EXCITED FOR FIRST SPRING IN PORT ST. LUCIE

I must admit -- I am starting to get a little excited about my first Spring Training with the New York Mets as a resident of Port St. Lucie, Fla. Yes, indeed, this is not going to be the best season for the Mets. In fact, it might just be one of the worst upcoming seasons.

But from what I've been told, it's pretty awesome bumping into players at random places -- like Publix or Starbucks.

I'll have some coverage here -- and I will also be contributing to my favourite Mets-related website, www.MetsPolice.com -- once the players begin to arrive in a few weeks. So there will be plenty to get to in the coming weeks. Should be fun.

NEVER HAS THERE BEEN A MAN ON THE METS CLASSIER THAN RA DICKEY

There are some who will say Gary Carter was the classiest man to ever put on a Mets uniform. Others might even say George Thomas Seaver. But having read this letter penned by RA Dickey, it confirmed it for me -- the guy is just a wonderful human being. And with that said, it should be no surprise the clueless powers-that-be who run this organization would just trade him away. I understand the Mets got a great package in return -- but it'll be another 4 years before any of that matters. In the interim, a good man heads north -- and I hope he's pitching in the World Series in 2013.

Click here to read RA Dickey's letter to Mets fans.

The return of “The Canessa Corner”

Well, it's surely been a while since I last wrote a “Canessa Corner,” yet here we are. It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since the first one — back in The Observer days. 

With that said, we’ll go with a hodgepodge-style edition for the return.

• I’m so often late to the game when it comes to great television shows. With “ER,” it wasn’t until the very last year of the show that I found interest in it. And now, I can say the same for Canadian cop-drama show “Flashpoint.” 

The original cast of “Flashpoint.”

The show follows the fictional Strategic Response Unit of the Metro Toronto, Ontario Police Department. The “SRU,” as it’s known, is responsible for tending to serious situations that usually involved a hostage. The show gets its name from the idea that they’re there at the flashpoint – or the moment that’s about to explode.

The cast is remarkable, the story lines are phenomenally written – and unfortunately, after five seasons (the fifth of which is likely to debut this summer), the show’s been cancelled.

The show originates on CTV Canada, and was once on CBS in America. It’s now on the iON network. 

Check it out.

• Marty Brodeur has hired an agent. Zach Parise says he’ll likely test free agency come July 1. And yet, we’re still being told there isn’t cause for concern over the New Jersey Devils’ financial woes. 

Let’s get real here, folks. This team is in dire financial difficulty right now. And sadly, there’s no reason to feel good right now about this team. As hard as it is to envision, it’s looking more and more like the Devils will be without both Parise and Brodeur in October – and that, my friends, is nauseating.

• On the other side, envision this: Were I to have told you in March that on June 30, the Phillies would be 10.5 games out of first place in the National League East, and the Mets would be just 3.5 games behind, you and I both would have laughed it off to the bank. But it’s a reality – and this Mets team is for real. R.A. (Robert Allen) Dickey is 12 and 2! He’s 12 and 2!

And if the season were to end today, the Mets would play in the play-in game for the Wild Card.

Stranger things have happened.

And here I thought the Mets would win 39 games all year long.

• A friend of mine, whose name I won’t mention, today got a parking ticket in Kearny, my old hometown. He was in the car, parking it, and hadn’t even gotten out of the car yet to put money in the parking meter. 

He’d better fight that one in court.

• Found another Canadian drama I like – a summer show – called “Saving Hope.” Since I like it, it’ll likely end after one season.

• Boy did the Mets ever make it to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers at the right time.

• Now that Obamacare has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States, I’m still trying to figure out what it all means for me. Do you have any idea?

• Earlier today, I was watching some prelims for the Olympics in gymnastics. I’ve not been a big fan of the sport, but man are those athletes something. What they’re able to do on parallel bars, ropes, etc., is nothing short of remarkable.

• Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., says he’ll defy the federal ban on sports wagering to ensure there’s legal sports betting in this state – yet he won’t do the same for trace amounts of marijuana. He says everyone bets on sports already.

Hey, gov, don’t ya think the same could likely be said for most and marijuana smoking? (Not that I do – but let’s be realistic – most do).

Stay cool, everyone – hope the heat doesn’t get to you too much.

Satin Joins the Mets

It's Josh Satin, a September call-up. Also, check out the awesome-looking BLUE Los Mets Jerseys which the Mets are again wearing tonight. Reports say these jerseys will be used in 2012 and will become a regular in the rotation in 2013 (but will just say 'Mets').

Josh Satin

Jose Reyes

David Wright

Finally! New Uniforms Coming to Citi Field Next Year and in ’13

Though it's a tad complicated. (Many, many thanks to Shannon of www.MetsPolice.com).

Click here to read all about it.

Daniel Murphy done, Ron and Gary discuss it

It's Getting Hard Not to Believe in the 2011 Mets

REYES

After an incredible night in the Motor City — two grand slams, one from Jason Bay and another from Carlos Beltran — it's becoming almost impossible not to love this 2011 Mets team and just as impossible not to believe they'll somehow find a way to win the National League Wild Card.

So many regular Mets aren't even playing. Yet so many AAA Buffalo Bisons have played with more enthusiasm and joy for the game of baseball than many professionals do. Whether it's Justin Turner, Dillon Gee, Daniel Murphy, you name the player, this team has been scrappy. It has been remarkably enjoyable to watch. And for the most part, the home runs have been few and far between.

And then there's Jose Reyes.

Could anyone have been able to envision a season like Reyes is having right now?

Remember when it was "in" to call for Jose to be traded? Think again.

This man cannot be traded. What he's done this year is beyond almost anything any Mets fan has seen in 40 years. And again, he's doing it, like the entire team, without the benefit of home runs.

Back in 1998, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were chasing Roger Maris's 61, it was so much fun to watch game after game, mammoth shot after shot. Yet the 2011 Mets have proven several things: You don't need to crush home runs to play exciting baseball and sometimes, better players come from a crop of kids who love the game more than the paycheck they get.

This surely might not be the best Mets team in history, but after a few long, horrible seasons of futility and utter chaos, this team is sure fun to watch — and with any luck, we'll be watching well into September.

• Some people say Michelle Bachmann is smart. Based on her answers to history questions, she's certainly shown she's far from it.

• Speaking of Mrs. Bachmann, I must admit to being amused in hearing Tom Petty doesn't want her to use "An American Girl" as her theme song. 

• If you are, like me, a fan of "HawthoRNe" on TNT, could you answer a question for me? Why is Christina being exiled by James River Hospital as she is? She was the victim of a savage beating! I can't understand why she was fired in the first place — and why she's being treated, now, by her former colleagues, like the Bubonic Plague.

• When I was a kid, I used to love the summer. As I get older, I hate, more and more, how life slows down during the summer. TV show repeats, people on extended vacation, a slower pace to just about everything. I never thought the day would come where I'd say this, but once it hits late June each year, I find I long, more and more, for September — when the pace picks back up.

• Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, says he supports civil unions but not same-sex marriage in New Jersey. Don't worry, Chris. Chances are there isn't a gay man on this planet who'd ever want to marry your sorry fat self.

DOLAN

• Speaking of New York's new law, Archbishop Timmy Dolan says he's "sad" over it. It's so damn unfortunate he's never said he was "sad" over the perverted way his brother priests in the church have acted whilst placing their hands on the genitalia of unsuspecting little boys across the globe...for decades. Get your priorities straight, Timmy. No pun intended.

• Is it hockey season yet?

Until next time! Enjoy the rest of the week.

Big Crowd for a Tuesday at Citi

Gee lost his first game of the year to
lower his record to 7-1. Oh, and
Jason Bay hit his third home run
of the season. Celebrate!

More than 37,000 showed up for Tuesday's Mets-A's tilt at Citi Field. Wonder why? Perhaps people were expecting to see Dillon Gee go to 8-0? (He didn't). 

Maybe it was the old uniforms the A's wore -- and the Mets wore -- making it look like 1973 all over again? Whatever it was, they all left disappointed as the Metsies dropped their third in four games. 

Jason Bay did have two extra-base hits though, including his third home run of the season.

Clarence Clemons Performs National Anthem: Marlins/Mets Opening Day '11

'Classic' Comments From Gary Cohen & Ron Darling

Mets' First-Round Pick Nimmo's Doomed for Disaster

Brandon Nimmo
Mets First-Round
2011 draft pick.

Imagine what it must be like to be either in high school or college — and knowing you're likely going to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team in the first round. If you're a first-rounder, there's a chance you go from long bus rides to privately chartered jets within a few years.

Now pretend you're Brandon Nimmo, a Wyoming teen, who was drafted by the New York Mets 13th in first-round of the draft, prior to receiving a high-school diploma. Tell you what, were I Nimmo, I'd feel like my professional baseball career already took a massive hit.

Try to think of all things in Nimmo's perspective. Every kid dreams of playing in the Bigs. But to think the Orange and Blue (and still stupidly black) drafted you probably means playing in mediocrity for a very, very long time. And even if you're Nimmo — and you develop into a Big Leaguer, chances are, given the status of this New York Mets ball club, that even if you're as good a pitcher as Tom Seaver, this organization will find a way to screw up your career beyond recognition.

Whether it's getting shitty advice from one of the team's doctors or trainers, or establishing yourself as an elite player, what kind of future do you expect in Queens?

Jose Reyes

He's probably the best player in baseball right now, yet this poor excuse for an organization is considering trading Jose Reyes.

He's a shell of his former self, psychologically damaged by the dimensions of Citi Field, but do you think Jason Bay will ever perform the way he's paid, or do you seriously think the Wilponzis (as Steve Somers calls them) will consider moving in the fences as they should have done in 2009? 

Of course not.

This is the New York Mets. What could go wrong will. And what shouldn't go wrong likely already has.

And for Brandon Nimmo, it's welcome to the Major Leagues, kid.

Bet you wish you never declared yourself eligible for the draft now, eh?

Jose Reyes Out for up to a Week, Grandmother Dies

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes will be out up to a week on bereavement leave as his grandmother has died. With Reyes gone, the Mets' entire infield is now different than it was on Opening Day.

Why Is This Commercial Shown During Mets Games?

I just don't get it!

NY Post: Carter's Tumors Likely Inoperable

Former New York Mets catcher Gary Carter's four brain tumors are likely inoperable, the New York Post is reporting. Click here to read the story.

Back to Blogging — First Stop: The Mets (Again)

My ticket stub from Game 6
 of the 1986 World Series

When Keith Hernandez flew out to make the second out of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, I picked up my hot chocolate, wrapped up my blanket and forcefully asked, at age 12, if my mom would be willing to leave Big Shea before the final out was made. We were sitting in the far reaches of left-field, in fair territory, surrounded by hoards of Boston Red Sox fans who just wanted to yell and scream for their team, which hadn't at that point won a championship since 1918.

I wanted no part of this — at all.

"Kevin, sit the f*** down right now," my mom said, screaming above the cheers of the Boston fans. "It's not over and we're not going anywhere."

Much to my chagrin, I stayed. We stayed. And the rest, as they say, was history. Gary Carter, Kevin Mitchell, Ray Knight and Mookie Wilson did their work. And Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley, well, they didn't.

Wow was I happy afterward that my mother didn't give in to my requests. If she had, we would have missed perhaps the most exciting game in baseball history.

Fast forward to 2011 — 25 years later — and it's unfathomable to believe that aside from a few moments of drama, that day, Oct. 25, 1986, was one of the last days of importance for a franchise that resides in New York City.

There weer some great moments after, sure. Like in 1999 when, on yet another wild pitch, the Mets clinched a Wild-Card tie at Shea in a dramatic game against the Pirates. There was Todd Pratt's series-ending homer against Arizona in the 1999 NLDS (I refuse to call it a 'walk-off'). There was Bobby Jones's one-hit shutout in the 2000 NLDS against the Giants. There was Mike Piazza's improbable homerun in 2001, just 10 days after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. 

And sadly, the good memories — aside for the aforementioned few — have been hard to come by. At all.

This is a team still without a no-hit, no-run baseball game pitched. This is a team that epically collapsed twice in the last 2000s with leads that would have sent them to the post-season as NL East Division Champs. This is a team now more associated with Bernard Madoff than it is the game of baseball, and quite frankly, it's sickening.

When the Wilpon Family sold part of their team for $200 million the other day, one might have thought this was a sign of good things to come. Yet how could it be?

Much of that money will be spent to pay down old debt. Some will be spent to make this year's payroll. None, likely, will be spent to make the team better. In fact, we're told it might get even worse than this before it gets better.

I'm at a point right now, as are so many others, where I'm asking myself on a daily basis why I bother continuing to root for this team. It's made even more impossible to enjoy this team as a fan of two other organisations that are run more professionally than any others in sports — the NY Giants and NJ Devils.

Year after year, I'm back. Year after year, the frustration grows.

Year after year, I pray the Wilpons will sell the team.

The finally did — but too small a percentage of it.

And until they sell a majority of the team, it's now gotten to the point where I refuse to spend a penny on anything Mets-related.

Are you ready to join me, or have you done so already?

Yours Truly Covering the NJ Devils for SportsPolice.com

Well, I've hardly kept it a secret that my favourite Mets blog out there is Mets Police. It's run by Shannon Shark who, like me, hates the notion that the Mets wear black uniforms — if even on the rare occasion these days. 

His site has morphed into a look at the Mets from  the eyes of cynics, sort of. And I love every second of it.

Now, Shannon has started a new site, NY Sports Police, which will look at all of the tri-state area's 9 sports teams, and I am honoured to announce I'll be the site's official New Jersey Devils writer/cynic. Click the links above to see the site — bookmark it — and come back often. It's not just because I'm part of the Sports Police that I say you're going to love it, as well as Mets Police. 

Go ahead! Give it a try.

If the Mets Played Like Their Broadcasters Broadcast, They'd Be a Superior Baseball Team

Gary, Keith and Ron

FLUSHING, Queens — Futility.

Year after year, it's the same ole' story for the New York Metropolitans Baseball Club, Inc. With the exception of 1969, 1973, 1986, 1999, 2000 and 2006 — six rather exceptional seasons — the Mets have otherwise spent 43 years on the outside of the Major League Baseball playoffs, watching, through many of those years, as their local counterparts, the Evil Bronx Empire, not only made the playoffs, but won World Series Championships.

Consider this. Since 1962, the Mets' first year in existence, the Yankees have been in the post-season in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. They won World Championships in 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009 — and they have a realistic chance at winning yet another in 2010.

Could there be a more stark difference in two organizations separated by 10 geographic miles?

My Thanks to the 2010 New York Mets

The Mets made commercials thanking fans for their support in the 2010 season — so I decided to offer my praise criticisms to the Mets for their part in making 2010 yet another complete and utter disaster.

Pedro Martinez Delivers Yet Another Reason Why Omar Minaya Should Be Fired

Painful.

That's how it was to watch Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Pedro Martinez throw 5 solid innings tonight, having given up 3 runs on 7 hits, while striking out 5. This is the kind of proverbial shot-in-the-arm the Mets needed all season long — yet for some reason, Omar Minaya decided it was better for the Mets to not sign Pedro.

Let's just look at it this way — could he have been any worse than any of the starters, Johan Santana notwithstanding, than the Mets have used all season long? And all he's earning is $1 million!

Watch him go throw a no-hitter or perfect game for the Phils and go 7-0 in the coming weeks. Unreal.

Yet another brilliant move by your Mets GM Omar "He Lobby for the Job" Minaya.

Mets Should Fire Omar and Manuel, Hire Bobby Valentine, Kill the Black Uniforms and Thensome

In no way do I claim to be a baseball expert. However, in my own way, I need to vent a little — as a very frustrated Mets fan. It's been years of futility, actually — not just 2009 — that have caused this immense frustration. It was the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 teams that have contributed to the frustration, too. It was the 1998 team that barely missed the playoffs. It was the 2001 team that barely missed the playoffs. If was the 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 teams that were geared and prepared for a dynasty — didn't actually happen did it? — that have caused this frustration.

So here, then, are some simple things I'd like to see happen to clean house within the organization. And this is just a start. I won't even begin to tackle the players in this column. Instead, here are some steps I firmly believe will bring this organization back to respectability — and that's an important place to start.

1. Dismiss Omar Minaya. This man has caused so much organizational damage it isn't even funny. From the Tony Bernazard mess to signing Oliver Perez to a three-year, $36 million contract, his tenure as general manager has led to one disappointing playoff appearance — and a lot of hellish events before and after that.

2. Dismiss Jerry Manuel: He's funny. He's great with the media. But he has no command over this team.

3. Hire Bobby Valentine to be the manager. Bobby is the only manager to bring the Mets to the post-season two-straight years (1999 and 2000), brought them to within three wins of a World Championship, was the face of the Mets for many years, especially after 9/11 — and has the fire Manuel, Willie Randolph and Art Howe never had after V was dismissed.

4. Be cautious before hiring a GM: No rush. At least for the moment. A big name is a must here. Rushing is not. Hiring from within will just bring more of the same nonsense. As long as it's not Steve Phillips, that's fine.

5. Strip the organization of the color "black." Since the Mets added black to their uniforms in 1998, something of a "black cloud" has cursed this organization. Instead of playing daily "Guess the Uniform," they should wear pinstripes and blue caps at home — and grey road uniforms with blue caps. Get the names off the back of the home uniforms. It's not the names. It's playing as a team. Yes, there will be a need for some new "names" to be brought in to erase the horror that was 2009, but showing a little tradition can go a long way. Enough of the stupid musical uniforms — especially between games of a double-header.

6. Offer season-ticket holders from 2009 a steep discount in 2010. If fans wanted to see minor-league baseball, they could have saved a lot of money by buying season tickets to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Newark Bears, the Somerset Patriots or the Lakewood Blueclaws. Fans deserve better than what they got — especially the season-ticket holders who got nothing for their dollars. Additionally, the team should not raise prices on a single ticket next season and, in some cases, should drop the prices in 2010 (see the empty seats behind home plate and on the lower first- and third-base lines).