Opening Day Pics

Upper-Deck at Coca-Cola Field. Note Jon Niese, pitching
from 40 ft instead of the usual 60.5 ft. This was an attempt
to record an out after being clobbered for 1 2/3 innings:

Gov. Paterson and crew sucking-up to Mr. Met (left):

Pawtucket starter Enrique Gonzales, he pretty much handled the Bisons over 5.0 innings.

Another pregame pic:

Mr. Met freezing his @$$ off:

Some ugly guy with a cute kid:

Niese and Evans Right Where they Belong

Today, I took my son to Buffalo Bisons opening day, and saw first-hand why Jonathon Niese and Nick Evans didn't make the Mets roster. The game-time temperature was 42 degrees, Evans was colder and Niese was near absolute zero. Niese's line reads 5 hits, 5 runs (all earned) with 3 walks in 2.0 ip. The Paw Sox were putting dents in the outfield walls, and Niese looked lost.

Other potential Mets fared just as poorly. Nick Evans went 0-4 with two strikeouts and hit into an inning ending double-play. Eddie Kunz pitched 1.1 innings in relief, walking at one point three out of four batters, forcing in a run. On the bright side, Fernando Martinez looked great, going 2 for 4 with a double and a triple. Bobby Kielty also chalked-up a 2 for 4 day.

The end result: Pawtucket 6, Buffalo 4

Notes:

• Mr. Met was on hand today. I tried to get my kid to pose with him for a picture, but no, Mr. Met scared the %#$& out of him.

• Gov. Paterson, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Buffalo Mayor and the Erie County Exec. were on hand to throw out the first pitch. All of them bounced the ball and Paterson got booed.

• Jeff Wilpon was on hand as well. I wonder if he stayed to watch the game.
  

• This isn't the first time the Buffalo Bisons have teamed-up with the Mets. The Bisons were the International League affiliate of the Mets from 1963-1965.

• Fernando Martinez, at the age of 20, is the youngest player to sport a Bisons uniform in fifteen years.
  

• AAA Baseball is one of the best values in all of sports. Two tickets to the game, program, soda, ice cream, bring your own snacks, parking, game ball, and one carnival game: $28.00.

Opening Day in Buffalo

I'm taking my boy up to Coca-Cola Field to see the Bisons opening game today. I'm looking forward to seeing so many almost-Mets and used-to-be Mets on the field. Jonathon Niese gets the start, and we'll see if Mets fans will be wishing he was in Queens with the big boys.

Bisons Roster Starts to Take Shape

Jonathon Niese and Robinson Cancel were among eight players optioned to AAA Buffalo yesterday by the Mets. The move essentially guarantees that the fifth starter spot in the Mets rotation will go to Livan Hernandez, who has done well in proving himself this spring. Neise expressed his dissapointment, stating, ""I'm disappointed, not at anyone but myself. It's just one of those things."

Catcher Robinson Cancel, who played 27 games with the Mets last year (2.45 BA), also will join the Bisons on opening day. Click here to see the updated Bisons roster.

Tigers Defeat Mets 7-2

The Detroit Tigers defeated the New York Mets today by a score of 7-2. Jon Niese picked up the loss, allowing two runs on two hits with two walks in two innings. The Mets offense was generated by Bobby Kielty, a January Minor League pickup from the Red Sox, and Josh Thole, who batted .300 in 347 at bats for the St. Lucue Mets in 2008. Both may find themselves on the Bisons' roster come March. The Mets take on the Houston Astros tomorrow at 1:10pm.

Click here for a complete box score.