Daily Archives: February 15, 2010
The Rangers announced that they have signed free agent OF Endy Chavez to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.
Last week, John Morosi of FoxSports.com listed the Mets among five teams interested in Chavez.
According to Morosi, Chavez, who had major surgery on his right knee, could be ready to play in May, perhaps even April, according to the most optimistic projections.
…i never actually got the impression the Mets had serious interest in endy… he would have made a terrific defensive replacement, but the Mets roster needs are more pressing than May…
Chavez hit .267 for the Mets in 2008, then was traded to the Mariners, where he hit .273 with a .328 OBP and six extra base hits in 54 games before injuring his knee.
…hmm, i wonder if Sandy Koufax can audition for the fifth starter spot…
In mid-January, I was able to talk with John Maine for an extensive discussion about all sorts of topics, ranging from on-field to off-field to media.
Here is a portion of the discussion about leadership and team chemistry.
Matthew Cerrone: Do you feel like a veteran?
John Maine: No, I’m way too immature to be a veteran. Me and Pelfry are just kind of like the kids. We are serious when we play, but we have four days in between to try and lighten the mood of every one, that’s kind of what we do. I’m way too immature to be considered a veteran. I don’t want to be a veteran.
Matthew Cerrone: So, you’re saying being a veteran isn’t necessarily about service time?
John Maine: It’s about attitude.
Matthew Cerrone: Do you consider Jose Reyes a veteran?
John Maine: Yes, I think he’s a veteran. I guess maybe service time does play into it, maybe a little bit. But, when I think of veteran I think of a leader, like Carlos Delgado.
Matthew Cerrone: How do you think things will be different if Delgado is not back?
John Maine: Someone else is going to have to fill the void. I just think that Delgado, what he’s done, who he is, and his demeanor, he was perfect for that. People look to that. If you don’t have him, then there are other guys that can fill in.
Matthew Cerrone: I’m always being told a leader has to be an everyday player, not a pitcher.
John Maine: I don’t think it could be a pitcher either. We are not out there everyday…
Matthew Cerrone: Was Pedro Martinez a leader?
John Maine: He was a leader. He has an odd way of doing it, but he was a leader. I just think it’s best if it’s a guy that’s out there for 160 games…
Matthew Cerrone: There is a lot of talk from people out here (in the stands, media, etc.) about team chemistry. It’s always framed as people getting along. But, when I talk to professional athletes, who are playing right now, they always say it is more about a common goal, and trust, less about friendship. Is that about right? Is it more about having that common goal and believing in it?
John Maine: It is… everyone has to be on the same page. What are we supposed to do? Are we all supposed to go out to a bar after every game together? That’s not going to happen. Everyone has their own life. There are different cultures and different ages. Not everyone is going to mix it up after a game at dinner. But we all have to want the same things when were on the field.
Matthew Cerrone: Does that matter, though, team dinners, things like that?
John Maine: It matters if you can get everybody out there talking about baseball and things like that. But, as long as everyone is on the same page… I need to show up and they need know I am there to try to win… If Pedro Feliciano was here, he’s going to bail me out in the seventh inning if need be, I need to trust him, that’s what it’s about. If Pelfrey’s pitching, and I am not doing anything, you know, I’m there to give him a pat on the back and say good job and things like that. Everyone has to be there is trying to win that day. That’s what it is all about…
Matthew Cerrone: What else do you think fans don’t understand about what you guys do?
John Maine: I think, especially here in New York, you see a lot of negative things in the papers and you see a lot of negative things from the fans. I personally don’t mind it, I know they want to win… But, they’ve got to realize that we want to win too. We are not going out there to try and lose. We are not going out there to try to give up a home run. We are not trying to boot balls. We’re not trying to lose 100 games. We are out there to try and win too. Even if somebody has a bad week or a bad month, it’s not a reflection on their personality. They are good guys and we are out there busting our butts. Sometimes it’s just doesn’t happen… We are out there trying to win for us and the fans.
Matthew Cerrone: I notice some fans who feel certain players don’t try hard enough…
John Maine: Try harder? Why don’t I try to maybe throw harder? That makes no sense. We do care.
Matthew Cerrone: It doesn’t work that way?
John Maine: It doesn’t. It’s about staying loose. It’s staying within yourself. You do have to want it. But, more important, you have to not want to lose. My big thing is, I think you’ve got to hate losing more than you like winning. I think that’s a big thing too, and they you’ve go to go out there and do it.
Thank you to SMG Transcription for transcribing this interview.
…this is a video i did for my personal blog, answering a question about how blogs and mainstream media cover the MLB rumor mill, compared to a few years ago…
…i’d also say it is the most likely… though i would like to see Frank Catalanatto make the roster…
[poll id="352"]
Marty Noble of MLB.com labels this year’s Spring Training: Operation Mouthwash.
…in other words, this spring is the team’s on-field opportunity to wash the bad taste of last season from all of our mouths…
In a Spring Training preview for the Bergen Record, Steve Popper explains how last season’s strategy, i.e., ‘wishing and hoping and promising that injuries will be healed and things will be better,’ is still the team’s strategy.
…from what i can gather, Ownership considered replacing Omar Minaya at the end of last season… however, the most influential of people determined it was unfair to blame last year’s injury bug on omar, who has been with the organization for years, and who they like personally and professionally… and so, omar stayed, with Ownership essentially saying, ‘He gets one more year to finish what he started.’… this is why, though it’s not common to see a GM fired mid-season, if the team is a failure in June, it would not shock me to see omar replaced with some combination of John Ricco and Wayne Krivsky…
…to me, what’s done is done, or not done… today, either way, omar is the GM… Jerry Manuel is the manager… and i, too, as a fan, am wishing and hoping the injuries will be healed and things will be better… i do feel the Mets, as is, have the talent to run with the Phillies… i know others disagree… the problem is, they have no room for error… they cannot play stupid, sloppy baseball, again… they’re gonna have to get top seasons from the middle of their rotation… Carlos Beltran has to get back on the field… and so on, and so on… the same can mostly be said for every team… like for most teams, if things break right, considering they do have four All-Star caliber players, i do think we’ll be tuned in, excited and entertained all season…
…look, i know people are miserable, and i get criticized constantly for not being critical enough, but this is the time of year to be hopeful… the off season is essentially over, the moves have been made, or not made, management is what it is, and, to me, there is no point, today, to waste time pounding my fists on the table yammering for things that are not going to happen… in the end, i watch baseball because it’s fun, and i want the Mets to win… i don’t understand why some fans think this is a bad thing… i mean, i’m not blind, i know the team has holes and TONS of question marks… in a few months, if things are not better, and the team is losing, hell yes i’ll be calling for changes… but, for now, at this point, all i have left is to hope for the best, buckle in and enjoy the show…and i’m excited it’s finally all starting…
According to this site, and this site, the Mets under-over for regular season wins is 89.5.
[poll id="352"]
Technically, Mets pitchers and catchers are not required to report to Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie until Thursday, however several players are already there.
According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, Bobby Parnell, Sean Green, Mike Pelfrey, Ryota Igarashi, John Maine, Pat Misch, Mike Jacobs, and others have already arrived, as has Jon Niese, who he says is scheduled to throw a bullpen session tomorrow.
…huge spring for niese… he has a chance to win the fifth starter spot, though a lack of options for guys like misch, Nelson Figueroa and Fernando Nieve will likely factor in…
…by the way, i switched the Twitter widget in the sidebar of this blog from Hot Stove buzz to Spring Training coverage from the team’s beat reporters in St. Lucie…
…lastly, i will be down in St. Lucie starting next Monday, Feb. 22, through March 6… i can’t wait…
