Daily Archives: November 5, 2009
In an appearance on the MLB Network today, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said the Mets would ‘love a do-over’ with free-agent LHP Randy Wolf, who 
they had a chance to sign to a one-year deal last off season, but instead they chose to re-sign Oliver Perez.
The 33–year-old Wolf was 11–7 with a 3.23 ERA in 34 starts for the Dodgers in 2009, during which he struck out 160 batters in 214 innings.
…wolf signed with the Dodgers, left, then signed with the Dodgers again… he was born in that area of California, and he is said to love playing out there… the Dodgers need pitching and he had a nice season for them… and so, it’s hard to see him not staying put… but, of course, money talks… it’s just, as much as i am intrigued by wolf, and think he’d be a nice fit for the Mets, in terms of acquiring a reliable and effective pitcher, i am not sure he is worth overpaying for…
Additionally, Heyman believes the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Braves, and may be the Giants, will all be players for free-agent OF Matt Holliday, who, he says, “is a long shot to re-sign with the Cardinals.”
On the other hand, he said free-agent OF Jason Bay enjoyed his time in Boston, where he would love to return, and while the Red Sox would like to bring him back, all of the teams who are interested in Holliday will also be interested in Bay.
Heyman believes free-agent RHP John Lackey could get close to $100 million, “and the Yankees are definitely looking at him.”
To read more from Heyman, follow him on Twitter, here, and read his Daily Scoop column for SI.com, here.
Tagged News |Carlos Delgado, Brian Schneider, and Gary Sheffield have been categorized as Type B Free Agents by Elias.
…in other words, if the Mets offer salary 
arbitration to any of these three players, and if they decline it and sign with a new team, the Mets will be rewarded one additional draft pick for each player in the ‘Sandwich Round,’ which occurs between the first and second round of the draft…
…the thing is, i don’t know if i offer arbitration to any of these three guys, because i think all three might accept it… it’s a tough call… i have to think sheffield and schneider would prefer to find some place where they can start, and delgado would prefer to be a DH… but, they’re all probably looking at one-year deals anyway…
Tagged Twitter |
Peter Gammons of ESPN.com is reporting that the Red Sox have acquired Jeremy Hermida from the Marlins in exchange for ptchers Jose Alvarez and Hunter Jones.
Hermida was the Marlins first round pick in 2002 and finished this season hitting .259 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 129 games, making just one error in 205 chances in both left and right field.
Tagged News |The Mets have added 24–year-old 3B Shawn Bowman to their 40–man roster.
…i assume this is to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft… for more of this, and how teams must add certain 
players to the 40 man, so to keep from losing them, click here…
Bowman hit .294 with 36 extra base hits in 91 games for the Double-A Binghamton Mets in 2009.
…bowman was a big-time prospect a few years ago, drafted in 2002, but he fractured his spine in 2005… he worked out in St. Lucie, he played winter ball, then had back issues again… he seems to be better, and re-started his rise through the organization this summer… he has not been injured in two seasons, and he performed well in Double-A last season… he was talked about as being the third baseman of the future when he was drafted, so much so i recall lots of talk about moving David Wright to second base… obviously, that never happened… i understand he has a hole or two in his swing, especially against hard-throwing righties, and he isn’t talked about much, but he once was, and is still young, and so i am glad to see the Mets protect him…
Update, 3:38 pm:
To read about Bowman’s spinal surgery, during which he had two rods implanted in his back, read this old post from Toby Hyde, for Mets Minor League Blog, with details and quotes from Bowman.
Tagged News |
The Angels have re-signed OF Bobby Abreu to a two-year deal, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
Jon Heyman, in a post to Twitter, is reporting the deal has a vesting option for a third year, but the financial parameters are not yet known.
…interesting how Abreu didn’t sign until the final hour of the off-season this past year, and is the first player off the free agent board this year…
…he had a great year for the Angels and is probably a better fit there than he would have been for the Mets…
Abreu hit .293 with 15 home runs and 103 RBI and he drove in 100 runs for the seventh consecutive season.
Update, 3:46 pm:
According to Price, the deal is worth $19 million guaranteed with a $9 million option for 2012 that can be triggered with a certain number of plate appearances, or a $1 million buyout.
He will earn $9 million in 2010 and 2011.
Tagged News |Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post says the Mets have told JJ Putz they will not pick up his option for 2010.
…as i said before, it was just too much of a financial commitment to give a setup man coming off of elbow surgery…they can probably find a capable setup man to compliment 
Pedro Feliciano for a lot less than what they would’ve had to pay Putz…in addition, cutting ties with Putz clears up important money for the other priorities that the Mets will need to address…
The option would have called for $9.1 million, and instead they will buy him out for $1 million.
Update, 3:29 pm:
…it just goes to show how, sometimes, things do not work out as planned… because, from what i recall, the Mets acquired putz, not just to be an elite set-up man, but knowing they could pick up his option and trade him to a team in need of a closer, since he would be signed to a one-year, $9 million deal… but, no such luck…
Update, 3:42 pm:
According to Hubbuch, Putz’s agent, Craig Landis, isn’t ruling out a return to the Mets on an incentive-laden deal.
In a post to Amazin Avenue, James Kannengieser looks in to the Yankees stats from this season, and concludes:
“The goal is to score more runs than you allow… Home runs are not evil and pitching alone does not win championships.”
This was essentially my argument, here, when defending Daniel Murphy… or, at least defending the idea that he can hit just 15 home runs and play first base for a Championship team, so long as the team is scoring runs. In short, who cares how they score them, just score them, and score more than you allow, 
which is Kannengieser’s ultimate point.
I trust the Mets will acquire a quality, power bat this off season… add him to Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran, a second-year Murphy and Jeff Francoeur, and the Mets will have a good-enough offense to score more runs than they allow, assuming they also can find a reliable, good-doesn’t-have-to-be-great starting pitcher to couple with Johan Santana, and everyone plays better defense. Sure, that’s a lot of ‘ifs,’ but they’re not unrealistic ‘ifs.’
I believe the above team, which is attainable through only two or three key moves, will be good-enough to compete in the NL East. The Braves and Marlins are on the rise, and the Phillies are weakening.
However, with his back against the wall, and his potential replacements standing outside his door, my biggest fear is that Omar Minaya might do something crazy, like trade away his most promising young talent for a soon-to-be-free-agent, not-tested-in-NY veteran, or, worse, some aging, overrated veteran to a bizarre contract, putting future seasons in jeopardy.
Last week on his blog, Ted Quarters, SNY’s Ted Berg pointed out how, back in 2007, high-n-mighty local newspaper columnists were quick to rip Yankees GM Brian Cashman for not acquiring Johan Santana from the Twins for Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. At that time, the writers claimed Cashman had to ‘go for it,’ he didn’t, and, as a result, God forbid, his team didn’t make the playoffs in 2008, while Hughes and Chamberlain struggled. In a shocking twist, last week, most of those columnists admitted they were wrong… recognizing Cashman did the right thing by sitting idle for an off season, letting money drop from his payroll, and letting a few key, young players gain experience, and then, because of his patience, and understanding how those in-house youngsters fit in, he was able to identify and pounce on players like Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia, and last night he won a World Series.
I think the Mets can operate with a similar patience, let it all play out a bit and then make their move the subsequent two off seasons, when their roster will be ripe for and more able to be overhauled. For instance, Luis Castillo, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez, Carlos Beltran, Jeff Francoeur and John Maine are all eligible for free agency following 2011. So, over the course of the next two off seasons, the Mets will find themselves at some pretty interesting crossroads. Meaning, in significant and meaningful terms, they can either move on from, or continue, what has transpired over the last few seasons.
Frankly, Matt Holliday is the only player on the open market this off-season who I feel is worth signing to a ridiculous contract; because, like Teixeira last off season, Holliday is young enough and talented and athletic enough to build a team around, and so I can justify his asking price. Also, he’s available right now, not one year from now, and he happens to fill the team’s biggest need, which, by the way, will always be a need, i.e., power, hustle and athleticism. Sure, if he wants to trade promising young talent for other known young talent, like a Prince Fielder or Carl Crawford, I’m all for it. But, short of Holliday, or a super-creative move like Fielder, I see no reason to do anything crazy.
The Mets have Johan Santana, who is awesome; they have an elite closer; they have two of the best young players in the game, in Wright and Reyes; they have the best center fielder in baseball; they have a handful of prospects who need more time to develop, but who are garnering more and more interest every day; they have a beautiful new ballpark; and they have a crop of mid-range talent, making reasonable money, like Maine and Pelfrey, who are good-enough to round out a rotation.
So, please, don’t make any sudden movements, Omar… be cool… put Holliday, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Mr. Met and Danny Meyer on a poster and you’ll sell more than enough tickets. It’ll be OK, score more runs than you allow, and it’ll be really OK… do something crazy, and it could hurt for years.
Tagged News |
Adam Rubin, in a post to his blog for the Daily News, points out that the option the Mets have on JJ Putz is for $9.1 million, and not for $8.6 million as had been previously reported due to a performance clause that was exercised prior to his trade to the Mets.
Rubin feels that there is no way the Mets can bring Putz back at either salary.
…i am leaning towards agreeing with Rubin at this point…at first i was on the fence because he can be a valuable but costly part of the bullpen, but i now think the money is better spent elsewhere, and as Rubin says, he probably wants to close…
In addition, Rubin notes that Tim Redding is arbitration eligible and is not a free agent, but wonders if the Mets will non-tender him this winter.
…i don’t see how Redding fits into the Mets plans…he was a disappointment in 2009 and was on the verge of being released mid-season, but was held onto thanks to the injuries in the rotation…
Finally, Rubin takes a look at the catching situation, and feels Rod Barajas is a logical fit to replace Brian Schneider, which would give Josh Thole more seasoning time at Triple-A Buffalo.
…i am not high on Barajas…he hit for decent power in 2009, but below .230…he is 34 and a lifetime .238 hitter…he would clearly be a temporary solution as they watch and hope Thole matures, but in any case, i can’t see him as part of the solution next year…
For more on this and the complete list of free agent’s check out Rubin’s blog.
Tagged Rod Barajas, Tim Redding |Today marks the start of a 15-day period when eligible players, like Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider, may elect to become a free agent, during which the team has exclusive rights to negotiate a new deal.
Once the 15-day window closes, which will be Friday, Nov. 20, the player is free to sign with another club.
In addition, the deadline for clubs to offer salary arbitration to free agents, so they can be eligible for draft-pick compensation, is midnight Dec. 1, after which the player has a week to accept the offer.
Don’t forget, a player under team control is guaranteed to make at least 80 percent of what he made the previous year in arbitration.
Meanwhile, the deadline for teams to offer 2010 contracts to unsigned players, like John Maine and Jeff Francoeur, is Dec. 12. This is the night we will be made aware of whether someone like J.J. Hardy is tendered a contract to stay with the Brewers, traded to a new team, who will need to tender him a contract, or whether he will be non-tendered by the Brewers, making him a free agent.
Also, The GM Meetings will take place Nov. 9-11 in Chicago. Here, teams will discuss league business, like Instant Replay, and extend feelers to other clubs to learn of who might or might not be available. Last season, however, for the first time that I can remember, a ton of rumors were born out of the GM Meetings. Typically, it had been a pretty quiet event. Now, not so much.
Lastly, the Winter Meetings will be Dec. 7-10, in Indianapolis, during which the Rule 5 Draft will also take place.
For a full list of off-season date, go to the Sporting News.
Tagged News |
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times says the Dodgers have declined the option on Jon Garland, thus making him a free agent.
Last off season, Garland signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal with Arizona, who later traded him to the Dodgers.
He was 8–11 with a 4.29 ERA in 27 starts for the D’Backs, but was 3–2 with a 2.72 ERA for the Dodgers, who left him off their NLCS roster.
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