According to MLB Trade Rumors, the St. Louis Cardinals met at length with Roger Clemens's agent Randy Hendricks yesterday.

They go on to note: "The Cardinals have some extra money after missing out on various pitching targets this winter.  Clemens is quite a longshot, but it's certainly fun to speculate."

I definitely don't see him signing with the Cards, and agree with most reports that if he does pitch it will be with either the Astros, Yanks or BoSox.

Some around the blogosphere have been speculating that the Mets would be wise to sign Clemens, but I hope that never happens for several reasons, the most prominent being that I hate him.

More info can be found at the St. Louis Post Dispatch

Hey if Rocket doesn't pan out, there's always the Looper contingency plan. John Delcos at his blog for the Journal News says it's not so far-fetched. Make sure to check out Delcos' blog regularly for frequent PSL updates!

Individual game tickets for the Binghamton Mets' 2007 season are scheduled to go on sale Saturday at NYSEG Stadium.

The team is hosting "Ticketpalooza" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to buying tickets, fans will be able to check out the new video scoreboard and take guided tours of the skybox and renovated press box. Free hot dogs and soda will also be available.

Go to BMets.com for more info.

Halos Heaven points out a story regarding Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr.

According to the article, an Orlando pharmacy was raided for alleged violations of federal and state prescription laws  in the climax of a large New York state grand jury investigation into Internet drug sales that could expose widespread illicit steroid use by professional athletes.

"The customers include Los Angeles Angels centerfielder Gary Matthews Jr., according to sources with knowledge of the investigation."

Who's next?

Baseball Musings, and Yahoo! Sports have more info as well.

My people in Boston have pointed out an article for Boston.com which cites the AP report that former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette is helping to establish a baseball league in Israel.   The league is scheduled to debut this summer.

Former Mets outfielder Art Shamsky is slated to coach one of the 6 teams.

This goes right along with the internationalization of baseball that many teams seem to be working on as of late. 

The Yankees have setup shop in China, and Mets GM Omar Minaya recently made a goodwill visit to Ghana which will be recapped on SNY in the coming weeks.

More info was also found on SNY.tv.

In an article for Yahoo! Sports, Tim Brown profiles the young Lastings Milledge. He highlights the off-season work Milledge has been doing to perfect his defensive mechanics. 

Regarding an outstanding outfield assist, Brown notes:

Milledge on the opinion last year from some that he was not mature:

Finally, he gets some good press. I know the whole Milledge thing has been beaten like a dead horse, but this article gives more insight to Milledge's thought processes which are usually not given an objective look.

I didn't see what happened behind the scenes last year, but I was there when he hi-fived the fans and there was nothing wrong with it.  It was refreshing to see a player letting loose and having fun.

I've never made an issue regarding the antics of Milledge and have always been for this kid who I hope succeeds wherever he winds up.

Update...

Check out today's post on MetsBlog for more info on Milledge's evolution.

Throughout most of the offseason on numerous sites, Oliver Perez has been almost singled out as the Met who will provide the surprise standout performance of the year.

Can someone who everyone thinks will be the surprise, still be a surprise?

This is why I give you, Ambiorix Burgos. In an article for the Daily News today, Mets beat writer Adam Rubin recaps Burgos' performance in yesterday's intrasquad game:

I think Perez will still provide solid numbers, but what a lift it would be if Burgos finds his control and winds up providing major relief for Mets starters who might rarely see the 6th inning.

I know he's only pitched one inning, but I'm setting the deadline for guessing the surprise of the year at Friday.

James over at Hot Foot points out that former Mets infielder Edgardo Alfonzo has joined the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League.

According to the Ducks website, Alfonzo's rights were acquired from the Bridgeport Bluefish in exhange for the rights to infielder Bucky Jacobsen and pitcher Pat Mahomes.

I remember Carlos Baerga and others have attempted to resurrect their MLB careers with the Ducks with little success.  Perhaps Fonzie's stab at it will be more fruitful.

In an article for the Journal News, John Delcos notes that David Wright is worried about his friend, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Xavier Nady, and plans to give him a call.

Nady has been ill with an intestinal inflammation that put him in the hospital for two days last week and reportedly will be tested for Crohn's disease.

Delcos also discusses Mike Pelfrey's lack of concern over his recent control issues and notes that the best-case scenario for Orlando Hernandez is that he'll get back on the mound by end of the week.

This year, the Mets decided to go with a ticket lottery for Opening Day and Yankees home game tickets, forcing fans and the seedy ticket brokers to register for a chance to buy tickets for those games. In years past, when tickets went on sale, fans could flood the phone lines, or more admirably wait on line at Shea Stadium to purchase tickets.

I have waited at Shea, and not only is there a fun sense of camaraderie, (damn cold though as the red nose in my pic with Ron Darling illustrates) but you know that you're there with real fans who are getting tickets fair and square.  Now, anyone sitting at home in their PJs with 15 different e-mail aliases registered for this new lottery has a better chance than the fan on the street. Even when fans could call up, the fan who "worked" hardest to get tickets, usually would.

True, I am disgruntled because I did not "win the lottery" but even if I had, knowing that so many people didn't would make me still hate this new system.  People like myself who were planning on getting Opening Day tickets, perhaps even as a post-holiday gift from someone, feel "grinched" unless I want to buy them for way too much money on some website.  I still got a sweet video ipod for Christmas, but experiences like Opening Day which have recently become a tradition will be no more.

Not only are lotteries unfair, but they dangle the chance of winning over your head only to yank it away at the last minute leaving you feeling like you're absent of something you never actually had. They prey on your faith and create unhealthy competition. Who knows if the way they pick winners is even random?! This new Mets policy reminds me of the short story/Twilight Zone episode where there is a lottery to determine who will be sacrificed in order to save the world.  Well no one dies in this scenario, but I was still left with a feeling of loss. I was angry over something I never even owned. Should I let it go?

It's hard to when I shelled out $800 for two Sunday game plans, I buy the merch and the concessions, and I even have a blog that supports the team.  I feel we were all treated unfairly, even the winners. Everyone should have an equal shot at purchasing tickets for the games they want to see, especially when they cost so damn much to begin with.

Marlins' blog Fish Chunks points out an article for the Miami Herald by David J. Neal where he discusses the brief and unexpected (to him) career of former Mets and current Marlins pitcher Henry Owens.

Apparently, Owens feels his 2 sisters are better than him in their respective sports:


Owens on his "new" role as a pitcher:



I hear these stories and always wonder how a catcher or any position player couldn't have realized they had a ML caliber throwing arm. Regardless, if what Owens says of his sisters is true maybe the Mets should consider scouting them!

In an article for MLB.com, Mychael Urban discusses Mike Piazza's new duty as a full-time DH for the Oakland A's.

Piazza as quoted by Urban:

Sounds like he'll be lucky to catch 5 games for the A's this season, but he should provide a good bat for them.

The Associated Press is reporting that former Mets "closer", Braden Looper might have a shot at making the Cardinals rotation.

The AP notes:

At 32, Looper has never pitched more than three innings in a single outing in his major league career.

Sweet, another reason the Cardinals won't repeat in 2007.

In an article for Yahoo! Sports, Jeff Passan breaks down the mystery of Dice-K's gyroball.

Passan writes:

"Kazushi Tezuka conceded that if the gyroball is anything, it's closest to a slider – and that, he said, is what makes it so special."

"If thrown correctly, Tezuka said, the two-seam gyroball should look to a batter like a slider and act like a fastball. That is why, as described in the title of the book he and Himeno wrote, it is a "miracle pitch."

"Pedro Martinez thought he was throwing fastballs during his prime as well, Tezuka explained. He said slow-motion analysis shows Martinez with the correct motion, arm action, grip and spin for a four-seam gyroball."

Still confused...just a little less confused.

The Team. The Time. The Mets...although that wasn't exactly true, what gimmick will the Mets PR staff use this year to hype up their team in subway stations, tv, and radio? 

What cheesy mantra do you think they will choose?

Update...

Transplanted Mets Fan points out what I tried to predict a few weeks back, the Mets new slogan:

Your Season Has Come.

Pretty bad as always.  Why even have one if it's going to be bad? Personally, I think Headsnack's suggestion is better.