All Hail Harper!

Ever since reading the June 8, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated (I know the date because it has become one of my prized possessions after I sent it to him for an autograph while he was still in high school and he obliged), I have been on the HarperMania bandwagon. How could you not be? Sure he can be a little flashy, like when he blew a kiss to the opposing pitcher after sending one to Saturn. Think about when you were 19 years old and now place yourself in his position, wouldn't you be just a little flashy? I know I would be. He will grow up when he reaches the big leagues, and he will reach the big leagues. Before this becomes a living let the kids have some fun and do stupid things, so long as stupid doesn't harm individuals or end up with jail time.

There has never been this kind of hype surrounding a position player in the history of the game. Social media and the competition in the sports media market is mostly responsible for this. After all, ESPN, SI, The Sporting News, and everything between, not to mention the one billion bloggers are all looking for the next big thing to increase readership and followers. Twitter and Facebook have accounts and pages dedicated to Harper and the mania he has created with his ability to send baseballs to Duluth with a flick of his wrists. So far, in his first professional season, he has not disappointed.

Harper started out the year at Hagerstown and quickly impressed scouts. He managed to hit .318 with 17 doubles, 14 homers, 46 RBI, 19 steals, and a .423 on-base percentage in 72. Scouts said he started to look bored and the Nationals braintrust agreed, promoting him to AA Harrisburg, a significant jump from Low-A ball. In his first three games at Harrisburg, Harper has hit .500 (5 for 10) with 2 RBI, 1 steal, and 1 walk. He has not struck out yet so clearly he doesn't think he is overmatched. Granted, that strikeout will come but it is evident AA is going to have to adjust to him rather than him adjusting to AA at this point.

So, what's next for the next Baseball King? I doubt Washington will rush him just for the sake of putting fans in the seats. That would most likely hinder Harper's development. However, if he shows he can handle AA pitching with the ease he handled A pitching a trip to AAA might be in order. The Nationals could keep him in AA this year and possibly promote him to AAA next year if he shows progress in Spring Training. Or, the Nats could promote him to AAA this year and put him on the Big League roster next season with a strong Spring. Unlike Stephen Strasburg (who should be back by the end of the year or will start fresh next season giving the Nats their needed ace), the Nats don't really have to protect anything on Harper's body except his mind. They don't want to hurt his confidence by promoting him just for the sake of selling tickets and risking stunting his development. They also don't want to keep him at minor league stops unnecessarily because he might get bored and let his mind wander like it appeared to do at Low A. Whatever the Nationals decide to do they know they have a gem and someone who will bring excitement and anticipation like Strasburg did last year. Soon, baseball will be very relevant in Washington, D.C. when Strasburg Jordan Zimmerman, and John Lannan are joined in the rotation by Brad Peacock who is lighting up AA right now. The lineup will be extremely formidable with Ryan Zimmerman, who is still only 26, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, and a host of others. The Nationals are going to be making it a 3-way race in the NL East like it is in the AL East right now. Bryce Harper is going to be a huge factor behind that.

Swings (and maybe some misses)

-I am big fan of Brad Richards joining the New York Rangers. The fact that he took less money to join the Blueshirts says it wasn't all about the money, as with some past free agents who came to Broadway. He knows John Tortarella and has proven he can win in that system. He brings a playmaking ability, both on the power play and in even strength situations, that the Rangers have been sorely lacking for a couple of years now. While this doesn't necessarily mean that Lord Stanley's Cup is in this team's future, it does mean that at least, as of right now, that gleaming silver has caught the attention of the Rangers. There are still some things that need to happen with the Rangers before we pencil them in. Marian Gaborik has to prove he is tough enough to handle New York and Torts' system. Youngsters like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Del Zotto, Michael Sauer, Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and a host of others have to keep improving. And, in the case of Callahan, stay healthy. However, for the first time since Scott Gomez and Chris Drury signed on the dotted line a few years ago, there is real talk of contention. It is my opinion that the Rangers are much better now than they were then.

-Phil Hughes makes his first start since April tonight. He had shown increased velocity during his rehab outings in Trenton so there is always the hope that he comes back and regains the form he showed in the beginning of last season. If the Yankees get that pitcher back they significantly bolster their pitching staff which consists of C.C. Sabathia and the two surprises of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. If Hughes is the same pitcher he was at the beginning of last season then A.J. Burnett becomes the fifth starter by default which isn't a terrible thing. And, if anything happens to anyone there is always Ivan Nova waiting in Scranton.

-I can't help but wonder when Derek Jeter is finally going to reach 3,000 hits. If I had to guess it will come at home against Tampa Bay tomorrow or Friday. Yeah, I know I went out on a limb. I'm also betting that it come on a ground ball.

-The more I think about what the Yankees did with Ivan Nova the more I get a little miffed at the Yankees. Here was a guy who was really starting to turn the corner in his pr career and could be blossoming into a solid #3 starter and then bam! Down to the minors. The Yankee leadership said it was best for his development. Really? Giving the kid the impression that no matter how well he does he was never in the Yankees plans. Telling the kid that basically Freddy Garcia has more upside than you do? He seems like a level-headed enough youngster that maybe this doesn't really bother him. But, then again, he is young and was pitching the best baseball of his MLB career and he still couldn't hold down a job with the Yankees. Can't be good for anyone's confidence. With all that said, I don't envy the choices Brian Cashman has to make. Nova was pitching well but so was everyone else except A.J. Burnett. It probably wouldn't be the best thing for Nova to move to the bullpen because he takes a while to warm up and it also is a different form of pitching. Personally, gun to my head, I probably move Garcia into the bullpen, or Colon. Colon hasn't pitched this many innings in years and has had several injuries to his arm over that span. Garcia is having what is basically a career year and he is like 50 years old at this point. I just don't like "rewarding" kids with a demotion when they are playing well. Nor do I like stunting their development so that an aging veteran who doesn't have near the amount of upside can live off a Yankee Legacy like Jorge Posada is doing. Sure, Posada is hitting right now but is this Jorge really better than a Jesus Montero right now? No. Or, the Yankees could ease Montero into the bigs by sending Frankie "Throw it to Centerfield" Cervelli down to AAA and letting Montero catch a game or two a week and get a start at DH every now and then like the Yankees did with a young Posada.

-Added to the Yankee prospects to watch list are Cito Culver, the Yanks first round draft pick last year and Mark Montgomery, a relief pitcher with Low A Charleston who has struck out 16 batters in 6 innings. Culver, the man whom Keith Law said had no business being a first round pick is hitting .299 with 15 RBI's in 18 games. I'm not saying Culver is going to be the next Jeter but he is making real strides. And, for those interested, this year's first round draft pick Dante Bichette, Jr. is hitting .159 but has 15 walks in 13 games and only has 9 K's. He has something you can't teach there and for an 18 year-old kid thats not a bad start. However, it's Mason Williams that will soon be rocketing up prospect lists, especially if he keeps hitting like he is.

-Mets fans have something to be excited about and the name is Matt Harvey. Here is what ESPN's Keith Law said about Harvey as he heads into the Futures Game "Harvey was the seventh pick in last year's draft and came into pro ball boasting a plus fastball with good downhill plane and a solid average-or-better changeup but struggled with both breaking balls. Reports this year have the breaking balls improving but the changeup regressing -- which would still leave him a three-pitch guy, plenty to be a front-line starter given the strength of his fastball. Harvey tore through high Class A, which is what you'd expect a first-rounder drafted out of the ACC to do. He has made one start in Double-A, giving up four runs and allowing 11 baserunners in four-plus innings." The stuff is there with Harvey and I personally think he will be a future ace for the Mets, especially if they the ballpark as it is.

-For those of you expecting some sort of rant about the All-Star Game rosters, sorry. I just enjoy the game for what it is nowadays. It's always nce to see certain guys make it but its not like not making an All-Star team is like like losing a Gold Glove vote to a DH like Tino Martinez did to Rafael Palmeiro who only played 25 games at first.

And the Winner is....

With the halfway point of the season rapidly approaching I have decided to hand out my midseason awards a week early.

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Red Sox. Nobody can argue with this one. Gonzalez has taken to being away from PetCo Park like a duck to water. Through Tuesday, Gonzalez was leading the American League in batting, hitting at a .356 clip to go along with 16 homers and 71 RBI's. He leads the league in hits and is also second in the AL in doubles. Runners Up: Jose Bautista, OF/3B Blue Jays, Curtis Granderson, OF, Yankees.

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers. He is 10-3, has added another no-hitter to his resume, owns a MLB leading 0.84 WHIP, has whiffed 124 batters, and possesses a 2.38 ERA. He has been one of the reasons the Tigers have made up all the ground on the Indians and are now battling for AL Central control. Runners Up: Jared Weaver, SP, Angels, James Shields, SP, Rays.

AL Rookie of the Year: Michael Pineda, SP, Mariners. Pineda has been one of the AL's dominant starters, forming a lethal tandem with Felix Hernandez. Pineda owns a 1.03 WHIP, 2.65 ERA, and 99 K's in 102+ innings. He will be mentioned in Cy Young conversations if he keeps this up. Runner Up: Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Rays.

NL MVP: Jose Reyes, SS, Mets. Reyes is setting himself up to be the first ever Mets player to win an MVP award by leading the Majors in triples with 15, hits with 119, is second in stolen bases with 30, and owns a .352 batting average, good enough for second in the majors. If he hits a single, it becomes a double. Reyes is, the most interesting man in baseball. Runners Up: Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers, Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers.

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies. What? You expected R.A. Dickey? Halladay is 10-3 with a 2.40 ERA, has 123 K's, and leads the NL in complete games. They will probably rename the NL version of the award after Halladay in a few years. He is the new Greg Maddux. Runners Up: Jair Jurrgens, SP, Braves, Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies.

NL Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, RP, Braves. Twenty-three saves, a 2.63 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP earn Kimbrel the honor here. He also has struck out 65 in 41 innings. Runner Up: Danny Espinosa, 2B, Nationals.

Trade Candidates

July is almost here and the MLB rumor mill is starting to spin up. If you listen closely you can hear the gears starting to grind. This year things might be a little different. It seems as if some parody has crept into the Major League Baseball landscape making trading partners that much harder to find for teams that want to bolster their roster for playoff push. Even the 32-44 Minnesota Twins have a reasonable shot at making the playoffs right now, or maybe they did before their entire outfield landed on the DL and they lost five straight. Houston, San Diego, the Chicago Cubs, and perhaps the Royals all figure to be sellers when the dust settles. The Mets can go either way, as can the Pirates, Marlins and Dodgers. The White Sox could also look to unload a player or two. Well, let's take an early look at some of the guys who might be moved before or at the deadline.

Ryan Dempster, SP, Cubs. Dempster figures to be one of the few starters put on the market with a proven track record. He can strike hitters out, has shown he can win as a starter (48 wins over the last 4 seasons) and would fit in nicely in just about any needy contenders rotation, especially at the back end. He is 34 years old and holds a player option for next season. He signed a 3-year deal worth $38 million which isn't terrible in today's market for a #2-3 starting pitcher. The numbers are eerily similar to A.J. Burnett, only Dempster used to be a pretty good closer at one point. A team like the Yankees might be looking for pitching help. Phil Hughes is still on the DL, though he is rehabbing right now and cold return in a couple of weeks. Bartolo Colon is on the DL with a leg injury but he hasn't exactly had the best track record in recent years in regards to health. The Yankees have been connected to Dempster once this season, right around the Yankees visit to Wrigley. I would expect Dempster to exercise his right to become a free agent as he looks for one last good contract so he will be a rental player and shouldn't command a ton in prospects. Other potential suitors could be the Cleveland Indians where veteran presence in a rotation filled with unproven kids and Fausto Carmona is needed for a playoff push; the Arizona Diamondbacks whom nobody expected to contend and whose rotation is led by Ian Kennedy, a nice pitcher but not an ace; and the Texas Rangers who might be looking for some pitching help after Alexi Ogando has been getting rocked in his past couple of starts and might be better suited for the bullpen.

Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Mets. K-Rod has been having himself an excellent season so far. Bullpen help always seem to be a number one need of most playoff bound teams and adding K-Rod to either set-up or close games would be a huge bonus, at least in theory. K-Rod has announced he would be willing to set-up for a contender so that automatically put the Yankees in the conversation but I don't see them getting involved. The Yankees already have Rafael Soriano under contract to provide setup help for Mariano Rivera. Instead, I see the Texas Rangers being the biggest suitor for K-Rod. They can have him set-up this year and then move to the closer spot next year while shifting Neftali Feliz to a starting spot. The Boston Red Sox might be another landing spot for K-Rod. The Red Sox bullpen has been pounded by injuries and with the future status of Jonathan Papelbon up in the air the Red Sox might decide to pull the trigger on a deal here.

Heath Bell, RP, Padres. Another closer for a team out of contention, Bell has been consistent over the past few years and might be one of baseballs most underrated closers. Since the Phillies can't hope to pry K-Rod away from the Mets, Bell might be the apple of their eye. Ryan Madson has been filling in very well for Brad Lidge going 15 for 16 in save chances. However, I don't know if the Phillies are better with Madson closing over Heath Bell. Acquiring Bell would enable the Phillies to slide Madson into a setup role (or to place Bell there if they so desire) and strengthen a so-so bullpen. And, if Lidge makes it back there is another reliable arm with playoff experience to add to the mix. The Cardinals could also be in the market for Bell. Currently the Cardinals are relying on Fernando Salas to close their games. He has been good but isn't a known entity like Bell. The Rangers could also be in the mix.

Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros. The Astros are the worst team in baseball and figure to be sellers once their ownership situation gets settled. Rodriguez is probably their best trade chip and could command a nice haul of prospects to help rebuild. The Yankees might be in the mix since he represents a longer term option than Dempster and is two years younger than Dempster. The problem is finding out who is running the Astros and dealing with them. The Astros will treat Rodriguez like an ace in negotiations when he is more like #2-3 guy. I don't know if the Yankees would be willing to pay the ransom price for him but with few starting pitchers of value on the market they might have no choice if they don't see any options in the minors.

Michael Bourn, OF, Astros. Speed is reemerging in baseball and few possess the talents of Bourn who is leading the majors in stolen bases. He can hit leadoff and immediately get into scoring position. He has ten steals of third among his 33 stolen bases on the year so he is a threat. He is decednt in getting on base, doing so at a .351 clip so far this season. Bourn would be a boon to just about any team right now with a slim margin of making the playoffs. However, you can forget about the Yankees and Red Sox getting involved, they already have a quite a few good outfielders on their rosters. The Indians have a need in the outfield where Austin Kearns and his sub-.200 average are patrolling the outfield with Shelley Duncan the backup, or vice versa. Michael Brantley is ok as a leadoff guy but doesn't have nearly the speed and dynamic ability to change the game as Bourn does.

Brett Myers, SP, Astros. Diminished velocity and extreme fly ball rate are not exactly formulas for success. Myers has survived due to, well I don't know how he has survived...perhaps lack of options in Houston. Myers is only 30, and is currently sporting a 4.65 ERA in the pitcher friendly National League. His fastball sits around 87 MPH and has served up 1.81 HR/9 this year. To make him even more prohibitive, he is due to earn $11 million next season and can be bought out for $3 million after 2012, or his option can be picked up for a cool $10 million. I really don't see a good landing spot for Myers. The numbers don't add up and the Astros are sure to treat him like the ace he was last year but is definitely not this year. Maybe, if the Astros pick up a portion of the salary and don't ask for a lot in prospects they might be able to find a taker.

Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets. If the Mets decide to become sellers, Beltran would be one of their biggest trade chips and one who might garner the most interest. Several teams in need of some offensive pop could jump into the Beltran pool. Teams like the Twins, Rangers (although they seem set at OF they do have some injury prone OF'ers), Giants, and maybe even the Yankees could put their toes in the water.

Jose Reyes, SS, Mets. Reyes said he won't discuss a contract extension during the season so he is primed to hit the open market. The Mets right now are hovering around .500 and trading Reyes, who is arguably the National League's most dynamic player, would send shockwaves through an already shellshocked fanbase. If the Mets feel they can get better value than the two first round picks in next year's draft then they should bite. Still, Reyes is just a rental player so the chances of finding someone willing to take on a player who has announced he will test the market are going to be slim at that price. The Reyes situation mirrors the Mets season, in or out? Contending or not? Trade or no trade? Perhaps the Mets should hold onto Reyes and get the two draft picks. Or maybe they should trade him. Thankfully, I'm not Sandy Alderson whom I do not envy in this situation.

There are plenty more players out there who could make an impact at the deadline. Jason Kubel of the Twins, Joakim Soria and Jeff Francoueur of the Royals, and Mark Beurhle, Edwin Jackson, and John Danks of the White Sox all could be major chips cashed in by their respective teams. I will revisit this subject later.

Fly Balls

-Imagine you are the manager of a team that just rattled off 11 wins in 12 games, your team is 15-6 in the month of June and you are without your best pitcher who is still rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. Your best player just came back after spending over 50 days on the DL. What do you do? Resign of course. That is exactly what Nationals manager Jim Riggleman did after his team beat the Mariners 1-0 on Thursday afternoon. Riggleman didn't want to be a lame duck manager, said he wanted job security, so he quit his job. Wait, you wanted job security so you quit your job? If I am a baseball GM I wouldn't even consider a guy who literally quit on his team. Something tells me his heart just wasn't in it, wasn't in this team. If it was he wouldn't have quit, he would have let the numbers do the talking and forced GM Mike Rizzo to re-sign him. Well, stupid is as stupid does and stupid did.

-I am getting really fed up with the Yankees handling of Jesus Montero. There is no way Francisco Cervelli is better than Montero in any facet of the game. Brian Cashman even admitted as much recently. When Jorge Posada was a youngster they didn't keep him at AAA until Joe Girardi was ready to leave. Nope. they brought Posada up and allowed him to learn on the job. If the Yankees want to see what this kid is really made of bring him up, allow him to spell Russell Martin a couple of days a week, thereby keeping Martin fresh, and allow him to DH against lefties. That's 3-4 games a week he could be playing in. And when he sin't playing he could learn from Tony Pena, Russell Martin, Jorge Posada, and Joe Girardi, all former catchers how to better field his position. Right now Montero is batting over .290 at AAA and people around him, including former All-Star catcher Butch Wynegar, think he is bored. Wynegar even said the kid was MLB ready. C'mon Cashman, bring him up!

-Ron Artest has filed for a name change. His new name? Metta World Peace. Ummm, yeah.

-With the 17th overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft the New York Knicks took Iman Shumpert, a 6-6 PG from Georgia Tech. The Knicks passed on Chris Singleton from Florida State to get Shumpert. Wait, wasn't Iman a model from the 1990's? Anyway, the kid is supposed to be a good defensive player, something the Knicks need but will not use under Mike D'Antoni.

-The last pick in the NBA draft, the Mr. Irrelevant of the NBA was Isaiah Thomas, Jr. We knew Isaiah Thomas was irrelevant in the NBA for quite some time. At least Jim Dolan didn't order the Knicks to draft him, now that would have been interesting.

-The New Jersey Nets had a very nice draft. They traded with the Celtics for Marshon Brooks, a pretty good scorer who can slide right into the #2 guard position. In the second round they traded for Bojan Bogdanovic, who ranked second in the Euroleague in scoring. I don't think he will be around for a year or two but the Nets needed some extra scoring punch. The Nets then went for defense and rebounding when they took Jordan Williams from Maryland. He is small at 6'9" but he has the instincts. I'll give the Nets an A- for their draft.

-The Knicks draft wasn't as exciting. They could have something if their first rounder Iman Shumpert learns from Chauncey Billups all that he can in running an NBA offense. Until then they have a perimeter defender who should at least contest opposing ballhandlers when Billups is off the floor. They obtained big man Josh Harrellson from Charlotte in the second round. Harrellson is big, has little offensive talent, and will be lucky to crack D'Antoni's strict rotation. Knicks grade is a B- but if Shumpert develops into their PG of the future then this becomes an A.

-There are rumors swirling around the New York Rangers and Jason Spezza of the Ottawa Senators. Depending on what the Senators would want in return for Spezza he would be an excellent fit on Broadway. However, I don't think a deal will happen, not with Brad Richards a free agent. Spezza had knee issues last year that limited him to 60 games but he is a playmaker and goal scorer, just what the Rangers need. I can't see Ottawa wanting to trade him though, nor do I see the Rangers wanting to part with a lot of the kids they have patiently developed.

-I am not understanding Joe Girardi and his insistance on playing Andruw Jones over Brett Gardner in left against left-handed pitching. Gardner is hitting .278 against lefties with more walks (5) than strikeouts (4) in 36 at-bats. Andruw Jones is hitting .241 against lefties in 58 at-bats but has 21 strikeouts and only 6 walks! Oh, its because Jones has homered 4 times off of lefties this year? Crap Girardi! Look, Joe, I don't disagree with a lot of what you do but give Gardner the playing time. He has earned it. If it makes you feel any better Joe, Gardner and Jones have the same amount of homers (4) but Andruw is only hitting .213 while Gardner is hitting .286 now. C'mon man! Be smart! Put the best lineup out there!

-Don't look now but Ivan Nova is now 7-4 with a 4.13 ERA. He is 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in June. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for this kid.

Foul Tips

-Phil Hughes began his rehab assignment and it seems that whatever was bothering him is now gone because his fastball touched 95 MPH. He went 4.1 innings for Staten Island, throwing 61 pitches, 41 of them for strikes, striking out 7 and walking one. The Yankees could really use a healthy and effective Phil Hughes for the stretch run. If Hughes does come back healthy and effective, I don't think the Yankees need to run out and cough up prospects for a rental starter. It wouldn't make sense.

-Yankee prospect, Tim Norton, might be done as a baseball player. After making his AAA debut and striking out 2 batters in his one inning of work, Norton apparently suffered a severely torn shoulder labrum. This is really bad news as he was probably going to be a candidate for the Major League roster due to his 46 K's in 30 innings at AA and AAA.

-The Yankees came to terms with their first selection in the 2011 Draft, Dante Bichette, Jr. They paid him just over slot, a $750,000 signing bonus. I think the kid is really eager to get started. Hopefully his work ethic doesn't take a hit. He will start the year with the GCL Yankees.

-Jesus Montero is going to be a DH according to all the experts. Gary Sanchez? Well, his defense is worse than Montero's. Sure, the two guys are projected to hit like crazy but where do you play them? Is Sanchez fleet enough for an outfield spot? Right now, it looks like Austin Romine (currently on DL for a concussion) and J.R. Murphy are the Yankees backstops of the future. Murphy can also rip with the bat.

-The Pittsburgh Pirates are only 4 games out of first in the NL Central. They are flirting with .500 and, although this doesn't seem likely to continue, it might mean the beginning of a new era in a black hole of baseball. Maybe.

-The Seattle Mariners are only a half game out of first in the AL West. After last year's performance nobody would have guessed Seattle would have a winning record as of June 19th. But they do, at 37-35.

-The Minnesota Twins are 9-1 in their last ten games. Looks like this team is going to try to claw its way back into the thick of things.

-Eighty year-old Jack McKeon has agreed to become the interim manager of the sliding Florida Marlins. The Marlins are 1-18 in June. Good luck Jack.

-He may not be the best player in this year's NBA Draft, but Jimmer Fredette of BYU is certainly the most intriguing. He can either be a nice scoring option off the bench or he can fade into obscurity after a couple of ineffective years. I can see him doing a J.J. Reddick impersonation in the NBA but I don't know if that is worth a high draft pick. Chad Ford has the Pacers taking Fredette at #15. I don't know if I would take him that high. The Knicks are also an option at #17.

-Will the Mets be buyers or sellers? Or will they stand pat at the trading deadline July 31st? I definitely can't see the Mets as buyers and I don't think they will trade Jose Reyes either. To do so would infuriate a slowly reemerging fanbase. I see the Mets trying to unload a Jason Bay but don't think they will be able to. David Wright isn't going anywhere and if the MEts can hold their heads around the waterline they will be getting Ike Davis back which would sure up their defense and add some much needed pop in their lineup. If Beltran stays healthy and Davis comes back ready to play I can see the Mets sticking around. then again, this is the Mets and bad things seem to come in bunches these days. However, they owe it to their fans to do what is best for the future of the franchise. Even if they keep Reyes and lose him in free agency, so what? You get 2 first rounders for him. Add in another possible first rounder or two for Beltran and lookie what you got here, the beginnings of a new farm system. I trust Sandy Alderson to rebuild this team. He knows what he is doing and has the baseball people around him that might be among the best assembled braintrust in all of baseball.

Slap Shots

-A decent job was done by Brian Gordon, the recently signed 32 year-old pitcher who made his first Major League start today against the Rangers. He gave up 7 hits and walked 3 while striking out three. He loaded the bases in the 5th and then hit a batter, forcing in a run. However, against a vaunted lineup he kept the ball in the park. He will probably start against the Reds next week.

-Congratulations to the Boston Bruins on their Stanley Cup win over the Vancouver Canucks. And to hell with Vancouver fans. They make Philadelphia look good. They rioted in 1994 after their team lost on the road to the Rangers and they did it again after Boston beat them at home. Seriously? Riots? You need to start fires and break into department stores because your team lost? Here is one thing you can learn from New York, Vancouver. I have never seen riots break out, win or lose, in New York. Class up Vancouver, you are a damned disgrace. It's a game. Live with it. I didn't riot after the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in a 7th game. I thought Canadians were supposed to be a friendly, easy-going folk. May you never win a Cup you classless bunch of animals. I really wish I was a cop in Vancouver last night.

-Great job the last two days by recent pick-up Cory Wade. While I don't know if it will last, it shows you don't need to spend a fortune on middle relievers. Luis Ayala is another example. If only the Yankees learn from this. No more Rafael Soriano contracts! And, I know that wasn't Cashman but the whole crew needs to learn from this.

-The Florida Marlins are 1 for June so far. Yes, it is June 16th and the Marlins have one win this month. They just got swept by Philadelphia. Not looking good down there. And someone please tell me what is wrong with Hanley Ramirez.