Wednesday, February 6, 2008

…well, the trade rumor that just wouldn’t die finally came to a conclusion…and, i’ve gotta say, i was beginning to lose faith…with pitchers and catchers just weeks away, i was fully prepared for the Mets to follow a backup plan of Kyle Lohse while the Yankees or Red Sox got the big prize once again…i mean, wouldn’t the media just have loved that…instead, the Mets pulled off their biggest trade since Mike Piazza came to Queens…

…there’s a certain delirium associated with a trade like this, where you don’t believe it’s truly real until you see the player put on the team’s hat and jersey at a press conference…this is that big…while Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez ushered in what was called The New Mets – a slogan meant to say to the rest of baseball, ”Hey, remember us?”…the acquisition of Johan Santana is the move that can finally put this team over the top…most of, if not all, of the sting of last season and the months that followed can be pushed aside while looking ahead…not many players can have an impact like that…in fact, santana might have been the only one…that is why this trade had to happen, at this very moment, at this critical point in the franchise’s history…with a new stadium on the way, we got a gift a year early…

…added to by Matthew Cerrone…

…the thing is, though, with our collective expectations raised so high, especially having been so dashed just a few months ago, what will happen if things do not work out as we all hope they will…i mean, coming off of last season’s ending, then getting excited again, should the Mets fail, i am curious how we will all react given these back-and-forth and back-and-forth again circumstances…sorry, wait, what am i saying, never mind, be positive…be positive…

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This afternoon, following today’s press conference, WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog talked with Johan Santana, Willie Randolph, David Wright, Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon.

To listen to these interviews, go to WFAN.com.

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To watch a video of Johan Santana speaking with SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt, during today’s press conference, go to .

During the interview, Santana said…

“Pedro Martinez is one of my favorite players.  I have learned a lot from him, I have a lot of respect for him.  I’m very happy to be on this team with him…It’s gonna be exciting…We have the talent to go all of the way to the World Series, that will be our focus and I look forward to that…Whatever it takes, man, we’re ready for it.”

Speaking of Santana, according to Ken Rosenthal in an article for FOXSports.com, the present-day value of his deal is $123.1 million, not $137.5 million.

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…here’s are seven photos i took during today’s Johan Santana Press Conference from Shea Stadium…

For more photos, check out the photo gallery on

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…in front of the podium, there are hundreds of chairs…the first few in each row have paper taped to the seat that in most cases read, “Reserved,” like the image shows…

…however, the front row tags have names on them, like Jeff Wilpon, Johan Santana, Omar Minaya, etc…

…naturally, as soon as the podium portion was over, and the room began to disperse and flock for side interviews, i made a bee-line for santana’s chair to try and swipe his tag…figuring it would be a fairly cool thing to have…however, some one beat me to it…it was gone…ugh…

…by the way, Fred Wilpon was not sitting in the front row…instead, he was standing, quietly in the very, very back row in front of the photographers…which i found fairly interesting…

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Johan Santana, on adjusting to New York City, during today’s press conference at Shea Stadium…

“Well, It’s all about learning, It’s a learning process. I’m gonna take my time. I’m not gonna rush, I think the game is the same.v You know, the atmosphere does change but I’m not gonna let that effect what I do on the field.  I’m gonna have a good time out there.  You know, of course I’m gonna have so many questions for the players and my teammates, try to find out & figure out how things work here in New York.  But I’m gonna go one step at a time, try to take things very easy as far as going out there.  It’ll be an adjustment.  I’ll take my time.”

Mets GM Omar Minaya talked with WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog after the event.  He was asked if Fernando Martinez was a deal-breaker, to which he responded…

“Pelfrey and Martinez were the two players we wanted keep through this whole process…The Twins said Gomez had to be in the deal and that Jose Reyes would have gotten the deal done from day one.  But I told them from day one, Reyes would not be in the deal.”

Later in the interview, Mike Francesa asked Minaya if he had talked with Pedro Martinez about the deal before he pulled the trigger, to which Minaya responded…

“No, not before, but I did have dinner with Pedro two nights ago.  He is so excited…He loves the idea…I think Pedro’s gonna take it as a challenge.  Great players take it as a challenge, I have no doubt about that…Pedro said one of the reasons Santana wanted to come to the NL is to get a CY Young and have at least one from both leagues.  And so, Pedro said, ‘Hey wait a minute.’ So you know this is gonna be competitive.”

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…well, i’m inside – thanks to SNY, who is airing the event live…

…first off, it’s hotter than hell in this place, which is very dark, very crowded and full of all sorts of people, from Harold Reynolds to Howie Rose to Marty Noble and so on…

…Update…1:12 pm…

…they’re saying that every one must turn off their electronic devices, which is pretty funny since it’s a PRESS conference…i am not sure how much this will be enforced, but if it is this live blogging thing may come to a screeching halt…

…also, the AC must have kicked on because it’s a lot cooler…or, i am finally calming down…it’s one of the two…

…Update…1:16 pm…

…excellent…

…they’re playing Oye Como Va by Santana…

…only the Mets, man…

…Update…1:18 pm…

…Johan Santana is sitting in the front row…

…Update…1:22 pm…

…man, every one is so professional…it’s taking everything in me not to just let out a huge Lets Go Mets chant…

…the event is in the Diamond Club…you know, when you come up the elevator, instead of turning left in to the area with the bar, you turn right in to the other area…which is for eating…so, i’m huddled in what i believe is a little alcove where a register typically goes…

…Update…1:26 pm…

…nice, he’s wearing the pinstripes…

…Update…1:32 pm…

…i would say there are roughly 120 reporters in here, a whole bunch of suits, and up on risers along the back wall there must be close to 30 TV cameras…

…as such, the team’s public relations director, who is a great guy, Jay Horwitz, looks like he is about to have a heart attack…he’s a nervous wreck…

…Update…1:35 pm…

…what’s weird is that all of the recognizable reporters, like Len Berman, Joel Sherman, Gary Cohen and others, are all standing in the door way, far off to the side of the stage…they don’t have seats…neither do i…so now i don’t feel so bad…

…Update…1:40 pm…

…seriously, the weirdest part of this whole thing is being inside Shea Stadium during the winter…

…it’s funny…he’ll answer a question in spanish, and then have the translator repeat it in english…wouldn’t it just be easier for him to give the answer in spanish (for the spanish-speaking reporter), then just repeat it in english on his own…

…Update…1:44 pm…

…ok, things are breaking up and they’re going to cut away interviews…i’m going to power down and see what i can get out of this…

…jeez, it’s like a stampede…

…Update…3:17 pm…

…sorry for being out of touch…it was chaos…i just sort of sat back and watched…in my first go round, i didn’t think it was wise to end up stepping on any one’s toes…

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The Johan Santana press conference will air live this afternoon on SNY and MLB.com at 1 pm EDT.

…i’ll be there, and will do my best to blog about the event…

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In is latest for MLB.com, AnthonyDi Como analyzes the Mets bullpen – noting the importance of having a healthy Duaner Sanchez, writing…

“If hecan prove he’s healthy and that he’s retained his skills — two questions that only time and innings can answer — then he holds the power to transform this bullpen from adequate to elite.”

…if Cerrone ran a poll about the biggest remaining concern among Mets fans, i’d guess the bullpen would come out the clear winner, with injuries to the aging vets coming in second…

…personally, i’m more concerned about the injuries/depth than i am about the pen…i see Johan Santana reducing the workload, Matt Wise being an upgrade over Guillermo Mota, and i like that they’re bringing in a host of other capable arms to see if any of them stick…add that to the possibility of sanchez contributing - and maybe having the option to move a starter like el duque to the pen - and i feel significantly better about the state of the bullpen heading into this year than i did last season…

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JT from Long Island asks…

“It would be nice if you could bring to light many Met fans’ dislike of the black uniforms, including the awful two-tiered black and blue helmets. To that end, why do the Mets insist on harping on that mid-90’s black uniform fad? 1997 called and wants its black uniforms back!”

…as i have said before, the black uniforms have never bothered me…i prefer the 1980s racing stripes, and the all white with blue caps, but the black is fine by me from time to time as well…

…the thing is, if the team abolished the color blue in favor of black, i’d probably be a little upset…however, they still use blue, they’ve just added the black…so, i don’t get what the problem is…

…the way i see it, the black uniforms are a product of my generation of mets teams…we got the thin pinstripes in the 60s, the fat racing stripes in the 80s, and the black caps and shirts in the late-90s…

…when i see the black caps and shirts and i think Mike Piazza…i think Bobby Valentine…i think of Robin Ventura’s grandslam single…and i love those memories…

…that said, i am far more concerned with who will be pitching for this team, than what they’ll be wearing…

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