According to Jon Heyman and Sweeny Murti, Omar Minaya and the Mets are wasting no time in Las Vegas.
After arriving at 5 pm local time, the Mets have already scheduled a few sit-down meetings with free agent closers. Their first choice, Francisco Rodriguez, is supposedly meeting with the team officials as early as tonight.
That could mean that right now, in Las Vegas, the Mets staff is pitching numbers to K-Rod and his agent Paul Kinzer.
It'd be a nice hurdle to get out of the way if they can sign Rodriguez early, but unless the deal is exactly what he wants, expect him to shop around a little before making his decision.
12/7/08
MLB Rumor: Dye traded to Reds [Updated: Maybe not]
Accord to Hal McCoy (via MLBTR), the White Sox have traded Jermaine Dye to the Reds for Homer Bailey.
This is of note on this site because the Mets had been linked to Dye in the Fernando Martinez rumored trade.
From McCoy:
What is puzzling is that Bailey is a young guy, under contract for six years and Dye has one year left with a mutual option for 2010. I would have thought that the Reds could have gotten a little more for Bailey, who struggled last season, but I guess they thought the time was right.
Update: Lies! The Chicago Tribune refutes the story above.
It's official. The Winter Meetings are going to be insane.
This is of note on this site because the Mets had been linked to Dye in the Fernando Martinez rumored trade.
From McCoy:
A major-league source close to the situation told The Dayton Daily News on Sunday, Dec. 7, "The deal is done and will be announced this week."Guess you can scratch that trade off the list (thank goodness).
What is puzzling is that Bailey is a young guy, under contract for six years and Dye has one year left with a mutual option for 2010. I would have thought that the Reds could have gotten a little more for Bailey, who struggled last season, but I guess they thought the time was right.
Update: Lies! The Chicago Tribune refutes the story above.
A source familiar with the talks rejected a report in the Dayton Daily News quoting a "major-league source close to the situation" that a deal to send Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye to Cincinnati for pitcher Homer Bailey "was done and would be announced this week."Also, check out that story for a tidbit on a broken down trade proposal with the Mets. Minaya refused to include Bobby Parnell, and trade talks stalled.
It's official. The Winter Meetings are going to be insane.
In honor of the Winter Meetings being held in Las Vegas
I figured I'd put a little casino themed photo together.
From top left, going clockwise: Kerry Wood, Brian Fuentes, Raul Ibanez, Derek Lowe, Jon Garland, Huston Street, Orlando Hudson, Nick Punto and Francisco Rodriguez.
From top left, going clockwise: Kerry Wood, Brian Fuentes, Raul Ibanez, Derek Lowe, Jon Garland, Huston Street, Orlando Hudson, Nick Punto and Francisco Rodriguez.Also: Check out this strangely appropriate Photoshop from a few months ago (two months to the day, exactly!).
The Winter Meetings start tomorrow. Prepare for news overload. Tune in here, as I will work as the filter between you and all the ridiculous news. If it's worthwhile, you'll read it here. If it's just rumors for the heck of rumors, I'll be sure you won't be bothered with it.
12/6/08
Olney: What the Mets will offer
The Mets look like they're going to break the bank for a closer, according to Buster Olney.
Olney takes some educated guesses on his blog, and proposes what he believes the Mets will offer to the top three closers on the market: Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood.
On my Christmas list: A "Rodriguez" Mets jersey.
Olney takes some educated guesses on his blog, and proposes what he believes the Mets will offer to the top three closers on the market: Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood.
Francisco Rodriguez, three years and $36 million; Brian Fuentes, three years and $30 million; Kerry Wood, two years and $16 million to $18 million. The Mets are really sitting in a strong position, as perhaps the only big-market team intent on spending good money on a reliever, and their intention is to present the offers with this marching order: The first reliever who accepts our offer is going to be our closer.I am going to go out on the veritable limb here and say the Mets are going to sign K-Rod. I also think they're going to deal Aaron Heilman and someone else in a package for a good 8th inning guy either before or very soon after they land their closer.
On my Christmas list: A "Rodriguez" Mets jersey.
Sign Pedro Martinez
That's right, I said it. The Mets should sign Pedro Martinez.
As I noted yesterday, I agree with Dan Graziano that the Mets are overvaluing their 2009 rotation, especially with the two holes at the back end of the rotation. With Jon Niese and Bobby Parnell attempting to break into the big leagues on a full time basis, the Mets need security.
"I do want to play," Martinez told Christian Red in today's NY Daily News. "I'm not going to talk about it until January. I'm away from all that. I know I'm a free agent. One thing - I'm getting ready because I know how long it takes to get ready. I'm working out. I'm doing everything I have to do."
Why not sign Martinez? Well for one, he's extremely injury prone. He's at the end of his career, there is no doubt about that, but he's still able to pitch at the major league level to some degree. He can put in innings and is proven at this level, something you cannot say about Niese or Parnell.
He's no longer the ace of the staff, but he can definitely serve as the 5th man in the rotation.
Take a chance. A one-year deal, with incentives. He knows New York, can pitch in high-pressure cities and is a great addition in the clubhouse. I'm for it.
As I noted yesterday, I agree with Dan Graziano that the Mets are overvaluing their 2009 rotation, especially with the two holes at the back end of the rotation. With Jon Niese and Bobby Parnell attempting to break into the big leagues on a full time basis, the Mets need security.
"I do want to play," Martinez told Christian Red in today's NY Daily News. "I'm not going to talk about it until January. I'm away from all that. I know I'm a free agent. One thing - I'm getting ready because I know how long it takes to get ready. I'm working out. I'm doing everything I have to do."
Why not sign Martinez? Well for one, he's extremely injury prone. He's at the end of his career, there is no doubt about that, but he's still able to pitch at the major league level to some degree. He can put in innings and is proven at this level, something you cannot say about Niese or Parnell.
He's no longer the ace of the staff, but he can definitely serve as the 5th man in the rotation.
Take a chance. A one-year deal, with incentives. He knows New York, can pitch in high-pressure cities and is a great addition in the clubhouse. I'm for it.
12/5/08
Leave it to Graziano for the doom and gloom -- Too bad he's right
Dan Graziano has a very sobering article up. In it he details how "painfully slow" the off-season has gone for the Mets, and the outlook on 2009, as of now. Let's take a look at the more important pieces.
He then begins to break down the Mets rotation behind Johan Santana. All of which he labels as big question marks.
Niese, I am worried about. I don't understand how the Mets think he will easily transition into the rotation. He's going to have growing pains, just like Pelfrey did. If they expect him to hold his own in this league, they're in trouble. They need to sign some low-risk / high-reward veteran to challenge him in spring training.
He then wonders why the Mets are holding back and fearing to spend to too much. He lays out the idea that with a blossoming TV network, brand new ballpark and $20 million a year from Citigroup, they still choose to not spend a lot of money.
I have to agree with him here, again. The Mets need to spend spend spend because they have so many holes to fill. I understand they don't want to be the ones to set the market standard, but there comes a time when you have to break the bank. This is one of those times. After two awful collapses of just missing the playoffs, they need to do something to make the fans trust them again. The new ballpark is nice, but if the teams stinks, it won't matter.
Graziano's theme is that the Mets are overvaluing their 2009 team.
You can't expect similar numbers out of Fernando Tatis, the second-half Carlos Delgado or even the first 120-AB's of Daniel Murphy's career. The core is nice, but they have two gaping holes in their rotation, with no solid outlook on who will fill those holes. They are so focused on picking the right closer, which won't matter if you don't pick the right rest of the bullpen to get the leads to that closer.
Omar Minaya has A LOT of work to do, and it should just be getting started. Hopefully Jeff Wilpon is ready to sign some checks.
Earlier this off-season, the Mets had the opportunity to trade Aaron Heilman for a 30-year-old pitcher who's averaged 32 starts and 13 wins for the past five years while his teams won four division titles and a World Series. As part of the deal, the Chicago Cubs were willing to pay part of the pitcher's $9.875 million salary in 2009, the year before he became a free agent.That pitcher in question was Jason Marquis. If this deal was straight up Marquis-for-Heilman, and the Mets didn't pull the trigger, than they're downright silly. Marquis would have been a nice back of the rotation pick up, and would have rid the team of Heilman, a win-win situation if I've ever seen one.
He then begins to break down the Mets rotation behind Johan Santana. All of which he labels as big question marks.
-John Maine. He's coming off of shoulder surgery, has never had any sustained health or success without Rick Peterson as his pitching coach and probably can't be counted on for anything reliable until we start seeing it.I do think Maine will bounce back. He's matured as a pitcher and should be able to hold his own. I've noted Pelfrey's coming troubles in the past, but hopefully he can pitch close to the level of last season.-Mike Pelfrey. Big, strong kid who had a breakout year in 2008 and could be headed for big things. But his innings total jumped by 50 from 2007 to 2008, which makes him a potential breakdown candidate and, at the very least, a candidate to not be as good next year as he was last year.
-Jonathon Niese. Yes, it's true. The Mets have made an internal decision to bring Niese to camp as a projected member of their starting rotation. They believe he's got the talent to succeed in the majors right now. That belief is fortified by the success Pelfrey had last year, and their hope is that Niese can follow in his footsteps.
Niese, I am worried about. I don't understand how the Mets think he will easily transition into the rotation. He's going to have growing pains, just like Pelfrey did. If they expect him to hold his own in this league, they're in trouble. They need to sign some low-risk / high-reward veteran to challenge him in spring training.
He then wonders why the Mets are holding back and fearing to spend to too much. He lays out the idea that with a blossoming TV network, brand new ballpark and $20 million a year from Citigroup, they still choose to not spend a lot of money.
I have to agree with him here, again. The Mets need to spend spend spend because they have so many holes to fill. I understand they don't want to be the ones to set the market standard, but there comes a time when you have to break the bank. This is one of those times. After two awful collapses of just missing the playoffs, they need to do something to make the fans trust them again. The new ballpark is nice, but if the teams stinks, it won't matter.
Graziano's theme is that the Mets are overvaluing their 2009 team.
You can't expect similar numbers out of Fernando Tatis, the second-half Carlos Delgado or even the first 120-AB's of Daniel Murphy's career. The core is nice, but they have two gaping holes in their rotation, with no solid outlook on who will fill those holes. They are so focused on picking the right closer, which won't matter if you don't pick the right rest of the bullpen to get the leads to that closer.
Omar Minaya has A LOT of work to do, and it should just be getting started. Hopefully Jeff Wilpon is ready to sign some checks.
Happy Birthday, Cliff Floyd
Today is Uncle Cliff Floyd's 36th birthday.
Floyd signed with the Mets on January 9, 2003 and ended up spending four seasons with the team, appearing in 468 games.
Floyd is currently a free agent after coming off a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. He may retire if the right team doesn't come along. He continues to struggle with injuries, which would be the reason he would leave the game. If he does retire, he put up .279 career batting average, with an OBP of .359 and knocking 233 home runs overall.
Strangely, I had a dream involving Floyd last night, in which he was the Atlanta Braves first base coach next season. Very odd.
Floyd signed with the Mets on January 9, 2003 and ended up spending four seasons with the team, appearing in 468 games. Floyd is currently a free agent after coming off a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. He may retire if the right team doesn't come along. He continues to struggle with injuries, which would be the reason he would leave the game. If he does retire, he put up .279 career batting average, with an OBP of .359 and knocking 233 home runs overall.
Strangely, I had a dream involving Floyd last night, in which he was the Atlanta Braves first base coach next season. Very odd.
Mets Rumors: Mets prefer K-Rod
Though this may not come at a shock to anyone, Marty Noble reported today on the Hot Stove Blog that the Mets prefer Francisco Rodriguez over any of the free agents or available closers.
A few days ago, a poll finished up in which I asked which closer fans would want more. K-Rod led the poll, garnering 41 percent of the vote, with Brian Fuentes getting 27 percent. A lot of fans have brought up Rodriguez's decreased velocity over the last few years, and commenter Paul Mannino has continually brought up the fact that Fuentes led Rodriguez in VORP last season.
(VORP, for those of you that are unfamiliar with the term, stands for Value Over Replacement Player. It is compiled as (((League Runs/Game + 1) - RAvg)/9)*Innings Pitched. Enjoy that.)
Noble also notes that the Mets are likely to come away from the Winter Meetings empty handed.
Again, I don't care who they sign, as long as he doesn't break the Mets bank.
According to Jeff Wilpon in an article in today's Daily News, Omar Minaya has been working the phones.
Well, get it done, Omar. Take care of business.
A few days ago, a poll finished up in which I asked which closer fans would want more. K-Rod led the poll, garnering 41 percent of the vote, with Brian Fuentes getting 27 percent. A lot of fans have brought up Rodriguez's decreased velocity over the last few years, and commenter Paul Mannino has continually brought up the fact that Fuentes led Rodriguez in VORP last season.
(VORP, for those of you that are unfamiliar with the term, stands for Value Over Replacement Player. It is compiled as (((League Runs/Game + 1) - RAvg)/9)*Innings Pitched. Enjoy that.)
Noble also notes that the Mets are likely to come away from the Winter Meetings empty handed.
Again, I don't care who they sign, as long as he doesn't break the Mets bank.
According to Jeff Wilpon in an article in today's Daily News, Omar Minaya has been working the phones.
I know that there is a lot of activity with Omar on the phone talking to different GMs right now trying to get something done in a trade or maneuvering so that he's ready when we get to the winter meetings and go from there.I also love this little quote.
He's [Minaya] like, 'Listen, we'll take care of business.' He's on the phone all the time now with other GMs trying to set things up.I can just imagine Minaya turning to Wilpon and saying "Listen, we'll take care of business!"
Well, get it done, Omar. Take care of business.
12/4/08
Playing for Peanuts [Episode 3]
Here is the third installment of Playing for Peanuts.
Enjoy while my computer goes in for surgery.
As always, check out PlayingForPeanuts.com!
Enjoy while my computer goes in for surgery.
As always, check out PlayingForPeanuts.com!
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