Poll: Will the 4 unions & CCSD be able to settle the budget without any job changes?

Poll: Will the 4 unions & CCSD be able to settle the budget without any job changes?

Enough Already?

Those who know me, those who follow my "Sound Offs" on "Vegas Unwrapped", or on these and other hallowed Blog pages know if nothing else, I rarely hit the panic button nor do I demand change for the sake of change only or because of one incident alone.

It takes a lot to rattle these old bones especially when it comes to making changes in the Mets organization, particularly with the man at the helm, for it has always been my opinion that a manager does just that, manage. He doesn't pitch one pitch, steal one base, or score one run. He is there to use his considerable skills in motivating his players to do their best and on really very few occasions will make a move within a game that can clearly determine it's outcome.

This is a double edge sword for me. I want the Mets to do well, but I know if they don't the days of the Omar and Jerry show will soon be at an end. Yea!

Jerry Manuel clearly is an exception to that rule. He has mismanaged this team almost from the day he inherited it, because the Mets upper management felt they needed a "fall guy" for the collapse of 2007. I just wonder how many Mets fans today are sorry for the events that early June morning in California nearly two years ago.

Without prolonging and justifying for what seems like the 100th time, I have spoken not too kindly about Mr Manuel, I will say that this season is beginning to really drain my patience

I have been a Mets fan since April 12th 1962 and have gone through hell and back with them for the past 48 years. I suffered through the bad and rejoiced through the amazing but I have never for one day lost sight that this team has always been capable of doing so much better than it has done and I have clearly laid the blame at the feet of the ownership with the Wilpon's being right up there with the worst of the worst.

With that said let's get back to Jerry. I'm going to use tonight's game not with 20/20 hindsight because that is the simple way, but to tell you hear and now that I was screaming at the TV long before the incidents happened which definitely cost this team an opportunity to help get back on track which they are pressing so hard to do.

Let's start where it does start and that's the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mets were up 1-0 thanks in part to the fine pitching performance of everybody's favorite whipping boy, ( unless John Maine is pitching that game) Oliver Perez, who held the Cardinals to no runs and four hits in six solid innings on the hill. Having already made Albert Pujols seem almost human for one night while not having to face his latest partner in crime, Matt ( I should have been a Met ) Holliday, Perez held a precarious 1-0 lead.

After giving up a lead off single and a sacrifice bunt Manuel decided he had seen seen enough of Perez despite striking out four and walking three. Perez had reached 97 pitches for the night and I'm not faulting his removal. What I am faulting is Jerry's history of overusing his bullpen and tiring out his pitchers. Lets take Fernando Nieve, who was in competition for the 5th spot in the rotation with Jon Niese. He didn't win the spot but looked liked the ideal long man for the bullpen since he has already been "stretched out" to go more than an inning or perhaps two. The problem is then just how often do you use such a pitcher. The general knowledge from pitching coaches throughout the majors is to use a pitcher like that maybe 2 or possibly but no more than 3 times a week.

This was his 6th appearance in 10 games. Come on. All he did was hit Schumaker and walked Holliday leaving it open for Valdez to come in and give up the granny to Lopez, who just by the way, was available all winter long while we re-committed ourselves to that brilliant power hitter from both sides of the plate Luis Castillo.

That brings me to the ninth where the Mets tried to come back and almost did except their manager is a moron and needs to be taken behind the barn and taught a little game management. Here it is 2 out and Jerry has already made a tremendous blunder by having Angel Pagan pinch run and takes his potent bat out of the lineup. So Pagan is at second and who is standing at the plate with a chance to tie the game? Remember, the outfield is playing a little shallower because they know this "punch and judy" hitter is not going to bust one over their heads. It's none other than the 6 million dollar a season man Luis Castillo.

So you say, what are Jerry's alternatives? He thinks Castillo is the best alternative. Really? One might argue that Alex Cora is no better in that spot. Others might think Homero Blanco would be no better either. I believe either one of them would be better and here's why.

The Mets who did get on in the ninth jumped on Ryan Franklin's first pitch because it was always a fastball in and around the plate. The reason for this was because he was struggling getting his other pitchers over. Castillio's notorious for not swinging at the first pitch regardless of where it is. He hardly ever swings at the second or the third pitches either. He generally waits until he is either behind in the count or has two strikes on him, always. So what does Franklin do? He lays one right down the center of the middle of the plate, a perfectly hittable pitch, perhaps a game tying or game winning pitch to be hit by anyone who swings a bat.

But noooooo, Castillo doesn't take this opportunity to be a winner. He never does and when he gets his obligatory two strike count he weakly grounds a ball to short and is easily thrown out to see another Mets loss put in the books.

The blame here?. Directly on Jerry Manuel,s shoulders, with an assist from Omar Minaya. Those supposedly in the know say nothing will change until at least May 1st. Why? Must the Mets lose eight out of their next ten to make the change?

Do it tonight in the middle of the night. It won't be the first time and Bobby Valentine's Baseball Tonight Show has already been put to bed.

A Ray of Hope Springs Eternal

Today, opening day, the optimists ruled. The naysayers out there already have their rebuttals. "You had Santana pitching, you should have won. Now lets see what you've got".

Perhaps they are right. Certainly 2009, nor this most recent spring training has given even the most loyal Mets fans some ill conceived notions that this team will win the NL East going away in a wire to wire race.

Plus the fact, regardless if you win or lose on opening day, whether it's a blow out like today's victory over the Florida Marlins or it's a walk off hit, you are always reminded that this is a 162 game season and there's still plenty of games to be played.

Fortunately the Mets have a pretty solid major league leading winning percentage on opening day despite losing that opener in it's first  eight seasons. They are 32-9 since then and although you would like to believe that would carry through the 162 game schedule, more often than not, it hasn't happened that way for the Mets. 

The obvious pluses, those the optimists expected to see where apparent from the very first inning. Johan Santana put the Marlins down in order. In fact he got the first seven batters out before giving up his first hit. No no hitter today!

You just had to know that David Wright has been counting down the days since last October to this day simply tired of hearing all the negativity about how he's lost his power, how his strike outs had increased, how he lunged at bad pitches and how he just couldn't keep up with a good fastball. The smile that he wore as he rounded the bases after lofting one right down the right field line to put the Mets out in front to an early 2-0 must have his legion of fans in happy tears.

Other expected positives the optimists had believed would happen simply did. Jason Bey, Gary Matthews Jr, and Rod Barajas each collected two hits and Bey's triple inspired us all to think that we can't wait for the return of Jose Reyes who is a triple machine.

Despite leaving 13 runners on base, the Mets did score seven runs on nine hits which means they hit in the clutch today something you couldn't find with a telescope last year.

I loved the play of Gary Matthews Jr in centerfield today as he seem to be roaming the outfield on a team of Wells Fargo stallions. I lost count after the first eight putouts he made while the Marlins center fielder, the much heralded Cameron Maybin, seemed lost out there in the vastness of windy Citi-Field.

What I didn't expect but what I only had hoped for was the brilliance of the Mets bullpen and how they completely shut down the mighty hitting Marlins who are supposed to challenge along with the Braves, the Phillies for the NL East crown.

After Santana who went six solid innings giving up one run on six hits, Jerry Manuel turned to Fernando Nieve who was Jonathan Niese's competition for the fifth slot in the rotation. Nieve who had impressed the Mets management last year when all hell was breaking loose also found his way to the DL and was sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Manuel didn't waste any time to find out what spot Nieve would be in. Last year, despite the injuries, the pitching staff had that major bugaboo of walking a gazillion batters putting themselves in situations that could only lead to disaster. Jerry spoke early and often that this year had to be different or else those who couldn't get those strikes and let the fielders play their game would not be around long enough to matter.

So here's what Nieve did today. Two innings, two hits, two k's, 36 pitches 23 of them strikes. That is very nice. Francisco Rodriguez closed out the ninth with one ground ball and two fly outs on 14 pitches which eight were strikes. Very optimistic results even if it was only Game One.

So now comes the fun. After a day off tomorrow the Mets will throw John Maine at the Marlins on Wednesday night and Jonathan Niese on Thursday. Friday when the Washington Nationals come to town most probably licking their wounds from the pounding the Phillies put on them today and will probably continue, they will hope to get well against Mike Pelfrey and Ollie Perez before having to face Johan Santana on Sunday with a healthy and ready Jose Reyes in  the starting lineup.

By the way, I was surprised and delighted to see Alex Cora make a terrific play on a ball hit in the hole today. He's certainly no Reyes and not even as defensively sound as a Reuben Tejada but it was sparkling nevertheless.

OK then optomists, today we had our day in the sun and have the next 36 hours to bask in our victory, but beware there are those so called "Mets Realists" that are just waiting and lurking out there to try to ruin our fun. Well, you just never know, they may be waiting a long time in 2010 and may have to get some very heavy wash cloths, because from what I understand egg is very very very difficult to clean off your face.

Lets Go 1-0 Mets!

On a Brighter Note

We are now a weekend away from the start of the 2010 Major League Baseball Season and New York Mets fans all over the planet are pulling out their remaining hair and saying to anyone who will listen "Oh no, here we go again"..

Well not so fast. True the season will start with a 1/3rd of their starting team on the Disabled List but unlike last year when more than half the starters seemed to be out most of the year, this year the Mets are prepared for injuries and the substitutes they put out on the field will not resemble the 2009 version of "The
Little Sisters of the Poor"..

If Spring Training has shown Mets fans anything other than thank goodness it's over,is the fact that the players down on the farm are hardly as bad as the media has depicted them to be. Players like Ike Davis, Fernando Martinez, Josh Thole, Jenrry Mejia, Nick Evans and Rueben Tejada, to just name a few, have given Mets fans an opportunity to see a brighter future even if they may struggle in 2010.

There's more. Chris Carter and Frank Catalanotto are certified Major League quality bench players who are fighting for the final spot on the roster. Further down the farm sits Brian Holt, Wilmer Florez, Reese Havens, ( I almost said Richie) and Scott Bowman.

Yes, the starting pitchers have had a rough spring but if you have followed Spring Training statistics for as long as I have you would know not to take them too seriously.

For my younger readers I'll give a prime example that you can relate to. Just as recently as last spring, 2009, a young pitcher for the Kansas City Royals was getting his ass handed to him prior to the opening of the season. In about six or it might have been seven appearances he gave up somewhere between 30 and 40 runs about a gazillion hits, more walks than strike outs and if he was on the Yankees or Red Sox squad he never would have seen the likes of a major league ball park.

His name, Zack Greinke. I rest my case.

Johan Santana is still one of the five best pitchers in baseball. The triumvirate of Mike Pelfrey, Ollie Perez, and John Maine can very well win 45 games between them and Jon Niese who may have one of the best curve balls seen in years in Queens can be a true ace in years to come.

David Wright has hit half as many home runs in 5 weeks this spring than he did in the entire 2009 season. Wright is right again and despite his .300+ average last year he very well may win the comeback player of the year after all.

Jason Bey has been nothing short of excellent this spring and is coming on strong as Monday's opener nears. He's hit 4 homers which were flat out bombs, four doubles,10 rbi's and an awesome .414 OBP and an even more impressive .673 slugging percentage.

Now the naysayers out there are probably saying "sure you can discount the crappy pitching but you throw positive offensive stats out there at the same time. Sounds like hypocrisy to me". Actually it's not, because over the years hitters with a good spring usually carry that over into the season while pitchers do not simply because they are not throwing their game pitches most of the time. Again, Zack Greinke.

Now all of a sudden the Mets fans favorite whipping boy, Daniel Murphy, is out from 2-6 weeks with a sprained MCL. "Bring up Ike Davis now" they say, but this time, for a change, the organization is not making a rash, impulsive wrong decision. They got Mike Jacobs in the off season and all he did today was slam two HR's. Fernando Tatis will serve as Jacobs backup until Murphy returns while Davis will get his valuable ab's in AAA where he belongs.

Here's the deal from Vegas Rich.

Reyes will be back by week two. Expect to see Carlos Beltran no later than May 20th. Don't be surprised to see Angel Pagan leading the National League in hitting by May 1st. Watch Gary Matthews Jr fill in for both Pagan and Jeff Franceuor and be effective off the bench. See Rueben Tejada make at least one fine defensive play each game that Alex Cora wouldn't have a shot at. Get excited about observing a Frankie Rodriguez looking like the best closer in the game and here's the best yet, and I'm going to get slammed with this prediction.

Be prepared to witness the first no run, no hit game to ever to be pitched by a New York Met in it's team history. It won't be Johan Santana either.

Let's Go Mets and let' get those fair weather fans to close their pie holes once and for all.

MLB Prediction Time for 2010

The final countdown to the beginning of the MLB season has begun in earnest as we are now 6 days from opening night on ESPN where the Yankees face the Red Sox in what looks to me as it should be some of the closes races for all the divisions in recent years.

CC Sabathia vs. Josh Beckett should stir even the most casual fans as the Yankees attempt to repeat in 2010. They will be missing some key elements from last years championship club. Gone are Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Melky Cabrera and with Joba Chamberlain losing the battle for the 5th spot in the rotation to Phil Hughes, some of the experts are concerned that age may be creeping up on them as many of their key players, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada are all 35 years old and above.

Since the steroid issue is being monitored at it's highest level since the testing began a few years back we are seeing less and less of career seasons from this age group. It's nice to see the playing field becoming more level than in the past decade or so.

This still won't stop the Yankees, Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays from fighting it out for the two spots for October baseball. They will clearly be the favorites in the American League along with the two other division winners to play in the post season.

However don't be fooled into believing that the runner up in the Central Division won't be fighting the AL East for the lone Wild Card position. Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota are all very capable of winning 90 plus games this year so all and all this could be real fun.

The two other long shot Wild Card contenders may just come from the AL West where the Angels, Rangers and Mariners are going to have a knock em out drag down battle for that crown.

For the American League that makes it nine teams by my calculations will be battling in September.

The National League may have even more.

The Philadelphia Phiilies, the NL representative in the World Series for the past two seasons with one win and one loss, have their sights set on three straight appearances, something that has not been done in the National league since the St Louis Cardinals from 1942-1944.

Their first challenge for that appears to be coming right out of the NL East where the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins are poised to challenge the Phils. I'm one of the few few writers who actually believe that if the New York Mets can stay healthy this year that they too will be vying for the division crown. Most writers are picking them fourth in the division closer to the Washington Nationals than the eventual winner of the NL East.

If that does in fact happen then there definitely will be changes in the Mets organization starting with the end of the Omar Minaya/Jerry Manuel era which quite frankly suits me just fine.

The Central Division is a crap shoot in that no fewer than five of the six teams can lay on a claim to be in the hunt. The St.Louis Cardinals are and should clearly be the favorites if for nothing else that the top of their rotation could easily win 35-40 wins from Carpenter and Wainwright.

The Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers should be right there and will go as far their starting rotation will allow. The Cubs have to get a Cy Young effort out of Carlos Zambrano and The Brewers bats will have to stay hot all season long.

The Cincinatti Reds and the Houston Astros are the long shots here but to count them out now would be a mistake in my humble opinion. each year it seems the Reds are the sexy, trendy pick to be a dark horse that succeeds but I'm not a big Dusty Baker fan. He ruins pitchers by simply over working them and if that trend continues he will be on the outside looking in perhaps even before the season ends.

The National West is perhaps the most intriguing division in all of baseball. in each of the last few years the bottom feeders of the National league have all improved their teams considerably with perhaps the exception being the San Diego Padres but the Dodgers, Rockies, Diamondback and the Giants are likely to finish the season with perhaps a few as seven games between them. The big question here should be however can any of the teams reach 90 wins?

Personally, I think not.

Ok, so here goes. These are the Official "Vegas Rich" MLB Predictions. Please feel free to pick your own and blast these. I know you will because you always do.

AL EAST AL CENTRAL AL WEST

Red Sox 95-67 Tigers 89-73 Angels 90-72
Rays 91-71 Twins 88-74 Rangers 88-74
Yankees 88-74 White Sox 85-76 Mariners 82-80
Blue Jays 74-88 Indians 75-87 Athletics 72-90
Orioles 73-89 Royals 73-89

AL Playoffs

Red Sox 3 Tigers 1
Rays 3 Angels 2

Red Sox 4
Angels 3

NL EAST NL CENTRAL NL WEST

Phillies 92-70 Cardinals 88-74 Rockies 89-73
Mets 88-74 Brewers 86-76 Dodgers 86-76
Braves 88-74 Reds 84-78 Giants 85-77
Marlins 83-79 Cubs 80-82 Diamondbacks 83-79
Nats 73-89 Astros 79-83 Padres 59-103
Pirates 74-88

NL Playoffs

Mets beat Braves in Tie Breaker Game

Phillies 3 Cardinals 2
Rockies 3 Mets 1

Rockies 4
Phillies 3

World Series: Red Sox 4 Rockies 2

The Spring Dilemma For The NY Mets

This is the time during Spring Training that all Major League teams starts to cut down on its rosters sending some players down to their Minor League affiliates while others are sent on their way right out of the organization.

The funny thing about this process is that there are very few surprises as to who stays and who goes. Sometimes a young player with just a little minor league experience makes such an outstanding impression the management feels that he is ready for the big leagues and they can't see him not being with the parent club.

Steven Strasburg of the Washington Nationals comes to mind this year as he has not allowed a run in three appearances so far. It was expected that the number one overall player in last years draft would start the year perhaps even as high as AAA. He did have an advantage of playing college ball under Hall of Fame great Tony Gwinn but still there would seem to be no real reason to rush him into the fray. It's not like the Nationals will be in the playoff hunt this year.

On Sirius/XM Radio yesterday Rob Dibble, who I love as a color commentator and sports talk show host, said when he was in his first couple of years of Spring Training and he knew he wasn't going to make the Reds big club he actually asked the team to cut him early enough so he could get more work in the level he would be playing at.Amazing.

For the Mets as they start their cuts the big controversy, at least among the Mets faithful, revolves around whether or not K-Mart (Fernando Martinez)and Jenrry Mejia, the young pitching sensation, should be on the big club at the opening of the season.

It has been well chronicled that Martinez, still only 21 years old, has been the Mets best prospect for the past five years and has a history of injuries. During the injury fest of 2009 K-Mart, as he is affectionately called, had what's known as a cup of coffee with the Mets and was not very effective with a batting average just somewhat north of 100.

He was and is still slated, according to Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, to start the season at AAA Buffalo and if he does well he should see action with the Mets no later than September 1st.

The problem is, he's tearing the cover off the ball, this spring after an excellent showing in the Caribbean World Series. Right now it looks like Angel Pagan, who had a walk off Home Run yesterday, will begin the season in Center Field until the return of perennial All Star Carlos Beltran.

Newly acquired Gary Matthews Jr. is also having a torrid spring and will definitely make the team as it's 4th outfielder again once until Beltran's return. If that be the case where would Martinez fit in? Personally, and what most writers and fans agree on is that Martinez needs to play everyday and Buffalo is the obvious place for him to be.

Mejia's situation is even more complex. From here it doesn't look like the Mets organization has decided what their expectations are of the role that Mejia will play. Is he a starter, perhaps even a top of the rotation starter, or can he become a lights out closer?

There is a case for both sides. He can crank it up to 98 mph on the gun and is developing some pretty good secondary pitches. He has drawn favorable comparisons to Dwight Gooden who at Mejias age, 20, was already dominating Major League batters. That in of itself is not too shabby.

The other comparison has been to Mariano Rivera who some are already calling the greatest closer in the history of the game. His "cutter" over the years has been practically un-hittable and his post season performances have become legendary.

Former Met and Yankee, Darryl Strawberry ha said that Mejia's "cutter" is just as good as Rivera's and the Mets need to use him right now, this season, in the pen.

So what are the Mets to do. Jerry Manuel, not my favorite Mets manager, to say the least, has said Mejia could wind up as the 8th inning specialist this year if all falls into place.

What the Mets must be concerned about is not falling into what I call the "Jaba Catch". The Yankees have perhaps ruined this guys chances for super stardom as they vacillate between having him in the bullpen and as a starter. Most pitching experts agree that the transition from starter to reliever is much easier and likely to be more successful than the other way around.

So the Mets must decide which way to go with Mejia. I just want them to make a decision either way and more important, stick to it. What it comes down to, as I see it, is what's the better long term solution. You have Frankie Rodriguez as your closer for the next two years. Mejia, if on the big club, would serve as the apprentice waiting to move into the closers role in 2012 if the Mets chose not to resign K-Rod.

If he goes to the Minors he would have at least a year or maybe two to develop his arsenal of pitches and at 22 he could become the ace of the staff for the next 10 to 15 years. My opinion, which amounts to nothing more than a hill of beans, is that Mejia and Martinez need to be sent down to develop. I think in the long run that would give the Mets the best opportunity to compete for the playoffs for years to come.

Agree? Dis-agree? Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Way Too Soon To Panic

Here it is, one day before "The Ides of March" and the so called pendents as well as the vast majority of the Mets faithful are in full panic mode and have come to bury Caesar long before the body is cold.

Come on everybody 2009 was officially over on Oct 3rd or if you believe in the Julius Caesar calendar how about 11:59PM and 59 seconds on December 31st.

Just because two out the top five players will not be in the starting lineup on opening day and the so called starting rotation has looked a trifle bit shaky three weeks into spring training, it doesn't mean we should holding our Hari Kari swords about 18 inches from the point of entry.

It's true that I have been a Mets fan since opening day 1962 and believe me there were years that the season was over before the first pitcher threw a their first fastball in February.

It wasn't until the spring of 1968 did any Met fan on the planet see this team with the possibility of showing some real competition between the lines. Seaver and Kooseman were young arms with a world of potential and the manager was a patient man who was going to observe his team very carefully for the entire season and make the adjustments to turn them into a perennial winner and contender for years to come.

But I am digressing a bit here so let's flash forward to 2010. What is it going to take from the Mets organization to put a winning and competitive team out there and challenge the Phillies while keeping pace with the Braves and the Marlins as well.

Are we closer to last place than to first?

I don't think so. Outside of Mets training camp all the talk has been about the injuries to Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes and why it's "Deja Vu" all over again. No!, it is not by a long stretch of the imagination. Let's take a better look.

In the case of Beltran who started off the 2009 like a house on fire and seemed to be heading for his best season as a Met, Carlos had his surgery in January, not May, not June of 2010, but in January. Early reports said we wouldn't possibly see him until June. Panic time? NO!

With opening day still three weeks away now we are hearing the possibility for a mid April return. Not too shabby.

For Jose we are hearing anywhere between two and eight weeks, but that started a week ago, not yesterday, and since this been a mild thyroid case, according to medical experts, a return by May 1st is certainly not out of the question.

I remember and Angels team as recently as last year that had none of it's starters ready for opening day and winding up taking the Yankees to six games for a World series appearance.

My worst nightmare is to see an opening defense with Alex Cora and Luis Castillo moving in slow motion for a ball hit up the middle. Oh no, that thought is in real time.

Rueben Tejada is a very acceptable one month replacement.

Here's what I have seen so far that has me greatly encouraged.

David Wright has three spring home runs and he is looking very comfortable at the plate and not lunging after fastballs that he couldn't catch up to last year.

I like that Mike Pelfrey got banged around against Boston in the first inning and then bounced right back and threw three almost unhittable innings striking out batters in the process.

I liked that Ollie Perez is in the best shape of his life and is also throwing strikes. Four hit-less innings wasn't all that shabby either.

I like the fact that Nelson Figueroa doesn't look 35 and would my choice as the fifth starter ahead of both Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve who are both quite capable of pitching in the five spot.

I like the energy and emotion that Jeff Francoeur is bringing to this club and for those of you who think his totals for the Mets last year were an aberration, you are all in for a big surprise.

I like that Fernando Martinez and Ike Davis are tearing the cover off the ball and with 400 ab's in AAA these two guys may still contribute to the big club before the end of the season.

I like the professionalism that Jason Bey has brought to the team. For those of you who don't believe he is a 25/100 guy, you are dreadfully wrong.

I like the way that Daniel Murphy gets better everyday both in the field and in the box. I watched every inning of every game last year and this guy doesn't know the meaning of quit. There will be a lot less pressure on him this year and I expect a very solid if not outstanding performance from him. No he isn't Keith Hernandez of John Olerude but he's only 24 and he will wind up to be a very productive player in 2010.

I like the fact that those who see our farm system as weak and without depth need to look no further than 20 year old pitching sensation Jenry Mejia who is already drawing comparisons to Dwight Gooden and Mariano Rivera.

I like the catching situation with two extremely capable veterans in Barojas and Blanco being there to mentor future catcher Josh Thole who has Major League written all over himself.

What I like the best is that this years New York Mets will be underestimated by every team they play this year and like Tampa Bay of 2008 this Mets team is going to surprise a lot of people, especially it's fans and those who cover this team in the media.

Most of you reading this are probably thinking this guy's nuts and the Mets will be closer to last place then to first by seasons end and that's your right to believe and think that way. I just want to go on record early enough to pick the team for a definite run for the playoffs in 2010. Playoffs? Did he really say playoffs?

Yes I did and living here in Vegas I get the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is. Right now the Mets over and under for the season is 81 wins. Are you kidding me? They will have 81 wins by September 10th. You heard it here first and blast me if you will but mark this one down and take it to the bank.

Let's Go Mets!

Is There a Doctor in the House?

The saga continues. Once again the question arises when it comes to the Mets medical staff and the organization leadership, does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?

Obviously not. With so many players injured during the course of the 2009 season and the way the players were or were not treated medically correct sparked a very real concern among Mets fans everywhere. Of course it really goes back to the 2008 season with the handling of Ryan Church and his concussions.

I had hoped to put the disaster of 2009 behind me and start writing positive articles about the team I love. I have been quiet during this off season primarily because there is not anything more that has to be said regarding the UGLY 2009 season.

I have ripped Manager Jerry Manuel and his boss Genereal Manager Omar Miniya to the core last season. However, I have no choice since they have both been retained to start the 2010 campaign, I have to pick up where I left off. Omar has been overall very good in the offseason. It is his "non moves", especially at the trade deadline, that has frustrated me during his reign.

I am especially happy with the acquasition of Jason Bey and despite what others may say, I believe Benji Molina would be a move in the right direction. I would also be quite satisfied adding either Ben Sheets, Joel Piniero or Gil Meche to the Mets pitching staff but all that for another article.

Now back to Carlos Beltran. Yesterday, the Mets brass came unglued when they found out that Beltran had surgery on his knee Wednesday morning. They said he didn't inform the team as they wanted Carlos to get a third opinion. This comes from John Ricco the Assistant General Manager who held the news conference to pounce all over Carlos.

Omar Miniya was not there as he, along with Jeff Wilpon, were attending an owner's conference somewhere deep inside the Earth's core because communication between these two spokesman didn't take place.

Scott Boras, Beltran's agent defended Carlos by saying the Mets knew about the surgery. According to Boras, the Mets had sent the proper Workmen's Compensation papers to the doctor in Colorado. Now, everybody hates Boras, so nobody believed him thus Carlos Beltran was now the enemy.

Well low and behold today Carlos in a written statement read to the press by Boras, said he did inform the Mets regarding the surgery on Tuesday evening speaking directly to Miniya who in turn wished Carlos good luck and a speedy recovery. It seems Omar failed to let the organization know and now there is so much egg on the face of the Mets organization they will be serving omlettes to the Opening Day crowd.

This organization's history of poor management and decisions is nothing new. The latest faupax, is nothing short of showing the incompetence of this franchise starting right at the top.

Will I stop being a fan? Do I hope the Mets will lose 100 games this year? No, on both counts. I have stuck with them since opening day in 1962 and I will be loyal to them forever.

This doesn't make me happy and if it takes another poor showing in 2010 in order to clean house, again, right from the top, I can live with that as well.

Let's Go Mets and I think someone once said 37 years ago "You Gotta Believe".

The Mets Minors Top Prospects

JOHN SICKLES of MINOR LEAGUE BALL has posted his view of the Mets Top Twenty Prospects which I will gladly share with you and make some comments on his choices. My comments will be in italics

Top 20 New York Mets Prospects for 2010

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2nd!

Star-divide

1) Jenrry Mejia, RHP, Grade B+: He needs to refine his breaking ball and a full year of Double-A/Triple-A is necessary in my view, but he also has number one starter potential. I hope they don't rush him.

This is the highest grading I've received on Mejia which is good. we should be seeing him no later than 2012

2) Wilmer Flores, SS, Grade B+: Considering the age/competition differential, he had a pretty good year. Hard to get a handle on him saber-metrically as a result, but I'll give him some slack.

A possible replacement for Jose Reyes when his contract comes up or very possibly trade bait to get a number one or two for the starting rotation.

3) Fernando Martinez, OF, Grade B+: People are now too negative on him. The guy was the equivalent of a college sophomore last year. If a college sophomore got drafted and hit .290/.337/.540 in Triple-A, people would be drooling over him. He's made significant progress refining his tools. My main concern now is health and durability, which keeps him from ranking higher.

Durability is the key here. He's still only 21 and the Mets are still as high on him as ever.


4) Ike Davis, 1B, Grade B: Showed he could hit for power, also has a fine glove. But I think he looks more like a solid regular than a future star.

Most people in the organization who feel the Mets will stick with Daniel Murphy at first eventually see Ike in the outfield. I'm very OK with that


5) Jon Niese, LHP, Grade B: Assuming the hamstring is OK, I see him as a slightly above average starting pitcher, classic number three guy.

I agree. I see him as a call up from Buffalo this year if one of the starters goes down with injury.

6) Reese Havens, SS, Grade B-: He'll need to switch positions, and health is an issue. Has power and draws walks, and I think the batting average will come up if he stays healthy.

Organization sees him at second base for the future. So do I.

7) Kyle Allen, RHP, Grade B-: Significantly underrated prospect who deserves more attention than he's received. Breakout candidate for '10. I expect this ranking will surprise people.

It surprises me. I hope you're right.

8) Jeurys Familia, RHP, Grade B-: Like his teammate Allen at Savannah, Familia could break through big in '10. This is another ranking I expect will surprise people.

Let's hope so.

9) Brad Holt, RHP, Grade C+: I don't like the way he fell apart in Double-A, but the arm strength still deserves respect. Perhaps he might do better in relief.

I disagree on Holt. He has all the tools to be a solid two or three starter. Definitely needs more innings. I'd like to see him in Buffalo.


10) Ruben Tejada, INF, Grade C+: At worst a fine utility guy, but given his youth (age 20) and contact hitting ability he could get beyond that. I like him as a sleeper for long-term success.

In full agreement here.

11) Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF, Grade C+: The strikeouts scare me a little, but he has a broad range of skills.

Much bigger upside despite the strikeouts. Potentially a 30 hr- 30 doubles player.


12) Eric Niesen, LHP, Grade C+: You have to love the velocity and movement on his pitches, but command still holds him back.

More seasoning looks like a Randy Wolfe type to me.

13) Jefry Marte, 3B, Grade C+: Didn't handle the rush job as well as Flores did, but he's too young to give up on. Plate discipline a big problem.

If David Wright doesn't resign with the Mets, Marte will be ready by then.

14) Cesar Puello, OF, Grade C: Excellent tools, showed speed and power potential in the Appy League but weak plate discipline worries me. Could rank much higher next year if he handles more advanced pitching.

Tremendous potential when he adds the discipline at the plate.

15) Josh Thole, C, Grade C: He can hit for average, but has no power and defense is mediocre. Sounds like a bench guy to me.

I thought he was more than adequate in his September call. He is being underestimated. Give him 1,000 AB's in the minors, he will be the Mets starting catcher in 2012.

16) Juan Urbina, LHP, Grade C: He was born a week after I got my master's degree. I'm getting really freaking old. Has the raw potential to rank higher than this but let's see him pitch first.

Lefty's are always in demand. Other teams are already scouting him.


17) Steve Matz, LHP, Grade C: I think cold-weather high school pitchers are often underrated in comparison to their warm weather counterparts. We'll see if Matz fits that profile.

Ditto from my comment on Juan.

18) Brent Rustich, RHP, Grade C: If he can stay healthy, he could help in the Mets pen sooner than expected.

Could be a September call up this year.

19) Tobi Stoner, RHP, Grade C: Could contribute in '10 as fifth starter/long relief type.

Nothing but good reports on him so far. We will see how he deals with Port St. Lucie this spring.

20) Dillon Gee, RHP, Grade C: Like Stoner, he can contribute this year, assuming his shoulder rehab has gone well.

September call up most likely.


OTHERS: (Grade C): Eric Beaulac, RHP; Shawn Bowman, 3B; Robert Carson, LHP; Zach Dotson, LHP; Lucas Duda, 1B; Clint Everts, RHP; Carlos Guzman, OF; Zach Lutz, 3B; Roy Merritt, LHP; Scott Moviel, RHP; Sean Ratliff, OF; Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B; Armando Rodriguez, RHP; Nick Santomauro, OF; Josh Satin, UT: Scott Shaw, RHP; Josh Stinson, RHP; Robbie Shields, SS; Nelfi Zapata, C.

Most of those Grade C guys could slot in the 14-20 spots depending on what you emphasize. I am rushed for time on the book and didn't spend hours and hours worrying about the 14-20 Grade C ranks, so please bear with me.

First I want to clarify something I wrote earlier about propaganda and group think surrounding the Mets system. Everyone is vulnerable to the lure of crowd opinion. Even people who regard themselves as independent observers still absorb biases, or conversely, they fight so hard against other people's biases that they go too far in the other direction. This is especially true for any organization which has a substantial media presence surrounding it and a motivated fan base. It cuts both ways: a run-of-the-mill Grade C prospect can easily get over-hyped, but at the same time a guy who is really an excellent prospect can fall victim to unrealistic expectations. Fernando Martinez, as I point out above, is absolutely still an elite prospect, yet people are disappointed in him through no fault of his own.

Part of the problem with analyzing the Mets is the weird way they have handled prospects. Some guys, particularly the Latin American signees, have been rushed way too fast, while others have been handled very cautiously. I'd be a lot more confident in saber-metrically analyzing Wilmer Flores if he'd been playing in the New York-Penn League for example. However, you write your baseball book with the data you have, not the data you wish you had.

On the pitching side, the Mets have something potentially special in Jenrry Mejia, although they really need to be careful about how they handle him in '10. His secondary stuff still needs work, and I think they are asking for trouble if they rush him. Niese is ready now, and while he's not spectacular I think he will have a good career. Holt and Niesen have upside but need to sharpen their command. There are other Grade C types who can help as utility pitchers soon, but I'm very intrigued by the pitching the Mets have gathered in A-ball. Allen and Familia look like breakout candidates to me and I'm going to rank them aggressively. Lefties Matz and Urbina provide some long-distance projection.

On the hitting side, Martinez can still be a star, but he's got to stay healthy. I think 400 Triple-A at-bats would do him a world of good. Flores' numbers in the Sally League aren't great, but he was the youngest guy in the circuit and we have to cut him some slack for that. Ike Davis should be a solid hitter, while Tejada, Havens and Nieuwenhuis can at least be contributors and maybe more. Thole is one of the guys I think is over-hyped. Marte and Puelo have potential but are too raw to rank higher at this stage.

Overall, I think the Mets system is stronger at the top than a lot of people think, but at the same time they could use more depth in Grade C+/B- types. Some of the Cs have the potential to improve greatly.

I think these ranking are very fair and accurate as most projections can be. My biggest disagreement already mentioned is Josh Thole.
I'd also like to see Shawn Bowman get a shot in Flushing.He could be a bench player who has power and could give David Wright a breather or two. I'd rather see David play 150 games instead of 162.


Only time will tell.

The 4-4 Jets Need the Bye Week Now

I wonder why there is so much fuss about a team that has reached the halfway point in the season and has gone four and four. It must be a New York state of mind. Perhaps I've been away from the Big Apple too long to remember that all New York sports fans want to and expect their team to win every game no matter what. That's what makes them New Yorkers.

There are many fans out there before the beginning of the season who would have been very satisfied with a .500 record before the bye week. The fact that the team started 3-0 including a huge win against the New England Patriots raised their expectations through the roof.

Well the Jets have backed down to earth despite the fact that they totally out played the Dolphins on both sides of the ball in their 30-25 defeat. Somebody, however must have forgot to tell them that Special Teams also need to be on the same page.

This is what Special Teams Coordinator Mike Westhoff said, " this was the absolute worst performance by any of his units in his 27 NFL seasons." Ouch!

When a return artist like Ted Ginn Jr returns one for 100 yards and a score that's a pretty good deal. When he does a second one for 101 yards in the same quarter that's certainly great for him and the Dolphins, but an unimaginable for Jets Special Teams Unit.

This was the first time in my memory that this achievement has been accomplished during my football watching days.

Now Head Coach Rex Ryan has beaten himself up and down and behind the barn, he has given his team the next 6 days to get away from football. He expects that the rest is a good thing and his team will come back invigorated and ready to make a run at the playoffs in the second half of the season.

The Jets have Jacksonville, Carolina, Atlanta and Cincinnati at home and New England,
Buffalo, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis on the road.

A 4-4 record seems to be achievable but Ryan and his Jets expect more. They will need to go at least 6-2 and possibly even 7-1 to get tho this years dance. Based on the first eight games, the odds of the Jets getting to the playoffs this year are slim to none.

Jet's fans will have to demonstrate a little more patience with their patient. He is right now in stable condition with a pretty good chance for a full recovery. How long until fully recovered remains to be seen. Consider this however, they are not on life support and in many areas showing marked improvement every week.

That's OK by me.

Phillies Down, But Not Out

Charlie Manuel says he's team is resilient. He points out the fact that the team has lost 22 games this season where they led after the 7th inning. That sounds like the 2008 New York Mets to me. But in this case it was the Phillies this year and not the Mets last year who ultimately wound up winning the World Series. (ouch)

I too am quite confident that this series is far from over. On the Yankee side all one must do is just look back a short 5 years when they were one game from eliminating their most hated rival,the Boston Red Sox and unless you've been hiding in a time capsule you know what happened there.

For the Yanks to close this puppy out they are going to have to do it on the arms of A.J. Burnett, who like his counterpart C.C. Sabathia, will be pitching on three days rest. If he doesn't get past Cliff Lee they will have to use Andy Pettitte once again on three days rest and if it goes to a seventh game it will be CC once more time on the short rest period.

Personally I can't see this as a formula for success therefore my unwillingness to count the Phillies out just yet.

With Cliff Lee on the mound tonight I see the Phillies regaining their swagger that has been missing in these first two games at Citizens Bank Park. Charlie Manuel has made a couple of questionable calls in this series going back to not starting Cole Hamels in Game Two in Yankee Stadium. In my opinion last night's was a doozy.

I have always been taught as a coach and listening to countless hours of Baseball Tonight, that in a tied game at home you never bring in your closer to pitch the top of the ninth inning. You save that guy for extra innings. I have seen it done too many times this year and the home team gets beat in extra innings because the visiting team is facing a much less tougher opponent.

It was also Lidge's first appearance in more than a week and after two straight very quick outs he lost control. Three runs later and another blown appearance, Lidge is anxious to get this series back to New York for an opportunity to face these guys again.

I think he will and I would like nothing better than to see him close out Game Seven. That's a long way off and the odds of that happening aren't too good especially here in Vegas. However if you want to make that prop bet that the Phillies will come back and win the next three games, I know 60 places that will take your bet and most likely your money.

Prediction: I correctly picked the "Skankees" ( " Now there's objective reporting ") to win Game 4. I stand by it will be the last game they will win. After Game Two I picked the Phillies to sweep the next three. I apologize for being premature with that pick. So now I give it again, the Phillies will sweep the next three games and repeat as World Champions and be the first National League to do that since the Big Red Machine in the mid 70's. By the way tonight's game; Phillies 7 Yanks 2

Game Four Preview: What is a Fan to DO?

For the first time since they were down 2-0 to the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the 2007 playoffs, the Phillies find themselves in a very uncomfortable position. They are behind for the first time in six previous playoff appearances and instead of having their ace to bring back for a tying series victory, they are forced to start a guy who has given up only 30 home runs during the regular season.

This, and C.C. Sabathia again is what the Phillies have to face to get even in this 2009 World Series. The only saving grace is the Phillies are confident they can handle C.C. here at Citizens Bank Park. They will flashback to the last year's NLDS where Shane Victorino parked a Grand Slam Home Run on Sabathia fastball sending him and the Brewers to the showers and virtually out of the 2008 post season.

In Game One this year, Sabathia was effective going seven innings allowing only the two Home Runs to Chase Utley who by the way has disappeared since then.

Alex Rodriguez finally put a bat on the ball last night with a questionable two run homer. I say questionable only because it had to be reviewed officially being the first time Instant Replay has been used in a World Series. Given the vast number of poor calls during the post season, I'm sure we will be seeing some changes in the Instant Replay process.

Here's my dilemma regarding this series. As a reporter I'm trying to be as objective as I can possibly be by not taking sides and hopefully offering quality insight of a fan who has watching baseball since 1951. If I had to grade myself so far, and I'm a former Teacher and School Principal, I feel I'm qualified to give an unbiased grade. I would give myself an A.

The problem is I've always been an intense and loyal fan first. I have reading my favorite blogs, sports sites and as much of the media outlook as I can and one of the main topics is which team should loyal New York Mets fans root for in this World Series. For those who said I'm not going to root or even watch the Series to you I say forgetitaboutit, you're not baseball fans and I couldn't care less what you think.

There are amazing arguments for both sides. One fan friend of mine says if the Phillies win it will help them generate more income and re-sign their better players and put them in position to be more active in the free agent market which they were after the 2008 World Series. That's from a 15 year old who is as passionate of a Mets fan as I am.

Then there's another fan who says he would rather stick needles in his eyes than see the Yankees win another title and rub it in the faces of Mets fans everywhere validating their superiority once again for bragging rights in the Big Apple.

I'm perplexed, so after hours of thought after last nights game which messed up my nice predictions by the way, I have decided that I'm not rooting for either team to win, but I will delighted to see either team loss on that particular day. In the end I will be so so about the winner of the 2009 World Series and hope I covered it thoroughly but I will be overwhelmed with happiness for the team that loses. Fair enough NICK A?

Prediction: Talk about a must game for the Phillies this is surely the one. I think their over anxiousness is going to hurt them. I still like them in the series but after today’s game they will need to win three straight. Lee, Pedro,and Hamels however will still get it done and for the record how great would it be to see the “Skankees” blow a 3-1 series lead. By the way they did it before. I believe it was 1957 and the opponent was the Milwaukee Braves. Look it up.

The Need For a Must Win Contunues Sunday

Why does it seem to me that every game since the Jets started the season someone in the media or on the team or talk within the blogs, that the Jets next game is a must win? I don't get it. Unless the season has been extended without my knowledge, and I can't imagine anyone doing that to me, there's still no more than 16 games and with a record of 4-3 why is this game in particular a must win?

Sure I get it. The Jets will be vying more likely than not for a Wild Card berth as we get closer to the last 1/3rd of the season. The Miami Dolphins have already beaten them once in Miami on a national media circus known as Monday Night Football. They lost that game by allowing the Dolphins to score three touchdowns in the fourth quarter with the winning score coming with 8 seconds left on the clock.

The Jets inability to deal with Miami's "Wildcat" formations has been duly noted and mouths have not been able to shut off as well since then. I also don't have to remind any Jets fans out there that it was these same Dolphins that put the nail in the Jets playoff coffin in the last game of last season at the Meadowlands that not only gave the Dolphins the Division but also knocked the New England Patriots out of the playoffs as well.

Nothing is quite like revenge when it comes to motivating a team and the Jets certainly have revenge on their minds. I expect them to come out of the gate like wild Indians on both sides of the ball during the first quarter. The question is can they maintain that type of intensity for an entire 60 minutes or come back from a deficit that may happen once again?

I really see this if anything as a must win for the Dolphins. They are 2-4 and another defeat would put them in a position where they would to have to win their remaining nine games to finish the season with the same record as they achieved last year.

I don't think so mainly because Chad Henne is still too untested to be able to carry this team on his shoulders. The Dolphins who rank number two in rushing offense believe Henne doesn't have to win games for them, he just can't lose any. Last week's come from behind win by the New Orleans Saints again in the fourth quarter gives the Dolphins some real concerns that to them must be answered this week.

Of course Mark Sanchez is no Drew Brees so this week will be interesting indeed.

For the Jets to win, they must at least slow down the Miami running game with Ricky Williams and Robbe Brown doing the damage. Although nursing an injury Jets Linebacker and defensive leader Bart Scott is expected to play. The loss of Kris Jenkins looms large today, unlike last week against the Raiders. The Jets front three will have to step up and have a big game. If the defense can keep the rushing yardage to 100 yards or less and cause a couple of take away turnovers that will lead the Jets to victory.

On the other hand if the Dolphins run wild again the Jets offense may have to play matching touchdowns to stay in the game. They fell short against this team in Miami 3 weeks ago and that loss more than any other that the Jets have been beaten this year has hurt the most.

Prediction: An old Klingon expression, "Revenge is a dish best served cold". I believe the Jets will control their emotions and put a serious hurting on the Dolphins. Another 250 yard rushing day, a couple of key turnovers by the enthusiastic Jets defense and Miami will fall too far behind early and they won't be able to go to the passing game to pull this one out.

Jets 31 Dolphins 17.

There's No Place Like Home

Game Three of the 2009 World series shifts today to the new launching pad in the National League, Citizens Bank Park. It's bit ironic that the Philadelphia "Mashers" at one point in time had a far better record on the road than they did at home. They righted that situation in the second half of the season to finish nine games over .500 at home.

The post season is a completely different story as the Phillies have lost a grand total of three games over the past three post seasons. They've won 12 games and the only team to beat them at home was the Colorado Rockies.

Today they try to keep that streak going with 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels going up against one of the great post season pitchers, Andy Pettitte.

Game three has always been a critical game in the World Series. In the past 10 World Series where the two teams were tied at one a piece, the team who took Game Three went on to win the World Series nine out of the last ten times. Those are pretty darn good odds for the winner of today's game.

While pitching has dominated in the first two games which is quite usual since outstanding pitching, which we have seen from all four starters, almost always dominates good hitting. Will Game Three change that?

I believe both teams are looking for just that. Right now there seems to be two Cole Hamels. The one who looks like last year's MVP or the other one who has trouble getting to the sixth inning and has been prone to the long ball. Everyone has a reason for Cole's woes this year so I'll throw in mine as well.

He shouldn't have called my Mets choke artists in the off season last winter. The fact that they very well may be, he should have kept that gem to himself. So I put a slight whammy on him. Today, I officially take the whammy off him because I would like mine and Jimmy Rollins prediction to come true.

The Yankees have other ideas. Derek Jeter says no one should be worried about A-Rod's 0-8 so far. That was said to soothe the nerves of Yankee fans worldwide as their juiced up, lying hero may be diverting back to his previous post season blues. Anybody seen his cousin recently?

On the flip side, the Phillies big bats haven't hit their stride after the first two games either. Chase Utley has two home runs and Ryan Howard has two doubles but as said earlier outstanding pitching has virtually shut both teams down.

I like Andy Pettitte despite my dis-like of most things Yankees. He is a clutch performer whose consistency has kept him in the bigs for over a decade and he has chalked up some pretty good performances over the years in critical games. He has always been the Yankee stopper in post season as he has followed a Yankee loss with a win of his own on so many occasions, I've lost count.

Charlie Manuel has already announced that Joe Blanton would start Game Four rather than pitch Cliff Lee on short rest. That shows me how much confidence Manuel has with this team. That's why I picked the Phillies to win the whole thing. This team almost to a man played in last years World Series. They are experienced, very tough at home and unless the Yankees bats start to explode I still feel there will be no need for a Game Six at Yankee Stadium.

Prediction: I am definitely going to jinx myself right here and now. Since the beginning of the playoffs and only picking in games where the Phillies have been been involved I am 10-1. With that said I'm not going to waiver on my original World Series pick.

Phillies 11 Yankees 6 as the bats explode on a 70 degree day in sunny Philadelphia. Game time temps in the 60's.

Let's Talk Hot Dogs

There are very few foods or food groups for that matter are sacred to the American Way of Life. Unquestionably the "Hot Dog" is one of those treats that has been associated with sports since the beginning of time.

As a kid going to a ball game with my Dad or any sporting event it never would seem complete unless we had a couple of dogs along with all the condiments that you could fit on a six to eight inch bun.

It seemed that these dogs were always so much better at a game then the ones served at home with a side of sauerkraut, baked beans, and loads of mustard, ketchup, pickles, onions and whatever else might be available.

I have always been very picky about my dogs. Occasionally I'd sprinkle a little ketchup on mine but more than 90% of the time it was the dog on the roll and nothing else. My family thought it strange because after they finished putting all the toppings on their dog a keen sighted visitor would have trouble identifying what was in the roll.

In my house nothing but Hebrew National dogs crossed our threshold. On the street we would only but a Sabrettes dog from a cart and those rare trips to Coney Island if anything but a Nathans dog crossed our lips I was sure I would be sent to purgatory.

So what's the big fuss about Mark Sanchez munching on a dog late in the fourth quarter and his team was up 38-0? Is there a rule somewhere hidden deep in the bowels of the NFL rule book that says there should be no eating or drinking on the bench during the game?

I think not for if there was Gatorade might just go right out of business. Let's face it. The man was hungry and he saw an opportunity to munch down a dog to curb his already upset stomach. That's what my doctor always said, if you're having trouble keeping food down and you get a little hungry it means your stomach is OK now and a hot dog, if available, is as good as it gets.

Talk about scrutiny. Give this kid a break. He didn't throw 5 interceptions again. He didn't make foolish plays and cause turnovers which would become scores against his team. He didn't shoot himself in the foot or punch out his teammate.

He had a frickin dog, so what, get over it and get your BBQ ready and lets cook some up. It's not like eating ice cream at 3:30 in the afternoon that will ruin your appetite for dinner. It just a hot dog.

It's the American way. Hey Mark, pass the apple pie will ya.

Hello? Has Anyone Seen Oh!-Rod?

The boo birds are lying in wake. They are getting ready to let loose a tirade the likes of which have not been seen in a very long time in the Bronx. Last night there were rumblings, signs of things to come. Despite the fact that Alex Rodriguez was hitting over .430 in the post season and hit clutch tying home runs late in the game, here he was on baseball's greatest stage with the opportunity to completely bury his past failures and finally be accepted as a true blue New York Yankee.

The only person to stand in his way was the former Cy Young Award winner, Cliff Lee, who is having a post season for the ages. What a classic confrontation. Even I was psyched despite my disappointment in the World Series combatants.

Last night clearly belonged to Cliff Lee. Not only did he strike out A-Rod three times but completely shut down the heart of the Yankee lineup with A-Rod, Texiera, and Posada going a measly 1-12 against the crafty left hander. Lee struck out 10 and posted his first win and complete game in the World Series.

Chase Utley supplied all the offense the Fightin' Phil's needed with two home runs off Yankee ace and former Lee teammate, C.C. Sabathia. Other than the two blasts, Sabathia held the powerful Phil's bats in check allowing only those two runs in seven innings.

Then the Yankee bull pen, which I said was a course of concern for Joe Girardi's troops managed to give up four runs in two innings to put Game One out of reach. With the win, the Phillies grabbed the home field advantage and need to win three more games to repeat as World Champions. With three of the next four games at Citizens Bank Park, I like their chances.

The Yankees find themselves nearing to have their backs against the wall for the first time in this post season and will give the ball to their other gazillion dollar free agent, A.J. Burnett, who many times this season looked nothing more than an ordinary struggling pitcher. Make no mistake however, when Burnett is on his game he can be one of the most un-hittable pitchers in the either league today. He is going to have to be if the Yankees plan on expanding this series into November.

The Phillies counter tonight with my favorite pitcher and player in this past generation, Pedro Martinez. He has been nothing short of sensational since the Phillies picked him up late in the season. One of the great big game pitchers of all time, Pedro brings his expertise to a Yankee organization that he once called his "Daddy".

Don't you just love this?

If Pedro does get racked around, Charlie Manuel may be second guessed since he had a choice of starting another left hander in Cole Hamels who would have turned around the Yankee switch hitters to the right side where his patented change-up is a devastating pitch. Regardless, Hamels will start Game Three in Philadelphia and if the Yankees find themselves down 0-2 they will have to pull out of their past hat from the Series of 1999 where they lost the first two games to Atlanta only to come back and sweep the Braves from there.

Prediction; I have only missed one game in picking the right team in this post season. I expect Pedro to pitch a gem but unfortunately Charlie won't let him go beyond 105 pitches and then I expect the Phillies bull pen to implode late in the game as the Yankees did last night. The Yanks will come back and tie this series at one each. It will also be the last game the "Skankees" will win in 2009, and A-Hole-Fraud-Roid's woes will continue. You see I really believe in "what goes around, comes around" and Alex Rodriguez, once a hero of mine, is the poster child for arrogant, ignorant behavior which is too wide spread in professional sports.

Yankees 7 Phillies 3

Pedro to Pitch Game Two

Asked last April who were the last two teams I would like to see in the World Series, anybody and everybody who know me well enough would have said the Yankees vs. the Phillies.

As a lifetime New York Mets fan and college student Red Sox fan nothing in baseball could be worse than to have these two rivals competing for a world title. For close to 15 years, I hated the Atlanta Braves. They gave me so many ugly nights and subsequent nightmares it's no wonder I still can't get enough sleep.

In the last three or four years or so the Phillies and their legions where I lived for 20 years has crept past the Braves to receive my ultimate disdain.

As a kid growing up in Brooklyn during the late 40's and right through 1955, the Yankees were to me, the "evil empire" long before that name became part of our lexicon.

Even after the Dodgers left in 1957, this 12 year old brain was already entrenched with loathing of the Yankees and they did nothing over the last 50 years to improve their lot with me. They always were and will always be the best team that money would try to buy ever since Curt Flood changed the landscape of the game with the advent of the free agency system.

These are and were the villains of baseball while my Mets were the lovable loser underdogs that I grew to love.

So now all that could be bad has finally happened in this first "Turnpike" series since 1950.

With all that said, I'm going to try and give a very objective preview of the coming series and will not let me personal feeling get in the way of solid reporting. At least I'll try.

Hating to admit it, this World Series potentially has the makings of perhaps one of the all time greats. Great pitching, excellent defense and a truckload of power hitting will surely make this series a classic in the making.

For this reason, I will throw away the stats, because by and large they can be interpreted in many different ways and it's been my experience that in a short World Series, anywhere between four and seven games, it's hardly ever the superstar that makes the difference. It's usually the hard nose guy who lays down a bunt, steals base, hits behind the runner and scoots home with the winning run on a passed ball or a wild pitch.

It's almost November and adrenaline can only take you so far. Most of these guys are dog tired and the prospects of playing baseball into November with temps possibly dropping into the 20's is, at least, in my opinion, no way to finish the season.

So throw out all the stats and take a pick. I have been mulling this over for almost two weeks and I started out by giving the edge to the Yankees because I thought their bullpen was deeper and I could envision C.C. Sabathia getting into three of the seven games if it went that far.

Then I watched the ALDS and ALCS and the vaunted Yankee bullpen looked very hittable to me. I can imagine Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth just licking their chops waiting to get a couple off swings against them.

The Phillies bullpen which was loaded with holes in September has closed ranks this post season and if Brad Lidge continues on his steady incline, the Phillies pen now gets the edge.

I still like the Phillies starters. I question Charlie Manuels decision to start Pedro Martinez in Game Two simply because if he had chosen Cole Hamels to go in Game Two he would have turned around all those switch hitters to the right side of the plate and Hamels best pitch, by far, is his change up which breaks in on the right handed batters and that would be a definite plus for the Phillies.

Pedro brings history end excitement to Yankee Stadium where he last pitched playoff baseball in the 2004 post season. Who could ever forget Pedro throwing 149 year old Don Zimmer to the ground. I loved it. There are risks to Charlie's move here but if the Phillies outlast Sabathia in Game One against Cliff Lee, even if Pedro is not successful, Hamels will be ready for Game Three at Citizens Bank Park and Pedro, if necessary, would get another shot against the Yankees once again in a Game Six.

I would love to see the ball flying out of both parks which we know can certainly happen and although A-Rod is having an outstanding post season so far, unless he continues it on the biggest stage of the them all, he will not be accepted as a Yankee through and through. You wonder why I hate these guys.

I do admire and respect Derek Jeter to the utmost. I would still pick him to start up any team whether it's for real of just fantasy baseball. He's the one guy you can root for on this team of Gold Diggers.

I tried to keep my feelings out of this but it's just too hard. I can live with the Phillies winning. Maybe a back to back will wake up my Mets front office to get off their collective behinds and get to work. To have the Yankees win and hear about the 27 championships is just way too much to bare. So here it comes.

Prediction: The smart pick would still be the Skankees in seven games, but no, that's just not going to happen. The Phillies in seven games will mean they will have to win two games in the Bronx. No, that's not happening either. What's going to happen is the first two games will be split even Steven, but when the Yanks arrive in South Philly, it's going to be good morning, good afternoon, and good night. The Phillies in Five. You heard it here first and while I'm at it, Game One, Phillies 7, Yanks 4.

Jets 30 Raiders 0; How Sweet it Was!

My long weekend trip to the Bay Area was topped by an outstanding performance on the part of the New York Jets defense as they completely shut down and already suspect Oakland Raiders offense with a shutout performance in front of an almost half empty Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. I know, as I said, I was there.

First off before game details I need to dispel some very untrue rumors, or urban legends if you chose, regarding the fans of the Oakland Raiders. Is it true they have their own section called the "Black Hole' where even the most frenzied fan dresses up in costumes that would have any trick or treaters on Halloween looking over their shoulders? Yes it's true.

Do they have tailgating parties that start at the crack of dawn and have some of the finest food on the planet being served? Absolutely.

Do they talk smack to anybody and everybody who walks the parking lot in any jersey other than a Raiders one? For sure.

Are they miserable drunks and alcoholics that start fights, carry dangerous weapons and give you no chance to enter the stadium as they run you down in the Harley's? Not a chance.

Wearing my well worn and rather faded Curtis Martin Jersey that I dug out of storage for this rare event I was ready for the worst of it. At least I wouldn't have to hear my wife sling the "chicken*#%@" phrase at me for the rest of the trip, there I was ready to be entertained or maimed whichever came first.

The Raider fans couldn't have been nicer. Sure they had their say but it was no different from other home parks I have attended wearing the opposing teams shirt. If anything they were milder than in Philadelphia by a long shot and there I wore a Donovan McNabb jersey and I was trashed. Anyway, as I said earlier, the food was outstanding and everybody was willing to share and that was perfectly fine with me.

The game was virtually over in the first quarter. After the Jets went up 14-0 in the first quarter after two costly turnovers not only did it appear that the Raider team gave up but their fans certainly did as well. I spent most of the game listening to the Raider fans, whom I was surrounded by, blast not only their Head Coach, Tom Cable, but the entire coaching staff and the game plan that didn't seem to exist. JaMarcus Russell was replaced in the second quarter and for all intense and purposes the game was over right then and there.

Overall the Jets played well. Mark Sanchez played this game as not to lose while using his running game extremely well and his short pass game worked as well as it could be planned. The loss of Leon Washington with a broken leg will cost the Jets dearly down the road but yesterday it was Shonn Green whose performance opened more than few eyes on the Jets coaching staff.

Green had 19 carries for 144 yards and two TD's while his partner Thomas Jacobs put another big game performance on the board with 26 carries for 126 yards and a a TD. Sanchez only had to go to the air 15 times where he completed 9 for 143 yards. His highlight reel came in the first quarter as he called his own number and scampered into the end-zone on a quarterback draw.

The special teams unit was in on it as well as they completed another fake punt attempt for a first down. If I have been counting correctly on those, that makes it two out of three successful attempts so far. I'm surprised that other teams don't try that more often because you rarely see more than one guy rushing the punter and when he is blocked out of the play 30 yards down field is usually free and clear.

In any game when your defense causes four turnovers and you tandem of running backs can scamper for more than 300 yards the game gets easier. Easy enough to grab a 4th quarter hot dog? Sure, who not. That's what Mark Sanchez did yesterday after complaining as to not being able to keep food down 24 hours prior to the start of the game. So with the game well in-hand deep in the 4th quarter there was Mark munching on a dog and today that's all the New York press wants to discuss.

I am so glad to be out of there. Let's just talk football.

The Jets have their three critical games ahead along with a bye week. They will have return matches with the Miami Dolphins who blew a huge early lead yesterday to the Undefeated New Orleans Saints, and the New England Patriots who took it to the Tampa Bay Bay Bucs in jolly old England reminding our British forefathers that an American Patriot is still hard to beat even after 233 years or so.

They will also get to see the Jacksonville Jaguares a team not much like themselves whose game performances are not matching their expectations.

Should be fun. By the way, I'm picking the Phillies in seven games to repeat as World Series Champions. Look for that series review tomorrow on the NL East page.

The Jets Fly West

In what some media people are saying is that the Jets, after only six regular season games, have reached the crossroads to the 2009 season. After starting 3-0 and on such a high note with victories over Houston, New England, and Tennessee, the Jets have come crashing towards the ground with three consecutive losses against better teams for sure in New Orleans and Miami and the far less competitive Buffalo Bills.

That's no knock against the New England Patriots, but they weren't the same team in Week Two as they are now, agreed?

A loss against the 2-4 Oakland Raiders this Sunday in Oakland very well might be the end of the Jets season with upcoming games against Miami, Jacksonville, a bye week and New England. At that point the Jets could be looking at a 3-7 season and a ranking among the five worst teams in the NFL.

That is exactly why, here in only week seven, that the Jets will play the most important game of their season.

They will have to do it without nose tackle Kris Jenkins who is out for the season with knee damage and Lito Sheppard who once again finds himself on the sidelines, out with an injury. The loss of Jenkins is huge and a hole that the Jets hope to fill with Sione Pouha.

On the offensive side of the ball, Coach Ryan will be looking for a bounce back game from his much criticized rookie Quarterback Mark Sanchez. With 10 interceptions so far this season, Sanchez is hardly looking like the next Joe Namath to lead the Jets to the promised land.

According to Ryan, Sanchez is "resilient" but I guarantee another repeat performance even by halftime of the Oakland game we very well might find former starting Quarterback Kellen Clemens under the center.

The Raiders are coming off their biggest win of the season, a surprising 13-9 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles who certainly played it's ugliest game of the season this past Sunday.

JaMarcus Russell played his best game of the season but he too didn't remind any Raider fans of the second coming of Jim Plunkett or Kenny Stabler or even Darryl Lamonica.

The Eagles were one touchdown drive away from winning that game all day long and if their once trusted field goal kicker David Akers hadn't missed on two early field goals attempts the Raiders would have lost this game as well.

Prior to the Eagles game, the Raider had given up enough points to lose by at least 20 in those three previous games. The Raiders have scored a grand total of five touchdowns in six games and if the Jets vaunted defense returns to the fold the Raiders won't be scoring many more this Sunday.

Over the years, the Jets playing in Oakland can only be described as a nightmare. They are 2-12-1 in Oakland since 1963 and one only has to look back to last year when the Jets visited the west four times and came away with four losses.

It's no secret in the NFL that teams don't travel well when going cross country. This team really is in a make it or break game going to the west coast to play in front of some very hostile fans.

I know there will be at least two Jets fans there as my wife and I take our annual football trip on the road to Oakland to see this game in person. We have debated back and forth as to whether or not we have enough "cajones" to wear our Jets gear, shirts, hats etc. She says "Sure, bring it on", while I tend to be more conservative about my well being. She's still annoyed at me for not getting seats in the infamous "Black Hole" section where all the crazies hang out.

Prediction: I'm still on the Rex Ryan bandwagon. He says the team has great character and they will show it on Sunday. They had better for their season and my safety depends on it. Jets 27- Raiders 10.

Phillies Need One More Win Tonight

The Phillies continue on their quest tonight to be the first National League team to win back to back World Series since the Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds in the mid 70's.

They are one win away from getting back to the World Series for that second straight year. Former Phillies starter Vincente Padilla, and the somewhat snake bit Los Angeles Dodgers remain standing, just barely, in their way.

After a devastating blown save and blown game by 100 mph pitcher Jonathan Broxton on Monday Night, the Dodgers are hanging on by a thread.

Manny Ramirez was quoted saying " The Phillies have just been playing better". He is 100% correct about that no doubt.

This Phillies team has one characteristic which separates themselves from any other team, at least, in the National League East. When bad things happens, at least on the outside, they do not get flustered. They bounce back as quickly as it's done and move on in the right direction.

That point was proven here in the NLCS a day after Chase Utley made a crucial throwing error that cost the Phillies a shot at Game Two. They came right back in Game Three and put an 11 spot on the board.

They hope to close out this series tonight with their former ace, Cole Hamels on the hill. I do believe that having Cliff Lee has taken some of the pressure off Cole Hamels. It's nearly impossible to top Hamels performance in the 2008 post season and I truly believe he has put a lot of pressure upon himself to do just that.

He had a very short off season this year being in demand for interviews, commercials and the like. He started a major controversy when he called the Mets "choke artists" on a New York based radio show. He then struggled through spring training and opened the year with a couple of injuries that I believe plagued him throughout the season.

We didn't get to see the vintage Hamels until after Cliff Lee was acquired at the trade deadline. Since then Cole has had a number of games that clearly resembled 2008.

He is in a great position to put the Phillies over the top tonight. Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth have been clutch in this NLCS and unless Padilla can repeat his best games with the Dodgers in 2009 this baby is going to end tonight.

I love Joe Torre. He actually said his team was not in such a bad situation. He basically said if the Dodgers can win tonight the Phillies will have to come to us in our home park.. Yes and face Pedro Martinez and if necessary Cliff Lee again. Yes, Joe, the Dodgers are in real great shape.

Prediction: My bad, I guess I wasn't a true believer as I picked the Dodgers in Game Four. I came close, but close doesn't get it done in the world of predictions and otherwise. So tonight, I do believe, Phillies 9 Dodgers 5 and barring any miracles from the Angels, it will be the Phillies and the Yankees in a Turnpike Series, first one of those since 1950.

Yes I was around for that.