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Away, away away away, away, away

The Mets travel across the peninsula to visit the spring home of the Red Sox today.  The game is scheduled to be shown on NESN for those with access, and can be followed on Gameday.

Mets

• LF - Pagan
• SS - Cora
• RF - Matthews, Jr.
• 1B - Murphy
• 3B - Tatis
• DH - Catalanotto
• C - Santos
• CF - Martinez
• 2B - Tejada

• SP - Pelfrey

Red Sox

• SS - Scutaro
• 2B - Pedroia
• C - Martinez
• 1B - Youkilis
• DH - Ortiz
• 3B - Beltre
• LF - Hermida
• CF - Cameron
• RF - Reddick

• SP - Lackey

The New York Mets take their spring training show on the road today to Orlando and a game against the Atlanta Braves.  Today’s lineups from MLB Gameday:

New York Mets

• CF - Pridie
• 2B - Tejada
• 1B - Murphy
• 3B - Hessman
• LF - Carter
• SS - Adams
• C - Santos
• RF - Cabrera
• SP - Niese

Atlanta Braves

• CF - McLouth
• 2B - Prado
• 3B - Jones
• 1B - Hinske
• RF - Cabrera
• LF - Diaz
• SS - Infante
• C - Ross
• SP - Lowe

Floating

Recently Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated noted that commissioner Bud Selig’s special committee for on-field matters, an assemblage of 14 baseball luminaries, has actually been brainstorming (or at least brainclouding).  One concept they have been discussing is “a radical form of ‘floating’ realignment in which teams would not be fixed to a division, but free to change divisions from year-to-year based on geography, payroll and their plans to contend or not.”

Realignment in and of itself is not a bad idea in my opinion.  Geographic realignment.  One of my favorite things about the CBS Sports website is their league map.  It really brings the distribution of teams and their league/division affiliations up for some healthy debate (and points out what fun it must be to travel from Miami to Seattle for a key interleague series).  It doesn’t take a group of 14 baseball luminaries to look at that map and see room for some adjustments.

I want to be very clear.  I am not anti-realignment.  I am anti-”free to change divisions from year-to-year.” Rivalries are an important aspect of sport and annually changing divisions seems likely to destroy current rivalries and does not facilitate the forming of new ones given division change looms at the end of each season.

But where this committee of luminaries loses me completely is when they suggest realignment could be based on “payroll and their plans to contend or not.” Huh?  Is MLB seriously considering the concept of the NL Poor, NL Middle Class and NL Rich? And that a team could float from one of those divisions to another based on it’s own whim?  We think we’re going to contend this year so what division will be easiest to win - let’s try the NL Poor!

If this committee is seeking to radically alter the MLB landscape some less destructive ideas might be to establish and enforce a salary ceiling (and basement), or to adopt an English Premier League-style promotion and relegation system.

As Verducci concludes, “what is important is that the committee is making good on its mission to look at absolutely any on-field idea that could make the game better.” This I agree with.  I applaud the committee’s existence and the fact that they are actually thinking out loud.  My goal is not to discourage this committee from coming up with more ideas on how to make the game better.  It’s simply to let them know that I think this particular idea is a very bad one.

As of 12:15pm it’s 69 degrees and mostly cloudy in Port St. Lucie where the Houston Astros visit to take on the New York Mets.  Johan Santana makes his spring debut for the Mets.  Today’s lineups courtesy The Star-Ledger’s Brian Costa:

Mets lineup
1. Gary Matthews Jr., cf
2. Luis Castillo, 2b
3. David Wright, 3b
4. Mike Jacobs, dh
5. Jason Bay, lf
6. Ike Davis, 1b
7. Jeff Francoeur, rf
8. Alex Cora, ss
9. Henry Blanco, c
Johan Santana, sp

In the bullpen: Sean Green, Elmer Dessens, Travis Blackley, Eddie Kunz, Jack Egbert, Clint Everts

Astros lineup
1. Michael Bourn, cf
2. Kaz Matsui, 2b
3. Geoff Blum, 1b
4. Jason Michaels, lf
5. Pedro Feliz, 3b
6. Chris Shelton, dh
7. Cory Sullivan, rf
8. Tommy Manzella, ss
9. Humberto Quintero, c
Brett Myers, sp

In the bullpen: Matt Lindstrom, Alberto Arias, Chris Sampson, Sammy Gervacio, Jose Valdez, Wesley Wright, Wilton Lopez

If you don’t have access to SNY which is carrying today’s game you can follow it via MLB Gameday and for those interested also at 1:00pm on the MLB Network the Washington Nationals’ phenom Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to make his debut.

According to weather.com it’s 71 degrees and partly cloudy with 6 mph NE winds at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL as the Florida Marlins host the New York Mets.  The lineups:

• Pagan - CF
• Martinez, F. - RF
• Wright - 3B
• Bay - LF
• Murphy - 1B
• Barajas - C
• Adams, R. - 2B
• Tejada, R. - SS
• Maine - SP

• Miller, J. - CF
• Jimenez - 3B
• Ramirez, H. - SS
• Uggla - 2B
• Cousins - RF
• Sanchez, G. - 1B
• Carroll - LF
• Davis, B. - C
• Tucker - SP

You can follow the game using the very slow to update spring training version of MLB Gameday.

Typically some of the beat writers tweet about the game too, some links:

• Brian Costa
• Adam Rubin
• Rich Coutinho
• Steve Popper

It's as easy as 1, 2, 6

Step 1: [Ten years ago, when he turned 40, Dr. (Anthony) Galea said he began injecting himself with human growth hormone five days a week. Using H.G.H., he said, may allow him a longer lifespan with his wife, who he said is 22 years younger. “If the body is healthy, then your mind and intellect are free to study, to feed your spirit.”]  {Source:  New York Times}

Step 2: [The F.B.I. investigation of Dr. Anthony Galea, a sports medicine specialist who has treated hundreds of professional athletes across many sports, follows his arrest on Oct. 15 in Toronto by the Canadian police. Human growth hormone and Actovegin, a drug extracted from calf’s blood, were found in his medical bag at the United States-Canada border in late September. Using, selling or importing Actovegin is illegal in the United States.]  {Source:  New York Times}

Step 3: [Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and other high profile baseball players have been contacted by U.S. federal investigators regarding Galea. Rodriguez said Monday he was "aware" of the investigation and plans to cooperate with the government. He declined comment when asked if he has been treated by Galea.]  {Source:  ESPN}

Step 4: [What should have been a good week for (Jose) Reyes -- he tripled in his first at-bat during an intrasquad scrimmage on Monday -- was overshadowed by his acknowledgement he had met with federal investigators inquiring about the treatment he received from reputed HGH doctor Tony Galea, and then yesterday's mandate he return to New York because of his thyroid.]  {Source:  New York Post}

Step 5: [It is known that HGH therapy increases the metabolism which means that those with hyperthyroidism who already have normally high metabolism may worsen their condition.]  {Source:  HGH Side Effects Clarified}

Step 6: [Jose Reyes used/uses HGH.]  {Source:  Your Imagination}

Next week: Six Degrees of Chicken Little