Last night the Mets played their most solid game of the year. In defeating the Rockies, the Mets displayed an energy we haven't seen in years. Tremendous defense in the outfield with Chavez and Trot Nixon making huge catches and timely hitting by the offense with 2 out RBI hits to key a 5 run rally in the 2nd inning.

The team has a new vibe and energy about them and it's nice to see. Firing Willie Randolph was the right move despite the fact it was handled in the most unprofessional way possible. That being said, the Mets have responded well and Jerry Manuel seems to have a solid grasp on the pulse of this team.

Manuel has made several philosphical changes that I like. First and foremost is demanding maximum effort and respect out of Jose Reyes. Manuel confronting Reyes in the locker room sent the message that Reyes will no longer be treated with kid gloves. Another aspect of Manuel that I like is playing Damion Easley at 2nd base again after his game-winning homerun in against the Angels. Here's the quote from Manuel:

“He hit a game-winning home run, I ain’t going to take him out. You’ve got to perform. This is a business of performing, and if you’re performing and doing the things that we want you to do, it’s important that you be rewarded. I like a little something to push a player. I like that little competition. Fire them up a little a little bit, get him going. It’s all good.”

Can you feel that 'gangsta'?

Manuel seems to be a light-hearted and genuine man. Hopefully that translates to Met wins. An unnamed Met player seems to like Manuel's style based on this quote to John Harper of the Daily News:

One uniformed Met who didn't want to be identified said of Manuel's transition to manager this week: "He's just really good with people. He listens to what you're saying and he's not threatened in any way by it. He just seems to be real natural as a leader."

Well, so far so good. The Mets look to continue winning against the Rockies tonight at 8:05pm ET.

Pedro Martinez 2-0, 5.31  vs. Ubaldo Jimenez 1-8, 4.85

Some quotes from Mets General Manager Omar Minaya from the Mike and the Maddog radio program this evening;

When asked if Ownership influenced his decision Minaya replied....

"I am the decision maker and it was 1000% my decision to fire Willie Randolph."

When questioned about the timing of the firing after the team won 3 of 4 Minaya had this to say...

"I made the decision Monday morning based on the cloud of uncertainty and the Willie watch that was going on this weekend"

He continued...

"The faces of the players from Friday to Sunday made me realize I had to make a change"

Would you have done anything differently?

"I don't see how I couldv'e done it differently"

Asked to explain why Tony Bernazard was sent to Anaheim and was seen speaking to Jerry Manuel and gloating that Randolph would be fired when Bernazard and Willie didn't get along Minaya answered...

"Thats just the perception, my staff takes trips with the team and Anaheim and Colorado was Tony's trips."

Minaya added this interesting comment...

"We invested a lot of time talking with Willie about baseball, myself and Tony, because Willie never managed. We'd spend hours meeting just the three of us and we'd go 'hey Willie what about this, hey what if that happens' Sometimes we disagreed, the only teams I've seen agree on everything were losing teams."

Here are quotes that stood out to me...

"It's standard procedure to fire a manager at the hotel room. I wanted to make sure that Willie heard the news from me and not from a reporter or someone else."

"I made a decision on someone very dear to me." Minaya replied when asked about how he felt about Willie Randolph.

Some quick thoughts...

Minaya stated he made the decision on his own yet he said he told Willie after the game before a reporter or someone else told Willie first. Other than the Wilpon's, who would know that Willie would be fired less than 24 hours of Minaya making the decision alone?

Bill Madden of the Dailynews writes that Jeff Wilpon and Bernazard made the decision to fire Randolph and Minaya was just the messenger. Bernazard was seen by multiple sources gloating and congratulating Jerry Manuel on the field in Anaheim.

It makes no sense for Minaya to fire Willie as soon as he got off the team bus unless he was trying to get Willie before the news got out. Since that is true, then Minaya wasn't the only person who knew and probably wasn't the person who made the decision.

Minaya's comments inadvertently revealed that he knew the news had spead throughout the Mets organization. Pedro Martinez stated that Equipment Manager Charlie Samuels pulled him aside in th hotel lobby and told him Willie was getting fired.

Minaya clearly liked Randolph and even stated that he loved Willie. Very tough to believe that Minaya made this decision.

What's done is done and a new era begins. A Met win will go a long way tonight.

According to espn.com the Mets fired Willie and Rick Peterson at 3am.

I really don't get it.  Will Jerry Manuel give Wagner better command of his fastball?  Will he make Alou, Delgado, and Pedro 10 years younger?  Obviously the Mets are under-performing, but I don't understand how Willie's is to blame - he's dealing with what management gave him. 

I wish I had hours to write about this, but I don't.

Tonight the Mets kicked the crap out of the Marlins, 13-0.  I won't lie, I didn't catch any of this game past the third inning and it's a little too late to watch the replay on MLB.tv, so I'll just do my best...

- Carlos Beltran went 3-4, with 2 runs scored.  He is apparently the only offensive contributor to my fantasy team, so thanks for that Carlos.  Beltran hit one off the top of the wall in the 5th that was initially ruled a home run, but then was overruled to be called a ground rule double.

- David Wright was 3-5 with a 3-run homerun.  Everyone joined in on the fun tonight - every starting position player had a hit and Ryan Church contributed big time by going 3-5 and notching his first homer as a Met.

- Oliver Perez limited the Marlins to 5 hits through 6 innings while striking out 8... almost making me forget that Pedro will be out 4-6 weeks for the hamstring injury.  Almost.

The Phillies have yet to win a game and are in last place... just saying.  Yes, Tim Redding (who??) one-hit the Phillies tonight and outpitched Cole Hamels.  The Nationals are in first place at 3-0, so it might be time to start preparing for the apocalypse.  I know it's the third game of the season, but still.... I just think it's always good to be ready and pick up some canned foods and freeze dried ice cream. 

Tonight the Mets beat the Marlins 7-2 on OPENING DAY.  Did you find yourself wishing the Mets had this run production on September 29th of last year?  Because I sure did.  I swear.. 2007 is like herpes... you might temporarily forget about it, you might try to suppress it, but it always comes back to haunt you.

- Also, did anyone notice that JOHAN SANTANA was wearing a Mets jersey tonight?  It was unreal.  Santana went 7 innings and struck out 8.  Other than the Willingham 2 run HR he seemed untouchable.

- Heilman was back to his old self, shutting down the Marlins in the 9th with two strikeouts. 

- My God.  Could the polos in the announcers' booth be any worse?  I was watching the game with friends and was embarrassed by what SNY was making Gary, Keith, and Ron wear.  Come on.  Let them put on a suit.

- David Wright was 2-4 with 3 RBI.  Carlos Beltran, aka, man of terrible haircut but great away from Shea numbers, was 2-5.  Jose Reyes who was SAFE despite being called out stealing in the 6th inning, was 2-4. 

Thank god baseball is back.  Tomorrow I will let you all know what I was doing this off season.  It won't be pretty, but then again, neither is Dolphin Stadium. 

ESPN is reporting that the Mets have traded Lastings Milledge for Nationals' OF Ryan Church and C Brian Schneider.

I am absolutely baffled by this move.  It really makes no sense to me AT ALL.  Hopefully this is part of some genius plan by Omar, but if not.... well....

I don't even know what to say.  And let's not forget about the Milledge People!   What's going to happen to the Milledge People?  Do they turn into the Church Boys?  This is horrible.

(But Lastings, call me when you get to DC!)

Should the Mets trade Jose Reyes?

Geoff over at MetsGeek thinks so.  Check it out.  Discuss.

It's not as though the outfield is the Mets greatest priority this offseason, but rumors about 2006 Japanese Central League MVP Kosuke Fukudome have already begun.

Heck, it's been over a year since we've had our last disastrous Japanese import...

Anywho, if you're curious here's some video of "Dome" in action.

Finally some good news.  Tom Glavine has declined his $13 million dollar option for 2008, instead cashing in on a $3 million buyout.

That's $10 million we can spend on someone else who might actually be "devastated" if they pitched the worst game of their life in the most important game of the season.

Thanks for the memories.  Now go back to Atlanta.

I always thought the t-shirts from the brilliant (but kind of sick) guys over at T-Shirt Hell were funny...  That is, until they pointed they're collective biting wits at we Mets fans.



Ouch, that hurts.  

Don't spend your entire allowance on these Yankee fans.  From the looks of things you'll soon be joining us in t-shirt hell. 

Manager -- Willie Randolph

Look, I really like Willie.  I think he's the right energy for New York and his gazillion championship rings should be enough to earn any player's respect.   That being said, I think I have the same criticisms many others have of Willie's performance.   I would have liked to have seen a lot more bunting, hitting and running, etc. and better strategic use of the bullpen.  You have to admit that some of his moves were head scratchers.  As for the "lack of emotion" thing, I don't put too much stock into it.  Jumping up and down is probably the best way to quickly lose credibility and respect in the clubhouse.  That being said, I wish there was more appreciable and overt action taken during the final slide of the season. 

Grade:  B-

Pitching Coach -- Rick Peterson

I'm almost ready to stop drinking the Rick Peterson Kool-Aid.   The Mets team E.R.A went up every single month from April to September, and while Oliver Perez winning 15 games is a huge turnaround--Peterson's inability to put the "arm-angle" issue to bed has been source of extreme frustration for me.   Of course, Peterson can only work with the talent at his disposal and Mets' pitching talent wasn't going to blow anyone's doors off no matter who the pitching coach was.   It's just that I'm growing tired of hearing about what a guru this guy is without ever getting the big-time payoff.   And If I'm getting tired of this song and dance I can only imagine how the pitching staff feels.

Grade:  C-

Hitting Coach -- Howard Johnson

After Rick Down was fired and Hojo came aboard there were only two offensive changes that made an impression with me:  1) David Wright getting his stroke back; and 2) Jose Reyes losing his.   From everything I'm hearing, Reyes' problems may have had a lot more to do with non-baseball issues than anything else--so I'm ready to discount how this plays into Hojo's performance.   As for David, the results are hard to argue with.  As for Hojo's vs. Rick Down's work with the rest of the team---it basically seemed like a wash for me.

Grade: B

First Base -- Carlos Delgado

Carlos didn't perform this year at all and had the worst single season numbers of his career.   It seemed as though he was overmatched at every turn, and just about every big hit was a "close your eyes, swing hard and pray" stroke of luck.    It also seemed as though some of the fire in his belly had dissipated from 2006 to 2007.   And hey--where was that diary of his?  I think I saw him writing in it three times this year.   Was he hurt?   Is he over-the-hill?  Was the new baby part of the problem?  I don't know, but the bottom line is that Carlos was nothing short of Mr. Rallykiller in 2007.  

Grade: D

Second Base -- Luis Castillo

With the exception of a creaky knee, there was a lot to like about Luis.   A great situational hitter, bunter, contact swinger, base-stealer, etc., etc., etc.   Not to mention the fact that despite the knee he remains one of the most solid second basemen in the league.    In retrospect, my biggest issue with Luis revolves around rumors that he was a bad influence on Reyes--running around Long Island every night getting blitzed.   That being said, a rumor is a rumor.   Can't take points away for that.

Grade: B+

Second Base -- Ruben Gotay

Offensively, Ruben Gotay was a revelation from the left side of the plate.    His swing was sweet and he always seemed to hit the ball HARD--something that I always tend to look for in up and coming players (although it never really amounted to anything with Jay Payton).  Then again, from the right side....well, not so much.    Also, towards the end of the season it seemed like he was striking out left and right in big situations.   As for the defense---yikes.   My grandmother has a better double play pivot.    The bottom line is that Gotay has talent but needs a lot of work.  If the Mets re-sign Castillo there just isn't going to be such an opportunity for him to grow/blossom.

Grade: B

Shortstop -- Jose Reyes

If this was a midseason report card his grade would be A+.  What a difference a second half makes.   Jose Reyes' season ranks with some of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory for me.   I'm sorry, but for me it ranks right up there with Bernard Gilkey's 1997 collapse.   After 2006, 2007 was poised to be Reyes' breakout year and it just didn't happen.   It was almost as if Jimmy Rollins and Hanley Ramirez stole his karma.   Also gone in the second half seemed be that ever-present smile and love for the game.   What happened?  Lots of rumors out there may explain things, but it may all boil down to a case of him reading his own press and falling in love with the stolen base over the rest of his tools.   78 steals is great--but not when it equates to only 88 wins.

Grade:  C-

Third Base -- David Wright

What's not to like?  Okay, maybe the defense.  21 errors--many of which came on routine throws to first--is a bit hard to swallow from a player who has the ability to do better.  But, needless to say, this is a sin easily forgiven.   Just please--PLEASE--never compete in a home run contest ever again.

Grade:  A

Right Field -- Moises Alou

Hey, I can't take points away for getting hurt and I never got the sense that Alou was dragging his heels on the DL.  This is a man that wants to play.  And when he did play he raked--.341, 13, 49 and a Met record 30 game hitting streak in just 87 games.  Project that over 140 games, and, well....don't make me do the math--but it would be real good.   As for his defense, Alou was adequate and gave us the best he had. 

Grade: A-

Center Field -- Carlos Beltran

A second consecutive solid year for Beltran.   Stellar defense and .276 33 112 at the plate.   What's weird is that if I didn't know these stats I would never have guessed his numbers looked so good.  It's almost like Carlos puts up big numbers in little spots (or, to no fault of his own, in games we ended up losing).   Also, I think 2007 marked the official death knell of Carlos Beltran being a stolen base threat.   When he was signed in 2005 this was supposed to be a big part of his game, but it's never really materialized in New York.   And then there's the matter of his seemingly constant leg injuries.   All in all a solid, but somehow unspectacular year.

Grade: B+

Right Field -- Shawn Green

Admit it.  There was some small part of you that secretly hoped Green would magically regain a modicum of his former prowess and hit at least 20 homers this year.   But, alas, those days are long gone (and they've been gone since undergoing major shoulder surgery years back when he was still a Dodger).  For the most part, Green did the best that could be expected of him and seemed to adjust to being a line drive singles and doubles hitter as the year went on.    Going forward, Green would make an excellent spot/role player, but not much more.

Grade: B

Right Field -- Lastings Milledge

Putting behavioral issues and immaturity aside, I am now officially a Lastings Milledge proponent/believer.   The kid's got talent and he just needs a chance.   There probably isn't a player on the team that hits the ball harder than him, and he has an innately intimidating presence at the plate (something the Mets sorely lack).  Of course, there is the matter of that pesky curveball, but this is something that will come with time. His defense, while still shaky, seemed to improve from a downright scary performance in 2006.   Unless he's included in a trade for Johan Santana or someone similar, he MUST be given a lot of rope in 2008.

Grade: B+

Catching -- Paul Lo Duca

I've said in the past that it's hard for me to picture Paul Lo Duca in anything but a Mets uniform.  I know it's only been a couple of years, but when I think of the Mets I think of Paul right up there with David and Jose.  And, needless to say, he's New York through and through (even though he was raised in Arizona).   All that being said,  it's kind of sad that Ramon Castro almost topped him statistically while playing in only 52 games.   As for behind the plate, his already diminished skills seemed to slip even further.  Paul, I love ya, but I think 2007 has to be your last in Queens--unless you're willing to be a backup--which you aren't.   Just please don't sign with the Yankees. 

Grade: C+

Catching -- Ramon Castro

We're talking some serious numbers for 52 games:   .285 11 31.    I know it would be a near miracle for him to play in 140 games, but if he did those numbers project to about 25 homers and over 80 RBIs.   With his creaky arthritic back I don't think we could ever count on him to be a starter, but his 2007 season should slot him in nicely for a big 2008 free-agent payoff in a weak catching market.

Grade: A-

Pitcher -- Tom Glavine

How can one grade Tom Glavine without taking the last game of the season into account? You almost want to fail him for that performance alone--and if you weren't prepared to flunk him for that--how about flunking him just for saying that he "wasn't devastated" by the loss.  I mean, wow. C'mon Tommy.  As for the season itselff, he slotted in nicely for what would be expected of a #4 starter on a championship team.  Unfortunately, Glavine was the go to guy all too often.  While there were still moments where Glavine could confuse and frustrate young and/or impatient hitters, good hitters hit him hard and often.   The bottom line is that without the extra two inches off the plate he used to get in the 1990's he's just not a top of the rotation starter anymore.  Crafty?  Yes.  Smart?  Yes.  Someone to be counted on?  No. 

I'm now preparing a bottle of Jack Daniels just in case he invokes his $13 million option for 2008.

Grade: C

Pitcher -- John Maine:

Well at least now we have an explanation for where his season went after the All-Star break (bad hip).   Basically, at 15-10 with a sub 4 E.R.A. you have to happy with what he gave you.  Also, with the exception of Oliver Perez, he was the only pitcher on the staff that showed flashes of dominance.  His last performance of the season was nearly the first no-hitter in Mets history and you have to be excited about things to come.   I also really like his demeanor.  Not too high, not too low.   Still needs to work on flying off the rails in tough spots. 

Grade: A-

Pitcher -- Oliver Perez

Okay...deep breath... I really have to force myself not to allow Perez's final outing of the year to unfairly influence my evaluation his entire 2007 body of work.   At the end of the day we all have to remember that in just one year he went from 3-13 and an E.R.A. over 6 to 15-10 3.56.   That's pretty impressive no matter how you look at it. And while Willie and Rick can talk about arm-slots until they're blue in the face, we all know that Perez's problems begin and end in the area directly above his shoulders.  If this guy could just get his head straight and focus he'd be a potential Cy Young candidate. 

Grade: B+

Pitcher -- Orlando Hernandez

How old is he?  36, 41, 52?  I don't know and I really don't care.   When healthy, El Duque can toy with hitters like my cat messing with a three-legged mouse.   As has always been the case it all comes down to staying off the DL.  When he was healthy and available in 2007, Hernandez was our best and most reliable pitcher.

Grade: A-

Pitcher -- Pedro Martinez

All I can really grade him on is coming back from rotator cuff surgery in record time and making a legitimate late-season contribution.    Pedro is still Pedro, and hopefully he'll come back even stronger in 2008.

Grade:  A

Pitcher -- Mike Pelfrey

Despite a 3-8, 5.57 mark for 2007, there's no question that this kid has great stuff.  It's just a question of when and if he'll be able to harness it.   In a single game against the Braves this summer we saw a glimpse of everything Mike Pelfrey can be.  Will we see similar performances in the future?  The operative word with Pelfrey is patience.  I know this is New York, but Pelfrey must be given even more room to pitch and fail if he is ever going to blossom. 

Grade: C+

Bullpen:

Aaron Sele:  Often made me wonder if Desi Relaford was available to pitch in long relief.   Grade: D+
Guillermo Mota:  How can he still throw 96+ and yet still be so bad?   Grade: D-
Scott Schoeneweis:   Came on late, but was brutal early.  Apparently pitched with a bum knee all year.  Grade: C-
Jorge Sosa:  Showed some early flashes but eventually also showed us why he's been on three teams in two years.   Grade: C
Joe Smith:  Made me forget about Chad Bradford...until June.  Started out as a potential Rookie of the Year candidate and ended up falling off a cliff.   Dead arm?  Maybe.  Grade: B
Duaner Sanchez:  I know he didn't pitch, but I'm still pissed that he couldn't eat a bag of Fritos and call it a night like a normal person.  Damn you Duaner.   Grade: F
Pedro Feliciano:  Our most reliable guy out of the pen--which isn't necessarily flattering amongst this company.   Definitely had a solid year but went south late like everyone else.  Grade: B+
Billy Wagner:  His 2007 numbers look fine on paper, but the results didn't show on the field.   Made the concept of a 1-2-3 inning seem like science fiction.  A little too Armando Benitez-like for comfort.  Grade:  B-

Overall Cumulative Team Grade:  C-

Looking back at 2007 I have to say that this was a remarkably frustrating year from start to finish.   Literally speaking, I think the only time I was ever really confident and pumped about this team was coming out of St. Louis 3-0 and April.   Man, does that seem like a million years ago.   Sure, April and May showed some promise, but we were all panicking about David Wright--which threw a lot of cold water on whatever enthusiasm we might have had at that point.   For the rest of the year the Mets were essentially a .500 team and sustained absolutely zero sustained momentum.   Win one, lose one.  Win three, lose two.  Lose four, win three.  It just wasn't fun.  The trading deadline brought little excitement for the second consecutive year, although the addition of Luis Castillo did ultimately prove fruitful.  Then came the homestretch---which I'm certain you don't need me to remind you about.   Any season that has the word "collapse" associated with it can not be considered a good one. 

For those of us that think the baseball season should just fast forward to the winter meetings, Tim Condo's blog MLB Trade Rumors explains how both Scott Linebrink and Francisco Cordero will be free agents looking for greener pastures this off season.

I honestly could see either one landing with the Mets this winter.  Although with Cordero's asking price of 4 years $40 Million, I'd bet its not him.  Linebrink's $15 million for 3 years seems like exactly what we'd be looking for in a setup man.

I'd highly recommend putting Condo's blog into your early morning reading.  He puts together one of the most in depth blogs concerning the dealings of every team in baseball.  Including Tom Glavine (who is in the process of decling his player option) potentially signing with the Nationals.

The Nationals?  Talk about out of left field.

Yes, I know I couldn't have been more wrong about Tommy in my last post.  I love the guy and couldn't be more upset that we'll have that last game as his farewell.  Such a shame considering how excited we all were when he was on fire, but that's baseball.  Glavine's a great guy and it'll be a real shame to see him leave.

Over at Newsday, David Lennon talks about the Mets 2008 coaching situation. Among the highlights:

-Willie still considers Rick Peterson his guy for 2008
-Sandy Alomar could be a goner
-Uncertain futures for Hojo and Ricky Henderson
-Guy Conti on solid footing thanks to his relationship with Pedro Martinez
-Rudy Jaramillio to the Mets as hitting coach rumors set to begin again...

Just flipped on TBS and noticed that Ron Darling has joined the broadcast team.  Hey, at this point you have take your Mets dose where you can get it.   And, hell...aren't you rooting for Cliffy now that we're out of it?

And while I have your attention....

Colorado 1 game up on Philly already--the Phils losing today with Cole Hamels on the mound.

A number of updates from John Delcos over on his blog:

Injuries:

-Carlos Beltran had arthroscopic surgery on both knees.
What?!?!  Holy schneikees! 
-Jason Vargas had a bone spur removed from his left elbow.
Makes me a fill a little bit better about his 2007 performance.
-MRI on John Maine’s left hip is negative.
Thank god for small miracles.

Omar Minaya on the Free Agent Market--Omar told Delcos that he Mets must resist the urge to knee-jerk shop after this year’s collapse. Some teams answer dramatic falls with outlandish spending.

I don't like the sound of this.  After 2007, I'm all for outlandish spending.

Christine Glavine on Tom Glavine's option:  "“We’re just trying to digest what happened. We’re deciding what to do as a family, but no decisions have been made.’’

Please, decline the option.  It's time to go back to Atlanta.  Thanks for the memories.

Scott Schoeneweis: 
As of right now the Mets aren’t seeking to escape the final two years of Scott Schoeneweis’ contract.

I really can't give this any thought right now.   All I can say is that if he does go at least I won't have to worry about spelling his name correctly anymore--which, believe you me, is a pain in the ass.

I was all for Willie Randolph returning, but now that he's shaved off his mustache... I'm sorry, he's just a little too creepy looking.  I propose his return must be conditional upon growing the stache back.  

If you haven't seen him stacheless yet, check out the below video:

Can someone please explain this picture to me?



It's bad enough that he's smiling, but the Jeter jersey????

Omar Minaya announced at a news conference today that Willie Randolph would return for the 2008 season.

"After thinking about this, I have decided that Willie should continue to manage our club," Minaya told reporters, according to Newsday. "As the GM, it was my decision to make."

Randolph thanked Minaya for the vote of confidence and reflected on the Mets' collapse.

"It's been a tough couple days for me," Randolph said, according to Newsday. "The way the season ended was unacceptable, and as manager of the ballclub, I take full responsibility for not getting it done."

This was the right decision.  Willie is a good manager and the perfect fit for New York.  As we've heard ad nauseum for the last few days, the manager can't go out on the field and play ball.   Yes, a manager needs to keep his team focused and prepared, but, ultimately, it's the players talent and will to win that will carry the day.

Of equal significance, a new manager wouldn't have been in a position to take ownership of what happened in 2007, and, consequently, could never use it as motivating factor for 2008 in the same way Willie will be able to.  

I know some of these options may not be the most realistic--but which staff would you most like to see running the Mets in 2008?

Note:  All indications are that Willie will be back, with an announcement confirming as much as early as this afternoon.  We'd still like to see what you guys are thinking...

The Mets cleaning out their lockers...

ESPN is reporting that Scott Schoeneweis received six steroid shipments from Signature Pharmacy while playing for the Chicago White Sox in 2003 and 2004.

What makes this article even more difficult and disheartening to read is how it details Schoeneweis' struggle to beat testicular cancer.  I had either totally forgotten about this or blocked it out entirely.   After going through all that and now this what he's going to be associated with forever?

What a bummer. 

Is 2007 over yet?

In the comments section of his blog, John Delcos provides a brief update of the Mets post-season injury situation.   Delcos writes:

Good news on Delgado.   El Duque's foot was bad enough to require surgery?  Something was wrong with Maine's hip? 

This just goes to show you that despite 12 newspapers, 434 blogs and a gazillion other forms of media to troll for information, we don't ever really know everything that's going on in the clubhouse.   Downplaying and/or hiding injuries is nothing new, but sometimes it good to remind ourselves that there's more at play than meets the eye when players (or a team) start to go south.   

And I'm sure there's a lot more than just Maine's hip that we didn't know about.  Something with Jose Reyes perhaps?  Were Carlos Delgado's wrist and elbow ever really healed this year?  What else?

You know, I really worried that 2007 was doomed the moment the Mets came up with their "Your Season Has Come" slogan.  It was almost as if they were inviting the year to come to a stunningly painful and ironic end. 

I'm thinking perhaps they should be a little more careful coming up with a slogan for 2008.  Below is a poll for some options I came up with--some serious, some not.  Let us know what you think.  If you've got an idea of your own, please post it in the comments.

Is there a more painful image than this one?  There are so many different things that sting about 2007, but Jimmy Rollins being proved right that the Phillies were the team to beat hurts the most. 

This is an image that all of us should remember going into next year--especially the boys in orange and blue. In fact, they should wallpaper the home clubhouse at Shea with it.