Good start for Big Least in the NCAAs

One favorite up. One favorite down.

Notre Dame makes it 0-1 for the BEST CONFERENCE THAT HAS EVER PLAYED BASKETBALL.

Good start for the Big Least in the NIT,

The 6 seed from the ACC (NC St.) eliminates the 3 seed (USF) from the Big East.

And might U Conn survives its first round game, as the 3 point shot that would have defeated them rims out. And who nearly felled the giants from Storrs? Wait for it....

Northeastern.

Eagerly awaiting the giant Big Least flameout that is coming in the NCAAs. 8 teams in the tourney, and not a one will make the Final Four.

Quoteable

The Post on Ollie's spring debut:

The results were ugly -- as in five earned runs allowed on seven hits over three innings -- but Perez and the Mets called the left-hander's spring debut a success.

Six months removed from surgery to remove scar tissue from his right knee, Perez was back in game action for the first time, and the cynic would say already in midseason form.

Yes, yes I would.

2010

Chipper Jones gives his rundown on the Mets and what they need to do to be successful this season.

Manuel on J. Bay

"He doesn't seem as large -- I thought he would be a larger guy," Manuel said.

Yet another useless comment from Manuel. With this one statement Manuel has somehow managed to simultaneously insult his new star player, and expose his own lack of knowledge about players around the league.

Well played Jerry, well played.

Jose Jose Jose

Interesting idea Jerry.

Only two years too late.

Attitudes

Kernan says Mets attitudes appear much improved this year. If so, it would be a very positive first step. We'll see if it translates into anything.

One up, one down

Well, as I mentioned in the comments section below, I've got to drop K-rod from my list since he was playing ball with Chavez. However, I've found a replacement:

Mike Jacobs signed a minor league contract with the Mets on Wednesday, SI.com has confirmed. The deal pays $900,000 base if he's in the majors plus $1.15 million in incentives for possible total of $2.05 million.

His slipping BA is atrocious, to be sure, but he still has power and if he improves his average he could definitely make an impact. I liked what I saw from him his first year here, and the deal is cheap.

Great Success!

"There's going to be a lot of competition in camp. That's something we've been trying to do."

-Omar Minaya

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/real_competition_SG6FJyNrAVbeojeiEtfe9K#ixzz0fT5P4PyX

Keeping up with the Jonses

First, here.

Then, here.

Just to throw DC a curve

Here are 8 things I like about the Mets:

1. Santana
2. Wright
3. K-rod
4. Reyes*
5. Murphy
6. Escobar deal
7. Francoeur
8. Feliciano

*I'm disappointed that he hasn't progressed/matured as much as I would have expected by this point, particularly w.r.t. OBP, but there's no getting around the fact that he is an explosive, exciting player.

Pelfrey on the Rotation

According to the Post: If the season started today, the rotation would likely be Santana, Pelfrey, John Maine, Oliver Perez and Fernando Nieve.

“Guys got hurt. I had a bad year, but guys are healthy now and I’m going to bounce back and have a good year. It’s amazing to me how big of a question there is about the rotation [by fans]. I hear about it and I just laugh.”

It's amazing that the fans have questions? Really? After Santana you've got Pelf, whose best season was 3.72 ERA with 110 Ks and a 13-11 record. All other seasons have been ERA > 5. Then you've got Maine, who never seems to be able to physically make it through a full season, and loses focus starting in the 4th inning of every game. As for Perez I can't even comment. Last you've got Niese, an interesting prospect but completely unproven.

Why would the fans have confidence in this rotation?

Beltran

Shocker, Beltran is pissed at the Mets and will likely put himself first, and the team a distant second. So for all the excitement generated about how good Reyes is looking, this should dampen that enthusiasm about the Mets chances this year.

When might Carlos Beltran get on a major league field? Beltran is furious with the Mets and how they have publicly handled his surgery. He wonders if he should have been playing last year (in other words, was he properly diagnosed?). More important, he pushed to initially play in pain and then rush back in a lost season.

The Mets probably should not expect Beltran to prioritize the team this time around. He turns 33 in April. His contract walk year is 2011. So I expect that Beltran will take care of No. 1 and make sure he does not do anything to hurt himself for a 2011 salary-drive season.

Bio

First official bio of Say Hey Kid will be published in February, looks to be very interesting. Will have to pick it up, sounds like a great read.

Minaya

Ken Rosenthal lays into the whole Mets organization, including Minaya, but also ownership. Echoes many of our complaints here.

J-E-T-S

Well, unfortunately it had to come to an end, but I'm very pleased with what I saw from the Jets this season under Ryan. As young as this team is, they have a lot of good years ahead of them, and I look forward to supplanting the Patsies. Sanchez and Greene have huge upsides and great rookie seasons to start from.

Looking to next year, the only two areas that I think could use help are the secondary and a true pass-rushing lineman. While Revis is lights out, his value is slightly diminished by the fact that the rest of the secondary is questionable. I grew weary of watching the rest of the guys get burned any time we played against a good QB. Either a better CB or safety is in order.

Fredo, what do you think of trying to trade Kris Jenkins? I don't think Pouha is so much of a step down that it's worth keeping Jenkins if we can get something good in return (player or draft picks). Jenkins can't have more than one good season left in him anyway.

Bay's knees shot?

According to Gammons, the Sox only wanted to offer Bay 2 years because of concerns about the health of both of his knees. Gammons suggested the Sox doctors are the best in any sport. One thing I don't need Gammons to tell me is where I'd rank the Mets doctors.

The Ball State softball continued to play this weekend,

and they were hoping to continue off of their straight three-out-of-four losses.

Are you effing with me?

This is the worst joke (if only) I've ever seen. Kid obviously had a huge heart and dies playing basketball? I've never heard of such a thing.

Beltran has surgery; will miss start of season.

I hate to blow up your worldview, SHK, but here's the news. Read it and weep:

The team said Beltran is expected to resume baseball activities in 12 weeks, a timetable that likely would keep him out for most of April -- maybe longer.

New York's first official workout for pitchers and catchers is a little more than five weeks away, on Feb. 20. The Mets open the season April 5 against Florida.

Apparently there is some controversy about whether Beltran should have had the surgery at all:

A person with knowledge of the situation said Beltran did not obtain advance written consent from the club to have the surgery, which was performed by his personal physician, Dr. Richard Steadman, in Colorado. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Mets didn't discuss the matter publicly.

Beltran's agent, Scott Boras, said the guarantee language in the slugger's contract requires advance written permission only for elective operations.

"This was necessary surgery, necessary surgery to work," Boras told The Associated Press.

The Mets might claim that the operation was elective.

Hey Fredo

Here's your Leon Washington update:

Injured Jets running back Leon Washington says his broken right leg is healing ahead of schedule and he expects to be on the field for next season's opening game.

A Pro Bowl selection as a kick returner last season, Washington said Tuesday that doctors have told him he is two months ahead of a normal recovery. He expects to be off crutches next week.

Bad News for Quaker Fans...

if you put down a few greenbacks on Penn @ Duke, and +58 on the spread...
you lost.

This just in

Bay apparently to sign 4 year, $66 M deal with Mets, pending physical.

Also just in: Omar and Manuel still chew.

Let's get productive!

OK, it's been the better part of a month since SHK graced us with the eternal optimism of his last post.

Let's kick this into gear here on the precipice of Christmas and the looming silhouette of the new year on the horizon.

What Christmas presents (and/or miracles) do we want to see from Omar under the tree?

My two cents (which was once worth $0.37, by the way):

Offer Ben Sheets a big contract that is incentive-laden. I've got no problem throwing him $12M but he's gotta earn it--let's say full value vests with 200 IP, 30 starts...if he can do that you can reasonably expect 17-18 wins and an ERA in the low 3's. We could also try the same with Eric Bedard but at much lower costs--after all, the guy is fresh off surgery and hasn't done any throwing yet (unlike Sheets, who has been rehabbing for the last 6-8 months).

Try to trade for Gil Meche. Rumor has it that this is in the works but I can't find anything confirming talks, much less progress. Carlos Zambrano is another option but the Cubs seem less likely to deal (especially now that they're unburdened by Bradley's contract--although they're now saddled with Carlos Silva's fat deal).

Give Matt Holliday a big offer. If Bay wants to sit on his hands and play the waiting game, screw him. Looks like the Cards are the only solid suitor for Holliday right now. If Omar can lure him, fine. If he drives up Holliday's price for the Cards, hooray. If it lights a fire under Bay's ass (and his agent's as well, who may have priced his prize client out of the best offer he was going to get), terrific. Seems like a no-lose to me.

And pull the same move on Molina--sucka thinks he's still worth 3 yrs at $6-7M a pop? Riiiight. Guy's OBP is lower than his weight and he is clearly the inferior of the 3 brothers behind the plate at this point. Give Rod Barajas a call (let's avoid the Torreabla drama again, please) and force someone's hand. This waiting crap is getting old. BE PROACTIVE, B-E PROACTIVE!!!

And the 1B problem can go down one of 2 ways--give Delgado a low-base, high-incentive deal to come back for one more year or go get LaRoche.

Finally, let's do anything with Luis Castillo other than ink him in as our starting 2B. Whatever must be done, go for it. Then get Orlando Hudson before he signs with the Nationals, too. BTW, where the hell are the Nats suddenly coming up with all this coin?

And in the Christmas miracle department, let's trade whatever we need to do get Carl Crawford. This solves a lot of the previously stated issues but I don't think we have anything to really tempt the Rays. Oh, well--the guy IS a FA next season...

With my plan, we could be looking at:

SS Reyes
2B Hudson
3B Wright
CF Beltran
LF Bay/Holliday
1B Delgado/LaRoche
RF Francoeur
C Barajas/Thole/Santos/Coste/Blanco/whatever

Santana
Meche
Sheets
Pelfrey
Maine (who might be needed to get Meche so then Perez--ouch)

Breaking News Update from Hot Stove Meetings

The Mets still chew.

Just to keep us current

Most recent Mets rumors at MLB Trade Rumors.com:

1) Mets view Marquis as backup plan at best.

2) Per the LA Times, Mets have inquired about LF/3B/1B option Mark DeRosa with all of his "34 year old replacement player" credentials.

3) Mets were in preliminary talks about a 3 way deal to get Kevin Millwood, but everything's on hold at least till the winter meetings in two weeks, or if the Rangers start taking stupid pills.

4) Mets want Bengie Molina to catch.

5) In the big picture, this article from a week ago hits most of the key points. Mets are going after Lackey. Mets are looking for speed and defense rather than power in left, with Chone Figgins the target of choice rather than Bay or Holliday. With so little power in the lineup, the Mets better be seriously investing in pitching, which apparently, they are planning to.

6) And finally, with the bang-my-head-against-the-wall quote of the day comes this one: SI's Jon Heyman apparently tweeted that "Mets GM Omar Minaya likes Luis Castillo more than any of the 29 other teams do."

Can't. Even. Comment.

I'm not going to find the link

but in reading yesterday's Newsday, I saw that Omar will be talking to Delgado this week down in PR.

TIFWIW.

Welcome BACK

Introducing your new Brooklyn Cyclones head coach, Wally Backman.

Quote of the Day

Comes to us courtesy of Mike Westhoff, the brilliant Jets special teams coach:

The Jets’ special teams unit, solid all year, allowed Ted Ginn Jr. to return two kickoffs for touchdowns — one for 100 yards and another for 101. Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said it was “the absolute worst” performance by any of his units in his 27 NFL seasons.

“It’s just a bitter taste,” Westhoff said. “It’ll go away ... when they’re lowering me in the grave.”

Congrats to the Fish

They picked up the gift "W" and managed to carry it back to their barrio in their baby blue unis, despite getting outplayed most of the game. It's pretty hard NOT to win a game when the opponent gives you 3 touchdowns in a five minute span on two kick returns and a gift wrapped fumble return for 6.

Jetties offense was obviously much more productive than the Fins O in the second half (even in the first), and ditto with the Jets D. Total yards for the game: Jets 378, Fish 104. So much for the wildcat.

Refs were obviously paying attention to D.C.'s plea and returned the favor for the game in Miami, with several huge calls--most especially the phantom illegal motion call that negated the Jets 2 point conversion. Obviously, if it was a 3 point game, the Jets would have kicked a 35 yard FG to tie it and send it to OT instead of going on 4th and 10 in the final drive. Also, the mysterious down by contact on the fumble by the Fins receiver didn't help much either; especially since the Fish went on to score their only offensive TD on the same drive that they actually turned it over.

Of course, then you have the Jets complicity in the game, which is what made it a total gift to the Fins. You can start and end with the vanishing act pulled by the special teams unit, when they pulled a matador D move, leading to 100 yd+ kick return TD's for Ginn on two consecutive kick offs in the 3rd quarter. That that has only been done once in NFL history tells you how absurdly poor the kick coverage was, and how lucky the Fins were to come away with victory.

There were also myriad mental errors for Jets players. Getting called for a false start the first time they wanted to run a two-point conversion, forcing them to settle for a kick. Keller pulling up on an out pattern when he would have had an easy catch if he had run his route, and that catch would have extended a crucial second half drive. Edwards running the wrong route on a 3rd and goal in the first half, forcing the Jets to settle for a FG. Shonn Greene handing the ball to Jason Taylor for 6 the other way.

And of course, some blame has to go to the coaches. After sticking to the game plan and running successfully most of the day, they lose their nerve down the stretch, when the Jets were in 4 down territory and could have sealed the game with 4 3 yard runs. It was 1st and 10 from the Fins 16 or thereabouts, the Jets have 2 timeouts, the Fins have note, and the the Jets have 1:50 or so to work with. It seems obvious that you could run 8 straight running plays at that point and still control the clock, leaving the Fins no time to comeback should the Jets take the lead. The Jets had run the ball effectively most of the day. Why they choose that moment in the game to run 4 straight passing plays is a mystery to me. Unless it was meant to be some psyche rescue for Sanchez, letting him lead the comeback win. If that was the plan, it obviously backfired horribly.