Oswalt, Barajas, Murphy: Do the Mets Have Options?

Let's tackle this one at a time...

First, Roy Oswalt has formally requested a trade from the Houston Astros, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.  Once this was reported I think every Met fan had the same reaction...go get him.  The problem with this is that the Mets would have to overcome a bunch of road blocks to get this done.  The first roadblock is Oswalt's full no-trade clause, and his preference to be dealt to the Braves, Cardinals or Rangers, according to mlbtraderumors.  The second roadblock would be getting a package together that the Astros would find acceptable for Oswalt, and that won't be easy.  And the third potential roadblock is Oswalt's contract.  If the Mets have been so hesistant to drop Cashstealo, GMJ, and Perez...what would let anyone believe they would be willing (or even able) to pick up a contract that would include $16 million next season.  From a talent standpoint, and a need standpoint, this is a no-brainer for the Mets.  If Oswalt is willing to come to NY, and the Mets can make the deal without giving up Davis or Mejia, and the team is able to pick up the contract then there is no reason they shouldn't jump on this opportunity.  But that is a whole lot of if's...

In an article by T.J. Sullivan and Chris Cox for MLB.com, the Rangers are looking at Rod Barajas as a possible deadline addition.  The big issue with that is that the Mets would have to be sellers, which I don't think would happen until the possible moment, if it happens at all.  Although, I do like the idea of getting something at the deadline for Barajas, should they fall completely out of it...

And now on the Daniel Murphy front, Metsblog reported here, that he went 2-3 with a homer in his rehab start for St. Lucie.  Murphy was playing first base.  I don't know if this is because the Mets are going to try to use him as trade bait or if it's because they don't want to try him out at second base just yet...but I hope they consider using him at second, or find a place where he can play because I think Murphy has more value than people think.

Interesting stuff...

Mets Trying To Move Cashstealo?

I thought I was hallucinating when I saw this story on metsblog, and then read the original on FOXSports.com, but apparently the Mets see what everyone else sees and seem willing to move Luis Cashstealo...

In the FOXSports article, Ken Rosenthal points out that the Rockies may not be satisfied with Melvin Mora as their back-up at second base, and adds "A team such as the Rockies likely would require the Mets to pay almost all of that money in any deal. But the Mets could be motivated to move Castillo for another reason as well: A desire to playDaniel Murphy at second base."


Here's what I say...


DO IT NOW!  Look, I know Cashstealo hasn't been the problem this year (as much as other things), but that is EXACTLY why they need to deal him while they can.  Even if they need to pay most of the contract they should do it.  This would be addition by subtraction, as Cashstealo has been a black cloud over this organization since his arrival, which coincided with the 2007 and 2008 late season collapses as well as last year's horror.  On a more serious note, he looks old, isn't as fast as he used to be, and almost never hits the ball out of the infield (especially for the left side).  Cashstealo has been less than adequate overall and if another team is willing to take him, then the Mets should jump on it...now.  And if they do, Murphy, Cora and even Tatis (not my favorite option) take the reigns.  


Interestingly enough, as a first baseman Murphy doesn't have enough power, but as a second baseman he would become more than passable...right?  So, in my estimation if the Mets can move Cashtealo it would really make the team better, and would continue to allow them to get younger and give Murphy a chance to fit in with this team...

Bad Weekend Got Me Thinking...

After a disastrous weekend I got to thinking...

-The Mets as currently constructed will probably hover around .500 all year.

-The feeling I get from watching the moves the organization has made is that they really are committed to making this year a "cheaper" year.  There are moves that can be made that will make the team better, but these moves aren't being made because they cost money and admission of mistakes.  I'm not saying drop Perez, because even I'll admit that may be too much money to eat (and part of me thinks he still has value), but GMJ and the second baseman should be shown the door.  There is something to be said for addition by subtraction.  This isn't the NBA and bad contracts can't just be swapped for cap relief.  So really the only thing keeping the Mets from making themselves better is...well...themselves.

-What I'd do is bite the bullet on the secondbaseman, give dealing him one last try, and be willing to pay whatever you need to in order to get that done.  If that doesn't work, be prepared to drop him.  He looks old and slow, which is a dangerous thing for a player who made his career based on his speed and defense.  Tejada can come up and play secondbase, and if they don't feel he's ready for that then let Cora play and find someone for depth until Murphy can man the position.

-Also, get rid of GMJ and bring up Pridie (trade him or release him-I don't care).  He can play centerfield if Pagan gets hurt or needs a day off.  GMJ is no threat off the bench, and isn't really doing much in the field either.  It's just not worth leaving lesser players on this team just because...

-Lastly, please get rid of Manuel.  He's not the manager of the future here, so why are we even trying to make it work with him.  It makes little-to-no sense.  And while we're at it lose Dan Warthen.  He hasn't done anything for this team's pitching.  To be honest, any success the staff has had I attribute more to the catchers than to Warthen.

-Send Mejia down to become a starter.  Something LONG overdue.  The Mets had managed to convince the fans at one point that they were an eighth inning man away from competing.  That's not the case.  Even if it were the case, I still think Feliciano and Igarashi can hold that post down, because to me, they need to be in the lead for the eighth inning pitching to even matter and that isn't the case right now.  As was the case prior to opening day, Mejia is still more valuable to the team as a starter...

Overall, the team will have its ups and downs, but they'll probably hover around the middle.  So commit to something that's good for the franchise, fans and team.  Make moves that show you want to win, and want to move forward.  Don't just sit around and hope things will right themselves, because they might, but not enough to contend.  This team and it's fans deserve to contend.

Don't wait until it's too late.  The Mets should make changes while they're still close enough to contend...

Mets Lose Series, Time To Make This Team Better

Yesterday afternoon the Mets lost their second game of three against the Reds 5-4 (box score), and both games were lost in the same way...walk-off homers. 

Stuff happens.  The team's not going to win every series, but it was especially tough to see them fight back yesterday in the ninth to then lose it in the tenth.  But to me the most important thing to take out of this past road swing is that the team isn't as good as the previous winning streak, and isn't as bad as the way they opened the season. 

This is the same team we've been watching all year and nothing has changed, and there is the problem.  The team still has some glaring weaknesses: manager, bench, second base.  It's becoming frustrating to see the lack of organizational goals with the Mets.  There doesn't seem to be a plan beside waiting things out until Beltran is back, and maybe there should be.

The Mets need to beef up their bench, and the best way to do that is by losing some dead weight.  Despite yesterday's hit Frank Catalanotto is not producing, and Matthews Jr is officially the worst.  With Daniel Murphy apparently slated for triple-A and many other bench options in the minors, I don't understand how GMJ and Cat are still on this team.  Even beyond that, I don't get how Manuel is still playing GMJ.  Why?  Is management forcing Jerry to use GMJ?  He's been horrible this year, and yet he's still getting a start or two a week, which would make sense IF the team was playing 7 games a week.  But they're not.  Their schedule has been pretty kind in regards to days off, and last weeks rain out afforded them two days off.  Jerry needs to put out his best chance to win everyday.  And for some reason it seems like he hasn't always been doing that.

It's time for a change.  Fire Jerry, or switch up the bench, but do something to make this team better.  This isn't a bad ball club, and with a few smart moves this club could be very good.  But these moves need to happen before other teams get hot and leave the Mets in the dust.  The fans deserve better, and the team does too... 

What To Do With Murph...

According to Michael Baron of Metsblog, who forwarded a report from Brian Costa of the Newark Star-Ledger, when Daniel Murphy returns from his knee injury, he won't be returning to Queens.

Brian Costa writes, "Unless Ike Davis is injured or struggles mightily over the next few weeks, the Mets plan to send Murphy to Triple-A when he recovers from a right knee sprain, according to a person familiar with the team’s thinking."  Talk about getting a raw deal....

I have no problem with Murphy losing his job to Davis.  Guys lose their jobs all the time, but what I don't think he should lose his spot on the big ball club... 

Do the Mets still need Frank Catalanotto on this club?  Look, I know he's "versatile", but I would say he's about as useful in the middle infield as Daniel Muprhy would be in the outfield, so what's the point.  Does the team need a third guy who can "handle" the middle infield?  They already have Cora and Tatis on the bench who can handle the positions, and it's not like Cat is needed in the outfield either.  Oh yeah, and he's not hitting either...

So, my question is why Murphy isn't coming up to the big club?  He could easily serve as a left-handed bat off the bench, and would undoubtedly increase the talent level on the team as a whole.  So why not...

I only have one answer and it's some speculation that seems pretty popular, the Mets are sending Murphy down to learn to play second base.  As much as I want Murphy on this club, if he's going to the minors to learn to play second base I won't be upset.  There's something appealing to me to having Murphy hitting second and playing second behind Reyes when Beltran returns later in the season.  That would give the Mets an extremely formidable line-up.  BUT, I don't think this is going to be the case because of the road block that is the current second baseman's contract.  So once again I ask what's the point?

Daniel Murphy, I feel, is a more useful bench player than Cat if only for his abilities at the plate.  So, if Murphy's not coming back to the team, and is going to Triple-A when he recovers, I really hope that it's because he's learning to play second base...because if not, I just don't see the point.

Frenchy Post Game on Extra Base Hits, Murphy and Green

In his interview that aired on SNY post game, Jeff Francoeur made what I thought was a telling comment about how the night went in Philly.  Francoeur's comment was that at one point on the bench the team was joking around that they would fine the first guy to get a single, since everyone else was finding gaps, or the crowd.  

Also on the post game report, Daniel Murphy apparently played 5 innings today and seems to be working his way back to the team.  It would be great to have Murphy back on this team as a real left-handed threat off the bench.  It would be quite an upgrade over Frank Catalanotto and Gary Matthews.

Also, an update was given on Sean Green who seems to be in bad shape with a fracture in his rib.  I guess we won't be seeing him for some time.  I'm pretty sure I'm fine with that... 

Is the Mets Line-Up Better with Jacobs than Murphy?

Although I don't completely agree with the idea of Jerry putting Mike Jacobs as the team's clean-up man on opening day, I do think the Mets line-up is actually better with Jacobs than it is with Murphy.  And here's why...POWER.

Although, in theory, Daniel Murphy is more likely to put a ball in play than Mike Jacobs, Jacobs is more likely to bring the thump.  And after looking at the Mets opening day line-up and realizing that they actually look formiddable from a power standpoint, I noticed that I wouldn't have thought the same with Murphy in the line-up instead of Jacobs.

Jacobs has hit 17 homers or more in all of his four full major league seasons.  Granted, Murphy has a smaller sample size, his career high was only 12 last season and doesn't quite have the presence at the dish that Jacobs does.  Overall, I think it's fair to assume that Murphy's max is around 20 homers, which although would be a nice number for him to hit, is all projection.  Mike Jacobs has ACTUALLY hit 20 homers before.  In fact, Jacobs has hit over 20 twice in his four years of MLB service, with his high being in 2008 with the Marlins when he hit 32.  Not to overstate the obvious here, but that's a pretty big number.  And with Jacobs in that opening day line-up, the Mets have a line-up from 3-8 where every player is capable of hitting 20 homers, with the only potential stretch being Barajas who's career high was 19 last season.

So, while I do feel Murphy is a superior defender, with a higher batting average and might be the best first baseman for them in the long run.  Right now, while Reyes and Beltran are out, I like the idea that teams may fear the Mets line-up because one mistake to anyone from 3-8 in the order could be immediate runs.  That's something the Mets didn't have last season, and if you throw in Reyes and Beltran, it only gets scarier...

My Reaction to Omar on WFAN

Earlier today, Omar Minaya was a guest of Mike Francessa's on WFAN.  In this interview, which Matt Cerrone did a recap of here, Omar talked about a few of the burning questions as we head toward opening day, and the final roster cuts.

The first thing I want to talk about is Omar being willing to go with what he has at first base in Murphy's absence.  This means, to me, that Jacobs will be the guy and Tatis will be the back-up, unless Chris Carter makes the team, which Cerrone seems to feel won't happen (I agree).  I hope that's not the case but tend to agree that Catalanotto will probably fill the last bench spot. 

Okay, so I have no real problem going with Jacobs over Carter or Davis, mainly because I don't think Davis is ready and Carter isn't a full-time first baseman.  What I do have a problem with is this feeling that Catalanotto will make the bench over Carter.  I think Carter is a better hitter, and is almost as versatile as Catalanotto in the field, but not as good a fielder overall.  However, I think the logic that the Mets needed a lefty power bat off the bench should not have changed when Murphy went down.  Don't they still need a lefty power bat off the bench?  It's pretty obvious that Carter has more power of the two bench-bat options.

And the thing that bothers me the most is this idea that because people don't have options they will make the team.  I thought the Mets would want to put the most talent out on the field, not just make sure they don't lose guys on minor league deals just because of a fear of depth.  I guess that's just me...

And as far as the line-up without Murphy, I think the team now has more pop at first base.  It's just funny to me how the same people wondering why we had Murphy at the top of the depth chart are now the same complaining about the line-up without him.  It just makes no sense to me...

Another thing that I want to talk about is Omar's breakdown of the bullpen, as not having one set-up man.  I think this is more Omar staying behind Manuel because all we (bloggers and media) do is jump all over them when they're not on the same page.  I would have to assume that we're looking at either Mejia or Feliciano as the primary set-up guys.  If this isn't the case then Mejia should be at Binghamton learning to become a starter, anything less than that is a waste of this kid's talent.  I still think that at the end of the day Pedro Feliciano will be the one doing most of the heavy lifting in the eighth inning.

The last thing I want to touch on is Omar saying that Tejada will play, should he make the team.  I like that a lot, but when we they find time?  With Reyes returning 5 games into the season, I really don't see when Tejada gets any playing time.  Maybe this means that Catalanotto and Carter will make the team to start, and Cat will be the back-up at second for the first 5 games.  I know that's a risk, but a move can always be made if something happens to Cora or Castillo.  I also like the feeling that Tejada will be the second baseman of the future.  Well he's hit so far this spring, and can definitely work on his fielding, but regardless he looks good.

I'm just getting  tired of talking about the make-up of the team here.  Let's just get to it and play a game already...

Adam Rubin Dropping Bombs, My Take

Well, I wouldn't exactly call them bombs...But...

Adam Rubin has been tweeting a bunch, and here's what's going on...

First off, it looks like Murphy is more than day-to-day and will probably start the season on the DL.  Rubin says the problem isn't severe but could cost Murphy 2-6 weeks.  I am fully expecting even more Ike Davis re-call talk then we've already had, but to me, it just makes more sense to carry Jacobs and Carter now.  They can both play first and you can ride the hot hand, because I severely doubt the Mets are ready to try Ike, especially if only for a few weeks.  Let him develop, he will be awesome when he comes up, just let him get to where he needs to be first.  There is no reason to rush Ike. 

******While I was writing this, Omar confirmed Ike will stay in triple-A, which according to Rubin means 2 of 3 probably from Catalanotto, Carter and Jacobs.  Good idea, Omar.  So that basically means Carter or Cat for the last spot, considering Jacobs was just called the "front-runner" by Manuel.**********

Speaking of rushing prospects...

Rubin has also tweeted that Jerry Manuel seems to really want Mejia to make this team, saying, "Do I see a way that he doesn't make the team? Not today. ... There's going to be some interesting dialogue about that."  Rubin also says that there will be an eighth inning crew by committee as of now.  Jerry is really ticking me off here.  Look, I'm as excited with Mejia as everyone else is, but don't people want him to be a starter?  Doesn't that seem to fit the team better in the long-run?  I really think it's not worth messing with his development when we have an eighth inning guy who is capable but is never given a shot, Pedro Feliciano.  And I am especially curious about Jerry wanting Mejia up, if the eighth inning will be by committee.  As much as I am against Mejia being up, and messing with his development, if he's up then he has to be the eighth inning guy.  There is literally no reason to keep him around if he's going into middle relief, or will split time with Feliciano.  It's just not the best idea of the organization.   Let him become a stud starting prospect, because in the end, top-of-the-line starting pitching is harder to find than eighth inning help...


Rubin has also tweeted that if Jose isn't ready for opening day then Cora will start at short, which I'm fine with, especially considering how long he'll be out.  It just makes more sense than seeing Tejada be awesome and then having to hear people complain about how awful Castillo is, and how much better Tejada would be.  Good PR move... Sorry that was just some uncalled-for Castillo hate coming out...


No matter what, it's time to get excited, as opening day creep even closer...

Mets Defeat Marlins 6-3 Behind Homers From Bay, Wright and Carter

Today the Mets defeated the Marlins 6-3 (box score), and were aided by a little extra power.  Bay, Wright and Carter all homered for the Mets, Carter as a pinch-hitter, and all of those homers were hit off of Josh Johnson.  Those deep drives coupled with an RBI for Omir Santos, were enough to put the Mets over top today.  Jacobs also looked pretty good today going 2-4 from the plate with two doubles, although one of them was aided by the ball getting by the CF after an attempted dive.

With the news today of Murphy being day-to-day but being spotted with a limp, I think it may be fair to say that Jacobs should be tabbed as the Mets opening day first baseman.  Potentially with the idea of carrying both him and Carter on the roster to start the season.  Especially if the other option is bringing up Ike for a week.  I think I'd rather let him go down and get going in Buffalo and let the Mets rough it out for a week or so with Carter and Jacobs.  At least, that's what I think at this point...

Back to the game...On the hill Figgy looked good, going three innings and only giving up three singles.  Along with Figgy, all of Valdez, Parnell, Takahashi and Feliciano, threw scoreless innings of work.  And the thing I think the Mets got most out of today was that Feliciano and Takahashi were able to work around walks and have fine outtings. 

The only damage done today against the Mets were in Mejia's two innings of work, in which he gave up two hits and three runs, although all runs were unearned.  The biggest reason for Mejia's line was a fly ball dropped by Pagan that allowed two runs to score with two outs in the inning, after Russ Adams had already committed an error earlier in the inning.  Mejia then walked the next batter after the Pagan drop, most likely due to him feeling like he needed to strike everyone out, or else he'd be on the mound forever.

Mejia looked fine today, from a stuff standpoint, but seemed to lose his cool a bit when errors were made behind him.  While I realize that even the best pitchers do that sometimes, it can definitely be seen as an example as to why this kid needs more seasoning in the minors.

Meanwhile, Jose Reyes was playing in another minor league game and went 1-5 with a double for the second straight day.  Once again my dad was using his handheld home video camera to get Reyes' at bats over at the minor league game.  There's nothing I like more than watching games through a chain-link fence.  I'm kidding, I know that field isn't set up for that, and that's probably the best they can do, but either way, it's funny to watch that on a cable network...

Anywho...More Mets action tomorrow at 12:10 against the Nationals on SNY...

Mets Lose to 'Birds 9-4

The Mets lost to the Cardinals today by the score of 9-4 (box score), but that wasn't the worst part.  In fact, today was so bad, I'm not sure I know what the worst part was...

As I mentioned in an earlier post both Murphy and Cora had to leave today's game with injuries, which was dissapointing for obvious reasons, along with Murphy being the only Met with multiple hits today.  Jason Bay did hit a homer to straight-away center, which was some nice news for the Mets.

Oliver Perez was hit hard by the Cardinals and finished throwing 2 innings and 1/3 giving up 7 runs, and 3 homers.  Igarashi and Calero also gave up runs, while only tossing an inning each.  The most impressive Mets pitcher in this game was K-Rod who had a nice ninth-inning to close the game out.  Probably the bright spot of the day...

In even more depressing news, Johan Santana gave up 7 runs in an inning against the Memphis Redbirds in minor league camp action.  But there was some good news when Jose Reyes got some action in the same game.  From the strange camera my father, I mean SNY, had stuck between the chain-linked fence you could watch  a bit of Reyes' at-bats.  Despite the camera angle being awful it wasn't a horrible experience, and was definitely worth seeing Reyes play a bit.

Overall, not a great day.  As Jim Leiland said, "In baseball, you're only as good as the next day's starting pitcher."  I say, good thing Ollie's not throwing tomorrow...

Exciting Afternoon So Far

According to Metsblog, and my eyes, Murphy left today's game against the Cardinals after an apparent ankle injury...and Alex Cora left the game after being hit by a pitch...awesome.  Hope they're ok...

Pat Misch was put on waivers according to Rich Coutinho on twitter...Not so sure I understand this move because I think if the Mets are considering another lefty in Valdez, in order to allow Feliciano to be considered in the set-up role, why aren't they considering Misch instead...

Also of note so far today, both Perez and Santana got hit hard...sweet...fun day so far.

Good thing the season doesn't start for another 6 days...

Solid Players Win Championships

While writing an earlier post today about Daniel Murphy, I got to thinking about how much "solid players" really make a difference in championship teams.  These are the guys who aren't always studs, or household names.  They aren't guys who teams pitch around, or guys who have huge contracts.  They are the guys who get the job done, sometimes with little fanfare, and really make a team successful.  These are the guys in 20 years, who will be hard to remember.  They are the guys you'll sit around with your friends and talk about trying to remember where they played.  They aren't your perrenial all-stars, home run kings or Cy Youngs, but they do not need to be obscure.

This is the type of player Daniel Murphy has a chance to be this year.  Murphy will probably not ever be a star in the league, but he can be a "solid" player.  If the Mets have a successful season it won't be because of Daniel Murphy, but if Daniel Murphy has a successful season there is a much better chance for the Mets to be successful.

So in thinking this, I decided to see who the "solid" players were on the last 10 World Champs.  All of these players had good seasons when their team won it.  Whether it was unexpected, out of character, or a rebound season, these players are arguably the ones that got their teams over the hump from good, to great.

- 2000 New York Yankees - Scott Brosius 

He hit .239 with 16 homers, 64 RBI, 57 runs scored, but always seemed to get the big hit, and played a very solid third base.  The guy wasn't a star in terms of stats, but you never wanted to face him in crunch time.  The 2000 Yankees were a great team, but Brosius really had a lot to do with that, in my opinion.  As a Yankee hater, I was ALWAYS hoping someone else would be up instead of this guy in clutch situations, but clutch found him, and he delivered...

- 2001 Arizona Diamondback - Reggie Sanders

Although Sanders had some monster years, and a great career, I found it too difficult to leave him off this list.  He hit 33 homers, drove in 90 runs while hitting .263 in 2001 for the D'backs.  A very good year by most standards, and seemingly he doesn't fit this "solid" player profile because of him having put up very good numbers both before and after this season.  However, the year before his season with Arizona he played poorly for the Braves.  Sanders was bad, only hitting 11 homers, driving in 37 RBI and hitting .232.  Also Sanders makes this list because of how many times his teams were playing in the world series.  He just always found a way to end up on a contending team...always.

- 2002 Anaheim Angels - Adam Kennedy

Kennedy was the starting second baseman on a good team, and put up good numbers.  He was far from a hole in the line-up hitting .312 with 7 homers, 52 RBI while scoring 65 runs.  A nice addition to a very good line-up.

- 2003 Florida Marlins - Juan Encarnacion

Could there be a player who fits the, "Do you remember him?" criteria more than this guy.  He's always been a good pro, but call me in 20 years when you're trying to figure out where he played over a beer at a barbeque.  He had a great year in Florida in 2003 hitting 19 homers, scoring 80 runs, while driving in 94 and hitting .270.  But was he the star?  Not on a team with Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Derek Lee, Castillo (before he stunk) and a 20 year-old-phenom Miguel Cabrera.  He just added to the whole...

- 2004 Red Sox - Mark Bellhorn

This is without a doubt my favorite player on the list.  He hit .264 with 17 homers, 82 RBI and scored 93 times for the World Champs.  Outside of his 2002 campaign with the Cubs where he hit 27 homers, he never got close to this kind of production again.  His next best season he hit 8 homers in 2006 with the Padres.  Let's see who remembers him in 10 years for reasons that don't involve a double ear-flapped helmet...

- 2005  White Sox - Tad Iguchi


In his first year in the bigs the Japanese import really added something to the Sox, hitting .278 with 15 homers, 71 RBI and 74 runs scored.  He still played second fiddle to Dye, Rowand and Konerko.

- 2006  St. Louis Cardinals - Chris Duncan


A monster year in only 90 games. 22 homers, 43 RBI, 60 runs scored, and hit .293.  He was the big bat around Pujols that the Cardinals needed...Now, he's fighting for a spot on the Nationals roster.


- 2007  Red Sox - Coco Crisp


He was the key piece to the Red Sox not named Ortiz, Youkilis, Ramirez or JD Drew.  Wow, that team was good.  Oh yeah, and Crisp hit .268 with 6 homers, 60 RBI, and 85 runs scored.  Nice little contribution to a team, despit eventually being replaced by Ellsbury in the playoffs...

- 2008 Phillies - Brad Lidge

Yes Lidge was awesome this year, and has been awesome in the past and since.  BUT...the year prior to 2008 he was a mess.  The Phillies took a chance on him and came out better for it.  In 2007 Lidge only saved 19 games with a 3.36 ERA with the Astros.  In 2008 he had 41 with an ERA of 1.95.  Turn around much?

- 2009 Yankees - Melky Cabrera


If you think this team was loaded you and should have won with all it's star power, you're right.  But even so getting 13 homers, 68 RBI, 66 runs scored and a .274 from basically your number nine hitter is pretty impressive.

The Point:

Every team needs support for their stars, and these are guys that did that for their teams.  I would argue that without these guys, with the exception maybe of Melky Cabrera, these teams might not have won without these guys.

So, the point is maybe it's the Mets turn, and maybe it's Murphy's turn...

If Murphy has a nice year for the Mets and the starting pitching turns it around, who knows, he could be that guy for the Mets.

Despite Weak Spring, Murphy's Ready To Go

In an article for the New York Post, Mike Puma credits Daniel Murphy's improved play in the field this spring, while questioning his abilities at the plate.  Puma points to Murphy's .162 average, and only two homers as a point of concern for the Mets, and wonders how long it will be until Ike Davis gets a call in Buffalo.

Despite the rough start in the spring at the plate Murphy isn't concerned saying, "These numbers don't go on the back of your baseball card -- this is to get ready for the season...Of course I would have liked to swung the bat better early, but I am starting to feel really good 1 ½ weeks before the season starts."  Murphy continued, "It's easier to feel good now than try to maintain it for an entire month, I think."  No argument here Murph.  I'd be fine with the entire team looking like crap during the spring if it meant a hot start to the season. 

The funniest part of this article to me, is the 180 we took from last year.  Last year the buzz out of spring training was how natural a hitter, Murphy was, and how hard he was working on his hitting.  This spring we're hearing all about how improved Murphy is in the field, working with Keith etc, and that his low power numbers are more of the Mets concern. 

True be told, I think we're realistically looking at something in between those two extremes.  Will Murphy win a gold glove?  Probably not.  Will he win a batting title or home run title?  Probably not.  But what he can be is a solid starter on a team who needs production out of people who aren't "stars."  And if he can maintain being a "solid" player, the Mets will most likely be in good shape this season...

Mets Drop Astros 5-2 Behind Murphy Bomb, Astros Errors

Thanks to Daniel Murphy's two hit day, including a two-run homer to take the lead in the 6th and some Astro errors, the Mets were able to defeat the Astros, at newly-named Digital Domain Park, 5-2 today (box score). 

Most important things of the day were Daniel Murphy's homer, Johan Santana starting to get comfortable, and Niese and K-Rod's outtings. 

Santana went 5 and 2/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 8 hits, and another home run.  I know that it's spring training and the wind has a tendency to influence what would normally be deep fly balls.  But I am getting a little concerned with Santana's propensity for giving up the long-ball so far this spring.  But, for the mostpart, I'm going to table that concern until I see it happen at CitiField.

As for Niese and K-Rod, both pitched very well today.  K-Rod pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out all three batters he faced.  Meanwhile, Niese had a nice outting before that, going 2 innings and only giving up 2 hits.  It's nice to see some more positive things coming out of Niese, especially considering he seems likely to end up the teams fifth starter.

The Mets travel to Jupiter to take on the Cardinals tomorrow at 1...

Adam Rubin Breaksdown Mets Roster, My Heart

Adam Rubin does a roster analysis of the Mets Opening Day squad as it stands today on his blog for the Daily News, here...

I think the most interesting thing Rubin says is about the bullpen and Sean Green and Bobby Parnell.  Rubin thinks they are in jeopardy of not being part of the 'pen opening day.  If this were to be the case I would be proud of this organization for once.  The Mets have a tendency to hold on to certain ideas a little too long, and if Green and Parnell aren't producing, they shouldn't be part of the 'pen, especially with the way Figueroa, Takahashi, Igarashi and even Calero and Nieve has been pitching.  I know Calero has only thrown once, but if he keeps it up, it's going to get harder and harder for Green and Parnell to make the opening day roster.

As for Rubin breaking my heart...

He says, "That leaves the last bench spot, which I believe is headed in Mike Jacobs' favor. The primary alternative is Frank Catalanotto, with Chris Carter likely ticketed for the Triple-A outfield with Fernando Martinez, Jason Pridie, Nick Evans and Jesus Feliciano."

I just don't get why Carter is getting the shaft here.  If he's hitting better than Jacobs, can play more positions at a similar level, bats left-handed, and has power...why can't he make the team?  The only reason I can think of can be drawn out of something Rubin says later in his post, "Look for Jacobs to even potentially chip away at Daniel Murphy's playing time as the season progresses, assuming Jacobs makes the club."  Rubin continues, "Manuel has been testing a 3-4-5 order of Wright-Jacobs-Jason Bay. Let's say the manager goes to that lineup the first Saturday of the season and rests Murphy, and Jacobs goes 3-for-4 with a homer. Manuel would go back to that lineup again quickly."

So I think I've figured it out.  The Mets have no confidence in Murphy... That's the only reason that Carter won't make this team, because they need a bench player who they feel can start at first if Murphy struggles.  And I don't think it takes much for Murphy to see that.  Putting that kind of pressure on Murphy might not prove to be beneficial to his development, or the teams. 

Either way, in this article Rubin puts out some interesting situations to watch out for...

Pelfrey Throws Well, F-Mart Homers as Mets Down Sox 4-2

Earlier today, the Mets defeated the Red Sox 4-2 (box score) in Fort Meyers on the strength of a three-run eighth innning homer off of the bat of Fernando Martinez.

Mike Pelfrey threw four solid innings, giving up only one run on 4 hits.  Pelfrey also struck out two.  After Pelfrey, Mejia, Calero and Dessens threw three consecutive perfect innings.  It was a nice day on the hill for the Mets.

At the plate Fernando Martinez was the hero with his three run homer in the eighth that put the Mets up for good.  Also driving in a run was Daniel Murphy, on a sac fly.

The only negative to take from this game was that Ruben Tejada made his third error of the spring.  I like him, and wouldn rather him start at short over Cora, but not if he's going to be making tons of errors.  I like Tejada's upside at the plate over Cora's, but not if it means a decline in defense.

Obviously, this is a wait and see approach on Tejada.  But at the least today was a good day for the pitchers, especially Calero who will need to toss a few more games like this to put his hat in the ring as set-up man for this team...

Mets Bomb Tigers 9-1: Bay, Wright, Murphy and Matthews Go Deep in Win

Today, against the Tigers, the Mets put it all together in a 9-1 win (box score).  When I say all, I mean all.  They hit, pitched and fielded well today.

Probably most importantly, Oliver Perez had a fantastic outing today giving up only two walks in 4 innings of work.  Perez hit the zone early and often and looked great today, until he gave up back-to-back walks at one point.  But he recovered well and wouldn't allow another baserunner today. 

Once Ollie left the game, the fine pitching didn't as Hisanori Takahashi continued his push towards the opening day roster with a 3 inning, one hit, three strike out performance.  At this point, you have to assume this guy has the inside track towards being the second lefty on this team, which is probably why the Mets have not made any move on Beimel or Mahay. 

The only other pitcher to throw today was Jenrry Mejia.  Mejia tossed two innings giving up 3 hits and a run (his first of the spring) and three strike outs on the day.

At the plate, the Mets didn't do much until the 7th innings when they put up a 9 spot, behind homers from Jason Bay, Wright, Murphy and Matthews.  The 9 hits the Mets had in this game were really spread around with Castillo, the only player to have more than one.  Also of note at the dish, F-Mart had a hit in his only at-bat, a pinch hit in the 7th.

The best part of this game was Oliver Perez' and Takahashi's performances.  These guys weren't just good today, they were close to dominant.  It was a nice game all the way around.  I just hope these types of performances start happening in April, when they matter...

Niese Starting Against Braves, Mets Traveling Light Today

Here's the line-up for today's Mets/Braves game in Disney, according to Adam Rubin of the Daily News:

Pridie, cf
Tejada, 2b
Murphy, 1b
Hessman, 3b
Carter, dh
Santos, c
Nieuwenhuis, rf
Cabrera, lf
Adams, ss

This line-up doesn't really do all that much for me, although it would be interested to see if Omir Santos can keep his trade value up.  Also, it'd be nice to see what Chris Carter and Daniel Murphy do at the plate today.

The more important aspect of today's game, to me, is the pitching, which will feature, Jon Niese starting with Figueroa, Nieve, Parnell, Kunz and Niesen also making the trip. 

It's interesting that the Mets would send Figgy, Nieve and Niese all on the same trip considering they are the three top candidates for the number 5 spot in the rotation, along with Takahashi.  So far this spring it's been tough to ignore how well Niese, Figgy and Takahashi have been throwing.  That's not to say Nieve has been bad, because he hasn't.  He just hasn't been as good as the other three.  I think today will provide these pitchers the opportunity to face the same line-up, for the most-part (until substitutions are made), and will be an interesting point of comparison for these pitchers.

Davis More Likely to Start in Minors Than Mejia

In an article for the Daily News, Adam Rubin reports on the status of Jenrry Mejia and Ike Davis in regards to the opening day roster.  Rubin says of Davis, "the first-base prospect is far more of a longshot to make the Opening Day roster than righthander Jenrry Mejia, according to Jerry Manuel."  It seems as though Manuel is of the mindset that it's easier for young pitchers to adjust to the majors than young hitters.  Rubin quotes Manuel as saying, "It's a little bit more difficult to make that decision based on a position player unless everybody just has to be 100% in agreement that that's the right way to go.  I would say more young pitchers have made the jump than more young, unproven position players. I could be wrong, but I would think."

I would have to agree with Manuel here.  Especially in this circumstance, because as well as Davis has been hitting, his fielding has been suspect.  It's also tougher to consider Davis, because the Mets are still interested in finding out what they have in Daniel Murphy this season.  Meanwhile, Mejia has been flat out dominant and the Mets have a need in the set-up role that Mejia could fill-in immediately.  Considering all those things, I don't think Manuel's statement is that outlandish...

Also in the article, Rubin updates the status of K-Rod.  According to Rubin, K-Rod returned yesterday and threw a bullpen.  K-Rod is quotes in the article saying, "I was joking with (Johan) Santana: 'If I pitch as well in games as I did in the bullpen, he better get out of the way because that Cy Young is mine.'"

Also of note in the article, MLB has deemed the Mets waiver claim of Jay Marshall (the injured left-hander) void due to a pre-existing arm condition.