Daily Archives: June 19, 2008
The Associated Press notes that former Mets manager Davey Johnson will lead the U.S. team at the Futures Game during All-Star weekend on July 13th.
In August, Johnson will manage the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing.
…interesting how davey will be coaching that weekend and as far as i know, willie won’t be…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |
It was reported by the Los Angeles Times that Las Vegas oddsmakers have adjusted their expectations of the Mets.
From the story:
“… once they picked up standout pitcher Johan Santana during the off-season, they were immediately installed as a heavy favorite for the NL pennant. Just look back to February when New York was listed at +175 at Betonline.com, the best odds of any team to represent the NL in the World Series.
The Mets were even made a strong favorite to win this season’s World Series with 5.5-1 odds at Bodoglife.com. Only the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox had better numbers at 3.5-1.
But by the time the Mets replaced Randolph with interim Manager Jerry Manuel on Tuesday, their odds had already dropped to 6-1 to win the NL pennant, behind Chicago (9-4), Arizona (4-1) and Philadelphia (9-2).”
Personally, I’m happy to see the odds stacking against the Mets. It turns them into underdogs — and isn’t the nature of a Mets fan to root for the underdog? Otherwise we’d be watching ballgames in the Bronx.
Jerry Manuel had the following to say reporters about the team’s new pitching coach, Dan Warthen, prior to last night’s game:
“My first year here, remember, we had a lot of guys called up from Triple-A, pitchers that I had saw in spring training, and I noticed a significant difference in their performance…I thought I had to give him credit for that.”
…as i mentioned yesterday in a video with Ted Berg, from what i can gather, warthen is essentially a 180–degree turn Rick Peterson…it was put to me this way: where rick has a master philosophy, and he wants a pitcher to adjust and fit it in to his plan, dan has no philosophy other than to maximize the individual strength or each individual pitcher…
On last night’s pre game show, SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt talked with the team’s new first base coach, Ken Oberkfell, which you can watch by clicking play below:
Last night, with two outs and the Mets down one run in the ninth inning, and the tying run on second base, David Wright ripped a single to left-center to push the game in to extra innings.
…wright remained patient, and hit what was a nasty curve ball from Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez…
According to ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, Wright is the second batter all season to get a hit against Rodriguez’s curve ball.
Also, Baseball Tonight points out that Wright had been just 1 for 20 in ninth-inning at bats this year prior to last night’s game.
In a recent chat for ESPN.com, during which he discusses all sorts of issues relating to MLB, Keith Law had the following to say about John Maine:
“He threw a two-seamer for a while last year, but I don’t see him using it any more. That was a potential difference-maker in my opinion.”
…it can be rather grueling to watch him pitch lately, because the at bat just goes on and on and on…what’s weird is that, it feels like maine is pitching worse than he did last season, or, at least having less of an impact, but, according to his stats, he is essentially the exact same pitcher as he was one year ago….
Maine is on pace to win 14 games with a 3.87 ERA, while striking out 170 batters in 200 or so innings.
Last season he won 15 games, had a 3.91 ERA and struck out 180 batters in 191 innings.
…thanks to John K for the link…
…added to by Mike Nichols…
…cerrone is right, opponents at-bats versus Maine do seem to go on and on this season versus last season and the stats prove it, but only slightly…
…added to by Joe Janish …
…Since Maine’s arrival to New York, he’s occasionally had an issue with his mechanics where his front side opens too early, and as a result his pitches fly up and away to lefthanded batters (up and in to righties). This has been more pronounced lately, and hopefully Dan Warthen can identify and fix the problem. The flaw affects his command, and that’s part of the reason he’s pitching deeper counts.
Last season, Maine averaged 4.04 pitches per plates appearance and 17.1 pitches per inning, as compared to 4.17 and 18.0 this season, respectively.
The following video is of my appearance from last night’s pre game show, during which I talk about Johan Santana and fan reaction to Jerry Manuel:
In a column for SNY.tv, Ted Berg explains why Jerry Manuel represents a new start for the Mets and their fans, writing:
“No matter how you feel about Manuel’s motivational tactics, you’ve got to love the air of levity he’s already brought to a very difficult situation. Maybe Manuel saw that Willie’s stand-up act in postgame press conferences before his untimely demise endeared the former manager to the Shea Faithful and the media. Or maybe Manuel’s just a funny guy who doesn’t take minor drama too seriously. Either way, it’s welcome. Good to see someone in a Mets uniform is enjoying himself.”
Yesterday, Manuel made his first appearance as manager on WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog, which you can listen to by going to WFAN.com.
When asked what needs to change in order to get this team back to winning, Manuel said he needs to get his position players fresh, so they can create an environment for where they can have ‘career years,’ and he would like to create specific roles for pitchers in the bullpen.
Additionally, Manuel said his message to the team will be, “We have to focus through out the entire baseball game…If we do that, not only be physical tired, but mentally drained, after each game that’s all I ask, because with the talent we have that should equal good baseball.”
Manuel admits that there has been a general malaise around the team this season, saying, “We’ve been puttering around here and there…I think that’s more of a focus thing than any thing else. We try to be positive, but, at the same time, we’ve got to be realistic and say, ‘Hey, can we or can we not.’
Mike Francesa asked Manuel if he believes a time may come this season when he will have to move on from some of the older players, like Moises Alou and Carlos Delgado, to which Manuel said:
“Well, you may be right…I think that’s where we as an organization need to be good at evaluating out people and say, ‘Hey, can he or can he not do it?’
Manuel, on playing in Shea Stadium, where the fans have been quite negative this season:
“These are the greatest fans in the world, you can’t ask for a better situation to be in…I think we’ve got to show up and do some things and we’ve got to appreciate the fact that that’s our home park and we’ve got to play like that’s our home park. I have sensed some timidity in our performances there, some trepidation, some hesitance. We’ve got to free ourselves up, because the people in New York, all they want to do is win – all they want to do is win. That’s the bottom line. They don’t care how you get it done, they just want to win.”
Lastly, Manuel describes himself as, ‘a motivator and a communicator,’ noting that Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. are, ‘his guys.’
…honestly, i could listen to this guy speak all day long…
According to Ken Davidoff in Newsday, the reputation of Mets Ass’t GM Tony Bernazard has taken a ‘pummeling,’ amid rumors that he is the primary culprit in the firing of Willie Randolph.
In a fascinating, well-researched, story for Gotham Baseball Magazine, Mark Healy talks with a variety of credible sources and 
concludes:
“Bernazard was never really on board with the hire, but waited until he had consolidated his power to start sowing his seeds of discontent. For nearly two seasons, Bernazard has been undermining the skipper in the clubhouse and in the front office.”
…though rather lengthy, healy’s report is a must-read…
In his report for Newsday, Davidoff writes:
“Take this for what it’s worth, but Wednesday, I received two phone calls from industry contacts – the first, a longtime friend of many Hispanic players, and the second, a scout from an American League team. Both, unsolicited, brought up Bernazard, both professed to not know him and both offered the same sentiment: ‘I hear he’s a really bad guy.’”…Early Tuesday morning, when the hatchet fell on Randolph and the two coaches, Bernazard could be seen in the team hotel, giddy as a schoolgirl with a new dress.”
Meanwhile, according to WFAN, a beat writer approached Bernazard before yesterday’s game asking questions about his role in the decision to fire Randolph. Bernazard refused to comment, and then had the reporter removed from the field, courtesy of the team’s public relations department.
What’s more, in a recent report for ESPN.com, Buster Olney wrote that a Mets front office member would often tell players about negative evaluations from Randolph, which were intended to be private.
According to Davidoff, “Bernazard is the natural suspect. The story is quite feasible.”
Meanwhile, according to Joel Sherman, at his blog for the New York Post, “Don’t be conned by the Met spin. The owners and their pet p.r. man were totally involved in Randolph’s firing and how it was handled.”
Tagged Tony Bernazard |The Mets have won five of their last eight games, and back-to-back series, during which they have moved to just four losses back of the first-place Phillies.
Prior to last night’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters:
“We’ve just got to play consistent baseball. We just look good one night and bad the next night. I don’t know if that’s fatigue, or whatever, I haven’t been able to put my finger on it. But, we’re gonna do everything we can to try to do that. We’re gonna try to hit less, at least have more quality than quantity, that type of thing. So, we’re gonna try to find things to get this team going and be consistent, and then to recognize and idenity why we are consistent and stay there.”
Last night, in a win against the 
Angels, Jose Reyes was 3 for 5 with a triple, two singles, three runs scored and a stolen base.
…what’s more, he was quite lively on the field, in the dugout, on the top step next to Jerry Manuel, all while smiling and joking with and his teammates…basically, he looked great…
…in fact, the photo, which you can click on for a larger version, says it all i think…
In his last 159 at bats, dating back to May 11, Reyes is batting .340 with 20 extra base hits and .394 OBP, while raising his batting average from .249 to .297.
He is currently on pace to hit around .300, with roughly 20 home runs, 70 RBI, 120 runs scored and 60 stolen bases.
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