Would You Give This Man A Ticket?

In just over 21 hours you can be the first of your friends to make an off-color remark about inebriation, stray animals, traffic lights, and of course Tony LaRussa.

As if there wasn't enough to be worried about as a Mets fan, Pelfrey got roughed up in his final outing today. By the Devil Rays and that potent AL lineup...it really makes you wonder if Omar should have been so short with the leash on Chan Ho Park and Aaron Sele. What I wouldn't pay to see an experienced veteran in that fifth starter spot. Oh well, we'll just have to hope they can pull off more victories than the Nationals.

At the very least you figure Pelfrey could have "lost the handle" on one and hit Kazmir in the head...in the dugout...I'm not bitter, I'm just eating a a microwavable dinner seasoned with tears over the memories of the havoc that ensued from giving Jim Duquette complete and total autonomy.

I couldn't think of a better time for the season to begin.

• Metstradamus runs down the chances for a repeat of 2006.
• Ricky Ledee wants Da Edge, Mr. Passover, and anyone else in the Mets OF to know that their jobs are no longer safe.
• The boys over at HotFoot are pretty sure that Steve Phillips is just as bad at picking division winners on BBTN as he was at actually running a major league franchise.
• Lastings grabbed the last(ings) roster spot.

Tomorrow: 8:05, ESPN2, Chris Carpenter gets his ass kicked in HD, be there.

Step Lightly While Amongst the Metropolitan Hierarchy

What Tommy's gonna look like when Pelfrey gets him alone -->

I guess Billy Wagner's good-natured hazing of Da Edge was just the tip of the iceberg. I have to say though, if I was a 41-year-old who gets his teeth knocked out by a runaway cab...I might not be fucking around with a 6-7, 190 lb 23 year-old.

On to the Spring Training wrap-up...

• Billy Wagner feels that this has been one of his better sping trainings
• Willie is leaning towards Wright in the #2 hole
• Pedro is shooting for the All-Star Break
• Chris Woodward thinks the Braves are "ticked off" about not winning the division in 2006
• Adam Rubin runs down the team, position by position

Billy Wagner's Back Is Already Getting Tired

Filthy Sanchez is out for at least 3-4 months, most probably the entire season

Here's hoping Joe Smith turns out to be better than Royce Ring and Grant Roberts.

Say It Ain't Chan Ho (It Ain't)

Pelfrey has been officially named the fifth starter according to the NY Daily News' Adam Rubin.

Thankfully for us fans this means we don't have to worry about Chan Ho and Aaron turning into this season's Geremi and Lima Time.

The fifth starter won't be needed until April 15th, and management hasn't told Pelfrey whether or not he'll be assigned to the minors until then essentially allowing the team to carry a 7-man bullpen and a 6-man bench. At this point leaving Pelfrey in the Big Easy until Tax Day would make the most sense, enabling the bench to be a bit deeper and giving the aspiring record producer a shot at the big time.

Hopefully Da Edge will still be able to spin records (and swing a bat) after being plunked again yesterday.

• Tonight - Tom Glavine makes his final spring start against the Dodgers' favorite piece of trade bait, Brad Penny. Tune in to SNY for all the exciting commentary of Gary, Keith and Ron....If you're lucky they'll discuss Keith's exciting array of highlighter colors again.
  

"You Know, I Won 18 Games in 2000!"

<-- Possibly the worst Christmas present...ever.

I've never been happier that Chan Ho is so upset. David Lennon is reporting in Newsday that Mike Pelfrey has all but been named the fifth starter. Mr. Ho Park isn't too thrilled with the news.

"To be honest, I feel more comfortable as a starter," Park said. "That's who I am. I've been here 13 years. Yes, I have experience as a reliever and have had some success with it.

"But I came here looking for a job as a starter, that's for sure. If they ask me to be a reliever, honestly, I'm unhappy. I'm not happy. I have to figure out what is best for the team."

If you discount last season's 4.81 ERA in San Diego's HR graveyard, Mr. Ho Park has not posted a sub-5.00 ERA since 2001...But, yeah, he's allowed to complain after his stellar 14 IP, 9ER, 14 H, 7 BB, 6.57 ERA spring campaign.

But the good news is our favorite Korean mop-up man will have some veteran company in the Mets' class of the NL...eh frighteningly suspect bullpen....Oh, and Filthy Sanchez had a "precautionary" MRI on his surgically repaired, "what was that popping sound," right shoulder.
The 2007 Mets! Your Season (with a paper-thin bullpen and suspect rotation) Has Come!
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In other news...Pelfrey cruised through the first two innings before having a rough third. Overall he still looks better in that #5 spot than Chan Ho Sele.

The bright side? Jose Valentin is not dead. He smoked a two run double to the fence in left-center before collapsing of exhaustion at second base...Mets team doctors defused any worries by explaining that a player's first physical exertion of the spring may result in similar phenomena.

I'm Betting the Kid Isn't a Fan of The Policy in Iraq

ESPN.com is reporting that Doug Mientkiewicz's replacement has left the team to be with his wife in Puerto Rico for the birth of their first child...

In other news Don Zimmer's most fearsome sparring partner made 125 tosses from 75 feet today...apparently that's a good thing.

"'I'm on the same program but making a lot more progress than the previous week,' Martinez said.

Martinez said he throws four days during the week and spends about five hours a day working out at the Mets' minor-league facility in Port St. Lucie.

'It's agonizing some times,' Martinez said. 'So far I am sticking to the program. I feel real good, no pain. I'm not evening icing yet. But this is just throwing long. When you throw off the mound it's totally different.'"

Everyone's favorite Jewish RF is reportedly losing his "stronghold" on a starting spot according to Newsday's David Lennon.

Does it matter if there's an aspiring record producer with a bad attitude in RF or a over-the-hill, poorly defending, "I wonder if I should play on Yom Kippur or not" in RF? I don't think so. Milledge is destined to be trade bait anyway with the emergence of Gomez and Martinez in the minor league OF ranks.

Finally On-Time, Filthy Sanchez is Still Going To Be Late

Filthy Sanchez felt a pop in his shoulder in his first bullpen session since roaming the streets of Miami in search of Dominican food.

Thankfully, it's nothing more then some scar tissue that was tardy in breaking loose from his surgery. As your elementary school nurse would tell you, Mets doctors put some ice on it.

In other news Juan "Goggles" Padilla felt soreness in his surgically-repaired right elbow and won't be throwing for two weeks. The alpaca farmer's back is already tired.

Hopefully There Weren't Any Stray Animals in the Car

From ESPN.com:

"St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested Thursday on a drunken driving charge after police said they found him asleep inside his running sport utility vehicle at a stop light.

La Russa gave two breath samples and had a blood alcohol content of 0.093 percent, Jupiter police said in a statement. Florida's legal driving limit is 0.08 percent.

Undercover officers saw La Russa's SUV sitting partially in an intersection around midnight and not moving despite two green lights, police said. Officers knocked on the window and La Russa did not initially respond.

The SUV was in drive and running, with La Russa's foot on the brake, police said. When he woke up, the officers asked him to get out of the SUV. La Russa was cooperative during his arrest, police said."

I only wish he were managing under the influence last October...

[edit] I couldn't resist swiping this from CSTB: "If I had to work in close proximity to Braden Looper and Scott Spiezio, I’m pretty sure I’d be totally fucked up at 4am, too."

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Today: Aaron Sele for the Mets, Smoltzie for the Bravos 1:05 on MLB Gameday Audio

Here's hoping Sele gets smoked so there can be no questions about Pelfrey as #5

Cross Your Fingers, Stick Out Your Tongue, & Pray...

That management has some common sense and Pelfrey is the #5 starter come April. After another solid performance against the O's on Tuesday (5 IP 1 ER 0 BB 7 H) Pelfrey should have all but penciled his name in as Willie Randolph's fifth starter.

The most encouraging of all the numbers so far this spring for Pelfrey is his walk total. After being a bit wild in his stint in Flushing last season, Pelfrey has calmed down it seems, along with establishing his slider as a legitimate out pitch. With only 1 walk so far this spring, Pelfrey appears to be in command of the strike zone. As long as he stays around the plate, with his stuff, there shouldn't be any hesitation in naming the fifth starter.

Notes:

It looks like Filthy Sanchez is going to be late again...this time for the season - Mets.com

The Mets other Italian catcher has no qualms about New Orleans - Mets.com

R.I.P. Generation K Part II - ESPN.com

David Lennon agrees with me! - Newsday

The sportswriters son has apparently made the team - NY Daily News (Adam Rubin)

Bring Back Bannister

For some reason (conspiracy) Omar Minaya decided to trade one of the organization's more promising young pitchers for a reliever who couldn't make it in Kansas City...yes, Kansas City.

Ambiorix Burgos can throw a baseball as hard as anyone I've ever seen...Unfortunately most major league hitters can hit a Burgos pitch as far as I've ever seen.

As always, the mastermind, prophet, or whatever you like to call Rick Peterson, had a few choice words about Mr. Burgos' velocity.

"The issue is this: High-end velocity without location doesn't get anybody out in the big leagues, That's the bottom line. Until guys realize that's the priority, they won't succeed in the big leagues."

KC Star Columnist and Blogger Joe Posnanski's words about Burgos have been widely discussed, but the question of why Omar would trade a young pitcher who seemed to have the mentality to succeed in NY for a reliever who focuses on "carnival prizes" eludes my thinking to this day.

Leave it to the genius to explain Burgos' velocity and location problems...

"He's just got to understand there are no more stuffed animals to win in the big leagues," Peterson said.

"If you throw 97 and have no idea where it goes, they'll pay you a lot of money . They think that we can make you learn how to pitch. But when they wrote that check for velocity, you cashed out. You're not going to make another dollar on velocity. You'll make all your money on location."

Burgos' opinion...well here's hoping he's far from Queens in 3 or 4 years...

Burgos is confident, too. "There is no doubt in my mind that in three or four years, I will be a closer in the big leagues."

Ruben Sierra We Hardly Knew You...

After batting a robust .167 (4-24) this spring, Ruben Sierra asked for, and was granted his release.

It's going to be hard not watching the two oldest pinch hitters in the majors on the same bench. Hopefully Julio Franco will be able to push any player not really wanting to take that curtain call out onto the field by himself this season.