Hey....Remember THIS GUY?!

Welcome Back, Jose! Have You Met Cap'n Kirk?

The Mets won a thrilling ball game in Jose Reyes' return to Citi Field, beating the Marlins by a score of 2-1.

I was on a softball field when the first pitch took place and watched the second half of the ball game at a bar, so it wasn't until I got home that I saw this catch on Reyes' hard-hit ball to open the game. Kirk was a big part of last night, making that leap, getting a single in the eighth and scoring on The Duda's hit. The Cap'n has shown very early on that he is an amazing defender, a consistent hitter and an all-around good baseball player. He'll hit a slump at some point with the bat, and it will be interesting to see how he responds. Andres Torres is apparently set to join the club at the end of this weekend, and clearly Kirk shouldn't go anywhere with this kind of play. I'm looking forward to seeing how Sandy handles this, and he's got some leg room with the DL visit Jason Bay just made with a fractured rib (of course, right when he was starting to get some hits.)

That was rough seeing Terry pinch-hit Ike in the 7th for Justin Turner against the southpaw, but it did make sense the way Davis has been going. Nice to see Turner take the walk. It would also be nice to see Justin's bat break out, but that's another issue for another day.

The Duda abides. 

Not surprised after a double-dip dud and a chilly evening that the crowd wouldn't be that big for this Jose Reyes return. I also was not surprised by the reaction. I woulda been the ones booing. You left. You're the enemy now. I'm booing you.

Rough luck for Big Pelf. Of course, when it looks like he's finally figured it out (and he could possibly be some trade bait once the kids are ready to come up) the durability he has had these past few years goes out the window and he might be headed to season-ending surgery. Ugh.

It's the workhorse Mark Buehrle vs. the knuckleballer RA tonight at 7:10.

Swing through, Jose Reyes. The Knuckle's comin' to get ya.

LET'S. GO. METS.


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Sign Me Up for 6 out of 9 Any Day

The Mets tried to sweep the Phils on the road Sunday, but alas, could not hold on to a 7th inning lead, falling to the "Brotherly Love" team 2-8.

Personally, I was surprised Mike Pelfrey even made it out of the 2nd inning. But he continues to battle and get big outs, even as he looks like a 6'6" goof out there. Mind you, The Phillies' offense has looked anemic lately, but anemic offenses haven't stopped Pelf from falling off the cliff in the past. That was one positive from the game, on top of Ike Davis looking as if he's putting that slump in the past.

It was a good weekend all around, however, and you take going into Atlanta with a 6-3 record after 9 games. So, brush the loss off, Mets, and in the words of the Terry the Manager:

"We’ll get on the plane, have a sandwich, and get ready for tomorrow.”

(Some errands popped up Sunday Night once I got back in town, so expect a write-up on the Philly trip Tuesday afternoon.)

 

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In My Absence, The Mets Still Get It Done

Monday marked the first time in the short 2012 campaign I could not be present at Citi Field. No matter how much I would love to go to every Mets game there is, Overtime must be worked so I can go to as many as possible. The Mets faced yet another division rival, one I believe is going to be a formidable opponent during this campaign. In what is arguably the most entertaining game so far in the infancy of this season, The Mets prevailed over the Nationals by a score of 4-3 to stretch their early record to 4-0.

The Monday night affair was the first I listened to on the radio, and when spoiled with live baseball and the gentlemen on SNY, I forgot how eloquent and visual Howie Rose can be. Baseball is still the most cinematic of sports radio broadcasts, with enough time in-between pitches to paint a vivid picture of what the listener's eyes are missing. Not many do it better than Howie Rose, whose Mets Fandom is also a fantastic treat, with his emotions bleeding through subtly to enhance the listener's experience.

I cannot figure out yet what I think of his new partner, Josh Lewin. The Mets got rid of Wayne Hagin at the end of last year, and while I never minded him,  I didn't shed a tear. In my first time listening to the pairing, I can tell Lewin knows his Mets baseball, and is real energetic on his calls. As the season goes on, I will be able to form a more solid opinion of what I think of the new guy.

Mike Pelfrey started and he was very....Pelfrey. He had trouble, as usual, finding his groove in the first inning, and as he staked the Mets out to their first deficit of the year, every Met fan universally rolled their eyes. He wasn't very efficient throughout the night, throwing around 100 pitches in only 5.2 innings. He was able to settle down, however, after giving up 3 runs in 3 innings, uncharacteristically striking out 8. He also helped his own cause by smacking a double down the left field line in the 3rd, scoring on David Wright's RBI single for the Mets' first run (Wright is now 4 RBIs away from tying Strawberry's all-time franchise mark.) No matter how frustrating the consistent inconsistencies of Mike Pelfrey can be, outings like this are what makes his a serviceable 5th starter, and his role as an innings eater has value in and of itself. The new front office, however, has no attachment to Pelf, and the mediocrity he provides will most likely not be accepted for that much longer, especially if the kids down on the farm develop into what we hope they will.

The first deficit of the year provided the Mets with their first opportunity to battle back, and our new center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis (or "Nieuwy" as Murph called him during the post-game interview) responded with a 2-run home run off the Mo's Zone to tie the game (which is now a 4-bagger and should have been for 3 years now). This was also Kirk's first major league round tripper, and when I watched the highlights, you could see how pumped he was, and how excited the rest of the team was for him as well.

Not enough can be said about the bullpen's work. They made some key outs with runners on base during this game. It is forming into a real strength for this team. What a sight to behold.

I got home around the 7th inning, turning the TV on as I got ready to go to our basement gym in our building (where I have watched most of the Knicks' fourth quarters on overtime days.) When a commercial came on, I raced downstairs, turned the facility's TV on and finished watching the game while on the treadmill, another first time for me in this young baseball season. I almost lost my feet below me (as Mike Baxter later did) pumping my fist in the air when in the 9th Murph saved a 2-out hit with a diving stop up the middle, tossing the ball to Tejada for the force out. This was Murphy's first defensive 9th inning this year, and the guy came up huge.

As I ramped up my running, Tejada laid the bunt down, the Nationals' Rodriguez threw it away (so many pitchers who throw 100 mph cannot make a simple throw to 1st) and Mike Baxter made everyone in the ballpark cringe as he stumbled between 3rd and home, arriving safely back at 3rd. Murphy solidified his place as MVP of the game by shortening his swing on an inside, waist-high fastball to line the stitches in front of Jayson Werth in shallow right-center field and score Baxter for the winning run.

I am having such a blast watching this mostly young team slowly build their chemistry, their confidence and their swagger. I know it's early, but I like what I see so far. Until they show me otherwise, I will revel in the Awesomeness.

LET'S. GO. METS.

It was announced yestersay that to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Mets first game ever, the team would be selling a limited number of $2.50 seats for Wednesday's afternoon game (which is an unbelievable price for the scheduled match-up of Johan and Stephen Strasburg). Those tickets sold out pretty quickly apparently and they extended it into Tuesday night's ballgame. I couldn't resist, and I had planned on going after Overtime to see if there would still be tickets available. But the best girlfriend ever traveled out to Citi Field around 7:30 and locked down some seats for us and a friend. She. Is. Awesome. I just can't stay away from the ballpark, especially at $2.50 a seat. You can purchase them here, but at the ballpark there is no service fee (I know even the concept of the service fee sucks, but it might be a lot more complicated than we think to remove it from the site for just this one promotion. I don't know. The service charge isn't expensive at all, but if you have time tomorrow, head down to the ticket booth and lock down, say, 4 tickets for $10. Pretty sweet, huh? Call ahead, though, if you're concerned they'll be gone.)
 
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The Florida Turnpike Subway Series

Yesterday, for the first time since 1997, The New York Mets took on The New York Yankees in what was the first of back-to-back games between the two before both teams begin the 2012 regular season. Our man Ike Davis sent us home victorious with a solo shot in the bottom of the 9th for a 7-6 win over our crosstown/up-and-across-Florida rivals.

After back-to-back.....to-back-to-back...(you get the idea) of blaa-ness from Mike Pelfrey, the front office seriously contemplated cutting ties with the 6'6'' right-hander. Terry Collins apparently chatted with Pelfrey, informing him that this front office, even in spring training, will not be tolerant of that kind of performance. Since then, Pelfrey has turned it up, looking very sharp, getting his fastball and sinker down with bite, and even deploying some good-looking breaking balls. He pitched 4 innings, giving up one run on a solo shot by Nick Swisher. Big Pelf needed to show some progress, for his own sanity and for ours, and he has done so in the last two starts, albeit against the Astros and the B-Yankees line-up, respectively. Regardless, we all hope this is a trend upward for Mike, who looks confident and in control on the mound right now, even with runners on base (which actually didn't occur very often in this game.)

Ivan Nova started for the Yanks and couldn't keep the ball down. The Mets offense got level swings off of the young Yankees pitcher, making solid contact which translated to 3 runs in the first inning. Andres Torres made his return to Major League action and looked to have the calf strain in the past...for now. (Yesterday, I made my Rising Apple debut with a piece about Andres Torres and how I believe, based on my experience, Torres might be more prone to muscle strains because of his ADHD medicine.) Torres got on base twice, and went 1st to home in the second inning. His stride looked unaffected by the calf strain, as his speed was at the top of his game. He was removed after the 2nd inning, but only because Terry Collins didn't want him doing too much.

After Pelf's solid outing, Jon Niese arrived for his last tune-up of the spring, and unfortunately was not that sharp. After having a 5-1 lead, Niese left the mound with the Mets down 5-6. Word is that The Mets and Niese are working on a 5-year extension, which I believe is a fantastic idea. Don't let that make you feel secure, though, Jon (Just kidding. Jon Niese is the least of my worries. I think he's gonna have a breakout year.)

Other takeaways from the game:

• The game was the first time this spring I have seen David Wright in a game. He lookin' good at the plate (with a solid opposite field hit in the first inning) and in the field (with a fantastic back-hand play on a chopper down the 3rd base line to throw out Andruw Jones at 1st.) 
• It was nice to see the projected Opening Day line-up for the first time this spring. It excites me thinking of what this line-up has the potential to do.
• Even Jason Bay was finally turning on the inner-half of the zone, getting the barrel squarely round the ball. Who knows what this means.
• David Hudgens' hitting philosophy is evident with the amount of walks taken by this team. We led the league last year in walks and were 2nd to St. Louis in On Base Percentage. Drastic difference from years past, where we gave too many at-bats to players with OBP under .300.
• Byrdak is a freak of nature, getting back on the mound after knee surgery less than 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, he had surgery on his face as well, getting a facial hair removal procedure. I hope this doesn't start a trend (You hear me, GEE?!!! Keep that Goatee!!!)
• Tony LaRussa was a guest in the booth in the 3rd inning and said something very interesting when asked whether these big, 10-year contracts make it harder for a manager: "Well, it makes it harder and that's been the biggest difference since I started playing. This game is so much about human nature and what you're doing with contracts with money and years is you're messing with the survival instinct. You have to be really careful who you pay like that for years...(outside of Votto, Pujols and Fielder)...normally it does put a burden on the coaching staff, 'cause if the guy can be a jerk and walk up to you and say, "look at my contract" you literally have to fight through it and go face to face and say, "hey, I don't care what it says," personalize your style of coaching. They can make it easy for you or they can make it difficult."

The Mets play their last spring game of March in Tampa today against the New York Yankees at 12:05PM. The game will not be televised on SNY but will be broadcasted on YES.

After that, the Mets head north as we head out to the Citi for the first time this year tomorrow. 

Sweetness.

The Pelf is Finger-lickin' Good

I guarantee you, and without looking around the internet, that a title such as the one used above has already been used in the past given Pelf's knack for licking his fingers, and without any Colonel on them.

Regardless, Mike Pelfrey tuned up for the regular season yesterday, throwing 6 1/3 innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 run. The Mets offense exploded for a 9-1 win.

I, unfortunately, was not able to watch yet another game, but I've gotten a lot of practice in as we lead to the regular season and I feel pretty fresh when it comes to over-analyzing. I should be able to fit a couple more viewings in before the games begin counting.

Pelf was apparently sharp and efficient, albeit against the Astros. If there was any pitcher who needed a good outing for his psyche leading up to next week, it's that guy. I want nothing more than for Mike Pelfrey to turn me into a believer. And one game against the Astros isn't gonna do it, but it's a nice step in the right direction. He should have one more start to tune up before next thursday. Keep it up, Pelf.

David Wright hit a grand slam off our old buddy Livan Hernandez, and it was apparently a fantastic at-bat where Wright had to lay off a bunch of breaking balls before Livan served up a batting practice-style fastball. When I get a chance, I'll head to SNY.TV or mets.com and take a look at it.

I'm heading down to Philly for the weekend so you might not hear from me before Sunday, at the earliest. For now, enjoy some Time.

The Tale of Two Pelfreys and Gee Eats his Beard; Mets and Cards tie 6-6

The least concerning news of yesterday's game to Met fans is that Dillon Gee was caught on camera biting down on his massive goatee. I have not seen it reported yet so I caught the scoop. HA! Take that, Adam Rubin!

Much more important to the future of this franchise is Mike Pelfrey continuing his inconsistencies that have come to define his six-year career. This game (a 6-6 tie with the Cardinals) more than any other in March basically sums up what Pelfrey has become: he is consistantly inconsistent, and in trying to find his identity over the course of 5 full big-league seasons, his identity has become a pitcher who looks lost and bewildered, unable to grasp exactly who he is on the mound.

Pelfrey started out sharply, consistently getting the ball down, having the sink on that sinker that formerly lead to so many ground balls. He even struck out Yadir Molina on a sharp one. I thought to myself for a second that Pelfrey might have turned a corner. Then a runner got on.

The second the opposition starts getting on base, Pelfrey loses all intimidation and composure, as if he completely forgets everything he is working on. This occurred in the 3rd inning, when the Cardinals got their first hit on the day and proceeded to score 4 runs off the Soft Giant. Even in one at-bat, he can look as if he has the best bite in the world on his fastball and the sloppiest, most easily hard hit pitch the game has ever seen. In Bobby Ojeda's words, "At some point he needs a game plan and he needs to stick to it." After the game, Pelfrey talked about his velocity and the strides he's made with his sinker, and how he was pleased with the way he threw, outside of a few moments of letting his guard down. I'm tired, however, of everyone just settling for this mediocrity we get from the man, including Pelfrey himself. It just won't cut it anymore.

There were many positives from this game, however, and none were more positive than the power display shown by the middle of the order. After the Cardinals botched an inning-ending double-play, Ike Davis knocked an opposite-field home run to give the Mets an early 3-0 lead. With no ill effects from the ankle, so far, Ike is beginning to settle in after a slow start to his hitting. His defense continues to be one of the best in the business as he showed us on a great snare of a hard liner down the line in the 6th inning.

I can go on and on about Lucas Duda. Besides absolutely destroying the baseball in the 4th inning for a home run just to the right of center field, he's got a great eye and does what he needs to do to get his barrel on the ball. I love his swing and The Duda has quickly turned into one of my favorite players on this team. I look forward to his continuing progress.

The Duda.

Other takeaways from this game:

• While it was a sloppy one, it was a fun game to watch, with lots of opportunities to practice situations. Neither team, however, could take full advantage of the sloppiness for the win.
• Gary Cohen made the point that Matt Den Dekker has great speed but does not yet have a great first step on the base paths. Another reason (on top of the points I made yesterday) why Den Dekker should start the year in the minor leagues, regardless of his defense and the center field injury situation.
• All the emphasis on pitchers getting the bunt down seems to be working. Pelf executed a perfect one in the 3rd inning. Soooooo....he's got that going for him...
• I used to dread The Bobby Parnell Show, but even though it's spring, I actually have been looking forward to watching him pitch when I see him warming up. He has much better poise than we're familiar with, mixing in his other pitches and not overthrowing his fastball. He looks more mature in his demeanor, making the kind of strides we wish Pelf would make. Maybe Parnell did some soul searching this winter.
• Jon Rauch's fastball isn't quite there yet, but his slider is. He did a good job practicing getting out of trouble.
• Frank Francisco's fastball isn't quite there yet as well, and he didn't get any help from the defense in his first opportunity to practice the save (and practice how NOT to blow a save.) His splitter is there, however, and it looks great. If the fastball comes around, we should be alright. If not, maybe Parnell is indeed the closer of the future. (Maybe? I know this is only spring training, but wishful thinking never hurt anyone.)
• Nickeas is a hard worker, and has fantastic ability for self-analysis. He was interviewed in the latter part of the game, and he said the following in regards to his swing: "I'm trying to shorten everything up...focus on a downward plane towards the ball. I was getting a little loopy towards the end of last year...I'd lose my barrel throughout my swing. Now I feel my direction is in front, the barrel is coming through the zone a little tighter." You can tell why the front office and coaching staff like this guy so much. Hopefully the self-analysis leads to great execution.
• Josh Edgin continues to impress. He keeps the ball down and has great confidence in who he is at this stage of his career. I look forward to his growth, regardless of him making the team or not.
• The crowd was practicing fandom in the 9th and 10th innings, with extreme passion and loudness for a spring training game. Met fans and Cardinal fans kept exchanging "Let's go" chants, getting real feisty. Nice job.

The future of the National League East will be on full display today when Matt Harvey and the Mets take on Stephen Strausberg and the Nats. Don't you wish this game was on TV?

11 more days, folks.

Don't Den Dekker Opening Day; and Other Thoughts on Yesterday

The Mets lost to those Br@v#s by a score 4-9 yesterday. Jon Niese had one of the weaker starts of the spring by the numbers, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits in 4 innings. But this is all relative. Jon Niese does not concern me. What concerns me is the notion of Matt Den Dekker making the opening day roster.

Terry Collins told reporters that Den Dekker is in serious consideration to make the opening day roster (even though he is not on the 40-man). Regardless of it being only a stopgap if Torres and Hairston are not healed, Den Dekker is not even close to ready for the big time. His defense is, but his Average and On Base Percentage have declined from minor league stop to minor league stop, with an extremely drastic difference between A+ and AA, arguably the most important jump outside of to the majors. His OBP went from a solid .362 at St. Lucie to a mediocre .312 at Binghamton. His avg dropped from a modest .296 to a paltry .235, although his Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP) was .305 at Binghamton. That means a good amount of the time he didn't even make contact. His strikeout percentage has never been lower than 20%, and last year he struck out just under 3 times for every 10 at-bats. My eyes have told me he needs to shorten his swing if he ever stands a chance as even a serviceable major leaguer.  I can understand if Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson want to give him a little taste of The Show so he strives that much harder to get back there, but I don't think that is a viable excuse. Start him in AA, make him prove he's ready to at least go to Buffalo, and then we'll go from there.

Now that I've vented about Den Dekker, let's move on to another player who might make the team. It sounds like Mike Baxter has a legitimate shot at the bench. This move I endorse. He didn't light it up in terms of average in his 40 plate appearances in September (.235) and his strikeout percentage was a rather high 26%. He does have the ability to get on base, however, with a modest .350 percentage in his time up in Flushing, an important stat in regards to a bench player. Mike Baxter might never be the most talented player on the field, but he will always play hard, something that cannot be measured via statistics. And, of course, it's always fun to root for the local guy.

The Mets take on the Cardinals today on PIX 11. Mike Pelfrey makes yet another start, and he needs to work on....just about everything. You know what Mike Pelfrey needs to do? He needs to get angry. Jeff Francoeur pretty much hit the nail on the head.

GET ANGRY, MIKE PELFREY!!!!!

The Knuckler Knuckles, and Mets Win 8-2

Now less than two weeks until opening day, it is around this time that teams truly begin tightening things up. That was the case for the New York Mets on Thursday, as they beat the Houston Astros by a score of 8-2.

RA Dickey, the only active knuckleballer in the major leagues, was outstanding, pitching one out into the seventh and not giving up a hit until the sixth inning (let’s save the no-hitter for April.) He also got a great sacrifice bunt down at one point, something the entire pitching staff has had to work on. Now, to say the Astros resembled a major league team would be a stretch, with Carlos Lee the only recognizable name in their starting line-up. You have to be on your toes at all times, however, and my favorite player did not let up on the Texas team in transition. He finished his day striking out Lee, but apparently the 80 pitches weren’t enough and he continued to throw on the sidelines.  I love watching RA pitch. I love watching the sequence of his pitches against every batter he faces. He is extremely methodical in the way he goes about his business, and it is a thrill every time he is on the mound. What makes him that much more interesting than the knuckleballers of the past is the way he alternates speeds of his bread-and-butter pitch. And oh, he happens to throw a mid-80’s fastball with bite as well.  RA Dickey is one of my favorite things ever about baseball. He has a book and a movie arriving soon, and I have a feeling those respective items will be some of my favorite things ever as well.

Wandy Rodriguez, the Astros starter, was wild, and the Mets offense took advantage of anything over the plate.  With Andres Torres ailing, Ruben Tejada and his .360 On-Base-Percentage carried the top spot in the line-up. He showed off the muscle he added in the off-season by turning on the second pitch he saw, blasting a home run over the left field wall. I don’t think he’ll ever be a slugger, but a little pop never hurt anybody. Ruben at the top could potentially work, and I don’t believe replacing that aspect of Jose Reyes’ game will add any more pressure to the kid. He’s not going to be a speedster, but all we need is for Ruben to keep improving, get on base and play his game. I believe he has the mentality to do so.

Other takeaways from the game:

• SNY was having some problems at the beginning with their sound. It was as if we were all listening to the radio feed over the broadcast, with Gary, Keith and Ralph a second ahead of us.
• Ike Davis’ 25^th birthday was yesterday, but apparently the Domain Diamond Vision wished him a “happy 30^th birthday.” Uhhh….we have six seasons of awesome 1^st baseman production before that birthday, and hopefully and entire career of it in the Orange and Blue.
• Matt Den Dekker got the start in center field, and it sounds like he will continue on with major league camp for a few more days or so. The kid needs to shorten his swing, for it’s too long to be productive at the professional level, let alone the major league level. He has had a K-percentage above 20% for the last three years, and that has to go down if he is ever to be a serviceable major leaguer. It will be interesting to monitor his progress this season…or lack thereof.
• Lucas “Mayhem” is not hitting like he was at the beginning of camp. The ball is not erupting off his bat like it was and this is leading to more pop-ups. He did start at third, however, and made a great diving stop to his right at the hot corner and proceeded to throw the runner out. It was awesome. I like the versatility Sandy has brought in this year.
• This team will need to maximize their opportunities every time they are presented to them, and they are doing so right now on the base paths. We don’t have Reyes’ speed anymore, but bases can be stolen with great jumps, which Bay got in the 3^rd.
• Omar Quintanilla cleared the loaded bases in the eighth with a double down the right field line. Even though he has been sent to minor league camp, I expect we will be seeing him in Flushing at some point this year. He has a nice, compact, level swing, plays great defense, and with Ronny Cedeño’s paltry offense (.297 OBP last year) Quintallina might be a better option to back up the middle infield.
• The infielder Jordany Valdespin got an opportunity in center field, and on cue the batter hit it hard his way. He made the play soundly. With his bat and his hopefully maturing nature, this might be the way he gets to the major leagues. Captain Kirk Nuiewenhuis is first in line but doesn’t seem to be able to stay on the field.
• Josh Edgin might have only been in A-ball last year, but I like his stuff and his poise. He could be the lefty specialist of the future.
• Turns out Mike Pelfrey had been pitching with an ankle sprain. Doesn’t change my opinion of him. I still look forward to Matt Harvey replacing Little Pelf.
• Ramon Ramirez looked sharper this game than he has been.
• Frank Francisco didn’t get one pitch off that wasn’t hit hard in the 9^th inning. He gave up a two-out run, and all three outs in the inning were bullets to the fielders. Tighten it up, Frank. We need your saves desperately this year.

I truly believe this team is gonna be good. But I can’t convince people. The Mets have to do that.

Less than two weeks, folks.

The Wilpons Settle and Pelf Keeps Tumbling Downhill

It’s been a long day and I am finally able to sit down and write about the Mets news of the last 24 hours. The most important information has been that the Wilpons and Irving Picard settled their differences for a puny $162 Million. I cannot even begin to understand the intricacies of this case, but this is apparently a huge win for the Wilpons based on what most people in the know have said. Adam Rubin of ESPN New York lays it out pretty solidly, and if you understand legal jargon here is the Court-issued settlement agreement. I have been torn on my opinion of this case and of the Wilpons for a while now. I was firmly against them before they fired Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel, but at that end-of-an-era press conference I thought they were earnest in taking responsibility for their role in letting the snowball keep accumulating more flakes. Clearly, their financial maladies are not good for the Mets, and I seesaw between whether they should sell for the good of the collective or whether we should all give them a chance to bounce back. The Mets are their property, and if they can go through all this and come out on the other side stronger than ever with their ball club asset intact, more power to them. But alas, the debate of whether a team is a private venture or a public service has existed since sports became a business interest.

I am happy, however, (and to be cliché about it since it's all anyone has said today, but it's true) I'm glad to get the focus back to baseball.

Hey! Guess what? Pelf sucks. He gave up eight runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings in the Mets 5-9 loss to the Astros. The excuse from Pelf himself and Terry Collins was that he ramped up his velocity. The game was  not televised, but Michael Baron of Metsblog said here that Pelf once again looked "awful."

Yes, I know Pelf had a bad spring in 2010 before having a very good first half, but nothing he has done over the last year or so has instilled confidence in me that he can be a successful pitcher for our New York Mets. I look forward to the day Matt Harvey or Jeurys Familia replace him in the rotation.

I would love for him to have quality in his durability. Clearly, I would LOVE IT. And it isn't my fault I'm pessimistic in regards to Pelfrey. It's his Blaa-ness and his Blaa-ness alone.

But he got an RBI groundout in the 2nd!!

Ugh. Mike Pelfrey.

Pelf Gets Freesed

Yesterday, the Mets lost to the Cardinals 7-1, mostly a byproduct of more miserable Pelfrey pitching.

His stuff was very hittable, and both David Freese and Yadir Molina were able to tee off on him. I get that it's only his second outing, but it's hard not to think to yourself, "Here we go again..." He has never instilled confidence in me when he's on the mound, and I am ready to irrationally rant about getting rid of him. His fastball was treated to the batting practice special. His breaking pitches didn't break. He pitches a boring 90 mph...in fact, Adam Wainright's 87 mph has more pop and life than Pelf's 90 mph. He's boring, in every way possible. His pitching is tiring, I don't like hearing Pelfrey talk about baseball, I just not a fan. Seems like a nice enough guy, but I can't get over his boringness. Yeah, I know that's not a word, but he's so boring that I just invented a word for him.

Here are some other takeaways besides how boring Mike Pelfrey is:

• Beltran is a class act. The hostility towards him by certain Met fans, I believe, is unwarranted. Very weird seeing him in the Cardinal jersey, though, and with that #3. Who's got 15 on the Cards? Jim Edmonds isn't still playing right?.........Oh. Furcal.
• Daniel Murphy did a great job shortening his swing on an 0-2 count to stay with an inside off-speed pitch and hit one through the hole in the first inning. Murph played the full 9 innings, hitting everything like he does and showing us why he needs to get his knee out of the way at 2nd base.
• Bay is getting on top of pitches, leading to too many soft hits on the ground. He got lucky with a chop over the third baseman's head for a double in the middle of the game, but this still has to be corrected. Ralph brought this same point up when Bay hit the double. Speaking of Ralph...
• Ralph Kiner everybody!!! Always fantastic to hear him talk about the old days and compare and contrast them to our current days. He's still so sharp. In his first inning of work, Kiner had this to say about injuries: "In the old days...you didn't tell anybody you were hurt. You played. 'Cause if you didn't play...you would maybe never get back in the lineup."
• Speaking of injuries, even though every baseball team has them this time of year (or all the time, for that matter) because it's the Mets the number of injuries is magnified by the media. I can understand Terry Collin's frustration because, going back to what Kiner said, maybe these injuries are being babied a little bit. They are probably being extra-cautious for normal spring training aches and pains. And I have to say I agree with Keith when he says they are probably due to overdoing it in the off-season. Players used to actually take the off-season off from staying in shape, and use spring training to get into game-shape. But now, these athletes are in game-shape all year round, and that might be leading to more of these strains.
• Great double-play turned in the fourth by Josh Satin at 3rd and Ike Davis at 1st.
• Josh Satin has a big swing, but it's a nice one. It will be interesting to see how he does when he and his huge eyebrows inevitably gets some big league time.
• Lucas Duda has a great swing, and I am sad the Grand Slam against the Tigers the other day was not televised. But I'm sure I'll have plenty of chances to see him hit another one. Duda.
• Lucas Mayhem can certainly hit, he's just gotta clean it up behind the plate a little bit.
• Garrett Olson (lefty getting a chance because of the Byrdak injury) has a great beard. In fact, his beard is better than his control (ZING!!!) (no internet link of his current beard, and his beard was weak pre-Metropolitan)
• Glad I finally got to see Ramon Ramirez. His stuff is nasty. Great zip. Great movement, Got two quick outs before the Cards hit him around a little bit, but I am a big fan of the pick-up. Should prove a good one.
• Den Dekker can really run it down in center field. He's going to be a star if his bat comes around.
• Fantastic diving catch by Juan Lagares for the 3rd out in the 8th inning

The Greatest Spring Training Game Ever

Well, that is most certainly an exaggeration, but it got you in here, right?

Yesterday's 4-5 loss to the Miami Marlins is certainly not the greatest baseball game ever played in March, but I enjoyed it the most, so far. It's spring training for us fans as well, as we practice rooting for our team again, and in the 9th inning, with our orange and blue squad down one run (as opposed to teal, black, orange and yellow), I found myself rooting hard for a come-from-behind victory. Also, what made it more enjoyable is that players seem to have their heads in the game and the situations, and that is translating to crispier play.

Unless you're Mike Pelfrey.

Look, I understand it was his first spring training start. Pelf hasn't normally done well in spring (or the regular season, for that matter) and this start should be taken with a grain of salt (4 runs in less than 3 innings, hard hit grapefruits the whole way through). But how more boring can you be as a pitcher? I will give Pelfrey his own write-up soon because I have a good amount to say about the hurler. Let me just say this for now: If Pelf can't get it together, you won't see him on the mound as a Met for very long.

Zambrano looked sharp early for the Marlins. He struck out the first two batters of the game with ease, and as Jason Bay walked to the plate, I said to myself, "Striking out isn't what Jason Bay's gonna do." Turns out my sarcasm was unwarranted because that's NOT what he did. Bay walked, as did Ike Davis, and up strolled Lucas May, a catcher brought in to compete for the back-up spot. May's numbers in AAA last year were quite solid (albeit Pacific Coast League), and a couple of pitches into the at bat, we soon found out why he was brought in here. Lucas May destroyed the baseball, and he slid into second base with a 2 RBI double. Lucas May tore the cover off the ball all day, a day that was the official beginning of what I have now coined as Lucas Mayhem (let the whole world know: you heard it here first). If he continues to hit the way he did today, we've got quite the competition for the back-up catcher on our hands.

Let the Mayhem begin.

Other takeaways from the game:

• Adam Loewen has a mighty cut. He is an interesting option for power off the bench if he continues to perform.
• There were horseshoe mustaches all around! Besides our Byrdak, Kevin Mattison and Chris Hatcher of the Marlins each have their own distinctive horseshoe 'stache. It would be awesome if this becomes an epidemic throughout baseball. David Wright should grow one.
• Quintanilla = nice depth at back-up infielder
• Miguel Batista = "The Handyman" (you heard it here first as well)
• Turner is a good option at third. Justin Turner is a solid piece for this team
• Den Dekker's got a good glove out there in center
• Spring Training might be competitive practice, but it is also the time for practicing winning, or put another way, practicing how NOT to lose. Valdespin hopefully will learn from his 9th inning mistake (He stepped in front of the catcher as the catcher was trying to throw down to second base. The ump called interference) He's got an immense amount of talent, but these are the same mistakes that have separated us from the good teams for too long now, and must be corrected before these players get to the big leagues.
• Mayhem. 

That is all.