Three Strikes: Mets in a fine mess?

Thursday, February 28, 2008 | Print Entry

STRIKE ONE: The Mets could be in hot water with the commissioner's office over the traveling squad they took to Lakeland for their spring training opener Wednesday.

Just the day before, MLB's executive vice president for baseball operations, Jimmie Lee Solomon, sent a memo to all 30 teams reminding them they need to bring a "representative team" to all spring road games. And the definition of "representative" was a "minimum" of four players who were regulars the previous year or had a "reasonable chance" of being regulars this season.

Unless the Mets literally didn't get that memo, they didn't exactly comply. How many regulars did they bring to Lakeland to play the Tigers? Exactly one: outfielder Ryan Church. He hit cleanup, with utility man Marlon Anderson batting third and backup catcher Ramon Castro hitting fifth.  
 

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  • Jayson Stark Jayson Stark

    Jayson Stark has been a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com since 2000. His regular contributions include the newsy Rumblings and Grumblings column and his tilted look inside baseball's numbers and quirks, the Useless Information Department.

    Stark also makes regular television appearances on "SportsCenter," "The Hot List" and "Baseball Tonight." He is a regular ESPN Radio guest of "Mike & Mike in the Morning" (Wednesdays), "GameNight" (Thursdays) and the "Sports Bash" (Tuesdays), as well as numerous other shows on the network.

    Before arriving at ESPN, Stark worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer for 21 years. He was twice named Pennsylvania's sportswriter of the year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

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