Meet the Mets
Pitchers and catchers report to sunny Port St. Lucie today. Finally. Folks, it is goddamn baseball season and I cuoldn't be more ready. It's not all sunshine and rainbows in PSL, though, as the Mets have been unable to find another team to split the facility with them.
Toby Hyde is here to introduce us to the Buffalo Bisons and Binghamton Mets coaching staffs for 2012. I'm with Toby on Pedro Lopez, he has had a lot of success coaching in the minors, and I would not be shocked to see him on an MLB coaching staff sometime in the next couple years. Also interesting that they are bringing in a very, very experienced pitching coach for the loaded B-Mets staff. This merits watching.
Ted Berg, meanwhile, continues his over/under series with one very close to his artery-clogged heart. I also call shenanigans here. No way Berg only goes to Shake Shack half the time.
He doesn't say he is in the best shape of his life, but Dillon Gee is in better shape this year, as he looks to prevent a late season swoon like the one he had in 2011. You say late-season swoon, I say ERA regressing towards FIP. To-MAY-to, to-MAH-to.
Boy wonder Andy McCullough talks with Dave Hudgens about David Wright. Hudgens thinks Wright has had some mechanical issues, Collins thinks he wasn't healthy. Hopefully both those issues won't be issues in 2012.
Around MLB
The Mets aren't the only team lacing up their cleats this week, so here's your complete schedule of when teams are reporting for Spring Training.
Are we still talking about beer, fried chicken and the Red Sox collapse? Of course. Beckett's quote at the end pretty much sums it up.
Fawning Strasburg column? Fawning Strasburg column.
David Laurila's interviews have been a highlight of both Baseball Prospectus and Fangraphs over the years, here's his latest about scouting Indians draft pick Francisco Lindor.
The ITBSOHL meme has acheived sentience. Run for your lives!
Tim Hudson is not in the best shape of his life, as he will miss the first month of the season due to his balky back.
Hardball Talk takes a look at "The Underrated Mike Cameron." I think that epithet should just be part of his name now.
Yes, Virginia in White Plains, the Yankees are probably signing Raul Ibanez.
And One Last Mets Highlight to Tide You Over Until Spring Training: Gary Carter. April 9th, 1985
As if it could have been any other.
And Your Non-Baseball Link of the Day: "The Boy Who Played With Fusion"
When I was seventeen I was doing exactly none of this.