Offseason Thread

[Johnnydollaz89]

Sandy Alderson said that Jenrry Mejia will not pitch in relief for the Mets (DiComo, March 25).
Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to be the fifth starter, which would send Mejia to the Triple-A Las Vegas rotation. Alderson said the final fifth starter announcement will be made around 12 p.m. on Tuesday (Diamond, March 25).

Sounding more and more like it will be Dice-K for the 5th spot.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

CAN'T WAIT!!!

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Daisuke Matsuzaka will remain with the Mets after the team agreed to pay him $100,000 to not opt out of his current minor-league deal, the team announced on Twitter.

May 25, 2:10 p.m.: Sandy Alderson said that this weekend’s starts in Montreal won’t determine who will make the Opening Day roster (Vokrunov, March 25).

“We either had to put him on the team today and essentially make him a fifth starter, or pay him $100,000, so we went with cash,” Alderson said.

And now, maybe it's not so likely he is named the 5th starter.

Ike Davis and Lucas Duda will both be on the Opening Day roster, GM Sandy Alderson said on Tuesday. He didn’t make a call on which player would start, though.
Last week, Alderson cautioned against making a rash decision and possibly trading one of the first baseman.
“You have to be a little more cautious and maybe not do something that has ‘forever,’ implications,” Alderson said at the time (Ackert, March 20).

Both Ike and Duda will be on the opening day roster.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Good Luck and Get Well Wishes for Frank Viola.
New York Mets minor-league pitching coach Frank Viola to have open-heart surgery, per sources - ESPN New York

All the best, "Sweet Music"

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Good Luck and Get Well Wishes for Frank Viola.
New York Mets minor-league pitching coach Frank Viola to have open-heart surgery, per sources - ESPN New York

All the best, "Sweet Music"

Hope he comes out successful from the surgery!!

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

The Mets demoted reliever Vic Black to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
He entered camp a front-runner to make the Opening Day bullpen, but he let 23 runners to reach base in just 9 1/3 innings.
“I didn’t see it coming, but I also couldn’t expect anything different really because what I did was struggle all spring,” Black said (ESPN, Mar. 26). “I know they were disappointed, as am I, which is part of it. But I’ll be back.”

A shame, I like him, hope he can make the roster again

 

[Nasty_Magician]

A shame, I like him, hope he can make the roster again

He's still very young, he'll be back sooner than later. Hopefully a month or so in AAA will get his confidence up and he can become a staple in our bullpen. Ideally I'd like to see him locked in as the setup man.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Niese feels 'amazing' in return to game

March, 27, 2014
3:15 PM ET

By Adam Rubin


PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Ten days after Jonathon Niese was forced to leave a Grapefruit League game with elbow discomfort, the southpaw was back in a game Thursday. And after tossing 4 1/3 solid innings against St. Louis Cardinals A-ball players on a back field, Niese suggested his health woes appear behind him.

Niese had receive a cortisone injection last Monday to address inflammation in the elbow.

He threw 57 pitches in a scoreless effort Thursday, surrendering three hits and a walk while striking out three. He comfortably sat at 87-89 mph and topped out at 92 mph with his fastball.

Niese expects to repeat the minor-league activity in five days, upping his workload to 75 to 80 pitches. He then would fly to New York in advance of his expected activation from the disabled list for an April 6 start against the Cincinnati Reds.

"There was kind of a little bit of worry, just because I haven't pitched in a game where it didn't hurt. And today it felt amazing," Niese said. "It felt like I felt at the end of last year."

Bartolo Colon also worked on a back field Thursday, but that was simply intended to have him avoid the Washington Nationals, whom he faces next week for real. Colon allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in four innings while dealing with shoddy fielding behind him.

As for his emotions staying behind in Port St. Lucie with the Mets about to leave for Montreal for a pair of exhibition games on the eve of the season, Niese said: "It is what it is," Niese said. "That comes with being on the DL. Fortunately, it's not going to be for that long. Knock on wood, if everything goes well on Tuesday, then I should meet the team on Wednesday in New York."

He described spring training as a "roller-coaster" of emotions.

"It started off pretty s-----," Niese said, using an expletive. "And it got a lot better today. I was pretty low there for a while at the beginning. And then it got even lower when the elbow started flaring up. And then it was real concerning. But after today, or after the last week, it's been great. And today was a huge step because I felt amazing."

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

He's still very young, he'll be back sooner than later. Hopefully a month or so in AAA will get his confidence up and he can become a staple in our bullpen. Ideally I'd like to see him locked in as the setup man.

I hope so. He impressed me last season after coming over, felt he would have been in consideration for Closer if Parnell wasn't healthy, I think Valverde may be the setup man if Black doesn't come up anytime soon.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Niese feels 'amazing' in return to game

March, 27, 2014
3:15 PM ET

By Adam Rubin


PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Ten days after Jonathon Niese was forced to leave a Grapefruit League game with elbow discomfort, the southpaw was back in a game Thursday. And after tossing 4 1/3 solid innings against St. Louis Cardinals A-ball players on a back field, Niese suggested his health woes appear behind him.

Niese had receive a cortisone injection last Monday to address inflammation in the elbow.

He threw 57 pitches in a scoreless effort Thursday, surrendering three hits and a walk while striking out three. He comfortably sat at 87-89 mph and topped out at 92 mph with his fastball.

Niese expects to repeat the minor-league activity in five days, upping his workload to 75 to 80 pitches. He then would fly to New York in advance of his expected activation from the disabled list for an April 6 start against the Cincinnati Reds.

"There was kind of a little bit of worry, just because I haven't pitched in a game where it didn't hurt. And today it felt amazing," Niese said. "It felt like I felt at the end of last year."

Bartolo Colon also worked on a back field Thursday, but that was simply intended to have him avoid the Washington Nationals, whom he faces next week for real. Colon allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in four innings while dealing with shoddy fielding behind him.

As for his emotions staying behind in Port St. Lucie with the Mets about to leave for Montreal for a pair of exhibition games on the eve of the season, Niese said: "It is what it is," Niese said. "That comes with being on the DL. Fortunately, it's not going to be for that long. Knock on wood, if everything goes well on Tuesday, then I should meet the team on Wednesday in New York."

He described spring training as a "roller-coaster" of emotions.

"It started off pretty s-----," Niese said, using an expletive. "And it got a lot better today. I was pretty low there for a while at the beginning. And then it got even lower when the elbow started flaring up. And then it was real concerning. But after today, or after the last week, it's been great. And today was a huge step because I felt amazing."

A healthy Niese is key for us, I always have high hopes for him each year.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Metsies drop florida finale, before heading north:
Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets - Recap - March 27, 2014 - ESPN

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

John Lannan has been added to the Mets’ 40-man roster.
He is expected to be the second lefty reliever in the bullpen, alongside Scott Rice. He could also be a backup starter (Rohan, March 27).
Lannan has never pitched in relief in his MLB career.

First time out of the bullpen, hmmmm.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

First time out of the bullpen, hmmmm.

Better they try to figure things out now, rather than in july or august...

LGM!!!

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Better they try to figure things out now, rather than in july or august...

LGM!!!

Agreed!!! Think we'll know by Opening Day.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

With the fifth starter job still undetermined, Jenrry Mejia will start against Mark Buehrle and the Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m. in Montreal.
Mejia has recently been bothered by a bunion on his foot, but said after his last bullpen session that he felt good.
The game will air on MLB Network.
The Mets open the regular season in three days, when they face the Nationals at Citi Field.

One more game to prove himself

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

It’s looking like Ruben Tejada will be this team’s shortstop on Opening Day, which means the final bench spots likely to come down to OF Andrew Brown or 1B-3B Eric Campbell and infielders Omar Quintanilla and Anthony Seratelli.

Terry Collins said Thursday that Eric Young Jr. and Juan Lagares will each get time in the outfield, but he still does not know what his Opening Day lineup will be.
“Certainly we’ve got to figure out how to get those guys in the lineup on a somewhat regular basis,” he said. “We’ve made some commitments and we’re going to stick by them and we’ll just see how they play out.”

Metsblog | Latest News, Rumors and Opinion about the Mets

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

For now my votes go to Campbell & Q. to make the roster....

Knowing TC though, he'll probably go with Brown & Q.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

For now my votes go to Campbell & Q. to make the roster....

Knowing TC though, he'll probably go with Brown & Q.

Agreed.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Mets swept by Toronto in Montreal... finish spring at 14-16

yesterday:
New York Mets vs. Toronto Blue Jays - Recap - March 28, 2014 - ESPN

today:
Melky Cabrera's late blast gets Blue Jays past Mets at Olympic Stadium | bluejays.com: News





Next up, Opening Day on monday...
Mayor de Blasio gets ceremonial 1st pitch - Mets Blog - ESPN New York


Hopefully TC's bullpen strategy improves real soon, or the Mets will end up proving all the prognosticators correct, by finishing with just 75 wins or less. The late inning collapses will continue to be an achilles heel, until they step up and show they're capable.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Jenrry Mejia has been named the Mets fifth starter, after Daisuke Matsuzaka was optioned to the minors on Saturday afternoon, Sandy Alderson confirmed.

Mejia, who suffered a right arm contusion on Friday night, will see doctors in New York on Monday.

Gonzalez Germen, Andrew Brown and Omar Quintanilla were confirmed for the team’s Opening Day roster, Alderson said. Brown and Quintanilla will join Lucas Duda or Ike Davis, Anthony Recker, Josh Satin and Eric Young Jr. or Juan Lagares on the team’s bench.

Good for Mejia!