SPRING TRAINING KEEPS CHUGGING ALONG

I took a couple of day off and watched Eliot Spitzer crash and burn and watch everyone obsess over the side show, the Mets continue to roll along in the Spring

Should Aaron Heilman start? No, leave him in the pen. They need a 1-2-3 guy for the eight inning and a gateway to Billy Wagner.

Johan Santana looks as good as advertised. The deal has left the Mets one corner outfielder short. I've seen Carlos Gomez 3 times already this spring on NESN. The kid has a cannon for an arm and I can see why the Twins wanted him. I see alot of American League Baseball living in Boston and I'll be paying attention to him. Who is out there to replace him? Stay tuned.

John Maine is having a great spring. Hasn't given up an earned run in 10 innings, and has an ERA of 2.63.

Carlos Beltran played Center Field yesterday and went 2-3. Good to see.

Willie Randolph on Jose Reyes (Sunday Boston Globe; 3-16-08)

Question, have we seen the best of Jose Reyes?

:"There's way more, way more. He's still a baby. There's a lot of guys that have talent, but there's a difference in having talent and having mature talent, and what he went through last year was part of the maturation period, the growing. He just got into a funk at the wrong time. Now, that could have happened midseason, it could have happened early season. He went through a confidence blow at a time when we needed him the most. He still doesn't understand the concept of what winning baseball is all about. Like Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter understands, but it took him a while, too. Jose Reyes is no different; he's going to be a phenomenal player for a long time.