Hey! Its Spring Training Time!

Well hello there Metsfans. I've hibernating this winter and aaaahhhh was that a nice nap. I heard that you poor bastards got TONS of snow and that it was bitterly cold- kinda like today- but for days and days in a row. Sucks to be all of you. We also got a new President (woot!) and the economy sucks. In sports news, the Steelers won (again) and the Devils are doing really well!
I think the best news is that I woke up just in time for Spring Training. What a lucky coincidence.
During the past couple of days, the boys that call CitiField (at least for now) home have been playing split squad games down in good old Port St. Lucie (I think that spelling Lucie like that is kinda adorable, which is just what the Mets want us all to think, I'm sure...). So far, the big stories from Spring Training have been:
1. Who will be the 5th starter? Veterans Freddy Garcia, Livan Hernandez and Tim Redding are vying for the spot against a young gun. Garcia and Hernandez were both signed to minor-league deals while Redding was given a contract this off-season. Jon Niese is the younest of the front-runners and made his major-league debut last season.
2. To platoon or not to platoon? Going into Spring Training, it was pretty much assumed that Ryan Church would be the everyday right fielder, while Fernando Tatis and Daniel everyone-loves-me Murphy would be platooning in left. Not the case says Manager Jerry Manuel. He says that the left field job is Murphy's to lose. This caused speculation amongst the media that there would then be a platoon in right. Nope, says Jerry. Church has the job, which leaves Tatis as the odd man out. Personally, I think this is a good move. Tatis had an amazing offensive year in 2008, but my guess is that won't happen again, plus Murphy is being primed as the Great White Hope for the Mets and should be playing everyday.
3. Castillo in lead-off? Once again, the media took this story and blew it way out of proportion. Yes, Jerry said that he was going to try the old and often injured 2nd baseman (who the team really would have liked to get rid of this winter) in the lead off spot during the Spring to try to trigger his past offensive successes. This doesn't mean that Jose Reyes has been dethroned exactly, it just means that Jerry doesn't want to give out specific roles just yet.
4. The World Champs are still talking? For some really strange reason, the Phillies can't shut the f*ck up about the Mets. They won the World Series. Just be proud and start practicing because I think (hope) there are some hungry Mets out there.

Ok, I'm out for now, but just in case you missed it, check out the video of the last piece of Shea Stadium falling down from last week. Clear the way for the parking lot at CitiField!! Apparently there are going to be markers in the lot where home place and the pitchers mound used to sit. **tear**
~MissMet