Daily Archives: March 4, 2009
Omar Minaya told reporters today that there is no need for Johan Santana to have an MRI, noting doctors have said he is ‘fine.’
Minaya, regarding Santana’s side session today, said:
“He felt great… All indications are he threw great. Schneider told me he was unbelievably sharp, he threw his slider and felt good. We’re still in March, as far as Opening Day, we are a ways away. But, right now, he feels pretty good and I feel good about it.”
To hear other post-game audio, including Jerry Manuel’s talk with reporters, go to WFAN.com.
The Nationals beat the Mets, 6–4, today in Viera, Fla.
- Mike Pelfrey let up three runs and five hits, including a home run, while striking out three out of 15 batters in three innings.
- Livan Hernandez was credited with the loss and a blown save, while giving up three runs and five hits against 15 batters in 2.2 innings.
- Darren O’Day and Duaner Sanchez each pitched a scoreless inning.
- Fernando Tatis was 1 for 3 with a solo home run, while Ramon Castro hit a three-run home run.
- Angel Pagan was just 1 for 4, dropping his average to .467.
- Daniel Murphy and Ryan Church were a combined 0 for 7.
To view a complete box score, click here.
I’d like to thank Matt for the opportunity to provide news from around the National League East this season.
Now on to our first report:
Washington Nationals team president Stan Kasten announced on Wednesday that assistant GM and vice president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo will step in and handle the day-to-day operations of the team.
Washington lost its GM when Jim Bowden resigned on Sunday.
Kasten will continue an intensive search for a permanent general manager.
In the mean time, the Nationals are also trying to lock up third baseman Ryan Zimmerman with a long-term contract extension.
The Philadelphia Phillies and reliever Will Ohman continue to talk.
The Phillies are still in the market for a 
left-handed reliever with J.C. Romero suspended for the first 50 games of the 2009 season.
One pitcher who wants no part of the bullpen is Brett Myers, who lost 35 lbs. this off-season and is looking to impress the Phillies in his last year of a three-year contract. Myers has made it clear he wants to return to Philadelphia.
Atlanta Braves super-prospect Tommy Hanson pitched extremely well on Tuesday, allowing just one unearned run on two hits in three innings. He also struck out the side in the first inning.
…the Braves would like to start hanson out in Triple-A this season, but if 
he continues to throw like he did yesterday, Atlanta will have no choice but to bring the big righthander north when camp breaks later this month…
For more news, notes, analysis and statistics from around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit Baseball Daily Digest.
Tagged MetsBlog |Update, 2:46 pm:
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers agreed today to a two-year, $45 million contract, according to major-league sources.
Ramirez and Scott Boras met with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, Joe Torre and GM Ned Colletti at Dodger Stadium this morning, according to Tim Brown from Yahoo! Sports.
Original Post, 6:45 am:
Last night, Enrique Rojas of ESPN.com was first to report that the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal.
Later, Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News said the Dodgers will meet Ramirez today before making the deal official, which will likely pay him $25 million in 2009 and $20 million in 2010.
According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, Ramirez can opt out of the deal after the first season.
The Game:
The Mets (3-3) continue their Grapefruit League schedule against the Nationals (3-2) today at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Florida, starting at 1:05 p.m. EST.
The Lineup:
- CF Angel Pagan
- LF Daniel Murphy
- 1B Nick Evans
- RF Ryan Church
- 3B Fernando Tatis
- P Mike Pelfrey
- SS Jose Valentin
- C Ramon Castro
- 2B Andy Green
The Pitchers:
Mike Pelfrey will take the mound today for the Mets. Livan Hernandez, Sean Green, Duaner Sanchez, Eddie Kunz, Darren O’Day and Connor Robertson are scheduled to follow Pelfrey.
John Zimmerman is scheduled to start for the Nationals. Zimmerman will be followed by Collin Balester, Mike O’Connor, Jason Bergman and Joel Hanrahan.
The Notes:
Mike Pelfrey pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and and striking out four, versus Italy in his first spring start.
Ryan Church is batting .429 with 3 2B and 5 RBI in 14 at-bats this spring.
The Mets have scored 45 runs (7.5 per game) in their first six spring training games this season.
Angel Pagan is 6-for-11 (.545) with 2 RBI this spring.
How To Catch It:
Tagged Mike Nichols |Today’s game will not be broadcast locally. However, you can following the live boxscore by clicking here.
The Mets have a Major League high 15 players participating in the World Baseball Classic this spring.
The following is a quick update on the progress of a few Mets players in the WBC:
- Jose Reyes was 2-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base for the Dominican Republic in their 10-1 win over the Marlins
- David Wright was held hitless in three at-bats in Team USA’s 6-to-5 win over the Yankees yesterday.
- Francisco Rodriguez pitched a perfect inning in Venezuela’s loss to the Tigers.
- Carlos Delgado was 1-for-2 with a double and Carlos Beltran was 1-for-3 in Puerto Rico’s 3-to-2 loss to the Twins.
Island Extreme is back with some behind-the-scenes photographs of Citi Field, including the visiting team’s clubhouse, the business center, and 
the Pepsi Porch, which you can check out by clicking here.
In a post to NY Baseball Digest, Mike Silva explains why sports talk radio is ‘broken,’ and how to fix it.
Matt hew Artus from Always Amazin discusses whether Mike Pelfrey can beat the Tom Verducci Effect.
In a post to Mets Minor League Blog, Chris Guy takes a closer look at Mets 19–year-old SS Ruben Tejada, who will begin playing for Panama in the World Baseball Classic on Saturday.
Free-agent LHP Odalis Perez told Yahoo! Sports 
that nine of 10 teams are interested in signing him.
The 31-year-old Perez was 7-12 with a 4.54 ERA for the Nationals in 2008.
He signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals, then refused to go to camp, he was released and is now a free agent.
…i would not be surprised to hear the Mets are among the interested teams, though they certainly have enough people in camp already who are competing for the vacant fifth starter’s spot…
Livan Hernandez will pitch against the the Nationals today, in a game that will not be televised by SNY.
Meanwhile, Tim Redding is scheduled to throw batting practice tomorrow, then face the University of Michigan on Sunday.
…to say Freddy Garcia is trailing in the race to be the team’s fifth starter would be an understatement… instead, i’m thinking garcia will end up remaining with the Mets, while working out in extended spring training, because, given what he has shown so far, i’m not sure what team will 
step up to guarantee him more than that… plus, at this point, he has a deal in place with the Mets that could pay him decent money should he eventually be called up mid-season…
Garcia has allowed eight runs, five hits and four walks in just 2.2 innings this spring for the Mets.
Jon Niese pitched two innings, let up two runs and two hits, including one home run, while walking two and striking out.
[poll id="222"]
Tagged Poll, Tim Redding |
“I wish he was leading off on our team or playing on our team,” Alex Rodriguez said about Jose Reyes, as quoted by the New York Post.
…naturally, this was spun to mean rodriguez would prefer reyes to Derek Jeter, instead of just taking it as a compliment of reyes… nevertheless, i agree with a-rod… and i’m glad jose is on the Mets…
Rodriguez and Reyes are teammates on the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic.
Update, 10:31 am:
According to the Back Page Blog, Santana has been through this before, then went on to go 20–6 with a 2.61 ERA.
…thanks to mike b for the link…
Update, 10:07 am:
“Johan Santana tossed a 46-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and then predicted he would take the ball on Opening Day in Cincinnati on April 6,” writes Adam Rubin in a post to his blog for the Daily News.
Rubin also provides a variety of quotes from Santana, as well as pitching coach Dan Warthen.
“We are in this thing together, and I appreciate everything he’s doing,” Santana is quoted as saying. “He’s trying to protect me and the team, of course. But as of right now, my mindset is for Opening Day.”
David Lennon of Newsday adds that Santana used his change-up, fastball and slider, “which was a step up from Sunday’s outing, and his velocity looked good.”
Originan Post:
Johan Santana will throw a side session in the bullpen today, around 9:30 am, with the goal of exceeding more than 30 pitches.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Santana will be pushed back, and make his first regular-season start on April 11.
…good… why raise expectations, unnecessarily, only to disappoint… fact is, it makes no difference when he makes his first start, so long as he makes the rest of his starts… i mean, in September, when he’s pitching against the Phillies and contending for a Cy Young, is any one going to care or even remember when his first start of the season was… no… all that matters is that he’s healthy and available all year long…
…frankly, the other story here is that nobody trusts the Mets when it comes to their public medical information… i think last season’s slow, downward-spiral-of-news – regarding Billy Wagner and Ryan Church – has left most fans and all media very, very skeptical of what is said by the Mets with regards to injuries… so, it’s understandable that every one is obessing about santana… we’re not obsessing specifically about Opening Day… we’re obsessing over the injury, for fear that we will eventually be told the elbow injury is more serious than it is…
…in other words, today’s side session is huge… because, the best way to deal with this is to take it one step at a time…
