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. 

I’ve been a little preoccupied lately, and haven’t been posting quite as often as usual; I just bought a Hi-Def TV. I can’t watch the Mets on Hi-Def however as the SNY package costs 90 bucks a month. I have still been keeping up with the Mets via MLB TV. (NCAA Football for PS3 kicks arse.)

According to all reports I’ve read, the Mets Cubs game on Saturday will be the Fox game of the week. Although this means putting up with Joe Buck, I will finally get to watch my club in high definition and not be forced to watch the Blue Jays and Rangers.

The series win over Milwaukee was promising. That hot streak believed to be lying ahead may be upon us.

A few thoughts.

I don’t really have an opinion on the Castillo trade. I really thought a Gotay-Easley tandem would be good enough to get the job done. I guess since we got him for a bag of used baseballs, and in the process drove a rift in the Twins clubhouse I can’t complain (not that I have any problem with the Twins, I would love for the Mets to be in the Santana free agent sweepstakes.) I’m not really familiar with Castillo so I still yet to have an opinion. In fact, I joined his first game with the Mets late and while trying to get settled in spent an entire at bat thinking, “why does Reyes look so fat?” Your call Omar.

I know I will probably catch hell for this, but my guilty pleasure is The Bronx is Burning. I hate the Yankees, Steinbrenner, Oliver Platt and Fran Healy, but I am totally into that show. I love John Turturro and the guy who plays Franco on Rescue Me. Also Crazy Joe Davola is a producer. I have noticed that Willie Randolph is a passing reference and not really part of the team. MLB pressure? Maybe, we already know ESPN is in hot water for the All Star game selection show. If you can get over your Yankee hate for an hour, make time for The Bronx is Burning.

Make sure you check out Julie’s site Chicago Mets Fan. She is hosting a fan meet before tomorrow’s game, so if you’re in the area, be sure to stop in and support the Metsies on the Road.

That’s all for now; coming up next, Lonestar Mets shocking expose` as Dan in Texas goes undercover to expose organized squirrel fights taking place in Lastings Milledge’s garage. You won’t believe what we’ve found…

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.

The Mets announced today that veteran Julio Franco has been designated for assignment. A lot of Mets fans have expressed their frustrations with Franco’s play as of late. Julio has been a Met for about a year and a half and in that time, I would say he carried himself like a good teammate, a classy individual and a professional.

I will always remember Franco funneling a reluctant Carlos Beltran out of the Mets dugout for a begrudging curtain call after a homerun early on in the 2006 season after  Beltran’s  underwhelming 2005. If Julio wasn’t there to intercede, the Mets fan base and Carlos would have slightly different attitudes toward each other.

Things I will not miss about having Julio Franco on the roster

• The words “ageless wonder”
• Two on, one out, ground outs to the second baseman
• Any mention of egg whites
• The tired old bit from opposing play-by-play crews involving “Julio Franco was a rookie before So-and-So was born”
• An automatic out for the first pinch hitter of the game

Thanks for the memories in Mets unis, Ranger unis and all the other laundry over the past three decades, Adios Julio!

Welcome to Queens Lastings!

The Truth looked arrived in time to start off the second half  providing the spark to break a 2-2 tie. Lastings looked solid all around including a backdoor slide at the plate to put up the third run of the game. Stings brought the hustle and so far is playing like a man who doesn’t fancy a trip back to the Big Easy when Moises Alou makes his return from the DL.

Rick Down Out; Rickey in?

Rick Down was dismissed as the teams hitting coach on Wednesday; the Mets announced that former Met and noted card player Rickey Henderson has been added to the club’s coaching staff. Much to the assumed chagrin of Rick Down, the Mets led off the series opener against the Reds with back to back leadoff homeruns. Those two events can not be related by any rational connection, its one of those things that works for reasons beyond me.

If you’ve ever seen Rickey Henderson interviewed, it’s the best. It’s sweet, it’s sweet glorious music. It’s like he’s communicating secretly to an intergalactic leader from another space federation. Every time he says Rickey Henderson he’s giving coordinates to the planet, or whatever.”  David Cross

Not that it’s that important really. As we were painfully reminded of last October, home field advantage guarantees nothing. Reyes, Wright and Beltran put up a solid performance. Wagner…well every Mets fan had a sinking feeling when Wagner warming up to come in for the 8. I think we all know too well that while Wagner is capable of brilliance, we also know of  Billy’s troubles in non-save situations.

• Reyes 3 for 4, 2B, SB
• Beltran 1 for 3, 3B
• Wright 1 for 3, nice diving grab
• Wagner 1.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 1 SO, 1 HR allowed

I am really tired of losing the All-Star game. Not that it means much, though home field is involved for the world Series despite the usual influence of players who will be watching October games from their living rooms. I could have lived with the tradition of home field  alternated every year or, and more logically, the team with the best record having the advantage. I know it’s a tired subject, but the “this time it counts” pitch needs to go the way of Astroturf and the bullpen car. As Gary Cohen said, “home field advantage decided by the winner of the All-Star game makes about as much sense as the winner of the Homerun Derby deciding who wins the pennant.”

And if I can make one more All-Star Game strategy suggestion here, pick one or two elite closers and load up on each respective league’s set up and middle relief guys. Sure there are a ton out there, but there are also some 10 game winners that watched the game on Fox. Sure it will be a source of controversy, debate and sports radio fodder, but how is that much of a change?

As usual Fox gave us the Barry Bonds show, granted the game was played in Bonds’ home stadium, but honestly, who wants MORE Barry Bonds?

And Barry, publicly stating your support for Arod someday breaking your soon to be sham of a record with obvious backhanded shots at Hank Aaron to be in attendance if Rodriguez breaks your record won’t win you any public support. Most people love Aaron, most people hate you. You should have started emulating Aaron’s classy persona back in Pittsburgh. Face it pal, if Hammerin Hank says you’re an @sshole, then you’re an @sshole.

After the Mets were all removed from the game, it became a much less enjoyable experience with no Amazins in the game. It does make you think back to some lean years where the Mets only representative was Mike Piazza.

I was glad to see Ichiro win the MVP. He is a class act guy and one hell of an outfielder. I found myself wondering if Ichiro felt it in bad taste to accept an award like that, knowing the emphasis the Japanese culture puts on a team winning or losing, not individual players. Though Ichiro’s apparent discomfort might have been  rooted from being forced to endure the gratuitous coverage of his interview with  Jeanie Zelasko through an interpreter. And I really hate the give away of a car every year, like the player really needs a car he could likely afford with his daily walking around money.

Reyes catching Willie Mays ceremonial first pitch as a great moment in the Mid Summer Classic. I love both those guys. Both play/played exciting, fun baseball. What ever MLB exec who grouped those two as pre-game battery mates deserves a raise and promotion.

If you, like me, avoided the Homerun Derby and the human as whip that is Chris Berman, check out MLB.com for their coverage of the All-Star Game. I have the MLB TV premium package, so I have gone cold turkey off ESPN. I will go to a sports bar for Sunday Night games, as with no sound it doesn’t give me a migraine. Check this page out, you may have to dig but there are video clips including Jose Reyes Mic’ed up. Like always, Jose is always moving, enthusiastic and smiling, and there is a Beltran interview with Harold Reynolds, though Beltran gives cliché answers. There are a few other players like the always entertaining Torii Hunter . If digital media trends and TBS is successful in there coverage of baseball maybe MLB will find a way to rid the four letter word that is the self proclaimed world wide leader in sports from the game and baseball fans will never again be forced to tolerate Joe Morgan.

With the Mid Summer Classic over, the2007 representatives head back the Shea to join their team and take on the last place 36-52 Cincinnati Reds. If the Mets cant get it rolling against a team tied for the worst record in the national League, it may be time to worry.

I will be back tomorrow with a look at the rest of the season, until then, congrats to the Junior Circuit and congrats to Ichiro. One more off day and it’s full steam ahead to October.

P.S. If you for some reason don’t read the brilliantly authored Faith and Fear in Flushing, make sure to stop by and check out the lovely and talented, oft neglected (from April until October, anyway) Mrs. Lonestar Met in Greg and Jason’s sidebar.

17 innings, cringe moments, who knows what else.

I brought my “Wake Up Mets!” sign but didn’t display it as we sat glued to our seats through agonizing innings. In the top of the 17th I figured I would shake a few things up.

Too brain dead and exausted for details right now, I will have more shortly.

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!

Hello…Vargas

Perez and Vargas are both Lefties, instead of one working for the Post Office and one works for Fed Ex, one is a potential staff ace and the other flat out sucks.
I’m not going to bother with a game recap, no one wants to read it anyway…

Looking ahead in the schedule, the Mets move on from Colorado down to Houston for a four game set with the Houston Astros. I will be in attendance for the Saturday and Sunday Match-ups. I had a fleeting hope that the starters would be Tommy Glavine and, my favorite Mets pitcher Oliver Perez. Unfortunately this won’t be the case.

I ponyed up 100 bucks for two field level seats behind the Astros dugout for Sunday’s series conclusion and the thought I had all night was “I plunked down a C-note to watch this guy? Effing Great.”

None the less, I will be in attendance this upcoming weekend and will be posting on the game, as always armed with pro-Mets/Astro-baiting signage. Mrs. Lonestar will be sporting a “Jose, Jose, Jose” sign. Last year I brought a “Beltran for MVP” to the series finale which drew much scorn from Houstonians, but it was the same game Beltran hurt himself crashing into that stupid wall in center. I like to hack off people wearing ratty Roger Clemens jerseys and all, but I don’t want the bad Karma this year. More to come, but any sign suggestions will be appreciated and quickly pawned off as my own.

I am giving a “Jason Vargas Sucks” sign after tonight’s game serious consideration.

Durning Tuesday’s telecast the subject of Mets Villain came up. Roger Clemens became the obvious front runner with Pete Rose the clear early runner up. I would throw in Mike Scioscia, Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter and Ryne Sandberg (I don’t think Kenny Rogers is eligible.

There has been something that’s  been troubling me for some time during the 2007 Mets season. It has little to do with pitching rotations, bullpens, lineups or trade rumors. It’s one of those little irksome itches that annoys until you scratch it. I’ve held kept my silence for fear of scorn from Mets fan brethren, but I cant keep my silence hold my tounge any longer.

It’s time we shelve Bachman-Turner Overdrives’, Taking Care of Business; the song belongs to 2006. Don’t get me wrong, it was a magical season and a long awaited return to postseason play and I loved all of it (save for one inning). Like The Doors’ LA Woman, it was a victory song apropos for it’s team in it’s time, but like that year’s highlight video Amazin Again (complete with an Office Depot Commercial jammed in between the video’s open and the season chronicle featuring, you guessed it, Talkin` Care of Business) it’s time to shelve the song along with your highlight tapes and DVD’s of 69,86, 99, 00 and 06 as the 2007 season is well underway..

Sure this may be more or less the same team as last year minus an Oliver, Trachsel, Floyd, Bradford and a few others. Dont want to nix Bachman Turner Overdrive and change artists, fine, BTO’s You Ain’t seen Nothing Yet is a perfectly acceptable substitute. That one seem too cheesy? Let it Ride is an adequate substitute as well. It’s a new year, it’s time for a new song. (as long as it isn’t written for the Mets as some hokey rap song incorporating players names in it’s lyrics.)

You may be hanging me in effigy as a Met-heretic or phrasing a clever biting insult to write in my comments section for suggesting the song be taken out of rotation, after just cheering Shawn Green’s walk-off homerun to the tune after Monday night against St. Louis , the elation still fresh in your heart. My apologies, but the time to play BTO’s ditty was eight months ago, not earlier this week.

Hey, I’ll admit, last October, I downloaded it from Itunes; turned it up when it came on the radio in my truck and hummed it at work. But no matter how hard you fantasize about the 06 NLCS, Molina’s ball still lands over the wall in left; Beltran’s bat still sits on his shoulder. Let’s put away Takin Care of Business before it loses it’s meaning. Next time your in a bar and the song comes on the jukebox, share a knowing nod with another orange and blue clad patron, take a moment to reflect on who had “The Strength To Be There” on a late October night and let a slight smile cross your face (then look away; you don’t want to give that dude the wrong idea.).

My intent is not to pour salt in collective wounds yet to fully heal.  I contrived many Kenny-involved humiliating vengeance against Rogers at the hands of the Mets for his indiscretions exactly 7 years to the day the 06 Cardinals became National League Champs. I don’t like the way 06 ended either, but 2007 is in progress and baseball’s proverbial Christmas is only is only five more months away; it’s time to throw out last year’s tree.

Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today. -Bill Murray

Where have I seen this before? I had to check MLB.TV to make sure I wasn’t watching yesterday’s game. If all lefties batted right-handed, righties batted left handed and switch hitters came to the plate with one of those inflatable novelty bats it would have at least been original and just as competitive. Sure some of the names are different but the same damn thing keeps happening:

The Mets score what won’t be nearly enough, the Dodgers have a big inning capped off by Delgado not making a play on a ball down the line and then the Mets seemingly go one-two-three until the end of a ball game as the Dodgers tack on the runs. You lose hope somewhere around the fourth inning.

You want a prediction about June, you’re asking the wrong guy. I’ll give you a prediction: It’s gonna low-scoring, it’s gonna be gray, and it’s gonna last for the rest of the month. -Lonestar Mets

The most interesting thing of tonight’s game was the odd exchange between Shawn Green and Brad Penny after Green struck out swinging on a high fastball to end the inning. I was watching the Dodger feed so I don’t know if SNY had a better angle. If I had to guess, I would assume Penny either suspected green of peeking at Russ Martin’s location or signals or Penny thought Reyes was sending Green the pitch.

After Valentin was stranded in scoring position after a 1 out double, I thought to myself, “Here’s where the wheels come off. Sure enough Wilson Betemit hit’s a solo shot, Matt Kemp legged out a double, Rafael Furcal hit’s a ball down the line that Delgado makes a half assed- you know what, I don’t need to go over it again. If you went to sleep, do yourself a favor and don’t bother looking at the boxscore, it will just upset you.

After the Dodgers added a run in the bottom of the sixth, I seriously contemplated jabbing out one of my eyes so at least I could watch the game from a different perspective.

If you are one that insists on looking for a silver lining, here is all I have for you at this late hour:

First, David Wright is hitting the ball very well. Not that there has been anyone on base to take advantage of it, nor is no one hitting behind him. But hey, it’s something, right?

Secondly at some point this thing has to bottom out and the Mets will have to start playing good baseball again, this team is two good not to. Lets just hope they aren’t in last by the time that happens. I know that isn’t much consolation but this team has looked flatter than I have seen in over two years. After tonight’s uninspired complete failure and a day off to travel the Mets head to Yankee Stadium to take on the red hot highlanders who have won their last eight.

There is no way this slump is EVER going to end as long as this offense keeps playing so poorly. I don’t see any way out of it. It’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop it. -Hopefully uttered by someone in a Mets Uniform

Good night!