I know that there is this anxiety by some over the Mets having not signed a player to a Major League contract but as I said a while back it’s not if they are 1st or last to sign a player to a Major League contract but rather will we like the choice made when they do sign a player?
That said, in an article by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com he writes that the Mets plan to add one or two bullpen arms on Major League deals, in addition to one or two more on Minor League contracts. DiComo goes on to quote the Mets GM Sandy Alderson to say that money “is not an issue at this point.” Though I would venture to speculate based on earlier quotes that it is an issue in regards to outfielders and starting pitching not in the sense that they don’t have it (which can still be debated) but more in the sense of is it worth overpaying for what is available out in free agency.
At least that appears to be the perception The Mets GM wants to portray based on this quote, “We think that the free-agent market for outfielders was almost as overpriced as the market for starting pitching. But be that as it may, we’re still looking.”
You can read the article in it’s entirety and what else the Mets GM had to say here.
83 comments
Stick
1/7/2013-11:50pm at 11:50 pm (UTC -4)
the market speaks. If you are dying of thirst and a bottle of water is $20, you suck it up an pay the price.
so either break down and get what you need, or just move on and don’t bother to try.
I still hope they are saving all their pennies for Alvarez. Just because.
i also could care less if they sign minor or major league deals now. Only what the players they get in end up doing. And right now, I don’t see ML contract guys in their price range that look like they will be worth more than the MiL ones they already have!
finally, screw the ML pen guys. That never seems to work (bottom feeding) at least when the mets do it. Would rather see a SP or OF signed, and the pen from the invite guys and prospects.
Prismo
1/8/2013-9:08am at 9:08 am (UTC -4)
Don’t screw the ML relievers!!!!
There are still good arms on the market, and we shouldn’t let past failures dictate our future. Of course, relievers are incredibly volatile, but on 1 or 2 year deals it’s also okay to take that risk (to be clear, not suggesting 2/12 deals like Frank Frank got. But 1/3, 1/4, 2/6, or 2/8 deals are reasonable for some guys, and risk is pretty low).
gategem
1/8/2013-9:42pm at 9:42 pm (UTC -4)
W.C. Fields – “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it.”
srt
1/8/2013-12:03am at 12:03 am (UTC -4)
I’m at the point where it really won’t bother me at all if they don’t sign a ML FA.
Looking at what’s left and what some of these guys have been signing for, not sure I even want them to spend the money on some scrub.
We could use another SP for depth – on a one year deal.
Another established lefty in the BP would be good.
Other than a reasonable contract for Hairston – if that’s really still on the table, they might as well just roll with what they’ve got for 2013.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-8:30am at 8:30 am (UTC -4)
“…money ‘is not an issue at this point.’”
How could any adult believe this?
Do ANY of you believe this?
At this point, following the Mets is a case study in human intelligence and gullibility.
Money is not an issue.
Somewhere, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton and America’s all-time greatest liars are whooping with gleeful approval at the incredibly, unbelievably dishonest words of our Wilpon frontman.
EVERY move they make and every move they do not make is 100% guided by money.
They have become liars on a pathological scale.
Prismo
1/8/2013-9:03am at 9:03 am (UTC -4)
Whoa!!!!!! Money isn’t an issue!?
Can we go back in time and sign Napoli to be our catcher and mentor D’Arnaud? Josh Hamilton and Bourne to take over 2/3 of the outfield? Can we sign 3-4 good relievers? How about Greinke and Edwin Jackson too?? This Mets team might actually win 90+ games!!!
kingman 26
1/8/2013-9:06am at 9:06 am (UTC -4)
Hey Prismo–
Really, I would be happy with just Marcum at this point, but I know that won’t happen.
If they sign Pavano, really, I might publicly vomit.
Baron at Moronblog actually wrote yesterday that Pavano can be among the better righthanders in the game….Pavano has two good years in a decade+ career.
Prismo
1/8/2013-9:11am at 9:11 am (UTC -4)
Pavano is a joke. Even in his prime he was rarely good. Now he’s a 37 year old pitcher (coincidentally today is his birthday) coming off an 11 start season where his ERA was 6.00.
gategem
1/8/2013-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
A number of years ago Pavano’s career, his preparation, intensity and interest in pitching all tanked when Alyssa Milano ended their relationship.
TX
1/8/2013-9:12am at 9:12 am (UTC -4)
I want Marcum and Chris Young back. Plus, they need 1-2 BP guys too. Is Capps still available?
And I’m convinced they will not sign Hairston. Unfortunately they won’t part with anything of worth to get a legit OF back. The OF is going to be one wacky place. Odds on Duda and Kirk running into each other more than 3 times this year?
Stick
1/8/2013-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
If that happens, poor kirk will look like beetle Bailey after sarge gets through with him.
TX
1/8/2013-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
Can you imagine a Cameron/Beltran face first collision? I think Kirk would be dead and Duda would have a slight headache.
TRS86
1/8/2013-9:08am at 9:08 am (UTC -4)
Based on what I can tell, not that i really give a damn what a GM says in public, he is only talking about BP:
“The same logic applies in the bullpen, where the Mets could add any combination of available veteran arms. Alderson figures the Mets will sign one or two on Major League deals, in addition to one or two more on Minor League contracts. Money, Alderson said, “is not an issue at this point.”
So most likely in terms of what they want to do in the pen, money is not the larger issue.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-9:18am at 9:18 am (UTC -4)
Of course it’s not money!
No chance!
I could care less what he says at this point too…the problem is that he does nothing and lies profusely on behalf of ownership.
Not a good combo for those grounded in reality.
TRS86
1/8/2013-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
Why should I care what a GM says in public? Isn’t their job basically to lie to the fanbase and not get caught doing it? To be as vague as possible so you don’t get backed into a corner while trying to market your product as best you can? That’s the reason even when Omar was here I really didn’t care then either. Just don’t say stupid stuff to embarrass the team.
Again, of course with the Mets on the larger scale money is an issue and Alderson never says it isn’t. However, in terms of signing a couple of veteran relievers on MLB and MILB contracts, I think most likely role and team are more important to those players than money. Most likely for the players he is talking about their money offers are not that unreasonable. You think they haven’t signed a guy like Rauch because of money?
kingman 26
1/8/2013-9:46am at 9:46 am (UTC -4)
“We’re buyers!”
“Madoff will not affect the Mets.”
To me these are perhaps the most obnoxious lies in team history.
Being evasive and unclear and leaving options open is one thing; flat-out lying through your teeth is another.
And “lie to the fanbase and not get caught doing it”–are you kidding me? EVERY lie is obvious and caught by everyone.
Sandy should say nothing in public. He’s not a major political figure or chairman of a public corporation who owes people explanations. After what this team has done and been for the last few years, saying NOTHING would be far preferable to continuing to treat us like idiotic children and lie again and again.
And I have zero interest in Rauch at more than maybe 1.5M. He stinks.
I’d like Marcum. If we sign Pavano I will be furious. I’d prefer the garbage we already have to him.
TRS86
1/8/2013-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
Hell I would take Rauch back in a heart beat, take out two games and his ERA was around 2.75 and his WHIP was .907.
Aside the point, when you show those full quotes you get a better impression of how he left himself an out, he always does.
However, why should I care what a GM says in public unless it was like the times where Omar made a disaster into a calamity.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
Well, I guess it is a difference of opinion.
I detest major figures who blatantly lie.
I personally would greatly prefer it had Alderson never said “We’re buyers” and the Wilpons never said pretty much anything at this point.
It’s just entertainment, but I love the Mets and I truly despise what this team has become, on and off the field management-wise.
It’s become a rich man and his son’s shell game, with zero regard for winning or the fan base, aside from the slice of fans who prefer seeing Wright in a Met uni to seeing a winning foundation created.
Sorry my friend, but we have lost Reyes, Beltran, and Dickey. While I very clearly see the positives in building for the future, major market winning teams do not sell off their top stars every year as we have been for years now.
And we can disagree, but to me there is no “plan” aside from Wilpon survival, and for me, the clock is ticking loudly as to how much longer watching this can be pleasant.
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:03am at 10:03 am (UTC -4)
I guess we will indeed agree to disagree. I see lots of hope in Harvey, Niese, Wheeler, Ike, TDA, Tejada, and more.
That being said, I have already said that I will be running around carrying the pike with Sandy’s head if after 2013 they don’t open up the wallet again.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-10:30am at 10:30 am (UTC -4)
Fair enough.
And I too see a lot of hope in what you mention.
But there is a LOT of uncertainty until Wheeler and d’Arnaud play MLB ball, Niese establishes himself as being as good as he looked much of last year, and Ike regains pre-2012 form.
But let’s carry pikes with the heads of Fred and Jeff…Sandy has been a largely sucky GM, but he is cleaning up Omar’s disaster and doing the Wilpons’ bidding.
Have a great day Chief and the rest of you fine people!
Stick
1/8/2013-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
I admit that Sandy manages to straddle the fence quite well. he makes Cerrone look like he takes sides on an issue.
But to be fair, he never said they were buyers. I believe he specifically said they cold buy (or sell), but he was going to see where the team stood closer to the trade deadline.
of course, they promptly went out and crashed back to earth, giving him either an excuse or a reason to not buy (though he did nto sell either, so not sure what to make out of that) depending on how you want to look at his motives.
gategem
1/8/2013-10:08pm at 10:08 pm (UTC -4)
When you have to analyze a GM’s statement as though it was a Shakespearean play then bleep the GM’s statement.
srt
1/8/2013-9:12am at 9:12 am (UTC -4)
‘EVERY move they make and every move they do not make is 100% guided by money.’
Ding, ding, ding
TRS86
1/8/2013-9:23am at 9:23 am (UTC -4)
While true in the overall since, I still think there are some moves that money isn’t the larger concern. Otherwise why did we end up with FFF AND Rauch last year instead of one or the other and a 500K guy to pair with them?
kingman 26
1/8/2013-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
Because the pen was in even more desperate shape then than the outfield is now.
And finances are in worse shape now than they were then.
And the mantra is to put a team on the field that can fight for 75–80 wins while spending the least money possible.
Seems pretty obvious.
What exactly do you gain from denying that the Mets are 100% driven by Wilpon $$$ issues and have absolutely and clearly been for years now?
What do you derive from this attitude, which is, quite clearly, at total odds with objective reality?
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
Kingman, I already admitted in the scheme of things that money is a very large issue with the Mets. That part is a given. Where I disagree is that it’s the ONLY deciding factor. Again, with scrub arms in the pen I do not believe money is the deciding factor considering that they are most likely not asking for much money to start with.
That being said your reasoning for why we ended up with both Rauch and FFF doesn’t answer to the reason that all things are based on money. If so then why wouldn’t they have JUST signed Rauch and then went with either a kid or a 500K scrub? To say that the money situation is worse now than last year at this time? Sorry but I can’t believe that at all. It might not be significantly better but I can’t say that it’s worse.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-10:25am at 10:25 am (UTC -4)
Well Chief I did say this actually: “And the mantra is to put a team on the field that can fight for 75–80 wins while spending the least money possible.”
Clearly they do not want to lose 100. I think they felt they had to sign more than Rauch last year, but I also feel that they feel that with Wright and Harvey and Wheeler/d’Arnaud maybe mid-year that they will have enough to win 75 or so games in 2013 while doing little else.
As for finances? We surely do not know with certainty, but clearly they are almost certainly in very, very bad shape, as everything from the Bay move to the lack of acquisitions to the Dickey trade (I love the return, but this was a money-driven move) all show quite clearly.
Sorry my friend, but I am mega-busy, catching up from being away and ultra-busy otherwise, and have to go.
But nice to visit and will be back ASAP.
TX
1/8/2013-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I’d take Rauch back and I would hope they could sign Capps as well. Rolling with FFF, Rauch, Caps, Parnel, Edgin, Laffey & another (Familia, Burke, Mejia, etc.) I think that has the ability to be decent.
Stick
1/8/2013-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
doesn’t look too bad. Even FFF was largely effective last year (don’t throw things, I actually did some research on this). So that group has some talent and potential, and with a Pen, can’t ask for much more than that going into the season.
TRS86
1/8/2013-1:57pm at 1:57 pm (UTC -4)
How about you write a post on how effective FFF was last year and I will link to it in the comment section on MMO
Stick
1/8/2013-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
I guess that would debunk the “we all think alike and agree on everything” myth.
Prismo
1/8/2013-9:26am at 9:26 am (UTC -4)
For some reason this got “Every Breath You Take” stuck in my head.
Every breath you take
Every move youu maaaaake
TX
1/8/2013-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
Hopefully the real version and not that stupid Puff the Magic Diddy version.
gategem
1/8/2013-9:53pm at 9:53 pm (UTC -4)
SA’s true meaning — technically money is not an issue when you don’t have it unless you owe the local loan shark a few thousand dollars. There is no sense worrying about or discussing currency when the coffers are empty.
Prismo
1/8/2013-8:59am at 8:59 am (UTC -4)
I call this the ‘Cerrone Theorem of Free Agency’:
“But, I prefer to go the other route, sign as many random free agents as possible”
srt
1/8/2013-9:13am at 9:13 am (UTC -4)
LOL
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:13am at 10:13 am (UTC -4)
At least the Mets are not alone:
“We’re likely going with what we’ve got,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
Who is their OF again? And they are supposed to be competing NOW.
Prismo
1/8/2013-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
Their payroll is also $60+ million more than the Mets’ payroll, but hey.
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:40am at 10:40 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, that’s my point. Just as Omar should have gotten the ax as well. How you can have a 160M payroll and still have that many holes is beyond me.
Prismo
1/8/2013-11:00am at 11:00 am (UTC -4)
Well they traded Pence, so that was their own doing. I think 80% of the reason their payroll is so high is because they attempted to create a team which would rule the NL East for several years. They did win the division 5 years in a row, including two World Series teams. That’s a heck of a lot more than Omar can brag about.
I think they figured they’d have 1-2 more years tacked onto that, but injuries finally caught up with them.
The other 20% is overpaying Ryan Howard, and the most recent Hamels deal which obviously has nothing to do with competing from 2007-2011.
Here’s a funfact though: if Halladay’s option gets picked up (which is guaranteed if he hits 225 IP), then the Phillies will be paying $93MM for Halladay/Lee/Hamels/Howard in 2014. That’s more than the Mets effective current payroll!
srt
1/8/2013-11:19am at 11:19 am (UTC -4)
This.
From what I’m reading the bulk of those championship teams was accredited to the last GM (can’t remember his name) not Amaro. Amaro basically gutted the farm system for some big ticket trades and just kept raising payroll. They’re at the point we were some 6 years ago.
Stick
1/8/2013-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
Pat Gillick.
kingman 26
1/8/2013-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
Yes TRS, the Mets and Phils clearly are in the same situation.
Oh.
My.
God.
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
“Who is their OF again? And they are supposed to be competing NOW.”
The Mets and Phillies are in completely different situations which is my point. There is no excuse with their payroll and the fact that they are clearly a win now team with the window being propped open by a rotting stick for their OF to consist of Darin Ruf, Ben Revere and Domonic Brown.
Prismo
1/8/2013-10:50am at 10:50 am (UTC -4)
Nate Schierholtz too, who while not great, would probably be a starter for the Mets too.
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
Gonna be hard for him to play the OF for the Phillies, he signed with the Cubs
Prismo
1/8/2013-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
Did they release him? I’m pretty sure he was arbitration eligible for a couple more years.
Prismo
1/8/2013-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
Oh yep they non-tendered him. Very strange indeed. Would’ve thought he’d be useful for them for a couple mil.
TRS86
1/8/2013-11:08am at 11:08 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, I think they really intended on adding a starting OF and like Sandy found the prices through FA and trade to be ludacrisp.
Stick
1/8/2013-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
right now, it is Ruf, revere (who I like), Brown, Nix and mayberry Jr.
That is impressive for a team that is bumping up against the luxury tax.
Stick
1/8/2013-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
I read that article in the paper at breakfast. Had to boo-hoo for Amaro, not having enough money left (they are at 179mill, only 7mill under the luxury tax cap Ithink) to get a ‘real” OF.
he really is starting to get roasted by the fans down here (a disgruntled bunch that will revolt with a slow start). Pretty much exposed as having ridden on Gillicks’ coattails, and inherited a top core, a huge checking account, and just enough good prospects to do some damage.
That team is so all-in on the 3 aces and a couple of aging and chronically hurt guys finding their former glory that it will be fun to see how it turns out.
TRS86
1/8/2013-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
” ridden on Gillicks’ coattails, and inherited a top core, a huge checking account, and just enough good prospects to do some damage.”
Sounds like the Mets when Omar took over.
TX
1/8/2013-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
Did Phillips have coattails?
Stick
1/8/2013-2:15pm at 2:15 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think so, but he did have a velco zipper.
TRS86
1/8/2013-2:17pm at 2:17 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah but they were all stained like Monica’s panties… LOL.
Yeah I would say having Reyes and Wright as young core pieces is having coattails.
TX
1/8/2013-2:19pm at 2:19 pm (UTC -4)
very Intern-esting…
Mark
1/8/2013-10:32am at 10:32 am (UTC -4)
I’m completely tired of his same thing. They are going to add a OF. They are done adding OFs. They are going to add a reliever or 2. They are going to sign Pavano, Marcum etc. Don’t talk about it be about it. I do not believe anything I hear b/c why would Alderson want the world to know anything about what he is truly doing behind closed doors remember this:
“We are close to making an extension to R.A. Dickey. The deal is close”
Shortly after the winter meetings.
TRS86
1/8/2013-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
Bingo:
” I do not believe anything I hear b/c why would Alderson want the world to know anything about what he is truly doing behind closed doors remember this:”
kingman 26
1/8/2013-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
LOL! But he is NOT doing anything like that!
He is lying to the fan base to string along the more gullible and less intelligent while doing N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!
How can you fail to accept this obvious, clear reality?
He didn’t say “We’re buyers” last summer to hide his sly and clever hand–he was full of sh*t and doing NOTHING! Whether on his initiative or ownership’s, he lies and lies!
The Dickey return was potentially great, but clearly he was told he cannot pay market value for him, which reports suggested was Alderson’s preference. There was no secret, hidden, cleverly disguised agenda here. He got a great return from a desperate team in win-now mode.
Geez man, you really do through mental contortions to believe things sometimes.
TRS86
1/8/2013-11:04am at 11:04 am (UTC -4)
It’s just two different points of view. Nothing to get through our mental contortions to start with.
Again, I don’t really care about what a GM says but saying something in mid July like
“So if that’s any evidence of our point of view, our state of mind, we are buyers,” Alderson said. “Right now, we’re buyers.”
To this after the deadline:
“I’m not sure we ever totally changed course,” Alderson said. “Being buyers has different connotations, most strongly having to do with the current season. … If you go back and review the chronology of the last month, you realize that things changed pretty rapidly from just before the All-Star break and certainly right after the All-Star break until just the last four or five days. So in terms of being aggressively buying for 2012, certainly things changed during that period of time, and very swiftly. At the same time, we continued to look for opportunities to improve the team both this year and in 2013. And in some cases even looking at rental players that would have only helped us in 2012. We didn’t give up on the buying activity at all. But certainly we ended up with a more modest agenda.”
Again, why do we even care? We know that all GM’s double talk and that situations change from day to day. You can’t say “we are for sure going to trade for a starting OF” because you don’t know the demands or nonavailability.
greggofboken
1/8/2013-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
Absolutely. I don’t understand the desire to peg the guy as a liar for having announced the intention to acquire rather than to divest themselves of players…when the team took that very same opportunity to tank — while the market for relievers had yet to appear.
Things change and the best-laid plans….blah, blah blah.
Look for the word “conceivably” to show up more and more often. I can picture that showing up in every future Alderson quote. Conceivably.
The Madoff denials are another matter. That was shameful.
srt
1/8/2013-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
The Madoff denials….on that note – can the Wilpons possibly have been that naive to think that debacle was not going to affect Sterling Mets? Or where they really lying that day they had a press conference to announce to the media and fans it would not do so?
I wonder…..I keep going back to you can’t possibly be that naive or ignorant since old man Fred basically built a fortune on being a shrewd business man. So that leads me back to the path of they were lying all along.
Either that, or they were at that time really clueless on how much of the Mets operating costs were really tied up in Madoff’s accounts.
TRS86
1/8/2013-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
“Things change and the best-laid plans….”
Right, there is reason to believe that when Sandy said at the beginning of the off-season that the OF wasn’t championship quality that he believed that they would trade either Wright or Dickey for an OF or that the prices for OF wouldn’t be what they have been.
greggofboken
1/8/2013-11:40am at 11:40 am (UTC -4)
SRT….i had occasion to meet Erin Arvedlund. You may remember her as the author of “Too Good To Be True” — the book on Madoff. She came into our sphere of attention when she alluded to the complications with Madoff putting the ownership of the Mets at risk. She went on the air with Dave Howard, who pretty much did a number on her assertions back in September of ’09.
At the time, I thought she was grandstanding and trying to get attention for a book that was tanking (I work in publishing and found her claims and timing suspicious).
While some of her particular claims and conclusions weren’t correct, she certainly was correct in her overall assesment. And Howard, in retrospect, embarrassed himself and in my view flat-out lied.
If you’re interested, here’s a clip of Howard on the Fox Business broadcast.
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3894988/madoff-strikes-the-mets/
srt
1/8/2013-11:52am at 11:52 am (UTC -4)
Greg…I remember looking at that clip when it first came out. I thought Howard did embarrass himself as well.
In hindsight now, I can only assume the Wilpons, Howard, the whole PR group, etc. were (and still are) underestimating the NY Met fan base. They are arrogant in their beliefs that we’re all ignorant and will believe this spoon fed garbage ownership has been handing us since Madoff was arrested. They’re so out of touch with the modern day fan that it’s not even funny.
This isn’t 1950. Mass media and technology has made it very easy for the common fan to keep up with what’s going on with their team – both on the field and off. They need to join the rest of us in the 21st century. LOL
srt
1/8/2013-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
TRS…I still believe if Sandy had his way, Wright would have been traded and Dickey would have been extended.
All water under the bridge now though.
TRS86
1/8/2013-11:57am at 11:57 am (UTC -4)
I can’t say SRT. I would have to know what the trade offers were and what the Wilpons told Sandy the 2014 budget would be.
Stick
1/8/2013-2:24pm at 2:24 pm (UTC -4)
I think back at the time (’08/’09) they reall did think that Madoff was not going to impact the team. However, their was a big “but” coming;
But, the team went south, and attendance tanked.
If for whatever reason (winning? nothing better to do?) they wtill sold 3mill or so in tickets each year, they would have likely had plenty of money to run the Mets, even with a higher payroll like it used to be.
In some ways, it is like a family that goes overboard on a new house, because Dad has a good job, and they have money in the bank from Uncle bernie’s estate.
but, someone contests the will, and turns out Bernies mistress gets the money, so the safety net is gone.
then Dad loses his job, and ends up working nights at Taco Bell.
suddenly, that nice house, no longer affordable!
TRS86
1/8/2013-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
Yup, so you sell the car and the boat and your wife, kids and mom to try to hang on to the house and what little dignity you have left.
greggofboken
1/8/2013-3:10pm at 3:10 pm (UTC -4)
I think you’re giving Howard too much of an out. Listen to his responses on that clip to contentions that there was an impact and that the Wilpons may have to sell at least a part of their team within the next year or two (recorded in September of ’09).
There is nothing lawyerly or unequivocal in his responses. “Have not and will not affect the operations of the Mets” “There will be no sale”. “unfounded” “grossly irresponsible” “bogus” “flat out wrong” “There will be no investors.” “flat out fabrication”
At the time it looked like a pretty impressive, take-no-prisoners dismantling of Ms. Arvedlund. He got points in many corners for his quite direct beat down of the principles and particulars of her contention — sadly, some from me, who thought he was being on the up and up.
He was not. Nor was he couching his responses in vague language. He was lying in his role as frontman for Jeff Wilpon.
Arvedlund’s figures about the amount lost are off. But her overall assertions proved correct. And she had a source within the Mets organization who confirmed it. A source that Howard disputes. Though at the end of the day, the jeopardy turned out to be all too real.
He has no credibility.
wanny
1/8/2013-3:46pm at 3:46 pm (UTC -4)
jason frasor sure would have helped the pen on a 1 yr and 1.5m deal.
doub tthe mets are in on michael morse. though his bat would really help, I can’t imagine an OF with he and Duda in the corners from a defensive standpoint. yikes. more importantly, he probably makes too much for a NYC team to pay. also cant see the mets moving significant prospects in a deal. surely washington wants something of value.
TX
1/8/2013-6:49pm at 6:49 pm (UTC -4)
Which of these would be fits for the team and which can we expect to be “too pricy”?
OF
J. Rivera, Hairston, Sizemore, Kearns, D. Young
SP
Karstens, Marcum, Pavano, J. Sanchez, Stauffer, C. Young
BP
Capps, J.C. Oviedo, Rauch, Lidstrom, Accardo
Stick
1/8/2013-8:52pm at 8:52 pm (UTC -4)
the only ones that should be too “pricey” are D. young and maybe Sanchez. Possibly Marcum. Not that they could not afford them but it might be too much of a “stretch” Thankfully, Sanchez is probably not a good idea, and young is a DH. Marcum, I have no faith he will be able to pitch at all. So, not a big deal!
some decent options in there. Capps, stauffer, Kerns, rivera, lindstrom and even rauch.
sign 1-2 and Alvarez, and call it an off season.
SaltyGary
1/8/2013-7:45pm at 7:45 pm (UTC -4)
Awesome article from Mr. Pecota Nate Silver regarding currently announced HOF ballot’s.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/suspicion-of-steroid-use-could-keep-bagwell-and-piazza-out-of-hall/#more-38164
Hazmet
1/8/2013-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
I’m so grateful for all the fine bloggers here providing me much reading material. I feel so sorry that I just can’t stir myself up to comment on anything since absolutely nothing is happening or will happen with this team. Some great stuff here on a daily basis and many days I’m just like, “what’s the point? the ownership is not going to do anything any year soon with spending for talent on this team” Hell, they can’t even spend a few bucks for Hairston as a right handed bat which should be an off the bench bat anyway. It’s just so demoralizing at times.
I was thinking, always a dangerous premise I know, we should all start calling their ticket offices and get into prolonged discussions saying we’re thinking of being ticket buyers only to say we’ll think about and let them call back time and time again and we can say “we’re thinking of buying”. You know kind of what they keep saying to the world. They do actually call if you previously bought packages and then call again so i think it would be appropriate to waste their time just as much as they’ve wasted ours.
Mr North Jersey
1/9/2013-12:37am at 12:37 am (UTC -4)
There is something just harmoniously vengeful in this comment.
srt
1/9/2013-1:19am at 1:19 am (UTC -4)
Here we go….
AA telling the media at RA’s press conference that the Mets offer to Dickey was ‘disrespect’, commenting he even told Dickey that when he met with him.
And Dickey’s comments on how he’s happy the Mets didn’t meet his contract demands, happy to be in Toronto b/c ‘they’re in it to win it. If they don’t, it isn’t b/c the FO didn’t try’.
Sigh…..
srt
1/9/2013-1:59am at 1:59 am (UTC -4)
Over on MLBTR:
‘One of the leading reasons the Blue Jays acquired catcher Josh Thole along with Dickey was because he has experience catching the knuckleballer. “The thought is that Josh has had so much success with [Dickey], why break that up,” the GM said.’
To which, someone in the comment section posted:
‘Alright, now we know AA has never watched a Mets game…’
I literally laughed right out loud.
Mr North Jersey
1/9/2013-2:31am at 2:31 am (UTC -4)
No need to raise these comments (not saying you are SRT) any higher than they need be. I don’t expect him to say to the Toronto fan base that he wished the Mets had signed him. He is trying to show his excitement of being with Toronto to the fans.
Similar to when he said, “I think the Mets are moving in the right direction, that’s for sure. I certainly want to be part of that solution.” he was trying to show his excitement with being in New York to the Mets fans. Though I did not read too much into this at the time considering it was said in the midst of negotiations.
srt
1/9/2013-7:52am at 7:52 am (UTC -4)
For those paying attention, we know that this is not the first time that Dickey voiced his displeasure at the Mets FO for ‘giving up’ – as he put it – on the team mid season – when he traded Beltran and KRod.
I don’t have any heartache with how he feels – or what he said when he got to Toronto. He said all along he wanted to stay with the NY Mets. Right after the trade was announced, he said he was sad to be leaving NY and sorry they couldn’t work things out – even though he understood baseball is a business. I suspect after having a couple of weeks to digest the trade, he got over it and moved on.
Just goes to show that he’s human, just like the rest of us.
AA though comes off as a bit arrogant. That entire day that trade ‘getting close’ was being announced – and we were still waiting to see who it involved – I did much reading on the Blue Jays blogs. Those fans were mocking the Mets saying they were leaking details, to their advantage and to influence AA to give up what the Mets were asking for before someone else came in with a better offer. I’m sure that was true and I had no heartache with that either. The Blue Jays fans though were incensed b/c they claimed that’s not how AA does business, he never leaks anything and they were sure he wasn’t going to be influenced by those leaks. Next thing we hear is we did get their #1 and #3 prospect. Jays fans couldn’t believe it.
I believe those public comments about the Mets disrespecting RA with their offer was a shot at the Mets FO b/c of the way they did business with this trade. It’s not like the Jays gave him some much bigger offer than the Mets. Their contract was only 4.25 MIL higher than the Mets final offer for those same 3 years.
Over on MLBTR on that same article:
Anthopoulos didn’t rule out the possibility of extending players in the coming months, but he stressed that such deals are possible at any time. And don’t expect much advance warning. “If we’re talking extensions [the media] will be the last to know if I have any say in it,” Anthopoulos said.
Just smacks to me like his long standing policy of not leaking anything to the media until he’s good and ready – and having the Mets do exactly that to him – is still sticking in his craw.
Bah….
TRS86
1/9/2013-8:33am at 8:33 am (UTC -4)
Good god, of course the guy who traded two of the top players in his system is going to say that the guy they acquired was under-appreciated…
The media sure does love to make something out of nothing. What’s the guy supposed to say after trading away that much in a package for an elite pitcher? “Well they didn’t really want him, he’s a good pitcher so ….”?
srt
1/9/2013-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
Ah..the politics of baseball. Gotta love it.
Stick
1/9/2013-1:25pm at 1:25 pm (UTC -4)
If the mets offer was disrespectful (and I took that comment as being about the $, not personally), then AA was just as big of a smack to the face, since he paid him below market for a guy at that level, right?