Matthew Cerrone

WFAN: Minaya’s Plan, according to Francesa
By Matthew Cerrone - Nov 13, 2008 3:20 pm

WFAN’s Mike Francesa says he talked with Mets GM Omar Minaya earlier today.

According to Minaya, per Francesa, the Mets intend to use all of their money on pitching, pitching and more pitching this off-season.

The Mets are interested in Francisco Rodriguez, but not for five years, as well as Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood, and they like White Sox RHP Bobby Jenks, M’s RHP J.J. Putz, and Rockies RHP Huston Street, Minaya told Francesa.

The Mets have interest in free-agent pitchers Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett, but not Ben Sheets, according to Francesa.

Additionally, Minaya told Francesa he intends to make a contract offer, ‘of some sort,’ to Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez.

…francesa essentially said minaya expects perez to seek a contract similar to the four-year deal given to Carlos Silva, which, according to minaya, had a major impact on the market for starting pitchers

The Mets do not intend on pursuing any big-time offensive players, including Manny Ramirez or Orlando Hudson

Instead, Minaya intends to start the season with Luis Castillo at second, Carlos Delgado at first, Ryan Church in right, and a platoon of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis in left, according to Francesa.

…sure, omar, i’ll believe that when i see iti think they have to say that right now, because the focus is pitching…however, once they settle on a pitching staff, i am 100 percent certain they will revisit the offense…but, what i am hearing above is, if they are unable to improve on offense, they’ll deal with it, because pitching is that important

Francesa says Minaya believes Murphy can eventually blossom to be his team’s version of Kevin Youklis, or Dustin Pedroia, i.e., a gritty, hard-nosed player, who other players emulate.

Lastly, the Mets are 100 percent satisfied with Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro, Minaya told Francesa, who added, ‘All of this talk about upgrading at catcher is untrue.’

nice, NICE work by francesa here, i think…

…i mean, i am little confused why minaya essentially just handed over his entire off-season playbook to a radio talk show on the record…i’d like to think omar is more savvy than that, in fact i know he is, so my suggestion would be to take all of the above with a grain of salt, and understand he is talking in the present…

To listen to WFAN live from your computer, go to WFAN.com.

70 Responses to “WFAN: Minaya’s Plan, according to Francesa”

  1. stilltheEWM says:

    in a word.. ugh

    Why bother with Pedro? he’s done…

    The mets need offensive help.. yes we need pitching, but the offense needs a boost.

  2. JoseReyesForPresident says:

    I would love predro back he gives the team energy on and off the field with his comical ways and he still could pitch but not as a starter,but castillo in 2nd? i hope he changes his mind thats having the same team as last year,i just want castillo gone is that too much to ask for !!?

  3. dominicanboy08 says:

    if we dont upgrade the offense, we better sign CC,lowe,burnett,k-ro,cruz ,etc…

  4. HitTheSinkerBall says:

    He cant say he wants to dump Castillo and he is going to play it cool by not saying they are going after a LF because that gives other teams way to much leverage, we all no the Mets are trying to dump Castillo and we all no they are looking into LF options.

    When are fans going to stop listening to what Omar says in interviews because he is not going give anything away nor should he.

    There are 3 things that by now all Met fans should know
    1. The Mets are going to rebuild there bullpen.
    2. The Mets are trying to dump Castillo
    3. The Mets are going to get someone else to play LF either free agency or trade and not go with a platoon.

    • Gina says:

      I really don’t see how that gives away leverage. I think it’s safe to say every team in the league knows we want to dump Castillo and find a left fielder. Omar saying or not saying explicitly really doesn’t make a difference.

  5. bennyagbayani says:

    I dunno I kinda think Pray’dro has a nice ring to it.

  6. mark4212 says:

    like everyone is saying. Omar can’t come out and say well we want to trade castillo, we want to trade delagado we want this guy and this guy, cause then it’s out there and it will be harder to move some of them.

  7. BlueCapsOnly says:

    If Castillo is our 2B next year I’m gonna puke!

  8. zen says:

    last year minaya told smugcesa that the only way they could get santana was to trade reyes.

    in other words, it’s 100% untrue what smug just reported.

  9. Chan Ho Parking Lot says:

    That’s unfortunate that Omar is not interested in upgrading at catcher. Personally, I’d prefer to give Dave Racaniello a shot over Brian Schneider.

  10. iso says:

    Furcal vs. Hudson @ 2nd base?

    Furcal is a much better hitter than Hudson. Hudson is much better 2nd baseman defensively / clubhouse presence. There will not be many big market teams capable of paying Furcal to play SS next year. He might have to consider playing 2nd base

    LAA - i think Brendan Wood is ready to take over full-time.
    LA Dodgers - maybe
    Red Sox - Still have Lugo and Lowrie
    Yankees - no, unless they trade Cano in a deal for Peavy
    Mets - need a 2nd baseman once we hopefully trade away Scrubby
    White Sox - have a huge hole at 2nd
    Cubs - maybe at either ss/2nd also depending on what they possibly give up for Peavy
    Seatle - maybe

    If the contracts were similar, who would you prefer to have as your Opening Day 2nd baseman?

  11. bennyagbayani says:

    Also, maybe it’s a misprint, but why move Church to Left and Platoon Murphy and tatis in right?

  12. jamie says:

    castillo is obviously here next year, at least to start. Seems he has zero value to other clubs, and we don’t have another 2B (I’ll believe murph at the keystone when I see it). maybe not the worst thing…maybe he’s itching to prove himself, maybe he’ll be in the best possible shape, and maybe he kicks a$$ for a couple of months…long enough to make him tradable again.

    trying to be positve here.

    • mark4212 says:

      why would he be, he’s in the 2nd year of a terrible 4 year contract….. if he was a free agent next year i might agree with you…. 3 years left at 12 million…. i don’t think you’ll see him in any type of shape except fluffy.

    • HitTheSinkerBall says:

      It is only Nov 13 have some faith. If Castillo is still on the team say by the end of hte year then start to worry lol

      I cant stand the thought of him at second next year for even a month or two … that idea just makes me sick.

    • bennyagbayani says:

      Oh man, imagine. Opening day, Castillo approaches the plate and with a strong solid swing, hits the ball out of the infield. That would be enough to make me drop my $8 beer.

  13. losmets5 says:

    I really don’t think we should be listening to that fool.

  14. DjDeF says:

    I take everything this jacka$$ says with a grain of salt. Why would Minaya tell the biggest sportstalk blowhard in the country his off-season plans with specific players and pitchers. Just like Ryan Church “not liking NY or his team” I think Fatty simply dreamt this up.

  15. Markiss87 says:

    Im going to be disapointed if there isnt anything change on offense and pitching next yr. We dont need pedro because i see him as a cancer, if you saw him last year it seem after every start he wanted to cry because he relaize he’s not the same picther, i dont feel we need a sensitive pedro all next yr. And if we dont get manny to make a statment next yr then no team wil fear us and i feel we need some fear factor going into next season.

  16. metsrbest says:

    I don’t know… is there some sort of scoop that Francessa has been given? I don’t think anything new was added to what Omar has already said in public.

    • kingman 26 says:

      I am not sure he had said he wasn’t interested in Hudson, which is, to me, great news.

      A starter, a closer, a couple more bullpen parts, and we will not care if Slappy is batting 8th and playing 2nd….

      • Nate W. says:

        The Mets will have to play the Williams shift at all times to keep the Delgado-Castillo gap from seeing 10 squib grounders a week.

        funny thing is, Castillo would have 10-20 more hits a year if he could hit against the Mets defense. ;)

  17. zen says:

    cliff lee win cy young easily.

    future met k-rod finished 3rd

  18. Markiss87 says:

    You would think after the wilpons said that money isnt a issue this offseason that omar would sign whatever he can to improve our team next season, instead it sounds like the same group of guys next yr with a couple of new pieces maybe a pitcher and a closer. Wow good job Omar.

    • Gina says: