Friday, December 5, 2008

In a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, after having talked with the team’s GM, Andrew Marchand reports the Braves offered A.J. Burnett a four-year deal, with a fifth-year option.

However, according to ESPN News, Atlanta has guaranteed the fifth year in its offer.

Olney recently wrote that if a team offered five years, Burnett would likely accept it.

Meanwhile, in his Winter Meetings Preview for SI.com, Jon Heyman reports that CC Sabathia recently received two offers from unknown teams, according to a friend of the pitcher.

…by the way, heyman’s column is required reading for next week’s meetings…give it a good once over…

Meanwhile, according to Olney, the Red Sox will meet with Sabathia this weekend.

Heyman also reports that Derek Lowe is seeking a five-year, $90 million deal.

Scott Boras met with Yankees GM Brian Cashman yesterday, to meet Mark Teixeira, but also to discuss Lowe, Manny Ramirez and Oliver Perez, according to the Daily News.

According to Heyman, the Yankees expressed ‘heavy interest’ in Lowe during the meeting.

…in all of these reports, mentioning all of these starting pitchers, it’s worth noting that the Mets were not mentioned once, accept by heyman, who says they have interest in lowe…

…this is essentially why i made this post this morning…

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Citi Field is impressive. There is no getting around it.

Yes, it feels a bit like Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh, but all three are HOK-designed buildings so this is understandable. Here’s the thing, though, not once during the two-hour tour did I think of Shea Stadium.

For starters, Jeff Wilpon told reporters that the old Home-Run Apple from Shea Stadium will be on display in back of the concourse in center field, which was good to hear. However, a new Apple will pop up from a concrete cannister beneath the center-field scoreboard.

There are nearly 10,000 less seats in Citi Field than Shea, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. Seriously, there are seats every place you look, it is jam packed with places to sit, on all different angles, different levels, and with each and every seat positioned so we’ll be facing home plate.

Also, the seats in Field Level, behind home plate, first and third, are all padded, which is nice.

Speaking of seats, they are dark green – all of them. Unfortunately, it feels a bit generic and cold. Like most fans I have talked with, I wish they were blue and orange instead. That said, it does look more clean and consistent the way it is, and it will be the last thing we notice when the place is sold out.

The other dominant color is the dark, deep gray from the building’s structure. According to the team, the color is inspired by the Hells Gate Bridge and other bridge work around New York City. The color gives the building a strong, industrial vibe – it is powerful, which I like.

I did hear a rumor, which I believe is false, that the dark, dark grey could eventually replace the modern black in the team’s uniform color scheme – or, could be removing the black altogether. Also, they may switch to a deeper blue, instead of the royal-blue of the last few decades. However, while this could happen in the future, I do not think it will be next season. Also, I’ll believe it when I see it, though I like the idea and hope it will eventually be true.

Speaking of color, etc., I did not notice any sort of ‘Mets cultural vibe. There is the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the throw-back to Ebbets, the bridge, and so on, but that is all reference Brooklyn. So far, there is nothing that screams, ‘Mets.’ I guess The Apple counts, but that is more Shea. Of course, the building is only 85 percent complete, and missing decoration, such as banners, flags, retired numbers, and so on, and I assume it is from these additions that such a vibe will develop. I hope.

The left-field wall is tall…very, very tall. Citi Field was windy on the day of the tour, which is not to suggest it will be a hitter’s park, but it’s nice to know the home-run wall favors pitching for now. This can always be adjusted, I would think.

The short porch in right field is intriguing. I do not envy the right fielder – Ryan Church, good luck with that. The view from these seats are pretty cool, actually, so much so that Jeff Wilpon told reporters he purchased season tickets for this section. I don’t blame him. I guarantee it will be a fun time up there.

The thing I like most is the 360–degree concourse, because I can never sit still and I like to pace and walk around during games. The concourse runs around the perimeter of the building, with a footbridge in right-center that home runs will occasionally bang in to. There will be tons of food and drink options out there, including Beer Island, a taco stand, Beer Island, Blue Smoke, Shake Shack and Beer Island, and plenty of places to stop, meet up and watch the game.

Lastly, despite the size, Citi Field is actually intimate, thanks to the lack of foul territory. In a big game, at night, with the lights on, in the bottom of the ninth, etc., and the all of us so close to and above the action, I bet an exciting, electric relationship will occur between the fans and players, even more than there was in Shea Stadium – and I look forward to it.

In case you missed it…

To read Ted Berg’s review of the tour and Citi, go to SNY.tv.

To check out our video from Citi Field, click here.

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According to Buster Olney, in a post to his blog for ESPN.com, the Mets may decide to make appropriate offers to each closer, ‘and the first one to jump at their proposal will be signed.’

“For example,” Olney explains, “It is not known exactly what the Mets intend to offer to the top-flight closers, but let’s say they proposed a three-year, $36 million deal to Francisco Rodriguez; a three-year, $30 million offer to Brian Fuentes; and a two-year, $18 million offer to Kerry Wood. And then they could tell all three that the first to bite gets the contract. The Cardinals, Brewers, Indians and other teams are looking for closers, but probably won’t spend at the same level as the Mets.”

…this is an odd strategy, unless, of course, the Mets truly do not care which of these three is their closer…in that case, if they value them all the same in terms of talent, in terms of ability to close out a game, then i guess it makes sense…assuming these take-it-or-leave-it offers are the absolute minimum the Mets are willing to pay, before lowering the bar to a point that other teams could jump in…

Olney also blogs about potential talks between the Dodgers and Yankees, regarding Robinson Cano, and how that could impact Orlando Hudson; Atlanta’s offer to A.J. Burnett; Jason Giambi’s lofty request; and whether Jon Garland will accept arbitration from the Angels, among other things.

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The Mets and Phillies have expressed interest in signing free-agent infielder Nick Punto, reports the Star-Tribune.

Punto, 31, hit .284 with a .344 OBP in 99 games for the Twins last season, while playing second base, third base, shortstop and center field. 

However, he hit just .210 in 2007, but .290 in 2006, during which he averaged roughly 460 at bats per season.

According to the report, Punto has remained in contact with the Twins, who plan to meet with his agent at the Winter Meetings.

…punto would make for an interesting bench player for the Mets, but i can’t imagine he is any sort of priority…

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Yesterday, the Phillies made an offer to free-agent RHP Derek Lowe, according to the Boston Globe.

“Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. wouldn’t confirm or deny that an offer had been made, but said, ‘I will tell you that I’ve talked to Derek Lowe’s representatives,’” reports Ken Mandel at MLB.com.

However, according to Jayson Stark at ESPN.com, the Phillies have very little chance of signing Lowe.

…i bet, since, from what i can gather, it was a very low-ball offer…plus, it’s pretty clear at this point, based on published reports and the buzz around lowe, that he hopes to re-sign with the Red Sox, for a variety of reasons, from family to redemption…that said, if another team on the East Coast, who trains in Florida, is willing to pay big, big bucks per season, i believe he’ll take the deal…

The Globe also believes a second team made an offer to Lowe, and it was not the Red Sox or Yankees.

…honestly, i’m getting a little nervous for the Mets, with regards to the starting pitcher’s market…i just don’t sense they will end up signing a front-end starting pitcher, like they hope to…it will not be for a lack of trying, but i sense the market will just shuffle out in a way that Omar Minaya is left in the cold…

…and so, the Mets may need to consider signing a player like Jon Garland, who would actually be a really good fit for them, while trading for a back-end pitcher like Edwin Jackson to compete with Jon Niese for the fifth starter spot…

…the thing is, i keep reading fans who are saying minaya should trade major prospects to get Jose Valverde or J.J. Putz, instead of a lesser package to Colorado for Huston Street…ok, but, you can’t trade Robert Parnell to three different teams, you know what i mean…so, if a guy like parnell is going to be needed to get a starting pitcher too, you can’t use him now to also get valverde…

…therefore, like it or not, we may be looking at the following game plan as a way to fix the pitching staff:

Trade Aaron Heilman and one prospect for Street; sign Garland and Francisco Rodriguez, which only costs cash; and, lastly, trade an additional prospect or two for a second starting pitcher.

…if the bullpen is strong and traditional, Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Jon Garland and a fifth starter could be more than sufficient…not ideal, but sufficient…

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