He's Back

Jose Reyes is back. The fire is back. The swagger is back.

Reyes caught lightning in a jar over the past week. He has been stealing bases, scoring runs, and just looking like he is having fun again. Just like he should be. This is the Jose Reyes that is fun to watch. We have all heard the phrase "As Reyes goes, the Mets go". Statistically, this is true. The Mets are 16-4 when Jose scores this season. Overall, the Mets are 98-27 all time when Jose scores at least two runs.

In this last week, Jose is 13-27 with a homer, a triple, two doubles, two steals, five RBI, and only one strikeout.

In this time, the Mets are 4-2. Coincidence? I think not.

Opening Day Lineup: Yikes.

1. Alex Cora, SS
2. Luis Castillo, 2B
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Mike Jacobs, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Gary Matthews, Jr., CF
7. Jeff Francouer, RF
8. Rod Barajas, C
9. Johan Santana, P

Ruh Roh!

Mets 25-Man Roster: My Take

The Mets made some cuts yesterday, but have not announced the 25-Man Roster. But, we can get a pretty good idea.

Infield

• David Wright
• Mike Jacobs
• Luis Castillo
• Ruben Tejada
• Alex Cora
• Fernando Tatis

Outfield

• Jason Bay
• Angel Pagan
• Gary Matthews, Jr.
• Jeff Francouer

Catchers

• Rod Barajas
• Henry Blanco

Infield/Outfield

• Frank Catalanatto

Starters

• Johan Santana
• Mike Pelfrey
• Jon Niese
• Oliver Perez
• John Maine

Bullpen

• Francisco Rodriguez
• Pedro Feliciano
• Hisanori Takahashi
• Ryota Igarashi
• Jenrry Mejia
• Fernando Nieve
• Sean Green

Overall, I don't hate this roster. I definitely don't love it, but I definitely don't hate it. The thing that peeves me is Mejia.

Jenrry Mejia, as most of you know, is the Mets top pitching prospect. Also, most of you know that Jenrry Mejia is a starter and has ace potential. Which leads me to this: WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU PUT A 20-YEAR OLD FUTURE ACE IN THE BULLPEN? But I digress. If you have a young stud pitcher, whose future is as a starter, why place him in the 'pen? Why not send him to Triple-A Buffalo to let him work on his stuff, then call him up to The Show to pitch in the freaking rotation. The Mets were cautious with first baseman-of-the-future Ike Davis, why not be cautious with Mejia? What happens if Mejia struggles in the Majors as a reliever, then gets his confidence rattled by sending him down to Buffalo? Now, I will say this: Mejia was downright nasty in spring training. But moving him to the 'pen will only help short-term.

The New York Mets: Where Mishandling Young Studs Happens.

Cuts Made

The Mets have cut the following players and they will not make the 25-man roster.

• OF/1B Chris Carter
• SS Russ Adams
• P Kiko Calero
• P Nelson Figueroa
• P Bobby Parnell
• P Elmer Dessens

This makes me angry. This means that Jenrry Mejia will make the team. Erg. This means that Chris Carter will not make the team. Erg. This means that Sean Green will make the team over Nelson Figueroa. Erg ergitty erg erg erg.

ESPN FLB - Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez expected to return Sunday; he left team Thursday for family reasons

Rodriguez leaving team

Closer Francisco Rodriguez has left the Mets to attend to some personal reasons. He is expected back by Monday's opener against Florida.

I have nothing further on this subject. Move on.

Gray: Reyes Being Babied?

Head on over to New York Fan In South Jersey to read a great article written by my good friend, Frank Gray about Jose Reyes, babying, and the Mets infrastructure.

Murphy, Reyes To Begin On DL

Let the jokes begin about every Mets fan and their moms, too. Two projected Opening Day starters, shortstop Jose Reyes and first baseman Daniel Murphy, are going to start the twenty-ten season on a place much too familiar too the Mets last year, the disabled list.

Murphy has a sprained MCL as David Lennon tweeted earlier today. He is expected to miss 2-6 weeks.

Reyes, who had returned to baseball activities a week or two ago, had played in some minor league games this week. His thyroid levels had "returned to normal levels", and he was set to possibly play in Opening Day, even after initially being ruled out for 2-8 weeks.

Santos, Martinez sent to AAA

Catcher Omir Santos and the Mets' top prospect, outfielder Fernando Martinez, have been sent to AAA Buffalo, as expected.

Stop reading this post.

Waivers: Misch, Acosta

Adam Rubin of the Dail...er...ESPNewYork reported in a magically disappearing Tweet (TheRopolitans.com) that the Mets have claimed reliever Manny Acosta off waivers from the Braves. The Braves assigned Acosta to minor league camp, and the Mets are expected to do the same. He will have a spot on the 40-man roster and will start the year in Buffalo with Omir Santos and Fernando Martinez.

In related news, reliever Pat Misch has been set on waivers by the Mets. If no one claims Misch, he will be outrighted to Buffalo, with our pals Martinez, Santos, and Acosta.

Questionable move?

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com that the Mets would like to move Jon Niese into the three spot in the rotation, with Oliver Perez and John Maine to follow.

Jon Niese was my pick, along with many other fans and bloggers, to be the Mets number five starter this season. But then spring training started. And with camp came Oliver Perez's struggles: an ERA of over 8. And with Oliver Perez's struggles, came Jon Niese's better struggles, if that's in any way possible, and now the Mets want to push, no love-shove, Niese into Perez's 3-spot. But, with that said, the rest of the rotation has also been less than stellar this spring, which is why this move surprises me. Pelfrey, Niese, Perez, Santana, and Maine all have ERA's over 5. Santana should not count because, well, he is Johan Santana. But, by moving Perez down and Niese up, what does it accomplish?

Reyes to return to PSL, thyroid conditions back to normal.

Sparkplug Jose Reyes has been cleared to return to Mets' camp in Port St. Lucie. He had returned to New York for tests on his thyroid, and the verdict was that Reyes would miss the first 2-8 weeks of the season. Now we can only hang onto the hope that springs eternal that Jose will be available for Opening Day in Miami.

(And yes...that is a Casey At the Bat reference. Cheers to fifth grade teacher Bob Bartels for making my class memorizing it. Baseball in school? YES!)

Pelfrey gets rocked in loss to Nationals

Mike Pelfrey's spring struggles have continued. Pelfrey gave up two home runs to Nationals Josh Willingham and Ryan Zimmerman, boosting his spring training ERA to 7.36. Henry Blanco, Angel Pagan and ironically, Mike Pelfrey, drove in runs for the Metropolitans. Chris Carter raked 3 hits. Jenrry Mejia pitched 1 1/3 innings and walked one.