I Think I've Detected a Pattern

There is a video on Mets.com in the spring training section called "Pedro on spring regimen." At about the 25 second mark in this video, bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello strolls by in a crisp new #54 jersey. Looks like that's one more number down. I'm betting Sandy Alomar Jr. now winds up in 52 if HoJo does indeed switch to 20. The only other mysteries besides that are if they plan to assign 47 (doesn't look likely since they passed it up multiple times), and less importantly, which random minor league coaches and instructors are donning 79-90.

That solves the Dave Racianello mystery. There's going to be little left to discover when I visit Florida next month.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2374/2270723714_c3fb94a0eb_m.jpg This pic I found on Flickr shows bullpen coach Guy Conti back in #52. Pretty much seals the deal that HoJo will be #20 in my eyes. Also based on that, it seems that the game of musical chairs whould leave Sandy Jr. in #56.

Check out the Feb. 25th edition of Sports Illustrated. On pages 30-31 there's a picture of Met pitchers warming up in spring training. The second catcher from the left is Dave Racaniello wearing #54.

Mets.com lists HoJo in 20, Alomar Jr. in 90, Ranacillo in 54, and bullpen pitcher Juan Lopez in 56.

Yup, saw that earlier today. Looks like all the number mysteries are now solved. I'm sure there are some lesser coaches/instructors wearing 79-89 (that's why they were skipped over), but it will be next to impossible to figure those out unless we get lucky and they pop up in the background of some pictures.