Poor Omir Santos, the guy shows up early to camp looks around at the large stable of catchers the Mets accumulated over the winter and thinks to himself  “none of those guys have anything on me”  Well sorry to burst your bubble Senior Santos but the only squating behind the plate you’re going to be doing is in the International League backing up Josh Thole.

The Mets reach a deal with Rod Barajas for a base of $1mil with incentives that could double his contract.  Barajas and Henry Blanco are now the top battery mates for Mets pitchers and both are a huge upgrade defensively from last years broken down model of Brian Schneider, Shrek,  Ninja Turtle and Santos.

Remember at the end of the season J-Man and Old School Warthen put alot of the blame of the inability of the Mets pitchers to cut down on walks and not hit their spots consistently on the catching corp.

Give the Mets some love here as the got Barajas for their price and upgraded the catching position as well

As far as I’m concerned there are three spots open in the rotation. Johan Santana is of course the ace and with his pittance of a contract picked up Big Pelf gets a spot as well. So who gets the other three spots? John Maine and Ollie Perez are in the mix if both are still around as the rumblings are that Maine could be non-tendered and maybe Omar can get someone drunk at the winter meetings to take on OP but even with them still on the roster, I say the need to show that they belong. Both pitchers along with Big Pelf, Jon Niese , Fernando Nieve and Nelly Figs should fight for the 4 or 5 spot. Which means the Mets need to bring in two solid big league pitchers, so here are my candidates:

John Lackey

Lackey would be the signing of the off season but how much will it take and do the Skill Sets have the scratch to pay him? This will be the theme of the off season. Jeffey Skill Sets proclaims he and his daddy and Uncle Saul are far from broke, in fact we found out they made $48 mil off of Bernie The Kid Madoff Field of Scheme ,so do they go toe to toe and dollar for dollar with the Bronx Bastards for Lackey’s services? Do the Texas Rangers get in the mix as well as Lackey is from outside of Dallas and rumors are he’d love to pitch in Arlington and for Nolan Ryan. What to do, what to do and how high to you go? 5yrs/$75-$80 mil which is AJ Burnett money ? As much as the Highlanders need another starter and all their bluster about going after stars, I don’t think even they can take on another contract like that. So let’s see how much hair Jeffey’s got on his balls and make that offer to Lackey and see if he turns it down.

Jason Marquis

Word on the street is Marquis wants to be a Met but at what price? Marquis made a shade under $10 mil last season, so what would be his price 3yr/$36-$40 mil ? He is a workhorse and he has won 10 or more games the last 6 years with last year and 2004 as 15 game win seasons but is he a number 2 starter ? More of a 3 or 4 if you ask me.

Randy Wolf

Omar Minaya fucked up royally last season when he didn’t sign Wolf. He now has a chance to redeem himself. After signing with the Dodgers last year for about $5mil, Wolf finds himself on the free agent stroll again and a two year with an option should be what it takes to sign this journeyman.

Aaron Harang

I have always been intrigued by Harang and if the Mets wanted him and are willing to pick up the bulk of his contract they could get him for a couple of low level minor leaguers. The last two seasons have not been good for Harang  and he is due $12.5 mil in 2010 and $12.75 in 2011 and if he is traded his contract calls for Harang to make $14 mil mutual option or a $2.5 mil buyout. If I were the Mets GM I’d grab Harang at worst he’s a solid 3 at best he’s a strong #2 and excellent compliment to Santana.  This is the best low risk high reward move the Mets could make.

Bronson Arroyo

If Omar wanted to break Mike Francesa’ heart he’s go after Mike’s Man-Crush Arroyo. Both Harang and Arroyo cleared waivers last summer as their price tags are prohibited. Arroyo is owed $11mil in 2010 with a club option of $11 mil in 2011 or a $2mil buyout. Would you deal for both Harang and Arroyo ? I’d be very tempted to go for both and  I don’t think the price would be outlandish but again the Mets would be taking on close to $24 mil in salary for both so that looks like a long shot but taking either Arroyo or Harang would be a plus for the Mets.

If you’re Omar you also have to at least kick the tires on Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets again low risk/high reward types. Both pitchers are coming off suergy and both can be had for 1 yr deals so why not take a look see.

So if I’m ranking who I’d go after to fill the starting rotation next season it would be:

1. Lackey

2. Harang

3. Arroyo

4. Marquis

5. Wolf

5a. Bedard

6 Sheets

I think Lackey is a pipe dream as it will take a lot of years and money to land him so I don’t see him as a Met. Harang and or Arroyo is a much better bet via trade and I can see either Marquis or Wolf in Mets clothing next year.

The SF Giants have cut ties with talented but injured LHP Noah Lowry but turning down his option of $6.25 M for 2010.

Lowry has not pitched in two years as he suffered from an arm injury and then had surgery to remove a rib that interfered with his circulation. Lowry accused the Giants medical staff of not properly diagnosing his injury.

According to Lowry’s agent he is sound and has been throwing three days a week and ready to resume his baseball career.

The Mets have to put a call in to Lowry’s reps and ask about him. Before his injury he was one of the top young pitchers in baseball and if he is healthy, he would a  great add to the Mets starting staff.

We may not have won the league title but everyone from the umpires to the coaches and players to the parents hold my kids in high regard and that’s more than enough for me.

I don’t even want to dwell on the rest of the Tony B news or the way the Mets handled the Sheffield DL fiasco I’m in too good a mood for Mets negativity. The sun is shining and it’s warm out so I’m going to play Wiffle play in my yard with my kids. Baseball like it ought to be!!!!

After yesterday’s loss to the Rays J-Man sounded like a guy at the end of his rope and to this Mets fan it seems he is sending out an S.O.S. to Omar Minaya to get him some relievers who can actually pitch at the major league level:

 Manager Jerry Manuel tried to shoulder the blame, saying he has overused Parnell, Green and Pedro Feliciano lately.

 What I need to do is really refresh the bullpen,” Manuel said. “I probably, to a fault, use them too much. I have to do all I can to refresh them and that will help.

“What I have to do is trust the other people I have down there.”

If that’s not a cry for help I don’t know what is. The Big Three (Parnell, Green and Feliciano) are the only pitchers not names Santana and Rodriguez that Manuel has faith in. Where Manuel has to take a hit is his lack of going to Brian Stokes. Stokes now becomes a major player in the pen. I really hope they have a Q & A session at this Mike Francesa/Jerry Manuel Breakfast tomorrow so I can ask J-Man why he buried Stokes for so long ? Hopefully I’ll eat my meal before I get tossed out of the proceedings.  

Problem here is there is no one to bring up besides Elmer Dressens who should have been here over Jon Switizer at this point. Lefty/righty who cares? Lets go with the best 7 guys we have.

This would all be a moot point if the Phillies were half way descent. Instead of looking at what’s going on down the Turnpike, Mets fans better watch Florida and Atlanta coming up on the outside.

Forget Adam Dunn, Mark DeRosa or Nick Johnson last time I looked they’re not pitchers and with everyone else looking for pitching the Mets just don’t have the chips to get in the trading game. J-Man better find a better way to manipulate his bullpen because the Calvary ain’t coming.

If you are free this Wednesday you should head over to Gallagher’s Steak House for lunch with Ron Darling and Bobby Ojeda  and a great charity:

  Gallagher’s Steak House and SNY Present: “An Afternoon With Ron Darling: A Benefit for Urban Dove” to Assist New York City’s at Risk Youth on Wednesday, June 24, at noon at Gallagher’s Steak House

 New York — New York Mets 1986 World Champion hurler and SNY Mets television analyst Ron Darling will be the guest of honor at a benefit luncheon for Urban Dove to assist New York City’s At-Risk Youth on Wednesday, June 24, at noon at Gallagher’s Steak House in New York City.

 An Afternoon with Ron Darling: A Benefit for Urban Dove” is priced at $75 per person, and includes a three course Power Lunch featuring Gallagher’s Certified Angus Beef steak as the entree, a copy of Darling’s book “The Complete Game,” and an autograph and Q & A session.  Seating is limited, and for reservations contact Gallagher’s at 212.245.5336. Darling’s teammate, pitcher B obby Ojeda, SNY’s Mets studio analyst, will be a special guest. Gallagher’s is located at 228 West 52nd Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, in Manhattan’s Theater District.

 Also tomorrow night at Foley’s  Eddie Kranepool and George Foster will be on hand to sign autographs and talk baseball.

Going to baseball game dressed like an umpire is beyond being an asshole in fact it’s so fucked up I’m surprised no one in the New York State Senate has done this yet.

Someone forgot to tell Fredi Gonzalez that its INTER-LEAGUE play not a Little League Tournament. Gonzalez had a tough time keeping track of his personnel last night and it could cost him the win against the Highlanders. 

The more I watch the SF Giants the more I feel they are my dark horse team to win the NL Pennant. If you look at their individual stats they’re not pretty, to appreciate this team you have to watch them. I know for some that’s hard to do but sometimes you have to put your slide ruler down and shut off your calculator and actually WATCH a baseball game to get a real feel for the execution and beauty of the game that you can’t find on a stat sheet. 

Mets contemplate the future if  Carlos Beltran gets bad news on his MRI today

Look who is in first place in the NL East.

Welcome back Brian Stokes

My team lost a game yesterday where my two hardest throwing pitchers walked 15 (yes fifteen) batters. So back to pitching school we go. I’v tried doing wide stance drills, sifting their weight from back to front, keeping the front leg up (standing tall) for a three count then releasing the ball, and I’ve pleaded for them to keep their head up and focus on the target (set up by catcher) if anyone has any other drills or ideas I am open to any and all sugestions (tell me in the comments or by e mail at SINYMETS@aol.com  because if I go through another game of 15 walks by my pitchers they will take me out of the dugout in a straight jacket.

My blood test is back from the day I posted about dealing the two Carlos’ and it came back possitive for stupidity.

When I’m working with the kids I coach, I sometimes get a bit over enthused about pitching. I love pitching. I love watching a pitcher work. I love when a pitcher is on his game and controlling the tempo and flow of the game. I love when a pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff and tries to get by with whatever is working. I get caught up sometimes to the point I have to say to myself “too much inside baseball, keep it simple” but I can’t help it I love pitching and that’s why I love Ron Darling’s new book THE COMPLETE GAME, Reflections on Baseball, Pitching, and Life on the Mound (Published by KNOPF)

Darling splits the book into Innings and recounts games, some he pitched in, some he broadcast and gives the reader an education in how a pitcher goes about his business on the mound and his preparation off it as well. Darling gives us insight in what goes through a pitchers mind when it comes to pitch selection, how the pitcher keeps a Rolodex of batters in his head and how scouting reports click in during the at bat and his plan of attack.

You get a feel for the life a player leads in the minors to how his life changes when he gets “The Call”

As great as Darling is on TV with his analysis he’s even better on the printed page. This book is not just a book for Mets fans but for all baseball fans who want some good solid “Inside Baseball” reporting.   

Ron Darling will be at BORDERS  @ 100 Broadway today at 12:00PM to sign copies of his book

Thanks to Tim Redding’s bed shitting performance last night coupled by Freddy Garcia, the poster child for passage of the Pitchers With Disabilities Act, and John Neise still not ripe yet, the 5th starter spot in the Mets rotation is ready to fall in the lap of El Duque’ little half brother Livan, that is unless a certian Jeri-Curled right handed who just finished pitching in the WBC and is getting rave reviews from his former teammate is serious about signing an incentive laden contract that fits the payroll of Payless Mets.  This could get very interesting

I am reading The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Veducci (thank you Doubleday) and what Torre talks about in the beginning of the book when he took over the team was how he pushed the point of team or individual exactly what Jerry Manuel has set out to do this spring with the Mets. Torre goes on to say that was the difference between the Highlander teams of the late 90’s to the teams he had from 2002 to 2007 there was not that focus on doing what was best for the team over what looked better on the players stat sheet. Sometimes that gets lost in all the numbers and sabermetrics that consume baseball today. I have no problem with the stats and studies in fact I am hoping by tomorrow that the mail man brings me my 2009 Baseball Prospectus, but what gets lost in those numbers sometimes is the things that make teams winners. Hitting behind runners, taking an extra base on a hit, hitting the cut off man and the cut off man catching the ball in the right position to make a throw to hold or throw out a runner, pitchers hitting their spots and picking up a teammate kind of gets lost in the numbers. I’m glad to see J-Man trying to bring that back to the Mets.

Happy Birthday to Faith and Fear in Flushing Keep up the great work !!!