Daily Archives: August 25, 2009
The agent for Billy Wagner, Bean Stringfellow, told Andrew Ma
rchand of ESPN Radio via telephone that besides the contract issues, a big reason why Wagner did not waive his no-trade clause to join the Red Sox was that he is only supposed to pitch every three days.
Stringfellow told Marchand:
“This is a factor, you can’t overcome…You are not out of the woods until 14 months.”
…i can’t say that Wagner made the wrong decision in not joining Boston if this is the case…if he wishes to pitch effectively beyond this year he is correct in not trying to push things too far and in joining the Boston bullpen, which has staggered as of late, he would be a relied upon source and it isn’t fair to put him in that spot and have him pitch out of his prescribed schedule…
…that said, Wagner hasn’t won a World Championship, and winning is supposed to be everything, right? After all, he was originally opened to joining Boston for that very reason…
Early sources, including ESPN‘s Buster Olney, believe that Johan Santana will not require major reconstructive surgery on his left elbow, but may need corrective surgery or have his elbow cleaned out which will allow him to be ready for the 2010 season.
…nothing is definitive until tests are done this afternoon so we will see…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |Mike Silva at NY Baseball Digest thinks that Jerry Koosman cursed the Mets by selling the ball that Cleon Jones caught to end the 1969 World Series.
…i hadn’t known about this until my mom told me last week…good one koos…
Always Amazin’s Matthew Artus reflects on the past weekend, noting that it’s hard to consider Nolan Ryan a Met.
…i don’t think he considers himself one either, but still nice to see him in that jersey…maybe he would consider a comeback role for them this year…
Ed Leyro of Mets Merized Online wonders what might have been if Nolan Ryan played out his career in Queens.
Is there a curse at Shea Stadium? Joe McDonald of NY Sports Day thinks so.
Andrew Beaton of Hot Foot points out that a no-hitter has finally been thrown by a Met…albeit a minor league Met.
And Brooklyn Met Fan is resigned to the fact that Johan Santana may also be done for the season.
In the New York Post, Mike Puma writes, “It’s 
time to perform a Citi Field exorcism, or at least discover where the Chipper Jones jersey is buried.”
…ummmm, wrong team… remember this:
According to this thread from June on MikeFrancesa.com, “There are three Phillies jerseys buried in Citi Field,” thanks to a Phillies fan who was a foreman on the job site.
Also, don’t forget, Sports Illustrated predicted the Mets would win the World Series against the Angels this season.
…i don’t believe in hexes, jinxes, etc., but, let’s review, shall we:
Instead, the Mets have put 19 players on the disabled list this season, including Carlos Delgado, David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes, as well as Brian Schneider, Angel Pagan, Oliver Perez, John Maine, Gary Sheffield, Alex Cora, Ryan Church, and J.J. Putz, who underwent elbow surgery in June – not to mention rookie 
Fernando Martinez, who had been the team’s starting outfielder at the time.
Meanwhile, Jeff Francoeur, who never missed a game due to injury while with the Braves, may be forced to miss the rest of this season with a torn ligament in his thumb – all while Johan Santana has his sore elbow examined today by Dr. Altchek.
For what it’s worth, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Mets and Reds are tied for having put the most players on the disabled list this season, 19, with Reds losing Joey Votto, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Jay Bruce, and Aaron Harang.
…is it too late for the Mets to add Harry Potter to the 25–man roster…
Tagged News |Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says Billy Wagner has blocked a trade from the Mets to the Red Sox, using the no-trade clause in his contract, ‘according to a major-league source.’
Jon Heyman of SI.com said the Mets and Sox wanted to make a trade, but that the deal was always up to Wagner, because of his no-trade rights.
The Mets still have until 1 pm today to trade Wagner to Boston; release him; or pull him off waivers and keep him, meaning he is not able to be traded to another team for the rest of this season.
However, Wagner told MLB.com yesterday he expects to be in Miami tonight when the Mets begin a series with the Marlins.
For details on why Boston would only meet one of Wagner’s two stipulations, read Rosenthal’s report.
…i don’t get it…yesterday, rosenthal said wagner didn’t want the Sox to offer him salary arbitration, because it will make him more attractive as a free agent to other teams if there is no fear of giving up a draft pick as compensation for signing him… the thing is, if he stays where he is, the Mets are almost certain to offer him arbitration anyway… so, either way, he will be less attractive…
In the end, Rosenthal believes Wagner would rather end the season healthy, which has a better chance of doing pitching in a less competitive enviornment, like with the Mets, than in pennant race, like with the Sox.
…not for nothing, billy, but are the Mets really the best place to insure being healthy… save yourself while you can…
Interestingly, according to Rosenthal, though the Mets could simply send Wagner to Boston for nothing, in an effort to save the full $3.5 million on his contract, Wagner must approve such a trans action as well.
Wagner needs 40 saves to pass John Franco as having the most saves of any left-handed reliever in major-league history.
… obviously, most important to wagner is that he remain healthy and be able to sign the best free-agent contract this off season, with a team who needs a closer, so he can rack up additional saves for his career…
…however, for the Mets, there is no telling how this will work out… the Mets could, technically, pick up the $8 million option on wagner’s contract, and work with him on a trade to a new team this off season… or, they would decline the option and offer him arbitration… because we now know he will almost certainly decline, meaning the Mets can probably count on acquiring at least one additional draft pick for next summer’s draft… the question is: will the players they end up drafting next summer end up being better than the prospects they could have acquired from the Red Sox… we’ll never know, i guess…
Tagged News |
Johan Santana will have his sore left elbow examined by Dr. David Altchek today.
“He has been pitching with it probably since the break, but not with the level of discomfort he has now,” Manuel said, following yesterday’s game. “I know now that it concerns him.”
Marty Noble of MLB.com speaks with a few of Santana’s teammates, all of whom expect he will end up having season-ending surgery.
… i have asked around, but have no idea if there is cause for serious concern, or whether this is just a precaution… his elbow was sore, he had an MRI, and now he’s seeing the specialist… from what i understand, he did the same with his back earlier in the season… i can’t help but think he’d be on the mound tomorrow if the Mets were in a pennant race… so, this could all be a by-product of being so far out of contention… in other words, pain, ok, go to the doctor, let’s not fool around…
Manuel said it will be up to the doctors if Santana pitches again this season.
…that’s fine, but, surgery, no surgery, why let him back on a mound… the Mets have 15 games left this season in Citi Field… of those 15, santana might have pitched in three games, maybe… so, the Mets really can’t use attendance as a reason to rush johan back… just let him be… he’s had back issues, now the elbow, he had knee surgery last off season, just let him catch his breath… he’s thrown 166 innings… that’s more than enough…
For more on Santana, and how the Mets should handle the rest of his season, read Tim Smith’s column for the Daily News.
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