Jerry Koosman and pal Bob Meisterling were chatting the other day. Koosman was recalling that during his last season as a pitcher for the Twins in 1981, his salary was $300,000. Now, Koosman’s salary is $8.25 a month. That’s his pay for pushing a broom in the carpentry department of the Duluth Federal Prison Camp. Koosman, 67, an Appleton, Minn., native who won 222 major league games during a 19-year career, including a 20-win season in 1979 for the Twins, is serving a five-month sentence for misdemeanor income tax evasion. He has repaid his back taxes. Meisterling is a recently retired orthopedist in Stillwater who has performed surgeries on former major league baseball players. He and Koosman, who has a residence in Osceola, Wis., became good friends after Meisterling did knee- replacement surgery on Koosman years ago. Meisterling drove to Duluth to visit the former two-time all-star left-hander. Koosman began his sentence on Feb. 2. His release date is June 30. Koosman, who won two World Series games for the 1969 champion New York “Miracle Mets” and another for the Mets in the 1973 World Series, arises each day about 6 a.m., plays some bridge, goes to breakfast, then begins his prison job as a sweeper. Koosman’s first job at the prison was as a regular sweeper. Pay: $5.50 per month. Then he was promoted to chief sweeper and received a $2.75 per month increase. — Pioneer Press - link
John Maine (shoulder instability, ERD 6/6) - I'll leave the soap opera that is the Mets aside here and focus on the injury and mechanical issues surrounding Maine. On twitter, @sportsfrog asked an interesting question. "When a team places a pitcher on DL with a shoulder issue, how often (does he) throw in the bullpen a day or two later?" The answer is normally no, but being unable to pitch in a game is different than being unable to throw. The difference is more than semantic. Maine's alleged mechanical issues led to reduced velocity and would indicate a weakened shoulder or some sort of inefficiency. Perhaps both, given Maine's luck. The Mets have pushed Maine to the DL, but given the situation with the pitching coach there, I'm not sure how they expect him to work through it. Maine has had an extended series of injuries, both major and minor, though I've never seen any reason to think he couldn't be returned to some form of effectiveness. We'll have to see if he can do that as a Met or whether he'll need to be shifted out. One possibility is reuniting him with Rick Peterson in Milwaukee. The Brewers lack pitching and have an outfield prospect or two that could be a nice return. - link
Veteran left-handed reliever Scott Schoeneweis was designated for assignment to make room for shortstop Angel Sanchez, who will be in the starting lineup tonight. Scutaro is expected to need at least one more day for the cortisone shot to take effect before he is able to resume playing. In 15 appearances for the Red Sox, Schoeneweis posted a 7.90 ERA with opponents hitting .333 against him. He struck out 13 and walked 10. He said he is unsure if he will pitch again - link
Q: What have you missed about being in high school?
A: I have not missed one thing at all. I really haven't. I didn't really have any friends in high school because I was about baseball. That's all I was about. Everyone else, they were about partying and all that kind of stuff. I stayed away from all that. I was pretty much a homebody. Go to school, go to baseball, go to the gym and come home. And eat a great home-cooked meal by my mom. That was my day. Then Sundays I'd go to church. - link
-and who says this is an arrogant little dude?
East Setauket's Steven Matz, the Mets' top pick in last year's draft, will undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday afternoon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. Matz, 18, felt pain in his left elbow during an extended spring game last week in Port St. Lucie and was sent back to New York for more tests and an MRI, which revealed an 80 percent tear in the ligament. - link
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