That the white boy's back...and he was just named the NL Pitcher of the Month by MLB. 
I know that I haven't been writing much lately but I haven't stopped watching the best team in baseball. See link in title for more about John "Banger" Maine. He is doing what we only saw a glimpse of last year. This guy can flat out hurl 'em...He reminds me of another guy on the Mets. Not overwhelming stuff, but the smartest of pitchers...this guy below also had a pretty damn good April.
I guess having a 300 game winner to tutor you doesn't hurt, eh?
Wow, our pitching really does suck. Thanks Jeff Passan and all the other sports writers in America for reminding them. Through the first month of the season, they only had the lowest ERA of any team in the majors (around 2.90).
The team looks great even while the rest of the league looks a lot better...
But remember the team hasn't even hit it's stride yet, especially hitting wise. They have had some close come back type victories (i.e. Endy Endy Endy Oy Oy Oy!) and they've done enough to have a 16-10 record which is nothing to sneeze at considering all most teams really hope for in April is to get out healthy and retain a .500 winning percentage. They've certainly done more than that...We'll miss Jose Sr. for a little but I kind of like Damion "Take 'er Easy" Easley. He kind of reminds me of Valentin stepping in last year and filling the void. Ruben Gotay's got some skills and you never really know with young players (he was once the top rated prospect in KC). Wright's obviously coming around and Carlos Sans Mole will be back (look at the walks, a good sign). Green and Alou have been way more that you can or should expect. The Mole and Jose 3X have been what they are...Amazing Mets.
Did you know who was named NL Player of Month for April...that's right 3X!
Jose Reyes in April showed why he should have been named MVP last year. He can do it all offensively and he is fast becoming the best fielder at the short stop position in New York and all of Major League Baseball for that matter. Sorry, Jeets makes far too many errors and he should have never won a gold glove. Jose makes that play in the hole flat footed while Derek has to throw a ten hopper from the air to get it to first. All of that aside, Jose has been just amazing. When he plays his game we win. I can see many more Reyes runs to come this season...a walk or an infield hit, a stolen base, sacrifice, sacrifice, score. Ryan Howard can't field his position which is obvious but he certainly can't do any of the above. Let me ask you guys one more time, how much did Howard help his team last year? Did he help them finish twelve games back? Jose was penalized for being on the same team as the Mole. Does that mean that Utley, Burrell, et al suck? I think it does...
Congratulations to Jose 3X & Banger on their accomplishments in April. I think we are going to see a lot more of that this year for our boys in orange and blue.
Just some Extra BP Here:
A little factoid, this is the first time since 1985 that both the NL pitcher and player of the month came from the Mets in any single month...back then it was Doc and the Kid.
What's the deal with the MLB? The new official name for team strength and conditioning coaches is Performance Enhancers? Good job on that one Bud...
Bonds is going to break the record. Hank Aaron doesn't want to celebrate the record. He feels it is tainted. Sorry Hammer, I don't like Bonds either but he is still going to break the record. Stop with the sour grapes. Maybe steroids did influence the game and maybe there were other reasons too (i.e. smaller parks, lower mounds, more teams/watered down talent, etc.)...but the truth is that the guys in MLB are bigger, stronger and more talented than they were in your day. The pitchers throw harder, more pitches (splitters, sliders, cutters, change ups, etc...as opposed to fast balls and curve balls) and they have more support in the pen (people forget that you didn't see a guy throwing 93 MPH in the latter innings, they would have been too worn from throwing the previous 7+ innings). You see far less fat and out of shape players today. Back in the day, when Aaron played, baseball players didn't lift weights. It was all about stretching, hand eye, and girth. Now even pitchers work out with weights. The Bambino wouldn't have made it out of Spring Training with his work ethic. He would've gotten cut and you wouldn't have had his record to break. Grow the game Hank...don't try to tear it apart by being an old crotch.
Thanks to Figgy for carrying the weight in my lazy absence...I've had a good season so far. I've been to a couple of games, went up to Fenway (I'll try to post a pic or two later), and have enjoyed the banter here when I've gotten a chance to check it out...
One month down and five to go...and then who knows? Maybe we get a hack at that third title. Who am I kidding??? We gots it all bagged up!!!
As Always
3.5.07
It's a Sad Fact (For the National League)
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16 comments:
Good ass blog Mooks.
I'm afraid my baseball knowledge and imagination are but a shadow of my football and basketball expertise.
Van Segg, the real Mets historian, needs to get his Mets ass in gear and post some interesting articles. But, he's an accountant, they don't like to write. But he could crunch some serious numbers.
Last year our record was 17-9 through as many games. It must be because our pitching stinks that we haven't won as many games.
I'm thinking that the league is better through the first month but Bob Wickman is on the DL for the Braves, Ryan Howard has been found out to be a DH better suited for the AL, and Flash Gordon ain't so flashy (actually will miss the next couple of games himself). The league won't hold up but the Mets will...like I said, we haven't even hit our stride yet.
The Mets rock. I hope that Green keeps it up. He has surprised me thus far. Fucking Maine is kicking it. I wish Edny could play second base in Valentine's absence, but we'll see how the other old man and the youngster do.
I'm sure Wright will continue to come around, as will Delgado. In the meantime, everyone else is kicking ass. Jose rocks, and the fucking Mole is fulfilling all of the hype that surrounded his signing 2 or 3 years ago. I guess he should have caught that blooper against the Marlins, but with Jose running around out there maybe he thought Mr. Reyes had it under control.
Chan Ho Park blows. There is no question about that. But he is going to have to fill a void for a while until Willie tries out Humber or Sosa or until they trade in July to get one more solid reliable starter. Perez has impressed me. The obvious key to his success? Control. If he's not walking people he's going to win the fucking game. And he's hitting .333 this year! Glavine and El Duque are pitching like they are in their early 40s again (ha ha) and hopefuly Pelfry will turn it around. He is definitely struggling.
And Wags is 5 for 5? I hope he's not saving the BSs for the end of the season, because I would rather see them happen now!
At any rate, I hope to get to more games, and Mooks, Unruly and I will have to make our annual pilgrimidge to Queens (Figs you are invited if you are around of course) sometime soon. Of course, this time we won't pay for tickets!
Go Mets!
They haven't lost in Arizona since 2004, so let's hope they continue their winning ways there.
As for your other comments Mooks -
I agree about Hank, but maybe he just doesn't want his record to be broken. He's coming off like a poor sport, but because it's Bonds people aren't giving him too much slack. Maybe one day ARod will break Bonds' record? You never know.
I can't help but take pleasure in the fact that the Yankees are in turmoil and their pitching is shitting the bed or getting injured. With that said, they are still going to be it in September. Worse though, they are probably going to have that cunt Clemens on their roster. Fucking merc that he is. Honestly, now that Piazza is on the A's now, I hope he faces Clemens again, he should just charge the mound for no reason (in that game) and beat the shit out of that old man. Roger threw a fucking bat at him, it's time to retaliate.
Go Mets!
Oh, and here is a Mets calendar trivia question for you:
Name one or both of the two pitchers on the Texas Rangers that were traded to the Mets for Lee Mazzilli in 1982 -
Go Mets - 3X!!!
I know one was Ronnie D. but the other escapes me...a releiver I think.
Chan Ho Park was just demoted. I guess that means Sele will make a spot start. I like Sele more than Park either way.
Park is a dick. After the loss he sort of shrugged it off and said he deserved aother chance in the rotation...he referenced the 100+ wins in his career. I think that probably pissed Willie off. When Glavine loses he doesn't harken back to the almos 300 games he has won. Winners don't act like chumps...and this ain't the World Baseball Classic. Apparently, Ho is short for honey. Chan just dropped the -ney just like when Chase Utley drops to his knees for Ryan Howard.
Dude, blog about the games you go to. Faker wrote a good blog about going to a Jets game vs. the Bears.
The mayhem beforehand is interesting enough and baseball culture.
I can't think of that guys name...I keep thinking Turk Wendell but that wasn't until much much later. But I think it sounds like that. Mazz was supposed to be the next Mantle when he came up...it never worked out that way. He was a big part of the Mets bench in 86 though...
Walt Terrell! Walt Terrell! Walt Terrell!
I have so many of his baseball cards that I actually think I glued a couple of them together to save space in my babeball card binder! He was a big guy but not much of a pitcher...I think he got a lot of win in '86 by default coming from the pen. Some of those drip down wins where he was in a game to mop up and was just around when the Mets exploded for runs. I think he might have been like 7-0 or 8-0 in 1986. I have to look this up!
Alright, I am probably just talking to myself now but I was wrong about Terrell. He was part of the Mazz trade with Ron Darling but he wasn't on the 86 team. He was done w/the Mets by 1984. He did go 11-12 one year which would probably make him a twenty game winner nowadays. Anyway, smell ya later...
My trivia for you: Who was the Mets relief pitcher who went undefeated from the pen in 1986?
Actually I am wrong about the year...I'm thinking of Tom Gorman in 1984...he went 6-0. I'll always remember those early 80's Mets because they were around when the worm started to turn in the Apple. They were the bridge to the late 80's teams who certainly should have won more that they did.
There was only one undefeated pitcher in 86, Ed Lynch. But that was more because he only pitched 1.2 innings.
More interesting however is Roger McDowell who out of the pen (and some spot starts) ended with a 14-9 record and 22 saves. I can't even imagine a guy being so versatile. It really shows you what a stupid trade that was that the Mets made with the Phillies. It should go down as one of the worst trades in Mets history, something I hope we never see again...
I'll stop now but in 86 McDowell pitched in 75 fucking games. A guy who could pitch in that many games with his results would be a freaking crazy millionaire today. Jesse Orosco also had 21 saved in 86...but he only pitched in 58 games that year. It is amazing to look at just how good the Mets pitching was that year.
Orosco was 8-6...How come they figured in so many decisions? I mean the Mets had Doc, Sid, Ron, Rick Aguilera, Bob Ojeda...All of those guys won 10+ games and yet McDowell & Jesse O combined to win 22 games! That is some crazy shit...
Holy fucking shit with the comments Mooks!
You were right, it was RD and W Terrell. Good for you. I knew you would get it.
My other trivia question was going to be what reliever won 14 games in 1986 - and you got it right without me even asking.
I agree that their pitching was amazing, that is why they won it all!
Good game last night, Easley coming through twice this year! And it's nice to see Wright hit one too. Two 3run HRs in one inning! It woke me up, because I was asleep at the game.
vanseg here...still having problems logging in. first of all, mookie, you are one serious-ass blogger. i don't have nearly the knowledge and to figgy's point am not a big writer unlike your lawyer self. but anyway, it was nice to take 3 of 4 from the d-backs (don't really give a shit about the chase field streak being over). even nicer to see pelfrey pitch decently (albeit in a losing effort). he showed good poise and maturity getting out of the first with only 1 scoring on a sac fly after sacs full. on another topic, who gives a fuck about roger clemens??!! i hope he goes 1-9 with a 12.70 ERA. rocket my ass. i also hope he's pitching when i go see the mets beat on them in june at the stadium.
www.scorebook.com/motownpats
Click on my name to see my career totals.
How about some dingers Faker? Good numbers but it looks like your stolen base numbers are on the decline! I'd like to see you guys play. Do you play at Skylands often? That is a cool place...
2002 and 2005 were off years, but yeah, ever since I stopped doing 'roids I haven't hit many homeruns. I am still tramautized from when Brian C. robbed me of a HR at Boro Field when I swung at a 3-0 pitch. That bastard dove and made an amazing catch in CF, robbing me of a dinger. Then, to top it off, my dad yelled at me (rightly so) for swinging at a 3-0 pitch.
Anyway, I am getting older and slower as the years go on, and I have been playing less, so my sbs are going to decline.
Only the all-star games are at Skylands. It is a cool place.
We have some games at Emmett in July, I'll let you know. After the game we can have some cold beverages on my deck.
Goooooo Mets!
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