Quick Rant

So last night in Philadelphia, Toronto Blue Jays closer injured his foot when he ran down the first base line after batting in the 10th inning. Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston was livid after his closer got hurt after batting in a National League Park. This was his reaction.....

"Instead, Gaston's resented having to play by National League rules, arguing that forcing pitchers to hit put American League teams at a disadvantage and endangered hurlers unaccustomed to the rigours of baserunning.

His worst fears were realized at the end of a five-run Toronto 10th inning, when closer Scott Downs injured his left foot after a grounder to short. Downs hobbled down the first-base line, then left the game.

"That's what happens," said a disgusted Gaston. "My guys don't take batting practice every day and they don't run, so things like this are going to happen."

Ok where to begin. This is exactly what happened last year when The Ming got hurt in Houston running the bases. To me this whole thing is hilarious. Baseball players are the highest paid of all atheltes. Key word atheltes, right? How can you be an athelte if you cant run around the basepaths. It is really pathetic to me that Gaston would get mad about this. If a professional baseball player can't run to first, well we have problems,

"The rigours of baserunning!" That's like the rigours of walking up stairs. I mean yea it requires that your legs work, but any normal moderatly healthy human being with leg capacity can do this.

Gaston says that my guys don't run. Is that a joke? This is a professional sport and your guys don't run! Well then Gaston, I think it is your fault when guys like Scott Downs get hurt when they run down the line. I mean God save us that a professional athelte has to run a little. Just imagine if Downs got a base hit and had to turn first and run toward second. He might of died.

I believe Cito Gaston saw that the schedule had Toronto playing in Philly. Maybe he should of done some running drills on their day off Monday.

As for the DH rule, I'm not one of those guys that don't watch the American League because it's not "real" or "pure" baseball. If I had to chose for the DH to be adoted in the NL or abolished in the AL i would choose the latter but I think everything is fine how it is.

I will thank Gaston and the Blue Jays for beating the Phillies last night. Mets are now only 3 games back and yes, their roster still sucks.

Positive Pitching Trends for the Weekend

There were 10 pitchers who caught my eye this weekend who looked very good on the mound. As we reach the midway point through June, pitchers are finding themselves and coming into their own. The following 10 pitchers seem to be trending upward or have already been pitching extremely well and are setting themselves up for great second halves.

In no particular order:

1. Ricky Nolasco- I must admit, I loved this guy preseason. After a great second half in 2008 and a stellar spring training, Nolasco looked ready to become a legitimate ace in the National League. Everything came apart in the first two months, so badly that Nolasco was shipped down to figure things out. Friday was maybe Nolasco's best start of the year going 6 innings giving up 2 runs and 5 hits. Most importantly was his 1 BB and 9ks. Sign of good things to come from this guy.
Note the control in this highlight http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906135025969&c_id=fla

2. Zach Duke- What to say about Zach Duke. Interesting career so far for this 26 year old lefty. Duke burst on the scene in 2005 going 8-2 with a sub 2 ERA in 84 innings. The following three years have been forgetful but it seems like Duke is back in 2009. After his 8 inning 3 run start on Saturday, the lefty is 7-4 for the Pirates with an ERA of 3.10. I expect Duke to win 14 games this year with a sub 3.5 ERA. A true feat for a pitcher on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Note: No matter how bad the pirates are, 2009 has been a magical year for Pittsburgh. A Superbowl and a Stanley Cup! Enjoy these teams. Maybe the Pirates will finish above .500 this year.

3. Cliff Lee- AL Cy Young award winner from last year had no chance to repeat the year he had last. Some saw 2008 as a huge fluke but he is proving that he is one of the best pitchers in the game right now. Sunday he took a no hitter into the 8th inning. Lee went the distance and allowed 3 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6. After a rocky start, Lee has a 2.88 ERA and 69/20 strikeout to walks. He seems to be getting stronger as the season progresses. I like this guy. http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906145060695&c_id=cle

4. Rick Porcello- Jersey kid and favorite for AL rookie of the year in 2009. Was possibly the top pitcher in the 2008 draft but sign-ability issues dropped him to the bottom of the first round. The Tigers scooped him up and their decision has payed off, big time. Porcello is only 20 years old but is pitching like he has been up for 5 years. After another stellar performance this weekend, throwing 7 innings of 1 run ball, his numbers on the year are very solid. 7-4 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. I'll say it again, the kid is 20 years old.

5. Jered Weaver- Definitely better than his brother. Weaver got his 4th consecutive win in 4 starts, the one on Sunday had Weaver throwing a complete game shutout. Weaver is now 7-2 with a 2.08 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. This makes him the third best pitcher in the AL right now. http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906145059375&c_id=ana Notice Cliff Banger getting K'd up 3 times, ouch!

6. Josh Johnson- Peter Gammons' pick to win the Cy Young. He has not disappointed with a 6-1 record, a 2.76 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. 83 strikeouts to 23 walks. Went the distance on Sunday. Has yet to give up more than 3 earned runs in a start this year and has failed to reach 6 innings in only 1 of his starts. His location is dirty. http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906145054443&c_id=fla

7. Matt Cain- Finally getting the run support he deserves and is turning that into wins. Cain went the distance this weekend improving to 9-1 with a 2.39 ERA. His start on Sunday was his best of the year going 9 innings, giving up 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 9 and walking none. Keep up the good work. Younger and overshadowed by Lincecum on the Giants staff. Cain is 25 and is looking at a breakout year. Fastball was unhittable http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906145059373&c_id=sf

8. Tim Lincecum- The other guy on the Giants staff. The one that won the cy young award last year. Looking better than ever after a complete game shutout with 8 k's over the weekend. Brings his strikeout total over 100 and is now 6-1 with a 2.66 ERA. I love watching this guy pitch. http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906135025681&c_id=sf

9. Jon Lester- Had a rough start to the season but has given up only 1 run in 4 of his past 5 starts. Numbers are a little high but expect those to come down as the season progresses. In Philly this weekend, Lester struck out 11 in 7 innings of work giving up only 1 run on 2 hits. The slider he gets Howard on in the 6th inning is straight filth. Also Feliz in the 7th gets embarrassed http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906135025817&c_id=bos

10. Dan Haren- Your NL Cy Young as of June 15th 2009. Wait, his record is only 5-4? Well yea but that is only because the D'Backs are horrible. Haren threw a complete game 2 hitter giving up a run while striking out 7. His ERA is now sitting at 2.2 and he has a ridiculous strikeout to walk ratio. His WHIP is at an unreal 0.81 with 90 ks and 13 walks. Unreal
http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200906135025761&c_id=ari

A New Level of Hell

Um so lets see, well yea I'm still alive which is good.

Castillo, use two hands next time. Should i feel bad for him. Na! He is making 25 million dollars over his stay with the Mets. Granted he might have trouble sleeping, I'm sure his bed was nice.

Maybe we will win today? Maybe this team will be good one day?

By far, the worst loss of a game I have seen my high school baseball days.

I need a drink

Omar Minaya and the New York Mess

The face of the New York Mess franchise is right here. The Mets lost in typical heartbreak fashion last night to the Phillies to fall 4 games back.

This should of been a sweep. The Mets had all 3 of these games won. The Phillies were able to mount two come from behind wins to further pour salt in the wounds of Met fans that have been festering since September 2007.

In my opinion, the 2009 Mets are the worst Mets team since the Art Howe days of 2004. The product on the field right now is terrible and the blame falls on the shoulders of Omar Minaya.

It all came together in 2006. Minaya had built a team that was the best in Baseball. For almost all of 2006, they were. We all know how that year ended. Heartbreak, tragedy, travesty, shameful, pathetic and soft. All these words have become associated with the New York Mets since Beltran took a called third strike.

So after two September collapses, one being the greatest collapse in baseball history, losing on the last day of the season, at home twice, the Mets find themselves limping into Yankee Stadium to face their cross town rivals. The Mets do not know the meaning of the word momentum. The Mets are not mentally tough. They are not competitors. The fire burnt out a long time ago and Minaya remains behind, breathing in the smoke.

Where to begin?

Raul Ibanez hit a 3 run homer in the tenth to give the Phillies the lead for good. Who served it up? Satoru Komiyama I mean Ken Takahashi. Ok so Jerry Manuel wants to bring in a lefty to face Utley, Howard and Ibanez. That makes sense right? O wait, left handed hitters are hitting .444 against him and he has a 3.20 WHIP against them! Both those numbers are not typos. So what does Takahashi do? He walks Howard then gives up a 3 run bomb to Ibanez.

Don't managers get paid for these kind of things?

The real reason we lost this game. Yep, the lineup. It is embarrassing. It gets me really angry so I am going to type this as fast as possible. After Beltran and Wright, this lineup is full of a bunch of scrubs. Barring F-Mart who has like 30 career at bats, everyone else is garbage. The Mets got 3 runs off Moyer in 6 innings. Not bad, I can live with that. So what happened in the seventh eighth and ninth inning? The Mets went down without a base runner! Are you serious? Score one run and the game is over. 7th, 8th 9th inning and not a base runner. It's so pathetic.

Is it the players fault. Not really, because they suck. They aren't supposed to hit. Castillo is an automatic out from the left side. Alex Cora, cant expect him to get a hit. Why? Because he sucks. He is a 33 year old career utility infielder. Gary Sheffield? 3 for his last 30. This guy is 40 years old! Our number 6 hitter; the great Fernando Tatis. Hey Minaya, this guy had his last hurrah last year. Dont get the impression that this guy is actually good. Our catcher? Whoever it is, he isn't going to be hitting.

So after Beltran and Wright, the Mets lineup is made up of Sheffield, Murphy, Tatis, Reed, Santos, Cora. Now do you realize why this team doesn't score runs. In the past nine games, these guys are hitting a combined .230

Next order of business, the Mets rotation is very thin. Pelfrey and Maine are good number 3 and 4 starters, not 2 and 3s. I mean after Johan it is those two, Livan and Tim Redding. They may be doing an ok job now but these guys have yet to prove anything.

Also Omar Minaya spent 13 million a year on Oliver Perez. That move alone should get Minaya fired. Especially when Derek Lowe was on the table. I mean how many Met fans would kill for Randy Wolf right now.

I lost my train of thought.

Anyway, it is Subway Series time which is always fun. Mets need to be careful tonight because the Yankees are not a happy team. I would say to expect a slug fest but the Mets are not capable of that.

As the legend Mr. P would say

"You're just not that good. You go to catch a ball and you drop it. It's not your fault, you're just not good" Go and try to hit the ball, you strikeout. Not your fault, you're just not that good."

Ah Fried day!

My Allstar Squadrons

So rather then bitch and moan about another mind boggling and painful (but typical) Met loss, I am going to put together my NL and AL Allstar lineups as of their performance up till now.

Fan voting is stupid and it shows how idiotic MLB fans are at times.

So for your visiting American League

1. Carl Crawford RF- Has elevated his game to another level, batting .324 with a league leading 34 steals. Stole six in a game
2. Joe Mauer C-Returned from the injury and is batting over .400 with power. Maybe the best pure hitter in the AL
3. Justin Morneau 1B- Easily could argue Teixeria but Morneau has been the better masher as of now. While he has less HR's than Mark T, his avg is 40 points better.
4. Evan Strongoria 3B- His April and May numbers are enough to get him the starting nod here. If he stayed healthy, he would have 70 RBIs right now.
5. Jason Bay LF- The heart of that Red Sox lineup. RBI machine.
6. Ian Kinsler 2B- Has emerged as the best second basemen offensively. Combo meals are his favorite.
7. Derek Jeter SS- Yankee Stadium has helped his numbers but he belongs here. If you want to start SS for the AL over Jeter, you better blow his numbers out of the water.
8. Adam Jones CF- Baltimore lacks any type of starting pitcher, but they have a bunch of exciting young hitters. Jones has been the best of them this year, filling up a 5x5 sheet nicely
9. Zack Greinke SP- I flipped a coin. Roy Halladay has done everything to have earned this spot. But Greinke has been slightly better. His April was one of the best months ever for a starting pitcher.

And for your National League
1. Hanley Ramirez SS- Bothered by injures but is still the best SS in the league hitting wise and has put up all star numbers thus far.
2. Chase Utley 2B- Is the standard for 2nd basemen in the league. The leader of the defending champion Phillies. 15 bombs and a .300 clip
3. Albert Pujols 1B- The best hitter in the game. Period! Give him your applause St. Louis
4. Ryan Braun LF- A pure beast at the age of 25. Seems to be getting hotter as the season progresses
5. Raul Ibanez RF- 20 Home Runs already. At 37, having his best year as a pro.
6. David Wright 3B- Can't hit home runs in Citi Field but on pace to steal over 40 bags. Also hitting .350
7. Justin Upton CF- Beltran would be the better choice in the field but this 21 year old Upton has become what everyone thought he would be. One of the best young hitters in the game, he will be making himself a fixture in the midsummer classic
8. Bengie Molina C- Someone has to play Catcher. Bengie is the oldest and best Molina and has swung a solid bat thus far
9. Johan Santana SP- His numbers have been lackluster this June but he is the best pitcher in the NL and is deserving of the start after being snubbed from the roster last year.

Let me know what you think.

Changes anyone?