Next year’s closer acquisition should clearly be… no one. Let’s take a look at the needs of the 2011 Mets. They need to acquire a reasonable choice to start at second base. Sure, they can hope Daniel Murphy can be that player, and muscle his way into the starting lineup, but the team can’t count [...]

Sometimes, the campaign ads just write themselves. Jon Niese has been one of the bright spots in 2010. He’s made it clear that he can contribute at the front end of a rotation, and his periperals provide confidence that 2011 will bring more of the same- if he is healthy. As a result, the idea [...]

It is easy to get lost in the criticisms of the Mets. On signing Alex Cora- well, it is only $2 million, right? On playing Luis Castillo- well, Ruben Tejada probably isn’t major league material, right? But it is this lack of attention to detail that marks the difference between the playoff and non-playoff teams. [...]

No one would suggest that Justin Turner is a surefire star prospect. After all, the Mets only picked him up when the Baltimore Orioles decided to let him go. But how is Justin Turner not being given the chance to play every day for the New York Mets? Here’s what we do know: Luis Castillo [...]

There are going to be plenty of discussions about the proper way for the Mets to contend in 2011. And there will be potentially big pieces to put in place at key spots on the roster. But if what currently passes for the Kremlinology of the team’s 2011 payroll holds- the combination of the $120 [...]

Tonight, I’m visiting Wahconaah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I’m taking my wife, who is bound to be disappointed by it. I’ve simply built it up too much, I think. Wahconah Park was the site of my first minor league games- one each the summers of 1992 and 1993 .  Each part of the experience enhanced [...]

The conundrum inherent in supporting the New York Mets was never clearer than last night, when Jeff Francoeur hit a home run that ultimately beat the Atlanta Braves. Yes, Mets fans were happy to win what amounted to a vital game, as are all contests against Atlanta. Doing so against Billy Wagner didn’t hurt, either. [...]

Look, Dan Haren would have been nice. And when other Mets fans were clamoring for Manny Ramirez, I was hoping for Adam Dunn, who still looks entirely available. But with a real absence of difference-makers available at this point, I have only one addition to request at the trading deadline. Please bring back Meet the [...]

I had the misfortune of having to watch the soft, listless Carlos Beltran on Thursday afternoon. Beltran, who many Mets fans have identified as a player who doesn’t care about his team, had begged his way into the lineup after playing 13 innings the night before on an arthritic knee. What a selfish player! It [...]

Kudos to the Mets for realizing that carrying an injured player is a bad idea, rather than DLing him so that he can heal and their manager can have a full complement of players. But the disabling of Rod Barajas, and promotion of Mike Hessman, gives the team a number of useful options they have [...]

There may be no area where Mike and I disagree more on the radio than over the subject of Joba Chamberlain. He has regularly questioned Chamberlain’s abilities, both as a starter and a reliever. I am convinced he will be a terrific reliever, and a far greater asset as a starter. Yet it would seem [...]

When I headed to Harrison, NJ to cover the signing of Thierry Henry by the New York Red Bulls, I assumed I was taking a break from New York Mets reporting. But MLS Commissioner Don Garber name-dropped the Wilpons and a possible second New York MLS team during his press availability, and stressed how much [...]

I’d like to let the Jose Reyes injury stuff go, really I would. The Mets simply won’t let me. As anyone with a Twitter account knows, the Mets first announced a lineup that included Jose Reyes, then sent out another a half-hourt later without Reyes in the lineup. Subsequently, we found out the following: Jose [...]

A few minutes ago, the New York Yankees confirmed that George M. Steinbrenner III, the principal owner of the Yankees since 1973, died this morning. Here is the statement from Steinbrenner’s family: “It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing. He passed away this morning in Tampa, [...]

A baseball season is, naturally, 162 games. As such, assigning vital meaning to any one game tends to be an exercise in futility. Nevertheless, consider the following: Going into Friday night’s game against Washington, the Mets have lost three of four. Despite an 18-8 June overall, they are still two games behind Atlanta, and just [...]