Just a couple quick hitters today while everyone gets over the shock of the Netherlands beating the Dominican Republic in the WBC.
MLB.com has an excellent interview with Washington Nationals Assistant 
General Manager Mike Rizzo. Here’s a little clip from the man who will now be handling the day-to-day baseball operations in our nation’s capitol…
MLB.com: You always wanted to become a general manager. Is it what you expected?
Rizzo: It’s exactly what I expected. It’s exactly what I’m embracing. It’s long days and long nights. I’m the only guy in the office just about every night after the games, and I love it.
…I’ve been fortunate to speak with Mike on a number of occasions, and I truly believe he is the man who can bring respectability to D.C.
Elsewhere, new Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Derek Lowe had an outstanding outing on Tuesday.
In four innings of work, Lowe didn’t allow a single baserunner, and the ball did not leave the infield once. Lowe also struck out six in the Braves 7-4 win over the Astros.
For more news, notes, analysis and statistics from around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit Baseball Daily Digest.
{ 126 comments }
welcome to the family joe
lowe will have a good season for the braves – but they will still finish in 3rd or 4th place
I completely agree on both counts Rusty!
And I agree with The Slider below—that Gonzalez guys bugs me too!
yeah it looked like delgado wanted to kill him b4 he hit that homer off him lol
We should watch our words, though. K-Rod is just as annoying as Gonzalez.
Good call on 4th place for the Bravos. It would not surprise me if Florida is in the mix ahead of them… or perhaps even in the wild card race.
The Braves have a rookie pitcher (Hansen?) who’s been having an outstanding spring training too.
The Braves always scare me. Especially when that bum Mike Gonzalez gets on the mound in relief. Man, does he get on my last nerves.
They’ve been a total non-factor for 3 years now…how many more will it take before people realize that franchise is done?
I dont think the Braves are a 3rd place team. I really think they will be in the thick of things with the Mets and Phillies.
they have 2 good pitcher and they said glavine has been stinkin it up during his side sessions
If you go by that logic, Mets have 1 good pitcher and the rest have been stinking it up this spring.
uh paula johan , pelf maine and ollie are way better than lowe jurgins glavine and the japaneese player
I hope your right. Staff just makes me a little nervous. Some question marks , thats all.
:)
true but i think atlantas staff is weaker
Vazquez is probably equal to Pelfrey, if not better.
Vasquez is not the same as Pelfrey. He pitches a lot of innings but his ERA is much higher. He is more of a sure thing this year than Pelfrey but also has a better chance of being worse IF Pelfrey continues on last year’s path.
ouch
u disagree with me kistics?
No I agree. I like our rotation better. I hope Mets face Glavine this season and kick some serious bootay!!
oh ok yer post was kinda vauge lol
I still wish we had Lowe at least you have an idea of what kind of game you would of gotten
WE SHOULD’VE SIGNED LOWE!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OMAR!!!
hehe.. j/k… I like Omar…
TRADE FOR MANNY, LOWE, HUDSON, ABREU,
DUNN AND CC!!
:-)
RESIGN JOE ORSULAK AND BRETT BUTLER !!! GET BRUCE BOCLAIR OUT OF MOTHBALLS !!!
Dave Kingman is only 60, and retired after 3 good years (for him)….and he has already been a Met twice….
sounds like maz bobby bo and tim foli lol also see jorgenson , mike
Doug Flynn at second, and we are seriously all set…..
Honestly, we should have
This may be one non-signing that comes back to haunt Omar and the Mets. It would seem to me a safe bet to go out and get a sinkerball pitcher (who only gave up 14 HRs in 211 IPs) for a ballpark that you aren’t sure exactly how it’s going to play.
how much would you have paid him?
for a 35 year old pitcher
3 YEARS 30 MIL
That’s too little.. I’m thinking 6 year 120 mil for an aging 35 yr old pitcher.
i thought that was for franco and alou lol
I would’ve offered pretty much what Omar offered…just a month earlier. I don’t think Lowe is worth $15Mil a year, and i don’t think he’s worth a 4th year guaranteed. but if you add a team and player 4th year option, and make the offer in late-november/early december, who knows how Boras and Lowe would’ve reacted. the waiting game was Boras’ game. Make the offer early, and publicize an expiration date on it.
I think the Mets hould havbe went after both Ollie and Lowe instead of their one or the other apporach. They’re so close! Just lay out the dough.
I was/am a big proponent of Lowe over Ollie for millions that I won’t re-visit. But I will throw out a couple of the most important ones:
1. extreme groundball pitcher, 2nd to only Brandon Webb among starters with 140 IP last season in ground ball rate — you make an excellent point about entering the unknown in Citi, not mention with an OFer like Dan Murphy in LF
2. consistency and reliability. His numbers the last 4 seasons are virtually identical. He pitches 6.2 IP per start — an inning more than Ollie.
3. he’s not a typical 35 y.o. starter. he was a relief pitcher for the first half of his career. he does not rely on velocity. and the last two years he had his best K rates of his career — evidence that his arm is healthy.
You have to also remember that at the time it appeared we could even get Perez AND Garland for what Lowe wanted. Not to mention that the Braves were secondary in the discussion until all of a sudden the Smoltz thing was happening.
Lowe was asking for WAY too much money. Granted he’s a decent pitcher but not at the price Atlanta paid. Sorry.
You look across the town and see the Yankees signing 80 mil deals for #3 pitchers. I realize we don’t have their bank roll, but Johan Lowe Ollie Pelfrey Maine sounds pretty sweet.
It’s funny…the one thing that kept the Braves viable for so many years is one of the main things that is going to keep them from seriously contending this year:
Chipper Jones. More to the point, Chipper’s health (or lack there of).
He’s still their main power threat and RBI guy, and they can’t be sure they’ll have him in the lineup for 120 games.
chipper was the main reason they were viable for years? i wonder if having 3 hall of famers in the starting rotation had anything to do with it….hmm food for thought…
My apologies for not being more succinct…
ONE of the main reasons for the Braves success in the past, is ONE of the main reasons for their probable downfall this season….chipper jones and his inconsistent health. Better?
Hey Matt….Dont know if it was posted on your blog, but Mike Schmidt said a lot of nice things about David Wright. It was in a couple of the NY papers yesterday and today….might be worth a mention.
i read it in the daily news this morning
Perhaps the Mets should sign some of these Dutch guys. Their catcher can’t be worse than Brian Schneider.
Schneider is not that bad considering who is out there…
Believe it or not Schneider actually played for the Dutch team… you just couldn’t see him with the catcher’s mask
its funny im listening to the fat man seething over the st johns game – that the opposing coach isnt playing fair cuz they are blowing the redman out and they are still playing all their regulars
Rumor going around that Max kellerman will team up with Mike Fatcesca soon.
yeah 2 yankmee pom pom girls – at least max would probably look good in a cheerleader outfit – mike would look like rosie o’donnell
OUCH! I had to think of Julie Donaldson and Anna Benson in cheerleader outfits to get the Francesspool/Rosie images out of my head….
mmmm julie donaldson anna benson and jen alexandria (drools)
can u say menage a quatro !! :P
Not only can I say it, I can envision it…hope MetsFan4 isn’t nearby for this sexism!
And sorry if you are!
oops – no offense metsfan4decades – just a juvenille fantasy over here
LOL – no problem here, Kingman and Rusty.
Only thing I really have a problem with are the truly crude posts. But then again, I’m sure they bother everyone. Thankfully, those yahoos get banned pretty quick…..
That’ll be all time Yankee biased program since 1947
nah that still goes to sterling and waldman – the al jezzera of baseball
btw c.c got shelled by the tigers today
HAHA on the Sterling/Waldman comparison!!!
do i lie kong lol
well im as to quote garry “outta here!!! ” gotta practice on the ba$$
Oops this also got posted below–sorry!
———————-
Later buddy! Glad we got to chat…I am going to a music convention in Providence RI the next few days so will be gone till Sunday, so here’s to hoping Johan looks like his usual self tomorrow!
One blowhard and one guy so longwinded that he talks through whole segments….and all of it praising the tankees? Omph! I don’t listen to Fatcesa anyway, but that would be REALLY tough to take.
Plus he’s incredibly negative and stubborn. Iunderstand he doesn’t like the WBC, and I understand Puljos isn’t playing and many other big guys aren’t playing, but can he just admit that these games are important tot he players and that the WBC is looking like a success so far.
He had a hard on for Inge though..
They should just call the Yankee show
Wright’s HRs, over under 30?
If under no less than 27 if over no more than 32. I don;t even think he needs to hit over 30 hr’s. Just gotta focus on the rib-eye steaks. I liked him the 5th hole, but I realize we cant do that cause theres nobdy to hit behind him. He’s gottt ajust focus on going oppo with those outside pitches and getting some extra base hits, and if they happen to be hrs great. I don’t think he’s eveer going to be a big time 40 hr hitting guy. I’d rather see .325 ba 125 rbi and 25+ hr’s. No need for 302 36 120
yeah me too
THAT is a tough one….I am saying under, at 28 or 29, as I think he will swing for the fences less this year, and hit 50 doubles….
I think the mor eimportant over under would be Delgado’s hr’s at 35. Left him swing for the fences, not Wright.
I think Delgado will hit just about 35 HRs, but i’d say under 35. I hope I’m wrong though.
If he comes out and plays like he did the second half of last year, and doesn’t go through one of those month long slumps when he looks like he’s done, I’m expecting big things from. The guy was an animal last season when he was on.
Yeah. This season will be very interesting. It is his contract year after all. Even at his slumping days, I think he was on pace for 25 HRs 85 RBIs. So, if he’s somewhere in between his awesome days and awful days, I think he’ll get 30+ HRs and 95 RBIs
Plus I think a very big element Wright was missing last year was his SB’s. I think I heard somewhere that he was going to adress that this season, but if he can steal 30+ bags then the Mets are gonna be in business. If you can get Reyes murph wright beltran our 1st four hitters all with sb threats, it just makes the line-up that much more dangerous.
Under — high fence in LF.
He’s very good at going the other way. It’s when he tries to pull the ball, he gets into trouble.
I’m going to take the Michael Wilbon route and “push”. I do think he’ll have more XBH this year though. The fence will play games with his HR numbers, but i think that same fence will boost his doubles. 30 HRs but 45/46 doubles.
as per mlbtr
Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham hit a respectable .254/.364/.470 last year, which is very similar to his career line. His defense isn’t too bad, either. FanGraphs suggests he was worth $10.3MM last year, and he’ll earn $2.95MM in ‘09. All in all, pretty good player. So how come he doesn’t have a starting job?
According to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, Willingham may be the odd man out in the Nationals outfield if everyone is healthy. They’re set to employ an Adam Dunn/Lastings Milledge/Elijah Dukes starting outfield, with Willie Harris and Austin Kearns also looking for playing time out there.
Willingham thinks the situation will work itself out, and he’s smart not to get worked up. Maybe Mike Rizzo can move Nick Johnson and open up first base. Failing that, someone figures to hit the DL sooner or later.
“So how come he doesn’t have a starting job?”
because Jim Bowden in his infinite wisdom thought 7 outfielders signed to major league deals, was the right way to go.. Anyone wondering why he’s out of a job?
Dude! There’s our right handed bat!
Might have to keep him and big Pelf seperated though.
I think it was Ross that always got into it with Pelf, maybe I’ve forgotten. But either way, Willingham is a decent hitter. Don’t see the Mets getting him, though….
Later buddy! Glad we got to chat…I am going to a music convention in Providence RI the next few days so will be gone till Sunday, so here’s to hoping Johan looks like his usual self tomorrow!
go to a resturaunt called fire and ice in the mall there – its like a mongollian bar b q
Mmmmm–Mongolian bbq…..
I predict Lowe at best will have a season below his numbers of last year. And then in years 2-4 he will go steadily downhill.
I’m not saying Perez will be better — he can go either way — but Lowe was NOT worth the contract he got from the Braves. Omar did the right thing by passing him up.
And I don’t think spring training stats mean much for a veteran either way.
I predict Lowe at best will have a season below his numbers of last year. And then in years 2-4 he will go steadily downhill.
I’m not saying Perez will be better — he can go either way — but Lowe was NOT worth the contract he got from the Braves. Omar did the right thing by pas-sing him up.
And I don’t think spring training stats mean much for a veteran either way.
Agreed on all counts…Lowe is lucky the Braves were desperate.
And I am very pro-Ollie….if he is ever going to really get his act together, seems like the next 2 years is when it will happen.
Why would anyone care about an interview with the Nationals GM?? How did this make Metsblog?
I understand this is an article on “Today in the NL East”, but seriously, this is completely useless to anyone who comes here to read about the Mets or things that are relevant to the Mets.
This is as irrelevant as writing about what a Marlin’s player eats for Breakfast.
calm. down.
Sorry if I offended you Johan but I’m entitled to my opinion.
A mention of an “excellent interview” with the Nationals new GM on a Mets site is ridiculous.
Not ridiculous at all…see, the Nationals are in our division, and a new GM who does a better job than the past one can have a huge impact on the Mets. See, we play the Nationals 18 times, every year, and we actually had some important games against them the last couple of years.
Also, as the overwhelming majority of the folks here are also baseball fans, an “excellent interview” with someone getting a big position with a team we play 18 times a year is most certainly not ridiculous. In addition, it is March, we are in spring training, and the Mets had a day off. And people like new posts with news.
But your getting so excited about it might be considered ridiculous.
I’m not that excited but please look closely to the following comments of the author:
…I’ve been fortunate to speak with Mike on a number of occasions, and I truly believe he is the man who can bring respectability to D.C.
That seems to be a comment a National fan would be more interested than myself or other Met fans.
OK, point taken…I guess the poster was trying to bring us news on a pretty news-less day as far as the Mets are concerned…a lot of folks on here do complain when there are not enough new posts.
I do see your point, but I guess, regarding the quote about the Nats reaching respectability, that it is from the “rising tide lifts all boats” category I suppose….hoping that the Nats will be competitive, so we can have a powerhouse division like the AL East….
I didn’t think you seemed that “excited” fozzie, and I actually agree with you. I don’t love the today in the NL East column from that other blogger. just my opinion
Thanks Gland- I just didn’t think the topic fit in well with what I’ve enjoyed on this site personally over the past few years.
Brock- I’m all for a competitive division. Just not for a MetsBlog writer to appear supportive of the competition.
Have a good night guys!
This divisions looking alot like the Big-East, too bad no divisional tourni for a playoff spot :(
LOL! I would say we have a 72-game tourney with the Phils, Marlins, Braves and Nats!!
I’m not sure who we can give up, but I really think Willingham would be a good fit for the Mets. Only problem is that he can’t stay healthy, but he’ll be a good addition if he’s healthy.
He’s been hitting 20+ HRs in 142 and 142 games in pitcher friendly Marlins ballpark.
He’s a career .266 hitter with power and okay speed. I think he can be a great bench guy.
all of sudden were trading for corner OF’s? I saw one Tatis for Nady? I love Nady but after giving Murphy the starter you have nowhere to put Nady. Our team is great the way it is. We lost our whole team to the classic.
your kidding me your comment is awaiting moderation sorry clas-sic
Willingham would be a great addition, I’m a big fan.
im going to miss sanchez if he has a great year with the phillies? god no!
Is Metsblog becoming a political blog? Matt, are you really writing about stuff like that on your Metsblog Twitter now or did somebody hack in? I don’t really care or necessarily disagree or agree with what I read there, I’m just a bit surprised.
Oh no he di-int
Agreed. I wonder if he would mind giving me 1% of his income from this site? Insignificant if it will help the poorer.
This would be most disappointing since this is one of the only places I turn to for some idle distractions from reality. For the record, it’s 2.06% but what’s 1% between comrades. I’m also torn between my favorite 2 pork projects listed, hmmm $200K for Tatoo Removal in California or get this $1,000,000 to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. For real it’s there. What a country.
That guy looks like Jim Kramer.
I wonder if we could work out something for Willy Mo now, even Kearns? Kearns is owed a lot of money but maybe we could do something like Castro, Marlon for Kearns and 4 million? Then sign Pudge?
Kearns had terrible numbers last year but for some reason could not hit LHP after always being very good agianst them. I would expect a rebound. He’s a good defender and would make an excelent 4th OF.
Bench
Tatis
Kearns
Pudge
Cora
Reed/Sullivan/Green
That is an awfully good-looking bench there TRS…..
The closer we get to seeing Schneider and his incredible 5-mediocre-tool game, the more I warm to the idea of Pudge in some respect.
Would love to see Evans in Kearns’ spot if we cannot get him. Evans does seem to have some potential, and can play LF, RF, 1B, and probably be a pretty good RH off the bench…and to me, the more homegrown guys, the better. And we really are developing a stable of homegrowners, hopefully to be augmented by FMart and more in 2010–2011.
I have no problem with the spot going to Evans but will the Mets allow him to be a bench player. I think he could still get 5-10 Ab’s a week maybe? 1 game and some pinch hitting?
Good point…he has only about 300AB in the minors above A ball, but that was a really fine half season in Bing. last year. I suppose you could let him start at AAA and if he tears the place up, he just builds more confidence. And he just turned only 23.
And wow, I could not believe Kearns’ stats against lefties last year! Crazy!
I am out for a while, so have a good one buddy…..
looks like we WILL have a K-Rod vs J-Roll matchup (followed by Jeter and Pedroia, yikes).. unless Venezuela decides not to put in Frankie to close, but i think they will now that its 5-3.. oh boy.. we’ll see it.
k-rod had strike 3 on outside corner… that was a crap ball called
El Kid (Krod) trying to finish it up for Venezuela!
FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ STRUCK HIM OUT.
he is nasty.
Wow, I can’t wiat for Frankie and this season to be here now… Kinda dodged a bullet with the Frankie-Wright match-up… Someone here probably would have spun it off as: a) our closer sucks, or b) our best hitter isn’t clutch. Thank God.
Why did they have to attempt the double steal. how cool would D-wright vs k-rod with the game on the line would have been? And your the damned MLB Network! Get a freakin speedometer!
yeah really how can they not? thats very disappointing.. but the announcer pointed out he was throwing around 94 mph..
according to MLB’s gameday he was throwing 94-95 mph
Well if that is the case…very impressive. That walk coulda went either way as well.
Wow, KRod throwing that hard, and JJ was in the mid-upper 90s too…and it is only March 11….I may be a bit of an excessive optimist, but with the pen Omar has built, I think this may be a very, very special year.
Johan, KRod, JJ, Wright, Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, plus the potential of Murph, Maine, Pelf, and Ollie…..we have a potentially outstanding young team.
Really looks like nobdy cares about this game..shove it Fatscesa!
Thought I’d spray a little sunshine on my fellow Mets fans even though i don’t think anyone is reading this post anymore.
this from Bob Klapish:
NEWS ITEM: WBC Turns Heads
We have to admit: seeing Dustin Pedrioa and Derek Jeter as teammates is better eye candy than we thought. But the most interesting aspect of Venezuela’s 5-3 victory over the U.S. Wednesday night was Francisco Rodriguez devastating change-up, which he used to strike out Kevin Youkilis to end the game.
It may K-Rod’s best pitch in 2009.
“We couldn’t touch that change-up,” one Yankee veteran said recently. “For (National League) hitters that haven’t seen him before, he’ll be lights out.”
oh man, he looked REAL good tonight…you know he was signed so long ago, that the buzz kind of wore off…we have K-ROD .. the guy is a beast! i can’t wait….johan goes 7 hands it off to putz then krod LIGHTS OUT!! in 06 we had a great pen and no starting pitching, this year we have great potential in both cases plus an offense that can hold their own, that also plays very well defensively – lets not make any excuses this year, lets just get the job done !!!!
good morning my fellow mets fans.. its time for the breakfast edition of “this day in mets infamy with rusty” so my cereal is burning so lets get this going
first off happy birthday wishes go out to
third baseman for the ‘67 team Joe Moock (1944)
Darryl “the icon” Strawberry (1962) – can u believe he is 47 years old?? he still looks 35
Shawn “super scrub” Gilbert – he was a utility infielder for the mid 90’s team (1965)
Dave “i’m not doctor death” Williams- remember him in 07 – i wish i didnt (1979)
Carlos “hey yo im still on this team?? aka the new bullpen whipping boy” Muniz (1981)
Transactions:
New York Mets released Alay “el cubano” Soler on March 12, 2007.
and on this date in 2002 Mo Vaugn cleaned out the Port St Lucie outpost of of IHOP of their “ROOT AND TOOTY FRESH AND FRUITY pancakes” and IHOP still hasn’t recovered
So THAT is why IHOP’s stock has been so low for so long!
Wow, thanks for the Darryl birthday news….cannot believe he is that old.
And Joe Moock has to be one of the all-time great Met names.
Have a great next few days Rusty!!
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