Tag Archives: Twitter

According to El Universal, the Mets initially requested that Francisco Rodriguez refrain from playing in the Venezuelan Winter League.

However, Rodriguez’s agent talked to Mets GM Omar Minaya, and the two sides reached an understanding.

Rodriguez allowed one run and two hits in his first appearance this winter with Tiburones de La Guaira.

…from what i understand, it’s customary for veteran players under contract with MLB to rest a bit from the long season before jumping right in to Winter Ball… the Mets asked K-Rod to sit out, but he takes a lot of pride in playing for Tiburones de La Guaira, his contract with the Mets allows it, and so he’s playing…

Rodriguez had four blown saves and a 6.75 ERA in 29 appearances during the second half of last season.

…i’ll be honest, his 2009 season worried me a bit… i mean, had he had that second-half and the team was good, look out… people would be slamming him right now… but, it was a lost season, and so he kind of got lost in the wreckage…

Tagged Twitter |

SNY has confirmed the Mets have signed C Henry Blanco to a one-year deal.

Original Post, 6:36 pm:

Blanco told Francisco Blavia of Lider en Deportes he has agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Mets.

…thanks to Andres M for the link and translation…

…i like this signing a lot, he is the perfect back-up catcher… it’s the other 10 back-up catchers i am confused out… like i said earlier, blanco is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, he has a strong arm, frames pitches well, he is steady behind the plate… of course, he is not a very good hitter… yes, he can have a hot streak or two, but, for the most part, he’s known for his defense not his bat…

(more…)

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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Mets have hired Dave Jauss to be Jerry Manuel’s new bench coach.

Jauss also worked as a bench coach for the Red Sox, Dodgers and Orioles.

Rosenthal says the Mets chose Jauss over Eric Wedge and Bob Melvin.

Jauss traveled to New York in late October to meet the Mets.

In the late 80s, while he was Field Coordinator of the Expos, Jerry Manuel hired Jauss to manage in Montreal’s minor-league system, where he was eventually named the Eastern League Manager of the Year in 1994.

Jauss has also spent time working for the Dodgers, Red Sox and Orioles, ranging in positions from first-base coach to bench coach to minor-league field coordinator.

In early October, Manuel told WFAN the Mets will first look internally for a third-base coach, and will consider Razor Shines and Sandy Alomar Jr. among candidates for the bench coach position.

Tagged Twitter |

In the last day or so, I have been contacted by a small number of disappointed fans who recently received their invoice for 2010 full-season ticket plans to Citi Field.

In terms of price, in early October, the Mets said, “Every Season Ticket Holder invoice for 2010 will be less than 2009.”

According to a team press, “Season Ticket prices will be reduced by an average of more than 10 percent next season, with several seating areas being adjusted by more than 20 percent.”

The biggest complaint from fans who have contacted me seems to be 1) a less-than-they-anticipated reduction in price, roughly $1 per game, and 2) the team requiring all season-ticket holders to decide if they intend to re-up by December 4, along with a 20 percent deposit.

For what it’s worth, one fan showed me his invoice, which has his tickets dropping roughly two percent, or around $1 per game for the same seat as last season.  He has not yet decide whether to re-up.  But, he pointed out, the team required the same early-December deadline last season with a similar deposit.

The team has been telling people the new prices are consistent with what they said in October, in that the average reduction will be more than 10 percent, i.e., some plans will decrease by less than 10 percent, while some will decrease by more.

Nevertheless, in the New York Post, beat writer Bart Hubbuch tries to portray the team as ‘liars,’ which, technically, is not true.

Tagged Twitter |

Jason Varitek exercised his $3 million option to remain with the Red Sox in 2010, meaning he will not be a free agent this winter.

Fortunately, Joel Sherman of the New York Post quoted two Mets officials earlier this week who said the team is looking for a catcher who can catch at least 100 games.

In a follow up report, Sherman said the Mets prefer free-agent C Benjie Molina, and are also interested in D’Backs C Chris Snyder and free-agent C Rod Barajas.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Molina is looking for a two-year deal from the Giants, and a team from the American League is interested.

…from what i can gather, molina is looking for around $6 million or so per season… the buzz from SF suggests the Giants want him back, but do not want to commit beyond one year… i don’t blame them… he’s going to be 36 years old next summer… but, for the Mets, it would be interesting to pick up 25 or so home runs from behind the plate, when factoring in Omir Santos as well…

Molina hit .265 with 20 HR, 25 doubles and 80 RBI in 132 games for the Giants last season, while batting mostly fourth in their lineup.

Tagged Twitter |

In a report for Newsday, Ken Davidoff quotes Omar Minaya as saying, “Some years are better than others,” with regards to the quality and quantity of players on the free-agent market.

That said, in a morning report for the New York Post, Joel Sherman believes the Mets are split on how to proceed this off season.

According to Sherman, one group wants to sign top-end free agents; while the other group wants only to upgrade ‘the supporting cast,’ while continuing to rely on their core players.

…i’m sorry, but, why can’t they do both… 

Meanwhile, according to Adam Rubin, of the Daily News, team insiders say Omar Minaya expects Matt Holliday and Jason Bay to be too expensive for the Mets.

“Instead, they expect to sign a left fielder from the second tier of free agents, or acquire one via trade,” Rubin explains.

…i have heard this too… but, the way i understand it is: the Mets are not interested in paying holliday an eight-year contract, like Scott Boras is rumored to be seeking, just as they’re not interested in signing John Lackey to a five-year contract; especially if no other team is willing to meet that price tag… so, sure, they’re too expensive… but, they’re not alone in this thinking… and, that is all part of the dance, i think… frankly, it’s too early to take any report as gospel, since the market has yet to really take shape… that’s what these GM Meetings are for, basically…

To learn of specific players they are interested in, read Sherman’s report, here; as well as Rubin’s report, here; and Davidoff’s, here.

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According to the Chicago Tribune, “Toronto reportedly wants no part of Milton Bradley.”

In Rosenthal’s report, he said the the Cubs initially spoke to the Mets about swapping Bradley for Castillo, and it was the Mets who roped in the Jays and Overbay.

Original Post, 7:32 pm:

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com believes the Mets, Blue Jays and Cubs are discussing a three-way deal that would send Luis Castillo to Chicago, Milton Bradley to Toronto, and Lyle Overbay to the Mets.

According to major-league sources, Rosenthal writes, “The teams indeed have discussed the framework of such a deal,” however, it is a ‘longshot.’

The 32–year-old Overbay hit .265 with a .372 OBP, 16 HR and 35 doubles in 132 games for the Blue Jays in 2009.

(more…)

Tagged Twitter |

Steve Gilbert, the Diamondbacks beat reporter for MLB.com, is reporting on Twitter, says that the Diamondbacks have exercised the $8.5 million option for Brandon Webb for 2010.

…this is good for Webb, as he will get another year to prove his arm is healthy before hitting the free agent market next year…

Webb is a three-time All Star and winner of the 2006 Cy Young Award, and is 87-62 with a 3.27 ERA in seven seasons, and he made his Major League Debut against the Mets in 2003.

Tagged News, Twitter |

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers have traded SS J.J. Hardy to the Twins for OF Carlos Gomez.

The Twins originally acquired Gomez in the Johan Santana trade.  He scored the winning run against the Tigers that clinched the American League Central last month.

Update, 1:35 pm:

…you know, i wrote yesterday about Buster Olney’s suggestion that the market would create a lot of deals like this, because of how the salary arbitration system is ‘broken,’ as someone told him… yet, here we are, and the three exact guys i used as exampled, in hardy, Jeremy Hermida and Mark Teahen, all have been traded, for the exact reason olney was referring to, which is teams do not want to pay the large salary figure that will be rewarded in arbitration, and would rather trade the player to someone else who will pay it, in return for prospects, or, if all else fails, non tender then guy, be done with it, and let him be a free agent…

Tagged News, Twitter |

The Chicago White Sox have bought out the 2010 option for 36 year old outfielder Jermaine Dye, making him a free agent.

The option called for $12 million for 2010, but the White Sox opted to buy him out for $950,000.

Dye finished the year hitting .250 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI for the White Sox.

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