The New CBA Cancels Summer Vacations For All-Stars

Earlier today, Major League Baseball and the Players Association signed off on a new five-year collective bargaining agreement that will keep the players on the field through the 2016 season.  And when I say "keep the players on the field", I mean that in every respect.  What do I mean by that?  Allow me to explain.

This past July, there was much hullabaloo over certain players who chose to skip the All-Star Game.  Some of these players, such as Mariano Rivera and David Price, were selected to play in the Midsummer Classic, but declined so they could recover from nagging injuries.  However, neither player was on the disabled list at the time and did not miss any time from their respective teams once the season resumed after the All-Star Break.

There was another player (who was not injured, mind you) who also did not make the trip to Arizona.  Instead, he chose to be with his then-girlfriend in Miami, rather than participate in the All-Star Game or the pregame festivities.  To protect the name of the guilty, let's call him Dirk Jitters.

For someone with two balls, Dirk Jitters had none when it came to his 2011 All-Star Game no-show.

Mr. Jitters had just achieved one of the most impressive milestones in baseball - collecting his 3,000th hit.  It was a feat that should have been celebrated on a national stage, the type of stage the All-Star Game could provide.  But no, Mr. Jitters decided to soak in the Florida sun rather than soak in the adulation of baseball fans all over the world who tuned in to the game or were fortunate enough to have tickets.

Needless to say, Major League Baseball was put in an uncomfortable spot with Mr. Jitters' snub.  Fortunately, that will never happen again.

If you peruse the summary of the new collective bargaining agreement, you'll notice things you already knew about, such as the move of the Houston Astros from the National League Central to the American League West in 2013, the addition of two wild card teams beginning as early as the 2012 season, and the necessity of interleague play throughout the entire season.

But scroll down to the very bottom of the summary, where it says "7 X.. Other".  Under subsection 'a', there is a new rule in place that Mr. Jitters and his fellow summer vacationers should pay attention to.  It says:

"Participation in the All-Star Game will be required unless the Player is unable to play due to injury or is otherwise excused by the Office of the Commissioner."

There was a time when players considered it an honor to be selected for the All-Star Game.  They wouldn't dream of missing the game.  Fans knew when they attended the game or tuned into it on the television or radio, they would see (or hear) the very best players in the game displaying their talents on the same field.

Since 1969, fans have punched holes through paper ballots and more recently, clicked their mouse to vote for their favorite players.  Imagine all those people spending all that time to vote for a particular player, only to have that player blow the game off.  That would tick off anyone, let alone a die-hard fan of that player.

Jose Reyes has been selected for the All-Star Game four times.  However, he has had the misfortune of being injured for three of those games.  Nevertheless, he has managed to make the trip to each game.  When asked about this, Reyes said:

"Every time I've had the opportunity to come here I'm going to come, no matter what happens...three of the last four years in the All-Star Game I've been injured, but I still come here."

Even Phillies' centerfielder Shane Victorino, who has drawn the ire of Mets fans for years, and has had his issues with how Reyes conducts himself on the field, agreed with Jose on the topic of showing up to the All-Star Game regardless of whether a player can play or not.

This past July, Victorino himself was injured and on the disabled list, but had been voted in by fans in the All-Star Game Final Vote.   Despite spraining a ligament in his right thumb, Victorino did not need to be held back from making the trek to Arizona to be with his fellow All-Stars, saying:

"My trainers and I talked about staying in Philly and getting my finger better and trying to get back healthy, but I'm like 'Well, I can do the same things here that I can do in Philly so I'd like to come and be with my teammates, being around players that are deserving.'  One, I got voted in and I want to tip my hat to the fans and say thank you and represent the National League."

Reyes and Victorino "get it".  Certain other players don't.  Players like Mr. Jitters and the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez, who turned down his All-Star invitation, will now have to get it, according to the new rules.

Players have approximately four months to take their vacations from the final pitch of the World Series to the day pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.  If they feel the need to take more vacation time, then they shouldn't be in the game to begin with.

Fans who help pay the players' salaries want to see these players for one night in July.  Is that really so much to ask for?  Fortunately, that question will never have to be asked again.  If you vote them in, they will come.  They no longer have any choice in the matter.

Philly's Road Trip Begins In...Philly? No Phair!

Leave it to Bud Selig to drop the ball on another ruling, this time potentially causing hardship for the Mets and an unfair advantage for the Phillies.

After defeating the Cleveland Indians yesterday in Philadelphia, the Phillies started packing for their ten-game road trip that begins tonight against the Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Phillies' road trip will begin tonight...IN PHILLY!

This weekend's series between the Phillies and Blue Jays was supposed to be played in Toronto. However, security concerns arose because of the G20 summit being held adjacent to the Rogers Centre in Toronto, necessitating the shift in the schedule.

In recent years, hurricanes have forced teams like the Astros and Marlins to move their home games to other venues. Two years ago, an Astros-Cubs series was moved to Miller Park in Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike. Similarly, a Marlins-Expos series was moved to Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field in 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan.

So my question is this. Why wasn't this series moved to a neutral site, instead of moving Toronto's home games to the home ballpark of the team they're playing? Are the Blue Jays flying in their five fans to attend the games in Philly? No, they're not. The games will all be overwhelmingly attended by Phillies' Phans.

Despite the fact that the Blue Jays will be the home team and will play with American League rules (meaning the DH will be used), how is this fair to them? More importantly to Studious Metsimus fans, how is this fair to the Mets (and the other teams in the NL East)?

The Phillies will now be playing a total of 84 games this season in their home ballpark, while taking their show on the road for only 78 games.

Now imagine the uproar if the Phillies make the playoffs by one game. Even a caveman like the one pictured to the right can see that the Phillies will have an unfair advantage with those extra games in front of their home fans.

The Mets are one of the best home teams in baseball, currently holding a 26-11 record at Citi Field. However, they will only have 81 games at home to help improve their standings in the NL East.

Since the Mets aren't getting a break with the schedule maker, let's hope those five Blue Jays fans make enough noise at Citizens Bank Park to motivate their team to victory over the "road team".

Do The Hustle!

Some people say that as Jose Reyes goes, so do the Mets. Even SNY has gotten into the argument by constantly posting the Mets' record when Reyes scores at least one run as opposed to when he doesn't. (The Mets are 18-5 when he scores at least one run and 8-20 when he doesn't, for those keeping score at home.)

But why do the Mets have to depend on one catalyst to score runs? All nine players in the lineup should contribute towards victories (unless if you're the Phillies and you can only win games when Harry LeRoy Halladay starts).

That is why Studious Metsimus is going above and beyond to find a stat no one else is mentioning that is relevant to wins and losses.

Teams that score runs by advancing one base at a time need multiple hits to score their runs. Is it no wonder that these teams have difficulty winning games? Stealing bases puts runners in scoring position or advances runners to third base where they can score without needing a base hit.

The St. Louis Cardinals of the 1980s perfected the art of stealing bases and used it as a weapon. Their pilfering prowess allowed them to win three National League pennants (1982, 1985, 1987) and one World Series (1982).

So let's see what the Mets have done this year when they've felt frisky on the bases.


Over the first 51 games, the Mets have stolen bases in 34 of them. That leaves them with 17 games in which they did not steal a base. Their record is those 17 games is a disappointing 5-12. When they do steal at least one base, their record is 21-13. In games where they steal multiple bases, the Mets are 8-3.

To find the last time the Mets won a game in which they did not steal a base, you have to go back almost a full month to May 4, when the Mets defeated the Cincinnati Reds by the score of 5-4. Since then, the Mets have played seven games in which they failed to swipe a base and lost all of them.

So the moral of this story is quite simple, really. If the Mets are fleet on their feet, they stand a much better chance of winning ballgames. If they're stagnant on the bases, you'll see many more unhappy recaps.

Over the past few years, the Mets have not played particularly well in San Diego. If the Mets want to continue on their march towards first place, they have to remember to do the hustle once they're on the bases. Winning is contagious. Losing is as cool as Shane Victorino in a leisure suit. (Only he could turn Tony Manero into Tony Manure.)

To quote (and slightly alter) one-hit wonder Matthew Wilder's 1983 song, "Ain't nothin' gonna break their stride. Nobody's gonna slow them down. Oh no! They've got to keep on movin'!" Movin' on the bases, that is.

Jimmy Rollins Sticks Foot In Mouth And Injures It

No, the title of this blog is not meant to be taken literally. But Jimmy Rollins is indeed injured. The Phillies have placed their All-Star Big Mouth and leader of the Lollipop Guild on the 15-day disabled list with a strained calf.

Did he suffer it while running the bases? No. Did he get hurt while being taken out at second base during a double play attempt? Nyet. Pay close attention.

Jimmy Rollins got hurt while warming up before Monday's home opener.

That's right. While doing routine warmups that he's done thousands of times before, he gave his calf a boo boo that will now take two to four weeks to heal.

There are two things worth noting about this news. First, Rollins becomes the latest Phillie to be placed on the disabled list, sharing a suite at the DL Hotel with pitchers J.C. Romero, Brad Lidge and Joe Blanton. If you recall, prior to the season, the Phillies were picked by Sports Illustrated to win the World Series in 2010.

That same periodical picked the Mets to win the 2009 World Series. Then every Met player and their mothers got hurt and the team fell off the map, landing somewhere near Albuquerque and the Washington Nationals in the standings. Can history be repeating itself with the Phillies this year?

Second, Wilson Valdez was called up by the Phillies to replace Rollins on the roster. When last spotted in the major leagues, Valdez was photographed by yours truly in the Mets dugout (see photo below).

That makes yet another Mets castoff who has hooked up with the Phillies, following Pedro Martinez last year, Brian Schneider during the offseason and Nelson Phigueroa last week. Weren't Tug McGraw and the legendary Rico Brogna enough?

What's next? Will Shane Victorino get hurt leading to the acquisition of Jeremy Reed? Will Chase Utley and his greasy scalp go on the DL only to be replaced by Ruben Gotay?

Ever since Roger McDowell and Lenny Dykstra were traded to the Phillies on Father's Day 1989 for the Soul Glo spokesman, Juan Samuel, I have hated the Philadelphia Phillies. Although I would never root for anyone to get injured (except for the Cryin' Hawaiian, Shane Victorino), I cannot feel sorry for Jimmy Rollins or any of the other injured Phillies.

Watch out, Phillies. Karma can be a bee-yotch.

Separated At Birth: Studious Metsimus Style

The 2009 baseball season will soon be coming to an end. That will leave Studious Metsimus with no on-field Mets news to talk about. What is a fledgling blogger to do?

Well, I figured since I've analyzed so many games over the 2009 season, watched endless game films and inhaled all the pop-culture a person can legally subject himself to, I'd do a "Separated At Birth" blog. I've seen enough players on the Mets and other teams to notice some similarities between them and various other personalities. Let's see what you think:

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


Tim Redding and Rob Halford:















Tim Redding started off poorly, went to bullpen in early July, returned as a starter in late August and has been rolling ever since.

Rob Halford started out beautifully, left Judas Priest in 1992, returned to the band in 2003 and has been rocking ever since.

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


Felix Millan and John Oates:










Felix Millan played second base on some good and bad Mets teams in the 1970s.

John Oates played second fiddle to Daryl Hall on some good and bad Hall & Oates songs in the 1980s.

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


John Rocker and Gene Simmons:











John Rocker played baseball for the Atlanta Braves and is a shameless self-demoter.

Gene Simmons plays bass for the band KISS and is a shameless self-promoter.

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


Shane Victorino and John Travolta:














One is among the best actors of his time and played Vinnie Barbarino.

The other one likes cheese with his "whine" and is Shane Victorino.

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


Cole Hamels and A Smiling Ass:












One of these is good looking, dependable, does what's expected of him and keeps his mouth shut at the right times.

The other one is Cole Hamels.

LGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGMLGM


Well, those are the similarities I found. If any of the SMFs can come up with any other athletes on the Mets or on other teams, please leave a comment with those who were separated at birth. I'll gladly give you credit in the next episode of Separated At Birth.

Time to prepare for a little Saturday Night Fever of my own (the doppelganger of Shane Victorino will NOT be a part of the festivities) by watching the Mets game. SMFs, I wish you all a great weekend!

Maine's Return Not Enough As Mets Drop Game 1

John Maine made his return to the Mets after a three month absence from the team following the world’s longest rehab stint. Although he was limited to a pitch count of 60 pitches, he took the loss when the bullpen failed to keep the Phillies in the park. The efforts (or lack thereof) of Tobi Stoner and Lance Broadway prevented the Mets from pulling off another late-inning comeback, although they did try valiantly to do so. Nevertheless, the comeback was all for naught as Brad Lidge gave up as much of the lead as he could without blowing the save in the 5-4 Phillies victory in game one of Sunday’s day-night doubleheader.

Maine came into the game with a 5-0 career record against the Phillies and only gave up one run and two hits in his three innings of work. However, since the demolition team of Stoner and Broadway gave up four runs on eight hits in their five innings, the late rally by the Mets was not enough, even with Armando Benitez-in-training Brad Lidge pitching the ninth inning.

Perhaps if Lance Broadway hadn’t given up an insurance run to the Phillies in the eighth inning, we’d be talking about another great Mets comeback, but alas, that run ended up being the difference of the game.

Maine did pitch well. Although he still has to work on keeping his pitch count low (he averaged 19 pitches per inning today), he threw strikes (only one walk) and did not appear to feel any discomfort. It’s unfortunate that he had to pick up the loss in today’s game, considering he pitched the best of the three pitchers the Mets trotted out to the mound. Alas, the rules of major league baseball say that he has to get the loss and so he shall.

Other highlights for the Mets included the shocking two-run HR to center field by light-hitting second baseman Anderson Hernandez in the eighth inning, although that ball probably would have been a pop-up in the vicinity of second base at Citi Field. You know how crazy Citizen’s Bank Park plays! Even the Cryin’ Hawaiian himself, Shane Victorino, could not believe Hernandez could hit a ball that far to that part of the ballpark. As the photo to the right suggests, Victorino remained frozen at the top of the fence, perhaps in disbelief, that the ball carried out. Fortunately for him, Mr. Shades was standing behind the wall and helped pry Victorino off the fence.

If Jeff Francoeur continues to hit like this, he might always want to play with an injured thumb. He picked up three more hits for his third three-hit game in the last four days. He now has 10 hits in his last 17 at-bats, raising his batting average to a season-high .275. Since his trade to the Mets, he is hitting .311 (68 for 219).

Last but not least, how can we forget Josh Thole? By going 4 for 4, he continued his hot start in the majors, raising his average to .444. If Brian Schneider was already saying that he’s preparing to be playing elsewhere in 2010, today’s performance by Thole did nothing to make him want to retract his statement. Thole just missed his first major league home run in the ninth inning when he hit a long single off the top of the right field wall.

It won’t take long for the Mets to try to take the finale from the Phillies, as Game 2 of the day-nighter will begin at 8:05 PM. Pedro Martinez will face Tim Redding in the nightcap. As a reminder to you, the game will be televised on ESPN so please do your best to increase WFAN’s ratings. After all, Jerry Manuel already said in the SNY post-game show that Carlos Beltran will be starting the second game. We don’t need to hear Jon Miller call him Bel-TRON throughout the game, do we? The mute button. Best. Invention. Ever.

Useless stat of the day (but I’m telling you anyway): With today’s win in Game 1, the Phillies have now defeated the Mets 11 times this season. All of the wins have been credited to different pitchers (Jack Taschner, Chan Ho Park, Scott Eyre, Rodrigo Lopez, Rip Van Winkle (Jamie Moyer), Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, Pedro Martinez, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick). We don’t need to see a 12th name tonight…

Useless stat of the day (because one useless stat just isn’t enough): If the Mets lose tonight’s second game, they will be mathematically eliminated from the playoff race, as they would have lost 81 games while the division-leading Phillies would have 82 wins. That is the same amount of wins the wild card-leading Rockies have entering today’s games. On a positive note, the Mets magic number to eliminate the Washington Nationals from fourth-place contention is now down to 7.

Note: Studious Metsimus ripped this recap off from MetsMerizedOnline. Why am I not worried? Because I wrote it for MMO. Therefore, I'm plagiarizing myself. Is there no journalistic integrity left in this world?