Gary Matthews Jr. takes his physical
Here’s some Mets news that we didn’t write a post about today:
- According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Omar Minaya doesn’t think the Mets are comedy material. I guess I need to start looking for another job. “I don’t think we are a joke but I do believe when you lose and you have a situation where _ let’s be honest _ we didn’t have a good year. In New York, for people to pay more attention, you have to win,” he said. Good to know the person at least theoretically in charge of assembling the team considers it serious business. Minaya also noted that last year was 365 days long, not 1,095 days or 1,460 days, and that it’s over. “It wasn’t like last year was something that happened three or four years,” Minaya said. “We all feel disappointed by how the year turned out last year, but the good thing about it is it’s a new year.” Phew!
- That same story indicated that Oliver Perez may be suffering from a nervous system disorder and therefore be delirious. “Right now I don’t feel anything,” Perez said…”I think that’s why I’m really happy.” OK to be fair to Perez, in the interest of making a joke I deleted the words “of his knee” and replaced them with an ellipsis. He hasn’t actually lost the ability to feel and his knee is recovering fine from last season’s surgery. Perhaps most important to Mets fans Johan Santana says “I’m feeling good. Time will tell, but I am feeling good,” the two-time Cy Young winner said Monday. “We did a pretty good job with the offseason, working out and doing all the rehab, and I’m feeling good. Everything is on schedule.” Given his use of the phrase “time will tell” I’d say he’s fully adjusted to being a New York Met.
100 comments
Kingman 26
1/25/2010-6:43pm at 6:43 pm (UTC -4)
Ha! I thought basically the exact same thing when I saw that story about Ollie….
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-6:48pm at 6:48 pm (UTC -4)
I will just hold my breath and hope that Beltran is the last bad news we have in 2010 regarding injuries.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-6:59pm at 6:59 pm (UTC -4)
The Mets have a plan I am late at figuring it out but by George I think I got it. What is it?
HAHAHAHA…..
The plan is to tell everyone that will listen they have a plan but the truth is the only player they ever considered was Bay to help spur renewed interest of season ticket sales. They have no intention on bringing in any starter whatsoever unless it is at a bargain basement price. Which is why GMJ is here to begin with or else the Mets would say they would fill from within.
Well HAHAHAHAHA the jokes on them because now we know their plan and will use that info to do exactly the same thing we been doing year after year and continue to root for them.
HA! So there.
I bet they didn’t see that coming.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:07pm at 8:07 pm (UTC -4)
damn you must be blind lol
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-8:20pm at 8:20 pm (UTC -4)
Mr “Magoo” North Jersey at your service LoL
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:22pm at 8:22 pm (UTC -4)
oh magoo – youve bunted again !!
fongy2
1/25/2010-7:11pm at 7:11 pm (UTC -4)
Not exactly the off-season we all had in mind!?
stickguy
1/25/2010-7:20pm at 7:20 pm (UTC -4)
good thing then that it is only the regular season that counts.
fongy2
1/25/2010-7:25pm at 7:25 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah but after the past three regular seasons,
we needed a HUGE off-season so that 2010 doesn’t
end somewhere between what ’07,’08 and ’09 ended
like.
…..No???
stickguy
1/25/2010-7:33pm at 7:33 pm (UTC -4)
not really. THere have been plenty of big off seaosn that ended in disappointment, and other years where a few seemingly minor moves springboarded the team to a big year.
Anyway, no matter what additional moves they made, to have a big year, they need the core talent to rebound and have good to very good years. Kinda like most every other team!
saltygary
1/25/2010-8:04pm at 8:04 pm (UTC -4)
Doesn’t get much bigger than the Johan off season.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:09pm at 8:09 pm (UTC -4)
uh guys – gotta side with fongy here – remember the promise that jeffy baby promised the fan base – they would hold everybody accountable and would field a championship caliber team – so far ive seen neither done
saltygary
1/25/2010-8:37pm at 8:37 pm (UTC -4)
Hey I got no problem with that, and agree there has been no accountability. This is why the core is still intact for the most part and the FO is more worried about blaming the media. They have had plenty of good off seasons the last couple years and it still hasn’t done the trick. I am actually thankful that they didn’t blow what money they have left at a weak free agent crop. They need to address the FO before they can jump in to the market and have success.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-8:15pm at 8:15 pm (UTC -4)
When the off season started I had visions of either Lackey or Halladay or even Arroyo with the Mets. To go along with Bay or Holliday and possibly Fielder or A Gonzalez somehow possible manning 1st base.
I have Bay. I guess I shouldn’t be greedy and be happy with that.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:15pm at 8:15 pm (UTC -4)
yeah looks like we will get either garland or washburn – whoopdefriggindoo !!
stickguy
1/25/2010-7:42pm at 7:42 pm (UTC -4)
saw this little tidbit in the post on MLBTR about Wang. And you guys wonder why I want Slappy gone.
“The two are hardly similar pitchers, however. While Sheets gets more fly balls than ground balls and has a healthy strikeout rate, Wang is quite dependent on his infield defense.
So for those who miss out on Sheets, better check to see if Luis Castillo or Michael Young is playing for your team before going after Wang. If so, you might want to save your money.”
Also, read the post on that Inglett guy. He sounds like a real good one to go after for the utility bench role.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-7:56pm at 7:56 pm (UTC -4)
Dude you jinxed it you said “real good one to go after” consider that signing dead.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-8:01pm at 8:01 pm (UTC -4)
Who’s going to replace him? Phillips won’t be traded any time soon. I liked Polanco, but he’s gone. Lopez hasn’t had enough of a track record to sign him long term. Plus, Castillo plays an important role in getting on base and driving up the pitch count.
Your best hope is that Tejada does well in Buffalo this year, so he splits take w/ Castillo next year.
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:28pm at 8:28 pm (UTC -4)
Castillo is a terrible player at this point in his career BUT the least of our problems and
those which needed to be addressed this off-season
….And still haven’t been.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:29pm at 8:29 pm (UTC -4)
agreed
GravediggerHebner
1/25/2010-9:12pm at 9:12 pm (UTC -4)
I have said all along that it would be unwise of the Mets to sign a ground ball pitcher with Castillo still here. Had they been able to shed him it would’ve been great, but the alternative in keeping him would be to add fly ball/strikeout pitchers, or none at all. It seems they’re going with none at all.
About a month ago after glancing at the K rates and the GB/FB rates of “the three groundball pitchers” (Marquis, Pineiro and Garland) I felt that Marquis and Pineiro would be disasters and that the best gamble of the three would be Garland because he struck out more and relied less on the GB than the other two. So I feel good about how that has panned out so far and am amenable to Garland should he come.
Sheets (with the requisite ‘if healthy’ caveat) is more of a flyball/strikeout pitcher that can thrive with Castillo and the uncertainty of 1B. Pelfrey dies a slow death as long as Castillo remains, but at least he’s the only one. The rest of the in house options are K or FB pitchers.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-8:01pm at 8:01 pm (UTC -4)
a post at mc’s blog says “Jon Heyman of SI.com does not believe the Mets will acquire Ben Sheets, so they might turn their attention to free agents Jon Garland or Jarrod Washburn.”
Is it me or is the phrase “turn their attention” starting to reach “from what I can gather” status?
saltygary
1/25/2010-8:24pm at 8:24 pm (UTC -4)
Turning ones attention is very easy when you have ADD.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:26pm at 8:26 pm (UTC -4)
ahh the joys of ritilin !
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:25pm at 8:25 pm (UTC -4)
Moreover, why can’t their attention be on more than one
thing at a time??
Is the FO trying to repair a pretty damaged ship or
plug a pin-hole??….It seems the thought off-season
has been more, we just need to fix a small problem
than do a serious re-tooling.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:28pm at 8:28 pm (UTC -4)
fongy thats because in all honesty the rumor is omar has to go through jeff to get the high sign for the offer – omar has no set budget – the only one who knows what that is is wilpon – this is per onley last friday
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:30pm at 8:30 pm (UTC -4)
So….It’s Jeffy who can’t multi-task???
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:33pm at 8:33 pm (UTC -4)
i think its the entire organization – they were given frontal lobotomies when doubleday was bought out
saltygary
1/25/2010-8:39pm at 8:39 pm (UTC -4)
no doubt. Until they get that FO mess sorted out it will be more of the same.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-8:14pm at 8:14 pm (UTC -4)
ESPN is reporting Oakland made Sheets an offer.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:16pm at 8:16 pm (UTC -4)
would it surprise you if the mets made a stronger offer and he signed with the A’s anyway like molina and pinero lol
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-8:28pm at 8:28 pm (UTC -4)
like I said earlier, what’s worse, having to admit that no one wants to play for your team or to admit you have no plan other than getting back the core?
Maybe Omar’s plan is to sign the players no one wants. It’ll be a busy February.
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:30pm at 8:30 pm (UTC -4)
does that mean we should be seeing bonds in spring training? amby burgos also ?
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:31pm at 8:31 pm (UTC -4)
Sammy Sosa??? He’s an old Omar fav!
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:26pm at 8:26 pm (UTC -4)
Thank God!
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:26pm at 8:26 pm (UTC -4)
thank god for what? hes a yankees fan lol
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:29pm at 8:29 pm (UTC -4)
Thyank God that Millions won’t be spend
on the legend of Ben Sheets!
rustyjr
1/25/2010-8:31pm at 8:31 pm (UTC -4)
hes the best option out there so far – yes he is a gamble but you know what he is capable of
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:34pm at 8:34 pm (UTC -4)
What’s that? 10/12 wins…
if healthy?..Which isn’t
often…150 innings??
And if so, when will he win 10 and throw 150inns???
April to July?…May to August??…Or better yet
May to September AND we
get someone like Figgy pitching important games
in Mid-late September??
saltygary
1/25/2010-8:43pm at 8:43 pm (UTC -4)
Im witha ya on that. Save the loot, there is penty to spend it on either during the season or next. With all the injuries, they is the last guy they need.
Just imagine how ripped folks would be if Omar gave a 2 year 16 mil deal and he re-injuries himself 2 months into the season. I would probably be worried for Omar’s safety at that point.
fongy2
1/25/2010-8:50pm at 8:50 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks Gary,
Good to see someone else can think clearly on this.
Like I’ve posted before
This is a guy
who hasn’t thrown 200inns in 6
yrs and only won more than 12gms once…13,2yrs ago when he blew out his arm.
7 prior visits to the DL,never really pitched under pressure AND
coming off major arm surgery,when
everything you’ve ever heard or read
has been,it’s the 2nd yr back inwhich
a pitcher gets back to where he was
prior to the surgery…..
if he ever does.
Again…..
The legend of
Ben Sheets
continues to grow!
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-8:55pm at 8:55 pm (UTC -4)
But but but I want Sheets.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-9:06pm at 9:06 pm (UTC -4)
First, Sheets won’t want two years guaranteed because he’s trying to show he can pitch this year so he could get a long term deal next year. So in all likelihood, it’ll be a one year deal w/ big incentives and an option. Plus, no team would give him two years guaranteed anyway.
Second, no knowledgeable fan would kill Omar for trying to sign a guy w/ Sheets’ upside. Everyone knows he could be injured before his first pitch, but people still think we should at least try.
The Mets had $14M in offers to Molina and Pineiro. Do you think they were going to lock up all their money and not leave room for that imaginary mid-season trade? I’m sure they were planning on leaving some wiggle room. So what makes you think signing Sheets would stop the Mets from making that same imaginary deal?
In other words, would Sheets be more expensive than Pineiro and Molina? No. Which means either way, they’ll have money left over.
Kingman 26
1/25/2010-9:12pm at 9:12 pm (UTC -4)
Right on Case…and as for Sheets’ win totals, folks, check out the rest of his stats some of those years…
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:23pm at 9:23 pm (UTC -4)
Like which ones Brock?
Innings Pitched?
600 in the past five years?
C’mon, I know you’ve been around long enough to know better.
When has ANY
similar player to Sheets ever worked out for us?
Okay, so Case
wants to sign him for a yr…Then
what?? He comes out of the gate in April as is NOT coming off major arm surgery?,
having not thrown a pitch in ayr and a half?,
Like he pretty much wasn’t a lock to spend time on the DL with some other type of injury anyway??
This is pie-in-the sky,hopes and dreams for a team,maybe more than any other needs a pretty sure
thing in the rotation entering the season.
saltygary
1/25/2010-9:29pm at 9:29 pm (UTC -4)
Just think about the over blown reaction to the GMJ trade. Now add 8 Million to the equation with Sheets and he happens to go down. Case you actually think people will be coll, you know better. Look we all want better things for the team and I would love a guy with Sheets talent, but it’s the wrong time to make a risk like that and frankly it’s a desperate move.
trs86
1/25/2010-9:54pm at 9:54 pm (UTC -4)
I disagree with fan reaction there. Most Mets fans if surveyed would understand why Omar would take a risk on Sheets and they also understand that it is indeed a risk.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:00pm at 10:00 pm (UTC -4)
considering the options, I do think most would be cool. It’s not like a healthy front line starter is available and Omar signed Sheets instead.
This is a desperate move, but it only costs money that won’t be spent otherwise.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
The problem w/ GMJ is that people wanted someone better not someone’s leftovers.
W/ Sheets, there is no one better.
trs86
1/25/2010-10:09pm at 10:09 pm (UTC -4)
The problem with GMJR is that a lot of people wanted a bigger move and took it out on a trade for a 5th OF. I can’t say that many people wanted a “better” 5th friggin OF.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-8:55pm at 8:55 pm (UTC -4)
we both know, Omar won’t be making any major mid-season trades.
He never has.
If he does, it’ll ruin the farm and prob won’t make a difference and you can bet his ass will be out the door the next year.
saltygary
1/25/2010-9:02pm at 9:02 pm (UTC -4)
I just have this feeling we are looking at another GM/Manager ousting this year. One bad losing streak especially early on, and things will be bad and the media will have a field day.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-9:07pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)
so what? Are you Jay Horowitz? Who cares?
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:24pm at 9:24 pm (UTC -4)
The good news is that at this rate,
with this squad, he may well not
be hear in late July to make a move.
saltygary
1/25/2010-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
It would be a huge deal. Having the GM and Manager moved during the season would blow another year and then some type of re-building re-tooling effort would start. If it happened then the team should of been smart enough to do it in October. All speculative but it just looks like the writing is on the wall for those two.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-9:46pm at 9:46 pm (UTC -4)
So if the team sucks early on, and there are firings, then the team will not be able to win afterwards? I’m not convinced that losing Jerry or Omar will matter that much. Do you remember how well the team played after Willy was fired?
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-8:45pm at 8:45 pm (UTC -4)
Getting ready to watch tonight The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus it looks like a great movie reminds me of an old flick called The adventures of Baron Munchhausen
saltygary
1/25/2010-9:04pm at 9:04 pm (UTC -4)
Ahh Ledger’s last flick, haven’t heard much about it. Bring it up tomorrow and let us know.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-9:36pm at 9:36 pm (UTC -4)
“This is pie-in-the sky,hopes and dreams for a team,maybe more than any other needs a pretty sure
thing in the rotation entering the season.”
I get what you are saying considering 3/4 of the rotation is coming off injury. Here’s my question for you though:
1. Do you think by adding Garland or Washburn that it’ll make a significant difference to how many games the team wins?
I think we could get close to similar production from Niese, Nieve and Figgy.
2. Do you honestly believe Omar will pull a mid-season trade for a guy who can make a difference?
I don’t. He’s mentioned a few times this off-season that at some point you have to keep your guys to build your farm and have guys to plug in for callups.
Even if he did, the trade candidates are either mid-rotation guys or have their own injury issues.
3. Will signing Sheets not allow Omar to sign “a pretty sure thing” like Garland or Washburn?
Nope. Sheets will likely get close to $7-8M guaranteed plus incentives. Same as Pineiro. That means the team still has the money they were going to spend on Molina to sign a guy like Garland or Washburn.
I just don’t get it. Yes, the chances of Sheets not working out are big, but the alternatives don’t look good either. Might as well take a shot on Sheets, instead of going w/ a team of back end pitchers. Who knows, maybe Sheets is out the first half but comes back strong in the second half for Kingman’s 1-2 punch. I’d be happy with that.
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:54pm at 9:54 pm (UTC -4)
You just said it all,the chances of Sheets working out
aren’t great.The good thing is we likely won’t sign him
so the quicker he does sign w/an AL west team the better.
We can then move on,since again,it appears our FO can’t
multi-task. Also, I want no part of Washburn,just not very
good. Garland,cheap for a yr is another story.
Look, they’re gonna have to go slow and easy with Santana
early on. So,maybe we get ’07 type seasons out of a healthy Maine and Perez and a ’08 type season out of Pelf.
You don’t thrown millions away on a guy who will in all likelyhood take the El Duque Memorial spot on the DL for
much of the season. What’s the point?
No chance, if things go fairly well the first couple months that a decent starter doesn’t become available from
someone?? And lastly, who know how much better Niese or
Nieve will get?…I’ll tell ya though, the odds that Sheets gives you more coming off surgery,with his injury
history isn’t a bet I’d make or take.
trs86
1/25/2010-9:56pm at 9:56 pm (UTC -4)
But I think Case’s point is that Sheets does not keep you from getting Garland. Who cares if the Mets pay him 10M and he bombs? It’s not like they were going to spend the money anywhere else or that they were going to pocket it and spend it next year. It’s almost like fantasy money, spend it or lose it.
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:59pm at 9:59 pm (UTC -4)
And what if someone becomes avail……
And they always do a couple/three mos.into
the season?? Wouldn’t be alot nicer,easier,
better to have the payroll flexibility???
trs86
1/25/2010-10:06pm at 10:06 pm (UTC -4)
Still have it already based on what we know. The Mets always leave payroll flexibility. Thus say you get Sheets at 8 million and Smoltz/Washburn at 4M that’s still less than they were willing to pay Molina and Pineiro. They most likely would have about 8-10 million comfortably if the right player came along. Remember their pay would be prorated based on how much season is left.
Also, you were not big on them trading their prospects anyway, right?
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:22pm at 10:22 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, right now.
B/C we still need to have alot of questions answered
ON THE FIELD!
Not just with the youngsters
BUT with a bunch of vets coming off injuries as well.
And lets stop now with Pinero and Molina.
They’re gone.
Thank God.
But to waste our time and money on an overrated,oft-injured Pitcher,coming off
arm surgery,who hasn’t pitched in a yr and think he’ll be a solid #2 makes
no sense.
We disagree. Fine. Just remember these arguments
when after being held back in spring, Sheets,as a Met,
is last seen walking off the
mound in late April,holding
his elbow ,after making 2or3 starts for us.
It won’t end pretty.
trs86
1/25/2010-11:08pm at 11:08 pm (UTC -4)
Or if he is holding up a WS trophy for us or god forbid someone else.
My point still remains that who cares about the wasted money for THIS season if they don’t plan on spending it?
fongy2
1/25/2010-11:17pm at 11:17 pm (UTC -4)
How do you know they won’t spend it?
And I’d say
the chances of Sheets pitching us to a WS championship
are less than you winning the lotto…with a quick pick ticket.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-10:25pm at 10:25 pm (UTC -4)
1st I did a double take when I heard TRS say who cares if the Mets pay a player 10M. It was weird.
Sorry TRS but it’s true.
Now Fongy makes a valid point he’d rather wait and save the money for the chance to better spend it down the road during the season.
I guess for me at least it’s that I don’t have faith that money will be spent down the road during the season.
I’d rather see him gamble now on Sheets this season then risk him not gambling at all down the road this season.
It’s just a 1 year gamble with a possible option for a 2nd year if he actually has a good season. If he is a bust it’s only for 2010. After the season we reevaluate and take it from there.
That’s how I am looking at it.
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:31pm at 10:31 pm (UTC -4)
Dont get me wrong,I dont have faith it would be spent
BUT if a good pitcher/player
becomes available,and again,they ALWAYS DO,Our FO
will have no excuse NOT to go after them.
Let someother team max out their payroll on injury
question marks and/or #4/5
Starters, it would also reduce to comp for the next big or quasi big player
who becomes avail.
Mr North Jersey
1/25/2010-10:37pm at 10:37 pm (UTC -4)
I thought they had no excuse for not signing Lackey and yet Lackey is in Boston.
If there is one thing that I have taken from Mets since Beltran’s injury in 2009 it’s that they always have excuses for not doing something.
Again that is just my take. You may be right I can’t say but when I look at what has transpired to have gotten us to where we are today with this discussion of Sheets my gut tells me that the Mets have a blank check book when it comes to excuses to not do something.
trs86
1/25/2010-11:06pm at 11:06 pm (UTC -4)
I think the 5 years was a pretty good excuse not to get Lackey.
As for the spending money, I am more concerned about what that money does longterm more than shorterm.
fongy2
1/25/2010-11:15pm at 11:15 pm (UTC -4)
Why are you mor concern about what the $ does long term than short term?
Mr North Jersey
1/26/2010-3:30am at 3:30 am (UTC -4)
Yeah boy I am comment #100 woot woot!
Ok back to my comment TRS I understand you may feel 5 years was a pretty good excuse I just (now wait for it) don’t agree. (I bet you didn’t see that coming? hahahahaha)
Any ways I understand Fongy’s point I mean even though I don’t agree, The idea is practical. “Wait and save the money for the chance to better spend it down the road”.
Believe me I’d much rather be talking about a Lackey or Arroyo playing for us and what can we expect rather than talking about Sheets. But seems as the best the Mets can do is a Sheets and even that is questionable.
stickguy
1/25/2010-10:27pm at 10:27 pm (UTC -4)
hey, the fantasy money, that was my line!
trs86
1/25/2010-11:07pm at 11:07 pm (UTC -4)
After being trained by MC, I give you no credit. It was my idea from what I gathered.
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:36pm at 9:36 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed Gary, At this point I’d rather Omar not make any deals which might cost us home grown guys like Pelphrey,Parnell,Murphy,
and Thole all of whom may not become “stars” but look like they’ll be solid MLB players.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-9:48pm at 9:48 pm (UTC -4)
so you don’t want any deals that cost prospects but also don’t want to sign the one pitcher w/ upside.
How then do you plan on improving the team? Wait till next year?
fongy2
1/25/2010-9:56pm at 9:56 pm (UTC -4)
Kinda late for that chief!
I wanna wait and see how the first couple months go.
trs86
1/25/2010-9:57pm at 9:57 pm (UTC -4)
Then what? Make trades of those guys you mentioned? Why not go ahead and bring in Sheets now and then you still have those prospects if you need them during the season?
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:00pm at 10:00 pm (UTC -4)
Because you could well end up with millions on the DL,doing nothing
to help you win.
trs86
1/25/2010-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
OK? Otherwise you could end up with millions in the bank doing nothing to help you win. Do you think the Mets are going to suddenly spend that money on some other FA? Who is left to even spend it on and how would that player be out of reach even if they did sign Sheets?
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:09pm at 10:09 pm (UTC -4)
even the super genius Red Sox FO take chances on guys coming off of injury. Most times they don’t work out, but sometimes they do.
trs86
1/25/2010-10:11pm at 10:11 pm (UTC -4)
True, Penny and Smoltz are prime examples. The Redsox lost out on Tex and CC last year so they threw money at as many risk rewards guys as possible.
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:25pm at 10:25 pm (UTC -4)
Diff is they
were coming off a WS win
a yr and a half before,
a 7th gm LCS
loss that past season
and two titles in four yrs….
And already had 4 or 5 pretty sure thing SPs..
including two
Aces.
trs86
1/25/2010-11:02pm at 11:02 pm (UTC -4)
True, so in turn the Mets should go out and sign 4 sure thing SP. Oh wait… there are not any.
fongy2
1/25/2010-11:20pm at 11:20 pm (UTC -4)
And you trust the decision makers who have given us this current staff to gamble on a guy like Sheets???
trs86
1/25/2010-9:53pm at 9:53 pm (UTC -4)
“just don’t know why the Mets would bring in a player and right out of the gate, exploit the weaknesses of his game because ultimately, the team will suffer as a result…”
Hmmm, wouldn’t sitting a guy whose weakness is hitting LHP be hiding a weakness instead of exploiting it?
As for the Sheets debate I will wait and see where he signs. If no Sheets then I would sign Washburn AND Garland or Smoltz if Garland won’t come to EC.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
So fongy, your plan right now would be to sign Garland and hope someone becomes available mid-season because by signing Sheets and Garland now, we’ll end up w/ Sheets on the DL and no money for a mid-season trade?
If so, do you agree that by signing Pineiro and Molina, the Mets still were planning on having wiggle room for a mid-season trade? I think so.
Well, Sheets and Garland will cost the same as Pineiro and Molina. So, we still have wiggle room for mid-season in case Sheets goes to the DL.
I understand you don’t want Sheets cause he’ll end up on the DL. I just don’t see how he stops us from improving mid-season (which likely won’t happen anyway).
trs86
1/25/2010-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed that they should sign Sheets AND Garland/Washburn/Smoltz. Especially at that point Washburn or Smoltz as I think they could pitch from the pen.
wannybackstra
1/25/2010-10:17pm at 10:17 pm (UTC -4)
soft tossing jarrod washburn in the pen with very little experience in a relief role?
trs86
1/25/2010-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
I would think as a LHRP mostly as a long relief guy he would be fine. Taking Misch’s role as long reliever and spot starter unless he won a spot in ST.
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:26pm at 10:26 pm (UTC -4)
That ain’t gonna happen,he’d sign for a yr somewhere else to be a starter first…Minny Or Mil,most likely.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:19pm at 10:19 pm (UTC -4)
with our luck, Sheets and Garland will both sign in the West Coast and we’ll end up w/ Washburn (poor man’s Garland) and Wang (poor man’s Sheets). Crap, better not give Omar any ideas.
trs86
1/25/2010-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
While I would not like it at least it would be depth. I am not sure we even get that.
fongy2
1/25/2010-10:27pm at 10:27 pm (UTC -4)
Wow, Washburn is the poor mans Garland?
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:44pm at 10:44 pm (UTC -4)
ok, sorry to offend Washburn or Garland.
Anyway, signing Sheets won’t stop the Mets from signing Garland and a possible mid-season trade.
Just remember this conversation when you’re holding your breath for the mid-season savior? Meanwhile the Mets have no legit #2.
stickguy
1/25/2010-10:37pm at 10:37 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe the mets do have a plan (and no, I would not expect them to say what it actually was). Maybe they planned all along to circle the wagons on the farm, and let the upper level prospects have another year to get ready.
Does tie into the “when the hurt guys get healthy we will be fine” concept.
I am not as worried about the rotation as many people are, but I do think they need to add 1 more established SP for the 5th spot in the rotation, in order to give them some depth (and let Neise start in AAA, and not be rushed). Garland? Could be.
The problem with sheets (vs. the guys the Red Sox signed last year, not that it worked too well) is it seems the mets would have to pay way more guaranteed money to sheets than the other guys go. Sheets at 5 guaranteed + incentives is a lot easier to swallow.
CaseStreet
1/25/2010-10:53pm at 10:53 pm (UTC -4)
we’re talking about a diff of $2-3M, plus you can always Spit
GravediggerHebner
1/25/2010-10:55pm at 10:55 pm (UTC -4)
I can understand Sheets wanting more money than Penny or Smoltz because a healthy Sheets is better than Smoltz at this stage of his career and better than Penny at any stage of his career.
stickguy
1/25/2010-10:42pm at 10:42 pm (UTC -4)
someone brought up a house cleaning if the mets start out slow. Hey, finally a benefit to a slow start!
I’m not even sure it wouldn’t give the mets a better chance of winning. You get the bump of jerry getting the ax, and I have to imagine one of the other 3 GMs in the FO could take over the job.
Plus,if they did make a move like that, it probably means they shake up a lot of other things (including the roster), which will give us a ton to talk about!
Maybe just start with the manager, and worry about the FO in the off season?
GravediggerHebner
1/25/2010-11:00pm at 11:00 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t care when they fire the manager, except to say that once they think they’re actually going to do it, just do it, the sooner the better. My only concern with the manager firing is I did some research a while back and a significant percentage (I forget how high but over half) of mid-season manager hires are gone within 18 months so the cycle just starts over again.
As far as the GM, either fire him with enough time to bring in someone new and get them up to speed before the June draft (ideal), or wait til after it so the new guy can use the second half of the season to evaluate the system. Just don’t do it right around the draft, too much chaos.
Kingman 26
1/25/2010-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
Anyone see Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges? I think The Dude is finally going to get his long-overdue Oscar.