I have to admit , I got to give Omar Minaya credit in the way he handled the Bengie Molina contract negotiations. According to MLBTR.com, During yesterdays press conference that made Bengie Molina’s return to the San Francisco Giants official . Molina stated that he would have came to the Mets if they had offered him a second year guaranteed. Instead Omar offered him a one year contract with an option, but ultimately the portly Molina decided that to uproot his family for one year and one million dollars more didn’t make sense, So the Chinese restaurants in San Francisco can rejoice that their economic stimulus package isn’t going anywhere.Omar deserves kudos for not making a concrete two year offer in my opinion because face it Malina isn’t the second coming of Mike Piazza , nor will he be a club house force like Paul LoDuca was.I feel if Molina signed with the Mets we would have had a Moises Alou redux , and the last thing this team needs is another injury plagued season. So Omar This Bud’s For You !!!!
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                                 ” You deserved it Omar !! now please explain Gary Matthews Jr. !!”
And now … ON WITH THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes go out to our top reliever from the eary ’80′s ( that’s not saying much ) – Neil Allen (1958) Allen will forever be known as the key to the Mets acquiring Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals. He currently is a coach in the Tampa Bay Rays system.
Back up first baseman from the ’03 team, Mike Glavine is 37 today (1973) . Mike was signed by the Mets to placate his brother Tom ” i’m not devastated” Glavine in hopes he would sign with he Mets.
Texas Rangers signed outfielder, Shawn Hare of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 24, 1995.
New York Mets signed free agent, and one time Yankees reliever, Graeme Lloyd on January 24, 2003.
New York Mets signed free agent Geremi Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox on January 24, 2006. Geremi wasn’t that impressive in the short time that he was with the Mets. He died tragicly when he was struck by lightening on the beach of his native Venezuela.
Baltimore Orioles signed one time pitching prospect, Tyler Yates of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 24, 2006.
Chicago Cubs signed outfielder Cliff Floyd of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 24, 2007. I was sad to see “Uncle Cliffy” go , but age had caught up to him and being a motivator in the clubhouse is all well and good , but when you can’t perform on the field – you know it’s time to move on.
And while we are crossing our fingers while watching the Jets game today, Don’t forget that there are just 71 more days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.
10 comments
stickguy
1/24/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
spring training can’t start soon enough.
I hope you guys went to MCs supplier and loaded up on red Xs for the site. I hae a bad feeling we are going to need them again this year (but I hope I am wrong!)
maybe the karma gods will take pity, and give all the injuries to the Phils this year?
Sorry if it makes me petty, but now that Philly has locked up most of the team through 2011, it would be so sweet to see those guys fall apart from injuries and age, knowing that the team is locked into those contracts for years to come.
Hazmet
1/24/2010-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
Infamy Adder: This day in 1980 Doubleday & Wilpon bought the Mets.
GravediggerHebner
1/24/2010-11:12am at 11:12 am (UTC -4)
The Mets history is filled with so much Infamy, us celebrating it on a daily basis is truly a wonderful thing.
I strongly believe that the signing of Mike Glavine belongs on the list of things that the Mets do or don’t do that just make one scratch their head and type the internet’s second favorite 3 letters behind LOL, which I believe are WTF.
metsfan4decades
1/24/2010-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
Speaking of LOL….over on NJ.com they had a couple of quips from the 87th annual Baseball Writers Association of America awards gala at the New York Hilton. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:
1. Jerry Manuel was there and presented the NL Rookie of the Year award to the Marlins’ Chris Coghlan. “You asked me what I’ve been doing all winter with all these players being injured,” Manuel said. “I told them I’ve been staying at home watching Dr. Oz. I got to watch him every day.”
2. Comedian Bill Scheft performed and created some awkward moments with cracks about several of the guests on the dais. He said the Mets would have a Tony Bernazard Appreciation Day next season – anyone who shows up without a shirt and challenges an usher to a fight gets in free. Minaya, who endured a number of jokes at his and the Mets’ expense throughout the night, smiled uncomfortably.
3. Francoeur received the Ben Epstein/Dan Castellano Good Guy Award for, well, being a good guy.
4. The line of the night came not from the comedian but from Alex Rodriguez, who joked about how improbable it was that he was being honored with the Babe Ruth Postseason MVP award. “Wow,” A-Rod said. “What’s next, the Good Guy award?”
5. Minaya was seated on the dais next to Albert Pujols, who was there to receive his NL MVP award, and the two chatted at length during dinner.
(Hmmm….to have been a fly on the wall for this conversation.)
Hazmet
1/24/2010-12:10pm at 12:10 pm (UTC -4)
Here’s my feeble attempt of fearless forecasting at explaining the GMJr pick up.
Picked him up so he could package Pagan & Castillo with cash as part of a deal for Brandon Phillips?
Just throwing it out there even though pitching should be first.
trs86
1/24/2010-2:21pm at 2:21 pm (UTC -4)
I am guessing they did it to replace Jeremy Reed with a 1M backup.
trs86
1/24/2010-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
The Red Sox and Angels considered swapping Mike Lowell for Gary Matthews Jr. before concerns about Lowell’s thumb emerged.
GravediggerHebner
1/24/2010-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
I had read that. Was going to use it as the one bit of information I had for an “In Other News” post tonight but thankfully now I don’t have to and can enjoy an evening of playoff football.
I have a couple of opinions on that:
- I have a hard time trying to imagine the international outrage over Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox acquiring GMJ. Somehow I imagine it would be hailed as another in a series of genius moves by the brilliant Epstein, or at worst portrayed as a worthwhile gamble the likes of signing Brad Penny or John Smoltz in 2009.
- I also have a hard time imagining that the Red Sox would’ve received $21.5 million from the Angels in that exchange.
- I have already read at least one opinion based on this Lowell/GMJ swap condemning Omar Minaya for failing to send Luis Castillo to LA for GMJ. I would note that Lowell is a 3B and the Angels lost their starting 3B to free agency and the Seattle Mariners and may think they need a replacement. They didn’t lose their 2B.
But as noted those are simply my subjective opinions, I could absolutely be overlooking some key element that might change my mind on any or all of them.
trs86
1/24/2010-2:59pm at 2:59 pm (UTC -4)
What I did not get about the Castillo suggestion is that it most likely would have cost us the same as doing the trade and releasing Castillo. It’s not like they were going to give us GMJ, pay 21M and take Castillo.
Mr North Jersey
1/24/2010-2:59pm at 2:59 pm (UTC -4)
In 3 hours we will know if the Jets will be going to the SuperBowl.
Good Luck JETS.