A PATS FAN'S REACTION TO THE SUPER BOWL

The Wife, a Patriots fan, is recovering from the Giants' win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. She weighs in with this entry:

I should’ve known the Patriots’ downfall was coming. But unfortunately, I – and the rest of New England – forgot what it means to be a sports fan in this area. This was a cold, hard slap back into reality.

Being a sports fan in Boston means you don’t plan a victory parade before the victory.

Being a sports fan in Boston means you don’t apply for a trademark for “19-0” or “The Perfect Season” before you’ve had a perfect season.

Being a sports fan in Boston means you don’t wear a red sweatshirt during the final game when your silly, gray hoodie has brought you luck all season.

Being a sports fan in Boston means you don’t get your hair cut before the big game and you don’t let your girlfriend sit in the luxury box (even if she is a supermodel).

Being a sports fan in Boston means you don’t go on your husband’s blog and guarantee victory for your team. (Sorry, that was stupid of me).

We only need to go back in history – 1986 when Roger Clemens left the dugout during Game 6 to shave for the post-game interviews, 2003 when the Red Sox grounds crew painted the World Series logo on the grounds of Fenway before the ALCS was over – to see that these are things you DON’T DO! Because when you do do them, you get screwed. And even if you don’t do them, you’ll probably still get screwed.

No, our sports history is based on suffering, heartache and blame. And now the cycle continues. Just when we thought we had won enough championships in recent years to have gotten rid of all jinxes, superstitions, and plain ol’ bad luck, and could turn all haughty and boastful, the sports gods have brought us back to reality. Face it: this is Boston. This is our legacy. We all should’ve known better.

GO SOX!!!

The thing that stood out most to me here - I thought I knew everything about Game 6 of the 1986 World Series - but I didn't know about the Roger Clemens shaving thing. So I looked it up on google, and it was on a blog or two, but I didn't trust that. So I went straight to the videotape. Early in the game, Clemens clearly has a little stubble (not confirmed by The Wife, who said, looking at the grainy video, "I can't tell, he's like 12."), and kind of has sideburns. Then, later, during Gary Carter's at bat in the 10th inning, he's in the dugout, and he's clean shaven. I couldn't find a definitive image from the early part of the game - but someone online somewhere took this picture of Clemens from his TV, and it is clear that Roger shaved:

Now, I know we have to turn the page to baseball. The Southern Bureau can't wait:

"Lets talk baseball. Forget football.

Mets projected lineup: courtesy mets.mlb.com

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
OF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
OF Moises Alou
OF Ryan Church
C Brian Schneider

THOUGHTS???"

I promise you - by Sunday night/Monday morning, I'll be full-fledged baseball. I'm working on a month-long season preview. Trust me. First, a couple of more football loose ends to tie up, then a brief NASCAR pit stop. Then away we go with baseball. Please bear with me.

MEET THE 2007 METS

The roster is set. Lastings Milledge and Ambiorix Burgos will be heading to St. Louis for the season opener, Chan Ho Park and Jon Adkins will not. Here's a breakdown of the 2007 Mets (please note the size of the picture has nothing to do with favoritism):

THE LINEUP

SS - JOSE REYES - Becoming one of the best leadoff men in the game. My pick for National League MVP this year. Also might win a gold glove one of these days. The Mets are lucky to have him.







3B - DAVID WRIGHT - Again, Mets are lucky to have him. I place him here, because Willie Randolph has been putting Wright in the two spot, and moving Paul LoDuca down in the order, and if I could choose, I'd want Wright in the two spot. A little pop (of which LoDuca has very little) as well as a few more at-bats per game for Wright. So maybe Willie will read this and take what I want into consideration.



CF - CARLOS BELTRAN - Hopefully Beltran will pick up where he left off last year, and have another MVP-type season. Also, I remember in Little League, when I made the last out of my team's season (although, I grounded out to short and didn't strike out LOOKING), I remembered that all the way through the next season and came back with a monster year. Just saying, Carlos.


1B - CARLOS DELGADO - Solid production is all I'm asking for. A higher batting average than last year would be nice, too.






LF - MOISES ALOU - I've said it before, I'll say it again. This has been the quietest spring ever by a big-name acquisition. What does that mean? I don't know. A quietly productive season would be great, but too much quiet this season would be bad news.




RF - SHAWN GREEN - The jury's out. He was a good clubhouse influence, so far as I could tell, during the Mets' stretch run last year. He's not going to be clubbing 40 homers at Shea, but if he's around .280, 20 HR, I think I'd be happy with that.





C - PAUL LODUCA - Not sure if LoDuca and Green may swap positions in the lineup, but LoDuca will see a slight decrease in playing time this year, so perhaps Ramon Castro will be in this spot more often. Critics say LoDuca will not be able to match his hot hitting of a year ago...I think he'll hit for a good average, especially if Randolph holds to his promise to rest LoDuca more.



2B - JOSE VALENTIN - I'd be surprised, if the Mets are having another very good season, if Valentin is a major part of it. I'd also be surprised if he's the starting second baseman by year's end. If anyone had a career season last year that won't be repeated, it's Valentin.


THE BENCH

The problem with Valentin is that there's no suitable replacement on the Mets' bench right now. (The bench above, from left to right: Ramon Castro, Endy Chavez, Damion Easley, Julio Franco, Lastings Milledge, and David Newhan.) I'd love for Damion Easley to be that sparkplug off the bench that the Mets have had in recent years in Marlon Anderson or Jose Valentin, but I don't think Easley will be taking away anyone's job. Ramon Castro is a good backup for LoDuca - about what you'd want for a backup catcher. Chavez will get plenty of playing time this year, subbing for Alou, who will get plenty of rest, and Green. Milledge is here for the time being, he'll probably be sent down when the Mets need their fifth starter. Franco is more of a coach than a player at this point, and it's getting to the point where the Mets are wasting a bench spot on him. And I really like David Newhan. He can play the outfield or first base. I picked him up in a fantasy league when he had a really hot streak going with the Orioles a couple of years ago - he's capable of doing good things. Too bad he's only played a very limited amount of time in his career at second base.

THE ROTATION

TOM GLAVINE - 10 wins from 300 in his career. He'll get there, but hopefully this isn't one of those situations where the team starts pressing trying to achieve a milestone. Glavine seems to have been reborn with the Mets' success. I expect a good year.




ORLANDO HERNANDEZ - El Duque has already complained about some neck stiffness. His ability to stay healthy will be one of the main factors for the Mets all year - if for no other reason than it's better to have El Duque in the rotation than Chan Ho Park. Park was sent down because there was no room for him in the bullpen or the rotation - if the Mets need to call him up (a la last year, using 13 starters), it will most likely be due to an injur y to this man.
JOHN MAINE - Last year couldn't have done anything but help his confidence. He's got a pad now, as the number three guy, and shouldn't have to worry about being dropped from the rotation due to a bad start. That all adds up to a comfortable season, and hopefully a successful one.

OLIVER PEREZ - I really think Perez is going to shock people this year. This year is the first time Perez will be with a successful team - I bet he rises to the challenge. I can't wait for him to prove me right.



MIKE PELFREY - I'm so glad the Mets went with Pelfrey over a veteran retread. The exposure to the Majors that Pelfrey will receive can only do him good this year, and down the road for the Mets. And, I think he'll have a good season, to boot.



PEDRO MARTINEZ* (MAN-IN-WAITING) - Pedro* should be back by August, if all goes according to plan, and hopefully be very effective by September. That means the Mets get better right when they're turning the corner towards the post-season (hopefully).




THE BULLPEN

(From left to right: Aaron Sele, Ambiorix Burgos, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoeneweis [whose name I have been spelling wrong until now], Aaron Heilman, and Billy Wagner.) Aaron Sele won the long-relief job held by Darren Oliver last year. Oliver did a great job, especially in the clutch situations in the post-season. Sele has some big shoes to fill. I liked the acquisition of Ambiorix Burgos, even though it came at the expense of Brian Bannister. I equated him to the Mets' new Guillermo Mota, who had been suspended for steroid use. Then the Mets re-signed Mota, and I wondered why they acquired Burgos. But Burgos throws hard, and showed enough promise this spring to make the team right out of spring training, so hopefully some work with Rick Peterson will make him an asset. Joe Smith has a tricky sidearm delivery, so he'll bring a different look out of the 'pen. Pedro Feliciano has been effective, despite saying some things that have gotten him into my doghouse. Scott Schoeneweis is another lefty out of the bullpen, and I like that acquisition as well. Aaron Heilman isn't happy doing what he's doing, but he sure is effective. He'll probably take last season's NLCS loss more personally for giving up the game-deciding homer in Game 7 than Carlos Beltran for taking the last strike. I expect him to come out and have a great year. Billy Wagner is again the closer. I wonder how much longer he'll be dominant...hopefully he'll have at least this year.

FANTASY NEWS: No "Survivor" yet, but mlb.com has "Beat the Streak" up, so I encourage you to sign up. I already have Jose Reyes for Sunday night. I didn't see the option to create our own league...but if it presents itself, I will be doing it and letting you know about it.

I'll be back Sunday night with the first posting of the season!

MEET THE METS

To put in in terms that I can handle, all I have to do as I write this Friday night, is go to sleep three more times, and then the last time I wake up, it will be Opening Day for the Mets. I can handle that...I think. Only 2 more sleeps until Opening Day for baseball, with the White Sox and Indians. I'll take it.

The starting lineup for the Mets is still a little undecided. Willie Randolph says he has about five or six ideas that he will juggle through the season, but Opening Day is very likely to look something like this:

1. THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes: I expect this, statistically to be his best season yet. I think he'll beat last year's league-leading stolen base total (60), because I think he'll be on base that much more. He will be THE most fun player to watch across the majors this season. Last year was the year for David Wright to be discovered, this year, as his OBP increases, people will start jumping onto the Jose Reyes bandwagon.

2. Paul LoDuca: I think LoDuca will be batting second Opening Day. Anderson Hernandez's bat isn't good enough yet to hit here - but it's a possibility later on. I bet the production out of LoDuca and Ramon Castro compares to the league-leading offensive production at the catching position of Castro and Mike Piazza last year.

3. Carlos Beltran*: While I do expect a bounceback year from Beltran*, I don't think he will be the best number three hitter on the team. Randolph seems happy to keep batting Beltran* third, but he's going to be great out of the 2-hole. Also, the way the lineup is set up now, it really pushes Wright down in the order - I'd love for Beltran* to be 2, with Wright 3.

4. Carlos Delgado: Here begins the right-left-right-left balance of the Mets lineup. They'll be tough for opposing managers to strategize against. Delgado should be solid - hopefully he stays healthy.

5. Future Hall of Famer David Wright: The coming-out party is complete, now it's time to maintain the level of productivity he set last year. On career homer number 41 and counting.....

6. Cliff Floyd: Don't expect the fast start Floyd got off to last year. But also don't expect the slide he went through later in the season. Floyd was tired from carrying the team all year. He doesn't have to do that anymore, and his offensive numbers will be more consistent throughout the year.

7. Xavier Nady: I talked recently about how Nady had been slumping, leading the Mets to consider keeping Victor Diaz on the team. They still haven't made a decision about Diaz, but Nady finished the spring strong, and will be the starting right fielder. I don't really know what to expect out of Nady. Truth be told, I'm not expecting much, so if he hits well, consider it a bonus for me.

8. Anderson Hernandez: The second baseman isn't expected to do much at the plate. Kaz Matsui will be playing once he's healthy to try to increase his trade value, then the Mets will try to unload him and hand Hernandez the job.

STARTERS
1. Pedro Martinez*: Let's not kid ourselves. Tom Glavine is getting the Opening Day start, but Pedro Martinez* is the number one pitcher. The toe won't be a problem. Pedro*'s 3 runs in four innings in his last spring start won't be a problem. Cy Young might be a possibility.

2. Tom Glavine: He's 40. This is his last hurrah. I expect a game effort. I'd say 13-15 wins, 8 losses, and a 3.5-ish ERA. Good enough to help the Mets to the playoffs.

3. Steve Trachsel: I've always said Trachsel has to prove to me he can win when the pressure's on in New York. It still hasn't happened - lately he hasn't been healthy when the pressure's on in New York. Hopefully the health issue is resolved. Let's see if the good pitching thing is resolved.

4. Victor Zambrano: This is the year we'll see whether the work with Rick Peterson is paying off. Otherwise, it was a bad trade.

5. Brian Bannister: Son of Floyd. Not sure what to expect out of him. He earned the starting position with a great spring. That didn't cut it for the likes of Tyler Yates. I like rooting for Mets rookies, and I would love for Bannister to succeed. I just hope he doesn't go back to Norfolk in May with a 5.00 ERA, forcing Aaron Heilman to become a starter.

BENCH
Some positions to be determined here, but the definites seem to be Ramon Castro, Jose Valentin, Endy Chavez, Chris Woodward and Julio Franco. The big thing with these guys is versatility - Valentin, Chavez, and Woodward can play lots of positions. Victor Diaz is still a question mark, depending on the number of relievers the Mets keep.

BULLPEN
Billy Wagner is the closer. Most reliable closer (hopefully) the Mets have had in years. Aaron Heilman, if he continues like he pitched in relief last year, should get the lead to Wagner, and can pitch more than one inning. The rest of the bullpen looks like: Jorge Julio, Duaner Sanchez, and right-handed specialist Chad Bradford. The Mets may keep another lefty, and I think they're still trying to decide if it's Pedro Feliciano or Darren Oliver.

My prediction: 95-67, good enough for the Mets to win the East...then the World Series.

BEAT THE STREAK!: The wife found 'Beat The Streak' had the create-a-league link up, so we now have a league. Here's the info - League Name: JohnnyMets League password: 06mets
Sign up, click here to get there. I promise it'll be fun.

ONE MORE METS NOTE: Somehow, Mitch Wylie wasn't picked up by anyone else, and he accepted an assignment to Norfolk. We'll keep an eye on him at Triple-A, and see how he progresses. This is the Rule 5 guy who impressed this spring.

The next write-up could very well be the first recap of the season on Monday! Enjoy the first games of the season!