Morning Papers

Pedro to toe rubber - maybe February 28 New York Daily News: "Willie Randolph believes it's likely Pedro Martinez will pitch from the rubber today, the first time this spring the ace has done so." Martinez to step up mound program February 28 Newark Star-Ledger (registration required): "Pedro Martinez is due back in camp and scheduled to throw today, and manager Willie Randolph said he expects Martinez to throw off the pitching rubber for the first time." The Arms Race February 28 New York Post (registration required): "Aaron Heilman, the front-runner for the No. 5 starting slot, will work today, as will a few players with a chance to push the righty: Brian Bannister, Jeremi Gonzalez, John Maine and Alay Soler." Woodward Isn't One to Say Keep Your Mitts Off Me February 28 New York Times (registration required): "A few representatives from Rawlings, the baseball glove manufacturer, stopped by last week to show off some new merchandise and take orders from a client base that included Chris Woodward, the Mets' versatile utility man." Heilman's goal: Stretching it out February 28 Newsday: "Aaron Heilman had a tough act to follow when he was asked to speak at the opening night dinner for Notre Dame's baseball program earlier this month." Willie takes cuts at order February 28 New York Daily News: "The Mets manager said he probably won't get a complete handle on how he'll fill out a lineup card until after March 20, when Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado return from the World Baseball Classic." Strawberry rejoins Mets to impart his expertise February 28 Newark Star-Ledger (registration required): "Last spring, in his first year as a special instructor here at Mets camp, Darryl Strawberry didn't talk to Carlos Beltran. He did, however, speak with Cliff Floyd."

Just How Fast Is It?

If you have ever seen Billy Wagner pitch you can see just how fast his fastball is. At times the radar gun clocked him at 102 Miles Per Hour. That is crazy. I fear driving that fast. "There's something wrong with that guy." This is exactly what most guys, including Victor Diaz, think when Wagner aims and fires at them. Yesterday during a drill, Victor Diaz played the part of a runner trapped off third base on a ball hit back to the pitcher. Billy Wagner fielded the ball and, with all his might, faked a throw right at Diaz who froze fearing that Wagner was actually going to throw the ball at him. Diaz walked off the field and muttered those exact words.

Morning News

Mets OK with Pedro's missed day Newark Star-Ledger (registration required): "Photo Day was long over and a lone Mets home white jersey still hung in a single locker. Both the jersey and the locker belonged to Pedro Martinez." Boone may not be around for long New York Post (scroll down) (registration required): "Bret Boone has no illusions about making the squad and continuing his major league career unless he's able to win the starting job. "

Lets Take A Look At The Infield

Today is the third breakdown of the Met roster, the infield. With our corner infielder's hitting for power and our shortstop with blazing speed offensively we should be fine. The one major question mark is still second base. Minaya constantly attempted to move the incumbent Kaz Matsui throughout the offseason but he could not find any suitors for the $8.5 million he was due. Manager Willie Randolph has made it clear that Spring Training results will ultimately determine the second basemen. As of now it's between, Matsui, Brett Boone, Jeff Keppinger, and Anderson Hernandez. At first base the Mets have their first true offensive threat since the days of John Olerude. Carlos Delgado brings leadership, but most importantly a big left handed swing to the Mets lineup. Although he arrived in unconventional fashion after turning down an offer from the Mets last year, he was acquired due to the payroll slashing Marlins. Defensively Delgado is not a lapse as he has a career fielding percentage of .992, granted he won't save Reyes and Wright as often as Doug Mientkiewick did maybe the two have experienced their growing pains. As long as Delgado remains healthy he will put up numbers. His career batting average is .284 to go along with 369 home runs. Teams have put a Barry Bonds-esque shift on him, and he has been patient and going the other way. After an adjustment to his batting stance prior to the 2004 season, his stats flourished, as he has averaged over 35 home runs per year during that span. In comparison to the Mets platoon that played first base last year including Mientkiewicz, Mike Jacobs, Chris Woodward, Jose Offerman, Miguel Cairo, Brian Daubach, and Marlon Anderson, Delgado played in 18 less games, had 60 less at bats but had 26 more hits an average of 76 points better, 10 more doubles, 3 more triples, 12 more homeruns and 53 more RBI. Delgado is a definite upgrade offensively. Over to the other corner position, where the Mets have one of the most talented young players in the game in David Wright. In today's day and age fantasy sports can often tell how successful believe a player can be, if there's any truth to those indications Wright should be fine as many rank him in the top 20. In his first full major league season last year, Wright bounced around the lineup as Randolph did not want to put excessive pressure on him. This year it seems as if Wright will bat third after he hit .306 last year with 27 home runs and a team leading 102 RBI. Although Wright has played in 229 career games he still has the presence of a rookie trying to make a good first impression. Wright arrived to camp 18 days before required. Ever since he was drafted in the first round of the 2001 draft out of high school, scouts new there was something special about him. His work ethic is un-matched as he continues to put time into his defense as well. At third base last year Wright underwent some growing pains, but most were alleviated by Doug Mientkiewicz. Last year Wright had a fielding percentage of .948 as he compiled 24 errors. Look for an improvement in both categories this year. Wright is able to hit for average and for power off left handers and right handers, look for him to be a presence in the Mets lineup for years to come. One more side note, Wright made just $322,500 last year, someone's due for a raise. At shortstop we have a healthy Jose Reyes. Reyes is another young gun, from the Mets farm system but with all the time spent on the disable list prior to last year it seems as if he's been here forever. In his first healthy season with the Mets Reyes compiled an average of .273, with 60 stolen bases and 17 triples. The one knock on Reyes is his patience at the plate. He walked just 27 times last year, which upped his on base percentage to .300, which is below where it should be as the lead off hitter. Reyes did show great improvement throughout the season and continued to try to utilize the bunt as an extra dimension to his offense. Defensively Reyes has the natural abilities to become one of the premier short stops in the league. With speed and athleticism to complement a strong throwing arm, once Reyes is able to have complete control over it he will be dangerous. Reyes is able to make the spectacular plays more often then not, but routine plays hindered him a little bit last year. Reyes had a fielding percentage of .974 as he compiled 18 errors. Reyes range factor was a 4.28, this is determined by put outs + assists divided by 9 innings. Reyes has mentally matured as well, this was evident by his ability to go the other way last year. As a switch hitter Reyes often tried to pull the ball but once he attacked the plate with a game plan his production increased. All in all Reyes should be one of the more dynamic players in the league in years to come and as long as he stays healthy he has found himself a permanent home a top the Mets lineup and at shortstop. Second base is the big question mark. Most people believe it is Kaz Matsui's job to lose but Willie Randolph doesn't necessarily agree. Matsui's career has gone down in a whirlwind. Just two years ago he was the starting shortstop on Opening Day, but after the Mets management finally came to their senses, Reyes returned to short, so Matsui made the transition to second base last year. This year Matsui is fighting for a job with Anderson Hernandez, Brett Boone and Jeff Keppinger. In his major league career, Matsui is a .265 hitter with 10 home runs and 68 RBI. Defensively he isn't great as he compiled 9 errors for a .970 fielding percentage. Brett Boone is seemingly on the decline of his career but believes he will turn things around if given the opportunity. Boone is a career .266 hitter with 252 home runs, and 1,021 RBI. Defensively Boone has a career fielding percentage of .986. Jeff Keppinger and Anderson Hernandez are the youth in this competition. Keppinger has shown great offensive abilities. In his 33 games with the Mets in 2004 Keppinger hit .284. In his three years at the University of Georgia Keppinger hit .380 and struck out just 44 times. Keppinger would've had time to prove himself last year but suffered a knee fracture right around the same time Matsui went down. Anderson Hernandez has shown great defensive flashes and was promoted last year for 6 games while hitting a woeful .056 as he compiled just a single hit. But in extended time at the Triple A level Hernandez compiled a steady .303 average for the Norfolk Tide. As second base is not a position in which offense is a must this competition remains wide open. Finally our good old friend the catcher, Paul Lo Duca. Mike Piazza will go down as one of the best if not the best offensive hitting catchers of all time and us Met fans truly took that for granted. When Piazza was "slumping," he was still produces much higher then the average catcher but we were just use to the .300 average 25+ HR 100+ RBI season. But Piazza was paid to hit, and he should've but that's now all past news. Lo Duca is as solid as it comes all around. A career .285 hitter, he is so versatile he can and will hit anywhere from the 2 spot down to the 8 spot. He allows Randolph some flexibility with his lineup. Although he lacks power, he rarely strikes out as he always puts the ball in play and utilizes the gaps well. Lo Duca will hit the ball wherever it's pitched as he is just as comfortable going the opposite field as he is pulling it. He is solid defensively as he has a career .991 fielding percentage. His career caught stealing percentage is .331and he has a catchers ERA of 3.73. In retrospect Piazza has a career .990 fielding percentage with a caught stealing percentage of .239 to go along with a catchers ERA of 3.81. Lo Duca is determined to create a relationship with his pitchers and will ultimately help out our staff. All in all the Mets infield has the potential to be one of the most offensively prolific in the game. In our corner spots we have the offensive production expected, and if healthy Wright and Delgado should combine to surpass the 60 HR mark, and the 200 RBI plateau. If Reyes becomes more patient at the plate his on base percentage will sky rocket which will lead to even more steals. Once Reyes truly learns to utilize his speed by bunting he will be a tough out. At second base none of the options are truly horific offensively and they will most likely occupy the 8 hole anyhow. Defensively nothing below average will be expected. Reyes and Wright will be able to go above holding their own, Delgado is always consistent, and second base well is second base, errors aren't expected there. All in all barring any injuries this infield will make the Mets lineup one to fear. Ya Gotta Believe!

Morning Papers

Pedro: Manny, Sox a fine pair February 23 New York Daily News: "Pedro Martinez doesn't believe Manny Ramirez will be a Met. He came to that conclusion way back in November when Omar Minaya obtained Carlos Delgado." Pedro to miss first round WBC February 23 Newsday: "Pedro Martinez's lingering right big toe injury will keep him out of at least the opening-round games of the World Baseball Classic, Newsday has learned." Kaz is well prepared for the new challenge he faces this spring February 23 Newsday: "Kaz Matsui is painfully aware of his tenuous situation on the Mets. As the Japanese infielder said yesterday, 'I read the papers.'" Matsui takes it 'Personal' February 23 Newark Star-Ledger (registration required): "Either way, Matsui -- who said all the right things in a brief chat with reporters before vanishing -- seems to be distancing himself from the Mets at a time when he should be trying to entrench himself." Spotlight Won't Daunt Delgado February 23 New York Post (registration required): "Delgado yesterday became the final high-profile Met to report to camp, and the new first baseman is ready to immerse himself in his new city." Delgado stands up February 23 Palm Beach Post columnist Charles Elmore: " In his first day in a Mets uniform, Delgado did not have to be reminded of the fans who booed because he passed up the Mets for the Marlins in 2005. Some sang God Bless America when he came to bat in Florida teal." Big Papi on the money about Manny February 23 Boston Herald: "David Ortiz has not spoken with Manny Ramirez since it was announced the Red Sox left fielder would report to camp a week behind the rest of the position players, but he’s confident his teammate will show up... Francona, who is entering the final season of his three-year contract (although the club holds an option on 2007), declined to discuss if negotiations on an extension have begun. " Manny has always had a free pass February 23 Providence Journal columnist Bill Reynolds (registration required): "The only surprising thing is it's only February, thus we have roughly seven more months of the ongoing soap opera that long ago became Manny Ramirez in Boston. Wasn't it last November when he said he wasn't going to play for the Red Sox this year, that if he wasn't traded he simply would not report to spring training?"

A story of love

I was forwarded this joke by e-mail this morning. Thought I'd share. Apologies to whoever wrote it and gets no credit. Let me know who you are and I'll edit your name into the post. A family of New York Yankee fans heads out one Saturday to shop for the youngest boy's birthday. While in the sports shop, the son picks up a Mets jersey and says to his older sister, "I've decided to become a Mets fan and I would like this New York Mets jersey for my birthday." His big sister is outraged by this and promptly whacks him upside his head and says, "Go talk to mother!" Off goes the little lad with the jersey in hand and finds his mother. "Mom?" "Yes, son?" "I've decided I'm going to be a Mets fan and I would like this jersey for my birthday." The mother is outraged at this, promptly whacks him around the head and says, "Go talk to your father!" Off he goes with the Mets jersey in hand and finds his father. "Dad?" "Yes, son?" "I've decided I'm going to be a Mets fan and I would like this jersey for my birthday." The father is outraged and promptly whacks his son in the back of his head and says, "No son of mine is ever going to be seen in THAT!" About half an hour later later, they're all back in the car and heading towards home. The father turns to his son and says "Son, I hope you've learned something today." The son says, "Yes, Dad, I have." "Good, son, what is it?" The son replies, "I've only been a Mets fan for an hour, and I already hate you Yankee bastards."

Morning Papers

Let's Go, Mets: Go Get Manny February 22 New York Post columnist Kevin Kernan (registration required): "Manny Ramirez is at it again with the Red Sox and will not be in camp today when their position players report. The Mets need to take advantage of another case of 'Manny Being Manny.'" Floyd hoping to re-Sign with Mets February 22 New York Post (scroll down) (registration required): "Cliff Floyd also arrived for his fourth and potentially final spring training as a Met. Floyd is entering the final year of his contract and said that while he 'would love to' stay with the Mets beyond this year, he does not plan to talk contract until after the year's over." Steaks Are High February 22 New York Daily News (scroll down): "Cliff Floyd intends to complete the final season of his four-year, $26 million contract without discussing an extension. " Boone's Point of No Return: Win a Job or Call It Quits February 22 New York Times (registration required): "Bret Boone stared at the words on the Mets' contract offer in January. They stared right back, almost mocking him... Cliff Floyd, whose contract expires after this season, said his agent, Seth Levinson, had had preliminary discussions with the Mets about a new deal, but he emphasized that he would not think about next season until after this one." Beltran hopes to find top gear February 22 Newsday: "Carlos Beltran became a very wealthy baseball player when the Mets signed him to a seven-year, $119-million contract before last season. But money can only do so much." Something To Prove February 22 New York Post (registration required): "More than anything else, Carlos Beltran sounded confident yesterday." Boone will try to hold up his end February 22 Newark Star-Ledger (registration required): "If Boone, who is here on a minor-league contract, has already taken Matsui's locker, how long before he takes his job, too?" Maybe owner's on target February 22 Newsday columnist Jon Heyman: "There is a lot to like about this Mets club beyond the obvious, which is that Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner give the Mets the power bat and power bullpen arm they sorely needed."

Coincidence?

I was looking at some pictures of the Mets online and I saw one of Willie Randolph, Sandy Alomar Sr., and Rick Down, and I got a bit nostalgic but not in the good way. I remember throughout all of last year saying to myself that we need to get rid of hitting coach Rick Down. That we need to bring up the AAA hitting coach Howard Johnson (HoJo). Down is the former Yankee hitting coach. He had a successful track record before the 2003 post season when the Yanks blew up against the Marlins. Randolph liked Down's abilities and asked him to join him on the other side of NY. Down gladly accepted and there he was standing next to Willie and Sandy. All season long the Mets lacked the ability to drive in runs. To get that hit with runners in scoring position. The top of the lineup lacked the ability to get on base. Down continued to spiral down. But then in September the rosters were expanded, and that was when Down started to shine, or was it... When the Rosters expanded, so did the coaching staff. Howard Johnson came aboard, and suddenly the Met players had a sudden burst, despite having a 13-14 win-loss record in September, the players looked energetic, they wanted to keep playing. Last year we had many young guys who worked with HoJo in the minors, many including David Wright, and former Met, Mike Jacobs (1st baseman for the Marlins). On many occasions we have heard David blame his success on HoJo. In September Wright had 6HRs, 19RBIs, and 14 runs scored. This is not exactly a good example because Wright put up just about those same numbers all season long. But if we take a look Jacobs did in September, when HoJo arrived, we will see the impact HoJo has on our young guys. In 71 Abs, Jacobs hit 7 Hrs, 14 RBIs, 11 runs scored, and maintained a .310 batting average. Many other guys on the team also showed a spark when HoJo arrived. When Omar Minaya acquired Anderson Hernandez, everyone though he got him for his defensive skills. Hernandez was never much of a batter, but after meeting with HoJo in AAA his hitting skills suddenly increased and was given a chance to play at the major league level. Kazuo Matsui played the best American baseball he has ever played, in September. He had 18 hits, 3 doubles, 3 triples, with a BA of .353 and an OBP of .382, in 51 Abs. Floyd had 7 HRs in September (In July and August combined Floyd had only 6HRs). Many of these players had an offensive spark in some way when HoJo arrived. Perhaps it is all a coincidence. Maybe Wright was just playing baseball, Jacobs was trying to earn a starting job, Hernandez just had a break through season, Matsui had to adapt sometime, and Floyd was due to break out of his HR slump. Or maybe, just maybe Howard Johnson brings a spark to the Mets that Rick Down cannot. What do you think?

Test Time

There is a really cool trivia quiz on the 2005 on Newsday's website It is a little Blue and Orange Box in the lower right hand corner of the page. Click here to check it out. Oh yea, there is also another quiz on that other New York Baseball team. Have Fun

Nady or Diaz

I view the Diaz-Nady battle for right field to be the best story coming out of spring training, although the 4-5 rotation shuffle maybe just as important. I just have a gut feeling that Zambrano will get the 4 spot and Heilman will end up with the 5th. Now to something that will really be a treat to follow throughout spring training, Diaz or Nady some stats: Diaz Nady Age 24 27 When drafted 2000, L.A., 37th round 2000, S.D., 2nd round 2005 batting average .257 .261 Versus lefties .259 (14-for-54) .323 (40-for-124) Versus righties .257 (58-for-226) .223 (45-for-202) Home runs 12 13 RBIs 38 43 Strikeouts 82 67 Walks 30 22 Adam Rubin of the daily news feels that Nady will win the job mainly because he was traded for Mike Camron, We have endured much of this painful evidence to backup his claim from last season, (Zambrano, Matsui, Ishii). I don’t know if its pressure from the front office or just Willie’s stance of sticking with his guys, but all I know is that if Willie had played the best player or even given guys a shot early in the year (Seo, Heilman,) it could have resulted in more wins. On the side of Diaz, he won the Winter League MVP, he is loved by all of his teammates, he even got a call from Mike Camron wishing him luck on winning his old spot on the field. Although he was traded to us, I like to see guys come out of our farm system and do well. I think our bootleg Manny Ramirez would be very serviceable to our squad if given the chance. Nady takes on the roll of the underdog right now, he arrived to camp in a new place, not knowing many people, knowing he is going to do battle with a clubhouse favorite. Knowing that many of his new teammates will be hoping that he fails. Willie says that he will play the guy who performs, which I hope is what he actually does. Nady a high draft choice still filled with potential has the ability to go blow for blow with Diaz. I am looking forward to seeing how this situation progresses throughout spring training, I have a gut feeling that their will end up being a platoon, Nady will get more at-bats, based on the facts that he is more versatile, playing all outfield spots 1st Base & 3rd Base. I want to know who you guys want to play the majority of Right Field???

Opening Day Rotation '06

Hi, everybody. Glad to be aboard. As the pitchers are more or less all reported in and position players are trickling in, I figured I'd take a slightly deeper look at the starting rotation prospects that we have going into this 2006 season. Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Steve Trachsel have spots locked down, while perennial underachiever Victor Zambrano and starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter Aaron Heilman still have something to prove if they want to be in the rotation. It’s not likely that the Mets will promote more than one rookie into the starting five, and Heilman’s setup man job has been usurped by Jorge Julio and Duaner Sanchez, so it seems certain that at least one of the Zambrano/Heilman duo will make the rotation. The other spot will be open to competition, primarily from Brian Bannister, Alay Soler and John Maine, though Yusaku Iriki, Jason Scobie and maybe even Mike Pelfrey will be in the picture. In this post, I'll try to shed some light on the familiar (Bannister), the sort-of-familiar (Soler) and the not-too-familiar (Maine). Brian Bannister is like the David Wright of pitchers. Great work ethic, high confidence. These are guys who make the best of their talent. The son of retired Major Leaguer Floyd Bannister, Brian was brought up in baseball and it’s no accident that he is where he is now. Statistically, there is a lot to liker. As far as ERA and wins go, 2005 was a breakout season for him, but it’s a season that his statistics have been predicting from the beginning. Bannister’s K:BB ratio has been very good throughout his minor league career, even when his ERA left something to be desired. Though Bannister hasn’t equaled the astounding 3.93 K:BB ratio that he put up for high-A St. Lucie in 2004, he has nearly seamlessly completed the adjustment to every level of the minor league system. Though his strikeout numbers haven’t stood out, he has put up some very respectable totals, including fanning 48 in 45.1 IP after being called up to Norfolk last year. Though his strikeout numbers will most likely fall as he makes the transition to the big leagues, a performance like that in the high levels of the minors is very encouraging. Bannister also has a history of surrendering very few home runs. Keep the ball in the park, strike out more than twice as many guys as you walk, and you’re already most of the way to being a successful MLB pitcher – especially in a pitcher-friendly park like Shea. Enjoy it while you can, Mets pitchers! Scouts concern themselves with the low velocity of Bannister’s fastball and his fairly mediocre breaking pitches, but Tom Glavine has fashioned a Hall of Fame career out of about the same. Still, Bannister gets thrown in the pool of all the other guys like him and will need to have an outstanding spring training to be considered for the fifth rotation spot. Alay Soler is a bit more difficult to analyze. Soler’s repertoire includes an excellent slider, decent fastball and knucklecurve, and mediocre changeup. Scouts and GMs love him and he pitched to a good ERA in winter ball though with a low strikeout rate for a guy with a mid-90s fastball. That's borne out by his stats in Cuba, where in 2003 he struck out just 102 in 125.1 innings – while walking only 17. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that's a great K:BB ratio. Though Soler apparently has good stuff and has had success in Cuba and the winter leagues, it’s important to remember the not-so-fine line between those leagues and the majors. Ultimately, I think if Soler makes the Mets in 2006 it will be as a reliever and spot starter. More than anything, he reminds me of Jorge Julio, but I’m given to understand that Soler has better makeup than Julio does. If his stuff matches up to the major league level – and there seems to be little reason that it wouldn’t – I can see him as the Mets’ new Roberto Hernandez for some years to come. John Maine, a.k.a. that other guy that we got for Kris Benson, is the final serious candidate for the fifth rotation spot. The advantage that Maine has over Bannister and Soler is that he has a little bit of major league experience, though it hasn’t been a good experience for him. The 6.30 ERA that he pitched to last year is cringe-inducing, but there are some bright spots for Maine, who was dominant throughout his stay in the Orioles’ farm system – at least, until he got to Triple-A Ottawa. Maine has a lot of natural ability that he can make good on. He throws a fastball in the mid-90s that accompanies an excellent slider and an inconsistent curveball and changeup. Maine’s strikeout rate in the lower levels of the minor leagues was outstanding (10.23 over 63 minor league outings), his walks and hits numbers low. Try this one on for size: in Maine’s two plus years in A and AA ball, he didn’t have a WHIP over 1.00. Unfortunately, we still haven’t seen that talent carry over to higher levels. Upon his promotion to Ottawa, Maine’s hits, home runs, and walks numbers shot up, while his strikeout numbers fell. For the first time in his professional career, Maine allowed more hits than innings pitched. Though he still posted a K:BB ratio slightly over 2, it was his first stop in the minors where he failed to average a strikeout per inning. His one shot at a major league start in 2004 season saw him get chased in the 4th inning, having allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks with just one strikeout. In 2005, Maine continued to post low strikeout numbers and high walk numbers, not to mention a drastically higher home run rate. At this point, Maine can only be classified as a Rick Peterson reclamation project. It’s hard to say what has caused his sudden and pretty out-of-the-blue problems, but it may just be that the more patient high-level hitters simply caught onto the two mediocre pitches that he was able to sneak by the younger minor leaguers. Unless Peterson manages to work one of his famous 15-minute corrections, Maine probably starts the year in Norfolk and only makes the Mets if a couple guys get injured. Even then, though, he's got to be behind guys like Bannister, Soler, Jason Scobie and Pelfrey, who every Mets fan is drooling over after the reports of the last couple days. My prediction is that the '06 starting rotation will have Zambrano and Heilman in it, at least at the beginning, thanks to the immense power of inertia. It's my feeling that those two have to prove that they don't belong in the rotation, while Bannister, Soler and the rest have to prove that they do. That's a lot of proving that has to go down. Since the Mets basically annihilated their depth of major league-experienced starters to open up a spot in the rotation for Heilman and traded away their best pitching prospect since Doc Gooden to get Zambrano, it's going to be quite the uphill battle for the newcomers to unseat anyone.

You Got To Earn It

According to David Lennon from News Day, "Matsui Must Produce or Sit". Lennon speaks on some comments that Manager Willie Randolph made on Friday. We all know that Kaz has to produce this spring to earn the job. However this article was not totally about how Matsui has to earn the starting job, its also about Victor Zambrano and the #4 spot in the rotation. When asked if Vic was guaranteed the starting job, Willie responded by saying "No, not necessarily, You might look at our rotation and say he's pretty much in there, but I'm never going to say that because you don't know. We have three or four guys in the back of the depth chart that might step up and knock my socks off. He has to compete." This is music to my ears. I think that Aaron Heilman is a better pitcher than Victor Zambrano. If anyone of the two deserved a spot in the rotation it would be Heilman. Now we know that both spots are open. We have may guys who are very capable of being good starters on our team, including Jose Lima, Brian Bannister, Alay Solar, Yusaku Iriki, and of course the two likely candidates Zambrano and Heilman. It should he a tight race to the finish, and competition is always good.

Welcome

Mets Planet would like to welcome it's newest writer Andrew Fiorentino. Welcome to our family Andrew. Lets Go Mets!!!

Pitchers and Catchers To Report

It's that time again, yes it is. We haven't had a feeling like this since October 26th, when the White Sox broke an 88 year old curse and were crowned World Series Champions. Today is the day pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Granted its no where near as exciting as Opening Day, to true fans this signifies the beginning of a season that will be full of highs and lows, an emotional roller coaster. Today marks the day in which we'll start intensely listening for any trade rumors, injuries, as we prepare for the season to come. We scope out our team, see where we're weak at, see where we have depth and put a spin on our chances this year. Although it's snowed nearly 2 feet here in New York, you can still smell that spring air, and hear the crack of the wood bat, and the pop of the glove as we eagerly await for ESPN footage of our favorite team's training facility. In Port St. Lucie our two biggest pitchers, Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner arrived early. Unfortunately for Pedro his new Nike shoe did not live up to expectations as he needs to return it and have a lower spike moved before he can throw. This must truly worry Met fans as he his way behind schedule (although he refuses to admit that and hey Pedro knows Pedro best), but it also might be a blessing as he is highly doubtful to participate in the World Baseball Classic. Wagner on the other hand will be representing the U.S in the Classic, which could actually be a good thing for the closer. Throughout his career Wagner has had slow Springs as he seemingly works all the glitches out before it begins, what better way to do that then in a "highly competitive" tournament. Our good old buddy Jose Lima arrived today and no one was more ecstatic then Pedro. We all knew Lima seemingly had a outgoing personality on the field and in the dugout but was it all a show? Bet you it wasn't. When Pedro was told Lima was arriving he said, "Get out of here. Really, we signed him?" Oh no, Mama Mia, things are going to go crazy over here. This is going to be a crazy clubhouse." That is something the Mets have lacked for the better part of the past 20 years since that spunky '86 team. When the Mets were being eliminated in the '99 post season, Ricky Henderson and our old pal Bobby Bonilla were in the clubhouse playing cards, where's the personality? Pedro seemed to bring an added spark to the team last year, with his outgoing nature, remember the time he ran threw the sprinklers? But for Pedro to be ex for what Lima brings to the table we're in good shape. Although David Wright and Jose Reyes have matured so much on the field over the course of the past year and half they are still kids at heart. Both were in attendance today as only pitchers and catchers were required to arrive. Wright has been talking to the media about this day, as if it was the next coming of Christmas, just ready to be playing again with his teammates. This upbeat tempo, had Wright playing with many minor leaguer's during there winter work outs. Not even last year, with the additions of Martinez and Beltran was the clubhouse so upbeat during February. Saturday is the first true work out, and the players are enjoying their time they have now. Many joked over Lima's attire as it was very formal for the flamboyant pitcher. Physicals are scheduled for Friday and barring any Felix Hernandez scandals we should be in the clear (no pun intended). Even manager Willie Randolph was able to take a vacation and come into Spring Training fresh and open minded. This is just the beginning of what will surely be an emotional roller coaster, lets just hope there are more highs then lows. Ya Gotta Believe!

Move Over Derek!

He was born to Elisa and Rhon on the 20th day of December in 1982. He grew up in a strict household, with rules and responsibilities. He was encouraged to have competition in and out of the house, he was taught discipline, and determination. He was a great SS while attending Hickory High School. He was drafted 38th overall in 2001. He was moved to third base in the farm system. He worked his way up the ladder and has earned his spot on the New York Mets. That’s right his name is David Allen Wright, third baseman for your New York Mets. Today we will take a look at David before his 2004 debut at Shea Stadium. David played many sports growing up as a kid, but he excelled as a baseball player. That was his main focus. The Wright family home is located in Norfolk, Virginia. He grew up watching the Mets AAA team (Norfolk Tides). His idol growing up was the great Kal Ripkin. Growing up David played T-Ball with B.J. Upton (SS for the Devil Rays). David and B.J. had developed a tight friendship, and were very competitive with each other. David knew that he wanted to attend college and play college ball, but he also had his heart set on becoming an engineer. The Big Leagues were not in his plans. Wright played organized baseball in High School. He attended Hickory High School, and was coached by Steve Gerdo. Gerdo will attest to how good Wright was. He made the varsity team in his freshman year. He was a third baseman, but he was moved to shortstop in his sophomore year. In that year Wright batted .471, with nine doubles, four HRs, and 18 RBIs. In his junior year, B.J. enrolled in Hickory. With B.J. by his side Wright had a great season. He batted .538, with 6 HRs, and 19 RBIs. In his senior year Wright had the best year of his High School career. Not only did he play phenomenal baseball, there was also a chance that Wright would be drafted in an early round. David sat down with his family and rewrote his college plans. They decided that if David were drafted early he would skip college and head straight towards professional baseball. It just so happened that in 2001, the Mets lost RHP Mike Hampton to free agency, but they got a supplemental pick at the end of the first round in return. They used this pick to draft David as the 38th overall pick. David left home and was headed to the Kingsport Mets. He was moved back to third base. In 36 games, Wright batted .300. During the off-season Wright worked hard in preparation for his first full season. He trained hard and when the season started he was playing 3rd base for the Capital City Bombers. In the 2002 season with the Bombers Wright drove in 93 runs, stole 21 bases, and tied for the team lead in HRs. He continued on up the ladder as he played a successful 2003 season in St. Lucie. In 2004 Wright was invited to Spring Training with the major league team. He did well but management felt that he was not quite ready. They were sure that he would annihilate AA pitching when he got to Binghamton, and he would be ready for a call up by the end of the season. Wright did kill AA pitching but when third baseman Ty Wiggington got injured he was not called up to the major leagues. Instead he was promoted to AAA. Wright put on a Norfolk Tides uniform and was ready to play for his hometown. The Mets believed a short stint at Norfolk would give them an idea how ready David was for the pressure of big-league life. David was unfazed at Norfolk. He hit with timeliness, intelligence and power, and made all the plays in the field. He took hot smashes off his chest unflinchingly and picked up slow rollers barehanded and threw on the run to record outs. It was obvious to anyone who knew baseball that his stop at Triple-A would be a temporary one. After batting .298 with eight homers in 31 games with Norfolk, David was called up on July 21 and replaced Wiggington. There he was a young kid from Virginia, who grew up watching the Mets, was standing on third base, playing for the New York Mets and yet Wright remained unfazed. In 69 games he batted .293 with 14 HRs, 40 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases. He batted every ware in the lineup, including 3rd. Then 2005 rolled around. Everyone watched closely as Wright played to see if he could improve, and not only did he do that but he also emerged as a leader on the team. He is the face of this team and will be for years to come. So step aside Jeter the new face of New York has arrived and he is here to stay.

Lima Time in NY

According to the WFAN Sports Radio 660, the NY Mets and Free Agent RHP Jose Lima have agreed on a minor league deal. It appears that Lima will be joining Heilman, Bannister, Iriki, Maine, and perhaps Humber and Pelfry in an effort to gain the coveted #5 spot in the Mets starting rotation.

The Mets Starting Rotation At A Glance

Today is the breakdown of the much discussed starting rotation. Last year the rotation was greatly improved by the addition of Pedro Martinez, along with Kris Benson's first and final full season as a Met. By the end of the season, it was considered the deepest spot on their roster, unfortunately in the recent weeks they have traded away much of that depth in favor of bullpen help. This is a questionable process in itself, as a surplus of starting pitching must be considered a higher value then a surplus of relief pitching. To be a closer you have to have a certain mentality, one in which you can immediately wipe out the previous night's performance, so in all due respect they will be excluded from the category of relief pitching. But the majority of relief pitchers at some point in their career were unable to continue their starting roles and were destined for the bullpen. So had Jae Seo, Kris Benson, Victor Zambrano, or Aaron Heilman saw the bullpen I would've been more comfortable with that then Duaner Sanchez or Jorge Julio. Trading for a set up man was questionable in the Seo for Sanchez deal, but the Benson Julio deal was over the top unless of course, the salary was cut in order to have flexibility for acquiring someone such as Barry Zito. Pedro Martinez is a solidified ace and would be considered the ace in nearly every rotation in the major leagues. When healthy Pedro is nearly unhittable, as he is able to change speeds, with such ease while keeping his motion fluent. Although in his older age, his fastball is not as dominating as it once was, he is still able to thrive off of it. While the fastball tops out in the low 90's his change up serves as his strike out pitch. He throws a circle change that fools both right handers and left handers, and keeps hitters off balance. Unfortunately hitters have learned to stay alive by fouling off border line pitches and increasing his pitch count. Pedro has had some stamina problems in the past and with this toe injury it might be now or never for him to win one in New York. The specialized shoe for Martinez should arrive soon, and hopefully this will relieve any tensions remaining in his toe. This problem arouse as a result of the way in which he would push off the rubber and then land. With a 2.82 ERA his record of 15-8 was not a true representation of how well he pitched last year. Martinez would spark the crowd, and often turn things around for the Mets. At 34 years old his best is behind him, but if Pedro remains healthy, look for another solid season. At 39 years old, time is expiring on Tom Glavine. Glavine who at times, anchored our rotation last year finished the season off strong, with a 5-4 record in his final 10 games with an impressive 1.79 ERA. Glavine has always been synonymous with control and no matter how old he gets, control will not be a problem. Although his fastball rarely approaches the high 80's his two seam fastball has a lot of movement, and he supplements this with a dangerous change up. Although he clearly left his best days behind him in Atlanta Glavine seems dedicated to bringing success to New York. Glavine held right handers to a .263 average last year and finished with a 13-13 record. Again for Glavine run support was often an issue as he had a 3.53 ERA which is a better indication of how he pitched. Since the institution of Questec Glavine has not been able to thrive off the outside corners of the plate as he use to with Atlanta, but Peterson is attempting to get Glavine back into the mind set. As long as Glavine pitches comparably to the rest of his hall of fame career he should be a solid number two. This is where the rotation gets tricky. At the turn of the New Year we were plugging in Kris Benson here, and then Steve Trachsel 4 and that was a much more formidable rotation then we have now. Trachsel is now the number three pitcher, but with his back problems last year do we know how durable he truly is? Trachsel went 1-4 last year as he returned to the rotation in August finishing off with a 4.14 ERA. He was most impressive in his first start back as he went 8 innings against the Giants holding them to two hits and no runs for his lone win of the season. At stretches in 2004 Trachsel was our best pitcher and has proven he can get it done. When healthy Trachsel can truly eat up innings as he is able tolast at least 6 in nearly every outing. With a very slow approach, it causes hitters to become impatient in the batters box, as well as fans to become impatient in the stands. Trachsel has solid command, often throwing first pitch strikes, and he does not believe in wasting pitches. Trachsel is not a strike out pitcher and entices opponents to put the ball in play by painting the corners perfectly. Although Trachsel has only one winning season with the Mets his record hovers around .500 and his ERA around 4.00. Again if the lineup proves to be potent look for a 12-15 win season out of Trachsel which is solid for a number 3 starter. Next up every one's favorite Victor Zambrano. Met fans are particularly impatient with Zambrano, mainly because he was brought over here in exchange for top pitching prospect Scott Kazmir right after the '04 All Star Break. The Mets saw untapped potential in Zambrano which happens to remain untapped. His resume includes some filthy pitches, as he has fastball that is consistently in the low 90's, a solid changeup and a slider that moves, but he is unable to control these pitches. Zambrano often gets behind hitters, which leads to many walks. Last year he walked 77 batters in his 166 innings pitched. At times Zambrano showed this potential such as his 8 inning performance against Arizona in which he allowed 1 run, on 5 hits, 3 walks, while striking out 5. Opponents only hit .264 against him last season and for his career he has held opponents to a .247 average, but unfortunately his control issues come back to haunt him as many of the batters he walk score. Peterson once proclaimed he could fix Zambrano in a matter, of minutes maybe this year his minute will come. As for now if Zambrano wins 8-12 games it will be a success, Let's hope so. The 5th and final rotation spot is still up for grabs, but right now the front runner must be considered Aaron Heilman. Heilman who was a stand out at Notre Dame, came into the Mets farm system with great expectations. In 2003 in his first full season in the big leagues Heilman starter 13 games, going 2-7 with a 6.75 ERA. This was after a change in mechanics that made him so successful during college. Peterson then changed Heilman back to his old ways and the results were evident. Last year Heilman went 5-3 with a 3.17 ERA. In 7 starts Heilman was 2-3 last year, but in his most impressive outing of the season held the Marlins to one hit, in his complete game shut out on April 15th. If Heilman throws as he did coming out of the bullpen he should be an above average number 5 starter, but if he returns back to his '03 ways watch out. The bullpen is seemingly a better fit for Heilman but he has his mind set on starting. Heilman has not yet been awarded the 5th and final starting spot, as Omar Minaya said it is up for grabs during Spring Training. Others who could sneak in would be Alay Soler, the Cuban defect. Soler went 10-4 with a 2.01 ERA in 18 games last year for the Cuban national team, but might have to miss part of Spring Training due to a conflict with his agent over immigration papers. Yusaku Iriki is another consideration who went 6-7 last year with a 3.35 ERA. Iriki seems to be more open minded about his role with the Mets, "I'm excited to be with the Mets, I can start or relieve. I will try to help manager Willie Randolph however I can." This is probably due to the collectivist feelings in Japan towards baseball, as the team first mentality is truly emphasized, unless of course your Ichiro. John Maine remains another long shot, but will likely be in the bull pen or at Triple A to start the year. Maine remains an interesting piece, as he has drawn the interest of Billy Beane. When discussing a deal with the Orioles last off season for Tim Hudson Beane requested Maine, obviously the deal did not go threw, but if a deal were to be made for Zito, Maine would likely be involved. Mike Pelfrey might see some action in the big leagues, come September depending on how well his acclamation to the minor's is. By '07 Pelfrey will likely be up at the big league level. All in all the starting rotation is lacking the depth that it possessed nearly a month ago, but by no means is it weak. Any rotation that includes Tom Glavine, and Pedro Martinez at the front must be considered formidable. With a potent line up the starters should be given great run support, and allowing 4 runs could often result in a win. With a deep bullpen 6 innings might be the norm, as Randolph and Minaya have discussed putting in Julio for the 7th, Sanchez for the 8th and then of course Wagner for the 9th. Whatever the case may be the starting rotation should not hold us back in our pursuit of a World Championship, Ya Gotta Believe!

Welcome

Mets Planet would like to welcome it's newest writer Justin Saslaw. Justin is the owner of a blog known as 20 Years In The Making... He will be posting under the name "20yearsinthemaking". Welcome to our family Justin. Lets Go Mets!!!

Henderson Returns to The Mets

Ian Begley of the NY Daily News has reported that the all-time stolen base leader Rickey Henderson has returned to the Mets to be a coach in spring training. Henderson's job will be to help the young guys, especially Jose Reyes. Omar brought Rickey back to teach Reyes how to become a true leadoff hitter. To teach Reyes how to get on base, and to help him progress in his base stealing abilities. If Henderson can teach Reyes how to play anything like how he played, Reyes will be a devastating force in the leadoff spot.

1 Through 9: Part 3

Last time on 1 Through 9 we talked about the batting order. This time I thought it would be interesting to talk about the bench. The 2006 Mets Bench: Chris Woodward: Woodward is perhaps the best bench player on the team. He is a utility player, and he excels at those positions. He is not a bad hitter and on some teams could be a starter. There was a point in 2005 when he virtually won the 1st baseman job. Ramon Castro: The backup catcher for Paul LoDuca is a perfect backup back stop. He will be sharing the time with LoDuca, and may come in the 9th inning for LoDuca. Castro showed the Mets something special last year. He almost convinced management to give him the starting job. He has some pop in his bat, a strong arm, and is a great club house guy. Julio Franco: Franco will be the backup first baseman for Delgado. He is a great club house guy, and will help to tutor David Wright, Jose Reyes, and the other young guys on the art of baseball. Jose Valentin: Valentin is also a utility guy, however he sucks at every position. In my opinion he will serve as a pinch hitter, as he has the ability to hit the ball a far way. Endy Chavez: Chavez will join the Mets for the third time in his career. He will serve as a backup outfielder, as he has an excellent glove. Chavez may also serve as a pinch runner as he has good speed. Kazuo Matsui/Anderson Hernandez: Depending on who gets the second base job, the other man will likely play off the bench. If Matsui were to play of the bench, he would be a back up IF with good speed. Andy Hernandez will also be a backup IF with good speed.

"This Is A National League Town"

Today I had the great honor of being a guest on the taping of "Quite Frankly", hosted by Stephen A. Smith. The special guest on the show was non other than our beloved GM Omar Minaya. Smith led off his interview with the hard stuff. He talked to Omar about the fact that more than half of the Met players are Hispanic. Minaya gave the same response he has been giving since this whole incident came about, "I am just trying to put out the best players". Minaya also says that it has nothing to do with race, religion, or sexual orientation. Omar and Smith also talked about the second base job, as well as right field and the starting rotation. During the interview Smith made it clear that he was a Yankee fan, he asked Omar to explain what he was trying to say when he said "this is a national league town". Omar responded by giving the Yanks credit for being as great as they were, but that the history of NY proves that this truly is a national league town. The two historical teams of NY are the Brooklyn Dodgers and the NY Giants, both are NL teams. "Quite Frankly" airs nightly at 11:00 PM EST on ESPN2. This specific episode should air in about two weeks. Check out the show for an exact date.

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Welcome

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1 Through 9: Part 2

In the previous 1 Through 9 I spoke to you about the defensive side of the Mets. Today I will talk about the batting order. 1. SS Jose Reyes- will bat lead-off no matter what, but he has to work on his OBP. 2. CF Carlos Beltran- has expresses to the Mets that he feels most comfortable batting in the 2 hole. 3. 3B David Wright- has earned his chance to bat third. He drove in 102 runs last year batting in the 5, 6, and 7 hole, imagine what he can do batting third. 4. 1B Carlos Delgado- is the classic 4 hole hitter. He is an RBI Machine! 5. LF Cliff Floyd- more than likely will be in the 5 hole, Randolph may have a problem batting Floyd after Delgado because they are both lefties, but last year he showed ok power against lefties. 6. C Paul LoDuca- Is a contact hitter, but does not have the speed to bat high in the line-up. 7. RF Xavier Nady/Victor Diaz- I don't know much about Nady but I know that Diaz is not a bad player, and has some pop in his bat. Im sure that if he improves his defense he will win the RF spot as well as the 7 hole. 8. 2B Kazuo Matsui/Andy Hernandez- Matsui has been a bust for the Mets, but he is in his contract year and showed some flashes of improvement toward the end of last year. Hernandez is a defensive specialist, and has worked on his hitting during winter ball. As for the other guys up for the 2B job, I don't think they have much of a chance. 9. Pitcher- Like I mentioned it the last 1 through 9, it is my personal opinion that Glavine is the best hitting pitcher on the team.

Mets Welcome Abreu

Mark Hale of the NY Post, the Mets are set welcome Abreu to the organization...NOT BOBBY ABREU...This Abreu is Michel Abreu, a 6-foot-3, 230 pound first baseman from Cuba. Abreu can also play Left and 3rd base. Abreu was Cuba's leading HR hitter for four consecutive years. He defected from Cuba in 2004 and signed with the Boston Red Sox. His contract was voided 3 weeks later because Abreu was unable to establish residency in the States. Abreu will join the Mets this spring in St. Lucie and try to earn a spot on the team. He should get some playing time as many players will be participating in the World Baseball Classic. More likely than not Abreu will make the team as a back-up 1B, pinch-hitter. I wonder if Abreu would consider a move to right field. If his bat is still strong, that alone might earn him a starting job.

Andy Hernandy Comes Through In The Clutch

Last night in the top of the 11th inning, second base prospect Anderson Hernandez picked up the game winning single for the Dominican Republic team (Licey). Hernandez finished 4-for-6 with one RBI and two runs. The announcer’s mention that other than Miguel Tejada, Anderson Hernandez is the most feared hitter in the lineup, he can hit for contact, beat you with his speed, and his power numbers are on the rise. Hernandez beat out a bunt, hit a triple and had two singles, showing all his tools offensively and defensively. I am hopeful that Andy Hernandez can beat out Kaz for the starting job, he has really proven himself in Winter League, the defense will be stronger up the middle and he is much more productive with the bat than Kaz. This is the major problem with this Mets organization, they like to justify bad trades hoping guys will turn it around. I felt that we would have gotten into the playoffs if we used Heilman and Seo instead of Ishii and Zambrano for the majority of the year. I pray to God that this doesn’t happen this year with Kaz, Hernandez and Keppinger deserve a shot. The way I see it Kaz won't change, in two years in the Majors he still refuses to backhand the baseball, he will still keep trying his wannabe Ichiro batting technique, and still strikeout a ton. I hope Omar and Willie have discussed this issue, now only time will tell.