Daily Archives: March 3, 2008
According to multiple reports, Ruben Gotay has a CT scan scheduled for tomorrow.
Gotay injured his ankle sliding into home during Sunday’s game.
Tagged Ruben Gotay |The Mets beat the Braves, 3-2, on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th inning in Grapefruit League action from Port St. Lucie this afternoon. Teenage shortstop Ruben Tejada plated the final run with a double to the gap that scored a hustling Michel Abreu on a close play at home plate.
Mike Pelfrey started the game for the Mets, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing two hits without walking or striking out any batters. Billy Wagner allowed one earned run in one inning relieving Pelfrey. Nelson Figueroa followed with two shutout frames. Jason Vargas threw a scoreless seventh, Carlos Muniz allowed an unearned run in the eighth, Ricardo Rincon struck out two in a scoreless ninth, then Ivan Maldonado earned the win with a scoreless inning of his own.
Ramon Castro led the Mets offense with two hits, including a rare stand-up triple, and an RBI.
…as a mets fan, you’ve got to be happy about the way Pelfrey looked today, especially considering El Duque’s assorted injuries…
Tagged Mike Pelfrey |
…i was able to hang out around the cage during a bit of pre-game batting practice…Howard Johnson leaned against the cage offering up advice every now and then, while Willie Randolph and Darryl Strawberry stood off to the side, watching, discussing and just sort of talking baseball…
…i noticed two bats laying on the ground, one belonging to Jose Reyes and the other 
to David Wright…so, of course, i picked up each bat, and took a practice swing…i mean, how could i not…
…i watched Fernando Martinez, and took a bunch of photos while he hit – as you can see below…the guy has an amazing swing…so natural…so fluid…and very, very consistent…he’s quick too…he stands very balanced, very unassuming, and then just cuts through the air with his bat like a knife through butter…he never loses balance, even on his follow though…my favorite photo is the final shot, of martinez walking off the field with the Citi Field logo in the background…it’s like looking through a window in to the future…
To check out my entire spring-training photo album, go here.
…as i mentioned earlier, Darryl Strawberry is in camp…he talked with reporters from the dugout, and was asked about his role with the team; his thoughts on Roger Clemens; and he talked about his work with autism, during which he started to get a bit choked up…he is very passionate about the issue…
…he was asked a quiet question, which i did not hear, but would not 
answer…he then laughed, and explained that he is a veteran when it comes to dealing with reporters, because he learned from the best…
…he is so at ease…he seems very at peace and comfortable with who he is, what he’s about and what he should be doing with his life…it’s actually quite inspiring…
…i will try to get a Q&A with him over the next day or so, as i am eager to ask him more about his work with autism and this sort of zen-Darryl that he has going on…
Before he could even start a bullpen session, Orlando Hernandez shut it down after only warming up with a weighted towel.
…it’s getting to the point now where i will be surprised to see el duque crack the opening day roster…i mean, these guys are about 50 percent through camp and he still hasn’t even thrown batting practice…
Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez looked strong, throwing 40 pitches to Brian Schneider during a live batting practice session.
…he was having fun, laughing a lot, while hitting his spots and with decent movement on his fastball…
Martinez will start Thursday in Viera against the Nationals.
Tagged Orlando Hernandez |Mike Pelfrey will make his second start of the spring today against the Braves in Port St. Lucie.
The game will air live at 1 pm on SNY and online at MLB.tv.
Billy Wagner and Aaron Heilman, among others, will relieve Pelfrey. Jo-Jo Reyes will start for the Braves.
…reyes strikes me as the braves’ left-handed answer to pelfrey: a young guy with success in the minors who wasn’t quite able to put it together in the big leagues last season…
Tagged Mike Pelfrey |…here is some video i shot of the guys warming up, followed by 
Orlando Hernandez working with Rick Peterson in advance of a bullpen session…el duque is using a towel, with a ball wrapped up in the end of it, to help simulate the weight of throwing motion as peterson works with him on the follow-through in his delivery…all while this was taking place, i was praying he didn’t hurt himself any more than he already is…
…keep an eye on the beat writer blogs, as i’m sure they will have additional commentary from the throwing session…
…midway through the video, el duque tries to use me and my camera as a shield against Duaner Sanchez, who jokingly started to swing a chain at him…oh, dear lord…
Tagged Orlando Hernandez |
In his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney writes that while the Mets are saying the hip injury to Carlos Delgado is not serious, they need to add someone who could play first base on a regular basis – if necessary.
Olney lists some of the possible candidates as:
- Nick Johnson, Nationals
- Scott Hatteberg, Reds
- Richie Sexson, Mariners
- Tony Clark, Padres
- Kevin Millar, Orioles
…many readers have been emailing the site asking who will be the back-up first baseman…and as you have already heard, it could be either Marlon Anderson or Damion Easley filling that role…although i was fine with the idea originally, thinking that delgado will have a bounce back year, i am know skeptical of the original plan…who knows, maybe Michel Abreu will have a really good spring and fill that void…
Ruben Gotay is in the clubhouse, and on crutches with a sprained right ankle. He is day-to-day.
Tagged Ruben Gotay |
…the following is a quick video of some random moments to cross my path while at Dodgertown yesterday…keep in mind, i’m a writer…not a camera man…it appears i finally figured out how to adjust the quality of image…now, if i can just get my damn hands to stop shaking we will be all set…
…my wife and her brother are huge Don Mattingly fans…i have to say, i was a fan of his as well, despite being a Mets fan…i always admired his hard work, professionalism and focus while playing in such a circus-like environment…anyway, since i assume i an unable to ask for autographs, i stopped donnie in his tracks to see if he would say hello to my wife on camera…which he did…
…by the way, Dodgertown is amazing…and i say this as a Mets fan…of course, this was my first-ever spring training game, so i have nothing to compare it to…nevertheless, it was a great experience and so casual and so fun…
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