A Fresh Start, Take Two

Today Detroit, Florida, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh played against college clubs. The Dodgers didn't have a college team to play against, so manager Jim Tracy decided to call down to Port St. Lucie to see if the next worst thing had time for a contest. Somehow our mighy Amazin's found the time between setting up screens for Piazza's clandestine yoga sessions, and taking Kaz Matsui to the salon because his finger injury only allows him to rinse but not repeat.

I flipped on ESPN radio around 2:00 and got an update. Mets up 3-0 after a Mike Cameron home run. This could be our year, I'm thinking.

By the time I got to the television, the score was 12-3. Dodgers. It ended at 13-4. What follows are my printable thoughts:

Norihiro Nakamura, the Japanese slugging third baseman who decided he would rather play for the Wakarimasen Fighting Hams than the Mets, is getting a few games in as a Dodger this Spring Training. One of the broadcasters described the arrangement as an "exchange program". After watching Norihiro jiggle through a few awful hacks, I think it's safe to assume that the Dodgers sent over a sack of lard and this in exchange. Honestly, it looked like he learned how to hit by watching stop motion photography of poseable action figures. I'm glad we've got better hot corner options.

Speaking of which, I saw enough of the game to catch Ty Wigginton disappointing the leather-skinned Floridian Dodger fans by crushing a homer. I feel like I can count on him this year, whether it's crashing into the opposing catcher at the plate, talking about how he spent his salary on a used boat and some floss, or just launching one into the sun at the end of a flatlining Spring Training opener. David Wright, fellow blogger and unfortunately un-fellow awesome Mets 3b prospect also roped a single. At least, I think it was him. ESPN understandably sent their "B" cameras down to Vero Beach.

Kaz Matsui interviews need a little work. His interpreter is no longer the awesome fellow at the introductory press conference who did everything in his head. The new (ostensibly cheaper) guy has to keep notes on little napkins which take longer than Taira no Masakado's rebellion to put down. Kaz needs to streamline the process, as well -- he's saying entirely too much in response to questions like "Wouldn't you rather be playing than running your bandaged fingers through your hysterical mane?".

Victor Diaz cannot play third base. A bouncer headed his way while I was watching, took a high hop, and thunked into his glove in plenty of time. Apparently he didn't think so, as he palmed it, charged, and fired like a white cop in the projects. That is to say, indiscriminately. He threw a heater that touched down a good two or three feet in front of Todd Zeile at first, who displayed the reaction time of a table tennis champion in scooping it up and recording the out. The broadcasting team applauded his play, then went on to discuss his value as a "veteran presence", after opening with the line: "I'm not going to say the word babysitter". I hate television broadcasting and Diaz playing anywhere in the infield. Didn't get to see him hit, unfortunately.

Thank goodness I only caught the last three innings or so. Not having seen the prodigious meltdown, I can shrug this one off with my optimism intact. Spring Training is meaningless. It has to be, if the Dodgers can score thirteen runs.

Right?

It's going to be a long season, I'm thinking.