MLB Playoff Picture 2010- World Series

by Mike Trovato


After six months of play, just two teams remain in the quest for greatness. The Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants were favored by no one coming into the playoffs, but both needed just six games to knock off the 2009 pennant winners from their respective leagues.

Tonight, the Rangers and Giants will play Game One of the 2010 World Series, and within the next ten days, only one will be left standing as Champions of Major League Baseball.

Texas Rangers

Texas handled the reigning World Champion New York Yankees on all fronts, out-pitching and outhitting the most productive lineup in baseball during the regular season. Slugging center fielder and MVP candidate Josh Hamilton hit .350 with a 1.000 slugging percentage, belting 4 homers and 7 RBI against New York to take the ALCS MVP honors. The Rangers clubbed 14 doubles against Yankee pitching, en route to a collective .304 average for the ALCS. A stellar performance by Colby Lewis the Game 6 clinched Texas' first World Series berth in franchise history. Lewis shut the Yankees down, whiffing 7 and allowing just 7 base runners through 8 innings of one-run ball. More importantly, the Rangers advanced without needing to throw Cliff Lee in a Game 7, meaning Ron Washington will throw his ace in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

San Francisco Giants

In the NLCS, San Francisco's offense held its own against a Philadelphia Phillies rotation that was expected to silence the Giants' bats. Instead, it was the Phillies bats that were held in check by Giants pitching, managing just 3 home runs and a mere .214 team average against the young arms of Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez and Bumgarner. Though the Giants didn't hit all that well either, they received a boost from one of their mid-season acquisitions, outfielder Cody Ross. Ross accounted for 3 of the Giants' 4 home runs in the series, but two of them powered San Francisco past Phils ace Roy Halladay in Game 1. The 4-3 victory became the trademark for Bochy's squad, as three of their four victories came in one-run fashion, sealed up by flame-throwing closer Brian Wilson.

Analysis

Obviously, the way teams match up are a huge factor in how interesting a series can be. Some series are a matchup of two dominant offensive teams, other times a pitcher's duel seems eminent. But the stark contrasts in the way these two teams match up is what makes the 2010 World Series even more intriguing.

The Giants have not faced an offense as potent as that of the Texas Rangers all season long, playoffs or otherwise. Texas produced 787 runs and hit .276 as a team during the season, and is averaging nearly 5.4 runs per game this postseason, including 38 runs against the Yankees. On the other hand, the Rangers have not faced a pitching staff as dominant as the Giants pitching staff. San Francisco owned a 3.36 team ERA, the lowest in baseball this season, and only the Atlanta Braves had a lower ERA than San Francisco's 2.37 throughout the postseason.

Offensively, the Giants have remained consistent with their regular season output, and actually tallied a lower team average than they did during the season. For that reason, San Francisco may have less to fall back on, as their pitching is by far their main strength. Yet, that was the case in the NLCS, against a better pitching staff than Texas, yet they still managed a win against Roy Halladay.

What may prove to be a deciding factor is the Rangers pitching. Texas has overachieved against what is supposed to be "elite" competition during the playoffs, with ERAs and opponent batting averages significantly lower than what they were during the course of the regular season. The Rangers bullpen was strong as well, as their relievers held a solid 2.25 ERA against the Yankees. That said, Texas may be able to rely on their pitching to get them through, should their hitting falter. Another interesting foot note is that Texas will have to field Vladimir Guerrero while playing by National League rules at AT&T Park. Interestingly enough, the pitching matchups may offset the defensive drop-off, as the Rangers will throw Lee and C.J. Wilson, two lefties, in Games 1 and 2.

Prediction

Texas by far has the better hitting and is much better on the base paths than the Giants are. Although, so were the Giants' last opponents, and things turned out alright for them so far. The starters between Lee and Lincecum's projected starts can go either way, though I do like Cain, but it can't be ignored that the Giants have not faced a well-rested Cliff Lee. Despite his regular season numbers, Lee is a bona fide force on the mound in playoff baseball, with a career 7-0 postseason record and 1.26 ERA, including two World Series victories in 2009. It would be very difficult to see the Giants having much success should they have to face Lee three times, in the event of a Game 7, though I don't think it will go that far.

Rangers defeat Giants, 4 games to 2

MLB Playoff Picture 2010- National League Championship Series

by Mike Trovato

San Francisco Giants (92-7) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (97-65)

def. ATL 3-1 in NLDS def. CIN 3-0 in NLDS

San Francisco Giants
Offensively, the Giants weren't something to write home about against the Braves in the NLDS. Despite 3 RBI apiece from mid-season acquisitions Cody Ross and Pat Burrell, only Rookie of the Year candidate Buster Posey appeared totally locked in at the plate, going 6-for-16 (.375), the only Giant to hit above .300 for the series. As a small consolation, San Francisco did have the highest NL slugging percentage in round one. a less-than-stellar .295. But then again, no National League team has hit a lick in this year's playoffs, and in a series dominated by pitching, the Giants 11 runs in four games was still enough to knock off Bobby Cox's Atlanta Braves.

Yet, despite the best collective pitching performance by any team in the postseason, the Giants young guns have been overshadowed amidst all the talk about no hitters and whatnot. So here's some recognition: The San Francisco Giants starting pitching is the best in the 2010 playoffs thus far; their miniscule 0.93 ERA and 11.17 strikeouts per inning ratio rank first among all playoff teams through one round of competition.

Still, no one seems to be talking very much about them, at least not in terms of them being a serious contender. Tim Lincecum's 14 strikeouts in his complete game two-hit shutout was about as good a performance as you will see, no-no's aside. At least that got some chatter; Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez truly got a raw deal. Cain threw 6.2 scoreless innings in Game 3 on the heels of Sanchez' gem. Sanchez fanned 11 in 7.1 innings in Game 2, and he too allowed just two hits, though he did allow one whole run to score.

Say what you want about "H20," but here's one better- Lincecum, Cain and Sanchez abbreviated is LCS, granted, Madison Bumgarner doesn't fit into any acronyms... Joking aside, yes, give credit where it is due to H20, as it is an incredible 1-2-3 tandem. However, one through four, no team has it better right now than San Francisco. Consider that with an average age of the four starters being a peach fuzzy 24.5 years, the Giants have a legitimate, stone cold quartet of starting pitching capable of unbelievable things in the future, and the future could very well be right now.


Philadelphia Phillies
Three is a significant number when it comes to cliches about luck like, "third time's a charm" or three-leaf clovers. For the Philadelphia Phillies, good things seem to come in threes. Presently, the Phils are relying their three top-notch starting pitchers to get them to their third consecutive World Series. In their case, however, luck may not even be necessary.

Roy Halladay has gotten himself acquainted with life in the playoffs quite nicely, although as good as he is, I think he walks one two many batters... Honestly though, what more can you say about a postseason no hitter? Now, I don't consider myself an expert on things of this nature, but come the 7th inning, there was no question about it, it was going to happen. It wasn't one of those "hush hush," let's not jinx this kind of deals. It was unjinxable. Halladay didn't just silence the Reds' bats, he killed more bats than PETA would allow in the literal sense. It was masterful, the single-handed most mechanically methodical manhandlings of a lineup I have ever seen. When all was said and done, Hallday's no hitter essentially marked the only one-game series in playoff history.

What Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels did from that point on was merely a formality. Hamels was brilliant, though his sweep-clinching complete game shutout paled in comparison to the aforementioned Halladay. Oswalt in the middle wasn't great, but he didn't really need to be. The series, for all intents and purposes, ended in Game 1.

Analysis
This may be one of the most intriguing series there could be to pick for, and here's why. Offensively, the difference between the Giants and the Phillies is significant; the Phillies are vastly superior to San Francisco at the plate. However, the progression of pitching matchups is so phenomenal that it's mind-boggling: Lincecum vs. Halladay; Sanchez vs. Oswalt; Hamels vs. Cain. When it comes down to it, this has the potential to be one of the lowest scoring Championship Series of all-time.

With such tight matchups through Game 3, two things come to the forefront becoming exponentially more critical, the Game 4 starters and the bullpens. The Giants clearest edge lies in Game 4, as they are expected to throw Madison Bumgarner against Joe Blanton. While that would likely change if one team is up 3-0, I don't anticipate that being the case.

As far as relief pitching goes, in limited work the Philly bullpen was technically better, but the sample size for the two 'pens is quite small. Collectively, the Phillies (4 IP) and Giants (9 IP) bullpens amassed just 13 innings, with Charlie Manuel's relievers nibbling at the scraps of 4 innings thrown to them in Game 2. The Giants bullpen has been elite, particularly during the final month of the season, but the caveat here is not to compare the two bullpens to each other, but to the respective lineups they will face. The Philadelphia relievers won't have to face the likes of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth on the limited occasions they will be needed. In that regard, the Phillies have the edge.

Prediction
If there's one team equipped to match up against such a juggernaut offense in a best of seven series, I'd have to say it's the Giants. Lincecum certainly has the tools to at the very least not split two head-to-head decisions with "Mr. Doctober." With the luxury of Madison Bumgarner in Game 4, the Giants won't need anyone a third time around, and can very well roll with their top 3 for as long as they will take them. Although that could be 9 strong, logic still dictates that inevitably the bullpens will be called upon, and when that time comes, the Phillies offense stacks up better against the Giants than the Giants bats against the Phillies.

It seems too easy to go ahead and pick another Yankees-Phillies World Series showdown, seeing how both teams are the favorites. It seems that all the Phillies need to do is score first, and they can turn on the cruise control from that point on. I know it won't be that simple, and the Giants will put up a fight. But as much as I'd like to pick the upset here, my gut won't allow it, and I can't justify calling the upset just for the sake of calling it. When it's too close to call, you go with the better team. In my heart of hearts, I know that when it comes down to it, the Phillies are the better team.

Phillies defeat Giants, 4 games to 3

MLB Playoff Picture 2010- Division Series (Part 2)

by Mike Trovato

Last but not least...

Atlanta Braves (91-71) vs. San Francisco Giants (92-70)

Atlanta Braves
Overview: Of all the managerial changes we will see this offseason, the most notable will be the replacement of Bobby Cox after 25 seasons in Atlanta. The changing of the guard has already been evident on the field, with Chipper Jones being the last remaining piece of the Braves dynasty of the 90's. Rookie Jason Heyward has been a sparkplug for a Braves offense that has been plagued by injuries all season long. No Braves position player appeared in more than 147 games, contributing to what at best an average offense throughout the season.

The pitching staff has carried Atlanta through the rough offensive patches, ranking seventh in fewest walks allowed (505), sixth in strikeouts (1,241), tied for sixth in opponents batting average (.246), 3rd overall in ERA (3.56), and best in the league in home runs allowed (126). The most dominant stretch of pitching began on April 30th, the day after the Braves had lost their 9th consecutive game. At that point, Atlanta was in last place with a record of 8-14, five games behind the first place Mets. That all changed on the 30th, as Braves began a run of .667 baseball, compiling a 44-22 record through the All-Star break.

Over those 66 games, Atlanta lost just eight games in May, and Braves pitching held its opponents to 3 runs or less in 41 of those contests. By the time of the mid-summer classic, they had propelled themselves into first place, four games up on New York in the standings. Although Cox's squad squandered a seven game lead in the final two months, they managed to cling to the wildcard spot on the season's final day.

Mid-Season Acquisitions: 1B Derrek Lee, IF Alex Gonzalez, OF Rick Ankiel

San Francisco Giants
Overview: All the talk about pitching in the National League has been about the Philadelphia Phillies, But led by the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, San Francisco's pitching staff posted a league-best 3.36 ERA, and was the only club to strike out over 1,300 batters (1,331). Over the final month of the season, the Giants pitching has been surreal. In the starting rotation, the combination of Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner combined for a dazzling 141 innings, allowing just 97 hits and 30 walks while striking out 150 en route to a collective 1.66 ERA and 13-4 record. As for the bullpen, Giants relievers held opponents to a .164 batting average in September, striking out 60 while allowing just 49 batters to reach base.

With Pat Burrell leading a re-vamped Giants outfield, the revival of Aubrey Huff's career and the emergence of rookie catcher Buster Posey, Bruce Bochy's crew climbed its way out of fourth place in the NL West. The Giants bats woke up after the All-Star break, slugging the most home runs (80) in the National League, while the pitching staff got even more stingy. In the second half of the season, the Giants recorded a 3.20 team ERA and saved a Major League best 36 games behind closer Brian Wilson. Burrell was a force replacing Pablo Sandoval in the middle of the lineup, slamming 18 home runs and driving in 51, compiling a .872 OPS in the process.

Key Mid-Season Acquisitions: OF Pat Burrell, OF Jose Guillen, OF Cody Ross, RP Chris Ray

Prediction: Offensively, the Braves and Giants are actually pretty similar:

• Stolen Bases: Giants 55; Braves 63
• Strikeouts: Giants 1,099; Braves 1,140
  
• Slugging: Giants. .408; Braves .401
• Neither team had a player reach 90 RBI

Although both teams are similar over the course of the season in pitching stats as well, there are three factors that will separate Atlanta and San Francisco in this series- experience, rest and momentum.

When it comes to pitching, the Braves have experience on their side. Bobby Cox's Game 1 starter Derek Lowe has amassed a career 3.33 ERA in 82 2/3 postseason innings. Atlanta's Game 2 starter Tim Hudson has a 3.97 playoff ERA with 47 2/3 innings under his belt. Then there's Billy Wagner. As good as he has been for Atlanta this season, Wagner has a horrendous postseason line, an ERA over 10.00 in 11 1/3 innings pitched. Of the Giants three projected NLDS starters, none have ever thrown a pitch in baseball's second season.

In the bullpen, each team has five what I call "regular" relief pitchers-that is, relievers with over 50 appearances on the season. In this regard, San Francisco holds the clear edge. Of the Giants five regular relief men (Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla and Guillermo Mota), all besides Mota lowered their ERA in the second half of the season. Conversely, Takashi Saito was the only Braves reliever to log a lower ERA post-All-Star break than before it. Every other regular- Johnny Venters, Peter Moylan, Eric O'Flaherty and Wagner- saw their ERA rise as the season wound down. As far as rest is concerned, the Giants bullpen got it down the stretch, pitching just 75 1/3 innings over the final month. Braves relievers racked up 107 2/3 innings, which could leave Atlanta's 'pen out of steam.


The third factor, the one that bodes well for Bruce Bochy's young Giants staff is momentum. Momentum can disrupt a level playing field, and in this regard the Braves have none. Bobby Cox's club compiled an uninspiring 14-16 record over their last 30 games. The Giants on the other hand enjoyed an 18-8 September in which their pitching staff's ERA almost matched their opponents' average against them (1.78 ERA, 1.82 BAA). Being that this series should be a relatively low-scoring affair, that spells a major role for the bullpens, which will be the difference maker in favor of San Francisco.

Giants defeat Braves, 3 games to 1

Ball Drops on Minaya & Manuel as Mets Drop the Ball

by Mike Trovato

Since the early 1900's, it has been a New York tradition to ring in the changing of the calendar year by gathering together to watch the dropping of the ball. Over 100 years later, certain inhabitants of the Big Apple are honoring the age-old tradition in their own unique way.

Replace a bitter cold Times Square with mild air wafting throughout Citi Field, the excitement of a dense Broadway crowd with the solemness of sparsely scattered die-hards rushing the countdown as the Mets said goodbye to 2010 in the spirit of New York- dropping the ball.

Over their last five games of the season the Mets did just that, committing six fielding errors as the final home stand of 2010 adequately represented some of the glaring shortcomings of the past few years. Some poor fielding, the ever-present injury bug, and a pinch of Oliver Perez.

The errors were only part of the scene during the final handful of games. Though the Mets did manage to score 19 runs in that span, 14 of them came in two 7-run productions, with the remaining five runs scattered among the other three games. Without the help of Carlos Beltran, who was once again on the shelf with mild inflammation in his surgically repaired knee, the Mets stranded 37 men on the base paths, including 10 in Sunday's 14-inning defeat at the hands of the perennial cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals. And to add insult to injury, what better way to close things out than with a vintage Ollie P performance?
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In just his fourth appearance since August 1st, Perez issued more free passes than a middle school hall monitor, hitting Adam Kennedy, then walking the bases loaded before sending Jason Maxwell to first with the easiest game-winning RBI he'll ever have. Only then did Jerry Manuel pull the plug, and Perez trudged off the field to the familiar chorus of boos, as Mets fans got one last reminder of exactly why he was the the Kevin McCallister of the Mets bullpen. Frankly, he might as well just have stayed home.

The Mets went quietly in the bottom of the 14th, and that was that.

2010 is officially over.

Not literally, but as far as the New York Mets are concerned, welcome to 2011. Because the 2010 season was a "last" year in many, many ways.

We've heard the last of Omar Minaya's promises, the last of his disjointed statements to the media. We've seen the last of his roster maneuvers, along with the last of his non-maneuvers. We've shared the last of Jerry Manuel's warm laughs, and empathizing with the last of his stressed-out groans, trying to justify the unjustifiable.
http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20100814&Category=SPORTS0104&ArtNo=8140351&Ref=AR
To assign all the blame to these two men would be totally unfair. I like Jerry Manuel, I really do. And although he was often criticized for his lack of fire and questionable managerial decisions, Manuel deserves credit for a 55-38 finish in 2008, reviving the Mets season after replacing Willie Randolph. Likewise, credit Omar Minaya for a number of seemingly forgotten great moves over the years. Tally up the acquisitions, draft picks and free agent signings. Tally up the Johan Santanas, the Mike Pelfreys, Jon Nieses and Josh Tholes. Chalk up the Angel Pagans, R.A. Dickeys and Hisanori Takahashis, all players that made major contributions in 2010.

Good moves and bad moves aside, when all was said and done, the bottom line remains that a General Manager and Manager are not measured by the moves they make, but whether or not those moves translate into one thing and one thing only: winning. And the Mets have won virtually nothing. No World Series, no National League pennants, and just one NL East crown.

Minaya and Manuel dropped the ball, and the ball had dropped on the New York Mets. Now it's time to turn the page. Time to face the music.

Happy New Year.


Looking Back

Looking back at a 2010 full of lasts, without mentioning any names, let's hope for a few more lasts...
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/06/video_luis_castillos_error_giv.html
Let's hope that we've seen the last of the unnecessarily massive contracts for sub-.500 pitchers or 32 year-old second basemen past their prime. No more number forty-sixes in blue and orange, whose selfishness and unwillingness to do so much as to try to straighten himself out in the minor leagues left the poor manager an arm short in the bullpen day in and day out. No more embarrassing dropped pop-ups against those cross-town rivals.

Let's hope that we've seen the last of the disconnect and lack of communication between players, coaches and front office personnel. No more tirades by development personnel directed at players, Major Leaguers or minor leaguers, shirtless or otherwise. No more surprise off-season surgeries and the he-said, he-said as to whether or not they were sanctioned by the team.

Let's hope that we've endured the last of trying to stay afloat until the regulars return. No more medical mishaps, no more pushing back onto the field the clearly injured, just to further clarify the realness and severity of their injuries. No more sitting on our hands like we've done enough, when clearly more needs to be done. No more of the "we can compete if" this or that. No more second half collapses. No more negativity.

Instead, let's make some resolutions for 2011. In fact, let's make just one. From this point on, let's not just say we want the New York Mets to be a winning franchise, let's operate like one.


Looking Forward

If you look at the eight teams in this year's playoffs, only two of them have a payroll of over $140 million. Perhaps it's no coincidence that those two teams- the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees- were adversaries in the 2009 World Series. But the remaining three quarters of those teams made the postseason having spent under $100M, which just goes to show that money doesn't necessarily buy you a playoff berth.

The Cincinnati Reds ($68.2M) locked up the NL Central spending half of what the Mets ($136M) spent this year, and the Texas Rangers ($55.2M) bought their playoff champagne with the extra money the 5th-lowest payroll in baseball afforded them.

And then there's the Minnesota Twins. With a payroll of just over $90 million, the Twins are a perfect example of how a franchise should be run, and in 2010 they secured their 6th AL Central title in the last ten years. Minnesota has put together the right combination of affordable talent year in and year out for a decade, proving that it's not how much money you spend, but how you spend the money.



Since 2001, the Mets have reached the playoffs as many times as Minnesota has finished under .500- once. Yes, the Mets recent record book is quite the contrast to that of the Twins, and I'd say it's time to take a page out of a different book. Perhaps it's time for the Wilpons to re-evaluate how they will allow their front office to operate.
http://phoenix.fanster.com/files/2010/09/kevintowers01.jpg
Newly appointed GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kevin Towers would have been an ideal candidate for the Mets. Having assembled most of the San Diego Padres team that nearly stole the NL West this year, Towers worked with roughly half the budget that Omar Minaya had in New York. Although he was not there to see his work come to fruition, the Padres team that held onto first place until the very last week of the season had Towers' stamp all over it. Now, with Towers gone to Arizona, the Wilpons will have to look elsewhere.

The New York Mets are by no means a small market team. They are going to spend money, we know this. But how about a resolution be a bit more cautious about how and when that money is doled out, while developing a consistency that can change the perception of being those "same old Mets."

The Mets have always been in the colossal shadow of the New York Yankees, and seem to have spent money to show their fans that they can keep up. Clearly, this hasn't worked. Whether or not that has been their motivation is not for me to say, and the Wilpons have never said so either. What they did say on Monday, however, was that they're looking for a GM with a fresh perspective.

Here's a fresh perspective:

Omar Minaya spent each winter making his biggest moves- Pedro, Beltran, Wagner, Delgado, Santana, Putz, K-Rod and Bay were all signed between seasons. Yet, Minaya never pulled the trigger on any major mid-season trades to put the Mets over the top.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2010/08/22/oswalt_roy_big_381.jpg
On the other hand, the Philadelphia Phillies have made their biggest moves not just between seasons, but during them as well. The four-time reigning NL East Champs and two-time reigning National League pennant winners have ridden, and will presumably ride, their winter signings to the playoffs- Lidge in '08, Halladay in '10. But it's the players they've traded for mid-season that will help carry them through the playoffs- Cliff Lee in '09, Oswalt in '10.

And it's not just the Phillies, either. Cliff Lee was a trading deadline pawn for the second straight year, and was one of several players the Rangers added in the midst of their playoff surge, along with NL East castoffs Christian Guzman (Nationals), Jorge Cantu (Marlins) and Jeff Francoeur (Mets). The San Francisco Giants revamped their entire outfield, adding Jose Guillen (Royals), Cody Ross (Marlins) and Pat Burrell (Rays) to their roster over the summer. The Braves traded for Derek Lee (Cubs) in August, while the Yankees picked up Lance Berkman (Astros) and Kerry Wood (Indians), who a key cog in their bullpen down the stretch. And those Twins. Minnesota bolstered their bullpen by trading for Matt Capps (Nationals) and Brian Fuentes (Angels). The common thread- all of these teams are in the playoffs, and it's not by accident that they got there.

So, new Mets GM, whoever you will be, please be tactful. You can do a lot in the off-season with $100 million. Just because you have $140 million to work with, that doesn't mean you have to spend it all before April. The Minaya Mets were thin in the wallet come July, and it cost them. If you put the right pieces in place between October and March, not the most expensive, you can make adjustments along the way.

Many, if not most or all teams would kill to have $40 million to play with at the trade deadline. Be that team, the one that instead of waiting for reinforcements to come back from injury to stay afloat, brings in their own reinforcements voluntarily.

Fred, Jeff. Don't ask the GM and Manager to be the source of excitement. Ask them to be the architects for it. If you want to re-energize the fan base, there's only one way to do it, on the field by winning games. Period.

Catching up

by Mike Trovato

It's been a busy couple of weeks, hence the lack of new posts recently, so I thought I'd catch up and weighing in on a few things. I'll get to the Jets season some time this week, but for how, here's a taste of the Jets, plus some Mets flavor, and a bit of random ranting...


J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS

For those of you that picked the Jets over Giants in the last poll, good call. My predictions were a bit off; the closest thing I picked was the score, and Leon Washington had about 50 more all-purpose yards than I expected. I played it conservative with Mark Sanchez, but in his first action as the official New York Jets starting quarterback, he was even more impressive than I had anticipated.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2009/08/26/2009-08-26_jets_make_right_call.html
Sanchez will undoubtedly have his share of rookie road bumps, but from what I've seen and heard, the USC product seems to be as good as advertised. His footwork has gotten high praise, as have his mental awareness and football smarts.

As one WFAN host pointed out, Sanchez spoke after the game about his touchdown pass to Chansi Stuckey, a play that added 6 to the scoreboard but ended with number 6 on the ground, having hung in long enough to release the throw before being drilled. The play itself was a positive, but more impressive were the QB's post game comments. Sanchez explained his thought process as he hit the ground, having the awareness to determine his plan of action based on the crowd's reaction. Despite not being able to see the play unfold, Mark had the presence of mind to know that a loud roar would mean his pass had been intercepted, and that he would need to get to his feet to make a defensive play.

I know it's early, but I'm buying whatever Sanchez is selling. I mean what's not to like? The kid is gutsy and smart, and on top of his physical skill set, he appears to be ahead of the curve when it comes to maturity, regardless of his lack of experience. The fact that he doesn't need to learn these small nuances will help accelerate his development, and hopefully pay immediate dividends in year one of the Sanchez/Rex Ryan era.
http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2009/09/06/sports/local_sports/10001738.txt
In other Gang Green headlines, running back Danny Woodhead was among four Jets released Saturday. Woodhead became a significant part of the preseason buzz with his impressive rushing performance against the Eagles, piling up 158 yards on 18 carries.

The former Division II standout at Chadron State set the all-time rushing NCAA record, and is second to Brian Westbrook in NCAA history in all-purpose yards. It would have been great to see Woodhead stick in New York, but with Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and 2009 third round draft pick Shonn Greene, there just wasn't enough room on the roster for Woodhead.

Only San Francisco's Glen Coffee and New England's BenJarvus Green-Ellis had more rushing yards this preseason, and I can't imagine he'll be out of work for very long. He'll catch on somewhere else, maybe in a place like Cleveland. Hell, with half of the Browns roster space being occupied by ex-Jets, why not one more? Frankly, I hope he doesn't become a Brown. I'd much rather see him add depth to a team like Cincinnati, Kansas City, Houston, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Green Bay, Chicago... pretty much anywhere but Eric Mangini's Browns.


MEET THE METS

The amount of injuries the New York Mets have had this season is utterly absurd, and I've documented this in several posts (feel free to take a glance back at those links on the right side over there and revisit all the fun trips to the DL). Yes it's September, the last month of the season, but who exactly are these guys on the pitching staff?

With Johan Santana recovering from elbow surgery and the rest of the rotation injured as well, Mike Pelfrey, the back end of the 2008 rotation, is now the Mets number 1 starter. After that? Try Redding, Figueroa, Parnell and Misch.

Tim Redding was signed this past offseason as the potential fifth starter, but lost that spot to Livan Hernandez in spring training. Nelson Figueroa has bounced around, having played for four major league teams, as well as professionally in Japan and Mexico. Bobby Parnell was an emerging young arm in the bullpen, having spent time as the 7th inning man as well as filling in for J.J. Putz as Francisco Rodriguez' setup man. Before September began, Pat Misch entered September tied for most starts without a win, ever. Clearly, this group was not the blueprint for success when the Mets were mapping out this season's starting rotation.

Bobby Parnell has had the most trouble, but has shown potential here and there. He has had two scoreless outings in five starts since making the switch from the bullpen. Parnell held the Giants scoreless, striking out 7 with 0 walks and 3 hits in his first start back on August 14th. His next three starts were brutal (12.2 innings, 22 earned runs, 7 BB, 6 K), but he matched his 7 strikeout performance over 7 innings in his last start, another scoreless outing. As for the rest of the crew, the Mets new starters have performed very well over their last few starts, respectively.

In three starts since joining the rotation, Tim Redding has lowered his ERA by 0.83 runs. In his first start since July, he gave up just one hit to the Phillies over 5 strong innings on August 22nd; he subsequently pitched 6 2/3 innings in each of his next two outings, giving up 5 runs while striking out 11 and walking just 3.

Nelson Figueroa struck out a career-high 10 batters over 7 two starts ago in a 4-1 win over Chicago, and followed with 8 more K's against the Cubs back at Citi Field, though he took the loss.
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Pat Misch has made 2 outstanding starts, lasting 7 innings in each and allowing 3 earned runs total. Misch recorded his first career victory on September 3rd, avoiding breaking the record for most winless starts to begin a career.

If you take the starts made by Redding, Figueroa and Misch since being forced to leave the bullpen, their numbers are actually pretty impressive: 8 starts, 50.1 IP, 15 ER, 40 K, 14 BB. Let's put this into a bit of a perspective...

• Chris Carpenter (15-3, 2.28 ERA) is a top candidate for this year's NL Cy Young Award.
  
• Tim Lincecum is the reigning NL Cy Young winner.
• C. C. Sabathia won the AL Cy Young in 2007, and leads the American League in wins, along with Justin Verlander.
  

Last 8 starts:
Chris Carpenter: 7-0, 58 IP, 15 ER, 43 K, 12 BB
C.C. Sabathia: 6-1, 57 IP, 19 ER, 64 K, 9 BB
Tim Lincecum: 3-2, 60.2 IP, 14 ER, 65 K, 18 BB
Justin Verlander: 5-2, 58.2 IP, 24 ER, 63 K, 11 BB
Redding/Figueroa/Misch: 3-2, 50.1 IP, 15 ER, 40 K, 14 BB

The most stark contrast lies in the strikeout totals, but otherwise, the Mets trio has less walks and as many wins as Lincecum over his last 8 starts, and less earned runs than Sabathia and Verlander over their previous 8, respectively. While their innings are less, keep in mind that both Redding and Figueroa were limited in the first of their starts as they were making the transition back to starting from the bullpen.

Obviously, there is no real comparison between the Mets current starters and the league's elite. Given given the futility of the remainder of the season, maybe it's the lower expectations that has lifted some pressure from these men. They likely won't figure into the Mets 2010 blueprints- at least not in the same capacity- it's not entirely out of the question, especially if the Mets choose not to shell out big bucks for some pitching. While it's definitely not the best case, or what any Mets fan really wants, the bottom line is that Redding, Figueroa and Misch have stepped up and filled in admirably under the circumstances.


RANDOM RANTING

Fact: Mike Pelfrey pitched 8 innings of 5-hit ball against the Cubs on Sunday. Despite a pitch count of just 105, Jerry Manuel lifted Pelfrey to give Francisco Rodriguez a chance to pick up a save, as they have been hard to come by. Pelfrey wanted to pitch the 9th, but Manuel wouldn't have it. In a postgame interview, Manuel asserted that he was confident that Big Pelf would have a solid finish to the season...

Rant: Really, Jerry? Are we forgetting that his last two starts? The ones in which he surrendered totals of 11 runs, 17 hits and 10 walks? I guess we are. Sure, this was a solid outing, and let's hope he keeps it up. But seriously, what about it makes you so confident that Pelf's inconsistency is going to vanish overnight? I hope you're right, but let's temper those expectations just a tad, at least until he puts two good starts together.

Fact: Carlos Beltran is expected to return to the Mets on Tuesday. Likewise, the Mets anticipate that John Maine will be activated to pitch this upcoming Sunday.

Rant: Great news. This team is gradually returning back to normalcy. Welcome back, fellas.

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Fact: The New England Patriots traded Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a first round draft pick in 2011.

Rant: After gift wrapping Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel for Kansas City for one, yes, one draft pick... after the retirement of Rodney Harrison this offseason and then Tedy Bruschi this week... Somehow, 29 year-old Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle Richard Seymour managed to become expendable, and traded not even for a pick in 2010, but 2011!! The Patriots have the foresight of Nostradamus, and have their 2011 pick, possibly a current high school senior, already in the bank. Bill Belichick has sold his soul to Satan. There is no other explanation.

Fact: Shawne Merriman was arrested on charges for choking and restraining girlfriend Tila Tequila.

Rant: You stay classy, San Diego (Charger). With all the buzz about the image of the NFL, between Michael Vick's controversial return to the league, Donte Stallworth's DUI manslaughter, and Plaxico Burress' nightclub shenanegans, I'm sure Roger Goodell was hoping for just one more dumb incident like this. Maybe Merriman was mad that Tila didn't want to turn the lights out...

Met losses, bodies continue to pile up

by Mike Trovato

The New York Mets had an opportunity this weekend to gain some ground in their long uphill climb in the National League East. It's a shame they couldn't put together a better series against the San Diego Padres.

With a convincing 12-3 win on Sunday, the Florida Marlins completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, pulling Florida to within 4 games of the lead in the NL East. The Braves kept pace, taking the final three games of their four game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Even the Washington Nationals are hot- in fact, they're on fire. The Nats are riding an 8 game winning streak, and have outscored their opponents 57-33 during that span. Washington is 8-1 in August, and has not lost a series since they were swept by the Cubs in the first series back from the All-Star Break.

As for the Mets, this past week has been an utter disaster. Since the Nationals last lost, Jerry Manuel's club has won just 2 contests, and are now almost as close to last place (12.5 games ahead) as they are to first (10 games back).

After ending July on a 5-1 high note, this month has been cruel to the Mets, who are 3-6 in August. They could very well be 5-4, but Francisco Rodriguez has had the week from hell, blowing two saves while his ERA has increased by over 55% from 2.08 to 3.24.
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Tuesday's game against St. Louis should have been Johan Santana's 13th victory. Instead, K-Rod blew a 7-5 lead, giving up 2 runs in the 9th before an Albert Pujols grand slam in the 10th inning sealed a 12-7 victory for the Cardinals. Things got worse for the Mets closer just three days later, when Rodriguez blew his second straight save opportunity. K-Rod did not record a single out against the Padres on Friday, giving up 5 runs on three walks (one intentional) and two hits, the last of which was a walk-off grand slam to San Diego's rookie shortstop Everth Cabrera.

Frankie's 5th blown save wasted a brilliant performance by Oliver Perez, who fanned 7 and allowed 1 run and just four base runners (2 hits, 2 walks) over 6 1/3 innings. Luckily, New York was able to salvage the final game of their 4 game series against the Padres on Sunday, ending an 8 game skid at PETCO Park dating back to 2007. Johan Santana finally picked up his NL tying best 13th victory, holding the Pads to one run over 8 innings before handing the ball over to K-Rod in the 9th. This time around, Rodriguez did not disappoint, shutting the door on a 5-1 Mets victory.

Though it was not a save situation for K-Rod, Sunday's outing was encouraging on several levels. First and foremost, it sealed a New York win. But deeper than wins and losses, Rodriguez' outing on Sunday was a vote of confidence and sigh of relief for the Mets bullpen situation.

On top of his two straight blown saves, there had been some concern about K-Rod's health, as his velocity was down to 89 MPH in Friday's debacle. Sunday was a different story, however, as Rodriguez hit 93 on the gun. With J.J. Putz still out, Bobby Parnell in the process of transitioning into the starting rotation, and Billy Wagner not yet ready to return, the Mets can ill afford any bad news for their $36 million closer. Not to mention the injuries to the Mets as a whole, which relentlessly continued this week.
Kathy Willens / AP Photo
Jonathon Niese's year came to an abrupt end during Wednesday's 9-0 victory over St. Louis. Niese, stretching to cover first base in the second inning, appeared to injure his right hamstring. Upon throwing a warmup pitch, the 22 year-old southpaw collapsed to the ground, his right leg giving out from under him. An MRI revealed a complete tear of his right hamstring tendon. Niese underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, and should be ready for spring training in 2010.

Now, doctors anticipate that Niese will be able to begin running in 6 weeks. I say, why not make it 7? Because let's be honest, the Mets' doctors haven't exactly been spot on with their diagnoses this season (see also: Jose Reyes; Carlos Beltran; John Maine). The last thing they need is to lose a prospect, seeing as their prospect pool seems a bit shallow in quantity, questionable in quality and durability, being that Fernando Martinez is also on the shelf.

Along with Jon Niese, Gary Sheffield and Luis Castillo were also among the walking wounded this week. For Sheffield, the injury is a re-aggrivation of the hamstring injury that landed him on the disabled list just a few weeks ago, though the Mets are holding off on putting Sheff back on the DL. Exactly why they are doing so, I'm not really sure, but apparently the idea of playing a man short is more appealing to Mets management than calling up a replacement minor league bat.

While the handling of Sheffield's injury seems strange, even more bizarre is Luis Castillo's malady. Walking into the dugout in the 8th inning of Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Castillo stumbled down the steps, spraining his left ankle. Luis missed four straight starts, but luckily for the Mets, he was able to return to the starting lineup on Sunday and collected two hits in the win.

The Mets will travel to Arizona for 3 games before returning to Citi Field. Though it is always nice to come back home- and for the Mets, especially from the west coast- the upcoming 11 game homestand will be extremely difficult. The Amazins' will open with 4 games against the Giants, who are tied with the Rockies for the wildcard lead.

Then comes a 10 game stretch against division opponents, which is definitely the Mets' last legitimate shot to salvage the season. Assuming they're not 17 games out of first by the time they finish up with San Francisco, Jerry Manuel's troops will have 3 games against the Braves before wrapping up the homestand with 4 games against the first place Phillies. The very next day, they'll open a 9 game road trip, traveling to Florida for 3 games against the Marlins.

Comeback falls short, Mets' beards grow longer

by Mike Trovato

Every sport has its own quirks, rituals and cliches. For many professional athletes, these quirks include being superstitious. Some players put their uniforms on in a specific way, others have certain meal preferences before the big game. And sometimes, the whole team will get involved in the superstition.

The New York Mets have had their fair share of rituals, from elaborate handshakes following home runs, to the high-fives after victories. We've seen numerous players shave their heads at the same time in years past. The latest trend has been facial hair.











In a superstitious approach to winning games, several members of the Mets have agreed not to shave until the team reaches .500. They seemed to be on their way to breaking out the razors last week, taking three out of four from the Colorado Rockies over the course of a five game winning streak, their longest since they won seven straight in early May. But all the good that the Mets did last week- the winning streak, getting within 3 games of .500, gaining two games on the wildcard leading Rockies- was negated Monday night, following a 6-5 loss to Arizona.

Nelson Figueroa was just awful tonight, allowing more runs than outs recorded. In just his second start of the season and first since April 19th, Figueroa surrendered three home runs, two to Mark Reynolds en route to 6 earned runs over an inning and two-thirds. The Mets staged a comeback in the fifth inning, Alex Cora and Omir Santos logging base hits before Angel Pagan drew a walk two batters later to load the bases with one out. Back-to-back singles by Luis Castillo and David Wright plated all three before Gary Sheffield grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat at 6-4.

New York cut Arizona's lead in half in the sixth on a leadoff home run by Daniel Murphy. That would prove to be the end of the Mets offense on the night, however, as they recorded just one hit the rest of the game. The loss was their fourth in five games, as the Diamondbacks took three of four from the Mets.

The Mets had drawn within 5 1/2 games of the wildcard lead as of last Tuesday, but did not make a trade before Friday's non-waiver deadline. Despite last week's five game winning streak, they are now 50-55, and 8 games out of the wildcard, having actually fallen farther behind in the wildcard race than they were just eight days ago, when they were 7 1/2 out.

Although they have gained a half game on the first place Phillies, the glimmer of hope that was peeking through last week has again faded. The best thing that can be drawn from the Arizona series is that the Mets showed resilliency, staging comebacks in Saturday's 9-6 win, highlighted by Angel Pagan's grand slam, as well as tonight's loss.

The Mets will cap off their 10 game homestand with a two game series against St. Louis, before heading to the west coast for seven games against San Diego and Arizona. On the bright side, Johan Santana will take the mound on Tuesday. What does not bode well for the Mets, however, is that Santana faces Joel Pineiro, who held the Mets to just two hits back on June 23rd, and could very well offset the benefit of a Santana start. Beyond the St. Louis series, the Mets hit the road for a week, where are just 21-31 on the this season. With Santana going tomorrow, he is scheduled to start just one game on the upcoming road trip.

Working in the Mets' favor is that the Padres are without their best starters, having just dealt Jake Peavy to the White Sox, and with Chris Young still on the disabled list with a bad shoulder. San Diego's current starting rotation has a combined 11-21 record, consisting of Kevin Correia, Mat Latos, Chad Gaudin, Tim Stauffer, and Clayton Richard, who came over in the Peavy trade. The Mets are in line to face Richard- who pitched well in a no decision in his first start as a member of the Padres- (Correia (7-9, 4.73 ERA), Latos (2-1, 2.70 ERA in 16.2 IP) and Stauffer (1-2, 2.57 ERA in 21 IP).

Assuming the Mets can manage at least a split with the Cardinals and Padres, they will have an opportunity to work their way back towards that .500 mark if they can take the series in Arizona. What it comes down to, though, is that the Mets need to survive their next 9 games, and by that I mean they need to go at least 5-4 over that span. If they can do so, they would return to Citi Field at 55-59, and would begin an eleven game homestand that could very well be their last opportunity to claw back into the fringe of any October conversation. During the homestand they will host the Giants, who are currently 7 1/2 ahead of the Mets and 1/2 game behind Colorado for the wildcard lead, the Braves, whom they trail by 3, and the Phillies for four games.

Granted, this is all a little ways off, but the significance of these next 9 games is that by then, the Mets may have at least one major piece back in their lineup. Carlos Beltran took batting practice on Saturday, and on Monday was on the field shagging fly balls. While he is still experiencing pain in his right knee, Beltran may be back in a couple of weeks, possibly in time for the majority of the Mets' 11 game homestand. Carlos Delgado has also taken batting practice, but when he will return is less clear.

What is clear is that at 5 games under .500, it looks like the beards aren't going anywhere for a while. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against facial hair, and I've been known to grow some myself. But when the beards are essentially the embodiment of the Mets' 2009 struggles, I'll be the first to say that I hope they are short lived.

Here's some food for thought: The farther the Mets fall below .500, the less likely they will be to climb above it, even with Beltran, Delgado, and Reyes, if they even come back that is. I would assume that if they keep losing, they may consider ditching the beards, but these pro athletes are a strange breed. I'm not sure how set they are on sticking to their hairy pact, but if they don't break their .500-or-scruff vow, we could be looking at a very disappointing, grizzly group of Mets at the end of September. Maybe then, Tim Redding will finally fit in.

As Angel returns, Mets deal Church

by Mike Trovato

So it looks like Omar Minaya finally got around to reading some blogs after all.

The Mets GM announced late Friday afternoon that the club had traded Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jeff Francoeur, a swap of right fielders between the division rivals. The deal was made official about an hour before game time, stealing the headlines from Angel Pagan, who was activated from the disabled list after missing five weeks with a strained groin. Pagan cited dehydration from an excess of caffeinated drinks in his diet as a potential cause of the injury...

Alright, I suppose Pagan's return didn't have back-page potential, but even if it did, Omar Minaya exercising the privileges that come with the General Manager title is a much bigger story, and good for him. We were all starting to think he had forgotten some of the minor details his job description actually entailed, you know, like making trades and improving the ball club and things of that nature. Better late than never I suppose. Maybe Omar isn't a spiritual guy; I hope I'm not the only one who sees a slight shred of irony within the transactions made by the Mets on Friday afternoon, getting rid of Church the same day Angel returned. I digress.

The trade for Francoeur is a somewhat curious one, one that makes you scratch your head at first. Church is hitting .280, but has just 2 home runs and 22 RBI. Francoeur isn't exactly having a standout season either, batting .250 with 5 HR and 35 RBI. Truth be told, swapping two right fielders who are putting up no more than average numbers seems questionable, but Omar Minaya is no shallow puddle, and this trade is deeper than the numbers on the surface.

First, there's the issue of age: Church is 30, going on 31 this October, whereas Francoeur turned 25 this offseason. While both are under contract through 2011, Francoeur will be just 27 when his contract expires.

In terms of hitting, the Mets saw a glimpse of Church's potential at the beginning of last season, when he hit above .300 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI before suffering a concussion (pictured left). Church never overcame the ill-effects of the injury, after the Mets medical staff botched how it was handled, and upon his return, he hit just .219 through the remainder of the season.

Jeff Francoeur, on the other hand, has been the definition of durability. Since breaking into the majors in 2005, Francoeur played all 162 games in each of his first two full seasons, 2006 and 2007. He started 155 games in 2008, but the games he missed include a brief period in early July when he was optioned to Triple-A after going 8-for-66 between June 14th and July 3rd. He continued to struggle after being recalled, until heating up a bit and batting .286 in September.

The biggest knock on Francouer is his lack of patience at the plate, reflected by his career .308 on-base percentage. What the Mets are looking for is to discover his monstrous upside, which he flashed a few years back in 2006 and 2007. In his first two full seasons in the bigs, Francoeur put up back-to-back 100+ RBI seasons, averaging 24 home runs.

In addition to his recently untapped power, Francouer brings to the table tremendous defensive talent. He has yet to make an error this season, and had 19 outfield assists in 2007, tied with Alfonso Soriano and Michael Cuddyer for tops in the league. New York will need his arm in the cavernous right field territory at Citi Field, and his sure handedness can only help the Amazins, who are 6th worst in the National League in errors committed.

Francoeur, an Atlanta native, will have to adjust to the New York media, much as Church did graciously, proving to be a class act during his interview following the breaking news. Though he was "shocked" about the trade, Ryan cited no hard feelings between himself and the Mets organization, despite rumors that he and manager Jerry Manuel did not see eye to eye. Church said he hoped that Met fans would cheer him when he returns to Citi Field as an Atlanta Brave next week.

As for the Mets, hopefully the arrival of Francoeur will spark some kind of hitting, who desperately need some kind of production at the plate. Over their last seven games, the Mets have scored a meager 7 runs, and Manuel's troops were shut out for the third time this week on Friday night, this time by Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo. With the loss, the Mets are now 6.5 games behind the division leading Phillies, their largest deficit of the season, with two games remaining before the All-Star break.

While there's no telling how we will look back on this trade, one thing is certain. It's a low-risk, high reward deal, and personally, I'm glad it was done. Yes, Francoeur may have his fair share of golden sombreros, but perhaps, for some reason, the Mets coaches can help correct his impatient habits. Of course it is logical to be a skeptic; if they can't solve the problem they've been having all season, why then would they be able to help Francoeur become Barry Bonds in terms of his eye and discipline at the plate? However, should he successfully harness the power he had in '06 and '07, the Mets will have themselves a very solid situation in right field, one step towards some kind of stability.

Omar Minaya hinted during his press conference that the Mets have a lot more moves to make. How about a pitcher next, Omar? I've been a proponent of testing out the waters in the free agency pool, and the Blue Jays just released former closer B.J. Ryan (left). His numbers this season are poor, but given his upside, it couldn't hurt to sign him, given that J.J. Putz will be sidelined until at least mid-August. At the very least, he would be another left-handed option out of the bullpen along with Pedro Feliciano. By adding Ryan, the Mets would also have themselves another insurance policy for K-Rod. Ryan is a great clubhouse guy, too, as his former Jays teammates noted in commenting on his surprising release.

If you're not interested in picking up a free agent, if it's a trade you're looking to make, I assume Jonathan Sanchez (above center) would have been a fairly easier pickup 24 hours ago, but after pitching a no-hitter against San Diego on Friday, his price likely just jumped up a bit. Still, the Mets starting pitching hasn't quite been what it should be lately; Livan Hernandez has unraveled over his last two starts, Fernando Nieve has thrown in a few stinkers after his 3-0 start, and even Johan Santana hasn't been Johan Santana for a couple months now. Perhaps Sanchez or Seattle's Jarrod Washburn (above right)- who is also on the trading block but ironically just threw a one-hitter on Monday- can be had for a fair price, though Sanchez at age 27 may cost more than Washburn, who turns 35 next month.

There is one other option, one that would cost the Mets nothing at all. That of course, is brining up minor league talent. Nelson Figueroa is having a solid season for Buffalo, and was named to the Triple A All-Star team this week. Figueroa, a journeyman who has pitched for six Major League affiliates, the Independent Long Island Ducks, and has spent time in the Mexican League and Chinese Professional Baseball League. He has been serviceable in his brief stints with the Mets Major League club.

In 14 starts for Buffalo this year, Figueroa is 5-4 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, along with a 3:1 K:BB ratio (75 strikeouts, 23 walks) over 90 innings. There's also Jon Niese, who is 4-6 for the Bisons with a 4.32 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, with Figueroa's exact strikeout and walk totals in 81.1 innings pitched. Niese is younger than I am, and won't turn 23 until the offseason, but with the current state of the Mets, it may be worth giving him another look. Should Livan continue to falter and the Mets decide to rearrange their starting rotation, it can't hurt to get Niese some more big league innings under his belt.

Whatever the Mets decide to do, ultimately it's a breath of fresh air to see Omar Minaya finally shaking things up, and even more encouraging to hear that the trade for Jeff Francoeur is the first of several changes to come in the near future.


Thought: What number will Francoeur wear? He wore #7 in Atlanta, but that number belongs to a Mr. Jose Reyes, and Fernando Tatis sports #17...

Prediciton: Francoeur will wear #27 as a Met.