Whether you're a New York Mets' fan, a political junkie, or simply a frequent visitor to our site, you must have been thinking that Salvatore has disappeared for the summer. But fear not America, I'm no Nancy Pelosi.
Unlike the botox-injected Speaker of the House, who recently allowed a congressional summer recess before a possible vote on lifting the oil drilling moratorium for the outer continental shelf, I won't be going on vacation this summer. With Election Day only 94 days away and the Major League Baseball playoffs even closer, I cannot abandon you now even though your lawmakers have no problem doing so.
Before we move onto the discussing state of los Mets, we must send a big "Shame on You!" out to the 213 tyrants in Congress that voted to adjourn for a five-week summer holiday before bringing up a vote on drilling. Seeing their will fail by one vote, 212 members of the House voted against adjourning to allow for the chamber to address America's energy crisis. To them we say thank you for doing your jobs.
Now, the benefits of drilling are clear. Even if the skeptics are right (fat chance) and it will take four years to come away with refined oil from the proposed drilling area, then at least we will be guaranteed some sort of relief four years rather than find ourselves in an even tighter bind.
Salvatore is a proponent of finding renewable sources of energies and developing engines that run on them, but he realizes such a huge transition from a petroleum-based economy will take time. While those wheels are in motion, we will need oil to operate in the meantime.
The dire circumstances the average American faces at the pump have created somewhat of a change in mindset. Although a number of Americans have opposed drilling in the past, these practical people understand the times. The People of Florida are evidence. Once home to a majority that staunchly opposed drilling, a new study shows 60 percent are now in favor. Read the Miami Herald story here. Floridians are speaking practical sense, but I can't say the same for Pelosi.
Unlike the botox-injected Speaker of the House, who recently allowed a congressional summer recess before a possible vote on lifting the oil drilling moratorium for the outer continental shelf, I won't be going on vacation this summer. With Election Day only 94 days away and the Major League Baseball playoffs even closer, I cannot abandon you now even though your lawmakers have no problem doing so.
Before we move onto the discussing state of los Mets, we must send a big "Shame on You!" out to the 213 tyrants in Congress that voted to adjourn for a five-week summer holiday before bringing up a vote on drilling. Seeing their will fail by one vote, 212 members of the House voted against adjourning to allow for the chamber to address America's energy crisis. To them we say thank you for doing your jobs.
Now, the benefits of drilling are clear. Even if the skeptics are right (fat chance) and it will take four years to come away with refined oil from the proposed drilling area, then at least we will be guaranteed some sort of relief four years rather than find ourselves in an even tighter bind.
Salvatore is a proponent of finding renewable sources of energies and developing engines that run on them, but he realizes such a huge transition from a petroleum-based economy will take time. While those wheels are in motion, we will need oil to operate in the meantime.
The dire circumstances the average American faces at the pump have created somewhat of a change in mindset. Although a number of Americans have opposed drilling in the past, these practical people understand the times. The People of Florida are evidence. Once home to a majority that staunchly opposed drilling, a new study shows 60 percent are now in favor. Read the Miami Herald story here. Floridians are speaking practical sense, but I can't say the same for Pelosi.
New York Mets' equipment manager Charlie Samuels won't have to worry about ordering additional uniforms this year. Unlike the previous few seasons under GM Omar Minaya's reign, the Mets remained idle through Thursday's non-waiver trade deadline.
The Mets were said to have been pursuing bullpen help and a reliable bat for one of the two corner outfield positions. With Moises Alou out for the remainder of 2008 and only months away from AARP membership and Ryan Church's status still questionable, playoff hopeful Mets' fans could have used a Jason Bay-type to calm their nerves. Christmas isn't until December though.
With Seattle looking for a sucker to overpay for Raul Ibanez, Minaya rightfully passed. You can't hate the Mariners here either. It seems as if they finally made a smart move by hanging onto their soon-to-be free agent outfielder since they will receive two compensatory first round picks from his next ballclub.
I have to think the Mets could have found a way into the three-way deal that sent Manny Ramirez to L.A., but I can't fault Minaya for not wanting to part with young talent for the volatile Ramirez. Although, the other half of my brain tells me that the Dodgers are getting the most-feared right-handed hitter in the game for free (Boston will pay the remainder of his 2008 salary).
So Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez it is. Church's prospects aren't bleak, but head trauma always makes for an unpredictable situation. If all goes well and the left-handed slugging leftfielder is back in the lineup and producing by mid-August, then a righty-lefty platoon of Chavez and Tatis won't look so bad. And remember, the Mets won the N.L. Pennant with an outfield by committee comprised of Benny Agbayani, Daryl Hamilton, Jay Payton, Timo Perez, and Bubba Trammell.
Although it is hard to fall in love with the Mets' relief corps, Minaya deserves applause for not sacrificing a prospect to bring in a Mel Rojas-type arm ala Arthur L. Rhodes. Without overpaying for Colorado's Brian Fuentes, any general manager would have been hard-pressed to find someone out there worth acquiring. Who else was really out there? Luis Ayala and his inflated ERA?
Like the majority of Major League bullpens, the Mets have seen their relief corps win them games and give away others. As hideous as he can be at times, Billy Wagner is still in teh upper echelon of MLB closer and the set-up unit of Stank Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano, the Graden State's own Scott Schoeneweis, is more attractive than most around the majors.
Bringing former Oregon State stopper and College World Series star Eddie Kunz up from AA ball could provide some relief (no pun intended). Kunz is a hard-throwing right-hander that stands at an intimidating 6'5" and 265 lbs. Oh, and maybe Matt Wise will make a cameo at some point (Does anyone know where this guy is right now? I've gotten more information on Dick Cheney's whereabouts than this key free agent pick-up.)
So there it is. No Jason Bay, No Manny Ramirez, No Raul Ibanez, and thankfully No Arthur Rhodes. This one is up to Carlos, Endy, Fernando, "Stank Aaron," and your average Joe Smith. Ya Gotta Believe!
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