According to Jon Heyman’s Twitter feed: “purse strings opening for Omar? #mets are talking to lackey, holliday and bay with renewed hopes to sign 1 of big 3. molina also.”
Dang, can’t shake the Molina rumors can we. Omar goes to take a crap, Mets will sign Molina. Omar talks to Holliday with Molina in the room. Molina Mets will Molina a Molina with Lackey while they are still looking at Molina.
But back to the more important 3. I think in my mind it’s been clear that Omar really wants to sign one of the big 3. For if nothing else to bring press and excitement back to the Mets. Lets hope that he gets the best deal for the Mets for next year and long-term.
UPDATE: According to Ed Price on Twitter: #Mets feel they are in contention for Jason Bay. Like #RedSox, if they miss out on Bay, not keen on Matt Holliday instead.
Problem I have is determining if this is a marketing ploy to get Holliday for cheaper or if they actually want Bay. I also need to find out who the hell Ed Price is and why I am following him on Twitter.
106 comments
dirtysanchez
12/9/2009-12:21pm at 12:21 pm (UTC -4)
I just dont understand…Mets are in the driving seat for molina, why give him 2/16? We have a plethora of catchers now and dont really NEED him…why dammit WHY!!!!
trs86
12/9/2009-12:24pm at 12:24 pm (UTC -4)
LOL, luckily this is the new info:
According to Steve Popper of the Bergen Record, sources say while the Mets are interested in Molina, there is no truth to the rumor they offered a two year deal, and the Mets are hoping he can be had on a one year contract.
fongy2
12/9/2009-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
Because simply doesn’t know
what he’s doing.
Like Jerry, he should be
someone’s assistant NOT the
guy in charge!
trs86
12/9/2009-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
According to Steve Popper of the Bergen Record, sources say while the Mets are interested in Molina, there is no truth to the rumor they offered a two year deal, and the Mets are hoping he can be had on a one year contract.
Dang Fongy can we wait until it’s over to bash him for the moves he makes?
I know you like to take any chance you can get to bash him but lets at least wait until it happens.
fongy2
12/9/2009-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
he stinks dude!
Kingman 26
12/9/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
Fong, you are bashing Omar for something that HAS NOT HAPPENED and that there is NO EVIDENCE IS going to happen.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:28pm at 12:28 pm (UTC -4)
If this ends up being the off-season are you sad, happy or indifferent:
Lackey, Marquis, Hart (Maine traded), Molina, Oliver.
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:37pm at 12:37 pm (UTC -4)
somewhere between sad to indifferent. CLoser to sad.
Hart is not good.
If Molina continues to decline, this off seaosn could lead to a death spiral if Lackey has a recurrence of his arm issues and misses significant time again.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:38pm at 12:38 pm (UTC -4)
I think you could play that game with whoever we get.
Sign Holliday and he turns out the be the Oakland Holliday. Sign Wolf and his arm falls off…
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
Of course, but in your list, you got 1 good guy (lackey), an aging loogy (maybe too hard on Darren, but still), and 3 lousy guys.
Not a lot of upside here.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
That’s most likely what we are looking at though. I would not say Hart has no upside, may be burried deep but there is upside. Marquis is just flat out average and having a guy like that where you know what you are going to get instead of Maine would be an improvement to me.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-12:38pm at 12:38 pm (UTC -4)
Depending on the individual contracts, I’m happy because Lackey is the guy I’ve wanted the whole time. Marquis becomes acceptable to me as the secondary addition to Lackey. Hart could be useful, I don’t like him much but I don’t see Maine or Hart as anything other than maybes so why not swap maybes. I think they do need a “starting” catcher, I’d prefer someone other than Molina but he does fill a need, and I like Oliver as both a lefty and his ability to fill multiple roles of spot starter to long man to set up to loogy.
I would hope they’d add an OF with more “certainty” of greater performance than Hart but overall I’d take this as you lay it out.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
Lets look at cash and see what we have left. Maybe we could afford a platoon guy with Murphy or Hart.
16+8+6+3=33 as you know my theory is 28-32. That’s close but it appears as though that would be all we had.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
I think I would fall under indifferent.
darknova306
12/9/2009-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
I’d say indifferent.
I’d rather keep Maine (I think he’s got the best combination of talent and mental fortitude of the threesome Pelf/Ollie/Maine) and I really don’t like Hart at this point.
I could take or leave Molina, though I’d rather leave him.
Where’s our quality setup man in this mix…? I’m not confident in Parnell/Oliver to do that job.
Santana-Lackey-Pelf/Marquis-Marquis/Pelf-Niese/Nieve would actually be solid to me, but only if Ollie retires and is never heard from again.
This would, in my opinion, make our lineup worse (unless we expect Delgado’s bat to be replaced by a fat catcher that should be falling off sharply soon) and our rotation better, so… meh. Indifferent depending on contracts.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:58pm at 12:58 pm (UTC -4)
I guess with that cash there is the chance Delgado gets brought back if he is cheap.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:03pm at 1:03 pm (UTC -4)
Dark,
Ken Davidoff is reporting that Rudy Seanez wants to pitch in 2010. There’s your ‘quality setup man.’
darknova306
12/9/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
Hah, well played.
Kingman 26
12/9/2009-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
Not thrilled, but definitely happy.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-12:33pm at 12:33 pm (UTC -4)
I apologize to those of you who’ve already seen this but I posted it well down in the previous thread and thought it deserved a bit more attention.
The tOPS+ stat is used to show whether a pitcher performs at, above or below his own average performance with a particular catcher behind the plate.
A score of 100 is your own average, and it works like golf in that the lower the score, the better the pitcher’s performance.
Here are some starters scores with Molina in their careers (not just 2009).
Lincecum – 95
Cain – 101
Zito – 119
Sanchez – 109
R. Johnson – 146
Correia – 105
Lowry – 113
M. Morris – 124
*Halladay – 82
Lilly – 99
Burnett – 131
*Lackey – 102
Byrd – 70
Washburn – 94
Escobar – 87
and for fun
KRod – 84
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:33pm at 12:33 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t want MOlina at all, but please, since we know Omar is going to sign him (and overpay in the process), please make it only 1 year guaranteed?
I just have visions of him getting 2/12, and the Mets being stuck with Castillo.
Perfect bookends. Aging guys that are shells of their former selves. 1 tick ponies on offense (different trick at least), and seriously eroding defense, to the point where various wources have rated them at the very bottom at their positions.
and at their ages, not likely either one will improve.
But, at least it will only be 2 years of pain, and the 12mill/year combined is still less than Vernon Wells gets paid!
OH yeah, the big point: GET BETTER BACK UP OPTIONS AT C AND 2b. Yes, I shouted on purpose.
and I am not talking about on the bench neccessarily. I really don’t think either one of these guys is likely to play a full season, and I don’t want to see them hung out to dry not having a viable replacement available to start.
Although what the heck, I would probably be happy if they both disappeared by the ASB, and we got to see a red hot Thole and Havens called up from the minors!
trs86
12/9/2009-12:36pm at 12:36 pm (UTC -4)
I am fine with our backup options for C. I would like to see a guy like Wiggy who could come in and play 2B with Cora.
AS for your bookends it brings up a good point.
Perhaps Castillo bats 7th again and Molina 8th. That way Castillo can use his only skill and Molina can drive him in with his only skill yet they don’t impact the rest of the lineup.
Keep in mind that Castillo has led the team in some “clutch” stats the last 2 years.
metsfan4decades
12/9/2009-12:53pm at 12:53 pm (UTC -4)
Does Wiggy play 3rd? If no, we don’t have a back up for 3rd yet, right? To the best of my knowledge, Cora doesn’t play third….
trs86
12/9/2009-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, Wiggy has played more innings at 3B by far than any other position.
Kingman 26
12/9/2009-1:16pm at 1:16 pm (UTC -4)
Wiggy played third for us until Mr Unclutch DRod came up.
metsfan4decades
12/9/2009-1:44pm at 1:44 pm (UTC -4)
LOL ‘Mr. Unclutch DRod’.
I guess that’s what happens when you get to be my age. Only so much detail can be stored in the brain. Some starts getting shoved out to make way for new…..
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:34pm at 12:34 pm (UTC -4)
Also, anyone else nostalgic for the good old days (about 2 months ago) when the MEts were concentrating on getting younger, more athletic, faster and improving the D?
Yeah, me too.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:37pm at 12:37 pm (UTC -4)
Well besides Molina I can’t see them really pressing the issue elsewhere. I don’t count backups.
Interesting that the M’s were rumored in on Molina as well and their push has also been speed and defense. Perhaps catching just does not count?
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
I was hoping for them to make the upgrade at 2B too, but looks like that might not be happening.
Oh well. Back to hoping for fresh blood in 2012 (not that I think Luis will be making it that far without breaking down).
Hmm, Molina farks up the budget, but at least if Bengie and Luis break down, we get rid of them in the lineup!
addition by subtraction (too bad Cora becomes the starting 2B).
darknova306
12/9/2009-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
You could make the case that if Molina signs for 1 year, maybe 1 with an option, we’re taking the slightly longer-term view of developing Thole while using a stop-gap, in a plan to get younger and more athletic at that position.
trs86
12/9/2009-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
True but why not just sign one of the other 1 year guys instead of Molina if he is going to cost more.
darknova306
12/9/2009-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
Just meant that whoever we sign now for 2010 should be viewed as a stop-gap before we can get younger and more athletic, not that we’re giving up on getting younger.
I think the rationale behind Molina specifically is that he’s a power-hitting stop-gap that supposedly handles pitchers well. Either way, I’m with a lot of you in prefering someone cheaper and not as old and fat as Molina.
fongy2
12/9/2009-12:56pm at 12:56 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you Omar!
Even here the mood has turned
dark and our
hopes that despite the fact you were
still our GM
and Jerry the
Mgr, we’d make
some nice moves
and field a team that if healthy,we’d make a run at the Phils and rest of the NL.
So, thanks!
10 million out
of the box on
Molina,Blanco,Coste&Cora really,really
makes us all feel good!
Dumb us for not
understanding the biggest holes we needed
to fill were Catcher&backup
infielder.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
Man again proving that despite what is true and untrue you jump on any chance to blame Omar BEFORE the finished product.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
Patience, Grasshopper.
fongy2
12/9/2009-1:02pm at 1:02 pm (UTC -4)
yeah,because he stinks!
trs86
12/9/2009-1:08pm at 1:08 pm (UTC -4)
Well get you a clothespin and take some Ambien and we will call you when he is fired.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:09pm at 1:09 pm (UTC -4)
Careful with the Ambien, he might wind up having a sleep-affair.
wannybackstra
12/9/2009-2:26pm at 2:26 pm (UTC -4)
Whatever catcher the Mets sign, including Molina, will likely not be the difference between making the postseason or not.
Molina has a reputation for handling pitchers that no one here is qualified to comment upon. The careers of Lincecum and Cain certainly don’t appear to have suffered from having Molina behind the dish (though the view from the expensive seats behind him may have).
stickguy
12/9/2009-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
I’m back to thinking the Brett Myeres could be one of those guys that finds himself without a chair whent he music stops. You rarely see him name mentioned.
Excellent guy to take a lower cost flyer on, especially since he can swing to the SP or RP side. Could be your 8th inning/BU closer guy, or slide in as a #4/#5 SP.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:01pm at 1:01 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, but I would watch Sheets, Harden, Duchscherer and Escobar first and see what happens. Did I mention Escobar?
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:08pm at 1:08 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know how true or widely accepted it might be, but I recall reading 2 things recently about Escobar.
-that it’s better for his health to pitch as a reliever in 2010;
-that he prefers to come back on a 1 year contract to re-stablish himself for another run at free agency next year.
If there’s any truth to those things, he could be a very useful and attainable player for the Mets.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
I agree. The fact that he could pitch out of the pen or start and the fact that if he is healthy he was a mid 90′s pitcher that could be a solid #2. If not healthy if the price is right you did not lose much.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:16pm at 1:16 pm (UTC -4)
Very pleased with how Mike Francesa opened his show today, saying essentially (not a direct quote):
“I don’t care what you read, the Mets WILL be spending this off season. They WILL get one of Lackey, Holliday or Bay and of those guys the one you want is Lackey, but first they need to try hard to get Halladay from the Jays, if that fails then go get Lackey.”
Thanks for the nudge on the flagship station Mike.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:18pm at 1:18 pm (UTC -4)
Uh who took over for Mike?
Now I am worried because he is never right.
metsfan4decades
12/9/2009-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
LOL. Here’s hoping he is right this time.
I just cannot imagine the Mets won’t get one of those.
darknova306
12/9/2009-1:34pm at 1:34 pm (UTC -4)
Precisely. One of the few things Omar does that doesn’t make me angry is his ability to get a big name every year. He’ll get one unless the budget really does shrink significantly (no credible evidence of that), Wilpon is the one really calling the GM shots (not sure if I’d believe that’s the case), or unless Omar has suddenly changed his philosophy (highly doubtful).
We’ll get one, I just really hope it’s a pitcher. We need pitching. Pitching pitching pitching.
Pitching!
metsfan4decades
12/9/2009-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
I couldn’t agree more on the ‘pitching, pitching, pitching’ mindset…
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:20pm at 1:20 pm (UTC -4)
Ed Price writes for AOL Fanhouse I believe, which is worthy of following at least as much as any of the other twits.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:22pm at 1:22 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks, I think he may be mostly an Angels guy?
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not sure who/if he covers a specific team but I find a lot of his work over the last month or so very interesting, I have recently developed respect for his work.
Fanhouse (not Ed Price) last week did an article on the “best baseball TV play-by-play men” and Gary Cohen came in 4th behind Vin Scully, Bob Costas and Duane Kuiper (who I’ve listened to and agree is very good).
Hawk Harrelson and Chip Caray were the worst and second worst, Joe Buck fifth worst.
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/12/03/making-the-call-on-baseballs-best-worst-tv-broadcasters/
trs86
12/9/2009-1:21pm at 1:21 pm (UTC -4)
Here is another thing I am not getting why are so many media outlets and even fans buying into the idea that if we don’t do xyz this off-season we will be 4th and maybe 5th?
Well lets see where were the Mets when the entire team got injured? Now, where were they once that happen? So the WORST case IMO WAS last year and that bottomed out at 4th place. The best case with last year’s team was they continued to find a way to win and stayed in first place. Do I think if the Mets do little they will be 1st place? Nope, the Phillies got better with Lee. Do I think the Braves and Marlins have gotten significantly better and that a healthy Mets team can’t compete with them? Nope.
fongy2
12/9/2009-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
Trs, you cannot be serious about
the Pitching names you posted above.
All injury prone guys. And in Sheets,
a low-life. After what we just went
through this season,you’d advocate,in
any way bringing in a guy or guys who
your not 95% sure can be counted on?
trs86
12/9/2009-1:34pm at 1:34 pm (UTC -4)
UH ok so now Sheets is a low life.
Yes I am very serious about those guys AFTER they get Lackey or Halladay. A guy who could take Maine or Perez’s spot or pitch out of the pen in Escobar or Myers or a guy in Dushawhatever, Sheets and Harden that could be ace level guys but with little to no risk.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:36pm at 1:36 pm (UTC -4)
I am guessing you have proof that Sheets is a low life too or is it based on what you have seen?
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:39pm at 1:39 pm (UTC -4)
I read you list under the (perhaps incorrect) assumption that a Lackey signing and the Hart/Maine trade would have been completed prior, and lumped those guys into the competition for the 5th spot after Santana/Lackey/Perez/Pelfrey. On cheap/incentive laden deals competing for the 5th spot I’ve got no problem with any of them.
Basically one of them instead of Marquis above.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:46pm at 1:46 pm (UTC -4)
Yup, I really just don’t want to go into next year with Maine and Perez manning 4 AND 5. One spot is fine but not 2.
fongy2
12/9/2009-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed,
trouble is options
are limited
AND theres still great upside potential with both.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
It’s not Douchewhatever…?
darknova306
12/9/2009-1:38pm at 1:38 pm (UTC -4)
Are you confusing Sheets with Myers? Myers is most definitely a low life.
Did I miss an incident involving Sheets?
metsfan4decades
12/9/2009-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. Just pass on Myers. Whatever happened to the ‘behaivor unbecoming a MLB ballplayer’ clause?
I don’t want Myers anywhere near this team.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:44pm at 2:44 pm (UTC -4)
Not a big Wally Backman fan either?
Backman had previously been convicted of DUI in 2000, pleaded guilty to harrassing a female friend of his family in 2001, and accused of spousal abuse by his ex-wife.
. Backman was considered to be a candidate for the parent team Chicago White Sox managerial job after Jerry Manuel was fired following the 2003 season. However, reports emerged that Backman had been not-so-discreetly rooting against the White Sox during the season, in the hopes that Manuel would be let go and the managerial position would open up. As a result, the White Sox organization severed ties with Backman
Kingman 26
12/9/2009-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
What’s up with Sheets being a lowlife?
Does he hang out with Ochocinco?
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:48pm at 1:48 pm (UTC -4)
Fongy must be thinking of Ben’s brother, Three Sheets.
fongy2
12/9/2009-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
So I guess no one recalls how a yr ago this time,Sheets tried to hoodwink everyone for a multi-yr contract,repeating over and over,he
didn’t need surgery to his PITCHING
arm so that he could get paid millions while keeping a seat on the
DL warm for ATLEAST one season.
Yeah, great guy.
Myers is a low life and wasn’t very well liked by his own teammates.
Duscherer…whatever…I like BUT
was sent home because of emotional
problems…for the second time in his career.Escobar…Who knows what he is anymore after his latest injury problems. And as for Harden..
Yes, he has Ace stuff and is productive, when he Pitches, which hasn’t been often enough during his career to justify the gamble.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-1:53pm at 1:53 pm (UTC -4)
If you feel that how Sheets approached trying to get a job last year qualifies him for “low life” status I disagree but it’s a personal thing and I can’t change your opinion of him.
I think lots of guys sign contracts and then are unable to perform, or sign deals to sit on the DL (remember Leiber to the Yanks?), also I wonder how much of that was his agent and how much of it was him, and anyway all teams had the right to his medical records and a physical and all teams took advantage of that. I personally can’t hold it against the guy for trying to get a paycheck.
fongy2
12/9/2009-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
no my friend you’re wrong on Lieber, The yanks knew he would miss the following season,signed him for 2 yrs down the road and so their trainers could be in charge of his rehab. This Sheets and his agent knew his arm was blown
out and were quickly trying to get any type of deal which would make sure he got paid for ’09 despite knowing he wouldn’t be able to pitch.
Where the heck are the ethics nowadays?
trs86
12/9/2009-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
Well you are reasoning with guys who are like me working and getting paid while they blog.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not wrong on Leiber, I merely cited him as an example of a guy a team signed knowing he would sit on the DL.
Whatever you think Sheets did last year, no team was going to sign him without medical records and a physical.
Leiber got paid to sit, which is what Sheets would’ve got if he got signed. That he said he wouldn’t need to sit strikes me as mostly irrelevant considering the physical and records that come with the signing.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
Exactly if a team was dumb enough to sign him without checking his medical records on their own then they deserved to get stuck with the contract.
Also, we have no way of knowing if he was not indeed offering the idea that you get me when I am healthy but I am not currently healthy.
fongy2
12/9/2009-2:54pm at 2:54 pm (UTC -4)
In the end,it’s a good thing Omar didn’t sign him as many here wanted. It would have made a perfect tri-fecta of Pitchers brought in with pre-existing injuries…Se..Redding and Putz…Likely our medical staff would have cleared them too.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:57pm at 2:57 pm (UTC -4)
Agree completely with this point.
trs86
12/9/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
Guys Lackey or not I think the Mets should move on this:
“Morosi tweets that Rich Harden is “willing to sign a one-year deal with a lot of incentives.” Will he exceed Brad Penny’s $7.5MM base salary?”
Lackey and Harden would be great and allow Maine to be traded.
Lackey goes somewhere else and you get Garland and Harden, not ideal but at least gives potential.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-2:01pm at 2:01 pm (UTC -4)
Beat me to it.
Definitely a good option. Plus, Garland and Harden combo may allow the Mets to spend little more on LF/1B.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know if I’d agree with “should move on this.”
I like the idea of bringing in an injury risk guy on an incentive deal, but I’m not sure I see the need to jump on one.
I don’t have any idea what Sheets the lowlife is looking for but if I’m choosing between the two I’d prefer Sheets because at least he’s pitched full seasons before, Harden never has.
Now if you tell me Sheets is demanding twice what Harden is I may have to reconsider, but in a vacuum I’m not sure I feel the need “to move” on any of these guys ASAP. As you note above there are 4/5 guys in this group, I’m not inclined to set the market on them.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-2:13pm at 2:13 pm (UTC -4)
I really can’t see how Sheets would want more than Harden.
I agree that Sheets should be preferred over Harden.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:30pm at 2:30 pm (UTC -4)
I think the kicker for me is that at least Harden pitched last year. LOL.
wannybackstra
12/9/2009-2:29pm at 2:29 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t mind Harden as a low-risk high reward incentive deal guy to compete for a spot. But how in the world do you trade someone because you’ve acquired one of the league’s most injury prone pitchers?
trs86
12/9/2009-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
Because you are trading one of the league’s most injury prone pitchers. OK so maybe Maine does not quite fit there but you get my point.
wannybackstra
12/9/2009-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t actually.
Acquiring an injury prone pitcher doesn’t free anyone up for a trade. Acquiring a reliable Marquis type frees someone up for a trade.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
I guess I agree. I would just like to roll the dice I guess with Johan, Lackey and Harden.
OK fine keep Maine. Just sign Harden.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
I’m doing it assuming Lackey is signed.
Then if Maine out/injured guy from list above in you still have Santana, Lackey, Perez, Pelfrey 1-4 with injured guy competing with the likes of Niese/Nieve/other for 5th spot, I don’t fret too much in that instance.
trs86
12/9/2009-3:04pm at 3:04 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah I think that was my point. If you have Lackey you can trade out the question mark Maine for the question mark Harden and have potential for a high reward.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
Hmmm, 12:38pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Cubs would be open to swapping Bradley for Mike Lowell, but that deal is “unlikely to happen.” Lowell, like Pat Burrell, seems like someone the Cubs would have to flip.
Of course the Mets could be involved there. My question is why would the Redsox?
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:06pm at 2:06 pm (UTC -4)
I have read that the Sox aren’t high on Holliday, if they feel that negotiations with Bay are not going well they could be blowing smoke on Bradley to get Bay to cave, or they could genuinely think of Bradley as a viable corner OF as a 2nd choice to Bay if that fails.
They may feel that (unlike the Mets for example) they have the kind of winning team and clubhouse setting that could allow Bradley to stay on course. Big Papi strikes me as being better able to keep a guy in line than say David Wright.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
Possible. So in that idea Mets would get Lowell, Cubs Castillo and Sox Bradley. I am guessing the Cubs would have to pick up some of Bradley’s contract as well or ask the Mets to chip in some on Castillo.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe RedSox feel they can handle any headcase after Manny.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-2:18pm at 2:18 pm (UTC -4)
With Molina, I know most of you are against him. And I would be against him if he gets more than 1+1 deal.
But I think the market is in favor of the Mets little bit like KRod situation last year. I feel that supply is greater than demand this year for catchers, which would lower the price.
I would be more patient with Molina.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
Mets reporter on the mlb.com live feed right now
trs86
12/9/2009-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
Keep us updated.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-2:47pm at 2:47 pm (UTC -4)
Nothing groundbreaking or terribly specific. Basically stuff we already know/assume. Some highlights:
- Mets will go hard on Lackey, if that fails will go hard on Holliday/Bay for LF.
- If they get Lackey, will attempt to fill LF by trade not FA.
- LF they will not concentrate on SLG will be just as happy to get speed/defense.
- are not happy with the way the catching and second tier pitchers markets are unfolding.
- are largely resigned to Castillo as Opening Day 2B.
After the interview the hosts gave Minaya credit for thus far not making panic moves to keep his job. They cited the example of JP Ricciardi destroying the Jays with huge backloaded contracts in attempt to keep his job, noting that Minaya was not doing that (they didn’t mention KRod but even KRod is the only backloaded contract they have unlike multiple ones Ricciardi gave out).
trs86
12/9/2009-2:52pm at 2:52 pm (UTC -4)
True, Krod’s option year is what scares me.
Back to some of those ideas at the bottome.
CaseStreet
12/9/2009-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
“Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Tigers have interest in Juan Pierre, and are “looking for a third team to supply the pitcher L.A. needs.” Odd, since the Tigers have more bad pitching contracts than anyone. The Tigers apparently prefer to unload Carlos Guillen. ”
Anyone think John Maine can be the pitcher LA needs?
trs86
12/9/2009-2:35pm at 2:35 pm (UTC -4)
Don’t know but I am not too into Maine for Gullien. What would be the trade here?
CaseStreet
12/9/2009-3:11pm at 3:11 pm (UTC -4)
Dodgers get Maine
Tigers get Pierre
Mets get Guillen
LF by trade
Everybody wants Omar to get 2 pitchers and Maine in the BP, but also don’t want to trade Maine. Why?
If you want him in the BP, you gave up on him, so why not get something useful in return?
We know Ollie can’t be traded, and Pelf only in a Doc trade, so if you want two SP Maine is odd man out.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-3:18pm at 3:18 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know if I’d call him LF by trade, I’d call him LF by default.
I know you really meant the Mets acquiring a LF by trade, not that playing LF was his trade, but still.
That minus 14.1 UZR/150 from Guillen in LF is not exactly inspiring and according to Eno Sarris of fangraphs he is in a 3 year decline.
When I factor in the $26 mil owed Guillen over the next two years I would much rather go Hart or somewhere else with Maine (even the BP).
trs86
12/9/2009-3:29pm at 3:29 pm (UTC -4)
26 MILLION DOLLARS! Nope no thanks. .242 .339 .419 .757 in 81 games last year and only played 113 the year before. Think Alou for more money without the stick.
trs86
12/9/2009-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
Also how do we call him a LF by trade? He has played 44 games there in his 10 years. 42 of them coming this past year.
CaseStreet
12/9/2009-3:56pm at 3:56 pm (UTC -4)
grave got it
would LA chipping in 3 M make it any better?
trs86
12/9/2009-4:00pm at 4:00 pm (UTC -4)
UH NOPE. 26 MILLION DOLLARS. LOL, we would then have to replace Castillo with Hudson for say 5 million and need 2 starters. (Not that we don’t already but we have not already spend 31 Million dollars at least.)
trs86
12/9/2009-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
Hawkins gobbled up by Brewers.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/9/2009-3:41pm at 3:41 pm (UTC -4)
2/7.5MM…. wow.
trs86
12/9/2009-2:40pm at 2:40 pm (UTC -4)
I still can’t believe that Kevin Correia is going to get non-tendered and no trade at all. I would send them at least a PTBNL for him to keep him from hitting the market. 198 innings of sub 4 ERA and a decent WHIP for a backend guy last year and he has no value?
trs86
12/9/2009-2:59pm at 2:59 pm (UTC -4)
Back to graves’s news on Lackey and then OF by trade.
What about getting say Hart AND Winn? bench would be
Tatis replacement, Cora, Blanco, Pagan, Winn? Carter may take that last bench spot and would also hit RHP better but then there is no RH hitter on the bench. At least Winn and Pagan would be switch hitters.
Hart’s career splits vs LHP is .290 .358 .486 .844 while Winn does a little better against RHP .290 .358 .486 .844 and Pagan is also better against LHP .299 .350 .452 .802 but I think having him and Winn could be beneficial if we are not upgrading LF. It also gives us a trading chip in Pagan for later.
GravediggerHebner
12/9/2009-3:04pm at 3:04 pm (UTC -4)
That might come to us, but for the moment I have read that Winn regards himself and is selling himself as a starter.
Jim Duquette now on the live feed, some of his opinions:
- The Mets DO have money to spend on 1 big acquisition and he believes it will be Lackey, says Lackey wants AJ Burnett money and turned down $72 mil from Angels earlier so we know how low “too low” is for Lackey. Concluded that Mets could afford AJ money for Lackey, just a matter of do they want to.
- Yankees will not be Halladay player.
- Bay will wind up in Seattle.
trs86
12/9/2009-3:05pm at 3:05 pm (UTC -4)
I still say we wait and find out exactly who IS a player for Halladay and Lackey.