What I did when Luis Castillo dropped the ball

I had moved my coffee table out of the way.  I was standing.  Pacing.  You could cut the tension with a knife, and I was the only one in the room.

“Popped him up!” Gary Cohen may have said.  I couldn’t hear it for I was too busy screaming, jumping and enjoying a hard-fought game.

I stopped jumping just long enough to make sure Luis Castillo put the game away with the can of corn.

“Hmm…,” I thought.  “Castillo sure has happy feet.”

“He dropped the ball!” Cohen likely exclaimed.  I couldn’t hear it for I was too busy screaming, jumping and trying not to punch a hole through my television.

Mark Teixeira slid across home plate, sealing the win for the Yankees.

I collapsed to the floor, much like I did on October 19, 2006.  I fell to the ground in a heap.  A heap of shock.  A heap of disbelief.  A heap of Mets fan.

Then, as if my mind couldn’t process what it just saw, I began to laugh.

On my knees, in an almost prayer-like stance facing the terrible black box that just showed terrible images of a terrible play, I laughed.

It started as a giggle.  A small laugh as the calamity still played out in front of my eyes.  The Yankees were on the field celebrating and I’m on my knees laughing.

Onto my rear I moved, back slouched and feet stretched in front of me, the chuckle turned into a full bore laugh.  I sat and laughed at my television, alone in my house. 

Alone, but very much connected.  Connected to every Mets fan across the world.  We were all one at that point.  One very sad and shocked baseball fan.

Laughing to myself, I shook my head.  I shook it off.  I pulled myself to my feet, slid the coffee table back to it’s tiny divots in the carpet and plopped onto the couch.

I pulled myself up, just like the Mets need to do.  They need to pull themselves together and dust themselves off.  They need to come back tomorrow and use this game as motivation.  They need to go out there and win.

What? Fernando Nieve is starting tomorrow?

Ah, crap.  Nevermind.  They’re screwed.

Wow

The Mets had the game won.  Luis Castillo dropped the ball.

That’s really all you need to know.

Game Chat: NYM @ NYY [Game 1]

The Subway Series – whether you like it or not – is here.
Join in for some barstool-esque banted with some fellow fans.

(Chat removed, as usual.)

Lineup for the first Subway Series game

I like this lineup.  I like this lineup a lot.

1. Alex Cora – SS
2. Fernando Martinez – LF
3. Carlos Beltran – CF
4. David Wright – 3B
5. Ryan Church – RF
6. Gary Sheffield – DH
7. Daniel Murphy – 1B
8. Brian Schneider – C
9. Luis Castillo – 2B

Of course, with Livan Hernandez on the mound.

Fernando Nieve gets the start; Jon Switzer called up

Fernando Nieve, recently called up to replace J.J. Putz, will be tabbed for the start on Saturday.  Nieve will be pitching in place of John Maine, put on the DL last night with dead arm.

Nieve, a righty, has started five games with Buffalo and is 3-0 on the season.  He allowed 10 earned runs in 24 1-3 innings for a 3.75 ERA and a WHIP of 1.167.  Nieve has walked 10 and struck out 23, allowing 18 hits.

With Double-A Binghamton this season, Nieve made four starts and appeared in one other game.  In 18 1-3 innings, he has a 5.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  He allowed 10 earned runs, walked six and struck out 19.

He pitched two innings of mop-up duty, ironically in a game that Maine started, back on June 26.  Nieve allowed one hit over the two innings on the bump, striking out two.

To replace Maine on the roster, the Mets called up lefty Jon Switzer.

Switzer is 0-2 in 25 1-3 innings with the Bisons.  He has a 2.13 ERA, allowing 10 runs, six earned.  He’s walked nine and struck out 29 batters.  Switzer has a 1.20 WHIP in 2009.

Previously in Boston’s minor league system last year, Switzer has pitched in the majors in four different seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays.  In 68 career games, he has a 6.11 ERA and a 1.794 WHIP.

FOX Sports all over the Mets managerial position today

Two articles on FOXSports.com today have to do with the Mets managerial spot.  First, I read the Ken Rosenthal column pointing out that Manuel points fingers at players instead of taking the blame on himself.  Then I read the Bob Klapisch article suggesting Bobby Valentine could be back with the Mets sooner rather than later.

Here’s Rosenthal’s argument:

Manuel, in baseball parlance, "throws guys under the bus."
---
Manuel is not Ozzie Guillen, issuing rat-a-tat criticisms and threats to the White Sox on almost a daily basis. But he is also not Charlie Manuel, who rarely calls out specific players and receives unwavering loyalty from the Phillies in return.

As a media member, I certainly appreciate Manuel saying, "We can't keep sugar-coating things because that's not real." But while I like Manuel a great deal, I'm not sure I would like playing for him.

I know it doesn’t count for much, but the anti-Manuel rumblings and grumblings of Mets fans have been increasing lately.  Sure, they’re in second place and dealing with a ton of injuries, but fans seem to be growing angrier and angrier with the manager’s decision making.

I don’t think he’ll be fired anytime soon, but I wouldn’t be that surprised.

Here’s Klapsich’s argument for a possible replacement:

Despite having fired him in 2002, Met ownership has no hard feelings toward Valentine. In fact, he and GM Omar Minaya remain close friends after a successful relationship in the late '80s with the Rangers, when Valentine was managing and Minaya was a scout.

Does that mean Valentine is next in line to succeed to Jerry Manuel? It depends on whether the Mets survive September, not to mention October. But there's no question a coup is coming if the Mets fail to catch the Phillies — starting with a new manager.
---
Valentine isn't sure how this corporate struggle will end, but insists he'd like to remain in Japan. That's the irony of being labeled an outsider: Valentine feels more at home in the Far East than he did in Flushing, where he was locked in a to-the-death war with then GM Steve Phillips.

Phillips ultimately prevailed, convincing the Wilpon family to fire Valentine after the 2002 season. But no one at Citi Field seems to hold that against Valentine today, certainly not when it's apparent Phillips' dismissal was based on a personal dislike.

Mets fans seem to have a fascination with Valentine.  We just passed the 10 year anniversary of one of Valentine’s classic moments as a Mets manager (the disguise in the dugout, of course).  Fans were positively tickled to celebrate.

Again, I don’t think Manuel’s sealed his fate just yet, but I think it would take a lot to pry Valentine out of Japan and back to New York.

Citi Field beats out Yankee Stadium for best ballpark in NYC

NBC New York has been running contests for the “Golden Local,” pitting New York City items against one another in a poll to determine the best of the big city.  The latest vote had Citi Field taking on Yankee Stadium, and the residents of New York City have spoken.

Citi Field takes the cake – by a landslide – garnering 62 percent of the Golden Local vote.  Yankee Stadium picked up the opposing 38 percent of the voters.

I gave Citi Field the edge in my blow-by-blow breakdown and now New Yorkers have agreed.

Congrats, Citi Field.  Officially the best stadium in New York.

Manuel’s Musing for June 11

“I didn't have any other choices
at that point,”

-Jerry Manuel on his decision to use
Ken Takahashi in the 10th inning

Live Blog: Boomer & Carton simulcast on SNY

John Maine to DL with shoulder fatigue [Updated]

John Maine has been placed on the disabled list with what is being called “shoulder fatigue.” Omar Minaya noted there was no structural damage in the arm.

Maine was pushed back one day from his scheduled start to hopefully give him another day to recuperate and let his arm get some rest. Apparently, that wasn’t enough.

Maine was slated to start on Saturday. No replacement pitcher has been named, though Bart Hubbuch notes that Fernando Nieve, who was a starter in the minor leagues, could get a sport start.

According to Minaya, Maine had an MRI earlier in the week.

Nelson Figueroa, anyone?

Figueroa last pitched on Monday, June 8, meaning it would be four days rest if he was to pitch on Saturday against the New York Yankees.

Update - 6:37 a.m.: It's looking more and more like Nieve will make the start on Saturday.

Update – 11:15 p.m.: A source just alerted me to the fact that WFAN reported Figueroa would get the call up. I did not hear it and cannot confirm. Anyone else hear this report?