Mike's Mets

Outta Here!

2006-02-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

I was going to keep updating this blog for a couple more days, but since most of the traffic is already coming into the new site, this would probably just be confusing.

We're not going away.

Visit us in our new home at www.MikesMets.com.

I repeat some information one final time:

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If you read some of my stuff through the SportsBlogs.org's daily New York Mets entries, you won't need to do anything. They have already updated my info.

If you have any questions, use the email link to contact me.

Eight Days to Pitchers and Catchers

2006-02-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

A great look at a beloved former Met leads off the morning news wrapup:

New York Sports Day: Tough as nails
Former Mets assistant trainer Bob Sikes has another excerpt from his upcoming book up at New York Sports Day. In this one, he offers some insights into Lenny Dykstra. My favorite one was from the 1986 NLCS against the Astros. After dropping the first game against scuffballer Mike Scott, the Mets were facing future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan in game 2, badly in need of a win:

In our 5th, Santana singled to right. Ojeda tried to bunt him over, but Raffy was forced at second. So, with two outs, Dykstra came to the plate.
In the first inning, Lenny tried to bunt his way on against Ryan. The book on Ryan says that this pisses him off. This time Dykstra hit a ball way foul into the seats in right. Lenny swaggered outside the batter’s box. The Old Schooler Ryan, probably remembering the first inning bunt, too, then buzzed Dykstra’s forehead with his next pitch. Lenny was sent sprawling but quickly got up and stroked Ryan’s next offering through the left side. Backman, Dykstra’s good friend, singled to center. Billy Hatcher tried to throw out Ojeda at the plate, but his throw was wild and it allowed Lenny and Wally to advance to third and second, respectively. Hernandez put the game away then with a huge two-out triple to center. It was now 5-0.
Ojeda gave up a run in the 7th, but allowed only one other baseburner after that in route to a complete game victory. The series was now tied at a game apiece. The series now moved to New York for the middle three games.
I’m not sure whether Dykstra intended to rattle Ryan with that first inning bunt, as I don’t recall Lenny leading off many games with a bunt. Only Dykstra really knew, but you can be assured that he knew the scouting report. Ryan’s knockdown of Dykstra in the 5th clearly lifted the team’s emotions as the Mets responded with three straight two out hits. In a subtle way, Lenny’s style of play sparked the rally that led to the game two win.

That kind of play was typical Dykstra. When Frank Cashen traded Dykstra and Roger McDowell for Juan Samuel, that was when I realized that Cashen, who had built the Mets' championship team from nothing, had lost it. He really didn't seem to understand the mentality of the new generation of ball players.

As a side note, I realized as I was writing about the 1986 NLCS that Mike Scott and Nolan Ryan were both pitchers the Mets traded away in less-than-wonderful moves. Almost everyone knows about the Ryan for Fregosi fiasco, but Mike Scott was traded for fourth outfielder Danny Heep. In fairness, Scott looked fairly mediocre until he was taught the split-fingered fastball after being traded -- and then learned how to make it more effective by some creative ball-doctoring.

ESPN: Not Liking the Phightins
Sean McAdam looks at Five clubs that could fail this season:

The Angels were the Anti-Mets -- unwilling to deal from a large pool of prospects for a big bat for their anemic lineup.

The Cardinals are trying to do it on the cheap again. GM Walt Jockety does a good job for them, if he had a reasonable budget maybe La Russa would get that second World Series title. What makes it harder is that the Cardinals have traded away a lot of prospects, and aren't getting good, cheap players off the farm. Sound familiar?

The Orioles and the Padres -- well, what more do you have to say?

And finally, McAdam looks at the Phitin Phils, of whom he says:

The Phils remained in contention for the NL wild card until the final weekend before finishing out of the playoffs, then did little to move forward in the offseason.
They replaced Billy Wagner (who'll close for the division rival Mets) with Tom Gordon, a step backward, and they traded Jim Thome to get out from under most of his contract and injury history.
Aaron Rowand makes them better in center field, but there's much more work to be done here. They continue to lack a bona fide front-line starter and there are too many aging veterans (third base, catcher) occupying important positions.
Look for the Phils to continue to lag behind the Braves, with the Mets overtaking them in the standings, too.

I think Mets fans can understand the Phillies fans' frustrations with the way the off-season went, but I really can't gloat about it. I think replacing GM Ed Wade with Pat Gillick was a great move. Gillick looked around at what he had, and realized he lacked the pitching to really compete. What sense did it make for him to overpay Wagner, especially in length of contract? He took a step back, and the Phils will be better for it down the road. I just don't understand Tom Gordon -- besides his age, he has a somewhat fragile mentality that won't play well in Philly.

SI: The DC Shuffle
Ah, those whacky Washingtonians... After rejecting a stadium lease -- which could have forced MLB to pack up the Nationals and move them elsewhere, the District of Columbia Council approved a revised lease a few hours later.

MLB isn't happy with what's going on here, but they have only themselves to blame for the silly way this team has been handled for several years. Find an owner and get out of the way, Mr. Selig.

A reminder: This blog has moved to its new home at www.MikesMets.com. I will stop updating it very shortly. I'm going to repeat some info I posted yesterday:

If you have this site bookmarked, please update to www.MikesMets.com.

If you read this site through an RSS reader, you will need to update the feed source. The new one is: http://www.mikesmets.com/index.xml.

If you read this site through the Bloglines (or similar) service, you will need to subscribe to the new one. I have buttons on the new site in the lower part of the right navigation bar for common ones like My Yahoo, My AOL, My MSN.

If you read some of my stuff through the SportsBlogs.org's daily New York Mets entries, I am working with them to update my info. You won't need to do anything.

If you have any questions, use the email link to contact me.

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

2006-02-07T14:27:00.000-05:00

After a couple of days spent moving the web site, I will now slide back into doing what I really enjoy -- talking about the Mets:

Daily News: Pedro's Shoe
Roger Rubin reports that the special shoe that Pedro Martinez has been waiting for from Nike may arrive today. Or it may not. Hey, Mets news is slow this time of year. Anyway, when it does come, it will keep his toe from suffering any more damage. Rubin quotes Mets bullpen coach Guy Conti, who has recently visited Martinez in the Dominican Republic:

He's right on schedule and looking as strong as I've seen him... When Pedro left at the end of the season, his weight was down 10-12 pounds. He has put that weight back on and is in great condition. He wants to do the same things he did last year in preparation for the season, the same program.

Rubin also reports that Conti visited new setup man Jorge Julio, and that Conti and Rick Peterson have some ideas for fixing some mechanical problem's with Julio's delivery which, if successful, can fix his annoying habit of giving up lots of home runs.

New York Times: Poor Art
Murray Chass reports on former Mets' skipper Art Howe -- unable to get a new job, and dissed in the book Moneyball.

Also on New York Times: Brother, can you spare an Amphetamine?
Michael Sokolove helps us to understand how the crackdown on "greenies" will affect baseball. (Drink lots of coffee boys, it works for the rest of us...)

Mets.com: Season-long tribute to 1986 Champs
Marty Noble reports that the twentieth anniversary of the last championship Mets team will spark a year long celebration at Shea. With Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling in the television booth you already have an '86 flavor to things -- if this current team could make the playoffs, that would be a fitting tribute, too.

Also on Mets.com: Noble's Mailbag
Marty Noble has a new Mailbag up on the Mets' site. I found this exchange on Mets' pitching prospect Brian Bannister interesting:

Has Brian Bannister flown under the radar this winter because other clubs don't feel he is a good prospect, or is he a guy the Mets wanted to keep around if their rotation ever opened up? I remember hearing he had a good year in Triple-A and that he didn't fare poorly before that. How much can he help the Mets this year either in the roation, bullpen or in a trade?
-- Darien M., Astoria, N.Y.
Bannister has value. Among the Mets' Minor League pitchers, he is the most advanced and the closest to pitching in the big leagues. He is not an overpowering pitcher, so he doesn't have a particularly high ceiling, as the scouts say. But he knows how to pitch and how to win, as the scouts also say. He had a 9-4 record and 2.56 ERA in 18 starts at Double-A last season, and won four of five decisions and produced a 3.18 ERA in eight Triple-A starts.
But he hasn't yet "put Triple-A behind him," as Bobby Valentine used to say. So he remains something of a question.
People with long Mets memories liken Bannister to Bobby Jones, who won 58 games from 1994-98 and pitched a one-hit shutout against the Giants in the clinching victory of the 2000 National League Division Series. He didn't have a particularly high ceiling, either.

Sometimes what frustrates me the most about the Mets' farm system is that they seldom develop complementary type players. We've had stars like Wright and Reyes emerge, but little else. It's a large part of the reason we always have to overpay for bench players and relievers -- and why we had to suffer through months of Kaz Ishii last season.

New York Sports Day: Xavier Nady
Joe McDonald speaks with new Met Xavier Nady, whom he quotes as being excited at the thought of playing in New York:

I am excited, I never spent much time back east. It’s a fun city and a great place to play baseball, so I look forward to it. ... Things happen for a reason and this is a great group of guys.

About this Blog
This blog officially has a new home. If you're reading this on MikesMets.com, you're there. If you're reading this on MikesMets.BlogSpot.com, you're not.

If you have this site bookmarked, please update to www.MikesMets.com.

If you read this site through an RSS reader, you will need to update the feed source. The new one is: http://www.mikesmets.com/index.xml.

If you read some of my stuff through the SportsBlogs.org's daily New York Mets entries, I am working with them to update my info. You won't need to do anything.

If you have any questions, use the email link to contact me.

I'll continue to update both sites for another week or so, then just the new. Thank you to everyone that gives a little piece of their time to read my stuff. I value that time, and will continue to try to earn it.

Pardon the Interruption

2006-02-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

Sorry I didn't have time to post any news this morning. I'm in the process of moving this blog to its own domain name and web hosting. I made the decision to do this last week. Blogger started experiencing a lot of downtime again, and I realized that what I hoped to do had outgrown what was an excellent (and free) introduction to Blogging.

With pitchers and catchers reporting in a few days, I decided that I wanted to get this done and out of the way. Since the blog would be running on a different software, I knew there would be some learning curve on my part.

I've actually gotten the blog 90% of the way to how I want it to look. I'll tweak it the rest of the way when I have the content transferred. As of 4 PM this afternoon, I am up to the beginning of January. I anticipate being done by tomorrow.

At that point, I will try to get any incoming links updated, and update my info with BaseballBlogs.org and Technorati. What will probably happen is that I will update both the old and new blogs for a week or two, then stop updating the BlogSpot blog. I'll leave that old one up with a link to the new. All of the old content -- except for reader comments -- will be on the new site. Sorry about the comments -- I couldn't pull off the export/import needed to bring them over.

If you have this blog bookmarked, please update the link to the new address:

www.MikesMets.com

By Tuesday, it will be completely up to date. Thanks for your patience.

Have a Super Day

2006-02-05T14:01:00.000-05:00

Today is justifiably all about the Super Bowl. There was so little New York Mets news around today it just wasn't worth writing about. (You could check out this article about the Caribbean Series. Mets 2B prospect Anderson Hernandez is really lighting things up -- and possibly working himself to a serious shot at the starting job in Spring Training.)

I just wanted to let those of you who frequent this space regularly know that I am in the process of upgrading from Blogspot.com to more robust hosting. I'll keep you apprised of things here, and there will be a link from this old blog to the new. I'm not planning to change much -- the URL will be new, and the blog will look somewhat different, as the underlying blog software will be different. I will, unfortunately, be the same.

11 days until pitchers and catchers report...

Twelve days until pitchers and catchers report

2006-02-04T12:36:00.000-05:00

The Mets news on this Super Bowl weekend features new Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez, a positive review of the Carlos Delgado trade, and the signing of another Cuban defector.

Mets.com: Duaner Sanchez
Bryan Hoch reports on new Mets setup man Duaner Sanchez. After closing games in LA at the end of last season, Sanchez has no problem returning to a setup role:

That's fine with me. I'm here to do what the manager tells me to do. It doesn't matter if I pitch in the first inning, the fourth, fifth or seventh. I'm here and I'll be in the bullpen when they need me.

Sanchez has enjoyed a pair of solid major league seasons with LA, and Hoch cites Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson that Sanchez is right on the threshold of elevating his game further:

I think Sanchez is ready to take off. I think [when] you look at the experience and career paths of guys and all the factors involved, there's a maturity level.
Very few pitchers break into the big leagues and mature when they're real young. It takes a few years to understand how to gain control and manage games.

NY Sports Day: More Sanchez
Joe McDonald also speaks with Duaner Sanchez, and quotes the new Mets setup man that closing games at the end of last season (he went 8-8 in save opportunities) was valuable experience:

It definitely made me a better reliever. Because I learned how to deal with pressure and that is one place you get it by closing games.

ESPN Insider: The Delgado trade
Jerry Crasnick has a column about significant off-season trades, and he picked the Carlos Delgado acquisition as the most significant. After giving Omar credit for landing one of the few significant 1B bats out there, Crasnick points out the upside:

Delgado, a career .952 OPS guy, radically changes the dynamic in Flushing. He hit 33 homers and ranked third in the NL in slugging percentage last season, despite logging roughly half his at-bats with Juan Encarnacion, Paul Lo Duca and an ineffectual Mike Lowell batting behind him. True, Shea Stadium isn't much fun for hitters. But Delgado's 2005 home-road splits (.283-16-55 at Dolphins Stadium and .318-17-60 on the road) show he's impervious to ballpark dimensions.
The Mets still need Jose Reyes to start thinking more like a leadoff hitter, but the combination of Lo Duca, a healthy Carlos Beltran, Delgado, David Wright and Cliff Floyd in the 2-6 spots gives the Mets reason to hope they'll surpass their total of 722 runs scored.

Crasnick feels the Cubs may have given up more in talent in getting Juan Pierre than the Mets did for Delgado. Much depends on what pitching prospect Yusmeiro Petit turns out to be.

New York Post: Another Cuban Defector joins the Mets
Mark Hale reports that the Mets have signed 6'3", 230 pound Cuban first basesman Michel Abreu to a minor league deal. The 31-year-old Abreu was Cuba's home run leader for four straight years before defecting in February 2004. He was under contract with the Red Sox briefly last September, but the contract was voided. Abreu most likely will provide the Mets with insurance in AAA-Norfolk, but could compete for a bench job.

While Jim Duquette was the Mets' GM, he signed another Cuban defector, pitcher Alay Soler. Soler's entry into the U.S. was delayed for a year with visa problems. That was straightened out over the winter, and Soler is expected to compete for a job in spring training.

ESPN Insider: Scouting
Rob Neyer has an interesting article on the art of scouting talent, and how it might evolve in the future.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

2006-02-04T00:17:00.000-05:00

This week I took a look at all of the significant moves that Mets GM Omar Minaya made during this off-season. For your convenience, here is a list of all 5 parts and the transactions they covered.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1: 11/9/2005 - Signed LHP Matt Perisho to a minor-league contract; 11/15/2005 - Declined options on Felix Heredia and Kaz Ishii; 11/18/2005 - Traded Mike Cameron to the San Diego Padres for Xavier Nady; 11/15/2005 - Traded 1B Mike Jacobs, RHP prospect Yusmeiro Petit and INF prospect Grant Psomas to the Florida Marlins for 1b Carlos Delgado and cash.
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2: 11/28/2005 - Acquired OF Tike Redman from the Pirates for cash; 11/29/2005 - Signed free agent closer Billy Wagner to a 4-year deal; 12/5/2005 - Traded prospects OF Dante Brinkley and RHP Gaby Hernandez to the Marlins for C Paul Lo Duca.
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3: 12/8/2005 - Selected RHP Mitch Wylie from the San Francisco Giants Triple-A Fresno roster in the Rule 5 Draft.; 12/8/2005 - Signed free agent INF Jose Valentin to a 1-year, $900,000 contract; 12/9/2005 - Signed free agent 1B Julio Franco to a 2-year, $2 million contract; 12/14/2005 - Signed LHP Matt Perisho, INF Juan Tejada, C Sandy Martinez and OF Julio Ramirez to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training.; 12/14/2005 - Signed LHP Darren Oliver, RHP Jose Parra and LHP Pedro Feliciano to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training; Released LHP Kazuhisa Ishii.; 12/23/2005 - Signed OF Endy Chavez (Non-tendered by the Phillies) to a one-year contract.; 12/23/2005 - Signed RHP Chad Bradford (Non-tendered by the Red Sox) to a one-year $1.4 million contract.; 1/4/2006 - Signed INF Bret Boone to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4: 1/4/2006 - Traded RHP Jae Seo and LHP Tim Hamulack to the Dodgers for RHP Duaner Sanchez and RHP Steve Schmoll.; 1/10/2006 - Signed Mike Pelfrey, their first round pick in the 2005 amateur draft, to a 4-year deal.; 1/18/2006 - Signed free agent Japanese RHP Yusaku Iriki to a 1-year, $1 million contract.
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5: 1/21/2006 - Traded RHP Kris Benson to the Orioles for RHP Jorge Julio and RHP John Maine.; ********** Summing up the off-season

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5

2006-02-03T18:54:00.000-05:00

We finish our look at some of the moves Omar made this off-season, from significant signings to controversial trades.

1/21/2006 - Traded RHP Kris Benson to the Orioles for RHP Jorge Julio and RHP John Maine.
If the Jae Seo for Duaner Sanchez trade from earlier in the month stirred up some controversy, this one took it up to a whole new level. Benson, for all of his underachieving and lack of stamina, was an established major-league middle of the rotation starter with a solid track record. Jorge Julio is a relief pitcher whose star has faded rapidly over the last 3 years. He features a fastball that is as straight as a Midwestern Republican and has a questionable emotional makeup. John Maine is a prospect that has lost luster over the previous 12 months -- most experts now see him as a fifth starter or middle reliever at best.

With Seo, Omar went against the old baseball adage that you don't trade a starting pitcher for a setup guy -- but at least Seo represented somewhat of an unknown, and Duaner Sanchez has looked good over the past 2 years. This one was a lot harder to figure, not only in a perceived lack of quality that Benson brought back, but also in the fact that Benson and Seo were both traded. Starting pitching, which once seemed like an area of strength for the Mets, now seemed like a big question mark.

The Julio deal also led to the small (but vocal) minority of Mets fans that believe Omar is most concerned with Latinizing the Mets to start calling in to equally ignorant radio hosts. Since, despite the "holier than thou" pronouncements of some of the media, I understand most real Mets fans could care less about a player's ethnic background as long as he contributes, we'll leave this manufactured controversy alone.

For as much of a sh--storm that this trade has stirred up, I don't believe that it is as cut and dried as some have tried to make it. I was one that hoped the Mets would hold onto Benson, and believed that he had something to contribute to this year's team. Furthermore, I don't believe his $7.5 million salary is out of line with what similar pitchers are making. Having said that, though, I was always realistic about Benson -- he is what he appeared to be in 2005. The list of those that still believe that Benson can be a top of the rotation starter has shrunken into insignificance.

Meanwhile, there is a real hope that Rick Peterson can work some magic on the talented but enigmatic Julio. Peterson has a track record of success with guys like him -- think Roberto Hernandez from last season. Even John Maine, who was one of Baltimore's top rated prospects heading into last season, has a chance to give them something. Many of the difficulties he experienced in 2005 that caused his stock to drop are supposedly related to inconsistent mechanics. None of us are believers in the Rick Peterson 10 minute fix anymore, but it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Professor Mullet might help Maine find some of that missing consistency.

So what can we expect from Jorge Julio and RHP John Maine? Boy, if I was sure of the answer to that one I'd be making a living in Vegas right now. We know Julio throws hard, and he mostly throws strikes. The rest is up to whatever magic Peterson can come up with. Julio could continue to be the inconsistent and emotionally unstable setup man he was in 2005, or he could blossom into one the league's finest setup men. He certainly has the talent -- we'll have to see if Peterson could help him deliver the goods. The most likely outcome, like so much in life, probably lays somewhere in the middle of the two extremes.

As for John Maine, barring an injury to the Mets suddenly thin starting rotation, look for him to begin the year at AAA-Norfolk.

Who got the better of the trade? Again, this is impossible to answer until we see how everything plays out. The Orioles seem to feel they have a top-of-the rotation starter in Benson. Based on what he did in Shea in 2005, and then translated into the bandbox that is Camden Yards, I wouldn't bet on that. I think if Julio can get turned around this trade will most likely end up as a wash. If not, it will be a clear win for Baltimore.

Summing up the Off-season
None of the trades the Mets made this off-season are clear slam-dunk type winners. The Cameron trade seemed to get the winter off on the wrong foot, as Omar seemed more interested in dumping Cameron's salary than securing top value in return for the former Gold Glove winner. In retrospect, it's hard to argue that Cameron's worth to the Mets as a RF was considerably less than as a CF. If we consider shedding Cameron's salary a component of signing Delgado and Wagner, it certainly puts it into a better light.

Delgado and Wagner were huge additions. Omar gave up 2 good prospects for Carlos Delgado, and undoubtedly both will be contributing long after Delgado has retired. But Delgado was the big bat Omar had to have, and I believe Wagner signing so quickly after the trade was no coincidence.

Lo Duca is going to have to grow on us, as most are skeptical of what he brings to the table and how much he has left. Jose Valentin and Julio Franco seem like odd signings, but all that's being risked is relative chump change. The Seo and Benson trades have been more than adequately covered, and the jury is still out.

I don't agree with everything Omar has done this off-season, but I do understand it all. You have to look at what Omar has done like a chess game -- rather than a series of unconnected moves, they were part of a greater strategy. Omar looked at his starting pitching and didn't love what he saw. When he couldn't swing a deal for a Barry Zito or other top of the rotation starter, he went the other way and put all the effort into trying to build a deep bullpen. Despite my misgivings, it could well work out. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt while it all unfolds this summer in Flushing.

Return to New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5 (current page)

Why is the Mets' own network ashamed of the Mets?

2006-02-03T12:48:00.000-05:00

The above title is the $64,000 question for today:

Sports Illustrated: What will SNY be?
I really was just going to ignore this article. Alex Belth, who is a Yankee Blogger, is a fairly promising young baseball writer, but not when it comes to putting aside the typical obnoxious Yankee fan's superiority complex and writing objectively about the Mets. I found this article full of childish little shots at the Mets. This paragraph tells you all you need to know about Belth's "objectivity":

But for all the endearing moments the Mets have enjoyed in their relatively brief history, can you imagine a "Metography" on Jerry Grote or Skip Lockwood, Marv Throneberry or Pat Zachry? The team's history is littered with players who went on to greater success elsewhere -- Nolan Ryan, Amos Otis, Ken Singleton and Jeff Kent, to name a few. Heck, even their golden child, Doc Gooden, went on to pitch a no-hitter for the crosstown rivals, winning two championships in the Bronx (along with Darryl Strawberry) to boot. After Tom Seaver, Ed Kranepool and a handful of others, there isn't much to lionize over the course of a full hour. What are they going to feature? The Art Shamsky Report, Late Night with Ron Swoboda, Fly Fishing with Kevin McReynolds, and Hot Dog Highlights starring Willie Montanez and Lenny Dykstra?

Funny how Yankee fans always feel the need to point out that Gooden and Strawberry spent their twilight years in the Bronx, as if somehow this robs Met fans of what these two once represented. Judging by his picture, Mr. Belth was in diapers when Doc and Darryl were truly great (and truly Mets), not the shadows (especially Doc) that he witnessed in the Bronx. Actually, if the maturity level shown in this article is any indication, that time in diapers probably dragged on a couple of extra years.

If you get past Alex' immature need to put down the Mets and my equally immature need to retaliate, you are left with some interesting questions.

What's wrong with a biography of Marv Throneberry or Jerry Grote? In their own ways, they contributed a lot to what the Mets are, and fans a few years younger than I am don't know who they are. I could think of many candidates whose stories should be told: Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Tug McGraw, Lee Mazzilli, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Wally Backman, Doc, Darryl, Ron Darling... I could go on and on. None of these men spent their entire career with the Mets, but they were all important to Mets history. Some were great players, some not so much. Yankee fans are obsessed with greatness; Mets fans have a different, more human take.

If you ever see YES network's programming when a game isn't on, you see a lot of garbage. For every Yankeeography narrated in John Sterling's pseudo-dramatic style, there are 100 infomercials, a dozen reruns of the Ultimate Road Trip, a couple of Boston vs. NY Poker Challenges and a Michael Kay CenterStage with Donny Most.

If YES network is guilty of bad programming and a somewhat haughty infatuation with Yankee greatness, that's their deal. The bigger question for Mets fans is why SNY -- owned in good part by Fred Wilpon and the Mets -- seems to be bending over so far backwards to not be the Mets network, almost to the point of being ashamed of the team whose games will be the centerpiece of the new network.

They're so concerned with having a network that appeals to non-Met fans, it's starting to offend actual Met fans. We wonder what is going to be in this for us, especially since we will form the backbone of viewership for SNY. Hell, my local Connecticut cable system wasn't even aware of SNY when I called to find out if they will carry the new network. I'll probably have to go through the hassle of switching to satellite -- and other than Mets games, what will my reward be?

Only Mr. Wilpon and the Mets could start a new network and shortchange their own fans in the process. Maybe if we speak up enough, Mets fans can effectively take back our own network.

[Since I like to be fair, I consider this article by Alex Belth on the 30th anniversary of free agency one of the best baseball articles I've read all year, and I'd be interested in reading his Curt Flood biography when it comes out.]

MLB.com: Anderson Hernandez shines in Caribbean series opener
Jesse Sanchez reports that Mets 2B prospect Anderson Hernandez drove in the winning run with a single in the top of the 11th inning as his Dominican Republic team defeated Puerto Rico's 5-4. Hernandez wound up 4-6 in the game with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Hernandez was understandably happy after the game:

To get four hits and get the game-winning hit is unbelievable. This is a short series and we can do it. Like they say, 'Those who win have the most fun.' I'm happy we won, and I think we can win this tournament.
... I feel really great. I never thought I would be here representing my country. I was able to get the hit that gave us the win, and I'm very happy about that. It is a great feeling.

Those that win have the most fun. Maybe Anderson can teach that one to his teammates in camp this spring.

Mets Geek: Let's see what they got
Michael Oliver makes a good case for pushing the top prospects harder during spring training.

Just a heads-up
I will have the fifth and final installment of my New York Mets Hot Stove Moves posted later tonight, featuring the Benson trade and an overall assessment of the winter's action.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4

2006-02-02T18:52:00.000-05:00

We continue our look at some of the moves Omar made this off-season, from significant signings to controversial trades.

1/4/2006 - Traded RHP Jae Seo and LHP Tim Hamulack to the Dodgers for RHP Duaner Sanchez and RHP Steve Schmoll.
Many of us spent most of the season clamoring for Jae Seo to return from exile at AAA-Norfolk and replace the dreadful Kaz Ishii in the rotation. We questioned the need to even send him down on the heels of a 7 inning, 1-hit, 0-runs performance -- exactly what had Ishii done to deserve that rotation spot?

Then, when Seo finally does return in August, he pitches to a 1.78 ERA with 4 wins and a no-decision in 5 starts. He had added a cutter and a breaking pitch to his repertoire to keep the hitters from sitting on his changeup. Although he showed a few cracks in the armor in September, we felt pretty good about Seo as a solid bottom of the rotation contributor -- a nice success story from a homegrown player.

Then Omar breaks one of those cardinal rules of baseball -- he trades away a solid starting pitcher that the fans like for a middle reliever (let's consider the other two guys in the deal a wash). What was going on here? Just who was this Duaner Sanchez -- this kid with the funny glasses and a live arm? The quick answer is that he is a fairly promising 26-year-old pitcher with a live mid-90s fastball, complemented by a slider, curve and changeup.

Omar really needed to upgrade the bullpen, and he felt starting pitching was an area of -- well, if not strength, at least abundance. I've heard the Mets actually liked Schmoll -- a right-handed sidearm pitcher that actually has 90+ velocity on his pitches -- a lot, also. If Seo settles back into the decent bottom of the rotation guy most see him as, this shouldn't be too bad of a deal, but if he grows into a solid #3 guy, Omar is going to be living this one down for a while.

So what can we expect from Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll? Sanchez should provide the Mets with a solid set-up man. He's one of those rubber-armed guys that can bounce back and pitch almost every day. He pitched in 79 games for the Dodgers last year. Since the Mets are going to need a lot of innings from the bullpen, a guy like this will prove very valuable. Moreover, Sanchez did a nice job closing games for the Dodgers at the end of last year. He's said to possess a closer's mentality, and with Billy Wagner somewhat fragile and turning 35 this season, it's important to have someone else on the roster that can close games.

As for Schmoll, the 25-year-old hasn't experienced much success, getting beaten up pretty badly last year in 45 major-league appearances. The Mets see something in him, though -- insisting he wasn't just some throw-in on the deal. Most sidearm pitchers are soft tossers, but Schmoll brings it in the low 90s. Peterson has had good luck with guys like him, and he will also have veteran sidearm pitcher Chad Bradford to learn from. He might very well blossom into a solid setup guy.

Who got the better of the trade? I feel like a broken record here, but I think advantage Dodgers on this one. I like Sanchez, and I believe the Mets needed him, but Seo was a stiff price to pay. I think he becomes a solid fourth or fifth starter -- a consistent double-figure winner with an ERA just under 4. Given that, be careful of all of the pundits that want to make Seo more than he really is -- in his last 7 starts, he pitched fairly badly in 3 of them. He has a lot of trouble making it past the sixth inning. The league will make adjustments to him, and he'll likely settle into a solid, unspectacular career.

If Sanchez fulfills his promise, and Schmoll gives the Mets something, this isn't going to be one of those trades you're going to look back on and really hate. Yes, it is a lot easier to develop a reliever than a starter, but the simple truth is that the Mets have been absolutely deficient in developing relievers. Omar wanted a decent one with a power arm, and he had to give up value to get one. That's important to keep in mind here.

1/10/2006 - Signed Mike Pelfrey, their first round pick in the 2005 amateur draft, to a 4-year deal.
With prospects flying out of the system in those November and December deals, this was a nice change of pace. Pelfrey is seen as a guy with the potential to be pitching in Shea at some point in 2007. He'll likely start off in High-A ball in St. Lucie, and then get promoted to AA-Binghamton when the weather warms up. This is one to most definitely keep an eye on. For Baseball America's scouting report on Pelfrey, read this post (scroll down).

1/18/2006 - Signed free agent Japanese RHP Yusaku Iriki to a 1-year, $1 million contract
Iriki is a 32-year-old pitcher that has had a relatively mediocre career in Japan. Omar sees him a swingman that can start or provide long relief.

I'm like most of you in that I know absolutely nothing about this guy. The best thing I've read on him came from Mike McGann at Gotham Baseball. If you are interested in learning more about Iriki, I recommend you check out the excellent feature.

Coming Next: In part 5, we'll look at the most controversial deal of the winter -- Kris Benson for Jorge Julio.

Return to New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4 (current page)
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5

Remaking the Farm

2006-02-02T11:52:00.000-05:00

Today's news roundup features an interesting look at the future of the Mets farm system:

Gotham Baseball: Starting from scratch
Mike McGann is back with another strong column, this one on the gutting and what we all hope will be the eventual rebuilding of the Mets farm system. As McGann points out, a lot of Mets fans are upset that the farm system is now ranked at the bottom of major league systems.

Omar Minaya was obviously unhappy with the Mets' system of scouting and development, making wholesale changes on both sides. After speaking with Minaya, McGann offers this on what Minaya saw as the problem:

Two issues are immediate: Minaya wasn't happy with the scouting criteria being used to draft and sign players. He also wasn't happy about the lack of a central way of doing things, a Mets way to teach and play, much as the Braves have done for many years. He disagreed with my observation that there was too much chaos in the system, but said changes such the new scouting department, new farm director Adam Wogan and all the new managers were to put a new philosophy in place.

Despite the fact that the system has actually managed to produce some major league talent the last couple of years, I couldn't agree more with Minaya that drastic changes were needed. Moreover, what I really hope to see is some consistency in the long term. The organization changes its developmental philosophy with the same squirrel running in the road frenzied changes of direction that have been more obvious on the major league level.

I remember back a few years when the organization specialized in speedy OF prospects that couldn't hit. None of them made it. McGann pokes fun of another organizational fad with this statement:

The rebuilding continues with the June draft. It will be interesting to see how many 6'-2", 220-pound righthanded pitchers with a 92 MPH fastball, the former speciality of the Mets draft house, get taken this year. My guess is fewer.

Funny, but somewhat sad, too. If Minaya can attack the two issues of scouting criteria and a lack of a standardized developmental philosophy, maybe we can look forward to a day when the Mets have a really productive farm system, that produces not only a Wright and Reyes, but solid guys for the bench and the bullpen, too. Maybe there will come a time when trading 4 or 5 prospects in a winter doesn't completely gut the system.

Mets.com: Delgado looking forward to playing against the Cubans
Marty Noble reports that Carlos Delgado is pumped up by the prospect of his Puerto Rican team facing the Cubans in the World Baseball Classic, quoting Delgado on the novelty of the experience:

It's a unique thing. We never played against each other. I know in Puerto Rico, everyone is looking forward to it.
Non-professionally, they're one of the best teams in the world. Due to the proximity, a lot of people want to see Cuba. They'd like to see how they match up against a professional team.

Noble points out that, with the Puerto Rican team training in Port St. Lucie, at least Delgado and Carlos Beltran will be in close proximity to their Mets teammates.

Also on Mets.com: The middle infielders
In the latest weekly installment of Around the Horn, Marty Noble looks at middle infielders Jose Reyes and... Matsui, Keppinger, Hernandez, or Brett Boone -- whoever winds up at second base.

As for Reyes, Noble offers the following:

He beats them with his glove, he beats them with his arm and he beats them -- and the clock -- with his sprinter's speed. Jose Reyes is a triple threat without swinging a bat. And the term applies just as well when he does swing. He can drop three bases on 'em at any time. He's a triple threat in two ways. Even the NBA doesn't have a double-triple.

If he could learn to take a few more walks, he might score 125 runs in this more powerful offense.

..getting paid to watch: Urban Legends and Practicalities
Bob Sikes, who was once an assistant trainer with the 1986 Mets, has a new blog that is written from a perspective few can provide. This particular fascinating story about Dwight Gooden focuses on how the young pitcher's changing body affected his pitching.

NY Sports Day: Adam Rubin's Book
John J. Buro reports on Adam Rubin's forthcoming book on the New York Mets, Pedro, Carlos, and Omar: The Story of a Season in the Big Apple and the Pursuit of Baseball's Top Latino Stars. As most of you know, Rubin is the Mets beat writer for the Daily News. Rubin's book concentrates on the moves Omar Minaya made to restore credibility to a floundering franchise -- something conveniently forgotten by a few fans this winter.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3

2006-02-01T18:51:00.000-05:00

We continue our look at some of the moves Omar made this off-season, from significant signings to controversial trades.

12/8/2005 - Selected RHP Mitch Wylie from the San Francisco Giants Triple-A Fresno roster in the Rule 5 Draft.
Once a decent prospect who suffered through multiple injuries, as a rule 5 draftee Wylie must stay on the Mets 25 man roster all season, or be offered back to the Giants for half of the $50,000 they paid to get him.

12/8/2005 - Signed free agent INF Jose Valentin to a 1-year, $900,000 contract
This was at first reported to be a minor-league deal, with an invitation to spring training, but Valentin is on the 40-man roster and it seems like he has a job with the Mets. Personally, I've never cared for Valentin as a ballplayer. He'll hit some home runs if he's healthy, but strikes out a ton and is a bad defensive player. He's coming off a horrible, injury-plagued season in L.A., and he's 36 years old.

This is one guy that tends to get brought up when some people want to accuse Omar of favoring Latin ballplayers, but I don't buy that. Basically, he's a left-handed hitting reserve infielder with a ton of experience, and Omar isn't betting much money on him. If this one bothers you, lighten up. At $900k I doubt that Omar would be afraid to dump him if he bombs out.

12/9/2005 - Signed free agent 1B Julio Franco to a 2-year, $2 million contract
Giving a 47-year-old Hispanic ballplayer a 2-year contract added more fuel to the fire to those that questioned Minaya's Latin bias. It certainly was a head-scratcher, but it really isn't hard to understand when you look at it. By signing Franco, Minaya accomplished several things: he took a great team leader away from the Braves' kiddy corps and put him in the Mets clubhouse. He has a solid right-handed bat off the bench, he is a good defensive first baseman who can be a late game defensive replacement, and he can give Delgado enough days off to keep him fresh.

Thanks to a healthy dose of "Jesus Juice", Franco has done a good job staying one jump ahead of Father Time, and the hope is that he can manage it for another couple of years. If he loses the battle, keep in mind that $1 million per year is hardly a huge investment in today's game.

12/14/2005 - Signed LHP Matt Perisho, INF Juan Tejada, C Sandy Martinez and OF Julio Ramirez to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training.
You can file all of these moves under the heading of "throw a lot of bodies at the problem and see if any stick." Perisho is one of many candidates for the left-handed specialist job in the bullpen. He has decent stuff, but an inability to throw strikes consistently has always been his undoing. Tejada (23) was a prospect in the Tigers system, but not enough of a prospect, I guess, since they released him. He did make the AA Eastern League All-Star team in 2004. Martinez is a 35-year-old catcher with 564 lifetime major-league ABs. He spent last season in AAA. Ramirez is hardly a prospect at 28. In 96 career major-league ABs he has managed a sparkling .167 lifetime AVG.

If you can get Perisho to throw enough strikes he could do the job as the situational leftie. He has shown enough promise to pitch in at least part of 8 major-league seasons, but has failed to deliver anything special. In 276 career IP, he has 202 Ks and 162 BBs with a 6.39 ERA. Of the rest, only Juan Tejada is given much chance to ever contribute anything to the Mets.

12/14/2005 - Signed LHP Darren Oliver, RHP Jose Parra and LHP Pedro Feliciano to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training; Released LHP Kazuhisa Ishii.
Oliver, another candidate for the situational leftie job, actually retired from baseball on May 21 of last season. The 35-year-old is a 12 year major-league veteran. He pitched primarily as a starter in his decidedly mediocre career, and is living proof that any LHP with a pulse has a chance to pitch in today's MLB. Parra and Feliciano have both pitched for the Mets previously. Parra was actually fairly effective in 2004 in a limited sampling. Both spent last season in Japan, where thankfully Kaz Ishii will be pitching in 2006.

12/23/2005 - Signed OF Endy Chavez (Non-tendered by the Phillies) to a one-year contract.
Chavez has always hit well against the Mets. Unfortunately, he has struggled against everyone else. He'll try to make the team as a left-handed batting reserve OF. Tike Redman will be his primary competition for that role. Chavez is a much better defensive OF than Redman. He has great speed and is a good base stealer. Unfortunately he rarely walks, has a lifetime OBP under .300, and almost no power. I'd go with Chavez over Redman on the strength of his speed and defense, apparently the Mets agree. They removed Redman from the 40-man roster during one of their many off-season shuffles, exposing him to waivers.

12/23/2005 - Signed RHP Chad Bradford (Non-tendered by the Red Sox) to a one-year $1.4 million contract.
Not a bad move here. Bradford has been an effective right-handed specialist with his sidearm delivery, especially while under the tutelage of pitching coach Rick Peterson in Oakland. He hasn't been as good since Peterson left, compounded by some back problems he experienced last season that limited him to 23 innings and diminished his dominance over right-handed batters.

It's reasonable to hope that being reunited with Peterson should help him regain effectiveness, giving Willie Randolph some funk out of the 'pen that may actually get people out.

1/4/2006 - Signed INF Bret Boone to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
After a steep decline in the 2004 season, Boone looked really washed up last year in both Seattle and Minnesota. In 326 ABs combined, he managed a .221 AVG with 7 HR and 34 RBI. There have been whispers about steroid use since his power numbers jumped dramatically in his seventh MLB season, and they have continued to follow him on the downside of his career.

If Boone is the starting 2B coming out of spring training, we're in trouble...

Coming Next: In part 4, we'll look at the unpopular Tim Hamulack for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll trade -- with that Korean kid the Mets threw into the deal...

Return to New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3 (current page)
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5

Let's trade Jose Reyes before it's too late

2006-02-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

Before I get to the small amount of Mets news this morning, I'd like to once again offer my helpful assistance to GM Omar Minaya. Watching shortstop Jose Reyes finally make it in one piece through a full season last year, I began to feel pretty good about the chances of the 22-year-old fulfilling some of his potential.

How silly that was. I've read enough this winter by those that use statistics to predict player performance about Reyes to convince me that he's a terrible player both at the plate and in the field. Now I implore Omar to get some value back in return for Jose before all of the other GMs read this stuff and refuse to offer more than spare parts or faded prospects in return.

It's really too bad. In 3-1/2 decades of watching the Mets I've seen no other player come through that provided the level of excitement that Reyes brings to the ballpark. I've enjoyed watching the pressure that he puts on the other team's defense and pitcher whenever he gets on base. I love the way he finds that extra gear between first and second base while legging out one of his triples.

And I'm impressed by the effect Willie Randolph and his coaching staff have had on Reyes, helping him to slowly develop at least a semblance of patience at the plate, work a pitcher a little better and sometimes even take a walk. For a kid who isn't going to be 23 until June, and was rushed to the major leagues at least a year early (he had 335 ABs combined in AA and AAA) I thought that was decent progress.

But no, sadly I've been informed that Reyes is nothing more than an "out machine". We'd be better off with a kind of slow guy that takes a lot of pitches. Worst of all, statistics that predict how many plays he should have made and compare them to how many he actually did make have now convinced me that Jose is a terrible defensive shortstop, too.

Omar, are you listening to this stuff? Get rid of this kid before the market for him completely disappears!

Okay, maybe what I've written here isn't completely fair. I've actually come around to a real interest in analyzing past and predicting future performance through the use of statistical analysis. I agree that Reyes is a very rough work in progress, and may be better served down the road by hitting lower in the order. I watched almost all the games last season, and was frustrated at times by the way he lost concentration in the field and failed to make some plays that he should have.

But the kid is still so damned young, and has the kind of breathtaking talent that you can't teach. There has never been anyone like him in all of my years of watching this team -- not even close. Lighten up on him a little, and at least let him make it past 25 before you toss him on the scrap heap.

RealGM Baseball: And today's featured jerk is...
Walter A. Nesbeth III -- who makes the following statement:

I may be off base here (no pun intended), but am I the only one that doesn’t get the whining and crying that is being heard emanating from the Met faithful and some talk show hosts who obviously are short on material?

Yes, Walter, we get it. All Mets fans are whiny racists, and you're the voice of reason. I'm glad that I've already seized the moral high ground for myself, because quite obviously the vast majority of Mets fans who don't believe Omar is engaged in a Latin conspiracy -- but have no public forum -- don't count to such heroes of reason and justice like Mr. Nesbeth. Jerk...

NY Sports Day: Billy Wagner
Joe McDonald has another great feature, this one on the new Mets closer.

Sports Illustrated: 1968
Tom Verducci has a great look at what he calls the "Class of '68" -- a group of great players, including Mike Piazza, who are at the very tail end of their careers.

Daily News: Clemente
Christian Red reports on Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado's support for retiring Roberto Clemente's number 21 in all of baseball.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2

2006-01-31T18:51:00.000-05:00

We continue our look at some of the moves Omar made this off-season, from significant signings to controversial trades.

11/28/2005 - Acquired OF Tike Redman from the Pirates for cash
It's no coincidence that Billy Wagner signed with the Mets the day after they added Redman to the roster. By getting Tike Redman, Omar Minaya proved to Wagner that he was serious about building a real pennant contender... Oh, sorry -- it was the Delgado trade that did that. Never mind.

11/29/2005 - Signed free agent closer Billy Wagner to a 4-year deal
The Mets received a lot of flack from the boys at WFAN for pulling out all of the stops to sign the top free agent closer. The bottom line is that it worked, and signing Wagner filled an absolutely critical need for the Mets, if they are serious about contending in 2006.

There is some question as to whether the Mets overpaid to get Wagner, especially in the length of the contract. Wagner is a power pitcher who will turn 35 in July. The odds of him still being an effective closer at age 39 seem rather slim. (There actually is a club option for the fifth year -- what do you suppose the odds are on the Mets making that choice?) I think the Mets will be happy to get a couple of dominant years out of Wagner and then anything else will be a bonus. If that happens, I think most Mets fans will be happy.

This is the one move that Omar made over the off-season that he received little criticism for -- other than the contract length, which we all understand was the price of signing Wagner once B.J. Ryan signed a 5-year deal. Could this backfire? Sure -- maybe Wagner gets hurt and doesn't give the Mets any years as a dominant closer. Still, the reward of finally having a real closer outweighs the risk.

And Tike Redman jokes aside, for those that accused Omar of being in too big of a hurry to get Delgado, you can't convince me that the Delgado signing didn't help influence Wagner's choice. Few of the pundits who bashed Omar in print for his moves bother to concede that obvious point.

12/5/2005 - Traded prospects OF Dante Brinkley and RHP Gaby Hernandez to the Marlins for C Paul Lo Duca.
Omar Minaya followed up his least controversial off-season move for what is arguably his most controversial. Negotiations with free agent catchers Ramon Hernandez and Bengie Molina didn't seem very promising, and most of us were expecting the quest for a catcher to drag on past the winter meetings. The first go round on the Chris Benson for Jorge Julio rumors were consuming all of us, and we no sooner breathed a sigh of relief when the deal fell through when we started hearing about Lo Duca.

Lo Duca is a 34 year old catcher that has had problems throwing out runners, and also has a history of wearing down as the season goes on. He has no power, and at $6 million + per year for the next two years he isn't all that cheap.

After the trade of Yusmeiro Petit in the Delgado deal, Gaby Hernandez was the top pitching prospect left in the system, and the #3 overall in Baseball America's ranking of Mets prospects. It wasn't that he was projected to be an ace -- most credible sources had him pegged as a solid middle of the rotation starter. The consensus, though, was that the 19 year old Hernandez should be ready for the majors within a couple of years. He seems a lot to give up for Paul Lo Duca, who is one of the most overrated players in baseball. His numbers just don't match up with his reputation.

But we keep hearing how great he will be in the clubhouse. WFAN's Ed Coleman, whose opinion I really do respect, likes Lo Duca a lot, and is convinced he will win over those of us Mets fans who remain skeptical. And there is a thought that playing Ramon Castro twice a week will keep Lo Duca fresh.

So what can we expect from Paul Lo Duca? I don't even pretend to know. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he is at the age where catchers that started off much better than he is have declined rapidly. It seems likely that, although he will throw out more runners than Piazza, he will be below average in that category. He will handle the pitching staff well, and will be popular in the clubhouse. He will hit for a higher average than most catchers, but his power numbers will be on the low side.

Who got the better of the trade? I think the Marlins win this one, but it depends on Hernandez. A lot can happen to a pitching prospect on the way to the majors, and the buzz, for what it's worth, is the Mets internally didn't have him rated very high. Dante Brinkley projects as a fourth or fifth outfielder, if he makes it at all. Lo Duca will probably be decent for a couple of years and then be out of here. It's another win-now move -- if Lo Duca contributes to a championship, it was worth it.

One thing that many have missed here, though, is the message that Omar sent to future free agents the Mets might be trying to sign down the road. Hernandez and Molina were obviously trying to play the Mets to drive their prices up, a gambit we have seen far to often over the years. The message that Omar has sent: there's a new sheriff in town -- play that game, and be prepared for the Mets to move on without you. Down the road, that might pay dividends.

Coming Next: In part 3, we'll look at Jose Valentin, Julio Franco, Chad Bradford and more...

Return to New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2 (current page)
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5

Why build a new stadium when all it needs is a coat of paint?

2006-01-31T12:33:00.000-05:00

In today's Mets news roundup our first stop brings us back to what has become a familiar subject.

Baseball Prospectus: More stadium tap-dancing
In today's Baseball Prospectus Mailbag, Neil deMause answers some e-mails regarding his views on stadium financing. As I've been on this a couple of times, I would recommend reading the following postings if you haven't already done so:
1. Major League Franchises Need to Be in Major League Cities
2. Should Mets fans feel guilty about the new stadium? (scroll down)
3. New Mailbag; More on the New Stadium (scroll down)

My primary concern with Mr. deMause's views specifically deal with some statements he has made on the MLB policy that allows teams to deduct expenses incurred in building a new stadium from the revenue sharing money that is supposed to benefit smaller market teams. In previous discussions, I referred to deMause's ridiculous statement that equated this to forcing the other teams to finance part of the stadium. Remember, this is actually locally generated reveue -- it's a reduction in the money paid to other teams. No one is taking money spent by a Houston Astros fan in their new stadium to use in New York, though I'm sure revenue sharing dollars from New York helped build their new stadium.

Mr. deMause reveals some interesting things about himself in some of his answers, especially this one (emphasis mine):

I grew up going to Shea (Sunday plan, 1971-1979, before I contracted Doug Flynn poisoning and fled to the Bronx), so I actually have a soft spot in my heart for it. But yes, it's not the most attractive stadium in the world. On the other hand, a new stadium in the parking lot isn't going to make the outfield view of Flushing any more attractive, and I doubt the affordable seats at the new place will be any closer to the action than at Shea, so I'm not overly optimistic about a new building. Remember, the last stadium pre-sold as being modeled after Ebbets Field was Milwaukee's Miller Park, and look how that turned out.
Philadelphia is actually an interesting comparison--the city and state spent a ton of money on Citizens Bank Park, and they certainly bought themselves a nicer venue than Veterans Stadium. But then, that's an awfully low bar to set. Maybe it would be more cost-effective just for New York City to spring for a paint job at Shea--hey, they could even bring back those blue-and-orange corrugated-metal dealies that used to hang on the exterior--and a pair of binoculars for every fan.

So Mr. deMause was a Mets fan who switched to the Yankees because the Mets sucked. You lost me here, sir. This interesting piece of news disqualifies you as a real baseball fan, because we all know no real fan would even consider switching to the Yankees. I have nothing but contempt for frontrunners.

But let's get past that. No Mets fan who has stuck it out with their team -- instead of going over to the dark side as Mr. deMause has done -- has any doubt that the new stadium is needed, and will be a huge upgrade to the decrepit junk pile the Mets currently call home. As a fan, I can care less whether the outfield view is more attractive, or whether the affordable seats will be any closer. I also know a paint job isn't going to do it. I'm sure you and your new buddies in the Bronx had a good laugh over that one, though.

Look, I admit that I have an agenda here. As a Mets fan -- a real fan who has stayed with this team through the Doung Flynn years and worse -- I want a new stadium to replace what might well be the worst stadium in baseball. I'm in favor of what allows this new stadium to get built. Furthermore, although he's glossed over it today, I have a strong objection to previous statements by Mr. deMause that equated the deduction of stadium expenses from revenue sharing dollars as "a clever dodge of baseball's attempts to level the playing field for low-revenue teams".

Mr. deMause has an agenda, too, which he doesn't freely admit. He's so dead-set against these new stadiums he can't even concede the need for a replacement for Shea Stadium. There are valid points to be discussed regarding use of public dollars for sports teams, but you lose me completely when you are so in love with your own narrow point of view that you gloss over anything that might conflict with it.

As far as your cheery disclosure that you dumped the Mets in favor of the Yankees -- sorry, you're just a cockroach in my eyes. (My apologies in advance to any loyal Met cockroaches offended by the comparison to Mr. deMause.)

Baseball America: Another front office change for the Mets
Matt Meyers reports on Alan Wogan, the new Mets' director of minor league operations. Wogan, who worked for Omar Minaya with the Expos, made the following statement:

I have the utmost respect for Omar and I am familiar with the way he operates and the desires he has for the minor league system, and I think that can only help. That will help in getting to know the staff quickly and help all the working relationships.

Daily News: Carlos and Carlos
Christian Red, who did a great feature on Carlos Delgado a while back, reports on a Home Run Derby in Puerto Rico that was billed as "The Battle of the Carlos," an event that raised money for the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School. Red quoted Delgado on comments by Chris Russo and others that Omar is biased towards Latin ballplayers:

I want to congratulate (Minaya) publicly, because he's done everything within his power to make that ballclub better. I read a quote that Omar said, 'All I'm trying to do is field the (best) team that I can, whether it's Latin, American, Japanese or whatever.' If we're good and we happen to be Latino, so be it.

Carlos Beltran actually beat Delgado in the competition.

Mets Daily: Jeff Keppinger
John Strubel has a nice piece on Jeff Keppinger, who has become somewhat of a forgotten man within the Mets organization.

Mets.com: Spring Training Guide
Marty Noble has a feature on the Mets web site that fans planning to attend some of spring training will find useful.

Mets Geek: Fixing the relievers
Andrew Hintz has an interesting feature on Rick Peterson's success in working with relief pitchers, and the hopes that he might be able to do something with Jorge Julio.

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1

2006-01-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

We'll be taking a look at some of the moves Omar made this off-season, from significant signings to controversial trades.

11/9/2005 - Signed LHP Matt Perisho to a minor-league contract
In his quest to find a decent lefty for the bullpen, Omar's bringing in any LHP with a pulse to camp. Perisho has bounced around with several teams, including the Angels, Texas, Detroit and last year with the Marlins. He has a lifetime 6.39 ERA, walks a ton of guys, and is only okay at getting lefties out.

11/15/2005 - Declined options on Felix Heredia and Kaz Ishii
Addition by subtraction. 'Nuff said.

11/18/2005 - Traded Mike Cameron to the San Diego Padres for Xavier Nady
This is the move that started all of the off-season "fun". It came as no surprise that the Mets traded Mike Cameron, but fans were hoping to receive some bullpen help in return, and certainly more than faded prospect Xavier Nady.

Once considered to be an outstanding power-hitting prospect, Nady hit poorly against right-handed pitching, was a marginal defensive player and struggled to earn playing time on a team that desperately needed an offensive spark. At 27 years old, and with 775 lifetime ABs, many think Nady has proven to be only a candidate for a platoon, and simply not enough in return for a full-time Gold Glove caliber centerfielder in a market short of quality CFs.

Omar may believe in Nady more than the "experts", but this was a salary dump, plain and simple. Omar didn't want to play a defensive right fielder $6 million. Nady makes a fraction of that, and Omar used the money saved for Carlos Delgado.

Did he get enough in return for Cameron? Of course not -- if he wanted to maximize Cameron's value he would have held onto him until the CF market got even thinner, but the risk there was that he would get stuck with more salary. I believe Omar made the deal because it accomplished exactly what he wanted to do -- clearing a lot of salary and bringing in a young player with some promise. Many speculate that Nady was intended to be moved out in a trade for someone else -- perhaps Barry Zito -- that fell through. I thought that was a strong possibility. For lack of any real evidence we'll leave that there.

So what can we expect from Xavier Nady? I found an article by FOX's Kevin Kennedy that opined Nady still had 35 HR potential, but most other sources see him more as a part-timer primarily used against left-handed pitchers. He'll compete with Victor Diaz for the RF job. If he loses that battle, he'll still probably see playing time in RF and in LF spelling Cliff Floyd.

Who got the better of the trade? Probably San Diego, as long as Cameron comes back all the way from the injury. Don't discount the fact that dumping $5 million in salary helped to bring in Carlos Delgado, though.

11/15/2005 - Traded 1B Mike Jacobs, RHP prospect Yusmeiro Petit and INF prospect Grant Psomas to the Florida Marlins for 1b Carlos Delgado and cash.
I wasn't a big fan of this move when it was first discussed -- mainly because Delgado didn't really seem to want to come here. Now that doesn't seem to be a problem, and I can't kill Omar for this trade. He gave up a lot in Jacobs and Petit, but he brought back the true cleanup hitter that the Mets so desperately needed.

Omar got a lot of flack from this trade for allegedly overpaying when the Marlins were desperate to get rid of Delgado's salary. There are some worries about Delgado's age (he'll be 34 in June) and history of injuries (he hasn't played in 150+ games since 2001). What can't be argued is that he is still one of the elite power hitters in baseball (33 HR, 115 RBI, .582 SLG in 2005). He put up impressive numbers in a tougher hitter's park than Shea, and bats left-handed, a much favorable side for a power hitter in Shea.

I think there were several things working here. I believe that the Marlins needed more from a team in their own division than they might have accepted from a team outside of the division. Omar spoke of a sense of urgency to make this deal before free agent 1B Paul Konerko signed and more teams looked harder at Delgado. It was easy for some in the media to discount this in hindsight, but I think it was a valid point.

So what can we expect from Carlos Delgado? I'd be surprised if he didn't bat over .280, with 30+ HR and 100+ RBI. Julio Franco should spell him often enough to keep him fresh. He'll probably decline over the last 2 years of his contract, and the way the Mets are structured he'll have company on the career downside. Still, for a lot less money and playing a less demanding position than Manny Ramirez, he was a much safer bet to remain somewhat productive through the life of the contract.

Who got the better of the trade? That remains to be seen. In the short-term, most likely the Mets. In the long run, if Jacobs isn't a Kevin Maas type wonder -- and I don't think he is -- and Petit fulfils his potential to be a solid mid-rotation starter, the Marlins will probably come out ahead. This was a win-now move, so much depends on whether the Mets actually manage to win.

Coming Next: In part 2, we'll look at Billy Wagner, Paul Lo Duca and more...

Return to New York Mets Hot Stove Moves Overview

New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 1 (current page)
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 2
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 3
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 4
New York Mets Hot Stove Moves, Part 5

New Mailbag; More on the New Stadium

2006-01-30T15:26:00.000-05:00

Mets beat reporter Marty Noble answers questions from fans, including a couple of thought-provoking response concerning Carlos Beltran and how fast to push a promising prospect. I also revisit whether it is "fair" to use Baseball Revenue Sharing dollars to finance a stadium.

Mets.com: Marty's got a brand new bag
Marty Noble has a new Mailbag on Mets.com.

When asked if he thought Carlos Beltran could bat .300 with 100 RBIs and 25-30 HR, Noble answered:

Beltran has had two .300 seasons and has a .282 career average, so a .300 season, while clearly possible, doesn't seem likely. Driving in 100 runs or more runs seems more likely. He has had five seasons of at least 100 RBIs.
But in each case, the RBIs were a by-product of a home run total of at least 22. In those five seasons, Beltran averaged 28 home runs. He hit 16 last season -- and only six in 295 at-bats at Shea Stadium. His home park doesn't give up home runs too often, so I don't anticipate him reaching 25 home runs.
He batted .298 -- 32 points higher than his overall average -- in 151 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The other Mets batted .247 in those situations. So he did respond in opportune and challenging moments.
The problem was that he batted third almost exclusively and the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in the Mets' batting order had the lowest composite on-base percentage in the National League.

I wonder if you broke down that .298 AVG with RISP over the season if it didn't decline significantly as the year went on. It just seemed as if whenever Beltran had an important AB later in the year he produced a bad strikeout or -- what became almost a trademark for him -- a weak roller to second base.

I have no doubt that Beltran was hampered by the players that hit in front of him, but I can't let him off the hook as Marty did. Beltran was trying to pull everything as the year went on, and left many runners stranded.

Having said that, I agree with Noble that Beltran isn't likely to be a .300 hitter, but I wouldn't consider 25 HR unreachable for him at Shea, since most of his ABs there will be as a left-handed batter. The important thing is that he uses the gaps and his speed to good effect. 20 HR would be fine, combined with plenty of doubles.

There was also a good response to a question of whether Benson's departure will hasten number one pick Mike Pelfrey's ascension to the main club:

With Benson and Seo gone, a greater need for starting pitching and, therefore, a greater opportunity will exist. But ideally, the only the factor that will prompt a quick ascent to the big leagues by Pelfrey is Pelfrey's development.
That said, almost every highly-regarded prospect in Mets history has moved to the big leagues more quickly than the club initially predicted. Neil Allen, Darryl Strawberry and Bill Pulsipher were rushed to the Majors because of on-the-field need. Lee Mazzilli was put on the fast track at least partially because the club needed to improve its image at a time when it would eschew free agency.
Gregg Jefferies was rushed -- to his lasting detriment -- for no apparent reason other than baseball greed. The 1988 Mets had no need for him, and his early promotion only added to his problems -- some of them self-produced -- being accepted by teammates.
At the same time, Dwight Gooden, Jason Isringhausen, Jose Reyes and David Wright reached the big leagues at relatively young ages and prospered almost immediately.

I agree with Marty on Gregg Jefferies. I've often wonder if another year or so to grow up mentally in the minors could have helped Gooden and Strawberry make better choices later on. As for Reyes, I think another year out of the spotlight, working on some weaknesses could have benefited him immensely.

Baseball Prospectus: Stadium Financing
I took some exception last week to Neil deMause's views on financing for both the Mets and Yankees' stadiums. So did someone that he criticized in the article. Andrew Zimbalist questions some of Mr. deMause's math in defending himself, and does a pretty good job of discrediting many of deMause's statements. Unfortunately, you have to be a Baseball Prospectus subscriber to read more than the beginning of the article.

My point here, one that I made in two previous entries, Should Mets fans feel guilty about the new stadium? and Major League Franchises Need to Be in Major League Cities, is that this idea of deMause -- MLB allowing teams like the Mets and Yankees to deduct stadium expenses from revenue sharing is tantamount to stealing money from other teams -- is a load of crap.

Yes, there is some actual public subsidy of the Mets and Yankees' new stadiums in infrastructure and tax breaks. Yes, people that are not baseball fans contribute to this in the same way that baseball fans do. Well, guess what? The theatre and the arts receive public money, from those that actively enjoy them and those that don't.

Mr. Zimbalist shows that deMause considered the savings in revenue sharing a public subsidy of the stadium, which was certainly some interesting intellectual gymnastics on deMause's part if not out-and-out intellectual dishonesty. This rule was enacted to allow stadiums to be built using as little public money as possible. For me personally, I can't get past finding fault with using revenue generated locally from Mets fans to build a stadium that is a significant benefit to Mets fans.

Did Mets fans not love Mike Piazza enough?

2006-01-30T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, Piazza is now a San Diego Padre, and although it's not going to be fun to see him in another uniform, I'm grateful for a couple of things -- that we don't have to watch him on the outside looking in, that he's not a Yankee, and that the Padres don't wear those God-awful feces-brown uniforms anymore.

Needless to say, there is a ton of articles in the New York area dailies about Mike this morning. Tyler Kepner had a good one in the New York Times that offers the following quote from Piazza's agent Dan Lozano on why Mike chose the Padres:

Mike doesn't consider himself a backup catcher. He's happy because he's going to a place where he's going to get to play. In the end, all the signs kept pushing him to San Diego.
...It's a great place to play. Kevin Towers was phenomenal throughout the whole process. Mike gets to control how much playing time he gets.

I really don't know what else to say about this. I was there the second-to-last game of the season and was one of the fans that gave Mike a standing ovation for striking out as a pinch-hitter. I remember that I had something in my eye that caused it to water quite a bit -- by coincidence, so did a lot of the men and women in the seats around me. That was my goodbye to one of the greatest Mets I've had the pleasure to watch over the years.

I will say one more thing, though. Last week I took exception to something Joel Sherman wrote, and today it's the New York Post's Kevin Kernan who annoyed me with the following statement:

For all of Piazza's immense success with the Mets, you get the feeling he never was fully appreciated by the fans, the media or Mets management.

I don't care about the media or Mets management, but as far as the fans were concerned, what the hell are you talking about? The few loudmouths that will criticize any Met star that doesn't bat 1.000 and make every play flawlessly in the field? Again, like Sherman earlier in the week, Kernan seems to think that these few speak for the many. I was there one of many times when real Met fans showed Mike how we felt.

I have the utmost respect for sportswriters and columnists, but I'm losing patience with this type of thing. To Kernan, and those like him who feel the need to make asinine, broad-brush type self-righteous pronouncements, I have one thing left to say: "Screw you, you pompous jerk." Real Met fans have no apology to make to Mike Piazza -- or to you, either.

On a happier note, Newsday offers a great 64 photo slideshow on Piazza to us undeserving Mets fans in this article. Click on the second photo down.

Mets.com: 1986 Game 6
Marty Noble recounts Ron Darling's personal recollections of the dramatic Game 6 World Series comeback against the Red Sox.

Index of Archived Posts: 2006

2006-01-29T23:19:00.000-05:00

The following list includes all posts for the current year, and will be updated periodically.

January 2006

February 2006

February 2006
Let's trade Jose Reyes before it's too late 2-1-2006

Omar's Latin Conspiracy?

2006-01-29T11:46:00.000-05:00

There isn't much real Mets news out there, and probably won't be until Spring Training opens up in mid-February. There is, however, a growing number of opinion pieces out there on the racism of those that accuse Omar Minaya of blindly building a ballclub that features as many Hispanic players as possible.

I've looked at them all -- three in the Daily News alone -- and decided not to spend a lot of time on them. Nothing new has been added to the debate, and I doubt very much if anyone's mind has been changed. It's similar to the "sophisticated" political process in this country right now -- people start off with their intractable opinions, then only read, watch, and listen to whatever reinforces their point of view. God forbid anyone should question his or her own beliefs.

That's pretty much what you have here. Those convinced that Omar has a secret agenda to Latinize the Flushing 9 are not going to be persuaded by all of the high-minded moral outrage expressed by those that are offended by the perceived bigotry. All this ink is being wasted, as you are only driving the first group underground. You're not converting anyone.

Omar Minaya is a good man whose hard work has helped the Mets become a legit contender this season. If you believe that, as I do, you're nodding your head in agreement with my words of wisdom. If not, you've called me a moron and moved on to find someone that supports your point of view.

The point here is that I'm just not recommending these stories today. It's not because I secretly believe Omar is bigoted against non-Hispanics, it's just simply time to move on. As much as I would love to join some members of the mainstream media in continually outputting drivel that amounts to little more than a pat on my own back for my non-bigotry, I'll resist the urge.

Newsday: Cronyism?
John Heyman also dismisses the ongoing Latin debate, but points out one of Omar's real weaknesses:

If there's a quibble here about Minaya's personnel procurement, it's in some front-office hires. Minaya almost exclusively hires close friends, even when others are better equipped.
Sometimes there can be no argument, such as when he hires his mentor, Sandy Johnson, or longtime scout Bryan Lambe. But Minaya installed a buddy as scouting director last year, and the Mets' draft - after No. 1 pick Mike Pelfrey - has been described as disastrous by competitors and Mets people alike. Minaya has since replaced this fellow.

That's the type of important debate that sometimes gets buried under the other crap. Heyman also has a quote from a Mets official concerning Lastings Milledge, rumored to be a component of just about every proposed trade:

Milledge isn't going anywhere. He's going to be our leftfielder in 2007.

NY Sports Day: Darryl
Joe McDonald, who has been bringing it all week, has another great feature. This one is on Darryl Strawberry, who, despite his enjoyment in working with young players, talks about his lack of coaching aspirations:

I will never manage and I will never coach. I am a person who wants to give back and help younger players. I am not in it for the long haul to be a coach or a manager. I enjoy the kids and I don't really worry about the other parts.

Fox Sports: The future at Second Base
Ken Rosenthal offers the following on Anderson Hernandez:

A pair of switch-hitting middle-infield prospects - the Angels' Erick Aybar and Mets' Anderson Hernandez - made a strong impression while playing for Licey, champion of the Dominican winter league.
"They're both live-bodied guys," one scout says. "The more you watch them play, the more you see all the things they can do. Both have a chance to be pretty good big-league players."

You have to believe that, if the Mets believe in Anderson Hernandez as their long-term solution at 2B, that has be part of their reasoning behind not going crazy over picking up one this winter.

This week we'll start looking back at the moves Omar Minaya has made this off-season, and commenting on them from strictly a baseball standpoint.

On Pedro, the Toe, and the WBC

2006-01-28T14:29:00.000-05:00

Saturday's New York Mets news roundup offers a double dose of Joel Sherman, a feature on utility infielder Jose Valentin, and a nice piece from the Washington Post on how baseball helped the former American hostages in Iran upon their return.

New York Post: Omar: Pedro will only pitch in WBC if he is 100%
Joel Sherman quotes Mets GM Omar Minaya on Pedro Martinez' participation in the World Baseball Classic:

We sponsor the event, we believe in the event, but we have said all along the guys have to be 100 percent to play. We are not going to risk the season because of the event. If Pedro Martinez is not 100 percent, I don't think we want him risking pitching. But we have to have that conversation with Pedro in spring to find out where he is at.

Martinez, one of the most popular players in his country, is under a lot of pressure in the Dominican Republic to pitch in the classic. Most Mets fans, myself included, will be holding our breath any time he takes the rubber in that event.

MSG Network: NL East: Mets better, everyone else worse
Joel Sherman sounds off on the NL east, where the Mets have improved while all four other teams have not. Nothing really groundbreaking here, but he makes some interesting points. I found his comment on Tom Gordon somewhat questionable:

The Phillies replaced Wagner with Tom Gordon, who is very good, but also very fragile and very susceptible to home runs as he goes to a homer haven in Philadelphia.

Actually, as a relief pitcher, Gordon has been relatively stingy in giving up the longball. Two years ago in the Bronx he gave up 5 dingers in 89.2 innings, then last year 8 in 80.2. Even last year wasn't horrible, but Gordon does seem to have a knack for giving them up in big situations. I don't think Gordon is going to be terrible in Philadelphia, but if he gets off to a bad start the fans will probably get on him.

Sherman also offers this interesting tidbit regarding the Seo trade:

The Mets made the Jae Seo trade to the Dodgers because they were hungry to add Duaner Sanchez's power arm to their late-game bullpen mix. But don't diminish how much they wanted Steve Schmoll in the deal, as well. The Mets think Schmoll is intriguing. He throws right-handed and submarine style like Chad Bradford. But unlike Bradford, who deceives hitters by throwing slower than normal, Schmoll works at 90-92 mph.

It would certainly be unusual for a bullpen to feature two sidearm pitchers, much less three if LHP Mike Venafro somehow sticks. Willie would have all the funk he could hope for, while Mets fans would be ecstatic if they could actually get hitters out.

Mets.com: Jorge Julio signed to one-year deal
Marty Noble reports that the Mets and newly acquired reliever Jorge Julio avoided arbitration by negotiating a one-year, $2,525,000 contract. The number was $25,000 less than splitting the difference between the two sides' proposals. Once again the Mets have managed to avoid arbitration with all of their eligible players.

As a side note, for those that were complaining that Victor Zambrano got a salary bump up to $3 million, how does that look now after a reliever with a 5.90 ERA last season makes only $475k less?

NY Sports Day: Jose Valentin Interview
Joe McDonald profiles new Mets utility infielder Jose Valentin, who offers his thoughts on signing with the Mets:

The reason I signed here is that this team gives me the best chance to play in the World Series and that's what every player plays for. And I get to play with a lot of Latino players like Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran. I also get to play a lot closer to my home [in Puerto Rico].

Valentin signed with the Dodgers last season after 5 seasons with the White Sox, just in time to watch his former team win the World Series. He had an awful year with the Dodgers, as injuries limited him to a .170 AVG in 147 ABs. Omar likes to point out that he had 30 HRs the years before. He doesn't mention that Valentin batted only .216 that season, while striking out 139 times in 450 ABs. In fairness, a one-year, $900K contract wasn't a huge gamble on Omar's part.

Washington Post: Lifetime Pass
Les Carpenter reports on a little-known benefit given to the 52 American hostages who were held captive for over a year in Iran back in 1980:

They returned to an adoring nation that gave them a ticker-tape parade and welcomed them as heroes. They were besieged with flags, yellow ribbons and countless gifts, among them the tiny box from Major League Baseball. Inside was a lifetime pass to any major or minor league game.

Among the former hostages receiving this was Barry Rosen, a New Yorker who had been the embassy's press attaché. When he returned home after the ordeal, it was to 2 young children who didn't know him:

My children were very fearful of me. It wasn't that I was an ogre, they didn't know who the hell I was. They were with their mother all the time and then this strange man walked in the house. I couldn't take them out of the house. They wouldn't go anywhere with me.

Rosen, who had grown up a Dodger fan in Brooklyn, loved NL baseball and decided to take his kids to see a Mets game:

Their first game, at Shea Stadium in New York, was so wonderful, he couldn't have drawn it better himself. The sky was clear, the sun sparkled on the grass. They arrived early to watch batting practice and then didn't want to leave.
...For the next several years, the family fractured by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran's revolutionary leader, went to baseball games together, often as many as 10 times a season. The ritual was always the same, as soon as the coming year's Mets schedule came out, Alexander and Barry picked the games they wanted to see. Then Barry called the Mets and the tickets would be waiting.

For those of us old enough to remember it, the Iranian Hostage Crisis was as much of a defining moment in U.S. History as the events of September 11, 2001. Nice to hear that baseball played a role in helping some of the returning hostages to normalize their lives.

Mets Walkoffs: Mets Walkoffs is Back
After a brief hiatus due to the death of a laptop, Mark is back with a look at Jorge Julio. The feature is somewhat depressing for Mets fans, but the writing, as usual, is great.

Building a Winning Rotation

2006-01-27T18:47:00.000-05:00

The Mets have certainly upgraded their bullpen -- whether there is enough quality there for a playoff-caliber team remains to be seen. The biggest questions now concern the five men who will try to hand the bullpen a lead.

Mets.com: Heilman will have to earn a starting job
Kit Stier reports that, if Aaron Heilman has a spot in the rotation when the Mets head north at the end of spring training, it won't be because the job was handed to him. Stier lists newly acquired John Maine, Japanese pickup Yusaku Iriki, and top prospect Brian Bannister as potential competition. We also hear the Cuban Alay Soler will get a long look.

Heilman, despite erroneous reports earlier this month that he was demanding a trade rather than pitch out of the bullpen again, understands that he will be used in whatever manner is in the best interest of the team:

I'm coming into Spring Training prepared to do whatever role they see fit for me. I'd certainly love to start, but I want to be a part of this team, and I want to be a part of what I feel is going to be a very successful ballclub.

Heilman credits working with pitching coach Rick Peterson and changing back to the arm angle that was successful for him at Notre Dame, for his belated major league success:

It got to the point where I was thinking way too much when I was out there on the mound. That was hindering me from doing my job and making quality pitches. Working with Rick has gotten me back to my natural arm slot and allowed me to focus on the things that are important.
Not only did it help me become more consistent from a mental aspect, it allowed me to kind of change my focus and really emphasize doing what it took to get results and not worry so much about the process.

Heilman has enjoyed success with a moving fastball and a great changeup. According to Rick Peterson, the key to succeeding as a starter will be for Aaron to develop complementary pitches to keep batters from sitting on his changeup.

NY Sports Day: Interview with Rick Peterson
NY Sports Day's Joe McDonald conducted an interview with Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson. Some highlights:

Having a guy like Wagner in the Bullpen, does that change your approach as a pitching coach on what advice you give to Willie Randolph?
Absolutely. You start to look at major match-ups and now we have so many options. Last year if you look at our bullpen, we had maybe a king and maybe a queen, but this year we have an ace, maybe three kings and a couple of queens. It's a nice bullpen.
Do you think the organization's faith in Victor Zambrano is justified?
In the middle of the season last year, there was a stretch where he was our best pitcher. He certainly has the ability, but it's about him going through the full season and it's a marathon.
What do you like most about Zambrano as a pitcher?
If he focuses and takes it one pitch at a time, he's a dominant pitcher. It's a matter of focus with him. There are times he is in there throwing pitch after pitch after pitch and something happens that causes him to lose focus.

I saw the quick interview Peterson did at the very end of the Mike and the Mad Dog show Wednesday, and he said the same thing about Zambrano. I've heard Minaya talk about Zambrano like this in interviews, too.

I know there are a lot of Mets fans that would like to see Victor Zambrano just go away, because they are disillusioned with his performance last year and because he's a constant reminder of the awful Kazmir trade. They accuse the Mets of holding on to Zambrano to somehow justify that deal.

In my opinion, if the Mets' primary concern was the Kazmir trade, they would quietly pack off Zambrano for whatever they could get. I think people would forget Kazmir more quickly if Victor wasn't around to serve as a reminder. I believe Omar holds onto Victor Zambrano only because he sees the potential there for a quality starter. I'm not sure if Victor will ever develop the focus needed to achieve his potential, I just wish the fans that ride him would back off enough to let him try.

ESPN: More on Pedro's toe
Enrique Rojas reports on the special shoe that Nike is making for Pedro Martinez to protect his toe. Rojas quotes Martinez on the origin of this problem:

By having this irregular movement on my right foot [at the end of his pitching motion], I've damaged the cartilage of my toe.
The pain became insufferable during the 2004 season, and I had to take a cortisone shot in order to tolerate the pain and be able to help Boston win the World Series. Last year, the pain returned in June, but the doctors recommended that, rather than ignoring the wound by applying cortisone, I rehabilitate the foot instead, which is what we're doing right now.

The purpose of the shoe will be to keep the toe from being damaged any further, hopefully putting an end to the pain that has hampered Pedro's pitching.

Sports Illustrated: The need for another quality starter
S.I.'s John Donovan, in a story highlighting teams that still have needs to fill this season, offers the following on the Mets need for a quality starter:

Omar Minaya, one of the busier general managers in the game this offseason, has overhauled the bullpen, so now he's taking aim at the last troublesome unit on the team -- the rotation. He's already reworked it, trading Jae Seo and Kris Benson, which has cleared a spot for young Aaron Heilman. But finding another good young starter is critical, especially when you consider that aging Pedro Martinez (who has a bum toe) and Tom Glavine (how much does the soft-throwing lefty have left?) top this rotation. Getting the right man (Barry Zito, maybe, at the trade deadline?) could make the difference between being an also-ran and unseating the Braves in the National League East.

I have to confess that I go back and forth so much on Zito, I give myself a headache. A still-young, left-handed quality starting pitcher is quite a commodity. There is no doubt that he would provide a huge upgrade to the rotation. I wonder what the Mets might have to give up in talent to land him, and also what it might cost in a contract to keep him.

I've mentioned previously that pitchers that enjoy great success at a young age and then regress a little scare me. Since the 23-5, 2.75 ERA year in 2002 at 24 years of age, Zito hasn't approached that type of success. And, despite only turning 28 in May, he has some wear and tear on that left arm, with over 1,200 innings pitched in his career heading into this season.

He's playing out his option this year, and will undoubtedly get a huge multi-year deal next winter. If he puts up numbers comparable to those he has posted the last couple of years, Barry Zito has the potential to be one of the most overpaid players in baseball. Like I said, I make myself crazy with this.

Getting off of my Zito-phobia and back to Donovan's article, he also opines on the Braves need to find a closer:

The great Dan Kolb experiment flopped last season, and when Kyle Farnsworth took the Yankees' money this winter, the Braves were left holding the resin bag. All the best closers (and even some not-so-good ones) have long since been snapped up, so the Braves will see if Chris Reitsma (15 saves in '05) can do for them what Kolb couldn't. And if Reitsma can't handle the pressure, maybe they'll give already battered Joey Devine, their first-round draft pick last year who gave up grand slams in his first two outings, another chance. Or maybe they'll go to Plan F. Once they figure out a Plan F.

I never bet against John Schuerholz, but he's really gambling this time. Then again, it's obvious that the bullpen has never been a huge priority for Atlanta, and things have worked out well for them, at least until the post-season.

Loudmouth fans don't speak for me

2006-01-27T12:52:00.000-05:00

Someday maybe the media will realize a simple fact: while the squeaky wheel may indeed get the grease, that doesn't mean it speaks for all the other wheels...

New York Post: Joel Sherman answers Omar's critics
Joel Sherman pens a strong column in the Post, defending Omar Minaya against the charges of Latin bias. Apparently, Sherman received quite a bit of e-mail from Mets fans that didn't like what Omar is doing, causing Sherman to lament:

...if my e-mail is any window into the soul of Mets fans, I fear we have veered off the Glory Road toward a bigoted Gory Path.

The one thing I will find fault with here is Sherman's feelings that his e-mail is a "window into the soul of Mets fans". Why do people like Sherman seem to feel that the loudest and most obnoxious are representative of the group as a whole? I don't feel the need to e-mail sports columnists or call WFAN to air my views. I'm like most of you out there in that regard. The loudmouths out there don't represent me, and I don't believe they represent most of us.

I've been asked why I've chosen to name this blog Mike's Mets, rather than come up with a "cool" name. The simple answer is that I make no pretense that the views here represent anyone's but mine. I don't speak for you, reader, just to you. Sherman has been doing this long enough that he should understand each piece of e-mail is representative of the sender, period.

Daily News: Pedro "50-50" to pitch in WBC
Adam Rubin cites Mets GM Omar Minaya that there is a "50-50" chance that Mets' ace Pedro Martinez will pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Since Mets coach Manny Acta is managing the Domican team, the Mets are confident that Pedro won't be pushed too hard if he does pitch. Rubin quotes Acta on how pitchers will be used:

Those guys are going to get the same amount of work in those games that they'll have in spring training. By that point Pedro will be stretched out to 50 or 60 pitches. And then, by the end of the World Cup, if he has to pitch in the finals, 95 pitches will be the most anyway. Let's face it: We have a team with about five closers. You really don't have to allow the guys to go seven or eight innings.

Rubin updates us on Alay Soler, who has excelled in the Puerto Rican winter league. He cites new Mets utility infielder Jose Valentin, who has faced Soler in winter league action:

Soler is one of those guys, for not too much experience in professional baseball, he knows how to pitch. He doesn't throw hard - he's 90-plus mph - but he has great control. The guy knows what to do on the mound. He's going to be a good pitcher for this organization.

Rubin also reports on new Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez, who spent his childhood living in both the Domincan Republic and Manhattan. Sanchez is happy to be in New York, stating, "This is like my backyard."

Newark Star-Ledger: Happy Jose
Don Burke reports on Jose Reyes' successful quest to represent his country in the WBC this March.

Mets Winter Caravan, Day 3

2006-01-27T01:15:00.000-05:00

Thursday's penultimate day of the Mets winter caravan offered none of yesterday's "controversy", but rather some light-hearted fun and a chance for some special kids to meet the players.

Mets.com: Good deeds
Bryan Hoch reports on day 3 of the Mets winter caravan, culminated by an event for all kinds of disadvantaged kids at the ESPN zone. Earlier in the day, David Wright has specifically requested to be a part of an event with firefighters and the families of New York's bravest lost in the September 11 attacks. Wright explains why:

You really understand, being in the position we're in, we have a chance to use our names to do something good in the community. It's something that's special to me.
I get a bigger kick out of hanging out with the kids and firemen than they do. It's something I look forward to every year. I think people really appreciate our time.

For more in-depth coverage of the winter caravan, see this page on Mets.com.

Also on Mets.com: Cliff Floyd Chat Transcript
If you missed this from earlier today, here are some highlights from Cliff's live chat:

What ball players, or any athletes in general, did you admire growing up?
Harold Baines was my favorite, but I was also a big fan of Leon Durham and Shawon Dunston.
[Personal note: My God, am I old...]
What does it feel like to see a fan in the stands wearing your jersey?
It feels awesome, it feels great! You should head out to the store and buy one, too!
What do you like to do the most over the offseason?
I enjoy spending time with my kids.
If you and the Mets were to pull off a world championship this October, would you consider retirement or would you continue to play in 2007?
I would play in 2007 and beyond.
I know you and David Wright are pretty close. Now that he'll be in his second season, have you got any new nicknames for him besides rook?
"Big baller."
How could the voters snub you out of the Gold Glove last year? I've never seen a left fielder play like that!
How could they? I asked myself that, too.
What was your most memorable home run?
Last year against the Angels, 3-2, bottom of the ninth. Can't beat it!
How much can you bench press?
450 pounds.
When you were a free agent, what was the biggest reason why you signed with the Mets?
I always wanted to play in New York City and the Mets gave me the opportunity.
What will you do after baseball?
Real estate and I hope to own my own bowling alley. I bowled a 290 this year.
Who would win in a home run derby -- you or David Wright?
Definitely me!
Who is the biggest trash-talker in the league?
David Wright.
Cliff, what kind of car do you drive?
I have an S500, a Flying Spur Bentley, SL500, Range Rover, Dodge Magnum, Cadillac EXT and Phantom Rolls Royce. And that's why I work so hard on the hitting.
Cliff, how is the team chemistry right now?
This week has been fun with the annual Caravan. We all got to meet Billy Wagner, Paul Lo Duca, Carlos Delgado and our other new teammates. It's a good group. I am really looking forward to Spring Training so we can play some baseball.
What is it like to see yourself in a video game?
It's crazy. I always play with my team. I get really mad when I strike out in the game.
Who was a major influence on you in becoming a Major Leaguer?
Tommy Harper was my hitting coach for the Expos. He was more of a father figure away from home, but also a great coach.

Baseball America: Recap on the Benson Trade
BA's Jim Callis gives a quick overview of Jorge Julio and John Maine in his look at this weekend's trade:

Jorge Julio: Adding Julio, a 26-year-old righthander, to their bullpen may allow the Mets to use Aaron Heilman as a starter. Baltimore's closer until B.J. Ryan supplanted him, Julio went 3-5, 5.90 in 67 outings in 2006. He had a 58-24 K-BB ratio and a .269 opponent average in 72 innings while allowing a whopping 14 homers. He has legitimate power stuff, with a mid- to high-90s fastball and a high-80s slider, but gets into trouble because he doesn't locate his pitches well. Eligible for arbitration, he's expected to command a salary of roughly $2.5 million. He has a career mark of 11-24, 4.20 with 83 saves in 281 games.
John Maine: Maine, a 24-year-old righthander, could challenge for a spot in the back of New York's rotation. A sixth-round pick out of UNC Charlotte in 2002, he saw his first extensive time in the majors in 2005, going 2-3, 6.30 in 10 games (eight starts). He had a 24-24 K-BB ratio in 40 innings as opponents hit .248 with eight homers off him. His best attribute is his command of his 90-91 mph fastball, and he also throws a slider, curveball and changeup. He got into trouble in the big leagues when he tried to be too fine with his pitches. He went 6-11, 4.56 in 23 starts at Triple-A Ottawa last year and has a career 30-24, 3.24 record in 86 minor league games (83 starts).

Mets Inside Pitch: The "other pitcher" in the Seo Trade
Bryan Hoch profiles Steve Schmoll, the sidewinding right-hander acquired along with Duaner Sanchez in the Jae Seo trade.

Hoch also offers this quote from David Wright on the difference that is shaping up between this year's team and last year's:

You've got all the guys coming together for the first time, everybody was in suits, together for a nice evening, and it all ends up with everybody gathered around talking about baseball. That's just what it's all about.
Guys gathering up in suits in the middle of January, getting all emotional about baseball. That's what is beautiful about these new guys we brought in, guys we traded for, guys we signed. They have gatherings of younger players and they're talking baseball, talking situations, talking pitchers and hitters.
That's what's going to make it so special this year, that we have that chemistry.

Omar Defends Himself

2006-01-26T10:51:00.000-05:00

Omar Minaya was the big story on the second day of the Mets winter caravan, appearing on WFAN twice, both times squarely facing charges that he is biased towards acquiring Hispanic players.

After a true honeymoon last winter with popular free agent signings of Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, Omar has been more creative this winter, and has left himself much more open to criticism. Trading away both Jae Seo and Kris Benson for hard-throwing middle relievers definitely flew in the face of conventional baseball wisdom. The trade of Benson for Jorge Julio -- whose stock is plummeting faster than ENRON's did in the fall of 2001 -- was an unpopular move.

Omar's style isn't my preferred way of building a club, and I've called him on it when I think he's wrong. But there isn't a move that he has made that I can't see the logic behind, even the ones I didn't love. Moreover, the energy that Minaya has injected into what had essentially become a moribund franchise is beyond dispute. Perhaps that's why I get so annoyed at the cheap shots taken at Minaya by certain members of the media. You have to respect what Omar has accomplished here, whether you agree with everything he's done or not.

Audio: Omar Minaya on Imus

Audio: Omar Minaya on Mike and the Mad Dog

New York Times: Omar defends himself
Ben Shpigel reports on Omar's appearances on WFAN. Shpigel quotes Minaya from the Imus program regarding his criteria for acquiring players and his feelings about whether he is a victim of racism:

To me, it's about signing the best players possible... I don't think about the player's race, his color, his religion, his sexual orientation. I don't get into that stuff.
...I'm not one to throw around the racism card. A lot of people tend to use the race card all over the place. I think sometimes, when something is new, people are uncomfortable with it.

Shpigel points out that, after a fairly light-hearted interview with Imus, Minaya seemed a little irritated with Chris Russo. Maybe it has something with Russo's need to go out of his way to find fault with Omar and the Mets. Russo has come out and accused Minaya of playing the Latin card, constantly harping on Carlos Delgado's charges from last year that the Mets were approaching him as a Latino rather than a man. Russo got it wrong when he claimed Delgado aimed that charge at Minaya, it was directed at Minaya's lieutenant Tony Bernazard. Why any Mets fan would allow Chris Russo to get them worked up about anything is beyond me.

New Haven Register: More Kudos for Omar
Peter Zellen reports on what Omar has accomplished with the Mets as he indisputably has placed his personal stamp on the team this winter. Zellen quotes new Met Carlos Delgado on the man responsible for bringing the buzz back to Queens:

I can tell you we have a good team and that creates a buzz. It feels good to walk in here and see the guys that we got: Billy Wagner, Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, guys that are good players.
Omar's busy. He's busy and not afraid to pull the trigger and you have to give him a lot of credit. He's done everything to try to make this ballclub better.

Zellen quotes Omar on all of the talent that he has brought to the Mets:

Part of being in New York is bringing in players that are name guys. It's part of business here. You have to be aggressive. You owe it to the fans to do the best you can to improve the team.

Whether you agree with the moves or not, you have to respect that.

Bergen Record: Aaron Heilman
Steve Popper talks to Aaron Heilman, who is grateful for the opportunity to earn a starting job in the rotation, however, Heilman disputes the notion that he pressured the Mets to start him or trade him:

I wish I had that power to throw my weight around. Omar and [pitching coach] Rick [Peterson] and everybody knew that I had expressed my desire, my preference to start. I'm coming into spring training prepared to do whatever role fits for me. I'd certainly love to start, but I want to be a part of this team and a part of what I think is going to be a very successful ballclub, and help in whatever way is possible.

Newark Star-Ledger: Kaz Matsui
Don Burke profiles Kaz Matsui, who is still looking for some redemption in New York.

Daily News: Roster Shuffle
Adam Rubin reports that Tyke Redman has been designated for assignment to make room for the newly acquired John Maine. Now Redman, who was acquired from the Pirates in a cash deal, must past through waivers to remain with the Mets. If nothing else, this gives a hint that Endy Chavez has the inside track for the left-handed reserve outfielder job.

New York Sports Day: Julio Franco
Joe McDonald has a nice interview with the ageless Julio Franco, who freely gives away his secret for staying young:

It's a gift from God. And I am very thankful to the Lord for giving me it to play baseball for a very long time. It's not that I am superhuman; I work very hard and I take care of myself, but it's a gift.

New York Post: Landing another starter
Joel Sherman offers a look at what's left on Omar Minaya's to-do list as the Mets head into the season:

The Mets GM remains committed to relocating Kaz Matsui, recognizing spring training may be the last, best shot to unload the disappointing infielder. More intriguing, however, is that after removing depth from the bottom of the rotation by dealing Jae Seo and Kris Benson earlier this month, Minaya has prioritized finding a top-of-the-rotation starter to pair with Pedro Martinez.

Sherman mentions Jose Contreras, in addition to Barry Zito, as a potential target. Sherman opines that the Mets would have to give up Lastings Milledge to obtain Contreras, or possibly package lesser prospects with someone like Cliff Floyd. I'm personally somewhat leery of Contreras, his success in Chicago not withstanding.

Notes from Day 2 of the Mets Winter Caravan

2006-01-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

The second day of the Mets winter caravan featured a ton of interviews with Mets players, as well as manager Willie Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson and GM Omar Minaya. There was some actual substance to the interviews rather than just the usual "Bull Durham" type clichés.

I thought Omar did a reasonable job explaining his thinking on the Seo and Benson trades. It was pretty much along the lines of what Ed Coleman was saying the day the Benson trade happened, that the Mets were stacking up their bullpen because they felt all they had was a bunch of 6 inning starting pitchers anyway. Minaya said that he felt that it was crucial for a playoff contender to have a good bullpen. He wanted to "shorten the game" by building a deep bullpen. We'll take a look at the moves the Mets made this off-season and give our own take next week.

Rick Peterson came on at the end of the Mike and the Mad Dog radio show and jokingly addressed the accusations that have been leveled against him -- everything from forcing the Kazmir trade to running Jae Seo out of New York. I haven't come to a final decision on how I feel about Peterson as a pitching coach, though I'm leaning towards a favorable opinion, but to me the things the man has been accused of are ludicrous. To me, the GM gets all of the credit or blame for the moves he makes. For what it's worth, Peterson spoke very favorably about Seo.

Check out WFAN's web site for some Real Audio interviews to be posted -- the one Imus did this morning with Omar Minaya is already posted. Click on the Mike and the Mad Dog link for their audio archive. Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog also did a great jog transcribing the interviews and posting highlights, check it out.

ESPN.com: The pressure is on...
Sean McAdam looks at two teams that had an active off-season, the Mets and the Blue Jays, and the pressure on both of these clubs to capitalize. He quotes an unnamed major league GM on the difficulties the Mets will face, Carlos Delgado in particular:

New York's a different place. It's tough to judge how players will respond there. I don't think Delgado ever wanted to go there. He doesn't like expectations or media pressure. He's always played in a place [Toronto and Florida] where he's been protected. But there's no place to hide in New York.

We've been hearing a lot of this concerning Carlos Delgado. I hope that he takes this as a challenge and rises to it. He played well during Florida's pennant chase last year. Mets fans would like to see this carry over to Flushing.

Mets Inside Pitch: Xavier Nady profile
Bryan Hoch profiles one of the newer Mets, OF Xavier Nady. (Most content on this web site requires a paid subscription, this one is free to all.) He quotes Nady on the opportunity the trade provides him:

I'm looking forward to having an opportunity to play. That's all I'd really asked for my last couple of years in San Diego. I don't come in for the competition; I'm coming in ready to go.
It's my turn to speak up and prove I was worth the trade.

Most of what I've heard about Nady was that he was once a big-time prospect that is something of a disappointment. I did read one opinion by Fox's Kevin Kennedy a while back that described Nady as "a guy with 35-40 home run potential."

Mets.com: Noble looks at the corner infielders
In this week's installment of Around the Horn, Marty Noble looks at corner infielders David Wright and Carlos Delgado. Noble Opines that if Delgado manages to have just an average year, that could be historic:

Performing characteristically will make Delgado the most accomplished slugger in franchise history. He will play more than Piazza because his position is less demanding, and he already has a resume that puts him a level higher than Darryl Strawberry as a run producer. Strawberry, whose tenure as a Met coincided with a less offensive period in the game, nonetheless exceeded 100 RBIs three times and never exceeded 108 in eight Mets seasons. Delgado has averaged 114 RBIs in his 10 full big league seasons.

I've been following this team for a long time, and corner infielder positions have not been traditionally strong for the Mets. In 1987, Hojo and Keith Hernandez had a nice season together. John Olerud and Robin Ventura were great together in 1999. The Delgado/Wright pairing has the potential to be the Mets' best ever.

Fox Sports: More Delgado
Tim Dierkes looks at seven players that have changed teams, including new Met Carlos Delgado and former Met Kris Benson. He offered the following from a fantasy baseball viewpoint:

Carlo Delgado:
Shea is a worse home park than Dolphins Stadium for left-handed sluggers, but Delgado should be fine. Look for him to hit around .280 with his typical 30-35 HR and 110 RBI. Even entering his age 34 season, Delgado is clearly still a top-ten first baseman in fantasy baseball. I'd pony up $10-12 for him in a 5x5 mixed league.
Kris Benson:
I think Benson will post a 1.29 WHIP and 4.03 ERA for the Orioles; not much different than he would have for the Mets. His K rate is below average, and 12 wins would be a stretch. In a pinch, Benson could be worth a buck in your fantasy league. But you'd really have to be in a deep league or a major pinch. I'd rather gamble on a young gun with upside.

New Orioles' pitching coach Leo Mazzone really likes Benson. I'm not sure I'd bet against Mazzone's track record in turning pitchers like Kris around, even though the switch to the AL East should prove tough for him.

Yahoo Sports: Dominican Winter League
Tim Lewis writes about the winter baseball league in the Dominican Republic, where a lot of Mets players competed this off-season.

Chicago Tribune: Cubs purchase Angel Pagan from Mets
The contract of Mets minor league outfielder Angel Pagan was purchased by the Chicago Cubs. The 24-year-old Pagan was considered a potential fourth or fifth outfielder in the majors. The Mets had to deal him after removing him from their 40-man roster to make room for Japanese pitcher Yusaku Iriki.

Gotham Baseball: Mike McGann on the Latinization of the Mets
I've become a fan of Mike McGann's column on Gotham Baseball's web site. This week McGann refutes the allegations that Omar favors Latin players over all others, and also reports on the first day of the winter caravan.

Shea Faithful: B.A.T. Dinner
Pat from Shea Faithful attended last night's B.A.T. charity gala, and writes a little about it on his blog.

Day one of the Mets winter caravan

2006-01-25T11:24:00.000-05:00

The p.r. fest that is the Mets winter caravan dominated the news this morning:

New York Times: Meet the Mets
Ben Shpigel reports on the first day of the Mets winter caravan, from opening the stock exchange in the morning to a dinner for alumni of the 1986 championship team. Shpigel suggests that, in addition to meeting the public, many Mets were meeting each other for the first time:

When the caravan began in earnest at 1 p.m. at the library, 21 players filed onto a stage. They wore white jerseys on top of their dress clothes, but they probably should have worn "Hello, My Name Is ..." stickers. Of the 21, 10 were new acquisitions, and John Maine, obtained Saturday from Baltimore with Jorge Julio in exchange for Kris Benson, is so new that his jersey did not have his name or a number on it.
"It was like 'Wow,' " said right fielder Xavier Nady, as he reflected on the torrent of trades, which began when he was acquired from San Diego in November. "It seemed like they just kept coming and coming."

More than half the roster this season is likely to be Hispanic, and the talent is a significant upgrade from last year's team. Only time will tell if the talent will translate into something special, in this, the 20th anniversary of the last championship team.

AP: Winter Caravan Symbolism
Ronald Blum also reports on the winter caravan, suggesting there was symbolism working as the Mets posed for a photo on the library steps:

Players gathered Tuesday on the steps of the New York Public Library behind the famous marble lions, who have looked down on Fifth Avenue for nearly a century and were given the names "Patience" and "Fortitude" by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the 1930s.
"You have to have that every year, especially in this town," manager Willie Randolph said. "That's a nice slogan to adopt."

Carlos Delgado refused to take the bait when reporters tried to get him to respond to Anna Benson's silly comments. Meanwhile, Tom Glavine liked what Omar Minaya has accomplished this winter:

It gives you more confidence going out there with what you know you're trying to accomplish. When you're going out there as a pitcher, there are some times where you feel like you can't afford to give up a run or two runs, you've got to throw a shutout, so to speak. That carries a lot of pressure with it. With the way we're set up right now, you don't figure that to be the case. You figure that these guys are going to score some runs, they're going to play defense, we know we've got a great bullpen coming in behind us.

Blum also reports the Mets have signed a trio of warm bodies guaranteed to have little or no impact this off-season: C Bobby Estalella, RHP Jeremi Gonzalez and RHP Jose Santiago.

Mets.com: More Winter Caravan
Kit Stier, reporting for MLB.com, quotes Cliff Floyd on his optimism as the season approaches:

I can't wait. I'm talking about going down to Spring Training early just to get acclimated to my new teammates.
I've been here three years We've been through a lot. Last year, in my opinion, wasn't a tease. It's just we were young. We realized we can play the game, we realized a lot of things, and we won 83 games.

Meanwhile, outside of the library, manager Willie Randolph commented on some favorite literature:

'The Art of War' is one of my favorite books. To me, it's all about winning. When you go into competition, there is an art to it. There is a way to do it if you want to be the best.

Unfortunately there is nothing in The Art of War about effective use of the bullpen.

Newsday: What's up with Kaz
Johnette Howard reports on one winter caravan participant that isn't even sure if he'll be here in spring training. Kaz Matsui patiently answered the questions about his future with the Mets and being left off the Japanese team. Howard quotes Cliff Floyd on being Matsui's teammate and watching him being subjected to the endless booing at Shea:

Is it painful to watch him go through that -- oh my God, was it painful. You know what it reminds me of? You know when you misplace your purse or something, and you get all frantic, you start patting everything down, looking all over the place for it, almost going crazy until you finally find it -- and then you go, 'Ahhh?' It's the same with him. What he was is lost somewhere. It's just lost. But I believe he's going to find it.

Howard quotes manager Willie Randolph on why he believes there is still a chance for Matsui to turn it around:

That's a good question. And the answer is because of what I saw of him last year in my first year here. At times, he really didn't play that badly. He had some good streaks. Then injuries got in the way.
That's not to say I feel sorry for him. This is a tough town. You have to be tough. He has to compete for a job this year. He has to win the job. But I'm not as down on him as other people might be. And I don't react to other people. I try to make my own judgments. I just feel he can do it. If I were him, I think I'd come into this season with maybe not quite a chip on my shoulder, but just a determination to show everyone here, 'Hey, I can play this game.

I've always rooted for Matsui. I don't think he has played as badly as he gets "credit" for, and still has a chance to be a good player. He hasn't had much luck, but he seems like a standup guy. He earned my respect in the same way Mike Cameron did when things went badly for him that first year. And I respect Randolph for not getting caught up in the negativity of a vocal element of the fan base. I know I'll get a couple of emails on this -- save them, I don't care.

Fox Sports: The other whipping boy...
Dayn Perry looks at another Mets fan "favorite" in a list of players that need to step up for their teams this season:

Victor Zambrano, SP, Mets
This winter, the Mets have parted ways with Jae Seo (90.3 IP, 2.59 ERA in 2005) and Kris Benson (174.1 IP, 4.13 ERA in 2005). Their losses leave serious holes in the rotation, and if Aaron Heilman isn't dispatched to the rotation then the situation is even graver. So will Zambrano finally take the next step toward quasi-acedom? Since pitching coach Rick Peterson basically hectored the organization into coughing up Scott Kazmir for Zambrano, his personal reclamation project has posted a 4.14 ERA as a Met. Considering that Zambrano has walked 83 batters in his last 180.1 innings in New York, he's been lucky to have such a tolerable ERA. If the Mets are to solidify their rotation, then Zambrano needs to make serious strides in 2006.

Obviously Dayn Perry sat in on some of those meetings where Rick Peterson forced the Mets to trade Kazmir for Zambrano...

I'm actually interested in seeing what Zambrano might do this season. I thought the injury that ended his 2004 season slowed him down a lot at the beginning of 2005. Say what you want, he has as much potential as any Mets pitcher not named Pedro. If by some miracle he could reach his potential, the Mets rotation might turn out a lot better than what we all fear right now.

Also in Newsday: The Importance of Billy Wagner
Ken Davidoff also reports on the winter caravan, offering another Cliff Floyd quote on the importance of having a quality pitcher closing games:

I love Carlos, I love Duke, but to close out games, that's the most important thing in the game. You have to close out games. That becomes the difference at the end of the season, in my opinion.
...At the end of the day, when you have 83 wins, you say, 'Damn, we could've had seven more, that's 90.' Like I said, this isn't anything against Loop, but just having a closer who has a reputation. A good one. You feel really good come the ninth inning, or eighth inning, when you really need him.
...This is no pressure on Billy. A lot of it can be put on his shoulders. This can't be any different than Philly [where Wagner pitched in 2004 and 2005]. This is the same way as Philly. I hope he settles down and has some fun.

I'm just looking forward to a little less "agida" in the ninth inning...

Also Mets.com: 17th Annual Baseball Assistance Dinner honors '86 Mets
Tom Singer reports on the Baseball Assistance Team dinner, which raises money to help former ballplayers who have experienced hard times, while preserving the dignity of the players:

"We're a confidential organization," pointed out B.A.T. chairman Bobby Murcer, "but if you heard the stories of some of the players we've helped, you'd be brought to your knees crying, to know who has needed help."
On one midwinter night every year, however, B.A.T. sounds a public fanfare, and it's a siren song to players and fans who gather at this dinner to give their emotional and financial support.

Some 1986 Mets were among the honorees at the dinner, including Barry Lyons, the backup catcher, who testified on the help he received from B.A.T. after his Mississippi home was devastated by Hurricane Katrina:

When Katrina hit on August 29, it changed my world, changed the world of everyone who lives in that area. Yes, my home is gone. My parents' home is gone; even a family member recently passed away. It's been very tough, but, a few days after the storm, some friends told me they'd contact B.A.T. and the ball's been rolling from that point on.
From Day One, Jim Martin [B.A.T.'s executive director] has been there for me throughout this whole process. He's been someone to talk to, and he's been there financially.
This is a wonderful organization, and it's such a privilege to be here among so many wonderful baseball people. Any time you find yourself in trouble, you always turn to family for support and love. My immediate family has struggled, but the response of my family of baseball brothers is so moving to me.

USA Today: Puerto Rican winter league struggles to recapture former glory
Jorge L. Ortiz profiles the problems that the Puerto Rican winter league is experiencing as it fights for survival while other winter leagues thrive. He cites Carlos Beltran on the lack of attractiveness of the league for big-league players:

The New York Mets' Carlos Beltran, who hasn't played in Puerto Rico since 2001, says players don't want to risk a serious injury, and he questions who would pay for their care if they got hurt. Local teams' insurance only covers up to $10,000 in medical costs.
"Sometimes the owners and the general managers in Puerto Rico want you to play but they don't really take care of the players," Beltran says. "They treat us like big-league players when we're in the United States, but when we come here to Puerto Rico, they don't want to treat you like that."

Daily News: John Harper on the bullpen upgrade
John Harper writes an interesting column that looks at Minaya's gamble to upgrade the bullpen at the expense of the starting pitching.

Also in the Daily News: Some Mets Notes
Adam Rubin offers a few nuggets of news, including Cliff Floyd's comments on a possible contract extension:

I believe that when you sign a contract, you play until the end, and then at the end of that you sign another one. If they choose to call you and say, 'You know what? We'll give you an extension,' you deal with that accordingly. Honestly, I've done good things, but you still have to establish yourself where you have a right to talk - 'You know what? I deserve this right now.' I haven't done that. I just want to play.

Floyd says that he doesn't expect anything to happen until after the season. That would seem likely. Staying healthy certainly would help his cause, but I would be surprised if Cliff was on the Mets in 2007 -- he seems destined for the American League.

Rubin also reports that Dae-Sung Koo is scheduled to report to spring training as a non-roster invite.

Also in the Daily News: Piazza close to signing?
Roger Rubin reports that Mike Piazza has told friends that he is close to a deal with an unspecified American League team.

New York Post: Matsui wants to be here
Michael Morrissey quotes Kaz Matsui on all of the trade rumors swirling around his name:

I'm aware that those rumors are around, but I'm here today. I haven't produced as much as I would've liked to in the past two years, but right now I'm training hard, working hard, and trying to build my condition into spring training.
Since the first day I stepped into New York, I always wanted to play here. Because I'm very grateful that the Mets acquired me when they did, I just want to be part of this team and this organization.
I want to be here. In order to be here, I have to produce on the field.

New York Post: The old and the new
Michael Morrissey cites Tom Glavine that he can only see himself playing in New York or Atlanta in 2007 as he pursues 300 wins. Morrissey also offers the following from Aaron Heilman on reports of a trade demand:

I think it got a little out of hand. I wasn't demanding a trade.
It'd certainly be nice to think I had that kind of power, but I really don't think that had any effect on any decisions that were made.
Omar and Willie and everybody have to do what's best for the team.

Heilman did admit that he was happy to have a chance to be a starter.

Bergen Record: Klap on Piazza
Bob Klapisch offers his own take on Piazza to the Yankees.

MetsBlog: Coverage of the winter caravan on WFAN
The Mets winter caravan will be rolling through the WFAN studios today, especially on the Mike and the Mad Dog program. MetsBlog's Matt Cerrone will be offering extensive coverage of the interviews all day.

Juan Samuel Returns to the Scene of the Crime

2006-01-24T19:01:00.000-05:00

Well, not quite, but the player who was the incoming player of one of the worst trades the Mets ever made will try to make it up to us by helping our farm system produce. We also look at the Daryl Strawberry chat transcript and wonder where Piazza might end up.

MinorLeagueBaseball.com: Juan Samuel to manage the Mets' Double-A team
The Mets have named Juan Samuel the manager of their Double-A farm team in Binghamton, New York. Samuel bombed with the Mets in 1989 after being acquired in a trade for fan favorites Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell. Samuel lasted only half a season, while Dykstra went on to become a key contributor to the Phillies.

Samuel has been a coach with the Tigers for the last seven years, and was looking to take the year off after unsuccessfully vying for the Tigers' managerial position. A phone call from Omar Minaya convinced him to take on his first ever minor-league managerial job:

Omar probably thought I was already working for someone else when he called me and at that point I was ready to take a year off. But he talked me into it. This is going to be my first time working in the Minor Leagues, so it's something new. I definitely have the credentials. I've been in the game for over 30 years so that should be enough.
I've been a baseball guy all my life. This is all I know. I talked to some people about it and thought it would be best if I stayed in the game. You know how hard it is to get back in if you take a year off. So it's going to be something new, and I'm looking forward to it.

As a Mets lifer, I have to admit that hearing Juan Samuel's name still makes me cringe, although I don't hold the trade against him. The Samuel trade, even before it went bad, was the defining moment where I became convinced that Frank Cashen was no longer the man to run the Mets. Little did I realize how bad his successors would be. Then again, they were his protégés.

Mets.com: Daryl Strawberry Chat Transcript
If you missed it from this afternoon, some highlights of Daryl Strawberry's chat with the Great Unwashed:

Do you think the Mets of the '80s should have had more success than they ultimately did?
There is no question we should have had more success. We gave away too many games early during some of those years.
In the 10th inning with two outs, Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, did you really think that you still had a shot to win the game?
Actually, no way. But, only by faith, we were able to pull it out.
Do you regret leaving the Mets for Los Angeles?
Of course. That was the biggest mistake I ever made. But now, it is nice to be back home.
What are your feelings on Carlos Beltran? Do you think he will hit his stride in his second season with the Mets or do you think that what we saw last year is what we can expect going forward?
I believe Beltran will be the player to break all my records with the Mets. I think this year will be a more relaxing year for him as he gets more comfortable in New York City.
Do you consider yourself more of a Met or Yankee at heart?
Of course, more of a Met!
Who is your favorite Mets player from the current team?
Jose Reyes and David Wright. Because they come from the farm system like the way we came through.
Mets prospect Lastings Milledge has often been compared to you. Have you seen him play, and what kind of pressure must it place on him to be compared to you?
Yes, I have seen him play. He has a chance to be a great ballplayer. But, sure, he does have a lot of pressure on him if he is being compared to me.
Are you cancer free?
Yes, for six years now.
What do you think of Wright? Do you think he can be as good of a ballplayer as you? Even better?
I think he has a great chance to become one of the best players to come through the Mets farm system. Yes, I think he can be as good as me.
It is known that the '86 team had a swagger and arrogance to them. Do you feel that type of attitude was key to your success? Should more ballclubs have that attitude?
I think that was the biggest key to our success. Everyone hated us and we loved it. Yes, more clubs should have it, but you have to have a certain chemistry. That's what we had.

Fox Sports: Where is Piazza heading?
Ken Rosenthal offers the following update on Mike Piazza:

The Padres contacted the agent for free-agent catcher Mike Piazza last weekend to inquire about whether Piazza would be willing to play in San Diego. At the moment, the Padres are going with career backups Doug Mirabelli and David Ross at catcher.
The Blue Jays remain interested in Piazza and Bengie Molina, but only on their terms. They are willing to sign Molina to a one-year deal in the range of $3.5 million to $4 million and Piazza for considerably less, provided that Piazza is willing to split time with Gregg Zaun.
The Yankees would appear a longshot for Piazza, considering that they will use Bernie Williams, Andy Phillips and others in the designated hitter spot.
The Phillies also could be a possibility for Piazza, but for now their focus is pitching.

My mother and girlfriend are both really bummed at the thought of Piazza playing for the Yankees. Me, too, of course -- but I understand that Mike is a player who still wants to play. The Mets weren't interested at all in keeping him, and he doesn't owe Mets management or fans any refusal rights to where he plays. I hate the idea of Mike in a Yankee uniform, and it really makes no sense for them, either. It would just be more silly gamesmanship on the part of George Steinbrenner. Just don't put it past him.

Mets new network launches in Mid-March

2006-01-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

News on SNY leads off today's look at all things Mets.

Bergen Record: SNY on the air March 16
John Brennan reports that SNY, the Mets' new tv network, will begin broadcasting on March 16 with a Mets spring training game against the Atlanta Braves. Brennan opines that SNY is unlikely to face a YES network type of standoff with Cablevision:

The YES Network was unavailable to Cablevision viewers throughout its debut season in 2002 because of disputes about the cost of the channel and about whether YES could be placed on a premium cable tier.
The Mets' network is partially owned, however, by Comcast and Time Warner Cable, the region's other two cable giants. Since Cablevision needs the cooperation of those cable operators to ensure that its MSG and FSNY channels air throughout the region, a blackout similar to the one experienced by YES is considered less likely by industry experts.

Personally, I don't have a ton of faith that my small cable system in Connecticut will carry SNY, as when I called to ask they didn't even know what I was talking about. (We're only about 90 miles from New York, people, get a clue.) I'm already looking into satellite -- of course, if SNY could make a deal with DISH or DirecTV that would be helpful. According to the Daily News, SNY is still negotiating with them.

SNY web site

Mets.com: Daryl Strawberry Chat
Just a reminder that the Daryl Strawberry chat on Mets.com is today at 3:30 PM EST.

Daily News: Good news on Pedro's toe
Adam Rubin reports that Pedro Martinez' toe is improving, and quotes Martinez from a Spanish-language newspaper:

I am recovering very well, the foot is going well, and I have my mind on the World Baseball Classic.

Pedro has begun his pre-season throwing program, and will not attend this week's Mets caravan.

New York Post: Cliff likes what he sees
Michael Morrissey quotes Cliff Floyd on his confidence regarding this year's Mets team:

We're in good shape. We can honestly say we can contend.
That's what this team is put together to be. We're not put together to just go out there and play and get through 162 games and hope.
No more hoping.

Speaking of confidence, Floyd feels that a winning confidence is vital for the Mets to develop this season:

See, most teams beat you on confidence. A lot of teams don't beat you on pure talent.
Because the Braves, talent-wise, weren't better than us. Confidence-wise, they were.
Until the [NL] East figures that out, it's going to be tough.

Cliff is in the final year of his Mets contract, so there is a good chance this might be his last go-round with the Flushing nine.

Newsday: Mike a Yankee?
According to John Heyman, Mike Piazza's agent has expressed to the Yankees a desire on the part of his client to play in the Bronx. However, according to the Daily News, the Yanks aren't interested. It's getting ugly for Mike, and I hope he finds a place to play -- but not there.

MetsDaily.com: Pirates Preview
Chris DeLao profiles the Pittsburgh Pirates in Mets Daily's lastest NL preview.

Also check out today's News and Notes (scroll down) for some interesting snippets of an Ed Coleman interview from XM Satellite's MLB Home Plate Show.

The Benson trade dominates Marty Noble's Mailbag

2006-01-23T17:40:00.000-05:00

In the latest weekly installment of the Mailbag on Mets.com, Marty Noble answers questions related to this weekend's bug trade.

Mets.com: Benson trade opens rotation
Marty Noble's e-mail account must have been full of Benson - Julio related questions. He admits that Kris Benson seemed to be a high price to pay for a reliever who has steadily declined the last three seasons. Noble offers his take on what Julio's problems might be:

It is very much a wait and see on Julio. The yearly increase in his earned run average -- from 1.99 in 2002, to 4.38 in 2003, to 4.57 in 2004 to 5.90 last season -- seems like a red flag. His losing his job as closer may have been as much about the emergence of B.J. Ryan as it was about anything Julio did or didn't do. But the fact remains, his performance in subsequent seasons never approached what he did in 2002.
Pitchers can become get bat-shy and begin to nibble in small ballparks. They fall behind and then get clobbered when they have to throw a strike. That malady usually gets worse each year. I can't say those tendencies developed with Julio. But few parks play as small as Camden Yards.
Julio has been undone by home runs. He has pitched 201 1/3 innings in relief -- which is a good amount for a starter in one season -- in his past three seasons and surrendered 35 home runs, a lot for 200 innings. Braden Looper had trouble with the long ball in his time with the Mets, but he surrendered merely 16 home runs in his two seasons in Flushing and his last with the Marlins while he pitched 223 1/3 innings.
Julio's rate of one home run per 22.2 at-bats is one of the 10 highest rates among Major League pitchers who have thrown at least 200 innings over the past three seasons.

I'm sure there are some Mets fans that are really going to love the unfavorable comparison with Braden Looper.

Also interesting was Noble's response to the following:

...It looks like all they did was weaken the rotation by trading Benson and weaken the bullpen by putting Julio in it and moving Heilman to the rotation. Why? They were better off before the deal.
One of the reasons Heilman was in the rotation in the first place last year was that Benson was assigned to the disabled list until May 5. Heilman relieved Benson in the May 5 start, made two more starts and then was shifted to the bullpen. One of the reasons cited at the time was that Heilman's changeup, while quite effective in relief, might not be so effective if he were a starter, because opposing batters would be more apt to adjust to it if exposed to it more often.
I can't argue your point that the rotation appears less formidable now -- with or without Heilman. And if Heilman is in the rotation, the bullpen will be less formidable too, particularly against left-handed hitters.

Obviously Noble is not a fan of this weekend's trade. It's been interesting to see and hear the mixed reaction on the web and on sports radio to this deal. Some are convinced that dumping Benson for two warm bodies is the smartest thing Omar has done. They see Benson as just an overpaid mediocre pitcher, and figure whoever takes his place can do as well or better for a lot less money. More traditional types feel trading an established starter for a middle reliever is baseball heresy, especially after the Seo - Sanchez trade earlier this month.

As for me, I just don't like Jorge Julio. I think there are too many red flags. I don't know enough about John Maine to comment much. Some are convinced he's still a decent prospect to be as high as a number 3 starter, others see him as no better than a serviceable middle reliever. I'm very willing to admit I can be wrong here, but I just don't think Omar got enough for Benson; and despite protests to the contrary, I believe getting Anna out of New York played a role in the pressure to make a deal.

If Julio bombs in New York, Omar will not avoid wearing egg on his face.

ESPN: Who will close for Atlanta?
In his Rumblings and Grumblings column from Friday, Jayson Stark writes on teams that have unfinished business, including the Atlanta Braves who still have no defined closer. Apparently part of the problem was that GM John Schuerholz didn't expect Kyle Farnsworth to leave:

When Farnsworth left, it caught us by surprise, because we didn't have any inclination he didn't want to remain as our closer. This is his hometown. We thought this was the perfect place for him. So when he left, it was more surprising than when [Rafael] Furcal left, because Furcal got $13 million [a year].
I know Farnsworth got $17 million. But $17 million in New York is the equivalent of $15.2 million in Atlanta [factoring in taxes and cost of living]. We were prepared to offer him three years at $5 million [a year]. But we never got that chance.

Schuerholz seems to be hoping that someone will step up from some young candidates they have in spring training. If not, they'll trade for somebody. Atlanta has never placed much of a premium on who their closer was, and that hasn't really hurt them -- at least in the regular season.

Stark also profiles the Phillies unfulfilled desire to add a top of the rotation starter.

Should Mets fans feel guilty about the new stadium?

2006-01-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

Our Monday look at the New York Mets news offers a potpourri of stories, including a Tom Glavine feature, Baseball America's scouting report on Mike Pelfrey, some dubious small-market stadium whining, and a Jeff Reardon update.

Daily News: Tom Glavine Profile
Anthony McCarron profiles Tom Glavine, who is in the last year of his contract with the Mets. After getting off to a horrible start, Glavine changed his pitching style, mixing in curves and a cut fastball that allowed him to start pitching inside again. Now Glavine is excited to prove that the success he enjoyed the second half of last year is no fluke:

I have a better feeling this winter and a much better anticipation of the upcoming season. It's like, 'Hey, all right, I have a new bag of tricks,' so to speak. I had it working for half a year and, boy, I'd like to do that for a whole year. You couple that with the changes we've made as a club and it's an exciting time.

The changes in his style allowed Glavine to post a 2.22 ERA after the all-star break. McCarron documents the talks between Glavine and pitching coach Rick Peterson that led to the changes, quoting Peterson on Glavine's courage in making the change so late in his career:

It's a lot easier to make changes when you're unsuccessful, but to have the courage to make them when you're as successful a pitcher as Tom Glavine has been, that's not as easy. He rewrote his recipe.

Glavine is 25 wins short of 300, and could conceivably could reach that number by the end of next year. He will turn 40 in March.

Mets.com: Daryl Strawberry and Cliff Floyd Chats this week
For those of you that enjoy on-line chats, you can get a double dose of it this week, with Daryl Strawberry this Tuesday at 3:30 PM EST and Cliff Floyd this Thursday at 1:30 PM EST.

Baseball America: Mike Pelfrey Scouting Report
In a chat last Friday, BA's Jim Callis offers Mets fans the scouting report on the recently signed top draft pick Mike Pelfrey from the 2006 Prospect Handbook:

Baseball America's top-rated pitching prospect in the 2005 draft, Pelfrey received consideration from the Diamondbacks as the No. 1 overall choice. Arizona ultimately chose Justin Upton, and other teams were wary of Pelfrey's price tag, so the Mets were able to nab him with the ninth pick. He held out until January and was the last first-rounder to sign. Pelfrey received a club-record $3.55 million bonus as part of a four-year major league contract worth a guaranteed $5.25 million. Easily attained roster bonuses could push the value of the deal to $6.6 million, and there are performance and award incentives as well. Pelfrey starred for three seasons at Wichita State, going 33-7 with a 2.18 ERA that broke Darren Dreifort's school record. Shockers pitching coach Brent Kemnitz called him the best pitching prospect in school history, a rich tradition that includes seven other first-rounders. Pelfrey suffered from draftitis in 2002, when he entered his high school senior season as a projected first-round pick, but that wasn't the case last year. He blew away hitters consistently with a 92-97 mph fastball that's as notable for its sink as for its velocity. He's adept at getting grounders or strikeouts, depending on the situation. He has refined a straight changeup that will be a plus pitch and keeps lefthanders in check. He also has tightened his curveball and become more consistent with it. Add in a perfect pitcher's frame, good control and a competitive makeup, and there's not much to quibble with. Pelfrey likely will start his pro career at high Class A St. Lucie and may not need much more than a year in the minors before he's ready for New York.

Hopefully he will avoid the pitfall Philip Humber fell into last season and stay healthy. I'm looking forward to getting a peek at him in a spring training game.

Baseball Prospectus: More Crap on the Stadium
In what is honestly becoming somewhat of a tedious broken record, Neil deMause talks about the financing for the Mets' new stadium, and how it really isn't costing the Mets anything near the $444.4 million price tag. We can all debate the costs that taxpayers will wind up footing for both this stadium and the Yankees' new one. What is tiresome to me is writers like deMause making it sound like the baseball rule that allows teams that build a new stadium to deduct bond payments from their revenue sharing dollars is depriving small market teams of what is rightfully theirs:

The first discount the Mets will be getting on their stadium costs is the revenue-sharing deduction that I've previously written about in this space. One can debate whether this is a clever dodge of baseball's attempts to level the playing field for low-revenue teams, or a way to reclaim money that's rightfully theirs--judging from some of my e-mail, it seems a fair number of folks consider revenue-sharing to be an evil on a par with the diabolical progressive income tax--but the fact remains that by building a stadium, the Mets will get a discount on their revenue-sharing payments. Fair or foul, it reduces their effective costs.

A "clever dodge of baseball's attempts to level the playing field for low-revenue teams"? The Mets revenue comes from fans like you and me that go to the ballpark to cheer our team on. Forgive me if I am actually happy that some of this money will be put into building a beautiful new stadium to replace a 40 year old dump instead of supporting the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. We gave them Scott Kazmir -- what more do they want from us?

In the previous article that deMause refers to, he makes this statement regarding the new Yankee stadium:

Taking a deduction for $40 million a year in stadium bond payments would thus earn the Yankees a $15.6 million-a-year write-off on their annual revenue-sharing obligations. Over time, about $300 million of the House That George Built would be paid for by the other 29 teams. [my emphasis]

When deMause says that stadiums are paid for by the other 29 teams, he is specifically addressing revenue sharing. No wonder he got a lot of negative email on this.

Look, I support revenue sharing, but this loophole was written so that new stadiums could be built. Years ago, cities built new stadiums. This is becoming more rare, and rightfully so. But there has to be a way to get new stadiums built, and this idea works. With the cost of building a stadium in New York City, and the unwillingness of the city to take on the cost, this loophole might be the only way Mets fans could enjoy a new stadium. And again, this is not "stealing money". Revenue generated from Mets fans is spent on something that benefits Mets fans. Pardon me if I don't cry for fans in small market cities like Houston and San Diego that are enjoying their new stadiums.

For something in a similar vein, see my Major League Franchises Need to Be in Major League Cities post.

Palm Beach Post: Jeff Reardon Update
Carlos Frias offers a really heartbreaking look at the emotional pain that Jeff Reardon has endured since the death of his son, and updates us on what's going on in that heartbreaking story.

Jorge Julio for Kris Benson: A Look Back

2006-01-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

With the perspective that one whole day provides, we look back at the Kris Benson - Jorge Julio trade.

Bergen Record: Why did they do it?
Steve Popper asks the question on the mind of many Mets fans: just exactly why was this deal made? Popper reports, as others have, that Omar Minaya denies it had anything to do with Anna Benson. He cites Omar that Aaron Heilman will be one of several competing for the fifth starter slot with the newly acquired John Maine, Cuban Alay Soler, Japanese import Yusaku Iriki and Mets' top surviving pitching prospect Brian Bannister; so a starting pitching spot for Heilman is certainly not guaranteed.

When asked about clearing Benson's salary, Minaya was quoted:

As far as clearing salary, the fact is there is a difference. It gives me some flexibility in going forward.

So it would seem that salary dump would be the primary motivation. In addition, Minaya likes what Jorge Julio brings to the Mets, despite his declining numbers in Baltimore:

Some of the things we do like about him, when you talk to scouts, he has a power arm. It's fair to say his command has been an issue.
We have to look into the fact -- his numbers in Baltimore -- that's a small park and he is coming to bigger park. He's not going to be a closer here.
He has close to 80-some saves in the past three, four years. There is some resume. There's youth there. Possibly a change of scenery can help.

Daily News: More on the deal
Anthony McCarron weighs in on yesterday's trade, also opining that salary dump was the key reason:

The Orioles will absorb the remaining money on the three-year, $22.5 million contract that Benson signed before the 2005 season, a highly placed Mets official said, and unloading that burden was one of the main reasons for the deal. The Mets feel they have financial flexibility to make other moves later, and that might lead to them acquiring a big-name starter in the future - Oakland's Barry Zito has been dangled in the past.
...Julio will make roughly $2 million in 2006, so the Mets will save about $5 million in the deal, money that could be earmarked for another move. Minaya said there was nothing imminent and opined, "There's not much out there" on the current free-agent market. He also added, "We'll evaluate in spring training. I think it's fair to say we'll go to spring with (the current staff), but I always believe in working and calling teams up. We have a long way to go from here to spring training."

This would seem to indicate a lack of interest in trying to get Jeff Weaver in on a one-year contract. Frankly, what I read into this deal is simply that Omar Minaya had absolutely no faith that Kris Benson was anything more than he appeared to be in 2005 -- a mediocre pitcher with flashes of brilliance and no stamina over the course of a long season. He's betting that he can get something equivalent out of what he has left for a lot less money, and the salary saved can be used to make another move during the year.

I'm sure the usual suspects in the national media will kill Omar for this, and this certainly is the type of high risk - high reward type of move that leaves a GM exposed to second guessing. I don't love it. As of the few voices in the Mets blogging community that advocated for holding on to Benson, I am somewhat disappointed. The parallels between Jorge Julio and the late, unlamented Armando Benitez are eerie and disturbing.

But Julio has what you can't teach -- a ton of natural ability. John Maine is a kid who was still considered one of the better pitching prospects in baseball just a year ago. Omar saves himself about $5 million a year with this deal. If all he has wrought works out according to plan we will be talking about him as a genius down the road. If not, we might be watching him delivering fake press conferences on ESPN in a couple of years. Say what you want about the "New Mets" under Omar, they are certainly not boring.

Back to the article, after capsulizing Julio's less-than-inspiring career up to now, McCarron offers the following scouting report on the Mets new setup man:

He's got a great arm, outstanding. He's one of those guys, when he's on, he's unhittable. I've had him up to 98 (mph) on the radar gun and he's got a very good slider. But his problem has been control. I thought about two years ago, he was going to be outstanding and he kind of leveled off because of the control. He really struggled last year.

Paging Dr. Rick: Another "10 minute fix" candidate...

Newsday: Jon Heyman on the trade
Crusading journalist Jon Heyman, who has taken credit for breaking the "story" that Anna Benson was negotiating with Playboy to do a spread, provides the following 6 reasons why Benson was traded:

1) General manager Omar Minaya loves Julio's power arm (with Billy Wagner and Julio, who's hit 99 mph, the Mets have the hardest-throwing bullpen back end); 2) Minaya wanted to give Aaron Heilman a shot at the No. 5 starting spot he's been craving; 3) Mets people see other starting alternatives in Yusaku Iriki and maybe even No. 1 draft choice Mike Pelfrey by midseason; 4) While the Orioles rebuffed attempts at former No. 1 pick Adam Loewen, the Mets liked righthander John Maine, another hard thrower (though some note last year's regression); 4) The Mets got younger; 5) Anna Benson will have to don her Santa's helper get-up in Baltimore now; 6) They'll save $13 million because Kris Benson has $15.5 million left through '07 and Julio will make about $2.55 million via arbitration, providing flexibility should something tempting arise later (including Zito).

Heyman also thinks it unlikely that a pre-season Zito trade will happen, or that the Mets have any real interest in Jeff Weaver.

Faith and Fear in Flushing: One on Anna
Frankly, I've stayed away from talking about Anna Benson very much because I just don't care much about the alleged "controversy" she has caused. Jason from FAFIF has penned an interesting piece on why he will miss Anna that actually aims above the reader's waist. Check it out.

MetsDaily.com: Interview with Kevin Czerwinski and Ted Robinson
If you missed this from earlier, John Strubel offers audio interviews with MLB Mets beat reporter Kevin Czerwinski and former Mets play-by-play man Ted Robinson. Czerwinski, although speaking before the trade was officially announced, had an interesting perspective on why Alay Soler's success in winter ball might have contributed to Minaya's confidence he could afford to make it.

More on Jorge Julio and John Maine; What's Next

2006-01-22T02:04:00.000-05:00

I wanted to get some sort of heads-up on John Maine, the prospect the Mets landed in the Benson deal. Searching around on the web has brought up relatively little. Heading into last season he was rated as Baltimore's #6 prospect by Baseball America. He seems to have been rushed through the Orioles' system. He was drafted in 2002 (6th round) and was already at the AAA level in 2004. He had good numbers until being moved to AAA, and has struggled at that level and during a 10 game audition with the Orioles at the end of last season.

The struggles have caused his star as a prospect to fall somewhat:

John Sickels, Minor League Ball, 11/20/2005
6-11, 4.56 in 23 starts for Triple-A Ottawa, though his component ratios were up to previous standards. Hit hard in 10 games in the majors, with a poor 24/24 K/BB in 40 innings. I still think he will be a useful pitcher but I don't like him as much as I used to.

He is a tall, lanky pitcher and some of his struggles seem to be due to poor mechanics, and being rushed through the system probably didn't help. Still, if he hadn't fallen as a prospect, the Mets wouldn't have gotten him in the Benson trade. Now it remains to be seen whether the Mets really want him or see him as a chip in a trade for Barry Zito.

Julio is a huge risk for the Mets. His numbers have been falling and he seems to have the same makeup problems that plagued Armando Benitez. There is an element at Mets games that could really get on this guy if he struggles in the same way he has at Baltimore. Omar could look like a genius if he puts it together and becomes the star he seemed to be a couple of years ago. Omar could wind up wearing the dunce cap if he bombs. Omar seems to be willing to go the high-risk, high-reward route quite a bit. Let's hope it pays off.

New York Times: Weaver next on the agenda?
Ben Shpigel reports on yesterday's trade. Besides acquiring Julio to compete for a bullpen spot and John Maine to compete for a starting job or get flipped in another deal, Shpigel speculates that shedding Benson's salary might be a precursor to one more important deal:

By shedding Benson's $7.5 million salary from the payroll for 2006 and 2007, Minaya may also be positioning himself for another, bolder move. The free-agent starter Jeff Weaver is still available and would most likely command a high price. Weaver, 29, has an excellent repertory and has proven durable, averaging 199.4 innings a season over his seven-year major-league career. He could slide nicely into the rotation of a team with grand expectations. "Yes, we have some flexibility," Minaya said of the team's reduced payroll. But as to alternatives to in-house pitching options available on the free-agent market, "There's not much out there," he said.

I wouldn't be opposed to signing Weaver if it was the one-year, now-go-prove-yourself type of deal. Anything longer than that would be foolhardy until he proves he can pitch in New York.

AP: Heilman's Role
David Ginsburg also reports on the trade. Omar Minaya is quoted regarding the Mets motivation for the move:

We were able to get a power arm on the back end of the bullpen and we were able to get a young player, Maine, who had pretty good numbers in the minor leagues. It gives us some depth. Now Aaron Heilman can get an opportunity to start.

There was some question whether Aaron Heilman would get a chance to compete for the fifth starter's job, and Omar's words would indicate that he will have the opportunity. It's also obvious that the Mets wanted very much to move Benson and his salary out of New York, though of course no one will actually say it. I'll be curious to see what they might do to spend that salary.

MetsDaily.com: Interview with Kevin Czerwinski and Ted Robinson
John Strubel offers two new audio interviews this weekend, with MLB Mets beat reporter Kevin Czerwinski and former Mets play-by-play man Ted Robinson.

Update: Confirmation on Benson for Julio Trade

2006-01-21T14:19:00.000-05:00

Newsday, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal and the New York Mets web site are all reporting this trade has been made:

Newsday: Benson for Julio is a done deal
Jon Heyman reports the trade has been finalized:

The Mets have agreed to trade Kris Benson to the Orioles for reliever Jorge Julio and righthanded pitching prospect John Maine, Newsday has learned.
...The Mets discussed trading Benson for much of the winter. This deal enables them to give Aaron Heilman an opportunity to win the No. 5 slot in the starting rotation. Heilman, whose stock soared last year, had requested a trade if he wasn't made a starter.
Mets general manager Omar Minaya is said to like Julio's power arm. Julio, who's been clocked as high as 99 mph and reminds some of Armando Benitez, saved 83 games from 2002-04. However, his value fell after being hit hard last year after his demotion from closer to set-up man. Julio, who turns 27 in March, was 3-5 with a 5.90 ERA. Overall he is 11-24 with a 4.20 ERA.
Maine, 24, gives the Mets yet another hard thrower. Maine was 2-3 with a 6.30 ERA for the Orioles last year. In 40 innings, he allowed 39 hits while walking 24 and striking out 24.

Fox Sports: Rosenthal confirms
Ken Rosenthal also reports the deal has been completed, although he doesn't identify the pitching prospect.

Mets.com: Noble Confirms
Marty Noble reports a done deal on the Mets official web site:

The Mets' sense that their bullpen was lacking has promoted them to make another trade aimed at reinforcing their relief pitching at the expense of their rotation. Less than a month after dealing Jae Seo, their best starting pitcher for a month late last summer, they have dealt their No. 3 starter as well.
Kris Benson was traded to the Orioles on Saturday in an exchange that imports right-handed reliever Jorge Julio, formerly the Orioles closer, and a modest right-handed pitching prospect, John Maine.
Sources with both clubs confirmed the trade has been made. An announcement was expected this afternoon, and the Mets have scheduled a 3 p.m. ET conference call with the media.
...Now Julio is part of the Mets' almost totally remodeled and predominantly right-handed bullpen. He and Duaner Sanchez, the reliever acquired from the Dodgers in the Seo trade, are likely to be the setup men for Billy Wagner, the lone left-handed pitcher guaranteed a place in the 'pen.
Julio, who saved 83 games for the Orioles from 2002-2004, lost the closer assignment to B.J. Ryan last season and was used in setup relief. At age 26 in his fourth big-league season, he produced a 3-5 record a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances and 71 2/3 innings. His ERA has increased three straight years from 1.99 in 2002, to 4.38 in 2003, 4.57 in 2004 and 5.90 last summer.
A person familiar with the decline in Julio's career characterized it this way Saturday: "He has gone from closer, to setup to mopup."

That last quote was kind of ugly, but all too accurate based on Julio's career decline.

The info Noble offers on John Maine coincides with the limited info I've been able to find:

Maine, 24, made his Major League debut in 2004 and has a 2-4 record and 6.60 ERA in 11 Major League appearances, nine of them starts. Executives from three other clubs were mostly unimpressed with Maine, one suggesting he isn't ready to take a regular turn in he rotation of a contender.

Apparently Maine has some promise, but experiences many problems with his mechanics. I hope that no one in the Mets hierarchy still believes in a 10 minute Rick Peterson "fix".

I have to agree with Marty Noble's concerns about this deal:

The departures of Seo and Benson appear to indicate one or two changes in the Mets' thinking. It now seems more likely that Aaron Heilman will be part of the rotation, as he prefers, and/or that Alay Soler, the right-handed Cuban defector, looms larger in the club's plans.
No matter who replaces Benson and Seo, the changes leave the Mets without depth in starting pitching. When Seo was traded, general manager Omar Minaya indicated that Soler was part of the depth he would rely on. Now Benson and his seven years of experience are gone, too, and Soler, who never has pitched in a professional game in the United States, evidently has moved up on the Mets' depth chart.
At the same time, the Mets have developed a greater need for a left-handed setup reliever, a commodity hardly available in abundance. They had steadfastly said Heilman, who is right-handed, would handle left-handed batters because of his effective changeup. If Heilman is in the rotation now, which pitcher will provide that service?
...While Benson was a bit of a disappointment to the Mets -- partially because of injury -- he did win 10 games last summer. Only Pedro Martinez (15) and Tom Glavine (13) won more. Now the Mets have to replace Benson's 10 victories and Seo's eight.

I really need to digest this, and you still have to wonder if Barry Zito rumors might revive again. I will be back with opinion once I have time to actually form one.

See my previous post for some opinions that I began expressing before the trade news broke.

Benson for Julio -- Done Deal?

2006-01-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

In a fast-breaking story, a Kris Benson - Jorge Julio trade may have already happened.

Update: See my latest post. This deal has been confirmed.

Newsday: Benson for Julio, Part Deux
David Lennon and Jon Heyman are reporting that the Kris Benson to the Orioles in exchange for Jorge Julio talks have been revived. The sticking point in the original discussions was Baltimore's unwillingness to include a prospect in the deal. According to Lennon and Heyman, the Orioles seem to have had a change of heart, and Mets officials are "feeling optimistic" that a trade will be consummated.

Lennon and Heyman state that the trade will open up a slot for Aaron Heilman to pitch in the rotation. They also opine that a big reason for dealing Benson is to say "hasta la vista, baby" to Anna Benson. I had some problems with this deal back when it was discussed in early December, and I still have reservations about it:

Julio's career has been going in the wrong direction.
After bursting into baseball's consciousness with a great year in 2002, Julio has seen his numbers decline steadily since then. He gives up a lot of hits for a power pitcher, and an impressive number of home runs. He lost the closer's job in Baltimore, and it is instructive that, with B.J. Ryan gone, they would still rather deal Julio and give the job to an untested young player.
Depending on the caliber of the prospect you receive, for a second time this winter you are essentially trading a starting pitcher for a middle reliever.
I could understand Omar doing this once, as the bullpen desperately needed a quality arm. Despite the success he had when he was first called up, Seo tailed towards the end of the year and still looks to be a bottom of the rotation starter. Benson, for all of his failure to achieve to the level befitting a former Number One pick, is a better starter than Seo. Unless you are talking a really, really good prospect, this is a head shaker to me.
If they can't make it there, can they make it here?
Julio is an Armando Benitez clone as a pitcher. Unfortunately, he has shown Benitez-like negative tendencies, also. The Baltimore faithful lost patience with him, just how patient will Mets fans be? This could get quite ugly.
Who is going to get lefthanders out?
The strongest argument for leaving Aaron Heilman in the bullpen is that his changeup is effective against lefties. Julio would certainly add a young power arm to the bullpen, but he's another RHP with traditional splits.
Can we afford to trade another starter when we have so many question marks in the rotation?
If this deal is not a precursor to a Zito pickup, I have to question trading away a quality starter. Pedro's toe, Glavine's age, Trachsel's back, Zambrano's inconsistency and Heilman's relative inexperience argue against it.

As for the Anna situation, which Lennon and Heyman sum up this way:

The deal would be a two-for-two trade for the Mets in a way; Anna Benson has become a colorful and constant presence around the Mets. She appeared as a scantily clad Mrs. Claus at the club's annual kids Christmas party and had been in negotiations to appear in Playboy in even less clothing.

I thought going into that party the Mets already had a good idea who Anna Benson was, and shouldn't have been shocked by what she wore. As for Anna being "a colorful and constant presence around the Mets", the simple solution is not to let her get involved in such things in the future. Anna as a contributing reason to trade her husband is quite silly -- a red state concern in a blue state market.

I won't argue against the concern that Kris Benson has not shown that he can stand up to a full season of pitching, and that his strikeout rate is too low. I have those concerns, too. But I liked the way he pitched in big games like the 2 times he dominated the Yankees -- and I have much bigger concerns about Trachsel and Zambrano.

Julio is young and certainly has a live arm. If the Mets can turn him around they will have a top-notch setup man who can close games, too, but this is certainly the type of deal that can blow up in your face. If nothing else, no one can accuse Omar of playing it safe.

Daily News: Looking to sign Jeff DaVanon?
Anthony McCarron reports that the Mets might be one of the teams looking to sign former Angels outfielder Jeff DaVanon. McCarron quotes DaVanon's agent, Mike Nicotera:

He's coming from a competitive, contending club. Jeff is a pretty good example of the kind of guy the Angels have been successful with the past few years.
It's safe to say there are a number of teams interested and he's certainly interested in going to a contender where he can earn some at-bats. There are a number of moving pieces in the outfield mix (around baseball) and we're trying to be patient to find the best spot.

The rumor is that the Mets are looking to deal Victor Diaz, and see the switch-hitting DaVanon as someone who can platoon somewhat with Xavier Nady in right field. The only problem here is that DaVanon is a markedly better hitter as a right-handed batter.

MLB Trade Rumors: Zito rumors
I normally don't pay much attention to this web site, because 90% of what they talk about doesn't happen (in fairness, that's why they call them "rumors"), but this one ties into the last 2 items:

New Possible Zito Scenario
Just got a note from my Mets source on a possible Barry Zito trade scenario. Here's how this could play out:
The Orioles still have some interest in Kris Benson; VP Jim Duquette likes him. Benson would be dealt to the O's for young players of Billy Beane's choice.
Victor Diaz would be shipped off by the Mets as well, but again for prospects coveted by Oakland. The A's don't have room for Diaz given their glut of 1B/DH/OF types. The prospects from both deals would then be packaged with Aaron Heilman and the Mets would receive Zito.
The Mets would likely sign Jeff DaVanon to platoon in right field with Xavier Nady to complement this trade. The switch-hitting DaVanon didn't do much with righties this year, but posted an .824 OPS against them in 2004. Nady has a career line of .323/.400/.452 in 124 at-bats versus southpaws. So keep an eye out for a DaVanon signing and Benson trade, because that could spell a Zito deal.

Obviously the addition of Zito would more than make up for the loss of Benson. The only thing that makes me nervous here is Zito himself. I like him, but foresee that he might wind up as one of the more overpaid pitchers in the game after this season. Needless to say, if the Mets gave up Benson, Heilman and Victor Diaz to get Zito, they would have to re-sign him. A one-year rental would not be a good thing.

BTW, over the last 3 years DaVanon's OPS against RHPs is .747. I'm not convinced that using the switch-hitting DaVanon as the left-handed component of a platoon makes that much sense. Plus you've already got Endy Chavez and Tike Redman on the roster. Is DaVanon such a huge upgrade over them? Are the Mets collecting mediocre outfielders?

What does this all mean?
Let's see how this shakes out. An Orioles site is already reporting this as a done deal:

Orioles Hangout says trade has been made

I'm going to see if there is any verification out there.

Mets lose prospect Aarom Baldiris on waivers

2006-01-20T18:57:00.000-05:00

Creating a spot on their roster for their new Japanese pitcher cost the Mets a middling level prospect today:

TexasRangers.com: Rangers Claim Aarom Baldiris on waivers
The Mets had to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for Yusaku Iriki. This meant exposing a player to a waiver claim. Minor league IF Aarom Baldiris was that player. He was snapped by the Texas Rangers.

The 23-year-old Baldiris batted .275 with 11 HR and 63 RBIs for Double-A Binghamton last season. At one time he was a fairly highly rated 3B prospect in the Mets' system, but was moved to 2B because he lacked power -- and because the Mets already have a pretty good third baseman. He has a real good glove, and projected to be a utility guy at the major league level. He was the Mets 19th rated prospect by Mets Inside Pitch Magazine, who offered the following info on Balderis:

He didn't hit with enough power to be a starting third baseman so the Mets moved him to second base. A very good contact hitter who did manage to hit a career-high 11 home runs this past season, Baldiris isn't the same defensive player at second base. He'll get an opportunity to improve his defense there, but right now, Baldiris projects to be more of a bench player.

Just the breaks, really. They had to expose him and Texas had the roster room to snap him up. I just hope that Iriki doesn't turn into a total bust. Not that Baldiris was a huge prospect, but you hate to see the Mets system lose anyone right now.

A closer look at Yusaku Iriki

2006-01-20T12:47:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Gotham Baseball, we have a more in-depth look at New York's latest Japanese import. We also find more evidence that Victor Diaz' stock is falling, and check out some good stuff on other blogs.

Gotham Baseball: Some background on Yusaku Iriki
GB's Mike McGann digs up some details on the latest addition to the Mets, Yusaku Iriki. There was little information floating around yesterday about Iriki, and what info we saw seemed to indicate Iriki was quite mediocre. McGann thinks that Iriki may surprise us:

Iriki isn't your typical Japanese pitcher, and in fact may be the rare player who flourishes in the U.S. after mediocre results in Japan. When the Yomiuri Giants -- the gods of Japanese baseball -- had the temerity to trade Iriki to the Fighters, Iriki ripped them publicly for doing it and claimed it was because he dared to use an agent to negotiate a new contract -- pretty much unprecedented in a country where the players' union is completely co-opted by the team owners -- and then wrangled with Nippon Ham over demands he be posted.

I have to admit that, based on what Japanese players have "accomplished" with the Mets over the years, I basically expect to see Iriki fall on his face and keep the tradition going. Thanks to McGann's article, I'm at least mildly interested in seeing him pitch. Check out the rest of the article, it's a good read.

While you're there, check out Gotham Baseball's redesigned site. It's quite an improvement over what it was.

Fox Sports: The forgotten outfielder
In a Ken Rosenthal feature on what the Red Sox might do now that Theo Epstein is back, Rosenthal comments on free-agent outfielder Jeff DaVanon, a possibility for the centerfield job in Beantown:

DaVanon also is drawing interest from the Mets, who would use him in a right-field platoon with Xavier Nady, making Victor Diaz potentially available in a trade.

I commented a few days ago on how Victor Diaz' stock seems to be plummeting this off-season. If he survives on the roster until opening day, he really has something to prove. Diaz seems to be someone who really needs outside motivation to perform. It's remarkable how big the difference is between now and last winter, when Diaz was universally talked up as on of the potential young stars of the franchise. Wake up, kid, before you find yourself as the fifth outfielder in Kansas City.

AP: Speaking of Japanese Pitchers
Former Mets failure Kazuhisa Ishii has signed a two-year contract with the Yakult Swallows.

Faith and Fear in Flushing: 1986 Flashback
Greg from FAFIF has another Flashback Friday installment looking back twenty years to the last championship season.

Mets Guy in Michigan: Are they worth it?
Dave Murray looks at some denizens of the Empire and ponders if any of the damned are worth redeeming.

Metstradamus: Still job hunting
Metstradamus features a resume that you will not likely see on Monster.com anytime soon.

MetsDaily.com: My Astros preview
If you missed it yesterday, I've written a piece on the Astros for MetsDaily.com's NL team previews. I also wrote one on the Atlanta Braves that was posted a couple of weeks ago, and will pen one more on the Padres that will be posted the first week of February.

SI's Donovan Grades the Hot Stove, My Astros Preview

2006-01-19T18:35:00.000-05:00

MetsDaily.com: Check out my Astros preview
I've written a preview of the Houston Astros for MetsDaily.com's NL team previews. If you get the chance please check it out. I also wrote one on the Atlanta Braves that was posted a couple of weeks ago.

Sports Illustrated: NL Hot Stove Grades
John Donovan hands out hot stove grades for NL teams, and he was a little kinder to the Mets than SI's Alex Belth and Richard Deitsch were yesterday:

Moving in/moving out: No NL team benefited more from the Marlins' selloff than the Mets, who traded for first baseman Carlos Delgado and catcher Paul Lo Duca, both of them All-Stars who plug gaping holes. Mets GM Omar Minaya also landed the closer he needed, signing free-agent lefty Billy Wagner (four years, $43 million), cleared some salary by trading right fielder Mike Cameron to the Padres for new right fielder Xavier Nady, and signed solid bench players in Julio Franco and Jose Valentin. A late trade sending surprisingly good starter Jae Seo to the Dodgers in exchange for righty relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll added depth to the bullpen.
Lowdown: Minaya didn't get Manny Ramirez after all that talking, but that is about the only significant player the Mets wanted who wasn't lured to Queens. With a blockbuster offseason, every part of this team is better, with the possible exception of the starting pitching depth now that Seo is gone. The shortcomings at catcher and first base have been filled wonderfully, the bullpen problems are addressed and the bench is better. If the Mets stay relatively healthy and their creaky rotation doesn't fall apart, the Braves will face their toughest test in more than a decade.
GRADE: Money and good trades pay off -- A.

Hmmm -- that sounded remarkably like an unbiased look at the Mets' off-season moves. At some point between now and spring training I will look at everything that Omar has done in more detail, but it was nice to finally read something even-handed about it -- especially after Fox Sport's Dayne Perry handed the Mets a "C+" for the same moves, while giving Atlanta and the Phillies a "C". I thought that rating the Mets' off-season only marginally better than those teams' was somewhat extreme. Those that read this blog regularly know that I don't agree with everything Omar has done, but some of the criticism he has been subjected to is just ridiculous.

FYI -- for the competition, the Braves and Phillies merited a "C", while the Nationals got a "D". The "D" seemed a little harsh for a team that still lacks an owner. If anything, I'd give MLB an "F" for the Nats' off-season.

Defending Your Omar; The Mets New Pitcher

2006-01-19T10:13:00.000-05:00

I stirred up a reader's thoughtful comment and a couple of truly mean-spirited emails with last night's post. All felt that I was defending the Cameron and Seo trades. In a way I was, I guess, but not from the standpoint of saying that I agreed with them. I wouldn't have personally made either move, but that's not the point. I'm tired of the way that some of the baseball press seems to attack Omar Minaya's moves while completely ignoring any baseball logic behind them.

I thought SI's Alex Belth came across as biased. He used Dodgers blogger Jon Weisman's quote on Jae Seo, but I question how many times Weisman has actually seen Seo pitch, or how unbiased his opinion is. I don't care for writers that write with an agenda: starting off with an opinion, and only looking for "facts" that support it.

There are a lot of them out there, just hoping that Omar and the Mets fall on their faces as they have done so often in the past. It just might happen, too. However, don't unfairly paint Omar Minaya as an impatient, overpaying buffoon. He spent months working on deals for a reliever, and I'm confident he made the best deal he could -- certainly a better one than trading Aaron Heilman for Danys Baez. No, I don't agree with a lot that Omar has done. Our philosophies differ drastically, but I respect him as a hard-working and creative manager.

I spent some time visiting some Mets sites this evening. D.J. Short, one of the bloggers that is covering MetsBlog this month, also took note of the 2 SI articles that I criticized. Regarding the Richard Deitsch rant about Victor Zambrano, Short makes a great point that the Dodgers paying Brett Tomko $8.7 million over 2 years had something to do with skewing the market.

Lastly, I believe I have finally "arrived" as a Mets blogger, as I have now been accused of blindly attacking Omar by some and blindly defending him by others.

Enough of this, let's turn to some news:

AP: The Iriki Signing
Ronald Blum reports on the Yusaku Iriki signing. He quotes Omar Minaya on the significance:

He has the ability to start and also the ability to pitch in the bullpen. I just felt bringing him on board gives us a little more depth.

Blum also cites Omar in giving us a head-up on what to expect from Iriki as a pitcher:

Minaya said Iriki has a fastball that tops out at 90-93 mph, and also throws a curveball, slider, changeup and shuto -- a two-seam pitch that breaks outside and down to right-handed batters and was used by Masato Yoshii with the Mets.

Blum also quotes Iriki through a translator:

It was my dream to pitch for a major league team. I'm so happy right now that I could just go outside and pitch right now.

Daily News: Iriki's former manager weighs in
Anthony McCarron cites Trey Hillman, who managed Iriki with the Nippon Ham Fighters last season on the Mets new addition:

...a hard-nosed guy who pitches with his hair on fire.
...He's max effort and gives you everything he has.
...He'll take the ball any time he is asked and in any role. I'm very sorry we lost him.

The "hair on fire" quote was a little weird, wasn't it?

Newsday: Empire State Development Corp approves stadium plans
Neil Best reports that both the Mets and Yankees new stadiums have passed a hurdle, as the Empire State Development Corp.'s board approved adoption of both stadium plans.

Mets.com: Mets Catchers
In the latest weekly installment of Around the Horn, Marty Noble looks at Mets catchers Paul Lo Duca and Ramon Castro.

ESPN Insider: Which Division Winners Won't Repeat?
Rob Neyers looks at last year's division winners and opines which will fail to repeat. Here is his take on last year's NL East champions:

I hate to do this, because it's exceptionally easy and I'm going to antagonize, once again, all the loyal Braves fans. Here it is, though: I don't see them winning again. They've made one significant move -- replacing Rafael Furcal with Edgar Renteria -- and it's a negative move. They don't have a closer, and they've lost their pitching coach. Meanwhile, the Mets, whose 89 second-order wins last season were three more than the Braves', have added Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner to their roster. Things never seem to go exactly as planned in Flushing Meadows, but the Mets look to me like the best team in the National League.

I don't know whether to be happy about this, or look at it as the kiss of death...

SI Sticks it to the Mets

2006-01-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

My RSS Newsreader pointed me to a couple of Met related articles that I thought were pretty unfair:

Sports Illustrated: Save your rants
Richard Deitsch rants about Victor Zambrano's $3 million contract. He claims that he had a better year than Victor, so he should get a 25% raise.

First of all, I've read some of Mr. Deitsch's writing, and I would dispute that he's had a markedly better year than Victor Zambrano. Secondly, $3 million isn't that much money for a starting pitcher with Zambrano's service time and potential.

Basically, Deitsch's rant is just a cheap shot at an easy target. It's the baseball equivalent of Rodney Dangerfield yelling out "Let's all get laid" at the end of a movie. It's not really profound, but everyone cheers. Yawn...

Sports Illustrated: The Yankee Blogger weighs in
For another impartial SI look at the Mets' off-season, Yankee blogger Alex Belth weighs in with Five moves he liked and Five he didn't from the off-season. Not surprisingly, the Mets wound up on the wrong side of both.

First Belth panned the Jae Seo for Duaner Sanchez trade, which he liked from the Dodgers point of view:

You didn't have to be an irate Mets fan to know that the organization's decision to start Victor Zambrano (7-12, 4.17 ERA) and Kaz Ishii (3-9, 5.14) ahead of Seo (8-2, 2.59) for much of the season cost the team any chance of making the playoffs. In exchange for Seo and lefty Tim Hamulack, the Dodgers gave up a couple of decent relievers -- Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll. Jon Weisman, author of Dodger Thoughts, agrees that L.A. got the better end of the deal. "Seo blew me away in August after he replaced Ishii in the Mets' rotation. I realize that some of that may have been luck, because he wasn't striking a lot of batters out, and he regressed a bit toward the end of the season." Though Weisman likes Sanchez's surging strikeout rate (7.79 per 9.0 innings) as well as his durability, he concludes, "Relievers are easier to come by, and I like the chances for Seo to add stability to the Dodger rotation and help the team more than Sanchez would have."

I liked Jae Seo, but Weisman's quote is a little strong for a guy who will probably be a fourth or fifth starter his whole career. The Mets needed some real bullpen help, and they traded from their strength. I didn't love the deal, but it made more sense for the Mets than Belth painted it. I question Jon Weisman's statement, "Relievers are easier to come by". If this off-season has proved one thing to us, it is that the present market for good relievers is white-hot, due to the fact they are in short supply.

A Mets trade also wound up as one of five moves Belth didn't like:

Mets trade outfielder Mike Cameron to the Padres for outfielder Xavier Nady
I don't like this one at all from New York's perspective. Saving money played a part in their thinking, but the Mets gave up a plus outfielder for a platoon player. Cameron is going to be a godsend for the Padres defensively, and although he doesn't hit for average, he's got some pop and is more than competent with the bat. By all counts he's also a mensch, as well as a consummate pro in the clubhouse, exactly the kind of cherry-on-the-top guy that winning teams often feature.

I liked Cameron a lot, and didn't love this move, but I understood it immediately. Omar was chasing a middle-of-the-order bat. He didn't want to pay a defensive right fielder $6 million; he wanted that money for what eventually turned into Carlos Delgado. Nady was a young, cheap player with real potential, so Omar was able to clear a lot of salary and get something with a little promise in return. Would I have made this move? No. But if Alex Belth was willing to look beyond his Bronx bias I think he would understand this deal more than he allows.

Between building up Jae Seo as the second coming of Greg Maddox and being purposely obtuse about the Cameron deal, Alex Belth, who has written some stuff I've enjoyed, has proven that he is not someone to be trusted to write impartially about the Mets.

The shame here is that there are some legitimate concerns about the way the Mets have done business this off-season that could be addressed by a writer that wasn't going out of his way to smack the Mets. Even as good of a baseball writer as Ken Rosenthal has been guilty of taking cheap shots at the Mets this winter.

To repeat the Rodney Dangerfield analogy from before, blindly taking shots at Omar Minaya is the hot thing this off-season. It gets cheers in many quarters, whether it be the Bronx or a small market, but lacks real substance. As a serious Met fan, I welcome (and indeed engage in) real debate over Omar's methods, but I can't take this garbage seriously.

Woodward Signed; Another Potential Japanese Bust

2006-01-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

The Mets have officially brought Chris Woodward back into the fold, and are close to signing a mediocre Japanese pitcher. Meanwhile, Andrew Marra from the Palm Beach Post informs us what Jeff Reardon's defense will be if his sad case makes it to trial.

Daily News: Chris Woodward signs
Anthony McCarron reports that the Mets and Chris Woodward have agreed to a one-year, $825,000 contract. McCarron also reports on incentives in Victor Zambrano's contract that can push its final value up over the $3 million in base salary:

Zambrano can add to it by achieving three award bonuses - he'll make $50,000 for making the All-Star team, $25,000 if he's the MVP of the NL Championship Series and $50,000 for being the World Series MVP.

If Victor achieves any of those awards I think it would be fair to say that he exceeded expectations for the season.

With Ramon Castro's signing from last week, the Mets have now signed all of their arbitration eligible players.

New York Post: Another Japanese Import not to get excited about
According to Mark Hale, the Mets have added another potential arm to the bullpen by agreeing in principle to deal with Japanese pitcher Yusaku Iriki:

Iriki, a 32-year-old righty who spent last year with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, will get a one-year deal which also includes a team option, the source said. The deal, which is pending a physical today, is worth slightly less than $1 million and also includes approximately $500,000 in potential incentives, according to the source.

Sounds like a major-league deal, which would seem to indicate that Iriki will have a bullpen job to lose in spring training. It would seem that this would hurt the chances of RHPs Juan Padilla and Heath Bell to earn jobs in 2006. The Mets have an awful lot of right-handers as it stands now.

I'm sure we will learn more about Iriki, but to me, he sounds like this year's Mr. Koo -- last year's Korean fiasco.

Hale also reports that Chris Woodward's $825,000 contract includes incentives that can bump him up to $1.25 million for the year.

Palm Beach Post: Jeff Reardon's Defense
An anonymous comment to one of my posts pointed me to Andrew Marra's article on the defense Jeff Reardon's lawyer will use if his case goes to trial:

Jeff Reardon's attorney doesn't dispute that his baseball-star client robbed a Palm Beach Gardens jewelry store last month.
But with a little help from an obscure state law, he thinks he can convince a jury Reardon is not guilty.
Check out Reardon's new best friend: Florida Statute 775.051. It says there's no way being drunk, high or otherwise intoxicated can be used as a legal defense.
Except one.
It turns out being intoxicated can be used to prove a lack of criminal intent if the suspect used a controlled substance "pursuant to a lawful prescription."
And that is precisely what Reardon and his attorney, Mitchell Beers, have been claiming all along.
They say the retired pitching standout walked into The Gardens mall on Dec. 26 and robbed Hamilton Jewelers because he was having a bad reaction to a combination of prescribed antidepressants and post-surgery medications.
Reardon is currently facing a robbery charge, a second-degree felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

You would hope that some kind of deal could be reached to put an end to this sad story before a Court TV fodder type of trial takes place. I know that there are some people who don't believe Reardon's story, but no one can explain to me what his motives were if he was mentally competent during this "robbery".

If you need a refresher on what transpired back in late December, read this post.

Tom Verducci: You win by limiting their scoring

2006-01-17T18:57:00.000-05:00

[Sorry, this was originally posted missing the last paragraphs.]

Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci has an interesting new article, The best offense: Quickest way to improve is through run prevention on SI's web site.

Verducci starts with an interesting point on the White Sox' quick ascent from mediocrity to World Series champ:

Can the White Sox teach us something about how to quickly become an elite team? Yes, and it has nothing to do with grabbing the biggest headlines of the winter or adding a big bat.
By dint of brilliance or luck or the influence of manager Ozzie Guillen -- or most likely, a sprinkling of each ingredient -- the White Sox moved ahead of the curve when it came to the performance-enhancers crackdown. Scoring dropped 5 percent in the AL and 4 percent in the NL last year, the first season in which first-time steroid offenders drew announced suspensions. It could dip again next season if the new ban on amphetamines causes, as many baseball people speculate, the need to use bench players more often.

As Verducci points out, the Sox succeeded by building a team around pitching and defense, a philosophy that I've always believed in, but for some reason took a beating from the boys on WFAN this hot stove season when they were pushing for the Mets to acquire Manny Ramirez or Alfonso Soriano. In profiling teams that made a dramatic improvement this year by cutting down the number of runs that they gave up, Verducci lists 4 common denominators for these teams:

1. They didn't sink big money into a closer.
2. They resisted the urge to overpay for mediocre starting pitching (think Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano, Eric Milton, Russ Ortiz, Matt Clement, Odalis Perez, Kris Benson and much of the rest of the free-agent pitchers who were available last winter).
3. They reaped the benefits of sticking with young starting pitchers (Garland, Lackey, Patterson, Lee), who are to baseball what young quarterbacks are to the NFL: except for the rare gifted ones, they must be allowed a long learning curve.
4. They hit the lottery on inexpensive relievers (Politte, Vizcaino, Howry, Majewski, Carrasco, Walker, Speier, etc.). One of the trends of this offseason is the escalation of salaries for setup men. Too often, though, relief pitching is an unreliable commodity, and teams tend to pay for it at the height of a reliever's value, which only means the likelihood of a bubble about to burst.

Despite the money the Mets spent on Wagner, they were actually quite frugal in acquiring set up men, and I really don't have a problem with that. I'm a big believer in a team developing its own bullpen talent, and hope that the Mets can produce something out of some of the good young arms in their minor-league system.

What concerns me about the Mets is point number three. There is an attitude in New York that seems to favor mediocre polished and consistent veteran pitchers over young, promising but erratic youngsters. It's the kind of attitude that served as a justification for the Kazmir deal.

It does take years to develop a young pitcher, and you have to take the bad (walks, mental errors) along with the good while it's happening. It requires patience, and a manager (like Bobby Cox in Atlanta) who is secure enough in his job that he can give a kid time to work the kinks out of his game. If Mike Pelfrey is ready for the majors late in 2007, but the Mets are in a pennant race, will he be given a chance to develop into a possible top-of-the-rotation starter, or will there be pressure to trade him for a veteran player who is ultimately less talented but likely to provide more in the near term?

In my mind, the fifth starter slot should be filled by a young pitcher with potential rather than a middling veteran. When the Mets won in 1986, their fifth starter was a promising youngster named Rick Aguilera. He was erratic at times, but you could see that he was going to be a good one. (Too bad they traded him for Frank Viola in July of '89, but that's another story.)

It's getting more difficult all of the time to get a hold of a top-of-the-rotation pitcher from another team. Even guys who are just decent cost too much. The Mets are going to have to change their organizational philosophy to allow for the patience to develop young talent in New York, and we fans will need to show the same patience and allow this to happen. If we don't, we'll all pay for it down the road.

Victor gets a raise, Lugo still available

2006-01-17T13:12:00.000-05:00

There is a month to go until pitchers and catchers report to St. Lucie. In the limited amount of Mets news available, there is nothing to work up a good rant about.

AP: Victor Zambrano signs
The Mets and pitcher Victor Zambrano avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract. This represents a raise of $900K. I'm not really all that shocked by this. In today's market $3 million is chump change for an established major league starter. Rant about this if you feel you must, I just can't.

There was a stretch last year of 10 games where Victor Zambrano gave a glimpse of the effective pitcher he could be. He threw more strikes, pitched faster and looked like a pitcher who was "getting it". Pedro seemed to take an interest in him and worked with him a little. Victor's biggest problem is the trade that brought him here. There is an element of Mets fans that is always looking for an excuse to boo him. I wonder if he is tough enough to use that as a motivating challenge. Based on what we've seen so far, I don't think so; but for $3 million, that's not a huge gamble. With Heilman badly needed in the bullpen, it's not like there are a ton of better options, anyway.

St. Petersburg Times: Julio Lugo
Marc Topkin reports on the Rays' efforts to trade Julio Lugo. According to Topkin, for the Mets to snare Lugo would require pitching prospects. For the Mets, we're probably talking Heilman again. I'm sure if the Rays liked Brian Bannister something would have already happened.

I know some are dead-set against the possibility of going into the season with Kaz Matsui as a starter, but I doubt many would make this deal. There are second base options if Kaz Matsui falls on his face again, but we don't need to see the Mets go into the season with an understaffed bullpen. There are still question marks there as it is.

Faith and Fear in Flushing: Fran Healy
Greg at FAFIF writes about Fran Healy, who will have no role at all with the Mets this season. I've been following the Mets for a long time, yet I was surprised at Greg's revelation that Healy actually had 5 more years of service time broadcasting the Mets than the legendary Lindsey Nelson.

One thing though -- as a middle-aged guy myself, I do hope that Healy lands on his feet with someone next year after his MSG contract runs out. Perhaps there will be an opening on the Yankees announcing team. Fran actually started his broadcast career with the Yankees, and would really fit into that booth. Plus we know how much Steinbrenner likes to latch onto people with ties to the Mets.

MetsDaily.com: Cubs Preview
Mets Daily continues their series of NL team previews with Chris DeLao's look at the Chicago Cubs.

New Marty Noble Mailbag on Mets.com

2006-01-16T18:47:00.000-05:00

Marty Noble has a new mailbag posted on the Mets web site. There are some interesting things up there to warm up this brutally cold northeastern day.

Why are the Mets looking to dump Kris Benson?
-- Andrew S., Lodi, N.J.
They're not. But before they traded Jae Seo to the Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll, they were looking to upgrade their bullpen and thought they had an excess in one area -- starting pitching. They weren't about to deal Pedro Martinez or Tom Glavine -- each of whom has a contract with no-trade provisions -- and Steve Trachsel has veto power over a trade as a 10-5 player. That left Seo, Benson and Victor Zambrano.
They still might trade Benson, but making him available is in no way a dump job.

I've been one of what seems to be a minority that would like to see the Mets hold onto Benson. I was disappointed in the way he finished last season, and like many of you, was concerned about his inability to get any strikeouts as the season went on. That being said, I thought Kris proved that he can pitch in pressure games here in New York. His two performances against the Yankees in particular were eye openers. Because of that, and the fact that Pedro, Glavine, Zambrano and Trachsel are all to some extent question marks, I'd like to see what Benson could do in 2006.

Now having said that, I could see the Mets dumping Benson's salary to make room for a big pitcher like Zito. Even in that case, however, I would still love to see them keep Benson unless he was part of the actual deal. If Benson can develop more stamina, he can be a really good third starter for this team, and at $7.5 million per year, he's not that expensive in today's market. I'd give him one more shot to prove he can do that.

There was also an interesting question on what Noble thought was the all-time Mets rotation. I probably wouldn't base my picks completely on career stats but look at guys like Pedro (who obviously hasn't been here long), Bobby Ojeda (a couple of good years and injuries) and Mike Hampton (1 and out).

Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Pedro Martinez, Dwight Gooden and David Cone would be my picks. A step below would have been Ron Darling, Bob Ojeda (by far the Met's best pitcher in 1986), Al Leiter, John Matlack, Mike Hampton (hey, I hate him, too, but let's be honest) and Sid Fernandez.

My bullpen would feature southpaws Tug McGraw (tougher on righties with the screwball), John Franco, Jesse Orosco and Randy Meyers and righthanders Armando Benitez (he wouldn't close), Roger McDowell and Skip Lockwood. McGraw would definitely be the closer -- that screwball was a great pitch and the man had no fear (the anti-Benitez).

This weather sucks. Pitchers and catchers in one month...

Profiles of Billy Wagner, Wally Backman and Chad Bradford

2006-01-15T23:38:00.000-05:00

I had a good time away for a couple of days helping my aunt celebrate her 70th birthday. That nice time helps me cope with the loss of Danys Baez to the Dodgers. Okay, so maybe I'm not that upset, anyway...

Daily News: Nice Billy Wagner Feature
Wayne Coffey looks at the "long road" Billy Wagner has taken from Tannersville, Virginia to the Big Apple:

You leave the town of Tazewell and turn left at Frog Level, and pass through Thompson Valley, not far from Criggers and Pucketts Store. You climb up mountains, and switchback your way down the backside. You ride by a field with scores of brightly colored barrels, each with a rooster on top, a cock-fighting breeding camp. You go alongside a meandering creek, and see red dirt and grazing cows in sloping valleys.
Seventeen miles beyond Frog Level, you finally get to Tannersville, a hamlet of 392 people and six roads, a dozen miles from the nearest supermarket. Ten people come into the post office, and that's on a busy day, says Evelyn Barton, the postmaster. A faded wooden sign by the volunteer fire house welcomes you to "The Home of Billy Wagner." In Tazewell, where Wagner starred in football and baseball for Tazewell High, a fancier sign also claims the town as his home.

We've seen other features that have described the life obstacles Wagner has overcome to get to where he is now, but this is quite detailed and very good.

Bergen Record: Wally Backman Can't Catch a Break
Bob Klapisch reports on Wally Backman's sad saga since Arizona stuck it to him in 2004. The lastest is that, after being considered for the Binghamton job, Backman has been told by Omar Minaya that it "wasn't a good fit." Kiss off, Wally.

If you're not familiar with the story, Klapisch fills us in on Backman's troubles since the Arizona Diamonbacks backpedaled away from a verbal agreement that he would be their manager upon learning some disturbing news from Wally's past:

Turned out that Backman had been arrested for drunken driving in 2000, pleaded guilty to a harassment charge involving a female friend of the family and was tarnished by allegations of spousal abuse made by his ex-wife.
In a matter of four days, Backman's career in Arizona was over. The D-Backs were embarrassed for their failure to conduct a thorough background check, and were determined to wash their hands of the matter -- even as Backman accepted responsibility for the DUI and pointed out that a restraining order filed by his wife against him eventually was dismissed.
Since then Backman continually has apologized, but that has yet to impress the baseball community.

Backman, who was twice picked by Baseball America as their best managerial prospect, can't get a job, and he doesn't understand why:

I'm stumped why I can't get a job, even on the minor league level. It's not like I robbed a bank or did drugs. The whole thing boils down to a lousy divorce and a DUI. I've paid for that mistake. The president of the United States has a DUI on his record and he's still president. I made a mistake and learned from it. I've grown up.
...What I don't understand is how the Mets were willing to interview me for a job on the major league level, and now they won't consider me for the minor leagues. It's not even like I'm asking them to take a risk. I've proven myself on the minor league level. I know how to manage kids. My track record proves that.

Then again, with the stunning success the Mets minor league system has been over the years, maybe they just don't need any help.

New York Times: Chad Bradford
Ben Shpigel profiles new Met reliever Chad Bradford, and how he developed his exaggerated delivery.

MetsDaily.com: Wahington Nationals Preview
In the latest in MetsDaily.com's series of National League previews, Russlan Abouhassan profiles the Nats.

Major League Franchises Need to Be in Major League Cities

2006-01-14T02:15:00.000-05:00

Due to a visit to celebrate my Aunt's 70th birthday, I will not be posting this weekend. I leave you with this somewhat long opinion piece.

In Tough to stay competitive, an article on ESPN Insider, Peter Gammons makes some interesting points regarding the effect of expansion on the game of baseball:

Expansion was one of those ideas that sounded great at the time but left the game in six feet of snow. It's all been hashed and rehashed, but the last two expansions dramatically drove up the salary structure on the major-league level, fueled an unimaginable inflation of amateur draft dollars, left many teams unarmed by eliminating the threat of places to move, and eventually left the game with an aborted contraction attempt and the messes that remain in Florida and Washington.

Gammons goes on to profile the ups and downs of the last 4 expansion teams: Florida, Arizona, Tampa Bay and Colorado. Since you are supposed to pay for an ESPN Insider account to read the articles, I'm not going to rip a ton of quotes out of it, but it's a good read if you are a subscriber. What follows below is my opinion on expansion and revenue sharing, not Peter Gammons'.

Expansion is major sports is one of my pet peeves, simply for the reason that they are expanding into too many markets that aren't "major-league" markets. We hear a lot of talk that Portland, Oregon is possibly next in line for a major-league team, either by moving an existing team (Marlins), or via expansion. I can see it now. A team is in place and everything is great for a couple of years. Then the excitement dies down a little, and the next thing you hear is, "How can Portland compete revenue-wise with [insert large market team name here]? We need a salary cap. We need more revenue sharing. It's NOT FAIR.

I read a good piece by Fox Sports' Dayne Perry titled MLB revenue distribution needs an overhaul. Perry feels that to be equitable, revenue sharing needs to increase from the current level of 34% to 50% of all local revenues. Of course, Perry realizes that you have to ensure that this money is actually used to improve the product:

When you give money to teams with no sense of accountability, you inevitably get reprobates like Carl Pohlad, the billionaire owner of the Minnesota Twins, who have a history of gleefully pocketing shared revenues rather than reinvesting them into the team.
The answer really isn't forcing teams to boost payroll -- that's a scenario that lends itself to late-hour, asinine contracts doled out solely for the sake of meeting a salary floor. Rather, teams should be held to account to ensure they're plowing these revenues back into the team in some form. Whether that's by retaining a home-grown free agent who otherwise would've signed elsewhere, increasing the scouting and development budget or keeping a talented front office in place, it doesn't really matter -- so long as the money is being spent to improve the organization.

Now I understand where he is coming from here, but I would go further than simply trying to account for how the money is spent. You can't compare MLB to NFL football, which has a national following. If two great teams like the Colts and the Patriots are playing, there is interest nationally in watching this game. When two great baseball teams are playing, with the rare exception of Yankees/Red Sox, almost all of the interest in the game is local. That's why FOX rarely televises a single national game, and the NFL national tv contract is worth much more than the MLB national contract.

Because of this, almost all of the revenue in baseball is locally generated. There is simply more value to having a team in a location that supports it. We've seen this with minor-league baseball where I live in Connecticut. If teams can't thrive in a town, the owner will make a deal somewhere else and move the operation lock, stock and barrel. The local New Haven, CT, Double-A franchise moved to greener fields in New Hampshire a few years ago, and a lesser unaffiliated league team took its place. It was a simple business decision.

So, while I believe that revenue sharing should increase, I would insert a caveat. When you add up all the revenue eligible for sharing from the 30 major league franchises, you would divide that number by 30. In a perfect world, each team would contribute 1/30 of the total, 3.3%. Obviously, this won't be the case. I would set a minimum percentage of the total revenue that any franchise would have to meet, maybe 2%. Exceptions could be made for bad years, but consistent failure to generate local revenues that meet a minimum requirement would result in a penalty where a team loses revenue sharing dollars.

Moreover, a team that fails to meet the minimum over a substantial period of time, say a decade, would be moved or contracted. Let's end this fallacy that true democracy demands a major-league franchise in every burg that has a sewer system and a fire department. There are no major-league franchises in my state, and I do not believe we should have one. We just can't support it.

I don't believe this game will be served by diluting the talent further and expanding to 50 teams in lots of what are, in fact, minor-league markets; only to have these new teams holding their hands out, looking for established teams to bail out what was essentially a bad business decision in the first place. I believe in revenue sharing and a more level playing field for all, but let's be fair. If your city isn't a major-league caliber city, you shouldn't have a major-league franchise.

Note: please also see
Should Mets fans feel guilty about the new stadium?

Time for Victor Diaz to Bring It

2006-01-13T18:57:00.000-05:00

Victor Diaz is doing it in winter ball, but can he carry that over to spring training? Also, a reminder of the importance of relievers and some highlights of the Ron Darling chat:

Mets.com: Mets players in winter ball
Brian Hoch features several of the Mets players competing in winter ball. He reports that Victor Diaz is really mashing the ball in the Dominican Winter League. I hope that Diaz realizes that he is reaching a put up or shut up point in his young major league career. At stake is whether he can pick up his game enough to show he can produce the necessary offense for a starting corner outfield spot, especially with his less than stellar defense. If he loses out on the starting RF slot to Xavier Nady, there is the danger of being slotted as a fourth outfielder type.

Diaz certainly showed his potential last year, but he also demonstrated a lack of focus over the course of a season that would seem to argue against him reaching his full potential as a hitter. Maybe seeing Nady -- who has hardly experienced a world-beating MLB career himself -- more or less anointed as the starting right fielder this off-season will give Victor the kick in the ass he needs to pull his game to the next level. If not, then maybe all he is just a good-hit, no-glove fourth outfielder.

Sports Illustrated: The importance of short relievers
Jacob Luft insists that short relievers are worth more than they are often given credit for being. Of note, in a chart of 2005 Leaders, Runs Saved Above Average Among Relievers from the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, Billy Wagner was ranked second behind Mariano Rivera.

Also on Mets.com: Ron Darling Chat Transcript
If you missed the 2 PM chat, read all about it at Mets.com. Some highlights:

Q: How does the current Mets team compare to the 1986 team?
It is hard to compare the '86 starting pitching staff with this team. But the offense for the 2006 Mets, with Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Cliff Floyd, David Wright, etc., seems as strong or maybe stronger than that '86 team.
Q: Should the age of the starting pitching and the lack of a quality setup man in the bullpen worry Mets fans in regards to how far this team can actually go?
Well, I'm not bothered by the age of the starting pitching. Arguably Tom Glavine was the Mets' best pitcher in the second half, winning seven games with an ERA just over 2.00. Pedro (Martinez) is always going to be Pedro. He can beat you with an 82 mph fastball or a 92 mph fastball. But I believe Kris Benson is the key to this year's rotation. He had 10 wins last year, but is capable of much more.
Q: What will the Mets do with Victor Zambrano? Seems to me they are reluctant to cut ties with him because it would admit it was a terrible deal.
Victor Zambrano has a fine arm, great fastball, great breaking ball. Everyone knows that he struggled with his control, and it's an interesting question. Because of the trade, you might think the Mets are holding onto him to justify the trade, but I believe they are keeping Zambrano because sometimes power pitchers take a little longer to develop, and I believe he'll develop into a strong Major League pitcher some day.
Q: Are you excited to be working with Keith again? Have you guys kept in touch since leaving the Mets?
We have kept in touch and have seen each other off and on over these 20 years. And I'm excited to have the opportunity to occasionally share the booth with Keith, to be the Mets' color analyst with Keith, and to learn from Keith, since he has a lot of experience doing Mets games. That's going to help me develop in the long run.

More on Keith Hernandez

2006-01-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

I mentioned last night that I would be psyched to be able to know Keith Hernandez is doing color for 150 Mets game. Actually, the number will be more like 110 -- still quite a difference from the 32 he did last year.

Daily News: We like Keith
Bob Raissman offers another profile on old/new Mets TV analyst Keith Hernandez, who had become the forgotten man when Fox Sports New York/MSG Network broadcasted Mets games. Hurt in the past by his blunt honesty, Keith has been assured by his new bosses, Jon Litner and Curt Gowdy Jr., that honesty is something that they are looking for from their analyst:

I don't think it's going to be a problem. All I've heard from Curt and Jon is (they want) honest analysis.
...I think everyone knows I'm honest in the booth. I've learned over the years you can be honest and not beat someone over the head. ...But you have to be honest. If we throw some bull---- out there it's not going to fly.

Of course, in a situation where Fred and Jeff Wilpon are the primary owners of the Mets new TV network, there is a chance that there might be some pressure on Hernandez' bosses for him to tone his honesty down. Hernandez isn't going to lose sleep over it:

Time will tell. We'll cross that bridge when the time comes.

I'd be surprised if the Wilpon's pressure SNY's bosses much on Hernandez. They usually pay attention to what Met fans are saying, and I believe they understand that Fran Healy type baseball analysis isn't going to help their new network fly. I think Hernandez is smarter than he was in 2002 when he accused the Mets of quitting on Valentine -- which was obvious to all of us watching. I think he would say the same thing if it happened today, but find a more diplomatic way of saying it.

The audience in the New York area is more sophisticated than they are in a lot of places, and know when they are being served up pabulum by a sports announcer. Keith Hernadez and Ron Darling seem likely to provide Mets fans with more substantial nourishment.

One more thing if I might -- some people have interpreted some of the things I said about Tom Seaver as being anti-Seaver. I didn't mean to come across that way. Seaver was my first Mets hero as a kid, and he is an intelligent and articulate man. What became obvious was that leaving his home, family and vineyard in California became somewhat burdensome to Seaver. He wasn't putting much effort into analyzing games, or even keeping up with what was going on during the week. In fairness, it is virtually impossible to cover a team part-time, which is why SNY insisted on full-time announcers. The network is still seeking a role for Seaver, and I hope they find one that works for all concerned.

TCPalm.com: Why David Wright still attends mini-camp
Frank O. Schaeffer quotes David Wright on why he still attends mini-camp every year, which is geared more towards young minor-league ballplayers, and attended by few major-leaguers:

It's just part of my routine. Every year since I joined the organization I've come to mini-camp. I'd like to think I won't change just because I had a little success in my first year and a half in the big leagues. I still enjoy coming down here. To me, coming to mini-camp gets you focused on spring training.
One of my first seasons in the minor leagues, I remember coming to mini-camp and seeing Mike Piazza out on one of the back fields at like 8:30 in the morning, when he wasn't due to be here until 10 or something. That just showed me, wow, there's Mike Piazza, the greatest hitting catcher ever to play the game and he's out there early working to make himself better.
When I'm home, in Virginia or New York, I can get plenty of swings and plenty of time in the gym, but it doesn't feel like baseball season. But when you come to Florida it gets you focused. You're around the guys again in the clubhouse. It's the way your spikes feel when they dig into the ground. It feels like baseball season.

I remember reading about Wright the year before he got called up to the Mets. They were concerned because his road splits were so much better than his home splits. What they discovered was that his workouts were so strenuous when the team was home that he was tiring himself out too much before the game. On the road, he wasn't able to work out in the same way, so he was fresher for those games.

They got him to tone down the workouts, but the point is simple. You're born with ability, but your work ethic often determines what you do with that ability. David Wright really seems to combine star caliber ability with a blue collar mentality. Not only is he good, but he's easy to root for.

Mets.com: Ron Darling Chat
Just a reminder that there will be a chat with Ron Darling on Mets.com at 2PM. If you miss the chat, look for a transcript to be posted later on.

First-Class Men in the TV Booth for the Mets

2006-01-13T00:50:00.000-05:00

After frightening us by interviewing Don Sutton, SportsNet New York proves that they get it, and put together a great announcing team. While I will miss Gary Cohen on the radio side for those 15-20 games a summer I listen to on radio, I will certainly enjoy the 100+ games I watch all or part of on TV with Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling.

I will enjoy watching the same announcers on the weekend as during the week. Dave O'Brien was a good play-by-play guy, but you can't cover a team 2 days a week and really have a feel for what's going on. As for Tom Seaver, I'm sure whatever they find for him to do on the new network will be better than listening to him sleepwalk through his weekend games.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Ron Darling, who I remember as intelligent and articulate as a player, will do in the color job. After only seeing Keith Hernandez a handful of times last year, I am psyched to know that he will be doing 150 games this year. Now if my cable system will only carry SNY...

New York Times: The Dream Team
Richard Sandomir applauds SNY for ending the chaos in the broadcast booth from the last few years. He seems to be happy that Fran Healy won't be coming along for the ride -- a sentiment that seems to be shared by many.

Sandomir can't get Hernandez to discuss the mystery of why his schedule was cut down to only 32 games last season, but Hernandez indicates it wasn't his choice:

I always wanted to do more games. This [SNY] is the biggest job in my post-playing career.

Sandomir cites Hernandez that there was a time after his career ended when being a baseball analyst didn't seem like it was in the cards:

In 1991, I got away from the game for four years and I barely watched. I cleared my head and realized it was a beautiful game.

Especially when there is a competent and interesting color guy in the booth.

Mets.com: Speaking of Ron Darling
Brian Hoch reports that Ron Darling will be taking part in an hour-long chat with Mets fans 2 PM today on Mets.com.

Mets Mini-Camp Ends

2006-01-12T01:26:00.000-05:00

Mini-camp has come to an end, and we're a little over a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. Since it seems unlikely that there are any big deals in the works for the Mets, there probably won't be a lot of news to talk about for the next month. I plan to keep posting, of course, but I also have some thinking to do about the direction that I want to take this blog. It's just sort of evolved without any real plan, and I'd like to have it a little clearer in my own head what I want to do here. Whatever it is, I'll be around. You can't get rid of me that easily...

Anyway, the news:

Newsday: One more on Pelfrey
Mike Pelfrey was, of course, the big story of the day. Jim Baumbach describes Pelfrey's first day as a Met:

Mike Pelfrey's first visit to Manhattan lasted just 20 hours Tuesday, and much of it was spent either sleeping or going through a physical.
Pelfrey managed to slip in a brief visit to Times Square Tuesday before hopping on a plane and flying here to finalize his contract, which guarantees him $5.2 million and could be worth as much as $6.5 million depending on how quickly he makes the majors.
During his visit to the team's minor-league complex Wednesday, Pelfrey, who turns 22 Saturday, spoke with general manager Omar Minaya, manager Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson, and then put on a Mets' T-shirt and shorts and joined a handful of youngsters on the field for the last day of the team's optional minicamp.

Baumbach cites Larry Chase, a scouting superviser who followed Pelfrey for five years, noticing Mike's dedication which led to marked improvement every year:

His command has greatly improved, and so has the movement on fastballs. He developed a changeup that he didn't have in high school, and he's grown up physically.

Perhaps Rick Peterson had the best last word on Pelfrey:

He's going to make us all look smart.

New York Times: Darling and Hernandez
In a Times Baseball Roundup, Richard Sandomir reports that, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez will share the analyst job on SNY, with Hernandez handling the majority of games. Sandomir also reports that no role has yet been decided for Ralph Kiner, and Tom Seaver will not have a position.

AP: Julian Tavarez signs with Red Sox
Howard Ulman reports that the Sox and volatile relief pitcher Julian Tavarez have reached agreement on a $6.7 million 2-year deal, pending a physical.

Meet Mike Pelfrey

2006-01-11T18:52:00.000-05:00

Mike Pelfrey has officially begun his New York Mets career, introduced in the Mets' minor league complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Mets.com: Welcome, Mike
Bryan Hoch reports on the press conference introducing first round pick Mike Pelfrey to the Mets faithful. It took a few months to make a deal, but Pelfrey himself never doubted it would get done:

I had faith in the Mets and I had faith in my advisors. I knew it could get done. Once you're assured of that, it's no big deal being patient.

Hoch reports that both GM Omar Minaya and former director of amateur scouting Russ Bove were very high on Pelfrey before the draft, and cites Minaya that the delay in signing was actually a good thing for Pelfrey, due to the high number of innings (139.2) he pitched for Wichita State in 2005.

The Mets will be patient with Pelfrey and start him in high-A ball in St. Lucie, although he will take his first spring training with the major league club. Regarding his future, Pelfrey can mouth a cliché as well as anyone:

My only concern is to go out and improve every day as a player. I'm positive the Mets will let me know when I'm ready.

Crash Davis would have been proud...

A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.

Also on Mets.com: Marty profiles the 'pen
Marty Noble offers part two of a series looking at the Mets position by position. This week it's the bullpen, where Noble offers the following on free agent pickup Billy Wagner:

...Call it a quick fix, done with intent of making the opponent's ninth inning into something short and sweet for the Mets. They had had their fill of ninth-inning suspense. They longed for dominance and assurance. And for a mere $43 million, they got it.

More than any acquisition made during Minaya's 16 months in office, the acquisition of Wagner changes the Mets. Nothing undermines a team more than late-inning leads that morph into losses. There ought to be fewer in 2006 and beyond.

According to Noble, there is one more move Omar Minaya would like to make for the bullpen:

If Minaya has his way, Danys Baez still may become part of the equation. He hopes to obtain the Devil Rays closer -- probably in a three-club deal -- to pitch the eighth and give the seventh to Sanchez. Heilman would move to the rotation and an assignment he prefers, because dealing for Baez almost certainly will cost the Mets a starter, probably Kris Benson.

But if a trade can't be made, the Mets would be comfortable with the sequence as it exists now with Heilman and his changeup in place to handle the tough left-handed hitters. The need for a competent left-handed setup man seemingly would increase if Baez were acquired and Heilman were used as a starter. But if a left-handed reliever isn't available, the Mets will be happy to take their chances with Baez (41 saves last season), who certainly could close if Wagner needed a day off.

I understand the attraction of a seasoned guy like Baez, but again I repeat: I find it hard to justify giving up anything of value for a mediocre guy like Baez who come out and said he doesn't want to be a setup man, and will play out his option and sign somewhere else. Plus, your top 3 in the bullpen after your closer, Baez, Sanchez and Chad Bradford, all have markedly less success against lefties.

Also on Mets.com: Run Silent, Run Deep
Bryan Hoch profiles two submarine-style relief pitchers at the Mets mini-camp: RHP Chad Bradford and LHP Mike Venafro. Along with Steve Schmoll, who isn't at mini-camp, they give the Mets 3 sidearm pitchers competing for jobs in the Mets' bullpen. Hoch quotes manager Willie Randolph on his feelings about sidewinders:

I didn't care too much for those kind of guys [as a hitter]. They always seem to have the upper hand. I don't think there's too many right-handed hitters who like submariners.

It's the funk that gets 'em, Willie...

Also of interest in Hoch's story is some information about the "forgotten Met", reliever Heath Bell. As Hoch points out, Bell sat unused in the Mets' bullpen for 28 days in September. Driving home to Florida after the season, Bell put things into perspective. He tried to focus on what went right for him in 2005, and went to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic determined to fine-tune his split-fingered fastball, and use last year as motivation to succeed this year:

Trust me, I don't want to be anywhere else. I've been in this organization since 1998. Sometimes you have a better opportunity somewhere else, but I want to stay here and show everyone that I can win the job.

I look back at those 28 days and I think that helped me out the best. I think I might have a great career because of those 28 days. I can always look back and say, 'Hey, I did that.'

I know Bell had his ups and downs last year, but I was impressed with his fastball and his ability to bounce-back from adversity -- a prerequisite for a successful reliever. He needed another pitch, and diligently worked on it. I hope he gets the chance to prove to the team that he belongs on the major league club.

Shea Faithful: Interview with Pelfrey's college pitching coach
Pat Andriola from Shea Faithful has an interview with Mike Pelfrey's Wichita State pitching coach, Brent Kemnitz.

More from Mets Mini-Camp

2006-01-11T12:07:00.000-05:00

Mets mini-camp in Port St. Lucie will wrap up today. Yesterday's second day of mini-camp gives us some comments from David Wright and Willie Randolph, while today Mike Pelfrey will be formally introduced as a New York Met.

Daily News: David Wright
Adam Rubin profiles 3B David Wright, who astonishingly ranks as one of the most senior Mets now. Only Cliff Floyd, Steve Trachsel, Tom Glavine and fellow baby Jose Reyes have been with the club longer. Wright comments on the roster upheavals of the past couple of seasons:

The turnover rate the last couple of years has been pretty drastic. I hope that we have a core group of guys now that are going to be around for a long time. Obviously, Carlos (Beltran) is going to be around for a while - another six years at least. Hopefully myself and Jose are around for a number of years together.

Rubin notes Wright's improving defense, noting that he only made 2 errors in August when the Mets made their push for a wildcard. He also gets Wright to comment on his hopes of being a team leader as time goes on:

I want to be considered a leader in the next (few) years when I hopefully get established. I don't have a goal set that I want to have a 'C' on my chest and I want to be a captain. It's something, if it comes along down the road ... it's an honor following guys like Johnny Franco, and Derek Jeter across town.

Rubin also reports that AAA Norfolk manager Ken Oberkfell, who was named Baseball America's minor league manager of the year in 2005, has an interview with the Washington Nationals for a major-league coaching position.

Newsday: More David Wright
Jim Baumbach also speaks with David Wright, who shares his reasons for showing up at the mini-camp, which is optional for major-leaguers:

It's good to get outside, run around, be in the sun. This is when you start to get completely focused on spring training. The smell of the locker room, getting on the field, swinging the bat, taking ground balls, watching the trajectory of the ball after you hit, something you can't do in the cage, this is all fun.

Wright tells Baumbach that he truly enjoys being a major league ballplayer:

Sometimes I sit back in New York, look at my locker and just seeing my name right there on a jersey, and it's such a privilege to put that jersey on.

I hope as his career goes on and he experiences the ups and downs, he doesn't lose that joy for the game. You're born with your talent, hard work can hone your skills, but it's loving what you do that can make you really special.

Also in Newsday: Put up or shut up time
Jim Baumbach reports on the high expectations that are riding on the Mets this year, and the added pressure that puts on manager Willie Randolph. Baumbach quotes Willie on what he learned about himself in his rookie year as manager:

First of all, I learned that I can manage, knowing that I could lead a ballclub. Just that all of the things that I've learned over the years, I can apply when I have to. You never know until you're in the situation how you're going to react.

Talking to some Mets fans I know, and reading what other bloggers are saying, there's a lot of nervousness about some of Willie's strange moves last year, the way he stayed with struggling players too long, and his awkward handling of the bullpen.

Personally, I remember watching Davey Johnson win a championship, and I never considered him a skillful in-game manager. Some of his moves were hard to explain, and his management of the pitching staff was pretty bad. But his teams had talent, and he had a way of getting players to believe in themselves. I'm sure that Willie will do things to get himself second-guessed this year, but I doubt that his managing will cost them much. He needs to manage his players, which he is good at, and get them to perform to their capabilities. If he can do that, they'll be fine, if he can't, he'll be job hunting.

TCPalm.com: Young players can benefit from the Classic
Lisa Riddle notes that, due to some veterans competing in this spring's World Baseball Classic, some younger players are going to get more of a look in spring training than they normally would.

RHP prospect Brian Bannister is not going to let the opportunity pass him by:

Usually you come into spring training at 75-80 percent, but I'm trying to come in at 90 percent because I'll be pitching more. We're going to loose a bunch of guys [to the WBC], and a lot more guys like me are going to get a shot.

Mets Mini-Camp, Day 2

2006-01-10T18:50:00.000-05:00

Mike Pelfrey has passed a physical and will report to the final day of mini-camp tomorrow, while MLB.com Mets reporters profile some of the mini-camp attendees:

Mets.com: Mike Pelfrey passes physical, will report to mini-camp tomorrow
Bryan Hoch reports that Mets first round draft pick Mike Pelfrey, the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft, has passed a physical in New York and will report to the last day of Mets mini-camp in Port St. Lucie tomorrow. The 6'7" right-hander was considered the top pitcher in the draft.

Also on Mets.com: Jeff Keppinger
Kevin Czerwinski reports on minor-league 2B Jeff Keppinger, who is trying to work his way back from last June's season-ending injury. According to Czerwinski, Keppinger is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Mets organization:

It's not that the scrappy second baseman doesn't have faith in his ability. That's far from the problem. It seems that Keppinger has remained just off the radar screen in New York despite a solid resume and endorsements that would appear to make him a very interesting candidate to play second base or at least get a long look as a bench player.

Keppinger doesn't feel as if he had a fair shot last year, and is keeping his expectation low this year:

I thought last year would be different. But it wasn't, so now my expectations aren't too high. I thought I had a shot last spring. But I had what, something like 12 at-bats? For all I know I could come in and get 12 at-bats again. I guess I'll find out when I get to the first game of Spring Training.

Czerwinski cites a couple of Keppinger's former managers -- Ken Oberkfell, who managed him in AAA-Norfolk last year, and Art Howe, who managed him with the Mets for the last month of 2004:

Oberkfell: He was doing a great job for us before the injury. I like the way he plays the game. He's a smart player, very intelligent. I like the way he hits too. He's a good contact hitter and doesn't strike out. He also moves runners over the way you should. He just does a good job. He's a steady player in my book.

Howe: He knows how to put the bat on the ball and he has the ability to hit the ball the other way. He can do some things offensively and he's solid defensively. He didn't seem at all fazed about being in the big leagues. I really liked what he showed us.

Keppinger will report to spring training early this year with the hopes of proving his worth to Willie Randolph.

Also on Mets.com: Brett Harper
Kevin Czerwinski also profiles Mets 1B prospect Brett Harper, the son of former major-leaguer Brian Harper. Harper is a former 45th round pick who had put up solid, if unspectacular numbers in the Mets system. Last year he broke out in a big way, finishing third in all the minor leagues in homers with 36, and led all Mets minor leaguers with 102 RBIs in stops at High-A St. Lucie and AA Binghamton.

Also on Mets.com: Castro Signed
Bryan Hoch reports that the Mets and backup catcher Ramon Castro have agreed to a one-year, $800,000 deal, avoiding salary arbitration. Hoch quotes Castro:

I'm happy. The Mets are the team that gave me a chance to play, and I really want to be there. I know what my job is going to be. They know I'm going to be ready on the bench. I know I'm going to have some at-bats and get into games. I'm looking forward to it and winning a championship with the Mets.

Castro's signing leaves the Mets with 2 remaining players eligible for salary arbitration: pitcher Victor Zambrano and infielder Chris Woodward.

AP: Sutter elected to the HOF
Relief pitcher Bruce Sutter was the only player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Goose Gossage and Jim Rice fell just short. When the Hall is ready to induct players like Keith Hernandez, I'll care who they vote in.

620 WDAE: Wigginton signs with D-Rays
28-year-old former Mets 3B Ty Wiggington has signed a minor-league contract with Tampa Bay after being non-tendered by the Pirates last month.

Scout.com: Chad Bradford
For those that have a subscription to the on-line version of Mets Inside Pitch magazine, Brian Hoch has a nice profile of sidewinder Chad Bradford, Heath Bell, Royce Ring and some of the others competing for a bullpen job in 2006.

ESPN Page 2: Which fans suffer the most?
Jim Caple puts forth the MLB Misery Index of baseball fans. Mets fans ranked a surprisingly low eighteenth (and a 4-way tie at that) -- I don't think we got enough misery credit for putting up with Art Howe and Steve Phillips. Anyway, here's what he had to say:

When you've witnessed two unqualified miracles (1969 and 1986), there should be no misery. Unless, of course, someone mentions Mo Vaughn.

I'm 47, and 1969 is a distant childhood memory. Even 1986 was a long time ago, Mr. Caple.

Report: Mets Finally Sign #1 Pick Mike Pelfrey

2006-01-10T01:45:00.000-05:00

In a rare event this winter the Mets have actually made an addition to their farm system:

Baseball America: BA says Mets have finally signed Mike Pelfrey
BA's John Manuel cites "two highly-placed sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity," that the Mets and RHP Mike Pelfrey have agreed to terms on a four-year major league contract. The deal is described as follows:

One source with knowledge of the negotiations... indicated Pelfrey received a contract similar to but richer than that of Jeff Niemann, the former Rice pitcher whom the Devil Rays signed as the No. 4 overall pick in 2004. The source indicated Pelfrey received a signing bonus of around $3.5 million (Niemann's was $3.2 million) with a contract guaranteeing Pelfrey $5.3 million. The difference is Pelfrey's deal is payable over four years, rather than five. Pelfrey could earn up to a maximum of $6.6 million if he's on the Mets' 25-man roster in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The signing ensures that Pelfrey will report to spring training on time. He will likely pitch for High-A St. Lucie, on the fast track to Shea.

Mets.com: Speaking of prospects: Brian Bannister
Kevin Czerwinski interviews Mets #1 pitching prospect Brain Bannister, who finds himself still somewhat uncomfortable with the label:

It's kind of funny because I never considered myself a top prospect. I've always pictured myself as being under the radar. There's not a lot of flash with me. And if that's the title that some people want to give me, well, it doesn't really mean anything.

I just want to build on last year. It's nice to know that I'm close and that I'll get some opportunities because of that. It's more motivation for me to work harder and get rid of that title by making it.

Bannister, who lacks the overpowering stuff to qualify as a "power pitcher", but rather relies on mixing his pitches and hitting spots. He has an excellent curveball, and a cutter he added to his repertoire this year has served him well. He'll likely start the season at AAA-Norfolk, and if an emergency starter is needed during the year, it is Bannister who will likely get the call.

Czerwinski quotes Mets' roving Minor League pitching instructor Rick Waits on Brian Bannister:

He's been a fast-track pitcher his whole career. He had a tremendous year last year. He's one of those guys you dream about, and the year he had last year put the last part of the icing on the cake. I don't know how he fits in just yet because (Mets pitching coach) Rick (Peterson) hasn't seen him yet. But he works hard, knows how to pitch and I think he knows he's very close [to the majors].

Bannister will be attending the major league camp for the first time this year in spring training.

Also at Mets.com: Strawberry visits mini-camp
Bryan Hoch reports that former Mets great Daryl Strawberry dropped in on the first day of mini-camp Monday. Strawberry makes a point of talking to young players about his off-the-field problems and how they could avoid them:

With my history of things I've experienced in life, I have a great gift to elaborate to the kids about the mistakes I made.

...I'm at a very good place in my life. I don't want people to remember me as a baseball player. I hope they remember how I overcame the trials and tribulations of life, and was able to save young kids. That's what's really important.

Current Mets rising star David Wright got a kick out of talking to Daryl:

He was definitely one of my childhood heroes growing up. Now, being able to hold a conversation with him and talk to him about what it was like playing for the Mets in the '80s, it's a special thing.

I was a huge fan of Strawberry in the '80s, and say this without any rancor, but I sincerely hope that when David Wright is looking back when his career is over, what will stand out is the baseball. That's the way it should have been for Strawberry -- and Doc Gooden.

Newsday: More Daryl
Jim Baumbach also reports on Daryl's visit to mini-camp. He quotes Strawberry on where his past and present meet:

I'm not ashamed of who I am. Of course I'm ashamed of the things that have happened. But with life experiences, you're able to give back and help others. I'm a living testimony of what happens to someone who had a great deal of talent and made a lot of wrong choices in his life

Of course, as Baumbach points out, not all is peaches and cream in Daryl's life today: :

Strawberry still fights his demons. His wife, Charisse, who stood by through so many of his failings, filed for divorce in October, saying in a statement that the marriage was "past the point of reconciliation." Not long before that, Delray Beach, Fla., police charged him with filing a fake police report for making up a story about a stolen SUV.

Baumbach also cites Omar Minaya that, although Aaron Heilman made his wish to be a starter known, Minaya thinks it is an unlikely due to his value in the bullpen. Could be worse, Aaron. Last year the Mets couldn't give you away, kid.

New York Times: Jeff Keppinger Update
Ben Shpigel offers a story on 2B Jeff Keppinger, trying to make it back from a serious leg injury suffered last season in AAA-Norfolk when he was on the verge of a major-league callup.

Palm Beach Post: Gary Carter
New St. Lucie manager Gary Carter is attracting a lot of reporters in mini-camp. Then again, Carter was never shy about conversing with the press. Dave George offers another feature on Carter and his quest for a big league manager's job.

TCPalm.com: Competition for 2B, RF and the bullpen
Lisa Riddle recaps the first day of mini-camp with an emphasis on the competition for jobs at second base and right field.

Scout.com: David Wright
Brian Hoch profiles the player who can't seem to get enough of baseball, David Wright. David is happy about the way the team is coming together, but still feels there is work to be done:

It seems like we're headed in the right direction, but it's still not good enough. I want to be the type of team that is a playoff caliber team, year in and year out. You want to be a part of that New York experience, and the New York experience is winning.

Sports Network: Blast from the past
Sports Network is reporting that former Met Kevin Appier, who hasn't pitched in a couple of years, has signed a minor-league deal with the Mariners. No word on when Mo Vaughn will begin his comeback.

Day 1 of Mets Mini-Camp

2006-01-09T18:56:00.000-05:00

The opening day of Mets mini-camp offers the promotion of a former Mets hero, news about Alay Soler, and health updates on pitching prospects Phil Humber and Matt Lindstrom.

Mets.com: Mets Mini-Camp
Kevin Czerwinski reports from the Mets mini-camp in Port St. Lucie. He interviews 1986 Met Gary Carter, who was promoted to managing the Mets High-A affiliate in St. Lucie this summer. Last year, Carter's first in the organization, he managed the Gulf Coast Mets Low-A team. Carter makes no bones about his hopes to manage in the major leagues:

The Mets have given me a great opportunity. I'm very grateful and thankful for that, and I'm going to do everything I can to try and get [to the Major Leagues]. And if it does happen in a couple of years, fine. I feel I have the experience and knowledge to do the job even though they have guys in place now who are deserving. If it does happen, that will be a great day.

For now, I'm looking forward to being part of the community here and having another successful season. The Florida State League is known to be one of the best Minor Leagues. And it's a great developmental league.

Czerwinski also updates us on the status of Mets pitching prospect Matt Lindstrom. He was pitching in the Arizona fall league last year, but had to stop due to what was diagnosed as a stress fracture in his right arm. According to Lindstrom, the injury definitely held him back last year:

I was still able to throw the ball hard, but my control was all messed up because of it. Now I'm just looking forward to throwing without pain. I can't wait. I want to prove to the club that they didn't make a mistake by putting me on the roster. I want to show that I can produce, and I think I can.

Although he has experienced control problems, Lindstrom is a legitimate closer prospect.

Czerwinski also quotes Mets' roving Minor League pitching instructor Rick Waits that Cuban defector Alay Soler is looking really good pitching for Ponce in the Puerto Rican League:

Boy, he looked terrific. I saw him early on and he was just getting going but he looked good. I think his greatest asset is competitiveness on the mound. He is such a fierce competitor. He has real good command of his fastball, and he has an excellent slider. ... Soler ... knows how to pitch and has a lot to offer. I think he can start or come out of the 'pen. His stuff warrants him going either way.

Waits also raved to Czerwinski about hard-throwing reliever Rafael Cova, a former Phillies prospect who has enjoyed success in the Venezuelan League.

Czerwinski also spoke with 2004 first round draft pick Phil Humber, recovering from Tommy John surgery. Humber informs Czerwinski that he isn't experiencing any pain, but is taking it slow:

I could probably throw as hard as I want to, but I have to follow the program. So, I'm throwing just as hard as I have to reach the distance. I missed a lot of time last year, so it's good to get back here this week in the swing of things.

MetsBlog: Tom Glavine Interview
Matt Cerrone has an excellent interview with Mets pitcher Tommy Glavine.

MetsDaily.com: Interview with Jon Weisman
John Strubel has a new interview up, this one with Dodger blogger Jon Weisman, covering new Mets Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll, along with what's been going on in LA.

Mets Mini-Camp Opens

2006-01-09T12:03:00.000-05:00

In the hangover of a big football weekend, the baseball news is somewhat light, highlighted by the opening of Mets mini-camp in Port St. Lucie.

TCPalm.com: Mini-Camp starts today
Lisa Riddle reports on the opening of the Mets mini-camp. Of the current Mets, David Wright, Chad Bradford and Kris Benson (think he has something to prove?) are expected to report.

The mini-camp runs today through Wednesday. After that, spring training will begin February 16 when pitchers and catchers report.

The Hardball Times: Part 2 of Player Agents series
Maury Brown offers part 2 in his series A Look At Player Agents. In what he calls "Perspectives", Braun interviews several people who have had dealings with player agents. The list includes Bill James (who worked with the Hendricks brothers), Dodger executive Fred Claire, Buzzie Bavasi, ESPN writer Jerry Crasnick, and Astros president Tal Smith. The piece is geared towards those who think they might want to be an agent.

Some highlights:

Fred Claire: I think the biggest change related to agents through the years is that the teams have come to understand (in fact, they have to understand) that the agent is part of the process. I think clubs realize that their relationship with agents becomes very important. There are teams with money to spend that can't attract free agent players. The better the relationship between a team and agent, the better chance of striking a deal.

...I think the average fan tends to view the agent as the guy simply doing the big deals. Not seen are many smaller agencies and individuals who work very hard to build up a client base; who often guide players through the minor leagues only to lose their star players to the bigger agencies. There also is a lot of hand-holding that has to take place with agents in dealing with players and none of that is very glamorous. It's interesting that some fans will blame the agent for a big contract when the fact is the team has to agree and sign the contract. No agent has the power to do a deal all by himself.

Jerry Crasnick: The misconception, obviously, is that the agent's life is glamorous, and that a young go-getter can somehow work his way to the top through sheer force of will and a knack for bonding with young athletes. There are just so many obstacles to success. You need a big bankroll to get started and a coherent gameplan to keep you going during the tough times. And for the first 6-8 years or so, until a new agent gets a foothold, it can be all tough times.

... It's also such a degrading business at times -- whether the agent is hanging around a showcase or the Cape Cod League recruiting talent or hustling up another shoe deal to keep an 18-year-old kid happy. The young ballplayers have such a sense of entitlement these days, and the competition among agents has clearly helped fuel it.

If you missed it this weekend

Check out my 2006 Braves Preview at MetsDaily.com
I've branched out a little and penned a preview of the 2006 Atlanta Braves for MetsDaily.com. MetsDaily.com editor John Strubel has also conducted an audio interview with Gary Caruso, the Publisher of Chop Talk Magazine. You can access that from the Atlanta Braves team profile page.

Atlanta Braves Preview by yours truly

Braves team profile page with Gary Caruso interview

New York Post: Great David Wright feature
Kevin Kernan offers a great profile of Mets 3B David Wright, and his relationship with his family:

Spend a day with him, meet his family, his friends and his extended family of baseball and life coaches and you quickly understand why David Wright is the most mature 23-year-old athlete to come through New York since Derek Jeter.

His is a Wonderful Life here in this family-first area where David plays the role of Big Brother to the max. He beats on his brothers and they beat on him. He drops them off at basketball practice in his Land Rover or takes them out with him to go bowling - on Christmas night, and yes, his date did come along.

...Sure, Big Brother is a major league star, but he's one of four when he's home. He grew up sharing a bedroom and sleeping in a bunk bed until he became a professional ballplayer. David has earned the perk of graduating to the spare bedroom these days.

You can check out other Mets stories you might have missed this weekend:

Saturday

Sunday

Check out my 2006 Braves Preview at MetsDaily.com

2006-01-08T23:37:00.000-05:00

I've branched out a little and penned a preview of the 2006 Atlanta Braves for MetsDaily.com. MetsDaily.com editor John Strubel has also conducted an audio interview with Gary Caruso, the Publisher of Chop Talk Magazine. You can access that from the Atlanta Braves team profile page.

Atlanta Braves Preview by yours truly

Braves team profile page with Gary Caruso interview

Mets Sunday Brunch: Getting to know David

2006-01-08T13:02:00.000-05:00

Today's Sunday brunch roundup of Mets news offers a great feature on David Wright, a nice little barb by Murray Chass concerning all of the Manny rumors, and the news of an '86 Met moving up as a manager in the farm system.

New York Post: David, Clean Your Room!
In this era when it is difficult for parents to shove their grown-up children all the way out the door, Kevin Kernan profiles one of the procrastinating offspring: the son of Elisa and Rhon Wright, Mets 3B David Wright, still hanging at home a lot with his brothers:

"He's spending as much time home as ever; it's just like it's always been," Elisa says with a smile. "They all pound on each other and play together."

Sometimes it's easy for us Met fans to forget just how young David Wright really is, but it's nice to hear that he's not in a rush to lead a prototypical "adult" life:

Spend a day with him, meet his family, his friends and his extended family of baseball and life coaches and you quickly understand why David Wright is the most mature 23-year-old athlete to come through New York since Derek Jeter.

His is a Wonderful Life here in this family-first area where David plays the role of Big Brother to the max. He beats on his brothers and they beat on him. He drops them off at basketball practice in his Land Rover or takes them out with him to go bowling - on Christmas night, and yes, his date did come along.

...Sure, Big Brother is a major league star, but he's one of four when he's home. He grew up sharing a bedroom and sleeping in a bunk bed until he became a professional ballplayer. David has earned the perk of graduating to the spare bedroom these days.

Kevin Kernan offers a really nice profile of David Wright that really does offer something about who Wright really is. Rather than pull a few more quotes out of it I encourage you to read it. Just one more quote that I couldn't resist, from David Wright himself:

I want to be a Met my whole career.

Sweet music...

New York Times: Murray Chass on the Manny rumor mill
In an interesting column that delves into such topics as why Jeremy Burnitz' agent was so leary of the wording about the physical in the letter of agreement with the Orioles, Murray Chass offers the following on all of the Ramirez trade rumors:

If Manny Ramirez indeed has changed his mind about wanting to be traded by the Red Sox, he will pull the plug on a journalistic cottage industry that has mushroomed the past couple of months, with its operators breathlessly playing general manager and relentlessly creating multiple-team trades that have strayed far beyond the imaginations of actual general managers. That's probably why general managers are general managers, and reporters are reporters.

One of the things that makes me nervous about Omar as a Mets fan is how little we actually know about his real plans. We keep reading, "Omar wants this, Omar is hot for this guy, etc., but whenever Omar is actually quoted he has the politician's knack for saying absolutely nothing.

The Mets have been notorious over the years for all of the leaks coming out of the organization concerning all of their plans. Rather than silencing these leaks, it appears that the flood of information coming out of their offices is boundless; an overload of information and often completely contradictory statements. One reporter can write that a Manny deal is imminent, another can say that the Mets aren't interested... You get the picture. Nobody really knows what's in Mr. Minaya's head. We really don't know him any better now than we did a year ago.

Food for thought: is Omar a madman or a genius? I'm starting to lean towards the latter.

TCPalm.com: Gary Carter to manage Port St. Lucie
Frank O. Schaeffer reports that Gary Carter, who managed the Mets' low-A team last season, is moving up to manage the high-A St. Lucie Mets this season. Schaeffer quotes the new St. Lucie manager:

I'll be managing in Port St. Lucie this year and I'm looking forward to that. It's one step closer to my goal of getting to the big leagues as a manager.

Carter's ultimate goal is to manage in the majors, whether with the Mets or someone else:

I figure I'll give it a couple of years. Who knows, if I do a good job this year in St. Lucie maybe an opportunity will come next year. Even though I would like to stay in the Mets organization, they have to realize that there are 29 other teams out there.

It's not what you know, but who you know. Look at (Florida Marlins first-year manager) Joe Girardi, he doesn't have any managerial experience, but he sat alongside Joe Torre and (Marlins' owner) Jeffery Loria took an interest and hired him.

Carter replaces fellow '86 Met Tim Teufel at St. Lucie, who is taking a year off from baseball.

St. Petersburg Times: Say it isn't so
D-Rays writer Damian Cristodero offers the following ultimatum to the Mets:

If the Mets really want Baez, they better get serious about letting go of pitcher Aaron Heilman. Speculation Tampa Bay is after second baseman Kaz Matsui apparently is overblown. The Phillies and Braves also want Baez.

Mr. Cristodero doesn't seem to realize that the Mets don't want Baez enough to trade Heilman, hence the Duaner Sanchez deal. As for the Phillies and Braves, it's somewhat revealing that, as bad as they need bullpen help, no deal has been done. I understand that people that follow the Rays are somewhat frustrated with their inability to complete any deals so far this winter, but players like Lugo and Baez will be attractive to teams in-season, too, so the Rays probably feel they can hold out and get more.

AP: Braves still need a closer
Speaking of the Braves bullpen, the AP has an interesting article on all of the options John Schuerholz is considering to close games in 2006.

Is the Hot Stove Cooling Off for the New York Mets?

2006-01-07T12:49:00.000-05:00

Today's "Manny watch" article says he isn't coming to New York, while Klapisch cites people close to Pedro that there may be somewhat less to worry about his toe than we all think.

New York Post: Done tinkering?
Michael Morrissey cites a "major-league official" that obtaining Manny Ramirez is not a focus for the Mets. According to Morrissey:

There was nothing substantive about recent rumblings of a deal between the Mets and Ramirez, and nothing has changed. They were only looking to strike a deal with Boston if something made financial and roster sense, but the Mets were never determined to acquire him, the official claimed.

The Mets believe they already have a competitive team heading into spring training and have no problem seeing how the current roster shakes out. In other words, the front office may be done tinkering.

Well, this would seem to make sense, although I would be very surprised if the Manny to the Mets rumors completely went away. Morrissey informs us that there are only a couple of things that might still go down:

There may yet be a deal for Tampa Bay reliever Danys Baez or infielder Julio Lugo, and the Mets want to peddle the disappointing Kaz Matsui on some less suspecting club. They'll listen for any takers for Kris Benson and/or Steve Trachsel as well.

I still think the Mets might be better off going into the season with all of the different options they currently have at 2B and see if one of them shakes out. You would think that Lugo would be heading to the Red Sox, since the Ramirez - Tejada deal looks increasingly unlikely. As previously stated, giving up Heilman for a one-year rental of Baez -- another pitcher that does much worse against lefties -- would not be a good move. Also, I'd be careful of moving a starter until I see what happens with Pedro's toe.

Bergen Record: Is Pedro's toe just an excuse?
Bob Klapisch says there might be less to worry about concerning Pedro's painful toe than we all think:

People close to Martinez are whispering that the injury, while not entirely cured, is nothing severe. Yet, by treating it as such, Pedro and the Mets will have the perfect "out" from the World Baseball Classic in March.

Friends say Pedro isn't crazy about pitching in the tournament, but has no way of taking himself off the roster without incurring the wrath of the entire Dominican Republic. Martinez saw how heavily Alex Rodriguez was being leveraged by Dominican officials, and realized he couldn't win that fight, either.

The exemption, of course, is an injury. By claiming he's not game-ready, the Mets will be able to play the role of the heavy and keep Martinez off the Dominican roster, the same way the Yankees blocked Jorge Posada, Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina.

...The Mets will insist the idea of keeping Pedro in Port St. Lucie in March is theirs. This will allow Martinez to cast himself as the victim of overcautious ownership.

It's the perfect strategy all around. Martinez, whose fastball had shrunk to 86 mph in September, has nothing to gain from throwing full-bore this early in the season. And the Mets obviously don't want to risk further injury to their star pitcher.

I haven't really had a strong feeling one way or the other about the World Baseball Classic, but I do understand that there are countries, including the Dominican Republic, that are going to put a lot of pressure on their stars to play for the national team, no matter what. It's a shame if all this worry about Pedro's toe is just a smokescreen. Between this and the political games with Cuba, I'm not sure this is worth it.

Also somewhat personally disturbing in Klap's column is this item:

NEWS ITEM: Where is Mike Piazza?

That's the question a lot of GMs are asking this week. The assumption was he would have signed somewhere by now, but the Met catcher turned free agent is still looking for a job with spring training just six weeks away.

Piazza's best hope is with the Orioles, who are looking to trade Javy Lopez or else move him to first base. That would create an opening at the DH spot. The A's also are considering Piazza, but their first choice at DH is still the rehabbing Frank Thomas.

I thought the hardest thing would be to see Piazza in a different uniform, but I'm starting to feel a little sad at the thought of Mike out there, looking for a team, and no one is really interested.

Gotta believe it's getting better for Carlos

2006-01-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

The evening Mets news features some forecasts on players improving on last year and others sliding back to the pack. Marty Noble looks at some young Met outfielders in winter ball, and BA looks at an intriguing Mets pitching prospect.

Sports Illustrated: Ups and Downs
SI baseball writer John Donovan prognosticates on 5 players that might be expected to have bounce back seasons, and 5 more that might come back down to earth. In the "Five who should be better" category, we find a familiar name:

Carlos Beltran, Mets

Last winter's prime free-agent catch had the worst full-time season in his still-young career, with only 16 homers (22 fewer than in '04), 78 RBIs (-26) and a .744 OPS (down from .915). Living up to the big contract in the Big Apple got to him, clearly, but he'll have a better lineup around him this year and not quite as many eyes on him. He may not hit .310, but he's a better player than he was in '05.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but we'll take it. As for the "Five due for a fall", the top name is one that is also familiar to Mets fans:

Manny Ramirez, Red Sox

If he's staying in Boston -- that's the latest breathless dispatch from Ramirez -- he has a much better chance of being Manny again. Ramirez and David Ortiz make beautiful music together, and Fenway Park fits Manny's quirky sensibilities, not to mention his powerful swing, perfectly. But even if Manny stays, the Sox are changing, with a revamped infield, a new center fielder and a lineup in flux. How's all that going to affect Ramirez? After 11 straight seasons with an OPS better than .950 -- only Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Stan Musial, Bonds and Lou Gehrig have done better -- Manny might not be Manny anymore.

If Manny is going to go on the decline, rest assured that his contract won't. We already have one drastically overpaid player in Carlos Beltran -- even if he does bounce back somewhat. Adding another, who also happens to be 34 years old, is not a recipe for success.

Interestingly enough, the other 4 players that Donovan sees as on the decline are all National Leaguers: Alfonso Soriano from Washington, Andruw Jones from the Braves (of course, he could come down quite a bit from 2005 and still be quite good), Derek Lee from the Cubs (ditto), and Chris Carpenter from the Cardinals.

Mets.com: Winter Ball Success Stories
Marty Noble reports on the Mets enjoying successful winter ball campaigns, including 3 outfielders competing for jobs:

The composition of the Mets' bench for 2006 probably will remain a work in progress until the final days of Spring Training. If the Mets do carry six outfielders -- not likely with the versatile Chris Woodward available for outfield duty and the probability of an 11-man pitching staff -- Victor Diaz, Endy Chavez and Tike Redman probably will be the primary outfield understudies.

Each has had a productive season playing in winter ball. Diaz, the only incumbent Mets player among the three, is one of the leading hitters in the Dominican League playoffs. Chavez, recently signed as a free agent, is playing regularly for Magallanes in Venezuela, and Redman, purchased from the Pirates in November, has hit well for Ponce in the Puerto Rican League.

Each has a chance to be on the Mets' Opening Day roster -- Diaz because of his extra-base potential and natural hitting ability, Chavez because of his speed and defensive skills, and Redman because, other than Jose Valentin, he might be the only left-handed hitter on the bench.

Actually, Chavez also bats left, not that he hits much. For Diaz, it would seem to be put up or shut up time. He's looked like he has the potential to be a really good offensive ballplayer; yet everyone seems to be conceding the starting RF job to Xavier Nady, who hasn't exactly set the world on fire himself in the majors. If Diaz doesn't earn a role of at least first outfielder off the bench, I would think his days here were numbered. Maybe he'll choose to let this situation motivate him, and become the player a lot of us thought he could be.

Baseball America: Henry Owens
In an article on various minor leaguers enjoying good winter ball seasons, one of the profiles is the Mets' own Henry Owens, a converted catcher who came to the Mets via the rule 5 draft. Owens is an intriguing relief pitcher prospect in an organization that hasn't produced many.

AP: Diamondbacks sign #1 Pick
Arizona has signed the #1 pick of the entire 2005 draft, 18-year-old shortstop Justin Upton, to a contract that includes a $6.1 million signing bonus. It is hoped now that Upton has signed that other dominoes will fall, including the Mets unsigned top pick RHP Mike Pelfrey.

Mets Hot Stove: Yes, we have no Ramirez

2006-01-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

I've already posted on the latest Ramirez fiasco early this morning, so let's move on. Today's highlights include the info that the Mets will pass on Julian Tavarez, another feature from last night's Beltran conference call, an in-depth look at the Mets bullpen at MetsBlog, and a preview of the 2006 Marlins at MetsDaily.com.

New York Post: Mets say no to Tavares
In a story primarily on Manny's flip-flop, Michael Morrissey offers the following bit of news:

The Mets are no longer interested in free-agent reliever Julian Tavarez, a major league official said yesterday.

As long as the hold on to Aaron Heilman, the Mets should have enough in their bullpen. Heilman, Duaner Sanchez, and of course Billy Wagner all offer at least the hope of quality, and you still have guys like Heath Bell, Juan Padilla, Bartolome Fortunato, Alay Soler and a cast of thousands. Hopefully, you can strike gold with one or more of those guys, and have a solid bullpen. It just didn't make sense to overpay Tavarez. He can go punch walls somewhere else.

Bergen Record: It pays to have friends
Steve Popper reports that, other than during the two weeks of Carlos Delgado's honeymoon, Carlos Beltran and Delgado have been in constant phone contact. There is real help that Delgado's presence on the team can benefit Beltran greatly:

While Delgado certainly will help Beltran with his bat in the heart of the Mets' lineup, the arrival of his fellow native of Puerto Rico and a longtime friend could help Beltran to ease his way into his second season in New York.

"It will be great," Beltran said in a conference call Thursday. "Me and Carlos, we're good friends, [we] always look out for each other. Having him here will be great - will be great for the team. He will feel comfortable. I will feel comfortable."

Despite last year's struggles, Beltran is confident he will turn it around this season:

First of all, 2005 for me was a year of adjustment, playing all my career with small-market teams and signing with a big-market team like New York. I feel happy with everything I did. I know this year, I'm looking forward to staying healthy the whole season and if I do, I will put up numbers.

This year will be a better year. I've been training hard in Puerto Rico, doing everything I can to be ready for spring training in the 2006 season.

ESPN Insider: Rob Neyer Chat
Exibit A why Mets fans can't stand Braves fans from an ESPN Chat:

Chris (Atlanta): Are the Mets going to be a bust like they were when they went on the Mo Vaughn, Roberto Alomar etc shopping spree a few years ago?

Rob Neyer: No. At the moment, the Mets are clearly the favorites in the East, and I think there's an argument to be made that they're the best team in the National League.

The Braves fans sense of entitlement seems to include some guarantee that the Mets moves will always turn bad and Schuerholz' will always turn to gold. Even by the law of averages that has to change sometime. How did Danny Kolb work out?

It wasn't a very good chat for the tomahawk toting crowd:

Nick (Dover, Pa): Does Tim Hudson have a Cy Young Caliber year in store for 06?

Rob Neyer: I just don't see that. His ERA's the last two seasons were 3.53 and 3.52, and his strikeout rates are exceptionally unimpressive. I wouldn't rule out a comeback of sorts, but Hudson might be the new Orel Hershiser.

Ouch...

Mets Daily: Florida Marlins Team Preview
MetsDaily.com has posted the latest in their series of National League team previews, this one on the Florida Marlins. Enough of Manny, already, let's get the season underway.

MetsBlog: A look at the bullpen
Matthew Cerrone has another Notebook, this one on the Mets bullpen.

Baseball America: The Seo - Sanchez trade
BA's J.J. Cooper takes a look at Omar's latest deal.

Mets Hot Stove: Manny, the One-Man Soap Opera

2006-01-06T01:39:00.000-05:00

Is he staying in Boston? Will he agree to a trade? The biggest prima donna in baseball doesn't seem to know himself.

ESPN Deportes: Manny says he's staying
Enrique Rojas informs us that Manny Ramirez doesn't expect to be traded. Manny tells Rojas that is fine with him:

There will be no trade, I'm staying in Boston, where I'm familiar with the system and where I have a lot of friends, especially David Ortiz. ... I'm going to take things easy and focus on my career.

Manny says that he wants to remain an American League type of guy:

The MVP of the 2004 World Series thinks Boston may still try to trade him, but Ramirez has the right to veto any deal and wants to stay in the American League. "I know the American League system. That's one reason I don't want to go to the National League," he said. "I also want to play for a contender, and I think with Boston I'm assured of that."

If you're a Mets fan who wishes to see Manny at Shea, don't despair. If you're like me and you don't want the fat jerk, don't get cocky. In this soap opera, there are new twists and turns every time you blink.

Fox Sports: Manny's agent says a trade is still possible
Ken Rosenthal reports that Manny's agent was quick to contradict the previous report, even though it came straight from the horse's ass' mouth:

Meanwhile, Ramirez's agent, Greg Genske, told FOXSports.com Thursday night that Ramirez would consider waiving his no-trade clause for the Orioles or another team, discounting Ramirez's statement to ESPNDeportes.com that he was "staying in Boston."

Genske... said he called Ramirez after learning of the slugger's remarks, and Ramirez denied making the comments.

"If Boston is able to work out a trade with Baltimore or another team, Manny is still open to making a move," Genske said.

I wonder how Enrique Rojas feels about being called a liar? Hopefully not too bad, as most of us realize who it is that's full of crap...

Anyway, Rosenthal is reporting the possibility of a Orioles - Phillies trade of Miguel Tejada for Bobby Abreu. Rosenthal cites "sources with knowledge of the negotiations" that the Orioles would want pitching along with Abreu. The big question here is where the Phillies are going to find the pitching to trade. Their most attractive starter is Brett Myers, who is young and improving. But can they really afford to lose him, or any other decent pitcher for that matter? Sure, Tejada would rev up their already high-octane offense, but the scores of their games would look like slow-pitch softball scores.

And I thought Manny didn't want to go to the National League? Or was he "misquoted" on this, too?

Also, according to Rosenthal, the Phillies would play Tejada at 3B. I know A-Rod did this to come to the Yankees, but is Tejada willing to do this to come to a club that has only slightly more chance of winning than the Orioles?

Rosenthal reminds us of one other important point:

Another obstacle to consider: Abreu, Ramirez and Tejada would gain the right to demand a trade at the end of next season if they were dealt in the middle of multi-year contracts. A player who makes such a demand can become a free agent if his request is not met by the following March 15, though players rarely are willing to take that step and forfeit their remaining salary. The Diamondbacks traded pitcher Javier Vazquez to the White Sox after he filed a trade demand in November.

It just keeps getting better and better...

Mets Hot Stove: Beltran Interview, Mini-camp next week

2006-01-05T18:47:00.000-05:00

The thoughts of one of last off-season's big free agent pickups concerning this years' highlight the evening Mets news.

Mets.com: Beltran Interview
Bryan Hoch was a participant in a telephone conference call interview with Carlos Beltran. Some of the highlights:

On the upcoming season:
I just believe this has to be our. If we stay healthy and we find a way to play the game right, I don't see why we can't win the division.

On best friend Carlos Delgado's character:
He's ... a guy [of] his word. Sometimes here in Puerto Rico, when you do activities, some other players say, 'Yeah, I'll be there, I'll be there,' and they never show up. He's a guy who if he says he's going to be there, he'll always show up.

On where he might bat in the lineup:
That's something that [manager] Willie Randolph and the coaches will decide, whether I'm to hit first, second, third, fourth, whatever. I'm just very happy and very excited [with] the movement the organization is making. Right now, they're adding players to the ballclub and I'm not really worried about that. I know I'm going to be in the lineup.

On his struggles in 2005, and looking ahead to 2006:
2005, for me, was a year of adjustment. Playing my whole career with a small-market team and being able to sign with a big-market team like New York, it was a little bit different.

At the same time, I feel happy with everything that I did. This year, 2006, I'm looking forward to staying healthy the whole season. I know that if I stay healthy, the numbers and everything I'm capable of doing, I will do it.

It's funny how many people are overlooking what Beltran might contribute to the Mets this year. In a lineup with a seasoned David Wright, Carlos Delgado and Cliff Floyd, the pressure should be off Beltran a little. When you look at how badly he played last year, he really has nowhere to go but up.

TCPalm.com: Mini-camp starts Monday
Spring edges just a little closer to those of us in the frozen northeast with the Mets mini-camp starting Monday. The mini-camp will continue through Wednesday afternoon.

MLB.com: Miguel Cairo returns to the Empire
Bryan Hoch reports that the Yankees and Miguel Cairo have agreed to a one-year contract, to the surprise of no one. I don't think that many Mets fans are all that broken up about this. It was somewhat ironic that the ones that were screaming loudest for him to take over 2B were the ones calling for Cairo's head when he went through his own struggles at the plate.

AP: Beltran would like to see the Mets get Manny
Ronald Blum reports on the conference call telephone interview with Carlos Beltran, citing Beltran on his feelings about the Mets getting Manny:

If it happens, that would be great. Who doesn't want to have Manny on the ballclub? Who doesn't want to have that bat on the ballclub?

Of course, Beltran is more realistic about a Ramirez deal than many in the media:

I think for the Mets to be able to get [a Ramirez trade] done, it has to be a perfect deal. If it doesn't happen, I think right now with what we've got, we can accomplish what we need to do.

My wish is that something would happen and these rumors would go away. If Omar is going to use what little chips he has left, let it be for a quality starter.

Mets Hot Stove: Stop the Baez insanity!

2006-01-05T12:03:00.000-05:00

For some reason, writers in western Florida think that the Mets are now more willing to trade Aaron Heilman...

Tampa Tribune: I can only hope this isn't true
Eduardo A. Encina is reporting that, despite the Seo trade for Duaner Sanchez, the Mets and Devil Rays are still discussing Danys Baez. Encina believes the Mets would now be willing to trade Aaron Heilman:

The Mets have denied the Rays' requests for a deal involving Heilmen. Sanchez, who was second in the National League in appearances with 79, was 4-7 with a 3.73 ERA in 2005 and became the Dodgers' closer in August. The acquisition of Sanchez could give the Mets enough bullpen depth to allow them to deal Heilman.

Heilman, the 27-year-old right-hander most coveted by the Rays, recently made it known through his agent that he wanted to be traded if he wasn't going to be a starter in New York. The Mets would like to place Baez in a set-up role for new closer Billy Wagner.

There have been some weird hot stove rumors so far, but this one gives me a headache. By all that is holy, what would be the advantage in trading Heilman now? Give up Heilman to rent Baez for a year? Heilman's versatility, either as a setup man or in the rotation, combined with his lower price tag and the simple fact that Baez isn't even an upgrade to Heilman, make this deal just insane. This one would make me angry. I haven't agreed with everything Omar has done, but you can defend every move he has made. Not this one, though. This would be pure Twilight Zone.

St. Petersburg Times: More Heilman
Damian Cristodero also reports that the Rays and Mets are still talking Heilman:

The trade by the Mets of pitcher Jae Seo to the Dodgers closed one door in the Devil Rays' efforts to trade closer Danys Baez to New York. But it could have nudged open another.

Seo was believed to be part of the negotiations with Tampa Bay. But with the right-handed starter out of the picture, and with the Mets' acquisition from Los Angeles of relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll, New York suddenly has a few extra bullpen parts.

That could free the Mets to deal pitcher Aaron Heilman, the Rays' primary target. The right-hander, whom New York sees as a reliever, has requested a trade if he is not a starter.

Again, no one can really make a case that Baez is any upgrade to Heilman, and Aaron has exactly zero leverage to force a trade because he wants to start. And I remind everyone that Baez wants to close and we are looking at a one-year rental here. This is even more bizarre when you consider that a year ago you couldn't even give Heilman away.

Newark Star-Ledger: Sanchez gets the eighth?
Dan Graziano opines that newcomer Duaner Sanchez will actually move ahead of Heilman in the bullpen hierarchy:

In fact, based on his experience with the Dodgers the past two years, Sanchez is likely to be the primary eighth-inning setup man for newly signed closer Billy Wagner.

"He's proven that he can pitch in the eighth, and he even closed some games last year," Mets GM Omar Minaya said of the 26-year-old right-hander, who converted eight of 12 save chances last year while the Dodgers were without closer Eric Gagne. "We're more comfortable with (Aaron) Heilman and Sanchez where, before, Heilman was the guy in that role."

I think that remains to be seen, as Heilman actually posted better numbers last year. It's somewhat of a moot point, anyway, as it is likely there will be a relief pitcher pitching in the eighth inning of almost all Met games, given what their starters have done in the past. There will be a significant number of games where a reliever will be pitching in the seventh. There will be plenty of innings for setup men to pitch.

Graziano offers the following on Baez:

The Mets had been trying to get closer Danys Baez from the Devil Rays in exchange for Seo and second baseman Kaz Matsui. But they've been unable to do a deal with Tampa Bay because the Rays keep asking for Heilman, a pitcher the Mets don't want to trade. Baez remains a possibility, especially as the Mets continue to speak with the Rays about dealing Matsui and acquiring infielder Julio Lugo as his replacement, but currently, Sanchez appears to be the guy who will fill the role they had in mind for Baez.

I just can't see it at this point. I can't see the Mets bothering with this deal. I don't think that Lugo is that important right now, either.

The Journal News: Trying to get Pelfrey signed
Peter Abraham also reports on yesterday's happenings. He cites Omar Minaya that Victor Zambrano will likely be the fifth starter, replacing Jae Seo. He also offers the following tidbit:

After months of inactivity, the Mets are negotiating with Scott Boras to try to get right-hander Mike Pelfrey signed before spring training. Pelfrey was the team's first-round draft pick last June.

The second that he signs, Pelfrey becomes one of the Mets top prospects. After an off-season where so many have been traded away, it is crucial to get this kid signed.

New York Post: No Heilman for Baez
Joel Sherman and Michael Morrissey contradict what the two Tampa area papers were saying:

The Mets had worked to include Matsui in a trade with Tampa Bay for Baez and, perhaps, Julio Lugo. The Mets dangled Seo to land Baez, but Tampa Bay instead insisted on Aaron Heilman.

But Met officials say the club would only include Heilman in a package for a star such as Manny Ramirez, and that the Mets have no plans to use Heilman to acquire Baez.

...The Mets value Heilman because he is young, inexpensive and versatile. With Seo gone, Heilman offers rotation protection -- which is crucial, considering the fragile state of Pedro Martinez's right big toe [my emphasis].

...Heilman's ability to get lefties out is vital for the Mets, who have no certain southpaw set-up man. Heilman and Sanchez currently project as Wagner's main set-up men. Lefties hit .310 against Sanchez last year, just .208 against Heilman.

My point exactly -- except I could live without the Ramirez part.

New York Times: More on Sanchez
Ben Shpigel weighs in on the Sanchez deal, and he seems to like what he sees:

The Mets not only fortified their bullpen and eliminated a surplus in the rotation, they also became younger. Sanchez, 26, joins Billy Wagner and Aaron Heilman as the core of a revamped bullpen. He will compete with Heilman to become Wagner's setup man and can also close when Wagner is unavailable.

...The key to the deal is undoubtedly Sanchez, a younger, cheaper alternative to Tampa Bay's Danys Baez... Like Baez, Sanchez has a strong fastball, prefers to throw a splitter for his out pitch and has closing experience.

... The Devil Rays were reluctant to deal Baez unless they received Heilman; the Mets offered Seo and would not budge. When those talks fizzled, Minaya revisited discussions with the Dodgers that he had broached during the general managers meetings in November.

"I pursued other things, but this one was in front of me," Minaya said in a conference call yesterday. "The others that were out there never came to fruition. I had to make a choice: either wait for something else or get something that we've liked all along."

It's almost like that by acquiring Sanchez, the Mets no longer need Baez. Like maybe, just maybe, they might still be reluctant to trade Heilman. Shpigel quotes Omar on the state of the Mets bullpen:

I really think we can go with who we have now. I'm much more comfortable after this trade.

Shpigel also cites Omar Minaya that Pedro Martinez has begun to throw again, and still hopes to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

Daily News: A special shoe for Pedro
Anthony McCarron reports on the special shoe that Nike is making for Pedro to protect his troublesome toe.

Mets.com: Marty Noble looks at the Mets starting pitching
In what will be a regular Wednesday feature on Mets.com until spring training, beat writer Marty Noble previews a position on the Mets. This week's column was on starting pitching. After discussing Pedro's toe and Glavine's late season renaissance, Noble offers the following prognostication:

If the sum of Glavine's and Martinez's victories reaches 35 -- it was 28 last season -- the Mets ought to be well off, because the other three other starters should able to win 35 games, or perhaps 40 with the improved bullpen. Kris Benson (10 in only 28 starts) and the combination of Victor Zambrano (seven in 27), Steve Trachsel (one in six starts) and the since-departed Kaz Ishii (three in 16) combined for merely 29 victories in 91 starts last season.

...The offense, enhanced by the acquisition of Carlos Delgado, and the presence of closer Billy Wagner and setup man Sanchez ought to help increase the production of whatever sequence of starters manager Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson create.

Marty also offers good news on Cuban import Alay Soler:

Alay Soler, the Cuban defector and still a relative unknown, could become an element in all this. The Mets have been delighted by his work in the Puerto Rican Winter League and are talking more about him as a Major League pitcher than they had been.

Next Wednesday, Noble will be previewing the bullpen.

Gotham Baseball: Multi-team madness
At GB, which has gotten a lot of mileage out of trade rumors the past few weeks, Mike McGann offers an interesting column discussing all of the rumors, and the complications involved in putting together a multi-team deal with big stars. He even offers one of the few honest reports in the media about how true Mets fans feel about Ramirez:

While some have humorously portrayed these trade discussions as the concoction of Mets' fans on the Internet, it seems a bit more like the worst nightmare for many of the team's fans. As a rule of thumb, I don't like taking on other team's problems -- rarely does it work out. To suggest that getting Manny is the wet dream of most Mets' fans is, well, like confusing soft-core porn with a slasher movie.

The Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez to a silly contract, at silly yearly rates and deferments reaching out seemingly into eternity — and they should live with it. They should find a way to keep their aging, mercurial slugger happy and start looking seriously, very seriously for some starting pitching. Manny or no Manny, unless the Sawks get some arms, they're going to have to do a lot of explaining to Red Sox Nation come October — especially if they finish behind Tampa Bay and just ahead of Baltimore.

To me, this is one of my biggest frustrations. I even have people come up to me that know I'm a Mets fan that say something like, "You must be really excited at the thought of the Mets getting Manny." Even Peter Gammons seems to believe that. How many ways can we say we don't want him, and believe the team to be much better off in the long run without him?

Mets Hot Stove: It's official: Seo for Sanchez

2006-01-04T17:58:00.000-05:00

One rumor that turned out to be true, one decrepit body signed to a minor-league contract, and a judicial go-ahead for SNY highlight the evening Mets news.

Mets.com: Mets and Dodgers complete deal
As Marty Noble reports on the Mets web site, the deal has been done:

Dealing from what the club considers to be its greatest strength, the rotation, the Mets moved Seo and left-handed Minor League pitcher Tim Hamulack to the Dodgers on Wednesday in exchange for relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll.

...The trade with the Dodgers comes after the Mets had tried for several months to acquire Devil Rays closer Danys Baez to serve as a setup man in New York. The Mets' reluctance to deal Aaron Heilman was an obstacle in more recent talks with the Devil Rays.

As I said earlier, when this trade was supposedly close to being done, I'm sorry to see Jae Seo go, but I think the Mets had to do something with their bullpen. Mets starters just don't go deep into games, and they needed to try and build a deep 'pen. Too bad Zambrano couldn't have been dealt, as I just don't think the vocal element of Mets fans will ever accept him. The risk in this deal, of course, is that Seo really is as good as he looked last year, and Sanchez eludes the 15 minute Rick Peterson fix and continues to be erratic.

In any case, I'm glad the Mets will no longer feel the need to overpay the Devil Dogs for Danys Baez.

I'm not sure I understand the point of Schmoll, who is a right-handed sidearmer in the mold of the already signed Chad Bradford. Sanchez also has much better stats against righties. Unless a couple of good left-handed relievers materialize, it still seems like the most likely place for Heilman is in the bullpen. Marty Noble seems to be thinking along the same lines:

It was unclear how the acquistion of two right-handed relievers would affect the Mets' thinking about Heilman. Even with Sanchez and Schmoll and his own reluctance to pitch in relief, Heilman still appears to be the Mets' primary late-inning weapon against left-handed hitters, other than closer Billy Wagner.

The departure of Seo, who went 8-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 14 starts last year, opens up a spot in the rotation for either Victor Zambrano or Alay Soler.

Here is Noble's report on Sanchez:

Sanchez, 26, appeared in 79 games and produced a 4-7 record, 3.73 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 36 walks in 82 innings with the Dodgers last season, his second full year in the Major Leagues. He tied for the second-most appearances in the National League. He assumed the closer's role in August and converted all eight of his save opportunities the rest of the season.

Oh, and I still haven't passed along the best news of all!

The club also signed veteran second baseman Bret Boone to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

...Boone, 37, appeared to be in steep decline last season when he batted .221 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 88 games -- 74 with the Mariners and 14 with the Twins.

I've always been jealous of all the steroid buzz the Yankees get with The Giambino and Sheffield...

All kidding aside, why not take a chance on another old timer?

Mets.com: Official Boone Press Release
Here are the "highlights" of the official Mets press release announcing Boone's signing:

The New York Mets today signed free agent infielder Bret Boone to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

Boone, 36, split last season between the Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins.

"Bret is a veteran guy who provides us infield depth," said Mets General Manager Omar Minaya. "His accomplishments in the majors are well documented. He's an All-Star who has been to the post-season and knows how to win."

The 5-10, 192-pounder hit .231 (63-273) with 30 runs scored, 15 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 34 RBI in 74 games with the Mariners. Bret was acquired by Minnesota along with cash considerations in exchange for a player to be named later on July 11th. He batted .170 (9-53) with three RBI in 14 contests with the Twins before he was released on August 31st.

"I look at this as a tremendous opportunity, " said Boone. "Last year was a season I'd like to forget. The Mets have given me a chance to revive my career and I plan to make the most of it. I know the organization is heading in the right direction and I would like nothing better than to be part of a championship year."

Again, I'd be surprised if he does anything with the Mets in 2006, but I can't kill Omar for taking a chance.

AP: Appeals court upholds ruling that allows Mets to leave Sportschannel
Read all the legal stuff if you must, the bottom line is the Mets have the judicial go-ahead for their network. Now if only my cable company in Connecticut decides to carry SNY...

Boston Herald: Red Sox after Lugo
Apparently, according to Tony Massarotti, if the Red Sox fail to deal for Miguel Tejada, they are willing to trade 3B prospect Andy Marte to the Devil Dogs for Julio Lugo. I keep hearing how Marte is going to be one of the top players in baseball, and that Lugo figures to be a one-year stopgap for the Sox. How then, can they justify the steep price? And some of us Mets fans felt bad about the prospects we traded away. I'd be killing Omar for something like this.

Also, for those Mets fans that would like to see Lugo playing 2B in Flushing, what deal could Omar offer to compete with this one? Milledge? We'd run him out of town on a rail.

Baseball Prospectus: Aaron the unlucky
Courtesy of my Christmas gift subscription from Lisa to the BP web site, as I try to wrap my 47-year-old mind around statistical analysis in baseball, this little nugget about Aaron Heilman. Going by Bequeathed Runs Prevented, Aaron Heilman is 4th on BP's list of the "Unluckiest NL Relievers." Heath Bell, who we read about in the Hardball Times as being unlucky, was #20 on the list. Perhaps Rick Peterson should hire a shaman to remove the hex from these guys, and then we'll have the best bullpen in baseball.

Mets Hot Stove: Baez, no wait, Sanchez!

2006-01-04T12:24:00.000-05:00

We hear again that a trade of Jae Seo for a reliever is close to being finished, but now that reliever isn't Danys Baez.

New York Post: Same old Devil Dogs
Michael Morrissey reports that Tampa Bay doesn't believe a package of Jae Seo, Kaz Matsui and most of Mastsui's money is enough in return for their overrated closer Danys Baez. The want an additional "bona fide prospect", or Aaron Heilman rather than Seo. Hasta la vista, baby. Obviously shedding Chuck LaMar hasn't really changed anything in Tampa.

Newark Star-Ledger: More Baez
Dan Graziano is also reporting on the Mets pursuit of Baez, also stating that the Rays prefer Heilman to Seo. With the Braves also in pursuit of Baez, in dire straights for a closer, and in possession of plenty of quality prospects that Tampa Bay craves, it's surprising that they haven't consummated anything yet. Maybe John Schuerholz doesn't think Baez is worth as much as the Rays think he is, either.

Newsday: Seo for Sanchez?
Ken Davidoff is reporting that the Mets have all but given up on doing a deal with Tampa Bay, and are now looking to deal Jae Seo to the Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez. Sanchez is another of those "potential" guys, 26 years old with good stuff but a less than impressive stat line. Here's the dish on Sanchez according to Davidoff:

Sanchez pitched in 79 games for the Dodgers in 2005, going 4-7 with a 3.73 ERA, walking 36 and striking out 71 in 82 innings. He throws a fastball that reaches about 95 mph on the radar gun, and he also displays a curveball, slider and changeup. He instantly becomes the Mets' primary setup man to new closer Billy Wagner.

With two-plus years of service time, Sanchez is not yet eligible for arbitration, a further asset for the Mets, who would still take Boston's ultra-expensive outfielder Manny Ramirez in the right deal.

You can't talk about anything regarding the Mets without Manny injecting his fat ass and ridiculous demands into the situation. I wish something would happen with him, because honest to God, I'm just sick of it.

Davidoff informs us that a trade will "probably be announced by the end of this week." Of course, we were hearing the same thing about Baez a few days ago, keep that in mind.

I'd be really sorry to see Seo gone, I've always liked him somewhat, and am impressed with what he accomplished after being sent down last year. But I also know it's crucial to get more quality arms for the bullpen, as Marty Noble discussed yesterday in the Mailbag. Sanchez' stat line is unimpressive, and I hear his secondary pitches need a lot of work, but he's a young pitcher that the Mets can control for a few years, and has the potential to be at least as good as Baez, if not better. He should cost less in talent, too.

With the inflated market for relief pitchers that the Mets helped to create, it probably makes more sense to take on a project than to overpay for established mediocrity like Baez. I want to try to find some more expert opinion on Sanchez. I just haven't seen him pitch enough.

The idea that Sanchez "instantly becomes the Mets' primary setup man" is a little premature, though. If I'm running the team, I leave Heilman in the bullpen and let the 2 fight it out for the eighth inning.

Daily News: Brett Boone?
Anthony McCarron tells us that the Mets are one of three teams looking at Brett Boone, hoping to sign him to a minor-league contract:

If Boone signs with the Mets, he could push Kaz Matsui at second, or perhaps take over the position if Matsui is unloaded via trade, which the Mets hope to accomplish.

Of course, that's assuming Boone can right his career, which took a sharp downturn last season when he was released by the Mariners and Twins and hit just .221 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 88 games, 74 with Seattle. Minnesota dumped him after only three weeks.

Boone, who will be 37 in April, was once one of baseball's best second basemen and was an All-Star as recently as 2003, when he batted .294 with 35 homers and 117 RBI. In 2001, when he was third in voting for the AL MVP, Boone batted .331 with 37 homers and an AL-best 141 RBI. He has won four Gold Gloves.

Wow. Brett Boone. Younger and more athletic?

I just can't picture that one. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and guarantee that Kaz Matsui will be a better player than Boone in 2006. Of course, he won't have to play at that high of a level to accomplish that. I have an idea, instead of paying millions of Matsui's salary for him to play somewhere else, or moving him in a multi-player deal to try and hide how little trade value he has, just give him one more chance to turn his American career around, confident that the Mets have backup options like Anderson Hernandez that can cover them if Matsui can't do the job. Just a thought.

Mets Hot Stove: Marty's got a brand new bag

2006-01-03T18:50:00.000-05:00

There is a new Marty Noble Mets Mailbag on Mets.com, some news regarding former Met Jason Phillips, and a really promising new Mets blog.

Mets.com: Mets Mailbag
Marty Noble answers a question regarding Aaron Heilman's request to be traded to a team that would use him as a starter, which Marty points out that the Mets are under no obligation to do. Marty seems to feel the way that many of us do, Heilman is more effective as a reliever:

The Mets' sense is that Heilman's value to them is greatest when he pitches in relief. There is some thought, too, that despite his successes as a starter in winter ball and his one-hitter in April, Heilman is better suited to pitch in relief, that opponents will be better able to deal with his changeup after facing him twice as they would be likely to do if he were a starter. Offspeed pitches, particularly changeups, can be more effective in late innings when hitters are apt to have a sense of urgency about their at-bats.

Marty goes on the detail why having a deep bullpen is so essential for the Mets in 2006:

A bullpen with three primary parts -- Wagner, Heilman and potentially Baez, in the Mets' case -- is essential for a team with no starter likely to pitch into the eighth. Mets starters reached the seventh (meaning they faced at least one batter in the seventh) 81 times, the eighth 35 times, the ninth nine times and pitched eight complete games. Those numbers aren't likely to increase a year later with a team that has two starters with significant mileage, such as Pedro Martinez (34 years old and 2,513 big league innings), Tom Glavine (soon to turn 40 and pitch his 4,000th inning), along with Kris Benson, a pitcher who has struggled in successive Septembers.

Moreover, Steve Trachsel, 35, averaged 6.14 innings per start in 2004, his most recent full season, less per start than Martinez (7.0), Glavine (6.4), Benson (6.23) and Jae Seo (6.45), and slightly more than Victor Zambrano (6.0) averaged in 2005.

This is why I have gotten into arguments with people who felt it would be okay to trade Heilman as long as we pick up another reliever. We need as deep of a 'pen as we can get. If Juan Padilla's success in 2005 wasn't a complete mirage -- which it may well have been, unfortunately -- it wouldn't hurt to have four go-to relievers on this team.

Noble also has an interesting response to a fan who asked what David Wright might do in 2006. I'm not going to quote the whole response, but I found this intriguing on Wright working to improve his defense:

There's every reason to believe his defense will improve -- it did after the All-Star break. Wright committed 15 errors in 233 chances before the break and nine in 228 chances after the break. He slowed himself down and that helped. And he has been jumping rope in the offseason to be quicker on his feet.

I still think that most of his problems in the first half were in his head, especially with rushing the play.

Noble also has an interesting take on Victor Diaz' playing time next year.

MLB.com: Jason Phillips signs minor league contract with Toronto
Jordan Bastian reports that former Mets catcher Jason Phillips has signed a minor-league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Phillips was not tendered a contract by the Dodgers after last season. The Dodgers obtained Phillips from the Mets in return for pitcher Kaz Ishii, who was also non-tendered this off-season.

ESPN Insider: Gammons on the Red Sox situation
If you have an Insider account at ESPN, you might want to read this fascinating story about the wild and crazy Red Sox off-season, and the happenings between Larry Lucchino and the departed Theo Epstein.

New Blog: 123-01 roosevelt ave.
I stumbled across a new Mets blog today, and I really enjoyed the 3 posts that were up so far. Noah Portes Chaikin promises "mostly rants" about the state of the Mets, and I for one can respect that. Well worth checking out.

Mets Hot Stove: Close to Baez Deal?

2006-01-03T11:18:00.000-05:00

Shaking off the holiday cobwebs, we keep hearing that something is imminent with Danys Baez, Seo will pitch for Korea in the Classic, and John from MetsDaily.com has another great interview, this one with Marty Noble.

Newsday: Still trying to get Baez and Dump Matsui
Ken Davidoff is reporting that the Mets are still in pursuit of Devil Rays closer Danys Baez, trying to forge a deal that doesn't include the versatile Aaron Heilman. Davidoff cites two officials familiar with the talks that the deal is "considerably closer to completion" than a possible Ramirez deal. I certainly hope so. According to Davidoff:

It's believed such a package would center around righthander Jae Seo, and the Devil Rays also have interest in second baseman Kaz Matsui, whom they could convert to shortstop and then trade their incumbent at the position, Julio Lugo.

While the Mets have told clubs they'd provide $5 million of the $8 million Matsui is owed in 2006, Tampa Bay might take a flyer on the 30-year-old if the Mets throw in an additional $500,000, thereby making Matsui a $2.5-million shortstop, according to an official from a major-league club.

Davidoff points out that the Mets refusal to include Heilman in a deal indicates that the Mets see Heilman having a role with the team in 2006. Although Heilman has asked to be traded rather than pitch out of the bullpen, Davidoff rightly notes that Heilman has no recourse to force such as decision.

What bothers me a little here is the thought of giving up a promising pitcher like Seo just to rent Baez for one season. He's in his walk year, and has been on record stating that he wants to close, and will look for that opportunity after the 2006 season.

Bergen Record: More Baez
Steve Popper and Bob Klapisch report that something might get done this week between the Mets and Rays for Danys Baez, and that some of the Mets' motivation involves keeping him away from Atlanta.

Mets.com: Seo will pitch for Korea in World Baseball Classic
Marty Noble reports that Jae Seo will pitch for the Korean national team in this spring's WBC. He won't be alone among Mets and former Mets players in representing their country this spring:

Seo is the seventh Mets player to agree to play. David Wright and Billy Wagner made themselves available to the United States team. The others include Pedro Martinez (Dominican Republic) if his troublesome toe allows him to pitch, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado (Puerto Rico), and Victor Zambrano (Venezuela). Two former Mets, Mike Piazza and Mike DiFelice, have agreed to play for Italy, and a third former Met, Miguel Cairo, has agreed to play for Venezuela.

Of course, it remains to be seen if Seo will still be a Met come the springtime.

MetsDaily.com: Marty Noble Interview
At MetsDaily.com, John Strubel offers a really solid audio interview with Mets MLB.com beat writer Marty Noble. Instead of hammering at all of the tired trade rumors that we've all beaten to death, John and Noble had a really interesting discussion about how Noble grew up worshiping Mickey Mantle, than got to know him as a real person. Marty also tells John that Joe Torre and Keith Hernandez taught him the most about baseball over the years. Great stuff, John.

Mets Daily also begins their previews of National League teams with a look at the Phillies.

A Slow Start to the New Year

2006-01-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

Greetings, everyone. There isn't a lot out there today, and I am in the process of working on a project for another web site, but did find a couple of items of interest featuring Doc Gooden:

Mets.com: Marty Noble on Dr. K
Marty Noble offers a nice piece on Dwight Gooden, highlighting his amazing 1985 season, when it seemed inevitable that he would eventually make it to Cooperstown, and the sad reality of Gooden's chances now that his name appears on the ballot:

Now, the ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2006 is out, and Gooden is included on it. For the first time, voters have been asked to examine his credentials and measure them against their own definitions of what makes a Hall of Famer.

And now it is clear that the sense of inevitability that existed in 1985 was a case of foregone delusion.

You have a way with a phrase, Marty.

Mets.com: Another look at Gooden
Mike Bauman offers another look at the waste of talent Gooden represented:

He was supposed to be a strikeout king for the ages. Instead, he became a cautionary tale about human frailty and the perils of instant stardom.

Every December, when the Hall of Fame ballot arrives, there is particular pleasure in reviewing the first-year candidates. The vast majority of them will never be inducted into the Hall, but these are all careers of substance, guaranteed to produce distinctly positive recollections.

There is one name on this year's ballot that does not produce any warm and fuzzy associations. That would be the name of Dwight Gooden. In viewing this candidacy, there is mostly sadness. Dwight Gooden was one of the most magnificently talented pitchers anyone has ever seen. But he will not be going to Cooperstown, unless the National Baseball Hall of Fame opens a What-Should-Have-Been wing.

If the HOF does open that What-Should-Have-Been wing, maybe Gooden's friend and teammate Daryl Strawberry can be enshrined next to Doc.

The Hardball Times: Legendary Player Agents
If you've had enough of Gooden's depressing story, Maury Brown offers a fascinating look at Jerry Kapstein, Dick Moss and Randy and Alan Hendricks in part 1 of a series he is writing on the Player Agents' role in major league baseball. According to Brown:

The player agent is now part and parcel with how MLB does business. With the astronomical salary figures and terms with which they are derived, rarely do we see an individual player negotiating his contract without an agent attached to his side. They’re the ying to the yang of management’s teams of lawyers. One deal (e.g. the Texas Rangers and one Alex Rodriguez) can shift the entire landscape of one or more off-seasons, where baseball lives and breaths in a market driven system of supply and demand. The sky is the limit and the only thing that can stop some clubs is the paper ceiling of the competitive balance tax, or as we all know it, the luxury tax. Names can be made, along with a small fortune.

Mets Walkoffs: New Years Metsolutions
Mark at Mets Walkoffs offers a funny and slightly scary look at the way the Mets do their business.