Yankees are High Fashion?

Arezzo, Italia- Just a quick post from Italy. Sad the Mets lost the Atlanta series, happy to hear Carlos D (not the one from Interpol) is making stuff happen, bummed about Shawn Green.

Italy is georgeous. Rome is chaos and beauty melted together, old stuff in the middle of cities is like the spice that gives it all flavor. Had a quick jet-lagged look around on Friday - went to Piazza Venezia, the Colosseum, and the old Jewish quarter. Jews are everywhere.

A disturbing trend - Yankees hats all over Roma worn by the natives. Guess Yankees are high fashion. Good for baseball, I suppose.

We got our bikes and began our journey yesterday. Picked up bikes in Orvietto, got back on the train for an hour, then rode about 40 kms to Arezzo. Jenny chatted up an Italian woman who recommended an inexpensive, clean and convenient B and B...love that! Ate an amazing meal after an insane thunder and hail storm that we managed to avoid. Took pics of restaurant, but cannot figure out how to upload.

Today, we are off to Lucca, trying to avoid Florence and the tourists. We'll see how it goes.

Ciao!

Vivo Oliver!

I am all about packing tonight, but I did notice that my boy Oliver shut down the Braves tonight. Believe baby! Oli has been the only Mets pitcher to shut down Atlanta so far this season.

Series tied 1-1. It's the Viagra face off tomorrow night... Glavine v. Smoltz. Guess I'll hear about the final results of the series when I arrive in Rome.

Scalped

It's a good thing the Mets have no hair, since the Braves would have removed it in this game. Atlanta is giving the boys from Queens a good scalping. I can't even watch. Pitching disaster. Sosa, Sele. No more "S" words, but you can see where this is headed. I stopped watching in the 4th, but like a train wreck, I cannot stop myself. I turned it back on, it's now 8-1 and I am really stopping this time. I promise.

Like the Yankees game on Monday, the Mets started playing like they were defeated the minute they were 4 runs down. It's bologna, I tell ya. That's not the attitude of champions. Buck up boys. And remember who won against those who employed scalping in the past.

The only thing I have going for me is that I am soon leaving for Italy. Via Italia! I think there will be no scalping there. Certainly, there will be no Braves. Although I still have to get through tomorrow night.

Onward, Upward

Tonight, the Braves. While the Yankees may be the company that sell shit in your territory, the Braves are selling the exact same product right next store. Unlike last year, the Braves are a competitor and I suspect will be nagging at our asses all season long.

Sometimes we spend too much time thinking about other people and things when we are trying to accomplish something. But success is about concentration. Be aware of your barriers to success, make a plan to exploit the weaknesses of your opponent, but keep focused on your goal. It ain't about someone else losing; it is about you being top dog.

Ya Know What Would Be Delicious?

Sweeping the series. But it didn't happen. The Mets bats got shut down tonight by 22-year-old minor league Yankee pitcher Tyler Clippard.

The Mets had a rhythm going into this series and it carried them through until tonight. Friday night's win by Oliver. Saturday's wild ride where they were able to win with a recipe of warm bats, mixed with a healthy serving of capitalizing on the Yankee's defensive mistakes. Yum, delish. Two wins delish.

Tonight was not quite like that. It was a quiet game. Not much cookin' for the Mets. The one rallying moment was a lone home run by hot buns himself... David Wright. It wasn't even that the Yankees defense was all that. Bottom line: Fresh meat Clippard sliced us and diced us.

At least tomorrow night the Empire State Building will be marinated in blue and orange.

Oliver Perez - Winning Pitcher and Philosopher

Last night =Beautiful. 3-2 Mets over their bully step-brother the Yankees. Maybe it is hopeless for John McCain. Well see. It is only May after all. Oliver was on it, i hear he even hit my boyfriend, David Wright, on the tush. Lucky man.

Other than Oli, Endy was the man last night. While losing Moises Alou for a while is not good news, Endy is stepping up and making stuff happen.

My fave piece in all of the coverage as I scanned it quickly (I have to get to the gym for my fave Saturday class) is Oliver saying
“I always play baseball like it’s going to be my last game".

Couldn't have said it better myself. Not about baseball, naturally.

Luck O' Something

Unbelievable. Today, in the NINTH inning, the Mets came back and scored 5 runs to beat the Cubs. Call it the luck of something, but this was walk off victory number 2 for the Mets this week. The winning run today was actually hit by Carlos Delgado, the same guy who won Monday's game by getting the bottom of the 9th, 2 out walk. Nice symmetry to end the series.

What made today's victory especially nice was that the Mets were as broke down as I was today (I had some wine with dinner last night and went to bed too late) because of this morning's nearly 1 am finish. My only remiss is that I am lacking my own top notch backup squad.

Not sure if it's those haircuts or what, but this is delicious momentum for a weekend of hand to hand combat with the nine- games-out-of-first-place Yankees. Nah, I am not gloating. Actually, I am not. If you remember my earlier post, the Yankees are like John McCain and no one has any idea what the hell will happen to either one of them. One thing baseball and politics have in common: you never want to peak too early, a la Howard Dean. What team wants to be known as the Howard Dean of baseball? Right now, it might be the Brewers after their spanking by the lackluster Phillies.

Oli is pitching tomorrow. Let's hope the luck o'something is not just Irish.

They're Only Human

The Mets, that is. Carlos Zambrano, the Cubs pitcher last night, may not be. But we now know that Johnny Maine is. We already knew that Scott Schoenweis was.

Last night, while killing time on the elliptical at the gym, I was watching the Nats v. Braves. I root for the Nats, especially against the Braves. But the poor Nats. Inept pitching, lame fielding. I felt bad, especially since I have seen them play better. They did beat the Braves on Monday, after all.

This got me thinking about the lean days of the Mets and how hard it is to be a fan and continually have your heart broken. It's like having the same man let you down again and again. But after all, they are just human.

P.S. Mets v Cubs

Bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, 2 outs. Pitcher walks 2 batters in a row to load the bases. Full Count, Shea Stadium at their feet.

What happens? Pitcher walks Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes scores. 5-4 Mets. Finally, someone may be more hated than Bush tonight... Cubs pitcher Michael Wuertz.

Deflowered at Shea

Last year when I did the TNR blog, we briefly live blogged the games, which was just fabulous. Aside from the great contributors, it was really funny to talk and comment abou the games while the action was happening. Lacking the technology to do that, I am just going to post some funny thoughts about tonight's game as they come.

So, Rocky Cherry is not a porn star. Believe it or not, he is a rookie pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. The guy has been in the major leagues for something like 3 weeks and he no longer has a cherry. The Mets just scored 2 runs off him and tied it up. 4-4 in the 7th.

You Thought April Was Cold, Look Out!

I am watching the Mets v. Cubs on ESPN and MLB announced that the World Series could last until November. If there is a Game 7, it would now be played on November 1. Nuts. All I know is the average temperature in November in New York has got to be colder than April. Brrr! Maybe global warming can help.

New Orleans Ain't Queens

I have not actually seen the Mets in over 2 weeks, so I am thankful for next weekend's series with the Yankees that will be on TV. I am hoping their new dos haven't grown out too much so I can see how cute they actually are with their haircuts. I have been so preoccupied with spring I haven't watched ESPN all week.

But enough. I went for a long bike ride today- over 20 miles- to prepare for my biking trip through Italy (which is now less than 2 weeks away) and came home to find out that Oliver pretty much rocked the house against the team with the best record in baseball - one hit, one run through 8 plus innings. The guy's a stud. 9-1 Mets and they took the series against the Brewers.

Oliver is winning his mental game these days, unlike poor Mike Pelfrey, who got sent back to the barnyard. Poor kid. He does not have as much experience as Oliver, but he never really got his break. Sometimes, you just need to win one to turn it around. When nothing's going right, you need one little thing to work in order to remind you how to get it back on track, to show you that something other than failure is possible. Maybe Pelfrey can get that where the competition is a little less fierce - the barnyard of New Orleans isn't Queens.

While I am all smiles today about Oliver, these things are day to day. So right now, I will relish a beautiful spring day and Oliver's win. After all, it will soon be 100 and disgusting outside and we now have a hole in the pitching rotation and who the hell knows who is going to fill it?

Like Butter, But Not in a Good Way

Today's 12-3 loss to the Brewers was a meltdown. I only read about it, but aside from the puddle left by Pelfrey, our relief squad liquefied. Now granted, the Brewers have the best record in baseball, but it appears that today was about bad pitching more than anything else.

The question now becomes what happens to Pelfrey. Will he be back? I am not sure we have a choice, since El Duque's return is unclear. It's still early May, no time for tears. Let's see how Oliver does tomorrow.

Politics and Baseball Part One

So I have had my blog going for a couple of weeks and I have yet to blog about the nexus between politics and baseball. This was a huge inspiration for me on the TNR blog last year, but politics - once my life's passion- is something that I have been slowly weaning myself off of and baseball has served as my interim methadone.

But it couldn't Iast. I was talking to a dear friend earlier this evening (A Red Sox fan it should be noted. You people are like cockroaches and New Yorkers - you are EVERYWHERE) and she said that once the campaigns really heated up and the season got down to the wire I would have tons of material, which is probably true. In the meantime, all I can do is compare Presidential candidates to baseball teams.

So here goes a couple:

John Edwards is the Cardinals- super hot in 2006, just shy of the basement in 2007.

Mike Gravel is the Nats - some people might not even realize DC has baseball because the team is so lousy.

John McCain is the Yankees - kinda in the toilet right now, but based on history both have the potential to come back and kick everyone's ass.

Mitt Romney is the Red Sox - Hot, hot, hot right now, but let's see where you both are come September

Finding Your Peeps

Everyone who reads this knows I am no Yankees fan. But one of the really interesting things about this Rogers Clemens thing is that one of the reasons he is going to the Yankees is because of the team. To me, this means he sees a group of people he wants to work with and who he thinks he can be successful with and win baseball games. He even mentioned at one point his love for Joe Torre, who is technically one of his bosses.

Even in the Mets organization, there is a lot of talk about how Tom Glavine has spent time talking to both Oliver and to Mike Pelfrey about the psychology of pitching, helping them to figure it out. The team and its elders serve as a support system for younger players and these bonds and words of wisdom will stay with them for a long time to come.

In the real world, it is no different when you are looking for a job. You want a team you can work with, a boss that can guide you and a little solid advice from someone who is a little more experienced than you. In baseball, this seems obvious. In the rest of the world, maybe not so much.

By the way, the picture is of the 1986 Mets when they won the series. That's what happens when you find your peeps.

Update: In reference to my last post, the Mets won last night 4-1, but way more interesting is that nearly the whole posse shaved their heads. It all started with my boyfriend, David Wright, who still looks cute despite his Sinead look.

Sounds like a team to me.

Tonight's Duel

I have the Yankees on in the background tonight and the crawl on ESPN just reminded me that Oliver is pitching tonight against Barry Zito. For my readers who also read my postings on the TNR blog Deep in the Count, you will recall that I one point I wished for Barry Zito to be a Met.

After last night's mediocre performance by Pelfrey, maybe I still am. But let's see how Oliver does against ballbuster Barry Bonds and how Zito holds up against our battered batters (in case you are not paying attention, both Beltran and Alou did not play last night).

Update: Poor Oliver. Someone in the Mets back office is lamenting as I did last year about Zito after last night. A crap call in the 5th gave SF the groove and Oli went down, along with the rest of the team (2 errors in the 5th!) to give SF 6 of 9 runs in one damn inning. Worse than falling out of the groove. Like line-dancing at a disco. Ouch!

The Groove

Last night makes 4. Four wins in a row, which we haven’t seen since the salad days of early April. The other difference, not including than the warmer weather (although my HEAT came on this morning. Yes, in May!) is the Mets are on their longest stint of play all season.

The pitchers are warming up, the bats are starting to simmer. Last night, I heard the name Delgado, which I have not heard all season. It’s all good – the boys are finding the groove.

Fully living in the groove, however, takes time. Pelfrey found it last week, we’ll see if he’s still there today as the Mets finish out their series in AZ and prepare to take on the much tougher Giants and that arrogant Barry Bonds.

Ole, Jose!

Since the Mets have been out on the west coast and I am too wimpy to stay up for the scores, I took the opportunity to go to a DC United game this past week. For those who might think this some farm team for the Nats, I have news for you… it is DC’s own four time Major League Soccer champions. Although they are more like the Nats than the Mets these days, just one floor above the basement in their division.

Three soccer observations:

1. Soccer loves their fans. At the end of the game, the players applauded the stands. This is something I could never imagine baseball players doing. Then again, the fans were much more antagonistic towards the opposition than in baseball. It was more then applause when the Yankees lose (which happens at almost every baseball game I have ever been to). The fans, who call themselves the Screaming Eagles (and who were kick ass) yelled things like “Fuck you, ref” and “Fuck New England” in unison and loudly for 5-minute stints. They kept the drums, chanting and flag waving up for all 90 minutes.

Maybe it is because the sport lacks the popularity of baseball. Or because it is not as lucrative for the players. Whatever it is, there is a really nice connection between players and fans that I have not witnessed in any other professional sport.

2. The game ended in a tie, which is sort of unsatisfying for me. I want the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. In life, are there ever really ties? What the hell do you learn from a tie?

3. The players were younger, hotter and had better bodies than baseballers. But they do have a chant that reminded me of one of baseball’s cuter players… “O-le, o-le, ole, ole, ole.” For a moment, I closed my eyes and I was at Shea Stadium. The only things missing were the airplanes and the crack of the bats.

Oliver Can Dance

Finally! I have to believe that last week's solid, but losing performance in D.C. got him there today.

I have no idea what will happen to El Duque or to Valentin, those are both potentially big problems. But for one afternoon, for one guy, he is on it like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Hey, it happened in the boroughs, didn't it? Just like today's game. Although Travolta was in Brooklyn.

2 hits, 2 runs, 10 strikeouts. Better than winning the dancing contest at 2001 Odyssey or scoring with Stephanie.

Kool Aid

Mike Pelfrey is drinking Oliver's Kool Aid, it seems. Tonight he found his mojo after a tough first inning, a la Oliver on Friday against the Nats.

They lost, but let's hope it's for the good of the order.

P.S. Yankee update.... after my earlier post - tonight's no hitter is the 26-year old finding another job. Or the case of Joe Torre, keeping his job. For now.

P.P.S. It should be noted that while I am not a Yankees fan, I am a Joe Torre fan. He is a Brooklyn boy, after all.

April is Over, What Happens Next?

I decided this morning that April is kinda like your 20s. At least for baseball. April is the beginning, it's the time for the team to see what it is about.

So, if you are the Yankees (in the basement of the AL East), right now might start to feel like your 20's crisis. You know, when you are 26, your boy/girlfriend just dumped you, you just got fired because of "creative differences" with your boss and you can't pay your rent.

If you're the Red Sox (with the best record in baseball), you just got a bad ass job that pays entirely too much, you are dating 3 people that are fabulous, and you just moved into the loft of your dreams.

If you're the Mets (after last night with questions around the pitching lineup and bats that finally performed), it is more like your boy/girlfriend is having a fling, your job kinda sucks, but you paid double the minimum payment on your Visa card this month.

For me, this means that it can always be worse. But then again, it can always be better.