Boy, I’m excited now! [Image]

Is this the best they could come up with for today’s game? 
How depressing…

Manuel’s Musing

“The last time we called him up (last season), he was impressive, and we have not seen anything different from that. I kind of see that might fit better for us as we speak here today”

-Jerry Manuel on Jon Niese

New food at Citi Field

Via the Mets and edited for length… Interesting items in bold…

The Mets and award-winning ARAMARK chefs have collaborated with their world-renowned partners at Drew Nieporent's Myriad Restaurant Group, Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, and Dave Pasternack of Esca to offer expanded menus, highlighted by new items such as a Crab Cake Sandwich, Peking Duck Bun and Lasagna Bolognese.

In response to fan requests, the Mets and ARAMARK will debut a gluten-free stand, courtesy of Kozy Shack. The Kozy Shack Gluten-Free Stand on the Field Level outside the World's Fare Market will feature a full line of Kozy Shack puddings, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and beer. For vegetarian fans, Yves Spicy Veggie Hot Dog & Harvest Veggie Burger will be available at general concession stands throughout the ballpark.
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The Caesars Club will now feature the Café Colosseum - a new, casual, first-come, first-served, sit-down dining area offering carved sandwiches and salads - in addition to its expanded grab-and-go menu. The Promenade Club will also add a sit-down option for its updated menu of pub-style food.

The Champions Club, formerly known as the Ebbets Club, will offer a rotating Chef's Table of carved meats and other ballpark fare, while also providing the comfort and convenience of in-seat food and cocktail service.

The Acela Club will serve up a savory menu with an emphasis on local purveyors and farmers. A full bounty of Asian, Latin, Greek, Italian, and other cuisines will be expanded for 2010, including Market Tables featuring artisan crafted cheeses, meats, and seafood.
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Last year's late-season additions, Tai Pan Bakery, featuring Chinese cuisine, and Café Hanover, showcasing Korean delights, will return along with local favorites Mama's of Corona and Daruma of Tokyo.

Fans will also have a wide selection of beverages, with Delta's signature cocktails added in the Delta Sky360 Club, and frozen drinks featuring the Rums of Puerto Rico available at the new Rum Bar by section 104.

Another link: Mets rank among lamest sports banners

ESPN’s Page 2 published a list of the Top (Bottom?) 10 Lamest Sports Banners and the Mets rank in at No. 9.

9. New York Mets

Location: formerly Shea Stadium; currently Citi Field

Honors: 1999 wild-card status/NLDS victory

Lameness quotient: Very high. Largely because the banner shares space with two World Series pennants, which is like placing a sixer of wine coolers in the same cellar as a 1787 Chateau Lafite.

Fun fact(s): We wanted to use the infamous "Colorado Rockies 1995 Wild Card Champions" mural that used to adorn the Coors Field outfield wall, but couldn't find photographic evidence. Well played, Rockies!

Sadly, my Quinnipiac Bobcats come in at No. 7, too.

Link: The best Mets ad this year

Head on over to MetsGrrl to check out a new Mets ad spotted in what seems to be a subway station.

The timing of such a find is very apropos.

Sherman: Mets shopping GMJ; Who would take his place?

Two major league officials told me the Mets are shopping Gary Matthews Jr., and the Reds could be a possibility.

-Joel Sherman

If the Mets do find a trade partner for Gary Matthews Jr., and who they would get in return is fodder for another post, who would take his likely spot on the 25-man roster?

Chris Carter, who is simply tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of .444/.500/1.056 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI, can play corner outfield spots, but isn’t a centerfielder.  He’s also somewhat in the running for the first base spot, but he has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning out over Daniel Murphy, Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis.

Fernando Martinez, the Mets young and exciting prospect, has been tabbed to start the season in the minor leagues.  F-Mart, who is also having a fantastic spring (.447/.439/.868, 3 HR, 11 RBI), can play center field and would be able to take over for Angel Pagan if needed.  (Pagan, obviously, is the starting centerfielder with Carlos Beltran out.)

An older option would be Frank Catalanotto.  Catalanotto, who has played nearly every position (except CF), would be another option if the corner outfield spots were needed.  But again, he doesn’t have any CF experience and at his age, speed isn’t a strong suit.

Other options might be Jason Pridie or someone the Mets might get in the GMJ trade.  With Pagan’s injury history and this short list of possible, but not very good replacement candidates, if the Mets have the foresight to think about this before they make the trade, they might not be dealing GMJ anytime soon.

Manuel’s Musing

“This process is unique, very unique. I mean, it is for me. What I’ll probably do is I’ll call around and find out if anyone has had a situation such as this and see how they handled it and what are the results.”

-Jerry Manuel on Jose Reyes

Reyes cleared for return; Opening Day possible?

Jose Reyes will return to Port St. Lucie and will begin baseball activites, which is excellent news.

Though we all will wait and watch Reyes and his thyroid as he begins playing again, but with millions of fingers and toes being crossed, Opening Day is not out of the question.

Manuel’s Musing

“He has put his name in the hat very strongly.”

-Jerry Manuel on Chris Carter

Spring Training power surge [Graph]

Here is a chart showing the number of home runs hit by the Mets in all of the full months of last season and so far during spring training.Twelve of the Mets home runs this spring training have come from players who will likely not make the team (Chris Carter, Ike Davis, Fernando Martinez, Omir Santos and Russ Adams).

Nine of the home runs have come from players that will likely make the 25-man roster, but were not on the team last year (Jason Bay, Mike Jacobs, Gary Matthews Jr. and Rod Barajas).

Stats from Baseball-Reference and Mets.com