Daily Archives: December 15, 2009
Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd told the Denver Post he is no longer optimistic about his team’s chances of re-signing free-agent C Yorvit Torrealba, who is seeking a two-year, $6 million deal.
Last week, ESPN.com said the Rockies and Torrealba were getting close to agreeing on a new two-year contract; but, the Denver Post later said the two sides continued to haggle over $400,000.
…i have to think, torrealba being on the market will only help Omar Minaya’s chances of keeping Bengie Molina from squeezing a three-year deal from him… perhaps the Mets and torrealba can help one another out here, and make up for the bad blood that once existed… see below…
Original Post at 8:22 am:
Torrealba’s pending grievance hearing against the Mets will be tomorrow, according to SI.com.
Updated at 10:15 pm:
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Posts says he talked to a Mets official believes the team is going to sign Igarashi; however, the two sides are still in talks and ‘nothing is imminent.’
Original Post at 7:00 pm:
The Red Sox are now the favorites to sign free-agent Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi, reports the Japanese media outlet Sponichi.
Earlier today, David Waldstein of the New York Times reported the Mets were close to signing Igarashi to a two-year deal.
Igarashi’s agent, Arn Tellem, told Anthony McCarron of the Daily News the Mets are still in serious discussions with his client, ‘who projects to be a set-up man for Francisco Rodriguez.’
Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Mets did not want to guarantee more than four years in a deal for John Lackey, who agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million contract with the Red Sox today.
Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters today at Citi Field that he talked with Lackey last Friday, and planned to speak with him again today, but, as Newsday’s David Lennon said on Twitter, ‘Obviously, he wanted no part of the Mets.’
…i’m struggling with this one… for starters, like i said earlier today, i am fairly certain lackey had no intention of pitching for a team in New York City… i actually think it had more to do with the city than the teams… anyway… i heard he was eyeing the Mariners, Boston and a return to the Angels, instead… and, once it became clear the Red Sox would not be trading for Roy Halladay, his ticket was essentially punched for Fenway Park… that said, even if he was a legit option for the Mets, the Mets were not alone in their concern about giving him more than a four-year deal… from what i can gather, the Mariners, Angels, Yankees, and others, were not inclined to offer more than $15 million per season, and more than a four-year commitment… i assume this is because of insurance, and because he missed the start of the last two seasons with an elbow issue… it appears the Mets were having ‘discussions,’ as omar likes to say, then, bam, five years from the Red Sox, he took it and that what was that…
…i feel teaming lackey up with Johan Santana would have been the single-most effective way to influence next season’s results… they’re both super competitive, they’d be dueling aces, essentially, and the Mets most likely would have had the best pitcher on the mound, every night, for 40 percent of the season… but, either the Mets wouldn’t match Boston, just like other teams wouldn’t match Boston, or, he just really wanted to be on the Red Sox… in either case, it wasn’t meant to be…
In a post to his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin quotes Jeff Francoeur as saying:
“We need three or four different pieces to make this team a playoff team and I think that that’s what they’re doing. It’s no necessarily the one big guy for $100 million that you’ve got to do but get three or four nice pieces that are going to make this team good. I don’t think there was any need to jump the gun and go ahead and do it. Between trades and that, I’m sure they’ll put a good team on the field for us. There’s two months to go. I’m not panicked about that.”
…he’s right… the Mets do have more than one hole… there is no question about that…
By the way, to read more from Francoeur, who talks about his rehab from off-season surgery, and his afternoon playing Santa at the team’s holiday party, read Rubin’s blog, here.
…so, now, i’d first work hard to pick over the trade market for a starting pitcher, exploring pitchers like Reds RHP Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo… then, if that’s a bust, they should look to sign one of two starting pitchers: one known commodity, like a Jon Garland, or a one-year, high-reward guy, like a Ben Sheets… i do not think it’s wise to give a three– or four-year deal to Joel Pineiro, unless of course he is bringing Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan with him… ideally, the Mets would sign BOTH garland and sheets… but, i am not sure that can happen, not because of money, or will, but because i just think the market will shake out as such, that both end up with fairly decent options to choose from… and, it’d be a lot to expect both to go to the same place…
… in addition, i’m just not sold on the idea of giving five years to Jason Bay… again, i still feel Matt Holliday is the only player on the market, lackey included, worth giving that sort of contract to…
…and so, at this point, spending roughly $25 million on two starting pitchers and a catcher, all on one- or two-year deals, might be the best way to fill in and approach next season, knowing they are also getting back a healthy Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez, plus, hopefully, a focused and re-energized David Wright and Francisco Rodriguez… while keeping Ike Davis, Jenrry Mejia, Josh Thole, Brad Holt and Fernando Martinez on the farm, and with some extra cash and the No. 7 pick in the draft waiting for them in June…
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According to SNY, Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters today, though he did talk to them about Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays never asked the Mets for SS Jose Reyes.
…it just makes no sense… and i don’t mean from the Mets point of view, but from Toronto’s… i mean, why would they want reyes, who is coming off surgery, and who missed nearly all of last season, and who is due $9 million next season, after which he can be a free agent or the team can pick up his $11 million option… it is not at all what they were obviously looking to acquire…
To see video of Minaya’s Q&A with reporters, as well as clips from today’s holiday party, and talks with Reyes and Jeff Francoeur, tune in to GEICO SportsNite on SNY at 10 pm.
Speaking of Hot Stove…
Tomorrow night, at 7 pm, check out the Hot Stove Huddle, at River in New York City, featuring a great panel of guests, including Ted Berg from SNY.TV; James Kannengieser and Sam Page from Amazin Avenue; and Joe Janish from Mets Today, among others; as Mets fans connect to talk Hot Stove baseball… For details, go here.
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Today in Citi Field, Jose Reyes told reporters he likes the idea of the Mets adding Jason Bay.
Reyes pointed out that he and Bay played together in the minor leagues during 2002, before Steve Phillips traded Bay to the Padres with Bobby Jones for Jason Middlebrook and Steve Reed.
Updated at 3:51 pm:
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, citing a team official aware of their thinking, there is no chance the Yankees bid for either free-agent outfielders Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.
Mets SS Jose Reyes will talk one-on-one with Kevin Burkhardt during tonight’s 10 pm Geico SportsNite on SNY.
In addition, Reyes will spend one hour in studio with Mike Francesa tomorrow on WFAN, which you also can listen to live on WFAN.com.
…i am not sure who is advising him, and i have to think this is coming from his people, in addition to the Mets, but i am loving the idea of a Reyes Media Blitz… very smart… he suffered a bit of a hit to his image last season, right or wrong, and so, for him to get out there, talk about his love for the team, love for the game, where he stands in his rehab, etc., and, frankly change the blue-and-orange discussion to something a bit more positive, is all good and smart… i look forward to it…
…frankly, the Mets should do more of this in general… with all of their players…
Today at Citi Field, while wearing a Santa hat, Reyes said he is doing light running in his rehab, and he will soon begin hitting, after which he will run full speed after the first of the year.
He said doctors have told him he will be 100 percent for Spring Training.
Mets GM Omar Minaya talked to reporters today from Citi Field, and said:
“Everybody wants us to improve our club. The question is: when do we improve our club? It has to make sense when you make a move. I feel like, in past years, we have always found a way to improve our club, and I feel comfortable we will continue to work hard and, when it’s all said and done, when we get to Opening Day, our team is going to be better than they way they ended last year… We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan, we know who we’ve targeted, and we feel comfortable if we get our guys we’re gonna have a very good team on the field and we’re going to be a team that will compete for our division and compete for the pennant.”
…well, just getting Jose Reyes back is improving the team from where it ended last season… but, i hear ya, omar… and, that’s the thing, i am discouraged, but not hopeless… i believe they’ll make additions, and i know baseball is a crazy game, and a long season, and with adding reyes, and bringing back a healthy Carlos Beltran, John Maine and Oliver Perez, and getting David Wright straight, i have no doubt they’ll be better… this is not the question… instead, it’s just, i wonder if they could have been better than even that, had better moves been made this off season…
In regards to improving the team’s starting rotation next season, Minaya said:
“There are still pitchers out there. We feel we that have a solid number one. And, we feel, you know, that we have some pitchers that can… a) we’re gonna need our pitchers to stay healthy, and b) pitch to their capabilities.”
…umm, you have pitchers that can, what, what can they do again… i do not believe the answer is a stud, at this point… the answer is risk-reward or stability…
…the team must either sign a pitcher like Ben Sheets, feeling he’s worth the risk; or sign a guy like Jon Garland, to bring in a known commodity…
The Mets are close to signing free-agent Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi to a two-year deal, says David Waldstein of the New York Times.
…i believe the deal will end up being for around $1 million per season…
The 30–year-old Igarashi was 3-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 56 games with the Yakult Swallows last year.
According to Waldstein, Igarashi was being scouted by the Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners and Indians, whose scouts project he will be an effective late-inning reliever at the major league level.
…i am told he has a serious, mid-90s fastball, and a hard splitter, which sits in the upper 80s… he can throw a curve ball, but rarely uses it in short relief… the concern is how he will adjust to the smaller, major-league strike zone, as he tends to struggle with control from time to time…
Mets GM Omar Minaya had been in contact with Bobby Valentine, in an effort to learn more about Igarashi, according to a report in November from Hochi Sports.
…from what i can gather, he was being pursued most heavily by the D-Backs, Pirates, Dodgers, Yankees, Orioles and Padres, all of whom saw him as a legitimate set-up man…
To see video of Igarashi pitching, click below:
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