They Say Larry Won't Last Too Long (or Drive the Ball Too Long) on Broadway

Larry Broadway couldn't withstand a late charge by Dmitri Young to become Nick Johnson's understudy this season while Johnson is still recovering from injury. And Broadway is a tad confused as to why he was sent to the minors today.

"I was very surprised. They said they wanted to see what Dmitri Young could offer," Broadway said. "They didn't see enough power out of me. I felt this was one of my best springs. I was getting hits. I was patient at the plate. I was trying to put together good at-bats, working on my eye. I'll get my work done in Triple-A and force them to do something."

And if that doesn't work, it just might force Broadway to punch out Jim Bowden (That's a reference I'm running into the ground until it's roadkill ... just to warn you.)

Now I'm hardly an expert on those "new-age" stats that Murray Chass loves so much. But I do know this: when your on base percentage is higher than your slugging percentage, chances are you're not showing enough power (Broadway has a .391 OBP, and only a .381 SLG). Maybe it's an unfair stereotype, but first basemen are supposed to be more powerful individuals.

Unless you're Mark Grace, it's always going to be a harder road for a singles hitter to get a fair chance to be a first baseman. Remember 1990, when the Mets felt they had to get a power hitter to play first base when they had a perfectly good first baseman in Dave Magadan? The result ... was quite possibly the worst 163 at bats in Mets history: which belonged to Mike Marshall. (Magadan, meanwhile, batted .328 that season and almost led the Mets to the playoffs after Mets brass realized their ungodly mistake).

Just something to think about when Meat Hook steps to the plate.