Skip to content

MLB Hot Stove: Is Terry Collins the Other New York Team’s Answer To The Mess?

Posted by on 1 December 2010, 2:13 pm

After the long overdue firing of skipper Jerry Manuel, the New York Mets owners announced the two-year signing of Terry Collins to be the franchises 20th skipper.

COLLINS BACKGROUND:

Collins started his pro career as a shortstop drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971.

Over the next 10 years, Collins played for the Pirates and Los Angeles Angels, but only in the minors.

In 1981, Collins started managing in the minors, but this time he did break in to the majors. From 1993-99, he managed the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels.

COLLINS AND HIS MESS:

No doubt this new venture will be Collins hardest because the Mets are in dire straits.

See, unlike the other New York team, winning is not a word in the Mets vocabulary. Of course, neither is leadership, sportsmanship, respect, healthy or any other positive aspect used to describe a quality baseball team.

So, the question remains: Is Terry Collins the man who can right the Mets back from mediocrity? Continue reading ‘MLB Hot Stove: Is Terry Collins the Other New York Team’s Answer To The Mess?’ »

Tagged , , , , , , ,
3 Comments

To Walk In A Mets Fan’s Shoes

Posted by on 27 February 2010, 6:32 pm

Hearing and reading all the baseball predictions, I started to imagine what if I were a Mets fan.

For the fourth straight season, the New York Mets are predicted to be contenders.

Reports of players working extra hard this off-season give false hopes in the eyes of the disgruntled fans. Even Jose Reyes is ready to turn around the team.

Should or could Mets fans trust the team again?

Only with real hesitation and coming to terms with a mindset of hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

It is up to the Mets organization to get back to amazin’ again, and a managerial change is anticipated in my opinion.

My guess or convictions lead me to forecast the fictitious newspaper article below to be the turning point:

‘HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY METS FANS!’

Welcome back, Bobby Valentine! The Mets have officially named Valentine the Manager for the second.

 
Valentine, replaces current manger Jerry Manuel.

Mid-season 2008, Mets GM Omar Minaya‘s most improper firing of Willie Randolph, lead the Mets to select Manuel as his successor. Hence, the group has been nothing but Un-Amazin since.

With the team on the cusp of being in real contention, Minaya cannot afford another failure or he will get the axe next.

Unfortunately, for Manuel getting just swept by the Mariners, and with Reyes appearing frisky again, a change is needed.

Valentine, was in this same place in 1996 and turned around a struggling Mets team; leading them to two consecutive post-season appearances, and a trip to the 2000 World Series.

Valentine only past issue Mets GM Steve Phipps did not see eye to eye at all, which ended in Valentine getting fired. Phipps was Minaya’s mentor, so surely Minaya pushed personal issues aside and proves his priorities are genuine.

When Valentine left the Mets, he had substantial success as a manager in Japan. This is a good fit for both sides.

Manuel is lucky to have been given the opportunity to try again with a healthy Mets team; but he even knew any signs from the past would be a wave goodbye.

Baseball is not a game where you get a lot of chances; it is too unpredictable and the Mets front-office made the right move.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
2 Comments

A Fan’s Guide To The Eight Playoff Teams – Part 2

Posted by on 7 October 2009, 3:34 pm
Now onto the National League teams. The NL has four teams that will be playing to go to the World Series to face the winning AL team.
Here are the National League teams from a Yankee fan’s point of view. Once again listed in no particular order.
PART 2 – THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

1.Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are the defending World Champs and would love to repeat. The team works very well as a unit because players pick each other up in games when someone is struggling.The Phillies closer Brad Lidge has been far from the dominant closer he was in 2008. Skipper Charlie Manuel has shown confidence in Lidge but by keep ing him in his job but it has not paid off. Lidge blew 10 saves as of September. This will be a position likely to be filled by Brett Meyers. Meyers did well in the post before the season’s end. Lidge’s services will be utilized in less-pressuring situations, at least to open the playoffs. The closer component is vital to any baseball team’s success. Skipper Charlies Manuel has been around long enough to know what it takes to win. I am not to worried how the Phillies will handle this.Picking up Cliff Lee at the trade deadline (for scarcely anything considering what Lee’s arm is worth) to join Cole Hamels in the rotation. They are as reliable as a team one and two starters can get.The tandem with Joe Blanton most likely as the third will be a solid rotation.Phillies line-up is still very good with Rollins, Utley, Ibanez, Howard.
Are the defending champs good enough to repeat? That is a different story; guess we will find out soon.
2. St. Louis CardinalsThe Cardinals are could be the best team in the National League. Albert Puljos is the NL MVP and perhaps the best in the entire majors. He is what Jeter is to New York but in St. Louis. The Cardinals have two Cy Young Award possibilities in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. This is the only team to have a one and two be Cy Young contenders. The mid season snatch of Matt Holliday to hit clean-up behind Puljos have both guys slugging over .600. Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina is the brother of Yankees catcher Jose and is one of the best catchers. Yadier is the best-defensive catcher in the game. Runners do not attempt to steal as often and to score off a single from second base is out of the question when Yadier is controlling the game.
The Cards support it all on paper. Whether it gets used properly and effectively is another story. Continue reading ‘A Fan’s Guide To The Eight Playoff Teams – Part 2’ »

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off

David Wright: Dear Diary

Posted by on 13 August 2009, 4:31 am

I found a page from the Diary of the Mets Captain David Wright today and I thought I should share it. Wright is such a template for baseball as he works hard, loves the game, isn’t in the media spotlight that NY athletes can get so easily caught up it and Wright wants to win.

Unfortunately for Wright, his biggest problem or enemy is the team he plays for, the New York Mets.

Dear Diary,

Hey diary, I just wanted to write you because I am to depressed to talk about baseball anymore. Also I need your advice as what to do but I know you can’t really help, even if you could talk.

I think I told you that my Mets teammates elected me captain about two years ago. Nobody seems to know because the only captain in NYC seems to be Derek Jeter anyway.

Just to start I feel like everyone in New York has given up on the Mets. It’s Yankees this, Yankees that, Jeter is the best Captain ever, Yankees rule the city and that is just the beginning of the love for the Yankees. I hate it because I try just as hard as any Yankee but I just don’t know how I got stuck on the Mets.

Even worst the face of the Mets. I think the depression from 2007 is creeping back, again and the whole thing is a mess. Here are the main things that are not getting better:

  1. We suck, again. How is this possible when we have been picked by experts for years as the team to beat? Even said “the Mets are the new New York team to beat!”. That means better than the Yankees. I get my hopes up and it never happens. Continue reading ‘David Wright: Dear Diary’ »

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off