battles?

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Not that he ever had much of a chance, but Adam Rubin reports that the Fogg has lifted - Josh has been released so he can go and be injured with another team.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I would argue that Jacobs has exactly zero value at this point unless he can catch.

I'm really not sure what Carter has to do to get a spot. The only outfielder or first baseman the Mets have who can hit righthanded pitchers better than him is Bay -- except possibly Martinez, and I'm not sure what he has to do to get a spot either.[/quote:4vs52qar]

After Saturday's game:

Jacobs:

28 PA, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 10 TB, .174 AVG, .321 OBP, .435 SLG, .756 OPS, has shat the bed offensively and defensively for the virtual entirety of his major-league career, 2 of last 3 and 3 of last 5 starts (w/ 1 TB in them)

Carter:

15 PA, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 HR, 15 TB, .385 AVG, .467 OBP, 1.154 SLG, 1.621 OPS, has dominated minor-league pitching since 2006, no starts in 10 days


I'm not just "Team Carter;" I don't see how anyone in their right mind could count themselves on "Team Jacobs."

[Valadius]

[Theoldmole]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I feel you, Nelly. I feel you. (Courtesy of young Mr. Waldstein at the Paper of Record.)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. � Nelson Figueroa walked up to the clubhouse door of Estadio Nueva Esparta last month and knocked on the door. A small flap opened at eye level, and a security guard asked Figueroa, a star pitcher for the Dominican Winter League champion Leones Del Escogido, for identification. Figueroa had just arrived at Margarita Island, Venezuela, the site of the Caribbean Series, planning to meet his team at the stadium and had not been given his player�s credential yet. No credential, the guard said, no entry, and like a bouncer at a speakeasy, he slapped the flap shut in Figueroa�s face. Figueroa, who was scheduled to start that night�s game, was left standing in the noon heat wondering how he would get inside to begin his day�s work. Demonstrating the resourcefulness that has helped him survive 15 years in professional baseball in North, Central and South America and in Asia, Figueroa reached into his bag, pulled out his passport and his baseball glove and knocked again. When the guard answered, Figueroa held up the passport and his baseball glove with his name stitched on it. Unimpressed, the guard still refused to allow Figueroa in without his pass. After a few more moments of uncertainty, a credentialed crew member from ESPN Deportes, which was broadcasting the game, spotted Figueroa and persuaded the guard to allow the pitcher onto the grounds. Once inside (and after he was held up by another security guard), Figueroa pitched masterfully, striking out eight in a three-hitter to lead Escogido to a 7-1 victory en route to the Caribbean championship. Less than two months later, he is still performing well, allowing one run in 11 innings for the Mets in spring training. But despite his success, Figueroa was assigned to pitch in a B game lately, on Sunday against the University of Michigan. He is still looking for the recognition that will allow him to walk through baseball�s front doors without being questioned. �Things don�t always work out the way you plan them,� Figueroa said after allowing his first run of the spring in the Mets� 8-1 victory over Michigan. �I�ve learned that throughout my career. I�m in the position where I�m going out there throwing for 29 other teams right now.� For Figueroa, making the Mets or any other major league team is almost a matter of family survival. He is the major league equivalent of an assembly-line worker concerned about paying this month�s electricity bill. �It�s frustrating,� said Figueroa, who pitched 16 games for the Mets last year and 17 for Class AAA Buffalo. �Everybody says they�re not playing for that payday, but it would be nice. It would be nice not to have to go to winter ball to get a check. I go to winter ball to stay in shape, have fun and win championships, and that�s all great. �But bottom line is it pays the bills. I don�t get paid until April 15, and sometimes, it gets a little scary. You�ve got to make the money when you can, and I�m getting a great opportunity every winter.� If Figueroa makes the Mets� roster, as a reliever or the fifth starter, he will make a healthy $416,000 � with checks arriving every two weeks starting April 15 � but that is $34,000 less than his contract called for last year. If he is sent to the minors, he will make $119,500, which is also a nice salary, but the major league average last year was $3.2 million. At 35, Figueroa is not looking to fulfill childhood dreams but to find a job in a hard economy. Since he was first signed in 1995 after being drafted by the Mets, Figueroa has spent time in the minor leagues every year except 2005, when he was out of baseball. Figueroa�s financial concerns show when he talks about how fortunate he was that one day in the majors last year enabled him to have $18,500 worth of health insurance for his family. Or how he was two days short of enough service time to be eligible for arbitration, which could have resulted in a heftier salary. If he does not stick with the Mets this year, Figueroa could ask for his release and sign overseas, perhaps in Japan, where he stands to make substantially more money. �I�ve been playing for 15 years and I haven�t made a million dollars,� he said. �I�d like some security for my family, of course.� If the Mets try to send him to the minors, Figueroa will have to clear waivers, which he has done six times in his career. Could every team pass on him again after such an impressive spring? �I think you�ve got to kind of be blind if you�re one of the other 29 teams to see what comes out of it,� Figueroa said. �Hopefully they�re not.�

[ashie62]

Figgy, sometimes a career path can be stalled through no fault of your own

[MFS62]

Does Daniel Murphy still have minor league options left?
If Carter keeps hitting, and with power, do you think the Mets would send Murphy down at the start of the season to "get his swing together" like they did with Evans last year?

Later

[metirish]

Lennon on his blog

Decisions, decisions. Two weeks left before Opening Day

Exactly two weeks from today, the Mets will send Johan Santana to the mound -- keep your fingers crossed -- to oppose the Marlins' Josh Johnson in the season opener at Citi Field. Which is why it's time for the roster analysis to kick into high gear because the clock is ticking. I spoke with Omar Minaya yesterday about these final two weeks and what needs to get accomplished. The short answer? Plenty. The Mets' bullpen is in disarray and they still need to figure out the bench, which also is dependent on the status of Jose Reyes. If Reyes can't make it back for Opening Day -- and that seems to be the case -- the Mets will need Alex Cora plus another shortstop, meaning Ruben Tejada is going to be coming north as well. That's a wrinkle the team hadn't planned on a few weeks ago. With so much uncertainty in the bullpen, is there any chance Nelson Figueroa makes the Opening Day roster? He's still holding out hope, but if not, Figueroa sounds like he will not shuffle off to Buffalo when the time comes. Figueroa talked candidly yesterday about the finances of the game for a player on the margin, and he seems frustrated by his limited use this spring. On a positive note, Figgy did win free tacos for Section 111yesterday by striking out a Michigan hitter in the "Taco Inning" at Tradition.

Disarray? , hardly the kind of talk that inspires one with two weeks to go.

[Benjamin Grimm]

You should focus on the positive: free tacos for section 111!

Is the bullpen really in disarray? Or is it simply that there are decisions still to be made? I have to confess that I haven't been paying a whole lot of attention to how many of the individual Mets players have been doing this spring.

[metirish]

And those people in section 111 looked like they needed the free tacos too..........

Lennon follows up today

The Putz conundrum: Still searching for a set-up man 8:20 AM By David Lennon Less than two weeks before Opening Day, and the Mets are no closer to finding an eighth-inning pitcher than they were when spring training began back in mid-February. And here's the problem: The most intriguing candidate -- Jenrry Mejia - is not even being considered because Jerry Manuel insists on protecting him if he does make the Opening Day roster (which he will). Mejia looked decent yesterday, Bobby Parnell was uninspiring and Ryota Igarashi was a mess as he tried to tinker with his delivery, hoping for more sink on his forkball. But we'll get another look at all of them today as they work on back-to-back days for the first time this spring in what should be a critical test. As for Mike Pelfrey, the box score said he served up four homers yesterday at Viera. But everyone can take two steps back from the ledge. Three were windblown in a big way. The fourth was a blast off a light pole. Pelfrey has shown improvement this spring -- there's no question about that. I thought Oliver Perez, who starts today, would be the surprise of the season this year but I'm switching over to Pelfrey.

A strange headline me thinks

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Does Daniel Murphy still have minor league options left?
If Carter keeps hitting, and with power, do you think the Mets would send Murphy down at the start of the season to "get his swing together" like they did with Evans last year?

Later[/quote:1hv4bbtg]

Murphy has options.

Jacobs, on the other hand, has an invisible "release me" sign around his neck.

[Guest attgig]

Murphy has options.

Jacobs, on the other hand, has an invisible "release me" sign around his neck.[/quote:35swpivh]


but murphy ain't goin nowhere:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2010-03-23-371549981_x.htm

and jacobs? who knows why jerry keeps on thinking about him.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Jacobs pinch-hits with the bases loaded in today's ST game, and provides the clutchiest of clutch singles... his first hit in a week! Awesome!

JACOBS

29 PA, 5 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (his only XBH), .208 BA/.345 OBP/.458 SLG, ugly fucking Phillie goatee, slight-to-moderate douchiness, hands of stone, heart of glass, owns catcher's glove

CARTER

20 PA, 8 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 HR (6 XBH), .444 BA/.500 OBP/1.056 SLG, clean face, nice smile, Stanford-edu-ma-cated, hammers righties better than anyone else currently projected to be on the Opening Day roster NOT named Jason Bay, owns outfielder's glove that he actually uses

[ashie62]

Jacobs pinch-hits with the bases loaded in today's ST game, and provides the clutchiest of clutch singles... his first hit in a week! Awesome!

JACOBS

29 PA, 5 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (his only XBH), .208 BA/.345 OBP/.458 SLG, ugly fucking Phillie goatee, slight-to-moderate douchiness, hands of stone, heart of glass, owns catcher's glove

CARTER

20 PA, 8 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 HR (6 XBH), .444 BA/.500 OBP/1.056 SLG, clean face, nice smile, Stanford-edu-ma-cated, hammers righties better than anyone else currently projected to be on the Opening Day roster NOT named Jason Bay, owns outfielder's glove that he actually uses[/quote:oqiuq122]


Carter hammers righties better than anyone on the roster not named Bay?

That is absurd.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Jacobs pinch-hits with the bases loaded in today's ST game, and provides the clutchiest of clutch singles... his first hit in a week! Awesome!

JACOBS

29 PA, 5 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (his only XBH), .208 BA/.345 OBP/.458 SLG, ugly fucking Phillie goatee, slight-to-moderate douchiness, hands of stone, heart of glass, owns catcher's glove

CARTER

20 PA, 8 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 HR (6 XBH), .444 BA/.500 OBP/1.056 SLG, clean face, nice smile, Stanford-edu-ma-cated, hammers righties better than anyone else currently projected to be on the Opening Day roster NOT named Jason Bay, owns outfielder's glove that he actually uses[/quote:2p688bmx]


Carter hammers righties better than anyone on the roster not named Bay?

That is absurd.[/quote:2p688bmx]

Thanks for your thoughtful, well-considered rebuttal.

Got a name?

[ashie62]

I don't see how you can compare Carter's hammering ability to anyone on the major league level as Carter has yet to do anything at the Major league level or make the 2010 big team as of yet

How about Daniel Murphy, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Angel Pagan, Frenchie, and Barajas as names til Carter proves otherwise on a major league level

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Point sorta granted.

Because there's a significant amount of vagueness around Major League equivalency of minor league stats. Even if he's demonstrated an ability to rake over the past four years in the high minors (cumulative wOBA-- like OPS, but weighting OBP more-- of .389 over the past three years, with major-league average for an OF at around .340). And even though his ability with the bat has had less to do with his making the team than (A) the fact that he was blocked by Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and ( Omar Minaya's evaluation of his ability with the bat. And even if the point you made is a bit like-- actually, MUCH like-- saying Sean Green is a better pitcher than Jjenrry Mejia against lefties because he's struck out a lefty* at the major league level.

Oh, and Francoeur (.300 OBP/.410 SLG career against righties)? Barajas (.282/.402)? Who's being absurd now?

*Actually, several lefties.

[Guest attgig]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100324&content_id=8914206&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss_nym

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Last summer, before his leg betrayed him, Jon Niese provided his manager a glimpse of how good it all could be. Jerry Manuel has retained an image of a young left-handed starting pitcher finding and fighting his way through big league lineups. The Mets manager appreciated what he saw to such a degree that he wants to see more. So it is that Niese has all but secured the fifth position in the Mets' starting rotation. Manuel indicated as much without saying the words Wednesday. Niese had pitched two scoreless innings in relief against the Astros in the Mets' 5-2 victory. And that cameo appearance, his body of work in 7 2/3 other innings, his large curveball -- pitching coach Dan Warthen says it's the best curve in camp -- and the club's need for Fernando Nieve in the bullpen left Manuel with no alternative. As a result, the rotation will be 60 percent left-handed, with Niese, Johan Santana and Oliver Perez -- not such a bad thing in the National League East -- and 80 percent unproven. Niese had left the clubhouse Wednesday before Manuel provided a qualified declaration/lukewarm endorsement. "I kind of see it might fit better for us, as we speak here today," Manuel said. "As I look at it today, I would say it's still open, but he would have somewhat of an inside track." Those words were followed by an acknowledgment that the club needs Nieve to work in relief, possibly in the still-unassigned eighth-inning role. Manuel was more direct in subsequent remarks, making a stronger case for Nieve in the bullpen, even though the club and scouts have wondered about Nieve's secondary pitches. Niese, 23, has made five starts in the big leagues, three of them last summer before he ruptured the hamstring tendon in his right leg on Aug. 5. He produced a 1-1 record and 4.21 ERA in the five starts last year, after posting a 1-1 record and 7.07 ERA in two starts in 2008. In four Grapefruit League appearances -- two in relief -- this spring, Niese has allowed 12 hits and four walks in 9 2/3 innings. He hadn't pitched in relief since 2005, his first season as a professional. "He was pretty impressive when we called him up last year," Manuel said. "I haven't seen anything different from him [in exhibition competition]." "I think his time has come," Warthen said last week, without reference to the rotation. "He's done his growing and his learning. Now it's time to do his pitching."

unofficially, Niese is our official #5 starter
Nieve goes to the pen.

I still think that it's a bad idea. and imo, we're going to be missing the depth nelson gives us when one of the starters struggles bad or goes down with an injury(hopefully that won't happen...but...)....

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nelson, we got you a parting gift! It travels pretty well, so you should be able to carry it on the flight to Japan, no problem.

[smg58]

We "need" Nieve in the pen? At whose expense?

[metirish]

Listen, I don't want to talk up a journey man pitcher like he's Johnny fucking Podres but there is a feeling that Figgy never really had a shot at the fifth spot in the minds of the brass.

[bmfc1]

Figueroa's spring ERA is 0.00. The way the staff is constructed, and from the pitching we've seen this spring, he shouldn't be the 5th starter... he should be the #2. I don't have any more confidence in Pelfrey or Maine than I do in Figueroa. And Perez is still a nightmare--yesterday was like reliving a bad dream, looking up and seeing runners on base all the time. This shouldn't have happened: Piniero and Marquis should have been in the rotation but our GM stood pat. Right now, the rotation is Santana and a bunch of 4's and 5's and from that bunch, Figueroa deserves to be in the rotation.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?statType=2&statType=Overview&teamPosCode=all&timeFrame=1&c_id=nym&section2=null&sitSplit=&venueID=&Submit=Submit&subScope=pos&baseballScope=NYN&timeSubFrame=23&&sortByStat=ERA

[Guest Edgy DC]

Shed not tear one for Jason Marquis.

If you actually get nightmares over spring starts (really?), then Marquis' spring performances would would give you PTSD.

[Valadius]

Niese has the best curveball in camp? Doesn't Santana have something to say about that?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Santana throws a fastball, slider and-- but of course-- changeup.

(Get your head out of those bills and into something important, son.)

[G-Fafif]

Figueroa, Misch and Takahashi inspire more immediate confidence than Pelfrey, Perez and Maine as in if I needed three pitchers for three games that counted at this very moment, I'd take the first trio, not the scholarship boys. I'd take them over Niese right now, too, for the short term. Perhaps this is why Spring Training is as long as it is, so though those who are penciled in can match their graphite quotient.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think the Mets subscribe to the shopping-mall shootup theory: If talent were bullets, which three would leave the most gruesome crime scene behind?

Maine is the one I'm most concerned about. I was thinking they might just make him the 8th inning guy and slide Figgy on down.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

STAFF:
Santana
Pelfrey
Maine
Perez
Niese

BULLPEN:
Figueroa
Takahashi
Nieve
Calero
Feliciano
Igarashi
Rodriguez

Even if the team feels the pressing need to keep Nieve at all costs-- and I'm not sure I get that-- you still don't discard cheap, average starting pitching talent (NellyFigs).

If you're in love with Niese-- and if you are, I can't exactly blame you, since he's got the highest ceiling/talent level of the starting candidates-- then use Green and Parnell's options.

Edited March 25, 2010 by Guest

[Guest Edgy DC]

Even if the team feels the pressing need to keep Nieve at all costs-- and I'm not sure I get that-- you still don't discard cheap, average starting pitching talent (NellyFigs).

Wouldn't you describe Nieve the same way --- and just as claimable if the Mets try and sneak him into Buffalo?

If I'm in love with Niese (and I'm not, but, you know, we've gone out a few times), I stick him in the minors under the "we don't need a fifth starter the first ten days" theory," and see if (a) a slot opens up, or ( the situation on the ground changes.

[duan]

that's exactly what I was driving at earlier, it's very clear to me that the starting rotation has a bunch of question marks around it and that the last thing we need is to let potentially league average starters get lost to other teams, so you try and shuffle through your best options over the first 2 weeks to a month, safe in the knowledge that an injury or two is probably going to help you use the whole deck and that at the very least you'll have competitive data rather then spring training data on everyone..

I'd hate to lose Misch/Nieve/Figgy on waivers, when they've ALL done good sales pitches either this spring or last season.