According to Ken Davidoff, Omar Minaya said that as of now, Nieve is penciled in as the fifth starter in the rotation. Davidoff further clarifies that Nieve is ahead of Jon Niese as the Mets “want to take it slow” with Niese.
He also mentioned that the Mets still want to add another arm, be it John Smoltz, Jon Garland or Ben Sheets (not in that order).
It’s still January.
-Jerry Manuel on the start (and the end)
Johan Santana will test his surgically cleaned up arm on Tuesday and will throw from the mound.
“I’m feeling good,” Santana told the AP. “Time will tell, but I am feeling good.”
In other words: Tomorrow is a big day for Mets fans. All signs point to Santana being OK, but I won’t be comfortable until he throws pain-free.
The AP also reports that Oliver Perez is pain-free. I can’t quite figure out if that’s good or bad news for Mets fans.
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.,