Well after some snow outs, you would think the Mets would be refreshed and ready to go. Even if they were, they still couldn’t get any wins. Maybe the delays have caused a “loss in momentum” as Terry Collins liked to put it. The Mets have lost their last 3 games.

*Their bullpen faced a lot of work on Tuesday in their doubleheader against the Rockies. Dillon Gee raked in another loss in the two hour delayed afternoon game as the Mets fell 4-8. (Side Note: Sandy Alderson was out there shoveling snow before the game to make sure the Mets got on the field.) Gee went 4 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 7 hits. He just couldn’t seem to keep the lead when it was handed to him. Murphy and Tejada‘s defensive blundlers didn’t help too much either. On a positive note, David Wright finally got his first homer of the season in the 1st inning, a 2- run blast off Nicasio. And then his second of the season, a solo shot in the 5th, all in the frigid weather of Coors Field. On a night when gripping the bat must have been a constant struggle, Wright went 3-4 and further boasted his already successful numbers at Coors Field. Check out his first one here and the second one here!)

*The Mets also fell to the Rockies in their second game on Tuesday in 10 innings, 8-9. The Mets put up some great offensive numbers early and should have won the game, but Ruben Tejada made a costly throwing error in the 8th inning allowing the two tying runs to score. Now Tejada has been giving us a great offensive addition this season in that 8 hole, but his defense has suffered. I have no idea what’s going on with him, but I would rather him work on his fielding right now. Aaron Laffey only went 4 innings with the Mets hoping to pitch him again on Sunday on short rest. The bullpen was unable to seal the deal despite a 6-run lead. Burke took the loss on Jordan Pacheco‘s walk-off single in the 10th. This is where the postponed games really hurt us. As of Tuesday, Collins was unsure about our rotation this weekend and going forward.

*Their Wednesday game was once again postponed. The Mets are scheduled to make this game up on June 27th. 

*The Mets pulled in their 3rd straight loss and Jon Niese was handed his first loss of the season as the team fell to the Rockies yesterday, 11-3. Despite Wright’s RBIs and a sensational catch, spin, throw from Tejada to get a much needed out in the 3rd inning, the bullpen got crushed. To say the least, this was a road trip the Mets would like to forget immediately. I’m hoping they can get back on track tonight since they’re back home and in nicer weather, but they’re facing some pretty difficult teams coming up- the Nationals, Phillies, and Dodgers. It’s not going to be easy, but if they want to remain competitive, they need to get wins. They need to be resilient and not fall into a dark hole of constant loses and bad play. This will be a big test for the team.

INJURY REPORT: I actually screamed out loud when ESPN app sounded off and my alert read: “Mets top prospect Travis d’Arnaud breaks ankle.” He was sent to New York and will be examined by staff doctors to determine whether he will need surgery. This is awful and will most likely delay his progress this season, never mind his call-up. Let’s just hope he won’t need surgery and that he can recover as quickly as possible. All I have to say is, I’m extremely thankful that John Buck has been playing so well. Here’s to a speedy recovery for Travis. Send him some well wishes on Twitter- @travisdarnaud!!

And Shaun Marcum says his rehab is going well, but he may need an extra start to get to the place he wants to be. He had 41 pitch outing in Florida yesterday, striking out five in four perfect innings, but Collins said he was supposed 65-70 and then work up to 90 in his next start. Things are moving slow, but I guess any news is good news at this point. We just need Marcum back in the rotation- healthy and effective. 

NEXT UP:: Looking to end their losing streak, the Mets send their young phenom, Matt Harvey (3-0), to the mound to match up against the Nationals and their own young phenom, Stephen Strasburg (1-2). If the Mets are searching for a winning recipe, Harvey is just the ingredient they need. Tune in to SNY tonight at 7:10PM to see if Harvey can get something cooking for the Mets. LGM!

This time next week I will be making myself comfortable in my seat at Citi Field to watch the Mets take on the San Diego Padres to open up their 2013 season. So with only 7 days remaining, let’s see how the team is shaping up…Here’s some current news and tidbits:

Graphic courtesy of the 7 line, who makes the best t-shirt designs! Visit them at the7line.com!!

* Yesterday, the Mets made their last round of roster cuts following Harvey getting rocked by the Tigers. Even though we knew this was coming, Travis d’Arnaud is making his way to -Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets want to avoid giving Travis enough time to be eligible as a Super Two arbitration player. If he gets enough service time and becomes qualified for it, the Mets could lose a lot of money and a year of team control. Despite posting some exceptional numbers this Spring Training (batting .343 with four doubles in 35 at-bats) and building up strong relationships with pitchers, Travis will have to wait it out in Vegas until at least May while John Buck starts the season as our #1 catcher. Sandy Alderson did, however, mention that if Buck happens to get injured, Travis would be coming up no matter what. 

*Bullpen Status– Pedro Feliciano was working on his comeback for the Mets, but it was cut short today when he was informed that he would not make the Opening Day roster. Although he posted some good numbers, his velocity never made it up there, mostly staying in the range of the low to mid 80s. With the bullpen beginning to take form, Robert Carson is probably the most likely to make the team. The only remaining two battling it out are the submariner, Greg Burke and the flame-throwing right-hander Jeurys Familia. We’ll have to wait and see who wins that one. 

*ON THE WRIGHT TRACK– Thank God is all I have to say! David Wright seems to be working his way straight to Opening Day- hopefully! David took full batting practice yesterday at Tradition Field and noted no pain. This is a great sign! He seems to be making progress and according to him, plans to be out there against the Padres. But given the fact that Wright is such a tough player and always wants to be out on the field, the training staff hides his work out schedule from him until he gets to the ballpark in the morning!

*BAD NEWS FOR DEN DEKKER– Matt den Dekker was likely to receive a Minor League demotion given his struggles offensively, but MAN was he having an amazing Spring Training defensively! Until yesterday, when he lunged for a fly ball and landed awkwardly on his wrist. After x-rays, it was clear Matt broke his wrist! It’s such a misfortune because he was really was playing a great outfield. The rookie was sent back to New York to see if surgery will be necessary. Hope you have a speedy recovery, Matt!!

*Why is it that I didn’t even know Daniel Murphy was hurt? He is coming back from a strained left intercostal muscle! Murph felt no pain at the plate (thankfully) when he played in a Minor League game yesterday for the first time in nine days. He is such a persistent worker, always trying to get better and he is trying his hardest to be there on Opening Day. But he even admits that his timing is off and his swing is nowhere near where it usually is by this time of year. Let’s hope that Murph can find his rhythm and be out on the field soon!

Terry Collins made a few announcements following the Mets 3-2 loss to the Cardinals yesterday—

1. David Wright is OFFICIALLY finally named the captain of the New York Mets. Terry said that it was pretty obvious once Wright dedicated himself to the team this offseason with his giant contact (making him a Met for life) that it was time to give him the honor. Wright has nobly declined to wear the ‘C’ on his jersey (much to my disappointment). But you could expect nothing less from the less-than-flashy All-Star third basemen. He leads by example and doesn’t need to show it on his uniform. This was a great decision and really shows how much the organization and players respect David’s leadership role on the team. Wright joins a short list of Mets captains following in the footsteps of John Franco, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Carter. He also joins the Yankees’ Derek Jeter and the White Sox’s Paul Konerko on the short list of active MLB captains. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW CAPTAIN! He has some good company! (:: Side Note:: With David’s slight injury, he may not definitely be starting on Opening Day. That’s very upsetting considering I’ll be in the stands April 1st cheering them on!)

Here are some comments from yesterday when Captain America became Captain Wright:

“This is probably one of the proudest days of my career so far. I’m honored and very proud to be on that short list of guys that have been considered captain of this franchise. For me, it’s a dream come true, to say the least.”–David Wright

“I don’t think David needs it. I don’t think that fits his personality. He’s not somebody who is a captain in title alone. It’s really about the substance underneath the title.”– Sandy Alderson on Wright not wearing the captain’s ‘C’

“I have been around David long enough to know that he is the perfect guy to be the captain of the Mets,“–Keith Hernandez

“There’s nobody better to choose as a captain…He’s a professional on and off the field.”–Ike Davis

Check out the video of David Wright accepting his Captaincy honor from Mets.com here.

2. And the second announcement coming out of that same press conference declares JON NIESE THE OPENING DAY STARTER! It’s not much of a shocker and even though Sandy Alderson refuses to admit it, Johan Santana will most likely be on the DL to start the season. I’m comfortable with this decision. Niese has shown that he has grown as a pitcher and a professional over the past few years and his performance this spring has been phenomenal! He leads all National League pitchers with an astonishing 0.71 ERA. And with his comments from yesterday’s conference, you can really see he is ready to take on this leadership role. His confidence is extremely reassuring! CONGRATULATIONS TO NIESE! (I won’t hold my breath on when to expect Santana back…)

Check out the video of Niese’s comments following the announcement here.

INJURY REPORT– Shaun Marcum received what he calls a “precautionary” cortisone shot in his shoulder following some tightness and a notice of a drop in velocity during a game against the Marlins. He says it’s nothing new, he knows how to deal with it, and he will be ready for the season. I’m praying that’s true because we can’t afford to damage our already shaky rotation. With Santana likely on the DL, the starting rotation once the season starts will probably be Niese, Marcum, Harvey, Gee, and Jeremy Hefner (who pitched a pretty good game yesterday against the Cards).

ONLY 10 DAYS LEFT UNTIL OPENING DAY!!! WHO’S READY FOR SOME BASEBALL?! LET’S GO METS!

Jeremy Hefner pulled a nice game out of his back pocket today in the Mets’ 5-2 win over the Braves. There’s no doubt he is competing for a spot in the starting rotation, especially with Santana almost guaranteed to start on the DL. Hefner showed some prowess striking out seven (six of them in a row) and allowing only two runs on five hits in five innings. We’ll have to wait until the last minute as always to get any details about the starting lineup once the season begins, but Hefner is definitely putting in the work. It’s a good sign, unlike Dillon Gee‘s miserable start yesterday.

Lucas Duda also showed some life today with a home run off of Tim Hudson in the second inning. Another good sign. But of course, there’s always the bad news to follow some good news…

David Wright was diagnosed with a moderate left intercostal strain sidelining him for about 3-5 days, according to the Mets. (Well there goes the USA’s chances of making it to the finals) And so begins the line of injuries that usually mark the Mets’ seasons. But I don’t blame Wright or the World Baseball Classic. He was tearing it up out there! And he could have just as easily gotten hurt in Spring Training. Sandy Alderson will not say whether Wright will be healthy enough to start the season at 3rd base- what’s new- but Justin Turner will be the likely candidate to replace Wright if he can’t start on April 1st.

I feel bad for Wright. He was doing an amazing job in the Classic and showing the world exactly what he can do. I doubt he’s going to be winning anything with the Mets anytime soon, so it would have been nice to see him lead the U.S. to victory in this tournament. =(

But Wright is a beast and I know he will make the effort to be in that lineup and on the field come Opening Day!

First of all- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. NO HITTER HIMSELF, JOHAN SANTANA!

Now onto the real issue at hand, with all the negative press going around concerning   Santana, it’s hard to really know what’s going on from a baseball perspective. Right now, I don’t care about who said what and if Santana really is upset with Sandy because of his comments about Santana’s less-than-ready arm condition coming into Spring Training. That’s not my concern. My concern is who will get the start if Santana ends up on the DL to start the season? 

I doubt Marcum or Gee will be our go-to guy so that leaves Jon Niese and Matt Harvey. Both have been doing pretty well in the Grapefruit League. Both have shown they can get players out and win games, so it comes down to an experienced pitcher in the Big Leagues who pitched like a champ last year or a young pitcher who has been on the fast track of domination since he came up last season. I’m comfortable handing off the the ball to either one of those guys to be perfectly honest.

I wonder whether Niese can handle the pressure of being our number one starter once the season starts. But you don’t want to give Harvey that much responsibility all at once. I want to see Harvey slowly make his way to the #1 spot and stay there. It’s hard enough pitching in the bright lights of New York baseball when you’re pitching well, but to be a young pitcher leading off the rotation and you begin to struggle, it will be a test to say the least. So I guess it depends on how long Johan will be out. If it’s for more than one or two starts, I would go with Niese, but if Santana is coming back sooner than we think, why not give Harvey a chance and see how he handles it. I’d say having to choose between these two strong pitchers is the least of our worries this season. 

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WRIGHT BASEBALL CLASSIC!– The World Baseball Classic has become the Wright Baseball Classic with our very own captain showing that he is a one-man wrecking machine well-worth the money he gets paid. While all Met fans knew that already, now the world gets to see what David Wright can do. David knocked in 5 RBIs last night in Team USA’s 7-1 win over Puerto Rico, including a 3 run double just missing Angel Pagan’s glove. That makes 10 RBIs in total during this WBC!! Wright’s play has garnered so much attention that he’s being hailed as Captain America now! That’s right! David Wright knows how to represent the Mets and this country the right way! Keep it up David and don’t forget to bring that hot bat and glove back for April 1st!!

Am I surprised? Yes and no. I knew there were going to be bumps in the road, but Johan Santana‘s schedule has already been pushed back two weeks and it’s only Spring Training. He was supposed to make his first Grapefruit League appearance on March 2nd, but GM Sandy made the announcement that Santana’s appearance will be pushed back at least two weeks. Alderson said they were aiming for a start around March 10-15th.

Alderson is completely denying any “structural issue,” but then says things like it’s a possibility Santana may start the season on the DL. WHAT?! You name him the Opening Day starter, but now the doctor says he should slow things down. The season hasn’t even started and we are already having problems. If Santana ends up on the DL, Jeremy Hefner, Zack Wheeler, or Jenrry Mejia would likely take his spot on the roster.

“Again, there’s no structural issue. It’s a matter of just getting into a developmental progression…It’s not a soreness thing. I wouldn’t even call it a weakness. It’s just where he is in his program is somewhat behind based on his winter and the injury from last year and his loss of the second half of the season. So he’s just a little behind schedule.”–Sandy Alderson on Santana

I love Santana and I want him to be healthy, but it’s hard not to be frustrated. He is set to receive $25.5 million in the last year of his six-year deal, plus a $5.5. million buyout of his 2014 option. Shouldn’t we be getting everything possible out of this pitcher. If this was any other pitcher, and we weren’t talking about Johan Santana, wouldn’t you expect more for that kind of money? In order for our rotation to be effective, we need Santana to be at his best, especially with losing R.A. Dickey.

In more news on our medical issues– outfielder Jamie Hoffman and reliever Pedro Feliciano were shipped off to New York for what was described as “non-orthopedic” followups. Due to “privacy issues,” Alderson could not elaborate on the situation other than these were followups to their initial team physicals. Hmm, that doesn’t sound shady at all…

And lastly, Frank Francisco will begin tossing on Monday or Tuesday following his elbow inflammation problems since arriving at camp. Terry Collins gave Bobby Parnell word that he will be taking the closer spot if Frankie ends up on the DL to start the season. If Parnell could just harness his fastball and build up some consistency that didn’t leave me with a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever he steps to the mound in a close game, I wouldn’t be so worried about the closer position. But it’s a new season, so we’ll have to be optimistic despite these setbacks.

Day 1 is in the books and even though the Mets have been labeled as one of the least improved teams this offseason, there is always that special feeling you get when Spring Training arrives. Only pitchers and catchers were set to report today, but most of the players invited to camp (at least 53 of the 58 according the ESPNNewYork.com) have been making their way in weeks earlier than expected.

There are so many questions as Spring Training begins. What do we expect from Johan Santana this season? He checked into the complex today, but did not work out (it was optional) or speak with any media. How will the rotation go on without Dickey? Santana, Jon Niese, Shaun Marcum, and Matt Harvey will be permanent fixtures in the rotation and that gives me some hope.

What is going to happen in the outfield? There will be players like Mike Baxter, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda, Collin Cowgill, Marlon Byrd, and Andrew Brown looking to fill the positions in the outfield both defensively and offensively. But to my surprise, infielders Zach Lutz and Justin Turner will be taking a few instructional courses to possibly play outfield this Spring Training. I feel as if the team wears a blindfold when it comes to this outfield. This is a major problem for us, especially offensively. It was obviously seen last season and if turning an infielder into an outfielder is our best option, Sandy Alderson needs to wake up and do something.

On a positive note, the Mets’ 1-year deal for $4 million and another possible $4 million in bonus money with veteran pitcher Shaun Marcum was hailed as a great deal for the team. He made some great comments about how he can never replace R.A. Dickey in the rotation, but that if he and the rest of the rotation can make it to the 200-innings pitched mark and give the bullpen less work, the Mets will be successful. I really hope Marcum will be a strong asset to the rotation and a valuable presence in the clubhouse. That’s exactly what the Mets need out of this deal.

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO from the Mets official page, giving a little summary of what to look for as the season approaches.

Keep your eyes open!!– Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud will starting the season in the Minors with the Mets being cautious about their top prospects. The two will most likely be seen around midsummer in the bigs. But I’m sure we will see plenty of them when the Grapefruit League kicks off on February 23rd. I am extremely exciting to see what these guys can do and how they will react to the new environment when they get promoted. It’s really interesting to see players grow in the system and be successful once they come up. Mets fans are definitely hoping that’s the case with these two exceptional players.

P.S. – R.A. Dickey arrived at camp today as well…except he was at the Blue Jays camp in his new colors. =(  ESPN‘s Adam Rubin posted this picture (click here) and it broke my heart. I already miss his presence and the season didn’t even start.

So I’ve been M.I.A. for a while– first I was out of the country and then my laptop broke…let’s just say I didn’t have access to my blog for a while. 

But I’m here now and guess what? Spring Training is slowly but surely approaching!! It’s 15 days until pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie and I, for one, am extremely excited. 

It’s been pretty quiet following the Dickey trade besides David Wright’s engagement last month (I don’t like to think about it =/ …), Daniel Murphy and Jon Niese’s nuptials, and the rumors of a possible deal with outfielder Michael Bourn after the Justin Upton rumors were put to rest following his trip to Atlanta in a seven-player deal with Arizona. 

Bourn is represented by Scott Boras, who is notoriously known in the industry for making excessive, multi-year deals, so I’m not too optimistic about this deal getting down. Although the Mets are in desperate need of outfield power, we cannot give up first-round picks in the draft or make expensive, long-term deals that will eventually bite us in the butt. It’s going to be interesting to see what Sandy Alderson does with his remaining time before the season begins. There are still so many holes that need to be addressed, especially in the outfield, so it worries me that the Mets haven’t made a solid move to make things better. 

SUCH SAD NEWS FOR A NEW MEMBER OF THE METS FAMILY– Landon Powell (catcher) was signed to a Minor League contract this month. As a new member of the Mets community, this should be a happy time for him; however, it breaks my heart to say Powell’s 5 month old daughter Izzy passed away after “battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare disease in which the immune system attacks vital organs,” according to the Mets official page. My prayers go out to Powell and his family and I hope that they can find peace, especially in caring for Izzy’s twin sister and their other son. </3

It may not be the most popular move, but the Mets make a deal with the Blue Jays sending R.A. Dickey, Josh Thole, and Mike Nickeas to Toronto and get catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud and 32-year old catcher John Buck  (who will be replacing Josh Thole behind the plate), pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard and Minor Leaguer Wuilmer Becerra in return. Dickey negotiated a three year, $29 million contract with a $12 million team option for 2016. The deal was completely finalized yesterday after Dickey passed his physical.

It’s sad to see an end to Dickey’s time with the Mets, but fans need to understand that this was the best option for the team. We received two top prospects in this deal! The two sides could not reach an agreement, so this was what had to happen. In the end, both sides got what they wanted. Granted Dickey deserves a lot more money given the environment he is surrounded by- Zack Greinke getting $147 million and Anibal Sanchez getting $80 million. I mean the Yankees’ Hiroki Kuroda is receiving $15 million for a one year deal and he is not the reigning Cy Young Award winner, so you have to respect Dickey for working with the trade and not against it.

Dickey took to Twitter once the deal was done to thank the fans and all the people that supported him.

I want to wish Dickey the best of luck in Toronto because he truly deserves it! He will always be my favorite pitcher, even if he’s not on the Mets.

And as for the newest Mets- I’m really looking forward to seeing them take on this crazy atmosphere of playing in New York. It’s a big risk, but the Mets are banking on this deal working out for the team’s future.

FINALLY AN OUTFIELDER!– Now that things have been settled with Dickey, Sandy Alderson needs to focus on our non-existent outfield. This problem was somewhat addressed when the Mets acquired the right-hand hitting outfielder, Collin Cowgill from the Oakland A’s in exchange for Minor League infielder Jefry Marte.

This is the info on Cowgill from the Mets official website:

Cowgill, 26, posted a .269/.336/.317 batting line with a home run and nine RBIs in 38 games for Oakland last season. He spent most of the season with Triple-A Sacramento, where he batted .254 with four homers, 37 RBIs and 33 runs scored in 61 games. Cowgill has a .255 average in 74 career Major League games.

The Mets have made the official announcement about David Wright’s new contract with Wright passing his physical today!

Tune in tomorrow morning at 11 AM on SNY to see the press conference!

~Show your support by tweeting out #WrightOn!!~  

Love this picture courtesy of Mets.com!

And as if I could not love him anymore, Wright sends this message to Mets fans! Check it out here. 

QUOTE THAT!…

“I’d like to thank Fred Wilpon, Saul Katz and Jeff Wilpon for their commitment to me since I was drafted…I’ve grown up in this organization and made life-long friendships with teammates, uniform personnel and front office staff. I’m grateful for the opportunity to finish what I’ve started and help bring the Mets and our fans a World Series title.”– David Wright

“I think it’s a great statement that David wanted to stay with the organization that drafted him…David is the leader of this team in the clubhouse, on the field and in the community.”– Terry Collins

It’s great that Wright acknowledges the fact that we haven’t been a competitive team and promises better. We want a ring and I’m positive he wants one, too. Even though I hope he can bring us one, it can’t be all on his shoulders. But Wright being the leader he is, we know he will take on all the pressure. Thanks Wright for being a great leader and asset to this team and Mets fans are looking forward to the future! #MetforLife #Captain5 

In other news… Talks are becoming more prominent at the Winter Meetings about possibly trading R.A. Dickey. The Rangers, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Red Sox have all reportedly been interested in Dickey. Alderson says he is looking for a “difference maker,” but need I remind you, Dickey was the difference maker last season. It’s great that Alderson is looking for a good deal because the only way I can condone this trade would be if we get amazing talent that will help us win in return. And I’m not talking about prospects. I want players who will have an immediate effect. Otherwise, Dickey needs to stay with the Mets and that’s all I have to say. It seems money is the main problem with the negotiations right now. Let’s hope these things can be resolved sooner rather than later. Jon Niese’s name has also come up in trade talks, but Alderson again claims he will have to look for impact players.