I love Joe Janish’s cynical assessments of the final roster. He convinced me about Nelson Figueroa. Figueroa should have made the club instead of Sean Green.

I also think he was correct about Ruben Tejeda. He’s not likely to get alot of time and the arbitration clock begins. The only explanation I can make is that the Mets had some roster problems and couldn’t keep Russ Adams.

As it is now, along with Tejeda, Mike Jacobs, Jenrry Mejia, Frank Catalanatto and Hisanori Takahashi have to be added to the 40-man roster. This would put them at 2 over. With Figueroa coming off, it would still leave them with one over. I wonder if the last one will be Omir Santos.

I’m going to depart from Joe on Mejia. I think he’s ready and in the role he needs to be in. He won’t get the 8th inning yet. That will be Pedro Feliciano’s for now. Maybe Fernando Nieve’s. The Mets wanted for Ryota Igarashi to take this in camp, but he didn’t.

The Mets seem to be saying that Feliciano will have this role early on, but I just don’t feel he gets right-handed hitters out well enough. Unlike Bobby Parnell, Mejia has a second pitch. Mejia can be that guy.

Of course all of this is moot if the Mets starters don’t keep the club in the game. Aside from Johan Santana and Jon Niese, the other three didn’t pitch this spring as if they would. So it will come down to the questionable rotation that Omar Minaya failed to bolster in the off-season. They will have to be better than they were in the spring or the clock will begin ticking on both Minaya and Jerry Manuel.

Posted under Uncategorized

One myth can now be cast aside. The Wilpons are not broke and will not be going into small market mode. They would not have signed Jason Bay if they were. Give the Wilpons and Omar Minaya for being smart with their money.

1. The moves in the bullpen signal a clear philosophy. Low investment with the potential for high yield investments in Kelvin Escobar and Ryoto Igarashi may represent 8th inning alternatives. The Mets must also believe that Bobby Parnell can be the same, otherwise they would have sent the talented righthander home this offseason with instructions to prepare to start.

2. The Mets are always making noise about wanting another lefthander to complement Pedro Feliciano. They brought in numerous lefties last year but kept playing roster whack-a-mole with them all. If they have really been serious about needing to fill this role, they would have actively pursued former Met Darren Oliver whom ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers. They also made no move for Mike Gonzalez who probably wanted to close anyhow. So I don’t think that the Mets really want to pay alot for someone for this role.

3. I believe there is a reason that 2B Orlando Hudson has not signed with anyone yet. He’s waiting on the Mets to get rid of Luis Castillo. Maybe there’s even some back room conversations. Now that the Mets have filed the left field hole, some certainty exists for Minaya. He can now move Castillo and sign Hudson. Unless there’s something else going. See #4.

4. All’s been quiet on the rumors that the Reds were trying to move some big salaries. Earlier this month, there was some speculation at MLBTradeRumors about Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang being moved. Other high salaried Reds mentioned were Arthur Rhodes, Brandon Phillips and Franciso Cordero. There are some matches there, especially if other clubs get involved. It is from this scenario that Minaya can acquire a starter, a lefty reliever, a set-up guy or an upgrade an 2B. Stay tuned.

4. I don’t believe the Mets have ruled out contending, but they know that they are banking on a healthy return to form by Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. With them plus Bay, David Wright should be better. Wright found out what George Foster did in his first season when it was just him. It’s unlikely that Carlos Delgado will not be returning. It would be nice if Daniel Murphy became at least a Dave Magadan circa 1991. To be fair, it’s really been Minaya’s only viable option to pursue with respect to the line-up.

5. Dan Warthen needs to be right in that whatever the final upgrade in catching matches a some sort of improvement in Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine. Whomever they group with Henry Blanco, they won’t be counted on for offense, but it will be ok if Murphy and Jeff Francoeur are hitting sixth and seventh.

6. Last season was an aberation with respect to injuries. The Mets made no changes in their sports medicine team, and it shouldn’t have. Admittedly I have a soft spot for these guys, but I do not communicate with any of them. I’ve always maintained that a communication problem existed and that the presence of Tony Bernazard poisoned this as well.

7. There were some changes to the coaching staff. I hope they were based mostly on Jerry Manual’s wishes and not Omar Minaya’s prejudices fueled by Bernazard’s manipulations. Firing a manager’s coaches makes a manager impotent. The beginning of the end began for Davey Johnson and Willie Randolph when the front office dismissed some of their staffs.

Spring training is just 6 weeks away. Minaya has been signalling that the team will be better at that time. He’s wisely let the market come back and has saved the Wilpn’s some money they may have to spend later in the event the Mets actually do contend. With more positive moves, Minaya will haveweathered the media firestorm that surrounded him and it will pay off once camp opens.

No drama.

Only hope with a dash of reasonable expectations.

Posted under Uncategorized

Its 6:55. I have to pick up one of our best players who showed up yesterday with a badly injured knee that occurred while he played basketball. He has an appointment with the doctor at 800. It doesn’t look good at all. Its really swollen above the knee. That’s likely to be blood that’s coming from something that’s torn. He’s a senior and I’m afraid he’ll mis his senior year. I’ve reluctantly been preparing him for the worst.

We lifted weights first yesterday and went outside about 10am. It was hot and humid. Especially to me. I started getting dizzy. The trainer that visits from a local company told me she had the same problen at another school. Since she’s 25 years younger than me, I didn’t feel so bad. A downed 32 ounces of Gatorade on the way home and grabbed 2 large Sprite’s for the rest of the afternoon. I really felt like crap but a nap after lunch saved my ass.

The afternoon session started at five in just shorts and helmets. It was warn when we started but like last year it became very pleasant as the day advanced. The coaches did a terrific job of conditioning during the summer as all the kids in the program down to the incoming freshmen did well over a two-hour session.

One freshmen seemed to have some problem with his Osgood-Schlatters in his right knee, but its something he should be able to manage with exercises. The years after leaving baseball were productive for me in acquiring knowledge as I had the opportunity to work with alot of extremely capable people in lots of different settings.

Posted under Uncategorized

I was glad to see Fred Wilpon at the ballpark yesterday having a sitdown with Omar Minaya. I hope that he and his son read a Human Resources report which documented numerous incidents involving Tony Bernazard and that they realize that they have to do some serious damage control throughout the organization.

I’m not sure if I necessarily agree the negative reports which indicate there is a lack of talent in the system. But the extremely poor showing of the AA and AAA clubs is astonishing and speaks more to a culture of dysfunction. To have successful clubs at these levels isn’t entirely dependent on having alot of prospects. Clubs win championships here because they have winning players many of whom never will put on a major league uniform.

Every organization knows they need this core group of players and they are both appreciated and treated with the same respect as are prospects. It seems that under Tony Bernazard players like these were likely to have been treated contemptuously.

That’s why the Wilpons need to make sure they take a road trip around the organization to reaffirm their appreciation for everything everybody does. They should emphasize new leadership and direction. This simple gesture will create positive energy and will go a long, long way.

Posted under Uncategorized

For the five or six folks whom still read my drivel:

2:33: Mets win 7-0. Tim Redding finished up. Nice DP started again by Daniel Murphy. Like Gary said at the end, this can be the best day of the season if we can get tonight’s game.

2:22: To the 9th. We lead 7-0. They just showed Rockies coach Don Baylor. My own memory of Baylor come from the 1986 World Series when he almost hit me with a foul ball in the 3rd base dugout. I tripped and smashed face first into one of the polls. After I put ice on Gary Carter’s knee after the game, I held an ice bag over the right side of my face. A real big league dork moment.

2:02: Santana’s done, leaving with a 6-0 lead after 7. Bobby Parnell will relieve. That was my first look behind the scenes at Citi Field. Nice shot by SNY getting Santana walking up the runway. A Cora single and David Wright double makes it 7-0.

1:54: For those of you whom don’t already. You need to have Tim Dierkes’ MLB Trade Rumors minimized today. No other site covers it better.

1:50: Cory Sullivan’s had a nice game. Two hits – one a triple, an RBI. Three nice plays in leftfield. He can play CF, too, so their might be something to the talk that the Mets could move Jeremy Reed to the Rockies. They don’t need them both.

1:46: They’re talking about Bob Apodaca, the former Met and Rockies pitching coach. I had the proviledge of working with “Dac” in the 1983 season in Jackson AA Texas League. Great pitching coach-better person.

1:35: Gary and Ron spoke about Omar Minaya’s comments today and were disappointed that Minaya didn’t really “close the door” on the issue. And I am glad that Darling was very Mets get to 6-0 after an Angel Pagan triple.

1:30: Mets lead 5-0 after 5.

1:28: Santana just dove after a ball that got by first base and Ronnie said that when Santana is in the game “he seems to be the toughest guy on the field.” That’s high praise.

1:21: SI’s Jon Heyman reports that the Marlins are close to getting Heath Bell.

1:10: Cory Sullivan single-handedly kept the Rocks from scoring with two really good plays in left.

1:07: They’re saying how well Billy Wagner is doing well. What a great set-up guy Wagner would be for K-Rod.

1:04: Geez, I didn’t know Matt Cerrone was doing TV spots, too on SNY. What a major media star he’s becoming. Still, what an amazing rise in success from a man with a vision.

12:58: Santana’s 4th strikeout. He must be really filthy today as the Rocks are swinging and missing alot….and missing the ball by a mile.

12:53: Plug here for Gary, Ron and Keith’s web site

12:48: 5-0. Notice I had trouble decided how to spell drivel.

12:44: Ronnie talked about the squeeze play and that the hitter has to answer back. I however remembering that the Cubs during the 80′s required no such answer. They have just better get it down or the thing blew up. Plus, some clubs knew that Keith Hernandez was not only good an snuffing it out defensively, but he was good at stealing the sign from the manager in the dugout.

12:40: Cool. Five straight basehits. 4-0. Great to see Cory Sullivan and Angel Berroa get hits.

12:37: Four straight hits. Good guys lead 2-0. Ron’s complementing the offensive approach.

12:32: After running out to get a sandwich…..Murphy just doubled to lead off the 2nd…..Gary talked about the astonishing drop-off in stikeouts by Santana…..Francouer first pitch single to right…..Ron said its that there is a slight drop-off in velocity and that he’s missing inside. I wonder if its that Santana is trying to get more contact from hitters and getting deeper into the ball game.

Posted under Uncategorized

Two pitchers, both 21, were suspended for testing positive for banned substances. Jose Valentin and Leandro Geremy were both suspended for steroids that were to be injected.

Its been believed that for athletes to acquire steroids and other banned substances is far much easier in latin speaking countries. Information is spread by word of mouth and leaves no paper or internet trail. These two were 21, old by their own standard in a camp with alot of teenagers. They were willing to take a chance to distinguish themselves in any way they could to get to the states and chase their dream.

Posted under Uncategorized