Strawberry Says '86 Mets Were Better Than '98 Yankees

The Straw-man was interviewed on Fox 5 Sports Extra in New York last week. The show aired on December 4, with the highlight being when Strawberry was asked which team was better, the '86 Mets or '98 Yankees. Darryl won rings with both teams but he showed no hesitation in saying the '86 Mets were the better group....

The '86 Mets were a lot different than what the '98 Yankees were. The '98 Yankees were a very exciting team and it was a different time, but in that era of the '86 Mets, I think we were much better. I think the pitching staff, if you look all around, we had a tremendous pitching staff. But I think the kind of players that we had, we dominated during the course of the season, but when you look at the playoffs and when it got down to the real crunch time, you know, it was definitely a battle. But the '98 Yankees were a little different, we pretty much ran away with that whole thing and nobody was close, so, I always believe that that '86 Mets team, it would have been hard to beat us because we never quit.

And he's right. As I've always said, the '86 Mets were the last REAL, great baseball team, which is something the Yankees have never produced.

Beltran SelfLESS?

On Monday, Carlos Beltran walked into manager Terry Collins' spring training office and told him he was ready to make the defensive switch to rightfield.

Beltran is being lauded for this move by most accounts I have heard or read. Beltran said, "I believe the best decision is for me to play rightfield. It's going to be less active, and I am looking forward to saving my knees for the long run."

Here's the thing. This is a selfish move by Beltran. Yes, I believe the Mets are a better team with Beltran in RF, potentially saving his knees and helping his offense. However, Beltran is only doing this to save his career and potentially cash in again next off-season. Beltran made this move on his terms. I think Carlos' ego wasn't going to be able to handle struggling for a whole season in centerfield and potentially being moved by the manager to RF. So Carlos did it himself.

The Mets were too sheepish to come out and just make the decision on their own. Luckily for Collins, Beltran realized he needed to do this for himself.

Another issue I see with this is, Beltran's not healthy. If Carlos was healthy, he wouldn't be moving himself to RF. Basically, he's saying, "I'm hurt, I can't play CF properly." Moving to RF didn't fix his knee, it's just an attempt to hide the problem.

Summer of '86 Review

Yikes. What was that pile of shit that I watched last night? How is it possible to take the story of the 1986 New York Mets and ruin it? MSG pulled it off with Part I of the Summer of '86.

First, this whole thing turned into some kind of scam to get us all to watch the Knicks post-game show. The Summer of '86 was supposed to start at 10pm, but didn't actually air until sometime around 10:45. This post-game show consisted of a bunch of terrible interviews and bogus "analysis" from Kelly Tripucka. The only thing worse than NBA basketball is people talking about NBA basketball.

Moving on to the actual show, I must start by reminding everyone how awesome the '86 Mets were. They were the last REAL baseball team. They drank, did coke, brawled with opponents, picked up women, and won the World Series.

There has not been a team in America that has since come close to having as much character and talent as Davey Johnson's boys. The '93 Phillies were close and the '04 Red Sox were closer, but not quite.

So I was excited for this new show on the best team of all-time. I wanted to hear about the Scum Bunch. I wanted new stories about bar sluts and Colombian cocaine. I wanted to know how many punches landed on Tom Niedenfuer's face.

Or, as one Mets-Thing insider described to me last night by text, "I will only watch if Doug Sisk is interviewed with his voice garbled and his identity protected".

We want the real shit, not more of the same lame-ass baseball cliche talk about how Keith Hernandez was a manager on the field.

But that's what we got. It was 15 minutes (the other 15 minutes were all commercials and self-promotion) of fodder. Everybody in New York knows who the players were and who the manager was. MSG did not need to rehash all that nonsense.

The narrator sucked too.

The highlight of the show was everything and anything Davey Johnson said, telling the team "we're going to dominate" in spring training. Nice.

Part II will be airing tonight at 10:30pm.

Daniel Murphy Sighting

While browsing around an Orioles blog (don't ask), I found this clip of Felix Pie making a fool of himself in the Dominican League. I think it's from this winter.

While I actually watched the replay to see if Pie was actually out on the play, I noticed the first baseman, who sold a brilliant sliding tag, was Daniel Murphy.

DePodesta's Baseball Reform

This is a presentation that Paul DePodesta gave in 2003 called The Genesis, Implementation, and Management of New Systems. It is an awesome read about his time in Cleveland and Oakland and should be interesting for all Mets fans to see how their new head of Player Development and Amateur Scouting thinks. So give it the proper 15 minutes it takes to read.

Thanks to Dave Studeman at The Hardball Times for finding this.

Front Office Dream

Gone, is the creepshow that was Omar Minaya. Gone, is his "I'm a baseball guy, so I know more than you" nonsense. Gone, is his guesswork.

In, is some brains with a plan. In, are some guys who HAVE tools, not guys who ARE tools. In, is a modern, intelligent approach to baseball.

Watching the Mets bring in Alderson, Ricciardi, and DePodesta is like a dream come true. These are the guys that changed the way everyone looked at baseball just 10 years ago. They found a cheap way to build a first-place team. Hopefully, they can keep evolving and find a new way to do it, again.

To me, the structure of the front office looks like this.... Alderson is the GM, the CEO, the owner (hell, the Wilpons probably should just hand over the team to him), while Ricciardi and DePodesta are the assistants that actually do all the work. They'll choose the players, come up with trades and run the system. Alderson will smoothly pull off the transactions. It's all in place.

However, my fear is this.... the Mets are 10 years too late. These guys had their run. They had their glory. They took advantage of a broken system. Everyone caught on and they've lost their edge. Once the rest of the league figured out what they were doing, they followed their path. Ricciardi and DePodesta both failed as GMs, and maybe this was the reason. Everyone is playing their game.

Still, this has to be exciting for us Mets fans. Proven winners have been inserted while a proven jackass is gone.

The Myth of the Yankees "Lean Years"

Why is it that Yankees fans insist on trying to tell me that they suffered through the "lean years"? When I ask them about when exactly these "lean years" took place, I hear grumbling about the 80's and usually a comment about Matt Nokes.

For me (Mets fan obviously) and most of my Yankee friends who were born around 1975, the first things we remember about baseball, or anything else for that matter, was in the early 80's. So I looked back, and what do you know, in 1980 the Yankees won 103 games and finished in 1st place, and the following year they played in the World Series. So those can't be the "lean years".

1982 was actually a down year. But from 1983 to 1988 the Yankees finished with a winning record each season, a stint that included three 90-win seasons (97 wins in 1985!). The Yankees actually finished the decade of the 80's with more wins that any other team in MLB. So the 80's can't be the 'lean years'. But I was just told by a Yankees fan that "The Yankees were TERRIBLE.... in the 80's". Really? I don't know why he wants to remember it that way.

The true "lean years" were from 1989 to 1992. In those four seasons the Yankees were terrible. They finished last once, 5th twice, and 4th once. So out of the last 30 years, including 1982, the Yankees have had only five losing seasons. Five. Out of 30. Five. Maybe today's Yankees fans are like those who win the lottery, yet fall into a deep depression because they feel they didn't "earn" the money. Is that what the Yankees fans are feeling? They need to justify their fandom.

Since 1993, the Yankees lowest winning percentage in any given year is .540. And in that year (2000), they finished in 1st place and actually won the World Series. I think the last 20 years have more than made up for the four "lean years".

I actually had someone say this on Facebook the other day, "those born in the late 70s lived through the Mets winning a WS, lived through the NY media LOVING the Mets and only covering the Yankees because of Steinbrenner's antics.... I used to listen to WFAN and hope they would spend a few minutes on the Yankees, it was that bad." Hilarious. So not only do Yankees fans need to have a good team, but they also need to get all the attention.

Basically, here's the point Yankees fan.... if you want to talk about your championships, fine, but don't try and give me some sob story to go with it. Listening to a Yankee fan attempt to get you to feel bad for them is like listening to your 110LB girlfriend try and tell you she's fat. Meanwhile, her much hotter 125LB friend is thinking, "I hate that titless bitch". Meaning, yeah, the Yankees are like a girl with no tits and the rest of the league are her friends with the nice racks. Who wants a girl with no tits? So, if you're a Yankee fan, just continue to be an arrogant prick, and give up the "lean years" sob story.

Wright Tries to Sabotage Yankees Season

Yankees catcher, Francisco Cervelli, was seen using David Wright's glove on Monday night. Cervelli was sent out to play thirdbase by Joe Girardi after Alex Rodriguez left the game with a calf injury and Ramiro Pena was replaced by a pinch-hitter.

We know a few things about David Wright and Francisco Cervelli. First, they're both a little weird. Wright has those perfectly sculpted salon-style eyebrows that I can't help look at even though they give me the creeps.

Meanwhile, Cervelli just has D-Bag written all over him. He's all about the over-exuberant 6th-inning fist pump during a Thursday afternoon game in April, and he reminds me of that guy in your Sunday baseball league that thinks everyone else is bushleague, even though he's the one that's acting like a tool and was playing catch on the infield dirt before the game.

So maybe these guys hang out on those Monday days off. Or, maybe this was David Wright's way of trying to hand off some of those strikeouts to the Yankees.

Mets Make Key Deadline Deal

With just 13 seconds left before the trading deadline, the Mets have traded GM Omar Minaya back to the Montreal Expos for the Youppi! costume.

Seriously, Minaya, it's time to go. There's the door. Your lying creepshow is over. Thanks for nothing.

Mustrash Talk

Let's Go Have a Beer, Doc

Wally Backman.

South Georgia Peanuts.

South Coast League.

2007.

This is a classic minor league ejection from a former backyard Mets-Thing legend.

The New Big Train

How angry is manager Jim Riggleman right now? The Nationals had Stephen Strasburg pitching in the minor leagues until last night, when he went off for 14 strikeouts against the Pirates in his major league debut. The Nats are actually contending this year. They could have used this kid in April and May. Riggleman should walk into GM Mike Rizzo's office and punch him in the face.

Maybe the Nationals were resting Strasburg, just waiting for June to come so he wouldn't log too many innings this season? Nope. They were pitching him. He threw 55 minor league innings in 11 starts before Tuesday night.

OK, so maybe they didn't think he wasn't ready? Nope. The kid finished his minor league stint with a 0.79 whip and 65 punchouts. Noone could possibly think he wasn't ready.

So what kept him in the minor leagues?.... Money. The Nationals simply tried to limit "Big Train" Strasburg's major league service time this season, which would make Strasburg ineligible for salary arbitration after the 2012 season. Basically, this would keep the Nats in control of his salary a little bit longer.

Of course, the Nats management says that all this minor league nonsense was part of Strasburg's "development plan", but I'm not buying it.

I think they simply made a mistake. Let's just say Strasburg started the season with the Nats, there is nothing that would make me believe that he wouldn't have pitched extremely well. The Nats could have had an extra 11 sellouts in his starts, and began making up that extra money they'll just end up paying him in the end anyway. Meanwhile, they'd have tons more fans and more W's in the standings.

I know some of you are saying that the Nats did a great job here. They got Strasburg some valuable minor league experience, meanwhile pumping up the hype machine to unbelievable heights. Last night was better than the two perfect games thrown this season, and the Jim Joyce game, combined. Then Strasburg lived up to the hype by going out and dealing while the whole baseball world was watching. Perfect.

Decent argument, but the Strasburg hype was already at stratosphere heights when he was in college last spring, and you can ask Mike Leake about whether he needed any minor league experience.

Riggleman is pissed.

Reyes 3rd? No. Wright 5th.

Lost in all the we're moving Jose Reyes to the 3-hole drama, was the best decision Jerry Manuel has made in a while.... moving David Wright down to the 5th spot in the batting order.

Mets-Thing correspondent, Cribs, has been calling for this move the last two seasons. Wright simply puts too much pressure on himself and his swing has turned into some kind of twisting upper-cut while he's stepping in the bucket.

Since moving down in the order, it is quite obvious that he is calmer in the batters box and taking more relaxed swings. His numbers since 4/23, the first day he returned to the 5-hole....

.343 BA, .368 OB%, .629 SLG%, 2 HR, 11 RBI

I, Davis.

On April 17, the Mets decided that they'd seen enough swings and misses out of firstbaseman Mike Jacobs, and designated him for assignment. Meaning, cut, see ya, get out of here you bum.

On April 19, the Mets decided that they'd call up firstbaseman Ike Davis, their 2008 1st round draft pick. The entire team was struggling. They couldn't sustain a rally offensively, and couldn't pitch.

After calling up Davis, the team has been on a 10-1 tear. Coincidence? We think "NO".

Davis has simply solidified the firstbase position. He has hit well so far and drawn some walks. Defensively, he doesn't look like the most gifted guy with the glove, but he looks the part and the infielders appear to be more comfortable letting throws go with his long arms over there to receive them.

We could be looking at the Mets firstbaseman of the next ten years.

Top Metsie Uniforms

This weekends cream colored throwback uniform is sweet! Got me thinking of the top 5 Mets uniforms in there brief history in MLB.

5. This weekends uniform; a turn of the century NY Giants inspired uniform, without the name on the back:




















4. Los Mets:




















3. The currently used pinstripe uniform w/solid blue hat/helmet:
















2. The currenly worn road grays:
















1. 1980's pinstripe with classic piping:

Mets Add Another Surprising Name to the DL

Head Trainer, Ray Ramirez, was finally placed on the DL today, Friday, after suffering a neck injury Monday afternoon. Ramirez and Jose Reyes were involved in a car accident in which they were rear-ended by a firetruck on the RFK (Tri-Borough) Bridge. Ramirez has been suffering from neck pain all week as a result.

However, in standard Mets procedure, he stayed on the active medical staff roster, making the Mets play with one doctor short all week, before finally realizing that yes, indeed, he was hurt.

The Mets have called up rookie chiropractor, Bert Jerkins, to take his place on the staff.

Jo-el dominates Mets, again

Joel Pineiro, complete game shutout. Two hits. One strikeout.

This is a guy who sported a 5.15 ERA in 2008, and leads the NL in losses so far in 2009. He's just not a good pitcher at this point in his career.

However, against the Metsies, he's money right now.

He's 2-0 this year in two starts against them, throwing the shutout last night and an eight inning "gem" on April 22nd.

Omar, please read the DL rule

Can the Mets please DL Jose? How long do we have to watch the Mets play a man down? Nobody learned from last year with Church's injury? When someone is hurt, you put them on the DL. They get better, and can play 100% when they return.

Or, you can keep trying to play Jose Reyes, and he can keep reinjuring himself until he plays ineffectively all year.

Ironically, Church is also hurt now as well. DL. Please. The Mets actually have someone in the minor leagues named Fernando Martinez. He might be more overrated than Lastings was, but at least we have a replacement for Church. Make the DL move.

Scouting the A's Rotation

Since 2005, Billy Beane, and his Oakland Athletics have been auctioning off their best pitchers each season. They’ve attempted to stay young, competitive, and fiscally responsible while playing in the monstrosity that is The Coliseum.

So, with the new season, and the Athletics’ starting rotation a bigger question mark than ever, I figured I’d take a look and see what they’re working with now. I’ll start with their two highest rated prospects, both of which were drafted out of high school, Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson.

Trevor Cahill, 21, has already been compared with Brandon Webb. Cahill deals the same type of plus sinker that Webb does, an upper-80s 2-seamer that can produce tons of groundball outs. Trevor also uses a 90 mph 4-seamer that he tries to spot early in counts to get ahead. After the fastballs, which he’ll throw the majority of the time, Trevor deals a very soft changeup and two different breaking balls. His slider gets some sweeping action, while the curve looks like a plus pitch, getting good drop at just a few mph slower than the slider.

Unfortunately, Cahill has struggled mightily with his command at the big league level, issuing 15 walks in 20 innings so far. The A’s like to use the excuse that his stuff moves so much, he’s prone to bouts of wildness. However, all this crazy movement hasn’t produced many missed bats, as he’s notched only 7 strikeouts.

Trevor’s knuckle-curve, described as an “out-pitch” by A’s director of player personnel Billy Owens, has been non-existent. I’ve see him use the pitch only a handful of times, and Cahill didn’t throw one breaking ball in his last outing on 4/24.

If Cahill can improve his command and mix his pitches better, he can reach the level expected of him.

Cahill *sinker(84-89), 4-seamer(89-92), changeup(75-78), slider(82-84), curve(77-80)*

Brett Anderson, like Cahill, has made the jump from AA to the majors in 2009. He has shown good command at all levels of the minor leagues and continues to throw strikes in the Bigs.

Anderson uses a good fastball and has the confidence to command it on the inner half of the plate. He’ll then attack hitters with a sharp slurve that he can back-ankle RHs with, or sweep away from LHs. His changeup is fairly standard, but is thrown with the same plus control. Anderson mixes in a slow 12-6 curveball as his fourth pitch, usually in the first pitch of an at-bat.

Because Anderson’s stuff is not dominating he’s been banged around a bit in the major leagues, allowing 4 homeruns in 18.1 innings, while only striking out 9. Anderson seems to know what he’s doing on the mound, which will give him a good chance of succeeding. However, any loss of velocity would spell his doom.

Anderson *fastball(87-93), slider(79-85), changeup(79-84), curve(73-77)*

Of the remaining three starters, only lefthander Josh Outman has impressed me. He throws hard, dealing a fastball in the low-mid 90s. The fastball is fairly straight, but it sets up his sharp slider well. He has shown me a big hook that gets decent 11-5 movement, and a straight changeup. His minor league walk totals are fairly high, which won’t allow him to pitch deep into ballgames, but Outman might be able to make a successful move to the bullpen, where he could be a weapon.

Outman *fastball(90-96), slider(81-84), changeup(81-84), curve(75-77)*

My #4 and #5 in the rotation, Dana Eveland and Dallas Braden, are similar pitchers. They’re both left-handed, they both throw in the mid-upper 80s, they both were drafted out of college, and they both have strange first names that start with ‘D’.

I guess the similarities end there though, since Eveland relies heavily on a good slider to get outs, while Braden relies on his soft changeup.

Eveland *fastball(87-90), slider(80-84), changeup(82-84), curve(75-78)*

Braden *fastball(85-91), changeup(71-76), slider(76-83), curve(73-74)*

Unless one or two of these guys steps up bigger than I expect, this rotation isn’t going to be posting very many innings. This will put the A’s bullpen under a ton of stress, making it difficult to compete for the division.

[ Read more pitcher scouting reports at http://www.60ft6in.com/ ]

The Carlos Bros

Slide Beltran, Slide, Down, slide, SLIDE!!!!, plow him over, dive, yell, anything!!!! Jesus, forget about it. Walk back to the dugout. Yeah you were out and hopefully injured your foot or ankle on the play. You are a complete idiot. (L.Dykstra would have nailed the catcher for a move like that).

Delgado kicks first base with toe after catching a high throw a few steps before Pujols bends over to touch the bag with hand. Delgado doesn't argue... doesn't really care... looks dazed and confused... Manual i guess wasn't watching the play... (K.Hernandez would have got ejected for going face to face with the 1B umpire)

Can we find players that actually want to win... just saying, just saying.