Madoff, Backman, and an Old Baseball Jacket

Amidst an array of wood-carved ducks, Rolex watches, and uninspired artwork, a shiny blue and orange jacket with a number 2 on one sleeve and a NY Mets emblem on the other was proudly displayed. Looking at it from the front, you might think it could have belonged to any Mets fan that made their way to Flushing Meadows over the years. You may even envision Tom Seaver standing safely at first base due to a botched sacrificed bunt ready to run the bases. Or perhaps this was the one shred of paraphernalia worn by a family friend who vowed to never take it off until the Mets won the World Series again.

Whatever the case may be, when you proceed to investigate who this particular piece of clothing belongs to, it’s hard not to recoil in disgust. “MADOFF!” That’s right. The notorious mastermind of the most lucrative Ponzi-scheme of all-time was a New York Mets fan. So much so that he decided to pony up with the team’s ownership in hopes of expanding his evil empire until it all came crashing to a devastating halt. Nevertheless, to imagine Bernie Madoff donning his most prized Mets possession (bought at auction for $14,500) brings to mind our most recently notorious Mets aficionados.

Up first is pitcher Jerry Koosman. The legendary left-hander had his best years as a Met. But as the saying goes, it’s not how you start its how you finish. Koosman felt he was above the law or in this case the IRS and is currently serving a six-month jail sentence for tax evasion. Lenny Dykstra, who is fortunately not behind bars, owes tons of money to several financial institutions. “Nails” is so far in debt that he had to pawn away his championship rings and other sought after memorabilia that he acquired over the years as a professional baseball player.

As Koosman and Dykstra continue their honorary fall from grace, the Mets organization has recently announced that Wally Backman, another of the team’s black sheep, will be taking over the managerial duties for the Brooklyn Cyclones next season.

“He has always been a fan favorite in New York, symbolizing the blue-collar work ethic and unbridled dedication to winning that this city – and particularly this borough – values above all else in its sports stars,” Cyclones general manager Steve Cohen said. “Brooklyn and Backman were made for each other.” Perhaps, we will be seeing those exact words atop the Kosciusko Bridge on our way into Kings County.

As if Brooklyn doesn’t have enough of a slightly skewed reputation, now it has to embrace someone who has been arrested twice and has had financial problems in the past. Not to mention that Backman was also canned after just four days on a job once. I guess everybody deserves a second chance. I, personally, think the hiring of the fiery Backman is a good thing. It makes perfect sense. As long as he keeps his shirt on or jacket (haha) in this instance, he should have nothing to worry about.

Oh, by the way, Backman was released from the Chicago White Sox organization in 2003 as a minor league manager. Why? He was lobbying for the White Sox manager position. From who, you ask? Jerry Manuel.

It’s John Lackey and Pray for Rain

For ten long days, Mets GM Omar Minaya will be allowed to chit-chat with some of the most influential player agents in all of baseball. Prior to those meetings, Jeff Wilpon, the organization’s COO, saw his chance to commandeer Minaya into his office and reassure him that for what ever its worth, he was at his disposal. As Minaya exited the room, Wilpon confidently replied, “Give’m hell and get me another front-line starter.” Of course, these events are merely hearsay except for the chit-chat and most likely a fabric of my imagination. However, there is some semblance of truth in all of this; the Mets desperately need starting pitching.

Midway through the 2009 season, the then Toronto Blue Jays GM, John Ricciardi, shook the baseball world by threatening to trade one of the most dominating starting pitchers of this generation, right-hander Roy Halladay. To this day, those around baseball still can’t figure out why a mid-level organization like the Blue Jays would part with such a specimen. Nevertheless, a handful of teams jumped into the Doc Halladay sweepstakes and exposed who they really were, a team lacking starting pitching. Though it was unofficially documented, the New York Mets were one of those candidates that laid everything out on the table. Ultimately, it was not to Ricciardi’s liking. Back to the drawing board Minaya went where he was forced to wait until the end of the season to explore other options.

Perhaps, if you were to ask another of Minaya’s previous off-season acquisitions, closer Francisco Rodriguez, he would tell you that having a short-term memory is a good thing. So much so that Minaya has forgotten all about dealing for Halladay and has set his sights on landing another dominating right-hander, John Lackey. With such a stout performance against the World Champion New York Yankees in Game 5 of the ALDS in which Lackey lobbied Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia to leave him in a game that he considered to be his, the stakes to sign the veteran right-hander will most likely be high. (Initially, I was not so hot with the notion of Lackey coming to the Mets. However, I feel more comfortable now since his emotional stance after Game 5. Let’s be honest the Mets need to find someone that can bridge that gap between left-hander Johan Santana and the rest of the pack next season.)

Footnote to this post

Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin alerted reporters stationed at the GM meetings that “no one has heard from” former Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets. Some Mets fans have suggested the 31-year-old could be lightning in a bottle. Using the 2009 Mets season as a reference, he could fit in very nicely. Sheets (torn flexor tendon in his right elbow) made five trips to the disabled list from 2005 to 2007 with a mixture of arm injuries to go along with an inner ear infection that led to vertigo.

Recent reports have mentioned the Phillies are very serious about acquiring Halladay. Some reports have the 2008 World Series MVP, Cole Hamels, throwing off a mound next season north of the border.

This post was inspired by the outlandish idea that any team would take a shot at signing the oft-injured Ben Sheets.

“I will tell you that he has a very good chance to be one of the most impactful free agents, without question,” Sheets’ agent, Casey Close said.

Early On, Mets Are Asked to Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

Yes, it’s that time of year again. When Thanksgiving turkeys and jolly-old St. Nicholas are just as prevalent as a Scott Boras client searching for a big payday. The word on the street is that Boras has slapped the franchise tag on one his most sought after commodity, Matt Holliday. Wouldn’t you know, Mets GM Omar Minaya has penciled in the words, slugging left fielder, at the top of his Christmas list. However, reports have already surfaced that Mr. Holliday’s contract demands may pose a slight hurdle for an organization that is having doubts with signing players long term. I, personally, am not a big fan of the blockbuster deal myself.

Boras has hinted that an impact player such as Matt Holliday will demand Teixeira money, a contract worth $180 million for eight years.

Be sure and check out Mets Public Record on BlogTalk Radio this Thursday night at 10pm.

For Mets, Starting Pitching Should Be Their Top Priority

I was one of the millions who witnessed the outing that Angels’ right-hander, John Lackey, had in Game 5 of the ALCS last Thursday night against the Yankees. Prior to that gutsy performance, I had my doubts regarding Anaheim’s ace. I still do. Lackey recently turned 31 on Oct. 23rd. Is he worth the money? Will he have to undergo arm surgery similar to that of set-up man, J.J. Putz, an obvious bust?

Mets Blog’s Matthew Cerrone has reported that Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Mets brass will pass on the Angels stopper and pursue other financial interests most likely, a left fielder. This assessment leads me to wonder if perhaps the organization is feeling a bit embarrassed due to their team’s inability to hit the long ball as opposed to parading Pat Misch and Nelson Figueroa out to the mound every fifth day.

If the Mets head into the 2010 season without addressing last season’s starting pitching woes, manager Jerry Manuel won’t last beyond the Memorial Day weekend.

Mets Ownership, GM, and Manager Back for 2010

Hey Mets fans, I apologize for being so lazy regarding this blog. As you may or may not care, our beloved Metsies are most likely watching the playoffs just like we are. The Yankees have moved on to the American League Championship Series and the St. Louis Cardinals have been eliminated.

In the meantime, I’ve been listening to WFAN’s Mike Francesa as he practically has a coronary ripping into Mets GM Omar Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon for delivering a broken down Pinto and passing it off as a shiny new Cadillac this past season. Thanks Mike, you don’t have to be Joe Garagiola to realize that the Mets need power and a legitimate number two starter behind Johan. But who?

Best case scenario: Holliday and Halladay, as in Matt and Roy. Ladies and gentleman, it’s the Matt and Roy Show, starring Mets manager Jerry Manuel or bench coach-in-waiting, or bench coach X. You heard Ownership, folks, Omar and Jerry “must” step it up. Hey, it could be the Jerry and Omar Show instead. Did somebody say “distraction?”

Wilpon understands how much is at stake so he’s already started creating distractions of his own, calling out the Los Angeles Dodgers medical staff and accusing them of being more incompetent than his own medical staff.

Oh great, the Phillies have just scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 5-4 lead.

Be sure and check out Mets Public Record this Thursday at 10pm on Blog Talk Radio.

Misch Earns Himself a Second Interview

The New York Times released a startling report yesterday stating that for every six applicants searching for employment there was just one open position available. With that in mind, holding on to one’s job security should be seen as a top priority. Having already been forewarned that his starting role was in jeopardy and in no hurry to test the current job market, Mets left-hander Pat Misch gave his manager more than he could ask for. He pitched a complete game shutout earning him his second win of the season and granting the Mets a two-games-to-one series victory over the Florida Marlins at Land Shark Stadium.

Misch’s previous start, against the Atlanta Braves last Monday at Citi Field, was his shortest outing of the season as a starter. The southpaw lasted just one-and-a-third innings, giving up eight earned runs on seven hits. That dismal outing prompted Mets manager Jerry Manuel to question Misch’s criteria as a full-time starter and to recommend that he be placed back into the Mets bullpen.

“Someone was telling me I might not get another chance to start. I’m glad Jerry stuck with me,” Misch said.

With six games remaining for the Mets this season, Misch will most likely be asked back for a final start. For the time being, he can hold off on sending out those resumes.

Faced With a Losing Season, Mets Fans Look on the Brighter Side

With the Mets’ season on life support these days, the will to soldier on has reached the point of absurdity. After winning for just the second time in twelve games on Saturday, any reason for a positive outlook is most welcome. Witnessing one disappointing performance after another by Mets starting pitching coupled with bad base running and worsening defensive plays, you could see why any die-hard fan would be searching for other forms of entertainment. However, before you start calling for the heads of Daniel Murphy and Angel Pagan, let’s look at some of the good things that have materialized this year for the Mets.

Right fielder Jeff Francoeur, since being brought over to the team via a trade, has hit .318 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in just 63 games. With so many questions heading into the 2010 season for the Mets, Francoeur gives them a solid number sixth hitter who can drive in runs.

Luis Castillo may be this season’s National League comeback-player-of-the-year, justifying his four-year contract by simply staying healthy. He’s played a large part throughout the majority of games for the Mets thus far this season and is currently batting .306. Castillo is among the team’s top three in hits with 136 and runs with 76. He is also second on the club with 16 stolen bases. Castillo has been their most consistent hitter in addition to playing very solid defense at second base.

Catcher Omir Santos has been a nice surprise filling in for the often-injured Brian Schneider this season. Santos’ two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning back in May that gave the Mets a 3-2 lead against Boston Red Sox closer, Jonathan Papelbon, will go down as one of the most exciting wins for the Mets in 2009.

Right-hander Elmer Dessens, the Mets unofficial long man, has quietly pitched in 25 games so far this season. Dessens has shown that he is a stable choice as a middle reliever coming out of the bullpen. One of his many bright spots this season has been his ability to hold big league hitters to a .218 batting average.

So after all is said and done, it’s been a pretty forgettable and disastrous season for the Amazins. Admittedly though, this is hopefully a one-time thing—can’t imagine there will be many more seasons where your entire set of starters end up on the DL one after the other. At least there were a few positives along the way.

Martinez Has the Last Laugh

In addition to all the Mets injuries and bonehead plays this season, the sight of veteran right-hander Pedro Martinez reeling off eight scoreless innings last night against them definitely takes the cake. Martinez threw a total of 130 pitches in which he surrendered just six hits while striking out seven to earn his fifth victory of the season.

In seven starts for the Phillies this season, including last night’s, Martinez has yet to be charged with a loss. Philadelphia signed Martinez as a stopgap, hoping to buy time until they were able to acquire a frontline starter. Eventually, left-hander Cliff Lee was brought over in a trade from the Cleveland Indians. With a surplus of starting pitching, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel decide to stick with Martinez thereby sending left-hander Jaime Moyer, another ageless wonder, to the bullpen. Martinez has struggled at times in his starts, forcing Moyer to piggy-back a majority of the right-hander’s outings. But not on this night as the three-time Cy Young-award-winner looked like the Pedro of old. As for the Mets, they were as predictable as an Armando Benitez blown save.

Not only were the Mets swept in yesterday’s day/night doubleheader, but they were also officially eliminated from this year’s post-season. They are currently eighteen games under five hundred far, far away from the first place Phillies.

With 23 Games Left, It’s Okay to Be Pessimistic

In basketball, with just thirty seconds left to play and one team up by double-digits, coaches tend to swap out their starters for the least likely of players. By substituting scrubs for stars at the very end of a game, enthusiasts have coined the phrase “garbage time” to describe the last few seconds on the clock. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the Mets.

With just 23 games remaining of what has been a very disappointing season, it’s easy to see that the Mets are playing baseball’s version of garbage time. By dropping the first two games to the Florida Marlins, the Mets have clinched another three-game series in defeat. As more and more teams around the league battle to earn the slightest bit of respect, the Mets have lowered the bar on their expectations to unprecedented levels.

Mets Strike First But End Up Looking Like a Dud

A slim layer of smoke hung around the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field for the start of the Mets and Rockies game last night. SNY’s Gary Cohen quickly assured Mets fans that it was not smog but a mixture of carbon and sulfur that had made its way from the California wildfires thousands of miles away. With such an unsettling atmosphere for a baseball game, Mets manager Jerry Manuel knew he was in store for a very eventful night.

The evening turned bizarre from the outset. In the top of the first inning, Mets leadoff man, Angel Pagan, proceeded to run the bases backwards. After poking a single into centerfield, Pagan was forced out at second base when he misjudged a single for a fly out hit by Luis Castillo. Instead of having runners on the corners with nobody out, the Mets were looking at one out and Castillo on first. Fortunately for Pagan, the Mets managed to squeak out two runs in the inning to take a 2-0 lead on Colorado. The Rockies would eventually finish off a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning handing Mets starter Mike Pelfrey an early exit and his tenth loss of the season. Pelfrey surrendering seven runs, six earned, on six hits to go along with five walks.

On a more enthusiastic note, David Wright returned to the Mets starting lineup. If you recall, Wright was placed on the 15-day disabled list after experiencing post-concussion symptoms from being knocked in the head by a 93-mph fast ball. Along with his return to action, Wright managed to put a smile on everyone’s face by showcasing a larger more noticeable batting helmet. The Mets third baseman went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored to go along with two strikeouts. With last night’s 8-3 defeat, the Mets have now lost 10 out of their last 13 games.