Daily Archives: November 9, 2009
San Diego reporter Bill Center of the Union-Tribune believes the Padres will trade 1B Adrian Gonzalez ‘sooner rather than later.’
Former Padres GM Kevin Towers recently told the Daily News, basically, it’s not a matter of will the Padres trade Gonzalez, it’s when will they trade Gonzalez.
He will earn $4.75 million in 2010 and has a team option for $5.5 million in 2011, or he can be a free agent.
However, according to Center, Gonzalez will likely earn roughly $20 million per season when he is eligible to be a free agent.
Sunday, in the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo said, “Gonzalez has always wanted to play in a place where it matters, and for the foreseeable future, San Diego doesn’t matter.”
…the Dodgers, Red Sox, Rays, Mariners and Marlins were all linked in rumor to gonzalez during last july’s trade deadline…
…gonzalez will cost a fortune… his price will be bid up significantly because of his low salary, and so a team like the Marlins can be in on him… this is not like acquiring a player who is due too much money, and so only big-market teams can end up acquiring him… at minimum, a team like the Marlins or Mariners can get him for two full seasons at a reasonable price…
…in the end, though, i have a hunch the Padres will hang on to him for one more Opening Day, one more round of tickets, and then know he is still a bargain at next year’s july deadline…
Gonzalez hit .277 with 40 home runs and 99 RBI for a Padres last season, 28 of which were hit away from Petco Park.
He hit two home runs in Citi Field during a three-game series in April.
Tagged News |The GM Meetings will take place today through Nov. 11 in Chicago.
Here, teams will discuss league business, like Instant Replay, and extend feelers to other clubs to learn of one another’s plans, as well as who might or might not be available for trade this off season.
…last season, 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… last year, not so much…
The MLB 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 |Mets 1B prospect Ike Davis had a single in two at bats during Saturday’s Rising Stars game in the Arizona Fall League.
The game featured 18 first-round draft picks from MLB.
He is hitting .328 with nine extra base hits, 10 RBI and a .355 OBP in 14 games in Arizona this fall.
Last week, Adam Rubin published his Top 10 Mets Prospects list for Baseball Ameria, ranking Davis fourth on the list.
In a chat for Baseball America, which you can read here, Rubin answers questions about the team’s farm system, discussing Davis, Jennry Mejia, Brad Holt, and Ruben Tejada, among several others.
In regards to 22-year-old OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who he left off the Top 10 list, Rubin says he has ‘20-homer, 20-steal potential,’ citing one scout who compared him to Kirk Gibson, in terms of his mentality, while another compared his on-field skills to Tigers OF Curtis Granderson.
Nieuwenhuis hit .274 with a .354 OBP, 16 HR, 35 doubles and 16 stolen bases in Single-A last season.
By the way, keep an eye on Mets Minor League Blog, as Toby Hyde is out in Arizona, checking out prospects in the Arizona Fall League.
Tagged News |Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors predicts where the Top 50 free agents will end up signing this off season.
Dierkes believes the Mets will sign Matt Holliday, Randy Wolf and Brad Penny, with Orlando Hudson signing in DC, Aroldis Chapman ending up in Boston, and Carlos Delgado signing with the O’s.
…i think it’s impossible to say, today, who will sign where… but, i too believe the Mets intend to spend on a bat… holliday is an ideal baseball fit, but he’d look good on a poster, and so it makes sense…
Penny signed with the Red Sox last off season, was released, then picked up by the Giants in August.
In six starts for San Francisco, Penny was 4–1 with a 2.59 ERA while striking out 20 batters in 40 innings, during which opponents hit .205 against him.
…he’s a groundball pitcher, he throws hard, and still has an impressive sinker-curve ball combo… however, he’s inconsistent, and he loses command on the drop of dime… he’s a back-of-the-rotation starter… and so, dierkes could be correct… i see the Mets signing a guy like wolf, or Jon Garland, but also trying to trade for a starting pitcher as well… i believe the Mets want to shake up the pitching staff, and the focus is going to be on reliability and command, and so it would not surprise me to see as many as three new faces in the rotation next season… i don’t think that necessarily describes penny, but i think dierkes is correct in that two free agent pitchers could eventually be acquired…
Tagged News |
In his Hot Stove preview for MLB.com, Marty Noble lists free-agent outfielders Mike Cameron and Matt Holliday; catchers Bengie Molina and Rod Barajas; pitchers John Lackey, Jason Marquis and Randy Wolf; second baseman Orlando Hudson; and first baseman Troy Glaus; as players the Mets will show interest in this off season, ‘according to people within the organization who are familiar with the club’s thinking.’
Noble believes the team’s priority is to acquire a power hitter, a No. 2 starting pitcher, a veteran catcher and, ‘as always,’ a set-up man.
In the event the Mets are unable to sign one or two top free agents, according to Noble, the team has discussed the following:
Sign Cameron to a one-year deal to play left field, where he can hit for power and improve the team’s outfield defense.
Trade Luis Castillo and sign Orlando Hudson.
Sign Glaus to split time with Daniel Murphy at first base.
Sign Wolf, then trade someone else from the rotation, not Johan Santana, to get a No. 2 starting pitcher.
…i want holliday… and i think a six-year deal is justifiable…
…however, if holliday signs elsewhere, and assuming Jason Bay returns to the Red Sox, i can live with cameron… as we know from having watched him, it’s about putting the ball in play for mike… if he puts the ball in play, he drives the ball… the thing is, he strikes out and swings and misses a lot, though he is walking more… he, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Francoeur would make for an effective outfield defense, but the lineup feels weak with him in there…
…the 33–year-old glaus is interesting… he missed nearly all of last season, suffering a setback or two in his recovery from shoulder surgery… so, i can’t see him getting a big-time guaranteed deal… if glaus can play 150 games, he will hit 35 home runs, and is probably a $10 million per season players… the thing is, can he play 150 games… can he even play in 100 games… in addition to the shoulder, there are concerns about a foot injury that has kept him out of play over the last two seasons as well… and so, i can see him as a platoon partner for Daniel Murphy, getting him lots of rest… however, though he hit them well earlier in his career, he has struggled the last few seasons against left-handed pitching, against whom he would probably play most… and, typically, he is more patient and less powerful against them as well…
