Go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200

Ambiorix Burgos better get used to being behind bars.

Burgos will spend three months in jail, as he awaits his trial for the hit-and-run in the Dominican Republic.

The AP relays a quote:

"I am going to come out of this fine because my conscience is clear, and I'm not worried this will affect my career because I haven't done anything."

Good luck with that one.

I'm surprised the Mets haven't come out and said anything yet. Surprised he's still in the system, too.

Also, here's a photo of him being escorted away:
Seriously, buddy? No Mets hat? Maybe the Mets are better off. Sorry White Sox.

Should they stay or should they go? [Coaches]

Last week, I took a peek at the hitters and pitchers from the 2008 Mets to see who should stay and who should go.

Now, we'll take a look at the coaching staff.

Jerry Manuel - Stay. Obviously, he's coming back. He just signed a two-year deal, and hopefully he can make it through both years. Gangsta.

Sandy Alomar Sr. - Stay. He's old, he's cranky, and thankfully he did not get punched in the head this season. I'm not sure how much he truly contributes, but it seems like he's loved by all. Jose Reyes and him have a close relationship, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize that. He's capable when he took over for Manuel a few times, so I don't mind bringing him back, but the clock is ticking.

Howard Johnson - Stay. 751 RBI, 799 runs, .266 AVG, .340 OBP, .420 SLG. Mets were top five in the league in every category outside of slugging. HoJo stays. One could argue the Mets weren't "clutch" enough, but that does not fall on Johnson. He's done enough to hone the hitters to what they are, it's up to them when it comes down to it. No reason to give him the boot.

Dan Warthen - Stay. He brought back Oliver Perez. He helped Mike Pelfrey. Both good things. The bullpen was a different story. When you talk about pitching coaches, the emphasis is on the starters and rarely do you hear about the coach working with the bullpen. Yes, there is a "Bullpen Coach," but the pitching coach is his "superior." This pen is not a product of poor coaching, but rather from overuse and it's just poorly constructed. An overhaul is needed, but Warthen is not the problem.

Guy Conti - Go. If the bullpen coach is the issue, then change the bullpen coach. Rick Peterson? (Joke.)

Ken Oberkfell - Stay. How hard can a first base coaches job be? Could also take over is Manuel and Alomar are given the boot in a game. Groomed to be the next manager, or is that HoJo's spot?

Luis Aguayo - Go. Go. Go. I'm giving him the windmill to go home, fully knowing that the catcher already has the ball in his glove and is just waiting for Aguayo to apply the tag. Sound familiar? He takes way too many chances, most of which do not pay off and run the team out of big innings. Wally Backman, anyone?

Tony Bernazrd: Seattle's next GM?

According to AZCentral.com, the Mariners will begin interviewing some candidates for their vacant GM job. On the short list is the Mets vice president of player development, Tony Bernazard.

When Omar Minaya's job was in jeopardy mid-season, it was rumored that Bernazard would be the one taking over. Since Minaya is locked up at least until 2012, Bernazard may look elsewhere for the coveted GM position.

I know I've read around the blog-o-sphere about how much Bernazard may be harming this team, so it seems Mets fans won't be sad to see him go.

Either way, I don't think I would take the Seattle job for any amount of money. That team needs serious help.

Ambiorix Burgos surrenders

The Domincan Republic's Most Wanted.

After supposedly killing two people in a hit-and-run accident in the DR, Ambiorix Burgos has surrendered to authorities.

From the AP:

Ambiorix Burgos turned himself in on Tuesday, a week after police say he was involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed two women.

Authorities were interviewing him, prosecutor Raul Quiroz told The Associated Press.

The news comes after the mother of one of the two victims accused Burgos of intentionally running her daughter over because she refused to go out with him.

That is an awful way to get someone to go out with you. Not that I would know from experience.

Cut him, Omar.

Gamble

One of each, please. Thanks!

Omar Minaya is going to have a few pricey free agents to choose from this offseason, and the Mets will probably make a run at at least one of them.

As I've chronicled many times, I'm a big fan of Manny Ramirez, and so is Minaya. The latest numbers have Manny asking for a five-year deal, worth $85 million. That seems a little steep to me, but maybe the Mets can snag the "New York" guy (born in Dominican Republic, grew up in NYC) on the cheap.

It looks like Mark Teixeira won't be an option, as they're hinting at bringing back Carlos Delgado. But there's always the chance they trade Delgado and move for Tex. He shined with the bat and the glove all season, and made a run to the World Series with the Angels before it was cut short by the Red Sox. Doubt it will happen though.

Francisco Rodriguez will be very, very expensive. Can't see the Mets shelling out that kind of cash for a one-inning pitcher. I think they'll get Brian Fuentes to close, or promote from within.

CC Sabathia presents an interesting issue: Can the Mets afford two "aces" on the same staff? I don't think so, but Minaya needs to make a big, bold move this offseason as the Mets head into Citi Field. Sure, he landed the biggest fish in the barrel with Johan Santana last off-season, but Santana & CC together? I'm salivating.

Orlando Hudson would be welcomed with open arms. Luis Castillo will be shopped to every team for every price. Won't be surprised when (not if) Minaya dumps him elsewhere, eats most of the contract, and watches him prosper into an injury-free, slap hitter extrodinare. Hudson needs to shake the injury bug, but when he's good to go, he's a great player. I'd like to see that Reyes-Hudson-Delgado (Teixeira?) double play.

Will Omar land one of these guys? Maybe two? We'll have to wait and find out, but don't be shocked to see a landmark move by the GM.

My updated playoff predictions

Here is an updated version of my playoff predictions, complete with the results from my first round of picks. Leave yours if so inclined.

MIL vs. PHI
I had: Philly in three.
What really happened: Philly in four.
Close, but no cigar.

LAD vs. CHC
I had: Cubs in five.
What really happened: Dodgers in three.
I don't think I could have been more wrong. Perfect case of a team getting hot at the right time.

BOS vs. LAA
I had: Angels in four.
What really happened: Red Sox in four.
And with that, my world series prediction is out the window. (I had the Angels beating the Cubs.)

CHW vs. TB
I had: Tampa in four.
What really happened: Tampa in four.
I nailed it!

NLCS: PHI vs. LAD
ALCS: BOS vs. TB

PHI vs. LAD
I'm going to take the Dodgers in six.
Yes, the Phillies starting pitching is good, but their bullpen will soon falter. I'm waiting for Brad Lidge to implode. Dodgers just look too good right now, and with everyone hitting in that offense, it's truly a force to be reckoned with.

BOS vs. TB
Sorry, Tampa. Red Sox in five.
I love the Rays, but they lack the "experience." The Red Sox are a postseason team, they simply find ways to win when it matters most. A better start from Josh Beckett this time around will help considerably. Still, Tampa Bay will put up a fight.

My World Series: LAD vs. BOS, a Yankee fan's worst nightmare.

Daniel Murphy should play first base

And it looks like the Arizona Fall League roster feels the same way.

Click to see full size.

Daniel Murphy will be participating in the Arizona Fall League, and rumor has it he will be taking reps at second base. Seems like the Mets are trying to make fans forget about Luis Castillo.

I still can't imagine Murphy at second. He's a big guy (6' 3", 210 lbs.) and he doesn't really fit the second baseman mold. To me, he strikes he as a perfect first baseman.

Again, he's tall, big, with a great reach. He's got the bat to back him up too. He hits for average, but can also hit for power. He was touted as the best hitter in the Mets minor leagues, and showed his prowess at the plate in his first major league season. (Unfortunately for Murphy, he passed the "rookie" at-bat limit by one, so he is no longer a "rookie" and cannot be up for ROY next season.)

Still, I'd like to see Murphy at first after this season, or maybe even before this season if they can move Carlos Delgado.

Rebuttal: My outrage at Citi Field

I miss Shea Stadium. But I'm much more excited for Citi Field.

Andrew Beaton over at Hot Foot feels much different:

It is truly shameful that the Wilpons are sacraficing thousands of seats, the opportunity for thousands of fans to go to a game, in order to build a few extra luxury boxes and earn an extra couple bucks. In fact, MLB teams have financial incentives to build luxury boxes beyond the obvious ones.

Sure, that's an issue here, but if you've been to Shea Stadium at all, you must know it's a dump. That's right, I said it. Shea was a dump.

It wasn't pretty. Citi Field will be gorgeous.
It didn't have the greatest facilities. Citi Field will be better for the players and the fans.
The good food was few and far-between. Citi Field will have scrumptious food at every turn.

There are 10,000 less seats, but it will be a much more pleasing venue for everyone. Better seats, better sight lines, better proximity to the game. It's going to be a better place, no matter which way you slice it.

Plus, you cannot forget that baseball is a business. It is hard to look beyond the emotions and love of the game, but it's an entertainment business. It's sole purpose is to entertain to make a profit. If they can make more money in Citi Field, then so be it.

They make more money because of SNY, would you want them to shut that down too, just because some people can't get it on their cable provider? I don't think so. It's a business, and where they play is just another way they can make money.

And where do you think that money goes? Well, most of it probably goes into the pockets of the Wilpons & Co., but the money gets recycled into the team. More money translates to better facilities, better franchise, and possibly better players.

So Citi Field in an investment in the franchise for the better. It may be a bit tougher to get a ticket, but outside of the huge games, I've never had a problem getting a seat at Shea when I needed it. I'm sure it will be just the same.

Citi Field, I can't wait for you to get here.

Mets must sign Manny Ramirez at all costs

I don't care what you tell me, I will not sway from the notion that the Mets should sign Manny Ramirez at all costs.

He is a professional hitter, a big bat the lineup sorely needs. Sure, there are power guys like Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright, but this guy can purely rake. Think Moises Alou at his best, and not injured.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Manny will be the starting left fielder when Citi Field opens in 2009. He's one of Omar Minaya's favorite players, and I think he'd fit in wonderfully with the players, fans, and especially the lineup.

Yes, he's a goofball. Yes, he's a showman. Yes, he can be a handful. But Jerry Manuel is the sort of manager who can control that. He's hands-off at times, but you just know he won't tolerate anything out of line. Heck, he's "gangsta."

And don't come to me whining about Manny corrupting Jose Reyes with his immaturity. If Manny can be Manny, then Jose can be Jose. They may not be the ideal personality, but they put up numbers and help the team win. I don't care if they throw a tiny tantrum when they don't want to leave the game. In fact, I encourage that.

Manny would make this lineup so much better, not only by adding his bat, but by protecting the guys around him. Let's imagine for a second that the Mets sign him:

Jose Reyes
Carlos Beltran
Manny Ramirez
Carlos Delgado
David Wright
Ryan Church
Brian Schneider / Ramon Castro
[Second base? Please not Luis Castillo]
Pitcher

Beltran moves to the two-hole, where he belongs. If pitchers want to walk Manny, they then deal with Delgado and Wright. Wright could be interchanged with Manny. Church can be switched with Beltran. There are a lot of possibilities, but if these are the cogs in the machine, it's going to be a force to reckon with.

We now know Manny is legitimate. He can hit in both the American and National leagues. He can hit. Period. We've suffered through enough of Moises Alou, Fernando Tatis, Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans manning left field, that Manny Ramirez might even be a plus in the defensive categories as well.

He can hit, sort-of field, he'll bring in the money (but he'll also demand a lot), he grew up in New York, and he's all around fun to watch. Count me in for the "Manny in 2009!" campaign.

Poor Cubbies fans

Another year, another lost season.

Sounds like the Mets. But I'm actually talking about the hapless Chicago Cubs. The Mets have at least had two World Series championships this century. The Cubs have come nowhere close.

I actually feel bad for their fans. After a 97-win season, riding high throughout the entirety of the season, they were swept out of the NLDS by Joe Torre and his Dodgers, three games to none.

The funny part about that is the Dodgers won 13 less games, had to battle through the misery that is the NL West, pretty much squeaked into the playoffs, and they came in and handily tore apart Chicago, never even letting them sniff a win.

Yankee fans in this area must not know how to feel. Joe Torre is in the LCS for another year, with Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Scott Proctor all under his control. Scott Proctor's Arm seems to be a little confused.

Chicago has had a long history of baseball, but the Cubs cannot seem to break the "curse." There's always next year?