Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to everyone who has visited and read this site in the past year.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

And don’t forget to list your three former or current Mets you’d like to have at Thanksgiving dinner!

Twitter Poll: Invite three Mets to Thanksgiving

Question: What three former or current Mets would you invite to Thanksgiving dinner, and why?

Here are some responses…

CMSB said: Doc and Darryl, because they'd bring the good stuff. Butch Huskey, so I could say "pass the turkey, Butch"

DanPirozzi said: Heilman so I can punch him, Piazza because he rules, and Rey Ordonez so I can throw biscuits at him and watch him catch them

DavitudeSports said: Beltran Reyes and Perez to thank them for the wonderful 09 season

mtmcq said:  Keith Hernandez, Gary Sheffield, and Darryl Strawberry. Imagine the conversations at that table.

dtmfr said: Seaver (the franchise, duh) Keith (good topic discussions), and Wright (my sister would like that)

julierubes said: Kevin Elster & Kevin McReynolds bc I thought they were cute when I was younger& want 2 c how they r now& Mookie bc of who he is

dances_w_vowels said: Keith Hernandez, for the wit. Nolan Ryan, for the awe. Kevin McReynolds, because #3 wouldn't get a word in anyway.

dances_w_vowels continued: Oh, and number 4... Len Dykstra, because he probably hasn't had a good meal in a few months.

djeffreys said: Keith for the Keithisms, Dykstra for the financial expertise and Benny Agbayani because how cool would that be?

Fletch788 said: Yoshii, Shinjo and Takahashi. Because I don't like Thanksgiving and they probably don't either.

billpalka said: mo vaughn, butch huskey, and lenny harris. Pie-eating contest.

If you could invite three former or current Mets to Thanksgiving, who would you choose and why?  Hit the comments to discuss!

Santos named Topps top rookie catcher

Omir Santos, who played in 96 games with the Mets last season, was named the top rookie catcher in the game by Topps.

Santos hit .260 AVG / .296 OBP / .391 SLG with 7 home runs and 40 RBI in 306 plate appearances.

Well, this was unexpected. I would not have pegged Santos for this award. Matt Wieters (96 games, .288/.340/.412, 9 HR, 43 RBI), on the other hand...

New York Mets 2010 coaching staff & affiliates

Major League Baseball | New York Mets

• Manager: Jerry Manuel
• Bench Coach: Dave Jauss
• First Base Coach: Razor Shines
• Third Base Coach: Chip Hale
• Hitting Coach: Howard Johnson
• Pitching Coach: Dan Warthen
• Bullpen Coach: Randy Niemann

Minor Leagues

• Minor League Field Coordinator: Terry Collins

Triple-A | Buffalo Bisons

• Manager: Ken Oberkfell
• Batting Coach: Jack Voight
• Pitching Coach: Ricky Bones

Double-A | Binghamton Mets

• Manager: Tim Teufel
• Batting Coach: Luis Natera
• Pitching Coach: Hector Berrios

Advanced-A | St. Lucie Mets

• Manager: Vacant
• Batting Coach: George Greer
• Pitching Coach: Phil Regan

Single-A | Savannah Sand Gnats

• Manager: Edgar Alfonzo
• Batting Coach: Ryan Ellis
• Pitching Coach: Marc Valdes

Short-A | Brooklyn Cyclones

• Manager: Wally Backman
• Batting Coach: Vacant
• Pitching Coach: Rick Tomlin

Rookie | Kingsport Mets

• Manager: Mike DiFelice
• Batting Coach: Bobby Malek
• Pitching Coach: Jonathan Hurst

Mets new (old) uniform [Image]

Could be worse.

Mets adding ‘natural’ color uniforms

The Mets will wear a new “natural”-color pinstripe uniform at home next season.

The white uniforms will remain their home color, with the black uniforms as their other alternate.

“The Mets created the retro uniform following research and positive responses to the jerseys the 1969 World Champion Mets wore during their 40th anniversary celebration in August,” according to the press release.

Think the giant “NY” jerseys (right), but with pinstripes (and no giant “NY”).  So essentially, just think of the color.

The jerseys go on sale November 27 on Mets.com.

Clearing up the Ben Sheets stuff

Yesterday, I posted a little tidbit about the Mets and  free agent Ben Sheets.  I included some Twitter responses as well.  And Kerel Cooper even posted a video response.

Let me clear something up on my stance regarding Sheets…

Sheets, when healthy, is a premier pitcher in the game.  But he’s rarely healthy.  Even when he’s pitching, he’s usually not 100 percent.

I would support the Mets efforts in tracking and possibly signing Sheets on a incentive-heavy contract.  But in no way do I want the Mets to look at Sheets as their go-to guy that will solve their rotation woes.

Sheets should be an addendum to whomever the Mets sign/trade for.  In no way can you rely on an arm that missed all of the previous season to to injury and surgery.

The thing with Sheets is, it’s not “if” he gets hurt, but rather “when” will he get hurt.  After, as Cooper said, we just witnessed a “bizarre season” of injury, there’s reason for fans to be wary. 

If Sheets can come out and pitch in 20-25 games as “old Ben Sheets,” missing a month or two to injury, I would consider it a success.  He’d hopefully give you better quality performances than most of the rotation that is already in place for those 20-25 starts. 

Obviously, this all hinges on Sheets health coming into 2010 and if he’s even ready to pitch again. 

As commenter dances_w_vowels wrote on the post yesterday, “He had an injury, he didn't lose his stuff.”

Take a chance on him.  Bring him in, see what he can do and hope he works out.  Just as long as you’re not relying on him to shore up the rotation.

Keith is coming back to SNY

As I wrote on Saturday, Keith Hernandez is returning to SNY, likely on a three-year deal.

Marty Noble has a near carbon-copy of what I wrote a few days back.

Is Ben Sheets a possibility?

Ben Sheets, who missed all of 2009 with an arm injury and subsequent surgery, could be an intriguing possibility for any team willing to take a chance on the oft-injured pitcher.  The Mets may be one of those teams.

In 2008, Sheets appeared in 31 games, pitching 198 1-3 innings.  He posted a 3.91 ERA and a 1.150 WHIP.  He notched a 7.2 SO/9.

Last night I pondered if the Mets should take a chance on Sheets, on Twitter.  Here are some responses I got…

Mets_Fever said: Johan and Big Ben would be a great 1-2 punch

kerelcoop said: considering all the injuries we just had, I can't take a chance on Sheets. I wouldn't feel comfortable.

samtpage said: Sheets was the best thing to come out of that report. If he gets injured, no biggie. Lackey injured (as usual), 70mil wasted

Frank_Guate said: SHEETS IS AMAZING when he’s in the game... but is a high risk... now the new contract can be full of incentives...

mattsito said: but what they need is solid and dependable, not another roll of the dice. Ollie, Pelf, & Maine are risks of a different sort

What is your take on the Mets possibly adding Sheets for next season?

Rogers picks Chapman to land with the Mets

I’ve been taking a hard route against dreaming about Aroldis Chapman coming to the Mets.  For one, I think he’ll cost more than he’s worth.  And two, I don’t think he’s major-league ready.

But Phil Rogers in the Boston Herald made some early off-season predictions and feels differently.  Here’s Chapman’s blurb…

Aroldis Chapman, Mets: The Cuban flamethrower is in demand, but teams are waiting for agent Edwin Leonel Mejia to drop his asking price. The Mets love Chapman and need to make a splash. He could duel Stephen Strasburg for Rookie of the Year honors.

This was penned a few days ago, as Chapman has since fired his agent Mejia and moved to another agency.

Yes, the Mets need to make a splash, or at least Omar Minaya thinks so.  I hate the term as I’d rather see the team put a winning ballclub out there over one that will sell jerseys.

And if Rogers is talking about Rookie of the Year in 2011, he might have a point.  I don’t think either will have what it takes to break into the majors next season, and if they do, they won’t last a whole year.

But still, it’s interesting to see people linking the Mets and Chapman.

Thoughts?