Link: The Citi Field myth

Head on over to The Happy Recap to read user Hoovbacca’s post on the “Citi Field is where home runs go to die” myth.

Here’s an excerpt…

The interesting thing is, with a much weaker team in 2009, the stats between Shea in ‘08 and Citi in ‘09 are remarkably similar in ever category except 3B.  Which, in case you are wondering, Citi ranks 7th among parks in triples for 2009. It runs 12th for HR.

The amazing thing to me is, 2006, when the Mets came within an inning of the World Series, the Park Factor on Shea was SO pitcher heavy, that literally Shea was dead last in every category except 3B (which oddly enough was held by the previous Yankee Stadium.) In other words, Shea in 2006 was the premier pitchers park in baseball, though most years it hovered around the middle of the pack...what we would consider "pitcher friendly leaning average"

Click here to read the full post, complete with numbers and the like.  Give it a read.

Ex-Mets: Victor Zambrano’s mother kidnapped [Updated]

Update: According to Jon Heyman, Zambrano's mother has been rescued and was unharmed.

Victor Zambrano’s mother was kidnapped Sunday, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com.

Zambrano’s mother, Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano, was taken from her son’s farm on Sunday.

Scary stuff. Hopefully everything works out for Zambrano and his family.

MLBTR pegs Holliday, Wolf and Penny for the Mets

In his “2010 Top 50 Free Agents” post, Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors goes through his personal top 50 free agents from the off-season.  He then posts where he thinks the player will land.

Dierkes tabbed No. 1 free agent Matt Holliday as a future-Met.  He also pegged No. 5 Randy Wolf and No. 25 Brad Penny as possibly Flushing-bound.

There are a bunch of other names mentioned as possible interests to the Mets, but those are the only ones that Dierkes had definitely coming the Mets way.

I do think the Mets will be big players for Holliday.  They might have to overpay, but this seems like an Omar Minaya-type addition.  Big bat, decent glove and a big splash.

Wolf, I wouldn’t mind.  He’s not the perfect Band Aid for the Mets starting rotation (more like some duct tape and a prayer), but he’d fill a hole.

And a big “no thanks” to Penny.  Unless he costs only a…nevermind.

Twitter Poll: Do you regret buying a certain player’s jersey?

When the Mets traded for J.J. Putz last off-season, a lot of people hurried out to the store to purchase a new shirt for No. 22.

Not even a full year later, it’s likely that Putz is done as a member of the Mets.

So I asked my Twitter followers if they regret buying a certain player’s jersey.  Here are some responses…

PaulsRandomStuf said: I own a Mo Vaughn Mets t-shirt. Do I really have to explain the reason for the regret? ;-)

fallacyofromeJH said: Kaz matsui....for obvious reasons

IvanCTorres said: kaz matsui! bought it right before his first year with the Mets

PessimisticMet said: my roberto alomar jersey is looking real nice right about now.

BigVin57 said: i bought Roberto Alomar and Mo Vaughn shirts. waste of money

benbarbato said: I bought a Ryan Church T-Shirt last year. Loved Church, felt he never got the chance to be what he could've been.

ambilevous said: two words. Alay Soler.

BlueAndOrange said: YUP totally bought a Hidalgo shirt.. thought he was gonna be around longer than a day.

MaryL1973 said: Yes, Paul Lo Duca because he was not the person I thought.

That’s quite a “team” we could field from these jerseys. 

Putz on the mound, Lo Duca behind the plate, Vaughn at first, Alomar at second, Matsui at shortstop, Hidalgo and Church in the OF.

Top 10 Mets prospects

Here’s the top 10 list from Baseball America…

1. Jenrry Mejia, RHP
2. Wilmer Flores, SS
3. Fernando Martinez, OF
4. Ike Davis, 1B
5. Brad Holt, RHP
6. Jon Niese, LHP
7. Reese Havens, 2B/SS
8. Josh Thole, C
9. Ruben Tejada, 2B/SS
10. Juan Urbina, LHP

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t care?

Chapman to the Mets would be a miracle

Two weeks ago I wrote that Aroldis Chapman should not be in Mets fans plans for the future of the franchise.

Today, I’m writing…to re-state that opinion.

Yes, Chapman has met with Mets officials.  Yes, he was “said” to be “considering” the Mets.  But for the money he wants, do you even want the Mets to spend much on a pitcher who is said to have, “a ways to go before he's ready to pitch in the major leagues, physically and emotionally”?

Don’t get your hopes up, Mets fans.

In fact, wouldn’t you rather see the team spend the $40-60 million he’s asking for in a bunch of different places?

Mets pick up option on Pelfrey

The Mets picked up the option on Mike Pelfrey’s contract for next season, worth $500,000.

Pelfrey went 10-12 last season with a 5.03 ERA and 1.514 WHIP in 31 starts.  He surrendered 18 home runs, walked 66 and struck out 107.

Pelfrey is not arbitration eligible until 2011.

Four file for free agency

Four 2009 Mets have filed for free agency in the two days after the World Series.

Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider filed on day one.  Alex Cora and Ramon Martinez filed on day two.

Of those four, Cora is the only one possibly returning.

Send J.J. away [Updated]

Update – 2:42 p.m.: Looks like this is all moot. Bart Hubbuch tweets that the Mets have informed Putz that they will not pick up his option.  They will buy him out for $1 million.

Update – 2:44 p.m.: I still don’t think they should bring him back, incentive-laden deal or not.  I think the team can find someone to fill that role at a much lower cost and with less of an injury history.

If anyone thinks it’s a smart move for the Mets to bring back J.J. Putz and his $9.1 million option, they need to take all their Mets gear and light it on fire.

Putz, who appeared in a mere 29 games for the Mets after coming over in an 11-player trade, was oft-injured and mostly ineffective.  He posted a 5.22 ERA and 1.636 WHIP, notching the same amount of walks as strikeouts: 19.

His reoccurring elbow injury, which the Mets had to have known about when trading for him, kept him out for a majority of the season.

For $9.1 million, there is no way on God’s green earth that the Mets could even think about bringing him back for the 2010 campaign.  That much for an injury-prone set-up man?  No way, J.J.

So good day, Mr. Putz.  Off you go to another team.  I feel bad for anyone who bought a Putz jersey before this season.

This sums it up nicely [Image]

But, at least the Phillies didn’t win it.

Order your shirts here.