June 30, 2009, New York Mets trade inactivity story for Metro NY Newspaper

US – Monday, June 29

Published 23:10, June the 29th, 2009

Minaya: Just sit tight

Mets’ GM content to ride out injuries, says it’s not time to panic

Nieve started off the seven-game road trip on a bad note.

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Brewers 10, Mets 6

Milwaukee beasted the Mets pitchers for 19 hits last night. Casey McGehee belted a grand slam off Brian Stokes in the sixth inning to put the game on ice for the Crew.

History tells us that Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Circumstances are not yet that drastic in Flushing, but it is certainly fair to wonder about the Mets’ inactivity in the free agent and trade markets.

After the Mets were swept by the Yankees over the weekend, it became painfully clear that Jerry Manuel’s patchwork lineup just isn’t going to cut it. With nine players on the disabled list, including a huge chunk of power and experience, the team desperately needs another bat and at least one other starting pitcher.

“You wish you were able to buy something that fit,” said general manager Omar Minaya before the Mets embarked on a seven-game road trip, which began last night. “We hope to continue to get good news with John Maine, and we hope to get good news with Oliver Perez. That in itself, with the bullpen, with Fernando Nieve pitching the way he is, Jerry is going to have some options to do some things.

“Right now, to me, the progress with the pitching staff, we’ll be able to make adjustments.”

Progress is apparently a subjective term. So much for that Nieve theory. The Mets’ call-up gave up three earned runs on 11 hits in just 3 1/3 innings last night against the Brewers. And that bullpen Minaya referred to was lit up for 13 earned runs in the last four games.

The scary part is, pitching isn’t even the Mets’ biggest problem.

Without Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, the Mets possess about as much of a punch as a Care Bear. Washington first baseman Nick Johnson and 1B/OF Adam Dunn are rumored to be on the trading block, as is Oakland slugger Matt Holliday. All three would be upgrades — legitimate power bats that could protect David Wright, who had two strikeouts last night, in the lineup.

“It’s the position players. When you don’t have Reyes, when you don’t have Beltran, when you don’t have Delgado, those are three key components to the offense. To me that’s an area where we have to get them back,” said Minaya, clearly not hinting toward any type of trade.

Manuel stands by his GM — publicly at least — and warns of the dangers in playing into trade rumors.

“I think to some degree we all play general manager, but that’s a place I don’t want to be,” Manuel said. “I don’t want to play general manager. After it’s all said and done [it leaves you saying] you should have done this, you should have done that.’”

DENIS GORMAN

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/30/05/1049-82/index.xml


http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20090630/1/17/

June 29, 2009, New York Mets swept in Subway Series story for Metro NY Newspaper

US – Monday, June 29

Published 07:24, June the 29th, 2009

Back to the drawing board

Mets search for answers after Yankees complete the sweep

MLB.

Two moments, brief and fleeting, encapsulated a weekend the Mets would rather forget.

In the first inning of what eventually last night's 4-2 loss, first baseman Daniel Murphy tried to throw out Derek Jeter at third basel. Instead of the taking the sure out at first, Murphy’s throw was late and the Yankees had runners on the corners. Three batters and two runs later, Murphy dropped a throw from Alex Cora that could have led to a double play.

A fitting way to perform in the Subway Series finale.

In every conceivable way throughout their weekend inter-borough baseball brouhaha, the Mets had been outclassed by the Yankees. The Mets were outscored (18-3), out-hit (26-9) and out-pitched (1.00 ERA vs. 5.33) in the Bombers' three-game sweep. At one point in the series, the Mets had one more hit (four) than errors (three). In short, the Yankees illustrated exactly why the Mets winning three-of-four from the Cardinals last week was happenstance instead of habit.

“I thought I had a pretty good chance of getting him. I had already run through the play in mind," Murphy said of that first-inning play. "I was going to take a shot. It’s early in the ballgame to take a chance like that. I work once a week on that play.”

June has been a brutal month for the Mets. They have lost 16 of 25 games and are in the midst of a 20-game-in-20-day stretch. The Mets will conclude their Baseball Death March this week with seven games in seven days in three cities (Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia).

“It just appears as though anytime we flinch, we’re not able to overcome,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “We have to find a way, regardless. We pitched well tonight. They put up three runs right away and we battled back and put a couple on the board. We have to play mistake free, fundamentally, baseball. That has to be our mindset. We have to be error free, fundamentally sound and continue to compete.”

At 37-37, the Mets are two-and-a-half games back of the Phillies in the NL East and three back in the NL wild card race. In comparison, at 42-32, the Yankees are second in the AL East and lead the American League wild card.

That a .500 team is in a playoff race is an indictment of the National League. It is an even greater indictment of the organization’s laissez faire philosophy as it pertains to adding personnel to a team that desperately needs a warm body. General manager Omar Minaya, Manuel and the players believe there is enough talent in the clubhouse to keep treading water until the key components to the 2009 Mets return from the disabled list.

Also, it is anyone’s guess when the Mets will be at full strength. Oliver Perez should return sometime in the next two weeks and Carlos Beltran expects to come off the DL following the All-Star Break. However, there is no timetable for the returns of Jose Reyes, John Maine and Carlos Delgado.

Maine and Reyes told reporters during the series that they’re not sure when they are coming back. On Friday, Maine estimated that he’ll return after the All-Star Break at the earliest after learning that he has a pinched nerve behind his throwing (right) shoulder. Reyes ran the outfield Saturday. Afterwards, he said that wasn’t able to really cut loose.

Can a team that is starting a collection of reserves and minor leaguers at two infield and two outfield positions win enough games until the Mets are whole once again?

“We hope so. That’s the big question, to see if we can sustain a level of play and get hot,” Manuel said. “What we have to do is continue to put ourselves in games, such as this, with opportunities and hope at some point that we can get the big hit and make the play. We have to position ourselves in that fashion.”

METS NOTES:

Oliver Perez made his second rehab start yesterday, going five innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones. Perez struck out six, while only allowing two hits and a walk. Brooklyn beat Hudson Valley, 13-3.

Ryan Church did not play last night due to nausea. Gary Sheffield started in right while Fernando Tatis played left field.

Fernando Martinez’s fourth-inning RBI double ended an 0-for-16 slump.

When Brian Bruney entered last night’s game in the eighth, he was not greeted warmly by the Mets’ contingent. Bruney and Francisco Rodriguez had a verbal spat that nearly turned physical during the three games in the Bronx two weeks ago.

The first pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, John Tavares, threw out the first pitch last night. Selected by the Islanders, Tavares mostly received cheers and threw a strike to Brian Schneider.

Denis Gorman

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/29/13/2418-82/index.xml


http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20090629/1/24/

June 29, 2009, NHL Draft story for Metro NY Newspaper and draft report card

US – Monday, June 29

Published 01:00, June the 29th, 2009

One man is an Island

NHL entry draft recap: Islanders take Tavares No. 1 overall

Meet John Tavares, the new face of the most struggling franchise in professional sports.

NHL.

The John Tavares era began Friday night on Long Island. Whether that era is filled with Stanley Cups or not remains to be seen.

The Islanders, last season’s worst team, used the first overall pick in the NHL entry draft to select the 18-year-old phenom as its savior.

“I definitely have the support of the fans and the community. That’s huge,” Tavares told reporters Friday night in Montreal. “I’m very thankful to be going there and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Long Island. It’s going to be great and I can’t wait to get things going knowing where it’s headed. It’s going to be a great future for all of us.”

Islanders general manager Garth Snow certainly hopes so. Snow pulled the trigger on Tavares after much deliberation but said he would have regretted passing up such an “offensive talent.”

And that’s exactly what Tavares is. In four seasons with the Oshawa Generals and London Knights, Tavares became the Ontario Hockey League’s all-time leading scorer with 215 goals. As a 16-year-old, he broke Wayne Gretzky’s then-OHL record for goals scored at that age with 72. This past season, which was split between Oshawa and London, Tavares led the OHL with 104 points (58 goals, 46 assists) in 55 games.

Along with his goal-scoring prowess, Tavares will instantly become the public face of a franchise that has needed one since Pat LaFontaine was traded to Buffalo in 1991.

DENIS GORMAN

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/29/07/0009-82/index.xml

http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20090629/1/26/

June 24, 2009, Brent Sutter introduced as Calgary Flames head coach story from Metro NY Newspaper

US – Monday, June 29

Published 07:31, June the 29th, 2009

Sutter takes over Flames

PUBLISHED JUNE 24, 2009

NHL. The worst-kept secret in hockey was made public yesterday as the Calgary Flames officially named Brent Sutter the 13^th head coach in franchise history.

Sutter stepped down as the Devils coach two weeks ago, citing family reasons and what he termed "business commitments," which is his ownership the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels. However, it had been expected that Sutter would join his brother, the Flames’ general manager, in Calgary after Mike Keenan was fired May 22.

In his two years with the Devils, Sutter compiled a 97-56-11 record in the regular season, but he never led the Devils out of the first round of the playoffs. There had been much speculation that Sutter had been unhappy because he was separated from his family, who had stayed in Red Deer. In taking the Flames head coaching position, Sutter will be able to have more time with his family, as Calgary is about 90 minutes south of Red Deer.

“It was for all the right reasons. Mr. Lamoriello was a tremendous man," Sutter said about his former boss. "The whole situation was very unique from the get-go."

The news of Sutter’s hiring comes on the same day that Lou Lamoriello was selected to the Hall of Fame in the Builder’s Category. Lamoriello joins players Brian Leetch, Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitallie, former broadcaster and current St. Louis Blues GM John Davidson and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Penguins beat writer Dave Molinari in the class of 2009.

“The New Jersey Devils are a first class organization,” Sutter said. “A week later, things changed and I had to re-evaluate. It made a lot more sense and my family’s happy about it. Mr. Lamoriello has been very supportive about it.”

Flames GM Darryl Sutter said his team will not compensate the Devils for Brent, who had one year remaining on his contract. Darryl also said that he and Lamoriello first spoke on June 12, regarding Calgary obtaining permission to speak with Brent.

There have been charges of nepotism as there had been some qualified candidates for the position. Calgary Flames President and CEO Ken King dismissed the appearance of impropriety.

“When you talk to them together and separately, their stories hang together. We have not heard that same criticism. We’re good with that,” King said. He called the hiring “The most significant change in many years.”

Calgary also announced the hiring of assistant coaches Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan.

“Quite honestly, what we were looking for was leadership, structure and detail," Darryl Sutter said. "We wanted out coaches to bring those attributes with them.”

Denis Gorman

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/29/13/3114-82/index.xml

June 26, 2009, St. Louis Cardinals-New York Mets game story

US – Friday, June 26

Updated 06:03, June the 26th, 2009

Ace high

Santana outduels Carpenter

MLB. The Mets have settled in after a rocky start to the month, much like the way Johan Santana settled in after a rocky start to yesterday's game vs. St. Louis. Oh, but it didn't come easy.

Following the Mets’ 3-2 win over the Cardinals, Jerry Manuel did not admit to nerves in the ninth. Not with his Frankie Rodriguez on the mound., KRod earned his 20^th save, tied with Heath Bell, Brian Fuentes and Brian Wilson for the most saves this season. But the Mets manager did have a light hearted complaint about his team’s penchant for making games interesting.

“You have confidence in KRod. He’s an outstanding pitcher, he knows exactly what he’s doing. I think he likes the edge a little bit. I don’t. But he lives on that edge, and that’s okay. He’s able to overcome that,” said Manuel. “It’s a good effort. I thought we had an opportunity to make it a little easier, but I think they like making me old. They like making me old.”

Santana (9-5) struggled early but eventually found his command. In seven innings, the Mets’ ace scattered seven hits, three walks and two runs—one earned—while striking out three. In his last two starts following the 15-0 loss at the Yankees two weeks ago, Santana has only allowed three earned runs in 14. 1/3 innings.

“It appeared as though as he didn’t have the command and rhythm that he usually has. Then he got back in that mode where he found his command and rhythm. He got back out there and competed and gave us a chance to win,” Manuel said.

Now three games over the break even point, the 37-34 Mets will host the Yankees this weekend in the second installment of the 2009 Subway Series. While the Mets would rather face their fellow city-dwellers with Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and John Maine among others, there’s a confidence permeating through the locker room that they are able to win without their stars.

“Today, we were in a situation where we had a chance to win the series. It was good to see that. Last night, was a big game for us. We were able to score some runs and it’s good to see that. We don’t have the guys that we rely on, but at the same time, we wish them all the best to get healthy. That’s all we can do,” said Santana. “We have a bunch of guys here that are willing to step up and do jobs and do whatever it takes to win games. That’s what we’re doing. That’s what we’re doing and that’s what we’ve got to continue (to do).

“Do the little things, take advantage of mistakes and enjoy everything that we’re doing. That’s the way we’re approaching the game right now.”

Minus those MIA Mets and GM Omar Minaya seemingly reluctant to make a deal, doing the little things—the mantra that has been oft-repeated by players, managers, coaches and executives in the last month—is the only conceivable way an almost powerless team can win.

Held without a hit and trailing Chris Carpenter (5-2), 1-0, in the bottom of the fourth, the Mets manufactured all the offense they would get—and need—with Fernando Tatis’ one out RBI single and Nick Evans’ two-out, two RBI double to the right field wall. In the two games that he’s started since being called up from Double-A Binghamton, Evans has hit .500 (3-for-6) with four RBIs and two runs scored.

“He has that type of life in his bat. He’s a young man who can do damage. He was very close to making the team out of Spring Training. We went with (Gary) Sheffield and Marlon (Anderson). He was very close after the spring that he had, of making the club,” said Manuel, who was then asked what his plan was for Evans. Simply, the Mets manager responded by saying “I play him every day. That’s what I do with him. You keep hitting, you keep playing.”

It’s a theorem that the Mets are taking to heart.

METS NOTES:

John Maine and Oliver Perez will make rehab starts this weekend for the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Maine will start Saturday in Aberdeen, Maryland, against the IronBirds (Orioles affiliate). Perez starts at KeySpan Park on Sunday against the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate.

It is fairly safe to conclude that Albert Pujols is probably going to be the runaway 2009 N.L. MVP. He only leads both leagues in homers (26), RBI (70) on-base percentage (.447) slugging percentage (.707) extra base hits (42) and on-base and slugging percentage (1.154). In four games against the Mets at Citi Field, though, he was more than held in check by Mets pitching. Pujols finished the series 3-for-14 with four walks, two RBI and a run scored.

Thursday’s businessman’s special was the second sellout in the three-month-old history of Citi Park . The announced attendance was 41, 221. The first sellout was Opening Night.

Denis Gorman

http://www.ny.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/26/10/4724-82/index.xml

June 26, 2009 Subway Series stories for Metro (NY) Newspaper

US – Friday, June 26

Published 04:25, June the 26th, 2009

Subway Series, part II

Yankees, Mets roll into Citi Field on high notes

Yankees look for a repeat performance

The Yankees delivered an offensive outburst in their first series win over the Mets earlier this month. They’re looking for the same formula this time around at Citi Field.

The Bombers scored 24 runs in taking two of three over the Mets but have been shut down for the most part since, generating next to nothing off unfamiliar pitchers. Until scoring eight runs Wednesday, the Yankees had been blanked for 14 straight innings and scored just 18 runs since pounding Met ace Johan Santana on June 14.

As a result of the prolonged lineup slump, the Yankees have fallen four games behind the Red Sox in the American League East and now find themselves jostling for position in a tight wild card race. Even though the Yankees won their first series in two weeks with a win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, there are still concerns about offensive consistency.

Unlike the manic 1980’s, rash decisions such as trades or managerial firings will not happen. The impulsiveness of that period is a thing of the past and the Yankees will have to find it from within.

General manager Brian Cashman believes that and made a visit Wednesday to reiterate that point.

“We're struggling right now, mostly with the bats," Cashman told reporters Wednesday. "It's not going to last, I promise you that. We're too good for it to last. The last three weeks of poor play is mostly to do with our offense. We've got to get our offense going. We're pitching real well, but unfortunately, we're letting that good pitching go to waste."

From a pitching stand-point, the Yankees’ biggest offseason acquisitions – C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett will start the first two games and Chien-Ming Wang will close out the series.

Sabathia will become the final offseason acquisition to make his “Subway Series” debut. He started the final game in Boston and watched the first series from the dugout.

Until a successful bullpen session Wednesday, Sabathia’s status was a question mark due to a slight biceps injury that forced him out in the second inning Sunday. During the session, Sabathia threw 27 pitches and declared himself ready to go.

I'm fine," Sabathia said to reporters. "I'm ready to go, and I expect to get my full dosage of whatever it is on Friday. ... I just try to lead by example. I'm going to go out on Friday and give it everything I've got."

Larry Fleisher

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keeping afloat

The Mets have been waiting for round 2.

The opening round was highlighted by an-almost-unfathomable dropped pop up, a verbal spat that nearly turned into a physical confrontation and one of the most humiliating losses in franchise history.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Perhaps the psychological scars have not healed and the Mets certainly have not forgotten what took place in the Bronx two weeks ago.

“I think the incident had time to calm down,” Mike Pelfrey said about the altercation between Frankie Rodriguez and Brian Bruney. “It’s always a fun series. The fans are into it. We’re into it. It’s exciting for the city of New York. I’m sure there will be a lot of emotion. It’ll be fun.”

However, the Mets aren’t interested in getting even with the Yankees. Instead, the Flushing M*A*S*H unit, which is in the midst of a 20 games-in-20 days stretch, is focused on one thing: winning baseball games.

It is fair to say that the Mets have struggled in June, but have come alive in their last series. They took three of four from the St. Louis Cardinals, the second-best team in the National League. The Mets are just a half-game behind Philadelphia in the NL East and must carry that momentum into the All-Star break. It begins Friday against the Yankees.

“It’s a series for us. We’re not looking at it as a bigger one than anything because every series is big for us right now,” catcher Brian Schneider said.

Schneider is acutely aware of the schizophrenic nature of his team. He is also cognizant of the fact that the Yankees have been confounding following the first Subway Series, having lost five of eight. So, no, he’s not ignorant that both teams need this weekend’s games. And he’s certainly aware that, unlike the Bronx Detonation Grounds, there won’t be too many balls flying out of Citi Field.

“They have to come to our place; we’ve got the home field this time. We’re both kind of playing up and down baseball right now,” Schneider said. “It’s two totally different fields. There’s not going to be any cheap home runs here.”

Denis Gorman

http://www.ny.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/26/10/2509-82/index.xml

June 25, 2009, St. Louis Cardinals-New York Mets game story for Metro (NY) Newspaper

US – Thursday, June 25

Updated 04:32, June the 25th, 2009

Wright

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Seeing Red

Mets smoke Cards, 11-0

MLB. A day that started with the Mets learning that they are soon to have two players return from injury ended with more personnel questions than answers.

At least for one night, though, the questions were not about if the Mets could compete.

The schizophrenic Mets enjoyed their biggest offensive output of the season in last night’s 11-0 laugher over the Cardinals. David Wright finished 4-for-4, including a double and scored three runs. Hitting cleanup for the first time in nearly a year, Ryan Church went 3-for-4 with two doubles off the left field wall—“a Citi Field double,” the right fielder noted dryly—drove in two and scored twice. Recent call-up Nick Evans blasted a two-run homer.

A night after Joel Pinerio induced 22 ground ball outs, the Mets hammered Brad Thompson (2-3) and four relievers for 16 hits. Still, Jerry Manuel needs to see more consistency from his offense before he leads a ticker tape parade down Roosevelt Avenue.

“You temper everything,” said Manuel. “We’re able to get this pitcher out tonight. The guy tomorrow (Chris Carpenter) is going to be similar to Pinerio. He’s going to being sinking; he’s a veteran pitcher who knows what he is doing out there. Tomorrow is going to be another big challenge. I’d love to see us continue to score runs and hit at this pace, but there’s too many good pitchers in this league for that to continue. So we’ll just do what we can and take it when it comes.”

Prior to last night’s game, John Maine and Oliver Perez threw bullpen sessions at Citi Field. Maine and Perez, both of whom pitched for the Port St. Lucie Mets in a double header Monday night, should return to the Mets prior to the All-Star break.

“I thought they threw well. Ollie looks like he’s really letting the ball go when it comes out of his hand. The part of the session with John Maine that I got to see was that he was basically working on off-speed stuff,” Manuel said in his pre-game press conference.

Maine and Perez are going to have one more minor league start each, either in Triple-A Buffalo or with the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones. That leaves Manuel with some tough decisions going forward.

Last night’s starter Fernando Nieve (3-0, 1.31) and Tuesday's starter Tim Redding (1-2, 6.08) have filled in capably for the injured starters. They've done so well, Manuel hinted toward sending Maine and Perez to the bullpen upon their return.

Nieve’s performance against the Cardinals was an argument to keep him in the rotation. The first Mets pitcher since Jorge Sosa in 2007 to start 3-0, Nieve lasted six innings. Despite walking four, strike out five and only gave up three hits.

Afterward, Manuel admitted the obvious: Nieve is staying in the rotation.

“ think he has to keep pitching for us. Shutout innings, giving us an opportunity to win, it looks like his ball really gets on guys. He didn’t have his greatest command (but) he battled. We’re going to keep pitching him,” said Manuel. “You kind of wait (for the other shoe to drop) and if doesn’t happen, it’s great, that’s awesome. I hope he continues to pitch that well. He’ll continue to get the opportunity. It would be very difficult for us to say, ‘Well, he didn’t do this, he didn’t do that.’ Got to keep him in there.”

Three things we saw last night at Citi Field:

1 Battling back: After combining for just two hits in a shutout on Tuesday, the Mets belted 16 hits in a romp. Still,it’s pretty evident that Omar Minaya will have to make a deal to add a bat to the lineup. Prior to last night’s game, the Mets fielded a lineup that had 10 home runs this season. For comparison’s sake, Albert Pujols came into the game with 26 bombs.

2 Filling in: Nick Evans went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and scored twice in his first start of the season stepping in because of injuries. He got some help from the regulars, as David Wright went 4-for-4, Fernando Tatis led the team with three RBIs and Ryan Church had a couple of RBI hits.

3 Effective enough: Don’t let the score fool you, Fernando Nieve was not dominant last night. Nieve struggled with his command and threw 108 pitches. He gave up three hits and four walks in six innings.

METRO/DENIS GORMAN

http://www.ny.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/25/05/0109-82/index.xml

http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20090625/2/26/