Pedro To Make First Spring Start
Pedro Martinez makes his first spring start today. It’s only the second time he’s been scheduled to play in a game. The first time, March 6, the game was rained out. Pedro has been filling his time by pitching simulated games and batting practice. It’s kind of late to be getting your first start but with the activities Pedro has done the team thinks he can throw about 4 innings. I wouldn’t worry very much about Pedro right now.
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Notes From Yesterday
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Carlos Beltran played center field for the first time this spring. After the game he admitted that he’s not up to playing the field for 9 innings. Beltran also spoke about the joys of fatherhood.
- Mike Pelfrey pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits. It wasn’t his best outing but he managed to keep the team in the game which is the least you look for in a fifth starter.
- John Maine goes today for the Mets.
- Carlos Delgado emerged from the trainers room after yesterday’s game with an icepack on his left knee (in addition to the expected icepack on his right hip). He said it was nothing.
- Brian Schneider didn’t play yesterday. He is bothered by the hamstring that kept him out for a week last week.
- Marlon Anderson is bothered by pain in his chest. This is related to the bruised sternum he had earlier in the spring after a collision with Ryan Church. Church, incidentally, will not play for a couple of days either as he awaits the birth of his first child today.
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CitiField Goes Green
An article was posted on the Mets website about how the team is making CitiField environmentally friendly. The article describes some of the things they’re doing to accomplish this. It’s actually pretty cool.
I was actually at the press conference this morning not as a member of the press but as a guest of a friend of mine who knew I was a Mets fan and would appreciate a trip to Shea Stadium for a non-game event. It was the first press conference I’ve attended live and though it was pretty much what I expected it was still pretty cool.
I looked at the field through the window at the Diamond Club (where the press conference was held) and noticed a yellow tape going from home plate to the pitchers mound. A few minutes later there was a guy working on the mound. It looked like he was installing the pitching rubber on the mound and that the yellow tape was a tape measure so he’d know where to put it. I took a picture and will add it to the blog when I have a chance to download it from my camera.
My favorite part of the event was when one of the speakers mentioned that CitiField will have waterless urinals. When it came time for questions Rich Lamb, City Hall reporter for Newsradio 88, asked how exactly a waterless urinal worked. This drew a good laugh from the crowed but he was asking seriously. After the press conference was over a Mets executive gave Lamb a demo of an actual waterless urinal.
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MLBTR: Mets Good Fit for Bonds
MLB Trade Rumors discusses the possibility of the Mets signing Barry Bonds even though Omar Minaya has publicly been in vehement no panic mode.
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Alou Out 4-6 Weeks
That big grunt you heard from the south yesterday wasn’t a weather system working it’s way up the eastern seaboard. It was the collective reaction of everyone at Mets camp upon learning that Moises Alou is in need of hernia surgery and will be out 4-6 weeks. The surgery is scheduled to take place today unless Alou sprains something on the way to the hospital.
Everyone assumed that Alou would have to play fewer games this year either due to injury or to avoid injury. It’s just heartbreaking to see it start so early. And with Endy Chavez still not ready to play the Mets are in a bit of a tough spot to start the season. All the other injuries the Mets are feeling right now are things that will be around for a week or so and then go away (with the exception of Carlos Delgado‘s hip which I think will nag him all season). But this injury is big. Alou will miss the start of the season and the Mets will have to go to a backup plan to cover for him.
This team is a good team but it’s just not deep anough to cover for a rash of injuries like this. It’s so frustrating.
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Injury Tracker
I’ve only scratched the surface with my injury reports but the injury bug is far more serious than you’d think by looking at my posts to this point. To help keep track of who’s hurt and what their status is I’ve created the injury tracker. I’ll update it daily or more frequently if time allows.
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Quote of the Day
“When I throw in game, please, everyone cross your fingers.â€
– Orlando Hernandez on his new delivery
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More On Gotay’s Ankle
There was encouraging but not totally resolute news on Ruben Gotay‘s ankle. The CT scan from Monday showed that what the team doctor thought may have been a fracture was actually an irregularity that was a result of a previous injury. The results will be sent back to New York for a second look to be 100% sure but right now they’re still calling it a sprain.
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El Duque Throwing
There’s finally a reason to feel optimistic about Orlando Hernandez.
Due to the injury to his foot El Duque has been working on a new windup that eliminates his trademark high leg kick. The high leg kick was causing pressure on the hurt toe so it had to go in favor of a windup that would cause less pressure to the toe.
This morning El Duque was practicing the new windup in the bullpen and was spotted loosening up with a long toss session in the outfield shortly thereafter. I read somewhere (but I forgot where) that he will be throwing a batting practice session today but we’ll have to wait and see.
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Amazin’ Avenue’s Make-The-Mets-O-Meter
Eric Simon at Amazin’ Avenue posted the latest version of his Make-The-Mets-O-Meter. It’s worth a look.
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