The Lesser of Two Evils Pt. 2

Last week before the Yanks and Phils locked up their respective World Series appearances I was convinced that if this ultimate Mets nightmare matchup occurred, I would be rooting for the Yankees. Now, after a week of non-stop Yankee media glorification, I may be ready to jump this ship before it even leaves the dock.

As explained last week, my reasoning behind pulling for the Yankees was three-fold. 1) Being cross-town rivals with Mets really has no impact on my team’s standings unless it is in interleague play. 2) The Yankees operate with class. They do not partake in the same Mets trash-talking and dirty play as the Phillies have over the past few years. 3) Despite the bone-headed nature of Yankee fans, this Yankee team is a fun group to watch. I like that they look like they are having fun. They have a good chemistry that I wish could somehow rub off on the Mets. You would think two teams with similarly bloated payrolls would have similar chemistry, but no such luck.

But despite this reasoning, the fact remains that rooting for the Yankees is a tough proposition because if they do win, I will have to deal with all of the hoopla right in my backyard. This includes relentless media coverage, a ticker tape parade and an onslaught of obnoxious Yankee fans everywhere I go. The past eight years without Yankee post-season glory have been the sole bright notes in an otherwise mediocre decade of Mets Octobers. A 2009 Yankees World Championship will only serve to remind me that the last time our cross-town rivals won it was at our expense.

At least if the Phillies repeat, their success won’t be right under my nose. Sure, there will probably be some anti-Mets player or media comments made, but I know I’ll be able to watch television, listen to sports radio and read the newspapers more than I would be able to if the Yankees take the crown. Plus, the bonus is that the majority of New York media coverage of a Phillies victory would be about the Yankees choking. That is kind of appealing now that I think about it!

So what is a die-hard Mets fan to do in a situation like this? Well, I could just start a media blackout immediately, pop in some 1986 Mets highlights and pretend the apocalypse is not upon us. But instead, I think I’ll adopt a policy of neutrality and watch without any vested interest in who takes the crown. As a Mets fan, this is an unwinnable situation in every respect so I might as well just sit back and watch. All I can really hope for is that it is an entertaining series and that it goes a full seven games before winter baseball withdrawal kicks in. May the best team win.
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Beltran's Back, But Where's Jose?

After missing more than two months with a bone bruise, Carlos Beltran will supposedly make his return to Citi Field tonight in the opener of the Mets series against the Marlins. When Beltran went down in June, this marked the beginning of the downward spiral of the Mets’ 2009 season. At the time, the team was coping fairly well with the absence of Delgado and Reyes, but Beltran was on fire during April and May. With him in the lineup it almost looked as if the Mets could hang on without their regular shortstop and first baseman. Before Beltran went on the DL, the Mets had a 35 and 32 record. Since then, they have gone 27 and 42. Now granted, many other injuries have come into play since Beltran went down, but in my mind, losing the second Carlos was the straw that broke the camel’s back for this season.

Considering the ridiculous amount of injuries that have befallen this team, I look at Beltran’s return to the lineup with some trepidation. With less than a month to go in a lost season, I’m not convinced his return is the wisest move, even though the bone bruise is improving. The way the chips have fallen for the Mets this year, my fear is that the bruise will get worse by playing, the team will wait the winter to see improvement and when they don’t, Beltran will have surgery that ruins the 2010 season as well. Let’s face it; the Mets’ medical staff’s track record is pretty tarnished right now. Getting another thing wrong would just be par for the course.

But with all of this being said, I definitely commend Beltran’s effort and desire to come back and play again in 2009 - even if only for a few weeks. It takes guts, heart and commitment to do this. Many players would have just shut it down and waited for 2010. Instead, Beltran stepped up, showed leadership and did the right thing. Perhaps Jose Reyes can learn something from all of this because the silence on his part is inexcusable. The fact that Aaron Boone returned to the Astros roster after open heart surgery before Jose could return from his hamstring injury is preposterous. It makes you wonder if this is the fault of the Mets medical staff with another misdiagnosis or just the case of Jose being Jose. Somehow, I think it’s a little of both.

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Billy Wagner - who wins, who loses?

Over the past few seasons, Billy Wagner has caused some controversy. Leaving the Philadelphia Phillies, with some harsh words, for the New York Mets. Continuing to spew his opinions once with the Mets and then coming back from being out almost a year recovering from Tommy John surgery to, after some wavering, waving his no trade clause and ending up on the Boston Red Sox as a relief pitcher. It was an interesting move by the Mets considering that in two appearances Wagner struck out four with a fast ball that topped 96 miles per hour and all they received for Wagner was two players to be named later.

Wagner was replaced as the Mets closer with the acquisition of Fransisco Rodriguez, arguably one of the best closers in the majors. Wagner has made it known that he wants to be a closer and is looking to break John Franco's record of the most saves thrown by a left handed pitcher. Yet, just before the deadline, he waves his no trade clause to be a set up man for Jonathan Papelbon. It seems as though Wagner has, for the time being, traded his pursuit of breaking Franco's record for a shot at a championship.

I can't say I blame the guy for wanting to win but he's 38 years old and is still recovering from a fairly major surgery. He has a shot at a ring with the Sox but not much of a chance at the record. And what happens next year? Will the Sox keep him? Surer he may get a couple of chances at a save if Papelbon pitches too many days in a row, but certainly not enough to satisfy him. Does he hope a competitive team picks him up so he can work towards the record? He's got a great arm but he comes with baggage, not that many players at this point don't, but realistically, does he have a shot at Franco's record?

I'm saying no. I don't think he can hold on long enough to break it and part of me doesn't want him to. As a life-long Met fan, I don't want a wishy-washy guy like Wagner breaking the record of a guy I cursed regularly as a kid. What do you think? Can he do it? Do you want him to? And can someone explain to me the purpose of receiving players to be names later? Does it even matter at this point? Read more!

Adopting a Surrogate Team for the Post Season

With September now upon us and the Mets’ post-season aspirations all but down the drain, I feel an odd sense of relief in many ways that I will not feel the end of season stress and disappointment that 2007 and 2008 wrought. I have had most of July and all of August to mourn the Mets and now I’m ready to adopt a surrogate team and sit back and watch the Wild Card dogfight in the National and American Leagues.


Traditionally, my top-tier adopted team is always the Red Sox. I can identify with this team because much like the Mets, they historically have been an underdog, and they are usually victimized by the hated Yankees in one way or another. But the truth of the matter is, since winning two World Series the Sox have lost a bit of charm for me. Maybe it is because the Mets haven’t won squat that I am losing my sense of kinship with the formerly beleaguered Sox Nation, but more and more I have been picking true underdog teams – especially those with very low payrolls, to pull out an October miracle. Last year it was the Rays and former Met Scott Kazmir. In 2007 it was the Rockies with their miraculous end of season hot streak, This year I have a lot of good choices but I’m thinking the Texas Rangers just might be the team I’d like to see take the Wildcard. It is doubtful they would get past the Yankees to go to the World Series so let’s just take one thing at a time for now.

My reasoning behind rooting Texas on this year is because with the exception of 2004 when they finished the season 89 – 73, this team has been in or hovering near the basement of the AL West for about 10 years. Their last playoff appearance was 1999 when the won the division. They also won the division in 1996 and 1998. All three times they lost to the Yankees. Through their history they have never played in or obviously won a World Series title. Because of this, I can truly identify with this franchise. I also feel somewhat sad for their fans. It takes a strong person to continuously root for a losing team. As a Mets fan, I know this first hand, but at least the Mets gave us 1969 and 1986 and a smattering of playoff action in between.

You also have to like how the Rangers have improved their farm system over the past couple of years. Just two years ago, Baseball America, ranked the Rangers farm system 28th out of 30 teams. The publication gave the Rangers the largest bump in its history by rating it No. 4 in 2008, and this year it ranked Texas No. 1. Note to Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon…maybe take some cues on how this is done and get cracking on a similar plan for the Mets.

Every year one or two teams surprise me by rising out of the ashes to be competitive. While the Rangers have some ground to make up in chasing the Red sox for the Wildcard, I get the impression that the young talent on this team is confident in their abilities like the Rays were last year. The Red Sox, on the other hand, seem to be a little older, a little more beaten up and definitely more mortal than in their championship years. It should be an interesting ride through September to watch these two teams duke it out with Tampa for a playoff slot. And the best part for me is, after a summer of turmoil in Mets land, I can just sit back, relax and take it all in on the sidelines as I wait for spring training 2010.
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Wagner, the Phillies don't want you either

On Friday, former Phillie and current Met and redneck Billy Wagner was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox. Wagner finally made his 2009 debut on Thursday against the Atlanta Braves, when he pitched one inning of scoreless baseball. Wagner’s season has been delayed due to his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he had back in September of 2008.

The former Phillies closer was placed on waivers by the Mets earlier in the week, and when he was posed with the possibility of rejoining his former team, Billy couldn’t wait to say something to show his lack of intelligence. He made mention of hating his two years in Philadelphia and couldn’t bare the thought of spending another two months in the city. It’s making public comments like those that earned Billy the nickname of “rat” by former Phil Pat Burrell.

Then, upon hearing the news that the Red Sox claimed him, Wagner told the AP that he wasn’t aware of anything going on with them, but he relished the idea of joining a contender with the possibility of pitching in the World Series. I’m sorry, Billy, are the Phillies not the defending world champs and leading their division this year? So wouldn’t that make them a contender as well? Just admit that your fragile little psyche and aging arm don’t have what it takes to pitch in meaningful games in October.

When healthy, Wagner can be an effective pitcher; after all, he was regarded as an elite closer for the last seven years or so. If Billy does go to Boston, he obviously won’t be used as their closer. The Red Sox have Jonathan Papelbon for that. Wagner will be used as more of a set-up man or as a left-handed situational pitcher for late in games. This may actual pose some problems if the Phillies were to face the Red Sox in the World Series, since the Phitans lineup is loaded with left-handed batters.

The Mets have until 1pm on Tuesday to either complete a trade with the Sox, pull Wagner’s name off of waivers (which will render Billy unable to traded again this year), or simply award the former closer to Boston. Either way, if Billy lands in Beantown, they will have to pay him about $3.5 million, which in my opinion, is entirely too much to pay for a rat.
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Phillies vs Mets: The Rivalry Burns Strong

by Chris Pollay

In the last three seasons, the rivalry between the Phillies and Mets has percolated to an all-time high. The two teams have finished one-two in the NL East standings all three times.

In 2006, the Mets took the NL East by winning 97 games, and in 2007 and 2008, the Phillies usurped their rivals in dramatic late-season fashion, taking the division title by a total of one game (2007) and three games (2008) altogether.

Since the NL East was first created in 1969, the Phillies and Mets have only finished one-two in the division four times altogether, so it is odd that three of them have occurred in recent consecutive seasons.

The other time was in 1986 when the Mets barely edged out the Phillies by 21.5 games.

OK. So, the history of the two ballclubs has been seemingly uninspired intermittently for well over three decades. Heck, the two teams have never even competed against each other in the postseason.

Still, the rivalry has been a thing of beauty to witness lately. In fact, if you look at the head-to-head record of the teams during the past three seasons (2006 to 2008), the Mets hold the bare minimum of margins with a 28 and 27 overall record.

However, if you factor in this season’s ten games (Phils lead 6 to 4) between the two clubs, the Phillies have racked up 33 wins versus 32 losses in the last 65 games between them.

It simply doesn’t get any closer than that. Or does it? If you look at the two team’s 46 head-to-head games throughout 2007, 2008 and so far in 2009, the run total for both teams against each other is as follows: Phillies, 206 runs; Mets, 207 runs. Wow.

With a four-game series coming up between the Phils and Mets in New York, it seems like the stakes might be awfully low this time around. After all, the Phils lead the Mets by 14.5 games and there are two teams sandwiched right in the middle of them in the standings (the Marlins and Braves).

But don’t think for a minute that the Mets don’t want these games badly. This time the Phils will be playing for October and the Mets will be playing for pride.

Long before 2006 and the neck-and-neck division lead battles, the teams still managed to battle hard with tons of memorable games. In fact, since the 2000 season (including thus far in 2009) here is a breakdown of the team’s head-to-head rivalry: the Phils have won 88 games; the Mets have won 84. Only four games separate them in an entire decade!

To illustrate further, let’s break down the total runs scored in those games. The Phils have put 812 on the board while the Mets have put up 804. Eight measly runs separate them in 170 games!

As a way of comparison, let’s look at how the MLB’s “best rivalry” -- the Yankees and Red Sox -- have fared against each other in that same time frame (since 2000, which includes two postseason series against each other).

The Yankees have also outscored Boston by a mere eight runs in all of that time, but the win-loss record is a bit more lopsided. The Bronx Bombers have won 99 to the Red Sox’s 89 victories, a difference of ten games.

I realize nobody will forget the classic back-to-back seven game ALCS series between those two clubs in 2003 and 2004, but the numbers this decade actually suggest that the Phillies and Mets have been a little closer overall in their recent rivalry.

Hopefully, they will translate into another memorable series over the next four days.

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From pitiful to passable ...

After some recent unwatchable games, the New York Mets played a fairly solid game this afternoon. Not spectacular by any means, as they were helped by some defensive shortcomings on the part of the Padres', but solid enough.

Johan Santana pitched a great game and even helped him self out with a double. I know Santana is one of the only bright spots the Mets have left and they don't want to jeopardize that, but with the way the bullpen has been pitching, why pull him after the eight? I know most teams are extremely cautious about the number of pitches their starters throw, but Santana had made it through eight and threw 109 pitches. Why not at least give him a chance in the ninth?

Is Jerry Manuel being conservative? Does he realize the season is pretty much over for his team so instead of risking a late game injury to one of the only stars he has left, he pulls him? But if the season is just about over, why not give him a shot? Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe I'm trying to blame someone, or something (as other writers on this blog have mentioned).

I'm getting bored as a fan. I love my team, but they go from pitiful to passable like it's nothing - it's like dealing with a moody teenager. I don't want to give up on them, but I almost wish they'd just be pitiful. I can't take much more of this. Read more!

Send In The Clowns - The Circus Has Arrived At Citi Field

To compare the New York Mets to Ringling Brothers would be an insult to P.T. Barnum, who was not only a brilliant showman but a savvy businessman as well. While the first half of the Mets season was a comedy of errors and injuries, lately, much of the hurt inflicted on fans has come from the bungling ways of the front office and ownership.

We’ve seen a lot of this in the past under the Wilpon ownership regime. From essentially letting the players run the team in the final days of Bobby Valentine and the trading of Scott Kazmir, to the midnight axing of Willie Randolph, the Mets have been a public relations nightmare for so long it’s amazing their respected PR guru Jay Horowitz doesn’t keel over from the stress on a daily basis.

The latest debacle yesterday was actually an attempt to smother the previous week’s debacle of the bombshell allegations against VP of Player Development, Tony Bernazard. In case everyone out there in happy Phillies-land missed this, good old Tony was apparently a great baseball mind who had zero social skills when dealing with players and other personnel. He also apparently liked to whip off his shirt and threaten players but we can’t go there because as you all know, the first rule about fight club is don’t talk about fight club.

Anyway, after NY Daily News Reporter Adam Rubin broke the story of Bernazard’s misconduct last week, the Mets GM Omar Minaya addressed the media, saying the team was investigating Bernazard’s actions to the 11th degree. It was a cringe-worthy spiel in which Omar spoke in circles, using the word “investigate” far too many times. But hey, at least the front office was taking these allegations seriously. So despite Omar’s lack of command of the English language, at least the fans knew the team was looking into matters.

A week went by and even though the Bernazard story died down a bit, it was still making some headlines in the New York papers. The Mets, seeking closure, concluded their investigation and decided to remove Tony from his post. Yesterday, the team called another press conference where Minaya informed the public of the teams’ decision.

Sadly, what should have been closure turned into even more of a fiasco as soon as Omar hit the podium. The press conference was torturous to listen to. It was so bad that I actually wanted to crawl under my desk and hide.

Pretty much the only concrete statement made was that the Mets concluded their investigation and decided that it would be better if the organization parted ways with Bernazard. Omar could not or would not divulge the details of what lead to the decision. He did not specify whether the allegations made by the Rubin and others were true. All he said was that the Mets had been investigating Bernazard since before the claims were printed and that what they found out did not jibe with the organizations philosophy.

As Omar talked in circles, the press conference became increasingly difficult to listen to as every question he was asked he either could not answer because he was kept in the dark about the details of the investigation, or because of some human resources clause. But things turned really ugly when he called out Daily News writer Adam Rubin for going public with his Bernazard story because he was angling for a front office job. Wait a second, Omar, what did you say? Please tell me you didn’t go there…Oh, but he did…

At this point, what could have been a positive press conference and an example of the Mets putting something damaging behind them, instead opened up a whole new can of worms. I don’t know what he was thinking in saying this, but Omar, bad move…very, very bad move that is likely the beginning of the end for you.

As talk radio and the SNY Network went wild with this, the Mets front office attempted damage control a few hours later with their second press conference of the day in which Omar and Jeff Wilpon addressed the earlier slip of the tongue. In a pseudo apology, Omar essentially said he was sorry. But the mea culpa was not for accusing Rubin of undermining Bernazard in an attempt to get a job in the Mets front office, but for doing it at the earlier press conference. Now what kind of back-handed apology is that? That just added more fuel to the fire…You would have been better off saying nothing and waiting for the storm to pass.

Sadly, for everyone involved in this organization, this whole incident is embarrassing. For Mets fans it is truly disheartening. How can we have faith in our team if the front office acts like a bunch of bumbling idiots? How can we expect our team to take the field and play good solid baseball if there seems to be some sort of trickle-down effect where the ineptness of the front-office infects the team?

Surprisingly, maybe all of this hullabaloo is good for the players on the field. This is one of the few times in a disappointing season that the focus is not on their losing ways. The one hope in all of this is that perhaps with the spotlight shining elsewhere in the organization, the team can concentrate on just going out and playing good fundamental baseball. But as for the front office, these kinds of shenanigans have to stop.

Unfortunately, unless Omar pulls off some majorly brilliant trade or the Mets manage to make the post-season, this is probably his final curtain call. I don’t really see how he can recover from this, which is kind of sad because I get the feeling the truly inept person in all of this who should bear the brunt of the blame is really Jeff Wilpon and the way the Wilpon family runs this team.

Regardless of who the GM or even the manager is next year, if the Mets ever expect to be competitive the Wilpons need to become truly silent owners and hire great baseball people to run the everyday. The Yankees built their dynasty teams of the late 90’s while George Steinbrenner was banned from baseball. The Wilpons need to essentially ban themselves from doing anything other than signing checks. Either that or sell the team, make back your Madoff money and call it a day. As fans, all we really want is to win and be proud of our team. Sadly, I can’t say I have felt that way since 2006. And the circus has lost its mystique as well…Why spend money on Ringling Brothers when I can watch the Mets do a better job of clowning it up six months out of every year?

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All Talk and No Action Makes Omar a Dull Boy

Yesterday was of those all talk and no action days for the Mets. As if to take the focus off the weekend’s debacle series against the Braves, GM Omar Minaya addressed the media to update everyone on the status of his and manager Jerry Manuel’s job security, as well as on the Mets’ stance on the looming trade deadline. Since Omar often speaks in a circumlocutious manner, let’s analyze the meaning behind the giant puffs of hot air spewing forth from his mouth.

Job Security

In addressing reporters on Monday, Minaya spoke of an encouraging conversation with Jeff Wilpon that ironically occurred just as the Mets were being swept by their cross-town rivals, the Yankees. In this ill-timed conversation, Jeff Wilpon said, "I want you to be our general manager, and I want Jerry to be our manager." In an amusing twist, when Jerry Manuel was asked about this vote of confidence prior to the game, he said that he hadn’t recently spoken to Jeff Wilpon about this! Perhaps Omar should have filled Jerry in that he was about to rehash an old conversation to the media! Where’s PR Director, Jay Horowitz in all of this? Maybe still hanging out in St. Louis from the All-Star game?

Ok, I digress…But now, considering this vote of confidence came about two weeks ago before the wheels completely came off the bus, what was the point of Omar bringing this up to the media now? Could it be a message to the fans that Omar and Jerry bear no culpability for the state of this season given the injury situation? Or is it more of a message to the players that both Omar and Jerry will be back next year and to not mail it in the rest of this season? Players give up when they sense a manager’s mortality. Maybe this is management’s way of saving Jerry Manuel from becoming a lame duck. Who knows really what they are thinking. After all, this is the same front office that flew Ryan Church with a concussion, flew Willie Randolph from New York to California to fire him at 3AM and flew Carlos Delgado to Los Angeles to put him on the disabled list. Clearly, at the end of the day, what they say and what they do are two totally different stories. It may just be that with the whole Bernie Madoff loss, the Wilpons really don’t want to fire Omar and still have to pay him for the three year extension they so foolishly bestowed upon him last year. The same goes for having to pay Jerry Manuel for 2010. As we all know, though, the Mets change their minds as frequently as they change their underwear so only time will tell if one or both still hold their jobs next season when the Mets finish 2009 in fourth place.

Trade Deadline

In an effort to save face with the legions of disappointed fans, yesterday, Omar addressed the team’s stance on the looming trade deadline. "Are we buyers? We're going to continue to talk to different clubs," he said. "If we have the opportunity to improve the club, does that make us buyers? Yes. We're going to continue to talk to clubs."

Pardon me for asking, but what exactly does this mean, Omar? Are you sure you have command of the English language because essentially, this is a giant circle of BS and you are tap dancing around a straight answer. All we as fans ask is to just be honest. Are you buying or selling at the trade deadline? Or are you standing pat? What is the approach here?

Clearly you really have nothing to sell that’s going to bring you anything of value. And you really have nothing with which to buy with. The Mets have no real prospects of interest, and again, I have a sneaking suspicion that thanks to good old Bernie M., the Wilpons either don’t have the funds or don’t want to spend them. If they do have the funds and the rumored Halladaytrade proposal from the Blue Jays is true, you would have to be smoking crack not to jump at the deal. Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Ruben Tejada for Halladay is a no-brainer if you can get Halladay to agree to an extension. This is as one-sided a deal as the Santana coup was. Martinez looks more and more like the bust Alex Escobar was every day. Niese projects to be a fourth starter at best. Parnell has shown cracks in his armor the last two months and Tejada will likely never play shortstop for the Mets unless Reyes is unloaded. You have no farm system as it is so what’s a few more mid-level prospects? The Jays aren’t even asking for your two best prospects in Brad Holt and Jenryy Meijia. Even though the Mets look done for 2009, to have Halladay and Santana pitching next year is about as dominant as you can get. You add a bat to replace Delgado’s and you’re 85% on your way to a division title. And Halladay doesn’t go to the Phils or any other NL East team. What are you thinking?

Somehow, I get the feeling this trade proposal really is a rumor because if it isn’t and the Mets just won’t even consider it then Omar definitely needs to go…and if it’s the Wilpons being reluctant to let Omar do this then they should just sell the team, make back some of that lost Madoff money and call it a day.

And what did Omar have to say about all of this? "That rumor's out there right now, but I'm not going to comment about rumors.”

Well, Omar, do you know what I have to say about this? Until you and the front office are forthright with the fans about what your plans are for this team and how you plan to fix this giant mess, maybe you ought to keep your mouths closed instead of spewing a bunch of nothing as a placebo. Mets fans are loyal to a fault. We have put up with way more losing and disappointment than success and yet we return every season with new hopes and dreams. Clearly, we hate ineptness, but we can deal with it. Deception, however, whether intentional or not, is unforgiveable so don’t go there…We deserve better. Oh, and come September, if anyone is thinking of making Jerry Manuel take the fall for this lost season, you had better make sure Bobby Valentine is locked in to take his place. He’s probably one of the few people I trust to put words into action and turn this ship around. Read more!

Streaking Phillies look to bust division wide open

The Philadelphia Phillies are hot right now. They seem to be clicking on all cylinders and have picked up after the All Star break exactly where they left off. The team is a winner of seven games in a row and nine out of ten as they head into Saturday night’s contest against the second place Florida Marlins, a team whom the Phillies hold a six-game edge over in the division.

Even Mother Nature can’t cool off the Phillies. During Friday night’s 12-inning victory over the Marlins, the game was delayed one hour 18 minutes for rain. The rain, no doubt, contributed to the Marlins tying the game late on the Phillies. The Phillies were up 4-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning when the Miami skies opened up. Phillies starter Cole Hamels looked like his old self, allowing only four hits and one run in five innings prior to the rain. After the rain delay, Hamels was replaced and the bullpen couldn’t hold on to the lead, but with clutch hitting and the services of Brad Lidge, the Phils were able to squeak out a 6-5 victory.

This series with the Marlins could prove to be crucial as the second half of the season begins. Since Florida is in second place, every win for the Phillies further extends their lead in the division over them. If the Phillies can take at least one more game in this four game set, that would stretch their lead to seven games over the Marlins, a team who some think have what it takes in young talent and pitching to at least make a run at the Phillies for the division title this year.

Meanwhile, the Braves are probably the only team with a legitimate chance to challenge the Phillies for the division crown. They have quality pitching, talented hitters, and a manager who knows how to win. They also swept the Phillies in Atlanta a few weeks ago while the Phillies were struggling mightily. The Braves, who are also six games back in the division, are currently beating up on the AAA club that is wearing the New York Mets uniforms. The Mets, who are now 8.5 games behind the Phillies, lost Friday night 11-0 in Atlanta and due to key injuries, are all but finished this season.

A six or seven game lead may not seem like a big lead in the division, and in July it isn’t, but it would take a near meltdown (like the Mets in 2007) for the Phillies to actually give up that lead. The Phillies are playing great baseball currently, and now is the time for them to open up their division lead to double digits. They just acquired former three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez to fill their fifth starter position and are still the top team to land Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. If the Phillies land Halladay, the question isn’t “Will the Phillies win the division?” The question will be “By how many games will the Phillies win the division?”

Even if the Phils don’t land Halladay, they are still the favorite to win the division. Granted they do have a lot of games left to play against the Braves and Marlins which could make things interesting down the stretch, but the Phillies are typically a strong second-half team and they certainly know how to finish off the competition. Read more!

Perception as reality

Not having watched the show I can’t vouch for the validity of this, but based upon a huge number of Twitter mentions, it would appear that comedian Jimmy Fallon’s monologue Monday night included this quip: Tomorrow is the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Or as the Mets like to call it, "vacation."

By the sheer volume of redistribution of this little pearl of wisdom, one might think this was the greatest comedic utterance since Costello first asked “Who’s on first?” But in truth, the line’s about as funny as it is accurate. Of the 29 MLB teams, 13 rosters didn’t hold a single player voted as an All-Star. And, of the remaining 16, only one - the Phillies - had more players (5) invited to the season’s halftime show than the Mets (4).

I’m not about to indict the misguided Fallon for assault with a foolish tongue. The fact of the matter is, if you’re perceived as a joke, you are a joke, and so far this year the Mets might as well be wearing joker’s hats instead of baseball caps. Player lowlights don’t just end up on local news, they grace the entire world online and live there in perpetuity. Just as HD television takes note of every minor skin flaw your favorite reality star is sporting, the internet makes every major flaw of your favorite sports star a broadband reality and the potential butt of any joke, late night or otherwise.

If the Mets are going to allow themselves to be defined by their troubles - walk off errors, base running blunders, bat anemia, and an inability to portray that you actually do understand all the rules of the game (just to name a few) - then they’ve created the true playing field that the rest of the world judges them on. By not rectifying their problems on the field they’ve allowed perception to become reality. Today’s reality is that the Mets put up a comedic first half. It’s up to the players to change the perception by providing a new, improved reality, no matter who within their system might be playing at any time on any given day.

Management is another perceived joke that has seemed to be laughed at more and more since Omar Minaya’s plane touched down on the west coast and Willie was sent packing back east. However well he may believe he break danced around any criticism about how that particular situation was handled, Minaya’s personal presentation in the year since has invited the perception that he is a bit of a stammering joke. Through all the team troubles, Minaya has appeared to be incapable of displaying himself as forthright and fully educated. Through injuries he’s appeared unaware of status or expected treatment, and through player moves he’s appeared less than honest and, frankly, ignorant. Most importantly, through a period when the need for any type of field and plate relief would appear to be a no-brainer, he’s stuck his neck out just enough to bury his head in the sand while the inadequacy of the farm team he's responsible for is beginning to ring clear. While Jerry Manuel’s mantra could be categorized as “don’t give up,” perception is that, for at least this season, Minaya already has. For a team to which he’s devoted the second highest total salary in the major leagues, that might be considered the very biggest joke of all. That is except for the All-Star game itself, which is arguably in a league of its own.

For all you twitterati who might be interested, feel free to follow my ongoing musings at twitter.com/MikeVooss

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Thoughts before the break

With the All Star break upon us I just want to reflect on a few things regarding the New York Mets. I like that they're going into the break on a two game win streak. I know it sounds trivial but it shows there's still hope. They're also currently 6.5 games out of first place and only 3 under .500. Considering all that has been going on with them, it could be a lot worse. Pagan is back and made a difference the first game he played in. It's been nice watching them string runs together and get hits with guys on instead of the bases empty. It's nice to watch a genuine rally instead of a typical Met rally, a walked batter, a passed ball, a wild pitch, an infield error, etc.
I'm still not sure how I feel about the Church/Francoeur trade. I need to do some more research but I like that they're trying to make things better. Although instead of all the talk about pitching, I think they should concentrate more on adding bats. I hope those that go to St. Louis enjoy it, but remember there is still work to be done. I'm not expecting miracles, just some hard work and a bit of heart. Read more!

Read 'Em and Sweep

By Chris Pollay

At the start of the weekend, four teams found themselves bottlenecked together atop the National League East. The Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins were tied for first with the New York Mets only one game back and the Atlanta Braves a mere two-and-a-half back.

When the smoke cleared at the end of Sunday afternoon, it was the Phillies who remained at the top with a one game lead over the Marlins and a four-game lead over the Braves and Mets.

Here are some of my observations following another wild showdown against the Phils and the Mets in the competitive NL East:

• The Mets held a 4-3 record against Philadelphia for the season going into the weekend (they also won four of the first five games in 2009). After Philly swiftly swept the series, however, the Liberty Bell Bombers now lead the rivalry this season by a 6-4 margin including five straight wins.

• The Phillies started the weekend leading the National League in numerous offensive categories, including: first in runs scored (394); first in home runs (107); first in slugging percentage (.444); first in OPS (.778); and first in total bases (1,173), yet they were barely treading over .500 with a 39-37 record. They can blame the inconsistency mostly on bad pitching as the ballclub was also ranked 15th in the National League in giving up earned runs, and 16th in hits and home runs allowed. In fact, the team had given up at least five runs in 14 of their last 18 games before they hosted the Mets on Friday. During the three-game series, however, Philly only gave up three runs overall to New York and emerged with a much more respectable 42-37 record.

• Philadelphia dominated a one-sided series in which they never trailed (or needed to bat in the 9th, for that matter). They outscored the Mets 13 to 3, outhit them 23 to 18 and didn't make an error. The Mets committed two. New York batted a collective .196 (18 of 92) and the Phils were .261 (23 of 88) as a team.

• The trio of starting pitchers for the Phils (Rodrigo Lopez, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton) boasted an ERA of 1.35 in 20 innings. Even more notable, the club's bullpen had a cumulative ERA of 0.00. Not a single run was scored by the Mets in the 8th or 9th innings.

• Philadelphia exploded out of the gate strong and scored in the first inning of EVERY game setting the tone in the series. They were clearly hungrier and more focussed.

• Philly had accrued a distressful 13-22 home record before the series started. Now, it’s still less-than-stellar at 16-22, but the home sweep is definitely a promising sign.

• Jimmy Rollins proved once again to be a pesky thorn in the Mets' collective back sides. After struggling all season long, his bat seems to be heating up at just the right time. This weekend, he connected on five of eleven (.455) from the leadoff spot with three walks and a home run. He also scored twice and tallied five RBIs. By all accounts, he was the MVP of the weekend series.

• Chase Utley and Shane Victorino also came up clutch for the Phils. Utley batted .333 (3 for 9) with one homer, three RBIs and two runs. The Flying Hawaiian was hotter than Spam Musubi batting .429 (6 for 14) and scoring three runs with one RBI. The top of Philadelphia's lineup was absolutely devastating in the series.

• The Phillies showed much more patience in the batter's box, which is a large reason why they swept. They did strike out 15 times, but they also drew 14 walks. Meanwhile, the Mets only walked six times and whiffed 20 times.

For now, it appears the Phils are stabilizing and the Mets continue to be embroiled in turmoil (not to mention injuries). It will be interesting to see where the two teams sit in the standings when they play their next series in late August. The Mets will host four straight games.

The two teams face off against each other eight more times in the regular season.

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Big win a sign of things to come for Phils?

The Philadelphia Phillies won a game, and it came in front of their home crowd at Citizens Bank Park. Typically this is not headlining news, but the way things have been going for the Phils, it’s certainly worth noting.

The Phillies went 3-6 on their latest road trip and ended the swing by being swept in a three-game series at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. In that series, they lost the lead late in game one, got blown out in game two with ace Cole Hamels on the mound, and game three witnessed Ryan Madson self-destructing again.

There aren’t too many “must-win” games in the month of July, but Friday night’s contest against division rival New York Mets certainly was a “must-win.” The Phillies staggered into last night’s game with a 39-37 record and were in a tie for first place with the Florida Marlins. The third place injury-plagued Mets limped into last night’s game with a 39-39 record. If there was any time for the Phillies to take advantage of another team’s misfortunes, it was in last night’s game.

And that is what they did. The Phillies won the game 7-2 behind newest starting rotation fill-in Rodrigo Lopez, who went 6.1 innings and only gave up two earned runs. The offense also came to life and scored seven runs due in part to Jimmy Rollins going 2-for-5 with two RBI’s and Jayson Werth’s 16th home run of the season.

The Phillies hope to continue their winning ways today behind Jamie Moyer in game two of this three-game series versus the Mets, who are sending out Fernando Nieve. If the Phils can piece together a few victories against a team that is more decimated with key injuries than they are, maybe this can be what catapults them back to looking like a defending world champion.

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Goodbye June Swoon, Hello July Revive

By Chris Pollay

It has been a painful month for Phillies’ fans, to be sure. Calling it a June Swoon is too kind. It’s more like a Friggin’ Free Fall.

After starting the month on a 4-0 tear, Philadelphia proceeded to lose 14 of their next 19 games as opponents treated the pitching staff’s fastballs like oversized piñatas. With one more game left to play this month, Philly has posted an overall June record of 11-14. Even if they win tomorrow, they will still end up with a cumulative losing record for the entire month.

That’s no reason to sound the alarm just yet, but the Phils do need to shut off the snooze button.

Despite recent evidence to the contrary, the Phillies have been irrefutably consistent for a long time now. During 2008 and 2009, the ballclub played ten months of regular season and post-season baseball and accumulated winning records during eight of them*.

Both exceptions occurred in June. That just can’t be coincidence.

(*If you are a stickler for details, Philadelphia did technically have a losing record in another month in 2008 when they opened their season one day prior to April. Thus, they ended up 0-1 for March.)

It’s hard not to believe the team is a victim to the infamous June Swoon that so often plagues Major League Baseball franchises. However, statistical evidence of last year also suggests the Phils may have a July Revive coming up now.

The Phils have posted 15-10 records in July during the previous two baseball seasons. So, here’s hoping they can win 60% of their games this July, as well.

Take a look at the breakdown of the team’s month-by-month win-loss records for the past two seasons:

April 2009: 11-9
May 2009: 17-11
June 2009: 11-14 (With one game still to play.)

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March 2008: 0-1
April 2008: 15-12
May 2008: 17-12
June 2008: 12-14
July 2008: 15-10
Aug. 2008: 16-13
Sept. 2008: 17-8
Oct. 2008: 11-3 (Postseason)

What stands out to me is how similar the records are month by month. The Phils were three games over .500 in April of 2008 and two games over .500 this April.

In May, the team won the same number of games in 2008 as it did in 2009, suffering only one more loss last season.

In recent history, June has proven undeniably bad, of course, but if last July, August and September are any indication of how the team plays late in the year, Philadelphia should inevitably revert to their winning ways shortly. (They certainly seem to get hungrier in the second half of the season.)

Manager Charlie Manuel’s recent closed-door meeting on Friday may have provided the spark that will light a midsummer fire underneath the ballclub.

Interestingly enough, there is a positive by-product to all of the losing of late. The Phillies have learned that the division race is theirs to win or lose.

The last time the Phils took over first place in the NL East was on May 30th. They have remained in that spot throughout the entirety of June despite trying to sabotage that lead in every conceivable way.

Of course, a large reason for this is that the Mets have solemnly swooned their way through June as well, posting an even worse 9-16 record leading up to today. Read more!