Heyman: Mets prefer Holliday

With Jeff Wilpon assuring fans that the Mets will be spending money this off-season, it’s time for the rumor mill of big names to start to spin.

First up: Matt Holliday.

Jon Heyman says that he believes the Mets are leaning toward Holliday over another free-agent-to-be, (and ex-Met farmhand) Jason Bay.

Holliday, who was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this season, went 1-4 with two strikeouts last night.

He hit .313 / .394 / .515 with 24 home runs and 109 RBI between Oakland and St. Louis in 2009.

Mets, Red Sox finally complete Billy Wagner trade

After much confusion, the Mets and the Red Sox have finished the deal that sent Billy Wagner to the Red Sox.

The Mets got 20-year-old first baseman Eddie Lora and 26-year-old outfielder Chris Carter.

Here’s the full press release from the Mets…

The New York Mets today announced that they acquired minor league outfielder Chris Carter and minor league first baseman Eddie Lora from the Boston Red Sox as the two players to be named later in the Billy Wagner trade that was completed on August 25.

Carter was added to the Mets 40-Man roster which is now at 38.

Carter, 26, hit .294 (126-428) with 50 runs scored, 25 doubles, 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 116 games with Pawtucket (AAA) of the International League this year. From July 1st through the end of the season on September 7th, Carter batted .333 (67-201) with nine home runs and 32 RBI. The 6-0, 230-pounder went 0-5 with the Red Sox in four games earlier this season in April.

Carter batted .333 (6-18) with three RBI in nine games with Boston in 2008. He made his major league debut on June 5, 2008 vs. Tampa Bay at Fenway Park. He also hit .300 (141-470) with 25 doubles, 24 home runs and 81 RBI in 121 games with Pawtucket in 2008. Carter was acquired by the Red Sox on August 21, 2007 to complete the trade that sent outfielder Wily Mo Pena and cash considerations to Washington.

Carter doubled home J.D. Drew in the fourth inning with the first run of the contest in the Mets first ever exhibition game at Citi Field on April 3 in Boston's 4-3 win.

The lefthanded-hitting native of Concord, CA has batted .306 (850-2779) with 168 doubles, 126 home runs and 512 RBI in 726 career minor league games. He was drafted in the 17th round in the 2004 First Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lora, 20, hit .222 (22-99) with nine runs scored, six doubles, two triples, three home runs and seven RBI in 34 games with the Gulf Coast Red Sox this year.

Lora, who was born in New York City and resides in Santo Domingo, DR, was named Boston's Minor League Latin Program Player of the Year in 2008. Last year he hit .300 (36-120) with 21 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, five home runs and 26 RBI in 35 games with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox.

The 6-2, 205-pounder was signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent on July 24, 2006. He cracked four home runs and drove in 19 runs while hitting .222 (48-216) in 2007 for the Dominican Summer League squad.

The Sports Section’s Q&A with Mike Piazza

New York Magazine caught up with former-Met Mike Piazza at the 24th Annual Great Sports Legends dinner in New York.

Here’s a little sampling…

They [the editors] wanted to know if you think the Mets are the unluckiest team in baseball.

No. I don't believe in luck. No. Look, we had a lot of frustrations when I was there. That's just the unfortunate thing of playing for the Mets. The highs are extremely high, and the lows are really low. It's really like a roller coaster. There's really not a lot of middle ground with them.

Piazza's wife interjects: The Chicago Cubs are the unluckiest team in baseball.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly! The Mets have won two World Series. There's no question. Things will get better.

Were you embarrassed by the Mets' performance this season?

No, no, no. We always root for them.

We miss you, Mike.

I wonder what Johan Santana is thinking

…Or something with a lot more expletives and exclamation points.

All while sitting on his pile of money and weeping to himself.

Manuel’s Musing

“The traffic that we had on the bases probably to a lot of degree was not properly managed as well as we would've liked to have seen.”

-Jerry Manuel on Angel Pagan Razor Shines and Luis Alicea

Mets fans will pull for Red Sox and Dodgers

In my last poll, I asked my readers what team they will pull for in the playoffs.  The Red Sox were the victor over the Dodgers by one vote.  Here are the results…Somehow, the Phillies managed to garner 11 votes.  I’m guessing those were voted for by Philly fans, don’t you think?

Personally, I’d like to see either the Twins or the Tigers win it all, though for Johan Santana’s sake, maybe the Twins shouldn’t win it all.

Next poll: Were the right people fired?

Is Keith done at SNY?

Bob Raissman brings us very chilling news about our beloved SNY trio.

Keith Hernandez may not be back.

From Raissman…

"I've enjoyed the four years and, hopefully, I'm in the middle of negotiating my new contract, hopefully, I'll be back (next season)," Hernandez said.

Darling, eyebrows raised and totally surprised, looked at Hernandez and asked: "Are you doing that (negotiating your contract on TV) now?"

"Hopefully I'll be back," Hernandez said. "If not, it's been a great four years."

Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez were one of the few bright spots for Mets fans this season.

Keith is a fan favorite and is always entertaining.  I’d be very sad to see him go.

Talking about pitching with Kerel Cooper

Here’s an interview Kerel Cooper of On The Black did with yours truly discussing starting pitching on the Mets in 2009 and going forward.

Again, thanks to Kerel from On The Black for putting this together.

Manuel’s Musing

“He's a good baseball man.”

-Jerry Manuel on keeping Razor Shines around

Reyes opts for surgery

As expected, Jose Reyes will undergo surgery on his right hamstring tendon.

From the Mets…

The Mets today announced that shortstop Jose Reyes will undergo surgery to clean up scar tissue around the accessory hamstring tendon behind the right knee (semi tendinosis tendon). He will not require surgery for the separate hamstring muscle tear in his right leg which he suffered in late September while working out for his return to baseball.

Mets Medical Director Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital for Surgery in Manhattan has directed that the surgery be performed by Dr. Daniel E. Cooper - the leading expert in the country in the surgical treatment of the chronically torn semi tendinosis tendon in athletes. Cooper, affiliated with The Carrell Clinic and based in Dallas, is the head team physician for the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars. Cooper trained under Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The date of the surgery is yet to be determined. Reyes is expected to fully recover and be ready for Spring Training.

How many months late is this?  I lost count.