Mets second in worth

According to Forbes magazine, the Mets are currently second on the list of franchise worths, ranking in at $824 million.

The Yankees, not surprisingly, are first, worth just over $1.3 billion, while Boston ranked in at third, worth $816 million.

From the AP:

The Mets had an operating profit of $32.9 million, according to Forbes. Boston, according to Forbes, had a $19.1 million operating loss.

The Mets are the only team in the top three to have an operating profit, which seems odd to me. The Yankees actually had a $47.3 million operating loss.

Game Preview: Nationals @ Mets -- 4/16

The New York Mets take on the Washington Nationals for the second game of a three game set. The Mets took game one by a score of 6-0.

Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Angel Pagan
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
SP John Maine

Maine vs. Matt Chico

After all the talk about Castillo getting a day off, I'm glad to see he's still in there. I love Church in the two-hole. Keep him there.

Fire Joe Morgan takes on the "gamer" team

If you don't read Fire Joe Morgan, you're missing out.

In their latest post, they pick apart a post on "gamers" and "non-gamers."

Carlos Beltran made an appearance on the non-gamer or "Barry Bonds" list. FJM set the record straight (quote from original in bold, FJM's take non-bold).:

Carlos Beltran - The Mets gave him $119 million to be the player they would build their team around. He's been unreliable, frequently missing time to injury and playing poorly in the playoffs. The Mets have shifted their focus to third baseman David Wright - an up-and-coming gamer.

This is just inexplicable. Carlos Beltran, on the whole, has been brilliant in the playoffs, with an overall OPS of 1.302 and a slugging percentage of .817! He hit 3 home runs in the 2006 NLCS for the Mets. Do Lowell Cohn and son remember the 2004 playoffs, when for 12 games Carlos Beltran hit like he was using Mjolnir for a bat? He hit 8 home runs in 46 at bats! This is the choker you're complaining about?

Also, games played as a Met: 151, 140, 144. Not perfect, but he's not exactly Rich Harden, either. The last two years Carlos Beltran has been super-valuable for both his offense and his defense.

So does Pedro Martinez:

Pedro Martinez - He's been hurt for the last 2 seasons, and who knows how long he'll be out now with a pulled hamstring. He's always been a controversial player, throwing at players' heads and fighting with old man Don Zimmer. Now that he isn't a dominant a pitcher, he's more of a distraction than he's worth. Gamers don't distract their teammates.

He's the most dominant pitcher of his era, and maybe ever. He's declining with age. What a lazy SOB. Also, fighting another team's coach should be the number one characteristic of any gamer list worth its salt.

Thank you FJM. I love you. Keep it up.

Marco Scutaro? What? Why?

I saw this jersey in the new outdoor Mets Team Shop. I know the photo is blurry, but I think my mind was jumbled by what I was seeing.

First of all, why is there a Marco Scutaro Mets jersey in existence?
Secondly, why is it in a Mets team store and not in Scutaro's mother's house?
Third, why is it hanging, behind the counter and away from all the other jerseys none the less, in the Mets Team Store? Did I ask that already? I'm losing it.

I've come to the conclusion none of these questions will ever be answered.

Photos from Nationals @ Mets -- Jackie Robinson Day

Washington Nationals @ New York Mets -- Jackie Robinson Day -- 4/15/06

Photographic evidence of Duaner Sanchez, in case you didn't believe your eyes during last nights game (at the end).

Getting fed up with Castillo

After reading this story from the Post, I'm starting to worry about Mr. Luis Castillo.

From the Post:

Asked if he needs some time off, Castillo said: "Sometimes, I do. When I play three or four games in a row, maybe I can get a day off. I'm going to talk to Willie about it."

He's joking, right?

Castillo is fresh off a four year, $25 million deal, and he needs rest after playing three games?

I've been a huge fan of Castillo since he came to the team, as he has pretty good range and developed a nice camaraderie with Jose Reyes for turning double plays. He's very willing to give himself up in a bunting situation, and seems very "for the team."

I know he's working on some bum knees, but he just had them surgically repaired. I thought playing on grass instead of the artificial turf in Minnesota would help him out. I guess I was wrong.

He looks sluggish, slow and, I'm pulling no punches here, downright lazy. That butcher-boy swing he takes at first can barely get the ball out of the infield. He has no power left in his bat, not that I expected home runs from him, but he seems incapable of getting the ball past the pitchers mound.

In the field, he still shows a bit of a glove, as he made a few nice running plays in the field last night. He still has a decent arm, as he's able to turn double plays fairly well. The trouble he has is gimping over the second to turn it. I'm worried about his knees. He just doesn't seem comfortable out there, running, fielding, or even standing.

Omar Minaya gave this guy four years?! I was expecting Castillo to get in two good years, decline for his third, and be a platoon / bench player in his final year. At this point, I'd be happy with one decent year, at the most. Half a year, even.

Something needs to happen soon, because I'm getting pretty sick of Castillo's play. I know he's perpetually injured, so I can cut him some slack there, but he needs to start performing or something is going to need to happen.

Put Argenis Reyes on the fast track.

Reyes, Wright, and Pelfrey! Oh my!

Jose Reyes, David Wright and Mike Pelfrey were absolutely stellar in last nights 6-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

Pelfrey pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only five hits. He walked two and struck out four. He got himself out of a big jam in the third inning, with the bases loaded he got Ryan Zimmerman to pop out and Nick Johnson swinging to end the threat.

Pelfrey was on last night. Thats two great starts in a row from him. Hopefully he can build off this and continue on throughout the season.

Wright was a monster last night, going 3-4 with a walk. He knocked a two run home run in the bottom of the first inning, and roped a double to the gap in left which drove in two more in the eighth. He drove in five runs and scored twice.

So Wright had a very early season swoon, and now is right back on track and ready to go. He is on fire.

Reyes bounced back from his injury and days off, going 4-5 with a two singles, a double, and a triple off the left field wall.

I still think it's too early to proclaim '06 Reyes is back, but this is a great early indication. Keep it up, Jose.

Man falls to death off Shea Stadium escalator

According to reports, Antonio Nararainsami, 36, of Brooklyn, NY, fell to his death Tuesday when he lost his balance on an escalator and fell two stories to the concrete floor.

Nararainsami, a Guyanese native, was attending the game with his family, which included his two daughters. The escalator he was on was not in motion.

I attended last nights game, and I am very frightened of heights, and as I walked down the escalator, which wasn't moving, my friend asked me what I was afraid of. I told him I was afraid of falling. This had to have happened during the seventh or eighth innings because we heard tons of sirens into the ninth and as we processed out.

My thoughts go out to Nararainsami's family.

Update: From Newsday:

Police sources said Wednesday that the man may have been "surfing" or "sliding" on the railing of the escalator when he fell.

---

But a police source told Newsday "there were some reports he was surfing down the railing . . . Witnesses said he had jumped on the rubber railing . . . and he was sliding down when he lost his balance."

My Shea day

Here are some quick notes from what I took away from my first game at Shea this season:

- The lineup debuted tonight, with Jose Reyes batting in front of Ryan Church in the two hole looks perfect to me. Stick with this, I like it.

- Mike Pelfrey is good. Seven shutout innings from him. He's the real deal, and it's starting this year. Duque who?

- Welcome back Duaner Sanchez! 21 months away was way too long. Order in next time you get the late night munchies.

- A lot of people don't like Luis Castillo. He was the only player not to receive a cheer when the lineups were introduced. I don't mind him, but the four year deal still boggles my mind.

- Jackie Robinson Night was great. I'll have photos from the game tomorrow.

- Beardless watch: 4-2.

Off to Shea

Thanks to my good buddy over at Mets Merized Online, I'll be heading to Shea for my first game of the season with Andrew from Scott Prcotor's Arm.

It's Jackie Robinson Night, which should be special, as the Mets are the surrogate Dodgers now, and will honor him with the unveiling of the rotunda in Citi Field.

Should be a fun night. Enjoy the game.