New York Mets

According to Bart Hubbuch's NY Post Mets Twitter account, the New York Mets have traded OF Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves for floundering Right Fielder Jeff Francoeur.

Franceour, 25, started off hot in Atlanta hitting a cool .300 with 14 home runs in his rookie 2005 campaign.

He won a 2007 Gold Glove with his NL leading 19 outfield assists also.

There is no such thing as a "do or die" series or game until a team's magic number is terminated. 

And literally speaking, there is really no such thing as a "do or die" sporting event—with the possible exception of Colombian soccer.

Last night, in section 534 in the upper de...errr...I mean Promenade at Citi Field, I got into an interesting debate about Mets owner Fred Wilpon.  The gentleman sitting in front of me contended that Fred "Coupon" is a cheap owner while I contend that he is not necessarily a cheapskate, just an idiot.

First of all, I just wanted to go on record saying that the whole "Coupon" nickname drives me crazy.  It was cute for a while, but now it just sounds childish and silly when I hear fans say it.  Plus, every fan that uses it acts like they invented it, but I digress.

Right now, it seems that the New York Mets don't know how to win, and that is very much true.  They have lost eight out of their last ten and show no signs of winning anytime soon.  The Mets have been shutout in back to back games for the first time since 2005.

The Mets aren't pitching, hitting or fielding.  That is their formula for losing, and it is the formula for pretty much all baseball teams that lose a game. 

In a somewhat surprising move today, the Toronto Blue Jays have cut ties with former All-Star relief pitcher B.J. Ryan.

The Blue Jays signed Ryan to a mammoth five-year deal, which was the largest ever for a reliever at the time, following the 2005 season.

Ryan, who was the Blue Jays' closer as recently as this year, has struggled mightily this entire season. In 20.2 innings pitched, Ryan posted an ERA hovering near seven, which is more than double his career ERA (3.37).

Last night, before the Mets got blasted to smithereens by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 8-0 loss, Mets GM Omar Minaya addressed the media, again, about the Mets current injury status and its affect on the club for the rest of the season and beyond. 

The New York Mets find themselves in a rather messy predicament at the halfway mark of the 2009 season. As of now, one of baseball’s highest paid teams sits three games below .500 with a 39-42 record which is good for third place in the National League East behind the bargain basement Florida Marlins and the rival Philadelphia Phillies.

Now is not a good time to be a Mets fan. Injuries to three key everyday players have left the Mets with what looks like a AAA lineup that can’t score any runs. The possible return of Oliver Perez this week sounds like nails scratching on a chalkboard. Oh yeah, and the team with the best record in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, come to town for a three-game set starting Tuesday.

With the first half of the 2009 baseball season reaching an end, it is time to start looking towards the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, as the the contenders begin to deperate themselves from the pretenders.
With the New York Mets, the story for this season has been one of in jury and inconsistent play. Still, despite hovering around the .500 mark, the Mets are only two games behind the Phillies for the NL East division lead, and will look to be buyers when the trade deadline comes around.
So who will be available? Who should the Mets go after?

It’s funny how things have changed. A little over two months ago Mets skipper Jerry Manuel had all but officially denounced Ryan Church as an everyday player. There were rumblings that Church would eventually be traded. For the next month or so Church fell out of the limelight, rarely earning a start in right field.