Santana's Performance

So Johan Santana pitched today. It was a big deal. A number of fans crowded to see this spring training game. The game was carried by SNY and played back later in the evening as well. The excitement was in the air. And… Santana did not pitch well.

Santana worked two innings. He threw 30 pitches. He gave up 4 hits, three for extra bases, a homerun and three runs. A number of fans were disappointed but I say, “So what?” This was his first outing of the spring. He should not be perfect at this point and probably does not even want to be.

Santana said his goal was to throw strikes (22 of the 30 pitches were) and to get his slider and changeup over for strikes and locate his fastball. Those sound like good, reasonable goals for a pitcher this early in the spring. And, Santana did exactly what he wanted to.

Yes, the fans who came out to see him were disappointed but Santana did what he needed to do to get himself in shape and ready for opening day. That, of course, is what’s important.

Santana’s approach is “Work now, win later”. Not only does that sound reasonable to me, it sounds like it is exactly what he should be doing right now. It maybe a ‘bad’ stat line, but it was a good session.

Healthy Pitchers

Did you hear the story about the minor league pitcher a number of years ago who was on the mound and got injured so he decided to sue the team for not properly taking care of the stadium mound? Personal Injury law suit by a baseball player for an on the job injury. I don’t recall if this was a hoax, was dropped or proceeded. Honestly, I only remember a brief mention about this because I got a laugh out of the situation.

Considering some of the Met pitchers who have suffered injuries, it makes the fan wonder. Fortunately right now it appears that the pitchers who have suffered injuries are in good shape. Pedro needs to show that he can be counted on for a full year but based on what we saw upon his return last year and from what I have read about his performances this year (still very early in the spring and has not pitched in a game against another team, I know,) things look good. El Duque, while I question his ability to go a whole season injury free, seems to be fine right now. And, then there is Dauner Sanchez.

Sanchez has pitched in an interleague squad game. While he still is not in season form, it did mark the first time in a couple of years that he pitched. That is good news. It is even better news that he looked good and he seemed to be locating pitches.

So, if all goes well, the Mets will avoid any Personal Injury law suits. Yes, there certainly is a place for it and it is important that people can bring forth such law suits. Yes individuals need to be protected and they should be protected, but for Met pitchers, hopefully it will just be business as usual.

Roger's Trouble!

How the mighty have fallen. The once sure thing is no longer. Not only may Roger Clemens never get into the Hall of Fame, he may end up doing jail time.

Forget for a moment whether the whole steroids report was a witch hunt, was fair, or was done correctly. Clemens decided he was going to take on the system. He thought his arrogant demeanor which served him so well on the baseball diamond, would serve him well once again. It didn’t!

I cannot tell you if Clemens lied under oath. I cannot tell you if he took HGH or steroids. I can tell you, as a friend of mine said, Roger Clemens got some bad advice. Clemens went to Congress and thought he could come off as sounding intelligent and make the people who spoke to fell silly. It didn’t work.

Had Clemens kept his mouth shut, he would have most likely ended up in the Hall of Fame. May not in this era because people are so frustrated with steroid usage they are taking it out on everyone, but at some point, even if it were the Senior Committee, Clemens would have gotten in.

I feel safe in saying, if Roger Clemens goes to jail, he will never get into the Hall of Fame. Perhaps there is something to be said for taking the Mark McGuire or Sammy Sosa approach. Still, regardless of how you may feel and regardless of whether or not it is fair, Andy Petite has come out of this looking good and probably did nothing to hurt his chances of getting into the Hall. So, you can actually admit to things and look good. Unfortunately for him, Clemens did not do that.

The once feared pitcher has now become the laughing stock of many of my baseball friends.

The Dentist

Have you ever stopped to think why baseball players make so much money. I have come to the conclusion that it has nothing to do with greed, or the need to show people that a particular ballplayer is consider to be worth more than anyone else. I have even decided it has nothing to do with the union or any other such nonsense. The reason ballplayers make so much money is because of teeth. You read that correctly, it is because they need to take care of their teeth. Well, at least it would be true in my case if I ever made it to becoming a big league ballplayer. Don’t worry, there is no chance of that happening.

I have terrible teeth. I just went to the dentist the other day to find out I need another crown, although this tooth does not need a root canal; at least not yet. I have teased my dentist that I have paid the college tuition for his kids. When his wife was pregnant a few years ago, I told him the only reason they could afford to have another kid was because I was a patient.

As a result of my teeth, it was with both amusement and concern that I read an article about patients in the UK having to take out a loan to pay to go to the dentist. Can you imagine, “Honey, I need to see about Secured Loans so I can go to the dentist.”

I realize that I don’t live in Britain and things are different here than there, still it did make me think twice. I think I will take better care of my teeth.

Jose

It is exciting to hear more and more players talk about the upcoming season. I love seeing the enthusiasm everyone has as well as the determination to make up for last year. Most recently it seems like Jose Reyes has regained his focus. I hope so. A focused Jose Reyes will be crucial to the Mets success.

I enjoy watching Reyes play. He has a lot of energy and he enjoys what he does. You can see it on his face and in his eyes. He is also very good. While the numbers last year were not bad, many people saw Jose Reyes as one of the major reasons for the collapse last year.

Obviously one player cannot be blamed for the problem. There were a number of issues last year. Still, a determined Jose Reyes, a focused Jose, a Jose who plays at his best is bad news for opponents and great new for the Mets and Met fans.

Skateboarding

Teaching public speaking classes, I hear all sorts of speeches on all sorts of topics. One type of speech that students have to give is a demonstration speech, a speech where they actually take us through a process and show us how to do something.

One student did a speech about skateboards . I found this very interesting. I had always thought of this as a ‘Sport’ for show. What I learned is it can be a great form of exercise. Perhaps it is time for it to become the new way for baseball players to keep themselves in shape during the offseason, although I would guess ownership and team management would not be big on this idea.

I was fascinated to learn that people can customize and build their own skateboards. Looking at skateboard complete is very interesting. So, when the weather turns nicer and you are looking for something to do, how about skateboarding (before the Mets take the field).

LineUps

There was a time that the lineup you used on day one of Spring Training was the lineup you expected to use on the opening day of the season. Of course, positions could be won or lost and deals could still be made, so it was not always a sure thing. Still the bulk of the players who started that game would start opening day. Then, for a good portion of the spring, you would rotate various players in and out and see what they looked like and towards the end of spring, you would again use what you expected to be your regular starting lineup.

Them days are gone. The Mets play their first spring training game of the year tomorrow. I won’t even talk about starting spring training in February, that an entirely different article. But, the Mets starting lineup is probably going to be a far cry from what they field on opening day.

Mike Pelfrey is the starter. Pelfrey is not even guaranteed a spot on the roster and if he does make it, it may not be as a starting pitcher (but it probably would be). I feel pretty safe in saying, Mike Pelfrey is not going to be the opening day starter.

The Mets are playing the Tigers in Lakeland and they are predicting inclement weather. Considering the knee surgeries that Carlos Beltran and Luis Castillo underwent, they will not be starting this game. A number of Mets regulars are not even slated to make the trip so it will be very interesting to see what the Mets put on the field.

Regardless of the ‘A’ Team or not, Regardless of February or not, considering the collapse the Mets suffered at the end of last year, it would be a lot of fun to see them take the field and get ready for the season, showing an attitude of self confidence and expected domination.

Let the games begin!

Parking

Heading out to the ballpark is fun but, if you are driving, finding a parking space, or dealing with traffic in the Shea Stadium parking lot is not much fun. I am willing to guess that the same can be said of Citi Field, once it opens.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your own Garage that you could take with you wherever you went and then be able to be it down anyplace, so you always had a place to park? Perhaps not realistic, but an intriguing thought nonetheless.

It would be nice to have a Concrete Shed and be able to bring that to the ballpark as well. I could keep all different bats and gloves in it and when the players needed equipment, instead of going into the clubhouse, they would come to me. It would be a great way to meet ballplayers.

It is amazing the fantasies young baseball fans think of as the season starts rolling around. It, however, is not just young fans that get a thrill when they meet players. So, with the excitement in the air, my mind wonders to what possible things could happen to me. Having equipment for the players and my own personal parking space at the stadium, inside my own personal garage, sound like fun.

Plagiarism

So Jimmy Rollins is accusing Carlos Beltran of plagiarism. I didn’t realize that boasting you were the team to beat was considered plagiarism. I guess that any fan who says “Let’s go …” and says the name of the team s/he is rooting for is guilty of plagiarism.

Obviously Beltran got the attention of Jimmy Rollins. Other than showing his teammates he believes the Mets are the team to beat and showing the fans he believes the Mets are the team to beat, and indicating that he is ready to take a leadership role on the team, the comments were designed, I think, to get under the skin of Jimmy Rollins and the Philadelphia Phillies. Score one for Beltran and the Mets.

I was pleased with Beltran making the comment when it first happened and I am even happier now to see that it got under Rollins skin.

Last year Rollins made his comment to fire up the Phills, to make a statement and he backed it up. Now, following a collapse of historic proportion, while everyone knows the Mets are the team to beat, Beltran took a page out of Rollins book and is trying to fire up his team and his fans.

If that is plagiarism, well then, Beltran is guilty as charged. Just don’t arrest him until after the season is over so he can back up his words!

Atmosphere

Have you ever noticed where you watch a baseball game from can affect your attitude and opinion? I’m not talking about watching from a bar or at the stadium; I’m talking about where in your house you are watching from.

Sometimes I like to relax on a comfortable sofa watching the game. Other times I liked to stretch out on the bed and watch the game. Of course sometimes it does not help. I remember watching game six of the series between the Mets and Braves in 1999. The Mets were down three nothing, took the next two and had a lead in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Braves in game six. I tried watching from the bed but ended up pacing the room until the game was over. (For those of you who don’t remember, the Mets lost that game when Kenny Rogers walked in the winning run in the 11th).

I don’t think it would have mattered what type of furniture I was on for that game; a bed, a sectional sofa, or a reclining chair, I would not have been able to relax and I would not have been able to stay seated. Still, most of the time, the surroundings and the furniture can truly make a difference as to how enjoyable the game is.

Six And A Half

I have a trivia question for you.

How much money is a pitcher worth who went 15-10 last year? Wait, there’s more. How much money is a pitcher who went 15-10 last year and had a 3.56 ERA? Wait, I am still not done, how much money is a pitcher who is considered, at best, a number three starter who had a 15-10 record and a 3.56 ERA last year. Add to that a pitcher who has been erratic and has more lifetime loses than wins? Okay, now you can answer.

Perhaps you answered one million dollars, or maybe you said two million. Perhaps you went with what the Mets offered this player and you said 4.725 million dollars. That seems high to me but apparently it was not high enough for Oliver Perez and the two sides went to arbitration.

Perez won and will be making 6.5 million dollars this coming year. This seem ridiculous to me. I understand that pitchers are rare commodities and lefties are even rarer. Still, based on the numbers it does not seem that such a pitcher warrants 6.5 million dollars. This is not Johan Santana we are talking about.

It is amazing how much money people are getting to throw or hit a baseball. Over six million dollars for a starter who is not good enough to be the ace of any staff in baseball seems a bit much. Unfortunately, I guess that is what the market will pay.

Defense

Pitchers and catchers are the first players to report to spring training camp, so Brian Schneider has been in the Mets camp for a while. The catcher enjoys hitting but is willing to sacrifice hitting to improve his fielding, or in his words, to make their pitchers better.

The Mets have said, unlike Paul LoDucca (or Mike Piazza) they wanted a catcher who could hit, not a hitter who could catch. I wrote about this earlier in terms of my feelings about LoDucca. When they brought him in from the Marlins, the Mets said just that. Instead of a hitter who could catch (Piazza) they had a catcher who could hit (LoDucca).

All of that aside, while we tend to be focused on the offensive attack, defense plays a major part of the game. Whitey Herzog used to say of Ozzie Smith, a player who can save 100 runs a season is just as effective as one who can drive in 100 runs.

This is all well and good, and I even agree with it. Still, the bottom line is, very few players are removed from the lineup if they are in a fielding slump but are hitting the ball well. On the other hand, a player who is in a hitting slump but is fielding well could well find himself being benched.

In addition, we live in an age when fans are more interested in seeing a slugfest than anything else. A 10-9 game, even if it is played sloppily excites the fans. A 1-0 game that is well pitched and has nice fielding plays, by many, is considered boring.

I have always enjoyed those low scoring games and find them to be exciting. I am okay with Schneider not tearing up the ball if he is truly making the pitchers better, throwing out runners, and fielding well. Lets see if the Met management and ownership truly is as well.

Buying Tickets

As opening day rolls around, I know a number of people are looking to get tickets. These days, fans want tickets, and not necessarily to watch the Mets (or whatever your favorite team is) at home. I have a friend who is a Cincinnati Reds fan. He is making it his mission to try and get to a Reds game at every stadium. Of course, you need tickets to get into the game and Tickets Now can help.

Then there are people like me. I am a Met fan but based on my work career and my family life, I no longer live close to Shea Stadium. It is easier for me to see the Mets play in other cities. While Tickets Now does not let you easily see who the visiting team will be (you need to click on the specific date to get that information) you can easily check out a team’s website to find out when they will be on the road and who will be hosting them, and then you can get your tickets.

This is a website that lists all 30 baseball teams. You click on the team you want and it lists all of the home games the team is playing. You can even see the schedule for exhibition games. Once you click on the link for the game you want, it will show you a layout of the field, what seats are available, what the price is for the tickets, and how many tickets you have to buy to get that price.

Whether you are looking for tickets to see your team play at home or on the road, Tickets Now is worth checking out.

Quiet Resolve

The 1986 Mets, what a year and what a team. The truth is, however, that season started in 1985. I remember reading Davey Johnson (who managed the Mets both of those years) talking about the similarities between the 1986 Mets and the 1970 Orioles. Johnson played for the Orioles in 1969 and made the last out of that World Series, thus the Mets beat the heavily favored team from Baltimore. Johnson said when the team assembled for Spring Training in 1970, while it may not have been spoken, everyone on the team resolved to win the World Series that year, to dominate baseball, as a way of avenging their loss the previous year. Johnson said the 1986 Mets, after finishing in second place behind the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985, resolved to go all the way in 1986, and they did.

Now we fast forward to 2008. In 2006, the Mets were clearly the best team in the National League, but they did not get to the World Series. In 2007, the Mets experienced a collapse of epic proportion. Now we come to Spring Training 2008.

Mets owner Fred Wilpon addressed the team and, while not saying he expected them to win the World Series, and while not threatening them, he made it quite clear that he believes this is the team to go all the way. Most of the players seem to enjoy hearing him talk and respond favorably to his comment.

It appears, from everything that I have read so far, while they may not be saying it, the 2008 Mets team has resolved to go all the way. Certainly that would do a lot towards absolving their failures of the past two seasons. They seem to be anxious to get the season started and I think that excitement is carrying over to the fans.

If this year is anything like the 1970 season the Baltimore Orioles had, or anything like the season the 1986 New York Mets had, it is going to be a lot of fun.

Counting Down!

Having worked in Florida, I joke that I worked there for two years, one month, 12 days, 14 hours, seven minutes and 21 seconds. I could not wait to get out of the county where I worked, or the state in general. Time is very important. As a Met fan, I am counting down the days until the start of the regular season. I am even counting down the days until the start of the first Spring Training game. Are you?

When you go to a game, do you want to make sure to be there on time? Early? It is amazing how time has shaped our perception of things from work to being a sports fan (just look at how advertisers determine the start of the sports event). Time, and as a result clocks, are important.

Knowing the precise time has become an art and further shapes our perception. I was fascinated to learn that the technology was actually developed in the late 1940’s to be able to know the exact time.

For those of you who don’t think it is important, I have a little test for you. Look at your clock or watch and now say, out loud, as if you were talking to your computer, the current time.

Very Good!

Now, did you round it off to the nearest five minutes like we often did before the days of digital clocks and watches becoming popular or did you say the exact time, such as 9:33 instead of “about 9:30”? I would guess most of you said the exact time.

So remember, as of the posting of this, it is five days, 17 hours, 28 minutes and 24 seconds until the Mets first exhibition game this year!

A Carlos Is Talking Too Much

A couple of days after Carlos Beltran’s comments about the Mets being the team to beat made news, Carlos Delgado seems to have removed some of that swagger. I was thrilled to see Beltran taking a leadership role, giving it back to Jimmy Rollins a little, and calling the Mets the team to beat.

Of course the reason the Mets are the team to beat has nothing to do with Beltran’s comments. The reason the Mets are the team to beat is because they are the best team in the National League East. Certainly with the addition of Johan Santana, most observer would grant you that. Still, the cockiness, the leadership, the attitude taken by Beltran all helped.

A day later, with Carlos the second in camp, Carlos Delgado, what does the man do? He says of Beltran’s comment, “What’s he going to say? We’re going to lose?”

Mr. Delgado, of course he is not going to say that but if you are so simple minded as to think there is not an ability to get a team fired up (as Rollins did last year), that it doesn’t help get the fans excited, that it doesn’t show a leadership role and a determination to get the season going and to go all the way, perhaps it is time for you to hand up the glove and retire.

Attitude is crucial. Carlos Delgado had a bad season last year, at least by his standards. Mr. Delgado, you need to redeem yourself and this is not the way to get started.

Of course, I will be the first one to admit, if Delgado puts up big numbers this year, all will be forgiven for his comments but, for now, Carlos Delgado, please keep your mouth shut!

Home Opener

As a follow-up to yesterdays post, I was doing a little more checking and I can come up with a possible reason why Willie Randolph might want to start Pedro Martinez on opening day instead of Johan Santana.

The Mets open the season in Florida, on the road. Assuming they carry five starters, and it would be silly if they did anything else, the pitcher who starts game 2 in Florida would be scheduled to pitch the home opener. Certainly I can understand wanting Johan Santana to pitch the home opener.

Still, I let Johan pitch opening day. There are a few off days and there could be rain outs. In the old days, a five man rotation would often start out as a four man rotation in April (because of all the rainouts) and then add a fifth starter in May. I think the rotation can be set so that Santana pitches opening day for the Mets as well as the home opener for the Mets.

Again, I have nothing against the other Met pitchers but Santana is the crowned jewel, the one missing piece to the puzzle. He should be shown that respect. He deserves it and ultimately, I think Willie will do this.

By the way, if by pitching Santana on opening day, the Mets cannot do anything to have him pitch the home opener, I still say he should be given the ball for the first game of the season.

Opening Day Starter

According to the Mets website, Willie Randolph is not sure who his opening day starter will be. Randolph says that is a great predicament to be in, and of course he is right. It must be great to have two people you can look to as possible opening day starters.

That being said, I really do not see a choice or a debate. With all the money they paid for Santana and the numbers he has put up the past couple of years in comparison to Pedro, I see no other alternative than starting Johan Santana.

Even in terms of looking to vary between a left hander and a right hander, you still want Johan as the opening day starter. The Mets will start the season with two lefties, Santana and Oliver Perez, and three righties, Pedro, John Maine and either Orlando Hernandez or Mike Pelfrey.

Given this scenario, at some point the Mets are going to have to throw back to back righties. Even if you start with a right handed pitcher and sandwich lefties in-between, the fifth starter would be a righty followed by the first starter, another right hander.

As a result, it should be lefty Johan Santana followed by right hander Pedro Martinez, followed by right hander John Maine (the place in the rotation that would end up with back-to-back righties), followed by left hander Oliver Perez, followed by right handed El Duque or Mike Pelfrey.

I am guessing that is what Randolph will end up with. Perhaps he is taking this way, about not knowing who to start on opening day, to appease Pedro Martinez. Still, I clearly see Johan Santana as the ace of the staff and the opening day starter.

Way To Go Carlos

Let’s hear it for Carlos Beltran. The Mets quiet Center Fielder said in Spring Training, “To Jimmy Rollins: ‘We are the team to beat’”. With the addition of Johan Santana, certainly most Met fans feel this way. I would guess that most Met players feel this way to. Still, the comment stresses the Mets confidence and cockiness, despite finishing behind the Phillies last season.


The comment obviously goes back to last spring with Rollins declared the Phills the team to beat, despite the Mets having won the division the year before and viewed by most experts as the team to beat. What made Rollins comments specifically hard to swallow, as a Met fan, was his ability to back it up and lead the Phillies to the NL East title.

Now it’s Beltran’s turn. He had a good year in 2006. He put up good numbers last year but somehow did not seem to be the clutch hitter he was the previous season. Now, by making this comment, Beltran needs to lead by example. He has publically challenged himself to do for the Mets what Rollins did for the Phillies last year.

Beltran has also, always been rather shy and reserve. At least that is the way he comes across. By making the comments, he is showing he has taken a leadership role with the team, or indicating he is ready for one. I see this as a very good sign.

The more I read, the more I hear, the more I see, the more I am ready for the season to begin. Considering the way last season ended, I did not expect to feel this way. Again, in large part this is due to the addition of Santana, but it is not just that one ballplayer. The Mets are acting like they expect to win and that is the first step.

Let’s Go Mets!

Ambassador Pedro!

When the Mets first got Pedro Martinez, many thought he would be a loud mouthed trouble maker. That was what his reputation was in Boston. Perhaps it was putting him and Manny Ramirez together. Perhaps Pedro was given an unfair reputation. Maybe he changed when he got to New York. All I know is ever since putting on a Met uniform, Pedro has been an excellent ambassador for the game of baseball and specifically for the New York Mets.

With Pitchers and Catchers reporting, seeing Pedro and Johan Santana has given the Met fans something to talk about and it has given the media something to discuss. I watched a brief interview with Pedro Martinez today and he talked about how thrilled he was to have Santana as a teammate.

Pedro talked about the effectiveness of the Mets one-two combination saying that he would come at you from the right side and Johan from the left. He was full of praise for the man who is now the highest paid pitcher in baseball. Yes, Pedro took a moment to praise his own abilities but the overwhelming majority of time was spent praising the acquisition of Johan Santana.

We fans hope for what the Mets hope for, for what Pedro talked about, having an effective one-two punching pitching and a strong pitching staff. Pedro handled the spotlight well (again). As I said before, since coming to New York, Pedro has been a strong ambassador for the Mets!

Calling All Pitchers, Calling All Catchers

It is just another couple of days before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training and unlike a few weeks ago, I am now excited about this date. Of course the focus will be around Johan Santana—It should be. Honestly, that is the reason why I am most excited right now but it is far from the most important aspect of this date.

I say that because, Santana clearly will be starting. He will be the ace of the staff and most likely he will be the opening day pitcher. We know that. There are a number of pitching questions that the Mets still need to answer. These include: Is Pedro ready to go and ready for a full season (I don’t know that we will have a definite answer to all that but we should have some indication)? The same can be asked about El Duque, with the same comment about the answer. Is Mike Pelfrey going to be the fifth started and will he have a full year to flourish and blossom as there will be less pressure on him?

I see the Mets just signed Tony Armas Jr. Last year his numbers were not very good. Career-wise they are a little more impressive. Yes, the Mets signed him to a minor league contract but exactly what did they get?

How about Dauner Sanchez? Is he back in pitching shape and can he compete and play the way he did before he was injured? After seeing the collapse they went through last year, what about the entire bullpen? Is it ready to go and protect leads?

Yes, Santana gives the Mets a lot of answers. Yes Santana is a great pitcher and he will be fun to watch. Still, with just another couple of days before Spring Training starts for pitchers and catchers, I do hope to get some answers to these questions.

I guess the biggest advantage of having Santana is, now instead of dreading finding out the answers (or at least having some concerns) I am looking forward to it!

Let’s Go Mets!

Valentine's Day

A Happy Valentine’s Day to you all (a little early). As Valentine’s Day approaches, have you given thought as to what special things you will be doing. Often times, these are important to keeping a relationship going. No, this is not a blog about relationships, but as I was thinking about the things people do to celebrate the holiday, I also thought about things people do when they are at Ballgames to keep the spark alive.

What do you think about someone who proposes to another individual by having the announcement flash on Diamond Vision? Is it an annoyance or is it romantic? Do you think women tend to view something like this differently than Men? Do people of a certain age feel differently about something like this occurring at a baseball game?

As Valentine ’s Day approaches, I was just wondering about this approach. Are you just better off doing something special at home like writing love letters?

Regardless of your answer, once again, I hope you all have a Happy Valentine’s Day and for those of you in a relationship with someone special, I hope you continue to do those things that keep the relationship special.

Now Pitching And Batting Ninth, Number 57

Its official, the Mets got Johan Santana. I am thrilled and yet I have so many different reactions and thoughts. The following is a list of just some of them:

1. It is great to see Santana wearing a Met uniform. The Mets needed a star pitcher and signing Santana got them what they needed and now makes them the team to beat in the NL East, and probably in the NL.

2. No baseball player is worth that kind of money. 23 million dollars a year for throwing a stupid baseball?! I know Santana is the best and even that Barry Zito set the market price last year. Still, while I don’t fault Santana for getting what he could, the salaries should not be this high


3. I am hypocritical. I wanted the Mets to get Santana, but I do not think anyone in baseball is worth this kind of money. Still, if the Mets did not pay it, someone else would have.

4. I was getting a little nervous Friday. I had been checking the Mets website for the past couple of days and saw no movement with everyone coming to terms. I had this vision of the Mets coming so close and then not being able to get it down.

5. was very grateful for the internet so I could easily keep tabs on the progress of the deal


6. I think we may live in an age where information is too accessible. Being able to check the internet kept me constantly checking on Thursday and Friday. That got in the way of other things I needed to get done and I kept thinking maybe I was better off when you had to get a television or radio report and you had to wait for certain times of the day.

7. As I said before, I am hypocritical!!