Die Hard Sports Fan

Ralph Branca is a former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher who wants his son-in-law Bobby Valentine to come back home and manage the Mets if such an offer was made, according to the New York Times. Branca said…

They know Bobby. They know he’s a very loyal guy. He’s a got a year and a half left on his contract over there. The owners have been very, very good to him. He doesn’t have to contend with the New York press and guys who are dishonest. But I would tell him to take the job. Come back home, baby. I think he would be open to it. It’s New York City, the hub of the world, the media capital of the world. It’s his kind of town. He’s the kind of manager they need now. A guy who is volatile, makes tough decisions, and is very loyal to the team. He’s probably the best manager in baseball, even though I’m prejudiced. But you know he makes all the right moves. He took a mediocre team to the World Series in 2000. And with a break here or there, he could have won it all. I mean, he got beat on a 15-hopper up the middle by Luis Sojo.

The New York Times went on to say that “Valentine’s contract with Chiba Lotte expires after the 2009 season. However, such agreements in Japan are usually easy to break with some negotiation.” I understand that Branca is Bobby V.’s father-in-law which makes him biased, but I’m biased as well because I’m a huge fan. All in favor, say “aye.” Like I said before Willie getting whacked, Bobby V. is the only one I want to replace him if he were to get let go.

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Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reported that the Mets made a bunch of roster moves today in their Mets Blog.  The Mets activated Matt Wise, and they purchased the contracts of Claudio Vargas and Fernando Tatis from Triple-A New Orleans.  To make room on the roster, the Mets designated Jorge Sosa and Nelson Figueroa Jr. for assignment and put Angel Pagan on the DL.

Mets.com:

Highlights aplenty, but no win in end - Marty Noble summarized last night’s game between the Nationals and the Mets.

Mets play on until Pedro’s return - Marty Noble put together a pregame analysis for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Mets.

Alou psyched about Cathedral trip - Marty Noble found out that Moises Alou is pumped up about playing at Yankee Stadium this weekend because he never played there before.

Castillo sits with quadriceps injury - Marty Noble reported that a strained left quadricep muscle kept Luis Castillo out of the lineup last night against the Nationals.

Mailbag: How are Mets doing so far? - Marty Noble answers questions posed by Mets fans’.

Education is power - Howard Kussoy pointed out that some Mets players are taking part in a program called ‘School is Amazing’ around the city.

Newsday:

Nationals get under Figueroa’s skin in Mets loss - Anthony Rieber also summarized last night’s Nationals-Mets game.

Ex-Met Milledge always at center of controversy - Lastings Milledge had a pretty good game last night, and Erik Boland tells us all about it.

Looks like Mets’ Santana will start Subway Series

THIS DAY AT THE OLD BALLPARK - Newsday lets us know what happened at Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium on May 13th of another year.

New York Daily News:

Photos: Surfing the Mets tours Citi Field

After Mets’ loss, Nelson Figueroa calls Nationals ‘bunch of softball girls’ - Adam Rubin summarized last night’s game between the Nationals and the Mets.

Sideshow takes over in latest act of Shea circus - Filip Bondy described the situation where the Nationals were singing in the dugout last night.  It really upset Figgy.

Say it ain’t so on Joe Smith - Sean Brennan offers a few suggestions for the Mets to make regarding their pitching dilemma.

Pedro Martinez is starting to show progress - Adam Rubin tells us what the Mets have Pedro Martinez doing down in Port St. Lucie.

New York Post:

‘FIGUER’ HATER - Mike Puma revealed what Nelson Figueroa Jr. had to say about the Nationals after last night’s game.

INJURED DUQUE MAKING PROGRESS

PITCH & MOAN - Mark Hale found out that Pedro is frustrated about having to rehab and not being on the team.

PEDRO PREPARED FOR SIMULATED GAME

New York Times:

Only Applause for Mets Comes From Nationals

Santana Receives an Extra Day of Rest and a Date With the Yankees

The Star-Ledger:

Progress at Citifield

Mets drop Figueroa, Sosa in flurry of moves

Will they clap for John Maine?

Nats frustrate Figueroa, Mets

Pitcher chides cheers - Colin Stephenson also examined the Mets pitching options.

Valentine’s success well-documented - Lisa Kennelly also wrote an aritcle about the three NYU students that made a documentary about Bobby Valentine titled, “The Zen of Bobby V”.

Mets bow to Nationals, 10-4

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Die Hard Mets Fan would like to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day!  The Mets won the weekend series against the Reds, and then the Nats are coming to Queens tomorrow for a four-game series.  Hopefully, we can continue to watch the Metsies beat up on the scrubs of the NL.  Next weekend begins the first interleague series, and the Mets will be in the Bronx for the weekend for the first Subway Series of ‘08.

Mets.com:

Quirks and all, Perez picks up victory - Marty Noble summarized today’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

Strained left quad stops Castillo - Marty Noble reported that Luis Castillo had to leave today’s game against the Reds because he strained his left quad in the 5th Inning.

Pelfrey undergoing transformation - Marty Noble stated that last night’s loss to the Reds was in some ways a moral victory for Mike Pelfrey because he pitched 6 innings allowing 2 runs.  After a couple of poor performances, Pelfrey made some changes which led to an improved outing last night.  His teammates informed him that he was tipping off his pitches by chewing on his mouthpiece when he threw fastballs, but not when he threw breaking balls.  So one change was getting rid of the mouthpiece, and the other change was not using what he claims is his best pitch (the two seam fastball) because it hasn’t been successful lately.

Pelfrey solid, but Mets fall in nightcap - Marty Noble summarized last night’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

Beltran powers Mets in matinee - Marty Noble summarized yesterday’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

Mets aim to stay solid vs. weaker clubs - Marty Noble put together a pregame analysis for today’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

Son of former Met a chip off old block - Marty Noble lets us know how the son of former Mets’ catcher Ron Hodges, Casey Hodges, who pitches for Mount Olive College is doing so far in his collegiate career.

Newsday:

Subpar Santana still good enough for Mets - Mark Herrman summarized yesterday’s double header between the Reds and the Mets.

Pelfrey still improving despite loss

Mets’ Beltran primed to break funk - Ken Davidoff stated that Carlos Beltran may get out of the funk after his 5-RBI game in the first game against the Reds.

New York Daily News:

Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church hit back-to-back homers as Mets blast Reds - The AP summarized today’s Reds-Mets game.

Mets are like night and day in doubleheader, split games vs. Reds - Anthony McCarron also summarized yesterday’s Reds-Mets double header.

Johan Santana seems slow to change up Mets’ fortunes

Wagner loses his cool on watercooler - Kristie Ackert tells us that Billy Wagner took out his frustrations on the water cooler in the dugout after he stunk it up in the 9th Inning of last night’s game against the Reds.

Like night & day for Aaron Heilman - Kristie Ackert explained how different Aaron Heilman was when used in both games of yesterday’s double header.

Lucky 7th for Carlos Delgado - Mark Lelinwalla describes how successful Carlos Delgado was when batting in the seventh spot of the lineup in yesterday’s day game against the Reds.

Junior achievements wow Willie - Since the Reds are in town and Griffey is close to hitting his 600th Home Run, Anthony McCarron found out what Willie Randolph’s thoughts are on Ken Griffey Jr.’s exceptional career.  McCarron also provided some stats for what could’ve been for the slugger.

Griffey has struggled to stay healthy his entire career. He could have played 3,115 games over his career if he had played every game of every season he’s been in the majors, including this one. But he’s only played in 2,414, or 77.5%. He’s missed 701 games, or more than four full seasons. Still, he’s hit 597 homers.

Bobby Valentine has ‘zen’ moment in new movie - Patrick Huguenin found out that three NYU students made a documentary about Bobby Valentine titled, ”The Zen of Bobby V”.  The documentary “examines Valentine’s remarkable adaptation to a baseball culture far from home.”  Bobby V is now the manager of Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines.  I gotta check out this flick because it seems like it will crack me up.

New York Post:

BELTRAN, CHURCH POWER METS OVER REDS - Mike Puma summarized today’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

METS SUFFER FROM SPLITTIN’ RED-ACHE - Mike Puma summarized both games of yesterday’s double header between the Reds and the Mets.

DELGADO GETTING THINGS IN ORDER

PASSION IS KEY TO BEIN’ AMAZIN’ - Kevin Kernan believes that the Mets didn’t have enough passion to win both game of the double header yesterday.

DAVID HAS RIGHT IDEA - Mike Puma stated that “When David Wright is going right, he’s thinking right (field).”

25 BEST MOMENTS AT SHEA: NO. 20

METS BEAT REDS 12-6 - Mike Puma summarized the first game of yesterday’s double header between the Reds and the Mets.

New York Times:

Mets’ Offense a Safeguard Against a Potential Pérez Combustion - Ben Shpigel summarized today’s Reds-Mets game.

The Star-Ledger:

Mets roll over Reds, 8-3 - Alex Delanian summarized today’s game Reds-Mets game.

BREAKING NEWS: Delgado’s agent is insane - Dan Graziano walks us through his encounter with Delgado’s Agent David Sloane.

Get your pink caps on - Alex Delanian provided the lineup for today’s game between the Reds and the Mets.

Santana gets himself out of a jam

Mets’ pop goes flat - Colin Stephenson explains some reasons why the Mets were not able to win the nightcap of the double header against the Reds.

What to do with three hours of dead time - Colin Stephenson lets us know what some of the players did during the three and a half hour break in between yesterday’s double header.

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