Amazin Memories

In his first start since last summer, Johan Santana tossed 47 pitches, allowed six hits and four runs, while striking out one batter, in just 1.2 innings of work.

“I’m happy with the way things went out there today,” Santana told reporters.  “I need to get my strength back, my velocity, my location… I feel good because I was able to throw all my pitches.  I was a little off with my mechanics and release of the ball, but that’s part of spring training. That’s what we are here for.”

…he looked rusty, which is to be expected… his fastball seemed fine to me, as did a few of his change ups… at least, the difference between the two seemed to be fooling hitters… the problem, it seemed, was his delivery was off and he was leaving the ball up… all of which will work itself out over the next few weeks… the key, like he said, is that he feels good…

To read more quotes from Santana, including comments on his fastball and change up, check out Mike Vaccaro’s report in the New York Post.

In a post to Brooklyn Met Fan, Adam explains why not to freak out about Santana’s poor outing.

Jose Reyes has a ‘mild and perhaps temporary case of hyperthyroidism,’ which might not require treatment, his agent, Peter Greenberg, told David Waldstein of the New York Times.

“We’re waiting for the final results tomorrow,” Greenberg said, “but all indications are that it’s the most minimal case of hyperthyroidism possible.  The doctor was very pleased and so is Jose.”

As such, according to Waldstein, Reyes could be cleared to play within days.

For details, including timetables for Reyes’s return, and the thoughts from a specialist in thyroidism, read Waldstein’s report for the Times, here.

Original Post at 5:56 am:

According to the team, tests from yesterday confirm Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid.

However, Reyes later told Enrique Rojas of ESPN.com:

“The specialists who took care of me in New York have told me that I’m fine and that there’s nothing wrong with my thyroid… We just have to wait for the results of the additional test.  The [doctors] found inflammation in my throat and no medicine to treat the thyroid or any other condition has been prescribed.”

In either case, the team said he will remain in New York as they await the results of additional testing, “which will help further determine his treatment.”

They do not expect to have the results before Thursday.

…so, does he have a thyroid issue or not… if not, why is he still in new york… if he does, why doesn’t he know about it… and why… why is this yet another he-said, she-said situation…

Last Friday, Reyes told reporters he had not experienced any symptons of a thyroid problem.

…if i had to guess, i’d bet jose is confused… but, who knows… and, seriously, what is the difference… i just want to know when he’ll be playing again, and why again isn’t everyone on the same page… i hoped this was a thing of the past… but, so far, the two big medical issues this year – Carlos Beltran and now reyes – look a lot like how things were handled last summer…

…this is fine for now, as it is only a media issue… this is not directly affecting real wins and losses… it’s still spring training… but, when the season starts, i fear these moments are why the team ends up playing short handed so often, as players seem to sit for days on the bench, with every one seemingly confused, before he eventually ends up on the disabled list…

…man, i really, really hope i am overreacting…

To read details of Rodriguez’s bullpen session from this morning, which he just completed at Tradition Field, read Rubin’s blog, here.

Original Post, 8:16 am:

According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, Francisco Rodriguez and Kiko Calero are on target to appear in their first Spring Training games later this week.

For details, read Rubin’s Twitter feed, here.

Yesterday, in a loss to the Astros, Mets 1B Ike Davis hit his second home run of the spring, and is now batting .524 in 21 at bats.

“He looks good,” David Wright said of Davis, according to MLB.com.  “I don’t know how you can say anything negative about a guy that seems to be hitting the ball as well as he has.  It looks like, mentally, he’s really advanced as far as a hitter.”

That said, following the game, Jerry Manuel said, right now, it is unlikely Davis will make the Opening Day roster.

Instead, Manuel explained, “I would say more young pitchers have made the jump than more young, unproven position players.”

…yesterday, during the game, i asked, what happens in May, when pitchers begin to figure him out, and he struggles… then what… also, i need to remember, though he’s hitting home runs against weak, spring training pitchers, those same pitchers also striking him out… he k’d three times yesterday… i love the idea of this kid cracking the starting lineup, and making an impact… but, this season, given the pressure to win, can the Mets live with a rookie finding his way at first base… i mean, for all his mediocrity, Daniel Murphy went through that phase already, and seems poised to move forward… and so, even if davis keeps hitting, i still believe the Mets will send him back to the minors, like they did back in the day with David Wright, where he can keep hitting, and be successful every day… he’ll be back, and i think he can be great… yes, the same can sort of be said for Jenrry Mejia, but like jerry was alluding to, it’s easier to promote a young pitcher to the bullpen and throttle his usage, picking his spots, while also still letting him develop… whereas the young hitter has to play every day, while being exposed to the best pitching in the world, day in and day out…

Yesterday, in a poll on MetsBlog.com, 74 percent of voters said Mejia should stay in the minor leagues to develop; 14 percent are unsure, and need more time to watch him before deciding; while just 12 percent feel he should be added to the team’s major-league bullpen on Opening Day.

According to the commissioner’s office, reliever Jay Marshall, who the Mets claimed off waivers in January, will be returned to the A’s, due to a pre-existing shoulder injury.

Marshall had a career 7.66 ERA through 49 innings in 61 relief appearances for Oakland since 2007, while walking 22 batters and striking out just 19.

According to the Fantasy Sports Service, he uses a deceptive, side-arm delivery to get hitters out, mostly facing left-handed batters.

According to the team, tests from yesterday confirm Jose has an overactive thyroid.

He will remain in New York as they await the results of additional testing, “which will help further determine his treatment.”

They do not expect to have the results before Thursday.

Last week, while at Tradition Field, I watched two unique infield drills at first base.

In the first drill, the first baseman straddled the bag, as if to receive a throw from a fielder; however, the coach hit the ball to them, he didn’t throw it.

In the second drill, again, the first baseman straddled the bag, but without a glove, and from a short distance a coach threw the ball to him, in the dirt, which the fielder is expected to field cleanly and back-handed.

In this video, I talk with Daniel Murphy, who explained the purpose of each of these drills, and talked to me about learning from the competition:

Here is video of Mets hitting coach Howard Johnson taking batting practice before today’s game on a back field at Tradition Field, courtesy of the Daily News:

Francisco Rodriguez threw a successful bullpen session at Tradition Field today.

For details, check out Newsday’s David Lennon, here; and Adam Rubin from the Daily News, here.

Rodriguez will throw again tomorrow, and hopes to pitch in a game this weekend.

…for whatever reason, i feel more confident in K-Rod when he’s wearing those sunglasses, like he looked when dominating for the Angels… also, he said he has no idea who Goose Gossage is, when asked about goose’s recent comments about him being a ‘clown.’… baseball is supposed to be fun, and entertaining… K-Rod is fun, and entertaining… end of story… be you, buddy…

Rodriguez returned to camp yesterday, after being sidelined with a severe case of ‘pink eye.’

In case you haven’t done so, be sure to check out the Amazin Avenue Annual, which will provide you with everything you need to know about the Mets in 2010.

The free PDF document also includes essays written by me, SNY’s Ted Berg, Jason Fry and Greg Prince from Faith and Fear in Flushing, Tim Marchman from SI.com, and Toby Hyde from Mets Minor League Blog, among others.

…the guys at AA do a great service, every day, for the Mets online community… this document lives up to their reputation… and i am thrilled to be a part of it…

…i agree, it’s hard not to be excited about Ike Davis… yes, he has looked shaky on defense… but, this play is not indicative of his skills in the field… i have seen him look timid in games, where he seems to be letting the play him… however, i have also seen him look fluid and comfortable during practice… i’m thinking he just needs to play more, be confident, and he’ll be fine…

Yesterday, in a win against the Marlins, Mets 1B Chris Carter hit a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning, then hit another home run later in the inning.

The Mets acquired Carter in the trade with the Red Sox for Billy Wagner last summer.

In a post to the Daily Stache, Aaron Yorke wonders about Carter’s fate with the Mets, ‘since he doesn’t really have a position.’

…he is an odd case… he reminds me so much of Daniel Murphy… i see him competing right now with Frank Catalanotto and Mike Jacobs for the final spot on the bench… if the Mets want versatility, it’s cat’s job to lose… if its power from the left side they seek, jacobs and carter will lead the race… the thing is, carter can go to Triple-A, where most people believe jacobs will seek a major-league job if it isn’t with the Mets… 

To learn more about Carter, and who he is, check out Dave Singer of NY Sports Dog.

According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, Bobby Parnell is not pitching much in games because he is working on developing a cutter.

To read other notes from Mets camp, including an update on Mike Pelfrey’s knee, and John Franco’s travel schedule, check out Rubin’s Twitter feed, here.

Yesterday, in a win against the Marlins in Jupiter, Jenrry Mejia pitched three scoreless innings in relief, striking out one and allowing two hits.

Prior to the game, Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters that the plan is still to return Mejia to Double-A to begin this season, where he will be used a starting pitcher.

Following the game, Jerry Manuel joked with reporters, saying:

“He wears No. 76 and Frankie is No. 75… They might follow each other out there, if you know what I mean… His stuff, right now, at this stage, is dominating.”

That said, Manuel also said Mejia is scheduled to throw four innings in his next appearance.

…which would suggest he is still on pace to be stretched out for the rotation in Binghamton… but, i do believe, if he keeps this up, the team will turn on a dime and put mejia in the major-league bullpen… he can always be sent back down, should he stumble… the problem is, god love them, but the Mets are notorious for butchering these sort of roster situations… i mean, how many players will it cost them to keep mejia on the 25–man roster… remember, Fernando Nieve, Pat Misch and Nelson Figueroa are out of options… i’m not saying these guys need to be on the team instead of mejia, just because of roster management… i’m just saying, the Mets need to be careful, because quite often they mess these situations up, when it seems they often end up losing all of these players when all is said and done…

Nevertheless, Mejia told reporters, though he prefers to be a starting pitcher, he is comfortable pitching in relief.

To read more quotes from Mejia, as well as to hear what Rod Barajas thinks of the young pitcher, check out Mike Puma’s report for the New York Post.

To learn more about Mejia, and why he wore No. 45 last season, read Marty Noble on MLB.com, where you can also see clips from Mejia’s outing yesterday.

The Mets re-signed free-agent, 32–year-old RHP Kyle Snyder yesterday to a minor-league deal.

Snider was 3-8 with a 4.23 ERA and one save in 33 games with the Triple-A Bisons last season, with whom he was named the team’s 2009 Comeback Player of the Year.

He last pitched in the big leagues during 2008, for the Red Sox; and he appeared in a handful of games for the Mets last Spring, before being sent to Triple-A.

…he has a decent, low-90s fastball, and decent off-speed pitches, which he struggles to command…

Matt Pignataro of Seven Train to Shea believes the Orioles and Rangers are very interested in C Omir Santos.

Last week, in a report for the Daily News, Adam Rubin said, “Santos or Shawn Riggans could be involved with a trade this spring,” as the team needs to find a home for six catchers in their minor-league system.

…there are just too many catchers… no question… Henry Blanco and Rod Barajas will likely be on the major league roster… Josh Thole has to be the starting catcher in Triple-A, where Chris Coste will be his mentor and back-up… so, where does that leave riggans and santos…

I will be a guest on The Sports Grill, on WHRW in Binghamton, NY, talking Mets, blogging and Spring Training, today at 4 pm.

To listen live, tune to 90.5 FM in Binghamton, or go here.

In a post to his blog for the Star-Ledger, Brian Costa does a great job explaining exactly what Howard Johnson is doing with his Flip video camera, when filming hitters during batting practice.

“It’s just another tool for us,” Johnson told Costa.  “Because it’s so small and easy, you just get it out, boom, take the video that you want, and you can download it and look at it whenever.”

…nice… that reads like an ad, actually…

Mets 23–year-old 1B Ike Davis is batting .571 with 14 total bases in 14 at-bats in six games this spring.

…i know, it’s so, so tempting… for now, i’m still on the side of sending ike back to the minors, and letting Daniel Murphy keep first base… i still believe murphy will hit around .280 with 40 doubles and more than 80 RBI, if allowed to play the full season… but, in either case, it’s quite clear ike is going to give him a run, and it’s only going to get more and more as the spring and summer move on…

…it’s not a coincidence that ike’s home run from last week now has the record for the most watched video to ever appear on MetsBlog…

…from what i can gather, murphy has no problem eventually moving to second base, where, according to people close to him, he thinks he will help the team most in the future… but, for now, he’s at first base… the Mets are excited about Reese Havens, who will play his first full season at second base in the minors this summer… Ruben Tejada still looks to me like a Maicer Izturis type, not necessarily a full-time player… so, who knows, maybe murphy does end up back at second at some point, though i do not see that in the plans any time soon…

To see Davis’s home run from last week, watch this video on SNY.TV.

David Lennon of Newsday says Rodriguez will throw a bullpen session tomorrow; pitch batting practice on Thursday; and hopefully appear in a game this weekend.

Original Post at 8:37 am:

According to Brian Costa of the Star Ledger, Francisco Rodriguez has arrived at Tradition Field, he is in the Mets clubhouse, and he has been cleared by doctors.

Last week, Rodriguez was diagnosed with ‘pink eye,’ and was told by doctors to stay at home while he recovered.

In an update to his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin explains the severity of Rodriguez’s issue, while noting, “He won’t wear contact lenses for a while, meaning his goggles look from the Angels days is back.”

To read more, check out Rich Coutinho, who lists a series of question marks for the team’s bullpen, in a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio.

In a must-read report for the New York Times, David Waldstein explains how Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco and Chris Coste are essentially teaching Catching 501 this spring, “a seminar on the advanced study of baseball’s most demanding position.”

…in the two weeks i was in St. Lucie, i grew very, very impressed with blanco, who i always saw talking to someone about something… i even caught him talking with Ruben Tajada one afternoon in the infield, in what looked like a lesson about how to receive a throw from the catcher and make a tag at second base… blanco told me he used to play third base and second in his younger days, as well…

…by the way, i had a chance to hang out with waldstein in St. Lucie… he’s a good guy, he’s very perceptive… i told him i really enjoy his writing… he’s smart, and doing a terrific job spotting interesting ideas and content around camp and writing about it in a way that is making me say, ‘Hmm, I wonder what Waldo has to say today,’ and that is huge for that industry right now…

To see Omir Santos’s in-the-park grand slam from yesterday, watch this video on SNY.TV.

…in short, martinez is 21… he had a big day this weekend… but, he needs to go to Triple-A, hit, be productive and stay healthy… Angel Pagan earned the starting center field job last summer… let f-mart do his thing in Buffalo, let him be comfortable and confident, get in to a rhythm, with no interruptions, and then let’s see where he’s at…

Yesterday, Mets LHP Hisanori Takahashi struck out six hitters and allowed only one hit in a three-inning relief appearance, during which he tossed 34 strikes compared to eight balls.

“He very seldom hits the middle of the plate,” pitching coach Dan Warthen explained.  “He changes speeds.  He recognizes swings, works both sides of the plate extremely well.  He’s a consummate professional.”

…i said it the other day, he has a remarkable ability to hit the glove on every pitch he throws, and so he can flirt with the outside of the plate like Tom Glavine was notorious for doing… maybe it is inherent with No. 47… anyway, that, coupled with the way Henry Blanco and Rod Barajas frame the strike zone, which they do quite well, it could be a successful combination…

“How we use him, we’d probably have to visit that at some other point,” Jerry Manuel explained to reporters, following yesterday’s game.  “If you said to me, ‘Hey, Jerry, take your best 12,’ he’d have to be in that group.”

…i have no idea what the Mets are going to do with him… right now, i feel he could just as easily make the rotation as he ends up being a long man as he ends up being a lefty specialist in the bullpen… in either case, i think he’ll make the team… he’s too strong and well-rounded not to…

For more on Takahashi, read David Waldstein’s report for the New York Times.

To see a video recapping of his six strikeouts, watch this video on MLB.com.

The X-ray on Mike Pelfrey’s knee came back negative.

As such, Pelfrey is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today in Tradition Field.

He was hit on the knee with a ground ball during Saturday’s game.

Meanwhile, in a post to Twitter, Newsday’s David Lennon runs down the list of Mets players with injuries, including updates on Fernando Tatis and Nick Evans.

In addition, Adam Rubin of Newsday explains why Kelvim Escobar is no longer throwing the baseball, and why he’s likely to start the year on the disabled list.

…it’s going to happen… look, athletes get hurt… i need to remind myself of this, so not to get all worked up every time a player gets a hang nail, immediately seeing it as a continuation of last season’s debacle…

Jose Reyes will meet with Mets doctors in New York City today, as they investigate his hyperactive thyroid gland.

This morning on WFAN, host Craig Carton was quite vocal about ‘connecting the dots,’ wondering if there will end up being a link between Reyes’s recent thyroid issue, and his involvement with Canadian Dr. Anthony Galea, who is reportedly being investigated for the distribution of illegal performance enhancing drugs, including HGH.

According to Carton, a simple search on Google will provide any interested person with a list of information connecting HGH and hypothyroidism.

…the thing is, in reading, it seems like HGH is actually used to help hypothyroidism, not cause it…

…nevertheless, while i understand carton’s suspicions, but, personally, i find it foolish to cast such judgement, today, when so little is known… plus, it’s equally logical to think jose ended up with hypothyroidism on his own, with it having nothing to do with anything other than his own genetics…

…the point is, his tests are today, and, for him and the team, i hope it all goes well…

Here is the latest Right-Track, Wrong-Track Poll for the Mets, which I refrained from posting while I was in St. Lucie the last two weeks.

…i am interested to see how things go here… it’s been nearly three weeks since i last asked… last time, we were in the final days of the hot stove, today it’s spring training…

Yesterday, in his first start of the spring, Oliver Perez gave up five earned runs on seven hits, while striking out two and walking one, during three innings in a loss to the Nationals at Tradition Field.

Perez told reporters he was a little nervous, but happy he felt no pain in his knee, from which he had scar tissue removed last summer.

He tossed 33 strikes out of 49 pitchers, which was Perez’s goal for the day, according to pitching coach Dan Warthen.

“I thought it was an extremely positive day for him,” Warthen said.  “He maintained everything he’s been working on.”

…i agree… from what i can tell, the team didn’t want him to be fancy, they simply wanted him to go out, be comfortable, and throw strikes… he did this, and only used his slider a few times… usually, he mixes his pitchers more… so, if he threw strikes and felt  no pain, i guess it was a success… also, it’s his first start… i try not to get overly analytical about performance, good or bad, until later in the month… right now, they’re just not pitching at the same level, and they’re trying to do different things, like work in new pitches, or work on delivery issues, etc…

“Ollie threw strikes; that was the main focus,” said Jerry Manuel, who was very satisfied with Perez’s performance.  “We felt that if he could get some level of comfort out there and throw strikes, we would be very satisfied with the way he was going… When you get the results of strikes, you’re doing some things right mechanically.”

I have uploaded new photos to my Spring Training photo set on Flickr, which includes action from this morning’s open workout, and game against the Nationals.

To view those photos, click here.

The Mets defeated the Nationals by the score of 6-5 at Tradition Field this afternoon.

The Least You Should Know:

Oliver Perez’s Spring debut was not a pretty one, as right off the bat, he allowed three runs to the Nationals in the first inning.

…Perez looked great in the bullpen before the game, but he didn’t come out with the same velocity…as ugly as the boxscore was, he appeared to be working on a few things during the game, so, for now, I’m not worried…

The Mets got great relief work from Hisanori Takahashi and Pat Misch today, as both combined for six innings of four hit ball, while striking out nine.

…Takahashi created a buzz in the stadium today, and deservedly so…he struck out six, and got out of a big first and third jam in the fifth…

The Mets put up a five spot in the second inning, thanks to a bizarre inside the park grand slam by Omir Santos and an RBI single from Alex Cora.

The Nationals responded in the third with a Kevin Mench RBI double which scored Ivan Rodriguez and tied the game at five a piece, but in the bottom of the fifth, David Wright doubled in Gary Matthews Jr. which put the Mets in the lead for good.

Game Ball:

Goes to Omir Santos for his inside the park grand slam in the second inning.

Up Next:

The Mets head south to Jupiter to take on the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Game time is 1:05 pm.

The Mets announces Mike Pelfrey underwent an X-Ray on his knee, and the results were negative.

Yesterday, Pelfrey was hit by a comebacker during his outing against the Nationals in Viera, but was able to continue his outing after he was hit.

The Mets will host the Washington Nationals today at Tradition Field. Game time is at 1:10 pm.

The lineup is as follows:

1. Gary Matthews, Jr. CF
2. Luis Castillo, 2B
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Jason Bay, LF
5. Daniel Murphy, 1B
6. Jeff Francoeur, RF
7. Alex Cora, 2B
8. Omir Santos C

LHP Oliver Perez will start for the Mets and bat ninth, and also scheduled to pitch are RHP Hisanori Takahashi, LHP Pat Misch, RHP Jack Egbert, RHP Clint Everts, and RHP Tobi Stoner.

I am on my way back to New York, after two weeks in St. Lucie.

However, Michael Baron will be at today’s game in Tradition Field.

Here are Baron’s last seven updates to Twitter, which he will be using today to post notes and pictures from the team’s workouts and game against the Nationals:

To follow Michael Baron on Twitter, click here.

…Aaron Doster has been following the Mets over the past couple of weeks in Port St. Lucie, and has done an outstanding job with his photographs…

The Mets defeated the Nationals by the score of 14-6 at Space Coast Stadium today.

For a full recap and box score, click here.

The Least You Should Know:

Once again, the Mets got going early today, thanks to a sac fly from Mike Hessman to score Fernando Martinez and an Ike Davis RBI single to plate Jolbert Cabrera.

However, Mike Pelfrey did not fare well in this game, allowing Washington one run in the first and then three in the second to take a 4-2 lead.

Pelfrey went three innings and allowed four runs, three earned and seven hits, but didn’t walk a batter. He was drilled in the knee on a Cristian Guzman come-backer to the mound, but stayed in the game.

But in the third, the Mets responded with two runs to tie thanks to a solo home run by Fernando Martinez and an RBI single from Henry Blanco, and they would pull ahead in the fourth thanks to a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by the Nationals Wil Nieves, which allowed Angel Pagan to score.

But in the bottom of the sixth, with Eric Niesen pitching for the Mets, Mike Morse homered to tie the game and then later in the inning, Cristian Guzman singled in Alberto Gonzalez to give Washington a 6-5 lead.

However, the Mets put up a five-spot in the seventh, starting with Fernando Martinez’s second home run of the game to tie, and after Jolbert Cabrera struck out, Mike Jacobs homered to give the Mets the lead for good. The Mets also got an RBI single from Kirk Nieuwenhuis and a two RBI single from Ruben Tejada to give the Mets a 10-6 lead.

In the ninth, Shawn Bowman led things off with a single for the Mets, and then Ike Davis drove him home with a double, and after Josh Thole struck out, Kirk Nieuwenhuis singled in Davis, and after a single from Luis Hernandez and a walk to Jason Pridie, Anderson Hernandez singled both of them in to make it 14-6 in favor of the Mets.

Game Ball:

Goes to Fernando Martinez for his big 4 for 4 day, which included two solo home runs and three runs scored.

Up Next:

The Mets return home to Tradition Field tomorrow to face the Nationals. Game time is 1:10 pm.

There was music playing from the sound system in Tradition Field today during batting practice, ranging in tunes from Star by Bad Company to Centerfield by John Fogerty.

In left field, Jeff Francoeur, Jason Bay, David Wright, Alex Cora and Dave Racaniello were shagging balls, as other players took turns at the plate.

Burning Heart, by Survivor, from the Rocky IV soundtrack started to play, to which Jeff Francoeur said, ‘Oh, yeah.’  He then took off his glove and started shadow boxing, after which he dropped to his back and began doing Rocky-style sit ups, as Racaniello played the part of Apollo’s trainer.

However, a ball was hit towards them, forcing David Wright to jump in front and essentially save Francoeur from being drilled by a line drive, as you can see here:

Later, the group competed to see who could throw a ball and hit a flag on top of the scoreboard:

No, nobody hit a flag, though several balls sailed over to the back fields, but they seemed to be having a great time, hanging out, playing baseball and enjoying a Saturday afternoon.

By the way, it was awesome hearing tracks from Rocky playing on the loud speaker.

I love that soundtrack.

In his final round of hitting this morning, Luis Castillo tried to turn his batting practice in to a home run derby, as you can see in this video, calling his shot and demanding Jeff Francoeur play up against the wall, while batting right handed.

Naturally, Francoeur moved in a few feet, playing a shallow left field, to which Castillo responded, ‘Oh, hell no,’ of course he never got a ball to the warning track, leading to good-natured jokes from Francoeur, David Wright and Jason Bay.

The Mets travel north to Viera to take on the Washington Nationals today at Space Coast Stadium. Game time is 1:05 pm.

Most of the regulars will stay in Port St. Lucie today and workout at Tradition Field.

Today’s lineup is as follows:

1. Angel Pagan, CF
2. Fernando Martinez, LF
3. Jolbert Cabrera, 2B
4. Mike Jacobs, DH
5. Mike Hessman, 3B
6. Ike Davis, 1B
7. Henry Blanco, C
8. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, RF
9. Ruben Tejada, SS

RHP Mike Pelfrey will start for the Mets, and also scheduled to pitch today are RHP Eric Niesen, RHP Sean Green, RHP Elmer Dessens, LHP Travis Blackley, and RHP Eddie Kunz.

Johan Santana is an amazing combination of serious, smart and silly.

Today, he was set up in left field taking ground balls from a coach hitting to him from the foul line.

He was working hard, taking a ton of pride in his ability to field, yet also joking around at times.

Of course, the second he missed a ball, or bobbled a pick up, the smile turned to seriousness, and he demanded the same type of ground ball, so he could repeat it and get it right.

I love watching him work.

I find that when he pitches, I sometimes forget about the score for a moment, because I am so fixated on his performance, watching why he does what he does, not just how.

I think what I appreciate most is that a) he is awesome at what he does, yet b) he never stops working to be better, and c) he clearly has fun doing his job, and those are all things everyone, in everyone field, should strive for.

I just watched Carlos Beltran working with Angel Pagan in the locker room.

The two men were facing one another in front of a mirror, as Beltran mimicked Pagan’s batting stance, emphasizing to him the importance of keeping his balance, and staying centered, even when shifting his weight during his swing.  But, more important, Beltran kept saying, was for Pagan to not think of these things, get to a point where it’s natural and repetitive, day in and day out.

Pagan was focused on Beltran like a laser, with the lesson starting at their lockers, then moving to the mirror, then back to the locker, all lasting a good 20 minutes.

I asked Pagan about the tutorial, and he showed me a notebook, which was full of hand written notes from previous lessons with Beltran, who looked very serious in his preaching.

In fact, as Pagan was scribbling in his notebook, Beltran walked back over to clarify a few things, and Pagan began to scramble, writing faster like a student falling behind in class.

He told me he often approaches Beltran with questions, but that Beltran also approaches him as well.  He said, “It’s my job to study, it’s my job to be better and help the team,” and, “If you’re going to be the best, you have to learn from the best.”

To hear more from Pagan about his lessons from Beltran, watch this:

In yesterday’s 4-3 loss to the Marlins at Tradition Field, Jenrry Mejia pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief of Jon Niese, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out four, including the first three batters he faced.

…rarely do i get excited about an individual performance during spring training, but i don’t think there was anyone out there who didn’t get excited by Mejia’s performance, including himself…even though it was only a March 5 game during Spring Training, Mejia was filthy and totally awesome…there are a lot of individual performances which might look like his in the boxscore, but this performance, in my mind, goes beyond the boxscore…he looked poised, locked in, and like he knew what he was doing out there, and for someone of his age and stature, it’s not often we see that, and it’s very encouraging and promising to see that from Mejia at this stage of his career…

Mike Puma of the New York Post says the Mets might have to seriously consider a roster spot for Mejia come Opening Day, as Jerry Manuel told reporters “If we continue to see that, we’ll have to have some strong conversations…”

…while his performance was phenomenal yesterday, i do have reservations with bringing Mejia to the majors right now…he is still so young, and he has had control problems thus far, outside of yesterday of course…in addition, he is projected to be a starter, and i worry about putting him in the bullpen and changing the routine…that said, he could just be a phenom and might have the ability to make adjustments like that on the fly, so who knows, and if that’s the case, i’d gladly stand corrected…

Regarding Manuel’s comparison of Mejia to Mariano Rivera last week, Mejia said:

“When I saw that in the paper, I said, ‘Whoa, Mariano what?’”

For more on Mejia, check out the New York Post here.

Brian Costa of the Star Ledger says while Carlos Beltran hasn’t yet resumed baseball activities, prior to Spring Training, while at his home in Puerto Rico, he would step into the batting cage he built at his home and track pitches out of the machine.

…this really is a great exercise, and i feel very underestimated…i remember when i was in college, one of the things we would do is each watch a round of balls go through the machine in order to get a sense of pitch speed combined with location, and simulate swinging at the pitch…it’s great for hand eye coordination and training the brain how to time pitches…i don’t know if Carlos watches breaking pitches out of the machne, but either way, i’m glad to see he is doing what he can right now…

Costa says right now, Beltran is limited to simple leg exercises to build muscle, but since he is limited in what he can do right now, he misses the routine of a ballplayer, telling Costa:

“Sometimes, as a ballplayer, when you’re healthy, it’s not like you take things for granted, but it becomes part of the routine…When now, I’m not able to do it, it’s like, ‘Man, I miss that. You appreciate what you do a little bit more.’”

Costa says the timetable for Beltran’s return hasn’t changed but right now he is walking without a limp or any pain, and Beltran expects to begin picking up the pace in his rehabilitation, as he will begin to increase the resistance in his weight training,

…it must be difficult for Carlos, for a lot of reasons, but i’m glad he is past the initial trauma of the surgery and is working his way back…

For more on Beltran, check out Costa’s report here.

According to David Lennon of Newsday, Dr. Andrew Martorella, who is a thyroid specialist at Cornell Hospital in New York, says Jose Reyes‘ thyroid condition is completely curable, and he should be fine.

…i really feel bad for jose, as he has worked really hard to get to where he is, and prior to today, he appeared happy, healthy, and full of energy working out at Tradition Field…i’m glad the prognosis is looking good for him, for his own personal sake, and from a baseball standpoint, i’m hopeful he will be ok and be back on the field within a week or so…

At Tradition Field, the Mets fell to the Marlins by the score of 4-2.

Jon Niese started for the Mets, and pitched pretty well, allowing just a run in 2 2/3 innings and striking out five before reaching his pitch count limit, handing the ball to Jenrry Mejia trailing 1-0 in the third inning.

The Mets would take the lead in the bottom of the third, thanks to a heads up base running play by Angel Pagan, when he scored on a David Wright fielders choice and an error by Emilio Bonifacio to prolong the inning, and then Jason Bay doubled off the right field wall to score Wright to make it 2-1.

…i have been really down on Pagan and his baseball instincts, but i was thrilled to see him score on that play, using his head and making a good, aggressive play to help the team…

Mejia’s outing continued through the fifth inning, and he showed tremendous velocity and very good control of all of his pitches, striking out the first three batters he faced and retiring all seven batters he faced.

Mejia went 2 1/3 innings, allowing no hits while striking out four.

…although its an early spring game, Mejia looked awesome…he looked poised, confident, and most importantly, he looked like he was having a ball, with a big fist pump at the end of the top of the fourth inning…

Ryota Igarashi pitched two innings but allowed a solo home run to Bonifacio in the seventh, which tied the game at two a piece.

The Mets had some technical difficulties with the sprinklers before the top of the eighth inning, which delayed the action for a few minutes, but Pedro Feliciano took over for Igarashi and promptly allowed a leadoff double to Jorge Jiminez, then Cameron Maybin moved him over to third on a groundout, but then Feliciano struck out Marlins top prospect Mike Stanton and then got Vinny Rottino to ground out to end the inning.

…Feliciano was all over the place today, but he was able to make big pitches when he needed to and got away unscathed…

Bobby Parnell came on in the ninth, and with a runner at first and one out, the Marlins executed a perfect hit and run play to put runners at the corners, but Parnell struck out Bonifacio, and after walking Brett Carroll, got Jorge Jiminez to fly out to end the inning.

But in the tenth, Parnell immediately found himself in trouble again, allowing a Cameron Maybin leadoff double, and then Mike Stanton connected for a two run home run to put the Marlins on top 4-2.

…Parnell was in the upper 90s with his fastball, but like Feliciano, he just didn’t appear too comfortable out there today…

The Mets mounted a rally in the bottom of the tenth and pulled within one when Mike Hessman reached on a fielders choice and an error which scored Sean Ratliff, but Ike Davis grounded out to end the game, giving the Marlins the victory.

Meanwhile, in Jupiter against the Cardinals, the Mets defeated the Cardinals by the score of 7-3.

Fernando Nieve pitched well in his first start of the Spring, going three innings and allowing just a run on three hits with two strikeouts, although he walked two in his outing.

The Mets jumped out to an early 3-0 against the Cardinals in the first, thanks to an RBI double by Fernando Tatis, followed by RBI singles from Jeff Francoeur and Fernando Martinez, but Bobby Livingston took over for Nieve in the fourth and allowed two runs thanks to a Colby Rasmus RBI single which scored two for St. Louis to tie the game at three a piece.

The Mets went in front in the seventh inning when Shawn Riggans drove in Chris Coste with two outs off of Cardinals reliever Ben Jukich, and then added two more in the ninth inning in support of Nelson Figueroa, who gave the Mets four innings of one hit ball.

Fernando Martinez had another nice afternoon, going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored against the Cardinals.

Game Ball:

One goes to Jenrry Mejia for his electrifying outing at Tradition Field, and the other goes to Nelson Figueroa for his fantastic four innings of work in Jupiter.

Up Next:

The Mets travel north to Viera tomorrow to take on the Nationals at Space Voast Stadium. Game Time is 1:00 pm.

Here is my latest video diary for SNY.TV, featuring clips of what goes on, be it in the back fields or in Tradition Field, prior to a Grapefruit League game:

Jenrry Mejia just finished throwing two perfect innings.

He tossed 19 pitches, 17 for strikes.

What’s more, hitters were swinging a foot or so above his fastball, which he repeatedly put on the edges of the strikezone.

I talked to a scout, who said the best thing he saw was how hitters were shaking thier heads, in confusion, when leaving the batter’s box.

He said he would send Mejia
back to Double-A to start, where he can continue to develope. That said, he said Mejia has better stuff, short of Francisco Rodriguez, of anyone in the Mets bullpen.

I agree, I’m not an advocate of keeping Mejia in the big leagues to be a set-up man this season. I understand the temptation; but, for now, at 20 years old, I still want him to have the opportunity to grow and become a dominant starting picther.

Here is Jose Reyes and Omar Minaya talking to reporters in Tradition Field:

The Mets will host the Marlins this afternoon at Tradition Field, but will also send a squad to Jupiter to take on the Cardinals. Both games start at 1:00 pm.

Jose Reyes has been scratched from the lineup once again, and is headed back to New York for further testing on a potentially imbalanced thyroid.

Instead, Luis Hernandez will play shortstop and hit eighth in the order.

For the game against the Marlins at Tradition Field, the lineup is as follows:

1. Angel Pagan, CF
2. Luis Castillo, 2B
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Jason Bay, LF
5. Daniel Murphy, 1B
6. Rod Barajas, C
7. Jesus Feliciano, RF
8. Luis Hernandez, SS
9. Kai Gronauer, DH

LHP Jon Niese will start for the Mets against the Marlins, and RHP Jenrry Mejia, LHP Pedro Feliciano, RHP Bobby Parnell, RHP Ryota Igarashi, RHP Elmer Dessens, and LHP Eric Niesen are also expected to pitch.

For the game against the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium, the lineup is as follows:

1. Gary Matthews, Jr. CF
2. Alex Cora, 2B
3. Jeff Francoeur, RF
4. Mike Jacobs, 1B
5. Fernando Tatis, 3B
6. Fernando Martinez, RF
7. Omir Santos, C
8. Ruben Tejada, SS
9. Shawn Riggans, DH

RHP Fernando Nieve will start for the Mets against the Cardinals, and LHP Bobby Livingston, RHP Nelson Figueroa, RHP Eddie Kunz, and RHP Brad Holt are also expected to pitch.

Today’s game against the Marlins at Tradition Field can be seen on SNY, beginning at 1:00 pm.

According to Omar Minaya, because this is a ‘personal health issue, not a baseball issue,’ the team doctors requested they be cautious and so Reyes will refrain from baseball activities until they get the results of the test.

Minaya says the team’s Florida doctors cleared Reyes during yesterday’s physical, but their team doctors in New York later double checked and requested further testing, and so he’s traveling back north.

Minaya also said Francisco Rodriguez has yet to be cleared of pink eye, but is expected back soon.

Original Post at 11:10 am:

The Mets told reporters there may be an imbalance in Jose Reyes’s thyroid levels, so he’s on his way to New York for testing on Monday.

They say it could be 48 hours before the team gets his results.

Reyes said he feels ‘good,’ but they feel he may have an overactive thyroid.

He said he can’t play baseball, or ‘do anything,’ until he hears back from doctors; which is a shame, he explained, because he feels fine, and says he hasn’t experienced any symptoms.

… i feel badly for him, he looked worried when talking to reporters, since this has nothing to do with his leg… that sucks, man… what’s worse, it keeps him idle and off the field…

In a post to Twitter, Adam Rubin of the Daily News says Jose Reyes has been scratched from today’s lineup.

Reyes was not on the back fields either yesterday morning or this morning participating in drills with David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Luis Castillo.

However, according to Rubin, a team official says his absence today is for a non-baseball related issue.

Yesterday, Jose Reyes was not in the lineup against the Cardinals as he had to have a follow-up to his physical, but afterward, returned to Tradition Field, took batting practice and participated in drills on the back fields in the afternoon.

I have watched Hisanori Takahashi throw a lot this spring, he’s throwing a bullpen now, and, I have to say, he never misses the target. He has impeccable control.

I don’t know how that translates in the big leagues, but from a pure skill point of view it’s quite fascinating to watch him.

Henry Owens is here auditioning, and hitting around 92, 93 mph with his fastball.

Yes, the same Owens the Mets traded to the Marlins.

Original Post at 10:25 am:

In between the back fields, the team is checking out a collection of minor league free agents, essentially trying out.

They’re not in Mets gear, naturally, with one pitcher actually wearing a Texas Rangers cap.

The team’s youngest catchers from the minor league side are on the recievining end as a handful of coaches look on.

Here is my interview with Ike Davis, during which I ask him about dealing with reporters, his relationship with the team’s other first baseman and his thoughts on making the big league club:

David Lennon of Newsday says Johan Santana threw a 40 pitch simulated game yesterday at Tradition Field, and says Santana feels great and is on schedule for Opening Day at Citi Field on April 5.

Lennon says Santana prefers to not pitch live batting practice, although both Rod Barajas and Josh Thole stepped into the box during his simulated game, but neither were able to make much contact against him.

Regarding Santana, Barajas told Lennon:

“His changeup is such a natural pitch…It looks like he could pick up a ball in December and be as good as anybody.”

Santana told Lennon he was unable to extend his arm fully on his pitches last year due to the problems with his elbow, but now he has the ability to extend on all of his pitches and let everything go.

…i still cannot understand why the team would have their prized pitcher go out there and pitch with a bad elbow, and i think they’re lucky it didn’t result in anything worse than what it was, but that was last year…i am so excited to see Santana get out there and pitch the way he did two years ago when he first joined the Mets…he is such a gamer, yet a professional at the same time, and i really feel he is one of the most complete pitchers the Mets have ever had…

For more on Santana, check out Newsday here.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets remain interested in free agent LHP Joe Beimel, even though they signed Kiko Calero to a minor-league deal yesterday.

Puma says the Mets have offered Beimel a Major League contract, but the offer is for less than the $2 million he earned last year, but are also considering LHP Ron Mahay as an alternative.

…i would really like to see the Mets pick Beimel up, as i think he would really help to enhance the versatility of their bullpen late in games as the second lefty out of the bullpen, and it would allow Pedro Feliciano to make fewer appearances and face fewer right handed hitters, thus protecting a weakness…

…Eric and his team, as well as Ted Berg, Matt, and everyone else who contributed to this did an outstanding job…it was great working with all of them to put this together and i’m looking forward to getting my hands on a hard copy soon…

…you can download the pdf for free, and hard copies are available for purchase…

I have added 11 new desktop background images to my collection of Spring Training Wallpaper.

To get these images, plus additional desktop wallpaper images, click here.

According to John Fayman from the Cincinnati Enquirer, a source says the Reds have zero interest in Gary Matthews Jr., and there are five outfielders in Reds camp they would rather have.

…hat tip to Eli for the link…

Original Post, 7:53 pm:

Buster Olney of ESPN says the Reds are interested in acquiring Gary Matthews Jr. from the Mets, in the event Angel Pagan wins the Opening Day center field job.

…interesting…i wonder what they would be willing to offer up for GMJ, and could this re-kindle talks for either Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo…i’d be surprised if he won the job from Pagan this Spring, although if he has days like he had today against the Cardinals it will make the decision a difficult one for Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel…

The Mets acquired Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels on January 21 for reliever Brian Stokes, and the Angels are paying all but approximately $2 million owed to Matthews on the remainder of his original five year, $50 million contract he signed after the 2006 season.

So, I was unable to get my act together and secure some type of structured event at Duffy’s, for readers of MetsBlog to meet up at while in Port St. Lucie this weekend.

That said, it seems like a good number of readers and Mets fans will be in the house, hanging out, having a beer or two and grabbing food.  This Friday and Saturday will be my last nights in town, so I’m sure I will be at there as well. 

Typically, I hang out around the bar, closer to the bowling alley, so if you are there, and you see me, please stop and say hello.

Tomorrow, on Wikios’s list of the Top Sports Blogs, MetsBlog.com will jump from 10th to fourth on the list, which will looks as follows:

1. Deadspin
2. MLB Trade Rumors
3. TrueHoop
4. MetsBlog.com
5. The Big Lead
6. Beyond the Boxscore
7. EDSBS
8. The Sporting Blog
9. Minor League Ball
10. The LoHud Yankees Blog

Thank you for reading.

I work hard at the blog, and I’m glad so many people continue to enjoy it.

Let’s Go METS!

In the locker room, I talked to Ike Davis about his grand slam in today’s game.

“That ball better be out of Citi Field,” he joked.

I asked if minor leaguers are already talking about the ballpark’s notoriety and he said yes, to a small extent, but they also know it is possible to hit home runs down the lines – it’s dead center and the gaps that are an issue.

Here is video of his home run today, which was an absolute bomb:

The following are pictures I took today, during the Mets win against the Cardinals.

Here, Mark McGwire signs autographs for fans from the visitors dugout:

Here, the team watches the first inning of the game, on top step of the bench:

Here, David Wright rounds third after hitting a three-run home run:

Here is the rest of the gallery from today’s game:

« Previous

Next »

The Mets defeated the Cardinals by the score of 17-11 on another cool, windy day at Tradition Field.

For a full recap and box score, click here.

The Least You Should Know:

The Mets got on the board early today, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Luis Castillo and a two run, opposite field home run by David Wright.

…i’m not sure it would have been out at Citi Field, but nevertheless, it was great to see him drive one out the other way today…

However, the wheels fell of the wagon early for R.A. Dickey, as he loaded the bases with nobody out in the third, and Tobi Stoner had to stop the bleeding for Dickey after he allowed five runs in the frame.

…with the wind blowing the way it was at Tradition Field today, Dickey and his knuckleball didn’t stand much of a chance, and he really got pummeled…

Dickey finished the day going 2 2/3 innings and allowing five runs and seven hits, walking two, and striking out one.

In the bottom of the third, against Cardinals pitcher Adam Ottavino, the Mets loaded the bases with one out and Daniel Murphy hit a shallow, routine fly ball to center field, but Gary Matthews drew a throw from Colby Rasmus, which deflected off of Ottavino’s glove, and Matthews ended up scoring when the ball rolled to the backstop.

The Mets managed just the one run, but closed the gap to 5-4 against the Cardinals.

In the top of the fifth, Ryan Ludwick led off with a long, opposite field home run off of Stoner, which extended the Cardinal lead to 6-4.

But the Mets took the lead back for good in the bottom of the sixth inning when Gary Matthews Jr. led things off with a solo home run, and then Daniel Murphy drove in Luis Castillo on a sacrifice fly, and David Wright scored on a single by Jeff Francoeur and an error by Cardinal third baseman Ruben Gotay.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mets exploded for four more runs when Jason Pridie doubled two in, Kirk Nieuwenhuis singled Pridie in, and then Shawn Bowman doubled off the top of the wall in center to score Nieuwenhuis.

Sean Green came on in the eighth and displayed his more pronounced sidearm delivery, but allowed two runs and needed Clint Everts to bail him out, but Ike Davis committed an error which prolonged the inning and ultimately allowed two more runs to score.

…the lefties really ate up Green today, although he showed general wildness to both righties and lefities, but with the addition of Kiko Calero to the bullpen and if they can get a contribution from Kelvim Escobar at some point, i would hope that means we will see less of Green against the left handed hitters…

The Mets put up five more runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by a long grand slam by Ike Davis.

Other Observations and Notes:

Jason Bay made his Grapefruit League debut for the Mets today, and he went 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout.

Daniel Murphy made a nice play in the fifth inning to take a hit away on a hard hit ball from Colby Rasmus.

Gary Matthews Jr. had a nice day, going 2 for 2 with a walk, double, home run, three runs scored, and an RBI.

Jack Egbert did a great job getting out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh.

Ike Davis lived up to the hype today, showing patience with two walks, and he also put a sweet swing on his long grand slam.

Game Ball:

I have to hand it to Ike Davis for his grand slam in the eighth inning.

Up Next:

The Mets will host the Marlins tomorrow afternoon at Tradition Field but also send a squad to Jupiter to take on the Cardinals. Game time is 1:00 pm.

Here is video of Jose Reyes working out today, taking infield and batting practice: