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Free-agent OF Kevin Mench is close to signing a 
one-year contract with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, according to NPB Tracker.
…this is a sign of the time, in terms of baseball and the economy, in that while the big-time players will get their money, it’s the mid-range guy, who can easily be replaced by a minor-leaguer, who is out of a job…
The Astros signed LHP Mike Hampton to a one-year, $2 million deal, bringing him back to Houston, reports FoxSports.com.
ESPN.com’s Peter Gammons is interviewed about the Red Sox on Fire Brand of the American League, during which he is asked, “How do you feel blogs, both as a tool for grassroots media like MVN, as a part of mainstream media.”
Lastly, according to MLB.com, citing ‘league sources,’ the Marlins have been shopping C Matt Treanor, in advance of possibly pursuing free-agent C Pudge Rodriguez.
Part of me was actually hoping we signed Hampton to a similar contract; though I relationships were strained given the prior negotiation attempt and that there was little intrested by either side.
Even that said, I think Hampton is an interesting guy to watch next year.
He’ll be injured half the time.
I agree. I thought Hampton threw the ball well against us in September and for 1 yr at 2 mln is worth the risk.
Gammons makes a good argument for Tex. The Mets need to go after Tex.
tex4mets.wordpress.com
eh. I think we have plenty of reasonable options without having to commit to him. That you made a blog devoted to it is kinda sad..
Hey, Mets Blog finally acknowledged the economy will impact baseball. It certainly took you long enough!
Just because it’s alluded to in one post doesn’t make it true.
No one knows how it’ll affect baseball yet, if at all. All he suggested is that owners might be less willing to gamble on mid-grade players that could end up being worthless.
Its already affecting baseball as evidenced in the slow pace of free agent signings and teams announcing they are not raising ticket prices in 2009.
free agents aren’t really signing that slower than usual, and just because they sign in Jan or Dec doesn’t change that they _are_ signing.
teams don’t _always_ raise the price of everything every year.
I saw we go for Matt Treanor, then dump him during spring season and keep Misty May
I don’t understand why the mets didn’t make more of an attempt for Hampton. I know negotiations were strained and neither side showed little interest but if the Astros signed him for 2 mill for 1 year with incentives, you’re telling me the Mets couldn’t swoop in, offer him 3 or 4 mill for 1 year with incentives and grab him for some depth? He even said he didn’t want an option! I’m a strong believer in never having enough pitching depth and if the Mets are gonna play ball with the huge market teams in baseball like they clearly have been, then 4 or 5 mill is nothing. Yes, Hampton gets injured, and maybe he wouldn’t have wanted to come back to NY but he has actually pitched well at points in his career and I don’t see a reason for Omar showing no interest. Please, someone explain this to me.
Maybe there are 36-year-old pitchers available who have actually pitched a full season of ball since 2004.
Well until Omar makes a move to bring in more pitching depth, I’ll continue to be frustrated when he doesn’t go after what seems like a no-brainer to me in Hampton. He actually got healthy towards the end of last season and pitched pretty well with an ERA under 4.00 and something like 7 or 8 quality starts and to sign him for 1 year for little money is a no risk, high upside move.
Man … we didn’t have a chance to get Hampton. Haven’t you heard about all those great Houston schools?