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41 comments
fongy2
12/29/2009-7:36pm at 7:36 pm (UTC -4)
LOVE the Bay signing!
HATE the Molina signing!
The Wilpon’s better change their minds
and bring in those fences!
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/29/2009-8:42pm at 8:42 pm (UTC -4)
I’d rather save couple million here to sign 2 pitchers. Sheets/Bedard/Wang AND Davis/Garland
Or now that FMart has no place in this team, I’d use him and another prospect for a pitcher. Perhaps Arroyo OR possibly Zambrano (Carlos not Victor)…
wannybackstra
12/29/2009-8:53pm at 8:53 pm (UTC -4)
Fmart still as a place on this team. Frenchy is no lock and is only signed for next year anyway. FMart is still a baby.
metsfan4decades
12/29/2009-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with DNDJohan about saving the money on Molina to put towards SP (unless Molina will agree to the one year deal).
Also agree with Wanny here on FMart. I wouldn’t package FMart in any trade right now unless it’s for a deal we can’t pass on – like a very, very good solid #2 or someone like AGonz.
darknova306
12/29/2009-10:26pm at 10:26 pm (UTC -4)
Failcoeur is still more likely a bum than anything, and FMart is only 21 and hit AAA decently when healthy. I’d rather keep FMart around for cheap insurance on Failcoeur.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-10:36pm at 10:36 pm (UTC -4)
Unless he’s being traded in a package for a stud starting pitcher keeping FMart seems the right course to me.
Given that we were previously considering the real possibility of a Pagan/Beltran/Francoeur outfield, I can live with the possibility of Bay/Beltran/Pagan. Does Frenchy have any trade value? Based on the previous haul of Ryan Church I’d guess not, but if any GM out there feels otherwise now may be the time to strike.
darknova306
12/29/2009-10:47pm at 10:47 pm (UTC -4)
I doubt Failcoeur has much trade value right now for the same reason I hate him: his history of failure before that trade in 2009. I’m all for giving him a chance to prove the obnoxious morons like me wrong, but I want FMart there for insurance for when he fails. I mean ‘if’ he fails… hehe… :p
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:00pm at 11:00 pm (UTC -4)
I just checked, Frenchy is still arbitration even after the upcoming season, so unless he does have some noteworthy trade value right now 2010 is a good year to get 1 long look at him here and depending on how it shakes out, he could simply be non-tendered after the season, especially if he’s so-so and FMart finds the fountain of health.
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:02pm at 11:02 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. That’s why I’m willing to give him a full year shot.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
“Lucky” for Bay the Mets non-tendered Redding so Bay doesn’t have to give Redding an Escalade in exchange for #44.
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:11pm at 11:11 pm (UTC -4)
?
Given the difference in talent, it should take a bag of peanuts for Redding to hand that over.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:15pm at 11:15 pm (UTC -4)
I guess I find the wild boar hunting and the rust colored brillo pad of a beard more intimidating than you do
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:15pm at 11:15 pm (UTC -4)
I wonder how many Escalades Bay is making per strikeout? Or is that too cynical of me?
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
I live in Redding’s hometown… I’m not scared, I see what he grew up with.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
According to “carsweek” the high end 2009 Escalade retails for $81435.
Bay averages about 150 K’s per season.
At this point someone is going to have to jump in and do some math.
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:30pm at 11:30 pm (UTC -4)
Bay’s getting 4/65, so that’s about $16.25MM per year, giving about 200 Escalades per year (based on your price). That’s about 1 and a third Escalades per strikeout. Yikes.
njstuckintx
12/29/2009-9:06pm at 9:06 pm (UTC -4)
From nothing at all to locking up the guys that Omar targeted from the start. Kind of odd that his plan is working according to how he planned, or at least told us he planned. While I wish for a different GM, good work Omar.
Now that the offense is fairly set, how about some pitching? 1 lefty on a minor league deal for the bullpen and 1 to 2 starting pitchers. Ideally one through trade (Meche or Arroyo would be nice. Not sure how I feel about Zambrano and that contract of his) and one through signing. Sign me some Sheets Omar. Sign me some Sheets!
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-9:46pm at 9:46 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with your whole comment. It wasn’t the plan I wanted or endorsed, but I do give him credit for sticking to it.
Anyone who wants to can chime in that he didn’t want to come here but regardless, knowing that with the option year this club went to 5/$80 on Bay it bums me out that Lackey went to Boston for 5/$85. Needed (still need) the pitcher much more than Bay.
Given the constant rumors, neither Bay nor Molina is a surprise at all. Omar, if you’re reading this, feel free to surprise me with a pitcher. And if you insist he be Cuban, please pass on the Hernandez brothers.
CaseStreet
12/29/2009-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
MC thinks the deal will be 2/$13M. IMO that’s $3M too much.
Still though, Bay and Molina are a significant upgrade over Shef and Schneider.
Now bring in Big Z as an upgrade over Livan and we are back on the right track.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:24pm at 11:24 pm (UTC -4)
According to Mack’s Mets bizarre “savings” financials he keeps updating, with Bay in house based on $16.5 mil for 2010 the Mets “still have” $24,103,500 to spend. With Big Z they’d still have about $7 mil to spend…
CaseStreet
12/29/2009-11:44pm at 11:44 pm (UTC -4)
I think Molina has dibs on that $7M.
GravediggerHebner
12/29/2009-11:46pm at 11:46 pm (UTC -4)
Then Big Z prolly ain’t happenin’ cuz arbitration done be comin’ up. But LemonHarangue or ArrozConPollo still fit from Cincy.
Sorry, Molina makes me hungry and dumb.
CaseStreet
12/29/2009-11:55pm at 11:55 pm (UTC -4)
Good point.
Though, are you forgetting Castillo’s contract?
Figure they could save $3M per year if the replacement is signed for $3M.
I wonder how much of an increase Pedro, Frenchy, Greene, Maine and Pagan will get.
GravediggerHebner
12/30/2009-12:09am at 12:09 am (UTC -4)
You’re right I did forget the Castillo portion of the equation.
According to Mack’s calculations, the Mets “tendered Maine approx $2.9 million” so his salary is in there. Pedro, Frenchy, Green and Pagan are not however.
metsfan4decades
12/29/2009-11:50pm at 11:50 pm (UTC -4)
Check out this post by some supposed cousin of Bay’s named Tony over on MLBTR:
Jason Bay is my cousin, and, my aunt (his grandmother) just called to tell me that he will will in fact make it official that he will sign with the Mets. He will contact his agent this week to confirm.
I am speaking the truth here, 100%. This all factual.
My dad’s sister had three daughters, all in their forties married with kids, and the oldest daughter, Kelly, had two kids – Lauren and Jason. He’s older than his sister. So, he’s my dad’s great nephew and my aunt’s grandson.
Like I said, he’s making it official that he will be going to the Mets. He did say that he understands that it won’t be as good as the Red Sox, but it will be better than the Pirates. He just wants to make sure that he ends up somewhere and not end up being a free agent by the time the season starts. He does want to come to the West Coast, but, so far, no deals were made by either the Giants, Angels and Mariners. Although, it should be his intention to go to these three teams and work something out. He hopes that playing for the Mets won’t be so bad and that they can at least make the playoffs. My dad and I are going up to Trail, B.C. next month for the torch run for the olympics. I don’t know if Jason will be there since he’s in Canada right now, but we will be visiting with his parents (who treat me like their own nephew) and we will be staying at my aunt’s place.
Posted by: Tony | December 27, 2009 at 04:58 PM
**********************************
If this is true, this ought to really endear Bay to Met fans everywhere.
Sigh…..
darknova306
12/29/2009-11:56pm at 11:56 pm (UTC -4)
I never wanted him in the first place, as I’ve been saying for many weeks on Twitter.
If he loved the Red Sox so much why didn’t he just freakin’ sign their slightly less contract offer? Wussy!
CaseStreet
12/30/2009-12:00am at 12:00 am (UTC -4)
Can’t blame Bay for wanting to be close to home.
C.C. wanted to be close to home, but I bet he’s pretty happy now.
That and $80M could change someones mind.
GravediggerHebner
12/30/2009-12:03am at 12:03 am (UTC -4)
“Although, it should be his intention to go to these three teams and work something out.”
Huh?
With Boston, Bay got to visit Seattle, Oakland and Los Angeles each year. With the Mets he’ll get to visit Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco so he’ll be on the coast just as often. And he gets to go to Detroit and Minnesota in 2010, that’s practically Canada. He has $66 million and at least 3 months off every year for the next 4 years to visit.
darknova306
12/30/2009-12:04am at 12:04 am (UTC -4)
“He hopes that playing for the Mets won’t be so bad and that they can at least make the playoffs.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! SUCKA!!
Kingman 26
12/30/2009-12:10am at 12:10 am (UTC -4)
This smells very strongly of being anything but valid…
Kingman 26
12/30/2009-12:04am at 12:04 am (UTC -4)
Omar does not know what he is doing.
Omar has no plan.
Omar bids against himself and gives out too much in money and years.
The Wilpons don’t care about winning.
The Wilpons won’t spend any money.
No big time players want to come and play for the Mets.
The team is in total disarray and will compete with the Nationals and their “impact” offseason for 4th place.
GravediggerHebner
12/30/2009-12:11am at 12:11 am (UTC -4)
Well there’s a first time for everything!
Kingman 26
12/30/2009-12:21am at 12:21 am (UTC -4)
How bout a first time for Omar to be sippin some champagne, Willie Randolph label, extra-sweet!
darknova306
12/30/2009-12:22am at 12:22 am (UTC -4)
That would require us to get past our September meltdowns, which I’ll only believe once I’ve seen it first-hand.
GravediggerHebner
12/30/2009-12:29am at 12:29 am (UTC -4)
If Bay passes his physical
If Molina becomes official
If last years injured guys are healthy
If the wild, unsourced rumor of Carlos Zambrano to the Mets in a 3-team trade involving Luis Castillo happens and
If Zambrano returns to previous form
this champagne scenario is one I can start to believe. But without the health and the 2nd quality pitcher, I don’t see it.
Is it possible, however remotely, that 1 guy from among Pelfrey/Perez/Maine/Niese/Nieve becomes that quality pitcher? Yes. So if that happens, then it’s just about the health.
It must be late, you almost got me optimistic
Kingman 26
12/30/2009-12:40am at 12:40 am (UTC -4)
As Sam Kinison said to Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School, “Good answer. I like the way you think!”
Ah, that thing about one of Pelf/etc becoming that quality pitcher is indeed a thought of beauty.
Later Grave, and as Andy Dufresne said to Red in Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things.”
darknova306
12/30/2009-12:21am at 12:21 am (UTC -4)
Omar better have something crazy and awesome up his sleeve, because we need so much starting pitching it’s not even funny. Maybe he’s got Dave Duncan close to an agreement…? Well, I can dream, can’t I…?
Kingman 26
12/30/2009-12:42am at 12:42 am (UTC -4)
See 2006 Cards.
Not every champ has the 1986 or 1969 Met pitching staff.
Sorry, but my optimism is again bordering on out of control.
If Omar has a good starter in the works, or even the reliable Garland, this team–again–will enter the season with a lot of hope.
darknova306
12/30/2009-1:00am at 1:00 am (UTC -4)
I see what you’re going for with the 2006 Cards, but they won 83 games I believe. If we win 83 games, we’re not sniffing the playoffs. Sorry, but until we show we can get past our September chokes, optimism won’t have much place in my baseball world. And I find Garland to be reliably mediocre. If we get him, I want a guy like Sheets that could actually be a difference maker.
Mr North Jersey
12/30/2009-1:18am at 1:18 am (UTC -4)
Well if things go as it is being reported I want to give Omar credit for the Bay signing, but not because he signed a player I wanted but for not bidding against himself I mean 4/$66 million or 5/$80 million with a option should be fine for those that follow the financial side of things.
While I would of liked Holliday I also feel that Bay is a significant improvement in LF compared to the 9 players we had play LF in 2009.
I hear now that the Mets may also be close to signing Molina. If true he should be better all around in the clubhouse and on the field than Schneider but I continue to believe that none of these moves mean much without the Mets adding a player to help Santana out in the #2 spot.
Pitching wins it is a saying that is as old as baseball and CitiFields can be a pitchers paradise if Minaya can build a team to take advantage of it.
That is why until I see differently Minaya will have failed (as far as the off season goes) in my eyes unless he can get that pitcher to upgrade the rotation.
Even now their are some rumblings about Carlos Zambrano if he could pull something like that off that would be something that would show me what I am looking for. Which is wanting to have faith in Minaya once more.
To wrap things up I notice my friend Kingman’s post makes what appears to be statements that were said on this and other blogs as to suggest possibly that people spoke to soon. I don’t know if that is what Kingy was trying to suggest but if it was let me reply with the following.
Omar does not know what he is doing.
Jury is still out on that in my opinion.
Omar has no plan.
Now that it seems he has actually addressed a need getting a everyday LeftFielder I guess he does.
Omar bids against himself and gives out too much in money and years.
Signing Bay doesn’t make that untrue in my opinion it is not like it wipes away Ollie or Castillo in my opinion.
The Wilpons don’t care about winning.
If signing Bay is supposed to mean they care about winning I sadly have to disagree because to me signing Bay was a financial investment to draw fans to buy tickets. (Let me put it this way I don’t think the Wilpons would purposely lose money if it meant they could win a W.S. Ring.)
The Wilpons won’t spend any money.
I agree they do spend money.
No big time players want to come and play for the Mets.
BigTime is in the eye of the beholder but players will almost always go where the money is regardless of how bad the club. Just look at AROD when he signed with Texas.
The team is in total disarray and will compete with the Nationals and their “impact†offseason for 4th place.
Again words like disarray or confusion take your pick depends on what you view as that.
For me not knowing,
Can Reyes play everyday?
Can Wright can go deep in 2010?
Can Murphy grow at 1st?
Can Francouer repeat what he did in 2009?
Can Santana come back with no hiccups after surgery?
Can Pelfrey finally turn the corner?
Can Maine come back with no hiccups after surgery?
Can Ollie ever be consistent and earn what Minaya has paid him?
Can Minaya find a #2 guy for the rotation?
Doesn’t actually strike me as a team with things in order. Plus while for me at least with the right players I felt we could seriously compete for the postseason I expect the Nats, Phillies, Marlins and Braves to be one tough team to beat in 2010 until proven otherwise.
Phew it’s 1:17am I am done for the Morning Take care everyone Let’s see what Francessa says tomorrow.
prismo
12/30/2009-4:23am at 4:23 am (UTC -4)
Predictions:
Can Reyes play everyday? Yes
Can Wright can go deep in 2010? Yes
Can Murphy grow at 1st? Yes
Can Francouer repeat what he did in 2009? Yes
Can Santana come back with no hiccups after surgery? Yes
Can Pelfrey finally turn the corner? Ugh, torn. I think he has a >50% chance of having an ERA below 4 this season, but I’m thinking mid-upper 3′s, not low 3′s.
Can Maine come back with no hiccups after surgery? No
Can Ollie ever be consistent and earn what Minaya has paid him? No
Can Minaya find a #2 guy for the rotation? No