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Geremi Gonzalez Killed By Lightning Strike

Posted: May 26th 2008 1:15PM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Boston, Chicago, New York, Red Sox, Rays, Mets, Cubs, Brewers, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee, The Word

3 COMMENTS

What tragic news out of Venezuela as former major leaguer Geremi Gonzalez was struck by lightning on a beach in Venezuela and killed at the young age of 33.

Geremi, when he was known as Jeremi, won 11 games for the Cubs back in 1997 before bouncing around the league for the next ten years until '06 ... when he had brief stints with the Mets and Brewers. Gonzalez also pitched for Tampa and Boston, and finished with a career record of 30-35. (Gonzalez also had a brief stint with the Yomiuri Giants during the 2007 season.

There really is nothing to say except that its sad, sad news to see a young man struck down in the prime of his life by an accident as freakish as a lightning strike. Usually, we come here and look at things in the sports world and give out our attempts at an explanation or an opinion ... but there are none here. Our best to Geremi's family.

Latest MLB Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Takashi Saito, of Japan, celebrates the final out in the ninth inning of their MLB baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, May 21, 2008 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 5-2. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp takes a swing while at bat in the seventh inning of their MLB baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, May 21, 2008 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 5-2. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Ludwick splits his bat down the middle while hitting a high chopper to third against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning of their baseball game Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

St. Louis Cardinals' Chris Duncan avoids the tag of San Diego Padres catcher Luke Carlin while scoring from second on a single by Yadier Molina in the sixth inning of their baseball game Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Skip Schumaker makes a diving catch to rob San Diego Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff of an extra base hit in the fifth inning of their baseball game Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in San Diego. The catch came with a runner on base. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Cincinnati Reds' Corey Patterson reacts after diving for a Los Angeles Dodgers' Russell Martin hit to center field for the the third out in the fourth inning of their MLB baseball game, Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

Cincinnati Reds' Corey Patterson dives for Los Angeles Dodgers Russell Martin's fly ball to center field for the the third out in the fourth inning of their MLB baseball game, Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

St. Louis Cardinals' Troy Glaus watches his two run single slice into right field against the San Diego Padres in the third inning of their baseball game Wednesday May 21, 2008 in San Diego. The hit resulted in a play at home plate in which Padres' catcher Josh Bard was injured and forced to leave the game. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

San Diego Padres catcher Josh Bard is walked through the dugout on his way to the clubhouse as teammates look on following a collision at home plate with St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols in the third inning of their baseball game Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Los Angeles Dodgers' catcher Russell Martin, right, is late with the tag as Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips scores in the fourth inning of their MLB baseball game, Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

Mike Pelfrey's Rotation Spot is Fragile

Posted: May 2nd 2007 4:29AM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: New York, Mets, NL East

1 COMMENT

Going into Tuesday night's game with the Marlins, Mike Pelfrey was under an optical microscope. With each of Pelfrey's previous three starts getting progressively worse, Omar Minaya indicated that his "blue chip prospect" status wouldn't keep Pelfrey from being sent back down to the minors:

"You got to perform up here at some point or time," Minaya said bluntly. "You got to perform or else we'll go down for other options in the minor leagues."

With Orlando Hernandez on the shelf with bursitis, it seemed that Pelfrey's spot would have been a little safer. But the Mets have options in New Orleans with Jorge Sosa, Phil Humber, and Jason Vargas having good seasons in AAA. (Sosa had pitched on Sunday, but why the Mets brought up Chan Ho Park on Monday instead of Humber or Vargas is beyond me.)

Pelfrey pitched better on Tuesday against Florida so his job, which seemingly is up for debate from start to start, is safe for another start. But the Mets still lost the game, and his tenuous hold on that fifth spot may point the Mets elsewhere if he doesn't continue to improve.

Jorge Sosa appears to be the candidate du jour, especially given that the 29-year-old right-hander has major-league experience, a live arm and a sparkling 4-0 record and 1.13 ERA at the team's Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. Another possibility includes left-hander Jason Vargas (2-2, 4.55). Right now, it doesn't look like the Mets plan to call up rookie right-hander Philip Humber (2-2, 4.15), who was the team's No. 1 pick in 2004. Minaya also said the Mets may be looking to add another arm via a trade, saying that the team is "always looking."

Said (Tom) Glavine: "It adds a little bit of craziness to the mix. You'd love nothing better than to come in here everyday and know whose pitching. ...That's not the case. If the guy you bring in here has a bad game, or a bad couple of games, yeah, there's a little bit of 'Who's pitching tonight?'"

Glavine should know ... he pitched on a team in 2006 that endured 13 starting pitchers, a list which included Jose Lima and Geremi Gonzalez. Now that was craziness.

Aaron Heilman is Not Giving Up the Dream

Posted: Mar 17th 2007 1:34PM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: New York, Mets, NL East

2 COMMENTS

Aaron Heilman is a reliever. His home run to Yadier Molina in Game 7 of last season's NLCS not withstanding, he's a damn fine reliever to boot. But Heilman wants to return to what got him drafted in the first place, and that's starting.

He is stuck, mired in the bullpen with no way out. And no amount of talk from the team or teammates will convince him that he wouldn't trade all of the success in the bullpen for the freedom to do what he wants.
"I can understand the argument both ways," Heilman said. "I'm not saying it's a bad argument, but there's a point when that feeling is there that you know what you want to do and you know you can succeed at it. Until I feel I can't be successful doing it, then I'm still going to feel this way. Nothing is going to change my mind until I come to a conclusion that I'm not able to be successful in that role."

He clings to the successes he had as a starter -- going 15-0 in 15 starts as a senior at Notre Dame or the complete game one-hitter he tossed with the Mets in 2005 just before he was sent to the bullpen.

The facts of the matter are these: Duaner Sanchez isn't going to be ready for the start of the season. Guillermo Mota is down for a 50 game suspension. Ambiorix Burgos is struggling out of the gate for the spring. The Mets need an eighth inning guy, a role that Heilman flourished in last year after Sanchez's season was ended in a taxi cab by Cecil Wiggins. Also, Heilman is still under the Mets control until 2010. So there really isn't anything he can do, right? If Heilman can be passed over for a starting spot by guys like Geremi Gonzalez and Jose Lima, then Aaron is going to have to poison a lot of food to be considered for a starting spot.