Daily Archives: December 12, 2009
Update, 9:35 pm
by Michael Baron:
Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston says it’s too soon to write off the Red Sox and Jason Bay, and Bay’s agent, Joe Urbon says negotiations are on going and a decision from Bay is not expected to happen this weekend.
Update, 9:11 pm
by Michael Baron:
Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Mets would be willing to extend their four year offer to Jason Bay to five years if it meant they could sign him.
…the question i have is whether or not that is wise, and if they could have Matt Holliday for six years, is that a better investment…
…i know there has been a statistical analysis performed on Bay vs. Holliday, and the stats say Bay is potentially a better fit, but in the end, the game and the player is more than statistics in my mind, and i look at the player and the personality and i still believe Holliday is the better choice, given he is a year and a half younger than Bay and likely has more prime years ahead of him than Bay…it doesn’t take anything away from Bay and i won’t cry if the Mets acquire him, but i still think Holliday is a better fit for this team at this point in time…
Update, 6:51 pm
by Michael Baron:
David Lennon of Newsday says while a mystery team might have offered a five year deal to Jason Bay, and if that’s the case, it’s not the Mets.
Update, 5:55 pm
by Michael Baron:
According to Rob Bradford of WEEI Sports, one team has exceeded four years in a contract offer to Jason Bay.
…assuming that team isn’t the Mets, then obviously they will have to step their offer up, but it was extremely likely they would have had to offer the fifth year in some capacity, anyway…
Update, 4:04 pm
by Michael Baron:
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says Jason Bay has rejected the Red Sox latest offer.
Corey Brock of MLB.com says the Padres have signed P Kevin Correia to a one year deal worth approximately $3.6 million.
According to Brock, Correia’s agent, Barry Axelrod said the Padres were Correia’s first choice.
…Correia might have been on the Mets radar if he had been non-tendered, as he had a solid season in 2009…he has only been a full time starter for one year, so he was potentially risky, but at the same time, has a nice upside…
Correia went 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA in 198 innings with 64 walks and 142 strikeouts with the Padres in 2009.
To keep track of players being tendered and not tendered contracts, keep checking in on MLB Trade Rumors.
Update, 7:57 pm:
The Mets announced they will not be tendering contracts to Tim Redding, Cory Sullivan, Jeremy Reed, and Lance Broadway.
The Mets acquired Broadway in a trade this past May from the White Sox in exchange for Ramon Castro.
Original Post, 7:47 am:
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post says Tim Redding and Jeremy Reed are unlikely to be tendered contracts by tonight’s midnight deadline.
According to Hubbuch, while the early speculation was the Mets might not tender a contract to John Maine, they are now expected to do so, along with Pedro Feliciano and Jeff Francoeur.
Update, 4:15 pm
by Michael Baron:
David Lennon of Newsday says the Mets have not made an offer to Lackey as they are focusing on Jason Bay at this point.
However, Lennon says if the Mets lose out on Bay, they will quickly turn their attention to Lackey.
Original Post
by Matthew Cerrone:
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, “There are signs they may have made a significant offer to free-agent LHP John Lackey.”
…if they did, there is no way the Mets offered more than what the Yankees gave to A.J. Burnett last winter… so, figure, five years and around $15 million per season…
According to MLB.com, the Rockies have non-tendered Garrett Atkins, meaning he is now a free agent.
Despite hitting just .226 last season for the Rockies, Atkins hit .268 against left-handed pitching; he hit .357 against lefties in 2008; .286 in 2007; and .341 against lefties in 2006.
…he had been a very disciplined hitter earlier in his career… more intersting to the Mets, i bet, is that he has only been on the disabled list once in his seven-year caeer, missing 18 games in 2005 with a hamstring injury…
Last season, Atkins played first base and third; he played one game at second base in 2008; and three games in left field in 2004.
He will be 30 years old next month; he is eligible for salary arbitration this off season, during which he’ll be rewarded at least $7 million; and he can be a free agent after the season.
Updated at 3:47 pm:
To keep track of players being non-tendered, keep checking in on MLB Trade Rumors.
Update, 9:58 am, by Michael Baron:
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch says the Cardinals offer to Matt Holliday does not average $18 million per season, which is what Holliday rejected from the Rockies in 2008.
In addition, Strauss says the Cardinals will try and be creative in that they will offer a series of options, and possibly an opt-out clause in the contract and while the Cardinals expect to hear from Holliday’s agent, Scott Boras, this week, there are no hard deadlines in the negotiations.
…as i’ve been saying, i prefer Holliday over Jason Bay, but these are the kinds of things i don’t want to see included in such a deal with the Mets…of course, this is how Boras rolls, but these kinds of negotiations seem to be part of the reason why the Mets are angling towards Bay at the moment, besides the fact they think he is a better fit for Citi Field…
Original Post, by Matthew Cerrone:
Cardinals GM John John Mozeliak told ESPN St. Louis today that he has made an official offer to free-agent OF Matt Holliday, and expects to hear back from Scott Boras this weekend.
…well, it’s official, things are happening…
Mets 2B-SS Alex Cora left last Thursday’s game in Winter Ball with a back injury, while playing for Criollos de Caguas, according to Beisbol Invernal.
…thanks, as always, to Andres M for the link and translation, and thanks to Dazed 87 for the tip…
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors lists the possible candidates who might not be tendered contracts by tonight’s midnight deadline.
Among those that might not be tendered is Padres starter Kevin Correia, and Rockies infielder/outfielder Garrett Atkins, and Rays catcher Dioner Navarro.
…Correia would be an interesting guy for the Mets…he was superb down the stretch for San Diego and pitched very well at home, meaning he would probably pitch very well at Citi Field…it was his first season as a full time starter…i would prefer the Mets first exhaust any opportunities with a guy like Jason Marquis first before they take a chance with a guy like Correia…
…with regards to Navarro, i don’t think the Mets need anymore catchers, but even if they did, i would prefer they take a pass on him…he is still young but outside of 2008, he hasn’t been too impressive offensively over his career…
Corey Brock of MLB.com says the Padres will try and trade Correia before tonight’s deadline.
For Dierkes’ complete list, check out MLB Trade Rumors, click here.
Seam McAdam, in a report for Comcast Sports New England, says the Red Sox feel they might have to turn Jason Bay into a designated hitter before the end of his next contract because of his struggles as an outfielder.
…i think it’s safe to say that neither Bay nor Matt Holliday is Willie Mays, but i have to believe, much like Manny Ramirez, what both of them get to, they will catch…i think defense is important, especially since the Mets have basically had an abyss out there since 2007, but these are major league players and are better options than what the Mets have had recently, so i think their woes as defensive players are a little bit over-played, especially since either one would be flanked by Carlos Beltran in center field for the foreseeable future…
In 2009, Bay made no errors and had 15 outfield assists with the Red Sox in 150 games.
