Daily Archives: December 5, 2009
Anthony McCarron of the Daily News says the Mets might be a more serious player in the John Lackey sweepstakes than the Yankees because their needs are greater in the rotation, and the Yankees interest hinges on their ability to re-sign Andy Pettitte or the Red Sox acquiring Roy Halladay.
In addition, McCarron says Lackey should have no problem playing in New York as a scout told him:
“I know there are guys who can’t play in New York, but this guy is not one of them…If the Mets have a chance to get him, they better grab him…”
However, on Thursday, Jon Heyman of SI.com told Kevin Burkhardt on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove that ‘the Mets are not heavily involved in Lackey,’ who would eventually sign a $100 million contract.
…i think Lackey is precisely what the Mets should be looking for in a starter…he is a bulldog who simply wants to pitch…he had an arm injury that limited him to 176 innings this past year, but he is a proven winner, playoff tested, and otherwise durable…he is almost two years younger than Roy Halladay so from a long term standpoint, i wouldn’t be too uncomfortable with the Mets giving him a six year deal…
…of course, it comes down to his price and i wonder if the Mets would bid what Heyman says he will get…
For more on Lackey and New York, check out the Daily News here.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the Yankees will take a look at John Lackey, Rich Harden, Joel Pineiro, and possibly Randy Wolf.
While the Yankees top priority is re-signing Andy Pettitte, Rosenthal says they will be involved in trade discussions for Roy Halladay, with Lackey being a strong alternative to Halladay.
…like we’ve been saying all along, i feel as though doc will end up either with the Yankees or the Red Sox…i’d have to believe they will explore a trade for doc first before looking at the free agent market, but then again, it could take a while for the Halladay sweepstakes to unfold…
…i have to wonder, given how the Yankees balked at the price for Johan Santana two years ago, would they be willing to part with such a package that would likely include some or all of Phil Hughes, Austin Jackson, Joba Chamberlain, and Jesus Montero, some of which were required to obtain johan at the time…
Yesterday, Jon Heyman of SI.com said while the Yankees intend to pursue Halladay, The Red Sox have the best chance of acquiring him.
For more on the Yankees, plus other buzz from around the league, check out Rosenthal’s blog here.
Every day at 1:35 pm on Twitter, I post a Mets Photo of the Day featuring footage of the 2009 season as well as other moments I have captured over the years.
On Friday’s, beginning at 9:05 am, I hold a Photo of the Week poll, asking you to vote on your favorite photo from the week.
To see my Photo of the Day, every day, follow me on Twitter here.
You can also see my Photo of the Day on Facebook here.
Tagged Photographs |
Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston says the Red Sox are concerned about paying the combination of players and money it might take to acquire Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays.
…it’s hard to tell whether or not this is Boston’s poker face, but i would think that any team has to be concerned about what it would take to get a 33 year old and pay him the bulk of his contract extension when he is well past his prime…
Edes believes the Angels could be in the mix for Halladay, as he says they have the pieces to get a deal done.
…i think he will ultimately land in the Bronx or Boston, considering Doc has said he would prefer to train in Florida, but if he wants to be traded as it seems he does, he needs to keep an open mind as to his landing spot because there are only a handful of teams that have the means to acquire him and are willing to take the risk, and if he limits himself now and the Blue Jays can’t trade him, he will only be lowering his value as this drags on…
For more on Halladay and other Red Sox news, check out Edes’ blog here.
In a report in today’s Daily News, Adam Rubin says Fernando Martinez has been sidelined for a week due to blisters, and is listed as day-to-day.
Rubin says Martinez has been taking advice from Moises Alou, the General Manager of his Winter League team, and has advised Martinez to urinate on his hands to increase toughness.
…i like alou a lot, but he isn’t exactly the poster boy for healthy ballplayers…
Martinez is hitting just .167 with two RBI in six games for Leones del Escogido.
…i’m rooting for F-Mart to succeed and i’d like to see the Mets be patient with him, especially now since his value has plummeted… i remember watching this kid for the first time in Port St. Lucie in February, 2008 and not only was i impressed with his skills and his grace, but it appeared the Major Leaguers were also impressed… i’d just like to see him stay healthy enough so he can display these skills and contribute at a higher level…
In the New York Times, Ben Shpigel profiles free-agent RHP Jason Marquis, who grew up on the South Shore of Staten Island, and who has been in the playoffs every season his career.
“I’d like to think I’m a reason for that,” Marquis told Shpigel. “Am I the only reason? Not at all, but I’d like to feel like I’ve brought something to the table to help get those teams to where they went. I don’t want to say it’s a coincidence, but there’s something to be said for consistency.”
Last month, Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post talked to Marquis, who said feels he is a ‘perfect fit for the Mets.’
Marquis was 15–13 with a 4.04 ERA in 216 innings pitched for the Rockies last season, during which he struck out 115 batters, walked 80, and got twice as many ground balls as fly balls.
…to his credit, he has been pretty consistent over the last few seasons… i mean, since 2004, he’s essentially been the same pitcher… and so, i think it’s fair to expect he could win, say, 12 games or so for the Mets, have an ERA in the low 4.00s, make 30 or so starts, get himself in to the sixth inning every night, while leaving one or two guys on base per inning, and basically being your run-of-the-mill, back-of-the-rotation starter, no better or worse than, say, John Maine… and so, if the Mets goal is to put a body in the rotation who is likely to be healthy and from whom they know what to expect, for better or worse, marquis can certainly be that guy… i just don’t know that he should be that guy…
…from what i can gather, like Jon Garland, Randy Wolf, Doug Davis, and Joel Pineiro, teams are likely to offer marquis something around a two– year deal, worth roughly $8 million or so per season… of course, i am sure one of the guys will be able squeak out a three-year deal…
According to published reports, the Mets rejected a deal from the Cubs during the Winter Meetings last off season that would have swapped Marquis for Aaron Heilman, who was instead traded to the Mariners for J.J. Putz.
To read more about Marquis, who also speaks about his experience in 1991, pitching in the Little League World Series, his connection to 911, and growing up on Staten Island, click here.
Free-agent C Jason Kendall had been seeking $5 million next season to return to the Brewers, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
The Cubs are looking at free-agent OF Mike Cameron to be their next center fielder, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun Times.
…like i said, i have no problem if the Mets turn to cameron… i prefer Matt Holliday, and i suspect they’ll look to the trade market next, but, cameron is super consistent, and, obviously, he’d be an outstanding defensive left fielder…
The Yankees are focused on re-signing LHP Andy Pettitte, reports George King in the New York Post.
David Murphy of the Philadlephia Daily News believes the Phillies are working to sign free-agent reliever Brandon Lyon, who had a .286 ERA in 65 relief appearances for the Tigers last season.
Lyon is looking for a multi-year deal to be either a closer or a set-up man, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post believes Jerry Manuel and Dan Warthen had complaints last season about Brian Schneider and Omir Santos, and how each called a 
game and handled the team’s pitching staff.
…i know most everyone involved was disappointed in the number of walks form the pitching staff and the lack of a consistent approach… so, if this is the case, adding Henry Blanco and a catcher like Benjie Molina will help correct this, because both are known throughout the game for doing just that… in terms of offense, base running, etc., they both leave much to be desired, but, from a help-the-pitching-staff point of view, they’re at the top of their class…
…the problem is, from what i can gather, molina is still seeking a three-year deal, and i don’t see any team agreeing with him…
Added to by Michael Baron:
…i feel bad for omir…i mean he did such a great job given the circumstances last season…based on the results it’s hard to argue he handled the pitching staff well, but he was a rookie and was unexpectedly rushed into a starting job, in New York…personally i feel he is owed at least a shot to backup or platoon considering he actually hit last year, unlike a lot of his teammates…
…one thing that seems to be forgotten is that walks and inefficiencies have plagued the Mets pitching staff going all the way back to 2007, as they walked 619 in 2008 and 549 in 2007… i think if there is blame to be assigned for a lofty ERA and a high walk count, it should be put on either the pitching coach or the pitchers themselves…
…don’t get me wrong, i think the Mets need an upgrade behind the plate, and i think the addition of Henry Blanco is a wise decision as he is a great defensive catcher and knows how to handle pitchers for sure, but i’m not convinced that investing in a guy like Bengie Molina, even if it’s for one year, will get them more than a tandem of Blanco and Santos…
