Daily Archives: March 17, 2008
The Mets defeated the Nationals by the score of 7 to 3 in Viera, Fla. today.
- Oliver Perez allowed just two hits and one run while striking out five of 17 batters in five innings of work.
- Fernando Martinez hit two doubles, drove in two runs and struck out twice in four at-bats.
- Both Joe Smith and Duaner Sanchez gave up two hits and one run in one inning, while Ricardo Rincon and Joselo Diaz each pitched a scoreless inning.
- Jose Reyes and David Wright each had two hits.
- Brady Clark was 2 for 3, raising his average to .302.
- The Mets had 11 hits, hit in to two double plays and made two fielding errors.
For a complete boxscore, go to MLB.com.
Lastings Milledge and Paul Lo Duca did not play in today’s game, though they did talk to reporters earlier in the day.
To hear from Lo Duca and Milledge, check out blogs from the Daily News, Newsday and the Star-Ledger.
This morning in Port St. Lucie, Jose Valentin told reporters that he suffers from a pinched nerve in his neck and will soon travel to New York to receive treatment.
For more on Valentin’s future, which does not sound bright, read David Lennon at Newsday, and Adam Rubin’s blog for the Daily News.
Also, Jason Vargas will have surgery today in Colorado to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.
The Mets will travel to Viera, Fla., today to take on the Nationals starting at 1 pm.
SS Jose Reyes will bat leadoff, followed in order by OF Endy Chavez, 3B David Wright, 2B Damon Easley, 1B Fernando Tatis, DH Ryan Church, C Raul Casanova, OF Fernando Martinez and OF Brady Clark.
Oliver Perez will start for the Mets. He has allowed 14 hits and 10 runs in 14 innings pitched this spring.
To follow a boxscore, go to MLB.com.
As noted earlier, Ramon Castro left yesterday’s game after tweaking the same right hamstring that had kept him out of action the previous week.
Castro told reporters that he didn’t pull ‘nothing,’ and that the hamstring stopped hurting as soon as he stopped running.
He is scheduled to have an MRI today.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Willie Randolph told reporters that Brian Schneider might not play until Wednesday.
Schneider has also been bothered by a tight hamstring.
Yesterday, when asked who the team’s third-string catcher is, Willie Randolph said the following to reporters:
“Raul Casanova is probably the third guy, though I like some of the other guys I’ve seen…But, I think Robinson Cancel and Casanova are probably in the next line of guys.”
In an e-mail sent to MetsBlog, reader Josuel P wrote:
“With Castro maybe on his way to the disabled list, and Schneider’s return in the waiting, the Mets need a backup plan – unless a trade. The only option is Mike Piazza. What do you think?”
…listen, i am as big of a piazza fan as any one, but that ship has sailed…seriously…you need to just accept that and move on, josuel…it pains me to say it, but it’s true…
…if for no reason than, the main reason you still like mike is because of the memories you have of him…the last thing i want to see is mike come back to the Mets, struggle, be a total flop and have that become his lasting memory…at best he’ll hit .280 or so, play a shaky defense, and then need to be cut when castro returns from the disabled list…
…why put mike and his legacy in that situation…
…just let it go…let it go…
Tagged Mike Piazza |The Mets Single-A affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats, are 
a No. 4 seed in CNBC’s second-annual Minor League Baseball logo awards, hosted by their sports business blogger Darren Rovell of SportsBiz.
According to Rovell’s blog, “Over the next couple weeks these teams will face off in a single-elimination tournament. You, the reader, will vote as to which one you prefer and the team with the most votes will move on to the next round.”
…hat tip to Always Amazin for the link…
In his first start of the spring, Pedro Martinez tossed four shutout innings yesterday while striking out four of 15 batters.
…pedro is not as powerful as he once was, but he 
remains successful by using a lethal combination of humility, creativity and self-awareness…for instance, he allowed a bloop single Ivan Rodriguez on his very first pitch of the game…in year’s past he may have been able to reach back and strike out the next batter on a 95–mph fastball…
…yesterday, though, he simply went for the ground ball…got it…and erased pudge’s hit with a double play by Carlos Guillen…nothing fancy…far from powerful…but always effective…
…he knows who he is, and what he’s capable of, he plays to his strengths and continues to be a winner, and that should actually be a lesson to all of us – not just other pitchers…
Willie Randolph talked with reporters after the game about Martinez’s outing, and had the following to say regarding:
…Martinez’s overall day…
“It’s a good day’s work, good outing, that’s all it is for me, man. he used all of his pitches real well, pitched inside, I mean, you’re looking at a pro just going about his work getting ready for the season, that’s what it looked like to me.”
…Ramon Castro’s comments that this is a different Pedro than before, as he has more life on his fastball…
“Well, wasn’t it a couple of days ago that guys were saying that he didn’t have anything on his fastball? Eh, I don’t get in to all of that stuff guys, come on. It just goes to show that when the game starts, when you’re in the game it’s a totally different mindset. you start bringing out radar guns for simulated games and you’re just wasting your time…To me, he just looked like Pedro getting ready for the season, and he looked great to me.”
For more, read the New York Post, Daily News, Newsday, the Journal News, Bergen Record and the Star-Ledger.
Tagged Pedro Martinez |According to eyewitnesses, Tony Armas Jr. has finally arrived to 
Tradition Field after being held out of the country due to visa problems.
The Mets signed Armas to a minor league contract in February.
He appeared in 31 games last year as a starter and reliever, posting a 4-5 record with a 6.03 ERA.
…this is actually somewhat important, since Phil Humber and Kevin Mulvey are in Minnesota…i mean, when Orlando Hernandez ends up back on the disabled list, and if Mike Pelfrey is struggling at Triple-A, having a guy like armas will be necessary – as much as i hate to admit it…
…the thing is, the initial buzz around armas had been that if he does not make the major-league club, he would refuse an assignment to the minor leagues…however, by arriving to camp with just two weeks left, i suspect that will alter his decision…i mean, it’s sort of hard to repackage yourself on the open market after you’ve missed a month of workouts…it probably makes more sense for him to accept going to Triple-A, wait and see what happens on new york’s major-league roster, and then re-evaluate his situation once he is ready for action…
Carlos Delgado left the game after being cut on the elbow with the barrel-end of a broken bat, which hit him as he was taking a lead from third base. Delgado received four stitches in his right forearm, according to the team.
Delgado told reporters that he expects to be sidelined for at least a few days.
Ramon Castro left yesterday’s game after tweaking the same right hamstring that had kept him out of action the previous week.
Castro told reporters that he didn’t pull ‘nothing,’ and that the hamstring stopped hurting as soon as he stopped running.
He is scheduled to have an MRI today.
Over the weekend, Willie Randolph told reporters that Brian Schneider might not play until Wednesday. Schneider has also been bothered by a tight hamstring.
Randolph also suggested to reporters that Jose Valentin could start the season on the disabled list or in Triple-A.
Tagged Ramon Castro |
At Amazin’ Avenue, Eric Simon writes a review of The Hardball Times Season Preview 2008.
In a post to Metstradamus, John wonders what the world would be like if Pedro Martinez were on the Yankees.
Mike, from Mike’s Mets, has posted some photos from his friend, who recently took a trip to Spring Training.
In a post to MetsGeek, Alex Nelson takes another look at some Great Names in Mets History, noting, “These names are noteworthy not because of the player’s accomplishments, but because of some quality of the name itself.”
