The Mets top prospect, the 20 year old Fernando Martinez was having problems adjusting to the major leagues. He was 0-8 and failed to run out a routine pop-up that was then dropped and was thrown out. Finally yesterday he got a single up the middle and an RBI double in an 2-5 effort. F-Mart will probably be sent down to AAA when Ryan Church comes off the DL, and this time in the majors will be good for him, learning that he always has to play hard. F-Mart has always had injuries and has not played an entire season in the minors. Hopefully he can remain healthy and spend the rest of the year at AAA and get enough at-bats.

With Brett Myers going to miss the rest of the season, the Phillies are looking for a front end starter, a la Erik Bedard or Roy Oswalt. Will Mets GM Omar Minaya take a page out of Theo Esptein’s playbook and try to block a big signing by going after the better pitcher first?

Even thought the Mets clearly need some offence, with all the fill-ins playing well and Reyes and Church to come off the DL in a week or so, maybe the focus should be back to pitching. Steve and the Tank certainly think so.

After posting what I thought was the final entry after returning from Nepal last September, Steve sent an e-mail Thursday to Team Figjam that Super Sherpa Ngima summitted Mount Everest on May 19. 

Super Sherpa Ngima is pictured below on the right side on the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla in September 2008.  (Sorry, my camera batteries died just after Lukla and I don’t have as many photos as the others.)

Super Sherpa Ngima is thankfully back safe and sound in Kathmandu.  To put his accomplishment in perspective, Super Sherpa Ngima led us from Lukla which was 9,000 feet to Everest Base Camp which is 17,400 feet.  That was impressive and a trip of a lifetime.  Super Sherpa Ngima took the next step.  He went all the way to the top 29,035 feet.  Congratulations Super Sherpa Ngima!!

Reporting by Steve and Posted by a Psyched Tank in an Everest State of mind. 

The Riddler congratulated me before Wednesday's Champions League match between Barcelona and Manchester United.  I am a Man U fan as you know from my post of last year's victory over Chelsea in Moscow.  However, I told the Riddler that I was nervous for the following reasons:

(1) No team has ever won back-to-back Champions League titles.

(2) Barcelona is down four men to cards or injuries.

(3) Man U has beaten Barcelona in the last three Champions League matches.

Translation: Nothing I could put my finger on but I felt Barcelona was due for a victory (as was Spain in last year’s Euro 2008).

I hoped The Riddler was right but didn't feel well as I went to a undisclosed location.  The Riddler went to one of my favorite football pubs, Clancy's, on the East side.  I passed because I figured the place was going to be jammed.  I like a seat and a chance to eat.

Our original plans had to be canceled as Kai got food poisoning.  I am afraid rival baseball players are jealous and are trying to poison Kai.  Is Manny trying to poison Kai?  No worries MLB GMs, Kai ate something bad but is still ready to play for the highest bidder, except the Red Sox who are his wife Lauren's team. 

Killer went to Astoria.  Aussie Rod and JH are watching the game on delay.  Nixta and Editor in Chief and Perma Guest Outlaw Jack are working.  Steve is a Barcelona fan from his past posts but I am unsure of his whereabouts.

I found a non-football place evidenced by hostess asking "does soccer have halves or quarters?"  I answered halves.  I was the first of only three of us at the bar.  Rody (AKA Rodolfo) was a non-football fan but his friend was at the game.  Alejandro was from Buenos Aires and rooted for Barcelona.  Alejandro was also glad to find the quiet place as a drunk guy fell on him in NYC during the 2006 World Cup.

To the match itself, I ran some errands and missed Barcelona's first goal by Eto'o in the tenth minute.  It really seemed to take the life out of Man U.  Man U was flat through most of the match.  It missed on some corners and had a bunch of offsides.

Barcelona took a 1-0 lead into half.  Man U brought out Carlos Tevez as a 2nd half substitution.  I have been a Tevez fan since his days with Boca Juniors who are my Argentina Team.  When I went to Antarctica in 2005, I went to the Boca Juniors match but we lost at San Lorenzo 3-0 in a cross town derby.  I was late to the opening banquet so I didn't meet Steve, Linda, Kal, Jeff, and the other Antarcticamaniacs until the boat ride to Antarctica.  Tevez had moved onto club play in Brasil and Coach Carlos Bianchi left as well.  Oh well.

Man U tried to attack in the second half.  But, Barcelona was able to counter.  They kept the pressure on and hit the post in the 53rd minute.  Messi scored in the 70th minute to make it 2-0 Barcelona.  Messi is also an Argentine who is on the cover of the current ESPN the Magazine.  BTW, Argentina has arguably the best per capita amount of world class football players.  The domestic league is top notch and the best players go onto Europe for the big pay day.  If you think A-Rod makes big money, think again as transfer (trade) fees between clubs are more than A-Rod makes.  Tevez has probably played his last match for Man U as his fee will be £25 million British Pounds or about $40 million USD.

Congratulations to Barcelona, Steve, and other Barca fans for winning the Champions League.  Football condolences to Killer, Manchester Sam, myself, and the 400+ million in the Man U Red Army.  I’m really worried about Manchester Sam as he was totally despondent after Man U lost the 2005 FA Cup Final.  Manchester Sam and I finished the Great Wall Marathon earlier that day and were looking forward to partying in Beijing.  But, alas, party time will have to await a future year.  Keep the Faith!

Posted by a depressed Tank reporting live from an undisclosed location in NY.

I never played lacrosse but I loved the sport.  I first watched the sport at the Carrier Dome for Syracuse in 1989.  The Gait Brothers were the Michael Jordan / Larry Bird / Magic Johnson of their sport.  I was blown away and watched it when I could in person and on TV.

Lacrosse developed out of a Native American game.  It is still played on a reservation in the Syracuse area.  Syracuse has been to about 23 of the last 25 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Final Fours.

Syracuse faced nearby rival Cornell for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship in Foxboro on Memorial Day.  I watched part of the game with Vermont Bill and his family before we went to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory.  (More on that later.)  Cornell throughout most of the game including 9-6 with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter.  Syracuse didn’t quit as they tied the game with 4 seconds left.

Syracuse won the game 10-9 in overtime.  Congratulations Syracuse!  Let’s Go Orange!

Posted by The Travelling Tank who Didn’t Stop Believing in the Orange.   

Mets brass said yesterday that they will make a DL decision about Jose Reyes on Friday. Hampering Jerry Manuel’s ability to field a team even further.

Trade rumors:

Ken Rosenthal reported that the Mets have interest in National’s Nick Johnson (and since they are in town, maybe a deal can get further advanced). The theory is that the Mets would not trade away the farm for him and move Murphy back to OF. Since Johnson is both a lefty and a free agent after this year, he is a good fit. Our thought process is that Johnson would leave in 2010 and the Mets would put Murphy back on 1b, and trade for a power outfielder or bring up uber prospect F-Mart.

Rosenthal also reports that the Brewers are not going to go after Mark DeRosa. Steve and the Tank believe that the moment a trade for DeRosa were made, Jose would be on the DL. We think that Omar is using the roster move (actually the non-roster move) as a negation tactic. Omar can say to the Indians “No really, Jose is coming back any day now, we need DeRosa just as a backup for Cora, so we don’t need him all that bad.” Maybe the Indians will believe him. And besides they owe him one, Omar took Johan out of the AL Central.

Rosenthal also reports that the Astros need to trade Roy Oswalt. Rosenthal makes a case that Oswalt is in decline but still effective. Steve and the Tank think Oswalt  is not an ace anymore and would fit nicely after Johan Santana in the rotation as a #2, giving the Mets a nice Johan, Oswalt, Pelfrey, Maine, Perez (if he ever matures) punch....

Jose Reyes played only part of 2 games (plus one pinch hitting appearance) on this grueling 10 game, 11 day road trip. Second string SS Alex Cora and third string SS Ramon Martinez are both out; Mets manager Jerry Manuel joked that maybe they can activate him to play SS tonight. The Mets need to make some roster moves with Delgado, Schneider, Perez all on the DL and Beltran, Church, Putz, and K-Rod all limping.

Put Reyes on the DL retroactive to May 20th, the last game Reyes played, which would allow him to come off the DL on June 5th. The Mets have an easier schedule over those game anyway, home games against the struggling Nationals and Marlins then a trip to see the Pirates. Give the team an extra roster space, Manuel is down to two bench players, one whom is the backup catcher.

They say Reyes is ready tomorrow, but we have been hearing that for the past week. If you don’t put Reyes on the DL then this is what will have to happen tonight:

Move Wright to SS, move Murphy to 3B and put backup catcher Omir Santos on 1B.

Crazy.

Bizarro weekend continued where Mets fans were rooting hard for the Yankees and Yankee fans were rooting hard for the Mets. Both team helped each other this weekend in very dramatic ways.

Game 1: Yankee Stadium

Steve’s world tour of sports stadiums continues and today’s stop was in the Bronx for his very first visit to the new Yankee Stadium with editor in chief Jack. On the subway ride up Jack showed Steve the bleachers coming down from the old Yankee stadium. Just as with the dismantling of Shea, Yankee Stadium’s dismantling is unbelievable. There are loads of Philly fans on the subway talking tons of smack. When did Philly think that they are at the same level of Boston and can have a rivalry with New York? Steve reminds the Philly fans that they did not really accomplish anything, they just happened to be the last man standing when the Mets collapsed.

As Jack and I settled into our seats, the game was just underway. There were a tremendous amount of Philly fans in the house, which offended Steve greatly. I figured that I should have come wearing Mets hats and shirts. However, today Steve is a Yankee fan. The Phillies jumped to a quick lead with an Ibanez HR of Andy Pettitte. I can’t believe how many Philly fans are there cheering. Thankfully the Yankees get one run back and silence the Philly fans.

The Yankees and Phillies have a good and fast game, however, the Phillies do grab a 4-1 lead and in the bottom of the 6th, Jeter hits a home run to make it 4-2. After the 8th Steve and Jack decide to walk around and check out the new digs. Yankee Stadium is very cool, it reminds me a lot of the old Yankee Stadium-just far more modern and luxurious. The new Yankee Stadium is definitely an upgrade. We walk around and wander into the Yankee Museum. Pretty cool to see Babe Ruth’s jersey and bat and Thurman Munson’s locker. (Note to Mets’ brass, this is a good idea, there is enough Mets history to fill a museum in Citi Field.)

We stand on the field level to watch the bottom of the 9th. I remind Jack that the Mets are facing Josh Beckett tonight so the Yanks need to do a favor. Damon walks and we decide to stand in the entrance and enjoy the mega-tron HD screen. The minute we walk in and watch, A-Rod belts a HR. Then Cano gets on and steals second. (Which Steve and Jack both were saying at the time was huge.) Then Cabrera doubled Cano home and “Lights Out” Lidge was lit up for his second loss of the year. The place went wild and the Philly fans were quiet on the subway ride home. Good.

The Nightcap: Fenway Park

A pitchers duel between Mike Pelfrey and Josh Beckett was looking like a win for the Red Sox with Jonathan Papelbon entering the 9th inning and a 2-1 lead. A leadoff walk to Gary Sheffield looked harmless after David Wright and Reed were retired easily by Papelbon. Then on the first pitch to back up catcher Omir Santos, Santos drilled a ball just over the line of the Green Monster. An obvious home run, but the umps called it a double. After the instant replay (and frantic texting back and fourth between Steve and Jack), the Mets took the lead 3-2. Papelbon knew is was gone: "I thought it was a home run, I did," Papelbon said. "I saw it go over the line and I thought I was going to get away with one for a little bit there.

With K-Rod down with back spasms (oh no!), JJ Putz came in for the bottom of the 9th. After a lead off walk and two great plays by Wright and Fernandez, the Mets won the game, leaving both the Mets and Yankees .5 behind first place.

Jack and Steve decide that maybe working together is better after all.

Posted by Steve in New York

Last night with the Mets starting Catcher, First Baseman, Short Stop, Left Fielder and Center Fielder all down, Johan Santana managed grind out a victory defeating the Red Sox at Fenway. With JJ Putz and Ollie Perez on the mend, the Mets need to make a move.

Steve and the Tank suggest the following to buddy Omar:

• Move Murphy to first for the rest of the season and replace Delgado’s power with a trade for trade for Matt Holliday. Sure Billy Beane will have a high asking price and Holliday may bolt after the season is over, but teams are built to win now.
• Trade for a front end pitcher. Jake Peavy? Probably not. Roy Oswalt? Possibly.

Omar has the pieces needed to pull off both trades. Management has given him the green light to increase the payroll. The time to do this is now since each day before the trade deadline the prices will go up as the Mets desperation gets higher and higher.

Wednesday night marked the beginning of Fleet Week in NYC.  Fleet Week honors our serviceman and women in all the Armed Services.  Mega thanks to Killer for taking this photo before first pitch at Wednesday’s game at the Stadium.

On a less serious note but in the same spirit of inter league (service) cooperation, the Yankees and Mets can help one another this weekend against their respective arch rivals, the Red Sox and Phillies, respectively.  The Yankees host the Phillies for a three game set and the Mets end their road trip to Fenway.  Super Human Johan pitches at Fenway on Friday night and CC “I’m big boned and NOT fat like Steve thinks” Sabbathia pitches on Sunday.  Good luck to the Mets and Yankees this weekend!

Most importantly, thanks to all our soldiers, sailors, and marines for their service to our country and world.  May our thoughts and prayers be with those who have lost loved ones in all wars past and present this Memorial Day Weekend.  May their memories, like freedom’s light, be eternal.

Photo courtesy of Killer with commentary posted by a grateful Tank reporting live from the new Yankee Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.