If you asked most people what they disliked most about modern bullpen usage, the most common answer would be managing the game with the idea of maximizing saves for one pitcher. There is no doubt that is a sub-optimal way to do things. But to me there is something even more revolting and that is [...]
The Mets are on their heels after getting swept in Atlanta even with aces R.A. Dickey and Johan Santana taking the hill. One thing that has categorized the 2012 Mets is resilience and that trait will be put to the test now, with six games against the first-place Nationals sandwiching a set with the 48-42 [...]
Friday night Terry Collins used both Josh Edgin and Ramon Ramirez for 1.1 innings each. Saturday afternoon the Mets used only Edgin. New York used five relievers, including three different pitchers in the decisive eighth inning. Yet Ramirez was not one of them, the bullpen imploded and the Mets lost a toss-up game they really [...]
The Mets had an inauspicious beginning to their second half, as they fell to the Atlanta Braves 7-5 on Friday night in a key six-game road series in which they will play three in Atlanta and three in Washington. With both of those teams ahead of the Mets in the NL East standings, this stretch [...]
In his last 10 games, Dillon Gee had a 3.11 ERA and a 3.0 K/BB ratio. In short, he was pitching great and giving the Mets a chance to win nearly every time out, as he had eight Quality Starts in that stretch. Now, with the horrible news about a blood clot, the Mets are [...]
It’s late summer, the last week of July. It’s mad hot outside. A fella gets out of bed to go to work. He’s got a slight grabbing pain in his lower back. “I must’ve slept funny,” he says to himself. After showering and getting dressed, the fella finds himself a little short of breath. “I [...]
Well here we are. At the midway point of the season, our beloved New York Mets are exceeding expectations and are currently six games over .500 and in contention for the playoffs. For the Mets to be where they are at this point, a lot has gone right so far with many players unexpectedly chipping [...]
I’m playing the Devil’s Advocate and exploring a line of thinking that doesn’t necessarily gel with what I want the Mets to do or think they’ll do. Instead, let’s see if there is any sense in the Mets looking at 2012 as a rebuilding and retooling year. Now… the Mets can and should still look [...]
There is something in the air around Citi Field, other than Flushing Bay at low tide. The atmosphere has lightened, almost imperceptibly. The gloom and black clouds that permeated the place are slowly, surely being dispersed. The dust of the previous three seasons is being blown out over the sea. Citi Field is starting to [...]
Everyone in Metsland seems upset that David Wright was the victim of voter fraud in San Francisco and that R.A. Dickey was the victim of Tony LaRussa arrogance/stupidity. Me, I do not care too much about either of those things. Rather what has me upset is the opening line of a column published by CBS [...]
In the last game before the All-Star break, the Mets trotted Jordany Valdespin out to center field, where he made several nice running catches and did not look too much like a guy playing out of position. He went 1-for-3 in the game and now has a .257/.297/.529 slash line. He’s come up with some [...]
If at the end of Spring Training, someone had told you that the day before the All-Star break that the Mets were seven games above .500 you probably would not have believed them. And if they told you the Mets would accomplish this with Ike Davis batting .205 with a .669 OPS you would have [...]