Official Mets 2009 Season Thread.

Frontpage Stardom said:

How much did the mets tickets cost you and where?

Click to expand...

Jerry Manuel plans to bat Daniel Murphy second in Mets' order.Murphy entered Saturday tied with St. Louis' Rick Ankiel and Seattle's Matt Tuiasosopo for the major-league lead in spring hits with 20.

Murphy went 0-for-4 in a 12-1 loss to the Braves Saturday as his average slipped to a still-gaudy .364.

Of any first-year major-leaguer in 2008 with a minimum of 130 plate appearances, Murphy's .397 on-base percentage ranked first.

Murphy, after seeing a video of Carlos Delgado keeping a log of pitchers' approaches to him, began keeping his own journal back in the Single-A Florida State League in 2007. So did good friend Nick Evans, who is nearly inseparable from Murphy.

Murphy continues to this day writing notes in a green spiral after at-bats, while Evans quickly bailed on the idea.

Click to expand...

Frontpage Stardom said:

lmao, how true it is. You guys dont fall too behind with all those bonds the city gave the yankees worth an estimated 500mill.

Click to expand...

AE said:

There's a difference in bonds from the city than Citi paying for naming rights not long after the Government bailed them out.

The City doesn't have a problem loaning the Yankees money b/c they will make it all back and then some. Have any idea how many tourists the Yankees bring to the city?

Click to expand...

Mayor Bloomberg's bad-news budget tries to plug a $4 billion hole with less than $2 billion worth of spending cuts and new sales taxes - and counts on unions, Albany and the federal govermment to come up with the rest.

He proposed a $43.4 billion budget Friday for the fiscal year starting July 1, up $123 million from the year before - one that slices deep into the pockets of city residents and the ranks of city workers.

"Are we going to go through some difficult times? I don't think there's any question about that. But we have a plan to balance our budget," Bloomberg said. "It is serious, but I think it is manageable."

The new cuts and taxes come on top of $1 billion in cuts and $1.5 billion in tax hikes he already pushed through, as administration economists predict the national economy and Wall Street will continue to pummel the city's revenues.

The mayor's budget counts on city workers paying 10% toward the cost of their health benefits, raising $350 million, as well as $200 million more from reining in health costs.

While municipal unions have begun discussions with Bloomberg's labor team, it is unclear whether any such agreement can be reached.

Bloomberg also wants to cut services: 30 ambulance tours, one firefighter from each of 64 engine companies, homeless prevention and child care.

He wants to raise taxes and fees: charging 5 cents per plastic bag to raise $84 million, raising parking meter rates, issuing more fines to unsanitary restaurants, repealing the sales tax exemption on clothes and raising the sales tax another 1/4 of a percent.

And he wants to cut more jobs: 1,000 cops, 1,440 school employees, 167 seasonal Parks Department aides, 549 child welfare workers, and more than 14,000 teachers and classroom employees.

His plan calls for 22,919 fewer city jobs, of which only 7,686 would come from attrition. The other 15,233 employees would be simply laid off - including 13,930 Education Department employees.

"When you talk about reducing city expenditures, you are really talking about reducing headcount," Bloomberg said. "You can only get so much blood out of a stone."

Sources: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/0...onomic_pic.html

Click to expand...

It took a six-walk, six-run disaster Wednesday, but the New York Mets have determined that Oliver Perez, their $36 million left-hander, is "out of shape,'' according to the New York Daily News.

Perez showed little zip on, or command of, his fastball Wednesday, and was up to 92 pitches before Manuel finally lifted him with two outs in the fourth inning. According to The Daily News, Perez's problems began soon after departing camp for the WBC, which included just two starts in the 19 days he was away from the Mets. He also complained he was tired after being left in to throw 85 pitches in a March 15 loss to Korea.

"I think he's out of shape, the arm is out of shape,'' pitching coach Dan Warthen said. "It's a combination. Since he's come back we really haven't seen the life out of the hand, the ball is just not jumping out right now ... I think he's gained a little weight and needs to start pushing himself a little more."

Source: New York Daily News

Click to expand...

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins may have been joking when he parted ways with World Baseball Classic teammate David Wright of the New York Mets, but it was a simpled reminder of what the 2008 season will be in the National League's East Division.

"It's on again,'' Wright claims Rollins told him after the two players shared a flight from Los Angeles to Florida, according to the New York Daily News.

Source: New York Daily News

Click to expand...

On another thread, I asked the question whether you can bring food into Citi Field.

Called the Mets today, and the policy has not changed from Shea. No problem with reasonable sized cooler/bags with food and beverages in clear containers.

Score one for the fans who want to bring their families without getting a second mortgage--if we could find one.

Click to expand...