Which so much on the line this past weekend I opted to go into a “get in the bunker” mode. It’s simple. When the entire weekend will be filled with baseball, I go to the store and purchase everything I will need for the entire weekend; food, beer, smokes, whatever. My reason being, I want to focus entirely on baseball, cut off all communication with the outside world, and hope against hope, my team will prevail.

After a great Saturday, I noticed that MLB TV was running a “Mets Marathon” up until the following game on Saturday. After Johan went complete, I felt a renewed hope that the Mets would win the Wild Card that day or Monday in a playoff.

I watched a rebroadcast of Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS. I dearly loved that 99 team and would even say it was my favorite Mets team of all time. Ace Ventura, Johnny O, Fonzie, Rey-Rey, Rick Reed, Benny, Dennis Cook, Mahomes, Franco, Dotel, of course Piazza. That year I even made my peace with Orel Hershiser, the once hated Dodger. I’m not sure that he hated me, but sure hated him. Also, I’m sure “making peace” realistically doesn’t involve that person not knowing who you are or ends with me telling random people I no longer hold any ill will.

Anyway, I hadn’t watched it since the original game took place. Sure, I’ve seen the clip of the “Grandslam Single” about a million times, but I’ve never watched the events unfold as they did that night in 99 as I watched from my couch in Lubbock, Texas. Afterwards, all I kept repeating out loud to no one in particular, “Man that was fun!”

I also caught all the old Shea retrospectives, and felt myself warmed by the recollection of so many great memories. I was sure they wouldn’t let another last day of the season collapse again.

I won’t recap the game, I’m sure if you’re reading this, you know exactly what happened. Imagine, though if this happened to you:

As I sat and watched the Marlins take the lead, I still felt they could get two stinking runs. (Yes, I have been watching the games all season) As I waited for the Mets to take the field in the eighth, THE FREAKING POWER WENT OUT! That’s right, in the year 2008, during the most important game in of the entire season, I had no power. I’m sure that’s symbolic or whatever, but I was hoping I would at least have a fun story to tell, “…yeah, so the power goes out and I MISSED David Wright’s walkoff three-run homer, can you believe it?”

Unfortunately, I have no such amusing anecdote, nor was I able to enjoy Shea’s last bittersweet moment. MLB TV is not re-broadcasting the ceremony, so I have only read recaps.

It’s a strange feeling for the Mets season to end on the last day of the season, or at least suddenly as in the past three years. You ask yourself “who’s pitching?” only to be grimly self reminded, that no one in blue and orange is pitching. It’s even worse when you get shorted the last two innings. In an instant, the Mets were gone and so was Shea. No goodbye, just a dark apartment.

I knew the bullpen was shaky at best, a disaster at worst and that the offense wasn’t clicking, but hoped Shea had enough magic left in her for one more miracle. I guess she did her best.

Goodbye Shea Stadium. I’ll never forget you.

Goddamn-it this is frustrating. The Mets are in a position to win the freaking game against an opponent whose season is over and they can’t even get nine flipping outs without giving up six runs.

Even if Beltran, Wright, Delgado, Reyes, Murphy and the other Reyes got/stayed hot for the rest of the season and somehow slugged their way to the East title, a playoff caliber team would eat this pen for lunch.

I miss Darren “D.O.” Oliver and Chad Bradford.

This season is a waste of a solid starting rotation.

Forget it, the season’s over.

When does College Football Start?

Guns Up Red Raiders!

“Closer in the making” -Billy Wagner on Aaron Heilman, Spring Training 2008

Even with Wagner’s grandstanding, empty proclamation, it’s obvious to even the most casual observer that Heilman is not a closer of the past, present or future. “He maybe a closer in another dimension” said the weird guy wearing a Lord of the Rings t-shirt, “but that’s just ridiculous.”

Only hours after being named interim closer by default and Billy Wagner’s endorsement as a closer in the making, Aaron Heilman took the mound at Shea Stadium with a 6-2 lead and the task of collecting the last three outs. Only moments later, Heilman had soiled walked the leadoff hitter, allowed a bloop hit, allowed a homerun to a punch and Judy hitter and soiled himself before dejectedly slinking into the dugout.

Coming as a shock to absolutely no one, Heilman was completely ineffective as the ninth inning pitcher, unsuccessfully deceiving hitters or locating his change up, or as it’s been know around the league, “the homerun ball.”

Manuel had foolishly selected Heilman as his interim closer, referring to the veteran right-hander as “a cross-over pitcher” in that he gives up homeruns against weak right-handed and left-handed hitters alike.

Manuel also made nonsensical assertions that Heilman’s changeup could be effective as an out pitch in late game, pressure situations.

In the aftermath of the Mets’ 6-5 victory against the Padres on Tuesday night, the Jerry Manuel opened a bottle of water and asked out loud if it could be changed to wine. It was a stunningly frightening indication that the Mets manager had become so delusional he actually believed he was Jesus.

Before the homestand began, Manuel had used the phrase “closer by committee” and soon after, he acknowledged Heilman would do most of the closing, or in other words, be the committee chairman.

Chairman Heilman accepted the challenge and immediately disbanded the committee and filed for chapter 11, but not before ciphering off enough company assets into accounts in the Cayman Islands that investors lost their lifesavings.

It’s been a long, strange fall from grace for Heilman. After being the Mets first draft pick in 2001, Heilman was actually held in high regard by Mets management. Unbelievably Heilman made an impressive start, pitching a complete game one hitter. But, it was all downhill from there.

After surrendering a homerun in the 2006 NLCS to Yadier Molina, bitching about a parking spot in spring training, countless multiple run innings and gutless performances, Heilman arrived at Shea Wednesday afternoon to find the personal effects of his locker laying in the gutter on Roosevelt Avenue and banned for life from Shea Stadium.

As Heilman ran down Roosevelt Avenue, chased by angry Mets fans hurling bags of their own urine, it served as a perfect microcosm of his career with the Mets.

I can’t remember the last time the Mets got a hit with the bases loaded. I think the last time was Robin Ventura. I wonder if he’s available…

You know…the one thing I look forward to all year long is watching the BITCH ASS fans Astros squirm. I hate the Astros and seriously they need to come up with something other than the generic freakin’ boo Mets. As a Mets fan, I am upset that we didn’t pull it off tonight. Lonestar Met is right! They are overworked! We have all the key elements and players to do some damage this year.

I am also upset because I missed that bad ass catch that Murphy had because I was watching Wigginton. I always loved his devotion and passion for the Mets. It really looked like he had a homerun and I would have cheered for him. Realizing what I missed, when my husband is giving me brutal high fives. I hated to tell him I missed that moment, but I had a good reason. Oh, and the only reason the Astros actually did well the past two games is because of a past Mets. Freakin’ Matusi!

xoxox
Mrs. Lonestar Mets

I don’t know what else to add, folks. I’m going to go get drunk.

Lets try and not get swept…

It just felt really good to type that. This is the team I know, love and have missed for a year. The division is far from decided at this stage and the Phillies are still a very dangerous team, but the past three games have made a clear statement to the rest of the league: the Mets not a team to be taken lightly.

What a difference a Month Makes

June 24:
Record: 37-39 .487 Third place 4 games back
Last game: L SEA 11-0
Lonestar Met quote: “I hate baseball”

July 24:
Record55-47 .539 First place +1
Last game: W PHI 3-1
Lonestar Met quote: “I love baseball”

Game ball to Ollie P. Another big performance in another big game.

What in the world has gotten into Carlos Delgado? I’m sure I wasn’t alone a month ago thinking he was done and eyeing a deadline deal for Mark Teixeira. It would be delusional to think Delgado is going to keep this up all year, but proving he is capable to produce at this level makes him dangerous.

Speaking of Delusional:
From MLB.com

As the injuries continue to mount and his schizophrenic team continues to provide at least enough reason to keep playoff hopes alive, there’s reason to wonder if Frank Wren truly is going through a prolonged hazing process that precedes his initiation back into the fraternity of general managers.

While accepting the unenviable task of succeeding the ever-successful John Schuerholz, Wren has been forced to call more audibles than Matt Ryan will ever have to in Atlanta. The list of projected starting pitchers that he carried into this season looks similar to the list of disabled players that seemingly only gets longer and more distinguished as the season progresses. [ed note: so is my Johnson]

With this in mind, would it have been too much for the Braves to at least assume some type of identity by now? One week before the July 31 Trade Deadline, Wren doesn’t know if he’ll be a buyer or a seller.

A lot depends on how the Braves fare while playing a three-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia this weekend. With Chipper Jones questionable with a strained left hamstring, a much-needed series sweep seems unlikely.

But the fact that such a sweep would drastically change where the Braves stand in the postseason hunt prevents Wren from definitively knowing whether he’ll be selling Mark Teixeira or buying a player like Pirates outfielder Jason Bay with the intention of matching his power bat with Teixeira’s during the season’s final two months.

Dear Frank Wren,

You’re a seller. You are six and a half back and in fourth place. It’s unlikely you will leapfrog 3 teams in your own division. You are 10 games out of the Wild Card. You are under .500 for cripes sake. You are not one player away. Trade Teixeira and bring back some pitching. If you think you are raising the price with this, you’re fooling no one. The 90s are over. You had a good run. Time to rebuild.

Hugs and Kisses,

Lonestar Mets

p.s. Chipper smells

Crazy people aside, I remember Tex’s Ranger years and all the discussion of moving him to a corner outfield slot and find myself wondering it that is actually feasible. Tex is a wonderful defensive first baseman and it would be a shame to play a less capable player in that position, but let’s face it, the odds are Delgado’s production falls off or at least declines. It would be nice to have that option. Let’s face reality; if they’re thinking they’re on the fence, they likely overvalue Tex. He’ll cost a fortune for a two month rental. Honestly, if the Mets have to dip into the farm system, a smarter pick up would be Xavier Nady.

As a side note, Tex has a clubhouse reputation ranging anywhere from uptight to difficult to a real douche. I can’t believe there hasn’t been an incident over the past year involving him and some combination of Chipper and Smoltz.

Now lets go whip LaRussa.

As, I wrote yesterday, a Mets sweep would do much to remove the word “collapse” from the Met fan’s vernacular. Last night’s loss just highlighted it.

I’m trying not to get too worked up, the Mets are still a game out of first, though they were 3 outs away from taking the division lea…nevermind. Spilled milk. Whatever. Swallow it and move on…

Johnny Maine looks to stop a personal slide tonight and pull the Mets even. Don’t eat a big meal.

Thank you Scott for pricing you client so out of most team’s budget that even if we wanted to trade him we couldn’t.

Thank you Scott for negotiating a million dollar salary for your young client that the Mets were inclined to keep him in the majors.

Eight scoreless innings out of Mike Pelfrey. I can’t believe that. What’s even stranger is it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if it happened again. We’ve all heard about Pelfrey’s bowling ball two seam fastball and how much talent the guy had, now we get to see it first hand. Whether it has more to do with experience in the bigs or a non-jerry curled pitching coach we’ll never know. Welcome to the big time Mike Pelfrey.

And thank you Scott Boras. I know I’ll take that back when Ollie turns free agent.

This move needed to be made. This year’s poor start and bullpen woes may not be Willie’s fault. For Willie to yell and throw water coolers to fire up players isn’t in his personality and would come off as insincere and even grandstanding. At this stage, he isn’t the right man for the job anymore. Regardless of the cliché riddled quotes from players, “Willie Watch” was a distraction and his removal was necessary.

The way this was handled was completely unnecessary. Why he had to fly to Los Angeles to be canned defies reason. Why it was done at 3 AM is awkward. Why not just have Omar dismiss Willie on the diamond vision during the seventh inning stretch. Greg hit it right on the head; this brings back several old memories of a fractioned front office, multiple agendas, infighting and unstable team direction.

So adios, Willie! Sorry for the crappy send off. We’ve had some good times. You’ll catch on somewhere and I’m sure you’ll be a big league manager again!

Welcome to the hot seat Jerry Manuel! Closers who cant close, middle relief and set up men who cant hold leads, an offense that looks great on paper but goes cold for weeks at a time. Lack of focus, and poor execution run rampant. Have fun managing this mess!

After the Fox broadcast and listening to Tim McCarver spout nonsense all Saturday afternoon (“Nothing good can happen after a leadoff walk.” I don’t know, how about a double play?) I decided to go and watch the game at the Fox and Hound where they mercifully play music rather than force there customers to endure Joe Morgan and Jon Miller. After the game was over, Takin Care of Business came on, I shit you not.

I’m not really buying the whole sit-down with management and singling out Delgado is the source of the Mets recent turn around. The players are likely coming out of a normal, unusually simultaneous slump, a team wide regression to the mean if you will. The sit down with management and sit down of Delgado did make me feel better.

I won’t say I am upset that Sunday’s game was moved to Sunday night for ESPN. I always felt it’s kind of a special thing to be a national game. If anything, we can appreciate Keith Gary and Ron more.

On that same note, SNY’s coverage has been fantastic lately. Let Keith do all the games behind the plate, I love to hear his analysis of a pitcher from field level.

The Mets are West Coast after only 23 hours after the last game ended. Who better to send to the mound after traversing the country than that emotional rock Oliver Perez and his laser beam like focus. What could possibly go wrong?

Pedro Martinez pitches Tuesday and though I’ve pretty much resigned myself not to expect another inning out of Pedro all year, I’ll be cringing on every pitch and every fielded ball.