Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - March 28, 2013

Just when you thought the Mets couldn't dig a deeper hole for themselves, they grabbed a shovel and kept on digging.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - March 28, 2013

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - March 13, 2013

 


While driving along the 101 heading to San Jose, I decided to talk about Johan Santana, the Mets, the trade block and Manny being Manny in Taiwan.


Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - March 13, 2013

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Smile! It's good to be a Met

That was an amazing weekend that just finished up in Queens.
Jonathan Niese went 6 innings, no runs and struck out 10 Cardinals and that was by FAR the worst pitching performance of the weekend.

R. A. Dickey's complete game shutout was a hell of a Silver Medal.
Of course Johan Santana threw the great regular season masterpiece that Met fans were waiting 50 years for.

But there is something cool happening in Queens and I am slowly becoming a believer.
The Mets are tied for first.
The Mets are exciting.
The Mets are fun.

Now I WOULD eat crow and say "Man, I was wrong" when I wrote all sorts of posts saying that the Mets were no good.

But I wasn't wrong.
And there is no reason to eat crow.

I was right.
The Mets team filled with overpriced veterans was no good.

The Mets team that is relying on Lucas Duda, Josh Thole and Kirk Nieuwenhuis is good. They are young and hungry and don't have the whole "We're not big enough to win in New York" BS hanging over them.

Take all of the big priced free agents and pickups the Mets have made over the past few years and I bet none of them are as popular with Met fans as Duda or Mike Baxter.

They are spitting in the face of the concept of "You need big stars in New York to get the fans attention."

BS. I've been saying that is BS forever. You need good baseball players who play hard and want to win.

The best fortune for the Mets have been their bad injury fortune.
They had to play these kids.

They were given no choice except to do the thing they should have done years ago.

And it is paying off.
The First Place New York Mets... the Last Place Philadelphia Phillies.

How cool is THAT Mets fans?





   

The Most Recent No Hitter For Each Franchise (Updated for June 1, 2012)

The Mets have a no hitter! They've had no shortage of pitchers who have THROWN a no hitter, but for other teams.

Hell, Nolan Ryan threw seven himself. Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, David Cone, Mike Scott, Hideo Nomo, Phillip Humber... etc. They all had no hitters after wearing the Mets uniform.

It was one of the great statistical oddities in sports.

And it is all over now.

Johan Santana pulled it off. He shut down the defending World Champion Cardinals.
The Mets are off the schide!

I know Met fans who thought they would never see that. These are the same fans who witnessed the 1986 World Series. THAT seemed plausible. This no hitter? No so much.

Let's update the list.

THE MOST RECENT NO HITTERS
FOR EACH FRANCHISE

NEW YORK METS

Johan Santana - June 1, 2012

8-0 over St. Louis.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Jered Weaver - May 2, 2012.
9-0 over Minnesota.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Phillip Humber - April 21, 2012

4-0 over Seattle. (Perfect Game.)

DETROIT TIGERS
Justin Verlander - May 7, 2011.
9-0 over Toronto.

MINNESOTA TWINS
Francisco Liriano - May 3, 2011
1-0 over Chicago White Sox

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Roy Halladay - October 6, 2010
4-0 over Cincinnati. (Playoff Game)

TAMPA PAY RAYS
Matt Garza - July 26th, 2010
5-0 over Detroit.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Edwin Jackson - June 25, 2010
1-0 over Tampa Bay



OAKLAND A'S
Dallas Braden - May 9, 2010
4-0 over Tampa Bay. (Perfect Game.)


COLORADO ROCKIES
Ubaldo Jimenez - April 17, 2010
4-0 over Atlanta.


SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Jonathan Sanchez - July 10, 2009.
8-0 over San Diego.


CHICAGO CUBS
Carlos Zambrano - September 14, 2008.
5-0 over Houston.


BOSTON RED SOX
Jon Lester - May 19, 2008.
7-0 over Kansas City.


FLORIDA MARLINS
Anibal Sanchez - September 6, 2006.
2-0 over Arizona.


HOUSTON ASTROS
Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner -
June 11, 2003.
8-0 over New York Yankees.


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Bud Smith - September 3, 2001
4-0 over San Diego.


NEW YORK YANKEES
David Cone - July 18, 1999.
6-0 over Montreal. (Perfect Game.)


PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon - July 12, 1997.
3-0 over Houston. (10 innings.)


LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Hideo Nomo - September 17, 1996.
9-0 over Colorado.


TEXAS RANGERS
Kenny Rogers - July 28, 1994.
4-0 over California. (Perfect Game.)

ATLANTA BRAVES
Kent Mercker - April 8, 1994.
6-0 over Los Angeles.


SEATTLE MARINERS
Chris Bosio - April 22, 1993.
2-0 over Boston.


KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Bret Saberhagen - August 26, 1991
7-0 over Chicago White Sox.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (AS MONTREAL EXPOS)
Dennis Martinez - July 28, 1991.
2-0 over Los Angeles. (Perfect Game.)


BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson - July 13, 1991.
2-0 over Oakland.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Dave Steib - September 2, 1990.
3-0 over Cleveland.


CINCINNATI REDS
Tom Browning - September 16, 1988.
1-0 over Los Angeles. (Perfect Game.)


MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Juan Nieves - April 15, 1987.
7-0 over Baltimore.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
Len Barker - May 15, 1981.
3-0 over Toronto. (Perfect Game.)

Bonus
WASHINGTON SENATORS
Bobby Burke - August 8, 1931
5-0 over Boston.

So the Padres remain the only franchise to never have a no hitter.

And the Nationals have never had one in Washington.

Relax Met fans. You now have the no hitter you've always wanted.

Get your Red Hot Santana's here!

Through 5 innings, Johan Santana looks damn good and might have come all the way back from his season ending injuries from 2011.

If he is even a SHELL of his former self, the Mets should showcase him and say "Hey Baseball World! We have a left hander with multiple Cy Youngs. You want him?"

The Mets are not making the playoffs.
The Mets are not a .500 team.
The Mets are going to have a long season.
The Mets need to rebuild. (I've said that already.)

The Mets need lots of pieces and they won't be a pennant contender this year or next.
Santana is making big money but is only guaranteed for this year and next (with an option for 2014 that can be turned down.) So it isn't a long term albatross for a club.

The Mets can fill at least one hole (maybe 2) long term the way that dealing Carlos Beltran yielded Zack Wheeler.

The sooner the Mets come to grips with the fact that they aren't winning this year, the sooner they will put together a terrific team.

A potential #1 starter is a hell of a trade chip.
(Even better than a batting champ in his prime like Reyes).

Rebuild.
Rebuild!

When the Mets win the pennant in 5 years, fans will point to the great moves made in 2012.
It will be worth it!

C. J. Wilson wants SIX YEARS?

Yup.

He's seeking a SIX YEAR deal.

He has had 2 good years as a starter.

He is 30 and he has 2 good years.

A 6 year $100 some odd contract means that not only are you expecting him to TRIPLE his number of good years but do so as he gets deeper into his 30s.

When Brandon Webb was 29 he had won a Cy Young Award and had two second place Cy Young finishes between 2006 and 2008.

He looked like a great choice to lock up to a big long deal.

He's pitched one game since he turned 30 in 2009.

Johan Santana looked like he was putting together a Hall of Fame career. He had won 2 Cy Young Awards (and probably should have won a third) before his 29th birthday. He was 200 innings in the bank and an almost lock for the ERA title.

He missed all of the 2011 season at age 32 and his career is in jeopardy.

By age 26, Jake Peavy was a Cy Young Award winner with 2 strike out titles and 2 ERA titles. Since turning 28 he has thrown three injury plagued seasons.

At age 28 Barry Zito had won a Cy Young Award, was one of the most durable pitchers in the game and had experience in 5 different post seasons. By 30 he was an expensive and unreliable behemouth who was left off the playoff roster in 2010.

Every pitcher I just listed was a MUCH better bet to sign to a long term deal than C. J. Wilson.

Try learning from the past!

I said it before and I'll say it again... STAY AWAY FROM C.J. WILSON!

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Hey get your red hot aces here!

A week ago, I talked about the three aces who should be dealt and give their old teams a needed shot of youth and their new teams hope on October.

Well if these three are indeed going to be dealt, their teams would be smart to pull the trigger NOW!

Based on their last performances, they are bringing their A game.

Johan Santana pitched last night against Milwaukee and gave the Mets 8 shutout innings, 3 hits and got 2 hits himself.

Of course the Mets might be just diluted enough to think they have a shot this season. You don't... replenish the farm.

Roy Oswalt pitched on Wednesday and he also went 8 shutout innings, getting (for him) a rare win.

Last night Lee overcame a sloppy first inning to go 8 innings, 2 earned runs and 10 Ks.

Seriously Mets, Astros and Mariners... pull the trigger now.
You'd hate to see someone get an injury and suddenly you've got no bait.

The season is 1/3 done... time to look towards 2011.

Three Aces Wild

Making preseason predictions is often an act in futility.
If you don't believe me, look at my predictions for 2007...
And if you are still not convinced, look at my predictions for 2008...
And if that wasn't enough, why not take a gander at my predictions last year...

But one thing that makes picks so worthless is of course the team that plays in April will inevitably be different that the team that plays in October. While midseason trades are usually all hype and not a lot of true impact, dealing for a true ace in midseason could be the difference between playing for a pennant or playing golf in October.

You just have to look at the Indians trading away their two Cy Young winners, Sabathia and Lee, to see how October can be affected by dealing an ace.

And for teams falling out of contention, trading away an ace could bring about much needed building blocks for the future.

Joe Carter, John Smoltz, Brady Anderson, Randy Johnson and Carlos Guillen, among others, were picked up by teams in mid season trades for pitching.

This year there are three legit aces... three difference making pitchers who are pitching for teams that are going nowhere.

One SHOULD be traded. One is ASKING to be traded. And one will INEVITABLY.

Let's look at the one who SHOULD be traded first:

JOHAN SANTANA

Santana was supposed to be for the Mets what Curt Schilling was to the Red Sox in 2004. With the Mets falling a Carlos Beltran called third strike short of the World Series in 2006 and the epic collapse of 2007... Omar Minaya needed to make a bold move.

And he did so bringing in the American League's best pitcher to Queens. And you can't blame Santana for the collapse of 2008! He won his last 7 decisions in '08 including a complete game shutout on the second to last game of the season to keep hope alive in Flushing.

But the Mets aren't an ace away from winning anymore. Their nice April not withstanding, they are a sinking team. Don't believe me? On April 30th, the Mets were in first place, 5 games over .500. They are 6-14 since and their pitching staff and lineup are wearing down... and their farm system is notoriously bare.

Sure, Santana gives them a great arm every 5 days, but this team needs a shot in the arm and Santana's trade value may never be this high. A little honesty in the Mets front office would have them admit they are not catching the Phillies (they are already a full week behind Philadelphia) and don't have the horses to compete.

The team trading for Santana would have him for three more seasons... so the Mets could get as many as three pieces to a long term puzzle. Will they do it? Probably not. It's the smart thing to do, which isn't the Mets way of doing things.


Now for the one who is ASKING to be traded.
ROY OSWALT

I've been screaming for the Astros to trade Oswalt since the beginning of 2009. And with today's news that Oswalt is waiving his no trade clause, it looks like it is going to happen.

This is his 10th season for the Astros and he was the MVP of the 2005 NLCS, the Astros lone trip to the World Series, so no doubt he has a lot of affection for Houston and the team.

But this team sucks. He knows it. We all know it. And while he is in the top 10 in the NL for ERA and WHIP, he is also second in the league in losses!

He has a 2-6 record. Only Charlie Morton (he with the 9.68 ERA) has more losses. Oswalt has pitched 6 innings in all 9 of his starts this year and has given the Astros 7 innings 6 times. He's averaged 7 innings and about 2 1/2 runs a start for his last 5 starts... and has an 0-4 record to show for it.

Like the Mets, the Astros cupboard is bare on the farm and Oswalt should fetch at least 2 players ready to insert on the big league team.

Now the ace who will be INEVITABLY traded.
CLIFF LEE

Have the Mariners woken up (along with Ken Griffey Jr) from their first quarter nap?

10 days ago I said I wasn't sure what the Mariners should do with their season. Cliff Lee won that day... then the Mariners lost 7 of their last 8 before winning 2 in a row.

They have Lee and Hernandez back, Griffey has some clutch hits and Milton Bradley is back from therapy... and they are still the third worst team in the American League.

There is a better chance that the Cubs will call to reacquire Bradley than Cliff Lee being a Mariner in 2011... and short of a massive winning streak, this Mariner team isn't contending.

90 wins will probably win the West. The Mariners are on pace for 59. Forget .500, the Mariners are trying to reach .400 at this point.

They dealt away some good prospects to Philadelphia, Toronto, Oakland and I think Manchester United by the time the deal was done. It was a nice idea... but they need to think about 2011 now.



So think about the landscape of contenders now. You know two of these pitchers will be wearing new uniforms by the time October rolls around and possibly all three. And whatever contender picks them up will suddenly have a new potent weapon. A playoff contender could get over the hump, like the Brewers a few years ago when they picked up Sabathia.

A pennant contender could overcome their weaknesses with a new ace, like the Phillies last year with Cliff Lee.

Contenders like the Rangers, the Rays, the Cardinals, the Twins and the Tigers could use an arm to put them over the top.

Heavy weights like the Yankees, Angels, Red Sox and Dodgers (divorce not withstanding) all have pitching issues. Acquiring an ace would give the team a nice jolt of adrenaline.

It will change the entire complexion of the pennant race if and when these deals are made... and make me feel not as bad for making lousy predictions in April!