It’s not just Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya that have to worry about fast starts to the season or their jobs being in jeopardy.  The same case could be made for Jeff Francoeur, Daniel Murphy, and Rod Barajas.  The way Ike Davis, Fernando Martinez, and Josh Thole have been playing in a way this spring that makes you suspect they’ll be knocking at the door to Citi Field sooner rather than later.

With Reyes possibly being out some, or all, of April the pressure on the starting pitching has just doubled.  The most recent report on April suggests that he may be back closer to mid April, but that’s still a rough estimate.

We’ve known for a while that the season was going to hinge on the starting pitching.  The offense was projected to be one of the top in the league, and surely would’ve won some games on it’s own even when the pitching struggled.  With Reyes and Beltran out, they may not have that cushion for a while, but this doesn’t mean the Mets are doomed to a 9-13 type record to start the season.

The fast start is more important than ever, and if Maine, Perez, and Pelfrey can have a good month of April the Mets will still win games.  We all know they’re each capable of pitching good games.  It was expected before the season that they could definitely pitch competitively and keep us in games, but now they may be pressured to actually win the games.  Instead of quality start performances and limiting the opponents to three runs over six innings, stepping up and going seven innings and occasionally limiting the other teams to merely one or two runs becomes important to the Mets early success.

This isn’t to say the Mets lineup is useless, and that they won’t occasionally put up a crooked number, but Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran are two of the most irreplaceable players in the game today.  The season is never won and lost in April, but if the pitching can step up and win more games than they lose, not only will it minimize the damage caused by losing Reyes and Beltran, it will set them up nicely once they return.

This post brought to you by the self-proclaimed Optimistic Mets Fan.

I have a man crush on Jenrry Mejia !!! - There I said it !! But with that being said I feel under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should Jerry Manuel be allowed to bring him up north when spring training finally breaks . First off the kid has yet to play and excel above AA ball, and as we saw yesterday , although he was dominant for the most part, you could see that he was having some issues with his control giving up one run in the two innings that he pitched. I can see how it could be a tempting option to put him in the bullpen as a setup man for Frankie Rodriguez with his blazing fastball and nasty curve - but I feel that Jenrry’s better suited as a starter. Imagine this starting rotation next year
Johan Santana,
Mike Pelfrey
John Maine (or) Oliver Perez
Jonathan Neise
and Mejia
This could be a dominant rotation, filled with young arms that could dominate most line ups! The future is Mejia - but in my opinion , the future is not now .

                                                                    ” Be patient Mets fans - Be patient !”

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

New York Mets claimed pitcher Fernando Nieve on waivers from the Houston Astros on March 14, 2009.This was a great under the radar pick up for the Mets. Fernando started his season for the Mets Buffalo farm team where he showed that he had major league stuff. He pitched well for the Mets last season until he became a member of the not so exclusive Mets disabled list with a torn quad. He is currently in the mix for either the Mets fifth spot in the Mets starting rotation or in the bullpen.

And while you are getting your NCAA brackets in order, don’t forget that there are just 22 Ray Knight days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Look I know that I am far from being the most optimistic Mets fan on this site, but as all of you may know I live and die by my team and it’s players. When Carlos Delgado was mired in that nasty slump through the majority of the ‘07 season I refused to boo him and I argued with many Mets fans in my Mezzanine section of Shea Stadium . Now I am listening to WFAN and I hear the overnight Yankee shill, and Mike Francesa wannabe, Mark ” The Moose” Malousis (sic) stirring the pot with the small yet vocal lunatic fringe segment of Mets fans, saying that it is extremely likely that Jose Reyes used HGH and it probably caused his hyperthyroidism. Next up was the Sid Rosenberg meets Howard Stern clone Craig Carton from the Boomer and Carton Show ( I love Howard, could never stand Sid and I tolerate Craig). Craig, who is from all of my information is not a doctor, never went to medical school when he attended Syracuse University , should not really be trying to state his views that link Jose Reyes and HGH as factual. It is a proven fact that 2+2 = 4 , but in Craig’s mind ( whether he is delusional or just trying to stoke the coals to get ratings ) just because Jose Reyes talked to the Feds about this Dr. Galea about this blood spinning treatment that he utilized, along with the fact that Jose has just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism is not a smoking gun that will lead us to the end result that Jose used HGH ! The man is innocent until proven guilty and even then since there is not a reliable test for HGH the point is effectively moot. And I would like to say to the “Moose” and Mr ” Mets Fan For Yankees” If we are casting stones at people now . what about A-ROD? Did he see one of the same doctors that are affiliated with Dr. Galea? Wasn’t he forced to admit he used steroids last season? Hmm he came back rather quickly from that hip surgery last season, maybe it was the HGH !!! ( SEE TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME !).

And now before I suffer a massive heart attack lets review the positives from yesterday. The Mets in spring training action crushed the Florida Marlins 11-2 , scoring eight runs in the top of the ninth ( including two home runs in the same inning by possible bench candidate Chris Carter. Jenrey Mejia pitched three scoreless innings , keeping his e.r.a at 0.00 ( let him spend an entire season in the minors !). John Maine lasted 1 2/3 innings but from what I have read he looked impressive Ike Davis strokes a r.b.i double ( can’t wait to see him in a Mets uniform next year !!) . Fringe bullpen candidate, R.A. Dickey proved that he was up to the challenge  ( hehehe) giving up one inherited base runner in two innings of work. And Frankie Rodriguez has overcame his bout with pink eye and will be throwing batting practice within days.

                                        ” As of now, the only thing Jose is guilty of is stealing bases !!!”

And on that note… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!

Happy birthday to former Mets coach , and liaison to Pedro Martinez, Guy Conti (1942) . Guy started his career as a catcher in the Houston Astros organization, before becoming a pitching coach.
Journeyman pitcher from the ‘01 season, C. J. Nitkowski , is 37 (1973) .

And don’t forget - there are just 27 Craig Swan days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Well the one thing that we can definitely say about the Mets spring training games so far is that they have definitely not been boring. If anything the Mets offense has been on fire scoring over thirty runs in their last three days alone, spearheaded with homers by David Wright, Fernando Martinez, Mike Jacobs and that concussion grenade that was the Ike Davis grand slam ! The problem lies thus far with the pitching. While Jonathan Neise looked impressive in his first start this past Tuesday, yesterday Mike Pelfrey took his first start of the grapefruit league season , and he looked downright rusty. He let up four runs ( three earned) in three innings and his control was spotty at best. Both Sean Green and Eddie Kunz looked better yesterday than they did in their previous efforts, but we need them to be consistent. I know it is only spring training and the games don’t mean anything i, but I have no worries about the Mets offense this year - I think the Mets numbers will be among the tops in the Majors. It is the pitching that I am more worried about, because if this team morphs into the late ’80’s early ’90’s Yankees we will be a better team than last year, but we will be mediocre at best. We need Maine, Perez, Pelfrey (and whoever the fifth starter will be) to give quality starts and better than average performances. They need to keep the pressure of both the offence and the bullpen as well as Johan, because the last thing we need is a repeat of ‘07 and ‘08 where the starting pitching was barely making it to the sixth inning for most of the season - tiring out the bullpen which totally went nuclear down the stretch , which put added pressure on the offence to score more runs to protect the lead. But I still have faith in this rotation, I do believe they will be above average, and who knows they might even surprise us. But they need to throw strikes and throw strikes consistently .

                                      ” Hopefully Mike can serve up a better season than he did last year !”

And with tht said … HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to the original Mets back up first baseman,Ed Bouchee (1933) .

One of the better Mets pitchers from their first four seasons, Galen Cisco is 74 (1936) . In his four year stint with the Mets he went 18-43 with a e.r.a. of 4.04 .

Middle reliever from the the ‘93 - ‘94 seasons, Mauro Gozzo is 44 (1966) .
Future Hall Of Fame second baseman ( and all around malcontent with the Mets) Jeff Kent is 42 (1968) .

Los Angeles Dodgers signed one time “can’t miss”  first base prospect,Craig Brazell of the New York Mets as a free agent on March 7, 2006.
And while you are watching today’s game versus the Washington Nationals on SNY, just remember that there are just 29 Dave Magadan days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

We have added more T.R.D.M.B. Mets Art for your enjoyment. Just click on the picture of your choice to see it in it’s actual size.

You know some times I just don’t get it. On my way to work yesterday I put on the FAN expecting to hear about all the positive developments that occur ed during Mondays intrasquad game, but instead I heard that Howard Stern wannabe Craig Carton ripping Jerry Manuel for penciling Jose Reyes to start the season in the third hole in the batting order. The ting that really made my jaw drop was that Boomer was in total agreement and was just as pig headed when callers tried to defend the move. It is common knowledge that I am among those who would rather see Jose lead off because he has the ability to get him self in scoring position whether it be from a walk, single or extra base hit, but I do see Manuel’s point of view that he needs to bolster the line up so that the bottom third of the batting order will not be such a glaring weakness. That be said when they had former Mets pitching great and current SNY analyst Ron Darling on, Darling too thought it wasn’t the best use of Jose, but if that line up is utilized until Carlos Beltran comes back from his surgery , which from all reports should be the beginning of May at the earliest, then this shouldn’t have much of a impact on the season. Look Jerry is the manager - I’m not . If he is going to live by this line up , and the team falters - then he’s going to die by this line up and possibly be out of a job by mid-season.
I wasn’t able to see any of yesterday’s game and unfortunately because of the Fat Man it wasn’t aired on the radio, But from what I read , Ryota Irigashi looked impressive, notching the save as the Mets won their grape fruit season opener 4-2 against the mostly A- team of the Atlanta Braves. Ike Davis was impressive , getting two hits and scoring a run. But the big surprise possibly is in house loogy possibility Bobby Livingston who came in for an injured Elmer Dessens and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Check out Ed Ryan at Mets Fever on Livingston’s bumpy professional career by going here http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-was-that-livingston-guy.html#links .

                       ” The usual voice of reason seen here with Craig ” Yankee fans like myself ” Carton”

And now ….ON WITH THE INFAMY !!!!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Armando Benitez clone and relief pitcher Jorge Julio (1979) . Jorge was traded along with John Maine to the Mets from the Baltimore Orioles for Kris & ( Anna - don’t forget Anna !) Benson. Jorge  stunk up the joint as Billy Wagner’s set up man  and was  shipped off to the Diamondbacks for the ageless wonder that was Orlando ” El Duque”  Hernandez.  Jorge is currently pitching  for the Milwaukee Brewers.

And don’t forget - There are only 33 ( Maine ) days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.