The streaking Mets might be happy about their recent play but news about their slugging first baseman will turn smiles upside down. Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News is reporting that Carlos Delgado is headed for the disabled list:
Carlos Delgado’s balky right hip will send him to the disabled list Saturday, multiple sources told the Daily News.
Rubin did not give any specifics but we do know that the team and Delgado were hoping he would respond to treatment and a cortisone shot administered some time last week. Apparently he hasn’t responded well enough. There was some speculation on Friday about what Omar Minaya would do in this circumstance. But not knowing how long the Mets think Delgado will be out makes it difficult to guess. Rubin did say that a team insider told him that Fernando Martinez will not be called up.
In other more promising news Mr. Rubin also has an update on Billy Wagner:
The Daily News has learned that Billy Wagner is already hitting 90 mph on a mound in Port St. Lucie. He returned to the Mets’ complex in recent days after a one-month moratorium on throwing off a mound. An August return now seems entirely realistic.
Matt Cerrone of Metsblog has some quotes from Freddy Garcia via the Buffalo News regarding Garcia’s sore shoulder.
But The NY Post’s Bart Hubbuch via twitter is reporting that the Mets have released Garcia. Plus, Hubbuch adds that Garcia is ready to retire.
Update 10:52 a.m. – “Freddy is way too young to retire,” agent Ed Greenberg said today. Greenberg said Garcia was caught off-guard by the Mets’ move.
“It was very surprising,” Greenberg said of the Mets’ decision. “He needed a few more starts in a bit warmer weather. The Mets we feel made a mistake rushing him to Scranton to pitch in that weather as opposed to the original plan of getting a few starts in the [Florida State League] first.”
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has a strong opinion on how long Gary Sheffield will remain a Met. Plus, he gives us an update on Pedro Martinez and his possible landing spots:
Rosenthal says Sheffield will be gone in just one month. With Ryan Church’s hot start combined with Sheff’s fielding limitations he equals a “waste of a roster spot”. Ouch
Indians, Dodgers, Angels and possibly the Mets may end up signing Pedro Martinez.
Pedro’s just waiting for his opportunity. He won’t get his original asking price but he’ll get more than clubs were offering this past off season.
Billy Wagner has been working hard and plans to help the Mets already strong bullpen this season. Wagner spoke to Mets.com’s Marty Noble today and told him he will throw off a mound in Port St. Lucie this Tuesday:
Wagner said he has been throwing regularly — “long, long toss” and to a catcher on flat ground — and following a program prescribed by Chris Correnti, the trainer who had come to the Mets at the urging of Pedro Martinez, and who now is the club’s Minor League pitching rehab trainer.
“I do exactly what I’m told,” Wagner said. “But I’m going to break the rules by getting back before they expect it. … With no big setbacks, I’m kinda shooting for late in July or August. But we’ll see. I know I have a lot of hurdles. I told Omar [that] everybody doubting me is my motivation. … that, and getting a ring. “I’m going to get back. I’m not going to get any saves. But I’d like to help. That could be some bullpen.”
This would be fantastic. Say what you will about Wags but you know he is a big time competitor and his want for a ring is a great motivator. Head over to Noble’s article, Wagner also talks about how the guys who pitch in the 7th and 8th innings effect a closer. Good stuff.
Nick Evans was sent to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for Gary Sheffield.
In the same report the NY Post’s Bart Hubbuch speculates that when the Mets are in need of a fifth starter they will promote Livian Hernandez and send Marlon Anderson or Jeremy Reed down.
After the Dominican Republic’s stunning upset loss to the Netherlands last night Pedro Martinez spoke about the doubter’s out there and told them to just look to his past. He also added that had suitor’s before the WBC started but he hasn’t acted on them because he wanted to devote himself entirely to the WBC:
“I do have offers, opportunities to sign, but I wanted to come to the Classic without restrictions from anyone, because I wanted to give the Dominican Republic this small amount of time that I did.”
“I repeat again, I could have signed a contract ever since I left to be a free agent. I did not want to. I wanted to dedicate passion, the respect, and dedicate the time that this Classic deserved. It’s the first time I had a chance to represent my country, lost or not.”
Pedro look extremely sharp last night. Although the MLB Network did not provide a radar gun measurement on screen all reports including Jim Baumbach of Newsday’s The Final Score reported that Pedro has consistently been in the low 90’s with his fastball as compared to last season’s high 80’s.
Pedro talked further about the DR loss and how his showing should reflect on people’s perception of him:
“It is a little disappointing in a way because I would have wanted to win and competed further on and gotten further. I believe six innings, two good games, to me it’s something simple. I’ve been in many situations, and I’ve gone through everything in baseball. And I don’t believe that I’ll take these six innings as a credit to what I can do in the big leagues.”
I am at a complete loss as to why Pedro is not going to be a Met this season, or so it seems. The Manny thing, well, even though I wanted him here I compromised it away because of his ridiculous actions in Boston and the whole Madoff/Wilpon connection. But, Redding, Hernandez and Garcia? These are the reasons the Mets won’t re-sign a future Hall of Famer who is beloved in a city where he hasn’t even had that much success (due to injury). The upside would be ridiculous if Pedro were to pan out. The electricity in the new building would be off the charts when he pitches, we all know that. Plus merchandising alone would offset some of his salary. Ah, I just don’t get it.
Quotes are via The Final Score where Jim Baumbach has been doing a great job posting all kinds of stuff from the WBC.
Pedro Martinez told reporters when asked if he’d like to be with the Mets, “Yeah, I’d like to be back”. He also talked about pitching out of the bullpen.
It is very obvious he wants to be a Met again. This is turning into a sad story to follow for me because I want him back. Plus, I have the feeling that if he isn’t resigned by the Mets he will come back to haunt them.
Jose Reyes spoke to the media about the Dominican Republic’s upset loss to the Netherlands yesterday, Pedro Martinez and possibly playing another position during WBC tournament.
It’s nice to see that Reyes can laugh when asked if he ever played another position. He quickly reminded the reporter of the huge blunder the Mets made when they moved him to second base to make room for Kaz Matsui. Mets fans can only cry when reminded of that fiasco.
NY Post Bart Hubbuch provides us with some video of Johan Santana throwing a live batting pratice session. Santana also answers some questions from the media.
According to WFAN’s Evan Roberts the Mets come out of their spring clubhouse to “Keepin It Gangsta” by Fabolous.
Roberts said the song was played as an entrance song everyday he was down there. He also added that he yelled to Jerry Manuel (from a fan area) “are you responsible for the song?” and Manuel just laughed. Finally, Roberts said the players seemed to enjoy it, grooving and dancing to it.
Citi Field will bring back an extremely enjoyable and funny feature that for some reason was discontinued last season but will return this year. Welcome back Professor Reyes:
Comedy lovers, rejoice: Jose Reyes Jose Reyes said this afternoon that his popular “Professor Reyes” Spanish translation video routine during home games is returning after a one-year absence. “I even apologize in the first one for the one-year vacation,” he said, laughing. “Professor Reyes” was replaced by a really awful geography quiz starring John Maine John Maine that was roundly disliked. “I told John I thought it was terrible,” Reyes said.
Hat tip to Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post for the info
For some unknown reason this has been kept a secret but today comes news that Tim Redding is much more of a question mark than most were lead to believe.
The NY Post’s Bart Hubbuch is reporting that Redding had surgery on his foot in December:
Fifth-starter hopeful Tim Redding is being kept off the mound indefinitely while the former National recovers from a previously undisclosed surgery on his foot in December, Jerry Manuel said today. Redding is competing with Freddy Garcia, Livan Hernandez and Jonathon Niese but is the the only veteran fifth-starter candidate with a guaranteed contract. Manuel said he did not know when Redding would be allowed to throw again. “We’re taking it slow with him,” the manager said.
My want to see Pedro back in a Mets uni is only bolstered with this kind of news. You can say what you will about Martinez but it’s not like the Mets have filled his spot with a solid replacement. Question marks are aplenty when it comes to the fifth spot in the rotation and an argument can be made that Pedro is a better fit than the other starters vying for that spot.
Freddy Garcia made his first address to reporters at camp. His video below comes courtesy of Bart Hubbach at the New York Post.
Garcia told reporters he wanted to come to the Mets before he ended up in Detroit last season. He felt “pretty good” at the end of last season especially considering the type of injury he had. Currently his shoulder feels “really good”.
“If I’m 100% I expect to be in the rotation. If not I gotta go somewhere else”.
He has been friends with Johan Santana since 1994 and that he “hopes to make the team because they have a good ball club and if everything goes right we can win the division and go to the World Series”.
VBF Won’t Pony Up For Santana Insurance
Another quick piece of news, according to the Associated Press, Venezuelan Baseball Federation president Edwin Zerpa said organizers of the tournament, World Baseball Classic Inc.,are not willing to pay the high insurance premium required for the Mets to clear Johan Santana after he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
I don’t understand it and I can’t find anyone who does. The one thing that some could point to is the way in which Manny Ramirez disgracefully forced his way out of Boston. But are the Mets an organization with such high standards that they can’t make an exception for one of the best right handed hitters in baseball history? Are we to believe that? Well, I am sure most don’t.
I hear the Mets fans calling out to Mets management, whether it be via sports talk radio or blogs or comment sections and it’s pretty universal ALL Mets fans want Manny to be in a Mets uniform the day they open their new ball park Citi Field. Ah, Citi Field now there’s a contradiction to say the least. If this whole “ignore Manny” thing is about standards and not about money, like the Wilpon’s claim, wouldn’t they do something about that tarnished name?
Chief operating officer, Jeff Wilpon of the Mets actually said yesterday to Bloomberg News that GM Omar Minaya “hasn’t brought it [Manny] to me as an option”, so therefore the reports that Mets ownership don’t want to pay Manny are untrue? The full quote:
“I know the perception out there again is that ownership said no,” Wilpon said today in an interview at Citi Field. “I don’t have the opportunity to say no because Omar hasn’t brought it to me as an option. Omar and the baseball staff aren’t interested.”
So, they haven’t discussed it? Is that the impression he’s trying to give? Jeff and his father Fred are hands on guys, they love baseball. They’ve fashioned Citi Field to resemble old Ebbets Field, the park the Dodgers used to play in when they were in Brooklyn. Fred Wilpon grew up a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. He has Sandy Koufax come to spring training every year and we are suppose to believe because Omar hasn’t “presented it” to them? They haven’t had any discussions about, arguably, the best hitter in baseball? Nonsense!
It’s obvious fellow Mets fans, with our crosstown rivals doing everything they can to put a championship team on the field, we have to settle for less. Mind you I am not discounting the acquisitions of K-Rod and J.J. Putz. Those are major moves and they were needed big time. But the Mets did not have to break the bank for either. We are talking about a major market team with its own network and brand new park that was heavily subsidised with tax-payer money.
Mets fans have a right to be mad about this. I love the way Daniel Murphy played in the second half of last season but for the Mets to have an opening day outfield with Ryan Church in right and a combo of Fernando Tatis/Daniel Murphy in left while ignoring Manny Ramirez is a disgrace.
It looks like another pitcher who has been linked to the Mets may be off the board. FoxSports.com Ken Rosenthal is reporting that ex-Dodger Randy Wolf may be heading back to LA:
The Dodgers, seeking to replenish their rotation, have the inside track on signing free-agent left-hander Randy Wolf, according to major-league sources. The signing of Wolf, most likely to a one- or two-year deal, would deprive the Mets of a leading alternative to their top choice, free-agent lefty Oliver Perez.
Rosenthal pretty much covered it. If Wolf signs with the Dodgers the Mets have less leverage in their negotiations with Perez.
Well, you can now add David Wright to the long list of people who either wouldn’t mind or are down right adamant with their want for Manny Ramirez to be a Met. A day doesn’t go by without there being an article on the subject or an entire segment on local sports talk radio basically dedicated to the topic.
Today while Wright payed a visit to the Schneider Children’s Hospital in New Hyde Park he commented on the possibility of Manny being Met and how the clubhouse may react:
“I’d be on board with Manny 100 percent, assuming he put the team first,” Wright said he doesn’t know Ramirez well, but thinks the Mets have a good enough clubhouse mix to allow them to absorb the player who many in baseball think quit on the Red Sox last season to force a trade to the Dodgers.
“I think we have a good enough clubhouse — I don’t even know what he’s like in the clubhouse — I would hope we have a good enough clubhouse,” Wright said.
I for one can’t get over the fact that the Mets are not a player in this at all. But I don’t want to just repeat the same arguments over and over again so I guess I’ll just start begging: Please Omar, please Fred and Jeff Wilpon wake up and make this happen.
Update 7:20 – Newsday’s Anthony Rieber relays some quotes via a Bloomberg News report that has Jeff Wilpon claiming Omar has never even approached ownership about Manny:
Wilpon, the team’s chief operating officer, told Bloomberg News that general manager Omar Minaya is not interested in signing the free agent slugger.
“I know the perception out there again is that ownership said no,” Wilpon said. “I don’t have the opportunity to say no because Omar hasn’t brought it to me as an option. Omar and the baseball staff aren’t interested.”
FoxSports.com Ken Rosenthal is reporting that free agent pitcher Freddy Garcia will sign with one of the New York teams.
According to a major-league source Garcia, 33, has “pretty much narrowed it down” to the New York teams, the source said, though two other clubs remain on the periphery (White Sox and Rangers).
Rosenthal adds that Garcia might accept a minor league deal because the Mets and Yankees don’t view Garcia as a “certain addition to their rotation”.
Garcia has pitched only 73 innings the past two seasons due to a shoulder injury that required surgery in Aug. 2007.
In the Venezuelan League playoffs on Saturday the NY Mets own Nelson Figueroa pitched nine no-hit innings. But since he is a Met and we are talking no hitter here there has got to be more to this story:
Lara’s starter Nelson Figueroa (Mets) pitched 9 no-hit innings against Zulia, allowing only one walk in the 7th inning. Only one problem — Zulia pitchers had limited Lara’s hitters to 5 hits and 2 walks, but they had not scored either. Chris Hernadez entered the game for Zulia in the top of the 10th, and he gave up a walk and an RBI double, which scored the only run of the game. Figueroa allowed a lead-off single to begin the bottom of the 10th, and he was relieved.
said this afternoon that his popular “Professor Reyes” Spanish translation video routine during home games is returning after a one-year absence. “I even apologize in the first one for the one-year vacation,” he said, laughing. “Professor Reyes” was replaced by a really awful geography quiz starring 
It looks like another pitcher who has been linked to the Mets may be off the board. 
Well, you can now add 
In the Venezuelan League playoffs on Saturday the NY Mets own 
