"Can I get a WOOP WOOP?"
Today the Mets news landscape was carpet-bombed with Brian Stokes for Gary Matthews Jr. a/k/a “Little Sarge” acquisition items. I have found nothing in the way of “other” news to share with you this evening, so instead I will attempt to do an “away” version of what my colleague Mr. North Jersey did below, while maintaining the traditional style (sarcastic? annoying?) of previous “In Other News” installments. He shared with you a sampling of reaction on the trade from the Mets blogosphere. My own reaction is that the trade was done so that Philadelphia Phillies color analyst Gary Matthews Sr. would be nicer to the Mets. But seriously, here’s a sampling of the Los Angeles Angels blogosphere reaction:
- Sam Miller of the Orange County (CA) Register Angels Blog used sabermetric analysis to determine that the Angels are “nearly one win better” with Reggie Willits instead of Matthews Jr. as back up outfielder.  Miller used CHONE projections to make that determination. As a Met, Matthews Jr. will become familiar with a word very similar to “CHONE” whether he likes it or not.
- Miller also covers “GMJ’s Finest Moments” in an Angels uniform, noting: “Gary Matthews, Jr. played 370 games for the Angels, and they weren’t all bad. Most of them were — did you know, for instance, than Matthews went 0 for 10 in the playoffs as an Angel?” Really no need for me to embellish that thought.
- The Riverside Press-Enterprise Professional Sports Blog takes the Brian Stokes perspective, noting Stokes “played his high school baseball at Jurupa Valley, his college baseball at RCC and now will play professional baseball down the 91 Freeway in Anaheim.” Regardless of how one feels about the trade, it’s hard not to feel happy for Stokes when one reads this: “It’s real exciting,” Stokes said of returning to Southern California. “I’ve made it to the big leagues now with Tampa Bay and New York before, so my friends and family saw me on the road. Now they can follow me through the whole season. I think it’ll be kind of fun, especially since my parents work long hours. It’s just exciting for me and all my friends who get to enjoy it with me.” I don’t have any particularly snarky response to that. Congratulations on going home Brian.
- Angelswin.com sums up Matthews Jr.’s tenure with the Angels this way:Â “It would be safe to say that neither Matthews or the Angels got what they expected when they agreed to terms before the 2007 season. Matthews was arguably their best player during the first half of ’07 but a knee injury slowed him down and “GMJ” never consistently found his stroke again as an Angel.” He’ll be proud to know he caused many a Met fan a stroke today.
25 comments
rustyjr
1/22/2010-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
his mets initiation should be to burn a photo of his daddy in a philly uniform !!
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-6:17pm at 6:17 pm (UTC -4)
Did anyone else let out a big sigh reading Stokes’ reaction to being traded to LAA?
Talk about dancing in the streets. Maybe I’m reading between the lines too much but he sounds really, really happy to leave NY. Hopefully, it’s just b/c it’s like he said, feels like he’s going home.
Either way, best of luck to you, Brian.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-6:28pm at 6:28 pm (UTC -4)
In an earlier post, I posed the theory of if GMJ wanted to be a starting OF, he might not be too happy about this trade. Saw this quote on Angel’s blog when he was packing his stuff up this year:
“I don’t expect to be back; it’s time to move on,” outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. said as he packed his belongings in the team’s Angel Stadium clubhouse today. “I’m ready to play for an organization that wants me to play every day. This organization has other plans, and that’s OK.â€
He spoke what was on his mind, didn’t sound whiny when he said it. But he didn’t get his wish b/c I don’t see anyway he plays every day unless Beltran and Pagan are hurt at the same time or Franceour gets injured – or possibly puts up worse numbers than GMJ…..
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-7:14pm at 7:14 pm (UTC -4)
I also don’t see how he’ll get his wish for his uniform # 24, unless the same man who gave Keith Hernandez’ # 17 to Dae-Sung Koo feels like giving Willie Mays’ & Rickey Henderson’s # 24 to Matthews Jr.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-9:06pm at 9:06 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t necessarily think it’s post-worthy, any of my 15 siblings who disagrees by all means go for it, but Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse tweeted the following:
# Benige Molina on #Mets: “I don’t understand why they didn’t want to go another year with my numbers and my experience.” about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck
# Bengie Molina says #Mets offered him $5.5M for one year but he preferred familiarity with #Giants at $4.5M about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-9:13pm at 9:13 pm (UTC -4)
Also, a guy who covers the A’s for Comcast Sports tweeted this cryptic message:
# sorry #athletics fans, had to miss the desme call. had a bigger fish to fry for you. you might be getting some really good news next week
# #athletics fans: I know it’s a mean tease, but I’ll give u this: it’s probly what u’re thinking. No guarantees, but it looks good. I’m out!
Well if that’s not him telling them they’re getting Ben Sheets I don’t know what else it is.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-9:28pm at 9:28 pm (UTC -4)
Well, dang. But hey, anything can happen until the deal is final. Just ask the Braves last season…..
prismo
1/22/2010-9:44pm at 9:44 pm (UTC -4)
I didn’t make a post of this, but Steve Popper said on twitter earlier today:
“Omar said he is looking at FA pitchers, but if he gets the staff back healthy and the addition of Niese and Nieve he’d be comfortable.”
What a joke it would be if Omar didn’t get a starter for this team. I’m sure he’s trying, but trying isn’t enough of it doesn’t work out. He better deliver.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-9:51pm at 9:51 pm (UTC -4)
Two things come to mind when I read what you say here Prismo:
1). Omar has made enough public declarations now, directly and indirectly, that at least for me it’s time to suck it up and realize we’re probably going to “war” with what we’ve got for starting pitchers;
2). I believe it was Yoda, Master of The Force, who said “Do or do not, there is no try.”
prismo
1/22/2010-10:00pm at 10:00 pm (UTC -4)
Yoda’s got it right. Remember when Omar named his “prioity” list when the offseason began? He wanted a left fielder, then a top of the rotation starter, then a regular catcher.
He got the first, may have given up on the third, and has hinted all offseason that he may give up on the second. I feel like we should lay some blame on the Wilpons too though, as they often appear to be pulling Omar’s strings.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-10:06pm at 10:06 pm (UTC -4)
Somewhere Omar sits content in the knowledge that having gone 1 for 3 he’s an All-Star.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-9:56pm at 9:56 pm (UTC -4)
You know, Johan/Pelf/Maine/Perez and one of Niese and Nieve might be “comfortable” but lends to no depth at all. That only leaves one of Niese or Nieve and Figgy.
Jeeze, after last year, he has to realize that’s not enough in numbers, never mind talent. Last year Pelf was the only one left standing end of Sep., along with the ever present Figgy.
I’m starting to think that getting Sheets and Smoltz might be the way to go. Sheets joins the rotation, Niese starts in AAA, and Smoltz starts in the BP. Let Maine start in the rotation. If he struggles, and/or someone goes down with an injury you’ll have Smoltz who can start. I’m thinking that might not be a bad idea, outside of a trade.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. I have to wonder where the depth is. I would’ve hoped after last year reactionary Omar would’ve learned about depth.
stickguy
1/22/2010-10:55pm at 10:55 pm (UTC -4)
as ,uch as I don’t really want Smoltz, I can live with your plan (given what is currently available).
Also the reason I was harping on getting Myers, before he went very cheap to the ‘stros. Could swing to the pen or the rotation.
and yeah, they need depth. A stronger 6-8 will help tremendously.
don’t forget, the also have Misch still kicking around. he can handle a fill-in Sp role (ala Lima time) while primarily being the 2nd lefty in the pen.
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-10:19pm at 10:19 pm (UTC -4)
Mark Saxon writes for ESPN Los Angeles, formerly of the OC Register and the Oakland Tribune:
Nancy (Fillmore, CA)
How do you think got the Better end of deal? The Angels or Mets? The Angels paid to much money and only got 1 prospect for 20 million? They should of traded for Luis Castillo?
Mark Saxon
(4:04 PM)
For the Angels, there was really no major upside here. They had a player who didn’t want to be there, so they were pretty much forced to move him. In today’s climate, they weren’t going to save much money because nobody would pick it up for a reserve outfielder.The Mets clearly needed a guy to play center field for a while, so I guess they were the winners.
stickguy
1/22/2010-10:56pm at 10:56 pm (UTC -4)
all the logic and reasonableness is fine. This was a spare parts fill in the gap type of deal.
But could it just have been anyone else besides GMJ? Heck, why couldn’t Andru still be available? He would have fit much better!
trs86
1/22/2010-11:34pm at 11:34 pm (UTC -4)
Andruw could still slug this year, but the numbers before SLG were BAD: .214 .323 and played no CF last year.
trs86
1/22/2010-11:40pm at 11:40 pm (UTC -4)
“I don’t know, I guess I assume it would have been easier to sign a guy like Eric Byrnes, for one season by the way, then cut Stokes if he was really that expendable and his roster spot was needed. But, maybe I don’t know the market like I think I do.”
Please tell me why it would have been easier to sign a guy like Byrnes? Who by the way has not played 100 games since 2007. Also Byrnes was released. If I understand the rules correctly, he can not make more than what his contract is. Thus say the Mets said Byrnes we will pay you 1 million instead of league minimum then all we would have been doing was paying that money to the Dbacks because his salary is set. Same reason we got Sheff last year for league min. I think I understand that correctly. Thus somehow it would have been easier to get Byrnes to move cross country and play for the same amount of money that he could anywhere else he signs.
Yup, you don’t know the market.
trs86
1/22/2010-11:53pm at 11:53 pm (UTC -4)
LongTimeMetsFan January 22, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Matt, I think you need to think more before writing, and write more concisely. Most of the time you use double the words to say what could be said with half. This opinion piece is shining example of not paying adequate attention to presentation and what seems to me to be just going through the motions. Perhaps you’re spreading yourself too thin.
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Boddah January 22, 2010 at 8:11 pm
lol. ruthless.
matt you are a whiny baby sometimes like the rest of these iconoclastic fanatics. the sky is not falling, garry matthews jr is coming here… 1.25 million… what are we paying maybe 1 guy on the roster less money????
Ah the good ole days. This keeps up Matt may want us back.
trs86
1/22/2010-11:57pm at 11:57 pm (UTC -4)
Can’t help it. I love reading this stuff sometimes:
“not that brian stokes was all that good but dont think they needed to make this deal like you said why not eric burnes????? not that hes any better then matthews but hes got 10 times more heart and fire then matthews ever had,”
trs86
1/23/2010-12:13am at 12:13 am (UTC -4)
Mets should look at this kid: Jesus Guzman
This from MLBTR
Released by the Giants. Hit .344/.368/.491 in 565 Triple-A plate appearances), and has spent considerable time at first, second, and third base while dabbling in the corner outfield spots.
njstuckintx
1/23/2010-1:06am at 1:06 am (UTC -4)
Any particular reason he was released?
trs86
1/23/2010-1:10am at 1:10 am (UTC -4)
Make room for Molina.
stickguy
1/23/2010-8:32am at 8:32 am (UTC -4)
looks a heck of a lot better than the numbers of some of the stiffs omar picks up for AAA depth.
especially if he can cover most of the IF.
njstuckintx
1/23/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Seems like a no brainer, just going from the numbers. Is he out of options? Is he old? I mean, those numbers look pretty good. Why let that go without good reason…