The New York Mets today released their regular schedule for 2008, their final year at Shea Stadium, which has been their home since 1964. The Mets' final Opening Day at Shea will be Tuesday, April 8 when they host the National League East Division Champion Philadelphia Phillies at 1:10 p.m. The Mets will conclude their 45th regular season at Shea Sunday, September 28 at 1:10 p.m. against the Florida Marlins.

Joe Torre makes his return to New York when the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town for a four-game series, May 29-June 1. The N.L. West Champion Arizona Diamondbacks are in New York June 10-12; the N.L. Champion Colorado Rockies visit July 11-13.

In Interleague play, the Mets face the Texas Rangers June 13-15 and the Seattle Mariners June 23-25. The Mets will host the second set of the home-and-home Subway Series the weekend of June 27-29.

The Mets will play the final week of Major League Baseball's regular season at Shea when the N.L. Central Champion Chicago Cubs come to New York for a four-game series September 22-25 before the Marlins close out the regular season with a weekend series September 26- 28.

Regular starting times will be 7:10 p.m. for night games and 1:10 p.m. for day games, with the exceptions of Thursday, July 24 vs. the Phillies at 12:10 p.m. and Thursday, August 7 against the San Diego Padres at 12:10 p.m. Game selections under MLB's national telecast agreements with FOX and ESPN leave most Saturday and Sunday games with starting times that will be announced at a later date. The 2008 schedule is subject to change.

The Mets open the 2008 season on the road against the Marlins Tuesday, April 1 at 4:05 p.m. It marks the second time in franchise history that the Mets have started a season in Florida. The Mets are 12-10 when beginning the season on the road and 29-17 all-time on Opening Day. The Mets and Marlins have night games on April 2-3. The season-opening road trip concludes with a weekend series in Atlanta.

The Mets will play their final three regular season games at Yankee Stadium May 16-18. A month later, New York travels to the west coast to face the defending American League West Champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim June 16-18.

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Mets.com announced today that the Mets have released their 2008 Spring Training Schedule.

The Mets begin their exhibition season on Feb. 26, against the University of Michigan, the alma mater of owner Fred Wilpon. Their first home game against a big league team is on Leap Year Day, Feb. 29, against the Cardinals. Their first big league exhibition game is on Feb. 27 against the Tigers in Lakeland.

The World Series champion Red Sox visit Port St. Lucie on March 10 and the Mets play the Sox the following day in Ft. Myers. The Mets face the Cardinals and Orioles five times each, the Marlins four times, the Dodgers, Nationals, Indians and Braves three times each and the Astros and Red Sox twice each. They have split squad games scheduled for March 8 and 16.

Tickets for Spring Training games go on sale at Tradition Field on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. Tickets and information can be obtained by calling 772-871-2115 or online at Mets.com or Traditionfield.com.


Feb. 26 University of Michigan Port St. Lucie 12 p.m.
Feb. 27 Detroit Tigers Lakeland 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 28 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 29 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 1 Los Angeles Dodgers Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 2 Los Angeles Dodgers Vero Beach 1:05 p.m.
March 3 Atlanta Braves Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 4 Florida Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
March 5 Los Angeles Dodgers Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 6 Washington Nationals Viera 1:05 p.m.
March 7 Cleveland Indians Winter Haven 1:05 p.m.
March 8 (SS) Florida Marlins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
(SS) Baltimore Orioles Fort Lauderdale 1:05 p.m.
March 9 Houston Astros Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 10 Boston Red Sox Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 11 Boston Red Sox Ft. Myers 1:05 p.m.
March 12 Baltimore Orioles Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 13 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
March 14 Florida Marlins Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
March 15 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 16 (SS) Detroit Tigers Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
(SS) Houston Astros Kissimmee 1:05 p.m.
March 17 Washington Nationals Viera 1:05 p.m.
March 18 Off day
March 19 Cleveland Indians Port St. Lucie 7:10 p.m.
March 20 Baltimore Orioles Port St. Lucie 7:10 p.m.
March 21 Washington Nationals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 22 Cleveland Indians Winter Haven 1:05 p.m.
March 23 St. Louis Cardinals Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 24 Baltimore Orioles Fort Lauderdale 1:05 p.m.
March 25 Atlanta Braves Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 26 Florida Marlins Port St. Lucie 1:10 p.m.
March 27 Atlanta Braves Orlando 1:05 p.m.
March 28 Baltimore Orioles Fort Lauderdale 1:05 p.m.

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I dont have much to say other than:

1) Does anyone else not give two craps about Joe Torre? I certainly dont. Most Yankee fans probably dont realize they have had other managers.

2) Burgos is going to be gone all next season probably, but Sanchez might be back. That would be amazing

3) David Wright roots for good football schools..glad Rutgers is on that list Read More...

Alright ladies and gentlemen, I know it has been entirely too long...but TUESDAY TWO CENTS is back! As a lot of you might be aware I have been computerless for quite some time now. This mainly has to do with me being poor and not being able to buy one yet, but that will be changing soon. I would like to apologize to all that have wondered where I am, considering I am an administrator in this group. It's good to be back again. Anyways, on to business.


Well as we all know, the Mets blew it this season. Last Sunday was quite rough on us all, and I hope to never feel misery of that sorts ever again. Of course being the New York sports fans that we are, the first thing we seem to do is find a scapegoat. I would like to clarify one thing though, there is not just one scapegoat, but there are many scapegoats. Willie Randolph is not the only man to blame for the Flushing Flush.

While the team could have been more motivated, it is not entirely Randolph's fault. Blame must also be put on Omar Minaya who put together a bullpen that went from best in the league in 2006, to steroid users. Blame, in my opinion, must also be put on Rick Peterson. While Peterson is great at developing pitchers, he seems to take no part in managing pitchers. Willie's expertise is definitely at managing the lineup, as he was a solid offensive second baseman for a quite a long time. Willie does seem to have trouble managing the bullpen at times, but if Peterson gave him any sort of advice I think that problem could be alleviated. Instead the Jacket has his face stuffed in a computer worrying about pitch counts and all other sorts of jazz. Get your head out of your Mac and into the game Rick, and help Willie out in a place that is obviously his weakness. Then there's Tom Glavine. The name makes me want to puke. Just one day after Johnny Maine pitches damn near flawless, our "ace" decides to do his best Dave Mlicki impression. Seven runs given up in less than two innings against a team with a mascot named Billy is just horribly inexplicable. Go back to Atlanta. Thank you for three years, you basically just rendered them useless with that lackluster garbage excuse of a start.

There needs to be a lot of changes this off season. Carlos Delgado needs to go. We need to get younger at first base, and Delgado's best days are definitely behind him. I love Carlos as a player, and he won his respect back for me as a man when he decided to start standing for THE National Anthem again. Go to the American League, be a DH, and end your career. Luis Castillo was a useless acquisition this season. Ruben Gotay is without a doubt the front runner for the starting 2B job going into next season. Especially since Anderson Hernandez couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a beach ball. If Lastings Milledge isn't starting in right field next season then I am becoming a Yankees fan...alright that was a joke, but I think you guys can understand how serious I am about that. Finally we need to get a bona fide ace, and fix that pitiful excuse of a bullpen we got.

Omar is going to be busy this off season. Mets fans are going to expect nothing less than a division title and payback on the Phillies. A pennant would be nice considering we haven't won one of those in seven years. Dare I mention it has been 21 years since we have won a World Series. Next year will show what Omar and Willie have when it comes to leading this team. They are facing a lot of pressure and are under a microscope...ummm scratch that telescope from all of the Tri State to get the job done. Here's hoping for a great off season.

In other baseball news.....

HOW BOUT THEM ROCKIES! This is without a doubt the feel good story of the year in baseball. If you would have told me that the Colorado Rockies would be four games away from the World Series in May, I would have been calling Bellevue for you. Big up to the Rock Dawgs, and I would love to see them in the World Series. Plus it was great justice to see them beat up on Philadelphia. This just goes to show that the only thing useful to ever come out of Philadelphia when it comes to sports is a fictional character that fictionally ended Communism in the USSR. Reagan didn't bring down the Berlin Wall...Rocky did.

The fire your manager wave is hot all over New York City, as George Steinbrenner, in yet another act of ignorance, will be firing Joe Torre for taking his Yankees to the playoffs every season of his 12 season tenure. Joe Torre is a class act, and he gets treated with utter disrespect by The Boss. It is not Torre's fault that Alex Rodriguez is useless in October, and the ace of his staff didn't show up to this post season. You ask any player in that Yankee clubhouse and they will tell you firing Torre is a horrible idea. Have some class George.

Finally, I'm just going to put it out there. NO ONE IS BEATING BOSTON. They are too good. They made the Angels look like the Reds in the ALDS. Their pitching is clicking on all cylinders, Manny and Ortiz look like Ruth and Gehrig, and that bullpen is awesome. Cleveland has nothing to match Boston after Sabathia and Carmona. Look for the Red Sox to take the series in 6. Rockies take out the D'Backs in seven. Both series' should be very entertaining to watch.

IN OTHER SPORTS...

I don't know about you guys, but it was very gratifying to watch the Giants front four demolish the Eagles on that horrible Sunday last week. It really saved my day, I'm not going to lie. My G-Men then followed up their demolition of Philly with a 35-24 comeback victory over the Paper Airplanes. Eli and Plaxico (STIFF ARM) looked great in the second half, and HOW BOUT THAT AARON ROSS. The G-Men, along with the whole NFC East is looking like the NFC East of the early 1990's. Everyone is good, except for the Eagles.

Also this calling time out RIGHT before a field goal is kicked. That bush league garbage needs to stop.

HOCKEY IS BACK!!!!

What seems to be the second most popular sport in the group has made it's triumphant return...unless you are a Devils fan of course. We look like garbage. Rangers are fans are already on my last nerve, as they are already running their mouths. The Rangers are the same story every season; a bunch of high salaries with no chemistry and no results by the end of the season. Until I am ever proved wrong I will continue with that philosophy. The Fishsticks are weak. I'll let Wassink handle the Pens.

THE CHASE IS ON!!!

Well not for Junior unfortunately. To add insult to injury my boy Dale blew his sixth engine of the year at Talladega (Man Race) last Sunday. At least he is sticking it to Theresa, the woman who is trying to ruin the Earnhardt name. Looks like Hendrick Motor Sports is going to be running 1-2 in points again as Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are motoring themselves away from everyone else. Wait until Junior joins that team next season...scary.

Finally I would like to give a shout out to my Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who finally won a football game this past weekend. Let's keep em coming boys. Oh and if anyone finds the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team, please return them to Piscataway. It would be greatly appreciated. USC lost...HAHAHAHA. That's my Two Cents. Later on. JD.
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We've made it through 2/3 of the season and somehow, the Mets are still clinging to first place. I have been patient; I have not panicked; I still believe this can be a good team. There were a lot of things I could write about: Lastings Milledge, Trade Deadline Hangover, Glavine's failed attempt at 300. But today, August 1st, Willie Randolph and I are no longer on speaking terms.

I know Willie is still a fairly new manager and I respect him for what he has done with team since he came to the organization. I try to stay away from being an "armchair manager" to keep frustrations at a minimum. Frankly though, I can't listen to the speech anymore.

I realize that Willie Randolph comes from the School of Joe Torre, which can be maddening. I'd like to see a few more instances that he comes out of the dugout to go to bat for his guys, yet I appreciate that he maintains an even-keel attitude in the New York spotlight. Willie tends to be a bit of a broken record when speaking with the media after each game, which can be expected in a long season, but I cringe now when I hear "Well, we come out and get a win tomorrow."

Baseball is a long season, with a lot of ups and downs. We all know this. With two months left to the season, tomorrow's are becoming a bit numbered. I have a hard time knowing that my team rolls over after every loss and just waits for tomorrow. If this is the message that Willie is sending, I am officially annoyed. It is okay to turn the page, but when have you reached the point of the season where you play for today? When you're in a playoff series, tomorrows are not endless. It makes me wonder about this team that has looked to the next game throughout the regular season. Assuming they make the playoffs, will they be able to turn on the ability to play like there's no tomorrow in October? I'm not so sure I'm convinced this team has that killer instinct or if they are a gang of incredible procrastinators.

Despite the prospects we do have in our system, this team is built to win this year. The division (a weak one at that) is going to come right down to the wire. It's time to win today.

On a sidenote, Pedro will thorw in an intra-squad game in St. Lucie tomorrow due to rain. I am as excited as anyone else to see his progress, yet I'm not sure if I could have actually watched SNY's coverage tonight. All year the Mets have been trying to stumble through until Pedro's return and we still cannot be certain that Pedro = instant success. I am holding my breath and hoping that he continues to show positive signs, yet I can't get my hopes up for Pedro who is still a bit away from the big club. We know how I feel about tomorrow. Read More...