Evans might make team...for now

Nick Evans has had a hot spring, which I've chronicled on this blog. It's a tough call for the Mets on what to do with him -- he's a young player who needs everyday at bats, but he has no starting position on the team.

Well here's a quote from Jerry Manuel which pretty much lays it out for Evans' future:

"We'd probably like to see [Evans] defend a little better in the outfield," Manuel said after the Mets' 10-6 exhibition loss to the Tigers. "We have to try to create as much versatility for him as possible, [but] he'll probably come with us at this point."

That may be true and congrats to Evans for working his butt off to make the team. But, Evans would likely be the first player sent down once the Mets add on Livan Hernandez as the fifth starter.

The team likely won't need Hernandez until a few games into the season the way the schedule is laid out, so he probably won't be on the Opening Day roster. Evans will be, and will stay with the team for the first handful of games. After that, it will be Hernandez's spot on the roster and Evans will likely head down to Triple-A Buffalo.

Twitter Poll: If the Mets had to retire one number this year, which one and why?

I'm trying a new thing out here on the blog. I've fully embraced Twitter, and I'm going to be occasionally throwing out some questions or polls about the Mets on Twitter, and posting the responses here.

Last night I asked: If the Mets had to retire one number this year, which one and why? Here are the answers...

• @fscker said: keith hernandez or gary carter. I'm going to lean towards carter becuase he's in the HOF.
• @JD1877 said: Piazza. The 90's were sooo bad but he carried them to the WS. Perhaps the greatest position player in team history.
• @sdn16182 said: #31 mike piazza because he made them respectable again and carried them for years and to a world series
• @letsgoduke said: 17 for good old keith. or 31 for obvious reasons.
• @jrobelen said: Mets should retire Gary Carter's 8 before any other, considering so many NY fans believed he earned his HOF cap here.
• @Mike_Peters said: ...31 duh
• @metgirl4ever said: i'm biased but pick # 31-fell in luv w/baseball & b/came Mets fan n late 90s & he was/is my fav-despite going blonde
• @BkCyclones said: 17, of course, for Keith Hernandez, the best defensive player ever for the Mets, a great clutch hitter, and THE captain!
  

I can't say I don't agree with all of these sentiments. 8, 17, 31.

Game Recap: Tigers 10 -- Mets 6

The Mets were down early, came back, then let the lead slip away again.

On The Mound

Oliver Perez was roughed up by the Tigers today at Tradition Field. Tagged for six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, Perez allowed five hits and walked six while on the bump. He did strike out four.

Yeesh. Hopefully it's just Perez adjusting his mechanics under Dan Warthen.

Ron Villone, making a play for the bullpen, also struggled. Four earned runs in only one inning, as he gave up four hits and walked one.

Double yeesh.

Elmer Dessens and Bobby Parnell each threw a scoreless inning, with Brian Stokes tallying two innings of hitless baseball. Carlos Muniz tallied one-third of an inning in relief of Perez, allowing one hit.

At The Plate

Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Jeremy Reed and Jonathan Malo each picked up two hits, with Reyes and Beltran picking up a double each. Fernando Tatis went 3-3 on the day, also with a double.

Beltran, Tatis and Malo each had one RBI, with Schnieder driving in two runs.

Just not enough, but it's only spring training. The Mets put together a nice string of hits in the fifth inning, picking up five runs in that frame.

On Deck

The Mets will take on the St. Louis Cardinals on the road tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. The game will not be on TV.

Minor notes

The Mets released Valerio De Los Santos and Rocky Cherry signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox.

Carry on...nothing to see here...

Repairing John Maine

"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology..."

While Dan Warthen won't exactly be rebuilding John Maine (retooling might be a better word), there was an emergency bullpen session and some changes have been made to Maine's delivery.

Warthen lengthened Maine's stride, among a few other things.

Joe Janish, of MetsToday.com and more recently web editor of BaseballDigest.com, has been a catcher for 30 years -- if there is someone to ask about pitching problems, he's your guy.

The three things Janish pointed out that Warthen changed are: Allowing the arm to “catch up” to the body, and time the release closer to the hip rotation / explosion, increase the amount of force applied to the ball, and shorten the distance between the release point and home plate.

Janish wrote:

By lengthening the stride, you also release the ball further away from the rubber, and decrease the distance the ball needs to go. Again, this is simple physics — by decreasing the distance, the batter has less time to react to the pitch — even if the velocity stays the same.

Interesting. Hope it works.

Twitter Poll: How many Mets hats do you own?

I'm trying a new thing out here on the blog. I've fully embraced Twitter, and I'm going to be occasionally throwing out some questions or polls about the Mets on Twitter, and posting the responses here.

Last night, I asked: How many Mets hats do you own? Here are the responses...

• @metgirl4ever said: 1 hat...but i have Mets jewelry, shirts, jersey, shot glasses, key fobs, & coffee mugs...does that compensate??
• @ByronBrewer said: 5
• @metschick said: 6: 3 blue, 1 pink (from Mother's Day), 1 black, and 1 orange visor.
• @dpcurrier said: Currently I think I have 5: 2 blue, 1 white/blue, 1 orange, 1 green
• @kerelcoop said: 3. All Blue, All Black, Black with the Blue Bill. And for extra measure a Brooklyn Cyclones hat :) All fitted.
• @jrobelen said: I have counted eight Met hats but they are scattered throughout the house. And probably some in luggage, equipment bags, etc.
• @Retire31 said: Overall, I think 6. 2 fitteds (one autographed, you know which one) and 4 adjustable ones.
• @samtpage said: 5, I think. Two have subway series patches. Only one still fits.
• @willrmc said: Too many. 5 I think. But only 2 in regular rotation.
• @Mike_Peters said: 5 Mets hats in my dorm: blue fitted, adj. blue, adj. black, Citifield/Dominos, blue/white. Total owned is over 20
• @Almodovar said: No more than 5...i believe

For me personally, I have only three Mets hats with me in my dorm room, but upwards of 15 back at home.

Follow me on Twitter to participate
in the next Twitter Poll!

K-Rod is a little grumpy

Francisco Rodriguez was back in camp today, and one of the beat writers asked him a fairly harmless question about the four-out save. K-Rod went a little cuckoo.

Here's how it went down, according to Steve Popper:

"Why should you tell me that I'm not ready to get back," K-Rod countered. "I think I put a lot of work into it. I prepared myself really good before every game. So I don't think it's going to take me 10 days or two months to get my energy back. It's going to be right back the next day.

"I don't know what you're honestly trying to tell me or what the point is you're trying to get at. A four-out save is like a three-out save. To me, it's the same. I know people have made a big deal about four-out saves. I want to have the same opportunity here, too. I don't know why it's such a big deal."

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bullpen this morning.

Expanding on: Is Marlon Anderson obsolete?

Marlon Anderson had a miserable 2008 season. Due to injuries, he only tallied 151 plate appearances and came away with a .210 batting average.

He showed up to spring training 17 pounds lighter in an attempt to show his dedication to the team and help improve his play. In 34 at bats so far this spring, Anderson has hit .265 with three RBIs and one run scored.

Anderson, in regards to time in the field, will likely only serve as a backup first baseman. At the plate, he'll be the Mets go-to guy for pinch hitting duties. That is, if he makes the team.

With Nick Evans and Fernando Tatis, flashing the glove at first base, along with Jeremy Reed, it seems Anderson has more competition than he anticipated. Is it worth it to the Mets to keep on a second string backup purely for pinch hitting duties?

Year	As Starter (H/PA)	As Sub/PH	Total
2008	.221 (17/82)	.197 (12/69)	.210 (29/151)
2007	.304 (14/53)	.286 (14/53)	.295 (28/106)
2006	.317 (64/224)	.247 (19/88)	.287 (83/312)
2005	.251 (42/180)	.294 (20/80)	.264 (62/260)

As his playing time diminishes, due to either ability or injuries, Anderson's batting average drops.

I asked the Twitter-audience a simple question: Is Marlon Anderson obsolete? Here's what I got...

• @letsgoduke: let me put it this way: yes. nick evans instead!
• @fscker: i hate to say, yes
• @samtpage: Marlon Anderson sucks, if that's what you mean.

Pretty telling answer from the fans.

With players able to fill his role on the field, the Mets may be able to sacrifice his "pinch hitting abilities" in favor of someone else.

Garcia assigned to minor league camp

OK, Mets...just make the announcement already. Livan Hernandez is the No. 5 starter, but they haven't said it yet.

Freddy Garcia has be assigned to minor league camp, and contrary to previous reports Garcia will stick with the team.

Assistant GM John Ricco had this to say, as quoted by Peter Botte:

"He still has a ways to go," Ricco said, "but I'm glad he's going to stay with us and try to work things out."

Garcia must know he's looked rough this spring. I'm sure we'll see him on the Mets sometime this summer.

Random thoughts and questions

I have a lot of thoughts running through my head right now, so I'll just leave them here for you to pick apart, answer or ponder.

• Is Marlon Anderson obselete? With enough younger guys on the bench, is there any reason to carry him on the team?
• Is John Maine actually healthy?
• Who is going to make the bullpen?
• Is Daniel Murphy really all that? Have I been sipping the kool aid?
• Who will be the first major injury? Who will fill in for that injury?
• Why is the bullpen called the bullpen?
• How will Citi Field play?
• Is the Mets rotation set up correctly (Santana, Pelfrey, Perez, Maine, Hernandez(?))?
• Where do I stand between new age stats and the tried and true ones?
• Will Nick Evans get a shot with the Mets this year?
• Who will be the first young arm to impact the team in '09?
• Is Jerry Manuel the coach this team needs, or is he still basking in the afterglow of Willie Randolph's firing?
• Will Luis Castillo get run out of town? Is Alex Cora a competent backup?
• Will Carlos Delgado play like he's gunning for another contract?

Have at it.