Mets Heading in Wright Direction

The Mets first move of this offseason that had to be made was signing the cornerstone of their franchise.  That is finally done.

The Mets have signed their third baseman David Wright an 8-year, $138 million deal.  Wright's contract becomes the biggest in Mets history surpassing Johan Santana's 7-year, $137.5 million deal.  This new deal replaces the 2013 option of $16 million including it in the new deal.  The contract makes Wright a Met through 2020, when he will turn 38 that December.  Essentially, Wright is a Met for life.

Mets fans are relieved that this deal is done and they can finally build around the superstar at the hot corner.  Wright has been the face of this team and a leader in the clubhouse.  The 29-year-old was called up in 2004 and has become a mainstay at third base since then.  Wright became the Mets all-time hits leader passing Ed Kranepool September 26th with 1,419 hits.  1,426 hits, 204 home runs, 818 RBI,  and a .301 career batting average have made Wright one of the greatest Mets of all time...and he's not even halfway through his career.

The Mets got this one "Wright."  After not bringing back Jose Reyes last offseason, the Mets needed to build the future of this team around their best player.  Now that this is out of the way, the Mets can move on to their other needs.  This team still has a lot of work to do if GM Sandy Alderson wants to put together a winning team.

Next up for the Mets is resigning their Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey.  While Dickey is 38, in knuckleball years that's basically 34.  Dickey was dominant last season on his way to his first Cy Young Award with a 20-6 record, a 2.73 ERA, and 230 strikeouts.  Keeping Dickey immediately turns the Mets rotation into one of the best in baseball.  Dickey, Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee, and possibly Zach Wheeler next season would be tough to beat.  Unless somebody offers the Mets a monster trade package, Alderson needs to bring back Dickey.  Dickey is willing to sign for two years if the price is right.

The Mets major concern right now is their outfield.  After releasing Jason Bay, nobody knows what the Mets outfield will look like in 2013.  The team isn't expected to bring back Andres Torres, who was nowhere near what the Mets hoped him to be when they acquired him from the Giants.  Lucas Duda struggled at the plate and in the outfield and it's not expected for him to be an Opening Day starter in 2013.  That leaves the Mets with a depleted outfield.  Alderson needs to go out and get some outfield help.  While the Mets don't have lots to spend, they need to go and make a couple of moves to bring in at least two outfielders.  This team needs another power bat to complement Wright and Ike Davis.  There aren't many guys available in the Mets price range, but they are going to need to find a couple of bats to fill the void in their outfield right now.

Signing Wright to an extension was a step in the right direction, but this team is far from a contender at the moment.  Here's what this team needs to do this offseason:

1) Resign R.A. Dickey.

2) Sign/trade for a couple of outfielders including a power bat. (Justin Upton)

3) Sign/trade for a catcher that can produce more on offense than Josh Thole.

4) Get some bullpen help.

No-Han No More? It's a No Brainer

Since Johan Santana's ankle was stepped on by Reed Johnson on July 6th, his remarkable 2012 season has taken a complete 180.  In his last 5 starts, Santana has allowed 6 earned runs or more in each start.  Everything has fallen apart for "No-Han," who threw the first no hitter in Mets history on June 1st against the Cardinals.

Since that injury, Santana has not been the same pitcher.  He went to the disabled list on July 21st with the ankle injury.  The Mets also wanted to get Santana some rest coming off his surgically repaired shoulder.  'No-Han' said he was ready to go and feeling much better when he returned against the Braves at Citi Field.  After getting tattooed in his return giving up eight runs in just 1.1 innings, Terry Collins was concerned but knew his ace was going to be a little rusty.  When Santana came out and got crushed again against the Nationals on Friday night, the Mets concerns grew rapidly.  It seems as if Santana might just be going through fatigue.

Shoulder surgery is never an easy thing to come back from.  Johan surprised everyone with the incredible first half of the season he had.  The no hitter he threw was enough for Mets fans to put him on a pedestal in Mets history as one of the greats.  He was brilliant in the first half and a big reason for the Mets success.

Everything has fallen apart though for Santana since the second half of the season has begun.  The Mets need to make the wise move and rest their ace for the season.  The Mets are nowhere near the playoff picture as they go into today at a season low nine games under .500 and a whopping 20 games behind the Nationals in the NL East standings.  Things have gotten truly ugly for a Mets team that was resilient and fun to watch in the first half.

Terry Collins and GM Sandy Alderson need to give Santana rest so he is fresh for next season.  The worst thing for the Mets would be to lose Johan to another injury because of poor management.  This season is over for the Mets for a shot at the playoffs.  For the last month of the season, Santana should rest, and the Mets should call up some of their young arms to fill in.  It is time to continue to build for next season.  A major part of next season will be a healthy Johan Santana.  Today, we should see Sandy Alderson announce that Santana's season is done.  It will be the best for the team in trying to put together a winning club in 2013.

Can The Mets Make a Run?

The Mets finally got back to their winning ways in San Francisco.  After splitting the four game series in Arizona, the Mets went out and took three out of four games against the first place Giants.  The Mets got their solid starting pitching back as well as their clutch hitting that we saw in the first half of the season.  R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Matt Harvey, and Chris Young all had very impressive outings.  Despite Harvey's loss in his second career start, he pitched very well only giving up two earned runs and striking out seven.  The Mets like what they see in Harvey. The young phenom has the makeup to be a front end starting pitcher in the Majors.

While the Mets were silent at the trade deadline, they were so with good reason.  The team did not want to trade away young pieces of their future to get a rental to help them win this season.  If the team did not lose 11 of 12 games following the All Star break it most likely would have been a different story.  The fact is they struggled following the break.  They went from being a half game out of the NL Wild Card to 8.5 back going into today.  They went from a reasonable 4.5 games back to 11 games back in the NL East.  The losing streak put a huge blow in the Mets playoff hopes, but with 56 games to go, Terry Collins crew still has hope.

The Mets will finally get back their closer Frank Francisco tonight in San Diego.  Their bullpen has missed Francisco dearly as Bobby Parnell struggled in the closer's role.  They will welcome back Francisco with open arms after missing over a month.  Parnell will now get to return to the setup role where he thrived in the first half of the season.  The rest of the bullpen will have less pressure on them as they will not be put in as many tough situations as they were in with the absence of Francisco.  Josh Edgin and Tim Byrdak can return to being lefty specialists out of the bullpen. Manny Acosta and Ramon Ramirez can return to being middle relievers.  The bullpen as a whole will get more rest with Francisco resuming his 9th inning role.

Johan Santana is also on his way back as he threw a bullpen session yesterday.  Santana will be back in the Mets rotation possibly next week when the Mets return home, but most likely the following week.  Once Santana returns, Terry Collins will consider going to a four man rotation with R.A. Dickey going on three days rest.  Dickey, Santana, Niese, and Harvey with Chris Young making spot starts provides the Mets with a formidable rotation down the stretch.  Starting pitching is what carried this team in their successful first half.  The rotation has stepped it up this last week and hope to continue their success into San Diego before they return home for six games against the Marlins and the  Braves.

There is still time for this team to go on a run.  The Mets still have nine games left, with six being at home, against the Atlanta Braves whom they trail in the Wild Card.  The team still has six games against the Nationals whom they trail in the division.  Any hope at winning a division title has taken a hit since their post All Star break struggles, but with the addition of a second Wild Card team, Terry Collins hopes that his bunch can string some wins together and make a run for that second Wild Card spot. The Braves and Pirates at the top of that race do not seem to be losing steam but its a long season and that is why they play the games.  56 games is still a lot of time for this team to make a run.  Mets fans hope that Citi Field does not become a ghost town come September as it has been since it opened in 2009.

Second Half Debacle

The second half of the season following the All Star break has spelled disaster for the Mets in each of the last three seasons.  It appears that 2012 is no different.  The Mets suffered another heartbreaking loss this afternoon at Citi Field where they left an astounding 14 men on base in an 8-3 loss in 12 innings.  For the first time all year, the Mets have fallen under .500 at 47-48.  They were swept by the Dodgers and have an abysmal 1-8 record since the All Star break.

It looks like the Mets are in their usual second half swoon mode as Terry Collins overachieving team has hit rock bottom.  The Mets are 8.5 games out of first place in the National League East and have fell five games out of the second Wild Card spot in the National League.  Their starting pitching, which carried them in the first half, has been brutal thus far in the second half.  The bullpen continues to struggle as they have all season leading the league with 20 losses.  Without closer Frank Francisco, they have had trouble closing out games in late innings. 

To add injury to insult, they lost Dillon Gee for the season and Johan Santana also was placed on the disabled list with an ankle injury.  Down two starters, the Mets finally chose today to call up young pitching prospect Matt Harvey to make his Major League debut on Thursday in Arizona.  Harvey will do his best to try and fill the void in the rotation until Santana gets back.  Santana and All Star R.A. Dickey have been the reason for a lot of the Mets success in the first half.  Both have struggled mightily in the month of July and are a part of the teams losing streak.  

The pitching problems of late are leading to the offense having to fight back early and often in games.  They are being put in too deep of a hole and as a result are pressing to try and get back in games.  The team is not getting the clutch two out hits that we saw in the first half.  David Wright cannot do it all by himself.  Wright, Daniel Murphy, and young Jordany Valdespin have been the only bright spots of late in the Mets offense.  While the offense has not been great, it all starts with the pitching staff.  They either are behind early or blow leads late because of a young and inexperienced bullpen. 

It could get worse as the Mets will face the first place Nationals for three games at Citi Field.  They could be double digit games behind them with another couple of losses. Then the Mets will go on an 11 game west coast trip to face the Diamondbacks, Giants, and Padres.  As the trade deadline is just nine days away, the next week will determine if the Mets are buyers or sellers.  If the poor play continues, look for the Mets to go with what they have and not trade pieces of their future to try and win this year. The debacle looks to have begun, but the Mets do have 65 games to go and crazier things have happened. Just ask the 2007 Mets...

Mets First Half Review

The 2012 Mets came into the season with no expectations by many. They were looked at as a team in a rebuilding process, a team with a rag tag no name lineup, and a very questionable pitching staff.  If I were to tell you at the beginning of April that going into the All Star Game, the 2012 Mets would be six games over .500, a half game out of a NL Wild Card spot, and 4.5 games out of the NL East, you would probably call me crazy.

Who would have thought? The Mets are going into the All Star game tonight with a record of 46-40 and within striking distance of a playoff spot with 76 games remaining.  It all starts with the pitching staff and the question mark at the top of the rotation began with Johan Santana. Coming off shoulder surgery, many were not sure how Santana would pitch.  He would come out looking like the Santana of old in the first half. Mets fans got to witness something they have been waiting 50 years for...a no hitter.  With the exception of a couple of starts this year, Santana has pitched tremendously. He comes into the half with a 6-5 record and a 3.24 ERA.

The major surprise for the Mets and for all of Major League Baseball has been the first half that knuckleballer R.A. Dickey has put together.  Dickey has been nothing short of spectacular coming into the break with a 12-1 record and a 2.40 ERA with 123 strikeouts. Dickey threw two consecutive complete game one hitters which is unheard of in baseball today.  He was snubbed out of starting the All Star game because of a poor decision by Tony LaRussa, but will still get his chance to pitch in the game for the first time in his career.

When Mike Pelfrey went down in April, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee knew that they would have to step up and they have done just that.  Niese signed a 5 year contract extension before the season as the Mets are expecting big things from the young southpaw. Niese is 7-4 with a respectable 3.73 ERA coming into the break. Dillon Gee has surprised many as the Mets fourth starter with a 6-7 record and a 4.10 ERA.  Chris Young has also stepped in and done a nice job as the fifth starter since his return on June 5th. Young has had a quality start every time he has pitched not allowing more than 3 earned runs in his six starts. The Mets rotation has surprised many and is a big reason why this team is in a playoff race.

Another surprise to many is how the Mets lineup has come together and done an excellent job, especially with two outs. This lineup led by All Star David Wright has come up with clutch hits every night with two outs. It has been a recipe for their success in the first half and something that needs to continue for them to have a strong second half. David Wright's numbers have been off the charts all season long. He has not slumped all year and day after day continues to show why he is the cornerstone of this franchise. He is hitting .351 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI coming into the break with an astounding .441 on base percentage.

Ike Davis who struggled mightily the first two months of the season has finally got it together in the month of June and so far in July. He has 12 home runs and 49 RBI in the first half. Lucas Duda, who has been streaky at times is also contributing in the middle of that lineup with 12 home runs and 44 RBI.  The guy who has surprised most has been Scott Hairston. Hairston is tied for the team lead with 12 home runs. Hairston has abused left handed pitching all season and has been monumental in the Mets first half success.  Guys like Daniel Murphy, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Mike Baxter, Ruben Tejada have also come in and have done a tremendous job for skipper Terry Collins.

The main weakness of this year's team has been the bullpen thus far. Frank Francisco has been very up and down and is currently on the disabled list as he works his way back in the coming week.  Manny Acosta who is in Triple-A Buffalo now was terrible when he had his time with the Mets. Ramon Ramirez has not been the guy the Mets hoped they would acquire in the trade for Angel Pagan. Pedro Beato has just returned and will be a pivotal piece of the Mets middle relief in the second half.  Two guys out of the bullpen who have been great all year for this team have been Bobby Parnell and Tim Byrdak.  Parnell has filled in for Francisco nicely at closer since he went down with injury and Byrdak has been the guy to come in and get lefty hitters out and he has done it with great success.

The question is if the Mets can keep up what we have seen in the first half. We saw a resilient team that following a loss or a tough streak would come back and string some wins together. This team never gives up and finds ways to come back and win ball games.  They start the second half with Dillon Gee going down with injury.  Gee will start the second half on the disabled list as he has a clot in his artery in his right shoulder.  For this team to win down the stretch, it is pivotal that they acquire an arm for the bullpen in a guy like Huston Street. They need a veteran relief pitcher who has been there before and that can help them shut down games late. Also, with Jason Bay failing to stay healthy and his failure to produce, this team needs a right handed hitter with some power to help out a predominately left hand hitting lineup.  A guy like Carlos Quentin would fill that role perfectly.  If this team could add those two pivotal pieces, don't be surprised if the Mets are playing meaningful games in September.  This team has shocked all of baseball and if their rotation continues to pitch the way it has, they can make a run at one of those two NL Wild Card spots.  Nobody in the NL wants to face R.A. Dickey if it comes down to a one game playoff.

RA-DICKEY-LOUS

R.A. Dickey was once a guy who was fighting just to get to the big leagues.  He had a good knuckleball, but it was not good enough to get him recognized like Tim Wakefield, Phil Niekro, and Charlie Hough.  On April 29, 2010, when pitching for triple-A Buffalo, the Mets realized that they may have found something in Dickey. Dickey would give up a single to the first batter that night and then get the next 27 batters out to throw a one hitter.  We would soon learn that more dominant performances were on the way.

Monday night, Dickey showed the world that he might just be one of the most dominant knuckleballers of all time and the most dominant pitcher in the league right now.  Dickey breezed through the Baltimore Orioles lineup throwing his second consecutive complete game one hitter.  The Tennessee native struck out 13 Orioles and only walked two batters.  He gave up a single in the 5th to break up the no hitter.  Dickey was coming off as dominant a performance his last start against Tampa Bay.  Dickey gave up one infield single that could have been ruled an error and the Rays lineup was baffled by the swirling knuckleball that nobody could hit.

There was a feel of magic in the air at Citi Field Monday night.  Fans could not believe the absolute brilliance that was happening right in front of them.  Just two and a half weeks ago, fans witnessed the first no hitter in Mets history by Johan Santana and once again they would get to see an equally dominant performance from Dickey.  In all honesty, Dickey's two one hitters were as paramount or more than Santana's one hitter.  Hitters were not even making contact with the knuckleball that were leaving major leaguers scratching their head, throwing their bats, and a lot of times breaking them.

Two one hitters and 25 strikeouts for R.A. Dickey.  Two overbearing starts against two playoff teams right now.  Dickey is now 11-1 with a microscopic 2.00 ERA.  Robert Allen has 103 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched.  He has given up just 67 hits and 21 walks in those 99 innings.  The numbers this man is putting up are Cy Young worthy, MVP worthy, and undoubtedly All Star Game starting pitcher worthy.  Dickey has come out every 5th day and essentially given the Mets a win every time.  The guy has not allowed an earned run since May 22nd.  He has only had one start this season that was not a quality one and that came on a rainy day in Atlanta.  Take that start out and Dickey has been absolutely flawless this season.

What we are seeing from R.A. Dickey is an absolute joy to watch.  He has transformed the art of the knuckleball and at age 37, with the way he keeps his body and being a knuckleballer, still has plenty of years left in him.  In knuckleball years, Dickey is in his prime and can easily pitch into his mid-40s.  Hey, if the Mets can stay in the race and make a run for one of those two wild card spots in the National League, watch out for the dynamic duo of R.A. Dickey and Johan Santana right now at the top of the rotation.  It has become a front end that nobody wants to face.

A Night to Remember at Citi: HI57ORY

It was the first of June in 2012.  It was the Mets 8,020th game in the team's 51st season.  It was a night at Citi Field that Mets fans have been waiting their whole lives to see.  Me and the other 27,068 fans came out to see the return of Carlos Beltran to Citi Field in a Cardinals uniform.  What we ended up seeing was history.

At 9:45pm on a cool, breezy night in Flushing, David Freese swung on and missed for the 27th out.  Johan Santana had thrown the first no hitter in New York Mets history.  The Mets could not do it at the Polo Grounds for their first two years.  They could not do it at Shea Stadium for its 45 years of existence. They could not do it in the first three seasons at Citi Field.  Finally, in the celebratory year of the Mets 50th anniversary, in the team's 51st season and third ballpark, Johan Santana had completed the first ever Mets no hitter.  I was waiting for last night to happen since I started being at fan at the age of 8.  I have been to over a season's worth (162) Mets games in my life and the night finally came.  

There were so many moments in this game that made this such a special first no hitter for the Mets.  First, in the 6th inning, the ball hit by Carlos Beltran that was fair and got called foul.  After this, it seemed the Mets caught a break, and history could be in the making.  In the 7th inning is when it seemed that it was destiny for the Mets.  Yadier Molina, the man who beat the Mets in the NLCS in 2006 at Shea Stadium with his 9th inning home run, would hit one deep to left field that looked to make it the 8,020th game that the Mets would not throw a no hitter.  The pride of Whitestone, Mike Baxter, would put his glove out, catch the ball, and bang into the left field wall and somehow hold on to the ball to make one of the biggest catches in Mets history.  Baxter would leave the game with injury, but not before getting a standing ovation from everyone in the ballpark.  Baxter had somehow saved the no hitter and Santana was just seven outs away from history.  After that catch is when I said to myself...this could happen tonight.  

After the 134th pitch thrown by Johan Santana, the Mets woes of never throwing a no hitter came to an end.  Citi Field finally had the feel of home.  It was like the days at Shea as random fans all celebrated together.  High fiving and chest pumping with everyone at the ballpark was normal.  It was a night that you enjoy with the people who have been going to games for years, and a night you tell the youth to remember when they grow up.  Leaving Citi Field was hard as fans stuck around to celebrate together and realize how big of a moment this was.  It was a dream come true to be witness to such a tremendous moment in Mets history.  It happened in my last game before I begin interning Tuesday with SNY working Mets programming.  Being at the John Maine near no hitter in 2007 was incredible, but this topped them all.  

Johan Shines, Mets Start Season With Shutout

April has arrived and baseball season is back.  Johan Santana took the mound against the Braves on a beautiful Thursday afternoon at Citi Field.  Santana made his first start since 2010 and he looked like he had not missed a step.  Santana went five strong innings giving up no runs, two hits, and striking out five.  David Wright hit an RBI single in the sixth to drive in the Mets only run.  That would be enough to beat the Braves, 1-0.

The Mets bullpen did something that they had trouble doing all of last season.  The bullpen held the one run lead throwing four shutout innings.  Ramon Ramirez, acquired from the Giants, threw two scoreless innings.  Jon Rauch also made his Mets debut throwing a scoreless inning.  New closer, Frank Francisco, threw a perfect ninth inning and the Mets started the season with an impressive victory.  The Mets have won 33 of their last 43 Opening Day games after losing their first eight.

Andres Torres left the game in the seventh after trying to run down a ball in center field.  Torres is headed to the disabled list with a left calf strain.  The Mets have brought up Kirk Nieuwenhuis to replace him in centerfield.  Terry Collins is expected to platoon Nieuwenhuis with Scott Hairston, who replaced Torres yesterday.

Citi Field finally felt like home for the first time since it has opened.  The walls are now blue and it finally has more of a feel as the Mets home ballpark.  The 42 thousand plus fans left the ballpark feeling good with Let's Go Mets chants breaking out along the concourses.  It marked my tenth straight Opening Day and it was one of the more memorable ones as it is the Mets 50th anniversary.  The Mets honored the late Gary Carter before the game and unveiled a sign on the left center field wall in honor of "The Kid." The Mets continue the series with the Braves Saturday afternoon at Citi Field as R.A. Dickey takes on Jair Jurrjens.