Here we go. Only 6 days left and the Mets and Red Sox are fighting for division titles. Here are my thoughts on both teams.
METS: Unlike the SOX, the Mets are not guaranteed a playoff spot even if they blow the division. Thus, it is much more important to hold on. The Mets have their final 6 at home, facing the Nationals twice more, a make up game against the Cards, and the Marlins for 3. The Mets should and better win at least 4 out of those 6. The Mets are holding on to a 2 game lead over Philadelphia, who also has 6 left at home. They face the Braves (who are still alive in the wild card race) for 3 and then host the Nats to end the season. Phils are fast charging and are tied for the lead in the wild card with the Padres. The Rockies are only 1 back and the Braves are still alive, just 3 back. If the Phils win the wild card, the Mets are in trouble because they may have to face Philadelphia come the NLCS. Phillies have won 8 straight against them. The Mets would thus most likely face the Cubs in the NLDS, who haven't won a title in 99 years. If the Padres win the wild card, the Mets will probably face them. Mets better get their pitching together or they'll be 3 and out, no matter who they play.
RED SOX: The Sox clinched a playoff birth the other night against TB. However, they're once huge division lead is very much on the line. The Sox have a 2 game lead over the Yanks with 6 left. Sox are home for all 6, facing Oakland for 2 and Minnesota for 4. Sox should be able to go 4-2, which would be enough unless the Yanks go 6-0, which isn't impossible. Yanks face Tampa Bay and Baltimore to end their season. Those games will be extremely difficult I'm sure. Yanks magic number to clinch a wild card spot is 1, so they will wrap that up soon, becoming the 4th and final team into the AL Playoffs. But, it is still huge for the Sox to hold on. It will be extremely embarrasing to blow this lead. Manny and YOOUK took batting practice so hopefully they'll be back ASAP. I dont want to just throw Manny in there come playoffs. He should definitely get 10-15 ABs in. He'd have to play 3-4 games to reach that most likely. It is still important for the Sox to fight for homefield at least in the 1st round. To guarantee that, they must finish with at least the 2nd best record in the AL. All 3 teams, the Indians, the Angels, and the Sox have 92 wins. But they all have different number of losses thus far. The Indians lead the race so far with only 63 losses. The Sox are 2nd with 64, and the Angels are last with 65. Thus, this race will come down to the wire. Hopefully, the Sox can pull off homefield for the playoffs, but since I assume the Yanks will make the 2nd round, the Sox would already be guaranteed homefield for that series. Thus, they'd still be home throughout the AL playoffs. Should be a fun (and stressful finish)!
I hope Sox and Mets can both clinch quickly and have a nice celebration in front of their home fans.
The Tom Petty classic "Free Fallin," has become extremely popular with me lately. Why? Because my beloved Mets and Red Sox are doing just that. A few weeks ago it seemed like the Mets and Sox would clinch early, roll into the playoffs, and give you hope for a title run. Now, I am on the verge of near PANIC with both teams.
METS: The Mets magic number entering Friday was 11. The Mets magic number today is 11. In other words, THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY PROGRESS!!! They cannot beat the Phillies at all. The Phils find every way to win. 8 straight the Phils have won against the Mets. 8!!!!!!! The Mets just got swept at home! Then the Mets go and blow a 4-0 lead to the NATIONALS and the Phils nearly blow an 11 run lead and still win. Now they're all of the sudden just 2.5 GB!!!! If the Mets, blow this which is a possibility, there's may be NO PLAYOFFS! How would that feel? The Mets have fallen apart. Their pitching has been atrocious, especially their bullpen. When the Mets do score runs, it's not enough. The Mets better turn it around QUICKLY. This was suppossed to be an easy run to a pennant. Now, the Mets easiest potential 1st round opponent is a feel-good story, a potentially loose Chicago Cub team. The Fire Willie websites are up and going and fans are in a major panic! We must all hope that they can win these next 2 against WAS and get their heads back in it.
RED SOX: Why Why Why can't the Sox beat the Yanks anymore! They've lost 4 straight series to them after winning 5 out of the first 6. They lost their last 2 series at home and have played very poorly. Excluding the cy-young performance on Saturday by Josh Beckett, the Sox should be extremely disappointed with the previous weekend performance. Friday they flat out BLEW IT! A 5-run lead down the drain! Unbelievable! Sunday, Big Papi against Rivera. Could anything be better than that? I really felt he'd come through and it didn't happen. There are forces out there that are impossible to explain, but the Yanks never seem to lose anymore! If the Sox even get to the ALCS, even if they're home for 4 games it'll be extremely tough to beat the Yanks. I can't believe this has happened! The Yanks were awful in May and June. They were dead! 14.5 back...now 3.5. They still have a shot at the division! Even if they don't win the division, they're the hottest team heading into October! My worst nightmares are coming true! Sox somehow still have best record in baseball and are fighting for homefield but in 2 weeks they could be the wild-card team. PANIC!!!! They cannot blow this lead! Bottomline, unlike the Mets they are pretty much a lock...(and emphasize pretty much)... to make the playoffs. They're magic number to clinch the playoffs is only 5, while the division is 9. Hopefully they clinch ASAP.
I thought I'd only be worried about the playoffs. Now I'm terrified of the playoffs and even worried if they're both going to get there. And blowing the division for both would be disastrous. Come on Mets and Sox get it together NOW! Or else, this could be a very long 6 weeks.
At ESPN.COM, the Red Sox have taken over the #1 spot in the MLB Power Rankings. The Mets also moved up 2 spots to #4. The Yanks round off the top 5, remaining in the 5th spot.
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Finally, as they should be the Sox are back in the #1 spot. Cleveland is in the #2 spot. They have played so well of late, that it may end up that the Yanks will play Cleveland instead. Personally I definately rather face the Indians first round and have the Yanks play LAA, who they always lose to. But Clevelands making a push for 2nd best record, meaning Sox would have to face LAA. I really hope Angels hold em off for 2nd best record.
Mets deserve to be considered the best NL team. They are and hopefully this time around they'll actually win the pennant.
Jose Reyes is regarded by many as the most exciting player in the game. Reyes's most exciting attribute-his ability to run. Reyes currently leads baseball with 75 SB and he's on pace to finish with 85.
In an article for ESPN.COM, Enrique Rojas writes that Reyes will eventually follow Coach Rickey Henderson's footsteps and steal 100 SB in a season.
It's an interesting and exciting possibility. I rather see Reyes hit 20 HR get more doubles, triples, and walks and continue to raise his OBP more than see his SB rise. But if his OBP continues to increase, so should his SB. I do believe he can steal 100 in the future. It should be very exciting to watch him in the future and I hope he can get to at least 80 SB this year.
OTHER INFO:
Glavine has said he's leaning towards coming back in 2008. He's enjoying his time very much in NY. This is good to see that Glavine is still enjoying his time here, despite already getting to the 300 mark. If he produces again in the postseason, then I wouldn't be opposed to bringing back the future hall-of-famer next year.
Mets and Sox magic numbers are both 14. Who will clinch first? I think it'll be the Mets...Sox gotta get their act together and wake up before October, after losing 1-0 to the d-rays last night.
After about a month of voting, a winner of the greatest Met HR has been determined. Mike Piazza's September 21, 2001 HR to help give the Mets a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves in the first home game since 9/11 is your Mets Greatest HR of All-Time, receiving 32% of all your votes.
Here are all the other nominees in order of finish:
2. Robin Ventura Grand Slam Single 1999 NLCS (20%)
3. Todd Pratt Walk Off HR 1999 NLDS (15%)
4. Lenny Dykstra Lead Off HR 1986 World Series (12 %)
T-5. Ray Knight HR Game 7 1986 World Series (10%)
T-5. Benny Agbayani HR 1999 NLDS (10%)
Thanks a lot to all of you who voted. In my opinion, I would've went with Todd Pratt's shot, because it was the only HR that actually ended a series in Mets history. However, I will never forget Piazza's HR. It was an unbelievable night and Piazza's shot brought everyone to their feet. It made me feel like the Mets actually had a shot in the NL East and it was so great to see the fans so happy in NY.
I have put back up my original poll, The Most Hated Yankee Poll. I originally had this on the original non-metsblog version of MetsSox. So far, Roger Clemens is the most hated Yankee, receiving 51% of all votes. Please feel free to vote again.
In the latest ESPN Power Ratings, the Angels remain on top for the 2nd straight week. The Indians move ahead of the Sox into the #2 spot. The AL Wild Card leading Yanks remain at #5. The Mets come in at #6, the 2nd best team in the NL, behind the padres.
For the complete Power Rankings through September 6, click HERE
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These ratings are awful and make no sense. First of all, the Red Sox should still be #1. Sure, I'm bias, but I'm sorry can anyone remind me who still has the best record in all of baseball. O, yea its the Sawx. The Angels are 1.5 games behind the Sox best record. The Angels dont bother me as much as the Indians do. I don't care how hot they are...they are far from better than the Sox. Are you kidding me ESPN? The Indians have been mediocre for months and are finally on a winning streak. These 2 will probably meet in the first round and the Sox will beat the crap out of them. Can't wait for that.
The Mets are the best team in the National League Period. When will everyone understand that? After getting swept by the Phils, they came back and won 5 straight. The Padres are in a race to the finish with the D-Backs, and the Mets are cruising to a 2nd straight NL East title. Bad rankings ESPN...very very bad.
Over the last few weeks, it has been clear that Mets 3B David Wright is making a serious case for NL MVP. After his disastrous April, Wright has been one of the best players in baseball and is on pace to have a 30/30 season.
In an article for ESPN.COM, Jayson Stark announced his leading candidates for AL and NL MVP. Wright is among the NL favorites, along with a few Phillies. Although it's been a somewhat disappointing season, David Ortiz is a candidate for AL MVP.
I don't know if Wright has enough to win NL MVP, but he gets my vote. Even through the tough series this year, such as the Philadelphia one, Wright has been excellent. The home runs are coming and so are plenty of RBI. His speed makes him a full threat in the middle of an inconsistent Mets lineup. He's been the most consistent hitter in that lineup, especially after his tough April. I don't really think Ortiz is a serious candidate for AL MVP, but it's nice to see him up there. If anyone deserves MVP on the Sox, it may be 3B Mike Lowell, who has had a surprisingly excellent season. Here's a look @ Lowell's and Ortiz's numbers:
The big thing that makes Ortiz MVP over Lowell is his OBP, which is extremely high. However, Lowell has more RBI then Ortiz and has a higher AVG. Please keep Lowell next year Red Sox!
As all of you know, Boston Red Sox rookie SP Clay Buchholz through a no-hitter yesterday against the Baltimore Orioles in just his 2nd major league start. Watching it, I was absolutely amazed and was thrilled. Coming into the game, the Sox needed a big start from a guy who 2 days ago wasn't supposed to start. Wakefield's injury helped lead to one of the most magical moments in Red Sox history. Coming off 4 straight losses, Clay took the mound knowing that the Yanks had already won and it was about time the Sox snapped a tough losing streak. Then, he went out and pitched brilliantly. With some help from a great defense, mainly Pedroia's great play, Clay made history. It was great to watch and I was thrilled for the young kid. With an excellent changeup, a solid fastball, and a devistating 12-6 curveball, Clay is set for an excellent big league career and I can't wait to watch him join Beckett and Dice-K next year. The Sox went on to win today 3-2 and won 2 out of 3 from the Orioles. They had a nice bounceback series after the devistating sweep at the hands of the Yanks. They are now a comfortable 6 games up, after the Yanks lost 2 out of 3 to the Devil Rays...HAH.
For more videos on everything Buchholz No-No, visit Sox and Dawgs
The Mets were coming off their worst series of 2007 in which they were destroyed by the Phillies in a four game sweep. Their 6 game lead fell to 2 and many idiots predicted the Mets would be in 2nd place when they left Atlanta. These idiots forgot that the Mets are still the most talented NL team. Then the Mets stepped up in the biggest way. After losing the first 4 series against ATL, they basically eliminated them from NL East contention by sweeping them on the road. They are 7-8 against ATL this year...not bad for losing 4/5 series. As Pedro gets set to return tomorrow, the Mets have a 4 game lead over the Phils. It was great to see the Mets get these huge victories. They showed they're here to win it all.
Hello All. I recently returned back from my trip to Philadelphia, which included me going to Tuesday's Phillies-Mets game.
First of all, if you haven't been to Citizens Bank Ball Park, then you are missing out on a great experience. The stadium is beautiful and 1000 times better than Shea. First of all, you can enter the stadium at 4:35 PM before any ball game at 7 ET. You can walk around the amazing ballpark and eat in some great restaurants before the game. Then, batting practice happens in which you can watch it from pretty much anywhere. I arrived at the park at about 5:15 and the Mets were out shortly after. Many Mets were hanging around in Left Field, as their teammates hit. Mota, Heilman, Wright, Anderson, Feliciano, Sosa, Alou, and Wagner were among the many there. The only one who said hello to me when called, happened to be Rubin Gotay. He was very kind, as he was the only one to actually throw balls into the stands when asked to. Beltran and Delgado put on a show in batting practice and Billy Wagner did a really good job playing the outfield...I'm not kidding. Maybe that's what is making him so tired. He was chasing balls down like crazy. Meanwhile, the only other one who looked into the stands was Mota, who just stared aimlessly. I was tempted to ask him where his "juice" was, but I decided not to. But it is definetely awesome how great the view is before and during the game. During the game, anyone can view the bullpen, which is especially good for visiting fans, cause their team is on top. As for the game itself, there are no bad seats. At the game I went to, I'd say there were about 20-25% Met fans, but the place was clearly dominated by a sea of red. The game was pretty uneventful for the most part. Delgado's 2 run HR was all the offense for the first 7 innings. Then, the game collapsed in front of my eyes. Horrible, horrible last few innings. That damn ball just had to stay fair. Luckily for myself, I left after the top of the 9th, mainly because I was with my family and I could not stand the people sitting in front of me. Out of no where came 2 met fan girls to take the seats in front of me and my family. Before you knew it, out came belligerent cheers and jeers from the two morons, who made New York fans look like...well like Philly fans. As the Phils made their comeback, the ladies joined in the "Lets Go Phillies" chants with "F*** the Phillies," as loud as someone can possibly be. And when the Phillies fans were angered at a call, they shouted "HAAAAAAA HAAAA," in an annoying, extremely arrogant voice. It was awful and so were the Mets that night. I was glad I left and I had already assumed a crushing defeat in the future. Great stadium...terrible defeat.
It's Been a while. So here's some more news and notes:
-I'm sorry for the long delay in the blog. I ran out of bandwidth for the period. I am sorry and thanks for all of your patience.
-This past week was probably the WORST baseball week of 2007. The Mets were swept in a 4 game set to the hated Phillies. The division lead decreased from 6 to 2 in a blink of an eye. The series capped off Thursday with the most heartbreaking defeat this season. Then, came the Red Sox who fell asleep and got swept by the hated Skanks. Their offense was completely dormant and Manny got injured. That division lead decreased from 8 to 5. Depressing games all around for both series and a terrible week.
-PEDRO IS COMING BACK!!!!! Pedro will make his first start of 2007 on Monday against the Cincinatti Reds in Cincinatti. Ironically, this is also where Pedro made his first start as a Met. What a boost he brings...maybe his presence more than his actual pitching. Haven't you noticed? 2-0 since he's joined the team. Yes, the Mets have actually won a series from Atlanta! Amazing. Hopefully, they go and pull off the sweep.
-August 31 ESPN Power Rankings: The Angels for the first time in weeks grabbed the #1 spot away from the Sox who dropped to #2. They are currently tied with the Sox for the best record in baseball. The Mets dropped 7 spots to #9...yes #2 to #9...it's been that kind of week. Remember these power rankings are through August 30. So this is right after the horrible 4 game sweep. Indians, Padres, and Yanks finish off the top 5 in that order. For the complete rankings click HERE
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