Plax 4 Prez

Wards great but if he leaves Danny Ware will play and he a fast powerful man

 

could be the best of the lot

We're going to see alot of Ware in the pre-season. I can't wait. This guy is pretty good. I wouldn't go as far to say he's better then Jacobs, Ward, or Bradshaw but he defiantly has the talent to compete with them.

New York Mets preview

By Ryan Fagan - SportingNews

 

The Mets want—no, need—to figure out a way to get back to the postseason. They have to atone for two consecutive September collapses, as well as the lasting image of Carlos Beltran taking a knee-buckling curveball from Adam Wainwright in an NLCS loss that ended their run toward the 2006 World Series.

 

THREE QUESTIONS

 

1. Should there be concern about the corner outfield spots?

When a team has established stars such as Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Delgado in the lineup, it’s natural to wonder about guys such as Daniel Murphy, Ryan Church and Fernando Tatis manning important positions. Especially when there were more proven run producers available at those positions on the free agent market for bargain prices (outfielder Bobby Abreu for $5 million, for example).

 

The Mets feel comfortable with Murphy and Tatis as their left-field duo, and with Church as their starter in right. Murphy, a 13th-round pick in 2006, has hit .313 in 131 at-bats for the Mets. Tatis, who entered the 2008 season with only 56 at-bats in the majors since 2004, hit .297 with 11 homers last season. Church battled concussion problems most of last season but says he is healthy.

 

2. How important are the additions of relievers Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz?

Heading into the offseason, the most glaring weakness in all of baseball was the Mets’ bullpen. The team blew 29 save opportunities in 2008 (including 12 in August/September), and with Billy Wagner out for the season following Tommy John surgery, they had no viable in-house options for the late innings. General manager Omar Minaya delivered the most emphatic 1-2 punch of the offseason by signing K-Rod to a three-year deal and completing a three-team trade to land Putz as his setup man.

 

Both have had extended stretches of dominance as a closer, and having both available for the late innings should do wonders for the team’s overall confidence. After back-to-back September collapses, that confidence should be huge.

 

3. Can the Mets avoid another late-season swoon?

These Mets will be fun to watch throughout the 2009 campaign. They’ll feature the speedy Reyes, the powerful Wright, the five-tool Beltran, the record-setting Rodriguez and the ace lefty Johan Santana. They’ll win a bunch of games and spend the first five months in/near first place in the N.L. East. But none of that really will matter. The Mets have been very good for the first five months of the past two seasons, but they’ve watched the postseason from home each time.

 

What matters is the final month of the regular season. The last regular season game is at home against Houston on Oct. 4. Will there be champagne flowing, or heads hanging in defeat (as there have been the past two seasons)? There’s no reason to expect another failed final month this year, but there were no reason to expect those types of slumps the past two seasons, either.

 

PROJECTED LINEUP

1. SS Jose Reyes. Jerry Manuel wouldn’t really drop him from the leadoff spot, right?

2. 2B Luis Castillo. Coming off his worst season in a decade.

3. 3B David Wright. The best third baseman in the National League.

4. 1B Carlos Delgado. Hit .303 with 21 homers after the All-Star break.

5. CF Carlos Beltran. Had another stellar all-around season.

6. RF Ryan Church. Was batting .309 before a concussion derailed his momentum in May.

7. LF Danny Murphy. Spark plug will share time with Tatis.

8. C Brian Schneider. Decent bat, solid defender.

 

PROJECTED ROTATION

1. LHP Johan Santana. He was stellar (7-0, 1.87 ERA) in August and September.

2. RHP Mike Pelfrey. Former first-round pick found his stride in 2008.

3. LHP Oliver Perez. Dominated rival Phillies last season (0.35 ERA in four starts).

4. RHP John Maine. Expects surgically-repaired shoulder to be healthy.

5. RHP Tim Redding. Must hold off oft-injured righthander Freddy Garcia for the job.

 

PROJECTED CLOSER

RHP Francisco Rodriguez. Record-setting closer (62 saves in 2008) part of revamped bullpen.

 

GRADES

 

Offense. A. Three of their stars—Beltran, Reyes, Wright—are fixtures in the annual MVP conversations. And Delgado showed he still is a capable slugger after a slow start. There are a couple of questions, but this is a carbon copy of the unit that finished tied for second (with Philly) in the N.L. in runs scored.

 

Pitching. A. With a bit more run support, Santana could have won 20 or more games. If Maine is healthy and the Mets get some production out of the No. 5 slot, the rotation will be a strength. Only two relievers who made more than 25 appearances with the team in 2008 are back; that’s wonderful news for Mets fans.

 

Bench. B. There is some defensive versatility. Tatis and Nick Evans both can play infield and outfield, Jeremy Reed can play all three outfield positions and Alex Cora can fill either middle-infield spot. That’s fine defensively, but there is almost no power off the bench.

 

Manager. C. Manuel did a fine job rousing the Mets from the lumbering state they slipped into with Willie Randolph at the helm at the start of last year. Come September, though, he couldn’t avoid another disaster. He is talking about shaking the team up—moving Reyes out of the leadoff spot—but is that a good thing?

 

Sporting News prediction: The Mets solved their biggest problem by revamping their bullpen, but their chief rival now has the confidence of a World Series championship under its belt. The Mets will make the playoffs but will have to settle for the wild card.

Yahoo!

Manning to Harrison does have a nice ring to it.

lol

this guy would argue carrot top is better than richard pryor.... get this guy off he's an instigator

He's entertaining though...lol Some of the stuff he says cracks me up.

Just like blunatic said... He's basically what Amani Toomer is right now... just higher priced, and he doesn't know our system.

Source: Colts’ Harrison reluctant to take pay cut

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Marvin Harrison’s reluctance to take a pay cut could mark the end of his career in Indianapolis. Colts president Bill Polian told reporters Sunday at the NFL’s annual scouting combine that the team was trying to rework Harrison’s deal to lower the receiver’s salary cap number from approximately $13.4 million, the highest number of any wide out in the NFL.

 

But a person familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team has not made an announcement, later told The Associated Press that Harrison “probably would not be interested in” reducing his base salary.

 

If Harrison decides against a redoing his contract, the only other options for the Colts would be to keep Harrison at his cap number or to release him.

 

Harrison has been one of the Colts’ most identifiable players since their move to Indianapolis. He ranks No. 2 in the NFL in career receptions (1,102) and holds all of the franchise’s major career and season receiving records.

 

He is also 36 years old, coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career—he missed all but five games in 2007—and with the Colts in a salary cap crunch, Polian may not be able to keep Harrison at his current price.

Next year’s cap is expected to be $123 million.

 

“The new cap rules, that’s not something we planned for,” Polian said. “As a result, we have some issues with veterans, including Marvin. Hopefully, we’ll find a way to work through that. I don’t know if we will, but we hope to.”

 

Since being drafted by the Colts in 1996, Harrison has been a model of consistency.

 

He’s made eight Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl ring. His 14,550 yards rank fourth on the NFL’s career list and he’s No. 5 with 128 TD catches. Harrison and Peyton Manning also teamed to produce the most proficient passing tandem in league history.

 

But Manning has increasingly thrown more passes to Reggie Wayne, who has made the last three Pro Bowls, while Anthony Gonzalez, Indy’s first-round draft pick in 2007, has made a push for more playing time.

 

Polian and coach Jim Caldwell have repeatedly said they do not believe Harrison’s skills are deteriorating.

 

“What I saw is a guy who is as quick as he’s been, with the same hands and he has the ability he’s always had,” Caldwell said Thursday.

 

Philadelphia police also believe one of Harrison’s guns was used in a shooting in his hometown last summer. No charges were filed against Harrison, and the man who made the accusation is now headed to trial for lying to police.

 

Harrison isn’t the only veteran the Colts could lose this week.

 

Polian said Sunday that he had made an offer to three-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday and Saturday was “mulling it over.”

 

Saturday, however, told The Associated Press later that he has discussed it with his wife and has decided to become a free agent. Players can beginning signing with other teams on Friday.

 

“I think I made it very clear that I wanted to stay in Indy, that’s where my wife and family wanted to stay, and I wanted to retire here,” he said. “But I’m moving into free agency because my wife and I decided this is what is best for our family, though I’ve not completely ruled out playing for the Colts.”

 

Saturday has started 138 games in nine seasons and is responsible for making blocking calls along the line.

 

Those two, along with Manning and punter Hunter Smith, are the longest-tenured players on the Colts roster. Smith’s agent, Thomas Mills, has said Smith also does not expect to be re-signed by the Colts before Friday.

 

Saturday said he was surprised by the offer and has made his decision.

 

“After Kelvin (Hayden) was done, Bill called and we met and that’s when he came with the offer,” Saturday said. “We discussed it”

 

Saturday would not discuss details of the Colts’ offer or characterize the contents.

 

The problem for Indianapolis is salary cap space.

 

On Thursday, the Colts signed Hayden, a corrnerback, to a new five-year, $43 million deal. That means since 2004, Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Ryan Diem, Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark and Ryan Lilja have all signed contracts worth at least $19 million.

 

Polian does not believe those deals have put Indy in the money pinch; the new salary cap rules have.

 

Clearly, though, Harrison’s six-year $66 million deal, with $22 million in bonuses, signed in December 2004 is now proving too costly and if Harrison doesn’t accept a pay cut, he may be looking for work in another city.

 

“I don’t want to characterize the discussions,” Polian said of the negotiations with Harrison. “But we are impacted by the salary cap for the first time in 11 years.”

Another updated ESPN article

I smoked that little devil.....He prowls the MB everyday trying to see if I'm back under a new name LOL

 

Thanks for the welcome but I've been here before.....forgot my name so I had to re-up

 

Giants are worrying me. Wish Coughy would retire and let us hire Gruden

Also Antonio had his worst year and hes had some other bad ones......that guys a boat anchor

 

I also hope Bloomberg does not get his way......as a 1st offender Burress should get probation I hope

Yeah me too. It's crazy how much attention Plax gets on the field no matter if the ball is being thrown to him or not. As soon as he left it was like the wieght of the world was put on Hixon.

We have 3 pretty good DE's right now. I'd rather get a sick LB instead. If he could convert to LB without any hiccups, then go for it, but we don't need him based on being a DE

He and his coaches swear he is.......but who knows for sure right

 

As a football player he looked good in the combine today......especially in catching a pass.....he had the softest hands of the LBers.......his 40 time was 4.64 I believe

 

Yeah that kid Laurenitis or whatever looked awful good too.....

 

I had to try and picture how the Giants present MLBer would have looked in the agility drills they put these kids through today HAHAHAHA

 

Any othe top 4-5 College LBers would be fine by me.....its our biggest weakness. I will be very disappointed if we go for a DE, DT, or WR with our #1 pick

I wouldn't mind getting a guy that could quite possibly replace AP in a year or so. We need a faster MLB with good hands that doesn't get burned by Westbrook or any other back in the league. I love AP to death, but he's starting to decline a bit.

14) Your coach is a...

a. A guy to listen

b. A guy that builds championships

c. A guy you blow off.

7. Game Day Scenerio - Lets say you have the #1 rush offense in the league. Its 1st and 5 on your opponent 20 yard line and it's windy as hell. Do you:

 

A. Pass it 3 times in a row.

B. Mix in a run or 2.

 

 

***** If you answered A. You may apply for the Giants Offensive Coordinator position.

I was so angry with that decision!! I was also angry that David Akers, the kicker I hate the most out of any kicker was the guy who stopped Bradshaw from getting the TD. :explode:

sample from the questionairre:

 

1) do you have a handgun?

 

2) if yes, do you take it to nightclubs?

 

3) if yes, do you know how to operate the safety?

4) is it licensed for the state of NY?

5) is the license expired?

lol

spitting image of amani toomer.

He's got a little more speed then Toomer I think, but I'd still stick with Toomer over Harrison for the simple fact of he's cheaper and knows our offense as good as anyone.

Daniel Murphy is a part-time player no more. New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel said Murphy will be the regular left fielder and no longer share the position with Fernando Tatis, according to the New York Daily News.

 

Manuel indicated Tatis, a right-handed hitter, is more likely to platoon with lefty hitting Ryan Church in right field.

 

"I don't want him to get into a strictly platoon situation," Manuel said of Murphy, who produced four hits in 10 at-bats off lefties last year. "I think he's a little better player than that. Also, with Church being left-handed, I kind of see Murphy being a better hitter right now."

 

It is something of a risky decision since Murphy has only two months of service time and 131 big league at-bats. But Murphy, 23, also owns a .313 career average and an uncommon ability for hitting, making Manuel believe he is ready for a full-time assignment.

 

"Whatever will give us the best chance to win," Manuel said.

 

Source: MLB.com

Yahoo!

C'mon VG!!! The Mets have been 1 game away from them the past 2 years, and before that we completely destroyed them. Our bullpen was a mess, now our bullpen is considered top 5 caliber in the MLB's. We have a pretty much healthy crew, and good managers. I would honestly be surprised if we only win the division by less then 10 games. Really surprised

I can't understand it. I had so much hope for him this year.

He's such a hard worker, and seems like such a good guy, willing to do anything and be in any position needed to help the team.

PORT ST. LUCIE - Daniel Murphy is the baseball equivalent of a gym rat. He never wants to leave the field, and mostly hasn't since we last saw him 4-1/2 months ago when the 2008 Mets and Shea Stadium had their mutual swan songs. For all we know, he was the last one out the door.

 

From there, Murphy reported directly to the Arizona Fall League to try his hand at second base, a position he may or may not be destined for in the Mets' long-term scheme of things. From Arizona, Murphy was supposed to go to the Puerto Rican winter league, where he was slated to go back to left field, but a hamstring injury gave him an unwanted two-month reprieve from baseball.

 

The Mets' pitchers and catchers reported for spring training Friday - nearly two weeks late, according to Murphy time. Even though the position players are not due to report until Tuesday, Murphy has been here since Feb.1, honing his batting swing with whatever batting-practice pitcher he can find, lifting weights, running in the outfield and itching to get started.

 

There are a lot of things you can say about this 23-year-old Jacksonville native. He's a workaholic. He's seemingly a natural born hitter, with a classic lefty swing. He's versatile, or at least willing to be. He's an eager, dedicated young player on the come. He's a manager's dream.

 

There is one thing, however, he is not, and that's Manny Ramirez.

 

Nevertheless, the Mets high command apparently saw enough in the 49 games Murphy put in for them last year after being recalled from Triple-A New Orleans Aug.2 (after just 259 at-bats of minor league apprenticeship) to convince them that, while sharing time with Fernando Tatis, he can at least perhaps be a half of Manny. Okay, we all know that's a stretch, and maybe the Mets will come to really regret passing on Manny this season, but, for his part, Murphy believes their faith in him is well-placed.

 

"My dad reads all the New York papers every day and all this winter he kept calling me and saying, 'I think they're gonna get Manny,'" Murphy was saying Friday before the Mets' voluntary workout. "Any time the organization shows faith in me, it's very rewarding and I'm confident Tatis and myself will be able to provide them what they need. I just want to help this team."

 

In a combined 302 at-bats last year, mostly as the Mets' left fielders, Murphy and Tatis hit .302 with 13 homers and 64 RBI. The Mets are hoping this established left-field platoon can double that production. Tatis is more of a power hitter. Murphy hit only two homers for the Mets, but had 26 in his 259 minor league at-bats, and the club is confident his power will come.

In a lot of ways, he reminds you of Don Mattingly at the same age. Mattingly, too, was primarily a gap hitter when he arrived in the big leagues in 1983, and there were questions as to whether he would hit for enough power at first base. In the spring of 1984, then-Yankee manager Yogi Berra declared that Mattingly would be his "swing man," alternating between left field and first base. "I don't know how many homers he'll hit," Berra said, "I just know he can hit."

 

When I suggested to Mets manager Jerry Manuel Friday that there were seemingly a lot of similarities between Murphy and Mattingly, his eyes widened.

 

"That's quite a comparison," Manuel said, "but you're right insofar as the tremendous work ethic, that classic (lefthanded) swing and the willingness to play anywhere. When it comes to the power with Daniel, that's what you hope happens - just like it did with Mattingly. I think it will come because he's going about everything in the right way. He's shown me he can be the perfect guy for this club, fitting right into the core."

 

Assuming that does happen, the question remains just where Murphy ends up playing. Some in the organization see him as the second-base successor to Luis Castillo (Murphy played 17 games at second in the minors last year at his request), and Mets GM Omar Minaya has suggested he may ultimately wind up at first base.

 

"I don't really care where I end up," Murphy said, "as long as I'm playing. The way I look at it, whatever the lineup says, that's my position that day."

 

There could, however, be a danger in that. There are a lot of people around the Mets who also say that Murphy reminds them of Joe McEwing, another grinder type who earned his keep at Shea for five seasons (2000-2004) as a super sub. But nobody ever looked at McEwing as an everyday player.

 

When asked if he didn't want to be labeled a utility man, Murphy said: "Everybody wants to have a set position. But in the end, I just want to be whatever I can to help the club win."

 

For this season anyway, being half of Manny would more than suffice.

Article

Him being 36, plus he's not overly healthy, on top of the fact that he wants starter pay really throws him out of the race for us. I think he will restructure his contract and stay with the Colts, cause he has to know that at his age he doesn't have many options. Unless Al Davis gets him like he did Jerry Rice. LOL

Harrison's career in Indy may be ending

INDIANAPOLIS -- Marvin Harrison's reluctance to take a pay cut could mark the end of his career in Indianapolis.

 

Renegotiation talks between the Colts and Harrison were unsuccessful during the weekend, and he is close to asking the team for his release, a source told ESPN.com's John Clayton. NFL.com cited a league source late Sunday as saying that he had already asked the team to release him.

Colts president Bill Polian told reporters Sunday at the NFL's annual scouting combine that the team was trying to rework Harrison's deal to lower the receiver's salary cap number from approximately $13.4 million, the highest number of any wideout in the NFL. Harrison is scheduled to make $9 million in 2009.

 

If Harrison decides against a redoing his contract, the only other options for the Colts would be to keep Harrison at his cap number or to release him.

 

Harrison has been one of the Colts' most identifiable players since their move to Indianapolis. He ranks No. 2 in the NFL in career receptions (1,102) and holds all of the franchise's major career and season receiving records.

 

He is also 36 years old, coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career -- he missed all but five games in 2007 -- and with the Colts in a salary cap crunch, Polian may not be able to keep Harrison at his current price.

 

Next year's cap is expected to be $123 million.

 

"The new cap rules, that's not something we planned for," Polian said. "As a result, we have some issues with veterans, including Marvin. Hopefully, we'll find a way to work through that. I don't know if we will, but we hope to."

Earlier this week, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell said he was hopeful Harrison would be able to return to the team, but it was apparent the franchise is unwilling to have him on the team with a $13.4 million cap number.

 

Though the team isn't expected to make a decision on Harrison until Thursday, when all teams have to be under the salary cap, Harrison could speed up the process by asking for his release to give him time to find a new team, a source told Clayton.

 

Since being drafted by the Colts in 1996, Harrison has been a model of consistency.

 

He's made eight Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl ring. His 14,550 yards rank fourth on the NFL's career list and he's No. 5 with 128 TD catches. Harrison and Peyton Manning also teamed to produce the most proficient passing tandem in league history.

 

But Manning has increasingly thrown more passes to Reggie Wayne, who has made the last three Pro Bowls, while Anthony Gonzalez, Indy's first-round draft pick in 2007, has made a push for more playing time.

Polian and Caldwell have repeatedly said they do not believe Harrison's skills are deteriorating.

 

"What I saw is a guy who is as quick as he's been, with the same hands and he has the ability he's always had," Caldwell said Thursday.

 

Philadelphia police also believe one of Harrison's guns was used in a shooting in his hometown last summer. No charges were filed against Harrison, and the man who made the accusation is now headed to trial for lying to police.

 

Harrison isn't the only veteran the Colts could lose this week.

 

Polian said Sunday that he had made an offer to three-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday and Saturday was "mulling it over."

 

Saturday, however, told The Associated Press later that he has discussed it with his wife and has decided to become a free agent. Players can beginning signing with other teams on Friday.

 

"I think I made it very clear that I wanted to stay in Indy, that's where my wife and family wanted to stay, and I wanted to retire here," he said. "But I'm moving into free agency because my wife and I decided this is what is best for our family, though I've not completely ruled out playing for the Colts."

 

Saturday has started 138 games in nine seasons and is responsible for making blocking calls along the line.

 

Those two, along with Manning and punter Hunter Smith, are the longest-tenured players on the Colts roster. Smith's agent, Thomas Mills, has said Smith also does not expect to be re-signed by the Colts before Friday.

 

Saturday said he was surprised by the offer and has made his decision.

 

"After Kelvin [Hayden] was done, Bill called and we met and that's when he came with the offer," Saturday said. "We discussed it"

 

Saturday would not discuss details of the Colts' offer or characterize the contents.

 

The problem for Indianapolis is salary cap space.

 

On Thursday, the Colts signed Hayden, a corrnerback, to a new five-year, $43 million deal. That means since 2004, Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Ryan Diem, Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark and Ryan Lilja have all signed contracts worth at least $19 million.

 

Polian does not believe those deals have put Indy in the money pinch; the new salary cap rules have.

 

Clearly, though, Harrison's six-year $66 million deal, with $22 million in bonuses, signed in December 2004 is now proving too costly and if Harrison doesn't accept a pay cut, he may be looking for work in another city.

 

"I don't want to characterize the discussions," Polian said of the negotiations with Harrison. "But we are impacted by the salary cap for the first time in 11 years."

ESPN Link

Ugh... He's lost alot of steps. What do you guys think?

He's too stupid to be a Giant. Oregon is full of fags anyway.

LOL

how do you explain the playoff performances?

That sushi looks like a skinny fat Albert.

Making him just Albert, heh.

(see I got jokes too )

Yes its me in the flesh

 

I told the GMB Nazi's where they could kiss my posterior

What's up, Jacko? Welcome

I'm going on record right now and saying that Johan is going to get to 20. But Plax4Prez, I'd be more than grateful if our team had two 18 game winners with 4 SP's with 14 or more W's. I know think that's possible with our bullpen, especially if Duaner Sanchez can bounce back.

If Sanchez can play like he did before the accident, then I seriously think anytime we have a lead going into the 7th, then we got Sanchez, Putz, and K-Rod! God that's a starting pitchers dream

Well... we have three starting caliber DEs and only two spots. Hope the new DC can make things as interesting as Spags always seemed to do.

They should, I think that was the main reason why they stayed internal with the DC. Keeping most of the same schemes, and verbage, and hopefully trickery.