Centerfield

"Wilpon's two biggest problems: his assumption that New York fans demand a winner each and every year, and his apparent obsession with the Yankees." "The club might take note that the Yankees' four-championship, six-pennant run from 1996 to 2003 was preceded by a losing stretch from 1990-92, during which the club rebuilt a talent base that produced Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams, among others."

I don't see how even the biggest apologist can argue against the incompetence of the Mets front office. I guess it's possible that Delgado, Beltran and Putz are all lying. It's possible that the Reyes confusion was all due to the LA doctors. And that Adam Rubin was pissed that he never got a call-back from the Mets. But it is far more likely that there is some truth to all of this. And even if one of these are true, it's incredibly damning. More than ever, I feel like the Wilpons need to take a back seat in the management of this team and hire a smart guy who can run the show. That guy is not Omar.

Some disturbing stuff said by JJ in this article: http://www.csnchicago.com/01/22/10/Sox-Drawer-The-Truth-About-JJ-Putz/landing.html?blockID=167614&feedID=665 If the stuff he is saying is true, it sheds some light on the way 2009 unfolded, and that maybe the injuries weren't just a rash of bad luck, but some major fucking incomptenence on the part of the Mets. Specifically: �When the trade went down last year, I never really had a physical with the Mets,� said Putz. �I had the bone spur (in the right elbow). It was discovered the previous year in Seattle, and it never got checked out by any other doctors until I got to spring training, and the spring training physical is kind of a formality. It was bugging me all through April, and in May I got an injection. It just got to the point where I couldn�t pitch. I couldn�t throw strikes, my velocity was way down.� Disturbing. Especially when the Mets told Putz not to talk about being hurt with the media. �I knew that I wasn�t right. I wasn�t healthy. The toughest part was having to face the media and tell them that you feel fine, even though you know there�s something wrong and they don�t want you telling them that you�re banged up.� By June, Putz was concerned that the pain in his elbow would start affecting his shoulder, so he had surgery to remove the bone spur, and was supposed to miss 10-to-12 weeks. However, when he tried to come back in August, he felt some tightness in his right forearm. Very disturbing. I can't imagine that the Mets would be this incompetent. But the Beltran situation has me wondering.

You know, if they lose out on all these guys, I think the best thing they could do is pay off Bobby Bonilla and get him off the books.

And if that's his role, I'm fine with this. But if the plan is to go with a Murphy-Tatis platoon at first, we're fucked.

I thought I remember reading that Bedard was not only an injury risk, but that he was actually hurt. And that he wouldn't be ready for Opening Day. If that's not true, I say make an offer and bring him in. The Mets have plenty of douchebag fans that need a hero.

Yes, but how will Delgado be in a month or two? This is crazy. We've gone from trying to sign guys who are good, to wanting to sign guys who might be good, and are now settling on signing guys who are not good.

Much appreciated.

Very disappointing. I wonder what the incentives clauses are like. You'd think the Mets could beat that $8 million figure, unless Sheets didn't want to come here at all. The Mets are so depressing. I'm going back to the Jets and Syracuse threads.

I've always wondered, why is this such a significant step in the recovery of a pitcher? How is it more taxing to throw off a mound, then say, off of flat ground?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I guess. But there's a greater upside to Sheets. Sorry, that's kind of what I meant with my clumsy joke. Both have a chance to be healthy, but only Sheets is good when healthy.

They're similar risks. The difference is, to paraphrase Casey, Sheets has a chance to be good if healthy, while Smoltz has a chance to be healthy.

I'll email Boston and let them know about the nickname change. Coach K scoffs at the ridiculous easy spellingosity of "Yastrzemski".

No.

Without looking, spell the name of Red Sox great Carl Y______________.

I guarantee you his OPS won't be any worse.

Low OBP. Poor guy has been dragged down by that stat his entire career.

Really? I would have an issue with that. Stokes has been pretty useful, and has the stuff to be even better. I would hope the Mets gave up less than that.

I know right? Dude's raking today.

Says Metsblog. He is careful to say it may be something insignificant, but there appears to be buzz.