Head over to NJ.com to read Part III of the Mets blogger roundtable.
Today we answered, “If the Mets spend big on one free agent this winter -- and, obviously, there are only three high-priced options here: Matt Holliday, John Lackey or Jason Bay -- who do you think it should be and why?”
Click here to read Greg and Jason’s answers from Faith and Fear in Flushing, Eric’s from Amazin’ Avenue and mine from here.
The Mets will announce a hiring of Dave Jauss as Jerry Manuel’s new bench coach, according to Ken Rosenthal’s sources. A Daily News report also tabbed Jauss for the Mets last week.
Jauss was hired by Manuel in 1988 as a manager in the Montreal Expos system.
He has worked as first base coach for the Boston Red Sox from 1997-99 under Grady Little. He also worked as minor-league field coordinatior from 2000-01. In ‘01, he served as the Red Sox bench coach. In ‘02 he directed player development and from ‘03-‘05 he worked as an advanced scout.
From ‘06-‘07, Jauss worked as a bench coach under Little in Los Angeles. In ‘08-‘09, he served as the bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles.
Three coaching moves for the Mets organization today. Two in and one out.
Brian Costa, the Mets beat reporter for NJ.com, asked Greg and Jason from Faith and Fear in Flushing, Eric from Amazin’ Avenue and myself to participate in a roundtable discussion about the Mets offseason.
Here’s Part I, where we answer “What would it take for you to go into next season feeling optimistic about the overall direction of the Mets?”
And Part II, where we answer “Are you convinced that both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel need to go, or could one or both of them still earn your confidence between now and the end of the 2010 season?”
Thoughts?
When I was walking out of Citi Field for the last time in mid-August, I remember remarking to my mother and two friends, “Man, these stairwells are ugly! Couldn’t they have painted the cement or something?”
Well, they did. And now they’re uglier.
Update – 4:59 p.m.: Here is the Mets official spring training schedule.
Original Post: According to Spring Training Online, here is the Mets tentative spring training schedule for the 2010 season.
This is not official, as the Mets haven’t released the schedule and I would wait for that before making any hotel reservations or flights.
(H/T to Jessica DeMattia for this)
If the Mets manage to trade Luis Castillo and bring in Orlando Hudson to play second base, it will happen one of two ways. In both ways, it looks like the Mets get screwed.
Way 1: The Mets trade Castillo first, then attempt to sign Hudson.
Why it’s bad: Tons of reports say that Hudson “wants to be a Met,” but it all comes down to money. If the Mets dump Castillo somewhere, this gives Hudson the upper hand. He, and his agent, can sit back and wait for the Mets to name a price they like.
And they can wait as long as possible. The Mets would be without a player at second and Hudson, being the player they want, can name his demands. The team will have to hope no one swoops in and pays him what he wants, leaving the Mets out in the cold without a second baseman.
Way 2: The Mets sign Hudson first, then attempt to trade Castillo.
Why it’s bad: Instead of one player holding all the cards, every other MLB team would have it all stacked in their favor in this scenario. If the Mets bring on Hudson without moving Castillo, they then have two second basemen, both of which are being paid quite handsomely.
If Hudson signs first, the Mets would then have to eat a huge part of Castillo’s contract to move him (if they didn’t have to already). The other teams in the league would obviously see this logjam and will wait and wait and wait until they’re getting Castillo at a major bargain.
Either way, it looks like the Mets will be stuck between a rock and a hard place if they try and get this done.
The Brooklyn Cyclones have officially named Wally Backman manager of the Single-A affiliate.
From the press release…
"I am thrilled and grateful to be coming back to the Mets' organization," said Backman. "The greatest days of my professional career were spent here in New York, and I have always felt a special connection to the city. I am especially excited to be joining the Cyclones. Brooklyn is a major minor-league team, and I know the borough's fans are - like me - intensely passionate about baseball and about winning."
Backman's appointment as the Cyclones' manager also marks a return to the New York-Penn League for the fifty-year-old Oregon native. Originally selected by the Mets in the first round (16th overall) of the 1977 draft out of Aloha High School (OR), an 18-year-old Backman made his professional debut with the then-affiliate Little Falls club in the NYPL, and hit .325 in 69 games.
"We couldn't be happier to welcome Wally to Brooklyn, "said Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen. "He has always been a fan favorite in New York, symbolizing the blue-collar work ethic and unbridled dedication to winning that this city - and particularly this borough - values above all else in its sports stars. Brooklyn and Backman were made for each other."
He will be introduced on Tuesday at 11 a.m.