But hey, you never know, I’m sure there are some fans out there that could care less and don’t mind spending the cheese. God Bless ‘Em!

Harvey will be there from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. For more info, call (516) 739-0580 or visit their website.

There has been one massive bright spot in Matt Harvey, surprising contributions from Buck, Parnell, and to a lesser degree Duda (in his offense), and of course the steady contributions from Murphy and Captain Wright. Ike Davis is off to another abysmal start, and unlike last season, the fans aren’t taking it with as much patience and understanding. Take him off the 2014 contributor’s list until he proves he can make adjustments before the All-Star break to at least make him serviceable. Wheeler and d’Arnaud are not up in the majors contributing  so we don’t know what the Mets have in terms of production from their top two prospects. Duda can hit and take his walks, but his defense is a major issue. Niese has been less than good, going no more that 5 innings in about half of his starts. Murphy started the year off hot and cooled down significantly the past few weeks. The only parts that so far have shown they can help in 2014 are Wright, Harvey, Murphy, Parnell, and maybe Duda. That’s not enough, especially considering that only two of those players are stars, and another two can quickly revert back to their bad habits and drop off the list.

The team doesn’t have a big bat coming up anytime soon, unless you’re high on Wilmer Flores, who doesn’t have a position.

So what is the front office going to do?

First off all, I think they need to let go of hitting coach Dan Hudgens, pitching coach Dan Warthen, and skipper Terry Collins. Collins has been in the hot seat with fans due to his questionable lineup and bullpen management. Lately, fans have questioned his handling of Jordany Valdespin as well. Is Wally Backman the best option? I don’t know. But the team could certainly use a manager that players openly rave about and that has his team play with fire, in order to get the best out of their limited talent. This team is not like the Angels or the Tigers, lined with superstars, they need a special manager. The organization, supposedly, has a hitting philosophy that comes from Sandy and his men about taking pitches and working counts, but that shouldn’t be forced on every player the way it seems to be. It works for guys like Wright who know how to be aggressive yet still work counts, but not every player has that ability, and you end up with guys quickly falling behind 0-2 and failing.

Pick up respected coaches with solid track records and start fresh. Trade whoever you can that isn’t named Wright, Harvey, Wheeler, and Parnell and bring in serviceable veterans that play the game the right way and have been on winning teams, to set an example for the younger players that the team will obviously have. Just fill the team with hungry players and coaches that do whatever it takes to win. To many times this roster looks defeated and lost. Bring some positive, winning energy into the clubhouse and most importantly, use your excess pitching prospects to bring in another star player, preferably for the outfield.

David Wright needs a fellow star batting behind him– Ike Davis, who we thought would be that guy, and could still be that guy, is simply too inconsistent. Let’s say Sandy makes a trade for a big time player like Carlos Gonzalez, Giancarlo Stanton, or even Alex Gordon. They can then sign a stop-gap veteran player like Hunter Pence or  Shin-Soo Choo, and fill in the last OF spot with a young kid like Lagares or den Dekker. Suddenly, you have a fantastic defensive outfield that your pitching will appreciate, and you have two guys out there that can hit the baseball really well and help score you runs. The infield can be fortified with the players you got in trading away players like Davis, Duda, and maybe one or both of Murphy and Tejada. Hopefully those guys played well enough to bring the team a good defensive infielder with offensive upside. I’m not saying trade all of those guys, but some combination of the pitching prospects, those guys, and even Niese, should get the team their star outfielder and their solid shortstop or second baseman– depending on who you kept. You can even get a good bullpen piece as well.

My point is that I believe Sandy and Co. need to make at least one big-time acquisition for the outfield and a few trades and signings to solidify the outfield and re-do the infield outside of David Wright, if they want to keep the fans coming to the stadium, watching the games, and supporting the team– things that bring the organization the money that compete like a big market team should compete. Keep drafting smart, keep the roster mostly young (and talented, of course), and bring in a respectable coaching staff with a good track record and you’ll have a team worth rooting for that can compete. Sign a few of the many free agent relievers. Sign a guy like Matt Garza and your rotation can be: Harvey, Garza, Wheeler (and depending on who was traded), some combination of Gee, Mejia, and Montero.

Something needs to be done. Give the New York Mets fans more to look forward to other than Matt Harvey (and hopefully Zack Wheeler), every 5th day.

There are two burning questions here: 1. Who takes these pictures for him? (I say the hotel pics are Tejada, his super secret right-hand man killing it with the ladies on road trips). 2. Why does he get away with it?

The answer for the second question is easy– his talent.

Jordany Valdespin has lots of it. He runs well, which allows him to have  good range on defense and to run the bases, he can hit for average, he can steal a base when he’s on, and he’s selectively aggressive at the plate, making him a solid pinch-hitter. After some reps at 2nd base  in the majors that came with mixed results, Valdespin, or Valdy, was converted to the OF. He may not take the prettiest routes, but his athleticism and his speed makes up for his inexperience and he gets the job done.

He began his major league career with a bang– a game-winning homerun off Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon and he hasn’t looked back since; coming up with clutch homerun after clutch homerun the rest of the season. It’s April and he’s already won the team a game in walk-off grand slam fashion.

His antics rub may people the wrong way. Plenty of people aren’t fans of his attitude and his game, but he has a strong fan base that roots for him and appreciates what he has brought to the team. He’s brought some swagger and clutch hitting to a team that at times seemed so bland and boring.

The other day a former minor league teammate, Erik Turgeon, blasted Jordany on twitter after he hit the walk-off grand slam, using some harsh words. A few others that have been around him agreed with Erik. New York Daily News beat reporter Andy Martino wrote a piece on Valdespin that included some player comments from last year, when a prank on Jordany by his teammates went wrong, and the night of the walk-off:

The T-shirt fight was the bad time.  Last July in San Francisco, Valdespin violated team policy by wearing a white undershirt on the team bus to AT&T Park. You are required to wear a collar.   With that mix of caring and bullying unique to locker room culture, a few veteran teammates cut up the shirt during the game, and defaced it with magic marker.

When Valdespin (above,  discovered this, he went ape. Screaming, cursing, storming toward Ike Davis and Josh Thole, neither of whom had anything to do with it. Terry Collins had to rush from his office, in street clothes, to diffuse the near-fracas.

“He’s an idiot,” one miffed teammate said that night.

“He’s a d—–bag,” added another the following morning.

But on the night of the game-winner, one teammate said: “He’s getting better. He still has a ways to go, but he is getting better.”

I think it’s time people give Jordany a break and realize that if he was a terribly toxic clubhouse presence,  he wouldn’t still  be on the team today. Under the old regime he might have had a longer leash, but not under Sandy Alderson. I trust the anonymous teammate that Valdespin is getting better, and I think he’s learning what is and isn’t acceptable in a clubhouse. Just as we’ve seen him mature as a hitter and a player overall, we’re seeing him mature as a person. Give him some time.

Jordany Valdespin might have unlikeable traits, but he is clutch and he helps this team win. That’s likable.

As a fan, I like to see the player on my team pump his fist after a big hit and run the bases with a smile on his face. Baseball is a game, let the players be happy when they should. Some spunk on the team is nice.

I’m with #PapiValdy.

After getting settled I tried to remember every Jackie Robinson fact I ever read about. Would I know every fact thrown into the movie? Can I predict what’s going to happen next before the movie shows it? Why is this even important? Because even though I am a huge Mets fan, my favorite player of all-time is Jackie Robinson. I could write a book on why, but you wouldn’t read it. I’ll keep it simple – I have more than one image of Jackie stealing home hanging in my house because it always reminds me that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. In Jackie’s case, steal home and then add being the first black man in baseball – it doesn’t get any tougher than that.

Watching the movie, I felt waves of emotion. Anger, excitement, love, sadness – every nerve was hit. Watching his rise from the Monarchs to the Dodgers, you couldn’t help but hope he made it to the big leagues, even though you knew the history – the movie was just that good! My daughter kept asking me questions throughout the movie and wondering if everything was real and if certain events really did happen. My daughters knew about Jackie Robinson, but I don’t think they had any idea just how bad it was for him to be the first black ballplayer in the Major Leagues. If you have children, you would be doing them a favor by taking them to a showing of “42″.

One of the coolest parts for me was Jackie’s arrival at Ebbets Field. I know it’s all CGI or whatever they call it, but damn it looked real and how it reminded me that I was born just a mere 40 years too late. Being able to watch a game at Ebbets Field is something I’ll never be able to do of course, but if time travel was possible, it would be stop number one. That was real baseball, for the common man in the famed city of Brooklyn. Could you imagine the sights and sounds of baseball back then? All I know is what I’ve read in books and actual events told to me by lucky fans who were actually able to attend a game there. I have to think it was Brooklyn’s version of Shea Stadium. Everyone said it was an old rundown park in the end, but it was their old rundown park – and I say the same about Shea to this day.

The movie kept to Jackie’s true story as well as I could remember. I’ve read a ton of books about him and felt they couldn’t have made it better if they tried. The only comment I will make is they cast Chadwick Boseman to play Jackie – and he did a great job – but his voice was deeper then Jackie’s and if you’re a nutty fan like myself, you’ll know he actually had a pretty high pitched voice. But that’s being too picky.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy “42″, you don’t even have to be a Dodgers fan – just be a fan of overcoming the odds and watching the Good Guy win. Do yourself a favor and catch this movie in theaters before it’s gone – watching it at home just won’t be the same.

Anything you can do to help would be great! Here is a link to her site if you care to make a donation.

Here’s the story in her own words:

By the way, for all you fans of Kiner’s Korner, Ralph Kiner will be signing autographs at Steiner Sports on Monday April 8th, 2013 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

At 17 Rice was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. Rice persevered through 14 years in the minor leagues, along with three stints in Independent ball. Originally drafted as a starting pitcher, he was moved to the bullpen early on in his career.

The Mets signed the lefty in November after spending last season in the Dodgers organization, going 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA over the span of 54 relief appearances.

While playing in the Dominican Republic this winter Rice heard personally from Terry Collins with an invitation to spring training and guaranteed consideration for the big league roster.

Over his 11 appearances this spring, Rice posted a 2.92 ERA for The Mets. On the final day of Spring Training, Rice was given word that he had accomplished something he had never done before. He made a big league roster.

“It’s something I feel has been a long time coming,” Rice said after finding out the big news. He beat out Robert Carson and Pedro Feliciano, two lefties with experience in the majors, for this final role in the bullpen.

Scott Rice & John Buck

It all fell into place for Rice on April 1^st, Mets Opening Day. He came in for the ninth inning with an 11-2 lead.

His first big league opponent was the Padres catcher, Nick Hundley. Rice struck him out. Rice continued by getting centerfielder Cameron Maybin on strikes. Will Venable followed with a groundout to finish off the game and Rice’s first major league appearance.

After an Opening Day where almost everything went right for the Mets, this is a story that sticks out because of Rice’s perseverance and dedication to the game he loves.

With more than 500 minor league games of experience with the GCL Orioles, Bluefield Orioles, Aberdeen Ironbirds, Delmarva Shorebirds, Frederick Keys, Bowie Baysox, Ottawa Lynx, AZL Rangers, Clinton LumberKings, Frisco RoughRiders, San Antonio Missions, Tulsa Drillers, Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Chattanooga Lookouts, and Albuquerque Isotopes along with the non-affiliated Long Island Ducks, Newark Bears, and York Revolution, Rice finally made it to ‘The Show’ with the New York Mets.

2013

Position Players

C – John Buck:  .247, 22 HR, 64 RBI

C – Travis d’Arnaud: .258, 9 HR, 37 RBI — will be called up on July 5^th

1B – Ike Davis: .266, 35 HR, 110 RBI, .315 OBP

2B- Daniel Murphy: .284, 8 HR, 67 RBI, 40 doubles

3B – C David Wright: .304, 26 HR, 102 RBI, 44 doubles

SS- Ruben Tejada: .283, 2 HR, 29 RBI will make 145 starts

OF- Lucas Duda: .272, 20 HR, 79 RBI and will not look pathetic in left field

OF- Collin Cowgill (recently named starter): .265, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 13 SB and 107 starts in centerfield

OF- Marlon Byrd: .272, 17 HR, 58 RBI — comeback player of the year?

Bench: Justin Turner: .273, 3 HR, 35 RBI, .400 w/ 2outs and RISP

Bench: Jordany Valdepsin: .235, 9 HR, 34 RBI, the love affair will end + he will cost the Mets some games

I honestly can’t believe Kirk Nieuwenhuis is on this team, and I have no opinion right now of how he will do, or how long he will on the team…

Starting Pitchers

Jonathan Niese: 15-12 with a sub 3.40 ERA

Matt Harvey: 14-13 with a 3.76 ERA

Dillon Gee: 12-10 with a 4.07 ERA

Zack Wheeler will be called up in mid-May and go 8-7

Shaun Marcum will go on the DL twice this season and go 9-9 with a 4.35 ERA

Jeremy Hefner : 8-6 with a 4.45 ERA

Rafael Montero will make 2 starts this season.

Why should we let Zack Wheeler pitch in Las Vegas this April, when the major league club has major pitching woes?  Wheeler is clearly the best option we have for a starting pitcher and being that we currently have three of them, his presence would be very well received.  Even if Hefner is fine, which it looks like he will be, we need another starter who is nowhere to be found.  (I will believe Marcum are ready when I see him standing on the mound – his career has been riddled with injuries)  If you listen to scouts and executives around the game you would think there is no reason to have Wheeler prepare more in the minor leagues.  Adam Rubin reported that three scouts who watched Wheeler pitch this week said he has four ‘plus’ pitches and that he has number one talent who is absolutely ready now.

I understand that not calling Wheeler up to the major leagues until at least mid-May will save a year of arbitration later on in his career so we can retain his talent at a cheaper price.  This makes a lot of sense, why would you waste some of his service time on a team that does not have great chances when you believe you will be competing for a championship?  The answer is you wouldn’t, you would keep him down and allow him to hone his skills even more.  But there comes a point where exceptions to this thought process arise.  And this point has officially come with the most recent Johan Santana announcement.  We are in desperate need of more starting pitching, Wheeler according to all reports is ready, not to mention the fact that the fan base could be extremely re-energized by this move.

Fans have been so excited about seeing Wheeler ever since the summer of 2010 when we traded Carlos Beltran for him.  I believe calling him up will show the fans a sign of confidence in Sandy Alderson’s plan and will also be a message that it is finally time to turn the page.  Or to start the ‘Wheel’ rolling.  I know for a fact that there will be many for fans attending games if we were told Zack Wheeler would be standing out on the mound at Citi Field.  Everyone would be very excited to watch the young pitcher we have heard nothing but godly things about for almost three years.  And to see what could eventually be the best one-two punch in the game: Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey.

For all of these reasons, I am asking Sandy Alderson and the Mets to forego the plan of not starting Wheeler’s service time, and call him up right away.  This would solve the rotation problem immediately and would also excite the fan base in the beginning of a new season that not too many are looking forward to.  Starting the Wheel rolling will be a message that this franchise is finally ready to move in a winning direction.  Something I personally can not wait to get back to doing.