LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOWS, BASEBALL SEASON IS HERE!

Ahh, a fresh coat of snow on the ground making the normally dreadful Monday morning commute that much worse, knowing that you have a full 5 days before the weekend, getting splashed by cars that drive too fast through puddles. It all adds up to a perfect day. Why, you ask? Because the 2006 National League East Champion Mets are taking the field today for the first time.

Sure they are just playing themselves today and tomorrow but on Wednesday, they start the real spring training against the Detroit Tigers (the World Series that wasn’t). Wednesday and Thursdays games can be seen on SNY if you call in sick, 1:10 pm start. For those that are all “responsible-like” then just wait until Saturday when the Mets will face the Dodgers, also at 1:10pm on channel 11. Enjoy.

Here are the two teams to todays game. It looks like Sandy got the better side…

Jerry Manuel's team:

Anderson Hernandez, SS
Damion Easley, 2B
Carlos Beltran, CF
Moises Alou, LF
Shawn Green, RF
Ruben Sierra, DH
Ramon Castro, C
David Newhan, 3B
Michel Abreu, 1B

Pitchers:

Jorge Sosa
Ambiorix Burgos
Willie Collazo
Steve Schmoll

Sandy Alomar Sr.'s team:

Jose Reyes, SS
Endy Chavez, CF
Paul Lo Duca, C
Carlos Delgado, 1B
David Wright, 3B
Jose Valentin, 2B
Julio Franco, DH
Ben Johnson, LF
Lastings Milledge, RF

Pitchers:

Jason Vargas
Pedro Feliciano
Lino Urdaneta
Eddie Camacho
Jorge Vasquez

Now a few notes from around the web…

Who better to lead us off then our lead off hitter?

Here is a quick quote from Reyes on his recent contract…

"I'm just 23 years old and when that contract is up I can make a lot more money. Now I can concentrate on playing baseball and nothing else. I don't worry about that kind of stuff. A lot of people said to me, 'Why'd you sign that contract?' I'm still young. That's some security for me and my family. And the next one's going to be big."

And a comment on whether or not the Mets can be a dynasty…

"Without a doubt, we have the talent here. We just have to work hard and push. Never look down. We can be a strong team that can make a run at it every year for a long time."

This kid is amazing. All that talent and still doesn’t have the ego or the dollar signs in his eyes that you would expect. I cant wait to be a part of my first “Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose” chant at Shea.

Here is a scary thought for upcoming pitchers and catchers on other teams…

When Jose Reyes and Carlos Gomez (one of our best prospects) race, Gomez wins about 70 percent of the time. Wow! Plus, he has power potential. For those keeping track, Gomez will be wearing number 88 this spring.

Willie likes to make fun of his coaches…

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/blog/2007/02/willies_gangsta_lean.html

Is there a better manager in the game? I mean who else has it in them to build a team based on respect for each other, then once everyone is all on board, and everyone is so comfortable with each other that they crack jokes on each other almost as often as Phillies’ players open their fat yaps, he joins in with some jabs at his players and coaches. Lead us, Willie, and we will follow…laughing the whole way.

Why is Rick Petterson such a good pitching coach? Well for one he is a Jedi, according to Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog, and because he knows how to relate to pitchers. The “power mullet” doesn’t hurt either. Here are a few articles about him…

This one is about how he plans on making Oliver Perez (and any other young pitcher meet their goals by simply making them focus on what their goals are. Sounds simple enough…

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMTQmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcwODQyNjUmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2

Peterson: If someone says to you, ‘I'm lost,’ what would be the first thing that you would respond? Where do you want to go? It's a logical question. Can you show me your map?

Perez: I don't have one.

Peterson: No wonder you're lost.

Also there is a little story (cant find the link, sorry) about how he uses pop culture references, like Seinfeld to help explain things. I can just see him now, showing a clip of Elaine dancing to illustrate how to not be ready for a come-backer up the middle.

Here is a brief story about how pitchers hate using those BP Screens in practice…

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070225&content_id=1815966&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

A quick excerpt…

…It wasn't quite the same with Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis, who wanted nothing to do with the screen when he threw BP with the Angels one spring. He asked not to use it, but manager Mike Scioscia insisted. "I told him I'm ready for batted balls, and if one comes back at me and there's no screen, at least I can brace myself for it," Schoeneweis said, demonstrating how a slight adjustment can turn a potentially blow into a glancing blow.

Scioscia wouldn't hear of it, so Schoeneweis worked with a screen, only to have a hot ground ball by Jeff Da Vanon scoot under the screen and strike him in the shin. Angered, Schoeneweis said nothing to his manager. But his next pitch hit Da Vanon in the shin.

"He was young," Schoeneweis said. "He wasn't going to say anything."

The Mets took photos for a Mets cook book and everyone was goofing off. The link has more stories but here is one that made me chuckle…

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070225&content_id=1816049&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

"You want me to throw a changeup with a pepper?" Glavine asked in wonder.

"Make them chase it," Rick Peterson, his coach, said.

Who said big leaguers don't play pepper anymore?

You have to click the link above even if you don’t plan on reading the story. As Hot Foot put it, the pic that goes with the story is of Paul LoDuca and Ramon Castro goofing off and it is “priceless”.

Quickies

In a bit of sad news, Xavier Nady is undergoing tests for Chrohns Disease. I always like Nady, even from before he was a Met and I hope he recovers in time to be on the field when the Mets beat up on his team this season.

Get your F.O.O. hat and show your support for our MVB (Most Valuable Brass) Omar Minaya. Apparently Mr. Wilpon (that’s Fred, not Jeff) made up hats with F.O.O. on them that stands for Friends Of Omar. I want one, I mean, aren’t we all F.O.O.’s?

Joe Smith is a hot young side-armer that should see some time in Shea before the season is through. He essentially was the reason that we let Bradford go to the Orioles.

Ambirox Burgos looks good too. He had a very live fastball. And Rick Peterson is very excited about teaching him and Oliver Perez to develop into some top stuff pitchers.

Get amped, boys and girls.

It has begun.

Of course, I must thank my sources on all of this...

Cerrone at MetsBlog & Footie at Hot Foot

Visit and read them daily.
You will not regret it!