Pleasant Surprises Portend Past Mistakes

Due to personal commitments over the next week, I will not be posting. Instead there will be a series of articles by guest contributors. The following contribution is from he goes by the alias "Livid Met Fan"


LHisanori Takahashi logged a very convincing performance in his second start last night, tossing 6 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts and only 5 hits allowed (see side-note below). The Phillies (looking remarkably flat) had no answer for his change-up, and were as equally frustrated as was “the team that plays in the Bronx” was in his last start. Takahashi is one of several “pleasant surprises” for the Mets in the early months of this 2010 season. Add to that list a tremendous start from “Hot Rod” Barajas. So why are these performances cause for alarm? Because we’ve seen how these “pleasant surprises” lead to poor decision making before.

Omar Minaya and the rest of the front office have a proven track record of extrapolating aberrational performances. Mistaking a stop-gap solution for a long-term strategy is a dangerous proposition, and the Mets have wandered down this road many times before. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Think Jose Valentin. Think Fernando Tatis. Or if you want to go back further, think Timo Perez.

Let me just say that I am by no means a disciple of Sabermetrics, “Moneyball” or the Theo Epstein revolution. But I do believe in statistical analysis as a means of building your program, and am fully convinced that Omar makes no effort in this regard. If he did, he wouldn’t consistently make the costly mistake of carrying forward anomalous fortune. As in, “Valentin hit .270 last year with 24 HRs, pencil those stats in for next season.” Takahashi might be a genuine #4 or 5 starter, but there is nothing to support that his performance can maintain at this level for long. In reality, I think once the scouting on Takahashi steps up, we won’t be seeing these shutout performances come July. Ditto for “Hot Rod,” who we should all prepare to come crashing down to earth over the next couple of weeks. Barajas is a career .240 hitter, has demonstrated ~20 HR potential, but the idea that he stays on pace for 30 is ludicrous.

The point is, in recent weeks, the Mets have adopted the mantra that they are “one arm away from being contenders.” I respectfully disagree. Factor out the anomalies, outliers and stop-loss performances and this is a team with much deeper deficiencies. Obviously the new youth movement is full of promise (Ike, Meijia, Pagan, Niese), but this team needs to make some serious upgrades before we can even begin to discuss the playoffs. (“Playoffs?!)

Side-note: I attended last night’s shutout of the Phillies at a very steamy Citi Field. Maybe it was the unseasonable humidity or an extra chatty performance from this unbearable woman who sits behind our season ticket seats, but in spite of a tremendous overall performance, watching Takahasi was absolutely brutal. Call him the Japanese Steve Trachsel. This guy really takes his time out there. I don’t know if it translated to TV, but the crowd got very restless as the game progressed and the delay between pitches got longer and longer. Consider yourself warned: watching Takahashi live is BRUTAL.

Absolute Bitches

According to ESPN's Brandon Tierney, Darryl Strawberry walked into the Mets clubhouse and gave the team a "tough love" pep talk. Tierney cites a "Mets Insider" as saying Straw told the team and that they are better than a last place club, letting them know that it is "rough' watching them play, but [they're] better than what [they have] shown."

According to Tierney, some players were offended by Strawberry's comments and reportedly went to Jay Horowitz and told him to keep Strawberry out of the clubhouse.

Normally, I put no credence into what anyone on ESPN has to say. The organization has become to sports news what the WWF, (I refuse to call it "WWE"), is to sports. But I do believe this story and not because I find Tierney to be uniquely credible. I believe it based on the absolute softness that has defined this team over the past five years. Time and time again we have heard reports of players crying to Mets management about one thing or another. And who can forget the story of poor little Jose Reyes who was so offended that Keith Hernandez criticized his play that he actually initiated what was very close to becoming a physical altercation. Again, while that story was also reported by anonymous sources I believed it was true, based on everything Jose and his Mets have shown us. Not to mention the fact that Hernandez's reported response that "I'm doing my job, why don't you start doing yours!" is vintage Mex and could in no way have been made up.

The fact is that Straw was one of the greatest Mets of all time, and an integral part of the best Met era of all. He was as exciting and dynamic of an athlete that we will ever see. While there will always be a "what could have been" aspect to any conversation regarding him and the Mets, the reality is what he did give us was more that any of these clowns have shown they are capable of. Not a single player on this group can hold a candle to his legacy. So it may do them a bit of good to shut the hell up and listen to what he has to say.

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Those Are Some Mainely Balls

Wow, was I wrong. I saw John Maine as another gutless disappointment of this Met Era. Every start we see him sulk and mope and brood on the mound as he tries to force pitch after pitch. And as we watch the frustration build on his face as each pitch drops low and outside or sails high and away I pegged him as a another one of those Mets who begin to fall apart the second they face adversity. So, I thought he was just another Met without any balls.

While his little tantrum over being pulled on Thursday night was predictable, his comments afterward were shockingly ballsy. As Maine continued to sulk in the clubhouse after the game, he then cried to reporters that "Manuel doesn't have any confidence in me" and that he should "cut me a little bit of slack." Cut you a little bit of slack?!?!?! John, for three years this organization has "cut you a little bit of slack." You have done absolutely nothing since September 2007. The Mets have coddled you as if you were a little league player- doing everything they could to protect your fragile psyche. Going into this season you were inexplicably guaranteed a spot in the rotation despite the fact that there are pitchers in the bullpen and in the minors that have out performed you. And the organization never waived from this position, despite your horrendous spring.

Rarely do you give your team a chance to win, constantly piling up absurd pitch counts in very few innings- of course sulking after everyone of them. And your last start will go down in Met history: walking the first three batters of the game on 12 straight pitches- not one pitch coming close to the strike zone. In essence, it was typical Maine, only even more extreme.

And as the Mets continue to free fall, coming off a terrible road trip, in which you were front and center, you have the nerve to say, hey "cut me some slack" after topping off at 83 and walking the first batter. Man, those are some Monstrous Balls!

Angry Met Fan: Origins and Inspirations

There has been much written about this current group of Mets and why it has been so tough. The feelings are indeed sincere and are in no way overstated for the good of the blog. Below is an email chain, which predates Angry Met Fan's inception. While there has been a few minor edits to the original mailing and the names of the corresponders have been changed in order to honor privacy concerns, the crux of the conversation has not been corrupted in anyway.

For purposes of full disclosure all changes in content are marked in italics and any deleted content by the insertion of ". . ." in its place. Aside from being angry met fans all parties are also fans of the television series "Lost."


From: Met Fan, Dejected
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 6:51 AM
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Angry
Subject: the darkness

Things are worse than ever!!!

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From: Met Fan, Livid
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:41:15 -0500
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Angry
Subject: RE: the darkness

It’s dark. It’s really dark. They should have blown it up after the second collapse. Not doing it then has set us back at least 5 years. This team is not going to be good for a very long time.

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From: Met Fan, Angry
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 10:56 AM
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Dejected
Subject: Re: the darkness

2006 was supposed to be the year. That's what the rules are. It was not supposed to go down the way it did. 20 year 1986 anniversary; magical comebacks; the [other New York Team] looking old and slow; Chavez' catch: it was all going according to the way the scriptures says it does. But then something happened. Something terrible. Now, like the mid 70s to early 80s and the early to mid 90's after that, we are destined for irrelevance and embarrasment for years to come; only we don't have a WS Championship to reflect back on as the cost of doing business.
Call it "The Worst Team Money Could Buy, Part Deux" or simply same ol' Mets. Whatever, the phrase, it conjures up the all too familiar feelings of what it means to have attached ourselves to this. . . franchise.

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From: Met Fan, Livid
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:18 AM
To: Met Fan, Angry
Cc: Met Fan, Dejected
Subject: RE: the darkness

Is it possible that Daniel Farraday set off a nuke that caused the 2006 team to lose? Beltran doesn’t sit on that curveball, the Mets go on to sweep the Tigers, and the [team from the Bronx] fall deeper into obscurity like they did in the 80’s. And right now there’s an alternate 2010 playing out simultaneously. One where the Mets win in 2006, go on to win the NL east in 4 consecutive years and another title in 2008? Is this possible? I’m half expecting to start having flashbacks of me attending the ticker tape parade, harassing the [other New York team's] fans, praising the genius of Omar... and inexplicably in that alternate universe I’m a detective in LA.

Harsh Realities and Angry Musings of A Trying Era

Wainwright to Beltran. It is as devastating a moment as any Met fan will have ever lived through. Yet at the time we had no reason to believe it would be the moment that would define this current group of Mets. We had no reason to believe that this awful moment was actually a symbol of everything that these Mets are.

2006 looked as if it was the beginning of something special. As the Mets, with their mix of young home grown talent and proficient veterans still in their prime, rolled through the National League it looked as if Omar Minaya would be presiding over an era of premium grade baseball played in Flushing, Queens. We had no reason to believe otherwise, as the Mets dominated with a certain swagger we had not seen since . . . well, you know when. That is why for the Met fans of my generation, this has been such a trying time; in fact, it has been the harshest time since we chose to embark on this path at an age where we were too young to comprehend the consequences.

Sure we lived through Vince Coleman, firecrackers and "The Worst Team Money Could Buy." And we watched David Cone be shipped away for a career minor leaguer and second baseman whose fans hated him as much as he hated them. And we were given a harsh lesson in reality about prospects when "Generation K" continued to fail time and time again. But we came to expect nothing from those Mets; we understood that they were awful and learned to accept that reaching .500 became a major goal in itself. Don't get me wrong, we cared as much as ever, but we learned to "manage our expectations" amid all the incompetence.

As we moved deeper into the 1990's we watched as Bernanrd Gilkey and Lance Johnson proved to be a one year tease; and we attended Opening Days where Alberto Castillo was the starting catcher and Tsuyoshi Shinjo was hitting clean up- all the while a great darkness was rising in the Bronx. But at that point we were far enough removed from our childhood and began to understand that any expectations of success were not grounded in any sense of reality as we were relegated to the unenviable "little brother" status of New York City Baseball.

We agonized over the inability for the Bobby V- Piazza Mets to beat the Braves and suffered through a worst case scenario World Series loss. But with those teams came some Amazin' Moments. After years of a Wilponion Imposed "No Star Player Policy" we finally had one; and what a star he was. And maybe he didn't have the greatest supporting cast around him, but they were still pretty damn good. More importantly, they played a competitive and griddy brand of baseball- qualities we had not seen in almost a decade. And while they never did get "over the hump", nobody really expected them to. Their grit and determination, exhibited even in losses- most notably in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS- was enough for us to take a certain amount of pride in.

Then came the Howe years and with it one of the worst trades in Met history. In other words, expectations were once again at their minimum.

But with these Mets it was different. With them we truly had expectations. BIG expectations. We believed '05 to be a sort of '85 and '06 a new '86. It was a fitting scene at Shea Stadium on August 19, 2006- the night the Mets honored the 20th Anniversary of the greatest Met team of them all- when over 50,000 jubilant fans celebrated the past, as well as the present. With Mex, Straw, The Kid, Wally, Mookie, and Nails in the house we cheered as the current group- seemingly worthy successors to our greatest era- beat the Colorado Rockies and maintained an insurmountable NL East lead. We threw confetti and danced on the 7 train in celebration of the Mets clinching the NL East on September 17, 2006- 20 years to the day the '86 version achieved the same thing. I remember walking out of Shea that night, led by a drunken vagrant who, with fist raised from one arm and beer held in another, eloquently chanted "THIS IS OUR FUCKING YEAR!!" And we all followed him, for we knew he was right.

And while 2006 was devastating WE BELIEVED we would be back. We actually bought into Willie Randolph's "We just weren't ready yet" dogma. As the off season went on and time dulled some of the pain, we were ready for a new season. So maybe 2006 wasn't our 1986. We'll look back on it as 1985, because there was no stopping us in 2007, the young home grown foundation would be a year older and the veteran's would be that much hungrier.

2007, however, was not meant to be. Little did we know that these Mets would not yearn for greater success after coming so close, but would instead remain content with what they had accomplished- which we as fans felt was absolutely nothing. The Mets of 2007 walked around with a sense of entitlement reserved only for champions, as evidenced by Carlos Delgado's 2007 statement that "We're just so good that sometimes we get bored."

We still believed though. Or at least wanted to. We wanted to believe the 2008 Mets would learn from the previous years disastrous ending. But it was more of the same, even though we were rearmed with, at the time, the best pitcher in the world. And when Jeff Wilpon attempted to categorize the last season at Shea as not one ending in a collapse, but one in which his team proudly fought to the end, the reality of our own expectations were revealed. Through his comments Wilpon admitted a certain level of expectations he had for this team; and they were much lower than what our own had been since Beltran's knees buckled. And who knows, maybe Wilpon saw that moment for the symbol it really was. Shame on us for not seeing it sooner.

Wright and Reyes: The Spirit of The Mets

Once again we watched David Wright and Jose Reyes come up to bat in the ninth inning with a chance to do something special. Once again we saw the cornerstones of this current group of Mets come up with a runner in scoring position. Once again we saw what we once touted as the best left side of the infield in the game come up in a pressure situation. And once again we saw them fail.

To say Wright and Reyes do not perform well in the clutch is an understatement. The fact is that these two- Wright especially- become completely different hitters when there is any kind of pressure to perform. And with every late and close Wright strike out and Reyes pop up comes more than just a disappointing at bat. For they are microcosms of something much larger; with their constant struggles under pressure comes the reminder of what a failure the Mets-THEIR Mets- have been.

There are some players that possess an innate ability to rise to an occasion. They either have IT or they don't. IT is a quality that is not reflected in box scores or in fantasy statistics. IT does not necessarily correlate with natural ability. And as fans we can't really explain IT, but only know if a player has IT by watching them day in and day out.

While there may have been better all around hitters than Keith Hernandez, there was nobody you would rather have up in a pressure situation because he definitely had IT. And IT rubbed off on his team. Hernandez's Mets were known for their ability to thrive under pressure.

Mike Piazza went through stretches where he willed his team to victory in the most dramatic fashion. He had an uncanny ability to deliver in the most surreal settings. And he was able to do this not solely because of his freakish talent, but because he had IT. And IT also rubbed off on his team. The Piazza led Mets were loved for being gritty and entertaining.

And what are the Wright and Reyes Mets known for? Well, during their era we have seen a disappointing post season and the biggest collapse in the history of baseball. In fact the collapse was so bad that the Mets attempted to categorize the next year's collapse as not really a collapse because it was not as massive as the previous collapse. In other words, these Mets, like the Mets of prior eras are a reflection of their stars. And what a disaster IT has been.

There are No Words . . .

Nothing witty or angry to write about today; sometimes a picture (or video) just says it all. And if you have watched this group over the past five years, how can you blame him?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/ModernTube-Keith-Hernandez-falls-asleep-during-?urn=mlb,239932

Am I Missing Something?

There was way too much talk from Bobby Ojeda on the post game, as well as the Met players and coaches, about how good Santana looked yesterday; about how refreshing it was to see such a strong rebound after the meltdown in Philadelphia. And while Santana did pitch seven and two thirds- an achievement that has become an accomplishment in itself- four runs and eight hits over those innings is not something I can get so excited about. Certainly not from Santana.

What is even more troubling to me is that, once again, Santana was given multiple run leads that he could not hold. And this is against the Giants at Citi- not exactly the same thing as facing the Phils in their whiffle ball field of a stadium. And what made the situation most disturbing is how happy Santana seemed to be with his performance, crediting his new delivery as a way to avoid tipping his pitches.

Is this what our expectations have become of Johan? And, more importantly, is this what Johan's expectations have become of himself? There was a time where a 1-0 lead seemed insurmountable against Santana. And it would not make any difference if opposing batters knew what was coming every time up; in fact, he had that "you know what's coming, try and hit it" aura about him. But that was the past. Today, we hear accolades over performances that would be considered "solid outings" for a number two starter against a high caliber offense. That, coupled with excuses over why he is getting roughed up so much, is more reason for concern than excitement over another Santana "gutsy performance."

So Very Low

I walk the streets of Brooklyn during game time, trying to find a bar -any bar- that actually has the Met game on one of their many high definition television sets. I hit my limit and find myself literally negotiating with the bartender of a local dive, which, like all the other bars, is only showing the other New York team's game. The back and forth is familiar, as I have been down this road many times before. After I ask him if he could put the Met game on, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "I don't know, I'll have to ask." He heads to the back and I push my position, "there are five people in here and you have four T.V.'s!" "Yeah," he states as he looks back at me, "but I don't even know if we get the Met channel."

As the bartender is engaged in a conversation at the opposite end of the bar with someone I presume is his boss, I wait and the local patrons look me over until their eyes fix on my Met hat. They whisper to each other. I feel awkward; like Obi Wan and Luke walking into the Cantina. Despite these menacing vibrations I hold my ground; for I know that if they want to start all I have to ask is for them to name a player on "their team" pre 1996- other than Mattingly. This usually shuts them up.

The bartender returns and, as if he is doing me some huge favor, tells me he'll put it on "that one", pointing to the 1987 13 inch Zenith hanging in the back corner. I sheepishly say, "thanks, I appreciate it", order a beer, walk to to the back of the bar and sit down. As I sit there I grow angry; instead of thanking him the more appropriate reaction would have been to tell him to fuck off and storm out. But, this is what it has come to. This is how far down the depths of irrelevance a team that at one time ruled New York has fallen.

What makes me particularly angry about this is that in 2006 it looked like things would start to change direction. I'll never forget the feeling I had when a friend and I walked into a Met friendly bar to watch the Mets finish off their three game NLDS sweep of the Dodgers. As the game was about to come on the Detroit Tigers were finishing off what looked like a very old and washed up New York American League baseball team. As the other New York team's fans were dejectedly walking out amidst a swarm of Met fans walking in, there was a feeling that this was the beginning of something special. Like Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, it felt like "we had all the momentum; we were riding the the crest of a high and beautiful wave." But, as Thompson would go on to conclude in his famous passage, "now less than five years later . . .with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark — that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back." And where was that place? Well, it came just a few weeks later on October 19, 2006.

Jerry Manuel Doesn't Have A Clue

What is the purpose of pitching Fernando Nieve EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Aside from the fact that he is going to be completely burnt out by July, it is absurd to have Mejia up here, (which he shouldn't be), if he is only going to throw an inning every now and then. This is becoming a joke. And I am really disappointed in the usually brutally honest booth for not calling Manuel out on this. Cohen and Darling have been hamming it up about how comical it is that Nieve is pitching so much. This isn't funny. The Mets will not have a chance at a play off birth if this keeps up.

Nieve has pitched in seventeen games this season, and in six of those he has pitched multiple innings. Press conference after press conference Manuel sits there, talking about how impressive and resilient Nieve has been. And while that may be true you cannot expect him to keep this up. Why is nobody acknowledging this madness?

As Met fans we have become all too familiar with late season bullpen meltdowns. Apparently Manuel has learned nothing from this.

Retire 17: The Only Logical Choice In An Illogical Time

This is the second in a series of articles demanding that the Mets retire Keith Hernandez's number 17. The series will continue until the Mets do the right thing.

As manager of another New York team Casey Stengal won seven World Series Championships. As Mets manager from 1962-1965 Stengal's teams finished in last place every season. But he was a vital piece to the launching of the New York Met Franchise. Because of Casey it didn't matter that the Mets were laughably bad; he gave the team a charming identity and a reason for fans and media to come to the ballpark. The Mets retired his number 37 in 1965.

Gil Hodges was the beloved first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947-1957. In 1968 he took over the managerial duties of the New York Mets. Hodges was known for his hard nosed, no nonsense approach and is credited as being the heart and soul of the 1969 World Champion Mets. His was the rare personality that rubbed off on players around him. His number 14 was retired by the Mets in 1972.

Like Stengal, Keith Hernandez gave the Mets an identity. Prior to his arrival in 1983 the Mets were irrelevant and wallowing away in obscurity. And like Hodges, Hernadez brought with him an attitude that would come to define not only a championship team, but the most successful era in New York Mets history. And unlike Hodges and Stengel he actually played for the team. And boy did he play. He was the rare baseball player whose style made players around him even better. He made losers into winners. He was also the greatest defensive first baseman to ever play the game. His number 17 is currently worn by Fernando Tatis.

Isn't this ridiculous? Why do the Mets not only refuse to acknowledge Hernandez's place in Mets History, but insult him by haphazardly giving out his number to, at best, marginal players? For this reason alone, I cannot share in the love that so many Met fans feel for Charlie Samuels, the longtime Mets equipment manager who has been responsible for assigning uniform numbers. But its not just Charlie to blame, because as Fed Wilpon once said, "The buck stops with me." Well Fred, I call upon you then to put an end to the madness and Retire 17.

Convincing Musings

I have read that it is possible for someone to repeat a lie over and over again to the point where they actually have convinced themselves that it is the truth. I have also heard that this is especially common in sociopaths. I don't know what that says about me, but as I watched the Mets win over and over again, I had actually convinced myself that certain things were true. And for this I am ashamed.

I had convinced myself that the Mets belonged in the same league as the Phillies and could compete for the NL East. I was wrong. The Phillies are still everything we wish the Mets were. Yes, I know the clubhouse is better this year.

I had convinced myself that Jerry Manuel finally started to get it as a manager. I was wrong. We all watched as he felt the sudden and inexplicable need to keep Fernando Tatis and Little Sarge feeling fresh. Really Jerry? You couldn't just wait until Cincinnati to get these clowns in the game?

I had convinced myself that last year was an aberration and Johan Santana would revert back to what he was in Minnesota and his first year and a half with the Mets. I was wrong. Obviously, he is still much more of a gamer than what we witnessed tonight. But since a quarter of the way through last season even Santana's good starts are usually "gutsy performances." As the SNY crew often points out, he wins despite not having his "A Stuff." Honestly, I can't remember the last time we saw Santana have his "A Stuff." And I'm not sure we'll ever see it again.

I had convinced myself that we could start to count on Pelfrey as a consistent number 2 starter. I was wrong. While he was the victim of some unlucky breaks on Saturday, he also mentally decomposed because of them. It was as if the Pelfrey we had become all to familiar with last year had resurfaced.

I had convinced myself that I was wrong about the fact that Reyes should be batting lead off. I was wrong. Well, if the Mets are looking for a 3 hitter who can cause havoc on teams that can't handle the infield fly rule than he has been great in that role. It seems as if every ball is popped up to the infield. Imagine the possibilities if one of those balls are dropped with less than two outs, runners on 1st and 2nd and the opposing team's infield defense was as clueless as Atlanta's.

I had convinced myself that the Mets would show some grit and actually come back Sunday night. I was wrong. After Santana's meltdown the Mets were defeated. They could no longer solve super young Jamie Moyer, and did nothing against the Phils bullpen .

One thing I did not convince myself through the last ten days is that I enjoy Miller and Morgan. What is the deal with all the Sunday night Met games on ESPN? These guys are brutal.