" Flushing bound?"
“ Could you ask the Mets If they could reserve a tee time for the Yanks ? Thanks. Let’s Go Jets !!”
- text from and anonymous Yankee fan.
Okay before we all go ga ga here and start putting the proverbial cart in front of the proverbial horse ( funny I never seen that breed before), I will not proclaim the Yankees dead until the final out is recorded and the New York Yankees have been defeated by the Texas Rangers. You see every-time I open my mouth to proclaim the Yankees dead , they seem to do their best Lazarus impersonation and come back from the dead ( or was that Freddie Kruger – well whatever!). But to be honest when I woke up and saw the final to last nights game , I have to admit I was giddy. But that’s a possible column for a day that will happen hopefully rather soon.
But the issue at hand over here are our beloved Mets and how the roster will change over the next few months. With the prospect of our ace, Johan Santana being on the shelf for most of the season, the next general manager of the Mets will face a daunting task of filling his shoes if and when he returns. Let’s face the facts, obtaining Cliff Lee is a long-shot. If the Yankees lose to the Rangers I think they will get so angry and envious that Steinbrenner Jr’s will smash open their already taped up piggy bank and blow all other Lee suitors out of the water. I can also see Texas doing everything in the power to rtain Lee’s services for the next three to five years.
We as Mets fans do not know how much money they Mets can spend this off seaason, but I feel it is safe to say they will not commit five years and $150 million to a 32 year old pitcher with a history of back problems.
So who can the Mets go for? Ted Lilly just re-signed with the Dodgers, Zack Grienke doesn’t want to play for a big market team, Brandon Webb is coming back after not pitching for a entire season, so the question is who is the best low risk/ high reward pitcher on the market next season?
You might not be happy with my answer but I believe that it is Javy Vasquez. I seriously believe that Vasquez is a quality pitcher in a bad ball park. Vasquez is a fly-ball pitcher whose confidence has been shattered after playing in the home-run friendly confines of Yankee Stadium. I feel that if he was to come back to the National League his numbers would return to their pre ’2010 numbers when he was considered a candidate for the Cy Young Award. Citi Field is a pitchers park, and we saw how he was able to dominate the Mets there back in June not allowing a single run against the Mets ( the Yankee bullpen allowed the Mets lone run). Javy will probably command a one year contract for about six million dollars plus obtainable performance based incentives . Look this is a poor free agent market and I don’t know if the next general manager of the Mets will have enough time to explore the trade market, so maybe taking a chance on Javy is a prudent move.
And with that said….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Celebrating Birthdays today are :
Mets bench coach during the ’01 and ’04 season, Bobby Floyd is 67 (1943) .
The best first baseman to ever don a Mets uniform – The ‘Stache himself , Keith Hernandez is 57 (1953) !! This man brought credibility back to the Mets when he was traded from the Cardinals for reliever Neil Allen and pitching prospect , Rick Ownby !
Speaking of Rick Ownbey , today is also his 53rd Birthday (1957) !! ( we fleeced the Cards !)
Middle reliever from the ’94 team,Jonathan Hurst is 44(1966) .
Sadly on this date two ex Mets passed away.Pitching coach from the ’64 Mets team, Mel Harder in 2002 and former Mets infielder who would later become a coach for the Mets in 1990, Chuck Hiller in 2004 .
New York Mets traded pitcher Al Jackson and utility man, Charley Smith to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ken Boyer on October 20, 1965.
New York Mets sold reliever,Larry Bearnarth to the Milwaukee Brewers on October 20, 1970.
New York Mets sold pitcher, (Doctor) Ron Taylor to the Montreal Expos on October 20, 1971.
New York Mets middle reliever,released Ken Takahashi on October 20, 2009.
Mo Vaughn is getting ready for some Texas sized BBQ !!!
50 comments
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-7:12am at 7:12 am (UTC -4)
I’ll still stand by my stance (is that possible?) that 2 pitchers are needed. 1 via trade and 1 signed. If Vazquez was that signing at the contract you mentioned, I wouldn’t be against it. For giggles sake, if the Mets opened up the minor leagues and traded away some kiddies to get Garza (prob won’t happen, but for arguements sake, I’m rolling with it) and then sign Javy, you’re looking at a Garza / Pelfry / Niese / Dickey / Vazquez rotation, with Gee in the wings (assuming mejia goes in the Garza deal) and then have Santana coming back sometime towards the end of the year, hopefully. That, combined with the offense, assuming it lives up to the potential it has on paper, should definitely allow it the opportunity to grab the wild card next year. Get it done, Sandy. Get it done!
Oh, and Everything is bigger in Texas, especially when Mo comes to town!
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-7:25am at 7:25 am (UTC -4)
Agree with tx above – two arms are needed, minimum. And whatever else the new GM can find off the scrap heap for depth to stick at the minor league level. Who knows? Might get another RA Dickey.
I don’t know about Vazquez. I’ve just about given up on predicting what a particular pitcher will do from year to year. Outside of an elite few (and they knew who they are), it seems to be a crap shoot anymore.
If we did trade for Vazquez are we going to get the one who pitched for the Braves in ’09 or the one who was left off the Yankee post season roster?
I guess that’s where Sabermetrics comes in now. You ought to be able to predict with some accuracy where a pitcher is headed by studying those. Maybe a couple of our new authors who will be writing on this subject can help me out. I’ll confess to not really having a clue.
TRS86
10/20/2010-7:46am at 7:46 am (UTC -4)
Vasquez is a FA so no trade needed. I still think in the NL he would be a fine option for the backend for sure. Remember Blanton is getting 10M and I could see Vasquez at worst being on that level. So if you can get him for 1/5 with incentives like was suggested earlier then why not?
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-7:51am at 7:51 am (UTC -4)
Shoot….I knew that.
TRS86
10/20/2010-8:01am at 8:01 am (UTC -4)
I know you did. Should be an interesting off-season. I still think that the Mets can compete at least for the WC with a few right moves. IF they will go out and get 2 risk reward type pitchers it could work out very well. Normally I would not say go for 2 of them but it would potentially force Gee down and keep Mejia out. However, if they fail then you have those 2. To me having Vasquez and Webb would have the potential to be an excellent rotation. Yeah it could blow up in our face but then again no one is expecting much from 2011 anyway and neither contract will hurt us for 2012.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-8:11am at 8:11 am (UTC -4)
I said the same last night about the WC. Still too early to look at many predictions, especially with the Mets, but the way this NL division looks right now, I think we could be in the mix. NL east isn’t exactly that strong right now.
For the Mets I think it’s all going to depend on what the pitching staff looks like. I know many of us thought that last year when in reality it was the offense that wound up being the main problem. If everyone comes back healthy (Reyes, Bay Beltran) I’m thinking the offense has to be better than last year.
Still leaves the question marks with the rotation and BP though.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-9:17am at 9:17 am (UTC -4)
I know I’m beating a dead horse, but signing 2 risk reward guys is rough. I put Javy in that Risk/Reward category. Still will champion the trade for 1/sign 1 plan, but if Webb and Javy both pitched stellar, that would be a good rotation for sure. I’d just prefer if the “lightning in a bottle” philosophy would leave with Omar.
stickguy
10/20/2010-10:13am at 10:13 am (UTC -4)
I don’t put Javy in the risk/reward catagory. That is reserved for guys like Webb and Sheets, coming off major injuries, or an Ollie level of sheer suckitude.
Vazquez seemed healthy, and reliable at least. You are though hoping he bounces back a bit of course.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
exactly. that’s my risk i account for him. He’s definitely not high risk like Webb.
TRS86
10/20/2010-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
I just think next year is good for that approach. I think Garza types will command too much considering the lack of depth in the FA market. Thus signing one year guys with hopes of them panning out is about the best thing the 2011 team can do.
rustyjr
10/20/2010-8:20am at 8:20 am (UTC -4)
Btw brace yourselves for another mets blog bump – congrats kong !
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-8:34am at 8:34 am (UTC -4)
Nice. But does he actually let you comment over there?
In a post to the Real Dirty Mets Blog, Kingman says, “The cold, hard fact is that the Mets and KRod clearly need each other.”
Yes, there will be some fans, executives and players who will continue to dislike Rodriguez on principle. However, I wonder how he’ll be viewed if he’s here next season, dominating, and leading a powerful bullpen along with Bobby Parnell, Hisanori Takahashi and others.
*********************************
Powerful BP? Heck, we don’t even know if Taka will resign here. That and I’m not sure Taka, a closer coming back from a hand injury and an inconsistent, hard throwing youngster constitutes a ‘powerful’ BP just yet…..
TRS86
10/20/2010-8:36am at 8:36 am (UTC -4)
Yeah we have work to be done in the pen. However so does Philly, Atl, FLA and Nats. They all have a lot of open spots in the pen.
Hopefully Taka does get resigned and I am fine with Acosta being a backend guy again. I also have no problem bringing back Elmer as the long-man. Pedro will be an interesting case. IF they offer him arbitration to get the pick then they better find a replacement.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-9:08am at 9:08 am (UTC -4)
As long as our BP doesn’t have any Green in it…..
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-8:24am at 8:24 am (UTC -4)
This one’s for you Real:
I see the Nats have signed GM RIzzo to a new 5 year deal. His latest draft pick, Bryce Harper, had this to say:
“You know, I think in the next couple years, we’re gonna be the Yankees of the NL East,” he told MASN’s Byron Kerr during a conversation about his Arizona Fall League expectations. “I’ve been telling everybody that. I think we’re gonna be the top program in the NL East, and we’re gonna roll. We’re gonna win some World Series.”
*******************************
Talk about confidence. He’s not even in the ML yet.
TRS86
10/20/2010-8:30am at 8:30 am (UTC -4)
LOL. Just looking at him you could guess he’s that cocky.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-9:12am at 9:12 am (UTC -4)
They sign Lee, maybe another bopper down the line, Strasburg comes back… They could be really good. Could. Not saying they will, as I don’t want to incite TRS. And not that I think they’ll be the Yanks, but if they’re willing to spend, they have the blueprint for something good for sure.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-9:32am at 9:32 am (UTC -4)
Do you really think with all the offers Lee will likely get he’ll pick the Nats? I’m just not seeing that. Reason is, by the time the Nats might be a force to be reckoned with (Strasburg is back, Harper is up), Lee will be at the tail end of his career.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-9:37am at 9:37 am (UTC -4)
Lee will go where the Money is. I’m not saying the Nats will throw more at him than say the Yanks or Texas, I’m just saying if they did, there is a blueprint for them to do that. I personally want them to continue to be a door mat, as if they get better, it gets harder for the Mets.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
I guess I just can’t relate.
I personally have turned down a couple of job advancement opportunities along my career for reasons of I’d have to relocate and I knew I’d hate the job. At least where I was currently at I wouldn’t have to move and the job didn’t totally suck.
I think as one becomes older we start to think about the quality of life more and and the $$s less. Jeeze, how much money does one person need anyway???
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
I hear you. I’d guess when you basically are getting your’s, your children’s and quite possibly your Children’s Children’s retirement funds all in one fail swoop, the perception would be altered. I know I would endure 4-5 years of an uncomfortable situation if my family was set for life. And yes, whats a couple million here or there, vs. being on a contender and winning a WS? If they win this year, he can check that off his ‘to do’ list. And honestly, quality of life playing for DC vs. in NY is probably higher. Who knows what priorities float within Cliff’s skull.
Again, all the above is stipulated by saying the Yanks will prob pay the most, he’ll go there and make my whole paragraph above to be moot.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
Just some of my thoughts watching the ALCS this year:
- With the state of the Yankee’s rotation I would think they’re definitely in the market for a quality starter.
- After facing Lee once already in post season where he made the Yankee’s bats look like minor leaguers and the possibility of a game 7 Lee pitches and dominates, Yankees would probably through the most amount of money at him if for no other reason than to never have to face him again – LOL.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
jeeze…..*throw
stickguy
10/20/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
and there is always the chance that this year Petite finally retires, and he was their #2 this season. If he goes, along with vazquez, they have at least 1 hole to fill (assuming that rookie guy stays int he rotation for them).
Prismo
10/20/2010-9:34am at 9:34 am (UTC -4)
And when pigs fly…
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-9:38am at 9:38 am (UTC -4)
They do! Look on the cover of “Animals” by Pink Floyd.
stickguy
10/20/2010-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
that Harper quote doesn’t bother me as being cocky. At least he isn’t boasting about himself, winning th emvp, stuff like that. Just showing faith that the organization is run the right way, and the talent in the farm looks good.
Now, all they need is a 200mill payroll to retain all those guys when they develop (or if), and away you go!
stickguy
10/20/2010-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I agree with others that they should really bring in 2 SPs.
But, Javy is really a perfect guy to get at this point. Only costs money, and not (relatively) that much of it. And it is a short commitment.
Ideally, the 2nd guy is someone younger that can be retained longer (such as Garza who was discussed yesterday). That would be a good balance of ST (giving them the best possible shot to contend in 2011 without gutting the future) and LT (the future!)
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
Is Javy a Type B or anything like that?
Prismo
10/20/2010-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
He is a type B, meaning the Mets would lose nothing by signing him.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
all the better.
Prismo
10/20/2010-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/10/free-agent-stock-watch-javier-vazquez.html
For your reading pleasure, if you haven’t seen this yet.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
I didn’t realize he was 34 years old.
I’m just wondering what exactly his problem was this year.
Is it age and declining skills? (where’s our sabermetrics expert?)
Was it pitching in NY?
Was it pitching in the AL?
He would be a big ? for sure. Just depends on the asking price.
Prismo
10/20/2010-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
I don’t know, but I wouldn’t sign him.
Javy’s had many more poor years than great ones (and most are mediocre – ERA in the low 4′s) and he’s not getting any younger.
Seems like a typical Omar stop-gap that Mets fans are so used to, yet still clamor for.
TRS86
10/20/2010-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
Actually this was his only real clunker year. Been over 200 innings for 10/12 years and under 5.00 ERA for 11/12 years. He’s not an ace like he performed in Atlanta in 2009 but he’s not the #5 that he pitched like in NY this season.
Prismo
10/20/2010-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
What is a starter with an ERA in the low 4′s (probably at best, considering his ’10 season and his age) going to do for the team?
I just don’t understand then cost-benefit analysis for a player like that favoring the Mets.
They lose:
a few million dollars
development of a player who can contribute for several seasons
They gain:
the possibility of one more stable starter this season
maybe a couple more wins?
The Mets are most likely not ready to compete for a division title this season, so everyone needs to STOP thinking stop-gap. That’s how this team has been run for the past several seasons, and look where it’s gotten us.
How pitiful for the Mets to sign a pitcher the Yankees didn’t even want to see on their post-season roster; behind Burnett mind you.
TRS86
10/20/2010-11:07am at 11:07 am (UTC -4)
Who is going to pitch in that spot that we are holding back their development?
Again, he has shown to be very effective in the NL and he eats innings while having no long-term damage on the Mets roster or payroll. To me for 2011 those are exactly the types they need while waiting on guys like Mejia to mature.
Now if you are going to counter that they should start Mejia and Gee, thus trashing the season. I can’t go there. Gee may or may not be ready and will most likely get his chance either way and Mejia is IMO for sure not ready.
Again, if you could trade for a long-term solution at a price that is favorable to their long-term plans then sure. However, trading for Garza when the FA market is bare and his value is high might not be a good idea.
TRS86
10/20/2010-11:11am at 11:11 am (UTC -4)
Are we saying the Mets could not use a Lowe, Blanton, Nolasco, Volstad, etc. type? A low to mid 4′s 200 innings guy on a one year deal at a respectable price?
I just can’t agree.
TRS86
10/20/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
No harm in a type B and no way in hell he is offered arbitration.
metsfan4decades
10/20/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
Jon Heyman is on a roll:
SI_JonHeyman: going on dan patrick show now. i’ll try to think of somethin’ nice to say about yanks
SI_JonHeyman: the next time girardi says “i believe in aj” im not going to think joe’s lying. but that hes losing it
rustyjr
10/20/2010-4:00pm at 4:00 pm (UTC -4)
how is this for a under the radar pickup
as per mlbtr
Like the Padres, Kevin Correia started the season well but slumped down the stretch. There’s no question that the 30-year-old’s late-season struggles will limit his asking price this winter. Here’s a closer look at the right-hander’s free agent stock:
The Pros
•Correia can strike hitters out (7.1 K/9 in 2010).
•He stayed healthy all year.
•Teams were showing interest in Correia not long ago; the Brewers and Rays asked about him last offseason.
•Despite the righty’s 5.40 ERA, defense-independent pitching stats suggest he was unlucky. Nearly 15% of fly balls hit off of Correia left the yard, so homers inflated his ERA.
•Correia has induced more grounders in the past two seasons (45% ground ball rate in ’09, 49% ground ball rate in ’10). This suggests he could pitch just as effectively in a considerably smaller park than Petco.
•He’s just a year removed from a season in which he posted a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts.
The Cons
•He posted a 5.40 ERA last year, allowing more than a hit per inning. Lucky or not, those numbers are ugly.
•Bud Black took note and removed the right-hander from the Padres’ rotation in September. Correia had posted a 6.18 ERA between June and August. That’s one long slump.
•His walk rate jumped from 2.9 BB/9 to 4.0 BB/9 in 2010.
njstuckintx
10/20/2010-4:02pm at 4:02 pm (UTC -4)
Knowing that SD’s park is just as pitcher friendly as Citi, I’d be wary. If he put those numbers up in Cincy or something, then I’d consider it.
GravediggerHebner
10/20/2010-4:41pm at 4:41 pm (UTC -4)
First of all Happy Birthday Keith Hernandez!
Secondly, good point NJ/TX. Many pitchers we as Mets fans can reasonably suggest that “well coming to Citi Field should improve them blah blah blah” but we can’t really say that about anyone coming from San Diego.
I’m inclined to pass on Correia.
rustyjr
10/20/2010-4:48pm at 4:48 pm (UTC -4)
thankyou for gracing us with your pressense
stickguy
10/20/2010-9:38pm at 9:38 pm (UTC -4)
well damn. not a good day in LCS land. Yanks already stayed alive (but I have faith in texas doing the job at home). But the stinking phils are winning. Assuming they hold on to this game, the series is over, since unless they win tonight, no chance in the world the Giants are winning a best of 3 with 2 games in Philly.
Prismo
10/20/2010-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
Hey, Giants only down by 1…game’s not over yet.
Prismo
10/20/2010-10:12pm at 10:12 pm (UTC -4)
stickguy
10/20/2010-11:44pm at 11:44 pm (UTC -4)
Now it is!
Big game, that I stick by. Now just hope the Giants close it out, and the fans in Philly don’t even get another chance to see a game.
Prismo
10/20/2010-11:54pm at 11:54 pm (UTC -4)
I am basking in this my friend. Seeing Philly friends on facebook bashing “Cholly” is like Christmas (Hanukah) come early!
stickguy
10/21/2010-12:16am at 12:16 am (UTC -4)
I can support the blanton move. But I was kind of wondering about bringing in oswalt for the 9th.
But, the moves worked out, so who am I to complain!
though I guess working out depends on who you wanted to win.
Will be interesting reading the papers last night. I did not see the late news, so no idea if they roasted good old cholly or not.