Minors Stuff

New York Mets

Fox, on its World Series coverage starting tonight, faces just such terror. Or more specifically, Fox director Bill Webb does. While live TV sports production is highly collaborative ? Fox will deploy about 150 workers tonight ? you can't make split-second decisions by committee. Tonight, Webb will sit next to producer Pete Macheska, who oversees the show, in a cramped TV trailer in Yankee Stadium. They'll stare at a wall of screens showing what's in focus on each of Fox's 20 cameras, and Webb will decide which shot you'll get. With no do-overs. One other thing. Rupert Murdoch's Fox pays MLB about $256 million annually ? mainly to get postseason action ? so there's some pretty big money riding on these games. So Bill, tense? Well, he says, "the most important thing is to not get the crew uptight." Webb, directing his 13th World Series, is also the producer of New York Mets local TV games. That detail might flummox conspiracy theorists trying to figure out whether Fox's shots are secretly favoring the New York Yankees or Philadelphia Phillies, since both are Mets archenemies. And it's all besides the point anyway. "In reality," Webb says, "I'm not a big baseball fan in terms of teams. If you're a fan of one team or another, you shouldn't be in the business." -- USA Today
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors


Winter Leagues:

Pitchers in the Instruction League, in the Dominican Republic:

1 Allen, Kyle RHP 6'3 190 R/R 2/12/1990 Riverview, FL
2 Almonte, Yohan RHP 6'1 150 R/R 11/9/1989 Sabana de la Mar
3 Beaulac, Eric RHP 6'5 190 R/R 11/13/1986 Troy, NY
4 Bello, Julio LHP 6'4 200 L/L 10/16/1986 Santo Domingo
5 Bierd, José RHP 6'1 165 R/R 5/8/1985 Santo Domingo
6 Carson, Robert LHP 6'3 220 L/L 1/23/1989 Hattiesburg, MS
7 Dotson, Zach LHP 6'1 180 L/L 10/31/1990 Savannah, GA
8 Familia, Jeurys RHP 6'3 208 R/R 10/10/1989 Santo Domingo
9 Fuller, Jim LHP 5'10 175 L/L 6/1/1987 Marlborough, MA
10 Germen, Gonzalez RHP 6'1 175 R/R 9/23/1987 La Romana
11 Hebert, Michael RHP 6'3 189 R/R 8/11/1990 Saugus, CA
12 Martinez, Samuel RHP 6'0 185 R/R 7/6/1987 Monte Plata
13 Matz, Steven LHP 6'2 192 R/L 5/29/1991 Stoneybrook, NY
14 Peña, Richard OF 6'2 175 R/R 8/15/1987 Santiago (I assume the Mets are trying to convert him to a pitcher here)15 Ramirez, Elvin RHP 6'3 200 R/R 10/10/1987 San Cristobal
16 Rodriguez, Armando RHP 6'2 203 R/R 1/28/1988 San Cristobal
17 Rojas, Luis RHP 5'11 175 R/R 7/29/1989 Santo Domingo
18 Taveras, Samuel RHP 6'2 191 R/R 4/14/1989 Santiago
19 Urbina, Juan LHP 6'2 170 L/L 5/31/1993 Ocumare Del Tuy, VEN
20 Valenzuela, Brian LHP 5'10 155 L/L 10/21/1989 Murrieta, CA


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/#ixzz0VF8Ftujj


Blogs:

Oh goody. As if this Philadelphia-New York World Series weren't already intense enough, Phillies pitcher - and longtime villain - Pedro Martinez is going to pitch Game 2. At Yankee Stadium. Wonder if some t-shirt sellers will dig up those old "Who's Your Daddy" duds to mark the occasion.

Unlike most Yankee fans, I think Pedro Martinez is one of the more interesting, intelligent characters in baseball - he's funny, entertaining and even eloquent, as I noted in this Faster Times piece. I enjoyed seeing him knock the Mets out of the playoffs this year. But I hope he loses – big time - against the Yankees Thursday, with him babbling under the mango tree when all is said and done!
http://networkedblogs.com/p15852809

Marty Noble responds to questions in regards to the Mets off-season plans. The Mets are going to be looking for a catcher and according to Noble there are three on their wish list.

Bengie Molina is a 35 y/o right handed catcher who is one of the top hitters at the position along with being well known for handling a young staff. The biggest problem with Molina is whether his knees can take the pounding. Lifetime .276 hitter with a .418 Slg. pct and .308 OBP.

http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2009/10/three-catchers-on-mets-radar.html



Mets Alumni:

The Pirates requested outright waivers on reliever Tyler Yates, who then opted for free agency. Yates missed most of last season after having reconstructive elbow surgery. -- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors/mlb

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced this morning that 38-year-old Pedro Martinez will start Game Two of the World Series later this week, giving us all one final chance to experience a Pedro start in the Bronx. It's not crazy to think that that start may be the last of Pedro's Hall of Fame career, however it seems like he'll be back at it again in 2010.

No one asked me, but I believe Pedro's 2000 season (217 IP, 128 H, 284-32 K/BB ratio) is the greatest single season by any pitcher in history. Obviously that Pedro Martinez is long gone, but this year's version was still effective. In nine regular season starts with the Phils, he put up a 3.63 ERA and a stellar 1.6 BB/9 in 44.2 IP. He allowed just two hits and zero runs in his lone playoff start (so far) in 2009.
Pedro made the pro-rated portion of a $2MM base salary in 2009, though he pick up another $300K in performance bonuses. What kind of contract do you see Martinez getting this offseason? Considering the shoulder issues he's had in the past, would it be smart of him to go on the "Roger Clemens plan" and pitch just half the season?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com



General:

Susan Finkelstein, 43, was charged with prostitution and related offenses after police say she advertised herself as a buxom, blond, die-hard Phillies fan who was desperately seeking World Series tickets and would have sex to get them.
"I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other," authorities say Finkelstein's online ad read. She described herself as "gorgeous" and said her price was negotiable, according to police.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569841,00.html