Brian Fuentes for Aaron Heilman: Stupid trade idea

This makes no sense to me.

From Jon Heyman:

It is believed the Mets could nab Fuentes if they were willing to part with the talented but frustrating Aaron Heilman. Says one scout, "Fuentes is throwing really great. He'd help someone, if the Rockies trade him.''

Why bother?

From the forum: Racism lives

Over in the Mets Lounge, we're discussing this image of David Wright from yesterday's game: Mets Lounge member "metsfan08" bring us this comment:
Notice how no one is talking about David's reaction but everyone was all over Jose the night before...

User "peachymet" responded with:
My sentiments exactly. Sorry to say, but racism still lives, and rears it's ugly head again.

It is sad but true. As noted before when Jose Reyes didn't want to leave the game, it was called a "tantrum." When Troy Percival wanted to stay in, he was dubbed a "fighter."

When Jose Reyes lifts his one finger in the air after putting his team up by three runs, it's called "showboating" and Philly announcers want someone to "put a ball in his neck." When Wright jumps up, pumps his fist and screams, no one even mentions it.

Peachy had it right, racism rears it's ugly head once more.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Oliver Perez's day

Lost in the shuffle of Carlos Delgado's clutch hit, the Mets beating the Phillies, and the team taking over sole position of first place, is the performance from Oliver Perez yesterday.

Perez threw 7 2-3 innings. He scattered six hits, one of which went for a solo home run, the only run he allowed all day. Perez walked only one batter, and it was an intentional walk. Perez also struck out 12 batters yesterday, fooling Chase Utley and Ryan Howard three times apiece.

Perez has absolutely turned it on the last few starts. Since June 29th against the New York Yankees, Perez has thrown 33 2-3 innings, allowing 21 hits, and allowing only five earned runs to score. He has walked 12 in that span, while striking out 39.

All this time I thought that if Rick Peterson left the team (fired, quit, signed elsewhere) and Oliver Perez was still around, he would fall flat on his face without the Jacket looking over him. I couldn't have been more wrong. Perez and Peterson come from two different school's of thought.

Peterson wanted to analyze everything about Perez, break him down piece by piece and reconstruct him. Now, Dan Warthen seems to let Ollie be Ollie, and just throw the ball. If there are errors or hitches in his delivery, Warthen will say something, but for the most part, it's Oliver Perez on the mound, by himself.

Let's hope Perez can keep this up, and maybe we'll be seeing him in the orange and blue for many years to come.

Thanks are in order

I must send out a huge thank you to 'Duk from Big League Stew.

Yesterday, he linked to a story on his blog. That blog got promoted to Yahoo.com, and that all helped the site have it's biggest day ever.

And thank you all for reading over the past two years. I don't plan on stopping or slowing down anytime soon. This has been an amazing experience. I couldn't have done it without all the support from the readers.

Thanks!

Early Morning Madness: Brandon Knight is having a pretty good couple of months edition

Brandon Knight was playing baseball this season with the Somerset Patriots. Then, he got picked up by the Mets, and moved into their farm system. A pretty good day.

Recently, he was named to the US Olympic baseball team, and will travel to China to compete for a gold medal. An awesome day.

Now, Knight might get another shot at the bigs.

With Pedro Martinez home after his father's death, the Mets need a starter for Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. It looks like Knight might be that guy.

Knight has tasted the show before, pitching in 11 games with the Yankees, amassing an ERA of 10.71. But at AAA New Orleans this year, through 11 games, he is 5-1 with an ERA of 1.60. In 39 1-3 innings for the Zephyrs, has surrendered 23 hits and seven earned runs. He's walked 10, but struck out 49 batters.

Here's the quandary in my mind: Where would you rather be? Experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity, going to China for the Olympics and participating in something so grand? Or getting possibly just one shot at showing the Mets what you have to offer in a spot start in Major League Baseball?

Honestly, that is a tough choice. This could all be moot if the Mets tab Brian Stokes or someone else as their starter. I'm just glad I don't have to make this decision for the Mets.

Hey, whatever happened to Nelson Figueroa?

Welcome to first place, Mets fans

All by their lonesome...

How beautiful is that image?

TSTDIA: Mets 3 -- Phillies 1

Carlos Delgado backed up a dominating effort from Oliver Perez with two RBI's in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the Mets over the Phillies and into first place all by their lonesome.

Welcome to first place, Mets fans.

This is not possible. Ever.

Just read that "stat" on the bottom line.

Nice try, ESPN!

This tagline couldn't come at a worse time

"Pedro's arm is dying"

Uhh...Deadspin, you might want to read around before you post something like that. (For those that don't know, Pedro's father lost his battle with brain cancer last night, and Martinez has left the team to be with his family.)

I'm sorry, what? The Marlins like playing in front of no one?

Let me lead off with a quote from the Miami Herald:

Yes, it is a bummer for this pennant contender that folks aren't in the stands. But it also is a blessing the few sets of eyes on them are either looking through a rosy prism or not really paying attention.
That is an advantage only the Marlins enjoy.

This seems so absolutely foreign to me, I don't even know where I'd begin to break this down. Not every Mets game is a sellout, but it's pretty close. Tickets for the good seats are tough to get, and if you do land them, they'll cost you.

The Marlins...are a completely different story. When the Mets head down to south Florida to play the Fish, the stands are vacant. "Let's go Mets!" chants are easily heard chorusing from the fans. There may even be more Mets fans than there are Marlins fans.

And they like it like that?

MH:

The Marlins are living in that sweet spot of success, that fertile place where expectations remain low and the scrutiny is still bearable. The Mets and Phillies long ago vacated that friendly place, so we freely discuss the Mets' awful clubhouse chemistry and gauge the love-hate relationship between the Phillies and their fans -- the ones who booed Mike Schmidt.
The Marlins?
They skip happily along their improbable path to improbable contention with no pressure, no second-guessing and, seemingly, no worries.

Well, I don't think you can call the clubhouse chemistry "awful." Especially if you're reporting from Florida. Sure, there are probably cliques and discrepancies, but everyone has that, whether it's publicized (in the New York media) or mentioned (in the Florida media).

I get it. The Marlins don't play under the microscope of a city. If they lose, they lose and no one seems to care. If they win, they win and still, no one seems to care.

To me, that stinks. I'm glad I root for a team that plays in New York. Maybe the media is too quick to tear some people down, but you have to take things you read with a grain of salt and make your own impressions. I couldn't fathom enjoying a team whose fan base won't even make the trek out to the stadium to support them.

I have just one thing to say, Let's go Mets!