Pagan's at it again....

Angel Pagan hit over 300 in spring training last year and out of nowhere won himself a spot on the opening day roster. In fact for the month of April with Alou injured he was the starting left fielder. Pagan had some mishaps in the outfield and never seemed to have Willie's support as I documented in this post. When Pagan dislocated his shoulder he was hitting .276 in which he was considered to be cooling off compared to where he was in March but still as a switch hitter against left handed pitching he hit .294.

It's spring and once again Angel is off to a fast start, in his first three games he has had 10 AB and already has 5 hits along with three walks. More telling is that in each of those games he played center field. Cory Sullivan and Jeremy Reed are natural center fielders, so for Pagan to be playing center means that he has a leg up on the competition and there seeing how well he can field. Pagan is the weaker fielder of the three but is a much better bat and is a fiery, energetic type of player.....

Angel Pagan had two hits and a walk in five plate appearances. source Daily
News

"With that type of ability and speed, he's a guy you have to consider very strongly as fitting in somewhere," Jerry Manuel said after yesterday's loss. "It's going to be hard not to like what you see." Pagan missed the final four months of last season due to a dislocated shoulder and labrum surgery. source NY Post

Niese leaves Livan clearly in the lead...

I don't consider Nelson Figueroa or Brandon Knight true candidates for the rotation, barring something significant happening to several players they'll start the year in Buffalo. Tony Armas Jr. for the second year in a row can't make it to camp due to Visa issues. That leaves four players vying for the last spot in the rotation; Livan Hernandez, Freddy Garcia, Tim Redding and Jon Niese. Redding hasn't pitched as of yet but unless he's placed on the DL he assured a spot on the team based on his contract. Hernandez and Garcia are veterans on invites who are use to being guaranteed spots. Both have balked at being assigned to the minors but Omar has said he didn't give anyone an out in their contracts. Jon Niese is the longest shot of them all as many feel he could use seasoning in the minors, he would really need to shine for Omar to dump the other three. Yesterday, Livan was outstanding in two innings of work, he was followed by Garcia who couldn't get through an inning of work. While Livan looked pin point accurate, Freddy struggled to find the plate and when he did it was a meatball right over the plate. Today was Jon Niese's turn to show where he was at, Niese was facing the Tigers regulars and he didn't fare very well. In two innings of work he allowed a run per inning on two hits and two walks while striking out two, one of the hits he allowed was a solo HR. As of now ( which it's still very early) it looks like Livan would be the fifth starter, Freddy reluctantly in PSL, Redding the longman and everybody else in Buffalo.

Redding to throw...

Not much of a consolation prize after the Santana news, but Tim Redding should take the mound today in a bullpen session. Redding had off season foot surgery and when he tried to rush back in attempt to impress his new team ( Mets) he ended up over compensating, resulting in shoulder soreness. Since then the team has been very cautious with him and he hasn't advanced past long tosses. If healthy Redding is almost assured a spot on the pitching, whether that's as the fifth starter or the longman is still to be determined. With Freddy Garcia struggling and Redding yet to throw a pitch, Livan Hernadez is the front runner for the fifth spot but that could change depending on how Redding looks....

While Tim Redding is expected to throw a bullpen session today and could be the frontrunner, Hernandez pitched two perfect innings in his Grapefruit League debut in a 9-8 loss to the Cardinals. And as good as Hernadez looked, Freddy Garcia was his polar opposite. source Steve Popper NJ.com

Santana out indefinately....

Newsday broke the story that Johan Santana has had a meeting with Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel to discuss the tightness in his left elbow. The result of that meeting is that Johan is out indefinitely and might not be ready for opening day. As of now Santana is scheduled to throw another bullpen session and see how the elbow feels, at this point I would send the franchise Ace to New York and have it examined instead of letting him throw anymore. For a team that chose not to improve the offense and was going into the season ready to rely on an above average pitching staff, this could turn out to be a devastating blow before the season even starts....

Johan Santana met with GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel for 40 minutes this morning about the best way to handle his elbow tightness. The bottom line is that Santana is officially in limbo and his Opening Day start (April 6) could be in jeopardy as well. source Newsday

Omar brings in another lefty...Villone

The Mets appear to be looking for flexibility within the roster, so when it comes to signing anyone else I don't believe they will get a major league contract. Two weeks ago it appeared the Mets were close on Will Ohman, I have to believe that the combination of the Phillies backing off and his unwillingness to accept a minor league deal were what lead to them backing off. Of course, Ohman, Beilmel and Reyes are the best available lefties but today's signing of Ron Villone only reinforces the premise that they are not giving out another major league deal....

If it is the case that the Mets are done signing major league contracts then I have to give Omar credit for at least addressing their holes through quantity and the best available players at the price their willing to spend. Ron Villone isn't very appealing as the answer but as the fifth lefty trying out for the team, whats the harm....

The Mets have signed former Yankees left-handed reliever Ron Villone to a minor-league contract. Villone, 39, pitched for the Bombers from 2006-07 before going 1-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 74 games with the Cardinals last season. source NY Post

Keilty is clutch and a righty....

For those of you who follow the rule, younger is always better and every farmhand would be a major leaguer if the organization would just stop signing veterans, you'll have to bare with me on this one. I usually find one veteran reclamation project to root for each spring, most of the time they don't make it but I guess I carry a certain kindred with the late thirties guys who are looking for one more run in the sun.....

This year's pick is Bobby Keilty....

The bottom line is that the Mets need a right handed bat off the bench, even with Tatis moving to the bench there are too many lefties in the everyday line-up. For Nick Evans to ride the bench as a pinch hitter and occasional starter is a waste of his critical developmental time. Besides I think veterans are best suited for the bench, where they can handle coming into critical situations without getting flustered and help the coaching staff guide the youngsters.

Keilty isn't even that old ( 32 y/o) but last year, coming off a hand injury he couldn't even hit in AAA, let alone break into the majors from Boston's farm. But Keilty when healthy is a tremendous right handed hitter, lifetime .298 hitter ( overall all .254BA ) and is as clutch as you get.

He is known as a great clubhouse leader and it appears is competing with Marlon Anderson for that role on this team. Keilty played in both games today, in the first game he played right field and went 0-2 but he also was HBP and came around to score. In the second game he came up as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning with two on and a left handed pitcher on the mound ( Royce Ring), Keilty hit a bomb over the left field fence. It appears Keilty has scraped left handed hitting, something he should have done years ago. Marlon Anderson looks to be in great shape but his bat still looks the same as he weakly grounded out three times.....

Bobby Kielty, who belted a pinch-hit three-run homer in the ninth inning of the Mets' 9-8 loss to the Cardinals off lefthander Royce Ring, tells the Daily News he's ditching switch-hitting. That decision appeared to be the case this morning, when Kielty batted righthanded against a righty pitcher in a morning "B" game against Italy. Kielty appears a serious contender to unseat Marlon Anderson on the Mets' bench because of his proficiency hitting from the right side of the plate. source Daily News

A tale of two veteran pitchers...

Now, remember it's early and in three weeks none of this may matter or it could be an indication as to how things will play out. Two of the main competitors for the fifth starters spot, threw back-to-back today against the Cardinals in a spring training game. Livan Hernandez started today and had a perfect two inning outing, it's amazing with a fastball only in the 80's he was able to shut down the Cardinals regular line-up with pin point location. Then came Freddy Garcia who was completely the opposite, Garcia had no control and couldn't even make it out of his first inning of work. Garcia gave up four runs, two of which were earned and allowed three walks.....

"I lot of people know me," Hernandez said. "They know what kind of job I can do every year. I'm the only guy who knows how I feel and this year I feel very good. My knee's not bothering me. My knee is perfect." source Newsday

"I’m always slow," Garcia said about his starts to spring training, "but this year is different. I’ve got to be ready. I’m fighting for a spot. I cannot sleep. I’ve got to perform if I want to be on the team. That’s the bottom line. In the past, every year I come to spring training and I know I’m one of the guys. This year is different. If I don’t pitch good, you know what’s going to happen." source Daily news

Livan the front runner....

This is coming from Mike Francesca of WFAN ( 660 Am NY) so take it for what it's worth (Just ask Ryan Church). I did hear it directly myself, so I am comfortable relaying the information and it sounded interesting enough to pass along. Francesca is at Mets spring training and stated that he was getting the feeling that Livan Hernandez is the front runner for the fifth starters job. This information was revealed while he dropped to Evan Roberts, another radio host and huge Mets fan that he ( Francesca) would be having dinner with Omar tonight. He did not state anything definitive, just that he was getting the feeling that Livan was leading the pack. Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding have been slowed while Jon Niese is likely to start the year in AAA. If true, what a drastic change from just a week ago when Livan would have been the last choice....

This line-up might not last but it looks good...

Well Dan Warthen may look like the mad scientist ( I mean that with affection) but Jerry Manuel might be winning the actual title. Even Jerry admitted that his unusual line-up changes might not make it out of spring training but after the second exhibition game they sure look effective.

Luis Castillo continues to produce like a table setter should, Castillo went a perfect 1-1 with two walks in his other two plate appearances, with two runs scored and a stolen base.

Can Jose Reyes provide enough power to hit third, well today he did when he hit a home run from each side of the plate with 6 RBIs.

If the Mets don't use Beltran in the two hole, where would he fit in the new batting order. Maybe, lower to break up all the lefties and how would he respond to that situation. Beltran hit sixth today and hit a three run homer....

Wright, Delgado, Church and Murphy all hit in pretty normal positions and hit very well against the struggling Florida pitching staff.

Jerry Manuel acknowledged his spring-training use of Jose Reyes in the No. 3 hole may be just an exercise and that Reyes hits leadoff when the season begins.
"That's very possible," Manuel said. "Whatever we feel will fit to win. All we're doing is creating options." source Daily News

Redding fustrated...

Tim Redding has been slowed by off-season foot surgery, Redding came to camp excited to pitch for his home state team and as a result tried to pitch too soon. He ended up with a sore pitching shoulder which was of over compensating for the foot. It set Redding back a few sessions but it was believed that he would return to the mound this week, however; that plan has been changed to simple long tosses. With the extended spring training due to the WBC, the mantra has been what's the rush but for a pitcher that's hard to take....

“It’s frustrating for anyone who is on a limited work basis,” Redding said. “You want to go out there and do everything with everyone else.
“It’s not even March, so I don’t have to get out there and force it.” source TC Palm

Santana shelved but not for long...

Well this makes the Sean Green scare look like nothing but in the end the results were the same, a slight set back. The Mets announced today that Johan Santana will miss his scheduled start on Friday. My initial thought was that Santana, who has been relatively healthy his entire career is over throwing from favoring the knee he had scoped this off-season. But later in the day it was reported that the team is just being precautions and he should start on Tuesday instead. With it being so early in spring training no need to risk anyone by rushing it....

"Historically he’s had this little tenderness in his elbow and we’ve just been extra cautious," Manuel said. "If this was during the regular season, he could pitch. This is early March or February, we’re going to shut him down." source NY Post

Lefties sound desperate....

A few months ago these guys were supposedly turning down two year deals, holding out for contracts similar to what Scott Schoeneweis got two years ago. It sounded like the Mets were very interested in Will Ohman and he wanted to play for an east coast, NL contender. But after the rumors became hot and heavy, both sides discredited them and there hasn't been even a hint since. Now both Ohman and Beimel have there agents expressing their willingness to be flexible, while the Reyes camp has been absolutely silent....

"There's no substitute for experience and a proven track record over an entire year and the course of several years at the major-league level," Sroba says.

"Teams still want to give their guys a look. They have time to do it. But I imagine at some point some serious contender will say, 'We'll do what we've got to do to plug a hole.' We've gotten indications of such from various club representatives." source Fox Sports

You couldn't script it better...

Talk about getting off to a good start, the Mets couldn't have scripted the start to spring training any better then what they got today.

Two of the players who needed to get off to fast starts, did so today in Luis Castillo and Ryan Church...

Many believe that the only reason Castillo is still a Met is because of his bad contract, Omar will tell you it was his "Mia Culpa" this off season and his 10 year track record. Regardless of the reason Castillo has come to camp in great shape and has had a work ethic to be commended. But none of that would have matter if the sensitive Castillo didn't get off to a fast start. Castillo lead off today and went 2-3 with four RBIs. Two of those RBIs came with two outs and two on, He also showed a little power by hitting a double....

"What can I say?" Castillo asked. "I'm healthy. I feel good. It's the first game of the spring. I want to have a good spring training and see what happens." source Daily News

Ryan Church not only has to prove he's healthy but he has to show he can hit lefties all over again. Church got off to a fast start by going 2-3 with a double to deep center and three RBIs. Newly anointed left fielder Dan Murphy 2-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

On a lesser not in regards to the battle for the last bench spot; Angel Pagan loves Florida for the second year now he's hot ion spring training, Pagan playing center field went 3-4 with a walk and run scored. Jeremy Reed was a RF replacement and went 1-2 with a two out RBI. Cory Sullivan was 1-0 and Jose Valentin at 3B was 0-3. Nick Evans started at 1B and went 3-4 with 3 runs scored.

The biggest winner in the game was Jerry Manuel, sure the fans and media love Jerry and he seems to be running a great camp but he just earned some huge clout today. Lets face it Jerry has shown some very unconventional ideas this camp and until there proven there's going to be some level of skepticism. Well in one game batting Castillo lead off, his 60 swing drill to work on opposite field hitting and prodding Church all paid off.......

"I think for us as a staff, when we put something in, and it manifests itself so quickly, it gives the players confidence that we know what we're talking about," Manuel said. source NY Post

Stokes bounces back nicely....

Last week Brian Stokes had to take a day off due to a tweaked hamstring. Stokes down played the injury and was back to throwing the very next day. However, concerns arose again when Mack reported from spring training that Stokes didn't really seem to be pushing it in the bullpen session he observed. It's not clear whether he was taking it easy or whether the hamstring was still bothering him but Stokes appeared in today's game and was solid. He pitched a scoreless inning without allowing a run or hit, 2 fly outs and a ground out.

If the Mets decide to bring in another lefty or keep rule V pitcher O'Day this will come down Stokes and Sanchez, while Sanchez looks like he's on the outs right now it's still early and Brian needs every outing to be good to make the team.

The Mets acquired Stokes from the rays prior to last season when they were out of room on the 40 man roster. That wasn't a slight on Stokes, it was a matter of room in fact in 2006 Stokes was in competition with Al Reyes for the closers spot. Stokes is now out of option and I think a team would pick him up if the Mets tried to slip him through waivers.......

Green scare...

The Mets see Sean Green as an intricate part of this years bullpen. Green was the second pitcher in the J.J. Putz trade but Putz should be Green's PR director as much as he's talked up his lesser known teammate. Green can pitch multiple innings and is a much needed cross over pitcher along with being a workhorse. So to see Green walking off the field in his first inning of work with an injury was quite a scare, but reports are that Green will be fine and all it was is a cracked finger nail....

Sean Green, the Mets' first casualty of the exhibition-game season, expects to miss no time because of a torn fingernail he suffered on Wednesday while pitching in the first inning of the first game against the Orioles. The nail on his middle finger split on the ring-finger side, and Green was removed, having faced four batters and allowing two hits and one run. source MLB.com

Duaner in trouble ?

It was reported earlier today that Duaner Sanchez could be the odd man out in the Mets bullpen. There appear to be several issues at play that may be causing Sanchez to be at risk of being cut or traded. First of all the Mets could save a significant amount of money if they cut Duaner before April 1st, so with the Mets obviously concerned about payroll he needs to convince them of his worth. Second the Mets don't have flexibility in the pen, there are seven relievers in camp who are out of options; Redding ( as the longman), K-Rod, J.J., Feliciano, Green, Stokes and Sanchez. If they move a reliever or cut one, then they have the room rotate players with options through the pen until they find the right mix. The Mets could be concerned with what Duaner can provide, while he had a very good first half last season ( record 3-1, ERA 3. 57 in 40 appearances) fatigue set in and in the second half he either was in-effective or unavailable ( record 2-0, ERA 6.00 in only 26 appearances).

However, Sanchez has something at stake, as well, namely a job with the Mets. He has to make a positive impression or else the Mets will seriously consider releasing him by 2 p.m. on April 1 and owing the righty just one-quarter of his $1,687,500 contract ($421,875). source NY Post

Duaner hasn't responded well in the past to adverse circumstances, in 2007 coming off the first shoulder injury all eyes were on his rehab. That was the spring training he arrived slightly over weight and had to be sent home after a talk in Willie's office for constantly being late and not giving much effort during his rehab. That was all forgotten when he went down with the second arm injury but the fact is that he didn't handle the situation well. Today, the story broke and Duaner pitched in the first spring training game. According to reports he didn't look very good, whether one had anything to do with the other we'll never know but it will be interesting throughout spring to see how Dirty progresses.

Duaner Sanchez , who is in a fight to avoid the Mets releasing him next month in a salary-saving move, didn't exactly help himself. Sanchez walked two and gave up a hit and an earned run in just one inning of work. source NY Post

Mixed results for today's pitchers

On the heels of reports that Freddy Garcia was reluctant to fully air it out, he took the mound today during the final intra-squad game. Garcia was knocked around a bit but just as you want from a veteran fifth starter, he found a way through it and didn't allow a run. Garcia pitched two innings in which he allowed two hits while striking out one and not allowing a walk. What makes the outing more impressive is that Mack is reporting that Garcia barely used his fastball. I think he may end up starting the season working with Guy Conti but at some point this year he will be a nice contributor.

Second, Freddy Garcia's change up and slow curver were spot on... he had total command of both pitches and pitched 2 innings... the last batter, Nick Evans, got only 5 pitches from Garcia, all slow to medium curves.On the other hand... I counted only 5 fastballs thrown... probably in the 83-85 range... all either way right... or too far inside. Definitely had no confidence in that pitch by the last 2 batters in his second inning, who both never saw a FB... seems to me there should be some concern here, though it is early in ST. source Mack's Mets

Meanwhile, John Maine looked good to most in attendance but stated later that he wasn't that comfortable. Maine pitched two shut-out innings in which he allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two. It's reported that he threw one curve ball and he was comfortable with it, Rick Peterson scrapped the curve when Maine came to the Mets and he's now trying to re-acquire it as an out pitch. Maine who hasn't pitched in a game since August, said his mechanics were rusty which was what made him uncomfortable.

John Maine said he's pleased with his recovery from shoulder surgery, though his mechanics are slightly out of whack having been inactive so long. Maine accidentally threw at Jose Reyes' head with a changeup that slipped. He only attempted one curveball, which he's trying to reintroduce after a two-year absence. "It felt good," Maine said about his shoulder. "My arm feels great. My body feels great. It's been such a long time, my mechanics are a little off. I'm rushing a little bit." source Daily news

Jose taking it to the next level.....

A great short stop is not just a guy who can make a spectacular diving stop with a gun for an arm but also the quarterback of the infield. Jose Reyes under Jerry Manuel's prodding and tutelage is taking the next step in his development. Yesterday, Manuel stood behind Reyes during the inter-squad game giving his young protege pointers on how to direct the infield. It's apparent that Manuel biggest project this spring is helping Reyes take his game to the next level; whether it's calling him out to be a leader, discussing batting him deeper in the line-up or giving him pointers on his infield work one thing is clear Manuel is attempting to advance Jose's maturation process.

Manuel reminded Reyes that he needs to alert the corner infielders when an off-speed pitch is about to be thrown so they can have a better idea where the ball is going to be hit. From their vantage point, they can't see the catcher's sign or get a good read on the pitch until it's too late. That's why it's up to Reyes to let them know.

It's a common thing for good shortstops to do. But Reyes admitted he does it only occasionally and needs to do it all the time. source Newsday

Johan's project... Ollie

Not only is Johan Santana looking sharp on the mound early in spring training but it appears in his second year that he is becoming the captain of the rotation. I'll admit it, the first half of last year I was skeptical of just how good he was. I mean I can't remember the last time I saw a Twins game and while he looked like a good pitcher to start the year, we all remember the grand slam to a Seattle pitcher but in the second half he showed just how good he was. In my opinion an Ace is more then a great pitcher he's a leader of the pitching staff and Johan became that on the last Saturday of the 2008 season. Pitching on short rest, he willed his team to a win when the offense folded under the pressure. Johan pitched a gem in shutting down the Marlins for a complete game 117 pitch win, later it was revealed that he was pitching on a bum knee. This spring it appears that he is taking the next step in the clubhouse, as he's taking Oliver Perez under his wing. If Santana can get through to Perez what a pair of lefties we will have....

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen told me that over the final two months of last season into this spring training camp that Santana has taken on Oliver Perez as a "special project." According to Warthen, Santana is a tremendous asset in the continuing efforts to get Perez to a) concentrate consistently and b) deliver each pitch with conviction, purpose and accuracy. If you were able to transplant Santana's seriousness/pitching intellect into Perez you would have a version of Steve Carlton Lite. source NY Post

Mexico City connection...

Yesterday, in Baseball America's weekly Minor league transaction list the Mets had two names listed, RHP Luis Carlin and RHP David Reyes. I was going to do a post but couldn't find any information on the pitchers. Adam Rubin not only has information on the young pitchers but also an apparent agreement with the Mexico City team.

So what exactly does having a player-development agreement entail, I'm not sure what the Mets will be expected to provide but for the Mets I can see a few benefits. As Adam notes, Rincardo Rincon was signed last year to a minor league deal and pitched well enough that the Mets wanted him in their system but weren't giving him major league spot. The Veteran wasn't interested in pitching in AAA but was willing to pitch in the Mexican League. Not only was it closer to home but it was also a status situation. They loaned him to Mexico City and could have had him returned anytime during the season or at the end of the Mexican league season he would return to the Mets ( which is what happened). To veteran West coast players this may make the Mets more appealing, aside from giving them a source to young prospects that otherwise may have gone unnoticed....

The Mets are expected to soon announce a player-development agreement with the Mexico City Red Devils of the Mexican League. Already, two pitching prospects, 20-year-old Luis Carlin and 17-year-old David Reyes, have been assigned to the Mets’ Gulf Coast League team. The Mets had loaned Ricardo Rincon to that Mexican League team last season when the reliever didn’t want to report to the minors. source Daily News

Tatis sits, sore hand......

I've said all winter that I thought it was a risk for the Mets to rely on Murphy/Tatis for left field. With just two months of major league experience under his belt Murphy has been anointed the full time left fielder but as much as Manuel likes his hitting and work ethic it might be as much concern over Tatis as it is Murphy. After an incredible comeback last year could Tatis become the new Alou. Now that it's been clarified that Church is the right fielder ( source NY Times), I think Sunday's comments had more to do with concern about Tatis being over used then anything else. Si.com is reporting that Tatis was scheduled to play in the inter-squad game but had to sit due to a sore hand. I believe Tatis will end up being strictly a right handed bat on the bench.....

Tatis was scheduled to start at third base for Alomar Jr.'s Mets, but was scratched due to a sore right hand. Tatis said he expects to be ready to play Tuesday. source SI.com

Castro content as a back-up.....

There has been a rumor circulating for at least a month that the Mets have been shopping Ramon Castro. When healthy Castro has been one of the best hitting back-up catchers in the league which leads many to believe that the rumors are false or there must be more to the reason behind the rumors. The idea that the Mets want to trade Castro to save a mere 2MM and promote Robinson Cancel just doesn't cut it as an excuse for me, I always thought they were trying to find a way to sign Pudge. But Jon Heyman is reporting that the Mets attempted to make Castro the starting catcher and he didn't seem interested in the job. On a team in which the perception was that they weren't hungry and needed fiery leaders, for Castro to be perceived as a comfortable, laid-back back-up could be the kiss of death. Coincidentally the Astros have cut veteran catcher Hall due to his injury and maybe in the market for a veteran back-up behind their in-experienced younger catchers....

His best bet, ultimately, may be the Mets, who are shopping backup catcher Ramon Castro. Castro's stock plummeted in the eyes of the Mets when he declined a chance to becoming the starter a winter ago, seemingly because he preferred being a backup and having more days off. Castro is very talented, but the problem is that the teams that seek catchers aren't apt to want to trade for someone making $2.25 million. source SI.com

Evans never played 2B

I completed a post the other day, I might add purely speculation in which I pondered whether the Mets were considering moving Nick Evans to 2B. Jose Reyes and David Wright will anchor the left side of the infield for several years to come and there has been some talk of Dan Murphy moving to 1B when Carlos Delgado moves on. Putting Murphy at first would minimize his defensive inadequacies while keeping his bat in the line-up. Evans is said to be a slick fielding infielder who would be wasted in the outfield, so the questions becomes where to put Evans. Could Evans be moved to 2B and the Mets in 2010 have an all home grown infield.

Now what got me thinking along this track was that on 2/17 mets.com up-dated their depth chart in which Evans was removed from left field and made a third string 2B, since then it has been updated again with Evans now listed as a back-up 1B where he has been taking fielding practice all week. Initially I thought it was a typo but after several days I decided to investigate the idea a little further. Apparently in 2004 Michael Teale of Inside Pitch thought moving Evans to 2B would make sense as well. Then there is a pre-season roster for last years B-Mets team that lists Evans as a 2B and even on the projected batting order it has him at that position.

Mack is down at spring training for a couple of days and he asked Evans directly about 2B. Here's is what Mack posted.....

Talked with Nick Evans and he said he has never played a single inning at second base, so whatever was printed on some depth chart was wrong. source Macks Mets

Guy Conti meet Freddy Garcia....

My hope was that Freddy Garcia could return to the form that made him one of the work horses of the American league. But it appears that Freddy is moving slower then expected as he recovers from shoulder surgery. After missing almost a season and a half, Garcia has felt soreness twice in the shoulder ( last game with Detroit and in Winter ball) which has been labeled fatigue and now is reluctant to air it out...

Not a huge concern for me, even though I considered him the front runner for the fifth spot. After all the time off I never believed he'd be all to pitch an entire season, I figured they'd ride him til he fatigued and then shut him down with the hopes that he'd rebound mid-Sept. But maybe Freddy's reluctance will work to the Mets advantage, in that they allow him to slowly recover in Port St. Lucie and have him for the second half of the year. They could then use Livan Hernandez as the fifth starter who last year before the All-Star break with the Twins went 9-6 with an ERA 5.44 in 20 starts ( 120 innings) which isn't bad from a fifth starter.

Guy Conti, who will now be working as a pitching instructor in Port St. Lucie was the guy who as the Mets bullpen coach walked Duaner Sanchez through his recovery process. After Duaner lost almost the exact same amount of time as Garcia, reports indicated that he wasn't the same pitcher in games that Conti was seeing in the pen. Out of rehab time and in need of arms the Mets rushed Duaner back to the majors which resulted in a reluctant Dirty on the mound pitching to a 6 ERA in May. Under Conti's encouragement Duaner rebounded with a record of 3-1 in 27 appearances and an ERA of 3.70. He clearly fatigued in the second half of the season in which he posted a 6 ERA in only 26 appearances after the All-Star break.

So not only is Conti the right guy to work with Garcia in gaining his confidence back in the arm but having a fresh Garcia in the second half might be a better addition then what would be available if he was fatigued by then.......

The early read in camp is that Garcia is still tight and not fully unleashing his surgically repaired right arm yet. Maybe he is just conserving bullets or going slowly in a long camp or still has some doubt in the back of his head. But it would not surprise me at all if Livan Hernandez ended up the No. 5 starter, Tim Redding the long man and Garcia at Single-A St. Lucie (early season warm weather) to demonstrate his shoulder is good enough to trust. source NY Post

Muniz has a new pitch....

Carlos Muniz was a standout collegiate closer who dominated the lower levels of the minors. But at 27 y/o with less then 30 major league appearances ( ERA 5.63) and a high 3 ERA in AAA last year, you have to wonder whether he will make as a major league reliever. Muniz must be feeling the clock ticking as well, this off-season he added a splitter to his arsenal in the hopes that he becomes more effective against major league hitters...

"I spent a month-and-a-half down there and threw 20 innings working on the split-finger. The pitch is coming along real well. It's a feel-pitch, that's all," said Muniz, who will pitch in today's intrasquad game. source TC Palm

Good signs cont. from Louie...

He hasn't just shed 17 lbs and felt that's enough, Of Course; there's public relations spin behind this but it's still refreshing to hear nothing but positive things about Luis Castillo. Whether it's the bounce in his step, smile on his face, interaction in the field with Reyes or hitting in the cages, all reports indicate that Luis Castillo is a changed man and is putting forth every effort to prove himself an asset as a Met this year. In just one week, I believe Louie has done enough to give himself a chance at redemption, now whether that occurs or not will all depend on if his hustle equates to production ( does he have anything left). I can tell him this, he's already seen the brutal side of NY fans, he now has the chance to see the supportive side as well, after all as Mets fans it's our nature to root for the underdog....

Manuel continued to pump up Luis Castillo. The manager praised the second baseman in front of teammates during a batting practice session Sunday morning. On a critical note, Manuel said he wanted the switch-hitter to have more "aggression" from the left side of the plate - meaning, if Castillo gets a quality pitch, drive it on occasion rather than be content always slapping it to left field. source Daily News

Pitching competition heating up.....

More then likely two of the three veteran starters in camp will make the team, one as a fifth starter and the other as a long-man. But who exactly the two will be seems to have gotten murkier; Freddy Garcia arrived in very good shape, Tim Redding had a toe problem which resulted in shoulder soreness and now reports indicate Livan Hernandez is looking good. At this point it's any one's guess who will fill out the back end of the pitching staff. While the three big names fight for those two spots a battle is already occurring for the last middle relief spot between Brian Stokes ( out of options), De Los Santos a wild power lefty and young prospect Bobby Parnell. And today is the first day, of actual game simulated competition...

Livan Hernandez, whose chance of winning the fifth spot in the rotation is being helped by Tim Redding's toe surgery, also displayed a healthy fastball during his first live BP yesterday. source NY Post

Platoons and the Gangsta

Even his former team the White Sox's identified Jerry Manuel's best asset as a communicator who gets the most from his players. Manuel has found ways to get the most from players other managers have struggled to get the same from and more then expected from others. So today's comments come as no surprise to me, left field is Murphy's job to lose and Church could need a partner in right. Anyone looking at this club could have predicted that Murphy would get a chance as a full time starter, not just because of his hitting ability but also because Tatis will more then likely break down if over used. Rem. last spring Church had to prove he could hit lefties and it was only after his hot start to the season that people stopped talking about him sitting against strong left handed pitching. Injuries or not after the second half Church had you would almost have to keep a close eye on him. More telling then anything is Tatis taking fielding practice at the corner infield positions.

So really nothing has changed but in a few sentences; Manuel has praised Murphy for his hard work, motivated Church and re-assured Tatis' that he has a position with the team. All without rubbing anyone wrong and motivating them to work harder by dangling carrots....

"I don't want him to get into a strictly platoon situation," Manuel said of Murphy. "I think he's a little better player than that. And with Church being a left-handed hitter, I kind of see Murphy being a better hitter right now at this time. So Tatis could [play in right field]. It all depends on how they're doing. If they're not getting hits, then they're not going to play - development or whatever. They've got to perform." source NY Post

Power lefty for the pen ?

Throughout baseball some of the best bullpens haven't just been based on talent alone but also variations. Of course you need talent but you also need to a variety of pitchers who can fool the oppositions hitters. Too many of the same type of pitchers can result on a All-Star staff that gets beat up regularly by good hitting play-off caliber teams. The Mets have a a nice mix of arms from the right, between swing and miss power arms and ground ball specialists but the left side hasn't had a middle relief power arm in a long time.

After reading today's post by Matt at Metsblog, there might be a reason why Omar specifically said De Los Santos' name when asked about the second lefty. Now I questioned what Omar could possibly see in a guy who spent more time in the Mexican league then the majors but a power lefty for the middle innings, if effective would be a nice piece to have and after all these years of off-speed dominant lefties ( not including Wags) it sure would throw the opposition off.

Valerio de los Santos has a serious fastball
He was pitching a BP to Valentin and Castillo in front of reporters, coaches, and fans, all of which were seemingly impressed. source Metsblog

Putz impressing

J.J. Putz seems to be making quite an impression to start spring training. The closers position oozes machismo and a bruised ego has been the down fall of more then one bullpen. It seems to be one of those select places that competition can hurt a club, usually when a fading closer sees a youngster coming close to taking his spot. Both end up trying to do too much and over throw resulting in a save blowing slump or someone feels they're under appreciated and their negativism effects the chemistry in the pen. So bringing in two closers in the prime of their careers had some risk involved but Putz has embraced the demotion to set-up man perfectly. Not only has he said all the right things about team first and winning is more important then personal status but he has also gone as far as to help Bobby Parnell work on his splitter.

The splitter was the pitch in his first bullpen session that raised eyebrows as a very nasty pitch. Again on the mound, yesterday in batting practice he was once again turning heads. So in one trade Omar has brought in a great clubhouse guy and an incredible arm....

"I heard about Putz," Manuel said. "I didn't see him throw. I heard about it. I heard the mitt way over there. I was on field whatever, and he was way over there. I said, 'Who was that?' And they said, 'Putz.' I think I was in the stadium when he was sounding off."For those closer than Manuel, the pop of the glove was deafening, and the group of outfielders who faced him - Bobby Kielty, Ron Mackowiak, Cory Sullivan and Jeremy Reed - barely touched him. source Newsday

Keilty Vs Anderson ?

If healthy from hand injuries I fully expected Bobby Keilty to make a run at the last spot on the bench and due to his ability to hit right handed, I expected it to be a serious run. But I thought Keilty would be competing with Pagan, Reed and Sullivan ( to a lesser extent Mackowiak) for the last spot, with the other four being taken by Castro, Anderson, Tatis and Cora. Three of the four have obvious spots but I've been asked why I automatically penciled Anderson into a spot. First of all he has a guaranteed contract but more importantly aside from last year Anderson has been one of the best left handed pinch hitters in the game. Also the organization loves him and he's considered a huge asset in the clubhouse. With the three younger outfielders having options, if Keilty and Anderson hit this spring I expected them both on the bench. Newsday reports that Keilty has a shot of making the team but his chief competition is Anderson.....

Kielty has opened eyes in camp, and the switch-hitter's .296 career average as a righty hitter (vs. .228 as a lefty hitter) is particularly attractive to the Mets, who otherwise have a lefty-dominated bench. Kielty likely would need to beat out Marlon Anderson, who has a guaranteed contract, in order to make the team, which Mets officials don't discount. source Newsday

Jerry and Razor go way back....

This isn't Willie's camp, as Matt at Metsblog reported today this years camp is much different. Who knows whether it will make any difference at all, as a fan it sure feels better. Last year after the collapse when the Mets entered camp with that somber mantra of business as unusual it sure wasn't comforting, But this year, even with all the questions marks the reports from camp have me excited for the season to start.

One of the biggest surprises from camp has been Razor Shines, the new third base coach has been fully involved since day one. Barking at players, motivating them and urging them on. Most coaches take an adjustment period before they assert themselves which lead me to explore whether this was all Shines or was there a reason he was so comfortable this early in camp.

Now I'm not saying Shines isn't one of those natural walk in the room and start motivating people type of personalities, but it has to help that he is one of Jerry's guys. It seems like one of the things that's changed, Omar allowed Jerry to pick his staff and Shines goes way back with the manager. Their paths have crossed since the mid- 80's, both had brief major league careers with the Expos. But where it seems like they spent a significant period of time together is the Indianapolis Indians. The AAA affiliate of the Expos is where both were players/coaches for numerous years....

Redding slowed...

Tim Redding had off-season surgery and is taking it slow to start spring training. Redding is throwing off flat ground but not off the mound. However, he isn't scheduled to miss a start as of now. Dan Warthen said they would take it slow with him thanks to extended spring training as a result of the WBC. Redding's toe didn't prohibit him from going on a big game hunt the other day.....

Redding has been able to throw off flat ground from 100 feet and said he is hopeful of being able to throw off the mound by the end of next week. Manuel, on the other hand, said he did not know when Redding would be allowed to throw again. "We're taking it slow with him," the manager said. source NY Post

The question this morning is who actually deserves credit for shooting the wild hog that will be served for lunch tomorrow here at the facility. Tim Redding and Tom Martin are big hunters, and they bagged a dozen hogs the other night during a hunting expedition roughly 45 minutes from Tradition Field. source Newsday

Parnell breaking bats & learning pitches...

It looks like Bobby Parnell is off to an impressive start to spring training, the long shot pen hopefully might be making strides towards that last spot. There have been several accounts of Parnell sawing off Jose Reyes bat during batting practice.

Just another victim of Bobby Parnell's evil sinker, which is what caused the bat to virtually explode on contact. Asked to describe the pitch, Reyes offered one word: "Heavy." source Newsday

Dan Warthen has suggested that Parnell start throwing a splitter, a pitch he hasn't used since college. J.J. Putz who has one of the best splitters in baseball is going to help the rookie re-learn the pitch...

Parnell is no fun to face, and he's about to become even more dangerous with the addition of a split-fingered fastball. Pitching coach Dan Warthen suggested that he use these next six weeks to revive his splitter, which Parnell used in college, and he plans to have a morning tutorial Saturday with J.J. Putz, who throws a nasty one. source Newsday

What a difference a pitching coach makes.....

We already know how big a difference Dan Warthen had on Oliver Perez's season last year. Under Rick Peterson Ollie was 6-5 with an ERA approx. 4.90 after Warthen took over his ERA was 1.38 in July and 3.52 in Aug. before he fell apart in Sept. with an over 5 ERA. Overall Ollie went 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts ( 194 innings).

This off-season John Maine is working on a curve ball, a pitch that he hasn't thrown in years. Warthen believes it could be a good out pitch for Maine who's biggest problem has been getting deep into games because hitters foul too many pitches off.

Now it's Mike Pelfrey's turn to embrace his new pitching coach, Mike Silva of NYBD relates last night's SNY Hot Stove show. In which Pelfrey discusses his new coach and the coach talks about Big Pelf's pitching style for the up coming season....

Pelfrey - He (Wharthen) is everything you want in a pitching coach. He works from your strengths and doesn’t try to change you.

Warthen - We are going to get him (Pelfrey) back to the pitcher we drafted. He should have never been changed. source NYBD

The Mets have grinders

Many criticized the Mets for not having tough, gritty leader type players but what they fail to realize is that the Mets had those players but they were injured down the stretch. Now while I completely call 2007 a collapse, in my opinion in 2008 they had an incredible run just to get back in the race and simply fell short in the end. And while injuries are no excuse, the fact is, two of the toughest players on the team were not 100% in Sept.. Jerry's prototypical player would be a selfless, gritty, over achiever who placed the team before themselves. Ryan Church had a bad flexor and looked dazed in Sept. while Fernando Tatis was at home contemplating shoulder surgery. Now while Jerry preaches team first, he will have two of his best examples back at his disposal and hungry to prove themselves......

“To me this game is always a challenge,” Tatis said. “This game is about competing. The first guy you need to compete with is yourself. In this game you have to prove every day that you can play. That’s the way that I see it.
“You have to prove that you can play this game every day, every season. I have to prove myself to have a job. It was hard coming back. I’m going to work hard to be here. I’m going to do the best that I can, no doubt about it. And I’m going to appreciate every day that I’m here.” source NJ.com

"I don't think I'll be any different in how I play," he said. "I can't have it in my mind when I play. If I do, something else will happen. I think I pretty much played without fear. I think it'll be that way. It was when I came back. I'm not going to shy away from anything. Nothing will be different -- except the results.
"I didn't do too much after I came back. I want to contribute. I wish I could have just repeated what I did. It might have made a difference, because I pretty much stunk when I got back. I was half the player I'd been -- maybe. My teammates knew. They could tell by looking at me. It meant something when I knew they realized." source MLB.com

Schneider's our catcher....

Brian Schneider's fall from grace was rapid, Schneider was at a disadvantage from the start he was replacing a very popular catcher in Paul "Crazy Eyes" Lo Duca and many didn't like the trade of Milledge for what appeared to be a weak hitting catcher and a platoon outfielder. But by May both Church and Schneider were changing minds, take a look at this post in which not only is he changing my mind but also receiving praise from Newsday.

But as the season went on fans seemed to sour on Schneider, his .257 BA seemed to be an automatic out at the bottom of the order and his durability was a question as he only played 110 games. What seemed to really turn most fans off was that they thought they were getting an above average defender but instead received a sub par season, four passed balls and five errors resulted in a .992 FPCT. I've heard that it was a resulted of experimenting with a new glove while others speculated that his injury had something to do with his poor showing or even glitches over playing in a large market for the first time. Whatever, the cause the result was that most fans wanted him gone and rumors swirled that he was available.

While I never thought the catcher's position was a priority; if any, I would much rather move the fragile Castro but only if they could replace him with a durable right handed bat like Pudge. I was very surprised to hear so many rumors in regard to Schneider, like here and here . After all Omar knew exactly what he was trading for as he had been Schneider's GM in Montreal. Had he really fallen from grace that quickly or were the rumors just that rumors. Well Omar re-affirmed Schneider's stance with the team and dispelled the rumors by clearing stating "we have a catcher we like" when asked if he had interest in Jason Varitek.

A greater controversy in regards to Schneider then his finger infection that landed him in the hospital or the inexplicable passed balls was the belief by some that he was tipping pitches. Adam Rubin of the Daily News posted this statistical report about Schneider in which it appeared he was tipping pitches which was resulted in the pitchers having higher ERAs. As you can see from the comments section of that post there is a large debate over the size of the sample pool and as one posted stated the difference between "correlation and causation". More important then what fans think or statistician ( as I've always said numbers can always be manipulated to make an argument either way) not only does Schneider have the GMs support but pitchers seem to like throwing to him and now he has the full support of his manager....

"I'm looking at getting him a lot more [at-bats]," Manuel said of the 33-year-old veteran. "As we sit here today, we feel that Schneider in his second year probably should get the bulk of the catching." source NY Post

Evans moving to 2B ?

It could be a typo but it sparked my interest enough to pass it along. On Feb. 17, 2009 Mets.com updated their depth chart and Nick Evans was made the third string 2B ( he had not been listed at 2B prior to that). I've checked in for the last two days and while they've updated the chart, they have not removed Evans from 2B.

Evans is a 22 y/o right hander who was drafted by the Mets in 2004 straight out of High school. He was originally a 3B who eventually played 1B and corner outfield. In 2004 Patrick Teale of Inside Pitch ( subscription req. ) wrote a scouting report which suggested moving Evans to second to get his bat in the line-up. I can't find any stats on Evans ever playing 2B and While Murphy actually experimented at 2B, it looks like from this B-Mets roster ( bottom of the page line-ups) they were considering moving Evans to 2B, that roster card says Evans morale prior to 2008 was very unhappy.

Today at spring training Evans took fielding practice at 1B which I found to be interesting. Rem. last year Jerry wouldn't allow Evans or Murphy to play the infield because of his own experiences as a player. It was reported that Manuel, originally a 2B began to play the outfield and as an in-experienced outfielder when he then went back and forth between the infield/outfield he would get confused with the trajectory of the ball. It was based on those experiences that supposedly Jerry wasn't allowing the rookies to play the infield until they were proficient outfielders.

Evans is a much better defender then Murphy, so maybe they're transitioning him back to the infield. Initially to a position he's familiar with and then if they decide to experiment at 2B he will be use to taking grounders. It's been said that the Mets may be looking at Murphy as a 1B long term so moving Evans to 2B would make sense. This is all speculation of course based on his name appearing at 2B on the depth chart....

Injury Up-dates

Here's a few quick injury up-dates from the first few days of camp....

Fernando Martinez is in camp and will resume batting practice but will not throw for two more weeks. Martinez felt discomfort in his throwing elbow during the Playoffs of winter ball and was such down as a precaution.

Fernando Martinez was cleared to swing a bat Wednesday, but he is still barred from throwing for another two weeks. The Mets' top prospect experienced inflammation in his right (throwing) elbow while warming up with a hard toss before a Caribbean Series game in Mexicali, Mexico. source Daily News

John Santana had his knees cleaned out during the off-season and has been reporting all along that he has no limitations. There doesn't appear to be any smoke screen there as David Lennon reports on Santana's agility during defensive drills.

Santana just leaped off the mound for a slow roller to the third-base side, scooped it on the run and flipped a strong throw over to Fernando Tatis covering at third. Seems we can believe that his surgically repaired left knee is indeed OK. source Newsday

Fernando Tatis was last seen in a Mets uniform diving for a ball in the outfield which seperated his shoulder, most reports indicated that the shoulder needed surgery. However, Tatis reports from camp that doctors gave him the choice and the shoulder has healed on it's own, to include several winter league games to test it out.

When Fernando Tatis separated his shoulder in D.C. in September, the Mets announced he'd need surgery. Turns out, Tatis had a choice. Doctors told him the shoulder could be perfectly restored with surgery, but that it would more or less heal anyway. Tatis avoided the procedure, which also allowed him to play winter ball. source Daily News

Jose Valentin says that his return to the Mets is due to how well he responded to laser surgery in his neck. Valentin admits that he'll probably end up in AAA, starting his coaching career but it's always good to have the Stache around.

Also on hand was Jose Valentin, who seemed bound for retirement after disk troubles cost him nearly the entire 2008 season. He underwent surgery to repair the disks and is hopeful of getting one more shot. source NJ.com

Matt at Metsblog recieved a text from spring training that, not only is Angel Pagan healed from his own seperated shoulder but is taring up the spring training physicals. Pagan has steep competition for the last spot on the roster; Sullivan and Reed are better fielders, Keilty is a better right handed bat and the Stache is a great leader. Pagan needs to prove he's a hitting Mr. Utility type; good bat and defensive replacement late in a game...

Lastly, Burkhardt writes, “Angel pagan is a freak… He wins like every event including a 39–inch vertical… Although he is better from the left side, I think his right-handed bat is going to be a factor in making the team.” source Metsblog

Finally Brian Stokes returned to the mound today after taking yesterday off due to tightness in his hamstring. Hammy's are such a weird muscle, they seem to injure easily and there is a huge variation on recovery time, for Stokes it appears that he dodged the bullet....

Brian Stokes returned to a mound today after recuperating from
hamstring difficulty. source Daily news

Houston may need a catcher but not Pudge....

Toby Hall is projected to be the Astros veteran catcher, whether Hall was the starter or the back-up he is the only catcher in camp with any significant experience. Hall has been shut down from throwing due to an elbow problem and is awaiting the results of an MRI. If he can't go the Astros maybe on the market for an inexpensive veteran catcher, sounds like Ramon Castro who was originally drafted by the Astros before being traded to the Marlins. Despite the possible need for a veteran catcher the Stros are not interested in Pudge Rodriguez........

“Well, he’s the only real veteran (catcher) we have here,” manager Cecil Cooper said. “So there is a concern. We have to wait and see what the MRI reveals. We’d love to have him be with us this year. We have some kids who can actually do it if it doesn’t pan out for Toby. We’re hoping he’s going to be fine and be able to get some work in here maybe later on in the spring and really have an opportunity to be with us.” source Houston Chronicle

"We're not signing Pudge," Wade said. "Put that one to rest. We have no expectation to sign Pudge." source MLB.com

Livan situation could get interesting...

It's early and nobody has seen him pitch yet, but if I were to guess Livan Hernandez is third in line for the fifth starters job. Whether it's Tim Redding ( as Dan Warthen indicated) or Freddy Garcia I have to believe Livan falls somewhere behind them. Marty Noble in a recent mail bag explains that Livan doesn't have an out clause and while the veteran may not want to think about going to AAA, it sounds like Omar will expect him to report there if he doesn't make the major league roster.....

Hernandez has big league plans but only a Minor League contract. And Minaya said, "There are no outs" when asked if Hernandez would accept demotion. That said, Hernandez said, "I don't think about that" when asked about a possible demotion. Minaya said he likes the idea of carrying players on Minor League rosters for reasons of exposing the young players to veterans. He pointed to the influence Mike DiFelice had in the Mets' system in the past three years and noted that Jose Valentin could serve in that capacity this year. source MLB.com

Stokes Up-date

According to David Lennon of Newsday, Brian Stokes should return to the mound tomorrow. Stokes continues to down play the injury as a slight twinge and sitting out today as a precaution. Two ways to look at it: If injured Stokes could be hidden on the DL as they look at a lefty like De Los Santos or they need to see him pitch as much as possible since he's pitching for the last spot and since he's out of options his Mets career.

Brian Stokes expects to resume throwing with the rest of the staff tomorrow after feeling a slight twinge in his hamstring on Tuesday. Stokes felt the hamstring tighten up as he covered first base during drills that morning. He insists it's nothing to worry about. source Newsday

The Biggest loser: Castillo & Anderson

No this isn't a bashing of either embattled player, in fact it's a positive commentary on both players. All reports are indicating that Marlon Anderson and Luis Castillo have arrived in camp in incredible shape. Now I'm willing to give anybody a second chance who is willing to show me that they're committed and willing to put forth the effort. While I called for both of them to be moved the fact they have shown this much effort has me calling for them to get a second chance, Nice job guys......

Marlon Anderson was the premier left handed pinch hitter in the league. In 2006 he carried the Dodgers offense into the playoffs, the very next year he was the only one who cont. to produce during the Mets 2007 collapse. Anderson injured his hamstring early in 2008 and tried to play through it, until he was eventually shut down in August only to return in Sept. and cont. to struggle. Anderson hit .210 last year and appeared to thicken as the year went by. Reports have leaked out that Anderson's hamstring injury was much worse then he let on and he tried to play through it. The Mets love him, he's a positive clubhouse leader and I think they see him as a future coach. Anderson arrived in camp 17 lbs lighter and ready to prove he can still play....

Anderson is down to 202 pounds - he lost 17 during the offseason - and owes it mostly to an "isogenic cleanse" he did at the start of October. It lasted for 25 days and during that period Anderson limited himself to two shakes and one lunch not more than 600 calories. source Newsday

Everybody knows Luis Castillo's story once the pesky table setter who hit .300 and lead both the Marlins and Twins offense along with winning two gold gloves, looked completely washed up last year. In 2008 Castillo had off-season knee surgery which prohibited him from training, he reported to camp out of shape and things seemed to snow ball from there. Not only was his conditioning an issue but the sensitive Castillo seemed to buckle under the NY pressure, which may have been compounded by family issues. This off-season the Mets and his agent sat down to plan an exit strategy probably similar to Andruw Jones in LA but Castillo begged for redemption. Good to his word Louie arrived in camp an identical to Anderson 17 lbs lighter....

Luis Castillo said he's reported at 193 pounds this year, down from his 210 reporting weight last year. Castillo noted he was unable to work out the previous offseason coming back from dual knee surgeries. This winter, he commuted 70 minutes each way to the Mets' Dominican complex to work out with former big leaguer Rafael Landestoy. Those workouts would last four and a half hours, according to Castillo. source Daily News

Stokes injures hammy...

It's unclear the severity and Stokes himself is down playing it, but Adam Rubin is reporting that Brian Stokes has a hamstring injury that is at least keeping him from throwing off a mound. As I've said before the Mets have seven relievers in camp who are out of options, which includes Stokes. If he is sidelined for any significant time it may give the team a chance to take a closer look at one of the other lefties while not putting Stokes through waivers. I'd like to keep him but if anybody was to go, it would be him over Duaner who I'm still hoping will return to form this season....

Brian Stokes became the first notable casualty of the spring, when the 29-year-old righthander injured his right hamstring, leaving him unable to work off a mound. "It didn't pop or anything," Stokes said, downplaying the severity.

Stokes, who had a 3.51 ERA in 24 appearances (one start) after an Aug. 9 call-up, is an early favorite to claim an Opening Day bullpen spot. He would need to clear waivers to be sent to the minors. And while Stokes passed through waivers at the end of last spring, his solid '08 season, including going 10-8 with a 4.41 ERA as a starter at Triple-A, likely now has him on teams' radars. source Daily News

Don't rule Pudge completely out yet....

The NY Post reported yesterday that the Mets have no interest in Pudge Rodriguez. However, Ken Rosenthal believes that if Pudge has a strong showing in the WBC, the Mets may reconsider. Rosenthal goes on to explain the deep roots Pudge has within the organization. If Tony B. is Omar's right hand man, then Johnson is his left....

The reason: Mets catcher Brian Schneider is earning $4.9 million this season and his backup, Ramon Castro, is earning $2.5 million.

A trade of either appears unlikely, but the Mets could explore creative solutions, particularly if Rodriguez performs well for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

Mets Vice President of Scouting Sandy Johnson was the Rangers' scouting director when Rodriguez signed with Texas in 1988, and Mets GM Omar Minaya also was with the Rangers in scouting at that time. source Fox Sports

Jerry wants a defensive replacement for LF...

On the heels of my post about the last roster spot the NY Times has an article with some comments from Angel Pagan and Jerry Manuel about left field. Manuel isn't concerned about his left field platoon hitting but he does expect to replace them late in games. Pagan is out to prove that he should be the one, but if the offense doesn't need another bat Reed and Sullivan are both better fielders. Keilty if healthy maybe a little better fielder then Pagan and a much better right handed hitter. Whoever gets the spot as Jerry sees it they'll see a lot of time in left after the seventh.....

“This year is different. I’m here to let them know that Ángel Pagán is still the same, in better shape than last year and with a better attitude.”

The Mets are committed to platooning Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis, both converted infielders, in left field. Manuel said he could not imagine Murphy or Tatis playing a full game, or the two splitting time in the same game, which increases the possibility that he keeps a strong defender on the bench — an Endy Chávez type, he said. Sullivan, in particular, is regarded for his defensive skills, although Manuel said he must also consider Pagán’s switch-hitting skills.

“It just depends on how well those two guys in left field play defense,” Manuel said. “We feel good about them being able to hit, but I also like defense late, especially when we have a lead.” source NY Times

Looking for the last spot...

For the last three years the Mets have used a 13/12 (positional/pitcher) split for most of the season, which breaks down to a five man bench and seven relievers. But the pen has carried an extra reliever because of uncertainty with the pitching staff, both with how deep the starters will go and what they will get out of the relievers. If the starters look like they can regularly give at least six innings and six relievers appear lights out they maybe willing to carry one less reliever however they have seven in camp who are out of option. To start the year the Mets maybe able to carry an extra bench player because after the first week they only need four starters, Redding could be used for a start and then moved into the pen with Garcia joining the team in May. For this post I'm going to consider the bench to be consisting of five players with four of those positions already filled by; Marlon Anderson, Fernando Tatis, Ramon Castro and Alex Cora. Here is a closer look at the players in camp vying for that last spot or hoping to impress the coaching staff enough to carry an extra player.....

Angel Pagan- the former Mets prospect was sold to the Cubs and then bought back two seasons later. The 28 y/o switch hitter is under control and has options. Last year Pagan was the story of spring training and he hit .275 in 30 games before separating his shoulder diving for a ball, against left handed pitching he hit .250 and right handers .298. OUTLOOK: If he shows he can hit, that last year wasn't a fluke and the others remain strictly defensive specialists the job will be his to lose.

Cory Sullivan - signed a major league contract with the Mets in January but still has options this year. The 29 y/0 left handed hitting outfielder was the starting center fielder for the Rockies in 2005-2006 until he lost his job as the Rockies looked for more offense. Since then he's been a weak hitting defensive specialist who last year was barely used in the majors (18 gms). In 927 major league at bats he has a lifetime BA .279, OBP .330 and Slg. .391. Reportedly Mets scouts are high on this guy for his defense which is why they signed him to a major league deal to beat out the competition. OUTLOOK: I don't think they'll get his bat going in spring training and will work on him in AAA, if Beltran's quads become an issue he'll get the call to play center field.

Jeremy Reed - came over in the Putz trade, he was a super two player this year so is under control for four more seasons and has options this year. The 27 y/o left hander was a top prospect in both the White Sox's and Mariners organizations. Originally a 1B he was moved to center field, his bat made him a top prospect but in the upper levels of the minors he struggled to hit left handed pitching. In 2005 he broke into the majors as the Mariners starting center fielder but it was his glove not his bat, suddenly Reed was a weak hitting standout fielder. He now plays all three outfield positions and firstbase, lifetime BA .257, OBP .314 and Slg. .365. OUTLOOK: I think He'll start the year in the minors and will be the first call-up for the corners or as a back-up but Sullivan will beat him out if it's Beltran who goes down.

Robinson Cancel - 33 y/o righthanded catcher hit .245 in 27 games last year filling in for Castro and Schneider. There's been some reports Manuel would like to carry three catchers so he could use Castro as a pinch hitter. However, when he had three catchers last year he never used one as a pinch hitter and I can't see how they would fit the extra catcher other then through April. OUTLOOK: waiting for the inevitable Castro to get injured so he can be recalled.

Nick Evans - the last of the guys already on the 40 man roster, top prospect who is still in his first service year. The 23 y/o prospect had mixed results last year in the majors, in 50 games he hit .257 and seemed much more comfortable when his AA teammate Murphy was up with him. OUTLOOK: He'll start the year in AAA while they figure out a position for him, but if the team needs a right handed bat he could get recalled.

The rest of the players are all major league veterans but are in camp on minor league deals with invites to major league camp. The 40 man roster currently has 37 players, which includes Wagner ( who will be on the 60 day DL and replaceable) and O'Day ( rule V) who will probably be returned. I didn't give a brief on some of the invites as they don't appear to have even the slightest chance....

Bobby Keilty - 32 y/o switch hitter, excellent defensive outfielder and 1B. Great teammate, clubhouse figure and clutch hitter. Has to show that his hand has fully recovered, he could emerge as the right handed power bat. Lifetime BA .254 but as a righty hits .296. OUTLOOK: he could be the surprise of camp as a right hander off the bench but needs to prove he's healthy and beat out Pagan/Reed

Rob Mackowiak -32 y/o left handed hitter who plays every position except catcher. At one point with the Pirates his career looked promising, now versatility is all he has. Lifetime BA .259, Slg. .404 and OBP .332. Omar promised Buffalo a competitive team and I think part of that is Mackowiak. OUTLOOK: see you in Sept. enjoy up-state NY

Ramon Martinez - 36 y/o right hander did a solid job at the end of the year when Castillo was benched and probably returned hoping for the same chance. In seven games last year he hit .250 and is a lifetime .264, the last few years his career has been slowed by hand injuries but it appears he's recovered. OUTLOOK: If Castillo fails and they DL him, Cora would be the starter with Martinez, who can play short as the back-up.

Jose Valentin - 39 y/o switch hitter, is better for average from the right side but has more power from the left. He has to prove he's healthy and has anything left, I think he's in camp as a mentor and to be a player/coach for the younger players. It's beyond a long shot for him to make it but you couldn't ask for a better guy to have in the clubhouse. OUTLOOK: Player/coach in AAA.

Andy Green - 32 y/o right handed utility player, AAAA type player with 226 major league at bats over a three year period with the D-Backs, lifetime BA .199. He can play every position except catcher, he must like the organization because it would be an incredible longshot for him to ever make it out of Buffalo. OUTLOOK: AAA player