Daily Archives: January 15, 2008
…Twins GM Bill Smith is in a tough position…
…from what i can tell, his team’s fans are starting to feel like he missed an opportunity during 
early December to acquire Phil Hughes, Jacoby Ellsbury or Jon Lester for Johan Santana, and because he misplayed his hand he must now entertain accepting unimpressive minor leaguers from the Mets…and while some fans are comfortable with that, in the end they expect a lot more in return for a guy like santana…
…what’s worse, this could essentially be the most important trade of this guy’s young career…
…and so, he really has no choice but to do everything within his power to try and wrangle a big-time player who the fans and media will be satisfied with…i mean, if he trades santana for what is perceived as mostly mid-level prospects, he’s going to have a lot of questions to answer…the thing is, in the long run, of all the rumored deals, he may be better off taking four or five prospects from the Mets…but, by the time Fernando Martinez is making an impact at the major-league level, smith may already be looking for another job…
…as a Mets fan who wants to see santana in blue and orange next season, this is why i worry about the Yankees…because, it would not surprise me to see them flip these talks around, shift gears, and secretly offer up a player like Chien-Ming Wang, who will earn the league minimum in 2008, after which he’ll likely be paid roughly $10 million per-year each of the following three seasons, before being eligible for free agency after 2011…
…remember, according to multiple reports, the Twins did offer santana a four-year deal worth nearly $20 million per season…so, bringing on a back-to-back 19–game winner for half that money, through the same time frame, could be the type of impact player who fans may pat smith on the back for…
…of course, there is no real reason to believe that the Yankees would ever be so bold…accept that i don’t trust them, and i believe they’re capable of anything – especially when it comes to ruining my hopes and dreams…
…if everything remains as is, and santana puts a bit of pressure on the Twins to move him sooner than later, then i see the Mets as the front runners…if, however, santana plays it cool, gives smith the luxury of time, and the Yankees pony up a significant name like wang, or decide to make hughes available again, then the Yankees will rush right to the front of the line – assuming santana will approve a deal to the Bronx…
Mets tickets for 2008 spring training games will go on sale this Saturday, January 19, at 10 a.m.
Tickets can be purchase at Mets.com, or by calling the Mets Florida Ticket Office at 772.871.2115 or at TraditionField.com.
In conjunction with Spring Training USA, the Mets have also launched Amazin’ Getaways - officially sanctioned Spring Training trips to Mets Grapefruit League games in Port St. Lucie.
Packages are available for three, five and seven nights.
Each package includes a Meet and Greet with a Mets player or coach along with a custom Mets sports merchandise bag.
For more information about Amazin’ Getaways, click here or call 888.419.5556.
The Daily Intelligencer, a blog for New York Magazine, takes a 
closer look at Hank Steinbrenner’s ever-changing positions regarding his team’s pursuit of Johan Santana.
On December 3, Steinbrenner set a deadline for the Twins to accept their best offer. On December 8 and 15, Steinbrenner said the door is still open. On January 3, he stated that the Yankees had the best offer, and the Twins know it, but two weeks later he said it was likely his team would “go with what they’ve got.”
On January 14 reports indicated that the Yankees were done talking to the Twins, unless Steinbrenner had a change of heart. So, naturally, the next day, Steinbrenner told the Associated Press that the Yankees are still discussing Santana, adding, “There’s still a little talk back and forth.
…jeez, hank, you want syrup with them waffles…you’d think he was running for public office with all that back and forth…
…by the way, thanks to ruffian for the link…
Tagged Yankees |
According to Forbes Magazine, the recent Davie-Brown Index lists Mr. Met as the third most-influential mascot in sports, behind the San Diego Chicken and the Philly Phanatic.
…i’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again, the Phanatic is pure evil…e…vil…
The Davie-Brown Index is used by marketers to determine a celebrity’s ability to influence brand identity with the public.
…thanks to steve p in nc for the link…
Tagged Mr. Met |In a report for the Boston Herald, Michael Silverman talks with Jim Callis and John Manuel from 
Baseball America about a variety of the prospects being mentioned in rumored deals for Johan Santana.
Regarding the Mets rumored five-player offer, which could include 19–year-old OF Fernando Martinez, Manuel says…
“(Martinez’s) offensive potential is significant. (He’s) a special offensive player…he can do anything he wants offensively.”
…i’m certain the Mets will do all they can to keep martinez…and for the same reasons the Mets prefer to keep him, the Twins almost certainly will want to acquire him…
Martinez was ranked by Baseball America as the Mets top prospect, while writing…
“His upside remains tremendous…Minaya says Martinez is on the same track as players such as Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa, all of whom reached the majors by age 20…His bat ultimately will be his calling card, and the Mets see him as a future 30-homer threat.”
In 60 injury-shortened games for Double-A Binghamton this past year, when most kids his age were their senior-year of high school, Martinez hit .271 with four HR.
Tagged Minors |Despite the recent rumors connecting the team to Twins LHP Johan Santana, the Mets actually prefer Baltimore’s Erik 
Bedard, “Since he wouldn’t require the same lucrative extension as part of the deal,” writes Lisa Kennelly citing a Mets official in the Star-Ledger.
…they may also prefer to invest in time travel to help erase last September, but it doesn’t mean there is any chance of it happening…
…at any rate, from what i understand, among the rumored big-time pitchers, it was RHP Dan Haren who the Mets wanted most…the thing is, as i have written before, the O’s will want far more than the Mets can part with – just ask the A’s, who got six prospects for haren, who the Mets never really had a chance of getting…
…lastly, as i once mentioned, i sense there is some truth to the idea that the O’s are reluctant to deal with the Mets, for reasons associated with Kris Benson’s health…fact is, in addition to the benson issue, the Mets lack the talent to get bedard and so it only makes things that much more complicated…
In a recent report for FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal wrote that a trade between the O’s and M’s involving Bedard ‘is only one player away from competition.’
The deal is likely to include M’s OF Adam Jones, among other minor leaguers, explains Rosenthal.
According to Rosenthal, “The Mets made a strong run at Bedard at the general managers’ meetings in November.”
The Mets had offered Aaron Heilman, Carlos Gomez and Philip Humber to the O’s for Bedard during early December, according to ESPN.com and MLB.com, among others, but it was rejected.
In a post to Amazin’ Avenue, Eric Simon provides 
commentary and video of the 10 best Mets home runs from 2007, including, among others, Carlos Gomez’s first career home run; David Wright’s homer against the Yankees; and Damion Easley’s walk-off.
…this stinks…i just can’t watch any ‘highlights’ from last season without thinking, ‘Yeah, but,’ knowing that it all ended in such gruesome disappointment…
…spring training can not get here soon enough…
By the way, Mets pitchers and catchers will report to Port St. Lucie exactly one month from today.
According to Neil Best in Newsday, Keith Hernandez has signed a long-term contract to remain with SNY beyond 2008, after which his contract had been set to expire.
…i was able to speak with keith for the first time yesterday, for an interview that i will post to MetsBlog next week…i have to admit, i was quite nervous and i hope it didn’t show…
…i hope it was an interesting discussion, as i talked with him mostly about his experience going through what appear to be the three phases of a major-league career, i.e., adjusting from college to the minors to the majors, adjusting to fame and maintaining your performance, and, lastly, recognizing diminishing skills and adjusting accordingly…
Tagged SNY |The Orioles have been in contact with the 
agent for free-agent RHP Octavio Dotel, reports Roch Kubatko in his blog for the Baltimore Sun.
…from what i can gather, dotel is seeking a two-year deal, and i believe the Mets have expressed interest in signing him…but not on a two-year deal…
…it would not surprise me to see him end up in queens…my sense is that the team still feels it may need one more established, hard-throwing reliever - and dotel, who has played well in new york before, could fit that mold…
…as of now, Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman, Duaner Sanchez, Scott Schoeneweis, Jorge Sosa, Billy Wagner, and maybe Steve Register, are essentially guaranteed spots in the bullpen…the thing is, with Joe Smith, Willie Collazo, Carlos Muniz, and hopefully Ambiorix Burgos, among others, acting as possible options, not to mention Orlando Hernandez who could get bumped from the rotation, there is not a whole lot of room out there for a two-year guaranteed contract…
Since 2002, pitching exclusively from the bullpen, against roughly 1,400 batters, opponents are batting .200 against Dotel, who has struck out roughly 30 percent of the hitters he has faced.
Tagged Octavio Dotel | ← Older posts
