Posted by djsunyc:

mets had the best team in the NL last year (and the year before). and they will have the best team in the NL this year. now, they just have to go out and prove it. they are all in and need to get to the series. putz + krod = division title by a good margin...

I think the World Champion Phillies will have something to say about that. I think the Mets have as good a shot as any though. The Mets need help with their offense. You can't expect another great season from Delgado and they were fortunate to get as much as they did from guys like Tatis. They also need to figure out another starting pitcher or 2, 2B and C.

I'm fine with a Tatis/Murphy platoon in LF as well as a Schnieder/Castro platoon at C. Starting pitcher is definately the next step probably in this order, Lowe, Perez, wolf, garland, martinez. It will be interesting to see if Omar is able to swing another trade to fix 2B or get another starter.

Posted by TMS:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3763415

Hamels: Mets have been 'choke artists'

ESPN.com news services

Updated: December 11, 2008, 8:26 PM ET

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As World Series champions, the Philadelphia Phillies have earned the right to flaunt their status. Pitcher Cole Hamels might have gone a little overboard, and at the expense of the team's bitter rival, no less.

In an interview on New York sports talk station WFAN on Thursday, Hamels, the World Series MVP, responded in the affirmative when asked if he thought the Mets were "choke artists."

"Last year and this year I think we did believe that [they were choke artists]," Hamels told the station, alluding to the Phillies winning the NL East in 2008 and '07, in part, with the help of back-to-back September collapses by New York. "Three years ago we didn't because they smoked everybody, and I think we all thought they were going to win it all. Unfortunately that didn't happen."

The Mets won 97 games and the NL East title in 2006 but lost to the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series in seven games.

"But, yeah, that's kind of what we believed and I think we're always going to believe that until they prove us wrong," Hamels said. "For the past two years they've been choke artists."

The trash talk between the two teams started before the 2007 season when Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins pronounced Philadelphia the team to beat in the NL East even though New York ran away with the division crown in '06. New York squandered a seven-game cushion with 17 to play in 2007 as the Phillies took the division and Rollins went on to win the NL MVP award.

Early in spring training this year, after the Mets acquired ace left-hander Johan Santana, normally quiet outfielder Carlos Beltran had a message for Rollins, saying the Mets were the team to beat in 2008. New York finished second in the East to Philadelphia and the Phillies went on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.

ouch.

[Edited by - TMS on 12-11-2008 9:58 PM]

Just wait til the Phillies get a look at some of K-Rod's ridiculous self promoting showboat antics. Even Jose Reyes will blush.

The Wilpon's might have lost around $300 million in a $50 Billion Ponzi scheme. I wonder how that might affect the team.

Posted by 4949:

I don't care what anyone says. The Mets have solved there pitching big time. That was a real sore spot last year. Anyone having to play catch up after the sixth won't have a chance in hell. Talk about healing a wound, the Mets really did it. Good for you guys. See ya in the W.S.!

The new York Mets are in advanced talks with pitcher Derek Lowe. Lowe is more consistent than Ollie. An offseason of Lowe Rodriguez and Putz is very strong. We have the hitting and we can adjust a bit on the fly if need be but look at that staff--best in basball if they finish it off with Lowe

Santana
Lowe
Maine
Pelfrey
Martinez[likely]

8+9
Putz Rodriguez

Put it this way--were going to have a lot of games where the starters can go 6-7 innings and we finish off with the best 8-9 tandrum in baseball.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by 4949:

I don't care what anyone says. The Mets have solved there pitching big time. That was a real sore spot last year. Anyone having to play catch up after the sixth won't have a chance in hell. Talk about healing a wound, the Mets really did it. Good for you guys. See ya in the W.S.!

The new York Mets are in advanced talks with pitcher Derek Lowe. Lowe is more consistent than Ollie. An offseason of Lowe Rodriguez and Putz is very strong. We have the hitting and we can adjust a bit on the fly if need be but look at that staff--best in basball if they finish it off with Lowe

Santana
Lowe
Maine
Pelfrey
Martinez[likely]

8+9
Putz Rodriguez

Put it this way--were going to have a lot of games where the starters can go 6-7 innings and we finish off with the best 8-9 tandrum in baseball.

i still think we need another bat. not ramirez though that would be nice but someone who can make other teams pay with timely hitting.

well, it looks like we may not get lowe. he refused out offer and might get better offers. if not then we have our shot.

Hey, Garcia isn't a bad pick up. If he's on, he'll help the Mets.

If you guys could get Manny, that would be a great move. I gotta a feelin that now that the chicago scrubs have a new owner, they may try to go after Manny themselves.

well redding and garcia are garbage so our number 5 pitcher will lose more games than win. livian did well the other day but that was fools gold. however, k rod looks fantastic in the wbc. coincidentally, how is jj putz doing in the wbc? haven't heard much about him.

Posted by jaydh:

Well, Livan did have a winning record last season. I dont think he is any worse than what we had in the 5spot last season. In the WBC Putz has pitched 3 innings, giving up 1 run(3era, 1.00whip). Putz and KRod are probably the best 8-9 inning combo in the league.

yeah, u are right. we just need to get to those innings in the first place and i believe with definately santana plus maine and big pelf we can do it. ollie is too inconsistant but there is always a month where he pitches unbelievable. expect that to happen this year. i think the mets still will make a trade for a bat before the july trade deadline though.

Posted by djsunyc:

you guys just signed sheffield...

ny mets baseball...where 500 home runs happens...