 weeks.

Then Putz....

Maybe Billy Wagner....

Pagan comes back soon to solidify the bench...

It is incredibly hard to be an optimist right now--and I'm not asking you for optimism--I am asking to not crucify this team right now...get to the break a few games out, and then let the health parade begin.

The Mets will win the division by 5 games.

Bookmark this and come back in late September.

I'll be here.

20 Games in 20 Days Nears Close

The Mets are 3 games away from finishing a brutal 20 games in 20 days stretch.

During the streak they played:

3 on the road at Baltimore (1-2)
3 at home against Tampa Bay (1-2)
4 at home against St Louis (3-1)
3 at home against the Yankees (0-3)
3 on the road against the Brewers (1-2)
1 on the road at the Pirates (1-0)

Thus far they are 7-10, and it's next stop Philly for the team that refuses to quit.

During the 20 game streak they lost 5 in a row at one point, and many were writing them off for dead.

Now they've won 2 in a row thanks to a great start by Mike Pelfrey and a suddenly hot Ryan Church and sit just one game behind the floundering Phillies.

I've been watching baseball a Loooooong time, and I've never seen a team this beat up and injured have to endure such a grueling marathon of games.

If the Mets can take 2 of 3 from the Phils it will be one of the more impressive achivements we've seen in a while.

After this series the Mets get a day off, then it's home for 6 games against the Dodgers and Reds before the All-Star break.

After the break there is a good chance that Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran come back, and we could see Ollie as soon as next week pending the outcome of his final tuneup start. We're still not sure on John Maine.

Delgado should be back by early August, and JJ Putz and even Billy Wagner are working hard to come back in the next one to two months.

Call me crazy, but the Mets are weathering this storm...one game at a time.

With a full roster by mid-August, there's no question that this team will be the cream of the NL East.

Feel Good Win on a Feel Bad Day

Chaos tried to reign supreme. Black cats everywhere--ladders positioned so you have to walk under them--broken mirrors all over--horseshoes all hung so the luck runs out.

Carlos Beltran--the man who had played the best of all the Mets in 2009--goes down with injury. His bone bruise had doubled in size, and there was no choice but to put him on the 15-day DL. He'll most likely return after the All-Star break, 3 weeks from now.

But wait, there's more.

Kid Reyes, the guy with the torn hamstring, was on his way to the hospital from treatment when the vehicle he was in was rear-ended by a fire truck driven by Madonna.

OK, it wasn't being driven by Madonna, but it did happen--there were no injuries.

Jerry had decided to give his three primary set-up men the night off.

Thankfully Mets ace Tim Redding was on the mound...doh!

But something funny happened on the way the forum--the Mets decided they wanted to play one of their best team games of the year.

And on they came--Redding pitched a workman-like beauty.

Omir Santos decided no one would get him out this night.

Daniel Murphy shrugged off his pedestrian slugging numbers and hit a homerun.

Alex Cora, who has earned the hearts and minds of Mets fans everywhere, drove in two runs.

Beleaguered Luis Castillo went 3 for 3 with a walk and scored twice.

Brian Stokes--the man who sat for 9 straight days recently--the guy who is often mistaken for a hot dog vendor by his own manager--the guy who ticket takers ask for a ticket--the guy that Johan Santana calls "my friend Freddy, the best bullpen catcher in the game"--that guy--all he did was come up at the most crucial time in the game and get Albert Pujols, the greatest hitter in the game, to hit into a double play.

After Stokes grabbed the ball and fired to second to start the double play, he cooly walked off the field to a well-deserved standing ovation.

Met fans love when a player has his "Met moment", and Stokes had his...it was also one of the biggest pitches of the year.

"I try not to think about who I'm facing," Stokes said. "I just try to make quality pitches, and it just worked out for the best tonight. I knew who it was I was facing, but I wasn't going to give in. "

It was that kind of game.

Who knows if there will be any carry-over effect from the big win, but let me say this--it was a big win, on a crazy day, and very much a shot in the arm for this team.

Great job guys....go get them again tonight.

AJ Burnett a Tough Matchup for the Mets

Here's today's lineup and how they've fared in their career against AJ Burnett:

1. Alex Cora – SS: .000 (0 for 16, so Jerry bats him leadoff--brilliant!)
   
2. Fernando Martinez – LF: .000 (no at bats)
   
3. Carlos Beltran – CF: .250 (4 for 16)
   
4. David Wright – 3B: .167 (2 for 12)
   
5. Ryan Church – RF: .200 (1 for 5)
   
6. Gary Sheffield – DH: .286 (8 for 28)
   
7. Daniel Murphy – 1B: .000 (no at bats)
   
8. Brian Schneider – C: .400 (8 for 20)
   
9. Luis Castillo - 2B: .000 (0 for 7)

Time to Focus the Lineup

The Mets are 1-4 in the month of June, and they have played two of the very worst teams in baseball.

In those 5 games the Mets have scored 16 runs.

Looking at the team, with Schneider, Cora and Ryan Church back, we can finally put out a consistent lineup that takes advantage of what we have.

First, let's look at some stats, specifically OBP:

Group One:
.441, .440, .403, .394, .378, .345, .349, .328, .324

Group Two:
.322, .314, .294, .287

In group one are: Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Alex Cora, Gary Sheffield, Luis Castillo, Jeremy Reed, Fernando Tatis, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider

In group two are: Daniel Murphy, Fernando Martinez, Wilson Valdez and Omir Santos

I'm of the opinion that Jerry needs to go with the following as his primary lineup (OBPs added):

Castillo-.378
Cora-.403
Beltran-.441
Sheffield-.394
Wright-.440
Church-.328
Tatis-.349
Schneider-.324
Pitcher

This also happens to be a decent fielding lineup as well, and there are plenty of guys who can run.

Bottom line--it's time to vet up with major league professionals. Murph can pinch-hit, Fernando Martinez should enjoy the next bit of time before he heads back down--Reed is a better option, and Santos should be what he is--the backup.

Swine Flute Plays for the Mets

It appears that neither Carlos Beltran nor John Maine has swine flu.

Maine is already feeling better, and the diagnosis on Beltran is more along the lines of a true stomach flu.

Friend of NY Sports Dog Bart Hubbach of the NY Post has a detailed update on the status of the "Swine Flue" scare.

He reports:

A source said SNY producer Dan Barr began feeling ill Sunday night during the Mets' charter flight to Pittsburgh for the series that began Monday and was sent home yesterday. SNY crew members, including the team's on-air broadcasters, travel with the coaches and players on the same plane.

"Personal matters about our employees are confidential," SNY spokesman Andrew Fegyversi said in a statement last night. "However, we have always been committed to taking every medical precaution and making sure our employees get the proper care."

Mets assistant GM John Ricco told reporters the club is confident that Beltran and John Maine, who also has been battling stomach illness, are safe from swine flu. Maine, in fact, returned to the team yesterday and felt good enough to perform off-day throwing drills, after having to leave early from his start Sunday at Citi Field against Florida due to the stomach ailment.

"We've been told [swine flu] is not a type of illness that's transmitted through the air," Ricco said before last night's 3-1 loss in Pittsburgh. "It's more shaking hands, sneezing. So we're not too worried. The symptoms, we've been told, are marked generally by high fever, joint aches and fatigue.

"These symptoms are not consistent at all with what Carlos Beltran and John Maine have at the present time, but our players are being informed that this has happened. Right now, no one on our team is feeling any of that type of symptoms."

Bottom line for the team is that relative good health is just a few days away.

May Was One Wacky Month

I love this team--love them. May is one of those reasons why.

It featured the best month of May in team history, an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, a 5-1 homestand, the worst lineup since 1979, a couple of trades, the debut of a 20-year old superstar of the future, and a team that fought their way through a devastating amount of injuries to stay near the top of the NL East standings.

Some May performances:

• The Mets had winning streaks of 8, 4 and 3 and a losing streak of 4
• David Wright hit .378 for the month--strangest .378 ever
• Carlos Beltran hit .323 with 17 RBIs...last year he hit .306 with 19 RBIs in May
• Carlos Delgado went to the DL on May 11th
• Fernando Martinez had his first big league hit on Saturday
• Frankie Rodriguez was 10 for 10 in save opportunities with a 0.00 ERA (Pitcher of the Month!)
• Pedro Feliciano went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA for the month in 15 appearances, and held the opposition to a .188 batting average
• Johan Santana went 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA
• Livan Hernandez went 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA
• John Maine went 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA
• Ramon Castro was traded
  

A wacky month....and a great one!

Thanks to my daughter for the picture...she snapped it on Saturday in front of Citi Field.

Let It Rain?

Normally I'm the type of fan that hates rainouts....loathe them with a passion.

But with rain in the forecast for the next few days, and a plethora of injuries that are swinging precariously between DL or "a few more days of rest", I say Let It Rain!

Carlos Beltran is going for an MRI today...best case is they find nothing structurally and a few days off (thanks to our friend the rain), gets him back to 100%...Let It Rain.

Jose Reyes' balky calf is still sore, and he could either be back by Friday, or head to the DL...my guess is he comes back Friday, so for now...Let It Rain.

Ryan Church's MRI came back negative, and he is getting treatment for his sore hamstring...a few more days should have him back at 100%...Let It Rain.

Frankie Rodriguez came back from his back spasms to record his 13th save last night, but he admitted to a little soreness...it sure would be nice to give him a 3 day rest...Let It Rain.

Gary Sheffield is playing every day now, and at his age he should be more of a play 2 days, sit a day or two, kind of player...we need to keep him fresh for later in the season...Let It Rain.

A few more days off also gets us nearer to being a more complete club...Cora, Schneider, Ollie, Delgado...whether you love or hate any or all of these guys, we're better with a full deck of cards to deal with.

So yes, I hate a rainout, but sometimes, only sometimes, they can work to a team's advantage.

Let It Rain.

Time to Get Healthy

The Mets injury woes continue, and the next day or two will provide answers to what the next month will look like.

Yesterday we heard Jose Reyes declare himself out for today. We also don't know the state of Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church.

If Church has a torn hamstring, it's like that Fernando Martinez gets called up. While we all love the kid, it's preferable to leave him in the minors to let him play every day.

Do you play FMart over one of the more experienced outfielders? He's hitting well in AAA, and he could certainly help the team right now, but odds are he'll struggle like every other 20 year old making the transition to the big leagues.

Jose Reyes is the most troubling absence this side of Carlos Delgado. That Reyes declared himself out of today's game yesterday sent shock waves through Mets nation.

If he has to go to the DL for any length of time, the team's defensive struggles become even more exacerbated.

It really is time to add DeRosa...we need the depth.

The list below isn't complete....that tells you just how banged up this club is right now.

Mets		Updated	Status	Due Back	Injury	Notes
	Church, Ryan (RF)	05/24	Day-to-day	Possibly May 25	Strained right hamstring	Missed 2nd straight game on May 24.
	Cora, Alex (2B)	05/18	15-day DL	Early June	Torn ligament in right thumb	Unable to throw in infield practice on May 18.
	Delgado, Carlos (1B)	05/19	15-day DL	Possibly mid-July	Torn labrum in hip	Underwent surgery May 19.
	Perez, Oliver (P)	05/22	15-day DL	Possibly late May	Right knee patellar tendinitis	Threw extended Spring Training game May 21.
	Reyes, Jose (SS)	05/24	Day-to-day	Possibly May 25	Calf tendinitis	Took grounders before May 23 game.
	Rodriguez, Francisco (P)	05/24	Day-to-day	Possibly May 25	Back spasms	Played catch prior to May 24 game.
	Schneider, Brian (C)	05/13	15-day DL	Possibly late May	Strained back, sore calf	Slowed by lingering calf discomfort.
	Wagner, Billy (P)	05/20	15-day DL	Possibly late '09	Torn elbow ligament	Working out at Mets' Spring Training complex.