7/22/08

Live from SNY (part 6)

Ron Darling himself...

Live from SNY (part 5.5)

Ryan and I are now standing in line waiting to get autographs from the 4 guys shown below.

I forgot to bring anything to get signed, so I think I'm going to have them sign my pocket schedule.

Live from SNY (part 5)

The guys...

Live from SNY (part 4)

According to Ryan Punzalan, my man on the street, Keith Hernandez just made a very bold statement.

Ryan relays that Hernandez just made the statement that Fernando Martinez will be the Mets starting left fielder in Citi Field in 2009.

Another tidbit: Ron Darling, on the trading deadline, said that he believes Bill Hall would be a great fit for the Mets "because of his power and he's a right handed bat."

Live from SNY (part 3)

The Q & A is still going on. It's pretty cool.

Keith Hernandez showed up 15 minutes late. No one was surprised.

Live from SNY (part 2)

The crowd is growing...

Live from SNY

Pre-festivites...

Phillies blogs make me smile

From a great writer (even though he's a Philly fan), Tim Malcolm, in his look at his team and their journey down the stretch and through it's first 99 games:
The Mets
And about those Mets. I’d like to think, like most, that they’re too old and worn down and talentless to win the East. But how do they keep finding guys who can contribute past their primes? Fernando Tatis? Sure the bullpen is rough (Billy Wagner’s pain could spell big trouble), but when I see them, I see an offense that can rattle off runs. I see a rotation that can head into the seventh of most games. And I see a bullpen that can piece it together just enough to win. Sound familiar? Yeah, like your 2007 Philies. Who won the East.
Damn. That's good stuff. I wish Mets fans were that optimistic!

Billy Wagner is A-OK

Billy Wagner's MRI results came back negative.

A sigh of relief was just issued from Mets fans everywhere.

The doctors believe the pain he felt was just a muscle spasm or a cramp. "Just" a muscle spasm isn't something to sweep under the rug. Remember that a back spasm kept Wagner out of some important games down the stretch run in 2007.

Hopefully he'll be just fine, and pitch effectively tonight, if need be.

Johan Santana's "big game"

Tonight, Johan Santana faces newly acquired Phillie, Joe Blanton in the first of a three game series at Shea Stadium. Since it's the second half, against the Phillies, and both teams tied for first, it's already being outlined that this is the biggest start of Santana's Mets career.

It seems to me that if he doesn't take a no-hitter into the seventh and finish with a three hit, complete game, it will be deemed a failure by the media, and to many fans.

Joel Sherman wrote this:
That leaves Santana as the starter the Mets must have work deep into every game as a bullpen saver for all the uncertainty that threatens around him in the rotation. His renown has been as a second-half stalwart and the Mets badly need that guy. Tonight Santana faces Joe Blanton in his Phillie debut, a starter obtained merely to fit this qualification: Be better than Adam Eaton. Blanton does not have the pedigree of an ace and Philadelphia is not expecting that. But the Mets certainly are expecting Santana to be an ace. They certainly are expecting him at home -- at Shea -- to outpitch Blanton, lug the ball pretty darn close to the finish line, if not the finish line itself. It is still just July, but this is why Santana was obtained. So, yes, tonight is a big start for him. big game for the Mets.
Sure, it'd be great if he does all those things. And that's taking into account the offense isn't anemic, like when he usually pitches.

If Santana falters, say giving up four runs in six innings, he'll be blasted for "failing" his team, the franchise, the fans.

Can't we just wait and see how he does, see how he comes out and performs in front of his home crowd, against the teams bitter rivals as they're both perched in first place. Let's see how tonight goes before we pass judgement on whether or not he was "right" for the Mets.