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Spring Training 2013

bmfc1 Oct 04 2012 01:09 PM

Just being associated with the Wilpons is bad financially. The good news is that the Mets have another chance to name the park, or the field, for Gary Carter: Digital Domain Park, the spring home of the New York Mets and the regular-season home of the St. Lucie Mets (High Class A; Florida State League), will have a new name after a bankruptcy filing from the naming-rights holder. Digital Domain, a special-effects firm in Port St. Lucie, is canceling its $100,000-per-year naming-rights deal for the ballpark as part of a corporate restructuring in bankruptcy court. The firm is already $50,000 behind in payments -- money that St. Lucie County will probably never see -- since buying rights to the former Tradition Field in 2010. The county hasn't received the paperwork yet, so no word on a replacement for spring training 2013. http://ballparkdigest.com/201210045665/ ... aming-deal

bmfc1 Oct 25 2012 04:31 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

The Mets haven't released their 2013 ST schedule, but other teams have so we can see part of the Mets schedule: http://springtrainingonline.com/feature ... hedule.htm

Swan Swan H Oct 26 2012 08:35 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

We're going to Florida to see a concert a friend is presenting on March 9, and we're looking to work some Spring Training into the mix. Hopefully we'll see the schedule soon and we can make our plans.

Ceetar Oct 26 2012 08:36 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: We're going to Florida to see a concert a friend is presenting on March 9, and we're looking to work some Spring Training into the mix. Hopefully we'll see the schedule soon and we can make our plans. according to that preliminary schedule, Mets are in Lakeland on the 8th. Tigertown is pretty cool.

Swan Swan H Oct 26 2012 09:14 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Thanks. We're not sure whether we want to center on St. Lucie, which we've done before, or hit some of the other towns, but if we do travel we'll keep Lakeland in mind.

Ashie62 Oct 26 2012 07:44 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

I'm 30 minutes from PSL....see y'all there....

bmfc1 Nov 19 2012 04:06 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

The season begins on April 1 so another game or two may be added. February 23 Washington Nationals, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 24 University of Michigan, Port St. Lucie, 12:10 p.m. 24 Houston Astros, Kissimmee, TBA 25 Washington Nationals, Port St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m. 26 Miami Marlins, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m. 27 St. Louis Cardinals, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 28 Washington Nationals, Viera, 6:05 p.m. March 1 Detroit Tigers, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 2 Miami Marlins, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 3 Miami Marlins, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m. 4 Atlanta Braves, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 5 OFF 6 Venezuela WBC, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 7 Miami Marlins, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 8 Detroit Tigers, Lakeland, 1:05 p.m. 9 Houston Astros, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 10 St. Louis Cardinals, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m. 11 Detroit Tigers, Lakeland, 1:05 p.m. 12 OFF 13 Washington Nationals, Viera, 1:05 p.m. 14 Detroit Tigers, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 15 Atlanta Braves, Disney, 1:05 p.m. 16 Miami Marlins, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 17 Atlanta Braves, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 18 St. Louis Cardinals, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m. 19 OFF 20 Houston Astros, Kissimmee, TBA 21 St. Louis Cardinals, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 22 Miami Marlins, Jupiter, 7:05 p.m. 23 Washington Nationals, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 24 Detroit Tigers, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 24 St. Louis Cardinals, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m. 25 Atlanta Braves, Disney, 1:05 p.m. 26 St. Louis Cardinals, Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. 27 Houston Astros, Port St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m. 28 Washington Nationals, Viera, 1:05 p.m.

Ceetar Nov 19 2012 04:37 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

rumors about the possibility of playing the farm club in Vegas just before the season starts.

Frayed Knot Nov 19 2012 04:57 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

That would make more sense if they were starting the season on the road and somewhere out west. But a Florida to Nevada then back to NYC road-trip seems a bit odd.

Ashie62 Nov 19 2012 07:29 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Ceetar wrote: rumors about the possibility of playing the farm club in Vegas just before the season starts. What's the line on that game?

MFS62 Nov 20 2012 07:55 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Ashie62 wrote: Ceetar wrote: rumors about the possibility of playing the farm club in Vegas just before the season starts. What's the line on that game? Ask Pete Rose. Later

Ceetar Nov 20 2012 01:51 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Ashie62 wrote: Ceetar wrote: rumors about the possibility of playing the farm club in Vegas just before the season starts. What's the line on that game? Ask this guy

seawolf17 Nov 20 2012 01:52 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT

Ceetar Nov 20 2012 01:53 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

seawolf17 wrote: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT Cosmo is a survivor of a spaceship crash who spent time at "Area 51" and was a baseball phenom on his home planet of Koufaxia.”

Mets – Willets Point Nov 20 2012 02:44 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Not fooled. That's a marked down Jar Jar Binks costume with a felt mask and baseball shirt.

Nymr83 Nov 20 2012 06:10 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Hopefully Jeff Wilpon will spring for a snazzier alien costume.

bmfc1 Nov 20 2012 07:22 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Not fooled. That's a marked down Jar Jar Binks costume with a felt mask and baseball shirt. "Marked Down" is a new Mets mascot.

TransMonk Nov 20 2012 07:41 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Not fooled. That's a marked down Jar Jar Binks costume with a felt mask and baseball shirt. My first thought, as well.

Edgy MD Nov 20 2012 08:50 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Back to not playing the Yankees in Florida?

Swan Swan H Jan 03 2013 09:42 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Just ordered two seats for the 3/15 game at Disney. Home tickets haven't gone on sale yet. We're spending the first half of the week at a hotel on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, then heading north for a little Spring Training and a peek at the new stuff Walt built at the Magic Kingdom.

Ceetar Jan 03 2013 09:44 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: Just ordered two seats for the 3/15 game at Disney. Home tickets haven't gone on sale yet. We're spending the first half of the week at a hotel on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, then heading north for a little Spring Training and a peek at the new stuff Walt built at the Magic Kingdom. Sounds like fun. might be there for the green uniform'd 3/17 game!

Ashie62 Jan 11 2013 05:28 PM Re: Spring Training 2013 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2013 05:39 PM

Do you need to get Mets tickets early for Port St. Lucie or is walkup safe?...Also, is there decent access to watch practice and snap photos on non game days?..

Ceetar Jan 11 2013 06:05 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Ashie62 wrote: Do you need to get Mets tickets early for Port St. Lucie or is walkoff safe?...Also, is there decent access to watch practice and snap photos on non game days?.. there are usually tickets, but if it's a weekend I'd probably buy in advance (or if they're home 3/17?) just to be safe. get better seats that way too. often get a row or two in front of the mets bullpen (along the LF line). yeah, it's got a nice complex in the back. I've never been there on non-game days, but it's the same process they just don't kick you out as fast as they do on game days. Don't remember what time they let you in, but you can get to all 7 or so fields in the back, And if you want and it's a little later in the season you can stay and watch one of the minor league inter-squad games they sometimes play (although it usually means you have to walk out a side street and all the way around the block to get back to the parking lot)

Ashie62 Jan 12 2013 05:40 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Doable..Thank you!

Swan Swan H Jan 12 2013 06:26 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Spring tickets go on sale at 10 AM next Saturday (1/19).

MFS62 Jan 13 2013 09:54 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Is it the time for someone* to start a countdown thread? Later * = someone who can insert pictures. I still can't.

Swan Swan H Jan 19 2013 08:21 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Just got tickets for March 14 and 16.

Ceetar Jan 19 2013 08:43 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: Just got tickets for March 14 and 16. where you sitting?

Swan Swan H Jan 19 2013 08:59 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Section 112, Row D (Field, just past third base) for both.

Ceetar Jan 19 2013 09:18 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: Section 112, Row D (Field, just past third base) for both. Careful what you say there, the Mets bullpen pitchers can here you. ;-)

Swan Swan H Jan 19 2013 09:48 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Nice. Shouldn't be a problem now that Acosta is gone, but thanks for the head's-up.

Edgy MD Jan 22 2013 11:49 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Corporal den Dekker, Sir! Reporting for duty, Sir! https://twitter.com/UpperDekker/status/ ... 7894668288

themetfairy Feb 04 2013 01:23 PM

It's almost here!

Swan Swan H Feb 04 2013 02:53 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Has anyone been to Cards camp in Jupiter? Is the town worth spending all or part of a day, or is it kind of an outpost? We're thinking about sneaking in one more game while we're there, and Lakeland is just a bit too far out of the way.

Ceetar Feb 04 2013 03:02 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: Has anyone been to Cards camp in Jupiter? Is the town worth spending all or part of a day, or is it kind of an outpost? We're thinking about sneaking in one more game while we're there, and Lakeland is just a bit too far out of the way. I didn't see much of Jupiter, although I think we stayed at the hotel off the highway there. I think it's just another typical suburban strip mall town in Florida. Technically I saw the _Marlins_ camp in Jupiter, but it's the same place. It's actually fairly nice as far as Spring Training stadiums go. If you're squeezing it in this won't matter to you, but plenty of Mets players (well visiting players, and probably Cards/Marlins too) drive there since it's so close. Right after the game (or hell, before if a guy's lifted early and looking to sneak away) they'll leave by a gate near the LF corner and walk across the street to the players parking lot. A lot of people hang out there for autographs (although often the players will only sign while walking the distance. Jose Valentin got pissed we didn't take the pen cap off for him)

Swan Swan H Feb 04 2013 03:04 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Good info, Ceetar. Thank you.

Mets – Willets Point Feb 04 2013 03:23 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Mr. Met has to do all the dirty work.

Ceetar Feb 04 2013 03:28 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Mr. Met has to do all the dirty work. only when the cameras are on. Afterwards he just sits around with a big head.

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 12:07 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Boom!

Edgy MD Feb 06 2013 12:16 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Harvey.

bmfc1 Feb 06 2013 12:26 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: Has anyone been to Cards camp in Jupiter? Is the town worth spending all or part of a day, or is it kind of an outpost? We're thinking about sneaking in one more game while we're there, and Lakeland is just a bit too far out of the way. There is a mall across the street but that's it. You won't want to make your visit to Jupiter, FL an entire day.

bmfc1 Feb 06 2013 12:27 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

[u:296b4ghk]Mets Spring TV (per a post at 506.com):[/u:296b4ghk] Mon. Feb. 25 – Washington, 6 p.m. on SNY Wed. Feb. 27 – St. Louis, 1 p.m. on SNY Fri. March 1 – Detroit, 1 p.m. on SNY Sat. March 2 – Miami, 1 p.m. on WPIX-11 Mon. March 4 – Atlanta, 1 p.m. on SNY Thur. March 7 – Miami, 1 p.m. on SNY Sat. March 9 – Houston, 1 p.m. on SNY Thur. March 14 – Detroit, 1 p.m. on SNY Sat. March 16 – Miami, 1 p.m. on SNY Sun. March 17 – Atlanta, 1 p.m. on WPIX-11 Thur. March 21 – St. Louis, 1 p.m. on SNY Sat. March 23 – Washington, 1 p.m. on WPIX-11 Sun. March 24 – Detroit, 1 p.m. on WPIX-11 Tues. March 26 – St. Louis, 1 p.m. on SNY (also on ESPN) Wed. March 27 – Houston, 6 p.m. on SNY Thur. March 28 – at Washington, 1 p.m. on ESPN NOTE: Subject to change

Swan Swan H Feb 06 2013 12:32 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

bmfc1 wrote: Swan Swan H wrote: Has anyone been to Cards camp in Jupiter? Is the town worth spending all or part of a day, or is it kind of an outpost? We're thinking about sneaking in one more game while we're there, and Lakeland is just a bit too far out of the way. There is a mall across the street but that's it. You won't want to make your visit to Jupiter, FL an entire day. Thanks. Sounds like if we do decide to go it will be in and out.

metirish Feb 11 2013 10:01 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Jay Horwitz ?@Jay_HorwitzPR Shawn Marcum meets the NY media on his first day in Port St. Lucie.

themetfairy Feb 11 2013 10:43 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

OMG - He's a deer in the headlights!

Frayed Knot Feb 11 2013 10:47 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

metirish wrote: Sheeet, what's goin' on here? In Toronto we only had like seven journalists total and six of them were covering the Maple Leafs!

Ashie62 Feb 16 2013 07:44 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Zach Wheeler to officially open at AAA per Terry....I thought maybe he had some shot day 1. [url]http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5784/zack-wheeler

Benjamin Grimm Feb 17 2013 05:35 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

That can change if Santana, Niese, Marcum, Gee, or Harvey have to go on the DL before Opening Day.

Edgy MD Feb 17 2013 03:00 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Yeah, I wouldn't read that as carved in stone.

Ceetar Feb 18 2013 11:13 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That can change if Santana, Niese, Marcum, Gee, or Harvey have to go on the DL before Opening Day. gonna need a lot more than just one of them to go on the DL. Wheeler is not starting in the majors.

Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2013 11:36 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

I'm not so sure. What other starters are ahead of Wheeler on the depth chart? McHugh? Hefner? Mejia? Maybe they are, but maybe they're not.

Swan Swan H Feb 18 2013 11:59 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

I have no idea what will happen between now and April 1, but a guy like Wheeler making it onto the Opening Day roster is just the kind of feel-good story that a team like the Mets can use. Set expectations low and you'll never be disappointed.

Ceetar Feb 18 2013 01:29 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: I have no idea what will happen between now and April 1, but a guy like Wheeler making it onto the Opening Day roster is just the kind of feel-good story that a team like the Mets can use. Set expectations low and you'll never be disappointed. at the expense of an arbitration year and or full year of control? Hefner, McHugh and yes probably Mejia all get the nod above him. If three guys get injured in Spring Training, Sandy probably pulls a quick trade/sign for a wily vet before using Wheeler. They'd get fancy with skipping the fifth starter and slotting someone in for a start or two before they go to Wheeler out of Spring based on everything the front office has said since last summer.

Edgy MD Feb 18 2013 03:03 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: I have no idea what will happen between now and April 1, but a guy like Wheeler making it onto the Opening Day roster is just the kind of feel-good story that a team like the Mets can use. Set expectations low and you'll never be disappointed. Yeah, I always thought announcing that a guy wasn't expected to make the roster was doing just that.

G-Fafif Feb 19 2013 09:31 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Baseball players getting ready to play baseball.

Mets – Willets Point Feb 19 2013 09:49 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

G-Fafif wrote: Baseball players getting ready to play baseball. The snark is strong with this one.

batmagadanleadoff Feb 21 2013 11:33 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Zack Wheeler Wows At Mets Camp, Looks ‘Like A No. 1? Starter NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Mets top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler took the mound at Port St. Lucie on Wednesday, delivering 30 pitches in live batting practice to Marlon Byrd, Justin Turner and John Buck. And the Mets couldn’t help but rave about the ace up the 22-year-old right-hander’s sleeve. “It’s not just him looking like a big leaguer, it’s him looking like a No. 1,” said Byrd, according to the New York Post. The veteran outfielder described Wheeler’s stuff as “a blinky,” meaning “you see it, lose it and then see it at the last second, which makes his fastball, his slider, even tougher to hit.” Byrd also threw the name of Detroit ace Justin Verlander out there, according to the Post. Turner said the baseball “looks like a little aspirin” coming out of Wheeler’s hand, and compared him to a certain young starter in Washington. “That’s the first time I’ve seen him throw in person, and he’s got some late life on his fastball,” said Turner. “It kind of jumps on you, and we’re talking the late explosion that (Stephen) Strasburg has on his fastball. I was impressed.” Wheeler, the centerpiece of the 2011 trade that sent Carlos Beltran to San Francisco, is expected to start the season at Triple-A. But it’s only a matter of time before the young gun joins the likes of Johan Santana, Jonathon Niese and Matt Harvey on New York’s staff. “You’ve got to go in prepared, and that’s what I trained for this offseason,” Wheeler said. “I’m looking to go in there and compete and make some decisions hard.” Wheeler combined to go 12-8 with a 3.26 ERA at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo in 2012. He had 148 strikeouts in 149 innings. Mets manager Terry Collins came away impressed on Wednesday, saying the prospect “wasn’t intimidated at all” despite facing big-league hitters and working in front of a curious crowd behind the batting cage. “He’s the real deal,” said Collins. “And it tells me there’s a tremendous light at the end of the tunnel here.” http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/02/21/ ... 1-starter/

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 21 2013 01:25 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Keepin' it real, yo. Anthony DiComo ?@AnthonyDiComo Four #Mets officials, including Wilpon, crowded around to see Hansel Robles throw. Front office has been raving about him this spring. Kevin Burkhardt ?@KBurkhardtSNY People in Mets camp absolutely raving about Rafael Montero. 110 walks, 19BB in A ball last year. His live BP on @Mets Hot Stove, 10pm, SNY.

TransMonk Feb 21 2013 01:36 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Zack Wheeler Wows At Mets Camp, Looks ‘Like A No. 1? Starter “It’s not just him looking like a big leaguer, it’s him looking like a No. 1,” said Byrd, according to the New York Post. No offense to Wheeler, but I bet a lot of pitchers look like a No. 1 to Marlon Byrd.

Edgy MD Feb 21 2013 01:39 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

In order to stay within the 140-character limit, Kevin wrote "walks" when he meant "strikeouts." That's 111 strikeouts and 19 walks. I love my 2012 Brooklyn staff, featuring Hansel Robles. Check out that SO/BB rate by Mateo.

Ashie62 Feb 25 2013 03:52 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

The Mets are breaking in a new organist at Citi this year...

metirish Feb 26 2013 02:49 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Cool armpits bad news for this prospect Prospect struck in face, may need surgery http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... um=twitter

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 26 2013 08:20 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

And... the result, via Twitter, originally from Goeddel's Facebook page: https://twitter.com/PSLToFlushing/statu ... 7012457473

batmagadanleadoff Feb 27 2013 03:08 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

February 19, 2013 Baseball Is Back, with a Few Changes Posted by Ian Crouch The deadline has arrived for players to join their teams for spring training, and so we can say goodbye to the mostly unhappy season of baseball, when the game isn’t played—the one full of trade talks and free agents; of old grudges aired by departed players and managers; of controversial Hall of Fame votes and the still-too-present problem of performance-enhancing drugs dispensed by quack doctors in shady clinics. We get, instead, a season that still has the possibility to bring joy, beginning with familiar and new faces arriving in warm southern locales to do a few casual wind sprints, some stretching exercises, and play a month of practice ball. There is drama for the players in spring warmup games, mostly for the young and old guys trying to make the major-league club. But for the fans, spring training is just a gentle nudge, giving us a few clips of baseball among the palm trees of Florida or desertscapes of Arizona, and preparing a spot in the mind for the real games to come. As we wait for Opening Day, though, there are a few winter happenings worthy of note. Realignments The Houston Astros, who spent their first fifty-one years playing in the National League, have jumped to the American League, and will be the fifth team in the A.L. West. This marks the first time that a team has switched leagues since 1998, when the Brewers left the A.L. for the N.L. The Astros will take the field, on March 31st, clad in new retro-style uniforms that embrace the great orange of years past—though, alas, they’ve not taken full advantage of the gonzo-color possibilities of team history. (Somewhere, the winged Brewster McCloud is disappointed.) There is not, however, much history that the team is eager to repeat, save for its lone World Series appearance in 2005, when it was swept by the White Sox. The Astros haven’t been back to the playoffs since, and have been the worst team in baseball for the past two seasons. The coming change of scenery doesn’t seem, on the face of it, to offer much hope: they join a division full of playoff contenders, including the Rangers, Angels, and A’s. Meanwhile, there has been another realignment in baseball—unofficial but no less important. The seat of power in the game has moved to California, as it has from time to time since the Giants and Dodgers opened up shop out West for the 1958 season. This offseason, the Dodgers finalized a television deal with Time Warner Cable worth between seven and eight billion dollars over the next twenty-five years. Under new ownership, and now backed by nearly unlimited funds, the Dodgers have embarked on a major spending spree. It started last season, when they traded with Miami for Hanley Ramirez, and then with Boston for Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez—taking on in the process what seemed like most of the Red Sox payroll. The binge continued this off-season with the acquisition of the big-ticket pitcher Zack Greinke. As Nick Traverse writes at our new business hub, the Dodgers will have the highest payroll in baseball, outspending even the Yankees, who have held the top spot since 1998. Thirty miles south, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have added even more talent (though, blessedly, no more city names) to what has become a franchise full of all-stars. This season, Josh Hamilton joins Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo on a batting lineup poised to score a ton of runs. And, in the twenty-one-year-old outfielder Mike Trout, the Angels have a man who is unquestionably the most exciting young player in the league. Up north, the Giants are the defending World Series champs, and the A’s are coming off a surprise playoff appearance. Rounding out the state, even the lowly Padres promise to be more exciting this year: they’ve decided to bring in the fences at Petco Park, which should lead to a few more home runs for the home team (and likely for the visitors as well, but never mind). Back east, where both the Yankees and Red Sox have cut their payrolls, a new bright spot of conspicuous baseball consumption can now be found north of the border, in Toronto, where the Blue Jays have decided to win the American League East—or at least to go broke trying. Big signings include Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, and Mark Buehrle. They’ll spend about forty million more than they did last season. And Toronto is now home to the game’s most fascinating pitcher, R. A. Dickey, who won the Cy Young Award last year pitching for the Mets and then, in now-typical Flushing fashion, was sent away to float his knuckleballs for someone else. Canadians are likely to love Dickey’s introspective personality and literary sensibility; should he continue his fine late-career form, players in the American League will be less charmed. A Useless Gimmick Outlawed Enough business; baseball’s true charm is in its quirky mechanics and byzantine rules, right? Well, maybe not, but there is one rule change of note coming for 2013 that is worth a bit of attention. In its ongoing but probably futile effort to speed up the game, the league has made illegal the infrequent and largely impotent time-waster in which a pitcher fakes a throw to third base and then spins around and throws to first in the hope of picking off a confused base runner who has strayed too far from the bag. This season, if a pitcher tries it, it will be called a balk. The ploy, which is often rightly dismissed as “something that would only work in Little League,” depends on a pretty precise game situation and rarely works, despite the claims of some pitchers who favor it and have lamented its ouster. (To find a good video example, I had to go back to 2000—when the Mets still played at Shea Stadium and then-manager Bobby Valentine still did things that warranted praise like “great move” from a team’s broadcasters.) Bullpen 2.0 Designer drugs and massive cultural evolution aside, baseball hasn’t changed that much over the years. And so the little alterations stand out, like when the league announced this winter that stadiums would be ditching landline dugout-to-bullpen phones in favor of spiffy new cell phones provided by T-Mobile (which, it probably doesn’t need to be said, is the “Official Wireless Sponsor of Major League Baseball.”) Managers have been using dugout phones to send relief-pitcher orders and other instructions out to the bullpen since way back in the nineteen-thirties. (Before that, semaphore.) Change may be overdue: it was a screwy connection that reportedly caused a pitcher mixup during the 2011 World Series, when Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa asked for one reliever but was given another—a mistake that ended in a loss. Still, the jokes started flowing fast after news broke of the new arrangement: crusty old managers hiring gum-snapping teen-agers to handle texts, ballplayers tweeting between at-bats, Angry Birds run amok. Probably not, but the new cell-phone holders that will appear in dugouts and bullpens across the country are a garish bright pink, and the whole thing has led baseball suits to use phrases like “unique communications platform”—proving that the only thing that could make baseball jargon worse is adding marketing nonsense into the mix. The transition could pass without major incident, but one unconsidered wrinkle may pose a problem: the bullpen call is often made in moments of managerial duress—runners in scoring position, the game on the line, the guy you have out their faltering badly—and the old, sturdy landline receiver surely was on the wrong end of some rough use. (“Johnson is shit out there. Give me the lefty.” Slam.) Now, as in the old Jerry Seinfeld bit about the drawbacks of the cordless phone, a manager will have to bark his orders and then carefully return the dainty smartphone to its charging slot. A few phones might get tossed around this season, and at the very least, I fear for the other objects in the dugout. Watch out, water jugs, and bats beware. http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/s ... z2M8iVjaVq

d'Kong76 Mar 03 2013 11:10 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

How is Jimmy Neutron and Huskers vs Cincinnati more important for Sunday viewing than the Mets' game? I'm gonna be more focused on Knicks/Heat, but jeez it's Sunday!

Ceetar Mar 03 2013 12:24 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Mike Kerwick @mikekerwick wrote: In the middle of Santana trying to shoo away reporters, Frank Francisco entered the fray. "I can talk." Gotta love Big Frank. This pretty much says it all for beat writer analysis.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 15 2013 10:21 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Jason Bay, 34, is hitting .333/.440/.714 with a triple, two homers and four RBI in 25 plate appearances this spring entering Wednesday. And the Mariners are considering batting Bay leadoff this season. Jason Bay, leadoff man? By Matt Snyder | Senior Blogger March 13, 2013 2:21 pm ET The 2012 Seattle Mariners were the worst offensive team in the American League last year, ranking dead last in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. They are moving in the Safeco Field fences and have added some power upgrades this offseason, but are still without a leadoff man. And this week they are auditioning Jason Bay as a leadoff man. Wait, what? Jason Bay? Yes, Bay is hitting leadoff Wednesday and it's legitimately being considered for the season, reports the Seattle Times. Upon initial glance, this sounds ridiculous. Bay hit .165/.237/.299 for the Mets in 215 plate appearances last season. Even when he's been good, Bay is a power hitter and most people think power hitters should be in the middle of the order. If the Mariners get Good Jason Bay, however, this idea isn't as off-the-wall as one might think. Due to a high-walk rate, Bay sports a career .363 on-base percentage with his .269 batting average. He's not slow, either, as he's stolen at least 10 bases in a season six times. Bay, 34, was hitting .333/.440/.714 with a triple, two homers and four RBI in 25 plate appearances this spring entering Wednesday. So that has to factor into the Mariners' consideration for him in the leadoff spot. Still, doesn't it just sound hilarious? Of all the things we thought we might hear regarding the Mariners this season, Jason Bay hitting leadoff had to be pretty low on the list. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-o ... eadoff-man

Edgy MD Mar 15 2013 12:04 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Yeah, and break up the Royals already.

metirish Mar 15 2013 12:09 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

I'm going to guess that Good Bay showed up in Spring Training for the Mets too...

Benjamin Grimm Mar 15 2013 12:18 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

He'd even show up in the regular season for a few weeks at a time.

Ashie62 Mar 16 2013 01:20 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Bix or Hicks?

Swan Swan H Mar 19 2013 02:25 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Got back from FLA on Sunday. When my wife uploads her pictures I'll post a few. We started our week in Fort Lauderdale for four nights. We got up to PSL last Wednesday afternoon, and on Thursday morning got to the back fields a bit before 10 AM. Watched the usual drills, with the ML outfielders throwing on one field for quite a while. Mookie Wilson was pitching BP on another, and having a great time. Jim Leyland strolled by and talked with Terry Collins and Rich Donnelly (who was on Leyland's staff for a good long while) for at least twenty minutes. We went to the game that day (a pasting by the Tigers), headed up to Orlando Friday morning to see them beat the Braves, hit the Magic Kingdom until 1 AM, returned at around 3:45 AM, slept in and attended the loss to Miami on Saturday. Some random observations: -Brandon Nimmo looks like a ballplayer. I have no idea whether he'll ever make it, but he sure looks like it. I'd have liked to see him in a game rather than just BP, but I was glad to get a look at him. -Even if Matt Den Dekker wasn't wearing a glove, I'd know he was lefthanded. He just looks lefthanded. -Allan Dykstra turns the 3-6-3 like a guy who is wearing a winter coat. -Anthony Recker is dreamy. There, I said it. -Bob Geren looks like the gym teacher none of the kids liked. -Bacon-wrapped hot dog with pulled pork, cole slaw and jalapeno slices. -Jordany Valdespin seems to have more of a positive attitude than last year. We were sitting right by the Mets bullpen for two games, and in one of them they had two guys warming up and Valdespin bounded out from the dugout to stand behind the catchers. -Miguel Cabrera talks to everybody - umps, fans, ball boys, Mets, security folks - and is always smiling. If I hit like him, I'd smile too. I almost expected him to pull out his cell phone between pitches. I didn't expect to see him at a road game, but he played third and went six innings, I believe - probably due to his being at the WBC and wanting more ABs. -There's a kid on Kingsport named Shane Bay. He's going to hear some shit this year. -Wilmer Flores looks like Miguel Cabrera's kid brother. -Taco in a helmet. -Behind Citi Field - chop shops. Behind Tradition Field - alligators. -The best thing about PSL is that it's not that far from other places. -Biggest surprise about the Disney Wide World of Sports complex - free parking. We were there in 2011, but I didn't remember. The field is fine, and it's a nice place to see a game. You will not for five seconds forget that you are at Disney, however. -The ball jumps off the bat of Travis d'Arnaud. -Robert Carson seems like a helluva nice guy. -Lucas Duda gets perhaps the slowest jump of any outfielder I have seen. It's like he's seeing a helicopter landing on the roof and isn't quite sure what to do about it. He did back up third on the Turner ankle-breaker on Saturday. I like spring training. Three days is just about right, especially since the game is over at 4 PM and there you are, in Port St. Lucie. Last time we went two of the three games were night games, which seemed to make the day flow better. This year, on Saturday night we drove up to Vero Beach to see a musical based on the life of Woody Guthrie, and stumbled across a St. Patrick's Day street fair before the show, which was nice. It was either that or go to Stuart and see Regis Philbin.

Vic Sage Mar 19 2013 02:35 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

-Brandon Nimmo looks like a ballplayer. I have no idea whether he'll ever make it, but he sure looks like it. I'd have liked to see him in a game rather than just BP, but I was glad to get a look at him. So did Billy Beane... -Bacon-wrapped hot dog with pulled pork, cole slaw and jalapeno slices. heart attack on a bun -- where do i sign up? -Wilmer Flores looks like Miguel Cabrera's kid brother. i hope he has the same bloodlines. -Taco in a helmet. not quite a bacon-wrapped hot dog, but intriguing nonetheless.

themetfairy Mar 19 2013 03:02 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: -Bacon-wrapped hot dog with pulled pork, cole slaw and jalapeno slices. I have heartburn from just reading that!

Ceetar Mar 19 2013 03:09 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Swan Swan H wrote: -Bacon-wrapped hot dog with pulled pork, cole slaw and jalapeno slices. Doesn't have the pulled pork, but if you need a bacon-wrapped hot dog with cole slaw, chili and jalapenos in NY.. [url]http://www.crifdogs.com

Swan Swan H Mar 19 2013 07:47 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

I don't want to clog up the thread, so I put some pictures up on Flickr.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 19 2013 07:58 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Geat thread and dynamite photos. Learned more in that post than I have from Kristie Ackert all spring.

Swan Swan H Mar 19 2013 08:45 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Thanks. All credit to my wife for the pictures.

Edgy MD Mar 28 2013 09:37 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Sometimes, I hear the term "Grapefruit League" and it sounds like a slur of some kind.

metirish Mar 28 2013 09:48 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Yes, excellent post Swannie and pix.

Farmer Ted Mar 28 2013 09:53 AM Re: Spring Training 2013

Taco in a Helmet. Let the discussion begin.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 11 2013 03:27 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Astros and Jays moving to West Palm Beach. Great news for Mets.

Ceetar Jul 11 2013 03:50 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Astros and Jays moving to West Palm Beach. Great news for Mets. saves 'em an hour over going to Kissimmee. where were the Jays before? whee, Reyes-Mets story lines in March. fun.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 11 2013 05:27 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Jays were in Dunedin, right near the Phils in Clearwater.

bmfc1 Jul 11 2013 06:33 PM Re: Spring Training 2013

Plus, each is in the American League (I keep having to remind myself that the Astros aren't in the NL) which means that the Mets won't have to almost always be playing NL teams (Cardinals; Marlins; Nationals).