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.

I have some good news and I have some bad news about yesterdays intrasquad game. The good news is the Mets won. The bad news is that the Mets lost. But in all seriousness while watching Daily News live last night and seeing Jose Reyes hit that triple on his first pitch in almost eight months , well to quote the almighty Danny Zuco from the movie Grease ” I got chills - They’re multiplying ! ( when you hear this song in your head think of Christopher Walken singing it - it’s hysterical - but I digress). David Wright looked relaxed at the plate and Jonathan Neise among others looked impressive ( two innings- no hits, no runs, one walk). The only damper on the game is that there were four errors committed, I know it is a intrasquad game , and the players are bound to be rusty, but this team will have to play as close to flawless in order to contend with the likes of the Braves , Marlins and the Phillies.
I listened to a little bit of Big Mouth’s radio show yesterday and I caught the Keith Hernandez interview where he was staunchly defending Daniel Murphy against Francesa’s diatribes , but you know once Mike’s mouth is open , it is hard to get food - as well as a word in edge wise.But hey we all know that Mike knows all and he will be the first person to tell you that. And with him being at Mets camp, talking Yankees to some of the Mets players I have to wonder how he actually has credibility within the journalism community. At least when he has Russo with him Chris could and regularly would call him on many of his inflated views, hence keeping Mike’s ego in check. But alas once Chris bolted for Sirius , the flood gates bursted forth and Mike’s stream of self congratulatory ego and biased opinions spewed forth.
Well at least today the Mets will play the Atlanta Braves today on SNY at 1 p.m.

                                               ” Welcome back Jose - We missed you !!!”

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

Happy Birthday wishes go out to utility infielder for the ‘ 63 team, Chico Fernandez (1932) . Chico was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in ‘56, and he bounced around the majors after that. By the time that came to the Mets in ‘63 his skills had eroded and retired after the season ended.

Sadly on this date in ‘07, one of the original “62 Mets pitchers, Clem Labine passed away.

New York Mets released reserve catcher, Joe DePastino on March 2, 2001. The Mets would resign him the next season, but he never saw much action in a Mets uniform.

And while you watch today’s Grapefruit League game against the Braves - just remember that there are only 34 Nolan Ryan’s until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Except for the fact that all position players were mandated to arrive to Tradition Field, yesterday was a rather slow day in Mets camp . But there was a slight piece of Metscentric news yesterday regarding a Mets player from yesteryear. You see Mike “ The Fat Man” Francesa had on James S. Hirsch, who was with him via phone to discuss his new book called Willie Mays - The Life, The Legend. And of course Mike being a man of ulterior motives - read Mickey Mantle acolyte first , New York Yankee fan second went on to make the bulk of the interview about the Mantle - Mays ” rivalry“. It seemed every sentence that came out of Francesa’s egocentric brain was meant to malign Mays’ achievements since he is regarded as the ” best ever player to play the game” and Mike made his obvious disagreement a front and center issue. The thing that truly amazed me was when Mike ( being the authority that he is) said that he had ” heard stories that Mays was not a nice guys at autograph signings and he didn’t make himself accessible to the press” , which you can tell rankled Mr. Hirsch who nicely retorted ( when you could tell he wanted to rip Mike a new asshole) that the man is in his late ’70’s, this is a job and that it is hard for him to make small talk, he bends over backwards for children and he doesn’t trust the media .
It is funny , I always thought that when Mike had guests to interview ( except for Mets brass or players) he usually conducts first rate interviews. Yesterday his obvious bias made him look like a petty child who was trying hard to debate the merits of a great baseball player ( Mantle) while trying to malign another ( Mays) , It’s like trying to argue who was the better god Zeus or Jupiter - both were the top gods for two cultures, and both have meaning to their respective worshipers. I felt that this was a genuine ” The Emperor Has No Clothes moment for Mr. Francesa, because he could have done a straightforward interview, keeping his opinions at a minimum but he just had to get his digs in - especially when Willie was a Met and on the down side of his illustrious career. I just wish Chris Russo was there to give a the Giants fan perspective of Mays - but unfortunately he is long gone and the Mikes ego escaped it’s cage ! I found myself yelling at my car radio saying - WHAT THE HELL DOES MANTLE HAVE TO DO WITH THIS BOOK !!! But alas Mike is the host of his top rated talk show and like the out of touch celebrity that he is , his word means more than facts.

                                                             ” Hey Mike ! - It’s not always about your opinion !!”

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

Happy Birthday wishes go out to one of the most underrated pitchers in Mets history, Ed Lynch (1956) . “Lynchie” was one of the versatile pitchers the Mets ever had. He had success as both a starter,long man and in middle relief. In ‘85 he actually started out going 10-0 before getting his first loss.

New York Mets purchased third baseman, Luis Alvarado from the Detroit Tigers on February 25, 1977.He would only play in one game for the Mets in ‘77 before fading into obscurity.

And before you psyche yourself up for tonites hot-stove report on SNY , just remember that there are only
39 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Well I have to admit that I wasn’t able to hear the ” General” Jerry press conference yesterday. But from the comments that I saw in regards of inserting Jose Reyes into the third spot in the batting order - I do believe the man is as clueless as Col. Klink ! I have to disagree with my fellow brother in Mets Blue and Orange - Kingman25 when he says this might be a brilliant idea because it will bring balance to the batting order. The way I see it Jose - like Lenny Dykstra is a prototypical lead-off hitter. Generally when Jose first comes to bat it is usually a barometer of how the game will go ( If he gets on base he will more times than not get himself into scoring position, and eventually score). I do agree that Jose can successfully bat in any slot of the order since he has speed, ample power and good baserunning instincts. I don’t think that Angel Pagan can be trusted in number one slot neither do I believe Luis ” Slappy” Castillo can either. Speaking of Castillo, I believe he is best suited in either the two ( like Wally Backman) or the eight slot in the batting order. The problem with Luis ( or Jerry Manuel) is that he is more prone to sacrifice the runner over with no outs to put them into scoring position than to try to hit away and find a hole in the infield. Remember how that drove us fans crazy last year because it killed many a rally ?!? But the choice ultimately lies with Jerry . He is the manager ( god help us) and he makes the in game decisions. Lets just hope he is wise with this decision and let us hope that Jose really embraces batting where ever in the order he is slotted. Because a happy Jose will go along way - and remember the old saying “ As Jose Reyes goes - The team goes “.

                                                     ” Who is the better  strategist?”

And now … ON WITH THE INFAMY !!!

Happy Birthday Phil Lombardi (1963), the one time fourth string catcher for the ‘89 team.

Utility outfielder and all around punk from the ‘04 team Shane Spencer is 38 (1972) .

Starting pitcher from last season - Livan Hernandez is 35 ( YEAH RIGHT !!! ) (1975) .

New York Mets signed free agent Don Aase on February 20, 1989. It’s funny because exactly a year later - The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Don Aase of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 20, 1990.

New York Yankees signed Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 20, 1996. This was the ultimate slap in the face for us Mets fans ! Yes Darryl was successful in a limited role for the Yanks. But Dwight showed flashes of the stuff that endeared us Mets fans to him - and the most painful thing is that he pitched a no - hitter for the enemy ! Look I was one of the jilted fans that called for his release after his last relapse and suspension in ‘94, but I felt that the Mets at the very least should have reached out to him to give him another shot - instead of his comeback being splashed on the covers of local papers in a Yankee uniform. And to have him shut us down in the 2000 World Series was hard to swallow!

New York Mets signed free agent Tony Clark on February 20, 2003.Tony Clark was a good addition for the Mets. He stepped in for the ailing Mo Vaughn ( insert joke here) and he played rather well.

And while we wait for Rob Barajas to sign with the Mets just remember - There are only 44 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Well it’s finally here!! No not the blue ray edition of Blues brothers 2000 - but the start of the Mets 2010 campaign. As I reported yesterday Kelvim Escobar is suffering from shoulder discomfort, which might render him unable to pitch for the Mets for the time being. This in all actuality might be a blessing in disguise. This could thrust Bobby Parnell into the set-up man role to fill the gap between the eighth inning to Frankie Rodriguez in the ninth inning. As we all know Parnell is basically a one pitch pitcher - a hard fast ball. He seems to pitch better in shorter, more controlled scenarios rather than being stretched out as a starter. He thrived for the first half of the season as the seventh inning man. I believe Parnell’s dip in effectiveness as last season wore on was due more to over use ( this was the most innings he ever pitched) and a breakdown in confidence . So what does the future hold for the Mets bullpen this spring training ? It depends if Escobar is suffering from routine discomfort - but if it is more than that , someone - Perhaps the aforementioned Parnell - Maybe Takahashi or even Clint Everts might be the key. Your thoughts ?

                                                   ” Does Bobby have what it takes to be the set up man? ”

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

Birthday Wishes go out to one of the original Mets relievers from the ‘62 team - Bob ” Righty” Miller  (1939) .

Mets  coach from the ‘78 campaign - Dal Maxvill is 71  (1939).

One of  my all- time favorite Mets scrubs, outfielder Jerry Morales is 61 (1949) . I remember him during that horrible  ‘80 season. He couldn’t hit nor could he field but it was funny watching him lumber to first base on a single.

Utility infielder for the ‘88  Mets -  Jeff McKnight is 47 today (1963) .

One time highly touted pitching prospect for the Mets - Kevin Tapani is 46 (1964) .He along with Rick Agulera were the keys to obtaining Frank Viola from the Minnesota Twins in ‘89. Tapani went on to have a long career that spanned  twelve years in the majors.

Utility infielder from  the ‘92 season - John Valentin is 43 (1967) .

Starting Pitcher from the ‘02 Mets, Shawn Estes is 37 (1973) . Who could forget that game against the New York Yankees where the fans wanted him to throw at Roger “I  Misremembered” Clemens, but instead he threw about three feet in back of him. Was he nervous? was he just wild? Who the hell knows - at least he hit a two run home run off of him in that game !

The Montreal Expos  signed pitcher Ray Burris of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 18, 1981.Ray was one of those pitcher that pitched well before he came to the Mets, sucked when he pitched for the Mets, and pitched well after he left the Mets - Go Figure !

New York Mets traded minor league infielder Joe Dellicarri  to the  Detroit Tigers for third baseman Kevin Morgan on February 18, 1994.

The Minnesota Twins signed reliever Luis ” Don’t Call Me Benny ” Ayala of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 18, 2009.  Luis was halfway decent as a middle reliever after the Mets picked him up from the Washington Nationals in August of ‘08, but when he tried to assume Billy Wagner’s closers spot, he faltered along with the entire Mets bullpen down the stretch, which helped keep the Mets out of the Playoffs that year.

And dont forget - There are only 46 days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.

Hi Guys! Sorry I couldn’t post my daily column yesterday, but I had to take Mrs. Rustyjr to the hospital to get her gallbladder taken out. So by the time that we got home , she was in a lot of pain and I being the good husband that I am tended to her every morphine induced whim. Other than listening to Boomer Essaison tearing Ken Rosenthal a new orifice I really didn’t follow the events of yesterday, so I really don’t have much to say about the Mets positive or negative. But our friend Greg Prince asked us to link to his amazing blog Faith and Fear In Flushing, where he has a interview with Sharon Chapman - A long time Mets fan who is in training for the New York City Marathon. She is using the marathon to raise money for the Tug McGraw Foundation, which is a charity that has devoted its resources to making the lives of people coping with brain cancer, post- traumatic stress disorder and trauma brain injuries better. To read Greg’s interview click here. http://wp.me/pKvXu-1aY

“Help Sharon in her race for a cure ! Good old  Tug  would be proud !!”

And now …. ON WITH THE INFAMY !!!!!

Birthday wishes go out to middle reliever from the ‘01 team, Brian Rose.Brian didn’t distinguish himself in the three games that he pitched in during that season, sporting a E.R.A of 4.15giving up four earned runs on 10 hits in 8.2 innings. He was demoted to AAA and never was never seen in a Mets uniform again.

On This Date in 2003 the Mets signed free agent pitcher David Cone.David I hate to say had made a ill fated comeback with the Metsthat year. He was out of baseball for a year and it showed. There was very little zip left on his once menacing fast ball and he had to rely on his breaking pitches. He would start in five games that year, going 1-3 with a E.R.A north of six. His last game before retiring was May 28th. I admit that I was crushed, I wanted him to succeed because he was one of my all time favorite Mets pitchers, and I hated the fact that he became known as a hired gun who helped propel the New York Yankees into the dynasty that they became !
And while you are yearning for the start of Spring Training just remember - There are just 51 more days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.