Braves at Mets [PSL] 1:10pm TV: SNY Radio: None
What to watch: With only five games left in spring training I don’t think that either team will “show” much to a division rival at this point. Look for younger players to get the bulk of the work in this game. Players that are still on the bubble of making the roster should see most of the playing time.
Over the last month or so I’ve read so many team previews that my eyes are bleary. I’ve read previews of the Mets and all of the other National League East teams. Most of the previews take some unoriginal tact along the lines of “Five Burning Mets Questions”. Enough already! I don’t want to read about five questions. I want a straight position by position overview with some league perspective and management commentary.
I finally found it… Fox Sports put together a great preview of the upcoming season. This is the preview to read if you want a positional description as a scout would write. Thanks Fox for getting it right.
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I wish this video was a little longer because I can’t figure out what this guys strategy is for this season. I think that he’s trying to rebuild without sacrificing the season entirely. John Smoltz and Tom Glavine will still put some fannies in the seats and most of team isn’t ready for championship level baseball. He should just torch the major league club like the Marlins do. They have two World Series wins since 1997 to show for it.
Braves GM ready for '08
ESPN reports that Brad Lidge will start the season on the disabled list. Last month he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee. The Mets won’t see Lidge in their home opening series at Shea April 8-10. The news is disappointing to Mets fans. We can’t wait to see him implode and lose a game for the Phils. Read the full article here.
Mets Weekly brief video about the addition of Johan Santana to the team.
Willie Randolph announced today that he won’t start Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez in their final scheduled spring training games. Instead they’ll start in minor league spring games. Randolph also said that John Maine probably won’t start the final spring game, the Civil Rights Game in Memphis either.
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This strategy is less about caring for the pitchers than it is hiding them from the Marlins and Braves. Three of the last five games are against these two teams. The first two series of the regular season are in Miami and Atlanta before coming home for the last opening day at Shea against the Phillies on April 8th.
The “hiding starters” strategy is standard operating procedure for the Mets. Frankly, I agree with it. I’m sure that Major League Baseball isn’t happy about it because they’re trying to make money at these last few games with marquis names. There’s no sense in showing starters to the division rivals before opening the season. Good job Willie.
The Mets beat the Orioles 1-0 today and John Maine was fantastic again. His spring ERA is down to 1.85. He went six innings giving up only one hit with six strikeouts. Luis Castillo was 2-3 with an RBI and Ryan Church was 1-3 and showed off his wheels by stealing second. He only had 3 SB’s last season and 2 CS. That just goes to show that Willie Randolph will run with anyone, which I like. I know the “moneyball” theory places little value on stolen bases but I disagree.
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The Mets Report 