The Mets have begun their second intrasquad game of the season today before they head to Fort Lauderdale to take on the Orioles tomorrow.
This time the lineups are essentially major league starters (minus Schneider) vs bench players/minor leaguers.
The major league lineup looks like this:
Luis Castillo, 2B
Jose Reyes, SS
Carlos Beltran, CF
Carlos Delgado, 1B
David Wright, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Daniel Murphy, LF
Omir Santos, C
Fernando Martinez, DH for both teams
Interesting lineup, one we've never seen before. Manuel is holding to his thinking of having Castillo leadoff to get him jump started.
Anyway, the Mets have shaken the rust off their bats. Beltran and Wright have both hit home runs, and Reyes and Pagan have each hit an opposite-field double.
John Maine, JJ Putz, and Freddy Garcia have all pitched. Oliver Perez and Rule 5 pick Rocky Cherry are also scheduled to pitch.
Check out MetsBlog for some great videos and pictures from the game. There is a video of Garcia warming up in the bullpen, and he looks terrible to me. Hopefully it was at the very beginning with him just getting loose.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mets v.s. Mets: Intrasquad Game
Adam Rubin of the Daily News was providing live updates of the intrasquad game from Tradition Field, but he stopped after the fifth inning.
Jerry Manuel stood in shallow centerfield, right in the middle of the action, to get a good look at the game. The other coaches sat in folding chairs behind a screen near homeplate.
The game was still scoreless through five. However, the top of the third was ended early due to Nelson Figueroa reaching a certain pitch count. The bases were loaded with one out when the inning was halted.
Just two hits had been recorded- a Nick Evans single and a Fernando Martinez infield single.
Jon Niese went two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
There were a couple of broken bat groundouts and quite a few strikeouts. The lack of offense is likely due to the fact that these guys haven't seen live pitching in a few months. They're working their way back into the groove.
According to Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog, most of the everyday players had been removed from the game by about 1 pm. He even saw Luis Castillo taking extra batting practice in the cages after he came out of the game.
Jerry Manuel stood in shallow centerfield, right in the middle of the action, to get a good look at the game. The other coaches sat in folding chairs behind a screen near homeplate.
The game was still scoreless through five. However, the top of the third was ended early due to Nelson Figueroa reaching a certain pitch count. The bases were loaded with one out when the inning was halted.
Just two hits had been recorded- a Nick Evans single and a Fernando Martinez infield single.
Jon Niese went two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
There were a couple of broken bat groundouts and quite a few strikeouts. The lack of offense is likely due to the fact that these guys haven't seen live pitching in a few months. They're working their way back into the groove.
According to Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog, most of the everyday players had been removed from the game by about 1 pm. He even saw Luis Castillo taking extra batting practice in the cages after he came out of the game.
Intrasquad Game Lineups
The Mets began an intrasquad game at Tradition Field at about 11 A.M. Sandy Alomar Sr. manages against his son.
Alomar Sr.'s team looks like this:
Alex Cora, SS
Marlon Anderson, 2B
Daniel Murphy, LF
Carlos Beltran, CF
Fernando Tatis, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Nick Evans, 1B
Brian Schneider, C
Fernando Martinez, DH
On the mound is Jon Niese.
Here is Alomar Jr.'s team with prospect Dillon Gee on the mound:
Luis Castillo, 2B
Jose Reyes, SS
David Wright, 3B
Carlos Delgado, 1B
Bobby Kielty, RF
Jeremy Reed, CF
Ramon Castro, C
Cory Sullivan, LF
Rene Rivera, DH
Looks like Sr. got the real outfield while Jr. got the real infield (minus Schneider).
Alomar Sr.'s team looks like this:
Alex Cora, SS
Marlon Anderson, 2B
Daniel Murphy, LF
Carlos Beltran, CF
Fernando Tatis, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Nick Evans, 1B
Brian Schneider, C
Fernando Martinez, DH
On the mound is Jon Niese.
Here is Alomar Jr.'s team with prospect Dillon Gee on the mound:
Luis Castillo, 2B
Jose Reyes, SS
David Wright, 3B
Carlos Delgado, 1B
Bobby Kielty, RF
Jeremy Reed, CF
Ramon Castro, C
Cory Sullivan, LF
Rene Rivera, DH
Looks like Sr. got the real outfield while Jr. got the real infield (minus Schneider).
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Outfield Market Gets Moving; Murphy Ready to Go
The free agent market, which has been somewhat stagnant for a while, has started moving again. Outfielders Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn have signed contracts.
Abreu and the Angels have agreed on a one-year deal worth roughly $5 million plus incentives. The Mets were only willing to talk about Abreu if his price fell below $4 million.
NL East rival Washington has signed Adam Dunn to a two-year deal worth $20 million. Dunn is certainly worth the $10 million, but with this shaky market I thought he could be netted with a cheaper deal.
Dunn more than makes up for his low batting average (career .247) and high strikeout rate (at least 120 K's in every full year of his career) with his phenomenal home runs and ability to get on-base.
Dunn has hit at least 40 homers in the past six straight seasons. He has gotten on base at a .385 clip in five of those seasons.
Going into spring training the Mets will have Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis splitting time in left field. Some Mets fans are uneasy with this tandem but I'm perfectly fine with it.
Last season, Murphy and Tatis combined to hit .302 with 13 homers and 64 RBI in 404 at bats.
Murphy has already arrived at the Mets Spring Training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He has been working out alongside David Wright, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, Nick Evans, and others.
According to Bart Hubbuch from the New York Post, Murphy impressed in sprints this morning, beating his teammates. Hubbuch also said that Murphy is in great shape and seems to be ready for the season to start now.
Abreu and the Angels have agreed on a one-year deal worth roughly $5 million plus incentives. The Mets were only willing to talk about Abreu if his price fell below $4 million.
NL East rival Washington has signed Adam Dunn to a two-year deal worth $20 million. Dunn is certainly worth the $10 million, but with this shaky market I thought he could be netted with a cheaper deal.
Dunn more than makes up for his low batting average (career .247) and high strikeout rate (at least 120 K's in every full year of his career) with his phenomenal home runs and ability to get on-base.
Dunn has hit at least 40 homers in the past six straight seasons. He has gotten on base at a .385 clip in five of those seasons.
Going into spring training the Mets will have Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis splitting time in left field. Some Mets fans are uneasy with this tandem but I'm perfectly fine with it.
Last season, Murphy and Tatis combined to hit .302 with 13 homers and 64 RBI in 404 at bats.
Murphy has already arrived at the Mets Spring Training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He has been working out alongside David Wright, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, Nick Evans, and others.
According to Bart Hubbuch from the New York Post, Murphy impressed in sprints this morning, beating his teammates. Hubbuch also said that Murphy is in great shape and seems to be ready for the season to start now.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Mets Interested in Bobby Abreu?
Outfielder Bobby Abreu has yet to receive any enticing contract offers. While the Mets are no longer looking to make any big offseason moves, Abreu's price could fall to $3 million for a one-year deal.
In that case they'd have to look into it. The Angels, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners are other potentially interested teams.
The biggest detriment to signing Abreu would be that he hits left-handed. I don't see this as a problem. In fact, Abreu hit better against lefties (.315) last year than he did against righties (.287)! He even has a career .280 average against southpaws.
Abreu does not have a tremendous amount of power, but his high on-base percentage would certainly be helpful to the Mets lineup. He has a career .405 OBP and would fit nicely in the two-hole hitting between Jose Reyes and David Wright.
Abreu's outfield defense would likely be equal to that of a Tatis/Murphy combination. Abreu will not sacrifice his body like Tatis or Murphy would, but his experience in the outfield would make up for that.
Having Abreu would allow Murphy to spend a year in Triple-A getting used to playing whatever position the Mets feel suits him (outfield or first base). Also, Tatis would be a nice right-handed bat coming off the bench. Cory Sullivan or Jeremy Reed, whomever wins the final outfield job, could spell Abreu in the late innings as a defensive replacement.
Abreu would be a nice fit for the Mets, however, I am perfectly fine with a Murphy/Tatis platoon.
In that case they'd have to look into it. The Angels, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners are other potentially interested teams.
The biggest detriment to signing Abreu would be that he hits left-handed. I don't see this as a problem. In fact, Abreu hit better against lefties (.315) last year than he did against righties (.287)! He even has a career .280 average against southpaws.
Abreu does not have a tremendous amount of power, but his high on-base percentage would certainly be helpful to the Mets lineup. He has a career .405 OBP and would fit nicely in the two-hole hitting between Jose Reyes and David Wright.
Abreu's outfield defense would likely be equal to that of a Tatis/Murphy combination. Abreu will not sacrifice his body like Tatis or Murphy would, but his experience in the outfield would make up for that.
Having Abreu would allow Murphy to spend a year in Triple-A getting used to playing whatever position the Mets feel suits him (outfield or first base). Also, Tatis would be a nice right-handed bat coming off the bench. Cory Sullivan or Jeremy Reed, whomever wins the final outfield job, could spell Abreu in the late innings as a defensive replacement.
Abreu would be a nice fit for the Mets, however, I am perfectly fine with a Murphy/Tatis platoon.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Martinez, Dessens, and Castro
Mets top prospect Fernando Martinez hit a game-winning pinch hit two-run homer on Wednesday night to lift the Dominican Republic over Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series.
However, Martinez will not participate in the remainder of the series. He will fly to New York to be checked by a doctor after experiencing tightness in his elbow. It is not believed to be serious.
In other news, the Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Elmer Dessens to a minor league deal. His last full season in the majors was 2006, when he posted a 4.56 ERA in 62 relief appearances with the Royals and Dodgers. He almost certainly won't make the big league club out of spring training but he'll be there in Triple-A in case he's needed.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are trying to trade backup catcher Ramon Castro. He is due to be paid $2.8 million dollars this season. The Mets would like to free up that money, especially because they think Robinson Cancel can handle the backup duties just as well.
However, Martinez will not participate in the remainder of the series. He will fly to New York to be checked by a doctor after experiencing tightness in his elbow. It is not believed to be serious.
In other news, the Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Elmer Dessens to a minor league deal. His last full season in the majors was 2006, when he posted a 4.56 ERA in 62 relief appearances with the Royals and Dodgers. He almost certainly won't make the big league club out of spring training but he'll be there in Triple-A in case he's needed.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are trying to trade backup catcher Ramon Castro. He is due to be paid $2.8 million dollars this season. The Mets would like to free up that money, especially because they think Robinson Cancel can handle the backup duties just as well.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Minaya Did the Right Thing Avoiding Sheets
With the recent signing of Oliver Perez all the clamor among Mets fans has been about how the team hasn't changed since last year. Many fans (myself included) were calling for Ben Sheets to be the guy to fill out the Mets rotation.
Well, it turns out Omar Minaya knew something the fans didn't (as usual).
It was reported by MLB.com that Sheets will most likely need surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow.
The Rangers and Sheets were apparently very close on a two-year deal but a physical stopped the deal when the torn tendon was revealed. The Brewers will likely have to pay for Sheets to have the surgery since he was employed by them when he was injured.
Sheets is still on the open market, so a team could possibly sign him to a two-year deal and allow him to rehab.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Oliver Perez is a Met Again
The New York Post is reporting that the Mets have signed pitcher Oliver Perez to a three-year deal worth $36 million.
I'd have to to say the Mets have won this battle with Scott Boras. The original offer from the Mets was three years, $30 million, so they only had to come up $2 million per year. The biggest part is the length of the contract. Boras and Perez were asking for five years at the beginning of the offseason. The Mets got what they wanted with only three years and didn't even have to include an option.
The Mets can now go into spring training in two weeks with a good rotation that will consist of Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, John Maine, and either Tim Redding, Freddy Garcia, or Jon Niese.
Some Mets fans feel this offseason has left something to be desired. Maybe Omar's not done yet, we'll see. Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf are still on the market as well as several high profile outfielders.
I'd have to to say the Mets have won this battle with Scott Boras. The original offer from the Mets was three years, $30 million, so they only had to come up $2 million per year. The biggest part is the length of the contract. Boras and Perez were asking for five years at the beginning of the offseason. The Mets got what they wanted with only three years and didn't even have to include an option.
The Mets can now go into spring training in two weeks with a good rotation that will consist of Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, John Maine, and either Tim Redding, Freddy Garcia, or Jon Niese.
Some Mets fans feel this offseason has left something to be desired. Maybe Omar's not done yet, we'll see. Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf are still on the market as well as several high profile outfielders.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Three Pitchers, Outfielder Sign Minor League Contracts with Mets
The Mets signed pitchers Tony Armas Jr., Valerio de los Santos, and Matt DeSalvo to minor league contracts along with outfielder Bobby Kielty.
Armas was with the Mets last season. He made only three appearances in the majors and spent most of his time in Triple-A. He had an excellent season with New Orleans, posting a 2.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. However, he had an ugly 7.56 ERA in 8 1/3 innings with the big league club. He will likely spend 2009 in Triple-A and serve as insurance in case of injuries to the Mets starting rotation.
Kielty struggled in the minors last year. He will compete for a job in spring training, but his numbers are dismal and with the abundance of outfielders in the organization I don't even see him getting a spot on the Triple-A Buffalo roster. He is a right-handed bat in contrast to the three left-handed hitting outfielders the Mets have acquired this offseason (Reed, Sullivan, Mackowiak).
DeSalvo has the biggest upside of the four signees. The 28-year-old right hander with a September 11th birthday has thrown just 29 2/3 major league innings. He has a horrid 7.89 ERA in that small sample but has put up decent minor league numbers. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 starts with Triple-A Scranton in 2007.
De los Santos is that left-handed reliever some fans have been hoping for. It seems that Omar has scooped him up off the scrap heap and will give him a chance in Spring Training and see if he can make the ball club. He has a career 4.57 ERA.
Armas was with the Mets last season. He made only three appearances in the majors and spent most of his time in Triple-A. He had an excellent season with New Orleans, posting a 2.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. However, he had an ugly 7.56 ERA in 8 1/3 innings with the big league club. He will likely spend 2009 in Triple-A and serve as insurance in case of injuries to the Mets starting rotation.
Kielty struggled in the minors last year. He will compete for a job in spring training, but his numbers are dismal and with the abundance of outfielders in the organization I don't even see him getting a spot on the Triple-A Buffalo roster. He is a right-handed bat in contrast to the three left-handed hitting outfielders the Mets have acquired this offseason (Reed, Sullivan, Mackowiak).
DeSalvo has the biggest upside of the four signees. The 28-year-old right hander with a September 11th birthday has thrown just 29 2/3 major league innings. He has a horrid 7.89 ERA in that small sample but has put up decent minor league numbers. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 starts with Triple-A Scranton in 2007.
De los Santos is that left-handed reliever some fans have been hoping for. It seems that Omar has scooped him up off the scrap heap and will give him a chance in Spring Training and see if he can make the ball club. He has a career 4.57 ERA.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Garland Signs With Arizona
According to the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Diamondbacks have signed free agent pitcher Jon Garland to a one-year deal with an option for 2010.
The deal is worth somewhere in the range of $6-8 million dollars. Quite a bargain considering Garland made $12 million last season.
Garland was 14-8 with a 4.90 ERA for the Angels last season. He is not a high-profile pitcher (4.47 career ERA), but is very reliable considering he has made at least 32 starts while throwing at least 190 innings every year since 2002.
You can cross Garland off the Mets list of possibly starting pitchers. Oliver Perez is still the top target, though the Mets have been having talks with Ben Sheets.
Perez doesn't really seem to have any other suitors besides the Mets and maybe the Cardinals. The Yankees are probably (though you never know with them and Boras) out of the running since they re-signed Andy Pettitte, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin has said is not interested in Perez.
Sheets has been talking with the Texas Rangers as well, and they are reportedly going over his medical records once again.
Behind Sheets and Perez is lefty Randy Wolf. If things go right he will not be a Met in 2009.
The deal is worth somewhere in the range of $6-8 million dollars. Quite a bargain considering Garland made $12 million last season.
Garland was 14-8 with a 4.90 ERA for the Angels last season. He is not a high-profile pitcher (4.47 career ERA), but is very reliable considering he has made at least 32 starts while throwing at least 190 innings every year since 2002.
You can cross Garland off the Mets list of possibly starting pitchers. Oliver Perez is still the top target, though the Mets have been having talks with Ben Sheets.
Perez doesn't really seem to have any other suitors besides the Mets and maybe the Cardinals. The Yankees are probably (though you never know with them and Boras) out of the running since they re-signed Andy Pettitte, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin has said is not interested in Perez.
Sheets has been talking with the Texas Rangers as well, and they are reportedly going over his medical records once again.
Behind Sheets and Perez is lefty Randy Wolf. If things go right he will not be a Met in 2009.
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