Daily Archives: November 23, 2009
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com speculates that the Mets must be among six teams who have expressed interest in free-agent 1B Nick Johnson.
…yes, johnson is a fantastic defensive first baseman and he’s one of the most patient, professional hitters i’ve ever seen… the problem is, i rarely ever see him… he’s been on the DL five times since 2005… and it’s a shame… because, he’s like John Olerud: The Next Generation… plus, he usually hits left-handed pitching very well… but, i have to think he’ll first look for a starting job, before signing on to platoon for the Mets… and, for the Mets, i’d be reluctant to give him the starting job, considering how injury-prone he is…
Speaking of first base, Tim Brown of Yahoo! made a simple post to Twitter that read, “The Mets have called on Russell Branyan.”
In other Hot Stove news…
In a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, Andrew Marchand says he talked to an MLB executive who feels free-agent RHP John Lackey will be lucky to get a five-year, $85 million deal, similar to what A.J. Burnett signed last winter.
According to Marchand, “Lackey could end up in a New York-New York bidding war between the Yankees and Mets.”
Lastly, the Marlins aren’t likely to trade 1B Jorge Cantu, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, who believes they have talked to teams about 2B Dan Uggla.
According to FoxSports.com, teams interested in free-agent OF Jermaine Dye have been asking if he is willing to play first base.
The 35–year-old Dye hit .250 with 27 HR and 81 RBI last season, but just .179 in the second half of the year.
Dye is batting .289 against left-handed pitching during the last three seasons, while Mets 1B Daniel Murphy hit just .223 against left-handed pitching last year.
…the Mets and dye were connected in several trade rumors prior to last year’s Winter Meetings, or roughly one year ago right now… frankly, i feel like the same can be said about the year before that… so, maybe me writing about dye on MetsBlog is the new Thanksgiving tradition…
…i have no idea if he’s on their radar now… that said, dye is a good player… i just don’t like the idea of having a platoon team of two guys both of whom are learning to play first… i mean, in a murphy-dye platoon, murphy is the more experienced first baseman at that point…
…dye is a power hitter, no doubt, but he does it in bunches… and, i’d prefer to see the Mets value consistency and balance, just as much as a raw power… plus, he’s had countless little injuries, which the Mets should also be leery of…
In case you missed it, over the weekend, the Mets announced a variety of additions to Citi Field for 2010, including naming the bridge in center field, and installing a team museum and Hall of Fame, located adjacent to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and accessible from both inside and outside the ballpark.
Actually, I was slow to criticize the lack of Mets stuff in Citi Field when the season started, though it bugged me more and more as the year went on… and, I am not that fired up by the changes today, though I am sure I will find them more interesting when I get to a game in 2010.
Don’t get me wrong, I like these additions. In 20 years, though, I bet nobody will remember how or when certain adjustments were made, they’re just going to know they exist… and that’s fine by me.
In the end, its the product on the field that will make Citi Field seem like home, it’s about the memories that have yet to be created, and not the color of the paint or the name of the bridge.
Also, things like aesthetics take on more meaning when the team is losing. For instance, while both would be nice, I bet most Mets fans would exchange a Tom Seaver Statue for a 2010 Championship Trophy any day… and so, the point is, while i’m glad the team is doing right by the fans, today, if it really wants to do right by the fans, they should get back to winning.
That said, if I could make one change to Citi Field, not involving the talent on the field, it would be to change the color of the outfield wall and Bridge from Soot to Blue, such as the following picture, sent to me by Dan Asnis:
The Mets will be featured as part of the 30 Clubs, 30 Recaps segment during MLB Network’s Hot Stove tonight, during which the show’s hosts and guests will go back through the team’s 2009 season.
… i’d say ‘break a leg,’ but, when talking about the 2009 team, that statement should probably be avoided…
To see an evolution of the Mets home and away uniform, check out this slide show from MLB Style Guide.
…hat tip to Julie, from Chicago Mets Fan, for the link…
Eric Simon of Amazin Avenue relays 17 Mets-related items from the 2010 Bill James Handbook, such as:
The Mets led the National League with 181 manufactured runs.
…i like to see this, though it could be a logical by-product of having a team full of singles hitters in a pitcher’s park… if you recall, the Mets led the the National League in batting average and stolen bases, and were in the top five in hits, doubles and OBP, but dead last in home runs and fifth-worst in runs scored… so, if the Mets scored a run, the odds were good it was ‘manufactured.’… in other words, i understand why the team keeps telling everyone they’re looking for a power hitter for left field…
Jeff Francoeur swung at the first pitch thrown to him more than any other batter in the National League. Free-agent C Bengie Molina was third.
…and this is why i am not eager to see the bottom of the Mets order go frenchy, molina and the pitcher…
For more from the Bill James Handbook, go to Amazin Avenue; and to purchase the book, go here.
In a report for MiLB.com, minor-league guru Jonathan Mayo explains how the Mets are taking steps in the right direction to improve their farm system.
According to Mayo, “While Jenrry Mejia generates most of the buzz in this system 
because of his pure stuff, 19–year-old RHP Jeurys Familia certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.”
In 24 games with Single-A Savannah this season, Familia went 10-6 with a 2.69 ERA.
Speaking of the team’s youngest players…
Last Friday was the deadline for team’s to set their 40–man roster, and protect players from being selected during the Rule 5 Draft, which will take place on December 10, the final day of the baseball Winter Meetings.
The Mets have four open spots on the 40–man roster.
In a post to Mets Minor League Blog, Toby Hyde says, “The Mets own the seventh pick (in the Rule 5 Draft), but all six teams ahead of them have full 40-man rosters, which would preclude them from adding players.”
Hyde continues on to look at how the Mets might fill those final four spots, in an effort to round out the roster.
For more on the Rule 5 Draft, read Johanna Wagner’s post for Love My Team.
Adam Rubin of the Daily News believes the Mets are among the teams interested in trading for A’s OF Jack Cust.
In his three years with the A’s, he averaged roughly 460 at bats per season, with a .241 average, around 25 home runs, 15 or so doubles, and a .375 OBP, while batting slightly better against right-handed pitching.
Cust, who was born and raised in Flemington, NJ, is eligible for arbitration each of the next two seasons, after which he can become a free agent.
…the word in Oakland is that if he is not traded, he will be non tendered, because he’s likely due around $4 million in arbitration… so, i have to think Billy Beane will first look to at least get something in return, since cust could certainly be a starting outfielder for some team in the major leagues… for the Mets, i don’t see him starting, mostly because he is terrible on defense… but, he’d be an outstanding bat for the bench… he’s one of those odd cases, like Jason Giambi, in that he has a great eye, in terms of taking pitches and working a count, but he doesn’t make a ton of contact when he swings…
To read more from Rubin, including updates on Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider, and whether the Mets will be playing the Marlins in Puerto Rico next season, read his report, here.
The guys at Amazin Avenue ran a poll this weekend regarding Omar Minaya, and his future with the Mets, which they asked me to also run on MetsBlog.
So, here it is…
[poll id="315"]
In his Sunday Q&A for the New York Post, Steve Serby talked with new Brooklyn 
Cyclones manager Wally Backman, who said he is most bothered by the lackadaisical players run the bases today.
“They wouldn’t have survived playing in New York in the ‘80s,” he explained. “People woulda run ’em out of town.”
To read more from Backman, who also answers questions about Mike Piazza’s reaction to Roger Clemens, partying with the 1986 Mets, and how they enjoyed playing the role of the villan, read Serby’s Q&A, here.
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