No joke.
MyFox Huston (via MLBTR) is reporting that the Houston Astros have signed free agent pitcher Mike Hampton.
Good luck with that one, Houston!
12/1/08
2009 Hall of Fame ballot
Ten new players have been added the the Hall of Fame ballot for the 2009, some of whom logged time with the New York Mets.
The 10 players added, with the ones with Mets games under their belt are in italicized: Rickey Henderson, Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams.
So half of the new eligible players played with the Mets at some time. Henderson logged 152 games with the Mets in 1999 and 2000, and also served as first base coach for part of a season. Bell played in 72 games in 2003.
Cone pitched from 1987 to 1992 with the Mets, until he was traded to Toronto for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson. Vaughn played two seasons with the Mets in '02 and '03. His '03 campaign was cut short by injury. I'll never forget his mammoth home run off the scoreboard at Shea Stadium.
Orosco had the longest tenure with the team, playing from 1979 to 1987. We all remember the fateful glove toss at the end of the '86 World Series. I don't think that glove has come down yet.
It's up to you now, Baseball Writers Association of America. Put some semi-Mets in the hall!
The 10 players added, with the ones with Mets games under their belt are in italicized: Rickey Henderson, Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams.
So half of the new eligible players played with the Mets at some time. Henderson logged 152 games with the Mets in 1999 and 2000, and also served as first base coach for part of a season. Bell played in 72 games in 2003.
Cone pitched from 1987 to 1992 with the Mets, until he was traded to Toronto for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson. Vaughn played two seasons with the Mets in '02 and '03. His '03 campaign was cut short by injury. I'll never forget his mammoth home run off the scoreboard at Shea Stadium.
Orosco had the longest tenure with the team, playing from 1979 to 1987. We all remember the fateful glove toss at the end of the '86 World Series. I don't think that glove has come down yet.
It's up to you now, Baseball Writers Association of America. Put some semi-Mets in the hall!
Citi Field photo -- Opening Day 4/13/09
Sent in from a reader....jpg)
I'm excited.
Photo credit: "Bob Murphy" of the NJ.com forum. Submitted by "Kay."
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I'm excited.Photo credit: "Bob Murphy" of the NJ.com forum. Submitted by "Kay."
Brian Fuentes to visit Mets
According to the Denver Post, free agent Brian Fuentes will visit New York as the free agent process rolls on.
The article notes that the Rockies will offer arbitration to Fuentes, but he will turn it down and look elsewhere for work. It also brings up Colorado's Huston Street and the discussions they've had with the Mets regarding him and Aaron Heilman.
Nothing new there to note, but the lone comment on this article really hits home. From Warren G.:
The article notes that the Rockies will offer arbitration to Fuentes, but he will turn it down and look elsewhere for work. It also brings up Colorado's Huston Street and the discussions they've had with the Mets regarding him and Aaron Heilman.
Nothing new there to note, but the lone comment on this article really hits home. From Warren G.:
Aaron Heilman is another scrub who will come in and blow games. And starting? He wants to start? He would be just another over-paid #5 of the rotation starter whom loses his job to some AAA prospect by August.Seems like Mets fans aren't the only ones who hold this sentiment about Heilman.
Mets to offer arbitration to Oliver Perez
Another shrewd move in baseball dealings, either of which work out well for the Mets -- be it now or in the future.
Oliver Perez is a free agent, and tonight at midnight is the deadline for teams to offer one-year deals, at a much higher salary, to the free agents that filed from their team. If Perez accepts (don't count on it) the Mets have filled a hole in their starting rotation.
If he refuses, which will almost certainly happen, the Mets will receive first- and second-round draft picks as compensation for his Type A free agent status.
The Mets can do no wrong here. I'd like to see Perez back, but I know the team is going to have to pay through the nose for him since he's a Scott Boras client.
Outside of Perez, the Mets have two Type B players in Luis Ayala and Moises Alou. There's no word on whether they'll offer arbitration to either of these players. Ayala, if either, would be the only play I see here. I think Alou's days are done.
If the Mets do offer anything to Ayala, I hope he refuses, unless he's going to play for peanuts.
Oliver Perez is a free agent, and tonight at midnight is the deadline for teams to offer one-year deals, at a much higher salary, to the free agents that filed from their team. If Perez accepts (don't count on it) the Mets have filled a hole in their starting rotation.
If he refuses, which will almost certainly happen, the Mets will receive first- and second-round draft picks as compensation for his Type A free agent status.
The Mets can do no wrong here. I'd like to see Perez back, but I know the team is going to have to pay through the nose for him since he's a Scott Boras client.
Outside of Perez, the Mets have two Type B players in Luis Ayala and Moises Alou. There's no word on whether they'll offer arbitration to either of these players. Ayala, if either, would be the only play I see here. I think Alou's days are done.
If the Mets do offer anything to Ayala, I hope he refuses, unless he's going to play for peanuts.
11/29/08
Here's a nice story for your Thanksgiving weekend
As we all work off the turkey and mashed potatoes, we should all try to remember what the holiday is all about.
Fernando Tatis came back to baseball for two reasons: 1. For the fun of the game and 2. To build a church.
Well after a spectacular comeback year, and fresh off a new contract with the New York Mets, Tatis put up the church in San Pedro de Macoris. Kevin Kernan has the story in the New York Post.
Tatis will likely split time with Daniel Murphy in left field next season, and hopefully they can put up some fine numbers at the plate. They'll struggle in the field, but combined they might be able to rake at the plate.
Good for Tatis. He really proved me wrong. I was against the signing and against his promotion, but he shined all season.
Fernando Tatis came back to baseball for two reasons: 1. For the fun of the game and 2. To build a church.
Well after a spectacular comeback year, and fresh off a new contract with the New York Mets, Tatis put up the church in San Pedro de Macoris. Kevin Kernan has the story in the New York Post.
This was the Jerusalem First Church, a church Tatis quietly helped build, the church that inspired his amazing comeback.Great story."I don't have the words to explain it, it's unbelievable," Tatis said of his 2008 season and the new church that opened its doors last spring.
"I think it's a miracle."
Tatis will likely split time with Daniel Murphy in left field next season, and hopefully they can put up some fine numbers at the plate. They'll struggle in the field, but combined they might be able to rake at the plate.
Good for Tatis. He really proved me wrong. I was against the signing and against his promotion, but he shined all season.
11/27/08
Mets Rumor Rundown: K-Rod to wait until after winter meetings
Patience is a virtue. Hopefully Mets fans are able to wait it out, if their holiday wish is Francisco Rodriguez.
K-Rod's agent, Paul Kinzer, has announced that his client will wait until after the Dec. 8-11 meetings to sign on the dotted line with whichever team suits him most.
Since K-Rod is waiting, it might be in the Mets best interest to try and sign a setup guy or compile a few arms in the bullpen between now and then. A strong bullpen must be one of the aspects the player (and his agent) look at, besides the $$ signs.
If I was a player, and Team A was offering me $10 million a year and Team B was offering $9 million a year, but Team B had a better bullpen, it's pretty much a no-brainer I'm signing with the latter.
The Mets could also make a move for Brian Fuentes in this time, either to land him as the closer, or make a play to drive down K-Rod's asking price.
Should be interesting to watch play out. At least we know we have another two weeks of K-Rod rumors, at the very least.
K-Rod's agent, Paul Kinzer, has announced that his client will wait until after the Dec. 8-11 meetings to sign on the dotted line with whichever team suits him most.
Since K-Rod is waiting, it might be in the Mets best interest to try and sign a setup guy or compile a few arms in the bullpen between now and then. A strong bullpen must be one of the aspects the player (and his agent) look at, besides the $$ signs.
If I was a player, and Team A was offering me $10 million a year and Team B was offering $9 million a year, but Team B had a better bullpen, it's pretty much a no-brainer I'm signing with the latter.
The Mets could also make a move for Brian Fuentes in this time, either to land him as the closer, or make a play to drive down K-Rod's asking price.
Should be interesting to watch play out. At least we know we have another two weeks of K-Rod rumors, at the very least.
11/26/08
Baby steps
Though this offseason seems to be moving as slow as molasses, thing are guaranteed to pick up soon as the Winter Meetings approach.
The Mets are taking their first steps toward a free agency signing, as they are planning to meet with the agents of Brian Fuentes and Francisco Rodriguez in the coming days. No money or years have been offered yet, but rumors have it that the Mets might be willing to dish out a four-year deal to land the closer they desire.
According to the running poll on the right, Mets fans are favoring Rodriguez by a nose, over Fuentes, Kerry Wood and Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks. Two votes were notched for "Other," likely Huston Street, who the Mets could have had.
I believe the CC Sabathia sweepstakes is the hitch between most teams and the free agents their pursuing. Whatever Sabathia signs for, agents around the league will compare that to the possible offers and use that as a jumping off point.
Keep on waiting, because it doesn't seem like anything is going to happen anytime soon. Eventually, deal will get done, but we'll probably be waiting until December for that to happen.
The Mets are taking their first steps toward a free agency signing, as they are planning to meet with the agents of Brian Fuentes and Francisco Rodriguez in the coming days. No money or years have been offered yet, but rumors have it that the Mets might be willing to dish out a four-year deal to land the closer they desire.
According to the running poll on the right, Mets fans are favoring Rodriguez by a nose, over Fuentes, Kerry Wood and Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks. Two votes were notched for "Other," likely Huston Street, who the Mets could have had.
I believe the CC Sabathia sweepstakes is the hitch between most teams and the free agents their pursuing. Whatever Sabathia signs for, agents around the league will compare that to the possible offers and use that as a jumping off point.
Keep on waiting, because it doesn't seem like anything is going to happen anytime soon. Eventually, deal will get done, but we'll probably be waiting until December for that to happen.
Somehow, this Citigroup thing is the Mets fault
Only Wallace Matthews could place blame on the Mets for the economic downturn.
In his latest column, Matthews writes:
The Mets should just say, "You know what, take your $400 million, I'm sure with this economy, companies will be lining up around the corner!"
You're crazy, Matthews. If a team turned down $400 million right now, they'd be insane. This isn't the Mets fault, and don't try to pin it on them. Citigroup screwed up, and was lucky enough to get our money to save their butts. As I said yesterday, think of it as one giant commercial. They can do whatever they want with their commercials, why should we be able to say what they do with their naming rights.
Downright silly.
In his latest column, Matthews writes:
The Mets should be embarrassed to emblazon their new park with the name of an outfit whose players performed even worse than the team did last year. They should be ashamed of using your money to advertise their (worthless) services. If they had any ethics, they would cancel the deal now and start looking for a sponsor that can actually pay its own bills.Right. Because it's the Mets fault Citigroup is laying off 52,000 and just got a check from the US gov't.
But they don't, and they won't.
The Mets should just say, "You know what, take your $400 million, I'm sure with this economy, companies will be lining up around the corner!"
You're crazy, Matthews. If a team turned down $400 million right now, they'd be insane. This isn't the Mets fault, and don't try to pin it on them. Citigroup screwed up, and was lucky enough to get our money to save their butts. As I said yesterday, think of it as one giant commercial. They can do whatever they want with their commercials, why should we be able to say what they do with their naming rights.
Downright silly.
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