The Metro Channel Is Useless

"The only difference in the lineup for our customers is that the Metro channels will not come back on," said Mark Harrad, a Time Warner spokesman. The Cablevision-owned Metro channels provided traffic, weather and entertainment programming and were used as spillover stations when sports games overlapped. "We had contended that the service had very little value for any of our customers and was taking up valuable channel space."

I really have not been following the saga that has been the battle between Cablevision and Time Warner. I just know that they are back on the air. I've partially been ignoring it because I know that since I'm in Cablevision country, I will run into this problem next year. However, one thing that I did gain from all these articles that are out on the topic is that Jim Dolan is dumb piece of shit. Why he continues to peddle that dumb Metro Channel that no one watches and no cable carrier besides Cablevision actually wants is beyond me. He continually has tried to piggy back this channel off his more lucrative channels that have sports on them and have something marketable.

Back when the Yankees, Nets, Mets, and Knicks were all on his channels, he could force people into carrying the Metro channel. Now, there is no reason for anyone to pay for the Metro Channel just to appease Cablevision. Next year, when Time Warner and Comcast come a calling for Cablevision to carry the new Mets Network, who thinks it will not be a cluster fuck? MSG, FSNY, and the Metro channel will be three of the most unmarketable channels out there. The only things that people might want to watch are the Knicks and the Rangers, but the channels will simply not be worth much. Neither basketball or hockey is a big revenue draw on TV and my concern next year would be that Dolan will be holding Time Warner and Cablevision hostage. Basically, Dolan will tell them, I'll carry your Mets Network, but you need to carry and overpay for my trio of shitty networks. Get ready for more problems with the Mets on the TV next season.

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Aaron Heilman deserves a ton of credit for starting the game and going 5.1 innings and only giving up two earned runs. The guy sat through two long rain delays and that is something you just do not see often with how pitchers are coddled these days. The Mets, who are now leading the National League with 43 homers, hit another three again last night. Heath Bell also got a high leverage inning in the eighth despite pitching 2.2 innings on Friday and another inning on Sunday. He now has a 3.0 K/BB, 8.10 K/9, a .235 BAA, and a 3.38 ERA. He really seems to be sliding into an important set up role at this point that will be shared with Mike DeJean.

Pedro looks like he will get a start in the first Yankee series. The best news about this means that the disaster known as Tom Glavine 2005 will miss the Yankee series and spare us Mets fans from an automatic loss.

From the NY Post:

Kaz Ishii (strained left lat) threw three innings in a simulated game in St. Lucie yesterday, tossing 45 pitches. His next step will be a rehab start, probably on Friday.

Though Aaron Heilman has pitched well and Kris Benson is now back in the rotation, Randolph said it's unlikely that Ishii would go to the bullpen when he comes back. Asked about the possibility of the struggling Victor Zambrano heading to the pen, Randolph replied, "That's a good question, but we haven't thought about that yet."

"I'm thinking of suing the Mets and Mayor Bloomberg," Sean said. "Both of them are turning me into an alky. I never went to the bar as often as I do now because of the Mets and the anti-smoking law."

"And so they've forced me into bars like someone looking for a drink in a speakeasy during Prohibition," he said. "Plus, I'm a nonsmoker. So before Bloomberg was elected, I could never last in a smoky bar more than two innings before I coughed my way out the door. Now with Bloomberg's anti-smoking law, the air is so clear and sweet I stay and drink for the whole nine innings! Even extra innings! So I figure Bloomberg and the Mets oughtta pay for my alcohol rehab bill."

He was just joking, but is it really a stretch to see someone in this law-suit happy country to actually sue the city and the Mets?

Greg Maddux gets the privilege to lose to Kris Benson and the Mets tonight.

Jae Seo continues to pitch solid and went six innings for Norfolk while giving up four hits, two walks, two runs, and struck out six.

Brian Bannister did not get a loss, but got banged up for Binghamton. He went 5.1 innings, gave up five runs, six hits, two walks, and struck out two. His ERA is now 1.60.

Lastings Milledge is making a run at the Mendoza Line. He went 2 for 3 to bring up his average to .197.

Gabby Hernandez is having some trouble with low A ball, but is still doing impressively for a kid his age. He got a no decision in 5.1 innings against Hickory and gave up eight hits, three earned runs, one walks, and struck out three.