Tag Archive for Opening Day

Bladder Up

It doesn’t mean anything, and a peek at the archives would reveal I’ve been ready to go to war with less A LOT, but I should just come out and confess I’ve been a Mets fan for something like 40 years and can’t remember a better Spring Training.


16
That seems like a long time ago but that was me, only a year ago, buckling in for what looked like, and ultimately turned out to be, a very rewarding season to be a Met fan.

And while I maintain the part about its ultimate meaninglessness, it’s difficult to interpret this year’s spring as anything but a basket of sour grapefruit. They have failed to win any of their last 13 games. I’m not satisfied they’ve answered any lingering questions about David Wright’s ability to go this year. The bullpen has been terrible. Nobody’s hitting for power. deGrom’s velocity is down. We learned a lot about what’s inside Matt Harvey’s bladder and Yoenis Cespedes’s garage, but we don’t know that they are going to be effective on the mound or in center field, respectively.

Ruben Tejada appears to have departed at just the right moment.

15I suppose the good news is that Matt Reynolds is having a good spring and ought to adequately replace Tejada’s penciled-in role as a reserve infielder, and that amid the struggles of Familia, Reed, Blevins and 51Bastardo, some guy named Jim Henderson has looked like viable bullpen candidate. They’re basically the only guys on the bubble anyway, illustrating just how dull a spring its been on top of all the lackluster exhibitions.

Two more games in Las Vegas, then opening night in Kansas City await. We’ll have the official O.D. roster updated then.

 

Uh, Let’s Go Mets?

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Opening Day ’08

The Mets submitted their opening day roster Sunday and where some people (like me) expected to see Tatis, Stokes and Hernandez they instead saw Clark, Smith and Pelfrey.

That’s OK with me, particularly after fans digested a triple order of unpleasant news Friday in the snatching of effective-but-subuseful Ruben Gotay, another seeming cutworthy effort from infuriating suspect Mike Pelfrey and a news item detailing Fernando Tatis’ being issued team luggage while Brady Clark twisted in the wind. Clark by the way not only got luggage but a new shirt to pack in it: He’ll be wearing No. 44 when the season begins Monday in Miami. Although Clark had worn 15 in his first go-round with the Mets years back, he’d been wearing 93 this spring: The highest in camp among those with a prayer of making it.

Smith, whose ineffective spring and option situation made him an interesting choice over the similarly ineffective but less controllable fireballer Brian Stokes, is a surprise roster qualifier for the second straight year. Stokes was designated for assignment: No word where he alights next.

Those moves complete an all-time Met roster that today grows by six fiirst-time arrivals (Angel Pagan 16, Ryan Church 19, Brian Schneider 23, Raul Casanova 30, Matt Wise 38 and Johan Santana 57), as well as the debut of Clark (44) and Marlon Anderson (9) in new numbers.Howard Johnson returns to No. 20 for the coaching staff, along with new arrivals Dave RacanielloJuan Lopez and Sandy Alomar Jr.

Glad you’re back too!

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Your 2007 Mets

On opening night:

  • 47 Tom Glavine
  • 26 Orlando Hernandez
  • 33 John Maine
  • 46 Oliver Perez
  • 13 Billy Wagner
  • 48 Aaron Heilman
  • 60 Scott Schoeneweis
  • 40 Ambiorix Burgos
  • 25 Pedro Feliciano
  • 35* Aaron Sele
  • 70* Joe Smith
  • 16 Paul LoDuca
  • 11 Ramon Castro
  • 21 Carlos Delgado
  • 22 Jose Valentin
  • 7 Jose Reyes
  • 5 David Wright
  • 23 Julio Franco
  • 3 Damian Easley
  • 17 David Newhan
  • 18 Moises Alou
  • 15 Carlos Beltran
  • 20 Shawn Green
  • 44 Lastings Milledge
  • 10 Endy Chavez

Staff

  • 12 Willie Randolph
  • 2 Sandy Alomar
  • 51 Rick Peterson
  • 52 Howard Johnson
  • 53 Jerry Manuel
  • 54 Rick Down
  • 55 Tom Nieto
  • 56 Guy Conti

If things hold, Moises Alou would be the 800th Met and join Schoeneweis, Burgos, Sele, Smith, Easley, and Newhan for the first time on the All-Time Numeric Roster. Howard Johnson joins the ranks of Met coaches for the first time. Jose Valentin will appear for the first time wearing No. 22, while coach Manuel is in a new number, 53.

Sele as of Friday had not given 35 to Smith, who was out there again in No. 70.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Opening Day 2006

MBTN.net officially welcomes the following 12 players to the All-Time Met roster:

10 Endy Chavez
13 Billy Wagner
16 Paul LoDuca
18 Jose Valentin
21 Carlos Delgado
22 Xavier Nady
23 Julio Franco
27 Darren Oliver
34 Jorge Julio
40 Brian Bannister
50 Duaner Sanchez
53 Chad Bradford

And appearing in new numbers: Coach Manny Acta, in No. 3.

Thanks to the many fans who reported Brian Bannister indeed upgraded his uniform to Major League status: He’ll make his MLB debut this week in No. 40, leaving aside No. 61. The final composition of the roster came together when veteran Darren Oliver 27 got the nod overPedro Feliciano 39 to be the bullpen lefty. The decision appears to speak as much to the Mets’ state of mind concerning the starting rotation than it does Oliver or Feliciano. On balance though, we were happy to see the Mets limit themselves to 6 bullpenners and provide a job for sluggy outfielder Victor Diaz 20, and though our expectations probably aren’t as sky-high as the new TV channel would have you believe, we’re looking forward to a better year, like we do every year at this time.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Play Ball!

The Mets begin the regular season Monday afternoon in Cincinnati. MBTN welcomes the following baker’s dozen to the All-Time Numerical Roster:

3 Miguel Cairo
4 Chris Woodward
11 Ramon Castro
15 Carlos Beltran
16 Doug Mientkiewicz
17 Dae Sung Koo
18 Marlon Anderson
23 Kazuhisa Ishii
27 Mike Matthews
39 Roberto Hernandez
45 Pedro Martinez
46 49 Felix Heredia
68 36 Manny Aybar

The final roster came together this weekend when the Mets coughed up out-of-options pitcher Matt Ginter 13 in a trade to the Tigers for a stashable lefty reliever, Steve Colyer, and revealed that veteran relievers Matthews, Heredia, Aybar and Hernandez had edged out worthy youngster Heath Bell; while Bartolome Fortunato went down with an injury. The 12-man pitching staff probably cost powerhitting rookie Luis Garcia a spot on the bench. We suspect there will be plenty of churn in the bullpen, where there’s too much age and many lefties, and that the need for a right-handed power bat on the bench will be apparent shortly, but today’s not the day to be pessimistic, so, um, Let’s Go Mets!

Joining the Coaches and Managers List: 2 Sandy Alomar; 12 Willie Randolph; 50 Manny Acta; 52 Guy Conti; 53 Jerry Manuel; 54 Rick Down; 55 Tom Nieto.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Ready for Opening Day

The Mets packed their bags and headed to Atlanta and Tuesday’s night’s opener, leaving behind a weird spring training. In the final hours it was revealed that Jose Reyes would begin the season on the disabled list, that seeming longshots Eric Valent, Scott Erickson and Orber Moreno would make the team, and thatJae Seo, Roger Cedeno and Timo Perez would be elsewhere. Valent, a minor league phase Rule 5 pick from the Phillies dressed in No. 57 for spring training; we’re waiting to see whether he gets more dignified number. It’s our guess that Scott Erickson ditches the 89given him and takes his customary 19 instead.

We welcome them, along with Ricky Gutierrez 6, Karim Garcia 20, Kazuo Matsui 25, Tyler Yates 33, Braden Looper 40, Shane Spencer 43 and Mike Cameron 44 to the All-Time Mets Numerical Roster, with Todd Zeile 27 making a second appearance in a new number, and Rick Peterson 51 cracking the Coaches and Managers list.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Play Ball!

Since we last saw the Mets, trudging off the field as last-place embarrasments, it’s been consistently cold and nasty outside, the Jets fell out of the playoffs, the Knicks and Rangers sucked, the Yankees spent another $45 million; there’s armed guards in the Subways and a war is raging. Are we ready or what? On Monday, MBTN welcomes the following players to the Mets All-Time Numerical Roster (pending “official” game status): Rey Sanchez 10; Graeme Lloyd 17; Cliff Floyd 30; Mike Stanton 32; Jay Bell 44 and Tom Glavine 47.

And in new Uni Numbers: Joe McEwing 11; Jason Phillips 23; Scott Strickland 28; and Jae Wong Seo 40.

Joining the All-Time Coaches and Managers List: Gary Pettis 2; Denny Walling 15; Art Howe 18; Don Baylor 25; Rick Waits 52; Verne Ruhle 53; Juan Lopez 60; and in a new number, Matt Galante 4.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Meet the 2002 Mets

After a busy off-season and a long Spring Training, the 2002 Mets are ready to go to war. MBTN officially welcomes the following new Mets to the All-time Numerical Roster:
John Valentin 4
Roberto Alomar 12
Satoru Komiyama 17
Jeff D’Amico 18
Gary Matthews Jr. 25
Pedro Astacio 34
David Weathers 35
Kane Davis 48
Mark Guthrie 53
Shawn Estes 55
And we welcome back Roger Cedeno 19 and Jeromy Burnitz 20. Let’s Go Mets!

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon

Opening Day 2001

A largely uneventful, but quite successful, Spring Training yields a mere six new players to the Mets this year: MBTN officially welcomes Tsuyoshi Shinjo 5, Desi Relaford 8, Kevin Appier 17, Brian Rose 23, Steve Trachsel 29 and Donne Wall 33 to the All-Time Numerical Roster.

  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • StumbleUpon