Opening day a Success!

1-0, I'm loving it already!

161 to go :-)

Spring Training is Finally Here

...So after more than 4 months of not so hot "Hot Stove", pitchers and catchers officially report to Port St Lucie tomorrow.

Jerry Manuel arrived today at camp and told reporters he would speak to them all Saturday morning at 9am.

Many other Mets have shown up ahead of schedule including: All starting pitchers, Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Ryan Church and most of the relivers including new set up man JJ Putz.

Putz has already gotten into the jokester action, smashing a pie into Kevin Burkhardts face after an interview during a showing of Mets Hot Stove last night.

I'm really excited to get the offseason into my rearview mirror and get the 2009 season underway.

Let's go Mets!!!

Mets Update - Tuesday

...So, is anyone else getting sick of hearing all these opinions about a book that no one has even read yet? I listen to WFAN religiously, and from 7:45 this morning until 7pm tonight, it was non stop on the whole Joe Torre book situation.

Can we at least wait until we read the actual book, before we start making judgments and accusations into Torre's character, agenda and overall Yankee legacy?

Anyway, on to more important things - I'll give you the topic first, and then the update:

Oliver Perez - There are contradicting reports from both Anthony Rieber at Newsday, who says the Mets and Perez are "A little bit closer" to a deal; And Jon Heyman at SI.com, who says "Talks have slowed in the last day or so". In all honesty, I'm sure it's possible that both are true. How so you ask?

Well, in my opinion it's true that talks may have slowed the last day or so, which would lead you to believe that they are farther apart than we thought last Friday, but as the days wind on it's becoming painfully obvious that the market for Perez seemingly starts and ends with the New York Mets. Because of that, Boras and company may have to come to terms that the 5/$75 million deal Ollie was initially looking for just isn't there. Ultimately, that would bring them a little bit closer to reaching a deal, just as Rieber says in Newsday.

Rieber also goes on to say that the mets are "Having dialogue" with the agents for Sheets, Garland and Wolf. Breaking news, I know :-)

Manny Ramirez - Apparently the market for Manny Ramirez is starting to "Heat up" as noted in an article for MLB.com by Ken Gunrick.

Scott Boras is quoted as saying: "We are negotiating with several teams," The process has begun and we'll see where it takes us."

From the articles author, Ken Gunrick:

"Boras said interest in Ramirez has perked up over the last week, but he would not specify the number of clubs involved. He said he remains in regular contact with general manager Ned Colletti of the Dodgers, who tried to re-sign the left fielder with an initial two-year, $45 million offer (plus an option) that was ignored and withdrawn. "

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com, who's opinion I take very seriously since he pretty much called the entire Johan Santana deal last year 2 months before it happened, said that he has a feeling that the Mets may not be completely out on Manny.

The following blurb comes directly from Matt at MetsBlog.com:

i know what Omar Minaya has said, and i know what Jeff Wilpon has said, but i still get this small, tiny feeling that Manny Ramirez is not totally a dead subject for the Mets… again, this is just a hunch, because i have never been told, by people i trust, that it’s a dead issue… instead, i always get the stock answer, that the team is focused on pitching… which is not necessarily a flat no.

don’t get me wrong, i still think he’ll end up with the Dodgers, because it’s a perfect marriage on so many levels – even though i believe he prefers to play in New York… i just have to think Scott Boras will have at least one substantive conversation with minaya about ramirez before all is said and done, if for no other reason than boras is clearly waiting to see what the Mets do before locking manny in to a deal some place else.

Mets signed 3 minor league players - On top of the signing of Rob Mackowiak, the Mets also signed 2 other minor leaguers. They are right handed pitcher Kyle Snyder and left handed pitcher Jon Switzer. They all received spring training invitations and will have the opportunity to make the team out of spring training.

Jerry Manuel interviewed and speaks about team and Manny - Here is a quote from Jerry Manuel on Manny Ramirez from MLB.com:

“It’s rare that you get that type of talent. Would you like to add that? Yeah. Would you like to add something else? Yeah. But hey, we have to deal with what we have… And we have a pretty good team. We feel like we have enough tools to make it to the playoffs.”

Does it sound like he wants Manny?

Monday in Metland

...Not much happening today in Mets world.

Andy Pettitte finally signed a 1-year incentive laden deal with the Yankees. That means the Yankees are definitely out on Ben Sheets, which at least helps keep the price down if the Mets decide to go after him.

The Seattle Times interviews it's newest pitcher, Aaron Heilman to and asks him about his role with the Mariners this year and his time in New York. Thanks to MetsBlog for the link.

Nothing yet on the Oliver Perez front, I guess even though the Mets were "Hoping to reach a deal by the end of the weekend", it didn't really matter to the ever patient Scott Boras.

On that note, Brooklyn Met Fan wrote a letter to Scott Boras on his blog, it's pretty funny so check it out!

Sunday Morning Roundup

...It's been another quiet weekend for Mets fans. Nothing significant has happened on the free agent or trade front regarding either the Mets starting rotation or their lineup.

The Mets did however make 1 small signing, inking Rob Mackowiak to a $600,000 minor league contract.

From the Ny Post:

If Mackowiak makes the team he will have a base salary of $600,000 and he has a chance to earn an additional $200,000 in bonuses depending on plate appearances between 250 and 500.

Mackowiak, 32, played in just 38 games with the Nationals before being released. He hit .132 for Washington. He finished the season playing 49 games for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate.

I guess they're trying to corner the market on light hitting, defense first, left handed outfielders. With the signing of Mackowiak, Corey Sullivan & the trade for Jeremy Reed they now have 3 of those with MLB experience to choose from.

What else? The Mets may have leaked the information of possibly being ready to offer a 4th year to Oliver Perez, but only if the yearly total is lessened. What a typical Met move.

In a blog post by Jon Heyman at SI.com, he had the following to say:

The Mets are believed to have improved their original thought, which was for about $30 million over three years. But it isn't certain what their latest offer is.

Perez remains the Mets' top choice for the final spot in their rotation, though the team has remained in contact with three other free-agent pitchers -- Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Ben Sheets. They know they'd have competition for Wolf (Dodgers), Garland (Diamondbacks) and Sheets (Rangers, possibly Yankees) but aren't sure what other teams are competing for Perez.

The Mets had been hopeful to land free agent Derek Lowe earlier but were surprised when the rival Braves outbid them by $24 million, landing Lowe with a $60-million, four-year contract. Perez, 27, is eight years younger than Lowe, though not quite as consistent.

Mets GM Omar Minaya would love to import Perez, so the Mets are not likely to take one of the other pitchers unless he feels his chances for Perez are gone.

Check out www.MetsBlog.com for all other weekend stories!

David Wright "OK" with Manny

...David Wright was asked about his feelings towards Manny Ramirez, and whether or not he would be "OK" with Manny being a Met.

"I would be on board with Manny 100 percent assuming that he comes in and puts the team first and wants to be part of this thing and wants to win,"

Wright said today during an appearance at Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park.

A story out of Bloomberg news today, has quoted Jeff Wilpon as saying:

"I know the perception out there again is that ownership said no (To Manny),"

Wilpon told reporter Danielle Sessa in an interview at Citi Field.

"I don't have the opportunity to say no because Omar hasn't brought it to me as an option."

So basically, Jeff Wilpon is either flat out lying or Omar Minaya, who has been linked to rumors with Manny Ramirez for what seems like forever, is just not that interested anymore. If you ask me, I just think they're both playing dumb. You can't tell me that Manny Ramirez has NEVER been discussed at any level since the end of the season. Blame the bullpen all you want for the end of the '08 season, but the Mets were still in position to make the playoffs despite their terrible bullpen. It was their lack of clutch hitting that ultimately ended their 2008 season, not just the bullpen. A clutch guy like Manny Ramirez was exactly what they needed.

I personally am torn on Ramirez. I mean, I'd love to see him on the Mets, but at what cost? It's obvious the Mets aren't the Yankees and regardless of what Jeff Wilpon says about Omar's "Total flexibility" with the payroll, if the Mets were to get Ramirez it would mean they may not get someone else. Not just this year, but next year and possibly the year after depending on the contract signed. I'm just not sure I would want to commit more than 2 years on such a headcase who is 37 years old and can barely play the outfield anymore.

Another side of this debate, is the possibility of hindering the development of #1 prospect, 20 year old Fernando Martinez. Martinez, who has been compared to Manny Ramirez, is expected to be the Mets left fielder at some point in either 2009 or 2010. If we signed Ramirez, it would then create a stop gap in left field. Where would F-Mart go then?

The bottom line here is, I just don't think it's going to happen. For whatever reason, they just don't seem to be in the market for Manny Ramirez.

In my opinion, if the Mets ever were to get Manny Ramirez, it would have already happened last season when the Red Sox basically gave him away to the Dodgers and paid for most of his salary.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets new "Home Run Apple"

...Here is a great story from the Daily News, which talks about the Mets new "Home run apple".

"Workers in Minnesota are putting the finishing touches on the new Home Run Apple, a bigger, shinier and more advanced version of the Shea curio that inspired strong feelings among fans who either adored or hated its hokiness. The new apple will be installed at Citi Field in early February, according to Mark Silvera, who designed it along with fellow engineer Andrew Agosto. Look for the Mets to have a ceremony when the apple is unveiled, although the team declined comment Wednesday.

"I guess somebody has made a giant pop-up apple before, but when we were going through the process, we wanted to have it be bigger, better and more reliable," said Silvera, an engineer at Uni-Systems, the Minneapolis engineering firm hired to build it. "It'll be exciting to see it installed and then see how fans respond to it."

...I was never one who thought the old Apple should be used the same way at Citi Field. I'm all for it being displayed in a museum at the stadium, but to have that crappy piece of old fiberglass shooting out of the beautiful new Citi Field just doesn't make sense.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets sign Freddy Garcia to minor league deal

The New York Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia, according to the Daily News. If Garcia makes the major league team out of spring training, and hits all incentives, the deal could be worth up to $9 million dollars.

CLICK HERE FOR GARCIA'S CAREER NUMBERS

...I think this is a great pick-up by the Mets. I actually thought this may happen last season, but given the fact Garcia was shut down after 3 starts after signing with Detroit, it was probably wise to wait and see what happened with his shoulder.

Before his injury in 2007 Garcia, 32, was one of the most consistent innings eaters in baseball. He had pitched over 200 innings in 7 out of 10 seasons from 1999-2006 (228 innings pitched in 2005). He also has big game postseason experience. In 2005, Garcia then with the White Sox, started the clinching game of the World Series. He pitched 7 innings and only allowed 1 run with 7 strike outs. His overall playoff numbers are as follows: 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA with 45 strike outs and 22 walks.

Over the past 2 seasons, the Mets lack of depth in their starting rotation has left with in some very bad positions in some very important games. Does anyone remember Phil Humber being forced to make his major league debut in the midst of the Mets 2007 collapse. How about guys like Brandon Knight, Claudio Vargas and Nelson Figueroa? How did those guys help us down the stretch last season? Every team goes through injuries in their pitching staff at some point during the season. It's very important to have depth. Don't get me wrong, the bullpen has been a major problem the past 2 seasons; but would it have even gotten to that point if the Mets had better starting pitcher options? Maybe someone who could pitch more than 5 innings?

So as of right now, the Mets pitching staff has the following options:

Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Tim Redding, Jonathon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Brian Stokes, Freddy Garcia, Nelson Figueroa and then hopefully 1 of either Oliver Perez, Ben Sheets or Jon Garland (In that order for me).

Some may say that Minaya is stock piling pitchers because of an interest in Ben Sheets. With his injury history, they may want to make sure they're covered in case he gets hurt again. I honestly think Perez is their first choice, the fact that he's 27 and a lefty can not be overlooked.

Summary:

Worst case scenario, Freddy Garcia doesn't make the team and pitches in AAA all season, or gets hurt again. Best case scenario, Garcia maximizes his incentive based contract by making the major league roster and reaching all criteria for the $9 million dollar incentivized contract. I don't know the exact details of the contract, but I'm sure it would have Garcia pitching at least 180 innings or so. MLB teams are not allowed to use ERA as part of the incentives on player contracts, but wins and innings pitched are ok. So anyway, if all goes perfectly the Mets have themselves a very solid #5 starter. And that's what he was brought in to be folks, someone who will be competing for a #5 starter job. Tim Redding can work out of the bullpen as a long man (Which he already has said he would be ok with). Plus it gives Jon Niese the opportunity to develop during the year in AAA. That way he can master his skill and be ready later in the season or in 2010.

I say good move by Omar Minaya and the Mets.

Next move - Sign Oliver Perez or Ben Sheets.

Obviously, I was wrong on Lowe

...Based on the last post I wrote, I wanted to at least admit that I was wrong. Obviously, Atlanta missing out on Furcal, Peavey, Burnett and then finally Smoltz put them in a desperate position which forced them to give Lowe the 4th year and extra money per season.

There was basically a perfect storm that ultimately turned into the contract that Derek Lowe signed with Atlanta. I would not have given him that kind of deal either, you can get the same kind of numbers from a much cheaper alternative. Besides, at the end of that contract Derek Lowe will be 40. Wouldn't you rather see the Mets spend that kind of money on someone a little bit younger? Like Oliver Perez or Ben Sheets?

Lowe lucked out, simple as that.

By the way, here is a link to something that you may not have known about Derek Lowe:

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK

The Derek Lowe negotiations

The latest on the Derek Lowe offer from Jon Heyman of SI.com:

"The Mets made an offer of about $36 million over three years, as first reported by the New York Times. However, indications are that Lowe isn't seriously considering that proposal, and that several other teams are currently leading the chase.

Lowe is believed to be seeking a salary close to $16 million, so the Mets' initial offer isn't really in the ballpark. Burnett received $82.5 million over five years from the Yankees, who at one time were also talking to Lowe."

Joel Sherman of the NY Post also wrote about the deal that Carlos Silva received last season (4 years for 52 million) and how Lowe considers himself "Far superior to Silva".

...Why should Omar just throw "Burnett" money at Derek Lowe? Is anybody else?

If he is worth that kind of money, why hasn't he received that offer? Burnett and Sabathia signed almost a month ago, Lowe was next in line. The only reason it has spilled into January is because Lowe's demands are not in line with what his possible suitors have gauged his value at. The only thing he can do is wait, and hope a higher offer comes in. But the man is going to be 36 years old for crying out loud, 16-18 million a year? For Derek Lowe? A lifetime #3 starter? Maybe last year, but in my opinion NEVER this year.

For years, the players have had the upper hand in negotiations, the economy was inflated and for a proven FA there were generally multiple teams bidding for their services. It was a SELLERS MARKET. Let's also be honest here, prices across the board have been grossly inflated since the Feds lowered interest rates after 9/11 Anyone remember gas prices the past few years? Home values at their peak in 2005?

Open your eyes and look around at today's economy. I realize Carlos Silva got a ridiculous deal last year, but that was last year and there were ZERO free agent starters available. That's why the Mets waited until Feb on Santana.

The bottom line here is that today's free agent market place is a BUYERS MARKET. Many possible free agents, and less teams able to spend the kind of money it will take to land them.

After Derek Lowe, there are many other quality starting pitchers available so if Lowe wants to balk at the Mets offer, they can just move on to another FA. Where will Derek Lowe go if he loses the Mets?

This can only mean one thing for a guy like Derek Lowe. He can say he wants 16 mill a year and that he considers himself a "Far superior" pitcher to Carlos Silva; but if no team out there offers it to him he will be forced to accept the Mets lowball offer, which may very well wind up being the highest offer on the table at the end of the day.

You can call the Mets cheap all you want, and if another team sneaks in and offers more money I will consider myself wrong on this. But I think Omar Minaya is doing a great job of reading the market place and not bidding against himself.

Think of it this way, if you were involved in an auction for the car of your dreams and placed a bid. Would you raise that bid if no one else came in to offer more? You would want to get it for the best price possible right?

Well it's the same thing here, regardless of what writers in the papers say or people on blogs write.

Omar Minaya is showing his savviness in negotiations and reading the market place for what it is. He is not allowing anyone or any "Opinions" to sway him from his position. I think ultimately you may see a vesting option for a 4th year and the yearly value slightly increased, but only if Scott Boras is able to entice any competition. Otherwise, you may see Lowe sign for the initial offer probably holding out until right before spring training. Just like Boras did with Kyle Lohse last off season.

Thomas G Brophy on Wall of Fame

I would like to take this opportunity to post an article that references my brother Thomas G Brophy. Thomas was a NYPD officer and is a "Post 9/11" casualty who died "In the line of duty" on April 21, 2005.

My family and I will be attending next Wednesday' ceremonies at 1 Police Plaza and also at the Empire State Building. It will be a bittersweet experience for sure, but I know that Thomas would have wanted this.
The following comes from the "Officers Down Memorial Page" and is a synopsis of the death of Officer Thomas G Brophy:

"Police Officer Thomas Brophy died of metastatic colon cancer that was caused by inhaling toxic materials while partaking in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.Officer Brophy had served with the New York City Police Department for 16 years, and is survived by his wife and 2-year-old son. He was assigned to the 109th Precinct.On the morning of September 11, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed two of four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. After the impact of the first plane, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved. As the evacuation continued, the first tower unexpectedly collapsed due as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The second tower collapsed a short time later. 71 law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site.A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash. The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon.The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.On September 9, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill, and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers."

The following article comes from the NY Post:

April 28, 2008 -- Eight city cops who succumbed to 9/11 dust-related illnesses will be memorialized on the NYPD's "Wall of Heroes" for officers killed in the line of duty - a poignant nod to their kin, who spent years battling City Hall over how the deaths should be classified.
The decision by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to include the names of the fallen officers on the memorial at One Police Plaza will culminate May 7 in an emotional ceremony at which he and Mayor Bloomberg will preside.

"We are happy about it, but it's been a long battle," said Joseph Zadroga, whose son, Detective James Zadroga, died in January 2006 from lung disease after spending about 450 hours at Ground Zero.

For years, sickened officers and their families sparred with Bloomberg over whether their illnesses were caused by their logging hundreds of hours at the smoking pile of the World Trade Center and at the Fresh Kills landfill.

There are still about 3,000 related claims by police officers or their families that have yet to be resolved, according to lawyers.

"Little by little, the layers of denial are peeling away," said lawyer David Worby, who represents 8,000 first responders and recovery workers sickened after days toiling at the trade center site. "The city is no longer denying that a high percentage of people who spent a significant period of time there are sick."

Mayor Bloomberg vehemently fought paying out death benefits to relatives of Ground Zero responders, claiming it will cost the city too much money. Kelly, like many officials, had remained largely on the sidelines, awaiting more medical evidence.
The ceremony shows how far the city has come, supporters say.
Kelly, referring to the ceremony to honor the eight on the wall of "Names of Those of Who Died in Performance of Duty," said in a statement:

"Each of these eight individuals . . . assisted in rescue and recovery efforts. It is only fitting that they be recognized in this fashion."

Policemen's Benevolent Association head Patrick Lynch praised Kelly for adding the names.

"Had there been no attack, these officers would be alive today," Lynch said.
At the formal ceremony, police officers James Godbe, Thomas Brophy, Ronald Weintraub and Angelo Peluso and Detectives Zadroga, John Young, Kevin Hawkins and Robert Williamson will have their plaques unveiled.

Zadroga was the first to have his deadly illness "officially" linked to toxins inhaled at Ground Zero. His case prompted New York lawmakers to pass a bill awarding accidental-death benefits to relatives of afflicted Ground Zero responders. He and the others to be honored all died between 2004 and 2007 and had their deaths formally declared as having occurred in the line of duty.

"This is obviously very important to me and my children and Bob's family," said Maureen Williamson, who lost her detective husband, Robert, in May after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

Here is another article from CBS news:

New York City's 9/11 "Wall Of Heroes" will now include names of police officers who died well after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The city will honor eight officers who succumbed to illnesses related to working amid the toxic debris at ground zero, the New York Post reports. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg will preside over a May 9 ceremony paying tribute to eight fallen officers who died from a litany of diseases linked to their work at the site of the World Trade Center, the Post reports. One of those officers will be Det. James Zadroga, who died of a respiratory disease in 2006 after spending more than 400 hours sifting through the smoldering ruins at ground zero. "It’s a bittersweet victory," Joseph Zadroga, James's father, told CBS News.com. "It's joyful but I'd rather have him here," he said. "I know it's something that Jimmy would want."

James Zadroga was the first NYPD officer to have his death directly linked to his work at ground zero. Subsequently, he emerged as a symbol for the plight of thousands whose health rapidly deteriorated after their long days toiling in the rubble at ground zero. Last May, a woman who died of lung disease five months after Sept. 11, 2001 was added to the medical examiner's list of attack victims. It marked the first time the city officially linked a death to the toxic dust caused by the World Trade Center's collapse. However, the city has long resisted adding names of sick 9/11 responders who died to the official victim's list - despite mounting medical evidence that suggests a strong link.

Of the 70,000 people taking part in Mount Sinai Medical Center's World Trade Center health study, 85 percent are suffering some kind of respiratory problem. Medical experts now say the toxic cloud sparked at ground zero has not only caused severe breathing problems in the short term but also will likely spawn diseases like cancer in the years to come. The mounting medical evidence has put pressure on lawmakers to fund monitoring and treatment for sick responders. In addition to Zadroga, the Post reports that those receiving plaques on the wall include police officers James Godbe, Thomas Brophy, Ronald Weintraub and Angelo Peluso and Detectives John Young, Kevin Hawkins, and Robert Williamson.

To all JM Mets Blog readers

...I apologize for the lack of writing the past few weeks - I have been very busy and unable to sit down and write.

Please visit Metsblog.com or Mets.com for all your Mets info!

Father of two dies after sliding off escalator railing

...What a horrible story from Fox Sports:

A Mets fan leaving the game last night lost his balance while descending an escalator at Shea Stadium and plummeted two stories to his death - as his two young daughters watched in horror, authorities said.

Antonio Narainasami, 36, of Brooklyn, was with several other relatives on a family outing, when the tragedy took place around 10 p.m. in Section A near left field.

At home was the fan's wife, who is pregnant with their third child.

The victim, a Guyanese native, who lived in Cypress Hills and worked in air conditioning repair and installation, was taken to New York Hospital Queens, where he was pronounced dead.

His cousin, Kevin Prashad, who was there, said Narainasami had been walking down the escalator, which was turned off.

"He lost his footing somehow and then he went over the railing," said Prashad, 28.

"He had his kids with him - they were walking right behind him.

"We saw his whole body go over the side. There's no explanation for what happened there. It's like a nightmare."

But one police source said authorities are looking into the possibility the victim may have been sliding on the rubber railing.

"We were just on a night out to Shea Stadium - we're all diehard Mets fans, the whole family," Prashad said.

Added Vinnie Narainasami, another cousin:

"He was one of the best guys I've ever known," noting Narainasami was "really excited" about the game because "it's his favorite team."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Omar in no hurry to update rotation

...Great article from Newsday regarding the status of the Mets rotation, and who they may be interested in on the free agent side, including Claudio Vargas and Robinson Tejada.

I am a big supporter of a possible signing of Freddy Garcia, as long as it comes on the cheap. Of course I'd like for them to wait and see with his health and all, but I think there could be a very good fit there.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Q & A with Tom Glavine

Here is a great Q & A from Adam Rubin at the Daily News - He gets to spend a little time with former met Tom Glavine:

Say what you want about Tom Glavine’s last performance as a Met, but he’s a first-class guy who never wanted to leave Atlanta in the first place. The Braves’ last-minute, final offer to Glavine before he left for the Mets was for roughly $10 million a year for three years. But that’s misleading, because the entire third-year salary was deferred without interest, making the average annual value much less.

What was it like putting on a Braves uniform again?

“It was an adjustment, just like when I put on the Mets jersey for the first time. It obviously wasn’t as severe because I have a familiarity here, with this ballpark and Bobby (Cox) and John (Smoltz) and Chipper (Jones). But it still felt different. I think in my mind, I knew, ‘All right, you’re making a change.’ And there’s a little bit of uneasiness that comes with that. Obviously it’s a little bit easier to settle in because I do have history here and I have familiarity here.”

Had you been looking ahead to Saturday’s start against the Mets?

“Yeah, I have. … It will be different pitching against those guys, just like pitching against Atlanta was always different than any other team I pitched against when I was with New York. Pitching against the Mets is going to be the same way.”

Really, the same way? You can’t have the same emotional attachment to New York.

“It’s probably not as much, simply because I spent 16 years here. But I think it’s more than people give it credit for. Even though I was only there for five years, I made some good friends there. And those five years had a good impact on me as a person and on me as a player. The emotional ties that I had there are much greater, I think, than people give it credit for. Because of that, it’s going to be different, but it’s not going to be like that first time I faced the Braves after being here for 16 years and felt like everybody on the team and in the ballpark knew everything I was doing. It won’t be that extreme, but it’ll be close.”

What about the treatment from Atlanta fans, many of whom were upset with you?

“Like I’ve said, I’m not naïve enough to sit here and say everybody in Atlanta is going to be thrilled that I’m back. I know that there are some people that aren’t, and will continue to not be. Those people that are set in their ways like that, you can’t change their minds. But I think that the overwhelming majority of people will feel good and feel positive about me being back, especially if I pitch well and help this team get back to the postseason.”

Did former GM John Schuerholz’s book, where he revealed that you met with him on the eve of the press conference in Flushing because of reservations, make you a sympathetic figure to some extent to Atlantans?

“I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know why people needed to hear that from John or read it in a book, because I made no bones about that fact that when I was facing free agency, my goal was to stay in Atlanta. It just didn’t work. Maybe his explanation in the book gives people different insight on it, more so than, ‘Oh, he’s just a greedy player and it was all about the money.’ I still think there are people that feel that way, but maybe there are people who were on the fence who are a little bit more understanding. I don’t know.”

If Frank Wren hadn’t replaced Schuerholz as GM, would you be here?

“I think so. I think at the end of the day, regardless of what happened between me and John, I don’t think it remained or continued to be a personal thing. I think in the end me coming here obviously made sense for me personally, and I think it makes sense for them business-wise. I don’t see that that would have been too hard to overcome.”

How good can the Braves be?

“I like our team. I think offensively we’ve got a really good lineup. We obviously have some questions with our pitching with John (Smoltz) being a little bit banged up now. Obviously with Mike (Hampton) being hurt the last couple of years, people are keeping their fingers crossed with him. There’s some uncertainty, maybe a little bit, in the bullpen. But I think most teams are the same way. Most teams probably have their fingers crossed with one or two of their starting pitchers and have some uncertainty in the bullpen, so I don’t think we’re any different in that regard. But I like our team. We’ve got a nice mix of young superstars like (Brian) McCann and (Jeff) Francoeur and some veteran guys like myself, and Chipper and (Mark) Teixeira and John. It’s a good mix. Obviously everybody is talking about Philly and New York, and rightfully so. The Phillies are the defending champs and the Mets added the best pitcher in baseball, so they deserve the talk that they’re getting. But I think our division is going to be extremely competitive and it’s going to come down to the same thing it seems to come down to for the last 130 years - whoever stays healthy and pitches the best is going to win.”

You feel slighted not being part of a self-proclaimed team to beat?

“No, that’s okay. They can declare that and we can lay in the weeds. That’ll be fine.”

So what about that word?

“The ‘devastation’ word?”

Yeah. Do you think you were trying to be too intellectual with your answer at a moment when fans were emotional?

“Perhaps. The easy thing to do would be say, ‘Oh, gee, of course I’m devastated.’ I guess that’s not where I’m at in my life, you know, whether it’s maturity or being a dad or just everyday life where you see tragic things happen. It bothered me more than any other game I’ve ever pitched. Look, I’m pretty good about leaving things at the ballpark. But I didn’t leave that at the ballpark. That got on the plane with me and went home with me and was with me for a good week after the season. There aren’t too many games that I lose sleep over three or four nights later. I might lose sleep that night, but that bothered me. It bothered me because of what it meant to that team. It bothered me because of what it meant to me individually. It bothered me knowing that was going to be the last image of the end of that season. It was all of those things. It couldn’t have bothered me any more than it did. It’s just that word, the way I look at it, you get a phone call that tells you, ‘Hey, your son is terminally ill.’ That’s a heck of a lot different feeling than I’m going to have over a baseball game. That’s just where I was trying to come from.”

Was your time in New York a success? After all, there was only one postseason appearance in five years, and your coming to Flushing was supposed to be when the Mets passed the Braves.

“It depends on what you judge success by. Obviously we didn’t win a World Series, so from that standpoint it wasn’t as successful as I would have liked. It’s like so many things in life that you take on. You want to leave something better than it was than when you got there. And there’s no question in my mind the Mets organization is a better organization than when I got there. Was I a part of that? Absolutely. How much of a part? Well, people can argue that. But it was a change of regime over there and they were doing a change in direction. Much like this organization here, when they turned things around, they started by bringing in guys who were winners, who were good character guys, to try to change the image of the organization. I was a part of the start of that. And then a lot of guys followed and made us a better team while I was there. Now they’re one of the premier organizations in baseball. I view it a success in that regard. It’s a much better organization than it was five years ago.”

Rain falls on Maine in postponement

With a steady rain falling and the radar showing lots more to come, Friday night's series opener between the Mets and Braves at Turner Field was officially postponed.

The game will be rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on May 20, with the first game beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET and the second game starting as scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

The Mets' rotation will not be adversely affected, as Friday night's scheduled starter, John Maine, will start on Saturday, with Johan Santana making his scheduled start on Sunday afternoon. Mike Pelfrey, who was to make his 2008 debut on Saturday will instead take the ball on Wednesday at Shea against the Phillies.

Atlanta will push its rotation back a day, with Friday night's scheduled starter, Tim Hudson, going on Saturday and Saturday's starter, Tom Glavine, facing off against Santana on Sunday.

Tickets for Friday night's game will be honored for the first game of the May 20 doubleheader.

Mets Vs. Braves Weekend series

Ok so here we go - Here comes one of the most hated Mets teams over the last 10 years or so, the Braves.

The games are being played in Atlanta, where the Mets had barely any luck until 2006.

The pitching matchups are as follows:

Tonight: Postponed due to rain

Saturday: John Maine Vs. Tim Hudson

Sunday: Johan Santana Vs. John Smoltz Let's get ready for a great series!

Mets interested in Rich Harden?

...Here is an article form SF Gate regarding the Mets possible interest in Rich Harden from Oakland. Possible interest meaning that the writer of this story "Knows" the Mets must be interested since he looked so great in his debut.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets-Braves series to set tone in East

...Another great article from Mets.com.

The start of the NL East pennant race gets going tonight with the first meeting of the Mets and the Braves. With Tom Glavine now back on the Braves, this should be a very intersting series.

David Wright has heard a thing or two about this Tom Glavine guy. Wright might even believe he's familiar with the man who once owned a Shea Stadium locker just a few yards away -- before realizing, of course, that he knows nothing at all.

"I am excited about facing him," Wright said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "I want to see what it's like, see the legend and the myth."

Wright's short wait is over. The Mets and Braves will face each other for the first time this season, playing three games in Atlanta beginning on Friday. Mets fans might view the series with a measure of vengeance, still steaming over Glavine's poor final outing at Shea Stadium and subsequent defection to his hometown Braves. But regardless of whether or not that's fair, the Mets and Braves have more pressing issues on their agendas. This is the first of many critical series that should help decide the National League East.

"I think it can set the tone," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "It's the first time you see each other. You see where you stand right away."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Hamstring strain sends Pedro to DL

...This comes from Mets.com:

The right one is a size 11 high top; the left one is the same size but a traditional low cut. And only the high top has been modified to alleviate stress in the large toe. If the Mets are looking to fill the shoes left unoccupied by Pedro Martinez on Tuesday night, they can start there, with those specifications, though finding someone who could slip into Martinez's customized Nike spikes probably will be a less daunting task that finding a pitcher of equal quality and presence.

In no way is this a Cinderella story. Martinez is down, assigned to disabled list exile probably until the middle of next month. The Mets are down a tad, too, though in a different way. They had such high hopes for a successful start. And now this -- a mild strain of Martinez's left hamstring -- has the pitcher walking with a limp and them thinking with a hitch in their giddyup.

"It would have been cool to see them go 1-2 for three or four turns [of the rotation]," catcher Brian Schneider said of Johan Santana and Martinez. "But that hammy got Pedro right away. So we'll just have to make due."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Pedro & El Duque and wasted money

...When you sit and think about it, it's pretty sad that the Mets are paying over 20 million dollars this season for the contracts of Pedro Martinez & Orlando Hernandez, and neither of them can pitch. Now we have to rely on guys like Jorge Sosa, Nelson Figuerora and Brian Stokes to help us tread water until El Duque or Pedro are ready to come back.

Can you imagine if we didn't get Johan and this happened?

Maybe Omar should think a little more about the age restrictions of pitchers, and try to get a little younger in the rotation going forward. Trusting 2 key spots to pitchers over the age of 36 is always going to be a crap shoot.

Buster Olney on Pedro injury

Pedro Martinez pulled from game due to injury

...This comes from the NY Post blog:

A rough season debut for Pedro Martinez got even rougher in the fourth inning tonight.

After giving up two home runs and four runs overall, Pedro was lifted after straining his left hamstring on a pitch to Marlins catcher Matt Treanor.

Martinez grimaced in pain as soon as he threw the pitch, which resulted in a groundout to third. After talking with him near the mound, Willie Randolph pulled him in favor of Jorge Sosa.

The Mets were trailing 4-3 at the time of the injury. More details to come

D Wright extends hitting streak

...Great article from Mets.com which takes a closer look into David Wright' great performance in yesterday's home opener.

Wright had the following to say about his current hitting streak and what he cares about:

"If I can keep driving in some runs and scoring some runs, I'll take that over a hitting streak," he said. "I need to get off to a better start than I did last year. I wasn't too happy about my April [in 2007]."

"I want production," he said. "I want to drive balls into the gaps, score runs and drive some runs in. You can have the home runs. Let me drive in some runs and set up the guys behind me."

"Our offense absolutely clicks when we keep the line moving," he said, meaning when the Mets are able to get a number of hitters on base. "We don't necessarily get the big towering home run -- we take some pitches, get on base."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Johan Santana is best changeup of all

...Another great article from The Daily News. The article takes a closer look into Johan Santana and how having him on the Mets is such a great thing.

The following comes from the article:

"Here is a different sort of lefty starter, a bit of Yankee-style, big-market thievery. Santana is a Cy Young winner transplanted in mid-delivery at age 29 from one of those pathetic, budget-strapped franchises in the Midwest.

Easy to use: Just plug him into the mound and watch the pop-ups.

"How many times do you get a guy this good, in his prime, at his best?" said Ron Darling, who was here Monday as an SNY announcer to describe Santana's three-hit debut. "You see everything with him. For Dwight, it never quite happened that his physical and intellectual talents came together at the same time. For Dwight, the excitement was watching a boy striking out men."

That is not the case with Santana, the plug-in. He is a fully-certified adult, with portfolio. The word you hear the most about him, from Willie Randolph and everyone else this spring, is "professional."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Randolph gets third degree after Mets win

...Unfortunately, I didn't see the actual play involving Castillo not running. It seems as though the NY writers thought it was pretty significant because they would not let Randolph off the hook about it.

This comes from Newsday:

"With two outs and Castillo on first, Beltran punched a soft liner to shallow center that a diving Cody Ross momentarily had in his glove before the ground knocked it out.Castillo did look back to check on the ball, and third-base coach Sandy Alomar held him at third when he noticed shortstop Hanley Ramirez picking it up. But Ramirez immediately dropped the ball, and had Castillo been hustling around, he probably would have scored.

The part that surprised Randolph, however, was why someone would seize on that play as the third question after a decisive Opening Day victory that included an eight-strikeout performance by Johan Santana."Luis is still not quite 100 percent, so maybe he's just being safe," Randolph said. When other reporters jumped in, saying he stopped running, Randolph laughed and replied: "Did he? I'll chastise him later then. I'll beat him ... What about Santana? ... Maybe I won't play Castillo tomorrow."Randolph, though exasperated by the questions, was joking."

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEWSDAY ARTICLE

CLICK HERE FOR A DAILY NEWS ARTICLE

New York Mets 7 - Florida Marlins 2

...This comes from Marty Noble @ Mets.com:

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE BOXSCORE

In his ongoing effort to de-emphasize the significance of his debut with the Mets and defuse at least some of the stir it had produced, Johan Santana said -- almost vowed -- he would do "nothing crazy" and "nothing special." Nor would he try to be a hero.

And he was true to his word as the Mets began their 2008 season. In the end, what Santana did Monday afternoon against the Marlins wasn't particularly special or at all crazy. And heroic didn't apply either.

He was merely effective and, more importantly, successful. His first performance in a new league with his new team was efficient and sufficient and, at the same time, fully satisfying for all involved in it. The most expensive pitcher in the game accomplished what he and the Mets can only hope is routine in the 7-2 victory.

Making the third Opening Day start of his career -- the third straight -- Santana provided seven innings, allowing both runs on a home run by Josh Willingham. He surrendered two other hits, walked two, struck out eight, including four in a row, and threw 100 pitches.

This comes from Espn.com:

5 things we learned from the Mets' 7-2 Opening Day win over the Marlins:

1. Johan Santana didn't let the hype and expectations bother him a bit. In a neat 100 pitches over seven innings, Santana allowed only two runs (both on Josh Willingham's home run) in his Mets debut. He also struck out eight and looked like the pitcher the Mets thought they were getting when they sent four young players to Minnesota and gave $137.5 million to Santana.

2. Jose Reyes heard the "Jo-se, Jo-se, Jo-se,'' chants even though it was supposedly a Mets road game. David Wright, who had two doubles and three RBIs, heard the "MVP'' chants. The "Jo-se'' chants make sense. But it may be a tad early for the "MVP'' chorus.

3.Matt Treanor isn't the best athlete in his family (he's married to accomplished volleyball star Misty May-Treanor). But he did throw out both Wright and Reyes trying to steal. Which is a darned good quinella. However, late in the game Treanor made a throwing error, which allowed Marlon Anderson to score the Mets' seventh run.

4. The oxymoronically-named Angel Pagan could be a godsend for the Mets. His run-scoring double was a big hit in the Mets' six-run fourth.

5. Though cleanup hitter Willingham homered earlier in the game and isn't exactly well protected in the Marlins lineup (Jorge Cantu follows him), Jorge Sosa rewarded manager Willie Randolph's decision to pitch to him with runners at second and third and two out in the right (had he walked Willingham, it would have brought up Cantu as the potential tying runner). Sosa whiffed Willingham, laying the "Hammer'' down. -- Jon Heyman

If only "On paper" meant something

...Great article from SNY.tv and Ted Berg.

It takes a closer look into his expectations for the upcoming season.

Amongst other things, the article says:

Thanks to the attention-grabbing way the Mets' 2007 season ended and the glut of media coverage all winter long, Mets fans have been on top of every move the team has made this offseason. So to refer to Monday as Opening Day seems strange.

Instead of the first crease on the spine of a new book, Monday's game against the Marlins will strike many Mets fans as only the next chapter of a story that began on Oct.1, or, to some, on Jan. 29 when the team acquired Johan Santana.

That's not really the case, because all of that -- all the intrigue, nonsense, hope and skepticism that accompanied this offseason -- was merely a prologue to the season that starts on Monday. And while I can kick and scream and flail about the assorted things the Mets did wrong, that's all on paper.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Message from Willie to the Mets Fans

...The following is part of a message that was released on Mets.com - From Willie Randolph to the New York Mets Fans:

Our team is ready to go. That’s the message I want to send to you Mets fans as we prepare for today’s opener in South Florida. The goal this year is to make our final season at Shea something special and I think we can.

We all hated the way last year ended for us. For 98 percent of the season we were the best team in our division, but we let it slip away. When I spoke to the team this spring I didn’t look backwards that much, I tried to look forward so we can all learn from what happened. The lesson is simple: don’t take anything for granted and don’t expect things to happen just because you think they will.

The season is here. It’s time to make it happen.

Hope to see you back at Shea in April,

Willie Randolph

ESPN predicts the 2008 MLB season

...Just in case you haven't gotten enough predictions yet - Here are the official ESPN predictions.

They come from analysts and writers such as:

Jayson Stark, Peter Gammons, Jerry Crasnick, Buster Olney, Tim Kurkjian, Steve Phillips and many many more.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets finalize Opening Day roster

...The New York Mets today announced the following roster moves on Sunday to ready their roster for Opening Day.

The Mets selected the contracts of catcher Raul Casanova and outfielder Brady Clark and added them to the 25-man roster. Clark will change his uniform to No. 44. He had worn No. 93 this spring.

Catcher Ramon Castro was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21, due to a right hamstring injury. Right-handed pitcher Duaner Sanchez was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27, while he continues recovering from right shoulder surgery. Sanchez underwent shoulder surgery on April 10, 2007 at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery. Mets Medical Director Dr. David Altchek inserted a screw in the coracoid, a bone in front of Sanchez's right shoulder to repair a hairline fracture. Right-handed pitcher Orlando Hernandez was placed on the 15-Day DL, retroactive to March 29, while he continues to recover from right foot surgery. Hernandez underwent surgery on his right foot on October 18, 2007.

Right-handed pitcher Brian Stokes was designated for assignment while infielder/outfielder Fernando Tatis, left-handed pitcher Ricardo Rincon and right-handed pitcher Nelson Figueroa were sent to minor league camp for reassignment.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Will things ever be right in left?

...Great article from David Lennon at Newsday:

The article takes a look at the things that could go wrong for this upcoming season as well as some possible positives.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

A Break From the Game for an Inspiring Lesson

...Great article from the NY Times' Ben Shpigel, it takes a look into the Mets learning a little more about the African American past.

Taking an unusual detour before the start of the regular season, the Mets flew here Friday after their exhibition game in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in advance of Saturday’s Civil Rights Game against the Chicago White Sox. When they landed, the Mets bypassed Graceland and Beale Street and drove directly from the airport to the National Civil Rights Museum for a private guided tour. The White Sox are scheduled to have one Saturday morning.

“Isn’t it fitting to go here first so it hits home a little bit more?” Damion Easley said.

With a group so large and spanning so many generations and ethnic backgrounds, it was inevitable that some were more absorbed than others. For many, seeing the exhibits reinforced what they had learned in school.

“I was always aware of why we got that Monday off from school,” said Scott Schoeneweis, referring to the King holiday. “Sometimes you just need to be reminded of things.”

Said Marlon Anderson, an Alabama native who grew up listening to older relatives talk about what it was like living in the tumultuous 1950s and ’60s: “I’ve heard and seen all these stories before. It’s all very, very fresh.”

They filed in through a side entrance at about 7:45 p.m., dressed in sportcoats or suit jackets, and huddled in front of a 14-foot-high sculpture with hands — men’s, women’s, children’s — intertwined. When the tour guide noted that the hands did not reach the top, a symbol for the ongoing civil rights movement, some players nodded. Others checked their cellphones.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

El Duque brings back high leg kick

...So after hearing Rick Peterson wax poetic about how Orlando Hernandez' signature leg kick was not what made him so good, it turns out that he was completely wrong.

Yesterday El Duque looked somewhat similar to the guy we've seen in the past, ditching the other wind up that made him look like a robot and throw 72mph. It seems as though no one but Hernandez knew that was coming, which is just another example of how El Duque beats to his own drum. I'd love to see someone else in the 5th starter role, but as of right now he's the best option.

Here is an article from the Daily News:

Hernandez - facing a bad Orioles team on both squads' final day of spring games in Florida, a notorious day for free-swinging - allowed only one run on four hits while striking out two and walking one in a 70-pitch effort over five innings. That looked good statistically, but trained eyes portrayed El Duque as a work in progress, someone coming back from surgery with an ever-evolving delivery. Hernandez's fastball was mostly clocked at 80-81 mph.

In fact, asked directly if El Duque could be successful against Atlanta with a comparable arsenal, Randolph responded in measured terms.

"The Braves are a much better ballclub than Baltimore, so to me it's irrelevant, really," Randolph said. "We'll just reevaluate what we see and we'll make a decision from there. I've told you guys from Day 1, I'm not going to make decisions down here as far as stats, things of that nature."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Big Pelf fails again - What a headcase

...That's it! I am DONE with Mike Pelfrey! I am done with thinking that somehow a 6'10' stud pitcher who throws 96 mph can be successful (Please know i'm being sarcastic).

Once again, Mike Pelfrey split a game with El Duque and had another chance to at least make Willie Randolph actually have to think about the 5th starters spot. After pitching 3 scoreless innings today, he blew up in the ninth giving up 3 runs and blowing the game.

There is something wrong in this guys head, because it's obvious he has the physical ability. He seems to know what he's doing wrong, and sometimes even fixes it. But eventually he always seems to get back into his bad habits, walking batters and being constantly behind on the count.

He still has not mastered his secondary pitches and just can't seem to get it right.

Good luck to this guy - Seriously he's going to need it.

Mets start 2008 with new attitude, ace

...Another great article from the unbelievable Marty Noble from Mets.com, how does this guy pump out so much quality information?

As a battle cry or a marketing slogan, it is quite unsuitable.

It has neither the pizzazz of the "Ya Gotta Believe" mantra Tug McGraw stole from M. Donald Grant 35 years ago, nor the ring of "The Team, the Time, the [fill in the blank]" the Mets' marketers created for the 2006 season.

This one seemingly comes from Borscht Belt stand-ups, a three-word interjection that, really, has gone unspoken by Mets personnel -- "But seriously folks."

The phrase, however, is fully appropriate, because it covers how the Mets have gone about their business since they reassembled last month, following a winter unlike all but a few others on the game's long history.

They've serious-ed up since their GPS failed them in September and affixed a permanent stain to all involved in the effort that produced only a historic shortfall and months of soul-searching. The clubhouse still frolics -- see Maine v. Perez; Ramon Castro will continue his pratfalls and his assault on the team's olfactory nerves, and Jose Reyes' coast-to-coast smile will be evident from time to time. The Mets have not turned into the Soviet hockey team reincarnate, nothing so rigid.

But they've been turned on to a different mindset by the vexing experience they shared last season. They understand a "But seriously folks" approach will have them smiling come Sept. 28, when the 162nd game comes around again.

They're calling it renewed focus, greater attention to detail, remaining fundamentally sound and taking nothing for granted. All of them are variations on a theme that is not to revisit the sins of '07, particularly the cavalier attitude about losing that, more than any other factor, undermined their considerable talent.

"We realize where that got us," closer Billy Wagner said. "We didn't just come in second last year. We took a step backwards. Nobody's scared to play us anymore. We've got to build that up again."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets Opening Day outlook

...Great article from Marty Noble at Mets.com:

A balance of emotions must be struck for a team to prosper. Joe Torre characterized it as "being intense without being tense" when he managed the Mets in the 1970s and into the 1980s and suggested veteran teams were more likely than young teams to achieve it.

The mostly veteran Mets of 2007 attained that balance but were unable to maintain it, losing their intensity after seven weeks of dominating the division, as they had in 2006.

The '08 edition is fully aware of that as it begins the season. What the Mets may have to fight this year is the latter part of Torre's advice. A sense of urgency exists because of what wasn't accomplished last season, and because the opportunity for this configuration of players to accomplish it almost certainly won't last beyond October.

No matter how the Mets fare this season, overhaul is likely. The composition of the team will change dramatically with Carlos Delgado, Moises Alou, Orlando Hernandez, and perhaps Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez, departing. If the current configuration wants to win a ring, this is the year. Hence, the urgency.

And urgency is the cousin of tension.

Calling card
Before it's all over, and despite the potential of their batting order, the Mets may emerge as a team that prospers primarily because of its pitching, especially if John Maine continues to throw as he has in Florida.

The National League has no offensive juggernaut. With Alou in place, the Mets' order is better than most, though hardly extraordinary. Therefore, an experienced staff ought to assert itself. If Mike Pelfrey realizes his potential, the rotation could be the best in the game.

Achilles' Heel
Age -- particularly the likelihood of injuries -- and a stunning lack of depth could conspire against the Mets. No team realistically can anticipate a season free of injury to front-line players. But the Mets enter this one hoping for just that. The club has a talent pool of essentially 30 players, with no young understudies ready to step in for any position player for any extended period. The bench is well equipped to handle the one-game-at-a-time responsibilities, but not to play with great regularity.

You'll know they're rollin' if...
Injuries aside, if the Mets don't prove susceptible to left-handed pitching in the weeks before the return of Alou, and get a reasonable performance from their fifth spot in the rotation, they'll be fine.

You'll know they're in trouble if...
An absence of Alou that is longer than expected could allow opponents to load up on left-handed relief pitching. Without Alou, the Nos. 4-8 spots in the order could be undermined by left-handed pitching, no matter who the left fielder.

Testing, testing
No single sequence of games in a season defines a team. But playing the Phillies (six times), Braves (six) and Cubs (two) a total of 14 times in the first 24 games ought to tell the Mets where they stand comparatively to some of the other top teams in the NL.

Interleague Play
As always, the Mets get six games against the Yankees. The Rangers, Angels and Mariners are the other pending American League opponents. The Mets' Interleague challenges will not be as daunting as last year, when they opposed every postseason entry from 2006, split with the Yankees, and won five of nine otherwise.

The Bottom Line
Too much depends on the availability of Alou, who is likely to miss 50 games, even if his current malady is the only problem he develops all year. The production of Delgado, batting without Alou's protection until early May, at the earliest, and the relative effectiveness of relief pitcher Duaner Sanchez remain as critical elements.

If none of the three primary contenders in the NL East -- the Mets, Braves and Philles -- suffers a major calamity, the Mets can regain their championship status. They have the most talent most years.

Glavine Retains Emotional Bond With Mets

...Great article from the NY Times which has the following quotes from Tom Glavine.

Regarding how he'll feel pitching against the Mets this upcoming season:

“It will be different pitching against those guys, just like pitching against Atlanta was always different than any other team I pitched against when I was with New York,” Glavine said before the Mets defeated the Braves, 9-4. “Pitching against the Mets is going to be the same way.”

Regarding strong feelings even though he was only in NY for 5 years:

“Even though I was only there for five years, I made some good friends there,” Glavine said. “And those five years had a good impact on me as a person and on me as a player.

“The emotional ties that I had there are much greater, I think, than people give it credit for. Because of that, it’s going to be different, but it’s not going to be like that first time I faced the Braves after being here for 16 years and felt like everybody on the team and in the ballpark knew everything I was doing. It won’t be that extreme, but it’ll be close.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

Mets announce 3 roster moves, Gotay claimed by Braves

The Mets announced three roster moves on Friday as the team wrapped up Grapefruit League action against the Orioles, beginning with second baseman Ruben Gotay, who was claimed by the Braves.

New York also optioned second baseman Anderson Hernandez to Triple-A New Orleans and returned right-hander Steven Register, a Rule 5 Draft pick, back to the Rockies.

...Of course if Ruben Gotay had to be claimed, it had to be by someone within the division. To make matters worse, it had to be the Braves. I think that Gotay's shortcomings outweigh his great bat from the left side. His defense, mental errors and inability to be consistent against lefties is ultimately what sealed his demise.

I wish Ruben the best of luck with the Braves, just not when they're playing the Mets.

Mets facing pressure from day 1

...Here is a great article which comes from today's 2008 baseball preview in Newsday:

The article quotes Willie Randolph amonst others:

"I think we all know that we wasted a golden opportunity and so they're really hell-bent on getting back," manager Willie Randolph said. "They know we had a situation in hand that we blew. They had time to absorb it and let it soak in and kind of flush it all out."

Based on what happened to the Mets during the final week of last September, that was an appropriate metaphor. When they arrived in Florida last month, Ran dolph and his players were peppered with questions about what will forever be known in Mets lore as "The Collapse." So in addition to preparing themselves physically for the demanding season ahead, the Mets had a few mental obstacles to get past.

"I know a lot of people still talk about it, but I think we've been able to put last year behind us and concentrate on playing ball," Carlos Delgado said. "We've had injuries and some things that needed to be worked out, so that's been our main priority."We've been focused on that and getting ready to play and forgetting about last year. Instead of crying or whining or complaining about what happened last year, I think we're ready to move forward."

Delgado should know. He was at the top of that voluminous injury list this spring. With the Mets already concerned about the double-knee operations performed on Beltran and Luis Castillo during the offseason, the club was rocked by plenty of new issues.In the span of five days, during the first week of March, Delgado was diagnosed with a right hip impingement that required an anti-inflammatory shot and Moises Alou was sent back to New York for hernia surgery that could keep him out until early May.With Beltran and Castillo crawling along in their rehab, the Mets didn't field anything resembling an Opening Day lineup until March 15, barely more than two weeks before the start of the season. That made for a nerve-wracking start to camp, but with few additional bumps, the Mets did have a sense of normalcy as they headed into the backstretch toward Monday's opener against the Marlins in Miami."

Guys who were banged up in the beginning are healthy now," David Wright said. "It seems like everybody has come together at once so we can get that flow back to the team. Delgado looks great and Beltran, you know what you're going to get from him. When you're that good, you don't need that much time to get ready to begin with."

That's the hope, anyway. Wright and Jose Reyes were the only starting position players to avoid any medical problems, and given that they're the two most indispensable pieces of the lineup, the club was lucky in that sense. Pedro Martinez also reported no problems, and the young-gun duo of Oliver Perez and John Maine appear ready to pick up where they left off with last year's 15-win seasons. The Mets still don't have faith in their fifth starter, but that's not a fatal flaw.

"Yes we're old, yes we're experienced and yes we have talent," Billy Wagner said. "We're going to break down and we're going to have some things go wrong. That's just part of the game."