Mets News For Thursday 2/20/2003

[GaryMrMets]

Fred putting GM, Mets to test But owner is optimistic
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/story/61032p-57031c.html

Vaughn secret: Mo food
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/story/61027p-57022c.html

Butler still sure Cedeño can do it http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/story/61033p-57033c.html

A GOOD SPRING CLEANING
http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/30786.htm

http://www.nypost.com/photos/web022003109.jpg
SIGN OF THE TIMES:
Mike Piazza signs autographs at spring training yesterday. Piazza says Mets need to start working toward playoffs in Port St. Lucie.
- J. Zelevansky

METS CAN'T SKIP CLASS
http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/30782.htm

http://www.nypost.com/photos/web022003108.jpg
Mets owner Fred Wilpon (right) and manager Art Howe yesterday.
- J. Zelevansky

BUTLER: DON'T BOO CEDENO
http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/30778.htm

Boss II? Wilpon Speaks
Mets owner takes a Steinbrenner approach to success in Flushing
http://www.nynewsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mets203139241feb20,0,6859498.story?coll=ny%2Dmets% 2Dheadlines

http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2003-02/6680397.jpg
New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon chats it up with pitcher Mike Bacsik during workouts in Port St. Lucie.
(Courtesy of Palm Beach Post)
February 19, 2003

Owner Glad to See Less of Vaughn
http://www.nynewsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mnotes203139238feb20,0,658836.story?coll=nyc%2Dspo rts%2Dspan%2Dheadlines

Motto Is Forgive, Forget 2002
http://www.nynewsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-hey203139242feb20,0,2993995.column?coll=ny%2Dmets% 2Dheadlines

[phenom]

where's the news of that sure HOF'er Tony Clark signing a minor league deal with the Mets?

[Baseball Guru]

Mets sign Tony Clark


February 20, 2003
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- First baseman Tony Clark agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Thursday.

The 30-year-old Clark, a switch-hitter, also will be looked at in left and right field by the Mets. If he is added to the major league roster, he would get a $550,000, two-year contract and the chance to make $200,000 more in performance bonuses -- the same terms infielder Jay Bell and pitcher David Cone agreed to.

``We're going to see if there's a role where he can fit in on the club,'' general manager Steve Phillips said. ``He's open minded to going to Triple-A if things don't work out. We're going to see if he can be more versatile than just a first base-, DH-type of guy,'' Phillips said. ``We figured with an athlete like that and a no-risk look, it seemed to make sense.''

Clark hit .207 with three homers and 29 RBIs in 275 at-bats with the Boston Red Sox last season. Before 2002, he spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers, who took him with the second overall pick in the 1990 amateur draft.

He was an All-Star in 2001, when he hit .287 with 16 homers and 75 RBIs. He has a .270 career average with 159 homers in eight major league seasons.

Clark is expected to report to spring training Friday.

[Baseball Guru]

IMO the Mets only got Clark to make Burnitz's batting average look good:hmm:


Seriously if Clark can ever stay healthy he could actually be a very productive player...

With Mo Vaughn, I am still a bit confused by this signing:umm

He's going from 5 million to 500,000:umm

Interesting to say the least...

[phenom]

Originally posted by Baseball Guru
Seriously if Clark can ever stay healthy he could actually be a very productive player...

Watch him for five years, like I was forced to do in Detroit, and TRY and come back with that statement.

[Baseball Guru]

Yeah but Clark was pretty good in 4 or 5 of those years....

In 4 straight years he had 27-34 HR's....Not horrible.....

Again, not sure what the motive of the Mets signing him is....

[phenom]

Originally posted by Baseball Guru
Yeah but Clark was pretty good in 4 or 5 of those years....

In 4 straight years he had 27-34 HR's....Not horrible.....

Again, not sure what the motive of the Mets signing him is....

maybe so, but he spent most of his time on the left side of the plate staring down a short porch in Tiger Stadium. Once pitchers learned how to pitch him, he never adjusted and got torched left and right. Plus, New York fans will never tolerate a .115 April.

His time will be short.

[Cyberlibrarian]

The motive is that he has an excellent glove and would be a late-inning defensive replacement for Mo. And he comes CHEAP.