Daily Archives: January 6, 2009
Update, 6:27 am:
According to the Associated Press, the meeting between Boras and team executives will take place on Wednesday.
Original Post:
Andrew Marchand of 1050 ESPN Radio reports that 
Scott Boras will soon hold a face-to-face meeting with Mets executives to discuss free-agent pitchers Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez.
Boras is in New York City today as the Yankees introduce the signing of his client, first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Speaking of starting pitchers…
The Indians have signed free-agent starter Carl Pavano to a one-year deal, according to the Associated Press.
Tagged Oliver Perez |Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com believes Manny Ramirez is still seeking a four-year, $100 million contract.
In a poll to MetsBlog.com, 52 percent of the more-than 5,000 
people who voted said they would not give Ramirez a guaranteed three-year, $75 million deal to sign with the Mets.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are holding firm on their initial two-year, $45 million offer, reports Tim Brown for Yahoo! Sports, who also believes Ramirez is still seeking four or five years.
John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus believes the Giants may be preparing two different offers for Ramirez, one that is worth three guaranteed years for $36 million, and another that guarantees two years, but holds an option for a third and fourth season, which could ultimately be worth $100 million.
However, according to Rosenthal, Ramirez is only ‘cool to the idea of playing in San Francisco.’
In the end, Jon Heyman of SI.com still feels the Giants and Dodgers will be Ramirez’s top suitors.
Last week, in a post to his blog for the Star-Ledger, Dan Graziano explained why there is little chance Ramirez ends up in Queens, despite Omar Minaya’s interest.
Speaking of outfielders…
Bobby Abreu is still seeking a three-year, $48 million deal, according to Brown’s previously mentioned report for Yahoo!.
Lastly, Milton Bradley signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs, according to multiple reports.
In a post to his blog for SI.com, Jon Heyman writes:
“The Mets made an offer of about $36 million over three years to Derek Lowe… However, indications are that Lowe isn’t seriously considering that proposal, and that several other teams are currently leading the chase.”
According to Heyman, the Braves and Phillies also have shown interest, as have the Red Sox, and ‘the Brewers and Angels may also be lurking,’
However, Brewers GM Doug Melvin told reporters today, “We’re not in on him,” when asked about Lowe, according to MLB.com.
And, according to Ken Rosenthal, at FoxSports.com, the Braves have yet to speak with Scott Boras about the free-agent starting pitcher.
Mark Bowman of MLB.com recently wrote that the Braves are unlikely to exceed Minaya’s initial three-year, $36 million offer.
Rosenthal also believes the Phillies and Brewers continue to be concerned with Lowe’s price tag, like the Braves – and the Cubs feel the same, reports Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports.
I realize people in baseball and in New York seem confident that Lowe is within arm’s reach of Queens, but I just don’t trust Boras.
Seriously, you just never know what sort of sorcery he is going to pull, while working to create a new market for his client.
The Mets could end up being in the best possible position for Lowe, then, uh oh, what happened, Lowe signs with the Yankees for four years and nobody ever saw it coming.
That’s the type of thing that always seems to happen with his clients, especially when his back is against the wall. This is why I am trying to not to get to wrapped up in any rumors and information surrounding Lowe. It’s just all hard to fully believe until the guy is actually wearing a new jersey.
In a post to Mets Geek, James Kannengieser compares the Jets and Mets, both of whom were once in first place and controlled of their own fate, but fell one win short of the playoffs.
In Kannengieser’s scenario, Bret Favre is Johan Santana; Eric Mangini is Willie Randolph; Jose Reyes is Thomas Jones; and September is December; among other similarities.
Actually, after having experienced back-to-back 
collapses with the Mets, I was shocked that my other favorite sports team, the Jets, were about to pull the exact same stunt.
However, thanks to the last two Septembers, I was prepared for Gang Green’s free fall and totally unsurprised by the pain it caused.
So, to the New York Mets, I say, ‘Thank You,’ for preparing me to best deal with the Jets.
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors says free-agent relief pitcher Chad Cordero ‘is ahead of schedule,’ and will 
audition for teams this week, according to a baseball source.
During the Winter Meetings in December, Bill Ladson of MLB.com said Cordero intended to meet with the Mets, Cardinals, Rangers, Tigers and D’Backs while in Las Vegas.
In a report from November, Ladson claimed that the Mets, Angels, Rangers and Tigers had shown interest in Cordero, who had surgery in July to repair a torn labrum.
He missed the second half of last season, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
“Cordero’s first choice would be to sign with the Angels,” Ladson explained, “because he is from Anaheim and grew up an Angels fan.” However, he added, “Cordero also wouldn’t mind having a reunion with Mets general manager Omar Minaya.”
The 26–year-old Cordero has yet to finish a season with an ERA above 3.36 in his six-year career, during which he has been successful 83 percent of the time in save opportunities, while striking out 292 batters in 320 innings.
Gary Armida of Full Count Pitch conducts a Q&A with Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin, which Rubin has posted to his blog for the Daily News.
As of now, the Mets will not have a single selection during the 41–pick first round of MLB’s Amateur Draft, which will take place during June, 2009, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
The Mets will lose additional picks if they sign free-agents Derek Lowe, Manny Ramirez or Orlando Hudson, but will gain a pick if Oliver Perez signs with a new team.
Yesterday, I wrote about the 2009 Citi Field Inaugural Patch.
Today, Brooklyn Met Fan gets in on the act, adding, “If Citigroup has succeeded in nothing else as Met sponsor, they’re officially dominating the World of Crappy Logos.”
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times believes two teams, one from each league, are interested in Pedro Martinez.
From what I can gather, the Mets still have interest in Martinez, and are probably the lone National League team.
I believe Omar Minaya is sincere when he says publicly that his team would bring Martinez back to Queens. However, in either case, I sense Minaya is only willing to guarantee a one-year deal – similar to the incentive-filled contract that Brad Penny signed with the Red Sox.
The buzz around baseball suggests that Martinez may be willing to sign for less money with the Mets, as long as it’s a guaranteed contract, because he is disappointed with the performance he delivered during their previous four-year agreement.
Frankly – guaranteed, not guaranteed, minor-league deal, whatever – I feel it is time to move on from Martinez. I mean no disrespect to him, as he always be considered among my favorite pitchers of all time, but the Mets need to move beyond the last two seasons. If it’s not moving on from Martinez and Aaron Heilman, or Damion Easley and Endy Chavez, among others, than who is it? Plus, I’m tired of the climate of instability that Martinez brings. Every day he pitches, the story isn’t the Mets, wins or losses, it’s about his shoulder, or the height of the mound, or his velocity, and so on. I love him, but Mets need to move on.
By the way, there is a bit of online buzz suggesting the White Sox could be the American League team that is interested in Martinez.
Actually, my hunch had been that he would sign with the Dodgers, because a) it is where he started his career, and b) they are seemingly in need of a veteran starting pitcher – after losing Penny, Greg Maddux and Derek Lowe.
However, according to Hernandez, the Dodgers are not interested.
Lastly, if you’re thinking, ‘How come nobody is talking about Martinez as a relief pitcher,’ click here.
Tagged Pedro Martinez |Ken Rosenthal from FoxSports.com believes that Derek Lowe is not Omar Minaya’s only top choice, adding, “Oliver Perez is left-handed, eight years 
younger than Lowe and accustomed to pitching in New York. He also got married in mid-December, a sign of his growing maturity.”
According to Rosenthal, while the Braves, Brewers and Phillies are interested in Lowe, they seem unwilling to top Minaya’s initial three-year, $36 million offer.
In Newsday, Ken Davidoff explains that the Mets have no intention of increasing their initial offer ‘at this time,’ because they are ‘confident that they have no serious competition.’
According to Davidoff, the Mets have also been negotiating with Perez and free-agent LHP Randy Wolf.
Speaking of starting pitchers…
Andy Pettitte rejected Brian Cashman’s one-year, $10 million offer, ‘and there is no standing offer for now,’ reports Tyler Kepner in the New York Times.
By the way, the Braves have shown interest in Pettitte, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
