After a few weeks of a layoff, I'm back with some Thursday Thoughts. There's been a few interesting tidbits to come out of Major League baseball over the last few days. Those topics include Arod, Torrealba, and our good friend Mr. Barry Bonds.

Torrealba:

First, the Mets have come to an agreement with Yorvit Torrealba, formerly of the Colorado Rockies, on a 3 year 15 million dollar deal. Being a Paul Lo Duca supporter, it hurts me to see the Mets not re-sign him. He was a vocal leader on this Mets club. It’s a shame the Mets didn’t want to bring him back but they had to do what they felt was necessary.

Torrealba is about equal in the amount of production that Paul Lo Duca would have brought to the table. Last year he hit .250 with 8 homeruns and 47 rbis. What does scare me though, is that he played in a career best 113 games last year, when normal catchers usually play 130-140 games. However, Ramon Castro has just signed a contract so that he and Torrealba will work as a platoon at the catcher position. I think the platoon will work out great, but I will still miss Lo Duca.

Arod:

Why the hell did he opt out? Jeez. I really thought he was going to leave the Yankees, but apparently they are going to work out a monster contract. Here is to more drama from him and hearing how he and Jeter don’t have sleepovers and whining about how he can’t hit in October.

Mr Barry Bonds

Finally indicted. Its about time. That guy has to be challenged on all his homeruns over the past 10 years. I really hope he goes into the hall of fame with that asterisk. It’s a shame what he’s done to baseball. I am not going to comment more, because I think we are all sick of talking about him.

Til next time..

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Howdy all! First off I would like to apologize for my absence this past week, as my computer stopped working last week. It is still in the process of getting fixed (much like the Mets lineup and bullpen). While gone I finally came up with a name for my weekly column though: Tuesday Two Cents with Jersey Dan. I hope you guys like it. Now off to the races.

The bullpen, yeah we got one, yeah it’s got issues; but like a Chevy it gets the job done, even if you have to tinker with it at bit. Everyone has quickly jumped on the Scott Schoeneweis bandwagon as of late. Have fun riding that wagon, because who knows how rough it will be, and who knows if it will crash or not. Let’s be realistic here, the man has shown up for two months this season, and was just despicable for the rest of the season. His ERA is still above five, and his WHIP is still above one and a half. There is no reason for us to get outlandishly excited over this recent stint of success. Let’s see where Schoeneweis is at the end of the month.

So the Schoeneweis train is full, and that is because everyone is starting to get off of the Wagner Wagon. What is everyone’s problem with Wags? He is having one of his best seasons ever (like I predicted at the beginning of the season), and has shown nothing but composure this season. Last week against Atlanta Wags loaded up the bases with none out, and Brian McCann coming up to the plate, followed by Andruw Jones. What followed was composure that only the best closers in the game show. Wagner throws great pitches and induces McCann to ground to David Wright who fires home for the force. Wagner then throws some more great pitches and gets Jones to ground into a game ending double play. If Wagner weren’t a great closer, the Mets most likely would have blown that lead. His 26 saves 1.58 ERA and 61 strikeouts can close ball games for my team any day of the week.

So does anybody want to tell me what happened to Joe Smith? The man was lights out at the beginning of the season, and then sometime a little before the All Star Break he hit a brick wall that was more solid than a Mo Vaughn turkey sandwich. Hence Smith was sent down to AAA. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, but normally Guillermo Mota wouldn’t be a middle reliever on my baseball team. Let’s face it, off the juice Mota is garbage. If Smith can get back on track in New Orleans we can bring him back up and get Mota out of there.

Pedro Feliciano: Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Finally we get to the Met that everyone loves to hate: Aaron Heilman. This guy is having a career year, keeps us in games nine times out ten, usually cleans up the messes that Mota or Schoeneweis leave him, and yet we still ridicule him because of Game Seven of the 2006 NLCS. Get over it people, Heilman is a solid player, pitching in a role that he was thrown into last season. As far as I am concerned he has pitched very well since becoming our set up man and is the least of our bullpen worries.

Point being, this bullpen, if managed the right way can be just as good as Boston’s or any of the other top pens in the league. Now that Jorge Sosa is in the pen he will get a lot of work. Sosa, Feliciano, and Heilman looks like it could work out to be a great bullpen combo. If heaven allows it, and Schoeneweis continues to produce this bullpen could turn lethal. If Smith learns how to pitch again, we can get the steroid train out of there and have one of the best pens in the game. This last month and a half will make or break this pen, and make or break our chances of winning a third World Series.

Afterthoughts

Former New York Yankee shortstop and commentator Phil Rizzuto died today. Scooter was a legendary face to the game of baseball his whole life. He was one of the premier shortstops of his day, and his voice is among one of the most famous in baseball. His play-by-play was so exciting that he was used by Meat Loaf to do the “play-by-play” on his 1979 classic “Paradise By The Dashboard Light.” The Scooter will be missed.

While on hiatus last week, many Major League Baseball milestones were achieved.

Barry Bonds hit #756 last Tuesday. Thank God that is over, and the Giants won’t be on national television anymore this season

A-Rod hit #500 last week. I like A-Rod; he’s a great player that puts up with way too much garbage. I hope we get to see him hit many more home runs (just not for the Yankees).

Tommy Glavine wins #300. This seemed to take an eternity to Mets fans. What was pretty crazy about this win is that it took place in Wrigley Field, which opened in 1914, and only last Sunday saw it’s first 300 win milestone. Glavine is also the first Met to win 300 games while in a Met uniform. Glavine also could be the last pitcher to ever win 300 games, with these boneheaded pitch counts, and five man rotations and such. Congrats Tommy.

On a personal milestone note I must tip my cap to Cardinals OF Rick Ankiel. As much as I despise the Cardinals I cannot be happier for this guys success. If five years ago you were to tell me that Rick Ankiel would be an OF hitting home runs for St. Louis, I’d tell you take another shot of JD and keep dreaming. This is a great story for baseball, and I could not be happier for the guy.

Football is back, and the Giants are already driving me nuts. Six wins is a stretch for them. Thank God NASCAR goes until November.

Speaking of NASCAR, can somebody please instruct Dale Earnhardt’s crew on how to properly build an engine for a stock car? Four blown engines this season, and two in three weeks is just embarrassing.

That’s my two cents…Let’s Go Mets. Read More...

After a week-long vacation everybody's favorite writer has returned. Welcome to the weekly feature that freely admits to being worn out by the Braves all season long. This is Touch 'Em All Time.

If you're looking for an optimistic article I suggest you just close your browser now. The fact is that I am less than happy with the Amazins at the moment after they dropped yet another series to the Braves, this time at Shea. Say what you will about Delgado's home run being snatched away at the last moment. The truth remains that it would have taken a four-run ninth to even tie the game. The Braves own the Mets in 2007 and what's worse is that they know it. The Mets aren't done with the Braves yet. The Mets will travel to Atlanta and have a chance for redemption at home in September.

Despite what Willie and many of the Met faithful appear to believe New York's woes against the Braves are a big deal. Even if the Mets do win the division the reality is that the Braves aren't going anywhere in the playoff race just yet. As of this post the Braves are only 0.5 games behind the Padres for the Wild Card. If the Mets and Braves meet up in the post season...well, that's something I just don't want to think about at this moment.

Rick Ankiel hit a three-run homer in his return to the Majors last night as St. Louis defeated the Padres 5-0. I couldn't be happier for this guy as it really is a great story. How many of us get a second chance to live out our dream? I wish Rick plenty of success (until he plays the Mets).

Speaking of "feel good" stories in baseball; how about those Seattle Mariners? They went on a long winning streak earlier in the season only to be rewarded by having Mike Hargrove, their manager at the time, resign. This was a move that came out of nowhere and shocked the baseball world. Instead of folding or mailing it in the Mariners are in first place for the American League Wild Card and are only two and half games out of first in the AL West behind the (overrated) Angels. While teams like the Yankees, Indians, and Tigers have been receiving most of the publicity from the media (*cough* east coast bias *cough*) the Mariners have quietly become one of the best teams in the league. I'm quietly cheering for Seattle, if only to ensure the Yankees will be sitting at home come October.

Speaking of which; the Tribe hosts the Yanks this weekend. I'll be cheering for my Indians for more than one reason these next three days.

Please welcome the newest addition to the Baseball Tonight team: David Wells, everybody.

My favorite statistic regarding Barry Lamar Bonds? The San Francisco Giants are 49-64. Thank you, Barry, for finally breaking the record. It's the last time your pathetic excuse for a Major League team will be on national television in 2007.

The Mets play hosts to the Marlins this weekend and should have little problem winning at least two out of three (jinx jinx jinx). With a three and a half game lead in the NL East and the end of the season rapidly approaching every win helps. Hopefully the rain subsides by this evening and all of you heading out to Shea will see a win for the home team. Lets Go Mets. (F-A-N). Read More...

SAN FRANCISCO -- With the crack of the bat a brief stillness settled over the right-center field bleachers at AT&T Park as Barry Bonds' record-breaking homer rocketed toward the crowd.

Then the scrum was on.

Police escort the fan who caught Barry Bonds' ball out of the stadium.

As the specially marked baseball landed a few rows up, dozens of fans wrestled for it and the promise of riches it carried. Suddenly, the metal bleachers vibrated with energy. Grunts, cheers and the cries of frightened children broke the silence as parents sought to shield their youngsters from the chaos.

In the middle of it all was 22-year-old New Yorker Matt Murphy, who emerged from beneath the pile holding the ball Bonds hit for career home run No. 756. His face was bloodied and his clothes stretched and torn from his battle in the bleachers.

A team of San Francisco police officers moved in, extracted Murphy from the crowd, and quickly led him through a tunnel and into a secure room.

As he high-fived other fans, Murphy, wearing a New York Mets Jose Reyes jersey and cap, slid the ball into the back pocket of his plaid Bermuda shorts.

Reporters screamed out questions, but all he managed to say was, "I'm Matt Murphy from Queens, N.Y."

"I just hope he didn't get hurt," Bonds said after the game, which the Giants lost 8-6 to the Washington Nationals. He said he had no interest in getting the ball back for himself.

"I don't want the ball," Bonds said. "I've never believed a home run ball belonged to the player. If he caught it, it's his."

Murphy and a friend were en route to Australia and in San Francisco for a one-day layover, a Giants spokesman said. They purchased tickets just before the game.

He and the friend, dressed in New York Yankees regalia, were razzed by nearby Giants fans. "Hey, this isn't New York!," one shouted. Murphy and his friend just laughed it off before settling into their seats.

Murphy declined to make himself available to the media.

Baseball memorabilia experts have pegged the ball's value at $400,000 to $500,000. That's well below the $3 million fetched by the ball Mark McGwire hit to break Roger Maris' single-season home run record in 1998, but still a hefty sum. Read More...

Last night as everyone already knows, Barry Bonds finally hit 756. I actually didn't see the home run. I mean I have seen the highlight and actually listened to his press conference in the early morning hours. Thankfully this circus can begin to quiet down. To see a lighter look at 756 check out my personal blog a little later today.

Barry Bonds will always be surrounded by controversy. When asked if the record was tainted last night he stated, "This record is not tainted, at all. At all! Period!" Well Barry, the entire universe thinks differently and probably always will. The fact of the matter is, no matter how we feel, it has happened and he now owns the title. The prestige of the record was lost in the cloud that surrounds Barry Bonds, yet we know Barry Bonds is not the only one who could be guilty of wrong-doing in baseball. So should he take the heat of the steroid issue because of this record, despite the fact that so many other ballplayers we have watched and cheered for are possibly guilty of the same? No, most definitely not.

I am a sucker for the historic moments and baseball. The breaking of Hank Aaron's record should have been one of those moments. Yet because it was Barry Bonds who broke it, we raise an eyebrow or pretend it wasn't a big deal. I could care less about Barry Bonds and what becomes of him in the future. What is unfortunate is that we have spent all our time caught in the cloud of Barry, rather than revealing in the awe that should accompany this record. If we're lucky we shouldn't have to wait too long to see if broken again. Maybe then we can celebrate the achievement the way it should be. Read More...