Reyes Stays Put…For Now

His heart is with New York.

As you all have read, GM Sandy Alderson has stated the Mets will be keeping their shortstop, Jose Reyes, for the rest of the 2011 season. Here is where everybody breathed a sigh of relief.

Now we can talk about the offseason. Well, it isn’t like anybody has not already been talking about. Everybody is obsessed with knowing the fate of their beloved shortstop.

Alderson has given hints to Mets fans what could be his fate. After the trade of Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers, the GM said the trade gives “the organization extra money to invest in Reyes”.

Sounds promising.

With that said, remember the Mets only have so much money to work with despite the contracts that will be coming off the books. Reyes has stated he would like to remain a Met, but, according to a report, had made mention to a friend he would not mind signing with the Anaheim Angels.

Take it with a grain of salt. He loves New York and wants to stay. The spark plug of the franchise just needs to realize he might have to give us a discounted rate.

So what do you think will happen to Reyes during the offseason? Will he be a part of the 2012 team or another memory?

Interest In Feliciano Hurts Mets

Pedro Feliciano has declined the Mets arbitration offer in favor of a multi-year deal he wants. He stood to make $4 million in a one year offer.

What makes this bad news for the Mets, other than the fact it would cripple the bullpen should he not return, is that other teams have expressed interest. Other teams who have cash to burn. Reports are the Yankees are among those teams, which could also include the Philadelphia Phillies and Anaheim Angels. All of this extra interest will undoubtedly raise the price tag on him to where the Mets will not even be able to negotiate.

While others were worried about him burning up what little money the Mets have to spend this offseason, I had hoped he would take the deal. However, this does not mean the Mets cannot negotiate with him. They still can. Hopefully, they can work things out. Maybe work out a three year deal that will not financially cripple the team.

Either way, Feliciano is one man this team cannot give up on. I love how they still have yet to decide what to do about Oliver Perez, yet they drag their feet on someone who has put the bullpen on his back. At last I checked, you reward people for their hard work. Not slap them in the face.

Matthews Comes While Stokes Goes

Wow! Gary Matthews, Jr. is now with the New York Mets. Unreal! I mean, this deal could be fruitful. The Mets only sent away Brian Stokes.

Not really feeling this deal.

Here’s the nuts and bolts of it.

The Angels are paying the bulk of the contract. Matthews is owed $24 million. So, according to Jon Heyman, the Angels will eat $21.5 million over the next two years and the Mets will handle $1.25 million for each season.

So that’s how we are spending some of the money that we were going to give Bengie Molina.

Here’s why I’m not happy. Matthews has been hampered with injuries just as much as Angel Pagan. Now, with the Mets medical staff being as it is, do we really want another injury prone player on this team?

This is not a great trade. It is not even good. It is decent at best. I agree with Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog when he said:

To me, I don’t understand how that, plus giving up a pitcher, is better than, say, re-signing a guy like Jeremy Reed, who just signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays.

Stokes, when given some time, would have proven to be more valuable than Matthews.

I want to see a pitcher. That is all I want. At this point, I don’t care about anything else.

Whirlwind of Emotions

Last night Mets fans and baseball fans around the nation were awarded with two outstanding games, although one of them Mets fans would like to forget.

The Philadelphia Phillies took one step closer to the Fall Classic by beating the LA Dodgers 5-4. The Dodgers had a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth until Mets nemesis, one of many on that team, hit a double to win the game.

I can promise you every Mets fan either shut the television set off, or thought about throwing something at the tv. So now the Phils have a commanding 3-1 lead in the best of seven series.

Let’s get to a happier story; Yankees and Angels.

They say good always conquers evil. Well yesterday proved that. In another extra inning game, which I would love it if the Angels could just beat the Yanks in nine innings, the Halos have finally had their moment.

In dramatic fashion, because walk-offs usually are, the Angels beat the Evil Empire 5-4 when Jeff Mathis hit a double deep into the gap in centerfield to score Howard Kendrick from first base. Kendrick flew around those bases knowing that this was their chance to win it.

Who lost this game? Yanks manager Joe Girardi. He has been credited during the regular season for managing the bullpen well during the regular season. This time, it bit him and bit him hard.

For whatever reason, he thought it would be a smart idea to take out David Robertson and put in Alfredo Aceves. Nobody understood this move. There were two outs in the ninth. Robertson was perfect.

Well, Aceves gave up the single to Kendrick causing Mets fans and Angels fans alike to start making noise. Then, Jeff Mathis came to the plate. He crushed the ball so deep I thought it was a home run. What better way to win the game, right? Instead, it rolled to the wall in centerfield.

When Kendrick came home, he slid, hit the plate, and jumped so high you would have thought he played in the NBA.

My favorite part of the game?

When Mariano Rivera threw the ball away in the bottom of the tenth when trying to make a play at third base. He was sprawled out on the grass screaming when he realized what he had done. It almost cost them the game.

Wait! The Angels won anyway. It did not matter.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Angels are back in this series. They have a chance to tie up this series. It continues tonight at 7:35pm EST.

I’ll be on my futon watching this game. Where will you be?

I need tostitos and salsa. No better way to watch a baseball game. Maybe some pizza too.

Yankees To Dominate World Series?

As much as I hate to say it, it is looking more and more like the Yankees are going to the World Series. Sloppy defense is what is killing the Anaheim Angels right now.

While nothing more would please me to see a freeway series with the Los Angeles teams, I do not see Anaheim or the LA Dodgers making it to the World Series.

If you saw Saturday night’s Yanks-Angels game, or if you were there, then you know how bitterly cold it was. It is not an excuse. You have to execute plays. Angels’ shortstop, Erick Aybar made such a bone-headed play by not touching the second base bag in the, I believe, 11th or 12th inning.

You can say all you want umps never make that call. This is the playoffs. The umps have to make every call because it is the playoffs. So I do not want to hear it. You are just pissed it did not go your way. Get over it!

Angel’s centerfielder, Torri Hunter, has always been a tremendous player to me. I have nothing but admiration and respect for him. Here’s what he had to say about all of the foolish mistakes the Angels are making:

We’re beating ourselves. We’re playing great games, and then right when we make a mistake, they take advantage of it.

They’re a veteran team and they don’t make many mistakes, so you have to minimize yours. And we’re not doing that right now.

My friend, that goes without saying. The Yankees have been in this spot so many times, they know what needs to be done.

The Yanks can do what the Mets have never been able to do during the regular season, take advantage of your opponents mistakes. You have to make them pay for it. Make them regret it. Shake the other team up. This is how you do it. This is how games are won, particularly during the postseason.

Even if you make mistakes, shake it off and keep going. Act like it did not phase you. There are some pitchers out there that when they give up a home run, they do not even watch the ball leave the park. They stay on the mound facing home plate and get themselves focused again.

This is what the Anaheim Angels need to do if they want to make this into a series again. They are going home now. Game 3 is on their turf with among the greatest fans in all of baseball. With the fans behind them and the weather in their favor there is no reason for them to lose, unless they forget out to play the game.

There is nothing more terrifying than playing at Yankee Stadium in the postseason. You look at the history there and you are in awe. The fans are loud and very aggressive, not to mention obnoxious. That’s New York for you. You cannot change that. You have to shrug it off.

One of my favorite baseball movies is “For The Love of The Game” with Kevin Costner. He plays the role of a pitcher. What is interesting is how he pitches. Right before he throws the ball, he shuts everything and everyone around him out. It is like there is nobody there except himself, the catcher and the hitter. It is the only way he can focus and not let everything, from his personal life to the opponent’s fanbase, get to him.

This is what the Angels need to do.

Message to the Anaheim Angels:

Forget it is the Yankees that you are playing. Forget it is the playoffs. Forget you are playing for your lives right now.

This is all you. You got this far for a reason…you are a great team. You are among the best teams in baseball. This is how you arrived on one of the biggest stages in baseball called the American League Championship Series.

You are back at home. Make the fans work for you.

Pitchers: Make your pitches.

Defense: Stand behind your pitchers. Make your plays. Your pitchers need the backup. They are not going to strick out every batter that comes to the plate. EXECUTE! EXECUTE! EXECUTE! You are making stupid mistakes. Enough is enough! Practice your fundamentals before playing the game.

Offense: WAKE THE HECK UP!!! You were among the scariest in baseball with all of you hitting over .300. Where is that now? You were like the good guys version of Murderer’s Row.

BOTTOM LINE: Angels you are beating yourselves. The Yankees are not beating you. You are handing them the wins. If you can pull it together, you got this in the bag.

NO EXCUSES! GET IT DONE!

Game 3 begins today at 4:13pm. Jered Weaver vs Andy Pettite. Who do you think will win it? ERA’s say Weaver wins this one. In this series, it means nothing. It is all about the defense.

AL Postseason Picks

So here we are, another postseason without the New York Mets. Nobody expected this, especially Sports Illustrated who picked them to win the World Series. By the way, thank you for that SI. We really appreciate the jinx. Remind me to never read your magazine again. Anybody else want to boycott SI? Kidding!

The Yankees have managed to enter into the postseason. Like there was any doubt?! The Minnesota Twins, who I consider to be among the scrappiest teams in the majors, play against the Yankees for a chance at the ALCS. The Yankees took them to school beating them 7-2 in the first game of the ALDS series.

Listen! If you think the Twins are winning this series, you have lost your mind. The Yankees swept the Twins during the regular season games. I have a personal vested interest in this. If the Yankees win, my media professor said we do not have to do our final paper. Go Yanks! Yeah that left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’ll rinse later.

I am looking at an Angels-Yankees ALCS series. Despite Boston always defeating the Angels during the postseason, I just do not see them winning. Josh Beckett is not the same guy right now. If is not right, than what do the Red Sox really have? Not much! Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis is not going to save you. Sorry.

You are talking about an Angels team who is hungry for a championship right now, especially after the devastating loss of their young pitcher, Nick Adenhart, and a team who almost every player is hitting over .300. Good luck Boston. You most certainly were not the team to beat going down the stretch. To the Angels, you are just a little bump in their road to the championship.

I am fully expecting a great series with the Angels and Yankees. You most certainly do not want to miss it. Kids, make sure you get your homework done so you do not miss it. Ladies, leave your men alone to watch the game, unless you are baseball fans in which case get the laundry done on the off days, make sure the kids’ homeworks are done and order take out so you do not miss a pitch.

For the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to this postseason, even if the Mets are not in it.

Too Young To Go

A young man who had a promising career in the majors was taken away this morning from not just the Anaheim Angels organization or his family, but everyone in baseball, from the Commissioner’s office to the fans.

Nick Adenhart, a 22 year old pitcher for the Angels was killed this morning in a three car accident only hours after he pitched a six inning, six hit scoreless game against the Oakland A’s.

It was being reported by ESPN that another driver in a minivan ran a red light hitting Adenhart’s car and causing it to crash into a light post. One report said Adenhart was thrown from the vehicle.

The driver, Andrew Gallo, was said to be intoxicated and driving with a suspended license. His license was suspended for, surprise, surprise, another DUI. Upon crashing into the vehicle Adenhart was in, he fled the scene on foot.

Police were able to apprehend him 30 minutes later. Gallo’s blood alcohol level was over the legal limit of .08 percent.

ESPN continued in saying Gallo will be facing vehicular manslaughter charges and possibly murder charges on top of the “hit-and-run and driving under the influence” charges.

Adenhart was alive when he was taken to the hospital, but died while in surgery.

Two additional passengers were also killed in the vehicle Adenhart was in. The fourth passenger is in the hospital in critical condition.

I cannot even begin to describe what I think about this. My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to the Adenhart family, the Angels organization, and the fans.

A life sentence is too good for Gallo. I completely agree with the death penalty here.

You have a DUI conviction already and a suspended license and you are still going to have the cojones to get behind a wheel of another vehicle drunk?

Let this be a lesson to all those that drink and drive. Three lives were taken senselessly. Do you want your legacy to be you were too stupid to realize drinking and driving is reckless? Do you want people to remember you for having killed others because you were an idiot?

I wonder what is going through Joba Chamberlain’s mind right now. Yeah stupid! You could’ve been that driver to hit that car.

So many spoke highly of Adenhart. We will never see just how much he could’ve accomplished in the majors.

For the rest of us, know that life is too short.

Like Torii Hunter said in his interview with the MLB Network, treat others how you want to be treated. Tell your loved ones how much you love them. Never let a day go by without saying it.

Live. Love. Respect.

R.I.P. Nick Adenhart
We hardly knew you. You will be missed.

Abreu Is An Angel

Jon Heyman of SI.com has reported the Anaheim Angels, (I hate the name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), have signed OF Bobby Areu to a one year, $5 million deal, which includes incentives.

It was rumored the Mets were interested in adding his bat to their lineup. Clearly it is not happening.

Thank God too. I, for one, am not willing to sign a guy who’s going to be like, “Oh dear me. A wall! I’m not trying to catch it. I’ll watch it bounce and then grab it”.