Schneider Changes Mets Behind the Plate (and weighs in on steroids)

[natsfan1a]

NEW YORK -- Scouting report on Brian Schneider: Above-average arm, good receiver, take-charge guy, modest extra-base power, makes contact, troubled by left-handed pitching, no threat on the bases, knows the game, has a conscience.
The physical skills and baseball acumen of the Mets' new catcher will be on display come mid-February in Port St. Lucie and in April in Queens. His conscience was evident Thursday afternoon when he made his first public appearance as a Met at the SNY studios in Manhattan. One week after the release of the Mitchell Report, Schneider released his thoughts on the topic.
"They're grown men. They have to deal with the consequences," Schneider said of those mentioned in the report, including his Mets predecessor, Paul Lo Duca. "I think it was good that it came out, and I think it will help the numbers [of users] go down. Senator Mitchell even said that the numbers are going down. So I think it's getting better."

Full story here:

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071220&content_id=2334937&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

[tomterp]

"has a concience" - a pointed contrast with his predecessor.

[spidernat]

"has a concience" - a pointed contrast with his predecessor.

Yep and his numbers suggest strong evidence on his behalf that he was not a juicer

[kimnat]

"has a concience" - a pointed contrast with his predecessor.

Yeah, I really wish he hadn't been traded.  That still burns me up.

[natsfan1a]

Yes. Edit: Who has not yet addressed the report.

"has a concience" - a pointed contrast with his predecessor.

Me, too.

Yeah, I really wish he hadn't been traded.  That still burns me up.

[natsfan1a]

That also occurred to me.

Yep and his numbers suggest strong evidence on his behalf that he was not a juicer

[tomterp]

Yep and his numbers suggest strong evidence on his behalf that he was not a juicer

Right. And patently unfair to be judged in comparison to juicers, too.

[spidernat]

Right. And patently unfair to be judged in comparison to juicers, too.

Good point. Even still, I would have to conclude that his production made it unfair to keep him on our roster (unless we don't want to win and are willing to settle for a perpetual losing team with nice guys on it).

[tomterp]

We needed more offensive production out of the catcher spot, no argument from me.  And I think the club felt that Schneider and Flores in would have been better this season, as Flores should improve plus get more playing time, but they dealt Schneider due to the Mets' request. 

Let's be honest here.  Lo Duca was probably our best available option given Schneider was gone, but he is at most going to be a meager upgrade offensively, and a bit of a downgrade defensively.  The reason it's a good deal is that's how we get Milledge, and his long term upside.  If you expect a bunch more wins due to Lo Duca replacing Schneider, I'd be interested in seeing the math on that one.

(and I am not addressing my final comment to Spider directly, but to anyone who thinks Lo Duca is a big upgrade).

[natsfan1a]

Also, if he did use performance-enhancing drugs as alleged, LoDuca's past offensive production may not be a good indicator of his future production. Maybe some players will need to have a "when doping" qualifier as other players have a "when healthy" qualifier.

I'd like to see a level playing field where all are competing to the best of their natural abilities rather than with some doping and others not (but I'm not holding my breath on that one). The Doug Glanville article that I referenced elsewhere in this folder made some interesting points in that regard, I thought.

[spidernat]

(and I am not addressing my final comment to Spider directly, but to anyone who thinks Lo Duca is a big upgrade).

I was about to produce the numbers to prove but since it wasn't meant for me I'm off the hook

Seriously though, I don't think anyone here expects much of an upgrade from Lo Duca. But he's only here for one season and after that he's history and we will be rid of him AND Schneider. I don' want Lo Duca on the Nats as it is but what can you do. If anything though, Lo Duca seemed to kill us in the past so it could be addition by subtraction.

[natsfan1a]

Lo Duca seems to have the team grudge motivational factor going for him more than Schneider does, FWIW.

[spidernat]

Also, if he did use performance-enhancing drugs as alleged, LoDuca's past offensive production may not be a good indicator of his future production.

There is no test for HGH  so there is no reason to believe they have stopped juicing, just being more careful about leaving a trail of evidence that can be traced back to them.

[tomterp]

Lo Duca may not even be available to us much this season.  He and David Segui were the two most active guys in terms of matching buyer and seller.  Lo Duca had more to do with the spreading of the plague than most, so a long term suspension or even expulsion from the game is not unfathomable.

[natsfan1a]

Isn't there an HGH blood test, but MLB isn't using it? It does sound like the using players have switched over to the more undetectable substances, as you say. Edit: Forgot to quote there and another post slipped in before mine. Whoops!

[tomterp]

See the front page POst article today regarding the current state of hGH testing.  Not where it needs to be.  Till then, players are getting away with it.

[spidernat]

Isn't there an HGH blood test, but MLB isn't using it? It does sound like the using players have switched over to the more undetectable substances, as you say.

Not sure whether the blood test is accurate (where is natsaddcit when you need him?) but even so the players' union will not allow blood testing so that's irrelevant.

[natsfan1a]

Right, I also read the Post article that tomterp mentioned.

[tomterp]

Not sure whether the blood test is accurate (where is natsaddcit when you need him?) but even so the players' union will not allow blood testing so that's irrelevant.

at this point the test sucks, so I'm hard pressed to fault the union for not wanting their members to be stuck for nothing.

[natsfan1a]

What I don't get is how scientists can come up with so many ways to beat the testing system but they can't come up with a simple and effective test. $$$???

[shoeshineboy]

I was about to produce the numbers to prove but since it wasn't meant for me I'm off the hook

Seriously though, I don't think anyone here expects much of an upgrade from Lo Duca. But he's only here for one season and after that he's history and we will be rid of him AND Schneider. I don' want Lo Duca on the Nats as it is but what can you do. If anything though, Lo Duca seemed to kill us in the past so it could be addition by subtraction.

I actually do expect an upgrade from Schneider. Schneider was awful last year and was a major weak link. What I like about Lo Duca is that he is very good at putting the ball in play. And I really believe that Schneider's so-called leadership was overrated. He worked well with pitchers, but he was not much in the clubhouse according to those who cover the team. Lo Duca could be an upgrade there as well. Ultimately, I look for Lo Duca to take the pressure off of needing Flores to progress quickly. Lo Duca wants to play and compete. If he does not produce, he will be benched. So hopefully, he will feel like he has a lot to prove.

[PANatsFan]

I actually do expect an upgrade from Schneider. Schneider was awful last year and was a major weak link. What I like about Lo Duca is that he is very good at putting the ball in play. And I really believe that Schneider's so-called leadership was overrated. He worked well with pitchers, but he was not much in the clubhouse according to those who cover the team. Lo Duca could be an upgrade there as well. Ultimately, I look for Lo Duca to take the pressure off of needing Flores to progress quickly. Lo Duca wants to play and compete. If he does not produce, he will be benched. So hopefully, he will feel like he has a lot to prove.

Chair Throwing vs. Satan Face in a steel cage match?\

[Kenz aFan]

Yep and his numbers suggest strong evidence on his behalf that he was not a juicer

You mean like Nook Logan's?

[natsfan1a]

Good point!

You mean like Nook Logan's?

[spidernat]

You mean like Nook Logan's?

That may illustrate how awful Logan is or how confident Schneider is that he covered his tracks well.