Ben Sheets will cost a team $8 million, according to Jon Heyman, who spoke to an NL executive.
The Mets are one of the many teams to watch Sheets throw last week.
Sheets hit 92 mph on the gun, according to those that were there.
I’m all for bringing Sheets aboard for the Mets. He is, by far, the best pitcher still on the market, injury history or no injury history.
The Mets are holding a voluntary three-day mini-camp in Port St. Lucie, starting today.
Adam Rubin is there and providing some awesome details. Not to steal from his page views, here are the links to what he’s written so far:
Baseball, for the most part, is back!
Earlier this month, I took a stab at what I expected the Mets Opening Day lineup would look like. A lot has changed over the last two weeks or so, so it’s time to re-guess the lineup.
Here is what I think, not want, the Mets lineup to look like on April 5?
What do you think the Opening Day lineup will look like?
Does anyone else find this ironic and funny?
[Carlos] Beltran, who was unable to attend the dinner because he is rehabbing from knee surgery in Colorado, received the Joan Payson Award for community service. Mets general manager Omar Minaya accepted the award on Beltran's behalf, making no mention of the dispute between Beltran and the Mets over his surgery last week.
Oh, these Mets.
For some more notes on what went on at the BBWAA awards gala, click here. There are some gems.
With the Mets acquisition of Gary Matthews Jr., likely to challenge Angel Pagan for the starting job in centerfield as Carlos Beltran rehabs, I’m wondering who will get the nod come Opening Day.
This is not who you hope will start, but rather who will be the starter.
Update – 12:20 p.m.: Heyman confirms Stokes to LA for Matthews Jr. Angels will pay all but $2 million that is owed to him over the next two years.
Money saved from Molina will pay for Matthews, not that it makes it OK.
$1 million a year for Matthews is something I can live with.
Update – 11:57 a.m.: Jon Morosi tweets that it is, in fact, Brian Stokes heading to LA for GMJ.
Update – 11:56 a.m.: In discussing GMJ’s salary next season, Crasnick writes “It's believed the Angels will pay most of the two years and $23 million remaining on Matthews' contract with the Angels.”
Update – 11:34 a.m.: Crasnick tweets that he was told a “low salaried pitcher” is heading to LA. MLBTR suggested Brian Stokes, as the Angels had interest in him earlier, but that was just a guess.
Original post: According to Jon Heyman, the Mets are set to acquire Gary Matthews Jr. the Los Angeles Angels.
Heyman notes that Luis Castillo is not involved in the deal.
The Angels are going to pick up a “whole bunch” of Matthews contract, according to Jerry Crasnick.
No matter how much money they’re picking up, this looks like a bad deal for the Mets from the start.,
People are simply piling on this GMJ to the Mets trade. Here are my four favorite tweets this morning.
OGTedBerg: Just watch the Mets try to start Gary Matthews Jr. over Pagan next year. Just watch that. That's so going to happen.
mattcasey9: Anytime you can get a guy whose last 3 years of OPS are .742, .675, .697, and UZRs of -12.3, -9.3, -14.5 ... you HAVE to make that deal
MetsMerized: Gary Matthews Jr. misjudges flyballs, is terrible on basepaths, and dont run out grounders. Should fit right in.
dances_w_vowels: Gary Matthews, Omar? Really? Subtraction by addition, I think.
You can’t make this stuff up. Well, they just did.
Earlier today I re-tweeted a tweet from the Buffalo Bisons that mentioned a “big” announcement coming tomorrow at their Hot Stove Luncheon.
I really have no idea what qualifies as “big” news for the Bisons, but The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington has a guess.
Click here to find out what Harrington thinks might be coming tomorrow.
I guess that’d be a cool thing.
With the starting pitchers flying off the shelves, the Mets are now left with a few injury-prone players and some that just aren’t very good.
I asked my Twitter followers which starter they would like to see on the Mets come 2010. Here are some responses…
dtmfr: Ben Sheets, because he's got the highest reward (provided he stays healthy)
TheRealHoov: Jon Garland....he may not be glossy, but he's consistent and an innings eater
thesolomind: Wang
NYSportzNut: Sheets hands down - only starter available that has the upside to make the Mets a playoff contender.
Do you agree with these selections? Who would you sign if you were GM?
According to Ken Davidoff and Jon Heyman, the Los Angeles Angels have signed Joel Pineiro.
Heyman says the deal is worth two years and $16 million.
Now that he is off the table, where do the Mets turn? Ben Sheets has to be at the top of their wish list now.