Coldstove: Spring Training Notes

ITEM: Generally Moronic

I'm not proud of pushing ESPN "content," but damn, Bill Simmons can be funny sometimes. Take his "First Annual Atrocious GM Summit"--sure it's NBA stuff, but I bet we can imagine the relevance for our own Metropolitians. Read it if you've ever asked "what the hell was he thinking?"

Jim Duquette are you listening?

Anyhow, now back to LIMA TIME!!



















to see image with story go here


ITEM: Battle of the thankful pointers

Lost in the excitement of the Mets new season, the real spring training battle might not be at second base or right field. The possibility of the Mets weakened starting rotation comes the possibility of the Mets turning to Jose Lima to start games. This, in turn, could lead to a pointing battle of previously unseen dimensions: Jose Lima's "full body-Is that a freakin' UFO--Thank you Jesus"-point vs. Pedro's more subtle and versatile "I just pointed at your head-Thanks to Jesus"-point. Former Br*ve Cy Young winner Tom Glavine also likes to point the finger (at his own teammates) so it should be an interesting competition. Stay tuned...

ITEM: Omar re-builds 2003 Newark Bears

While ex-Met GM Jim Duquette re-assembles the powerhouse 2004 NY Mets down in Baltimore, Omar Minaya is putting his own stamp on history, by recreating the immortal Newark Bears teams of the the early 2000s. Running on the star appeal of Rickey Henderson and Jose Lima, the legendary 2003 Newark Bears powered their way to a 4th place finish in the Atlantic League. Having signed Lima and Henderson, Minaya now turns his attention to locating and signing Jaime Navarro (11-5, 3.97) and bailing out Hut Smith (0-5, 3.83) to bostler the 2006 Mets rotation.

picture courtesy of Welcome to Newark website.

ITEM: Beltran's secret

The New York Mets Video Postcards are indeed a wellspring of information. Carlos Beltran hams it up for the cameras of these slickly produced promotional video diaries, divulging, for example, that he prefers holding his bat by putting his bottom hand on the bottom part of the bat. A mesmerizing Beltran speaks to the hopes of Mets Nation when he says "Take a look at my teammates taking BP out there, and you will have fun." Hopeful 2nd base candidate Bret Boone talks about how steroids turned his hair yellow, so that he looks like Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers; "its a little tidbit that you might be wondering about, well, now you're not wondering anymore." Boone also shares some advice he got from Sammy Sosa on getting his uniform to shrink to hide his new lack of bulk: "hot wash then dry, and then roll the pants around the waist."