Even though Spring Training is only a few days old, is there anything that impresses you so far regarding the team, players or management?
Feb 21
The Sunday Question
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MLBTradeRumors
- Yankees Acquire Reid Brignac
- Quick Hits: Brignac, Mariners, Odorizzi
- Contract Extensions Changing The Free Agent Market
- Marlins Designate Jon Rauch For Assignment
- AL East Notes: Yankees, Orioles, Ishikawa
- Twins Release Rafael Perez
- Draft Notes: Gray, Manaea, Twins, White Sox
- Padres Don't Intend To Trade Chase Headley
- Padres Designate Thad Weber For Assignment
- A's Designate Chris Resop For Assignment
23 comments
njstuckintx
2/21/2010-9:20am at 9:20 am (UTC -4)
From all I’m reading on Perez being in such great shape and looking wonderful, etc. etc., that is what is impressing me the most.
I’m still waiting to read how awesome The Murph is looking. If those 2 are getting raves and are looking like they are ready to take the season and grab it by the short hairs, the season is going to be an exciting one for sure.
stickguy
2/21/2010-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
Ditto on Perez. Also like the fact that Santana is so giddy about how good his arm feels. Really does seem that he was hobbled last year. Could be in for a real treat this year, considering how well he did with a wounded arm!
Also impressed by how upbeat and focused the team seems to be (keeping in mind this is just from media reports, but then again, that’s the only reason we ever suspected otherwise).
I think they will prove they have the talent to be competitive (with the obligatory when healthy), but nice to see the mental focus seems to be there.
GravediggerHebner
2/21/2010-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
As you note ST is only a few days old. Only pitchers and catchers have officially reported so I can’t really put much stock in (and therefore be impressed by) various pitchers looking good (Perez) or bad (Maine).
If there is anything that does impress me it’s that of all the players who have reported so far, only 1 is behind schedule due to a health issue (Escobar). Beltran we all knew about I’m speaking about strictly new information. So I’m impressed by the relative health of those in camp. That has been by far the most positive thing I’ve taken from these first few days.
I’m also impressed by the late, cheap signing of a bona fide starting catcher. I never wanted Molina and was relieved he went back to SF. Torrealba isn’t a bona fide starting catcher and I’m happy he went to SD. I also don’t consider Santos a bona fide starting catcher. I’m not sure how bad or good Barajas is, but I know he’s a bona fide starting catcher and I’m pleased the team now has one. That he comes at an affordable rate is just a bonus.
njstuckintx
2/21/2010-1:32pm at 1:32 pm (UTC -4)
Maine hasn’t been looking good?
GravediggerHebner
2/21/2010-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
Take if for whatever you think it’s worth but this is from an entry at NYSportsDog written by Mack of Mack’s Mets who has press credentials and was at one of these strike-throwing sessions:
“No one seemed very happy with John Maine’s outing, especially Maine. I was crouched behind the fence, right behind his catcher, and the ball just wouldn’t get in the zone. It seemed to me that the only strikes that were thrown were pitches he purposely slowed the speed down. This, IMO, is his second poor outing, but it’s far too early to say he won’t be ready.”
saltygary
2/21/2010-3:10pm at 3:10 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t take much stock in this stuff. It was either last year or the year before that Peter Gammons was gushing about Maine and how well he is looking during ST.
metsfan4decades
2/21/2010-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
Count me in the camp as those impressed with what we’re hearing about Ollie. It’s what we should have been hearing last year, given his new contract. Here’s hoping he learned from his mistakes last year and he’s turned the tide to serious…
Some other notes:
Not surprised so much but….why is it Jerry always has to throw someone under the bus? Just prior to Barajas’ signing he’s quoted as saying ‘we’ll go with Omir, if we have to’. Maybe he knew something about the Rod signing we didn’t at that time but if we didn’t sign another catcher, Santos was likely going to be the opening day starting catcher. Hearing comments about that from the manager can’t do much for his confidence going in. It’s all water under the bridge now but Jerry couldn’t have put that across just a tad differently when asked about the catching situation? Sigh….
Looks like the Jose we all know and love is back – keeping my fingers crossed.
With about 70 guys reporting early, who else thinks maybe they all mean business this year and are eager to prove it?
ceetar
2/21/2010-12:16pm at 12:16 pm (UTC -4)
Some good, some bad. I like that Ollie’s motivated and that he’s shadowing Santana.
Bad, I’m worried that guys are pushing too hard and are too..motivated..to get it going. It’s only February and it’s a long season. calm down.
Bad, I ignore anything Manuel says because I know he just speaks whatever comes to his mind, but i’m worried about the mindset around everyone else. If you read some of the quotes it always seems like people are saying things like “To give Jerry the option of,” “To allow Jerry to not have to..” Like if they don’t set up things just right he’ll screw it up. Jerry says he’s not giving Wright a ‘C’ for his uniform, and Wright ‘responds’ with it doesn’t matter if it’s official or not, i’m going to act like a captain.
I worry about this tracking of throwing strikes. It seems too much like treating the symptoms instead of the causes. Much like ‘not hitting the ball the other way’ led to overuse of the opposite field drill without really teaching ‘why’ or ‘what to look for’ to drive the ball the other way. It lacked a plan at the plate approach. Same for tracking strikes. It’s one thing to figure out you’re throwing too many balls, quite another to figure out what you should be throwing, when it’s a good ‘ball’ to throw, and how to have a plan of attack on the mound. Look at Perez, he can succeed with balls, but if you just get him to not throw them, he could get bombed.
metsfan4decades
2/21/2010-12:23pm at 12:23 pm (UTC -4)
All good points. Wish I didn’t agree so much, especially with the last two….
gategem
2/21/2010-2:25pm at 2:25 pm (UTC -4)
It’s possible that Jerry doesn’t want Wright to be the captain because he doesn’t want David distracted by all the peripheral bs.
I subscribe to the theory that Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are dead so throw strikes. Working behind in the count is almost always a recipe for disaster. However, you have to have command and not be wild within the strike zone.
ceetar
2/21/2010-5:47pm at 5:47 pm (UTC -4)
The media treats, and has treated, David as the de-facto captain anyway. So I don’t think there will be any more peripheral bs, but I could see Manuel thinking so. This is the guy who thought removing the newspapers from the clubhouse would have some positive effect.
There are still plenty of good hitters that will hit one out if you throw a bad strike. Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn make a living out of it. Pitching is more difficult than just ‘throwing strikes’. I understand the idea that maybe a guy doesn’t have confidence and might try to hit corners or whatever and should just trust his pitches, but you gotta teach him when/why to trust his pitches, and how to set up a hitter so that the pitch you throw won’t be clobbered. Just ‘throw it more towards the center’ is going to be detrimental and I just hope it doesn’t have the same effect the ‘single to the opposite field’ drill had last year.
oleosmirf
2/21/2010-5:25pm at 5:25 pm (UTC -4)
I dont care how a player looks, i care about what they do in the game and until Ollie (or any other SP besides Santana) goes out there and pitches well on a consistant basis, ill take notice…
Kingman 26
2/21/2010-8:33pm at 8:33 pm (UTC -4)
You should take notice of how annoying it is for normal adult fans to read your mind-numbingly repetitive drivel.
stickguy
2/21/2010-5:52pm at 5:52 pm (UTC -4)
saw this little nugget elsewhere:
Manuel said if he chooses to put Jose Reyes in the third spot in the lineup, it’s possible Gary Matthews Jr. could lead off should he beat Angel Pagan out for the starting center field job.
Now that, my friends, should be a fire on the spot offense. GM leadoff? Even getting on the field is 2 demerits!
ceetar
2/21/2010-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
Also said Meija could compete for the 8th inning. *snicker*
stickguy
2/21/2010-8:00pm at 8:00 pm (UTC -4)
that I think (or hope I guess) was just blowing smoke to pump him up. That has about zero chance of happening, due to 40 man roster and options if for no other reason.
stickguy
2/21/2010-8:15pm at 8:15 pm (UTC -4)
oh yeah, I forgot. Never believe anything Jerry says!
I hate the idea that we are listening to him about anything. I really don’t want to think about him making decisions about who plays, the batting order and how to use the pen.
Kingman 26
2/21/2010-8:30pm at 8:30 pm (UTC -4)
Guys are there early….are in shape…Omar is still improving the team…we do have money to spend.
I love this team and wish Oleo and like-minded pseudo-fan fools would shut up.
stickguy
2/21/2010-9:00pm at 9:00 pm (UTC -4)
they will see the light when the float passes through town and they wish they were on it.
darknova306
2/22/2010-6:36am at 6:36 am (UTC -4)
None of our concerns about the team are proven false just because guys show up to ST early. Until guys have the chance to prove it on the field, there are legit reasons for concern, which is the point Oleo made above. No need to jump all over that.
Kingman 26
2/22/2010-1:40pm at 1:40 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks; I can decide what to jump on, which is why I have been staying away.
I have read Oleo’s negativity about 8000 times too many, and while he has a right to be a whiny child and write the SAME thing an infinite number of times, I have an equal right to tell him how annoying it is.
And you and the other negative folks are welcome, as I plan to continue to avoid the comments area and keep people like Oleo—who have NOTHING to offer other than the same canned nonsense—out of my life where they clearly belong.
GravediggerHebner
2/21/2010-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
USA! USA! USA! “Great” White North? Ha ha!
Mr North Jersey
2/21/2010-11:51pm at 11:51 pm (UTC -4)
Go USA!!!
Weekend went by so fast, took the last hour to scan through what were the highlights of the weekend and I see I didn’t miss much.
Reyes would rather lead off since that is what he has always done but will do what is best for team. I am happy to see Reyes say the right thing.
Mets sign Barajas so barring an injury I guess we can eliminate any chance of Thole making the club. Thole to AAA with Coste or Blanco as his defensive mentor.
Reports are of how early so many Mets reported to camp and how healthy many of them look from Pelfrey to Ollie to Reyes to Santana and Wright. I am happy they all look good but I’ll wait to see how it translates on the field. My daughter was drooling at a NY Post pic of Wright’s arms and giggled at what he looked like under his shirt.
Wilpon speaks! I especially find this quote interesting. “We went by what they [said]. Jeff follows them. Jeff and I don’t’ pick the baseball players, so that is what [the front office] wanted to do. They think the guys we have will prove to be better guys than some of the guys we passed up.” If Minaya is the guy that makes the call and he is the one that goes to ownership with his suggestions then who are they that Wilpon is talking about? Shouldn’t it be we went by what Minaya said? I’m probably just reading too much into it.
I saw Jerry’s quote on Mejiia. Was that really necessary?
I saw Escobar playing catch so can we eliminate any future tweets/reports from NBC’s Hardball Talk?
Ed Randall had Putz and Brady Anderson on today with Putz having an about face on how the Mets doctors handled him. Does anyone really care what Putz has to say? Anderson on the other hand sounded like a guy trying to understand what was the big deal with steroids. People blew it way out of proportion. Could that 50 homer 96 season have something to do with his views on it?
Jason Bay comes in this week Looking forward to hearing only good things from him.