Posted: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 11:36 AM | 38 comments |
 

Minaya: Phils the Team to Beat
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Well, that's no fun.

New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya had a chance to tell the whole world the Mets are better than the Phillies, but he didn't fan the flames.

"We're not better than them, no," Minaya said. "Right now, they're world champions."

Wait, what? What is this? Reverse psychology? The Phillies are on to you, Omar!

"The only way you get to be better than them is to beat them," he said. "You've got to go out there and get it done. You don't win championships on paper. I've never believed in that. Do I think we've improved our club? Yes. But the bottom line is the Phillies have won the World Series and they won the division twice. They have a good team and the experience of being in playoffs and World Series - that is huge. So we have a lot of work to do."

Mets manager Jerry Manuel commented on Cole Hamels' "choke artists" comment, "That's his opinion. It probably adds a little fuel to it, which is a good thing. Anytime you can add fuel to the fire, it's good. Players have to be ready to respond and answer the bell. That's good, that's good stuff."

*

Inquirer and Daily News photographers David Maialetti, Michael Perez and Yong Kim will join myself, Bill Conlin, Paul Hagen and David Murphy for a Champions! book signing tomorrow from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble in Deptford (1553 Almonesson Road, Deptford, NJ).
Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 11:36 AM  Permalink | 38 comments
38
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:50 PM, 12/18/2008
    trying a different approach I suppose...it won't work
    — trk3586
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:51 PM, 12/18/2008
    This plot line has been played out. So boring. And it doesn't matter anymore - we're World F****** CHAMPIONS!
    — AllDawk_AllTheTime
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:53 PM, 12/18/2008
    we are better than them... thanks for agreeing omar!
    — WC-Jonesy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:57 PM, 12/18/2008
    That's why Omar is the brains of the operation.....K-Rod? Maybe the other end?
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:58 PM, 12/18/2008
    Of course you are not better than us, Omar. We are the WORLD CHAMPIONS! ..thanks for the insight, Captain Obvious
    — Phront_Runner
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:59 PM, 12/18/2008
    The Phils look like a very solid team heading into next season. Resigining Moyer was key and I like the Park and Ibanez moves. The Ibanez deal has Pat Gillick written all over it, so it should be good. I would like to see the Phils add a RH bat off the bench and I keep thinking of Rocco Baldelli. He can't start anymore because of his illness. But he does play leftfield, he bats right and he hits for power. I would love to see him on the bench as a pinch hitter/spot starter. He must know that he can't get starting years and money anymore. But, if he can make the adjustment, he would be a huge addition to anyone's bench. It seems to me that he's worth exploring. In terms of the WBC, I worry about Rollins breaking down at the end of the season when we're gearing up for the playoffs. Kudos to the Phils pitchers for turning it down. It's a neat thing, but ultimately inconsequential. And I'd like to see the Phils pitchers turn down any invites they get for the all-star team this year. We don't need another (near) fiasco like we had last year with Brad Lidge.
    — TexColorado
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:14 PM, 12/18/2008
    i wonder how many more times the mets players are gonna rip off jroll now. the boss even knows we're the team to beat
    — pabst blue ribbon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:21 PM, 12/18/2008
    Just goes to show that you can have class even if you work for teh Mutts and live in NY.
    — jeff gross
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:21 PM, 12/18/2008
    Interesting...humility. That's a new concept for the Mets organization, methinks.
    — RollinsWasRight
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:26 PM, 12/18/2008
    John Maine can say whatever he wants, AFTER he learns how to pitch 5 innings without throwing 110 pitches. First learn to throw strikes, then you can tell Cole Hamels what to say, and what not to. And also, if anyone associated with the Mets wants the Phillies to shut up, there are only two things they need to do to make it happen: 1. stop mouthing off themselves when they are in no position to trash talk, and 2. win something on the field AFTER September 10th or so.
    — RollinsWasRight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:28 PM, 12/18/2008
    Ray - the Mets come to Philly Sept 11-13, after which there will be about 16 games left on the schedule. Looks like that series will be the beginning of the end for visitors...
    — RollinsWasRight
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:42 PM, 12/18/2008
    Mets Suck!!
    — kookybeez


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About Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover












Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.

Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
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