All-Purpose 2006 Where Have You Gone... Former Mets Thread

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Hmmm. Vina's ten days younger than Bret Boone, and he hit .083 this spring.

Sounds like a candidate for the Mets job. Sign him up!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Don't, don't, don't let's start. I've got a weak heart.

[A Boy Named Seo]

LA Times on JW Seo. Funny quote below in bold.

]Seo Has a Mixed Outing in Return From the WBC By Steve Henson, Times Staff Writer March 24, 2006 VERO BEACH, Fla. � Based on how he pitched in the World Baseball Classic, Jae Seo could be regarded as the best off-season acquisition made by General Manager Ned Colletti. Based on how he pitched Thursday, Seo looked every bit the No. 5 starter the Dodgers figure they added when relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll were traded to the New York Mets for Seo and reliever Tim Hamulack. In his first appearance with his new team, Seo gave up a run in the first inning and two in the second before settling down and throwing three scoreless innings. He gave up eight hits in the five innings and the Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2, at Holman Stadium. Seo, 26, gave up one run and seven hits in 14 innings pitching for Korea in the WBC, notching two wins. Before his start Thursday, a scout from another National League team said, "The Mets are crying. They want him back." Then the game began and he looked more like the pitcher who was 22-24 the last three seasons. "That's mostly from operating with a strange catcher," Manager Grady Little said. "When a guy's got the assortment of pitches he does, they've got to learn each other." Rookie Russell Martin was behind the plate, and for two innings Seo threw what Martin called. Seo took control of pitch selection the last three innings. "The catchers don't know my style of pitching or what I like to throw," he said. Seo's fastball is only in the 87-mph range, and he relies on a curve, a changeup and a split-finger pitch. The Cardinals were jumping his first-pitch fastballs, something batters in the WBC didn't do. "I didn't make enough of an adjustment facing big league hitters after facing the Asian hitters [in the WBC]," he said. "The Asian hitters are more patient. It takes away from their power, but they are better at making contact. The major league hitters are more aggressive." The learning curve extended to Martin, who is expected to make the opening-day roster because of a hamstring injury to Dioner Navarro. "The second time through the lineup went a little smoother because I started to figure out the way he likes to throw," Martin said. "Pitchers like him, they throw anything in any count. Where you set up is important. The first time you catch any pitcher is always tough." Because of off days, Seo is scheduled to make only two starts in April and would be a long reliever the rest of the month.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Danny Graves is hanging in there trying to make the Indians. He strikes me as a slow learner.

Brian Daubach has been cut by the Cardinals, and is considering not reporting to Memphis. I know what he's thinking: "You're good enough to carry Jeff Nelson in your bullpen and Sdney Ponson in your rotation, but you can't carry me?"

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sam Perlozzo is frustrated.

[Guest cooby]

That Roger Clamons thingy is something that would have given me nightmares for years as a kid

[Guest Rotblatt]

Jae Seo made his second spring start, going 6 innings against the Tigers. He allowed one run--a solo shot by Vance Wilson--on three hits and a walk. He struck out 6.

3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 8 K, 2 BB in 11 IP this Spring.
0.64 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 8 K, 3 BB in 14 IP in the World Baseball Classic

He's set to be the #5 pitcher for the Dodgers, behind Lowe, Penny, O. Perez & Tomko.

On edit: I just ... want him back SO MUCH ... (sob)

No, seriously.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Mariners carrying Petagine, but farming out Appier.

[MFS62]

I still feel bad for Roberto. The guy is a power hitter and gets a chance to stick with a major league team. Then he ends up playing half his games where the outfield fences are in a different area code.

Later

[metirish]

Anna Benson today filed for divorce form Kris....damn.

[Elster88]

Is that a joke? April Fools isn't until Saturday.

[metirish]

Nope, not a joke, just heard it onn the WFAN....again, Anna filed for divorce from Kris...I guess she really didn't like the trade.

[Guest SI Metman]

Super Joe McEwing changes address

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sighted on the wire: Gary Thorne.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Stretching the rules a bit here, Never-Quite-Met Angel Pagan found his way onto the field for the Cubs today, collecting 2 hits, an RBI, and scoring twice in two ABs.

[MFS62]

How did he become a Cub?
Minor league free agent signing?
Minor league trade?

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Pagan was claimed on waivers.

[metirish]

Doc Gooden got sent down to the big house for one year.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_gooden_sentenced

[Guest Edgy DC]

Awful.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

metirish wrote: Doc Gooden got sent down to the big house for one year. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_gooden_sentenced

I guess that settles it - he won't be at the 1986 Reunion Night in August.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

There's always the videotaped message on the Diamond Vision. Didn't Darryl do that from prison once?

[metirish]

Yeah he could do that Yancy, even his orange jump suit would look the part.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Brett Butler wants to screen your neck.

Alex Escobar, bringing it with your Harrisburg Senators. Also Stoins material.

[Elster88]

Al Leiter to join YES

Did we already know this?

[metirish]

Yeah I guess we knew but now it's official, is he trying to start something with Russo, soounds like it.

[MFS62]

Doug Flynn said on today's "Talkin' Baseball" radio show that he's been doing color on the University of Kentucky baseball telecasts.

LAter

[Guest Edgy DC]

Another guy who might be busy on reunion day.


LOW KEY: Santana, manager of the Hogs, doesn't get emotional

By Dan Collins
JOURNAL REPORTER

If he finds any horses playing this season for the Winston-Salem Warthogs, first-year manager Rafael Santana will try to lead them to water - or perhaps, in this case, to a sports beverage loaded with electrolytes.

It'll be up to the horses if they want to drink.

"I'm kind of a low-key type of guy," Santana said. "I don't get too emotional. I let the guys play.

"I give them information. I'm not the type of guy who expects these guys to play like major leaguers because I know that's not the level they're at. But I'm here to help them out and try to get the best out of them.

"That's why I don't react too much."

So how, he was asked, will he react when he's tested? It's inconceivable that a person can manage a team of intense, highly charged players over the course of an emotional season without being tested at least a time or two.

"When things aren't going right, that's when you have to be there for them, just like at home," Santana said. "When things aren't going well for your kids you can't turn your back on them. That's when you have to work to get them out of the funk. That's baseball.

"You're always going to be tested. Sometimes it's better for you to talk to them. They listen to you and they get back on track. If you belt them or whip them or whatever, what's going to happen? They will feel that is a challenge."

Smooth and unflappable as a major-league shortstop with the Cardinals, Mets, Yankees and Indians, Santana remains that way today at age 48. He has been with the White Sox organization since 1999, serving mostly as its infield instructor. But he did coach first base for the parent White Sox in 2003 and 2004.

And just because he hasn't managed since 1993, when he was skipper of the Azucareros of the Dominican Winter League, he doesn't see the job as anything he can't handle.

He is appreciative of the chance, however, which hasn't been extended to that many Latin Americans. That has changed recently. Just last season, the Carolina League had three Latin American managers - Luis Rivera of Kinston, Bien Figueroa of Frederick and Ivan DeJesus of Salem.

This year, there are two, Santana and Figueroa.

And, of course, Manager Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox changed the face of the game forever last season by becoming the first Latin American manager to lead his team to a World Series championship. Guillen was born in Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela. Santana was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

"I believe if you look at all the Latino stuff, that was something big because that had never happened before," Santana said. "By Ozzie winning the whole thing with the White Sox last year, it might mean that we've shown we've got the ability to do it, too."

One goal for the season is to lead the Warthogs to Winston-Salem's 12th Carolina League championship and the second in four seasons. Another is to prove that he's not just a Latin American manager, but a manager who happens to be Latin American.

"I'm not here just for Latinos," Santana said. "I can be an inspiration for Latinos because I played in the majors for many years, and I coached in the big leagues.

"If they want to look up to me that's fine. They might do like I did as I was coming up. I got to see Felipe Alou play, and he was my idol of all-time. I was coming up as a shortstop, and I looked up to Dave Concepcion. I tried to emulate everything. I wanted to be like him. Before you know it, I was playing against him.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Dae Sung Koo leading the Hanwha Eagles with 2 saves.

They have a web page where they mangle English phrases in an entertaining way:

The team is symbolized by eagles based on "fire" and "sun". "fire" stands for the image of hanwha conglomerate and the statue of eagles is the meaning of taking off for the sun.

http://www.hanwhaeagles.co.kr/english/introduction.asp

[metirish]

Not a good day for Piazza in Florida, from the scoring summery...

] San Diego - Top of 7th Score Ricky Nolasco pitching for Florida SDG FLA B Giles walked. 6 0 M Piazza singled to left, B Giles to second. 6 0 A Gonzalez singled to center, B Giles scored, M Piazza to second, M Piazza thrown out at third attempting to advance on play. 7 0 K Greene struck out swinging. 7 0 V Castilla flied out to center. 7 0 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors

Mikey what were you at?

[Theoldmole]

And the statue of eagles in bikinis is the meaning of taking it off for the sun.