Daily Archives: November 10, 2006
Appearing on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio, ESPN.com’s Peter Gammons described Japanese RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka as, “The best pitcher on the market,” ranking ahead of free-agents LHP Barry Zito, RHP Jason Schmidt and RHP Mark Mulder.
Gammonds predicted the following players would end up on the following teams:
Zito to the Mets, assuming they do not land Matsuzaka, followed by the Cubs or Dodgers.
Schmidt to the Dodgers or Mariners, since he prefers the West Coast.
Gary Sheffield from the Yankees to the Cubs, sooner than later.
…it’s great to have gammons back…
In a column for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Bill Conlin explains that free-agent 
OF Alfonso Soriano is a bad fit for the Phillies, who are rumored to have serious interest in his services.
Conlin concludes by writing…
“The fit for [Soriano] is obvious. Mets GM Omar Minaya hails from the Dominican Republic. More than a million of his countrymen live within 5 miles of Shea Stadium. The second-biggest Dominican “city” on the planet is Washington Heights.
“And San Pedro elder statesman Julio Franco, who spent his 19th big-league season with the Mets, was already a star when Soriano took his first swing with a broom handle and sent a Presidente bottle cap whizzing past the pitcher’s ear.”
…what a foolish, silly and ignorant statement…
An anonymous baseball official has told the Star-Telegram that the Texas Rangers made a major bid to negotiate with RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka.
…yesterday, a similar online column ran in the star-telegram that insinuated texas had the winning bid…that language has since changed in this recent column…
…mlb has been beyond tight-lipped with this process…from what i understand, they are tad paranoid, and totally respectful, about mlb’s relationship with japanese baseball and have demanded that all baseball officials zip their mouths shut…
…this has not stopped rampant speculation across the baseball world, who seem to be buzzing about one of three teams ending up with the rights to speak with matsuzaka…i’ve heard people suggest it could be texas or arizona, while most feel he’ll end up with the yankees…nobody has mentioned the mets…point is, though, they have no idea what they are talking about because league officials have been seemingly quite respectful of the commissioner’s gag order…
…most people do, however, expect a decision to come out of japan by the end of business today…
According to the Associated Press, Japanese LHP Kei Igawa of the Hanshin Tigers was given permission to pursue a career in the major leagues. The Tigers will post him on Friday.
Igawa, 27, went 14-9 with a 2.97 ERA last season in Japan. He struck out 194 batters, and lead his league in strikeouts in 2002, 2004 and 2006.
…all the hype has been around Daisuke Matsuzaka, but if you listen to people who have seen both of these guys pitch, they will always follow up by saying igawa could end up being just as effective as matsuzaka and be had for half the cost…it should also be noted, though, that i have also heard people say he has Kaz Ishii written all over him, while matsuzaka seems to get nothing but praise…so, who knows…
…the buzz from japan has been that while matsuzaka would like to play in new york, igawa prefers to pitch on the west coast…or a warm client, like atlanta, who has said to be interested…
…the ap’s headline, by the way, is, “bid-ness as usual,” which made me laugh…
In the New York Post, Kevin Kernan puts forth a few statements by Scott Boras, who represents Orlando Hernandez, Danys Baez and Barry Zito.
According to Boras, the Mets have shown interest in all three pitchers, and all three pitchers have interest in the Mets.
OF JD Drew opted out of the final three years of his contract, making him eligible to become a free agent, reports the Associated Press.
Drew, who is represented by Scott Boras, signed a five-year, $55 million contract in December 2004. He was guaranteed $33 million over the next three years with Los Angeles.
The 30–year-old Drew hit .283 with 20 homers and 100 RBI last season.
…the early buzz around drew suggests teams like the red sox, rangers, indians and astros will be interested…
He has played mostly right field through his eight year career, during which he has started more than 110 games in a season just four times.
…odd move…
…he’s been a weird case ever since he was drafted, but this is very peculiar…either he has a serious issue with los angeles, or he has reason to believe he can get more money this off-season, given that so many teams need help in the outfield, such as the mets, who i hope have no interest in this guy…
According to the Associated Press, Mets LHP Tom Glavine has filed provisionally for free agency.
Glavine has until Friday to exercise a $7.5 million player option, while the Mets have until November 20 to exercise a $14 million team option.
…this is sort of a formality…if anything, it more or less guarentees he will not execute his player option, which was expected all along…
…once friday comes and goes, it will be up to the mets whether to pull the trigger on the team option…
Though major-league free-agents are free to talk with other teams starting Sunday, Glavine cannot officially do so until the Mets have declined his option.
…the way i am reading this complicated situation is as follows…
…if glavine wants to stay with the mets, the mets will either pull the trigger on the option, or the two sides will hash out a new agreement, with the later being are far more likely scenario of the two…
…however, if glavine wants to leave, the mets will decline the option out of respect for tommy and allow him to negotiate elsewhere, most likely with atlanta, the only other team he is said to be interested in…
…tommy talking with atlanta in no way means he will not return to the mets, but i do get the sense that if he is to return it will happen sooner then later, prior to him ever getting to the open market…
…in other words, the longer this drags out, the less optomistic i will be of his return to shea…
In the Daily News, Peter Botte offers up a few quotes from Glavine, who essentially says he will certainly make a decision before the Winter Meetins, which begin on December 4.
