Early Exits

At the end of the 2007 and the 2008 season the New York Mets missed the post season on the final day of each respective season.  This season however they in all probability will not have that problem.  Unless the Mets can pull of some stunning string of victories and winning streaks they have already effectively put their season to bed.  Unlike last season lack of heart and hustle is not to blame, lack of bodies is however.  The Mets have put their 12th player on the disable list and he goes by the name of ace pitcher Johan Santana.  With a play off run looking severely bleak by mid July, insult was just added to injury, or injuries as the Mets freakish string of players becoming injured continues.  Lack of heart and hustle is not the reason for the downfall but the All-star disabled list isn’t the only thing that contributed to the terrible season.  For a large part of the season management has made some questionable moves, including at times not making moves at all.  It has been a trend in the Mets organization the last 3 years to not acknowledge problems that are occuring when they are occuring.  They simply would look at the events and say “they will pull through” or “we will fine.”  This year was exactly the same.  Going into the end of July the with the trade deadline looming and an already depleted team it seemed almost certain that if the Mets were going to have a chance at shooting for the wild card they would have to make at least one crucial move.  A pre-deadline move dealing Ryan Church to Atlanta in exchange for Jeff Francouer was the only thing that they had in mind as the deadline came and went and the Mets were exactly the same as they were and for the most part are now subtracting Santana.  Hopefully this will be a lesson to the Mets that move need to be made.  The offseason can’t come quickly enough for the Mets.  Deals have to be made, players need to be moved and new faces need to arrive.  Hopefully Omar Minaya has finally realized that the entire philosophy of the organization needs to shift.  They have taken up this country club persona that has done nothing but provided failure for each fan.  In 2006 the Mets looked poised to take a strangle hold on the division for years to come, however luck did not have it in the cards and things have just gone down hill ever since.  The Rough, beer drinking, dirty uniform Phillies are most likely going to win the division for the third year in a row.  It is clear that the philosophy of the club must change, but the question now is who of the remaining team fits that philosophy and must still be there in 2010.  Clearly David Wright, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez will be there next year but what of the rest of the club.  As many homeruns as Carlos Delgado has hit for the Mets its safe to say the he probably will not wear the blue and orange next year, leaving a hole at first base and the need for a legitimate clean up hitter.  Daniel Murphy has proven that he can play first base and has all the potential to be a fine fielder but he definitely will not be the run producer that Delgado is.  One avenue the Mets should definitely explore is trying to work out a trade for the Padres Adrian Gonzalez.  Gonzalez is definitely the bat that Delgado is and twice the glove.  He has also shown that Citi-Field would not be a challenge to him as he has shown immense power the past 3 years at the extreme pitchers park in San-diego, Petco Park.  Another question is the other Carlos.  Carlos Beltran I believe is part of the solution and not the problem.  He is in the prime of his career and had a great season done in by injuries.  He is a power bat, clutch and the best defensive centerfielder in the game right now.  He should definitely play out the rest of his contract as a New York Met.  Luis Castillo has proven this season that he can still definitely be a productive hitter and should fulfill his contract as well at second base while providing steady defense.  The emergence of Omir Santos likely has spelled the end for Brian Schneider who has lacked a bat this season.  Santos has proven to be a a steady defender with a good arm and can run quite well for a catcher.  More importantly he has shown to be quite a consistent bat with clutch tendencies all year.  I see this durable catcher starting behind the plate next year.  The rest of the outfield is a question mark.  Jeff Francouer and Angel Pagan have that hard nosed and tough personalities that the Mets desperately need.  Jeff Francouer is primed to have one of his best seasons in New York next year however I see it significant for the Mets to bring in another outfielder just incase Angel Pagan loses his grit from this year. He definitely deserves to start right now however.  Overall, if the Mets want to contend again next year, they need to bring in that equalizer, that fresh power bat.  They should be on the phones talking to San-Diego right now.  They can’t let that opportunity escape them.

Lack of Power

It seems like only yesterday the New York Mets were on top of the world.  In 2006 the Mets set a franchise mark with 200 homeruns, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado with 41 and 38 homeruns respectively.  Now the Carlos brothers have 12 between them this season, and neither of them are to be seen on the field.  The teams unofficial leader David Wright has 5 homers.  To this date, the day baseball starts again after the all-star break, the Mets as a team have 50 homeruns, good for dead last in the Major Leagues.  There lack of power is symbolic of the depletion that has grabbed the Mets this season due to injuries.  A depleted team has lead to much more than a lack of power, terrible team defense, drained players and at some times wacky overall play.  Even the best pitcher in the game and Mets ace Johan Santana has fallen victim to this virus.  Beneath the struggles, the Mets have shown something that they lacked the last two seasons, heart and hustle, the ability to come back late in a game, grit.  These flashes of resilliance are the only thing that have padded the Mets woes.  Although having heart goes a long way, without talent the Mets can’t count on a play off berth.  Omar Minaya needs to make a move if he expects the Mets to rise above.  The team has been able to stay within striking distance due to the NL east not being a particularly strong division.  Roy Halladay, 2 time cy young winner remains available, maybe a deal for Aubrey Huff, once the pride of Tampa Bay?  Nick Johnson?  Looking at statistics and the stretch ahead of the Mets can only predict so much.  The Mets are mere minutes away from 2nd half play and the Mets can’t go on with out a fresh face, a power bat, a power pitcher, someone without the curse they were given since day one.  Someone, anyone, a savior.  Jeff Francouer will not be enough, get on the phone Omar.

Beltran Calls reigning NL MVP out.

If words could somehow become pictures then this would be right next to the word Irony in the Dictionary.  Mets CF Carlos Beltran called reigning National League MVP Jimmy Rollins out on his own game yesterday

 ”To Jimmy Rollins: We are the team to beat.”

According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Beltran said

“Let me tell you this, Without Santana , we felt, as a team, that we had a chance to win our division, with him now, I have no doubt that we’re going to win in our division.  I have no doubt in that.  We’ve got what it takes.” (http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080216&content_id=2375631&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym)

The center fielder who is usually quiet and goes about his business has just added various pinches of spice to this rivalry that was amplified last year by Jimmy Rollins presumptuous statement, that the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East.  Beltran has made himself a prominent figure in this rivalry and will have to put his money where his mouth is or falter.  Have the Phillies overcome the Braves as the Mets toughest rivals?

The First One

Hello, and welcome to my new blog reader. I guess the proper thing to do would be to start with an introduction. My name is Ramon and I am the author of this blog. I sometimes go by my Pen name Ra-chan or RaRa-chan but I think I should just keep it professional here (referring to me as Ra-chan is perfectly fine with me though.) I am an amateur writer, artist and athlete. My hobbies include studying foreign languages (mostly Spanish and Japanese), writing poetry and short stories, reading Manga and watching Anime, and I am a frequent gym patron. I suppose you could say that I like to lift weights. I am a Freshman at Hunter College of the City University of New York (Great school everyone, great school) and am currently in the Teacher Education program and plan to double major in Puerto Rican studies and Japanese studies while minoring in English. I then plan to persue a masters in English and a PHD in Philosophy (this is all subject to change however). I have been in love before, however the girl does not feel the same as me. This is okay however because I have been cheating on her. I have been cheating on her because I have a love affair with someone else, or rather something else. I have a love affair with the game called Baseball. It is one of the best things I have ever been blessed to have in my life. I am an avid Mets fan. I love the Mets more than I should love most other things in my life, which leads me to the point. I have had many other blogs in my days. I have blogged on Xanga and Live Journal (Xanga which is long since obsolete and I do not frequent anymore at all, and Live Journal which is a bit more personal and my attention toward it is beginning to wane). I have blogged on sites that’s purpose really is not to blog such as Myspace and Sconex (I fear sexual predators so I don’t really go to Myspace anymore and well Sconex is left to my High School days.) Then a friend of mine, and avid Yankee fan, told me that one of the Yankees brightest young stars, Phil Hughes, had a blog on this very site. I then decided to make a blog account here. The difference between this and my Live Journal account is that this blog is totally dedicated to Baseball. I will be mostly posting about the New York Mets (as that is my favorite team) and not as much but more so than other teams, the New York Yankees (as they are also a New York team and I enjoy watching their games as well). Be assured however that an ample amount of Baseball all around the country will be covered here. I am also a fan of Nippon Professional Baseball so don’t be surprised if you see something about Japanese baseball here. Well it seems that is sufficient for a first entry. I want to thank my friend Mehwish for showing me this site. Spring Training has already begun, let’s see what unfolds this year in 2008 for Major League Baseball.

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