The LoHud Mets Blog

Just when you thought the hot stove was down to its final ember, the rumor mill sputtered to life last night! Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Mets were interested in signing Ivan Rodriguez. Adam Rubin reported that no, they weren’t. I’m going with Rubin on this one, based on past reporting.

But the news that the Mets had roughly $2 million in reserve to spend on either a fallback plan for Johan Santana and/or a backup catcher is interesting. All things being equal, I’d have preferred to see the Mets bring in another starting pitcher with that money. The five of Santana/Dickey/Niese/Pelfrey/Gee is relatively sound, but Santana is an obvious question mark, Gee has options in case the roster is too stocked with starting pitching (which never happens), and the backup plans are Miguel Batista, Garrett Olson and Chuck James.

Bartolo Colon, incidentally, signed for exactly $2 million with Oakland. He’d have been a nice fit.

That said, I don’t see how they are spending that $2 million on anything approaching starting pitching depth with what is left on the market. Roy Oswalt isn’t taking $2 million to pitch with the Mets. And the remaining free agent options are uninspiring, to say the least. I’d be fine with Javier Vazquez or Doug Davis, but that seems prohibitively expensive for either.

But the Mets can still help themselves at catcher, and it shouldn’t take $2 million. Consider that Ramon Castro made $2 million, combined, over the past two years. For the job of backing up Josh Thole, facing left-handed pitchers and giving the Mets pop off the bench, Castro shouldn’t require more than $600,000 or so. Realistically, that isn’t even a large chunk of the $2 million, since it means Mike Nickeas returns to Triple-A, rather than earning the MLB minimum salary of $480,000. That leaves plenty of room for Davis or Vazquez, if needed.

And Castro can still mash. He put up a .928 OPS against lefties last year, and his career mark is .808. Ivan Rodriguez hasn’t approached that kind of offense against lefties in years. And Mike Nickeas has a career OPS against everyone of .493. I mean, this isn’t close.

This is a massive hole that doesn’t need to exist on the 2012 New York Mets. Here’s hoping Ramon Castro is back in Port St. Lucie, and soon.

I had the chance to talk baseball with Terry Collins as part of a blogger conference call this evening. A number of interesting points were raised. I’m assuming a transcript will materialize from one of the participants soon, and I will link to it, so everyone receives credit for terrific questions. (Update: AND SO IT HAS!)

Ed Marcus of Real Dirty Mets Blog asked about Pedro Beato’s status. Collins expressed the belief that Pedro Beato’s role- starter or reliever- will be decided late in camp. He did add that it was brought to his attention that Beato had struggled in Baltimore’s minor league system as a starter- the reason the young pitcher was converted to relief, after all.

Chris McShane of Amazin Avenue asked Collins about his desire to have the Mets lead the National League in sacrifice bunts. Collins said that the target of this change was his pitchers, and he wasn’t looking to play small ball. I’m assuming this is a relief to the front office. Interestingly, he’s only DHing for his pitchers in the first ten days of exhibition games to prepare, which makes all the sense in the world.

New York Baseball Digest’s Mike Silva inquired about both Collins’ public criticisms of Ruben Tejada for merely arriving on time for spring training, and whether Collins would consider batting Tejada leadoff. Collins had a strange answer to the first part: “I was asked, ‘why isn’t he here?’ I had no answers.” It doesn’t make a lot of sense to jump to criticizing your player simply because you don’t know. He then went on to explain that Tejada won’t be considered for the leadoff spot, given the amount of pressure he already faces in replacing Jose Reyes. I’d just refer back to the first part of the question, then- why make questioning his work ethic, implicitly, part of his first week? Just seemed odd all around.

Collins was asked about his input concerning the changing Citi Field dimensions- “the walls were all Sandy and Jeff”, he said- but Collins also pointed out something that gets overlooked in the coverage of the changes. Lucas Duda is, to be nice about it, somewhat range-challenged. Simply eliminating much of the irregularities and some of the ground in a very difficult right field is a huge help to Duda, who will probably boost his home run totals as well.

Collins said he hopes not to see Matt Harvey this year, simply because it means one of his starting pitchers got injured. However, he’s been quite impressed by Harvey, as has anyone else who’s seen him.

I asked Collins about whether, given the winter, he had a different take on what he viewed last season as a failure of both effort and execution over the season’s final two months, and if he planned to change anything he was doing as a result. Collins took exception to the effort part of the question (I had moments like a postgame when he accused his players of “folding it up” in mind), but he said he’d stress with his young players to preserve energy where they can, doing things like keeping bullpen sessions shorter later in the season, or not taking as many practice swings on a day off.

The answer makes sense; I happen to agree with Now Terry on effort as well. This is not a team that lacks players giving maximum effort. But I hope Collins is more patient with them this year if August and September are rough; he’s got a team that’s going to play hard, but he simply may not have the horses, especially in that division.

Overall, a delightful way to pass a few minutes before I get the chance to do some on-the-ground reporting next week. My thanks to the Mets for making this possible through the glories of modern technology. Hope this is enlightening for all of you as well.

As I have written in this space previously, the Mets have been innovating in interesting ways concerning ticket sales. As a part of this effort to reach out to fans, the Mets are offering a presale to readers of this and other blogs.

Simply click here, use the code name HODGES, and starting at 10 a.m., you’ll have the opportunity to purchase single game tickets ahead of the general riffraff, who will get to buy starting March 5. Oh, how you’ll laugh at them from your seat- you’ll be looking down at those lesser, non-reading fans, though strictly speaking, I hope you are looking up at them. Otherwise, you chose your seats wrong.

Remember: however you feel about the coming season- optimistic or pessimistic, elated or suicidal- indisputably, 81 baseball games will be played at a beautiful park. No one can take that away from you.

The Mets released their promotional schedule on Saturday, a moment I always relish. Exactly what free stuff will come to me, simply because I get to watch a baseball game?

This has been a cause close to my heart for many years, dating back to the free Juan Samuel glove I received at Veterans Stadium just before he got traded to the Mets, and while others grow out of caring about such things in their 30s… I’m not that guy. I was led to believe if I wanted to be gainfully employed and convince an attractive woman to raise a family with me, I’d have to give up such childish things. Good news, kids: not even close to true!

As in all things in recent years, the team the Mets are chasing is the Phillies. A number of issues I raised in that column linked to above have been resolved: the Mets now offers the opportunity to customize plans, both six-packs and larger. They let you vary your seat locations as well.

There are some gaps, that remain. The most glaring is that while Phillies promotions are for all fans, the Mets limit the quantities: first 25,000 for the full giveaways, first 5,000 for children. In other words, the Mets create a scenario by which a child who sits in traffic- usually, due to timing problems not of his or her own making, then spends three hours watching everyone else playing with something. That’s how you build brand loyalty?

As a whole, though, the Mets are competitive with the Phillies in terms of giveaways and general promotion for the first time I can remember. Let’s break it down by month, with useful commentary provided by previously-mentioned attractive wife, who I will be bringing, along with kiddie, as instructed by the song.

APRIL: The Mets get out of the gate strong. Love the texting gloves on April 7 as an idea with a Verizon tie-in; my wife did too, though she did not commit to wearing them. As people who re-use shopping bags, the April 21 promo is useful as well, and I look forward to giving my daughter a Tom Seaver bobblehead along with discussion of his role in Mets history.

I think the Phillies have the Mets beat, but that’s partly a result of on-field success. Their Opening Day giveaway- a 2011 pennant- wouldn’t mean quite the same thing to Mets fans. The April 11 t-shirt looks really nice, though, and they have multiple schedule magnet giveaways. Add in the Phanatic bank- an equivalent from Mr. Met would be awesome- along with two dollar hot dog nights, and April in Philadelphia looks like the place to be.

ADVANTAGE: Phillies

MAY: Looks like Palmer’s didn’t return for their cocoa butter giveaway for Mother’s Day, and the Mets didn’t replace it. The Phillies, by contrast, offer a ladies’ scarf on Mother Appreciation Day, along with a nice Liberty Bell hat on May 14 and a collector’s truck on May 20. Add in another dollar dog night, and it is a good May at Citizens Bank Park.

But while the Met giveaways in May are limited: retire the damn collector’s cup already, in Greg Prince’s honor, and give away copies of his book instead, and the nameless drawstring bag is a bit of an unknown- I like the Rusty Staub bobblehead on May 26, and I love the return of Banner Day, long overdue. This was the promotion my wife was most excited about, and wasn’t a giveaway at all. That’s telling, I think.

ADVANTAGE: Mets

JUNE: Alas, here’s where the Phillies really open up a big lead. They start with a Phanatic children’s book on June 1. There’s a cap giveaway on June 3 for men 15 and older. (All men. Not first 5,000. I get irritated just typing this.) There’s a Cliff Lee bobblehead on June 4, a Phillies print on June 23, a Jonathan Papelbon t-shirt on June 24, and not one, but two fireworks nights. Two! The Mets have… two fewer than that.

What do the Mets have in June? A visor on June 2- not really sure who wears visors. A cap on June 3, because no one wants to wear a visor. The undeniably awesome Keith Hernandez bobblehead on June 17. And that weird cap trade promo on June 22-24 against the Yankees, the kind of promo that says, “Sure, we’ll grudgingly do something for you, but first, you gotta do something for us.” Oh, and it’s only the first 5,000 fans.

ADVANTAGE: Phillies, by a ton

JULY: A huge Mets rally, here. The Mets give out mini bats on July 7. (Wife: “We can have mini bats, but they take away our bottle caps?” I guess they fear the choking hazard.) A Mr. Met poster on July 8. An Edgardo Alfonzo bobblehead on July 21. A t-shirt on July 22. A Dunkin’ Donuts gift card on July 24. Really solid month, Mets.

And the Phillies take it easy in July. A Phillies print, a Roy Halladay Fathead Jr.- which is a fantastic giveaway, incidentally-and photo day. But when I explained Photo Day to my wife, her eyes grew wide- on the field? Taking pictures with your favorite players? Why don’t the Mets do that? I don’t know, attractive wife. I don’t know.

ADVANTAGE: Mets, but not by as much as it should be

AUGUST: The month is essentially a draw. For the Mets, a travel case on August 11, a tote bag on August 12, and a Mike Piazza bobblehead on August 25. For the Phillies, a Jimmy Rollins cooler bag, a Hunter Pence bobblehead, another dollar dog night.  Tie goes to Piazza.

ADVANTAGE: Mets, slightly

SEPTEMBER: This has to be a joke. My wife was aghast: “Maybe it didn’t load. I’m going to reload.” Nope. The Mets don’t have any promotions for September. Not one. By contrast, the Mets gave away both headphones and a green t-shirt last September.

The Phillies? There’s a knit hat on September 7, a Cole Hamels action figuring on September 23, and the usual Fan Appreciation Night on September 27. There’s another dollar dog night.

ADVANTAGE: Phillies, by September 2007 proportions.

Overall, my wife and I are excited about an array of giveaways this year. The five bobbleheads are huge, the return of Banner Day is going to be epic, and I think the Mr. Met poster is a sneaky-good addition to the haul.

The Mets have made up some ground, but the Phillies still lead, for now. They don’t need sponsors for things like Banner Day and Photo Night- fans just want to be closer to the field, the players, the action. Worth remembering, Mets. And that September metaphor isn’t one I care to think about.

But baseball, and Mets-related giveaways, are around the corner. That is reason to celebrate.

On Monday, Citi credit and debit card holders will get the chance to participate in a ticket pre-sale, while John Franco and Mr. Met team up for a buddy comedy-style trip around New York City. A full press release follows below.

METS GREAT JOHN FRANCO & MR. MET TO VISIT THREE MANHATTAN LOCATIONS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27 TO HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL

TICKET PRESALE FOR METS FANS

Two-Day Promotion Offers Exclusive Opportunity for Mets Single-Game Tickets Before Being Made Available to General Public

New York, NY – New York Mets legend and 2012 Mets Hall of Fame inductee John Franco will be joined by Mr. Met at three Manhattan locations on Monday, February 27, to help promote an exclusive ticket presale opportunity from Citi for Mets fans. Citi customers who use their credit or debit cards on February 27 and 28 to purchase Mets tickets online will have first shot at single-game tickets for the 2012 season, including Opening Day and the Subway Series.

Franco and Mr. Met will be at the Citibank flagship branch in Union Square (52 E. 14^th Street) from 10:00 – 11:00 AM, the Citibank branch on 42^nd Street and Madison (330 Madison Avenue) from 12:30 – 1:30 PM and the New York Mets Clubhouse Shop (11 W. 42^ns Street between 5^th and 6^th Avenues) from 2:00 – 3:00 PM.

The two-day presale promotion begins on Monday, February 27 at 10:00 AM and ends on Tuesday, February 28 at 11:59 PM and is only accessible online at www.Mets.com/CitiPresale. This presale is for individual ticket purchases only and customers must use their Citi credit or debit card to take advantage of this special offer. Additionally, all Citi customers who use their credit or debit card will receive a special 10% discount on all merchandise, excluding tickets, at the Mets Clubhouse Shop on 11 W. 42^nd Street between 5^th and 6^th Avenues only, for the duration of the two-day promotion.

Ted Berg made the following observation over at his blog yesterday:

“It doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense to trade Ike Davis or David Wright right now, since both are arguably at the nadir of their value. Davis missed most of 2011 with a lingering ankle injury. Wright spent time on the disabled list with a broken bone in his back and endured the worst season of his excellent Major League career…So think about this: They could trade Wright during the 2012 season and get back whatever some team is willing to give up for a part season of Wright, or trade him after the season and get both the full 2012 season’s worth of Wright and whatever some team is willing to give up for a full season of Wright.”

Ted is, as usual, right on the money. There simply isn’t a compelling baseball reason to trade David Wright anytime soon. Even if Wright doesn’t fit into the 2013 plans, the Mets can trade him for the same amount of baseball talent return that they’d get now-with the fact that Wright is one year older mitigating against any possible rebound Wright enjoys in 2012.

Here’s the problem with Ted’s analysis: the Mets haven’t been in a position to make baseball decisions for purely baseball reasons for a while now. The decision-making on Jose Reyes provides a useful indicator, with New York holding onto Reyes, then failing to offer him a contract before he signed with the Miami Marlins. And as I’ve highlighted before, the team has done this in many smaller ways, too, from failing to sign any reasonable alternatives to fill potential holes in the starting rotation, to choosing bullpen arms over a backup catcher (while most other teams have the financial luxury of affording both).

With ownership up against an enormous set of financial challenges, David Wright is not simply an elite third baseman with one year left on his contract, plus a team option. He’s someone who will be taking $15 million of ownership’s money this year, and $15 million next year, should the Mets pick up the option and keep him. And lest you think that’s an insignificant amount of money to them at this point, remember that as recently as last November, the Mets’ owners took out a $40 million bridge loan just to pay a $25 million debt payment on Citi Field. The margins really have gotten that small, if not smaller.

So no, there’s no baseball reason to trade David Wright. But it would be equally silly to dismiss the possibility that it happens, because the Mets stopped living in a world where baeball matters trumped financial ones a long time ago.

Well, the Mets are reporting to Port St. Lucie in droves, and Terry Collins has begun to meet the media. Lots to discuss, but I wanted to focus on one particular comment by Collins yesterday: that his backup first baseman is Justin Turner, not Daniel Murphy.

This makes no sense at first glance, as pointed out by Patrick Flood on Twitter. After all, if Murphy and Turner are on the field, why would Turner, who doesn’t play first base, get the nod there while Murphy, who has been a gifted defender at the position, remains at second?

The answer, to my mind, is a simple one: the Mets have finally decided to see what they have in Murphy at second base.

We’ve been down this road before. Murphy’s career OPS+ of 111 is elite for second base. At first base, it is below average. In other words, we don’t know if Murphy can handle second base on a regular basis- but it is the only position he profiles as a big league regular for the Mets. (Well, he’d be good at third base, too, but for now that is occupied.)

This is why it has behooved the Mets to find out what Murphy can do at second base for years- a case I’ve been making, again and again. (And again.) It even appears they were prepared to do it last year, once Brad Emaus was dispatched back down the Rule V rabbit hole. Then Ike Davis got injured, and Murphy was the best alternative.

But the 2012 Mets, though both Murphy and Lucas Duda would be better options at the position short-term, have longer-term fish to fry. They need to know, yesterday, if Murphy can be their regular second baseman. And they need to know if Duda can play the outfield just well enough to justify his potent bat.

So without the means to bring in a legitimate backup first baseman- something the roster suffers from pretty much everywhere is a lack of a Plan B- Turner is the backup at first base. This isn’t great news, should the Mets need to use Turner this way- his bat doesn’t profile well at second base, let alone first base. But with an eye on the future, declarations like this go a long way toward reassuring me that the Mets are finally going to see what Daniel Murphy, Second Baseman is all about. It’s long overdue.

Like many of you, I have been hopelessly addicted to the PBS drama Downton Abbey, whose second season just concluded last night.

As with most things, I have come to think of the show through a New York Mets prism. More specifically, the characters in Downton Abbey- flawed, of course, but so resonant- seem like solid fits to take a number of positions with the New York Mets. Below is a comparison, and where the Mets can be upgraded simply by the integration of anachronistic fictional creations. Make it happen, Mets!

Owner: Lord Grantham vs. Fred Wilpon

Both have their problems, to be sure. Wilpon trusted the family fortune to Bernie Madoff; Lord Grantham continues to trust Thomas the Footman. But while Madoff is part of a pattern of those who Wilpon kept around- Charlie Samuels, Omar Minaya and others come to mind- Grantham has made solid decisions on his people, keeping Mr. Carson the Butler in charge of the staff, issuing a vote of confidence in Mr. Bates, and even rededicating himself to Cora and his marriage. Grantham wisely even mentions the need to protect the fortune when Lady Rosamund intends to marry a fortune hunter. He takes the present and future of Downton seriously, putting it above his own self-interest. He’d make a fine owner.

Advantage: Downton

General Manager: Carson the Butler vs. Sandy Alderson

The two of them have faced eerily similar tasks. Alderson, a keen baseball mind, has been forced to do more with less, thanks to the team’s financial problems. Carson, meanwhile, muddled through a similar period of austerity at the Downton household, thanks to the rationing and draft brought about by World War I. If you think it will be difficult watching Ronny Cedeno hit this year, just remember that dinner party where Lang- LANG!- had to serve. Neither appearance brings about much pleasure for those who experience it.

Ultimately, Mr. Carson never allowed Downton Abbey to fail in its role as a destination of luxury, and the stream of guests hardly subsided despite the war. A close look at Met attendance figures would suggest that so far, Alderson has not had the same kind of success.

Advantage: Downton

Training Staff: Lady Sybil, Isabel Crawley and Dr. Clarkson vs. The Hospital for Special Surgery

There’s no doubt about it: Downton Abbey’s turn as a World War I convalescent home was the only reasonable point of historical reference for the 2009 Mets. Seeing so many injured, often critically, it was impossible not to think of Jonathan Niese falling off the mound in pain. Such is war and warmups.

Without training, Lady Sybil did much to lift the spirits of the soldiers, and one simply didn’t see the kind of misdiagnoses that resulted in soldiers listed as day-to-day, yet hanging around Downton long after the war ended. Everyone healed and went home. Meanwhile, Carlos Delgado is still feeling pain in his hip, Ike Davis has yet to play in a game since last May, and Johan Santana is only now throwing off flat ground.

The major misdiagnosis from Dr. Clarkson was that Matthew Crawley would never walk again, and then he did. Oh, what we’d all give for that kind of mistake by the Met doctors!

Advantage: Downton

Some terrible news to report. Gary Carter, the former catcher, has died at the age of 57. The full New York Times obit is here, and tremendous. I found myself re-reading a terrific Bob Klapish piece about Carter as well, from the day he was diagnosed with the brain tumor that ultimately killed him.

For me, the frame of reference is the 1986 Mets, who were to my childhood as the 1955 Dodgers were to my father’s upbringing. I remember his sadness at seeing his heroes die, from Roy Campanella when I was 13, Pee Wee Reese when I was in college, to the more recent death of his favorite player of all, Duke Snider. I actually wrote about this elsewhere- there’s something about the death of athletes we grew up rooting for that pushes their exploits immediately further into the past.

By all accounts, Carte’s biggest deficiency was spending too much time accommodating reporters and fans. Perhaps it is simply my profession and point of view, but this doesn’t seem like much of a fault at all, more like something a presidential candidate will answer in a debate when asked to name his biggest fault.

My thoughts are with Carter’s family and friends, and all of you who, like me, feel sadness in the loss of someone who we probably knew exclusively through watching him on a baseball field. I’d welcome all of you to add your memories of Carter in the comments below.

Also of note: SNY is airing Carter’s first game as a New York Met, tonight at 7:30. I’ll be recording it to show to my daughter tomorrow.

It has never felt like a coincidence to me that the Mets report for spring training right around my birthday. (I turn 32 on Friday.)

But I did wonder exactly how enthused I’d be this year, over past years. Normally, I while away the winter days by playing baseball simulations like Baseball Mogul and Diamond Mind, throw cat toys off the front door I pretend is an outfield wall to see how my cats respond to caroms, and hassle my wife with the details of the hot stove.

This winter, for many reasons, has felt different. So what exactly did it take to get me excited about baseball season?

Really, this. in less than three weeks, the Mets will be on my television again. Shortly thereafter, I’ll be in Port St. Lucie myself, writing about the Mets in person.

Real live baseball. Meanwhile, I think it is time to see how the smaller cat handles the cat toy bouncing around in the right field corner.

I have been informed by the Mets that the credentialing process has not changed from 2011. Since I received credentials 100 percent of the time they were requested by The Journal News on my behalf last year, the news comes as a great relief to me.

I want to thank all of those who were supportive of me over the past two weeks, not least my editor, Sean Mayer, who stuck by me throughout this process. I have been gratified to hear from so many of you about my work, and I am thrilled that my efforts to write are receiving the response I’ve heard.

I will continue to do all I can to report on what I think will most matter to you, hopefully informing in an interesting way, on matters large and small, on and off the field. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s Jeremy Lin Time.

Deep in the darkest days of winter, a package arrives at the Megdal household that warms and brightens my life: John Sickels’ annual, The Baseball Prospect Book.

For those who don’t know Sickels, he studied with Bill James, and his prospecting is generally, in my opinion, about as good as it gets. This is, after all, what he does.

Thought I’d share a few tidbits about Mets prospects from the book, but really, go order this yourself.

On Cory Vaughn: “Although I think he deserves a partial injury mulligan, there are still legitimate questions about both Vaughn’s ability to handle breaking balls and where he ends up defensively.”

Incidentally, I am higher on Vaughn than this- think he will comfortably fit in a corner outfield spot. But Sickels is right- if he doesn’t show more pop after an offseason to heal, his stock will drop, and fast.

On Reese Havens: “I think he can hit .260 in the majors, with 15 home runs and 60 walks. But can he play a full year?”

When looking at the 2012 Mets, few things can do more to help their long-term outlook than receiving a healthy season from Havens.

On Cesar Puello: “If he can get some of his plate discipline back and combine it with the power, he’ll blossom. Doing that in Double-A won’t be easy, but it’s possible, and he’s quite young.”

I refuse to get excited yet about a hitter who walked 18 times and struck out 103 times in Single-A.

On Juan Urbina: “His veloity is starting to pick up, from the upper-80s into the lower 90s last year, but he has problems with location and mechanical consistency…Urbina still has a lot of time to develop, but I’m back to being cautious.”

I think Sickels sells Urbina short here. His fastball improved, his walk rate was just 3.2 per 9 and his strikeout rate 7.9 per 9 in Kingsport in his age-18 season, and those splits against lefties- .419- sure look artificially high to me. Will be interesting to see what he does in 2012.

Anyhow, pick up the book. I’ll let you know what I see of these minor leaguers, and others, in person next month.

I thought I ought to pass along this bit of news, so all of you have a sense of what the blog will and won’t be this coming year, and why that is.

Since taking over the LoHud Mets Blog in March 2011, I have been credentialed numerous times by the New York Mets-100 percent of the time my editor here, Sean Mayer, has requested credentials. This is nothing new. In my years covering sports, I have been credentialed by every major sports team in the New York area, writing for ESPN.com, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The New York Observer, and many other outlets.

So it was odd that last week, Sean received a call from Jay Horwitz, the Director of Media Relations for the New York Mets, telling him that while the Journal News can continue to receive credentials, the Mets would not be credentialing me.

Sean asked why that was, and Jay responded that the Mets “don’t like his reporting”. The team declined to respond to my multiple attempts to reach them for a fuller explanation.

But I don’t think much investigation is required. As of the final game of last season, I was credentialed. I participated in a conference call with Sandy Alderson in December.

Later in December, Wilpon’s Folly was published. The book details the financial and legal problems facing Met ownership due to their investments with Bernie Madoff. The book was no surprise to the Mets- I reached out to them once I was asked to write the book by Bloomsbury, and spoke many times on background to multiple people within the organization about all specific reporting within the book.

The book’s reporting, incidentally, has not been challenged. It has been reinforced by subsequent articles in The New York Times, Adam Rubin at ESPN.com, and numerous other places. The only response the Mets have provided is to attack me personally.

The Mets can’t very well keep out Adam Rubin, whose right to be in the clubhouse is guaranteed by his membership in the Baseball Writers Association of America. Though I am a full-time sportswriter as my profession, I am ineligible for the BBWAA because I make my living through regular, part-time gigs, not a single, full-time one. So the team is lashing out where it can.

To his immense credit, Sean is standing by me and my work. I am grateful for his support.

From my perspective, little will change.  I will continue to write about the stories that I think impact the New York Mets in the most significant ways. That’s the reason much of my reporting has focused on the financial and legal problems facing the team, after all- judging how the team might fix on-field problems while ignoring the problems necessitating the largest one-year payroll decrease in baseball history would do my readers a disservice.

I’ll continue to write about the interesting trends and possibilities on the field as well. Next month, I’ll be at spring training, and will report all that I see. I’ll continue to speak to my contacts within the industry, attend many games, and keep you on top of everything relevant that is happening with the New York Mets.

What the Mets manage to do by keeping me out of the clubhouse is deny me the chance to give you a better sense of the Mets players as people, thus giving the fans a greater stake in the success and failure of the team. Why they think that is somehow to their advantage, I couldn’t possibly say.

I consider it a privilege beyond compare that I get to write about the sports that interest me most for a living. I look forward to doing all I can to make the product of my dream job something that all of you enjoy. But I certainly will not shy away from the topics that I believe need to be addressed, even if, in this case, it has made day-to-day operations a bit more challenging.

There was an interesting tidbit in Anthony DiComo’s recent mailbag over at MLB.com. When asked who would be the Opening Day starter should Johan Santana not be healthy enough to make the start, DiComo wrote:

“Unlike last year, when Collins named his Opening Day starter in the dead of winter, the manager has been tight-lipped on that issue this year—and for good reason. No one knows exactly how ready Santana will be come Opening Day.

Collins has said on multiple occasions that he believes Santana is a true ace, hinting that if the left-hander is healthy, he will receive the Opening Day nod. And that makes sense. But if Santana is anything less than 100 percent come April, then I suspect you’re right: Dickey will indeed earn the assignment. Coming off a better and more consistent year than any other Mets pitcher, Dickey would really be the only choice at that point. He was the clear leader of this staff in Santana’s absence, and its best pitcher to boot.”

This certainly makes sense. Dickey’s ERA+ was 113 last year; no other starter topped 84. Dickey was also the only Met to surpass 200 innings pitched. There’s an argument to be made that Dickey has earned the Opening Day nod regardless- let Santana work his way back without carrying the extra baggage of the ace label.

After all, the Mets certainly didn’t choose the correct Opening Day starter last year. Inexplicably, Mike Pelfrey got the nod over Dickey. In 2010, Dickey edged Pelfrey in ERA+, 138 to 107. Pelfrey edged Dickey in innings pitched, 204 to 174 1/3, but did so in seven extra starts- Dickey pitched deep into games more consistently. And peripheral stats suggested that Dickey was a far better bet to repeat his production in 2011, as he largely did.

The Mets, however, wanted Mike Pelfrey to be an ace. He is tall, he throws hard, and they drafted him high. So he got the start, and proceeded to disappoint fans who shouldn’t have been pushed into thinking he was an ace.

I fear the same thing could happen with Santana, who returns from complicated shoulder surgery. It may be moot if he isn’t ready to go, but wouldn’t it make more sense to put him in the rotation with the idea that he can heal on his own timetable, rather than expecting him to be an ace the moment he is healthy enough to take the mound.

Here’s hoping the Mets get it right this year.