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…several people have e-mailed to say that ESPN Radio in New York has been discussing a potential swap of Blue Jays RHP A.J. Burnett for Mets RHP Aaron Heilman, initially mentioned on-air by ESPN.com’s Buster Olney…
…however, olney just called me to say this is simply his idea, 
speculation, something he believes would make sense for both teams after having evaluated the market for the last few days…
On Tuesday, at ESPN.com, Jayson Stark wrote that the Mets had inquired about Burnett.
However, today at ESPN.com, Stark says the Blue Jays are not going to trade Burnett, ‘for now.’
Nevertheless, according to the New York Post, the Mets are not looking at Burnett anyway.
…actually, from what i can gather, people connected to the Mets were actually telling reporters last night, flat out, that these burnett rumors were all false, including their level of interest…
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Matt…you’ve hit the big time. Buster calling you to clarify? I love it.
Did you leave him on hold for 5 minutes before you picked him up?
yeah, was gonna say this. buster just calls you up? very nice.
hahah that was my first though when i read this .. matt cerrone is bigg
Did you talk him via the OnStar hotline?
At least OIney had the b-lls to admit that it was his opinion, and not something a nameless, faceless Mets “insider” or the infamous “source close to the Mets” told him.
is the trade straight up? if yes…….. do it
I just got off the phone with prez. Bush, I was having a conversation with a co-worker, and I was saying how the Bush Doctrine has set us back 50 years in foreign policy, George just wanted to clarify the situation…. Its nice to be people who know people
Just a thought…what do you think Wagner would net in the trade market? Burnett could be a phenomenal closer and maybe save his arm in the process.
Prob not much. Only the big market teams could have him and they all have closers.
I guess that’s true. He kind of disgusts me though. As much as I hate Pat Burrell, none of it has to do with calling Wagner a rat.
That being said, he wasn’t the problem with this team, just wondering if we were to eat part of the salary, if we could get some minor league help back. Pending a trade for Burnett and a switch to a different role.
Wagner has a no trade clause
Just walked by the White House. Buddy was busy outsmarting Ol’ Bush in a game of Cowboys and Indians snowball fight
this website needs to stop being update 50 times a day… it is way too much and is just ridiculous with all the rumors that are out there. I understand you are trying to be on top of all the rumors, but come on… this is just over saturation
Waaaahhhh.
so then don’t check it 50 times a day….ridiculous
Don’t listen to this guy… More Post = More Gooder
When Omar calls you to confirm a trade, then you’ve made it
Omar will soon call you for a job.
Omar would be to Metsblog what Steve Philips is to Baseball tonight.
The worst thing that ever happened to the Mets was Wilpon buying out Doubleday 6-7 years ago.
The Mets payroll is currently around 90 million dollars (115 million – 12 million for Glavine – 7 million for LoDuca – 6 million for Green – 3 million for Estrada’s salary which they will dump + 2 million for the raise that Castillo got). They’ve cut over 25 million since last year and they now have a new stadium coming which will bring in extraordinary revenue, a new tv network SNY (cash cow), have had incredible increases in gates the last few years, received 20 million yearly in Citifield naming rights, and have increased ticket prices through the roof on us, and they’ll continue to raise ticket prices. It’s time to start acting like a BIG MARKET TEAM and have a payroll that is more than 35% of the NYY and more than 55% of Boston. Even if the Mets added Willis, Pudge, AND Santana…. that would still only put the payroll at around 123 million [95 million + 13 million for Pudge + 7 million for Willis+ 13 million for Santana (his salary this year) - 5 million w/ Schneider going to Detroit]. And Delgado’s and Martinez salaries (combined ~35 million) will come off next year, as will Wagner’s salary (13 million). And thus it should not be a problem to give Pudge the extension for 13 million in ‘09. Yes he might be on the list and yes he is not the same offensive player he used to be- but he is an upgrade both offensively and defensively (especially) over the cr*p catchers we currently have.
And he is a winning player that could help change the culture of this choking franchise.
I’m not saying they have the chips to get Santana in addition to Willis, Pudge, but if they did, MONEY SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE for what is supposed to be a BIG MARKET TEAM.
There is no reason this team cannot have a payroll in the 150 -160 million range, if need be, with all of the incredible revenue streams pouring in! And getting Williis, Pudge, etc. would still only put it at 123 million with the math above- and you can still sign a few relievers, etc. and have it be under 130 million.
I am completely fed up and disgusted with Freddie Coupons, and as I said, the worst thing that ever happened to this franchise was when Doubleday was bought out.
So just sign Livan Herandez, raise ticket prices 20%, and go finish in 3rd place Freddie Coupons..I hate you. I will not spend a penny on this cheap, pathetic team.
And if any of you are happy/content with this, just go ahead and continue to go to games, buy merchandise, etc., and continue to get ripped off by this disgrace of a franchise.
Yup Doubleday>Coupon
If money is not an issue and A’s O’s & Twinks all want same prospects, then it’s a no brainer that we go after Santana. Haren and Bedard are not in the same category.
Yeah. I’ve been wondering even if we had all the trade chips that Minny wants, would the Mets be willing to pay Johan $25 million a year.
Exactly!
Mets could be making a preemptive move saying, the Twins want too much, in the meanwhile getting a second tier pitcher. They’ve done it many many times.
The key question is, what exactly is the budget Minaya is allotted?
Haha, you people crack me up. We have something like the 3rd highest payroll in baseball and there are some calling him Freddie Coupons. Unbelievable.
All of these rumors have nothing to do with money and everything to do with prospects.
I have news for you all: Willis stinks. He’s so overrated it’s not even funny. Maine and Perez are both better than him. Why would we want to trade prospects AND swallow 2 years of Pudge @ 15M per? For what? The privilege of having a pitcher with a 5+ ERA whose peripherals have been in steady decline for the last three seasons? Yeah, no thanks. All Willis is is a name. Why buy the brand name when the generic is just as good (and sometimes better)?
And who exactly do you want the Mets to sign on the free agent market? Carlos Silva? Kyle Lohse? Hiroki Kuroda? Because those are the best guys out there right now. I’d rather put Heilman in the rotation to see what he’s got and roll the dice on Pelfrey/Mulvey/Humber than to sign any of those jokers to a long term deal.
Great name!
I agree with your comment! It’s a disgrace and an insult to the met fans who are lead to believe that management built a winning franchise. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I love how so many Met fans now think the franchise owes you the stars. They are going to do their best to get a winning team on the field. Not every franchise is going to go out and buy players just because they have good names. Why get Willis when his mechanics have gone off the deep end and scouts now hate him. Why get a 35 year old Pudge who is obviously on the decline and most likely linked to the Mitchell Report. I like Bedard, but he has red flags too – Tommy John in the minor leagues, arm problems last season. Burnett is an injury risk and an average pitcher, and Haren had an awful 2nd half last year where batters hit .300 off him. Of all the pitchers who the A’s gave up on, how many of them stayed consistent? Zito Bombed, Mulder’s arm gave out, Hudson hasn’t been the same.
Not that we shouldn’t go after Haren, Bedard, or Johan, but just realize that there are reasons out there outside of “our franchise is failing us.”
It’s time to stop acting like we are spoiled – two seasons of big named players not named Piazza means nothing.
Want to clarify what makes this a cheap pathetic team? Do we need to surpass the Yankees and Red Sox in payroll to get rid of the cheap label? If we didn’t collapse down the stretch last year, you wouldn’t have written “pathetic.”
I’m just confused on how payroll even fits into this. The problem isn’t people being too expensive, it’s no one liking our prospects. You can’t make a trade if no one is interested. Also, doesn’t the fact that Pudge recently signed a 2 year deal in October, and is now being shopped raise an eyebrow? Maybe they are trying to trade him because they found out he’s on the list? Maybe they can see that a 35 year old catcher that is on the decline isn’t worh that salary. That’s why the Mets bailed out on Lo Duca and Mota; both of which will be there.
Last year we choked, no doubt about it – but we are not a choking franchise – that would be the Yankees over the last few years, or maybe Cleveland or Oakland who couldn’t win a game 7 their lives depended on it.
I can agree that Coupons isn’t great – but tacking on salary does nothing but raise ticket prices and infuriate fans. Baseball is a business regardless of how you spin it. They need to make money, and save money – shaving 3 million of Estrada’s salary creates 3 million elsewhere – maybe not to sign a player, but to pay a trainer. I think the Yankees proved that a bloated payroll in the end doesn’t prove anything.
Also, scratch that first paragraph – I think you fully explained why you think the team is cheap…lol
Last year… SI had Freddie Coupons as one of the best Owners in Sports Franchaises… in the top 10 some where
Who should the Mets sign as a FA that they haven’t because of $$$$?
About the only issue that might be valid is the minor league “slotting.”
Last year the Mets bid $36M for DiceK. (2nd highest and was ahead of the Yanks)
Before that they were high bidders for Wagner, Beltran, Pedro, and Delgado (he opted to take the Florida money instead).
I’m sick of these “Freddie Coupons” comments. It’s pure anti-semetic rubbish. The Mets have consistently had one of the highest payrolls.
The problem is they didn’t always spend wisely and they weren’t the best business people. They Yankees changed from a team that could sell tickets in the Bronx (NJ bound) to a mulit-billion dollar empire in 20 years.
Wilpon’s Jewish? Does Ryan Church know?
j/k. please no flames.
I’m Jewish and the fact that you just called the “Freddie Coupon” nickname anti-semetic is ridiculous. Lets not open a flame war, but there is a huge difference between being anti-semetic and calling someone cheap.
You do realize that many of our current contracts grow each year, right? we’re not only adding salary through new acquisitions (whom you also haven’t added to your “cutting 25 million” claim, by the way).
Beltran’s salary goes up 6.5 mil this year
Delgado +1.5
El Duque +2
Wright +4
Reyes +1.5
Castro (new contract): +1.5
and that doesn’t even count Schneider’s contract at 4.9 mil or increases through arbitration, which will be another few mil. So we’re already spending 25 mil or so more than you’re claiming here without making any more signings at all which we obviously will. We are clearly going to be comfortably in a salary range among the three or four highest in baseball, which makes us seem awfully whiny to 26 or so other teams if we’re actually going to complain about that. Frankly, to claim that we have a “cheap” owner as an obstacle to us winning is pretty insulting to the vast majority of baseball fans whose teams have substantially smaller payrolls.
Your too funny Mr. Met. Good one
Omar just called me to let me know that he is looking forward to leaving Nashville because they didn’t have much in the way of platanos over there…
He actually wanted the platanos smashed…He wanted the mangu with fried cheese or salami.
And he couldn’t find a freaking El Presidente to save his life down there….
LMAO!
…So does that mean you won’t be posting anymore?
I think Burnett wants out he sold his condo …….
http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2007/10/aj-hinting.html
TontonHammer,
Tell me, are you happy with Fred Wilpon? Are you comfortably paying 20% more for tickets in 2009 when the payroll has been cut by over 20 million? Would you be ok with the fact that they might pass on the Willis/Pudge deal because of money? Again, not that Willis is a big time “ace”- but he does have something to prove and did win a Cy Young 3 years ago. At worst he’s a really good 2 or 3 and would currently fit in the the middle/upper end of our mediocre rotation.
willis never won a cy young
willis is definitely not an ace but he certainly wouldnt make our rotation any worse right now.
Done-trelle stinks. Don’t want any part of him.
Burnett and the Gm are not really on good terms with each since the gm called him out for being hurt all time. At the time burnett claimed it didnt phase him, but i think they both want to part way. But the guys gets hurt way to many times, and can blow out his arm this year and it will be another mo vaugn fiasco.
Man these, winter meetings were just a four day handjob minus the payoff….
accurate
Mike: we have breaking news here that the Mets just traded for A.J. Burnett. What a dumb move. The guy can’t stay on the field. He is an enormous talent, but just can’t keep it together. The Mets must be desperate.
Angry Pup: well put Mikey. Just a tewwible job at these meetings by Omar Minaya. If you’re a Mets fan, you’ve gotta be….
Mike: what’s that? Oh, that was jsut a rumor. Not a done deal. They would be crazy not to go after a guy like this! He is the kind of pitcher that comes around every so often. Not once a generation, but pretty darn close. Go get him Omah.
Angry Pup: that’s true Mikey. He would be a twemendous addition to the staff.
Tentomhammer,
Can you provide an intelligent rebuttal (as to why you don’t mind getting hosed for tickets when the payroll is being cut)?
Are you comfortable with the payroll being kept under 100 million (at the expense of bettering the team) with all of the incredible revenue that is pouring in?
Why don’t you provide an intelligent rebuttal instead of just calling me a tired act.
People would respect you more.
Please let me know what you find wrong with my rationale/logic…and tell me how/why you think I’m “out of line” or being unreasonable.
Are you happy that Wilpon bought out Doubleday? Supposedly Doubleday would have signed Guerrero and ARod in 2 seconds because he was tired of playing 2nd fiddle to the Evil Empire.
You are welcomed to post an intelligent rebuttal, as is anyone else. Or to tell us why you are happy with ownership and think it’s fair that they have raised ticket prices while slashing the payroll.
I’d like to see an intelligent response from you, Tentonhammer, or anyone else.
And there doesn’t need to be a BUDGET with all of the incredible revenue streams pouring in…and if there has to be a budget, it should be minimum 150-160 milion!!!
I will rebut your argument. (see above post).
Not once has Omar said he can’t afford Santana.
Last year the team offered Dice-K $36M posting fee plus he would have earned $12M per year more. Also, the Mets were serious about Zito before he was offered 7 years. Money wasn’t the problem, Zito didn’t want the Mets and the Mets wouldn’t go 7 years.
That put last years payroll in the $140M range. I believe that IF THERE WERE FAs available that fit the METS NEEDS (not A-Rod), they would go as high as $150M in payroll this year.
They want Santana ($20M).
Since A-Rod, please name a single player the Mets (or Mets fans) wanted that the Mets weren’t players because of money.
Question for you is at this point where does money matter?
Who is out there that we are not spending the money on? Andrew Jones?
I’ll take stab.
Any claims you make about Doubleday are pure conjecture and about as worthless as Enron stock. So stop bringing him up.
This team increased payroll tremendously with the Pedro, Beltran, Glavine, and Wagner signings and then some more by bringing in LoDuca and Delgado. They gave a pretty big deal for a reliever to Schoenweiss (say what you want, they shelled out cash for him).
Sure, the payroll has fallen this season, but that’s because LoDuca, Mota, and Glavine have come off the books. Did you really want any of them back? LoDuca, for all the clamoring over him, will be lucky to find a job as a backup this season. Glavine was washed up and Green stunk last season.
This isn’t exactly “slashing” payroll as you put it. They let players go who are all past their prime. There is NO ONE on the free agent market worthy of a big contract, so they’re hanging tight with an eye towards next season, which has a more attractive free agent market. Plus, guys like Ollie and Maine are going to be in line for big raises soon. And before you know it, Wright and Reyes will be commanding serious cash.
Despite your whining, no team can have an unlimited payroll, there has to be a tipping point, even for a big market team. Why spend money just for the sake of spending money? Having a 150M payroll is worthless if you are signing the Lohses and Silvas of the world.
People would respect you more (and those of your ilk on this blog) if instead of cutting and pasting the same generalities all the time you actually posted some rational insight as to how you think the Mets should spend their considerable assets. But you don’t. You say things like “Jones to the Dodgers”, when there was no chance he would come here with Beltran in CF.
This isn’t 1920. You can’t just buy players off teams like the Yankees did with Babe Ruth. Maybe you can buy Brian Stokes, but not Johan Santana… the league wouldn’t allow it.
I explained this in more detail above, but again, the payroll is not being cut. It is, even as it stands right now, already at or above the level it was last year.
You’re right. But Mr. Met never let facts get in his way. He insists on pulling out his fictitious numbers.
Right now, with the roster not even finished, the regular payroll is roughly what it was last year. That’s accounting for the fact some salaries rose and some will rise with arbitration.
The Luxury Tax payroll is lower, roughly $120M, but again, the Mets aren’t done putting together their roster.
So not only is Mr. Met playing around with false numbers, but whining about a team’s payroll in early December when it’s clear the team isn’t done is just ludicrous.
He’s even whining about the Mets passing up Williis-Rodriguez when that deal was never offered to them.
I picked this up on MLB Trade Rumors, and I think it might actually not be that bad of an idea. Kip Wells is supposedly marketing himself as a relief pitcher/set-up man. If anyone recalls the Sports Illustrated article on how Kevin Towers constructs a bullpen, I think a player like Kip Wells might fit into mold of what he had said he looks for. Obviously, Wells is a fallen starter and his career hasn’t been stellar … but, he does have a lively fastball in the 91 – 93 mph range, a hard slider, a curveball, and a changeup. He’d also probably be able to give us multiple innings out of the pen too.
Any thoughts?
Not interested in Wells but take a look at Jamey Wright’s stats. He would be perfect as a long man or regular RHRP.
I’d take him for the bullpen.
No way they would have signed Zito AND Matsuzaka..are you drunk? You must be a member of the Freddie Coupons family.
Yeah, just like there was no way they would sign Pedro and Beltr… oh wait, they did.
You mor*n. When they signed Pedro and Beltran they shed a lot of other salaries which meant that the payroll did not significantly increase going into 2005. At most it went up maybe 5 million. That’s where the Mets have us fooled- when they signed Martinez, Beltran, Wagner, etc., they shed a lot of other salary in the process and thus they gave the “appearance” that they were these big spenders but in reality it was the same old Freddie Coupons. And they’ve kept the payroll the same or much less (95 million this year) since then.
So cheap.
So Squad next time do a little research before calling Freddie Coupons a big spender. That goes for all of you.
He’s always been cheap and always will be cheap…and we bare the brunt of it with ticket prices through the roof.
Ugh. The Mets have consistently been among the top spenders in baseball and this year their Luxury Tax payroll was roughly the same as the Red Sox.
Mr. Met would have you believe they’re the Marlins II. But in reality, they are the third biggest spenders in the majors NOT FAR behind the Red Sox.
Their current regular payroll is roughly what it was last year — even though they are not even finished putting together the 2008 team.
They may not always make the smart decisions with trades and drafting, but cheap they are not.
2007: $115,231,663
2006: $101,084,963
2005: $101,305,821
2004: $ 96,660,970
2003: $117,476,429
2002: $ 94,633,593
2001: $ 93,674,429
2000: $ 79,800,000
You want research, there’s research. You’re a clown. The payroll has increased almost every year and is consistently in the top 5 of the league.
And the reason why the payroll hasn’t been higher is because they pay Wright, Reyes, Heilman, Maine, and Perez peanuts since they’re all pre-arb eligible.
Anyway, I’m not going to analyze every single entry on the Mets payroll ledger, but you never include context in your posts ever.
You’re just some loser who for some reason takes issue with the Mets owner and constantly posts lame entries calling him cheap, when there is irrefutable evidence that he is one of the biggest spenders in MLB.
How can you call him cheap when the Mets are looking at a payroll that is likely going to be 100M more than the Marlins?
You’re an id*ot. And I question your accuracy to begin with, but even if accurate, the above payroll figures are just not high enough, especially for 2008 (which you conveniently left out). You are saying nothing about how they have chopped 25 million off of the upcoming 2008 payroll. How/where would that 25 million be added? Actually they should be adding 35-40 million due to increased revenues and ticket prices going thru the roof.
And having a “Top 3 Payroll” is not good enough when #1 and #2 are 230 million (NYY) and 175 million (Boston).
And it’s also inaccurate to say that they are have a Top 3 payroll anyway- due to the 25 million they’ve cut, they are now barely in the Top 10 in payroll. I mean the Phillies and Braves are around 80-90 million, and as it stands now the Mets are pathetically only 5 or 10 million ahead of them.
So no dice for you.
So is everybody else comfortable shelling o t all this extra money for tickets with the payroll being cut? People must be either really rich or really gullible.
OK- I’ll try this one more time, and that’s it- if you just don’t read the responses from everyone else to your posts, stop asking questions in them…
The
2008
payroll
is
already
larger
than
the
2007
payroll.
As I wrote above, your original “payroll cutting” claim omitted:
Beltran’s salary goes up 6.5 mil this year
Delgado +1.5
El Duque +2
Wright +4
Reyes +1.5
Castro (new contract): +1.5
and that doesn’t even count Schneider’s contract at 4.9 mil or increases through arbitration, which will be another few mil.
There is your “cut” 25 million dollars and then some.
?!
And you are wrong on 2001- the payroll was over 120 million that year…and thus they’ve drastically cut the payroll when you compare 2001 to 2008…and look at all of the money they’ve been raking in since then….plus SNY, new stadium,etc! It’s a joke.
Payroll needs to be 140-150 miillion. Even if they raise it back to the 2007 level of 115 million, that’s still not enough given increased revenues and increased ticket prices.
Freddie Coupons has us all fooled. He must have really good marketing people. They give the appearance that they are these “big market bullies/big spenders” when in reality they only spend a few more million than the Braves.
Freddie Coupons will always be Freddie Coupons!
Nelson Doubleday, where are you…
Stop the fiction, Mr. Met!
The Mets payroll in 2001 was $93,674,428 according to USA Today.
http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/totalpayroll.aspx?year=2001
Now numbers will differ slightly depending on the source, but they don’t differ that much. They will all be close. The USA Today site is the one Matt has a link to for payrolls in his left sidebar.
So, stop it. Just stop the lying.
The Mets are not cheap.
Coldentoshea,
You forgot to dump of salary of Glavine (12 million), LoDuca (7 million) and Shawn Green (6 million), and Estrada, who will be dumped (3 million).
All of the pennies you are adding in for the raises of Wright, Reyes, etc., just don’t outweigh that. Even if you factor in 10 million in raises, the payroll is still 100 million tops.
Just not good enough Freddie Coupons.
And you are missing my original point- my original point is that they should not bat an eye at adding in the money for Willis, Pudge.
Even if they make that trade, the payroll would still be right around 120 million- which is more than reasonable.
Huh? So, are you just admitting here that you’re responding to posts that you don’t actually read? My post (and other in greater detail since then) specifically outlined how much these “pennies” add up to, and it isn’t 10 mil- it’s much more. Your own math doesn’t even make sense here since you’re the one who offered the 25 mil figure as the amount lost from old contracts- and now you want to subtract them again? How is that me “forgetting” something?There are plenty of good arguments for disliking the current front office- there’s no need to just make up numbers that have no basis in reality.
And who is Mr. Met..has nothing to do with me.
You’re the same “Mr. Met” who kept whining about the same things on Metsblog 1.0.
Everything is the same. The repeated posts. Ignoring facts. Continuing to post lies. Just over and over again.
People keep giving you the facts with links but you just post the same tired lies over and over and over again.
Mets always were and will always be cheap. You people will continue to be stupid enough to buy tickets though and open your wallets to them. Have fun. USAtoday is not a credible source- get out of here w/ that.
Mr. Met, I suggest you educate yourself and go to the left sidebar and click on “Player Contracts” .. and read the Mets contracts!
If you do, you’ll discover these increases over last year:
5.5 Delgado (1.5 +4.0 buyout for 09)
2.0 El Duque
4.0 Wright
1.5 Reyes
1.0 Ollie (estimated arb increase)
1.0 Heilman (estimated arb increase)
1.5 Castro
6.5 Beltran
—————————————–
$23M increases over last year
Then you’re paying 5.4 for Schneider (4.9 + .5 bonus for being traded) which wipes out the savings for Lo Duca. And Glavine was just at 10.5 this year, while Green was 6M. So you’ve subtracted 16.5 and added 23M … So they are currently roughly 6.5M over last year!
You’re just so clueless!
This is not cheap.
Freddie Coupons
Like I said, just go out and get Livan Hernandez, raise ticket prices through the roof for the umteenth year in a row…and continue to scr*w the fans. That is the Wilpon way.
You’d have more credibility if you just stuck to the facts and didn’t make so many things up. I even agree with some of your points. But I can’t get past all your inaccuracies.