Aside from maybe Bobbie Cox and Tony LaRussa, no baseball manager is safe when their team performs below expectations for a prolonged period.  The Mets have been underperforming for roughly 3 months now spanning back to last season. 

The blame for the Mets poor performance is of course mostly attributable to the players -- Delgado's rapid descent, persistent mediocrity at 2B, the usually awful middle relief, the unreliability of the Mets 3-5 starters, two and a half outfielders the norm, Beltran's continued vulnerability to NY pressure, Wright and Reyes pressing when the rest of the team falters, etc.  Nonetheless, I do believe that Randolph has done a poor job of bullpen management as well as putting together the best possible lineup each game.  Another failing of Randolph in my opinion is that he's not adept at postively influencing team morale and individual attitudes.

Unless Pedro miracuously comes back and gives the Mets a solid half-season or so, I don't see the Mets making the playoffs without the attitude and positional adjustments from a new and more competent manager.  Even with a healthy Pedro and a new manager, the Mets may not make the playoffs.  Who on this team is likely to play better for the rest of the season?  Maybe Wright and Reyes.  The right side of infield looks hopeless.  Sadly, I increasingly believe that Beltran will usually underachieve as long as he remains in NY.  Heilman is another big disappointment to me.  I was of the opinion that he should have been given more of an opportunity to prove himself as a starter, but now I have my doubts about whether he will ever resume being just a relibable middle reliever.  I've had enough of Perez.  Pelfrey?  I dunno. Santana and Maine and then pray for rain?

With Rollins back I think the Phils will overtake the Marlins shortly.  Unlike Delgado, you know Howard is not going to continue struggling for long.  Without a new and improved manager and a relatively strong Pedro, I think the Mets will finish third, ten or more games behind the division winning Phils.

Every Met fan in the universe should bet caressing any handy picture of Billy Wagner tonight.

All year it's been "The Mets have the most talent!" this and "The Mets will turn it around!" that.  Well f*** that.  I've been getting ripped on the blogs for my stance on Carlos Beltran.  Everything I say gets taken out of context and I see the "great clutch single" comments all the time.  Maybe it's funny, but when you're joking about it on a 2nd inning single, you don't realize what will happen when it's a 9th inning base-running atrocity.

Sorry, folks, the Mets will not *magically* turn it around on their own.  Auto-pilot won't work, folks.  This ain't Airplane, minus the cigarettes.  The Mets need a complete mental change.

Billy Wagner is our only hope of that happening.

His tirade after the game today is what we need.  Where are the accountable?  How many times does he have to sit in the bullpen and watch this "oh so talented" team sleepwalk through games every day?  These guys need some fire.  They need to realize that they need to go out and WIN these games -- no one is handing it to them.  WAKE UP, GUYS.

If the Mets somehow make it to the playoffs with this zombie team, I guarantee you you'll be thanking Billy Wagner.  Not for today, but for what's to come.  He is the only man who sees what's happening.

<blockquote>

On the eve of the Subway Series, with Mike Pelfrey's no-hit flirtation squandered, the Mets had a clubhouse eruption Thursday. Closer Billy Wagner looked across the room, in the direction of the vacant locker of Carlos Delgado, and blurted:

"Someone tell me why the ---- you're talking to the closer. I didn't even play. They're over there, not being interviewed."

Wagner paused for dramatic effect. Then, in a scene reminiscent of last year's Paul Lo Duca comments, minus the racial overtones, the closer sarcastically added: "I got it. They're gone. ----ing shocker."

</blockquote>

PS - The only other MVP possibility is Omar Minaya, who *must* fire Willie Randolph.  Right now. We need fire and grit and he has abandoned his post as Manager since Cardinals-Mets, Game 7, 8th Inning.

I love the Mets and I really enjoy watching them on T.V. but no matter what the score everytime Aaron Heilman comes in I walk away from the T.V.    If he doesnt give up the long ball he can guarantee at least a run scoring single.  He has let over 75 percent of inherited runners score I do not see how that can possibly help a team win a ballgame.

Can't we  trade him??

Who has more RBI than:

• Miguel Tejada
• Carlos Beltran
• Albert Pujols
• Mike Jacobs :)
• Ryan Howard
• Big Papi and Manny
• Vlad Guerrero

Ryan Church.   I know it won't last, but I love it when players surprise you.  I'm so used to having players come in with big expecations, only to disappoint.   So here's one that goes the other way, change.   It will be interested to see how he looks over the full year.

Hey everyone,

I am visiting NY this summer, and plan on adding Shea to my stadium list before it's torn down. I am planning on going to a game on July 8th 9th, or 10th. Any answers and tips to my questions would be greatly appreciated!

What are the best tickets to get? I don't want to spend much more than $25-30, but would like decent seats. Is there a certain section to avoid, or try to sit in?

Do they offer tours of Shea Stadium? I go on a tour of most parks I visit, and I don't want to miss out on Shea, but couldn't find anything on the Mets website.

Finally, is there anything in or around Shea that I shouldn't miss visiting while at the game?

Thank you!

-StadiumGuru

(I've posted this elsewhere, so if you've seen it, I am not stealing it... just thought you guys would appreciate the idea.)

Does anyone think MLB teams need to seriously re-think how they stock their bullpens? Instead of having a bunch of specialists, why not fill it with guys like Figgy. Pitchers who can't start because they get exploited after 2 turns through the order.

Assuming you carry 7 bullpen guys like the Mets, here is how I would construct a bullpen if I were a GM:

You would have 3 late inning, "shut down" pitchers. For us, this would be Wagner, Sanchez, and Feliciano.

Then you would have 3 "second starters" (or "failed starters" if you must). These slots would be filled by pitchers who are effective for about 3-4 innings at a time, but once a lineup sees them for the 3rd time, they get hit hard. It is due to a lack of a 3rd pitch or just stamina/focus issues. Heilman would be perfect for this role. Figueroa would probably work. Heck, even Lima would be fine (he really was ok for 2-3 innings before imploding).

The last slot you could play with. Maybe you would have a LH specialist, especially if you're the Mets b/c you have the Phils and Braves in division. Otherwise, you could add another 2nd starter or shut down guy, depending on your needs.

My thoughts with splitting the bullpen are like so: with starters lasting roughly 6 innings, this gives you 4 innings per night the pen needs to pitch. If you had 3-4 guys capable of giving you 2-4 innings per appearance, you wouldn't need to throw guys every freaking day.

So, for example: Johan – 6; Heilman – 2; Wagner – 1. Ollie – 5; Heilman – 3; Wagner – 1.

A few more notes on the execution: You wouldn't want to bring your second starters into the middle of an inning if you didn't have to. This is why you have 3 shut down pitchers. Say Ollie is cruising along through 5 when things start to unravel in the 6th. Now he's gone 5.1 innings, and there are men on 1 & 2. You wouldn't want to bring a "second starter" into this situation. This would call for a shutdown pitcher (or what they used to call a fireman). So you would bring in Sanchez.

The problem is, this would require a whole new way of thinking for managers. Imagine Willie bringing Duaner into the game in the 6th inning? I'm not sure he could even make the phone call. This would require a whole lot of "thinking outside the box." (And this would apply to most managers, not just Willie, so I don't mean to pick on him.)

We all know if you're a Mets fan you hate the Phillies. Well That got me to thinking. Do you dislike the Phillies fans, or just the Phillies?  As for me I just dislike the Phillies. In a lot of ways  Phillies fans are just like Mets fans accept for rooting for the Phillies. I mean Phillies fans are just as critical and hard on their team as Mets fans are. Any player knows if they play for either of these teams they better perform or they'll be booed. The Phillies fans have been through all of the hardships just like the Mets fans. Now you could say that about any team, but I see a difference. I mean let's take the Pirates for instance. Their fans expect them to lose, so they aren't near as hard on them or themselves as we would be. I really think Mets and Phillies fans take losses harder then most fans of their team  do. Discounting the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs fans. I don't know I kinda drifted into 2 different topics there. Anyways what's your take?

I know this topic has probably been visited many a time, but i'm new to this Mets page so I figured i'd re-visit it. I use to run a fansite on myspace called Mets Nation. Well I got rid of the site this past offseason, cause I just couldn't keep up with it. I do remember a lot of Mets fans cursing the Mets for trading Milledge. Well I just wanna get a feel from Mets fans a month in to the season. My opinion is that we got the better end of the deal. I love Ryan Church! Hell I said that right after the deal. I really wasn't high on Scheidner, but he's played pretty well despite the freak injuries he's been having lately. As for Milledge, I think he will be no better then Preston Wilson. I never saw all the hype. I actually ain't on board with the F-Mart hype yet either. The guy that will make strides will be Mr. Mike Carp. Mark my words. Well that's a different topic all together. So sound off on what your take is on the Milledge trade up to this point.

 Well it's pretty clear that the Diamondbacks are the best team in baseball after april. I'm not saying they will be all season, but right now they are. This can be a big statement series for the Mets or it could become a major coming out party for the young, hungry and energetic D-Backs. I'm glad Billy Wagner called out the Mets players after getting stomped by the Pirates...yes the Pirates. The team playing in that game looked like the same team that was playing in the Cubs 2 game series. Not to mention that team from last year. It's time for the Mets to start hitting! If they struggle to hit in Arizona, they won't be able to blame the weather.  Chances are we won't beat Brandon Webb, but let's take 2 out of 3! It's time for the Mets to make a statement!

With tonight's game postponed, it means there's more time for Mario Kart Wii?  Anyone here have it?  Let's exchange friend codes and do some racing! Mine is:

5241-2320-9938

Respond with yours!  Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii!