Daily Archives: February 22, 2008
Oliver Perez, who was represented by Scott Boras – and the Mets, who were represented by David Cohen – had their arbitration hearing yesterday, in which Perez was seeking $6.5 million, while the Mets have offered $4.725 million.
According to Jon Heyman at SI.com, Perez won his arbitration hearing and will earn $6.5 million in 2008 - after which he is eligible to be a free agent.
…great, so the player should be happy…now, can we move on…
Multiple reports from the last week suggested that Boras has every intention of getting Perez to free agency, regardless of any previous attempts by the Mets to sign him long-term.
Tagged Oliver Perez |According to Mike Harmon of FOXSports.com, in a column ranking players for fantasy baseball, the Mets have the third best shortstop in baseball, the second best third baseman, the second best outfielder and the best pitcher.
…by the way, i just purchased the Rotoworld 
Draft Kit, which recently won an award from the Fantasy Sports Trade Association…honestly, for me, i tune in to them for Aaron Gleeman and Matthew Pouliot, who i trust a lot…
To purchase the Rotoworld Draft Kit, click here.
…two years ago i won my league, which is 19 years old, includes major-league and minor-league players, and has 14 teams…last year, however, i finished dead last in what was essentially a re-building season…so, this is a big year for La Cosa Nostra…
…by the way, if guys you want to organize MetsBlog fantasy leagues, as some of you have done in the past, use the comment’s section for this post…
Tagged MetsBlog |In the Daily News, Adam Rubin talks with Billy 
Wagner about why the closer is using a football.
…so, mystery solved…since so many of you sent in this very question to MetsBlog…thanks, adam…
At Hot Foot, Andrew Beaton returns with another edition of Beaton’s Banter.
It’s Flashback Friday at Faith and Fear in Flushing, where Greg Prince dedicates 3900 words to a game in Shea from 1984.
In the New York Sun, Tim Marchman looks at a variety of questions facing the Mets, as well as the rest of the NL East.
Lastly, in Newsday, David Lennon writes about Orlando Hernandez, who suggests that 2008 could be his last season.
…frankly, considering his health, i sometimes worry that 2007 will be his last season…bubble wrap, man…sleep in it…
Willie Randolph talked with reporters and explained that his team’s relationship to the Phillies is not yet a full-blown rivalry, though he 
hoped it gets to that level, because, as he said.
“It gives you that instant incentive to go out and kick someone’s butt…And I think we’re lacking that in the game.”
The notion of a heated rivalry began over the weekend, when Carlos Beltran sent a message to the Phillies and Jimmy Rollins, who were then asked by reporters to respond to Beltran.
In the Daily News, John Harper goes back to Beltran, to get his response to Rollins’s comments in response to his comments.
…wait, i’m getting dizzy…slow down…
Beltran, as quoted by Harper, while smiling and saying:
“I know probably when we go to Philly I’m going to hear a lot of things, but that’s all right, I’m not worried about that. This is good for baseball. A lot of people are focusing on the steroids thing. We’re putting the focus back on the game.”
…he’s right…and that light-hearted, smiley response is exactly what willie is saying, in that these rivalries tend to be a bit softer than what you think when you imagine a real rivalry…and so, let it play out…let’s see what happens when these two teams actually face each other on the field, not just in the newspapers…then, and only then, will we be able to truly call this a rivalry…
…that said, i’m looking forward to the 19 games they’re set to play against one another through the course of the year…
For more on Randolph’s commentary on what defines a rivalry, check out the Star-Ledger, Newsday, Journal News, SI.com and the Bergen Record.
Lastly, during a recent interview with Sports Radio 950 in Philadelphia, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark said he recently overheard players in the Phillies locker room suggesting, ‘There will be a brawl.’
Pedro Martinez, on brawling, as quoted in New York Post.
“I don’t believe there’s a reason to be fighting, but we’re over here. Basically, if [they're] going to have to brawl or whatever, we’re over here. We’ll wait…I love Jimmy Rollins, I love [Brett] Myers, I love everybody…but I would love to beat the [snot] out of them on the field.”
…ya know, i miss pedro…sure, he pitched a few games there at the end of last season, but my mind was elsewhere…freaking out over losing…but, i look forward to watching a full season of pedro, back in the saddle again…
Tagged Pedro Martinez |
According to the New York Post, Johan Santana will throw his first batting practice session today for the Mets.
Santana, speaking about when he knew his change-up could ‘Moonwalk,’ in a section from this month’s ESPN: The Magazine…
“As a reliever with the Twins, I had a changeup I wasn’t able to throw very often. But in 2002 I started the season in Triple-A, and I worked with Edmonton pitching coach Bobby Cuellar. He was the one who had me focus on my changeup and learn to trust all my pitches. That’s where everything started. I would get into a 3-0 counts and make myself throw a change. Situations like those are how I became confident in the pitch, because I had choice but to throw a strike. From there it’s gotten more and more consistent, and that’s why I’m in big leagues.”
…thanks to the invaluable Peter Wade for the text…
To get a sense of what it’s like to face Santana’s change-up, check out this video from the Star-Tribune.
To subscribe to ESPN: The Magazine, go here.
To learn more about the Moonwalk, go to 1982.
By the way, at Dugout Central, Jim Dilk takes a closer look at the winners and losers of the Santana trade with the Twins.
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