The Crane Pool Forum

I don't know about you guys but I feel like I had a shitty spring training.

I hardly saw any games, the heart of the order went away to play a tournament, I didn't really live and die on the battles since no positions were really up for grabs and the bullpen only became a thing once Diaz got hurt.

I was surprised when listening to the final innings of the game on the radio yesterday that that was the last game of spring training, and that real baseball started on Thursday. *This* Thursday.

I didn't have a fantasy draft to attend to. I only made a halfhearted attempt to keep up with the Skidoo threads.

What I'm saying is as a fan I'm not in shape. If it were possible, I'd be cut as a fan. Maybe extended spring training.

I hear ya , watched a few bits of games , not feeling the magic... I'm not complaining here but I want to see home grown players become stars ,maybe the higher expectations with an owner to match has taken some of the shine away for me

I made a similar post last year right around this time. That was due mostly to the labor strife and my thinking that I wasn't going to pay attention to them and get hyped up for
the season's start only to see games get canceled in chunks at a time. My thought was that if the lockout went past May 1st I was going to cancel the season even if and when
they resumed it. Not sure how that would have gone but it's good that I never had the opportunity to find out.

I'm a bit better this year but still a bit behind the eight-ball. Most of my watching was WBC rather than Mets and I paid only scant attention to the few ST action I did see.
And, yeah, fewer spots in question was at least part of it. Mostly I was just waiting for O.D. to roll around so that didn't sneak up on me but am still going to need a few
weeks to get totally up to speed, both on our squad and others. Found myself having to re-remeber stuff like ... oh yeah, Trea Turner's in Philly now!!

Takeaways from Spring Training:

1. The Mets lost their closer, apparently for the full season, and they haven't yet really indicated a replacement — by their word or by how they are using them.　
   　
2. The Mets also lost a backend starter that they signed over the winter. This shouldn't matter as much, as he was there to hold the spot until one of the younger pitchers took it from him, presumably this season. But it matters a little more when you look at the average age of their starting rotation. Justin Verlander on the Injured List is worth exactly the same as José Butto on the Injured List.　
   　
3. Centerfielder/leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo appears to have dodged a bullet with what looked like a more serious injury, but he hit .143 / .294 / .286 // .580 on the spring. It ordinarily shouldn't be an issue, because Nimmo's batting eye frequently allows him to be a useful player even when his swing isn't working so well, but if the leg is altering his game, fear strikes.　
   　
4. None of the four blue-chip prospects close to the top of minors made the team.　
   　
5. The team cut bait on Darin Ruf, and replaced him with a speed-first player. How that will work into their DH deployment is yet to be seen.　
   　
6. Vogelbach. Not as heavy.　
   　
7. Carlos Carrasco, one of only two holdovers from last year's rotation, only threw 14 innings in games where somebody was counting.　
   　
8. The bullpen has been and even more dramatic rebuild, apparently bringing back only a re-signed Adam Ottavino, along with some-timers Drew Smith and Stephen Nogosek. It'll take a week or two to figure out who is who and where they fit.　
   　
9. Apart from the still-to-be resolved righthanded DH situation, the lineup should be more-or-less the same as last year, once you get used to pronouncing James McCann "Omar Narváez."　
   　
10. Jacob deGrom, concerningly, rarely appeared for the Rangers this spring, but when he did, his numbers were staggering. In other news, the sun is yellow and the rain is wet.

You are now ready to be a 2023 Mets fan.

I definitely needed that recap.

I didn't see a single full inning of Mets spring training this year and didn't see highlights unless I accidentally saw them. I was a full-on WBC fan boi and haven't even asked the boss for the day off yet for Opening Day. Good candidate for fan DFA here.

I gave up on spring training games a long time ago. The last time I watched a spring training game I only lasted one inning and I recall Lucas Duda was in the game. Watching spring training is like eating a bowl of soup at room temperature. I've found that I enjoy it when the first game I watch each season is one that counts. Feels better that way, at least for me.

I think for me the most memorable Spring Training was the year the Mets sported the orange uniform, don't know why , maybe it was many factors, long before social media, message boards were thriving, hope was in the air

No biggie. In three days all this changes as, you know, seasons change with the scenery, weaving time in a tapestry.

I watched probably about eight or ten spring training Mets games, not counting the one I attended. Though I ignored every inning of the WBC. I'm ready, get on my back fellers

I don't generally watch many ST games either, just enough to wet my whistle and just see the sport again after the long void. But this spring I hardly read much coverage as there didn't seem to be many decisions to be made, at least not once the FA season and the extended Correa saga was decided.

Another good takeaway — Stephen Ridings came to camp looking like he wasn't auditioning for the bullpen, so much as to be the model for the version of Mr. Met in Irish's avatar.



Ridings is clearly chuffed to grow that face sculpture after escaping the Yankees' facial hair policy. He sadly looks likely to open the season on the Mets' Injured List, or assigned to extended spring, at any rate.

Today is the final day without baseball for many months so it's a good time to rejoice.
Look around, the grass is high, the fields are ripe, it's the springtime of my life.

haven't seen a single bit of spring training baseball live.

I'm like Grimm with ST. I didn't see a single pitch of Mets ST this Spring. I'm never in the mood to hear how Rey Ordonez is gonna hit .300 this season because he's batting 1.000 on two for two on account of two seven hoppers that luckily squirted through the infield. And all that WBC talk annoyed the shit out of me because I have even less shits to give for that thing. I hope the announcers do a decent job of guiding the fans through all of the new rules -- not just doing that for Opening Day and then assuming everyone's got it by then.

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 4:58 pm I didn't have a fantasy draft to attend to. I only made a halfhearted attempt to keep up with the Skidoo threads.

See the Fantasy topics.

I saw like half of spring training on DVR. Never a full game I don't think.
I find it relaxing. Certainly better than watching the news, but then again
what isn't better? To each his own.

#lgm #ygb #ymdyf