Spring Training 2009

You don't think the Mets are good enough to even be considered challengers?

 

Maybe challengers if everything goes right for them. The Phillies are better at the positions with the exceptions of third base, center field and catcher. I can't see Delgado matching last year's production. They should have picked up Manny. A lot will hinge on whether Pelfrey takes another big step up, which is possible. He improved a lot last season. Both have strong, deep pens.

 

Isn't the plan for Wieters to spend half the season in Triple-A?

I'd pick David Price in that case, even assuming the Rays will stash him on the DL for a month.

 

I think what gets lost in the Mets' two collapses is that even with all their September problems and their bad bullpen and their injuries (no Maine or Wagner down the stretch killed them), they still only lost the division by an eyelash both times. The lineup and rotation compared to the Phillies seems more or less a wash, but the Phils shouldn't have anywhere near as a big an advantage in the bullpen this year. To me, the division is a coin flip.

 

Yeah, I just read MacPhail's comments about him only having 200 double-A at-bats. That would change things. The stat geeks say he already projects as one of the top catchers in baseball this year, so I don't know what else he has to prove.

The question mark people like to toss out is his pitch-calling ability (because it was done for him at Georgia Tech), but I had a pretty long conversation with him earlier this winter and he told me he's always loved that part of the game and that he's confident in his ability. I still don't rule out the possibility of him forcing his way into the starting role over Zaun. He is the O's best catcher.

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Here are BB Prospectus' Top 10 prospects:

1. Matt Wieters, C, Orioles
2. David Price, LHP, Rays
3. Madison Bumgarner, LHP, Giants
4. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pirates
5. Travis Snider, OF, Blue Jays
6. Neftali Feliz, RHP, Rangers
7. Rick Porcello, RHP, Tigers
8. Colby Rasmus, OF, Cardinals
9. Buster Posey, C, Giants
10. Jason Heyward, OF, Braves

 

I feel bad for the O's, being stuck in the AL East and with a horseshit owner. MacPhail's made a couple nice moves this winter. I wouldn't be floored if they edged out the Jays this year for fourth.

 

What the fuck is Omar Minaya doing?

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/02/14/2009-02-14_mets_sign_veteran_livan_hernandez_to_com.html


Sign more back end of the rotation shit but he won't even talk to Pedro, who has said a hundred times he wants to come back to the Mets because he feels he owes them more than he gave them.

 

I'll say this for Livan: He's a horse who always eats up innings for you -- always good for about 200 innings if you let him keep going out there and, somehow, he usually wins more games than he loses. But he gives up an awful lot of hits and runs. Omar has a weakness for these types of pitchers.

 

Any idea where Lars Anderson lands on that list?

 

If the Mets have to resort to Livan, God help them.

 

He gives them one more option for the fifth starter role. I'd guess their preferred order of contestants is probably Freddy Garcia, Livan Hernandez, Tim Redding and Jon Niese. Redding is likely takes long reliever role, Niese goes back to minors. Hernandez can bide time at Buffalo until he's needed and, let's face it, someone is going to get hurt before the season is done.