Every Pitcher Tells a Story

The new additions to the Mets locker room seem to be fitting right in. Moises Alou chats easily with Billy Wagner in English, Carlos Beltran in Spanish, and to the press with a knowing, detached amusement that should serve him well in New York. Alou said that when deciding which team to sign with during the off-season, he looked at the Mets' roster on mlb.com and thought "right away, this was the team I wanted to be with"—because of the talent, but also because of "the human beings." For affable former Oriole David Newhan, "It's been an easy transition . . . . Carlos [Delgado] and Julio [Franco] set a good tone, and Tommy [Glavine] with the pitchers. Everyone just sort of falls in line from there."

As is often the case with these Mets, what's good for the team is tough on reporters—unlike Yankees camp in Tampa, there's a distinct absence of drama in Port St. Lucie. The closest the Mets have come to dysfunctional excitement, at least publicly, was when Willie Randolph sent rehabbing reliever Duaner Sanchez home for the day after he was repeatedly late. Not to downplay the issue, but, well, it's hardly the stuff of screaming back-page headlines. What else is there—"Wright and Reyes: Still Getting Along Well!"?

For the benefit of the sportswriters, and you, the readers, I'd like to second David Wright's comment that A-Rod would be welcome on the Mets if he opts out of his Yankees contract at the end of the season. In the meantime, the Mets drama will apparently have to wait until the games begin at Shea.

I'm off to Tampa—in search of wild rumors, intrigue, and a decent classic rock station.