Hello again my fellow Mets fans and welcome on back! Well as you know today, February 18th 2010, the first official day of New York Mets spring training, with pitchers and catchers arriving in Port St. Lucie. Yes I am well aware that players have been working out due to them reporting early, but I don’t know. The date makes it official and stuff. This is a great feeling, I’m psyched up for the baseball season to begin, and ready to root on the Mets all season long in anticipation of a potential playoff appearance for the first time since ’06. Even though the predominant feeling right now in Metland is one of happiness, unfortunately not everything is peachy keen down in the home of the Grapefruit League.
The primary culprit of this aggravation stems from Kelvim Escobar. Pitchers and catchers only begun a couple of hours ago, and already the dude isn’t feeling oh so healthy. Reports stated he was feeling shoulder discomfort last night, and reports surfaced today saying that Escobar can’t even grip a baseball at the moment. However, another report came to light where Johan Santana said he recently played catch with Escobar, negating the claims that he isn’t able to grip a baseball. It’s fuzzy no doubt, but whatever is going on with Escobar down in Florida, I do not like it. This time of the year should be about optimism and hope. Now already, Carlos Beltran will begin 2010 on the DL, and the man signed to pitch the 8th innings for us is not 100%. This is not what us fans want or need, but we can’t say that this whole Escobar situation isn’t out of the clear blue sky.
In 2007, Escobar enjoyed a breakout year, going 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA. Since then, he’s pitched in one single solitary game over the past 2 seasons due to injuries galore. And now, the Mets go out and sign this guy hoping he’ll rekindle his ’07 magic. Yeesh. You think the club would learn after an injury-ravaged season like last year. A year that included the likes of awful setup man JJ Putz. Spring training may mean a new year and a clean slate, but this stupid signing makes me feel like I stepped in and out of the Hot Tub Time Machine a little too quickly and ended up back in 2009.
Also in Mets news, the team is currently looking to bring in Rod Barajas on a minor league agreement. Right now, the 4 catchers that stand to get the most looks – Santos, Blanco, Riggans, Thole – all don’t really project to me as starters, except Thole, who really should be getting some seasoning down in AAA. Comparing Barajas to Bengie Molina, he’ll hit for less of a BA, but his OBP and SLG will be about the same. And as far as OBP is concerned, that’s not a very good thing, he didn’t even crack .300 last year. Defense-wise though, the guy certainly has a clue. Year in and year out, he always throws out at least one third of all attempting base stealers. Bottom line, it’s a minor league contract. It’s low risk, why not give the guy a shot?
What would you fans like to add? Angered over Escobar’s immensely early setback, or is it still too soon to worry? And if you could snag Rod Barajas on a minor league deal, would you do it? Or would you pass and roll the dice with the backstops already in house? Comment away my friends, spring training is finally here!!!
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