Spring Training Captions

Wally, perhaps you could play second 

Spring Training Game 1

Its awesome to see the Mets back in action.

I can imagine this lineup (minus Castillo and F-Mart) as the opening day line up.
 
Swinging on 3-0 ... put McCann on his ass!

Wow  21 minutes into the game and F-Mart hasn't injured himself yet.

So Psyched

Jose Reyes shirt √
DVR set √
Getting ready for the first taste of spring √

I know it doesn't count but let's go out there and scalp them Braves!

Your 2011 Mets - Part 2 – Hu’s on Second … or Emaus … or Murphy … or God forbid Luis Castillo

It’s a really rainy day here in New York and I’m working form home. Well I was this morning, now I’m taking a personal day.  So I went over to Metsblog.com and was watching some footage from SNY on Brad Emaus. He looked pretty slick out there. Its funny how they make a point of showing him catch a routine fly ball.

I think Second base is going to be an intriguing choice for Terry Collins.  I think you have three legitimate candidates.

Lets start with the incumbent … Luis Castillo who was the regular second baseman yesterday is a solid fielder (despite the image above) and when healthy is a valuable asset at the top of the lineup behind Jose Reyes. He is a patient contact hitter who can work the count allowing Reyes to get himself to second and then move him over to third giving the Mets a good chance to score. But he along with Oliver Perez became the face of everything that is wrong with the franchise.  I’m pretty sure he invested a chunk of that huge contract Omar gave him with Bernie Madoff.

Next we will look at the man without a position. Daniel Murphy. He can hit, and had he not gotten injured at the beginning of last year, perhaps he is the Mets starting first baseman right now. What he lacks in experience he makes up with determination. HE paled second base in the AFL and in the Dominican this off-season and hopefully he can get some extra instruction from two of the Mets minor league managers who happened to have won rings with the Mets while platooning at second. And with the plan of having Pagan hit after Reyes at the top of the line up, Murphy slots in better in the seven hole. 

Lastly we have Brad Emaus who admittedly I know very little about, other than watching that video.  From what I read he is a good hitter (albeit he hasn’t played in the majors yet) and a good fielder. Not as good a hitter as Murphy not as good a fielder as Castillo. Hopefully he plays this weekend in one of the games the Mets play this weekend, and I can get a fuller look.

Chin-lung Hu, and Reben Tejada are on the outside of the competition looking in. 

Listen to the Mets on February 26th and 27th (both against the Braves) at 1pm on WFAN.

David Wright and the Ultra Grip Gel

I have been to CVS a bunch in the last few days, getting prescriptions for my son and my self, and I keep hearing ads for Mission Skin care (why am I hearing ads in a store).  And one of the endorsers along side Steve Nash and Serena Williams is none other than David Wright. 

"Playing over 160 games a season and training year round, I am always looking for skincare products that will perform in extreme heat and sun. I am excited to help MISSION develop innovative skincare solutions for everyone with an active lifestyle." ~ David Wright

This stuff, which is really over priced claims to be "Developed and tested by the World's greatest athletes". Do you consider a pro-skateboarder, a softball player, or Sergio Garcia the world greatest athletes? I am not sure I do.

On the website they talk about the athletes favorite product. It lists the ultra grip gel as one of Wright’s favorites. Seriously. Haven’t we been through enough? David perhaps you can do a commercial with lots of double entendres to redirect taunts away from A-Rod.  Can the fan-base really take another hit? Do we deserve this?

This Day In Keith Hernandez History

The Boyfriend" is a two part episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, guest starring Keith Hernandez. Jerry Seinfeld says it is his favorite episode. It aired on February 19, 1992.

Caption a photo from Spring Training

"If Fred Wilpon walked by here I would punch that old man right in the face."

Pitchers and Catchers Eve!!

Summer of '86: The Rise and Fall of the World Champion Mets (MSG network March 1-4)

I saw an ad for a documentary about the 1986 Mets. It will be a few days after the first spring training games on WFAN and SNY. I can't wait to watch it. It will be nice seeing guys in Mets jersey's winning games.

_________________________________

Check out the February 13th Happy Recap Podcast. It is awesome. And I was standing and applauding at EJ's rant on the disgrace of how the Mets have issued the number 17 since Keith Hernandez's leaving in 1989. Put it on the wall! But if that were the case I would need a new Happy Recap screen name.

My current shortlist:

• ReSign#7
• SenorMet

_________________________________

Finally Pitchers and Catchers report tomorrow! Yay!

_________________________________

Ate some Mets cookies that have been sitting in my desk for a while. A little stale but ok none the less. 

What the heck!!!

Phillies and Yankees fans were right? The Mets are less than worthless!

Your 2011 Mets - Part 1 - Angel Pagan

I wrote an article a few years ago for Seven Train to Shea about Angel Pagan ... and I just can't find it anywhere. I don't remember what I thought about Angel two years ago. I know what I think about him now. I am pretty sure he is not a legitimate major leaguer ... perhaps a AAAA player. Yes he had a good year in 2010 .290/11 hr/69 rbi ... actually 11 hr and 69 rbi is not that impressive.  He was better in the outfield and didn't make all the mental mistakes he had as a part time player.

Pagan will probably hit second behind Jose Reyes, but I personally like him down the lineup better. He isn't a very patient hitter and not the ideal contact hitter to help move along Jose Reyes. I understand having him bat after Reyes, since they are both speedsters. But I like the idea of having a second leadoff batter down the line up, perhaps sixth. Here's to me being wrong about Angel.

As of August, 2010 Pagan has had over 1,150 plate appearances without being hit by a pitch. Take one for the team dude!

This Day in Keith Hernandez History

Keith Hernandez was punched in the face by Darryl Starwberry while taking the official team photo during spring training.

Groundhog's day

I don't care what that Rat said ... spring starts in exactly 2 weeks when Pitchers and Catchers report to Port St. Lucie.

Spring ... sooner than you think

“People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”

—Rogers Hornsby

I don't care what that rat in Pennsylvania says ... Spring starts on February 16th. 

Total Betrayal

Today I feel betrayed by the New York Mets. In particular the criminals who were complicit in one of the largest ponzi schemes ever perpetrated. That is right, if you made money in this scheme you were in on it. Now the victims are suing the Mets owners and surprise the Mets on the field are going to suffer.  Screw the Mets on the field … the fans in the ball park (those who bother going) and the ones watching SNY or listening to WFAN those are the people who are suffering.

We were all promised that the Madoff thing would not affect the team. But it has. Chris Young is our big off-season acquisition? REALLY? They can’t eat the contracts of malcontents like Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo? ARE YOU SERIOUS?  And to top it off you cant read an article about the Mets these days without a mention of how Jose Reyes’ days in Flushing are numbered.  ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!  So if Reyes has a big season, by the all-star break he will be wearing another uniform. The other scenario is Reyes has a big season; the Mets are on the fringes of the pennant race (they won’t add any pieces though) they miss the playoffs again. Reyes signs a huge contract to hit leadoff in Boston next season.  I remember when I dreamt of a line-up with Reyes and Carl Crawford at the top.  Boston fans can now have that dream.  By the way you can swap out the name Carlos Beltran for Jose Reyes also.

What are the 2011 Mets going to look like in August? Mired in fourth place (if they are lucky). Playing infront of an empty stadium.  Low ratings on SNY. And the circle continues.

“We can’t spend more until we bring in more revenue. We can’t bring in any more revenue since no one is watching our channel or coming to the ball park.”

Lineup August 1^st

SS – Ruben Tejada

CF – Angel Pagan

3B – David Wright

LF – Jason Bay

1B – Ike Davis

C – Josh Thole

RF – Duda

2B – Hu

Seriously how much better does that lineup look with Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran? But what do I know.

Maybe my disillusionment will melt away like all this snow once pitchers and catcher repiort and that first spring training game is  played.