In our next interview for the Women in Baseball series, we talk to Pam Gardner, President of Business Operations for the Houston Astros.

Houston Astros President of Business Operations Pam Gardner knows a thing or two about the different paths life offers us.  Pam, who is in the midst of her 20th season with the Houston Astros organization, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in Vocational Rehabilitation.  From there she had her sights set on law school. In order to pay for law school, Pam worked in the mailroom at a PR firm in Chicago.

While working in Chicago, Pam discovered her love for marketing, advertising and public relations and decided to put the law school dream aside. “I just started moving up in the company.  I never left and went back to school. I stayed there; I was there for about 10 years.  When I left I was Vice President of the Entertainment Division and we did mostly PR for sports and entertainment, Broadway theatre that kind of thing.” 

After working in Chicago for more than a decade, Pam made the move to Houston, for personal reasons.  She sent her resume to the Astros on a whim, and was rewarded with a new job in the baseball industry. “They happened to have a job opening in Advertising, so I took a step backwards and started as Director of Advertising.” That was 1989. Pam worked through an organizational shift in the mid-nineties when Drayton McLane bought the club. “When he bought the club in ’93, I was there; he inherited me.  So, luckily, I was one that he decided to keep and I started just moving through the ranks to other jobs.” Since then Pam worked her way steadily through the organization, and was eventually named President of Business Operations, the position she currently holds.   

Since joining the Astros, Pam and the organization have both been successful. In 2006, Pam became the first female executive induced into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame. That followed Pam’s 2005 recognition as one of the 20 most influential women in sports.  In addition, Pam was included in a special exhibit in Cooperstown honoring women in baseball.  There’s no doubt that Pam works hard, but she does so with an understanding that working in baseball is not just any job.

“It’s a tough lifestyle for men as well, in the office side of baseball, because there are very long hours.  I always tell people it’s not a job; it’s a lifestyle. You are in at 7:30 in the morning.  On game days, you’re home at midnight and you’re back at 7:30 in the morning.  Weekends, and it’s all the time.  It’s a time commitment.”

It’s a time commitment that Pam embraces to the fullest.  There is no typical day for her; she juggles just about everything on the business front. “I put out a lot of fires.  It’s a lot of crisis management, day to day.  And I don’t mean huge horrible things, but it’s just day to day issues that you have to deal with.” Through it all though, she understands the importance of the personal side of running a business also.

“One thing I do everyday is try to walk the building, try to see everyone that works there.  We don’t have a big staff; we have one of the smaller staffs.  I like to touch base with people, check in and get the pulse of the place.”

In 2000, Pam spearheaded the advertising and marketing efforts for both the team and the new ballpark in its inaugural season. It was a challenge to convince the city that a new ballpark would be a blessing to Houston. “We had a tough time passing the legislature to get a new stadium, so it went to a pubic vote.  We won the public vote 51% to 49% so it was that close.  And so, I think, when we got there, it was like ‘oh my gosh.’  That was the biggest challenge or hurdle you could possibly deal with.” Once the stadium was built and the inaugural game was played in March of 2000, the challenge was worth it.  Minute Maid Park was a success. During that time, Pam also led the development of the new logo and uniform design and implementation plan.

For Pam working behind the senses is the perfect fit for her personality.  She is happy doing the planning, organizing, all of the leg work really, that makes a baseball team successful because for her the reward is “being affiliated with something really magical.”  Understanding the magic of the sport maybe made the challenge of working to get a new stadium built a little less stressful, because in the end, Pam knew that a new ballpark would really be an asset to the city.

“The beautiful thing about baseball parks anyway is that no two are alike.  There are different dimensions and everything is different.  And that’s the beauty of ballparks.  So I think it has to fit your city.  And if it does, then all the other pieces will come together.”

Pam, a mother who cherishes the memory of teaching her six year old daughter to score at a game, recognizes the importance of reaching out to female fans, especially mothers by preserving the family atmosphere at the ballpark.  The Astros have a strong female fan base, nearly 50%, which is partly a result of a conscious outreach effort. 

“Women are the gatekeepers.  They gate-keep where the family goes and where the family’s money is spent.  And they decide if the family is going to go to a movie that day or a baseball game. It’s Mom that decides that.  And also, we always say that baseball’s an eating sport.  You know it kind of moves along slow.  Not for me, I love every nuance of the game.  But you can visit, you can knit, you can go up and get something to eat, so it’s great for that.”

She credits Major League Baseball for trying to attract more women to the sport, but admits that organizations need to do more work reaching out to women to develop front office talent.  The Astros worked hard to recruit talented women and today women comprise half of their management team.  But across the industry, “there are some days when you feel like there are not a lot of you out there.   It really is still a male dominated industry.”

Challenges, Pam admits, come with the territory, but with maturity and a good work ethic, women can succeed in the baseball world.

“I think the biggest challenges was for me when I was younger, trying to overcome those that didn’t want me in the club, and I just decided one day I was going to stop doing that and just do my own thing, and those things too would sort themselves out.  Those that didn’t have time for me would stay over there anyway and that’s how things worked out.  I think early on, it was a challenge for me personally but as I got older, I realized it’s just a part of maturity and life and you deal with it.”

But make no mistake about it.  For all the challenges of being a woman in the industry, there are “a thousand people waiting for these jobs.”  Because they are widely coveted, Pam offers this importance advice on landing one.   

“Take any job you can to get in the door.  Have a good sense of self.  Be professional.  Dress how you want to be treated.  Don’t do anything to embarrass yourself, your company or your family and you’ll be good to go.  Get an internship if you can.  Then work your tail off.”

More than anything else, Pam appreciates that baseball touches the community in important ways.  “We play everyday, so the players are in the middle of the community.  And they touch the community; they are just a piece of life.”  So too is Gardner, who sits on the Houston Area Women’s Center, a center for abused women victimized by domestic violence and sexual abuse.  “You can be connected with the community in a different way.   So when you get more women into the industry itself, then that follows along too.”

The rewards much outweigh the long hours and hard work required to be successful in the industry.  For Pam, baseball is special.  It touches lives and the greater Houston community.  It brings families together and represents “an average slice of America,” on the field and in the stands.

Many thanks to Pam for taking time out of her busy schedule to meet with us.

In our next interview for the Women in Baseball series, we talk to Amber Theoharis, Sideline Reporter for the Baltimore Orioles.

With a bubbly personality and a passion for sports, Amber Theoharis is one of the region’s rising stars.  The Maryland native who spent her childhood summer nights cheering on her favorite player, Cal Ripken Jr, still feels blessed to spend night after night at ballparks around the country as a professional, accomplished sports journalist.

As a kid, Theoharis watched the Orioles all summer long.  Just as the hot summer day would cool off, her father would bring the television out onto their screened in porch.  Together, with a bag of peanuts, they talked baseball.  Her father coached Babe Ruth League baseball, and when he was busy teaching young men how to play, Amber and her sister learned, observed, played and fell in love with the game. 

Theoharis attended the University of Maryland and majored in Journalism, but had already completed internships with The George Michael Sports Machine and the Mary Matalin Show before she graduated.  She also served as a production assistant with ABC in Washington (WJLA).  General news reporting took Amber to Salsbury, MD and then to Long Island, NY to do live-breaking news for the 5 o’clock broadcast.

“That’s when I kind of had the epiphany of ‘alright…I’m not doing what I want to do.  I’m in the number one market, on the number one newscast.  I really have to do what I want to do.’  So I just jumped into sports….I took a pay cut, went down in market size about 30 markets just to have a chance to do sports cause I wanted to do it.  And I loved it.”

Amber took a job as a weekend sports anchor in Columbus, OH at WSYX covering Buckeyes football.  After a year and a half in Ohio, Fox 45 in Baltimore brought Amber back to the region as a sportscaster.  While at Fox, she won an Emmy, Maryland Sportscaster of the Year and several AP awards.  Gradually, Amber began freelance work with MASN for Ravens Xtra and before she knew it, she was the full-time Orioles sideline reporter.  She also started her own radio show, the A-List, and began writing for Press Box. 

All of those activities obviously keep Amber very busy.  She spends much of her day doing research before heading out to the park in the early afternoon.  Once she’s there, she plans and conducts pre-game interviews, and then throughout the game she does in-game reports.  When it’s over, she also conducts post-game interviews.  During the off-season, she’s busy researching all sports, planning stories, calling sources in other cities about trade rumors and securing guests for her radio show. 

For Amber, covering baseball, and her hometown team, is truly a dream come true, despite its grueling pace.  “You’re watching a sport for a living and talking about it, which I would be doing if I didn’t work in sports.  I would be going to the game and talking about it the next day.  So I truly get paid to do what I really, really love and what I really enjoy doing.  Sometimes I sit at the park and I’m right next to the dugout.  I’m thinking, ‘this isn’t real.  This is my life?’  I’m really blessed.”

Blessed as she may be, her path has not been without challenges.  But at her young age, Theoharis has already learned to turn those moments into learning experiences.  Amber recalls vividly an incident where her bubbly personality was misconstrued as flirting, prompting her to question how to be polite and still get respect in the industry.  “It’s a misconception of most men that aren’t used to women being there for a purpose that is non-sexual.  And they have trouble understanding that…Smiling is misinterpreted.  Being kind, or nice, or polite is misinterpreted.”

Though Amber spends every second of her day immersed in baseball, she has also faced the challenge of proving herself to a male audience, a demographic quick to point out any and every mistake. 

“Men make mistakes on the radio or on television all the time.  If Buster Olney makes a mistake, it’s ‘he didn’t get enough sleep last night,’ or ‘he’s having a bad day’ or ‘I knew what he meant.’  If a woman makes an even smaller mistake, it’s ‘oh she’s dumb, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.  See, see, see that’s why women shouldn’t be on.’  There’s no margin of error when you’re a woman. You actually have to work harder than a man.  I’ve always believed that.  You have to know more and work harder because people are so willing to jump down your throat if you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But Amber certainly knows what she’s talking about and she’s not about to let anyone bring her down.  A baseball fan through and through, Amber is “a true baseball purist,” through steroids, scandals and the challenges she’s faced.  “I still just think it is one of the most pure things left in America.  You can sit down with your grandfather and talk about players that he watched play and you still know about them today.  History is carried on in baseball through the generations.  The sport somehow does a good job of keeping past heroes and players alive.  You know, it’s because it is a game of numbers, it’s constantly compared to the numbers of the past.”

While heroes of yesterday like Cal Ripken Jr. have left an impression on Amber, so too have the stars of today.   After working in the field, Theoharis has learned an important distinction. “There’s a difference between being a good baseball player and a good person.”  Some players, like Kevin Millar, have earned Amber’s respect for their conduct on and off the field.  She also admires Derek Jeter.  For him “to be that consistent, for that long and that poised and that clutch, and still be nice to people…under the microscope that is the New York media…I’m in awe of that.”

Theoharis has interviewed Jeter a number of times, as a reporter in the American League East, and as you might guess, she doesn’t think there’s a better division in all of baseball.  “It doesn’t get more talented, more high-stakes than that,” and of course, her belief reflects a strong endorsement of the designated hitter, a position that gives “players that are the true sluggers of the game a chance to play longer.”  After all, she says, “pitchers are such a specialty.  They should just go out there and pitch.”

Amber could talk about control, location and velocity, maple and ash bats, superstitions, heroes and home runs for hours.  She only wishes more women would do the same.

“Women are scared to talk about sports because they are told they don’t know anything about it.  That drives me crazy.  You’re trained to be passive and not to speak up when you think you know something about baseball.  You’re so scared you’re going to say something wrong and then really look like an idiot.”

Amber questions whether baseball has done enough to bring women into the game.  She applauds the efforts of the Baltimore Ravens.  Their annual Football 101 program teaches women about the game, taking them onto the field and into the locker room.  The ladies are treated to seminars by women in the industry, like Amber herself.  After learning more about the game, female fans are more likely to feel like they know enough to participate in the discussion. 

“Have confidence.  Don’t let people tell you who you are.  Don’t live up to others’ low expectations of you.  Especially in sports, nobody expects anything from you because they don’t expect you to succeed.  So, just don’t believe that.  You know who you are.  You know what you know.  Do your homework.  Read.  Your biggest weapon is knowledge.  If you’re prepared and you know what you’re talking about people can’t pigeon-hole you.”

For Amber, nothing is important than knowing who you are and being yourself. 

“I was told to change my name.  I was told to cut my hair.  I was told to wear sports bras so that my boobs didn’t show. I was told to do a lot of things to make me not who I am.  And they wanted me to be everything but who I really was.  And it was such a relief when finally one day, I thought, I’m not going to try to look different.  I’m going to be armed with knowledge and do my research and do my homework, and force people to listen to me.  You have to be loud.  You have to be bold and you have to be not scared to fail.  Cause you will. Sometimes you’re wrong.  And you’re like, ‘so what I was wrong.  Why am I not allowed to be wrong?  Cause I’m a woman?’  You need to get over it and not kick yourself.  So, I think that’s what it is.  Just be confident.”

There’s no greater advice for young women, except maybe the words she received from one of her mentors, Mary Matalin.  Amber was young when she worked for Matalin, but even then her politics didn’t align with the famous Republican strategist.   Once, on air, Matalin asked Amber what she thought on a particular topic and Amber was frightened to disagree. 

“I remember she said to me, Amber, I don’t care if I agree with you or I disagree with you, you make somebody angry or you make somebody happy.  Just as long as it’s your own thought, I will always respect you. Come up with your own thought.  And stand by it.  As long as it’s your own, it’s never going to be wrong.  Don’t try to say what other people think you should say and don’t be scared to offend people.”

Matalin, a strong woman in her own right, inspired Theoharis then and continues to inspire her today.  Another mentor, Carol Costello, currently at CNN, encouraged Amber to define her own course in an industry that makes it very difficult to do so.

“Some people tell you as a woman you can’t have kids or get married if you want to be successful.  No, damn it.  I want to do it.  If I want to do that, I’m going to make that decision.  Carol taught me that I have choices in everything in life.  You can have a life and you can still be happy.  People told me I would never come back and work in my hometown.  Baltimore’s too big of a market.  You’ll never succeed.  I came back at 26.  You know, that was only six or seven years after I started.  I moved around the country, but I came back.”

And we’re lucky she did.  You can watch Amber on MASN’s Orioles broadcasts, read her column, The Broad Side, at Press Box and her blog on MASN’s website, and listen to her radio show, The A List, on 105.7 FM in Baltimore.  You can also support the cause that’s closest to Amber’s heart, the Walk for Hope.  We thank Amber for taking time out of her very busy schedule to meet with us. 

Note:  The Washington Nationals are conducting a Baseball 101 event this weekend, similar to the Ravens’ event mentioned by Amber.  It’s a great opportunity for women to learn more about the game right from the coaches.  

The next feature in our Women in Baseball series profiles Andrea Larson, Corporate Communications Manager for the Minnesota Twins.

Andrea Larson, the Corporate Communications Manager for the Minnesota Twins, has always been a baseball fan. Growing up in the Twins Cities area, Andrea has been a Twins fan since birth. She calls her parents “obsessed fans.” In fact some of her favorite baseball memories come from attending World Series games in 1987 and 1991 and several Breakfast of Champions events in the community where she would meet players get autographs as a child. Her parents actually went to all seven games of the ’87 series. Though she shares her passion for the game with her father (pictured below) and brother, the Larson family women know their baseball too. Andrea’s 89-year-old grandmother is also an avid Twins fan. “My Grandma is probably the biggest Twins fan I know, besides my mom. My Grandma still talks about the Twins all the time.” In such a dedicated family, it seems natural that Andrea would be raised a true baseball fan.

Andrea’s journey into the Twins Organization started after she graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She then earned her MBA in Sports Management from the University of St. Thomas. Andrea started her career at public relations agencies like BSMG World Wide, and later Fleishman Hillard in Minneapolis. After a brief stint at United Health Group, Andrea read in the local paper that the Twins public relations manager was leaving the organization. “I thought that there might be a job opportunity and I applied. I heard there were 300 resumes or something like that, I didn’t know anyone or anything like that, but somehow I guess I had what they were looking for.” The 2008 season will be Andrea’s third season with the club.

A typical day for Andrea includes managing all media and community relations off the field, “the business side of things” as she calls it. She handles the promotions and plans events. In addition, Andrea is in charge of maintaining the Twins website. This season Andrea and her colleagues are all pretty busy with plans for their new ballpark, which opens in 2010.

Andrea feels lucky to be doing her dream job. She knew working in baseball wasn’t always glamorous, but it was a challenge she was ready for.

“This is what you sign up for when you work in baseball. It was no secret when I signed up here, and they made it very clear, that it’s long hours and a lot of work. It’s fun but you spend a lot of time at it and you are very busy. It was definitely a challenge I was ready for.”

But that’s Andrea, a young woman who quietly works hard and gets the job done without focusing too much on the challenges. “You know I don’t really focus on the fact that I’m a female in the industry. I’d like to think that there aren’t issues, and if there are, I don’t pay too much attention to it. The people here are very fair and diplomatic.” Though Andrea hasn’t experienced many challenges in the baseball world, she still looks up to women that have had success in the industry, like Dodgers president Jamie McCourt.

As a female baseball fan herself, Andrea often considers the female demographic when planning events and promotions for the Twins organization. “Women I think appreciate the finesses of the game. It’s not a violent sport, it’s a structured game, and it’s fun to watch and cheer.” The market for the female baseball fan is continually growing and the Twins are trying hard to capitalize on that growth. “We are really trying to focus on that market. Baseball is very popular with women and I think it’s a market we can capitalize on even more.”

Because the Twins are such a big part of the fabric in the twin cities area, Andrea’s favorite part of her job is sharing the team’s community focus with the media. “I mean people are obsessed with the Twins, at every level, so it’s fun to be able to share that information via the media with all of the public.”

Some of Andrea’s favorite community events geared to women include the Mother’s Day festivities and the special Wine, Women and Baseball events. Mother’s Day is special for Andrea, not just because of the pink bats. “The Mom’s and wives are very involved in the community. It’s a very active organization.” This year, more than 35 of them participated in the Susan G. Komen Walk for a Cure, including breast cancer survivor Jan Guerrier, mother of Matt Guerrier.

The Twins will also hold eight or nine Wine, Women and Baseball events this season. The events are open to women only and include a pre-game happy hour and then tickets to that night’s game. “We have a tent and women come in and they get manicures, they can drink wine, they can have food and get their makeup done. We always have a special guest, either a Twins’ wife or someone from the community, that does a little Q&A with them. They are really fun; no boys allowed. It’s been a very popular event.” These events are so popular that the 250 available tickets always sell out fast.

Andrea counts herself lucky to be able to work for the team she grew up cheering on. She was working at various jobs for eight years before joining the Twins. Her advice to others is heartfelt,

Go for it, chase your dreams, but know you have to work hard. Just be patient and you will eventually find your niche… Don’t think just because you are a female it would be difficult for you; it’s something I don’t even think about.

A special thanks to Andrea for taking the time to speak with us, despite her busy schedule.

Last night, the Potomac Nationals defeated the Winstom-Salem Warthogs 1-0.  Jordan Zimmermann continues to shine at Class A, giving up no runs and striking out 9 in his 7 innings of work.  Elijah Dukes played centerfield and went 1 for 4 with a double and 3 strike outs.  Paul Lo Duca went 0 for 2 with a walk.  He caught 1 runner stealing, but also allowed 2 stolen bases.  Here’s some photos from the game.

We caught up with Lo Duca after the game to ask him a few questions:

How’s everything going? How did you feel out there tonight?

So far I’m ready to go but I’m waiting for them to call me to see if I can come back.

How disappointed were you about missing the first Mets series?

[Laughter] I was real disappointed, ya know, but it was probably better off.  I’m anxious to go back and play there.  We go back on May 12th…it’s on my calendar.

How do you like DC so far and how has the experience been different than playing in NYC?

You know it’s good, I like it a lot actually. It’s a great city. I mean everywhere you go you can find some kind of monument or some kind of landmark. Very very cool, I’m living in Alexandria right now, and I really like it.

How are you adjusting to playing on a young rebuilding team vs. a strong contending team?  Do you see your role differently?

No, I really don’t see my role differently. I think were going to start winning. I think this team struggled a little early on, but the guys know that we have a chance to win and we’re gonna win now.

Has it been a challenge for you to learn the young pitching staff so quickly, since injuries kept you out of spring training?

A little bit but not that bad.  I know most of the guys now.  You know I didn’t get to do much catching during the spring and it took me a little while to get used to them, so a little bit yea, but not too bad.

What do you think has been the key to the Nats picking it up in the past week?

I think we are just doing the little things.  You know we’ve lost a lot of one run games and I think lately we are getting some breaks and that needs to happen every once in a while, but you gotta come to the ballpark believing you’re gonna win, and I think that’s starting to happen.

You caught Jordan (Zimmermann) tonight and he’s one of the top prospects.  How did he look and what do you think about his stuff?

I’ve loved him from day one. I caught him in spring training and I think he’s got a great future and he’s gonna be a big league pitcher for a long time.

Prior to Thursday’s loss the Potomac Nationals were on a ten game winning streak. After attending Shawn Hill’s rehab start there a few weeks ago, we decided to make an effort to attend more games there this season. With the Nats in Miami, and as an attempt to look at some of the positives in the Nationals baseball organization, we decided to take a trip south to check out some of the Nats top prospects in action.

Every Friday is Ladies Night at Pfitzner Stadium. All ladies get in to the game for free and can also enter to win a bunch of great raffle prizes. They are doing things right at the single A club. Their energetic and helpful staff runs a lot of fun in game promotions. After tonight’s game they even had a band and a pitching machine. (Note – my fastball is not up to even high school standards, clocking in at a whopping 32 mph.)

We were treated to a great game. The Potomac guys beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks 6-1. Right handed 2007 draft pick Jordan Zimmermann was on the mound for the P-Nats. We had seen Jordan a bit during our spring training trip, but were excited to see some of his game stuff. So far this season, Jordan has allowed only one run in over 14 innings of work. He was impressive tonight also. Zimmermann threw five scoreless innings against the Blue Rocks. He allowed only three hits and recorded six strike outs. Jordan is currently 2-0 with a .061 ERA. Not too shabby. It was great to see him in action tonight.

Zimmermann was aided by his teammates’ offense. The P-Nats capitalized on an error in the first inning by Blue Rocks shortstop Chris McConnell, and had five consecutive hits, resulting in five unearned runs. Dee Brown added the final run with a solo homer in the third inning. We saw some great fielding also. First baseman Chris Marrero had some good plays, but also had an error in the 9th inning. Catcher Devin Ivany caught a few guys attempting to steal second.

We caught up with Jordan Zimmermann after the game and asked him a few questions about his pitches and his goals for this season…

Can you tell us a little bit about the pitches you like to throw? What are you working on?
Um I like to throw my fastball, and my slider, and I’m currently working on my curve-ball.

How was spring training? Did anything surprise you?
Actually I was down there for the instructional league last year, so I kinda knew what to expect, so when I went down there this year, it was pretty much the same thing.

Did you have fun?
Oh yeah, but it was a lot of work though, lots of early mornings.

Can you tell us a little bit about the day you were drafted?
Um actually me and my parents and my college coach, we watched the first round on TV at the school. We got to about number 50 and I knew I was getting pretty close, so I started getting nervous. I got up and started walking around the halls and hung out in one of the classroom areas. Then my agent called me and said hey you got picked up, number 67.

What did that feel like?
It was big relief. I was really excited. I just wanted to get going and start playing right away.

What are your goals this season? You said you were working on your curve-ball, anything else in particular?
I mean I kinda want to, well my main goal really is to end up at double A. So yeah that’s my biggest goal this season. Also while I’m here I just want to keep putting up zeros on the scoreboard.

Who did you look up to growing up did you have a favorite player or anything?
Um no not really…

Did you have a favorite team?
Yea a big Brewers fan, I love the Brewers. We used to go to lots of games.

Lastly, what worked for you tonight? You put up a lot of zeros. (Jordan pitched five shut out innings on Friday night)
Um my slider was pretty good tonight, I was locating it to the outside corners against the righties pretty well. Also kept the ball down to get the ground outs and the fly outs.

It was nice to see the up and comers in action. It also reminded us that there are some good things on the way, even if things look a little tough right now. Hey Barry told us to change up our routine. Friday’s game was the first we didn’t attend or watch on TV and they won! Hopefully that doesn’t mean we have to stay away all season.

We caught up with Eric from Amazin’ Avenue to answer some questions for us about the 2008 New York Mets: 

1. Given the offseason changes to your team, what have you been happy about so far in the season?
The most pleasant surprises to this point have been Carlos Delgado and Angel Pagan. Delgado had a terrible year in 2007, but he has looked really good at the plate through the first eleven games. If he can provide anything resembling league average offense for a first baseman the Mets will be in very good shape offensively. Angel Pagan has stepped in for the oft-injured Moises Alou and has been one of the Mets’ most consistent hitters so far.

2. What are some areas that concern you this early in the season?
Injuries have been a big problem, with numerous players missing time. Injuries test the depth of a ballclub, and the Mets have done okay in that regard. Pedro’s injury (more to come on that) and El Duque’s withering cortex have forced Mike Pelfrey to step into the fourth starter’s spot and everywhereman Nelson Figueroa to round out the rotation for the time being. Good teams have the depth to overcome short stretches of injury, but the great teams stay healthy in the first place.

3. What’s going on with Pedro and when do you expect to see him pitch again?
Pedro strained his left hamstring in his first start of the season and optimistic estimates have him returning mid-to-late May. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if his rehab took considerably longer than that.

4. You have two former Nationals on your roster this season. What are you initial impressions of Schneider and Church?
Mostly positive to this point. Ryan Church has swung the bat surprisingly well against lefties, something that was a concern heading into the season. His defense has been better than advertised; his range and throwing arm have looked really good early on. Brian Schneider has shown very good plate discipline so far, and his utter lack of power was expected given his recent history. Unlike Church, Schneider’s defense has been worse than advertised so far. Not terrible, but nothing to write home about, either.

5.  Which of these Mets turned Nats were tough losses for your organization?  Acta, Milledge, Flores, Lo Duca
The first three immensely; the last one not at all. I’m somewhere between ambivalent and mildly dissatisfied with the way Willie Randolph handles this team, but I still rue the day the Mets let Manny Acta walk away. If I were filling out a wish list of big league managers he would be at or near the top. The Lastings Milledge trade was a distasteful one because it happened for reasons that had little to do with baseball. Given their relative stages of development, I think the Mets might be better off in 2008 with Church than Milledge, but long-term I think it will be pretty disastrous. The Mets wound up with some interesting catchers in training camp this season, but leaving Jesus Flores unprotected two years ago was one of the low points of Omar Minaya’s tenure, considering some of the dreck he chose to keep on the 40-man roster instead.

I don’t miss Paul Lo Duca in the least. He had a nice season in 2006 and was mostly terrible in 2007. He doesn’t walk and hits for zero power, and his defense is well below average. Most of his value is derived from his batting average: if he can hit .300-ish he will be useful; if he hits .260-.270 he’s probably a waste of a roster spot.

6.  What’s your initial impression of Santana? How do you think he will affect your season?
His most recent start against the Brewers was not great – he allowed three homeruns – but he also struck out more than a batter an inning. He’s 1-2 so far, but should be 2-1 after allowing just one run in a loss to the Braves. He has struck out 18 batters and walked just four in 20.2 innings, and he hasn’t even come to the park with his best stuff yet. He’s one of the best pitchers in the game, and if the Mets make the playoffs he will be a big reason why.

Click here to read our answers to Eric’s questions about the Nats.

Odalis Perez (0-2) and the Washington Nationals take on Mike Pelfrey (1-0) and the New York Mets tonight at 7pm.

Justin Maxwell was one of the stars of yesterday’s 9-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on ESPN.  Maxwell hit a 3 run homer in the 6th inning.  In the 7th, he had a stunning diving catch, stealing a hit from Brandon Inge.  A local guy and a Maryland graduate, Maxwell is one of many exciting young prospects in the organization.  He is expected to play at AA Harrisburg this season.  We talked to Justin in Viera for just a few minutes to get his thoughts on the upcoming season.

What are your expectations for the team this season?

Expectations? I think we always come into the season looking to win. Like I don’t think anyone expects much from us. Last season they predicted the team to lose so many games, but we really take that to heart and we want to prove people wrong again this year.

Who did you look up to as a kid? and on the team?

My parents, they have always been influential in my life. I try to follow in their footsteps and make good life and career choices. On the team, I look up to Dmitri Young. He kinda took me under his wing last year and helped me learn the ropes of being up in the game. I think he’s helped me out a lot.

What do you like about playing in DC?

I live half an hour away and I like that the most, being able to have my family and my wife close. They are all able to come watch me play.

What do you want Nats fans to know about you?

Oh I dont know, that I’m a hard worker and I love playing this game.  I especially love hearing the crowd cheering for me.

Photo:  Associated Press

Joel Hanrahan, who was called up last year to start and ended up finishing the season in the bullpen, was the star of Tuesday night’s 2-2 game with the Atlanta Braves.  In three innings, Hanrahan faced 10 batters, gave up one hit — and collected eight strike outs.  Strike-outs included Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira and Jeff Francoeur.  The last seven batters he faced suffered consecutive strike-outs.  Here’s Barry’s take. Here’s Zuckerman’s. 

As Hanrahan fights for a spot in a crowded bullpen, tonight does help to build his case.  Last year, Joel was inconsistent.  He finished with a 6.00 ERA and a 5-3 record.  He looks more polished this spring — more like a major leaguer. 

We caught up with Joel during our trip to Spring Training and talked to him about his expectations for this season. 

What are you focusing on this spring?
I’m working on cutting down on my walks, and trying to get ahead of the hitters.

Do you have any goals for the season?
Right now, it’s just to make the team, other than that I haven’t really thought about it.

What are your expectations for the team in general this season?
Um be realistic I think and play .500 ball. We’ve obviously got some good hitters and we are going through a growing phase.

Is there anyone you are excited to see play?
Yea Dukes and Milledge, I think they are going to provide a lot of help.

Who influenced you growing up?
I liked watching Nolan Ryan play, and I’m trying to follow after my brother also.

Who in this organization influences you?
Umm, I’ll have to say Chad Cordero, we are pretty good friends, and he has kinda shown me the ropes.

What is it like to work with Randy St. Claire?
It’s good, he helped me out a lot last season and now it’s the same here for Spring Training.

Is he a tough guy?
No no, he’s serious, but he also likes to have fun.

What did you like about playing in DC?
I didn’t really get out a whole lot in the city, but the fans were really good and I’m sure this year will be even better with the new ballpark.

Speaking of, do you have any thoughts on the new stadium?
It’d be pretty neat to see it all done, and hopefully the stands will be filled.

What do you want the fans to know about you? It can be anything…
Oh wow, I like to have fun and I guess I’m kinda sarcastic at times.

John Lannan makes the start today against the Cardinals in Jupiter, FL. Lannan rose quickly through the system last season from Potomac to Harrisburg and Columbus before being called up in July. Lannan became the first player since Aaron Boone to be ejected from his debut when Hunter Wendlestadt removed him after hitting Ryan Howard and Chase Utley consecutively. A few weeks later, Lannan had to face slugger Barry Bonds as he chased 756.  Throughout all that, Lannan kept his composure.  He compiled a 4.15 ERA in Washington and 2-2 record in 6 games.  He’s now fighting for a spot on in the starting rotation.

We caught up with John in Viera recently and he was kind enough to spend a few moments answering some of our questions.

What are you focusing on this spring and what are you working on next season?
Focusing on throwing strikes and trying to make the rotation. They gave me a shot to come down here and show that I can pitch and that’s what I am trying to do.

Do you have any specific goals for next season?
Umm just to be a starter on opening day.  On the opening day rotation I mean. 

Any expectations for the team next year?
There’s always a lot to prove.  Every year we keep getting better – we picked up a lot of guys so we’ll keep trying to get better.  It’s exciting to see what’s going to happen.

Anyone you are particularly excited about?
Lastings, Elijah, and Lo Duca when he gets healthy. Pretty much everyone. We’ve got a lot of good hitters this year.

Who did you look up to growing up and who has influenced you in this organization?
Growing up I was always a fan of baseball. I was Yankees fan; I grew up in New York. I liked Don Mattingly. I started going to games in ’96, that’s when I became a real true baseball fan.  Here everyone influences me. I get along with everyone, the whole pitching staff kinda talks about baseball and helps me out.

What’s it like to work with Randy St. Claire?
Oh he’s great, he knows a lot. The whole pitching staff is great, even the guys in the minors, I worked with everybody last year and they are all great, Randy is great too.

What do you like about playing in DC?
I got to see the new stadium when I was up for the winter caravan and its unbelievable; its huge. The scoreboard and locker rooms are great, a real nice change. 

Also the fans are coming along in DC. We are starting to build a fan base, we are still a young team so it’s great to be there at the beginning for a team that could be great, you know?

What do you want fans to know about you?
Oh I don’t know…I’m having fun. I’m not too serious; I’m really pretty laid back. I like to give back to the community. I’m a good guy.

Sure we’ve all been wrapped up in ticket re-location, parking issues and stadium progress - while March 30 gets closer and closer. It seems like we just left RFK and in a few short weeks we’ll be sitting in our new Nationals Park.

Mark Newman of MLB recently interviewed baseball fans about their favorite collectibles and pieces of memorabilia — those things that help us remember how we first fell in love with the national pastime or that remind us of games and moments that seemed to change everything.

Our friends at Phillies Nation treasure a Phanatic growth chart, while MetsGrrl loves her Shea Stadium Apple Clock. We shared a few of our own favorite things too.

In just 68 days, we’ll pack up the baseball memories we’ve already made and look forward to making decades of new ones in our new home along the Anacostia River.