What Else Is New?

Mets fans are used to abuse. They are used to abuse from Yankee fans and abuse from the media amongst other people and places. In ESPN's latest, and very pointless, power rankings, they had nothing to give them credit for after turning around a dismal series with the Braves so they inexplicably picked on Phil Humber after his numbers got bloated after returning from an injury.

14. New York Mets: Prospect Watch: Philip Humber, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, is an ugly 0-4, 5.06 in nine starts in the Class A Florida State League.

If anyone can tell me what this has to do with Major League power rankings, please do. Picking on 21 year olds in their first exposure to professional baseball makes absolutely no sense when you are reportedly ranking the Major League squad.

It'd be cool if they showed San Diego's #1 pick, Matt Bush who's batting .247 with only 2 homers and 18 RBI's.

OR Wade Townsend who didn't even get signed by their highly ranked Orioles.

Or how about the highly ranked White Sox, why don't we catch up with their #1 pick, Josh Fields. He has a .207 AVG, has struck out 64 and only walked 19 times. Pretty bad.

What does this have to do with anything? NOTHING AT ALL, and that's why mentioning Humber has no business in being commented on in the power rankings. Fucking assholes.

Benny contributed the above thoughts in the comment section after Mikey H. pointed out ESPN's pure lunacy. What they have against the Mets is beyond me, but how about giving them credit for solid pitching and solid play over the last two series? Probably because that would make too much sense and actually be something positive to write about the Mets and we all know that would be too hard for them to do. Instead, they have to put things in like 'how long will they keep Reyes in the leadoff spot', 'when will Cairo get a chance to start full time', and 'Humber is stinking up the joint'. Some may be true, but they rarely focus on any positives of the Mets. Why don't we all laugh at Jeff Neiman and his shoulder injury as well? I guess it is just too hard for them to give credit to the Mets and they would rather employ Met haters to be completely biased and ridiculous while continuing writing crappy stuff. I really do not need to be reminded why I read blogs instead of ESPN.

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The D-Backs want Upton and that sets in motion what could be a rather predictable first ten picks.

Minor update:

• Matt Durkin got roughed up in Hagerstown's 8-5 victory over Lexington. Durkin went 4.2 innings and gave up seven hits, four runs, two walks, and two long balls while striking out six. Carlos Gomez, Ambiorix Concepcion, Mike Carp, Grant Psomas, Derren Watts, and Aaron Hathaway all had two hits and Wilson Batista had three hits. Carp went deep for hits thirteenth homer of the season.
  
• The Tides lost 3-2 and Jae Seo had his worst start since returning to the minors by giving up three runs on eight hits in six innings. Even his worst start was pretty decent and he has been very, very solid since getting demoted. Prentice Redman was promoted and went 2 for 4 in his first AAA game this year.

The Mets picked up a half a game on both the Marlins and the Braves while not playing yet again. Now the Mets sit one game out and things look rosy....for now.....

The Yankees lost again. Can we all just take a moment out of our day and laugh at them please?

The Mets continue to show interest in Danny Graves.

Graves, 31, is expected to choose by Monday from a list of teams that includes the Mets and their division rivals, the Florida Marlins. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Cubs and Diamondbacks also are among the teams that are in the hunt for Graves, who was 1-1 with a 7.36 ERA and 10 saves in 12 chances for the Reds before being designated for assignment last week.

I thought this was interesting on Hanson from Baseball America.

In recent draft history, college closers have tended to be the fastest players to the big leagues and Hansen may as ready as any player in the Class of 2005. There's talk that he could be in the big leagues by September if he signs quickly, but as Scott Boras client he's not sure to do that. Some teams have also talked about trying him as a starter because they see a pitcher with No. 1 stuff. He was used in that role in high school when he wasn't drafted despite going 8-0, 0.00 with 119 strikeouts in 69 innings and as a freshman at St. John's. But he would have to develop his changeup, which he showed this spring in brief glimpses. It has the potential to be a third plus pitch. But the sentiment is clearly for him to be a closer, and he was on a short list of four candidates by the Diamondbacks to be the No. 1 pick overall.

Starter? Hmmmm.....

Chris Woodward will get more starts at first and that is fine by me.