On the Mets beat

Delgado Q and A from this afternoon:

Q: Just wanted to know where you are with your rehab and what’s been going on with your hand and how it’s feeling, if you could fill us in with a few details on that?

A: I was in a splint for about seven weeks after the season was over and then from that moment on I started my rehab. The first step was getting my range of motion back, I did that, and then we’re in the process of strengthening, so I’m back to where I want to be, where I was before the injury, so that’s good news. Probably by Monday I’m going to start hitting some balls off the tee, then progressing to soft toss and then to regular BP and then eventually to live BP, that’s basically where we are. It was uncomfortable being in a splint for seven weeks, but it finally healed up, and when doctor looked at the x-rays, he was pleased by the way it had healed, so now it’s just a matter of getting strong again to get back to the form that I was.

Q: A popular question this offseason with players has involved a little bit of reflection on the way the season ended and what that’s meant to them individually. Is there anything you see right off the bat that you learned from it?. Since the months have passed, what’s your reflection on it?

A: I think right from the get-go I think I can tell you that we need to be able to stay focused for 162 games. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I think that’s what happened. We played good baseball from the get-go, we were doing good, we knew we had a good team, we had a good lead, and it got to a point where we – I don’t want to say assumed we were going to win – but we didn’t stay focused enough to continue to compete the way we were competing. And I think that’s going to be the biggest lesson for 2008. That nobody is going to hand you anything on a silver platter, you have to go out and get it, we’ve seen it historically that you’ve got to play hard until the last day of the season because you never know what’s going to happen. And I think that’s what we need to do going forward. I know that you learn from the past and learn from your mistakes, but it gets to a point where you have to say, you know what? Enough reflection. This is a new season and we’ve got to get it going. We’ve got to get 2007 over with, turn the page and start focucing on 2008. It’s easier said than done, but it doesn’t make any sense to cry over spilled milk. We need to learn what happened last year and have to find a way to make it better and just go out and play. I think everybody was disappointed, but by the same token, we’re very hungry to get back to where we were.

It was very disappointing because we know we had the best team. I believe that we still have a great team. The nucleus of our ballclub remains pretty much the same, we’ve done it before, we just have to go out and do it again, but we have to play six months. Actually we’d like to play seven months.

Q: Do you see yourself in a more vocal role? Or a more out-front role? You’re a very high-profile player, but do you think you have to seize more of a leadership role on this team?

A: Every time I talk about leadership, it’s a very sensitive issue because being vocal when you don’t need to be vocal, it doesn’t make things great either. We have to deal with each situation as it presents itself. From spring training, we’ve got to get our common goal, which is to win and try to get everybody on the same page and try to get everybody to buy into that. If something needs to be said from that point, obviously I’m not afraid to say it. I’ve been around for a few years. We had great relationships with our teammates. I feel confident enough if I have to go up to somebody and tell them whatever, I feel confident enough in saying that. But I think we've done a pretty good job policing ourselves and carrying ourselves very professionally.

We have our style. We can be a lot of fun, but I think everyone is professional in that clubhouse. Having said that, we need to stay focused a little longer. Like an extra six weeks, I would say. If I see something, I will definitely point it out. Unfortunately for you guys, you’ll never hear it from me, but it will be done.

Q: To you, what was the most disappointing part of the Mitchell Report?

A: I think it definitely put a dent into the sport. One thing I’m not pleased with the report is that there’s a lot of accusations without enough evidence, number one. And there were a lot of accusations of people that are no longer in the game. There were a lot of accusations of people that were doing something that I think is wrong, but it was done before the laws and policies were established. But the most important thing is the message that is sent to the kids. Not everybody in the game uses these substances and not everybody in the game cheats. I think the final number in the report is like 82 players and there’s 800 players in the major leagues. There’s a lot of players out there playing their heart out and getting ready to play. Obviously it is disappointing for the game and it kind of hurts everybody, but I don’t think that’s the essence of the game. And I think that some of the accusations in there don’t have enough facts. I’m not creating a case for anybody. But I’m just saying that if you’re going to present something publicly where you can damage the image of a high-profile athlete, you better you have more evidence than that.

Q: Last year personally wasn’t the type of year you’ve been accustomed to. In retrospect, can you pinpoint it? Was it coming back from an injury too soon? How would you summarize what happened to you in ’07?

A: I think I had a horrible year and I don’t think I had an excuse. I came back from elbow surgery and I was 100 percent by the time I showed up for spring training, so I can’t say it was my elbow. I think what happened is that I did not make the adjustments when I needed to make the adjustments and I kind of, it got to the point where I was thinking too much about what I was doing wrong instead of just going out and playing the game. So I look back and 2007 was a learning season for me. I think that’s the great thing about our game. Sometimes it’s sad, but every year it teaches you a lesson. Every game, every week and every month, every season, it’s a humbling experience. You can not take anything for granted and you have to continue to prepare yourself to compete at the highest level and make the adjustments because people are going to try and make adjustments to get you out. You have to make those adjustments to be successful and that’s what I’m going to do in 2008

I’m going to prepare myself, I’m going to show up for spring training in top shape, and I’m just going to go out and play the game and keep it simple. Just play the game like I always have played it. I think at times last year I was thinking too much, trying to be too perfect. We always realize there’s going to be times when you’re not going to hit for a week, you just have to battle to keep your head above water until you get hot and then you ride it again. That’s what great players do.

Q: Will you do something different this year coming back from surgery?

A: I will hit earlier this year because I can. Last year, I couldn’t, I didn’t get clearance to start hitting until like later on in January because of the surgeries, having said that, I always say I hit too much in the offseason. I don’t think I need to make any drastic changes. But I will eventually start hitting a little sooner just because I can.

Q: What did you see last September that indicated a lack of focus last season?

A: I don’t want to say we took it for granted because we don’t really take anything for granted. But we kind of assumed -- for lack of a better team – that we were going to win. We had a seven-game lead I think with 17 games to go, if you look back to 2006, which was a magical year for us, where everything kind of went our way, maybe we thought it was going to be the same way. We kind of didn’t play it out the last three weeks. This is my best guestimate, because if I knew exactly what had happened, I would have said or done something to not allow it to happen. If I look back, that’s the only thing I can think of. If I see it next year, we’re definitely going to be more aware of it.

Q: Was it people just not mentally being there the last few weeks? Not working hard enough at the ballpark? Not preparing?

A: I don’t think it had anything to do with things away from the ballpark. I don’t think it had anything to do with extracurricular activities. You get to a point, and when you’re an athlete at this level, you just got to narrow your mind and go out and do what you’ve got to do. Don’t have any other stuff in your mind. To win that game, instead of thinking, when we get to the playoffs, we might play this or might play that. We ran into some adversity. We had a couple of injuries – it’s not an excuse, it happens every year – and some other teams got hot at that time, which we cannot control. We can only control what we can control, which is go out and play good baseball and forget about what other people do. And when somebody gets hurts, we need to step it up and the other guy has to come in and do the job because that’s what great teams do. we have a great team and we’ve done it. From 2006 to 2007, we had some guys step up and get the job done, but like I said, it doesn’t end on Aug. 30 or Sept. 15. We have to go all the way into October and that’s what we’re going to do in 2008. We can talk about 2007 all we want and try to figure out exactly what happened. But you know what? It doesn’t really change anything. I’m not saying that to minimize it. but if we continue to talk about 2007 in 2008, chances are we’re going to be thinking about something we shouldn’t be thinking about, which is going out and playing good baseball and trying to win as many games as we can. Essentially that’s the message for our team, that’s the message for our fans. I know they’re disappointed, but you know what, they’re probably not more disappointed then we are because we were there. You’re away from home for eight months, you prepare yourself all offseason to make it to the playoffs, and we were so close and didn’t make it, so it’s tough. But we’re going to make it better in 2008 and that’s the bottom line. We can talk about 2007 all you want, but I leave it up to you, because me personally, I’m not going to talk about it anymore. I’m just going to prepare for 2008.

Q: You were teammates with Roger Clemens in Toronto and obviously he’s come under fire with the Mitchell Report with the trainer, Brian McNamee, that he had in Toronto. Can you talk about what you remember from that time? Did you see anything that raised suspicions?

A: Not at all. Ironically enough, I don’t want to say they had a bad relationship, but I never saw them like hanging out together all the time off the field. McNamee was the strength and conditioning coach, and Roger was a pitcher, it wasn’t anything more than the usual pitcher and conditioning coach relationship. I really don’t know what happened after that. Clemens moved on after two years with us and McNamee, I don’t know where he ended up. I know it picked up right after that, so I don’t know exactly what happened after they left Toronto.

Q: Do you think the Mets need to get Santana?

A: I never use the word ‘need’ just because we really don’t need anything but oxygen, but it would be nice to have a guy like Johan Santana. I’m not going to lie to you. When you bring a guy of that caliber, obviously its going to make a team better. But what is he going to cost you would be the next question. Like I said earlier, we have a great team. I’m not saying that we wouldn’t like to have him, but if it doesn’t work out, we have to go out and play with what we got. And I believe that we have enough with what we’ve got. Definitely we need guys to step up and have good years and we need to stay healthy. I use the word need because I think it’s important to stay healthy. If you have all your guys playing at the same time, and people do their job, and we play as a team, I believe that we’re going to win. If we can get him for the right price, in the right trade, I’m not Omar here, I think it would be great.

Q: Not having Paul Lo Duca and Tom Glavine back going to change dynamic in clubhouse?

A: I think so, but that’s OK. Every year teams make moves. People show up to spring training, we kind of get to know each other, and try to create this family environment. We have to go out and win. Paul is a vocal guy, a good teammate, having a guy like Glavine, what he brings to the table, how professional he is. But we understand in this game, people come and people go, and you have to kind of turn the page, wish them the best, and try to connect with your new teammates and get the job done. Find a way to fill those spots and get the job done. And I think that’s the beauty of it. I think it’s a great challenge and that’s why it’s so satisfying to go out and win because it requires a team effort, both physically, mentally, emotionally to combine all those things and win. Be the best out of 30 major league teams.