According to weather.com it’s 71 degrees and partly cloudy with 6 mph NE winds at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL as the Florida Marlins host the New York Mets. The lineups:
- Pagan – CF
- Martinez, F. – RF
- Wright – 3B
- Bay – LF
- Murphy – 1B
- Barajas – C
- Adams, R. – 2B
- Tejada, R. – SS
- Maine – SP
- Miller, J. – CF
- Jimenez – 3B
- Ramirez, H. – SS
- Uggla – 2B
- Cousins – RF
- Sanchez, G. – 1B
- Carroll – LF
- Davis, B. – C
- Tucker – SP
You can follow the game using the very slow to update spring training version of MLB Gameday.
Typically some of the beat writers tweet about the game too, some links:
73 comments
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-1:04pm at 1:04 pm (UTC -4)
Hey your not the weather man!
GravediggerHebner
3/8/2010-1:07pm at 1:07 pm (UTC -4)
Just channeling my inner Bob Murphy but I’ll leave whether the clouds are stratus, cumulus or cirrus to the professionals.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
Nice read on NY Sports blog – Rich Coutinho on Strawberry:
http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/nysports/2010/03/strawberry-enjoying-his-new-role-1.html
Some snippits:
In many ways, Straw has come full circle and has become the unofficial “team conduit” between the successes of the 80′s and the present day Mets. “I have always been a Met and this organization will always be my home,” says Strawberry, “and I know I played for a few other teams but I will always be a Met.” In fact, Straw was crowing the other day how the 1986 Mets would have beaten last year’s World Champion Yankees.
And he has this to say about Franceour:
Darryl says that Francoeur is headed for a great season–25-30 homers and over 90 RBI–and thinks CitiField will not inhibit his power numbers because he is such a great fastball hitter.
ceetar
3/8/2010-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
If Strawberry is right and Francoeur puts up those numbers? damn, that’d be nice. We’d likely be looking to deal from strength and be able to trade Francoeur (or, maybe even better, Bay!) for a huge piece. This is, of course, assuming that Martinez is ready to be the rookie of the year in 2011.
I imagine a piece like that goes a long way towards a big SP.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-1:58pm at 1:58 pm (UTC -4)
I know. If all pieces fall in just the right hole, for the first time in a long while, we’ll have an over abundance of good talent at several positions.
GravediggerHebner
3/8/2010-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
Well it’s only the top of the 1st but so far Gameday is updating more regularly and the Mets are winning 1-0 on two Marlin errors and a bases loaded walk to Daniel Murphy.
GravediggerHebner
3/8/2010-1:25pm at 1:25 pm (UTC -4)
Correction: Jason Bay RBI single, not walk to Murphy brought the run home.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-1:25pm at 1:25 pm (UTC -4)
I see Mets up 1-0 going to the bottom of the 1st.
Two fielding errors by Uggla? I guess some things never change…
stickguy
3/8/2010-1:36pm at 1:36 pm (UTC -4)
not bad. I must be paying attention this year.
an early ST road game, and the Mets lineup only has one guy in it that makes me do a “whodat?”
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
Maine only pitched one inning? Why????
stickguy
3/8/2010-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
His arm flew off at the shoulder and landed near home plate.
No biggee though. They will reattach and he should be day to day for the next week or so.
GravediggerHebner
3/8/2010-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
He went 1 2/3 and left with a base runner or two (Dickey got out of it).
I forget which one but one of the beat writers earlier today noted that Maine would not go as deep into the game as the previous Met starters. The theory was he was overworked last spring coming off surgery so this year they are taking him along more slowly.
GravediggerHebner
3/8/2010-2:05pm at 2:05 pm (UTC -4)
This from Adam Rubin:
“John Maine’s start this afternoon against the Marlins won’t be as long the other starters, who have been going three innings and 45 pitches. Pitching coach Dan Warthen said he wants to “baby” Maine a little bit. Warthen wondered whether he worked Maine a little too hard last spring training coming off surgery.”
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
Whew. O.K., makes sense.
ceetar
3/8/2010-2:17pm at 2:17 pm (UTC -4)
This is HUGE news in my opinion. Maine’s injuries have mostly been fatigue and wear and tear type injuries. If the Mets understand that, then I think we’ll have a full, healthy, year from Maine.
wannybackstra
3/8/2010-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
But is a full healthy season of 5 inning appearances worth anything to us?
This is why I think Maine would be a good candidate for short relief. He could probably dial his fast ball up into the mid 90s pitching only an inning at a time.
trs86
3/8/2010-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
A healthy John Maine gets you about 5.5-6 innings per start (5.96 in 2007, 5.4 in 2008 but not healthy).
wannybackstra
3/8/2010-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
Correct. Now imagine they start babying him to prevent him from the high pitch counts that result in his 5.5 IP outings and the injuries he has suffered.
ceetar
3/8/2010-2:36pm at 2:36 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not talking babying him in terms of pitch counts. Limit his meaningless innings in Spring, watch his workouts between starts. etc.
ceetar
3/8/2010-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
btw, he got 4/5 of his outs on strikeouts today. for what that’s worth. (nothing, really)
darknova306
3/8/2010-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
The question I’d ask is how did his pitches look? Decent breaking stuff? The good movement on the fastball?
trs86
3/8/2010-4:02pm at 4:02 pm (UTC -4)
In 2008 they were already babying him. That’s why his innings per start went from 5.96 down to 5.4. I am guessing that means more of the same.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:13pm at 4:13 pm (UTC -4)
Also, if you look back at his game logs you will notice that in 2008 up until June 25th he was averaging 5.83 innings per start. From that point because of injury he was limited to 5 innings per start. So based on my opinion it appears that a healthy Maine gives you about 5.6+ innings.
ceetar
3/8/2010-4:17pm at 4:17 pm (UTC -4)
I think this data is mostly irrelevant. But it’s definitely something that needs to be looked at in terms of Maine. They should let him throw what he can in games without tiring out, and decrease bullpen sessions and see if they can get him warmed up before starts without throwing a billion pitches.
Also, was that decrease in 2008 because of injury, or because Manuel does not get how to use a bullpen/starters? You can’t baby him in-game though. That’s just detrimental.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:35pm at 4:35 pm (UTC -4)
I think this data is mostly irrelevant. But it’s definitely something that needs to be looked at in terms of Maine.
Now that’s a politician right there. This data is irrelevant but something that needs to be looked at. LOL.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-2:07pm at 2:07 pm (UTC -4)
I take that back. He pitched 1 and 2/3rds. Could he possibly have been at 50 pitches already? If so, must have been a ton of foul balls…..
trs86
3/8/2010-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
Hey at least Dickey is putting it in there.
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:15pm at 4:15 pm (UTC -4)
LOL!
He sucks long and hard.
May he PLEASE do his sucking in Buffalo.
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-3:06pm at 3:06 pm (UTC -4)
Well if Gameday is accurate Maine’s outing went something like this.
First Inning
1st batter Miller
3 called strikes
1 out
2nd batter Jimenez
grounded to 2nd
2 outs
3rd batter Ramirez
double to LF
2 outs
4th batter Uggla
3 called strikes
3 outs
Second Inning
5th batter Cousins
3 swinging strikes
1 out
6th batter Sanchez
single to CF
1 out
7th batter Carroll
4 balls
walk
1 out
8th batter Davis
3 called strikes
2 outs
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-3:07pm at 3:07 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not sure GameDay shows foul balls, does it? So hard to gage what the pitch counts actually are.
saltygary
3/8/2010-3:07pm at 3:07 pm (UTC -4)
I think that is encouraging.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:03pm at 4:03 pm (UTC -4)
Gameday in ST shows no balls if the K or no strikes if they walk. LOL. If they get a hit it shows nothing but the hit.
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-3:08pm at 3:08 pm (UTC -4)
Gameday says Mejia has thrown 10 pitches all strikes.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:05pm at 4:05 pm (UTC -4)
Carter 2 bombs in same inning!
trs86
3/8/2010-4:06pm at 4:06 pm (UTC -4)
Mejia impressive again. What if he clearly is one of the top bullpen guys like Francouer suggest? Should they leave him down?
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:16pm at 4:16 pm (UTC -4)
Absolutely.
Let him have at least a month or two blowing away AAA batters.
That Buffalo team is going to be something!
Davis, FMart, Mejia, Thole, Figgy…..
njstuckintx
3/8/2010-4:20pm at 4:20 pm (UTC -4)
With all the potential in house fill in’s/call up’s, it will mean all the Mets can throw money at will be SP and bench/pen… I think I’m already more excited about 2011 than I am 2010. Oh, the possibilites..
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:28pm at 4:28 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I have been thinking that constantly.
FMart, Davis, Thole and Mejia FOR STARTERS!
Then there are other guys, and as you said, should any of the Axis of Uncertaintly of Pelf/Ollie/Maine falter, Omar (or his successor, but I hope we succeed enough to keep Omar around) can spend everything on starting pitching and trade/buy at least one serious starter.
No matter what anyone thinks and no matter what happens in 2010, this team’s “window” ain’t closing. It may actually just be opening, when one considers the above, plus the age of Wright and Reyes, Johan’s being here a while, etc.
njstuckintx
3/8/2010-4:39pm at 4:39 pm (UTC -4)
And when you look at all the FA Starting Pitchers on the FA front, it is like the perfect storm.
Ollie & Castillo’s un-shed-able contracts are suddenly shed-able, with only 1 year remaining on them. There will be 1 year of Beltran and then his money is off the books. Could he be moved, I’m not sure. Moving Perez and Castillo. Even if you can move those 2 at 50 cents on the dollar + the wiggle room from current salary to luxury tax could net 1 or 2 higher end SPs.
Yeah, looking at resigning reyes is up there, as well as other raises to contend with, but at the very least adding a true number 2 or even a 1A is a possibility.
I know it’s all down the road and there is still 2010 to be concerned with, but oh those possibilities…
trs86
3/8/2010-4:43pm at 4:43 pm (UTC -4)
Mejia IS the 1A! LOL.
njstuckintx
3/8/2010-4:48pm at 4:48 pm (UTC -4)
Santana, Lee, Meija, Pelf, Neise…
I think I need to eat something. I’ve having hunger dillusions or flashbacks or something.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:59pm at 4:59 pm (UTC -4)
Problem is I really don’t see the Mets giving Lee what he is going to want. He will want something north of Lackey and most likely should not get it unless he turns in another solid season. People are forgetting how bad he was in 2007.
His career has been
Bad, Good, Slightly below average, BAD, Great, Very Good.
njstuckintx
3/8/2010-5:05pm at 5:05 pm (UTC -4)
I just threw Lee out there, but insert any of the crop out there for arguments sake.
But agreed, he has had a roller coaster career.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve been thinking about this too.
But when was the last time a team started out a season with that many rookies and were successful with all?
Kinda scary. Which is why I’m hoping we’ll see some of these heir apparents up for an injury sub or something like that earlier. Like staggering their intro to the ML.
stickguy
3/8/2010-5:42pm at 5:42 pm (UTC -4)
well, entirely possible Davis comes up this year. If not for injury (or suckitude) replacement, certainly in September. F Mart, same thing this year as last. Even Thole was already up.
So next year, it might be the first FT gig for any of these guys, but it won’t be their 1st ML action.
njstuckintx
3/8/2010-4:18pm at 4:18 pm (UTC -4)
I’d say yes. Let him get more work in the minors and maybe do a mid-season call up if he’s that dominating. Pitching extremely well in spring training is great, but it’s still spring training.
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-4:16pm at 4:16 pm (UTC -4)
8-run 9th inning and all the Baby Mets seem to be joining the party.
Looks like I will be dusting off this frontpage for 2010 if this keeps up.
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:20pm at 4:20 pm (UTC -4)
That is just frigin beautiful!
Maybe little tiny faces of Mejia and FMart on the egg?
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-4:28pm at 4:28 pm (UTC -4)
This from Adam Rubin
“- Jenrry Mejia tossed three scoreless relief innings. He allowed two hits, one an infield single that struck him in the bare hand, requiring a visit from the trainer. He struck out one and walked none in the outing against the Marlins. Twenty-seven of 33 pitches were thrown for strikes.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2010/03/maine-pleased-with-spring-debu.html
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:29pm at 4:29 pm (UTC -4)
27 of 33 for strikes! WOW!
It is only 5+ innings, but damn, this guy is getting me psyched for the future.
I need to temper my optimism here; but based on this spring, we have a few very serious guys to look forward to following at Buffalo for a while.
ceetar
3/8/2010-4:35pm at 4:35 pm (UTC -4)
road trip?
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-4:36pm at 4:36 pm (UTC -4)
I am in Saratoga, and very well might head over there sometime this summer for a game.
trs86
3/8/2010-4:37pm at 4:37 pm (UTC -4)
LOL, looks like we may soon have two new members. After reading their discussion that tied up the entire comment section for MC’s post on Murphy they have to get the boot.
So welcome
VCarver and Sylow59 anytime now. Their comments will soon fall into moderation limbo.
ceetar
3/8/2010-4:53pm at 4:53 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve gotten into many arugments with Sylow.
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-5:16pm at 5:16 pm (UTC -4)
My favorite comment
The Eephus March 8, 2010 at 4:44 pm
A) Sylow Wins –> Fatality.
Next off, ENOUGH with these micronumbers. This is a bad part of the itnernet age lol, any person with a computer feels they are statistical experts or savants of the game, and try to demean those who do not want to troll yahoo sports (the old school geeks at least had to buy the Elias books or the like for this). Observation of the naked eye is normally MORE than adequate, and in regular cases merely supported by stats. Do you need VORP to tell you that Albert Pujols is a great hitter? Is UZR necessary to know that Ryan Howard has limited range (or that this does not hamper the Phillies much)? Do you need these numbers to tell you that Lincecum is dominant? Just watch some games and you get the idea lol. I swear, I sometimes think most of you fawn over metric #s rather than watch the actual games with your eyes. IAnd Sylow is right, defensive numbers are extremely subjective. If you just observed Murphy, your eyes would tell you he is a slow, husky defender with little to offer offesnviely, but ok instincts and reflexes. Can’t we just got back to the good ole’ fashioned back of the baseball card #s? It never failed to separate the men from the boys back in the day…
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-5:21pm at 5:21 pm (UTC -4)
VCarver is all about Metrics if he and TRS ever debated I think the Internet would shutdown from all their back and forth I swear.
His Murphy at 1st base talk ismere speculation truth is not even Murphy knows how well he can play at 1st since he has never played 1st for a full season. This is the same VCarver that said last season Murphy would be a good left fielder based on Metrics.
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
Well, he also said Murph would not be much worse than Manny overall as a LF based on Manny’s defense.
But in his defense, VCarver does know a lot, and when drawn away from purely statistical overanalysis, he can be quite reasonable.
Mr North Jersey
3/8/2010-6:51pm at 6:51 pm (UTC -4)
He seems very knowledgeable much more than many other people I have encountered in the blogosphere. He can talk uzr and vorp till the cows come home that is for sure but I think he is a stats guy. Whenever I catch him speak it’s always about numbers bet it stats or financial like payroll. I can’t recall him ever speaking of how Ollies slider didn’t breal or how slow Murphy is on the base paths. Physical things that don’t deal with numbers.
I will admit that I may just have missed it when he has made such comments but it would be nice to see he can talk something other than metrics or finances.
Hazmet
3/8/2010-7:42pm at 7:42 pm (UTC -4)
“vorp till the cows come home” something I could have never imagined reading in my lifetime. Thank you for that.
wannybackstra
3/8/2010-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
Maine threw 39 pitches in his 1 2/3 IP. Like with Ollie yesterday we can’t get carried away in Spring Training but this is the same old same old with Maine and his inefficiency.
trs86
3/8/2010-5:01pm at 5:01 pm (UTC -4)
True but at least they were K’s.
wannybackstra
3/8/2010-5:14pm at 5:14 pm (UTC -4)
21 strikes in 39 pitches. Not exactly strike throwing.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-5:10pm at 5:10 pm (UTC -4)
I read through Amazin Avenue’s Annual report this weekend – which I downloaded.
Great read, but hard to put into words the feeling that I came away with. Their predictions for this year – and these prospects we’ve been looking at in ST, are below what I would have expected to see.
They had all the reasons and stats to back themselves up on it so it’s kind of hard to discount it.
For example on Majia:
‘Mejia really needs to work on controlling the strike zone against more advanced hitters and to get more velocity separation on his changeup.
They do go on to say though:
‘if pressed into it, Mejia could probably help the major league team in a relief role by the end of this year, but that certainly doesn’t seem like the ideal development path for a guy whose arm could be something genuinely special.’
For Ike Davis they start out with:
‘The tale of Ike Davis is one that involves some optimism but lots of caution
as well.’
‘A future of 25-plus homers and .360-plus on-base averages seems well within reach for Davis, and, of all the position prospects in the Mets’ farm, Davis is probably the most likely to make some kind of impact in 2010.’
‘That’s about where the good news ends. Though Davis is an above average
first baseman and likely a passable outfielder, the offensive standards for these
positions are formidable, and it’s not entirely clear how much upside Davis has.’
oleosmirf
3/8/2010-7:36pm at 7:36 pm (UTC -4)
while Ike has been great at the plate, he committed his 4th error already. i think it would be best if him and maybe Mejia were just september callups
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-6:17pm at 6:17 pm (UTC -4)
Comic relief that I was able to gather, free of charge:
————————————–
K-Mac22 March 8, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Ok, so lemme guess;
Santos
Castillo
Pagan
for
Adam Jones.
————————————————-
metskid96 March 8, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I wish there was a good number 2 starter on one of those teams to trade santos for.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-7:02pm at 7:02 pm (UTC -4)
Just catching up on some reading of blogs this evening.
Good god – the ‘arguing’ over on FWICG.com this afternoon…..only now I get a chuckle out of it instead of getting exasperated.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-7:07pm at 7:07 pm (UTC -4)
And laughed right out loud at this:
mextache March 8, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I don’t know what’s more insane…the lengthy battle of words between Sylow and VCarver or the fact that I just pulled up a chair, sat back and read every single word. I respect your knowledge and passion…
*******************
Don’t know what it says about me that I did the exact same thing mextache did…
trs86
3/8/2010-7:10pm at 7:10 pm (UTC -4)
We all enjoy that type of debate, as long as it stays respectable. That one pushed the limit a couple of times but seemed to stay within the limits.
oleosmirf
3/8/2010-7:31pm at 7:31 pm (UTC -4)
i remember VCarver. Hes the one who said Murphy was an above average outfielder
trs86
3/8/2010-7:08pm at 7:08 pm (UTC -4)
How about this response?
atrain311 March 8, 2010 at 6:15 pm
And I wish my wife’s rear would stop growing, but that’s not gonna happen. Haha.
Kingman 26
3/8/2010-7:14pm at 7:14 pm (UTC -4)
Ha! Saw that–it was posted after I noticed the above exchange among members of the Baseball Einstein Society.
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-7:47pm at 7:47 pm (UTC -4)
I saw that – LOL. That is just bad…..The guy who made that crack probably has a beer belly in proportion to what he’s complaining about.
Sorry….just a knee jerk reaction from of member of the female race…..
metsfan4decades
3/8/2010-7:49pm at 7:49 pm (UTC -4)
Reading over on Beerleaguer tonight – getting a gage on how their ST is going so far.
Never thought I see anything that Met and Philly fans have in common but here’s a post that a few have agreed with:
‘As much as it pains me to say it, I actually enjoy the Mets broadcast team. I get the chance to watch many Mets’ games during the season. It’s nice to be able to flip to our rivals while the Phils are between innings or have the night off. It’s a shame that Cohen, Darling, and Hernandez have to call Mets’ games. I think they do a good job.’