Life Goes On: Continuing Careers of Ex Mets - 2012

[Frayed Knot]

No real news on Terrence Long today, except to take this opportunity to point out that he is one of only 11 ML-ers ever, the last ML-er to date, plus the only Met (all of 3 ABs) to be a Leap Baby.
T.L. turns 36 today ... or 9 depending on how you want to look at it.

[Edgy MD]

Strange how Long turned in his spikes at 30. Crappy year, but he could have squeezed a few more dollars out of his career, trying to catch on here and there as a reserve outfielder.

[metirish]

Inside Beltran's LI home, up for sale if you can spare a few shillings

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/on-the-mets-beat-1.812057/inside-carlos-beltran-s-long-island-home-1.3568175

[metirish]

Frank DeFord with a nice piece about Valentine.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/07/147962750/what-baseball-really-needs-mr-personality

[bmfc1]

Ex-Met Gone Bad:

John Shea
BREAKING NEWS: #Athletics OF Jason Pridie suspended 50 games, violating minor-league drug program. Agent Matt Sosnick not returning calls.

[metirish]

bmfc1 wrote: Ex-Met Gone Bad: John Shea BREAKING NEWS: #Athletics OF Jason Pridie suspended 50 games, violating minor-league drug program. Agent Matt Sosnick not returning calls.

Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland Athletics minor leaguer Jason Pridie faces a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy, a person with knowledge of the situation said Friday.

The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because details had not been made public, said Friday that the 28-year-old Pridie's infraction was for a drug of abuse rather than a performance-enhancing drug. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported Pridie's violation.


pot head?, coke head?

[Frayed Knot]

I just figured he needed steroids in order to keep up with that chick of his.

[G-Fafif]

From Japan: Lastings Milledge doesn't like the food (though he might be known as a food product himself). Chris Carter and his balky knee enjoy the supportive atmosphere. And more than forty former Mets have preceded them as gaijin over there.

[Edgy MD]

I guess it's two more counting Bobby Valentine and Terry Collins.

That's great work. We could add to it with a roster of ex-Mets who've played in Korea and/or China.

[G-Fafif]

Ex-Met players who went on to play in Japan (partial through 2011; Chris Carter and Lastings Milledge slated to play in Japan in 2012):

Benny Agbayani
Chris Aguila
Edgardo Alfonzo
George Altman
Mike Birkbeck
Bruce Boisclair
Craig Brazell
Brian Buchanan
Mark Carreon
Chris Donnels

Matt Franco
Mike Fyhrie
Wayne Garrett
Shawn Gilbert
Dicky Gonzalez
Ike Hampton
Jason Hardtke
Mike Hessman
Eric Hillman
Darrin Jackson
Jason Jacome

Mike Kinkade
Luis Lopez
Bob MacDonald
Barry Manuel
Jim Marshall
Mike Marshall (1B)
Felix Millan
Kevin Mitchell
C.J. Nitkowski
Jon Nunnally

Alex Ochoa
Tom O'Malley
Andy Phillips
Gary Rajsich
Jerrod Riggan
Don Schulze
Shane Spencer
Ryan Thompson
Kelvin Torve
Eric Valent

Pete Walker
Dave West
Don Zimmer

[Edgy MD]

Chin-lung Hu supposedly out of Phillies camp after failing a phys.

[Ceetar]

Evans and Igarashi released by the Pirates.


so expect the Phillies to pick them up?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

They weren;t released but reassigned to minors.

I suppose there'd be a chance that both could make this Mets squad.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: They weren;t released but reassigned to minors. I suppose there'd be a chance that both could make this Mets squad.

Bah, that's what I get for regurgitating idiots.

[Edgy MD]

That sounds disgusting.

[G-Fafif]

Izzy makes the Angels.

Which sounds like a Disney working title.

[Frayed Knot]

Igarashi dealt to the Blue Jays for cash

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: Heilman returns to Seattle.

In more recent transactions:
April 1 - Released by Seattle
April 4 - Signed by Texas

Is currently 3 appearances and 3 innings (and 7 base-runners, 1 HR, and 2 earned runs) into his stint with AAA Round Rock

[G-Fafif]

Guillermo Mota's continuing career interrupted for a second PED suspension of 100 games.

[G-Fafif]

John Maine puts the "M" in MFY.

[Edgy MD]

And Ryota Igarashi joins Maine.

Luis Castillo's agent has to be on the phone to Cashman.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

This could be hilarious, or-- given the orange-and-blue propensity for whiffing this year-- hilariously awful, come a week and a half from now.

[TransMonk]

Hi! Remember me?



10 GS, 63 IP, 42 H, 15 ER, 21 BB, 58 K, 7 Wins, 1 Loss, 1.00 WHIP, .190 BAA, 2.14 ERA

Dang!

[Vic Sage]

I like Capuano. When he's healthy (which has been rarely), he helps a staff. Not THIS much, usually, and he'll come back to the pack a bit, i'm sure (fun with sample sizes!), but its not a total shock either, especially in the pitching-friendly expanse of Chavez Ravine.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Vic Sage wrote: I like Capuano. When he's healthy (which has been rarely), he helps a staff. Not THIS much, usually, and he'll come back to the pack a bit, i'm sure (fun with sample sizes!), but its not a total shock either, especially in the pitching-friendly expanse of Chavez Ravine.

Like Citi Field 2011 wasn't pitching friendly either. By the way, ESPN's Cy Predictor sez that Capuano wins the NL Cy Young Award if the season ends today.

[Vic Sage]

yeah, Citi is pitcher-friendly, and he didn't do too badly there either, considering it was his first full season after numerous injuries and surgeries that cost him part of 2007, all of 2008 & 2009, and part of 2010.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

F Capuano. I suspect he'll be back to the pack soon enough, giving his usual 5 and two-thirds.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He's also getting FAR better outfield defense, it seems-- depending on which metric you use, the Dodgers have either the best or second-best OF in baseball (in terms of runs saved), where last year's Mets were dead last in baseball.

[Vic Sage]

he's also pitching to a BABIP about 100 points lower, which supports my notion that he (1) pitched better than his overall numbers showed last year, and was subject to bad luck and limited defensive support, and (2) he'll likely revert to form at some point, because his current BABIP is likely unsustainable. But his "form" isn't at all bad, if healthy, and if he's backed by good defense, he can help a team win.

[G-Fafif]

Lastings Milledge in Japan: http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/in-japan-milledge-continues-to-underwhelm/]Tough to Swallows.

Through Tuesday, he was batting .240 with 6 home runs and 17 runs batted in, hardly the power surge the Swallows had hoped for. On Sunday night, he went 0-3 in a 4-1 loss. His highlights included an inning-ending double play, a fly ball to the warning track and getting hit by a pitch.