Coming off of a very disappointing series against one of baseball’s most disappointing teams, it’s time for a little assessment. Larry Brooks of the New York Post had some hard reality for the New York Post yesterday:

“They are the residue of their historic collapse last September, a consequence of a flawed roster and a fragile rotation. They are a disappointment, no matter how much they wish to massage it, no matter how much they may detest their reflection in their own mirrors.”

Forget the fact that they mitigated the damage on Wednesday with an 8-2 win over the Mariners. It’s only a small consolation when you consider the all out drubbing they incurred the night before, losing 0-11.

Brooks says that this is the very definition of a mediocre team—to win a few, and then lose a few, as if they were ambling through life, without consideration of their actual performance.

The franchise would suggest that they’re taking their mediocrity very seriously, taking actions that demonstrate the repellent nature of said patchiness. I mean, why else did they fire Willie Randolph? Interim manager, Jerry Manuel suggested that it was time for tough decisions on Tuesday night after their embarrassing loss. What do you suppose he meant by that?

Time will tell. Let’s hope that those interested in buying Mets tickets in the coming months are able to stay patient.

On Tuesday night, at Shea Stadium, you could find the bullpen doing their part to contribute. They helped the grounds crew cover the field when a thunderstorm delayed the game for 61 minutes. Go Mets pitchers.

Did I mention that they gave up six runs in four innings against the Diamondbacks, giving up a 9-5 loss?

The Mets gave up four home runs. Three of those were given up by the bullpen in the last two innings. Talk about blowing it.

This is the fifth straight loss for the struggling New York Mets. For a while there it seemed that Willie Randolph was finding some really great successes to make the case for him to keep his job. But with this losing streak firmly in place, it’s not looking pretty for the beleaguered manager.

Even Randolph’s hope for getting Moises Alou back on the field, a player which he calls an “RBI machine” fell flat.  He didn’t return after the rain delay because his calf got stiff. This was just an additional disappointment adding up to 5 games of disappointment. What started as a really promising season is getting ever frustrating.

Maybe if pitching doesn’t work for the bullpen, they can get jobs on the grounds crew. Maybe Randolph is eying a maintenance job too.

Will the Mets have a new manager? That’s the latest question to be considered by New York sports fans and the Mets Ownership. Why is this a question? They’ve got a $140 million dollar payroll, and not even a .50 record to show for it.

In addition to a less than awesome season with the Mets, Willie Randolph is taking heat for some comments about race. He suggested several days ago that his skin color might be a factor in the way the public and the media perceives his ability to run the team.

Ian O’Connor from The Record says that Randolph has good reason for suggesting this:

“As the de facto offensive coordinator of Joe Torre’s dynastic Yanks, Randolph was rejected as a candidate for one managerial job after another, this while every white bullpen catcher and his brother got a gig.

“Does anyone really believe that a white man who was a two-time champion Yankee as a player and a four-time champion Yankee as a coach would’ve waited as long as Randolph did before a franchise finally called his number? Especially when that man was considered a stabilizing force in those crazy George-Billy-Reggie, Bronx-is-burning days?”

Maybe Randolph has a point. Maybe if he was white, the vultures wouldn’t be circling quite so soon. But he also has to take accountability for the fact that for the last 160 games the Mets have gone 78-82. This is not good for an expensive team trying to sell Mets tickets.

The Mets had a tough Monday and Tuesday this week. Bart Hubbuch from the New York Post suggests that poor offense was to blame. So bad was their batting performance on Monday against the Dodgers, the team was prompted to participate in an extra batting practice.

But the extra practice was to no avail. They lost again 5-4 on Tuesday. And they had no excuse. Bily Witz of the New York Times proclaims:

“Starter Hiroki Kuroda looked as though he were offering up batting-practice fastballs. Other Dodgers bobbled ground balls, loafed in the outfield and wandered off the bases into outs.”

In another article today, Witz suggests that another source of trouble is their defense, primarily their depth in pitchers. Santana has proven worth his money. John Maine and Nelson Figeuroa have been great. But Olver Perez and Mike Pelfrey are not looking as hot.

Witz points out:

“Pérez has given up 17 runs in 13 innings over that span, and Pelfrey has allowed 14 runs in 15 1/3 innings in his last three starts.”

This has also put a strain on the bullpen. Consistently going early to the backups makes things challenging to pull out consistent wins.

The Mets have challenges, whether it’s pitching or hitting. But let’s hope that they figure it out and make the appropriate adjustments. We want to buy tickets for Mets games where they win.

The Cubs are a very strong team this year. They’re eying the World Series like an alcoholic who hasn’t had a drink in about 100 years. With their win over the NY Mets last night, another strong team in the Major Leagues, they seem poised and ready to defeat their own curse this year.

The Mets have a super talented team, and have had some solid wins over the last few weeks. But going up against a major contender like the Cubs is sure to humble them and bring them to the reality that they’ve really got to step up their game if they want to compete in the playoffs.

Fortunately, they’ve got several months before that inevitability hits. And in September they’ll be able to play the Cubs again, gauging their improvement and growth throughout the season.

Main was the one bright spot in the Mets performance. The Daily News reports:

“Maine has allowed two runs or fewer while completing at least six innings in each of his last three starts. Monday night, he deferred to Duaner Sanchez after six innings, having held the Cubs to two runs on five hits while striking out six and walking two.”

For online tickets for the Mets feel free to follow the link.

Last Tuesday Mets ticket holders visited an opening game for the last time in the old Shea Stadium. Feelings about the event seem to be mixed—with both good and bad memories stirred up at the historic event.

On one hand, Mets fans have seen a lot of games at this ballpark. For anyone who’s a fan of the team, it’s likely a place of nostalgia. Think of all of the dates. Think of all of the children introduced to the drama of the ballpark in that venue. Think of the great players, and great games, both successful and disappointing.

But some people would like to dwell on the disappointments. Just last season it was the home of a total melt down against Philadelphia. Not a good memory. MVP, Jimmy Rollins will be back in the stadium to remind them of this bitter memory.

On top of that, it’s not a very exciting venue architecturally. Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post doesn’t mince words when he says, “It’s ugly, sterile and horribly outdated.”

In the end, what do we really hope for? A winning season of course. Maybe even a championship. I don’t know, it’s too great to hope for. But no one’s going to tell the Mets players this. They better be playing to win.

The Shea stadium’s final opening game was not a victory for the home team. More embarrassing than that, the Mets lost to the Phillies again. Ouch!

Not only did the Mets hope for redemptions from last year’s total collapse at the Phillies hands. This marked the ninth straight loss to the Phillies for this franchise. Of this streak, David Wright is quoted in the Daily News as saying:

“It’s not significant whatsoever. We’re talking about a different team. We’re talking about a new year. It’s unfortunate what happened last year, but that’s past us. As far as I’m concerned, we’re 0-1 against the Phillies this year, we’re 0-2 against the Braves and we need to do a better job.”

The Mets do need to do a better job, as the final score of 5-2 denotes.

Perhaps the evening is epitomized by Carlos Delgado’s throw to second base in an attempt for a possible double play hit Chase Utley in the back, flying off into the outfield. This error allowed two runs to score for Phillies.

With the new stadium being built, one has to ask, “Is Shea Stadium doomed to relive past disappointments?” Maybe we need to just wait to buy tickets for the Mets when the new stadium is built.  Maybe then we can hope for a championship. The season is still young, but the talented but under performing Mets need to get with the program.

One times while managing a retail store I had a sales representative for our company come in and brag about how great he had been a few years previously in the same role. He went on and on about how he beat all of these sales records.

And then he failed to deliver. He turned out to be mediocre at best. Maybe he had broken all of those records in past years, but he certainly wasn’t at the top of his game anymore. More than anything, I realized how he had set our expectations at a level that would be very hard to achieve.

The same goes for Johan Santana. I have no doubt that compared with other paychecks in the League, he’s well deserving of his $137.5 million contract. But what that does is set an extremely high standard. It tells everyone in the franchise and everyone who’s buying Mets tickets that he’s going to be amazing in every game. Talk about pressure.

Speaking of the these expectations, Shaun Powell of Newsday.com says:

“Yes, they want shutouts, strikeouts, maybe a no-hitter if you please, and plenty of good stuff, all the luxuries you’d expect from a two-time Cy Young winner who has the impossible task of making that $137.5 million seem like a bargain. And they want it now, like today, in his second start . . . ”

When all was said and done, Santana asked for it by driving for the contract. I hope he earns it.

As I reported earlier this week, the fifth starting position has been waving in the wind the last few weeks. It seemed to be down to Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey. Hernandez is a star but he’s struggled with his health. Pelfrey has simply pitched poorly this spring.

But it seems that the wait is nearly over. The Mets plan on making Hernandez the fifth starter if he plays well today in the Grapefruit League start. This is impressive given the fact that he’s had to totally redesign his pitching style to accommodate a bunion on his foot. To even be considered for the position shows the level of trust the management puts in him. There is something to be said for an incredible work ethic and experience.

Pelfrey has shown a lot of anxiety over the decision, hoping for the contest to be decided and over with. He’d rather not be the starting pitcher than not know if he’s going to be. Not exactly the kind of tenacious attitude one would hope from a star pitcher.

Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports Hernandez’s response to the situation:

“Worry? I no worry. When the Cuban government suspended me from baseball for life, I worry a long time. This is just pitching.”

Maybe it’s that fierce but calm attitude that gives El Duque the upper hand in this contest. Make sure to get your Mets tickets now.

So the Mets have a difficult challenge on their hands. Who should they pick for their 5th starting pitcher? They could have chosen a four man rotation to use until April 12th, but they felt that Pedro Martinez will play the best with the extra rest. So this gives them a choice between Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey.

Hernandez, otherwise known as El Duque, allowed five runs in three innings in the Mets recent loss to the Cardinals. Of course, his huge challenge is the bunion on his foot, which has forced him to completely readjust his entire style of pitching. It’s pretty remarkable to think that he’d even be considered as a starter. But his recent poor performance has made the powers that be readjust their expectations.

Then there’s Mike Pelfrey who Adam Rubin of the Daily News refers to as the “unproven underachiever.” Ouch. But given his performance against the Cardinals, allowing eight runs in 4-1/3 innings, I think the description is apt.

So what do the Mets do? In the long sports tradition of understating the truth, GM Omar Minaya says, “As a whole, you wish it would have been a better day.” So they’ve decided not to decide. All of those fans who purchase Mets tickets right now won’t know who they’ll be seeing on the mound in that fifth spot.

“Wow” proclaimed Ramon Castro, Pedro Martinez’s batterymate, in response to Martinez’s performance in the Mets’ recent spring win against the Tigers.

At 36, following last years late return from a rotary cuff surgery, Martinez is happy when he doesn’t have to ice his arm after a game. Of course it also helps to stick it to your opponent while feeling good. He pitched four shutout innings. He allowed four hits and struck out four. And in the end, the Mets beat the Tigers 7-4.

His pitching velocity is much stronger than in the past. But Adam Ruibin of the Daily News notes:

“Martinez has been frustrated by preoccupation with his fastball velocity, consistently noting that pitching is the art of location and changing speeds . . . But even Castro . . . was compelled to mention the extra life. It was especially evident in a bases-loaded strikeout of Ramon Santiago . . . Martinez then retired Freddy Guzman on a tapper to first base to end that threat unscathed.”

Who knows. Maybe his training stunt of pitching with his eyes shut paid off. I don’t know, but you can’t argue with results.

This may be a beautiful season for a star veteran with a little more heat in his arm. We may all need to buy our Mets tickets quick to see it for ourselves.

El Duque thinks that even with a bunion on his right big toe he can starting pitch 30 games this season. He might be pipe dreaming given the fact that he hasn’t started 30 games since 1999. But there’s no doubt that he’s looking decent in spite of his foot condition.

Known for his high kick, he’s had to adjust his form to protect his toe. His new pitching stance puts less pressure on the toe. It keeps his foot flat on the mound.

Although the speed of his pitch isn’t anything amazing, it should be pointed out that he pitched 72% strikes with his new form.

Adam Rubin of the Daily News says:

“Mets brass continues to downplay any suggestions that El Duque’s reduced leg kick will drastically reduce his deception. Peterson said Hernandez’s primary deception came from changing arm angles and speeds.”

He suggests that it may be in the Mets best interest to keep him on the disabled list at first, allowing for them to carry a six-man bench, and then activating him as a fifth starter on April 12th when they face the Brewers.

Either way, it’s impressive that Hernandez could learn a new method to play the same game. That is, in my opinion, real athleticism. To see this great athlete in action make sure to get your Mets tickets now.

So there’s a hole in their left field and a need for a big power slugger. This raises the question as to whether the Mets will attempt to acquire the famous and infamous Barry Bonds. One would suggest that this would be a terrible time to take on the free agent, facing charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. The team would hardly want to get involved in the ongoing steroid debacle, for which Bonds is front and center.

But then again, one has to think that maybe the Mets would be the perfect team for him. First off, because they could use him. And secondly, as Jeff Blair of globesports.com suggests, they’re “a big-market team desperate for a postseason boost.”

He goes on to say,” It would take a club with a great deal of veteran moxie and experience dealing with the spotlight to handle the situation, a club that is a little bit cynical, but also one that has been tested and taken the measure of those doing the testing.”

Mets general manager, Omar Minaya, says that all rumors of such an acquisition are false. But the possibilities are great and certainly enough to make sports writers speculate.

To get your tickets this season be sure to look for Mets tickets online.

I just read a great article at the New York Post by Joel Sherman about the return of Darryl Strawberry to the Mets as an instructor.

He claims that Strawberry’s return is a cautionary tale from a ball club of yesteryear that had it’s chance at greatness, but blew it.

“We should have won three titles, heck, we should have won four,” he said. “We should have been like the Yankee teams I was on in the late ’90s that just rolled to a bunch of titles.”

He comes to the Mets this time as a an outfield instructor. But perhaps his leadership will do more than instruct.  Maybe he’ll be able help a team of enormous potential and talent pull it together. He blames his team’s failure in the 80’s to a total lack of focus. They were a team of party animals (his cocaine and alcohol abuse is well known).  That reckless attitude blew their opportunity to win several championships.

This new Mets team is not unlike the old. The last two seasons have brought huge disappointment to fans expecting their front runner team to go all of the way. Last season, they did what seemed like a mathematical impossibility, blowing a seven game NL East lead in 17 games.

Needless to say, this is a season with high hopes by all. Be sure to buy your Mets tickets now.

Carlos Beltran’s got a welt on his arm due to a wild pitch by Johan Santana. According to a recent blog by Bart Hubbuch:

“Randolph said Beltran was among several veteran hitters who – upset at having to face young pitchers eager to out-duel them in mere BP – asked to go instead against an older pitcher unafraid to throw strikes.”

Thinking he was going up against one of the most controlled pitchers in the league, you can imagine Beltran’s surprise at getting nailed.

According to John Harper, the pitcher to watch this season is John Maine. He believes that the Mets may well have the deepest and most dominant rotation in the National League. When you put together Pedro Martinez, Santana, Oliver Perez, Orlando Hernandez, and Maine, you’ve got a pretty great line-up. Maine had a great year last season, where Harper claims that “there were more that a few days when Maine looked like on the best pitchers in baseball.”

With all of the depth and possibilities available for this World Series caliber team, there’s a lot of optimism going around. Both Brian Schneider and Ryan Church, two new editions the NY team report missing their friends in their old club, but excited about the possibilities with such a winning line-up.

“You look around this clubhouse and you see MVP candidates, All-Stars, Cy Youngs,” Schneider says. There are a lot of good reasons to buy Mets tickets this year.