New York Mets News For Tuesday 3/20/07

[GaryMrMets]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2007/03/reader_mail_newhan_making_the.php

Reader Mail: Newhan Making the Cut

Adam... What's the latest on the bench battle between Newhan, who continues to have a good spring, and Johnson, who is slumping so badly? What does Minaya and Willie say? Thanks...Terry F., Annapolis

David Newhan is on the team. I think the question is whether they can actually sneak on the extra bench player by leaving Mike Pelfrey in the minors until they need a fifth starter April 15. I'm thinking that may happen, now, though perhaps Lastings Milledge -- and not Ben Johnson -- will be the extra man.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2007/03/20/2007-03-20_mets_spring_out_of_step.html

Mets' spring out of step

BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tuesday, March 20th 2007, 4:00 AM

PORT ST. LUCIE - The Mets have another dubious link to the Devil Rays, and this one has nothing to do with Scott Kazmir.

Heading into tonight's exhibition game against the Orioles, the Mets own the majors' second-worst spring training winning percentage (.310).

The only team worse? Tampa Bay, at .158.

http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2007/03/20/amd_mets.jpg
Ben Johnson (l.), Lastings Milledge and Mets haven't looked sharp.

[GaryMrMets]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/sports/mets/wagner_pitches_three_innings_mets_mark_hale.htm

WAGNER PITCHES THREE INNINGS
By MARK HALE

March 20, 2007 -- The Mets' bullpen has been on a roller coaster ride this spring with plenty of bad and good moments. Duaner Sanchez (kicked out of camp for being late; separated shoulder), Aaron Heilman (elbow tendinitis) and Guillermo Mota (not in camp due to suspension) have provided cause for worry; while Scott Schoeneweis (no earned runsin 6 2/3 innings), Pedro Feliciano (0 ERAand 9 strikeouts in eight frames) and rookie Joe Smith (two earned in 8 1/3 innings)have been outstanding.

PORT ST. LUCIE - Billy Wagner tripled his longest effort of the spring yesterday.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets077a.jpg
DUANER SANCHEZ

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets077b.jpg
PEDRO FELICIANO

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets077c.jpg
SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets077d.jpg
JOE SMITH

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets077e.jpg
AARON HEILMAN

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/sports/mets/sweet__sour_of_grapefruit_mets_mark_hale.htm

SWEET & SOUR OF GRAPEFRUIT
ALOOK AT THE UPS AND DOWNS OF METS SPRING TRAINING SO FAR
By MARK HALE

March 20, 2007 -- PORT ST. LUCIE - The Grapefruit League has its Sweet and its Sour for the Mets each spring. Here's the annual spring progress report for the defending NL East champs:

SWEET - Fernando Martinez. Eight days ago, bench coach Jerry Manuel said to VP of player development Tony Bernazard regarding Martinez's signing, "The number you gave him, you got him cheap!" It was a compliment to the Mets' 18-year-old outfielder and future star, who drew praise from Manuel for his performance the day earlier.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets076a.jpg
BRIGHT FUTURE: The performances of 18-year-old phenom Fernando Martinez (above) and 23-year-old pitcher Mike Pelfrey put a spring in the Mets' step at Port St. Lucie.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03202007/photos/mets076b.jpg
BRIGHT FUTURE: The performances of 18-year-old phenom Fernando Martinez and 23-year-old pitcher Mike Pelfrey (above) put a spring in the Mets' step at Port St. Lucie.

[GaryMrMets]

New York Mets Postgame Alert March 20, 2007

Baltimore 1, N.Y. Mets 6 at Tradition Field
Baltimore Record: (9-9)
N.Y. Mets Record: (7-14)

Winning pitcher - Mike Pelfrey (1-0)
Losing pitcher - Jaret Wright (1-2)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0
N.Y. Mets 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 X 6 9 0

BAL HR - None
NYM HR - C. Beltran (3)

Next N.Y. Mets Game: March 21, 2007 04:05 PM PT vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Upcoming N.Y. Mets Home Games:
vs. St. Louis Cardinals, March 23, 2007 01:10 PM ET Purchase Tickets
vs. Baltimore Orioles, March 24, 2007 01:10 PM ET Purchase Tickets
vs. Houston Astros, March 25, 2007 01:10 PM ET Purchase Tickets