…i was fortunate to recently have a Q&A with Yahoo! Sports writer Jeff Passan…

…for those of you not familiar with his work, passan is an award-winning reporter, who previously was the national baseball writer for The Kansas City Star…he graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in journalism…

His work can be found here.

Regis Courtemanche, from MetsBlog:

You write columns, and a blog for Yahoo! Sports. In what ways does blogging differ from traditional writing? Also, in your opinion, why have many sports writers started blogs of their own?

Jeff Passan, from Yahoo! Sports:

I’d like to think that it doesn’t differ, that an individual’s writing style transcends platforms, but I’d be wrong.

Blogging is a completely different animal than the traditional stories offered by sports journalists – superior in some senses, inferior in others – and it’s one with which I’m still trying to figure out my strengths. I know I can parachute into a ballpark and write a good story about a player, a team, a manager. I’m not so sure I could consistently put out a good blog, because there are so many routes to take, and I can’t say which suits me best.

Do you go the Will Leitch route and kill ‘em with laughter? Or the David Pinto route and pound the news? Or the Buster Olney route and aggregate like an RSS reader? Or the Fire Joe Morgan route and rip apart all the garbage? Or the Carlos Gomez route and analyze mechanics? Everything – and I mean everything – in the blogosphere is accounted for.

One thing I can say: I’m a bit more casual in blogs – jokey, snarky, whatever the word du jour may be — because it’s one of the freedoms that blogging provides, and the one onto which I’ve glommed. Does it work? Jamie Mottram tells me so, but I think he’s just being nice.

In 95 percent of the cases, sportswriters start blogs because their editors tell them to. Like a few thrown-together blogs are going to drive traffic and be a cure-all for feeble Web operations. I love newspapers, but most places’ Web philosophies are laughable.

Regis Courtemanche, from MetsBlog:

As a fan, the Mets’ inability to make the playoffs last year has increased my sense of urgency in terms of a “winning now” mentality. There have been many Johan Santana rumors, but if the Mets don’t acquire Santana, what can GM Omar Minaya do right now to improve the team? Based on your answer, which players do you think he should be targeting?

Jeff Passan, from Yahoo! Sports:

Right now, Jay Payton is penciled in as the Orioles’ opening day center fielder. Wouldn’t Carlos Gomez look nice there? And Phil Humber or Mike Pelfrey sounds better than Garrett Olson as the No. 5 starter? How about Fernando Martinez repeating Double-A at 19 years old?

Now, I’m not sure that package would be enough to land Erik Bedard, but Omar ought to be killing his cell phone battery trying.

Because, frankly, I don’t blame you for wanting to win now. The Mets’ payroll is over $100 million, they’ve got the best left side of the infield in the National League and arguably the best in baseball – the other borough might argue – and they could have won the pennant again last season in a weak NL had they not done that accordion job.

Bedard is a legitimate No. 1 starter with two years before he hits free agency. Yes, he’s going to make a killing in arbitration, but to the Mets, that doesn’t matter. A rotation of Bedard, Pedro, Maine, Perez and Duque is enough to complement that lineup.

Regis Courtemanche, from MetsBlog:

Last season, many readers of MetsBlog were critical of Manager Willie Randolph – particularly of his in-game strategy. What do you think of the job Willie has done since being named Mets’ manager in 2005?

Jeff Passan, from Yahoo! Sports:

Willie never struck me as a master strategist. Let’s remember, his only coaching experience came under Joe Torre, whose ability to keep egos in check was, and continues to be, his greatest asset as manager. In-game maneuvering isn’t exactly Torre’s forte, especially when it comes to relief pitchers.

Because I don’t see the Mets every day, I can’t say with nearly the authority of a 162-game die-hard that Willie is a bungler. The problem is that the Mets hired Willie knowing that he wasn’t Knute Rockne, that in times of angst he wouldn’t stand up and give a fiery speech. It’s Omar’s job, then, to ensure that at least one of the players on his 25-man roster will do that.

Beltran isn’t the answer. Delgado wasn’t. Wright was too young. Same with Reyes. Not Pedro’s style. Maine’s, either. Who is the firebrand in that clubhouse? Wagner, I guess, but he spouts off about anything, so there’s a cry-wolf syndrome with him.

I do wonder: If the same situation crops up again this year, will Willie change his tune? Because this time it could mean his job.

Regis Courtemanche, from MetsBlog:

Pedro Martinez made a remarkable comeback at the end of last season. What are your expectations of what Pedro will be able to accomplish in 2008?

Jeff Passan, from Yahoo! Sports:

I love watching Pedro pitch, because he’s got an absolutely brilliant mind for it. If I could pick anyone not to play in Rock, Paper, Scissors, it would be Pedro, because just when I think I’ve got his pattern down…

That said, seeing him throw 88 mph is, in a way, sad. It’s not that Pedro isn’t effective. No, he’ll nibble you to death with that 88, hit the Flushing dot on a Queens map if you asked him to, and if he stays healthy – an Empire State Building-sized if – he should win 15 games and post an ERA around 3.50.

Regis Courtemanche, from MetsBlog:

No pressure, but as of right now, who will win the NL East next season?

Jeff Passan, from Yahoo! Sports:

Hmmmmm. Head or heart here? Head says the Mets. Better lineup (by a sliver), better pitching (by a sliver), better defense (their defensive efficiency was quite a bit higher), equally mediocre managers and more chips to play with should they need to make a trade.

Heart, however, says the Phillies. I love Jimmy Rollins. I know. He makes an embarrassing number of outs. He also catalyzes an offense with Hall of Fame-caliber bats hitting third and fourth, and to see him in that clubhouse is to see a real leader. I’m not saying Rollins in a Mets uniform would have saved them from the collapse. Actually, yes I am. There are some people who just inspire, and there is no way to measure that, no metric to apply to it, no statistic to derive from it. They win, and that’s that.

Plus I think Brad Lidge is due a nice comeback, Carlos Ruiz a breakout, Shane Victorino a 60-steal season, and the rotation gets a nice injection with Brett Myers’ return.

Again…head or heart? I went with my heart last year when I picked the Phillies – and trust me, I heard from a lot of your readers, particularly after the way the Mets manhandled them in April. I learned a dozen new synonyms for moron. But I stuck with the Phillies and it paid off. So what the hell? I’m going against my better judgment – Charlie Manuel is their manager, after all – and picking Philadelphia…with the right to change my mind after seeing both teams in spring training, when I make my real picks.

…thanks again jeff…all the best…