Truly unbelievable.
Today, Jose Reyes tested his torn hamstring tendon. According to the Mets, while Reyes was testing his torn tendon today in Washington, he tore his hamstring muscle in the same leg.
In a season that we thought couldn’t get worse, just did. And there are only three games left to play.
Reyes’ next move is probably onto the operating table, though a team spokesman would not comment.
Where in the world is Nick Evans?
Here’s the lineup…
Sadly, there were many to choose from.
metschick said: the triple play turned against them. Excuse me - *unassisted* triple play.
cutiepie0319k said: triple play definitely. just painful to watch #mets
s2kmikey said: Frankie pitching w/ 2outs in the 9th, Castillo drops a routine popup from ARod in shallow RF... That killed me.
wmburden said: in terms of lookin back & now laughing- the game in LA where ryan church missed 3rd base and the Mets had 5 errors.
metschick28 said: the triple play
metsfan said: home opener. winning run scored on balk.
Magus978 said: Unassisted Triple Play, no contest. Once again, Eric Bruntlett ftw. The Mets need a player like him on the bench.
disgruntmetsfan said: The unassisted triple play has to win for most original, as far as most entertaining? Has to be Church missing 3rd base
kierankelly said: Has to be Castillo's dropped ball in Yankee Stadium.
bosco86 said: Ryan Church missing 3rd base, but way too many to pick from
What about you? What was the most entertaining way you think the Mets managed to lose in 2009?
“Poor, poor, poor defensive mistakes. Almost to the point of embarrassing.”
-Jerry Manuel on defense
As a Mets fan, we’ve witnessed some pretty strange ways to watch the Mets lose.
Today was a new take on an old friend. Back when the Mets were visiting Los Angeles, we saw the Dodgers trump the Mets on a game-ending error.
Tonight, in the 8th inning this time around, back-to-back errors helped the Nationals beat the Mets in D.C.
In what looked like a tailor-made double play, Anderson Hernandez fielded a ground ball off the bat of Christian Guzman, but his flip to Luis Castillo was well wide of the bag. That put runners at first and second with one out.
Making up for the earlier gaffe, Hernandez smothered the next ball to come his way and made a backhand flip to Castillo to force out Guzman at second. Castillo turned to attempt the double-play, but his throw sailed out of the reach of a leaping Daniel Murphy, allowing Justin Maxwell to score.
And that run was the decider as the Mets threatened in the 9th inning, but were foiled by a catch by Elijah Dukes as he slammed into the right field wall to end the game.
Just scribble it down as another loss and try to forget about it. If you can.
Hey, only four more games to go.
Almost there, ladies and gentlemen. Another day with Nick Evans on the bench.
Here’s the lineup…
We’ve got some conflicting reports on this, but it seems the Mets may be changing their uniforms for next season.
The first note I saw was a pair of tweets from Bart Hubbuch. In one, Hubbuch noted that the Mets were considering dropping the pinstripe uniforms from the rotation next season.
A few minutes later, he also mentioned that the Mets may be changing their plain, white uniforms to more cream colored ones, a la the throwbacks they wore earlier this season, likely without the huge NY on the front.
In his game notes, Adam Rubin then mentioned a different alternative. He wrote:
The Mets plan to go retro with their pinstriped home uniforms next season. Those uniforms will change to off-white, as they were in the 1960s, from their current bright white. That will also serve to differentiate the pinstriped uniforms from the solid home uniforms, which will remain the brighter white.
Meaning the plain, white uniforms would stay, but be accompanied by cream-colored pinstripe jerseys. Think 1969 uniforms.
All uniforms will still have the drop shadow under “Mets.”
As usual, it looks like we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the Mets and their garb. If it was up to me (and most Mets fans), they would drop the black jersey from the rotation entirely.
But that’s just me.
As Joe Janish noted, this was buried at the bottom of Adam Rubin’s game story from Sunday, but it’s a fairly big deal.
Both Mako Oliveras and Julio Franco have been fired as minor-league coaches.
Oliveras managed Double-A Binghamton and Franco was at the helm of the Gulf Coast League team.
Interesting. Who’s going to be left after all these firings? And who is going to fill those holes?
“Obviously, if you're going to win those games, you got to find a way to get those hits and get those runs in, and we were unable to do that.”
-Jerry Manuel on winning games
When the Mets traded Billy Wagner to the Boston Red Sox, they were going to receive two players to be named later in return.
One of those players was Eddie Lora. The other was Chris Carter. Carter was put on waivers with the intention that he would be shipped to the Mets. The Yankees threw a wrench in that plan. The Sox pulled him back and had to keep him on the 40-man.
Now, the Sox have designated Carter for assignment.
From where I’m standing this could mean one of two things for the Mets. One, another team may claim Carter, further complicating the trade between the two teams. Or two, the Mets claim Carter (if he gets to them in the waiver process) and finally complete the deal.
Here’s what it means for the Mets:
From Nick Migliore in the comments…
This is not the case. He was only designated for assignment, not waived, so nobody can claim him. The Red Sox have 10 days to decide what to do with him now (assign him, trade him, or release him).. Once the season ends the Sox and Mets will complete the deal.
And from Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post on Twitter…
It appears he's going to be traded to the Mets on Monday, the day after the season.
The mystery of “Where is Nick Evans?” continues.
Here’s the lineup…
The Mets dressed up the team’s rookies in various costumes after yesterday’s 4-0 win in Florida. Thanks to the power of the Internet, we can see those photos.
Here is my favorite, Bobby Parnell as some sort of German…um…woman?
Here are links to some photos, all taken by Flickr user saubrey02.
Nick Evans as Minnie Mouse and Josh Thole as a Playboy bunny.
Lance Broadway as a nurse and Tobi Stoner as a French Maid.
Hilarious.
Pat Misch just threw a complete-game shut out for the New York Mets.
I repeat.
Pat Misch just threw a complete-game shut out for the New York Mets.
The Mets won 4-0, taking the series against the Florida Marlins.
Misch surrendered eight hits in the game, seven of them being singles. He also owes Jeff Francoeur a steak dinner, as the right fielder went up and over the wall to bring back a would-be home run off the bat of Chris Coghlan.
Francoeur also hit a two-run home run in the game. The Mets also got runs off a Josh Thole sac-fly and an Anderson Hernandez solo home run.
Misch tossed 101 pitches through eight innings and needed only nine more to get through the final innings. Sixty-seven of those pitches went for strikes.
Oh, and this is six days after Jerry Manuel told reporters that Misch would be pulled from the rotation. Figures.
Nice to see Thole behind the plate for this, too.
Seven left. Carlos Beltran and David Wright both take a seat today. Here’s the lineup for the rubber game against the Marlins…
“I thought one good thing he was doing was pitching in.”
-Jerry Manuel on John Maine (who hit two batsmen in a row last night)
No joke.
Here is the band of the infamous Citi Field Streaker. It’s…well…you be the judge.
The lyrics are a little NSFW, though nothing you probably haven’t heard on MTV before.
Enjoy?
“We needed a win like that regardless of the role we're playing.”
-Jerry Manuel on last night’s comeback win
A late-September game against the Marlins. Back in April, we probably all thought this would be one of those games the Mets might have to win to clinch their postseason bid.
Now that those games are being played, we couldn’t have been more wrong.
Games that, for the last two years, spelled disaster for the Mets are now flipped in roles. The Marlins are trying to stay alive and the Mets, far from meaningful October baseball, are trying to play spoilers.
Last night, they pulled it off.
Down three runs heading into the top of the 8th inning, the Mets tacked on one in a bizarre play. David Wright at the plate with Brian Schneider on third. Wright swings and believes he fouled off the ball as it squirts away from Ronny Paulino.
Home plate umpire Bill Hohn calls strike three as Paulino scampers back to retrieve the ball. Heads up play by Schneider who dashes home to score while Wright and Jerry Manuel begin to argue.
It was a tough call to make. On replay, in slow motion, it was hard to tell if Wright tipped it. If he didn’t, just a flat out terrible play by Paulino.
Top 9 rolls along and the Mets are down one run. Daniel Murphy and Jeff Francoeur greeted Leo Nunez with singles to start the inning. Pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed comes to the plate and is walked on four pitches, loading the bases for pinch-hitter Cory Sullivan.
Sullivan ends up slicing a ball down the third base line, scoring two and giving the Mets the lead. The Mets went quietly through the rest of the 9th, with Wright striking out for the fourth time in the game to end the inning.
Francisco Rodriguez came in for the bottom of the ninth inning, allowed a single, but closed out the Marlins in a game of somewhat revenge for the previous two Septembers.
David Wright appeared on FOX Business channel a few days ago to talk about sports endorsements. I found it interesting, so I’ll pass it along.
“We won't have champagne over there or anything like that.”
-Jerry Manuel on the season ending
I’ve heard some grumblings of this from some people who will remained unnamed. Switching teams? A travesty.
I asked my Twitter followers if they would ever abandon the Mets and root for another team. I was quite pleased with the answers.
Here are some responses…
kramtelak said: Never would switch. I'm not like a lot of yankee fans who switched in the 90's from Met fans. Phony's
RyanFingAwesome said: no way, ive been a fan my whole life. it would be like disowning your kid because of a few (or a lot of) bad grades.
mikexdavis said: I hate that concept, the whole "I have an AL team and an NL team" thing. It's called "being a fan," you dopes.
jay5026 said: no I've invested too much money into ticket plans, jerseys/apparel, and oh yeah a brick at citi that says I'm a fan for life
metschick said: Nope. It's not even an option.
Ryan_J_Smith said: No way, sticking with the Mets. Gotta stay loyal, its baseball code. Plus, its that much better when they win it all
davidgolden99 said: Never. I grew up with the Mets, and I'll die a Mets fan--if they don't kill me first.
DonCheech said: Never.. My dad suffered, I suffer, and my kids will suffer.
For more, click here.
Would you ever switch team allegiances?
A poll recently concluded on this site asking fans if they think Omir Santos should be the starting catcher in 2010.
For a refresher, here are the results…
In today’s NY Post, Mike Puma writes that as of now, the Mets have penciled in Santos as the team’s No. 1 catcher for next season.
Manager Jerry Manuel said the "jury will still have to be out" when he was asked if he will be comfortable heading into next season with one of his current catchers as the starter.
"It's a very important position, so we have to kind of wait and see what would fit best, not only from a defensive point of view, but an offensive point of view as well," Manuel said.
The market for catchers is quite small, Puma points out. Notable names: Bengie Molina, Yorvit Torrealba (remember that mess?) and Ramon Hernandez.
I’m already getting agida thinking about this position next year. Santos and Robinson Cancel? Oy.
“The losing is really difficult. It takes a lot out of you. You're not playing for anything, but there is still a level of pride. You try to still give your fans hope that things will be OK.”
-Jerry Manuel on losing
Inching closer and closer to the end of the season. Here’s the lineup as the Mets try to avoid losing eight in a row to the Braves…
Daniel Murphy is having quite a year. Beginning the season as the starting left 
fielder, he couldn’t field well enough to stick in that position.
Moving to first, he’s shown some immaturity at the position. But at the plate, he leads the team in home runs (not a huge feat) and could possibly break a Mets team record.
Murphy currently has 36 doubles. The team record is 44, held by Bernard Gilkey from 1996. It’s a stretch with 10 games remaining, but he has a shot.
Closer in reach, notes David Waldstein, is the doubles hit by a first baseman record. John Olerud currently holds the record with 39.
The most amazing thing about this is Olerud hit 39 doubles in 160 games. Murphy has hit 32 in only 94.
For the full story, head over to The NY Times.
I’ve been complaining that Murphy doesn’t hit well enough (or field well enough) to be the team’s first baseman next year unless they seriously upgrade at other positions.
Murphy, in my mind, will be dangled as trade bait this winter. The Mets have Nick Evans waiting in the wings to show what he can do and, to me, they are very similar players. The Mets could gamble and send one away, hoping the one they retain is the one that performs.
“They have pretty much dominated us. For the most part, you have to give them credit.”
-Jerry Manuel on losing seven straight to the Braves
In a report for the Daily News, Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have fired Ramon Pena, “the organization’s top official in charge of signing Latin American talent.”
The Mets also fired Luis Aguayo, who was the minor-league field coordinator and also served a stint as first base coach last season. Sandy Johnson, vice president of scouting, also plans on retiring.
Looks like the Mets are none-too-pleased with their minor league system, both in terms of signings and crafting them into major league ready players.
To me, this signals a sort of last-ditch effort by Omar Minaya and the Wilpons to save face in this dismal season. These firings cast the notion that these people are the reason the team is losing and shedding them will help the team in the future.
This reeks of desperation.
Now you need to keep you eye on who fills these roles.
Jerry Manuel confirmed to reporters that Pat Misch will be pulled from the rotation for the rest of the season, likely to be replaced by Tobi Stoner or Lance Broadway, reports Adam Rubin.
I’m torn. On one hand, why not let Misch keep pitching for the rest of the year? What’s two or three more starts and possible losses?
On the other hand, I do want to see what the Mets have in Stoner and Broadway. Doesn’t look like either can be an impact player for next year, but they are under the team’s control and could help a few years down the road. Let’s get a preview now.
And here’s the lineup they will run out at Citi Field tonight…
In my latest poll, I asked fans if they want to see Omir Santos as the starting catcher next year. Here are the results…
I’m not sure who I would want manning every game behind the plate next year, so if you have any suggestions, I’d like to hear them.
And please, don’t say Josh Thole.
Next Poll: Who will you root for in the playoffs?
“What you try to do after you're down eight, is try to figure out if you have enough pitching to get through the series.”
-Jerry Manuel on being down by eight
Here are two things that troubled me with the Mets box score from last night’s 11-3 loss to the Braves.
First, of course, is the pitching lines, specifically the first two…
Pat Misch and Lance Broadway didn’t have good nights, did they?
Secondly, not so much from the box score, but still a troubling sight…
When Daniel Murphy, who we all complain about not having enough power, is leading your team in home runs (with only 11, no less), something is seriously wrong.
How many games left? Here’s the lineup…
There’s no denying that Milton Bradley is a character. He’s been suspended for the rest of the 2009 season by the Chicago Cubs due to comments made to a newspaper about Cubs fans.
With two more years left on Bradley’s contract in Chicago, the Cubs may be looking to deal the embattled outfielder to avoid any future disasters.
So I asked my Twitter followers if they would want to see Bradley on the Mets in 2010. Here are their responses… (It was pretty lopsided.)
YES
dmoneymania said: Yes. We need talent.
BlackMagic718 said: For Oliver Perez, sure. He'll help out the offense, and Ollie can be replaced with a QUALITY starter via free agency.
NO
awolf12 said: No. No way. Uh uh. Nyet. Nein. Nope. Thanks, but no thanks.
Lou_Bolkovic said: NO! Bradley brings too much baggage and is always an injury concern. After this season we need players who are durable.
cutiepie0319k said: NO! i just don't like him.
bosco86 said: No, Bradley is a nut case that Omar, Jerry, Wilpons cant control. if they didn’t want Manny why take Bradley.
Ryan_J_Smith said: No way. Milton Bradley is selfish, conceited, and a locker room cancer. He is the opposite of what the Mets need right now
YaGottaBKiddnMe said: NO way. Because of his mental issues. We don't need that in our clubhouse. I think he may be utter poison.
julierubes said: No. The cities & fans of NY and Chi aren't all that different: criticism everywhere. If he can't handle Chi, NY isn’t better.
shyonelung said: no. Clubhouse cancer and a general idiot.
jnetty99 said: Bradley said "I need a stable, healthy, enjoyable environment,". Mets might have enjoyable but not healthy or stable
DhmkJp said: Absolutely not because the Mets need to go with a youth/power/speed outfielder next year and Bradley provides none of that.
swirlywand said: Are you kidding? Trying to test the ridiculously outrageous responses to such a SILLY question? LOL- No, in 43 languages!
swirlywand continued: Maybe we can get Elijah Dukes for Brian Schneider...you know, to make sure Beltran is flanked by not one, but TWO SHOWBOATS
gwong said: F*ck no to Milton Bradley on the Mets. He is the definition of clubhouse cancer.
And from the peanut gallery…
Retire31 said: Yes, only if Bradley causes Jerry Manuel to take off his shirt and start a brawl with him.
EliFromBrooklyn said: I would love to have Milton Bradley on the Mets. He is all about fun! The game creator Milton Bradley, that is.
drsexington said: My litmus test: If they fit in better with the 1992-93 Mets than the current ones, bad choice#vincecoleman #bretsaberhagen
There is a lot of hype surrounding Jeff Francoeur and his role on the 2009 team and what lies ahead for him. Let’s take a look around some Mets blogs about what they have to say about the Atlanta import…
MLB - Francoeur stays hot in Mets win vs. Nats
The Mets believe Francoeur will look sharp in their 2010 uni, so much so that they are inclined to approach him about signing him to a three-year contract that would allow him to become a big league Beau Brummel, if he so chose. They like what they have seen of him in and out of uniform -- from his spirited demeanor to his nuclear arm to the two doubles he produced Saturday afternoon in their victory against the Nationals.
Mets Fever - Is Jeff Francoeur our Paul O'Neill
Since coming to the Mets, Francoeur has been impressive, he's a decent fielder with a great arm and loves to use it, all the while hitting .315 ( 60 gms) with 33 RBIs and 7 HRs.
But whats been more important is the intangibles that he's brought to the table, he seemed to immediately become a main clubhouse figure and team leader.
He brings a hard nosed, passion to the team that has been missing for years. Playing through a thumb injury in meaningless games because he wants to.
Mets Merized Online - Mets To Offer Jeff Francoeur 3-Year Deal
Francoeur has been the lone bright spot for the Mets in the second half as he continues to sizzle at the plate. He came through again in yesterday’s win over the Nationals with two more doubles, an RBI and two runs scored.
Noble correctly states that signing Francoeur for the next few seasons would stabilize two-thirds of the outfield and five-eighths of the starting lineup for next season. His presence on the team has reduced Ryan Church to just a blur.
Mets Lifers - Jeff Francoeur is Mr. Met
Jeff Francoeur may be the lone bright spot of this lost season, but it's not this season that has me excited about the man with a rocket arm.
Francoeur is a heaven sent gift. The Mets haven't had a reliable arm in right since...think about it...since Strawberry? Oh wait, I forgot about Richard Hidalgo...right. Francoeur won't be the power bat and potential MVP candidate that Straw was but he's the first legitimate right fielder the Mets have had in what seems like the better part of two decades.
The Real Dirty Mets Blog - Make it or Break it: Jeff Francoeur - Starting Right Fielder in 2010?
I can’t look at the positives without mentioning his faults though. Jeff does not have the best eye at the plate, as evidenced by his lifetime OBP of .311 (ouch!) as well as his average of 120 strike outs per season. Another detriment to keeping Frenchie is his prolonged slump from 2008 through the end of his tenure in Atlanta earlier this season. In that time, he held a batting average under .250 and an on-base percentage under .300. If the Mets pay Francoeur $5 million next season, and he regresses to similar statistics, he would probably lose the starter’s job and Omar might take some of the blame.
Mets MD - Why Jeff Francoeur for 3 years is a bad idea
You want a 3 year contract, Noble? For a guy who has been worth -9.1 runs? He has been worse offensively than an average hitter. The track record is against him. He has the worst plate discipline on the team, swinging at 35% of pitches outside the strikezone. He is not good at baseball. You know who's better, and cheaper? Bobby Abreu. So, for once, Omar/Wilpons/who ever is the GM, make the right decision. Because if we sign Francoeur for 3 years, I'm done.
NY Baseball Digest – Jeff Francoeur Does Not Suck
- Unlike the other 24 guys on the roster, he actually can hit the ball out of Citi Field
- He plays every day, even when his thumb is mangled like a pile up on the LIE.
---
The hate for Francoeur is beyond me. He embodies all that is good with professional baseball. Why would you hate someone that works hard to improve himself, wants to win, and has fun doing it? Can you win with eight Jeff Francoeur’s in the lineup? Of course not. But you could say the same for most players this side of Albert Pujols and no one is looking to throw them away.
Amazin’ Avenue – Jeff Francoeur’s Intangibles
Talk about Francoeur's statistics. Talk about his on-field performance (and the sites listed above generally do, to varying degrees). When doing so, don't completely ignore the 2500+ major league plate appearances he had before coming to Flushing. But please stop pretending intangibles are a significant consideration when deciding what to do with Francoeur this offseason. Character counts, but since we can't sufficiently evaluate it objectively let's stick to what we can evaluate. Leave the largely irrelevant intangibles topic for talk radio, the lowest common denominator of baseball discourse. (Next up on the talk radio docket, a discussion about how David Wright and Jose Reyes aren't "winning ballplayers"!)
Where do you stand on Jeff Francoeur?
“If you were to talk intangibles, he'd rate way off the charts.”
-Jerry Manuel on Jeff Francoeur
Carlos Delgado, who was trying to make a return to the major leagues after hip surgery this season, may not be healthy enough to come back.
“I think time is running out for him,” Jerry Manuel told reporters before Friday’s game.
It’s unfortunate for Delgado who is without a contract for next season. Though he’s pretty much built for the American League for the rest of his career, some have rumored that the Mets may bring him back in an incentive laden deal as a placeholder for Ike Davis in 2011.
Obviously, that would put Daniel Murphy back to the minor leagues, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
But, I don’t think Delgado is a smart signing at this point. He’s in the twilight of his career and missed so much time this year, who knows where he’s going to be for next year?
I’m just glad I’m not Omar Minaya.
“It's been that kind of year for us. It's been that kind of year.”
-Jerry Manuel on 2009
(Boy, he sounds so defeated.)
A game between two pitiful teams. It should be fun.
Here’s the lineup…
The Mets stink. I mean, they’re just downright bad. I go into each game expecting a loss and just waiting to find out which way they’ll manage to do it.
But I was wondering if I was alone in still watching this team, so I asked my Twitter followers, “Do you still watch the Mets? And…um…why?”
Here are some responses…
Lou_Bolkovic said: HELL NO - have not watched a game in a month and gave three games worth of tix to kids I know who have not been to Citi Field
ericcwu said: Nope =( Bought a Xbox a month ago when I knew the season was done. Haven't watched a game since but still follow the team.
BlueAndOrange said: Yes.. Because the season isn't over yet.
DoLLaAz said: Yes, when there isn't too much on my plate. Since I'm a fan and thats what true fans do; None of that fairweather BS.
RyanFingAwesome said: of course i do. just because theyre not winning doesnt mean theyre not playing.
mtmcq said: Because I know once this season is over, the term "finding ways to lose" will be obsolete. The '09 Mets will find every way.
cvelardi said: I haven't watched a game in a month. No offense to Pagan, Sullivan, Hernandez.. but they're no Beltran, Reyes, Delgado..
msschneid said: i havent in 2 weeks. turned it on Wed night and after seein Murph NEVER will again (well till April)
bosco86 said: Yes i still watch but mostly to see how bad Jerry and his crew can screw up!
gwong said: I haven't gone out of my way to watch them the past few weeks. I will watch Sunday since I'll be there - damn 15-game plan.
julierubes said: Yes, but it hasn't been nightly b/c of other things. I still watch b/c I'm still a fan and I want to see how the games go.
kdoster said: I still would if I could. Hoping for a win everytime...
metsgrrl said: you know the answer to that already. why? because i keep looking for some sign. of what, i am not entirely sure.
tyronem said: I watched the Mets last night so I could fall asleep.
fullnelson said: Yes I'll still watch Mets 'cause I want to and I'm fan
RobinBoyWonders said: Because I want to be able to say I saw most of the stuff on the 09 blooper reel
elZi said: I still watch, because I'm still a fan of the team.
dtmfr said: still watch the Mets. And while it's still for love of the game, it's more like seeing a comedy movie rather than a drama.
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“If you don't have those pieces in place, it's difficult to do anything, and do anything well and do it consistently.”
-Jerry Manuel on 2009
Bobby Parnell is heading back to the bullpen for the rest of the season, according to Jerry Manuel.
Parnell, who was long slated for Winter Ball as a starting pitcher, will still start in the off-season.
This is so strange. The season is in the tank and Parnell is going to start anyway, why not let him pitch? Sure, he might give you only four innings or so as a starter, but that’s four innings that he won’t normally get.
That is, unless, he’ll be slated for lots of innings out of the bullpen. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Here are the top players from each team in the Mets minor league system…
2009 STERLING AWARD WINNERS
BUFFALO (AAA) OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE: JESUS FELICIANO (OF)
Height: 5-11 Weight: 174 Bats: Left Throws: Left Born: 6/6/79 Resides:Bayamon, PR Obtained: Signed as a free agent (2/07) Signing Scout: LA Dodgers (1997)
Feliciano finished fifth in the International League with a .311 batting average and led the IL with 154 hits. The 6-0, 174-pound outfielder scored 57 runs, collected 30 doubles, one triple, one home run, 41 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 130 games for the Bisons. Feliciano, 30, became just the eighth Bisons player in the modern era to reach the 150-hit plateau.
BINGHAMTON (AA) EASTERN LEAGUE: JOSH THOLE (C)
Height: 6-1 Weight: 205 Bats: Left Throws: Right Born: 10/28/86 Resides: Breese, IL Obtained:Mets’ 13th round pick in 2005 Signing Scout:Quincy Boyd
Thole finished second in the Eastern League with a .328 batting average and was third in the EL with a .395 on-base percentage. At the time of his promotion to New York – on September 1st – he was fourth in the Eastern League with a 30.2 (20-86) caught stealing percentage. Thole, 22, was named to the Eastern League mid-season All-Star Game but did not play due to a dislocated left thumb that kept him out of action from June 30th-July 18th. Thole scored 48 runs, had 29 doubles, two triples, one home run, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases in 103 games with Binghamton.
ST. LUCIE (A) FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE: KIRK NIEUWENHUIS (OF)
Height: 6-3 Weight: 178 Bats: Left Throws: Right Born: 8/7/87 Resides:San Dimas, CA Obtained: Mets’ third round pick in 2008 Signing Scout:Fred Mazuca
Nieuwenhuis hit .274 (132-482) with 91 runs scored, 35 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 71 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 123 games with St. Lucie. Nieuwenhuis, 22, was named to the Florida State League All-Star team and ranked among the team leaders in batting average, home runs and RBI. His 16 home runs ranked him second on the team and third in the FSL. Niewenhuis also finished the season as the FSL leader in doubles, slugging percentage, extra-base hits, and runs scored. He batted .406 (13-32) with eight runs scored, three doubles, one home run and three RBI in eight games with Binghamton at the end of the year. Niewenhuis ranked 10th in all of minor league baseball with 99 runs scored.
SAVANNAH (A) SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE: ROBERT CARSON (LHP)
Height: 6-4 Weight: 230 Bats: Left Throws: Left Born: 1/23/89 Resides:Hattiesburg, MS Obtained: Mets’ 14th round pick in 2007 Signing Scout: Benny Latino
Carson went 8-10 with a 3.21 ERA in 25 starts for Savannah. He hurled two complete games with one shutout. In 131.2 innings, he allowed 139 hits, 68 runs, 47 earned, with 45 walks and 90 strikeouts. Carson, 20, was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team. He twirled a 9.0 inning, three hit shutout with eight strikeouts at Lexington on July 11th earning SAL Pitcher of the Week honors.
BROOKLYN (A) NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE: MARK COHOON (LHP)
Height: 6-2 Weight: 195 Bats: Left Throws: Left Born: 9/15/87 Resides:Buleson, TX Obtained: Mets’ 12thround pick in 2008 Signing Scouts: Ray Corbett
The lefthander led the New York-Penn League with nine wins, and ranked sixth with a 2.15 ERA en route to being named to the NYPL All-Star team. He started the All-Star Game as well as Game One of the playoffs for Brooklyn. Opponents hit .210 against Cohoon, and he surrendered just 18 extra-base hits, while facing 356 batters. Mark’s nine wins tied a Cyclones’ franchise record, and his 92.0 innings established a new club record. Cohoon, 22, pitched 6.0 or more innings in 12 of his 14 starts, and allowed two earned runs or less 10 times.
KINGSPORT (R) APPALACHIAN LEAGUE: JEFF FLAGG (1B)
Height: 6-6 Weight: 246 Bats: Right Throws: Right Born: 11/7/85 Resides:Jacksonville, FL Obtained: Mets’ 27th round pick in 2008 Signing Scouts: Benny Latino
Flagg led the Kingsport Mets in batting average (.301), home runs (10) and RBI (59) and was second on the team in runs scored (47) in his second professional season out of Mississippi State University. His 10 home runs also ranked second in the Appalachian League, while his 59 RBI were tops in the league. Flagg, 23, had 17 multi-hit games in 57 starts for Kingsport while hitting .364 (47-129) with runners on base.
GULF COAST LEAGUE (R): JULIO CONCEPCION (OF)
Height: 6-4 Weight: 198 Bats: Right Throws: Right Born: 9/5/89 Resides:Santo Domingo, DR Obtained:Non-drafted free agent (3/07) Signing Scouts:Ramon Pena, Ismael Cruz, Sandi Rosario
Concepcion finished seventh in the Gulf Coast League with a .306 (49-160) batting average. He scored 21 runs, and collected four doubles, two triples, 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 45 games. Concepcion, 20, had at least one hit in 35 of his 45 games played and had a .354 on-base percentage.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE (R): ALEXANDER SANCHEZ (1B)
Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 Bats: Right Throws: Right Born: 11/28/90 Resides:Santo Domingo, DR Obtained: Non-drafted free agent (6/09) Signing Scouts:Ramon Pena, Ismael Cruz, Franklin Taveras
The 18-year-old first baseman finished the season tied for the Dominican Summer League lead with a .372 (71-191) batting average. In 47 games with the DSL Mets, Sanchez drove in 42 runs, which was among the team leaders. In 213 plate appearances, Sanchez struck out only 19 times and hit .432 (48-111) with three home runs and 25 RBI in 27 games during the month of July.
VENEZUELAN SUMMER LEAGUE (R): ANDRES PEREZ (OF)
Height: 6-1 Weight: 180 Bats: Right Throws: Right Born: 7/5/89 Resides:San Cristobal, DR Obtained: Non-drafted free agent (8/07) Signing Scouts:Ramon Pena, Ismael Cruz, Marcelino Vallejo
Perez hit .311 (75-241) with 25 runs scored, 14 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 44 RBI in 67 games for the Venezuelan Mets. He posted a .356 on-base percentage and a .440 slugging percentage. Perez finished fourth in the League in RBI, batting .406 (28-69) with runners in scoring position.
Isaac “Ike” Davis and Jeurys Familia have been named the Mets’ Sterling Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year respectively.
Davis, who split time between the advanced-A St. Lucie Mets and Double-A Binghamton, hit .298 / .381 / .524 with 20 home runs and 71 RBI. Davis is currently on Team USA in the World Cup being played in Europe.
Familia made 23 starts for Single-A Savannah, going 10-6 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.157 WHIP. Familia tossed 134 innings, striking out 109 and walking 46.
Adam Rubin ponders if Daniel Murphy will simply be a placeholder for Ike Davis, who will likely start the 2010 season with Triple-A Buffalo.
I’m all for it. I hate how the team rushes players, but if the guy is showing talent, keep promoting him until he’s ready for the big leagues.
This was posted in the comments of “Shades of Mookie” by ADV:
Agree about a lack of fundamentals - but they have had that for a few years so you have to blame it on the laid back Manuel.
I know you can't blame all the injuries on him, but you can blame the lack of preparedness and the lack of drive and emotion of this team on him. They need to get healthy, but when this team is on the field in 2010, they need swagger, they need bravado, they need fire, they need some damn fight in this team.
Bobby V anyone?
I know it won't happen because ownership is giving the manager and GM one more year since this one was a hospital stay and not a season.
So let's get a good, healthy first baseman and a left fielder who WANT to win and maybe can be emotional leaders in the club house. Because it sure isn't going to come from the manager or the existing 'core' players.
“I'd just like to see how he fits up there, see if that can kind of jump-start the machine.”
-Jerry Manuel on Josh Thole batting second
Watching Daniel Murphy boot that ball brought something to mind…
“So the winning run is at second base, with two outs … Little roller up along first … Up in the air! Murphy boots it! Here comes Ross, and the Braves win it!”
I’m sure you all thought about that, too. Right?
All we can do at this point is laugh. I know I said that back when Luis Castillo dropped the ball, but this is a new low.
Every time I think the Mets have found every single way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, they come out with something like this. It’s really unfathomable. It is beyond fathom.
In a lost season, it would be nice to at least see some decent baseball.
Sixteen hits and only five runs? Not decent.
Seven hits and three walks in 3 1-3 innings for Bobby Parnell? Far from decent.
The fact that Jerry Manuel pulled Parnell as if the Mets were trying to win? Confusing.
Asking for a four-out save from K-Rod with the season in the tank? Just…why?
So many questions, so little answers.
Man, 2009 can’t end quick enough.
There’s bad baseball and there’s really-terrible-just-awful-no-fundamental-miserable-downright-sad-looking baseball. And the Mets are no doubt the latter.
I got an e-mail today from the guys over at More Hardball. They’ve put together some photoshops of Mets player cards.
Here’s my favorite…
For the rest, check out the More Hardball blog. They’re hilarious.
Francisco Rodriguez is away from the team after his wife gave birth to twins. Their names: Francisco and Angeline.
Here’s the lineup…
The Mets will open their 2010 season at home against the Florida Marlins on April 5, according to the preliminary schedule that has been released.
For interleague games next year, the Mets will take on the AL Central with games against the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins in June.
The 2010 season’s final regular season game will come on Oct. 3 at home against the Washington Nationals.
Here’s an image of the schedule via WFAN…
The Mets will be sending six players to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Surprise Rafters.
The Mets announced the following minor league players will participate in the Arizona Fall League…Infielders Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada, righthanded pitchers Jenrry Mejia, Scott Moviel and Josh Stinson and lefthanded pitcher Eric Niesen will play for the Surprise Rafters…The AFL begins on October 13th.
These are some of the top players in the Mets minor league system. The fact that they’re sending them to play more baseball is a good thing for the future of the franchise.
Let’s just hope the 2009 injury bug ends when the season does.
As the 2009 season comes to a close (at least in term of playoff chances), let’s look ahead to the future of the Mets. The Brookyln Cyclones recently put up this awesome video of their season. Take a look…
My favorite moment is the play at the plate around the 1:06 mark.
In what was the foreseeable end to a dismal year, the Mets were finally mathematically eliminated from playoff contention after yesterday’s sweep of the doubleheader at the hands of the Phillies.
The nail in the coffin came in the night game, as old friend Pedro Martinez tossed a gem to the tune of eight innings, six hits and no runs. Pedro walked two and struck out seven while on the mound.
Now, as if they weren’t before, the Mets are solely playing the role of spoilers. Sure, it’d be nice to watch the Mets go around the league beating teams late in the year and making baseball all the more exciting down the stretch. Too bad they’re struggling to win any games at all and spoiling likely won’t be happened much, if at all.
2009 was a year that started with tons of promise. The team and the fans were jazzed up about what, on paper, looked like a magical year. Too bad the paper it was written on and the players on the team were more fragile than tissue paper.
The Mets were an absolute nightmare this year. The kind of nightmare that you tell your friends about because it’s so darn out there.
All in all, it was entertaining. And I don’t mean like “whee-fun-yay!” entertaining. I’m talking about the “oh-my-goodness-I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening-you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up” entertaining. Shock and awe type stuff.
I was never one to pack it all in, ditch the Mets gear until spring training type of guy. I will continue to wear my Mets hat, shirts and other assorted team apparel gladly, and maybe partially for the pity.
Keep your heads high, Mets fans. 2010 is only months away, likely filled with some high hopes of at least improving on this year.
In the baseball world, it’s tough to predict what may happen from year to year. No one was reading the tea leaves predicting this sort of Mets catastrophe. Maybe karma will pay this Mets team a visit and pay us all back for the last three years of heartache and distress.
I think we’ve earned it.
“We had a shot at it. We put forth an effort, but fell short.”
-Jerry Manuel on…well…a lot of things
The Mets will look to stave off elimination for another day against an old friend. Pedro Martinez takes the mound for the Phillies as the Mets tragic number stands at two.
Here’s the lineup for the second game…
Welcome back John Maine. Maine will be making his 12th start of the year, his first since June 6.
Here’s the lineup for the first of today’s twin-bill…
Mike Pelfrey got shelled (again), but David Wright and the rest of the Mets bats were able to bail him out. Six runs in the last three innings propelled the Mets to a 10-9 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday afternoon.
Pelfrey gave up eight earned runs in six innings, allowing 10 hits while on the mound. He walked one while striking out three.
So up and so down. What a crazy year.
Ken Takahashi allowed one earned run in relief. Sean Green, Pedro Feliciano and Francisco Rodriguez closed out the thriller.
The Mets jumped on Jamie Moyer early, plating four runs in the first inning. Wright drove in two runs with a single in the first inning as the Mets led off the game with five straight hits. Carlos Beltran followed with a two-run home run to center field.
From there, though, the Mets went quiet.
Moyer ended up tossing seven innings, only allowing another run in the seventh on a Wilson Valdez RBI groundout.
In the eighth, Wright added a two-run home run to pull the Mets within two. Daniel Murphy later singled to make it a one-run game.
As the Phillies struggle to find a closer, Ryan Madson was the pitcher of choice on Saturday. A two-out single by Fernando Tatis brought Wright to the plate, who drove the first pitch he saw from Madson into the left field stands, giving the Mets the lead.
As mentioned above, K-Rod came in and closed it out.
This was probably one of the most exciting games of the year. Too bad it helped the Mets avoid 100 losses. In a dismal season, this was a bright spot. This is why I love baseball.
He’s the best.
And here is the Neil Best column about sleeping at Keith Hernandez’s house and how Hernandez goes about life nowadays. He’s come a far way since the 80’s.
Twenty-one games to go. Howie Rose is in the TV booth on FOX today. Oh, and Carlos Beltran is back in the lineup.
The Mets are keeping hope alive as they march toward 100. One hundred losses, that is.
The Mets fell to the Phillies by a score of 4-2, loss number 79 of the season. With 21 games remaining, the Mets would have to lose every game to reach 100 losses.
Though the score was close through the entire game, it never felt as though the Mets would win. Nelson Figueroa tiptoed through 5 1-3 innings, allowing nine hits and walking five, but only allowed two earned runs.
Elmer Dessens and Brian Stokes surrendered the other two runs in relief.
Jeff Francoeur stayed hot at the plate, pounding out three hits. Francoeur is now 6-for-his-last-8 with two doubles.
Luis Castillo drove in one run with a sac-fly to center field. Cory Sullivan grounded into a double play to kill a rally in the ninth inning, but it allowed a run to score.
But hey, no one got hurt.
No Carlos Beltran in the crappy weather. Mets not taking risks. Smart.
According to Neil Best, WFAN’s Howie Rose will switch to television to call Saturday’s Mets / Phillies game with Tim McCarver.
I like when the Mets broadcasters get picked for these things. It shows you how lucky we are to have such talented and passionate people both on TV and the radio calling games for us night in and night out.
I’ll be watching.
Today is a day to remember. Remember all who were lost on 9/11, their families and their friends. Never forget them.
Yesterday, a teacher asked me what my memories were of 9/11/01. I can vaguely remember the day, sitting it woodworking class and listening to an old radio play out the news of the morning.
But what I remember most about the days surrounding 9/11 is what transpired 10 days later.
On Sept. 21, 2001, baseball returned to New York.
The Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets squared off at Shea Stadium. After seven and a half innings of baseball, the Mets trailed by a score of 2-1.
Steve Karsay came on to pitch the 8th for Atlanta. After inducing a Matt Lawton groundout, Karsay walked Edgardo Alfonzo. Desi Relaford came on to pinch-run for Alfonzo as Mike Piazza stepped to the plate.
Piazza already had two hits that game, both doubles.
Behind 0-1 in the count, Piazza stepped into the batters box and hit a home run that meant more to the city of New York than any home run before or since.
A towering shot to center field, New Yorkers had a reason to cheer. It didn’t matter if you were a Mets fan, Yankees fan or no fan at all. This home run was the first bright spot in the city since the attack. It was, in a word, euphoric.
I vividly remember sitting on my friends porch and watching this home run through his living room window. I will never forget Piazza’s home run or the impact it had on the people of New York City.
To relive that moment, here’s a short video on the events leading up to the home run and to see that uplifting moment one more time.
Never forget 9/11.
“Every time I have a meeting we seem to play that way so I guess we won't have anymore meetings.”
-Jerry Manuel on team meetings and losses
Florida Marlins: 13 runs on 16 hits and seven walks.
New York Mets: 4 runs on 10 hits and three walks.
Sean West (6-5, 4.61 ERA) vs. Bobby Parnell (3-7, 5.25 ERA)
(Chat removed. It was quieter than Citi Field in there.)
Carlos Beltran gets the finale off tonight, with Angel Pagan in CF. Nick Evans gets a shot in LF.
You may remember this video that I shot at the May 12 game between the Braves and the Mets…
The man with the monkey around his waist, who had been identified as Craig Coakley of Queens, N.Y., has been banned from Citi Field for one year.
Coakley will also have to serve 20 days of community service and must pay a $1,000 fine and $2,000 in civil penalties, reports the AP.
Coakley ran on the field due to a bet with his boss, who claimed he would pay him a weeks salary if he did it. I wonder if he’ll be using that money to pay his fines.
With some guy across town doing something special, I decided to take a look at the Mets all-time hit leaders. Here’s the top 20…
| # | Player | Hits |
| 1 | Ed Kranepool | 1,418 |
| 2 | Cleon Jones | 1,188 |
| 3 | Edgardo Alfonzo* | 1,136 |
| 4 | Mookie Wilson | 1,112 |
| 5 | Bud Harrelson | 1,029 |
| 6 | Mike Piazza | 1,028 |
| 7 | Darryl Strawberry | 1,025 |
| 8 | Howard Johnson | 997 |
| 9 | Jerry Grote | 994 |
| 10 | David Wright* | 963 |
| 11 | Jose Reyes* | 960 |
| 12 | Keith Hernandez | 939 |
| 13 | Lee Mazzilli | 796 |
| 14 | Kevin McReynolds | 791 |
| 15 | Felix Millan | 743 |
| 16 | Rey Ordonez | 720 |
| 17 | Rusty Staub | 709 |
| 18 | Carlos Beltran* | 703 |
| 19 | John Stearns | 695 |
| 20 | Wally Backman | 670 |
*denotes active player. And yes, Fonzi is still active.
What really intrigues me here are Reyes and Wright. Both seemingly have very long careers ahead of them, hopefully with the Mets. It would (will?) be kind of cool to watch as they climb the chart and possibly battle for the top spot, maybe game in and game out.
Also, would have never picked Rey Ordonez or John Stearns to be in the top 20 spots. Sorry, guys.
This morning, Joe Budd over at Amazin’ Avenue (one of my favorite Mets sites), wrote this “Where did Kirk Nieuwenhuis come from? If I thought it was hard to learn how to spell Francoeur, it's going to be a nightmare season if Nieuwenhuis becomes something.”
Which got me thinking about weird names. And off the top of my head, I could think of a few strangely named Mets players (at the major and minor league level). Here’s a rough list…
Mets
Jeff Francoeur – OF - I know his family is French, but I’m just not used to the combination of “c-o-e-u-r” and don’t think I ever will be. I always think I spell his name wrong.
Omir Santos – C - “Omar” would be one thing. “Omir” is something different. Only 208 people pop up with the name Omir on Facebook.
Tobi Stoner – P - I mean…come on!
Bisons
Ricky Bones – Coach – This guy?
Derrick Ellison – P – There are too many letters in the “Derek.”
Chip Ambres – OF – Anyone (nick)named “Chip” must have been mocked in middle school.
B-Mets
Mako Oliveras – Manager – What is he, a shark?
Emary Frederick – P – Um…Emary? I don’t even know where that comes from. Heck, he’s from Florida!
John Madden – P – BOOM! FOOTBALL!
German Marte – P – Have you met his brother, Polish? They used to not get along, but now they’re OK.
Jenrry Mejia – P – But hey, he’s good.
Elvys Quezada – P – Was he named for The King?
Kirk Nieuwenhuis – OF – Is that “new-when-house” or…um…something?
St. Lucie
Tim Teufel – Manager – I always found this name funny. Like he’s a character on a children’s show or something.
Reese Havens – IF – Yum.
Brahiam Maldonado – OF – I will name my first child Brahiam. Just don’t tell my future wife.
Sand Gnats
Jimmy Johnson – P – Nice hair.
Jean Luc Blaquiere – C – Oui oui!
Imbewer Alvarez – IF – I’ve got nothing here. I’ve never seen this name before. Ever.
Cyclones
Dock Doyle – C – Awesome name.
Jordany Valdespin – IF – I’m going to go by “Andrewy” from now on. Just add a “y” to your name and you can be equally cool.
Kingsport
Yohan Almonte – P – If he ends up half as good as Johan, I’ll be happy.
Guillaume Leduc – P – Another name I can’t pronounce. Is that “Gee-yam-me”?
GCL
ZeErika Hall – OF – I knew he existed, but I just couldn’t find him on any of the rosters. He was drafted this year. And he may have the greatest name of them all. (H/T to Ted Berg, a.k.a. OGTedBerg) – Update: Further investigations finds him on the roster of the Gulf Coast League affiliate.
Jeurys Familia – P – Sounds like a really bad television show on Univision. And let me tell you, there is some quality programming on that channel.
Lachlan Hodge – P – Lachlan spends his free time hunting kangaroos in the brush down under.
Jimber Mueses – P – My goodness. This GCL team might beat out the B-Mets for greatest names.
Nelfi Zapata – C – Anyone named Nelfi is OK in my book.
Aderlin Rodriguez – IF – Aderlin! Aderlin! Aderlin!
Wilfredo Tovar – IF – By far my favorite name.
Ray Van Gurp – IF – No, this is my favorite.
Marinus Vernooij – IF – Actually, it’s this one.
There were a few others along the way that I snickered at, but didn’t think belonged on the list. Did I miss anyone? How about some historic silly Mets names? Let’s hear them in the comments.
“Power doesn't always have to be in terms of home runs. Power can be in terms of triples, doubles and the sense that the opposition doesn't play you so tight. They play you fair.”
-Jerry Manuel on power
Ricky Nolasco (10-8, 5.27 ERA) vs. Pat Misch (1-1, 3.25 ERA)
(Chat removed, as usual.)
More tomorrow. It's been a long day.
Looks like Jerry Manuel’s is going with the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Too bad it is broken.
In a somewhat joke of a poll, I asked fans who the ace of the Mets rotation was now that Johan Santana is on the DL.
Here are the results…
I’m shocked how many votes Pat Misch and Nelson Figueroa garnered.
Now if only Mike Pelfrey can turn in his last performance for the every start.
Next Poll: Is Omir Santos your starting catcher in 2010?
Have you seen this apple lately?
It used to pop out when the Mets hit home runs. Crazy, right?
The Mets have hit only 42 home runs this season, with Gary Sheffield leading the team. Sheffield had only 307 plate appearances for the Mets, good for sixth most on the team.
18 different players hit home runs for the Mets this season. They are…
| Player | Home Runs |
| Gary Sheffield | 10 |
| Daniel Murphy | 9 |
| David Wright | 8 |
| Carlos Beltran | 8 |
| Jeff Francoeur | 7 |
| Fernando Tatis | 7 |
| Omir Santos | 6 |
| Angel Pagan | 6 |
| Carlos Delgado | 4 |
| Ramon Castro | 3 |
| Brian Schneider | 3 |
| Cory Sullivan | 2 |
| Jose Reyes | 2 |
| Ryan Church | 2 |
| Nick Evans | 1 |
| Luis Castillo | 1 |
| Alex Cora | 1 |
| Fernando Martinez | 1 |
Yeesh. That’s a sad list.
“If we did some things situationally, we had a shot.”
-Jerry Manuel on last night’s game
“Things are so strange this season, aren't they?”
“We've got issues.”