Getting Ready For Opening Day

So with the start of the MLB season just two days away and the Mets opening day just a week away, the rosters are shaping up for all teams. Starters are getting their final work in and hitters are trying to get into rhythm (which seems to be happening for some of our lineup). The Mets rotation may have taken its final shape today in their game against the Cardinals. The Mets got handed a huge loss by the score of 14-4. The game featured a battle for the 5th spot in the rotation for the Mets but the one guy competing for the spot might have won it without throwing a pitch. El Duque made his second spring start going just 3 innings and giving up 5 runs and fell behind almost every batter. The young Mike Pelfrey came in as relief and didn't fair any better. He went 4.1 innings and gave up 8 runs on 13 hits. Nelson Figueroa's could have become the front runner after this game for the Mets.

In other news for the Mets, a once talked about option for left field became available. Toronto's Reed Johnson was released today by the team with Shannon Stewart becoming their everyday left fielder. The big question is that the right handed bat of the bench the team was looking for to fill in for Alou. Only time will tell i guess...........

Complete game results the Cardinals game

5th Starter???? Who's It Going To Be?

Looking at the way the season starts this year, the Mets may not need a 5th starter until after the home opening series against the Phillies. So where does that leave the Mets and who they take with them back home to Shea. Many baseball people say that Pelfrey hasn't done enough this spring to make manger Willie Randolph think hard enough to make it a race for the 5th spot. The only hope I think Pelfrey has is that he shines in his last few spring starts going at least 5 or 6 innings in each of them and hope El Duque struggles to make it back. Right now El Duque is set to make another simulated start before going into a live game. With only a few weeks left for spring baseball, El Duque will most likely be left back in Port St. Lucie when the Mets make their trip to Miami to start the season. He will get an extra start or two in PSL and should be ready for the home stand in the second and third week of the regular season, which will most likely mean Pelfery will be back in New Orleans with the Triple A team.

Personally i don't know who i want to be the 5th starter. Yes, we need to see what Pelfrey can bring as a starter on the Major League level for a full season. But if El Duque can pitch the way he pitched for most of last season I would have to say I want El Duque every fifth day. If he can't produce on that level then I am comfortable giving Pelfrey the spot. All I can do is thank the lord for the Mets not giving Kyle Loshe almost $5 million a year like the Cardinals did to be our 5th or 6th starter. Thank You Omar!!!!!

Best Outing Of Spring For Perez

The Mets got back to their winning ways toady by defeating the Orioles 6-2 in Port St.Lucie. Oliver Perez started for the Mets and was opposed by the new #1 for Baltimore, Jeremy Guthrie. New York had the majority of their starters in the game, but still were without second basemen Luis Castillo.

• Perez threw 4 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits while striking out one
• Jose Reyes collected his first triple and his first stole base of this spring
• Angel Pagan came up huge again with a pinch hit 2-run homer in the 7th inning. Pagan leads the league in hits with 18 this spring
• Delgado went 0-3 today making him 0-5 with 5 k's since his hip injury
• Wagner and Heilman both threw scoreless innings following Perez in the 5th & 6th inning

The Mets and Mike Pelfrey will travel to Jupiter on Thursday to take on the Cardinals and Braden Looper

It's nice to see the Mets get back on the winning track after a few games with Boston. Two great signs from this game for me. One, Angel Pagan continues to show the coaches he deserves to start in left field on opening day. I watched this kid play 3 games in person and i like him. He is very athletic and runs very well to add to the team speed. I still wouldn't mind another insurance guy like Thames (he can still backup Delgado) but only if its for a guy like Schoenweis. The 2nd thing is that the main bullpen arms are doing well this spring. It's nice to those guys putting last years collapse behind them. The alarming thing to me is the two Carlos's. Not so much Beltran because he is making some contact, but Delgado is not doing much at the plate. He is 0-5 with 5 strikeouts since coming back from the hip injury, and with him coming off a year like last year it's starting to scare me that he is breaking down. I can only pray for two more weeks with no more injuries.

NL East Rivalry Ends In Extra Innings

The Braves traveled down from Orlando to PSL to take on the Mets. Atlanta didn't bring to many regulars and the Mets had a lineup mixed with starters and bench players.

• Mike Pelfrey made his second start of the spring and continued his hot start. Pelfrey went 3 innings of scoreless baseball, giving up 2 hits and one was a infield single. Pelfrey has yet to give up any runs this spring and is starting strong like last spring.
• Angel Pagan is fighting hard this spring to win a job on the 25 man roster. Pagan added a single in the 2nd inning, giving him 8 hits already this spring..
• Billy Wagner relieved Pelfrey in the 4th inning giving up 1 run in an innings worth of work.
• In the 10th inning back up shortstop Ruben Tejada hit game winning double that drove in Michel Abreu who was filling in for Delgado who is still out with his sore right hip.

Alright so the Mets are on a minor roll here playing mostly with their bench players, which is a good sign. The health of the Mets are still a little of a concern with Beltran, Chavez, Easley, Castillo,Valentin and El Duque not seeing any action yet this spring. Not to mentioned the list of players who are facing injuries from playing this spring: Delgado, Church, Anderson, Schneider and Gotay who went down with an injured ankle on Sunday.

On the bright side though, I can't be any happier with the start of Mike Pelfrey. i know he started this way last spring and then got destroyed in his first few starts in the regular season but this is a great sign especially with El Duque struggling to get back on the mound.