Random Thoughts And Random Ramblings

By Deb McIver
Posted Wednesday, March 26, 2008

So, it's now less than a week before the Mets’ season officially begins, and I thought, what better time to share a few random thoughts and random ramblings with you guys! So here they are, in no particular order. That's why they call 'em random, after all!

Hey, did you notice we still don’t have a set number five starter? El Duque or Pelfrey… El Duque or Pelfrey… El Duque or Pelfrey…. What SHALL we do? Or more accurately, what will Willie do? It turns out there are a couple of other names which seem to have been thrown into the mix for good measure, like Sosa, or Figueroa, but when all is said and done, probably the choice will come down to Duque or Pelfrey, neither of whom has been exactly stellar this pre-season. Do we go with the established vet, Duque, he of the new delivery (which so far has been very unimpressive), who frankly isn’t really suited to the bullpen under the best of circumstances, which creates another problem, or do we go with the young Mike Pelfrey, who may be part of the future of the Mets? Or is there something to the Figueroa and/or Sosa rumblings? Damned if I know, and damned if the Mets know right now, from the look of things.

Of course, the rest of the starting rotation is one to be envied by 29 other major league clubs, or at least the majority of them, so there is that. That is, of course, barring injury (bite my tongue!).

Nobody’s talked about steroids for at least a week now. And maybe even longer. Maybe even since Clemens mercifully decided to shut his yap, for crying out loud, now that I think about it. Except for that idiot Canseco, who can’t seem to let it go. I guess if I were him I wouldn’t, either, since it’s probably the only guaranteed meal ticket he’ll have for a long time.

And speaking of shutting one's yap, I have two words for you -- Jimmy Rollins. And another two -- shut up. Oh, yeah, it appears that he has, at least, for now.

It’s the end of spring training, and still nobody knows what to expect from Carlos Delgado this year. He’s certainly been the “missing link” this pre-season, missing, as in missing in action. Is he done? Is he not done? We’ve barely seen enough to form an opinion as to whether or not he’s even in camp, fcol! And since in my opinion, the construction of the lineup and the ultimate effectiveness of the offense is going to depend heavily on which Carlos we get, I’m a little concerned at this point.

Carlos Beltran And The Knees (not a new rock group) say they will be ready for the start of the season. Let's hope they are. From what I saw yesterday, it sure appears they are. Which is, of course, great news for Mets fans.

Then there's the fact that Carlos Beltran And The Knees have also thrown down the gauntlet to Jimmy Rollins And The Yap (also not a new rock group) in outright flat out stating that the Mets are the team to beat in the NL East this year. Let’s hope they are.

And if anybody has a utility outfielder with a nice righty bat for sale or trade, please call Omar Minaya, quickly. Thank you.

And do you think we could maybe hope for one healthy catcher? I'm considering saying a rosary for this one. For real, I'm not kidding!

And has anybody noticed that the stench of last season's collapse finally seems to be leaving the area for good? I doubt this is because of all the emphasis on "greening" these days, but more likely a result of a new season about to break onto the horizon.

And I just heard we can buy pieces of Yankee and Shea Stadium. I vote that we here at F.U. take up a collection to buy a piece of Yankee Stadium, then have a contest to see which lucky poster gets to take it home and destroy it by any method he or she desires; the more gruesome and violent, the better.

And that after that, we take up a collection to buy a piece of Shea Stadium, and offer it to the gods of baseball in hopes that they will see to it that this season ends in a way different manner than the last one did.

Yikes, I swore I wasn't going to even allude to last season, so let's change the subject, shall we?

Nobody cares about the Red Sox and A’s season opener in Japan. At least, nobody here at F.U. In fact, nobody here at F.U. cares anything at all for pretty much the entire A.L. season, except of course as it impacts the N.L., and during thankfully brief periods of interleague play. And maybe not even then.

Bud Selig makes $14 million per year. That’s right, folks, count it – FOURTEEN MILLION BUCKS A YEAR. Fourteen million bucks a year for a guy who looks like a cross between Elmer Fudd and a Simpsons cartoon character, an aw shucks sort of Midwesterner with some sense but little sensibility. While he seems nice enough, it just seems to me that fourteen million bucks per year is a little hefty of a price for the owners to pay for rubber-stamp Bud.

Then again, considering how much money is in today's version of major league baseball, Bud's annual stipend might actually be a bargain.

A-Rod still makes more than twice what Bud does, and fans actually come out to see him, so I suppose there is, in fact, still some order in the universe. Or is there?

The race for the Democratic party presidential nomination is getting heated, serious, and nasty. And both candidates have their share of problems. Obama can’t seem to get out from under the racial issue, and the recent publicized rantings of his pastor surely haven’t helped him.

And speaking of problems, did anybody see Rev. Al on TV this past weekend? I can’t remember which morning show it was, but I tuned in early Sunday morning. The Rev. was asked about the recent remarks of Obama’s pastor, you know the ones I mean. Now, I thought I had seen and heard it all when it came to the Rev., but if his response didn’t beat all, well then, I don’t know what will. Anyway, when asked about it, he said that he could not believe how anyone could consider the pastor’s remarks to be racial in nature. I don’t know, Rev. Al, maybe you were referring to someone else’s pastor’s remarks, and not the same ones most of us saw circulating about the past week or so. You know, the ones where the semi-rabid over-the-top pastor “God damned” everything under the sun, but mostly, he “God damned” America for its various misdeeds. Mostly relating to, uh, those of his own race. Yeah, those remarks. But they're not racial in nature, right, Rev.?

I used to think Al was just a self-serving racial exploitationist, but I always thought he at least had a brain cell or two in an otherwise hopeless miasma of devoid and defunct matter. Turns out, I might have been wrong, if his Sunday TV appearance is any indication.

I wish I felt badly about that, but I don’t.

And practically right on the heels of Mrs. Obama's remarks about how for the first time in her life, she's proud of her country.

Well, I'm happy for you, Mrs. O. But I think the Obama campaign is having lots of problems with America. Kind of makes one wonder why he'd want to be president of such a .... disgraceful country, doesn't it?

As for Hillary, she can’t seem to get her foot out of her mouth… although maybe on second thought, she ought to stick it in there more often, as she has “misspoken” so many times during the campaign. Her latest is of course the “sniper or no sniper” recollection of a visit she made to Bosnia while First Lady.

Funny, nobody seems to remember the visit the way Hillary does. But hey, that was, oh, many moons ago, and you know what happens to a person's memory as he or she grows older!

And hey, how about Spitzer The Pimp and David The Confessor? No doubt about to spawn the Eliot Spitzer Windup Pimp Doll, purple clothing optional, and the David Paterson Confession-A-Day Desk or Wall Calendar, take your pick. Yuckyuckyuck....!

All I can say is, T.G.I.B. And soon!