New York Mets

On a miserable 37 degree, rainy and snowy day, The Mets were ready to start the new '09-'10 season.

Johan showed the critics that his surgically repaired knee and rumored-to-be-sore elbow were perfectly fine in 5 and 2/3 work, including 3 and 2/3 innings of hitless ball and seven strikeouts. The only concern was the four walks he issued, but you can chalk that up to poor weather.

After that, Sean Green finished off the next four batters and the Mets and Mets fans eagerly waited for the colossal eighth-ninth punch of the new look, New York Mets bullpen.

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Another baseball season upon us, and another chance to prove how little I know when it comes to accurately predicting how the new season will play out.

Nevertheless, I like to entertain myself and look back seven months from now and see if I knew anything, so before all you critics out there rip my predictions to shreds, know that I make them without doing any real research and simply off of gut feelings based on how teams faired last season and how they look based on the moves they made during the offseason.

The most important number to consider when analyzing the Mets' signing of Gary Sheffield is $400,000. The amount the Mets will pay Sheffield for his services. This is a low-risk, high-reward signing.

Worst case scenario, it doesn’t work out; the Mets cut him and bring Nick Evans back to the big club. Sheffield goes home and collects paychecks from both the Mets and the Tigers while the price of the Italian sausage at CitiField goes up 50 cents.

As much as I love the Italian sausage, I won't be distraught if things with Sheff don’t work out.

“Gary Sheffield had no demands for the Mets and did not specifically discuss his number of at bats with us.” -- Omar Minaya (April 3, 2009)

And if you believe that, I have beachfront property in Montana for all of you.

Gary Sheffield has agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Mets, according to MLB.com.

Sheffield, 40, was released by the Detroit Tigers earlier this week, prompting interest from the Reds, Phillies, and Mets.  The Mets jumped at the chance to add another power bat to their lineup.  It will cost them only $400,000, with Detroit picking up the rest of the $14 million owed to him this year.

The New York Mets have reached an agreement with free agent DH Gary Sheffield. The 40-year-old was released by the Detroit Tigers last week.

Yes, you read that right, Sheffield is a DH.

But wait, aren't the Mets in the National League?

Yes, they are, but apparently Sheffield was a bargain they "couldn't pass up," despite the fact that they seem to not have a place for him.

New York will only have to pay $400,000 (the Major-League minimum) of Sheffield's $14 million salary. The Tigers will cover the rest.

Earlier this evening, the Mets signed former Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield. It is said that Sheffield will be making around $400,000 this coming season.

To me, that's a great bargain for the Mets. Gary is most likely going to get a good amount of time in both left and right field.

I agree with New York's decision 100 percent. They got Sheff at a very cheap price (maybe even a steal), and even though he's old, he can still launch the ball like crazy.

Sheffield is just one home run shy of the 500 mark for his career.

(I wrote this last Sunday, and sat on it because everyone was in Citi mode, and I like to hang onto "generic" pieces for when there is nothing going on. I'm releasing it now because Murray Chass just wrote a hatchet piece on Bobby Valentine, and I know how the blogosphere works...)

The forecast is still lousy. There's a 90 percent chance of rain at 5 p.m. and 90 percent at 8 p.m.

As I mentioned in the 5 Reasons Friday's Game Won't Be Rained Out I expect we'll be sitting in our seats tomorrow. 

The reason for this post is because I'm getting asked what will happen if the game isn't played.