Huh? I have no idea what you’re trying to say here.

Why pass up on having the best player in the game on your team because a player that could possibly be a FA next season could become available?

Because the best player in the game also carries a lot of baggage that has a “cooler” effect on his teams. Because the Mets greater need is pitching and not offense. Because if they overpay for A-Rod they won’t have the money to go after Santana and still stay at or near the luxury tax threshold.

What happens if you pass on A-Rod for a shot at Santana and then Santana signs somewhere else? Not good. And I think that our chances at signing A-Rod are better than our shot at getting Santana are.

Then you go after Sabathia or the other free agent pitchers available. The chances may be better of getting A-Rod because all it takes is money, but Santana will be better for the team.

As for Schilling apparently you didn’t watch the postseason. The Mets’ old geezer was too old to pitch key late season games but Schilling wasn’t. He excelled in the postseason. Apparently Theo disagrees with you too. He’s about to re-sign Schilling. I doubt Theo would throw over $10 million at Schilling if he thought he was done.

So A-Rod will hamper the Mets ability to improve their pitching this year and down the road. But more specifically after 2008.

Your saying A-Rod improves the pitching makes absolutely no sense. Of course he improves the offense. Stop wasting time and making arguments for things no one is arguing over.

The thing is offense was a lesser problem than pitching this year. The thing is that A-Rod also is a distraction and disruption to a team’s chemistry. The “cooler” effect. The “sucking the life out of the room” effect.

The Red Sox are close to resigning Schilling so I’m glad I have a successful GM on my side. If Theo thinks Schilling improves their chances next year, then I don’t see how he wouldn’t improve the Mets chances. Thank god you’re not the Mets GM. It would be the worst team money could buy, version 2.

And the bullpen pitchers are much better than Mota and Show. Again, if they are just fodder pitchers, then what does that make Mota and Show? Logically since they are much better than them, then it is illogical to say the Mets chances wouldn’t be improved by adding them to the mix.

If the Mets add A-Rod at anything near his asking price, then they have a good chance to never win a title for the length of his contract. Sorry, I want my team to succeed.

2) If he doesn’t change the number of fannies in the seats then he doesn’t represent a significant bump in attendance and hence revenues. I also disagree that he would draw these casual fans the way you say. Again, there is no evidence of this.

3) I disagree. As I mentioned A-Rod has a pretty bad reputation among fans around the country. I am not the only one who mentions this. It’s been mentioned by many writers over the last few days. Not only do you have no evidence for your statement, but it runs counter-intuitive to the poor image A-Rod has as a person.

4) Whether Santana signs with a team that trades for him is totally up to him. Some like you seem to have the misconception that this will not be his call. It will be, and every indication is that he will unlikely sign an extension with any team and instead he’ll opt for free agency.

2) If he doesn’t change the number of fannies in the seats then he doesn’t represent a significant bump in attendance and hence revenues. I also disagree that he would draw these casual fans the way you say. Again, there is no evidence of this.

3) I disagree. As I mentioned A-Rod has a crappy reputation among fans around the country. I am not the only one who mentions this. It’s been mentioned by many writers over the lats few days. Not only do you have no evidence for your statement, but it runs counter-intuitive to the crappy image A-Rod has as a person.

4) Whether Santana signs with a team that trades for him is totally up to him. Some like you seem to have the misconception that this will not be his call. It will and every indication is that he will unlikely sign an extension with any team and instead opt for free agency.

The funny thing is that salaries actually fell shortly after A-Rod (and Manny) signed and that no one since has approached a multi-year contract over $20 million a year.

So whatever distortion there was in the broader marketplace, it seems to have disappeared.

My concern is how it might distort the Mets’ salaries, both in terms of the demands of their own free agents and other free agents they want. I don’t think you’re going to have a very happy clubhouse.

As for Beltran not signing with the Yankees, they would have had to pay 40% in luxury taxes over and above his salary and they apparently felt at the time that he wasn’t worth it.

The NYT’s article are no longer exclusive to subscribers. Anyone can access them.

If Beltran’s reaction is not germaine to the discussion, then neither is Guerrero’s.

Anyway…

By you own admission, some of the guys that you mentioned above MAY be FA’s. Some of the others that you list probably wouldn’t be out of contention because of an A-Rod signing.

I guess I view it very simply…

Why pass up on having the best player in the game on your team because a player that could possibly be a FA next season could become available? What happens if you pass on A-Rod for a shot at Santana and then Santana signs somewhere else? Not good. And I think that our chances at signing A-Rod are better than our shot at getting Santana are.

And I am completely against getting Schilling on this team. We already have a guy we signed to specifically pitch in big postseason games, and he’s too old to make it TO the postseason. Schilling is done.

actually.. Christian warrior was the one who was pontificating on Guerrero’s attitude.

Not only do I think Beltran would be unhappy, but I think A-Rod’s salary will distort the salaries and demands for everyone else who they want to sign in the future.

Im sure he will distort a lot of salaries in the future regardless of the team he ultimately signs with.

As to Beltran’s dalliances with the Yankees.. we can agree to disagree on the reasons. – but clearly he went back to the yankees and they said no to him for whatever reason…there are some archived NYT Articles about the drama but i dont have access..

all this talk about beltran’s reaction to Arod is purely speculation and not germaine to the discussion.

1) A-Rod will draw on the road. Of that there is no argument.

2) As I said above, he changes the makeup of the fannies in the seats, not necessarily the number of them.

3) A-Rod’s impact is wider reaching than just NYC. Wright’s isn’t. You will sell way more A-Rod Met jersey’s worldwide than you will Wright ones.

4) Santana is a pipe dream. He will be traded. He will most likely be traded to a team who will be given an opportunity to negotiate with him. And the Mets don’t have the package it would take to make the trade in the first place. Forget him.

I make a little sense.

talking about 2008 here..
the UPCOMING YEAR.. AFAIK

How do the Mets SIGNIFICANTLY improve their pitching IN 2008 without adding a SIGNIFICANT offensive player like Arod? who is available at merely the cost of admission.. whatever that winds up as..say 30 mil for arguments sake

you offer Schilling, Mahay, Riske for 2008

I say if you add Arod you can wheel any number of players on the 25 man roster and prospects to MEANINGFULLY improve the pitching situation..

Does AROD also significantly improve the offense? Absolutely.. Alou is a yea older, Greene is gone.. who knows what to expect from catcher and 2B.. In my view, if we add Arod we improve our margin or error in the pitching department

Curt Schilling, in my view, is NOT meaningfully improving the pitching during the regular season… and unless you WIN in the regular season — as we saw this year — there IS NO POST SEASON..

Every team is and will be upgrading their talent .. if we sit back and add a glavine replacement and two bullpen fodder pitchers we have a good chance to NOT make the playoffs in 2008..