Why Trade Cano?

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why people around the Yankees are even talking about trading Robinson Cano. Yes, Cano did have a terrible season in which he only hit .271 and had a terrifying .305 OBP. His power numbers failed to increase as well, which is also concerning because many within the Yankees believe that Cano will eventually have 20-25 HR potential. Furthermore, Cano was also terrible defensively throughout the season because he would have strange lapses where he wouldn't go hard after a ball or simply look lackadaisical going after a ground ball. There is no question that the 2008 season was a step back for Cano, but there are so many more reasons not to trade this guy away.

1. Even though I feel like he's been around forever (2005!), Cano is still only 25 years old (26 on Opening Day). You don't find too many 25 year olds with Cano's ability.

2. Second base is too hard of a position to fill. Look, I know that Cano stunk up the joint this year, but if you trade him away, who ya gonna go get? Unless his name is Orlando Hudson, there is no one else out there.

3. His potential is ridiculous. As a 23 year old, Cano hit .342 in 482 ABs and in 2007, Cano hit 19 HR and 97 RBI for the Yankees while primarily hitting in the bottom of the order. Anyone remember when then Yankee manager Joe Torre compared Cano to a young Rod Carew? I think Torre has a good idea what he's talking about with Cano.

4. Check out the splits for Cano this season. What stands out at you?

By Day/Month AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB HBP SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS April 106 6 16 3 0 2 7 7 1 14 0 2 .151 .211 .236 .447 May 95 13 28 7 0 2 12 5 1 6 1 1 .295 .333 .432 .765 June 101 13 29 7 0 2 14 2 1 6 0 0 .287 .302 .416 .718 July 101 11 33 6 1 3 17 3 1 9 0 1 .327 .352 .495 .847 August 100 14 29 4 2 4 10 7 0 18 0 0 .290 .336 .490 .826 September 94 13 27 8 0 1 12 2 1 12 1 0 .287 .303 .404 .707 Cano had a miserable April. From then on, he was good, not great. But if you take away April from Cano's stats, Robby would have hit around .290 for the season. That looks alot better than the .271 batting average he finished with for the season. 5. Money, money, money! At the end of last season, Cano signed a 4 year/$28 mil dollar extension with the Yankees that runs through 2011. Even with his down year, that contract is still regarded as very good amongst baseball people, who will watch Orlando Hudson probably approach a $35-$40 million dollar contract this season. Given his age and potential, I would still take Cano over Hudson any day.

Mr. Cashman, please use some common sense and hold onto Cano (unless your planning on trading Cano to Flushing). We'll gladly take him.

Part IV: NL East Amnesty

Jorge Says No! introduced amnesty earlier and we are happy to present to you our NL East picks. Which contract would your team want to waive at the end of this season? Lets take a look:

Phillies:
Let's turn back the clock to November 2006, the Phillies had just missed the playoffs by one game and attempted to address their biggest weakness, starting pitching, through the free agent market. The Phillies solution to their terrible starting pitching: SP Adam Eaton. Yup, this is the same Adam Eaton, who had just missed half of the 2006 season with a finger injury and was a notorious fly ball pitcher. Not exactly a good mix when you consider that the Phillies play in a bandbox: Citizens Bank Park. For 3 years/$24 million dollars, Eaton has won 14 games for the Phillies in two seasons while producing an ERA above 6 with the Phillies (6.29 in 2007, 5.80 in 2008). Eaton even struggled in AAA this season by going 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA. Yikes! I bet the Phillies would do anything to get rid of this stiff.

Mets:
Luis Castillo. Luis Castillo. Luis Castillo. Need I say more? For some reason, GM Omar Minaya decided that the slap hitting Castillo, who offers no power to a lineup, was worth 4 years/$26 mil. Oh yeah, and to top it all off, Castillo appears to be in massive amounts of pain whenever he does anything baseball related-run, hit, field, walk, jog. It's tough to watch. I understand Castillo's value would mainly come from hitting behind Jose Reyes, but even I could see that Castillo had limited ability and that his fastball hitting days were over. Seems like a wonderful invest, right Omar?

Braves:
Since Mike Hampton is going to be off the books at the end of this season, the only obvious choice is SP Tim Hudson. Hudson, who has been the ace of the Braves staff for the past two seasons, is owed $13 mil next season, but will probably not pitch. Hudson was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in August of this year and will probably not be back until 2010. For the Braves, releasing Hudson would provide them with the relief they need to make a big splash on the free agent market.

Marlins:
The Marlins never spend money ($21 mil dollar payroll this season). Amnesty would do almost nothing for them.

Nationals:
Several options here because of stupid contracts given out by GM Jim Bowden. We could go with either OF Austin Kearns ($8 mil next season) and his .217 batting average. Or we could go with 1B Nick Johnson ($5.5 mil next season) only because of his vast injury history. Johnson missed all of 2007 and most of 2008 and has shown no ability to stay healthy. When healthy, he remains one of my favorite players because of his ability to get on base. Or finally, we could go with 1B Dmitri Young ($5 mil next season), who may struggle to provide anything in 2009 because of his diabetes. Young is a wonderful guy and a remarkable story, but his production may never approach 2007 levels.

To me, the best option for amnesty here is Austin Kearns. Even though Kearns has tons of potential, he has never shown any of it on the field and at 29, I am losing hope that he will ever reach his potential. Plus, I would rather use the $8 mil owed to Kearns to try and sign Ryan Zimmerman. That guy is the future.

Random Thoughts

-Anyone else hate the TBS schedule for the division series? Can we start these games at a normal time...please? 5 PM on a weekday is not my cup of tea...

-I will never watch FrankTV...ever. Thanks for ODing yet again on the ads TBS.

-(Warning: Mets bias) On the plus side, TBS...more Ron Darling! As far a commentary goes, Darling is as good as it gets in the business and he's an absolute delight to listen too.

-Red Sox=Dynasty. What a mix of young talent and veterans. Who needs Manny? How about this for a core: Ellsbury, Pedoria, Masterson, Lowrie, Mastsuzaka, and Lester. Oh yeah, I didn't even mention Beckett (FA in 2010) or Buchholz (stuck in AAA).

-What's up with Rich Harden? Diminished velocity is a bad sign for a guy with his injury history. Will the Cubs pick up his option? Not if there is colassal damage in that right arm.

-No more Corey Patterson! Wooooooooooooooo, Reds fans!

-Money player=Mark Teixiera. Easily the best offensive player for the Angels during the Division Series and made a fantastic catch at first to save the Angels season in the 9th inning (temporarily). Whichever team lands Tex is going to be lucky, this dude is a stud.

-Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye! Francisco Rodriguez! I think its doubtful that the Angels will spend $15 mil on a closer when they already have studs in the bullpen. Two words: Arre-dondo. (Note: K-Rod...we would love to see you close at Citi Field....just please, go easy on Omar in the negotiations)
-Please stay away Curt Schilling. Yes you had a great career and yes, I think you are a hall of famer. But wow are you annoying. If you retire, please stay off the radio/TV/Internet/telegraph for the time being. And to the media: please do not attempt to contact Mr. Schilling. Same goes for Jeff Kent. Stay away.

-Prediction time:
Rays in seven
MVP: Evan Longoria
Unheralded MVP: Chad Bradford
Guy to watch out for: Mark Kotsay
Potential Goat: Javier Lopez

Dodgers in five
MVP: James Loney
Unheralded MVP: Casey Blake
Guy to watch out for: Jayson Werth
Potential Goat: Pat Burrell

Playoff Baseball Makes Me Angry

After Jason Bay crossed home plate last night, I watched the Red Sox jump up and down all over SS Jed Lowrie, who had just won the series with a huge game winning single. My buddy, a Red Sox fan, started jumping up and down like a thrid grade girl while I starred blankly into the TV set. Watching the Red Sox win yet another playoff series, in such dramatic fashion, not only made me think about the Mets' failure, but it also made me really depressed? I said to myself, "The Red Sox won again....f*^k!" I felt like a Yankee fan, despising the success of the hated Red Sox and bluntly cursing them out for no apparent reason.

But why was I doing this? I am a Met fan, not a Yankee fan. The Red Sox have not done anything to the Mets besides give us the 1986 World Championship (thanks again Mr. Buckner!). Hell, I even like the Red Sox in 2004! Johnny Damon, wooooooooooo!

Nevertheless, I was about to throw the remote through the TV last night (rage...I know) at the sight of the Red Sox winning. Perhaps I'm just not ready to watch another team celebrate because of my disappointment. Or maybe, I'm just bitter at the fact that the Red Sox have become so good (4 playoff appearances in 5 years), while the Mets remain haplessly in neutral. Weren't the Red Sox known for being chokers, not the Mets? Role reversal stinks. Could it just be that I wanted the Mets to celebrate like 9 year old schoolkids by jumping and piling on top of each other-not the stinkin' Red Sox? I mean, the thought of Jose Reyes leaping on Luis Castillo and Scott Schoeneweis in a huge dogpile as Carlos Beltran sprints in from center field is probably one of the happiest thoughts I can think of. It's just beautiful.

No matter what the reason is, the fact is that I have become bitter. Very bitter. And I tell you this, if I have to watch Kevin Youklis jump around uncontrollably or watch Jonathan Papelbon act like an idiot (or dance!) after a victory, then a remote will be launched. TV, your on notice.

What to do? Masterson Edition

While scrolling through the web today, I came across this article about the future of Justin Masterson on si.com. For those of you who do not know, Masterson, 23, is one of the Red Sox best pitching prospects and is currently pitching out of the bullpen for the Sox as they try to win their third title in the past five seasons. And folks, Masterson has been great out of the bullpen. In 27 games out of the pen, Masterson has a fantastic 2.36 ERA as a reliever this season and is holding right handed hitters to .196 batting average. Statistically speaking, it would appear that Masterson has a long career ahead of him as a relief pitcher, but could he be an effective starter?

I think so. First of all, I love his stuff. Masterson has a hard diving fastball that comes in to right hand hitters, which results in many weak ground balls and strikeouts. To me, Masterson is a much better version of Derek Lowe simply because his stuff is better and he throws harder. Masterson struck out 39/54 IP as a starter in the majors this season while compiling 37 K/38 IP for AA Portland this season. So obviously the potential is there for Masterson to become a strikeout pitcher. Furthermore, Masterson has too much talent to be stashed away in the bullpen for an entire season. I would rather see Masterson take the ball 25-30 times in a season and give the Sox 160-200 IP rather than having him pitch 60-80 times out of the bullpen. To me, pitching out of the rotation maximizes a pitcher's value, unless he is closing. And last I checked, the Sox have a very good closer (see Papelbon, Jon). Plus, bullpen help is much easier to find than a young, quality starting pitcher.

And finally Sox fans, could you imagine a roation of Lester-Matsuzaka-Beckett-Masterson-Buccholz? That's a rotation that could be around for the next decade or so and has the makings of dominance; one through five. Simply put, thats a scary rotation folks.
(Photo: Getty Images)

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Derek Lowe

When I initially looked at this season's free agent class, Derek Lowe struck me as a pitcher who could benefit from a weak crop of pitchers. Nowadays, teams will pay pitchers big money for not only being a great pitcher, but for a being a consistent pitcher as well. And ever since Derek Lowe signed with the Dodgers, consistency has been his middle name. That's a far cry from the Red Sox Derek Lowe, who had a great 2002, but struggled mightily through 2004. Lowe attacks hitters with a fantastic sinker that dives down in the zone, which results in many ground balls. He is a control pitcher, who has done a phenomenal job limiting his walks (71 in 2004, 45 in 2008). Lowe will get big bucks this offseason and there are plenty of reasons why.

The Case for Lowe
-His experience.
Perhaps no pitcher on the open market can stake claim to the vast amount of experience Lowe has. He has pitched in playoff games. He has pitched out of the bullpen. He has started game 7. He has pitched a no hitter. This man knows how pitch despite the situation; and in this market, that speaks volumes.

-He's consistent.
Anyone look at Derek Lowe's stats over the past 4 seasons? Some pretty remarkable stuff. Here are his ERA's with the Dodgers:

2005: 3.61
2006: 3.63
2007: 3.88
2008: 3.24

That's pretty darn good, right? And how about this for consistency: Lowe has not won less than 10 games since 2002. Not many pitchers can claim to have done that. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, we have the Barry Zito/Scott Boras decree: Lowe takes the ball every fifth day. Since 2002, Lowe has started more than 30 games in each season and has thrown at least 200 innings five times during that span.

-October.
We have already mentioned Lowe's playoff experience, but who knew that Derek Lowe's lifetime ERA in the playoffs is 3.31? How many teams would love to have a guy like that next season? (Cough...Mets...please...) Lowe's been dominant at times in his career (2004 ALCS and 2008 NLDS) and he can make himself alot of money if continues to come up big during crunch time.

The Case against Lowe
-His age.
Lowe will be turning 36 next season, which isn't exactly the prime of his career. Who knows? Maybe Lowe will be find the fountain of youth ala Jaime Moyer, but pitchers usually decline around 36-38, if not sooner. Buyer beware.

-The away stats.
Even though Lowe has a 3.24 ERA this season, his home/away splits have to be somewhat concerning for prospective buyers. At Dodger Stadium, Lowe had a 2.30 ERA, but on the road his ERA ballooned to 4.42. Keep in mind that a 4.42 ERA is still decent, but can teams depend on Lowe to deliver the 2.30 ERA at a ballpark other than Dodger Stadium? Any GM would have to be confident that Lowe can deliver the goods before they commit to him.

Competition
Hmmm...where to begin here. Lowe has front end competition in CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, but those guys should command much more than Lowe. The only pitcher I find comparable in Oliver Perez, who is about 10 years younger and 100 times more inconsistent than Lowe (if AJ Burnett opts out, I'd lump him in here). If I'm a GM, I'd prefer Lowe over Perez and even Burnett. Yes he doesn't throw all that hard, but the results speak for themself. Lowe is a winner and a dependable #2 starter.

Prediction
3 years/$36 mil
At this stage in the game, I can think of at least six teams that I think could be interested in Derek Lowe:

Dodgers
Mets
Yankees
White Sox
Rangers
Astros

The list of teams interested in Lowe could (and should) get longer. This guy can win and will be paid for it. Agent Scott Boras will no doubt look at the following contracts:

Derek Lowe (4 years/$36 mil)
Tim Hudson (4 years/$47 mil)
Kyle Lohse (4 years/$41 mil)
Jason Schmidt (3 years/$47 mil)

Obviously at Lowe's age, $12 mil per season is what the market dictates. If not for his age, Lowe could have commanded a long term deal, but he will have to instead focus on 3-4 years at a premium price. I wouldn't feel comfortable paying a pitcher until he is 40, but Lowe could be a major difference maker for a team in either 2009 or 2010.

Ned Colletti still stinks

There is no doubt that what the Dodgers did to the Cubs was impressive. Not only did they sweep the Cubs, but they won each game in such a convincing fashion. Yes last nights game was close, but I never thought at any time that the Cubs were going to come back. Kudos to Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda for pitching 3 great games against probably the best offense in the National League. And where would this offense be without Manny Ramirez? He was hands down the best player during the second half of the season and he is making himself lots of loot with this kind of performance.

After all of this praise for the Dodgers you would think that they would have an amazing GM right. Nope. the reality of the 2008 Dodgers is that many of their key players were acquired by the two GM's prior to Colletti (Dan Evans and Paul Depodesta).

Here's a list:
Matt Kemp (Evans)
Russell Martin (Evans)
James Loney (Evans)
Chad Billingsley (Evans)
Jonathan Broxton (Evans)
Blake Dewitt (Evans)
Derek Lowe (Depodesta)
Brad Penny (Depodesta)
Jeff Kent (Depodesta)

There is no doubt that when Colletti joined the Dodgers late in 2005, that he was given a great hand to work with. To be fair though, Colletti has had his fair share of hits with Rafael Furcal, the 2006 Nomar Garciaparra, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw, Takasi Saito, and Hiroki Kuroda. I also like the type of contracts that Colletti has given out to his veteran free agents. Less years with more money each season. Think about it, the odds of having a crappy contract kill your franchise over a long period of time are greatly reduced.

But amazingly, Colletti has still managed to throw away over $120 million dollars worth of contracts during his tenure. Whether it has been injuries, poor performance, or just a stupid contract, Colletti's misses have been high profile misses. Jason Schmidt: 3 years/$45 mil; injured. Andruw Jones: 2 years/$36 mil; poor performance, injuries. Juan Pierre: 5 years/$44 mil; he's terrible. I can understand the Schmidt signing, even now, but signing two outfielders when the Dodgers already had Kemp and Ethier is just stupidity. How many other teams can claim to have $120 mil worth of contracts worth of waste?

I am convinced that Colletti would have been fired if not for his miraculous acquisitions of Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake. There is no doubt that those were two shrewd moves that not only won the Dodgers the division/NLDS, but saved Colletti's job. Because we have to remember, before they got Manny, the Dodgers were a huge disappointment and in grave danger of missing the playoffs again. Ned surely would have lost his job.

So good for Ned Colletti and the Dodgers for advancing to the NLCS. While this season might have been saved, I still think that Colletti is a pretty bad GM, who will eventually drive the McCourts crazy with all of his wasteful spending. Ned Colletti should be bowing down to Manny Ramirez. Anyone else think a 5 year, $200 mil dollar contract is out of the question for Colletti to give Manny?

Random Thoughts

-As of this morning, the Dodgers, Red Sox, Rays, and Phillies all find themselves up two games to none in the division series. They have each played phenomenal baseball (or watched the Cubs play terrible, cough...Dodgers) and have gotten great pitching and quality defense. Very good baseball to watch.

-With that said, I don't think the Cubs or White Sox are dead yet. The Cubs still have tremendous pitching, a great manager, and a scary offense; which could carry them through these next 2 games in Los Angeles. As for the White Sox, it would not surprise me to see the Rays struggle based on their lack of experience in the playoffs. We have seen them get tight down the stretch of the regular season and we'll see if the White Sox can capitalize.

-How good could the White Sox have been with Carlos Quentin in the middle of their lineup? He would have been the difference maker.

-Rich Harden, boy do the Cubs need you to be dominant tonight.

-Manny Ramirez, how good are you? And where can the Mets find one just like him? $$$$$$

-How do the Angels lose to the Red Sox every year? Is it like the curse of Jarrod Washburn or something? There is simply no excuse of the Angels to struggle like they have against the Sox given the fact that they have the best team is baseball and have an advantage in every aspect of the game. If they get swept again by the Red Sox, would that be a choke job? Or just a simple case of the Red Sox having their number? I say choke.

-Good to see you again J.D Drew. Where have you been all this time. Oh, the DL you say, with your friend Rafael Furcal. Good to see you both contributing.

-And Mr. Furcal, big postseason=big payday

-Is it weird hearing Michael Kay call the Phillies v. Brewers games or is it just me?

-There is no doubt in my mind that the execs at MLB are rooting for two things for their TV ratings.
1. Cubs in the World Series (obvious)
2. Red Sox v. Dodgers World Series

-Could you imagine the ratings for that number 2? Between Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez, the Sox, the Dodgers, East Coast, West Coast, Nomar, Lowe, and Andruw Jones (how'd he slip in there?); how could this not be one of the highest rated series of all time? The storylines are endless, big names galore, and both teams have very large followings.

-Anyone else notice how the Dodgers have $80 mil in contracts doing nothing for them during the playoffs? Yup, I'm talking to both of you, Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre.

-With that said, I would absolutely love to see the Rays battle the Brewers in the World Series. Any chance I have to see fans in Tampa go crazy, I will gladly take that opportunity. However, the ratings for this World Series would be very bad unless the Rays are somehow able to draw in millions of people, which they have failed to do over the past 10 seasons. Unfortunately, great story does not equal great ratings.

Youtube Special: Finally I will end on this. This past week has been very difficult for me after the demise of my New York Mets. With that said, this video has made me laugh and smile for no good reason. If you like Amare, you will love this.

A Message to the Higher Being

Dear Lord,

I'm not even sure at this point if you're a baseball fan, but I figured I'd write to you anyway. As you should know, the Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series in the past 100 years and they are on the verge of elimination at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. One hundred years is a long time for these people to suffer God. Can the Cubs please win...just once? You see God, I am not a Cubs fan, I am instead a Cubs sympathizer. My New York Mets have disappointed me and beaten me down many times of the years (239 to be exact), but what these poor Cubs fans have to go through every year is just plain torture. And what's not to like about these people God? Their loyal, energetic, and passionate fans despite all of their team's struggles and after 100 years, that's damn impressive. The reality of the situation is that the Cubs 2008 season is on the brink of ending and Cubs fans are on the brink of joining Met fans in "keeping sharp objects away from us in the winter." We Met fans welcome all kinds of fans into our torture club, but I don't want to accept Cubs fans. I want to see them win (the World Series) or at least give some hope to these people who have believed (and continue to believe) for so long.

So let's see something amazing happen God, over these next 3 games, and hopefully throughout the rest of the playoffs. Cubs fans will be counting on you. And Mets fans (like me!) will be living through Cubs fans. So please, give us something to believe!

Thanks again,
Josh

P.S: Mets in 2009....I can start early, right God?

Its Game 7....

Just imagine that it is Game 7 of the Championship Series. Your watching the game with your family on some cold fallish night and your filled with optimism. Even though your team has some stiff pitching tonight, you have faith because its game 7, anything can happen! GAME 7, YEAHHHHH, WOOOOOOOOOOOO!! However, by the second inning, its 3-0. And it gets worse, by the fifth inning, its 6-0 and your about to throw your shoe at the TV in frustration.

Your mind begins to wonder about what could have been during game 7. What if we had Johan Santana on the mound? Or Roy Halladay? How bout Brandon Webb?
Would we have won the game? You may never know, but at least as a fan, you would feel confident that a win is within your reach.

And so I ask, if you could pick one starting pitcher to be on the mound from this years playoff teams to pitch a deciding game (game 5-Division Series or game 7-Championship Series), who would you choose?

Here's my list:
1. Josh Beckett
2. CC Sabathia
3. Jon Lester
4. John Lackey
5. Cole Hamels
6. Derek Lowe
7. Daisuke Matsuzaka
8. Carlos Zambrano
9. Jaime Moyer
10. John Danks
11. Rich Harden
12. Ervin Santana, Chad Billingsley (tie)

My list encompasses a combination of ability, performance this season, experience, and most importantly, playoff experience.

I'm looking to hear from you, the readers, whose on your list? Who do you want on the hill when it matters most?

PLEASE COMMENT!

Key to the Series: Josh Beckett

As I type this, the Red Sox are up 1-0 behind the splendid pitching of Jon Lester (how good was he last night!). With Dice-K pitching game 2, there is a very good chance that the Red Sox will be up 2-0 going back to Fenway. That would leave game 3 in the hands of Josh Beckett, who as we all know, is an absolute beast in the postseason. Beckett's 2008 campaign has been somewhat of a disappointment because of inconsistent performance and injuries. The Sox are deep enough and have enough experience to win some games without a contribution from Beckett, but they will need him on his A game if they are going to win.

Look, even if the Red Sox win game 2, I think game 3 is vital because of Beckett. If he can close the Angels out, then the Sox have to feel confident about Beckett and feel optimistic that they can win another title. If by some chance the Sox lose game 2, then Beckett's start will become huge and the pressure will be back on. Can the playoff wonder kid perform like his October self even with the injuries and poor performance? We shall see.

So maybe Beckett won't make or break this series, but nevertheless, he needs to prove he is healthy and dominant if the Red Sox are going to compete for a title.

Key to the Series: Vladimir Guerrero

Well duh! Who else could it be? Vlaaaaaaaaaaaad has a history of coming up small in the big moment by hitting only .167 in the 2004 ALDS and only .200 in last years ALDS. To top it all off, Vlad the Impaler has hit only 1 HR in 40 career post season at bats. That's simply not getting the job done. It's not surprising that in 2005 the Angels advanced all the way to the ALCS in part because Vlad hit .333 during the postseason. As Vlad goes, so go the Angels.

To semi quote the passover seder here, why is this post season different than any other for Vladdddy and the Angels? Because they actually have some power and depth in the lineup. Free agent acquisition Torii Hunter and midseason pickup Mark Teixeira have added both power and consistency to the Angels, which should allow Vlad to relax for the playoffs. The burden is not solely on him this year to produce, but I still don't think the Angels can win with him hitting around the Mendoza line.

Oh yeah, I love the name Vladimir Guerrero. Could you tell?

(Side note: Darren Oliver will have a big series. I just have a hunch)

Key to the Series: Jayson Werth

Who knew that Jayson Werth would have such a huge impact this season? And as a number three hitter? I never woulda guessed. But the reality is that Werth has been superb for the Phillies in right field in 2008 and has been vital to the success of their lineup. Werth has hit .273 with 24 homers this season in only 418 ABs. Furthermore, Werth has hit .303 against lefties, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Phillies.
While Utley and Howard are great, they are both left handed and need to have a righty in between them to separate them. That's where Werth fits in. As the #3 hitter, he will have to come through in the clutch especially when teams decide to either:

1. Walk Utley in front of him
2. Bring in a lefty (Brian Shouse!) to face Utley and Howard

If Werth cannot come through in this series, then the Phillies will struggle to win because the rest of their offense (outside of the big two) has been very inconsistent this season. Werth's importance has been magnified even more because of the injury to Pat Burrell, who might miss some time because of back issues. I think Werth will have a big series and feast off of any lefties that the Brewers throw at the Phillies.

Who ya got? Game 163

Prediction time...

Twins 6, White Sox 2

and here's why.

-The Twins have faced John Danks 4 times this season and they have won three of those games.
-Mauer and Morneau are absolute beasts...even against lefties.
-The White Sox offense has been terrible without Carlos Quentin (as has my fantasy team). And I just don't think they will muster up enough quality at bats against the Minnesota pitching.
-To be fair though, Twins SP Nick Blackburn has not been great against the White Sox this season, but for some reason, I think Blackburn will go 5.1 IP and give up 2 ER.
-Michael Cuddyer will have a big hit tonight.
-Ken Girffey Jr. will not.

And plus, I cannot wait to watch Dennys Reyes celebrate with Eddie Guardado in a huge dog pile. Could you imagine that? Maybe thats what I'm actually cheering for.

Key to the Series: Brian Shouse

In the grand scheme of things, how many times can we honestly say that one reliever (non closer) could alter the outcome of an entire playoff series? Probably more than you think. And my feeling is that the Phillies/Brewers series will come down to one man: LHP Brain Shouse. Shouse is a submarine style left hander who has been fantastic this season getting lefties out (0.93 ERA against lefties this season). And as you all know, the Phillies are armed with two of the best left-handed hitters in the game: Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Utley has been alright against lefties (.277 BA with 13 HR) while Howard has struggled with a .224 batting average and 14 HRs. I have seen these two look awfully bad against Pedro Feliciano over the past three seasons and I think that Shouse is the key to ending big rallies by getting these two out. If Utley and Howard don't perform (in large part because of Shouse), then the Brewers will win the series. Mark my words.

Final Thoughts on the Mets

Just thought I'd wrap things up after letting the latest collapse linger in me for the past 24 hours or so.

-For all of you who are calling for the Mets not to re-sign Pedro Martinez you are 100% correct. But for all of you who don't want to resign Carlos Delgado, your crazy. The Mets have no one in the farm system who can replace Delgado and to be quite honest, the free agent market outside of Teixeira is terrible. And while Pedro Martinez gave the Mets a look of credibility three years ago, he has become a liability in 2008 and should not be back.

-To semi-quote John McCain, "the fundamentals of our rotation are strong." The Mets bring Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and John Maine back for 2009, which is a tremendous nucleus to have. The Mets need to bring in more than two quality starters because the odds of all five staying healthy is zero. Maine is coming off an injury, Pelfrey pitched more innings this year than ever before, and Santana cannot be Superman forever...right?

-The case of Oliver Perez is going to be the most difficult decision for the Mets to make. As I have explained before, Perez can look like an ace one day and a stiff the next. He's unpredictable and unreliable. On the other hand, a 27 year old hard throwing lefty is very difficult to find. So do you pay him $50 million over 5 years? To me, the answer is no. I like Perez alot, but 5 years is excessive. That will probably take the Mets out of the running for his services, but I think in the end, they will be better off without his unpredictability.

-One name to look for on the free agent marker: Derek Lowe. If you can get Lowe to sign a 3 year contract, I would do it in a heartbeat. He's an innings eater who has pitched well in big games before. Even better, he has become more consistent since joining the Dodgers 4 years ago.

-If the Mets want to go after K-Rod, they will have my blessing. This bullpen needs a stopper with Wagner down and K-Rod is a phenomenal option as long as the price and years aren't that ridiculous (probably will be). Besides K-Rod, I would like to see the Mets take a page out of the Kenny Williams playbook and go after guys who could have diminished value: Manny Corpas? Rafael Betancourt? Bobby Howry? Justin Speier? All worth a shot in my eyes. Relief pitchers go through more peaks and valleys than any other position so you never know when a turnaround is right around the corner.

-With that said, Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Castillo have to go. It was obvious that Manuel had no confidence in Schoeneweis down the stretch and he performed poorly when given the shot. He's been a bust so far. Anyone want a slap hitting second baseman who looks like he's in massive amounts of pain doing any athletic activities? No one. Great signing there Omar. Furthermore, I'm torn on Aaron Heilman. I still think he can be effective, but not as a reliever. Let's give him the shot to make a difference in the starting rotation. It can't hurt, can it?

-I love Orlando Hudson. He's a gold glove second baseman who can hit for average and get on base. He'd be a phenomenal fit for the Mets. It's too bad we have Castillo right now...let's hope we can move him.

-Do not trade Ryan Church. Or Jose Reyes. Or David Wright. Or Carlos Beltran. Anyone who suggests any of these is a fool.

-Mr Minaya, please get younger. This year was a step in the right direction, but I beg you cut ties with aging veterans. Youth is the new fad in baseball and you need to follow the trend. Let's give Daniel Murphy a chance to start and let's see what Jonathan Niese, Eddie Kunz, Nick Evans, Bobby Parnell, and Fernando Martinez can do in Spring Training. Open competition, baby!

-Mark my words, 2009 will be decided by three factors: clutch hitting, starting pitching depth, and finding capable (amazing!) guys in the bullpen. With potentially $25 million coming off the books, it looks like another fun filled off season for my Mets. Ya Gotta Believe, right?

Why Kenny Williams is a Genius

Buy low. Sell high. It's the most basic of economic principles, but there are many GMs who fail to identify potential buy low opportunities (cough...Ed Wade...cough). And to me, no GM has done a better job buying low than White Sox GM Kenny Williams. In this age of splashy acquisitions and big names, Williams has built the White Sox through shrewd trades and impressive free agent signings. With game 163 right around the corner for the White Sox, there is no better time to highlight the brilliance that is Kenny Williams.

Exhibit A: Gavin Floyd
Anyone remember that Floyd drafted #4 overall by the Phillies in 2001? Neither did I. But obviously Kenny Williams did when he traded for Floyd after the 2006 season. Floyd looked to be a shell of his former self by posting a 7.29 ERA in 11 starts for the Phillies. Despite the ugly numbers, Williams took a flier on Floyd when he acquired him in the deal that sent Freddy Garcia to the Phillies. While he stunk up the joint in 2007, Floyd has been brilliant in 2008 by posting a 17-8 record along with a 3.84 ERA. Williams was able to acquire Floyd at his lowest value and now he has a stalwart in his rotation for the next few seasons.

Exhibit B: John Danks
Lemme be clear, John Danks' value has never been low. After the 2006 season, many insiders regarded Danks as the Rangers best prospect and a potential ace for the pitching starved Rangers in the near future. But in 2007, Williams traded his prized pitching prospect, Brandon McCarthy, to the Rangers for Danks. McCarthy was the jewel of the White Sox system entering the 2007 season, he was expected to be in the starting rotation right away. The Rangers needed immediate results and jumped at the chance to pick him up. Danks on the other hand, was supposed to spend more time in the minors honing his stuff. As it turned out, Danks made the White Sox out of spring training in 2007 and has only improved since then while McCarthy has struggled to stay healthy in Texas. Danks has been dominant this season by sporting a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts. He has the looks of a future ace and will remain a fixture in the White Sox rotation for many years to come. Kenny Williams was able to sell high on McCarthy and pick up an even better pitcher in John Danks.

Exhibit C: Alexei Ramirez
Where would the White Sox be this season without Ramirez? "The Cuban Missile" has been a fixture at second base for the White Sox since June and is one of the main reasons why the White Sox have been so successful this season. Kenny Williams signed Ramirez, a former star of the Cuban National Team, to a 4 year/$4.25 million dollar contract at the end of the 2007 season. Ramirez was expected to play all over the place and use his versatility, athleticism, and quick wrists to play wherever or whenever he was needed. After watching two months of Juan Uribe stink up the joint, Manager Ozzie Guillen finally made the switch to Ramirez. Since then, Ramirez has shined by hitting .290 with 21 HRs (including a huge grand slam today) in only 479 ABs. That's extraordinary for a second baseman, especially a rookie. Yes Ramirez needs to work on his defense and drawing more walks (.315 OBP!), but his improvement will come. Score it as another big move for Kenny Williams, who now has a quality second baseman at a bargain basement price. Great move.

Exhibit D: Bobby Jenks
Anyone know how Kenny Williams acquired one of the most dominant closers in the game? Waivers. Yup, for $20,000 in 2005, the White Sox acquired Bobby Jenks,who has racked up 116 saves and a World Series ring since becoming the closer. Enough said. Score it another huge win for Kenny Williams.

Exhibit E: Carlos Quentin
this is perhaps the most impressive move of the Kenny Williams era. Even though his outfield was already stacked, Williams took a flier on a former first round pick named Carlos Quentin. Quentin, who was once regarded as one of the Diamondbacks top prospects, had fallen on hard times in 2006 and 2007 because of injuries and limited playing time. So the Diamondbacks traded Quentin to the White Sox for 1B prospect Chris Carter because they had no room for him in their outfield. Again, Williams took a flier on a guy who had fallen off the map because the benefit was worth the cost. And boy have the White Sox been thrilled with Quentin. Despite suffering a season ending hand injury, Quentin has hit .288 with 36 HRs and 100 RBI through September 5. Quentin basically carried the Sox through April and May and remained a viable MVP candidate until his injury. Think the Diamondbacks would make room for him now? I think so. Another big score for Kenny Williams.

So hows that for an impressive resume? Williams is the main reason why the Sox are tied for first and deserves to be rewarded for his shred deals. Note to Jerry Reinsdorf: Give him an extension now!

Collapsing Rationality

I'm heartbroken, upset, and I really want to punch something right now. I have been teased and let down all season by my beloved Mets and I'm both physically and mentally exhausted. It's a hard life being a Met fan.

And yes, I was at the final game at Shea Stadium. From my spot in the Mezzanine, Section 7, I couldn't help but wonder about how perfect it would be for the Mets to qualify for the playoffs. But it was not too be. For whatever reason, Shea Stadium has provided more frustration and failure than success and prosperity. The collapse of 2007 just makes this loss all the more painful. It will take a few days for me to realize that this season is truly over, but until then, here are my rational thoughts about the season.

Somehow Rational Mets Thoughts of 2008

-Up and Down and Up and Down
As difficult as it was to watch this team fail again, I can't help but think how fortunate we were to have this team playing meaningful September baseball. Besides all of the injuries (Pedro, Maine, Wagner, Castillo, Alou, Church, Castro, Sanchez, Tatis, etc.) and the inconsistent/horrible play (Delgado, Beltran, Perez, Heilman, Schoeneweis, Castillo, Sanchez), the Mets lacked general consistency amongst personnel and performance in 2008. It is very hard to succeed consistently with a schizophrenic team, which actually makes a 90 win season look good.

-The Big Five
Most of the reason why the 2008 Mets were so good was because of five players: Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Johan Santana. Each of those guys had tremendous seasons and each achieved God-like status at times. Unfortunately for the Mets, this season will go down as the season in these great performances were wasted. You could make a compelling argument for each of those guys to win the MVP award, but not making the playoffs kills their chances. The wasted campaigns is what hurts me the most right now because I was really looking forward to these five excelling in September.

-Mets specialist bullpen theory
So much has been said about how bad the Mets bullpen was after Billy Wagner went down, all of which is true. This bullpen cost us a playoff birth and probably a division crown. If we have a healthy Billy Wagner, there is no way that we lose the division/wild card. Mark my words. But with that said, I have a major issue with the way this pen was constructed. If you simply look at the numbers of each guy out of the bullpen, you will see that each has excelled against hitters from one side of the plate, but has struggled against the other.

-Smith (vs RH): 3.54 ERA, (vs. LH) 3.75 ERA
-Feliciano (vs LH) 2.76 ERA , (vs. RH) 5.63 ERA
-Schoeneweis (vs LH) 2.08 ERA, (vs. RH) 4.78 ERA
-Heilman (vs LH) 8.19 ERA, (vs. RH) 3.30 ERA
-Sanchez (vs. LH) 3.04 ERA, (vs. RH) 5.40 ERA

So basically, GM Omar Minaya left Jerry Manuel with a variety of different options out of the pen. But, there was NOBODY who could get out both lefties and righties on a consistent basis. Every guy that is thrown into the fire has a very limited chance to succeed.

And look, I love specialists as much as anyone. But once Billy Wagner went down, he left a void that could not be replaced. Manuel smartly tried using Heilman Guys like Felciano and Smith were now working later into the games and facing more match ups to which they were not favored. While the Mets were able to slide by from August until the beginning of September without Wagner, it is only fitting that this would catch up to them in September when the rosters expand. Because of the 40 man roster in September, teams are able to play the percentages more against the Mets bullpen by pinch hitting for weak left handed batters or right handed batters.

Twenty-Five man rosters favor the Mets bullpen (as much as a bad bullpen can be favored) because the options are limited. However, in September, anything goes.

-The Kids
Lost in the shuffle of yet another late season collapse has been the play of the young Mets. Guys like Daniel Murphy, Nick Evans, Bobby Parnell, and Argenis Reyes each played vital roles at some point during the season and showed flashes of solid play. Murphy appears to be the real coup of the group here because of his ability to work and a count and drive pitches. He reminds me a left handed Kevin Youkilis. Now lets find him a position Omar. And while I'm not totally solid on either Evans or Reyes, maybe each of them will have a role off the bench or at least add to the organization. And look out for Parnell next year, dude's got a great arm.

Now please keep all sharp objects away from me for the next week or so...then we'll be good.

More on this tomorrow.

My Struggling Organization: San Francisco Giants

Boy they have fallen a long way from the 2002 World Series. No more Barry Bonds moon shots, no more Barry Bonds/Jeff Kent dugout fights, and most importantly, the herds of media no longer cover the Giants. They arent that interesting or that good. Yes Barry Bonds was an out of this world player (with some help from our good friend Mr. Steroid), but how did the Giants fall this fast? I mean, wow, they will finish with 70 wins this season and thats about 10 more than I thought they would. What in the name of Emmanuel Burriss is going on here?

Free Agents
Believe it or not, the Giants history of fiscal irresponsibility started well before the Barry Zito signing. We can go all the way back to the glorious Barry Bonds years to try and figure out how in the world the Giants did not win a World Series with Barroid playing that well? The answer is simple: the supporting cast was never good enough to win a championship. Just take a look at some of these absurd contracts:

2003: Edgardo Alfonzo (4 years/$26 mil)
Michael Tucker
2004: Ray Durham (3 years/$21 mil)
2005: Mike Matheny (3 years/$9 mil)
Omar Vizquel (3 years/$9 mil)
Armando Benitez (3 years/$24 mil)
2006: Matt Morris (3 years/$27 mil)
2007: Barry Zito (7 years/$126 mil)
Dave Roberts (3 years/$18 mil)
Rich Aurilia (2 years/$8 mil)

Benjie Molina (3 years/$18 mil)

2008: Aaron Rowand (5 years/$60 mil)

What do these guys all have in common (besides Zito)? They are all old. Yes, they have had good careers, but they are all past their prime and into their thirties (even Zito looks past his prime). So should it really be any shocker that the post 2002 Giants have been marked by inconsistent play, poor performances, and injuries? I think not. I understand the importance of trying to win now, especially with an aging Barry Bonds, but simply throwing money away on over the hill veterans is not a smart move for various reasons (we'll get to them later). I can honestly say that very few of those guys listed has come close to earning his pay, which is a major strike against GM Brian Sabean. I do like Aaron Rowand alot because he plays hard and is a winner, but is he really worth $60 mil? I dont think so.

And yes, we will devote an entire paragraph to Barry Zito. While the contract is absurd, I actually cannot kill the Giants too much on this one because I, for one, was advocating for my Mets to go after Zito. I would have gladly given him 5 years/$90 mil at the time; and wow am I ever glad that the Mets didn't. He looks like a shell of his former self and there is really no rhyme or reason for it. He's not hurt, which is good. But at the same time, the Giants have no idea why his velocity has suddenly dropped 5 MPH or why his pinpoint control suddenly disappears. Simply put, this is a contract that will kill the Giants for the next 5-10 years if they continue to get nothing out of Zito.

Trades
Here's the thing about the Giants over the past few seasons, they make virtually no trades. The only trades worth mentioning are the acquisitions of Russ Ortiz, Dustin Mohr and Shea Hillenbrand. Oh yeah, Mohr and Hillenbrand are not currently playing in the big leagues right now. How could one team make so few trades over a five year period? GM Brain Sabean essentially decided to build his teams around Barry Bonds, some decent players, some free agent acquisitions, and whatever he could get out of the farm/AAAA players. Doesn't sound like a great plan, does it?

Draft
Because of the way baseball free agency works, teams usually cannot sign quality players without giving up draft picks in return. As a result of the Giants ridiculous spending, they have given up their first round picks in 2003, 2004, and 2005. It is virtually impossible to add talent to the organization when you give up the opportunity to add high caliber guys. I could understand losing picks if you sign guys like Carlos Beltran or Alfonso Soriano, but do you seriously want to lose draft picks for signing Michael Tucker, Omar Vizquel, Mike Matheny, or Armando Benitez? Not me.

Fortunately for Giant fans, the teams has drafted two tremendous young arms in the first round-Matt Cain in 2002 and Tim Lincecum in 2006. Cain has the makings of an ace even though he has expereinced some problems in his first few seasons. Look for him to develop into a solid 1 or 2 in the next few seasons. The real prize for the Giants has been Lincecum, who since being called up last season has developed into a bonified ace. Armed with a unorthodox delivery, Lincecum combines a 95 MPH fastball with a devestating breaking pitch that makes him unhittable at times. What makes Lincecum even more impressive is that he looks like he is 15 years old and in no way does he look like a professional athlete. But wow is he fun to watch.

And it looks like GM Brian Sabean has finally learned that giving up draft picks is not the way to build a franchise. The Giants have has two very good drafts over the past two seasons by picking up future studs: SP Madison Bumgarner, SP Tim Alderson, 2B Nick Noonan, and C Buster Posey. While they may be years away, hope is on the horizon for the Giants.

Prediction

(The Giants have a solid future ahead of them, but they will be burdened by the Zito contract for years. I see them struggling over the next two seasons, but by 2011 they have the potential to compete. If Zito regains his form, watch out)

*And please Mr. Sabean, no more ridiculous free agent signings. Build through the farm.*

Part III: AL West Amnesty

Jorge Says No! introduced amnesty earlier and we are happy to present to you our AL Central picks. Which contract would your team want to waive at the end of this season? Lets take a look:

Angels:
Is there any doubt who the Angels would pick here? Your favorite $50 million dollar HGH filled backup outfielder, Gary Matthews Jr! Since being signed for the ridiculous $50 mil over 5 years after the 2006 season, Matthews Jr. has been terrible and is now lower on the depth chart than Joey Harrington. Matthews is only hitting .240 with 8 HR this season, which is a far cry from his spectacular 2006 campaign (.313 BA with 24 HR). Can we please get this guy some HGH?

Mariners:
A few good options here. We could go with C Kenji Johjima, who was rewarded by Seattle management with a 3 year extension at the beginning of this season. Oh yeah, he's hitting .215 right now AND your best position prospect, Jeff Clement, is a catcher. But Johjima is a draw to the Japanese crowd and we all know how important that is in the Seattle market. And to be honest, SP Miguel Batista and his 6 ERA have no business being in the major leagues right now, but he is only signed through 2009.
So the final choice is obvious: SP Carlos Silva. Why Bill Bavasi signed Silva is beyond me, but the fact that he gave Silva $48 mil over 4 years is downright insane. Is he serious with that contract? Did anyone remind Bavasi that Silva can't strike anyone out and only had one full season with a sub 4 ERA before this season? I guess not. And oh yeah, Silva has a 6.46 ERA this season. Nice investment there Mr Bavasi.

Athletics:
No real candidates here besides 3B Eric Chavez. Unfortunately, Chavez has been injured for a majority of the time since 2007 and has not resembled his 2000-2002 self in a few years. Gone are the days of the gold glove defense, 30+ HR, and 100+ RBI. The Athletics signed Chavez after 2004 to a 6 year/$66 mil dollar contract thinking that he would be the face of the franchise. The Athletics simply cannot afford to pay a guy $11 million dollars who may never produce half of that level ever again especially with a $47 million dollar payroll.

Rangers:
Even though the obvious answer should be Kevin Millwood, I think that SS Michael Young is a much better option. For whatever reason, the Rangers gave him an $80 million dollar extension through 2013, which is about $20-$25 million too much for a player of Young's caliber. Yes he is a great player who hits for a nice average. Yes he is a team leader and a consummate professional on and off the field. But in Texas, where pitching is so scarce, that money could have been spent wiser on pitching. Hitters are not hard to find in Texas, pitching is.
Oh boy.

The Long Sleepless Ramblings of a New York Met Fan

First off, I apologize for yet another Met-centric post. But ladies and gentlemen, this team is absolutely killing me. Not only are the Mets losing, its the way they lose. It's the torturous, pit in your stomach, they cant seriously blow this can they type of loss. The game is right in our grasps before boom, a greater power takes it away from us. It's kinda like the mouse coming so close to getting the cheese before some smelly and angry cat viciously snipes it away from your little paws. And then to top it all off, the cat laughs at you...over and over again.

Maybe thats a slight exaggeration, but thats unfortunately how I feel. With this team no lead is safe because the bullpen stinks and even when the starter gives you a great start, you have to hope and pray that the offense comes through in the clutch. I pray to any higher power who will listen for a few outs from a beleaguered bullpen or for just one clutch hit in a season of so many missed opportunities. How would you feel having a bullpen comprised of Luis Ayala, Scott Schoenweis, and the pitcher formerly known as Aaron Heilman. Two words: Oy vey. Do I have to mention the twenty-five guys the Mets left on base tonight in 10 innings? That's enough to give me an ulcer! (Hopefully kidding!)
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And yes, I am obsessed. It runs in my blood from generation to generation. This team making the playoffs after last years collapse and the struggles of 2008 would mean more to me than it probably should. But hey, thats how much the Mets mean to me. The Mets are my team and even though they are falling faster than Wall Street (maybe not that fast) and I will stick with them even if they blow it again in 2008. However, with that said, please don't blow it again guys.

So I'll be grabbing my Peptobismol, Advil and my lucky Met shirt tonight and hopelessly waiting for a miraculous victory or improbable comeback. Until then I will attempting to sleep and hopefully dream of Luis Ayala throwing his glove 500 feet in the air after we clinch a playoff birth. Because hey, these are the New York Mets, Ya Gotta Believe! (Note to self: keep sharp objects away until Sunday)



LETS GO METS!
(Photo: NYTIMES)

Grannies!

One more Mets' post for the day: does anyone else realize that the Mets have given up two grand slams to pitchers this season. On June 24, Felix Hernandez hit the first grand slam by an AL pitcher in the past 37 years off Johan Santana. And folks, it was an absolute bomb. Then last night, Jon Niese gave up another monstrous granny to Cubs SP Jason Marquis, which killed the psyche of every Mets fan from Long Island to Rochester and everyplace in between. What a weird season for my Mets. To quote my dad, "only the Mets."

Giving up two grand slams to pitchers in one season...that has to be some sort of record right?

Collapse II

Oh boy. Here we go again. For those of who haven't noticed, my beloved Mets are now only 1 game ahead in the Wild Card and 2.5 games back of the NL East leading Phillies. While the Mets have probably played themselves out of a division title, they have to pick it up over the next six games if they want to play meaningful October baseball.

But as a fan, I am dying watching the Mets. Not only I have I not recovered from the collapse of 2007, but this one certainly feels like Deja Vu all over again.

1. failing bullpen.
Check. The Mets bullpen has been so bad that it has taken a few years off my life. My heart cannot take it anymore. Whenever I think it can't get any worse, it does. Notice to starting pitchers: go all nine or else I might drop dead.

2. lack of starting pitching depth
Check. The Mets are currently surviving on 3 starting pitchers, a failing Pedro Martinez, and a promising pitcher Jon Niese, who looks more frightened than I did sitting in the Yankee bleachers in a Mets shirt. How can we survive with that? Anyway Johan can pitch every day?
And speaking of injured starters, in 2007, it was Orlando Hernandez who was too injured to start, but came out of the bullpen for the final few games. In 2008, its John Maine...too injured to start so shove him in the pen!

3. clutch hitting
Check. This has been the main weakness of the Mets for the entire season. However, down the stretch, David Wright has been the main culprit. For a guy with 120 RBI, Wright should have about 140 RBI right now if he has hit in the clutch. With this team, there are no big comebacks or season saving base hits. They perform well in the first few innings before going into Derek Bell Operation Shutdown for the next few innings. And how about last night, two double plays with two guys on and none out. Horrible.

4. repetition
Check. As a fan, this is what kills me the most. Over the past two months, it has become evident that guys like Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Nelson Figueroa, and Duaner Sanchez have not been effective, but for some reason, Jerry Manuel continues to use and abuse them. Manuel doesn't just use them, he uses them almost every day. Seriously its not bad enough that these guys stink, but now we have to see them all the time? Remeber Jerry, this is September, you have other pitchers (Rincon, Parnell) who are at least worth a look in a big spot. Try something new Jerry, please. This bullpen is horrible...it won't hurt you try something new.
Furthermore, can we please get away from Luis Castillo? The guy is an absolute stiff who has no business playing 2nd base for the Mets right now. And having him bat 7th is just embarrassing. I would take Argenis Reyes/Daniel Murphy at 2nd any day over this guy.

*So to sum it up, the next few days have the potential to be brutal for me. All prayers/condolences are gladly accepted. Lets go Mets.*

Mini Bathroom Reads: Yankee Stadium Edition

-Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, Welcome...to Yankee Stadium. Bob Sheppard, what a run of longevity at the Stadium! You will always be the Voice of the Yankees and to me, the Voice of October Baseball.

-So this isn't the real Yankee Stadium. For all of those who don't know, the original Yankee Stadium was refurbished in 1973 because it was an absolute dump. So I wonder how much of the original Yankee Stadium lives on in the current Yankee Stadium? And how much of the original idea will be going into the new Yankee Stadium? From what I hear, it appears to be based on the 1923 model. Major plus in my eyes.

-The Boss speaks! Errr...writes! And he talks about his favorite memories at the Stadium and makes a point of telling us how amazing this new Stadium will be. While I don't doubt the Boss, I'm sure there are bitter Yankee fans out there who can't fathom why the Yankees would tare this piece of history down. Others will see this as a simple attempt to maximize profit and to charge albatross ticket prices. I think there are some truths to both.
(Photo: NYTIMES)

RIP: Yankee Stadium

When the season began, I never thought the Yankees would be closing down Yankee Stadium in September. These are the Yankees. They always find a way to pull it out. I've seen it before so many times; for some reason, the Yankees seemed to be able to make the impossible happen at Yankee Stadium. And as a Mets fan, I knew this. No matter how far out the Yanks were, no matter how big the deficit was; I always thought the Yanks would pull it out.

And what a feeling of dread it was. Could you imagine sitting in front of TV praying to any God who will listen, that whoever was playing the Yankees would pull it out. Most of the time, this never happened. And boy did that infuriate me because boy did I hear it the next day at school. As the lone Mets fan in my school, a Yankee playoff victory was like euphoria for everyone else and torture for me. "Those damn Yankees won again...ughhh." My parents vividly remind me about how I would chuck all Mets shirts down the stairs after the Mets lost each game during the 2000 World Series. True story.

And it happened sooo many times. Between Jeter, Tino, Brosius, Bernie, O'Neill, Aaron Boone, Rivera, Pettitte, Clemens, Posada, Matsui, Jeff Nelson, Stanton, Mussina, and even Chad Curtis; the big moment never seemed far from reality. And as much I as cheer against the Yankees, I will miss that feeling because the Yankees over the past twelve years exemplified the impossible and defined the improbable. They taught me to never turn off the TV because the next Yankee rally was only a pitch away.

So as we close Yankee Stadium tonight, I wonder if the Yankees will still be the Yankees next season. While this might just be wishful thinking on my part, the Yankees are defined to me by Yankee Stadium. Between the facade, Bob Sheppard, Monument Park, the Bleacher Creatures, the grounds crew YMCA, and all of the Yankee Stadium ghosts; Yankee Stadium served as a unique, fun, and intense place to watch a game. I will always appreciate it for that. No new Stadium can provide the lure or aura that this Yankee Stadium was able to provide. While the Yankees might be the main attraction, Yankee Stadium served valiantly as a treasured backdrop for so long.

Yankee Stadium, we have had many tough moments throughout the years. I can honestly say that my childhood was partially defined by the Yankees' greatness. As much as I should want to cheer to watch you go, it will still be tough for me. So enjoy this final night, and for once, I'll let myself say: Go Yankees (FOR TONIGHT ONLY).

Random Thoughts

-As far as frustrating players goes, Hank Blalock and Eric Chavez are high on my list. Each was at one point though of as a franchise 3rd baseman and perennial all stars for many seasons to come. The fiscally conservative Athletics were so confident in Chavez that they gave him a 6 year $66 million dollar contract through 2010 while the Rangers extended Blalock to a 5 year/$15 mil dollar extension in 2004. However, both players have seen their careers derailed thanks to injuries. Chavez has missed most of this season with a shoulder injury while Blalock has missed most of this season with various ailments. I can't express how disappointed I am that both of these guys got hurt because I was really looking forward to watching their careers blossom. Now, all I can hope for in a healthy 2009 for both. Go get 'em guys

-Congratulations Rays on your first playoff birth ever! You guys sure know how to celebrate even though your kind of new at this.

-I watched some of the Cubs game today and couldn't help but wonder if Carlos Marmol will have some shoulder problems down the road. That delivery looks awfully stressful and awkward and lets hope for the Cubs sake that he holds up.

-Get well soon Shaun Marcum. You were fantastic on my fantasy team for about 3 months this season and I became a huge fan of yours along the way. While Marcum doesn't throw that hard, he has wonderful control that allows him to strikeout lots of hitters and get lots of weak ground balls. See you in 2010 sir.

-And seriously this is the third major injury to a young Blue Jays starting pitcher. Actually the fourth if you count all the injuries to Gustavo Chacin. Casey Janssen, Dustin McGowan, and now Marcum have all undergone major operations to their arms and have missed/will miss significant amounts of time. Is there something in the Blue Jays water? Or is this just a coincidence? I'm not sure, but I hope that GM JP Riccardi looks into it this offseason.

-I am going to miss Yankee Stadium alot. Even though the Yankees are one of the Mets most hated rivals, I can honestly say that everytime I stepped foot into Yankee Stadium that something magical could happen. What a remarkable place. More about this from me tomorrow.

-And how about those fading Brewers...what happened? Well, it seems as though the offense has collapsed at the worst possible time while the brilliance of CC Sabathia/the health of Ben Sheets has faded away. And to make matters worse, the bullpen has still been terrible (see Torres, Solomon). And Mr. Melvin, c'mon, firing Ned Yost with 12 games left in the season reeks of panic and desperation. If that didn't doom the rest of the season, then I don't know what did.

-Finally, how amazing would a Cubs-Rays World Series be?
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Pretty good, but I want my Mets in there.

Go Mets.

Who do you trust? Brewers Edition

I would like to personally thank the Milwaukee Brewers. I have been weak over the past few days partially because of the Mets offense, but mainly because of the Mets anemic bullpen. I seriously thought that no team could have it any worse than the Mets. I mean, they have NOBODY who can gets outs on a consistent basis. Lucky for me and the Mets, the Brewers bullpen can't get anyone out either. They accomplish a rare feat by having both (post steroids) Eric Gagne and Guillermo Mota in the same bullpen! Their gonna party like its 2003! Wooooo!

Solomon Torres: Newsflash to myself, Solomon Torres has not been half bad this season. Armed with 27 saves and a 3.20 ERA, Torres has been a God send for the Brewers this season. Without Torres, the Brewers never would have sniffed the playoffs this season. Another plus for Torres, anyone else notice that in 2006 he appeared in 94 games! Wow!
Trusted (with major caution)

Eric Gagne: There is no way any Brewers fan could trust Gagme (yes Gag-me) after witnessing his abysmal performance this season. GM Doug Melvin gave Gagme $11 million to close for the Brewers and Gagme was terrible. He has been horrible for a year and a half now and should not sniff the late innings of a ballgame.
Not trusted

Brian Shouse: Here's another submariner that I absolutely love. Not only does Shouse have a ridiculous delivery, but he consistently gets the job done. Shouse has a .95 ERA against lefties this season and would be perfect in a big spot against a David Ortiz, Carlos Delgado, or James Loney. That's high praise right there.
Trusted

Guillermo Mota: Ladies and Gentlemen, its time for me to deal with my demons from the 2006 NLCS. GUILLERO! why did you throw a fastball to Scott Spiezio on a 0-2 count? You realize that Spiezio was not going to get a good swing off any changeup you threw right? And c'mon Guillermo, could that pitch have been any more down the middle? Ughhhhhh.
Anyway, Mota has actually not been bad for the Brew Crew this season. But I warn Brewers fans, Mota is a hostile and volatile arm who can explode at any moment. I would hate to see him in a make or break big spot because I am sure he would crumble. I have seen it before (in both 2006 and 2007)
Not Trusted

Carlos Villanueva: Villanueva is a strange breed. And no, its not just because he has a beef with Albert Pujols, but because he is a right handed relief pitcher who can't get righties out. Amazingly, Villanueva has a 2.84 ERA against lefties this season while righties have crushed him to the tune of a 5.53 ERA. I'm sorry, but you cannot have a right handed relief pitcher who has no ability to getrighties out. That won't work.
Not Trusted.

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Oliver Perez

No pitcher..err player has frustrated me more than Oliver Perez has during these past two seasons. When he's on, he's as good as anyone, but when he's not, its ugly. Case in point: I have been to multiple games where Perez has pitched. I have seen Oliver pitch great games at the biggest moments (vs. Yankees) and I have seen him look like he has never thrown a baseball before in his life. You never know what your gonna get from this guy. (Note: Oliver...we need you. If you deliver down the stretch, I will be forever greatful). Even with his inconsistency, I know that some team will pay Oliver tons of money at the end of this season because hey, if Gil Meche can get $55 million dollars, then why can't Oliver?

The Case for Perez
He's left handed.
Finding a stud starting pitcher is hard enough, but when he is left handed, teams go ga-ga for it. I have seen Oliver Perez single handedly take away the best hitters in a team's lineup because no one wants to play lefties against him. Lefties are only hitting .150 against him this season and I have seen more than my fair share of horrible swings against Perez from the left side. If the Mets and Phillies are forced to play game 163, I would feel very confident that Perez could shut down Howard and Utley. That's high praise.

The K's!
Perez strikes out just under one per inning (162 K in 178 IP), which expresses how dominant Perez can be when he is on. Teams value guys who have the ability to strike out hitters because it completely eliminates the chance of an error or a dinky hit. Armed with a dominant fastball and an absolutely filthy slider, Perez is your classic left handed strikeout artist. He could easily strike out 8-10 guys per game. All he needs to do is maintain control. Teams always seem to overpay for guys who can get the strikeouts en masse and Perez should be no different.

He's a youngin.
Even though Ollie has been around for the past six seasons, Perez will only be 27 on opening day next season. Most 27 year olds do not become free agents because they lack the service time, which makes Perez even more valuable. As a GM, you know that if you sign Perez, you will have him during his "prime". That alone could make Perez one of the most coveted free agent pitchers.

The Case against Perez
The Walks.
Oh boy...Ollie and his walks. There are times when Ollie looks like he is cruising and then he will mysteriously lose it and walk two or three guys in a row. And then there are other nights where Perez simply doesn't have it and will walk six or seven. You never know with Perez, who has walked a horrific 94 guys this season. Anywhere close to 100 is unacceptable for a major league pitcher. But Perez's stuff is so good that he is still able to maintain a 1.37 WHIP.

He's been really bad.
Coming into 2005, Oliver Perez was looking like he was on his way to becoming one of the best left handed starters in baseball. After having a fantastic 2004, Perez was looking to maintain his success by having another quality season with the Pirates. However, Perez floundered badly in 2005. He wound up with a 5.58 ERA in only 20 starts before being demoted to the minors. To make matters worse, Perez continued his struggles into 2006 by posting a 6.55 ERA before being turned around by Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson. Any GM who signs Ollie has to acknowledge his history and not be caught off guard if Perez flounders.

The longball.
In addition to his wildness, Oliver Perez will give up his fair share of home runs. Part of that is because of his aggressiveness, but Perez does have a tendency to live up in the zone. I'm not saying to avoid Perez because of this, but if I don't think that the Astros or Phillies (teams with really small parks) should make a push for Perez.

Competition
CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets are Perez's prime competition. However, teams will be scared away by Sabathia's price tag and others will shy away from Sheets because of the injury concerns. So Perez could actually wind up becoming the lower cost option to either one of those guys and given his age and ability, he should have no problem developing a market.

Prediction
(5 years/$60 million)
Despite his inconsistency, Perez will get his loot from someone. His agent, Scott Boras, is a master of getting two teams to compete against each other so I expect him to do his best to develop a strong market for Ollie. If I were Boras I would say, "how many 27 year old ace lefties are out there on the market right now?" After that, I would see who bites. Because quite honestly, there are no other guys that combine both Perez's ability and age on the free agent market. With that said, I don' think the Mets will make a strong play for Ollie. Boras should look at the following contracts:

Gil Meche (5 years/$55 mil)
Kevin Millwood (5 years/$60 mil)
AJ Burnett (5 years/$55 mil)

To me, Perez is better than all three of those guys. None of them strike me as #1's, but they are good #2s, which is where I think Perez is. And for all of you who think that pitchers no longer get long term contracts, welcome to 2008.
Wherever he lands, Oliver Perez has been a fun/interesting/frustrating Met to follow and I wish him the best of luck. But before you go Ollie, pitch us into the playoffs, por favor!