Wally Backman fired as manager of Joliet Jackhammers

In a move that will likely delight those who want Wally Backman back in Mets orange and blue, the volatile manager has been fired as manager of the Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League.

Backman, who has had a tumultuous few years recently, was fired not due to some crazy incident, but because his team just wasn’t winning.

Via Small Ball USA:

“We want to thank Wally for all that he has done and all the hard work he has put in,” said JackHammers Executive Vice President/General Manager Kelly Sufka. “He has done everything we’ve asked him to do except for in the Win-Loss Column. Nobody is more disappointed with the teams’ record than Wally. A change needed to be made for our fans sake and this is the change that we believe needed to happen.”

He’s fiery, a little off kilter and has a history with the Mets organization.  Would you like to see Backman back with the Mets?

Being a realist at the deadline

The Mets are employing the “wait-and-see” approach to the rest of the season.  Sure, Omar Minaya is probably fielding calls left and right as the non-waiver deadline approaches, but if you’re waiting to see a blockbuster deal, I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

That said, there is always the chance that something huge happens that changes for the outlook for this season and beyond.  But being a realist, I’m not expecting it.

Sure, I’d love to get Victor Martinez or Carl Crawford or Scott Kazmir or Adrian Gonzalez or Roy Halladay.  Who wouldn’t?

If the Mets do make a deal, it will most likely be for a bullpen arm or back of the rotation starter.

The Mets won’t want to deal for any sort of bat, outside of maybe a left fielder or bench player.  They won’t deal for a starting shortstop, first baseman or center fielder because they seem pretty confident with what they have and what will likely be coming off the DL soon.

Over the next few hours leading up to the 4 p.m. non-waiver deadline today, you’re going to hear and read some of the craziest trade rumors ever – but you won’t be reading them here.

Though my traffic might suffer because I’m not posting every whisper and rumor that some other blogs might tout as “TRADE TALKS BETWEEN THE METS AND ______,” you won’t see that at The ‘Ropolitans.

I, too, will be employing the wait-and-see approach to the deadline.  Don’t believe everything you read today, unless it’s written here.

Manuel’s Musing

“I heard he was pitching awfully well.”

-Jerry Manuel on Billy Wagner

Dr. Andrews backs up first opinion on Maine’s shoulder

As it stands right now, John Maine will not be going under the knife.

Mike Pelfrey relayed word from Maine that the doctors told him that is was “nothing structural,” citing the pitcher rushing back from his off-season surgery.  Pelfrey went on to mention that the pain may be coming from a pinched nerve.

Maine, like last year, could return late in the season, but nothing seems likely.  He will continue rehabbing and move from there.

At least it’s not structural.

Game Chat: COL @ NYM [Game 101]

Jorge De La Rosa (8-7, 4.78 ERA) vs. Jon Niese (1-0, 4.08 ERA)

Join in for some game gabbing and barstool banter with your fellow fans!

(Chat removed, as usual.)

Lineup for Game 101

Luis Castillo is back in the lineup after his wife gave birth to a baby girl.  Jerry Manuel mixed it up a little bit, bumping Daniel Murphy from the cleanup spot.  Omir Santos is catching both ends of the doubleheader.

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Jeff Francoeur – RF
5. Fernando Tatis – LF
6. Daniel Murphy – 1B
7. Angel Berroa – SS
8. Omir Santos – C
9. Jon Niese - P

Help from unexpected places

When your lineup looks like this, you many think you know where you’re going to get your numbers from. Not so much today. Sure, David Wright drove in two runs, but the real story was the obscure players who contributed.

Cory Sullivan and Angel Berroa combined for three hits, two runs scored and three RBIs in the Mets 7-0 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Johan Santana turned in another gem, allowing only four hits over seven innings. He walked only one while striking out eight. Santana retired the first eight batters and the last seven batters that faced him.

The Mets stitched together five straight hits in the second inning (six overall), plating five runs. They added runs in the fifth on a Wright sac-fly and two innings later on a Wright double.

Wright moved into a tie with Keith Hernandez for 10th on the Mets all-time list and now has sole possession of 5th on the Mets all-time RBI list.

An all-around solid game for the Mets fifth victory in a row. If they can pull off a sweep of the Rockies by taking both games of today’s doubleheader, then things really start to get interesting.

Game Chat: COL @ NYM [Game 100]

The first half of a day / night doubleheader…

Jason Hammel (5-5, 4.28 ERA) vs. Johan Santana (11-8, 3.12 ERA)

Join in for some game gabbing and barstool banter with your fellow fans!

(Chat removed, as ususal.)

Some quotes from Omar Minaya on the Rubin fiasco

Jotted down quickly during the pre-game that SNY just aired with Omar Minaya speaking to reporters from the dugout of Citi Field…

• “I called Adam Rubin. ... I wanted to see him face to face. I wanted to apologize to Adam.”
• “You guys know me, that's just not the way Omar Minaya is.”
• “I want to apologize to the ownership group. I want to apologize to the Mets fans. ... I was wrong in saying those things.”
• “Those were comments I should not make, and I made those comments.”
• “Tony was let go because I made the decision to let Tony go, based on the investigation.”

Dessens out, Cancel in

The Mets have designated Elmer Dessens for assignment and promoted Robinson Cancel, according to Bart Hubbuch.

Hubbuch claims this move was made to add “depth due to knee issues for Brian Schneider.”  It is also because the Mets were going to be forced to have a three-man bench today, with Luis Castillo possibly missing the entire first game due to the birth of his daughter.

This also frees up Omir Santos on days Schneider is catching for some pinch-hitting duties.

Cancel was hitting .218 AVG / .266 OBP / .259 SLG for triple-A Buffalo.