Did Darryl Strawberry really say Mejia might be the next Mariano Rivera? (PHOTO BY THE DAILY NEWS)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

We all need to relax when it comes to Jenrry Mejia. The last time a young pitcher was this hyped, he spent more time on the operating table then the mound(Paul Wilson, Generation K).

Of course young pitchers have blossomed in the past like Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver, but the Mets’ luck hasn’t been so good recently. Mejia is 20 years-old and has shown scouts and fans alike enough promise to warrant a Big League trip soon. However, when people like Darryl Strawberry are calling him the next Mariano Rivera that’s when we all need to wake up from fantasyland.

Mejia’s 1.97 ERA during his brief stint in St. Lucie is reason to hope, even his minor league career ERA of 2.91 is enough for us to believe this guy has the goods. However, we must not rush a talent like him for the sake of just seeing him up here. At 20, I can’t fathom him being ready for the big city and tough crowd in Queens. Also, in his stint in AA Binghamton he was 0-5 with a 4.47 ERA. Hardly dominance and a clear sign that more nurturing is needed.

Will Jenrry Mejia be a contributer to the Mets someday? I’m sure. However, it’s never good to pull a fruit off the vine before it’s ripe and the same goes for the Mets’ young prospect.

K-Rod is going to be a man on a mission in 2010.

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

I’m feeling optimistic about the 2010 season. After watching some of the worst baseball seen in New York since 1993, it’s refreshing to see that baseball is making its way back into our lives very soon.

In Port St. Lucie, the crack of the bat and the pop of the catcher’s mitt is present once again. In a few months, when the 2010 version of our Metropolitans make there way up to the frigid north I believe that success will follow them as well.

Last season was abysmal and almost everything that could of gone wrong did. This season I believe Oliver Perez, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey will light up the gun, and deliver us some much needed wins.
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Josh Fogg has been brought on to join this mockery. Print your World Series tickets now! (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

Don’t Fred and Jeff Wilpon get tired of being ridiculed by every walking member of the baseball world? Don’t they realize that when they make the back pages for ineffectiveness that it’s not a good thing?

The acquisitions of Josh Fogg, Fernando Tatis, and their pursuit of John Smoltz make this off season even more comical. Tatis again, give me a break! He is 35 years-old and a double-play machine. Can someone please change the roster a little bit? I don’t even really need to comment on Josh Fogg because most fans didn’t even realize he was a living human being. John Smoltz haha. Can they find an older pitcher to place on the roster?
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Does Michael Kay have a legitimate point for once?

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

Today on my ride home I was listening to a voice most Mets fans have come to despise and loathe. Yes, I was listening to Michael Kay.

I used to cringe at the mere sound of his pompous Yankee voice, however, after getting a daily dose of Mike Francessa and his garbage Kay seems like the better of two evils. This afternoon Kay brought up a few points that are very telling of the chaos that has continued to ensue in the Mets’ front office.

He discussed how Willie Randolph’s team collapsed in 2007, then was sluggish to begin 2008 the season. Then he compared it to Jerry Manuel who collapsed down the stretch to conclude 2008, only to captain a team to its demise in 2009. The point and main difference was that Randolph lost his job, while Manuel kept his.
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Do you remember when Al Leiter was a fan favorite? (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

Give the Man a Break!

Why do the Mets’ fans hate Al Leiter? This is a question I’ve beem pondering for the past few days.

For a guy who helped lead the Mets to consecutive playoff appearances, along with 95 career Met wins and a 3.42 ERA. Also, let’s not forget how clutch he was when he clinched a playoff berth with his gutsy performance versus the Reds in 1999.
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The Mets need someone to take the lead like Mike Piazza did. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

The boys in Flushing need a ballplayer who can carry the team on his back and vault them into respectability. Our team needs a player who the fans adore and he equally admires us.

The Mets need the second coming of Mike Piazza.

During the early to middle 1990’s life at Shea Stadium was depressing and abysmal. Vince Coleman stopped by and alienated the fans, Bobby Bonilla did the same, and Generation K sunk quicker than the Titanic. Being a Mets’ fan then was like dating the same girl who already cheated on you ten times.
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Would calling Citi Field home be Jason Bay's worst nightmare? (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

Regardless of my feelings of whether Jason Bay should be a member of the Mets, I believe he in no way wants to land here.

Bay has had the privilege the last two seasons of hitting in a righty hitter’s dream ballpark, Fenway. Bay knows as well as everyone else that Citi Field is going to dramatically hurt his power numbers. With outfield walls as high as the Empire State Building and dimensions of 379 in left-center and a monstrous 391 in right-center, this place is any power hitters worst nightmare.

Also coming from a team where winning is typical and a great supporting cast currently in place, causes the Mets to look even less appealing. We all know that the Red Sox are out of the running for Bay, but wouldn’t you think he would jump at a more competitive team before the Mets? What if the Cardinals and Mets offered the same money, where would he go? I’m pretty sure he would pick a team like St. Louis, where a plan is in place and the organization is stable.
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Jason Bay should stay away from Queens.

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

After careful thought, I feel Jason Bay and a several other available free agents will be more detrimental to the Mets than good.

Of course it is plausible to expect 25 plus homers, 100 RBIs, and a .280 batting average with Bay. However, is this the major piece of the puzzle the Mets have been missing the past few season? I think not. The Mets struggles begin in the starting rotation and unless I’ve missed it, no signing or trade has directed them toward that need.

John Lackey is gone. So is Roy Halladay. Joel Pineiro and Jason Marquis are unattractive solutions to an ugly problem. There is only so much tape you can slap over a big hole, and it finally seems that the Mets’ roster has reached that critical point. It is essential for them to address the needs of the pitching staff because it is fairly obvious that the batting order will be better this year. David Wright, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes are sure to have more production than last year.
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It sure looks pretty, but there's still no reason to buy season tickets. (PHOTO BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

During Saturday’s season ticket holder tour of Citi Field I was able to reaffirm why I won’t be renewing my package for the upcoming season.

As beautiful a ballpark as Citi Field is, I just can’t come to grips with the message it sends the “regular fans.” Corporate America has infested our home and Saturday I was finally able to see how bad it truly is. Down in the suite levels I was able to see a bar and restaurant area where Mets’ emblems were absent and upscale Manhattan decor dominated. The Mets representative who guided our tour stated, “We feel the same way too, I don’t know why this has not been corrected.”

As we proceeded past the Jackie Robinson rotunda, the rep proclaimed that “the rotunda has been one of the biggest complaints from fans.” I’ve touched on this particular subject many times and will not discuss it anymore. However, as the tour guide pointed to the newly painted stairwells that featured orange and blue, I couldn’t help but laugh. That alone will definitely make me want to renew tickets for next season(insert sarcasm).
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Wouldn't Carl Crawford make for a nice fit? (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

If you read the blogs and newspapers, you’d think the Mets are about to acquire everyone available. Randy Wolf, Corey Hart, Juan Rivera, Pat Burrell, Orlando Hudson, John Lackey etc. have all been linked to the Metropolitans.

Each of the above either wants too much money or is just plain over-the-hill. Instead of focusing on lackluster acquisitions, I believe the Mets should focus on bringing Carl Crawford to Flushing. Last season he hit .305 with 15 home runs, and a .364 OBP. His 60 stolen bases would be a terrific addition to an increasingly gimpy baseball team.

Of course the Rays and Mets would have to agree on the players to be involved, but I can’t think of one player who I wouldn’t want to involved in a deal. There aren’t to many untouchables, if any, on the Mets roster. Bringing him to New York would add another dimension to a wobbly lineup.
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