Daily Archives: November 24, 2009
The Mets today named Dave Jauss bench coach and Chip Hale third base coach, while shifting Razor Shines from third base coach to first.
Howard Johnson will remain as the team’s hitting coach, Dan Warthen will remain the pitching coach, and Randy Niemann will continue to be the bullpen coach.
The Mets also named Terry Collins the team’s Minor League Field Coordinator.
Original Post, 1:33 pm:
I will say this, while watching Joe Torre, when he was in town with the Dodgers, playing the Mets in Citi Field, I came to appreciate a coaching staff more than ever before, in terms of having the team and manager prepared for the game.
Seriously, what is going on with the baseball rumor mill?
It’s like the mainstream media is losing its mind.
Today at 1:10 pm, ESPN’s Rumor Central ran the following with the title, ‘Mets Trading for Halladay?”
The story references Mike Silva’s report for NY Baseball Digest, in which he simply wonders, in text, whether the Mets will be able to trade for Halladay, if the market takes a similar twist to what happened with Johan Santana.
That’s it. That’s all he did. Silva, who can be a solid source of information, isn’t reporting a rumor, he is is wondering out loud, in text, about the market for Halladay. Yet, it is treated as a Rumor on ESPN, leading dozens of people to e-mail me asking if the Mets are about to acquire Halladay.
In addition, ESPN referenced Jenrry Mejia as Edwin Mejia, who is actually the former agent of Aroldis Chapman, not the Mets top pitching prospect; not to mention their grammar in this post makes my work seem like that of an English Professor. I mean, what is an ‘idea package?”
I LOVE the Hot Stove and the rumor mill, it’s fun, and makes for great conversation… so, ESPN, please, stay on brand. Stop confusing fact, fiction and opinion, and messing up our hopes and expectations. You’re better than this.
In a post to Twitter, the National Lampoon’s Sports Minute writes:
“The Mets might acquire Ben Sheets. He hasn’t pitched professionally in a year, just like the rest of their staff.”
…oh, 2009 Mets, the gift that keeps on giving for jokesters everywhere… it’s a fair point, though, in that, is it smart for the Mets, of all teams, to put stock in a pitcher with his track record, given all the injuries they suffered last season… technically, one has nothing to do with other… but, if the Mets are even a bit concerned that a pitcher or two in the rotation, like John Maine or Oliver Perez, may still have issues next season, it would be wise to acquire more of a sure-thing, despite knowing sheets could end up being the second-best pitcher on the staff, should everything go according to plan…
In a post to Mets Today, Joe Janish looks in to Angel Pagan, and aims to answer, “Flashy leadoff man or flash in the pan?”
In mid-October, on WFAN, Jerry Manuel described Pagan as a ‘good complimentary player,’ who can be a starting player, only if the team acquires a big-time hitter at another position.
In a poll to MetsBlog in October, 54 percent of more than 5,000 people agreed with Manuel, saying Pagan can start everyday, so long as the team acquires another big-time bat for the lineup.
He will be eligible for salary arbitration each of the next three seasons, after which he can become a free agent.
He was drafted by the Mets in 1999.
…to me, he’s a fourth outfielder, who, on the Mets, could get close to 400 at bats, starting in roughly 60 games or so and coming off the bench mid-game… there are flashes of Carlos Beltran, and i think, ‘Wow, this guy should play everyday,’ but then he gets hurt, or makes a mistake on the bases, or gets in to one of those swing-and-miss funks, and i realize he should play from the bench… and, i just think, at 28 years old, that’s who he is at this point in his career…
Pagan hit .303 in 152 at bats last season when leading off the inning, while batting .321 with runners in scoring position.
Yesterday, Adam Rubin of the Daily News said the Royals are impressed with Pagan, and would be willing to send money and OF Jose Guillen to the Mets in an effort to acquire him.
The player’s last name will be on the back; these will be the alternate home uniform, second to the all-whites; they are an egg-shell, creame color; and they’re not flannel, they are made of the same breatheable material used for the team’s other jersies.
Update, 11:55 am::
Chris M sent in the following image, which appeared with the team’s e-mail announcement to fans.
…damn, i see the drop shadow, which i feel takes away from the idea of this being a retro item… it’s still pretty cool, though… more importantly, i can’t wait to see what new players will be wearing this next season…
Original Post, 11:25 am:
The Mets have officially announced the addition of a new pinstripe home uniform for next season, saying:
“The design combines new and old elements of Mets uniforms. The Mets created the retro uniform following research and positive responses to the jerseys the 1969 World Champion Mets wore during their 40th anniversary celebration in August… The natural color and pinstripes were staples of the original Mets uniform when the team debuted in 1962. The Mets will also continue to wear their white uniform at home with the black jerseys as an alternate.”
The new jersey will go on sale this Friday at the Mets Team Store at Citi Field, on Mets.com, all Modell’s Sporting Goods stores; and the team Clubhouse stores at the Roosevelt Field Mall and on 42nd Street.
In late September, Buster Olney of ESPN.com said the Padres are unlikely to trade 1B Adrian Gonzalez this off season.
In a post to his blog today, for ESPN.com, Olney essentially says the same thing, writing:
“Heard this, again: It is extremely unlikely that the Padres will move Gonzalez in a trade this winter. The bottom line is that nothing is really compelling in exchange for Gonzalez right now, because he is already a star player and he has a low salary.”
…i said this a few weeks ago, which is, basically, there is no rush for San Diego to move him… and, even if there is, there is no reason to signal such a rush to the market place… because, the reality is, at minimum, they get gonzalez again for Opening Day 2010, at a super-affordable price, to play in front of fans who absolutely love him… he is still going to be valuable in July, before the Trade Deadline… the Padres should be patient, and ask for the moon, because there is no reason not to, especially when teams like the Marlins, Rays and every other team, big market or small, can afford to take on his salary…
To read more from Olney, including news and notes on Joe Mauer’s next contract and the MVP voting, go here.
According to FoxSports.com, the Braves, Cardinals and Giants are among teams who have called the Rangers to express interest in trading for OF Nelson Cruz.
However, the report quotes a major-league source as saying the Rangers are not motivated to trade him.
…gee, ya think… i mean, he’s 29, he hit 33 home runs last season and will likely earn around $1 million in salary arbitration next season, for a team with zero financial flexability… why in the world would they ever consider trading him…
By the way, Cruz signed as non-drafted free agent with the Mets in 1998, and was traded two years later to the A’s by Steve Phillips in exchange for Jorge Velandia.
In the Detroit News, Lynn Hemming says, ‘Miguel Cabrera might be as available as Curtis Granderson, Edwin Jackson, or seemingly any Tigers player.’
According to Lynn, the Tigers have yet to receive a significant trade request for Cabrera.
Additionally, Lynn quotes Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski as saying, “I’m not getting into any names.”
… ok, so, the Tigers haven’t been offered an enticing deal for cabrera, who is no more or less available in trade than any other player on the team, and the GM will not say one way or another who is or isn’t available… yet, this didn’t stop hemming from dedicating 1,000 words to an entire article speculating on cabrera’s availability, and what the Red Sox would have to trade to get him…
…basically, hemming’s premise here is, because there is no evidence he isn’t available, we should talk about him being available… nevertheless, ESPN Rumor Central and MLB Trade Rumors then enter posts titled, ‘Cabrera on the block?,’ to which their entire post should technically read, ‘I don’t know,’ because, frankly, neither does hemming…
…sometimes i feel like these guys are reporting in the Bizarro Rumor Mill…
Update, 10:44 am:
…no, it would not surprise me to see cabrera traded, because he is essentially signed to a six-year, $106 million deal, which, frankly, is totally fair… but, until i see some pro-evidence suggesting it will happen, i don’t want to think about if he can be had or not…
Yesterday, Tim Brown of Yahoo! made a simple post to Twitter that read, “The Mets have called on Russell Branyan.”
…hmm, did they call on him to join the Flushing Flash… or, did they call on him to make cupcakes… or, did they call on him for some other reason…
Nevertheless, Adam, the Brooklyn Met Fan, explains why the Mets should take a chance on Branyon.
The 34-year-old Branyon hit .280 with 22 home runs and 49 RBI in the first half of last season, but just .193 with nine home runs and 27 RBI in the second half.
He played 116 games last season, the most of any season in his 12–year career.
…i’ll pass, actually… i’m sorry, i just have a hard time trusting a guy who struggled to find consistency in his career, then, at 34 years old, he had half of a good season, only to return to form in the second half… not to mention he missed 28 games with a herniated disk last season, as well as missing more than a month the season before with an oblique injury… i hope he has a good season in 2010… i just don’t think the Mets are in a position to take this sort of risk…
According to the New York Post, “The Mets appear intent on using a low-cost answer at first base next season as a bridge to power prospect Ike Davis.”
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, “Teams are being aggressive in pursuit of Randy Wolf.”
In a report for SI.com last week, Jon Heyman said the Mets are expected to make a play for Wolf.
…from what i can gather, just like Jason Marquis, Jon Garland and Doug Davis, teams are likely to offer wolf something around a two– year deal, worth roughly $8 million or so per season… i am sure one of these guys will be able squeak out a three-year deal, and i fear it could come from the Mets, who seem eager to get one pitcher off the market before the Winter Meetings begin…
Yesterday, FoxSports.com, the New York Post and the Daily News all reported that, while the Mets would like to sign free-agent RHP John Lackey, they will also pursue, and are more likely to sign, one or two starting pitchers from a group that includes Wolf, Pineiro, Ben Sheets and Marquis.
Speaking of starting pitchers…
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times believes the Dodgers are a long shot to acquire Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays.
Last week on WFAN, 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.’
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