Mets Chat: The Night Before
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- March
- 30
Like it or not, the Mets have their team. I think it is important for them to get out of the gate quickly, if for no other reason than to turn the page officially on last season.
Logically, there is no connection between last year and this season. However, sometimes logic doesn’t enter into the equation.
And, a reminder, like we did the last month of last year, I invite you to join Mets Chat for live blogging during the games.
I have no interest in Braves-Nationals tonight. Think I’ll watch The Family Guy then a movie before calling it a night.
See you tomorrow. I’ll leave you to tell us your thoughts on the season.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, March 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm by John Delcos.
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My thoughts on the season are I'm glad its finally here. Lets start piling up the wins.
Time to start our run at another title.
Yikes.
I'd rather spend the two hours watching Brian Schneider try to open a pinata than watch "Family Guy"... just the easiest most derivative most intellectually insulting comedy in the history of television.
At each and every turn, if you ask yourself "well, what is the first punchline that would pop into your head if you were half in the bag drunk?" then… bam, you have predicted the next punchline.
Ugly empty television.
I mean, I'm all about the offensive. I love the offense but I hate dumb-offensive.
Viva la Futurama, y'know?
But how could you pass up a chance to root against the Braves, c'mon now?
If there ain't a Mets game goin' on, there's always at least the pleasure of hatin' on the Braves or the Yankees.
Mike C. take it easy, i agree it's a very stupid show and a monkey could write it but it still makes me laugh once in a while. I do think Futurama, The Simpsons, and South Park are lightyears ahead of it. Also i'm watching the Nationals game just cuz i need my baseball fix.
I'm sure nobody cares but so what: My thoughts on this team…
Rotation:
Are we too optimistic about it. Santana nobody can question. Pedro Durability will be a concern basically all year. And if he goes down there is trouble in the borough of Queens because this franchise has nothing to back up the starters. Maine: Will he be great or will he rever to a 500 pitcher like he did last year after a super start? OP: I'm concerned about him . his fastball seemd to have little zip. hopefully it was just going theur the motions of spring, otherwise righties are going to kill him. ElDuque?Pelfrey…. If ElDuque doesn't make it back Minaya better find a guy because Pelfrey just isn't big league.
Bullpen: The bottom four had better be better than last year or we will die again. I like Wise and Sosa and we'll see if Smith is ready now, but I think Wagner is fading and heilmann should start getting closer chances, because if the race is close I don't like a worn out Wagner in Spetember.
Offense: I think we will have less than last year. Delgado will probably do same or a little more,but even id Alou gives half a year he's not hitting 340 again. I have been very unimpressed with Church, Pagn has shown he hustles and allthat but looks like an Endy clone. Play him everyday and he's quickly exposed. I would bat Pagan/Chavez 9th until Alou comes back because then we would in effect have 2 lead off guys in arow to try to give Wright/Beltran more RBI shots. I don't see the bottom half being very productive.
Bench: The bench is n ot as bad as some here are screaming about. Either Pagn/Chavez will be on bench (I hope) for some speed. Easley and Anderson are great PH guys. The problem with Anderson is he can't field anymore anywhere, adn how much can easley play if he's needed on field. I think clark and Pagan are fighting already to be a platoon guy with Church when Alou returns.
A lot of guys say we'll win on pitching but don't be so sure. The Phillies don't need pitching because nobody can pitch well in that little league sized park they have, They just get fly baall guys to hit cheap HRs at home and hope Utley/Howard/Rollins/Hamels can carry them to 500 on the road. I don't think the Braves will contend. The Nationals have a good manager and they will play better than their talent level whatever that is this year. They overperformed last year and will do so again. Marlins might win the Eastern League.
sloppy:
I see you be fighting with almost everyone. I'm sure you be having a great time. The NCAA's sure were a bummer this weekend. Davidson was the last hope and fell short. All # 1 seeds, takes the fun out of the tourney.
"All # 1 seeds, takes the fun out of the tourney."
Whatever. I like having good teams in the final four. At least there will likely be good games, not George Mason getting blown out.
What a chokejob by Paul Lo Duca!
Don't be dissing Family Guy. Although, I don't like how they have too many cutaways since they came back on the air. I like Futurama, too. I hope you saw the new movie/four episodes this week or last on Comedy Central (or DVD).
Omar Padilla – You sound like Mike and the Mad Dog… No juice!
These Braves uniforms are ugly, look like Spring Training unis. I hope these are only their third jerseys.
Why are these teams only playing one game then starting other series? Seems strange to me.
It's good to be back, and I look forward to all the arguments to come in this blog forum.
Omar P
All of what you say is possible. But I could say the opposite and give just as many explanations about why it would happen.
No team is perfect. Look around. Braves have 3 guys over 35 and a junk BP. So why won't they fall apart. Smotlz shoulder already hurts. Galvine was throwing 83 at the end last yr. Hampton has not picthed in 2 yrs. Last time a guy was out for 2 yrs and came back and won more than 10 games was 1946. gonzalez is out. Soriano can throw hard but what else do they have?
Phils don't have to pitch? Sure they can outscore their opponenents. But w/that pitching staff why can't the opposition outscore them? There #2 guy is 42. Eaton? Kendrik? These guys stink. Lidge is gonna be booed like crazy.
Is anyone out there using MLB.TV? I've had it for all of ST and it worked like a charm and now nothing. Couldn't get any of the games yesterday and today's the same thing. I'm a way out-of-market Mets fan. If I can't watch or listen to the opener tomorrow I am going to have a seizure.
scoop: The Phils actually have 2 real SPs (hamels and Myers). Moyer is the #3, but their 3-4-5 could be a disaster if Moyer gets smacked around, since Kendrick and Eaton have been abused all spring.
And yes, they can lose a ton of games 10-8, 12-10, etc. The pen is no great shakes either.
The Braves rotation is overall much older than the Met's is. If Hudson is older than Santana, then the Braves have 4 guys older than anyone in the Mets rotation (until Duque comes back).
Actually, right now, the Mets are the only one of the "big 3" NL east teams without any 40 YO pitchers. And when Duques comes back, they still have less! Braves and Phils each have at least 2 pitchers over 40.
Mets might have the only position guy though (Alou) over the big 4-0.
Frankly, I would be more worried about the braves old pitching than the Mets old position guys (really just ALou, and Delgado). It is a lot easier to give a position guy some rest!
I have only seen "Family Guy" a couple of times. Okay, but not on my list of things but I'm a "Hitler Channel" guy.
Was listening to the radio and LoDuca made Minaya look smart. With Nick Johnson getting a rbi hit, no doubt the OBA loving Mets and Yankee fans will be drooling to get him back. If only he was a guy who could stay healthy.
Not sure why it's a one off with Washington but I shudder the day my mind starts working like Bud Selig.
Let's Go Mets!
RG: I was in. Having problems with 1.2 but 800 and 400 OK. Just logged in when I saw your post and turned on yesterdays Nat game and it was ok. All I can say is call them as early as you can and good luck. The customer service isn't what one calls user friendly.
1. Keith: You mean you like the real close games like Florida killing UCLA the last two years? You neve rknow which game will be great. You know that. Best two finals were victoies by very low seed Villanova and NC State.
2. Spiderpig: Your comment is worthless. I guess, like Bush/Chetney in your dream world we would all march in lock step or be jailed like the Castros do in Cuba.
3. scoopcoop: You can say whatever you want. But I did, and all you did was say you could say anything. Why don't you so we can have a debate….
4. scoopcoop… Your comments about the Phils are well taken. However, the no pitch strategy was good enough to beat us last year, wasn't it? They only had one starter last year. They've doubled their rotation talent level. If we would have built a little league park, we wouldn't have wasted our farm system, I hope, to get a pitcher.
5. Dan Gurney: one game decides a move's virutes? Wow. I hope Santana pitches good today or you'll all turn on him and Minaya tonite.
To all who love The Game, enjoy Opening Day –
"The Green Fields of the Mind "
It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
Of course, there are those who learn after the first few times. They grow out of sports. And there are others who were born with the wisdom to know that nothing lasts. These are the truly tough among us, the ones who can live without illusion, or without even the hope of illusion. I am not that grown-up or up-to-date. I am a simpler creature, tied to more primitive patterns and cycles. I need to think something lasts forever, and it might as well be that state of being that is a game; it might as well be that, in a green field, in the sun.
From A Great and Glorious Game: Baseball Writings of A. Bartlett
Giamatti, © 1998 by A. Bartlett Giamatti.
stick, I am assuming that Myers is in the BP (Lidge back?). and even if Lidge is back, how long before he loses it b/c Phil fans boo him out of the uniform and Meyers has to go back to closing games?
Omar P, just trying to put a little perspective here in the conversation. It seems that some who post here don't have or at least don't post w/much perspective. They either say the sky is falling all the time or the sun always shines. I can see bad things happening or good.
I also don't see much perspective on Mets competition. There is hardly ever a post about how the other teams have got even bigger problems than the Mets especially from those who see the sky falling all the time about the Mets.
I don't think the Phils don't want pitching. They just don't have any outside of Hamels and Meyers. I agree that it is tough for anyone to picth in that dopey stadium, but you have to have some semblace of pitching and their 3-4-5 could be awful which in turn will wear out their BP.
It is true they beat the Mets last yr; partly caused by the injuries Mets had; the BP being worn out b/c Mota and Sele stunk; and partly b/c there was passion lacking while the Phils had it.
But even the greatest passion can't overcome talent most of the time. And the Phils pitching is lacking alot of talent. Let's hope Mets have passion of 06 in 08.
And Omar P, a couple of notes on Maine. I assume you did not see a couple of articles on his hip issues last yr. In one of the last spring games last yr, he hurt his hip. They could not figure out the issue and it resolved itself before the season began. Then in his last start before the AS break it started to bother him again and it bothered him for the rest of the season. This and the fact that he never threw so many inn would explain alot about his 2nd half. They thought at the end of the yr he might have a hernia or that he might have had some slight ligament damage, but nothing could be seen by MRI.
He claims that the hip does not bother him at all now. He worked to build up his body alot in the off season. Hoepfully 1 full yr of nearly 200 inn has built up his arm. Plus, his slider and changeup look much better this ST than last season.
As for OP, I did not see him pitch much this ST. It would not surprise me that it just takes him longer to get ready since his mechanics are always on the border of breaking down. I believe fell down on the mound in his last ST start-mechanics related? I'm sure his poor 2nd half showing last yr was also contributed to a lack of inn in 05 and 06. Just hope his unresolved contract does not distract him since he can be easily distracted.
Eithre one of these guys could go out and win 17-18. either one could win 12. If they do as last yr, 15 ea, then mets are in good shape.
Playball !!!
Scoop – Is that true about Glavine's velocity at the end last year? If so you gotta wonder why the Met's would have wanted him back (I actually never felt comfortable with him from the first day as a Met) 'cause they would have signed him again. And you gotta wonder why the Braves signed him?
83 miles an hour?
The spread b/w glavine's changeup and FS (yes I recall 83 alot in sept) was only about 5 by the end of the yr. Eventhough he had many more quality starts than Maine and perez, he also had a number of blowups, inlcuding of course the last game. His game depends more than ever on the umps strikezone b/c a spread of 5MPH on a fastball and changeup does not get many guys out.
I don't think Mets were ever that interested in bringing him back especially after his lasse fare comments after that last game.
Scoop in repsonse to one of your reasons about the Phils beating the Mets: "It is true they beat the Mets last yr; partly caused by the injuries Mets had;" Do you forget that both Utley and Howard were on DL last year??? Utley broke his hand was out about 6 weeks and they made up ground on us. Do you think the Mets would make up ground on the Phils if Wright broke his wrist? Injuries are an excuse for losers. Everybody has them. If teams whined about injuries you wouldn't have the Super Bowl Champion Giants now. They would have whined about their injuries and laid down and died. As for the competition, you don't see much written because most people don't know much about the other teams, don't know the farm, the depth, and really who cares. If you're good you know you can beat the other team, and you want to beat them at their best.
the Phils by the way are keeping Meyers in the rotation despite his proterstations. He's a Heilmann in reverse. Flash Gordon will close while Lidge is out. So does that make you happy. Opposition talk. Not me. I'd rather have someone say they saw signs that Church is the great player you all told me he was gonna be. But you have to admit he hasn't showed signs of being even adequate as an everyday player yet, has he? Now, I'll hear its was spring training it doesn't matter, at the same time you al will be saying Maine is great because he had a great spring. I hope he does, but we'll see…..
I have waited for this moment since February 1st 2008 when Johan Santana was signed and it gave Met fans a flicker of hope for the new year. Let the games begin!!! (And for all you fans out there that wanted a pennant race last year, let's all hope that the Mets dominate like 2006!)
Sloppy—thanks for the input. I thought it was just us (we have an old computer, running Windows 98) but people running XP and Vista are having trouble, too. There's a mlb.tv thread on silverlight.net that a couple thousand have viewed; no help there, yet, but it sounds like an mlb.tv guy is on there so maybe some real advice will be posted there. Have had pretty good service from mlb tech support, but two out of the three people I spoke with this past weekend are idiots.
Annie—that's a great quote. Don't you wonder where baseball would be right now if Giamatti hadn't died?
Let's Go Mets, even if I miss the game today.
I saw the Nationals/Atlanta game last night mainly because I wanted to see the stadium. I liked what I saw, no waterfalls, trains or swimming pools – just a new, enhanced stadium where even the clubhouse has internet access.
I also wanted to see Manny Acta – I think he has real potential as a manager, and Nick Johnson in his first appearance since his leg had healed – he had the first hit and scored the first run in the new stadium.
About the President – I leave politics in the parking lot when it comes to sports. This President is a baseball man who really knows the game and it all started with his Grandfather who took him to the Polo Grounds to see the Giants when he was nine.
After last night's 'first pitch', he actually spent three innings in the booth talking to the guys about baseball, steroids, kids, etc. Did you know that he has T-ball games for area kids on the White House lawn during the summer?
My brother lives in the DC area and has been keeping me up-to-date on the building, so I was glad to get a look at it.
Anyone else watch the game—any comments?
RG –
Baseball would be in a much better place today if Bart had lived. He and Fay Vincent executed the Pete Rose deal, and were always very quick to deal with baseball related problems.
Bart was an interesting man, he loved literature as much as baseball – and I have lots of his quotes. I especially like this one – most real fans can relate to it.
I was at his funeral – I was working at Yale when he died, and he is buried in the Grove Street Cemetery in the midst of the campus.
He was truly beloved there.
RG: Here is apossible fix a guy fro Michigan State says worked for him…. Won't be able to try it until they put a game on but here is his post : Don't have any idea about its validity but its more than MLB is providing. Thnaks for the silverlight tip. Will check it out. For this week the cable companies have a free week of their subscription service if you have one that made a deal to show games, so at least for me, problem isn't big deal until next week…...
"Well, as mysteriously as it happened, the problem has seemingly been solved. I uninstalled NexDef, then clicked on some link on mlb.com regarding NexDef, and saw a link to the Autobahn service that runs it. Decided to click on it, and downloaded it manually, even though it said it was already installed. Clicked back on the 1.2M link, and got a pop-up blocker-type warning that said "intranet settings are now off…" so I clicked on it, and said "turn on intranet settings". This gave me a warning saying that these settings are less secure than internet settings. Clicked it anyway, and got the video to seemingly play on 1.2M. Crazy. I guess it was just a security issue (of course), but it was like an act of God that caused that task bar to popup, for whatever reason, and told me to turn on intranet settings."
Omar Padilla – I didn't realize you were the authority who could stop me from making jokes. You need to relax, man!
I hope you don't work for Letteman Spiderpig, but if you were joking, my apologies to you.
Sloppy—thanks. I read that somewhere last night. Doesn't help us, though, as we only have the regular MLB.tv, not the premium service. I have a feeling there are a few hundred or few thousand fans frantically trying to find a way to watch our teams today. We've been meaning to upgrade the computer, so maybe now's the time, even though users with Vista and XP are also having probs with the new mlb.tv media player. If worse comes to worst they won't fix the problem in time but I can eventually go back and watch the archived game. Last time we checked the local cable and Dish/DirectTV didn't carry SNY but should check again.
Omar Padilla – I guess you don't listen to Mike and the Mad Dog very much. I just thought it was funny that you sounded like they do when they say some sport or event has "no juice."
What is this Met's Chat that John keeps referring to? I'd like to chat during the game, but I'm not sure where to go to do it.
let's go mets.
theo