Shooting From The Lip?

Apologies to Mike Lupica for the title, but something must have gotten under Anthony Rieber's skin to cause him to write such a cranky, bitter, over-the top (and dead-on correct) article today about the current state of The New York Mets.  Rieber makes Wallace Matthews look like a Mets flunkee compared to the ranting going on in this column.  Some highlights...

 

[The Mets] would have been better off trying to get out of the naming-rights contract and giving Citigroup back its $400 million (over the next 20 years). Oh, right, after what Bernie Madoff allegedly did to the Wilpons, they don't have the spare cash right now.

 

They've gotten some of the stink out of that bullpen, but not all of it. Remember, when Billy Wagner went down last season, Sanchez ran under a desk and hid rather than assume the closer role.

If they don't sign or trade for a bat, it's the same lineup as late last season. In fact, it's the same lineup as Opening Day 2008, other than Tatis or Murphy in leftfield. At least the Mets aren't waiting for Moises Alou to return from his 7,893rd DL stint.

Head on over to Newsday for more of the column, and get Rieber's take on Manny, Sheets, Ollie Perez and Pedro Martinez too.