With spring training down to a couple of weeks after today’s loss to Minnesota, the Mets are still trying to finalize situations in right field, second base, the bullpen and in the rotation. All of these will be filled with those players already in camp. RIGHT FIELD Carlos Beltran has been cleared to resume baseball activities, but probably won’t play until next week, which would leave a week of games until Opening Day. However, with [...]

Update 3/14 10:00 AM Steve Popper of the Bergen Record stands by what his Mets source told him regarding the possibility of Johan Santana potentially being shutdown due to soreness and perhaps lost for the season. Regardless of what you believe I can respect him for sticking to his story which may not be as far fetched as some would think. He writes, If you go back to the story from Sunday’s Record, I think [...]

Assuming Carlos Beltran isn’t available to the Mets by Opening Day, replacing him shouldn’t equal the dilemma CBS will have in replacing Charlie Sheen on “Two and a Half Men.” Both of Beltran’s knees are aching and he’s down for the week. Maybe he’ll come back next week; maybe he won’t. So, who will the Mets use to replace the aching outfielder with a huge $18.5 million contract? Veteran bench players Scott Hairston and Willie [...]

The Mets are playing the Oliver Perez saga down to the very end. In holding to their word they’d give Perez a chance to make it as a starter, GM Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins made the trip Tuesday to watch Perez get whipped by Houston, giving up three runs in three innings in what would be his last start with the Mets. Alderson confirmed that today, saying Perez’s slim chance of sticking with [...]

OK, Oliver Perez was dreadful in his first spring training appearance, but don’t expect the Mets to cut him loose already, despite what most fans might want. Nobody gets demoted or cut after one appearance, especially somebody who is scheduled to make $12 million this season. Nor should he be. As much as Perez wants to make the team as a starter, his best chance – slim as it is – will be coming out [...]

Just because he hustles doesn’t mean Daniel Murphy will win the second base job. There are concerns about his defensive abilities, and while he has shown glimpses of offensive production, it is still a small window. The Mets like Rule 5 selection Brad Emaus’ potential, and he’ll get a nod over Justin Turner because the latter has remaining options. The book on Emaus is he has adequate range and power potential as he hit ten [...]

Beltran is here, Bay is here, Castillo is not, and Collins is irked about it. When asked if had met yet with Castillo, Collins replied,  “I haven’t seen him. You guys see him yet?” “You guys were around him last year. … He was unhappy with the way things ended. He’s expressed that to me. And I said … ‘You have to understand we have new people here. We’re going to draw our own conclusions. And [...]

Good afternoon. Players are trickling into camp today in Port St. Lucie. A few pitchers are throwing, but they don’t have to officially check in until tomorrow. No team reports to spring training without questions, and the Mets are no exception. They will enter the season this spring loaded with questions, but without any substantive answers. Here’s the top ten issues surrounding your New York Mets: Q: WHAT WILL BE THE OWNERSHIP FALLOUT? Speculation has the [...]

It wasn’t surprising to hear David Wright is already is Port St. Lucie working out long before his report date. He’s consistently been an early show. A lot of Mets arrived early which is a good and refreshing sign. What better way to begin a new culture? Wright is correct when he said the Mets haven’t won anything, but he’s been saying that since the spring of 2007. He broke no new ground there. “It’s [...]

Angel Pagan said manager Terry Collins has not talked with him or Carlos Beltran about who will play center, but this is an important issue for the Mets to decide as soon as possible in spring training, and it must be the veteran. With Beltran making $18.5 million this year, the Mets know they will not re-sign him to an extension. They also know with their roster they will not overtake Philadelphia and the wild-card [...]