You Turn Your Back for a Second and Then What?

I realize I have not been keeping up with the blog. I know. Have gotten some private comments about it. I apologize. First, you should know that I have been watching everything from here. Every last thing. Reading before I go to bed (extremely late, mind you this is Buenos Aires where you have dinner at 11 pm), getting up a bit before my Spanish class to make sure I miss nothing. Really, I promise.

As for Willie, you know I always liked him. A Brooklyn boy, a good ball player, a good guy. But I totally get why he was given the axe. When things stink, the smell eventually leads to the top. And in my mind this is not limited to Willie... Omar and the Wilpons also need to take a hard look in the mirror. The last couple of weeks of public bullshit, the hemming and hawing, the soap opera like dramas that have enveloped the team certainly don't help. I don't now about you, but blood in the water doesn't bring me any day to day relief.

I will say this... I like what Manuel is doing. Sometimes tough love is needed. And with the benign neglect of the last regime, maybe the hands on approach is what we need.

Now that you've gotten my two cents on the most pressing issue in Mets baseball, I have to figure out how to talk about politics and my trip. Hmmm.. well, the President of Argentina recently proposed an increase in a tax on farmers. And boy, the farmers are pissed... so pissed that there was a massive protest (which I checked out). There was a concession, with the President agreeing to let the Congress debate the tax. But a la a situation we are all familiar with, a concession does not mean victory. It only means wait and see.

At Least Someone's Winning

Ah Metsies...you're killing me, killing me. The series of losses endured against San Diego have been tragic... matzo bats are the death knell. Oh well, at least the pitching hasn't fallen apart, right?

The good news is that yesterday I toured Buenos Aires on a bicycle and just loved it. Although the drivers are a bit sketch, it was thankfully a weekend and I managed to survive without incident. On the tour, we went through a neighborhood called La Boca, which is the namesake of the soccer team. The team- the Boca Juniors - seem to be quite the rage in BsAs and even throughout Latin America according to my sources. All over you can see people in Boca Jr's gear. I daresay they are the New York Yankees of soccer. But this year, they lost to Brazil.

There's another team in Buenos Aires. But it appears they are less adored by the throngs of soccer afficiandos across the land. River Platte they are called and they suffer from second class status. In fact, I have yet to see more than a splash of red and white around town. Sound familiar?

But, how tables turn. They are now the team that is making stuff happen. Today they beat Olimpo for the Clausura Tournament. And La Boca? Done. Toast.

So while maybe the boys of River aren't as popular, it appears they are better. At least the less popular boy wins sometimes.

Changes

The Mets have changed and hopefully for the better with the glorious return of Pedro. We can only hope this is the spark that lights the fire that unlocks the potential of this team.

The Democratic race for the presidential nomination is over. Last night's results leave the Democrats with one choice, one that will hopefully allow them not to lose (something, it should be noted they excel at doing - giving it away - not unlike the Mets so far this season).

And for me, a big change. Instead of bringing you Mets commentary from Washington DC, I will b bringing it to you from South America. I write you today from Buenos Aires, where I just arrived to my hostel in San Telmo. It is a bight lovely onld house with brightly painted walls, skylights and Aussies traveling around the world, not shocking.

Change is good for the Mets. Let's just hope it's good for both me and the Democrats.

Beautiful

It was a beautiful spring evening when the Mets took to the field to play the Marlins. I watched the first inning, saw the Mets score two and decided it was too beautiful to stay in watching baseball.

So I walked. I walked through the city, people were outside drinking, running, biking, errand running. It was spring and everyone was soaking up the delicious weather. I come back in the 6th, only to see the Mets down 5-4. And then Endy! tied it up. NB: For those of you unfamiliar with my blog, I always call him Endy! after that amazing catch at the 2006 NLCS. It should be noted, I haven't had too much to Endy! about so far this season.

Maybe it was spring, maybe it was the pressure, maybe it was the self realization that they are a great team. They sure played like one. Second stringer Tatis with the clutch hitting, a fantastic bullpen, even Ollie kept it together. My personal favorite extra innings play was the Sanchez bunt; even after getting smacked by a pitch he came back, bunted and ran his mightiest to first. He didn't make it, but man... he tried. He tried so hard, as ever single one of them did.

And that my friends, is indeed beautiful. 7-6 beautiful.

Day to Day

Well... they did it last night. Won a game, that it. Beat the fish 5-3 with Johan getting it done, a good defense to back him up, a bullpen that held it together and stiff bats with 9 hits. Oh and a nice double steal to boot.

Yes, it was a victory. A victory that was nearly as hard fought as the Democratic nomination. But are the Mets Hillary or Barack? That we'll know in the coming days and weeks. I suppose that Willie has been given a reprieve. For today. Jack Curry in the Times has it right - Willie, like the Mets, is day to day.

Someone Else to Kick Around

Oh Mets. What can I say? The only thing that changed since I last blogged about you is that you are no longer clinging to .500... you're officially under .500 and are closer to competing with the Nats than with the Braves. You dropped three out of four against the Rockies. Something is outta whack.

Charges of racism (in a game that is more integrated than most workplaces or communities in America it should be noted) by Willie, our star players looking like Mitt Romney (over-hyped and under-performing), and of course the hitting. Or lack thereof.

My two cents on the Willie thing - I said last month that it might be time for him to go. I don't know if that will solve the problem immediately but there is something wrong at the core if a team built like this can't get things going. Sometimes those who are the most gifted are the most lazy laziest, which is why leadership and guidance are critical. I fear those things are missing and is that is precisely what is holding us back.

And it looks like tonight will be no different than the last couple of days. Another loss; I suppose the Marlins is an excuse. Clearly the boys aren't playing up to their potential, but in this case the perception fueled by the media have become the reality. Joe Girardi must be a happy guy - everyone is so busy trashing the Mets that the end of a five-game winning streak is probably not a contender for the sharp tongue of tomorrow's NY Post.

Almost in the Toilet

We're baacck! Yes, the Mets that played in April are back again in May. Yes, I know they disappeared over the weekend. But it seems like the scoreless, listless and even nearly unconscious (if you're Ryan Church) Mets showed up at Turner Field to drop two to Atlanta yesterday. Good times.

I can't decide what is more painful - my bathroom getting ripped out or my heart after watching last night's game. At least the bathroom is scheduled to be back in commission tomorrow. Too bad I can't say the same for the Mets.

Better Than Broadway

Oh New York. Such drama. The saga of the Mets has taken on a soap opera feel, with Billy Wagner playing Cruella de Vil in the locker room after the Nats disaster. Instead of a game against the Yankees on Friday, the team had a rain out meeting something like an AA gathering replete with recriminations, apologies and a vow to play like the $100 million plus team the Wilpons and you and me have paid for.

Something worked. Maybe it was the sharing of feelings, maybe it was the thrill of the subway series. Whatever the case, we've got yesterday's win and today's plowdown in the Bronx. 11-2. Now granted there's no A-Rod and no Posada in the Yankees lineup. But it wasn't about that. It was about Oli holding it together and more importantly the Mets bats performing (18 runs over the last two days, which is probably more than the last three weeks).

What's so amazing about the Willie-Billy-Delgado drama is that in any other town it wouldn't have escalated to this point. But other towns don't have the tabloids or the aggressive fans. At least the tale of these two wins after last week will give them what they are all looking for - a damn good show.

Disgusted

I didn't watch yesterday's "pitchers duel" between Mike Pelfrey and the Nat's Jason Bergmann (who was recalled from the minor leagues). 1-0. And not one for us.

I'm not giving the blow by blow, but yet again the matzo bats failed. Just call the Nats Mike Huckabee - unlikely to win it all, but certainly exceeding expectations.

Me, I'm just disgusted.

Eye on the Prize

Yes, I know the Nats are the worst second worst team in the National League. Yes, I know we should be kicking their butts. But it is not so. 5-3 at the hands of Heilman, who maybe should also be designated for assignment a la Sosa and Figueroa. Claudio Vargas, brought up from the minors, pitched a solid game before the Heilman giveaway.

What gave me a giggle was watching the broadcast on MASN (the Nats network) and the announcers commenting how they couldn't understand the booing at Shea when Heilman showed up on the mound. Couldn't understand?? Haven't these guys watched a single day of Mets baseball?!

Nevermind. I'm letting go. It's not far off from Clinton's West Virginia victory earlier this week... kinda futile. Phillies and Braves lost, so the half game sandwich remains.