by Eddie Mayrose

The New York Mets made one very big statement this week in their hire of Sandy Alderson as GM. As a baseball lifer, there’s no way Alderson will stand for the meddling of Fred and Jeff Wilpon, neither of whom has ever heard an opinion he didn’t respect. With Alderson on board, there’s no doubt who’ll be calling the shots.

His first move was stellar, appointing J.P. Ricciardi as his assistant.  Formerly the Toronto Blue Jays‘ GM, Ricciardi’s skills as a talent evaluator are among the most respected in the game; skills the Metsies desperately need as they try to rebuild a farm system bereft of top prospects.

Alderson’s next move might be a little dicey, however, as the fan base clamors for the hiring of Wally Backman; a move destined to keep the Mets behind the eight ball.  Backman has no Major League experience, his volatility will quickly wear thin in a big legue clubhouse and, most importantly, he’s given no evidence that he’s tamed the wild lifestyle that got him fired in Arizona after just a few days.  When asked about Backman’s antics in the NY-Penn League, an exec from a rival team shrugged his shoulders and said, “Don’t get me started on the (crap) that guy pulled.”

I’ll agree that the Mets need more fire but I’m not sure that has more to do with the manager than a change in personnel. They just have too many players for whom apathy seems to be a constant state of mind.  Regardless, there is a candidate available that’s both experienced and fiery; one that would initially be an extremely unpopular choice for Met fans to accept but could be the one that leads them out of the wilderness.  Here’s hoping that Alderson places a call to Larry Bowa as soon as possible.

By Eddie Mayrose

Each year, around the feast of St. Joseph (March 19th) the famous cliff swallows of San Juan Capistrano return from their winter vacation spot 6,000 miles south in Goya, Corrientes, Argentina. While it is truly one of nature’s wonders, it isn’t as unique as many might think. Here in New York, we annually celebrate the return of our own type of swallows; loony birds with no capacity to remember past failures who are destined to perpetuate their own suffering.

New York Jet Fans Return to Capistrano

My heart goes out to Cheap Seater Lou Ricciardi. He’s been mentioned before in this space as a long suffering Jet fan that can’t stop himself from being sucked into the hype. Perhaps in an attempt to conceal his gullibility, Lou sent me a blurb that he found on a Jets blog, rather than put his own name to the same, misguided optimism. Anyway, some poor slob submitted a long post about the death of the “Same Old Jets” and mocking Gang Green’s naysayers. As if his heart won’t be broken once again.

I have to admit, these New York Jets have me stumped. I had predicted a standard, garden variety collapse; to the tune of a 6-10 season. However, as I’ve watched them dominate both sides of the ball on their way to compiling a 3-0 record in the AFC East as they welcome back three Pro Bowlers this week, I am at a loss to discern from which direction disaster will eventually strike. Now, I’ve been a Jet fan my whole life and carry the scars to prove it. They’ve crushed my spirit so many times that I’ve developed a keen sense of impending doom; but it’s failing me at the moment. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still completely convinced that, somewhere down the road, the season will go terribly wrong. Not only that, the longer it takes, the more it will sting. For now, though, I’ll enjoy the ride, right up until it runs me right into the brick wall that’s always waiting for Jet fans. However, unlike poor Lou Ricciardi, I’ll be wearing a seat belt.

New York Knicks Return to Capistrano

Can’t imagine that any of the Knicks’ brass was shocked to find that Eddy Curry had, once again, reported to training camp overweight and out of shape. In an unusual twist, Curry has become the team’s longest tenured player; mostly due the waning skills and obscene contract that make him completely untradeable. Just another example of how the gifts of Isiah Thomas just keep on giving. And, in this case, eating.

New York Mets Return to Capistrano

Here they go, again. Fred and Jeff Wilpon in search of two or three thousand opinions on the best way to return their franchise to the top of the NL East while completely missing the point that their indecision is the very reason the Metsies are floundering. Let’s try this, Freddy. Go find a solid, established baseball lifer (Sandy Alderson?) and then LEAVE HIM ALONE. Keep sonny boy away from him, too. Say all you want about the failings of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya, there’s no disputing that they were always hamstrung by your lack of commitment to a long-term direction for the team. I don’t know who may be on the radar to fill either position, but the notion being floated around that Wally Backman is somehow ready to handle a major market franchise has disaster written all over it.

We’ve seen, courtesy of YouTube, Backman’s over-the-top volatility when things don’t go his way. Not exactly the demeanor necessary to handle a sometimes combative press corps. Besides, word out of the NY Penn League is that Backman hasn’t necessarily expunged all of the demons that caused the Diamondbacks to withdraw their managerial offer a few years ago. Get it right this time, guys, or your brand new ballpark is going to be empty for a long time.

St. John’s Basketball Hires (Settles For?) Steve Lavin

Don’t know if there’s a better indication of how far the St. John’s basketball program has fallen than the difficulty the powers that be had in signing a new head coach.  ESPN analyst and former UCLA head man, Steve Lavin, accepted the job after the Johnnies were rebuffed by Florida’s Billy Donovan and Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech.  In addition, Fran McCaffrey, who led Siena to the top of the MAAC during his tenure, and Boston College head man Al Skinner were brought in for interviews and may or may not have been offered the job.  That Lavin is, at best, the Red Storm’s third choice, and might actually be the fifth, speaks volumes to the current irrelevance of what was once a national power.  While Lavin has his work cut out for him, he does have a significant resource of talent in his own backyard.  Armed with four returning senior starters and eight scholarships, he may actually be able to effect a significant turnaround in very short order if he can tap into the prep talent in New York City; something at which his two predecessors failed miserably.  It’s been too long since the Johnnies were at the top of the Big East and a viable threat in the NCAA tournament.  Lavin has an opportunity to be a hero to all of the Johnnie faithful longing to, once again, be a part of March Madness.  Here’s hoping he delivers.

New York Mets: Same Song, Different Year

Seems like not much has changed since we last left our beloved Metsies.  Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran are still injured, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine are all huge question marks behind Johan Santana and the identity of the starting first baseman remains a mystery. Unfortunately for the denizens of CitiField, the rest of the division has improved greatly; making a very real possibility of a fourth place finish.  It’ll take a hot April by David Wright and Jason Bay to carry the anemic offense until the team is at full strength and an amazing turnaround by a pitching staff that was knocked around pretty good throughout training camp.  The way things have gone for the Mets over the last few years, however, such good fortune just doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

Dwight Gooden Still Hasn’t Hit Bottom

Given his history, I can’t imagine anyone was shocked last week by the news that Dwight Gooden had suffered another relapse in his ongoing battle with drug addiction. What was unbelievable, however, was the decision to release him on his own recognizance.  This is a man so overwhelmed by his addiction that, after being arrested in 2006, he opted for prison over extended probation, perhaps in the hope that incarceration would separate him from his addictions.  Yet, despite his history, a municipal court judge decided that being charged with driving under the influence of drugs, leaving the scene of an accident and endangering the welfare of a child; his five- year-old son riding in the back without a car seat, there was no reason to hold Gooden on bail.  Seriously?!  Perhaps it was this same forgiving attitude that prompted the Mets to induct Gooden and Daryl Strawberry into their Hall of Fame this summer.  Can’t wait to visit CitiField and have my son ask me why Gooden isn’t in the Hall at Cooperstown.  Maybe I’ll just refer him to A Bronx Tale and DeNiro’s speech about the saddest thing in life being wasted talent.

Major League Baseball Opener

Baseball’s back on Monday, (we in the Cheap Seats refuse to acknowledge Sunday Night’s made for TV event as the opener ) and with it comes the hope of every fan, even in Pittsburgh, that this will be a great year for his favorite team.  I’ll share my selections for Divisional Champions as well as Pennant and World Series Champions with the caveat that you review how miserably I chose the participants in this year’s Final Four.

NL East- Florida Marlins, NL Central- Cincinnati Reds, NL West- Colorado Rockies,  NL Wild Card- Philadelphia Phillies
AL East- Boston Red Sox, , AL Central- Minnesota Twins, AL West- Seattle Mariners, AL Wild Card- Tampa Bay Rays
NL Champs- Colorado, AL Champs- Minnesota
World Series Champs- Minnesota