Baseball thoughts

Hey, kids...

The Turzman here with some thoughts on one of my passions; baseball.
Specifically, New York Mets baseball.

Those of you not interested in the Metropolitan baseball club may consider yourselves excused.

Today I watched my beloved Metropolitans blow another lead late in the game to the sucky-ass, slumping-ever-since-the-dumbest-trade- in-baseball-history LA Dodgers. A team that has watched Eric Gagne blow saves like a hooker blows johns since that remarkable save streak ended.
But "Frenchie" was on fire today, setting the Mets down in order in the ninth like he was pitching to bush leaguers. Losers of six of the last seven, the Mets laid down as the devil incarnate Atlanta Braves (god, I hate "Larry" Chipper Jones) walked right past the National League East; arguably the worst division in baseball this year.
But was anyone seriously convinced the Mets still had a snowball's chance in hell at the trade deadline to win anything? I didn't.

As optimistic as I'd like to be about my blue & orange, when they traded away Ty Wiggington and their top pitching prospects for Kris "Who the hell takes Pittsburgh baseball seriously" Benson and Victor "I'm nothing like Carlos" Zambrano with thoughts of making a run at a weak division, they were fooling nobody but themselves.

To say they were even looking to the future by signing a guy who is a free agent at the end of the season and another with chronic elbow problems while trading away the two best minor league pitching prospects in the process is an insult to baseball fans. And let's not forget that at the time of the trade, Ty Wiggington was the Met's hottest hitter.

Met management is completely clueless as to the direction this team is going in, and there is no evidence to support the thought of them contending next year. They need to convince that wash out import Kaz Matsui that he is a defensive liability at short and plan to play 2nd base as long as he's in NY. Jose Reyes is the best shortstop in the Mets organization, don't waste him at 2nd.

Keep Mike Cameron in center and pay Richard Hidalgo whatever he wants to stay in right field.
As for left field, repect Cliff Floyd's wishes and trade him to the American league where he can DH full time. He says he's tired of playing in pain and I don't blame him.

Most importantly, trade that Mike Piazza while he still has value. He can't play first base, he gets hurt and misses half the season if he catches, and he's only a hot hitter with two outs and the bases empty. I've never seen a guy ground into so many double plays in my life. The longer they wait to trade him, the less they'll get in return, and we must realize that "Pizza's" best days are far behind him. The only way he can even become a shell of his former self is to go DH for an American league team.

And that's my 2 cents.
Any thoughts? shoot me an e-mail... mike@turzman.com

Until the next time,
best regards and don't take any shit from anybody.

m.