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Get used to it

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2008 10:55 AM

The alleged "starting 8" Reyes -- healthy but fouled a ball off his knee Castillo -- knees Beltran -- what's bothering him now? Hammies? Delgado -- hip, hand, etc Wright -- healthy Alou -- temporarily healthy Church -- concussion, out for a few weeks Schneider -- sore leg and sitting. The supposedly reliable bench Anderson -- chest bruise? Easley -- ankle mangling Seanz -- fat Valentin -- knee Chavez -- 2 hammies in 6 months This team has a chance to really suck this year

Nymr83 Mar 02 2008 11:24 AM

I would think the bench is Castro, Easley, Anderson, Gotay, Chavez, with one spot open for either Pagan or Valentin, I don't think Saenz makes the team.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2008 11:43 AM

Oh yes, Castro: Back injuries severely limiting play for 2 straight seasons.

KC Mar 02 2008 12:17 PM

Vegas more optimistic than bucketman ... Boston 9/2 and Mets 5/1 to win the whole shabang.

metirish Mar 02 2008 12:23 PM

Nymr83 wrote: I would think the bench is Castro, Easley, Anderson, Gotay, Chavez, with one spot open for either Pagan or Valentin, I don't think Saenz makes the team. Minaya was talking about Delgado yesterday( replete with an ugly Citi Field cap)and mentioned " this si why we have guys like Saenz". They bring experience to the team.

Frayed Knot Mar 02 2008 01:14 PM

]Beltran -- what's bothering him now? Hammies? Knees actually. Had both his patella tendons done over the winter, supposedly to help things in the long run. I think the mole's still around though.

Valadius Mar 02 2008 04:59 PM Re: Get used to it

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Seanz -- fat ROTFL.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2008 05:46 PM

The Goat turned an ankle today.

metirish Mar 02 2008 06:46 PM

Isn't every Spring Training like this?

Nymr83 Mar 02 2008 06:47 PM

metirish wrote: Isn't every Spring Training like this? yes. just as every season has a long losing streak during which you think they'll never win again.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2008 06:58 PM

Call me Panicky Pete if you like but I can think of lots of examples of guys who had shitty years that began with missed stretches of spring training including Delgado last year. I just don't like it. Yeah I know it's March 2.

soupcan Mar 02 2008 07:00 PM

="Frayed Knot"] ]Beltran -- what's bothering him now? Hammies? Knees actually. Had both his patella tendons done over the winter, supposedly to help things in the long run. I think the mole's still around though. It has a name you know. Enrique.

smg58 Mar 02 2008 07:44 PM

Didn't the Phillies lose their first five games last year and basically have a terrible April? And today is March 2. I think we need to hide the panic button for the time being.

metirish Mar 02 2008 08:09 PM

I'm concerned, especially about Delgado and the fact that so many players are getting injured so early in Spring, I mean didn't they rest up and keep in shape during the off season?

Frayed Knot Mar 02 2008 08:13 PM

Hey it could be worse. We could still have Kaz Matsui on the team who missed today's game with .... hemoroids! Bet ya never thought you'd hear the words Kaz and 'roids together in a headline did you? ]It has a name you know. Enrique. Sorry, we've never been formally introduced.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2008 08:21 PM

smg58 wrote: Didn't the Phillies lose their first five games last year and basically have a terrible April? And today is March 2. I think we need to hide the panic button for the time being. I'm not worried about a bad start, I'm worried about an epidemic of bad health carrying over into the season. This team isn't a good enough to be hurt allatime.

AG/DC Mar 02 2008 08:41 PM

I sometimes wonder if any team is. Good luck seems to be a hallmark of any championship team, and it looks remarkable --- though unsurprising in retrospect --- to note how the 1969 and 1986 teams went through almost totally unscathed. I wonder if 1985 may have been a better team with simply less luck, losing Strawberry and Wilson for long stretches and always being one righthander short with Berenyi going down and Sisk pitching hurt all year. The trick remains, of course, to build in enough redundancy to make your own luck. Wilson went down brutally at the start of Spring 1986, but Dykstra and Mitchell made it minimal issue. He didn't debut until May 9, when the Mets had a five-game lead, and he still got into 123 games. Heck, he had his best batting year to date.

Triple Dee Mar 02 2008 09:50 PM

="soupcan"] ="Frayed Knot"] ]Beltran -- what's bothering him now? Hammies? Knees actually. Had both his patella tendons done over the winter, supposedly to help things in the long run. I think the mole's still around though. It has a name you know. Enrique. I thought it was "Ivan".

KC Mar 03 2008 04:54 AM

AD: >>>The trick remains, of course, to build in enough redundancy to make your own luck<<< "Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey

smg58 Mar 03 2008 06:14 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm not worried about a bad start, I'm worried about an epidemic of bad health carrying over into the season. This team isn't a good enough to be hurt allatime. No team is. On the glass half full side, I'd much rather have a run of bad injury luck when the games don't count than after the season starts. In the big picture, Castillo's knees will be a matter of concern for the rest of his tenure as a Met, and Alou won't stay healthy all year. The other things have a chance of being forgotten by April.

metirish Mar 03 2008 06:37 AM

As bad as things look right now I at least don't have hemorrhoids.

OlerudOwned Mar 03 2008 08:19 AM

="Frayed Knot"]Hey it could be worse. We could still have Kaz Matsui on the team who missed today's game with .... hemoroids! Bet ya never thought you'd hear the words Kaz and 'roids together in a headline did you? http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7250/news Misdiagnosed hemorrhoids, which raised the question on Deadspin: What the hell could be going wrong down there that would make you think it's hemorrhoids, but isn't?

Willets Point Mar 03 2008 10:49 AM

A little too early for this kind of grumpiness. I'm just happy that baseball is being played even if it's not real baseball.

Vic Sage Mar 03 2008 11:58 AM

With 2/3 of the projected 25-man roster at age 31 or more (at some point this season), injuries are likely to plague us and it's not about "luck". It's about the icky, sticky residue of Omar's design. Sure, if most everything breaks right, we have the talent to win the WS. But how often does everything break right? I think the only players we shouldn't necessarily be concerned about (health wise) are hitters Wright, Reyes and Church (despite having his bell rung) and pitchers Santana, Perez and Maine. Everybody else has question marks ranging from "slight concern?" to "have the paramedics on speed-dial?" We're likely to have serious ongoing health issues this year with Delgado, Castillo, Alou, Easley, and El Duque, and possibly with Castro, Schnieider, Beltran, Chavez and Pedro, too. And practically the entire bullpen is over 30, with many having recent injury issues. This has nothing to do with it being "early", or "this is the same stuff every team has to worry about", because not every team has an average age over 31.

metirish Mar 03 2008 01:15 PM

Minaya talking about the age factor with the Mets. [url=http://www.northjersey.com/sports/mets/Mets_facing_an_age-old_question.html]Omar Minaya[/url]

AG/DC Mar 03 2008 01:37 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 03 2008 01:54 PM

Why would anyone include Jose Valentin? Just which five is he including among the inner core? That said, Klapsch saying foolish stuff doesn't bother me nearly as much as Minaya saying, "Believe me, I'd love to have a team of young guys, but in New York, those teams have never won," Minaya said. "The Yankees teams [of the Nineties] were young, but they had veterans, too. Remember [Cecil] Fielder, [Wade] Boggs, Jimmy Key. Even Bernie [Williams] had already been around a few years when they started winning." Huh?

Benjamin Grimm Mar 03 2008 01:42 PM

I doubt that any team, in New York or any other city, has ever won a pennant without having a single player over 30.

AG/DC Mar 03 2008 01:47 PM

There's a ton of goofiness in there. How are those the key players of that era? Does he not realize they won not one, but four championsihps? Does he not recall his pronounced agenda when he came here, about establishing specific young building blocks.

metirish Mar 03 2008 01:52 PM

Klapisch is way out there, in every column he writes there is always something he writes that makes you shake your head, as with Valentin right here...the core of the Mets is quite young I think.

Vic Sage Mar 03 2008 04:49 PM

if by "core" you mean Wright, Reyes and Maine, then you're correct. However, I don't think that's a big enough group to consider a "core". Perez is a FA to be, and everybody else is around 30 or more (give or take a decade or so). so what they've got now is not so much a "core" but moreo of a "co__"

Nymr83 Mar 03 2008 05:46 PM

Vic Sage wrote: if by "core" you mean Wright, Reyes and Maine, then you're correct. However, I don't think that's a big enough group to consider a "core". Perez is a FA to be, and everybody else is around 30 or more (give or take a decade or so). so what they've got now is not so much a "core" but moreo of a "co__" Wright and Reyes, the two best hitters on the Mets, are young. Santana and Beltran (the other two members of the Mets' 4 best players) are neither young nor old (in baseball terms.) Maine is young, Perez is young (and if the Mets want him back they'll get him back unless there are concerns of which we are unaware besides money.) The Mets are old, on the other hand, at 1B, 2B, and LF, as well as 2 members of the rotation. The rightfielder is young enough. i don't think the Mets are too old, especially when you consider that their best players are their youngest. They have a better "young core" than all but 2 or 3 teams in the game, or so I'm willing to argue if someone wants to start a "who has the best core" thread. The biggest (age related) knock that I feel can legitimately be made against the Mets is that they are insufficiently redundant at the positions where age should be their biggest concern (1B, the rotation, LF.)

duan Mar 03 2008 05:48 PM alan hansen

slightly off topic but Alan Hansen, the great Liverpool Centre-Half and current Match Of The Day pundit, said of Man Utd on the opening day of the 1995-1996 season "you'll win nothing with kids" when the red devils lost 3-1 to Aston Villa. Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt were all 22 or under at the start of the season and all played a part in 30 or so league games. Utd were champions at the end of the season and Ferguson's second great United team was born and Hansen has forever had to eat humble pie. In other words, if the kids are good enough you can win plenty with 'em. I'd suspect, it's similar with the 'aul fellas!

metirish Mar 04 2008 06:36 AM

That's the first thing I thought about when I read Minaya's comments. The Goat might have a broken ankle and will have a CT scan today, the team Doctor suspects that he fractured it on the sliding into the plate.

TransMonk Mar 04 2008 11:10 AM

Dan Murphy starting at 1B for the Mets in Jupiter today as Michel Abreu stayed in PSL with a strained right hip flexor. Injury run down 03/04 courtesy of Adam Rubin: As we await formal word on what’s expected to be a broken ankle for Ruben Gotay, here’s the rest of a lengthy a.m. injury briefing. • Duaner Sanchez expects to pitch Wednesday in Port St. Lucie against the Dodgers. “Just taking my time,” said Sanchez, who last appeared Friday. • Ryan Church plans to swim in a pool at the minor-league complex today, and hopes to be cleared to be on a baseball field in some capacity tomorrow. “I’m better. I’m rested, too,” Church said. “I’ve never been to bed at 6 o’clock - 6 p.m.” • Luis Castillo will run the bases for the first time today to test his surgically cleaned knees. The Mets errantly said he had started doing that last weekend. He hopes to play this weekend. • Jose Valentin sounded pessimistic he could be ready for Opening Day as he recovers from an ACL tear. Valentin said he can’t afford to rush, since re-injury means the end of his career. “This is now or never for me,” Valentin said. “Stopping right away, that’s the problem … and going right again. I still feel that soreness and weakness.” Valentin hasn’t started sliding yet, either. • Damion Easley said he’s “close” to returning. • Marlon Anderson “can’t tell” when he’ll be able to return from a bruised sternum. “It’s hard to swing,” Anderson said. • Carlos Delgado (hip) is still not ready to bat. • Endy Chavez has started running bases and expects to make his first Grapefruit League start this weekend. “I’m not sure,” Chavez said. “That’s what I believe.” • Carlos Beltran is running bases and plans to test his surgically cleaned knees sliding today. • Michel Abreu is out with a strained right hip flexor, which occurred Monday.

smg58 Mar 04 2008 11:30 AM

While I think Gotay is redundant -- with Anderson and Valentin, the Mets need for another reserve second baseman who only hits righthanded pitching well is limited -- he does have value. The timing of a significant injury would really stink if the Orioles deal Brian Roberts this week, because the Orioles would then have a need that Gotay could fill if healthy. A significant injury to Gotay would open the 25th spot on the roster up for grabs, though. Maybe it will finally motivate the Mets to grab a righty bat with some pop who could cover them in the outfield and/or at first base, because I'm beginning to think that's a need more than a luxury.

Centerfield Mar 05 2008 04:45 PM

Alou hurt now as per Metsblog.com.

metirish Mar 05 2008 04:57 PM

Centerfield wrote: Alou hurt now as per Metsblog.com. From newsday ] Moises Alou is headed to New York today after complaining of discomfort in the right groin area. The Mets decided to send him for more tests, including an MRI, after Alou didn't feel right following Monday's game against the Braves. Also, lefthander Jason Vargas was sent to Philadelphia to be examined for a sore left hip. "I have never seen so many injuries," general manager Omar Minaya said. With less than a month before Opening Day, the injuries here in Mets camp have reached epidemic proportions.Check out the holes in what was expected to be their lineup for March 31 against the Marlins. Jose Reyes (SS) ........ healthy Luis Castillo (2B) ........ OUT -- knees David Wright (3B) ........healthy Carlos Beltran (CF) ..... OUT -- knees Carlos Delgado (1B) .... OUT -- hip Moises Alou (LF) .........OUT -- groin Ryan Church (RF) ........OUT-- concussion Brian Schneider (C) ......OUT -- hamstring Johan Santana (LHP) ... pitching today, so presumably OK Now let's look at the projected bench, too: Ramon Castro (C) ........... healthy Ruben Gotay (SS) .......... OUT -- ankle Damion Easley (INF/OF) .. OUT -- ankle Endy Chavez (OF) ........... OUT -- hamstring/ankle Marlon Anderson ............. OUT -- bruised chest That's right. The Mets are currently missing 12 of their projected 15 position players on March 5.

TransMonk Mar 05 2008 05:52 PM

Alou having hernia surgery, will miss 4-6 weeks. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080305&content_id=2406441&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym Hopefully that only means 2 weeks of the regular season...but with Alou it could be 4-6 months.

themetfairy Mar 05 2008 05:55 PM

I can't speak from experience, but D-Dad had hernia surgery about a year and a half ago. It took him a while before he felt fully back to normal after that (i.e., much longer than 4-6 weeks).

KC Mar 05 2008 06:07 PM

I'll be surprised if Delgado or Alou were much of positive factor on the 2008 Mets anyways.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 05 2008 06:55 PM

TransMonk wrote: Alou having hernia surgery, will miss 4-6 weeks. Sounds like Pagan is coming north, huh?

Farmer Ted Mar 05 2008 07:00 PM

Holy. Ouch.

Nymr83 Mar 05 2008 07:00 PM

KC wrote: I'll be surprised if Delgado or Alou were much of positive factor on the 2008 Mets anyways. I expect Alou to be positive when he plays, he always has been. The question with Alou is how many games will you get out of him. I'd rather have a guy like Alou put up his kind of numbers in 100 games than have a guy like the 2007 version of Shawn Green put up his numbers over 150. As long as you keep your games played expectations reasonable with Alou you shouldn't be disappointed.

AG/DC Mar 05 2008 10:02 PM

Sign Rickey NOW!!!!

Triple Dee Mar 06 2008 01:39 AM

AG/DC wrote: Sign Rickey NOW!!!! Wrong. It's B.A.R.R.Y time!!!!

Benjamin Grimm Mar 06 2008 05:46 AM

How about D.A.R.R.Y.L.? Is Kenny Lofton still available? Does he have anything left?

smg58 Mar 06 2008 07:34 AM

Lofton was still available last time I checked, although my first choice is still a righthanded bat. I mentioned Huber a couple of days ago, but I bet Marcus Thames could be had from Detroit, and I'd have to ask the Angels about Kendry Morales.

AG/DC Mar 06 2008 07:50 AM

Triple Dee wrote: ="AG/DC"]Sign Rickey NOW!!!! Wrong. It's B.A.R.R.Y. time!!!! I've got "BALCO-Augmented Recrimination-Rattled." I can't think what the Y stands for.

metirish Mar 06 2008 07:51 AM

As pointed out today by Adam Rubin the outfield looks light without Alou and that Chavez, Anderson and Pagan will be taking turns out there, unless Minaya trades for a bat, Nady is one bat he mentioned that might be available, some other names are Matt Murton, Scott Hairtson , Emil Brown and Nelson Cruz.

Centerfield Mar 06 2008 07:51 AM

Yutz

metirish Mar 06 2008 08:04 AM

Centerfield wrote: Yutz Never heard of him , I'd like Nady out there.

metirish Mar 06 2008 08:26 AM

Would you do Sosa to the Tigers for Thames?

Vic Sage Mar 06 2008 09:14 AM

so alou is out, and even when he comes back he'll likely find his way back to the DL at some point. And Beltrans knees are still bothering him. And Church has bats in his belfrey after that concussion. he's also never played an entire season, I don't think. Thats our OF. and the right side of our infield is the same. We're going to end up playing Pagan, Chavez (if he's healthy!), and Marlon freakin Anderson as our starting OF, in games that matter. Brady Clark is even looking good at this point, for the bench! Nobody else is concerned by this?

AG/DC Mar 06 2008 09:17 AM

Well, we're on page three and it's March 6. I'd say there's concern.

soupcan Mar 06 2008 09:29 AM

AG/DC wrote: ...it's March 6. That's what I'm hanging my hat on right now. Still three weeks to go and by then the picture could change radically.

TransMonk Mar 06 2008 09:30 AM

Vic Sage wrote: Nobody else is concerned by this? It makes me want to puke. Especially because "we are the team to beat". More disturbing to me than the amount of injuries is management's reluctance to find it concerning (at least to ANY degree publicly...they're probably all drinking heavily and pulling their hair out when the press is gone). At any rate...we have to have a picture of an ostrich around here somewhere.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 06 2008 09:55 AM

metsguyinmichigan Mar 06 2008 10:30 AM

metirish wrote: Would you do Sosa to the Tigers for Thames? How about the other Sosa ... Sammy ... who I think is out there for a song. Temporary solution.

Willets Point Mar 06 2008 11:02 AM

Rickey? Barry? Sammy? Yup! That's just what this team needs: more old guys!

Number 6 Mar 06 2008 12:07 PM

Doesn't matter to me how old he is, if he hits .248/.419/.478 (as BP projects for Bonds). I doubt the Mets will make any inquiries, which I think is a shame.

metirish Mar 06 2008 02:31 PM

Blog from David Lennon. ] GM Omar Minaya held a news conference in the dugout minutes ago to address the Moises Alou situation as well as the rash of injuries. He also was asked specifically about signing either Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds. Minaya paused for a second before answering. "It's fair to say we'll go with someone internal right now," Minaya said, smiling.

AG/DC Mar 08 2008 01:43 PM

Olmedo Saenz, who is not a thin guy, takes a hard one off the ribs.

Rockin' Doc Mar 08 2008 08:50 PM

I read through some of the box scores from the Mets spring training games and I think who are these guys? It's like I'm reading through a box score from Binghamton or something. There are so few of the Mets regulars actually playing in spring games, it's worrisome to me.

MFS62 Mar 09 2008 08:37 AM

If you've been noticing, the recent six game winning streak was led by scrubs and minor leaguers. Do you think all those regulars were really hurt, or is this part of Omar's secret plan to boost the ratings of the minor league organization? OK, so I was kidding. Later

AG/DC Mar 13 2008 10:49 AM

El Duque claims to be ready to go with his new delivery, and further claims he'll be ready for opening day.

Gwreck Mar 13 2008 10:56 AM

Interesting. I still think it's more likely he does an extra week plus in PSL, as they don't need that 5th starter for the first 10 or 12 games. --- According to Adam Rubin's blog, Jason Vargas "expects to miss three months with a labrum tear in his left hip that will require surgery. He’s headed to a doctor in Vail, Colo."

seawolf17 Mar 13 2008 01:39 PM

Again... you have a whole state full of ninety-year-olds, and they can't find someone to do hip surgery? Maybe they're just all booked.

AG/DC Mar 14 2008 07:55 AM

Brian Schneider has sat out all week, and the Mets have finally acknowledged that he's got a sore hammy. They've also acknowledged that Angel Pagan loves dirt.

AG/DC Mar 14 2008 08:52 PM

="OlerudOwned"] ="Frayed Knot"]Hey it could be worse. We could still have Kaz Matsui on the team who missed today's game with .... hemoroids! Bet ya never thought you'd hear the words Kaz and 'roids together in a headline did you? http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7250/news Misdiagnosed hemorrhoids, which raised the question on Deadspin: What the hell could be going wrong down there that would make you think it's hemorrhoids, but isn't? How about giving some HIPAA rights to ballplayers. Yikey. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080314&content_id=2427161&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Triple Dee Mar 17 2008 08:57 AM

El Duque is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday, I think.