Are You Ready For Some Hot Stove?

The Boston Red Sox finished off the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 Wednesday night to take the 2013 World Series crown.  In doing so, the once-cursed team won their third title in ten seasons, or one more than the Mets have won in 52 seasons.  What will the Mets have to do to win that coveted third championship?  That’s something Sandy Alderson and his Merry Men will have to address during the Hot Stove season, which is now officially underway.  It should be the most important offseason the Mets have had in nearly a decade.

The Mets need help.  Okay, let’s be honest.  They need lots of help.  They need as much help as Jaime Escalante’s students needed to master “cal-cool-us”.

First base?  According to Little Jeffy Wilpon, the Mets have a glut at first base.  Not a glut of talent at first base.  Just a glut.  I guess the next time Webster’s dictionary is updated, the word glut will be defined as “a hybrid of Lucas Duda and Ike Davis” or “the roadblock that prevents a team from pursuing a highly coveted Cuban talent”.

Second base?  Well, that’s Daniel Murphy’s position for the time being.  But now there is talk about moving Gold Glove finalist Eric Young, Jr. to second base.  For the record, Young was considered for a Gold Glove for his defensive excellence in left field, not second base.

Shortstop?  Will Ruben Tejada ever get another shot to be a starter there?  Probably not.  The Mets will have to consider trading for a shortstop that can play the position effectively on a daily basis.  Otherwise, we might see Justin Turner more than we should there.  For all I care, the Mets can trade him to the World Champion Red Sox.  His beard would fit right in.

Sorry, Justin.  Mike Napoli is not impressed.

Third base?  The Captain.  Let’s move on.

Left field?  If Eric Young doesn’t move to second base (he better not), he’ll probably stay in left to entertain the drunken Party City dwellers.  But he might be better served as a fourth outfielder, a la Endy Chavez.  The Mets need to add some pop to the lineup, and left field is one of the positions that could use some.  Lucas Duda need not apply.

Center field?  That belongs to the smooth-as-silk Juan Lagares.  Lagares proved he can handle the position, making superb catch after super catch and showing off his strong, accurate arm every time an opposing player was foolish enough to test him.  You know who else was foolish?  The people who made Andrew McCutchen and Denard Span finalists for the Gold Glove in center field over Lagares.

Right field?  Give me Choo or give me someone who’s better than whomever the Mets trotted out there last year after Byrd became the word in Pittsburgh.  Obviously, acquiring Shin-soo Choo would prove the Mets are indeed down with OBP, as his .423 on-base percentage was second in the league to teammate Joey Votto.  Choo also posted his third career 20/20 season, hitting 21 homers and stealing 20 bases.  If Eric Young, Jr. loses playing time, the Mets will have to find steals from someone other than the National League stolen base king.  Byrd was the word in 2013.  Choo should do in 2014.

Catcher?  Like it or not, the position belongs to Travis d’Arnaud.  He’ll have to perform better if he wants to be known for something other than being the Met with a large P on his back.  To back up d’Arnaud, the Mets should probably bring in a veteran player.  But if they don’t, Anthony Recker isn’t a terrible option.

Starting pitchers?  Zack Wheeler, Jonathon Niese and Dillon Gee form the top three.  The bottom two is where the Mets will have to be creative.  Although Rafael Montero has already made 16 starts at the Triple-A level, he will probably not get called up until June at the earliest.  And Noah Syndergaard has yet to face Triple-A hitters, so don’t expect to see him at Citi Field before the All-Star Break.  With Jenrry Mejia coming off an injury, as well as Jeremy Hefner and that Harvey guy recovering from major surgery, the Mets will need at least one and perhaps two veteran stopgaps in the rotation.  Aaron Harang did okay in his late-season tryout and so did Daisuke Matsuzaka.  If I had Wilpon blood running through my veins, I’d bring back Dice-K.  After all, how would the Mets ever sell their glut (there’s that word again) of Matsuzaka T-shirts that are left in the team store?

Dice-K's shirt is almost outselling the Sandy Koufax Brooklyn Dodgers jersey in the Mets Team Store.

Relief pitchers?  Bobby Parnell, LaTroy Hawkins and Scott Rice should stay.  Scott Atchison could also stay unless the Senior League reforms and takes him as their No. 1 overall pick.  Everyone else can fade away or join the Phillies, like every other former Met eventually does, except for Frank Francisco.  He’ll be taking advantage of his soon-to-be unemployment by petitioning the Olympic committee to add chair tossing as a medal event.

Bench?  The Mets need a well-balanced bench.  It can’t be full of .260 hitters with little power and no speed.  (The fact that Justin Turner has hit exactly .260 in his career with little power and no speed should be viewed as a coincidence.  It does not reflect my personal distaste for the pie-chucker.  Supposedly.)  The non-starters should be split evenly between left-handed and right-handed hitters, with at least one speedster that can be brought in to pinch-run, one power bat, one contact bat, one utility player and one late-inning defensive replacement.  If a player can combine two of those talents, the Mets will have a better chance to compete when they eventually play another 20-inning game.

With Matt Harvey out for the 2014 campaign and many positions still up for grabs, the Mets enter the hot stove season with many pieces needed to complete what should be an interesting puzzle.  If Papa Smirk and Little Jeffy aren’t willing to keep their promise of spending money this offseason, the only thing Mets fans will have to look forward to in 2014 is not having to subject themselves to Tim McCarver’s analysis (he put the “anal” in analysis) during Saturday FOX telecasts.  As much as a Timmy-less Saturday pleases a plethora of Mets fans, we’d like a little more than that to make us not want to jump off the Shea Bridge in a Lime-A-Rita-fueled stupor.  Besides, we won’t have Frank Francisco to break our fall this year.

Let’s get cracking, Sandy!  Put some logs in the hot stove and see if you can fire up the fan base.  End this five-year fizzle by making Citi Field sizzle.  The Red Sox shouldn’t have to have all the fun in October. 
 

Our Savior Has Arrived!

On Sunday, Bobby Parnell notched his sixth save of the season, recording the final three outs of the Mets' 4-3 victory over the Cubs.  With the save, Parnell now has 20 in his six-year career with the Mets.  Now that may not seem like much, but it does give Parnell a special title.

Tell me, my fellow Mets fans.  Do you know which homegrown Met has the most saves in team history?  That would be Tug McGraw, who had 86 saves in a Mets uniform.  (Jesse Orosco, who had 107 saves in Flushing, made his major league debut with the Mets, but was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins and made his professional debut in their minor league system.)

McGraw is followed by Roger McDowell (84 saves), Neil Allen (69 saves), Randy Myers (56 saves), Doug Sisk (33 saves), Bob Apodaca (26 saves), Danny Frisella (24 saves) and Parnell.

Did you notice that all of the homegrown relievers ahead of Parnell pitched for the Mets exclusively in the '60s, '70s and '80s?  When Randy Myers was traded for John Franco after the 1989 season, that began a nearly quarter century stretch in which the Mets went with closers whom they traded for or signed as free agents.

First it was John Franco (acquired from Cincinnati).  Then it was Armando Benitez (acquired from Baltimore).  Benitez was followed by Braden Looper (free agent signing), Billy Wagner (free agent signing), Francisco Rodriguez (free agent signing) and Frank Francisco (yup, another free agent signing).  During that 20-plus year stretch, homegrown pitchers were used to close games primarily when the incumbent closer needed a day of rest or was on the disabled list.

So since the departure of Randy Myers following the 1989 campaign, which homegrown pitchers have registered the most saves for the Mets?  Here is the top three list:

• Bobby Parnell (20 saves)
• Anthony Young (18 saves)
• Aaron Heilman (9 saves)

The only homegrown pitchers to record at least ten career saves for the Mets since Randy Myers' last season in New York are Anthony Young and Bobby Parnell.  Young is also the only homegrown closer since 1990 to record an individual season of more than seven saves when he saved 15 games in 1992 - the same year he began his major league-record 27-game losing streak.

Bobby Parnell has been given the closer duties by manager Terry Collins.  He is the first homegrown pitcher since 1989 to earn that responsibility out of spring training.  And he is now the team's all-time saves leader for homegrown pitchers since that year.

The Mets have not developed many closers over the past quarter century, choosing to bring in closers from other teams.  Bobby Parnell is finally getting a chance to become the next Tug McGraw, Roger McDowell or Randy Myers.  If he succeeds, he stands to join those pitchers as the best homegrown closers in franchise history.

Our ninth inning savior has finally arrived!  And his name is Bobby Parnell.  It sure is nice to see a familiar face on the mound in the ninth inning instead of a recruit from another team.

This is a scene that very few homegrown closers have been able to repeat.

The More Teams Change, The More The Mets Stay The Same

I try to look at the MLB Trade Rumors site as often as I can to see what the Mets and their division rivals are up to.  More often than not, I find what their fellow NL East residents are doing long before I find any new information on the Mets.  Today was no exception.

Sandy Alderson has wanted to add a new arm in the bullpen (since most of the new arms he added last off-season pitched so miserably), a new starting pitcher to replace the Cy Young Award winner he traded away, and a major league outfielder to add to the Quadruple-A players the Mets already have.

So of course, I woke up this morning hoping to find something new on MLB Trade Rumors.  I found their "Week In Review" segment and perused the list of transactions and rumors for all major league teams.  This is an example of what I found.  (Thanks to Daniel Seco at mlbtraderumors.com for his thorough work.  For the complete "Week In Review" list, please click here.)

• The Rangers agreed to a five-year, $55MM extension with Matt Harrison. The contract contains an team option for a sixth year in 2018 that can become a vesting option if Harrison pitches certain innings plateaus.
• The Nationals agreed to sign free agent closer Rafael Soriano to a two-year, $28MM contract. Soriano posted a 2.26 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 35.9% ground ball rate for the Yankees this past season.
• The Red Sox and Mike Napoli reached an agreement on a new contract. Napoli gets $5MM plus incentives for the one-year deal that could reach $13MM.
• The Mariners, Nationals and Athletics combined on a three-team trade that will send Michael Morse to the Mariners, John Jaso to the A's and a three-player package to the Nationals that includes minor league right-handers A.J. Cole, Blake Treinen and a player to be named from the Athletics. 
• The Diamondbacks agreed to sign J.J. Putz to a one-year extension that will keep him in Arizona through 2014.The LSW Baseball client will reportedly receive a $7MM salary in 2014.
• The Pirates agreed to sign right-hander Jeff Karstens to a one-year deal worth $2.5MM.
• The Rockies signed Miguel Batista to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Batista, 41, posted a 4.61 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 in 52 2/3 innings for the Mets and Braves last season. 
• The White Sox agreed to sign Matt Lindstrom to a one-year contract with a club option. Lindstrom, 32, pitched to a 2.68 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 47 innings for the Orioles and Diamondbacks last season.
• The Indians signed Ryan Raburn to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Raburn averaged 15 home runs per season from 2009-11 and owns a career batting line of .256/.311/.430.
• The Phillies signed right-hander Juan Cruz to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
• The Marlins signed Austin Kearns to a minor league deal with an invitation to MLB Spring Training.

Austin Kearns, International Marlin of Mystery

I see where the defending NL East champion Nationals traded away outfielder Michael Morse to Seattle and signed closer Rafael Soriano to a two-year deal.  I also see that the Phillies signed reliever Juan Cruz and plan to invite him to Spring Training.  Heck, even the frugal Marlins signed outfielder Austin Kearns to a minor league deal.  I see many teams in the majors mentioned here.

I don't see the Mets.

Well, if you want to be technical about it, the Mets are mentioned, but only because the Rockies signed Miguel Batista off the Mets' scrap heap.

Almost every team in baseball is wheeling and dealing, signing and refining, moving and improving.  The Mets, on the other hand, are not doing anything worthy of a rhyme.  In fact, they're not doing anything at all.

Since trading R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays on December 17, the Mets have done the following:

• Dec. 28, 2012: Signed LHP Aaron Laffey to a minor league contract.
• Jan. 3, 2013: Signed OF Andrew Brown to a minor league contract.
• Jan. 6, 2013: Signed INF Omar Quintanilla to a minor league contract.
• Jan. 18, 2013: Signed C Landon Powell to a minor league contract.
• Jan. 21, 2013: Signed LHP Pedro Feliciano to a minor league contract.

Never mind the fact the MLB Trade Rumors didn't mention anything about the Mets making a transaction last week (Landon Powell).  All the Mets have done over the last month is sign journeyman players, including a former Met who hasn't pitched since the last time he was a Met in 2010 (Pedro Feliciano).  Sure, they've re-signed some of their own players, like Tim Byrdak and David Wright, and avoided arbitration with Bobby Parnell and Ike Davis.  But that about sums up their activity.

The Mets say they're interested in starting pitcher Carl Pavano.  They would like to remain in the mix for outfielder Michael Bourn.  They gave a look-see at closer Brian Wilson.  But I wouldn't bet all the money in Papa Smirk's piggy bank that either of those players will be receiving their fan mail at Citi Field in 2013.

"Seriously, why do you call me Papa Smirk so much?"

Sandy Alderson is asking the fans to be patient.  Although he claims that he is not sacrificing 2013 for the future, he also hasn't been doing anything to make the upcoming season more than just a battle for fourth place with the Marlins.

Alderson has acquired some good young talent since he came on board prior to the 2011 season.  Through shrewd trades, he's been able to add a number of top prospects, like Zack Wheeler, Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard, to name a few.  But the major league talent at Citi Field still leaves a lot to be desired.

Scott Hairston is a good outfielder and a fine hitter.  Against lefties, he's as good as they get.  It should be a no-brainer for Alderson to bring him back into the fold.  But he's waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting some more, just to get Hairston to bite on a one-year deal.  If Hairston really is seeking a two-year deal worth somewhere in the $8 million range, why wouldn't Alderson take that chance?

He already doled out two-year contracts to relievers D.J. Carrasco and Frank Francisco, but he can't do the same for an outfielder (a position the Mets desperately need to fill) who actually has produced during his time with the team?  As a famous entertainer once said, "what up with that?"





Say Hairston is signed by the Mets to a two-year deal worth $8 million ($4 million annually).  And say he doesn't produce as well as he did in 2012.  Given his history against left-handed pitching and the team control until 2014, as well as his relatively low annual salary, wouldn't he be a valuable trade commodity?  What team wouldn't want him at that price?  But if the Mets were to give him a one-year deal, he'd just be a rental for a potential playoff contender.

For the Mets, it should begin with Scott Hairston.  Then they should add pieces who are ready to contribute at the major league level.  Then, and only then, will I believe the Mets are doing something to make this season more than just a competition with the Marlins for fourth place.

Frank Cashen had a five-year plan for the Mets when he came aboard as the Mets general manager in 1980.  By year five, the team was competitive.  However, Cashen inherited a team that hadn't won 70 games since 1976 and needed a complete overhaul.  The current Mets, despite their shortcomings, have won at least 70 games in each of the last four seasons and have been in the playoff mix at the All-Star Break every year.  But they've fallen apart every season after the break and haven't truly shown any type of improvement in the last four years.

Year five for Sandy Alderson will be in 2015.  Will the Mets have what it takes to contend for an NL East title by then?  We know the teams around them aren't going to be steadfast with their major league rosters.  It's time for the Mets to change.  We already know what happens to them when they remain the same.

Soria-NO! Soria-YES!

Hey, Mr. Alderson!  Need to retool your bullpen?  I've got your relievers right here!

Twitter has been abuzz this afternoon with the news that former Yankees closer Rafael Soriano and Royals closer Joakim Soria are available for the taking, with Soriano opting out of his contract and Soria having his option declined by the Royals.

As far as my own thoughts on the topic go, I can sum it up in two words.  (Or is it four?)  And those words are: Soria-NO!  Soria-YES!

Rafael Soriano is coming off a fantastic season with the Yankees, saving 42 games after taking over for the injured Mariano Rivera.  His 2.26 ERA was also stellar, as were his 69 strikeouts in 67⅔ innings.  But Soriano will be 33 in December and made $11 million last year.  Those are big no-nos in the Sandy Alderson School of Business.

Meanwhile, Joakim Soria is coming off a disappointing season in 2011, a season that ended with Tommy John surgery.  In 2012, Soria didn't throw a pitch, but made $6 million in the final year of a four-year deal he signed prior to the 2009 season.  Prior to his surgery, Soria finished 2011 with 28 saves and a 4.03 ERA, allowing nearly one hit per inning.  Despite his unspectacular ERA, the 27-year-old's numbers in other categories were fairly similar to what they had been in previous seasons.

From 2007 to 2010, Soria was one of the most dominant closers in baseball who toiled in obscurity as a member of the Royals.  In those four seasons, Soria saved 132 games for a Kansas City team that finished a combined 96 games below .500.  Soria also was the proud owner of a 2.01 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and averaged nearly ten strikeouts per nine innings (281 Ks in 255 IP).  That wasn't over one season.  That was over FOUR YEARS!

Although his 4.03 ERA and 1.28 WHIP were departures from his 2007-2010 numbers, he kept his walks low (17 BB in 60⅓ innings) and still struck out approximately one batter per inning.  And let me remind you again that Soria is only 27 years old!

Considering that Soriano had a great year filling in for the man considered to be the greatest closer of all time, it would probably not be a stretch to say he will command a raise from his $11 million salary in 2012.  Meanwhile, Soria is coming off Tommy John surgery and the worst season of his career, although it was still better than the one Frank Francisco gave the Mets in 2012.  After making $6 million for the Royals in the final year of his contract, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that he will make a similar amount in 2013.

Frank Francisco is due to make $6 million in 2013.  Joakim Soria is younger and has a better track record than Francisco.  Plus, he achieved his success pitching for a team that has won fewer games than the Mets over the past four seasons.  And of course, he won't turn 28 until next May, whereas Francisco, like Soriano, is already 33.

The Mets are committed to signing David Wright to a long-term deal.  But their other big need they need to address is their bullpen.  Statistically speaking, the Mets had the worst bullpen in the majors in 2012.  That needs to change in 2013.  And Joakim Soria, who is already throwing and should be ready for spring training, could be the first piece in what should be a very different bullpen in 2013.

It's time to stop adding relievers who are already in their 30s (Francisco, Byrdak, Rauch) and start getting younger in the bullpen.  Joakim Soria would be a step in the right direction for this team.  Let's see if Sandy Alderson will get it right this time when it comes to putting together a solid bullpen.

This Weekend's Menu: Sausage And Cheese With A Side Order of Mets

I haven’t written here since Saturday and after today, I won’t be posting anything until Sunday at the earliest.  What’s the reason for this unusual hiatus?

It’s not because I’m upset over Frank Francisco’s unhappy birthday present to himself last night, as he turned a one-run nailbiter into a three-run cushion for the Nationals, which became magnified once Scott Hairston hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth off Sloth that would have tied the game.  (For those of you who don’t know, I refer to Nationals’ closer Tyler Clippard as “Sloth”, the hideously deformed character played by the late John Matuszak in “The Goonies”.  Read this piece from two years ago if you’re curious to find out why.)

It’s not because I feel like I’m going to jinx Jason Bay, who could break a 44-year-old team record if he continues to rack up the oh-fers at the plate.  In 1968, future World Series hero Al Weis posted the lowest batting average of any Met with at least 200 at-bats in a season, batting .172 in 274 at-bats for the Mets.  With 19 games to play, Bay is hitting .156 in 179 at-bats.

It’s not because I’m still swooning over my chance run-in with my second fav’rit Met of all-time, Edgardo Alfonzo, on Tuesday night at Citi Field.  (Mookie Wilson is my all-time fav'rit.  I hope that when I eventually do meet him, I don't screech like a Belieber.  No guarantees though.)  It was actually my second meeting with Fonzie, as we met earlier this spring in midtown Manhattan.  In that first meeting, he wasn’t happy that I didn’t have his last name on my personalized No. 13 jersey, but seemed to want to talk about “the movie with the bear” once he saw Studious Metsimus co-blogger Joey Beartran.

It’s not any of those things.  The reason why I won’t be writing for this site again until at least Sunday is because I’m taking the gang on a road trip.  The Studious Metsimus crew will be going to three games in three ballparks in three days.  There will be a Mets game thrown in there, but we’re also going to partake in some genuine pennant race baseball.

First, on Thursday night, we’ll be dialing in at U.S. Cellular Field in the South Side of Chicago watching the Detroit Tigers take on the Chicago White Sox.  Both teams are fighting it out for the A.L. Central division title and it looks as if that will be the only way for either team to make the playoffs, as the wild cards appear to be an East-West affair in the junior circuit, with the Yankees, Orioles, Rays, A’s and Angels all ahead of the Central division combatants.  As a bonus, Justin Verlander is due to start for the Tigers in this game against 16-game winner Chris Sale.

On Friday, we’ll be following the Mets as they take on Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and the new and improved former Met Carlos Gomez at Miller Park in Milwaukee.  The Brewers, who had been left for dead in the National League wild card race, have surged back onto the playoff radar.  With a 72-71 record after tonight's win, the Brew Crew is only three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card spot.  The Mets will try their best to play spoiler.

Finally, on Saturday afternoon, we’ll visit the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where the Cubs will be entertaining the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Pirates are playing for a postseason berth for the first time since Barry Bonds couldn’t throw out Sid Bream at the plate in the 1992 NLCS, even though Bream would have had difficulty winning a race in which the other participants were Jason Phillips and a three-legged tortoise.  They’re also trying to end their 19-season streak of finishing below .500, the longest such streak by any team in North American professional sports.

Had Barry Bonds* been using what he said he didn't use, perhaps he could have gotten a little more on this throw.

In addition to the games, we will also attempt to have some sausage and cheese on our trip.  Studious Metsimus roving reporter/culinary expert Joey Beartran will try to find a good sausage in Chicago, while his sister (and occasional Studious Metsimus contributor with her “Gettin’ Iggy With It” pieces) Iggy Beartran will look for a cheesehead hat in her size in Milwaukee.

From Thursday to Saturday, we will be indulging in sausage and cheese with a side of Mets.  We’ll be back on Sunday to recap the three games, complete with plenty of exclusive photos.  Three games in three days in three ballparks, all with playoff implications.  If the Mets won’t give us a September to remember by being involved in a pennant race, we’ll find our own pennant race to be a part of.  See you Sunday!

Frank Frank Goes On The DL DL

Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Mets fans.  Or else you might end up with egg on your face.  Just ask Frank Francisco, who has just been placed on the 15-day disabled list, according to the Mets' official Twitter account.

#Mets place RHP Frank Francisco on the 15-Day DL, retroactive to June 23, with a left oblique strain.
— New York Mets (@Mets) June 24, 2012

Francisco will be eligible to come off the disabled list on July 8, the last day before the All-Star Break.

The oblique injury has been an epidemic in the Mets clubhouse this year, as several players missed time during spring training with the injury.  However, all of the players afflicted with the injury were able to come back relatively quickly and were able to play without further pain or discomfort.

It's a shame that Francisco will now have to miss at least 15 days.  Although he is still not a lights-out closer, he has been far more effective over his last 14 appearances.  Since May 17, Frank Frank has saved nine games in ten chances and has held the opposition scoreless in 12 of those 14 appearances.  He also has a 1.26 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average and .262 on-base percentage over that time period.

In related news, Little Jerry Seinfeld finally has a home.  Little Jerry, the chicken brought to the Mets clubhouse by reliever Tim Byrdak, has been adopted by the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, where he will live in a peaceful and media-free environment.

At least that's one chicken story that had a happy ending.

Frank Francisco Doesn't Choke Anything But Chickens

After providing bulletin board material earlier today, Frank Perdue, I mean Frank Francisco, plucked the competition in the first game of the Subway Series, helping preserve the Mets' 6-4 win over their crosstown rivals.

After a nearly one hour rain delay prior to the first pitch, the Mets kept the thunder rolling, scoring five runs off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte.  The big blow came off the bat of Ike Davis, who used Nick Swisher's glove to his advantage.  The Yankee loudmouth helped push Davis' high fly ball over the right field wall for a three-run homer, giving the Mets the big early lead.

As is what usually happens with the Yankees, the Bronx Bummers chipped away at the Mets' lead with three home runs.  All four of their runs scored on longballs.  Solo shots by Alex Rodriguez and Andruw Jones, followed by a two-run blast by Robinson Cano, cut the Mets' lead to 6-4.  That set the stage for Francisco to come into the game in the ninth.

Russell Martin, whose cheap Yankee Stadium home run helped defeat the Mets two weeks ago, sent another ball deep into the night.  But this time, the venue was different and Andres Torres was able to track the long fly ball down, flopping to the ground as he caught it in center field, Lenny Dykstra style.

Then Frank Squared allowed a couple of chickens to cross the road, walking Raul Ibañez and allowing a single to Derek Jeter.  The Yankees now had the tying runs on base, with Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira waiting to pluck back.  Instead, Frank Francisco roasted them.

Granderson struck out looking at a fastball down the middle and Teixeira popped up to the middle of the infield, where shortstop Omar Quintanilla did his best not to copy Luis Castillo, catching the ball for the final out.

It could have been a fowl moment for Frank Francisco and the Mets tonight.  But the closer backed up his words and sealed the deal on the Mets' victory.  Perhaps the great Metstradamus said it best when he tweeted the following:

Put it in the bok bok boks!
— Metstradamus (@Metstradamus) June 23, 2012

Frank Francisco might have been foolish to say what he said.  In the past, those words would have come back to bite the Mets in their collective @$$e$.  But this isn't the past.  And these aren't those Mets.

The Mets are now 39-32 heading into Saturday night's middle game of the Subway Series.  Their 23 home victories are second in the majors to the Dodgers, who have an MLB-best 24 home wins.  The Mets are proving that they're not hanging on in the division race on a wing and a prayer (and a drumstick).  They really are a good team.  And they're not chicken to prove it to anyone who gets in their way.

David Wright Is Not The Only Met Approaching Team Milestones

Recently, David Wright passed Jose Reyes to move into second place on the Mets' all-time hits list.  As of this writing, Wright has 1,308 hits, leaving him 110 hits short of franchise leader Ed Kranepool.  With 116 games left in the season, Wright stands a good chance to surpass Kranepool before the season ends on October 3.

Wright is already the team leader in doubles, extra-base hits, total bases, times on base, and runs batted in.  He also is set to pass Jose Reyes in runs scored shortly, as he is currently only six runs behind his former infield mate.

Assuming Wright signs a contract extension with the Mets, he will probably lead the Mets in most offensive categories by the time he plays his final game for the team, making him a true Mr. Met.  But David Wright isn't the only player on the Mets right now who is moving up the team's all-time leader board.  In honor of the team's 50th anniversary season, let's take a look at current Mets players who rank in the club's all-time top 50 in various hitting and pitching categories.  I'm sure some of these players might surprise you.

• Batting average (min. 1,000 AB): Daniel Murphy (.293, 5th all-time)

• Doubles: Daniel Murphy (88, 37th all-time)

• Triples: Daniel Murphy (9, T-44th all-time)

• ERA (min. 500 IP): Johan Santana (2.88, 3rd all-time)

• WHIP: Johan Santana (1.178, 6th all-time)

• Games pitched: Bobby Parnell (197, 23rd all-time)

• Games started: Mike Pelfrey (149, 13th all-time)

• Wins: Mike Pelfrey (50, 15th all-time), Johan Santana (41, T-20th all-time), Jonathon Niese (25, T-36th all-time), R.A. Dickey (25, T-36th all-time)

• Saves: Frank Francisco (12, 20th all-time)

• Innings pitched: Mike Pelfrey (896.1, 15th all-time), Johan Santana (650.0, 24th all-time)

• Strikeouts: Johan Santana (549, 17th all-time), Mike Pelfrey (506, T-19th all-time), Jonathon Niese (359, 37th all-time), R.A. Dickey (289, 42nd all-time)

As you can see, the only hitter currently in the top 50 in any other batting categories other than David Wright is Daniel Murphy.  But virtually the entire starting staff, including the injured Mike Pelfrey finds themselves all over the team's all-time leader board in various pitching categories.

Also, for a team that has boasted a number of quality relief pitchers, like Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco, Roger McDowell, John Franco, Armando Benitez (don't laugh) and Billy Wagner, it's kind of surprising that in less than two months, Frank Francisco has already cracked the top 20 in saves.

The Mets might not have the history of the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers or Giants, but they do have a history.  And as you can see, many of the players on the 2012 team are in the process of making some history of their own.

The Mets Have A Bad Case of B.O. (Bullpen Overload)

The Mets gave up a couple of touchdowns to the Toronto Blue Jays in their 14-5 loss on Friday.  But I'm not going to talk about that.  I'm also not going to talk about the whiplash Jonathon Niese must have suffered from turning his neck so quickly to watch all the home runs leaving the yard.  Here, let me just show you what I'm going to talk about.

• R.A. Dickey: 8 starts, 50⅓ innings pitched, 6.29 IP/start
• Johan Santana: 8 starts, 43⅔ innings pitched, 5.46 IP/start
• Jonathon Niese: 8 starts, 42⅔ innings pitched, 5.33 IP/start
• Dillon Gee: 7 starts, 43 innings pitched, 6.14 IP/start
• Mike Pelfrey: 3 starts, 19⅔ innings pitched, 6.56 IP/start
• Miguel Batista: 3 starts, 16 innings pitched, 5.33 IP/start
• Chris Schwinden: 2 starts, 8 innings pitched, 4.00 IP/start

• Total: 39 starts, 223⅓ innings pitched, 5.73 IP/start

Do you see the problem there?  No?  Perhaps this will help you see.  The Mets as a team have pitched 345⅓ innings in 2012.  That means more than one-third of the innings pitched (35.3% to be exact) have been pitched by relievers.

And who are those relievers?  Well, you have Manny Acosta (10.53 ERA), Frank Francisco (8.04 ERA), the recently-ousted D.J. Carrasco (7.36 ERA), Jon Rauch (4.32 ERA) and Ramon Ramirez (4.30 ERA).  Only Bobby Parnell and Tim Byrdak have ERAs under 4.00 of relievers with at least four appearances.  (That's why you're not seeing backup catcher Rob Johnson's 0.00 ERA.  Oh, you didn't hear?  He pitched one inning of relief during Friday night's debacle, doing his best Desi Relaford impression by retiring the side in order.  Here's photo evidence...)

When Josh Thole returns from the DL, Rob Johnson might still have a role on the team as a reliever.

Anytime a bullpen gives up more than a run every other inning, you have a flawed bullpen.  But when that bullpen is getting as much use as the Mets are giving them, then you have a flawed team.

The Mets are still doing better than expected, with a 21-18 record, but in the stacked NL East, that's just barely keeping them out of last place.  (The Phillies bring up the rear with a 21-19 mark.)  If the starting pitchers can't give the team a minimum of six innings, and hopefully more, then all the positivity built up from the team's strong start will go out the window.  The bullpen, as it stands, is simply not very good.  Unfortunately, they're being given too many chances to show us that.

It's time for Santana, Dickey, Niese, Batista and Gee to eat up innings for the Mets.  If they don't, it'll be the opposing hitters who will continue to feast on the bullpen.  And that will leave a bad taste in the mouths of all Mets fans.

Mad Men

Jonathon Niese pitched six shutout innings.  Kirk Nieuwenhuis started yet another rally.  Mike Baxter got well-deserved respect as a premier pinch-hitter.  Justin Turner won another battle against Heath Bell.

And the Mets still lost.

After Nieuwenhuis started a two-run inning for the Mets in the fourth inning with a single, Niese continued to pitch shutout ball before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.  Ramon Ramirez relieved Niese hoping to protect the lead.

Triple.

Home run.

Game tied at 2.

The Mets regrouped as they have been wont to do during the first month and a half of the season.  Against Marlins' closer Heath Bell in the ninth, the Mets got a one-out double from Daniel Murphy, Doubles Machine.  Two walks later (including an intentional walk to Mike Baxter, who carried a .438 batting average as a pinch-hitter into the at-bat), Justin Turner whacked a double to right to score two runs.  Then Frank Francisco came into the game to save it and give the Mets a series victory.

Triple.

Walk.

Single.

Hit the showers, Frank.

Stop sniffing yourself, Frank.  We all know you stink.

That was all for Armando Benitez-lite.  Frank Francisco was removed from the game by manager Terry Collins, but not before he stopped by home plate umpire Todd Tichenor to wish his mother a Happy Mother's Day.  (At least I thought I heard him say something about Tichenor's mother.)  Manny Acosta was summoned into the game to stop the bleeding but was "Acosta-ed" by the Marlins.

Sacrifice fly.

Tie game.

Pop out.  (I guess you can't put 'em all on base.)

Walk.

Hit by pitch.

Giancarlo Stanton.

Say hello to my little friend.

The Mets will now retreat to Citi Field after a 4-2 road trip against the Phillies and Marlins.  If you had asked me before the season started that the Mets would win four out of six against the two teams expected to compete for the NL East title, I would have been thrilled.  But I'm not.

I'm mad.

Very mad.

Smoke coming out of my ears mad.

Paul LoDuca mad.

Paul LoDuca SMASH!!!

Something has to be done about the bullpen situation.  Sandy Alderson did not have much money to work with during the off-season.  But what money he had, he used to upgrade the bullpen.  That "upgrade"  has now had a part in several late-inning meltdowns.

Both losses to the Marlins this weekend were charged to Frank Francisco.  Prior to Friday night's loss, the Mets' last loss was a 5-4 setback to Arizona on May 4.  That game was lost by Jon Rauch, who allowed three hits, two inherited base runners to score and a run of his own.  What about Ramon Ramirez?  He's allowed 31 base runners (21 hits, 10 walks) in only 19⅓ innings.

Even a certain holdover, wearing Oliver Perez's old No. 46, has pitched like dookie.  (And I'm not talking about Orlando "The Dookie" Hernandez, although I think he'd have better success right now than the current members of the Gasoline Brigade.)  Including today, Manny Acosta has faced 85 batters this year.  Almost half of them (36) have reached base.  Four of them reached base and then continued running around them.  That includes Giancarlo Stanton, who touched Acosta for a game-ending grand slam today.

The Mets have done quite well so far.  That doesn't mean they shouldn't play angry after games like today.  There should be 25 mad men in the dugout tomorrow against Milwaukee.  They should let it be known to each other that losses like today's will no longer be tolerated.  The bullpen must improve.  The team must improve.  They're better than that.  And they should know it.

Ballapeño's Bullpen: Mets Ride Dickey To Victory

¡Buenos dias, señoras y señores!  Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Ballapeño Sanchez.  It's not my full name, but I thought Ballapeño Pepe Sanchez Gomez del Chapulín Colorado would be far too long for my writing debut.  In case I look familiar to you, it's because I'm the mascot of the San Antonio Missions, the Double-A affiliate of los Padres de San Diego.  Either that or because you've seen me on Twitter in photographs such as this one, taken at Citi Field.

Anyway, I'd like to wish you all a happy belated Cinco de Mayo.  As you can see from the photo to the left, I was having a fiesta with some Mets-themed bebidas last night, but I didn't have too many.  After all, I had to write my thoughts on the Mets' recently-completed series against Arizona.

As you should already know, the Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks today by the score of 3-1.  With the victoria, the Mets were able to take the series from the D-Backs and improved their record to 15-13.

The star of the game was R.A. Dickey, who when not teaching my colleague how to throw a knuckleball, also found the time to take the Diamondbacks' hitters to school.  Dickey became the first starting pitcher to take the mound in the ninth inning for the Mets this year, before needing help from Señor Tim Byrdak and Señor Frank Francisco.

All in all, it was a very good series for the Mets.  If not for a bullpen meltdown in Friday night's loss, the Mets could very well have swept the series from Arizona.  But beggars can't be choosers, you can't win 'em all, and all those other cliches peloteros tend to say during post-game interviews.

Now it's time for the good part of Ballapeño's Bullpen!  This is where I dispense my three nuggets on the Mets, otherwise known as my Peos of Wisdom.  For those of you who don't know what peos are, just go to your nearest Del Taco (or any other taqueria will do), order a dozen tacos or burritos, enjoy, and then your neighbor will be able to tell you exactly what a peo is.

If I have enough of these, I bet I can come up more than three Peos of Wisdom!

Peos of Wisdom #1: R.A. Dickey

What more can be said about R.A. Dickey other than he's el hombre on the Mets' pitching staff.  With apologies to Johan Santana, Dickey has been absolutely outstanding game in and game out, save for that rainy day in Atlanta back on April 18.  Since becoming a Met in 2010, Dickey has made 63 starts.  He's pitched at least six innings in 54 of them.

I'm not very good with math (I do know that 6 tacos + 6 burritos = 1 fiesta pack at Del Taco), but when a pitcher gives his bullpen as much rest as Dickey has over the past three seasons, in his case, 54 out of 63 times, that must be a good thing, right?  Speaking of the bullpen, that brings me to Peo Numero Dos.



Peos of Wisdom #2: Frank Francisco

It's no question that Frank Francisco is the doppelgang ... doppelga ... that Frank Francisco looks a lot like former Mets' closer Armando Benitez.  (Hey, I'm bilingual, but one of those languages isn't German, so get off my espalda already!)  But does he have to pitch like him as well?

On Saturday, Francisco got the save despite allowing the tying run to reach base and get into scoring position.  Today, he didn't allow anyone to reach base, but he caused a tense moment at Citi Field when he allowed Miguel Montero to fly out to the right field warning track to end the game.  One of these days, Francisco will have a relatively easy save.  Unfortunately, one of these days needs to happen one of these months.  My tacos give me enough indigestion.  I don't need Frank Francisco to make it worse.



Peos of Wisdom #3: Jason Bay

Last, but not least, I wanted to discuss Jason Bay.  No, he didn't have anything to do with this game (or the series with Arizona), but he did pop up in the news.  You see, Jason Bay's bruised ribs are still bruised, two weeks after the injury originally occurred.  The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Bay, who was finally starting to get caliente (if you want to call a .290 batting average over his final nine games before the injury "caliente").  Even if Bay's boo boo had allowed for him to begin resuming baseball activities, he would still not be able to.  Why?

Jason Bay has the flu.

How does a guy in recovery get another sickness?  Was he watching the hockey game too close to the TV and caught a cold that way?  ¡Ay, Dios mío!  I'm telling you, Jason Bay is more fragile than a piñata at Jose Canseco's steroid parties.  Maybe one year, he will stay on the field long enough to get 500 at-bats in a season.  With any luck, it will happen for a team other than the Mets.



Well, that's it, fanáticos de los Mets.  I hope you enjoyed the first edition of Ballapeño's Bullpen.  If there is a positive response to my writing debut, I will write more of these for you.  Of course, you will get some ripe Peos of Wisdom as quickly as I can produce them.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe it is time for my siesta.  After a night of Cinco de Mayo festivities and a weekend full of Mets baseball, I think it's time I took a break, no?  Don't worry.  I'll wake up in time for tomorrow's series opener against los Filis de Filadelfia.  That's a promise, or my name isn't Ballapeño Pepe Sanchez Gomez del Chapulín Colorado.

¡Buenas noches a todos!

Z?  Z?  Z?  Sí, sí, sí.

Did Terry Collins Say What I Think He Said?

In Saturday's 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants, the Mets blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning, costing Mike Pelfrey a chance to get his first win of the season.  Pelfrey pitched eight strong innings, allowing one run on six hits while throwing 102 pitches.  Despite stifling the Giants' bats all day, manager Terry Collins decided to pull Pelfrey from the game and go with Frank Francisco in the ninth inning, less than 24 hours after the Mets' closer was defeated by the Giants in the team's 4-3, 10-inning loss.

Maybe Mike Pelfrey couldn't go much more than 100 pitches so early in the season.  Maybe Frank Francisco was brought into the game to get on the right track after his poor performance the previous night.  Maybe Fred Wilpon needed to sell more hot dogs so he called the dugout to get Collins to slow the game down as much as possible.

But no.  Those weren't the reasons why Pelfrey was removed from the game.  According to Zach Berman in the New York Times, Collins would have sent Pelfrey to the mound in the ninth inning had there not been a save situation intact for Francisco.  But with a three-run lead, Collins made up his mind to send his starter to the showers and his closer to get rained upon.

Francisco faced four batters, retiring one of them.  He allowed a walk and two hits, with the second hit driving in a run.  That was all for Francisco, who wasn't in the dugout to watch the misplayed fly ball by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, which caused his ERA to balloon to 8.53.  Although the Mets did rally to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, Terry Collins' words still resonated many hours later.  Let me repeat them.

He didn't allow Pelfrey, a pitcher who had dominated the Giants all day, to pitch a complete game because the rulebook said it was a save situation.  Therefore, he chose to send in his erratic closer, who was great in the season-opening sweep of Atlanta, but has since been quite hittable.

Over his last three appearances, Francisco has faced 16 batters, allowing nine of them to reach base.  He also has an astronomical 23.14 ERA over those three appearances, earning a loss and a near-loss in the process.

In 2011, Terry Collins said that he didn't care about Francisco Rodriguez's 55-games-finished clause in his contract; he was going to use him every time a save could be had.  Apparently, the same goes for Frank Francisco, even if his starter would be a much more viable option.  Can you imagine what he'd do if a starting pitcher was one inning away from throwing the team's first no-hitter, but had already surpassed 100 pitches and was in a one-run game?  Wait, you don't have to imagine that, as Collins was already quoted as saying he would have pulled Jonathon Niese from a game earlier this season in which Niese took a no-hitter into the seventh inning.

There is such a thing as "going by the book".  But there is also such a thing as "going with your gut".  Terry Collins should have gone with his gut on Saturday.  Instead, his decision-making almost cost the team a victory that seemed inevitable after Pelfrey came back to the dugout in the eighth inning.  Collins will have to return that book that he keeps going by before it becomes overdue, because once it does, both he and the team might be suffering the consequences of a long, lost season.

Mets Have It Niese And Easy Against The Phillies

Before the season began, the Mets were picked by the general consensus to finish in last place in the NL East.  The main reason for the prediction?  The division was supposed to be so much stronger that the Mets would have no chance in head-to-head competition.  So if that's the case, then why are the Mets cruising with a 6-2 record, especially since all of their games have been against division opponents?

After today's 5-0 victory over the Phillies, the Mets are now 5-0 against Philadelphia and Atlanta, the two teams that finished atop the division in 2011.  The top three pitchers in the rotation (Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey and Jonathon Niese) have combined to post a 1.77 ERA in six starts, collecting more strikeouts (35) than hits allowed (28).  In addition, the bullpen has been superb, with the three new acquisitions (Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez) combining to allow one earned run in 13⅓ innings.

But the main reason why the Mets are playing so well is because each player is capable of picking up one of his teammates when that teammate doesn't perform.  For example, in today's game, Jason Bay came up to to bat in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and no outs.  He promptly grounded into a double play, scoring a run but leaving the Mets with two outs and a potential big inning squelched.  In the past, the next batter would have been retired and the Mets would be left to wonder "what if".  But not the 2012 Mets.

After Bay's double play, Lucas Duda smacked a two-run homer to give the Mets a 4-0 lead, which gave Niese all the cushion he needed.  The Phillies never really threatened after Duda muscled Vance Worley's pitch out of the ballpark.

The teams that were supposed to compete in the NL East all have flaws.  The Phillies and Braves can't hit.  The Marlins can't field.  The Nationals have fewer flaws than the other teams in the division, hence why they're in first place.  But the Mets are not far behind.  They know they have flaws but they're finding ways to play around them.  Whereas past Mets teams continued to repeat their mistakes, this Mets team is learning from them.

Jason Bay and Ike Davis are not hitting well over the first eight games of the season.  But Ruben Tejada, Daniel Murphy and Josh Thole are.  David Wright is not swinging and missing as much as he has in the past.  The result of his better approach at the plate is a 10-for-17 start with only one strikeout.  And the pitching staff has excelled during the first week and a half of the season.  Even when it experiences hiccups (such as Mike Pelfrey and Dillon Gee's first starts of the season), the bullpen has kept the damage to a minimum.

No one expected the Mets to do anything in the NL East in 2012.  No one except the Mets themselves, that is.  With continued belief in their ability to perform well on the field, plus a dash of good health (which hasn't exactly been the Mets' forté over the past few years), don't be surprised if the Mets shock the league this year.  The Mets might not make the playoffs in 2012, but they won't be pushovers either.

The first eight games have me believing in the team.  Are they making believers of you?

Joey's Small Bites: Fearless Forecast For The 2012 Mets

Hey, everyone!  This is Joey Beartran.  After nearly six long months of waiting, the 2012 season is almost upon us.  Are you ready for some baseball?

I hope you’re looking forward to the 2012 season as much as I am.  What do you mean, no?  Surely, there must be something you’re looking forward to seeing the Mets accomplish in 2012?  Still no?

Aren’t you looking forward to the return of Banner Day?  What about the induction of John Franco into the Mets Hall of Fame?  (And no, before you ask, there is no truth to the rumor that Franco will come out of the bullpen during that game to pitch to Lance Berkman in a tight spot.)

Well, I’m certainly looking forward to the 2012 season.  In addition to all the new menu items at Citi Field, (buttermilk-marinated fried chicken with gooey mac and cheese and cornbread?  Yes, please!) the 2012 season has plenty of storylines worth talking about.

Will Johan Santana return to form after missing the entire 2011 season?  How will Ruben Tejada perform at shortstop after replacing one of the most popular players in Mets history?  Is Andres Torres this decade’s Rey Sanchez, merely holding a spot warm until Kirk Nieuwenhuis is ready to take over as the Mets’ everyday centerfielder?  Will the Mets score some runs for R.A. Dickey before he’s forced to write a book about his lack of run support?  And is this the year the Mets finally pitch that first no-hitter?

I don’t need a Magic 8 Ball like my colleague has used in the past to predict the outcome of the Mets season.  Instead, I’ll just consult with my baseball cognoscenti to come up with my predictions for the 2012 Mets.  Baseball predictions are never an exact science, but just like Carlos Beltran’s health, I feel 85% confident that my predictions will become reality for the Mets in 2012.  So what are we waiting for?  Let’s get this prediction party started!

My crystal ball atop a replica of Shea Stadium will help me forecast the Mets' future.

In their 51^st season of existence and third ballpark, a Met will finally hit three home runs in a home game.  This will finally put an end to Gary Cohen and Howie Rose talking about how no Met has ever swatted three longballs at home.  However, they will probably move on to discussing how no right-handed batter has ever collected five hits for the Mets in a home game.  For the record, six Mets have five-hit games at home, all at Shea Stadium.  Four of them swung from the left side of the plate (John Milner, Rusty Staub, Dave Magadan and Carlos Delgado) and the other two were switch hitters (Wally Backman and Jose Reyes).  You can look it up!

Daniel Murphy will break the single season club record for doubles.  Prior to 2012, only six Met hitters had ever accumulated 40 doubles in a season and all of them were either right-handed batters or switch hitters.  Murphy will become the first left-handed swinger to eclipse the 40 double mark (John Olerud is the current single season leader with 39 in 1999) and will then double his pleasure by surpassing one-season wonder Bernard Gilkey, who set the franchise record with 44 two-baggers in 1996.  Gilkey might have surpassed his mark in 1997, but was never the same after being hit in the head by a fly ball during a close encounter at Shea Stadium.

It's keep your eye on the ball, Bernard.  Not keep your head on it.

Jonathon Niese will make the National League All-Star team.  He will also become only the tenth pitcher in team history (after Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez, David Cone, Al Leiter, Pedro Martinez and Johan Santana) and fifth southpaw (Matlack, Koosman, Leiter and Santana were the others) to strike out 200 batters in a single season.  As a result, his new nose will be voted team MVP.

Jason Bay will have his finest season as a Met, hitting .270 with 21 HR and 80 RBI.  Of course, astute fans will realize that these were the exact numbers produced by Jeff Kent in 1993 and will continue to be upset at Bay for not living up to his contract and for reminding them of Kent.  The sensitive Bay responds by promising a Rico Brogna-type season in 2013, wisely remembering that Brogna was actually liked at Shea Stadium despite producing Kent-like numbers during his one full season in New York (.289, 22 HR, 76 RBI in 1995).

Frank Francisco will go 20-for-20 in saves by early July, but when a shocking exposé reveals that he is actually Armando Benitez’s second cousin, once removed, the pressure of having to perform like his family member will cause Francisco to wilt in the summer heat.  Francisco will indeed pitch like Benitez, protecting a few three-run ninth inning leads against the non-contending Pirates and Astros, before blowing saves against the contending Phillies and Marlins to eliminate any hopes of the Mets claiming the second wild card spot.

After spending most of the season below .500, Terry Collins motivates the team by telling them he will end his unintentional tribute to Steve Urkel by not wearing his uniform pants so high, but only if the team can finish the season with a .500 record.  The team responds with a hot streak in September to pull to within one game of .500 entering the season finale in Miami.  But after an unexpected pep talk from his cousin Armando, Frank Francisco blows the save in the team’s final game, resulting in an 80-82 final record (and clinching a playoff berth for the Marlins).  Collins is then seen giving Benitez an undisclosed amount of money after the game, thanking him for his surprise appearance.

Well, that’s it for my 2012 predictions.  Which ones will come true?  Which ones will you wish you had thought of first?  For that, we’ll have to wait until October 3, when the Mets’ 50^th anniversary season comes to a close.  But one thing’s for sure.  The Mets will be a fun team to watch in 2012.

Over the past three seasons, the Mets have gone from being an overpriced team of underachievers to a young team playing above its collective head.  They might not be ready to compete in the National League East yet, but Terry Collins will make sure that all 25 players on the roster give their best effort on the field, with or without the help of Armando Benitez. 

Before long, the Mets will be Amazin’ again.  But for now, ya gotta believe that the team is headed in the right direction, even if that direction is temporarily keeping them near the bottom of the NL East.  So try not to pay too much attention to the standings and enjoy one game at a time.  Somewhere along the way, the Mets will give you a reason to smile.  I’m 85% sure of that.

The Mets' Winter Meeting Transactions: Pros And Cons

The snow hasn't begun to fall yet, but we saw a flurry of activity yesterday for the Mets in the Late Fall Meetings (winter doesn't start for another two weeks, so the Winter Meetings are a misnomer).  The Mets needed bullpen help so they stocked up with three veteran relievers.  They also made a "change-of-scenery" trade, acquiring one centerfielder coming off a down year for another.

Let's take a look at what these three separate transactions will do for the Mets and what this will do for the team in 2012 and in the future.

Jon Rauch

Sandy Alderson made it clear that the Mets were in dire need of relief help.  He admitted as much when discussing how the team suffered in the pen after the trade of Francisco Rodriguez last July.  The hodgepodge bullpen featured a combination of inexperienced career minor leaguers and washed-up veterans, and the Mets blew many late inning leads because of it.  A change was definitely needed for the 2012 season.

In his first acquisition of the night, Alderson signed Jon Rauch to be the Mets' primary set-up man.  Before Pedro Feliciano led the National League in appearances for the Mets, that distinction belonged to Jon Rauch.  Rauch made 85 appearances for Washington in 2006 and followed that up with a league-leading 88 appearances in 2007.

His career has been a series of ups and downs since leaving Washington in 2008.  In parts of two seasons in Arizona (2008-2009), Rauch was 2-8 with a 4.87 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.  Then he went to Minnesota for 1½ seasons (2009-2010) and flourished with the Twins, going 8-2 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.  He also racked up 21 saves as a temporary replacement for closer Joe Nathan.  Finally, as a member of the Blue Jays in 2011, Rauch had a subpar season (5-4, 11 saves, 4.85 ERA, 1.35 WHIP).  He missed time in August due to an emergency appendectomy and ended the season on the disabled list with torn cartilage in his right knee.
 
Pros:  Rauch is nicknamed "The Wookie" for his tall frame and sometimes resemblance to Chewbacca, instantly making him R.A. Dickey's best friend in the clubhouse.  He also has excellent control, walking only 28 batters over the last two seasons (in 109.2 IP) and possessing a career ratio of 2.7 walks per nine innings.

Cons:  Sometimes Rauch can be a little "wild in the strike zone", as evidenced by the 11 home runs he gave up last season in only 52 innings pitched.  Also, as seen in his career recap above, Rauch's performance has varied drastically from team to team.  He can be very good, as he was in Minnesota, or he can be maddeningly inconsistent, as fans of the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays can surely attest.  Will another change of scenery bring out the good Jon Rauch?

 

Frank Francisco

A teammate of Jon Rauch in Toronto last season, Frank Francisco has been a very consistent pitcher since 2008.  Over the past four seasons, his ERA has never been higher than 3.83 or lower than 3.13.  He has also given no fewer than 40 hits and no more than 49 safeties in each of the last four years, while allowing between 20 and 22 earned runs per season.  He has achieved this level of consistency despite having different roles from year to year. 

Francisco served as the set-up man in Texas in 2008, before saving 25 games as the Rangers' closer in 2009.  He went back to the set-up role for Texas in 2010, before becoming a closer for the Blue Jays in 2011, saving 17 games in Toronto.  Francisco will not be continuing his set-up man/closer roller coaster ride for the Mets in 2012, as Terry Collins has already anointed him as the team's new closer.

Pros:  Francisco is a fireballer who will rack up a ton of strikeouts, something that has not been a strength of the Mets' bullpen in recent years.  His 10.5 K/9 IP rate over the past four seasons is among the best in baseball.  Francisco has also proven that he can handle any relief role in the bullpen and finished the 2011 season strongly (1.37 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and held opponents to a .188 batting average after the All-Star Break).

Cons:  Although he is a strikeout pitcher, his strikeout rate has gone down slightly from year to year (11.8 K/9 IP in 2008, 10.4 K/9 IP in 2009, 10.3 K/9 IP in 2010, 9.5 K/9 IP in 2011).  His WHIP has also increased annually since 2009 (1.12 in 2009, 1.27 in 2010, 1.32 in 2011).

 

Angel Pagan traded for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez

After an outstanding second half in 2009 and a breakout season in 2010, Angel Pagan took a step back in 2011.  After managing to keep his batting average around .300 for most of '09 and '10, Pagan could only muster a .262 average last season.  He also had his lowest on-base percentage in four years as a Met (.322) and made too many questionable baserunning decisions.

Andres Torres had a similar situation to Angel Pagan in 2011.  Torres shocked everyone with his breakout 2010 season for the World Champion San Francisco Giants (.268 batting average, 43 doubles, 8 triples, 16 HR, 63 RBI and 26 SB in 139 games).  But he had a miserable follow-up campaign in 2011 (.221 batting average, 24 doubles, one triple, 4 HR, 19 RBI and 19 SB in 112 games), causing him to lose playing time once the Giants acquired Carlos Beltran from the Mets.

Ramon Ramirez had a shaky start to his major league career in Colorado, but has flourished since he left the Mile High city after the 2007 season.  In the four years since his departure from the Rockies, Ramirez has compiled a 2.77 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, while holding the opposition to a .220 batting average.  But since becoming a Giant at the trade deadline in 2010, Ramirez has been one of the most unhittable relievers in the majors, compiling a 2.07 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a .194 batting average against him.  He also didn't give up many long hits as a Giant, holding opponents to a .267 slugging percentage and allowing only two home runs to the 388 batters he faced.

Pros:  Angel Pagan for Andres Torres straight up would have been a bad deal, as Pagan is younger than Torres and even with a down season in 2011, still performed better than Torres did for the Giants.  The addition of Ramirez, a quality arm in the bullpen with an extended period of success, makes the deal more attractive.  Plus, Andres Torres can serve as a stopgap in center field until Kirk Nieuwenhuis is ready for the majors (hopefully by late 2012), similar to the way Rey Sanchez held shortstop warm for Jose Reyes until his call-up in 2003.

Cons:  The Mets acquired a centerfielder with 27 HR and 118 RBI.  That's not his total for one season.  That's what Torres has amassed in 1,423 major league plate appearances over parts of seven seasons.  Torres also has 4,444 plate appearances over 1,035 minor league games.  That means Torres has over three times as many plate appearances in the minor leagues as he has in the majors.  When a player who will be 34 by Opening Day can say that about his professional career, that's not something to be proud of.  It also doesn't say much about his ability to stay in the major leagues.  Pagan has a better chance of replicating his 2010 season than Torres has of doing the same.

We owe (the fans), we owe (the fans), so it's off to work we go!

The 2012 Mets improved themselves at the Late Fall Meetings by adding three quality arms in the bullpen.  Jon Rauch will be the primary set-up man and can be counted on to pitch as many days as he is needed.  Frank Francisco may not have dominant numbers, but he has been a model of consistency over the past four seasons and is a legitimate strikeout pitcher.  Ramon Ramirez has the potential to be the best reliever in the Mets' bullpen.  He doesn't depend on the strikeout to retire batters.  Rather, he makes opposing hitters swing at his pitch, and allows mostly singles when he does give up hits, which over the past few seasons has become a rare sight.

I can deal without Andres Torres in the outfield, but at least he does possess some speed, which the Mets will need now that Jose Reyes is no longer on the team.  Plus, there's always a chance that he might be able to find some of that 2010 magic in his tank, although is .221 average and 19 RBI in 398 at-bats last year reminded me a little too much of Luis Castillo.

For now, it appears that Sandy Alderson is trying his best to mold this team in his image.  He is getting quality players without spending top dollar or too many years of commitments.  It's still too early to know what this will mean for the 2012 Mets.  But at least it shows that it won't just be 20 Buffalo Bisons and a handful of veterans sitting in the dugout at Citi Field next season.  For the amount of money Sandy has to play with, I'd say he's doing a pretty good job.