Lil' Murph's Diary: Lil' Murph Feels The Pressure

Dear Diary,

I know it's been a long while since I wrote anything here in you. Sorry, my bad.  I was waiting to be in a good stretch with both the team and myself doing well.  But since I can hardly remember back to when that was the case I figured I'd break down and update you right now seeing as how it's time for the All Star break.   The break is a time when us guys who are not All Stars  (ha, ha, - remember back when I was really hitting and some people thought I could be an All Star?) get to not play for a few days.   It's a time for our minor bumps and bruises to heal and get ready for the 2nd half's bumps and bruises.

I have to tell you diary that I can't shake this feeling in my bones that my days as a New York Metropolitan may be numbered.  The other day I was in our clubhouse and noticed that one of the empty lockers near mine now has a sign on it saying, "Future locker of Wilmer Flores."   Now I may not always be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I can put 2 and 2 together sometimes.  This Wilmer (not to be confused with the one from the Flintstones) is a young kid (like 21, ugh) who is hitting real good at Las Vegas and after trying to play every other position there is has settled in at second base -  MY SPOT!

Lil' Murph's Diary: Murph Gets Married

Dear Diary,

Your friend Daniel is no longer a happy-go-lucky single ballplayer but rather a married one.  Tori and I tied the knot about a week ago. So now I'm adjusting to married life.

The wedding was a lot of fun and I had a few of my Mets teammates there for support. Ike was there and so were Ruben, Josh Thole, and of course, my longtime buddy David Wright.

Lil Murph's Diary: The Dark Murph Rises

Dear Diary,

I guess I should title this entry: "I'm good but we suck."

It was a horrible weekend for our Metsies as we managed to lose all three games to the Dodgers.  It's almost like every team has returned from the All Star break except us.


But for me personally I'm on a tear.  The ball looks grapefruit sized again (thank goodness) and I had a heckuva series vs LA except for one error I made.  I had four hits on Friday and another four on Sunday.  On Saturday I didn't start vs the lefty Capuano who I think was on our team last year but that was so long ago.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Murph Goes To The All-Star Game

Dear Diary,

Bet you can't guess where I'm writing you from?  Believe it or not I'm on a bus that will take me from Kansas City (the one in Missouri not the one in some other state) to Atlanta.

You might wonder what I was doing in KC (as the locals call it).  Well I kinda thought I had made the All Star team and flew out here for the big event.  Maybe I should have known something was up when our travel guy didn't supply me with a ticket but rather I had to buy it for myself.  Even using Priceline it cost me a pretty penny.  You hearing that, Mr. Shatner????

Lil' Murph's Diary: With Great Mustache Comes Great Responsibility

Dear Diary,

Well I have to admit it. Your friend Daniel Murphy is in, what they call in baseball slang, A HITTING SLUMP.

It's no fun to admit it, but my batting average, which is used to being well over .300, is now around .270. I still have no home runs and just feel lousy as can be at the plate.

When I'm going normal the baseball looks like a nice big grapefruit and my bat feels like a wide paddle that has no problem smacking it squarely.  Nowadays that ball looks like a tiny grape coming at me at 90 mph and it's like I'm trying to strike it with a #2 pencil.

Lil' Murph's Diary: No-Han Edition

Dear Diary,

By now I imagine you've heard that our ace Johan Santana (I just call him "Johan" - we're just that close) pitched a No Hit game for us Metsies last Friday night.  It was the first time that a Mets pitcher ever did that.  They tell me that Tom Seaver came awfully close a few times a couple of generations ago but no one's done it in modern times until now with Johan.

Lil Murph's Diary: Jose's Return and Two Guys Named Stanton?

Dear Diary,

Well it's been a weird couple of days here in Mets-land so I figured I would catch you up on what's happening.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Little Murph Is Ready For Spring Training

Dear Diary,

It's been a while since I've written so I thought I'd catch you up on what's happening.  Soon we'll be heading down to Florida to start to get ready for the 2012 Major League season.  This is about the first time I'm going down there with a position, sort of.

Lil' Murph's Diary: I'm A Trade Rumor!

Dear Diary,

This is a special week in offseason baseball.  Mr. Alderson and some of his helpers have flown out to Texas to take part in the Winter Meetings.  While other stuff is done I suppose, the winter meetings seem to be all about signing players who are free agents and making trades.  There are a gazillion reporters and bloggers out there so trade rumors come flying out of that area like nobody's business.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Little Murph's Last Diary Entry Of The Season

Dear Diary:

Well the 2011 baseball season is over for the Mets (it was over for me a long time ago but you already knew that).  We didn't make the playoffs, we didn't finish over .500, and for sure we didn't stay healthy.  I guess it was another "didn't" season.

But the news isn't 1000% bad.  Our boy Jose (Reyes of course) won the National League batting championship.  Good for him. Someone told me that no Met has ever done that before.  Betcha that if I'd stayed healthy I coulda given Josie and Braun a run for their money but, well, you know....

Lil' Murph's Diary: A Depressed Lil' Murph Writes To His Diary

Dear Diary,

Hi.  Remember me?  It's been weeks since I wrote and, to tell you the truth, it's because I'm a bit depressed.  My season is over and my stupid knee still hurts.  On the plus side I am getting darn good at hopping on one leg but don't think that that kind of running is going to get it done in spring training next February.

While I'm still super pissed about getting injured, what really has me bummed out is how all my positions are getting taken over by other guys.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Lil' Murph Deep In The Heart Of Texas

Dear Diary,

Well it's off to Detroit for me and my Mets friends.  While it's fun playing in that small ballpark in Texas I tell you I almost melted in the heat.  Ouch.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Lil' Murph Visits The Steel City

Dear Diary,

I am writing to you from on the plane that is taking us from Pittsburgh to Atlanta.  To tell the truth we seemed to be in Pittsburgh so long that I was ready to start apartment hunting.

It was a good and bad trip for me and for the team.  We split the four games and probably shoulda won more.  I got hits in all the games and have my average over .305 so I must be doing something right.

Lil' Murph's Diary: Lil' Murph Gets Some Playing Time

Dear Diary,

Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote to you but I’ve been busy, playing a lot.  Much to catch you up on so let’s have at it.