I already love Jerry Manuel

Sure, I didn’t want Willie Randolph to go. But I’m already loving Jerry Manuel. Here’s what Jerry said about Jose Reyes today:

“I told him next time he does that I’m going to get my blade out and cut him. I’m a gangster. You go gangster on me, I’m going to have to get you. You do that again, I’m going to cut you right on the field.”

He also refers to his players as “Gangstas on the field, ladies on the bus.” This guy is basically the man.

-Jonathan Kraft

 

Revealing piece on Phils’ ownership

Richard Rys of Philly magazine wrote a massive, and terrific, piece on the Phillies ownership.  Five silent partners, who meet 4 times a year to discuss the state of the team.  A team where friendship is valued more than performance and where caution always is weighed above risk.

It seems we get these ownership exposés about once a year.  But this is the best piece I’ve ever read about the lackluster owners we know nothing about.  I keep waiting for that deadline deal that will put us over the top.  Alas, I should resign myself to that never happening.

SELL. SELL. SELL.

-Greg Berlin

Mets should sign Richie Sexson

It appears that the Mariners are about to release 1B Richie Sexson, who is hitting .220, .294, .380 with 9 HR and 23 RBI this season. Sexson is certainly having a down year; he is a career .261 hitter who hit 45 home runs in 2003. So it’s pretty clear that Sexson, at age 33, is past his prime.

And that’s why I propose that the Mets sign Sexson, should he become available. Here’s the reason behind my madness. Sexson, this year, is hitting .349, .417, .581 with 3 HR and 6 RBI against left handed pitchers in 43 at-bats this season. Carlos Delgado, in 83 at-bats against southpaws this year, is hitting .229, .273, .398 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. Delgado’s lack of production has been one of the most important failures for this year’s Mets team, and there have been plenty of calls for a platoon at first base. Sexson appears to be the ideal player to split time with Delgado, and would also provide a power threat off of the bench, something that has been sorely lacking.

-Jonathan Kraft

Oy [Mets Media Woes]

What a day to be a Mets fan/player/coach/manager/beer man

It’s been quite the day for the New York Mets. I can’t remember the last time there was so much embarrassment associated with the Mets, oh wait, yes I can, it was after the historic collapse last season. Since that fateful day, the Mets have continued to significantly under perform, so much so that it warranted, according to many, the dismissal of manager Willie Randolph. One thing is for sure; the Willie Randolph era has ended and the Jerry Manuel era has begun. Will this transition spark a change in the team’s play? We’ll have to wait and see.

For the Mets front office, this was not a good day. Since the news broke just after 3 AM Eastern time, the Mets have been crucified by the media, both in New York and across the nation. The consensus is that the Wilpons and Omar Minaya screwed up big time, although writers differ on who to place blame. Matt Cerone of MetsBlog, whose opinion I respect a lot, argues that the harsh media reaction was not justified. Matt and I were both on the “Keep Willie” side of the divide, for the record.

Willie Randolph, Peterson, Nieto fired

I went to sleep content with a nice road win in Los Angeles of Anaheim or whatever. I woke up to the news that Willie Randolph, Tom Nieto, and Rick Peterson had been fired after the game. I had just completed my “Save Willie” post before going to bed, and had no idea that it would be so obsolete so soon. Why in the world would Omar Minaya fly those three coaches across the country only to tell them that they were out of a job after a win?!?!? Just like Omar’s roster moves, this is unprofessional and offensive.

I spent last night writing why Willie Randolph should have been saved. For those reasons and now for this mess, I am livid at this team. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve given up on the year. Maybe the Mets management should have taken a cue from the Mariners, who yesterday dismissed GM Bill Bavasi, correctly placing the blame on the management, not the manager, for the team’s poor record.

Jerry Manuel, who will replace Willie as Interim Manager, is a likeable guy, but his demeanor is no different from Randolph’s passive composure. We’re not exactly getting the second coming of Lou Pinella here. The Mets better find an acceptable replacement for Willie soon, or a lot more people are going to be out of a job.

-Jonathan Kraft

The “Save Willie” Post

Everyone is throwing their two cents in on the Willie Randolph controversy, so I guess I should add my perspective. I’ve avoided comment on Willie’s situation for some time now because, in reality, there is no easy answer here. Fire Willie, and, yes, the demons of last year might be exorcised. But on the flip side, a mid-year managerial shakeup could drive the team apart. Of course, it has been extensively reported that the Mets clubhouse is divisive as it is, so maybe this wouldn’t hurt as much as it could.

If I have to pick a side, and I feel like I do, I’m more on the “Keep Willie” side. It’s not that I have complete confidence in the manager. I agree with Willie’s critics that he doesn’t motivate the team enough. I’ve commented on his poor managerial decisions in the past. But, ultimately, the responsibility for this year’s mediocre play, in my view (and I know a lot of people will disagree with me here) belongs to Omar Minaya, not Willie.

Mets acquire Trot Nixon

The Mets yesterday acquired OF Trot Nixon from the Diamondbacks organization. Nixon, of course, is a former teammate of Pedro Martinez; the two played together on the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox team. Nixon was playing in Triple-A ball for Arizona and now immediately joins the Mets, where he started in left field in the first game of today’s doubleheader, going 2-3 with 2 walks and scoring a run.

Many Mets fans might question the move. Why trade for a guy who’s past his prime, someone with no upside. The reality is that Nixon has the potential to be a huge upgrade from what the Mets have had in left field this year, which is a group of players including Fernando Tatis, Endy Chavez, and Marlon Anderson, who aren’t hitting a lick. Nixon is a guy who can fire up a clubhouse and who knows how to win. Sure, he might appear to be in decline, hitting just .251 with Cleveland last year, but he was tearing it up for Triple-A Tucson, hitting .318, .449, .578 with 10 HR and 31 RBI. Compare that to Tatis (.250, .292, .333, 1 HR, 10 RBI), Chavez (.218, .271, .277, 1 HR, 4 RBI), and Anderson (.169, .194, .246, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and it’s easy to see why this move was necessary.

Hopefully, this will be a quick fix. With any luck, Ryan Church will be back soon, allowing for greater flexibility in the outfield alignment. But with Moises Alou on the seemingly perminant DL and Angel Pagan nowhere to be found, Nixon could see a good amount of time in left field this season for the Mets. It’s certainly not the ideal scenario, but give credit to Omar Minaya for addressing a major need.

-Jonathan Kraft

Phils win 20-2, because of Kyle Kendrick

20-2. Yea yea, the Phillies scored 20 runs for the second time this season, the first time they’ve done that since 1900. But the bigger story is Kyle Kendrick. Everyone knows the Phillies are going to score runs – they’re 1 run behind the Cubs for the season (Cubs have 374 in 68 games, Phillies 373 in 69 games). They’re going to overtake Chicago in that category, it’s only a matter of time.

So get over the back to back to back homers from Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell. Get over the 9 run 4th inning and Ryan Howard‘s second homer. The real story of this game is Kyle Kendrick, who went 7 innings and allowed only 1 earned run, a Skip Schumaker homer.

The game marked Kendrick’s one year anniversary with the Phils since being called up from AA Reading on June 12 of last year. In that span Kendrick has gone 16-6 over 34 games. By winning pct, he has been great at .727. By ERA, not spectacular at 4.13. Nor by WHIP, a so-so 1.35. Nonetheless, Kendrick eats innings and has the best run support in the league since coming up a year ago. Kendrick averages almost 6 innings per start and the team averages a whopping 8.14 runs per 9 innings when he’s on the mound. Wow?

Kendrick is no Cole Hamels (who, by the way, has weak run support at 5.25 per 9 innings). But Hamels is is an ace. Kendrick is a back of the rotation starter, with a knack for for being in the right place at the right time. He struggled early this season, but the Phillies are 10-1 in his last 11 starts, and 11-3 in all of his starts this season.

For some, unexplained reason, the Phillies produce for the 23 year old. Perhaps the reason is that Kendrick isn’t Cole Hamels. And, maybe that explains Hamels’ poor run support too – because he is who he is.

Kyle Kendrick, a role player, does exactly what is asked of him. This Phillies offense will carry just about anyone who gives them a chance to win (except Cole Hamels), and that’s exactly what Kyle Kendrick does. The best part of it all? Kendrick is still young, a year younger than Hamels (24).

Last season Kyle Kendrick helped lead the Phillies to the playoffs, doing exactly what was asked of him. 14 starts into this season, Kendrick is doing exactly the same thing.

-Greg Berlin

Grandpa goes phishing

Jamie Moyer 9-0 against he the Marlins.

I don’t how to describe him anymore – old, wise, crafty. All cliches. Let’s just say: 8 innings, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk. And a no-hitter into the 6th. Moyer has 237 career wins. I don’t think he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but I bet he makes it in eventually. He’s a great guy, and I think he deserves it. Never underestimate a player’s personality and how that affects voters.

The Phils offense just wasn’t getting the breaks against he Marlins. 22 men left on base last night! 12 on Wednesday and 14 on Tuesday. Considering the explosion they had the week before, I’ll let it slide. But I hate streaky teams. Consistency is key to success. Explosive or anemic won’t take you very far.

Scott Olsen pitched great for the Marlins. But his best play of the night was probably breaking up Moyer’s no-no with a liner off of Chase Utley‘s glove.

Brad Lidge pitched a much more Lidge-like save, only letting one man on base. Make that 18/18. What’s that Billy?

-Greg Berlin

Beast in da House

I’ll be at the House that Mediocrity Built tonight to see the Mets take on Josh Hamilton and the Texas Rangers. I’m expecting a terrible game, as Oliver Perez and his lack of command take on Hamilton, Michael Young, David Murphy, Milton Bradley, and a whole lot of other guys who are hitting the cover off the of the ball, believe it or not. I’ll be the guy in the David Wright pinstripe jersey shaking his head for eight and two-thirds of the game (gotta beat traffic!) and yelling obscenities at Oliver Perez, Rick Peterson, Willie Randolph, Carlos Delgado, you get the idea.

-Jonathan Kraft

Wagner with men on base

Not that it matters so much now that Billy Wagner blew his third consecutive save, this one of the starting the ninth inning variety, but I still researched the split I referenced in yesterday’s rant post criticizing Willie Randolph‘s decision to have Mike Pelfrey start the ninth inning.

Wagner with no men on base in 2008: 60 PA, .158 BA, .446 OPS, 9 H, 3BB, 18 SO

Wagner with men on base in 2008: 43 PA, .244 BA, .670 OPS, 10 H, 1 BB, 13 SO

These numbers don’t include the blown save yesterday, by the way. So there you have it, the statistical basis for why Willie almost blew it in Wednesday’s game, only to be saved by Carlos Beltran‘s bat.

-Jonathan Kraft

Phew! Billy and Willie are saved

What a game last night, as Mike Pelfrey (8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO) outdualed Arizona ace Brandon Webb, in a 13-inning thriller that should have ended calmly in the ninth. Instead, due to what I believe was a poor decision by Willie Randolph, Billy Wagner gave up a three-run home run to Mark Reynolds that tied the game. In my view, Pelfrey should have been pinch-hit for in the bottom of the eighth, which would have let Wagner come on in the ninth with the bases clear. I’m not sure what Billy’s percentage of blown saves is with baserunners already aboard when he enters the game, but I’m sure when I look it up later I’ll find that it’s much higher than without baserunners aboard.

Pelfrey was through 110 pitches (a career high) in the 8th. He led off the bottom of that inning. Now, obviously, there are two conflicting schools of thought here. One would let the starter bat so that he could finish off his gem of a game, and go for the complete-game shutout. The other would play it safe for the team, and pinch-hit for the pitcher, trying to stimulate a rally and buy more insurance runs, letting the elite closer finish out the game, giving the starter what should be an automatic win.

It’s incredible how two fans can disagree about such a thing. MetsBlog’s Matt Cerone takes the first approach, even going so far as to say that Willie shouldn’t have pulled Pelfrey after he allowed a baserunner in the top of the ninth with no outs. I completely disagree, and think that it was a terrible idea for Willie to let Pelfrey bat in the eighth. Sure, I understand that it’s great to go for the complete game shutout for Pelfrey, a guy who’s arm is integral to the team’s future success. But Pelfrey is only one of twenty-five, and, in this situation, you have to play it safe. Sure, it’s Wagner who ultimately allowed the home run, but that lead baserunner would never have been aboard if Pelfrey hadn’t started the ninth inning.

The good news is that Carlos Beltran bailed everybody out, walking off with a long ball to end the game in the 13th. The bad news is that the Mets take the field this afternoon, with very little rest for an already banged-up team.

By the way, I now agree that Mike Pelfrey belongs on this team. He’s shown flashes in the past, but this year, despite a few roadblocks, his flashes have been closer and closer together. I think he’s finally turning the corner. Good for you, Big Pelf.

-Jonathan Kraft

Bienvenidos nuestros amigos

The power of the internet never ceases to amaze me. The ability to communicate with people on the other side of the world or on the other side of the street–simultaneously–is mindblowing, and something we take for granted every day.

A couple days ago, in checking the statistics on this blog–who’s accessing it, from where, and what are they reading–in order to assess our progress on the site, I noticed that more than a few viewers were being directed from a forum on the official site of Tigres de Licey, the most prestigious baseball team in the Dominican Republic. I wouldn’t have known what this was, except for having been to the Dominican twice, a country where it’s impossible to escape baseball. Apparently, in searching for the Jose Reyes Sportscenter commercial (Jose is a Dominican native, and a superstar on the island), the Licey fans stumbled upon NL Beast.

So in the spirit of globalization and promotion of baseball around the world, bienvenidos a Bestia de Liga Nacional, nuestros amigos del Republico Dominicana.

-Jonathan Kraft

Soggy Mets

I’ve always been a cynical sports fan. That’s what happens when you root for the Mets and Jets. But I think I sank to a new low last night when, watching David Wright poke a two-run shot in the second inning, my first reaction was “this isn’t going to be enough.” And after the tornado rain delay in the seventh, the Mets went on to prove me right, as Joe Smith and Duaner Sanchez shit a collective brick to give the game away to the struggling D-Backs. By the way, John Maine needs to figure out a way to get his pitch count down. There’s no excuse for having to turn to the bullpen so early when the team’s elite young pitcher is on the mound.

As a Mets fan, last night’s game was hard to watch. But as a baseball fan, there was something very refreshing that happened in the seventh inning. As Pedro Feliciano took the mound, Shea Stadium became the stage for a revival of the Wizard of Oz, with everything and anything swirling around the field. My experience in the last few years with impending weather at ballgames is that umpires will assume nothing until it becomes impossible to play the game. Everyone knew that the heavens were about to open on Flushing. Everyone expected to get wet. But instead of letting this happen, the umpires decided to stop the game right then and there. It turned out to be a great decision, as the grounds crew (with the help of Scott Schoeneweiss and Billy Wagner) got the tarp out there just in time.

MLB’s handling of rain delays has really bugged me this year. Baseball is so inclined not to postpone or cancel games due to so many factors that players are often put in harm’s way as a result. Recently I saw Odalis Perez leave a soaking wet Washington mound injured after it started pouring at a Nationals Cardinals game. The injury, no doubt, was a result of the conditions on the field. It just isn’t worth the risk.

-Jonathan Kraft

Braves going down like…Braves

Not only the the Braves lose tonight 10-5 to the Cubs, but Tom Glavine is going back to the DL:

CHICAGO — Tom Glavine made his first career visit to the disabled list earlier this season. The Braves’ veteran southpaw is headed back to the DL with an injured left elbow.

Glavine was removed after three ineffective innings against the Cubs on Tuesday night. The Braves later announced that he has a strained left elbow.

During Tuesday’s start, Glavine allowed four earned runs and six hits. The 42-year-old hurler needed 30 pitches to escape a two-run second inning and another 25 pitches to end a two-run third inning.

This was Glavine’s first appearance at Wrigley Field mound since using it to gain his 300th career victory on Aug. 5 of last year.

That’s gotta stab the hearts of Braves fans. Smoltz last week, Glavine this week. Everyone knew Atlanta would be hit or miss this season. The roster has a lot of risk built into it. Unfortunately, it may not pay off for Cox and crew.

Phillies comeback and win again…err, not this time [BEAST-OFF]

I was dotting my I’s when Jimmy Rollins flied out on the first pitch to left and I was crossing my T’s when Shane Victorino grounded sharply to first for the final out. What looked like yet another comeback win was not to be. Marlins win this one 5-4 to open a three game set against the Phils.

Let’s start with the obvious. Brett Myers reverted to fecal matter tonight. After a series of somewhat respectable starts and then finally a great one last week, Myers let up 5 earned runs in only 5.1 innings pitched. 7 hits, 4 walks, 3 strike outs and 3 home runs.

I was beginning to think he was making progress but who knows? One thing is for sure, this team needs STARTING PITCHING. (ATTN: Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr., See: reality, attached). Okay, okay, let’s just blame the heat and move on…

Church [finally] to DL

The Mets announced that Ryan Church would head to the 15-day Disabled List yesterday, three weeks after sustaining his second concussion of the year on a nasty collision with Braves’ shortstop Yunel Escobar.

That’s a roster move made three weeks too late. The Mets management have shown time and time again that they have a knack for making the wrong decision at the wrong time–resigning Luis Castillo, trading Scott Kazmir, etc. How obvious should it have been that Church needed to be placed on the DL at the time? It was staring Omar Minaya in the face.

When the Mets left Atlanta for Colorado, Church jetted along with the team, seemingly unaware of the negative effect that the altitude would have on his already woozy state. I’m no doctor, but it’s obvious to me that the last thing someone needs to do after sustaining their second concussion in three months is fly across the country to a place with thin air. And then play baseball of all things? Terrible idea.

Beast (and least) of the East

Congrats to Jorge Cantu, who gets the nod this week as Beast of the East.

And let’s shake our collective head at Jason Bergmann, whose abysmal performance awards him the distinction of least of the East.

Braves Beast (and least) of the Week

(Injured) Beast: Chipper Jones.  Chipper hit .478….yes…… .478 this week.  It’s almost mid-June and he’s hitting .420.  He had 6 RBIs but couldn’t stop the Braves from losing 3 in a row to the Phils.  Jones sat the last two games with a right quad strain.

Runners-Up: Mark Teixeira, John Anderson

Least: Kelly Johnson.  Well, Friday’s game was enough of a reason.  He dropped the game winning out in the 9th against the Phillies, leading to an eventual sweep.

Runners-Down: Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann

-Greg Berlin