The orange foul pole tradition continues

I'm not sure if this was a well known fact, but Shea Stadium could lay claim to the only non-yellow foul poles in MLB. They were, as you most likely are picturing right now, a New York Met orange.

I hadn't checked StadiumPage.com in a while, so I shot the Mets an e-mail yesterday. Just a few minutes ago, I got off the phone with a representative from the team. He told me, and now I see for myself, that the foul poles in Citi Field are also orange.

"The ownership was very adamant about having the orange foul poles," Chris, the representative said.

Here's an image from StadiumPage.com, taken this past weekend...

Bright orange, just like I remember.

I love this sort of stuff. Fun little facts and trivia like this are pretty much all I remember.

The other thing I e-mailed about will have to remain a secret, for now. Hopefully the team comes through with my little proposition.

Overabundance of outfielders

Ben Shpigel has a profile of outfield hopeful Bobby Kielty, which is pretty funny as Shpigel talks to Jerry Manuel who claims, "he helped me lose my job, and now he wants me to give him a job? It don’t work like that."

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kielty has the largest differential — 69 points — between his career right-handed (.296) and left-handed (.227) batting averages among switch-hitters who have made their debuts since 1969 and have had more than 500 at-bats from each side of the plate.

No other active player comes close, with Houston’s Lance Berkman, who has a 42-point difference (.312 from the left side, .270 from the right), ranking second. Kielty has also pummeled some of baseball’s top left-handers, batting better than .290 against his new teammate Johan Santana, CC Sabathia, Jamie Moyer, Scott Kazmir and Buehrle.

Unfortunately for Keilty, the Mets have an absolute logjam in the outfield. With four guys (platooning Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis in left field) pretty much penciled in already, there's really only one or two spots for players that can fit in the outfield.

As it stands now, I think Jeremy Reed is the first guy that will be riding the pine in Citi. After that, in order, I have Angel Pagan, Kielty, Nick Evans and Cory Sullivan. That puts two people in front of Kielty, as I see it.

Does this set the Mets up for a spectacular triple-A team or a spring training trade? It's too early to tell. Injuries and spring play will show how the roster will fill out.

Report: Griffey signs with Braves

According to my pals over at Braves Blast, Ken Griffey Jr. is the newest member of the Atlanta Braves.

I've always loved Griffey, for no particular reason. Now, I need to learn how to despise him.

Update, via Braves Blast:

Griffey’s agent is apparently communicating via text that the deal is not yet done. Hopefully this is just a “nobody signed anything yet” concept and not a “I’m shopping the term sheet to the Dodgers” event.

Mets Fanwalk blog

I got an e-mail over the weekend asking me to post a little something about a new Mets blog that has popped up. Usually I'll add them to the blogroll and start to read them regularly, but this is something different.

Mike has started a blog in an attempt to post people's bricks they have purchased for the new fanwalk at Citi Field.

So far, only a few bricks have been posted, but this is easily my favorite.How many people are going to find that brick and stomp all over it?

Did anyone else purchase a brick? I know I wanted to, but they were just too costly.

Head over to the Mets Fanwalk blog for a look at the rest, and to submit yours, if you have one. Great idea, Mike.

No Pudge for the Mets

I guess that makes this post moot.

According to Bart Hubbuch, the Mets have no interest in Pudge Rodriguez.

A high-ranking team source said there has been no discussion about Rodriguez in recent weeks, and the Mets suspect he is simply using their name to try to drum up interest. "We've got our three catchers, and we like them," the source said, referring to Brian Schneider, Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel.

Smart team.

The rotation, if the season started today

David Lennon relays this info, from Dan Warthen:

As of today, with everyone healthy, this is the Mets' rotation to start the season:

1. Johan Santana
2. Mike Pelfrey
3. Oliver Perez
4. John Maine
5. Tim Redding

I have a feeling, if healthy, that Freddy Garcia will be the fifth starter, and Redding will shift to long relief.

Just a hunch.

I like this order, though. Two very strong starters at the front of the rotation, and Redding/Garcia/the fifth starter won't be needed for the first two weeks or so of the season.

This works for me.

Get in line for opening day tix

Want to go to opening day? Then be ready to break out those laptops.

The New York Mets today announced the launch of an online registration for the opportunity to purchase tickets for the inaugural Opening Day at Citi Field, starting tomorrow, February 17 at 10 a.m. at Mets.com and LosMets.com. The registration for the online random drawing will run through Tuesday, February 24. The Mets open their 2009 home season Monday, April 13 against the San Diego Padres at 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

I've heard it's an absolute zoo on opening day, and I can only imagine the insanity of opening a new ballpark as well.

I'll be steering clear of opening day, but hopefully I'll get to one of the games soon after.

David Wright, captain

Though he won't be officially be wearing the "C" upon his chest, David Wright will be comfortable taking the role of captain for the New York Mets.

David Lennon quoted Wright:

I think that I can be more of a leader by what I bring to the field, not necessarily yelling and screaming. I think that if you lead by example and play the game hard and play the game the right way, guys will follow you. Those are the guys that I follow. I've said all along that leadership is earned. There's not a title or letter you can put on your chest that makes you a leader.

Just awesome.

He's 26, he's the face of the franchise, he's arguably their best player and hopefully will retire as a New York Met.

What's not to like?

Pudge-y

The rumors have been swirling that the Mets are setting up to trade away Ramon Castro.

They're trying to shed payroll, it seems, and they're confident enough in Robinson Cancel that he can serve as a competent backup. Still, though, Ivan Rodriguez continues to lobby, and find ears, with the Mets.

According to Pudge, he will sign with one of three teams: Mets, Marlins or Astros.

Pudge said, via Mets.com:

"I'm in great shape," Rodriguez said. "Whoever gets me, it's going to be a lot like hitting the lotto. I'm back in the shape I was in 2004. I'm at 195 to 200 [pounds], and I'm ready to go."

Being in great shape doesn't mean you can hit, though.

First of all, I don't quite understand the trading of Castro. He's not terrible as a backup and as long as he's healthy that's all the Mets really need him to do. We all saw last year, when the Mets were struggling to keep any catcher on the field.

Secondly, if they do trade Castro, why would they sign Pudge? He's likely going to cost more than Castro's earning ($2.5 million) and would want to start over Brian Schneider.

There are no positives to bringing Pudge in. Please pass, Omar.

K-Rod says what he needs to say

Here we go again.

In 2009, the player to step up and say the Mets are the team to beat is the new guy, Francisco Rodriguez.

Via David Lennon:

"This is a different year, a different ballclub now. We've just got to go out and compete. Like I said before, I don't want to make no controversy. But with this ballclub, the way I see it, with those guys, me and J.J. Putz and the other acquisitions in the bullpen, I think now I feel like we're the team to beat."

Good for him.

A player on every team with a fighting chance is going to come out and say those words. Everyone thinks they're the team to beat, and why shouldn't they?

If a player came out and said, "Yeah, we'll probably finish in third this year. We're just mediocre." He'd be in the managers office quicker than you can say "team chemistry."

I like that K-Rod has stepped up, being the fresh face, and taking a stand for his team already. He's been around his fellow players for 72 hours and he's already up to defending them. I hope he's a true thorn in the side for the rest of the NL East for more than just words.

I can't wait to see him pump his arm in victory on Opening Day. And then again for the first game in Citi Field.

Come on, Mets. This year, show everyone that you actually are the team to beat.