The Half-Televised Game with Rafael Montero

A lot of us were able to watch the Nats TV feed of last night's 4-4 10-inning tie, either on MLB Network or MLB.TV. If you missed any of the game, check in with Matt Musico over at Rising Apple for a recap and his thoughts on it all.

The most interesting item from the game, for me, was 22-year-old Rafael Montero. The Mets- coaches, front office and players alike- have been raving about this kid for a long time, and it was the first I ever got to see his stuff. Very impressive. He will begin the year in AA and will most likely be in the minors the whole time, but a September call-up is not out of the question (unless he breezes through everyone and forces the organization to speed his process up, but I'm looking towards the 6th month of the season for Montero's Citi Landfall.)

There were plenty of other things from the game that drew my attention (besides, generally, the Mets and baseball) but I can't really get into detail about it all right now. So, please (once again) head over to Rising Apple, for Matt Musico has got you all covered.


This song is randomly stuck in my head this morning. Probably 'cause Silver Linings Playbook is for some reason randomly stuck in my head (for those of you who saw the film, you understand the tune reference.) It's a really beautiful rendition (not to say the original folk version isn't fantastic as well, but this one gets me.)

It's just a really, really well-written song.

MARCH. ROLLS. IN. NOW.
LET'S. GO. METS.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @convertedmetfan. And for Rising Apple twitter updates, click here.

One Scenario I Can Get Behind

As these winter meetings get under way in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel (seen on the right), there is one rumored R.A. Dickey trade destination I can get behind: Texas. The narrative seems right, and if a trade to improve our team arises with the Lone Star State and the trade makes sense from a practical point (which is not my point of view when it comes to my firm stance on keeping R.A.) then for him to kind of "go home" to the place that gave him his first shot and help them win would be a storyline I can get behind. R.A. has found a home here with our Mets family, but if the deal is right, sure, send him back to Texas.

I'm kind of starting to salivate over Wil Myers, though, you guys, and I would LOVE to see Sandy pull off a trade for the young slugger WHILE STILL signing R.A. to an extension. And KC is unlikely to include their prospect in a deal for a 38-year-old journeyman knuckleballer coming off only his 3rd straight great campaign (you and me know R.A. is no fluke and will likely keep his consistency and/or find what he needs to do to adjust to pitching as an older gentlemen, but other teams are appropriately weary to giving up their team-controlled prospects for him.) It is much more likely a deal could form around a coming-into-his-own southpaw with a reasonable 5-year contract. Sorry Jon. I'm sure you don't take offense to myself and many other fans tossing you into a hypothetical trade with Kansas City. I'm sure this very instant you're watching a Wil Myers highlight reel saying you'd trade yourself for this kid...

Anyway, I like the approach Sandy takes in most of the things he does. We fans are supposed to enter all of this with emotions constantly running high. That's ok. Sandy's job is pretty much the opposite. Emotions are supposed to take over very little in his job. Technically, the Mets ARE desperate. Omar would probably be walking in their with that, "Man, I need a catcher, outfielder and bullpen" look on his face as he shakes hands and schmoozes with everybody. Sandy's probably cracking jokes about it with the rest of baseball, but he will not trade his commodity in an act of desperation. He will make a keen baseball observation, and do what he must.

What a week, folks. Let's see what unfolds.

NASHVILLE. SKYLINE.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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The Duda Abode

You know that feeling you've gotten this 2nd half, and many times in your Met fandom, that they were yet again going to squander a 0-out RISP opportunity? I got that feeling when The Duda was up in the 7th last night. Having the game a few minutes behind on the DVR, I found my finger on top of those two forward triangles, ready to push past the next round of commercials. It wasn't even like the idea of The Duda swinging and missing a low breaking pitch was perturbing me all that much. I've been almost conditioned to believe that's what would happen. Of course I had visions of a home run that would turn the game around, but those are only natural as a fan. Foul after foul after foul after foul, the Atlanta crowd going crazy, as juiced as they've been all year with it being Chipper Jones Night in the land of Georgia. Those home run visions didn't go away, but neither did that swing and miss image.

And then, on the 9th pitch...

It happened.

"He did it!" I exclaimed.

"He actually got a mistake and he CRUSHED IT!"

Tim Hudson, who was dealing all night, left a sinker up, and The Duda took full advantage. THAT'S the way you win a ballgame.

Of course, I naturally thought this might only set up a vintage Braves-'gainst-Mets-bullpen-blown loss where the man of the evening is the 3-run-home-run hero or something along those lines. When Larry came up with no one on and 2 out in the 8th, those fears were pacified some.

And so, the bullpen, including Bobby Parnell with the save, looked solid in locking down a late-season "Let's ruin their plans for making a run at the division lead" win.

Jon Niese was fantastic this year. I got very picky at certain times about his performances, and at certain times we still saw the big inning that can ail him. But Jon Niese definitely turned that metaphorical corner a good amount of us said he should turn. He will be a solid rotation piece for years to come. He was real sharp last night and literally, literally, made one mistake, which Freddie Freeman absolutely crushed. I applaud Niese's effort in the first year after signing the extension, and I look forward to even more growth in 2013. 

It's hard to figure out what we have in The Duda. You first think he can be a great hitter who will run into 30 to 40 baseballs that go traveling far distances every year, then you think he's never going to adjust to opponents' adjustments because his confidence is too low. THEN, he has an at bat like that against one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Who knows what the future has in store between our favorite ball club and The Lumberjack?

But for one night, at least...

The Duda Abode.

LET'S. GO. METS.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @convertedmetfan. And for Rising Apple twitter updates, click here.