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At FOXSports.com, Ken Rosenthal writes that Orioles owner Peter Angelos covets Braves 1B Mark Teixeira, and may be willing to offer a mammoth contract. 
Teixeira, who turns 29 next spring, will likely be asking for eight years, $160 million according to Rosenthal.
Meanwhile, the Rockies are willing to trade closer Brian Fuentes who is a free-agent at the end of the season and have shown some intrigue in Aaron Heilman.
And even after the Willie Randolph saga, Rosenthal reports that Mets ownership still view Omar Minaya as their long-term GM with a possible contract extension on the horizon.
…i got a kick out of the fox sports poll which asked if you would want minaya as your gm…currently 86% voted for ‘no, he is a joke’…
An Omar contract extension will sure make a lot of people on this website very happy.
lolsarcasmlol
i would be mad about it, but i could swallow it if he demonstrated real attention to the farm.
not that he will, of course, just gettin hypothetical.
I think 8 years for Tex is way too much. Imagine what’s going to be said when his numbers decline all over the board at 35? And then 2 more years of that at 20 mil per? No thanks.
8 years is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. If that’s what it takes forget it, I don’t want the Mets to even bother.
I don’t think we’ll see anyone bother…The days of thinking that players will still be performing well into their late 30’s are over. He gets 6 years, 130m…a penny more and i don’t want him…
In the world of sports, national polls are stupid an inaccurate.
They are as informative and on the money as Joe Morgan or any of the TBS (sans Ronny) announcers are. Highlight the headlines and base opinion on the past 30 days.
Omar is aggressive and well respected around the league. He was an offensive black out away from leading the team to a World Series appearance (if not more). Let’s not overreact too much.
And he took that WS caliber team and built it into ….a joke.
No Gipper I am finally realizing you are the joke. Omar and the Wilpons have made the Mets relevant again. Omar’s mistake was trying to win in 2006. He went for it and then bandaided until 2009. What he does this offseason will determine if he is a good GM or not.
I agree. I don’t think Omar is a bad gm at all. He just rolled his dice with 2006 and 2007 and put everything on the line. Now all those players are old and done and we just need to get them off our books (which we will at the end of the year). IMO, he has another offseason to put together a championship team with all the money that’s coming off the books. Let’s see what he can do with the extra cash floating around and a couple of drafts under his belt…
LOL….”if not more”? When did this happen? I seem to recall the Mets NOT making the playoffs last year, let alone get to a second world series. Nor did they make the playoffs in 2005. Not to mention one of the most historic and embarrassing regular season chokes in the history of the sport. Mind you, I dont put the blame for this hapless bunch of underachievers solely on Omar, but seriously. And since when does the GM “lead” the team ? He puts the team together, thats about it. Sure he’s made some good moves, but lets not forget, the Danny Graves signing, the Bannister trade, Castillo’s 4-yr contract, Jeff Keppinger, etc….
To rephrase your comment, Omar took a team one out away from the world series, right to the abyss……
Let Baltimore or whoever make a play for Teixeira. I don’t want Carlos Delgado: The Sequel when he is 35.
I’d much rather pay 300,000 and see what a guy like Carp or Murphy have to offer next season (maybe Ike Davis in a few seasons). That money will come to much greater use in a future season on a much greater player and greater need.
Angelos is welcome to bid up the Yanks for Teixeira. As a Boras client, he was never going to be a good value.
If I could get Fuentes for Heilman, I would, and I’d then deal Wagner to the AL for minor league depth (or Willits and Morales??) Trouble is, the Rockies could exact more by waiting and dealing Fuentes to the same set of teams that might be interested in Wagner.
Wagner has a no trade clause, he’s not going anywhere…
Not true. The man wants to win a championship before he retires after next season. If he doesn’t see it happening in New York, who says he won’t welcome a trade to.. maybe the Cubs.
What makes you think he wants to win a championship? Or that he’s going to retire after next season? He seems to be strong enough (as of now) to continue pitching for a few more years at least. Sure he’s not the overmatching dominant closer he was 7 years ago, but he can still get guys out and is a reliable guy to close out the 9th. I’m willing to bet that any trade would require at least a one, more likely two year extension. If the Mets find a taker who’s also willing to give up 2 high prospects, I say do it – but that’s not very likely to happen…
I’m not sayin that should or shouldn’t trade wagner but in case you had your head in the sand this season
1. Wagner said pretty clearly earlier this season that he would retire when his contract is up aka 2009.
2. He’s never won a championship and signed with NY b/c he thought they had the best chance to win a championship.
Dude, when you have 2 years left and made all the money you need in life, there’s nothing like having a ring to cap off a career.
Thats got to be one of the stupidest things I’ve heard anyone say. What makes you think he wants to win a championship? If baseball ever dies, lets put that on its tombstone. What makes you think he wants to win? How about the fact that its the most prestigious award in sports, or simply because losing sucks. Why would someone not want to win, jeez, thats stupid.
If the Mets traded Heilman for Fuentes, I’d expect Omar to turn around and deal one of Schoeneweis/Feliciano. Three lefty arms in the bullpen is a bit of overkill.
If we were playing Fantasy baseball and you wanted to deal Heilman and Wagner to me, I’ll make that trade in a heartbeat. Just because Wagner blew three saves last week does not constitute the end of his career or that he has to be traded already. If I were to trade Heilman anywhere, I’d prefer St. Louis and see if Minaya can fleece OF Colby Rasmus. Forget about Kendry Morales and Reggie Willits… those two are BENCHWARMERS. We have plenty of those on the roster this year – you don’t have to look any further than Cancel, Marlon Anderson and Damion Easley. Heck, even Anderson Hernandez can be a benchwarmer and a fantastic bat boy who is only good at hitting the cover off the ball in the Dominican Winter Leagues but can’t do squat when in Triple-A or on a MLB roster. For Wagner, you can get MUCH MORE than Morales and Willits and even better players to start filling in the holes. Hell – I’d ask for Casey Kotchman just to start talking.
Well, more than Willits and Morales sounds very good to me, but no way, no how could you get an affordable player like Casey Kotchman for him.
Oh, and zer09, do you really, honestly think Wagner would rather stay on the Mets than head to an AL contender? Really??? NTCs are made to give the player a ROFR. That’s all.
I personally think that what Billy Wagner cares about is Billy Wagner. And he has a NTC which to me means a 37 year-old closer whose “best in the game” status has taken quite a fall the past couple of years is not going anywhere unless there’s a hefty extension in the making. Now go and convince a team to give you great players/prospects AND sign Wagner to a 2 year 25 mil. extension.
Also Willits and Morales >>>> Anderson and Easley. I mean, come on now. . . .
I agree with that, but if I’m trading my key pieces then I want either high prospects or starters. Why would you trade Wagner and/or Heilman for bench guys?
Wagner is not going to be a “key piece” for a contending Mets team any time soon, as there won’t be a contending Mets team anytime soon.
That’s your opinion, not fact. And Wagner is a key piece of a team, no matter what the “contending status” is
Of course it’s my opinion. All of this is opinion. And Wagner is old, meaning that his value to a team that MAY not be contending any time soon is limited. We’re talkign about a team with no farm system. If we can trade old for young for a change, we do it. “Sell the closer” — the one part of Billy Beane’s strategy I really do buy into.
Like I said above, I don’t think Billy Wagner and his NTC and are going anywhere, so this whole discussion is moot. I don’t think there will be anyone who’s willing to give up prospects AND give Billy a nice extension…
Omar is starting to remind me more and more of issiah. I guess the next step would be naming him the manager for the next 2 years.
I motion that we now call Omar “Zeke.”
I hear Zeke is negotiating for Juan Marichal to come out of retirment and pitch for the Mets next season. And Orlando Cepeda to replace Delgado at first base.
I’m still a fan of Omar… Isaiah always made questionable moves… Omar’s made some very good ones (and a few not so good ones… but none that were unbelievably bad… Bannister and Bell don’t do it for me).
Alou? El-Duche? How about the bungling of Ryan Church? Trading Nady which now looks more and more like a bad trade.
Zeke is the reason for why the team is where it’s at. Manuel the Magnificent will fare no better than Willie with this same cast of characters.
I will give Zeke the benefit of the doubt, however, if he makes a move or two before the deadline to get us an everyday and productive LF, some pitching help, and a back-up for Wright and Reyes.
Are you stupid or something?
Don’t even bring up Isiah Thomas and Omar Minaya in the same sentence. The worst Omar has done is made some moves that most people don’t like even though at the time they weren’t detrimental to the team. Isiah ran the Knicks further into the ground and cost the Garden millions in a sexual harassment lawsuit. Rant about the trades Omar has done, but don’t compare him to Isiah.
Agreed. The difference is that with Isiah, everyone knew that deals for mopes such as marbury and francis would send the team to the dumps. Signing players like Alou, El Duque, and Pedro don’t match Isiah’s stupidity.
A) If Angelos is willing to pony up that kind of scratch over an 8 year period for a soon to be 29 year old Teixeira, then I wish him the best of luck. Cause that’s the last thing I wanna see the Mets do. What an awful contract to be saddled with!
B) Contract extension? Really? Seriously?
::looks around for hidden cameras::
I’m not being punked, am I?
The Mets under any circumstances should NOT go that far for Texeira who is also a notorious slow starter. Secondly, let Peter Angelos big against himself… I’m sure Boras will find a sucker to give him the money he is looking for and use some cockamamie stat book to break down Texeira’s future numbers and how he compares to players at his position (past and present) and how his stats will look in the future. Boras can paint one hell of a portrait and insist he is a future HOFer… Whatever it is Boras has up his sleeve, he must be smoking some good cigars.
He’s smoking the expensive cigars that he can afford because of the millions of dollars he’s extracting from the teams for astronomically ridiculous contracts. As a baseball fan, he’s a jerk, but looking at it from a business point of view, the man’s a genius!
From a business perspective – he is a genius. If I were a player of AROD’s caliber going into free agency, he’s the man to can go to these owners and say – SHOW ME THE MONEY.
The Yankees and Dodger are also rumored to be very interested in Texeira – which will only serve to drive up the price.
Are they any other first baseman-free agents available other than him?
Some guy named Carlos Delgado.
But seriously: Nomar, Kevin Millar, Richie Sexson
We better start looking for a trade
I think we do need a 1 year first base filler, however, that wont be too expensive (millar may fit this role) because we cant forget that all of out first base prospects are currently in AA and probably wont be major league ready next year (see Nick Evans)
I don’t really see the point in going after Tex. The mets have 3 guys in AA that play 1b. Not to mention Ike. Why go 6 years on a guy that plays first base, when that position is covered? I don’t see the point.
Agreed.
Hopefully they make it past AA.
LOL.
If the Mets go after Tex this off-season and by God better not be for that ridiculous amount of cash, I’d go no longer than 5 plus an option. That’s it… Tex has been on the DL before and he is a notorious slow starter. Think Tino Martinez had it rough when he nearly got booed the hell out in 1996 replacing Mattingly… Tex will have it far worse with the Shea faithful and maybe a couple of people who are capable of breaking their own TV sets going nuts for the guy to hit the ball out of Shea Field (sorry, but I refuse to call the Mets new home named after a bank I despise!)
Um, no thanks on Fuentes, a 32-year old reliever who has probably cut his career short just by pitching in Colorado.
NO THANKS.
If Mets do Fuentes for Heilman – NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I’d rather deal Heilman to St. Louis or better yet – demote Oliver Perez to Triple-A, call up Willie Collazo and move Heilman to the #5 slot. He’s been begging to want the opportunity to start. Well – time to see what he’s got. Once Heilman is in that position, it is time for him to put up or shut up. I believe Heilman will have a lot to offer than what Perez is providing right now. I still would rather the Mets even deal Perez because draft picks don’t mean anything. Between now and the next 28 days or so will be critical for the Mets to know whether they will contend this season or start dealing players for pieces that can be assembled for 2009. Minaya can start with the following in no order of preference: CARLOS DELGADO (to a contending team in the AL), Heilman (send him to St. Louis), Oliver Perez (Dodgers for Matt Kemp). Dodgers have been talking about dealing Kemp… doesn’t hurt to dream can it?
The Dodgers have about as a good a chance of dealing the Mets Matt kemp for Ollie as I have of becoming the next GM..
That is a trade of Kazmir like proportions.
Sounds good to me… doesn’t hurt kicking the tires. But getting Matt Kemp in a Met uniform roaming Leftfield for the Mets… you don’t have to rush F-Mart until he is really ready and just have him focus on (a) staying healthy; and (b) getting hits.
Yet another fantasy trade that would never happen. Maine might be able to get Kemp. Ollie? Maybe Jack Kemp.
not a bad plan although no contending AL team will want delgado
I think these posts are just so I can bust out the FAIL on Heilman to start again… why oh why do we keep going back to Aaron Heilman to be our rotation savior? Well, not me anyways. NOT GONNA HAPPEN FOLKS! His name is Aaron (nary a start in 2.5+ years) Heilman, not Joba (only been a reliever since last year) Chamberlain… stop the madness, bring up Tony Armas! He’s a pitcher who has ARM in his name, he’s the saviour we are looking for to replace Ollie Headcase. (MLS-beat you to it)
Why is everybody so afraid of signing Tex for around 8 years?
Seriously, when he declines after 4 or 5 years, we can just trade him for prospects to whatever team Omar is GM’ing.
See? No problems!
LOL, after all Omar likes to bring in old familiar players that are injury prone or just plain finished.
$160M over 8 years? That’s it? Boras has the premier offensive player available in next year’s free agent pool. He’s 29 years old which means prime performance (for a first baseman) for 4 years. Then replacement level for the last 3-4 years. He is an absolutely perfect fit for the Yanks who will be losing the salary of Giambi, Abreu, Mussina, among others. Won’t Pavano be off by then? And Matsui and Damon don’t have that much longer to go either. Met might kick the tires. Orioles can look but they won’t outbid the Yanks.
Prediction. He signs with the Yankees for 8 years, $195M. Mets will make a token offer of 6 years, $108M. Orioles might very well offer $160M for 8 years. They’ll need to offer well over $200M or go to 10 years to snag him from the inevitable yankee signing. And I’m not Yankee fan. Just a realist.
He is a perfect fit for the Mets giving them a better batting order and improving their entire infield defense. And they can afford him with big contracts gone like $16M between Alou and El Duque and another $8M or so from Perez and about $16M for Delgado and $14M for Pedro.
A lot depends on how Santana, Maine and Pelfrey perform the rest of the season. If all three do well, and Pedro stays relatively healthy the rest of the way, I can see the Mets giving him a $10M one year deal with a second year kicking in based on innings pitched. Then they can experiment with the #5 starter spot and tweak the bullpen, let Martinez get a clear shot at LF and go for broke on Tex. Otherwise, he’s a Yankee.
The Mets need a sparkplug. does MT fit the pic?
off topic, you guys have got to see this if you’re a baseball fan.
Go to YouTube and on the search field type in “Ballgirl Catch”.
You have to find the video that’s still available. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. If the Mets would give just HALF the effort this BallGirl gave we’d be in first place. Unbelievable.
That video clip is a fake. I hope you knew that.
Am I the only one who wouldn’t mind trading perez away right now for prospects. I’m sure that some fringe contender team would be interested in him, and their may still be a gm like omar that thinks he is fixable. Maybe we could get a short term first base replacement and a couple of pitching prospects?
You couldn’t trade Perez right now for a bucket-full of gobstoppers.
Omar is a disaster.
Wilpon is an idiot.
The Mets are a trainwreck.
Instead of emulating the Yankees, Wilpon chooses to emulate the Knicks.
Sad.