Jeff Francoeur has been dealt to the Texas Rangers.
The Mets, reportedly, will get Joaquin Arias in return. Amazing they got anything for Francoeur, honestly.
Lucas Duda and Jenrry Mejia have been promoted from Triple-A Buffalo. Duda will likely get playing time in Frenchy’s absence. And Mejia will start on Saturday.
In other words, outside of the dismal loss tonight, the Mets did everything right!
There's a chance Jeff Francoeur could be spending his last day as a New York Met.
Two MLB sources told ESPNNewYork.com that the Texas Rangers are looking for a right-handed-hitting outfielder for the bench and are considering Francoeur.
"His name has definitely been talked about," one source said.
They say everything is bigger in Texas. I wonder what Francoeur’s OBP would look like there.
But seriously, this would be a smart move for the Mets.
Let the man go. He shouldn’t factor into next year’s lineup as it is, smile or no smile. Deal him now and let Fernando Martinez (or someone else) get a few rips up at the MLB level in this lost year.
OR: How I’ve gotten through the last few months for the last few years.
The Mets aren’t dead yet. But they’re far from being alive.
They’re more of a deer who was just hit my a Mack truck. It’s alive, stumbling about, but you just know it’s not going to make it.
So, I present to you, how I’ve lived with the last few months of the last few years: Make every game a season.
What?
Yeah, you heard me. Each game stands on its own. It’s all that there is. The performance of the players should still be judged in terms of the season (looking at you, Jeff Francoeur), but each game should exist as a live-or-die type of event.
It makes things a tiny bit more interesting.
“Hooray, Mets beat the Nationals. Ha! Suck it, Strasburg!” Too soon?
It adds a little spice to something that will otherwise be mundane and boring. Because you know this team won’t be playing spoilers.
Do you have a way to make the last few weeks interesting? Share it in the comments!
-Jerry Manuel
What stuff?
From a Poynter article by Roy Peter Clark:
Here was a game with two New York teams, a pennant on the line, in the bottom of the ninth, one out, two runners on base, with the world tuned in.
But, in the corrections at the end of the article, it reads:
The original version of this story incorrectly said there were two outs left in the game at the bottom of the ninth.
Emphasis mine.
Um, isn’t that the same thing?
-Jerry Manuel, expressing feelings shared by every Mets fan
Where to begin? By now, everyone knows that K-Rod was involved in a scuffle, alledgedly punched his father-in-law, will be charged with third-degree assualt and spent the night in a Citi Field cell.
Amazing, I know.
This team is a comedy of errors, on and off the field.
But I feel the worst for Jay Horwtiz. That poor, poor man.
Also, leave your questions or comments below for Howard.
Wave goodbye to Alex Cora.
The Mets cut their losses Saturday, as they released (very) light-hitting utility infielder Alex Cora.
*does a little dance*
Hitting a cool .207/.265/.278 this season (.234/.299/.298 with the Mets in two years), Cora was making $2 million this season for his un-trackable intangibles. He was due to make another $2 mil. next year if he appeared in 18 more games.
The Mets also demoted Jesus Feliciano.
Taking their place on the team is Fernando Martinez and Ruben Tejada, who will likely get a large bulk of playing time the rest of the year. Also not good news for Luis Castillo.
But all good news for Mets fans.
Adios, Alex. I won’t miss you.
Driving in the car last night, with the Mets up 2-1, I started thinking about what would happen if the Mets eventually won the game.
Five and a half out. Two of three from the Braves. Lots of time left in the season.
But alas, as the game moved along, the Mets dashed all hopes of that. Awful play – as we saw with the four miserable errors – seemed to put the nail in the coffin for the season. Yeah, lots of time is left, but with the way this team is currently operating it’s seems all hope is lost.
Ya gotta believe? Well, only if there’s something to believe in. And right now, there isn’t.
I’m not the only Debbie-Downer in the room – by far – but it’s rare for me to get down about my team like this.
I can’t be the only one that feels this way. Who else is totally bummed about this team?
This long message was posted in the comments late last night. Give it a read [sic’d].
I was just at a game and this guy (and a film crew now) came and sat in the same section as me in Camden Yards. Actually the row in front of me. So I got the great pleasure of watching this clown and his entourage sprint from side to side coming close to knocking over kids or whatever got in his way. When asked by the film crew he showed them numerous bruises he has attained in the past few weeks when he had collisions with and other near collisions with other fans. I told the person I went with that if he came close to running into me he would get an elbow and I hoped they got it on film. I swear it would have made ESPN top ten.
Oh, and this guy can't even be called a fan! He changes team shirts, hats, whatever to get a pity ball. Thousands of little kids, true team fans, have been robbed of the experience of getting a player, possibly a legend or their favorite player, to toss them a ball while at the one game they might have the money to buy a ticket for all year. Instead this jerk changes shirts sprints in front of an 8 yr old and gets the ball. He's like the guys in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that try to steal the golden ticket from Charlie Bump. Way to ruin the fan experience of people that can't afford to travel to every stadium and attend games all summer. Part of the allure of baseball and why it is America's pastime is not all what happens on the field. It's the experience at the park, believe me I'm an O's fan. I still convince myself to go because I love Camden Yards and the experience not Cesar Izturis batting .195 and making terrible throws to first.
The sights, the smells, the possibility of getting to your seat and getting a perfectly hit homerun land right in your hand. Sing take me out to the ballgame. Is he part of the song? Watch the end of Field of Dreams where James Earl Jones describes the fans coming to Iowa. At any point did he include some moron sprinting down the isle to snag a foul ball? NO! Many people follow him or ask advice or how to get a ball. This should show him seriously how much his effect has had on other fans. They feel like they don't have a shot unless they join his ranks. It's sad... I will say I still had a good time considering I caught BP ball hit right at me with my bare hands as one of his followers tried climbing over me with a glove. I told him good try, and laughed at him. Side note: Ballparks need to make a rule that children under 15 are the only ones permitted with gloves. Come on man, your 30 something, grow up and be a man bare hand it.
Seriously, poor Orioles fans.
My old soccer coach and friend sent me this awesome framed photo of Nolan Ryan as a housewarming gift. Thought I’d share.
Howard Megdal on ESPN.com: I should be general manager of the Mets.
Give it a read.
It’s not often us Mets fans get published on ESPN.com
It does.
