Weekly Mail October 9,2016

I'm sorry this is coming out so late, I decided to watch the Town Hall Debate in St. Louis tonight, and I probably would have been better off just sticking to my original plan and sending out what I had already typed up. More on that $h-tshow later. For now, let's start with the bad news from Wednesday night.


SPORTS: RIP 2016 METS:

I decided that if the Mets lost Wednesday night, I would maintain radio silence for a few days, rather than do what I usually do and start ranting. I was hoping that three days of no on line posting would cool me off and allow me to write a rational level headed requiem for what was, all things considered, a successful season.

But let's face it, that's a $hitty way to lose. One and done. And what made it even more excruciating was that our ace, the mighty Thor himself, couldn't have pitched any better. A no-hitter through 5 (you knew that wasn't gonna last), a shutout through 7. Out he came, in came Addison Reed who despite some shakiness, managed to get out of the eighth without allowing a run.

Enter Jeurys Familia.

Familia wasn't supposed to be our closer. That was supposed to be Jenry Mejia, who apparently couldn't get out of bed in the morning without taking some sort of performance enhancing drugs. Familia was forced into the role and to be fair, has generally excelled in it. 43 saves last year, 51 this year. 100 total for his career.

Like my fellow Postie Phil Mushnick, I have a huge problem with the way relievers are used. I can't stand this 7th inning, 8th inning, 9th inning crap. I've been talking about this for years. If you have a guy who is lights out in the 7th inning, why take him out for a designated 8th inning guy who may not have it that night? Mushnick, in his Post column, has pointed out time and time again, how a pitcher who came in and slammed the door in the 7th or 8th inning was lifted for a guy who got rocked in the 9th. And no one questions the manager, because after all, as Mushnick points out, he was simply managing "by the book."

Well the book bit us in the a$$ the other night.

Now in fairness, Noah Syndergaard was just about out of gas after 7, and Reed wasn't exactly Mr. Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Night in the 8th. The move to Familia was the right call, even in a scoreless tie.

The problem of course is that for the 4th straight post season game, dating back to last October, Familia blew it.  Game 1 of the World Series in Kansas City, and Games 4 and 5 in Flushing, he blew three saves. Games 4 and 5 were not entirely his fault, as sloppy fielding by Daniel Murphy in Game 4 and Lucas Duda in Game 5 had more to do with those losses as did Familia's pitching, but still a blown save is a blown save. And a loss is a loss.

My first reaction of course was to send Familia packing. I've seen this movie before, and it starred one Armando Benitez, another Met reliever who was spectacular when the games meant nothing, only to turn to jelly when the season was on the line. Some announcer last year compared Familia to Benitez and I went bat$hit, because Familia at least seemed like he could save a big game.

Now I'm not so sure. And part of me doesn't want to wait till next year to find out.

But is cutting him lose really practical? I mean he's got a good arm, he's fairly young, and let's face it, I know the save is a stat easily manipulated, but 51 saves is 51 saves.

It's just fairly obvious that he doesn't have the stomach for the big game. So I think the best solution is to do away with the whole 8th inning man, 9th inning closer configuration and simply pitch the hot hand. When the Mets won it all in 1986, both Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell had over 20 saves. Why not go back to that system?

It has to be better that this. I am sick and tired of seeing Met starting pitching go to waste because of a bullpen that spits the bit. It happened in 1999, 2000, 2006 and last year. The young guns we have now deserve someone who can back them up and close their games out.

Jeurys Familia is obviously not that someone.

MORE METS: Sayonara Cespedes?


The universal opinion is that Yoenis Cespedes is going to exercise the option in his contract to void the last two years of his deal and test the free agent waters.

And there's a good part of me that says if he chooses to do this, we should let him walk.

Look, I understand that when he is on, there is nobody who can carry the team on his back quite like he can. I know that without him, especially last year, we are not even sniffing the playoffs.

But also, he has faltered down the stretch both years, and he was practically lame during the World Series and spent long stints on the DL this year. Is somebody this brittle and this susceptible to late season breakdowns someone we want to give a fat long term contract to?

Because how much is it going to take to sign his a$$? If he doesn't opt out, he's going to get 25 mil for the next two years. Chances are he is going to opt out to get a higher annual salary and more years. If he is willing to stay at 25 million and just wants to add a year or two, then it might be worth a gamble. But if someone is dumb enough to offer him 5 years at 30 million per, then let that dumb owner have him. That kind of money for a guy who disappears in late September and October/ Let some team with no shot at the playoffs pay him that coin.

And finally, I want to reiterate that I do not consider the 2016 Mets to have been a playoff team. I know that technically what we witnessed on Wednesday night was a playoff game and that the stats accumulated are considered post season stats and I even mentioned Familia's streak of poorly pitched post season games having reached four. But I personally don't count the Wild Card play in game as a playoff game. All winning does is qualify you for the playoffs. I liken the 2016 Mets to the 1985 Mets, who gave us a great September but didn't quite make it to October. And as much as this one stung, the collapses of 2007 and 2008 were much worse. The bottom line is that we lost to a pitcher who is all world in elimination games. As much as I blame Cespedes and Familia for choking,(and they did)  at the end of the day, I have to tip my cap to Madison Bumgartner. He is money in the bank.


ELECTION 2016- PENCE VS KAINE

I promised Tara I wouldn't watch last Tuesday's VP debate. I knew I was going to be watching the Mets on Wednesday, and as she said "Sometimes you have to unplug" So I met her halfway. I ended up reading a book, and following the debate through my politically engaged FB friends.

From what I gathered, GOP VP candidate Mike Pence gave a nuanced calm performance while having to do something nearly impossible..defending Donald Trump. Meanwhile Tim Kaine, the Democrats nominee, came off as pushy, constantly interrupting Pence, much the way his boss was interrupted by Trump.

I really can't remember the last time 2 VP candidates were so dwarfed by the 2 main candidates. I mean Joe Biden was one of the Senate's most experienced members, and even if you felt Sarah Palin was an airhead, if you are being honest, you have to recall what a sensation she was when she first got in the race. Paul Ryan again, disagree with his policies, but he was considered a rising star. As was John Edwards in 2004. When Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman debated in 2000, both men were hailed for their civility and respect towards one another, in stark contrast to their bosses who took turns sighing and shaking their heads at each other. (And that may have been the last time in history that Dick Cheney was ever considered civil)

But in so many ways, Trump and Hillary have become almost larger than life, that their running mates are almost irrelevant. That's why I couldn't get myself too excited for the debate last week. And it doesn't look like I missed much.



I did catch most of the Town Hall debate Sunday night, (which is why this is coming out so late.) I have to admit I passed out a little more than halfway through it, because even I, who watches these things as much for entertainment as anything else, has had about enough. I woke up in time to hear the great Bob Schieffer, say this on CBS.....



"How have we come to this? This is supposed to be a campaign for the most powerful office in the land...... I mean this is what they do in banana republics. This is the United States of America. People keep asking me have I've ever seen anything like this and I keep saying no. And I just hope to God, I don't see another campaign like this one. America can do better than what we have seen here tonight. This was just disgraceful. "



He laid most of the blame on Trump. I can't really argue with him. Part of the problem was that the first part of the debate focused on what happened on Friday afternoon....


NEWS ITEM: TRUMP IS A MALE CHAUVINIST PIG

Now have I ever written a more "Well duh!" headline in my life?

The audio obtained by the Washington Post, while vile, should have surprised absolutely nobody.

Is it going to sink his campaign, as some have suggested? I don't see how. Sure it's awful, sure it shouldn't be condoned, but at this point, after everything else this blowhard has said and done, what makes anyone think THIS is going to be the last straw?

What I'd like to know is 1) Who had this tape? 2) How long were they holding onto it and 3) Did they think that leaking it now, would cause maximum damage? I definitely don't have the answers to the first two questions and on the third, again, if we already knew Trump was a two time loser in marriage, called a Miss Universe contestant Miss Piggy, and even suggested that he oogles at his own daughter's bod, why would this change the mind of anyone who supports this creep for President? As of this writing, John McCain has announced he is withdrawing his support for Trump and Paul Ryan cancelled an appearance with him. Personally I didn't think McCain was going to vote for Trump anyway. I think all the Bush's are voting for Hillary, including the old man and W.

Trump's voters are dug in. So are Hillary's. No matter what they do, you're not going to change anyone's mind at this point. I really believe that.



NEWS ITEM: DEBLASIO HATES THE POST.

Christ, has New York City ever had a bigger putz in City Hall than the guy that's there now?

Look, I had my beefs with Guiliani and Bloomberg, and Dinkins was in over his head, but since I've been following politics, I've never seen someone so out to lunch as the current mayor of NY.

Yes, I'm a little pissed that he called out my peeps at the NY Post this week. Blowing off and taunting our City Hall chief , referring to the Post as a right wing rag, and suggesting that the Post is not a real media outlet. According to the Times on Friday...

In a telephone interview late Thursday, Mr. de Blasio said it was time to “have this conversation” about The Post, which he described as “a very negative presence in our city” and an “ideological apparatus” with little resemblance to a truth-seeking news operation.

“I think it’s important, as the leader of this city, to say out loud what so many people already know,” he said. “The Post’s approach has gotten worse and worse.”

Oh, please STFU!

And you know something? Probably a lot of the same people who are applauding this turd for going after the Post are the same ones blasting Trump for his thin skin against the media. Both of these guys are absolute wimps. Again, I can't stand Hillary Clinton, but she wouldn't get into this kind of scrape. Not in a million years. de Blasio is apparently going to campaign for her this weekend. If I were her I'd tell him to stay the f-ck home.

I hope to hell he gets voted out next year. I really do.



We sent our thoughts and prayers to the people of Haiti, Florida and anyone else who was affected by Hurricane Matthew.

AND

I don't care if I come off as insensitive or ignorant or whatever name you want to slap me with, I will not EVER refer to the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. If you are lucky enough to have the day off, (which I don't) Enjoy your Columbus Day.

Everyone Else, Have a Great Week.