April Numbers

As April comes to a close I will partake in a great sports tradition. The good old “he’s on pace to…”

First the good
John Maine-28 wins
Jose Reyes- 108 stolen bases
Tom Glavine-20 wins
Mets-101 wins
Yankees- 63 wins
Mariano Rivera- 13 blown saves

The Bad
David Wright-0 home runs
Carlos Delgado-81 RBI’s

The Ugly
A-Rod- 98 home runs 239 RBI

As my grandmother Ethel used to say “ good better best, never let it rest, until the good becomes the better and the better is the best” that can be applied here but it would take a lot of typing.

Chan Ho out of The Park

In a game defined by, “you can’t win em all” the Mets decided to get some sloppy play out of the way tonight against the Fish. Not to mention Chan out of the Park’s first start, which hopefully played the role of him getting the rust off. To keep raining on the parade the Braves won sending the Mets back into second. One other thing that I took away from this game was that I now have a least favorite player on the Mets, David Newhan. I’ve never seen a major leaguer with a worse and more pathetic looking swing. He looks like the kid who no one wants on their team for wiffle ball so he becomes the designated fielder. Where was Castro in that situation, I know he’s the only other catcher but they needed a hit there to stay alive and David Newhan isn’t the one to do it. Thank god they play 162.

Click here to see a box score of tonight's game

Our Maine Man

In a series in which they were expected to win, our Mets came through, (although they decided to make me a little more nervous than I would have preferred), a win is a win is a win and that’s what’s important. John Maine pitched another beaut improving to 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA. Not to jinx Maine or anything but this win puts him on pace for about 28 wins this year, which is needless to say incredible. Despite a lineup that consisted of 3 usually back-ups the Mets found a way to scratch out a win with only 3 hits, by using great pitching and timely hitting to their advantage. To make me even happier the Yankees lost to the Bo-Sox, giving them sole possession of the cellar dweller trophy in the A.L East.

Click here to say the box score and summary

Old Men And Young Guns Come Through For Mets

A game that was expected to be dominated by the Mets almost turned into a nightmare as the wheels were coming of all over the place, the climax occurring when Willie Randolph got thrown out arguing a call 3 straight blown calls at fist base. There were few games this year that I have been more confident about going into that the Mets would win. However, after Julio Franco drove Endy Chavez in the top of the 9th and then Carlos Beltran and David Wright drove in two a piece in the top of the 12th the Mets found out a way to scratch out what should have been an easy win for the Metropolitans.

DiceK Extends Yankees Cellar Stay

Apologies for the late post but I was watching the Nets beat up on the Toronto Raptors. But listening to the post game show and the 9th inning gave me a feel of how the game went.
• For the first time Oliver Perez pitched like a normal human being (not a gem but not a disaster)
• Matt Chico pitched much better then anyone could have expected
• Austin Kearns’ bomb set the tone and the Mets couldn’t recover.
But my baseball night wasn’t tottaly ruined because the New York Yankees lost AGAIN. Making it their 7th straight and causing me to add another page element to my blog. The Yankees last place track. On this image (on the right sidebar) you can constantly track how many games the Yankees are in last place in the A.L East by. You’re welcome Yankee fans. However, if the Yankees can some how manage to win a game and climb out of the cellar the track will cease to be in it’s spot for that day. However, most educated individuals will tell you the small chance that that has of happening.

Hughes Blues

With a Mets of day I had to turn to my other true baseball love, trashing the Yankees. Getting rocked might be too strong of a term but Phil Hughes got hit hard today by the Toronto Blue Jays. Although I can’t get to excited about Phil Hughes so-so performance because it’s only his first start, but I’m thankful that I don’t have to go listen to my Yankee fan friends tell me the Hughes is the next Cy Young. Not to mention the Yankees losing their sixth straight game as they head into a series with the Boston Red Sox (or green sox, I’m still awestruck after their jersey change). Lets go Bo Sox, keep the Yankees behind Seth McClung and his band of Devil Rays.

Pelfrey's Stock and Tongue Lowered After Defeat

The Mets dropped a tough one today to the Colorado Rockies 11-5. However, this is one of those games where I’m honestly not upset at all over a Mets loss. After all the Yankees didn’t play so they’re still in last place and this start also gave Omar Minaya a good reason to make it so I never have to watch Mike Pelfrey again so that is kind of good. Hopefully Humber will come up and take Pelfrey’s next start, but 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. Also as the Mets go into a series with the Nationals as Oliver “crap shoot” Perez takes on Matt Chico. Who fits into the same ballpark as Seth McClung in that how can you be good with a name like that? But that’s why you play the games.

Cellar Dweller Steinbrenner

As the Mets stay in first place in the N.L East, the Yankees (this is so much fun to write) LOST TO THE DEVIL RAYS AGAIN today putting them in sole possession of the role known only as cellar dweller. Also Wang pitched today for the Yankees so the old “just wait until the pitching comes back” won’t work anymore. Also Derek Jeter got hit in the knee today, which is really sad for me… NOT. Taking him out of the game and forcing Miguel Cairo in. For me it’s still hard to get over the fact that right now the Yankees are behind the Devil Rays, the team with Seth McClung on it. Yes, I know all Yankee fans will say “they were in last place at this time last year and they won the division but this is different. This year A-Rod is playing well so we can’t “just wait for him to come around” (which he didn’t last year) or “the pitching to come back” which it did today and they still lost. So unless Chase Wrong can live up to his name or Kei Igawa starts to register some Kei’s in the scorebook the Yankees could behind the Tampa Bay McClung’s for a long time.

In the Endy Mets win Easley

Down to their final strike against an all star closer, who do the Metropolitans call up to the dish? None other then pinch hitter and back up second baseman Damian Easley. After two pathetic looking swings, (the kind you see at the end of a T-Ball batting order) and then taking two balls, Easley decided to come up big as he went ya-ya to send the game into extra frames. After one scoreless inning and Joe Smith and Scott Schoeneweis teaming up for a scoreless 11th the Mets came up with another chance to win. After a Shawn Green walk a Valentine sac bunt and BALK, followed by one more walk to Reyes to set the Mets up with 1st and 3rd with two out’s. (Due to a double switch)Endy Chavez came to the plate, and just because he rolls like that, decided to lay down a drag bunt which he of course beat out to give the Mets their second straight victory and sixth out of their last 8. Not to mention the fact that it was only there second one run win of the season. WOW that’s the kind of game that’s gets you pumped up for Mets baseball!!

Win Place Show or Yankees

Since last October when the Tig’s finished the Yanks as the Mets swept the Dodgers, today has been the best baseball day. The Yankees lost to the Devil Rays (no not a typo) the Devil Rays, and the Mets beat up on the Rockies. Causing the Yankees to fall into fourth place as the Mets climbed back up into first. Not to mention that the Yankees have now lost 4 in a row (including a broomage by the Red Sox). The Yankees are also just .5 (also not a typo) games out of last place. Meaning that if the Yankees lose tomorrow to the Devil Rays they will have sole position of the cellar. Allowing for unlimited ribbing to all my Yankee fan buddies. All I can say to that is LETS GO D-RAYS!!!

Who Are You and What Have You Done With My Mets

The Mets suffered a tough loss today to the Braves, 9-6. However, somehow I'm not upset. Could it be that Oliver Perez pitched a gem yesterday showing signs of hope for the Mets rotation? Could it be that the Yanks are on the verge of a sweep at Fenway. Could it be that it's only April. The answer is all of the above. Even though the better golfer won today's match up and the Mets played poorly I don't feel depressed at all. They had a tough series but hey that's why they play 162. Tomorrow they face off against the Rockies and John Maine takes on Taylor Buchholz who will be making his first major league start. While the Braves will be taking on the D-Train in Florida. Don't worry Mets fans the Rockies don't have the humidor in Shea and Dontrelle Willis is just a stud, so don't be surprised if tomorrow’s post has 1st place in the title.

Please Sir Can I Have Some More

After a performance reminiscent to Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. Oliver Perez pitched brilliantly today as the Mets thumped the Braves 7-2. Perez pitched 6 and two-thirds innings gave up just two runs and had 9 K’s. The Mets also scored 7 runs on just 11 hits much better than the ration they had the other night. Jose Reyes back in full form had 3 hits in five at bats and scored twice. As the golfing buddies Smoltz and Glavine face off tomorrow (Glavine seeking his 294th career win) the Mets should be chompin at the bit to take down the Braves again mañana.

WOW

After a disappointing, to say the least, game for the Metropolitans. All I can say if WOW. All though I’m probably over-reacting I struggle to see any good signs in this game other than the 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th. Pelfrey only went 5 but managed to allow 4 runs. This being one of the only Mets games I haven’t watched this year. I was stunned to get home and see for once that the 9 on the scoreboard belonged to Jabba’s Juggernauts and not the good guys. Reyes also made his first error of the year, the first for any part of the middle infield this year. I look forward to tomorrow’s day game in hopes that the sun will shine all of the problems away. But I can’t say I’m confident since in Perez’s last start he couldn’t find the strike zone with a white cane with a red-tip. I still believe because as the great prophet Tug McGraw once said “Ya Gotta Believe”.

With One Duke out and The Other in Full Form the Mets Cruise Past Fish

With Paul Lo Duca on the bench and El Duque on the hill the Mets looked as good as ever as they dominated the Fish 11-3. However, Lo Duca's hand injury was a blessing in disguise for the Mets in this one as Castro belted a bomb in the 3rd inning and later smacked a two-bagger. While Ramon Castro was making mince meat of the Fish with his bat El Duque was doing the same with his arm, going 7 innings and not allowing any runs after the first inning. Not to mention my jinx worked at Jabba the Hut's crew lost tonight the Cubs as they failed to push a run across giving the Mets the outright lead in the N.L East heading into this weekend and would should be a "rockin'" Shea Stadium, as the Mets take on Larry and Andruw Jones in a battle for NL East supremacy.

Jabba the Hot

As the Mets continue to roll past opponents, winning 4 out of their last 5 and scoring a total of 27 runs in those 5 games. The Braves do to, continuing to stay hot and constantly 1 game ahead of the Mets no matter what the good guys can seem to do. The Braves have been doing all this with a line up of in-patient young hitters. The only conjecture that I can make to the Braves success is their manager Bobby Cox who if commonly called Jabba the Hut. This is the man who won 14 straight divisional titles never with a star-studded cast. However, un-like the Mets the Braves don't dominate games they just win 1 and 2 run games flawlessly. Drawing an eerie similarity to the 2005 Washington Nationals who finished at 81-81 and did not make the play-offs. I’m still confident in the Metropolitans to come through for me but it wouldn't hurt for Jabba the Hot's crew to cool off a little bit.

Maine Battles D-Train

As my predictions for opposing team pitchers continue to be blatantly wrong the Mets continue to be blatantly awesome. Today the Mets tacked on 8 early runs as they rode they’re Maine man right on over the D-Train. In fact, Maine took a no-no into the 7th as the Mets took care of the Fish 9-2. My only bone to pick with the Mets today was the fact that they ripped 17 hits but only scored 9 runs. On days when the good guys are getting 17 hits they need to score more runs. But if the Mets pitching continues to give the old heave ho! To the opposing team’s orders then I see no problem in sight.

Bigger Fish to Fry

As the Mets head in to the sunshine state for a pair against the Fish, I can do nothing but chomp on my fingernails and worry. Not only has Dontrelle Willis owned the good guys on the hill but just ask Jose Lima what he’s done at the dish (for those who don’t know he smacked a grand salami last season). Not to mention his 3-0 record in April. In this series we will also get a good look at the young talent the Marlins have (or claim to have) for the first time this year. All in all it should be a good series for the good guys.

Aloooooooooooou comes Throoooooough in Big Mets Win

Moses, sorry Moies Alou parted the Philadelphia pitching earlier tonight going ya-ya two times in a dominating effort by the Metropolitans. Tom Glavine pithced well earning career victory number 293 and finally Jose Valentin started to come around smacking a pair of doubles. But the two most important things in tonight's game were Lo-Duca's hand injruy, which hopefully isn't serious. And Ambi Burgos the future stud of the Mets bullpen. Not only did he pitch over 100 miles an hour on occasion but also through a splitter to Ryan Howard who last time he saw a Burgos split parked it in the Mets bullpen. Burgos also retired Chase Utlety in the 9th ajust to make sure that the Phillies stayed hitless with runners in scoring position. Anyway , it was a good win for the Kings of Queens as they improved to 8-4 on the year.

Happy Hammy Day

Hold on this isn't the late 90's and I'm not watching ESPN classic so how could this be, Andy Pettite the ace of the Yankee staff. Oh yeah, now I remember, it's the first (and hopefully annual) Hammy Day. On Hammy Day we celebrate all the not so great Yankee Pitching that includes. Mike Mussina and Chien-Ming Wang, not to mention Carl Pavano's forearm. For this years performance of the Hammy Day play the role of the AAA pitchers that comes up and next thing you know all the Yankee fans say he's the next Cy Young will be played by Chris Britton and Chase Wright. It must just be irony that within 24 hours of Chase Wrights first start Tom Glavine will take the hill for the Mets a man with 292 more wins than Chase Wright. I look forward to watching Chase get Chased out of Yankee stadium while in my PIP Tommy Glavine is pitching another chapter in his already impressive legacy. But what's most important right now is that we all just have a very Happy Hammy Day.

Rain Rain Go Away

As the rain continues to come and for lack of a better term "rain on the Mets parade". The Kings of Queens two game series with the Philadelphia Rollins' has been switched to a day-night double header. However, the Kings of Queens look favored as they toss out to the mound Tom Glavine looking for his 293 career win and 3rd on the year. He will be opposed by Freddy Garcia who will be making his first start on the season. Hopefully Glavine will pitch the way he did at the end of the last game he pitched and not catch a bad case of Perezitis or in simple english, inability to find the strike zone. In the other game John Maine should pitch against a TBA starter for the Phils. But don't worry Met fans whenver the pressure mounts just think "thank god I don't have Jimmy Rollins on my team"