Daily Archives: October 15, 2009
Though he might prefer to play for the Rangers, Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers are among the logical landing spots for soon-to-be free-agent RHP John Lackey, who will start Game 1 of ALCS for the Angels on Friday.
Heyman says Lackey rejected a three-year, $40 million contract extension last spring from the Angels that would have taken affect at the start of next season.
According to Heyman, “Lackey could double that as a free agent,” i.e., A.J. Burnett money, or $82.5 million over five years.
The 30–year-old Lackey finished the regular season 11–8 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts, while missing six weeks at the start of the season with a forearm strain.
He also missed the first six weeks in 2008 with a strained tricep, but finished the season 12–5 in 24 starts with a 3.75 ERA.
…i do not know enough about lackey… friends who love the Angels have told me he throws strikes, he’s a big-time competitor, and he is always in command of his stuff, but, though this serves him well most starts, because of it, he can get burned pretty easily and doesn’t seem to have the ability to adjust and work out of trouble…
…also, as i have said before, he looks a bit Peter Brady, see…
To read more from Heyman, regarding Lackey, as well as the future of Rick Peterson, Billy Wagner, Milton Bradley and Oliver Perez, who is moving to Arizona this winter, click here.
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According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, the Mets are close to naming Tim Teufel as manager of their Double-A team, with Wally Backman soon replacing Teufel as Single-A St. Lucie’s manager.
Rubin also believes Mookie Wilson and John Stearns could return to the minor-league system as well.
…wow, 1986 Mets all around… i like the idea of bringing in coaches who embody the type of play i hope the team is looking to instill within its youngest players, i.e., smart, tough, team-first baseball…
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James Kannengieser of Amazin Avenue takes a look at non-tender candidate Jeremy Reed.
To buy a Let’s Go Mess t-shirt, go here.
In a video for On the Black, Kerel Cooper wonders if the Mets should sign soon-to-be free-agent OF Xavier Nady, who had season-ending Tommy John surgery, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Joe Janish of Mets Today takes a closer look at Pat Misch.
In a poll on his blog, TedQuarters, SNY’s Ted Berg asks, “Would you like the Mets to win a World Series if it brought Armageddon?”
By the way, if you’re interested, you can also find me and MetsBlog on Facebook, here, and on Twitter, here.
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Mets 20–year-old pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia allowed three runs and one hit, while walking three and striking out one, against five batters.
For more on Mejia’s outing, check out Toby Hyde’s post at Mets Minor League Blog.
In a post to Amazin Avenue, Sam Page uses PitchFX from the game to look in to what Mejia did well yesterday, and what he needs to improve on.
In a recent review, Baseball America said:
“Mejia has a 94-95 mph fastball, and he can cut or sink it depending on the situation. He flashes a plus curveball, though it’s inconsistent and he struggles to locate it at times. Unlike a lot of young pitchers, he’s willing to throw his changeup, but it has too much velocity and only rates as an adequate pitch at this point. Mejia has a solid pitcher’s frame. His delivery and lack of secondary stuff could lead to an eventual move to the bullpen.”
According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, “Jerry Manuel traveled Tuesday from his home in Sacramento, Calif., to gauge whether Mejia may be able to help the Mets in the bullpen in early 2010.”
To read more from Rubin, who talks with Josh Thole and profiles Mejia, while talking with the young pitcher about 2009 and next season, read his report here.
Tagged News |“Jose Reyes this morning underwent successful surgery to clean up scar tissue remaining from his torn accessory 
hamstring tendon behind the right knee,” according to the team.
“Reyes,” who will resume baseball activities soon after the New Year, “is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for Spring Training.”
…i hope for his sake the team and doctors are correct… but, i can’t help and worry this will be an on-going issue all of next season…
Tagged News |To listen to WFAN producer Gregg Giannotti’s impersonation of what it would sound like if Jerry Manuel called 911, click here.
…hat tip to the guys at WBRS at Brandeis Univ. for the link…
To follow Giannotti on Twitter, click here.
Speaking of managers…
“Manny Acta is one of the candidates to replace Eric Wedge as manager of the Indians,” according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
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Mack from Mack’s Mets says Mets pundits are only looking for 15 ballplayers every season.
In a post to Always Amazin, Matthew Artus explains why the Mets should give Omar Minaya his man, hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.
…from what i can gather, a) the Mets have no interest in committing long-term to a hitting coach, when there is a chance a new manager could want a whole-new staff in a year, and b) they like Howard Johnson, and have no interest in firing him…
John of Metstradamus looks at we’ve learned about Jeff Francoeur.
In a report for the New York Times, George Vecsey looks back at Ron Swoboda’s legendary catch, 40 years after the miracle Mets won the 1969 World Series.
Jon Star of Inside Pitch looks at Brad Holt’s 2009 season.
Andrew Beaton of Hot Foot argues in favor of the Mets signing 21–year-old Cuban defector Ardolis Chapman, who, according to Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com, has hit 102 mph with his fastball.
Lastly, Ed Ryan of Mets Fever looks at the legend of Ike Davis, who has five hits and eight RBI in nine at bats in the Arizona Fall League.
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Yesterday, ESPN.com’s Peter Gammons told 1050 ESPN Radio that Jeff Wilpon is the real GM of the Mets, not Omar Minaya.
The show’s host, Michael Kay, asked Gammons if the Mets will look to hire hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, saying, ‘Omar loves him.’
“But, Omar isn’t the General Manager,” Gammons explained. “Jeff Wilpon is.”
According to Gammons, “Omar’s the one out there to take the heat.”
To listen to Gammons on Kay’s show, click here.
In 2003, the team’s previous partner, Nelson Doubleday, told the Star-Ledger:
“Mr. Jeff Wilpon has decided that he’s going to learn how to run a baseball team and take over at the end of the year… Run for the hills, boys. I think probably all those baseball people will bail… Jeff sits there by himself like he’s King Tut waiting for his camel.”
…let’s not get too crazy here… i mean, i don’t recall anyone ripping on jeff when the Mets were cruising through the NL East and headed to the NLCS in 2006, with players mostly acquired during the four years after doubleday… that said, i can’t believe it will be good for minaya, the team and productivity if everyone is questioning omar’s authority, especially other GMs…
Last week, Jon Heyman of SI.com quoted a Mets person loyal to Minaya as saying, “Omar would be gone if not for that extension,” which will pay him $1.1 million each of the next three seasons.
Gammons believes Jaramillo is leaving the Rangers to earn more money, and he feels there is no chance Wilpon will pay the type of contract Jaramillo will be seeking, especially when considering, as he explained, the Mets are likely to cut their budget for pro-scouting next year.
…i don’t know what it is, but something is off with the Mets…
…maybe it’s financial, maybe it isn’t, maybe gammons is right, maybe he isn’t… who knows… but, what i do know is, teams that win and have direction, and who have a bright future, don’t typically have these sorts of soap operas and accusations made against them over and over again… i mean, it’s been like 10 months of these sorts of jabs, news stories, rumors and comments…
…i’m sure the Mets will say gammons is wrong, everything is fine financially, and so on, and this might be true… i’m not saying it isn’t… but, if it is true, and the Mets are correct, and everyone is happy and surrounded by sunshine and roses, then, what i’d like to know is: why all the rumors, why all the insinuations, why are there so many of these stories circling over only their heads, in what seems like every other week… i mean, do gammons, kay, and everyone else in the media have it out for the Mets, or is this a case of where there is smoke there is fire…
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