Mets about face on CC

Yesterday, the baseball world was buzzing with the rumor that the Mets would make a run for CC Sabathia. Today, it's a completely different story.

From Marty Noble:

The Mets learned Friday they have more than a passing interest in signing CC Sabathia. They were delighted by the very prospect of a Johan Santana-Sabathia tandem. If they could have pulled off the deal for Roy Oswalt a few summers ago, it could have been Santana-Oswalt-Sabathia -- SOS for their opponents. And why not dream?

Turns out it is a dream, two-thirds of it, anyway. Oswalt never made it to Queens, and from what folks in the Mets hierarchy said Friday, Sabathia won't either; not because the club doesn't want him, but because it has no intention of making a run at him. A published report said the Mets would.

Not surprised. Rumors get blown out of the water, just from one person saying "Yeah, we'd like a guy like him," it turns into a full on "METS PURSUING CC!!!!!"

Just another reason to take every rumor you hear with a big grain of salt.

Mets name Alicea first base coach

Now the coaching staff in complete.

From the press release:

Manager Jerry Manuel completed the New York Mets' coaching staff today by naming Luis Alicea the team's first base coach.

For the last two years, Alicea was the first base coach for the Boston Red Sox. Luis also was a manager in the Red Sox Minor League system for three seasons. He directed Lowell (A) of the New York-Penn League from 2004-2005, Greenville (A) of the South Atlantic League in 2006 and Peoria of the Arizona (A) Fall League, also in 2006

The weirdest part about this is when I was walking back from class, not five minutes ago, I was wondering when they would name the first base coach. With Lee Mazilli out at SNY, I was pondering his chances at returning to coaching. Guess not.

I can't criticize this move at all. He's the first base coach. Yay.

Subway Series: Mets want in on CC Sabathia

If you thought the Subway Series were heated, or even last season's pursuit of Johan Santana, if the Mets are really in on CC Sabathia, things between the two teams are about to get crazy.

Four different writers in the Daily News note that the Mets look like they're going to be players in the bidding war for the portly Sabathia.

Bill Madden / Anthony McCarron / Adam Rubin:

A high-placed Yankee source Thursday reacted to the development by saying: "The Mets are in it? Great. Bring it on."
---
Such a deal with the Mets likely would require backloading some of Sabathia's salary, at least until Carlos Delgado's $12 million and Billy Wagner's $10.5 million salaries for 2009 are cleared.

I don't like the sound of that at all.

John Harper:

And the Mets are going to slug it out with them? I'll have to see it unfold to believe it, partly because they don't have the resources to go dollar for dollar with the Yankees, and partly because they have never shown much of an appetite for this kind of fight for fear of being embarrassed.

All of which makes it all the more fascinating, of course, if the Wilpons truly are willing to go to war with the Steinbrenners over Sabathia.

Me too, Harper. Me too.

The Mets have to focus their money and attitude toward fixing the bullpen. Santana is the ace of the staff, and he can tell you all about how a poor bullpen will ruin games. Santana could have easily been the Cy Young Award winner, if only his bullpen could have converted those six blown games.

A great starting pitcher can only do so much. I hope whatever team signs Sabathia doesn't expect him to repeat his complete game performances from last season -- notching 10 last season, and seven in 17 games for Milwaukee.

It's not that I don't want Sabathia on the Mets. I'd love to see his stomach stretching those blue pinstripes on the mound at Citi Field. The team needs to remember where their problems came from the last two seasons, and figure out how to fix it. I know they have two holes in their rotation, but they have about eight holes in their bullpen.

Bullpen first, (cheaper) starting pitchers later.

Link: BP breaks down the NL East

Check out this article from Baseball Prospectus, on SI.com, breaking down the National League East.

Good ideas all around, I guess. Should be interesting if they nail any of these on the head.

Wright wins Silver Slugger

He's going to have a very crowded mantle as his career progresses.

David Wright was awarded a Silver Slugger award for his 2008 campaign at the plate.

This is Wright's second straight year winning a Silver Slugger. To many, many more Wright.

Craig Carton is hilarious

Just got this from WFAN:

WFAN’S CRAIG CARTON TO LEAD A FREE AGENT RALLY FROM CITI FIELD

New York, NY – Craig Carton, co-host of the Boomer and Carton show on Sports Radio 66, WFAN is taking Hot Stove Baseball to the streets as he leads a free agent rally live from the New York Mets new home, Citi Field.

The Rally will begin at 11am this Friday, November 14th in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Carton is not new to rallies as this past summer he blitzed the Jets training camp at Hofstra with a bullhorn leading a “Let’s get Brett” chant, in hopes of swaying Jets brass to sign hall of fame Quarterback Brett Favre.

This time Carton hopes to encourage the Mets to be very active in the 2008 Major league Baseball free agent pool and look to sign some of the top free agents available beginning this Saturday. Among the players he hopes to convince Mets management to go after are: Francisco Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, and slugger Manny Ramirez.

I love Craig Carton. What a character. Oh, and he prefers it to be "CC," without the periods.

If anyone attends, please take pictures.

Kevin Gregg traded to Cubs

The Marlins fire sale continues.

The Marlins traded Kevin Gregg to the Chicago Cubs, which signifies another closer will be on the market. With Gregg now on the team, it's highly unlikely that the Cubs will re-sign Kerry Wood, another closing pitcher the Mets can take a look at.

I almost feel bad for Marlins fans, then I remember they have just as many World Series championships as the Mets do.

Phillies considering Jim Duquette for Asst. GM

Please hire this man, Phillies. Mets fans know what he can do, and I can only wish he does the same to your team.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies are looking to round out their front office, and Jim Duquette is one of the "finalists."

Former Mets and Orioles G.M. Jim Duquette and Reds G.M. Wayne Krivsky are under consideration, major-league sources say, along with Muzzy Jackson, the Royals' former assistant G.M., and Scott Proefrock, the Orioles' director of baseball administration.

I predict the Phillies would trade away Cole Hamels for Carl Pavano, if Duquette is hired.

Braves closing in on Jake Peavy

As a Mets fan, I am not pleased by this news.

Scott Miller of CBSSports.com, is reporting the Atlanta Braves have offered a four-player package to the San Diego Padres, who will ask Jake Peavy to waive his no-trade clause for the deal to go through.

According to Miller:

Under terms of the deal discussed by the Braves and Padres, San Diego would receive shortstop Yunel Escobar, Class A outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, one of two starting pitchers -- Charlie Morton or Jo-Jo Reyes -- and either reliever Blaine Boyer or one of two minor-league left-handers (one of which is believed to be Jeff Locke).

The Braves want an answer by Friday, so the Padres are hard pressed to get Peavy to waive his no-trade clause.

I, obviously, really don't want to see this deal go through. The Braves have a deep enough farm system that this deal will crimp their minor leagues a little, but not put a dent in them like the Johan Santana trade for the Mets.

The Mets, in their endless pursuit to get in on every trade rumor out there, have been cited as inquiring on Peavy, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports:

Others have inserted themselves as well, including the Boston Red Sox and pitching-thin New York Mets.

I can't see it happening, so don't get your hopes up. It'd be great to have a 1-2 punch of Santana and Peavy, but I think the Mets have bigger fish to fry over landing another ace starter.

Would be nice though.

I'd prefer a free agent over a trade

The latest and greatest rumor about the Mets right now is that they're looking into Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox. Though Jenks is not really "available," the team thinks they might be able to pry him away from the Pale Hose with a decent package.

Why the Mets are looking to give up more players from their farm system is beyond me. There is a big enough market for free agent closers out there, I'd rather dish out the dough for one of them instead of trading away talent.

Ken Davidoff takes a look at Jenks or Francisco Rodriguez on his Baseball Insider blog:

I think I'd vote for a Jenks trade. Remember, in the Santana trade, the Mets gave up top chips for really just one year of Santana. After that, the Mets had to treat Santana like a free agent.

But Jenks is a proven commodity, and if he somehow flops, he won't drain the payroll and roster flexibility as would K-Rod (who, interestingly, is younger than Jenks, despite having three more years of service time compiled).

(This argument is made only for Jenks versus K-Rod. Brian Fuentes or Kerry Wood or even Trevor Hoffman were not figured into this article.)

I understand his point in choosing Jenks here, as last year K-Rod struggled a bit with allowing runners, but seems to be able to work out of it time and time again. Was it luck? Was it skill? Omar Minaya might not want to take the chance, especially with a fanbase of fragile, skeptical Queens faithful due to the inept bullpen over the last two seasons.

I don't mean to downplay Jenks' contribution to the White Sox. He's tallied 117 saves in three plus seasons, closing the book on 41, 40 and 30 games respectively since 2006. He's under team control until 2011, but is arbitration elegible. His price will go up, but it's still miniscule compared to what K-Rod is asking. (Jenks made $550,000 in 2008.)

Still, with a new stadium, a flourishing TV network and a half-decent team bringing in money, I'd much rather see the team sign a slightly bloated paycheck over draining the farm system anymore than it already has been. Sign over trade.