Printer-friendly

Contact Author

April 1, 2005

Team Health Reports

New York Mets

by Will Carroll

Looking for your favorite squad's Team Health Report? Try this link.

Hitters

C Mike Piazza: When I think of Mike Piazza, I often also think of Ken Griffey Jr.. They're two players who had amazing peaks and who allowed injuries to take them down to human levels. Both stubbornly insist on playing the position at which they became famous, though Piazza was at least willing to try playing first base, albeit horribly enough to think he may have unconsciously sabotaged the project. He could probably play another five years if he's willing to be the player Matt LeCroy dreams of being.

1B Doug Mientkiewicz

2B Kazuo Matsui: Matsui was so bad last year as to send Clay Davenport back to his translations and to make the Mets double-check his passport to be sure they hadn't been sent Keiko or Doris instead of the seven-time Japanese All-Star. While the position switch is a short-term negative, his back injury is very worrisome going forward. He showed nothing in spring training to portend a turnaround.

SS Jose Reyes: Vern Gambetta worked with Reyes to help take the stress off his hamstrings and lower back before leaving to join Michael Jordan's company. I met Gambetta at the ASMI Conference, and he had nothing but great things to say about Reyes. Reyes has also worked with Mackie Shillstone, though it should be noted that Reyes has essentially ignored Shillstone's workout program. All the steals in spring training show that he's healthy now, yet he's still just one wrong step away from being the same disappointment he was last season.