All I gotta say is Santana was a beast. 1 run on 2 hits and 7Ks in 5 IP. Those Braves scrubs were nothing compared to his pitching prowess. Jeremy Reed should be our utility man. He looked great, as did Chuch, Murphy, and Reyes.

Ugh. Pelfrey is getting destroyed by the Astros right now.

It's spring training. Let him get it out of his system.

The Mets are down on Oliver Perez right now, BIG TIME right now.

He had a bad start and as newsday pointed out, the coaching staff isn't even using the excuse of it only being spring training.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/met...0,5912207.story

We finally fixed out bullpen, and now our rotation looks like shit. Maine is changing delivery approaches, pelfrey has looked shaky at best, and Oliver Perez has been Oliver Perez. I'm glad we have Johan and ...Johan.

Is it too early to say that this is exactly why I didn't want Ollie back? Because if it is I'll wait.

But be advised that it's coming.

Unfortunately that's where we got stuck rhino. I'm with you, but that's how it went. *sigh*

I saw Maine pitch when I was in Florida, and he didn't look horrible. He was coming off shoulder surgery, and he is just trying to get back into a rhythm. He'll do better. Ollie ehhhh hopefully he shows up.

Aside from his last performance, I was under the belief Pelfrey was having a strong spring.

I admittedly haven't been following spring training under a microscope, but everything I was hearing wasn't exactly glowing.

What makes me really nervous is the fact that Jerry seems to be thankful we have a deep bullpen and seems to think we'll need it, and he and the pitching coach both apparently aren't all that thrilled to even have Ollie here.

Thank god we signed Livan Hernandez

(I wish they had signed Pedro, actually, but apparently Pedro was asking for too much)

Pedro was acting like the superstar that he used to be but has no right to think himself now. He basically said "I don't want to take an incentive based contract because I don't want to set a precedent for all the future washed up pitchers who are looking for a payday they don't deserve." I like him for a low incentive-based contract, but his history the last couple of years in no way merits what he's asking for.

I think Pelfrey has had a decent enough spring, but so far the only starters who look like they're actually worthy of a spot in the rotation are Johan and (surprisingly) Livan. I can appreciate that spring training is less results-oriented for established pitchers and more an opportunity to work on things, but somebody please remind these guys that Opening Day is less than two weeks away.

(And don't get me started on the offense. Ever since guys started coming back from the WBC it has been downright anemic, a couple of exceptions notwithstanding.)

EDIT: Forgot the requisite

So I was at the St. John's game at Citi Field yesterday. I can post the lengthy summary I did for a buddy of mine about the stadium and the experience if anyone is interested, but for now I just wanted to mention one thing that popped out at me: The inaugural logo.

I stopped into one of the clubhouse shops that are littered throughout the stadium and the nice logo that they designed for the caps is on everything. Shirts, cups, keychains, jerseys, you name it. The jerseys I found especially interesting. The pizza box logo? Nowhere to be found. I saw it exactly once (in a set of shot glasses where the other one was also featured.) I like that they're pushing the new one, but I would like it if ownership would just admit that they screwed it up initially instead of insulting our collective intelligence.

I'm interested in that summary if and when you can post it. I can't wait to attend a game.

By your command... (Get comfortable)


First impressions: I was really expecting to feel a gut punch when I got off the subway and saw that Shea was missing, but I have to admit that with the way they have landscaped the immediate area, it looks so different than what it was that it isn't super obvious, even with the pile of rubble right next door. The fanwalk is nice, however the bag check barricades and tables were set up right on top of most of them. Just beyond is the guys who pat you down and right in the doorway is an automatic turnstile where you scan your own ticket to get in. I don't know if this is the permanent arrangement, but I don't know how else they would do it. The odd thing is that the Will Call windows are inside, after you've already passed through the turnstiles. (Note: This is the setup for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. We didn't walk around much outside so I don't know how the other gates work.) Moving on, The rotunda is pretty impressive. Just inside there is a HUGE Mets Clubhouse Shop (didn't go in, there was a line) and between the stairs there is a 10'-15' number 42. There were places throughout the stadium (including the rotunda) where they weren't quite done with construction, but most of it looks like just finishing work.

Upstairs: You take the stairs or the escalator up to the field level where there are lots of shops. (There are smaller Clubhouse Shops all over this place.) As you've probably heard, a whole lot of the concourses on the field side are open so you can keep track of the game while you wait on line. The escalators upstairs to Promenade (Mezz/Upper) where we were sitting were a little hard to find, but it wasn't too bad. I didn't spend too much time on Excelsior (The middle level), but it looks like a lot of it is actually enclosed in plexiglass. This seems like the restaurant level, and I guess that's to keep out the elements for the more well to do. On Promenade, there are two levels, the 'box' seats and the 'reserved.' Our seats were just a few rows from the top under the little overhang, a section from the end on the right field side. The way Citi is set up that placed us about halfway out in the outfield. We couldn't see the right field line and corner, but otherwise the view really wasn't bad. I could get used to seeing baseball there. (This is good considering I am now a partial season ticket holder.)

The Field: As I'm sure you already know, the field is asymmetrical. There is an interesting angle in the outfield where the bullpen juts out (more on those in a minute) and there is very little foul territory. Looks like there is a low brick wall serving as the backstop. The bullpens are stacked, with one open against the outfield wall and the other directly behind and slightly above it. It's covered and enclosed with chain link fencing on either side. There are two large scoreboards, one of which is a video board and the other a traditional scoreboard (with lots of ads.) There are out of town scoreboards on either side above the promenade. These look very nice, telling you not only the score, inning, and who is pitching, but also tracks the outs and how many people on base. The only downside to them is that there was no easy way to track which team batting. Hopefully that is a glitch they will fix by opening day. A neat feature is that there is a board which transcribes whatever is being announced over the PA. (Presumably for the hearing impaired.) As far as the apple goes, it never rose, so we still don't know what it looks like. In fact, a Georgetown (the home team for some reason) player hit a homerun at one point, and the crowd started chanting for the apple. No such luck, though.

The Touches: We wandered around a bit and saw a lot of the stadium. It looks like on every level there is some kind of open terrace area where you can get away completely from the game and shop, both for specialty food and specialty apparel. (Alyssa Milano has a boutique there called Touch.) The new picnic area (called the Big Apple seats) is accessible from the Excelsior level via a walkway. Behind the big video board is the area with the concession stands housing the skyline from the old scoreboard. This is where most of the specialty food stands are located. They also have a kids area over there featuring a dunk tank and a wiffle ball field (Mr. Met's Kiddie Field.) Spanning the area from the field level to this terrace (and over one of the bullpens) is an iron bridge resembling the KoskieIdon'tknowhowtospellthisthinguszco bridge. Just behind this is the Bullpen Gate which houses the old homerun apple in all of its glory. (The apple is clearly visible from the enclosed bullpen.) There are also lots of stairways and elevators, and most of the non-luxury areas are easily accessible. The bathrooms were also a little odd. Let's just say that the urinal design is unconventional and leave it at that.

The Game: As I mentioned, Georgetown was the home team. I read that this game was moved from DC, so that makes sense. I felt bad for them, though, because it was obvious that the (few) people who actually cared about the outcome were pro SJU. John Franco came out to throw the first pitch wearing a Mets jacket and waved to the crowd like he was getting a standing ovation. As it was, there was only a little more than polite applause. He took off the Mets jacket to reveal a #45 St. John's jersey and made the pitch. He bounced it. It was a slow start. SJU was rocky the first couple of innings. They came on strong in the third and had a lead for most of the game despite giving up the aforementioned homer (solo shot, shallow left field) to the Hoyas. Unfortunately they blew it late and lost 6-4. The attendance was a little disappointing. I think the weather kept a lot of people away and the people who did show were mainly more concerned with walking Citi Field than seeing St. John's. By the ninth inning there were less people than at a Nationals blowout on a rainy Wednesday night. Not a great game, but you could tell the players were happy to be there.

Overall: It definitely isn't Shea, but, then, nothing ever will be again. It is a beautiful facility. It's very open and in a lot of ways (at least inside) it doesn't feel like a stadium at all. I guess that can be good and bad. It will certainly take some getting used to, but if we had to have a new home then this is a nice a one as any and nicer than most. I think we WILL get used to it in time. It's a little busy, but it's a nice place to see a ballgame.

Great write-up, Rhino. Thanks.

Sho nuff.

I'll have to read that later. THREE WEEKS UNTIL MY FIRST GAME!!!

What plan do you have again, Jen? Is it Saturday/Sunday, or just one of those?

The new version of the Saturday plan.

Good move. Murphy is anything but a sure thing and Sheffield still has a little left in the tank. He's not even close to an impact guy but he'd be a TERRIFIC pin hitter/role player with power. Even if he hits like .250/.345/.420 that's good of the bench, especially since he still has a little HR pop. Omar has done a terrible job in recent years getting players with a little HR pop off the bench, aside from Easely that one year.

Good move.

I would be OK with this. Not so much if it were three years ago, but this year...absolutely.

I don't know how I feel about that.

How the hell are they going to play tonight? It's pouring. Do they really want to ruin their brand new field?

Newsday reports it's a done deal

Sure sounds like he'll be on the bench (or at best a lefty-facing platooner), which I think would be wise. Church deserves to start and Murphy could continue to be really good. My guess is Murphy slumps before Church, but either way, Sheffield could then come in a try to pick up the slack. For 1 year and $400K, it's almost a no brainer to pick him up. He's got motivation and experience.

I'm fine with it as long as Church and Murphy are starters, and Shef comes off the bench every once in a while to play, and is a PH. For league minimum I'm game.

I'm going to go against the grain here and say I really don't like this move. Murph is coming along nicely for one thing, and for another, what happens when Sheff decides he's tired of being a bench player and starts being the same malcontent that has gotten him run out of every other clubhouse he's been in? I like that we have a fairly young core with some in-their-prime and veteran players to round it out. I don't want to just start signing guys because they are cheap even if it isn't the right move.

They resisted Pudge. Resist Sheff, too.

Sheff + NY Media = too many dumb things coming out of his mouth. And I can't imagine that he truly would accept a part time role. Surprised by this.

Hmm decent move.

Sheff is a fastball hitter...

Mets need to put someone behind him so that he sees lots o fastballs.

The send him down or release him? He's only costing 400K he can be rid easily if need be

They didn't want Manny because of his antics, but they're OK with Sheff? That's what bugs me here.

Manny Costs $20 million and Murphy is going to be on the bench and Livan Hernandez is the 4th starter and John Neise is the 5th starter. Sheff costs $400,000 and Murphy is going to be starting and developing. I'll take it.

I do not buy the whole "oh we couldn't afford Manny!" bullshit. Sorry. Murphy is still a kid, and, IMO, Manny really pushes the Mets into a different realm. An outfield of Manny-Beltran-Church is more frightening to me than Murphy-Beltran-Church. From what I understand, Murphy's not going to be a starter. He's going to share time anyway. Doesn't mean I don't like Murphy. Just means I think Manny Ramirez makes this a better team.

Glad to see the grounds crew can still get the tarp on the field lightning fast.

Pussies. Yankees are hittin' homeruns in the rain!

I've missed Gary, Ron and Keith. They're having a serious discussion about Mr. Met and the home run apple.

It made me think of a great question to send in for them. Has anyone ever hit a homerun ball into the hat hole of the apple in Shea?

Thats also because you believe that Wilpon wasn't bullshitting when he said losing $30 million or $300 million or however much it was wasn't going to effect the Mets.

As for Murphy, Maneul came out and said Murphy was the starting leftfielder and the media went nuts on it for 2 days. When did Jerry's stance change?

When did that come out? I've been crazy busy and haven't been following closely this week. I thought that the plan was that he'd split time?

Around February 23rd because that when the discussion started about it here

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

Heh. I had been under the impression Murphy would be splitting time with Tatis. I mean, they were even talking tonight like he could get pulled later in games for a defensive replacement or Sheffield would get time in left if he can post big numbers again.

By the way, is there anything David Wright doesn't like? I don't think he's ever said he doesn't like anything the Mets have done. He loves everything.

David, how do you feel about that scorching case of herpes?

It's the best man, especially in NYC.

Speaking of flaws in the new stadium...on New York 1, they showed a shot of the new bathrooms.

Pee troughs. You know, the bowl shaped urinals, the kind where your junk is exposed to the world for all to see? And with NO DIVIDERS!

Fail.

It's only bad when it's a two way tough and you have to standing facing someone else. Everywhere I went in London had troughs, not really a big deal to me after spending a week there. I accidentally ran into a gay bar walking around the streets of London piss ass drunk. I started peeing and then I noticed this trough had a mirror that was waist high and went around the whole thing. As I ran out of the bar I noticed it was a...specialty bar. The memory haunts me. WHY WAS THERE A MIRROR???

*flips over to Mets game*
*sees Perez walk in a run with no outs in the first inning*

He's the best

*flips back to Rangers game*

Four walks this inning? Ugh.

LESS THAN 24 HOURS UNTIL OPENING DAY. I REPEAT: LESS THAN 24 HOURS UNTIL OPENING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10 minutes until the opening game!

A game where I'd like to see the stadium implode

But it's going so well.