"This is just Madness !"
Yes early tomorrow there will be some major wheeling and dealing in Dallas, Texas. No it is not the monthly cattle auction ( although it will be a meat market of sorts), and no there will be no drilling for oil- although some mean will become extraordinarily wealthy. Tomorrow starts baseball’s winter meetings, and it looks that if Jose Reyes signs with the Miami Marlins, well the Mets chances of getting a sandwich pick between the first two rounds will be as nonexistent as the Bermuda Triangle.
If the Mets lose Reyes to Miami, they will get a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds created from thin air, plus the Marlins’ third-round pick, according to a Major League Baseball official.
Yes, not a first-round pick or second-round pick. Third round.
Here’s the explanation:
Under the old and new systems, Miami’s first-round pick is protected, because it is ninth overall.
Here’s where it gets interesting … A change for this offseason as part of the new basic agreement made Heath Bell as well as Michael Cuddyer, Kelly Johnson, Ryan Madson, Francisco Rodriguez and Josh Willingham a different kind of Type A free agent.
The teams that lose those players as free agents, assuming arbitration had been offered, will get basically the same type of compensation they would under the old system. But the pick will not come from the signing team.
So what happens if Miami signs two Type A free agents — say Bell as well as Reyes? Wouldn’t the Padres get 9a in the second round from thin air and the Mets get 9b from the same round, which is Miami’s pick?
No, says the MLB official.
Adam Rubin espn.com
To read Adams entire column click here .
Now before you pull out the pitchforks and torches and start storming the gates of Citi Field demanding the head of Sandy Alderson, just realize this is morer the fault of commissioner Bud Selig than that of Alderson. I honestly am surprised that this story hasn’t broken bigger in both the local sports media as well as in the Mets universe.
So I guess we have to hope that one of two things goes down.
a. Either the Mets are able to retain Reyes at a reasonable price
or
b. Another team is able to swoop in and sign Jose from under the Marlins noses.
All I know is that the idea that the Mets are a snake bit team is becoming more of a reality than just a perception.
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Utility infielder from the ’83 season, Tucker Ashford is 57 (1954).
One time Mets first round draft pick ( 1983 season), Stan Jefferson is 49 (1962)Jefferson was a late season call up during the ’86 season. In 14 games he hit a measly .208 with 1 homer and 3 RBI’s. He was packaged ina deal that offseason for Kevin McReynolds.
Rookie outfielder from the ’07 season, Carlos Gomez is 26 (1985). It turns out that thus far Carlos has been the most accomplished player that the Mets dealt away in the trade that brought Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins.
The New York Mets traded spot starter/middle reliever, Jack DiLauro to the Detroit Tigers for minor league prospect, Hector Valle on December 4, 1968.
The Kansas City Royals signed middle reliever, Dan Schatzeder of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 4, 1990.
The Boston Red Sox drafted spot starter/middle reliever, Joe Crawford from the Mets on December 4, 1995.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Butch Huskey to the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher, Lesli Brea on December 4, 1998. Huskey -like many Mets power hitting outfielders could turn ona fastball with the best of them – but alas had major problems hitting the breaking pitch !
The New York Mets traded relief pitcher, Willie Blair to the Detroit Tigers for infielder, Joe Randa on December 4, 1998. Randa never played a game for the Mets.
The New York Mets signed free agent reserve catcher, Gustavo Molina of the Baltimore Orioles on December 4, 2007. Yes but of course Omar Minaya signed a Molina that wasn’t related to the talented stable of catchers by the same name !
The New York Mets signed free agent reserve catcher, Raul Casanova on December 4, 2007.
The New York Mets signed free agent catcher, Henry Blanco of the San Diego Padres on December 4, 2009. Blanco performed well as a back up in his lone season with the Mets. I just wish that he was still around to mentor Josh Thole.
Mo Vaughn loves his reindeer tartare !
22 comments
TRS86
12/4/2011-4:38pm at 4:38 pm (UTC -4)
Based on the understanding they would still get a sandwich pick between the first and 2nd. It is the additional pick that would be damaged.
rustyjr
12/4/2011-4:49pm at 4:49 pm (UTC -4)
Still it’s funny how the Mets get punished though
TRS86
12/4/2011-7:02pm at 7:02 pm (UTC -4)
How are they getting punished?
Adam "Prismo"
12/4/2011-6:00pm at 6:00 pm (UTC -4)
You are correct TRS. But I don’t see the big deal…this is how Elias has always worked. Bell has a higher rating and therefore will cost the Marlins their 2nd rounder, which leaves the Mets with their next pick – a 3rd rounder.
TRS86
12/4/2011-7:01pm at 7:01 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed and for those who say that is silly that Bell is ranked higher then tell Reyes to stop getting injured.
Anonymous
12/4/2011-7:11pm at 7:11 pm (UTC -4)
to me, it means you need to put aside fandom for a second and take an objective look to figure out if he is really a 20mill/year player.
Adam "Prismo"
12/4/2011-7:24pm at 7:24 pm (UTC -4)
For a team that will be very lucky to get 85 wins with Reyes…he is not worth $20 mil. I think if the Mets’ offer of 5yr/80m is true it’s a FAIR offer. Plus, if the Marlins won’t get him a no-trade and the Mets will I think that’s certainly a big deal in the contract.
Anonymous
12/4/2011-7:37pm at 7:37 pm (UTC -4)
Especially since they’ve been known to make one big push and then raffle off the team.
Anonymous
12/4/2011-5:15pm at 5:15 pm (UTC -4)
just sign somewhere so we can all move on with our lives!
MetsFan4Decades
12/4/2011-6:36pm at 6:36 pm (UTC -4)
Well, new deal or not we knew we weren’t getting the 1st round pick b/c that was protected. Obviously that would have been preferable.
It is what it is though. Broke or not, that’s what they get for not talking extension last winter. I still say they should have taken that chance…..
TRS86
12/4/2011-7:00pm at 7:00 pm (UTC -4)
And if Reyes had gotten injured or continued to have a. 320 OBP Then they would have been in worse shape financially. Who would have thought Reyes would rebound like that? Even then he still managed to miss much of the season. Also we still don’t know how in favor he was of an extension or how much he would have asked for if he was interested.
Anonymous
12/4/2011-7:14pm at 7:14 pm (UTC -4)
still should have tried for a middle ground. Both sides had exposure back then, so maybe a 5/75 at most would have been workable from both sides?
Regardless, MF and I are both on record from back at the time that we thought it should have been worked on.
But no, I for one did not expect him to have such a big rebound. And I won’t say year, because it was only 1/2 year (and a few good days at the end).
I also have no idea what to expect out of him for the next five years. total crapshoot.
MetsFan4Decades
12/4/2011-7:54pm at 7:54 pm (UTC -4)
Like Stick says, I think he and I were the two biggest voices calling for contract extension talks last winter.
To your point of getting injured…that’s a chance they all take on any given contract. He didn’t have hamstring problems in 2010, he had a thyroid issue and oblique injury.
As to the .320 OBP, I hear you. But still think we could have signed him last winter for a nice discount given the ’09-’10 health/injury problems and his tendency for not walking. And it would have been a good bargain going forward – if he stays healthy. And yes, big ‘If’……..
Anonymous
12/4/2011-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
he wasn’t really a .320 OBP anyway. He had a terrible (due to rushing back?) start in 2010, then when finally back to normal he got on base at about his normal .350 pace. So pretty much, you can consider him to be a mid-.350s OBP year in /year out.
Adam "Prismo"
12/4/2011-7:25pm at 7:25 pm (UTC -4)
I bet Reyes’ wouldn’t have signed an extension. After a great season their offer sounds to be 5/80, which I’m not sure he would’ve extended with. Before last season, what would their offer have been? 4/60? 5/70? I don’t see his agent letting him do that.
Anonymous
12/4/2011-7:39pm at 7:39 pm (UTC -4)
Would 5 for 90, no trade clause and free haircuts for life (here’s to hoping) get it done? I hope so.
MetsFan4Decades
12/4/2011-7:55pm at 7:55 pm (UTC -4)
Free haircuts – haha – there’s a joke in there somewhere.
I’m not sure the no trade clause would be a big issue to Reyes if he resigned here. Isn’t he close to becoming a 5/10 player anyway – if he comes back?
Anonymous
12/4/2011-9:55pm at 9:55 pm (UTC -4)
he has 8.11 years of service time according to BR, so I assume that means he will be a 10/5 guy late in the 2013 season if he stays. So no, the NT clause is not that big a deal if he signs with the mets.
Hazmet
12/5/2011-12:48am at 12:48 am (UTC -4)
6 year 111M Offer. See ya Jose thanks for the memories.
PS – Giants D just sucks. Fewell must go. Even thought injured across the board he’s gotta.
TRS86
12/5/2011-1:00am at 1:00 am (UTC -4)
Going on record now…. that is a terrible contract.
Anonymous
12/5/2011-2:46am at 2:46 am (UTC -4)
Indeed, it’s a god awful contract. I had Reyes value at 8-12M per year and figured $15M per would be the max of a possible offer up to 5 years total term. Go figure, some team was crazy enough to go above that.
Anonymous
12/5/2011-1:01am at 1:01 am (UTC -4)
agreed about the giants D. recurring theme. Crunch time, they aren’t stopping a HS team.