Daily Archives: January 22, 2010
The Mets confuse me. They really do. I mean, I can’t say acquiring Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels is a bad move, considering they’ll be paying him just $1.25 million each of the next two seasons. I’m actually fine with it. But, it just seems odd to me that they felt it necessary to give up a decent relief pitcher, making very little money, for a player who has shown very little promise since 2006.
I don’t know, I guess I assume it would have been easier to sign a guy like Eric Byrnes, for one season by the way, then cut Stokes if he was really that expendable and his roster spot was needed. But, maybe I don’t know the market like I think I do.
The thing is, that isn’t what concerns me; because, who knows, maybe Matthews is ‘in the best shape of his life,’ which I am sure someone will write this Spring, and maybe he becomes an outstanding fourth outfielder. The move is weird, but I understand how the team justifies it. Nevertheless, he’s not the issue.
The issue, to me, is: how does acquiring Matthews fit in to the overall plan to be better? Actually, come to think of it, what is the overall plan to be better?
I mean, I look at the Mariners, and I read that article yesterday for MLB.com, and what jumped out at me was that they clearly have an idea, and they speak of it, talking quite often about how, because they play in Safeco Park, they need to build a team around defense and speed and pitching. And so, what did they do this off season? They got rid of Carlos Silva, they let go of Erik Bedard, Russel Branyan and Adrian Beltre, and they acquired Chone Figgins, Brandon League, Casey Kotchman, Jack Wilson, Cliff Lee and inked two of the better, young players in baseball, Felix Hernandez and Franklin Gutierrez, to long-term extensions.
The Mets, who also play in a pitcher’s park, talk a lot of pitching, speed and defense, too. Omar Minaya has been talking about it on air and in interviews since he took the job in 2004. In fact, last October, in an interview with WFAN, Jeff Wilpon said Minaya and his staff intend to always build a team around pitching, speed and defense, and so he built a ballpark with that in mind. However, this off season, they acquired Jason Bay, and tried to get Bengie Molina, neither of which fall in to the idea of pitching, speed and defense… not even close. This is not to say the Mets haven’t tried to re-adjust their make-up. For all I know they have, i.e., Joel Pineiro, John Lackey, etc., and things just haven’t worked out as they hoped.
However, as of now, it terms of what they have to show for this off season, I see Bay and a of bunch intriguing, but questionable relief pitchers. And so, moves like acquiring Matthews, though perhaps fine as a single transaction, still seem off message and out of step from what management claims to want, and from what the fans want, meaning the Mets come across as seeming confused, as if they’re just making random moves for the sake of filling roster spots. Which is not to say this is what they’re doing. It just seems that way. And so, it makes sense then, that I, as well as other fans, would also seem confused.
To hear audio of Omar Minaya’s conference call with reporters, announcing the acquisition of OF Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels, click here.
Original Post at 3:26 pm:
In his conference call with reporters today, Minaya said Matthews gives the team ‘versatility,’ and makes the team better, given the absence of Carlos Beltran.
Minaya said Matthews and Pagan will be in an ‘open competition,’ during Spring Training.
…i was told the job is pagan’s to lose, basically… but, i would expect omar to say it is a competition, as that is just smart for player-to-player relations in Spring Training… so, good for him…
Matthews agent, Scott Leventhal, told the Los Angeles Times, “Gary is going there to perform and put himself in a position that, even when Beltran comes back, he’s going to be a major contributor to the Mets.”
Leventhal also said Matthews could get playing time in right field, saying, “I don’t think there’s any guarantees in right.”
…i wonder how Jeff Francoeur feels about that…
By the way, in regards to Beltran, Minaya said he would put a specific date on when he will return.
…hmmm, i feel like i have heard those words before, haven’t i…
This is video of Mets GM Omar Minaya talking about the acquisition of OF Gary Matthews Jr.:
Yesterday, Fire Jerry Manuel ripped MLB.com’s Marty Noble. Today, Fonzie Forever defends him.
Shannon from Mets Police speculates on the team’s ticket sales, and also posts pictures from the Mets fan event for season-ticket holders last week.
In the event the Mets do not sign Ben Sheets, Ed Leyro from Studious Metsimus knows why.
To check out Art Shamsky’s new website, go here.
Andrew Beaton explains on Hot Foot why it makes sense to ‘pay for upside.’
Coop, from My Summer Family, explains why she wants the Mets to sign free-agent Jon Garland.
Greg Price of Faith and Fear in Flushing looks back on 30 years with the Wilpons, as owners of the Mets.
Pat Andriola believes Nelson Figueroa is a good pitcher, as he explains at The Hardball Times.
Patrick Flood from Exile on 126th Street looks at Doc Gooden’s five best starts for the Mets.
Lastly, yesterday, I did a 45–minute interview with the guys from HotStove.com, taking questions from listeners about the Mets off season, which you can watch and listen to here.
The Mets are acquiring Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels, in exchange for RHP Brian Stokes, according to Jon Heyman at SI.com.
Heyman says the Angels will pay $21.5 million of the $24 million due to Matthews during the next two years, meaning he will cost the Mets roughly $1.25 million per season.
I believe this deal is what this deal is.
In other words, as of now, it doesn’t sound to me like there will be a corresponding move; and the Reds are not, nor is Luis Castillo, involved in this trade.
In talking with a team official, the Mets see Matthews Jr. as a back-up, or fall-back position, to Angel Pagan, who the Mets like very much and see as the favorite to win the starting center field job in the absence of Carlos Beltran, who will miss the start of the year recovering from knee surgery.
However, because Pagan has had a history with being injured, the team felt it necessary to bring in a proven, major-league center fielder, to compete in Spring Training, and, at the very least, act as a fourth outfielder for the first month or so of the season.
In the team’s view, the Mets could have signed a free-agent outfielder for, say, $2 million per season, or they could have traded for Matthews Jr., who will only cost them $1.25 million per season. They apparently were not satisfied with the current crop of free-agent outfielders, and so they chose to make the trade instead.
To me, I don’t understand how that, plus giving up a pitcher, is better than, say, re-signing a guy like Jeremy Reed, who just signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays.
I mean, this is not to say I am disappointed or angry about getting Matthews Jr., because it’s only a fourth outfielder we’re talking about… in some ways, this move will probably prove to be very inconsequential. It’s just, I don’t understand why they needed to trade a pitcher to do it.
Actually, I guess if I am disappointed, it’s because I assumed that any deal for Matthews Jr. would have involved Castillo, meaning the team could have turned around and signed Orlando Hudson. But, that does not appear to be the case.
The last two seasons, Matthews hit around .245 with roughly six or so HR, 45 RBI and missed several games due to ankle, back and hamstring injuries.
He has been a center field throughout most of his career, also playing both corner outfield spots.
This morning, on Twitter and Facebook, I said, “Yep, the Mets are up to something, and close to making a deal… fingers crossed.”
I hope it is good news, as we, fans, could use it.
Yesterday, I heard a lot of bizarre hot stove rumors, including names like Gary Matthews Jr., Luis Castillo, John Smoltz, and others; at the same time, the Triple-A Bisons have a press conference scheduled to announce their new manager; so, I suppose today has the potential to be just as disappointing as it could be exciting. But, something is going on, and I think we might hear about it as soon as today… and I’m intrigued.
By the way, to find me on Twitter, go here; and to find me on Facebook, go here.
In an excellent report for WEEI Radio, Rob Bradford aims to answer, “What happened with Jason Bay and the Red Sox?”
Last week, Peter Gammons said on NESN that Bay and the Sox agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal last June, but it was pulled by the team due to concerns surrounding Bay’s knees and shoulder.
Bay told Bradford, however, “That is just one-tenth of the story.”
For details, read Bradford’s story, but, the short of is: the Red Sox changed their mind and did not want to commit four years to Bay, despite two independent doctors declaring his knees and shoulder as being more than fine. In fact, the medical records were so clean, there was no issue getting insurance on the deal.
Nevertheless, according to Bradford, the Red Sox later offered a three-year deal to Bay; but, the fourth year would be an option, and he had to pay a portion of the insurance policy on his contract.
Bay rejected the offer, the Red Sox then immediately signed John Lackey, and Bay eventually inked a four-year, $66 million with the Mets.
Ken Davidoff from Newsday believes the Mets top target, right now, is free-agent RHP Ben Sheets.
Similarly, in the Daily News, Anthony McCarron says the Mets have been in touch with Sheets this week.
Davidoff believes the Mets would like to add free-agent RHP John Smoltz and either Sheets or Jon Garland.
…i have heard mixed things from people close to smoltz… some say he is open to pitching for the Mets, others say he will only return if it is to the Cardinals… i have heard he will pitch in the bullpen, but would prefer to be a starting pitcher… i have also heard he is considering retirement, while others say he wants to add to his post-season win total… so, i really don’t know what to believe…
In the event the team signs Smoltz, Davidoff says the Mets could trade John Maine to Milwaukee.
In December, during the MLB Winter Meetings, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said the Mets and Brewers had talked about swapping Maine for OF Corey Hart.
The next day, in the Daily News, Adam Rubin said talks between the Mets and Brewers had been put on the back-burner as Milwaukee concentrated on finding a free-agent starting pitcher.
The Brewers have since signed Randy Wolf and Doug Davis.
In a poll to MetsBlog on Dec. 8, 78 percent of voters said they would not trade Maine for Hart.
For more, check out Ted Berg’s post at TedQuarters, in which he compares Garland and Sheets, and Eric Simon’s post for Amazin Avenue, where he sifts through the remaining free-agents.
According to Anthony McCarron of the Daily News, the Mets have had brief discussions about signing free-agent 1B Chad Tracy, who has not played 100 games in a season since 2006.
The last three years, Tracy missed time with a rib injury, knee tendinitis, knee surgery and an oblique injury, during which he hit around .250, with roughly seven HR, 45 RBI, and 15 or so doubles.
The 29–year-old first baseman has also played third base, and seven games in left field, during his career.
…he’s an interesting player, because, in looking at his career, he reads like a guy who had promise, got hurt, lost his job to more promising, younger players, and he was never allowed a chance to win his spot back… or, he was a flash in the pan, and the D-Backs got it right… who knows… nevertheless, he’s not the best fielder i’ve seen, and, it seems to me, this would be a requirement of any back-up first baseman the Mets will sign… but, when he’s in a groove, he’s a strong hitter, dropping double after double in the to gap… the thing is, he also goes in to massive, prolonged slumps… also, in terms of speed, he can make John Olerud look like Rickey Henderson… in other words, he could be the perfect signing, depending on the team’s needs, then a few weeks later be viewed as a terrible acquisition… i’d take a chance on him, if for no other reason than he’s been successful before, he’s 29 and he has a beautiful swing, but he’d need to earn a significant role on the team…
By the way, to read about the Mets interest in free-agent Chien-Ming Wang, read McCarron’s report.
The Royals signed free-agent OF Rick Ankiel to a one-year, $3.25 million contract, which includes a second-year, mutual option for $6 million, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com believes the Cubs, Pirates and Red Sox all expressed interest in Ankiel this off season.
…i know there are fans who hoped the Mets would sign ankiel to fill in for Carlos Beltran… but, a) that type of contract would have made no sense for the Mets, given their needs, and b) it wouldn’t have mattered, since, and i can’t be more clear on this, from what i was told, there was ZERO chance ankiel would sign to play in New York City, be it for the Yankees or Mets… i don’t know why, but it just never was going to happen, so long as teams like the Royals or Cubs were interested…
