Daily Archives: February 18, 2009
I leave for St. Lucie later today, to blog 
my experience in Mets camp from today through Feb. 28, which will span the first official team workout and their first three spring training games.
Like last year at this time, the style of content on MetsBlog over the next week or so will shift a bit. Instead, it will be more of a live blog of the trip, while posting experiences, opinions, news and notes from Tradition Field, complete with interviews, video, random musings and much more.
In the top part of the left-hand sidebar on MetsBlog, you will find my Twitter feed, which will give readers a sense of what I’m doing, where I’m going and what I’m working on for upcoming posts. So, if I’m heading over to the minor-league complex, or getting ready for 
an interview with a player, I’ll let you know. These menial, moment-by-moment updates seem useless as single posts to MetsBlog.com, but it may help give people an idea of what I’m working on, and what to expect on the blog later in the day.
To subscribe to my personal Twitter feed, click here – otherwise just keep an eye on the upper corner of this site.
Speaking of Twitter, I also set up a MetsBlog Newswire feed, which you can subscribe to here – this feed will include only news items from MetsBlog.com, i.e., no buzz, no rumors, no random links or opinion, just links to news from MetsBlog.
My flight to Florida is at 6:40 pm and I leave for the airport around 2:30 pm, so wish me luck – I do not travel well.
Both Steve Popper of the Bergen Record and Ben Shpigel of the New York Times note several Mets stayed in the clubhouse yesterday to watch Alex Rodriguez‘s press conference.
According to both reports, Brian Schneider, J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez sat in the clubhouse watching Rodriguez explain his use of steroids.
Putz, who is glad Rodriguez admitted his use, but also thinks the situation is a bit unfair, is quoted by Popper as saying:
“I also think it’s a little unfair to him that basically he’s the lone guy out there when there’s 103 other guys. But that’s their problem. We’re not going to get involved in it.”
Meanwhile, Shipgel quoted Carlos Beltran, who watched the Rodriguez event briefly before holding his own, as saying, “He’s paying the consequence of making bad choices.”
Shpigel’s piece also includes and interesting note on Francisco Rodriguez’s ‘eerie’ contact lenses.
…the arod press conference was a joke, but i can’t get that worked up over it…i know it will dominate the baseball landscape for some time, as it has for awhile now, but i’m sick of talking and listening to people talk about steroids…
…i think it’s pretty evident many players dabbled in steroid use and we shouldn’t be shocked when players, such as rodriguez, admit their use…unfortunately it’s a part of sports and we as fans need to come to terms with that, like it or not…
According to multiple reports, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo are expected to arrive to Mets camp in Port St. Lucie today.
First day of workouts for position players starts tomorrow.
Tagged Mike Nichols |After hitting .329 in 76 at-bats last spring, Mets OF Angel Pagan made the Mets opening day roster, but as Bart Hubbuch in the New York Post explains, Pagan has an uphill battle to make the team’s opening day roster this season.
Pagan’s impressive spring turned into a quick start in 2008 led him to become the Mets everyday left fielder, but as Hubbuch notes, Pagan, who batted .275 with 13 RBI in 91 at-bats in 2008, season ended on May 12 after injuring his shoulder falling over the left field railing at Dodger Stadium.
However, with Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy platooning in left field and the Mets acquisition of Jeremy Reed, Pagan, who admits its a ‘challenging situation, may have to duplicate his performance last spring to make the team.
According to Hubbuch, Mets manager Jerry Manuel indicated the final spot on the roster may come down to Reed and Pagan.
…pagan was a nice story last season, but i’m not sure he is the type of player the Mets need on their bench this season…again, the issue is the Mets need for a right-handed hitting bench player…yes, pagan is a switch-hitter, but is a much better from the left side (.282) of plate than the right side (.226) in his career…
Hubbuch also talked with Manuel about preparing for the Mets spring training to be disrupted when more than a dozen players leave for the World Baseball Classic.
