New York Mets vs Washington Nationals: Rapid Fire Series Preview Interview

Frank Gray
MM Editor

The last week has been very cold and very frustrating for the New York Mets. With three days of postponed games, a double header that they were swept in and a fourth game not even played, the Mets are happy to return home to thaw out.

That is the good news. The bad news is they face off with Washington Nationals and their dominant pitching staff all weekend. The Mets need to forget the past week and be equal to the task if they are to get back on track.

To help us put this upcoming series into proper perspective, we turn to our friends at "Centerfield Gate". We asked this wonderful Nationals blog our five questions. Here's what they had to say.



MM- What is the biggest news story for your team entering this series?

CG- The biggest news for Nats fans is the puzzlingly poor fielding play of Ryan Zimmerman. The normally steady Zimmerman has been unsteady, and Nats fans are waiting for him to turn himself around. Is his shoulder injured -- or is he just going through an early season fielding slump. This series will answer that question.


MM- Who is the one pitcher due to break out in this series?

CG- Gio Gonzalez has been inconsistent, and this from a hurler who defines consistency. He needs a good outing against the Mets, and a good year for the Nationals to win the NL East,


MM- Who should the Mets be afraid to face right now and why?

CG- That's easy: Jordan Zimmermann. In an up-and-down early going, everyone on the Nationals has seemed to have an off day. Not Zimmermann: he's been lights out,


MM- Who on the Mets are your fans most interested in seeing and why?

CG- Hmmm. Well, I don't know about Nats fans, but I want to see Matt Harvey. He's the one young thrower on the Mets that will define the New Yorkers in the years ahead. And every time I see him, I think 'God, I wish we had him',


MM- What are your predictions for this series and why?

CG- The Nationals are struggling and the Mets are rebuilding, but were playing well. I think the Nationals will take the series, but they won't be as dominating as pre-season pundits predicted.



***For more from Centerfield Gate, please click here***

New York Mets vs Colorado Rockies: Rapid Fire Series Preview Interview

Frank Gray
MM Editor

After the in-climate weather in Minnesota this past weekend, the Mets travel further west to Denver to take on the Colorado Rockies. Weather will be the biggest story in this series as well. Each game of the four game set comes with a chance of snow or rain. Hopefully, the baseball gods smile down upon these teams and allow the games to proceed as scheduled.

Should this happen, it will be an interesting series. Both teams are off to good starts and both have young talent that can be exciting to watch. With that said, we turn to our friend David Martin at Rockies Review for our Rapid Fire segment.



MM- What is the biggest news story for your team entering this series?  

DM- The biggest news story for the 2013 Colorado Rockies right now is their early season success. This is a team that some experts were predicting to lose well over 100 games. It is early, but the Rockies have gotten out of the gates quickly.

Their offensive firepower has been far greater than anyone expected. Their lineup, top to bottom, is very potent. They have scored the most runs in the National League West so far this season, and they have hit more home runs than any team as well. All of that has been done while only playing three games at Coors Field.


MM- Who is the one pitcher due to break out this series?

DM- I am not sure there is necessarily a pitcher who is due to break out this series. The Rockies pitching staff is the biggest question mark that this team faces. The starters set all sorts of records last season with their struggles.

There is talent there, Juan Nicasio, Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa and Jon Garland are all very good pitchers, however they are all coming off of injuries that essentially washed out their 2012 seasons, making them question marks for success in 2013. The majority of analysts suggest that the Rockies pitching staff is one of the worst in the league. However, their early season success might suggest otherwise.


MM- Who should the Mets be afraid to face and why?

DM- The national media would suggest that the Mets should be afraid to face Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki and not give any thought to anyone else in the Rockies lineup. If that happens, the Mets will be hurting. Dexter Fowler is having a baffling early season stretch where suddenly the leadoff hitter who has occasional pop is hitting balls into the upper deck at Petco Park.

Fowler is hitting .298 so far, notching six home runs and nine RBIs. The crazy thing about Fowler's success has been that he is doing it from the left side of the plate, a place where most Rockies fans were insisting was the weakest part of the switch-hitters game.


MM- Who on the Mets are your fans most interested in seeing and why?

DM- Rockies fans are going to have a unique Met that they are interested in seeing come to Coors Field. The citizens of Denver are a tight-knit group and they love to see one of their own succeed, therefore, everyone in Colorado is rooting for Kirk Nieuwenhuis to succeed.

Nieuwenhuis attended Denver Christian High School and grew up in the Denver area. His success in the big leagues makes him a hero to many in the area. Fans in Denver will be thrilled to see one of their own in the big leagues.


MM- What are your predictions for this series and why?  

DM- This series is extremely difficult to predict. The Mets and the Rockies have both been hitting the ball out of the park like crazy. However, as the Mets seem to be used to, the weather is going to be terrible.

Denver is expected to get four inches of snow on Monday morning, and the temperatures aren't going to get above 35 degrees for the entire series. That means that in all likelihood, at least one of the games will be postponed, and there could easily be a doubleheader involved somewhere. Playing baseball in cold weather always makes for a difficult prediction.

However, the Rockies are determined to turn Coors Field into a home field advantage again, something they haven't done well at the past few years. If the games are played as scheduled, I believe the Rockies will win three of four. If the weather becomes an issue, the series could easily be split.


***For more from Rockies Review, please click here***

This Week in Mets History 1-13: Kid Carter, Tommy Agee, Jerry Grote and Mets Historic Openers

Mets catcher Gary Carter celebrates a home run. Photo courtesy  AP

Frank Gray
MM Editor

After the first week or so in the books, Mets catchers are a hot topic. John Buck led the National League in RBI at one point and is forcing the Mets to make the decision to call up Travis d'Arnaud that much harder.

With Mets catchers currently being a popular issue, it comes as no surprise that this week we celebrate several key moments from Mets catchers. Among them, we reminisce about Gary Carter celebrating his birthday with a major bang and Jerry Grote making fireworks of his own.

Not to be outdone, Tommy Agee shows us that catchers aren't the only ones that can hit historic home runs as his moonshot earns a special honor. All this and the tales of the Mets opening season, this week in Mets history.


April 8, 1988 - The New York Mets faced off with the Phillies at Veteran's Stadium. It was Mets catcher Gary Carter's birthday. On this date, Carter went 3-3 and had the only run scored for the Mets that day as he went deep. It was a bittersweet memory, though, as he was doubled off second base after Howard Johnson lined out in the 5-1 loss.


April 9, 1985 - After the Mets acquire Gary Carter in the off season, his addition pays off immediately. Opening Day, the Mets battled the St Louis Cardinals into extra innings. In the home half of the tenth inning, the All Star Catcher hits a walk-off homer to lift the Mets to a 6-5 win as a proper introduction to New York.


April 10, 1969 - Looking to bounce back from a disastrous '68 season, Tommy Agee launches an upper deck home run at Shea Stadium against the Montreal Expos. It would be the longest home run in Shea Stadium history. The spot where the ball landed would be commemorated by a plaque in the upper decks of the stadium.


April 11, 1962 - After several years of anticipation, the New York Mets franchise opens up their first season of existence. In their first attempt at National League baseball, the Mets first scheduled game was postponed due to rain and players being stuck in an elevator. Yes, you read that right. The Mets made their debut against the St Louis Cardinals on this date. They were rocked 11-4.


April 11, 1971 - The Mets were looking for offense against the Cincinnati Reds. In a scoreless duel lasting 11 innings, they found it in the person of Jerry Grote. The two-time All Star catcher ended the tight contest with a game ending shot off of Reds reliever Wayne Granger. The Mets win 1-0.


April 13, 1962 - It is a bitter cold winter-like day at the Polo Grounds when the National League baseball returns to New York in the form of the New York Mets. With just 12,000 fans in attendance for the big premiere of Mets baseball, the team fought the Pittsburgh Pirates hard on a Friday the 13th.

Perhaps the results were a premonition to the season that would come. In a 3-3 game, Mets reliever Ray Diavault uncorks two wild pitches and gives up the decisive run that helps the Mets fall to the Pirates 4-3.


April 13, 2012 - Thole was not known for his base running skills. Perhaps the events of this date are a good reason why. While playing the Philadelphia Phillies in Philly, he caught everyone by surprise when he advances on a sacrifice bunt attempt by R.A. Dickey and then attempted to return to first base. He would be tagged out and the double play would officially go down as a 3-1-6-4 double play. The Mets did win the game, though, 5-2.

New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies: Rapid Fire Series Preview Interview

Frank Gray
MM Editor

As the Mets continue their first tour of the NL Est this season, they visit the Philadelphia Phillies. To get us better prepared for the series, Mets Menu turns to Alec Snyder. Mr Snyder is a Featured Columnist for the Phillies at Bleacher Report. He knows his team inside and out. For this intense rivalry, he is the perfect source to ask our rapid fire questions to. Here's the result.

MM - What is the biggest news story for your team entering this series?

AS - I think the biggest news story at this point for the Phillies remains Roy Halladay’s potential velocity and command concerns. Despite topping out at a surprisingly high 92 mph last start and striking out nine batters in just 3.1 innings (becoming the first pitcher to do so since 1900), he walked three batters and of the 95 pitches he threw before being taken out, only 55 were for strikes.

In addition, he threw many more offspeed pitches and was reluctant to throw many cutters and sinkers. Unlike last year, when he actually started out with a very dominant April following a disastrous spring training, Doc seems to be starting out slow. Is this a sign of a season full of problems for Halladay, or can this just be attributed to still gaining a feel for pitching this season? Knowing Halladay’s work ethic, the former unfortunately seems more likely, but considering it’s still early in the season, anything is possible.

MM - Who is the one pitcher due to break out this series?

AS - If not Halladay, who’s due to break out whenever he can, then Kyle Kendrick, who starts on Thursday against Jeremy Hefner. Kendrick had an encouraging second half of the 2012 MLB season and the hope has been that his string of success would carry over into 2013. With a big dropoff in ability after the Phillies’ big three (or big two if Halladay fails to maintain a high level of production), Kendrick will need to step up and be able to shut down lineups on a consistent basis throughout the season.

While he wasn’t able to do that the entire game on Friday in the Phillies’ home opener against Kansas City, he was flat-out dominant for 4.1 innings before everything went downhill. If Kendrick can take his potential and see his next start as an opportunity to maintain that potential for a longer tenure throughout the game, good things could happen. I wouldn’t put it past him, either—despite a 5-7 record against the Mets all-time, Kendrick has a career 3.56 ERA against them to his credit.


MM - Who should the Mets be afraid to face and why?

AS - The Mets should be shaking in their boots to face Cliff Lee, hands-down. Lee tossed a gem against an Atlanta Braves lineup last Wednesday night that didn’t look major league worthy against him. Averaging a strikeout an inning and issuing no walks in eight two-hit shutout innings, Lee saw nothing faze him.

While expectations have always been high for Lee as he’s a proven ace in the majors, he’s a dark horse to be the Phillies’ best pitcher in 2013. With a career 4-1 record with a 2.09 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 56 innings (9.0 K/9), Lee should be even better against the Mets than he was against Atlanta, if that’s humanly possible.


MM - Who on the Mets are your fans most interested in seeing and why?

AS - Maybe I’m alone in this, but I think I speak for most educated Phillies fans when I say that Matt Harvey intrigues me more than anyone else on the Mets. I’m not trying to say this in a demeaning way, but with the Mets lineup, you pretty much know what you’re getting with everyone. Harvey faced off against Phillies minor league pitcher Tyler Cloyd in late August last season when both were making their MLB debuts, and while both looked solid, Harvey looked better.

Considering he has more potential as a pitcher than Cloyd, it came as no surprise, but he’s got a bright future ahead of him. After an incredible performance against San Diego, I’m curious to see if Harvey can build on his momentum on the road against a Phillies lineup that carries more of an offensive threat, at least on paper. He’s going to be fun to watch in the years to come. Mets fans should be excited about him.


MM - What are your predictions for this series and why?

AS - I don’t think Halladay’s going to be nearly as bad against the Mets as he was against Atlanta since he’s at home and has a better track record against New York. However, I’m expecting a solid performance from Matt Harvey that could shut the offense down and I’ll give the Mets a 4-3 victory.

Cliff Lee should topple the Mets’ lineup, so even if the Phillies don’t score many runs against Dillon Gee, they should be able to defeat the Mets. I’ll predict the final score of that game to be 3-1 Phillies.

Game 3 of the series is more of a toss up, as both Kendrick and Hefner can be either lights-out or can blow a game in the blink of an eye. I’m predicting an above average performance by Hefner, but I think the Phillies will provide more run support for Kendrick than the Mets will for Hefner.

I think it could come down to the bullpens, and since the Mets still have a below-average bullpen, I’ll give the edge to the Phillies, assuming Charlie Manuel plays his cards right (which can’t necessarily be assumed at all). I think the Phillies win their first series of the year with a 4-2 victory over the Mets in Game 3.


***For more of Alec Snyder's work please click here****

New York Mets vs Miami Marlins: Rapid Fire Series Preview Interview

Frank Gray
MM Editor

The New York Mets prepare to face off with the Miami Marlins in their second series of the new season. Mets Menu would like to introduce a new preview segment to the blogging world. It's not your typical series preview.

Each series we will try to preview the match up by interviewing a blogger from the opposing team. This helps to give a good perspective from their fans and see how the Mets and their players are viewed outside of our loyal fanbase.

On a personal note, before I begin, I realize that the Mets have already taken two out of three vs the Padres. We, here at Mets Menu, will try to get bloggers from the opposition to respond. In the case of that series, we were unable to get a commitment from a Padres blogger.

This may be a reoccurring theme this season, so please just enjoy the ones that can be posted. For this series, we have reached out to Ted Hill of "Marlins Diehards". Mr Hill was kind enough to reply and the following is the result.



MM - What is the biggest news story for your team entering this series? 

TH - The biggest takeaway from the Marlins first couple games is how inept the offense has been. They've gone eighteen scoreless innings with just seven hits. I think most fans would have thought the pitching (especially starters) would be the biggest deficiency in the team this year but it's looking like scoring runs will prove to be a massive hurdle. Granted it's a ridiculously small sample size, the bats may very well wake up in New York, but if they don't, the fan unrest will grow considerably (from an already astronomical level).

MM - Who is the one pitcher due to break out this series? 

TH - Maybe not breakout per se, but Marlins fans are very excited to see Jose Fernandez's big league debut in the series finale on Sunday. He along with Christian Yelich are the club's biggest prospects. Jose really should not be anywhere near the majors yet (hasn't pitched above A-ball), but due to a wrath of injuries late in the Spring, the club has given him a big opportunity. He has a very live fastball and mixes in a few other decent pitches so he has the stuff to succeed. The question will be if he knows how to pitch, and navigate a true MLB lineup.

MM - Who should the Mets be afraid to face and why? 

TH - Giancarlo Stanton. Sure he's had a rough start thus far (1-7 with 3 K, also didn't do much for USA at the WBC) but he's the only thing resembling a star on this Marlins roster. At any point he can catch fire and launch balls deep into the seats or plant them in the gaps. The Mets would be wise to pitch him carefully, especially depending on the situation and if there is an open base. Other than that, attack this ragtag squad.

MM - Who on the Mets are your fans most interested in seeing and why? 

TH - Probably John Buck, just for anger purposes. He was god awful in Miami in his two years (especially last season's .192 clip at the plate) and when he found his way to New York this year, everyone down here was thrilled. I know he's had a nice start at the plate but I'd caution all of you guys to think he can maintain this. His numbers may rebound some but his offensive production will still be limited and he doesn't offer much defensively. Marlins fans will take great pleasure seeing him K this series. Other than that, I know a lot of people in Miami LOVE David Wright, only because he's good looking, so they'll be looking forward to seeing his beautiful face on their HDTVs.

MM - What are your predictions for this series and why? 

TH - Mets sweep. Hard for me to believe the Marlins will win any game judging on what we've seen thus far. I know they will, but can't predict it. Perhaps they grab one game if Ricky Nolasco can repeat his Opening Day quality start, or if Jose Fernandez dazzles.


****For more from Miami Diehards, please click here. For more Mets Menu, please follow us on facebook by clicking here. Thank you.****

This Week in Mets History 1-12: Tom Terrific, Rusty, a Darling Trade and Strawberry's Moonshot

Frank Gray
MM Editor

This week, we celebrate baseball's opening week with a bang. We remember two mega trades that didn't seem big at the time, a new team debuts in Shea, and Darryl raises the roof. All this and more, this week in Mets history.


April 1, 1982 - In an attempt to build on youth and part ways with the players of the past few pathetic seasons, the Mets trade fan favorite Lee Mazzilli in an unpopular move. They deal Maz to the Texas Rangers in exchange for two rookie starting pitchers: Ron Darling and Walt Terrell.

Darling won 99 games with the Mets to go with a World Series, an All-Star appearance and a Gold Glove. He remains with the team in the booth calling games for SNY. While Terrell didn't have a bad Mets tenure (19 wins and a Mets career 3.53 ERA), he did have a major impact on the team's future. They would trade him to Detroit two years later for Howard Johnson.


April 3, 1966 - After a dispute with NCAA and Major League Baseball, Tom Seaver is drafted by the Mets through a special process. He was ineligible to play his senior year at USC because he had signed a professional contract.

When Seaver's father threatens a lawsuit, MLB voided his contract with Atlanta who had signed him and allowed other teams to match their offer. The Mets had their name drawn out of a hat and won the rights to draft him. Seaver then became the Hall of Fame icon we all know and love, but it was very close to never happening with the Mets.


April 3, 2009 - After the Detroit Tigers cut ties with Gary Sheffield and his massive $14 million contract, the Mets swooped in and signed him in the hopes that he would boost their outfield offense. The son of former Mets great Dwight Gooden, would hit ten homers, drive in 43 RBI and hold a .276 AVG in his one year with the Mets.


April 4, 1988 - In an opening day explosion, Kevin McReynolds and Darryl Strawberry both hit two home runs each in a memorable 10-6 win over the Expos in Montreal. The most memorable part of the game though was Strawberry's second home run. It traveled an estimated distance of 525 ft and hit a light rim in the ceiling at Olympic Stadium. It is the longest home run in the history of that venue.


April 5, 1972 - The Mets look to get stronger for the future. They do so by trading Ken Singleton, Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen to the Montreal Expos for All Star Rusty Staub. Staub would become a fan favorite and a major part of the "Gotta Believe" Mets of 1973. The man nicknamed "Le Grand Orange" would play nine years for the Mets in two separate stints.

He would hit .276 AVG and drive in 399 RBI in Queens. Today he is the author of two Mets-themed books. He is also the founder of the NY Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefits Fund in which has raised over $112 million in donations since 9/11.

This Week in Mets History 1-8: Casey at the Hall and Meet the Mets

Frank Gray
MM Editor

While the Spring Training heats up, the history never stops. This week, we revisit a hit song, a one-hit wonder in the outfield, the man that was traded for Nolan Ryan and a legendary coach gets his due.


March 5, 1972 - The Mets were trying to solidify the third base spot. To do so, they traded Don Rose, Frank Estrada, Leroy Stanton and NOLAN RYAN to the Angels for Jim Fregosi. While at the time, no one could tell what Ryan would become, it seemed as if Fregosi was the answer for the Mets third base woes.

On this date, he broke his thumb in a Spring Training workout and is unable to pan out into what the Mets want. He would bat just .232 in 101 games and would be subsequently released the next season. Today, Fregosi does the occasional interview and rare public appearance as he enjoys his retirement.


March 6, 2001 - Searching for an outfielder, the Mets singed Tony Torasco in the hopes that he would help the offense. He didn't play that season. The team re-signed him the following year and he did have 105 AB with six homers and two stolen bases in 60 games in the 2002 season.

Today, he can be found on the first base line at Washington Nationals games. He was hired by former Mets manager Davey Johnson to be the Nats first base coach for the upcoming season.


March 8, 1966 - The "Old Professor", Casey Stengel, who is the known in Mets lore as being the very first manager in Mets history is told  he has been elected into the MLB Hall of Fame. The manager was elected due to a new rule for managers that allows writers to elect them in prior to the traditional five year waiting period.

The Mets announced this election prior to an exhibition game on this date. He passed in 1975, but lived long enough to see his upstart Mets shock the baseball world by winning the 1969 World Series and return to the World Series again in 1973 until the tutelage of Gil Hodges.

The new ballpark has an entrance dedicated to Stengel and the team retired his number 37 in 1965 prior to his Hall of Fame induction announcement..


March 9, 1963 - In order to increase their popularity and reach out to a wider audience, the Mets introduced a new fight song on this date. "Meet the Mets" was written by Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz. It has appeared in commercials and TV shows.

 It can be heard on WFAN pregame and postgame shows. It has taken on a life of its own since it was first introduced. It was given two musical makeovers, in 1984 and 2008. The original was considered sexist with the use of the line "bring your kiddies, bring the wife, guaranteed to have the time of your life". Raunchy lyrics for the time. For further memories, click here for the original version.

This Week in Mets History 1-7: Straw, Mex, Hot Rod and King Kong

Frank Gray
MM Editor

February 24, 2010 - After Benjie Molina moved on to other pastures for the green, the Mets signed veteran Rod Barajas to be his replacement behind the plate. It didn't take long for Barajas to be embraced by fans. May 7th, he hit the first walk-off home run in Citi Field history.

It was against the San Francisco Giants and gave the Mets a dramatic 6-4 win. As the Mets began to fall out of the standings as the summer went on, Barajas would be placed on waivers and claimed by the Dodgers.

Currently, he is with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Mets fans will always have a soft spot in their hearts for the man nicknamed "Hot Rod".


February 28, 1975 and 1981 - The Mets signed Dave "King Kong" Kingman for $150K. The man that the Mets would eventually trade for six years, to the day, later would amass great numbers in a Mets uniform. Both stints began on this date. One in 1975 and the other in 1981.

Kingman would hit 154 home runs and 389 RBI, both personal highs among any other team in his career. These days he is retired and spending his days golfing in Lake Tahoe.


March 2, 1989 - Two of the greatest hitting legends in Mets history took to hitting each other. During a photo shoot, Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez exchanged blows stemming from an argument over contracts. Strawberry walked out of camp. He would return and the two would patch things up.

That 1989 season would prove to be the final one for Hernandez as a player in Queens. He would retire the following year after a brief and unsuccessful stint in Cleveland. He is currently broadcasting for the Mets on their TV network, SNY.

Strawberry would be an All-Star that season and remain with the team for one more year before parting ways with the franchise. Today, he is a successful restaurant owner and still can be seen at Mets functions.

Today's Special: Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn, Pedro Cerrano and JASON BAY???

Everyone's favorite cinematic "lovable losers" are possibly joining forces with the recent castoff of MLB's actual "lovable losers". The Cleveland Indians are really best known for the movie franchise "Major League". They have not done much that is noteworthy on the field in the past several decades. In the movies, Cleveland throws together the most motliest of crews in an attempt to catch lighting in a bottle.

Real life seems to be imitating art these days. It seems that the Indians are talking to Jason Bay about a free agent contract for next season. They are currently still in negotiations with Kevin Youkilis. All of this after hiring Terry Francona as their manager.

This is clearly Cleveland's way of building a midwestern version of the Boston Red Sox. Bay, however, may or may not be the answer. If you're the Indians, though, he comes with the right price tag. The Mets bought out his contract a few weeks back and, as a result, still owe him $21M from his massive and uninspiring original $66M contract.

It's common knowledge that Bay is thought of as a wonderful guy and a great teammate to have around in the clubhouse. Perhaps, as the Indians are hoping, he could catch lightning in a bottle with Francona and with being back in the American League. Goodness knows, he surely didn't by returning to the National League.

I'm sure all Mets fans wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. We just all wish he wasn't doing it in another uniform on the Mets' dime.