Daily Archives: October 30, 2009
Jon Heyman of SI.com believes that the Red Sox are willing to offer four years and $60 million to Jason Bay.
Heyman feels that figure is a bit short, given Bay’s stature as an established middle of the order hitter.
However, Heyman says that Bay’s agent, Joe Urbon, wouldn’t rule out the two sides making a deal in the Red Sox exclusive 15 day window following the World Series, and that “regionality” doesn’t factor in to where Bay lands.
For more on this and other rumors, check out Heyman’s column on SI.
Yesterday a friend of mine loaned me a book he found at a tag sale called “The Amazing Mets”.
This book was written in 1964 by Jerry Mitchell, and it speaks of the Mets early history, through their first two seasons of existence.
…i did a quick scan of this book early this morning and shared some quotes with Matt, and i think both of us agreed that some of the lines and use of language about the team is similar to what we hear today describing the Mets…
In the book, Mitchell writes:
“People who watched workmen putting the finishing touches on the Stadium agreed that new concepts of design make [Shea Stadium] the most convenient, comfortable and attractive stadium on the eastern seaboard.”
…imagine that…someone actually wrote at one point that they liked Shea Stadium…from what i know of those days, people considered Shea to be a state-of-the-art facility as it was one of the first facilities that could convert into a fully functional football stadium with rotating seats…
For a more in depth look at this book, check out my post here.
Tagged Michael Baron |
WFAN mid-day host Evan Roberts dressed up as an injured Met for Halloween.
To see the picture, click here.
…well played, evan… by the way, i love the mid-80s road jersey… nice choice…
To follow Roberts on Twitter, click here.
Tagged News |
In a report for Newsday, David Lennon talks with Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. about the Mets and Omar Minaya, and building a potential back-to-back World Champion.
In the mid–to-late 90s, the Phillies lost 90 games in back-to-back seasons, after which Ed Wade took over as GM, hired Dallas Green as a top adviser, among others, and drafted Chase Utley in 2000, Ryan Howard in 2001, Cole Hamels in 2002, and acquired Shane Victorino as a Rule 5 selection in 2004.
“I don’t know how many people he fired and hired, but he really revamped the entire system,” Amaro told Lennon. “The fact of the matter is, without bringing that type of talent into our system, we wouldn’t be here. That was Ed’s goal. The goal was to get here and stay here and we had to do it from kind of the ground up.”
Additionally, as Lennon points out, “The Phillies deep farm system allowed them to make the key midseason trade for Cliff Lee.”
…i have talked to a few player agents over the last week, and to a man they all say it is a given that the Mets are notorious for not spending heavily on the draft… and, since this is understood going in, top players do not slip to them…
…for instance, if a future player believes the Mets will pay ‘over slot,’ his agent will begin telling the market that his client will demand a lucrative ‘signing package,’ and, as such, low-spending teams will avoid drafting him because they know he will not sign for what they’re only willing or able to pay, and so the player slips in the draft, on purpose, where the 
big-spending team will scoop him up and meet his demands… this is what the Red Sox have been doing for years… it’s not a fair system… but, it is the system… and, since it can be manipulated, the Red Sox, Phillies, and others, manipulate it, helping to stock their farm system… for instance, by doing this, and doing it well, the Red Sox essentially end up drafting three or four ‘first-round quality prospects,’ every year they draft…
…from what i understand, this is not exclusive to big-market teams any more… for instance, the last two seasons, smaller-market teams have started forgoing less-impactful, major-league free agents, say, a bench player or two for $5 million, a journeyman relief pitcher for $5 million, and, instead, are re-allocating that $10 million to the draft, where they believe they can get a better return on investment…
To read more, including quotes from Amaro about his close friend, Minaya, read Lennon’s report, here.
Tagged News, Twitter |
Joe Janish of Mets Today takes a closer look at infielder Alex Cora, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Mets last off season.
Cora had season-ending surgery in August on the torn ligaments in both of his thumbs.
Last month, Adam Rubin of the Daily News said the Mets will likely re-sign Cora to be their back-up middle infielder.
He hit .251 with a .320 OBP in 82 games for the Mets this season.
… he didn’t have a sensational season… but, i believe he is the type of player who fans are unable to accurately judge, because his true value may be in the clubhouse, and on the bench, not on the field… so, i can handle him being re-signed… so long as a) he’s the only player like this on the roster, because i believe every team needs at least one ‘Uncle Cliff,’ like Cliff Floyd, who is like a player-coach, and b) the team doesn’t pull a Marlon Anderson, or a Julio Franco, and give him an unnecessary, two-year deal…
Cora hit .417 in 16 plate appearances as a pinch hitter this season, while batting .243 in the 67 games that he started.
Tagged News |
The Yankees defeated the Phillies last night, tying the World Series at one game each.
…i would love to know what is going through the minds of Jeff Wilpon and Omar Minaya when seeing these two teams on the same field, in October, and with, of all people, Pedro Martinez on the mound, while the Mets are no place in site… for the most part, i am sure they’re happy for those involved, they’re good men and i know they’re supporting specific colleagues and friends in the game, as they should be… but, i have to think, at least once per game, if not more, they’re shaking their heads in dismay, just like you and i…
Speaking of which, Eric Simon of Amazin Avenue has changed his vote.
Simon started the Series rooting for the Yankees… but, as he puts it, “It is with awkwardness and little fanfare that I now reluctantly declare myself a World Series supporter of the Phillies.”
…i understand, eric… i started out rooting against the Phillies, too… and, for the most part, i have been consistent… but, i will not lie, at least a dozen times per game i find myself instinctively reacting with happiness when Derek Jeter strikes out, or when Alex Rodriguez gets booed, or when CC Sabathia lets up a run… i can’t help it… it’s like breathing… but, then i see Chase Utley rounding third on a home run, and i immediately revert back to rooting against him… it’s all so confusing… and i don’t like it… i don’t really care who wins anymore, i just want it to end…
Update, 9:35 am:
Speaking of the Yankees, the guys at Daily Tailgate have a pretty funny chart up, helping to answer, ‘Which Yankee are you?”
