Robert Shatzkin's New York Mets fan blog

I can say one thing for sure: this is going to be one crazy effin season.

For us Mets fans just this past week was utter insanity. First we had to endure a horrendus homestand -- capped by a crushing loss to the Nats that sent the majority of us toward the ledge. The mob assembled, ready with pitchforks to run Willy out of town. The chorus for his head was deafening. Then all of a sudden, two tremendous wins against the skank...er Yankees and all of a sudden I'm not sure what we're looking at. I'm way to lazy to do the research but it was several years ago now that Bobby V's Mets went up against the Yanks and got spanked -- hitting rock bottom and leading to the firing of almost all of Bobby's coaching staff. As I recall, the Mets responded to that moment and caught fire -- this was either '99 or 2000 but I remember distinctly that the Subway Series was the turning point. I only wonder if we may have just witnessed another such moment. 

Continue reading "Turning Point?"

I want to like Carlos Delgado. He honestly sounds like a very nice, thoughtful, hardworking guy. He's intelligent and articulate and has deeply held convictions. For over a decade he was also an amazing hitter, a feared slugger and RBI machine who terrorized the American league. His arrival with the Mets in 2006 was a key to their getting all the way to the NLCS. We can't overestate the impact he had by providing protection for Carlos Beltran both in the batting order and in the clubhouse (ensuring Belty had plenty of juicy pitches to hit and shielding him from the blistering NY media). Beltran of course was a serious MVP candidate for 3/4 of the season--a tremendous turnaround considering his dismal first year with the club. All in all Delgado sounds like a winner. Or maybe it's "sounded".

Continue reading "The Delgado Dilemma"

So I spent the past two days visiting friends in Boston and missed the entire Mets series with Atlanta. Anytime I'm out of the loop during the season it seems like something siginicant happens. It's an odd thing to say considering how meaningless three games in April are during a 162 game season. But at the same time I always feel like I'm missing something special. At any rate, the Mets took two out of three and Delgado, in hitting two home runs today, either gave the home crowd a clue that he may return to his '06 form OR a simply a tease that gets us off his back for precisely one game. We shall see. I of course remain skeptical, something that shouldn't surprise anyone who knows me. 

Bottom Line: Happy to be back in New York, Boston sports are profoundly uninteresting.  

Continue reading "Weekend in Boston"

I do. He's hit wherever Willy puts him in the lineup, he's playing solid defense in right field (remember Shawn Green?) hell he's even hitting lefties. If Castllo continues to struggle I have no problem keeping him in the 2 spot to generate big innings at the beginning of games. Plus, I do believe the 40 doubles he hit last year will translate into 20-25 homeruns (especially with Wright and Beltran behind him). If nothing else, watching Milledge (for whom the Mets aquired Church in a deal that Mets fans hated at the time) play for the Nats against the Mets I don't see him becoming an All-Star any time soon. Meanwhie church has been the most consistent guy on the team.

In addition, it looks like Brian Schneider is the real deal at catcher. Sure he can't hit a lick but every good Mets team has been built on pitching and defense and the Schnide provides both. The only problem so far is the ridiculous amount of pitches he's dropped or let get passed him. Can't believe a Major League Baseball player would actually blame his glove but hopefully he'll adjust.

Continue reading "I Like Ryan Church"

Listening to Bill Simmon's Sports Guy podcast and he completely disagrees. Not only does he disagree, but the former BOSTON SPORTS GUY has both Hughes and Kennedy on his AL Fantasy team. To his credit he does make one good point by saying that when his Yankee players poop the bed he still feels good.

I just couldn't do it. 

Continue reading "UPDATE: A General Thought on Fantasy Baseball"

I hate fantasy sports. There I said it. Drives me crazy. Why? Cause every now and then I sit down to watch a Mets game and hope that John Maine pitches seven solid innings but allows three hits to my fantasy shortstop. I think this is a great example. I love the Mets. They’re my hometown team, my family loyalty. I don’t want that shortstop making contact, let alone getting me a good night’s worth of fantasy points. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. A situation like that is a serious dilemma—rooting for someone on another team is like cheating on my girlfriend. She may never find out—much as I doubt anyone would tell Willie Randolph that I’m playing Jorge Posada at catcher, but it would just make me feel dirty. God forbid it gets to my spot in the draft and the only good infielder I can get is Derek Jeter or Jimmy Rollins. I can’t stomach that kind of betrayal. Makes me nauseous.  

Continue reading "A General Thought on Fantasy Baseball"

Johan Santana…is ours. I still cannot fully comprehend how this happened. How did the cards fall into place, the stars align, and both Epstein and Cashman decide now is a good time to stop winning.
    Regardless of how it happened, and the odds that were defied, he is a Met. The importance of this move cannot be underestimated. Yes he is one man, but one man who eats up innings, like Antonio Alfonseca eats up boulders. He has the ability to win 20 games, post an ERA under 3.00 and take some pressure of the sometimes inconsistent offense.
    Yes, what he can provide is immeasurable, but the division crown should not be considered a mere formality. Let us not forget last year…as much as we want to. Let us consider the decision to offer playoff tickets and alter Shea’s seats in preparation for the playoffs before they are locked up. Now, I wouldn’t say this was the dumbest idea ever but was certainly akin to a person waving a steak at a pit bull who was chained up, only to have the chains break, and then proceed to get viciously mauled. Another terrific example would be the Patriots. They made championship party plans, and trademarked a book named 19-0: The Historic Championship Season only to have their…behinds… placed firmly on the Arizona grass over and over.

Continue reading "Wither the Bullpen?"

The first steps toward the '08 Major League Baseball season bring with them a renewed sense of optimism and a number of lingering questions.

Personally I just can't stop smiling about the Mets new ace. So far so good for Mr. Santana as he's said all the right things publicly and seems extra confident about his new team. Thanks to his move to the NL East Johan has the potential to put up a MONSTER season. 30 Games a year against the Nats and Marlins could mean 20 wins and a mid 2 ERA with 250 strikeouts and a  shiny Cy Young for his trouble.  But as a Mets fan I remain skeptical that facing the pitcher three times a game is really a guarantee that Santana will be Koufaxian. But that's just me. I will be more than happy if Santana goes 18-7 with a 3.2 ERA and two or three complete games. That's a lot more than Tom Glavine is gonna give the Braves this season. I do buy the argument that Santana will pitch more innings than any Mets starter has over the past few seasons and by doing so give the team's often beleagured bullpen a much needed rest. That's critical if it's a close race in September.  

Continue reading "Spring! Part I: The Starting Rotation"

There exists an unwritten rule in modern corporate culture that certain topics remain off limits. This is especially true in New York City, the sports capital of the world.

The average office worker would never consider discussing the inner workings of politics or abortion rights with their boss. Religion, Race, Sexuality are camped firmly outside the realm of acceptable conversation. Feelings can be hurt, prejudices revealed and very important toes stepped on. It's best to remain non-committal when approached on a sensitive topic such as "What do you think about politician X's position on controversial issue #63?

But who doesn't chat up co-workers about the Super Bowl or last night's Knicks game? It's a safe area, right? Sports are harmless and innocent, a casual outside-of-work diversion that almost everyone can agree on.

Continue reading "Why You Should Never Talk Sports At Work In New York"