Daily Archives: November 19, 2007
According to the Associated Press, the Yankees and free-agent RHP Mariano Rivera have agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract.
…so much for cerrone’s ‘sandmen’ idea…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
During a conference call with reporters tonight, Mets GM Omar Minaya said…
He discussed Jon Garland with the White Sox during the GM Meetings.
He looked in to David Eckstein, because he is ‘a big Eckstein fan,’ before signing Luis Castillo.
He is working with his staff, mulling through options at catcher, where there are options available on both the free-agent and trade market.
He has left a message with Paul Lo Duca’s agent.
However, he is very happy that they were able to re-sign Ramon Castro, because he ‘has the ability’ to be an every day guy, if given the opportunity. However, he hopes to add to what they have at catcher, improving their situation by spring training.
By the way, he says other teams were interested in Castro, whose agent added that other teams viewed Castro the same way the Mets do.
Regarding Yorvit Torrealba, he would only say that a deal could not get done. He would not answer whether Torrealba had a physical, and he would not comment on whether an offer was ever actually made.
…honestly, my sense is that the team got wind of something, most likely something to do with yorvit’s shoulder, and so they backed off, and will not talk about it, either for legal reasons or out of respect to the player…again, that’s just a general sense, given all information, and the way omar stuttered and stammered through a few of these questions…
He is comfortable that he can do what he needs to with the prospects he has, and other teams view his player’s as ‘premium guys.’ Also, he says he believes he has enough talent, be it ‘a prospect or from the major-league roster,’ to acquire both a starting pitcher and a catcher via trade, if need be.
Lastly, he is comfortable ‘going young’ in right field with Lastings Milledge, or Carlos Gomez, or Endy Chavez, if need be, though, if he must fill the void, there are players in the free-agent market that he is comfortable with.
Tagged MetsBlog, Omar Minaya |
The Mets have scheduled a 6 pm conference call to announce the signing of free-agent 2B Luis Castillo.
…also, for the first time, i will be on the call…i don’t know if i’m able to ask questions, or just listen, but i’m pretty excited either way…
…Update…6:09 pm…
During a conference call with reporters a few moments ago, Mets GM Omar Minaya announced that the Mets have re-signed Castillo to a four-year deal.
Castillo said he is happy to be back with the Mets, and intends to do everything he can to help the Mets win next year. He is disappointed with the way last season ended, and believes the Mets have a great chance to win next season. Castillo had surgery done to clean out his right knee at the end of the season, and expects to be 100 percent by spring training.
…Update…6:13 pm…
Minaya said that, once he got clearance from the doctor, he had no concerns regarding Castillo’s knees.
According to the player’s agent, Castillo only felt pain from the scar tissue in his knee, which was cleaned out during the surgery.
The Waikiki BeachBoys, the Hawaii Winter Baseball team that boasts six Mets prospects on it its roster, will battle the North Shore Honu for the HWB championship tonight. The BeachBoys clinched the Eastern Division championship with a one game playoff victory over Honolulu on Sunday.
In the clinching game, several Mets prospects starred. Danny Murphy, a 22-year old third baseman, was 2-for-3 with a double, homerun, two walks and three RBI. He finished the HWB regular season with a .274 average, along with four homers, nine doubles and 21 RBI. First baseman Lucas Duda, 21, had a 2-for-5 night, giving him a .340 average with three homers and six doubles. Second baseman Hector Pellot, 20, was 0-for-4 but scored two runs, ending with a .275 average.
You can watch tonight’s game at MinorLeagueBaseball.com. First pitch is at six PM.
…updated at 6:12 PM…
It’s at 6 PM Hawaii time; that’s 11 PM here in New York.
Tagged Minors |…from what i can gather, yes, the Mets liked David Eckstein, a lot, but he is seeking a deal that will pay him roughly $3 million more per season than the team actually gave to Luis Castillo…frankly, i don’t think eckstein will get that type of contract, especially since the White 
Sox, one of his rumored suitors, just acquired Orlando Cabrera from the Angels…however, if the Mets believe castillo is healthy, and know for fact that he works well with Jose Reyes, can bat second, and can handle new york, and see him as more affordable right now, then i understand them pouncing on him, even if he is their second choice…
…my gut kept telling me that eckstein would be the better option, but only from a minimal, qualitative point of view, and since i fear both of these guys in the last two years of a four-year deal, i’m glad the team chose castillo, since he’ll likely earn less down the road, meaning it’ll be easier to cut or trade him if need be…
…also, i can’t help but wonder how the wining-and-dining of eckstein may or may not have impacted the type of deal castillo was willing to accept…i mean, if castillo really wanted to be on the Mets, as he said he did at the end of the season, and then he sensed the team going in a different direction, did that act as urgent-motivation for him to sign with the Mets at a lower price…
…as i have stated over and over again, his knees continue to be my biggest concern…i love his disciplined at-bats, and he’s beyond slick in the field, and he plays hard…but those knees, man…when he slides in to second, he gets up looking like my grandfather…however, as a reader from North Carolina pointed out to me, the Marlins announcers were recently talking about castillo on air, and stated that he has always appeared to be in pain like this, dating as far back as his rookie season, yet he has never missed any significant time…so, basically, his hobbling around is nothing new…
Lastly, according to Baseball Reference, at this point in his career, Castillo is playing most similar to Willie Randolph, who hit .305 with seven HR and 25 stolen bases at age 33, which is how old Castillo will be at the start of next season.
…thanks to jon b from new york for the link…
In a column for the New York Post about Tom Glavine leaving New York, Mark Hale writes…
“David Wells is one name that is expected to be pitched to the Mets…Wells is considering retirement, but the Mets are among the teams for which he would consider pitching.”
In 29 starts for the Padres and Dodgers last season, the 44–year-old Wells was 9–9 with a 5.44 ERA, during which opponents hit .290 against him.
…to me, wells is the type of guy a team should turn to only if all else fails…in short, if wells ends up on my team, it means so many other ideas went horribly wrong…
According to the Boston Herald, citing ‘a source familiar with the negotiations,’ the Red Sox and free-agent 3B Mike Lowell have agreed to a three-year contract worth roughly $38 million.
During a recent interview with WQXI in Atlanta, Braves LHP Tom Glavine had the following to say about…
…why he declined his option with the Mets…
“I needed to make my mind up on that option within five days of the end of the season, and within five days of the end of the season, I wasn’t really sure I still wanted to play the game, so I knew I had to go through that process – and then, quite honestly, I don’t view myself as a $13–million a year pitcher. I know I could have made that money had I chosen to, but I don’t view myself that way anymore and I’m not going to kid anybody and say that I am.”
…what he feels will be his legacy with the Mets…
“I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Obviously, going there, you wanna win a championship and that didn’t happen. I guess I looked at where the Mets were five years ago and where they are now and it’s a much better organization and it’s a much better team and I’d like to think I had something to do with that…I hope, to some degree, people will look at me as kind of being the first guy who went there and, not totally, but, brought some credibility to what they were trying to do…Hopefully, at the end of the day, people will respect the fact that I went about my business professionally and I handled myself on and off the field.”
To listen to the interview in its entirety, go to
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
. …hat tip to jon s. for the link…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche, Tom Glavine |
According to the always-reliable Jamey Newberg, at the Newberg Report, ‘there are rumors gaining steam in Texas’ that suggest the Red Sox could look to trade OF Coco Crisp to the Rangers for C Gerald Laird.
…if this is the cost for laird, it’s safe to assume texas will look to get at least Lastings Milledge or Carlos Gomez from the Mets, which, i hope, is something Omar Minaya has no interest in entertaining…
Crisp, 28, is due to earn $10.5 million through 2009, with a club option for 2010, after which he can be a free agent.
In 120 games for Texas last season, the 28–year-old Laird hit .224 with nine HR and 103 strike outs, while throwing out 39 percent of runners attempting to steal against him.
The White Sox have traded RHP Jon Garland to the Angels for SS Orlando Cabrera and cash.
For more, check out Baseball Digest Daily.
The 28–year-old Garland, who will earn $12 million next season, won 18 games in each of 2005 and 2006, but has posted an ERA lower than 4.00 only once in the last five seasons.
He is eligible to be a free agent after next season.
Meanwhile, Cabrera will earn $9 million next season, after which he can be a free agent. In 155 games for the Angels last season, Cabrera hit .301 with eight HR, 35 doubles and 20 stole bases.
← Older posts
