NCAA time & Mets musings

First of all congrats to Syracuse on beating UConn and West Virginia to win their first Big East tournament title since 1992. 1992. That's a long time ago. That's so long ago, Achy Breaky Heart was just coming out! And I was also glad to see North Carolina State make it in. If you didn't know, I took a college class there one year. Watch out for Julius Hodge and company. They could do some damage.

I'll be filling out brackets for sure and I'll have them ready by Tuesday night, I'm hoping. To project my teams, Syracuse has an excellent chance to win it. They don't have a tough bracket and I know they can beat Duke.

Mets notes: Steve Trachsel's back's cracked and off track, could someone cut me some slack?! He's having an MRI in New York this week and we'll see what happens.

Remember a few months ago how excited I was when the Mets signed this young hitter Luis Garcia away from LA? Well he hit his second homer of the spring yesterday, a game winner off Troy Percival to give Flushing Meadow Park a 7-6 win over Lakeland. Son of a gun can hit. Well, those homers are his only hits in 8 at bats. But he has power.

Also, Victor Diaz hit one out, Kris Benson pitched well, and Chris Woodward hit two triples. I didn't think much of Woodward's signing with Matsui, Reyes, McEwing, Keppinger, and Cairo already there, but he could come in handy.

Also Jose Reyes is leading all players in stolen bases and hasn't even been caught once yet. Good deal. On the flip side, Victor "Kazmir" Zambrano leads all pitchers in walks. He'd better shake off that rust, that belly fat, or whatever.
"Believe me, I'll get there," Zambrano said. "I know what I need to do." I feel better now.

Scott Kazmir, meanwhile, has secured a place in the Tampa Bay rotation. In 4 2/3 innings this spring he has allowed one hit and no runs.

This trade will become our Larry Anderson for Jeff Bagwell, our Ken Phelps for Jay Buhner, our what's his name for Lou Brock.

If you have access to a Fresh Market grocery store, go. Unbelievable steaks, beef wellingtons, and they had unbelievable looking BBQ ribs. And these were in a deli case where prepared food usually looks pretty lousy. They looked great. And we got this cinnamon apple walnut crumb cake. Enough said.