Daily Archives: January 14, 2010
Mets OF Carlos Beltran issued a statement tonight, through his agent, Scott Boras, in response to today’s conference call with reporters, in which he said:
“I am totally surprised by the reaction to my recent knee surgery. Any accusations that I ignored or defied the team’s wishes are simply false. I also spoke to Omar Minaya about the surgery on Tuesday. He did not ask me to wait, or to get another doctor’s opinion. He just wished me well. No one from team raised any issue until Wednesday, after I was already in surgery. I do not know what else I could have done. The most important thing here is that the surgery was a total success and I expect to be back on the field playing the game I love sooner rather than later.”
…i am totally lost… i really have no idea what is going on… what i do know is, this is not good… more important, whomever dropped the ball has GOT TO BE held accountable… i mean, the Mets now seem to basically be in a he-said-she-said argument about the health and future of their best player… which is not good, for a whole host of reasons, the least of which is they need him in the lineup to win games…
…that said, i like beltran’s attittude, i trust he knows what is best for his body, and his career, and i really, really hope he gets back on the field, like he said, sooner than later…
he Marlins and starting pitcher Josh Johnson agreed to a four-year, $39 million contract extension, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.
Crasnick says Johnson will be paid $3.75 million this season, $7.75 million in 2011 and $13.75 million each of the remaining two seasons.
…this is a fair deal… if he went to arbitration the next two seasons, then signed a two-year deal on the open market as a free agent, he’d probably total out around $40 million anyway… and so, it works out on all sides, gives him job security, and keeps a home-grown player at home for a few more years…
The 25–year-old Johnson was 15–5 with a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts for the Marlins last season, during which he struck out 191 batters and walked just 58 in 209 innings pitched, with two complete games.
In nine career starts, Johnson is 7–0 with a 2.30 ERA against the Mets, during which David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran are 5 for 24.
Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano told 1000 ESPN Radio in Chicago, “I want to finish my career here, and I want to be a Cub forever.”
Zambrano, who has a full no-trade clause, will earn roughly $18 million each of the next three seasons, and has a vesting player-option for 2012.
In late December, Cubs GM Jim Hendry told the Chicago Sun-Times he expects Zambrano to return to his team in 2010.
…that may be, but, as i said then, any one i have talked with around baseball has no doubt the Cubs have talked to teams about potentially trading zambrano… which is not to say they will… but, word is they’ve certainly asked… and, from what i can gather, the Mets and Cubs have been in contact this off season regarding zambrano… but, i guess it’s irrelevant… since, according to people connected to the Cubs, the team has talked with zambrano’s agent about the no-trade clause, but the agent has never needed to talk to zambrano, since he’s made it quite clear he isn’t agreeing to leave chicago…
The 28–year-old Zambrano was just 9–7 in 28 starts this season for the Cubs, but with a 3.77 ERA in 169 innings, during which he struck out 152 batters.
Tonight at 7 pm, on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove, host Kevin Burkhardt will talk one on one with David Wright and Angel Pagan, after which he will talk with WFAN’s Ed Coleman and Newsday’s David Lennon about Carlos Beltran.
Here is video of Howard Johnson and Wright talking about Beltran, who will miss the first month of the season, following yesterday’s knee surgery:
According to Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com, free-agent RHP Ben Sheets will throw for teams next Tuesday.
Kurkjian believes six to 10 teams have shown interest in Sheets.
…from what i can gather, the Mets will be there, and continue to have interest in sheets, who is seeking a one-year deal, worth around $10 million in guaranteed money… however, i have heard he also wants a second-year option that he can control…
According to this post on 1050 ESPN Radio, Carlos Beltran’s agent, Scott Boras, told ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand, “The Mets gave consent to pay for the surgery.”
Marchand also provides detals of workman’s compensation paperwork sent to Steadman from Ray Ramirez, as well as a conversation between Boras, Jeff Wilpon and Omar Minaya from Tuesday.
Updated at 3:15 pm:
…i’m thinking the Mets are trying to cover themselves, basically saying, ‘We wanted Beltran to do this, and instead he did that, and so if that is a problem, or causes him issues, it’s on him, not us.’…
Here is what we learned in the conference call with John Ricco…
Carlos Beltran was doing fine in his off-season rehab through November. In early December, when he started to ‘ramp up his workouts,’ he began to feel pain. He met with team physician Dr. Altchek in New York, who gave him an MRI, and told Beltran to slow down and rest.
So, the question is: Why did Beltran ignore the team’s request?
The answer to this question might reveal what the Mets big problem is with their medical staff, assuming they have one.
Here’s the other thing, Beltran is wrong to defy the team, yet I am not sure I blame him.
I assume Steadman said, ‘You will need surgery, eventually,’ and Beltran, who clearly trusts this doctor, had 100 percent confidence in his diagnosis. Yet, again, the Mets told Beltran to wait. So, there’s Beltran, thinking, if I do this now, right now, today, I can hopefully be back in the lineup in mid-May. However, if he waits for the Mets to ‘look this over,’ then waits to have a third opinion, then waits to have the surgery, he might not be back until after the All Star break, missing half the season, all while knowing 2011 is his walk-year, after which he will be looking for a new contract.
In that scenario, what would you do?
Today at 2 pm, SNY will air the Mets conference call with reporters regarding Carlos Beltran‘s knee surgery.
…from what i can gather, John Ricco, not Omar Minaya, will be running the call… if you recall, last season, there was a lot of talk that ricco would be stepping up to handle more of the day-to-day conversations, statements, addresses, etc., between the team and reporters, and so let’s hope this is the start of a beautiful relationship…
Updated at 2:01 pm:
SNY’s Chris Carlin said Ricco is filling in for Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon, because both men are on a flight returning to New York from the MLB Owners Meetings, which are taking place this week.
…so, i guess this means the Mets are either unaware of cell phones, or don’t know they have the power to schedule these conference calls at a time when minaya and wilpon are on the ground…
Updated at 2:05 pm:
Ricco said the team has been monitoring Beltran’s status throughout the winter. He visited with the team’s doctor, Dr. Altchek, at numerous times this off season, including a few MRIs.
Beltran started feeling discomfort in the knee as he started ramping up his workouts. He told Altchek, who had Beltran get an MRI in December, which revealed some arthritis in the knee. He continued to feel pain, and Beltran requested to visit again with Dr. Steadman, which the team said was fine. He met with Steadman on Tuesday, who recommend Beltran have a procedure done that would alleviate the pain. He had the procedure, it was a success, Beltran is still in Colorado and doing well post-surgery.
Updated at 2:07 pm:
Ricco said the team told Scott Boras they would like to discuss Steadman’s diagnosis and have a third opinion, but Beltran had the surgery before the Mets had a chance to get that third opinion, and that is the only thing the team has an issue with.
In response to whether the team signed off on the surgery or agreed to pay for it, Ricco said he will not go in to the legal ramifications. Also, in response to whether the there is an issue between the Mets and Beltran, Ricco said he told Boras in a letter that they were not afforded their rights to seek a third opinion, which is within their rights.
Ricco said, at this point, the Mets less concerned with legal issues, rights, etc., and most concerned with getting Beltran back on the field.
Updated at 2:16 pm:
According to Ricco, it could be 12 weeks before Beltran can return to baseball activities.
Ricco would not answer whether the surgery was ‘necessary’ or ‘elective.’
Updated at 2:18 pm:
Ricco said, because this is a new development, the team has not yet determined if they need to change their off-season plan, though he said they have talented players right now who can fill in.
He and Minaya were on a conference call with Boras on Tuesday and told them they wanted to seek a third opinion, and then talked with him again yesterday around the time of the surgery.
Ricco said the team explicitly told Beltran and Boras they did not want Beltran to have surgery until they had a chance to review Steadman’s diagnosis and could get a third opinion.
Updated at 2:22 pm:
He says the team is most upset that they were essentially cut out of the process, especially since they were under the impression every one was in agreement.
Updated at 2:30 pm:
Ricco said Beltran did not show the symptoms necessary to warrant having surgery last season. The symptoms didn’t turn up until recently.
Ricco said the best word to describe the team’s mood regarding this news is ‘disappointed,’ mostly because Beltran was doing well, now they will be without his services for the first part of the season.
Updated at 2:32 pm:
Ricco said Beltran DID NOT have microfracture surgery, and, according to Steadman, Beltran is NOT a candidate for microfracture surgery.
Ricco would not answer whether the Mets have insurance of Beltran’s contract, saying they do not typically discuss such details, regarding player contracts.
Updated at 2:34 pm:
The conference call has ended.
According to MLB.com, the Mets signed free-agent LHP Bobby Livingston to a minor-league deal.
Livingston last made 10 starts for the Reds in 2007, during which he allowed 33 runs in 56 innings pitched, while striking out 27 and walking eight.
In 61 career innings pitched, left-handed batters hit .345 against him, while righties hit .325.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge had his knee scoped yesterday, according to Scott Lauber of the News Journal.
The team press released said they are unsure if Lidge will be ready for Opening Day, “but we don’t expect that he’ll be too far behind.”
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