Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tests confirm Reyes has overactive thyroid
Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid and is expected to remain in New York while the results of additional blood tests are used to determine his treatment.

Doctors cleared Reyes to play Friday after he took a blood test to follow one conducted during his physical. But team doctors in New York wanted to take a closer look at the speedster and pulled him out of pregame stretching.

Reyes said Friday he felt fine and has not experienced any dizziness, fatigue or any other symptoms of a thyroid problem.

The Mets said Tuesday that tests confirmed he had an overactive thyroid. The additional test results aren’t expected back before Thursday.

Reyes missed most of last season with an injured right leg.

---

Astros hit Santana hard
Johan Santana struggled in his first game since August, allowing four runs on six hits in 1 2-3 innings, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets 8-4 on Tuesday.

Kaz Matsui hit a solo homer for the first of four straight hits in the first inning off Santana, who struck out one and walked one.

The left-hander made it through the short outing with no setbacks as he continues to build strength following Sept. 1 surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. Santana had reached his pitch count when he was pulled from the game.

“They made me work today,” said Santana, who threw 33 of 47 pitches for strikes. “They were swinging right away, but I feel good because I was able to throw all my pitches. I was a little off with my mechanics and release of the ball, but that’s part of spring training. That’s what we are here for, trying to make adjustments and throw my pitches. The good thing is I felt good. I didn’t feel any problems with my arm.”

The two-time Cy Young Award winner said he held back some in his first outing but was glad to be back in a live game.

---

Monday, March 8, 2010
K-Rod feeling better, returns to camp
All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez returned to New York Mets camp on Monday after being hampered by conjunctivitis for more than two weeks.

Rodriguez had been told to stay away from the team until the pink eye cleared, but the contagious infection took longer than expected to improve. He was sick when he reported to New York’s spring facility, but it went undiagnosed until just before full-squad workouts began Feb. 25.

The right-hander said he went to the doctor on Friday and was cleared to return Monday, although he still is infected. He continues to take eye drops and isn’t allowed to wear contacts yet.

“It feels much better,” Rodriguez said. “It’s still a little uncomfortable, but it’s good to be around. I was cleared to be around the guys, so it’s fine.”

While away from the team, Rodriguez was limited to playing catch with his brother, Edward, in the driveway of the closer’s home. But Rodriguez is not worried about his progress. He said he probably only needs one bullpen session before pitching in a game, and is looking forward to getting back into a regular routine.

Rodriguez last stepped on a mound about a week ago when he emerged from hiding for a light bullpen session.

“It’s not the same thing playing catch as doing bullpens, being on the field and doing field drills,” Rodriguez said. “It’s completely different, but the good thing is I played winter ball and I am good.”

Rodriguez first had conjunctivitis in his left eye but it quickly spread to the right eye. He said his entire family back in Venezuela has conjunctivitis as well, and now his brother has it in both eyes.

Rodriguez plans to wear prescription sunglasses for a few weeks until his eyes feel completely healthy.

“The first couple days the infection was really strong, and I kind of lost the vision,” Rodriguez said. “It made it a little blurry, but right now I don’t have that, so it’s good.”

Rodriguez had 35 saves last year in his first season with New York, finishing with a 3-6 record and a career-worst 3.71 ERA.

---

With projected setup man Kelvim Escobar likely to open the season on the disabled list, the Mets signed right-handed reliever Kiko Calero to a minor league deal on March 4. Calero will compete with right-handers Ryota Igarashi and Bobby Parnell to serve as the primary setup man for closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Escobar is only being permitted to toss a baseball on flat ground, and manager Jerry Manuel said he does not expect the former Angel to be ready for opening day. Escobar, who signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal during the offseason, arrived in camp with shoulder weakness.

Despite a solid 2009 season with the Marlins, Calero remained unsigned as camps opened in Florida and Arizona. He went 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA in 67 appearances spanning 60 innings with the Marlins last season.

Calero, 35, had a short-term stint on the disabled list with Florida in 2009, but he said suggestions that he had any lingering shoulder woes are unfounded.

"It was frustrating because last year was my best year," Calero said about going unsigned so long. "I had to wait until two weeks after spring training started. It was hard, but I'm here."

The Mets remain interested in adding another left-hander to the bullpen. Two possibilities are free agents Joe Beimel and Ron Mahay.

---

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Bad Ollie hit hard in spring debut
Oliver Perez threw strikes, and that was enough for the New York Mets for now.

Perez was hit hard in his first spring start, but Omir Santos’inside-the-park grand slam helped the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 6-5 on Sunday.

The Mets are looking for a big year from Perez, who finished last season on the disabled list after undergoing right knee surgery September 1. He struggled with his motion all year because of his knee problems, finishing with a 3-4 record and a 6.82 ERA in 14 starts.

Perez allowed five runs and seven hits in three innings against Washington. The notoriously wild left-hander issued just one walk and struck out two.

Oliver Perez made 12 million dollars last season. He pitched only 66 inning in 2009...so Oliver was paid $181,818.00 for an inning for his work. Johan Santana pitchced 166 innings and was paid $113,711.68 per inning. His 2009 salary was $18,876,139 and season ended early in August to undergo season ending arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow. Johan's ERA was 3.13, Ollie's was 6.82 in 2009.

Left-hander Hisanori Takahashi, who agreed to a minor league deal with New York last month, followed Perez with three scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, struck out six and walked none.

---

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Pelfrey shows off new splitter, Mets top Nats 14-6
Mike Pelfrey sawed off a couple of bats with a new pitch, didn’t get down on himself and recovered from a shaky start.

Pelfrey unveiled an effective split-finger fastball in his first spring start, Fernando Martinez had four hits and homered twice, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 14-6 on Saturday.

“My thought process coming into the game was I was going to have some adrenaline. I wanted to kind of keep that under control, kind of back off, and I think I did a good job of doing that,” said Pelfrey, who is expected to be the Mets’ No. 2 starter. “It was positive in that aspect.”

Pelfrey allowed four runs—three earned—on seven hits in the first two innings he worked, finishing with a 1-2-3 third. The right-hander took a Cristian Guzman liner off the outside of his right knee in the second, sustaining a minor bruise that only required a postgame icepack.

---

Friday, March 5, 2010
Reyes to return to New York for tests
New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes plans to undergo tests in New York after doctors in Florida discovered a thyroid imbalance, the team said Friday.

up to 48 hours for doctors to receive the results. Reyes is not expected to take part in any physical activity while he is gone. "We're going to be conservative," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said.

The thyroid is a gland in the neck that produces hormones that help control metabolism.

Doctors cleared Reyes to play Friday after he took a follow-up blood test to one conducted during his physical. However, Minaya said team doctors in New York wanted to take a closer look at the speedy infielder and pulled him out of pregame stretching.

"I know he wants to play bad, but he's going to play enough," manager Jerry Manuel said after the Mets' 4-3 loss to the Florida Marlins. "There's no doubt in my mind that he's going to play. I know he's anxious to get out there."

Reyes appeared in only 36 games last season because of a hamstring injury, which Reyes said has healed. The Mets have discussed moving him from the leadoff spot to third in the lineup while outfielder Carlos Beltran recovers from offseason knee surgery.

Reyes said he felt fine and has not experienced any dizziness, fatigue or any other symptoms of a thyroid problem. He said he was anxious to find out what is happening.

"We're not talking about my leg, nothing like that, we're talking about my health," he said, "so I have to be concerned about it." Reyes said this is the first time an imbalance was found in a blood test, and maintained that he does not feel "haunted" by injuries after being summoned to New York.

"I don't want to say unlucky because leg-wise everything feels good," he said. "But this is different. We're not talking about an injury on the field."

---

Santana faces hitters for 1st time since surgery
New York Mets ace Johan Santana completed his last big test before pitching in a game, throwing two simulated innings Thursday.

Facing hitters for the first time since having surgery on his left elbow late last season, Santana threw 40 pitches.

Santana is scheduled to make his first start of the exhibition season on Tuesday at home against Houston.

“It felt really good because I had all the mechanics and everything working, so to have guys actually swinging a bat in a situation where I was throwing all my pitches like in a game, it was good,” Santana said. “I don’t feel anything in my arm, so that’s a good sign.”

The two-time Cy Young winner walked a batter in the first simulated inning Thursday, but especially was pleased to see Josh Thole, who is known as a good contact hitter, swing and miss at a couple of his sliders. Thole and fellow catcher Rod Barajas were the two batters Santana faced.

“They didn’t know what was coming, so it was good to see that action in my slider going down,” Santana said. As for his changeup, “I threw one to Barajas where he swung and missed, and that’s the thing they want to see.”

Santana said the surgery helped him find a better release point for his pitches, which will make him more effective on the mound.

“Now I am able to extend my arm and release the ball in front of me and be able to throw my slider,” Santana said. “It’s a big difference from last year. I am able to now throw my pitches and let everything go. Last year I wasn’t able to do that. It will help all my pitches because now I am able to hide the ball better and extend to throw the ball better.”

Santana was 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA in 25 starts last year, including 6-7 with a 4.02 from June 1 on as the bone chips in his left elbow started to bother him more. He threw from a mound for the first time during Mets’ minicamp in late January and has shown steady progress since reporting to spring training.

---

Bay quiet, Wright homers as Mets top Cards 17-11
Jason Bay’s debut was low key, but David Wright homered in his first at-bat and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 17-11 on Thursday.

Bay, a former Red Sox left fielder, went 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout in his first game of the spring and first live action with the Mets since signing a four-year, $66 million contract in December.

“It’s about getting ready for the season and for me, I like to see a lot of pitches, get a feel of being in the batter’s box and seeing pitches,” Bay said. “Everybody wants results, but good or bad in spring training I don’t think it really has much carry-over.” The Mets brought in Bay to add power to the lineup after he hit 36 homers last year, but instead it was three of his teammates hitting the long shots Thursday.

Center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. sparked a three-run fifth inning with a leadoff home run, and minor league first baseman Ike Davis, a first-round draft pick in 2008, hit a grand slam as part of a six-run eighth inning for the Mets.

Wright’s long ball sparked some confidence as he tries to bounce back from a year in which he managed just 10 homers, but he’s not getting too excited yet. He went 1 for 2 with two RBI and two runs scored.

---

Thursday, March 4, 2010
What was the worst free agent signing by the Mets?
The New York Mets are famous for making some of the worst trades in baseball history. They are famous for signing overpriced players who don't work out. The Mets traded superstar pitcher Tom Seaver after he criticized management for not pursuing players like Gary Matthews in the early days of free agency in the 1970's.

It wasn't until the '90's that the Mets did attempt to land some high priced free agents. The out come of these free agent signings were very similar to some of their famous trades.

Here is a list of some of the players the Mets have signed like Matsui.
Some Really Bad Free Agent Signings >>

---

Reyes cleared after follow-up lab work
Mets shortstop Jose Reyes was scratched from New York’s lineup Thursday for follow-up lab work related to his team physical, but a team spokesperson said he has been cleared to play.

Reyes said Thursday morning after a second round of blood work that he feels fine, and the testing was not related to the torn hamstring that sidelined him most of last season. He went to the doctor Thursday afternoon, and the team spokesperson said “everything came back OK.” Reyes then returned to camp for light batting practice.

“They tell me what I have to do is more important than the game today, so I have to make sure I am ready to go when I step on the field,” Reyes said before the doctor’s appointment. “It’s nothing with my leg.”

Reyes did not provide any specific reasons for the tests except to say that it was part of a routine physical.

“They do the tests because they want to make sure everything is fine,” he said.

Reyes was removed from Tuesday’s lineup along with several other regular starters because of wet field conditions, and he stayed behind Wednesday when a squad of mainly non-roster invitees traveled to Orlando to play the Braves.

---

Kelvim Escobar won't give up on opener, the veteran right-hander still has April 5 at Citi Field within his sights.

The Mets three number three pitchers have their work cut out for them, as well as Met fans.

Jerry Manuel sees lefty Pat Misch as insurance for the rotation and as a possible long reliever.

Bob Melvin, the winningest manager in Arizona Diamondbacks history, is starting his duties as a scout for the Mets.

Former New York Mets closer Bill Wagner happy in Atlanta and Brave new world.

---

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Straw smoking crack again?
Darryl Strawberry may be smoking crack again. He is comparing 20-year-old prospect Jenrry Mejia to Mariano Rivera. Mejia posted a 12.56 ERA in six starts in the Arizona Fall League, giving up 25 hits and 13 walks in 14 innings.

Tim Hudson allowed only two hits over two shutout innings, facing the minimum six batters in a 9-5 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday, and said he can’t wait to take the mound again.

The Mets will host the Cardinals in Port St. Lucie Thursday. R.A. Dickey, Tobi Stoner, Clint Everts, Sean Green, Jack Egbert, and Jenrry Mejia will pitch for the Mets.

---

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Mets beat Braves in first spring game
The New York Mets opened spring training with a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. New York, which was riddled by injuries last year, scratched Jose Reyes and all of their regulars from the lineup when morning showers drenched the field. Bobby Parnell was nicked for a run in two innings, Pedro Feliciano struck out two in a perfect eighth and Ryota Igarashi finished for the save.

Francisco Rodriguez visited a doctor Monday and is expected to stay away from the team for a few more days because he’s still contagious from pink eye.

---

Beltran confirms meeting with feds
Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran talked to federal investigators last week about a Canadian doctor accused of selling an unapproved drug and said he recommended the physician to teammate Jose Reyes.

Beltran went to Toronto last summer seeking Dr. Anthony Galea’s opinion on his bruised right knee, the All-Star said Tuesday. He worked with Galea for a month and felt better following a rehab program, but his knee regressed when he went home to Puerto Rico.

Galea is facing four charges in Canada related to the drug known as Actovegin, which is extracted from calf’s blood and used for healing. His assistant also has been charged in the U.S. for having HGH and another drug while crossing the border in September.

The New York Times reported on its Web site Tuesday that authorities wanted to speak with Beltran and former Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado because another athlete said he was referred to Galea by the stars.

Beltran confirmed he recommended Galea to Reyes.

---

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Reyes, Niese look healthy in Mets intrasquad game
Jose Reyes was admittedly nervous before the New York Mets’ intrasquad game on Monday. He also said it felt a little weird when he stepped into the batter’s box in the first inning.

He put that uneasiness behind him in a hurry.

Reyes hit the first pitch from Tobi Stoner into the right-field corner for a two-run triple, coasting into third in his first game-like setting since he was sidelined for most of last season by an injured right leg.

Reyes, a switch-hitting shortstop who has been in the leadoff spot for most of his career, batted third during the scrimmage. Manager Jerry Manuel is toying with the move with All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran expected to miss the start of the season following right knee surgery.

The Mets also got an encouraging outing from Jonathon Niese, who is coming back after tearing his right hamstring last year. The left-hander struck out the side in the first and worked around a one-out walk during a scoreless second.

“It’s a good feeling to face hitters in a game situation. It’s been a while,” said Niese, who is trying to win the No. 5 spot in New York’s rotation. “It’s good to get off to a good start.”

The Mets were riddled by injuries last year when they used the disabled list 22 times for 19 players, including eight former All-Stars. Mets players spent more than 1,480 days on the DL, more than any other major league team, according to STATS LLC.

---