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…the buzz from Shea Stadium is that Chris Aguila will be 
demoted tonight, when newly acquired Trot Nixon arrives to the ballpark…in fact, aguila was seen packing up his stuff last night, as though he had already heard the news…
…which means, the Mets have just six regular position players, surrounded by seven multi-position bench players, including nixon and Endy Chavez in the outfield, Damion Easley, Fernando Tatis and Marlon Anderson, who can also play infield, and two back-up catchers in Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel…
I am baffled as to why this team is so hellbent on having 3 catchers.
If they carry a third catcher, then they can use Castro as a pinch-hitter in a game that Schneider is catching, and still have an catcher left if Schneider gets hurt.
I believe the emergency catcher on the roster right now is Delgado!
I would pay money to see Delgado squat behind the plate right now.
Would you pay 16 million? He might agree if the Mets pick up his ‘09 option.
That’s true.
But Willie doesn’t do that. He lets both backups sit there.
My guess..and I hope some ‘reporter’ has asked him this.
Castro would make a good DH. certainly better than Tatis..
If Castro DHs in Anaheim than I applaud this move.
Agreed, this move makes sense if it enables Castro to hit more, especially with interleague coming up.
Still, Tatis should have been first on the chopping block. Yeah, he had a couple of big hits but he’s sucked since then.
I think you may have figured it out!!
I dont understand why everyone is making a big deal out of the 3rd catcher thing. Its not like they have guys who demand to be promoted and Cancel is blocking them, Cancel is actually a better options in many cases.
I do think that Valentin will take Cancel’s spot once he is ready.
I’d actually like to see Valentin replace Easley, who really hasn’t done much of anything this year. Maybe it was the ankle or just age, but he’s not the same player he was last year. I feel like the only reason to keep him around is because he’s the only thing close to a backup Middle Infielder, which Valentin could be as well.
Thank GOD Cancel is staying.
Yes, we can all rest easy now knowing our backup to our backup catcher is chillin’ on the bench, in case we need him.
Request:
Valentin in, Cancel out.
I would fully endorse this move. Its stache time
I bet they do this exact move right after the trip to Anaheim
Ditto . . .
“the Mets have just six regular position players, surrounded by seven multi-position bench players”
That’s all you have to know about why this team is 2 games under .500
your point is valid, but Matt’s is a little off base. At the moment Tatis and Chavez are the regular RF/LF -ers with Nixon on the bench. They may even platoon Tatis and Nixon buts its still not as if there are seven Joe McEwings on the roster.
I wouldnt mind seeing platoons at C, 1B, and LF for the rest of the season. 1B being Delgado and Easley for a while longer, then Carp and Easley… then Carp and Evans. Got to get the kids in there if you’re going to give away the reason anyway.
Nixon on the bench? Endy can’t get a hit this year. Nixon has a much better resume. Even when he only hit 251 last year, he had a 342 OBP. Nixon also has more power (Endy’s career high in HR is 5 which happened 4 years ago).
Yeah- I think Nixon is a starter now and Tatis and Endy are the platoon.
maybe you two are right, I do think its debatable whether Nixon or Chavez are the better player right now.
I could see more of a 3 men for two spots rotation because Endy is a Willie favorite and he does seem to hit better when he gets to start a few games in the same week.
Nixon does give them the best possability of coming close to replacing Church in the lineup as he has power too, so I guess we should see alot of him early on so they know what they have in him.
Tthey actually have been reporting the Aguila cut on WFAN and it was mentioned also on Geico Sportsnite. He’s as good as gone. Maybe there is another move in the works and they didnt want to call up Pascucci only to risk losing him on waivers because he has no options. Maybe Cancel is up because he can easily be cut if there is another move coming.
Yes there has to be another move becasue Alou was put back on the DL. So the team is down Alou and Aguila, but only Nixon is coming up.
they already replaced Alou with Cancel.
Here an idea….the Amercian League has a DH, why can’t the National League have and extra roster spot to make 26???
Call it a DUP…Designated utility player…or what ever, but the bottom line is the DH in the AL pretty much totally negates the use of a bench and there are few pitch hitting opportunties.
The NL should have a 26 mn roster if the AL gets the DH, it just makes sense with the way baseball has evolved. Starters don’t go 9 innings and pitchers need to be constantly hit for wasting away the bench.
Either that or the NL gets a DH, too.
I hate the DH, no way…DH baseball is fake…it’s softball.
dont like the DH
I can’t stand the DH and if I had my way it would be abolished, but I’m realistic enough to know that the players union would never allow it to go away. It’s time to end the imbalance and bring the DH to the NL.
The GM of the Padres stated that his strongest reason for signing Tony Clark was to have a viable DH for interleague play. It’s ridiculous to fill a roster spot based on such a small percentage of games, yet I understand why he felt he needed to do it. Just end the charade and bring the DH to the NL already.
actually, with the constant breaking down of older players now that steroids aren’t an options now would be as good a time as any to start a ‘no more DH’ campaign. Many teams are going with younger players who cant find a position or are stuck with often injured older players.
Other than David Ortiz, name me a few DH’s who cant play the field and deserve to be everyday players?
AL teams will find a way around it, and offering the players union a 26th roster spot and giving them statistical information about how much more the NL bench players get to play/PH should be enough to win the debate.
If they do this I think they should set a limit of 13 pitchers on the rosters as well.
Even Ortiz can likely play 1B about as well as Ryan Howard.
I embrace all your thoughts on this. Let the campaign begin!
I HATE THE DH!!!
Saltalamacchia really should be DH-ing. His ineptitude at throwing out base-stealers is embarrassing, even for the Rangers.
then what are you gonna do when bud’s bastard son of interleague play rolls around and you have two teams playing, one with 25 players and the other with 26?
as if that is less absurd than having a team with a DH have to play without a DH, or having a team without a DH have to play with one?
I think Donald Fehr and Gene Orza just added you to their Christmas card list…
What do you all think about Trot Nixon comin’ to town as a Met?
I will enjoy it.
It gives the team a new dynamic. He is the kind of player that Church is, and I would be hard-pressed to say that Church isn’t one of my top 3 or 4 players on the team.
Totally agree, Trot Nixon brings some more fire to this team, something that is sorely lacking. I think Church is a good comparison, I just wonder if either of them can play left.
it was noted that Nixon had been playing LF and RF in Tuscon.
and I think he did the same in Cleveland last year…
heh, Nixon actually played 90 games as a CF with the Red Sox, including 67 starts in 2001.
I would think he could handle LF no problem.
We should probably see him play the field with his experiences.
I like the picture they have for Nixon’s announcement to the team, which makes him look like he has no problem to stir things up. We need some fireball like Lo Duca was.
If Lo Duca was healthy and w/ the Mets this year — would you think these Mets would still be where they are?
yes
True True, I agree. And, I’m quite sure he’s a lefty, right? They’ll be adding another lefty bat which is good.
I’m pleased with it, I think he’s a viable starting OF against RH pitching given the absences of Church and Alou. He puts bench players back into their roles where at least theoretically they’ll better succeed.
The only way this move makes sense is if T. Nixon has been practicing at catcher. I mean seriously, what if Schneider, Castro and Cancel all go down in the same game? We would be SCREWED time to call up Casanova and see if we can take a flyer on Jason Phillips.
The Mets don’t need another catcher.
are you serioursly going into histerics over the possibility of losing all three catchers in one game???
i know this season has been mostly horrid and all, but that’s just utterly rediculous
agreed…be realistic man this isn’t Atlanta…anyways, i’m not gonna expect anything from Nixon, he’ll do whatever he does.
wow- you guys don’t understand sarcasm…
That was the most blatant display of sarcasm I believe I’ve ever read, and this guy counters that the Mets don’t need another catcher. Priceless.
:)
Multiple posters don’t get the joke? Speechless.
Anyway, what ever happened to Sandy, Jr.?
Isn’t that funny TMU? Maybe we can see if Piazza wants one last curtain call?
Todd Hundley — though he now probably has the physique of David Newhan.
That’s it!!! This team has been missing David Newhan….things haven’t been the same since he was cut. MF’n David Newhan is the answer….
In some ways, Jose Valentin was the worst thing that could have happened to the Mets — hear me out — because Valentin’s signing turned into a master stroke. A veteran who really was a steady presence in the clubhouse, ended up getting huge hits and playing solid defense, and set the right tone with the team.
Unfortunately, Omar kept trying to find the next Valentin, kept trying to “buy low” with veterans, and we ended up with David Newhan, Brady Clark, Easley, Alomar, Jr., Castillo and others I’ve probably forgotten were ever on the team.
I don’t mind the 3rd catcher is Willie uses Castro and PH a lot. On the other hand, if Castro is starting, you are not using Cancel or Schneider as PH. That basically means on days Castro is starting, we are essentially short 2 players on the bench. I say Stache gets the call up within the week to take Cancel’s spot
Hmm, I wonder what happened with that comment. :)
That was to see how people got that smiley face. Is it possible to delete comments? :(
i don’t think so :(
I think that this is a start for the mets. At least the mets get a veteran player who knows how to play 1st base, and the outfield. Plus, Pedro knows him very well from when they played together in Boston during their historic world series run in 2004. I think we got Trot Nixon for pretty much nothing.
Well, there’s probably a reason he’s been in AAA all year. I wouldn’t be so giddy until he shows he can produce again in The Show.
The reason(s) he’s been in AAA all year:
Conor Jackson
Mark Reynolds
Chad Tracy
and a packed AZ outfield (even with Byrnes out).
Uh, he’s more an OF than a 1B, and I can’t remember him after having played third, so. . . . the packed OF comment makes sense. The rest of it is immaterial.
Cancel’s a waste of space just get Valentin up here already
Good pick up…another aging outfielder…
also a really good job getting that right handed bat off the bench…oh wait…
It takes RH hitters Tatis or Easley out of the starting lineup and puts them on the bench. Voila!
cancel, shamncel
without a healthy Church & Alou, our lineup isn’t good enough for this team to win consistently
the key is finding a way to win games over the next few weeks, and then get healthy for July & August to go on a run
it’s possible
and give Willie the vote of confidence he deserves – an announcement should be made that he will be the manager through the end of 2008 come hell or high water
it’s not Willie’s fault that this team can’t hit their way out of a paper bag
If they want to give Willie a vote of confidence then all they’d have to do is pick up his option for 2010.
Fantastic move by Omar. FINALLY, a guy who will dirty his uniform and set a good example
trot nixon -???? big f’ ‘in deal …another retread ….. he’ll mean almost nothing to this team……
some of you are so delusional……
I guess you were excitedly awaiting the return of Angel Pagan from the DL???
do you really think he’s gonna make a difference on this team ???? and yes i’d rather hope on youth than hope on another faded player 5 years removed from doing anything of matter in the bigs…
I agree John. Trot’s a nice little “roll” player at this point in his career and should help the team if not for his experience then for his leadrship qualities and hard-nose play but he’s no savior.
This team is beyond the help Nixon can provide. This is a minor addition, what this team needs to turn things around are Major additions and changes. We’re not at the point where “Minor” tweaks are going to turn things around. You make these kinds of minor tweaks when the team is 20 games over .500 and in first or close to it.
yea…if i hear one more person think Angel Pagan is more then a bench player…im gunna flip…theres a reason the mets gave up on him a few years ago…hes nothing special…he just got off to a hot start and people thought he should be the starting LFer
I’d rather see him as a cut MFer
oh yeah ….. and trots so much more than a bench player now……. 7 years ago , yes.. than he’d matter … now , no way………..
TEST.
Read about Busta’s Blog . . .
Hope the Trotman works out. We’re getting very near to Omar’s annual desperation move of prodding Ricky Ledee out of retirement.
I don’t get the logic, why fire willie. Was he the one who got a 41 year injury prone outfielder. a second basemen who is pretty much done, a 1b who is a shell of his former self, a catcher who cant hit. Gave a pitcher a four year deal, when teams were very hesitant to give him a 3 year deal. No one can win with this team. It should be Omar who should get fired.
I agree on Willie not being the scapegoat.
As for Omar, he’s done a good job, though he has over evaluated some players.
The Castillo signing to 4 years is a bit mind boggling.
But when he got Delgado not many would have expected the steep decline he has had. He provided one excellent year for the Mets, but the decline was just not foreseeable.
Signing Alou was questionable.
Getting Schneider was not a mistake. Again, they didn’t expect Schneider to hit .300. He was there to call games and be a calming force for the pitchers. It’s still in question of his effectiveness, but the idea was correct.
Signing Pedro to 4 years was what the Mets needed at the time. The signing was to help the Mets on the field, but even more importantly it was done to bring back some respectability to the Mets. He helped achieve that.
It’s not one person’s fault. If there is going to be a change it has to be a house cleaning, top to bottom.
I believe Omar was bidding against himself for Castillo.
As for Alou, we needed a right handed bat after 2006. He was the 3rd best option behind Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee. Both received very big contracts and probably aren’t worth the long term investment. Alou was a stop gap. You could get on Omar for exercising his 08 option, but again there were very few good OF options. It was worth taking the chance on Alou for 1 more year than tying himself up with a Soriano or Lee.
As I posted above in case you missed it.
Trot’s a nice little “roll” player at this point in his career and should help the team if not for his experience then for his leadrship qualities and hard-nose play but he’s no savior.
This team is beyond the help Nixon can provide. This is a minor addition, what this team needs to turn things around are Major additions and changes. We’re not at the point where “Minor” tweaks are going to turn things around. You make these kinds of minor tweaks when the team is 20 games over .500 and in first or close to it.
Warning the following post may or may not contain elements of sarcasm
I wonder who else Omar is going to sign before the series with the Yankees? Maybe another signing or two and the Mets would be one errant pitch away from an all out brawl with them, we all know there is no love lost between the Yankees and Pedro/Nixon.
Personally, I would love to see A-Rod or Jeter or maybe the All Mighty Joba get hit and the benches clear. My guess is a lot of frustration would come out on the Mets side. Although there would be suspensions it would give us all a chance to see the Mets finally bring up some of the players we’ve been asking for just about all season.
I think you’re onto something, Slappy, because the washed up veterans from the ‘04 Bosox are getting to be about the right vintage for Omar to sign them on with 4 year deals. Though he wasn’t part of the winning squad, Nomar Garciaparra seems like a logical Omar invitee next Spring, and of course Kevin Millar should finally end up at Shea/ Citi.
Pokey Reese?
Mark Bellhorn?
Cesar Crespo?
Curt Leskanic?
More likely we just end up with Desi Relaford again. Where’s Desi these days?
Right vintage…hahaha
Omar likes his Baseball Players the same way Keith Hernandez likes his wines: Old and Full-Bodied.
Vintage Reds. For Keith, cabernet. For Omar, Javier Valentin.
I’ll take Desi in the pen over most of our bums, any day.
it’s pretty hard to tell when someone is sarcastic online lol
How do you not know that’s sarcasm? You should have known after “I mean seriously, what if Schneider, Castro and Cancel all go down in the same game?”
When do 3 catchers go down in one game?
a good clue is when they are saying something utterly insane
I think there should be an IQ requirement to post on here…………….Geeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss. My 7-year-old got that tongue N cheek sarcasm. Sometimes I just can’t believe what i read on here. As Scooter would say, ‘Wholy Cow!!!!!!!”
By “Wholy Cow” do you mean in the “Entirely Bovine” sense or the “Heavenly Heifer” sense? I’m sorry, I’m only six, so I didn’t understand…