Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Donato

Does Citi Field Need Some Neon?

Michael Donato — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:09:14 -0500

Does anyone miss the neon figures on the outside of Shea?

They weren’t the prettiest or the classiest, but they gave the place a unique character that many Mets fans enjoyed. It’s cool that they incorporated the images into the carpets in the clubhouse, but I think a lot of what people miss about Shea is that uniqueness that right now is missing in many ways at Citi Field.

From Denver

Coors Field in Colorado features this on the side of the building. Ignore the awesome fact that it’s actually over a park entrance that’s also a brewery where Coors tests experimental brews, but it’s still something that I would love to see at Citi Field.

Maybe instead of this simple play at the plate, they could do something similar where the ball gets under a fielder’s glove (Buckner’s?) and it flashes “Mets Win!”

2009 World Series: Bad News

Michael Donato — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:15:53 -0400

As everyone has made light of, this World Series sucks for a Mets fan.

Mets fans are pretty split on which side they’re rooting for, if you can even call it rooting. Funny thing is, you see plenty of Yankees fans saying that we should be rooting for them, but I don’t hear any Phillies fans making that same argument.

From Mets

Personally, I’m rooting for the Yankees to lose. I don’t get any joy, or any more grief no matter what the Phillies do, but the Yankees winning would really irk me. It’d blow my theory of them being cursed for knocking down the house that Ruth built, it’d give even more fuel to the “Jeter’s the best player ever” arguments you hear, as well as the constant reminder about how much they’ve won. Their eight rings to the Mets two would start to get a little insurmountable, whereas three for the Phillies wouldn’t be as rough.

Some say that the cracks in Yankee Stadium will open up and swallow both teams into Hell.

Some compare it to 1999 although despite how much it sucked losing the Braves, the Braves fans were never in the equation as hated rivals. Others suggest we ask who the Yankees were rooting for in 1986 and root accordingly.

Personally, I’m just not watching. I get no joy out of watching either team, and if you factor in all the game-delay tactics, the 50 million pitching changes, and the pop-fly home runs, I’m just not sure it’s going to be fun to watch anyway.

I’ll be watching the Islanders at the Rangers Wednesday night.

Derek Jeter: Have You Been to My Website Lately?

Michael Donato — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:29:09 -0400

Dear Derek Jeter,

Fine. You persisted. You asked me, day after day, for months and years, “Have you been to my website lately?”

So I went. I was driven to check it out. Let me tell you something. It wasn’t all you’ve hyped it to be.

The first thing I noticed was that it made the processor in my computer go wild. That site ate up resources faster than C.C. at the buffet.

I tried some of the cheesy flash games. They sucked. I have a feeling they were developed in a single day, and thrown together for the sake of having something on the site. One was a lame game where you had to "be a major league shortstop" and catch balls, but the balls were thrown to all parts of the field—from in front of the plate all the way to the wall. I know you’ve got a huge ego, but do you really think you can play defense so well you don’t need the other eight guys?

Then I played the racing game, which came with no instructions, and featured racing against two other cars, none of which seemed to resemble the Ford Edge you’re always hyping. I had no idea what I was supposed to do so I just tried to ram the other cars. Unfortunately, collisions weren’t programmed in and I just passed through it like it wasn’t there.

After finding another link to the racing game, I played some trivia. Silly questions about Ford products mixed in with questions about your accomplishments as a player. Yawn.

After I figured out how to navigate the TV part of your site, I watched the outtakes. Most of them were you just stumbling over words or forgetting what you were saying while standing in front of a green screen. They weren’t very good.

But the best part just had to be the "hidden" icons that popped up thrilling information about Ford products when I scrolled over them. “Ford is second to none in terms of quality.”

I did it. I finally visited your website, and it was a horrible waste of my time. Can you please shut up now?

Did WFAN Curse the Mets?

Michael Donato — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:50:26 -0400

More on the WFAN curse I tweeted last weekend. (The Mets haven’t won the World Series since WFAN has been in Queens. Now that they’re in Manhattan…good sign for 2010?).

WFAN’s first broadcast in Queens was July 1st, 1987. The Mets were the defending World Champions. The Mets went 17-30 from that point for the rest of the season, finishing in second place. The Mets have been back to the World Series just once in that time.

Now that WFAN’s studios have moved to Manhattan, a location the Mets haven’t played in in 45 years, maybe 2010 is the year for the Mets to claim their third championship.

And unlike the Yankees, who are playing in five hours, if the Mets make the playoffs they will sell every ticket.

MLB Playoff Predictions

Michael Donato — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:43:51 -0400

Let’s talk MLB playoff predictions. My picks are probably slightly biased, but there is nothing wrong with that. Anything can happen.

NLDS:

Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies

My pick is the Rockies. Probably in four games.

The Phillies have shown at times this year that they are not that good of a team. They haven’t been playing well lately. Lee hasn’t had a good September and Hamels hasn’t had a good year, period. Their bullpen is shaky.

They won last year because their pitching got hot at the right time. I don’t see that happening this year.

The Rockies have the Wild Card momentum thing going for them, and they can actually pitch pretty well, which is the best thing to have to face the Phillies.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

This is another case of a hot team facing a team that coasted in.

The Dodgers are a good team, but I don’t think they have things clicking. I think the Cardinals, behind their pitching and their Pujols, take this series in four games.

You can never rule out the Mannywood factor, but I think even if he has a good series, which he probably will, it won’t be enough.

ALDS:

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees

This series is being billed as a mismatch, but I think there is too much Yankees love out there.

We can talk all we want about being tired and worn out, but I bet the Twins wouldn’t describe themselves that way. I think game 163 even helps them because they won’t have time to unwind and feel tired. They barely have enough time to get to the next game.

I think the Twins take the series in four.

I think age catches up to the Yankees offensively. I think the pitching won’t be up to task, especially Joba after how he’s been mishandled.

The one thing to say is that if the Yankees can hold off the steamroller in Game One and win it, I think the Twins could cave to exhaustion and collapse in three.

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

This is a compelling series too, and I think the hardest one to pick.

I think this series will go five, and be the best series. I’m giving the edge to the Red Sox because I think they have an edge in talent that will shine through, but it’ll be close.

NLCS: Colorado Rockies vs. St. Louis Cardinals

I think this is where the Rockies magic wears off. I think they get destroyed, and swept, by the Cardinals.

ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins

Similarly, I think the Red Sox take care of the Twins in five.

World Series: Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals

I think this is going to be the best World Series in a long time. I think it’ll go to Nov. 5, all the way to Game Seven.

The Red Sox will take it in the end, winning their third championship of the decade and establishing themselves as the dynasty of the early century.

What I Expect From the New York Mets This Offseason

Michael Donato — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:11:46 -0400

I listened to most of the interview with Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon Monday on WFAN.

I wish it had been with someone other than Mike Francesa, who is very biased and amateurish when it comes to the Mets. However, Francesa is the guy that gets the ‘big’ guests due to reputation and seniority, so we have to deal with it.

Here is a list of things I expect from the Mets going forward. Also, a list of things Francesa should have asked. (He may have asked them at one point and I missed it, but not in the first hour.)

I expect the Mets to be big players in the quest for a power bat. Probably in left field, unless a doable trade comes along for a guy like Adrian Gonzalez, which seems unlikely. Matt Holliday seems to be the best choice. Hopefully he doesn’t stay with the Cardinals.

Management and ownership are committed to spending on what they feel will improve the team to make it competitive next year. This is the most important piece of news. They made no mention of a budget, a cap on spending, or any number. This doesn’t mean there isn’t one, but it also suggests they are flexible to get the job done.

They’ve already been discussing and planning, but obviously until teams and players exercise options after the World Series, you can’t know what’s going to be available for sure.

“You’re lowering ticket prices for season ticket holders. Will those ticket prices come down for game day sales? Will there be less gold level games as was reported?”

The Mets have not offered season ticket holders a percent discount for buying all 81 games in the past. To me, this suggests that Ceaser Club Bronze, and Metropolitan/Baseline Box seats, will be cheaper. These are the two areas they mentioned, and are probably the most overpriced in terms of the cost to quality ratio.

They intend to add more Mets stuff to Citi Field. More memorabilia, a Hall of Fame, and naming things after prominent Mets.

Medically, they’ve adjusted how they’re going to get and release information. Their excuses were a little bit weak, but I'm happy they’re aware that there was a problem.

It was true that they listened to the Dodgers' (or was it the Giants?) doctor when Reyes hurt himself on the road trip. I remembered commenting on it, wondering why the Mets were letting the opposing team decide whether their shortstop was ready to play.

The problem was in the decision-making in that they were soft on the severity of the injury, figuring that Reyes would be okay to play soon, and that taking him out of the lineup for a cross-country flight to New York wasn’t needed.

Another question Francesa didn’t ask, or didn’t ask for clarification on: “I just heard Reyes is having the surgery. Will he be ready for Opening Day, 100 percent? Will he be full strength, full speed?”

Instead, Francesa praised the doctors and the hospital, and went on to ask about other things.

It gives me faith that at least Omar knows what needs to be done. I just hope he’s aware of the little things that need to be done and not overlooked.

I like Cora, but am not necessarily sold on him being the answer. I think it might make more sense to have power off the bench. The Mets don’t need to build a 300 home run team, I think they just need the threat of power to help scare pitchers a little bit.

First Last Game at Citi Field: We're Gonna Miss It

Michael Donato — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:54:40 -0400

I bought tickets, way back in May, for the final game of the season. I didn’t think it would matter; I figured the Mets would’ve clinched, but it had mattered for two years and I figured it wouldn’t be a bad game to be at.

From Citifield

It seems I was wrong. There is nothing to watch, and Pelfrey isn’t even making his final start of the season. This means Figueroa on the mound and who knows who playing around him. So why am I going?

A couple of reasons. It’s still baseball, it’s still the Mets, and I already have tickets. I haven’t been to Citi Field in a while due to a combination of life keeping me from being able to afford tickets (not the prices) and the Mets not being good enough to make it worth going.

I love Citi Field. It’s my favorite baseball stadium and I’m looking forward more to being in the stadium once more than the play on the field. I’ve always been a strong proponent of the new place, but the feeling I get now is similar the the ones I got at Shea Stadium late in the season.

An “It feels right being here, and I’ll miss it for the next couple of months” feeling. I’ll enjoy being able to wander around, and not having to sit in my seat and stare at what’s become bad baseball lately for nine innings.

If I watched at home, I’d mentally tune out and not pay attention because it doesn’t mean much. I’d probably turn on football. At Citi I’ll mentally say goodbye to baseball, bury the 2009 season, and watch Manuel mismanage his final game with the Mets.

I’ll come home, root for the Islanders, the Giants, the Tigers and whoever is playing the Phillies. I’ll try to erase the 2009 Mets from my mind, and start waiting for Apr. 5, 2010. It’s only 184 days away.

New York Mets' Citi Field: A Journey Through Club's Best Offseason Addition

Michael Donato — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:08:40 -0400

Without a doubt, the best acquisition the Mets made in 2009 was Citi Field. Given all the problems and the fact that the Mets going nowhere, it is the one thing this year that helped sooth the pain and will continue to be there year after year.

From Citifield

The stadium was there for all 81 games it was schedule to host, which is more than most Mets can say. It’s a great place to watch a game, and my biggest regret is the season died too fast to really get a feel for how it handles the big game and what that energy would feel like.

There’s great standing-room-only spots, including the bridge in center field. We got to keep the Home Run Apple; if only the whole "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" had worked for the Mets this year. Maybe that’s the problem. They certainly didn’t get an Apple a day to pop up.

From Citifield

Mobility and visibility are one of the big pluses of Citi Field. No matter where you are, you’re rarely a few steps from being able to see the field. It’s easy to get around the park as well.

It has 360-degree mobility so that if you’re in the right-field promenade you don’t have to circle the entire stadium to visit someone or something in left-field reserved. You can do it without having to fight through crowded aisles and concourses, puddles of water or janitors and vendors pushing pallets of trash and frozen burgers through the area.

While it’s crowded, I have yet to encounter the type of gridlock that was prevalent at Shea Stadium. With the exception of the middle-level club seats, you can get to any part of the stadium with any ticket. I wish there were a center field exit to the Pepsi Porch, but I’ll live with it.

From Citifield

The food, beer and distractions available at Citi Field are great. I do agree that the focus should be on the game, but if I wanted to zone out and stare at the game, I could stay home. I want to immerse myself in the stadium, the crowd, the beer and the food. I want to do it without missing the game and Citi Field allows me to do this without missing whole innings, something that was common at Shea.

Bobby Valentine and Jeff Francoeur: Solutions and Problems

Michael Donato — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:03:15 -0400

With Bobby Valentine talking to ESPN, it suggests that the Mets aren’t talking to him. Which could mean the Mets are planning on repeating the Manuel mistake in 2010. Which would be a shame, because replacing Manuel would be the easiest and cheapest problem to fix on the Mets.

Couple this with rumors that the Mets are talking about signing Jeff Francoeur to a three-year contract, and it becomes obvious that the Mets just don’t get it.

Francoeur, while not the problem, is not the solution either. He’s not a very good player, despite his small sample size with the Mets this year. While I’d rather the Mets look at signing another pitcher, a left fielder, and two catchers and keep Francoeur in RF for the time being, they can do that without committing to him beyond next year. Even worse is what this represents.

If Francoeur is a given in right, and obviously we’ve got Beltran in center, what’s going on in left field? Either the Mets have no faith in Fernando Martinez playing for them any time soon, or they have no serious plans to go after a power hitting acquisition to play there—unless we’re talking a one-year deal, which would be harder to pull off.

While I don’t think straight-out bombers are what the Mets need, if Manuel is staying, it’s more important because it fits his style better. The Mets do need to add another bat. The free agent options are better for an outfielder than a first baseman, and Murphy plus an outfielder is a better team than trading for a 1B and whatever leftover piece you’d have for left.

The Mets are more than capable of competing in 2010, but they do have a lot of work to do in the offseason as well. So far the rumors I’ve heard regarding what they plan are not reassuring.

Nothing to Watch Between Sundays

Michael Donato — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:25:03 -0400

Today is why football will never touch baseball as far as greatest sport goes. Football has it’s moments...on Sundays. Today there is nothing on again until Sunday. That’s too many days without a game being played for me to really get into it.

I don’t watch amateur sports, so college football gives me no respite. Even that’s not until Saturday. There is only so much midweek analysis I can take, sooner or later I just want to see more action. There is preseason hockey, but that’s not overly exciting, the Islanders aren’t on tonight, and Taveras has the flu anyway.

It’s no wonder television starts around this time. As most baseball teams are just finishing off the schedule fans like me are mentally switching gears to other things. I’ll have MLB playoffs to watch in October many nights, but in terms of devoting myself to a sports team and getting excited, football just isn’t played often enough for me. It’s no more exciting than happy hour drinks on Friday night; great for a couple of hours, but a momentary distraction.

Why I'm Watching Baseball When the New York Mets Are Out of It

Michael Donato — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:24:30 -0400

Sure, the Mets are out of it. Everyone has been injured. The manager is still a disaster, and there is still no obvious plan in place going forward. So what should we watch when we’re drawn in to watching baseball? What should we be rooting for?

September callups are always a popular choice, even if the Mets aren’t going to have that many. Biggest guy to watch is Josh Thole, the prospect catcher. Catcher is a big hole next year which makes catching prospects even more important. If Thole is for real, then the Mets can look for a short term stop-gap type solution behind the plate for one year.

You can watch Murphy, Evans, Pagan, and Parnell as they jockey for position and hope to be in the plans for next year.

Mainly though, I’m rooting against the Phillies and the Yankees. It still looks unlikely that either team will miss the playoffs, but stranger things have happened.

Both bullpens are suspect, as Lidge goes for the blown save record, batters figure out Phil Hughes, Mariano gets older and frailer, and other guys don’t step up the possibility for a collapse looms. I think both teams are beatable, especially in the playoffs if it comes to that. I don’t expect to see either in the World Series.

Still, the state of baseball frustrates me.

The Phillies and Yankees don’t lose as often as I would like, and too often grab victory despite teetering on the edge of failure. I would get no enjoyment watching either of them play baseball in October, and hope I don’t have to. The Islanders first game is Oct. 3. The Giants and Jets both start playing this Sunday. I have no idea when the NBA starts, but I think it’s a couple of weeks yet.

New York Baseball Weekend Turns Out to be a Dud

Michael Donato — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:40:43 -0400

Three months ago you would’ve pointed to this weekend as one of the biggest of the season. The Mets' four games against the Phillies were likely going to set the tone for September and who was chasing who. On another New York front, the Yankees were going to match up with the Red Sox, so it would’ve been baseball mania in New York.

Now the Yankees have grabbed a big lead, the Mets are injured, and people are talking about the football Giants. The biggest stories for the Mets is the ‘69 reunion Saturday night and Pedro’s return to the Mets home field on Sunday. There is little or no juice for the series, and I’m sure some Phillies fans will come up the coast, but it just doesn’t matter.

I do think both Pelfrey and Perez will have good games. I think Parnell might have a nice bounce back start as well. I also just noticed that the Mets rotation features three Ps. Interesting? Not really.

It really is time to start parting ways with some of the useless veterans, like cutting Livan Hernandez yesterday. Sheffield can go too; Cory Sullivan has more extra base hits than him since being called up, and at least Sullivan can play defense.

Lets get Evans up here and him: Sullivan, Reed, and Pagan can all compete for possible roles on the team next year.

Daniel Murphy: The Iron Man of the Mets

Michael Donato — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:02:26 -0400

Of all the position players originally selected to take the field on Opening Day, only Daniel Murphy has not spent any time injured. Luis Castillo has also been mostly healthy, with the exception of the couple of days from when he fell down the stairs.

Murphy hasn’t exactly put up super or consistent numbers, even with factoring in his platoon status early on.

But the more I watch, the more I want him to be a part of the Mets next year.

Personally, I’d rather spend money on left field and get a power bat that way, and hope Murphy can hold down first base. He looks like can he do it defensively, and he’s shown some skill offensively at times.

I know his batting average is still kind of low, and he doesn’t have the typical power you expect from a first baseman. But if you replace Carlos Delgado’s power with a left fielder and Carlos Beltran and David Wright return to their home-run hitting norms next year, I don’t think the Mets be a team that struggles.

You may argue that the Mets could have used more power this year, even with no injuries, but I’d disagree. While power couldn’t have hurt, I feel like this team’s strength is speed and aggressiveness.

I do not feel Manuel is the best manager for that role, however, and I think he’d be a better manager with a power team. Given the option, and given Manuel’s general ineptitude, I’d rather replace him as the manager than try to remake the team into a power team.

If the Mets need to get at least a left fielder, a catcher, another starter, and a first baseman, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to afford adequate replacements for all of them.

Of Murphy, Angel Pagan, Gary Sheffield, Brian Schneider, Livan Hernandez, or Tim Redding I think it’s pretty clear that Murphy is the player to keep for an everyday role next year.

New York Mets: Meaningless September Baseball

Michael Donato — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:51:14 -0400

You know it’s bad when you’re starting to pay more attention to the upcoming Yankees series against the Red Sox hoping the Sox can stay undefeated than you are to the Mets, and even have to strain to remember who they’re playing next.

In fact, while I can’t find it in my budget right now to justify going to Citi Field to see the Mets play bad baseball, I just got an offer to go to the Thursday night Red Sox games in the Bronx.

At least this way I can go to a game and not be disappointed when the home team loses. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have baseball being played, but my interest waning.

It’s not fun, and I’m not even a big football fan, so I can hardly look forward to the Giants.

If Beltran and Reyes were to come back tomorrow, I’d tell you we still had a fighting chance. Technically we do. There is plenty of time for miracle comes backs and great baseball.

It just doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen with this bunch of guys. Stranger things have happened though, and I know I won’t be able to complete ignore the team anyway.

After all, it’s still Mets baseball.

Maybe Sheffield discovers some magic from when he was younger, the non-steroid kind, and maybe Pelfrey blossoms into a really consistent solid starter.

Perhaps Perez finally figures it out and starts pitching with less walks, despite the indications that he needs a better coach.

Because of the Conservation of Walks theory, Jeff Francoeur will take the walks that Perez stops issuing, and actually raise his OBP well above his AVG. Daniel Murphy could suddenly become the solid hitter we all started to suspect he could be.

Unlikely, but still possible. Can you risk missing it by turning the television off?

Citi Field Addition: Vineyard Mound

Michael Donato — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:01:47 -0400

Another Idea For Citi Field: Vineyard Mound

From Mets?feat=embedwebsite">Mets

This idea stems from the beer island in the Taste of the City concourse out in left-center field. I think this place is awesome, and I make it a destination almost every time I’m there. With 30 different bottles of beer at a fairly reasonable price it very well may be the best place to get beer in the Major Leagues.

There are also a couple of places that sell wine. Most people you talk to will tell you they can’t imagine drinking wine at a ballpark, and many of the people that actually go to ballparks don’t drink wine anywhere. Other people say you can sell anything if you market it well, and the Mets are not taking advantage of a prime marketing tool in this regard. Their sole Hall of Famer, and Ace pitcher of the 1969 Mets, George Thomas Seaver, makes wine.

None of the wine made by GTS Vineyards is sold at Citi Field, however. What better person to sell wine to Mets' fans than Seaver? GTS Vineyards isn’t huge, but the new “Vineyard Mound” doesn’t have to sell exclusively GTS wines, just have them available.

To further connect wine to Mets' baseball I’d suggest this Mound be the location for a statue of Seaver. Put him in a pitching stance, but instead of having him hold a baseball, give him a wine bottle. Place the Mound on a slight hill, or pitcher’s mound, so just as Seaver served fastballs to batters from up on the hill, so will he serve wine.

Division Isn't Out of the Question for the Mets

Michael Donato — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:15:55 -0400

You may have seen that pessimistic post on Metsblog earlier that stated the Mets should be aiming to go 45 and 20 to win the Wild Card. This is short sighted. I hate to do this, but let’s go back to 2007.

On July 27, 2007 the Mets were up four games over the Phillies and Braves in second place. They kept the hordes at bay for a month, and on August 27 were six games up, seven over the Braves, and neither team looked really good.

Then the Mets played that ill-fated series in Philadelphia where they lost four games, the lead dropping to two games and panic started to set in. The Mets rebounded terrifically winning five in a row and 10 of their next 12.

They hosted the Phillies again on September 12 with a seven-game lead and plenty of reason to think that the series in Philadelphia was merely a fluke.

More so than any other reason, the Mets lost in 2007 because they lost those seven games to the Phillies. In 2009, the Mets and Phillies play eight more times. They blew their first chance at this a couple of weeks ago, allowing the Phillies to sweep them, but 65 games and eight against the leader is not something you write off.If the Mets are good enough to overcome the deficit in the wild card, they’re good enough to overcome the deficit in the division.

The Phillies are bound to come back to earth, as they’re not going to play at this crazy winning percentage for the rest of the season, and now they’ve started to be bit by the injury bug as well. If the Mets can recover and run with it, it’s the division that’s waiting, not the wild card.

If you’re looking for numbers or formulas, here is one for you.

There are 10 weeks left of the season, and eight games against the Phillies. Win six of the games against the Phillies, and then play merely one game better than them in five of the other eight weeks they don’t play Philadelphia. Win one more game, whether it’s another against the Phillies, another random game during the season, or game 163. From there the playoffs are your oyster.

The New York Mets: Hard to be Optimistic

Michael Donato — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:05:44 -0400

It’s hard to be optimistic with the state of the Mets right now. It’s hard to be confident in Omar, it’s hard to be confident in Manuel and the coaches, and even the promising young guys no longer seem promising.

How did we go from being disappointed that Murphy got an extra plate appearance last season, and wouldn’t be eligible for Rookie of the Year, to a guy that we’re talking about trading while he still has some value? Personally, I don’t agree with that sentiment, but Murphy’s stock has definitely gone down since last year.

Mike Pelfrey was quickly becoming an excellent pitcher, and while there were some concerns most were okay with him being ‘named’ the No.2 starter before the season. Now he’s struggling to make that next step and gain consistency.

To me both these guys have talent, drive, and are smart enough to learn how to get better. So why aren’t they getting better? While the ultimate onus falls on the player, this is why there is a manager and coaches in the first place. Most people don’t really understand what a coach does, but if they didn’t have a big role they wouldn’t be fired as often as they are, and teams wouldn’t necessarily even have them.

It doesn’t have to be a career All—Star on the bench to be a good coach, merely a student of the game. He needs to be able to identify and assist players with making the adjustments they need to make, or fixing the bad habits they’re picking up. Good players can do this on their own, but even good players often have a blind spot when analyzing themselves. It’s the same in all areas of the world. This is why English teachers since grade school have been teaching us to have someone else read over and review our writing.

It appears that there is something fundamentally wrong with the Mets.

This has been the case since 2007, and has yet to be identified and fixed. Too many guys are under—performing, and virtually no one is over—performing. This is what makes or breaks good teams. And this is what defines a good manager or coach. It’s not just luck when a player has a career year; it’s often due to hard work, and proper guidance.

The Mets have been a better team than the Phillies for years, but the difference is somehow journeyman middle relief in Philadelphia has been able to excel and pitchers like J.A. Happ have come out of nowhere to pitch brilliantly, while Pelfrey, Murphy, Parnell, Evans and guys that have showed promise with the Mets have fizzled and failed to make good on promises of success.

Is the season over? No, it’s not. I don’t buy the Marlins as legitimate. I’m not sure the Braves will be appreciably over .500, although they do look pretty good. If you buy that, it’s between the Mets and the Phillies. The Mets are far behind, but technically it’s only a game or two. They still play each other eight times, and if the Mets were to win those games they’ll be in good position, which isn’t completely out of the question as unlikely as it seems given the current state of the team.

It’s growing more and more unlikely as the Phillies pull off more and more unlikely wins and the Mets continue to struggle to find any consistency, but if the ship were to be righted and players do come back from the disabled list and perform, it’s not out of the question for the Mets to catch up.

MLB All-Star Game: Enjoy It

Michael Donato — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:41:22 -0400

The All-Star game arrives tomorrow, and tonight is the Home Run Derby. It’s a much-maligned three or four days without regular season games.

I’ve written an article about how exciting the All-Star break can be, and there are some points this year that I’d like to add.

This is the first year of the MLB Network. I’ve really liked what they’ve done so far, and while the All-Star Game is still on Fox, I think we’ll see some good stuff on the Network. I also think it'll get better every year. Presumably, the game will eventually be televised on MLB Network, or they will at least have more exclusivity to things going on around the game.

Watch the game for the celebration of baseball as our National Pastime. Don’t play the “what if” game about injuries and arm fatigue and all that. These players can treat it as a vacation, a reprise from the grind of everyday baseball and the pressures that may envelope them on their own teams. These athletes are in good enough shape that the mental break from the standings is much more important than the physical break from playing.

I’ll enjoy watching the different aspects and play of different stars around the league because I love baseball. It doesn’t even matter that it barely counts. No one would risk getting excited about the prospects of game seven of the World Series at this point anyway. That would be too much of a jinx.

Jeff Francoeur For Ryan Church. Why?

Michael Donato — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:04:37 -0400

The Mets traded Ryan Church to the Braves for Jeff Francoeur. Hopefully this isn’t what the Braves needed to take the division, but I’m more concerned about Jeff. He’s hitting .250, which is more than he hit last year, and has five home runs.

Presumably it was power and defense that attracted Omar to Francoeur. He does have a good arm. I don’t know that he’s appreciably better than Church, who certainly wasn’t a liability out there. He’s supposedly got power, but for the last two years that’s equated to too many strike outs and not enough hits.

Let’s break down those home runs using hit tracker. Two are considered “just enough” home runs. This means they barely cleared the fence. Two more are classified as “lucky” which means they wouldn’t have cleared the fence on a 70 degree calm day. We know Citi Field is a below average hitter’s park, so how do those home runs translate? He hit all five to left center, which isn’t exactly the easiest place to hit them.

I worry that this was a move because Manuel does not like Ryan Church. Unfortunately, Manuel should play the guys that are better suited to help the Mets win and Ryan Church is just a better baseball player than Jeff Francoeur. The pressure is on HoJo now; hopefully he can mold Francoeur into a better baseball player.

New York Mets Should Get a Bison

Michael Donato — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:04:48 -0400

Fernando Martinez is injured. He was over-matched before he was injured, and I’m not sure sitting for a couple of games is the best way for him to develop into a Major League hitter.

So why is he still on the roster?

These guys aren’t Albert Pujols in waiting, but they’re hitting pretty well down in Buffalo.

What could it hurt to see one of them?

Jesus Feliciano is a left fielder hitting .302 in 74 games. He’s got 17 doubles, 34 RBI, and no errors. He was also 6-for-16 with two walks in the World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico.

Cory Sullivan is hitting .301 in 77 games in center field. He's got 35 runs, 15 doubles, two home runs, and 24 RBI. He also has not committed an error.

Neither are sluggers, but they seem to be solid baseball players that likely won’t be worse than Fernando Martinez, who can recover and get everyday playing time back in Buffalo for now.

New York Mets: Hang on to Those Towels

Michael Donato — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:37 -0400

Have You Thrown in the Towel?

It’s not far fetched, and I don’t blame the author. It’s hard not to be frustrated and disgusted with the Mets the way they’re playing.

There is blame on the field, in the dugout, within management, and even within the front office.

I’m not sure I’m even willing to excuse the ushers or ticket takers from the poor play of the Mets.

But it’s not over. If only it was.

We all know how much 2003 sucked, but right now I think 2009 has sucked more.

There was some hope in 2003. Shea Stadium shook in 2003, if only because Mo Vaughn was trying to make it to first base.

You had Roberto Alomar who had been a great player—surely after a year of getting accustomed to New York, he’d return to form.

You still had Piazza.

It became evident pretty fast that these guys weren’t going to get it done. It was a season probably very similar to how the Pirates fans think: “Well, if this guy gets hot, gets good, figures it out...then, maybe...”

By mid-April, most fans realized that there was no point in getting invested in the season.

One of the bright spots of 2003 was getting to see our star prospect, Jose Reyes. A lot of 2009 hinges on the same idea.

Right now it feels like they’re being overly cautious, not even testing the injury. On one hand, this could mean he’s still not healthy. On the other, it could mean he’s 100 percent healed and almost ready to go.

He’s been swinging down in Florida so I hope this is the Mets' way of getting his swing in shape while still resting the injury. Hopefully he’ll be ready to go, and soon.

The biggest reason I would say not to throw in the towel has to do with not being overly critical of our existing players. Despite the injuries, the Mets are in the top of the league in batting average and on-base percentage.

They’re getting guys on, they’re getting chances.

The problem is what they do with those chances. Part of it is that they have Fernando Tatis and lead the league in grounding into double plays. Part of it is lineup management.

If you have a lot of guys getting on, but not getting in, the lineup needs to be shaken up.

Things like batting Luis Castillo and his high OBP eighth, where he’s more likely to be stranded due to the pitcher’s spot, inflate these numbers.

Part of it may be the lack of power, and not being able to get as many runs out of one hit. Part of it may be the bunting, which gives away an out and a chance to have a big inning.

Another culprit has been the fundamentals. This has been a problem for most of the year. Why Jerry Manuel is not working harder at stressing it is beyond me. Especially when many of the errors seem to be of the mental kind, suggesting that the players aren’t in the right frame of mind in the field.

It’s the manager’s job to get his players ready for the game.

This doesn’t excuse them from making these mistakes, but it is a fault of the manager as well. When players are pressing, even in the first inning, something needs to be done.

These guys need to relax, especially David Wright, who’s carrying the weight of all our expectations on his shoulders. Daniel Murphy is another who works so hard, that maybe it’s too hard.

This leads me to another thought, which is Jose Reyes in the clubhouse. Reyes, despite being a hard worker, is a very happy-go-lucky guy.

Love it or hate it, he’s pretty much defined the atmosphere of the Mets clubhouse for years.

I think the Mets miss that energy.

Hopefully, when he comes back he can rev up people, get them confident and relaxed, win some ballgames, and maybe stop some of these mental errors.

Mets, Phillies Battle For First

Michael Donato — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:36:14 -0400

Could first place be around the corner?

The current batch of Mets players have been berated in all forms of media all week.

“We can’t win like this”

“These players aren’t very good.”

Even the manager got into the act by asking for more offense and saying that it’d be tough to win with the current guys.

Despite all that, the Mets have now won two in a row, one with pitching and one with hitting. They will go into Philadelphia with a chance to take first place, sitting just one game behind the Phillies. (and the Marlins)

The Phillies aren’t playing great baseball either. In fact, the pitcher the Mets faced in Pittsburgh, Paul Maholm, has a better ERA than the Phillies ace Cole Hamels, and the two pitchers in the rotation the Mets are facing this weekend.

The other pitcher, Rodrigo Lopez, is a journeyman pitcher who hasn’t pitched in the majors in two years. Lopez, coming off Tommy John surgery, signed with the Braves last year, pitching five innings in the minors, and was released at the end of the season.

He’s nearly given up a home run a start in his career, which will go over well in that ballpark, and his best year came in Baltimore in 2002.

He was 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA in the minors this year.

So the pitching landscape the Mets will face this weekend is not great. The lineup isn’t what it would be with Reyes, Delgado and Beltran in it, but most of these guys are still major leaguers, or prospects, and should be able to score some runs in a ballpark that lends itself to scoring runs.

The worry may be on the pitching side.

Livan Hernandez has been pitching well and hopefully he can keep the Phillies in the park. Fernando Nieve is basically an unknown, having had three excellent starts and one bad one.

Has he been properly scouted by now? Have the Phillies read the scouting reports? Or was last time just a blip, and he’ll bounce back with a good performance?

Sunday is almost a must-win with Johan Santana on the mound. He’s a competitive guy, and nothing is more competitive than a competition for first place, against rivals, after a bad performance in his last outing.

Expect good things from Santana on Sunday, which is also the halfway point in the season. Santana typically pitches well in the second half. A lot hinges on Hernandez tonight.

The Phillies bats have been sleeping, and it would do us good not to wake them up.

Bad games, horrible losses, injuries, and bad managing in the first half can all be put aside this weekend. If the Mets play competitive baseball for these three days, the first half ends and the second half begins without any handicap or ground to make up.

Beltran and Reyes may both be back before we know it, and it’d be an excellent situation to be in if they come back and not have to help the Mets play catchup, but to help the Mets put distance between them and whoever is in second come that point.

I Do Not Prefer Rooting for Underdogs

Michael Donato — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:42:52 -0400

Underdogs? This is really what you want?

There was some talk around Mets fandom after Beltran went down that now the team is more likable, because they’re fighting underdogs. Sure the St. Louis series was fun, but since then we’ve gotten swept by the Yankees, and lost the first game to the Brewers. Is this really your idea of a good team to root for?

No, it’s not. I’ve long been discouraged by the idea that most Mets fans identify with the “lovable losers” idea. Ask Keith Hernandez what he thinks about lovable losers. No one can seriously tell me you like rooting for this team this way, given what we could have. This is not a “Let’s be competitive” year, this is a win it all year. Injuries are no excuse.

The same way some fans get on Wright or start talking about “Trading the core”, some tout the lovable losers line. The reasoning is usually the same: It’s a way to steel themselves for the disappointment they think is coming, again, at the end of the year. It’s one thing rooting for underrated players like those on the 1969 Mets that show up and suddenly lead the team to a championship, and it’s another to root for talented stars, like in ‘86, that take no prisoners and play exciting baseball. Right now, this team is neither.

The Mets do need to find a way to win games the way they are currently setup. Whether that’s firing the underachieving manager for someone who will field the best people on the roster in the best order, (This means your high OBP guys, like Castillo, don’t bat 8th. Especially when in Castillo’s case he’s not a huge RBI guy.

This means not having Argenis Reyes playing at all, especially at the top of a lineup where he’ll get the most AB of anyone. This means giving up on Tatis who occasionally hits the ball hard, but mostly grounds into out(s). This means playing Murphy regularly, playing Fernando Martinez regularly, playing Evans regularly. Maybe these guys are all busts, but the upside is so much better than Argenis or Tatis and has the added benefit of maybe giving Omar some focus on what position to look for a bat.

If Murphy starts/continues hitting well when he’s playing, Omar can ignore first base and focus on the outfield. Or vice versa if Evans appears to be solid, or Fernando crosses the prospect->talent line.), making a big trade for a bat from outside the organization, or getting the current batch of unsuccessful players to work harder, take extra batting practice, watch more video, read more scouting reports and practice more fundamentals to get what we can from them.

And one last thing: Lovable Losers is more a Cubs thing than Sweet Caroline is a Red Sox thing. So is throwing home run balls back, which seems to have taken wind across baseball. As Keith says, “Don’t do it.”

Subway Series at the Better of the Two New New York Ballparks

Michael Donato — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:11:47 -0400

Yankees get their first taste of the better stadium in New York.

The Subway Series part two, at Citi Field, takes place this weekend. The Yankees won’t be able to get many cheap pop-fly home runs here. Most of them will have to be earned, and while the Mets don’t have the best pitchers going, I suspect the Yankees will be kept in the park anyway.

The Yankees come into this series having won a series, but having struggled since the last Subway Series match-up.

Andy Pettitte was removed from Thursday's game early, and the Yankees needed to use their bullpen, including Mariano Rivera, for 4 1/3 innings. This needs to be the focus of attack for the Mets.

C.C. Sabathia has been exploitable when he goes deep into games, but if they can get him out semi-early, they can get into an already taxed bullpen that’s not very good to begin with.

In fact, the Yankees bullpen in 2009 seems awfully like the Mets bullpen of 2008, and we all know how that ended. The Yankees of 2009 also struggled to beat the Marlins and the Nationals, something that was part of both Mets' collapses. So was poor play against a rival in 2007, much as the Yankees have yet to beat the Red Sox this year.

The Mets lineup is depleted, while the Yankees are mostly healthy. It’s not a full strength match-up, but it’s still one the Mets can win. The Yankees pitching can be exploited, their home runs will be down playing in a fair park, and the Mets have actually been hitting the ball lately.

A lot of this depends on the lineups. The Yankees have to juggle outfielders, worry about having no DH, and worry who to play where.

The Mets need to keep Fernando Tatis on the bench, start Evans in left, Murphy at first, and probably Jeremy Reed over Fernando Martinez, who has looked mostly overmatched at the Major League level so far. I have a feeling he’ll have a good series, if he plays, but right now I think Reed can provide some defense and maybe a hit here or there, and maybe Sheffield will be healthy enough to play a game or two, or at least get some key pinch-hits off the bench late.

There is also scoreboard watching fun going on this weekend. The Phillies, who are a half game ahead of the Mets, play the Blue Jays, who are one game behind the Yankees.

Additionally the Rays, who are two games behind the Yankees, play the Marlins, who are a half game behind the Mets. The Yankees could be anywhere from second to fourth following this series, and the Mets could be anywhere from first to third. It’s a volatile series, and it should be fun to watch.

The inevitable new park comparisons will come into play, especially Sunday Night on ESPN. I don’t think there is much to discuss. Citi Field wins hands down.

Besides having better, readily-available food and cheaper, higher quality beer, it’s just a prettier ballpark. Yankee Stadium has it’s perks, but most of them are away from the field of play.

The Mets have some work to do with getting some more history into the place. I loved the MVP wall that featured images of all the MVP winners for the Yankees, and I love seeing all the scenes from different years of play above the concessions and around the concourse. However, that’s only about 2-4 percent of the trip to the ballpark, and once you get to your seat, you might as well be sitting in the same Yankee Stadium from 1923, 1953, or 1983.

I’m sure some Yankee fans will be making their first trip to Citi Field this weekend, and I hope they’re not too disappointed when they see the Mets have a better stadium, a better team, and a better fan base.

Underdogs? No way!

Michael Donato — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:05:57 -0400

Underdogs? No way!

Beltran wants us to be in first place when he gets back, and I agree.

From 062209_Cardinals

I went out and supported the team last night, at Citi Field, in section 520 of the Promenade. I haven’t been here in a couple of weeks, but it felt like I was returning home.

This came after a trip to Yankee Stadium, which I’ll write about later, but I’m now confident to say that Citi Field is the best stadium in New York. And that’s without a Seaver statue.

I’ve heard an idea about naming the area just in front of the bridge and above the bullpen "The Piazza", which I think is a cool idea. Although, I think it might be a better name for the food court area on the Promenade behind home plate. After all, wouldn’t you look for Piazza behind home plate, not out in the bullpen?

The Mets had a great bounce back win yesterday, after a flurry of roster moves including Carlos Beltran to the disabled list. This means that David Wright and Luis Castillo are the only two starters who have not spent time on the DL. Daniel Murphy as well, but he hasn’t seen regular time through May, so it’s hard to count him.

However, that’s the key. If Daniel Murphy is a regular player, and he’s starting to show that maybe he is, things may not be as grim as they seem. Ryan Church has been doing well since returning. Brian Schneider hasn’t been his pre-injury disasterous April self, and while he’s not Piazza and Manuel still likes Santos over him, it’s a good thing to see him getting big hits. Santos is avoiding the inevitable drop off you’d expect from a career minor leaguer.

The only blight right now might be FernandoTatis.

Tatis is being awarded way too much playing time for playing so poorly. He’s grounding into double plays at an alarming rate, which makes you wonder what he was doing in the cleanup spot last night or even being a pinch hitter for Murphy on Sunday night?

For weeks now, Keith Hernandez has been pointing out Tatis' messed up swing, comparing it to last year. Give Tatis a rest, and lets get Evans some outfield starts. He was starting to hit in the minors, and he has some power. I know he’s as right-handed as Sheffield, but he could be a good solution to who to play when you rest Sheffield, who needs a lot of rest to contribute to this team.

So, are the Mets underdogs? I say no.

The Phillies are having injury problems as well. So instead of trying to tread water, not lose ground, and hope everyone comes back healthy, I say go out there and ride the guys that are hot, and take back this division. Maybe Santos will drop off, maybe Murphy won’t hit .300, but they’re hitting now, and there is no reason we can’t win now.

Especially if Nieve is serious about being good. Redding drops some decent games on us, Livan seems to be acceptable. Santana is Santana, and hopefully Pelfrey is just having a blip in his early career. There is hope for Perez and Maine coming back, and there is always Niese in the wings. The bullpen is still excellent, as long as Manuel recognizes the need for rest, and Parnell can make the proper adjustments. It seems like he can, Parnell really does look like a serious player.

Parnell could probably use some days off, as could Feliciano, but I have confidence in those guys if they don’t get burnt out.

Subway Series Greets New Yankee Stadium

Michael Donato — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:51:08 -0400

Welcome to the first Subway Series at the House That Ruth Cursed. The Mets get their first shot at the newly built Yankee Stadium, but, sadly, it’s without Carlos Delgado.

The left field situation with the place has been very favorable to lefty pull hitters like Delgado. Given the stadium, I can’t see any reason Mets lefties shouldn’t start in all three games, Church and Murphy especially. I think Schneider should get at least two of the starts, and you probably want to give Fernando Martinez a shot at his first major league home run.

On the flip side, you want to be careful how you pitch to batters here. Certain batters are getting home runs on check swings, so caution is tantamount. I have more faith in the Mets’ pitchers than the Yankees’, so hopefully all will go well—even if Fernando (that’s Fernando number three if you were counting) Nieve will be pitching in the series.

Imagine how Babe Ruth’s ghost feels watching the Yankees knock down his house, and then building a place where he could probably hit a home run while sitting down. There is only one major league stadium still standing where Ruth played a major league game, so it’s no surprise the Red Sox have been successful lately. I’ve been wondering if the Mets will have more wins at Fenway Park this year than the Yankees. It seems likely.

The Yankees have been better lately, Red Sox series aside. Are they a better team? I don’t think so. Their pitching is suspect. Pettitte has had poor second halves as he wears down, Burnett is doing is Pavano imitation, Wang has still not returned to what he was before the injury, and Joba has been merely average. They’ve reinforced their bullpen with starting prospects, but it still reminds me a bit of the 2008 Mets bullpen, and we all know how that turned out. Hopefully they can play a solid series and get out of there with at least two out of three.

New York Mets Need to Start Daniel Murphy

Michael Donato — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:48:34 -0400

The Daniel Murphy/Fernando Tatis platoon perplexes me. It’s not just because Murphy already looks to be a better defensive first baseman, although that does help.

It seems Tatis hasn’t been solid defensively anywhere he’s played this year. He’s not a liability, but he’s not good either. Sometimes you have to look at the upside.

The best case scenario for Tatis is that he’s a solid guy off the bench, and can spot start at first or in the outfield a couple of times and contribute offensively.

The best case for Murphy is that he develops into a solid major leaguer and is your everyday first baseman for the future. Depending on how good that best case is, that future could easily be 15 years.

For a team that could use some more offense, shouldn’t we find out what Murphy’s got as an everyday player? He platooned most of the time last year as well. Maybe it’s time for him to be put out there for 10 games and see what he looks like everyday. Some lineup consistency couldn’t hurt.

In my fire Manuel rants I’ve suggested that Manuel sets up his players to fail.

Here’s another test: Manuel says Murphy will start one of these two games against the Phillies. Tonight is the lefty Cole Hamels who is a pretty good pitcher. Thursday is the lefty Jamie Moyer who hasn’t had a good year and lefties are able to hit.

I would start Murphy both games, but if Manuel’s going to choose one the obvious choice is Moyer. Tatis had a good game last night, and it wouldn’t hurt to try to ride out that success by starting him again today. Murphy would be better suited to hit Moyer than Hamels.

The only downside is that Murphy is a better defender for the ground balls of Pelfrey tonight, versus Redding tomorrow. Let’s see what Manuel does, but starting Murphy against Hamels and then claiming he can’t hit lefties if he doesn’t hit one of the better ones is not fair.

Sidebar: I didn’t see a lot of Phillies fans on television. No surprise there, they’ve never traveled here as well as we’ve traveled there. The ones that do only come to cause trouble. I noticed this at the last series, and I’ve heard stuff from last night as well.

The Phillies fans come in bearing 2008 flags that they like to wave around and be obnoxious with. Luckily there is always a drunk Mets fan somewhere that will run in and grab it. I saw this happen in the Pepsi Porch in May, and I saw reports of it last night as well.

Coming Up Next For The New York Mets: 5—1 Against The Phillies And Yankees

Michael Donato — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:46:24 -0400

Three games against the Phillies start tonight. It’s actually a big New York baseball week with the Yankees are playing the Red Sox this week as well. Then the Mets meet in the Bronx for the first Subway Series at the new Yankee Stadium.

It’s a shame Delgado’s going to miss it. He had nine RBI at the place last year.This year with the rate balls fly out of right field, I figured he’d be able to double his home run total for the year this weekend.

We’ll have to settle for Ryan Church and Daniel Murphy knocking a couple out. Fernando Martinez, if he doesn’t connect with one off the crappy Phillies pitching, will have a good shot there. But before the Mets get to the Bronx, they host the defending champs (who the Mets are 3—1 against so far).

Metsblog ran a poll and the pessimists got their voice heard. The poll results showed 2—4 was the expected outcome over the next six, with 4—2 the runner up.

Personally, I’m thinking 5—1.

I know this is overly optimistic given the injuries, but I really think the Mets match up well against these two teams. All four times they’ve faced the Phillies, the Mets have looked liked the better team. Everyone knows that the Phillies strength is offense. Good pitching generally beats good hitting, and I’m confident in Santana and in Pelfrey having a bounce back start. Pelfrey is also more of a ground ball pitcher, which should help against the power numbers of Philadelphia, as will Citi Field.

The big question mark is Redding, who has had both good and bad starts. Supposedly he pitches pretty well against the Phillies, but I don’t know how much stock to take in that. Maybe pitching in Citi Field will help him.

On the other hand, the Phillies aren’t good at pitching. The Mets have hit Happ well, have hit Hamels, and everyone seems to have hit Moyer this year. Their bullpen has been better, but it’s still not great and Lidge has looked awful.

It’s hard to predict a sweep, because anything can happen in baseball. I’d be shocked if the Phillies were to win this series.