Mets Merized Online

A weekly roundup of all the Mets transactions, Minor League news, and latest rumors.

This Weeks Roster Moves
 
Willie Randolph had a big decision to make Friday afternoon. Only two spots remained on the Opening Day roster and Lastings Milledge, Chan Ho Park, Jon Adkins, and Ambiorix Burgos were all fighting for these spots. The Mets kept Lastings Milledge and Ambiorix Burgos, resulting in the demotion of Chan Ho Park and Jon Adkins.
 
In addition to those moves, the Mets also sent Ben Johnson, Anderson Hernandez, Sandy Alomar Jr., Mike Carp, Mike DiFelice, Ruben Gotay, and Lino Urdaneta back to the Minors. Jorge Sosa and Jon Adkins, were both outrighted to New Orleans. With Ben Johnson being demoted, David Newhan will be on the Mets 25-man roster.

The Mets purchased Aaron Sele’s contract this week, putting him as the 7th pitcher in the Mets bullpen. (Billy Wagner, Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman, Ambiorix Burgos, Pedro Feliciano, and Joe Smith completing the bullpen) Sele will serve as the Mets long relief man, much like Darren Oliver did last year.

In other Mets roster moves, the Mets have signed "Mr. 8-RBIs In One Inning" Fernando Tatis to a Minor League Contract. Not to mention, he hit a three-run HR in his first Spring Training game on Thursday.

Ruben Sierra was released from the Mets roster last week, ending his short stint with the Mets.

With the roster finalized, the Opening Day roster will look like this:

Catchers
Paul Lo Duca
Ramon Castro
 
Infielders
Carlos Delgado
Jose Valentin
Jose Reyes
David Wright
Julio Franco
Damon Easley
David Newhan
 
Outfielders
Carlos Beltran
Moises Alou
Shawn Green
Lastings Milledge
Endy Chavez
 
Starting Pitchers **
Tom Glavine
Orlando Hernandez
John Maine
Oliver Perez
 
Relief Pitchers
Billy Wagner
Aaron Heilman
Pedro Feliciano
Scott Schoeneweis
Joe Smith
Ambiorix Burgos
Aaron Sele
 
** Mike Pelfrey will not be on the 25-man roster until his spot on the rotation is up. Meaning, the Mets will go without Mike Pelfrey until his first start, (April 13th). 
 
 
Around The Minors
 
AAA – Last Sunday, the New Orleans Zephyrs defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes 3-0. Jose Santiago pitched four strong innings, giving up only three hits. Jorge Vasquez, who got the win, pitched along Willie Collazo, Steve Schmoll and Ivan Maldonado for five scoreless innings in relief. Second baseman Chase Lambin was solid at the plate going 2 for 3 with a double and a solo home run.
 
AA – No news from Binghamton.
 
A (Adv.) – Port St. Lucie has been the host of the Mets Spring Training, courtesy of Tradition Field. Now, it will go back to being home of the St. Lucie Mets
 
A – No news from Savannah.
 
SS – Astroland, the Coney Island amusement park, will be in its final season. This means that the Brooklyn Cyclones will host its last season with the Astroland amusement park.
 
R – No news from the Rookie leagues.

Latest Mets Rumors
 
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. It’s too early for Mets rumors right? Well, wrong. There has been a few reports of trade rumors, and the 2007 season hasn’t even started yet. Crazy? You tell me.
 
The Mets have spoken to the Baltimore Orioles about right-handed reliever Todd Williams. Williams, who played for the Orioles last year, is 36-years old. Something inside me is telling me not to trade for this guy. Why? Here’s why: 
 
Last season Mr. Williams has a 1.2/1 ratio of K/BB. He has some control problems and he has given up over 75 hits in only 57 innings pitched. Todd also has given up 8 long balls to go along with those 75 hits. Wanna hear something crazier? Opponents batting average against Todd Williams is a ridiculous . 323 (.342 vs LH and .314 vs. RH) Not to mention, he had an ERA of 4.74. Did I mention he’s below mediocre? Yeah. Omar, don’t push that trigger just yet.
 
Carlos Zambrano (not Victor), has been discussing the possibility of joining the Mets for the 2008 season. He used the Mets as leverage and has threatened to cut off any contract negotiations if he is not signed by Opening Day.
 
Luis Castillo may be joining the Mets in 2008. Before the Marlins signed him three years ago, the Mets were in line to sign the All-Star second baseman before the Marlins improved their offer. Omar Minaya likes Castillo and will most likely pursue him in the off-season.
 
Jon Adkins, who the Mets received in a trade along with Ben Johnson, may be traded as a result of not making the Opening Day roster. With Adkins having a dismal spring, it seems he may be leaving the Mets.  
 
Well, that’s it for this week. Just a day before Opening Day, I CAN’T WAIT! Oh, and before I go, I need to say something.
 
LET’S GO METS!
 
Statistical and historical data courtesy of NY Daily News, SNY.tv, Newsday, and MiLB.com

I guess Duaner Sanchez won’t have to worry about being on time for team meetings and early morning practices anymore, after being diagnosed with a hairline fracture on his pitching shoulder today.

Sanchez had been shutdown after complaining of a pop sound in his shoulder and tingling in his arm. He was sent for an MRI yesterday and they confirmed the results today. According to Omar Minaya, he will be out at least until August and possibly for the season. OK, now that’s enough about that.

The Mets bullpen which was the best in the league last season, has surely taken some hits, and will be hard pressed to repeat last year’s success. However, that said, I really don’t think we should abandon ship in the bullpen. So grab a life jacket, and stick around while I give it to you the straight up dope on our 2007 bullpen.

Yesterday we learned that Chan Ho Park begrudgingly accepted his new role in the bullpen as did Aaron Sele. The big surprise was that the young side-armer Joe Smith, was also told he made the team. I’m not big fans of either Sele or Park, but based on how poorly the other candidates did this spring, you can’t fault the Mets for adding them to the pen. At the very least, Park provides a little insurance for the rotation should anyone get off to a poor start or go down to an injury. Joe Smith will make everyone forget Chad Bradford, and has been one of the most impressive rookies in camp.

Billy Wagner has had mixed results so far this spring as he adds a new pitch to his arsenal, while Aaron Heilman has been hit or miss this spring as well. I believe both of them will be solid again this season and wouldn’t worry too much about their spring numbers.

Scott Schoeneweis is just what the doctor ordered! He is a crafty veteran who is absolutely deadly against left-handed hitters. He has had a great spring and comes with an excellent track record. Not a bad weapon to have in a league chock full of lethal left-handed power hitters.

Between you and me, I think Pedro Feliciano is the real deal and the closer of the future for this team. He has great stuff, outstanding control, and a plus fastball. I love his makeup and his composure out there on the mound. He definitely has some ‘tude out there and the weapons to get the job done.

Listen guys, I dont know if the Mets bullpen will match up with last years version, but with a solid foundation that includes Smith, Schoeneweis, Feliciano, Heilman and Wagner, we should easily out produce any of the other bullpens in the National League.

So am I disappointed about the injury to Sanchez? Of course I am. Am I worried about the Mets bullpen this season? No, not really.

Oh, by the way… Mets just beat the Dodgers 6-5. Glavine looked great, Mets broke a 5-5 tie in the 8th, and Joe Smith picked up the save. I’m outta here.

There was a great article by John Delcos this morning about the chances of Ben Johnson and David Newhan making the Mets final roster. Apparently they are both fighting for the final spot, and unless the Mets decide to carry one less pitcher than expected, one of them wont be traveling to St. Louis on Opening Night. (I hate those words, I like Opening Day much better)
 
"It’s either be good or be gone," Newhan said.
 
I like both these players and I hope they both make the team, but I’m a little bit more sensitive about the subject when it comes to Ben Johnson. Unlike David Newhan who signed as a free agent, Johnson came over to the Mets along with Jon Adkins in a trade with the Sand Diego Padres. In that trade the Mets parted with their top two relief prospects in Royce Ring and Heath Bell.
 
For those who may not remember, lets look at what we gave up before I get more in depth about Ben Johnson.
 
Heath Bell made 22 appearances for the Mets last season but was mostly ineffective as his 5.11 ERA would indicate. However his numbers at Triple-A Norfolk, clearly displayed the potential of the young right-hander. He was 3-3 with a 1.29 ERA and 12 saves in 30 games, striking out 56 batters and walking eight in 35 innings. When you consider the losses of Chad Bradford, Roberto Hernandez and Darren Oliver, and couple that with the uncertainty of Duaner Sanchez and Juan Padilla (both who were expected to be ready but are clearly not), you cant help but wonder if Heath Bell might have fit in nicely in our bullpen. So far this spring for the Padres, Bell has made six appearances spanning seven innings and has struck out 10 batters while walking only 1. He lead all the pitchers in camp with a 1.29 ERA.
 
Royce Ring, a 25-year-old left-hander, went 0-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 11 appearances with the Mets last season, but was also impressive in Norfolk where he was 2-2 with 11 saves and a 2.97 ERA in 36 games at Norfolk. I thought he would have shined if he had been given the same role that Pedro Feliciano had last season as the lefty specialist, as Feliciano takes on a more significant role this season. Both Ring and Bell have made the Padres Opening Day Roster.
 
I guess by now you can see my concern if both Ben Johnson and Jon Adkins (who has been widely ineffective), do not make the team. In an age where an effective reliever has become so hard to find, and who’s roles have become much more important in a major league bullpen, why trade two seemingly major league ready relievers?
 
I could see making the trade if the Mets needed some depth in the outfield, but they didn’t need any depth with Chavez and Milledge already on the roster, and Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez on the way.  Some thought the trade was a precursor for a Lastings Milledge trade for a top starter, but obviously that was not the case either.
 
I think Jon Adkins is nothing more than an average at best. It’s obvious that the key to the deal for the Mets was Ben Johnson. Johnson has an emerging powerful right-handed bat and could provide valuable insurance in case of injury to Shawn Green or Moises Alou. My problem is that we already had that insurance with Milledge, and giving up our two best relief prospects for an insurance policy we hardly needed may not have been best for the Mets.

What do you guys think?

On another note, Duaner Sanchez had a consultation with a doctor who revealed that the sensation was nothing more than scar tissue breaking apart. Sanchez will take the rest of the day off.

Also, the Phillies may have lost Freddy Garcia for a considerable amount of time. Nothing official has been announced yet, but his velocity has been down all spring, and yesterday he was shut down after complaining about soreness in his bicep. When asked to comment about their team’s chances, both Jimmy Rollins and Brett Myers declined to comment. (hee hee just kidding)

When Spring Training started there were only two starters in the rotation, three spots that needed to be filled, eight potential candidates, and a whole bunch of questions.

Last night, Mike Pelfrey got one more step closer towards securing the final spot in the Mets rotation. After yet another effective start against the Orioles, Pelfrey may have sealed Chan Ho Park’s fate, thus putting an end to a competition that begun 20 days ago.

Pelfrey did not have his best stuff, but that made tonight’s game all the more impressive as he pitched five innings and gave up only 1 run on seven hits with no walks. In 14 innings pitched this spring, he has only issued one walk and struck out three, while sporting a dazzling 1.29 ERA.

When you compare that to Park’s 8.68 ERA, it’s easy to see why this competition for a rotation spot, has come to an apparent end.

With Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez already assured of the top two spots, it didn’t take long to figure out who would be joining them as the team gets ready to head north in ten days.

John Maine should be named the number three starter any day now. He has pitched brilliantly this spring and has an ERA of 1.00 with seven strikeouts in nine innings pitched. There was never any doubt about his chances of making the rotation going into the spring, but Willie didn’t just want to hand him the job, he wanted him to earn it. Maine certainly did that.

Oliver Perez got off to a shaky start but soon showed everyone why scouts love his potentia, as he has now pitched back to back dominant games, and in doing so probably secured the number four spot in the rotation. He has exhibited much improved control and in 14 innings has struck out 13 batters while walking only 3. His ERA stands at 3.86 and he could be a big sleeper for the Mets this season.

As for the other potential candidates, Alay Soler has already been cut, Jason Vargas and Philip Humber were sent to AAA for more seasoning, and Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele have been wild and completely ineffective so far.

So despite all the pitching questions that surrounded the Mets at the begining of camp, it really comes down to one final question now… Who is most deserving of the number five spot in the rotation, Park or Pelfrey?

It’s Deja Vu – Orlando Hernandez had to leave today’s game because of a cramp in his right hamstring while he was to first on a sacrifice bunt. The poor guy keeps getting dinged up, but at least his calf is OK.

Picture Perfect – One of my Myspace friends, Dora, has some awesome pictures she took at a couple of Mets games in Port St. Lucie. She actually lives in the area and frequently shares some really great stories and pictures with us.

My Fearless Forecast – Mike Pelfrey nails down the number five spot in the rotation over Chan Ho Park. Ha ha, just kidding, that’s not a forecast, that’s a foregone conclusion. My forecast is that the Mets sweep the Phillies when they come to Shea for three games April 9-12.

Star Wars Episode 7 – "Who Will Rule The Empire State" Mets Vs. Yankees: Positon By Position Battle! The 10 Part Mini-Series Begins Monday!

The empire state is in utter chaos as the baseball season nears and the troops prepare for a conflict that will be waged with wooden bats instead of light sabers. And as they prepare to meet their destiny, another battle still wages on between the forces of Wrong and Wright. This battle is taking place at water coolers, diners, and sports bars across the empire state. Even the Jedi’s are helpless as they try to keep Senators Clinton and McCain from overtaking the galaxy and thrusting the universe into oblivion. But alas, there is one final hope. On a distant star, in a galaxy far, far away, there is one called Mets Merized, who will end this battle and bring balance to the force. Each week we will engage these opposing forces and a clear winner will emerge. So I leave you all, with these words of wisdom that were uttered to me long ago by a former Jedi who has since become one with the force. "Enjoy this blog, you will."

Free And Easy – Mets Merized is the only Mets Fan Site where you can win Free Mets tickets and great Mets gear all year long. We are kicking off the 2007 season "New York Style" as we compile our own David Letterman Top 10 List. The Questions is:

I Love The Mets So Much That,  I Would…

Finish the sentence either by email or comment. We will pick the Top 10 submissions and publish them on Opening Day. The Met fan who submits the number one entry will win tickets to the finale of the Phillies game on Thursday, April 12th.  Make sure you include your email so that we can contact the winner.

We want to thank our great sponsors for the free goodies, so make sure you keep clicking those ads!

Let Free-dom Ring – We have just put up our 2007 April Schedule for the New York Mets. It is located on page ten of our FREE Graphics section. Check it out and get yourself a copy so you can follow the Mets all season long!

One of the more interesting questions that were emailed to me was from Brian, one of my friends on Mets Merized at Myspace.

He asked about Lastings Milledge in comparison to Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez, and that maybe we should trade Milledge rather than the other two, his question was in response to an earlier blog I had posted.

The reason I think the Mets will keep Lastings Milledge is that all things being equal, Milledge was always considered by scouts and GM’s to be a cant-miss, five-tool talent. Going back to high school, Lastings Milledge has never take longer than a few months to get acclimated to playing at a higher level of baseball. He has excelled at every level.

Carlos Gomez and even Fernando Martinez in that regard, are still very raw and they have to work very hard to make it to the majors. They each had moderate success in the very low minors, but neither of them dominated or merited a promotion. Martinez hit .279 with 10 homeruns, 39 RBI’s and 8 stolen bases in 315 at-bats. Gomez hit .281 with 7 homers, 47 RBI’s and 41 stolen bases, however he struck out 97 times in 430 at-bats while drawing only 27 walks. Like I said, they both have a lot of hard work ahead of them before they make it to the major leagues.

Milledge, however is a natural born talent, his instincts at the plate needed very little coaching. His bat speed is not only the best in the organization, but 12 months ago it was considered the best in the minor leagues.

You cant teach a player instincts and bat speed. He has a baseball pedigree, having a father who was a former major leaguer, and a brother in the minors. Now all of this doesn’t mean that Gomez and Martinez won’t be stars someday, it just means that they must work hard every single day to make it, whereas in Milledge’s case it comes so natural to him.

Players like Lastings Milledge only come around once every 10 or 15 years. At the age of twelve, he played third base and hit clean-up for the Manatee East Little League team that was the national runner-up in the 1997 Little League World Series.

In 2001, he led Team USA to a Gold Medal game victory over Venezuela in the International Baseball Federation’s AA World Youth Championships. Later that year, Baseball America named Milledge the best 16-year-old player in the USA. He graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton, Florida in 2003 after leading his team to the state 5A title his senior year.

He was expected to be the number one pick in the 2003 Draft, but the week of the draft, allegations of misconduct at school, knocked his stock down and he fell to the Mets at number 12. After signing and returning from a broken hand, in 65 games with Rookie League, he hit .337 with 13 home runs, 58 RBI and 23 stolen bases, earning him a promotion to the St. Lucie Mets in August. In 2005, he continued his minor league success hitting .302 with St. Lucie in the first half of the season and .337 with the AA Binghamton Mets in the second half. He began the 2006 season leading off and playing right field for the AAA Norfolk Tides.

Last season he got his first taste of coffee with the Mets and got off to a rough start with his teammates and the media. He was hitting .291 (53-182) with 32 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 19 RBI with 32 walks, 42 strikeouts and eight stolen bases in 50 games for the Tides at the time his contract was purchased. Despite the (overblown) distractions he impressed with his powerful bat, his speed on the bases, and he even displayed a canon for an arm and picked up 4 outfield assists.

So far this spring he is batting .361 and is second on the team in hits, runs, stolen bases, and total bases. He is the real deal. He has shown that he is capable of responding to adversity. He has been a positive influence all through spring training. Hi is a bright kid, with a great personality and an enormous wealth of natural abilty and baseball instincts.

Teams do not trade players with this kind of talent… They sign them to 10 year deals.

Statistical and historical data provided by wiki and mlb.com.

I asked Kyle DeBussey from Mets Prospects a few questions last week about some of the Mets prospects. Here is what he had to say…

Q – When all is said and done, which pitcher will have had the better career, Mike Pelfrey or Philip Humber? Why?

A – Mike Pelfrey will have a better career simply because Phillip Humber is so injury prone.  In Humber’s short career he has already needed Tommy John Surgery.  I expect Pelfrey in the years to come to be a number 2 starter and believe he will continue to improve.

Q – What can we expect from Mike Carp and when the time comes, will Carlos Delgado be re-signed by the Mets, or will Mike Carp take over for him at first base in 2009?

A – It is hard to say at this time if the Mets will resign Carlos Delgado.  You can expect some good hitting from Mike Carp.  He has power to all fields which is rarely seen at someone of his age.  At this point, Carp is lacking defensively.  His throws and glove are not always there.  If Mike Carp continues to increase offensively and progresses defensively he might be looking at the future Mets First Base starting position.

Q – We hear so much about Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez lately and how they will both be in the outfield of the future for the New York Mets. Considering that Carlos Beltran still has 5 years left on his contract, and that Lastings Milledge is also supposed to be the future of the team, what do you think the outfield look like in 2010 and why?

A – The Mets 2010 outfield is really up in the air.  Carlos Beltran is almost a definite to still be the Mets starting Center Fielder due to the years left on his contract.  Lastings Milledge will probably be the starting right fielder if he continues to improve and he will also have more experience than Gomez or Martinez.  I hate to say it but it really looks like the Mets will end up trading either Carlos Gomez or Fernando Martinez for a solid young pitcher.  My guess is it will be Gomez.  Gomez is more likely to be traded because he is closer to the majors and is looked at as a Jose Reyes type player with a better build and perhaps more power.  If Fernando Martinez lives up to his potential, he will be the Mets Starting Left fielder.

Q – It seems like the Mets somehow got the curse of the Bambino at second base (Baerga, Alomar, Matsui). I don’t believe that Anderson Hernandez is the answer at second base, do the Mets have any second base prospects on the horizon in their minor league system?

A – Anderson Hernandez is really it.  If he improves his bat I would be fine with him at second base.  Remember that amazing catch he had last year.  The only other option was Jeff Kepinger who they traded away last year.

Q – I loved Lastings Milledge from the time he first came up and hit that homerun and high-fived the fans. I also think he got a raw deal from the media. Do you think Lastings Milledge will make an impact this season on the Mets?

A – I think Lastings Milledge will have a major impact this season and will gain the starting right field role.  Green has not shown up to hit, and if this continues look at Milledge to step up.  He recently shaved hit head and said, “I’ve got to get my grown man on.”  Now that shows maturity.

Q – How would you rank the top five prospects in the Mets Minor Leagues?

Fernando Martinez
Carlos Gomez
Mike Pelfrey
Joe Smith
Ben Johnson

Thanks again for your time Kyle. You can check out more from Kyle at Mets Prospects.

The Mets lost again today by a score of 2-0 to the Detroit Tigers. The Mets offense took the day off, but John Maine and Mike Pelfrey both had solid performances. Sooner or later the Mets are going to have to talk about the big purple dinosaur in the Mets dugout. (Sorry Barney). Is Mike Pelfrey going to be named to the starting rotation or what? In 10 innings pitched this spring, he has only given up one run, and it was a wind aided homer by Marcus Thames in today’s game. Stay tuned…

Earlier this week, Gary Dunes took some time to answer a few questions for Mets Merized Online.

Gary Dunes is the very popular morning drive time radio personality on WSEN 92.1FM in Syracuse, NY. He is also the lead singer of the band Dunes & The Del-Tunes. During the baseball season, he is the onfield host for the Syracuse Chiefs, the AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. His allegiance however lies with the New York Mets and he has been a huge Mets fan since he was a kid. You can also visit him on his myspace page and add him as a friend.

Gary, thanks so much for taking some time out of your day to answer some questions for us this morning.

Q: Being a lifelong Mets fan going back to the teams formative years, you’ve seen many of the enormous number of players that have played third base for the Mets in their 45 year history, 134 of them to be exact. Which of them holds the fondest memory for you?

A: There were a few Met third basemen that I really liked. Edgardo Alfonzo and Ray Knight would be near the top of my list but I think Howard Johnson would have to be my favorite Mets third basemen. Besides doing the job at third, Ho Jo fit right in with the magical chemistry the Mets had in 86.

Q: We often hear about a fans favorite Mets moment, lets look at the flip side of that, and tell us what your worst Mets moment or time was?

A: That’s one I’ll never forget. The Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs at Shea to see who would face the Yankees in the series and Chipper Jones told Mets fans to “Go home and put your Yankee uniforms on.”

Q: I know you are also a minor league baseball fan and a big fan of the Syracuse Chiefs, serving as their onfield host in between innings. If you could pick one thing that minor league baseball has over major league baseball, what is it?

A: I guess it’s just human nature, but most of the players seem more fan friendly before they get a taste of the big leagues. Since we’re on the subject of minor league baseball being a Mets fan I do have to add I was really sadden when Syracuse jumped the gun and resigned there working agreement with Toronto in June. I personally asked the GM of the Chiefs if the Mets were a possibility and he said Norfolk would most likely resign with the Mets. Well, as most Mets fans know the Mets triple A team has moved to New Orleans for 2 seasons and they are now in the Pacific Coast league. As you may guess I’m hoping in two years the Mets will consider Syracuse for their farm team. I think it would be a great move, we are only about 4 hours from New York and it would make perfect sense.

Q: Which of the current Mets players do you consider to be the most valuable part of the team in 2007 and why?

A: Jose Reyes, Paul Lo Duca, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, David Wright, and Moises Alou. These guys will be a major part of the Mets offensive team in 2007.

Q: Do you consider yourself to be a baseball purist or did you welcome some of the changes of the last 5-7 years like interleague play, wild card teams, and letting the All Star Game decide home field advantage in the World Series?

A: I’m kind of a purist. I don’t really care for interleague play or the wild card. I do like the All Star Game deciding home field advantage in the World Series because it does give the players and managers a reason to try to win that game.

Q: If you were to ask a thousand Mets fans what their biggest concern was going into the 2007 season, I would guess that 999 of them would say it was worried about the starting pitching. What do you think about our starting pitching, should Mets fans be worried?

A: I think with Pedro Martinez unlikely to a pitch until maybe July and with Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, and John Maine in the rotation they are going to need at least one more strong pitcher if they are to win the NL East.

One final question, before I let you go…

Q: I’m looking at this picture you took with Eddie Kranepool and Jerry Koosman and I cant help but wonder how exciting it must have been to experience that magical Mets season in 1969 when they shocked the baseball world and won their first World Series. What was it like to be a Mets fan in the late 60’s and early 70’s and was it much more different than it is today?

A: Growing up in Syracuse, NY was kind of like the same situation in NYC. The Yankee tradition was and is big here, the Mets were always second class. Most of my friends wore Yankee hats; my dad was and is a Yankee fan. It didn’t matter to me I loved the Mets, I don’t know why, maybe because they were always the underdogs back then. In 1967 I was nine years old, I was wearing my Mets hat and old man walked by me on the street and asked why I was wearing a Mets hat, he said, “Kid why are you wearing that hat, they stink, you should be wearing a Yankees hat.” Didn’t matter I loved my Mets. We’ll when I was 11 in 1969 after the World Series with Baltimore no one could tell me the Mets stink anymore. Meeting and getting the chance to interview Eddie Kranepool and Jerry Koosman was definitely a thrill, It made me feel like an 11 year old kid again. As far as being a Mets fan back in the 60’s and 70’s and now, for me, the feeling is still the same. I guess it’s called tradition.

Gary, thanks again for your time and we’ll keep listening to your show as you keep playing those rock and roll classics. It’s always great to meet another big Mets fan!

I have to tip my cap to Billy Wagner, Tom Glavine, Jose Valentin and Julio Franco, who all supported Willie Randolph and his decision to suspend and fine Duaner for his lateness and poor work ethic. Each of them were very vocal about the importance of being focused this season and keeping your eyes on the prize. The great thing about this Mets team is that they have a clubhouse full of determined leaders and players who lead by example. And even though there are so many Mets fans that are critical about all the older players on the team, I for one am glad we have them.

It takes more than an all-star at every position to win a championship, it takes proven leadership and a great team chemistry. If you don’t believe me, just ask our cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees. Sure, they have fielded a star-studded starting lineup over the last few years, but despite all their individual player accomplishments, their $225 million payroll couldn’t buy them an ounce of chemistry. All the Randy Johnson’s and Carl Pavano’s of the world couldn’t buy them another title.

OK I know you are all wondering where I’m going with all this, so here goes.

This morning while I was having breakfast with my uncle at this great diner called the Golden Dove, he wouldn’t stop telling me about how bad the Mets were doing this spring. He bombarded me with questions like why do we have so many old players, and why didn’t we sign anybody big, etc. He gave me a splitting headache is what he did. Mind you, this is the same man that made me the Mets fan that I am today, he was the guy that took me to my first Mets game when I was a kid. Somehow after getting a taste of that pennant fever last season, he (like most other Mets fans) didn’t understand why the Mets didn’t go for the kill this offseason and spend money on guys like Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano, and yes of course, Barry Zito.

Well, sometimes things happen for a reason, I told him. Maybe Omar only wanted a one-year stop gap in leftfield because we have three great outfield prospects who might be ready for a full time job in 2008. Omar gets paid a lot more than I do, to think about things like that. He has access to every scouting report in the organization with the click of a button.

I think Moises Alou was a great signing for the Mets because all it cost them was some money. Big deal. They did not give away the future of the franchise like other Mets GM’s have done in the past. Sure we could have spent over $100 million on Carlos Lee or Soriano, but then what do we do with guys like Lastings Milledge, Fernando Martinez and Carlos Gomez? Trade them like we traded Jason Bay?

With regard to the Mets not signing a big pitcher in the offseason I just want to say one thing. The more I learned about Barry Zito this offseason, the more I realized he would never fit in with the Mets. His ego was too big, and he preferred to be in his own little corner of the clubhouse, so he wouldn’t have to mingle with the rest of his teammates. Remind you of someone you know? The Mets didn’t need another version of Randy Johnson in their clubhouse. I’d rather roll the dice with Mike Pelfrey than get locked into a seven year commitment with a guy who has the personality of a dish rag. Let Zito go chase his reality show and music career in San Francisco. With all the distractions that Barry Bonds will provide in 2007, Zito should have no trouble pitching every five days and then going off into his own little universe.

Don’t worry about the Mets lack of big offseason signings this past winter. The Mets are doing just fine. We should consider ourselves lucky to have a GM who doesn’t throw money at every big name free agent out there. We’ve had too many of those types of GM’s in the past, and all they ever did was set the franchise back five years. We finally got a GM who knows when to say when, and that’s just fine with me. Finally we have a GM that has a clue.

In other news, Mets former first round draft pick, Jeromy Burnitz announced his retirement yesterday. Burnitz, 37, hit .230 with 16 home runs in 313 at-bats for the Pittsburgh Pirates in his final season. His best career stretch came with Milwaukee from 1998 through 2001, when he averaged 34 homers and 106 RBI for the Brewers. He made the National League All-Star team in 1999. He appeared in 1,694 major league games without a playoff appearance. It was the longest-running postseason futility streak among active players.

Entering yesterday, the Mets had the second-worst spring training winning percentage in the National League and had lost seven of their last eight games. They had two split-squad games yesterday, though, and snapped the skid, beating the Tigers on the road, 4-2, and tying the Marlins in 11 innings, 5-5 at Tradition Field. The Mets are now 4-8-1 this spring. Now I do understand that it’s only spring training and it doesn’t mean anything, but I also believe that losing can become contagious and I would feel a lot better if the Mets can go into Opening Day with a little momentum. So let’s put together a nice little winning streak as we wrap up the last 18 days of the exhibition season.

Jose Valentin is still pretty ticked off at Duaner Sanchez and wont accept his apology when it is offered. He said “It isn’t easy to apologize, and words must come with actions.” Valentin also said. “He has to show he means it by what he does. He has to work hard. We will help him, but the ball is in his court.”