New York Mets 101

My wife and I are trying to pick out what kind of floor we want to put down in our kitchen. I have no trouble with the decision but my wife does. Different floor type, colors and patterns can turn into a very long process that at times I will admit can be a bit tiresome. But a decision will be made and I am sure it will be questioned from time to time. When August 1’st rolls around decisions are going to be made by many baseball teams in terms of whether or not they are going to be buyers or sellers. In other words are we in it or out of it. As far as the Mets go: My thoughts, they're sellers. Many of you might say it’s too early to tell, well no it’s not. On paper this team looks great on the field they just don’t have it. Eric Chavez has to take over as the hitting coach, and we have to get rid of the idea that analytics are the way to hit a baseball. I know Willie Mays and Tony Gwynn never used a computer. And when I hear Steve Cohen whispering to Bob Nightengale that he is going to hire David Stern as VP of President of Baseball operations can a rebuild be far off. We know the infield is set for the foreseeable future, but the other pieces like DH, the outfield, and one more big bat need some attention. Two things happened during the off season, Edwin Diaz ruptured his Patella Tendon, and we lost out on the Carlos Correa sweepstakes. Once that happened our confidence and our credibility diminished. So who goes? Vogelbach, Canha, Marte, Escobar, and Ottavino. Sorry kids this just isn't our year.

Well if you are a professional athlete consistency is truly the hallmark of greatness. If you are a baseball fan you know that a player can fail almost 70% of the time and still make it to the hall of fame. Over the course of the last 3 weeks we Met fans have watched as it appeared our team was doomed for the entire season. Couldn’t hit or pitch and lost to the some of the worst teams in the league. I’m not questioning the fact that teams go on streaks and win 10 in a row and then lose 12 out of 16. What I want to know is why. Are they tired, is it a loss of concentration, or is it just the odds. With our Mets it seems like the entire club goes into a slump all at once. Tommy Lasorda once said that out of 162 games you win 50 and you lose 50, what you do with the other fifty determines your fate for the season. My thought is a loss is a loss and you can’t win the pennant in April but you can certainly loss it. My hope is that being swept by Detroit doesn’t come back to haunt us in September. 

Billy Eppler GM of The Mets commented this week that he has confidence in the roster that The Mets are fielding right now. And you know what if everyone was doing their job I would feel confident as well. I mean the roster is just about the same as it was last year other than a few tweaks here and there. I still can’t understand why they got rid of Chris Bassett, and Seth Lugo but then again we didn’t see the injuries coming to our pitching so fast and furious. Scherzer and Verlander will finish their careers with The Mets because if they opt out no one is going to want them, Scherzer can opt out after this year. So we are stuck listening to Gary, Keith and Ron sing their praises for things they did with other teams.

The truth be known Billy Eppler and Steve Cohen don’t give a rats fanny about this roster, the team or the fan base at least not right now. There is a ton of money coming off the payroll next year. Steve Cohen has always liked short high annual value contracts, simply because if the player stinks it up he can get rid of them in a year or two; unless of course you are Francisco Lindor who is going to be around for the next decade.

So, what is Steve Cohen actually doing? Listen In And Find Out

Well, I actually know what's going on; no pitching. After the first game of the doubleheader against The Braves (we lost 9-8) I think that was obvious. But, on the brighter side reinforcements are on the way, Scherzer and Verlander so hopefully that will make a difference. By the way Baty is on fire and Alvarez is coming around. Nido and Escobar could become trade chips at the trade deadline. I would be reluctant to trade Escobar I believe he is a great clubhouse guy. With all the pitching wows we were still 9-7 over the last 16 games. In this episode Ryan and I introduced Burns' Bench and Ryan's Rant.

Other than doing a podcast after a loss, we had some fun and we hope you do to.

Don't know about you but I thought David Cone gave an excellent objective opinion on ESPN Sunday night about Scherzer and his ejection for sticky fingers. As Cone said you really can't regulate a legal substance and if rosin was all that Scherzer had on his hand along with sweat, or alcohol why the ejection. Also a good west coast trip, but when you are one game away from making it great at times we can get greedy. Ryan and I covered so much more in this episode of The New York Mets 101 so listen in have fun and enjoy. LGM.

If you want to compare the Mets and the Athletics the A's are the worst. Sadly it's because Moneyball just went too far. This was a playoff team a few years ago and not they have stripped the team down to bare bones. Oh don't get me wrong I am thrilled that we swept them over the weekend and we are playing very well against quality teams. We beat the Padres 2/3 and just beat the Dodgers last night. To add a bit of insult to injury the A's celebrated their 1973 World Series victory over the Mets on Sunday. Who cares? The A's are the laughing stock and the fans come out to entertain each other in a circus atmosphere. The Mets are on a roll now and have to keep it going. Baty is up and he is here to stay and Alvarez needs to get it going so the team has an infield that is almost entirely homegrown. But even at that we got Lindor for homegrown talent in Jimenez and Rosario. Lets Go Mets.

Ryan and I discussed the pitching and hitting on this episode of NY Mets 101. My thoughts Bassett would have been a welcome addition to this pitching staff. I know he choked in Atlanta but he was a workhorse for us and I don't think was ever on the IL. Also if there is one person who has to succeed on this team and who I want to see succeed is Francisco Alvarez. All the hype creates pressure and I am hoping the kid can hold up. Many other things were discussed and I can't help reliving my youth with a short tribute to the original 3 Bob Murphy, Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner. They did games for the Mets for 17 years a number that has now been exceeded by Gary, Keith, and Ron who are starting their 18th season. Enjoy the podcast everybody.

Well today was an interesting episode of The NY Mets 101. Ryan went to The Marlins series (lucky duck) of which he did an excellent job of critiquing the pitch clock and the stadium. I am still upset at Tyler McGill, even though he won the game, and took 3 of 4. And, we took a look at how we lined up with The Phillies. We had a few technical issues but forged ahead like true Met fans. Enjoy the show.

In this episode of New York Mets 101 Ryan and I discussed rosters for the Braves and the Mets (using 2022) rosters and stats. We only critiques the potential starting 9. We also discussed the decision to send down Baty and Vientos. They both had stellar so the decision was a bit of a disappointment. We shared what we thought might be the reason and why it may not have been the best decision. Plus lots of baseball discussion. So listen in and enjoy.

I was raised over a bar and I don't think one day passed during the summer when all the guys just seemed to be talking about the game either that day or that night. It didn't matter what team they rooted for they just loved talking baseball. The split was about even 50-50 Mets and Yankee fans and at times after a few too many things got a bit heated but the conversation never stopped. Believe it or not we had some Pirate, Phillies, and Boston fans in there as well but baseball was the common bond in the summer that drew people to Burns' Tavern. Oh, the best TV in town didn't hurt either, but rest assured a game was always on that set and the conversations seemed to get louder as my father filled another glass from the keg beneath the bar. As I was doing this episode with Ryan and the time wore on I could feel my self just loving the conversation more and more. It was almost like I felt the security of the topic and truly wished that it had gone on a bit longer. But, alas I was called to dinner by my dear wife in a similar way that my mother called me in when I was playing catch with a neighbor. I was loving baseball then and I am still loving it now. Thank God I have a partner to talk to. 

Well welcome back or should I say will you welcome us back. My name is Jim Burns and this is The New York Mets 101. Today’s podcast episode is designed to get our feet wet and to take stock of this 2023 Amazin team. Today I am introducing Ryan Mucha who will be my partner in crime and we will be offering our thoughts about the team as the season wears on and rest assured  we will have plenty to say about in game moves, injuries, and the pitching staff that is one of the oldest in the league. So sit back and enjoy. If you want to share an opinion on Facebook please do so and remember that we are fans just like you and agree or disagree always remember we will always have this team as our common bond. 

Often when a team wins a championship some players just seem to do the unexpected or maybe just play over their head. Sometimes we pick up pieces at the trade deadline or claim a player off waivers. The 1969 and the 1986 Mets were very much like that. Those players that seemed to add a spark, get the big hit, or played like a champion for just that one year. In this episode I talk about those players from yesteryear and discuss who will be the players this year that could to go above and beyond and do the unexpected. With our lineup and with some surprise performances I believe that this team can win a championship.

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At 65 I can't help but think back to what I call the good old days; the days of single admission doubleheaders and general admission seating at times for as low as $1.25. The food was cheap, the players were friendly, and at times when you were at Shea you felt like you could almost touch your heroes. The players were part of your family. The sign man and banner day are no more. But, we all still love this team and rejoice when they win and can get sick when they lose. Here are a few things for you older Mets fans to think about and remember.Everybody has a story, and as a Mets we got a lot of them.  If you would like to share your thoughts and memories click on the link below.

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It's almost incomprehensible that a team would sell controlling interest of their baseball team and expect to have decision making power and control going forward. How long do you wait for the owner of a house to move out after you purchased it from them? I think it's 60 days. Commissioner Manfred needs to get involved and take over this team or force a sale. Quite frankly I am sick of Fred and Jeff and think they need to be put out to pasture. They not only have trouble drafting, signing, trading, and hiring, now they don't even know how to sell a team.  

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In my last podcast I stated that The Mets don't draft, trade, sign, or hire well. A short 40 second sound bite was posted on facebook which seemed to draw the ire of some Mets fans. In this episode I explain what happens when a team continues to make mistakes in the above mentioned areas. If all you want is to make the playoffs your in good shape. But, if you want to win a championship you have to build your team wisely. Listen in. I left a link for anyone to message me, and I would love to have some guests on the show to talk baseball. 

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Brodie Vanwagenen doesn't like to deal in ifs. In other words if everyone performs up to snuff The Mets should have a great season and make the playoffs. Well we have a lot of ifs. The bullpen for one, the outfield, and who will back up Wilson Ramos. The other real wild card is will Yoenis Cespedes be ready for opening day. I want this team to make the playoffs, but the Braves and Nationals have only gotten better. One of them will get exponentially better if they sign Josh Donaldson. I hope that we are not headed for a third place finish in a really tough National League East. 

It seems like Mets fans are always kept in the dark when it comes down to the dealings of  ownership. We heard about Steve Cohen and his negotiations with the Wilpons to gain a controlling interest in the club last week. We don't know much more now. There are alot of things we as fans don't know about but we should. Every time we buy a ticket we are investing in this team. The Wilpons have had a way for years of keeping their biggest investors in the dark. From Madoff to Reyes to Wright, now Cespedes and Lowrie the fans never have the full story, or the truth. The fans just never know. 

Between Cano, Cespedes, Familia, and Lowrie the Mets have $70 million dollars on the books. These players have either broken down or are not performing up to their potential. Add David Wright's $20 million + salary on to that and you have $90 million of wasted money.These players eat up payroll and make it almost impossible to sign any legitimate free agents. Add to that a depleted farm system and you have a recipe for fielding a very similar team this coming year as we did last. Once again the Mets just seem to strive for mediocrity. 

Historically The Mets have either traded blue chip prospects or other players who were in or approaching their prime: Tom Seaver, Amos Otis, and Nolan Ryan to name a few. They also have gotten into the bad habit of playing people out of position messing with their heads and losing games defensively. In this episode of The New York Mets 101 I discuss five things that the Mets shouldn't do during the off season and the reasons why. I also talk about Jacob deGromm and Pete Alonso who have just been awarded the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year respectively. My thoughts if Brodie blows this off season again he is going to be on the outside looking in. 

When I was playing the game of baseball I didn’t think about what I was learning in the process, I was just there to have fun. But, in reality every step I took during the game brought me to another life lesson that I could learn from. Baseball is just one of those sports that just seemed to scream at me when I was playing, saying; “remember this one you’ll need it later.” There are so many things to learn but, baseball had its way with me and through osmosis I moved through life with the memories and the lessons that I learned from what seemed like a well healed teacher. Here are just a few.

There are alot of things that the Mets don't do well both on and off the field. These six things are on the shoulders of The Wilpons, and if they don't start making improvements in the areas mentioned it will be a long time before we see another championship. 

Houston didn't win the series, the Yankees lost because of poor defense and a burned out bullpen. The Astros know how to play baseball and will win the World Series in 5 against The Nationals.

Who will be the next Mets manager? There have been 3 managers of merit in the 58 years of their existence; Gil Hodges, Davey Johnson, and Bobby Valentine. Watch as this franchise ones again cheaps out and hires another rookie manager who will be a yes man. 

The playoffs are the playoffs. Cards are in trouble down 2-0 to the Nationals.. Yankees and Houston what I expected. Beltran only wants to manage The Mets. Do The Mets want him? And then there was The Seaver Documentary. If you missed it well you missed a alot. My sadness comes when I realized that there were so many career milestones this man achieved with other teams. The Mets just seem to have a way of screwing things up even with a Hall of Fame pitcher like Tom Seaver.

Who will be the next manager of the Mets? One thing is for sure if the new guy has a track record and is a managerial star Brodie won't hire him. Brodie wants control and he always wants to be sure that the spotlight is on him. My fear is that once again we will have all the horses but still lose the race. Wake Up Brodie!

The worst thing that could happen did when Fred Wilpon bought out Nelson Doubleday to become the primary share holder as owner of the Mets. He should have been forced to sell the team by Bud Selig because the money used was acquired through Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme. As long as the Wilpon's are the owners we may never see another championship. Don't be surprised if Calloway hangs on because he is still owed money. The Wilpon's don't care about the team and constantly walk down the path of mediocrity. 

Casey Stengel was the first manager of The Mets and the first to refer to them as "Amazin." George Weis the first GM of The Mets talked him in to taking the job. When he started in 1962 he had a winning percentage as a manager of almost .750. When he retired in 1966 it was down to .507. The Mets couldn't of asked for a better guy, he took things in stride and understood who and what he had to work with. A true icon. 

The Miami Series

We split the series. We won two games. More importantly the games Miami won, they didn't really win them we lost them. Changes are coming and things will happen fast after The Braves series. 

Hunt broke into the major leagues in 1963 as the Mets’ regular second baseman, batting .272 with 10 home runs, which would be his career high, and 42 runs batted in, which he would tie in 1964. That year, he also finished runner-up to Pete Rose for the National League Rookie of the Yea honors. In 1964 he batted .303 and became the Mets’ first-ever starting All-Star representative, the game being played in Hunt's home ballpark, the newly opened Shea Stadium. He was also an All-Star representative in 1966. Hunt was a spark that the Mets needed. Never afraid to get him uniform dirty he reminds me of our second baseman today and that's Jeff McNeil. 

The Cincinnati Series

Well we took 2 of 3 from the Reds. Shoddy defense and a lack of hitting cost us in game 2 in which Wheeler pitched a good game. A 4 and 2 road trip is just not enough to get it done when you need to gain ground on the red hot Brewers. 

It isn't often that one man could have such an impact on a team, but Tommie Agee did. Not one but two great World Series Catches. He was a difference maker in 1969. He left us far too early at the age of 58. 

The Colorado Series

Well we won 2 out of 3. But, MLB has to due something about these cross country trips after a Sunday night game. Matz flew ahead to rest up. I am still trying to figure this guy out and wonder if he'll be a piece of the 2020 puzzle. 

Jerry Grote was one of the best defensive catchers of all time. Not all round that would be Johnny Bench. But Grote could handle a pitching staff. We got him at just the right time. He was the catcher that brought Seaver, Koosman, Ryan, and Gentry along and helped turn them from throwers into pitchers. By the way his caught stealing percentage in 1969 was 56%. Unheard of by today's standards. 

The Dodgers Series

It's not over till it's over. I hope. Friday night Thor was awful, Saturday Jacob was great, Sunday the Dodgers did to us what great teams do; they win those one run ballgames. Wheeler also pitched great on Sunday as well. Our bullpen continues to suck. 

To the casual fan Ron Swoboda will always be remembered for the remarkable catch he made in game four of the 1969 World Series against the Orioles. To me he was more than that as I was growing up as a child. He was my hero, my guy. Win or lose when Swoboda did well I always had a good nights sleep. 

The Arizona Series  

Well we swept The D Backs,  convincingly. We have to keep pushing, pitching, and hitting. We're not there yet. My guess is the Dodgers are not going to lie down. The one problem is the bullpen. Even in mop up games we seem to have a problem throwing strike one and putting guys away.  

Well, they didn't tender Wilmer a contract for 2019 but they did Travis d'Arnaud. Then they DFA'd d'Arnaud. Wilmer loved being a Met and was a guy who could be counted on in a big spot. We all know about his reaction when he thought he was traded in 2015. He had a real heart for the game and this team. Wilmer comes to town tonight with The Diamond Backs with the season on the line. Will this move prove to haunt the Mets? 

The Phillies Series 

The Mets didn't win on Friday night The Phillies lost. In a word this team did not play pennant race baseball this weekend. Our only hope is for a sweep of The D Backs. 

When ownership sees the team as a cash cow, the manager sees the team as a stepping stone, and the GM is using the team to become executive of the year we as fans have a problem. As fans we support this team, and it is part of the fabric of our life. To Fred, Mickey, and Brodie, we don't see things as just a game. When our hearts break so should yours. 

The Nationals Series

 I want a closer and I want one now!

Through the game of baseball we learned as kids that conflict and confrontations are just part of life. We learned how to disagree and we now do it with the right attitude. The bullying epidemic must be eradicated but, the victims must be strengthened and to do that we need to help our kids find a field, a ball of any kind, and maybe a bat and glove, but most of all we have to teach our kids how to play again.

The Phillies Series

The Mets still don't know how to step on the neck of their opponents and sweep a series. The Braves did it a few weeks ago. If we want to win anything we have to get out the broom. 

Just spent 2 days at Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown. My very first visit. It was all I expected it to be and more. I wanted to share my experience in the podcast. On another note not sure if the Mets are done or not. I am guessing a poor performance against the Phillies this weekend will tell the story. 

What is it about Atlanta? They have been our nemesis for 25 years. You have to beat the teams in your own division if you want to win anything. The frustration that mounts with every loss to the Braves can almost be debilitating. The Mets have a way of providing hope, but at times not the goods. Sweeping the Indians gave us hope, then being swept by the Braves discouraged even the most devoted of Met fans. This team is truly amazin in so many ways.

On June 15, 1977 The Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for 4 scrubs. The man that led the team to a World Championship in 1969 never received his due from the Mets and certainly was never paid what he was worth. He came back to Mets in 1983 to the joy of Mets fans and was left unprotected in the 1984 compensatory free agent draft and ended up with the Chicago White Sox. He won his 300th game with the Sox at Yankee Stadium. Lindsay Nelson was brought in to make the final call as Seaver retired the last batter. Seaver always wanted to be a Met, and will always be a Met. This man of baseball royalty should have never have been seen in another uniform. Now the Mets are building a statue in his honor at Citi Field with the address of the ballpark being renamed 41 Seaver Way. As far as I am concerned it's too little too late.  

The Braves have our number. They have built a great ball club, however they're not that good. I mean they never seem to get out of the first round of the playoffs. Why the hell can't we beat them. Go figure; we just lost 2 out of 3 to them AGAIN!

Chris Cannizzaro was a catcher for the Mets from 1962-1965. One of my favorite players, he could never hit but boy could he catch. He never made more than $13,000 a year and his signing bonus was $2200. It was a hard life but his life along with the life of other players from that era paved the way for many of the players today. What a difference, the current league minimum is $600,000. I don't think Cannizzaro made that in his lifetime. 

So who is the unsung hero during this current Met surge. Listen in and find out. 

Kevin Mitchell played a key role in the Mets 1986 World Series win, yet we traded him and he went on to be a power hitter for the Giants. If the Mets are going to be successful for years to come they have to have patience with their young players and give them time to develop. We have lost too many young stars and have gotten back older and less athletic players in return. We have made too many of these win now moves and it doesn't work. 

We are moving toward relevancy for sure but we can't keep bringing in relievers who can't take the pressure and give up late inning homeruns. In reality we should be 10-0 right now in the last 10 games. Friday night was a perfect example as Bashelor coughed it up again. 

Jack Hamilton, "Hair Breath Harry" was one of the characters the Mets had in 1966. A pitcher who would walk the bases loaded then strike 3 batters out. It could be 32 in April and Hamilton would be sleeveless. He walked 88 guys in 140 innings in 1966 and threw 18 wild pitches. Opposing teams were a bit cautious as Hamilton really didn't know where the ball was going. He had the distinction of hitting a grand slam home run in a 11-9 loss to the Cardinals, and in being thrown out at first base from right field by Johnny Callison of the Phillies. With the California Angels he was the pitcher who hit Tony Conigiliaro in the face with a pitch which ultimately ended Tony C's career. Unfortunately Hamilton's career was probably also over because of the beaning. 

How do you win 7 in a row with the same bunch of guys who could just as easily lose 7 in a row. It's all about good and bad stress and focusing on your successes not your failures. We still need to get to .500 to be relevant. Let's keep this streak going and make the next 2 months fun for Mets fans. 

Baron Von Frankenstein thought he was going to create a human being by knitting together the body parts of cadavers. He made the mistake though of using the brain of a psychopathic criminal and created a monster. He had no name and no identity. He was pretty confused The 1962-63 Mets were nothing more than a bunch of players knitted together trying to form a team. They didn't become monsters they became Amazin for doing nothing more than losing. They were confused too. You can't just put people on the field without a purpose or identity. The 69 Mets with the help of Gil Hodges developed an identity and once they had that, well you know the rest of the story. 

Okay we won 4 in a row. Let's get to .500. Stroman is a nice piece but do we really need pitching? Brodie is going to buy to sell. Who will be next. Like I said earlier without an identity a team can lose its way, and get confused. Who is this team and what will they become after the trading deadline. 

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Who made the Mets? The fans did. The Mets drew 1.9 million fans in 1966 when they won just 66 games. The fan base was loyal and loved the team regardless of wins or losses. When the Yankees were on their downward slide after the 64 world series they drew 1.1 million and on any given day had 5,000 people in attendance.  Ask someone when the became a Yankee fans and if it was in the 70's or late 90's they weren't fans they were front runners. The Mets have had a loyal fan base since their inception and they have been rewarded twice. If their fan base was that of the Yankees from 66-76 they would go broke. The Wilpons need to reward this loyalty and do what is right by the fans who have supported them through thick and thin for 57 years. 

If Brodie Van wagenen makes the mistake of trading with the Yankees he will soon find himself in over his head and will be fleeced by Brian Cashman. Cashman has over inflated the abilities of his prospects for years. If you want to trade with us fork over major league talent and stop peddling the garbage that may never pan out. Wake up Brodie, quick. 

Jack Fisher pitched the first game ever played at Shea Stadium. He pitched for the Mets from 1964-67 and was affectionately known as "Fat Jack." He started 133 games for the Mets and won 38 games while losing 73. Not bad for a consistently bad team. He had his place in baseball history and was the pitcher in 3 seminal events during his career. 

The manager lost the Giants series. Poor bench and bullpen management and the continued use of players out of position are becoming far too common and costly. The Mets need to get to .500 to be relevant. With the trade deadline looming only time will tell if they become sellers and throw in the towel.