Daily Archives: January 5, 2010
Here is a clip of Jason Bay answering questions during today’s press conference:
Updated at 2:35 pm:
Here is a clip of Kevin Burkhardt talking to Bay, Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon:
In his interview with WFAN this morning, MLB Network’s Peter Gammons said free-agent RHP Joel Pineiro is seeking a long-term contract that will pay him $12 million per season.
Gammons said, even though Pineiro is good friends with Carlos Beltran and Alex Cora, he feels the Mets will eventually end up signing free-agent RHP Jon Garland.
In regards to trading for a pitcher, Gammons said he doesn’t believe the Cubs will move Carlos Zambrano, ‘because they need to win now.’
Speaking of trades, Gammons said he does not feel a trade of Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell and Mets 2B Luis Castillo is a ‘possibility,’ ‘because there is not enough difference in the money to make it worth it to the Red Sox.’
According to Gammons, Scott Boras played a big role in getting Oliver Perez to begin training this off season in Arizona at the Athletes Performance Institute, which is a high-tech fitness boot camp for professional athletes, with a focus on nutrition, metabolic testing, cardiovascular work, drills and media training.
Gammons said, from what he has been told, Perez is working very hard.
Lastly, he feels Jason Bay will be a good player for the Mets, noting how Bay was never rattled by the Boston reporters, or by criticism from fans and media. He said Bay will play hard every day, and do fine with the pressure of playing in New York City.
[poll id="328"]
[poll id="329"]
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com says C Kelly Shoppach agreed to a two-year, $5.5 million deal, thus avoiding salary arbitration for the next two seasons.
…and so, i guess if the rays are going to trade a catcher, it would be C Dioner Navarro…
In his interview with SNY this morning, Mets GM Omar Minaya said, ‘It’s no secret we are negotiating with Bengie Molina, but, like with Jason Bay, fans are going to have to be patient.’
…i think it’s pretty clear at this point that molina is omar’s top target for behind the plate… the question is, will he be signed to a one-year deal with an option, or for a guaranteed two-year contract… i just can’t see molina getting three years, given the current state of the catcher’s market…
The Mets will officially announce the singing of Jason Bay in a news conference in Citi Field today, which will air live on SNY at 11 am.
The news conference will be carried live on MLB.com, and you can listen to it live on WFAN.com, as well as 1050 ESPN Radio.
Yesterday, Mike Francesa said Bay and Mets GM Omar Minaya, and possibly Jeff Wilpon, will appear as guests on his WFAN show after 1 pm.
Updated at 11:05 am:
Mets GM Omar Minaya described today as, ‘a great day for the Mets,’ and, ‘a great way to start 2010, which I think will be a great year.’
Updated at 11:11 am:
Bay says the Mets were on a short list of teams he told his agent to look in to signing a contract with.
He said, ‘from a straight talent stand point,’ despite the injuries last season, ‘the Mets are a very good team, with a great chance to win.’
He says he is excited to play for the Mets, noting, “New York is one of the places, despite what you do, it’s the center of everything.”
In regards to playing in a pitcher’s park like Citi Field, he said he isn’t concerned with hitting there, noting he played most of his career in PNC Park, which is also a pitcher’s park.
In terms of his defense, he said, “I’m by no means Torii Hunter out there, I know that, but I still think I’m pretty good.”
Updated at 11:16 am:
Bay said the Mets were the first team to contact him, and he and the Mets were in constant contact immediately following the Winter Meetings.
He says the two sides agreed in principle to a deal prior to Christmas.
“It may look like it took longer than it did, but in reality it was pretty quick,” he said.
Updated at 11:21 am:
Bay said he heard of Peter Gammons’s remarks that he would rather play in Beirut than Queens, and said, “That couldn’t be further from the truth,” and, “I wouldn’t have signed the contract if I didn’t want to be here.”
Bay also said he has no issue with his shoulder, and says this is another example of the type of misinformation that was reported in the media.
Updated at 11:24 am:
Minaya said, “A day doesn’t go by that he doesn’t try to improve his team’s pitching,’ and he will continue to try and improve the team’s ‘catching.’
Updated at 11:25 am:
The press conference is over.
Kevin Burkhardt will have one-on-one interviews with Bay, Minaya and Jeff Wilpon later on SNY.
Updated at 11:30 am:
In his interview with Burkhardt, Bay said feeling the Mets ‘really, really wanted him’ was a ‘big deal.’
Last season, he said he talked a lot with Billy Wagner on the Red Sox about the Mets. He also talked with Xavier Nady, as well as with Alex Cora, who he described as a ‘friend and great teammate.’ He says everyone had great things to say about New York and the Mets.
He says he looks at himself as a person who is expected to drive in runs, and on a team like this he believes he will have plenty of opportunities, and hitting in Citi Field was never a factor for him.
Updated at 11:35 am:
Wilpon told Burkhardt that the team and Bay had a handshake agreement on Christmas Eve, but things took time to finalize because Bay, his agent, and others, were on vacation and unable to be in New York until now.
Wilpon said the Mets were able to sign Bay ‘on their own terms.’
According to Wilpon, Minaya has a plan, and there are still things that they want to get done, ‘but things take time,’ but hopefully being patient will pay off, ‘like it did with Jason.’
Wilpon said the team considered making changes to the dimensions of Citi Field, but Jerry Manuel and Minaya believe the current team – when healthy – can play to the building’s strengths and use it to their advantage.
Updated at 11:47 am:
In talking with Burkhardt, Minaya described Bay as ‘consistent,’ and as a ‘professional.’
Minaya believes people underrate Bay’s speed on the bases, and he feels he will able to steal more bases for the Mets, with their lineup, than maybe he had the chance to do with other teams.
He said, “Yes, it is no secret we are negotiating with Bengie Molina,’ but, ‘Like with Jason Bay, fans are going to have to be patient.’
He still feels Luis Castillo will be their starting second baseman on Opening Day.
Minaya said Dan Warthen has visited with Oliver Perez in Arizona, and, ‘He’s coming along fine.’
In regards to more moves, he said, ‘We are not going to stop with just Jason Bay.’
Erik Boland and David Lennon of Newsday say the Mets are very interested in bringing back free-agent 1B Carlos Delgado, ‘according to a person familiar with the club’s thinking.’
According to the report, Delgado remains a favorite of the team’s front office, who prefer to sign him to an incentive-laden deal.
…from what i can gather, delgado is looking to sign a deal worth more than the one agreed to by Troy Glaus and the Braves… so, i’m thinking deglado will want, say, $5 million in guaranteed money, and probably another $5 to $8 million in incentives…
Delgado was 1 for 4 with a single, while batting cleanup Sunday for Gigantes de Carolina in Puerto Rico’s winter league, and was 2 for 4 with two singles and a strike out last night, though he did not play the field in either game.
The following is video from one of Delgado’s at bats last night in Puerto Rico, courtesy of Jorge S:
Andrew Marchand of 1050 ESPN Radio says the Mets are not among the 15 teams to show interest in free-agent RHP Chien-Ming Wang, according to the pitcher’s agent.
Yesterday, FoxSports.com said Wang got a positive report from Dr. James Andrews, who believes the pitcher could throw off a mound during the middle of February.
He underwent season-ending surgery on his left shoulder in June, and is not expected to be back pitching in the big leagues until May 1.
By the way, to follow Marchand on Twitter go here; to follow me on Twitter, go here.
Newer posts →
