Hell and Damnation

HOUSE CLEANING

Bye Bye

1. Glavine (times up)
2. El Duque (2 consecutive seasons unavailable as a starter for precisely the time of year he was obtained for. times up)
3. Castillo (those knees are just too beaten to last another full season, not worth another contract)
4. Lo Duca (passion only goes so far)
5. Guillermo Mota (no need to explain)
6. Shawn Green (one of the best hitters towards the end of the season but a defensive liability and simply not worth an extension)
7. Schoeneweiss (don't let the door hit you on the way out)
8. Aaron Sele (ditto)
9. Willie (Joe Girardi)
10. Rickey (fired from a cannon)
11. Billy Wagner - (let's face it, he'll never win the big one, historically not as bad as Armandogeddon but he is an Armandogeddon waiting to happen - are you comfortable with him closing Game 7 if we were ever to get there?)


Stay

1 Wright (the backbone)
2 Reyes (needs his head straightened)
3. Beltran (can't argue with his numbers but the passion?)
4. Endy Chavez (hopefully injury-free)
5. Maine (number two behind Pedro - once he's ready for a full season and overcoming those mental lapses)
6. Heilman (give him a chance to start in the Spring and if he can't do it, get rid of him)
7. Oliver Perez (same as Maine - needs to learn to pitch 7 strong innings twice in a row)
8. Jorge Sosa (versatility a plus)
9. Ruben Gotay (shouldn't have lost his spot to Castillo)
10.Ramon Castro (good backup but don't make him the starter)
11.Mike Pelfrey (another year to prove himself but that's it)
12.Pedro Feliciano
13.Joe Smith
14.Pedro (ride him hard his last year or two...)
15.Phillip Humber (same as Pelfrey only a little more time...)
16. Moises Alou (worth half a season's salary)
17. Lastings (with the right manager to control him if there is such a manager)
18. Rick Peterson (you don't go from a genius to an idiot that fast - I'd give him another year to prove himself...)

*****

I didn't keep the in-game blog for very long as you can tell from below. I won't belabour the aburdity of Sunday's first inning but I will leave my opening thoughts there, like the piece of a monument remaining from an explosion.

*****

Pregame Thoughts...probably the worst pitcher the Mets would have to face today - D Train is 5-0 with a 2.70 ERA at Shea.

Imagine back to when the Mets signed Glavine back in 2002 and whether or not you'd have imagined four years later, at 41, Glavine is starting Game 162 of the season, season on the line.

*****

Marlins First - No opening pitch beanball to Hanley Ramirez for being quoted as saying Fuck the Mets after yesterday's game. Of course, it isn't football - there won't be any forearm shiver paybacks but this will definately be an emotional game for both sides. The Marlins claim to be on a mission. The Mets, merely trying to preserve their season.

Shit - Uggla is the first to score after Cabrera's RBI single. Glavine and the Mets in an early 1-0 hole. Falling behind early is not the formula for winning this game and Glavine appears to have early trouble locating with the change up.

Nats and Phillies are preparing to start in 15 minutes.

And here comes more trouble, two runs score, one big disaster after another and the Marlins jump to a 4-0 lead.

Is this for real? Double, two runs batted in, Glavine throwing the ball away to allow another run on the heels of Castro having already dropped a ball....What the hell. Quick way to deflate this game.