Perez's final line

Oliver Perez: 5 IP, 7 hits, 5 earned runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts.
All the runs came on 4 home runs Perez surrendered.

John Delcos:

Perez has this superstition of hopping over the foul line on the way back to the dugout. After giving up three bombs in the inning, he still hopped over the line. What for? To hold the Indians to only two dingers next inning?

Lineup vs. the Indians

The Mets took a 2 hour bus trip to play the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven, Fla. for a 1:05 p.m. game.

Lineup:

Luis Castillo 2B
Brady Clark LF
Carlos Beltran CF
Carlos Delgado 1B
Damion Easley SS
Ryan Church RF
Fernando Tatis 3B
Brian Schneider C
Michel Abreu DH

Oliver Perez SP

Well, look who is behind the plate!! Schneider is starting only his 4th spring training game. That's pretty much the only thing to note here. Some of they guys are taking the day off, so guys like Clark, Tatis, and Abreu are getting some reps.

Poll results: Heilman as the setup man

Due to a late barrage of votes, Aaron Heilman took the victory over Duaner Sanchez for "Who will be the main setup man for Billy Wagner?"

Results:
Aaron Heilman - 54% (26 votes)
Duaner Sanchez - 39% (19 votes)
Matt Wise - 4% (2 votes)
Pedro Feliciano - 2% (1 vote)

It is still unknown if Sanchez will break north with the team as he had been unable to pitch back to back innings so far this spring. Heilman figures to be the main 8th inning guy, just like last year.

Most of you seem to think that Wise and Feliciano are best suited in the middle innings, and I absolutely agree.

Why are the Mets in the Civil Rights Game?

The Mets have the honor of playing the Chicago White Sox in the 2008 Civil Rights Game on March 29th.

My question is simple. Why the Mets?

"The intent of the game is to embrace baseball's history of African-American players, as well as to generate interest for future black players," says its Wikipedia page. On MLB.com, the game is said to represent "a symbolic eternal torch commemorating the struggle for racial harmony near where the most painful obstacle had been thrown in its path."

So, in a nutshell, it's supposed to showcase and embrace the African-American community in baseball and attempt to raise awareness supporting baseball in those communities.

So who was the genius who chose the Mets?

On the 40-man roster, the Mets only have two African-American players. On the coaching staff, they also have two men from African-American descent. Damion Easley and Marlon Anderson on the field, Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel on the coaching staff.

In the 2006 Racial and Gender Report Card for Major League Baseball (PDF), it is noted that "A total of 40.5 percent of the players were Latino." For the Mets, it's a little more than that. On the 40-man roster, 19 players are from Latino descent.

The report also states that the drop in African-Americans in the sport since 1996 from 17 percent to 8 percent, as the percentage of Hispanic players increased during that period, from 20 percent to 29 percent.

African-American players make up 5 percent of the Mets roster. Latino players make up 47.5 percent.

If the Civil Rights Game is supposed to raise awareness for the African-American community, choosing the Mets probably wasn't the best move, as almost half of the team is Latino.

The only possible reason the Mets are in this game, that I can figure shows up later in the MLB article. It goes on to quote Omay Minaya as saying "Since the days of Jackie Robinson, baseball has been at the forefront of social change in this country, and this game is just another example that our sport understands the significance of paying the proper respect to such an important part of American history." Again, the Mets are tied to Jackie Robinson, not that it's a bad thing, but it just makes little sense to me.

So for a team that is comprised of nearly 50 percent of players from Latino descent while they are only 5 percent African-American, they were chosen to participate in a game promoting African-Americans in baseball.

That just doesn't make sense to me.

2K8 commercial

Have you seen it?
It makes absolutely no sense to me.

Here's what happens: There is a man polishing a bat with a towel, counting "89...90...91..." Jose Reyes walks into the clubhouse with a radio playing some sort of reggae music or something. (Someone tells me this is the "Jose! Jose! Jose!" chant. Shows how much I pay attention.) Reyes turns toward his locker as the man stops polishing his bat (insert own joke here) and bashes the radio to smithereens. Reyes turns around in shock, and starts hysterically laughing. Then he has a little spasm, and the commercial cuts to video game footage.

What. Just. Happened?

I really just have no idea why that part of the commercial exists. I guess it's funny when Reyes just starts laughing and has an apparent muscle spasm.

Other than that though, I'm lost. If anyone can explain it to me, I'd be happy to post it up to the site.

Update: Joe at Mets Today and I must have the same train of thought. This just popped up in my Google Reader after I published this.

Catchers up and down

You can take Robinson Cancel's mask out of contention for a possible spot on the roster if one of Brian Schneider or Ramon Castro can't go.

Cancel had an MRI on his knee, and will require surgery to repair it, reports Lisa Kennelly on NJ.com.

Pay attention to Gustavo Molina, who has been pretty good when he gets a chance along with Raul Casanova.

Brian Schneider did appear in a minor league game, going 2-4 with a walk, a home run, and double. He said he was good enough to go today, but was held out and will go tomorrow instead.

Game Recap: Mets 8 -- Nationals 2

This team seems like they are ready for the season. The Mets overcame a strong start from Matt Chico, and beat up the Nationals bullpen, winning 8-2.

Pedro Martinez put in 5 strong innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits. Pedro did not walk any batters, and struck out 4. Pedro gave up a solo home run to left in the 4th inning to Austin Kearns. Other than that, Pedro looks pretty dominant. He did hit a batter, but still was pretty under control through the majority of the game.

For only Pedro's second start of the spring, I'm more than happy with that.

The rest of the bullpen combined to only allow one hit and a walk through the next 4 innings. Ricardo Rincon pitched the 6th inning, striking out two batters and making Paul Lo Duca look silly in his first game back from an injury. Pedro Feliciano allowed the one hit, and nothing else in the 7th. Scott Schoeneweis and Matt Wise closed out the game, with Wise walking one.

Not only do we have a strong bullpen in the majors, but we will have strong reserves waiting in AAA if anyone happens to get injured.

The offense absolutely exploded today, scoring 8 runs on 16 hits.

Jose Reyes, who has been hot lately, went 2-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Reyes tried to stretch one of his doubles to a triple, but was beaten by about 10 steps and was easily tagged out. David Wright had a huge day, going 3-4, scoring twice and driving in 2. Wright absolutely crushed a ball to deep left center for the only Mets home run of the game.

"The young studs." Is it bad luck to name them? I'm surprised no one has a clever nickname for them yet.

Carlos Beltran went 2-3 on the day, picking up a double. Angel Pagan went 2-2 with a walk, and also scored one run. Pagan ripped a triple off the wall in right field, he cruised into third standing. Marlon Anderson subbed in the game at first base, going 2-2 with 2 RBI's and a run scored.

Beltran looks very healthy out there. Pagan had cooled down recently, but picked it right back up again today. How does the bench shake out in your eyes?

Luis Castillo, Endy Chavez and Anderson Hernandez also scored for the Mets. Fernando Tatis and Gustavo Molina each picked up the rest of the RBIs for the Mets.

Tatis and Molina have each contributed in limited duty the past few days. Any chance for either of them? I don't think so, but again, they can be nice AAA reserves if/when someone goes down.

Game Ball: D. Wright.

Note: Brian Schneider played in a minor league game. He went 2-4 with a walk, picking up a home run and a double. He was not allowed to go full power, but said he felt good enough to play. He said he should return tomorrow against the Indians, but we know to take what he says with a grain of salt.

Live Game Commentary: Nats at Mets

Another decaf version of the Live Game...

First inning:

• 1-1 on Christian Guzman, and Pedro Martinez and Raul Casanova are having a bit of trouble communicating. Pedro gets Guz to pop out to Jose Reyes on the outfield grass.
• Paul Lo Duca is making his first appearance of the spring, and gets a nice hand from the crowd. He looks to Pedro, and blows him a kiss. Interesting. Pedro works him 0-2, as he grounds one to Reyes' right, and he boots it.
• Ryan Zimmerman pokes one down the line in right and gets gunned down by Ryan Church as he tries to stretch it to a double. Church has an absolute gun in right. Lo Duca moved to third.
• Pedro and Casanova are still having issues with the signals. A beautiful changeup in the dirt against Dimitri Young for strike two, and an even nicer one to get him swinging to end the inning.

• I truly do not understand that Reyes commercial for MLB 2K8.

• Reyes surprisingly does not swing at the first pitch, but makes up for it with a terrible swing on a ball low and away to strike out.
• Luis Castillo does not have a pretty AB, and pops out to center.
• David Wright has a loopy swing, but pulls the ball into right field for a single. Not his prettiest swing.
• Carlos Beltran loves to call time right as the pitcher is about to deliver. It's like icing the kicker in football, I guess. Beltran pulls a double down the third base line. Looks pretty good running from home to second. Wright moves to third.
• Carlos Delgado pulls one down the first base line, which eats up Young. He keeps the ball in front of him as he doubles over and searches for the ball. He finds it and tosses it to Matt Chico running over to cover the bag. Chico trips while he catches the ball, tags the bag, and tumbles to the ground.

Second inning:

• Pedro promptly pegs the batter on the hip with his first pitch of the inning.
• Elijah Dukes rips a double to left. 2nd and 3rd, no one out. Not Pedros best work so far. He's giving up the balls away which is allowing the batters to put the balls down the line.
• Another ball ripped down the line, snagged by a diving Delgado. He rolls over the tosses to Pedro who came over to cover. Excellent play, but the run comes home. 1-0 Nats, man on third, 1 out.
• Ryan Langerhans works the count full, but goes down swinging on a ~75 mph changeup from Pedro.
• And a ground out to Reyes will end the inning. Pedro had two on in scoring position with no one out, and got out of the inning with only one run.

• Angel Pagan comes up for his first AB of the day. He really needs to pick it up if he doesn't want to end up in AAA. He started off very hot, but has cooled off significantly over the past few games. He cues a one hopper up the middle and beats out the throw for an infield single.
• Church didn't get on base again. How? I don't know.
• Casanova is putting together a tough at bat, and as I write that, he grounds into an inning ending double play.

Third inning:

• Pedro gets Guzman swinging for the first out of the inning.
• Apparently Lo Duca hit a single in the first inning. My bad. Lo Duca hits one to straightaway center, and Beltran has to go straight back to make the catch. Looks fine in the outfield. Almost 100% apparently.
• Another one right to Beltran, who has to backtrack a few steps to make the catch. 1-2-3 for Pedro.

• Martinez is making his first AB of the game. He pops out to shallow center.
• Reyes pops out in foul territory behind the plate.
• It's scary to say, but Chico is setting the Mets down quickly. Castillo is at the plate. He singles, and in his usual gimpy running style, gets down to first.
• Wright takes the first pitch from Chico and singles up the middle.
• Beltran knocks one to left, and Dukes falls down, but still makes the play.

Fourth inning:

• The Meat Hook is up to face Pedro. Chops one down to Castillo for the first out.
• Austin Kearns takes Pedro deep to left and over the wall. Right down the pipe from Martinez, and Kearns took advantage. 2-0 Nats.
• Martinez leaves a curveball hanging over the plate, and it is ripped to left field. Pagan charges and makes a diving grab for the out. Nice play.
• Swinging strike to end the inning, Martinez might be done.

• Delgado grounds out for the first out.
• Brian Schneider is playing in the minor league game, and he really looks uncomfortable as he runs to first on a ground out. I think SNY just figured out they can show the minor league game, as between every pitch, they switch to the back fields.
• Pagan works out a walk. And easily steals second on the very next pitch. Lo Duca's throw had arc on it. The Mets can't wait to exploit that.
  
• Church has at least gotten the count to 3-2 on the AB. Church grounds out to short, which doesn't allow Pagan to advance. I can already hear the boo birds for Church.
• Casanova pops out to Langerhans, and the inning is over.

Fifth inning:

• Pedro is still in.
• Allows a single to Langerhans up the middle.
• Chico commits a cardinal sin, popping up his bunt. Casanova catches it, and easily gets Langerhans out at first as he was running on the play. 2 away.
• Ground out to end the inning. Pedro might be done, again.

• Caleb Stewart is up hitting for Pedro, who is done for the day. He dribbles one down to first for the first out.
• 212-246-0416, if you would like to call in to the SNY booth. No joke. They're taking calls in the booth.
• Reyes doubles for the second straight game, which spells the end for Chico. A big day from him. Chris Schroder is in for the Nats.
• Reyes gets thrown out stealing third base. An odd sight for us Mets fans, Lo Duca threw out a runner. He absolutely looks safe on that, I'm sorry.
• Castillo...gets on base, somehow. Sorry, Drake / WKY is a great game.
• WP from Schroder, and Castillo practically walks to second.
• Wright absolutely CRUSHES a home run to left center. 2-2 game. That was long gone.
• Beltran bloops one off the glove of the second baseman in shallow right. Should be an error.
• They are busting Delgado inside here. He skies one to the catcher. Guess it worked.

Sixth inning:

• Ricardo Rincon is on to pitch, facing Lo Duca.
• Lo Duca looks absolutely foolish on a great pitch by Rincon. Strikes out swinging.
• Strike out looking, for Zimmerman. 3 pitches.
• Ground out to end the inning, and it elicits a fist-pump from Delgado. Great inning from Rincon.

• They're taking calls in the booth. This is hilarious.

• Pagan hits one off the wall for a stand up triple. I really don't know who is making this team anymore.
• Church walks on 4 pitches.
• Casanova has a chance to impress here, with 1st and 3rd and nobody out. Instead, he strikes out swinging.
• Pinch hitting master Marlon Anderson comes to the plate. Rips one off the wall, almost to the same spot as Pagan. Pagan scores, Church moves to third on Anderson's double.
• Reyes slices one into left center, and tries to stretch it to a triple but is easily gunned down at third. Two runs score to make it 5-2 Mets.
• Damion Easley at the dish. He puts one right to left field. Inning over.

I'll call it here for the day. I'll be back in a few with the recap.

Lineup vs. the Nationals

The Mets are taking on the Washington Nationals at home at 1:10 p.m. The game will be aired on SNY, and I'll be doing a Live Game.

Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Angel Pagan
RF Ryan Church
C Raul Casanova
RH Pedro Martinez

Pedro's second start this spring. Pagan has fallen off recently, so if he hopes to make the squad over Brady Clark, he better start hitting again.

The 5th starter and the bullpen

According to Adam Rubin, and for no apparent reason, the Mets "appear to be leaning heavily toward carrying five starters from the beginning of the season, regardless of whether Orlando Hernandez is ready from the get-go."

Um, why? The team doesn't need a 5th starter until April 12, so why would you carry one? This would open a spot for a tandem of Duaner Sanchez and Steven Register to break with the team. This would give Duaner more time to work into going back-to-back days and possibly showcase Register to other teams, if he doesn't stick.

El Duque and Mike Pelfrey are slated to split the game on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

If it was up to me, I wouldn't take a 5th starter, see how those two pitch in simulated games in minor league camp, and make your decision from there.