For the first time in as long as I can remember, watching the Mets play is not Plan A of my summer existence.  Livan Hernandez is pitching tonight?  Maybe “Wipeout” is on.  Oliver Perez going against the Nationals?  Let’s go rent “Watchmen” from that dollar machine at the supermarket instead.  Injuries are clearly the main culprit this season.  However, watching players like Omir Santos, Jeff Francoeur, and Livan is frustrating, considering the thought process behind their significant playing time.  It took a torn quadriceps from Fernando Nieve for Jon Niese to finally get the call from AAA.  That he has been in the minor leagues since mid-May is indefensible.  In sorry times like this, one option is to call up minor leaguers to see what they can do. [...]

MMO – This Is Your Brain On Mets Baseball

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about the latest Mets follies, but maybe these will make you laugh. They say it’s the best medicine you know.  This first image was taken out of yesterday’s paper and proves that if nothing else, God still loves the Mets. Maybe if we pray hard enough, he’ll send us four starting pitchers, three power hitters, two gold gloves, and VP of Player Development in a pear tree. (Hat tip to Gregg Hopps) [...]

NY Sports Day – With Bernazard The Wilpons Are No Better Than Dolan

Have I missed something? When did James L. Dolan purchase the Mets?   Ok, the MSG Boss hasn’t reached out into Queens, but with the way the Mets are acting these days with their front office, you might think Isiah Thomas is running the team.  Sure, Thomas is safely away from New York starting his gig as coach of Florida International, but Mets VP of player development Tony Bernazard has become the New Isiah with his antics over the past few weeks.  Let’s review: Bernazard proceeded to berate a low level Mets employee because a scout dared to sit in his seat. He then challenged a bunch of Double-A players to a fight in Binghamton taking off his shirt because they weren’t playing up to his standards. [...]

Mack’s Mets – Enough With The B-Met Drama

In one way or another, I’ve been on the same side of the media fence for over 30 years. I’ve watched us turn the news industry into a travelling circus, based solely on getting ratings, rather than content. I was associated for a couple of years with the man that created CNBC and, I always remembered his words to the original people that were behind the desks there: “if we tell someone to buy Cisco in the first quarter hour, find someone to say you should sell Cisco< and put them on the 3rd quarter hour.” It’s all theatre now.

Promote the Curse – Remember, You Help Pay Tony Bernazard’s Salary

Or you, and all the rest of us, contribute anyway. We contribute each time we buy a David Wright t-shirt or switch on SNY. We contribute by supporting this team.
Of everything else that’s happened this season, the news that the Mets have a senior management member who would whip off his shirt and challenge our Double-A team to a fight is easily the most infuriating thing I’ve read about this organization.

Robert Carson (5 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 6 K) - After receiving some serious publicity by tossing a 3 hit, 9 inning shutout versus the Lexington Legends, prospect junkies are clamoring for whatever information they can find on the young lefty. On the evening I watched him pitch, he threw against Tim Beckham and the Sally League Tampa Bay Rays affiliate.

MMO – Will The Mets Party Like It’s 1987?

Much has been made about the 2009 Mets resembling the 1987 team because of the injuries.  The difference is that this year’s injuries have mainly cost the Mets their offensive spark plugs while the 1987 team lost their starting pitchers to various injuries.  I have done extensive research on the 1987 team and I will try to show why the current team is not dead yet.  For those of you who already know the ending to the saga of the 1987 season, please don’t spoil it for our younger readers.  I’m trying to give them a little bit of hope here.

Around the Majors – End of Francoeur Era A Good Thing For Braves

Frank Wren pulled one over on Omar Minaya last Friday by trading Jeff Francoeur for Ryan Church. As a Braves fan I’ve been waiting on Atlanta to trade Francoeur, send him down or make him a fourth or fifth outfielder. Best-case scenerio, I thought, they would trade him for something. Braves fans got the best-case scenario.  It’s not that I took pleasure in Francoeur’s fall from grace or hope that he continues to be as bad as he was for Atlanta. The Atlanta native seems like a nice enough guy, and I don’t believe he was loafing or being lazy.

Amazin Avenue – Schneider On Fire – Enjoy It While It Lasts

From the time he came off the DL in late May through the All Star Break, Brian Schneider hit .258/.351/.500 in 74 plate appearances.  Small sample size, but this is a respectable line at any position, and outstanding for a catcher.  Also, all 3 of his home runs were hit at Citi Field.  This hot streak has helped compensate for a brutal first 2 weeks of the season that saw him post an OPS of .440 over 25 plate appearances.

Newsday – “We didn’t actually beat ourselves”

Wow. Talk about setting the bar low. That’s what Jerry Manuel had to say after the Mets fell to the Braves, 5-3, last night at Turner Field. Translation: Look Ma, no errors! Give it up to the Mets, folks. They threw to the right base, ran out every batted ball and didn’t wear their caps backward on the field. Well, that and $6.50 will get you a Shack Burger at Citi Field if there isn’t a W at the end of the day.

I thought I would do something special in honor of Fathers Day and take a look at all those fathers and sons that have played in the Major League’s and see if I could field a decent team. I think I did pretty good, and I was surprised to see how common it really was for fathers and sons to play in a game.

Here you go…

Dom D’s Mets Fan Blog – Exploring The Lack of Trade Options For The Mets

With Carlos Beltran headed for an MRI tomorrow and still no sign of Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and Oliver Perez I think now is an appropriate time to discuss trading for someone who could provide some steady offense, especially if Beltran hits the DL. The problem for the Mets is they have very few trade chips to work with. Their top organizational prospect, Fernando Martinez was recently called up and didn’t perform the way they would have liked. While he still has tremendous upside, the lack of success certainly didn’t help his stock.

The Star Ledger – New York Mets pitcher Fernando Nieve will remain in the rotation, Mets manager Jerry Manuel says

Mets manager Jerry Manuel plans to keep Fernando Nieve in the starting rotation, even with injured pitchers John Maine and Oliver Perez scheduled to return in the near future, Manuel said Sunday before the start of the final game of the Mets series with Tampa Bay.  Both Maine and Perez will pitch for Single-A Port St. Lucie on Monday. Each will start a game of a doubleheader against Port Charlotte — one game is a resumption of a suspended game earlier this year. But if Nieve continues to pitch well, Maine or Perez (or both) will join the Mets bullpen.

Amazin Avenue - Pedro Feliciano Wants a Vacation

Location: Mets clubhouse, June 21st, 11:00 AM
Situation: Pedro Feliciano sitting in his chair, 20 lbs. of ice on his arm, contemplating how to get some days off

This is ridiculous. I’ve pitched in 5 games in a row now. Some guy in the stands yelled to me that I’m on track to pitch in 96 games this season. I don’t want my arm to fall off, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do? Think Pedro, think.

:::Jerry Manuel walks by:::

Jerry: “Pedro, you will be pitching today.”
Pedro: “But what if it’s a blowout? We’ve got Switzer and Taka-”
Jerry: “You will be pitching today. It is written. See you in the 7th inning.”

Amazin Avenue -