213 Miles From Shea

As part of the tour of the team directly after of the season, today we move to the Outfield. I always have a weird feeling with the Outfield because sometimes I feel its could be one of our stronger assets and sometimes its very, very weak. Case and Point: On paper last year we had Alou, Beltran, Church, the ABC outfield that Beltran and Alou were going to drive in a boatload of runs and anything we got out of Church was going to be appreciated. It then became the Pagan, Beltran, Church outfield, which first seemed bad, and then seemed worse when Beltran started to struggle, but Pagan really provided and Church was looking like our MVP. Then Pagan got injured, then Church got injured. We started to rely on Tatis, Evans and Murphy. Who all ended up being nice surprises. What does that teach us? Sometimes we are actually lucky.

But it will take more than luck to win next year, because our bag of luck runs out in September (I wonder if anyone has pointed out yet that the Mets started to fall apart this year after Tatis went down on injury. He could have been a much bigger impact than we originally thought). The problem with the Outfield the last couple of years is that it starts out old, gets injured, and then we need to find solutions so here are my solutions, as of October 5th, because I know they will change as the free agent and trade market start to develop after the playoffs are over.

One solution is that we do not go out for extra peices, we take what we already have. Beltran is in, Church is in, all we need is left field. We could bring up Fmart and platoon him with Evans and possibly Pagan or between Church, Evans, Fmart, and Pagan we have a spring training battle to see who gets spots in the OF and who will be on the bench and who might have to go back to the minors. The competition will dip a bit with other solutions which involve trading Church for starting or relief pitching. Even though the OF gets banged up a lot, there are a lot of players in our minors system that can play, and could be called up, so trading Church, although a very well liked player, might benefit overall. That would make more sense to if we decide to resign Tatis, who might be worth a low risk contract depending on how his injury goes this offseason.

The next time I do the Outfield options article, it will be more focused on if we should do any trade bundles because the trade market will have actually developed by then, and we will know who is available and for what.

In what will be the first of many discussions about the rotation,here are some of the options that the Mets can pursue this offseason. When it comes to the rotation, there are only three spots that are set: Santana, Pelfrey, Maine. Lets start with Perez. There is good stuff about him, there is bad stuff about him, personally, I'm ready to cut ties with him. Partially because he is a type A free agent and he will demand a lot of money. That money could be spent on another starter or on the bullpen. The other reason I am against signing him is I feel the Mets will sign a type A agent, thus losing a first round pick, if the Perez gets signed by another team, the Mets get their first round pick and a supplement (Remember thats how we got Wright, and one of our prosepcts this year, Brad Holt).

So what happens with those other spots? One solution is CC Sabathia. I can't see the Mets getting both Sabbathia and K-Rod unless they are really trying to do a massive overhaul (In other words, its not impossible, its just very unlikely). I'm just worried that this could cause the Mets to lose out on both if they decide to pursue both. The other options are on the trade market. Peavy will be on the market, who will demand a lot. Another spot can be filled from within. Niese, if he has an impressive Spring, could find himself up here, although I am for another year in the minors for good measure.

So at this point in time, the only thing I feel the Mets have to do is not sign Perez. Get the draft picks, save the money for other parts of the team that need work.

About a week and a half ago, I was in a hurry so I grabbed a quick meal in my school's cafeteria, and on TV was sportscenter. They were showing the Baseball races and I was watching it, and this guy next to me started cursing about the Mets and tried to see if I agreed with him that they stunk and that the Phillies were better.

I turned around and then he realized I was wearing a Carlos Beltran shirt and quickly “apologized” and started talking about how the Mets' and the Phillies' rivalry is good for baseball.

Looking back at that conversation, where I spent most of my time nodding my head in polite agreement, not wanting to get in a debate in fear of missing my next class, I think I really should have told him what I think at that moment. The Mets and the Phillies do not have a full blown rivalry like he was describing. The competetive nature that comes between the two teams is mostly due to a) they are both good at this moment in time and b) Philly and New York are close, but its only a proximity issue that makes it a rivarly.

The reason I came to this conclusion is I judged my own reactions over the past few years when I pass someone wearing a hat or a shirt from the Phils compared to someone wearing one of the Braves. I normally want to Puke when I see the Phils, but thats mainly because its a reminder of 2007. When I see a Braves hat though, its an entirely different feeling that starts to swarm inside of me. Its very hard to put in words but its like every part of my body wants to be better than that person soley because he or she is a Braves fan. Once I saw these differences in emotions, it became clear to me that although I do not like Philly, and I always want to beat them, it is nothing like beating the Braves.

Even when the Mets were bad, when they played the Braves, there was a different feeling in air than when they would play the Phils. That makes our relationship with the Braves a rivalry. No matter where the other team is in the standings, no matter the season, there is this complete and total feeling of wanting a domination of the other team. In my opinon, the Braves are our rivals, not the Phillies.

This is my first crack at the changes the Mets need to make in order to be successful for the entire season next year. With this entry, I am going to try to contain my comments and opinions only on the bullpen, because that will be the area of the Mets that will look very different next year. Now there are several problems with the pen. The first is the lack of a closer. Could Billy Wagner helped down the stretch? It wouldn't have hurt but there were a lot of games that were lost in the eighth inning. That brings us two problem number two, the Mets need a setup man.Going along with that, lets call it problem 2.5, the Mets need a bullpen with definite roles. There were more roles with Manuel than Randolph, but that went downt he toilet when Wagner went out with injury. The third problem with the pen is that there are two many Minaya guys in there, we need new Minaya guys.

With Problem 1, the solution that makes the most sense is K-Rod or Fuentes. Now K-Rod might be too expensive for the Mets, but the Mets really need that to be a big goal in the offseason. Let that be the prime signing of the offseason. If not, then the Mets will have to try through trade.

The reason Problem 1 needs to be sovled by Free Agency, is becauese the Problem 2 needs to be solved via trade. What the Mets trade chips are probably the older guys in the pen we need to get rid of. At this point in the offseason, I am not sure who will be available. This will probably be more clear come December. With that, Problem 2.5, is role assignment. Felciano was so good in 2006 because he has Bradford. Solution there is we have Smith as a right hander, so make him that role. Don't leave Feliciano out for the whole inning, thats when he gets burned.

Problem 3 is pretty simple, in the pen, the only people that should be back without a doubt are Feliciano, Smith and Stokes. When it comes to players like Parnell and pitchers like him, they will have to go through the hoops again. They will have to go to Spring Training and earn their spot in the pen. The reason being is that some of them, like Parnell, have great stuff, and they shouldn't be rushed through the system. Now about Minaya's guys. In 06, Minaya brought in a bunch of guys who ended up doing a good job. The problem is we are now attached to them. These Minaya guys, including ones that were around before Minaya, but now he's attached to them, have to go. These are pitchers like Schoenwies, Heilman, Sanchez, etc. We gotta go back out there, find those gems like we did back then, these guys are cheap, and they are good. Lets do it again.

I normally save the schedule previews until January or February, but I wanted to do this one now because the Mets have my favorite Interleague Schedule. For the most part, the Interleague Schedules try to pit one division against another division (except in 2007 when the Mets had to face all of the 2006 AL playoff teams), anyway, this year we are back to playing the AL East, which is by far my favorite. (I would go as far as say that it should be each division vs their counterpart every year, it allows “rivarlies” and fixes some of the issues like the Mets facing the Yankees twice and the other teams in the NL East facing them 0 times). Anyway here is the Mets tentative Interleague Schedule:
     May 22-24 @ Boston
     June 12-14 @ New York Yankess
     June 16-18 @ Baltimore
     June 19-21 vs Tampa Bay
     June 26-28 vs New York Yankees
Work pending, I will be at all of the games at Baltimore. It is a great time to see the Mets at Camden Yards, and to wear the Orange and Blue at the Yard. The part of the schedule that I found interesting is that the Mets are back in Fenway, they were in Fenway last time, so it didn't flip. The Orioles I know where at Shea last time, so they flipped locations. And the first two AL teams to play in Citi will be the Rays and the Yankees.
Another interesting note here is that the Mets are playing the Yankees twice in June. We usually play the Yankees once in May and once in June, so it will be different this year. This should be fun interleague set this year.

Well with that loss the Mets have played their last game at Shea Stadium. We have a lot to look at and talk about, but for now, I think its only appropriate to step back and appreciate the good times we had at Shea. Its time too admire those great World Champion Teams, to admire the team that brought hope and smiles back to New York City and America after 9/11. Its time to remember that Shea.

In a few days, its time to look at the bullpen issues, the games that might have cost us a shot, but right now, lets just remember the bulky stadium that brought us good times and bad times, that have put us on many an emotional rollercoaster, and the stadium that has meant so much to each of us in our lives.

Its also time to start rooting for the Brewers again and hope they can pull a Rockies from last year and a sweep the Phils.

I bet professional sportswriters dream for days like today. The last regular season game at Shea Stadium will be one played with fire and brimstone as the Mets are on the line for the postseason. Win and then we see what the Brewers do, lose and then we have to pray. There are so many things going on, so many emotions and they will all be heading to Flushing tomorrow. Will it be the last game at Shea? Will there be many more this season? It all comes down to this. 161 games down to one game and then possibly another game. Taking the mound on this historic day for the fish will be Olsen, and he will be dueling the always on the edge of seat Perez.

Olsen, 8-11, has pitched 195.2 innings and has an ERA of 4.23. He will most likely tommorow reach the 200 innings in a season plateu for the first time in his career. In his last five games he has a 2-3 record, 30.1 innings, and an ERA 4.45. In his last start against the Mets he lasted 6.1 innings and allowed 6 runs. In 2008 against Mets, he has seen them 4 times, has a record of 0-3, pitched 22 innings, and has had an ERA of 6.95. Here are some Mets stats against Olsen:
     Reyes 14-32, 4 2B, 3B, HR
     Beltran 12-27, 3 2B, 3 HR, 5 BB
     Wright 9-29, 4 2B, 3 HR
     Evans 6-10, 2B, HR
     Ramon Martinez 3-6
The Mets can hit him. Look at those numbers. The Mets offense has not been here the last two days, but it was here the couple of games before that. The Mets have not faced a pitcher that they have experience against yet this series against the Marlins but that changes tommorow. They have seen him, they know him, and now they need to act.

Perez, 10-7, has been really rocky as of late. On the season he has pitched 188.2 innings, and has an ERA of 4.25. In his last five, he is 1-0 over 27.1 innigns and an ERA of 6.26. That being said, 6 games ago, he faced the Marlins and lasted 6 innings, alllowed 3 hits, 2 R, 1 earned run, 5 BB and 4. On the season against the fish, he has faced them 5 times already and is 3-0. He has pitched 31 innings and has a cool ERA of 2.03 with 16 BB and 32 K's.
     Ramierez 8-30
     Ross 9-25, 2 2B, 3B, 3 HR
     Willingham 7-20, 2B, 3 HR
     Uggla 6-26, 2 2B
The main thing for Perez is for him to keep the walks to the mininum. When he does that he, he is fine. He has been doing that against the Fish this year with 2 K's per BB. If he does that, then he will be successful. Last time against the fish, he walked a lot, but he was able to get through it. In 2006, the Mets called on Perez to lead them in the all important Game 7 of the NLCS. He was in the middle of a terrible, terrible year. He came out that night and he was on fire and he was brilliant. He can do that again. He needs to do that tommorow. Lets Go Mets! Lets Make the Playoffs!

Johan had an amazing day today. A career day. He has pitched in a lot of situations this year where the Mets have needed him to win, and he has, but none as big as today. He was coming off of a great outing on short rest where he allowed 2 runs over 8 innings and had the highest pitch count in his career at 125 pitches. He then went out today and with the orders of we need a win, he just went out and decided to do the entire game today. If you look at the stats, it was an amazing game. He went 9 innings allowing only 3 hits, 3 walks and then struck out 9.

When you take his performance in this game, and then compound it with what this game meant for the Mets, this is why he is an ace and why he is considered one of the games best pitchers. It is very easy to imagine that if some of his game leads were not lost by the pen, that he could have been a 20 game winner very easily this year. Also, his ERA for the season is an amazing 2.53. He dropped his ERA .11 today, which is incredible at this point in the season.

He allowed the Mets to live another day, and now we need to take that gift and run with it tommorow.

BaseballChannel.TV is a an internet channel ran by MLB and usually broadcasts their reviews/previews and commentaries of Baseball but today, starting at 7:30 and going all the way to late tomorrow, they will be showing great historic games at Shea Stadium to remember the stadium as part of MLB.com's Farewell Shea Stadium.

Here is the lineup:
7:30 Tom Seaver Day
8:00 1999 NLCS Game 5 (Robin Ventura's Grand Slam Single)
Midnight 1986 World Series Game 6 ('Nuff said)
3:30 am 1999 NLDS (Pratts Walkoff shot)
6:30 am 1986 World Series Game 7
9:00 am Mike Piazza's Greatest Homer (First Game after September 11th)
Noon MLB PreGame Show for Marlins @ Shea
1:00 Live Lookin's of the Game and MLB's Postgame show
Postgame: 1969 Game 5 (First World Championship)

Should be a great lineup, its just at awkward times. So if you are up late tonight, there is some good stuff to watch online.

Today is the most important game of the year. If the Mets want a chance at the postseason, they must win today. This is a back against the wall, we need outside help as well, situation. So we need a win and then pray for a Brewers loss. Rightfully so, Santana will be taking the mound today in this very important day. The Marlins will be sending up Nolasco today, in an attempt to stop the Mets from the postseason.

Santana, 15-7, came up big last time we needed him to win, and now we need him again. He has pitched 225.1 innings pitched this season with 197 K's and a 2.64 ERA. If he gets at least three strikeouts today, he will reach 200 strikeouts for the fifth season in a row. In his last five starts, he is 3-0 with 35.1 innings pitched, 10 BB, 38 K and a 2.29 ERA. Against Florida this year, he is 2-0 in as many starts with 14 innings pitched with a 3.21 ERA, 4 BB, 15 K. Here are some Marlin stats against the Santana:
     Gonzalez 2-12
     Ramierez 2-9
     Uggla 1-10
     Jacobs 1-8
Santana needs to be Santana today. That being said, he needs to hope the bullpen doesn't do a normal blow up today, and needs to hope for some run support.

The Mets will need to score runs today and the first person tha will attempt to stand in their way is Nolasco. He is 15-7, with 205.1 innigns pitched and a 3.55 ERA on the season. In his last five games, he is 2-0, 33.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 4 BB, 29 K. He has seen the Mets a lot this year pitching against them in 5 games, 4 starts, 26.2 innings pitched, a 1-1 record and a 3.71 ERA. Here are teh Mets stats against him:
     Beltran 7-20, HR
     Reyes 10-22, 3B, 2 HR
     Wright 10-22, 3 2B, 3 HR
     Delgado 6-19, HR
     Murphy 3-6
This is a big game for the offense, and they need to be on today. Lets hope they can do that. Lets Go Mets! Keep the Postseason hope alive!.