Paradise Lost
Posted by prismo on 12:42pm, Tuesday June 30th 2009
This album kicks more butt than the '09 Mets, much more
It ain’t easy being a Mets fan. Since the mid-late 90s Mets fans have ridden a roaring roller coaster built by the Wilpon family, but not always well maintained. We soared to the World Series, only to drop to our knees at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. It’s no fun making it to the World Series and still being only the second best team in town. But the 2000 World Series was only the beginning of a drought maniacally engineered (okay, I exaggerate) by the Wilpons to make the rebuilding process all the more fun, and eventually torturous for the fanbase. The Mets finished no better than 3rd in the NL East from 2001 to 2005.
2006 was finally the year Mets fans had been waiting for. Years of failure and “rebuilding” were finally going to pay off, and in the regular season the Amazin’s did not disappoint. The Mets cruised into the playoffs with 97 wins and made it all the way to game 7 in the National League Championship series. I like to remember the good about that game, and not the bad…but I do remember skipping my college courses the rest of that week and my week-long immobilization on the couch of my apartment. We were brought to our knees once again.
The strength to almost make it the World Series...but not quite.
2007 was right around the corner, and the Mets fanbase was excited to get another shot at a a title. Sitting in first place in the division felt great, but the looming weaknesses in the ‘pen caught up with the team and an infamous September collapse ensued. Brought to our knees for the second time in as many seasons, Mets fans could at least smirk when the Phillies were swept immediately in the following playoffs.
We all had doubts about the 2008 season until Omar Minaya maneuvered a trade for one of the best pitchers in baseball: Johan Santana. We were ready to forget about the past and make history in ‘08! The bullpen once again had other plans. A weak September dropped the Mets out of the playoffs once again, but this time the fans had to watch as the Phillies rode their ship to a World Series title and didn’t neglect rubbing it in.
Great signing...but just not enough
Worries about needing another hitter aside, the additions of KRod and Putz to the ‘09 bullpen eased most fans’ fears and we were ready to finally claim our title. God must be a Phillies fan because the Mets have endured one of the most injury-prone teams in recent memory, allowing a mediocre Phillies team to hold onto first place in the division thus-far. The injury bug has scrapped various Mets players onto the DL time and time again. After signing a huge contract, Oliver Perez was mysteriously sent to the DL and for the most part has failed to impress in rehap starts. Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran may be out for weeks to come. John Maine can’t seem to stay healthy for any stretch of time. The list goes and and on and on.
And now the Mets sit at 3rd place in the division, one game under .500, and hope isn’t yet on the horizon. Injured players may or may not come back, Jerry Manuel makes poor decision after poor decision, and Omar is wishy-washy on trading for a big bat. Does the team have a realistic shot at the playoffs this year? Will they be any better next year? I’ve tried to stay positive as long as humanly possible; I’ve been through thick and thin with this team and I’ll never give up on them, but it ain’t easy. Being a Mets fan never was.
[on the flip side, trs has some great news about Beltran below - check it out to ease your pain]
If God is a Phillies fan I am going to stick a hot cheesesteak in one eye and a hot pretzel in the other because I don’t want to see when I’m descending into hell.
Thoughts on a LaRouche,Wilson
and Snell package?
How much/ what could it really
cost?
Honestly I like to stay out of the trade package discussions because I’m really bad at it. I am only good at it when two teams have an obvious surplus and an obvious need that balance each other out. The Mets have no obvious surplus that I’m aware of.
I am a fan of Adam LaRoche though and would endorse his acquisition because I have dropped my concern about “what to do with a 1B when Delgado returns.”
Per Cot’s Contracts:
Wilson - 09:$7.25M, 10:$8.4M club option ($0.6M buyout)
Snell - 09:$3M, 10:$4.25M, 11:$6.75M club option, 12:$9.25M club option
LaRoche - 1 year/$7.05M (2009) FA at end of year.
The Mets could cut Wilson after this season for $600,000, re-sign or let go of LaRoche as necessary, but be stuck with Snell who has bombed through 2011. I don’t know that I want LaRoche for 3 months badly enough to take on the rest of that. If somehow it doesn’t cost anything noteworthy player wise I guess I’d have to consider it strongly.
Thanks for the #s BUT not needed.Already know them.
I mentioned the above since
the Bucs always seem willing to dump and usually cheaply.
LaRoucheandWilson are nearing the end of their Pittsburgh purgatory and
they’d love to move Snell whos
stuff is just nasty.
I guessed that you knew the numbers but they still serve a purpose here for others to access easily and make more informed comments. We encourage anyone reading to register and comment!
Stupid me!
I sometimes forget that not all Met/baseball fans are as informed as
us.
If those 3 where really that good wouldn’t the Pirates be better?
If you like Ollie then you’ll love his little cousin Snell. Wilson is alright. Both of the LaRouch’s are decent but are the Pirates going to dump the rest of their best players?
So, i’ll take that you’d just
like to con’t
w/the likes of
the 4A players
currently on our roster.
Look if you take someone else’s shizzle and pile it on your shizzle all you get is a bigger pile of shizzle.
(edited by Prismo for language!)
Fo shizzle my nizzle
LOL
He Pris put back that you edited it, I don’t want to be known for using shizzle instead of shiiiiaaaat.
Prismo, excellent incorporation of the Endy pic and it’s built in text to the overall piece. Well done.
I love that picture. I’ve been wanting to pull the trigger on a signed one at steiner sports, it’s going for $39 for a 16×20 right now.
It should be free since they lost the game. What a great play and it couldn’t have come at a bigger moment, but we can stop celebrating it now. We lost the game. No difference between that and hitting a game-tying home run only to eventually lose.
“The World was all before them/ where to choose Their place of rest/ and Providence Their guide: They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow/ Through Eden took, Their solitaire way.”
Prog Metal Priz? I never would have guessed. Now I know what music is in your head while you watch clouds form.
Haha, yeah I’m a total metalhead, especially prog metal.
Well then you probably won’t mind that I stuck one of their videos at the bottom of the post. If you do, let me know and I’ll remove it no questions asked.
LOL. That’s fine!
I’ve seen ‘em a couple times, most recently around a year ago. It was the last stop on the tour, and they played for almost 3 hours…needless to say it was awesome.
(now you have me singing while typing with that video playing)
This makes a lot more sense especially after reading Prismo’s post game rants.
Prismo makes post game rants? I need to stay up later!
Don’t or you’ll never fall asleep after reading all that rage.
You know what I think I’m confusing him with the dude that has his avatar as Mr. Met with the stache.
You are. I usually go right to bed after games, and cry myself to sleep.
Yea it’s “tkfg” that has all the rage. Maybe it’s a Jekyll and Hyde or Prismo and TKFG.
(while humming progressive metal)
Humming to Progressive Metal? It’s like trying to hum to the Gettysburg Address. If you want great music that will increase your intellect while elevating your status in life then look no further than the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pbuWH3Qzx4&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elyricsmode%2Ecom%2Flyrics%2Fm%2Fmanfred%5Fmann%2Fmy%5Fname%5Fis%5Fjack%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uw03hS_EMY
great post pris!
Millage as the Post-Gazette has been reporting for about a week is very close to being
a Pirate. Yeah, THAT should work out well!
What?!?!?! Milledge stole music online?!?!?!
pirates with 2 deals in one day? http://www.nleastchatter.com/2009/06/30/nats-trade-rumor-milledge-for-morgan-deal-is-close/
Blastings Thrilledge is going to be such a bust…
Already is!
Plus the Pirates have
the yankees version,
Jose Tabata.
What are they thinking
about?
If Omar can’t outsmart the
Pirates and swing a deal,
hes even worse than I thought!
I wish I had an informed contradictory reply for you, but I don’t. Unless one considers Nady for Hernandez/Perez outsmarting them, Omar has never outsmarted the Pirates (to my knowledge).
And THATS questionable!
Later fellas!
Lets Go Mets!
Hernandez did pretty well for the Mets that was a decent trade at the team. It filled the teams needs and Nady wasn’t all that great. Unless you think that if we never traded for Ollie we never of re-signed him.
Hernandez was good for the Mets the previous year. When they acquired him from the Pirates, he rarely saw meaningful action. Ollie was more frequently used.
seasons are like a box of chocolates. If you leave it out in the sun, it will melt.
wait, that’s not right…
Oh yeah. The best laid plans of mice an men always seem to get fouled up.
POintis, every season takes on it’s own personna. And it usually doesn’t work trying to project it from one year to the next.
I go back to that fateful day in October of 2006. Listening to Chris Russo (yes, as a Mets fan I’m a glutten for punishment) after Game 7. Talking about how the Mets will never have it easier…he was right.
Perhaps you mean the following:
“MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don’t think that I can take it
‘Cause it took so long to bake it
And I’ll never have that recipe again, oh no”
Nats GM: Lastings, we’re sending you to the Pirates.
Milledge: What? Our AA team is moving to Somalia?
Interesting trade because while Morgan does not have Milledge’s upside, he doesn’t have his downside either.
I still think that Milledge’s talent will eventually take over despite his best efforts to hide them.
I think Morgan is a nice little complementary player — great defender, good speed and puts the bat on the ball.
I think Nyjer Morgan automatically is an upgrade in the outfield and at leadoff. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Dunn, Dukes, Kearns, or Willingham.
Dukes has done little to keep his spot but may still have some appeal to another bad team.
Kearns can’t have any value.
Willingham might be okay as a semi-regular platoon DH or LF for an AL team.
Obviously Dunn is the prize of the group.
Adam, GREAT read, bro. Every Mets fan knows exactly what they were doing that Game 7. When Beltran got called out on strikes looking, I turned the TV off, went to my room and cried (Boohoo I know). The next day in the city, was a lousy, dreary and rainy Friday. Remarkebly none of the d-bag Yankee fans rubbed it in, for they could see how crushed I was.
Anyway, the point Im trying to make is (Not really trying to make a point)… We are the best, loyal g0d damn fans out there. No matter what happens this yr, wear that Mets gear with pride.
Just read over on Mattsblog that Beltran is going to be OK. Just needs to rest it thru the All Star break. This gives us a litte hope and maybe a trade for Rios should be the next feel good story of the day.
Ive said it all along, a trade with 3/4 members of the “core” out indefinately would be pointless, non beneficial and would hurt us for the future, but if Beltran can get back, and shows no lasting effects of the injury then we need to pull off a trade. Thats hoping the Mets can stay “around .500″ as Minaya has said. With that said, things need to go our way for that to happen, IMO.
In the bizzaro world of MLB, it wouldn’t shock me if the Mets won the World Series this year.
Me neither. Stranger things have happened. The Rockies in 2007 went out that tear at the end of the season (winning 18 of 19 I beleive)and played in the WS. The Mets, 7 games up in the div. with 17 to play and… oh wait.
what about ‘47?
they’ll win their 38th in a row in ‘47.
Again, it depends on the trade. No rentals is a given.
Just treat now like an early foray into the off season, when Omar has a bunch of holes to fill. So, evaluate any deal as if you heard about it next January (do it for 2010?)
If he can get a good deal on Rios (salary dump + a couple of non prospects), then jump on it. Helps now, and good for the future.
With regards to the earlier discussion about Snell/LaRoche/Wilson.
Snell’s line in his minor league rehab game 2 days ago
7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 17 K
holy shizzle!!… 17 k’s in 7 innings!
snell is a classic Omar target. Fairly young, lots of stuff, but a head case. Total reclaimation project with upside. I take a shot on him.
a RH ollie? Maybe, but a live arm.
haha…how long til we kill omar for making this move? i do it if for no other reason than jack wilson eventually supplants castillo as our everyday 2b. any shot we can substitute fredy sanchez for jack wilson?
The Mets need Ian Snell for another three years like they need Ollie Perez for another three. They are the L/R mirror images of each other.
No thanks.
Nice pic Wanny.
Indeed my childhood heros give me lots for which to be proud.
Pirates/Nats deal is done. Kovacevic says the teams have agreed in principle to exchange Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett.
I think that’s a great deal for the Natinals. Pirates are building a pretty young, athletic outfield there, huh? Good to see them being active.
Dont think it makes Pirates fans content. Theyre still sore over McClouth. Dont blame them.
Yeah, all three
of them are
pretty pissed!
I went to a Mets-Pirates game in 2007. Some guy yelled at me and called me “mother effer” for wearing a mets jersey. Another guy threatened to burn a hole through my jersey. There aren’t that many of them, but they are pretty tough. Must be something in the Penn. water.
Well it is a Steeler
town,no doubt.
That day it was a Pirates city. They were all about the Pirates. I was next to this white trash couple. There was obviously reverse domestic violence going on between them. That woman kicked his butt.
I don’t blame them either, but McClouth is 28? Had a 3-yr deal? He wasn’t going to be around to see a winning season in Pitt anyway. To be honest, they should trade all of their young pitchers. This crop will never win. Just load up on prospects and hopefully, you get 5 really good ones.
Pirates have no
interest
in Winning.
You’re right. They just want to take your “loot”. Arghhhhhhhh!!!
LaRouche,Wilson and Snell to the
Mets next???
LaRoche lookes to me like one of the skinny Nintendo Ice Hockey players.
For what though? We give them 3 junk prospects? Then sure, why not try. We’d just have to take on salary. Of course I’d still prefer a trade for Dunn and sign Sheets for Aug/Sep.
Dunn is the perfect replacement. He’ll step into the cleanup spot and give wright tons of protection. Flip flop Sheff and Dunn depending on righty lefty. He plays both positions we have a need at, probably more adequately than Murph. He is the perfect fit. Just a matter of what we need to give up. I have a feeling Washington will try to fleece us.
How much could it cost?
2 guys on expiring contracts and a Pitcher
whos contract they’d love to get rid of.
b/t/w,Thanks but no thanks on Sheets.
Bad Arm,bad guy and
always injured.
2 guys on expiring contracts to free up money for Lebron in 2010?
lol
Wade?
Wade AND Bosh!!!
Lebron and Ilgauskus. a/k/a, The King & I.
NOW you are talking my friend!
Your 2011 NBA Champion New Jersey Nets!!
Always injured granted. Bad arm? Serious? I hope you mean when not healthy. Bad guy? What are you basing this on?
Another plus on Sheets. He has a son named Seaver.
Only a plus if he’s named after Tom Terrific, not Tom the broadcaster.
His attempted flim/flam re:his
need for surgery
this off season.
Attempting to convince perspective employers it wasn’t that serious
so that he could
sign a
contract first.
Then not
be able to help
his team
while on the DL all the
while collecting tens
of millions. Nice!
Maybe he got checked out and got a clean bill of health from the Mets medical team.
He may not have known himself how serious it was. You must recall that when our doctors first saw all of the medical info they thought that things weren’t too bad either. Of course he had to pass a physical to get the contract anyway, so when it came time with the Rangers, all was made known to him. I wouldn’t say he’s a bad guy.
Snell the last 3.5 seasons:
14-11 4.74 1.46
9-12 3.76 1.33
7-12 5.42 1.76
2-8 5.36 1.63
He would be like the 3rd coming of Zambrano. Fans would probably end up lynching him in the parking lot. If Omar wants to get fired this would be the move. Now if the Pirates wanted to take Ollie for him maybe, but I don’t think their that stupid.
Zambrano always played on terrible teams but has great stuff. His ball moves so much - in the other direction and over the fence. Scrub.
Golden arm though!
Bad team,bad system,
bad coaches and a bad
baseball city.
Snell is exactly the type of young Pitcher
who give a change of
scene and clean slate
could be real good.
If he needs to be included to get a
LaRouche and/or Wilson
and its cheap,why not?
Fongy, I think getting Snell is equivalent to getting Ollie. And as much as I hate Ollie (that has been well chronicled on this site), his presence in 06 was nothing short of necessary. I wouldn’t mind the move for all three if we were just eating salary and not giving up good pieces.
Well I
am biased as a friend
of members
of Snells
family.
He wouldn’t cost as
much as
Ollie,
isn’t as wild
and is
a good
kid.
Nyjer Morgan looked like a poor man’s Juan Pierre. I don’t know why Pirates would want LMilz.
Because they dont know what
theyre doin’hence 16 straight
losin’seasons.
Lets not waste anymore time on
Ben Sheets Sabes.The Brewers knew
how hurt he was as did the Dallas-Morning News as early as October because I read it then and there.
He/his Agent were trying to get a
contract for multiple seasons before
everyone knew.AND to say the Mets
staff gave him a clean bill of health
(if true) just again notes the level
of incompetence with Omars employees.
Beltran out 3-4 weeks
Wow what genius figured that out after 2 weeks on DL? What is going on with the Mets front office?
It seems like there’s lack of communication everywhere. Jerry doesn’t speak to the players or the front office. Medical staff doesn’t speak to anybody or do they even exist? Omar speaks to himself a lot and repeats everything he said the day before.
Where are the Wilpons? I’ve been a fan of Omar, but everything trickles from top down. Omar has to go. We can’t get rid of the Wilpons, so whoever is the next in line has to go.
Ummm…. Why is Tatis starting at 2B today and batting second??? And Why is Omar hitting behind FMart??? for protection?? in the 7th spot???
I thought Jerry always wants to put the best Defense out there for Johan…
Cora, ss
Tatis, 2b
Wright, 3b
Sheffield, lf
Church, rf
Evans, 1b
Martinez, cf
Santos, c
Santana, lhp
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/#ixzz0JwuI2f11&C
Castillo is hitting about as well as expected and is playing very good defense. He’s easily the most qualified leadoff hitter the Mets have right now. Yet he’s in the doghouse, batting 8th and sitting twice already this week. It makes no sense.
Jerry has a very uneasy fascination with Fernando Tatis right now. Why does Jerry prefer to ride the cold hands than the hot hands?
Crap, it’s gotten that bad. OMAR is in the lineup?
I’m sure this will make everyone happy…I believe Jerry told the fat man that Wright and Shef will be sitting tomorrow against gallardo.
Reminds me of when he did the same thing against Josh Johnson.
That’s just sad and pathetic. Why doesn’t Jerry just surrender the game tomorrow.
Sit your best Offense against one of the premier pitcher while play them against crappy pitchers. Nice. Just nice.
Jerry should be fired simply for batting Argenis Reyes leadoff, and Slappy with his .375 OBP eighth.
Criminal negligence charges should be filed. A class action suit.
Lando:
Thanks for making me puke.
I am sorry it took me so long to realize what an absolutely horrible manager Jerry really is.
Well, given the fact the Mets are somehow still in the race despite the way they have played recently it makes perfect sense to give a game away (if you’re a delusional freak managing a baseball team).
If this happens, two things will really bother me: 1) We all but concede the series because the Mets already lost the first game and; 2) Jerry once again played in fear of a good pitcher.
If you must sit your 26 year old star player and your best power hitter (scary that Sheffield fits that bill), wouldn’t it be wiser to do so against the weaker pitchers?
Of course it would but Jerry has so little faith in his team (and don’t think for a second that his lack of faith doesn’t trickle down).
Kong:
I don’t believe I’m writing this but I think that Jerry probably falls behind the likes of Torborg, Willie and even Art Howe in terms of his baseball acumen. He’s obviously the most congenial of the group but I’d rather have a prick like Dallas Green or a wise-ass like Bobby V.
kong when di du get so negative?? by the way did u ever get my post about don clendennon?
Hey Rusty–I am not that negative, I just truly believe that Jerry is a bad manager.
How could anyone bat Argenis Reyes leadoff? Especially when Castillo has a .375 OPB—he bats Aregnis 1st and Castillo 8th? That is nutty.
I might have missed your thing about Clendenon–sorry–what was it?
And why rest Wright and Shef the same day? Why rest your only two productive players the same day??
Geez Kong, when did you become so negative?
In case the sunglasses wearing smiley face doesn’t make the point, just kidding.
Grave, I still feel bad for misunderstanding your joking around the other day about my love for Jerry….I always appreciate your humor and perspective.
So tell me, why bat Argenis leadoff??
Someone else made this joke before me, but “someone needs to tell Jerry that guy is NOT Jose Reyes.”
I would MUCH rather have Bobby V or Dallas than Jerry.
Bring in Showalter.
I wonder if we are in 4th place by the trade deadline and more then 5 games out Do you think Omar would be smart enough to sell ?
Just keep letting them slip further into the oblivian. If he wants to give em rest do it thursday this way after facing gauardo the phils pitching will seem easier
love symphony x - was hoping more for a ministry - dark side of the spoon lol