Pedro will not go gently into that good night

Just when you think the "Pedro Martinez to the Mets" talk has died down, it rears its kind-of-makes-sense-for-the-Mets head.

Steve Popper writes:

Don’t rule out Pedro Martinez just yet. While some Mets’ officials continue to claim that the marriage has ended, one person familiar with the discussions said Sunday that the Mets are among the teams that have begun to request financial requirements with the 37-year-old right-hander.

I'd be more comfortable with Pedro over Livan Hernandez, Freddy Garcia or Jon Niese. If healthy, he'd be a fine fifth starter. The team would not be asking him to be the ace of the staff again, only the back end starter.

Heck, he can throw 10 miles an hour faster than Garcia.

Razor Shines is one optimistic fellow

Brian Costa, the new beat writer for the Star-Ledger, did a Sunday Q&A with Mets new third base coach Razor Shines.

Here are some highlights:

Why Razor? Is there a story behind the name?

"There's no story behind it. It's my middle name. It's my father's middle name, and my son's middle name. I think it goes a little farther back than my father, to his father. I don't know the story behind it."

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How many championship rings do you have?

"I don't like to discuss that, but I'll tell you the number is 12. Most of them are from playing. I came up in the Expos organization with Randy Johnson, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker, all those guys. We won five [minor-league] championships in six years in that system."

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You worked in the Phillies' organization last year. Now you're with the Mets. Who is the team to beat in the N.L. East this year?

"Let me see how to answer this. I'll answer it this way: The team to beat will be the team that's on top when it's all said and done. And we expect to be that team."

The article also notes that since Shines was with the Phillies last year, he will be recieving a World Series ring. When asked if he would wear it around his new team, he responded with "no chance."

Shines seems like the eternal optimist, something I think a team needs around. He'll always be there to tell you there are brighter days ahead and all that good stuff. I'm comfortable with that as long as their is a realist somewhere on the team to give the players a reality check when needed.

Poll Results: Who will hit the first home run in Citi Field?

The results are in!

I asked: Who will hit the first home run in Citi Field? Here are the results...

1. David Wright -- 32% (40 votes)
2. Carlos Beltran -- 20% (25 votes)
3. Jose Reyes -- 19% (24 votes)
4. Other -- 14% (18 votes)
   
5. Carlos Delgado -- 13% (16 votes)

I'm very surprised Delgado came in dead last. He may be the biggest bat on the team.

Next poll: Who will be the fifth starter?

Redd means stop

Tim Redding's struggles continue. The Mets have shut down Redding with soreness in his pitching shoulder and arm strength issues.

Another serious blow to Redding's chances of making the team. In this weeks The State of the Mets, I mentioned that Redding would make the team, no matter what, but likely as a long reliever. As it stands now, Redding would be lucky to make the roster when spring training breaks.

That doesn't mean he won't be on the team eventually, but he's probably heading for extended spring training.

Steve Popper brings up a good point: Remember Matt Wise? This sounds almost exactly like what happened with Wise, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million with the team before the 2008 season. He was shut down when he started getting a sore arm and ended up pitching in only eight games for the Mets before being lost to injury.

Hopefully Redding, and his $2.5 million contract, will be able to bounce back from this injury and pitch effectively in 2009. Otherwise, that's $2.5 million the Mets have to pay him.

The State of the Mets -- 3/14/09

As I fly home from Aruba, I'll leave you with the weekly edition of The State of the Mets.

I cover: Tim Redding, Johan Santana and Pudge Rodriguez.

Enjoy.

Santana encouraged by first start of the spring

47 pitches. Three runs. One happy pitcher.

Not a normal thing to see when a pitcher gives up three runs in 2 2-3 innings on the mound, but for Johan Santana, it was all about how he felt.

Ben Shpigel relays a quote:

“To be my first time and my first time being in a real game — a real game situation — it felt pretty good,” Santana said.

I like it.

Lenny Neslin was getting on me in the comments of a previous post as to why I am pleased, even if Santana didn't pitch very well. On one hand, of course it's not good to see him giving up runs, but for his first time on the mound, it's not terrible. (Tim Redding is a different case entirely.)

For Santana, who was struggling with injuries, it's good just to get him on the mound and in a game. The results don't quite matter, as it was nothing absurd (again, not like Redding) and it's all about how his arm feels.

Ambiorix Burgos found guilty

Ambiorix Burgos was found guilty of beating his girlfriend in New York, and will be sentenced on April 3.

From the Daily News:

Burgos, 24, was convicted Thursday of beating his girlfriend in a hotel near Shea Stadium in September after she tried to leave their room to go register her young daughter for school. A jury spent just over an hour deliberating before convicting the 6-foot-3, 235-pound righthander of misdemeanor assault.
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Burgos beat and bit single mom Maria Lopez, 26, and threw her up against a wall. But his lawyer, Edgar DeLeon, said the woman waited two days to photograph her injuries and implied that she was out to get the free agent ballplayer's money. He was sent straight to Rikers Island and faces up to a year when he is sentenced April 3.

This is only the first hurdle for Burgos, as he still is set to stand trial in the Dominican Republic for reportedly killing two women with his Hummer. Burgos claims he was not driving.

What an idiot.

Tim Redding seems to be struggling

In his first appearance in spring, Tim Redding got rocked by the University of Michigan. His second time around, last night, he got trounced by the Florida Marlins.

Redding allowed nine runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in only two innings of work. Adding that to his 1-3 of an inning and five runs against U of M, he's given up 14 runs in 2 1-3 innings. He now has an ERA of 40.50.

Still, though, Redding will make the Mets. All of his $2.5 million contract is guaranteed so there is no way the team can cut him and save money. His early performances have seemingly knocked him out of major contention for the fifth spot in the rotation. I think he'll be the long man in the bullpen.

Here's a pretty telling little exchange, via David Lennon:

When Redding was brought up, Manuel said, "Ooooo," then looked under his desk, adding, "Let me find something I can say about Tim Redding."

Once the laughter stopped, Manuel straightened back up. "It's still relatively early in spring training," he said. "He's a veteran pitcher ... he'll get better."

He likely will get better (because you can't be that bad for that long, right?) and will fit in nicely in the bullpen.

This opens up the door for Jon Niese, Freddy Garcia and Bobby Parnell for the possible fifth spot in the rotation.

Santana into the third

This morning, I predicted Johan Santana would only throw two innings in his first Grapefruit League action. Right now, Santana is into his third inning of work.

Through 2.2 IP, Santana has given up one run on a Dan Uggla home run. He also allowed a single to pitcher Ricky Nolasco.

Update: Still only though 2.2, Santana has allowed another hit and another run.

Update 2: Another run is in, but Santana is out of the game.

Final line: 2.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 Ks.

I'm more than happy with this. Hope his arm feels fine.

Single game tix on sale for Citi Field starting March 15

Here's the press release from the Mets:

The New York Mets today announced that single game tickets for April and May home games for the Inaugural Season at Citi Field will go on sale this Sunday, March 15 at 10:00 a.m. exclusively online at Mets.com, LosMets.com, and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX. Ticket prices start at $11.

The following day, Monday, March 16 at 9:00 a.m., the sale will expand to include in-person sales locations at Citi Field's Bullpen Gate Advance Ticket Window on 126th Street at 37th Avenue, the Mets Clubhouse Shops in Manhattan (42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, across from Bryant Park) and at the Roosevelt Field Mall (Garden City, Long Island), and KeySpan Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn (details attached). The Mets in the weeks ahead will announce the on-sale date for single game tickets for the balance of the season.

Non-refundable service charges are applicable on Mets.com, by phone, and at the Mets Clubhouse Shops. Fans will have the same access to available ticket inventory online at Mets.com and LosMets.com, as on the (718) 507-TIXX phone line.

Single Game tickets to Opening Day at Citi Field - Monday, April 13 against the San Diego Padres - were available to the general public through an online random drawing, which generated more than 800,000 registrations. Limited inventory for Opening Day remains available in Mets Season Tickets.

Mets Season Ticket and Plan sales are pacing nearly 10% ahead of last year's comparable year-to-date record breaking sales.

Tickets for the March 29 Citi Field Big East college baseball game between St. John's University and Georgetown University and the April 3-4 exhibition games against the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field each sold out earlier this month in 45 minutes through Mets.com, LosMets.com, and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.

The 2009 Mets schedule - including information on promotional dates, heritage and theme days/nights, and other special events - is available at Mets.com and LosMets.com.