The calender has turned a page, it is March & another season of the greatest game is near. As of today spring training baseball gets underway, the Cactus & Grapefruit leagues get off, time to round into playing shape, opening day is a month away. Time to find out what we have to work with, time to see if we can find any diamonds who can surprise us & win a spot on the opening day roster. This is what spring training is all about, & for our local NY teams the high expectation are as usual. Big things were expected from the Mets last season who were picked to win the NL, but this year those expectations have been lowered. Some experts have the Mets coming in 4th place this year, and that's ok. Everyone knows that this year the Phillie's are the clear favorite to win the NL, so don't expect much from the Mets they say.As for the NY Yankees, the plan is as always, win a championship, & with the type of team that they will be running out on the field, that championship could be as real as a repeat. The Yankees should be much more at ease this year, they are coming off of a championship 2009 & the core will be back for another run. There will be a few clutch performers who won't be around this year, but when all is said & done, the Yankees should be right there where they expect to be, in the playoffs. In the AL it should be them & the Boston Red Sox who will be representing come playoffs time. Both teams have arguably the best starting rotation in all of baseball, & that is what wins games. Which pitching staff would you like to have? Sabathia, Burnett, Petttite & Vasquez or Beckett, Lester, Lackey & Dice K? When you can run 4 guys like that you should win some games.
The Yanks will be using spring training to find a clear cut winners in a couple of positions, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlian will go at it for the #5 starter slot, while the starting LF position seems to be unclear with whom will claim a larger role, Randy Winn & Brett Gardner are in the mix in what is looking like a platoon situation. After that all the Yankees have left to figure out is who will fill in that 8th inning role who will obviously come from the loser between Joba & Hughes. This year there is no more Melky Cabrerra, no more Godzilla, no more Johnny D, the Yanks will try to fill in those voids with Curtis, Winn & Nick, & all I'm saying is the Yanks lost a little clutch.
As for the Mets who are not expected to win no more then 82 games, a surprise of a season is all I am looking for from the Amazings. The expectations have been lowered but I know that Met fans still wanna believe that this is the year, and why not, no one was around in 2009, so if they can stay healthy, the Mets may actually surprise us with a Wildcard. It's not like the NY Mets are the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Kansas City Royals, the Mets have talent & they need to give the suffering fanbase something that they can get behind on.
The problem for the Mets is who will step it up after Johan Santana? The Mets are banking on a few comebacks from a few arms who in past seasons have showed promise. Mike Pelphey, Ollie Perez & John Maine are the guys the Mets are counting on a comeback, someone needs to step it up, at least 2 arms must comeback to relevance, maybe we can get a surprise from a Jonathan Niese, but somebody needs to pitch like a 2 & 3.
The Mets have room for improvement but how many more games can they win? 82 wins wont cut it, they will need at least 90 wins to compete but that is 20 more wins then they had last season. Still these are the Amazings and anything is possible in baseball. It wont be easy because the pressure will be on the Mets to finally show and prove, Omar Minaya & Jerry Manuel will need to see some success from their players or we will see some changes.
The microscope will be on the Mets more so then on the Yankees, they are the drama, the losers, the team that can't seem to do anything right. Too much negativity from the past 3 seasons has warped the perception on the Mets. You here it in the airwaves, you read about it in the papers, the team doctors cannot be trusted, the GM, the bad karma is every where & it was on full display in 2009. But this is 2010, time to look ahead and forget that 2009 ever existed, time to get ready for another season.
35 comments:
Hey Freddie, that picture that you got there of Wright, where'd u get it? Please tell me that isn't the Mets slogan this year. Fight the good fight? I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it isn't.
No I got that pic somewhere from the internet from some company who makes t-shirts, they had some Yankee ones too.
So not a good fight?
Fight the good fight is just not a good slogan. It makes it sound like they are going against everyone to do what no one wants to do. It's not like they are spreading religion here. I refuse to think it's their slogan.
Well like I said that is not the official slogan, & that it was one of those t-shirt makers who use characters, icons, sports teams to send some kind of a message, in this case they are using the Mets who have had a tough time of late to kind of say keep fighting.
That's all I see here, not any rebellion or religious message.
Here r some fake slogans I found:
“Mets.com, where we display players who will immediately regret their offseason decisions to come here proudly."
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"We Believe?"
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"NY Mets: Champtions of Winter 2009”
“Come see the Metz at Citi Before Jason Needs an MRI”
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“Deluding ourselves since 1962.”
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"2010 Mets: We don't know what the hell we're doing either"
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"2010 Mets: missing Anna Benson since 2006"
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"2010 Mets: Now featuring Jose Offerman as Mr. Met."
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"2010 Los Mets: Now with more white people"
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"2010 Mets: At least we're not the Royals"
The Mets should go with some of those.
Alright I'm throwing down the gauntlet here, lets bring the salary cap discussion to this blog!
Hahaha I have to say I got the most chuckle from...
Los Mets, now with more white people.
Go ahead Ray, talk about that salary cap, I will listen in.
How worry should I be about Jose Reyes?
If he's got a thyroid issue? Very worried. If they caught it early it can be controlled. If not, he could always feel sluggish unless he's tightly medicated. Thyroids a bitch, I know.
I think the juice is catching up to Reyes. Hamstring problems and now this. Sounds fishy.
As for the salary cap issue, I'm happy to say that Freddy finally, although very begrudgingly admitted that the Mets are part of the problem of out of control salaries in MLB.
Well if this goes down as something more serious then not, it could be a long season for the Mets.
And after reading more into this, I think Ray may be right with the steroids speculations, I sure won't be surprise of any Dominican taking steroids.
We will see in a few days when more test results come back & thing will be more clear. In a way I kind of feel Reyes would be better off if they found it to be steriods instead of thyroids, I seen players come back from steroids, but with thyroids & the energy lost that it gives you, it just don't sound to good.
As for the Salary cap issue, it wasn't that I was saying that the Mets weren't part of the problem, my beef was that you sounded like you wanted to put the Mets right there, right next to the Yankees. The reality is that the real reason that people even talk & want the CAP is because of the Yankees. Begrudgingly nothing, Yea the Yanks & Mets are 1 & 2 in teams salaries, but are they within striking distance of each other? if they were within $10 million of each other then you have a beef.
Ok, so Fred and I have been going back and forth for the last couple of days on the salary cap issue. Freddy is blaming the big, bad, evil Yankees for all of baseball problems. His stance is basically that the Yankees and ONLY the Yankees will outspend any team for players and therefore that is how they win. Now, while there is some validity to his argument, yes the Yankees spend more than anyone else Mr. Vargas tends to overlook that his favorite team the Mets are 2nd in payroll and in some warped point of view blames the Yankees for the Mets spending money on players. His other argument is that the teams that trail the Mets in salary are within "striking" distance of the Mets and that the Mets are not within "striking" distance of the Yankees in salary. So I ask this, what exactly is "striking" distance? Who made this "striking" distance scale? Where can I find it?
You make it sound like I'm the only one who is blaming the Yankee and stand alone on that. I haven't herd anyone bring in the Mets into this discussion except Yankees fans who are tired of hering their beloved Yankees being blamed for the who discussion at hand.
You say that my stance is basically that the Yankees & only the Yankees will outspend any team for players when you're the one who is saying that. The Mets & many other teams can spend for players just like the Yankees, that's why they are in 2nd and like you say are part of the problem, to a fault yes, but like I like to say because they have to.
Listen you don't have to agree with me it's all cool because it is just my opinion, but at least I don't try to take your statements out of context.
So you think that being over $50 million dollars ahead of the next team is within striking distance? And do you really need a scale to tell you that this is a bit off?
Look at it this way, let's ignore the Yanks and say the Mets were leading the pack in salary, you know how many more teams you will have to past before you get that $50 million dollar separation? and if you go by the 2009 teams salary chart were talking about the Yankees being $65 million ahead of the next team the Mets. WOW! talk about warped.
Although there is validity to the Mets being part of the problem, no one is talking about them but you & other Yankee fans.
Lets have a salary cap and see who really gets hurt on this, may never come to realization, but I sure would like to see it happen, wouldn't you? probably not.
I wouldn't mind a salary cap because I know the Yankees would be good regardless. The Mets suck donkey balls with our without a cap so it wouldn't make a difference.
All kidding aside I think a salary cap would be good. I think it would make baseball more interesting because all the teams would have a legit shot at winning and of signing players as opposed to now where if there is a big free agent you know that he'll end up with one of the usual suspects.
On the other hand, a salary cap doesn't mean anything. I mean when you look at other sports that have a cap, the teams that win are the teams that draft well and are managed well. The cap for the most part doesn't have anything to do with it. So I guess you can make arguments on both sides of the matter. I don't think we'll ever see a cap in baseball, unless a team or 2 gets shut down.
I like to see that happen and see how good the Yankee will be as far as getting into the playoffs every year without a cap.
You think things will be the same for the Yankees once they max out and can do anything about it?
like to see that.
Freddy, you know we love fucking with you and all but Ray makes a good point. It's not the difference in money that seperated the Mets and Yankees. You can give what you think is a warped 50-60 million dollars more to the Mets and they will still have a losing product. They can over pay players with the best of them, it doesn't mean they are putting a winning product on the field. The Mets have been doing this for yrs. The Yankees have had a winning team on the field through the decade that just passed regardless of the injuries. I remember, I think it was five yrs ago, that the Yankees had the most starting pitchers ever used in a MLB season EVER. Guess what? Still made the playoffs in the toughest division.
So take your extra 50 or take an extra 100. You can't buy cohesiveness or chemistry. The Yankees spent about six yrs finding that out the hard way.
Striking distance. I'd say they and the rest if the league are there. Don't be fooled by the numbers. The players still have to perform at top level. You know what Frankie says, "if I can make it there, I can make it anywhere." New York players who thrive are of a different calibur than the rest if the playing field. But if the Mets can't evaluate talent, what good is another 100 mil gonna do? Look in the mirror.
I love how you say that you'd like to see it. Look at other sports. You see it all the time. You can not deny the facts. I think BASKETBALL is a PRIME example.
That's a great point Danny. I'll give you the best example of a team being dominant in a non-salary cap system and a salary cap system. The Detroit Red Wings, I went back to 1996-97 they won the cup, won it again in 98, finished 1st in there division the next 2 out of 3 seasons, won the cup again, finished 1st the next 2 seasons after that. All of this was during the uncapped years of the NHL. Then came the salary cap where teams had to cut players and reduce payroll to get under the cap and a lot of people thought that it would be the end of that great run for the Wings. First year back they finished 1st, 2nd year another first place finish, 3rd year they win the cup and 4th year they lose the cup in 7 games. So salary cap or no salary cap they put up results because they are arguably the best run franchise in pro-sports who draft incredibly well and have great player management. Going by what we have seen from the Mets you can give them another 40 mil to spend and they would manage to mess that up as well because they have shown time and time again that they are not a well run organization. Imagine how great teams like the Twins, Marlins or Rays would be if they had the Mets payroll?
To piggy back on the last thing Ray said, the Rays drafted well for a long time because they sucked for a long time. They did a lot of things right in that respect. BUT, they are not immune from retardness - ala Pat Burrell. I could be wrong but they are paying this guy like ten million dollars this year. 10 MILLION DOLLARS. This is the same guy who barely logged in 400 AB's, couldn't get 100 hits, or 15 HR's, or 65 RBI's. He couldn't even bat .222. He could however strike out over a hundred times. So don't think the Rays don't have their off moments too. I think someone like Melky Cabrera or Robinson Cano would love to get 10 a yr.
Yes, every team does have a dud like Burrell but when you look at the Rays overall they tend to be right more than they are wrong. Again, it all comes down to management. Oh, Cano is making 9 mil.
Well he deserves 10 then.
Yes, yes he does.
BLA BLA BLA
This topic is a useless discussion.
The Mets suck, the NHL & the NBA, Melky & Cano deserve $10 million, who cares.
Hopefully one day a salary cap is in place just like in all the others North American sports leagues.
It's useless unless it is up to your unfactual standards.
I see how it is.
Danny 1 simple question, are you in favor of a salary cap? and if no, why not?
Fred, question for you. Why do you think if there were a cap the Yankees would be maxed out and wouldnt be able to win?
Sure. It MIGHT help the fans but probably not. They'll find new and innovative ways to squeeze you.
It WILL NOT change the outcome of games. If an organization does drafting and teaching fundamentals correctly, it won't matter. Look at the Twins and Marlins for example.
So if I said no, it would be because if I were a ball player, I want to get paid on par with what everyone else in my level was doing. Don't blame me for being a good player.
Don't cry for a fucking cap when your team is the second biggest spender. You have all the advantages in the universe being in the money capital of the world. Get yourself some serious and legitimate leadership and we'll see you in the WS.
My team is the biggest spender out there and I wouldn't mind a cap because I have faith in that the Yankees would just adjust to it and keep right on winning. Now, if I were say a Met fan I wouldn't feel so confident because the Mets management has left a lot to be desired over the years. They have proven that they can't win spending freely I would shudder to think what they would do with a cap.
I'd go for a cap as long as they put a ceiling on salaries as well so crooked teams like the Marlins and Pirates would be forced to actually spend money on there teams and not just pocket the revenue sharing.
So Fred what would you put the cap at? Let me guess....somewhere in the 135 million range?
Hee hee. That last thing was funny.
I give you a simple question & this is what I get? more Mets bashing, as if this was about the Mets, talk about hate & dancing around the issue, at least I don't hide my hate for the Yankees but you guys like to say oh we don't care what the Mets do, oh really, reading all this makes me wonder.
Look I know I like to use the Yankees as an example on why I would like a cap, but me using the Yankees is more legit then you guys using the Mets to make your point on this topic & then going on & on with the Mets bashing, it is just too funny.
Ray said he would not mind having a cap because he has faith in his Yankees, but then he chimes in by saying oh but if I was a Mets fan... it's so funny.
Look I want a cap, Ray said he would not mind a cap, & Danny said if he was a player that he would not want a cap, talk about dancing around the question, why don't you just say you don't want it, it's a yes or no dude. Are you afraid that your Yankees won't be able to throw money around anymore like they really known for doing? no more $20 millions for Roger Clemens for a half a season, no more Kei Igawa money, time to draft buddy, Ray was saying to me last week oh we win cause we have a core, cause we know how to draft, Jeter, Mo, Pettite, how old is that core already? I think it's going on 15 years or so and all you have in that almost 15 years span is Cano, Hughes, Joba, nice drafting, the Yanks are as good as the Mets.
You guys are so warped that you believe your team has such a great system, I mean do you really believe that? You think that once the Jeter & Rivera are no more that there will be gems to step right in and keep that Yankee tradition going? You better hope there is no cap installed.
You guys seem to forget that the only reason you guys were able to have that core that won you all those WS was because Steinbrenner was banned & the Yankees were force to do things the right way for a while, thx to guys like Gene Michaels.
Ray I did say that if their were a cap that the Yankees would not be able to win, but all I meant by that was that it would just make it harder for them to win, no more quick fixes. Oh and if they had a cap, I would put the limit somewhere around $120, but I already told you that last week, but I know, you wanted to make another Met joke, & that you & Danny are only fucking with me and it's all good.
Danny my team is 2nd in the league in spending & I want a fucking cap, but you don't and I wonder why.
The 2 of you are so funny, you make a good tandem.
Wow I don't even know where to begin with that timeless rant of yours. I will say one thing. I gave my reply, you just chose to ignore it like everything that isn't written by you. The first word I said was 'sure' in reference to the cap. For the dumb of reading, that means yes to the cap. I gave my player perspective as a no. Unlike you I can toss the coin, and look at both sides. Pay attention so I don't have to call you dumb. I hate resorting to that because it makes me look bad in making you look stupid.
All I have to say about your reference to the core is signing of key free agents and marvelous trades. The Broscious' and the O'Neills and the Swishs, the Matsui's ... don't be jealous. I can keep going. You seem to forget before making that awful signing of Clemens, In his previous stint, he helped win us two rings. Bringing juice into the equation is futile since he was leveling the playing field.
Keep talking shit. We use the Mets as an example because we don't follow the nationals that closely to comment on them. I like to speak to what i know.
Speaking of knowing, you must be a Yankees fan. Have to be. Ray was joking with me about it today, and I said no way. But it's true. You OBVIOUSLY know more about the yanks than the Mets. Either that or you don't care for the Mets day to day operations. That would make more sense. Who spends so much time talking about a team they abhor instead of talking about not giving Minaya a tenth chance?
Get real.
Change this blog to a Mets only blog and I promise to have a smidge mire respect.
The New York Baseball Scene?
More like The New York Baseball Scene from Queens.
You don't know the Nationals but you sure know the Mets, and you hate them pretty good too.
Whatever dude, it's just to bad we could not do this live instead of in a blog.
I walked into that one, you funny.
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