One Step Forward, One Back

The Mets made a shocking, although proper move in releasing Livan Hernandez to make room for Billy Wagner. Apparently Livan was not very happy about it. Look at your performance over the past couple of months.

Then there is the story of Gary Sheffield. Apparently the Mets had a taker, but they pulled him back. So Sheff requests an extension of all things, gets denied, cries about it and decides to have a seat on the bench. That's the Sheff we all knew and feared when he was signed back in the spring. Sheff, go follow Livan out of town please. You sure fooled us being the good soldier all season.

Nice to see Billy Wagner back. Although SNY showed the replay when they returned from break, it was a poor job by them going to commercial just as he was coming out of the bullpen. You can't make up for that ad space somewhere else in the broadcast? Speaking of ads, why is it we have to hear that "your family is safe and secure" insurance spot MULTIPLE times in one half inning on the radio broadcast.

Wags looked vintage and put K-Rod, who pitched the next inning, to shame. A run was not given up, but oh those walks. Watching the 8th inning really made you had to wonder what if- what if Putz, K-Rod and Wagner were all healthy and the Mets were in contention? Hmm, let's see lefties coming up in the 7th? Call Wags. A few righties instead? Call J.J. and we'll have the other one pitch the 8th. As it is, hopefully Wagner gets enough chances to prove his worth to a contender in the next few days and we can get as much as we can for him.

Oh yeah, the Mets lost the game.

Only for Die Hards

Livan is pretty lucky these games don't matter much anymore. He got zero reaction as he was pulled from the game last night. The crowd does not care. They were busy doing the wave in the late innings before they all left en masse in the 8th.

It takes great patience to stick around in game like last night. Got a seat upgrade for last night's stellar affair thanks to a friend who could not attend, and sitting in left-center you really appreciate that new video board in the right field corner. Indeed, that would be something I would complain about had those been my seats. So at least you could say it was sort of a good time. Although that's tough to say when you look at the product on the field.

I hope Alex Cora is back next season. For him to continue playing on two bad thumbs since back in May- that's all about the team right there. The Mets need more guys like that.

Oe- who?

That would be Trent Oeltjen, who is one-upping what Mike Jacobs did to the Diamondbacks back in 2005. Sure, this guy has not hit as many homeruns, but he's doing just about everything else. At least Mark Reynolds isn't hitting any bombs off us like he did in Flushing last week.

The season continues to go down the toilet. Who are we kidding, it already has. 11 game homestand coming up after a get-me-out-of-the-west matinee later this afternoon. Should be good times at Citi.

I'm tired of watching Livan Hernandez throw bp. Give the job to Nelson Figueroa in the meantime. He has deserved a chance, despite that awful start in his return vs these same Diamondbacks. Guess what? The Mets are done with the Snakes the next time Livan's turn is up in the rotation. Give Figgy the few starts he deserves.

Aside from Luis Castillo (who's having a fine Castillo season minus a stumble down some stairs, a dropped popup and some lazy throws to first), the highest on base percentage in last night's lineup was Alex Cora's .325. Pathetic.

Why Watch?

You know things are bad when you let the lowest scoring team in the league score 8 runs in their cavernous ballpark. The Mets, if they haven't already, have become irrelevant. It was like the perfect storm: the Mets go out West and the Yankees are playing the Red Sox. The Mets might get as much airtime as the Rangers do during the winter in the next few days.

Livan Hernandez continues to be what we expected him to be out of spring training. The occasional decent start with the occasional clunker.

I like the move to put Bobby Parnell in the rotation. Why the hell not at this point? The starting pitching beyond Johan could use any possible contributors they can, especially those with potential. I just about done with Ollie and resigned to the fact that Maine is done, and not just for this season.

Angel Berroa being designated for assignment was a long time coming, and he was not here that long. No wonder Livan was offended when they pinch hit Angel for him back in that Arizona series. Unfortunately Anderson Hernandez will probably not be much better.

David Eckstein is still a pain in the ass.

Return of the Triple

And the game was not even played at Citi Field.

This one was over in the first inning. Houston was up 3-0, Livan Hernandez was being battered around and then it was the Astros who shot themselves in the foot. A boneheaded play by the third base coach sending the slow-footed Geoff Blum on a base hit short-circuited a bigger inning. Then Underpants got caught stealing second. The Mets had life and they actually took advantage. Livan went from one step out of the rotation, not making it out of the first inning, to a solid 7 inning effort for the win. Aside from that bottom of the first inning (before the last two outs), the Mets actually looked good in this game.

*****

Texas still loves a former Met who was on our opening day roster:

Darren O'Day. He continues to impress. Amazing the club got him off waivers earlier this season. The Mets have to be regretting that.

Batting Practice

That's about what Livan has been throwing lately. More of the same early inning trouble last night.

It's a shame to see such a brutal call from an umpire cost the team two runs. And to think, the Dodgers complained about the play at third to end the inning. Do you realize the gift you got just a couple of batters prior?

I would like to see guys like Brian Schneider and Daniel Murphy get more of an opportunity vs lefties. The Omir Santos Cinderella clock has struck midnight. The guy has an on base of .290 and can't throw anybody out. Murphy only gets most of the hits in a winning effort the night before, makes an unreal play at first and gets rewarded with a seat on the bench.

Tim Redding is getting knocked around even in garbage time.

Randy Wolf was one of the free agents available in the open market this past winter in case you forgot.

What the heck is that thing on Don Mattingly's lower lip?

***

I'm liking the Rangers signing of Ales Kotalik. We have one of the best shootout goalies in the league and now one of the best shootout snipers. Those type of guys have been out the door the last few seasons but it's nice to get one back. Plus he can play the point on the power play. And he could (for 3 mill a year we hope) and should match Zherdev's production.

With the Rangers taking steps to improve their power play, you wonder how this will affect their penalty killing. Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan can't be expected to play the full two minutes- who else will be the specialists there now that Sjostrom and likely Betts are gone? I guess we'll depend on the old saying, your best penalty killer is your goaltender.

A Little Dose of 5th Starter Reality

Two games, two pitchers who were competing for the 5th starters job in Spring Training. The result? A lot of what we expected- not much.


Thursday:

Tim Redding was knocked out early, and the Mets were in a 5-0 hole in the third inning. This was Pittsburgh after all. However, the Mets came back with some small ball, tying the game. Fernando Tatis came back from the dead to be a star in this one. He homered to give the Mets an 8-5 lead, one they would blow in the 9th inning. Did I tell you we are going to see more K-Rod blown saves? However, Tatis took one for the team in the 10th, getting plunked, stealing second, and scoring on a Ryan Church single. K-Rod stayed in the game and almost threw as many pitches as Redding to hold on to the W. No more games during the work please. I don't know how Cub fans deal with all those afternoon starts.


Friday:

Livan Hernandez was throwing batting practice, plain and simple. Philly plays exactly like the team to beat, as proclaimed by me in their last meeting, despite the fact that they have lost just about every game since then. Rollins hits, Utley hits, Victorino drives us nuts and Werth plays like Barry Bonds in his heydey. To make matters worse, the Mets are wearing Philly-like red caps for the holiday weekend (although the don't look as bad as the Yankees do at home). Can this die next season please? Put a patch with an American flag on the caps and sleeves. Leave the team colors alone.

No More Softies

I don't mean El Duq- er, Livan's pitches. I'm talking about the schedule. A nice first inning to start off the game, before Livan even threw a pitch, was just what the doctor ordered in the final game before the big battle in the coming month against some tough teams. He now has a 3.88 ERA. One who was fighting for the 5th starter job in spring training.

As nice as it was to pad the schedule, I'm sick of seeing the Washington Nationals. It's time to see what the Mets are made of.

David Wright kills lefties, but has done most of damage recently on the road. Three Philly lefties facing the Mets at Citi- something's gotta give.

Welcome back Ryan Church; two hits in his return from the DL. I hope they don't jerk him around again. Play the guy. If he can do some hitting vs the Philly lefties, it could springboard into better things the rest of the season and ease the blow of not having Reyes and Delgado during this tough stretch. It was really nice to see him patrol right field again.

Daniel Murphy hitting would be nice as well. He also had two hits today. He and Fernando Tatis have to come up big.

Mets 8, Pirates 4

Livan Hernandez did not have his best stuff early, and this looked to be an all-too-familiar third game of a series where the Mets fail to put the hammer down. But this is the Pirates we are talking about.

In the 4th, Carlos Delgado his another bomb, although this one off the wall, and the Mets started to chip away. Omir Santos had another key opposite field hit, scoring two. Brian Schneider, take your time returning. You couldn't ask for anything better than what your getting from Castro and Santos.

You would've liked to see David Wright bust open that game in the 7th. Bases loaded, two out and he struck out again.

Sean Green will be continued to be used in mop-up duty.

Rare mistake by Gary Cohen, who not once, but twice said that Eric Hinske, the fifth batter of the game, was the first batter who Livan did not fall behind 2-0. Two batters earlier, Nate McLouth hit a sac fly behind 1-2 in the count. It's OK Gary, we forgive you.