The 'Ropolitans

10/23/08

Coaching staff rounding out

As noted yesterday, Jerry Manuel will retain Dan Warthen, Howard Johnson, and Sandy Alomar Sr. Today, two more coaches were announced.

Randy Niemann and Razor Shines (great name) have been added to the 2009 Mets staff. Niemann will take over the bullpen coaching duties, and Shines will man the third base coaching box.

Guy Conti, the teams previous bullpen coach, Ken Oberkfell, and Luis Aguayo will all stay with the organization. Oberkfell will likely return to managing the AAA affiliate.

Niemann will start his third stint as the Mets bullpen coach, as he was with the team from 2000-2002 and 1997-midway through 1999. This will be his 22nd year with the Mets.

Shines, used to coach with the White Sox organization, which is most likely why he's joining Manuel's staff (Manuel coached the Sox from 98-03).

I'm going to find as many reasons to write about Razor Shines as possible. I like all of these moves, all of these coaches. Well done.

And oh thank heavens, Luis Aguayo will no longer be in the dugout.

Fernando Tatis named NL Comeback Player of the Year

Good for him. He truly deserved it.

Here's what they had to say about Tatis in the press release (via David Lennon):

After not playing professionally in 2004 and 2005, Tatis was motivated to attempt a big league comeback by his desire to earn enough money to build a church in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, D.R. The road back was a bumpy one as he played in just 28 games with Baltimore in 2006, and found himself in Triple-A New Orleans for all of 2007. Not to be deterred, he excelled in New Orleans, and finished the season with 21 homers, 137 hits and 90 runs scored in 131 games.

His 2007 performance was good enough to earn him a trip to spring training with the New York Mets, but he fell just short of making the big league roster out of camp, winding up back in the Big Easy. However, after just 37 games in New Orleans, he was summoned to the Big Apple in May, and helped the Mets contend for the NL East title by hitting .297, with 11 homers, 47 RBI and 33 runs scored in 92 games.

I was dead-set against bringing in Tatis, giving him any time in spring training, and especially when they called him up. He proved me, and all of his detractors very, very wrong.

I'd like to see Tatis back purely as a bench player. He excelled in that role, and was pretty good as a forced starter. I have a feeling he's penciled in on the bench, as long as they can come to terms on a contract.

Mets to go after K-Rod

If you thought people complained about Billy Wagner, just wait until the Mets have Francisco Rodriguez on the mound (if they land him, of course).

ESPN1050 reported on Monday that "an executive with knowledge of the Mets thinking" thinks the Mets will pursue the season saves leader, but will not bid on CC Sabathia.

First of all, that term "executive with knowledge of the [teams name] thinking" really irks me. It seems to vague and misleading. Might as well quote a psychic.

Anyway, the Mets are going to have to pay through the nose, but locking up a decent closer for a long time might be the best way to spend the money. The team has roughly $30 million to spend to stay in line with last years payroll. The better be willing to fork over a good chunk of that for a man that will get three outs in one inning of work.

Outside of the closer, the Mets need to spend money on bridging the gap from starter to closer. Oh, and don't forget they need two starters too.

Sure, I'd love to see the Mets land Rodriguez. I love his stuff, his fire, and the ability. I think he might be a bit overhyped, as he did let a lot of men reach base, but still was able to work out of jams. I'm prepared for heart attacks in the ninth inning for years to come.

This is going to be one crazy off-season.

Link: Q&A with Ted Berg

Check out a good friends blog, Mets Fans Forever, for an interview of SNY.tv's Ted Berg.

Jason Bartlett is my MVP

There was a bit of a hubbub when Jason Bartlett was named the MVP of the Tampa Bay Rays. Now, it is undeniable he is the hero. Free tacos for everyone!

Thanks to Bartlett's stolen base in the fifth inning, everyone in America will be able to stop by Taco Bell on Oct. 28, between 2 - 6 p.m. for one free taco.

Genius move on Taco Bell's part. No way, no how, is someone going to go to Taco Bell and only have one measly taco. They're bound to buy something else, especially a drink if you're as sensitive to spicy food as I am. (I can't even eat Chex Mix. And I mean the normal, completely normal Chex Mix. I'm a wuss, I know.)

Anyway, I'll be heading out next Tuesday to pick up my free taco, and if you join me, you must thank Jason Bartlett.

Big League Stew grabbed a screen cap of the wonderful graphic.

10/22/08

Eight years ago today: Bat-gate, the Piazza / Clemens bat toss

Now doesn't that make you feel old?

Eight years ago, Oct. 22, 2000, was that fateful meeting between Roger Clemens and Mike Piazza in the World Series.

The at-bat was highly anticipated, thanks to Clemens beaning Piazza in the head in July of that year, and it did not pass without incident. I'm sure you all remember the bat shattering, Clemens retrieving a shard of that bat, and flinging it in Piazza's direction.

Clemens still maintains he was "just tossing" the bat away, but no one in their right mind couldn't see the intent from The Rocket.

I'll never forget that moment. It was one of the games I actually stayed awake for (I was 11).

Frozen in time, Clemens rearing back to deliver the piece of bat in the direction of Piazza:

Does that look like "just a toss" to you?? Yeah, right!

We still miss you, Mike. Maybe he can be the next third base coach?

Johnson and Warthen are coming back, maybe Alomar too

Good. Even better that there is no mention of Luis Aguayo returning.

Marty Noble has a new article up on MLB.com where he says, "The club has all but decided to retain the respective pitching and hitting coaches, and it is inclined to bring back another incumbent, Sandy Alomar Sr., who served as Manuel's bench coach."

Dan Warthen will continue to do what he does best: fix young pitchers (Pelfrey and Maine) and keep his hands off of the big guy (Johan).

HoJo has no need to go anywhere. Yes, you could complain about the lack of timely hitting and how quiet the bats went during the last week of the season, but there is only so much a coach can do. He did his job, the players just failed to pull through at the plate. I also liked to hear from Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling how broken up HoJo was after the last game of the season. I like that kind of emotion in the game.

Alomar Sr., I really have no problem with. He seems to be a close friend of Jose Reyes, and anything that makes Jose happy, makes me happy too.

Aguayo needs to go. Give me Wally Backman.

World Series predicition time

Everyone know I've been pulling for the Rays (even if I didn't pick them to make it through the ALCS). Everyone also knows how much I despise the Phillies. Still, here is my completely unbiased World Series prediction.

Rays in seven.

For one, I think the six day layoff is going to hurt the Phillies. They were running on some great momentum from the end of the regular season, then against the Brewers and the Dodgers. This near-week break period will not be beneficial.

Also, I don't think the Phillies have great pitching. Yes, they have Cole Hamels, and he's the main reason the Phillies are going to string this out to seven games, but Brett Myers and Joe Blanton are bound to get beat up, and the Rays have the offense to make that happen.

The bullpen will be the main problem for the Rays. They need their young rotation to go deep into games, and hope their offense comes along for the ride, too. The "bullpen by committee" thing can only work so many times (we all saw it not work in Game 5).

I think the Rays will lose Game One, win the next two, lose the fourth and fifth, and then win two in a row to take it. That will be an exciting series, eh?

So, once more: Go Rays!

(I must say, I absolutely love the 2008 World Series logo. It's awesome.)

Shea Stadium is naked

No more seats. The field is a mess. Slowly but surely, Old Shea is disappearing.

WCBS 880 AM (via River Avenue Blues) has a spectacular gallery of Shea Stadium.

Here's the photo that was on RAB:

One of the comments on that Yankees blog really makes me happy. Steve says:

I drive by Shea every day on my way to work and I noticed the seats gone a few weeks ago. Didn’t notice the outer facade being taken down, though.
BTW-The new Citi Field is absolutely gorgeous.

Citi Field, here we come. A new season, a new stadium, and maybe a new direction for the franchise.

10/21/08

Playing for Peanuts [ep. #1]

You may have caught some of this show on SNY before, and it's truly a wonderful documentary. If you don't know about it, the director explains it as follows: "Playing for Peanuts" is a new TV show about minor league baseball. The show uses reality TV and documentary techniques to follow the South Georgia Peanuts in their inaugural season. The Peanuts are made up of a mix of rookies and veterans, all hoping to get back into affiliated minor league baseball. The Peanuts are managed by former Major League second baseman Wally Backman.

Here is the first episode, broken up into four separate videos. Please visit PlayingForPeanuts.com for more information.

Ep. 1.1

PRODUCER COMMENTARY

Download this segment for your iPod/iPhone for 99 cents - CLICK HERE

Download this entire episode (20+ minutes) for your iPod/iPhone for only $3.99 - CLICK HERE

VIEW MORE EPISODES

VISIT PLAYING FOR PEANUTS - WEBSITE and BLOG

Ep. 1.2

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