Marlins’ Ramirez wants Reyes. Get in line.

Fact: Every one wants Jose Reyes. Fact: Reyes is told by family to re-sign with the Mets. Fact: Hanley Ramirez is willing to move to make room for Reyes. Fact: Mets fans will die if Reyes goes to the one team who killed the Mets’ playoffs hopes two years in a row.

Whether this happens or not, we will not know until probably January. Do not expect to learn the fate of Reyes before Christmas. There are a lot of teams out there who would love to have Reyes, but few who have the cash flow to do it. Expect a minimum of three teams to battle it out.

Keep in mind that all teams have holes to fill and money is tight all around the league with attendance dropping. One team intent on being buyers are the Florida Marlins. Expect the Yankees and Phillies to buy as they always do. It doesn’t help the Phillies are looking for a shortstop. Yet with the Marlins now on the buyers market for a change, it will be interesting to see if Reyes would go there since it is closer to home, the Dominican Republic.

Do I think the Marlins have the cash? No way. Ozzie Guillen has made it known he wants Carlos Zambrano to join him in Florida. Despite the Cubs willing to take on most of his contract and the team moving to a new ballpark, they are still limited. I do not see them throwing over $100 million to one player.

So Ramirez can talk all he wants about moving to another position. I don’t want to hear it. No matter what, the Marlins cannot afford Reyes. Once every one gets over the new ballpark, they’ll stop showing up and the team will go back to it’s fire sale ways.

I would love to know how you the fans would feel if Reyes was to go to the Florida Marlins.

Message to Rollins: Shut the hell up!

You have to love how players on other teams love to obsess over the Mets. Take Jimmy Rollins for example. The Philadelphia Phillies are in the playoffs right now. Right? Am I wrong on that? I wish I was. Anyway, being a player on the Phillies, you expect some jerk-like comments or other things to come from him.

He does not disappoint.

With everybody up in arms about what Jose Reyes did on Wednesday (more on that in another post since I am so irked by the whole thing) Rollins decided to throw in his two cents. Not that any of us really wanted it. Here is what he told Mike Puma at the New York Post. Keep in mind, he claims to be a Reyes fan:

I would have played the whole game. I’m like, ‘Hey, I fought this hard to be in this position and I’m going to see it through to the end.’ My personality, I’m going to ride it out. I worked this hard to be this good and put up these numbers, I would like to see it all the way to the end.

I don’t think it’s lack of confidence with Jose Reyes, but that is the way he wanted to do it. For what reason, I don’t know. It could have been outside influences. His agent may have told him, ‘If you get up there, if you get a hit your first AB, you come out.’

He went on to say he felt Reyes had not put the team first in previous years. I didn’t realize you could put the team first while the organization keeps screwing up your career making you change your running style and then being constantly injured.

It should be noted that Rollins is in his final year of his contract as well. When asked about this, he had this to say:

[Reyes] had a great year, but with free agency you take a year and a career all into consideration…you take the things you don’t see on the field… Is this guy a winning player? How does he impact the team by himself when he’s in…out of the lineup?

Baseball is not only about numbers…but you get people to fall in love with you and want you around and give you a little bit more money when you can do all the other things along with putting up good numbers.

Well Rollins, looks like you are not getting the money. Not many people will want you around. You have always been a jerk. You will continue to be a jerk. Stick with Philly. You’ll be right at home.

Reyes has gone through injury after injury. The Mets have messed with his game. He’s been through a lot. For Rollins to come out and say what he did was uncalled for. Reyes will get the money. He puts butts in the seats. He brings excitement to the game. This year he really did come to be what we all expected him to be. It is disappointing it took this long to happen, but at least it did.

Beltran Being Given His Options

The Mets have already handed Carlos Beltran a list of teams he could possibly go to before the trade deadline, this according to Jeff Passan over at Yahoo! Sports.

Among the teams are the Philadelphia Phillies who do have prospects GM Sandy Alderson could find interesting. Others are the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.

I would hate to see him in a Phillies or Yankees uniform. Personally, I would rather see him go to the Red Sox. If he were smart, he would take the trade there because he would be extending his career and they are in first place. They also have Carl Crawford. Can you imagine those two together in a line-up?

The article made mention of the Milwaukee Brewers, but we have yet to know what players we are getting from them for Francisco Rodriguez. So I say, to hell with them. I want players now.

So the days of Beltran remaining a Met uniform are numbered. I need to get to some games before he does leave.

One Swing: A Tale of Two Mets Catchers

Devastation grabbed a city by the throats on September 11, 2001. Smoke. No one could breathe. Death toll rising. Everyone cried. Left in a trance. Everyone needed a distraction.

Enter the 2001 New York Metropolitans.

Sworn rivals until the bitter end, the Atlanta Braves came to our shattered city on September 21, 2001. It was no longer a city where dreams came true, but where lives were ripped from the Earth. It was a city crying for healing, not knowing where to go or what to do. The Braves were no longer our enemies. They were merely our fellow Americans feeling and sharing in our pain. Maybe some of them lost loved ones on that day. It was a unity never shared among rivals. It took a tragedy to unite us. People came to the ballpark to take a break from what had happened.

            It was the bottom of the eighth inning at our beloved Shea Stadium. The New York Metropolitans were down by one run when the Flushing hero Mike Piazza came to the plate with a heavy heart. Fans looked to him for hope. With one swing, he became America’s catcher, America’s hitter, America’s hero. It took a home run to left center to send Mets fans and all of America into a frenzy. It was a release of epic proportions. It was euphoric. It was energizing.

It was healing.

Fast forward to May 1, 2011. Enter 2011 New York Mets.

Recently declared top nemesis, Philadelphia Phillies were playing the New York Metropolitans when it happened. The world stopped one more time. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, announced the murder of America’s most wanted, Osama Bin Laden, by an attack operation carried out by the Navy Seals. Fans in the stands, standing united as Americans instead of enemies, began chanting “USA! USA! USA!” as they were all getting the word via cell phones and the big screen at Citizens Bank Park about what had just happened.

Top of the 14th inning tied at 1-1.

David Wright is on second base. Jason Bay at first. Having only come back on Friday, Mets catcher Ronny Paulino comes to the plate. He had a big night. It would only get bigger. Paulino stood at the plate. Bat ready. He stares down Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick. With one swing, he hit the ball to left field. Wright comes home. The Mets are up 2-1 and manage to hold the lead to win the game.

It seemed appropriate what happened last night. As one reader pointed out to me, Bobby Valentine was in the booth, the announcement of Bin Laden’s death, and another Mets catcher wins the game for the City who was forever changed by one moment in time.

Memories of 9/21/11 and what Piazza did began to flood Facebook and possibly Twitter. Our hero. Our healer.

United we watched. United we cried. United we stood. United we fought. United we will remain. Soldiers fought the good fight and were rewarded with a victory that brings so many closure. A job well done all around. The only thing left to do, is to bring our men and women home.

Stupidity of The Day Courtesy of Phillies Fans

First, thanks to Jonathan Ragus for posting this on FB. Here is the dumbest thing I have ever seen: Keg stands on the subway. I have not the slightest clue as to how they accomplished this. You know there is no way these fools could accomplish this in New York City. They would be busted big time by the police.

So without further ado, I give you: Stupid Phillies Fans

Source: FloppingOut.com

Beltran: Determination and Optimism Pays Off

It started with questions and continued with pain. It ended with a decision. New York Mets new right fielder Carlos Beltran has gone through so much the past two years. From pain in his right knee, to near career-ending surgery, to a career-changing decision, Beltran has been through it all.

Spring training alone has shown just what type of a man we have in Beltran. Now the season will to determine just what type of an outfielder we have. Right field in Citi Field is not an easy position to play. Even more difficult with an inexperienced right fielder. Yet for a hard working and highly experience center fielder like Beltran, adjustments should not be too difficult.

Beltran agonized over the decision of whether or not to change positions from center field to right field. It came down to what was best for the team and his career. This was it. He knew what the Mets had with Angel Pagan. There was no question Pagan could handle center field. The Mets needed the best. Beltran gave them the best available to them. He took two steps to the right in hopes he can also extend his career.

So the new right fielder has had some problems with his left knee due to pressure he was putting on it. It is only natural to favor the injured part, which is what he did. A cortisone shot relieved the pain. So now Beltran is looking towards Opening Day with complete optimism after going 2-for-5 against the Cardinals in his minor league appearance yesterday.

When asked about the potential to start on Opening Day against the Florida Marlins on Friday, Beltran had this to say:

Why is it not possible? I’m feeling good.

“Feeling good” is key for this Mets team who has not been able to do that for about three years now. However, so is determination and optimism. Beltran has certainly showed just how determined he is to be a part of the team, but also for the team to succeed in a season that has surprising question marks with other teams like the Philadelphia Phillies. As for optimism, he is carrying that straight into the new season:

I know people are saying they are not counting on the Mets to win anything this year, but we’re going to try to take the negative and turn it into a positive and come to the ballpark every day and play the game hard and see what we’re capable of doing.

Some Mets fans are going into the season with cautious optimism. There is nobody here who can really blame them either. They have been through a lot. However, Mets fans have to feel good about the direction this team is going in. Whether you want to believe or not, this team is something to be optimistic about.

At least, that is what Beltran believes.

If we stay healthy as a team, we’re going to surprise a lot of teams.

Determination and optimism also helps.

Castillo: He Never Disappoints

The Philadelphia Phillies wanted him and they got him. Disappointments, mood swings and all. The latest in the bad publicity that Luis Castillo always seems to find himself in is actually being late to camp for the Phillies. He was supposed to have shown up yesterday and was even scheduled to play.

The only problem is: he never showed up. So the Phillies had to scratch him from yesterday’s game. Manager Charlie Manuel had the best quote saying:

…the reason I put him in the lineup is because I wanted to see him play. Maybe I should wait and put my lineup in right at game time. That seems to work better.

Not the kind of thing you want to hear from your new manager. Castillo’s response to not showing up yesterday was simply a miscommunication between his agent and himself. Uh huh!

Now here is the part that kills me. No matter what, Castillo is in a position to compete for a job. He has to prove himself worthy of a roster spot. So what will his attitude be like?

When he arrived at camp he seemed to be alright. I am fully convinced that he never smiles. He just did not seem as “mopey” when approached by reporters. The second baseman kept insisting that he is in the best shape he has been in since 2006. He feels he is ready to play and can help a team win a championship.

Castillo does seem to understand the situation in Philly, which really was not much different than in New York. Wilson Valdez has been playing pretty well and Chase Utley has been declared “out indefinitely perhaps missing months of the 2011 season thanks to patellar tendinitis, chondromalacia and bone inflammation in his right knee”. It has been reported that if Castillo does not make the team, the Phillies will release him.

Well, I would say good luck in dealing with the Castillo to the Phillies. However, I rather not. It would just be our dumb luck that he decides to go back to what he was with the Florida Marlins and kill the Mets during the 2011 season. Hope the fans take him apart.

Perez Out Of Flushing. Could Remain In New York?

In case you have not heard, Oliver Perez has been cut from the New York Mets. It happened at around 8am this morning while half of you were on the train on your way to work. So that would be why you heard all in Mets fandom whooping and hollering all over New York City and the rest of the nation.

Well, just because he is out of Flushing, does not mean he is completely out of New York City. He just might sticking around thank to the New York Yankees. I assure you this does not make me happy. He is the last person I want in my borough. It is bad enough I have the Skanks here.

Here’s the deal. Just like Chase Utley has been having some knee issues over in Philly, the Yankees have been having some problems with Pedro Feliciano with his arm and Boone Logan with his back. So, according Jon Heyman, the Yanks were actually considering the degenerating lefty as a precautionary measure. Just like Luis Castillo is for the Phillies.

What the Yankees do not seem to realize is that Perez will not accept a minor league assignment, which is what he would surely get, just like Castillo. He would have to be with the major league ballclub. Heyman did mention that GM Brian Cashman would not be “enthused” by the idea. Common sense dictates if you are “not enthused” by something, then you do not do it. I mean, that sounds logical to me.

With all of that said, I would be very surprised to see Perez in the Bronx. Heyman should be sued for slander. Putting Cashman’s name with Ollie’s is like calling him an outright jackass.