Daily Archives: November 19, 2009
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com believes the Braves and Brewers have discussed sending LHP Derek Lowe to Milwaukee for OF Cory Hart.
However, according to Rosenthal, “The Brewers are not sure they would want Lowe even if the Braves included significant money in the deal.”
The Braves signed Lowe last off season to a four-year, $60 million deal.
He will earn $15 million each of the next three seasons, after which he can become a free agent again.
…the thing is, if he was on the open market right now, it would go John Lackey, then lowe and guys like Joel Pineiro, Randy Wolf, Jason Marquis and Jon Garland, and i don’t think he would come close to getting the type of money that is due to him… so, it would stand to reason, any team looking to take on lowe, would wither a) ask the Braves to pay at least a few million bucks per season on his deal, or b) just sign one of these other pitchers for less…
He was 15–10 with a 4.67 ERA in 34 starts for the Braves, while striking out 111 batters and walking 63 in 194 innings.
Since becoming a starting pitcher in 2002, He has made at least 32 starts and won at least 12 games.
The Cubs announced today that they have traded RHP Aaron Heilman to the D-Backs for minor leagers Scott Maine and Ryne White.
…yet again, another non-tender cadidate gets moved, instead of being released… the Cubs were probably going to have to pay heilman around $2 million next season, after which he can be a free agent…
Heilman was 4–4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 relief appearances for the Cubs last season, while striking out 65 batters in 72 innings.
Bob Nightingale of USA Today believes the Dodgers are focused on trying to acquire RHP Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays, as they look to find an ace.
According to Nightingale, “The Dodgers would have to give up Chad Billingsley and others.”
Last weekend, on WFAN, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said Halladay wants to sign his next long-term contract with a team that trains in Florida and plays on the East Coast, noting, ‘The list I heard last summer, for him, did not include the two Los Angeles teams.’
…the buzz in baseball suggests halladay will seek essentially the same deal given to CC Sabathia and Johan Santana, i.e., seven years, around $160 million… from what i can gather, the Yankees are willing to part with top young talent, like Phil Hughes, to get halladay, but i have no idea if they’re open to signing him to such a contract extension… it sounds to me like the Red Sox would just as soon sign John Lackey, and use their top talent to acquire a young hitter, like an Adrian Gonzalez… i have no doubt the Mets will look in to getting halladay, but i have no clue whether they’re capable of getting him, nor any idea how the team feels about giving out yet another monster contract, this time to a pitcher who will serve most of his time following his 35th birthday…
In a poll on MetsBlog.com in early November, 72 percent of more than 4,000 voters said they would not commit six or more years on on a contract to Halladay.
Jon Heyman of SI.com recently talked with WFAN’s Mike Francesa about the MLB off season, which you can listen to here.
Heyman believes free-agent OF Matt Holliday wants to come to New York, and might prefer to sign with the Yankees. 
However, the Yankees will first look to acquire a starting pitcher.
The Mets prefer Holliday, he said, but they are OK with signing OF Jason Bay, should Holliday’s asking price remain too high. Nevertheless, Heyman feels Bay’s top choice is to stay in Boston, despite rejecting a four-year, $60 million to do so.
Heyman said the Yankees, Mariners and Angels will pursue free-agent RHP John Lackey, who the Mets, and other teams, might avoid due to health concerns with his arm.
Instead, Heyman believes the Mets are more likely to sign free-agent pitchers Randy Wolf, Joel Pineiro or Jason Marquis, then sign Lackey or trade to get Blue Jays RHP Roy Halladay.
Heyman believes free-agent Jarod Washburn will end up signing with the Mariners; free-agent Mark Mulder will sign with the Brewers; who do not want to trade Prince Fielder, they will instead try to sign Fielder to an extension.
Heyman said there is no buzz around free-agent 1B Adam LaRoche, who is not being considered by the Mets.
Instead, Heyman believes the Mets will bring in a platoon-type first baseman to split time with Daniel Murphy, because they feel 1B prospect Ike Davis is one year away from the big leagues.
Francesa said he heard the Mets intend to talk with free-agent 1B-OF Xavier Nady about filling such a role, but Heyman is skeptical of this because, from what he understands, Nady will not be 100 percent healthy and ready for Opening day.
Again, to listen to this interview, and to listen to WFAN, click here.
According to WFAN, Fernando Tatis has told the Mets he will become a free agent.
…the question now becomes, will the Mets off him salary arbitration… if he accepts, and signs elsewhere, the Mets get draft-pick compensation… however, there is a good chance he accepts, meaning the team has no choice but to pay him for 2010, during which he’ll probably be rewarded at least $1.5 million…
Tatis hit .282 with a .339 OBP, eight HR, 21 doubles and 48 RBI in 340 at bats in 2009 for the Mets.
He hit .285 against right-handed pitching, .278 against lefties, while playing first base, second, third, short, left and right field.
…he was OK last season, better in 2008… a team could do worse from their all-purpose bench guy… but, the Mets can do better, i think… and, i just feel like fernando’s best is behind him… i mean, there was a point there last summer in which it seemed like he grounded in to 100 double-plays in a row…
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says that the Cardinals remain optimistic that they will be able to re-sign Matt Holliday.
According to Rosenthal, Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III said:
“Like any club, you have to set your budget and make sure you live within it…As it relates to Matt, we have an internal sense of what we can do. Hopefully, he’ll view that as enough… The process has to play itself out. There’s no point in getting into the posturing that seems to be going on out there a little. We’re trying to keep him. We love Matt. We’re trying to get him signed. If not, we’ll move on to a Plan B.”
…i think the best chance for the Cardinals to re-sign Holliday came in the last 15 days when they had exclusive negotiating rights…it’s not to say they can’t retain him and they have made every indication that they want him back, but once the big-market teams can bid, the Cardinals might not be able to counter with a competitive response…
On Tuesday, DeWitt told Bernie Miklasz of ESPN Radio that if a big market team goes all out to sign Holliday, the Cardinals don’t stand a chance.
For the latest rumors from around the Majors, check out Rosenthal’s blog here.
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n a post to the Bleacher Report, Wendy Adair doesn’t feel that trading Luis Castillo should be a high priority for the Mets this off-season.
Wendy points out that Castillo had a great offensive season and was one of the few players to avoid the disabled list, and given that plus the Mets need for pitching and offense at other positions, the team should hold onto him.
…i agree with Wendy that trading Castillo should not be at the top of the Mets priority list, and i don’t think that it is and i think the team would be ok if they filled other needs and didn’t trade Castillo…but he is a singles hitter only and has become a defensive liability to the point where he was a detriment to the team this past season…it’s not to say that his poor defense wasn’t a fluke and that doesn’t mean he won’t be more dynamic at the plate in 2010, but this team lost 92 games in 2009 and injuries are not the only reason for that, so if they have an opportunity to move him for an upgrade, i feel they should do it even if they fill that need before other higher priorities…
For more on this check out Wendy’s post here.
Jon Heyman of SI.com says that Jason Bay has rejected the Red Sox initial contract offer, and will head to the open market beginning tomorrow.
…this isn’t unexpected, as Bay has made it very clear throughout the month that he wants to test free agency…
According to Heyman, Boston’s offer was believed to be at around four years and $60 million.
Bay hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBI with the Red Sox in 2009, and since joining Boston at the trade deadline in 2008, Bay has hit .274 with 45 home runs and 156 RBI in 200 games.
Last night, the Washington Nationals announced that they have hired former Mets manager Davey Johnson as their Senior Advisor to the General Manager.
In 2006, Johnson was the Senior Advisor to Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden, and according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, he was responsible for the Nationals drafting catcher Jesus Flores.
Johnson also managed number one draft pick Stephen Strasburg for Team USA in the 2008 Summer Olympics, during which he went 1-1 with a 1.67 ERA.
For more on Johnson and the Nationals, check out MLB.com here.
Matthew from the Daily Stache lists five things we should be thankful for as Mets fans.
Meanwhile, Eli from Mets Underground wonders whether or not Jerry Manuel is in trouble considering the team has hired Dave Jauss as their bench coach, and reminds us that if Jauss succeeded Manuel, it wouldn’t be the first time that has happened.
…no matter who they hire on their coaching staff, if the Mets are sluggish out of the gate next season, i think Jerry will be in trouble whether he deserves it or not…
John from Metstradamus shares a conversation between Matt Holliday, Jeff Wilpon, and Omar Minaya.
Ed from Mets Fever has found an inexpensive version of Mark DeRosa.
Finally, Ted Berg, in a post to his blog TedQuarters, talks about the future of Mets prospect Reese Havens.
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