Daily Archives: November 14, 2008
Luis Alicea was named the Mets new first base coach: Who.
The price for a front-end starting pitcher will apparently begin with a four-year deal: Ugh.
Lee Mazzilli will not be back with SNY in 2009: Bing.
The Braves may look to bring Rafael Furcal back: Jeez.
The infield has been installed at Citi Field: Nice.
The Daily News has convinced itself there is a turf war between the Mets and Yankees for CC Sabathia: Sure.
Tagged MetsBlog |
In 1966, the Mets chose not to select Reggie Jackson with the first overall pick.
Instead, they took Steve Chilcott, a catcher who would never make it to the Major Leagues.
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |
Jerry Manuel has named Luis Alicea his team’s new first base coach.
Alicea was the first base coach for the Red Sox in 2008 and 2007.
He was a manager in the Red Sox minor league system for three seasons.
So, Manuel’s 2009 coaching staff will be:
- Luis Alicea, First Base Coach
- Razor Shines, Third Base Coach
- Dan Warthen, Pitching Coach
- Howard Johnson, Hitting Coach
- Sandy Alomar, Sr., Bench Coach
- Randy Niemann, Bullpen Coach
- Sandy Alomar, Jr., Catching Instructor
…so, at 43 years old, is alicea now the team’s best second baseman…oh, i kid, i kid…
Yesterday, in the New York Post, citing his ‘gut,’ Joel Sherman wrote the Yankees intend to offer six years and roughly $150 million to free-agent RHP CC Sabathia.
In fact, on SI.com, Jon Heyman believes the Yankees will make an offer to Sabathia today, followed by offers to Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett over the weekend.
Meanwhile, according to the Toronto Star, the Blue Jays will offer a four-year, $54 million deal to A.J. Burnett.
At the same time, the Cubs offered free-agent Ryan Dempster a four-year deal worth roughly $40 million, which he turned down, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.
…in other words, logic would suggest Oliver Perez, Ben Sheets and Derek Lowe could end up getting similar four-year deals, while asking for more, with lowe potentially netting more than $15 million per season…
Tagged Oliver Perez |According to Neil Best at Newsday, citing ‘an 
industry source,’ Lee Mazzilli will not be back with SNY for 2009.
The network may turn to Bob Ojeda as a replacement, according to Best’s sources.
In the report, Best writes, “Maz was not bad in the role, nor did he stand out in it, and the network evidently believes it can upgrade.”
Tagged Regis Courtemanche, SNY |
In a report for FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal writes, “If the Braves acquire Jake Peavy, one of their next steps will be to pursue free-agent SS Rafael Furcal,” according a major-league sources.
The Braves would go after Furcal, because they will likely have to trade SS Yunel Escobar in a deal for Peavy, Rosenthal explains.
…the buzz from around baseball suggests the Braves, A’s, and Indians are among at least eight teams who have shown interest in furcal, meaning he could very well end up getting the four-year deal he is said to be seeking…
Meanwhile, Nationals GM Jim Bowden denied reports that his team is interested in free-agent OF Manny Ramirez, saying in an e-mail, ‘We are not pursuing Manny 
Ramirez.’
Instead, according to the MLB.com, “The Nationals are looking for a left-handed hitting slugger, and they are pursuing free agents Mark Teixeira and Adam Dunn and Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.”
Lastly, in the New York Times, Justin Salblich takes a closer look at the closer’s market, who is available, who isn’t, and where they may end up.
Tagged Nationals |To check out the latest photos of Citi Field, taken by Tom Kaminski in Chopper 880, click here.
Also, a reader of MetsBlog sent in the following image of the infield being put in, which is pretty exciting:
Earlier in the off-season, at SI.com, Jon Heyman listed Omar Minaya’s top priorities as being the team’s bullpen, followed by catcher, the rotation and possibly the outfield.
Yesterday, in the New York Post, Bart Hubbuch listed catcher as a possibility as well, though it was last on the list, according to a person familiar with the team’s thinking.
However, according to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, based on an off-air conversation he had with Omar Minaya, the Mets are 100 percent satisfied with Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro.
In Francesa’s view, talk of upgrading at catcher in not true.
Speaking of catcher, according to the Easy Valley Tribune, several teams have expressed interest in D’Backs C Miguel Montero, who is not eligible for arbitration until after 2009.
Meanwhile, at ESPN.com, Buster Olney says the D’Backs could end up keeping Montero, and instead trade Chris Snyder.
Also, in a post to MLB.com, Rangers reporter T.R. Silluvan writes, ‘The Rangers have catchers to trade,’ but, for instance, in talks with the Red Sox, they will cost a pitcher like RHP Clay Buchholz.
Lastly, at MLB.com, Dodgers reporter Ken Gurnick quotes Dodgers GM Ned Colletti as saying, ‘We aren’t trading Russell Martin. I’ve never brought that up to anybody.’
Earlier in the off-season, Peter Gammons wrote on ESPN.com, “Some Dodger officials have spread the word that Martin will either be traded or moved to third base.”
Tagged Ramon Castro |In the Daily News, three reporters team up to write:
“Meanwhile, Omar Minaya was discussing a trade for a pitcher with a GM but said he would first have to see how Sabathia’s free agency was
progressing, a baseball executive said. A Mets official subsequently wouldn’t deny interest in Sabathia.”
…look, i don’t mean to throw cold water on this, because i see people getting all giddy, but i do not read the executive’s statement to mean the Mets are interested in sabathia, which is how it is being interpreted in other corners of the Internet…
…instead, i read it to mean Omar Minaya intends to wait and see where sabathia ends up, before making a trade, or a push for Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett, etc.…
Nevertheless, the Daily News article leads by saying, “The latest Subway Series tussle could be over none other than CC Sabathia…A high-placed Yankee source Thursday reacted to the development by saying: ‘The Mets are in it? Great. Bring it on.’”
…this just doesn’t make sense…i mean, all indications are that the Mets have roughly $25 million to spend in off-season dollars…the buzz around new york, all of baseball, and probably saturn at this point, is that the Yankees intend to offer around $25 million per season to sabathia over six years…so, a) the Mets would have to blow all of their off-season cash on one guy, b) beat out the Yankees, who are desperate for pitching and a big-name signing, and c) then figure out how to fill every other hole on the team by making trades, and not increasing payroll…and then i woke up…
…anyway, if the Mets want to worry, they should worry about this:
According to Jon Heyman at his blog for SI.com, “The Yankees are focused on Sabathia, Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett.”
…in other words, once the Angels or Yankees sign sabathia, the Mets will have to compete with Brian Cashman for lowe or burnett, and that’s when the true conflict begins…
