The players are off today. John Maine will throw a simulated game. A couple of guys to come in for treatment. But, there’s nothing organized at the camp so not much is going on.
That brings us to Mets Chat. Just because the players aren’t doing anything, doesn’t mean you aren’t thinking about them. So what’s on your mind?
I’d like to do this all the time. There are times you might be thinking about something other than what I’ve posted. Or want to vent. Or you might want to talk among yourselves, which I like.
So, I want to post Mets Chat as your vehicle to say whatever.
I’ll check in throughout the day, but I want this to be your show. Take care.
38 Comments
John:
Wanted to get a sense of a few things with 10 days left:
1) What lineup is Willie leaning towards (i.e. who is in the #2 hole)?
2) Bullpen: Will Joe Smith make it? Will Burgos be left off? Will Adkins make it because he has no options? I guess Sosa, Wags, Heilman, Feliciano and Schoenweiss are definites….
3) Rotation: Should we send Pelfrey down since we won’t need him until mid April? Does Chan Ho go North then? Does Sele stick if Duque is DL’ed?
Endy looked great out there, so why isnt he in the normal lineup during spring?
He always seems he is in the B or C lineup. And not much with Milledge what happened? i was ready to give him a break and see him “man” up.
They now have too many outfilders…who will go? (trade??) and who will stay??
i think Ben Johnson will be used as trade bait. And Milledge wont make the opening day roster.
thoughts?
John:
We know why Humber was sent down, but why did the Mets option Vargas so early? I haven’t been able to see any of the games, but it looked like his stats were decent enough to stay in competition for the 5th spot. Thanks
Patrick,
i think the Mets saw what they wanted, and i think if he makes the squad he will be in long relief.
Barring injury, i don’t see him in the SR soon.
can’t forget about Dave Williams (when he comes back)
Here are a few Spring observations with about two weeks to go until the season starts.
Areas of concern:
Starting PitchingEl Duque looks old, very old and get’s hurt when the wind blows. Ollie Perez has been up and down.BullpenHeilman has elbow tendinitis, Sanchez is still rehabbing, Mota is suspended. Burgos, Adkins and Sele have all looked bad.The Old Age HomeThe Mets have a considerable amount of older players on there team. Between Carlos Delgado and Jose Valentin’s neck problems, El Duque’s arthritis and Franco’s sore wrist, it looks like it’s going to be a long year full of many DL stints.-Sean Green claimed to have fixed a hitch in his swing, which appeared to help him in some games, but others Green has looked poor at the plate and in the field. His contract may guarantee him a spot on the roster, but he sure hasn’t earned it this Spring.
Positives:
-Lastings Milledge seems like a different person, he has shown tremendous maturity on and off the field, lets hope he makes the trip up to Queens.
-Joe Smith has really stepped up this Spring and turned some heads with his side-arm delivery and plus fastball.
-Tom Glavine, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey have all looked good. We can only hope that they all can solidify the rotation in 2007.
-While Jon Adkins, one piece in the San Diego deal has failed, the other Ben Johnson has made his mark. He started out with some shaky defense in the OF, but since then he’s shown his bat and glove whenever he get’s the chance to play. He’s battling Green and Milledge for that RF and reserve OF spot.
John,
Any talk of Glavine,Maine,Perez and Pelfrey in the rotation and El Duque in the pen if hes not on the DL.
Why isn’t Schmoll being considered in the pen. How far out is Padilla from being truely ready. Is Park considered a pen candidate he strikes alot out even when hes bad. Whos ahead Burgos or Smith for a pen slot. Does Adkins make it by default because of his options.
Now that Green has shown he can play first, could Franco be cut and given a new job(coach) and both Johnson and Milledge make the team.
Has Gotay surpassed Ahern on the depth chart and if so could he challenge Easley as the utility infielder.
Are there any concerns yet about the lack of offense….
To follow up with what G says:
1. Starting rotation – shaky
2. Bullpen – shaky
3. Hitting – NA
Did we miss anything?
I think what JD said earlier will be correct. El Duque hits DL to start and Pelfrey comes up north. Not sure what they will do with Park, et al.
Not sure what they will do with the outfield subs, but Endy has had a good spring at the plate and we know what he does in the field. So he deserves mucho playing time.
Dave
Park looks too much like TRASH-el right now. gives up more than the offense can make up. But But.. i will give hime the benefit of the doubt its only spring but still.. all that hype..
:-\
I wouldn’t compare Park to Trachsel. I watched part of the Orioles-Red Sox game in which Dice-K pitched this spring, and Trachsel was the opposing pitcher. Boy was he slow and boring. I sure don’t miss him. Park, on the other hand, has been striking out a ton of guys, and can be exciting. I had never considered it, but Ed makes a good suggestion when he mentions Park has a bullpen candidate. I don’t know how these things work, but maybe he could be lights-out for 1-2 innings at a time.
On the bullpen, all the discussion seems strange to me. Within 50 days, we will have Duaner Sanchez, Guillermo Mota and Juan Padilla all back, and all 3 seem like locks for the bullpen with the way they have pitched for us in the past, Padilla’s latest work coming in ‘05.
Then what do we do with the likes of Burgos, Adkins and Sosa?
John,
ok i will give you that about TRASH-el being slow and Park not. this is why i am giving him the benefit.
But he does seem to self destruct like TRASH.
but we shall see. he may be better in bullpen. But i think i heard something along the lines of he doesnt want to do it?
John,
Not seeing any of the spring, but Park seems to be the same bad pitcher of the past 2 yrs vs from 3 yrs ago. So yes Park = Trachsel and I dont want him to be exciting. By the way often Trachs was good for 3 innings and then blew up in a big way.
As for the bullpen, I hope u are right and the 3 amigos come back and are like last year. but will they? as for the replacements. at this point who cares? they havent shown anything yet. i would keep amby and teach him how to pitch in AAA.
Dave
Still think Park makes most sense in the pen. I’d take the five definites (Wags, Heilman, Feliciano, Shoenweiss & Sosa) and add Park & Smith, then wait until Dirty Sanchez & Mota are ready to come back. You could make an argument for Urdeneta instead of Sosa or Park, I suppose. But Burgos would really benefit from starting at AAA.
Johnson & Milledge will not supplant Green at the start of the season though that could change over the course of the first few months. Right or wrong, his salary will dictate his getting a chance to keep his job regardless of his (very) lackluster spring.
The rotation is the one area I am feelling somewhat optimistic about (notwithstanding the offense which is of course not an issue).
Not to dismiss the young outfield prospects, but why as a group do we make Endy an afterthought.
He is after all the best defensive outfielder we have and he hits ( at least so far ) 300 to boot.
Dave
I know some people have mentioned that we should not worry about the bullpen becuase we will have Duaner Sanchez, Guillermo Mota and Juan Padilla back at some point. But who really knows what we are going to get from these guys. Sanchez isn’t even throwing off a mound yet and is coming off a serious injury to his throwing shoulder, let’s just say that there could be some set backs. Mota is coming back from Steroid suspension, who knows if the juice was a big part of his success. Padilla is still an unknown, he did have a good year in 05, but he’s also coming back from major surgery and who knows if 05 was just a fluke. All I’m saying is that other then a few rare cases the pen is such a crap shoot from year to year. Relief pitchers are usually up and down from year to year.
Kelly Clarkson
From what I’ve seen from Park, the guy is simply an enigma. He has good stuff, and can easily get hitters out with it. However, it apperas as if at times, especially earlier on, he refuses to challenge hitters with his stuff and is afraid to throw strikes, thinking he can somehow limit the damage by getting cheap outs and not throwing over the plate. If he were to truly trust his stuff again and start throwing his curve earlier in counts and locating his fastball, he would be far more succesful. It’s truly frustrating to watch him walk a couple guys, give up a double, and then strike out the side. Sure, he’s not going to be dominating if he does what I say, but he will surely be a better pitcher who yes, will give up his share of HRs, but limit the damage by not having so many guys on base. Pitching in Shea could help him as well.
John –
Has Willie announced his Opening Day pitcher yet? I would think it has to be Glavine – he’s had a good ST and it would give him a start on his march toward 300 this season.
What’s your take on this?
John,
Do you think the Mets will let Pelfrey be the 4 and DL El Duque?
Who do you think really should be the RF Green or Milledge?
And out of everyone you have seen at camp who has surprised you the most? And who has disappointed you the most?
Thanks.
I know I’m not John, Annie, but it looks like he all but has it set up with the proper day off’s seperating the pitchers
We have a day off between the first and second game and one between the 3rd and 4th game. They have Glavine and El Duque seperated by a day Glavine pitched friday while EL duque threw sunday, Maine pitched a simulated game today and they have Maine and Perez seperated by a game right now too. With Pelfrey going tomorrow, he is set up for the Zeps opening night game in Nashville (I will be there) and set up perfectly to be our 5th starter when we need one on the third sunday of the season. Either I’ve looked too much into or I’m right on.
I also think Chan Ho is a good bet to be out utility releiver. I hate the term of the long man. Everyone called Oliver are long man but that was an unfair title since, including the postseason, Oliver had:
18 appearances of one inning or less
14 appearances between 1 1/3 innings and 2 innings
14 appearances of 2 1/3 innings or more
Park could fit into this role perfectly imo
Glavine’s been on an Opening Day schedule since the exhibitions began, so yes, Willie has already cemented him as the OD starter.
John,
Will I have a successful career? What about my love life?
Hey John – I know a lot was made about Oliver Perez and his velocity before and after the trade that brought him here. The guns on TV say he’s back in the mid-80s. What have you seen, and are they trying to make him a control pitcher again (which supposedly hurt them in Pittsburgh)?
Omar, it seems, has identified the quality of quality clubs: the bullpen. No team can win with a bad bullpen, ie. ‘06 Braves, Yanks etc. Do you see Schoeneweis, Smith and Burgos adequately replacing Bradford, Oliver and until they come back, Sanchez and Padilla?
Endy an after thought? speak for yourself dave. I am his biggest fan. before that phenomenal play in post season, that just cinched it for me.
I have my list of favorite players, he is definitely one.
Ill take Ollie with lower speed but better results.
The guns have been consistently slow this entire spring training.
Ollie was NOT throwing mid 80’s his last start, more like low 90s.
senioritis we all go through it. hopefully the gunpowder will be added once the season starts.
The guns were indeed slow, actually, they are notoriously slow in PSL. Ollie was most likely sitting in the low 90’s, which is fine by me.
Mets fans worry too much. Maine, Perez, and Pelfrey has pitched well thus far in S.T. Even if El Duque is hurt to start the season i think the rotation with Maine, Perez, Pelfrey, and Glavine can hold up until he returns. Hitting-wise, we’re going to be fine. There are lot of sloppy plays out there. Willie has to straighten that out. The mets are also pitching the Jon Adkins of the world in the late innnings only for them to blow it for us.
so that makes you which team’s fan? ;-]
When does the burning and itching stop?
Did Sierra report to minor league camp yet or retire? Does anyone know?
Chris,
Sierra is still making his decision. (as far as i know / can find)
Andrew,
Thanks for your response!
Mets will win the world series next year.
Fan,
I think we are all with you on that one!
(at least we sure hope so!)
Some Questions –
Why do the TV networks go to commercial when it is time for the National Anthem and the ‘honorary’ first pitch?
Do the TV broadcasters have to be talking every minute?
Why are the stadium PA systems so loud?
Are all those graphics really necessary? Sometimes I truly cannot see the batter and the catcher.
Does anyone in the stands keep a scorecard anymore?
Why do some teams wear different uniforms several times a week – whatever happened to the ‘home’ and ‘away’ plan?