It’s quite possible that the Wilpons do have a plan.  It’s a long term plan and you might not like it because it doesn’t include trying to win at all costs in 2010. Maybe the main concern that Mets management has is the health of their current star players.  Carlos Beltran is hurt and Jose Reyes is coming back from a major injury.  Carlos Delgado is not worth re-signing due to his age and chronic [...]

Okay, so the Mets went 1-for-2 on their attempts to get a power hitting outfielder and a top of the rotation starter. Then after whiffing on pitchers Jason Marquis and Joel Pineiro and catcher Bengie Molina (the most welcome strikeouts since Kevin Bass in 1986), they didn’t even offer at pitchers Doug Davis, Ben Sheets and Jon Garland. So Omar and company spent the last week taking their swings at the remaining scraps on the [...]

Is there any doubt that Omar Minaya is searching for leadership to help change the chemistry of his ballclub without gutting the “core” of this team? The Jason Bay signing was not just to fulfill the need for power in the lineup, it was done also with the hope that Bay would help fill a void for leadership that exists. I’m not trying to disparage any current member of the Mets.  David Wright will eventually [...]

The Washington Nationals lost 103 games last season.  It would have been worse had they not been saved by a season ending seven game winning streak.  Their pitching was in chaos all season long.  Relief pitchers blew 25 saves during the season.  They had only one starter who made more than 19 starts. They have made several moves this winter, mostly investing in pitching.  It’s a safe prediction that they will improve from last year’s [...]

The Mets have signed veteran utilityman Frank Catalanotto to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The 35-year-old Catalanotto hit .278 with a homer and nine RBIs in 77 games last season for the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s a career .292 hitter over 13 big league seasons that included stops in Detroit, Texas and Toronto. Catalanotto has played first, second and third base, as well as both corner outfield spots during his career. That versatility [...]

Adam Rubin of the Daily News, recently reported that the Mets will not have Bobby Parnell audition for a spot in the starting rotation, but that Fernando Nieve will figure into the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation behind Santana, Maine, Perez and Pelfrey. Jerry Manuel is very high on Nieve as is GM Omar Minaya, both of them have mentioned him as a pitcher we shouldn’t count out this season. We have profiled Fernando Nieve [...]

Murph Rules! Right after the Kevin Burkhardt/Omar Minaya interview on SNY, I caught 1984 edition of Mets Yearbook. If you haven’t checked out these fantastic documentary style treats yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. I strongly urge you to try and catch them whenever they’re on. In this particular edition, longtime Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy was doing an interesting profile on Keith Hernandez, when all of a sudden he said something that completely surprised me, “Not only does [...]

The Mets have signed 33 year old relief pitcher Josh Fogg to a minor league deal, according to Troy Renck of  Denver Post. Fogg had a 3.74 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 45.6 relief innings for the Rockies last season. He also spent some time as a starter in the minors where he had a 5.80 ERA and 16/17 K/BB ratio in eight starts for AAA-Colorado Springs. He’ll most likely compete for the fifth starters spot or bullpen job in the [...]

Occasionally, all of us become downtrodden, pessimistic, and critical of the Mets. Even the most faithful and patient Met fans have problems with this. We vacillate between positive and negative storylines and opinions in our comments, our radio calls, our blog writing and reporting.  I’d like to take a positive look at what the Mets have done and give hope to all of us for 2010… The need for good health takes precedent over all [...]

The folks over at Baseball Prospectus just published their 2010 projected standings. For the life of me, I’ll never understand this whole scientific approach to these things. Last season, as I do every season, I posted my own projections and got 4 out of 6 first place teams right, and my system is no better than throwing darts! Anyhow, here’s their take on the NL East… 1. Philadelphia Phillies 88-74 2. Atlanta Braves 85-77 3. [...]

Update 4:55 PM – According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, Fernando Tatis is in fact re-signing with the Mets. “Fernando Tatis will be rejoining the Mets, so Carlos Delgado will have to sign elsewhere. Scouts see him only as a DH.” This isn’t as bad as some may think. Tatis hit .282 in 340 at bats for the Mets last season, with eight HR and 21 doubles. The 13 double plays was a fluke.  Tatis could be a good compliment to [...]