A daily feature that will keep you fully briefed on the current state of the Mets. One post with all you need to know until tomorrow.
Domestic Issues
Adam Rubin of the Daily News tells us that Livan Hernandez is closing in on the fifth starters job, and that he would only cost the Mets $1MM in base salary and only a million more in incentives. He also reveals that Livan is not a terrible hitter at the plate and owns a career .233 batting average. Little by little I’m growing on him.
Luis Castillo has slipped back to his customary two hole in the lineup. Jerry Manuel is a little peeved at the WBC because he wasn’t afforded enough time to play with Jose Reyes batting third and is reluctant to play around with the lineup so close to the season.
Yesterday, before Freddy Garcia took the mound, I wrote that if he failed to make any significant improvement, Garcia would be cut before the weekend. It seems that everyone is in total agreement this morning as evidenced here, here and here.
Carlos Delgado is back in camp and raved about how well all of the Mets performed at the WBC. “We’re a great team,” Delgado said. “I was kind of thinking about that the other day. We have some great players on it. Now that I’m back, I’m looking forward to seeing all those guys playing for the same team. I’m looking forward to playing with all those guys at the same time.” I’m looking forward to it too, we’re gonna have a great season.
Brian Schneider, who was a late scratch from yesterday’s game, is now out indefinitely with a strain of the right posterior capsule and right calf. Schneider had an MRI yesterday that revealed the problem, but he said his condition was improved this morning.
On Friday, Oliver Perez will make his grapefruit league debut. He has been downplaying his dismal performance at the WBC and Dan Warthen said his delivery was completely out of whack and needed to fix it. Perez also complained of being tired and fatigued.
Foreign Policy
The Braves are making lots of noise this spring and scouts are buzzing, even Omar is buzzing.So just when the Mets thought it was safe to focus solely on their current tormentors, the Phillies, an old nemesis appears to be reloaded. “Are they contenders?” Omar Minaya said. “Yeah, they are contenders.”
The Sporting News says that a difference now can be found between Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes, a pair of gifted 25-year-old shortstops. Both were offered the same proposition this spring: move from leadoff to third in the batting order. Their responses were telling. Ramirez embraced the move, while Reyes took a reluctant approach.
The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with Joe Beimel on a one-year, $2MM deal. Beimel, a 31-year-old southpaw reliever, posted a 2.02 ERA in 71 games last season for the Dodgers. Manager Manny Acta said that Beimel will be used primarily as the team’s eighth-inning setup man.
