Things I Will Miss About the Mets Off Season

Spring training is almost over and Opening Day is just days away. I'm highly anticipating the start of another Mets season (for better or worse), but there are some things I will miss about the Mets off season.

1. I'll miss the hopeful feeling that Luis Castillo might no longer be a Mets player, and that Orlando Hudson would be.
2. I'll miss the medication prescribed for me to deal with last September.
3. I'll miss reading a post practically every day talking about how the Mets need to sign Derek Lowe (mine included).
4. I'll miss reading and hearing about steroids, A-Rod and the World Baseball Classic.
5. I'll miss being able to turn on sports and not have a Sovereign Bank, New York Smoker's Quitline and Guiseppe Franco ad staring me in the face (they were replaced in the off season by the Snuggie).
6. I'll miss not having to hear Wayne Hagin on the radio
7. I'll miss the fun times I had counting money with Bernie Madoff.
8. I'll miss the trade rumors that every person wants to believe will come true, but you know never will.
9. I'll miss seeing my children (daddy's second job is about to start up; hey, we're in a recession here).
10. I'll miss the false hope that Fernando Tatis can actually be a legit left fielder for two straight years.

Gammons: Wright Shouldn't Move for A-Rod

Peter Gammons in his blog for ESPN.com discusses why David Wright should not switch positions to accommodate A-Rod. He states that the Mets are treating Wright "as if he's Damion Easley" by asking him to switch positions.

Gammons makes a case for Wright by stating how he's a gold glove 3rd baseman (which is just shocking to me), the fact that he's never played another position, and his role as a leader on the Mets gives him the right to stay at his native position.

But possibly the most surprising evidence Gammons gives is when he compares A-Rod to Wright at age 24. Unbeknown to me David Wright actually outperforms A-Rod in every major category except for slugging and home run totals which are not far behind.

I'm a huge David Wright fan. He's taken the place of Mike Piazza as my favorite Met (I still love you Mike), but after reading Gammons' post I found myself ashamed at wanting Wright to move. Gammons talks about Wright's character and his willingness to shoulder the blame for the Mets collapse and I asked myself if this is something we'd find in A-Rod.

Absolutely not. So let's value the man we have at third base. I still want A-Rod. Don't get me wrong. But I'm sure he'd be pretty good at first base.

Get A-Rod, But Don't Move Wright

I love this hot stove talk. Mets fans across the blogosphere are talking about whether or not the Mets should pursue Alex Rodriguez, and if they do where do you move David Wright.

But I ask why move David Wright?

Sure Wright is a nice guy and even said last year that he'd play the outfield if it meant the Mets could sign A-Rod. Wright is not the greatest defensive 3rd baseman on the planet, and some think he'll eventually be playing first base, but I say leave David Wright where he is.

Move Jose Reyes.

What? Why move a potential gold glove shortstop? Why? Because A-Rod is a natural shortstop. He was a gold glove shortstop until he move to 3rd base to accommodate the Yankees. Put A-Rod at third and move Reyes over to 2nd.

I know the Reyes at 2nd base experiment didn't go over well when Kaz Matsui was here, but that's more Matsui's fault than Reyes'. Reyes will be a great defensive second baseman, and in another year when Delgado is a free agent and if the Mets want to test Wright at 1st, then Reyes can move to SS if A-Rod is willing to play 3B.

This move also frees up money because we won't have to sign a new second baseman (although I do love the thought of Luis Castillo returning to the Mets), which means more money for A-Rod.

Now this is all hypothetical and is contingent on the Mets wanting A-Rod and A-Rod wanting the Mets, but just think of this top 4 of the batting order: Reyes, Beltran, Wright, A-Rod.

Ooh, I just got chills.

The Pros Need to Grow Up.

As you probably know from last night's game, Brad Penny got aggravated with Shawn Green last night as he claims Green was stealing signs when he was on second base a few innings earlier.

Couple this with the moaning and groaning about A-Rod yelling "Ha!" in the Toronto's 3rd baseman's ear while running to third base, and we are seeing an awful lot of whining from these pros.

These are classic school yard techniques. Just because you're in the pros you think you're above them? What's the matter? You can't catch a pop fly because someone is yelling? Grow up, this isn't golf.

And as far as stealing signs is concerned, if it's that upsetting just throw a fastball high & tight the next time the guy comes up. Don't be a baby and whine about it after you just struck him out. Shouldn't that be enough vengeance.

If guys and girls on my company's softball team can deal with heckling during a rec league softball game, I think you millionaires can deal with some playground tricks.

By the way, major props to Shawn Green for stealing signs last night. At least he was making an effort to help turn the Mets bats around.