Daily Archives: January 11, 2008
Anthony from East Hanover sent in the following e-mail…
“As for Oliver Perez, you’re always talking about teams not letting their pitchers get to free agency. Well, I believe Perez is a free agent after this season.
The mets need to resign this guy before the season is over and teams get interested, have you heard anything or think they will resign him?”
…yes, o’perez is a free agent after this coming season…
…he’s a tough case…
…if he puts up another 15–win season, like he did last year, there is absolutely no reason why he will sign with a team for a penny less than what we’ll be given to Kyle Lohse, or what was given to Gil Meche last year, i.e., a three– or four-year deal worth roughly $12 million per season…which, to me, seems like an awful lot for perez…then again, it is an awful lot for meche and lohse…the thing is, next off-season he’ll be a 28–year old lefty with a career ERA around 4.00 and roughly 60 wins under his belt…so, the guy will get paid…no doubt about it…
…i believe the Mets have interest in retaining perez…other teams will have interest in him as well, if they do not already…he’s far from a secret…
…i have not heard any rumblings of a contract extension…there are pros and cons to waiting, on all sides, including perez’s…
Tagged Oliver Perez |In the Port St. Lucie News, Eric Phaler profiles Mets Double-A 1B Mike Carp, who is working out with other minor leaguers this week at Tradition Field.
Carp, who broke his finger last 
summer, hit just .251 with 11 HR for Binghamton last season.
…from what i recall, carp entered last season with a bit of hype surrounding him, especially after doing fairly well last spring in Carlos Delgado’s absence…
…the thing is, the sense i get is that minor-league experts may have soured on him a bit, wondering if he’ll ever be able to cut down on his strikeouts, all while he continues to struggle on defense at first base…
The Mets hold a $16 million option on Delgado’s contract for 2009, which they can buy out for $4 million.
Additionally, Braves 1B Mark Teixiera is currently eligible to be a free agent at the end of this coming season.
…so, this is a pretty big season for carp - to say the least…
Tagged Mike Carp |According to the Syracuse Post-Standard, the Mets are showing ‘very real interest’ in relocating their Triple-A team to Syracuse, said U.S. Sen. 
Chuck Schumer, ‘who is actively lobbying for the move.’
…if you recall, this buzz regarding Syracuse started last September…so much so that Syracuse staff had already been warned of a potential change…
…one thing i do know, the people of Syracuse are already quite cozy with the colors blue and orange, so that should make for easy marketing…
Schumer, speaking about the Mets and Fred Wilpon, as quoted in the report…
“They think that having teams in New York is to their benefit, and it would grow regional interest in the team and the fan base.”
The Blue Jays Triple-A team currently plays in Syracuse, but their contract expires at the end of 2008.
According to the report, the Mets contract with Triple-A New Orleans expires this coming September.
Speaking of Triple-A, Guy Conti, Kevin 
Mulvey, Mr. Met and Ken Oberkfell will be in New Orleans on Jan. 16, to host a Meet the Mets cocktail reception at Pat O’Brien’s from 7 pm to 9 pm.
…cocktail party…ummm, i think you mean two-for-one hurricanes instead…by the way, don’t get a glass…
Tickets to the cocktail party can be purchased by calling the New Orleans Zephyrs at (504) 734-5155.
Tagged Minors |According to MLB.com, David Wright, Craig Biggio, Melky Cabrera, Jamal Crawford and Kristi Yamaguchi will be given the Thurman Munson Award for 
excellence in competition and philanthropic work within the community.
The awards will be presented at the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Feb. 5.
Len Berman of NBC Sports will serve as the master of ceremonies.
…great, but will he be spanning the world…
Willie Randolph, Muhammad Ali, Patrick Ewing, Arthur Ashe, Mark Messier, Tom Seaver and John Franco, among many others, have all been given the same award in past years.
According to multiple reports, the Mets may be in the driver’s seat with regards to Twins LHP Johan Santana.
…from what i can tell, it’s not the Mets or the Twins who are in the driver’s seat, though, it’s santana who is in the driver’s seat…
…yesterday’s report in the Star-Tribune really kicked up a lot of buzz, most of which i had been writing for weeks, 
and some that i had been sitting on but which is now slowly being confirmed…
…in the last day or so i have talked with people who are involved in these talks and who are closely watching it from the inside, as well as people who are connected to santana, and while a lot of details may be up left to interpretation, one thing for certain is that the Mets are seriously interested, they are the only major, pro-active player who is dealing with the Twins and things between the two sides are progressing…
According to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, speaking on air yesterday afternoon, the Twins continue to ask the Mets for Jose Reyes, which is essentially holding up the trade.
…from what i can gather, having talked with people connected to the teams and to reyes and to santana, as i wrote back in December, the Mets and Twins understand who can and cannot be involved in a potential trade…and while i believe the Mets are open to trading Fernando Martinez, though they do not want to and still feel they may not have to, the Twins understand that Jose Reyes is totally off the table – despite what francesa is saying, and others are reporting from time to time…
…by the way, thanks to Peter Wade for the WFAN information…
Meanwhile, according to today’s Daily News, as well as the Bergen Record, the Twins have yet to decide if they want major league-ready pieces or prospects.
…actually, i have heard it this way as well, which may be why some people keep fixating on reyes…i wonder if people hear ‘major-league ready talent’ and logically assume it means reyes…i rarely, if ever, hear specific names mentioned – so, to me, i have always interpreted ‘major-league ready talent’ to mean Aaron Heilman, because, from what i understand, the Twins have no interest in acquiring and paying a player like reyes, who is due roughly $20 million over the next three years…
…as for the Mets competition, as long as the Yankees hold on to Phil Hughes, which they still intend to do, the Mets are the only major, pro-active player for santana, who, by the way, still prefers to be on the Mets – as i have been writing for weeks…
…additionally, as i understand it, santana wants to know who he will be pitching for before pitchers and catchers report, especially if he’ll be switching leagues like he prefers to do – which is why i believe there will be a conclusion to this story before February, i.e., two to three weeks…
…so, if santana prefers to be on the Mets, as others have started to write of late as well, my question is: just how badly does he want that to happen…because, in some ways, he can dictate where he ends up…
Remember, in late October, he told the Star-Tribune that he will waive his no-trade clause – assuming he is appropriately compensated and is traded to a team with a legitimate chance of winning a World Series.
Later that month, reports indicated that Santana would consider vetoing a trade during the season so to encourage the Twins to make a move before opening day.
…from what i can tell, the Twins best card to play is ‘time,’ i.e., being able to drag their feet while being indecisive in hopes that a team like the Mets get nervous and overpay just to get a deal done…meanwhile, the Mets best card to play is understanding that santana prefers to pitch for them…
…the thing is, to what extent will santana go to force minnesota’s hand, which would then eliminate their luxury of time and help the Mets as well…
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