Saturday, February 24, 2007
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| S.Alomar Jr. |
Sandy Alomar Jr. was once the American League's Rookie of the Year. He is a six-time All-Star, a Gold Glove Award winner and has played in a World Series.
Around the corner from his locker at Mets camp is pitcher Tom Glavine and across the room is outfielder Moises Alou, men who also have had distinguished careers. All are 40 years old, but only Glavine and Alou are still celebrated.
Alomar is in camp with a Minor League contract, hoping to impress somebody, anybody, to extend his career.
The reason for the stark contrast is that Alomar plays a position -- catcher -- that usually ages people much more quickly.
Todd Pratt, vying for a backup job with the Yankees, is the only other 40-year-old catcher still trying to play.
"I've had my share of injuries over the years," Alomar said. "But the last three years I've been healthy since I've been backing up. It's a lot easier on me."
Alomar is not trying to be another Carlton Fisk, who had three productive years after turning 40. He realizes his chance of sticking with the Mets hinges solely on injuries.
Otherwise, Paul Lo Duca and Ramon Castro figure to open the season as the Mets' tandem there.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
'El Duque' Out With Arthritis In Neck
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| Orlando Hernandez |
The Mets said as much Thursday night after their No. 2 starting pitcher was examined via MRI and treated in Manhattan.
Hernandez left camp in Port St. Lucie on Thursday morning after experiencing pain in his neck and upper back twice in the previous four days after throwing.
The club said Hernandez received a cortisone shot in the area and that he is expected to resume working out once the medication has taken effect after three or four days. Hernandez was expected to return to camp Friday.
Monday, February 19, 2007
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| Carlos Beltran |
Carlos Beltran had a fantastic 2006 by anyone's standards, but his final at-bat -- ending in a called strike three to close Game 7 of the NLCS -- hangs over him as a new season begins. Beltran isn't bothered. "You have to prove yourself every year," he said.
The hangover persists. And now that the public eye again can focus on Carlos Beltran, it may get worse.
No "hair of the dog" exists for this one. Only time or a big hit in another Game 7 will remove the stain that -- rightfully or not -- has been affixed to Beltran's reputation. Seldom has a player been so put upon for something he didn't do.
But New York loves to point the finger -- even at its own. As much as it would have embraced the Mets' involvement in the World Series, it doesn't forget -- or, apparently, forgive -- the final play of the game that denied them.
The bat remained on Beltran's shoulder as the final pitch of the NLCS, a masterful back-door curve from Cardinals reliever Adam Wainwright, passed over the outer half of the plate. Now it is that caught-looking that rests on his shoulders and prompts him to point out, "I struck out 100 times before that."
Beltran doesn't appear to be nearly so consumed by it as those who witnessed it, described it and/or lamented it.
His transgression -- if it was one at all -- hardly was the magnitude of Bill Buckner's error, Dave Winfield's 1-for-22 World Series, Gil Hodges' hitless World Series or Mo Rivera's errant throw to second base against the Diamondbacks.
But is has legs ... no question.
Friday, February 16, 2007
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| Willie Randolph |
Willie Randolph has plenty of World Series titles from his Yankees days, but what he wants now is one as manager of the Mets.
Wearing his first ring -- from 1977 -- at camp on Friday, Randolph hoped his players would use it as motivation for the '07 season.
Willie Randolph has World Series championship rings from 1977, '78, '96, '98, '99 and the big one, as he calls it, 2000 -- Yankees over Mets -- and other rings from the pennant-winning seasons of 1976, '81, '90, 2001 and '03.
And he has a few more from his All-Star Game appearances as a player and a coach.