Early bird gets the worm

Jerry Manuel has quickly instituted early batting practice, optional for the players.

I like this, and it seemed to only pop up when there was a dire need under Willie Randolph.

Today, as always, David Wright was out taking the early BP. Joining him, among others, was Brian Schneider and Carlos Delgado, someone who rarely came out early with the previous manager.

Hopefully it pays off, since the Mets struggled last time in Colorado, especially against tonight's starter, Aaron Cook. Last time the Mets visited Denver, Cook tallied a complete game, four hitter on May 25.

Mets Wars IV: A New Hope

With a new manager at the helm, the Mets, and especially Mets fans, seem to be finding some new hope for this season.

Yeah, it's been only two games. Believe me, I know. But the way Jerry Manuel

is carrying himself and dealing with the team, it's possible they might be turning a new leaf.

The next six games could turn the entire season around for the Mets. Tonight, the team will take on the Colorado Rockies, a rematch of the late May series where the Mets dropped two of three. Currently, the Rox are 31-42 despite winning seven of their last ten.

After the series in Denver, the Mets return home to take on the hapless Seattle Mariners. Also under a newly promoted bench coach, the Mariners are 25-47, the worst team in baseball.

Six games, six very winnable games. The Mets could turn their whole season around with four, five, or even six wins over the next six days.

And for Mets fans, that would be more than enough for a new hope. May the force be with them.

Willie pens his own article

Click here to read Willie Randolph's own article, appearing in the Daily News. It's very cool to see, almost play-by-play, how the whole thing went down between himself and Omar Minaya.

Some excerpts:

It got to the point over the last month or so that whenever I saw the word "sources" in a story, I knew either me or someone on my staff was going to be declared on the verge of unemployment.
...
Omar went on and on, looking very uncomfortable, this weird chill started to course through by body. I could feel myself going cold. He kept talking, almost stammering, and the chill got worse.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that maybe he was talking about me. Maybe I was the one about to get whacked.

Finally, I stopped him. I looked right at him.

"Omar, are you firing me?" I asked. He looked away for a minute and then met my eyes. "Yeah, I'm going to make a move," he said. "It's a hard decision, but I have to make it."

...
"You don't have to say anything more, Omar," I said. "I came here to win, and if you don't feel I'm the guy to get that done, then it's your right to make a change. I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity you gave me. I want you to know that."
...
Look, nobody needs to tell me that the Mets have been maddeningly inconsistent for the last year and a half. If I want to take the credit for 2006 - when I felt we were the best team in baseball and our season ended one hit short of the World Series - then I have to take the hit for what happened since - the collapse last September, and the ups and downs of this year.

And you know what's also on me? The dumb, and horribly timed, remarks I made to a New Jersey reporter after we took two straight from the Yankees last month, when what I thought were private remarks became very public.

The bottom line is that by suggesting that the color of my skin had something to do with how I was judged, I did nothing but sow the seeds of my demise. I kick myself about that every day. It makes me angry - and really sad.

I suggest you go read the whole article. He handles himself fairly well, though it rubs off as somewhat forced. Randolph is a class act, but he just was not the fit for this team, right now.

I don't think Randolph will get a job this year (Seattle?) or even next year. I can see the Yankees taking him back as a bench coach or in the minors somewhere.

Happy trails, Willie!

Third place

With the Atlanta Braves losing by a score of 5-4 today, the New York Mets moved into sole possession of third place in the NL East.
The Mets are only four out in the loss column, so this season is far from over. Let the slow, tedious climb begin.

91 games to play, and to me, it feels like a brand new season.

It's all Nieto's fault

Reader Jonathon Neff e-mailed me a pretty hilarious article by Howard Megdal, blaming Tom Nieto for everything that has gone wrong with the Mets. Here's my favorite part:

Most inexcusable is Nieto's shackling of would-be base stealer Ramon Castro, an extra weapon who could have made the difference in New York's one-run losses. The deceptively fast catcher reached base at a .336 clip in 2007 and a .356 rate in 2008, but how many steals did he have to show for it? Zero. Considering his five thefts in 10 attempts for the 1994 Gulf Coast League Astros, as well as his steal in 2005, clearly talent isn't what kept Castro from utilizing his speed. But a quick look at Nieto's playing record, with his 251 games, 619 at-bats and zero stolen bases make it clear that "If I Couldn't Read the Pitcher's Move, No Catcher Can" Nieto simply didn't recognize that the fleet-footed Castro was a double waiting to happen.

Forget Canada, blame Tom Nieto!

And to think I "broke" the news of Neito's move to first.

New layout

Like? Dislike?
Comments? Ideas?

Thanks.

AM NY

Have a copy on AM NY from Wednesday June 18th? If so, I'd really like it.

I, along with my friends Joe from Mets Today, and Joe D. from Mets Merized Online, were quoted in the sports section with little snippets from our respective blogs.

Click here, and scroll down to page three to read the little blurbs.

If you happen to have it and are willing to give it up, please e-mail me (address in on the top-right of the sidebar)!! Thanks.

Early Morning Madness: Attitude edition

So far, so good. Sure it's only two games, but I like the way Jerry Manuel is handling himself, and more importantly, his team.

He's laying down the law, making it clear he's not going to take any crap from the players, and if they don't give everything they have, they simply won't play.

The team seems like a weight has been lifted off of them. I've never seen them so happy, jovial, and excited to get out and play the bottom of the tenth inning as they were last night. A good start for Manuel, now the Mets just need to keep it going.

As Jerry says, "Gangstas on the field, ladies on the bus."

** * **

A hand must go out to the Oliver Perez and the bullpen for their performances last night.

Ollie was not anything special, but after he gave up three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Manuel brought him out for the sixth, and he allowed only a single before inducing and inning ending double play.

The bullpen then came out and let up only one hit, a single in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Joe Smith. Lights out.

** * **

Every time I think Carlos Delgado is cooked, he does something to surprise me.

One at-bat he looks absolutely lost at the plate, swinging way too early or way too late. A few innings later he comes up and hits a screamer over the center field wall. He then proceeds to look like he's playing in a fog the rest of the game.

Part of me wants the Mets to call up Mike Carp, badly. But, and this part of me must be living in my little pinky toe, thinks Delgado is just a few lucky hits away from getting in the groove. His problem is that he's started to go to left field a whole lot less. Bunt more, I say. And if at all possible, hit the ball to the left side of the mound.

TSTDIA: Mets 5 -- Angels 4

The sentence(s) that define it all: I'm so glad I stayed up for this one. Congrats to Jerry Manuel for picking up his first win as the Mets skipper.

The Mets battled back in the 9th inning, with David Wright driving in Jose Reyes to tie it, and rallied in the 10th to take the lead, thanks to a Damion Easley home run. Billy Wagner came in and shut the door, retiring the side in order, to earn the Mets easily their best win of the year.

This is the kind of game that can turn your season around. Big win.

Why the Mets should sign Richie Sexson

That's right everyone, I think the Mets should sign Richie Sexson.

The extremely tall right handed first baseman is extremely close to being released by the Seattle Mariners. In 434 at-bats with the Mariners last year, Sexson hit a measly .205. This year, he's batting a cool .219.

Still, I think Sexson should be in the Mets organization for one reason, and one reason only:

• To take the place of Mike Carp in Binghamton if/when Carp gets promoted to New Orleans or, by some stroke of luck, the New York Mets.

Sexson would be a great fit...in double-A.