Game 130 - Mets
Dropping Ballgames Like Galileo Dropped the Orange

Marlins 6, Mets 4
Record: 60-70

This loss was a microcosm of the entire Mets season. Starting pitching that begins the game/season beautifully but falters down the stretch, middle relief that wipes out leads as soon as the hitters can build them, and a depleted lineup incapable of rallying at the end. Oh, and Armando Benitez sticking it to the Mets just for a little knife-twist. I watched this game, and can tell you that there were 11 good minutes of elation among the two hours and 59 minutes of ball played. Not a good ratio, and not a great case for the three-hour hunker-down when I could be doing something less frustrating, like trying to solve the energy crisis, or attempting to figure out the MLB relocation committee's logic.

Al Leiter pitched well, allowing one run into the sixth, but a walk and a meaty gopher ball served up to Miguel Cabrera put the Mets down, 3-1. With Dontrelle Willis hurling for Florida, and given a lineup that predominantly features premature call-ups, throw-ins, and players to be named later, those three runs loomed large. For two batters. Cliff Floyd ripped a single through the right side, and clearly-not-premature call-up David Wright fought off a number of tough pitches, then smoked a fastball over the right-center wall. Two pitches later, the much-maligned Jason "On the Atkins Diet So I Hit Above My Weight" Phillips crushed a ball way, way gone to left. 4-3, Mets. Bedlam ensued among the Expos-numbered fans at Shea and in my house. There's a little-known corollary to the "Don't count your chickens" adage:

If you know your eggs are all going to be duds eventually, cracking and
rotting and scoring no chicks, count them all immediately and do the funky
chicken all around the nest while you still have the chance.

As applied to the New York Mets baseball organization, it translates: If you know full well the Mets will blow the lead, hell, you might as well go ahead and celebrate. Any lead is rare these days, and we all need something to cheer about on this dark desert highway towards the completion of this season.

And so, with the Mets (a) rebounding immediately to take the lead, (b) touching up the young phenom Willis, (c) hitting back-to-back taters in impressive fashion, (d) saving Senator Al from the loss and setting him up for a win, and (e) not injuring themselves while doing so, there was great cause for some Met merry-making. Better hurry, though, as we know what's around the corner.

Top 7, enter Heath Bell. The burly lad (6'2", 244 lbs) is one of many Mets/Tides/Mets/Tides/Mets who've shuttled back and forth at least once or twice between the big leagues and the big city (Norfolk, VA; population: 241,000) this season without much rhyme or reason. Bell got his rung almost immediately. He registered a quick K, but then gave up an infield hit to Juan Pierre (so fast he didn't draw a throw on a grounder just to the left of short). Damion Easley, who hasn't finished out a contract since the 90's, followed with his 7th home run of the year, quickly turning a Mets' lead into a deficit. Good thing we had that fiesta when we did. (I needed to go to the store last night for orange juice for the kids, about a 12-minute trip -- had I elected to go in the sixth, as I almost did, I would have missed the only sunshine in yet another dismal outing.)

Denouement: Marlins tack another one on, Mets can't touch Piazza's buddy Mota or Born-Again Benitez, Mets lose. Again. The Mets have lost 10 of 13 to the Fish this season. Nine of Armando's 39 saves have been against the Metropolitans. Neat.

Who knows what this means for Bell -- if the pattern holds, he's en route to SE VA already. Kid, there's no pain that a pair with slaw, fries, and a limeade can't ease, so head on down to Doumar's for some curb service when you get in. Actually, two sandwiches (they're on the small side) may well not be enough for Heath "Taco" Bell.

On the plus side, Mike Piazza finally returned to the lineup (and first base) last night, and he even homered in his second at-bat. And . . . well, that's about all I can come up with on the plus side. I could get into more negative stuff, like articles about Art Howe having lost the team, or how he's about to sink below .500 for his career record, or how the New York Post pointed out the Mets are only 2 games better than they were at this point last year, but why would I want to mention stuff like that?

Something I noticed during the telecast: The Mets' relievers now enter the game not to a song on the PA but an inspirational quote from the film Tombstone, when Kurt Russell hollers: "Tell them I'm coming and L's coming with me!" Boy, do I wish that weren't true.

Games 126 through 129 - Red Sox
Remember That Time...

Red Sox 4, Tigers 1
Red Sox 5, Tigers 3
Red Sox 5, Tigers 1
Red Sox 6, Tigers 1
Record: 76-53
August Record: 20-7

As I get giddier and giddier about the Sox' play over the past 2 weeks, I worry that I'm becoming a little bit like Chris Farley describing his overzealous sales techniques in 'Tommy Boy'. Much like Farley's Tommy Callahan killed his imaginary sale by smothering it, I agonize over the fine line between confidence in this team's chances (they're good) and the realistic possibility that my public acknowledgement of those chances (did I mention that they're really good) is the single factor that will tilt the scales - forever dooming the 2004 Sox to the same fate as their counterparts over the past 86 years. And if you think that last sentence is anything less than serious, well, you haven't been paying much attention, have you?

The recent excellent play by nearly everyone in contention for American League playoff spots has tempered my optimism, if only a little. While the Sox have ripped off 12 wins in 13 games, Anaheim's won 10 of 11, Oakland's on a 7-game winning streak, and Texas - while fading ever so slightly - hasn't disappeared from the picture. On the other hand, a certain pinstriped outfit has seen its double-digit margin in the AL East shrink to less than 5. We at MLC will not be mentioning any specifics related to that last sentence - see sentence 2 in paragraph 1 above for explanation; if you think I'm tugging that particular superhero's cape you definitely haven't been reading our little psychodrama closely enough to pass the post-season quiz.

The Sox swept Detroit on the strength of sick pitching - 6 runs and 22 hits in 4 games - and timely offensive contributions from just about everyone. After floundering about for the better part of the season against mediocre teams, the Sox are hitting on all cylinders, and absolutely mashing the weak sisters of the AL. Tomorrow begins a huge test, though, as their 3 big brothers come a-callin'.

9 games in the next 10 days against Anaheim, Texas, and Oakland. 9 games against the Sox' only competition for the AL's final playoff spot. 9 games against good, hot squads in the heat of the early-September playoff race cauldron. Tomorrow's game is a huge tone-setter, and one of the reasons the Sox got Curt Schilling in the off-season. Big moments have brought out the best in #38 over his career, and he kicks off September in one of this year's biggest, facing the eminently bludgeonable John Lackey (really? is that a word? forget it, he's rolling). Baby steps, baby.

And, in the interest of forced literary symmetry, if the tension gets any greater over the next 6 weeks - a near given - there's a pretty good chance that I'll be doing a spot-on imitation of another great Farley character, foaming, ranting, and breaking things like Matt Foley. Good thing there's nothing in my house from anywhere other than IKEA.

Worth Mentioning

During my massive digression I was unable to mention that Dan Wheeler was traded to the Astros for OF Adam Seuss on Friday. (Kudos to T.J. Doyle for reminding me.) That's the Houston Astros, who are zipping back into the fringes of contention despite taking on the second explosive Met reliever this season. Wheeler promptly made the news Sunday, firing a retaliatory plunk at a Cub and getting tossed after a surprisingly solid outing. The same day the 'Stros nabbed Wheeler, they dumped David Weathers. Question: once Wheeler implodes for the 12th time for Houston, can we send them Mike Stanton?

Games 127 through 129 - Mets
Mining for Meaning

Mets 9, Dodgers 2
Dodgers 4, Mets 2
Dodgers 6, Mets 2
Record: 60-69

Way back on August 15th, life was far more blissful than it seemed at the time. Even now, I wouldn't call those times the salad days – maybe the egg salad days, but the fortnight since then has shredded the few positive notes that existed on 8/15. Joni Mitchell warned us that you don't know what you've got till it's gone, but perhaps I was too caught up in lamenting another lost season for the Mets to heed it. 15 days gone and things just got worse – about 576 fluid ounces worse.

On the 15th, the standings in Case Bets I & II were, respectively:

Boston 64-52
New York 56-60
Games left: 46
Games to give: 14

Baltimore 57-59
Need them to go: 18-28

On August 30th, the standings are:

Boston 76-53
New York 60-69
Games left: 33
Games to give: 6

Baltimore 58-71
Need them to go: 17-16

What we saw was a startling turn of events in the wrong direction for my pecuniary purposes. I was coasting to victories in both my "Mets finish less than 22 games behind the Sox" and O's win 75 games" wagers, and now I am looking a pricey trip to the package store, to put it in the Sox-guy vernacular. I claimed I wasn't counting my chickens, but I think perhaps I was. I know, though, that I was busy bemoaning the status of the standings you'll find in the sports section and failed to appreciate the standings I posted above. I will not make this mistake twice.

The excitement of these two races is alive and well, despite the dent the past two weeks dinged into my chances. The Mets still have a six-game cushion, and though common sense says that the white-hot Red Sox will likely be cruising past the 22-win milestone by Labor Day, I think the Mets can make this interesting for me. Meanwhile, the Orioles have 20 games against the Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins (4-16 would be a moral victory) and 13 against the D-Rays, Blue Jays, and Tigers (so you're telling me there's a chance). Hideously bleak, and yet I know that the Orioles are just a month or two removed from going 20-11 to start the second half, including an eight-game winning streak.

Of course, we all have Rob Russell to thank for the Birds going in the tank, as he egregiously failed to appreciate the resurgent Orioles' succession of knock-offs of Boston's foes in the wild card race. After lying down and dying against the Sox' divisional opponents in the early part of the season (and yet scrapping out a few against Boston), the new and improved O's took 2 of 3 from Minnesota, swept a 4-gamer against Texas, and won 2 of 3 versus Anaheim. Then Baltimore won another series against Toronto just for good measure. About this time, Mr. Russell threw out the aside "Jesus, can I hate that team any more?" while mentioning Pedro's struggles against them. At no point did he thank the Orioles for helping his boys out, or even acknowledge the boost. The O's, tired of this thankless work, determined to show Rob just how bad they could be, dropping seven games to the A's, plus three to Toronto for good measure. They were on their way to a sweep at the hands of the Rangers when I chastised Rob for his comments and lack of gratitude for what the Birds accomplished earlier. Sensing that his grievous error might really cost his club, what with two BAL v. NYY series on the immediate horizon, Rob admitted his mistake and asked forgiveness from everyone in Baltimore "except that jackelope Peter Angelos." And lo: Orioles 7, Rangers 6. Lee Mazzilli, having salvaged his job and then chucked it back into the fire, may just make it through if Russell's damage can be undone.

This multi-layered drama, plus the Mets/Sox showdown, should provide the last vestige of compelling excitement for the royal blue-titled postings here. Some might say I am hyping the unhype-able, grasping at very thin straws, and pulling a cheesy network TV maneuver of adding faux tension where none truly exists. That is complete bunk, and to those imbeciles who would cast such misguided aspersions upon me, I would simply advise them that we don't need their kind tuning into A Very Special Month of Baseball here on MLC.

Game 126 - Mets
I guess those people who were expecting a win are feeling a bit stupid, eh, Padre?

Padres 10, Mets 3
Record: 59-67

And the Mets Season-Long Diamond Party rolls on. Yesterday provided this cup of chicken shit for the soul:

• Adam Eaton (9-11) completely handcuffed the Mets for seven shutout innings. Eaton may possibly be most renowned for needing a DL stint after stabbing himself in the gut with a pocketknife while trying to open DVD packaging. Perhaps some of the Mets can take a page from him and perform this scaled down hari-kari.
• The Mets should have been shut out entirely, and would have were it not for the insertion of Padre reliever Marty "No, Biff, Not This Time" McLeary in the ninth. Marty wished he could go back in time and throw some different pitches, as he gave up three runs on two taters.
• Steve "Flying Off the" Trachsel was torched by the San Diego lineup to drop to 10-11. The trend of the weary Met starters faltering in August tumbles on.
• The high-flying relief tandem of Dan Wheeler and Pedro Feliciano lit up the afternoon sky once again. "FedEx" Wheeler once again excelled at the home delivery of inherited runners, needing just a couple of pitches to score a leftover baserunner and close the bad horror novel of a book on Trachsel. Feliciano, for his part, pitched just the 8th but handed out singles like it was his bachelor party, allowing four runs to score.
• In Feliciano's defense . . . well, he actually had very little defense, as Wilson Delgado confirmed once again that there is a curse on the glove of any man who assumes the role of Mets' shortstop. We're going to need a live chicken to fix this problem.

Outside of this three-hour spanking, the good news keeps piling up.

• The Mets lowballed Kris Benson on a "long-term" offer -- 2 years, $12M. Dammit, remember you're from New York and pony up the green, mo-rons.
• ESPN.com mastermind Buster Olney once again proved a stunning lack of insight, comparing the Mets' deadline deals with (a) Milt Pappas for Frank Robinson, (b) cash for Babe Ruth, and (c) Larry Andersen for Jeff Bagwell. Premature and hyperbolic, perhaps (maybe not, as time will tell, but ignorant for sure, mainly because his commentaries have been predicated on the notion that the Mets were only dealing in order to contend in 2004. It doesn't take a landscape of perspective to see that this wasn't the case. Worst of all, The Logic-Buster instructed the Mets to pay Kris Benson, a la bullet point #1, meaning we agree on something. My resignation is forthcoming.
• After dropping four to the Pad Squad, first place L.A. comes to town for the weekend. Adrian Beltre may hit 10 home runs this weekend.

In other news, a Jim Thome & Pat Burrell for Mike Piazza & Mike Cameron deal has been offered up . . . by Phils fan Nick Luketic. He elaborates:

Thome is the ultimate good guy and a great clubhouse addition. Pat the Bat will
be worth 5 wins by virtue of joining rather than playing vs. the Mets.
Piazza is a Philly guy and will be a crowd favorite. Cameron can hit 40 homers
in the friendly confines of "The Bank." On the surface, not much of a change
except that it is change.

I took the deal. I hate to part with Piazza, but the Mets can't figure out where to play him, anyway. Look for the news of this deal in your local press soon.

Games 118 through 125 - Mets
Gazing Up at Rock Bottom

Mets 10-4, Rockies 3-2
Giants 7, Mets 3
Mets 11, Giants 9
Giants 3, Mets 1
Padres 9, Mets 4
Padres 3, Mets 1
Padres 4, Mets 0
Record: 59-66

These aren't meaningful games; these aren't even meaningful players. After a very long weekend at the beach, I have returned to the somber reality of the 2004 New York Mets. Injuries piling up (I believe the Zambrano injury bumps the Mets past the Sox again), lackluster performances from fading players, and an increasingly ridiculous carousel between Shea Stadium and Harbor Park in Norfolk, with the average big league stint expectancy at 1-2 appearances. The ownership think tank is getting hammered in the press, the Art Howe Fan Club is a ghost town, and players are starting to sound off. The team building for next year now sees not only a dead '04 but a scary-looking '05. Contract talks with Kris Benson haven't gone well, Zambrano's elbow could be the most blunderous joint since Mo Vaughn's knee, and Mike Piazza's health, best position and future with the Mets are equally emboldened question marks. In addition to Benson and Piazza, decisions must soon be made regarding the tenures of Richard Hidalgo, Al Leiter, Cliff Floyd, and John Franco. (For Franco, it's simply how to get him off the roster without losing any more face.) Scott Kazmir is now in the bigs for Tampa, and he pitched five shutout innings in his first start. Don Baylor appears to be headed to a managing job elsewhere, while Rick Peterson appears to be in over his head with the staff of stiffs. The Mets are 14-23 since the break, are 13 games out, have dropped four in a row (and counting), and the losses that had been predominantly close ones all season are early-inning laughers more and more. The Mets are as close to the pitiful Expos as they are to the middling Marlins. And, just as an added punt in my ribs, those Expos appear to be headed nowhere near the DC area if the Jerry Lewis Impersonators Club that is MLB's Relocation Committee. (This is a topic for another dreary day; better stick to the Mets' woes for now.)

There's nothing but worse news every day, and there's little positive to point to right now. There might be tomorrow, but not right now. I can't justify spending any more time bemoaning the sad state of affairs in Metville. I can't even make a joke here. It's just that numbing.

Games 120 through 125 - Red Sox
Ignorance is Bliss and Payback is a Bitch

Red Sox 10, White Sox 7
Red Sox 10, White Sox 1
Red Sox 6, White Sox 5*
Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 0
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 4
Red Sox 11, Blue Jays 5

Record: 72-53
August Record: 16-7

Looks like I should ignore this blog more often. Last year, I took an intentional sabbatical, and the Sox ran off 5 wins in 6 games. Last week, a combination of beach-side antics and the resulting catch-up days at work kept me away from MLC, and the Sox...ran off 5 wins in 6 games. I'm sensing a theme here.

(Random aside that has no relevance at all, but will ring true to Whitney: taking a vacation with two kids under the age of 3 is not relaxing. Not at all.)

The Sox are playing some top-notch baseball at the moment, right as the Mets are drawing the curtain on my friend's enthusiasm. If I recall correctly, he jumped squarely aboard the Sox bandwagon in the late stages of 2003. There's plenty of room in the Nation, my man, just make the call and I'll get you a good seat. We could use the luck you brought during the playoffs last year, because it looks like white-knuckle time could last a couple of months this season.

The final game of the White Sox series is denoted with an asterisk because it may well be the game we look back upon as a seminal moment in this season. The Sox spotted Derek Lowe a 4-0 lead, which he gave back on two mistakes - giving up homers to Paul Konerko in the 5th and Carlos Lee in the 7th. Boston trailed 5-4 as Manny came up to begin the top of the 8th. Two pitches later, the Sox led 6-5 on round-trippers by Ramirez and Ortiz. Mike Timlin was flat-out nails in relief, stranding the tying run to get out of a 1-out, 1st and 3rd jam.

Timlin did it again two nights ago against the Blue Jays, wriggling out of a bases-loaded, 0-out quagmire with 2 strikeouts and a groundout. He's having a fair-to-middling season, but his last 2 appearances bring back happy memories of his stone-cold assassinations of 2003 postseason opponents. If the Sox are going to do anything this season, he will be critical, along with Alan Embree, Keith Foulke, and...anyone, anyone, Mueller, anyone? Do you sense my concern about the depth of the Sox' pen? Does the fact that I'm holding out hope for Byung-Hyun Kim's successful return to Boston betray a savvy baseball mind, or a delusional moron? Don't answer that.

The next two weeks are capital-H Huge for the Sox, who face Detroit (4 games @ home), Anaheim (3 @ home), Texas (3 @ home), and Oakland (3 on the road) before closing the month with 14 games against Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore sandwiched around 6 against the Yankees. 8 wins in those 13 games are not inconceivable, and less than 7 will be a big setback.

And speaking of the Yankees, because it always comes back to them, don't look now, but a certain team is only 5 1/2 games behind the suddenly mortal-looking Bombers. As recently as last week, I wouldn't have thought that those 6 games in September would mean much - and they still may not - but I'm all aquiver (as are ticket "brokers" along the entire Eastern Seaboard) at the possibility that those 2 series' could decide the division.

In a minor housekeeping note, I added a link to Jose Melendez' Keys to the Game, a wickedly funny and long overdue blog by one of SOSH's cleverest posters. Jose's gameday Keys (posted in Sox game threads on SOSH) are by turns snarky, snappy, erudite, and beer-out-the-nostrils funny.

Finally, this item on the Mets' new policy against the wearing of paper bags over the heads of distraught fans at Shea struck me funny. Sorry for piling on, Whit.

That's Some Amazin' Stuff

Nice work on the trade analysis by Whitney. I'm sitting here slack-jawed about the fact that Jesse Orosco was involved in a trade in 1978.

I'm not going to do a similar piece about the Sox, mostly because of my well-documented laziness, and because the Best/Worst Sox trades in my lifetime have been covered ad nauseum in the sporting press. Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen still makes Peter Gammons wake up in a cold sweat, but Heathcliff Slocumb for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek is the stuff that bad fantasy GMs get fired over - let alone major league personnel bosses.

Trading Aces, Head Cases, and Second Bases

Last week I ineptly deleted a piece that contained a look at the best and worst trades in Mets history. As you'll soon see, it probably wasn't worth the time to re-issue it, but as discussions go, this is . . . one of them.

The David Weathers for Richard Hidalgo (not addressing the lesser inclusions) deal looks extremely lopsided at this point. Hidalgo received new life when arrived in New York, and Weathers . . . well, he's been getting clubbed just as much in Houston as he did for the Mets. Even the Mets' narcoleptic bats woke up against their former mate.

Meanwhile, Mets Township is fearing the worst after Victor Zambrano's elbow news, while Scott Kazmir is lighting it up and could be on his way to the bigs as early as next week. That one might leave a mark.

So, my question is: what were the best and worst trades in the brief but adventuresome history of the New York Mets? We'll start with the worst.

The Worst

December 10, 1971: Received Jim Fregosi from the Angels for Nolan Ryan, Don Rose, Leroy Stanton, and Frank Estrada. Frego had a .232/5/32 year and was sold to Texas mid-way through the next year. Nolan Ryan . . . oh, don't make me type out what he did.

April 5, 1972: Received Rusty Staub from the Expos for Ken Singleton, Mike Jorgensen, and Tim Foli. Rusty was a good player, but Singleton was very good, and Jorgensen & Foli were good enough that the Mets later re-acquired them both.

December 3, 1974: Received Del Unser, Mac Scarce and John Stearns from the Phillies for Tug McGraw, Don Hahn, and Dave Schneck. Unser also lasted a year and a half, while Stearns was serviceable; Tug went on to similarly inspire the Phils to a World Series.

June 15, 1977: Received Bobby Valentine and Paul Siebert from the Padres for Dave Kingman. Bobby V was awful, and Kingman was two years from a HR title. (He was also another re-acquisition.) But this wasn't even the worst trade of the day.

June 15, 1977: Received Steve Henderson, Pat Zachry, Dan Norman, and Doug Flynn from the Reds for Tom Seaver. Tom Seaver. TOM SEAVER. The franchise's all-time wins leader (still). Of course, the Mets picked him back up six years later after he'd won 71 games for the Reds. Meanwhile Steve Henderson contributed only mildly for the Mets until 1981, when he was traded to the Cubs for . . . Dave Kingman.

May 29, 1981: Received Ellis Valentine from the Expos for Jeff Reardon and Dan Norman. Another 1.5-year man for a guy who had recorded just 10 of his eventual 367 saves. And Dan Norman, of course, whose only claim to fame is being a throw-in on two of the worst trades in Met history.

December 10, 1982: Received Danny Heep from the Astros for Mike Scott. I always liked Heep. I guess I'd forgotten what his presence cost the Mets.

December 11, 1986: Received Kevin McReynolds, Adam Ging and Gene Walter from the Padres for Shawn Abner, Stan Jefferson, Kevin Mitchell, Kevin Armstrong, and (not the) Kevin Brown. Three years later McReynolds still hadn't fit in, while Mitchell was MVP.

June 18, 1989: Received Juan Samuel from the Phillies for Lenny Dykstra, Roger McDowell, and Tom Edens. Every time I think about this one, it's a punch in the gut. Hold on . . . gotta catch my breath.

July 31, 1989: Received Frank Viola from the Twins for Rick Aguilera, David West, Jack Savage, Kevin Tapani, and Tim Drummond. Frankie V won 20 for the Mets, but he only lasted a couple of seasons with the Mets while Tapani went on to win 143 games and Aguilera to save 311.

July 29, 1996: Received Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza from the Indians for Jose Vizcaino and Jeff Kent. Not only was Kent on the verge of breaking out, it meant we essentially got Baerga and Espinoza for David Cone.

December 1, 1998: Received Armando Benitez from the Orioles for Charles Johnson. The numbers say this wasn't a bad deal. The years off my life say it was.

July 31, 1999: Received Billy Taylor from the Athletics for Jason Isringhausen and Greg McMichael. I guess with Benitez, all those saves weren't necessary.

July 28, 2000: Received Mike Bordick from the Orioles for Lesli Brea, Mike Kinkade, Melvin Mora, and Pat Gorman. The only team to deal with the Orioles over the last decade and lose, the Mets got three months of subpar Bordick for Mora, who has proven versatile in the field and a batting title candidate at the plate.

December 27, 2001: Received Mo Vaughn from the Angels for Kevin Appier. I think we've talked enough about this one, no?

Whew, we need some good news . . .

The Best

December 15, 1967: Received Tommie Agee and Al Weis from the White Sox for Tommy Davis, Jack Fisher, Billy Wynne, and Buddy Booker. Two World Series heroes for . . . not a lot.

[skipping the 1970's: see Trades, Worst for what happened during that decade]

February 10, 1982: Received George Foster from the Reds for Alex Trevino, Jim Kern, and Greg Harris. Cincy still felt bad about the Seaver deal.

April 1, 1982: Received Ron Darling and Walt Terrell from the Rangers for Lee Mazzilli. The Mets reacquired Maz for the title run in '86, Darling was a rock for the 80's, and Terrell got them HoJo.

June 15, 1983: Received Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals for Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. Keith's off-the-field escapades helped the Mets rob St. Louis blind.

December 8, 1983: Received Sid Fernandez and Ross Jones from the Dodgers for Carlos Diaz and Bob Bailor. Another piece in the rotation puzzle.

December 10, 1984: Received Gary Carter from the Expos for Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham, and Floyd Youmans. I liked Hubie, but Carter was the final piece. Oh, wait, we need to make one more deal for karmic purposes . . .

November 13, 1985: Received Bob Ojeda, Chris Bayer, Tom McCarthy, and John Mitchell from the Red Sox for Calvin Schiraldi, Wes Gardner, John Christensen, and La Schelle Tarver. There we go. We'll take Ojeda, and you just make sure Schiraldi pitches in Games 6 & 7.

March 27, 1987: Received David Cone and Chris Jelic from the Royals for Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson, and Mauro Gozzo. Should've kept Cone for much, much longer.

February 6, 1998: Received Al Leiter and Ralph Milliard from the Marlins for A.J. Burnett, Jesus Sanchez, and Robert Stratton. Burnett is emerging as a future star, but I love Leiter.

May 22, 1998: Received Mike Piazza from the Marlins for Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall, and Geoff Goetz. Ditto for Wilson and Piazza.

December 1, 1998: Received Charles Johnson and Roger Cedeno from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Todd Hundley and Arnold Gooch. Hundley turned out to be a one-season wonder; that he netted the Mets Benitez and Cedeno should file this under Worst, but it was a good deal at the time.

April 3, 2004: Received Chris Widger and Wilson Delgado from the Cardinals for Roger Cedeno. Uncool.

Not Sure Where to Put These

December 8, 1978: Received Greg Field and Jesse Orosco (named later) from the Twins for Jerry Koosman. A longtime Met starter for a longtime Met reliever, both of whom helped them win a World Series; that Orosco was on the way up and Koosman was approaching the twilight (though he did win 20 for Minnesota in '79) gives the Mets the edge, I'd say.

December 7, 1984: Received Howard Johnson from the Tigers for Walt Terrell. Both went on to produce for a number of years.

December 6, 1989: Received John Franco and Don Brown from the Reds for Randy Myers and Kip Gross. A star for a star, this was great for the Mets. Until now.

December 11, 1991: Received Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota from the Royals for Gregg Jefferies, Kevin McReynolds and Keith Miller. A few fairly big names that ended up disappointing.

September 1, 1992: Received Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson from the Blue Jays for David Cone. Didn't end up working out as well as it might have.

December 11, 2001: Received Roberto Alomar, Danny Peoples, and Mike Bacsik from the Indians Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, Jerrod Riggan, Earl Snyder and Billy Traber. Stink. Stank. Stunk.


So where does that leave us? I'll go with the Nolan Ryan deal for the worst all-time, with the Juan Samuel debacle a close second. Both seemed to set a tone of bad deals for a decade. The best would be either the Keith Hernandez or Gary Carter pick-ups; together they were the pieces de resistance of GM Frank Cashen (arguably the most brilliant fellow ever associated with the Mets). I'm sure there are others I've forgotten, but these comprise many of the biggies. Depending on Hidalgo's off-season contractual progress and Zambrano's elbow/Kazmir's future, these could make their way to the list. Stay tuned.

Game 119 - Red Sox
Who Are These People?

Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 4
Record: 67-52
August Record: 11-6

I'm struggling with vocabulary today - just can't think of a certain phrase. There's this thing, when a team is victorious in more than 2 consecutive contests...stro, streee, strii - I don't know. Whatever it is, the Sox are in the middle of one, and it's about freaking time. Yes, they've won 3 straight against the lowly Blue Jays, but beggars definitely can't be choosers, especially since:

1. The Rangers have won 6 in a row but not been able to gain much ground on the Sox, and;
2. The Yankees have lost 3 in a row (including 2 straight to their heretofore prison concubines, the Minnesota Twins - will wonders never cease).

Last night's win was a workmanlike effort right on the heels of a scintillating walk-off victory. Solid and professional, two things that have been missing all season. Dare I begin to hope that this team is finally coming together? 9 wins in 12 games says maybe so, but I'll hold off on the ticker tape parade until the Sox sweep into the south side of Chicago and avenge last week's series loss to the White Sox. Baby steps. (Hmmm, that sounds an awful lot like a mantra.)

Game 118 - Mets
"Let's Lose Two!"

Mets at Rockies, PPD (Presumably Pummeled in the Doubleheader)
Record: Still 56-61

After getting backhanded all over the field for all 10 games of the past five doubleheaders, rainouts present doubly gloomy horizons for the Mets. Observe the uplifting analysis from after the last go-around:

(6/28/04) The Mets conceded both games of all four double-dippers they played in
2003, and they kicked off their '04 two-fers with a pair of nut-shots yesterday.
Even scarier is how badly they've lost those 10 games -- by a combined 81-31,
allowing five or more runs every time.

Oh, my. One has to figure that today will be their best good chance to snap the ugly streak of double-dipper sweeps, especially with Kris Benson and Al Leiter on the docket. I mean, the outlook is certainly better than that of the September 13 two-fer coming up against the Braves, right? Unfortunately, speaking of outlooks, it's supposed to rain all afternoon in Denver, so there's a chance there will be no games played today. And what with Rockies vs. Mets nowhere on the rest of the 2004 schedule and with neither club near postseason contention, these games may not happen at all. Leaving 9/13 as the likely only shot of ending the doubleheader drought this season. How convenient.

* * *

Yesterday I had a chance to peruse some of the other Mets blogs out there, and as usual, I was verily impressed -- both in the strong content (as in solid and using strong language) and in the confirmation that other people out there have as much time to dedicate to the literary, analytical equivalent of banging our heads against a wall. I decided it was time to stop being lazy / xenophobic and post some links to these blogs, encouraging Rob to do the same for the Sox blog world. After all, we are all in this together, and as the season worsens with every passing day (or media release), we'll need each other more and more.

One particular column that caught my eye was from Kaley over at Flushing Local, whose loyal optimism continues to shine through the storm of negativity emanating from Shea. Consecutive posts of pure positive energy (1) working out the math necessary for the wild card run and (2) "clinging to my precious hope" despite having to issue sincere lamentations for Victor Zambrano are breaths of fresh air. She is to be admired for her never-wavering spirit and to be pitied for her complete and utter insanity.

Anyway, there's a treasure-trove of good stuff out there -- better organized, better informed, and better designed. That's not to say you shouldn't keep coming here for our unique perspective -- hey, we didn't win Longest Post Without a Discernible Point earlier this year for nothing.

Game 117 - Mets
The Excavation of a Landfill

Rockies 6, Mets 4
Record: 56-61

On the surface of this game, i.e., in the only lasting record of it, i.e. i.e., in looking at the box score, this was just another loss in a losing season -- a nondescript, meaningless defeat that doesn't warrant detailed examination. But wouldn't you agree that very little is ever what it seems on the surface, excluding today's pop music, Sly Stallone's acting, and Mike Piazza's pure love of baseball? We'll dig into this game just a wee bit deeper, pausing momentarily for a Parental Advisory for scenes that may turn Met fans' stomachs.

One facet of this game that does jump out at you is Victor Zambrano's 1 2/3 innings pitched. His ineffectiveness stemmed from a "sore elbow," two great words that don't go great together. (Though not, as Rhys Lloyd always points out, as explosive a combo as "cash bar," two wonderful words on their own that wholly sour upon compounding.) Zambrano's next start is in question, as is the deal that brought him here if this ailment turns out to be more than a minor tweak in a long season of fireballing. He did leave the game, however, with a 2-0 lead, albeit with a couple of runners aboard. Enter Dan Wheeler. I repeat: Enter Dan Wheeler. While we're wasting time overanalyzing phrasing and diagramming sentences, I'll just say this: "Enter Dan Wheeler" is one I never enjoy reading, unless through some strange set of circumstances I happen to catch sight of a Brooklyn proctologist's to-do list.

So Wheeler comes into a small jam in the second, up by two with two outs and two on. Jason Jennings at the plate. That'd be Jason Jennings the Rockies pitcher. Yes, Jennings is a decent-hitting pitcher, and yes, it's Coors Field, but if Dan Wheeler is ever going to be a not-abominable pitcher, these are the outs he must record. Needless to say, he didn't; Jennings singled in one run on the first pitch, the next batter singled as well, and the lead had evaporated into the very thin air. After Richard Hidalgo doubled in a run in the third to reclaim that lead, it took Wheeler a mere three pitches to hand it right back. Efficient, if god-awful.

He did settle down for a few innings after that, much like the Mets' bats did. I figure they were tired of battling the Human Lead Eraser. The 3-3 tie went into the sixth when Matt "Every Day's a" Holliday "When You're Facing Danny Wheeler" parked one with the bases empty. By the time Pedro Feliciano "relieved" (if you will) Wheeler in the seventh, Wheeler's line didn't look so awful (2 runs over 4 1/3), but it's a misleading line. Fortunately for you, I dig a little deeper and tell the real story.

What Dan Wheeler's Line Doesn't Say (Explicitly or at All)
1. Two inherited runners, two inherited runners scored.
2. While his ERA was a reasonable 4.15, his WHIP was a lofty 1.84.
3. The Rockies hit .381 against him during those 4 1/3 innings.
4. Their freakin' pitcher was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
5. He sucked. Didn't he suck, Jack? He sucked.

I have arguably given poor Mr. Wheeler more than his fair share of abuse at times. At least he didn't walk anybody . . . but who's taking pitches when you're hitting .381 against him?

As alluded to, Feliciano came on and did his best "When in Colorado . . ." rendition. After getting the heart of the lineup out routinely, he issued walks and meatballs to the bottom of the order, and two more came across for the Rockies, making it 6-4. These guys are pitching in key spots but are more suited for mop-up than Hong Kong Phooey. Is this the best the Mets can throw out there?

Naturally, despite being handed a pair of walks and an error, the Mets managed just one run in the ninth, fading out on a strikeout and a popup. Wheeler got the loss, which was about the only telling stat in his line.

The altitude aided the Mets little to not at all, as they rapped out an unalarming seven hits and scored four runs -- three earned. Jason Phillips saw his average drop below .200 for the first time in a while, Mike Cameron dipped below that mountainous .240 plateau, and Cliff Floyd fell back below .270, marking a BA low since the Break. At least Hidalgo is ripping the ball again. It makes it harder to collect RBI's when guys don't get on very much, but somehow he had three, i.e., all of the team's ribbies. Colorado air, the Mets muster 3 RBI's. I can hear Skip & Larry:

"Three RBI's."

"Three RBI's . . . How'd we ever knock in three runs?"

"It's a miracle."

Games 117 & 118 - Red Sox
Fenway to Go

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 4
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 4
Record: 66-52
August Record: 9-6

Fenway Park is old, weird, smelly, and cramped. Singles become outs in leftfield, while homeruns become singles and popups become round-trippers. Rightfielders get lost trying to track down balls that hug the fence, or watch little bloopers hit the Pesky Pole. The infield is reputed to be the worst in baseball, as are the clubhouse facilities. In other words, it's a fabulous edifice. For all its blemishes, Fenway serves as a reminder to all of us that the beauty in baseball lies in its unpredictability.

Last night brought the home team another in a long line of memorable moments that would be inconceivable in nearly any other stadium. Johnny Damon led off first with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning of a tie game. Orlando Cabrera - coming off a 2-error game and sporting less than robust offensive numbers - ripped a shot towards the Green Monster in left-center.

First thought: that's a double, and Damon's gonna score to end the game.

Second thought: shit, this is Fenway - it might be a single, and there's no way Damon scores.

Then the ball hit the top of the metallic manual scoreboard that dominates the bottom section of the Monster, and instead of caroming directly down to the Jays' Vernon Wells (who was perfectly positioned to make the play) shot straight into the air, describing a lazy arc as Damon sped towards third.

Third thought: Ha! Only in Fenway.

Dale "Go, Go, Go" Sveum sent Damon home, and the speedy centerfielder beat the Jays' relay easily to send the home crowd into delirium, give the Sox their 7th win in 10 games, and leave the Jays standing with their hands on their hips wondering what had happened. Somewhere, Wally the Green Monster smiled as he shuffled back to his lair.

In unrelated, but irritating news, the Sox placed Kevin Youkilis and Dave McCarty on the DL yesterday, making their injured roster almost as large as their active one. While I appreciate the fact that the Mets have had their share of bad luck on the injury front, the Sox are currently without the services of Trot Nixon, Pokey Reese, Scott Williamson, Youkilis, Mark Bellhorn, and Ellis Burks. That's two starters (Nixon and Bellhorn), two critical reserves (Youkilis and Reese), the team's best right-handed pinch-hitter (Burks), and the team's best setup man (Williamson). And McCarty, whose best position may actually be Disabled Hitter.

The situation is so bad that Doug Mientkiewicz started at 2nd base for the Sox on Monday night. Forgetting for a moment that he actually played really well (and that, frankly, he hits like a 2nd baseman), the fact that Francona chose Dougie M. over Ricky Gutierrez - who is a middle infielder by trade - causes me to wonder out loud why Gutierrez is still on the major league roster. Could be worse, I suppose. Cesar Crespo could still be wearing the Sox uniform.

I'm making this part small because I don't want to say this too loudly, but Derek Lowe pitched really well on Monday. He had awesome stuff, and gave up 4 runs (3 earned) only because Cabrera made 2 errors in 1 inning. I'm just saying.

Games 113 through 116 - Mets
Technolo-gee, That's Annoying

Mets 2, Astros 1
Mets 10, Diamondbacks 6
Mets 4, Diamondbacks 3
Diamodbacks 2, Mets 0
Record: 56-60

Although this sounds like a load of . . . untruthfulness, I wrote quite a lengthy piece on Friday, only to have the quirks of modern technology erase any trace of it. Miller Time never arrives more quickly than when a box of wires and chips undoes my hearty effort. I lack the abundance of time and/or memory of my own work to reproduce the column, but here's the abbreviated version:

1. Hilarious intro
2. Detailed recap of the Mets' 2-1 victory over Houston
3. Clever witticism
4. Insightful analysis on the surprising Mets win, including mockery of the starting lineup
(this I will reproduce)

G Williams LF
J McEwing SS
T Zeile 1B
R Hidalgo RF
M Cameron CF
D Wright 3B
J Phillips C
D Garcia 2B
V Zambrano P

5. Mention that only two of them were in Opening Day lineup (this point was raised in a national publication two days later) and those two are averaging .220
6. Punny joke; very, very funny, I assure you
7. Laud Victor Zambrano for his great outing
8. Knee-slapping zinger about Kaz Matsui (ouch!)
9. Trash David Weathers again for kicks
10. Segue into a list of best and worst Mets trades of all time -- this I might actually have to re-write someday
11. Tear-jerking closer (no, not Armando Benitez)

Okay, so maybe my four-day-old memories of this may be a bit embellished. But I permit myself such liberties after that stunning display of self-control Friday, i.e., refraining from gravity-testing my government-owned computer from the rooftop.

Then the weekend came, and with it the arrival of the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks at Shea Stadium. After breezing through Friday's and Saturday's contests, the Mets were squelched by Randy Johnson on Sunday, eliciting perhaps the only (albeit brief and fleeting) moments where I wished the Big Donut had been traded to the Yankees. So, after swapping sweeps with Milwaukee and the Cards, your New York Metropolitans have won consecutive series . . . at home against the National League's most disappointing teams (outside of Philadelphia).

Speaking of the Quaker City, the Phlailin' Phillies continue their free-fall into pennant race obscurity, threatening to disappear from the "Wild Card Standings" graphic any day now. Larry "Feather" Bowa is still gainfully employed by the club, outlasting most of the media prognostications, probably because injuries have taxed the Phils a lot more than any manager could. With Jim Thome now out with a shoulder problem and Pat Burrell being advised to call it a season (well, some of the more vocal Phils fans have been advising him to do this for two years now), the chances of a late season rebound just don't look good. I mean, for Pete Incaviglia's sake, the Phillies are only two games better than the Mets.

While my cohort contends that the Red Sox have endured a more deleterious rash of injuries, the Mets' past few weeks have brought a crippling series of wounds. Mike Piazza's absence is brutal. Four relievers are on the DL, including two who were breaking out just before they got hurt. The middle infield is gone with a stress fracture and an ailing back -- the irony being in the lack of load-shouldering these two have provided. (Of course, Kazoo Matsui has taken it upon himself to collect most of the team's errors; he's got 23 -- the next highest total on the current roster is 6. What a workhorse.) Finally, they're not on the DL, but Cliff Floyd plays hurt more than Nine Inch Nails and Tom Glavine's teeth are lodged in the back of a cabbie's seat (right in Shea Stadium on the NYC map, from what I hear). This is all without mentioning the portly gent from Norwalk, CT who remains on the Mets' Disabled List despite retiring last year. The Sox' woes make their goal of postseason play harder and harder to achieve; the Mets' woes make it harder and harder to recognize their players. Yesterday they called up first baseman Craig Brazell, about whom I have absolutely nothing to say.

A recall I am familiar with, unfortunately, is pitcher Dan "Double Dealer" Wheeler, last seen handing out extra base hits like they were buffet coupons in an Atlantic City casino. Up came Wheeler and down went Matt Ginter, whose solid spot start last week was rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to lovely Norfolk, VA. Sure, there was no place for him in the rotation and he'll get more innings in AAA, but this kid could use some more major-league innings before next season.

Speaking of the minors, Mets cuttee "Come Back" Shane Spencer signed a minor league deal with his old club, the Yankees. This guy digs the five boroughs as much as the Beasties, or maybe he's got the hook-up in a few of the bars in town and doesn't want to start over. Spencer, recently ranked at #2 on Loaded Magazine's list of "Shanes Most Likely to Make the News for an Alcohol-Related Incident" (Shane MacGowan will forever hold the title spot), is headed for AAA but could wind up in AA, which just feels right, doesn’t it?

The Mets visit Colorado this weekend, a site I vaguely recall being a house of horrors last year. Something about a 7-0 lead in the 7th going away quickly, and a similar choke the next night. (I can't bring myself to scroll down and refresh my memory.) And as the Mets fly into Denver with a bullpen that blows more leads than a Broadway groupie, it could be more of the same, I'm sad to report. The pitching match-ups seem to favor the Mets, but has that ever mattered for the New York nine? Nay, I say, nay.

Playing a Different Game

As of yesterday, Barry Bonds had a .605 on-base percentage. In a sport where reaching base 40% of the time is considered great, he gets out 40% of the time. His OBP is 33% better than the next-best player in the league (Lance Berkman at .459). .605!!! Damn.