Daily Archives: March 26, 2008
The Mets lost to the Marlins by the score of 7 to 5 today, in the pre-season’s final game at Tradition Field in 2008.
- Mets RHP Robert Parnell allowed no runs, three hits and one walk, while striking out five, through five innings.
- Nelson Figueroa and Joe Smith, both of whom are competing to make the opening day roster, each allowed three runs in one inning.
- Carlos Delgado was 2 for 5, with two RBI.
- The Mets collected nine hits, made one error, left 11 men on base and hit in to one double play.
- Gustavo Molina had two hits and run scored.
For a complete boxscore, go to MLB.com.
Mets GM Omar Minaya joined Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling and Kevin Burkhardt in the booth during today’s broadcast on 
According to Minaya, the decision regarding his team’s fifth starter will likely come down to the weekend, and be between Orlando Hernandez, Mike Pelfrey, Jorge Sosa and Nelson Figueroa.
By the way, Hernandez and Pelfrey will both pitch in tomorrow’s exhibition game against the Orioles.
Minaya is excited to see Joe Smith throwing the ball well and being aggressive, looking like the young pitcher did in the early part of last season. Whether or not Smith makes the team, explained Minaya, may have a lot to do with whether Sosa is used as a starting pitcher.
Regarding the bench, Minaya sees Fernando Tatis as a ‘utility guy,’ who can play first, second, third and outfield.
Meanwhile, Minaya described Brady Clark as, ‘a pinch hitter who can play the corners.’
In the end, Minaya says that he values versatility on his bench, and puts additional value on any batter who hits right-handed.
Tagged Mike Pelfrey, Orlando Hernandez |Earlier today, RHP Brian Stokes threw four innings and 65 pitches, following Pedro Martinez, during a minor-league game.
…interesting…i wonder if this makes him a darkhorse candidate for the fifth starter…or, if he can be the long-man from the bullpen, it could make Jorge Sosa available to be traded, or used as a fifth starter as well…
The Mets acquired Stokes from the Rays in exchange for cash in late November of last year.
The 28-year-old Stokes was 2-7 with a 7.07 ERA in 59 games for Tampa Bay last season, allowing 49 runs and 90 hits in 62 innings.
During the pre-game broadcast on SNY, Kevin Burkhardt stated, twice, that Ruben Gotay has been put on waivers.
Meanwhile, on his blog for the Journal News, John Delcos points out that Gotay hit in today’s minor-league game suggesting he is not on waivers.
…from what i understand, that’s okay…a player can be on waivers and still play, it depends on the type of waivers…
…that said, i give up…he is on waivers…he isn’t…he may be…he might be…whatever…what we can logically assume here is that Fernando Tatis is now the leading candidate to round out the bench, meaning gotay has to hit waivers eventually since he is out options…again, i have faith that gotay will clear waivers because he is defensively-challenged, injured and out of options, so hopefully he makes it back to the team’s minor-league system…you know, because he is the next Melvin Mora, according to Evan Roberts on WFAN…
…so, considering the above, i think it’s safe to assume that, as of right now, as of this very second, the team’s Opening Day Roster will likely look as follows:
Starting Pitchers: Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, John Maine and either Mike Pelfrey or Nelson Figueroa.
The Bullpen: Billy Wagner, Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoenweiss, Jorge Sosa, Matt Wise and either Joe Smith or Brian Stokes.
Position Players: Brian Schneider, Carlos Delgado, Luis Castillo, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Angel Pagan and Ryan Church.
Bench: Raul Casanova, Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, Endy Chavez and either Fernando Tatis or Brady Clark.
…so far, Bobby Parnell has set down the first six Marlins to face him, including Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs, Josh Willingham and Hanley Ramirez, who struck out looking on an outside fastball…
…the kid has a live arm, the ball just slings from his wrist and tails in to right-handed hitters with ease…for instance, i would guess that he’s throwing in the mid-90s, based on the zip and swings of the hitters, yet he’s only reaching 92 at best…
…in the third, jacobs hit a hanging curve to left for a pop out, while the other two batters gave his fastball quite a ride…he needs to locate the fastball better, and utilize its natural movement…
…that said, he has a legit arm, and, like Jon Niese, works quick and is aggressive…
…he and niese are two solid young pitchers, who we should be excited about…they may never be great, who knows, but to say the Mets have no young minor-league talent is clearly false…
Tagged Robert Parnell |The Mets will face the Marlins at 1 pm today in St. Lucie.
Today is the team’s last game at Tradition Field in 2008.
The game will air live on .
SS Jose Reyes will bat leadoff, followed by 2B Luis Castillo, 3B David Wright, OF Carlos Beltran, 1B Carlos Delgado, DH Marlon Anderson, OF Angel Pagan, C Gustavo Molina and OF Endy Chavez. RHP Bobby Parnell will start for the Mets.
Pedro Martinez completed a minor-league game, with Brian Schneider behind the plate, earlier in the day.
Moises Alou visited the Mets locker room yesterday, and told 
reporters that he hopes to re-join the team towards the end of April.
Alou is recovering from hernia surgery.
Over the weekend, during an interview with WFAN, Omar Minaya said he would like to have Alou back by April, but expects him to return in May.
Willie Randolph, regarding Alou, talking to reporters after yesterday’s game:
“He looked great, he’s in great shape…He promised me he would stay in shape, and it looks like he’s working on it pretty good…I hope we can get him back really quick.”
…unfortunately, i don’t think alou has a problem staying in shape…he’s just prone to injury…it must just be biological bad luck…of course, being in shape will help limit the damage…
To hear audio from Alou’s talk with reporters, check out John Delcos’s blog for the Journal News.
For more on Alou, read the Daily News, New York Post, Newsday and the Star-Ledger.
Tagged Moises Alou |In a recent post to his blog for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark wrote that the Mets would like to acquire 
Tigers OF Marcus Thames or Pirates OF Xavier Nady.
However, according to Stark, Thames would cost Aaron Heilman, who the Mets cannot afford to trade.
Meanwhile, during his appearance on WFAN yesterday, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said:
“I haven’t seen any indication the Mets can get Nady. They don’t have a lot of prospects. The ones they do have, Fernando Martinez, guys like that, they want to hold on to. I would be surprised, Pittsburgh just does not make many trades, the past regime, the new regime, they are just reluctant to make trades. I don’t think the Mets have the pieces anyway.”
…thanks to the great Peter Wade for the quote…
To listen to Heyman’s entire interview, go to WFAN.com.
Tagged Xavier Nady |
Following yesterday’s game, Willie Randolph announced that John Maine will pitch Saturday in Memphis against the White Sox during the Civil Rights game.
…earlier in the week, willie said maine would not be starting this game, but the team has clearly changed its mind…which is a good thing…
According to Adam Rubin in the Daily News, Ramon Castro is now likely to begin the year on the disabled list.
…in other words, expect Raul Casanova to begin the year as this team’s back-up catcher….by the way, i still sing that song, “Oh, Casanova,” every time i hear or read raul’s name…i can’t make it stop…and i hate myself for it…
Casanova, 35, hit .253 with six home runs for the Rays last season. This will be his ninth year in the big leagues.
Meanwhile, in a column for SNY.tv, Ted Berg argues that Castro must play a lot against left-handed pitching this season, otherwise, “The Brian Schneider honeymoon will end quickly.”
…personally, i had always hoped the Mets would try to acquire a player who can serve as a third-string catcher, among other things, so castro can be used as a bat off the bench more often…this way, there is no fear of burning your back-up catcher, instead castro can pinch hit while a third catcher is ready in the event schneider gets hurt mid game…
…the problem is that i just don’t know who that magical player is…the Mets cannot steal Ryan Doumit from the Pirates, who plays first, outfield and catcher, nor am i sure they’d even want to…you know, a player like Jason L. Phillips, circa 1999 when with the Mets, or a Matt leCroy, circa 2005…
…Update…10:30 am…
…as several readers have pointed out to me in e-mails, Brandon Inge would be a perfect fit for such a role…and they are correct…except that the Tigers do not want to give inge away…also, other teams have serious interest in inge, who will now be a starting player for the Tigers with the recent injury to Curtis Granderson…i mean, if the Dodgers could not pull off a deal for inge, nobody will…aside from all that, yes, inge would be great…
Tagged Ramon Castro | ← Older posts
