So yesterday was not much of a eventful day for the Mets, losing to the Atlanta Braves at the “ESPN Wide World Of Sports” Â Stadium in Orlando Florida by the score of 9-5. Pat Misch and the Mets rotation pitched well , keeping the Braves at bay while the Mets scored four runs. Fernando Martinez – the forgotten prospect looked great, going 2-3 with a r.b.i scoring triple. But Eddie Kunz along with the Mets defense gave the game away. Kunz gave up four earned runs ( not helping his cause), while the infield let us 3 straight errors including one by uber prospect – Ike Davis. But lets look at this from a optimistic perspective, for the most part this was not your opening day line up- far from it, so to get all upset because the Mets didn’t win yesterday is ridiculous ( yes I am reinforcing that point to myself). Today Jason Bay will make his Mets debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at what used to be known as Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie ( maybe they should rename it Shea Field as a nod to the old stadium – but I don’t think the Shea’s could or would pay for the naming rights).
                                                                                      
                                                                                         ” He’s such a Kunz !!!”
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!
Today would have been Clyde McCullough ninety third birthday (1917) . Clyde was a coach for the ’63 team.
Utility infielder for the ’67 team Bob Johnson is 74 (1936) . Bob would be traded that off season to the Cincinnati Reds for future Mets hero , outfielder Art Shamsky .
Jack Fisher, The first Met to ever pitch at Shea Stadium is 71 (1939) .
One time Mets reliever, Danny Frisella would have been 64 today.(1946) Danny died tragically when he flipped his dune buggy on New Years Day in 1977.
Reserve first baseman for the ’78 Mets , Tom Grieve is 62.(1948)
One time Mets third base coach , Sam Perlozzo is 59. (1951) .
On this day in 1986 the New York Mets signed one of my all time favorite Mets scrubs – back up first baseman , Tim Corcoran as a free agent. He would only play in six games with the Mets – getting on base once ( intentionally walked) before being released that June.
And don’t forget – There are only 32 Tom Hausman days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.
55 comments
darknova306
3/4/2010-6:40am at 6:40 am (UTC -4)
Actually, the ridiculous thing is how much is made of spring training in the first place these days. In these days of information overload, we get every detail about the practices and drills and meaningless ST games, when they have very little bearing on anything.
Case in point:
In our first ST game, Ike Davis had a couple hits prompting someone I follow on twitter to immediately claim that he should make the big club out of ST. Nevermind that Davis has only played two minor league seasons and only 55 games at AA.
I’m really loving the fact that F-Mart is flying below the radar. Let him try to play a full, healthy, productive season at Buffalo and we’ll see where things go from there. I really hate the kind of hype we see about prospects these days.
metsfan4decades
3/4/2010-7:48am at 7:48 am (UTC -4)
For the most part, I have to agree about rushing prospects. If last year didn’t see so many injuries, I don’t think we would have seen FMart – or at least not until the Sep call ups.
The Mets aren’t the only ones doing that though. The big hype in Atlanta is Bobby Cox having to make a big decision on whether he promotes Heyward and goes north with him. The kid looks like the real deal but what is he – all of 20?
stickguy
3/4/2010-8:00am at 8:00 am (UTC -4)
If he is ready, let him come up.
Other than the crowds, baseball is baseball. The pitchers are just better in the majors than AAA. So, if a position player can hit well enough to stick, it doesn’t really matter how old he is.
Pitchers I look at a little differently, just from wanting to build up their arms, but again, if a guy has the goods and can get ML hitters out, don’t want to waste too many pitches in the minors!
I think “rushing” implies pushing them before they are developed enough to succeed at that level. For some guys, the majors at age 20 is talent appropriate.
Besides, if teams didn’t start studs at age 20-21, where would the Yankees find top guys in their mid-late 20′s to sign?
metsfan4decades
3/4/2010-8:14am at 8:14 am (UTC -4)
LOL….or that comment about the Yankees would be funny if it wasn’t true.
stickguy
3/4/2010-7:50am at 7:50 am (UTC -4)
agreed all around Nova. ST games, especially this early, are just glorified practice sessions.
Anything beyond players not getting hurt is just gravy.
There is also a reason you see unheralded prospects every year have big springs, make the club, then bomb in April.
At this point, pitchers are mostly throwing FBs, and likely not all that fast, and don’t worry about keeping it off the plate. So a kid that is in “make the team” mode can feast on them and look like Babe Ruth.
Then, April hits, and the vet pitchers suddenly are using breaking balls, and are trying to get them out. Oops, there goes the production.
Real dangerous too using ST to decide a position battle, unless you are evaluating one guy to see if he is still healthy say.
trs86
3/4/2010-8:33am at 8:33 am (UTC -4)
I think you can use ST to some extent. Not because of actual results but based on things you see. Are they sharp, working extra hard, seeing the ball well…
ceetar
3/4/2010-8:39am at 8:39 am (UTC -4)
Andthis season, are they healthy ,is the big questions.
Like the mass-paranoia todaythat Reyes isn’t in the lineup.
prismo
3/4/2010-8:40am at 8:40 am (UTC -4)
Case in point part II:
Jose Reyes was “scratched” from today’s spring training game. A number people I follow on twitter are posting about his possibly being injured, including some beat writers who aren’t saying it, but are alluding to it (solely for hits).
Turns out he just needs to go in for more blood work as a follow up to his latest physical.
darknova306
3/4/2010-8:44am at 8:44 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, I’ve started seeing that nonsense popping up on my feed. I can’t help but roll my eyes. Since when is blood work the same as an actual injury? Sigh…
trs86
3/4/2010-8:45am at 8:45 am (UTC -4)
Yup, all the creditable reporters are indeed saying it is for blood work. Thus on my twitter feed I don’t see any of the Reyes injured stuff. If I see guys like that they get deleted.
ceetar
3/4/2010-8:48am at 8:48 am (UTC -4)
Well, more referring to the time between announcing the scratch and the confirmation it was for bloodwork:
TRS86 @SurfingTheMets Why no Reyes? Not an injury concern?
I can’t wait until the possibility of injury doesn’t cross our minds for minutea like this.
trs86
3/4/2010-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
True, but I am not sure they even knew why yet.
ceetar
3/4/2010-8:51am at 8:51 am (UTC -4)
That said, things like this still sound worrisome:
StevePopper Jose Reyes is heading to doctor after doing 2nd round of bloodwork for an undisclosed question that surfaced in physical
Before the mass-hysteria/information age that would’ve been resolved and we wouldn’t be hearing about it as more than an afterthough with the results. Now we hear it as it’s happening, and since we don’t have the full picture yet, it makes it sounds scarier.
But what kind of undisclosed question? There’s one very paranoid thing I could think of, but I know that’s not the case so I won’t even voice it.
prismo
3/4/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
LOL. Don’t say it. I know what you’re thinking.
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:08am at 10:08 am (UTC -4)
We all do. But someone on Twitter confirmed he’s not pregnant.
GravediggerHebner
3/4/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
Does he have ED?
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
I hope not, he might be tempted to take some female fertility drugs.
CaseStreet
3/4/2010-8:51am at 8:51 am (UTC -4)
When does pelf pitch?
ceetar
3/4/2010-9:03am at 9:03 am (UTC -4)
Saturday.
And Rubin made a typo-error in his lineup too. two LFers.
Kingman 26
3/4/2010-8:54am at 8:54 am (UTC -4)
Agreed with you folks….for this spring, the guys being healthy, hustling, not making dumb mistakes, and being positive is all that matters.
In football, and to a lesser extent basketball, team results mean a bit, but in baseball team AND individual spring stats literally mean less than nothing..
Two springs ago Aaron Heilman and John Maine–and others from the pen–were absolutely unhittable in the spring. Most of us remember that the regular season was a bit different.
Health, hustling, and fundies—that is all the reasonable fan needs to look for this spring.
mrose
3/4/2010-9:05am at 9:05 am (UTC -4)
i’m confused about “formerly known as Tradition field”… isn’t it still Tradition Field?
ceetar
3/4/2010-9:09am at 9:09 am (UTC -4)
I thought so too.
mrose
3/4/2010-9:31am at 9:31 am (UTC -4)
just double checked…still Tradition Field
prismo
3/4/2010-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
The company that paid for the naming rights failed to meet their pay deadlines, so the contract is nullified. It’s probably technically nameless at the moment.
prismo
3/4/2010-9:52am at 9:52 am (UTC -4)
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/mar/02/core-communities-terminates-tradition-field-naming/
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
I don’t get it… you need to be scratched out of the lineup because you need to get some blood work done? Am I missing something here?
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:06am at 10:06 am (UTC -4)
I imagine it’s just cause it’s Spring and who cares? He’ll go back to the doc and just do regular workout stuff instead of rushing back out to the field to get into a meaningless game.
GravediggerHebner
3/4/2010-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
Well, after having some blood removed most of us would have some crackers and juice and go back to our jobs, but most of our jobs do not involve precise hand/eye coordination and periods of standing around doing nothing interrupted by brief bursts of motion in any particular direction followed by spitting and butt-patting.
trs86
3/4/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
Man I hope that is all it is. I hope it’s not more FBI junk.
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:21am at 10:21 am (UTC -4)
Well, Selig says they haven’t even finished verifying that the HGH test is in fact accurate. (which, btw, could easily be a lie since they said they’re testing in the Minors right?)
I don’t think it has to do with the FBI. They seem to still be in information gathering mode and it seems like Carlos and Jose were both fully cooperative and probably wont’ be bothered again.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
But we’ve all drawn blood for blood work at times. Does it have that much effect on your hand/eye coordination and butt-patting?
GravediggerHebner
3/4/2010-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
I am not a doctor so this is my amateur opinion which could be completely medically/scientifically wrong but I just think that if you normally have X amount of blood in your system and then say 2 hours before a strenuous athletic endeavor doctors remove some, you are therefore “down some blood” for a period of time and are not optimal for athletic undertaking.
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
and It’s march 4th and hardly a big deal if he plays on the field or just does some normal baseball activities later.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
If that’s the case, why not do it last night? Is there a reason it had to be done today at noon? I mean we all know how sensitive this matter is in terms of his health and this HGH stuff. So this could not be done in a more discreet manner?
I don’t care if he misses the game today or tomorrow or whatever, but I just question the Mets PR personnel for allowing it to get this crazy. I mean it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that ‘Reyes scratched from the lineup to get blood work done’ headline would bring more unnecessary attention to the team. I just think it’s the last thing you need this ST.
trs86
3/4/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
My question is how did the Mets not know that he had to do the blood work today and already have the lineup made with him not in it?
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
My point exactly. I just think there’s some serious communication problem within the Mets organization that causes all this unnecessary publicity.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
I don’t understand the Mets PR people. What are they doing here?
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
Um..Doctor patient confidentiality. They can’t come out and say things like “His cholesterol is high!”. He’s fine, and you don’t draw blood for things like hamstring injuries. It’s not really a big deal.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
Yeah I get all that, but this could not be done last night? Or some other day? I mean this had to be done at noon so that Reyes was scratched from the game?
I could careless about a meaningless spring training game, but with Reyes, you know you gotta be careful on many different levels. I mean given the season that the Mets had last year, why couldn’t this be done in more discreet manner? You know the media will jump all over this matter, so why bring more attention to Reyes health matter? I just don’t get it.
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
well, the docs tend to work daytime schedules. I dunno, this is when they do things. It’s still early in Spring and all this administrative, pictures, doctors, filming of Professore Reyes and all those silly things, are all done during the day in Spring Training.
You know nothing is done in a discrete manor anymore, They supposed to smuggle Reyes into the doctors office under cover of darkness and then sneak him out and make sure he’s ready to play a meaningless spring game? Or maybe the Doctors should sneak up behind him Dexter-style and draw blood and run away.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
I’m not trying to argue with you here, but I mean these docs get paid a lot of money from the Mets. So they can’t do this at night?
I just think it could be handled in a much better way.
Mr North Jersey
3/4/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Noon? I think it was 1st reported around 8:30 this morning.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
I think doctor’s visit is at noon.
trs86
3/4/2010-10:40am at 10:40 am (UTC -4)
Based on the tweets I think he has already been.
GravediggerHebner
3/4/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Given that Jose was in the initial lineup, then scratched, I’m going to assume that the doctors informed the Mets of the need for more blood sometime this morning so taking the blood yesterday would not be possible.
I used to work in a warehouse lifting and moving heavy, dirty boxes was the biggest part of my job. On days when I had to have blood tests when I returned to work I did paper work and desk work the rest of the day since I had tiny bandaged wounds on my arms which restricted my ability to lift dusty heavy things.
Could they have handled it in a more discreet manner? Perhaps, but if the doctors only informed them of the request after he was in the lineup I’m not sure what you would have preferred the team do at that point.
Jose Reyes is not the President of the United States or some mega-celebrity and I imagine the blood lab has a schedule and appointments and they can fit in Jose this morning so they do it this morning.
I just think there are many many more simple logical reasons why this is a benign thing than there are reasons to criticize it and worry about it.
trs86
3/4/2010-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
I just don’t understand the communication problems. Why have him in the lineup to start with? How is it that the doctors noticed this morning that he needed blood work today?
GravediggerHebner
3/4/2010-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
This is how.
Nurse: Here are Mr. Reyes’ results, doctor.
Doctor: Thank you nurse. (flipping through file) Where are the glucose level results?
Nurse: I don’t know doctor, we requested them from the lab. I’ll call them.
Nurse: Hello lab? Yes we requested glucose level tests on Mr. Jose Reyes yesterday.
Lab: Not according to our paperwork.
Nurse: OK, logistical screw up that has nothing to do with and in no way reflects on the New York Mets organization. Do you have any of Mr. Reyes’ blood remaining to run the glucose level tests?
Lab: No, all out.
Nurse: OK, I’ll have the doctor request more of his blood. Thank you.
Kingman 26
3/4/2010-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
LOL!!
Keep going on this, you are on a roll and gettin’ jiggy.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:59am at 10:59 am (UTC -4)
Doctor: Hey what’s going on?
Mets: Eh.. not much.. what’s going on with you?
Doctor: Well it looks like there were some clerical error from the Lab and we need to get more blood sample from Mr. R.. Re… uhh… hold on.. (Nurse! what’s the name again?? Oh.. ok.. mmmm… that’s one fine lookin bootay… ) okay. it’s for Mr. Reyes.
Mets: oh crap.. why him.. we have enough crap around him right now… can this wait?
Doctor: sure.. but you’ll be billed $5,000/day as long as this thing is outstanding
Mets: of crap… aight.. we’ll send him right away…
Mr North Jersey
3/4/2010-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
Again going on tweets alone the 1st tweet was 8:30am this morning so we know the media already knew no later than 8:30am.
http://twitter.com/lenno212/statuses/9973027883
Around 6:30am 2 hours earlier it was already tweeted that Reyes was scheduled to start.
http://twitter.com/KBurkhardtSNY/statuses/9970595002
It has been reported the added blood work is for something that surfaced in the original physical.
http://www.metsblog.com/2010/03/04/news-jose-reyes-scratched-from-lineup/
So isn’t it possible the doctors got the results in late last night or early this morning and called this morning somewhere after 6:30am when by that time the lineup was already being reported?
ceetar
3/4/2010-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
Wasn’t Reyes “in the lineup” as early as yesterday? I know I heard Manuel on with Francessa on like Tuesday and he said he’d start on Thursday.
Mr North Jersey
3/4/2010-11:03am at 11:03 am (UTC -4)
exactly Reyes was scheduled to be in today’s lineup way before the doctors request for blood work so it was next to impossible for Mets to not have Reyes in lineup to begin with.
DNDJohan aka kistics
3/4/2010-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
I just think this could have been handled in different way. We all know how sensitive this matter is, not only Jose’s health, but this whole FBI HGH crap. Why make it a lot more complicated or bring more media attention than it needs?
Kingman 26
3/4/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
I would respectfully say that that is only being done by some folks here in the comments area.
It is March 4th.
Kingman 26
3/4/2010-10:46am at 10:46 am (UTC -4)
EXTREMELY well-said Grave.
As usual.