D.J. Carrasco sporting Mets stirrups [Image]

This. This right here. This right here is awesome and I love it.

Stirrups are awesome. These need to worn more.

Snapped by Ron Mazzola, who you can follow on Twitter here.

Mets Media Madness: #1 Rubin vs. #8 DiComo

Our final vote to determine who moves on to the Final Four. Today is #1 Adam Rubin versus #8 Anthony DiComo. Vote for you favorite!

And here is the updated bracket…

Mets Media Madness: Popper vs. Costa

In yesterday’s vote, #5 seed Eddie Coleman of WFAN handily beat out #4 Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger.

Today, #2 seed Steve Popper of the Bergen Record takes on play-in game winner and #7 seed Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal. Vote for you favorite below!

Mets Media Madness: #4 McCullough vs. #5 Coleman

In yesterday’s matchup, #3 David Lennon was the first reporter to move into the Final Four, beating out #6 David Waldstein.

Today’s matchup: #4 Andy McCullough, Star-Ledger vs. #5 Eddie Coleman, WFAN. Vote for you favorite below!

Roster speculation, or lack thereof

For the past few season, while I’ve penned this blog, spring training was usually spent guessing, posturing and wondering who was going to make the Mets opening day roster.

And it wasn’t only me. Most blogs were filled with talk of “Who will make the team?” and “Which players won’t make the cut?”

This season, though, I don’t get the same vibe. And I think I know why.

Outside of the always-up-in-the-air bullpen and the battle for second base, everything seems in place. There are no fringe players trying to make the 25-man roster. There are no has-beens over-performing in Port St. Lucie, challenging the younger guys for a spot. The roster – for the most part – is set in most fans eyes.

And I think that credit should go to Sandy Alderson & Co.

For the last few years, many fans – including myself – loved to second-guess each and every Omar Minaya move. I remember being dead-set against Fernando Tatis the first season Omar signed him. He surprised pretty much everyone, and had a great year.

But now, I trust Alderson and his brain trust. I don’t have to second-guess his moves. He’s made them all right, so far: cutting Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. He (working with Terry Collins) has kept the players that might have a chance to make the team with the big club, getting at bats and being able to show their talent in the field.

But I’m not worried about who will end up on the team come April, because I trust the moves Sandy & Co. will make. I’m sure they’re going to make the right call for the arms coming out of the pen. They seem to have made the right call on who will be completing the infield.

Everything is falling nicely into place. It’s a lot less strain on my Mets-psyche as spring marches on and I’m ready for baseball to start, without much hesitation.

Thanks, Sandy. My blood pressure thanks you, too.

Mets Media Madness: #3 David Lennon vs. #6 David Waldstein

Here’s today vote: #3 David Lennon vs. #6 David Waldstein. Vote for your favorite!

And here is the updated bracket, as Brian Costa beat out Mike Puma to get into the final bracket…

Quote from Collins–3/22

“To be bluntly honest, I truly believe that you can get a position player ready, with the opportunities to get some extra at-bats in Minor League camp, in 10 days.”

-Terry Collins on Carlos Beltran

Mets Media Madness: Costa vs. Puma

Yesterday’s results: Anthony DiComo of MLB.com captured 78.57 percent, defeating Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.

In today’s play in game, Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal takes on Mike Puma of the New York Post. Voting ends at midnight.

Mets Media Madness: Martino vs. DiComo

Here is the first round of matchups for the 2011 Mets Media Madness tournament.

You can vote for your favorite Mets reporter to have him advance into the next round. Vote closed at midnight tonight.

Today’s matchup: Andy Martino vs. Anthony DiComo. Vote below!

Press Release: Mets release Perez

Here’s the official dispatch from the Mets…

FLUSHING, N.Y., March 21, 2011 - The New York Mets today announced that they have released lefthanded pitcher Oliver Perez.

The 6-3, 205-pounder had one year left on his contract.

"As I said during the winter our plan was to bring Oliver to Spring Training and give him a chance," said Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson. "After trying him as a starter and out of the bullpen, we felt that we needed to move in a different direction. Terry and I met and I went to Jeff (Wilpon), told him my recommendation and Jeff approved on behalf of ownership."

Perez went 0-5 with a 6.80 ERA in 2010 after going 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA in 2009. Overall, the lefthander is 58-69 with a 4.63 ERA during his nine-year major league career with the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and Mets.