Beltran: Mets Are ‘Team To Beat’
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Sun, February 17, 2008 11:09 AM | Comments: 20
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A few notes this morning:
- Todd Zolecki has a new video post from Clearwater . The major story is Kris Benson has reported to camp and threw 60 pitches.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee said Benson is about 60-70 percent healthy, which is what both director of pro scouting Chuck LaMar and Benson have said.
- In his weekly “On Baseball” column, Jim Salisbury notes Benson’s contract has a clause saying if he’s not on the Phillies 25-man roster by March 25, he can request free agency.
But that doesn’t mean he necessarily will; in fact, Benson sounds very passionate about being a Phillie.
“The goal is always opening day. But realistically, do I think I’ll be able to make it? I don’t know. I’ve learned the shoulder has a mind of its own.
“I’m hoping it works out here. You have a great defense and a great offense here. For me, it’s perfect. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, because I wanted to be here.”
- Stephen Miller of the Allentown Morning Call talked with Benson in depth.
He went into his pitch cabinet (“I took the second half off in ’03 and ever since then, my velocity’s gone down every year. My slider turned into [more of a] curveball; I had to come up with a cutter to make up for my slider.”) and his buxom wife, Anna, who makes headlines by being outspoken (“It’s not a big deal. She has fun with it. I have fun with it. A lot of the teammates and the wives are like, ‘You’re not like what they write about you.’ “).
Benson is costing the Phillies $100K at the moment, but if he gets 30 starts, he’d cost $5MM this year. He’s a great gamble.
- Zolecki’s video also has a fantastic bit about Kyle Kendrick.
Members of the media and Phillies players played a prank on the young righthander, telling him he’d been traded to Japan. Kendrick bought into it, trying to answer questions as civil as possible while being completely confused. The clubhouse’s reaction when revealing the prank is priceless.
- From the New York Daily News is the first vocal shot fired in the Phillies/Mets rivalry of 2008. Carlos Beltran, take it away:
“Let me tell you this: Without [Johan] Santana, we felt as a team we have a chance to win in our division. With him now, I have no doubt that we’re going to win in our division. I have no doubt in that. We’ve got what it takes. We have good chemistry as a team. He fits great because he’s a great guy. He’s one of the best pitchers in the game. Who doesn’t want to have him on any ball club? Without him last year, we did good until the end of the season. So this year, to Jimmy Rollins, we are the team to beat.”
Beltran doesn’t usually talk, like Rollins, who last year labeled the Phils as the “team to beat” and came through on his words, leading the Phils to their first division championship since 1993 and winning the National League MVP award.
“He excelled,” said Mets closer Billy Wagner about Rollins. “It takes a special person to be able to do that. You can’t say that and then not start off well, or things don’t go your way and you go, ‘Well, that’s not what I meant.’ Now you have to lead.”
And Beltran has to lead too. You can’t say those big words, then shy away. As it stands, Beltran is missing the start of Grapefruit League play because of surgery on both knees.
Posts: 0 Chris M
are we sure beltran said that? i didnt think he could speak english like the rest of his team(pedro, santana, perez, reyes, castillo, delgado, alou, beltran…and whoever else is in the bullpen.) wait did i just mention the domican team?
Posted: 12:21 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Alphonse Dattolo
CARLOS BELTRAN HAS A BIG MOUTH. JIMMY ROLLINS MADE THE STATEMENT LAST YEAR AND HE HAD THE ABILITY AND THE GUTS TO BACK IT UP. BELTRAN AND HIS METS ARE GUTLESS. HE AND HIS TEAM DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT THE PHILLIES DID LAST YEAR. MY ADVICE TO CARLOS BELTRAN IS TO SHUT HIS BIG MOUTH AND CONCENTRATE ON NOT FINISHING IN LAST PLACE. THE PHILLIES WILL ONCE AGAIN FINISH AS CHAMPIONS.-THE METS ARE GUTLESS STARTING WITH THE JERK WILLIE RANDOLPH!
I HAVE BEEN A PHILLIES FAN FOR 48 YEARS!
Posted: 12:41 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 mike
if youve been a phillies fan for 48 years i must say i feel extremely horrible for you
Posted: 12:45 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 mike
now im a die hard mets fan, i do however have respect for your phillies for a few different reasons. For one you guys have a tremendous ball club, theres no sense in anyone arguing that, yes you have weaknesses and ? marks. That however goes for every team in baseball and especially my Mets. Now i cant say i agree or disagree with beltrans comment, however its great to have a rivalry going. Now as far as Alphonse’s comments above, i think both us phillies and mets fans need to just disregard that statement. We all know the mets will not finish in last place. And why does beltran have to shut his mouth when exactly a year ago your beloved rollins said the same exact statement? should he have shut his big fat mouth back then? exactly my point. O and also..last time i checked guts didnt win the world series…im pretty sure it was talent, which you and i both can agree the mets have. Good luck guys and ill be looking forward to the second series in April. Thanks
Posted: 12:55 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 jjtino
What exactly did the Phils do last year? I believe they won as many playoff games as the Mets if I recall. No way any team finishes within single digits of the Mets this year. Face it Philly fans – you’re battling the Braves for second and if you are lucky – the wild card.
Posted: 01:56 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 rob
I’m a Met fan and trying to take anything away from the Phils is nonsense. They are an excellent team, with one of the top 5 offenses in all of baseball. When you beat the team your chasing 8 consecutive times, like the Phils beat the Mets last year, you deserve it.
That said, I do believe that the 1 game margin the Phils enjoyed come October, has turned into 10 in the minds of some Phillies fans over the winter…I’m not really sure why.
Do we expect Pedro going to pitch only 28 innings this year?
Do we expect the Phils to take 8 in a row from the Mets this year?
Do we expect Reyes to hit .205 and steal 5 bases this September?
Do we expect the Mets best starter through Aug 31st will fail to make even a single start in Sept (like El Duque failed to do)?
Should we anticipate a 5-12 Mets stretch run again?
All 5 scenarios seem highly unlikely.
And none of the scenarios reference the addition of the best lefthanded starter in all of baseball.
And I’m even leaving out the fact that New York’s cleanup hitter had his worst season ever, and their starting leftfielder missed 80 games, because it is somewhat likely that those things might repeat themselves.
So why is it that every Phillie fan I speak to is banking on a repeat NL East title?
I hope I can get some reasoned responses to this, as I am honestly curious.
Rob
Posted: 02:45 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris
Chris M, First of all, even though its not much of a insult nor has enough wit to be labeled as a joke, Perez is Mexican, Johan is from Venezuela and both Delgado and Beltran are Puerto Ricans, so please enlighten me on how can they be a Dominican team, oh by the way its spell D-O-M-I-N-I-C-A-N not domican, retard.
Posted: 02:52 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 mike
haha shit theres more mets fans on this blog than there are phillies fans. Go Mets!
Posted: 04:11 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Hey, at least we’re being completely civil. Heh.
Posted: 04:17 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Keith
I am a huge Mets fan but I do respect the Phillies. They have a very good . With that said their pitching is very questionable after Hamels. Phillie fans must realize that they did not win the division but the Mets lost it. Not to take away that the Phils made it to the playoffs but IT did take a hugh collapse from the Mets to acomplish that. Also they did nothing in the playoffs. I am concerned with the Braves more if Hampton is healthy. The comment from the jackass about the Dominicans is typical Philly. LETS GO METS !!! Funny that there are more Mets fans than Philly fans here. Guess we are more excited about this season than they are . Last season was their World Series :)
Posted: 04:28 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 mike
i dont exactly buy into the whole phillies didnt win the division the mets lost it due to a historic collapse. Though it may be true, the phills still won it, regardless of any circumstances. Thats baseball, teams go on bad streaks and teams go on hot streaks, thats just how the game is, and unfortunately for my mets they went on a horrible slide at a horrible time. Any who this will be a close race however my mets i believe will win it, i say this because our pitching staff is not really a question mark as most people believe it to be. In fact i think it very good. Cant say the same for the phills
Posted: 04:59 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 dominican prim minister
the mets are taking all my citizens!!!!!!! The minority mets we call em
Posted: 05:55 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Jason
No disrespect, but why are there so many Mets fans on a PHILLIES site??? Can’t they find their own sites to talk smack?
Posted: 08:10 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike M.
Some of the Mets fans raised some valid points, speicfically rob. However, if I may rebut, you seemed to base your argument on the opinion that the Mets will not repeat what they did last year. You took into account almost all areas of the year, except for the fact that the Phils suffered from a number of injuries during the year. Some of our best players such as Utley, Hamels, Myers, and Victorino lost time due to injury. And I do know that injuries are common occurences and will again take place; however, the Phils had more injuries last year than I can soon remember. With that being said, the phils still managed to heal up in time for september and overtake the mets by just enough.
The addittion of Santana will make a huge difference, but I personally find it unlikely for Maine to maintain his performance from last year. Pedro will go 5 innings a night, giving up 2 runs which will be extremely difficult to beat. However, Hamels and Myers are both poised for fantastic years. The end of the rotation is mediocre for both clubs but the offense will clearly make up for it.
In short, I believe that the season is up in the air. The braves are a solid team too. And the Mets and Phils both have top tier offenses. Therefore, the season is undecided and still debatable, according to me.
Posted: 09:04 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 rob
Fair points Mike M.
And I can’t argue the mention of Atlanta.
The Braves record when anyone not named Hudson or Smoltz was pitching, was beyond atrocious.
If they had Glavine back last year, or any decent 3rd starter, you can argue that they both might have been looking up at them.
Posted: 09:34 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 rob
“we” might have both been looking up at them…
Posted: 09:35 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 KinersKornerman
Phillie Nation? Where ya at? Talk to me about your outfield. Is Jenkins got anything left. Victorini is really good and Burrell only hits the Mets, but I think you all gave up too much for Lidge. Bourne really looked like a future all star. Thoughts?
Posted: 11:05 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Sean P.
Noone has commented on the practical joke played on Kyle Kendrick by Brett Myers et al. Does anyone think it was taken to far? I think so, i would love to see Kim Meyers file for divorce against Brett. Then say haha – your punked. Or tell Brett he tested positive for steroids that would be really funny, i’m sure he would get a good kick out of that.
Posted: 11:06 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
KK: Burrell doesn’t only hit the Mets, and I wouldn’t project Bourn to be a future All Star. I see him as more of a Corey Patterson type player. But Jenkins will be used in limited action against righties, so he should get his swats. Same for Werth against lefties. I’m not too worried about the outfield, but they could be in trouble if they have another situation like when Vic and Bourn went down in the same game last year.
Sean: Just posted the video as well. I’ll be honest, it may have been a little too cruel, but I’d bet stuff like this happens all the time in the clubhouse. I do wonder if it was smart for media members to get involved.
Posted: 11:12 PM on February 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris
I understand what you are saying Mike M about injuries, i believe that injuries were fairly similar for both teams last september, so that has little or no effect on the collaps of the mets or the amazing charge of the phillies.
Your mentioning of maine not being able to repeat his performance of last year is in my mind absurd. Other then Hamels who is a good ace(but no santana), is there anyone on the phillies staff who had the year maine had lst year? Which was 15-10 under 4 ERA. you can defidentely make the argument for myers but he was a closer last year and the transition might be 100% smooth back to the rotation. Also the mets have two guys, Maine and Perez. Also dont underestimate Pedro, remember he is only 35 and could pitch 150 innings, 4 ERA or what i believe, 190 innings and a 3.50 ERA.
As you said this season is up in the air, but i do believe that the mets rotation which is stronger than the phillies and the similar offenses will lead to the mets winning the division. This september will be different, the mets clinching arond september 20th, and the phillies battling for that wild card spot until the last day. I hope the phillies do well this season (except for the 19 against the mets) because this is turning into a great rivalry which i hope to enjoy for years to come.
Mike M you are welcome to mets blogs to argue about your phillies, but not to the rest of you phillies fans who actually think pedro will pitch 28 innings this year and think the phillies are far superior to the mets and braves.
Posted: 11:28 PM on February 17, 2008