Missing: Mets Offense

24, 7, 17, 16.

Those are the scoreless innings streaks the Mets offense painfully slumped through during their most recent West coast roadie. They finished up the trip 2-9, scoring a grand total of 23 runs over the 11 games.

After falling to the Dodgers Thursday, New York has matched its low-water mark of 2010, standing 7.5 games behind first-place Atlanta. The loss was quite possibly the final straw for General Manager Omar Minaya, who wasn't at all reassuring of his current coaching staff.

When asked specifically if Mets coaches would be returning with identical roles when the team returns home this Tuesday, Minaya responded, "I don't want to talk about that. I feel everybody here is trying hard. I could tell you the staff is trying hard. If you ask me [about] the overall performance that has happened, of course I'm not happy. Nobody is happy."

When a reporter took another hack at prying a quote from the tight-lipped Minaya, the GM responded, "That's all I'm going to say."

A move that can be heavily anticipated is the firing of batting coach Howard Johnson, who can easily be called out as a scapegoat in this offensive dry-spell. But Minaya should not stop there.

A complete overhaul of the coaching staff is needed for the Mets to contend in 2010.

Along with the lack of hitting, the Mets have been victims of hideous starting lineups and putrid in-game managing.

Let's take a look at his ever-so-carefully-pieced-together batting orders before we pick apart his strategic abilities.

In today's loss in Los Angeles, the lineup card in the Mets dugout appeared like this:

1. Reyes SS
2. Castillo 2B
3. Wright 3B
4. Beltran CF
5. Bay LF
6. Davis 1B
7. Francouer RF
8. Thole C
9. Dickey P

Alright, let's organize the claims that can be made arguing this abominable lineup.

• Luis Castillo is batting second. Luis Castillo and his .242 batting average, 15 runs scored, and five extra base hits, batting anywhere in the order besides eighth is an ignominy. His asset to the Mets is making contact with the baseball, which, 70% of the time, he pounds into the ground, according to Fangraphs. His BABIP (or batting average on balls in play, for the non stat-nerds) is .250, the lowest it has ever been in his career, yet he is the second baseman everyday for the New York Mets.His defensive contribution goes as far as knocking down what's in front of him, and not much else. His range is diminished to virtually nothing after dual knee problems. He'll scoop up and execute nearly all routine plays perfectly, though.
• Next, Jeff Francoeur is in the starting lineup while Angel Pagan is on the bench. That sentence in itself is an absolute humiliation. Pagan has proven to be the team's most reliable player both offensively and defensively in 2010. Francoeur has proved to be the team's least reliable player, at the very least on the offensive end. Sporting an OBP of .299 after Sunday's loss, compare that to starter R.A. Dickey's .300 percentage, and you only begin to realize Francoeur's flaws as a baseball player. He swings at 61.4% of the pitches he sees this year. 43.7% of pitches out of the strike zone thrown to him, he hacks at anyway. Add that with the fact that he's batting as un-clutch as he ever has in his career, and it's obvious that he has no business being on this team.
• Josh Thole is not an eighth-spot hitter. In 17 games this year his BABIP is sitting at .478, with a .429 batting average (12-for-28). His OBP is over .500 and the rookie catcher is OPSing (OBP+SLG) a whopping 1.087. The argument could not only be made that Thole should be the everyday catcher, but the number two hitter in the lineup behind Jose Reyes.

But Jerry's lineup-assembly is only half of his managerial handicap. He's seemingly convinced that an out is not the single most valuable thing to the opponent. At the rate he sacrifice bunts, the Mets might as well start each inning with an out, and Manuel will be sure to give a free one away soon enough.

His use of the bullpen also exemplifies his genius, just ask Fernando Nieve. Who would've guessed that after nearly a half-season of being used everyday that his performance would eventually regress? Not Jerry, apparently. Nieve was designated for assignment last week and none other than Oliver Perez has been the go-to guy deep in the ballgame for Manuel.

Jerry's handling of injuries have been phenomenal as well. Especially in the case of Jose Reyes. Reyes injured his oblique taking BP in Puerto Rico against the Marlins. Manuel sat Reyes for the following few games, then proceeded to place him back in the lineup knowing he was not only less than one hundred percent healthy, but could not bat left-handed. After inevitably struggling, Reyes was dropped to second in the order before re-injuring the side on a throw from deep in the hole. Even then, Manuel was clueless. David Wright had to stop play and call out his manager to alert him of his ailing shortstop.

However, when arguably the most consistent starting pitcher this season, resurging knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, tweaks a leg muscle, Jerry's first instinct was to remove the cruising Dickey, who allowed only two hits and walked none through 70 pitches in today's game. Manuel allowed Dickey to stay in for two more batters, until he realized an odd throwing motion on Dickey's throw to first base to get the out. Dickey said he was fine, and knowingly held back because the opposing pitcher, Clayton Kershaw, was the baserunner. Manuel would hear none of it, and pulled out Dickey much to his dismay. The Mets lost the game as the bullpen allowed a run to cross the plate in the bottom of the eighth.

Mets fans can only hope Minaya acts swiftly in replacing the fool at the helm of the team.

As for the three comedically bad baseball players mentioned above, according to reports by FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, they could be on their way out of New York. Rosenthal reports that Minaya has explored a trade with the Kansas City Royals, bringing up the names of Castillo, Francoeur, and Perez, in a possible swap for starter Gil Meche, reliever Kyle Farnsworth, and outfielder Jose Guillen. The salaries of the three on each side match up almost perfectly. Obviously we will hear more as we draw nearer to the July 31st trade deadline.

NBA Free Agency: 2010

It's what teams had been waiting for, for years. It's what teams had sacrificed success for. It's hijacked the headlines over championships. It's been a glimmer of hope for the bottom-dwellers of the NBA.

It's come and gone.

The madness that was 2010 NBA free agency has, for the most part, come to a conclusion. Now that the dust has settled, let's take a look at the events that have been so highly anticipated over the past few years, and based on drama, certainly did not disappoint.

As the clock struck midnight on July 1, teams wasted no time convincing free agents that their franchise was the one for them. The instant negotiations could begin, teams like the Knicks, who were desperate for a new beginning of sorts, were already in talks with free agents. For New York, the midnight discussions were with guards Mike Miller, Joe Johnson, and later a conference call with forward Amar'e Stoudemire.

The next day, however, was one of much greater importance for the locals. Both the Nets and Knicks had meetings scheduled in Akron, Ohio with new free agent LeBron James, who couldn't get enough of the spotlight. New Jersey's meeting was at 9 a.m. while the Knicks' followed them with a 1 p.m. gathering. Both teams reported the meetings went well and were encouraged with what they saw from James and his party.

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat made their pitches to James the next day, and the Clippers and the only team that James has ever known, the Cavs, met with him the next day.

But the Knicks didn't wait on the "King" to decide.

Instead, the reached out to Stoudemire, whom they only spoke with over the phone before reports of a principal agreement emerged. The reports proved to be correct (as was rarely the case over the past few weeks) and the Knicks announced the signing of Stoudemire to a maximum 5-year, $97 million deal on Monday, four days before contracts could be signed.

The commitment was made.

Appallingly, however, LeBron James still managed to grope the headlines when he announced that night that his decision would be made public on July 8th during an hour-long special on ESPN, with a small portion of the proceeds being donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

So until July 8th, the spotlight shone brightly on (you guessed it) James, and only on James.

Reports here, sources there, all pointing in different directions. Chicago outlets had him going to the Bulls. Miami reports had him landing in South Beach. New York sources undoubtedly saw him joining Stoudemire with the Knicks. All while Cleveland people knew he was going to stay.

On July 7th, a key factor to James' ultimate decision was announced. Reports came out that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will team up in Miami and play for the Heat. Miami now had two All-Stars on their team, and one of the best in the game, in Wade. The Heat still had salary cap space to sign more free agents, but not enough to offer a max deal. Enough for one to suspect James wouldn't possibly choose Miami, right? Or if that wasn't enough, it's Dwyane Wade's house. He's said so himself. Could James, in the process of becoming recognized as one of the greatest to ever play, agree to ride in the back seat of Wade's car? The Heat have been his franchise for the past seven years, culminating with a championship ring in 2006.

Common sense told everyone that New York would be his choice. The opportunity to join Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010, and the ability for the Knicks to maintain cap space next summer to build an even stronger franchise was something that other teams simply could not offer.

Add that with the fact that the Knicks contingent held a second, "secret" meeting with LeBron's team just days before his decision to discuss New York's salary cap situation, and Knicks fans could see no other option than James joining Stoudemire to form potentially the greatest pick-and-roll combination ever.

Not to mention that James and personal advisors Maverick Carter and Randy Mims made a trip to New York the day before "The Decision," as it was promoted, was made, and the special would be filmed in Greenwhich, Connecticut, mere minutes from the Knicks practice facility.

James was even reportedly seen eating dinner in New York City with Stoudemire and former Knick Allan Houston.

Up to this point, all signs were pointing to Madison Square Garden as James' new home. That is, until slightly past midnight Thursday. That's when Newsday's Alan Hahn dropped the atomic bomb that spread across the country in minutes. Via Twitter, Hahn reported, "Multiple sources are telling Newsday that LeBron James has decided to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The new Big Three is here."

But it can't be. It makes no sense.

James would be taking less money and joining another player's team. He'd be kissing goodbye any chance he had at being compared to the greatest ever. He'd be taking the easy way out, joining two All-Stars. If he's leaving his hometown, why not come to New York, the mecca, where winning just one championship makes you a hero? But there's no way he's leaving in the first place! He's not making Cleveland watch a one-hour special on why he's leaving the city with absolutely nothing!

He couldn't rip his hometown's proverbial heart out on national television, could he?

Yes. He. Did.

In his hour-long "Decision", James announced he would "take his talents to South Beach, " and play for Miami next season.

Gone.

After seven seasons in Cleveland, and zero championships, James chose to move on from the city he's called home, abandoning the Cavaliers, a team that instantly morphed into a bad basketball team.

Seven seasons concluded with one long-drawn-out hour. An hour in which ESPN's Jim Gray was far from eager to get to the only question that the ten million viewers wanted the answer to. With questions such as, "Where's the powder, LeBron?" and "LeBron, are you still a nail-biter?" the presentation was almost laughable.

Did Kobe Bryant need an ESPN Special to announce he will be returning to the Lakers this season? What about Dwyane Wade? Maybe Kevin Durant should've contacted the network with plans of a live airing of a "ceremonial signing of the extension."

This attention-grabbing stunt that LeBron James pulled was bad for everybody involved. It made ESPN look even worse than usual. It made Jim Gray seem like an idiot because of the format that the network likely demanded he asked the questions in. And most importantly, LeBron James made himself the most hated man in the NBA in an hour.

But Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert managed to overtake James on the Stupidity-Scale.

Hours after James made his decision public, Gilbert released a letter to the fans via the Cavs' website. In this letter he described James' actions by using the words, "cowardly betrayal" and referring to James as the "self-entitled former king." Gilbert made a guarantee to the fans, saying (with caps lock on), ""I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"

Gilbert succeeded at handling this in the only manner worse than James handled it. Congratulations, Dan.

With LeBron James crossed off the Knicks' list of possibilities, Donnie Walsh didn't wait long to pull off "Plan B".

David Lee was sent to Golden State in a sign-and-trade deal for forwards Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf, guard Kelenna Azubuike, and a draft pick. Lee's new contract is worth $80 million over six years.

Saying goodbye to Lee is difficult for Knicks fans to do, but Walsh managed to get three bodies and a draft pick for him, all while not locking the Knicks into any more long-term contracts.

In Randolph, New York gets a potential star. Standing at 6'11" with a slim build, he's been compared to Kevin Durant. He has the ability to score and block shots at a superb rate.

Ronny Turiaf is a defensive monster with scoring ability. He'll contribute on the defensive end by blocking shots and shutting down the opponent's big offensive threat.

Kelenna Azubuike is a fourth-year guard out of Kentucky. He was born in London and has Nigerian and British roots. He's a deadly shooter who plays lock-down defense, and will thrive in Mike D'Antoni's system.

The Knicks were also left without a point guard after Chris Duhon signed in Orlando following two sub-par seasons in New York. Ray Felton was signed in his place, accepting a two-year offer from Walsh and the Knicks. Felton ha been the starting point guard on the Bobcats for the majority of the past five seasons. He describes himself as a "warrior" and is excited to get a chance to play under Mike D'Antoni as well.

As the Miami Heat formed their super-team, Donnie Walsh and the Knicks are forming a team built to beat the new powerhouses of the east. With enough cap space to offer a maximum contract in both of the next two offseasons, the possibilities are endless in New York City. As Amar'e Stoudemire put it:

The Knicks are back.