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Matthew Cerrone, from MetsBlog: Thanks for making time to talk with me, Omar, I really appreciate it.
Omar Minaya: Sure no problem, it’s my pleasure, Matt.
Matthew Cerrone, from MetsBlog: So, as you know, I asked my readers to send in questions for you, and the second-most popular name mentioned was Daniel Murphy, who everybody is really excited about.
Ed from Melville, NY, asked, “How do you envision Murphy being used in the line up? What position do you see him playing? And how excited are you about this guy?”
Omar Minaya: Well, first of all, we are very excited… We rarely see a young player having that kind of plate discipline, that kind of patience at the plate. I am comfortable that he is going to play the outfield if we need him to play the outfield. We are most comfortable that he would be able to play first base, if someday Carlos Delgado is not with us… He is going to play second base in the Fall League, but that was something that was decided a while back before he actually came to the Major Leagues.
Question 2, which deals with Castillo, will post at 10 am.
To read a full transcript of this entire interview, click here.
i’ll take it. anywhere he plays he will be average at best in the field, but should provide many quality ab’s
Sounds like he will be our 1st baseman. I have no problem with that!
Can you post a text-only version (of the whole thing if you can) so I can print this and pretend I’m reading something for work?
Just copy and paste it into a word processing document. Remove the bold type to make it look less like a chat, and you should be good to go.
You already posted this question and answer…..
” By Matthew Cerrone – Oct 13, 2008 11:07 am”
I’m sure Matt is well aware of that. However why exclude this portion of the interview?
because it’s repetitive.
And the interview isn’t long enough to break it up like this.
Its crazy that a kid that came out of nowhere from Bingo is likely the key to Omar’s offseason plans, but you gotta love the kid, still rooting for him to show the team he can play second though
You mean the Mets didn’t give him 6 billion dollars above slot out of the draft to get him here?
I just read the full transcript. Good interview Matt. I thought you made great use of a short amount of time. Thanks.
I Love the picture of ‘D-Rex’.
As well as Murphy played for us. He lost a little bit of his plate discipline as the season winded down. He kept swinging and the breaking balls down below the zone. I have full confidence that he can work through it, but it was little worrysome to me.
I also don’t want to see Murphy as our 1st baseman next year. The only way I would want that is if we bring in a Power/RBI bat to play the corner outfield. Essentially to replace Delgado in the order.
There are a lot of 30 year old all-stars that swing at that pitch too though. some breaking balls are just good.
I think robin ventura swings and misses that pitch in his soft toss softball league to this day, and he had a pretty nice career.
IMO murphy wont be the 1B, but if he is, it meant we signed manny and traded delgado. I don’t see that happening
Anyone see the question in the full transcript regarding Castillo? I was shocked that Omar said he wouldn’t give him that contract again. I gained a lot of respect for Omar after this interview, thanks Matt.
Ssshhh, you’re not supposed to talk about that stuff until it is posted on its own.
I would not be mad at Omar if he traded Murphy + FMart for a player like Adrian Gonzalez, then flipped Delgado + Prospect for BJ Ryan
+ Brandon League.
Murphy does not have a position on this team, and while I love that hes playing 2b, i think we really need Hudson there. Unless Wright wants to play 2nd, hes certainly got the stature and speed to do it, and Murph can play 3rd
David Wright is a gold glove third baseman, and a lot of that has come from hard work and experience. He’s a better third baseman than Murphy, and he’s at the center of this team. Better off letting Murphy learn the new position. We don’t need Hudson. It’ll actually probably be Castillo at 2nd next year.
“Itll actually probably be Castillo at 2nd next year.”
Then we’ll be right here next year, watching the Phightin Phils win another pennant.
-1 Valentin
+1 Castillo
=
No playoffs
We need good bottom of the order hitters. Valentin, LoDuca and Shawn Green were great for us, they could keep rallies going and support our 4 superstar players.
Shawn Green was _not_ great for us. LoDuca was bad in ‘07. Valentin was good for most of ‘06, but tailed off. We do need good bottom of the order hitters, but hopefully full years of healthy church and Murphy can be that. Schneider was actually pretty decent in this regard.
Castillo didn’t cost this team the playoffs this year, or last year. That was the bullpen.
Loduca was never good in the bottom of the order. He hit 2nd in 06 and was terrible in 07.
Disagree. I think we DO need Hudson. He’s a player in his prime, Gold-Glove defense, .300 avg and a RH bat.
Castillo is none of these things…
Now now, he CAN bat right handed.
My ideal situation would be trading murphy though. Hes got tremendous value, and a guy like Adrian Gonzalez, the most consistent RBI producer in the NL, would change the face of the team.
Hudson’s defense has be going down each year. His is already past his prime and will be on the downside on his next contract just like Castillo. Giving him the 12-15 million for 4+ years will be even WORSE than the Castillo deal.
Hudson is a career .282 hitter, who hit over .300–barely–for the only time this year in his 2nd consecutive injury-shortened year. He has decent power for a 2nd baseman, but does not get on base at a great rate, and does not steal bases. He will be 31 next month, and I respectfully ask–have the pro-Hudson folks taken a good look at his career numbers?
A long terms contract for tens of millions for this guy would not be a good use of money. He is at an age where few players continue to improve, he is coming off injuries two years in a row, and has good–but not great–offensive stats.
And he has spent his career in Toronto and Arizona, and has never played in a postseason game.
And Wright is the 3rd basemen here forever unless Furioso offs him, and Green and LoDuca were mediocre at best.
Thank you and have a nice day!
But he’s a free agent Kingman. The missing link. We HAVE to sign him, Manny, CC, Krod, Lowe, Bonds, Sosa, Bonilla, Vaughn, Alomar, …..
…..Burnett, Castillo, Schoeneweis, Vince Coleman…
LOL!!
Please Sir, please understand that you can’t keep trading your farm for flashy free agents. The price of this is a team that is continuously bloated in payroll and continually trying to fill holes and having no internal options and continually in 2nd place.
You know what team scares me in the future? The Marlins. Their trade of Cabrera will go down in history as an outright heist for them.
Matt; is there anyway you could list the rapper names along the side so that those of us with grey hair know who drex and odogg and a&p and zrod are?
I’m often out in right field on these, any help would be great, MattDogg.
D-Rex – Daniel Murphy
O-Dog- Orlando Hudson
No clue on the other 2
Makes you wonder where Nick Evans fits into future plans.
If they’re keeping Castillo might as well keep Heilman.
If we’re keeping Heilman, may as well keep Schoeneweis
If there keeping Castillo, Heilman and Shoenturd i might as well stick a pen in my eye.
You really believe the Mets are not going to try to dump Castillo?
I really don’t think he will be back. I think they will trade him for anybody and gladly eat a good amount of his contract.
I mean the Mets were playing Ramon Hernandez instead of him down the stretch. Omar can’t say Luis oh yeah I am going to try my best to get rid of him because if he does come back then there will be a problem. I give it a slim 10% chance Luis is back next year.
Again I go back to opening day last year. There were a few players who were booed on freaking opening day (mostly bullpen guys).
But my point is I don’t think guys like Heilman and Show can rebound because they will be booed again next year and even if they do good for a while the second they let up a big HR to lose a game. The boos will rain down.
It is time for them to move on. I think the Mets see that to.
I was at opening day. I didnt boo (because i was in the upper deck. what would be the point?) but the guys that DID get booed deserved it. Heilman had already blown some saves since we opened on the road, and he blew that game too.
Speaking of opening on the road. WTF mlb. New stadium, how about the excitement of a new season? if the Mets open horribly, like the tigers did this year, Citi Field will have a terrible feel to it.
What is weird is both the Yankees and Mets open on the road. What is odd is that in the past there have been very few times when the Mets and Yankees would be at home at the same time. This year there were a lot of instances where this happened.
Part of the issue is I think MLB used to use a husband and wife who would manually put everything together with certain guidelines. Now I think there is a company that has a computer do it which probably causes more problems.
What could be a factor in the late home openers is the league wants to make sure bad weather isn’t a major factor as it has been in years past with the snow. Either way you never know with the league
That’s my point.
If Billy Wagner, David Wright, Jose Reyes, or most any other player on the team lost a game in Atlanta would they be booed during the opening games ceremonies the way some guys were? No.
I doubt if you will see Luis or Aaron back with the Mets. The Mets had trade talks with a few teams regarding Heilman last winter and into the spring. The only reason you will see Show back is because he is a lefty.
I see the Mets bringing in a few guys to compete for the 2B job. If they can dump Castillo in the offseason they will. If not then he will compete for the job with a cast of Murphy, Awful Reyes, Hernandez and Easley. We have way to many holes to fill to spend that money on Hudson.
More and more I like the idea of trading Delgado for Ryan and brining in a hitter in LF and concentrating on pitching.
I love proposing ideas and trades any all but some of you guys really get me. Like saying we should just go get Adrian Gonzalez because he is good. Why on earth would they trade him for anything less than Wright or Reyes? The guy is young, cheap and under contract. He makes about 12 million for the next 3 years COMBINED. I know they want to cut salary but he would not be one of them.
Potenial guys you CAN get from the Padres
Giles (can reject a trade, may not have his option renewed anyway)
Peavy (King’s ransome)
Greene (Terrible contract, terrible numbers)
Do a little research before you make these post.
Amen.
I totally agree with you here……Amen Brother!!!
Wow darknova…you beat me to it. Well Amen to you as well.
Where do you get the full transcript of this interview so I don’t have to wait with baited breath to read a new question every hour (or so)?
Nevermind, I see it and feel dumb.
Adrian Gonzalez would be a solid addition to any lineup in need of a left handed hitter with power, we however do not need another lefty that can;t hit lefties, we need a right handed hitter that can mash, can produce RBIS, that can hit in the clutch, that can perform under pressure someone who is proven and considered the most leathal against lefties or righties, someone that can lead this team DEEP INTO OCT FOR THE NEXT 3 – 4 YRS WHO WON’T COST US ANY OF OUR PLYERS ( EXCEPT A DRAFT PICK ) his name is MANNY RAMIREZ. GO AND GET THIS GUY OMAR.