Razor Shines is one optimistic fellow

Brian Costa, the new beat writer for the Star-Ledger, did a Sunday Q&A with Mets new third base coach Razor Shines.

Here are some highlights:

Why Razor? Is there a story behind the name?

"There's no story behind it. It's my middle name. It's my father's middle name, and my son's middle name. I think it goes a little farther back than my father, to his father. I don't know the story behind it."

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How many championship rings do you have?

"I don't like to discuss that, but I'll tell you the number is 12. Most of them are from playing. I came up in the Expos organization with Randy Johnson, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker, all those guys. We won five [minor-league] championships in six years in that system."

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You worked in the Phillies' organization last year. Now you're with the Mets. Who is the team to beat in the N.L. East this year?

"Let me see how to answer this. I'll answer it this way: The team to beat will be the team that's on top when it's all said and done. And we expect to be that team."

The article also notes that since Shines was with the Phillies last year, he will be recieving a World Series ring. When asked if he would wear it around his new team, he responded with "no chance."

Shines seems like the eternal optimist, something I think a team needs around. He'll always be there to tell you there are brighter days ahead and all that good stuff. I'm comfortable with that as long as their is a realist somewhere on the team to give the players a reality check when needed.

Poll Results: Who will hit the first home run in Citi Field?

The results are in!

I asked: Who will hit the first home run in Citi Field? Here are the results...

1. David Wright -- 32% (40 votes)
2. Carlos Beltran -- 20% (25 votes)
3. Jose Reyes -- 19% (24 votes)
4. Other -- 14% (18 votes)
   
5. Carlos Delgado -- 13% (16 votes)

I'm very surprised Delgado came in dead last. He may be the biggest bat on the team.

Next poll: Who will be the fifth starter?

Redd means stop

Tim Redding's struggles continue. The Mets have shut down Redding with soreness in his pitching shoulder and arm strength issues.

Another serious blow to Redding's chances of making the team. In this weeks The State of the Mets, I mentioned that Redding would make the team, no matter what, but likely as a long reliever. As it stands now, Redding would be lucky to make the roster when spring training breaks.

That doesn't mean he won't be on the team eventually, but he's probably heading for extended spring training.

Steve Popper brings up a good point: Remember Matt Wise? This sounds almost exactly like what happened with Wise, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million with the team before the 2008 season. He was shut down when he started getting a sore arm and ended up pitching in only eight games for the Mets before being lost to injury.

Hopefully Redding, and his $2.5 million contract, will be able to bounce back from this injury and pitch effectively in 2009. Otherwise, that's $2.5 million the Mets have to pay him.

The State of the Mets -- 3/14/09

As I fly home from Aruba, I'll leave you with the weekly edition of The State of the Mets.

I cover: Tim Redding, Johan Santana and Pudge Rodriguez.

Enjoy.

Santana encouraged by first start of the spring

47 pitches. Three runs. One happy pitcher.

Not a normal thing to see when a pitcher gives up three runs in 2 2-3 innings on the mound, but for Johan Santana, it was all about how he felt.

Ben Shpigel relays a quote:

“To be my first time and my first time being in a real game — a real game situation — it felt pretty good,” Santana said.

I like it.

Lenny Neslin was getting on me in the comments of a previous post as to why I am pleased, even if Santana didn't pitch very well. On one hand, of course it's not good to see him giving up runs, but for his first time on the mound, it's not terrible. (Tim Redding is a different case entirely.)

For Santana, who was struggling with injuries, it's good just to get him on the mound and in a game. The results don't quite matter, as it was nothing absurd (again, not like Redding) and it's all about how his arm feels.

Ambiorix Burgos found guilty

Ambiorix Burgos was found guilty of beating his girlfriend in New York, and will be sentenced on April 3.

From the Daily News:

Burgos, 24, was convicted Thursday of beating his girlfriend in a hotel near Shea Stadium in September after she tried to leave their room to go register her young daughter for school. A jury spent just over an hour deliberating before convicting the 6-foot-3, 235-pound righthander of misdemeanor assault.
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Burgos beat and bit single mom Maria Lopez, 26, and threw her up against a wall. But his lawyer, Edgar DeLeon, said the woman waited two days to photograph her injuries and implied that she was out to get the free agent ballplayer's money. He was sent straight to Rikers Island and faces up to a year when he is sentenced April 3.

This is only the first hurdle for Burgos, as he still is set to stand trial in the Dominican Republic for reportedly killing two women with his Hummer. Burgos claims he was not driving.

What an idiot.

Tim Redding seems to be struggling

In his first appearance in spring, Tim Redding got rocked by the University of Michigan. His second time around, last night, he got trounced by the Florida Marlins.

Redding allowed nine runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in only two innings of work. Adding that to his 1-3 of an inning and five runs against U of M, he's given up 14 runs in 2 1-3 innings. He now has an ERA of 40.50.

Still, though, Redding will make the Mets. All of his $2.5 million contract is guaranteed so there is no way the team can cut him and save money. His early performances have seemingly knocked him out of major contention for the fifth spot in the rotation. I think he'll be the long man in the bullpen.

Here's a pretty telling little exchange, via David Lennon:

When Redding was brought up, Manuel said, "Ooooo," then looked under his desk, adding, "Let me find something I can say about Tim Redding."

Once the laughter stopped, Manuel straightened back up. "It's still relatively early in spring training," he said. "He's a veteran pitcher ... he'll get better."

He likely will get better (because you can't be that bad for that long, right?) and will fit in nicely in the bullpen.

This opens up the door for Jon Niese, Freddy Garcia and Bobby Parnell for the possible fifth spot in the rotation.