General: Sterno's Talkin' Smack -- Episode #9

Sterno's talkin' smack. No holding back here. It's simply all trash, all the time. Welcome to the Monday morning edition. Let's get started...

Smack This: The New York Mets -- We have talked about this "Subway Series" before, and what it means. For the Yankees it is a chance to put some more space between themselves and the likes of the Boston Red Sox, and a chance to keep George Steinbrenner happy by putting it to their crosstown rivals.

For the Mets, a whole lot more meaning. Something to hold their heads up about with their fans, and with themselves. The New York Mets are going nowhere and fast. Just about the only thing to keep them excited about things, and to give them their "playoff atmosphere," is doing well against the Yankees.

As usual, for the Mets and Yankees, the same attribute separates them. Brains. The Mets always seem to make mistakes to allow the Yanks to win these Subway Series games. You could point to Timo Perez and his base running mistake in the 2000 World Series, and most recently to the walking spell that Armando Benitez had to blow the Sunday Night game last week.

This weekend was no different. Here were two mistakes that I caught and think led to the misery that was. Firstly, in the Friday night game, neither starting pitcher (David Wells, Jay Weong Seo) was pitching very well, and it looked as if jumping on the pitching would be the key on both sides. Art Howe offered the Yankees some help in the third inning. With runners and second and third, and two outs, Jason Giambi came to the plate. Instead of walking Giambi to load the bases, which seemed to be the obvious move with a right handed pitcher in Seo on the mound, Howe decided to go after him.

Earth to Art. You coached this guy out in Oakland. You know how good he is. You know that he has been in a zone few would recognize as of late. If you are going to throw to him, have Seo and catcher Jason Phillips, understand that you want to throw away, away, away. Sure enough, Seo delivered a meatball over the plate that Giambi rocked off the centerfield fence for a two run double. The momentum the Mets had built at the top of the inning, and the game itself, were pretty much over. Not smart. Art thou a good manager?

Let's move to Saturday night's disaster. In the second half of the two stadium double dip, the Yankees and rookie Brandon Claussen carried a 9-0 lead into the sixth inning. I was at this game, and left at this point, thinking there was no way the Mets would fight back.

They did. They fought to the tune of a 9-4 deficit, with the bases loaded, and two outs in the eighth inning. Mariano Rivera, Mr. Automatic, was on his way in from the pen. I was watching this at home, hoping I would be able to kick myself for leaving Shea Stadium early. No such luck. To the plate came Raul Gonzalez who was called up from the minors between games, and was in a clutch spot immediately. He came through, or so we thought! Gonzalez ripped a double in the gap in right-center field. The three runners on base all came around to score. Then when the throw came in from right fielder Raul Mondesi, Gonzalez had over zealously, ran past second base and was caught with his head cut off; so to speak. Gonzalez was thrown out, and the rally was killed.

I can't guarantee you that Jeromy Burnitz, who was on deck, would have driven in Gonzalez to tie the game, but I would have liked to have seen him try. I would rather the Mets had lost that game by twenty runs, then to come oh so close, and fail miserably. It's not like Mariano overmatched the Mets in that eighth. The "Amazins" had him. Then they let him promptly off the hook.

You knew as a Mets fan, that Rivera was going to shut the Mets down once he regained his composure between innings, and he did just that. It goes to show you that having a smart baseball mind ala Derek Jeter, is in fact not just an intangible, but a necessity. I think it is time for Mets fans to start rooting for some other team. I'd rather lose than root for a team most widely known for their inability to run the bases, and their marijuana habits.

New York Mets -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: Juan Gonzalez -- I absolutely cannot go without revisiting the Juan Gonzalez issue. What a joke. This guy basically just told the entire baseball world that he cares nothing about winning. Gonzalez had a team in Montreal that was winning games, in a playoff race for the Wildcard in the National League, and did I mention that they wanted him?

Instead of going to the Expos, Juan decides to stay with a team that can't win games, has no pitching, and quite obviously does not want him. That's like turning down a gorgeous girl, who makes a ton of money, and adores you, to stay with someone you can't stand and vice versa. I just do not get it.

Juan Gonzalez -- Smacked! Again!

Smack This: The Milwaukee Bucks -- Okay, just a quickie here, but am I the only one confused about what happened between the Bucks and Michael Jordan? All we heard on television and throughout the internet, over the past few days, was that the Bucks and Jordan had tentatively agreed to a deal already. Both sides were dotting the I's, crossing the T's etc, and Jordan was the new owner of the Bucks. Right?

Wrong! Despite the fact that many folks think Jordan was so much in that slot, that he had a great deal to do with T.J. Ford getting drafted out of Texas, Bucks owner and U.S. Senator, Herb Kohl, says "No Dice!"

Why? Kohl has come out and said all the right things. You know, he wants to take the team to the next level, Michael is great, but he loves this team.

"I think Michael will be an excellent owner of an NBA franchise and have encouraged him, for the benefit of the NBA, to continue his consideration of such an investment. On balance, I simply decided that I am not yet prepared to sell the team at this time and have instructed my representatives, accordingly."

Huh? Something's missing here. I am sure whatever it is, will come out, but how about how these NBA owners are treating the greatest basketball player that ever lived. Like a punk! That's how! Between what Abe Pollin and the Wizards, and Kohl and the Bucks have done, maybe Mike should just shut it down for a while.

No love from Mr. Kohl. Milwaukee Bucks -- Smacked!!!

One for the Road: Mark it down in ink. Albert Pujols will be a Hall of Famer. You can give me stats, and what not's, but just watch this guy play. Watching him swing, and how much he owns the plate, tells you enough about how good Pujols really is!

Hit me up with feedback at eSports (click the Write the Editor link) or on my homepage at http://www.suite101.com/myhome.cfm/theycallmethecloser.

I'll see you all Tuesday morning... till then, DON'T be the one who's smacked!