Jim Bouton wasn't available for comment.

So I caught a foul ball on Saturday. I've told everyone under the Sun at this point, and I even blogged about it for the ol' Mets blog.

I know - at the end of the day, it's just a foul ball.

But when NJ.com features a splash with a picture of my foul ball on its home page*...

...I have to admit - I get a little giddy.

*It's gone, but not forgotten.

With every Collapse, there comes rebirth.

"God is living in New York, and he's a Mets fan."
-Tom Seaver

So we posted previously regarding a surprise we wanted to offer. Now would be the time to share.

We accepted a position as a blogger for NJ.com. We will write NJ.com's blog, Always Amazin' - a regular blog commenting on the current state of affairs of all things New York Mets. It's a new direction for us - a full time Mets blog for the masses. We're very excited.

So what does that mean for "Everything?" We'll still be around. We just won't comment on the Mets so much. We'll probably go back to our observational/politcal bent that worked so well in the past. We write. It's what we do.

In the interim, though - please stop by and check out the new gig. And don't worry - we'll leave a link on the sidebar for you.

We have no heat, but we've got the beat.

So we have some very exciting news to report shortly. And we will.

It's why we haven't written about the Mets in a while. Don't worry - we will.

We have no heat in our apartment. And hopefully, soon we will.

We've not been to a Rangers game this season. But tonight, we will.

We're admittedly still working in Connnecticut, but still...

Let's not get panicky.

"Fill in any figure you want for that boy . Whatever the figure, it's a deal."
-Branch Rickey, regarding Mickey Mantle

I'm currently on the bandwagon that the Mets should not consider signing Alex Rodriguez under any circumstances. However, I cannot seem to verbalize my intuition. I intend to do so here.

I see two reasons why no one's leaping at the chance to sign A-Rod.

1) The money.
2) The baggage.

It seems each team considering a go at Rodriguez's services find issues with the former (Angels, Cubs, Marlins, Giants) or the latter (Mets, Yankees, Boston, Dodgers). Yes, crazy reports about his asking price float all over the place -- but we probably won't know the true numbers for quite a while.

Now, for the sake of argument here, we'll presume A-Rod gets his raise from $25 mil per, and let's ballpark his final deal for 10 years, $300 mil. I'll also presume the deal is loaded in the back end, and doesn't include another opt out clause.

This shouldn't affect the Mets too much - they've got NYC as a fan base, a regional sports network, and a competitive team. Pedro & Delgado come off the books next year, and God knows there'll be more money from all the luxury boxes at Citifield. There'll be revenue from his merchandise as a marquee attraction...

Oh, just read the Boras booklet for why the money will work out for the Mets. This is where some fans stop reading and say, "I can have 50 HRs, 150 RBIs for all that? Whatever. Just gimme."

So, that means the remaining issue involves the baggage. And here's where it gets tricky:

- Yes, we're all well versed on A-Rod's prowess at the plate. We're also aware of his futility in the playoffs. Sure, his years as a Yankee in the playoffs might be an abberation. OR, it could be the superstar has thin skin and weak knees when the world's watching. Remember - in his playoff days in Seattle, he played second fiddle to Griffey until 2000. As a Yank, he was the whole f'n show. Don't give me Jeter - A-Rod came to NY to be the man for the Yanks in the playoffs. To get them over the proverbial "hump." He's currently 0-for-his Yankee tenure.

- A-Rod first go-round didn't go over well in NY. Here's a taste:
I know I could go on, and I know I can find positive ones as well. Thing is - he pissed off the NY media. They won't just embrace him - and A-Rod's demonstrated he needs to be embraced once in awhile.

- The move means shifting David Wright to 2B and/or perhaps 1B (after Delgado's departure). The Mets established Wright as a big part of the team's cornerstone for years to come, along with Reyes and Beltran. Shifting him not for defensive purposes but solely to accomodate A-Rod sends a message about who's running the show. I know Wright's saying the right things and all for taking one for the team - but if he plays with an ounce of pride, then he wants to stay at 3B.

- The Mets don't need a third baseman. They need pitching and a second baseman. This is where the shifting Wright situation gets stickier. There's always a concern that Wright doesn't work out at 2B. Remember how well Reyes worked there? Or Mike Piazza at 1B? Or Todd Hundley in the OF? It's not automatic. It might not take. So the Mets could be stuck with an albatross defensively at 2B. And I imagine dedicating all that money would take the Mets out of the running for...

- ...Johan Santana. I want to shoot down this one right now. The Mets trade David Wright to Minnesota straight up for Santana. So now - the Mets have traded their team cornerstone for Johan, just to accomodate A-Rod. Because that's the only way Wright gets traded. The Mets now reinvent themselves with A-Rod as their centerpiece. And if the Twins don't trade Santana, the Mets probably will get outbid next winter (probably by the Yankees and their A-Rod free as well as Damon/Giambi/Mussina free payroll).

Still think A-Rod does more good than harm? I'm not sure - and I'll have more on this soon.

It's Halloween. Everyone's entitled to one good scare.

We're officially at the midway point of our mid-Movie sabbatical. We've been keeping busy in the interim. Doing what, you say?

- Attending reunions! We've attended formal events for both Regis and Syracuse - and, curiously, both involved significant amounts of bruschetta, beer, and conversations leading off with "I remember..."

- Eating dinner at the bar! OK, we've done this maybe 2-3 times, but in that line of business, you meet the most interesting monsters over a Sam Adams Oktoberfest and a Grilled Chicken sandwich. And they can talk.

- Watching the World Series! Or did I? I blinked. Is it over? Poor Rox. So caught up on the magic carpet ride, they didn't see the train rolling down the tracks. Well, the Sox'll be around for a while. And so will...

- A-Rod Opts Out!* Isn't it amazing how, deep down, nobody really wants a perennial 50 HR, 150 RBI infielder at the prime of his career? "Sign me up for a decade of also-rans and premature postseason exits, please!"

T-minus 10 days to go before Shopaholic commences. Bring on Van Halen, house sitting, and more of the free party mix.

*Ok, I didn't have anything to do with A-Rod opting out. Sue me. I point it out in utter fear of the Mets doing something rash like, say, signing him to a 10-year, $300 million dollar contract. The fact that it's anything but an unequivocal "NO!" frightens me. The Mets need a second baseman and pitching. Neither are A-Rod (nor Wright's suggestion to move to 2B to allow A-Rod to play 3B). A-Rod also doesn't make the Mets the team to beat because he clearly didn't make the Yankees that, either.

A-Rod will go to the highest bidder regardless of that team's standing as a contender. The Mets need that kind of character like they need a hole in the head.

We're moving on, I swear.

I haven't gone on and on about the Mets' Great Collapse of '07 because nothing more needs to be said. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that my indifference about the matter worries me more than their collapse. They blew it, and I don't care. Next season will be about them winning my respect back as it will to get back to the promised land.

And then you get a few more reminders...

...like how you can purchase a $200 commemorative brick to sit in front of Citifield...

...which will be appropriate, considering you most likely won't be able to get INTO Citifield.

There are days where I legitimately hate the business of sports. This is one of them.

$1,011.05

Yep, that's how much I've saved by the Mets and Yankees being eliminated in the playoffs prematurely. Here's the breakdown:

4 Mets NLDS Game 1 Tickets: $228.00
*See, I would've made it to a game if they qualified. Would've cut work and everything.
4 Mets NLDS Game 5 Tickets: $328.00
*It wouldn't have gone 5, but you take what you can get...
2 Yankees ALCS Game 5 Tickets: $209.05
*Was supposed to take Erin to Yanks v. Sox; she shouts obscenities about it now like a true member of Red Sox Nation
3 Phillies NLCS Game 4 Tickets: $246.00
*Blatant attempt to make money reselling tickets after Mets go home early. If I have to put up with Phillies' fans crap until spring, then at least I could've made a few bucks off 'em. Or go eat cheesesteaks. One or the other.

And are we done? We'll see.

And now those NLDS tickets are refunded.

"I cannot get rid of the hurt from losing, but after the last out of every loss, I must accept that there will be a tomorrow. In fact, it's more than there'll be a tomorrow, it's that I want there to be a tomorrow. That's the big difference, I want tomorrow to come."
-Sparky Anderson

That one's my stock quote whenever the Mets get eliminated. I read it shortly after the 2000 World Series. It resonates.

The Mets blowing a 7-game lead to the Phillies with two weeks to play? That'll resonate, too.

And not just because if you watch the TBS commercials for the MLB postseason, they still feature the Mets because who blows a 7 game lead with two weeks to play?

I get pipe dreams about winning the World Series everywhere. Usually misguided, but this year - it made some sense. It had some basis in reality. And yet, I get football and hockey season a little too early once again.

I wish I could say "Wait till next year."

"Think it was September, the year I went away,
For there were many things I didn't know.
And I still see him standing, tryin' to be a man;
I said, someday you'll understand.

"Well, I'm here to tell you now, each and ev'ry mother's son,
You better learn it fast; you better learn it young,
cause, someday never comes."
-John Fogerty, "Someday Never Comes"

I think they did it again.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone."
-A. Bartlett Giamatti

"It gets late early out there."
-Yogi Berra

They did it. They blew the division lead.

Goddamn it.

I've been scouring the internet for days looking for some insight, something to say "It can't be over, can it?" MLB.com and their Pythagorean Standings. Metsblog and it's pro-Willie banter. Faith and Fear to keep me grounded.

And I keep thinking of Game 7.

It rocked and rolled. We high-fived everyone after every routine ground ball. Then Yadier F'n Molina screwed it up...

He hit the home run - and no one booed or hissed. 55,000 in attendance (and no doubt millions at home) watched stunned, speechless, unable to utter a sound. I've experienced disbelief before - but never on such a large scale.

And that's where I'm at again - and hoping to endure that bottom of the ninth rally one more time... hoping the Mets rally the troops one more time... hoping they play with the fear of God in them and with more inspiration than a few scattered hits off the Craptacular St. Louis Cardinals...

...and that Beltran swings the goddamn bat this time. And the crowd goes wild this time. And that we don't blow our shot at redemption this time.

A Mets' fan's fatal flaw is that we're optimists. We caught a few breaks once upon a time (100-to-1 in '69, Buckner in '86) - and now we feel entitled not to an automatic birth to the playoffs (we'll never attain that kind of arrogance), but that somehow, someway - the boys'll come through. They won't break your heart. They will earn your respect.

I have endured years of "Mets suck"-"Who won more World Championships?"-"Shea's a hole"-"Anthony Young? Seriously?"-"Armando/Braden/John F'n Benitez/Looper/Franco"-"Worst Team Money Can Buy"-"You'll Never Catch the Braves" crap in hopes that just once - I'll witness one of those breaks. Just one, in a game I've studied and cherished more than anything on this planet.

3 games against the Marlins to earn my respect again. We're due.

Please, someone, tell me we're due.

Yes, those Mets NLDS tickets are still refundable.

Blowing 2 3-run leads makes me want to throw up. I can't remember the last time I felt like this...



Wait, yes I do.

Oh shit.

We've gotta get out of this place if it's the last thing we ever do.

I think I just committed myself to like 6 more months of CT.

I just experienced a CT "summer." Now a CT "winter" as well? (The quotation marks are for "theoretical" - I never leave the office or hotel!)

Well, at least I still have the weekend house in Brooklyn. And those Mets NLDS tickets.

And refundable NLDS tickets at that.

Eagles Beat the Skins

I spent the weekend recovering from a cold.

I spent Monday meeting with our courier company, buying Mets NLDS tickets (don't worry - they're refundable), and taking care of a script revision.

I'm still in Connecticut. They won't let me leave.

Food blows here.

Blows.

Remember when I was opinionated? Those were the days...

It's... ALIVE!

Rather than hit you with the requisite "Where have we been? We'll start blogging again, promise!" post... how about just some quick hits instead:

- Transformers the movie? A celebration of mediocrity. Never have I seen such perfectly executed schlock that didn't have the words "Keanu Reeves" attached to it. And it felt fairly dated for a movie that came out in July. Movies that inspire you to root for the Army just need more oomph nowadays.

- I finally saw Dispatch in concert in July @ MSG. Great show. It left me thinking that if Live Earth had half the heart that Dispatch concert did (it was a charity concert raising money for Zimbabwe), it would've left a bigger footprint. Then again, Live Earth's big on the whole "reducing your footprint on the Earth" theme. So, uhh... mission accomplished.

- Admittedly, I enjoyed the Dispatch concert - but I'll always cherish the story of my failed attempt to see them previously. A friend, let's call him Obr Larcona, ran late and eventually never showed up - so Dispatch sold out the Wetlands before Joe, Alex, and I could get in. Instead, we went to a nearby diner where a waitress who couldn't speak English invited me to point to what I wanted on the menu, then proceeded to serve me a steak 'um w/ cheese and a Diet Sprite, which she passionately debated the proper pronunciation of with me. Spritz? Spritz my ass.

- I miss the Wetlands.

- Best story from this time? Not punishing the "enlightened" (by "enlightened," I mean "high on marijuana") fellow who kept running into me by hanging out right next to me (I had an aisle seat - he didn't seem to care and kept hanging over me). He disappeared in a conga line. I imagine he's still going.

- Work is rough. There are times where I completely lose track of time (I don't mean time of day - I mean, I've forgotten what month I'm in). Management didn't prep this one well - and I'm losing a great deal of sleep as a result. I've forgotten what most of my friends look like, and man, Stamford, CT... talk about mediocrity. I'm not miserable - but I am clearly and undeniably wasting my summer.

- I celebrated my 5-year anniversary last weekend with Erin. 5 years... Yep, still very much in love.

- Does anyone have any idea how the Mets are doing? I mean, seriously? Goddamn, this movie!

- I'm writing for a fantasy football website that presumably no one will ever read. Fantasy Football Star. I encourage you to read it, but the membership fee is fairly high. Well, maybe I can parlay this into something bigger. Or, I can lose more sleep.

- I cooked dinner tonight. Threw a steak on the grill, and made a caprese salad with tomatoes my neighbor gave us. I will do that more often. Always a good decision.

More to follow. Hopefully not in October.

This is my corn. You people are guests in my corn.

Man, it's been a busy week for baseball for me.

Let's see... there was...

...the two inning wait for a Dodger Dog in Chavez Ravine on Sunday...

...that very not so good free popcorn giveaway in Flushing on Thursday...

...and sweating my balls off for a Fenway frank in Beantown on Saturday.

Not bad for the unemployed. Way to start a new job next week, me.

Thank Goodness, It's Opening Day.

"No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again"
-Regina Spektor, "On the Radio"

When we last left Shea Stadium, I wanted to throw up.

Yadier F'n Molina drove a dagger through the collective Mets fans' heart, and the Cardinals punched their ticket to the World Series at the expense of my dinner. He single-handedly ended the 2006 Mets' Magic Carpet Ride - a glorious season that ended too soon thanks to a craptacular catcher with no pop.

I didn't throw up, nor cry - but I came close. It was a long ferry ride home.

So, after a cold winter, a winter of what ifs, Giant implosions, NITs... the time had come to go home... I braved the elements to make it to Opening Day. Part of a record crowd, they said. I didn't care. It just felt right. That's what mattered. It felt right to be at Shea, watching the games again. The hot dogs, roar of the crowd, flooded bathrooms, and all that poetic crap.

You can see the construction of the new ballpark beyond the outfield now. It's quite prominent, the little men and their big cranes. I wondered aloud how it might feel to suffer in the new ballpark the way I had suffered so many times at Shea... from the likes of Yadier F'n Molina to Armando Benitez to Anthony Young to Robby Thompson to that family sitting behind me with the HoJo face paint...



This day, though. It just felt right...



...and not just because Sean tried to crush Cole Hamels with his fingers.