Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Twins and Giants are now showing interest in free-agent C Pudge Rodriguez.
However, La Velle E. Neal III, of the Star Tribune, has not heard that the Twins are 
interested.
In a post to CBS Sports, Danny Knobler was told Rodriguez could soon sign a new contract.
Lastly, the Sun-Sentinel in South Florida reports the Marlins continue to be concerned with Rodriguez’s demand for playing time.
Rodriguez is hitting .600 with five extra base hits and a .625 OBP in 15 at bats during the World Baseball Classic.
…there continues to be no evidence that pudge is an option for the Mets, who a) do not seem interested in spending additional money at this time, b) who are committed to Brian Schneider as their starting catcher, and b) who have Ramon Castro on the roster…
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Ah, our old friend La Velle E. Neal III…
Isn’t the knock on Pudge more about his awful handling of pitching staffs than his hitting, anyway?
Hehe. 2 b)’s or not 2 b)’s. That is the question.
Anyway, I think we all can see that Pudge is doing well now, but how long can he keep it up? I think the team is fine when it comes to catchers.
Many people, me not among them, feel strongly that it’s “obvious” that the Mets and Pedro are a match. I think even a blind fool would feel strongly that IRod and the Astros are a match. Why that marriage hasn’t happened is either an indictment of IRod’s handling of pitch calling or an indictment of the Astros front office. Their catching is a disaster.
i still want to see Pedro here regardless of what the risks are but its not happening.
Even if he was willing to accept a Freddie Garcia type deal (which he’s obviously not), i still dont think the Mets would be interested.
The Wilpons are not going to dish out a few million dollars for only a marginal increase in production
I think Houston is still hoping Towles is the answer. He is still young enough and has the tools to be a decent MLB starter. I’m looking for him to have a decent season this year. I don’t think he’s clearly a bust yet.
Pudge is not coming to the Mets and either is Pedro (unless Livan and.or Niese get hurt)
Livan is going to win the 5th spot and Figueroa is going to be the long man…
the big question is who gets the final spot in the pen???
Will Ohman? Just makes so much sense and would cost virtually nothing at this point. Do that and the bullpen is completely solid. Don’t do that, and you still have a major question…who’s your lefty? Because Feliciano is only a situational and that’s it…put Ohman in there, and we don’t have to worry that Oliver perez only goes 4.2 innings each game…
WHY IS WILL OHMAN NOT ON OUR TEAM?!?!?
more injuries/casualties from the WBC: Cano, Marte, Pedoria. Get our boys back!!!!
This is why i am glad the D.R. was knocked out so early. If any player needed to be with the team, it was Reyes.
Just read on the bottom of the screen scroll on MLB networks broadcast of Philly vs. St Louis spring game that John Heyman is reporting that Pedro has 4 clubs interested in signing him. One of the 4 is the NY Mets. The others are LA Dodgers, Clevland Indians, and I forget the 4th. I hope Heyman is right and we get Pedro back as our #5. Pedro as a fifth starter gives us a great rotation.
yea, there was an article about this yesterday after the mets announced they had shut redding down.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH
Off-Topic:
Padres sign Duaner Sanchez to a MLC.
Why didn’t we do that from the getgo………….
No game chat today?
Anyone else worried about our rotation?
The best sign is that Johan has been pain-free recently. He’s our ace, our anchor. But he’s only had one outing.
What’s up with Ollie? He’s only had 2 innings of spring training pitching so far. Is there something up there?
At least Pelfrey is on a regular work schedule for a starter and he’s pitching well.
John Maine is a mess. He had a 10.80 ERA going into today’s game and got rocked in the first inning by the Marlins. Is he healthy? What’s wrong there.
And don’t get me started on the 5th starter.
I hate to say it, but Pedro looks healthy. I’m all for giving him a shot. Is our rotation really that solid that we shouldn’t be considering outside help?
Ollie had one of his meltdowns against Australia in the opener.
don’t think he’s pitched since
Ollie starts tonight for Mexico vs. Korea. I’d rather have him pitch in a big game than Peavy. What a dog Peavy is.
I’m not worried about the rotation at all. Johan and Pelf are pitching fine. Maine will straighten out. Ollie, who knows, but at least we know he has upside and periods of very good pitching, if not brilliance. And despite the poor performances of Garcia and Redding, there is depth for the 5th spot. The Mets rotation will be fine.
im hoping ollie does well but mexico still loses cuz i think we need him backin camp getting his head straight
Yeah, I’m torn on the WBC. I think the idea of it is great, kind of a World Cup for baseball. I just hate that it takes players away from spring training. But having talked to several players (I cover spring training in southwest Florida), they all seem to agree this is the only time you could have the tournament. I’m a sure a few more Mets players will come back to camp after this weekend’s action…
yeah i want all my guys back in camp already
except for burgos – the murder !!!
Burgos de los muetros was non-tendered i believe
I hate to be down on Matt or this site because I come here every day and have enjoyed it for years, but there’s really no reason why there isn’t a game post or postgame post, spring training or not. If Matt was still doing this site on his own time and not for his livelihood, I’d understand, but come on guys…..If there’s a technical issue, sorry for the negativity but there really should be something. Mets win 10-5 over the Marlins, scoring six runs in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead. Maine allows four in the first before settling down to pitch four innings with five strikeouts. Carlos Muniz, Casey Fossum, Sean Green and Connor Robertson also pitched (might be leaving someone else out)…..
i was wondering the same thing a-sod but in matt’s defense he has been sick plus who knows – he might not had much info for todays game – line up etc
Well, the lineups can normally be obtained from going to Mlb.com. I hate to knock the guy because I love the site. Was just a little disappointed….
it is sunday i mean matt im sure has a life outside of mets blog – i respect you are as rabid a mets fan as i – and i find this site addictive – i just get dissapointed when threads are closed for more than 6 hour and i cant comment lol
That’s why there are other bloggers here (Regis, Mike, etc.). It’s really no big deal, I found the info elsewhere. It’s just frustrating how the site seems to go into “operation shutdown” some weekends. Had to slip that Derek Bell reference in there…..
lol true but in matts defense there is 3 new posts today – remember when there was 2 for the entire weekend ?
ASod I’d agree that once the season starts there should be pre- and post-game posts on the weekends…that was a problem sometimes last year. In March I can deal with not having that info.
i really dont understand how so much credence has been put on I-Rod’s at bats and Pedro’s innings in the WBC. you’re looking at a very small sample size of what they’re gonna do this year.
the way this team is constructed, the Mets shouldnt be looking at their catcher spot for power. if David, Jose, Carlos and Carlos do what their supposed to do, we’ll be fine. especially with some added power by Murph, Tat & maybe Church. NO on I-Rod!
and i feel the Pedro chapter is closed. the Mets 5th starter
will probably be 11 different guys this year, so to invest
in Pedro and block some of the prospects and change the
chemistry is ill advised. NO on Pedro!
these guys are motivated by retirement staring them in the face. i dont wish them any ill will but i hope they get jobs elsewhere. the point has been made before, but can you really gage a player based on spring training or in this case the WBC? case in point: Butch Huskey.
i agree with u metsropolitan although the best argument i can make for i-rod is that he played against major leauge pitching -ie the dominican and us teams also venezuela
Again, I don’t think it’s the small sample size or that it came against a lackluster offense from Netherlands, but the key reason for optimism in Pedro’s performance was his velocity and movement. Reports had him topping out at 92 with good movement. I can’t recall Pedro topping 90 all that much last year. In fact, most times he was sitting in the 85-88 mph range…..
that is also true s-sod – but also rememebr he is pitching in a warmer climate right now – i think if he moved into a colder area – i.e cinci – during our season opener or back in shea his arm could get stiff
and a-sod i love and respect pedro but i do feel his tenure in queens in over – he was great to have around but in the end he gave us 1 and a half good seasons and we can just say what ifhe was healthy?
I’d only want to bring Pedro in if he accepted an incentive-laden minor-league contract, similar to the one Freddy “batting practice fastball” Garcia got. If you could get 20 starts from Pedro throwing even close to what he was in 2005, you could patch the rest of the starts together via Niese, Livan, etc. Don’t think he will ever do that though. Speaking of Garcia, I was at Friday’s game in Lakeland. His fastball sat at 84-85 most of the time. He got it up to 86 three or four times, 87 once (which Everett hit for a home run) and 88 once. His assortment of breaking balls looked solid, but if he can’t get the fastball at least into the upper 80’s he’s going to get torched.
I’d only want to bring Pedro in if he accepted an incentive-laden minor-league contract, similar to the one Freddy “batting practice fastball” Garcia got. If you could get 20 starts from Pedro throwing even close to what he was in 2005, you could patch the rest of the starts together via Niese, Livan, etc. Don’t think he will ever do that though. Speaking of Garcia, I was at Friday’s game in Lakeland. His fastball sat at 84-85 most of the time. He got it up to 86 three or four times, 87 once (which Everett hit for a home run) and 88 once. His a-s-s-ortment of breaking balls looked solid, but if he can’t get the fastball at least into the upper 80’s he’s going to get torched.
well i doubt pedro will give a home town discount especialliy after the quote he made about glavine settleing for a million plus incentive contract
No, he won’t, but who’s going to give him the money he wants, especially in this economic climate. He’s said he’ll retire if he doesn’t get that money, so that might be his best option.
lol see ramierez- manny lol
hello my friends its time for the lazy sunday afternoon version of “this day in mets infamy with rusty” so le get it on !!
happy b-day to former over zealous (s.a.t word) mets 3b coach Luis Aguayo (1959)
also on this date in 2002 mo vaughn was restrained by his fellow mets players when he found out that rey ordonez was eating a cuban sangwhich and didnt offer him any
oh yeah guys as per mlbtr
Corey Brock of MLB.com reports that the Padres have signed Duaner Sanchez to a minor league deal.
Sanchez, 29, was released by the Mets on March 10, a move that saved them roughly $1.4MM of Sanchez’s $1.6875MM contract. He has a career record of 18-10 with a 3.91 ERA, but his fastball velocity has dropped off from the mid-90s to 87mph right now.
Sanchez maintains that he can still throw hard when needed:
“I know I have it,” Sanchez told the New York Times on Monday of his velocity. “I’ve got no problem with that. I just don’t want to come out of the chute throwing hard. That’s not me. I want to make sure that when I reach back, I know I have it there.”
good luck duaner – u will be missed – just wish u never went on that taxi ride – ahh what couda been
Corey Brock??? Another Brock name on Metsblog, herecy…..;)
LOL Haz!!
by the way anybody going to the opening day metsblog gettogether on apr 6? ill be there if matt confirms it
Hey Rusty—Very little chance I can make that, but I will certainly try if there are any more…and as I think you said you have a Saturday plan, when I come down this year for a game or two, it will almost definitely be on a Saturday, and I will come find you then for sure…..
In honor of Team Japan currently playing in the WBC a quirky baseball article from this week. The curse of the Colonel:
TOKYO — He was covered in mud when pulled from the river, and had lost both legs and hands, not to mention his glasses. But Colonel Sanders still had his trademark smile, 24 years later.
A statue of the KFC mascot has been found in a river in Osaka, a city official said today, nearly a quarter century after being tossed in by crazed baseball fans who felt the image of restaurant founder Harland Sanders resembled a key team member.
“He was apparently found standing upright, which is fitting, because although he was a nice man he could also be very strict and demanding,” said Sumeo Yokakawa, a spokeswoman at the chain’s Tokyo headquarters. She said the statue was taken from a nearby restaurant and tossed in the river as part of a celebration by baseball fans in 1985, the year Osaka’s baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers, won the national championship. Fans thought the Colonel bore a resemblance to Randy Bass, a bearded power hitter and first baseman from the U.S. who played for the team at the time.
Fans often jump into the murky river to celebrate the team’s successes, but there has been little to celebrate in recent years. Many fans feel the team has been plagued by the “curse of Colonel Sanders” since his effigy was submerged. It has failed to win a national championship since, although it did win its division in 2003
lol rollins hit a home run and wright gave him probably the hardest smack on the ass ive ever seen! LOL ..surprised rollins isnt already on the DL because of it
lol rollins hit a home run and wright gave him probably the hardest smack on the a-ss ive ever seen! LOL ..surprised rollins isnt already on the DL because of it
for all you Manny-ites out there check out MLB. com and read the article Manny Leaves Game With Leg Injury
Here’s a direct quote from it “”Age is catching up to me,” said Ramirez, who turns 37 in May. “Maybe it’s a bad investment. I just have to be patient, that’s what I’ve got to do. Only God knows what’s best for me. I have to just try to get healthy.”"
HAHAHA!!
Can you even imagine what people on here would be saying if we had signed him?
Thank you for this….
Well that settles it. They will sign Pedro for sure. Whatever will Manny do on the DL without Pedro?
I almost wish we had signed Manny, just to see the sky-is-falling remarks we’d see on here if Manny made the aboce quote in a Met uniform!! Too much!!
“Maybe it’s a bad investment.”
This is literally too funny!
I know, I am expecting 2 weeks from now.
“Pedro feels tightness in his hamstring Pedro says “It’s a little stiff, I am ACE #2 for Mets”
LOL, I thought you were joking about that quote. Maybe making it up as a jab to the mannyacs(c). So I checked it out and it’s true! He did say that. It’s one thing to get hurt in spring training, but it’s quite another to cast doubt on the value of his own newly signed contract! Colletti and McCourt can’t be too thrilled with those words.
This is exactly what happens with more frequency to older players as we saw with Alou. I said to many of the mannyacs that the production (offense + defense) of the Mets’ LF will be comparable to that of Manny this year and I stand by that.
This is just Manny being Manny. The same Manny that basically implied to the Redsox if you keep me I will be injured the entire season and maybe even have surgery. He knew they would not call his bluff.
i’m sure Manny is 100% fine, he’s just trying to get out of playing spring training games.
Manny will still be among the leaders in HR and RBI by seasons end and will probably have more HR and RBI than Murphy and Church…combined…
Yeah, I am sure you are right…he will have more HR and RBI than Beltran, Wright, Delgado, and Reyes combined.
And Pedro will have more wins than Johan, Pelf, and Ollie combined.
We will finish 3rd at best.
Omar is an idiot and the Wilpons are cheap.
Yippee!!
oh man kingman…where have you been man? i have been defending redding by myself the past couple days!
He’s been in Providence, RI listening to ABBA recordings. (lol)
Hey reilly! Out of town for a few days….but thanks for keeping the flame of optimism alive!
Yeah, people were ready to amputate Pelf’s leg last week when he had a little strain and I guess he, and Johan, may survive after all.
And Redding will, in all likelihood, be a good 5th starter/long man out of the pen when he recovers.
Only 2 HR given up by OP so far tonight! Sigh.
Breaking News:
37 year old Manny R. leaves game after aggravating his hamstring playing outfield for 1st time this Spring.
Conclusion:
You see!!!, you see!!!, I told you 37 year old’s are prone to this he will not be any better than whatever Mets throw out in LF this year.
It is now March 16, 2009 Opening Day is 20 days away I pray we don’t regret signing Manny come September but the idea that some people will look at an incident in ST to validate an OPINION is amusing at best
Actually Mr North, for me it was Manny’s ridiculous comment that helped evaluate things…not the injury, but his saying it might not be a “good investment”….what does that make the owners and GM think? Or the fans? Or even other players?
Hey Brock,
regarding Manny’s comments while stupid is anyone really surprised? This is him in a nutshell.
I was referring more toward the physical aspect of the game.
this is a pointless post. we clearly don’t need another catcher. bschneider is a solid 2.53 hitter with so-so defense skills. come on.
Hmmmm B Schneider is a “solid” .253 hitter and so-so defensively.
Hmmmm, which is the more pointless post??
Good morning fellow Mets fans!
It’s an off-day for the team today, so let’s just enjoy each other’s company.
Manny will be fine come opening day…although hopefully for us he’s not…
no offense guys, but i’d take a 1 legged manny over tatis/murphy/whoever it is we got on LF right now.. but with that being said, i’m excited the season is just 2 weeks away!!! for all i care we can have timo perez in LF,
LET’S GO METS!!!
Pudge is needed! With the pitching staff that Omar is giving the Mets to work with, we need as much offensive hitting power in the lineup that we can get.
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