If Omar is canned, Ricco is next in line

Adam Rubin has a report in today’s Daily News outlining that if (or “when” if you subscribe to that school of thought) Omar Minaya is shown the door, assistant GM John Ricco may be the man to take over.

Ricco has been with the Mets since 2004 after coming over from the commissioner's office, where he worked for 12 years.  He is the Mets main man for arbitration cases and waiver deals.

Ricco is more of a “numbers” guy, according to Rubin.

Ricco's background primarily is administrative and not in evaluating players - more along the lines of former GM Jim Duquette than Minaya. As a result, Ricco likely would need to lean on his deputies for recommendations.

Rubin also notes that it was Ricco who proposed the idea of trading Ryan Church for Jeff Francoeur, so take that “numbers guy” statement with a grain of salt.

Adam better be careful with this story.  Minaya might think he’s lobbying for his job.

Twitter Poll: Would you want to see Bobby Valentine managing the Mets again?

Mets fans seem to be waning on Jerry Manuel.  (My current poll is giving a very slight edge to those in favor of his dismissal.)  So that begs the question, who would they want in his place?

Bobby Valentine, who managed the Mets from the end of 1996 to 2002, seems to be a popular choice.  Though he steered them to only a .534 winning percentage under him, the Mets made two playoff appearances, including losing to the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series.

So I asked my Twitter followers, at the suggestion of ambilevous, if they would want to see Bobby V back managing the Mets.  Here are their responses…

tfc3rid said: Yes... We made the WS with Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez in the OF... Enough said.

ant7701 said: yes bring him back NOW!!!!!!!!!

GSorensen said: Bobby V would be cool but that would give the impression that Jerry's at fault here and I don't think he is.

dances_w_vowels said: he would be a good choice, I'd welcome him back.

mostlymets said: No. I got tired of him toward the end of his last stint. It was all about him when it should be about the players.

mostlymets continued: Incidentally I think I'm the only Mets fan who hated the fake mustache dugout visit after Valentine was tossed. No respect.

nick6489 said: There are few better actual on field generals in the game. Let's bring back Bobby V and have suicide squeezes today!

Mets_Fever said: Bobby V. I don't believe would work well with this group his ego would clash - he needs young, no-names that he can control

rbfdds said: Bring back Bobby. V.- best option for the team. I also suggest the Wilpons sell the team to Trump. He will make Mets compete.

jderose123 said: absolutely...would bring back the "winning vibe" to the team and he has been successful in Japan

greatscott said: I'd like to see Bobby V back with the Mets because he out-managed everyone in 2000 with a lesser team and made it work.

BigVin57 said: Yes we need his fire to spark the team

DqtmaReyz said: Yes, I want Bobby V back, but not because I think Manuel has done a bad job. I like Bobby V's concept of small ball.

Mets411Blog said: No. I don't think his style and personality is right for this team. I still think Jerry should stay. Injuries aren’t his fault

4Jia said: No, I rather have an ex Met as the new manager. Preferably a player from 1986. These are my choices Backman, Teufel, Mazilli.

twayward said: NO bobby V. re-tred manager/coach almost never works in pro sports. #mets must move 4ward, not back.

kerelcoop said: Yes cause he has proven he can get the most out of his players (example the 2000 team).

letsgoduke said: doesn't matter. Can't fight tanks with pop guns.

gabefarkas said: no whats the point? Hes been there already. Rather try some1 fresh, if season is lost anyway. Better to take a chance.

ryantcarney said: Bring back Bobby V!

Not on Twitter?  Hit the comments to discuss whether or not you’d want Bobby Valentine back.

Follow me on Twitter (@TheRopolitans) to
participate in the next Twitter Poll!

Chase Pelfrey isn’t named for the field or the Utley

Mike Pelfrey made his first start in seven days last night for the Mets after the birth of his first child, Chase Pelfrey. He got roughed up to the tune of five earned runs in six innings of work. He surrendered eight hits, walked two and struck out five.

One would have thought for a player returning with a new son named Chase, making his first start in Chase Field would be some sort of magical destiny.

Just the opposite, in fact.

Brendan Bilko of Priced Out of the Citi notes that even though the Mets are 13-3 in Chase Field since 2005, Pelfrey is the losing pitcher in all three games. Bilko goes on to explain that Pelfrey is 0-3 with an ERA north of seven (7.16).

In 16 1-3 innings, Pelfrey has surrendered 20 hits and 13 earned runs. He’s also walked 10 batters, while only striking out seven. That’s good for a WHIP of 1.837.

Oh, and for those who are wondering, Chase Utley hits to the tune of .278 AVG / .381 OBP / .833 SLG against Pelfrey. In 21 plate appearances, Utley’s cranked three home runs off of Big Pelf.

But if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that Chase Pelfrey isn’t named for the field or the Utley, but rather for the pennant chase.

Well, he sure wasn’t born in to one.

Manuel’s Musing

“We were a bad team tonight.  Throwing to bases with nobody there? Very poor, poor game. Poor effort on our part, very poor.”

-Jerry Manuel on poor, very poor efforts

Game Chat: NYM @ ARI [Game 112]

Mike Pelfrey (8-7, 4.75 ERA) vs. Doug Davis (6-10, 3.67 ERA)

(Chat removed, as usual.)

Lineup for Game 112

Jerry Manuel had been saying that Gary Sheffield would return to the starting lineup for tonight’s game.  Well the lineup is out and guess who isn’t on it?

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. Omir Santos – C
8. Anderson Hernandez – SS
9. Mike Pelfrey - RHP

Minaya speaks to Buffalo media; Wogan takes over Bernazard’s post

Omar Minaya has begun his tour of the Mets minor league facilities, with his first stop in Buffalo, NY.

Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News relays some info that the meeting was generally about how pitiful the Bisons were this year and that it won’t continue, that the Mets want to put a winning team on the field, yadda yadda yadda.

Pandering to your Triple-A city won’t win you a World Series.

More importantly, we now know that Adam Wogan has taken over Tony Bernazard’s job (sorry, Adam Rubin).  Wogan worked from 2002 to 2005 as farm director of the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals, hence the tie to Omar Minaya. 

Wogan joined the Mets in January of 2006 as Director of Minor League Operations.  (Toby Hyde interviewed Wogan in 2007.)

Harrington also noted that “the entire hierarchy [of the organization] would be reevaluated after the season.”

Citi Field West

The Mets will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in Chase Field tonight for the start of a three game series in the desert.  Reeling after dropping three of four to the San Diego Padres, the Mets are heading to a stadium that has shown them continued success over the years.

Opened in 1998, then known as Bank One Ballpark, the home to the Diamondbacks has been a home away from home.  Here is the Mets record, all-time, in BOB / Chase Field…

1998: 2-1 
1999: 1-2
2000: 2-1
2001: 1-2
2002: 2-1
2003: 1-2
2004: 2-2
2005: 4-0
2006: 4-0
2007: 3-1
2008: 2-1

The Mets are 24-13 overall, but since 2005 have gone 13-2 in Arizona.

Not only have the Mets won, but they’ve dominated the Diamondbacks in their home park.  Here’s the runs scored breakdown since ‘05…

2005: NYM 39 – ARI 7
2006: NYM 37 – ARI 9
2007: NYM 21- ARI 12
2008: NYM 16 – ARI 14

I used to call it “Shea Stadium West,” but now it’s time to christen it “Citi Field West.”

Mets DL trips

This list was put together by reader and friend David Cancel.  It lists the date, the player, the injury and where it took place.  It’s long and excruciating.  Take a look.

• 8/5 Jon Niese (Torn hamstring) - 8/5 @ Citi [Added]
• 7/25 Gary Sheffield (Strained right hamstring) - 7/17 @ ATL
• 7/20 Fernando Nieve (Torn right quadriceps - out 6-8 weeks) - 7/19 @ ATL
• 7/9 Fernando Martinez (Right knee inflammation) - 7/1 @ MIL
• 6/22 Carlos Beltran (Bone bruise, right knee) - bruise first mentioned between LA and BOS (5/21), finally out after OF slide 6/21 @ Citi
• 6/12 John Maine (Right shoulder fatigue) - last pitched 6/7 @ WAS
• 6/5 J.J. Putz (Right elbow surgery - out 8-10 weeks) - 6/3 @ PIT
• 6/3 Ramon Martinez (Fractured left pinkie finger) - slide 6/2 @ PIT
• 6/1 Angel Pagan (Strained right groin) - 5/31 @ Citi
• 5/26 Ryan Church (Strained right hamstring) - 5/22 @ BOS
• 5/26 Jose Reyes (Right calf tendinitis) - complained of stiff right calf after 5/13 game @ Citi, rested 6 days, re-aggravated @ LA on 5/20
• 5/18 Alex Cora (Torn right thumb ligament) - slide @ SF on 5/17
• 5/16 Carlos Delgado (Right hip impingement) - slide @ Citi on 4/26, rested for 5 games, played 7 games, then shut down.
• 5/7 Oliver Perez (Right patellar tendinitis) - last start 5/2; was complaining about it since Spring Training
• 4/17 Brian Schneider (Strained back muscle) - @ Citi
• 4/5 Angel Pagan (Right elbow sugery - out 2-3 months) - bone spur, prolly from Winter ball
• 4/5 Tim Redding (Right shoulder fatigue) - spring training

Yikes.

Thanks, David!

New board game: Mets Trap

Henry from Global Sports Fraternity sent this over.  It’s a new board game the Mets front office uses to “ease the pain.”  Check it out…