If the Mets wind up losing a playoff slot by nine games, then we aren’t going to have to worry about this much. But if they lose it by one, you can thank the g*d da*n Chicago Cubs for acting like a real baseball team for six days out of a 162 game schedule. And thank the Mets’ inability to beat this bad team which is seemingly using the turbo button to cheat.
The Cubs and the Astros are two of the four worst teams in baseball. The Mets are 2-7 against these teams. Part of the reason I think that this season’s good start by the Mets might actually finish good is due to their ability to beat good teams and good pitchers. Having problems with these two teams? I don’t know what to make of it. Jon Niese’s pitches found holes in the first inning before the heart of the Cubs order hit him hard, and the Mets couldn’t hit Ryan Dempster to save their lives to basically put the closing act of the first half to bed.
The most interesting part of the day came when rumors spouted off about the Mets possibly talking to the Rockies about acquiring back-up catcher Ramon Hernandez (in a move I would be very pleased about … if it was 2005), possibly for Justin Turner who, as was pointed out to me, looks eerily like a leprechaun. This came up because I had guessed that Turner, due to a glut of middle infield options, might be the first one to go if they need to create a roster spot for somebody (perhaps Hernandez). This was met with “No, he’s our leprechaun.”
I still believe that Turner would be traded rather than Daniel Murphy. If the Mets trade Turner for somebody and he doesn’t work out, chances are nobody will regret anything. If Murphy goes for somebody of a higher calibre, and that guy doesn’t work out, then holy balls we just lost Daniel Murphy. But … with Jordany Valdespin showing an aptitude for the outfield, then there’s one guy who leaves the glut of middle infielders containing Murphy, Turner, Ruben Tejada, Ronny Cedeno, and Omar Quintanilla. If Terry Collins trusts Valdespin in center, where he can fill in for an injured Andres Torres or a slumping Kirk Nieuwenhuis, or left where he can fill in for Jason Bay after he inevitably comes off the disabled list and fails again, then the glut of middle infielders becomes a little less crowded and the leprechaun might be saved.
And with Sandy Alderson making a guest appearance in the SNY booth today and admitting that he would be gun-shy in upgrading at catcher because the last time he did so was a big disaster (Michael Barrett in 2007 seems like a good candidate for the genesis of that phobia), it would seem that a trade for Hernandez would most likely fall apart at the wire. This would be good news for the likes of Turner, Mike Nickeas, and Tim Byrdak. Turner, because he gets to stay in New York. Nickeas, because he would get to stay in the majors. And Byrdak, because he would probably be the one who would have to take over the pie slamming duties. And the last thing the Mets need is for Byrdak to tear his shoulder capsule throwing a damn pie.
Then again, maybe Turner needs to be traded to Colorado as punishment for his bad toss which got Johan Santana’s ankle trampled.
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