http://labs.daylife.com/journalist/ben_shpigelArticles by BEN SHPIGEL, aggregated by daylife.comen-usSun, 22 Nov 2009 14:02:52 GMTSun, 22 Nov 2009 14:02:52 GMTDaylife Betaken@daylife.comken@daylife.comhttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=fc693ee8af1605010d914603fe4bb9b1How much money the Mets intend to lavish on free agents to fill their many needs is unclear. What is clear is that the Mets, during a dreadful season and increased criticism of their minor league system, spent less money on the 2009 draft than any ...Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:54:12 GMThttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=fc693ee8af1605010d914603fe4bb9b1New York MetsPhiladelphia PhilliesMinnesota TwinsOmar MinayaMike Pelfreyhttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=0fc1724bbdd7408ff985472c64dd6fb6The Mets need a new catcher, a starting left fielder, bullpen help and another quality starter and may try to upgrade at first and second base. Their general manager, Omar Minaya, has a busy off-season ahead, but he seems to have identified his ...Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:29:44 GMThttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=0fc1724bbdd7408ff985472c64dd6fb6New York MetsOmar MinayaMatt HollidayJason BayDavid Wrighthttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=90fbd3e84087e21c22aa729eff4fe160As much as Wally Backman wanted to talk about his future, he knew he needed to discuss his past. So after showing off his new Brooklyn Cyclones uniform at his introductory news conference Tuesday, Backman, with little prompting, addressed the issues ...Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:43:14 GMThttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=90fbd3e84087e21c22aa729eff4fe160New York MetsWally BackmanBrooklyn CyclonesDave JaussJerry Manuelhttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/mets-balancing-two-sets-of-off-season-priorities/The Mets’ two biggest off-season objectives, to paraphrase Captain Obvious, are to acquire another slugger and to add a No. 2 starter behind Johan Santana. Not so obvious is how — and if — they will accomplish these goals and find creative ways to ...Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:41:15 GMThttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/mets-balancing-two-sets-of-off-season-priorities/New York MetsJohan SantanaLuis CastilloJohn LackeyMatt Hollidayhttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=de5ec261960b31b25280184995824428Wally Backman returned to the embrace of Major League Baseball after a five-year exile Monday when the Mets appointed him the manager of the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones. He will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday at KeySpan Park on Coney Island, ...Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:05:44 GMThttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=de5ec261960b31b25280184995824428New York MetsArizona DiamondbacksWally BackmanMajor League BaseballBrooklyn Cycloneshttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/mets-and-putz-will-probably-part-ways/The Mets — remember them? — do not plan to exercise their $9.1 million option on J.J. Putz — remember him? — and will pay him a $1 million buyout. As a free agent, Putz will be free to sign with any team, but it would be hard to imagine him returning ...Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:21:11 GMThttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/mets-and-putz-will-probably-part-ways/New York MetsJ.J. PutzFrancisco RodriguezJeremy ReedSean Greenhttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=5f29cd094e4390abb2cfa8bb997d7192After making the last out in the World Series, Shane Victorino did not run back to the Phillies’ dugout. He did not jog, either. He lingered, ever so briefly, making sure to give the Yankees’ celebration a good, hard stare as he walked past the mound. “ ...Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:10:41 GMThttp://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=5f29cd094e4390abb2cfa8bb997d7192Philadelphia PhilliesNew York YankeesShane VictorinoCliff LeeRyan Howardhttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/martinez-not-in-mood-to-talk/A crowd of reporters was waiting outside the Phillies’ clubhouse late Wednesday night, maybe 15 minutes after the game, when someone said that Pedro Martinez had just left and was walking toward the Yankee Stadium exit. It seemed bizarre — why would ...Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:20:36 GMThttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/martinez-not-in-mood-to-talk/Philadelphia PhilliesPedro Martinezhttp://feeds1.nytimes.com/~r/nyt/rss/Sports/~3/p1CKpWb4BLE/05phillies.htmlIn the shadow of his famed mango tree, survival skills came naturally to Pedro Martinez. His family slept on the floor of a tin-roofed house, two, sometimes three to a mattress. Instead of a bat, he would swing a broomstick. Instead of a ball, he would ...Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:10:17 GMThttp://feeds1.nytimes.com/~r/nyt/rss/Sports/~3/p1CKpWb4BLE/05phillies.htmlPhiladelphia PhilliesNew York YankeesPedro MartinezGrady LittleCharlie Manuelhttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/will-the-phillies-change-their-lineup/The easy answer to the question, “will the Phillies change their Lineup?” is no way, no chance, not at all. Manager Charlie Manuel used different lineups in Games 1 and 2 because of that pesky designated hitter rule. But when the series shifted to ...Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:48:41 GMThttp://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/will-the-phillies-change-their-lineup/Philadelphia PhilliesA.J. BurnettAndy PettitteNew York YankeesRaul Ibanez