Same Old Jets
I haven’t written about the Jets yet this year because there hasn’t been very much to write about. Once again they snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory today in losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 38-31 to drop to 1-6 on the season. This time Chad Pennington is not the only one to blame. The team played mostly flawless football until the middle of the third quarter. The everything went to hell. Some bad penalties, a shanked punt and some porous defense later and Pennington’s weekly late game interception was almost an afterthought. In fact he did a great job keeping the team in the game while everything else was falling down around him.
It’ll be another week of speculation on when Head Coach Eric Mangini will replace Pennington with second year backup Kellen Clemens. But that won’t happen for next weeks game. Pennington did a good enough job to win and Mangini likes his leadership ability. But something is gonna give and if this team can’t start playing better a changie will have to be made.
Comments to this post
Fixing Links
With things being mostly quiet right now I’m going to do some work on the links section. Many of the links are old and/or inactive and there are also many new blogs out there I may want to link to. If you know any Mets related blogs or websites out there then please let me know so I can add them.
Comments to this post
Happy Birthday, Keith!
Former Mets first baseman and current commentator Keith Hernandez turns 54 today. Happy birthday!
Comments to this post
Three Rehabbing Pitchers
Some off season injury notes….
- Orlando Hernandez had a bunion removed from his foot. El Duque will also have surgery to repair a tendon in his right foot. He should be ready in plenty of time for spring training.
- Duaner Sanchez may participate in winter ball and is expected to be ready for spring training.
- Ambiorix Burgos, who underwent Tommy John surgery in August is probably out for most of next season.
Comments to this post
Mathematically Alive at the New Jersey Film Festival
“Mathematically Alive – A Story of Fandom” will be shown at the New Jersey Film Festival in early November. The documentary film follows the lives of a group of Mets fans through the 2006 season. Though it is centered on Mets fans it is supposed to be representative of fans in general. Sounds interesting.
The film will be shown at Rutgers University’s College Avenue Campus (Scott Hall #123, 43 College Avenue, near the corner of College Avenue and Hamilton Street) in New Brunswick, New Jersey on the following dates and times:
- November 09, 2007 – 7:00PM
- November 10, 2007 – 7:00PM
- November 11, 2007 – 7:00PM
For more information on “Mathematically Alive – A Story of Fandom” click here. For more information on the New Jersey Film Festival click here.
Comments to this post
Torre Rejects Yankees
Ronald Blum of the AP is reporting that Joe Torre has turned down an offer to return to the Yankees as manager for the 2008 season. The offer was for 1 year at $5 million base with incentives based on how far the team goes in the playoffs. Torre was apparently not satisfied with the offer. Though I predicted in my post earlier today that the team wanted Torre back I figured they’d offer at least 2 years. A 1 year deal for substantially less money than they paid him this year is more of an insult than anything else and I can’t blame Torre for turning it down. I think the team made this offer just so they can tell fans they tried. But educated fans will see right through that veil.
The team said they will conduct a full search for their next manager. Leading internal candidates include bench coach Don Mattingly and broadcaster Joe Girardi.
Comments to this post
Beckett’s Former Love Singing National Anthem Tonight
You’ve got to love the great psyche out move the Cleveland Indians are pulling for tonight’s game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett is slated to start tonight for the Sawx and the Indians got his ex-girlfriend, an up and coming country to singer named Danielle Peck, the national anthem and “God Bless America”. According to a report on ESPN.com the move was coincidental. The Indians are saying Peck, an Ohio native, was suggested by a country music booker after the singer originally scheduled to appear, Taylor Swift, backed out. Weather it was on purpose or by accident it’s still a great move.
Comments to this post
Marty Noble Writes About Shawn Green
Marty Noble of MLB.com wrote a nice piece about RF Shawn Green and his feelings about the great fall of 2007.
Comments to this post
Torre’s (And ARod’s) Future Still In Doubt
Another day has passed and nothing new in Mets camp. Nothing is new in Yankees camp either but for some reason they’re in the headlines.
After another day of meetings Yankees have not yet announced any decisions regarding Joe Torre’s status as their manager. With his contract up at the end of the month Yankees brass is faced with the decision of either asking him back or going in another direction. I see some indicators that they have decided to ask Torre back. Like this from General Manager Brian Cashman:
“There have been no decisions made. The decision we are talking about is obviously rehiring somebody and there is negotiations if you do so. That’s a decision we have to come to if that’s the direction we choose to go.”
Though Cashman didn’t say if a decision had been reached there was really no need for him to bring up negotiations if the team wasn’t going to bring Torre back or if they were at least leaning in that direction. Another indicator is something that Don Mattingly’s representative, Ray Schulte, said:
“We haven’t been contacted at all, in any shape or form. I talked to Don and he hasn’t talked to the Yankees or Joe.”
If Torre is not asked back then Mattingly, as the lead candidate as a replacement, would at least have gotten a phone call.
None of this means that Torre will definitely be back. But it certainly seems like the team is leaning that way.
In other news, Alex Rodriguez has completed meeting with his agent, Scott Boras. Rodriguez can opt out of his contract after the World Series and there has been much speculation about what he will do. The Yankees, for their part, have already planned. Cashman said yesterday:
“If Alex Rodriguez opts out of his contract then we will not participate in free agency. That is accurate and that is definitive.”
The Yankees figure that ARod will cost too much in free agency. They could replace him with an ample third baseman and improve their outfield and pitching with the money they would save.
Comments to this post
Yankees Still Mum On Torre Status
Since nothing is going on with the Mets let’s take a moment to discuss the Yankees where things always seem amplified. Yankees brass have begun their annual post season powwow in Tampa and have not yet announced weather Joe Torre will return for another season as their manager. There has been all kinds of support for Torre from players to coaches to fans but management and ownership is either not sure or unwilling to make an announcement at this point.
There has been speculation that if Torre does not return bench coach Don Mattingly would be named his replacement. Yesterday it was reported that Mattingly had told Yankee management that he’s not ready for the managerial position but today Mattingly spokesman Ray Schulte denied that the report was false.
In related news it appears that the job of pitching coach Ron Guidry may be in jeopardy. With young arms like Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy singing the praises of AAA Scranton-Willkes Barre pitching coach Dave Eiland there has been speculation that the Yanks may want to elevate Eiland to the Major League level. That would probably be in the form of replacing Guidry but could also mean replacing bullpen coach Joe Kerrigan.
Comments to this post
