The Mets are not ‘Major League’

For the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to a lot of WFAN. I truly enjoy the station for it’s varying opinions and entertaining hosts. But as of late, Mets fans have been taking to the airwaves blasting the Wilpons and Omar Minaya for a slow start to the offseason.

But why? John Lackey was overpaid and Roy Halladay was never coming to the Mets. The Mets are still in on Jason Bay and are likely the leading team to land the free agent.

The more worrying comments I’ve heard on air is that:

1. The Wilpons are too cheap to put money into the team.
2. The Wilpons are content with losing.

Do you actually think the owners of the team don’t want to spend money on their team and don’t want to win?

This isn’t “Major League.”

If you’re unfamiliar with the 1989 movie, in it, a Las Vegas showgirl inherits the Cleveland Indians. She wants to move the team to Miami, but to do this, the Indians must draw less than 800,000 fans. She instructs the GM to field the worst team possible so no fans come and she can move the team, fire the whole team and start anew.

A few differences between the Mets and Major League…

• The Wilpons are not Las Vegas showgirls
• The Wilpons just built a brand new, very expensive stadium
• The Wilpons do not want the team to lose
• There is no Roger Dorn

But, there are a few similarities…

• Carlos Delgado is Pedro Cerrano
• Oliver Perez is Rick Vaughn
• Jose Reyes is Willie Mays Hayes

Anyway…

The Wilpons do not want to lose. To think that is downright insane. What owner in their right mind would actually go out of their way to, not save money, but cut costs so much that the team suffers?

Putting a poor team on the field, as we saw last year, makes people stop going to games. Yes, last year’s team wasn’t very good. Chalk it up to injuries, lack of depth or whatever you like, but to think that the owners of the team were pleased with this in bonkers.

The Mets are getting torn apart in the papers and on the airwaves. Has the offseason been a success so far? No, not at all. But there have been barely any moves at all. Mets fans must be patient right now.

If, by March, the team is no better than it is today, there will be reason for concern. But that is not the case.

In “Major League,” Rachel Phelps wants her team to lose. She puts the worst possible team on the field. (Of course, they overcome the odds and make the playoffs. It wouldn’t be a Hollywood movie without that!)

The Wilpons, like every fan, player and employee of the team, want them to win.

The team had the second highest payroll in the major leagues last year. No, spending money does not automatically earn you wins. But it’s an indication that the Wilpons are willing to spend money, willing to pay lots of money out of pocket to put a quality team on the field.

If you actually think the Wilpons would much rather see the Mets lose, look terrible on the field and watch their multi-million dollar stadium stay half-empty, take all your Mets merchandise and donate it to a fan with a level head.

This is not a Hollywood movie. The Wilpons are not dastardly villians out to make baseball miserable for Mets fans. They want to win just as much as the fans do. They’d make more money if the Mets were better, so why wouldn’t they want that?

To think they want the team to lose just to save some money (of which, they have a lot), is nuts. They want to win, they want to bring in players to help them win and they want the fans to come out and support their team and cheer for the win.

To think otherwise is just flat-out wrong.

‘Mike and the Fast Latino Man’ [Image]

If Mike Francesa is still looking for a cohost, I think
Jose Reyes might be the perfect candidate.

Seriously though, I think Reyes did a fantastic job with the interview.  He was happy, energetic and from what he said, healthy.  Everything the Mets weren’t last year. 

He was smiling his usual smile and reminded every Mets fan watching or listening how much they missed him as a player and a member of the team last year.

Report: Mets have an agreement with Igarashi

According to tweets by Patrick Newman and Bart Hubbuch, the Mets have “an agreement” with Ryoto Igarashi.

Just another report in a long, long string of them. 

For more on Igarashi, click here to read the original report.

Four or five years for Bay?

The Mets are in “serious” talks for Jason Bay, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi.

The Mets are contemplating adding a fifth year to the original four-year, $65 million offer.  They may also sign him for four years but more money.

I’d much rather see the Mets dip into the pocket and get Bay to sign for more money and a shorter contract.  I think the Mets have the money to spend and would rather see the Mets on the hook for the 31-year-old Bay for a shorter amount of time.

But how do you feel?  Take the poll below…

Thanks to the tip from Nick Migliore on Twitter.

Link: The Mets and Latin players

This is an absolute must-read for Mets fans.

James Kannengieser from Amazin’ Avenue takes those that think the Mets “only sign Latin players” to task.

Please, for the love of all Mets fans’ sanity, read this and keep this in mind anytime someone else brings up this insane argument.

Thank you, James.  You’ve done quite a service to fans everywhere.

Ex-Mets: Broadway signs with Toronto

According to Shi Davidi, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed Lance Broadway to a minor-league deal.

Pair that with Ramon Castro also signing with the Jays, and the pair that was traded for each other could be in the same battery next season.

Live chat with Jeff Francoeur at 11 a.m.

Update – 12:09 p.m.: Here are some of my tweets, with updates from his chat…

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Original post: Head over to MLB.com (or enter the chat room right here) for a live chat with Jeff Francoeur at 11 a.m.

The Mets are really putting Francoeur in the spotlight.  First he’s Santa, now he’s chatting with fans.  They love them some Frenchy.

Thanks to Kerel Cooper for the link.

With no decision from Bay, Mets adjust offer

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Mets have tweaked the offer to Jason Bay.

“Minaya is thought to have offered a five-year deal (at slightly lower dollars per year than the original four-year offer for close to $65 million), but with Bay still believed to be seeking a six-year deal from them,” Heyman writes.

The deal for Bay might have to be worth $75 million over five years.

With Bay now looking like less of a bargain, the Mets might rethink getting in on the Matt Holliday discussion, according to Heyman.

(It should be noted, as it is very much so on Twitter, that Heyman and Holliday’s agent, Mr. Scott Boras, are quite close.  This could be an inside job to create a bigger market for Holliday.  No one else is reporting that the Mets are in talks with Boras for Holliday.)

Buster Olney of ESPN writes that the Mets are “monitoring the Matt Holliday negotiations, but are not actively involved.”

NYT: Mets closing in on two-year deal with Igarashi (Updated)

Update – 9:26 p.m.: A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press the Mets and Igarashi are closing in on a two-year deal.

My head is spinning.  Seriously, does anyone have a read on this?

Update – 9:00 p.m.: Head over to Fonzie Forever for a translation of the Japanese report that has the Red Sox in the lead for Igarashi.

Update – 6:40 p.m.: Adam Rubin talked to Igarashi’s agent, who said they “are in serious discussions” with the Mets.

Update – 6:33 p.m.: According to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker, a Japanese report has the Red Sox in the lead for Igarashi, as they are willing to offer a deal worth $2-3 million in total.

Original Post: According to David Waldstein in the New York Times, the Mets are close to signing a two-year deal with Japanese relief pitcher Ryoto Igarashi.

Igarashi, 30, has pitched in the Japanese Central League since 1999.  He holds the joint record for fastest pitch in the JCL at 98.75, which he threw in 2004.

He has gone under the knife for Tommy John surgery, missing all of 2007, according to NPB Tracker.

“Most of those scouts projected him as an effective late-inning reliever at the major league level,” Waldstein writes.

Last season, with the Yakult Swallows, Igarashi was 3-2 with and 3.19 ERA in 56 games. Over 53 2-3 innings, Igarashi struck out 44.

According to NPB Tracker, control has been an issue for Igarashi.  In 517 1-3 innings in the JCL, he’s tossed 42 wild pitches and issued 221 walks.  He has struck out 586 in his career.

If signed, he could be a possible set-up man for Francisco Rodriguez.

Also, according to this site, his blood type is Type A.  No, seriously.

Here’s a video of him striking out the side last season…

Link: Francoeur as Santa [Video]

Go here to watch some video from today’s holiday party, hosted by the Mets.

Jeff Francoeur played Santa and Jon Niese (feeling much better), Jose Reyes (also feeling much better), Bobby Parnell and Angel Pagan played the elves.

I guess Reyes missed the striped shirt memo.

Francoeur is front a center.  The Mets really like this guy, don’t they?