All-Time Mets Team

I couldn't go to be there for the suspense last Sunday. I couldn't even watch it as it first aired tonight (Thursday). But I'm watching it now. It's the Mets 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. And I'm sharing a few comments about it.

First off, I like, and more importantly trust any panel that includes the "voices of the Mets" Howie Rose and Gary Cohen. I don't know who made up the rest of the selection panel, but those two were there. Howie and Gary were on the TV program with host Kevin Burkhardt. I like when Howie and Gary are working together like this panel. They did it on the radio for 2 years, and they did it again for a few minutes after the Mets first no-hitter 3 weeks ago tomorrow.

As I watch this program on "tape", I will break it down position-by-position. I also want to include my all-time first and second team. I hate to call it a "bench".

First Base
Ed Kranepool, Dave Kingman, Keith Hernandez, John Olerud
It went to Keith Hernandez. I think the nominees were a little thin here. I wouldn't have considered Dave Kingman with the other 3, but he was also before my time. I really liked Olerud (the only one I saw at an age that I was old enough to appreciate). But Mex was the leader and the piece that turned the franchise around. He's the all-time first baseman.

Second Base
Felix Milan, Doug Flynn, Wally Backman, Edgardo Alfonzo
It went to Edgardo Alfonzo. I never saw Milan or Flynn, so I can't say much about them. Backman was a gritty player, but Fonzie was was the best among them, but he was also a third baseman with the Mets. I'd have to think that counts against him just a little bit. Those couple of years when the Mets had Olerud, Fonzie, and Ordonez were a lot of fun to watch.

Shortstop
Bud Harrelson, Rafael Santana, Rey Ordonez, Jose Reyes
It went to Jose Reyes. I think it should have gone to Buddy. And I never saw him play. Reyes was dynamic, Rey Ordonez was a defensive wizard, but from what I've heard about Buddy Harrelson, I think he was better. I think the injuries have to count against Reyes. I also have a bit of a problem including players of the modern day under the label "All-Time".

Third Base
Hubie Brooks, Howard Johnson, Robin Ventura, David Wright
It went to David Wright. Ventura wasn't with the Mets long enough. Really, neither was Hubie Brooks. HoJo was a great player. Wright, another modern day player, and one who I've been down on at times, I think takes it because of being the "leader" and having the longevity at a position that I remember the Mets used to count the number of people who played it as it kept changing. But he's put up the numbers to back it up.

Right Handed Relief Pitcher
Skip Lockwood, Neil Allen, Roger McDowell, Armando Benitez
It went to Roger McDowell. I never saw Skip Lockwood pitch. I don't necessarily agree with including Neil Allen in this list. Benitez was just too scary for my taste. And I can't think of anyone off hand who should be on this list. McDowell was the best at this special position.

Left Handed Relief Pitcher
Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco, Randy Myers, John Franco
It went to Tug McGraw. Left handed relief pitchers, at least at the top of the list, was much better than the top of the right handed relief pitcher list. Franco was with the Mets forever. He was the closer for some bad teams. And he's a Mets Hall of Famer. Myers was actually traded for Franco, and was the kid to replace Orosco/McDowell. I think Billy Wagner should have been on this list instead of Myers. Orosco was the guy who grew up with the 1980s Mets and of course was there for the last outs against Houston and Boston in 1986. I never saw Tug pitch, but I've heard a lot about him. He was a cut above the rest.

Catcher
Jerry Grote, Gary Carter, Todd Hundley, Mike Piazza
It went to Mike Piazza. This may have been the most competitive position in 50 years of the Mets. Grote was the backstop of the 1969 Miracle Mets. Hundley was my favorite player growing up in the 1990s. Piazza was the piece that put the late '90s Mets on the next level. Piazza was the guy with the big HR in the first home game after 9/11. But there were times when I was down on Mike Piazza. Sorry. Gary Carter, for my money, was the best catcher in Mets history. His stay was shorter, but he was the last piece of the puzzle for the 1980s Mets championship team (should have been teams).

Despite Carter not winning at his position, I like that SNY had a Gary Carter tribute in the middle of their program tonight.

Left Field
Cleon Jones, George Foster, Kevin McReynolds, Cliff Floyd
It went to Cleon Jones. Foster was another one I never saw play, and I really never heard good things about him. McReynolds came to the Mets when I was just beginning as a Mets fan, but I always thought he was a blah player, despite the numbers he put up. Floyd was a modern-day player who was good, but not a "best". Cleon Jones was the best LF in Mets history.

Center Field
Tommie Agee, Mookie Wilson, Lenny Dykstra, Carlos Beltran
It went to Carlos Beltran. I never saw Agee, but I've heard lots of good things about him. Mookie was always a favorite. Lenny was "nails". Beltran was good. I have trouble with this one, only because Beltran was a modern day player, a Met until last year, and I have trouble with that in general just because it's too fresh in my mind. There's a part of me that wants to say that Mookie was better.

Right Field
Ron Swoboda, Rusty Staub, Darryl Strawberry, Bobby Bonilla
It went to Darryl Strawberry. Ok, Bobby Bonilla? Seriously? Straw was the best. Hands down. Rusty is my guy off the bench to pinch hit. But I never saw Rusty play in 1973 with the Mets. Rocky Swoboda was another one from well before my time. But Straw is the best. He was my favorite Met growing up in the late 1980s.

Manager
Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Davey Johnson, Bobby Valentine
It went to Davey Johnson. Casey Stengel and the 3 managers who took the Mets to the World Series. Gil turned the team around for the first time. Davey turned the team around the second time. Bobby V turned the team around the third time. And Casey was just fun to listen to (so I've heard). Davey had a more talented team for a longer period of time than Gil Hodges or Bobby Valentine. But I've never heard players so emotional when talking about a manager than when the 1969 Mets talked about Gil Hodges. This may be the toughest call to make, but I agree with Davey Johnson. But Gil Hodges is right there next to Davey on the all-time Mets roster.

Left Handed Starting Pitcher
Jerry Koosman, John Matlack, Sid Fernandez, Al Leiter
It went to Jerry Koosman. Koos and Matlack were both before my time. I've always heard about Seaver (a righty) and Koosman. Leiter was the ace of the Mets teams I enjoyed around the turn of the century. Fernandez was the best lefty when I was first coming up as a Mets fan. But I can't disagree with Koosman.

Right Handed Starting Pitcher
Tom Seaver, Ron Darling, Dwight Gooden, David Cone
It went to Tom Seaver. Of course it did. He was "The Franchise". And the other 3 were in the same pitching rotation. How didn't they win a World Series (at least in the time Cone was there). Doc was electric. I wasn't around in 1985 or really in 1986. But Doc was my other favorite player from the late 1980s teams. Oh what he could have been. Maybe what Tom Seaver was.

So to recap...
1B: Keith Hernandez
2B: Edgardo Alfonzo
SS: Jose Reyes
3B: David Wright
LF: Cleon Jones
CF: Carlos Beltran
RF: Darryl Strawberry
C: Mike Pizza
LH RP: Tug McGraw
RH RP: Roger McDowell
LH SP: Jerry Koosman
RH SP: Tom Seaver
MGR: Davey Johnson

4 from the 1986 Mets
2 from the 2000 Mets
3 from the 2006 Mets
4 from the 1969 Mets

I will give honorable mention to a 7 Mets that didn't make the at their positions, because they certainly deserve to be part of the All-Time Mets team.
1B: Ed Kranepool
SS: Bud Harrelson
3B: Howard Johnson
RF/PH: Rusty Staub
C: Gary Carter
RH SP: Dwight Gooden
MGR: Gil Hodges


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Watching Reyes Leave

It sounds like Jose Reyes will not be a Met next season. Fine. Let him go. I hope it's the start of Sandy Alderson starting to turn things around with the Mets. It's time to say goodbye to those who were part of losing and injuries (something I was saying 2 1/2 years ago before the injuries became an issue), and it's time to bring in smarter spending.

Basic baseball spending principle - you can do more with your team if you don't throw 99% of the money at 1% of the players. Okay, in baseball, it may not be quite that extreme, but a GM can fill more holes (and there are many) by not throwing all of the available spending money at one player. I am all for filling in the holes more than I am in favor of bringing back a player who, while being very dynamic, was also very prone to injuries, and was one of the "leaders" of the team during the days in which the team had utterly failed. There are other "leaders" that I would get rid of who have been around the Mets for some time now (David Wright, you know who you are).

Yes, it's true that the Mets have money issues that will indeed impact their player salary spending. Maybe that has something to do with the expected decision to not have Reyes back (we haven't actually heard anything from the Mets that regardless of where he signs, Reyes will not be back with them next year - this is just conjecture based on the lack of news coming out of Queens regarding Reyes), and maybe it doesn't. As noted above, it's just smarter to let Reyes go and use the money elsewhere than it is to break the bank to bring him back.

I've seen some angry words by some Mets fans that seem to be directed towards the Mets for not having Reyes back. I think most of these people are short-sighted. Hold the hostility for Reyes when he returns to Queens.

Mets 2012 - Rejuvinated at 50

Someone, a follower but non-diehard fan, asked me last night if the Mets were going to re-sign Jose Reyes. I told him that I honestly didn't know. I could see it going either way. I hope they do, and he has the ability to be a large force of the rebuilt Mets, but at the same time, he has the ability to go down to leg injuries every year that cuts into what he provides to the club. This year's (so far) was minor, and this year, he's showed potential, but one has to wonder. Now, he's not at the point of it being a joke like Fernando Martinez. But it's been a few years since Jose played the entire season healthy. All of that, especially over the past few seasons, makes me wary of throwing lots of money (assuming the Mets can afford it) at Reyes for many many years (though he should still be in the "prime" of his career 5 years from now and on the edge of it 2 years later). Omar Minaya would throw the money at Reyes and lock him up, which is what a lot of the vocal fans want. I don't mean to insult those fans by comparing their desire to what a clown like Omar Minaya would do. But Sandy Alderson is different, and I just don't know what he's going to do. I've said before that the best ballpark for Jose Reyes is Citi Field because of its wide open space. I'm waiting for him to go for 4 bases (you know it's going to be a play where a typically slower runner would end up with a triple). But who knows how much money will talk to Reyes in the offseason and make him leave NY. Or worse, moving to the Bronx.

The other realization I had, and thanks to Steve Popper at the Bergen (NJ) Record and NorthJersey.com was that the expected trade of Carlos Beltran means the end of the "core" group of Mets from the Omar Minaya era. I had also never thought of Beltran, Reyes, and Wright as being the core. I guess they were. Pedro and Delgado were there too. Beltran, when healthy, was something special. When healthy! But my thought here is that these are the last days of Carlos Beltran as a New York Met.

Now, Beltran is having a great year. An All-Star Season in fact (I think so anyway...didn't watch anything related to the game). He's a veteran who has some control on a trade. Ultimately, that may prove to be a bad thing for either side. Beltran really really doesn't want to play in the American League because of the fear of the DH. Coming into this season, I was ready to concede that Beltran was best suited as a DH for the Mets (for the amount of time that such a thing exists), but he proved me wrong. As far as 2012 and beyond is concerned, having a DH position to fall back on may be good. NL teams may not offer him as many years because of his knees (since they don't have the DH as a fallback). But in the near-term, I don't think it matters where Beltran goes. I'm sure he really doesn't want to leave the Mets (though I am sure he's not in the Mets future plans), but it's also pretty clear that the Mets will trade him in the next few days (they haven't yet already, have they? I'm taking a long time to write this post). If he has a chance to win, and a team and guarantee that he will play 6 days a week in the outfield, it shouldn't matter which league it's in. I know there's a comfort zone in the NL. Maybe that can come in handy with a team in the World Series.

One note on K-Rod. I knew Francisco Rodriguez would be traded. I just didn't expect it to happen during the All-Star Game. Too bad he wasn't having an All-Star season (think about it. How often does a player get traded mid-game and NOT need to get pulled).

David Wright's back. Hey, that's a double-pun. Wright had a big weekend with the bat (I still think he's un-clutch, but I'll give him a week or so to let the excitment of returning from a 2 month absense wear off), but I've heard more talk about his bad throwing mechanics, something I started noticing in 2009. Those things are hid a lot better by a good defensive first baseman (like Ike Davis or Keith Hernandez) because people tend to forget the cases when he gets the out. Wright is signed through next year, and there are no trade rumors. But that won't stop me from advocating trading Wright. Like Beltran and Reyes, and even more-so, Wright has been the "face of the franchise" since his arrival in 2004. And what have the Mets done over that time? I won't remind you, but it wasn't what we all had hoped they would do. I think he needs to wear the captian's "C" on his jersey, or he needs to be traded to a team that won't put the pressure on him. It should happen in the offseason...before the rumors of next year's trade deadline start distracting him.

I'm starting to wonder about Johan Santana. I can only remember him pitching one complete season with the Mets, that being his first in 2008. Maybe it was the new ballpark. Maybe Omar Minaya got damaged goods (and he hasn't led us to winning anything, though in that first year, he came pretty damn close to getting that chance). I would like to see how he comes back from this latest recovery, because the pitching staff will be better with him than without him. But the pitching staff is getting very weak. Even Mike Pelfrey should be considered a treadeable pitcher instead of a number 2 guy.

It's just about time to completely rebuild the organization, something I've advocated since 2009. Both the major league team and the farm system (think about the "talent" down on the farm - the oft-injured Fernando Martinez, the not-quite-closer Bobby Parnell (who blew a save on Sunday in the 8th), who else am I missing - more misses that hits down there). But at the same time, it's time for the Mets to get younger with Reyes being the veteran leader of the Mets Kids Club. Something, maybe, to look forward to next year in 2012. Mets 2012 - Rejuvinated at 50!


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Half Way Home

By my count, the Mets are 41-40 over the first half of the season. It's really on par with my pre-season prediction. But given how the idea of being above .500 is a very recent revelation in Mets-land, I think 41-40 is pretty darn good.

Jose Reyes really needs to be the starting shortstop at the All-Star Game. 121 hits over 78 games (remember he missed a few games and he leads the league in hits), 15 triples (almost double the next player), he's tied for the MLB lead in batting average, and 2nd in the majors in SB and runs.

The injuries to David Wright and Ike Davis have certainly changed the face of the team (and I still blame Wright for Davis's injury). It sounds like Wright will the first of the two to return to the lineup. But I think I've already said that I like 3/4 of the infield that we've seen for most of the past month and a half - Turner at 3B, Reyes at SS, and Tejada at 2B, with Davis at 1B.

And in the outfield, is may be possible that Jason Bay is finally breaking out. Or not. We'll have to see. But he certainly looked good hitting the Mets' first grand slam since 1986 (ok, in almost 23 months). Angel Pagan is looking good, and I like Jason Pridie as a 4th OF. But who would have expected Carlos Beltran to lead the Mets in both HR and RBI, be 2nd in ABs (behind Reyes), and the most surprising stat for the most surprising Met of the first 3 months ... Carlos Beltran leads the Mets in Games Played.

Remember that with all of that, the Mets are still just a .500 club. The offense can break out like it did for 4 games in Texas and Detroit, and then it can go dormant, like I think it will when the Mets get back to Citi Field. Some of the individual numbers may be sustained, but long stretches of winning won't be with this club. They're just not there yet.

And then there's pitching. I'm not sure I sorted the stats correctly. Chris Young (out for the season) leads the club in ERA. Mike O'Connor is second. And the best of the current 5 man rotation is Dillon Gee in 6th (3.32 ERA). On another note, Francisco Rodriguez leads the club in appearances (somewhat ironic because everyone is watching him with that mark of games played he has this year). 20 saves in 41 wins. I actually don't know if that's normal or not.

Looking over wins-losses, it seems somewhat backwards. The "ace" and last year's biggest (good) surprise are both 4-7 (that's Pelfrey and Dickey). Niese and Capuano are hovering around the .500 mark (14-13 combined). And Gee really is another one who deserves at least a look at the All Star Game. For as good as the starters have looked, remember, they're just a .500 club.

And in the bullpen, it's been a bit of trial and error, and a bit of sense of "these are our guys". I said back in March that I liked that it was a lot of new guys. Manny Acosta is a waste (highest ERA of the current 25 man roster). But other than that, I think the Mets have a good rythym in the 'pen. But those things usually don't last. And it certainly took a while to get to this point.

I think what I'm trying to say is that there's been some good (Reyes, Gee, Beltran, Izzy, Beato, both of whom I have yet to mention), some bad, or at least not-as-good (Dickey, Pelfrey, Willie Harris), some lineup changes due to injury (Pagan was out, Bay was out, Chris Young is gone, Wright and Davis have been out), and good finds (like Turner).

And not to mention the change in culture brought in by Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins. I know some Mets fans have been very critical of Collins, but I think every one has to say that Collins has made a difference in the clubhouse.

41 down, 41 to go. And I still stand by my prediction of 83 wins (which actually means a slightly better 2nd half than 1st half). As hard as it is to see making a move to give up on the season, I think there will be an offer by a real contender (which I do not consider the Mets to be) for either Beltran or K-Rod that's just too good to pass up.


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Few and Far Between

I'm back with enough thoughts on the Mets to exceed the limit of a facebook status. Let me go over a few items.

1. Justin Turner, Jose Reyes, and Dillon Gee need to be on the All-Star team. Reyes should be starting at SS for the National League. I think it's been a while since I said the Mets had 3 genuine All-Stars. Carlos Beltran is also worthy of at least being in the conversation as a reserve. I know it's somewhat of a popularity contest, and that most fans outside of New York have never heard of Turner or Gee, but these guys should at least be on the manager's radars for selecting reserves and pitchers. Gee has a shot at having 10 wins by the break, and remember, he didn't start the season in the majors and was out of the Mets rotation for a week or two. Lots of people could say that Turner has been keeping the Mets afloat while Wright and Davis have been out. More on him later. And what can I say about Reyes? He's such a dynamic player having a career year, leading the league in most offensive categories (except nose hair).
2. There was a fan movement about 9 days ago to show the Mets management and ownership (and the media) that fans want Jose Reyes to stay a Met. I absolutely support that effort (short of bloggers who become martyrs aside). I really hope Fred Wilpon and his new best friend got the message. Looking at Reyes's stats, I truly believe Citi Field is the best place for him, and the Mets certainly need a guy like Reyes at the top of their lineup. 3 steps back if they let Reyes go or trade him, and 3 bases forward (and rather quickly and matter-of-factly) if they can lock him up.
3. I really believe the Mets are better off without David Wright. Yes, you heard me right. Wright is wrong, at least for the Mets. And I blame Wright for Ike Davis's injury, but that's besides the point. I'm sure I've said this before, but if David Wright was the "face of the franchise" during these really bad years (from losing in the playoffs in 2006 through 2010), then what leadership has he provided? And I have to say, I like 3/4 of the Mets infield right now - Tejada at 2B, Reyes at SS, and Turner at 3B - and add back Ike Davis at 1B, and I like where this team is going. For Wright, this injury is giving the fans and management a chance to see what life without Wright can be like, and frankly, it's not so bad. It's even refreshing. And this injury is at least delaying the possible trade (or at least serious trade talk) involving Wright.
4. I also like the idea of a Duda-Pagan-Pridie outfield. I'll let you figure out what that all means.
5. I still do not consider the Mets a contender. A few weeks ago, I posted a thought on the facebook page for this blog that I saw a parallel to the 1997 Mets in this year's team (and I think this was after Wright and Davis were already down and out) - new management and a new direction, knowing it realistically will be a couple of years before it all pays off, and knowing that a few of the faces defining this year's club won't be around when it does pay off. I really do believe that Terry Collins has changed the tone in the Mets clubhouse. I think we heard that all the way back in Spring Training. He really was the right man for the job, despite what some people think about some of his on-field decisions. Maybe the Mets will live up to the phrase that I coined in 2009 - "Mets 2012. Rejuvinated at 50!"

And lastly, our thoughts are with Gary Carter as he begins to fight brain cancer. Go Kid!


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Cleaning House and the fate of Jose Reyes

Let me start by saying that there is an fan event, details here on facebook, whose sole purpose is to show anyone watching (i.e. management, television, other fans) that Mets fans want Jose Reyes to be a Met for a long time to come. I support the cause, but since it's a Friday night, I probably won't be out in Queens for the game (it's Friday June 3, the 7:10pm game against Atlanta; and it's a schlep from NJ for a weeknight game). The event is being organized by one of the most die-hard Mets fans I've ever met, Donna Bauer. According to the facebook event page, meet the group outside the rotunda before the game (4:30 to 6pm) and on the Shea Bridge in the top of the 5th.

Now, a lot has been written and spoken lately - really all speculation - about an upcoming fire sale of the Mets roster. Let me say this...I fully support it. In some ways, it's just wrong that a pro sports team in a major league based in New York has to go through with a fire sale, but in the case of the Mets, I think it's necessary. Not so much for the sake of shrinking the payroll, but more for the sake of cutting away the losers wearing Mets uniforms, as well as other players that just aren't practically part of the future of the organization.

There's still a handfull of "core players" leftover from the Mets teams that suffered through a playoff collapse in 2006 (I still say that not scoring in the bottom of the 6th in Game 7 against the Cardinals was a downward turning point for this franchise), the divsion-leading collapses of 2007 and 2008, and the utter failure of a season in 2009. I would trade away the leader of the pack - David Wright - as well as free agent-to-be Carlos Beltran. I would look to cut Francisco Rodriguez, even though he's preformed pretty well this year. I'd even look to trade Mike Pelfrey.

But there's one name that I left off that list. I know he's been injured in the past, but when he's on, he's explosive. This type of dynamic player just doesn't come around that often. That is Jose Reyes. Lots of people schooled in what the Mets are thinking have speculated that Jose Reyes will not even finish this season as a member of the New York Mets. He's a free agent looking to make big money this offseason, and it's money that the Mets just don't seem to have.

But if the Mets are hoping to compete in the future, they need their long-time catalyst. So why does everyone want to save him and not David Wright (Wright isn't even a free agent this offseason)? Well, let me draw this picture for you for Reyes, as just one example of "why". Lots of people have said that Citi Field is just too big. I think for Reyes, it's too small. I've noticed him legging out triples with ease at Citi Field (the way others get doubles). I think if the ballpark were a little bit bigger, Reyes would actually be able to turn 3rd and try for 4 bases a few times a season. With this Mets offense, Reyes needs to find a way to score on his own because guys like David Wright just aren't bringing him in very much.

And that leads me to the loser fan-annointed leader of this club, David Wright. The thought process is simple with him. He was the clutch guy and face of the team for all these bad years. And the word clutch should be in quotes because he just isn't. Maybe he's had undisclosed injuries (and I'll excuse what happened after he was beaned in the head 2 years ago) that have affected his play (throwing and hitting). Heck, it's widely thought that he has one now (caused by hustle, so it's not all bad, but we had to learn it from the manager's speculation almost 2 weeks after the fact, and not from the player saying i'm banged up and I need a day off). With Wright, and I think I've said this before, I say that the Mets have played bad with him, so they can play bad without him.

The end result of all this -- I think the Mets will dance around the bottom of contention until one of two things happens:

1. the Wilpons need money and have to start selling off players now (that would only work in the supposed case that another team takes on the salary for the remainder of the season, which I had kept hearing wasn't gonna happen). That goes along with a rumor I saw on facebook today about a Memorial Day sale in Flushing.
   
2. the Trade Deadline approaches and Sandy Alderson takes a reality check that the Mets are just short of serious contention, and it's time to start making trades for the sake of getting young players and draft picks in return for free agents that you won't be signing in the offseason because there's a need for new blood and less money to be spent. Now I know that there is some compensation for some types of free agents not being re-signed (though I don't know all the rules, nor do I know who on the Mets fits into that bucket), but making trades is better. It's kind of like being an organ donor. Especially if it's to a team that can beat the Yankees or Phillies.
   

But for now, let's try and send a message to management that while purging and rebuilding is a necessary step in making the Mets into winners again, it's important to keep the fans in the stands (they're having enough trouble with that with the current team as it is and the stadium layed out the way it is), and a big step into doing that is to keep Jose Reyes around for a long time (and I don't mean until this August).

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Ike Davis has been a breath of fresh air

Ike Davis is here! Ike Davis is here! It's only been 2 games. He's played well, not seeming like he's out of place, like some minor league callups can be and have been (which can change, so it's not really an indication of anything). He wears shaving cream well.

He's not the savior of the franchise. At least not now. I'm not expecting him to be one either. But he is a breath of fresh air for this club. He's a guy who basically was not part of the 2006 Playoff failure, the 2007 and 2008 bullpen collapses, and the 2009 injury-plagued season. None of that is in his head. Almost like turning the page.

Last night, Jose Reyes had a breakout game, something that maybe he can build on. That seems like another breath of fresh air. I saw the triple he hit to left, and SNY showed the 2 runners coming home. I didn't even realize that he was on his way to third. That's the dynamic Jose Reyes that we all know and love. I knew it was still there in him. It just had to take time to come out after the time missed in March, and all the time missed last season.

Mike Pelfrey has 3 wins and 1 save - leading the Mets in both. After his mental troubles last season, this is like another breath of fresh air.

With all this fresh air blowing into Queens, let's get a good breeze going here!


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Mr. Met

Yesterday we received word that Jose Reyes has a torn hamstring in addition to the tendon problem he's had all summer. I'm just thinking that whoever it is sticking pins in the Mr. Met voodoo doll, STOP! It's not funny anymore. Well, at least nobody was killed.


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