TheMaineMetsblog

Facelift

2013-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well I'm pretty sure this looked ugly in 2009 when I started this, going to need to make it look like its 2013. Going to need some help in doing that and blogging. If you have any interest in blog designing or blogging let me know. My twitter is @themainemets and my email is michael.mayer4@gmail.com

Go Mets!

Blogging Again

2013-12-13T12:48:00.002-08:00

Was completely bored at work and remembered that I started this blog 4 years ago when I was in college. Figured why not start blogging again, thats what all the cool kids(and dads, grandpas, just about everyone) are doing. Maybe its the fact that for the first time since 2010 there is some optimism surrounding this team. Finally looks like our GM has a plan and the Wilpons are letting him follow thru with it.

I know none of the three big signings are particularly sexy but hey be happy our team is finally spending some money. Finally trying to put a better product on the field for the fans. So far they have succeeded, we added some much need power in Granderson and hopefully with Young. At the sametime we vastly improved our outfield which has been a revolving door for years. We may have one of the best defensive outfields in baseball.

We also went out and got a veteran pitcher who can eat up some innings until Thor, Montero, and DeGrom. That veteran pitcher just happen to win 18 games last year with a sparkling 2.65 era too. Is it a risk at 2 years $20 million? Yes of course, but not much of one considering his durability over the last three years and potential trade value.

All in all I'm happy with the moves the Mets have made so far. None of the signings are perfect but they aren't terrible either (see Carlos Ruiz). There are still moves to be made, we need another veteran arm for rotation and the bullpen. We need atleast another option at SS, preferably with some offensive skills.

The off-season isn't over and I have faith Alderson will continue what he has started!

K-Rod Goes Home for "Emergency"

2010-04-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Jerry Manuel said today that K-Rod has flown back to Venezuela to be with his family because of a family emergency.

He did say that he will be back for Opening Day. But it seems pretty crazy that a Major League team would let there closer fly anywhere this close to Opening Day so you have to believe that it must be very serious.

Depsite his struggles in the second half of last year, K-Rod's stuff has looked very good this spring.

Jose Reyes to Start the Year on the DL

2010-04-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Omar Minaya has annouced that Jose Reyes will start the year on the D.L. but will be available for the by the fifth game of the season assuming his rehab goes fine.

Now the question is whether the Mets will bring up Ruben Tejada to start the season knowing that it could only be for a week. The Mets might not have a choice if Alex Cora's hip is still hurting and won't be ready for Opening Day. Tejada shouldn't be up unless he is starting, otherwise the Mets should go with Russ Adams as the backup middle infielder. Adams isn't great on defense but is a better offensive option then Tejada and Cora.

If Cora is healthy is should be at short opening day if not the Mets have no choice but to go with Tejada. Tejada has shown that he has improved his offense this spring and he has always been a good defender.

Pitching Rotation Switched Around

2010-03-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

The Mets have decided to switch there opening week rotation around, maybe it has to do with how bad Perez looked yesterday. Jerry Manuel also said Perez may be suffering from a case of "dead arm". Jonathan Niese will now start the third game of the year with Perez being pushed to game five.

You never now with the Mets and there injuries, so lets see if this "dead arm" turns into a DL stint.

Today Nelson Figueroa will get the start for the Mets against the Marlins. Kinda odd for a guy who is probably gonna be in the bullpen to be getting a start. Maybe the Mets are stretching him out in case he needs to start for Perez.

Does Daniel Murphy's Injury Open the Door For Ike Davis?

2010-03-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

Daniel Murphy sprained his knee in yesterday's game getting caught in a rundown off third base. The injury according to the Mets is listed as only day-to-day, but numerous writers have watched him limp out of the trainers room.

The Mets might have to turn to Ike Davis because Mike Jacobs and Chris Carter are not everyday first basemen defensively. Omar Minya said, " It all depends on what the doctors tell us today and possibly in the next couple of days.

If the injury is minor, the Mets should keep Ike Davis in the Minors because Jacobs and Carter could handle for a week or so. Plus there is no reason to get Ike's clock rolling for a week in the majors. If the sprain is severe and it looks like Murphy might need a DL and a couple of weeks off, this would be a perfect opportunity for the Mets to call up Ike Davis and give him a shot. Which would be very bad news for Murphy because if he comes up and hits well he isn't going to go back down.

There are other options too if the Mets feel that they are too left-handed at first. The Cubs recently releases Kevin Millar and the Seattle Mariners placed Ryan Garko on waivers. I know lots of Mets fans wanted Garko in the off season so they will definitely want the Mets to take a look now.

In other injury news Russ Adams will start for Cora today, after he was HBP in the hip yesterday. If Cora lands on the DL Adams and recently brought up to big league camp Alex Cintron would fight it out for his roster spot.

Jose Reyes 1-5 in Minor League Game

2010-03-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Jose Reyes played in a Minor League game today against the Memphis Cardinals and went 1-5 with a 2B over the CF's head. He played three innings in the field and only had one play which he bobbled into an error. The good news is that he was breaking well out of the box and looked to be running at full speed. He also did some running with the Mets trainers on another field to test his legs. In all the drills his acceleration and speed looked great with no ill effects of any health issues.

In one of his at bats he hit a hard ground down the line to the 1B who made a great play to just get Reyes at first. The good sign was the way Reyes got out of the box and ran at 100% to try and beat the grounder out.

After seeing him run today, I think there is a chance that we could see him on Opening Day. The Mets definitely should not rush him but if he is healthy he should be there on Opening Day.

My Take on the Opening Day Roster

2010-03-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Starters- Assuming Reyes starts season on 15-day DL.

Angel Pagan CF- It's really a tossup between Pagan and GMJ considering how well Jr. has hit. I think the Mets will go with the known commodity in Pagan.
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Jason Bay LF
Jeff Francoeur RF
Daniel Murphy 1B- Murph is going to be given a chance to prove himself early in the season, to fine tune his new batting stance.
Rod Barajas C
Alex Cora SS- Cora will start because of his experience.

Bench

Henry Blanco C
Fernando Tatis UT
Gary Matthews OF- Has had a very good spring
Ruben Tejada SS/2B- Would be a mistake not starting him but the Mets are weary of starting there prospects but his defense is far superior to Cora's
Mike Jacobs 1B/PH- Chris Carter should make the team instead because he is more versatile but again the Mets will go with the known commodity.

Starting Pitchers

Johan Santana
Mike Pelfrey
Oliver Perez-will be slid into the third spot so that Maine can break up the lefties.
John Maine- His stuff was very good yesterday especially his slider and the control on his slider.
Jon Niese- Mediocre spring but the Mets love his stuff, plus Fernando Nieve is better suited for the bullpen.

Relief Pitchers

Francisco Rodriguez CL- Looked impressive in last outing striking out the side.
Kiko Calero SU- Looked healthy yesterday throwing a perfect inning, should be ready for opening day.
Pedro Feliciano- LHSP- Said today that he wants to be set-up man but without another viable lefty he should just be the lefty specialist
Bobby Parnell- Some think he should be sent down, ya lets ruin his confidence a little more after they screwed around with him last year. Has control issues at times but has two major league caliber pitches.
Royota Igarashi- Has about six different pitches and will battle Calero for the 7/8th inning.
Fernando Nieve- The Mets wil keep him in the bullpen because they don't want to lose him threw waivers.
Hisanori Takahashi- Has been lights out all spring and would be a great long man with his experience as a starter.

Nelson Figueroa has pitched great and I would put him on my team instead of Nieve because he has been loyal to the Mets organization has been good whenever called upon. Plus he has said he will look at opportunities in Japan and other MLB teams if he is put on waivers.

Pat Misch has pitched very well this spring too, but there just isn't any room for him. He will be put thru waivers and hopefully kept because he is good depth.

Jenrry Mejia is has looked electric with improved control but he is alot more valuable as a starting pitcher and that is why he should go down to Binghamton and get streched out. I think it would be a mistake for the Mets to put him in the bullpen because there are plenty of other options that have pitched well. He should be a starter in the Minors and await a call-up which he will get this year, no reason to rush.

Sean Green hasn't pitched well this spring after adjusting his arm angle to try and improve his chances of making the team. He does have an option left so the Mets could send him down but they are probably better off just letting him go.

Chris Carter has been awesome at the plate this spring and is more versatile then Mike Jacobs. But he does have options so I think the Mets will choose Jacobs over him which would be a mistake.

Guys like Frank Catalanotto, Russ Adams, Jason Pridie, Mike Hessman, Omir Santos, and Shawn Bowman create better depth at AAA then the Mets have had in awhile.

Looks Like Jacobs is a Lock

2010-03-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

Stories have been coming out this week about how much Mike Jacobs has improved his defense at first base and that he has impressed the coaching staff with his defense. Jacobs has also shown improved patience having less strikeouts then walks. Combine this the fact that Murphy hasn't been hitting at all and it looks like the Mets are going to give Jacobs the last bench spot and maybe some starts at first.

Today it was reported that the Mets asked Jacobs to throw on the catchers gear and catch Tobi Stoner's pregame bullpen session. This definitely seems like an indication that Mike is going to make this team.

I still would go with Chris Carter for the last bench position, but Jacobs power will be a welcome addition to the Mets bench.

Who Plays Shortstop for the Mets?

2010-03-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Mets injury bug continues to handcuff this team as Jose Reyes will miss 2-8 weeks(which is a pretty random time frame) to try and harness his overactive thyroid. He has been prescribed nothing but rest and can't do any baseball activities until his thyroid levels are normal.

The Mets must now decide who is going to replace Reyes assuming he will not be ready for opening day. The obvious answer is Alex Cora who replaced Reyes last year when he was injured and did a noble job considering he was playing hurt. While Cora is a great clubhouse guy and does whatever he can to help the team win, he is not a guy who can play everyday and is much better when he is spot starting. He has no power at all and no longer possess the range to play SS consistently, he is much more suited for a bench player.

Which brings us to who I think should be the guy on opening day, 20-year old Ruben Tejada. Granted he is young and has never played an inning at AAA, but he was labeled the Mets best defensive infielder last year. He also gained some higher level experience playing in the World Baseball Classic for Team Panama. He also had a good year in AA last year hitting .289 avg, .351 obp, .381 slg. while stealing 19 stolen bases and hitting five homeruns.

The Mets also still have Anderson Hernandez on the 40-man roster, who can play shortstop. I like Anderson as a bench player but he does not have enough range to play SS everyday and does have any upside on offense. They also have Luis Hernandez in camp who offers nothing offensively but has a good arm and good range at SS, where he played 23 games for the Royals last year.

Maybe the most intriguing in-house option(non-prospect) Russ Adams who has already shown this Spring that he can hit going 6-10 with a HR and a triple while playing some SS and 2B. He was the Blue Jays starting SS in 2005 and hit .256 avg with 8 HR's and 63 RBI's but after the season the Jays decided they didn't like his range at SS and made him a utility guy. He has logged innings at 2B, 3B, LF, and RF. While he doesn't have alot of range at short, I don't think he has less range then Cora. He is basically Cora defensively at SS but with some pop so hopefully the Mets give him a long look this spring.

I think if the Ruben Tejada hits ok this spring and continues to show good defense the Mets will go with him. Which isn't a bad thing because this team needs to start relying on there good young players to contribute to the big league club. Now if Tejada looks like he can't handle Major League hitting at all the Mets should give Russ Adams a chance who has experience at the Major League level at SS. Cora needs to stay on the bench as the back-up utility guy who can play SS and 2B, because you never now when Castillo's knees might start hurting. Omar Minaya also said in his Jose Reyes press call that Ruben Tejada could start the season as the Mets shortstop.

Live Updates Red Sox vs. Mets

2010-03-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

The game is being delayed in the top of the 5th.
Top of 4th Tobi Stoner in to pitch for the Mets.

Drew- strikes out swinging on high fastball.
Cameron- single up the middle on hanging slider.
Hermida- ground ball fielders choice, nice play by Stoner, Cameron to second, two outs.
Lowrie- strikes out looking on back door slider to end inning.

Bottom of 4th Joe Nelson in to pitch for the Sox.

Wright- robbed of a hit by a leaping Scutaro, very nice play, one out.
Jacobs- sharp ground ball to 1B, it is now raining hard, and will probably be stopped after the inning.
Bay- popup to 2B to end inning.

Top of 3rd

Pedroia- strikes out looking on inside slider, same pitch as the one to Scutaro.
Martinez- wow seriously the ump has got to be a minor league ump, he doesn't know where the inside corner is. Weak flyout to LF on outside slider, two outs.
Big Papi- shallow pop that Castillo catches to end inning.

Pelf threw a couple of his slow curves to get ahead of the lefty hitters.

Bottom of 3rd

Frenchy- weak groundout to SS on first pitch, one out.
Cora- single to RF, thru second base hole.
Coste- bloop single to LF on first pitch.
Pagan- fielders choice to 1B, Cora to third, Coste out at 2nd.
Castillo- Pagan steals second base. weak ground ball to 2B to end inning.

Top of 2nd

Lowrie- groundout to Jacobs, nice sliding play, one out.
Lars Anderson- strikes out swinging on Pelfreys new splitter, great movement.
Scutaro- strikes out looking on a slider to end inning.

Very nice rebound inning by Pelf using all his pitches.

Bottom of 2nd

Jacobs- single to LCF, very nice to see him going the other way.
Bay- ground ball misplayed by Lowrie at 3B, Jacobs out at 2nd, one out.
Catalanotto- easy 4-6-3 dp to end inning.

Top of 1st Mike Pelfrey facing good Red Sox lineup

Scutaro- seeing eye weak ground ball double down LF line.
Pedroia- walks on full count.
Martinez- line drive single to CF to load the bases.
Big Papi- strikes out singing on inside sinker.
Drew- single to CF to score Scutaro, Red Sox up 1-0, should have scored two, don't know what Pedroia was doing.
Cameron- shallow fly to CF, Pedroia talked up and scored, Red Sox up 2-0, weak throw by Pagan.
Hermida- RBI opposite field single, scoring Martinez Red Sox up 3-0, Drew gets thrown out by Coste trying to move up to third.

Big Pelf did get squeezed on a couple of pitches, home plate ump really has a small plate.

Bottom of 1st John Lackey pitching for the Sox

Pagan- weak groundout to SS, one out.
Castillo- nice play by Pedroia on weak ground ball, two outs.
Wright- line drive out to right that handcuffed Drew, wind really blowing today.

First Base Competition

2010-03-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

The leader going into Spring Training was the incumbent Daniel Murphy but he hasn't hit at all and Ike Davis and Chris Carter have been killing the ball and Mike Jacobs is patient all of a sudden.

Murphy so far this spring is 3-17 with no extra base hits and only one RBI. It might take Murphy a little while to get going because he is using a new stance, but he went 2-5 last game. He has looked good on defense and has always been a hard worker, trying to improve his defense. Right now, he is the best defensive first basemen at the Major League level. It will take a terrible spring for Murphy not to be the starting first basemen on opening day.

Jacobs is probably second on the depth chart right now and only has one hit which is a homerun. But he has walked five times and only struck out once. This is quite a contrast to how he has been his whole career, he has never been a patient hitter and always struck out alot. He doesn't play good enough defense to be an everyday first basemen. The Mets could really use a power bat off the bench ala Matt Stairs and Manuel has already acknowledged this. If Manuel does go with the all bat no defense for the last bench spot Jacobs has a good chance of making this team.

Chris Carter had a tough time finding ab's to start this spring but I don't think he will have that problem anymore after hitting homeruns in three straight at-bats. He is now 5-8, with those HR's, double and one single with eight RBI's and has yet to strikeout. The knock on Chris is his defense, but atleast he has the ability to play multiple positions unlike Jacobs, as he played LF yesterday and CF against the Marlins. He has also played RF and 1B extensively in the minor leagues, giving him lots of versatility.

Ike Davis has been the big hype this spring and hasn't stopped hitting yet as he is 11-21 with two HR's and nine RBI's. I have seen him get at least three of those hits versus lefties, he stays in well and has the patient to lay off breaking balls. Scouts have raved about his defense but it just has not been good at all this spring committing four errors and should have two more if it wasn't for generous scoring. He looks natural at first base and I'm sure his poor play is just jitters or focusing solely on his offense. Davis isn't going to make this team out of spring maybe even if he continues to mash, because he needs some seasoning at AAA. I think we will see him at some point this season though, so Murph better not get off to a slow start.

All Mets fans have enjoyed watching the youngster Davis crush the ball, but the reality is that Murphy is gonna be the Mets opening day first basemen barring something crazy. Davis is the Mets first basemen of future but I think it would do him good to go to AAA and get some experience and fine tune his defensive skills.

Now for the last spot on the bench I would choose Chris Carter because of his versatility to play multiple positions compared to Jacobs who can only play a poor 1B. Jacobs did sign a contract that could be worth more then Carter, but the fact is Jacobs was a minor league contract meaning he is not on the 40-man roster while Carter is. Ultimately I think Carter will make this team and the Mets will try and trade Jacobs to a American League team.

Live Updates Astros vs. Mets

2010-03-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

Top on 9th Clint Everts now in to pitch for Mets

Koby Clemens- error by SS Luis Hernandez allowing to reach base
Alex Romero- flyout to shallow CF, one out.
Drew Meyer- nice running catch by Pridie in RF, Clemens was running on pitch and was out at first but was called safe.
Jason Castro- line drive single to RF
Brain Bogusevic- groundout to Anderson Hernandez at 2B to end inning.

Bottom of 9th

Davis- strikes out looking on pitch on outside corner.
Pridie- flyout to deep CF.
Luis Hernandez- ground out to 2B to end the game, Mets lose 8-4.

Top of 8th Australian lefty Travis Blackley now pitching for Mets.

Quintero- ground out to SS, Luis Hernandez now playing SS for Mets.
Yordany Ramirez- flyout to LF, two outs.
Oswaldo Navarro- groundout to third, nice play by Bowman to end inning.

Bottom of 8th

Matthews- nice hustle 2B after line drive off shortstops leg.
Castillo- shallow fly ball to Cf, one out.
Thole- ground-rule RBI double to RCF, nice to see him showing some nice power.
Jacobs- groundout to 2B
Pagan- groundout to 2B, nice play to just barely record out to end inning.

Top of 7th Elmer Dessens now pitching for the Mets

Feliz- grounds out to SS, one out.
Top Prospect Jason Castro- deep double to warning track in CF over Matthews head.
Sullivan- ground ball to SS, two outs.
Manzella- soft ground ball to Shawn Bowman at third to end inning, good arm by Bowman.

Bottom of 7th Alberto Arias now in to pitch for the Atros. Koby Cle

Davis- Crushes HR to CF on outside belt high fastball, Mets down 8-3.
Frenchy- rare walk on four straight pitches. Jason Pridie comes in to pinch run.
Alberto Arias leaves with an apparent arm injury.
Cora- great double play turned by Astros middle infielders on sharp ground ball.
Bowman- ground out to SS to end inning.

Top of 6th Eddie Kunz now into pitch for the Mets

Bourn- ground ball to Cora that is almost beaten out, one out
Matsui- reaches on infield single between 1B and pitcher. tough play.
Blum- RBI double down 1B line, Ike just missed on dive, runner scored but Frenchy throws out Blum trying to stretch into triple, Astros up 8-2.
Michaels- ground ball to 2B for last out.
Kunz fastball has good sink but has tough time locating it.

Bottom of 6th New pitcher Shane Loux

SNY interviewing Fernanda Martinez, a raccoon is running thru the fans, now on the field for a second.

Matthews- missed his at-bat, was retired, one out.
Castillo- strikes out looking on inside fastball. two outs.
Thole- hits a double the other way over LF's head.
Jacobs- great AB, walks on full count after fouling off some pitches.
Pagan- strikes out swinging on high fastball.

Top of 5th Sean Green now pitching with his new delivery. Looks like Chad Bradford.

Sullivan- out on sharp ground ball to Castillo. one out
Manzella- groundout to SS. two outs.
Quintero- strikes out swinging on nasty outside corner slider.
Green looked very good, getting weak swings.

Bottom of 5th Lindstrom still pitching

Frenchy- robbed again, this time by a diving Michaels in LF. one out.
Cora- hard ground ball to 2B, two outs.
Blanco- Jason Michaels just made an incredible play sliding into the Mets bullpen and avoiding all the chairs, great play.

Top of 4th

Bourn-missed AB, one out.
Matsui- walks on full count.
Blum- single to LCF, Matsui goes to third.
Michaels- sac fly to RF, weak throw by Frenchy, Astros up 5-2
Feliz- hits a 2-run HR to LF on low fastball.
Shelton- flyout to CF to end inning.

Bottom of 4th- Matt Lindstrom now pitching

Jacobs- flyout to CF on first pitch
Bay- Flyout to RF
Davis- strikes out swinging on 0-2 curveball
Lindstrom looked nasty topping out at 96 MPH

Top of 3rd- Jack Egbert still pitching

Shelton- single up the middle on fastball
Sullivan- strikes out looking on tailing fastball, great location.
Manzella- Shelton steals 2nd would have been out on good throw(went into CF), k's looking on tailing fastball on outside corner
Quintero- groundball to Ike to end inning.

Bottom of 3rd

Matthews- broken bat infield single, as Myers was afraid of bat coming at him, couldn't cover first.
Castillo- Double play grounder 1-6-3
Wright- fly ball to RF on inside fastball to end the inning.

Top of 2nd-

Tommy Manzella- single up the middle.
Quintero- pop to shallow RF where Castillo makes a nice play.
Bourn- FC groundout to Castillo, steals 2nd, good quick throw but got a huge jump.
Matsui- draws a walk on full count.
Blum- Bourn steals third without a throw, Blum hits RBI single to CF, Stros' up 4-2.
Jack Egbert now entering the game.
Michaels- error on Wright on ground ball, bases loaded.
Feliz- strikes out looking on fastball on outside corner.

Botton of 2nd-

Frenchy- base hit taking away by diving stop from Feliz.
Cora- ground ball single thru hole at 2nd.
Blanco- easy 6-4-3 dp to end inning, reached for a pitch off the plate.

Top of 1st- Great to see Johan take the mound.

Michael Bourn: strikes out swinging on 1-2 changeup.
Kaz Matsui: homerun to LF on a fastball.
Geoff Blum: double down to the LF line. wild pitch moves him to third
Jason Michaels: RBI single up the middle on 3-2 pitch(fastball). 2-0 Stros'
Pedro Feliz: 2B down LF line on high fastball.
Chris Shelton: RBI sac fly to CF. 3-0 Stros'. Two outs
Cory Sullivan: weak groundout to second to end inning.

Bottom of 1st- Facing Brett Myers

Matthews: ripped 2B down RF line.
Castillo: shallow popup to Michaels in LF. one out
Wright: 2-run HR to LF on full count. Mets down 3-2.
Jacobs: walks, he has been very patient this spring.
Bay: Strikes out looking on slider on outside corner. two out.
Davis: strikes out swinging on high fastball.

Santana's Return to the Mound

2010-03-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

Today is probably the most important game we will see this Spring Training as the Mets ace Johan Santana will return to the mound for the first time after surgery. All the reports out of camp have said that he has been extremely sharp, hitting his location every time and getting great movement on his changeup. It will be very interesting to see how fast he is throwing his fastball because last year it seemed he had lost a little velocity. Here is his lineup that will support him :

Matthews CF
Castillo 2B
Wright 3B
Jacobs DH
Bay LF
Davis 1B
Frenchy RF
Cora SS
Blanco C
Santana P

Santana will be followed by Sean Green, Elmer Dessens, Travis Blackley, Eddie Kunz, and Jack Egbert.

The Mets will face Brett Myers and ex-Met Matt Lindstrom. The game is at 1:10 p.m. and will be televised on SNY.

Today's Lineup 3/8 vs. Marlins

2010-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today the Mets travel to Jupiter to Face the Marlins.

Pagan CF

Martinez RF

Wright 3B

Bay LF

Murphy 1B

Barajas C

Adams 2B

Tejada SS

Maine P

Jennry Mejia will also pitch today.

Tatis and Evans out with Injuries

2010-03-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

Fernando Tatis is going to sit out a couple of days because of a sore knee that has flared up. He will take some anti-inflammatory medication and hope that and rest will do the trick, according to David Lennon of Newsday.

Nick Evans expects to be out for a week because of a strained right forearm muscle. He said he can hit but he can't throw right now. Evans chances of making this team were very minimal, now missing some time there is virtually no chance that he will be with the big club.

The good news about how Minaya put this team together this year is that we have great depth with guys like Frank Catalanotto and Mike Hessman being able to step in for Tatis and Evans.

K-Rod and Josh Fogg Return, while Escobar not throwing

2010-03-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

K-Rod has been cleared by doctors and is in the clubhouse at Tradition Field according to Brian Costa of the Star Ledger. Although he will go back to wearing the goggles he wore during his Angel days, because his eyes are still too painful to wear contacts.

Josh Fogg will throw off a mound today after being sidelined with a tweaked side muscle. He has some catching up to do as all the other 5th starter competitors have pitched well.

Kelvim Escobar has stopped picking up a baseball completely after feeling pain in his shoulder while throwing last week. At this time I think it would be smart not to expect him until at least June. I am still surprised at how much money the Mets guaranteed Escobar considering there could be a chance he never throws a pitch for them.

Fifth Starter Competition

2010-03-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

The Mets have a pretty interesting fifth starter competition as every one of the candidates has pitched well so far.

Jon Niese has the inside track on the fifth starter spot as long as he stays healthy and yesterday he looked very good. He has worked on his cutter alot this off-season and is turning it into a quality out pitch and a plus ML pitch. To go along with that cutter he already has a good curveball and a fastball that sits around 92-93 MPH. Niese was very good in his first spring outing striking out five in 2.2 innings while surrending only one run.

Fernando Nieve pitched pretty well last year for the Mets era wise but he had a 1.21 K/BB ratio which obviously is not good at all. He throws hard and has a good slider but struggles with his control and doesn't have a strong third pitch. He threw three innings yesterday only allowing one run striking out two, but he also walked two. I believe that Nieve has good stuff but he is more suited for the bullpen giving his lack of a third pitch. Right now I think he will make this team as a 7th inning guy/longman because he is out of options and the Mets don't want to risk losing an arm like his.

Nelson Figueroa pitched the best of all three yesterday allowing only one hit in four scoreless innings striking out five against the Cardinals. This spring he now has six scoreless innings with right strikeouts. Everyone loves the story about Figgy and his has quickly become a fan favorite among Mets fans. Figgy pitched well for the Mets last year with a 2.46 BB/K and a complete game shutout to end the season. He also pitched very well in the Caribbean Series for the second straight season. Some people disregard stats that happen in this league but I won't because there is immense pressure on these players in the playoffs. The level of play isn't the same as ML, maybe around AA-AAA, but the intensity is there and the pressure of doing well is still there. I like Figgy because of his experience and his very good off-speed pitches but he tends to give up to many hits and when he is bad he is just awful. This being said Figgy is out of options so the Mets would have to send him through waivers and right now he if going to have to fight for the last bullpen spot.

Hisanori Takahasi has yet to pitch in a Spring Training game because of his visa issues but that has been resolved and I would expect to see him pitch soon. He did pitch in the intrasquad game and looked good striking out four and showing a good screwball/changeup ala Hideki Okajima. He has a minor contract so he isn't on the 40-man roster and will likely start the year in Buffalo as a starter. Jerry Manuel has said that he see's Takahashi as only a starter because he doesn't dominate lefties because his best pitch is his screwball.

There are other people too who are getting looks such as R.A. Dickey, Pat Misch, and Tobi Stoner but neither of these guys have a chance. Dickey will likely go to AAA and be depth all season, Misch will have a chance to make it as a longman but just doesn't get enough lefties out. Stoner has been used as a reliever but I think the Mets need to put him at AAA as a starter. He has three good pitches and has been a starter his whole Minor League career, so the Mets would be better off with him starting waiting for an injury call-up.

Notes From Yesterday's Game 3/5 vs. Marlins

2010-03-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's big buzz was created by Jenrry Mejia who came in and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings recording four strikeouts. He was very impressive throwing consistantly 93-94MPH while touching 96 with his fastball. He threw two or three changeups at 87-88 MPH, and threw three curveballs (only one for a strike) which were from 78-80 MPH. His fastball was not only hard but according to a scout was there, " had lots of movement and left hitters shaking there heads as they left the batters box."

Jon Niese was only very good yesterday pitching 2.2 innings allowing one run while striking out five hitters. All five of his strikeouts came on his new cutter which he was throwing at 84-87 MPH. It looked like he was mostly just working on his cutter as he only threw two or three curveballs, which use to be his bread and butter. Most importantly he looked healthy with no ill effects from his bad hamstring injury.

Bobby Parnell came in and threw hard but was wild and ended up giving up the game-winning 2-Run HR to Mike Stanton in the top of the 10th.

Royota Igarashi was good besides his one mistake to Emilio Bonifacio who hit a down and in splitter for a line drive HR to RF. The same Bonifacio who only has one career homerun in three seasons. Igarashi was throwing his fastball at 92-93 MPH, his splitter at 86-87, and even threw a couple of his new pitch the slider.

It wasn't a strong offensive game for the Mets as Jesus Feliciano was the only Met with more then one hit, going 2-4, continuing his hot spring hitting. Jason Bay got his first hit as a Met with a double to RF that scored David Wright. Rod Barajas also got his first hit with a bloop to LF, he has a very long swing and is extremely aggressive at the plate.

Today's Lineup 3/6 vs. Nationals

2010-03-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

Update- Also scheduled to throw are Eric Niesen, Sean Green, Elmer Dessens, Travis Blackley, and Eddie Kunz.

Pagan CF
Martinez LF
Cabrera 2B
Jacobs DH
Hessman 3B
Davis 1B
Blanco C
Nieuwenhuis RF
Tejada SS

Mike Pelrey will start for the Mets who travel to Viera to play the Nats.

Pretty weak lineup without any regulars but definitely some interesting hitters to watch and then there is 37-year old Jolbert Cabrera which I'm not sure why is even in camp instead of someone like Reese Havens.

Live Updates

2010-03-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

SNY finally has the radar gun working as Niese throws first pitch at 91 MPH, then threw two more fastballs with a little cut on them to strikeout Couglan swinging. Niese looked really good using is cutter often against the righties, gets Cantu to strikeout on 87 MPH inside cutter.

Bottom 1st

Pagan strikeout swinging at high heat, Castillo chopper groundout to SS, Wright single up the middle, and Chris Volstad makes Bay look silly on three straight strikes.

Top of 1st against Cards: Hits by Matthews, Cora, Tatis(RBI), and Martinez(RBI) and a RBI by Frenchy

Top of 2nd- Niese k's two more both with his new cutter.
Bottom of 2nd- Barajas gets his first hit as Met, a blooper to LF, but after two innings still tied 0-0
Bottom 1st- Nieve gets thru first inning with a BB, H, and k's Ludwick to end inning.

Jenrry Mejia is warming up in the bullpen to come in the 4th inning.
Jon Niese finishes up his 2 2/3 innings striking out 5(all on cutters) but allowing an RBI single to Jorge Cantu, the last batter he faced because he reached his pitch limit. Now the big prospect Mejia is coming in.

Top of 2nd- Ruben Tejada and Shawn Riggans both get singles but Cora ends inning by hitting into DP. Mets beating Cards 3-0

Top 3rd- Pagan singles then steals 2nd, Castillo walks on full count, Wright grounds into what should have been easy DP but 1B couldn't handle throw and Pagan hustles home from 2nd. Mets tie it up 1-1. RF misplays Bay's flyball into RBI double, should have been caught, Mets up 2-1.

Nieve finishes his three innings giving up one run on an Pujols RBI single, while striking out two and walking two. Mets leading Cards 3-1 thru three innings.

Mejia strikes out three of four batters, throwing as hard as 96, he threw two curveballs but both for balls. Mejia ends up with four k's in his 2 1/3 innings of perfect ball.

Royota Igarashi has a quick 1, 2, 3 inning.

In Jupiter the Cards have tied it up 3-3 with a 2-RBI single by Rasmus off Bobby Livingston.

Emili Bonifacio just hit a line drive HR off Igarashi to tie the game up at 2-2.

No more updates because I have to head to work.

Live Updates

2010-03-05T09:55:00.001-08:00

I will be doing some live updates from both of today's games.

And provide new news on Jose Reyes as it comes.

Jose Reyes Has Hyperactive Thyroid

2010-03-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

Jose Reyes test yesterday have revealed that he has a hyperactive thyroid. I have no idea what this means but he means he won't be able to do any baseball activity until further tests are taken. I have just learned that hyperthyroidism is easily treatable with medicine so this shouldn't be a big issue unless there are other issues that stem from this.

Here is a link to help to educate on the health issue..

www.endocrineweb.com/hyper4.html

Notes from Yesterday's 17-11 Win vs. Cardinals

2010-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Obviously the big story from yesterday is Ike Davis and his monster grand slam. Davis has been creating buzz since he showed up to camp this year and the buzz is getting bigger day after day. I like Davis alot and he has shown his capabilities as a hitter, but getting lost in the hype in the fact that he has been shaky at best so far defensively. The word on Davis was that he was a above average first basemen and I just have not seen that from him yet. I'm not saying this is a reason for him not to have a chance at making the big club but he looks like he needs some work at first.

The other player I want to focus on is Tobi Stoner who picked up the win yesterday pitching 2.1 innings only giving up a HR to Ryan Ludwick. Stoner came up last year and pitched pretty well out of the pen for the Mets but it was reported that he had a few run-ins with the veterans on team. Jerry Manuel got wind of this and may be the reason why he didn't pitch after September 21st. Stoner has an adequate fastball at 89-93, an average change-up, a below average curveball that he doesn't throw often, and a serious ML slider. His slider is what makes him a ML pitcher, it has good break and can put it where ever he wants.

Gary Matthews Jr. crushed a homerun to RF off Charlie Zink yesterday, he also walked, scored three runs, and reached on a wind/sun aided double that Rasmus should have caught. Matthews did hustle right out of the box to turn the shallow popup into a double.

Omir Santos also had a big offensive day going 3-3 with 2 runs scores, and two 2-out RBI's. At this point Santos is probably just increasing his trade value because it is likely that a team like the Rangers will give the Mets a call.

Jason Pridie hit a 2-RBI double off the top of the right centerfield wall, but he also struckout in his two other at-bats. Pridie has shown some power in his short time with the Mets and has the versaility to play all three outfield positions. If Pagan or Matthews get injured this preseason he will have a good chance to make the team as the fifth outfielder.

Shawn Bowman hit a RBI double of the top of the CF wall, scored a run, and walked. Bowman's has shown that he can swing the bat, the problem is the only position he plays is third base. I like the former big prospect and think that he has the tools to be a ML hitter but he will need to learn another position like 1B or some corner OF or get traded to realize his potential.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis is a big guy with a nice left-handed swing who had an RBI single, walk, and two runs scored. He had a huge year last year in the Minors and had climbed into lots of Top 10 prospects lists for the Mets.

David Wright hit an opposite field 2-Run HR yesterday, while it was good to see the power, it wouldn't have gone out in Citi Field and I would be happier if i saw it pull one to LF.

Today's Lineups vs Marlins and Cardinals

2010-03-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

The new lineup for the Mets home game is Pagan, Castillo, Wright, Bay, Murphy, Barajas, Feliciano, Luis Hernandez, and Kai Gronauer.

Feliciano, Parnell, Igarashi, Eric Niesen, and Elmer Dessens will pitch as well.

In Jupiter, Bobby Livingston, Figgy, and Eddie Kunz are expected to pitch with the earlier mentioned youngsters as back-up pitchers.

Jose Reyes has been scratched from Today's game and it is said to be non-baseball related issues that are keeping him from playing.

Update: The Mets will face Brad Penny and Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols will make there Spring Debuts for the Cardinals today.

Home Lineup vs. Marlins in Port St. Lucie

Pagan CF
Castillo 2B
Reyes SS
Wright 3B
Bay LF
Murphy 1B
Barajas C
Feliciano RF
Gronauer DH

Jon Niese will start for the Mets followed by Jennry Mejia.

Away Lineup Traveling to Jupiter to play the Cardinals

Matthews CF
Cora 2B
Frenchy RF
Jacobs 1B
Tatis 3B
Martinez LF
Santos C
Tejada SS
Riggans DH

Fernando Nieve starts as both the big competitors for the fifth starter will pitch today. He will be followed by Brad Holt, Robert Carson, Kyle Allen, and Armando Rodriquez. Very interesting set of young arms here, I haven't seen Allen or Rodriquez and heard alot of buzz around them this off-season.