Losingest Team in MLB

The Phillies are one of the oldest baseball teams, and have lost the most games.  They found lightning in a bottle in their bullpen this year, and the teams they faced, which weren't the top teams in the game, were unable to exploit their weaknesses.  They played a strong September and October, much like the Rockies last year, or the Cardinals the year before.  They won.  It sucks. I take solace in that they only get one title a century, and they've used up this one's only eight years in. 

My money's on 20,000 losses before the third championship.

However, from a rivalry standpoint, this just amps it up.  Despise years and chances, both teams have two.  Phillies fans aren't going to discard their hatred for us, and we know they only come out when they're winning.  But now we've grown an intense dislike for them too.  This could get interesting.  Or the Phillies could pack it in and place fourth next year, and the rivalry, like the Phillies themselves, will be a flash in the pan.

Bounty

The stupid "The division hates the Mets" story got me thinking.  Metstradamus joked about the Mets putting bounties on other players.  Fine, do it.  Not real bounties, but something team building and fun.  Whoever has the best game against the Phillies in a series gets to set the radio/tv for a week.  A pitcher who gets Hanley out the most gets to pick where they eat dinner next. 

 

This all probably stems from the general disconnect players and fans have.  While there is often a jealousy of New York money and success and popularity, it’s rarely the other way around.  What does Hanley Ramirez have for the Mets to hate?  We’re trying to get them to feel our hatred.

 

We seem to have criticized the Mets for acting like they deserved the division in ’07.  Well, they did deserve the division, and I think they should continue to act like that.  The Mets should walk into opposing stadiums like they own the place.  Walk into ’09 like they own the division. 

 

This would be great:

 

Wright: “The division is ours this year.”

 

Reporter: “But aren’t the Phillies the defending division champs? Don’t you have to go through them?”

 

Wright: “Even bad teams get lucky sometimes.  The Phillies..who’s on that team?  Cole..somebody or another right?  Bring it on.”

 

Crossword

It's the off season(except for two teams..damn them), and as I hate rumors, I haven't been posting much.

I noticed this in today's AMNY crossword puzzle, and while it's true in a past tense sense, it's a little outdated now.

65 Across: Shea Player.

It's obviously Met (Although Jet would also work, since both teams used to play there, and neither do now), but right now the Mets don't have a home. They're still on the moving truck between them.

Postseason baseball

Last year I got right into the postseason, and the Phillies being pummeled didn't hurt. It was like I was so expectant of the season not being over. This year I was just so disappointed and disillusioned that I haven't been into it. Sox looked good last night, but I'm still pulling for the Rays I think. (I like to compare them to the '69 Mets, but last night certainly reminded me of the '08 Mets. Both teams blew it after Kazmir left! haha..that was..bad)

Islanders don't look great, but I'm thinking there might be some fun there. I caught opening night at the Prudential Center against the Devils, they lost, but I had fun.

I'm going to be in Buffalo this weekend, I wonder if I should pick up a Bisons shirt or something.

Jets at Shea

I know I saw a picture at one point, but I can't find any on the internet at the moment.


Does anyone out there have a good picture of the field level rotated out to accommodate the Jets?

First Offseason Move

Well, Omar's poised to make his first mistake of the off season. Hopefully it's his only mistake. I have confidence he'll do what's needed to improve this team, without caving to what whiny fans think is the best course of action. However, keeping Manuel who failed as a bench coach, failed as an interim manager, and may have even failed as a leader in the clubhouse and managed a team that was succeeding and cruising, even without Billy Wagner, and managed to have them crash and burn again.

Luckily managers don't have that big an impact, and if you give anybody the right players they can't succeed. If the bullpen did, or will, pitch well enough that Manuel doesn't have to constantly tamper with it, he won't be able to screw it up. Maybe if he resides over a spring training for real, he won't treat next September like one.

Omar's decisions can only get better from here.