Link: Mets should trade Johan Santana

Here’s an idea: Mets should trade Santana
By Bob Klapisch

I wholeheartedly disagree.  Have at it in the comments to explain your opinion.

Clint Everts signs major-league deal

Last week, I wrote that the Mets had signed former first-round pick Clint Everts.  Omar Minaya was the GM to draft Everts for the Montreal Expos back in ‘02.

Today, we learned (via Brian Costa), that it was a major-league deal and he has been added to the 40-man roster.

Jose Reyes interview on WFAN [Video]

I’m about to pack up and hit the road back to my home state of New Jersey.  Just  finished up the first half of my senior year at Quinnipiac University, so it’s winter break!  (Man, when did I get so old?!)

While waiting on Jason Bay and reveling in the signing of Ryota Igarashi, here are links to the videos from Jose Reyes’ interview on WFAN from Wednesday.

Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3

Enjoy and if anything happens, in the next three hours, shoot me an e-mail (TheRopolitans@gmail.com) and I’ll pull the car over and post from the road.

Link: As the Mets go, so does SNY

In one of those articles where you scratch your head and wonder, was there nothing else to write?, Bob Raissman penned this.

The gist of the article is that when the Mets lost, less people watched Mets games, meaning SNY struggled with commercials and sponsors.

Thanks, Bob.  Couldn’t get that one on my own!

Mets (finally) sign Ryota Igarashi [Updated]

Update – 7:50 p.m.: According to Brian Costa, it’s a two-year deal worth $3 million.

$1.25 million in 2010, $1.75 million in 2011.  There are also $50,000 bonuses for each of 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 appearances.

Original Post: The Mets have announced the signing of relief pitcher Ryota Igarashi.

The contract is a two-year deal, according to reports.  No money has been announced yet.

For the inside scoop on Igarashi, click here.

Here’s the release from the Mets…

The New York Mets today announced that they signed righthanded pitcher Ryota Igarashi to a two-year contract.

Igarashi, 30, was 47-29 with 54 saves and a 3.25 ERA in 507 games for the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League from 1999-2009. He recorded 630 strikeouts in 570 innings for an average of 9.95 strikeouts per nine innings.

"We've had an interest in Ryota for two years," said Mets General Manager Omar Minaya. "He's got a power arm and an outstanding split-finger."

The 5-11, 190-pound hurler went 3-2 with three saves and a 3.19 ERA in 56 games last year. In 53.2 innings, he surrendered 42 hits, 19 runs, earned, with 20 walks and 44 strikeouts.

"I have known the Mets scout in Japan, Isao O'Jimi, since I was in high school," Igarashi said through an interpreter. "When I received the Mets offer there was no doubt in my mind that this was the team I wanted to go to and start my career in the United States. I am looking forward to playing in New York and pitching in the same bullpen as Francisco Rodriguez."

Igarashi rebounded from Tommy John surgery in 2007 to post a 3-2 record with a 2.47 ERA and three saves in 44 contests the following year. He recorded 42 strikeouts in 43.2 innings.

He established a career-best 37 saves in 2004 and won a career-high 11 games in 2000. Igarashi pitched in 60-or-more games from 2002-2004.

The Mets have had nine Japanese-born players appear in at least one game. The list includes: Takashi Kashiwada (1997), Hideo Nomo (1998), Masato Yoshii (1998-1999), Satoru Komiyama (2002), Tsuyoshi Shinjo (2001, 2003), Kazuhisa Ishii (2005), Shinjo Takatsu (2005), Kazuo Matsui (2004-2006) and Ken Takahashi (2009).

Twitter Poll: Should the Mets take a chance on Chapman?

With the waiting game for Jason Bay in full swing, I took to Twitter to ask about another possible free agent option.

Aroldis Chapman, the 21-year-old Cuban defector, threw for teams a few days ago.  According to reports, the Mets were in attendance.

So, as a fan, would you want to see the Mets take a chance and sign Chapman?  Here are some responses…

YES

NYSportzNut: No brainer as far as I am concerned.

MattRobbie: It would be a huge boost to our minors to help us build for the future.

chrisbirckhead: Yes 1,000 times yes. Easily the best talent left on the market.

Chuipi: Of course, only 21, lefty and a power arm.

DonCheech: YES

samtpage: YEA.

NO

blizzake: Not really, I think whatever team he goes to they are going to be way overpaying.

MrMustSeeTV: I'd rather have the Mets invest in Chapman than Piniero, Marquis or Garland. Chapman + Mejia would make a nice combo.

ON THE FENCE

nmigliore: Only at the right price... $20M max.

EliFromBrooklyn: If Chapman doesn't lick his hand, talk to himself and/or crave Mexican food at 2:00 am - sign him to a sensible contract.

CaughtLookin: As long as it doesn't curb other spending, I'd do it.

TheHappyRecap: I doubt they take a chance on him. From a PR standpoint they need sure things, even if the guys they get are assured to suck.

disgruntmetsfan: Only if they felt he was a viable option, and not a response to Halladay.

What’s your take?  Hit the comments to dish your opinion.

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.