In case you missed this on MetsBlog, here’s the best thing that has ever happened in an SNY.tv video. The way Byrdak emerges in the background at the beginning is outstanding. Cerrone didn’t see him and got nervous that the people were laughing at him.
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Context: Seven Mets recorded saves in 2011. Five did in 2010, four did in 2009, and six did (tragically) in 2008. Frank Francisco appears likely to close games for the Mets in 2012.
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OK, I’m coming at you live from the media room at Digital Domain Park in lovely Port St. Lucie, Fla.
This morning I’ll be out watching baseball players do some baseball stuff and hopefully banking some material for later posts, but there’ll be more here by the afternoon. Also, thanks for all the Spring Training suggestions. Many were useful, many overlapped with what I was already hoping and planning to do, and many were Josh Satin.
Context: Justin Turner hit .260 last year with a .334 on-base percentage in 487 plate appearances. This year, he appears destined for a reserve role. Though the samples are small, the righty-hitting Turner actually hit right-handers better than he did lefties in 2011. Terry Collins, we have seen, tends to favor platoon matchups, but the Mets do not seem likely to have more than one left-handed hitter on their bench.
[poll id=”70″]
Baseball!
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Darwin Barney’s all like, “That’s not a catch, this is a catch.”
Maybe it was the fifth straight year of mashing Triple-A pitching, maybe it was the home run off Cole Hamels. Via SNY.tv video kingpin Jeff Goldman:
As I may have mentioned, I’m heading to Port St. Lucie tomorrow afternoon and I’ll be up and running from Mets camp on Wednesday. Which is awesome. BASEBALL!
OK. Things will slow down here between now and then as I deal with all the stuff I need to deal with before I leave, though there’ll still be a few posts so please do check back constantly and refresh and refresh and refresh and refresh.
I’ve got a few ideas lined up and some video responsibilities, but figuring that no one knows better than you what you want to read, here’s the ol’ Spring Training suggestion box again. Have at it:
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Context: Ike Davis has 26 home runs in 750 Major League plate appearances. He got off to a hot start in 2011 and was on pace to hit over 30 home runs for the season when he hurt his ankle in May and finished the year on the DL. Davis seems to be healthy now. He will be 25 by Opening Day, and, of course, the dimensions at Citi Field will be altered in 2012.
[poll id=”69″]
You guys!
Johan Santana is doing stuff! Look at him. He’s pitching off a mound. He’s smiling. Johan Santana is pitching and smiling.
Look at that beard. You can mention Kelvim Escobar and Mark Prior and Chien-Ming Wang to me, but who among them has the type of singular focus it takes to maintain such elegantly groomed facial hair? Look at it! Its edges are so sharp you can shave your own face on it.
And which recipient of shoulder surgery has stood on a Major League mound gripping a baseball, staring down his manager, shouting, “I’m a man! I’m a man!”?
Santana.
Can we just ignore all the evidence to the contrary and dream on Johan Santana’s full recovery right now? Please?
Because how awesome would…
Context: Dillon Gee struck out only 1.61 batters for every one he walked in 2011. But across 437 2/3 Minor League innings, Gee posted a strong 4.05 K:BB ratio. The National League average in 2011 was 2.33. Gee will turn 26 in late April.
[poll id=”68″]
Tedquarters 