My praise for the Amazin’ Avenue Annual

I was lucky enough to receive a preview copy of the Amazin’ Avenue Annual, the first book foray from the good men at AmazinAvenue.com.

And legitimately, it’s a book.  All 342 pages of one.

(I’m going to be frank here: I hate reading long things on the Internet.  Did I read it all?  Hell no.  Did I skim, read parts here and there and continue scrolling?  Yes.  That doesn’t mean it’s not good.)

I’ll be going to school, finding a rarely used printer, and printing out this book (because I’m in college and money goes toward food).

I highly, highly recommend either downloading or purchasing the book when it becomes available in a day or two. (Yeah, the only thing there right now is a banner.  Don’t be alarmed.)

It contains essays on topics ranging from the business of the Mets in 2009 to the Gary, Keith and Ron drinking game.  It also has player previews and statistical breakdowns on many.  Just a thorough, thorough look at the Mets organization from minds of very well informed fans.

Pick it up.

And to the guys at Amazin’ Avenue and all that contributed to the book, awesome, awesome job.

Link: Q&A with Jason Bay

Head over to Big League Stew for a Q&A with Jason Bay.

An excerpt…

BLS: Who have you been hanging out with down here?

Bay: David (Wright), a little bit. Francoeur, of course. He gets along with everybody. Alex Cora I know from Boston and is a great guy. Shawn Bowman is also Canadian and we have an instant bond. I played on the Canadian WBC team with him and given all the hockey that's transpired lately, we've been close.

Click on over to BLS for the full interview.

Lineup @ Braves

With most major players getting a reprieve from the two-hour bus ride to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports to take on the Braves, here’s who the Mets will trot out, at least to start…

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Alex Cora – 2B
3. Daniel Murphy – 1B
4. Fernando Tatis – 3B
5. Fernando Martinez – LF
6. Rod Barajas – C
7. Frank Catalanotto – DH
8. Russ Adams – SS
9. Kirk Nieuwnehuis – RF

Getting the start today is LHP Pat Misch.

No word on who else is supposed to pitch today.

I hope this steroid/HGH talk begins and ends this week

Dr. Anthony Galea is a name I hope I don’t hear much more.

Because a steroid scandal is the absolute last thing the Mets need.

Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes have both been questioned by the FBI in connection with their relationship and visits to Dr. Galea’s office for treatment.  Galea is being investigated by Canadian authorities for attempting to smuggle human growth hormones into the US.

Both players have met with investigators and discussed their treatment with Galea.  Both claim that HGH or steroids were not involved or discussed.

Hopefully, as this week winds down, we hear less and less of this story.  Unfortunately, steroids are too juicy of a story to overlook, so as long as it’s slightly relevant, it will be written about and discussed at length.

But please, for the sake of Mets fans minds everywhere, let’s hope we don’t hear much more of it.  I think we have enough to worry about.

Manuel’s Musing

“He was so caught up in that Canada thing that he needed a day to breathe.”

-Jerry Manuel on Jason Bay

First spring training lineup from rainy Florida

The Mets will travel to the ESPN Wide World of Sports to take on the Atlanta Braves in what will likely be a rainy and wet afternoon of baseball.  Reports are that the weather is clearing up.

The game, scheduled for 1:10 p.m., will be broadcast on SNY.

Here’s the lineup the Mets will trot out…

1. Gary Matthews Jr. – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Jose Reyes – SS
4. David Wright – 3B
5. Jason Bay – LF
6. Mike Jacobs – DH
7. Jeff Francoeur – RF
8. Ike Davis – 1B
9. Chris Coste – C

Due to the impending weather, a lineup change was put through.  Your new lineup…

1. Jesus Feliciano – LF
2. Ruben Tejada – SS
3. Gary Matthews Jr. – CF
4. Mike Jacobs – DH
5. Mike Hessman – 3B
6. Ike Davis – 1B
7. Chris Coste – C
8. Jason Pridie – RF
9. Luis Hernandez – 2B

Nelson Figueroa will get the start.  Pedro Feliciano, Bobby Parnell and Ryota Igarashi are slated to pitch as well.

Don’t read too much into this lineup.  Yes, Reyes is batting third again, but who knows what Jerry Manuel will do tomorrow, in a week, in a month.

Baseball, with the weather cooperating, may be back on TV today.

This headline made me giggle

Matthews: I'm natural choice for Mets leadoff spot

Not that Gary Matthews Jr. can’t help the Mets (if any, not by much), but if he thinks he’ll be hitting leadoff (yes, he is today, but so what?) regularly, the Mets have much, much more to worry about.

Jose Reyes hits two-run triple in first AB [Quote]

Via NJ.com…

“To be honest with you, it felt a little weird when I stepped in the batter's box,” Reyes said. “It was a long time that I don't face a big-league pitcher. When I hit the ball, I said, ‘Oh, God, I have to run now.’”

Reyes said he never thought about stopping at second, though. He said he wasn't running quite at full speed, but with the ball rattling around the right-field corner, he didn't have to.

Sorry if you drool on yourself after reading this.

Manuel’s Musing

“Johan is that good where he’s at a stage in his career where I don’t think that much matters.”

-Jerry Manuel on Johan Santana having a personal catcher

The first lineups of the season

And because it’s an intrasquad game, we get two for the price of one.

Visiting team

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Alex Cora – 2B
3. Jason Pridie – LF
4. Jeff Francoeur – RF
5. Mike Jacobs – 1B
6. Fernando Tatis – 3B
7. Josh Thole – C
8. Ruben Tejada – SS
9. Chris Carter – DH
   ---
10. Tobi Stoner – RHP

Home team

1. Gary Matthews Jr. – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Jose Reyes – SS
4. David Wright – 3B
5. Daniel Murphy – 1B
6. Fernando Martinez – LF
7. Henry Blanco – C
8. Kirk Nieuwenhuis – RF
9. Frank Catalanotto – DH
   ---
10. Jon Niese – LHP

Matt Cerrone over at MetsBlog will be streaming some of the game, which begins at 11 a.m.