Mr. Met Is My Brother

I Want To Be There

2012-02-14T16:37:00.000-05:00

I had the chance to go to Spring Training this year. I could have gotten the trip as an awesome 18th birthday present. But because my birthday was in the middle of January and the Rangers just didn't lose ever during that month I decided I wanted a Rangers jersey instead.

I would give anything to make that moment disappear. I miss baseball and I miss Spring Training and I want to be there and I just want to spend next week in Florida watching the Mets. Last year was such an amazing experience and I want it all to happen again. I want to see Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole and Bobby Parnell and Zach Lutz and Kai Gronauer. I want to relive that moment when my favorite players turned into the nicest people ever. I want to recognize the drills I do at softball practice happening during a Major League Baseball Spring Training. I want to see the new players and have a reason to be excited about them. I want to be close to the game again.

The crack of the bat. The pop of the mitt. The fresh grass. The new uniforms. The hope that comes with a clean slate. Port St. Lucie is as close as one can be to that. I want to be as close as possible to those sights and sounds. I need to be as close as possible.

I don't just want to see the videos. I don't just want to see the pictures, I want to be there taking the pictures. I want that taste of summer during the winter. I want the escape to my favorite thing in the world. I want baseball.

Writing this is almost painful because I know I won't be there this year. I won't be able to see my favorite players. I won't hear the crack of the bat and the pop of the leather. I won't enjoy the fresh grass. I won't escape from the dark, dull winter. I'll have to wait to experience baseball this year. To get as close to the game as possible, even though this year I won't be nearly as close as I was last year.

It's Valentine's Day. The made-up holiday about love. Yet, the only people I want to be with are the Mets.

Maybe my parents will read this. Maybe they will see just how much I miss the Mets and baseball. Maybe they will understand that this has been the most stressful year of my life and I need this brief escape to summer.

It's unlikely so instead I'll go cry over what I won't be seeing this year.

Well . . .
Let's Go Mets!

Now That's Reporting

2012-02-14T12:53:00.003-05:00

I am not sure anybody really knows what's going on with the Binghamton Mets right now. At the Press & Sun-Bulletin one person spoke to just about everybody involved in the rumors. The article clears up the facts but also makes it quite clear that absolutely nothing is clear.

So if you want to know what's going on then go check it out.

A New Voice To Hear

2012-02-14T11:37:00.001-05:00

This season the Mets will have a new voice on the radio with Howie Rose. Josh Lewin will take the place of Wayne Hagin in 2012. Lewin has called games on the radio for the Orioles and on TV for the Cubs, Tigers, and Rangers. He also calls games on the radio for the San Diego Chargers.

I know it's weird to be excited about a new broadcaster but I'm excited about this move. Josh Lewin is just fun to listen to. He will be more interesting than Hagin and if the Mets win a few games the excitement level of him and Howie should be through the roof.

There isn't much going on in Mets-land during this last week before Spring Training. Luckily, we'll all have some actual baseball to talk about soon.

Let's Go Mets!

Happy Birthday Mike Nickeas!

2012-02-13T18:38:00.001-05:00

My favorite player turns 29 today so here are some happy pictures:

(If any of these pictures are your's and you want credit then just let me know.)

Happy birthday, Mike!

What The Binghamton Mets Taught Me

2012-02-13T18:32:00.001-05:00

Towards the end of last week reports began to surface about Binghamton losing their AA baseball team and therefore losing their Mets affiliate. Nothing is final yet, including any selling and official moving of teams, but it does seem certain that the Mets will have a different AA team beginning in 2013.

I know Binghamton is not an ideal location for any baseball team of any level, but there will still be a part of me that will be disappointed when this affiliation is over. I gained interest in minor league baseball from following Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole on the B-Mets. I continued following even though they had moved forward in the organization and I found other minor leaguers to focus on, such as Kai Gronauer. The B-Mets were the first minor league team I saw in person. They were my first experience of minor league baseball.

The B-Mets brought me closer to baseball than I ever thought possible. They showed me a side of the game I had never seen before. They showed me the gritty, hardworking, grueling side of the game. They were the first team that really showed me where all these major leaguers come from. They have to spend years in the minor leagues before they really get their shot. And just because those years are spent playing a game, it doesn't mean it's all fun.

The 2009 Binghamton Mets was the first minor league team I really knew anything about. Since then I have only wanted to know more about minor league. I want to look at the game in even more ways than I already am able to. I just wouldn't have the same interest if it weren't for the B-Mets.

The Mets will have a AA team in 2013 and beyond. Where the team is won't change which players are assigned to the team. I just know I'll be a little bit sad if the team isn't the B-Mets.

Let's Go Mets!

He Can't Really Do Much More

2012-02-09T10:31:00.003-05:00

There is a piece in Newsday about Josh Thole and how he has spent his offseason working on defense. Josh traveled to Dallas multiple times to work with catching coordinator Bob Natal. Two worked to find a consistent catching stance for Thole through hours of video-sessions of not only Thole himself, but also of Yadier Molina. Josh seems more than ready to work this season and the perpetual presence of new bench coach Bob Geren, a former catcher, should keep him grounded throughout the season.

I understand the frustration surrounding Thole's development. The way his offense was hyped made it sound like his defense wouldn't matter. But with any catcher, defense is going to matter. The struggles have been magnified by his initial success and ultimate failure catching R.A. Dickey's knuckleball. The truth is, every catcher dealing with a knuckleball is going to struggle. I almost wish people would separate those statistics from the rest because it is simply a different skill.

Back to the point, Josh Thole knows he has to get better. He isn't satisfied with any part of last season so there is no reason for anybody else to be satisfied. But he has also been doing absolutely everything he can to improve. This season will obviously be a big one for Thole. The good news is that everything is set up perfectly for his success. The Mets have multiple people around to teach Thole. The Mets also finally decided what they want in their catchers and that seems to be strong defense. At last the Mets have done their job. Now it's time for Josh Thole to do his.

Let's Go Mets!

The Real Story

2012-02-08T09:13:00.001-05:00

I put out a bunch of theories yesterday about Mike Nickeas's number switch from 13 to 4. And today I have the real explanation.

It turns out that Ronny Cedeno did request to have 13 so the Mets asked Nickeas if he would switch numbers. Of course, Mike was okay with switching so he went to 4. The story behind choosing 4 is that his father Mark, a former profession soccer player, wore the number when he played for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL.

I think it's really cool that he is wearing his dad's number now. Maybe it will bring him luck. The Mets have had some very popular players wear 4. Robin Ventura, Rusty Staub, Ron Swoboda, and Lenny Dykstra have worn the number. And that other New York team had a pretty good player wear 4, Lou Gehrig.

4 could turn out to be pretty cool. No Met has done too well with it recently but hopefully Mike will change that.

Let's Go Mets!

This Is Real?

2012-02-07T15:53:00.000-05:00

CBS Sports has introduced the world to their Baseball Boyfriend fantasy baseball game. It is described as "a single draftee fantasy sports mini game designed for girls."

Where do I start? Was this a necessary creation? No, of course it wasn't. I have been playing fantasy baseball and hockey for years and clearly coming in 2nd place in my hockey league just screams that I don't know what I'm doing. My poor girlie brain just can't handle the statistics of more than one player at a time so I definitely need to have a baseball boyfriend so I'll only have to follow one player.

One of the things that kills me about this is that the concept really is not terrible. It's the fact that it is being marketed to girls in a way that makes them look like sports morons that stinks. Creating a simplified fantasy baseball game really is not a bad idea. But instead of saying it is for girls, it's easy enough to say it is for beginning fans or casual fans. In fact, MLB.com has something simple in their Beat The Streak game where you only choose one hitter to follow each day. It just doesn't make sense to alienate half the baseball fanbase as too dumb to play real fantasy baseball.

Another thing that kills me is that it is marketed for "girls." Someone on twitter (I don't remember exactly who, but if it's you - or you know who - tell me so I can give credit) pointed out that it is for girls and not women. As part of the younger fanbase, this is the last thing I want to be associated with. I was ecstatic when I realized I was finally out of the "I Want To Marry Every Player" stage and really wish it had never happened. This is encouraging girls to like players for their looks and not for the game they play and the work they do. I know how confused I was about which players I actually liked and which I liked for their looks, this is just making that worse for the current girls in that situation.

I hate how much attention I have already given this when I really just want it to go away. All I ask is that you don't play this game, even if you would be playing as a joke, the numbers would show success and that is the last thing it deserves.

But If He's Happy

2012-02-07T11:37:00.002-05:00

The Mets tweeted a picture of Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole already working out in Port St. Lucie. Mike doesn't look too rattled from the number switch.

Let's Go Mets!

P.S.
Why am I not there?

What Happened Last Night

2012-02-07T11:31:00.001-05:00

The Mets updated their roster with new players and uniform numbers and everything else one could possibly want. Well, except for me.

I saw the change last night and started questioning my beliefs and it's all on my twitter feed, but I figured I would put it more coherently on here.

The changes included Mike Nickeas going from #13 to #4. Ronny Cedeno now has #13. This change means a few things. One, I already strongly dislike Ronny Cedeno. Two, my #13 Nickeas jersey (and t-shirt) are now inaccurate so I'm not only ridiculous for having the Nickeas paraphernalia in the first place, I am now even more ridiculous for having stuff with the wrong number. And three, it just confuses everything and takes away all stability I had in my life.

My first thought (well, not my first thought) was that Mike didn't have much of a choice once the Mets signed Cedeno. But Cedeno has only worn #13 for two years. He has worn #5 for four seasons, but there is no way he would have asked for that from the Mets. He has also worn #11 and #3 for one season each. So was #13 really that important to him? Could he not have stripped Josh Satin of his #3? (Sorry, Josh.) #1 is available, he could have had that. But he chose #13 for whatever reason and now Mike Nickeas has #4.

#4 is an interesting switch. Now it is the number with the best flow in New York, as Mike Nickeas and Michael Del Zotto both have outstanding heads of hair. But I just don't think that's why Mike chose it. 1 + 3 = 4. That's simple and could very well be the reason. He wore #22 with the Bisons last year, which also sums to four and was also at a time when #13 wasn't available. It could be for any variety of reasons. If you're really wild you could even think that Mike wanted the switch and Cedeno just took #13 because it was actually available. However, I just don't think that's the case.

Well, for whatever reason, Mike Nickeas now has #4. It could be worse. He could have gone to #78. The single digit should signal a good chance at making the roster.

Let's Go Mets!

But I Like Rooting For Them

2012-02-06T20:33:00.001-05:00

With yet another New York sports championship won by a team I don't have a rooting interest in I found myself wishing, hoping, praying, etc. for just one chance to experience the ultimate goal.

Some people might think I'm crazy for rooting for the Mets year after year. They might question why I want to see them win a championship when it doesn't look like anything is going to happen anytime soon. I understand that thinking but I also understand more than that. I know that when the Mets do win it will be cooler than anything. It will be more fulfilling than any championship from any other team ever could. Because I will know that I was there for the entire ride. I will remember when they were so close to the World Series in 2006. I'll remember the heartbreak of 2007 that still makes me want to cry. The injuries in 2009 that just never seemed to end. And the rebuilding that is going on right now.

Eventually the pieces will come together and boy will it be fun to watch. But only the true fans will share the ultimate excitement. Sure, there will be the fans that say they love it. There will be the fans that claim to remember it all. But when the 2007, 2008, 2009 seasons are mentioned they'll shrug them off like it's no big deal. The die-hards will remember those seasons and, I don't really know how they'll look back on them. I haven't had the chance to bask in the success of one season while reminiscing about the unfortunate past. I haven't had a time when those tear-your-hair-out, want-to-throw-something-at-the-TV, on-the-verge-of-tears moments were a thing of the past.

One day they all will be though. I will know that the championship could not have happened without every previous season. I don't know when that will be. I do know that no celebration will be sweeter than a Mets celebration. Because it means I'll have been through everything with this team.

Let's Go Mets!

Why Baseball Is Special

2012-02-03T21:49:00.001-05:00

Being a baseball fan is different than being a fan of any other sport. There are games almost everyday for six months. There are good things and bad things that come with that. It connects the fans to their team and keeps them connected. For half the year baseball is a constant in the fan's life. It is always there as an escape. And as long as you're watching to enjoy the game, it will never let you down.

But the constant presence can also be frustrating. If your team is struggling the reminder will always be there. Sometimes it's necessary to think about other things but baseball is always there calling you. It'll envelop your night no matter what you intended to do. But I guess none of those are bad if you really love baseball.

There are just so many things to love about baseball. It requires strategy but not so much that players and coaches need binders to know what to do. And even though there's strategy there is no way to have a specific game plan. The manger can't make players hit line drives to left field or seeing-eye base hits that barely sneak through the right side of the infield. And one can only be so certain as to where to position their fielders.

Baseball is the only game where the ball is given to the defense. The defense is given control of the offense until that changes in the split-second it takes the batter to blast the ball to deep right field. Baseball is also the only game where each team has equal opportunities to score. They have 27 outs and just have to do as much as they can with them. And extra innings work exactly the same as the rest of the game, as any overtime should.

Baseball is life for multiple hours a day for six months of the year. It will take up as many hours a necessary be it only two or maybe four and a half. It doesn't care if you have something else to do and ultimately the fans don't care either. The beautiful summer game, America's pastime, will grab you and not let you go. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Banner Day!

2012-02-02T10:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the Mets announced Banner Day will return before the May 27 game against the Padres. Even though I probably won't go to the game, I can't wait for it and I am sure a lot fans, young and old, will enjoy being there and participating.

I haven't been around for most of Mets history, heck I have barely been around for any of Mets history. But that just makes me want to embrace the history even more. I hope Banner Day allows me to do that through other fans. It would be really unfortunate if a few fans ruined the day through bringing inappropriate or negative signs. I mean, I'm sure security will be extra-tight before the game and only allow the appropriate signs in, but I just don't want to deal with fans complaining about their "honest" signs not being allowed. This game as well as the rest of the 50th anniversary events are meant to celebrate the team's history, not bash the current state of the team.

My only knowledge of Banner Day is what I have seen on the constant reruns of Mets Yearbook on SNY and my dad telling me that this year isn't real because it won't be between games of a double-header. This will be a truly great day for the older generation of Mets fans to share their memories with the younger fans. And perhaps it will be a highlight during a season of question marks.

I can't wait to see the banners!
Let's Go Mets!

If The Season Started Today

2012-02-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

It's February but let's pretend the season is about to start and Terry Collins has to fill out his lineup card. The roster might look something like this:

C Josh Thole
C Mike Nickeas

1B Ike Davis
2B Daniel Murphy
3B David Wright
SS Ruben Tejada
OF Jason Bay
OF Andres Torres
OF Lucas Duda

SP R.A. Dickey
SP Mike Pelfrey
SP Dillon Gee
SP Jon Niese
SP Chris Schwinden/A healthy Johan Santana

INF Justin Turner
INF Ronny Cedeno
OF Scott Hairston
OF TBD

RP Bobby Parnell
RP Tim Byrdak
RP Frank Francisco
RP Jon Rauch
RP Pedro Beato
RP Manny Acosta
RP Ramon Ramirez

The Mets didn't make any big offseason moves so their roster is pretty similar to the one that closed out 2011. This season will be used for players to grow at the major league level as well as the minor league levels. This team isn't built to be a powerhouse but anything can happen and there are some promising names in the system.

Let's Go Mets!

Breaking News

2012-01-31T18:33:00.001-05:00

Sidney Crosby is not a doctor.

Now that that's cleared up we may return to our regularly scheduled programming.

This Is What Happens When I'm Bored

2012-01-31T18:02:00.000-05:00

If you're reading this I assume you have noticed that the blog looks different. There is no particular reason behind the switch, I just wanted a new look. I think it's pretty good given my inability to understand HTML and the fact that I have no plans to learn. So this is basically a creation of blogger with my own personalization.

Enjoy!

Let's Go Mets!

He (Almost) Has A Team

2012-01-31T10:59:00.000-05:00

Just last week it looked like Xavier Nady could start the 2012 season without a team. Today things look much better for him.

The San Francisco Giants are interested in signing him and Nady is interested in joining the Giants. And this would work well for both parties. Pat Burrell announced his retirement today so the Giants need a bat more than they did a week ago. Nady plays the same positions as Burrell and could probably play in the field more often than Burrell had. For Xavier the Giants are a fit because they give him a place to play and are close to home. Nady is from the Bay Area and it will be nice for him to be at home after being in so many different cities in recent years.

Hopefully this mutual interest can develop into a contract. Xavier Nady can still contribute and the Giants would be getting a nice player. Obviously I'm not an expert on what the Giants need but he wouldn't hurt on a minor league deal.

More All Star Stuff

2012-01-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

While we're on the topic I wanted to talk about the actual All Star Game.

Major League Baseball is going to have a drastically different schedule starting in 2013 and I think it is going to change the feel of the All Star Game. The game has been a fun way for fans and players to see members of the opposing league who they wouldn't normally see during the season. However, once the schedule changes there will be interleague play everyday. The perpetual interleague play will take away from the value of seeing the other league.

This is a problem Major League Baseball is bringing on themselves. The excitement of seeing the best Tigers or Angels players simply won't be there if the National League team has already played them during the season.

But there are ways to save the All Star Game from spiraling into oblivion. The most obvious thing is to remove World Series home field advantage from the game. With the trend of players dropping out for whatever reason they come up with it would make sense to make the game a fun exhibition again. Don't make it seem like the players being "honored" are really just given more work to do. If being an All Star is really an honor than the league should be doing whatever it takes to make the entire week fun, relaxing, and an event players will look forward to.

As for making it exciting to see players that won't be so unfamiliar anymore, the only thing that comes to mind would be an NHL-style draft. Maybe it's because I'm still hyped up about the NHL All Star Weekend, but I really enjoyed that draft. I enjoy that the NHL makes it a full exhibition game with team captains picking the teams. It really makes it fun to watch completely mixed teams and even teammates playing against each other. It wouldn't make any of the players less familiar but it would mix up the leagues an put players together that otherwise never would be.

The NHL has the entire All Star celebration perfect. I hate seeing MLB's fading away. I know when the game actually comes around I'll just be happy it exists, but watching the hockey this weekend reminds me of everything that could be added.

Better Than The Home Run Derby

2012-01-29T10:26:00.000-05:00

It is All Star Weekend for the NHL and yesterday was perhaps the best event of any All Star weekend in any league. The Superskills Competition is fun for the fans to watch and players to be a part of. I would love if something like it was added to the MLB All Star weekend.

In the NHL it consists of six events an all the players are involved in some way. The events include Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, Accuracy Shooting, Skills Challenge Relay, Hardest Shot, and Elimination Shootout. The Fastest Skater event could easily be paralleled to the fastest trip around the bases. The other events cannot be paralleled as easily but it wouldn't be too hard to come up with other challenges for baseball.

There could be a smaller home run challenge. And another event could be whichever team can do what I know as the "Star Drill" in the shortest amount of time. There could be other outfield and infield competitions as well.

This kind of event, no matter what the specifics are, is just better than what the Home Run Derby is now. It gets all the All Stars involved instead of just a handful an showcases the entire sport as opposed to just one aspect. It also brings another connection to the fans when they see the players doing drills that they might have practiced. The NHL players know it's fun and just enjoy showing their skills to the fans and other All Stars that are watching. These are the best players in the game and this format gives them the best chance to flaunt the fact.

Last year MLB had a lot of trouble getting players to actually want to participate in the All Star Game. If they insist on making the game count for something then they need to give the players a reason to show up. A skills competition could create a stage for the fastest players, the hardest throwers, and the most accurate throwers and hitters as well as the power hitters that participate in the Home Run Derby. An event like this would replace the Home Run Derby but it wouldn't remove the entire spotlight from those involved. It would simply broaden the spotlight.

I would watch the NHL Superskills Competition over the MLB Home Run Derby any day. It has gotten to the point, for me, where I have more fun watching the other players on the sidelines with their kids during the Home Run Derby. Making a baseball skills competition would be something I'd watch for what it is (and not just the cute children) and would be awesome.

A Season Without Expectations

2012-01-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

Much of the disappointment from the recent Mets seasons has come from the fact that the team was expected to be better. Despite what players' careers showed, the Mets were simply expected to overcome history and be a decent, if not actually good, team.

It started early last season. Johan Santana was not going to be on the Opening Day roster so the Mets were still looking for somebody to lead the rotation. Mike Pelfrey was given the Opening Day start and people immediately started calling him the "ace" of last year's staff. But in reality, he was not the "ace" then and during the season he proved that he wasn't going to grow into #1 starter status. It was ridiculous to think that all of a sudden he would be a consistent pitcher. It was unreasonable to think that simply because he was starting the first game of the season, he would be amazing and lead the team throughout the season.

Another case of sky-high expectations has been with Josh Thole throughout his career. Thole always hit well in the minor leagues and continued that strong offense when he was first called up. However, once he was given the job as the starting catcher there was added pressure to not only still be the consistent hitter, but also to play defense at a higher level. Josh only started catching full time in 2008. He only three years to go from 1st baseman that occasionally catches to starting MLB catcher. If anybody thinks that is an easy thing to do, they need their head checked. Thole will continue to improve defensively but he isn't going to magically turn into a defensive-whiz. It will time and could seem like a longer process because it is happening in the Major Leagues.

And then there are the expectations for the team as a whole. Players, coaches, managers, front office members will all come out and say they think the Mets are going to play well and it is going to be an exciting year. Don't believe all of it. What are they supposed to say? They're not going to say they think the team is going to have a below .500 record because that would show they aren't confident in the product they are selling to the fans. I'm not saying not to believe if they say a certain player has improved or the team is getting better at a certain part of the game. But if you don't have a reason to be confident about something, they might not either. The difference is that people ask the players, coaches, managers, front office members their thoughts and sometimes being brutally honest will have brutal consequences.

I'm going into the 2012 season without expectations for specific players to do well. I don't expect the team to thrive either. I'm just going to watch what's there and know that this is where the Mets are. It stinks now, but that just means the only way to go is up.

Let's Go Mets!

Sorry About That

2012-01-26T13:37:00.000-05:00

My post this morning was barely in English. I apologize to anybody that tried to read it. Basically, I miss baseball so much that I can no longer speak the only language I have ever been fluent in. In other words, I cannot put into words how much I miss baseball. I cannot express how bored I am with the lack of Mets on-field news.

I want baseball and I want it now.

Writer's Block

2012-01-26T10:24:00.001-05:00

John Franco was elected to the Mets Hall of Fame today!

25 days until pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie for Spring Training!

. . . And not much else is happening in the world of the Mets right now. Players have been signed. Invites to Spring Training have been sent.

Now we wait. Most of the baseball world waits now. Prince Fielder signed and now Roy Oswalt is the biggest of the free agents left. But that still leaves 29 teams without big moves to make. The Mets will wait and continue to watch Johan Santana rehab and hopefully start pitching again. They'll figure just which position Daniel Murphy should focus on this spring. Ike Davis will continue to wait to put on a uniform again. And David Wright will continue to contemplate how he is supposed to be the only person that remembers what it's like to win.

For 25 more days.

Until then there won't be much to say. No moves to figure out. No Mets ridiculousness to worry about. Just nervous anticipation about what could possibly go wrong this season.

Let's Go Mets!

He's Still A Free Agent

2012-01-25T20:18:00.000-05:00

Can someone please sign Xavier Nady? Anyone? Bueller?

C'mon, he's actually pretty good. He can play first base, right field, left field, and would probably try third base again if you asked nicely. He also can hit a bit. And he can hit home runs and get a lot of hits against lefties. He'll belly-flop to make a catch or send opponents face-first into fences to help the team.

Xavier Nady will be there. No need to worry about him missing time because maybe he has appendicitis, he already dealt with that in 2006. Some might played a strong role in saving Cal's baseball program and he went to Berkeley so he has quite the education. He is quite an expert on the name Xavier and could help any teammates start long-lasting family traditions. And he has also taken in teammates with more serious problems.

Whichever team gets Xavier Nady will be getting quite the player and quite the person. If interested, they should contact Scott Boras. It will be worth it.

Thinking about how much I miss him makes me want to cry. Can someone please just give him a contract?

I've Been Broken

2012-01-24T11:39:00.000-05:00

Usually I am the one being positive about the Mets. I love their minor league teams and players so I look at the good parts and enforce the fact that things will eventually be okay. Unfortunately right now, I just don't see that future coming soon.

I had more hope before last season. I knew for sure that 2011 was a rebuilding year and that I shouldn't have any expectations for the major league team. I knew to look for success in the minor leagues, not necessarily in the teams as a whole but in certain individual players. Maybe it's just that being a "New York fan" has caught up with me. Maybe it is that I have become impatient and I just don't want to wait for the minor leaguers anymore. I have turned into a fan that wants major league success now and I'm too lazy to look more than a few months into the future.

Whatever it is, I don't like it. I love that I became attached to players such as Zach Lutz, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Josh Satin, Mike Nickeas, and Kai Gronauer. I hate that I can't bear to wait any longer for them all to have a shot to contribute in the majors. And I hate even more that if they do get a shot, they might not actually succeed. I love that I have found the minor leagues as an outlet for baseball and Mets optimism. I hate that everyone else hasn't made the same discovery. I hate that there will always be fans that only see the Mets signing players that are meant to be one year gap-fillers but think the Mets are simply stupid and putting their future in the hands of aging veterans. I love loving the Mets. I hate that some people want everything from this franchise but refuse to have faith in it. I hate those people that only see the surface.

Believe me, I cannot wait for Spring Training to start. It's the fact that I am excited about the seasons of more minor leaguers than major leaguers that has me almost dreading this Mets season. I would rather see Josh Satin and Kirk Nieuwenhuis than Ronny Cedeno and Scott Hairston.

I see the future. I am excited about the future. I want the future to be now.

Let's Go Mets!

A New Number?

2012-01-23T19:57:00.003-05:00

Currently I only find Mike Nickeas and the New York Rangers to be interesting so you're just going to have to work with me.

Mike Nickeas has stayed busy this winter doing many things, including coaching kids in Atlanta. The article is cool and it says nice things about Nickeas and makes me happy and everything. However, it also says he's going to be wearing a number other than 13 next year:

"When the Braves play the Mets this season, look for Nickeas. He'll be wearing #4."

I liked him in #13. And I also have a t-shirt and jersey with 'Nickeas 13' on them and I don't want those to be wasted. Maybe it's not true. Ah, I guess we'll see.

And that's all I have for now.

Let's Go Mets!

(Also, Mike still has the flow and he also has a beard, in case you were wondering.)

One Chance

2012-01-12T16:25:00.001-05:00

A really great interview with Mike Nickeas was done by MetsMerizedOnline.com and I recommend you all go read it.

There has been so much negativity surround the Mets bench and the fact that Mike Nickeas (gasp!) of all people is going to be the backup catcher and this was nice breath of fresh air. It's not like the Mets didn't make it clear that they weren't spending money in places they didn't have to. Well, the Mets have Nickeas already and they did in fact spend some (minimal) money on catchers. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with having Mike Nickeas as the backup catcher.

There is nobody who has worked harder than Mike. He has given everything to this organization. He worked through injuries to finally have a chance to play everyday. Even when he wasn't playing in AA he was working with Josh Thole, who was in-effect taking his potential job, on being a better defender. Then in 2010 he finally had some luck. He finally was the healthy one. He could finally focus on his game while Thole kept moving through the system. He finally figured things out with Luis Natera. Yet he was still helping the future when the Mets wanted to keep him with Jenrry Mejia.

Now he is actually getting a chance to live the dream. He could start the year on the Mets roster and stay there all season. He will have Spring Training to work with Dave Hudgens and whichever other coaches he needs to improve his own game. And he will still be there to help Josh Thole and the pitchers. So if the Mets decide he is their backup catcher it goes beyond the field and beyond his own game. Just remember that.

Let's Go Mets!

A Hockey Request

2012-01-11T20:10:00.001-05:00

The Hobey Baker Award is given out annually to the top men's collegiate ice hockey player.

From the website:

This year Cornell goalie Andy Iles is up a candidate. I know you don't all follow hockey but I'm going to throw some stats at you anyway. As of December 30, Iles 1.82 GAA and a .923 save percentage. He is 7-4-1 with 5 shutouts and made the USA IIHF World Junior Championships roster as the emergency goalie. Last year he was the backup for the World Junior Championships.

I can't really explain why I like him because I don't really have a reason. I guess it's because I saw him as the underdog last year while watching the WJCs and just continued to root for him. He has had a magical season and it would really be amazing if he just got some fan recognition for this award.

If you have an extra 30 seconds I would love it if you would vote for him.

Please.

A Dose Of Good News

2012-01-11T19:55:00.002-05:00

Last season Zach Lutz suffered through two concussions after being hit in the head by two pitches. His season ended early because of the second concussion.

The good news is that he seems to be healthy and is getting ready for the season.

Spring Training is right around the corner...Zach Lutz getting rips in at Alvernia University... twitter.com/OldHickoryBats…
— Old Hickory Bats (@OldHickoryBats) January 10, 2012

Hopefully he will be healthy all year and get a chance to see Major League life. But recovering from those concussions is the first step and thank goodness that should be done.

Zach Lutz can hit and he can play both first and third base. A healthy year could mean a lot for an organization in a state of flux. The only way he would come up and get consistent playing time would be if David Wright gets injured (which would be terrible and a whole other set of problems) but it would be quite something to see him get a shot.

I always seem to like the injury-prone ones.

Let's Go Mets!

Letting F-Mart Go Is Okay

2012-01-10T11:40:00.000-05:00

Since 2005 we have been hearing about Fernando Martinez. He was the "Teenage Hitting Machine." The prospect that would actually work out during a time the Mets were relying on free agents. He was the future. However, his knees told another story. They were constantly a cause for concern and prevented him from playing consistently. Even though he had such a strong bat, he just couldn't stay on the field.

Fernando Martinez is now 23 years old and has been placed on waivers by the Mets. F-Mart defines why prospects are prospects. Why they aren't superstars the minute they sign to play professional baseball. If this was a perfect world he wouldn't have knee issues and he would have simply been in the minors because that's the way things work. When he was called up in 2009 he would have hit right away and there wouldn't be that image of him face-planting in the Miller Park outfield in the 2009 Mets blooper-reel.

There are going to be people that say the Mets didn't give him a shot. Didn't give him enough of a shot. They are going to say he's still young and could still work out. That last point is true, but it is also true that the Mets did whatever they could to have him succeed. He didn't warrant more MLB time from his minor league production. Yes, when he played he could hit but he just could never play enough for that time to mean much.

Perhaps another team will pick him up and figure out how to deal with the arthritic-kneed 23 year old. And if nobody wants to take that chance the Mets will have more time to work with him. Either way, the Mets have different prospects now. They aren't Fernando Martinez but the same risks are there. Some of them could work out and other won't. Fernando Martinez simply was one that didn't.

Let's Go Mets!

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T17:52:00.000-05:00

2011 was not a kind year for the Mets. However, it was one of my favorite seasons as a fan. My initial perception of my favorite player as the nicest person ever was confirmed and I found out a lot of the other Mets were really nice too.

I connected with baseball in a way I never have before. I went to three minor league games in two days and was closer to the game than ever. I followed a full minor league season for the first time. I finally spent time learning about more than one minor league player and looking at the players that will make the Mets in the future.

I enjoyed the early success of the Indians and endured the dog days of both the Mets and Indians seasons. I finally got to watch every Indians game of the season and of course I watched every Mets game.

Joe Smith had his best season yet. Josh Thole learned through experience. Mike Nickeas saw actual time on the Major League roster. Xavier Nady had his season ended by a Met and Grady Sizemore's season never really got started. David Wright cemented himself as the face of the franchise. The other face decided to leave for Miami.

There was the night in Philadelphia when Mets and Phillies fans all cheered together for America. And when all of New York was rooting for the Red Sox to miss the playoffs and complete a bigger collapse than the Mets of 2007. The excitement of the last day of the season was enough for two lifetimes. And well, the postseason was Written In The Stars.

I couldn't have gotten much more out of a disappointing Mets season. And now I get to enjoy the offseason with the Rangers. Hopefully my new year will start well with the Winter Classic and I'll get to enjoy hockey while waiting for baseball.

On New Year's Eve my calendar is on the Rangers. Their Winter Classic is taking me through the new year and their season will take me to spring. The spring will bring a new year of Mets baseball and both teams will bring memories all year.

Happy New Year!
And enjoy whatever you like to pass time during the winter.

When You Really Love A Team

2011-12-27T23:02:00.000-05:00

Some of you might not know that the Mets are not my only sports team and that baseball is not my only sport. I also love the Rangers. I never played hockey so I don't have the same connection to hockey that I have to baseball but I have grown to really love the sport. And this year I really love the Rangers.

Maybe it's because I went to yesterday's game, but today I have not been able to get enough Rangers. I just want to see and read everything about every player on the team. And I've never felt that before. Not about the 2006 and 2007 Mets that dominated (for the most part). Not about the lovable loser Mets of the last few years. But I simply love everything about these Rangers.

It helps that they're winning. It helps that whatever group of players is thrown onto the ice does the job. And it really helps that the fan base supports all of the players. Unlike the Mets fan base, the Rangers fans look past the small mistakes. Even when the team has hit rough patches during the past few seasons, the fans have found the positives when it looks like there aren't any. They have stood behind the smallest players and continued to have undying love for the biggest players.

The wins mean a lot. But something has to be said when the backup goalie is absolutely beloved.

I've never loved a team this much. I've never had this much confidence in a team. I'm new to this so give me time to fangirl and enjoy it while it's around. If there's one thing I know, the fun doesn't last forever.

So…
Let's Go Mets!
And…
Let's Go Rangers!

There is Also This

2011-12-22T16:53:00.000-05:00

On Mets Hot Stove on SNY Josh Thole just spoke about how much of a help Mike Nickeas has been throughout his career. They have had a good relationship and Mike had been a catching mentor for Josh in the minor leagues.

Going with Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas would mean going with an already established relationship. Thole could thrive with the right mentor and Nickeas already has been that mentor. Having Mike around for a full season could help Josh become the everyday catcher the Mets want him to be. Instead of simply working on defense during the offseason and Spring Training there would be someone there to work with Josh everyday of the season.

And being around a Major League hitting coach all year could help Mike as well.

Let's Go Mets!

Spinning This Into A Positive

2011-12-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Mets signed catcher Rob Johnson to a minor league deal. Like Mike Nickeas he is a defensively-oriented catcher. Last year he posted a 3.26 catchers ERA while hitting only .190 for the Padres.

Naturally the first thing I thought of was that Mike Nickeas might not be the backup catcher after all. There will be competition now. Once Spring Training rolls around I will be the only person that cares about the backup catcher competition but right now more people are acknowledging it. Nothing has ever been handed to Nickeas during his baseball career. And this signing will keep his career that way. And the pessimist in me keeps saying the signing just means he won't ever really be a big leaguer.

But then there's the other side of me that's trying to make this positive. Perhaps the Mets just signed Johnson to be minor league depth. Maybe the minor league deal actually means he'll spend the season in the minor leagues. Or maybe Johnson was signed to show that Mike Nickeas is not the worst option out there. Maybe this was just a move to motivate Nickeas, not that he would need any outside motivation. But maybe, just maybe, the Mets still plan on going with Nickeas as their backup catcher.

Oh, what the offseason has come to.
Let's Go Mets!

Chandler Totally Wouldn't Go For This

2011-12-21T19:58:00.000-05:00

One of the perks of becoming a minority owner of the Mets is getting to hang out with Mr. Met whenever you want. Yup. You get as much of that giant baseball headed mascot as you want. But I guess if you don't like big heads then don't bother buying part of the team.

This got me thinking about what I would do if I got to spend a day with Mr. Met.

Well, first I would sleep in because if I got to school with Mr. Met there is no way I would get in trouble. Once I got to school I'd bring him to all my classes. In each class he'd teach us different cheers and we'd sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame and Meet The Mets. For lunch we'd go into the village and make everyone there Mets fans. We'd get through the rest of my classes after lunch and then head out to have more fun after school. We would definitely go visit my sixth grade social studies teacher because he's a Mets fan. And after that it would be time to go to Citi Field for the game. Mr. Met would get me behind the scenes access to everything. I'd get to meet the players and be part of the pregame media sessions. Mr. Met would make a surprise visit to the SNY and WFAN booths during the game and of course I would come with him. After the Mets win I would go with him to congratulate Mike Nickeas on his awesome game and participate in the post game media sessions as well.

Then I'd go home and go to bed after a long, fun day. Of course, I'd wake up and it would all be a dream because spending a day with Mr. Met is too cool to be a reality.

Players come and go but Mr. Met is forever.
Let's Go Mets!

Just Get Used To This

2011-12-13T22:46:00.000-05:00

. . . At least one fan will enjoy every game . . .

An Offseason Poem

2011-12-11T17:31:00.001-05:00

The weather is getting colder,
The Winter Meetings are over.
Nobody knows what the Mets roster will be,
And it probably won't be under the team's Christmas tree.

But never fear,
Sandy Alderson is here.
He'll bring pitchers, outfielders, and a backup infielder or two,
But if you're a free agent catcher he doesn't want you.

David Wright and Ike Davis and Jon Niese might be traded,
However only if Sandy is utterly delighted.
These players are the best,
So Sandy won't just give them away to the rest.

Still for now the team is not whole,
There's still some room on the payroll.
Maybe Sandy will give us something to cheer,
As we celebrate the holidays and the new year!

They're My Catchers

2011-12-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

Before all the trades and signings yesterday the Mets said something about a move they will not be making. The Mets said they aren't interested in the catchers market and they will go into 2012 with who they have now.

For most people this announcement is irrelevant to their view of the team. And for the people that do care about this, the majority aren't too pleased. I'm not part of that majority.

Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas are my favorite players. It's quite an experience having favorites that never have been the best player. But it's the best feeling when you finally see them succeed.

Josh Thole has already had a taste of success. His beginning of the season struggles this year were not fun for anybody to watch. However they just made it even more fun to see his improvement as the season went on. He turned his season from the disaster of having pitchers ask not to throw to him to creating relationships and connections with the pitching staff. Josh earned praise from not only Terry Collins, but also from individual pitchers that benefitted the most from Thole's work.

Most people would look at The career of Mike Nickeas and glance over any possibility of him having any major league success. I'm not going to say he is going to have an established career as a starting catcher but I've taken it one step at a time as a fan of him. He got a major league call-up in 2010. He made a major league start in 2010. He made the Opening Day roster in 2011. He hit a major league home run in 2011. In 2012 he could quite possibly be the full season backup catcher. Mike has gotten so much farther than many people thought he would and there's no reason for him to stop defying those doubters.

I don't know how many of you will go for rooting for the hardworking defy the odds type. But it doesn't really matter. That is just who the Mets catchers are and if you watch the Mets that's who you'll see. I can't wait to watch them.

Let's go Mets!

On Jose Reyes

2011-12-04T22:10:00.001-05:00

All signs point to Jose Reyes signing with the Miami Marlins. The contract is reported to be something around 6 years and $110 million. Inevitably, Mets fans on twitter are all over the place.

Yes, I wanted the Mets to re-sign Jose Reyes. However, now that there are actual parameters of his contract I'm not going to say the Mets should have topped the offer. I'm also not going to complain about the fact that the Marlins "of all teams" were the highest bidders. They were told by Major League Baseball that they had to add payroll and they have done that and more. Just because they had not been big spenders before doesn't mean they would never have the capacity to spend.

Multiple factors were working against the Mets in their pursuit of Jose Reyes. The Marlins are adding payroll while the Mets are trying to cut payroll. There is also the fact that players just don't stay with one organization for their entire career anymore. Joe Mauer signing a big contract with his original team last year was rare, and the Twins had the hometown factor working for them. New York has never been Jose Reyes's hometown and he did not feel compelled to take less money to stay here.

It was Jose Reyes's decision and he chose more money and the Marlins.

The Mets will move on. Players come and go. Just remember that now the Mets could get a more expensive closer or catcher or anything else. They will spend at least some of the money elsewhere not only this year but every year they would have been paying this contract. And they will still play baseball in 2012 and beyond.

So take a deep breath and remember . . .
Let's Go Mets!

Hired By The Padres

2011-12-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

That's Omar Minaya's current status, in case you were wondering. I can't help but remember all those wonderful times he tried to say one thing, couldn't quite find the words, and ultimately said something completely different. If he's not the one speaking for them, the Padres should have a nice addition to their scouting department.

Ah, memories.

This Is Really Cool

2011-12-02T11:37:00.000-05:00

I just came across this piece from 2008 and all of a sudden it's relevant again. It's a prediction of theoretical 2012 All-Star teams based on their careers through the beginning of 2008.

There are some players that simply didn't continue the way they could have. Russell Martin, Grady Sizemore, Scott Kazmir, and Brandon Webb are all on the team. And there are other names that are right on the money. Albert Pujols, David Wright, Evan Longoria, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Braun, and Justin Upton have grown into elite players.

Perhaps the most interesting part is seeing who just missed the cut. Brian McCann is one of the best catchers in the game today but he is only mentioned as part of the "Best of the rest." Lars Anderson is mentioned as a "sleeper" and he hasn't even made an impact in the majors yet. Matt Antonelli is also mentioned in "Best of the rest" but injuries have slowed his progress and he also hasn't had much of a chance in the majors yet. Alex Gordon had a much improved 2011 season so seeing him mentioned is cool, but he's listed with the third baseman because nobody could've predicted his move to the outfield. Troy Tulowitzki is described as a "real risk" and I'll leave it at that. And I love the Justin Masterson and Chris Perez mentions as they proved this year that they can keep up with the best.

It's really cool seeing how the Major Leagues panned out. I wonder how 2015 will look.

Keeping "The Core"

2011-12-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

Where has 2006 gone? That team with David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado. The Carloses are gone and who knows what's going to happen with Jose. But David Wright will be a Met next year and Sandy Alderson has no plans to change that. So to all those people that wanted to blow up the "core" months or even years ago, this offseason is for you.

In 2012 the Mets will have a new core. David Wright will be there to lead the team. He's still the face of the franchise. But instead of the Carloses there is Ike Davis and Angel Pagan. Mets fans will see the next generation of the team. The success may not come as quickly as it did in 2006 but hopefully this time it will last longer. Maybe by having a homegrown core the Mets will have more years of success. In an ideal world the core would feel loyal to the Mets and do what they could to stay with the team.

But having a homegrown core means more than just wins on the field. It means throughout the organization the Mets did their job. The front office drafted good players. The coaches from the lowest levels of the minor leagues to the more demanding stages of AA and AAA prepared the players. And the major league personnel knew how to bring out the best in the players.

So even if Jose Reyes isn't back next year, if David Wright is the last piece of the last playoff team, the Mets could still be okay. And the way fans see the team as okay on the field means they are also okay off the field. And that makes for quite the future.

Let's Go Mets!

#MLBMeanGirls

2011-11-29T19:56:00.001-05:00

I may lose all credibility as a human being for doing this but I really don't care.

"Ma'am, do you have this in the next size up?" "Sorry, we only carry sizes 1, 3, and 5. You could try Sears." - C.C. Sabathia
"I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me... but I can't help it that I'm so popular." - Logan Morrison
"There's a 30% chance that it's already raining!" - Tim McCarver
"Don't have sex, because you will get pregnant and die!" - Translation: Don't look at Roy Halladay for too long.
"Oh no, I can't say anything else until I have a parent or lawyer present." - Jose Canseco
"On Wednesdays we wear pink!" - Alex Rodriguez
"She doesn't even go here!" - Everyone . . . to Nick Evans
"She's fabulous, but she's evil" - about Cliff Lee
"I have a fifth sense. It's like I have ESPN or something." - Kevin Millar
"Nice wig. What's it made of?" "Your mom's chest hair!" - to Tony La Russa
"That is so fetch!" - C.J. Wilson
"Yeah! Take your top off!" - The entire world *to* C.J. Wilson
"Oh, hi. Did you wanna buy some drugs?" - Ron Washington

Feel free to add anything in the comments.

A Catcher To Celebrate

2011-11-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

Happy stuff! It's Kai Gronauer's birthday! Let's all wish a happy birthday to everyone's favorite German Mets catcher!

Happy Birthday, Kai!

Should I Have Something To Say?

2011-11-28T20:12:00.000-05:00

It's almost December, almost time for the Winter Meetings and I have nothing to say. The Mets have in no way started their offseason and besides announcing that they will in fact be celebrating their 50th season, they really haven't done anything newsworthy. However, this is New York and someone is always coming up with some story.

Today that story happens to be about Ronny Paulino. Apparently he was unresponsive when asked to pinch-hit at some point this season. Interesting, I know. But if people think that one moment is why the Mets shouldn't bring him back they should just stop thinking. I could go on for hours with my ideas about the Mets catchers, but I won't. I'll just say that if the Mets don't bring Paulino back it should be because he didn't hit, which is what they paid him to do.

BUT THAT'S NOT NEWS. That's stuff we already knew. This offseason has been slow for every team. But every team doesn't have fans that need stories to know their team still functions. Maybe it's not a bad thing that I have nothing to say. Maybe I just realized that there isn't anything to talk about right now.

Let's go Mets!

What The Mets Should Be Thankful For

2011-11-21T11:27:00.001-05:00

As Thanksgiving approaches kids in elementary school classrooms all over the country are thinking of what they are thankful for. If the Mets were to join one of those classes they would find that they have more to be thankful for than one might think.

The Mets should be thankful for . . .

Die-hard Fans. The Mets have been dragged through the mud as an organization recently. From injuries, to struggling ownership, to poor play on the field, there is no reason for any bandwagon or fair-weather fans to exist. That leaves a small fan-base. That small fan-base is made up of the die-hard fans. They still want to support the team and go to games and buy jerseys and t-shirts of their favorite players. These are the fans that are looking for the Jon Niese and Ruben Tejada shirts in the team store. They're the ones that can't wait to buy the retro jerseys. They will find the silver lining of a falling organization. Right now the Mets fan-base is the die-hard fans and the Mets should be thankful they have this fan-base at all.

David Wright. Ah. The face of the franchise. The man that has only played in the Mets organization. The one person that has been around every year and every day to do whatever is asked. He has played through injuries of his own and has played when everyone else is injured. He has been there for oh-so-demanding New York media. He answers all the questions about the on-field play and off-field uncertainty. And he has done so with composure. He had to learn as a 23 and 24 year old how to be a grateful winner and a graceful loser. He has been the captain of this team for years without having the formal recognition as such. David Wright has done everything for the Mets and there are a million and one reasons to be thankful for him.

Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson. Collins and Alderson were the first big pieces of the next-era of the team. They were both pressed with immediately satisfying the win-now attitude of New York fans. They definitely did their jobs. Collins came in and instituted his own philosophies and ideas and it worked. The team listened and stayed above water for a long time, even through injuries and trades to big players. Alderson not only had to find Collins, he had to find a way to put together a team despite severe financial limitations. He found risky players with high-upsides and it worked. The Mets should be thankful for the security Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson have brought to the organization.

The Future. The Mets are changing but the Mets are lucky that they have players to look forward to. Players like Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Jeurys Familia, Wilmer Flores, and Cesar Puello could become key contributors for many years. David Wright has seemingly been the chosen veteran to lead the next generation and Ike Davis could be right behind him. Jon Niese can be a cog in the rotation and Pedro Beato in the bullpen. The Mets should definitely be thankful that their bright future is right in front of them.

There is more for the Mets to be thankful for. And there are also things for the Mets to worry about and wish they didn't have to deal with. But focusing on the positives is just more fun.

Let's Go Mets!

I'll Have More To Say Tomorrow

2011-11-17T21:15:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow the Mets have to set their 40-man roster, adding any players they want to protect from the Rule 5 draft. I don't know who they're going to protect. I would love for Kai Gronauer and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (yes! I can spell his name!) to the roster. They both had injury-plagued seasons but they also both showed they have talent when they play. Kai is more of a question mark than Kirk because it's pretty evident that the Mets will need a real right fielder in the near future but nobody knows what they want to do with their catchers.

I know Kai Gronauer and Kirk Nieuwenhuis are not the Mets top prospects. Their are pitchers and other position players that have higher "ceilings" than either of them. However, Kirk would definitely be of interest to other teams and I don't want to risk losing Kai either.

Let's go Mets!

Celebrating History

2011-11-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

Today the Mets announced their plans to celebrate their 50th season. The season-long celebration will include throwback uniforms, commemorative bobble heads, and the return of Banner Day. I can't wait.

The anniversaries that I saw of the 1986 and 1969 Mets were awesome. I was at the game in 2006 when the Mets honored the 1986 team and it was awesome. I cannot imagine how cool the stuff the Mets put together for their entire history will be. I love these celebrations because they bring the entire fan-base together. If we all have one thing in common it's that we love the Mets. Not all fans may love the current state of the Mets but there was something at some point that made them fall in love with this team.

I fell in love with fact that this team doesn't always win and yet they always are able to convince me that they're really trying their hardest. I went through the jump from 2006 domination to 2007 humiliation. And so many other fans did too.

I may not have spent decades of my life rootiing for this team through thick and thin. Heck, my life hasn't even spanned 2 decades yet. But I'm still able to share my love with my dad and many other fans that have stayed with this team for decades. I read and listen to stories from other fans, share my own and hopefully the Mets will provide reason to remember future moments.

1962 - 2012 … and beyond. Let's celebrate!

Let's go Mets!

A Perfect Fit

2011-11-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

Grady Sizemore is a free agent. The Mets haven't had a stable outfield since the middle of the 2006 season. Grady can play any outfield position. The Mets seem to like to play musical chairs in the outfield. Signing Sizemore could definitely help the Mets.

For the past few seasons Grady has been the definition of injury-prone. It seemingly started with a rolled ankle against the Yankees and then things snowballed into knee issues. But that might not be the worst thing in the world. Despite what the popular opinion of the Mets medical staff may be, they worked with Carlos Beltran through terrible knee issues and he came back to be traded for a top pitching prospect. It may be a tiny light in the dark, but the medical staff has at least proven they can deal with bad knees.

Away from the injuries, Grady was productive for the Indians. In eight seasons he has averaged 25 home runs, 39 doubles, and 24 stolen bases per season. Take a moment to imagine the extra-base hits he would get in Citi Field, even with the adjusted dimensions. And now imagine the ground he would cover in the outfield. He would be a plus in the old, huge Citi Field and the smaller outfield just means he would cover an even higher percentage of ground. Sizemore is also fearless in the outfield. Yes, that may have contributed to his injuries but it is also quite a contrast from Lucas Duda's tentative approach to playing right field.

Grady Sizemore has said he would be open to playing any outfield position. Putting him in either corner would benefit Angel Pagan in center field. There is no way to know why Pagan struggled fielding at times last year, but if any of the struggles were due to an increased level of pressure and ground to cover, Sizemore would change that. Pagan wouldn't have to worry about covering the gaps on both sides because they would be covered by their own fielders. Bay, Pagan, and Sizemore could really cover a lot of outfield.

The Mets have said they aren't interested in Grady Sizemore. However, things could change and maybe they would consider him. The injury risk is there but it's in so many of this year's free agents. This injury risk just has incredible upside.

Let's Go Mets!

It's Been A While

2011-11-14T19:30:00.001-05:00

Nick Evans has been part of the Mets organization since 2004. For the first time in his professional career it looks like he will find himself with a different organization. Evans cleared waivers last week and had the option of accepting an assignment to AAA or electing free agency. According to Adam Rubin, he will likely elect free agency.

Evans wasn't really a prospect in the minors and never found his place in the majors with the Mets. However, he was always there. Especially during the past few seasons he seemingly could play wherever the Mets threw him. Injuries to Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy put him at first base this year and he was stronger than anybody could have expected there. And while he was playing everyday he was hitting. He always hit in the minors and finally showed towards the end of this season that consistent playing time brings consistent offense.

Without Evans the Mets could have a tough time finding someone else who can fill in all over the field. Josh Satin could very well be that guy. It'll just be weird for it not to be Evans.

Let's go Mets!

P.S. I'm just remembering all the stories from when Daniel Murphy was called up and he and Nick Evans were inseparable. I asked Murphy at Spring Training about being able to play with Evans again and he said he was really excited. Hopefully Murph will do better without Evans than Mike Pelfrey did when his buddy John Maine left.

Team or Player

2011-11-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday on twitter someone pointed out to me that as a sports fan I tend to like individual players more than teams. I hadn't realized it (or really thought about it) but it's really true. I became a Mets fan because David Wright was my favorite baseball player. And when the Mets traded Xavier Nady I followed the Pirates, Yankees (ugh), Cubs, and Diamondbacks for periods of time. I like the Indians because of Grady Sizemore, Joe Smith, Lou Marson, and enough others to get me to follow the team as a whole. The Mets are really the one team I will always love, no matter who is on the team.

Now a lot of "Mets" fans are facing a reality that they may not have faced before. They are finding out if they really are Mets fans or if they are Jose Reyes fans. Rooting for the Mets means rooting for the team year-in and year-out no matter who is on the roster. The personnel will change each year and for fans of the team it means fresh faces to get to know and spend the season rooting for. Rooting for individual players will take the fan from team to team, experiencing different organizations whenever the player does. If the player is exceptionally good, there won't be many new teams to learn. But if they're a right-handed bench bat it could mean 4 teams in 5 seasons.

The Mets fans will come back next year and root for Jon Niese, Ike Davis, and whoever else is on the team. The Jose Reyes fans will root for the Mets if he's back and will root for him wherever he goes. And some fans will root for the Mets but follow his career wherever it takes him. Even if it means Miami or somewhere else within the division. It will be interesting to see how the fanbase separates when Spring Training rolls around.

I know where I'll be.

Let's go Mets!

Winter Outlook - Catchers

2011-11-09T09:42:00.002-05:00

Kai Gronauer is playing baseball this fall for Diablos Rojos in the Panamanian Winter League. Mister Baseball is great site with a lot of information about baseball and softball in Europe. Being German, Kai Gronauer is relevant to the site and there is an update on how Kai has been doing in Panama.

I'm glad Kai is playing this offseason. He missed a good portion of the season due to a hamstring injury but finished the year strong. Without playing this winter he would have been in a compromised position coming into Spring Training. The Mets seemingly have the most catchers in their system and yet it's their weakest position. Anything any of the organization's catchers can do to improve will give them an advantage. The catchers between Kai Gronauer and Mike Nickeas in AA and AAA are Dusty Ryan and Raul Chavez, two guys that have been around for a while and still haven't impressed the Mets.

The Mets are thin at catcher and it looks like they will be for the foreseeable future. 2012 could be a big year for Kai Gronauer. He's another catcher that can defend but for him the transition from Germany hasn't been easy in the hitting department. If he has a productive Spring Training and start to the year he could find himself in AAA with the Bisons.

The Mets have to decide if they want to have a defensive-minded catcher in the majors in the future. If they go that direction now Mike Nickeas is the guy, but after that Kai Gronauer would fit that mold and could probably contribute more offensively. But it doesn't matter if the Mets still don't know what they want from their catchers.

Let's Go Mets!

It's A Business

2011-11-08T20:44:00.000-05:00

Mets fans exploded yesterday when reports of Jose Reyes first being offered a contract by the Marlins and then *gasp!* considering the deal and visiting the Marlins came out. I may have exploded too, I mean if I hadn't already realized that the Mets are not the only team that wants Jose Reyes and that Jose Reyes is not only interested in returning the the Mets.

Reyes is one of the best shortstops and overall players in the game right now. The Mets are not the only team that can benefit from having him. Other teams are going to try to sign him. And when those other teams put out their offers, Reyes has every right to consider the offer. He has no obligation to only think about the Mets and what they may or may not give him in a contract.

I want Jose Reyes to come back as much as any other Mets fan. However, I also know the Mets are just one of thirty teams that can offer a contract to him. He's going to sign wherever he wants to. No matter what the crazy fans think, their craziness is not going have any impact on his decision.

Can we please just move on and realize we have no say in any of this?

Let's Go Mets!

He's a Free Agent (Again)

2011-11-02T09:37:00.000-04:00

I can't do it this year. Searching through everything about Xavier Nady isn't helping me find a reason for the Mets to sign him. He hit only .248 for the season before a Dillon Gee pitch fractured his left hand. And looking at his splits doesn't help. There is no upside to a player hitting .248 against both right-handed pitchers and left-handed pitchers. I can't even make the argument that he hit for power this year, as he only hit four home runs. They were all against lefties so maybe he still has something. But he wasn't even a run producer this year. 35 RBIs are not going to convince anyone he can be productive in their lineup. It's just depressing.

If there is a silver lining it was the fact that he did do something in platoon-playing time and his defense didn't suffer from the sporadic playing time. For the first season since 2008 his elbow stayed healthy through his playing time. This was a result of Nady playing 52 games at first base and only ten in the outfield. His defense at first wasn't bad, as he made some nice plays this year. When he did play left field, he wasn't too bad there either.

He's probably going to be a bench player wherever he signs. He won't relive his days as the "Untie-er" on the Pirates in 2008. But there is a good chance he will be more productive next season. For the first half of the season it seemed like the Diamondbacks had a revolving door at first base so there was no way to know who was playing when. As a right-handed bat off the bench he'll have a somewhat more defined role.

The Mets don't really need Xavier Nady and I'm not going to convince anyone they do. But I miss him and think it would be cool if they considered him anyway.

That Was Fast

2011-10-30T09:42:00.001-04:00

According to a tweet from Adam Rubin this morning, Josh Satin is done playing winter ball.

I know he was struggling but this is still a bit puzzling. Hopefully it's not an injury. I know an injury in the offseason isn't as bad but for me it would just mean more time to worry.

Well now I'm sufficiently confused.

.......................

I know the translations I get on Twitter on my iPod aren't completely correct, but one tweet translates to basically saying he was fired.

So maybe the rough start was the reason?

What Can I Say?

2011-10-25T22:30:00.000-04:00

It has been 25 years since Mookie Wilson's ground ball went through the legs of Bill Buckner and the Mets won game 6 of the 1986 World Series. However, I am only 17 years old and therefore have no personal memories of that season, series, day, game, or play. I am well aware that some consider it the biggest play in Mets history and that is great for them. Yes, I know the call as well. "Slow roller up along first . . ." I get excited when that play is shown on TV and when the main character in Fever Pitch watches the play over and over again. But it just doesn't mean as much to me.

I haven't had that kind of Mets moment. The Mets came close with Endy's catch but a loss in game 7 of the NLCS is just depressing. There isn't anything else nearly as cool as that moment in 1986.

I'll always remember plays like David Wright's barehanded catch in 2005 and Carlos Beltran running up the hill in Houston in 2007, but they're just plays. Part of regular games during disappointing seasons. Hopefully soon my generation of fans will have their moment.

Let's Go Mets!

Fool Me Once . . .

2011-10-24T22:26:00.000-04:00

Some players spend their offseason away from the game while others play winter ball in various places. Josh Satin is one of those others that plays winter ball. He's playing in Venezuela for manager Tim Teufel. He's hitting .185 with 1 home run and 2 RBI and only one multi-hit game in 10 games total so far. However, the focus has not been on his offense. He has started to play some outfield this fall.

When I first heard Satin was going to play in the outfield, I thought of Daniel Murphy. But then I realized the situations really are not the same. And perhaps the Mets even learned from Murphy.

Daniel Murphy was a third baseman that became a second baseman that became an outfielder and first baseman. He simply didn't have a position. When the Mets put Murphy in the outfield it was because they wanted to do whatever they could to have his bat in the lineup. It didn't work and then if it weren't for a black hole at first base, there's no telling what would've happened. Daniel Murphy only really failed at playing the outfield. It's really quite impressive that he learned to be so versatile everywhere else.

And that's just it. Daniel Murphy learned to be a utility infielder. Josh Satin came through the system as a utility infielder. When he was called up the Mets had not intentions of making him an everyday player. By coming up as a utility player it was understood that he would be put wherever for a few games to see his offense. He isn't being forced into staying at one position. Satin is learning the outfield to add to his versitility not to become an outfielder.

I like the idea. Hopefully if it doesn't work out the Mets won't continue to force Satin into the outfield. Instead of being pushed into something that doesn't work it would make more sense to have him improve the defense he already has.

Whatever happens, it should be good for Josh Satin.

Let's go Mets!

I Still Miss Shea

2011-10-20T20:41:00.000-04:00

Citi Field just doesn't feel like home. Maybe it's because the Mets haven't had success there yet. They haven't had any big moments there. It could be because people are still going there more for the food than the baseball team. It could be the fact that some fans are perpetually unhappy with something going on in the park or even the park itself. Maybe tickets are just so out of peoples' price range that not enough fans are actually there. It's probably a bit of all of those things.

Shea was home. For one thing, it was simply called Shea. Stadium wasn't necessary. Thanks to naming rights deals and the constant search for more ways to bring in money it's getting harder and harder to have that kind of nickname for a ballpark. Recently the Jake in Cleveland became Progressive Field but because it's the same stadium, people can still call it the Jake. You can't do that with Citi Field. It's something all its own and it definitely isn't Shea.

Shea was a part of every fan. The upper decks would seemingly cheer with the fans as the upper decks would sway when the crowd got excited. Yes, that was terrifying to experience, but it was simply part of Shea. It had enough history to be the good and the bad. It even had it all in my lifetime. The 2000 run to the World Series, the emotion of September 2001. The 2006 dominance and pennant race, the 2007 collapse. The heartbreaking yet very Mets-like loss in the last game ever there in 2008.

The different colored seats. I knew the levels by color more than I knew what they were really called. My first baseball game wasn't at Shea, but the first game I remember is my first game at Shea. One of the few times I sat in the orange seats. Right behind the Mets dugout in 2001. Some player threw packs of Bazooka gum onto the top of the dugout. Mostly, I sat up in the green seats. I could see everything and when I think of being at a baseball game, that's the view I see. Whatever that level was, three rows back, right behind home plate. I sat all the way up in the red seats for the game after I went on the field for Little League day.

Most of my baseball memories are from games at Shea. Sure she was a dump but she was our dump.

Let's Go Mets!

Up The Middle

2011-10-19T21:16:00.000-04:00

Oh, get your mind out of the gutter.

I know it may not be the popular opinion this season, but I have to admit that the Mets impressed me this year. Coming into the season they were written off as less than mediocre and even I didn't expect to see anything from them. I thought it was simply going to be a transition year with a lot of growing pains. Yes, it was a transition year and yes, there were plenty of growing pains but there were also glimmers of hope. There were some nice looks at the future this year.

One of the places for optimism is the middle infield. At one time or another Daniel Murphy, Justin Turner, and Ruben Tejada all impressed with both their fielding and their offense.

Daniel Murphy had the most consistent playing time of anyone on the team before his injury. Murphy eliminated any doubts people had about his offense after a somewhat trying 2009 season and a 2010 season plagued by injury. His defense also wasn't a liability. He played mostly 1st base but his 2nd base defense wasn't really an issue until the injury. It would be hard for any player to do everything right at a position they 1) never became totally familiar with and 2) hadn't played in a while, and Murphy's situation was unlucky. However, he still showed his value at 1st base and even played some 3rd base this season. He was more versatile and consistent than he ever has been.

Justin Turner was another very versatile member of the infield. With the injury to Ike Davis he became the 2nd baseman while Murphy was at 1st and even the 3rd baseman when Wright was out. He did everything as expected on defense and only had a few mental lapses towards the end of the season. His offense was what impressed me the most though. In every month except for June and August he hit over .270. I know people don't like the talk about a player being "clutch" but without the stats, it seemed like he always got the big hit and RBIs. Not much was expected of Turner which seemingly made his season so much more impressive.

And of course Ruben Tejada could be quite the piece of the Mets future once 2012 rolls around. Tejada has never been much of a hitter and while he still wasn't anything special on offense this year, he wasn't a rally killer either. During the last month of the season he even started running and stealing more bases than he ever has. But this season and his career has really been about his defense. Only a special percentage of the population really understands the specific defensive statistics (and I'm not part of that population) so instead I ask you to think of all the highlight-reel plays he made. The catches on pop-ups near the right field seats. The jumping throws that may or may not have looked like another shortstop's throws. All of it. It was really quite impressive. Yes, he is not Jose Reyes. But he isn't a scrub either.

There were some nice surprises from the Mets this season. And lucky for us, none of those surprises are due to be free agents this winter.

Let's Go Mets!

Intriguing

2011-10-18T22:14:00.003-04:00

Dave Hudgens, the Mets hitting coach, is Twitter so I figured I'd throw this out to him.

Mike Nickeas's best streaks with the Bisons were when he was hitting line drives. And they wouldn't just go to one part of the field. Some would be down the right field line and others would be in left-center field. It's so frustrating watching him sometimes because he has the ability to hit those line drives but most of the time he just doesn't. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what he can do in Spring Training because I know he's working hard to become a better hitter.

If he just hits a little he'll be a very viable backup catcher and could even see some platoon time with Josh Thole.

Let's Go Mets!

It Cannot Come Soon Enough

2011-10-17T20:40:00.000-04:00

The World Series hasn't even started and I already want next season to start. I want the Mets pitchers and catchers to report to Port St. Lucie. I want the antics of Spring Training. Mike Pelfrey doing aerobics in a helmet. The entire going bowling. Zach Lutz and Josh Thole being on the winning team.

We all know Spring Training stats are mostly pointless. But we all also know it's just fun to see our favorite players in a game. I want to see my favorites playing. Even once it's the fourth inning and most of the starters are done, seeing the future is cool.

There are so many names that I learned during Spring Training that I'm never going to forget. Mike Nickeas, Kai Gronauer, Ike Davis. I had no idea who they were before some February or March day before the season started. Heck, I don't think most fans really knew about Ike before his huge 2010 Spring Training.

Everything is fresh and new during Spring Training. Even the managers are excited about the new plans and drills they're going to torture players with. The insanity of Jerry Manuel's hitting drills. That moment when you recognize a drill the catchers are doing. The endless and ultimately pointless outfield practice for Daniel Murphy and the hope it will help Lucas Duda. The rationed playing time at second base so all eight players competing for the job have a chance to show their stuff.

Every aspect of the game comes together during those two months. February really cannot come soon enough.

Let's Go Mets!

To See a 6'7" Hockey Player Sing 'Dancing Queen' . . .

2011-10-16T10:47:00.000-04:00

This is Brian Boyle of the Rangers:

Welcome To The Jungle

2011-10-15T20:11:00.000-04:00

The Mets hired Bob Geren to be the new bench coach yesterday. It's hard to evaluate how well a bench coach does his job during the game but outside of games he will likely be instructing the catchers.

I'd just like to take this time to welcome him to the New York Mets. This is where he will be criticized by fans that don't even know what he's responsible for. Where those same fans will call for his promotion to manager when they don't like a move made by Terry Collins. And then he'll argue with an umpire and everyone will love him.

But wait, there's more for Geren. His catching background gives him more responsibility. If whoever ends up catching for the Mets has a tough game, those fans will wonder why he doesn't know what he's doing. After they are done blaming the player, they'll wonder which coach is to blame. When they find out it's Geren, they'll wonder why he's not doing his job.

Of course not all fans are like that. There are the fans that will realize there is no real way to know what he's responsible for. They'll know that he's part of the coaching staff but he's not to be personally blamed or praised for anything in particular. He's just bench coach.

Bob Geren should be a nice addition to the staff. He'll likely fade into the background and I'll be one of the fans wondering, "Who's the bench coach?" by the middle of the season.

Ah, well. It's as close as we're going to get to news for a bit.

Let's Go Mets!

Things I Do Not Want To Believe

2011-10-13T19:50:00.001-04:00

The Mets season is really over.
. . . and it has been for a while.
The Mets might exist without Jose Reyes.
The Mets might exist without David Wright.
2012's starting rotation will look quite similar to 2011's starting rotation.
The Mets might sign a backup catcher and send Mike Nickeas back to AAA.

Xavier Nady will be a free agent. Again.
Joe Smith might actually be used as trade bait.
Grady Sizemore hasn't been Grady Sizemore for a long time.

It is going to be a long offseason.

He's Not A Met Anymore

2011-10-11T10:36:00.000-04:00

My Mets favorites (Mike Nickeas, Josh Thole) may not have had the greatest seasons but that doesn't mean all my favorites didn't do well this year.

Joe Smith had a great season for the Indians. At the beginning of the season Manny Acta said he would be relying on Smitty and Smitty showed Acta that wasn't a mistake.

With an adjustment back to his college mechanics he finished the season with a 2.01 ERA through 67 innings in 71 games. It was the first time he threw 60 innings since 2008 and by-far the lowest ERA of his career. He also had a career low WHIP of only 1.09. And he finally figured out how to get left-handed batters out. Lefties batted .152 against him while righties actually had a higher average, at .248. Perhaps the coolest part of his season, he didn't give up an earned run for the entire month of June.

It was awesome watching Smitty pitch this year. He was finally healthy for an entire season and he proved that he can be quite the pitcher when healthy. The entire Indians bullpen was dominant this year and I love being able to say Joe was a big part of that. The Mets never really gave him a shot, as he was part of the abused bullpens of 2007 and 2008. And apparently the Mets also messed with his mechanics which obviously didn't help anyone in the end. Smitty always had the tools to succeed. This year he found them and it worked. The pitcher that once couldn't be trusted against a lefty dominated lefties. He continued to get righties out and was great against any batter.

I know it's too late for the Mets to get him back. I am happy about that. It means he's too valuable for the Indians to give up.

The boy with an ordinary name and a not-so-ordinary delivery had an extraordinary season.

Diamondbacks It Is

2011-10-05T18:40:00.001-04:00

If he's rooting for a National League team, why not them?

Let's Go Mike Nickeas!

. . . and the rest of the Mets!
. . . . . . and Diamondbacks!

The One Where Chip Hale Is Popular

2011-10-05T15:45:00.000-04:00

And the offseason has begun!

The Mets made some coaching moves today. Ken Oberkfell (bench coach), Chip Hale (third base coach), Mookie Wilson (first base coach), and Jon Debus (bullpen coach) will not be returning next season. Tim Teufel will be the new third base coach and Ricky Bones will be the new bullpen coach. So the Mets need a new bench coach and first base coach. Just adding to their offseason to-do list.

I liked Chip Hale. I mean, as much as a fan can like a coach. I don't even really know what made him so likable and such a strong coach. He was officially announced as the bench coach for the Athletics. Good for him.

I guess I'm also a little disappointed that Debo is gone. Somebody had to take responsibility for the poor performance of the bullpen and as the catching instructor he also took the fall for their poor defense. I guess he was more relevant in my catcher obsession because I saw him at Spring Training and actually knew who he was. And I didn't think about his lack-of-help to the defensively challenged catchers because my favorite player is the one catcher that is not challenged in that department.

I'm probably the only one that cares about Dave Hudgens surviving as the hitting coach. Mike Nickeas said he had a plan in place to work on with Hudgens during Spring Training and obviously I want to see how that works out. The Mets have also been pretty good at hitting for a team that was without some of its best hitters for significant parts of the season.

Ah, well. Now we wait for the playoffs to end and the player moves to begin.

Let's Go Mets!

. . . but I'm really going to miss Chip Hale . . .

"how does he get his hair to do that little 'wavy thing' ..."

2011-10-04T20:48:00.000-04:00

Dear MetsBlog commenter,

I wish I knew.

Your's truly,
Mike Nickeas Is My Favorite

The Postseason

2011-10-02T20:21:00.000-04:00

There's something about the Major League Baseball postseason that makes it better than any other. And this season I am sure it is going to be special again. The regular season had the most exciting final day in probably the history of the sport. Luckily for Mets fans, I don't think anyone will be bringing up the end of 2007 anytime soon. This year was special and I hope nothing changes to prevent another ending like it from happening again.

Most baseball fans are aware of the discussion about adding another wild card winner to each league. I do not know where exactly the talks about that are but others seem to think it is likely. If I had a vote, I would say no. If there had been another wild card position this year the last day would have been irrelevant. The Cardinals and Braves would both be in the playoffs. And the miraculous Rays comeback wouldn't have mattered because they would make it with the Red Sox. Going into September there wasn't really any races and at the end of the month there still would not have been any races. The single wild card created the miracle runs and epic collapses.

However, if Major League Baseball really wants to add the other wild card they will. Maybe they'll say it will create an extra spot for an additional deserving team.

It won't matter what they say. Right now the MLB is the only league that doesn't have ridiculously watered-down playoffs. It is still a major accomplishment to make the playoffs when less than 1/3 of the teams makes it.

Can it please stay that way?

Put It In The Books

2011-10-01T19:24:00.000-04:00

A 3-0 win ends the Mets season. This was not the most successful season on the field and we all know that. But so much happened overall and this was perhaps my favorite season of Mets baseball. This team was frustrating but they were also easy to root for.

I wish I could relive all of my experiences from this season.

The first time I saw these Mets in person was at Spring Training. That was one of the best days of my life. Seeing the Mets up close was something else and it was amazing. Zach Lutz, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Mike Nickeas. A lot of fans probably haven't heard of them but I got to see my favorites in one place. It didn't matter whether they were Major League veterans or minor leaguers at big league camp for the first time. From Chris Young signing autographs for well over half an hour to Chris Capuano and Tim Byrdak talking to fans to Zach Lutz chatting with me, they were easy to like. And Mike Nickeas was pretty awesome too.

The rest of this post may sound like an ode to Mike Nickeas but I can't help it. He made this season awesome and unforgettable. When I went to a game in April with amazing seats right behind home plate I knew I wanted to get his autograph. I don't think I ended up getting an autograph (not that I really needed another). Instead he hugged me, I lost the ability to speak and everything else is a blur.

And there was that other April game when Mike Nickeas still remembered me and Xavier Nady waved to me. What made this game better than any others was because my favorite player was talking to me. There were a million other fans around and he could've simply said hi, signed some autographs, and left, but he didn't. At the time I thought it was awesome and I still think it is amazingly cool now.

Then I went into a deep depression because Nickeas was sent to AAA . . .

Just kidding!

I went to a few other games before the official start of summer. I don't think the Mets won any of them. I'm pretty sure they lost them in heartbreaking fashion. But they're the Mets, so that's natural.

Once it was finally summer I got to see some pretty cool baseball. I went upstate and saw both the Binghamton Mets and the Buffalo Bisons. Josh Satin and Matt den Dekker were the players I was most excited to see on the B-Mets. Satin had a hit or two (duh) and den Dekker played well too. But once again I was impressed by how nice all the players were. I wish I could've had a longer conversation with den Dekker but he smiled and giggled and I lost it after that. The Bisons were cool too. I only really talked to Mike Nickeas (of course) but I did get Jason Botts's autograph and he was really nice when he signed. I just loved everything about those games.

I went to a couple of other Mets games after that. I finally had the chance to see Nickeas play in the big leagues (it certainly took long enough). And at my last game I blew off Terry Collins because I prefer Mike Nickeas. A fitting way to end the season.

Of course I also watched 99% of the games on TV and followed everything that was going on. It just feels like so much happened when I was actually at the games this year. Maybe it's because my favorite player remembered me every time I said hi. Maybe that made this season so special to me. Whatever it was, I never want to forget it. In 2011 my favorite player became a real person and not just statistics in a game. It was beyond awesome.

I can't wait for an even better 2012 season.

Let's Go Mets!

Computers . . .

2011-09-29T22:48:00.001-04:00

I *was* in the middle of a post about everything I found awesome about the Mets season. However, that has been interrupted due to the fact that my computer will only stay on for 15 minutes at a time. I apologize and hopefully I'll have the post for you all tomorrow.

Let's Go Mets!

Thank You, Mets

2011-09-28T23:19:00.004-04:00

"Catch you in 2012"

Let's Go Mets!

Dreams . . . They're Coming True

2011-09-27T21:24:00.000-04:00

Some tweets make me happy.

Two More Games

2011-09-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

Yup. Only two more games before the Mets season is over. I don't have a whole lot to say right now. I hate the end of the season. I am just going to enjoy these last games as much as possible. I hope you do too.

Let's Go Mets!

Never Satisfied

2011-09-26T19:12:00.000-04:00

First, Mets fans were unhappy that the Mets had no anti-bullying video at all. Then once the Mets announced they were making a video message fans began to calm down. For a while after the issue was not a topic of discussion. When the announcement debuted it seemed to become an issue once again. Some fans just were not okay with the fact that the Mets decided to make a general anti-bully PSA instead of one connected to an organization such as "It Gets Better" that focuses on a specific group of young people (in this case LGBT). The overall anti-bullying message wasn't enough.

I have a question. Why does it matter? Why are fans still complaining? It shouldn't matter what route the Mets chose to put out the video, it is simply important that they did in fact put out the video. It also just makes more sense to have an overall anti-bullying PSA. Partnering with one focused organization seemingly excludes other forms of bullying.

So some fans want the Mets to express themselves in an anti-bullying PSA but only against one specifically targeted group? I just don't get it.

One Solution

2011-09-25T20:00:00.001-04:00

The Mets are going to have quite a few problems to address this offseason. From the bullpen to second base to shortstop, there is a lot to figure out. The Mets also have to figure out who is going to be catching next season. With so many other things to work through they will likely go with Josh Thole and either Mike Nickeas or Ronny Paulino. My choice: Nickeas.

The Mets are going into this offseason looking to cut payroll. Ronny Paulino is making $1.3 million this year. He would likely be looking for that or more again next year. Mike Nickeas has been an organizational player who wouldn't be nearly as big a hit on the payroll. If the Mets really want to save as much money as possible, Nickeas would be the better choice.

Paulino simply hasn't earned another $1.3+ million contract. He was brought in for his offense and while he got off to a hot start, he has hit only .207 since July. He hasn't even hit for much power, hitting only his second home run of the season this afternoon. He has a career .329 batting average against left-handed pitchers but has only hit .281 against them this year, not exactly bashing them the way he was expected to. Paulino certainly isn't worth giving a raise or even what he is getting this year.

The Mets have to make a decision on what they want to focus on with their catchers. It is hard to find a catcher that is good both offensively and defensively. The Mets are trying to make Josh Thole an all-around catcher but it hasn't exactly worked out. With the backup, they have to decide whether they want someone to compliment Thole's offense and be average defensively or whether they want someone that excels defensively with the ability to lead a pitching staff and be a defensive replacement late in close games. Paulino would be the offense-oriented option and Nickeas would be on the team for his defense.

The Mets have so many other areas that need attention that it would be easy to decide on Thole and Nickeas and focus on everything else. Mike Nickeas was there to teach Josh Thole in Binghamton, and he could be there in the big leagues. Nickeas has done everything the Mets have asked and it would be awesome to see him as the backup next year. It should be one easy solution in an offseason full of confusion.

Let's Go Mets!

My Apologies

2011-09-24T22:39:00.001-04:00

Well, I was ready to come out of my cave after two days and share the joy of today's two wonderful Mets wins with you all but that does not seem to be happening. You see, there is no internet access available to me at the moment. Yes I am writing right now but I just do not think I would be able to take an entire post written from my BlackBerry seriously.

Tomorrow I shall return with thoughts about Mets wins and Mets catchers.

Let's Go Mets!

P.S.
I hope all three of you reading this will find it in your hearts to forgive me for not writing for a few days. And also for not making the "Let's Go Mets!" blue, as I just don't think I can do that from here.

Well Deserved

2011-09-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

With a third inning double Josh Satin got his first two Major League RBIs. He was both a doubles and RBI machine for the B-Mets and the Bisons this season so his first RBIs coming on a double is fitting. I'm not going to say I was disappointed he wasn't getting a hit in every at-bat, but I guess it was a little disappointing when his batting average dipped below .500.

Anyway, he got the first MLB hit out of the way in his first at-bat but it took a little longer for the first RBI. Now that he has that first RBI (and the second too), Mets fans have seen the true Josh Satin. The RBI-double-a-day Josh Satin.

Congratulations Josh! I can't wait to see more of those RBIs!

Let's Go Mets!

That Was Totally On Purpose

2011-09-20T18:25:00.000-04:00

In other Mike Nickeas news (gosh he's so popular), apparently the Mets golf outing was a bit interesting yesterday. One of Nickeas's shots on the 18th hole hit a tree and bounced onto the green. His dad is practically a professional golfer so obviously Mike knew exactly what he was doing. Obviously.

Let's Go Mets!

What A Chatterbox!

2011-09-20T18:16:00.001-04:00

Remember the days when Mike Nickeas was playing for the Bisons or B-Mets or even the Zephyrs and went virtually unnoticed by fans and media alike? If you don't remember than you might want to have stuff checked because that was only about a month ago. Now there are interviews left and right and compliments on SNY and it's pretty cool actually. Okay maybe it's only two interviews, but there was about a week and a half when he would get nightly mentions on SNY. And it could have been three interviews if poor Ted Berg hadn't been the only person in the history of forever to not find him before a game.

Anyway, there is another cool interview with him on the Georgia Tech athletics website. It is nice reading about some of what he does during the offseason and how he is still connected with his school. Enjoy!

Let's Go Mets!

The Kai Conundrum

2011-09-19T22:38:00.000-04:00

Without the excitement of playoff rosters and pitching rotations it seems like the fans of non-playoff teams would have no roster moves to be excited about. However, that is not true. We have the Rule V draft! Please don't ask me to explain every detail of it. I know that if certain players are not on the 40-man roster they can be drafted by other teams in this draft in December. Once they are drafted they have to stay on the active roster for the entire season in order to become a part of the new organization or they will be offered back to their previous team.

Whew. That was a lot of information.

With Mike Nickeas, Zach Lutz, and Josh Satin all on the 40-man roster you would think there is no possible way for me to be attached to another random player. But you would think wrong. Kai Gronauer just finished the season with AA Binghamton and isn't on the roster. I have seen his name on a couple of lists of potential players to be added to the roster. I guess that means he's good enough for people other than myself to have heard of him. And if he's good enough for that, he's probably good enough for some other teams to maybe, possibly, potentially have an interest in him.

Obviously I want Kai to stay with the Mets and eventually play for the Mets. But being drafted in the Rule V draft would pretty much guarantee him a chance in the majors with the other team. And if he doesn't make it with the other team he would end up back with the Mets. He is either in the Major Leagues or in the Mets organization.

So I can't lose, right? Wrong.

If he isn't put on the 40-man roster that means the Mets might not care about losing him because maybe they don't think he's good enough or worthy of protection. And then if he is taken in the draft and then ultimately offered back to the Mets, they don't have to want him back. They could trade him ala Brad Emaus and the Blue Jays. So what goes from being a win-win situation turns into a totally terrifying series of events.

If you have managed to follow all of this, I applaud you. I really have no idea if any of this has even the slightest chance of happening. The Rule V draft is in December so it's not like anyone will find out any time soon. Thank you for experiencing the latest episode of Crazy MiLB Situations From My Brain.

Let's Go Mets!

To See More Cheerleaders . . .

2011-09-18T18:19:00.003-04:00

Adam Rubin posted more pictures on his ESPN blog. So if you want to see Lucas Duda, Dillon Gee, and Jason Pridie as cheerleaders then click here.

And I'll just leave this one here again because it is too good.

Let's Go Mets!

UPDATE:

Justin Turner just tweeted a picture of himself as a cheerleader.

And he also got one of Lucas Duda.

How Fitting

2011-09-18T17:55:00.000-04:00

Adam Rubin tweeted the first picture of rookie hazing. It just so happens to be Mike Nickeas. Awesomeness.

Let's Go Mets!

Rookie Hazing

2011-09-18T17:15:00.000-04:00

The Mets are doing rookie hazing this evening. Rookies are being dressed in blue cheerleader uniforms. Apparently Josh Thole is also being put in the rookie outfit, too.

If/when there are pictures, I will put them up. Hopefully there will be pictures.

You Don't Know What You've Go 'Til It's Gone

2011-09-18T11:36:00.000-04:00

If David Wright is ever on a team other than the Mets, I have a feeling that is how a lot of fans will feel. David has been a consistent hitter for his entire career and he is also pretty sure-handed at third base. He is the face of a franchise that has struggled recently. So he is the face of struggle, even if he is not struggling himself. This has led some fans to call for him to be traded. And some of those fans do not even think the Mets would be able to get many valuable players for him.

That is completely ridiculous.

Trading the face of the franchise delivers a blow both on and off the field. Since 2005, David Wright has been a key to the Mets offense. He has a career .301 batting average. His offensive production got off to a slow start this year, but that can be clearly attributed to his back injury. Since returning from the disable list on July 22, Wright is hitting .291. He has also hit eight of fourteen home runs since returning from the disabled list. Saying he has lost his offensive ability is plain wrong, as he has put up numbers pretty consistent with the rest of his career when healthy this year. Losing him would mean losing the offensive stability the Mets have had for a while.

Wright has also been a leader off the field since 2007. Ever since the collapse, and even before, David has been ready to answer whatever ridiculous questions the media throws at him. He is willing to talk after every game. Yes, sometimes he goes with the politically-correct-easy-way-out answers, but he is there at least 162 days a year and has every right to do that. Not every player is willing to deal with the media so often and in as civil a way as David has been able to. The New York media is more demanding than any other group in any other city. It is pretty much a necessity for the Mets to have one player that is available after every game and David has been that person for years.

Perhaps some fans don't see him as a leader because they don't see him in the locker-room. They don't see the ways he is helping younger players directly off the diamond. It is unfortunate because David Wright is a great player. He is extraordinarily under-appreciated.

My question:
Would fans think differently if he were the official captain?

Let's Go Mets!

But They're The Bisons!

2011-09-16T22:20:00.000-04:00

Expanded rosters are fun! Here is a potential Mets lineup that includes only players that were on the Bisons this season.

SS Ruben Tejada
2B Josh Satin
RF Lucas Duda
1B Valentino Pascucci
3B Nick Evans
LF Mike Baxter
CF Jason Pridie
C Mike Nickeas
P Chris Schwinden

RP Dale Thayer
RP Miguel Batista

Just have fun imagining that playing for the Mets.

Depressing and Refreshing

2011-09-15T17:51:00.000-04:00

The Mets went 1-8 on this home-stand, leaving 79 runners on base in those nine games. There are an infinite amount of other pathetic statistics to represent this stretch.

However, it is not all bad. After the game, Terry Collins did something that a Mets manager has not done for quite a while. He took responsibility for the poor performance. Collins exploded during his post-game press conference. He called the team "embarrassing" and also admitted, "We folded it up." He also said the fans have every right to be upset, and while that is obvious to all of the fans, it was nice to hear him make a point of it.

It was just nice hearing a Mets manager get mad at the team. Jerry Manuel would have laughed it off as a rough stretch and Willie Randolph wouldn't have acknowledged that anything was going poorly. Terry Collins was honest. Brutally honest.

For the first time all season the Mets seem unmotivated and while it is not fun to think about right now, remembering how far they have come and how far Terry Collins brought the group of misfits and minor leaguers is impressive. He kept their attention from the first day of Spring Training until September. That sounds pretty good to me. They have twelve games left and I think Collins has the ability to get this team to play hard for those twelve games.

Terry Collins is not going to let the Mets end this season embarrassed and on their butts.

Let's Go Mets!

What To Watch For

2011-09-14T21:36:00.000-04:00

Sigh. Unfortunately the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention this afternoon. Now that the Mets will no longer be playing for the postseason you may be wondering why they try at all. Well, as long as Terry Collins is the manager this team will be trying. And believe it or not, there could be some things to watch as the season winds down.

Jose Reyes is battling with Ryan Braun for the National League batting title. Jose had the lead for the majority of the season after just about the hottest start to a season ever. Injuries (and DL stints) have slowed his season but he has managed to keep his batting average around .330. This is a race that will come down to the last games of the season. It has definitely been an interesting year for Reyes. It almost seems like the contract talk and rumors have died down while this batting race has heated up. Jose is a special player and this is quite the way to end a unique season.

The Mets have a chance to play spoiler against some playoff-contending teams. They have series coming up against the Wild Card leading Braves and the second place Cardinals. Yes, they are struggling to beat the less-than-mediocre Nationals but that doesn't mean they won't surprise us. They have stepped up against some good teams this year and they could do that again. And if they don't, the Braves and Cardinals have some good players to watch anyway.

Of course, I am going to be watching the catchers. Obviously I want Mike Nickeas to play and with pay special attention to those games. But, I will also be watching Josh Thole's games closely. It will be interesting to see how he works with the pitchers for the rest of the season. He seems to have cleared a big hurdle with Mike Pelfrey after another nice outing with that battery tonight. Josh has improved. At the beginning of the season pitchers didn't want to throw to him. That has definitely changed. It will be interesting to see where he is at the end of the season.

I will also be watching because on September 29 there will not be a Mets game to watch. And I am sure that I will wish for another game. The offseason is coming way too soon and I do not want to waste a moment of the season that is still left.

Let's Go Mets!

New York Fashion Week

2011-09-13T20:50:00.002-04:00

In one of my classes today we got into a discussion about how baseball players are more attractive than football players. In honor of that, here are a few of the Mets catchers modeling during Spring Training.

He Needs Rest

2011-09-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

The Mets have not had a day off since their August 27 and 28 games against the Braves were postponed. They have also played two doubleheaders since the last week of August. They are understandably wearing out. Between that stretch and the fact that it's the end of the season, some players are showing signs of fatigue. In particular, David Wright looks like he could really use a day off.

In his last ten games he is hitting only .211, including going 0-for-5 last night and is 0-for-2 tonight. However, the struggles have not just been at the plate. He has committed an error tonight after committing an error yesterday and two the day before. He has committed six errors in his last seven games. His defense had looked so good since coming off the disable list. Seeing him make all these errors is not necessarily completely out of character, but it's worse than any defensive-slump he has been in before. It is also different because this stretch isn't simply a few poor throws. It has also been catching throws and fielding line drives and ground balls.

Of course, as I write this he gets an RBI single and is now 1-for-3 tonight. Even with the hit, I think it would still help David to have a day off. It would keep him fresh for the last weeks of the season.

Let's Go Mets!

Dear Joe Torre

2011-09-11T20:15:00.000-04:00

New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville PA deserve special treatment today. It does not matter if you want every team to be uniform. It is personal for so many people in those cities. Letting the Mets, Yankees, and even the Nationals wear different caps would not have damaged anyone.

Well, except yourself apparently.

#WearTheHats

2011-09-11T17:27:00.002-04:00

September 11, 2001. We all know what happened ten years ago. We all know how America and New York recovered. We all know the role sports, particularly baseball, played in that recovery.

The Mets were planning on honoring the men and women serving the country and also having a bit of a tribute to the 2001 team by wearing hats of the NYPD and FDNY during tonight's game. However, MLB is now saying the Mets will not be allowed to do that. They will simply be allowed to wear the hats during batting practice.

The 2001 team was told they were not allowed to wear the hats. They wore them anyway. Doing the same tonight would be quite the salute.

Speaking Of Favorites

2011-09-10T17:36:00.001-04:00

This is an awesome Mike Nickeas interview. He talks about a lot of things, from how he started playing baseball to what it's like catching a knuckleball.

A few notes:

We both went from playing soccer and being goalies to being catchers.
His favorite catcher growing up was Mike Piazza so even though he wasn't a Mets fan, he liked a player on the Mets.
He had pictures of Ivan Rodriguez on his wall, I have pictures of him on my wall.

Let's Go Mets!

Supporting Your Favorite Player

2011-09-10T17:16:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: I am not trying to tell people how to root for their favorite player, or for any player. I'm just frustrated and writing my thoughts which you may or may not decide to read now.

Every player has good games and every player has bad games. The beauty of baseball is that those two can come two days in a row, even in a span of less than 24 hours. That being said, it also means that the same player can go from being praised like nobody's business to being criticized like nobody's business in the blink of an eye.

Every fan should absolutely be behind their favorite player during every game. It just gets annoying when some fans cannot seem to understand that there are things criticism-worthy done by everyone and even, *gasp!*, their favorite. Yes, it is natural to defend your favorite. But, when a player does mess up, repeatedly coming back with, "You'll be sorry when he does something good tomorrow!" gets old fast.

It is more than just being happy for them when they have good games. Part of being a fan is acknowledging when players don't do well. And yes, possibly even criticizing them for being part of a loss. Baseball is a team sport and losses are never just because of one person. The same way players take responsibility for being part of a loss, it would be wonderful to see fans recognizing when that happens too.

Sticking with a favorite through down times is hard. It is harder to acknowledge those down times and be realistic about them.

It Goes Both Ways

2011-09-10T16:47:00.000-04:00

The Mets fell to 10-4 this season with Mike Nickeas catching the majority of the game. His catcher's ERA went up a bit to 2.93, although it's still an impressive number.

It Never Ends

2011-09-10T16:08:00.001-04:00

A game after Manny Acosta blows a save, Bobby Parnell comes in the game and blows his save opportunity as well. The Mets don't have a closer on the roster. It would not be as much of an issue if they had a relief pitcher that could consistently get outs. When all of a team's relief pitchers are streaky there is no way to guarantee the last outs of any game, much less a one or two run game.

I don't have a solution for the bullpen woes. The Mets are seemingly going to have to play out the season and it's something for the team to figure out in the offseason.

The Quick Recap

2011-09-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

Mike Pelfrey didn't stink. Jason Bay remembered how to hit. Manny Acosta didn't want to be the closer. Justin Turner wanted everyone to be happy. Mets win 5-4!

Let's Go Mets!

I'm Just Going To Say It

2011-09-08T23:56:00.000-04:00

The Mets lost both games of their doubleheader against the Braves today. Mike Nickeas caught the scoreless 2/3 of an inning thrown by birthday-boy Bobby Parnell in the first game. The pitching in the rest of the first game was not too pretty and the bullpen struggled a bit in the second game as well.

Yesterday, when Mike Nickeas caught the entire game, the Mets pitched brilliantly and won.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

We'll see what Terry Collins does tomorrow with everyone's favorite headcase, Mike Pelfrey.

Let's Go Mets!

They Like Him! They Really Like Him!

2011-09-07T20:49:00.001-04:00

"He is just a real professional."

"It's a real treat to get to throw to him because I don't get to do it that often."

Those are two quotes from R.A. Dickey's postgame interview with Kevin Burkhardt. Mike Nickeas once again caught Dickey today as R.A. threw seven scoreless innings.

Terry Collins called Mike a "really, really good" defensive catcher in his postgame press conference. He managed to put heaping praise on him in about a sentence and a half. It was almost overwhelming.

And in the studio on SNY, Ron Darling did his favorite thing. He also praised Mike Nickeas for his catching.

It is so awesome to hear Mike getting so much praise. Clearly, he knows how to catch and call a game and the get best out of pitchers. He caught a shutout today that was not only a shutout because the pitchers did their job, he did every part of his job as well. That includes blocking a pitch in the dirt in the eighth inning that could have gone to backstop and allowed the tying run to score from third.

People are starting to give him credit. I want to say 'finally' but the Mets clearly knew he was good. When Josh Thole was a top prospect, Nickeas was teaching him in AA. He was trusted with the top pitching prospects. The Mets called him up with Jenrry Mejia so he could catch the Major League debut of their top prospect. They knew he could catch. Now, finally, everyone else is finding out.

He is making an impression at the right time. I love it.

Let's Go Mets!

Um . . . This

2011-09-07T20:07:00.000-04:00

Also, the Mets are now 10-3 this year when he catches the majority of the game.

Some Final Numbers

2011-09-06T20:36:00.000-04:00

I seemed to have more favorites playing in the minor leagues this year than in the majors. Now that their seasons have ended, it is probably a good time to see how a couple of them did.

Let's start with the one guy that spent the entire season in AA. Kai Gronauer finished the season with a .253 batting average, four home runs, 20 RBI, and one stolen base. He finished the year on a roll, hitting .345 with two home runs in his final ten games. As for the catching, he only made two errors in 51 games behind the plate. He caught 29% of runners trying to steal. Overall he has been excellent at throwing out runners, with a 38% career average. An injury interrupted his season so he only played in 52 games this season. His strong finish was nice to see and hopefully he'll be back at big league camp next spring.

Now to AAA. Zach Lutz had quite the injury filled season. Despite all those injuries he still managed to have a nice year. His final batting average was .295 but it didn't slip under .300 until the end of his season when he was clearly dealing with the concussion symptoms that end his year. He hit 11 home runs and had 31 RBI in 61 games with the Bisons. I would love to see what he can do in a full season. In previous seasons he has been injury prone and this year he had more than his fair share of injuries, but most of them were completely out of his control. All I want is for him to get healthy and be in camp next spring.

My other minor league favorites, Mike Nickeas and Josh Satin, are finishing the year in the Major Leagues. Congrats to them both!

Let's Go Mets!