Amidst all the talk surrounding New York Mets manager Willie Randolph's employment status, General Manager Omar Minaya's name has remained surprisingly clear from the embattled skipper he hired in 2004. Linked together as the keys of “Los Mets”, these two helped return a sense of importance to what had become a NL East doormat.

The Mets have since become media darlings, whether due to high profile signings or outspoken personalities. Tabloids now flock to Queens, with the Shea Stadium bunch claiming back pages from their more storied counterparts in the Bronx. Much of that transformation lies in the hands of Minaya, who used his scouting acumen and the financial backing of his owners to create a relevant team. Now that his moves have shown wear and tear, and his manager is wallowing in the self destruction of the players around him, the question arises? Why isn't Omar Minaya getting more blame for what's happening?

If you look at the starting nine, there is little doubt that Minaya's fingerprints are everywhere. Whether its the 119 million doled out to Carlos Beltran, or the trades that brought Carlos Delgado, Ryan Church, Luis Castillo and Brian Schneider, these are Omar's guys. The pitching staff is more of the same, with every starter currently toeing the rubber for New York acquired by the Dominican native, including new ace Johan Santana.

Viewed in a generally good light when first made, some of these transactions now weigh heavily at the neck of a franchise that has played just under .500 ball for the last 162 games. Delgado's age has begun to show, and questions linger around the health of Pedro Martinez. Moises Alou's injuries have returned, and Castillo appears to be a shell of his former self. All these declines are at the center of the Mets' struggles, and again begs the question of why the current criticism spotlight fails to deviate from Randolph to the man that constructed the active roster.

There are two fronts that seem to keep Minaya in the shade, compelling reasons that you didn't see a FireOmarMinaya.com until December of 2007 (after the aforementioned Lastings Milledge deal). First off, there is no arguing that the Mets are now relevant. They are an important cog in the National League hierarchy, often the flagship of chatter and debate among those in the media (in the NL). The attention they receive is due to their emergence, which has to be credited to Minaya.

Just the fact that Willie Randolph's meeting with ownership was the lead on SportsCenter tells you the Metropolitans matter. Whether good or bad, the publicity level from 2004 to now isn't comparable. Ironically, fans only have to look at ESPN themselves to remember how bad a team this was just a few years ago. Steve Phillips, the man who orchestrated back-to-back 90 loss seasons in Queens and was one of Minaya's predecessors, is now an analyst for the worldwide leader.

The second factor in the corner of the Mets GM is a system that fails to employ few that reflect the ever changing Hispanic wave in the national pastime. As one can see while watching today's contests, the influence of Latin born players has risen significantly in the past decades. However, front offices aren't nearly as diverse, especially when it comes to general managers.

Of the 30 major league franchises currently operating, Minaya is the only general manager of Hispanic decent. While that doesn't remove him from criticism, it instills him as a beacon for those foreign born players who hope to climb the management ladder after their days on the diamond come to an end. Minaya is more than a man at this point, he's a symbol of infusion into a game that hasn't been receptive in terms of diversity. Its hard to tarnish what he stands for, and in turn he receives very little backlash from the media.

Is that fair? Probably not. Its not the race of a man that determines his job status, but the actions he undertakes while in that position. In the end, it appears as if Minaya's moves were shortsighted, selling organizational stability for the quick splash of pricey free agents. While there are several months remaining to right the ship, chances are that if Randolph is thrown overboard, the next life raft might have a seat reserved for Minaya.

All that said, there is still no denying that the ship he's built is still in better shape than the one he got four years ago.

I’m going to hate myself for doing this; as you know I’ve whined early, often and loudly about the Blue Jays this season. I think that this club has definite post season possibilities. I felt that Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum were the genuine article and the Jays would have the best pitching in the AL. Jesse Litsch is winning me over as a guy who simply understands the art of pitching. He doesn’t beat himself and has enough stuff to be effective at the big league level. Any team that can get league average or better out of their fifth starter is a rotation that has to be reckoned with.

Despite Brandon League, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo being non factors the bullpen has an AL best ERA of 2.94 with a BB/9 of 3.45 where league average in that department is about four. The club is one of the better defensive units in the game and all that was needed to contend with all that was a league average offense.

Well, the Jays offense has been largely pathetic with testiculacking situational hitting, all the power of Jose Canseco’s biological lumber (next to last in extra base hits) and penchant for treating making outs like women treat public restrooms–always take someone with you (MLB leading 62 double plays despite being 11th in OBP). They finished April six games under .500 (11-17).

In May they showed the same miserable hitting(?) including 31.3 straight shutout innings (and 41 with only a single run scored) and averaging less than three runs per game over the first 12 games of the month. However, the Jays are 17-8 this month and a four game sweep of the Kansas City Royals has Toronto at 28-25. I posted the following on Drunk Jays Fans last night…

The thing that amazes me is that in May the Blue Jays have a 3.12 ERA and that includes games where they gave up 10 and 12 runs on the road (meaning they only pitched 8 innings in those games).

In the other 23 games this month the Jays have a 2.42 ERA.

Other fun with numbers. The Jays lost 8-3, 6-1, and 12-0 from May 8-10–the rest of the month the Jays have a 2.31 ERA (and that includes the 10-3 loss in Philadelphia).

Finally, if you take out that 10-3 loss as well, the Jays posted a 1.93 ERA in the remaining 21 games.

In 17 of the 25 games this month the Jays held the opposition to three runs or less. In 11 games this month the staff held the other team to two runs or less. The other team scored one run or less seven times and the pitching staff threw five shutouts this month.

Two big “if's”–IF the pitching staff remains healthy and IF the offense can get up to league average I think the Jays make the post season.

Our regular starting five have a 3.76 ERA, a league average starter has a 4.26 ERA. Over his last six starts, A.J. Burnett has a 3.51 ERA with 42 K and 17 BB in 41 IP … This much is certain (and sample size issues certainly apply) but I was 13 when the Jays were born so I've seen every season with reasonable comprehension and this may end up to be the best pitching staff in franchise history–1985 was amazing but this one may be better come year's end.

    It may seem premature to get excited over sweeping a rebuilding Royals club but it wasn’t the pitching that had me excited as the hitting. Don’t forget, the Royals mound corps up to the last couple of weeks was very respectable with a staff ERA of 4.18 as recently as May 15. The Jays were slated to face Zack Greinke, Luke Hochevar and Gil Meche in the first three games. The Blue Birds batted .276/.354/.417 versus the Royals and .274/.348/.394 since they were embarrassed in the first three games of the series in Cleveland (and were hitting just .252/.331/.365 after that third game).

Of note (using selective endpoints just to keep myself optimistic):

Lyle Overbay .338/.450/.538 since May 6
Shannon Stewart .354/.429/.417 since May 12
Marcos Scutaro .324/.400/.437 since May 3
Rob Barajas .438/.471/.688 since May 3 (34 PA)
Matt Stairs .294/.385/.500 since May 12
Alex Rios .333/.419/.407 (last seven games)

The offense is definitely showing signs of life. I’m starting to get the taste of crow in my mouth when I see that Frank Thomas is hitting .315/.415/.506 since the trade and .348/.429/.561 this month. I was supportive of his release but it looks like he may make both J.P. and myself look like complete morons (and I hardly need the help). Ironically, the A’s are up next and hopefully the Jays can keep the lumber going on the west coast and Yankee Stadium.

Four wins won’t be the end of the world, five wins we’ll be O.K., six games and I’m thrilled and eight or nine of nine and I may kiss Dustin Parkes full on the mouth.

(uncomfortable silence, clock ticks, fluorescent lights buzz overhead, refrigerator comes on, dog pants in next room with occasional tail thump)

Well, that’s my way of saying I’ll be really really happy–Dustin

has nothing to worry about despite the stray remarks that float around podcasts. I know he enjoys regular visits to the Rogers Centre to engage in (or watch) feline pugilism–as does Homer Simpson when he first came to grips with his rageholism … at least I think that is what he’s referring to, either that or perhaps it involves something

such as this (see left). Maybe I’m naïve since the Jays no longer have the promotion where you can camp on the field at the Rogers Centre with your kids but all this Marquis de Queenskitty activity is related to camping somehow since it involves pitching tents as well. Maybe you can take your cat to the park and camp there overnight–why anyone would want to is beyond me.

I dunno … maybe someone will explain it to me one day. Whatever it involves I hope due care is taken. You can’t be too careful nowadays–some kitties are downright dangerous (see above). Speaking of which–I hope I didn't just jinx the Jays with my optimism. As I said–I don't want to end up hating myself.

Go Jays!

Best Regards

John

Major League Baseball announced Magglio Ordonez and Jon Lester are Co-Players of the Week in the American League and Bengie Molina is the National League Player of the Week for action ending Sunday, May 25th.

Jon Lester, Pitcher (Boston Red Sox) - American League Co-Player of the Week

Lester earned the award after becoming the 18th Red Sox pitcher to toss a no-hitter on May 19th.  Lester finished the week 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 14 innings.  So far this season, he is 3-3 with a 3.55 ERA.  This is the first time Lester has ever been recognized with a weekly honor.

Magglio Ordonez, Outfielder (Detroit Tigers) - American League Co-Player of the Week

Ordonez is no stranger to the weekly award as this is his eighth time to be recognized as Player of the Week.  He went 11-for-23 for a .473 batting average in last week's games.  Ordonez posted four doubles, three homers and nine RBI giving him a slugging percentage of 1.043.  His week was highlighted by a two home run, 6 RBI game where he went 3-for-3 on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins.

Bengie Molina, Catcher (San Francisco Giants) - National League Player of the Week

Molina was a spectacular 15-for-23 with a .652 average in road series against the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins.  He added six doubles and a homer and nine RBI.  Molina's slugging percentage was 1.043 and he added a hit in all six games and ended the week with five consecutive multi-hit games.  Bengie raised his season average 52 points from .275 to .327.

Lester, Ordonez and Molina will receive an engraved luxury Swiss Timepiece in recognition of their award from Tourneau, the world's largest watch store.

A one. A two. A three.                                                                                              

Take me off of the ballot,                                                                                    
Keep me out of the Hall;                                                                                           
To some, enshrinement is greater than gold,                                                                 
I don't care cause I'm too freakin' old.                                                                             
So it's screw, screw, screw the committee,                                                                     
I hope they drop dead from shame.                                                                            
For it's one,                                                                                                               
Two,                                                                                                          
Three big @#!$ yous to the Hall                                                                                     
Of                                                                                                                
Fame!                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

….Detroit Tigers Catcher Pudge Rodriguez says that he's no where near done donning the tools of ignorance.

“Is this going to be my last year?” Rodriguez said. “I don't think so. Anybody who says that is not telling the truth.”

Like his manager Jim Leyland says, most guys at 36 are backups or out of the game.

“Most guys 36 are in a backup role or gone,” Leyland said. “This guy just keeps going. And he works out one and a half to two hours every morning. I try to talk to him about working too hard and not pushing it. But all he says is that 'maybe' he will cut back a little.

He attributes his longevity to a work out regime that he does five days a week, that he started 9 years ago, with his trainer Edgar Diaz.

…Milwaukee Brewers 3rd baseman Bill Hall is not happy with the Brewers for recalling IF Russel Branyan. Hall will be loosing playing time to Branyan because he's struggling (.158) against right handed pitching.

…News out of Oakland has it that even though he's eligible to come off the Disabled List today, the A's will not activated 3rd Baseman Eric Chavez. He's not that far off from returning as he just played his first full game at 3rd for the A's Triple-A team the Sacramento River Cats.

…Boston Pitcher Clay Buchholz is scheduled to make a rehab start on Friday for the Pawtucket Red Sox.  The BoSox plan is to not rush him, and putting him in the big league bull pen is not an option, so he could end up staying in the bus leagues for the time being.

Though his Rangers have split their last twelve games and sit third in the A.L. West, Michael Young has 16 hits in the dozen-game span. The respectable streak has been blanketed by the excellent and highly publicized season teammate Josh Hamilton has put together to date. Another factor that buries this streak is its relative quietness, as the streak has only yielded a .267 average and five RBIs for Young during that time. 

Fellow Ranger David Murphy is on pace for almost 110 RBIs, even after slowing down his production recently.

Corey Hart seems to have found some power and regained his 20/20 consideration amid a daunting road trip that found the fifth place Brewers going 4-6. In the past two weeks Hart notched five of his six homers, nine RBIs and five stolen bases – all while staying above .300 on the season.

Despite his Padres possessing the worst record in baseball for much of this young season, Adrian Gonzalez is on the path for a career year. He’s hit four homers in his last six games (including Sunday’s game winning blast to end an 18-inning contest) and is on pace for more than 30 HR and 100 RBIs.

The cellar-dwelling Royals’ Zack Greinke was knocked around by Toronto for six runs in his last start, but even so his rotational reprise in ’08 has been successful. With a 2.82 E.R.A., eight quality starts and a mere 17 walks issued, Greinke (along with Brian Bannister) has done volumes in at least keeping Kansas City in games this season.

Now that the hype from the off season trade for Erik Bedard and signing of Carlos Silva has subsided, the Seattle Mariners currently own the worst record in baseball. Through what has been a disappointing stretch of seven straight Seattle losses, the one bright spot may be the play of Ichiro Suzuki – who went 11 for 30 with a homerun during the (still intact) losing streak and made a bananas catch in center last night.

MLB Home Plate (broadcast on XM radio channel 175) is reporting the Yankees' catcher Jorge Possada has reported to extended spring training for his rehabilition.  For the first time in his career, Posada has been on the DL with an injured right (throwing) shoulder.  However, they also reported that he can only throw to the pitcher at this time.  In a few days he will attempt to challenge baserunners.  Doesn't that mean he's still injured and is not really ready to return? Why risk further injury instead of waiting until he heals properly to where he is able to throw in game conditions?

The Buffalo Bison placed Cleveland's top prospect righty Adam Miller on the disabled list with a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand. A different blister on the same finger kept Miller out for two month through spring training and the beginning of the season.

Miller, the Indians' 2003 first round (supplemental) pick, spent 2005 rehabbing an elbow strain, which resurfaced in 2007. But this year, he notched a 1.88 ERA (3.54 PERA) in six starts, prompting rumblings about a call-up to Cleveland. Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff promised further updates on Tuesday.

Lefty Scott Elbert, the Dodgers top pitching prospect not named Clayton Kershaw, could return within a month from labrum surgery he had last year.

Nationals center field prospect Justin Maxwell (#8 Washington prospect, Baseball America) is 0 for 7 since returning from a wrist injury on Sunday.

I know you've been waiting with bated breath for this, but I've finally reached a decision on which American League team to follow while my beloved Padres struggle to recover from whatever it is that ails them. As you'll recall, I'd narrowed my choices to three: The Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays.

The title of this post sort of gives it away, but let me walk you through the process that led me to adopt the Royals. First, let's look at the runners-up.

I was very tempted to go with Cleveland because I like the way that organization is run. Despite a few hiccups here and there, the Indians have been among the most successful franchises in baseball since 1995 while operating on a small fraction of what the big boys have to spend. I admire and respect that, but in the end, I decided against them because they're doing fine without me.

The Indians also have a fan base that has disappeared this year thanks to the team's slow start. I'm already up against that problem here in San Diego, and I don't think I can deal with two sets of fickle fans. So, sorry Cleveland, I like what you have to offer (and you still rock!), but I'll have to pass.

Of the three teams I looked at, the Blue Jays have been most successful in 2008. I absolutely adore the city of Toronto; that said, it's about as far away from where I am as you can be. The other problem is it's kind of a boring team. The best players on offense are guys like Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells, and Matt Stairs — Scott Rolen when he's healthy. On the mound, I like Roy Halladay and Dustin McGowan, and that bullpen has been anonymously effective, but in the end, these cats (or rather, birds) just don't move me enough.

That leaves us with Kansas City. This is easily the worst team of the bunch, and has the smallest fan base, but I like an underdog. Also, there's some symmetry. Both the Royals and Padres entered MLB in 1969. The Royals are managed by Trey Hillman, one of the leading candidates in San Diego when Bruce Bochy bolted. The Padres, of course, ended up hiring former Royals pitcher Bud Black.

I like some of the young talent in Kansas City: Alex Gordon and Zack Greinke are coming into their own, Luke Hochevar has taken his first baby steps this year, and former Padres farmhand Joakim Soria has blossomed into a lights-out closer. These are nice building blocks.

Still, the team has plenty of holes: Ross Gload at first base, Tony Pena and his OPS+ of 6 (!) at shortstop, the silly signings of Gil Meche and Jose Guillen… I'm tempted to include Joey Gathright, but he gets immunity because of his freakish ability to jump over cars.

On a more personal level, the last team I ever played for was called the Royals. It was 1984, and I played first base. I wore #29 in honor of Rod Carew (my favorite player's number — Mike Scioscia's #14 — was unavailable), and later learned that Kansas City submariner Dan Quisenberry wore the same number. (Coincidentally, Quiz was born just a few miles from where I played those games.) By all accounts, Quiz was one of the game's true gentlemen, so I'm honored also that the last time I ever wore a baseball uniform, it was his.

And now you know why I'll be following the Royals the rest of this year and perhaps even beyond…

….Matt Cerrone of Mets Blog is reporting that Pedro Martinez will pitch for Single-A Port St. Lucie tomorrow and then is expected to start for the Mets in San Fransisco.

…Former Met Catcher Gary Carter was on Baseball This Morning yesterday to clarify his remarks regarding Managing the Mets and Willie Randolph.

“I’m not campaigning for anything, I was simply asked a question. The
media creates this. It came out on ESPN that Willie’s (Randolph) job
was in jeopardy, and that there were names mentioned, and the names
were Jerry Manuel, who is presently the bench coach, and Jim Fregosi’s
name. But my name, somewhere in that mix, came up, and I was just
simply asked the question.

You can read the rest of the quotes at the link provided up top.

…After playing just one game it looks as though LA Angels super utility man Chone Figgins could be headed back to the Disabled List. This time with tendinitis, he felt pain near where his hamstring was hurt (the hammy is the reason he went on the DL in the first place), tendon more than his hamstring.