Monthly Archives: November 2009

Nov 18

Men on Base …. Mets news and notes.

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* Reportedly, the Mets hired Dave Jauss as bench coach. Jauss has a history with Jerry Manuel, who as a field coordinator for Montreal in the late 1980s, hired him as a minor league manager. Jauss has also been a bench coach for Boston, Los Angeles and New York.

I got to know Jauss when I covered the Yankees. I’d pick his brain whenever I could when the Yankees played the Red Sox. He’s a very smart and personable guy, who I believe will someday get a chance to manager on the major league level.

* I liked the story in the Daily News about Carlos Beltran visiting a VA hospital in Manhattan. A lot of times we hear of the bad guys in sports, but there are far more good guys, and Beltran is one of them. I’ve found most players are willing to, and enjoy, making such appearances like Beltran.

* GM Omar Minaya is not giving up the ghost of Carlos Delgado. He’ll scout him in the Puerto Rican winter league to see how healthy he is and how his hip as recovered. I’m still of the belief not bringing back Delgado is the way to go if the team is in a rebuilding mode.

* Sandy Alomar Jr., left the organization to be bench coach at Cleveland. It is a step up, but it was also an obviously inevitable move. Once dad got the ax, the son was looking out the door.

* Tim Teufel was promoted to manage Double-A Binghamton.

Nov 18

Marquis wants to be a Met ….

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At 31, he has mileage left. He was an All-Star last season, so we know there is talent. He’s 94-83 during his ten-year career, which is the definition of a middle-tier pitcher the Mets reportedly will pursue this winter.

MARQUIS: Wants to be a Met.

MARQUIS: Wants to be a Met.

And, Jason Marquis, who grew up in Staten Island, told Bart Hubbuch of the Post he wants to play with the Mets.

“There’s definitely interest there,’’ Marquis said. “We’ll see what direction they want to go. … It would always be nice to come back home and represent your hometown.’’

Marquis went as far as to call it an “honor’’ to pitch for the Mets.

But will he?
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Nov 17

Just a reminder ….

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I have a poll up on whether the Mets should bring back Carlos Delgado. You can still vote and comment. Also, I invite you to scroll down the page and re-visit some other posts if you haven’t already. Feel free to comment. I’ll know when you do and will respond.

Thanks. JD

Nov 17

Martinez wants to pitch again ….

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Saying he feels rejuvenated, Pedro Martinez said he wants to pitch another season. He emphasized it would be a full season, not like this summer when he joined the moving Phillies bandwagon in midseason.

MARTINEZ: Where will he land?

MARTINEZ: Where will he land?


Martinez’s agent, Fern Cuza, said his client is healthy: “He was feeling no pain whatsoever. It was the first time in three years that he felt that way on the mound. Based on how he played, and how he responded, he’s looking forward to playing next year.”

Martinez played for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic in spring 2009 and hoped that would convince teams of his health. It did not, and he had to audition before he signed a $1 million, one-year contract with the Phillies. In nine games he was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA.

Martinez pitched will in Game 2 of the World Series, but working with the flu, was hit in Game 6.

Nov 17

AL Cy Young today ….

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This much we know, a Cleveland Indian won’t be the AL Cy Young Award winner for a third straight season.

CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee won it the last two years, but this season the overwhelming favorite appears to be Kansas City’s Zack Greinke (16-8, 2.16, 242 K).

The other contenders are Seattle’s Felix Hernandez (19-5, 2.49, 217 K), Toronto’s Roy Halladay (17-10, 2.79, 208 K), the Yankees’ Sabathia (19-8, 3.37, 197 K) and Detroit’s Justin Verlander (19-9, 3.45, 269 K).

Nov 17

What’s the Holliday market?

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Is the market for Matt Holliday shrinking?

With recent reports the Yankees and Angels, thought to be two of the more financially resourceful teams interested in Holliday supposedly turning their attention inwards, the market remains in flux.

HOLLIDAY: What is the market?

HOLLIDAY: What is the market?


The Yankees would like to retain their own free-agents, which would include left fielder Johnny Damon. The Angels, meanwhile, said their interest is re-signing John Lackey and Chone Figgins. Prior to today’s report in the Los Angeles Times, the Angels appeared lukewarm in wanting to bring back Lackey.
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Nov 17

Mets release spring training sked ….

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The World Series ended less than two weeks ago and the Mets have already released their 2010 spring training schedule.

Here it is:

Tue. March 2 Atlanta Braves Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Wed. March 3 Atlanta Braves Disney 1:05 p.m.

Thurs. March 4 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Fri. March 5 Florida Marlins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m
St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Sat. March 6 Washington Nationals Viera 1:05 p.m.

Sun. March 7 Washington Nationals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Mon. March 8 Florida Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Tue. March 9 Houston Astros Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Wed. March 10 Atlanta Braves Disney 1:05 p.m.

Thurs. March 11 Boston Red Sox Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Fri. March 12 Minnesota Twins Ft. Myers 1:05 p.m.

Sat. March 13 Detroit Tigers Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Sun. March 14 Florida Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Mon. March 15 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Tue. March 16 OFF

Wed. March 17 Boston Red Sox Ft. Myers 1:05 p.m.

Thurs. March 18 Florida Marlins Jupiter 7:05 p.m.

Fri. March 19 Minnesota Twins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Sat. March 20 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Sun. March 21 University of Michigan Port St. Lucie 11:10 a.m.
Houston Astros Kissimmee 1:05 p.m.

Mon. March 22 Washington Nationals Viera 1:05 p.m.

Tue. March 23 Atlanta Braves Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Wed. March 24 Houston Astros Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Thurs. March 25 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Fri. March 26 Florida Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.

Sat. March 27 Washington Nationals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Sun. March 28 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Mon. March 29 Florida Marlins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
Washington Nationals Viera 1:05 p.m.

Tue. March 30 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Wed. March 31 Florida Marlins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Thurs. April 1 Washington Nationals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.

Fri. April 2 Tampa Bay Rays St. Petersburg 6:05 p.m.

Sat. April 3 Baltimore Orioles Sarasota 1:10 p.m.