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” Put me in coach, I’m ready to play -today!
Look at me ! I can be center-field !!”
                                                             -Center-field by John Fogerty

In three days spring will have sprung early for us Mets acolytes since spring training will be underway and the embryo of the 2010 Mets will start to germinate. The real question is will this team be in the thick of a pennant race come late September ? Or will the be in either the middle of the pack or clawing to stay out of the N.L East basement? Well obviously we all are hoping for league domination as we do every-year , but there are some questions that need to be answered before I can hop on the Kingman26 parade float of the Optimistic Mets Fans .
The first question is will new coaches Dave Jauss and Chip Hale be a vast improvement over Sandy Alomar Sr and Luis Aguayo? In my opinion both Alomar and Aguayo were not the problems with the coaching staff, but they unfortunately were made into sacrificial lambs, meant to appease us fans blood-lust. Although I am extremely annoyed that Razor Shines is still a coach on the team, I am happy that he has been relegated to first base coach - which is pretty much the valet for shin guards and batting gloves. I am also perturbed that Dan Warthern is still the pitching coach because I feel his philosophy is wrong for the team - your pitchers pitch in a pitchers park and they are afraid to throw strikes ?!? I believe last years rotation were second in the league for walks allowed. I have no problems with Howard Johnson as hitting coach, you can’t put all the blame on him when it came to David Wrights power decline nor can you put the blame on him when it came to situational hitting ( that was Jerry’s fault!).
I believe the fifth starter will be the most crucial question mark this spring training. I feel it will come down to Nieve and Niese, with Nieve earning the final rotation start because the Mets rightfully so believe that Niese need at the very least a half a season in AAA to rehab and to regain his confidence.
First Base is Daniel Murphy’s to lose in my opinion. I can’t see either Tatis or Jacobs playing full time in that position. They are better suited as power off the bench ( it is amazing that our bench sucked last season and this season it looks like a juggernaut !).
Center-field will be Pagans. If Gary Matthews Jr even sniffs playing time there more than two times a week I will cry foul !! Also if reports are right and Carlos Beltran’s is ahead of schedule , then Angel might only be there for a month - thankfully !
So these are my questions, and when the team breaks training and the rosters are set, I’ll let you know if I feel this team are contenders - or pretenders !!

 ” Hey Kingman I love the  blue & orange shag carpet - but whats with the mirror on the ceiling for?!?”

And with that ….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to one of the many pitcher who donned a Mets uniform during the ‘67 season - Chuck Estrada (1938) .
Reliever for the ‘92 Mets - Barry Jones is 47 today (1963). Funny thing about Barry is that in eleven games that season he went 2-0 with one save - but his E.R.A. was 9.39 - very strange indeed.

San Diego Padres signed Bobby Jones of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 15, 2001.Bobby was one of the most consistant pitchers tha the Mets had during the late ’90’s to the ‘00 season.Who could forget the one hit shutout that he pitched against the San Francisco Giants during the ‘00 NLCS.

Detroit Tigers signed relief pitcher Vic Darensbourg of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 15, 2005.

New York Mets signed free agent outfielder Brady Clark on February 15, 2008. Brady was never given a chance to play regularly with the team. He played all of seven games with the Mets before being demoted, and he was granted free agency later on that season.

And remember - there are only 49 more days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Happy Valentines Day everybody ( even if it is a B.S commercialized holiday) ! It is also four days until pitchers and catchers are to meet at Port St. Lucie for the unofficial start of Spring Training. I read yesterday that both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel are excited about the open competition in the starting rotation, catcher, first base, center field and the General manager as well as the managers position ( oops did I just say that?) . I like competition, I think competition is good. I just feel that we are going into this years season with far to many holes to fill, and not enough able bodies. I also feel that these position are Daniel Murphy , Fernando Nieve , Angel Pagan and Omir Santos to lose. Honestly the only player of the ones that just listed that should face stiff competition is Murphy. Murphy will have claw tooth and nail to win the first base-mans job against Chris Carter, Fernando Tatis and Mike Jacobs. I think Murph will face the stiffest competition against Chris Carter, because I do believe that both Jerry and Omar see both Tatis and Jacobs as bench strength. I also see Murphy as a true competitor , who needs to be constantly challenged in order to get the most optimum results out of him.

                                                                 ” Happy Valentines Day !!!”

And with that said … HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes goes out to one of the Mets better back up catchers from the ’90’s, Kelly Stinnett (1970) .

New York Mets signed free agent José ” IT’S LIMA TIME !” Lima on February 14, 2006. Thankfully Lima time didn’t last to long. I believe these days he pitches is a fast pitch soft ball tequila league in Mexico.

Baltimore Orioles signed Steve Trachsel of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 14, 2007. I admit I have no love for the man i called ” Trash” I hated the fact that he was one of the big signings that we made after we lost the ‘00 World Series, I hated his taking five minutes to throw a pitch, and I just never warmed up to him - who could forget the botched abortion that was game 5 of the ‘06 NLCDS where he couldn’t get out of the second inning ( if memory serves me right).

New York Mets signed free agent Livan Hernandez of the Colorado Rockies on February 14, 2009. I have to admit that I originally didn’t like this signing. But for the first part of the year Livan along with Johan, were the only consistent members of te starting rotation. But as you would have to expect from a man in his late 50’s ( kidding ! kidding !) Livan flamed out and was released (it has been said it was done to save the organization from paying him his bonuses) in mid August .

And don’t forget -There is just 50 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Well there are only eleven days until pitchers and catchers report to Port St Lucie for spring training. I have to admit that I am looking forward to it, because it means that we should be out of this arctic chill within a month. But this is the first time in possibly six years that I am not overly excited about this team. Don’t get me wrong I will be at some games this year ( I couldn’t commit to a Saturday Plus plan this year) , and I will root hard for my team. It just seems like this year above any of the last five seemed -aside from the Jason Bay signing - to be littered with reclamation projects and scrap heap pick ups. Before you call me a spoiled Mets fan, just remember I have been a fan for almost 40 years. I lived through the time when Shea Stadium was a monument to futility in the late ’70’s to early ’80’s. I lived through the George Bamberger and Art ” Battling” Howe eras. I have seen both the good times and the bad. But I saw this off season as a bait & switch. We were promised by ownership an aggressive off season where top notch talent would be imported and the flotsam and Jetsam within the coaching staff, training staff, and players would be thrown out like yesterdays garbage. Well last that I checked the entire training staff is still here, two coaches who didn’t really have much bearing on the teams problems last season were dismissed while Dan Warthen and Razor Shines were retained ( still scratching my head on that one) and we retained the services of Alex Cora, Elmer Dessens and Fernando Tatis.Yes we signed both Tatis and Dessens at discounts , but how can you rationalize giving Alex Cora - a back up a two million dollar contract , while the market dictates that a back up infielder should be paid less than that! Look I understand that this off seasons free agent class was less than desired, and I am sure that if deals were to be made they would have been consummated. But please don’t sell the fans on a productive off-season - and then fail to deliver . I read Hall Of Fame writer Murray Chass’ column this week, and aside from some speculation, I had to believe most off what he wrote to be true. And if Jeff Wilpon is the puppet master behind curtain, than this organization will be as doomed as when M. Donald Grant was running this franchise. Look we won’t know until the middle of May what kind of team we will have here. Maybe they will resort back to their ‘06 form , or maybe we will see a slightly better product that was ion the field last season. I am hoping for ‘06.

                                                                                      ” Is Jeffy Boy the second coming of M. Donald Grant?

And Now it’s time for the INFAMY !!!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to reserve outfielder from the ’70’s -Benny Ayala (1951) .
Decent pitcher for the early ’80’s Mets , Charlie Puleo is 55 (1955) .Charlie’s biggest contribution to the Mets was being one of the players sent to the Cincinnati Reds for Tom Seaver.
The man who made the second most famous catch in Mets history - Endy Chavez is 32 (1978) . We miss you Endy !!

New York Mets traded pitchers Hank Webb and Richard Sander to the Los Angeles Dodgers for shortstop prospect Rick Auerbach on February 7, 1977.

Mickey Lolich announced his retirement on February 7, 1977. Funny thing is Loilich only retired from being a Met ( he hated being a Met !) - He signed the next year with the San Diego Padres, pitching two seasons for them.

New York Mets released utility infielder Ross Jones on February 7, 1986. Ross was the other player along with future Mets pitching great Sid Fernandez that was traded to the Mets for utility infielder Bob Bailor and pitcher Carlos Diaz

New York Mets claimed utility infielder ,David Lamb on waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on February 7, 2000.

And while you are watching the Super Bowl tonight , just remember there are just 57 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Last night I watched Kevin Burkhardt’s interview with Omar Minaya and needless to say I came away with it being unimpressed. I found Omar to be in spin mode , parroting the company line on everything from him having total autonomy “, why the starting rotation has not been upgraded and my favorite - why Gary Matthews Jr. will be a capable replacement for the injured Carlos Beltran. There is one thing that I liked that Omar said , which was about giving the younger players a chance - which is something that the Mets have failed to do for the past few season, with the exception of Mike Pelfrey Nick Evans and Daniel Murphy. I would love to see Josh Thole, Ike Davis and Jonathan Niese make the team this season, but I feel that aside from Niese who is still rehabbing from a hamstring injury, they should spend the entire year at AAA Buffalo to gain more experience and seasoning. But this is what frustrates me about Omar and the Mets is the fact that here we have Chris Carter, who has been a proven power threat his entire minor league career, and should be allowed to compete for the platoon spot at first base or as a reserve outfielder, and what do they do? The sign Fernado Tatis ! Don’t get me wrong , I have much love for Fernando - but lets call a spade a spade here. He is on the wrong side of thirty, he was a double play threat for the majority of last season, and he is a better reserve outfielder, back up third-baseman that first baseman. I feel that if given a chance, Carter could prove to be a pleasant surprise in a lineup that sans Beltran is starved for power ( yes we got Jason Bay , but who will protect him in the lineup ?) plus he would be that home run threat coming off the bench that we are looking for. I feel that if Carter shows that he can play in the big leagues he can be flipped next off-season for a pitcher, or whatever hole that needs to be filled since Ike Davis is expected to be penciled in at first in ‘11. But as usual the Mets in my opinion didn’t try to work outside of the box and Carter’s will languish yet another season in the minors . Give the kid a chance !!!

                            ’”  Hey Omar - Not only is a he a 10 at  2 A.M, But he can play first base too !!”

And with that said … ON WITH THE INFAMY !!!

I would like to wish utility infielder for the ‘78 - ‘79 campaign - Sergio Ferrer (1951) a very Happy Birthday. Ferrer is one of the few players to be involved in direct trades between the Mets and the New York Yankees. His tenure was short and far from illustrious , batting a combined .225 in two season for the Mets.
Outfielder from the ‘96 team - Kevin Roberson is 42 (1968) . Does anyone remember Kevin ? Because I sure as hell  do not !!

New York Mets signed outfielder, free agent ( and Yankee scum!) Shane Spencer on January 29, 2004. Shane will forever be known for brawling (along with his partner in Yankee crime Karim Garcia) with a Port St. Luicie pizza deliver-man after the days workouts had ended.

And don’t forget while you are trying to figure out what strategy the Mets are using this hot stove season - Don’t forget there are only 66 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

According to “SI_JonHeyman:  “#mets definitely like smoltz, especially as a tutor. actually, they might need a tutor as much as they need a pitcher.”

Heyman also adds the following:  “fernando tatis will be rejoining the #mets, so carlos delgado will have to sign elsewhere. scouts see delgado as a dh.”