smg58

I suppose it's at least encouraging that Burgos is off the DL. I think it's in the Mets' best interest to have somebody replace at least Mota before Sept. 1, and Smith and Burgos are viable options (Smith more so if he's healthy.) Does anybody know anything about Willie Collazo? He's a left with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 90 IP, mostly in relief. As for Humber, assuming the Baseball America stats have been updated, he's still got a worse ERA than Pelfrey (not that either has distinguished himself). It's certainly an encouraging sign, but it will take more than one good start to convince me he's turned the corner.

Delgado and Beltran have been the biggest difference from last year, but Beltran at least seems to be picking things up. I thought Wright got over-hyped last year, but after a homerless April he's quietly been outstanding since. I hope Smith comes up and replaces Mota soon. But didn't everybody here figure going in that they were still likely to win although it would be much more of a struggle?

Edgy DC wrote: 1) Cal Ripken 350 2) Hank Aaron 328 3) Carl Yastrzemski 323 4) Jason Phillips 317 The ex-Met Jason Phillips?? This is one list where a backup catcher with relatively limited service does not want to be grouped with hall-of-famers who enjoyed very long careers.

If he had to be put on waivers then he was taken off the 40-man roster. He'd have to be put back on the 40 to be recalled. If he stays down, then he's not on the 40 and doesn't need to be put through waivers again in August.

Iguchi is not playing better than the guys the Mets have.

Milledge only has one walk and one HBP so far, but he seems to be making adjustments otherwise so hopefully the walks will come.

But why are the Padres dealing major leaguers for prospects?

And now we have Marlon Anderson playing in left against a lefty, because we DFA'd Ambres on Easley's return instead of Anderson Hernandez. I'm really not sure I like that.

I'd rather have German than Grudzelainek. German is younger and faster, has a good OBP, is versatile position-wise, and would be under our control for four more years.

By signing Alou the Mets made a short-term commitment to a guy who hits when he's healthy. Minaya decided that Lee and Soriano would not be worth their asking prices over the long term, and presumably the outfield depth in the farm system factored into that decision. The risks were obvious, and to date something close to the worst-case scenario has happened. So basically, Minaya was gambling on a few things: 1. The Mets would have enough outfield depth that losing Alou would not knock them out of first place. A litany of injuries to other outfielders besides Alou has made that look very dicey at times, but so far the Mets have kept their heads above water. 2. Alou would contribute at least something significant at some point, preferably in October. That remains to be seen. 3. At least one of either Milledge or Gomez can be handed a full-time job next spring. That also remains to be seen. 4. The Mets will be better over the long haul with some combination of Milledge/Gomez/Martinez roaming the outfield corners and big free agent money spent elsewhere than they would have been had they signed Soriano or Lee. We'll figure that one out some time between now and 2013. All these points are debatable. Minaya's handling of the offseason suggested to me that he was more interested in keeping the Mets competitive for an extended period of time than in doing whatever it took to win this year. That strategy likewise is very debatable. But I think the success or failure of his approach will depend more on what the Mets have in their system than on what Alou does or doesn't do this year.

Maine just hit one out. I have to say I wasn't expecting that.

Zach Duke will pitch well again once he wears a different uniform. I get the feeling Paulino (and/or Ryan Doumit) will be among several young catchers Minaya will look at in the offseason. The free agents are LoDuca and Posada, both of whom are 35, and Michael Barrett, whose rapport with the pitchers in Chicago left a lot to be desired. I'd be most curious to know what the Indians would want for Kelly Shoppach, though.

Well the Nats just signed Belliard to an extension, so he most likely isn't going anywhere.

DocTee wrote: Six shutouts today in MLB. Who says this is the age of offense? The D-Rays pitching staff would love to use that excuse...

From what I've seen, Gotay's problems in the field don't appear to have anything to do with limited range so much as some lapses in concentration, especially on potential double plays. That should be something he can work on. Plus I think the Mets need to show sustained life on offense in general before I'd consider Anderson Hernandez a risk they can afford at this point. At this point I think Gotay's earned an extended look, and hopefully he can keep the fielding issues to a bare minimum, and certainly not as costly as yesterday's throw turned out to be.

Sosa has pitched well out of the pen in the past, so I'd see him going there before being demoted.

After losing the SD series, I'd like to do better than a split. The road to the World Series might go through both SD and LA, and the Mets need to start winning against them.

="OlerudOwned"]Department of Hilariously Lopsided Trades: January 6, 2006 Texas Rangers Receive: -SP Adam Eaton -RP Akinori Otsuka -C Billy Killian San Diego Padres Receive: -SP Chris Young -1B Adrian Gonzalez -OF Terrmel Sledge The Rangers finally bring up a pitcher capable of having a good season pitching half his games in that park, and the first thing they do that offseason is trade him. For the record, I'd take Victor Zambrano (at least when marginally healthy) over Adam Eaton.

The Mets have already declined Green's option, and Alou has to hit awfully well when he comes back for the Mets to even consider picking up his option at this point. I can see them bringing in a lefty bat for depth and insurance, but Milledge and Gomez might both get the chance to play regularly next year.

Pelfrey's biggest issue up here has been control. I get the sense that he's overthinking and trying to be too careful, and he winds up falling behind in the count far too often. I think things will fall into place for him if (and hopefully when) he relaxes enough to consistently throw strikes.

="Edgy DC"]There probably would be some good news among some of our second-tier prospects --- Mulvey and Parnell. But yeah, lack of progress at the top is frustrating. Especially since our system is thin. Even Mulvey hasn't been spectacular, and he's the only one of the top prospects who from a statistical standpoint is having a good year. Martinez and Carp have nine homers between them at Binghamton, which is less than encouraging. I wouldn't expect to see either of them in the first starting lineup at CitiField. Our best hitter in NO is Andy Tracy, who was born in 1973. Does anybody know anything about Chip Ambres? He appears to be having a decent year at AAA. The Zephyrs also have an infielder named Jake Gautreau who makes excellent contact and has a good BA and SLG, but only has 2 walks in 109 AB. Those two were both born in 1979, though.

That may say something about our team defense, though.

The last year or two of that contract will probably sting for Seattle, but the team is a contender, and if they can get over the top in the next couple of seasons then I'd say it was worth it. Assuming Ichiro's contract doesn't hamper their ability to upgrade further, that is.

Arroyo was rock solid his first nine starts this year, but in the ninth Narron let him throw 129 pitches and allowed him to walk in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after loading the bases with no out. He hasn't been right since.