So Bobby Valentine is trying to put together a group to buy the Mets or at least a minority share. I doubt that BV has the coin to pull this off but he what he does have is the “it” factor and the ability to front the franchise in a positive way unlike Freddy, Jeffey and Uncle Saul who infuriated the fan base. If he can get some deep pocketed investors to join him and let him be the out front guy, it could be interesting

 With the passing of Duke Snider yesterday, lost in the days news was the untimely passing of former Met Greg Goosen. Last night the Mets 1965 Yearbook played on SNY and there was Goosen shown as one of the up and coming young stars of the Mets along with “Robust” Ron Swoboda, Johnny Lewis and Ed Kranepool. Goosen was also a key figure in Jim Bouton’ classic book,  BALL FOUR. One story, when Goosen was a teammate of Bouton’s on the 1969 Seattle Pilots on a bus ride passing an old building  that had an inscription” Erected in 1883″, to that Goosen replied “that’s some long errection. R.I.P. Greg.”

Sniff, Snifff what kind of smoke is that, that Chipper Jones is blowing up the Mets ass? Hickory? Mesquite?

On my last visit to Citi Field, I wrote about Josh Thole being a good guy and helping me get access onto the media scrum by moving a chair and taking my backpack for me now if that weren’t enough to endear Thole to me it was announced that he will be the Mets union rep this year. So now Thole and I are Union brothers in arms. Sorry all you wanna be union busters!!!!!!!!

How in the world could anyone watch the Academy Awards when the Knicks-Heat game was on at same time? I’m not even a Knicks fan but I was glued to that game. As a basketball fan it’s good to see the Knicks and St Johns back on the right track and have the city talking basketball again.

Oliver Perez still sucks.

Mets and Nats today in St Lonesome. Big Pelf makes spring debut, Dan Murphy plays 3^rd base, F-Mart DH, Castillo gets another start at 2^nd Base

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A very sad day for those who remain of the Brooklyn Dodgers fan base as the Duke of Flatbush has passed away at the age of 84. Not only is it sad that Snider has passed, but he was also the last remaining regular of the Boys of Summer.

Snider was like most of the Brooklyn Dodgers keeping a residence in Brooklyn during the season. Snider and Pee Wee Reese lived in Bay Ridge Brooklyn on the same block as my godparents.

Everyone who lived in Brooklyn during The Era has some kind of Dodger story

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Observations from the first game of spring training and how nice it is to talk about on the field issues:

The best part of the game for me were the pitchers who worked yesterday. Collectively, the six pitchers used struck out 9 and walked 3. Of the three walks Jenry Meija walked 1 and Manny Acosta walked 2. In fact , Acosta  was the only pitcher used who had trouble throwing strikes (8/7 BB/K)

Meija  was not only effective with his breaking ball but he looked happy and relaxed.  It’s just one appearance and maybe it’s just my giddiness over seeing baseball for the first time this year but my fear that the past administration may have ruined Mejia has been somewhat relieved.

I had and still have no idea who John Lujan is.

Fernando  Martinez had a throwing error and ran into a railing in foul territory chasing a fly ball and looked like he banged his knee and was limping a bit. All I could think of is, will he ever make it in the big leagues and if in order to keep Pedro Beato or Brad Emaus in the organization is via trade then hopefully the Orioles or Blue Jays would take F-Mart. Then Martinez goes and cracks a two run home run to tie the game with the replay showing just a beautiful swing and I totally change my mind about him. This is what is so frustrating about F-Mart. I hope this kid stays healthy all year and gets 450-500 AB’s in Buffalo so we can finally find out if he’s  worth keeping or if he becomes a very valuable trading chip.

It’s spring training for the Mets announcers as well. It was wonderful to turn on the TV at 1PM yesterday and see Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez  and “SNY Celeb” Kevin Burkhardt but Cohen made the first faux pau of the season as he referred to Sandy Alderson as “Sandy Martinez” . Hernandez picked up where he left off last season with his marvelous comments, yesterday’s Mex-isim was calling  Braves catcher Brian McCann “portly.  Can’t wait until he gets a gander at Bartolo Colon.

Mets Twitterverse lit up when Willie Harris belted a 2 run HR to tie the game in the bottom of the 10^th inning but the most impressive part of Harris day was when in the middle of being interviewed by Kevin Burkhardt , Harris just stopped as F-Mart hit his home run and started cheering and then went to congratulated him then he went back to the interview.

Nick Evans is not going down without a fight.

Scott Hairston is going to be a guy we talk about this season in a very positive way. Harriston is going to win a few game for the Mets this year. Hairston has pop in his bat and will be a very useful 4^th outfielder.

I’ve been killing Evan Roberts of WFAN all week for his non-stop NJ Nets talk and going ga-ga over the Deron Williams deal (I would say the NJ Nets have the smallest fan base of any team in the NY metro area. The NY Red Bulls of the MLS have a bigger fan base than the Nets) but today I have to give him mad props for his interview with Sandy Alderson yesterday.

It was good to see Jason Bay get a base hit in his second and last at bat as he looked awful on his time up in the first inning. After the game he did say he felt rusty but he feels great.

Let’s hope like last year with the Dickey jokes that Mets fans get the Hu Who? Jokes out of their system by the end of spring training. Chen lu Hu looks like the best defensive player on the team. No joke.

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How would you like to be Frank McCourt today? The owner of the LA Dodgers has a shit load of money problems due to his nasty divorce and he is trying hard to hold on to his share of the team.  FOX has offered to loan him $200 mil to help keep that Dodgers going until his divorce is final and a judge rules who owns the team Frank or his soon to be ex -wife Jamie but Bud Selig put the kibosh on the deal.

Now today we learn that the Skill Sets were fronted between $20-$25 million bucks to pay the bills at Citi Field from Bud Selig. Hummmmmm if I were say David Glass of the KC Royals, Bob Nutting of the Pirates or Mets fan/Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg, I’d be pretty pissed off knowing I’m part of the funding of a team in the largest market of the country. But then again, Freddy and Uncle Saul are Bud’s BFF’s, so Selig has put aside his job as Commissioner and has turned a blind eye to the “best interest of baseball” commandment that gets played in time of crisis, and right now Mets fans the Skill Sets are on the brink of crisis.

Freddy and Jeffey were chirping on the opening of camp about being victims and being duped and proclaiming vindication when the dust settles on the Madoff trustee lawsuit, but they forgot one other important item, they will have to sell the team when it’s all said and done.

You have to believe that the Skill Sets will not be the owners of the New York Mets by this time next year, or even sooner. With all the stories that come out ever few days on the financial status of the team especially today’s revelation of money floated to pay the Mets bills, I cast my vote of No Confidence in the Skill Sets to running this team. If this were any other owner, Selig would have had him in a headlock screaming “SELL GOD DAMN IT SELL” but because it’s Freddy and Uncle Saul he will do by any means necessary to help them keep ownership of this team. Best interest of baseball, my ass.

This story would have been bad enough, but when you add the bluster by Freddy and Jeffy in their St Lonesome presser’s, it’s an absolute insult to you and me. I’d love to grab Freddy, Jeffy and Uncle Saul by the collective scruff of their necks and scream at them to be truthful with us.

They want our money, they want our support and we are willing to give it to them and all we ask is to be truthful and stop taking us for assholes. We didn’t sink our fortune with a thieving scumbag, like you did.

Freddy always sings the siren song of loving the Mets and wants the team to stay in his family for generations, well here is a smack in the face of reality for you Freddy, that ship has sailed, when you got fucked over by your “pal” Bernie Madoff and he’s the one you will cost you of your dream.

SELL THE TEAM SKILL SETS, SELL THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Get ‘em while they’re hot y’all

FLUSHING, N.Y., February 26, 2011 – The New York Mets today announced that single game tickets for the 2011 season at Citi Field will go on sale Monday, March 14 at 10:00 a.m. exclusively online at Mets.com, LosMets.com, and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.  Ticket prices start at $12.

The following day, Tuesday, March 15 at 10:00 a.m., tickets will be at Citi Field’s Advance Ticket Window on the third base side of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the Mets Clubhouse Shops in Manhattan (42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, across from Bryant Park), at the Roosevelt Field Mall (Garden City, Long Island), at the Tangers Outlets at the Arches (Deer Park, Long Island), and MCU Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

Mets Season Tickets, 40 & 15 Game Plans, Flex Packs – five-, 11- and 17-game packs starting at $99 per seat – and Group tickets are also currently on sale at Mets.com and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.

The Mets will offer fans more than 60 promotion, theme, and heritage dates and special events, giving away more than 300,000 items. The 2011 promotion schedule will begin with a Mr. Met Bobblehead giveaway on Opening Day, Friday, April 8.

Highlights of the 2011 season schedule include:

METS MERCHANDISE

Mr. Met Bobblehead presented by Citi – To celebrate Opening Day, Friday April 8 at 4:10 p.m. against the Washington Nationals, the first 25,000 fans will receive a Mr. Met Bobblehead.

Tote Bag presented by Harrah’s – During the Memorial Day weekend Mets-Phillies matchup at 7:10 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, Harrah’s will offer a tote bag to the first 25,000 fans.

Sports Bag presented by Delta Air Lines – The first 25,000 fans attending the 7:10 p.m. game against the Braves on Saturday, August 6 will receive a Mets themed sports bag courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

METS COLLECTIBLES

Collector’s Cup presented by Premio – Premio will give an orange and blue collector’s cup to the first 25,000 fans attending the 7:10 p.m. Mets-Dodgers matchup on Friday, May 6.

Ike Davis Bobblehead presented by Gold’s Horseradish – The first 25,000 fans can take home an Ike Davis bobblehead courtesy of Gold’s Horseradish when they arrive at the 7:10 p.m. game against the Cardinals on Tuesday, July 19.

HERITAGE

Fiesta Latina presented by Budweiser – The Mets and Budweiser will celebrate Latin heritage in pregame activities at the 7:10 p.m. game against the Braves on Friday, August 5. The first 25,000 fans ages 21 and over will also receive a Jose Reyes banner.

Green T-shirt Night presented by Geico – On Saturday, August 27, the first 25,000 fans attending the 4:10 p.m. game against the Braves will receive a green t-shirt courtesy of Geico as part of Irish Heritage festivities.

HEALTH AWARENESS & EDUCATION

The Mets will host groups and provide information on health and wellness issues on the following dates: the sixth annual PIX11 Weather Education Day featuring Meteorologists Mr. G and Linda Church (Thursday, May 19);   Environmental Education Day (Thursday, May 5) and Fitness & Nutrition Education Day (Thursday, June 2).  Tickets include the on-field educational program at 11:00 a.m. and the Mets game at 1:10 p.m.

Non-refundable service charges are applicable on Mets.com, by phone, and at the Mets Clubhouse Shops.  Fans will have the same access to available ticket inventory online at Mets.com and LosMets.com, as on the (718) 507-TIXX phone line.

The 2011 Mets schedule – including information on promotional dates, heritage and theme days/nights, and other special events – is available at Mets.com.

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Sorry for no Mets post today but really there is nothing more to say until spring training games start tomorrow (today’s choose up game in St Lonesome doesn’t cut it for me) plus one of my favorite Boston Celtics players, Kendrick Perkins was traded to Oklahoma City in a shocking move that stunned fans and Celtic players alike.

I won’t get into the why’s and where’s of the deal but like Sandy Alderson with the Mets, I put alot of trust in C’s VP Danny Anige but Celtic fans won’t know if this moved pays off until June. Only capturing Banner 18 will heal this wound.

Thank you Perk and good luck with the Thunder

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Ed ”RustyJr” Marcus posts to day that Ed Kranepool has finished in his Top 50 Mets of All Time Series. While Ed is my top Mets player of all time I knew he wouldn’t crack the top 5 but I was hoping for a top 10 finish.

Kranepool still leads the club all time in games played as a Met (1853) At Bats (5436) Hits (1418) and Total Bases (2047) and many Mets fans today have either never seen him play or really know who he is so I guess a 13th place finish is quite good for an original Met who played his whole career in blue and orange.

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I have to say as much as I was looking forward to the start of spring training, I’ve got a bad case of “workout fatigue” from all the reporting going on from St. Lonesome.  There is only so much I can read about players having catch and throwing batting practice or bullpen sessions. I can only look at so many pictures of players stretching where it starts to become as annoying as when you’re cornered by a co-worker and forced you to look at pictures of the latest birthday party they had for their 3 year old.

It’s gotten to the point I sit at the keyboard and try to figure out what the hell can I come up with that’s new and fresh. I’m still staring. I can’t wait until Saturday when I can at least see players in game action. It’s nice to read about pitchers throwing outstanding bullpens and hitters ripping the cover off a batting practice fastball but when it’s put in real live action then we’ll find out just what we have with this Mets team.

And no I’m not jealous of everyone down in Florida in their shorts and t-shirts enjoying the warm sun, I’d much rather be here in NYC with four layers of clothes and being stuffed into a subway car like a sardine.

When I look over how the makeup of the Mets roster could be constructed I cannot fathom how either Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo makes this team (ok I admit I’m a bit obsessed with these two faces of failure and I see what Sandy Alderson is doing by keeping them as long as can until he either trades them or releases them)

For Castillo it’s either start or bust, he is no use to the team off the bench. From many indications, both Daniel Murphy and Brad Emaus will make the team, most likely as a platoon at second base unless one guy break out big at the start of the season.  Between Murph and Emaus you have a shot at 60+ xbh  from second base. It would take Castillo three season to do that.

Ollie Perez has become the Mets square peg on the round hole. What a misfit. Looking at pitching staff it looks like a 12 man staff of five starters and seven relievers. From the early results, Chris Capuano and Chris Young should fill out the bottom two fifths of the rotation. From listening to Terry Collins, the men in the pen who will have locker space in Queens are Frankie Rodriguez, Bobby Parnell, D.J. Carrasco. Pedro Beato has made a big impression on Collins and with his Rule 5 label attached to him he’d have to get hit from stem to stern to not make the team.  Now it gets a bit complicated. Jason Issringhausen has surprised everyone by showing up in Mets camp and looking impressive in his workouts. Izzy does just bring back some nostalgic memories, he also brings an impressive closers resume as well.  That leaves two spots and one has to be filled by a LOOGY, so Tim Byrdak and Taylor Tankersley will fight for that spot or would they both make the team? What about Pat Misch? Another lefty who could be LOOGY-ish or Darren Oliver-ish as a long man.  I haven’t even mentioned Mike O’Connor or two righties, Manny Acosta and Manny Alvarez who could make the final bullpen decision difficult for Alderson and Collins.

Am I missing anyone? I don’t think so, hummmm let me see…………ahhh yeah, Mr. Square Peg. Sorry Ollie you don’t fit here anymore.

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I will be a guest on Mike Silva’s NY Baseball Digest Live on Blog Talk Radio at 8:20PM ET

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I had the great pleasure of having Kerel Cooper of On The Black on THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN podcast which is up and ready on the show page or right here on Kranepool (lower right side bar) or on iTunes. Among the topics Kerel and I discussed:

Ollie Perez and Luis Castillo will not make 25 man roster they are in camp as showcase (boobie) prize.

The Skill Sets showing up at spring camp

outlook for season

tone of Camp Collins so far

TMI coming out of St. Lonesome.

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