Cleaning out my To Do list

Sometimes if I'm short on time, or think something is noteworthy but don't feel like writing at that very second, I file a story away in a To Do list.

Well, it's time to clean it out. I'll post the link and my two cents.

For ESPN.com, Bob Klapisch notes that Francisco Rodriguez will be the lightning rod for the Mets in 2009 and it will hurt their image.

K-Rod's celebrating profile will be layered atop Jose Reyes' customized high-fiving after scoring an important run in a big game -- outside the dugout. Such gloating, which has been part of the Mets' legacy since the '80s, has been steadily irritating opponents for the past four years.

Well...good! I still think the team needs some swagger, and I believe K-Rod will help bring that to Flushing. I like the abrasiveness he brings, and hopefully the players attitudes can shine through and fuel the team this time around.

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The Daily News caught up with Anthony Young a while back, and I thought it was a pretty good read. I bring this up for only one reason. In researching Young's career, in the seasons he went 2-14 and 1-16, his ERA was 4.17 and 3.77 respectively.

Steve Trachsel won 15 games for the Mets in 2006. He had a 4.97 ERA.

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Jose Reyes: The leader?

I noted before that I love Reyes' high-fiving, dancing, exciting ways. But is he the leader of the Mets? Jerry Manuel believes so. Here's a quote via The New York Times.

“Oh, I consider him becoming one — no question,” Manuel said Tuesday morning ... “I think that’s the next level for him, to add responsibility to him. That, to me, is maturation. You can be 50 years old and have no responsibility so you never mature. But if you have some responsibilities, then the maturation process takes over.”

Unfortunately, I think the language barrier will hinder Reyes from becoming a "true leader" of the team.

And yes, I believe the team needs a "leader."

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Keith Hernandez feels baseball nowadays is "tainted." How can you not agree?

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Carlos Delgado in the Hall of Fame? Joel Sherman brings it up, and interestingly, I actually did a project on this.

We had to compare a current HoF'er to a current player and see if the current player belongs in the hall. Eddie Murray, the most recent first baseman in the Hall was pitted up against Delgado. Through a whole series of comparisons and break downs, we came to the conclusion that if he keeps playing a few more years, Delgado will make the hall.

We also came to the conclusion that Murray shouldn't really be in the Hall. He was a compiler, and that's the only reason.

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Daniel Murphy is obsessed about hitting.

“The guy is obsessed,” said [J.J.] Putz, who lives across from Murphy in a hotel here. “All he talks about is hitting, hitting, hitting. It’s not a stretch to say that it consumes about 90 percent of his day.”

Hopefully that other 10 percent is dedicated to learning to play left field.

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Jon Niese and Tim Redding are battling (along with Freddy Garcia) for the 5th spot in the rotation. They're also sharing a condo.

Hey SNY, I smell a sitcom!!