DAVID WRIGHT. CAPTAIN AMERICA. Get Back At it Tonight vs. DR

The sole reason i consider watching the World Baseball Classic is because my man David Wright is playing.  Without him i would just be hopelessly waiting for these three more weeks until Opening Day without any kind of baseball fix; i would not watch because i disapprove it the whole idea and think it is stupid.  But David overpowers my feelings in that department.  

First off, that Grand Slam…. what a freakin shot! (disclaimer im never going to say anything bad about David ever, besides for maybe he has to lay off the outside slider better)  Then tonight he goes 2-5 with 5 RBIs, with three bases loaded at bats. He had a RBI fielders choice RBI single and bases clearing double which iced the game for the Americans.  He is on his way to being the MVP of the tournament, if they win, and has been dubbed the nickname Captain America, which is ironic with the whole Mets captaincy thing going on.  

I love watching David do his thing, when he is on he gets so red hot he becomes unstoppable.  Also seeing him hit 5th brings me back to the GREAT old days of ’06 with that killer line-up.  He clearly does damage in the 5 hole so we should get someone else to hit 3rd.  Just kidding, no one else could hit third but you get my point..

So far he is hitting .438 with 1HR, 10RBIs with a .526 OBP and .750 SLG.  Thats as good of a 4 game stretch as you can have.  His swing has looked pretty good even though i honestly didnt think his three RBI double looked that great and Pagan mis played the trajectory.  Tonight team USA takes on the DR in the winner’s game of round 2.  With former Met R.A. Dickey on the mound looking to revenge his poor first outing.  This should be a great game with two great offenses going at it.  But again i only watch it to see David play, tonight also for R.A. and to get my general baseball fix.  19 days.

Ike Davis Was Considered to Replace Teixiera

It was announced that Kansis City’s Eric Hosmer was officially selected to replace Mark Teixiera on team USA’s roster who injured his wrist.  Ike Davis was being considered for the roster spot as well.

It is being reported that team USA was looking for a player with a low strike out rate.  Even though Ike Davis overall is clearly a more productive and overall superior player (defensively as well) but Davis, especially with a horrific first half, had a high strike out rate last season and probably in most seasons would strike out more than Hosmer.  But i would have expected baseball minds to know what Ike went through last year and just how good he can be.  Not to mention he is probably just as good defensively as Mark Teixiera.  This would have been cool and i have less of an issue with every day players in the WBC than pitchers.  I hope Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler almost never do this in the future.

Johan Not to Pitch in WBC

Sources have told Jon Heyman that Johan Santana will not be participating in the World Baseball Classic this year as he apparently wished.

Santana threw a bullpen session yesterday and according to Terry Collins will make his 2013 debut on March 2.  I think this was the smart decision since Santana ended the year injured – he needs the regular transition from Spring Training to the regular season in order the stay healthy.  Santana is also slated to be the Opening Day starter.

Collins Doesn’t Want Johan in WBC, if it won’t help him get ready

Friday Terry Collins told reporters that he was not a fan of Johan Santana going out to pitch for Venezuela in the WBC.  But that he would have no problem with it if Santana honestly felt that it would help him prepare for the most important goal.  April 1.  Opening Day.  Johan is expected to be the Opening Day starting pitcher at Citi Field as it stands right now; and Collins wants nothing to be more paramount than that, and remaining healthy for the year.  He said, “This is a big year for us, and we need you to give us what you can.”

Personally i would rather see Santana building up his strength in Port St. Lucie rather than in competitive baseball games than in the long run mean absolutely nothing.  It is extremely important for pitchers to pitch just enough during Spring Training and hopefully go through a little bit of a dead arm period, so it doesn’t occur during the beginning of the season.  I feel that pitchers that are involved in the WBC do not throw enough before the season starts and start behind the 8 ball.

Mets Have Ability to Stop Santana’s WBC Hopes

According to Adam Rubin, Sandy Alderson has the ability to ‘veto’ Johan from participating in the WBC playing for Venezuela.  Alderson did not go as far as to say the Mets will definitely stop Santana from pitching, Rubin hypothesizes that this is solely because Santana is so popular in his home country.  But he did seem to insinuate that this is a distinct possibility.  As of now, David Wright is the only Met officially on a WBC team roster; as the starting third baseman of team USA (RA Dickey will also be a member of team USA).  The WBC begins on March 8th.  When this first started, i thought it was very stupid and unnecessary.  A replacement for the Olympics because there is no possible way for professionals to participate.  The only reason i enjoy watching it is because it is competitive baseball in early March.  But i still dislike it as a whole, there is a great risk for injury and even if no one gets hurt it can in-danger someone’s season and or career by playing too many games.

Andy Martino thinks the Mets will talk Johan out of WBC

In a TV interview with SNY, Mets reporter for the New York Post Andy Martino said that although Johan Santana feels full healthy and wishes to pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic this March, he thinks the Mets will wein him off the idea.  Being that his season ended early due to injury and this is his first contract year since coming to the Mets (he actually never had one because he was traded) he needs to put his full attention to the Mets season and his long term health.

He added there should be no trouble doing this because Santana values his health and performance so much.  And that although Santana does want to play in the WBC there are plenty of “back door” ways to convince him not do.