Gwreck

I believe that's Brady Clark.

I actually do live close enough to make it home, although given that I'm not in the CPF Fantasy League, I had no idea a draft was even taking place. New plan: Saturday, March 8. Same details as above. Mets vs. Marlins on Channel 11.

Wagner, too.

KC wrote: If there's interest in a ST Manhattan meeting I guess I'll leave it for someone else to try and corral the troops. It also occurs to me that perhaps a September game might be a good idea too for those who can't make May and it is the last freakin' year at Shea. We need camp counselors, not campers ... don't be bashful. Ok. Sunday, March 16. 12:30 PM. ESPN Zone. 1472 Broadway New York, NY 10036 (212) 921-3776 http://espnzone.com/newyork/ Mets vs. Detroit on SNY at 1:10 PM. Who's in?

Some followup from Adam Rubin's blog: 1:07 p.m.: Omar Minaya just revealed that MLB officials called him today to express displeasure with the Mets sending so few regulars to Lakeland yesterday for the Grapefruit League opener. ]Only Ramon Castro, Mike Pelfrey, Ryan Church, Mike Wise and Marlon Anderson made the 150-minute bus ride. Four �regulars� are required for spring-training games. Minaya said MLB appeared satisfied with the Mets� explanation that with Carlos Beltran, Endy Chavez, Luis Castillo and Damion Easley unavailable, the Mets couldn�t practically send too many players. (Jose Reyes, David Wright, Mosies Alou and Brian Schneider were perfectly healthy.) �We told them the situation and they were perfectly understanding,� Minaya said. The GM said he left two messages for the Tigers before the game informing them of the Mets� skeleton crew that was coming. One person affiliated with the Mets shrugged it off by pointing to the meager roster the Tigers sent to Port St. Lucie the previous year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3268713 Apparently you're supposed to bring a "representative team" to all spring road games. The definition of "representative" i a "minimum" of four players who were regulars the previous year or had a "reasonable chance" of being regulars this season. The Mets brought Church and Castro to Lakeland on Wednesday to play the Tigers. Not good enough, apparently.

Story here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3267428 Cards cut Spiezio after six-count arrest warrant issued Associated Press Updated: February 28, 2008, 1:22 AM ET IRVINE, Calif. -- Utilityman Scott Spiezio was cut by the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, released after being charged in a six-count complaint involving drunken driving and assault in a December car crash. "We had heard some things about this," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. "Ultimately nothing was ever confirmed to the level it was today. To have this warrant put out there, it completely changes the landscape of what we're dealing with." A warrant was issued Tuesday for Spiezio, who missed more than a month last year while getting treatment for substance abuse. The warrant was recalled Wednesday after Spiezio's attorney appeared in court, and the arraignment was continued to March 26. The Orange County district attorney charged Spiezio with misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, hit and run, aggravated assault, assault and battery. "We anticipate a successful resolution to this misdemeanor matter," attorney Paul Meyer said. The 35-year-old Spiezio did not play in Wednesday's exhibition game against St. Louis University at Jupiter, Fla. "Scott and I will have a statement at a later date," Spiezio's agent, Barry Meister, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Scott is clean and sober and has been for a significant period of time and is fully prepared to continue his career. He has had no problems at Cardinals camp, is in great shape and was and is looking to have a great 2008 season," he said. Police said the accident occurred Dec. 30. The maximum penalty is two years in state prison. "We've never been able to talk to him," Irvine police Lt. Rick Handfield said. "The detective has expressed an interest in having Mr. Spiezio come to California." Spiezio won World Series championships with Anaheim in 2002 and St. Louis in 2006. He has cultivated a hard-rocking image during his 12 seasons in the majors and plays in the heavy metal band SandFrog. He batted .272 in 119 games with 13 homers and 52 RBIs in 2006. Last year, he appeared in only 82 games because of injuries, illness and treatment, managing only four homers, 31 RBIs and a .269 average. Spiezio was entering the final season of a two-year, $4.5 million contract. He was released the same way most players are cut, for failure "to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability." That means the Cardinals owe him this year's $2.3 million salary plus a $100,000 buyout of a $2.5 million team option for 2009 -- because of that, the likelihood of a grievance by the players' union is small. Asked about Spiezio's release, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said, "I think it's a consistent message about what the team represents." "It wasn't like he escaped last year without catching some heat and the organization acting to try to get him right," he said. When the Cardinals activated him from the restricted list last September, Spiezio said, "I was out of control for a while. I learned a lot and I'm ready to start contributing in a good way now." At the time, Spiezio said he'd been struggling with substance abuse for six or seven months, although he wouldn't disclose the substance, saying, "I'll save that for the book." Spiezio is best remembered in Anaheim for a three-run homer in Game 6 against the San Francisco Giants that helped the Angels rally from the largest deficit ever in a potential Series-deciding game. Spiezio played in Seattle for two seasons before joining the Cardinals in 2006 and helping them win the World Series that year. Irvine police responded to a report of a single-car crash at 12:20 a.m. on Dec. 30. Officers found a 2004 BMW registered to Spiezio had crashed into a curb and fence. The driver was seen running from the crash site, Handfield said. A neighbor told police Spiezio arrived at their condo complex appearing disheveled and apparently injured. The neighbor said Spiezio allegedly assaulted him, causing significant injuries, Handfield said. Mozeliak said that he and La Russa met with Spiezio and his agent before spring training started to discuss the accident. The GM said team officials did not know until Wednesday that alcohol was allegedly involved. "We were led to believe that there was a chance that some of this was not going to gravitate to the level that it did today," Mozeliak said. "Obviously what came to light today changed how we looked at it. We decided we had to react." Spiezio was devastated by the death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock, who was legally intoxicated when he crashed into the back of a flatbed truck last April. Spiezio said the situation might have pushed him deeper into dependency. "You've got to put yourself in the right situations, sometimes change friends or go out to breakfast with a friend and not to a place where you can start making bad decisions," he said in January. "I've got to be in a frame of mind where I can't lose focus in any way."

I wish the Mets would get a sane bobblehead policy. They give them out to kids 12 and under only, even though it says clearly on the box, "not recommended for children 8 and under." Morons.

Ryan Howard. I also agree about Haren.

smg58 wrote: Are the Mets depending on him a bit much? I'm worried that they are. The most significant outside addition to a terrible pen has been Matt Wise, so Minaya obviously didn't feel that upgrading the bullpen beyond Sanchez returning was a priority. That's a lot to ask from a guy who hasn't pitched in a year and a half. Is it really fair to call the 2007 'pen "terrible?" When I look at our top 3 relievers, those numbers don't exactly suck. Wagner: 68.1 IP, 2.63 ERA, .216 BAA, Heilman: 86 IP, 3.03 ERA, .224 BAA Feliciano: 64 IP, 3.09 ERA, .200 BAA (Granted, the next 3 in terms of innings pitched were Sele, Schoeneweis and Mota. But the Mets have addressed 2/3 of that already). Sanchez may not be entirely his 2006 self this year, but I'm guessing he's an upgrade over the 59 innings of crap we got from Guillermo Mota.

...also means we wouldn't have had Shawn Green or Guillermo Mota, either.

It *was* funny. But pointing out that Jon Heyman is a moron is like shooting fish in a barrel. Now, if they actually *could* get Joe Morgan fired...

Triple Dee wrote: If Angel Pagan tears up ST offensively , the simple solution would be to send Chavez to NO (shock, horror). Endy's offense declined substantial last year (albeit precipitated by injury) and keeping him on the roster just for defense is really a waste. Whether it's right or not, I think Chavez' contract pretty much guarantees him a major league roster spot (as does Anderson, Castro and Easley).

I like the Goat. Quite a bit. But if Marlon Anderson and Damion Easley are guaranteed roster spots I don't see him getting to make the team. I suppose it's possible that the Mets could break camp with only 4 starting pitchers -- El Duque on the "DL" perhaps, as they don't need the 5th starter until April 12. They could try to sneak somebody back through waivers then, perhaps.

Because the Mets are selling upper reserved seats to "selected" games ahead of time. General sales for all games begins Sunday 3/9.

KC is right, 3/9 is the date. I am of course in for that date as well.

First and last names starting with "D" in Mets history: Doug Dascenzo Duffy Dyer Any others? I don't the Mets ever had any triple Ds though. Welcome!

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Nice. I was actually thinking above of the teams dropping the gloves and going at it and I don't think the Mets want to be in that fight. Wright is the superior ballplayer, but Utley looks like he can use his fists. Howard will destroy any Met except maybe Castro. Myers you know ain't afraid to pick on someone smaller than he is and he's the kind of meathead who'll swing first and ask questions later whereas you wouldn't wanna see Santana or Pedro take that kind of a risk. Rollins is from Oakland -- you know he can go. We're really going to have to rely on Church and Schneider here to do our dirty work, cuz I don't see who else you really want to throw down on the Mets. We're too old and delicate. Delgado? Duaner? I think they could go pretty well too.

You're special if you can buy me 2 to the Sunday 9/30 game vs. the Marlins.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: However, I'm not convinced the Mets can take the Phils in a fight. Maybe not. I sure wouldn't want to face them in a short playoff series. But over 162 games? I can't see their pitching holding up against the Mets. Even if we only get 40 starts from Pedro/El Duque combined. The back half of their rotation -- Durbin/Eaton/Benson/Moyer is pretty bad.

3 years. If I was Minaya, I would've offered Perez the $6M or whatever he asked for in arbitration in exchange for him signing for 09, 10 and 11 as well.

Fearless prediction: The Mets "win" this hearing.

Want to take guesses at how much they go for? I'll put the over/under at $250/seat. --- As an answer to the original question: nope, haven't read anything about it either. But it seems inevitable that they'll do something.

Nymr83 wrote: especially considering that Schneider needs to be hit for in alot of late situations (and will willie realize this and do it?) Survey says no chance will Willie do that. Castro will be the last man off the bench, always. It will drive me crazy, always. ="AG/DC"]1) I am concerned Castillo will flail and fail and have little avail. (How long was he signed for?) 4 years.

Does Adam Rubin still read the CPF? http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2008/02/talking-bat-speed-and-babies-w.html