MFS62

And don't forget the Lastings Milledge hot dog - still raw. Later

Today's Daily News reports that Carvajal is late to camp because of visa problems. EDIT: time for our first "why doesn't he use Master Card?" joke of the year. Later

Johnny Dickshot wrote: famously knocked out of the 62 rotation by injuring his eye while lighting a cigarette. Considering the '62 Mets, that was somehow "right". With that colorful nickname, he was a fan favorite before he pitched a single game. Too bad. Later

No! But its breathing hard. Later

Baby You're a Rich Man (Beatles) - Carlos Beltran Stayin' Alive (Bee Gees) - Julio Franco Took a trip on a sailin' ship - (Harry Belafonte - Banana Boat Song) ElDuque Later

Thinking Back: The comparison between Power and Hodges is like the comparison between Smith and Belanger. Power was the first "flash and dash" first baseman (or fielder at any position I can recall) - what we call a "hot dog" today. And he won his gold gloves in an era when the job description for a first baseman was "he can drill the ball 400 feet". So when it came to fielding, his exploits stood out. But Hodges was steadily excellent. And with both came the caveat "for a right handed first baseman". But Hernandez was the best I ever saw, and that's why I voted for him. At short, Belanger was steadily excellent, without the flash and dash of Ozzie. But Ozzie made plays that I feel Belanger might not have, and for that reason the WIz got my vote. Later

Pitcher: Kaat Catcher: Bench First Base: Hernandez Second Base: Mazeroskil Third Base: Robinson Shortstop: Smith Outfield: Flood Outfield: Clemente Outfield: Mays Yep, I voted for two centerfielders, too. It was interesting that Vic Power was on the ballot, but Gil Hodges wasn't. Both were at one time considered the "best righty fielding first baseman" of their time. Later

Edgy DC wrote: What's dazzling is that this is happening because of Doug Freakin' Mientkiewicz. I heard on one of the sports talk radio shows yesterday that Doug was a high school teammate of A-Rod, and there are whispers that he was added to the team so A-Rod will have someone to hang around with. Later

seawolf17 wrote: ="Edgy DC"]="ScarletKnight41"]BFF = Best Friends Forever You know, like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton were. So sad.... I'm still tight with Brit. Oh, that's not what she told me last night. But, was she tight? (We will accept a reply using either meaning) Later

Edgy DC wrote: ="MFS62"]Didn't Scarlett's kid (Hieptas) leave the organization last year over a promotion flap? Anyone know if he ever returned? Later You're thinking of Aaron Hathaway. Joe Hietpas is hardly in a position to complain about his assignments. Yep. All those catchers with a last name beginning with "H" all look alike to me. Thanks, Later

Right on, 83. Watching Deal or No Deal to see if any of the contestants win the money is like watching Baywatch reruns for the rescues. Later

In Adam Rubin's article today he mentions that it was Wagner that put the "know your place rook" sign up last year. ]........or behaving in a manner with teammates that prompted Billy Wagner to post a sign in his locker the final weekend of the season advising him to "Know your place rook," Milledge drew his share of unwelcome attention in '06. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/story/499122p-420790c.html Does this surprise you? Who had you thought was the one who put up that sign? Later

I think the use of the word "hurl" when talking about pitchers declined when that picture was published in the newspapers of the pitcher who "swallowed his chaw" and then woofed his cookies all over the mound. Later

I'm just saying that to the occasional fan seeing Shea on tv, it didn't help. I also remember the shots from the roof camera behind home plate every once in a while that panned the neighborhood. Didn't exactly portray a pastoral setting. It may not have hurt. But I feel it didn't help. But since it can't be proven one way or another, chalk it up to opinion. Later

Methinks it will be when the first Met player is caught putting on a pair of Depends. They had been hidden in their locker right under their bottle of Geritol. Later

This story originally published on TheSTLCardinals.com Redbird Report 02/19 By theStlCardinals.com Staff Posted Feb 19, 2007 After 572 consecutive relief appearances in the major leagues, right-hander Braden Looper is all right with not making it 573. Looper is intrigued by his first chance to be a big-league starter. "I haven't done at the big-league level," Looper said, "so I'd be lying if I said I didn't understand what (doubters) were saying. The potential is there, but we haven't done it yet." Only 22 pitchers in baseball history have more major league appearances without making a start than Looper. "I think Looper has a chance of being something special," pitching coach Dave Duncan said. "I don't think he's afraid of challenges," manager Tony La Russa said. Speaking of the team having several relievers trying to convert to starters, Duncan said, "It's not typical. I think you usually go into spring training with one or two spots at the most open in your rotation and the others pretty well locked down. That's not necessarily the case this year, even though I think there are five guys who will get the priority." Looper, the club's top draft pick in 1996, is one of three Cardinals who, in the last year or so, have returned to the organization where they started. Second baseman Adam Kennedy, the team's top pick in 1997, is back after seven seasons in Anaheim. Catcher-outfielder Eli Marrero, a third-round pick in 1993, has signed on as a minor league free agent. La Russa went with only two catchers last season but plans to give Marrero a long look this spring. Yadier Molina and Gary Bennett are the likely two to be kept, but the athletic Marrero could force his way onto the roster as a combination player. La Russa said Marrero would get plenty of at-bats in spring training rather than just auditioning as a third catcher. WHERE, WHEN: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Fla. First exhibition game is Feb. 28 against the Marlins. TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: C Yadier Molina. After a .216 regular season, Molina was one of the top Cardinals hitters in postseason play last year. If he can display the same patience he did then, he should be able to hit .250 of .260 and drive in 65 to 70 runs while hitting seventh. TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: CF Jim Edmonds. Maybe the injuries have taken their toll, but until he had a good postseason, Edmonds was not the same productive hitter he had been for his first six seasons with the Cardinals. AUTHORITY FIGURES: With his first World Series title as Cardinals manager, Tony La Russa has reached the pinnacle of his popularity in a city relatively slow to adopt him. La Russa has proven his worth, with 2,297 wins over 28 seasons as a big-league manager. Over the years, he has mellowed from a man perceived in some circles as humorless and unyielding. But, make no mistake, he still is very much in charge. NOTES AND QUOTES: --Manager Tony La Russa, addressing last year's World Series title, said, "It's a great memory. But we just turn the page." --1B Albert Pujols was in camp a week ahead of the normal reporting date for position players. Unlike last year, there were no tardy pitchers or catchers for the first day of battery men's drills. --Aaron Miles and Scott Spiezio are back as extra infielders for their second year with the Cardinals, and manager Tony La Russa said, "Those are their jobs to lose. You've got to figure they're going to be with us." --Pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel is in camp as a non-roster player. Though Ankiel never has played above Double-A as an outfielder, manager Tony La Russa said, "When you've got talent, you can never be surprised. He's got enough talent to be a star." Ankiel missed all last season after knee surgery. --Pujols, who never has played professionally in his native Dominican Republic, said he would like to do so some day. Pujols did play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic last year. BY THE NUMBERS: 31 -- Number of years since a National League team (1976 Cincinnati Reds) has repeated as World Series champion. QUOTE TO NOTE: "It feels the same. Everybody's at zero." -- Manager Tony La Russa, on how it feels to be in camp as the manager of the defending champions. The Cardinals, in attempting to become the first National League team to repeat as World Series champion since Cincinnati in 1975-76, made virtually no changes among position players from the club that beat Detroit in October. There may be only one different position player, in fact, 2B Adam Kennedy, who was signed to replace free agent 2B Ronnie Belliard. ARRIVALS: 2B Adam Kennedy (free agent from Angels), RHP Kip Wells (free agent from Rangers), RHP Ryan Franklin (free agent from Reds), UT Eli Marrero (minor league free agent from Mets), RHP Russ Springer (free agent from Astros). DEPARTURES: RHP Jeff Suppan (free agent, signed with Brewers), RHP Jason Marquis (free agent, signed with Cubs), RHP Jeff Weaver (free agent, signed with Mariners), RHP Jorge Sosa (non-tendered, signed with Mets), 2B Ronnie Belliard (unsigned free agent). SPRING FOCUS: The Cardinals' biggest mission is to establish a rotation behind staff ace Chris Carpenter. RHP Jason Isringhausen, the closer who had hip surgery in September, already is throwing off a mound and should be ready for the start of the season, presumably freeing up RHP Adam Wainwright, last season's postseason hero as a reliever, to go into the rotation. But beyond Wainwright, there are even more questions. Can RHP Anthony Reyes be consistent? Can RHP Kip Wells stay healthy? And who will

I don't think the image of Shea as a "dump" was helped any by the old camera angles. The primary camera locations were behind home plate. From them (both the field level and upper deck cameras) the heavy industrial area beyond the outfield walls was pretty discernible. Later

Didn't Scarlett's kid (Hieptas) leave the organization last year over a promotion flap? Anyone know if he ever returned? Later

I like the idea of one poster "owning" one team for the whole season. And if they don't have new news , or time, for an update, they don't have to do one. I'd also give folks a chance to pick the team they cover. (and I have absolutely no idea how to break ties if many folks wanted to cover the same team) Later

Phillip Humber. Later

I associated John Stearns and George Foster when they were on the Mets. I called them "The Mattress Company". Later

Willets Point wrote: A future Yankee owner named Swindal? The bad pun headline possibilities are endless. I remember when the Yankees were owned by guys named Topping and Webb. They built gambling casinos. Different spelling of swindle. Same result. Later

Williams was/is on the 40 man roster. His "injury" was after last year's Rule V draft. So he could be placed on it now to protect a 40 man roster spot. But if his rehab takes longer then expected, he would have to be placed back on the 40 man roster prior to next year's draft. Interesting note. I believe that a player cannot be released directly from the DL. So, if a player's injury is so severe that they cannot play any more, the team must recall the player to the 40 man roster. And if the roster is full, they would theoretically have to cut another player to make room for the injured one before they could cut him. Later

="Edgy DC"]I think they're prohibited from removing injured guys from the roster. What they could have done is placed him on the 60-Day DL, however. Baseball rules say that players on the 60 day DL had to be placed on the 40 man roster prior to the Rule V draft. Also- did anyone see this? No info on whether this guy has to be added to the 40 man roster: ] Mets claimed RHP Marcos Carvajal off waivers from the Devil Rays. 2/15/07 3:00 PM Carvajal is a bigger loss for the Rays than either of the two prospects the team actually traded for Jae-Kuk Ryu. The 22-year-old had a 3.86 ERA and a 69/39 K/BB ratio in 72 1/3 IP for Double-A Montgomery last season and a 2.19 ERA in 37 innings in Venezuela over the winter. While he hasn't made as much progress as hoped since spending 2005 in the majors with the Rockies as a Rule 5 pick, he still could be a fine short reliever in time. The Mets will have him begin the year in Double- or Triple-A. Later

The concessionaires at OPACY are going to love him. While sitting through those long games, the fans are going to get hungry. And the fans standing in line at Boog Powell's barbecue place behind the right field wall might even catch a few home run balls, too. Later