Stealing signs is part of the game, but…

The Phillies have been accused of stealing signs.  I have no problem with that.

The fact that they were using binoculars is what makes it wrong.

Sign stealing is part of the game.  If there’s a runner on second and he can read the catchers signs and somehow communicate that to the batter in time, then good for him.  But using outside technology – pretty much anything that isn’t your eyes, ears or body – is what makes it wrong and cheating.

Baseball is a game of physical ability and wits.  The pitcher is always trying to fool the batter with an unlikely pattern of pitches, the manager is trying to mix-up the lefty/righty order to force the other manager’s hand when using a bullpen, etc.  It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity.  A bat, a ball and a glove.  Four bases.  That’s it. 

But the use of binoculars from the bullpen and the bullpen phone to the dugout is cheating.  I don’t care if it’s the Phillies, the Royals or the Diamondbacks, my thoughts would be the same on this.  It’s part of the game until you start using “technology” in any form.

And another thing, for Charlie Manuel to turn around and start accusing the Mets of stealing signs is both crazy and sad.  Your team was just accused of stealing signs – for the second time in two years – and the best you can do is to accuse another team of doing it because of their home record?  Just a reminder, Charlie, you were accused of it while at Coors Field in Colorado – not your home park.

Manuel can toss accusations all he likes, but if the team was using binoculars to spy on signs, that’s cheating.

(Aside: Remember Spygate in the NFL?  See how strict the league was about that?  And now, Brian Cushing tests positive for steroids and he keeps his Rookie of the Year award.  Seems like baseball is lax if it involves spying, but strict on steroids – and football is just the opposite.)

Manuel’s Musing

“I think we're close to putting together another winning streak.”

-Jerry Manuel

Game Recap: Nationals 6 – Mets 4

Roger Bernadina is the new Willie Harris.

The Good

The top of the order - Jose Reyes, Alex Cora and Jose Reyes – combined for five hits, two runs and three RBI.

Takahashi > Feliciano > Nieve.  Seems to be the progression Jerry is going to go with until one of their arms falls off.  So far, though, it’s working.

Mike Pelfrey’s start.  He struck out the side in the first, then got into a jam in the second.  With the bases loaded, he notched two more outs via strikeouts before opposing pitcher Craig Stammen knocked in two with a single.

119 pitches.  Pelfrey was allowed to match his career high pitch count.  Too bad it only got him 5 2/3 innings.

Pelfrey also singled in a run in the second inning.

David Wright walked twice.

The Bad & Ugly

Roger Bernadina.  R-Ber hit his first major league home run in the fourth inning, a solo shot.  He then went yard again, off Francisco Rodriguez, in the 9th inning for the go-ahead runs.  And in the field, he made a three-run saving catch, diving for a ball off the bat of Jeff Francoeur.

Stammen, the Nats pitcher, went 2-3 with three RBI.  Yup.

The Mets are now 0-6 in rubber games in 2010.

Tyler Clippard, at 7-1, now leads the majors in wins.  He’s a reliever.

Matt Capps leads the majors in saves, with 14.

Game Ball

Unfortunately, Roger Bernadina.

On Deck

The Mets travel to sunny and warm Miami for their first time this season.  A 7 p.m. game.

Move the Islanders to Queens

Jeff Wilpon, the Mets' chief operating officer, said Tuesday he has talked with Islanders owner Charles Wang about building an arena in Queens as a possible home for the hockey team.

-Katie Strang, Newsday

I’m all for it.  Make the disaster that is Willets Point go away.

Game Chat: WAS @ NYM [Game 33]

Chat removed, as usual.

Read that, then this

That: Time For Junior To Grow Up by Denise Winter, Mets Merized Online

This: Here’s the problem with Wright/Reyes and White/Black comparison in a nutshell, from a Mets fan, mind you.  I know Denise through blogging and the like, but I have to take issue with this article. 

Wright gets tossed, with an empty bench, and he “reacted.”  Reyes gets tossed, and he has “to grow up.”

Why are these situations different and why is Wright getting off scot-free?

This, as I’ve learned in my oh-so-many sports studies classes at Quinnipiac, is what we’ve come to know as veiled racism.  If a white player does something wrong, it’s reacting, an outlier to the norm and shocking.  If a black, or in this case Latino, player does the same, it’s immature, childish and a bad attitude.

Frankly, whether you like it or not, Wright’s ejection was worse.  Knowing the bench was empty, the Mets would have had to use a pitcher in the field if the game continued.  When Reyes got tossed, at least there were players on the bench who could come in and fill his role.

It’s like when a black player excels, it’s due to “natural skill” or something along those lines, but a white player “had to work hard to get to this level.”  Bull.  Both players had to work equally hard and long to refine their skills to play at such a high level.

Wright and Reyes were both wrong for getting tossed, but in the grand scheme of things, Wright’s could of and would have hurt the team more.  If you want to fault someone, fault them both. 

Reyes is playing the game just like everyone else – and should be treated as such.

Really?

“It’s sort of good now that there is debris to be blown out there. It shows people are spending some money and buying food and drink and enjoying themselves.”

-Dave Howard, Mets executive vice president for business operations

Um, yeah.

The curious case of the five baseball cards

On Saturday, I moved back in with my parents as my four years of college came to an end.  They were returning from Virginia late Saturday night as well.  My mother stopped the mail for that week, so when she went to get it at the post office yesterday, she came back with a small package for me.

In a small manila envelope, addressed to me, were five brand new New York Mets baseball cards in plastic protective sleeves.  Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Francisco Rodriguez and Johan Santana.  

Pretty cool, right?

One problem: I don’t know who they’re from or why I got them.

The package is from an Alan Duda from Rhode Island.  I think I found him on Facebook, but I can’t be sure. 

But why am I getting these?  How does he know my address?  Why these five cards?

The strangest thing about it is that they came alone.  There was no letter, no note, no nothing.  Just five cards in a small envelope.

Am I supposed to sign them and send them back?  If so, is this the first time a Mets blogger had been asked for his or her autograph?

My best guess for my address is that he got it off my resume, which I have linked above.  But why me?  Why these five cards?  Why no note?

I’ve reached out to Alan to ask for an explanation, but am yet to hear a response.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.  I already have the five cards set up in my room.  Just found it a little odd.

Has this happened to anyone else?  Is Alan on a mass mailing campaign to spread Mets cards to other fans?  The mystery is yet to be solved…

Either way, thanks!

Manuel’s Musing

“It's a team concern, no doubt about it. We will do what we can to address the approach. When situations come, basically breath and enjoy.”

-Jerry Manuel on strikeouts

Oh, happy day!

Chris Carter called up from Buffalo. Frank Catalanotto DFAd.

-Brian Costa

Be right back, too busy dancing.