Daily Archives: May 2, 2003

DEAD MAN WALKING

I’ve never been a fan of the Mets GM Steve Phillips, but there is nothing that is entertaining about the Phillips death-watch across town with the Mets. The Mets lost in extra-innings to the Cards yesterday (their fifth straight L), and it feels as if Phillips will not make it through the weekend. Jay Jaffe, the futility infielder, one of the best, if not the best baseball writer in the blogging universe, weighs in with take on the situation. Mike Lupica killed Phillips in the News yesterday, and today Joel Sherman lays some of the blame at the feet of the Wilpons.

According to the Daily News today:

Mets’ chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon left Phillips open for increased scrutiny Wednesday when he told the Daily News: “Fred and I are only as good as the info we get.”

Phillips didn’t try to deflect blame when he was asked about those comments.

“My name is on every move that’s been made here,” Phillips said. “That’s how I look at it.”

If they are going to can him, I say do it and do it now. Don’t draw this out any longer than you have to, fer cryin’ out loud.

Somewhere, Bobby Valentine is enjoying a good laugh.

LE JOIE DE FREAK

Alfonso Soriano continues to confound and amaze. Derek Zumsteg of Baseball Prospectus admits he doesn’t know how he would approach pitching our favorite Martian:

Seeing him take inside pitches and turn on them with those whip-fast hands, I honestly have no idea how I’d pitch to him. I keep thinking of Ball Four: smoke in on the hands. I think I’d ride him way inside on the hands, out of the strike zone, and see–and I know how bad this sounds–if you can either tie him up or hit him for a strike either way, because I haven’t seen him bail out on that pitch.

Filip Bondy has a nice little puff piece on him in the Daily News today. When Soriano connected off of Seattle’s impressive right-hander Joel Pinero in the sixth:

Soriano hesitated a moment at the plate, then rounded the bases. He can never get all the way back home without breaking out in a smile, because this game is so much fun, because there is always a teammate waiting to congratulate him, and because somehow it always feels like the first time for Soriano.

…There is nobody else in New York, and maybe nobody in baseball right now, who plays with this sort of joy and elan. Not Bernie Williams. Not Derek Jeter, even when he’s healthy.

…”I’m waiting for the pitching more,” Soriano said. “They no throw my pitch, and it’s important to be on base for me. I try to be more patient.”

The kid hasn’t let success go to his head. As Kevin Kernan reports in the Post today:

All the players appreciate [manager, Joe] Torre, but no one appreciates him more than Soriano, who has become the best player in the game under Torre.

“He has allowed me to grow, he’s been so patient,” Soriano said of Torre. “If I make a mistake he doesn’t get on me. He’s been like a father to me. He is the perfect manager.”

Speaking of Joe, regardless of the constant mishegas with the Boss, Torre isn’t leaving anytime soon.

EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY

Every fan has one player on the team he roots for that for one reason or another, serves as your own personal whipping boy. Mine is Jorge Posada, he of the weak chin, big ears and red ass. Whenever I need to vent some frustration, Jorgie is the one who gets it. I can accept all of Bernie Williams’ flaws, his lousy baseball instincts, his flakiness, but it’s just the opposite with Posada. Even when he’s doing okay, I’m usually cursing his ass out. This isn’t rational, but it’s the way it is. Maybe it’s because Posada is such a spaz, maybe it’s just his looks, I don’t know.

Well, I have to give it up for him today, because he played as good a game as I came remember him playing. Especially on the defensive side of things. Posada made three sterling plays—nailing Ichio at second on a bunt attempt by Randy Winn, and then later throwing out both Winn and Ichiro trying to steal second. Jorgie threw Winn out in the sixth with a picture-perfect throw that had some mustard on it; he rushed his throw to get Ichiro later on, but it was on-line and shortstop Enrique Wilson made a nice pick to record the out.

Joe Torre told reporters:

“He’s been terrific,” Torre said. “He seems so much more calm. I’m not sure it’s going to last all year, but right now, he’s developed a lot more confidence, and pitchers are developing more confidence in him. It’s affecting every part of his game.”

Posada was hampered by shoulder problems last year, but he seems to have recovered nicely. Back-up catcher Joe Flaherty added:

“He’s always had that little hop with his feet that made him so quick,” Flaherty said. “And you could see from the beginning of spring training that he’s worked hard on that. His feet right now are as good as anyone’s. He’s so quick.”

Posada also added a solo home run in the Yankees taut 2-1 victory over the Mariners last night. Mike Mussina improved to 6-0, striking out nine in eight innings of work (he has K’d at least eight batters in each one of his starts); Mariano Rivera looked much sharper than he did the night before, and retired the M’s in order in the ninth for his first save of the season.

Jason Giambi’s slump continues, and he looks tense and constipated. Meanwhile Nick Johnson drew another walk, and now has drawn a base-on-balls in fifteen consecutive games. Oh, by the way, Lil’ Sori hit a towering homer to left which proved to be the game winner.