No AIDS for Alomar

A weird story just got weirder.

Roberto Alomar and his new girlfriend, Maripily Rivera (whose photos I cannot publish on this website), are claiming that he is a picture of health, and does not have "full blown AIDS" as his ex-girlfriend is claiming in a $15 million lawsuit.

Alomar has his own Web site, RobertoAlomar.com, complete with a store and a blog. He released a statement yesterday. It read:

This is a very private, personal matter and I greatly appreciate all the support I have received in the past few days from my family, friends and colleagues in baseball. I am in very good health and I ask that you respect my privacy during this time.

As for the lawsuit, it is filled with lies and I am deeply saddened that someone I cared for would make such terrible accusations and try to hurt me in this way.

According to the Daily News, Rivera called the accusation "a vile lie."

Weird stuff.

No Schneider in WBC

Scratch another Met off the list.

Brian Schneider will likely not be playing for Team USA in next month's World Baseball Classic, according to Bart Hubbuch.

Better for the Mets, I think.

Angels sign Abreu for...what??

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have signed Bobby Abreu to a one-year deal, worth $5 million plus incentives.

And the Mets couldn't match that?

• Tim Redding -- $2.25 million
• Alex Cora -- $2 million
• Fernando Tatis -- $1.7 million
• Marlon Anderson -- $1.15 million
• Jeremy Reed -- $925,000
• Cory Sullivan -- $600,000
• Angel Pagan -- $575,000

Those names right there make up over $9 million of this year's payroll for the Mets. I could even add more names to the list, but it might just make you more upset.

The Mets obviously had money to spend this off-season, and to be content with a fingers-crossed, hope he can do what he did last year pick off the scrap heap, and a young singles hitter playing out of position manning left field is just silly.

$5 million for a competent outfielder (possibly a little afraid of the wall) who hit .296/.371/.471 last season. In 156 games, he also hit 20 home runs and drove in 100 RBIs. He's knocked in over 100 RBI in seven of his 11 full seasons, including the last five years in a row.

And yet he slipped through the Mets fingers because they weren't willing to pay him a little more than double what Tim Redding will earn pitching mop-up duty this season. (Redding's career ERA is a few points shy of five.)

Omar Minaya, caught looking.

Report: Nats sign Dunn [Updated]

According to the Washington Post, the Nationals have signed Adam Dunn, possibly to a two-year deal.

As if their outfield wasn't crowded already.

Update: The deal is two-years, $20 million.

Jim Bowden makes no sense.

Thanks a lot, A-Rod

For taking the spotlight off of Citi Field.

I had it up to here reading about the naming rights for the Mets new stadium. And I'm already sick of all this Alex Rodriguez talk, but that's another story entirely.

Everyone seems to be making it out that the Mets have done something wrong or are going to be hurt by the deal with Citigroup. In no way, shape or form should the name on the outside of the stadium affect the play on the field. So don't try to skew it that way.

The Mets are built to be a pretty decent team as of now. Still, there are some question marks but one of them should not be the name brandished around the new park.

A-Rod, however bittersweetly, has shifted the glaring hot spotlight back to the Bronx. Enjoy that circus, Fletcher and JSchil.

Bizarre story no. 2 of the day

The Daily News reported a weird one about the way the Mets handled the last game of the season today. Somehow, they managed to top that with a story about Roberto Alomar and AIDS.

Baseball great Roberto Alomar has full-blown AIDS but insisted on having unprotected sex, his ex-girlfriend charged Tuesday in a bombshell lawsuit.
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Nine days later, the couple went to see a disease specialist who discovered a mass in the retired second baseman's chest, the court papers say.

Alomar's skin had turned purple, he was foaming at the mouth and a spinal tap "showed he had full-blown AIDS," the suit says.

When I woke up this morning, I think this ranked dead last on the list of things I would read about.

The most bizarre story you will ever read

I know it's not fun to look back on 2008 with the '09 season so tantalizingly close, but you must read this story.

Let me try and summarize it in as few words as possible: Joe Smith should have come in, wasn't warmed up, hit his head, walked the first guy he faced on five pitches, given cover story, traded in off-season.

Please, go to Surfing the Mets and read the whole account.

How bizarre. And sad.

This better not happen again.

The Stache is back: Mets sign Jose Valentin

Jose Valentin is back with the New York Mets, according to Joel Sherman.

Valentin, who started his Mets tenure in the doghouse, eventually took over the second base starting job in 2006. He went on to have a renaissance season, and some considered him a good leader in the clubhouse, especially around Jose Reyes.

In '06, Valentin hit .271 and slugged 18 home runs.

In '07, Valentin appeared in only 51 games before breaking a bone in his leg. He hit .241 in 166 at-bats.

It will be great to have him back around Reyes and the rest of the team, if only for spring training. If he ends up at triple-A he'll be a competent call-up if when Luis Castillo goes down with an injury.

Happy birthday, Nails

Today, Feb. 10, is Lenny Dykstra's birthday. He is 46 years old.In 544 games with the New York Mets, from 1985 to 1989, Nails hit .278/.350/.413. In 1987, he knocked 37 doubles, tying the club record at the time.

Happy birthday, you extremely rich man.

Shea's final days

My father just sent me this photo.Not much left, eh?