Master Index of Archived Threads


Let's Go Camping (Spring training 2006)

Johnny Dickshot Jan 25 2006 04:14 PM

Saw this note on mets.com. I guess we can attempt a catchall St. Lucie thread ]NEW YORK -- The Mets announced Tuesday they had signed three players with Major League experience and invited them to Spring Training and invited an additional nine players to attend camp. The Mets signed catcher Bobby Estalella, who was out of baseball last year after spending Spring Training with Cincinnati. Estalella, 31, spent 2004 with Arizona and Toronto, batting a combined .185 (5-for-27) with two home runs and four RBIs in 12 games. Right-hander Jose Santiago, 31, who appeared in four games with the Mets last season, was also signed. He had a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings. He pitched in 28 games, including 17 starts, with Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 7-6 record with a 4.26 ERA in 122 2/3 innings. Also signed was right-hander Jeremi Gonzalez, a veteran who spent last season in the Boston organization. He was on the Major League roster from May 2-25 and from July 4 to the end of the season. In 25 relief appearances, the 31-year-old Gonzalez was 1-0 with a 5.57 ERA, and he was 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts covering 14 innings. Non-roster players invited to camp include right-handed pitchers Rafael Cova, Tim Lavigne and Jason Scobie; catchers Drew Butera, Zac Clements, Aaron Hathaway and Andy Wilson; infielder Brett Harper and top outfield prospect Lastings Milledge. The team so far has invited 27 non-roster players to its training camp, including 12 pitchers, eight catchers, three infielders and four outfielders.

Edgy DC Jan 25 2006 09:49 PM

Notice the absence of the other two Piazzae, even though most able-bodied catchers get the call.

Johnny Dickshot Jan 26 2006 07:48 AM

The 25-man roster thread linked to a better version of thgis story (thanks mfs62) In convenient list form, so's we can strikethru guys as they're cut: Pitchers: Rafael Cova Pedro Feliciano (L) Jeremi Gonzalez Jeremy Hill Tim Lavigne Dae-Sung Koo (L) Darren Oliver (L) Jose Parra Matt Perisho (L) Jose Santiago Jason Scobie Mike Venafro (L) Catchers Drew Butera Zac Clements Bobby Estalella Jesus Flores Aaron Hathaway Joe Hietpas Sandy Martinez Andy Wilson Infielders Brett Boone Juan Tejeda Brett Harper Outfielders: Lastings Milledge Julio Ramirez Tike Redman Todd Self

MFS62 Jan 26 2006 01:21 PM

Edgy, I believe the Mets released catcher Tony Piazza (at the end of) last season. JD, you're welcome, and you can start the edit by striking off Tike. He was DFA'd yesterday to make room on the 40 man for one of the latest acquisitions. Later

Johnny Dickshot Jan 26 2006 01:42 PM

No, above is a list of NRIs in camp. Unless he's been claimed?

A Boy Named Seo Jan 26 2006 01:44 PM

How 'bout Mr. Koo getting invited back to the party? I liked that crazy bastard. Not much room for him, though. It seems like if we did find a Roberto Hernandez among the bunch, the only real bullpen spot that's not guaranteed is Padilla's. Duaner may have options, I guess. Dunno. Bobby Estalella used to be a Mr. Universe-looking monster who couldn't really hit too much. He always made me think steroids before my brain was programmed to think steroids all the time. Aaron Hathaway for some reason I remember from last year's draft. He was a senior catcher out of Univ. of Washington, but I don't remember another thing about him.

Johnny Dickshot Jan 26 2006 01:51 PM

They always have a shitload of catchers at ST to catch all the pitchers: I doubt anyone gets a good look. Koo's lefthandedness might help him some, even if he wasn't especially useful vs. 'em.

MFS62 Jan 26 2006 01:59 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: No, above is a list of NRIs in camp. Unless he's been claimed? He hasn't been claimed yet, but I don't think this is technically the same as being put on waivers. I believe there's an X-day waiting period, during which they have to trade or release him. And that period will expire before ST officially starts. So, unless he doesn't catch on with another team or get dealt (and I'd be surprised if Boston doesn't take a looksee at him for centerfield) he could still be with the team by then. So until we know for sure, you might as well keep him on the list. Later

A Boy Named Seo Jan 26 2006 02:02 PM

Bobby Esta-lay-'ya courtesy of Outsports. No kidding. (Cue the "Blue Oyster" tango...)

abogdan Jan 27 2006 11:18 PM

Koo should be in the running for the 2B job. He hit better than the folks who played there last year.

Diamond Dad Jan 29 2006 09:00 PM Great -- reject Phillies

Didn't Estalella get cut by the phillies? Great -- reject Phillies.

Johnny Dickshot Jan 29 2006 09:45 PM

Mike Venafro (Ven-, meaning "large," and -Afro, meaning "afro") might be the lefty that comes out of this. Sure stats show he got busted up good by AAA hitters last year, but the competition ain't strong here and he brings the funk, sidearm style. Just curious about him I learned he's a Catholic Boy (redeemed through pain, not through joy) and once apparently answered a few question on an internet board. [url]http://www.catholicherald.com/articles/00articles/venafro.htm[/url] [url]http://forums.mlbcenter.com//showthread.php?t=3488&page=1&pp=20[/url]

Johnny Dickshot Feb 16 2006 05:47 PM

Lima blasphemes Turk and becomes the New Guy with the Highest Number In Camp: I-riki, you're so fine. You're so fine you blow my mind That sonafabitch Henry Owens, blew off Roland's head (inside the box LoDuca's carrying, obviously)

abogdan Feb 16 2006 05:51 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 16 2006 05:52 PM

Mr. Koo:

ScarletKnight41 Feb 16 2006 05:52 PM

Edgy DC Feb 16 2006 06:04 PM

It's the angle, I guess, but those are some clownish-sized shoes on Hank Owens.

seawolf17 Feb 16 2006 07:22 PM

AAAAAAA! Wagner hurt his shoulder! (Just kidding. Those are some bitchin' socks, by the way.)

metirish Feb 16 2006 09:53 PM

Sorry i should have posted my pics here...

Johnny Dickshot Feb 16 2006 11:22 PM

I meant for this to be the "you're cut" thread. I posted photos to mark the beginning of ST.

KC Mar 04 2006 10:09 AM

Programming note: ESPN has the Mets on Sun at 2 vs. Puerto Rico (I guess it's a split squad because they're supposed to play the Dodgers) and Mon at 1 vs. Cleveland.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 04 2006 10:17 AM

So for which team do Beltran and Delgado play? I'm guessing Puerto Rico.

soupcan Mar 04 2006 09:48 PM

Not so bad down here lazily watching exhibition games in 85 degree weather. We're at the Holiday Inn in Port St. Lucie where supposedly the Single A St. Lucie Mets are also holed up. I say supposedly because all we've actually seen are a bunch of tall, fit latin men wearing flashy jewelry. Could be the St. Lucie Mets or it could be the Dominican Chippendales travelling squad. Went to the game today and it was fun. My son got exactly two autographs - Jose Valentin and Royce Ring (who couldn't be nicer - lucky for him). No Pedro sightings, but we did see the Puerto Rican WBC team doing some stretching. Bernie Williams is quite a bit bigger than I ever thought. Took a few pics, here ya go. soupcan, Jr. welcomes you... As do the two Puerto Rican National Team's Carloses, Beltran (who it appears has had that nasty 'thing' removed from the side of his head finally) and... ...Delgado. Clean shaven right down to his chocolaty smooth chrome dome "soupcan, Jr.! soupy! Can we get a quote?! A comment? Anything? How's your toe?" The Woodman looking to be in fine shape Cliffy apparently believes Met fans are not alone in their thinking that the starting pitching may be a bit thin. Xavier Nady asking Floyd if he thinks he'll have a better chance at the opening day roster if he works on his slider too. Best t-shirt I saw today. On a serious note - why are these foul/fair poles so short?? Where stadium security found me after babysitting a crying 'lost' soupcan, Jr. for an hour. "Pizza Guy. Who ordered the pepperoni?" My first look at Lastings Milledge. I'm liking the socks. Lastings again (this kid needs a nickname bad), it was just a groundout but exciting anyway.Ooh sorry, bad job on the resize. soupy, Jr. cooling off in the Holiday Inn pool after a long hot day

cooby Mar 04 2006 10:08 PM

What kinda dad deserts his kid and goes to a Tiki Bar? (very nice pics)

Willets Point Mar 04 2006 10:38 PM

cooby wrote: What kinda dad deserts his kid and goes to a Tiki Bar? Sounds like a typical dad. Except maybe the Tiki part, that's kind of sissy.

cooby Mar 04 2006 10:48 PM

Now, if it were me, I would have deserted my kid and gone out there and sunbathed on one of those towels beyond the outfield fence

ScarletKnight41 Mar 04 2006 11:35 PM

]Could be the St. Lucie Mets or it could be the Dominican Chippendales travelling squad. It's all good, either way ;) Thanks for sharing your travel tales soup - great pix. Who was interviewing your son?

metirish Mar 04 2006 11:39 PM

Great pics, thanks for sharing, yeah who's interviewing little soup...MLB TV?

KC Mar 05 2006 03:53 PM

Nice pictures - I gotta have one of of those C ork tee shirts

cooby Mar 06 2006 08:53 AM

Soupcan, were there more people there yesterday than Saturday?

soupcan Mar 06 2006 09:28 AM

="ScarletKnight41"]Thanks for sharing your travel tales soup - great pix. Who was interviewing your son? That was for the new Mets channel - SportsNet New York. They were interveiwing kids about how to get autographs, etc. He thought it was just great. ="KC"]Nice pictures - I gotta have one of of those C ork tee shirts Yup. Me too. ="cooby"]Soupcan, were there more people there yesterday than Saturday? Oh yeah, a capacity crowd I think. Very funny though. Being a New Yorker and attending games up here you get used to the 'merengue night atmosphere' that often accompanies games at Shea. The locals from Port St. Lucie however, were not and it was very funny to see their reactions. The Latinos were boisterous and loud and dancing in the aisles. Mariatchi bands would arise spontaneously throughout the stadium. It was fun. Again though the locals did not know what to make of it. A lady sitting next to me was so freaked out she left in the 6th to 'beat he traffic'. They were amazed at the amount of alcohol consumption noticable because the beer vendors were only servicing those sections where the 'Boricuans' were (hey, beer vendors aren't stupid - they go where the denmand is).

soupcan Mar 06 2006 09:36 AM

Oh one more thing - On the flight home last night I was sitting next to a guy in a Doug Flynn jersey who was also at Spring Training. My son showed him the autographs he had gotten and there was one we had trouble figuring out. The player that signed was wearing catching shinguards and had '22' on his back but there was no name. '22' in the program indicated Endy Chavez but he's not a catcher. We also had seen Xavier Nady wearing 22 with 'Nady' sticthed across the back of his jersey. In the program Nady is listed as #10. The guy with the Flynn jersey tells me to check 'Mets By The Numbers' when I get home. 'It's an awesome site' he says. 'Yeah, I know that site' I say 'I, uh sort of know the guy that runs it'. ' You do?' Who is he? What's his name? 'His name? Uh, um, it's um, well, uh..... Johnny Dickshot......' How about Mr. D. Can you figure out who the hell signed my son's hat?

cooby Mar 06 2006 10:04 AM

I'll bet he didn't say much to you after that!

Johnny Dickshot Mar 06 2006 10:44 AM

Nady was initially assigned 10, but is definitely wearing 22. It was his number with the Padres. Chavez (assigned 22) switched with him as ST started. I haaven't seen it for sure but believe Chavez is wearing 10. I would guess the player who signed for your kid was a minor leaguer (?), unless Nady is trying to make the team as a 3rd catcher. Nady is a squarejawed guy with giant forearms and dark hair, if that helps. Cool story!

soupcan Mar 06 2006 10:49 AM

We're going with Endy Chavez because soupy, Jr. 'wants' it to at least be an MLer. For the recrd though, the guy that did sign was hispanic and had very pretty eyes.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 06 2006 10:58 AM

I don't know if MBTN covers this or not, but 22 is an important number for the Mets: both their World Series MVP's (Donn Clendenon and Ray Knight) wore the double deuce. With Kevin McReynolds in 1988 and Al Leiter in 2000, I remember thinking that there was a decent chance that history would re-repeat itself. Didn't happen, of course. But I'd be quite happy to see Xavier Nady as a World Series MVP in 2006.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 06 2006 11:38 AM

Donn Clendenon "un-retired" in 1969 just in time to become of the true clutch contributors to the Mets' championship that season. ... Seventeen years later, another 22, Ray Knight (1984-86), thundered the Mets to another World Championship. The third baseman, who singled and scored the winning run in Game 6 of the World Series, homered to put away Game 7, earning a Series MVP. Al Leiter (1998-2004) continued the tradition during the Mets' late 90s heyday: He shut down Cincinnati to win the 163rd game of the season in 1999, and his performance in the final game of the 2000 World Series should be remembered as one of the most courageous in team history.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 06 2006 11:55 AM

There you go! I'm not at all surprised that you picked up on that bit of trivia. Good job.

soupcan Mar 07 2006 09:29 AM

Got one more for you.... "Omar, about that starting pitching - don't you think you've spread yourself a bit thin?"