Rocket Ramblings

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Well it's been a few days and I feel strong enough to talk about the Mets and their historic fall from grace.

There's a lot to say... is anyone surprised?

First off, to those of you who called or emailed me about my mental and physical health on Sunday... thank you. I handled it MUCH better than I would have expected.

That in itself is a warning sign though... I got (no exaggeration) nineteen phone calls and seven emails between Sunday afternoon and Monday noontime. I guess my passion for this team is so well known by the people I have regular (or even semi-regular) contact with that everyone knew there good odds that I had a breakdown, hi-jacked a dump truck, climbed a water tower and went all Charles Whitman on central Centereach.

As I stated in previous posts, I have often taken this shit WAY too seriously... and I admit I had no less than three major meltdowns in the last two weeks of the baseball season. The night they blew two seperate three tun leads to the Marlins (including one in the bottom of the ninth) was a particuarly violent and... um... energetic outburst.

Which made me take a loooong and serious look in the mirror. In no way is a baseball game ever going to be important enough in life to elict that sort of reaction.

I actually handled the last weekend very well. At that point I realized how shot the bullpen was and that even if they had gotten into the playoffs, odds are that their pitching would not have held up enought to get very far.

So... first off, YES I am still a Mets fan... despite my black humor spouted in frustration about changing teams, there is no way this would ever happen. I bleed blue -n- orange and always will.
Second, I do NOT think this team is shot and done as presently constructed. No major overhall is needed. They do not have to rip apart the team and start with 65% new players. Changes must be made... yes. Some more drastic than others, but the main part of the should stay mostly intact. (I will get into more detail in a minute).

Third, I do not think Willie Randolph should be fired despite my insistance over the last three weeks that he should be. Getting past my initial anger... I think Willie is a good manager overall who really needs to learn how to manage a bullpen better (but hey, Joe Torre never learned and look where he's gotten the last eleven years) and he deserves a shot to lead this team next year.

This year should have never been in doubt. The team should have basically wrapped up the division back in July like they did last year. The problem was that except for the month of April and that little 12 game run or so right after the four-game sweep by Philly in Philly, there seemed to be very little urgancy to this team. They seemed to think they were so good that the division was a foregone conclusion. Well, you see what that got them. They seemed to believe their own press. Rarely is that a good thing.

The funny thing is... the Mets did not deserve to make the playoffs because of their horrible 5 -12 record down the stretch, but in reality, this team was still the best in the NL. They could/should have won 95 games or so and really could have cut through the NL Pennant rather easily.

Could've/should've. All twisted in the wind are our shattered dreams of could've/should've.

So, yeah... this team had a busload of talent... but like the teams of the eighties that finished in second place 5 out of 7 years, talent isn't enough.

As much as I freaking HATE the %#$@&^! Phillies, that team played with heart and grit and looked a LOT like last years Mets team.

That's what this year's team was missing for a huge chunk of the season. Heart and grit.

They need that back. They need to realize that you cannot turn it on and off like a switch. Maybe the Yankees of the late Nineties could, but hey... they won four freaking World Series in five years.The Mets? They have won nothing but one division and one playoff series since 2000. They have no basis acting like the top dog.

Woof, freaking woof.

The main problem with being a Mets fan (and what this season was an epitomy of) is that nasty, creeping, nagging feeling that things are about to go belly up and in the worst way possible. It's rare (ie: 1969, 1986) that a season goes just perfect. Even excellent seasons like 1988, 1999, 2000 and 2006 eneded in disapointment in the playoffs. The 1999 (which was really a better team than the 2000 squad that made it to the World Series) and 2006 teams were both great teams that really had the ability (and should have) won it all.

As a Mets fan I've fallen victim to many near misses. 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1998, and 2001 all were years the Mets were right there... the playoffs in their grasp, only for it to slip away at the last moment. 1998 was particuarly bad because the Mets went into the last five games of the season leading the wild card by 1 1/2 games. They lost their final five games of the season against the Montreal Expos at home and the Atlanta Braves on the road. If they had won just ONE of those games, the Mets could have forced a three-way wild card tie. If they had won two, they would have won the wild card outright. Ironic, seeing as how the Expos became the Washington Nationals and the Nationals won 5 out of 6 games at the end of this season (while they then went and lost 4 out of 6 to the Phillies) in helping the Mets complete their collapse.

Even in 1999 the Mets almost blew it. They were swept by Philly in the last two weeks of the season and lost their wild card lead and actually needed the Brewers to take 2 of 3 from the Reds in the last weekend to finish in a tie that forced a one game playoff with Cincinnati for the wild card.

Despite this regular sick cycle of near misses and last minute disasters, I love this team. The Mets are the perpetual underdogs and always will be.

It's never easy with them. Never. Then again, either is life. Why should it be?

That's why when I hear Yankee fans bitching about firing Joe Torre and booing A-Rod and such I want to slap the shit out of them. Yankee fans have NO idea how good they have it. No team in any sport wins as much as the Yankees do. I think Yankee fans should never be allowed to bitch about their team. 26 World Championships and a shit-load of playoff appearances has spoiled their fans. It's also made many of them act like they are better than everyone else just because they follow and root for the Bronx.

Hey, it's fucking EASY to follow and root for a franchise that is always in contention and wins much more often than it loses. Staying a fan of a franchise that usually does NOT win (ie: The Mets, Cubs, and hell, even those lucky as hell Phillies) shows REAL fandom.

Ok. So... this team.

Despite things... I'm not blind. The Mets biggest problem this year was the bullpen which just plain out and out SUCKED the last six to eight weeks of the season, which was a shame because it was so damn good the first half. The inconsitancy in the offense didn't help. The manner of play without urgancy was the other largest problem.

Well, besides Willie's inability to manage the bullpen.

So... what has to change? What MUST happen for next years team to win the division again?

I have ten simple steps.

1 - Give David Wright the "C": No one, and I mean NO ONE on this team was more stand-up and professional than Wright. While guys like Glavine, Alou, Wagner and Lo Duca rarely ducked the media and were willing to give shit to team-mates who under performed or had their head up their asses, Wright was the team spokesman and backbone. He was, without any doubt, the team MVP (and would have been the NL MVP had the Mets won the division, now it will go to Jimmy Rollins or Matt Holiday... God, I hope It's Holiday... I fucking HATE Jimmy Rollins and his arrogant smirking face... I want to smack that fucking grin right off his kisser with a fastball) and he picked up the role at age 24 that guys like Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado should have, but never did. He led, by example on and off the field. He is the team leader. Make it offical. Number 5 should be the Mets captain.

2 - Play more small ball: This team lead the majors in steals for the second year in a row. Reyes, Gomez, Chavez, Wright, Beltran, just to name a few, have loads of speed... yes I didn't see ONE squeeze playthis year. Not ONE. Do you know how many times the Mets left runners at third with less than two outs? A lot. Get Reyes to hit the ball on the ground again like he did last year and the beginning of this year. Bunt, steal, move the runners. Create runs. This team is built for it. Imagine the '85 Cardinals just with more home run power. This team should lead the NL in runs easily.

3 - Get Tony Bernazard out of the $&$%#! clubhouse: I'm convinced that Bernazard is a huge problem and creates a gap between Wille and some players and even give some players a more direct line to the GM. He shouldn't be in there. It's Willie's show... step back and let him run it.

4 - Hire Rudy Jaramillo as the hitting coach: Rick Downs wasn't the answer and while the offense did pick up after the Hojo/Rickey show came to town, it was WAY too inconsistant. Jaramillo is the best in the business. He'd be a big key to help players from falling into those maddening cycles where they can't even do the basics like hitting a fly ball to drive in a run at third with less than two outs.

5 - Make sure Ambiorix Burgos and Duaner Sanchez are healthy by spring training: Kill the Brian Bannister trade all you want, but no one was screaming when that trade was made. In fact, many people were saying the Mets had way too many pitchers like Bannister in Maine, Perez, Pelfry, etc... I was sorry we went... I liked him... but I was also excited about the potential of Burgos in the bullpen. Burgos, Sanchez, Filiciano, Hielman and Wagner is a pretty damn good bullpen if everyone is healthy. With Sosa as a long relief guy and one more new arm (Scott Linebrink? Jeremy Affeldt? How about taking a chance on Kerry Wood?) in the bullpen I honestly believe the relief corps will be in pretty good shape.

6 - Let the following go: Tom Glavine - It's obvious he was pining for Atlanta to finish his career. He was a good guy for this team at one time but that time has passed. Let him go 8-6 with a 4.21 ERA in Atlanta and retire next year as a Brave, where he really belongs. No hard feelings here at all. Glavine stepped it up at times and was a strong presence here and often came through when the Mets needed him, but he really has no place in NY anymore. Lastings Milledge - This kid has a lot of talent and I see him eventually becoming a kind of Garret Anderson type... but he is a million dollar talent with a ten cent head. I think New York will not be right for him. Trade him to the A's for one of their pitchers or to the Dodgers for one of theirs or make him one of the peices of a blockbuster trade if possible... but I think the kid needs to go. Let Gomez be the young outfielder to play next year. Mota - No one, and I mean NO ONE will accept him in a trade. He was beyond miserable... he was a perfect disaster. All you Yankee fans who screamed at Kyle Farnsworth all year? Farnsworth was fucking Mariano Rivera compared to Mota. The Mets need to send the message that constant failure will not be tolerated. Worst performance ever. Back in 2006 I never imagined I'd be more sickened by Mota than I used to be when Mel Rojas entered a game. Rickey Henderson - Ricky was great for Roger Cedano back in '99 but did anyone else notice that Reyes' gradual decent into lethartic play started not too long after Ricky came on board? I think that Ricky actually convinced Reyes that to "save himself" for the whole season he should occasionally "rest himself" during games... basically dogging it. Next year let him in spring training for two weeks as a baserunning instructor them get him the hell away from the younger players. Paul Lo Duca - This one was the toughest to list... I love Lo Duca's manner and would actually be happy if he returned, but after thinking about it I think that it makes more sense to have Ramon Castro be the everyday catcher next year and save the money. Lo Duca is a great clubhouse guy and a great stand up player. He's a guy to emulate and thank god David Wright seemed to take after him in attitude. I love the way he approaches that game, but in the end his numbers were not really very good. Save the money for pitching and give Castro, who hit better and threw out runners better, the everyday job.

7 - Keep the following: Moises Alou - He's not an everyday player anymore but the guy was just amazing when he played. You figure he'll miss at least 40 games to the DL and another 10-15 to just needing rest. Don't count on him as a regular. Put him in the Julio Franco role of mentor, big time pinch hitter and let him start twice a week. Think Bernie Williams circa 2005. I think he'd be invaluable. El Duque - Like Alou, keep him with the though that he will NOT be the guy you lean on as one of your top four starters. In fact, I love the idea of him as the long Relief guy, but have him in the mix as one of your possible number five starters and see what happens. Like Clemens I think Duque would benefit from a short season. Don't have him on the active roster till July. Marlon Anderson - Damn did this guy come through in big spots or WHAT? The Cardinals must be kicking themsleves and wondering what the hell woke him up. He was clutch for the Mets in 2005 and again in 2007. He thrives here. Keep him. Him and Alou gives the Mets a great duo to shape the bench around.

8 - Let the kids develop and start giving them definded roles: Let Mike Pelfrey and Philip Humber know that at least one of them will be a starter next year. Let them know the other will be a bullpen guy who will be groomed to be a major bullpen arm as a set up or possibily even a future closer down the line. Let them compete in spring training and get some youth into the pitching staff. Let Carlos Gomez and Rubin Gotay play. Give Fernando Martinez some big league time. Get this freaking team younger.

9 - Change the average attitude and get some "Wright" players in here: One guy who is a free agent this upcoming year that would be perfect for the Mets? Aaron Rowand. The guy freaking OOZES hustle. This is a player in the mode of a Lenny Dykstra. I would have LOVED a guy like Eric Byrnes to still be available. Andy Pettitte would be amazing for this team (even though the odds he'd decline the player option for the Yankees for '08 and sign with the Mets is roughly somewhere less than 0%) Shannon Stewart might be a good fit. How about Tori Hunter? I know if would create another Beltran/Cameron situation with two centerfielders out there, but it's a thought.

10 - Find a way to get Johan Santana, Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt: The rumor is that all three are available for the right price. The Rumors also saythat right price is a King's Ransom for any of them, especially Santana. I don't frigging care. If healthy, Pedro will be a legitimate Number one (ok, maybe 1 - A is a better description) for the most part, and Maine and Perez are both very solid guys who would fall in the grey area between a #2 and #3 starting pitcher. I'd plan on one of the rookies in Pelfry and Hubner being a starter... but the Mets need a huge 1 -2 punch like Santana/Pedro or Oswalt/Pedro. It would cost something like Gomez, Hubner and Fernando Martinez just to start... but you know what? It would be worth it.

BONUS FANTASY INSANE IDEA - Ok, this is a crazy and ridculous idea... but how would this be for a total shocker? Bear with me for a second:

Sign Alex Rodriguez when (and we all know he will cause of Boras) he opts out of his Yankee contact.

Insane? Yep. Stupid? Maybe not so much. Think about it.

You would do one of two things after this move.

1 - Move David Wright to 2nd base or Left Field. He's athletic. He has good instincts. He has speed. It worked great for Edgardo Alfonzo. Wright has already stated he would be more than willing to move if the Mets ever wanted to sign A-Rod. A-Rod is a better fielder at 3rd. Hell, the Yanks have won with two straight lousy fielding second basemen in Soriano and Cano (c'mon Yankee fans, you KNOW they both are HORRIBLE fielders). Wright would be better at 2nd than either of them. Imagine a line up with Reyes, Wright, A-Rod, Beltran, Delgado and Alou in it.

OR

2 - Trade Carlos Delgado and move Wright to First. A team like the Dodgers, the Reds, The Padres, The Angels, The Orioles, The Blue Jays and the Rangers all could use a major upgrade at first base. Hell, How about Delgado, Hubner, and another player plus cash to the Jays for Halladay? Far fatched? Maybe.

All crazy right? I don't even know if I like the idea and I came up with it.

But wow... that line up. OUCH.

WOO HOO.

Anyway...

Ok, enough of that for now. So...

2007 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (yeah I'll do it anyway, even with the Mets out of it)

Red Sox vs. Angels: Rough one. Two really good teams. Problem is, the Sox have the Angels number in the same way the Angels have the Yanks number. Staff ace John Lackey is horrible against Boston lifetime. Close call... most likely the best series of the first round. Red Sox in five.

Yankees vs. Indians: Bronx fans think this is a layup. It's not. The Cards went 2-4 against the Padres and Mets each last year and beat both in the playoffs. The Tigers didn't do overly well against the Yanks last year in the regular season and you remember what happened there. The Indians are a good team and if the Yanks overlook them they'll be sorry. The Yanks also have seriously suspect starting pitching. It's Pettitte and Wang and pray for... um... err... Pong. Clemens isn't healthy and hasn't pitched well when he's been on the mound, Mussiana is highly suspect and Hughes/Kennedy are unknown rookie quantities. However, The Yanks are the overall stronger team and the suddenly strong bullpen will help although it will be interesting to see how Chamberlain does with the Joba rules tossed out the window. Yanks in five.

Cubs vs. Diamondbacks: Wow... no one saw the D-Backs comin did they? Everyone looked at the Dodgers and Padres and ignored Arizona and everyone paid for it. Webb has established himself in a league with Oswalt and Peavy as one of the best NL pitchers. The team is solid, if unspectacular. I freaking LOVE Eric Byrnes. He could play for my team ANYDAY. However, Sweet Lou and the Cubbies have some Karma flowin and I can feel it shaking in their direction. I see some big games out of Lee and Soriano and some good pitching out of Zambrano and Lilly. Dempster holds it together, if just barely. Cubs in four.

Phillies vs. Rockies: Gad, I hate the Phillies. This should be the Mets vs the Rockies. However, even if it was, it might not have mattered. The Rockies are firing on all cylanders and the Phils aren't playing the dregs like Washington and Florida now. The Phillies starters were doing it with mirrors the last two weeks and now that's pretty much over. The offense is great with Utley, Rowand, Rollins and Howard leading the charge, but like the Mets, this team falls into little weird inconsistant slumps and Howard is as likely to strike out three times a game as he is to hit a home run. The Rockies will ride that strong wave (that saw them go 14-1 down the stretch) through this series and the Phils will realize that the smoke and mirrors magic is gone. There's no team to collapse and hand them anything this time. Rockies in four.