Honest answer from Razor Shines

To which he answered, “Absolutely! Home run!”

Koosman to be sentenced for tax evasion

Jerry Koosman, who was recently at Citi Field for the 1969 World Series anniversary celebration, will be sentenced this week for evading taxes.

According to WCCO in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Koosman failed to pay taxes from 2002-2004, owing as much as $90,000.

Here’s where it gets strange, according to WCCO…

The 66 year-old Koosman told investigators he researched tax laws and concluded that only federal workers, corporate employees and District of Columbia residents were subject to federal taxes.

I wish that were true, Kooz.  I do.

h/t to Kerel Cooper and Jeff Roblen.

Ike Davis named to USA’s World Cup team

Minor league first baseman Ike Davis, the Mets 2008 first round draft pick, has been named to the United States World Cup team.

The 6-foot-5 first baseman had previously appeared on the 18-and-under and 16-and-under World Cup team.  This year’s World Cup will be held from Sept. 9-27 in Europe.

Davis has also been named to the Surprise Rafters roster in the Arizona Fall League.

Davis, in 54 games with the Binghamton Mets, has hit .307 / .409 / .442 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI.

Manuel’s Musing

“Obviously we don't have any other choices, and I think this is important in his development, even though we're not only here to develop. We're here to win games.”

-Jerry Manuel on Bobby Parnell and the 2009 season

Mets to cancel Fall Instruction League due to money…Or are they? [Updated]

Here’s a tidbit from Jim Duquette from Sirius XM’s MLBHomePlate Twitter page:

Today's news from Jim Duquette - #Mets will be cancelling Fall Instructional League over $$$

And if you still think the Mets are going to spend in the off-season, you’re delusional.

Or are they…?

Per Bart Hubbuch:

The Mets say they are moving their fall instructional league to the Dominican because so many other teams in Florida have left the area.

The above statement still stands true.

Figgy fantastic as Mets stave off sweep

When Johan Santana went down for the season, the man filling his spot in the rotation had some pretty big shoes to fill.  Today, Nelson Figueroa was as good as you could ask for.

Seven innings of six-hit baseball saw Figueroa through his longest outing of the season.  While on the mound, Figueroa struck out 10 Cubs, nine in the first four inning, a career high strikeout count.

Figueroa allowed one run in the first inning, but bounced back from there, allowing only five hits over the next six inning.

I love Figueroa and always have since he came up last year.  Glad he’s putting together some starts and maybe showing the Mets he can be a fifth starter next year.  Maybe.

Brian Stokes turned in a 1-2-3 8th inning and Francisco Rodriguez saved the game after a bit of pressure.  Kosuke Fukudome led off the inning with a single and Jeff Francoeur dropped Jake Fox’s pop-up, but was able to throw out Fukudome at second.

Never easy.

The Mets got a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively.

In the third, the Mets stitched singles from Angel Pagan, Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy and Jeff Francoeur together to drive in two runs.  Murphy and Francoeur each picked up an RBI with their singles.

In the fourth, Brian Schneider hit a one-out single.  Schneider was chased in by an Anderson Hernandez triple.  Figueroa helped his own cause with an RBI single of his own, driving in Hernandez from third.

Eleven hits off of Carlos Zambrano is no small task.  A good few innings from the Mets, but went fairly quiet from there on out, picking up only one hit the rest of the game. 

Luckily, it was enough. 

This time.

Beltran inching closer to return

David Lennon reports that Carlos Beltran has cleared one of his major hurdles in returning to the Mets: running the bases.

Beltran ran the bases in Port St. Lucie and will likely head for an MRI before possibly returning to the Mets team.  Simulated games are likely to be sprinkled in there before making his return to the big club.

Though I don’t think it’s smart to rush back, it might be nice for Beltran to play a few games before taking the winter off.

Lineup for Game 131

Mets looking to avoid the sweep in Chicago.  Jeremy Reed gets a rare start for the Mets.

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Daniel Murphy – 1B
4. Jeff Francoeur – RF
5. Jeremy Reed – LF
6. Fernando Tatis – 3B
7. Brian Schneider – C
8. Anderson Hernandez – SS
9. Nelson Figueroa - RHP

David Wright’s new best friend

David Wright plans on playing on Sept. 1, sixteen days after taking a 94 mph fastball to the helmet.

To help protect him from any further headshots, Wright will be sporting a new helmet when he return to the Mets, or at least as soon as Rawlings gets it to him.

The S100 helmet is designed to withstand up to 100 mph from two feet away, while current batting helmets must only withstand 60 mph from two feet away.

“When they get it to me, I’ll wear it,” Wright told the NY Times.  The Times notes that Wright should have the helmet when he returns to action in Colorado on Tuesday.

The helmet retails for $99.99.

Manuel’s Musing

“I'd like to see better command. He's had some success.”

-Jerry Manuel on Bobby Parnell