Pelosi Shuts Down House, While Minaya Refuses to Mortgage Future

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.

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!

You Want It? You Del-gad-it! Getting Squirrely Is Back for Week Three

To truly "Get Squirrely" is to sink into oblivion into the sounds gravitating toward your ears. The cuts this week, in my humble opinion, will do nothing more than surrender that kind of experience. In this initial cut I give you an this artist who came upon an album while pulling a "Thoreau" in the woods. The sound is simple yet true and while segregating yourself in a cabin for months isn't necessarily for everyone it worked for troubadour.

Bon Iver - "Flume"

While not a completely fresh cut - this song debuted in the fall of 2006 - the artist, Cold War Kids, exhibited a piano-infused number that will long stay in your musical conscious for days to come if not longer. Serenading over keys about "Vietnam and Fishing Trips" this track exposed the rangy and Robert Plant-like vocals of lead man Nathan Willett. To quote the Los Angeles foursome it embodies both the "Joy" and "Misery" of the indie rock landscape.

Cold War Kids - "Hospital Beds"

Sal's Back and So Are the Mets

Note Schedule Change: Getting Squirrely will return on Friday, July 25, a day later than its normal Thursday slot. We apologize for the inconvenience, and we hope your ears are ready.

Now you can all breathe easy. Yes, the New York Mets have taken another series from the archrival Philadelphia Phillies to catapult themselves into sole possession of first place in the National League Eastern Division. You can all breathe easy because Salvatore did not deep six himself after Tuesday night's stunning, unfathomable defeat to Philly and he is speaking once again after a two-day hiatus.

Salvatore Francesca?: Forgive me for a moment while I take on the role of a sports talkshow personality and tell you how great of a prognosticator/genius I am. Looking back at Tuesday's preview of Johan Santana's start in the series opener of this three-game, first-place turnpike tussle, yours truly stated, "Regardless of what happens tonight, the Mets will remain a N.L. East title contender for the forseeable future and Santana will still be viewed as one of the game's top aces."

Well, the oft-criticized Santana stepped up and proved his worth by twirling eight innings of two-run ball. Still, it was not enough as the Mets, with their bullpen taking the lead and Jose Reyes following, melted down in the ninth inning and watched a 5-2 lead turn into an 8-6 loss. Santana could have and should have came out for a ninth inning of work, but there is no sense in revisiting that nightmarish loss any more than we have to.

Now, let us digress back to the central theme of this passage. Santana dazzled, shutting up the skeptics. The Mets squandered his effort with a number of miscues that led to the team's worst loss since Tom Glavine last started in a New York uniform. It was not the end of the world though. Santana is still an ace and the Mets showed their mettle by taking two. For the first time since April, the Mets are top dog.

A Great Matinee at Shea: The Mets are reaping the benefits now, and Oliver Perez's bank account will eventually feel the effect this off-season. A 15-game winner in 2007, the screwy southpaw, a.k.a. Big-Game Ollie, has shaken off his inconsistency and has surrendered a total of five earned runs over his last six outings.

If the Shane Victorino is a Mets' killer, then Perez must look like Charles Manson to Philadelphia. Striking out 12 and allowing only one run over 7.2 innings, Perez continued his dominance of a division rival and once again performed well against a marquee opponent.

The Phightin' Phils have managed only one run, Jayson Werth's seventh-inning shot on Thursday afternoon, in 26 innings against Perez this season.
The Mets have now won nine of their first 13 games with Philadelphia this season, claiming all four series between the two.
Perez's surge over the past month has dropped his ERA from 5.29 to 4.15, but it may not be the most impressive on the team.

After Aaron Heilman induced a clutch, tie-preserving fly out in relief of Perez, Carlos Delgado continued his tear. Miraculously hitting .406 this month, Delgado lined an opposite-field double off J.C. Romero to drive in Robinson Cancel and David Wright with the difference in a 3-1 victory.

Stage Set for Santana in Battle for First

Jeremy Shockey found his own way to Sainthood without having to facillitate a single miracle.
Although this particular penman is preaching patience, Johan Santana has been perceived as anything but Saintly by a contingent of the New York Mets' Faithful.

Tuesday night at Shea Stadium provides Santana with a golden opportunity to woo a demanding home crowd, but more importantly, a chance to help the Mets capture sole possession of first place against rival Philadelphia.

Many members of the Mets' deprived fan base (when your team has two fewer World Series titles over the past two decades than the expansion Florida Marlins, your fan base warrants the adjective "deprived"), myself included, have been waiting for what numerous pundits have deemed "Johan's signature Mets' moment." The ERA and masterful control have come as expected, but the Mets' biggest acquisition since Mike Piazza has not exactly come as advertised. Santana hasn't overpowered, has been prone to the long ball, and owns a pedestrian 8-7 win-loss record.

With the Mets' first-place companions visiting tonight, Santana can erase any prior disappointment from the short memory of Mets' fans and prove that he was worth Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, and $138 million by mowing down Chaset Utley and Co. to the tune of a crisp victory.

I'm hoping that Santana emulates what he did at Shea last season as a member of the Minnesota Twins when he twirled a complete-game shutout of the Amazins. I am also prepared for the possibility that Santana's line could resemble the one from last week's start in Cincinnati (4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB).

Santana may replicate his Independence Day performance in Philadelphia where he allowed only two runs over 8.0 innings while pitching in a bandbox. He did more than give his team a chance to win that night, but it still wasn't good enough to win nor was it good enough to satisfy his somewhat insatiable critics.

Regardless of what happens tonight, the Mets will remain a N.L. East title contender for the forseeable future and Santana will still be viewed as one of the game's top aces. Mets' fans won't change either. We will still be a demanding bunch, and rightfully so.

Click Here for MLB Game Preview of Mets-Phils.

Mets Move in on Prey with Tenth Straight Win; Shark Attack Imminent

In terms of southpaws, Johan Santana looked more like Mr. Koo than Jerry Koosman, but their ace's sub-par performance did not deter the New York Mets from pulling into first place last night.

Santana gave up an Aaron Heilman-like five consecutive hits in the fourth inning, his last inning of work, to drop the Mets into a 5-2 hole. But there was Fernando Tatis again, delivering a go-ahead two-run blast to put the Mets ahead 6-5 in the sixth inning.

Even when the Mets' bullpen broke down and allowed a run for the first time in more than 21 innings, there was David Wright.

With the Mets trailing 8-6 and down to their final two outs, Wright delivered a game-tying, two-run homer that scored Argenis Reyes. Carlos Beltran, Damion Easley, Carlos Delgado, and Tatis pounded out successive hits for a 10-8 lead in setting up a Billy Wagner save opportunity that the struggling closer made good on.

Having advocated for Carlos Delgado's departure, it is only fair to point to his contributions of late. Although his proposed replacements (Easley and Tatis) are doing well for the Mets in other spots, Delgado is partying like its 1999. He hit .272 with 44 dingers and 134 RBI during that campaign with Toronto. After a 3-for-4 showing on Thursday, which included a homer and three RBI, Delgado is batting .252 with 18 bombs and 55 RBI following a horrific start.

Even with Santana looking more like a joker, the Mets still came up aces last night and sit tied for first with Philadelphia as the two clubs hold identical 52-44 records.

The Phillies acquired Oakland's Joe Blanton earlier in the day to bolster their beleaguered starting staff, but all the Phillies and Jimmy Rollins could do was watch as their old friend joined them atop the N.L. East.

As for Blanton, I have always been a fan. He is under 30 years of age and has given the A's an average of 209 innings per season from 2005-2007. Still, Blanton's 5-12 record and 4.96 ERA won't be enough to scare the Mets.

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Shark in British Waters: Phil Mickelson shot nine over yesterday in the first round of the British Open, while Rocco Mediate surged to the lead of another major. Salvatore is still predicting that Greg Norman, who finds himself one stroke back, will unleash one final shark attack and secure a major title by weekend's end.

Regardless of whether The Shark makes good on that prognositication, he still makes damn good shorts. Like Giuseppe Franco, I'm not putting my name on the line for something that doesn't work. (Click Here to watch one of our all-time favorites.)

Getting Squirrely with Hobbie Is Invited Back for Encore after Sound Debut

It's my sincere pleasure to implore you to "Get Squirrely" with us once again this week. According to the big board it appears that the John Butler Trio won out - good tune and I certainly can't blame anyone for thinking so.

I also can't "Blame Canada " for anything else these days, and even if I did it certainly wouldn't be music. Our neighbors to the north churn out significant modern rock bands like Wayne Gretzky once shat out goals. One can even say that Canada , namely Toronto , is what Seattle was to music in the decade of the 1990s. What the Bronx was to hip-hop in the 1980s. With Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Islands, Black Mountain, Wolf Parade, and even 1...2...3...4...Feist to name a stately few, these musicians wouldn't just be characterized in "South Park" with nutcracker heads that pop off when they talk. These aren't your uncle's maple leaf musicians (Rush??). These hosers can play.



Not aforementioned is this native Ontario band featured below, "Entire Cities". While their debut EP (titled "Deep River) is one of the freshest, most experimental and creative projects since the kids from Columbia University did it with "Vampire Weekend", you won't find them in record stores in the U.S. or even playing gigs in the States ... yet. Another blogosphere phenomenon, it's hard to fathom that this group will not be heard from very loudly and very soon. With their attempts at classifying their sound obsolete - the closest they come is half-jokingly tabbing it "psychedelic cow punk" - you'll find a softer almost Johnny Cash/June Carter flavored number on this work titled, simply, "Coffee". Two creams, no sugar.

Entire Cities - "Coffee"

We move a little wayward west and a tinge south and wind up in Chicago for another obscure little bar band - albeit American - headed by lead vocalist and namesake Dustin Apodaca. With Biggie's favorite smattering of "violins and mandolins" not to mention an acute rock guitar-keyboard combination (for those Springsteen fans out there) this second city ensemble serves as the absolute antithesis to the arena anthem-peddlers. After hearing this live recording featured below dubbed "Dear Honey" (not to mention a hilarious lead-in story from Apodaca on the origin of the lyrics) you'll want to pull up a stool, grab a beer and singalong - but maybe keep a little closer mind of your wallet.

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band - "Dear Honey"

Ollie Is to Big Game As Billy Is to...

If Oliver Perez is "Big-Game Ollie," then Billy Wagner is "Big-Game Billy GOAT."

In a scene all too familiar to New York Mets' fans, Wagner inherited a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning of the 79th MLB All-Star Game and quickly flushed it down the toilet along with the National League's hopes for home-field advantage during the World Series.

Wagner amassed six blown saves prior to the All-Star break, including three crucial save opportunities during the same week that ultimately cost manager Willie Randolph his job.

These struggles are nothing new for Wagner. Despite being an accomplished, big-name closer, Wagner has developed a reputation for consistently failing when placed into tight games of great significance. Need more evidence than the aforementioned to buy into this claim? Take a look at his post-season numbers. Click Here for Wagner's Career Postseason Numbers.

Wagner has publicly recognized (at least this guy will tell you that he stinks) how bad he was during the 2006 National League Championship Series. I personally witnessed the gopher ball he served up to the intimidating So Taguchi in a game two loss that turned the tide of the series.

Factoring in the damage done by the big-bopping Taguchi, Wagner pitched 2.2 innings to the tune of a 16.87 ERA while surrendering 5 ER on 7 hits.

In 4.2 innings of career postseason work with Houston, Wagner surrendered 5 ER on 8 hits.

Now Perez, the man who was openly, publicly, and unfairly criticized by Wagner earlier this season after a dud of start, has been just the opposite for the Mets.

Yes, Perez's inconsistency can be maddening and it has been the thing that has prevented this talented (although somewhat screwy) southpaw from being an All-Star. But he has always pitched best against the big-name teams and in the big-time spots.

Perez threw six innings of one-run ball in game seven of the 2006 NLCS, when Wagner failed to pitch a single effective inning the entire series. He is a perfect 4-0 against the Yankees over the past two seasons and is the only Mets' arm to have solved the Braves.

Still, Perez was the brunt of Wagner's criticism earlier this season. Mired in a slump during the time of Wagner's ill-advised mouth-off, Perez has since responded well and his last three starts prove it.

Wagner may be a five-time All-Star closer, but I want Perez in a Pennant Race.

Pelfrey Sends Personal Streak to Six, Mets to Cloud Nine

Colorado's Scott Posednik singled to lead off the game, and that is where the story begins. Actually it is where the story continues.

The story of Mike Pelfrey and the New York Mets had been one of frustration, but has been exclusively elation of late.

The frustrating Pelfrey would have followed up Posednik's lead-off single by walking the next batter. The frustrating Mets wouldn't have made the tough defensive play and would have muddled their way through a lifeless defeat. There were no such people on the field at Big Shea last night though.

After allowing the first batter to reach, Pelfrey induced a taylor-made 6-4-3 double play ball off the bat of Rockies' shortstop Clint Barmes before fanning coveted Colorado leftfielder Matt Holliday.

The bottom half of the first inning was even more refreshing. With a hungry crowd on hand and a national Sunday Night Baseball audience watching from afar, 22-year-old farmhand Nick Evans singled and three-time NL All-Star David Wright walked. Next, centerfielder Carlos Beltran unloaded, launching a three-run bomb over the picnic area.

After seven and a half more innings, the end result read: Mets 7, Rockies 0. Mets win ninth straight game. Mike Pelfrey runs his personal win streak to six consecutive starts with 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 0 BB.

Dare I say it? Baseball Like It Ought To Be!

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Sadly, cancer claimed the lives of two well-known, deeply-revered and truly good men this past weekend. Driving home from the Mets' 3-0 victory over Colorado on Saturday, I learned that former MLB All-Star and established broadcaster Bobby Murcer lost his fight with brain cancer. Sadly, only minutes later, I heard that the courageous Tony Snow, a truly remarkable journalist, had fallen victim to colon cancer. After an accomplished career as a journalist, Snow went on to serve the nation as the chief White House Press Secretary before cancer forced him to step aside. We are sorry to see them go.