According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney via twitter, the Mets are one of six teams that Scott Kazmir is considering signing with and that he could make a decision in the next few days. What’s strange is the fact that the Mets were not one of the teams to send a scout during his workout last week where Olney said, ”Kazmir threw at about 86-87 mph today, touched 89 mph in his workout,” which is ”better than last season with [...]

Jim Callis and a couple of other Baseball America writers took questions yesterday in their ?Top 100 Prospects Chat. You can read the entire transcript here. Here’s a few questions they fielded about the Mets followed by my thoughts: Jim, an org ranking question – about where would you rank the Mets’ farm system? I remember reading you wrote 10-15 but based on this list it seems like they’ll be more 20-25. Jim Callis: I [...]

Manager Terry Collins conducted his first press conference of the spring this morning. He was upbeat and positive as expected, but made no brash projections, which was appreciated. However, like with all managers, there was a message beyond Collins’ words. What he said and what he meant are two different things. Most managers take the one-game-at-a-time approach, but Collins did make the point of saying the team needed to get off to a fast start. [...]

Steve Guilbert of Macks Mets says pitcher Ryan Perez is one of the players he really hopes the Mets pick up in the 2012 MLB Draft. Let him tell you why… Ryan Perez, BHP – Westminster Christian High School (IL) Yes, you read that correctly. BHP stands for “both-handed pitcher” (also known as “double barrel” pitching) and Ryan Perez is a true ambidextrous pitcher. Unlike Pat Venditte of the Yankees, who throws much harder with his [...]

THE OPTI-METS: Continuing with the two schools of thought, we move to the lighter side of things; the opti-mets. This crowd must be gellin’ with Dr. Scholl’s insoles or something, because to remain completely optimistic about the 2012 Mets after the past five year is saying something. Except for our Optimistic Mets Fan, there aren’t a whole lot of these guys left around. But for those of them who remain, this is how an opti-mets views [...]

With Roy Oswalt still on the market, seemingly holding out for either the Rangers or Cardinals to make a decision, will the right-hander be left with an ultimatum similar to the Manny Ramirez situation a few years ago and sign with a willing team or will he sit the year out in hopes of getting signed to a contender for the late-summer push. I feel as if with Oswalt’s options running down, his ability to [...]

Terry Collins just concluded his press conference which was televised on SNY. Now that’s my kind of Reality TV. Here’s a little summary of what he had to say… Collins said Jose Reyes is a “great player”, but Ruben Tejada is an “outstanding talent”. He’s going to make some “boo-boos” along the way, but has the chance to be a special player. There’s not enough separation  between great and outstanding for me… How about Reyes=Great, Tejada=Good? Terry [...]

It looks like Sandy Alderson has unwittingly coined the Mets’ slogan for 2012, “We All Have Something To Prove“. Sandy reiterated that phrase again during an appearance on MLB Network’s Clubhouse Confidential. “There is not a player on the club who doesn’t have something to prove, whether coming back from an injury, coming back from poor or substandard performance. ” If you ask me, the players aren’t the only ones who have something to prove. It [...]

I had a chance to do a Q&A with NY Mets catcher Mike Nickeas the other day. Mike was nice enough to take the time to field a whole slew of questions I threw at him, regarding his defense, his hitting, working with Josh Thole, and lot’s of other stuff. Mike is working hard this off-season getting ready for what should prove a very big year for him, and his answers are very interesting indeed. [...]

I always loved this day, when pitchers and catchers report. Actually, the first day of spring training has become blurred with players reporting earlier each spring. It seems the week after the Super Bowl is when  players begin to trickle in. David Wright has been working out in PSL for over a week now. This is the day when enthusiasm and optimism run high for the summer ahead. This spring that has been tempered for [...]