Throwing Down the Gauntlet

Fantasy baseball is upon us. The annual Chuck Norris Invitational is ready to hit it's third season...or second. I can't keep track. Here is how the league is shaping up:

Dep's Deps
Sidd's Dalai Lamas
Larry Jones Sucks
InvincibleMet
brooklyn bombers
Dog Days
It burns when I pee
K-REDS
All Bats No Balls
Juan Pierre
New York Mets
Enter Sandman
The Mendozas
Baja lo Panti

I'm The Mendozas. It wasn't meant to be funny, but more indicative of my probable sub-par performance and ability to waste three or four mid draft picks on people that do not even make the big league roster. However, It burns when I pee, Juan Pierre, and Baja lo Panti are in for the best name.

We also have a running joke about Jason Marquis in our league. He is always out there and someone always picks him up and drops him really quickly due to him being inept. He's like the slut at the party that just keeps getting passed around and everyone regrets it the next day.

Subject: Jason Marquis
by: Benny Blanco from da Bronx (Baja lo Panti)
Over-Under on what round he gets drafted?
Over-Under on how many times he gets picked up?

Re: Jason Marquis
by: jksd11 (Enter Sandman)
Undrafted, unless Mike pulls one of his usual moves, then I would say 8th round.

He will get added at least 27 times.

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? People are jealous of my insane fantasy abilities and feel the need to try and tear me down.

Re: Draft time changed again
by: pavanut (Pavanuts)
Make the draft time at 2am on Friday if you want... it doesn't matter. You're all going down, bitches.

by: clott1986 (Dog Days)
Sounds an awful lot like what I said to your mothers last night.

Yeah, both of 'em.

Wow
by: Sammy C (Larry Jones Sucks)
We haven't started yet and Mother's are free game already. Rough league. ;)

Re: Wow
by: clott1986 (Dog Days)
Benny advised me to be on my game. ;)

That's right. That was some trash talking in February. This league runs pretty good through the All-Star break with some trash talking, then everyone loses focus and could care less. I hope this year we have a bunch of gamers that don't know what the meaning of quit is. While Jason Marquis is out there, there is always hope.

* * *

Some roster moves...

Left-handed pitcher Adam Bostick has been optioned to New Orleans (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League while the following players have been sent to minor league camp for re-assignment: Right-handed pitchers Robert Parnell, Eddie Kunz, Juan Padilla, Andy Cavazos, Brant Rustich, Ivan Maldonado, left-handed pitchers Jonathan Niese and Ryan Cullen, catchers Salomon Manriquez and Mike Nickeas, infielder Anderson Machado and outfielder Ben Johnson.

Jon Neise, we hardly knew ye. Scary part is, you could be back at Shea with season with the depth the Mets have.

Fun with projections.

Will Carroll has some good stuff going on about the Mets and Carlos Beltran in particular.

There are still a couple weeks for him to get more comfortable and a number of ways for this to happen: new shoes, orthotics, braces, injections of various sorts, and a simple "get used to it" are all possibilities. It's safe to say that this will likely affect Beltran through Opening Day. Given the current symptoms, seeing Beltran need some days off or even having him shift to a corner OF slot isn't out of the question, but those are about the worst-case scenarios. Neither is too bad. The most likely scenario is that Beltran finds some comfort, loses a little range and speed, and tries to make up for it with some more power. Eric Walker is doing some interesting work on power trends with age that could fit right in to what we're seeing here.

I for one think Beltran is going to take his power #'s to the next level and be a perennial forty homer guy.

Pedro hates to travel.

Angel Pagan has looked pretty good. Oliver Perez? Not so much.

Scott Schoenweiss would be upset if he was trade.

"I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be upset if I was traded," Schoeneweis said. "I don't want to be traded. Again, I feel like me having an off-year didn't keep us from making the playoffs."

Problem is, he might be the only one upset if he was traded.

The Mets signed Schoeneweis to a three-year contract before the 2007 season. But he severed a tendon in his left hamstring during spring training last year, which hindered him for nearly the entire season. In 70 appearances, Schoeneweis was 0-2 with a 5.03 ERA, turning himself into a frequent target for boo birds at Shea Stadium.

Am I being unfair? Possibly. I do think he could be better in 2008.

No matter what, Fernando will not be at the big league level sitting on the bench, which I think we all knew. If he does need to play due to a catastrophe, he will be playing.

Fernando speaks.

Alou is a determined guy, but you would have assume it is very frustrating to have to say the same things over and over and over again.

Brian Schneider gives us the low down.

"Basically, I want them to be comfortable enough so they don't have to shake me off, or step off the rubber and start all over again," Schneider said. "The goal is to have your pitcher totally confident that he's in sync with his catcher. I want them to have full confidence in the pitches I call for, so that when they're releasing the ball they're not thinking "Did I really want to throw that pitch?' "

Lohse to the Orioles? Scott Boras could really ruin his career and set back a big payday. In the NL for a decent team, he could earn a nice big contract after 2008. In the AL East, he would most likely find himself getting released and back on the Phillies to the end the season and in the same spot he is in now. Good times.

It looks like you can forget Xavier Nady.

Now this is looking much better.

Here is the Mets' lineup today behind Johan Santana:

SS Jose Reyes
LF Brady Clark
3B David Wright
DH Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
2B Damion Easley
RF Ryan Church
CF Angel Pagan
C Brian Schneider

Mike Pelfrey is apparently a big tipper.

Is anyone out there going to buy Willie's book?

Johnny Baseball is going to be a star. I think this year he takes that next step into the upper echelon of pitching. The guy is in the right park on a great team.

I don't get this article. Willie DOES NOT GET IT. Who cares what he saw in the past? If you were to inept to see that Mota had nothing and maybe give someone like Humber a try, not much can help you outside of seven capable bullpen arms, which is extremely rare to have.

"I'm feeling comfortable," Hernandez said. "I feel a little different but I can throw every pitch. The first time today is a little different. Not perfect. Nothing is perfect, only God."

Interesting statement from The Duque. It seems as though he is making his way back and it seems he'll be in the rotation no matter what at this point.

Mr. Marchman thinks Bonds is a bad idea, as many people do. But shit, he is enticing. He truly does not fit, but just thinking bout him sandwiched in there between Wright and Beltran is pretty nuts.

The far better answer is that the Mets don't really need him, which is a simple thing to show. According to most projections, the Mets' best lineup, including Alou, should score about 5.1 runs a game. Pencil in someone like Marlon Anderson or Detroit reserve Marcus Thames, in whom Omar Minaya is rumored to be interested, and that number drops all the way to 5.0. Pencil in Bonds for a line of .250 BA/.450 OBA/.550 SLG, and it might rise to 5.3, depending on where he bats in the lineup.

He is probably right, but the fact is Bonds does help. As he stated, over the course of a season, Bonds might add 40 runs. That will translate into quite a few wins and push the Mets further ahead of all of the teams in the NL. Again, I do agree he does not fit, but it is fun to think about.

Dirty is back in action. The man is going to be rusty and he is not going to available for 80 games. He could be a 50 game guy this season and we need to hope Willie realizes this.

Also from the above link:

On Friday, the day the Mets officially made their first round of cuts, reliever Steven Register walked into the clubhouse at Tradition Field to see his locker manned by someone else. Then he did what any rookie would do. He panicked.

Turns out Register wasn't cut after all. Clubhouse attendants had simply moved him four lockers to the right, consolidating space after the Mets cut 13 other players.

That is just wrong. You would think they would be more sensitive to these things. Register is probably going to be haunted by this for long, long time.

This is great...

Said Ingraham: "Even these big, hulky strong impressive men today are in a situation where they just break down blubbering for like 20 minutes at a retirement press conference. And women, overwhelmingly, calling into my show, said we really like Brett Favre, we think he's amazing, but enough with the waterworks. ... I mean, the sobs, they just never stopped."

I'm a big fan of watching some good old fashioned blubbering by some gigantic guys and it is very entertaining. It is good to see someone call them out.

Mmmmmm...I love sex in my water.

A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

I kind of like it. It's like enhanced water, no?

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.

* * *

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.”