A letter to the New York Mets

Dear Mets,

I'm writing you on behalf of Mets fans everywhere. I am imploring you to keep Johan Santana out of the World Baseball Classic.

As it stands right now, Santana is the only pitcher I trust in the team's rotation. With Mike Pelfrey coming off a season in which he threw a ton more innings, John Maine recovering from surgery, Tim Redding not being all that great to begin with and Jon Niese being almost completely unproven, Santana is all we've got.

Not to mention that he's also coming off surgery from October.

You might hurt the mans feeling a bit, and maybe you should send a fruit basket to Hugo Chavez, but this is what's better for the team. Tell him he's just not ready to pitch. Tell him he looks like he's coming down with a cold. Tell him something, anything, to keep him from putting excess wear and tear on his arm.

Protect your $137 million investment -- JUST SAY NO.

Sincerely,
Andrew Vazzano
TheRopolitans.com

Johan Santana's Baseball-Reference page libeled

Baseball-Reference is an amazing site. I use it daily to check stats and numbers on any player that I want. Even if he only played one season in the minor leagues in 1980, B-R is pretty much guaranteed to have his stats.

On each players page, B-R allows fans or websites to "sponsor" the page. It helps them wrangle with server costs and whatnot.

Well Johan Santana's page has a bit of "internet graffiti" on it.
Ugh.

Our first Ben Sheets rumor

With Derek Lowe becoming the newest enemy, the Mets are forced to look down the list of free agent pitchers to fill the hole in their rotation.

Oliver Perez and Ben Sheets both appear on that list. We've heard a few rumors lately about Perez, but really nothing has been brought up about Sheets.

Ben Shpigel stops all that, with this: "They are also weighing a run at Ben Sheets, but are wary of his injury history."

Finally.

Sheets, when healthy, is an excellent pitcher. Too bad that is a very big "if."

Also in the article, Shpigel points out that the Mets have been unwilling to offer four years to a starting pitcher this season, and only granted one to Francisco Rodriguez in the form of a vesting option.

If the Mets were to sign anyone for four years, I'd prefer it to be Perez, simply due to his age (27). Sheets is too risky to sign for that long, but a one- or two-year deal would be fine with me. Laden it with incentives that he can earn if healthy to keep him pitching and motivated and you'd pretty much have a steal if he can start 25 games.

Mets add Alex Cora

According to WEEI in Boston, Alex Cora and the Mets have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2 million.

From WEEI:

Former Red Sox infielder Alex Cora has agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with the New York Mets. The 33-year-old Cora played with Boston from July 7, 2005 — when he was traded from Cleveland for infielder Ramon Vazquez — through last season.

I like it.

Last season with the Boston Red Sox (whom he played for since partway through 2005), Cora hit .270 / .371 /.349 in 75 games. He played shortstop the majority of those games (69), while also seeing some time at second base.

He's the new Damion Easley, except he's been to the playoffs.

Thanks to Ian from SOX & Dawgs.

Virtual tour of Citi Field

This is just too cool.

Things featured: Francisco Rodriguez's name featured on scoreboard, pitching against Ryan Howard. (He just threw a 96 mph strike), Luis Castillo(?) playing in the shift, the Home Run Apple, tucked away, K-Rod pitching to Howard, Carlos Beltran making a shoe-string catch on Howard's hit ball.

Johan Santana pitching (first to Jayson Werth (name on scoreboard) and then striking out Pedro Feliz), Castillo slapping a hit through the hole at 2B, Carlos Delgado sliding into third, David Wright smashing a home run off the second tier in left field, the Home Run Apple coming out in celebration.

The stats showed that Wright is a .301 hitter with 33 home runs, 124 RBI, 42 doubles, 115 runs, 15 stolen bases and a .533 slugging.

Fletcher has the video for the new Yankee Stadium.

Braves sign Derek Lowe

According to Braves Blast and the AJC, the Atlanta Braves and Derek Lowe have agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal.

Lowe still needs to pass a physical, but that will likely happen within the next few days.

OK, Mets fans, Lowe is off the table. Time for Omar Minaya to focus all his efforts on Oliver Perez (or Ben Sheets!). No chance that Minaya signs Perez for only three-years, $30 million as reported. He's going to command a lot more than that.

As I said before, I think the offer has to be for five years even to get Perez to the table. If Lowe is going to get $15 million a year, there is no reason that Perez can't get the same.

Improving the Citi Field Inaugural Season patch

I'm sure by now you've all seen the absolutely miserable design (if you can even call it that) on the Mets inaugural patch for Citi Field in 2009.

Well, combining my lack of anything truly productive to do and my semi-decent Photoshop skills, I decided to take a stab at designing a better patch. I came up with three. Two of them are takes on the current design and the third goes in a different, somewhat better direction.

First, for reference, here is the patch that will be worn in 2009:
Patch 1 -- Original:
Now here are my takes on it.
Patch 2 -- "Arches":
Patch 3 -- "Backdrop":
Patch 4 -- "Oval":Which one tickles your fancy?

Cast your vote!

Lowe, Braves seriously talking

From Jon Heyman:

The Braves are trying hard to finalize a deal that would solidify their rotation. The deal for Lowe is believed to be for close to $60 million over four years.

For that much, you can have him Atlanta.

I would have been OK with three-years, $45 million or four-years, $50 million. But four-years, $60 million is a little rich for my taste.

Mets make offer to Ollie?

Update: The deal is apparently for three-years and an unknown amount of money. Sorry Mets, that's just not going to get it done. I think they'll have to go for a five year minimum to even get him to the table.

Thanks to Brian Decina for shooting me an e-mail about Oliver Perez.

Decina writes that he was watching the MLB Network and Jon Heyman noted that the Mets have made an offer to Perez. The numbers are unknown as of right now, but I'm guessing it will be for a long-term deal.

Perez, 27, has been the second choice all for the Mets all off-season, behind Derek Lowe.
I'm out and about right now, so again, thanks to Brian for the e-mail.

Brooklyn Cyclones to become Baracklyn Cyclones, if only for one night

Regardless of political affiliation, this is a tad bit extreme.

According to NJ.com, "The New York Mets' Single A farm team will be renamed the Baracklyn Cyclones for its June 23 game in Brooklyn."

There's already a website up and running, along with an insane YouTube video.

I almost have no words for this. Thankfully this is only for one night.

Here's what you can get, if you attend:

* Alternate red, white, and blue jerseys adorned with the team’s new name
* FREE Barack Obama bobbleheads to the first 2,500 fans in attendance, featuring the President in a Baracklyn Cyclones Jersey
* The Economic Stimulus Package: From 10am on January 20th – Inauguration Day – to midnight on January 23rd, ticket prices for the June 23rd game will be “rolled back” to the Cyclones’ inaugural 2001 season rates: $10 Field Box Seats, $8 Box Seats, $5 Bleacher Seats. Beginning January 24th, tickets will be priced at the regular 2009 rates ($15, $12, $8)
* Universal Health Care: Free Band-Aids to the first 1,000 fans
* Naming Rights: Anyone named Barack gets in for free (Bring your ID on the night of the game)
* Joe the Plumber special: any plumber named Joe gets two free tickets – one for himself, and one to “spread the wealth” with a friend (Bring your ID and a business card or proof of employment on the night of the game)
* Bi-Partisan Consolation Prize: anyone named McCain or Palin will get a free Bleacher Seat (Bring your ID on the night of the game)
* A clear-cut Exit Strategy: fans will receive American Flags and discount coupons as they leave the ballpark

You have got to love the minor leagues and their wacky promotions. And to top it all off, tickets will go on sale Jan. 20, at 10 am. So fitting and very, very clever.

It's Obama-mania!