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Points of interest for the 07 season.

metirish Mar 27 2007 07:56 AM

Can't wait for Sunday night,hate that there are so many off days at the start of the season. Some things not Met related that I will be looking at with interest this season. Barry Bonds,it will be interesting to see how things are handled if and when he passes Aaron,especially if he does it on the road,Selig must be dreading this day. Matsuzaka,not that I care much for the American League but I'll be interested in how Dice-K does,looks good so far . MFY - just as I say I don't care much for the AL but it's hard to avoid them,really here I'm hoping for a mess of things to go wrong,for all the talk about the Mets starting five things in the Bronx are not looking at all good,Torre now depending on Pavano.....great. Hoping for a real rivalry with the Phillies this season,the chatter out of Philly is helping stoke the flames. Zito - interested to see how he does for the Giants,not hoping he'll flop or anything,,just interested ti see how he handles that pressure. What interests you this coming season?

Benjamin Grimm Mar 27 2007 08:01 AM

Pelfrey and Milledge. I'd love to see them establish themselves as important contributors this season. I'd include Humber but I think he's more likely a 2008 guy. Some are saying that Reyes is ready to make the leap to superstardom this season. I'm not so sure about that, but if it does happen it'll be fun to watch. I'm also eager to see what kinds of seasons we get out of Wright, Beltran, and Delgado. Yes, it's all Mets related, but they're the only team I pay any attention to.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2007 08:03 AM

How we're going to deal with the everyday stress of realizing this one's not going to be a layup.

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 08:09 AM

Booze, snapping at the family, denial, bullshit baiting of Yankee fans, general bullshit, scapegoating the closer, booze, ill-advised roadtrips to Philly leading to arrests, booze...

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2007 08:12 AM

that's what I'm afraid of

cleonjones11 Mar 27 2007 08:15 AM

I'm keeping a list of how many times Jose Valentin gets picked off base, caught stealing, or nailed trying to stretch. the over/under is 25 Mets may win easier than we think this year. Pelfrey maybe an ROY candidate and Oliver please, please, get the slider over! To make make it oficial Yankees suck! Jeters' G--

soupcan Mar 27 2007 08:15 AM

-Wright's response to his decreased power numbers in the second half last year -Will LoDuca and Valentin be able to repeat last year's performances? -Is Pavano a genuine question mark for the Yankees or was he simply injured and now that he's 100% physically is he the same pitcher he was when they signed him? -Was Papalbon a one-hit wonder? -Are the Dodgers really that good? -How about the Braves? -Ditto on Zito.

metirish Mar 27 2007 09:36 AM

Carlos Zambrano....here's what he said to a Chicago paper... TEMPE, Ariz. -- With six days left to reach a contract extension before Opening Day, Carlos Zambrano is discussing the possibility of wearing a New York Mets uniform next year. Asked by SI.com if he'd consider the New York Yankees, Zambrano said: "I like the Yankees, but I don't see myself pitching at Yankee Stadium. Too many rules. If I play in New York, it's going to be with the Mets. First of all, because I get to hit. And I love hitting. I can't say … that I would never play for the Yankees. Hopefully no, but you never know." Negotiations on a five-year extension have been ongoing, with little movement from either side. Zambrano has said that if he doesn't sign by Opening Day, negotiations are over until the season ends. Though the Cubs are his first choice, don't be surprised if the White Sox enter the picture if Zambrano hits the free-agent market. Sources said Zambrano would be interested in playing for Sox manager Ozzie Guillen if it doesn't work out with the Cubs. Worth watching,course nothing like throwing in the NY teams in the mix.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 27 2007 09:49 AM

Carlos Zambrano wrote: If I play in New York, it's going to be with the Mets. First of all, because I get to hit. And I love hitting. I can't say … that I would never play for the Yankees. Hopefully no, but you never know. Now that's the right kind of attitude for a player to have! Maybe things really are starting to change! He hopes to never play for the Yankees! What a terrific guy!

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 09:50 AM

The world may be getting over pitchers' victory totals. He's never won more than 16, but he could be the first $20 mllion pitcher. I imgaine that he's really harshing the opening day buzz for Cub fans and he could be booed right out fo the box.

metsmarathon Mar 27 2007 11:01 AM

cleonjones11 wrote: I'm keeping a list of how many times Jose Valentin gets picked off base, caught stealing, or nailed trying to stretch. the over/under is 25 i'll take the under. last year, he was caught stealing only twice. unless he's getting picked off or nailed trying to stretch once per five times he gets on base, i think its an easy bet.

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 11:07 AM

Cleon never really follows through on these wagers he throws out there.

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 12:05 PM

Some are saying that Reyes is ready to make the leap to superstardom this season some would say he already made it. i'd say the bigger question is regardless of what you call it, can he repeat last year's huge leap in production?

metirish Mar 27 2007 12:08 PM

I think Reyes will better it,if he plays everyday like he should then he should have a great year.

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 02:26 PM Edited 3 time(s), most recently on Mar 27 2007 04:57 PM

-Wright's response to his decreased power numbers in the second half last year I'm more interested in David Wright, On-Base Machine, than David Wright, Power Generator. If he keeps reaching at .380 plus, I'm cool with 40 doubles and 20 homers. -Will LoDuca and Valentin be able to repeat last year's performances? Without using that as a yardstick, I'm hoping they stay productive. -Is Pavano a genuine question mark for the Yankees or was he simply injured and now that he's 100% physically is he the same pitcher he was when they signed him? While nothing is a sure thing, every pitcher coming off an injury is a large question mark. -Was Papalbon a one-hit wonder? He's clearly a talented pitcher. I'm intriguied by the notion of breaking a pitcher in as a closer and graduating him to the rotation. -Are the Dodgers really that good? I hope not. But how about how fast Colletti turned that team over? Jeff Kent is second or third in seniority. -How about the Braves? I never like a rival to have a productive catcher. It makes the rest of the lineup that much easier to fill out. But I keep thinking of cutting Giles loose for nothing and I wonder if they're going to keep handicapping Bobby Cox. -Ditto on Zito. Zuck Fito. Glad we laid off.

metirish Mar 27 2007 02:30 PM

Don't know if you got the news on Papalbon but he's back as closer,they announced it last week,unless the Sox changed their minds again..which is possible.

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 02:32 PM

Guess I didn't. I'm still intrigued.

Frayed Knot Mar 27 2007 02:43 PM

I was hoping that Bonds and the whole circus around him would just go away. Of course it won't however and, after spending most of last season thinking that all that time he missed in '04 put him far enough behind the pace to where he wouldn't catch Aaron, I'm now convinced he's going to cruise past that mark. Between the 2nd half he had last year and the reports that his legs are in better shape now than they've been in a while I don't even think it's going to be suspensful. Other than that, the whole Matsuzaka's journey will be fun to watch and the whole Yanqui/Sox soap opera. But mostly I just get a kick out of watching the season unfold and find that the stories that emerge are often better than the ones you expect. - watching teams come out of nowhere like last year's Tigers; - rookies stumbling into jobs and then running away with them; - finding stuff you've never seen before as part of the whole day-in/day-out drama

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 03:18 PM

the Bonds circus will go away when he retires, resurface around the time he is eligible to be inducted into the hall, and then finally leave us alone after he gives his speach.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2007 03:24 PM

--what song David Wright will choose? --which Met will the home fans turn on most viciously? --what new batch of SNY commercials will have Met fans gagging by mid-May and suicidal by August?

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 05:02 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: --which Met will the home fans turn on most viciously? Green is a possibility, does he get a pass for being a jew? Wright could be hitting .150 in August and he won't get booed I'll go with Orlando "el-yankee" Hernandez on the theory that ex-yankees will get booed loud and fast the moment they suck.

Kid Carsey Mar 27 2007 05:13 PM

Ny: >>>does he get a pass for being a jew? <<< What? I don't think of Green as a jew I think of him as an anvil in a lake. That MLB video game commercial with The Foo Fighters or Nirvana blasting throughout already has me on edge every time is comes on.

Edgy MD Mar 27 2007 06:09 PM

I'm going to guess that Wright won't go into August hitting .150 without getting booed. Aaron Sele has half a chance to get the Jorge Julio treatment.

soupcan Mar 27 2007 08:52 PM

-Is Pavano a genuine question mark for the Yankees or was he simply injured and now that he's 100% physically is he the same pitcher he was when they signed him? While nothing is a sure thing, every pitcher coming off an injury is a large question mark I realize that this is a valid point but it has always been intriguing to me. Think about it - a big healthy kid in his mid 20's is at the top of his game. He hurts himself, has surgery, heals, rehabs. Then he comes back ostensibly at 100% physically. Why then is he not the same performer he was previously? His body is 100% recovered. He's young and healthy. Did he forget how to do what he used to do? Of course not, he'd been doing it most of his life. It's been a season, maybe two since he last was as healthy. So why then are a lot of these guys just not able to do what they used to? Sure some can and do but why not all? Baffles me. Johnny Dickshot wrote: --what new batch of SNY commercials will have Met fans gagging by mid-May and suicidal by August? Don't know but the other day in the booth Keith and Gary were alluding to them both being interpreted as cartoon characters and hinted that the general populace would soon find out what they were talking about.

SteveJRogers Mar 27 2007 09:00 PM

soupcan wrote: -Is Pavano a genuine question mark for the Yankees or was he simply injured and now that he's 100% physically is he the same pitcher he was when they signed him? While nothing is a sure thing, every pitcher coming off an injury is a large question mark I realize that this is a valid point but it has always been intriguing to me. Think about it - a big healthy kid in his mid 20's is at the top of his game. He hurts himself, has surgery, heals, rehabs. Then he comes back ostensibly at 100% physically. Why then is he not the same performer he was previously? His body is 100% recovered. He's young and healthy. Did he forget how to do what he used to do? Of course not, he'd been doing it most of his life. It's been a season, maybe two since he last was as healthy. So why then are a lot of these guys just not able to do what they used to? Sure some can and do but why not all? Baffles me. Also, many MFY fans probably feel that Pavano just simply wasn't worth the money to begin with. Except for one season what has he really done? A .500 pitcher for most of his career. Add that to the way he pitched in NY in 2005, the general opinion by Yankee fans and the media is that this guy is a retread of Jeff Weaver. Or in Met terms, Kris Benson.

metirish Mar 27 2007 09:02 PM

Can't compare the contract the Mets gave Benson to the one the yankees gave Pavano...course the Mets got hammered at the time.... Interested in how the Cubs do this season...and the Pirates(hoping they do good)

MFS62 Mar 28 2007 06:43 AM

Who will step into the rotation when ElDuque has his regularly scheduled DL stint? Park? Sele? Humber? Someone else? How well will LoDuca perform in the #6/7 spot in the batting order (if he stays there)? I'm establishing the over/under for his RBI total at 58. Later

Johnny Dickshot Mar 28 2007 06:53 AM

LoDuca's slot in the order won't have anything to do with how well he performs. If healthy in that slot he'll easily have more than 58 RBI.

iramets Mar 28 2007 06:57 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: LoDuca's slot in the order won't have anything to do with how well he performs. If healthy in that slot he'll easily have more than 58 RBI. You're assuming the Mets will have over 58 runners at third base, then? Because if they're at second, and not initialled JR, they ain't scoring on a bloop got-eyes bingle, Jakey.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 28 2007 07:07 AM

Dookie did have a bunch of doubles last year. But hell I'd bat him 8th. I think my point is whoever hits 6th (I'd guess Green) will have trouble driving in as few as 58. (Baserunning point noted).

Edgy MD Mar 28 2007 07:21 AM

He had the eighth-most doubles in team history while playin only 124 games.

iramets Mar 28 2007 07:30 AM

Edgy DC wrote: He had the eighth-most doubles in team history while playin only 124 games. That's interesting. My bad. I guess I didn't see many of those, just the groundballs that went six inches from a middle infielder's glove, or two feet over it.

metirish Mar 28 2007 07:39 AM

Some good guys should reach milestones this season,Glavine - 300 Wins - Biggio(2930) - 3000 Hits - Hoffman(482) - 500 Saves.

Edgy MD Mar 28 2007 07:55 AM

What makes them particularly good? Not challenging it, just curious.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 28 2007 08:02 AM

I think he meant "good" as in "talented."

metirish Mar 28 2007 08:03 AM

I just don't think any of them are wankers like say Bonds or Randy Johnston.

MFS62 Mar 28 2007 08:17 AM

metirish wrote: I just don't think any of them are wankers like say Bonds or Randy Johnston. That's how I interpreted "good", as in "not bad" guys. Later

iramets Mar 28 2007 08:19 AM

Good= White, and not hideous or an ex-Yankee.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 28 2007 08:23 AM

Maybe we can play a new game: Find a likeable black hideous ex-Yankee. I can't think of any offhand, but there must be one or two out there.

Edgy MD Mar 28 2007 08:25 AM

Well, I was sorta reading it that way also. Not that I think irish is overtly racist --- I'm sure he's not --- but there are plenty of media and social filters between reality and perception that we have to be wary of. I guess Hoffman's relatively alright, for a guy who married a cheerleader and gave all his kids lastname-firstnames. It's funny that they stil play "Hell's Bells" for him when his fastball now comes in at about 72.

MFS62 Mar 28 2007 08:26 AM

Horace Clarke and Elston Howard. But I think that's the entire list. Later

iramets Mar 28 2007 08:28 AM

gotta like the wife for copping a feel off her son while swapping spit with her husband. Good multi-tasking.

seawolf17 Mar 28 2007 08:28 AM

You know, someone starts to defend Ira, and he starts coming at us with the racist crap. Oscar Gamble. Likeable and hideous, and an ex-Yankee.

iramets Mar 28 2007 08:30 AM

Edgy DC wrote: . Just getting the pic on p. 3 for all to see

iramets Mar 28 2007 08:33 AM

seawolf17 wrote: You know, someone starts to defend Ira, and he starts coming at us with the racist crap. Just stating directly what I felt Edgy's implication to be. I just mistrust labelling guys as "good" just because they haven't been indicted for injecting steroids with an infected needle into the buttocks of underaged cheerleaders yet.

metirish Mar 28 2007 08:35 AM

This place is impossible at times...

MFS62 Mar 28 2007 08:36 AM

Cheerleaders need steroids? Later

metsmarathon Mar 28 2007 09:35 AM

iramets wrote: Good= White, and not hideous or an ex-Yankee. ah, but is it a causal relationship, or a coincidental relationship? given the small sample size, i'd lean towards the latter. sosa and griffey have an outside chance apiece of reaching 600 homers this year. while both are of a darker complexion than tommy glavine, i would consider griffey for my "provisional list of reputed good guys" while leaving sosa off.

metirish Mar 28 2007 09:38 AM

Never thought of Griffey - good guy..

metirish Mar 28 2007 09:38 AM

Never thought of Griffey -it will be with great interest to see if he can stay healthy and reach 600 or get close...

metsmarathon Mar 28 2007 09:46 AM

before anybody else gets a chance to... are you saying: A). "i never thought of griffey as a good guy" B). "i forgot about griffey. yes, i would consider him a 'good' guy"

metsmarathon Mar 28 2007 09:52 AM

mike stanton is poised to pass john franco for 2nd place in games pitched, needing only 11 for the task. stanton 1109 franco 1120 mlb.com's milestone tracker projects this to occur on 28 april against the pirates. get your tickets now!

metirish Mar 28 2007 09:52 AM

Sorry for the double post..I certainly think of Griffey as one of the good guys of sport...if he had his health this past several years we might be talking about him passing Aaron soon and actually celebrating it.

metirish Mar 28 2007 05:54 PM

Point of interest - Has Beltran stolen a base this spring?