Another piece of my childhood baseball memories were tarnished by today’s release of the Mitchell Report. My favorite Met prior to 1999 was Todd Hundley. Todd was one of the rare positive aspects of the atrocious mid 90’s Mets clubs. When the Mets traded for Mike Piazza in 1998, I spent a year resenting Mike for displacing Hundley. Though Iron Mike eventually won me over with his play, sometimes seemingly carrying the team on his back I had always maintained a fondness for Todd Hundley and felt he was under appreciated by Mets fans. I should have known his rapid increase in power was highly peculiar and should have been a red flag, but in those days of the 90’s we honestly didn’t know and really didn’t have a reason to suspect malfeasance. Every now and again, I would reflect on the 90’s Mets and Todd Hundley’s power numbers and wonder, I probably knew in the back of my mind something was amiss. Now I know. From page 163 of the Mitchell Report:

Todd Hundley
Todd Hundley played as a catcher with three teams in Major League Baseball
from 1990 until 2003 (the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs). He was with the Mets from 1990 to 1998. He played in All-Star games in 1996 and 1997.
Radomski has known Hundley since 1988, when Radomski worked for the Mets and Hundley played in the Mets’ minor league system. Radomski stated that, beginning in
1996, he sold Deca-Durabolin and testosterone to Hundley on three or four occasions. At the beginning of that year, Radomski told Hundley that if he used steroids, he would hit 40 home runs. Hundley hit 41 home runs in 1996, having never hit more than 16 in any prior year. After the season, Radomski said, Hundley took him out to dinner.

Chris Donnels played with Hundley in 2000 when they were both with the
Los Angeles Dodgers. Donnels admitted to my investigative staff that Radomski supplied him with performance enhancing substances. Donnels recalled having extensive discussions with Hundley about his performance enhancing substance use and about Radomski while they were teammates. Hundley’s name, with two addresses and three telephone numbers, is listed in the address book seized by federal agents from Radomski’s residence. In order to provide Hundley with information about these allegations and to give him an opportunity to respond, I asked him to meet with me; he declined.

The last sentence says it all. If an athlete was falsely accused, he would have, if even through an attorney, defended himself. Thanks for making me care for nothing, douche bag.

This next finding caught me completely off guard. I had read excerps of his FAN interview, I felt the Mets had treated him unfairly, possibly for reasons stemming from personality clashes. It would now appear the Mets had alterior motives for not persuing Paulie Ballgame. From page 208-211 the Mitchell Report:

Paul Lo Duca
Paul Lo Duca is a catcher who has played with three teams in Major League
Baseball since 1998, the Los Angeles Dodgers (7 seasons), Florida Marlins (2 seasons), and New York Mets (2 seasons). He has appeared in four All-Star games.
Todd Hundley referred Lo Duca to Radomski when Lo Duca played for the
Dodgers. Radomski estimated that he engaged in six or more transactions with Lo Duca. Insome transactions, Radomski sent the performance enhancing substances by overnight mail toLo Duca’s home or to the Dodgers clubhouse and Lo Duca sent Radomski a check a week or so later.
Radomski produced copies of three checks from Lo Duca, each in the amount of
$3,200. All are included in the Appendix. Radomski said that each check was in payment for two kits of human growth hormone.
Lo Duca’s name, with an address and telephone number, is listed in the address
book seized from Radomski’s residence by federal agents. During that search, federal agents also seized a note from Lo Duca to Radomski. It read:

Kirk,
Sorry! But for some reason they sent the check back to me.
I haven’t been able to call you back because my phone is TOAST! I have
a new # it is [Lo Duca’s phone number is listed here]. Please leave your #
again because I lost all of my phonebook with the other phone.
Thanks
Paul

In 2002, Lo Duca was quoted by Sports Illustrated in an article responding to Ken
Caminiti’s admission of steroid use. Lo Duca was reported to have said: “If you’re battling for a job, and the guy you’re battling with is using steroids, then maybe you say, ‘Hey, to compete, I need to use steroids because he’s using them . . . Don’t get me wrong. I don’t condone it. But it’s a very tough situation. It’s really all about survival for some guys.”
According to the notes of an internal discussion among Los Angeles Dodgers
officials in October 2003 that were referred to above, it was reportedly said of Lo Duca during the meetings:

Steroids aren’t being used anymore on him. Big part of this.
Might have some value to trade . . . Florida might have interest.
. . . Got off the steroids . . . Took away a lot of hard line drives.
. . . Can get comparable value back would consider trading. . . . If
you do trade him, will get back on the stuff and try to show you he
can have a good year. That’s his makeup. Comes to play. Last
year of contract, playing for 05.(419)

On June 26, 2004, Lo Duca wrote a check to Radomski for $3,200. On July 30,
2004, the Dodgers traded Lo Duca, Guillermo Mota, and Juan Encarnacion to the Marlins. On August 7, 2004, Lo Duca issued another check to Radomski for $3,200. In January 2005, Lo Duca signed a three-year contract with the Marlins.

The handwritten note shown below on Dodger Stadium stationary from Lo Duca
to Radomski was seized from Radomski’s house during a search by federal agents. Radomski said that this note was included with a check Lo Duca sent Radomski as payment for human growth hormone.

In order to provide Lo Duca with information about these allegations and to give
him an opportunity to respond, I asked him to meet with me; he declined.

I really haven’t had time to absorb this yet but the evidence is pretty damning. I feel sick.

Posted under Angry Rant

In my entire life, I’ve been a Mets fan and I think I can safely say, this is definitely one of the low points of fandom this organization has seen in my lifetime. The fact that this team let a 7 game lead slip away in September is nauseating. Some may point to 1998 and I say hogwash, in 98 we weren’t supposed to even be there, though certainly disappointing and frustrating it indicated a bright future that lay ahead. The Vince Coleman affair made me ashamed, but I never felt a connection to Coleman. At the end of game six of the 1999 NLCS, I was certainly disappointed but not ashamed. The 1999 team fought with every fiber of their being to get as far as they got.

Now? Pathetic. A team who is so talented, as they will gladly tell you, couldn’t answer the bell with their leader, staff ace and one of the man credited, and deservedly so, as the reason for their turn around. It goes much deeper than that of course, these past weeks have been a foreshadowing of things to come. We as a fan base that prides itself on always believing refused to see it coming. Now its here. This team doesn’t have the heart to answer the bell. In reading the above article from the New York Observer, I couldn’t help but think, “how can you not care, when I care so damn much?”

If you like, hold out hope for this season, I would like to, but I cant. This team has been complacent with it’s complacency for so long, I don’t think they have a battle left in them. I actually spent the better part of an hour pricing airline tickets to see if maybe I could come to Shea and will this team in the playoffs. I found an affordable, or as affordable as airline tickets to New York can be, and when I went to make sure there were Mets tickets available, the site told me it was “down for maintanence.” Well it looks likes the Mets are too. This is certainly one of the dips in franchises long and dubious history.

Tied for first, three to go. I don’t think they have it in them. I hope they prove me wrong. I’m going to keep watching though, tied for first place is still first place, at least there’s hope. 

I am still going to hold out hope. What else is a Mets fan supposed to do. I hope the players realize they are about to let down a loyal and rabid fan base that never says die. We have very long memories. I keep reading the great Dana Brand’s genius, that I believe defines all real Mets fans:
      

This is what has hooked us. This is what we long for. This is why, however much we hate them at times, we love to love this team. However good the Yankees become, they never tempt us. We are stubborn and resolute. We are millions. We
are Mets fans.

Tied for first, three to go. I don’t think they have it in them. I hope they prove me wrong.

Wake Up Mets!

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

Why is this so hard? I mean, sure any team can beat any other team on any given night, that’s why you have to play the games. But honestly, could we try to hold the worst offense in the NL to, I don’t know, under 30 runs over three games?

I knew it might be bad, I didn’t know it was going to be this bad. Has the entire bullpen contracted Mono? After the last few games, I really doubt this teams ability to qualify for post season play.

I don’t want to harp on strategy or Thursday morning Manage here, but Willie should have gone to El Duque earlier; match up be damned. Sure he would have gotten torched by the media if it backfired, but how could Duque have been any worse than we’ve seen lately? I really hope I wasn’t right back in July.
It’s time to drink heavily and watch the 1999, cheap ass Mets season video, Amazin Again. Can we at least see if Dennis Cook, Turk Wendell and Octavio Dotel are available?

From here on out, the Mets have to look at this like a four game season, forget this god-awful series and play out the last four, hope the starting staff can go deep, get the pen as much rest as possible and hope the offense throws up double digits. However, as great of a pitcher as Pedro is, I don’t seeing Petey go complete.

Let’s hope it all feels better in the Morning…

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

Good lord this is excruciating. Watching the division lead slip away is almost too much. Right now there is a battle raging in my head. Two sides, let me introduce you to the Rational side and the emotional Mets fan side:

Rational Side: I agree with Willie in juggling the rotation. I really don’t want to go through a post season without Pedro and El Duque.

Emotional Mets Fan side: LAWRENCE AND PELFREY FOR GOD SAKES, THERE ISN’T GOING TO BE A POST SEASON! WE NEED PEDRO AND DUQUE NOW!

Rational Side: They are a solid team, they can turn it on when they need it.

Emotional Mets Fan side: WE CAN’T BEAT THE GOD DAMN NATIONALS, HOW THE HELL CAN WE GET PAST A TEAM WITH A WINNING RECORD!

Rational Side: Willie’s a winner, he knows what he’s doing.

Emotional Mets Fan side: CAN WE GET BOBBY VALENTINE ON A PLANE, WHAT’S HE DOING RIGHT NOW?

Rational Side: Guillermo Mota Sucks!

Emotional Mets Fan side: Guillermo Mota Sucks!

Rational Side: WE NEED TO START WINNING SOME GAMES NOW!

Emotional Mets Fan side: WE NEED TO START WINNING SOME GAMES NOW!

Rational side: Are they going to do this to me again?

Emotional Side: MOTHER F@*!%*R, THEY’RE DOING IT TO ME AGAIN!

Rational Side: I hate baseball!

Emotional Side: I LOVE BASEBALL!

I think both sides have come to an agreement, we still believe, we have to. Face it, if they didn’t, they would have both been long gone by now.

Let’s Go Mets!

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

I know, cheesy title, what do you want?

I’m not sure how the second sweep of the Mets at the hands of the Phillies bodes for the Mets. The first sweep served as something of a wakeup call, spurring the Mets to their best stretch of the season. This time, who knows what happens now. With a steady diet of Fish and Nats’ games slated to finish the season (with one plate of redbird for variety), the Mets should be able to fend off the Phils and secure their second straight NL East title.

Should the Mets secure the title while simultaneously taking a two week batting practice session to gear up for the playoffs, so be it. This weekends sweep of the Mets makes it more likely that a clinching game occur at Shea, possibly even against the Cards. The NL East title isn’t a lock quite yet, but three and a half games back with the leader up against the East’s celler-dwellers, probably isn’t the ideal place for a team with its sights set on the division. Those Cheesesteak eaters are focused on the Wild Card. Going to sleep last night, the rather disturbing thought crossed my mind: What if they get it?

Lets go Padres!

P.S. Mota sucks!

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

Coming into Philadelphia with a six game lead, the Mets were given a four game series to knock the Phillies out of contention and solidify the NL East. In the four game series the mighty New York Mets asserted their dominance over the division by…getting swept in four games straight?

That’s about all you can say. Sure the games, well almost all of the games, were seemingly competitive. Save for Monday’s game, they were winnable. It would pointless to recap the key moments. Winners get it done when the game is on the line and chance usually favors the best team. I’m not suggesting the Phillies are a better team; they’re just the better team right now and the Mets just handed them momentum, confidence, and worse, realistic hopes of the East title.

I hope the Mets all got a good look at the Phils dog pile of Chase Utley after capping the four game sweep. I hope they felt like I felt and don’t forget it. I hope it embarrasses them as much as it embarrasses me. I hope it burns…badly. Then they get as angry as I am and they take it out on the Braves.

Not that this Mets fan is in panic mode; it’s more like nervous mode. A two game lead is hardly comfortable. And it’s not over yet. Willie, the veterans, somebody needs to shake up this team. The Mets are heading to Atlanta for three in the dreaded turner field and suddenly we could all be having flash backs to the late 90’s that are all too real. Bad dreams…

A quick note.

I am excited to see Pedro Martinez return to active duty but how unrealistic is it to think that a pitcher coming off surgery that hasn’t pitched in what now is an entire year at the major league level, and really in a year and a half on a regular basis regardless of his resume? Don’t misunderstand, I really look forward to Petey’s return and I like the Mets better with him than without him. But even if he is Pedro of old, he only pitches every fifth day. Pedro’s clubhouse presence may turn the ship, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Silver lining time for any Mets fans on the ledge, ready to jump. The Mets are competing for something other than past Met team’s records for the first time in a while. That concept seems kind of foreign now, doesn’t it? You remember that, don’t you? When a division title wasn’t a certainty.

What’s so great about that, you ask?

Mets to need to start playing dominating baseball, the likes of which we fell in love with in 2006. All year, we’ve been hearing, “as soon as this team gets healthy…” and “When Moises Alou gets back…” Well he’s they’re back and he’s back, let’s go!

If the Mets continue their standard trend since June, a war of attrition so to speak and use wins over Cincinnati, Washington and Florida to coast into the October while the Atlanta and Phillies fall apart, does any clear thinking Met Fan give decent odds of a World Series title.

Oh yeah, back to the silver lining thing. Teams that fight for their playoff lives in September seem to battle harden early. (See Cardinals, 06, White Sox 05, Red Sox 04, Marlins 03, 97.) A dogfight slugfest may be exactly what this team needs to awaken that baseball giant that’s been seemingly napping all season. It’s time for the Mets to come out of that penthouse suite in that ivory tower called NL East for an old fashioned street fight. Winner take all, loser go home.

The Mets need to figure out what the hell their problem is and fix it in a hurry. Besides Delgado, no one has played outright poorly. When the offense is clicking, generally the pitching isn’t. The Mets don’t have “it” whatever “it” is that made this team seem unbeatable last year. Quick name three walk off wins off the top of your head:

1. Castillo’s walk-off
2. Benitez’s Meltdown
3. Umm, uhhhh, umm…

Its time for this baseball club to play to its talent level. Philly’s got the momentum; the Braves have the edge in the historical aspect of the Mets at Turner Field. What do we have?

1. Reyes
2. Castillo
3. Wright
4. Beltran
5. Alou
6. Delgado
7. LoDuca
8. Green/Endy/Lastings

If three any of those three guys go on any kind of consistent hot streak, watch out. We all know what our boys are capable of, now its time to prove something. Were the Mets, it’s always going to be hard. Buckle your seatbelts, we’re going to Atlanta.

Yee-Ha!

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

Tom Glavine became the 23rd pitcher to record 300 wins with a 6 1/3 inning performance in the Mets 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs Sunday night; Albert Pujols reportedly still not impressed. 

Posted under Angry Rant, Non-Baseball, Post Game

I would like to thank the fellas over at the Big Lead who threw me some props yesterday. If you don’t usually read non-Mets sites, you may want to start, the Big Lead is genius. If you found me though that link welcome, and I hope you stick around.

On to tonght’s severe beating…

Now that the Mets are actually playing a decent team, it doesn’t look so easy does it.

Tonight’s game was painful to watch as the Mets lack of offensive production reared its ugly head. The one thing that kept going through my head was the Mets “new approach to hitting” working counts and fouling off more pitches. I totally agree with that stance, except for tonight. David Wells was successful throwing first pitch slow hanging curveballs to right-handed hitters to get ahead quickly in the count on a called strike one. If I am Rick Down Rickey Henderson Howard Johnson, I am telling all my right-handers to look for that pitch early in the count, wait for it and go the other way to right field.

NOTE: My apologies if the SNY boys covered this already, I watch via MLB TV and get the home team potheads play-by-play guys, who were too busy talking about Tony Gwynn than analyzing the game.

While I am on the subject of Wells, I really hate guys nicknamed “Boomer.” Chris Berman, Boomer Esiason and David Wells.

• Berman - hot airbag with a 10 year old stale bit.
• Esiason - Worst Monday Night Football analyst ever (yes even worse than Dennis Miller
• Wells - Isn’t having worn a Yankee uniform enough of a reason?

I really believed that Delgado would come out of his slump and catch fire. That hasn’t happened in a long time. It may be his bat slowing with age or that godforsaken shift., but make no mistake, Delgado is ice cold. Delgado’s lack of production has to be hindering David Wright, who while not playing poorly, isn’t the David Mets fans have come to know and love. I think it may be time for Willie to face the fact that a veteran such as Delgado may not be the Monster he was in his Toronto days. I think 6 or 7 may be a more suitable spot for Delgado in the batting order.

The same lack of production is ailing Carlos Beltran. Beltran is too talented of a hitter to be in such a prolonged cold streak. I have to believe Beltran is still suffering from a leg injury or may have reinsured the quad. Beltran’s legs are essential to his power, which hasn’t been seen in sometime.

The solution may be one that Willie won’t like. Beltran to the DL and Delgado farther down in the order. Just for grins, The Mets might be behooved to try Milledge in the three hole, Wright in the four and Gotay in the five. Yes, I realize that is a lot of pressure to put on two very young players, but at this point, I really don’t see an end to the offensive futility (besides, on the road, away from the leering press and boo-birds would be a much easier place, especially against the opponents we are facing.) Even if it doesn’t work out, it can’t get much worse. If anything it might shake up some things in the clubhouse, though the odds of Willie “I hate young Players” Randolph are slim to none.

With the Braves and Phillies both losing, the Mets lose no ground tonight, though I am starting to think that is a bad thing. I still firmly believe that the Mets won’t hit a hot streak until ceding first place and maybe even second. The NL East may turn in to the NL West of recent years; a division won by default by the least bad team. I really don’t think the Mets are a bad team, but something is definitely wrong in Flushing.

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game

There is no way this slump is ever going to end. I don’t see any way out of it. It’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop It.

After that stink fest Lonestar Mets is going to Houston…oh yeah, Houston, you have a problem. I swear to God I am going to will two more wins out of this team or die trying.

Anyway , I am will be at the next two games to cheer on the Amazins, look for the Lonestar Mets Signs and check back for many pictures and first person accounts for the final two games before the All Star Break.

Sorry for the short post but I have been meaning to mention two things…

One of my favorite movie quotes of all time (I have many) was from the Movie Oh God! starting the great John Denver and the even greater George Burns.

“The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea.”

Pure genius. On that note Sidd Finch over at The Metwork has a very funny conversation with the almighty in that style regarding the 2007 Mets. It’s a must read, check it out.

Funny Stuff!

If you haven’t checked this out yet make sure you check out Dana Brand’s Blog and website for his book Mets Fan. There are five fantastic chapters you can read online entitled Mets Fan, For Shea, Mr. Met, Yankee Hatred and Marrying the Red Sox. It is a great read and I am already jonesing to read the entire book. If the sample chapters are any indication Mets Fan will soon be sitting on my shelf among the great works of Peter Golenbock, Jeff Pearlman, Howard Blatt, Dennis D’Agostino and Leonard Koppett. (I’m not getting compensated to say that, it’s really that good!) Anyway, keep an eye out for it sometime this summer.

Look for an orange sign with black letters reading what we’ve all been thinking for the past month and a half:

WAKE UP METS!

It’s time to stop this slide once and for all…

Let’s Go Mets!

Posted under Angry Rant, Post Game