Category: General

Mike Piazza Wants Hall Call With Mets Cap

Image courtesy of WikimediaThe NY Times has a good article today by Joe Brescia about Mike Piazza. Basically, Piazza says that he wants to go into the Hall of Fame with a Mets cap on. That’s great to hear and I was talking about this recently with a friend of mine. We were discussing whether he will go as a Dodger or a Met. I think it’s a foregone conclusion that he’s in the Hall in 2013, his first year of eligibility.

There have always been rumors about Piazza using steroids during his career. But nobody ever found anything in his locker like Mark McGwire. And he wasn’t linked to BALCO like Barry Bonds. So I don’t think the unfounded rumors will keep him out like it will McGwire and Bonds. Continue reading “Mike Piazza Wants Hall Call With Mets Cap”

2010 Mets – Chokers or Champions?

That graph to the left says it all. The game yesterday was pretty much over by the fifth inning. With the way Roy Halladay was pitching, you could say it was over by the fourth.

I was looking forward to a pitching duel between, arguably, the best pitcher in the National League and Mike Pelfrey, the current NL ERA leader. Until the fourth inning the matchup was living up to the hype.

Then the old Mets showed up. The ones who choke in critical situations. Two pop-ups in the fourth that couldn’t be handled and the game begins to unravel. Continue reading “2010 Mets – Chokers or Champions?”

Mets 2010 TV Schedule Is National

ESPN (UK)
Image via Wikipedia

The day off today gave me a chance to catch up on a column from Richard Sandomir for the Times that I haven’t gotten to yet this week. Between the hoopla surrounding the Mets resurgence and working hard this week, I just hadn’t gotten to it. But the day off is a good chance to address an important topic: the Mets have been on national TV a lot this season.

It’s especially surprising that ESPN and FOX would put the Mets on so frequently considering how pathetic they were last season. Apparently, the network execs expected a comeback when they worked out the season scheduling. Continue reading “Mets 2010 TV Schedule Is National”

Mets’ Ike Davis A Hit With Collectors

Davis is congratulated by teammates after a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsDarren Rovell writes in his Sports Biz column that collectors are lining up pre-orders for autographed baseballs from Ike Davis. Steiner Sports is selling his autographed photos for $49.99-$59.99 and baseballs for $59.99.

I’m not a collector but I like what I’ve seen from Davis in his first week and a half with the Mets. He certainly looks like he’s got the goods to stick around for a long time. If he does, the memorabilia should only increase in value.

Rovell talked to the founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Brandon Steiner:

Steiner says he never tells fans to buy autographs for the investment, but can’t help but mention that he sold Mariano Rivera’s autograph for $25 ten years ago. Signed Rivera balls now go for ten times that amount. In 1996, fans who paid for Derek Jeter’s first autograph signing paid $20.

“It’s one of the biggest pre-order responses we’ve had,” Steiner said. “It’s good for the industry.”

Maybe it’s time I get into the memorabilia game.

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Mets 2010 Slow Start – Nats Swat Back!

New York Mets starting pitcher Oliver Perez reacts at Citi Field in New York

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsSo after tearing into the Nationals on Friday night, winning by a score of 8-2, I was starting to feel upbeat. Maybe a few games against the Nats is just what this team needs to get some kind of momentum going before going on a tough, short, road trip.

Instead on Saturday, in comes Old Ollie who still resembles 2009 Ollie. No “New”, no “Improved”, just plain old Oliver Perez. Typical 4 runs in 5.2 innings and he was up there at 101 pitches before being pulled. This has been the same formula that has killed this team for the past few years. Get 5 innings from your starter and kill your bullpen. On the bright side the bullpen has performed well. How long will that last?

But that’s all okay. That’s why Jerry/Omar shuffled the rotation, to have Johan Santana follow Ollie.  Oh, they’ll swear it’s because the pitching match-ups are better but who better to follow Ollie than Santana. In theory, we would forget about Ollie’s poor performance after getting another outstanding outing from Santana.

Well, we watched that theory blow up today. Even Santana has bad days and after a 1st inning grand slam we are left to wonder, can this team ever win a series this year? Can this team beat the Nats? Can this team stay out of last? Continue reading “Mets 2010 Slow Start – Nats Swat Back!”

iPhone App Review- FanGraphs

The FanGraphs iPhone app review from David Daniels. The app displays real-time game logs and historical stats for all MLB games and players.

Courtesy of Wikimedia

I’m finding that I’m actively using this app on my iPhone when I can’t get to a TV so here’s my review – David Daniels

This app, simply called “FanGraphs“, gives you a quick update on all games being played throughout the day and in real-time. You can also get access to the same information at their website FanGraphs.com.

I notice that I tend to go to this application rather than the Internet  to get updates on any Mets games I can’t catch on TV, especially the day games I miss while I’m at work. But the app can be used to follow every game being played at any time. It’s a really great tool for those of us who get a little busy. Continue reading “iPhone App Review- FanGraphs”