Wednesday, July 20, 2011
This Day in Keith Hernandez History
Keith final major league hit came on July 20 1990 against the California Angels. It was a single off of Hall-of-Famer Bert Blyleven.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
mid season report card
So its been a while. Life gets busy, computers crash. And as Kurt Vonnegut once said "so it goes". But I am prepared to give a slightly late mid season report card for the Mets.
1b - Ike Davis - (INC) Davis was having a good though not spectacular season before his freak injury sidelined him, for what looks like the rest of the season.
- Lucas Duda - (D) He is a butcher out there, much more suited to be an outfielder.
2b/SS/3B - Justin Turner, Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada (A) - These guys started the season on the bench or in Buffalo, but fate brought them into starting roles, none of them are superstars, but they are showing they are solid contributors and when the team is back to full strength, the Mets will have a really solid bench.
SS - Jose Reyes. (A) - Right now Jose Reyes is the MVP of the league. He is the most exciting player out there, he plays with joy and he is putting up historic numbers (triples especially). I think his recent stint on the dl was just being extra extra careful. But I expect him to pick up where he left off. The Mets need to sign this guy or they need to change the dimensions of CitiField so he doesn't come in and torch the Mets with triple after triple.
3B - David Wright - (C) - He was on pace to shatter the Mets single season and all-time strike out marks before he went on the DL with a back injury. Hopefully his fresh bat will lengthen out the lineup when he returns and he can help keep the Mets competitive and above .500.
C - Josh Thole (D) - There are times when he looks lost both behind the plate and standing at the plate. Ronnie Paulino has been a solid backup, but Thole needs to step up or the Mets will be looking for a new "catcher of the future."
RF - Carlos Beltran (A) - We will miss you when you are gone Carlos. You never got the love you deserved in Flushing, but you'll be remembered as a natural who knew where to be when he needed to be there. That is why he didn't run all over the place in the outfield, its called instincts. This year you where graceful enough to move over to Right Field, where it looks like you always played there. I hope you find your way to a contender, and have a huge playoffs and get a big payoff again.
CF - Angel Pagan (B) - I still don't think he's an everyday major leaguer. It might just be me. But he has been solid and his flexibility in the lineup has been a valuable asset for Terry Collins.
LF - Jason Bay (D) - He has been dreadful at the plate and for the big salary he makes that is why he is constantly booed. But like Beltran, he is a solid ball player with great instincts. He knows where he needs to be. Remember Lastings Milledge? He was terrible, but it looked like he was always putting all this effort because he always had to run hard in the outfield, why was he running hard? He didn't have the instincts a Jason Bay or Carlos Beltran have.
Manager - Terry Collins (A) - if this team ends up at .500 how can this guy not be Manager of the Year. He was supposed to guide the ship while the front office gutted the team. But he has kept the team competitive and fun to watch.
Too lazy to break down the pitchers but here are some quick grades for the rotation:
SP - Chris Capuano - B
SP - RA Dickey - D
SP - Mike Pelfrey - D
SP - Dillon Gee - B+
SP - Jon Niese - B+
1b - Ike Davis - (INC) Davis was having a good though not spectacular season before his freak injury sidelined him, for what looks like the rest of the season.
- Lucas Duda - (D) He is a butcher out there, much more suited to be an outfielder.
2b/SS/3B - Justin Turner, Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada (A) - These guys started the season on the bench or in Buffalo, but fate brought them into starting roles, none of them are superstars, but they are showing they are solid contributors and when the team is back to full strength, the Mets will have a really solid bench.
SS - Jose Reyes. (A) - Right now Jose Reyes is the MVP of the league. He is the most exciting player out there, he plays with joy and he is putting up historic numbers (triples especially). I think his recent stint on the dl was just being extra extra careful. But I expect him to pick up where he left off. The Mets need to sign this guy or they need to change the dimensions of CitiField so he doesn't come in and torch the Mets with triple after triple.
3B - David Wright - (C) - He was on pace to shatter the Mets single season and all-time strike out marks before he went on the DL with a back injury. Hopefully his fresh bat will lengthen out the lineup when he returns and he can help keep the Mets competitive and above .500.
C - Josh Thole (D) - There are times when he looks lost both behind the plate and standing at the plate. Ronnie Paulino has been a solid backup, but Thole needs to step up or the Mets will be looking for a new "catcher of the future."
RF - Carlos Beltran (A) - We will miss you when you are gone Carlos. You never got the love you deserved in Flushing, but you'll be remembered as a natural who knew where to be when he needed to be there. That is why he didn't run all over the place in the outfield, its called instincts. This year you where graceful enough to move over to Right Field, where it looks like you always played there. I hope you find your way to a contender, and have a huge playoffs and get a big payoff again.
CF - Angel Pagan (B) - I still don't think he's an everyday major leaguer. It might just be me. But he has been solid and his flexibility in the lineup has been a valuable asset for Terry Collins.
LF - Jason Bay (D) - He has been dreadful at the plate and for the big salary he makes that is why he is constantly booed. But like Beltran, he is a solid ball player with great instincts. He knows where he needs to be. Remember Lastings Milledge? He was terrible, but it looked like he was always putting all this effort because he always had to run hard in the outfield, why was he running hard? He didn't have the instincts a Jason Bay or Carlos Beltran have.
Manager - Terry Collins (A) - if this team ends up at .500 how can this guy not be Manager of the Year. He was supposed to guide the ship while the front office gutted the team. But he has kept the team competitive and fun to watch.
Too lazy to break down the pitchers but here are some quick grades for the rotation:
SP - Chris Capuano - B
SP - RA Dickey - D
SP - Mike Pelfrey - D
SP - Dillon Gee - B+
SP - Jon Niese - B+
Monday, June 20, 2011
This Day In Keith Hernandez History
Keith Hernandez's final hit for the Mets came on June 20, 1989 at St Louis against Frank DiPino
Friday, June 17, 2011
This Day In Keith Hernandez History
In 1983, Keith made his debut with the Mets on June 17 vs. the Montréal Expos in Montreal. Tom Seaver was the starting pitcher for the Mets. In his first at bat he grounded out to the pitcher. He got his first hit, a single, in the 4th inning against Charlie Lea. He finished the game going 2 for 4.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
"DON'T TRADE JOSE REYES" DAY
| Time | Friday, June 3 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm |
| | |
| Location | 123-01 Roosevelt Ave Flushing, NY |
This is a day to celebrate JOSE REYES and to let the mgt know we will not take it lightly if they do the stupid thing and trade one of our fav homegrown boys! So buy your ticket to this game and wear your finest JOSE tee or jersey and bring a sign or 2 telling how you feel!!!!!! GET YOUR T SHIRTS FROM THE7LINE.COM.....He has special DONT TRADE JOSE SHIRTS!
AND Join us at the top of the 5th inning on the SHEA BRIDGE....we will all start the JOSE CHANT...and hopefully get on TV, and most importantly GET NOTICED BY THE WHOLE TEAM AND THE MGT! It would be awesome if Jose acknowledges the event ... no movement!
CHEAP TICKETS are always available....no need for a field level ticket to be able to get to the SHEA BRIDGE during the game!
Fact vs Perception --- Fred Wilpon edition
This is a special edition of Fact vs. Perception … a Fred Wilpon Perception versus Facts. The quotes are from the article Madoff's Curveball written by Jeffery Toobin for the New Yorker.
Fred's Perception - On Jose Reyes "He’s had everything wrong with him."
Fact - Wilpon wasn't saying anything during 2005-2008 when he played all but 15 games, or led the league in stolen bases or triples three times. How about all the number 7 t-shirts and jerseys that are being sold, is everything wrong with that as well?
Fred's Perception - On Carlos Beltran “He’s sixty-five to seventy per cent of what he was.”
Fact - Four time All Star three time gold glover, two time silver slugger and ranking as high as fourth in MVP voting. That is pretty good for 65%. This year he has ht more home runs than Jason Bay has hit in this and last year combined.
Fred's Perception - On David Wright “A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”
Fact - What makes a superstar? Does being a perennial all-star make you a superstar? Does being the face of the franchise make you a superstar? Does being huge fan favorite with a really great and marketable name make you a superstar? Guess what Fred … yes!
Fred's Perception - The team is shitty.
Fact - OK, you got it right here.
Other Mets news -
- Toobin wll have a live chat this afternoon at 3 pm EST.
- Is the "Dock" in the song "Dock by the Bay" a reference to the Disabled list? Jason Bay is hurting again, If there is a firesale, i hope they Mets can find a buyer for the Bay.
- Really a 10 run loss, nice way to show up.
- Johann Santana is throwing off a mound ... making his return early enough so he can be showcased and traded, somehow I fear he ends up in Philly or the Bronx.
- God bless you Lenny Dykstra ... your craziness and loyalty to your friends is endless.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Kid and other things
OK, I will break down the New Yorker article later on. Wow I bet they really wished that article came on a day when people would have to talk about a game. One other quick thought. On Friday every caller on WFAN or on ESPN radio who claimed to be a Mets fan said they would be ok with “1 out of 3.” We got that and we need to march on.
So Saturday night I was running around and I heard a news tease about a former Mets star with a very seriously affliction. But I never heard the end of it, later on that evening I read that former Mets catcher Gary Carter has several tumors on his brain. Holy Crap. He is going for tests this week and hopefully he will survive this. I thought this would be a great opportunity to tell a little story about Gary Carter.
Gary Carter was not my favorite Met of the mid to late 80s, that was of course Keith Hernandez, he was my brother's favorite player. HE hit his 300th home run on my brother’s birthday one summer, my brother had a little plush bear with a Mets shirt that he called Gary. Its not that I didn’t like him, but he wasn’t my favorite.
Fast forward a several years, and I hear on the morning news that he will be at Grand Central Station signing autographs. You could bring your own item, or you can try to throw a baseball 50mph and he’d sign that ball as well as any other item. I had a really crappy job at the time and they were very loose with hours. So I went over. My heater topped out at 43 mph so I went on the slower non-50mph line. Gary signed everything anyone brought in front of him and spent a moment or two with each person, smiling for photos whatever. I have been When I got there I said to him, “wow your ring is huge,” He was wearing his 86 championship ring. I had recently been to Cooperstown and saw a more normal sized 86 ring. He says yeah I’ve got pretty big hands, and then asked if I’d like to try it on. “Really?” And then he is handing me his championship ring. I put it on and it was enormous, probably would have fit on my thumb more comfortably. I looked at my hand with the ring and thought to my self wow.
Not wanting to linger I took it off and handed it back to him. I thanked him and shook his gigantic hand. The encounter probably took less than a minute but nearly nine years later I can still think how heavy, shiny and warm the ring was. I hope that he pulls through , because he was a great ball player and a really nice guy.
Gary Carter was not my favorite Met of the mid to late 80s, that was of course Keith Hernandez, he was my brother's favorite player. HE hit his 300th home run on my brother’s birthday one summer, my brother had a little plush bear with a Mets shirt that he called Gary. Its not that I didn’t like him, but he wasn’t my favorite.
Fast forward a several years, and I hear on the morning news that he will be at Grand Central Station signing autographs. You could bring your own item, or you can try to throw a baseball 50mph and he’d sign that ball as well as any other item. I had a really crappy job at the time and they were very loose with hours. So I went over. My heater topped out at 43 mph so I went on the slower non-50mph line. Gary signed everything anyone brought in front of him and spent a moment or two with each person, smiling for photos whatever. I have been When I got there I said to him, “wow your ring is huge,” He was wearing his 86 championship ring. I had recently been to Cooperstown and saw a more normal sized 86 ring. He says yeah I’ve got pretty big hands, and then asked if I’d like to try it on. “Really?” And then he is handing me his championship ring. I put it on and it was enormous, probably would have fit on my thumb more comfortably. I looked at my hand with the ring and thought to my self wow.
Not wanting to linger I took it off and handed it back to him. I thanked him and shook his gigantic hand. The encounter probably took less than a minute but nearly nine years later I can still think how heavy, shiny and warm the ring was. I hope that he pulls through , because he was a great ball player and a really nice guy.
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