Johan Santana out indefinitely

Things are going from bad to worse with Johan Santana.

First, it was just a sore elbow, likely from throwing for the first time in months. Expected to miss only one start. Then it was two starts. Now, Santana is sidelined indefinitely.

Via Amazin' Stories:

“We have 162 games for what we want to accomplish,” Santana said, the day after his expected spring training debut was cancelled. “Everything starts April 6. Whether it’s going to be me or anyone else, it’s tough to say right now.”

Santana met with manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya early Saturday morning and said the decision to be supremely cautious with his pitching arm is unanimous.

“I’d rather take my time,” he said. “I haven’t even faced any live hitters.”

The article goes on to explain that Santana is still slated for a bullpen session on Sunday and would like to get two or three under his belt before facing live batters.

Take your time.

Via David Lennon:

As for the worst-case scenario, Santana throws on Sunday, still feels the elbow and the Mets finally decide to send him back to New York for tests. Santana said minutes ago that the elbow still is tight -- he's been told it's the triceps tendon behind the elbow -- and he is considering the possibility that Opening Day might now be questionable for him.

I had that gut feeling when Santana missed his first "start" but I thought nothing of it. Things aren't exactly grim, but any time the ace of the staff is "out indefinitely" you start to worry.

I believe now is the time to worry.

Santana bumped again

Johan Santana will not make his Tuesday start, either, due to his sore elbow.

No news is good news, and this is definitely bad news. This is starting to feel as if the Mets know more than they are letting on.

The State of the Mets -- 2/27/09

Here is the seventh edition of The State of the Mets, albeit very late.

Topics covered: spring training, Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes and Johan Santana's elbow.

Enjoy.

Mets sign (puke) Ron Villone

According to Adam Rubin, the Mets have signed lefthanded reliever Ron Villone to a minor league deal.

Seriously?

Live Blog: STL vs. NYM

Second home game, second live blog. Join me at 1 p.m. to discuss the Mets as they take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the third (fourth if you count Italy) spring training game of 2009.

Chat away!

Adam Eaton out of Philly

The 700 Level is relaying info that the Philadelphia Phillies have released Adam Eaton.

Eaton is a career 5-1 against the Mets, with two wins coming with the Phillies in 2007.

There's another level for Jose Reyes?

Via David Lennon:

"We really think Jose [Reyes] is ready to really take it to another level," [Jerry] Manuel said. "We really feel good about where he is in his career, the maturation process. We feel very, very confident that there are a lot of things that he still could do as a player. He could be a third hitter, like I told you all he was. I really believe that he's ready to take off."

I can't even imagine "another level" for Reyes.

He's already one of the most exciting players in the league. He's supremely talented at the plate, in the field and on the base paths. But Manuel is right -- he probably hasn't even hit his prime yet -- and that makes me extremely happy.

Spark up the Manny rumors

The Dodgers offered Manny Ramirez a two-year, $45 million deal with an option to opt out after one year if he believes he can find another deal. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Manny, as he rejected the offer last night.

That means I'm preparing to read someone's crazy idea that the Mets can still sign him -- that the team should offer $50 million to him, or something absurd like that.

I just don't want to hear it. I don't think Manny will ever be happy.

Jeremy made a prediction last night, before we learned about the deal being turned down, that Manny will not be on a team by opening day. I scoffed at him, but now he might be right.

Newsday to charge for Web site

Not good news. Not good news at all.

Via Rueters:

"Our goal was and is to use our electronic network assets and subscriber relationships to transform the way news is distributed," he [Tom Rutledge] said on a conference call with analysts.

"We plan to end the distribution of free Web content and make our news gathering capabilities a service for our customers," he added.
---
Newsday's publisher Timothy Knight said in a statement: "We are in the process of transforming Newsday's Web site into an enhanced, locally focused cable service that we believe will become an important benefit for Newsday and Cablevision customers. More particulars will be forthcoming over the next few months."

Though it may be good for a print journalism major like me in the long run, but I can see this backfiring to a major degree.

Game Recap: Mets 9 -- Marlins 0

Two games. Two wins. Nine runs in each.

On The Mound

Six pitchers combined to allow only three hits, one of which never made it out of the infield.

Oliver Perez struck out three in two innings of work, walking one. He allowed no hits. Dillon Gee followed that up with two shut out innings of his own. He allowed an infield hit to Cameron Maybin, but picked him off at first base.

Jon Switzer and Nelson Figueroa combined for three shut out innings, each tallying one strike out.

Heriberto Ruelas and Kyle Snyder finished out the game for the Mets.

At The Plate

Working with a peculiar line up which had Perez batting second and Jose Reyes batting third, the Mets got more than they bargained for.

Reyes went 2-4 on the day, both home runs. He hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and followed that up with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Six RBIs for Reyes on the day.

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run home run, picking up three RBIs total.

Beltran, Luis Castillo and Daniel Murphy each picked up a stolen base.

In The Field

As noted before, Gee picked off Maybin at first base in the third inning.

The Mets will take on the St. Louis Cardinals tomorrow at 1 p.m. The game will be available on the MLB Network and SNY. I will be live blogging until 2:45 p.m.