F-Mart, Figgy win Caribbean Series; F-Mart named MVP

Fernando Martinez, Nelson Figueroa and the Dominican Republic team won the Caribbean Series last night with a 7-4 victory over Venezuela.

Martinez was named the MVP of the series, going 8-23 (.348) with a double and two home runs.

Figueroa also tossed a gem in the series, a complete-game three hitter.  He allowed only one earned run on a solo home run.  He walked none and struck out 8.

Figueroa should, and will, get another chance in the Mets rotation sometime this year.  If/When the injuries start to hit the team, Figueroa is likely second on the depth chart to be called up (if he doesn’t make the team out of spring training.)

And I was asked on Twitter if I think F-Mart will contribute this year.  I think he will play a decent chunk of time with the big club, but as to contributing, I’m not so sure.  He’ll be good, but give him time.  Don’t forget, he’s only 21 years old.

A note to my readers

All,

If you’re wondering what happened to the posting on The ‘Ropolitans the last few days, and you haven’t been following my Twitter feed, here is the explanation.

On Monday, I woke up not feeling very well.  Unfortunately, that happens a lot for me.  But after things weren’t getting any better, my wonderful girlfriend called a doctor and dragged me to the car.

Thank goodness, because on the way my entire body froze up and I could not move.  Just imagine falling asleep on your arm, multiply it by 100 and spread it all over your body.  That’s how dehydrated I was.  It happed three more times that day, too.  Scary stuff.

From the doctor, where they called 911, I was sent to Yale New Haven hospital.  I was admitted later that night and ended up spending a few days there.

Diagnosis: A really gross stomach virus which triggered an unknown, underlying condition.  So as I’m somewhat on the mend, I’m set for a whole round of testing to figure out what is really wrong with me.

In the meantime, I’ve had zero energy to do much of anything besides sleep, hence the lack of blog posts.

Anyway, I’ll be getting back into the swing of things next week as we start to dip into single digit days between us and pitchers and catchers reporting.

Thank you for understanding and thank you to all the well wishes already sent my way.  It means so much to me.

-Andrew Vazzano

Davis, Mejia, others heading to ST

Yeah, I’m still pretty sick.  But this might hold you over until I’m better.

From the Mets…

The New York Mets today announced that they signed infielder/outfielder Jolbert Cabrera, infielder Luis Hernandez and lefthanded pitchers Bobby Livingston and Travis Blackley to minor league contracts and invited all four to major league Spring Training camp in Port St. Lucie, Fla. later this month.  Additionally, the team extended major league Spring Training invites to righthanded pitchers Jenrry Mejia and Carlos Muniz, lefthanded pitcher Eric Niesen, catcher Francisco Peña, infielders Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada and outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis. 

Cabrera, 37, spent last season in Baltimore's system, appearing in 78 games for Norfolk (AAA) of the International League.  A .257 career hitter, Cabrera spent time with Cleveland, Los Angeles (NL), Seattle and Cincinnati over parts of eight major league seasons.  He played with Fukuoka of the Japanese League for two seasons (2005, 2006).

Hernandez, 25, split last season between Kansas City and Omaha (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, hitting .205 (15-73) in 37 games with the Royals.  Hernandez's other major league action came with Baltimore in 2007 and 2008.

Livingston, 27, pitched in three different organizations' minor league system last season-Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh-and combined to go 10-2 with a 4.02 ERA (80 earned runs/179.0 innings) in 31 games, 29 starts.  Livingston is 3-3 lifetime with a 6.31 ERA after pitching with Seattle and Cincinnati.

Blackley, 27, pitched last season with Reno (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, finishing the year 4-7 with a 4.85 ERA for the Aces.  For his career, the lefthander is 1-3 with a 9.35 ERA in eight games combined for Seattle and San Francisco.

Mejia, 20, combined to go 4-5 in 19 starts for St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League and Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League last season.  He has struck out 205 in 210.0 career minor league innings.

Muniz, 28, pitched with the Mets in 2007 and 2008, going 1-1 in 20 games out of the bullpen.  The righthander spent 2009 with Buffalo (AAA) of the International League.

Niesen, 24, made 27 starts between St. Lucie and Binghamton last season, going a combined 7-11 with a 4.09 ERA.

Peña, 20, caught 100 games for St. Lucie in his third season in the Mets' farm system.  He is the son of former Kansas City Royals manager and current Yankees bench coach Tony Peña.

Davis, 22, won the 2009 Sterling Player of the Year Award, given annually to the top player in the Mets' minor league system.  The first baseman hit .298 (128-429) with 20 home runs and 71 RBI in 114 games between St. Lucie and Binghamton last season.

Tejada, 20, hit .289 for Binghamton while Nieuwenhuis, 22, won St. Lucie's Sterling Award, emblematic of the team MVP.  Nieuwehnhuis ranked 10th in all of the minor leagues with 99 runs scored last season.  He added 16 home runs and 71 RBI with St. Lucie.

Mets never performed physical on Putz [Quote]

“When the trade went down last year, I never really had a physical with the Mets. I had the bone spur (in the right elbow). It was discovered the previous year in Seattle, and it never got checked out by any other doctors until I got to spring training, and the spring training physical is kind of a formality. It was bugging me all through April, and in May I got an injection. It just got to the point where I couldn’t pitch. I couldn’t throw strikes, my velocity was way down.”

-J.J. Putz on his time with the Mets

Click here to read more from the story, because it’s almost too good bad to be true.

This is beyond stupid.

Everyone and their mother was harping on the right elbow of Putz the moment he came to the Mets.  It was an issue, but not one to get hung up on.  Apparently, the Mets didn’t deem it an issue at all.

Extremely disturbing news.

Johan Santana handshake [Video]

Because it’s Sunday and absolutely nothing is going on, why not repost this video of awesome?

Enjoy and feel free to discuss anything Mets-related in the comments.

Mets sign Catalanotto to minor-league deal

As I was tweeting last night, the Mets have signed Frank Catalanotto to a minor-league deal.

Catalanotto will be invited to spring training with the team.

Last season, Catalanotto hit .278 / .346 / .382 with one home run in 144 ABs with the Milwaukee Brewers.

A lot of people seem to respect Catalanotto as more than just a player.  He seems to fit the same mold of Alex Cora, in playing ability and in his future at a possible managerial position.

The Mets could do worse than having Catalanotto coming up from Buffalo if/when the injuries begin.  (That is not a challenge, Omar.)

Twitter Poll: What are your thoughts on Omar’s off-season?

It’s Saturday, I’m still laying in bed and I’m tired.

That, of course, has me thinking about the Mets.  So far, Omar Minaya has added one big bat and a few fringe players / pitchers.  So how do you think he’s done this off-season?

I asked my Twitter followers and here are some responses…

SheckyXero: Omar sucks, he could’ve done more, instead we lack a good catcher, a good first baseman and loads of pitching.

beerman59452000: BAD Jason bay was good, we got no pitching he signed washed up catchers and the mets got holes in there line up.

MetsGuide: ok. It can be salvaged if he acquires a #2 and a catcher.

bosco86: 2 many "ifs". Has not done enough support the core. No #2 starter no catcher bad move at 1st and pen full of "ifs".

willDavidian: Hudson/Lopez and Smoltz or an unlikely trade are his only opportunities to salvage it. Otherwise, it's been awful.

metsfan6986: I feel mixed. He didn't do as good as he couldve but I think Jeff has his hands tied. He's been more aggressive in the past.

MVPGotham: After his comments in October along with Jeff Wilpon, the team has not done enough.

darknova306: This offseason will be a failure until our rotation is fixed. I see only a very slim chance of that happening.

What are your thoughts on Minaya’s off-season so far?  Has he done enough?  Or is there a lot more work to do?

Mets sign Josh Fogg

The Mets have signed Josh Fogg to a minor-league deal, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

Fogg, Renck writes, is “one of the coolest guys I have ever covered — think of Vince Vaughn in “Dodgeball.”  Renck believes Fogg has a shot to make the Mets out of spring training, and might even compete for the fifth starter spot.

Unfortunately, that might be the best thing to be said about Fogg.

Last season with Colorado, Fogg pitched in 24 games, starting only one.  In 45 2-3 innings, Fogg struck out 27 and walked 20.  He posted a 3.74 ERA and 1.139 WHIP (surprised me).

He’s a career 5.03 ERA and 1.458 WHIP pitcher.

‘I have full autonomy’ [Quote]

“I understand there is going to be a lot of articles written about how the situation with the Mets is, but when I tell you that I have full autonomy, I have full autonomy.”

-Omar Minaya on who controls the Mets

Tatis returns

Mike Puma, who last night reported the Mets were “close” with Fernando Tatis, is now reporting that the Mets and Tatis have agreed to a contract.

Puma reports that the deal is worth less than the $1.7 million he made last season.  Matt Cerrone believes the deal to be worth $800,000 with a chance to make up to $1.5 million in performance bonuses.

My “SHOW YOUR TATIS” shirts, which were shelved last year, will be available next week.