Daily Archives: November 4, 2008
According to FoxSports.com, “David Eckstein is making it known that he wants to play second base next season.”
…well, well, well…look who wants to play second…
Eckstein, who is a free agent, had been 
hitting .277 with a 354 OBP in 77 games with the Blue Jays, before hitting just .219 with a .301 OBP in 18 after being traded to the D’Backs.
In my interview with Omar Minaya in early October, he said of his efforts to sign a second baseman last season, “When we looked at the market place, we liked David Eckstein a lot. We tried to do a deal with Eckstein and we couldn’t get it done.”
…from what i understand, he was their top choice…if you recall, the Mets invited eckstein to New York City, gave him the tour of Greenwich, etc., but, from what can gather, he did not want to play second…the Mets could not wait, so they locked in to Luis Castillo, who had an offer from the Astros, while eckstein ultimately took a one-year from the Blue Jays, where, oddly enough, he played six games at second…
To watch today’s edition of New York Baseball Today: Hot Stove Edition, during which I talk by phone with 1050 ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand, click play below:
To send in a question for next week’s New York Baseball Today, email it to baseball@sny.tv.
Lastly, to hear more from Marchand, tune in every day to the Max Kellerman Show on 1050 AM ESPN Radio in New York.
The Baseball Kid sent in an e-mail, asking:
“Why aren’t the Mets looking at Bobby Abreu? He would fit perfectly in right field and we can move Ryan Church to left because he played Left Field for the Nationals a few times. Abreu seems to be very quiet this offseason so far, and even though he’s thirty-five, he would fit perfectly in the Mets lineup. Just think, him facing his old
team, the Phillies, and hopefully do what he does best, get RBI’s, draw walks, hit, and play a solid right field.”
According to Jesse Spector, in a post to his Hot Stove blog for the Daily News, free-agent OF Bobby Abreu wants to stay a Yankee, ‘but the Yankees might let him walk.’
…from what i can gather, that’s about as good as done…i just see no way abreu ends up back in the bronx, who i sense intend on fielding an entirely new outfield next season…
…nevertheless, as a Mets fan, i want nothing to do with abreu either…he’s one of those players who look good on paper, but when you watch him play it is painful…he’s a singles hitter, who often runs around the outfield like he’s lost…
The always entertaining Metstradamus urges you to vote for Paul LoDuca, or else!
…i personally like this shirt…sorry pauly…
Matthew Artus at NJ.com argues the point for signing Adam Dunn this offseason, something that he’s “surprised hasn’t developed any traction thus far amongst the NY papers”.
With time on their hands now, Mets Walkoffs provides us with more info on the Mets’ new third-base coach, Razor Shines.
…razor is his middle name, but if that was mine you can bet i would go by razor as well…it’s just a tad bit cooler than regis…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |Last weekend, in the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo wrote, “The Mets are still eyeing Mariners free agent Raul Ibanez.
Today, in a report for FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal writes the same, saying, “The Mets maintain interest in Ibanez, whom they tried to acquire last July.”
Ibanez played in all 162 games this season, and hit .293 with 23 HR, 110 RBI and a .358 OBP.
He has hit at least .280 with 20 HR and a .350 OBP during each of the last four seasons with the Mariners.
Tagged Raul Ibanez |
According to Ken Rosenthal, in a report for FoxSports.com, the Mets have put free-agent LHP Joe Beimel on their wish list of relief pitchers.
In 71 relief appearances for the Dodgers in 2008, the 31–year-old Beimel was 5–1 with a 2.02 ERA in 49 innings pitched, during which he struck out 32 batters and walked 21.
He had a 3.88 ERA in 2007, and a 2.96 ERA in 2006.
“The team also is expected to investigate free-agent closers Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood, and will examine trades and internal solutions while reconstructing its bullpen,” explains Rosenthal.
According to Jon Heyman in SI.com, Jake Peavy has told the Padres he is willing to accept a trade to the Yankees and Angels.
Of course, according to the New York Post, Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, told reporters that he and his client have not said they will approve a deal to the Yankees and Angels.
Nevertheless, Heyman explains, Peavy would prefer to be traded to the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals or Astros.
“If we trade, it’s going to have to be a lot [in return],” Padres GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com, “it’s going to be significant.”
Steve in NC sent in an e-mail asking:
“If Peavy has added the Yankees, why not the Mets? Any ideas?”
…my hunch is that a) he knows the Mets have zero chance of acquiring him, as they just do not have the minor-league talent to pull off a deal, and b) he doesn’t really want to play for the Yankees, he wants to play for the Braves, and by publicly mentioning the Yankees and Angels, it may spook other teams to be more aggressive…
According to a recent report in the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox intend to trade RHP Javier Vazquez this off-season in exchange for a second or third baseman.
In today’s Chicago Tribune, Dave van Dyck writes, ‘The Mets had interest in Javier Vazquez,’ according to a well-placed source at the GM meetings.
…wait, had…or have…there is a significant difference…
According to van Dyck, “The source did not know what the Mets were offering in return, but it might not be much if they would take the entire $23 million owed to the right-hander for the next two seasons. The Mets are looking for at least one starting pitcher and maybe two.”
However, according to Joel Sherman in the New York Post, while the Mets have interest in Vazquez, according to ‘a club official, it could be a ‘pipe dream’ that ‘everything falls into place,’ ‘allowing a deal to occur.’
That said, Sherman suggests the Mets try to trade Luis Castillo, his $18 million dollar contract, and a prospect for Vazquez, who is due $23 million over the next two seasons.
…repeat, that is a suggestion, made by sherman, not an actual offer that is on the table…though, if it were, i would do it in a heartbeat…it cuts $5 million from Chicago’s payroll, gets them a prospect, rids the Mets of castillo, and essentially brings in a fifth starter for an additional $5 million…
Vazquez was 12–16 with a 4.67 ERA with 200 strike outs in 208 innings pitched. He had a 3.74 ERA in 2007.
He will earn $11.5 million in each of 2009 and 2010, after which he is eligible to be a free agent.
According to the Daily News, the agent for free-agent RHP Brian Fuentes told reporters that he will meet with Mets GM Omar Minaya during this week’s GM Meetings in California.
By the way, the same agent also represents free-agent RHP David Weathers, LHP Arthur Rhodes and Tom Gordon.
The agent told reporters, regarding Fuentes, ‘New York is on our radar…I think he would be great there, he really thrives under pressure.”
However, in the New York Post, Joel Sherman writes, “The market for Fuentes is expected to be intense, with the Cardinals, Brewers, Indians and Angels among the clubs competing against the Mets.”
…the early buzz surrounding Francisco Rodriguez suggests he is capable of landing a five-year, $70 million contract…
…meanwhile, fuentes could get a guaranteed four-year deal, worth roughly $12 million per season…
According to Sherman, the Mets would like to speak about RHP Huston Street with the A’s, who may be more interested in working with the Indians, Rockies and Brewers, ‘all teams that have inquired on Street.’
…from what i can gather, the Mets are capable of acquiring RHP J.J. Putz from the Mariners, who are interested in working with the Mets…however, such a trade could mean giving up talent from the major-league roster, thus creating new holes to fill…
So, let’s assume the Mets are unable to trade for a closer…
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Have fun today, and enjoy the moment.
