D-Day

Yes, it is that time of the year again. It's draft day for The Metropolitans fantasy baseball league and thanks once again to Benny for running with the entire thing and for not using two catchers. We all make mistakes Benny and you have been forgiven for yours. I personally have done no prep and my draft should be an interesting one to say the least. For those of you who have not done much prep either, I have a hot tips for you. David Ortiz can produce, plant your corn early, Albert Pujols is a monster, don't eat the brown acid, Johan Santana is luscious, Francisco Liriano is not a smart pick, chicks with an Adam's apple are not actually girls, and Billy Wagner can pitch.


I'll be there 6:45 with some PBRs, tons of self loathe, and a draft theory that has to work one of these days.

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The name of the game is progress and Oliver Perez is certainly doing that. With Maine looking sharp, Perez shaping up, and Pelfrey looking like he is ready, my optimism for this rotation is still high. Throw into that better than expected action from Jason Vargas and Pedro's rehab coming along well and I think everyone's fears should be a bit assuaged.

Beltran thought Wainwright's hook was a ball and really, how can you not? There are still some people blaming Beltran, but that Curve is just one of those pitches that if thrown right, it's impossible to hit much like a Kazmir slider that nicks the front outside corner of the plate to lefties or a Rivera cutter on the inside corner. Not enough credit is given in New York to Wainwright who strapped a set on and dropped the only pitch that would have gotten the Mets best hitter with the best eye out. The real blame if you felt the need to place any? Willie.

Manager Willie Randolph may have made a mistake not bunting the two runners over. He continues to insist the inning unfolded perfectly, as Beltran had the chance to win the game. But one NL scout said a two-on, no-out bunt was in order precisely because Wainwright was so nervous.

"He's already panicking, now he picks up the bunt and there's a good chance he throws the ball away," the scout said. "By not bunting, it takes the pressure off [Wainwright]."

Indeed, Wainwright recovered to strike out Cliff Floyd with the curveball, and nearly did the same to Jose Reyes.

Instead of three chances to knock that tying run in, Willie chose to give one of those outs away for a two chances at the win. Willie has some learning to do and hopefully he makes mental notes of these mistakes. It would have been more acceptable if a lighter bat was up, but Cliff has the ability to rake and it bears noting that I've seen him take wicked curveballs from Roy Oswalt out of the park.

First we heard about Wright being offered for Jose Cruz Jr. and now this?

An official who was involved in the discussions that led to that Dec. 11, 2001 deal said that one of the players the Mets made available to Cleveland was a Low-A shortstop named Jose Reyes. The official said the Indians liked Reyes, but simply did not have enough information from their South Atlantic League scouts to make an 18-year-old with just two pro seasons the key player in the deal rather than Alex Escobar.

I am extremely glad their organizational philosophy has changed.

Joel Sherman sees the Mets possibly on the cusp of something big.

Joel Sherman thinks batting right 2nd would behoove the Mets.

A power-hitting No. 2 batter is so attractive. An opposing pitcher must worry about Reyes' speed when he is on base and not walking the No. 2 hitter in front of elite RBI men Beltran, Delgado and Alou. Thus, the Mets' No. 2 batter can expect plenty of fastballs to try to negate Reyes' speed, and fewer filthy sliders late in the count to attempt to avoid walks.

When Alou bats, this certainly has it merits and Wright could be put up big, big, big, big numbers batting in front of the Los squared.

Spring numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but Ben Johnson certainly looking great.

Bill Madden thinks the Mets should trade Duaner when they can. I say that is silly. Middle relievers just do not bring that much back via trades at this point in the year and Duaner now has some bad press out there about him. They certainly could not extract what he is actually worth from people and he just needs to be monitored more and they need to nip things in the butt before they get bad. What they did this spring was right and they need to take a hard line approach with him. It does worry me that the Mets two main set-up men have some issues, but the Mets are heavily depending on these guys and need to gamble that they will step up.

Again...big year for Sheffield. He's mad and this should tell you exactly how mad.

“Boston was my first choice,” Sheffield said yesterday before his new team, the Detroit Tigers, lost, 7-6, to the Red Sox in Grapefruit League play. “But things happen for a reason. Sometimes you don’t get to go where you wanted to go.”