We are just about done with April and the first month of the 2009 MLB season and both the local teams are treading water but there is still much to discuss so join Steve Keane and Joe Mc Donald as we breakdown the first month of the season for the Mets and Yankees and also a preview of the Mets-Phillies series this weekend in Philly.

As always you can join in to the conversation by calling in the show at (646) 595-4462

Posted under Pro Baseball Central

Well I am back home – actually came home yesterday and had to get a few things done at home with the baby and all.

Anyway the Meetings had to be considered a success with the Mets getting K-Rod and JJ Putz, while getting rid of no one of consequence.

Now the Mets will turn their eyes to a starter with either Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf or maybe Derek Lowe coming to Citi Field.

It should be interesting over the next week as the Mets will probably want to wrap this up by Christmas, yet don’t count out it dragging onto the new year, especially if the the other big names are not signed by then.

Also the Raul Ibanez signing by the Phillies is a lateral move in my opinion, because Met killer Pat Burrell will no longer be on Broad Street.

Posted under Winter Meetings

I was thinking about this at breakfast: If the Mets were to sign just one free agent, who would it be? Immediately, I discarded CC Sabathia, K-Rod and Manny Ramirez, because I don’t see them paying that much.

They need bullpen help, and you could look at it a couple of ways. One, is to get reliable starters to shave the BP innings, and if Maine comes back healthy, they’ll have three. Should they sign Lowe, theoretically that’s four reliable starters, which cuts the BP innings, but still leaves you vulnerable on a fifth day and in the ninth inning throughout.

So, if I’m forced to pick one, I’m going with the closer. I know it’s tempting to think K-Rod, but my confidence level in him is he’ll break down. The next best closer on the market is Brian Fuentes. No Mariano Rivera, but who is?

My choice, if to sign just one free agent, is to go with Fuentes to plug the leak in the ninth inning. Seven games got away. If all else remains equal and Fuentes cuts that in half, that should put them ahead of the Phillies.

Remember, this exercise is about adding just one player. If you have somebody different, let’s hear it.

Posted under New York Mets

Such promise back then in 2004 when the Mets named Yankees coach Willie Randolph as their new manager. Coincidentally, on this day in 2004 the Phillies hired Charlie Manuel as their manager.

Can an argument be made the Mets acted too hastily with Randolph?

Randolph seemed destined for the Milwaukee job, but that went to Ken Macha. Randolph turned down an offer to coach in Washington under Manny Acta, which probably was a good thing. There could be other jobs.

Posted under New York Mets

The Mets picked up the $12 million option on first baseman Carlos Delgado, signed outfielder Fernando Tatis for $1.7 million, and learned Oliver Perez filed for free-agency where he stands to make much more.

By acting quickly, the Mets are addressing their offensive obligations before concentrating on pitching.

Bringing back Delgado should stifle most of the trade rumors and signing Tatis should lessen the need to go after an outfielder this winter (toward that end, Pat Burrell rejected a two-year, $22-million package from the Phillies).

Delgado, who made $16 million last year, turned around his season, and that of the Mets, with a hot second half, and over the final 85 games hit 27 homers with 80 RBI to merit MVP consideration. Tatis, who hit .297 with 11 homers and 47
RBI, is expected to share left field with Daniel Murphy.

Meanwhile, on the first day of the FA filing period, Perez, Damion Easley and reliever Matt Wise all filed.

Posted under New York Mets

Cole Hamels will be out of the game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Rays have the advantage for the end of Game 5 tonight. They might have gained a sense of momentum after tying the game, but let’s not forget the Phillies have a rested bullpen.

As the weather becomes a storyline in this World Series, unfortunately we could be hearing a lot tonight and in the near future about the showcase event being played at a neutral site. Yeah, that was me you heard screaming.

There are some things that shouldn’t be considered, and that’s one of them.

Posted under New York Mets

What’s on your mind?

With no World Series tonight, and maybe not even tomorrow, there’s no limit about the things on your mind. Fill me in. Whether it’s the Series, the Phillies vs. Mets, or the free-agent options, if it’s on your mind put it here and we’ll talk about it.

JD

Posted under New York Mets

Bud Selig said it and I believe him.

After Carlos Pena’s single drove in B.J. Upton with the tying run, and the grounds crew practically following him across the plate, Selig said he would have not allowed the Phillies be crowned champions with a rain-shortened victory.

“It’s not a way to end a World Series,” Selig said. “I would not have allowed the World Series to end that way.”

I believe he wouldn’t. He would have played his “best interest in baseball,” card and done the right thing.

Giving that, why couldn’t he have done the right thing earlier? Perhaps not start the game at all, given the forecast? Or, once it started, said, “if we have to stop this, we won’t have a rain-shortened winner?”

The late start times and scheduling are other matters he needs to correct. My thinking is the World Series is the ultimate. It’s baseball’s showcase event, and it should be treated that way. Too often MLB lets those who don’t love it make the decisions and that has to stop.

If Selig’s words are to be believed, he must follow them up with actions that mean something. So far, his legacy as commissioner has been the steroids era, interleague play, new divisional alignments and a work stoppage that killed the 1994 World Series.

Time to change that for the better. Schedule the Series start times so people can see the game, and if worse, to give you more leeway time with the weather. If you don’t like playing this late in October, then you’re going to have to do something about shortening the playoffs?

Since you won’t reduce the number of games, then you must alter the regular season schedule. I have already suggested in these pages to have at least one day-night doubleheader a month. That would give you six days to play with. There are things that can be done, and in the end they won’t hurt as bad as the embarrassment that was last night.

Posted under New York Mets

“It will be absolute bedlam. It will be one of the craziest places on Earth. It’s kind of scary to imagine.’’ – Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard on anticipating the crowd reaction if Philadelphia wraps up the World Series tonight at home.

Posted under New York Mets

The World Series started with classic hopes. Both teams made destiny arguments with their grit persona that suggested we could have a Series for the ages. We still could, but the Rays have to beat Cole Hamels tonight and take it to Game 7 back in Tampa.

Let’s face it, the odds are long.

The last two games remind us how fragile things could be. Game 3 is the turning point of the Series, but the Phillies scored in the first and ninth innings with the benefit of a wild pitch putting the runner in scoring position.

A lot has happened to the Rays, but mostly their offense has disappeared since the end of Game 5 of the ALCS with Boston.

I’ll be blogging Game 5 with the hope it is compelling enough to where I won’t switch over to watch Peyton Manning. Join me tonight at 8.-JD

Posted under New York Mets