Gary Carter's taken a lot of heat for pimping himself for the Mets manager job during the Willie Randolph Death Watch.

Now he publicly wondering why others have gotten the chance to manage in the big leagues,  speculating on the "pictures Joe Girardi must have on Steinbrenner" in the LA Times.

The NY Times also has a revealing interview with Carter that doesn't exactly paint him in a flattering light.

He was insulted when the Mets didn't promote him to the major league level, instead wanting him to  manage in Double-A Binghamton, a city he referred to as an "armpit." 

"I played 18 years in the major leagues and you’re going to tell me I have to go to Double-A to learn how to do the double switch? I can do that in my sleep."

He also shared his thoughts on why he wasn't hired as the Mets hitting coach:

“Well, I knew they weren’t going to give it to me because I would have been a threat to Willie.”

Carter ends the interview by getting all pissed off. Somehow I don't think all this is helping his chances of making it as a big league manager.


 

Milton Bradley's opinion of tonight's Subway Series starter Sidney Ponson:

"Wow, that dude's got issues."

I'd comment further, but I'm afraid Milton might hunt me down. 

Here's newly crowned Mets manager Jerry Manuel, talking about Jose Reyes throwing a mini-tantrum because he didn't want to be taken out of the game Tuesday night. From the Daily News:

"I told him next time he does that I'm going to get my blade out and cut him. I'm a gangster. You go gangster on me, I'm going to have to get you. You do that again, I'm going to cut you right on the field."

And perhaps this is why Manuel is now the manager. Willie Randolph did joke last month that Omar Minaya was sharpening a machete in the back. Maybe the Mets GM likes a manager who can handle a knife. We all know backstabbing is a highly valued skill in this organization.

C'mon get stabby!

What was that nonsense Joe Morgan was saying last Subway Series about Jose Reyes being a good dancer when it comes to fielding his position? Maybe this was what he was talking about....

I wasn't being sexist with that statement. I actually mean instead of throwing like a grown woman, she throws like a 3-year old girl. You'd think Derek Jeter would have taught her something back in the day, but I guess if you're dating Jeter, there's probably more interesting activities you'd wanna be doing together.

Ichiro Suzuki doesn't like losing: 

"Playing with this team and seeing what is happening around here, I see something beginning to fall apart. If I was objectively watching this team and what's been happening, I'd be drinking a lot of beer and booing."

Wow, I had no idea he was a Mets fan. Who knew?

Ichiro also discussed his tastes in beer:

"I usually like Japanese beer. But after this, I wouldn't care if it was from Japan or from Papua New Guinea."

Props for the Papua New Guinea reference... You can't get any more random than that. Seriously, I've never heard anybody bring up that country in conversation EVER.

In honor of Manny Ramirez's ridiculously insane high-five double play, Baseball Tonight pieced together this hilarious montage of the enigma that is Manny Ramirez.

One word: Ew.

Some excerpts from the Daily News:

[Jason Giambi] revealed Friday he slips on a gold lamé thong with a flame-line waistband when he's trying to get out of a hitting slump - and he's shared it with his teammates.

"It works every time," Giambi told the Daily News after his secret was outed on Portfolio.com.

I've never pictured Giambi in a thong until today, and I can't get the horrible image out of my mind. Thank you, Daily News. Thanks a lot.

Anyway... even the captain himself, Derek Jeter, has donned the thong. Says Jeter:

"I had it over my shorts and stuff. I was 0-for-32 and I hit a homer on the first pitch. That's the only time I've ever worn it."

Johnny Damon on why the magic thong works:

"You're not worrying about your hands or your balance at the plate. You're worried about the uncomfortable feeling you're receiving."

Jorge Posada was asked if Giambi washes the thong between wearings:

"Ask Jason. Jason is a little strange."

That's coming from a man who pees on his own hands.

Giambi also admitted to hanging the thong in the lockers of slumping teammates, including Robinson Cano, Bernie Williams, and Robin Ventura.

Props to the NY Post, by the way, for the photo they chose to accompany their Giambi-thong article.

Mets reliever Joe Smith got pissed off at the heckling Cubs fans at Wrigley last Tuesday:

Paul Lo Duca, on his former team, the Mets (Washington Post)

"I want them to lose every game."

From the context, I'm not sure if he meant all of his team's games against the Mets, or just all of the Mets games in general. Regardless, Lo Duca is prepared for a warm reception:

"I got a great last name, because if they're booing me, I could just say, 'They're saying Duke!'"

No, they were saying Boo-urns...