Chew On This

Go ahead, chew on this. It's delectable. Savor it.

If I were to ask you who played more games in 2004 and 2005 combined, who would you choose?

A) Mike Piazza
B) Bengie Molina
C) Ramon Hernandez

I think you know where I'm going with this....

    Piazza Hernandez Molina
2004  113     111       97
2005  129      99      119
total 242     210      216

Thanks to Will for pointing out the painfully obvious and this is something I totally missed. I hope a lot of you missed it too or else I'll feel like the idiot with the booger hanging out of his nose and nobody has the cojones to tell him. I was always intrigued by Kenji Jojima and now that he appears to be going to Seattle, I'm not happy with either of the two 'top' targets. In fact, he would have been much cheaper and could be better (yes, I know he might not be) and could be available to play more. Then I read this:

For a guy who embarrassed himself by twice failing to block home plate in crucial situations, free-agent catcher Ramon Hernandez is getting a lot of attention.

The Diamondbacks and New York Mets are wooing Hernandez, who apparently wore out his welcome with San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy in Game 2 of the National League Division Series when he chose to use the sweep tag instead of blocking the plate on two close plays at home.

That's not a rousing statement about him. Playoff time and not laying it all on the line? I'm not going to pretend I watched it or even know if the plays were as bad as this guy is saying, but it doesn't sound good.

Explore all options Omar . The two 'top' catching targets are looking more over priced every day and I’m starting to agree with Eric.

* * *

Impressive. Most Impressive.

The Blue Jays appear to be making a pre-emptive strike in a bid to land free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett.

Sources told The Toronto Sun yesterday that the Jays have offered a five-year, $50-million US contract to the 28-year-old right-hander

We all heard the Blue Jays have cash and throwing out Halladay and Burnett on back to back days is pretty impressive. As much as I would like Burnett a Met, I know that is not happening.

Good Omar. Good boy.

"He wants him, but he isn't going to wait around," an American League official said of Minaya's lust for Ramirez. "He doesn't want to get caught putting all his eggs in one basket."

Also in the above link Cammy shows he is a professional and why he was one of everyone's favorite.

Klap hits the nail on the head about any possible Manny deal.

The Mets are still eyeing Delgado, but one has to wonder about the deal if it goes through. He will be booed unmercifully at the start and though Delgado will probably say he can care less, it could cause major problems. He could request a trade after one year and the Mets could have given up a lot to get him. Word on the street is that Yusmeiro Petit would need to be included in the deal so the Marlins can add him to their ridiculous pitching rich system. I have no problems with dealing away Petit for Delgado, but how long will he be around and how much animosity will the fans show him? Of course another year like last year could butter us all up, but it could be a rocky relationship. Personally, the Marlins seem desperate and all the articles support that.

"Fifty [million] is their absolute point of pain," the source said. "They are in dire straits."

Can we rape someone else for a change? Who else can absorb every dollar?

Note to Omar: Just call Giles' agent. It's a lot more simple.

Nine days ago, Towers told Giles' agent, Joe Bick, that the Padres were close to obtaining another outfielder (Cameron) and that the deal would probably entail taking on additional payroll.

Bick says he was told such a move would not preclude the Padres from signing Giles – and Towers confirmed that characterization yesterday – but the bargaining gap is still significant and the competition (notably, the New York Yankees) is financially fierce.

"That doesn't mean he's off our radar," Towers said. "But it may be a little more difficult.

The door is open, but the Yankees might be shutting it soon with a large $33 million contract for three years. It seems like a lot. I would have said $10 million per year for three years with an option is a nice start point for the Mets, so upping it by a million does not seem crazy. The Mets needed to overpay to get his attention. At least throw it out there. I'm sure he would rather play right at this point in his aging career.

Just and aside, Lupica used the world 'swell' in the article. Who the fuck still uses that word?

One and done. Pavano wants out.

The Cubs signed Scott Eyre.

Chipper is a team player. Not much else to say. The guy wants to win and put his money where his mouth is.

From the Daily News:

The Mets appear prepared to ratchet up negotiations with Scott Boras regarding pitcher Mike Pelfrey, one of two unsigned first-round picks

Who was more upset? Floyd when Cammy left or Wright when McEwing left?

During the past two off seasons, Seattle had guys that wanted to play for them? They sucked. They have sucked for a while no with no end in sight. The Mets? They cannot pay people enough to come here. It is a last resort. Do we all have cooties in the tri-state area? The Mets were good last year and stand to be very good in the coming years. What's a guy gotta do?

Cameron for Nady.

Thanks to John and Benny for the heads up.

Cammy for Nady looks official. It's on Newsday.

Cameron for Nady?

From MLBtraderumors.com

Mets To Swap Cameron For Nady

Over at RotoAuthority, I did an in-depth breakdown of the rumored Manny Ramirez trade. The conclusion? Even a trade of just Lastings Milledge and Mike Cameron for Manny Ramirez would be damaging to the Mets by 2007. If the Mets add Yusmeiro Petit or Aaron Heilman to the mix, they get killed in the deal.

But now we have a new trade rumor that puts a wrinkle in the proposed Manny deal. Word is that Mike Cameron for Xavier Nady is close to a done deal.

Nady's versatility is helpful, but he won't match Cameron's value in 2006. Cameron's not a star player in my book, but then again, you know you've made it when people start impersonating you to score painkillers. Cameron plays a solid center field, and can still add 6 wins to a team at age 33. Nady is 27 and is still several years away from free agency. The Mets are hoping he can approximate his production from Triple A Portland in 2004: .330/.391/.629 in 74 games. Nady did slug .615 in June of '05, so the potential is intriguing.

More interesting than the Cameron for Nady trade itself is the related fallout. Consider:

The Red Sox would have one less option to replace Johnny Damon, and it becomes more likely that they bite the bullet and offer him a four-year deal.

The Mets back away from Carlos Delgado, Paul Konerko, and other available first basemen. They begin the year with some combination of Mike Jacobs and Xavier Nady at the position.

A new group of players would have to be assembled to entice the Red Sox to surrender Ramirez. Rest assured that if Lastings Milledge is involved, the Red Sox will still be listening.

Closing Time

Wagner vs. Ryan...Ryan vs. Wagner. Who's better? Who should the Mets target? I do think Omar is betting on the right horse. More money, higher risk, but higher reward. Most of us read Jeremy and Andrew go back and forth and argue their points (Andrew, you are right by the way), but the most compelling piece of info went beyond the stats for me and was in the comment section. If you actually have to work while you are at work and don't have time at home to fish through 70 comments, let me save you some time.

As posted by Danny in the comments section:
I live in Northern VA, and because of the ridiculous TV deal that MLB gave the Nationals, the Orioles are still the “home” team here. Let me say for the record, Ryan’s pure stuff is not even close to Wagner’s. Ryan relies on a deceptive delivery to make his pitches seem more effective than they actually are. As you can see, the results were fantastic last year (although his ERA against the Yankees and Red Sox is troubling). Closers (and relievers in general) without ridiculous stuff tend to flame out, or at least ebb and flow significantly in terms of production. I personally prefer Wagner, because I have more confidence he will be dominant. The slightest misstep in Ryan’s mechanics will probably render him mostly ineffective. I just am not sold on him. Even with the age and injury concerns, in my opinion, Wagner is more of a sure thing than Ryan.

His reasoning pretty much sums it up for me. That's not to say Ryan is not a good choice, he is. However, Omar has shown to us that he goes for the top and accepts nothing less. Bar none, Wagner is the guy if money was thrown to side and twelve out of fifteen GMs agreed that Wagner is the man. You can penny pinch all you want about the dollar difference, but the Mets have the ability to reel in the best guy for the job and have a great shot at getting him.

"That would put a lot of pressure on the Phillies," he said last night from his Charlottesville, Va., home on the eve of his first face-to-face meeting with new general manager Pat Gillick.

"Four years would be hard to turn down. The Mets are already ahead in some aspects because of the kind of team they can put on the field."

I applaud Omar's aggressiveness and I'm glad he is running my favorite team. We just had this conversation last year with giving Pedro a fourth year and whether or not it was a good idea, but sometimes you have to take a chance to get the deal done. Will Pedro and Wagner have arms by their respective fourth years? I believe more in Wagner's ability to stay healthy for four years simply because he is a reliever that can still throw 100. If he loses a mph or two he is still throwing hard and harder and has picked up a nasty slider over the years to adjust to his loss of zip on his fastball from when he was younger. Mariano is a over a year older and has had just as many, if not more injuries over the years and is going strong with no signs of slowing down. I do not see why Wagner cannot replicate that.

* * *

The link of the day is actually from the other day and it is from the Soxaholix.

The Highlights:

Mr. Roy: " Ah, Christ, you know, I've never understood the vegan obsession with making non-meat products look just like meat products. The Garden Burger? The Tofurky? What the frig? If meat is murder, then why in Christ do the vegans want their crap to look just like meat?"

Arturo: "Yeah, it's like a coupla lesbians with a strap-on. I mean eithah you like dick or you don't. Can't have it both ways, ladies. Heh."

Classic...

While on the topic of being offensive and since I've alienated the last female reader of this site last week...this one goes out to Nokes and is back by popular demand...no cheating this time (you know who you are...). Actually, I've made this semi-cheat proof and uploaded the picture myself and dumped URLs so they cannot be traced. However, if you have enough time and search hard enough, I'm sure you could find the pic yourself, but I implore everyone to use the honor system. I've said there were no official prizes before, but I lied. Since I get a ticket package every year and have extras for games I cannot go to, the prize is two Mets tickets at some point in during the season (you will have advanced notice). I have no idea how long this will run, but here goes the first official installment. I've decided to not lay up a softball on the first try. Email me with the answer, email me once per pic. Hopefully not too many people email me or else this could turn into a second job (actually a third, this blog is my second job). If it does, we may only get four pictures deep into the contest. If the answer gets posted in the comments, every email after that is disqualified. Thems the rules and if you do not like them, suck it. Here it goes...



Now it's a side view and not straight on so I've included more body parts for extra hints. You can thank me later for the expanded view and spelling does count (kidding of course). Thank Will for suggesting the tickets as the prize..who'll step it up?

I don't like A-Rod, but c'mon. Who gives a shit? Let the guy live his life and gamble his millions and few things in life are more fun than gambling. You can preach to me role model all you want, I do not see any harm in it.

Despite the fact that I've been called a pig before by some readers, I'm all for Kim Ng getting the GM job for the Dodgers. I hope the best person gets the job and if that is her, great. She has been around the game for a while, has the credentials, and would be a great story. Obviously she would be the first woman GM and the first Asian GM as well in the States.

Good luck Kim from all of us Met fans. Oh, we also apologize for Bill Singer. He was a little drunk that night and he can get that way sometimes. He is usually not allowed to drink jägermeister for obvious reasons.

Is this really a surprise?

The Mets are set to (as Steve put it) do the pole dance to try and sell NYC to Kenji Jojima. My only suggestion? Don't let him talk to Kazuo.

On Jojima:

"He has a very, very strong arm, a quick release and loves to try to pick runners off first and second," said the scout, who requested anonymity. "He was not one of the best ball blockers in Japan. But he might (have) just been bored, as the majority of his missed and dropped pitches often happen in middle innings of games that are not close."

Huh? That's not good any way you shake it, but I'll hold off before judging him.

"He's a strong catch-and-throw guy," the Mets executive said, "and defense usually translates pretty well."

Offensively, the Japanese scout described Jojima, who has averaged .305 with 30 homers and 87 RBI over the past five seasons, as an outstanding hitter with power to all fields.

Should be interesting.

The Yankees have taken Hideki Matsui off the market by inking him to a four year, $52 million dollar contract. The Yankees are also mulling over offering Brian Giles a three year $30 million dollar contract to play centerfield but want to gauge his interest to see if he truly would come to New York.

Giles, however, "has no preference where he plays," agent Joe Bick said.

Omar? Buddy. You listening?

Scott Eyre is not going to be a Giant in 2006 but may prefer to stay in the NL.

In their quest for bullpen help, the Yankees have been in contact several times with Tommy Tanzer, the agent for left-handed relief pitcher Scott Eyre. The 33-year-old Eyre is unlikely to re-sign with the Giants, for whom he made 243 appearances over the past three seasons, but it's believed his preference is to remain in the National League in spite of strong interest from the Yankees, Red Sox, Indians and White Sox.

Hmm...

David Wright placed 19th in MVP voting with 18 points, including one fifth-place vote.

I'll take a top 20 finish for a 22 year old stud.

There is a market for Cammy and it could turn out to be a very good thing for the Mets.

The Padres are looking at him for center field. They have plenty of good relievers, Xavier Nady, and Josh Barfield, though they would be unlikely to trade him.

The Orioles still like him, but Jorge Julio is not the answer and I am not sure I really see a fit with them. They have some intriguing prospects, but the likelihood of Omar trying to walk away with prospects is slim to none.

Then are the Diamondbacks. Perhaps no team is more prospect rich with people that can play on the Major League level right now that has interest in Mike Cameron. They also need starting pitching, which the Mets have. We've discussed a Benson for Javier swap in the comments the last few days and I would all on board for giving them Benson, or another SP like Jae Seo, for Javier and Chad Tracy/Conor Jackson/Carles Quentin. If they feel like they need a little more for one of their young players and Javy, then they can have Brian Bannister. The D-Backs interest me big time in regards to being a trade partner.

Should Manny Be A Met?

This is the million dollar question. Let me first say, I would not complain if Manny becomes a Met, but at what price are we talking? Instead of Manny being the first choice for the Mets, he should be the contingency plan. The Mets have two vital needs heading into the off season and one of them was a big bat. The other was the bullpen issue and that will get addressed. There are plenty of options out there and I am not sweating that at all. However, the big bat may prove to be more elusive. Outside of Brian Giles and Paul Konerko, there are no guys out there that resemble run producers on the free agent market. If the Mets are not pursuing one of those guys, which may not be the best idea, then they are not getting a bat without a trade.

We know who the usual suspects are in Soriano, Huff, Manny, possibly Dunn, Overbay, etc. Make no mistake. The Mets could stand to add some offense. However, if they solidify their pen and Willie makes some more sound decisions, this team will be a contender. However, if the Mets bolster their pen and add a guy who can hit, they are the favorites in the NL East and able to play with any team in the National League. Manny is going to cost $19 million in 2006, $18 million in 2007, and $20 million in 2008 and has two options that will not picked up in 2009 and 2010. While the Mets may be able to afford a luxury like Manny Ramirez financially, it does lessen the talent in the farm system and probably the bullpen. On top of that, it puts two guys who do not have the greatest mobility on the corners. While I think Floyd can play right and not look like a fool, he does not have nearly the arm to play there. Despite his great play last year, putting those two on the corners without an option to DH one of them sometimes could prove to be detrimental.

Getting Manny may require the Mets to move Cliffy and make another move, but that does not really seem to be in the Mets game plan since they would be losing a potent left handed bat that you just do not come across often. The Mets need offense and one more consistent bat that can anchor the middle of the lineup. If the Mets do not add Manny, the Mets could conceivably upgrade their closer, get Burnett, pick up two relievers, pick up a catcher, possibly upgrade second base, and bolster their bench. With Manny, I doubt all that can happen though many people think the Mets could just do it all and blow about over $130 million this season. I'm going to work through the numbers at some point, but in terms of the short and long term success of this franchise, the Mets should look at cheaper options than Manny before going all out for him. It should also be noted he would be going from a place very good to right handers to one of the toughest places for right handers to hit. Using the Bill James Handbook to figure out what the equivalent of his 22 homers and .307 average at home would equate to, he would have 15 homers and a .286 avg. I don't think this is anything to put too much stock in, but it is just a reference point. If Manny is a Met, 35 homers is about what I would expect at the top of the spectrum and I think the Mets should explore a better fit at first. It's a long off season and if the Red Sox sign Damon and Omar was too focussed on Manny, the Mets could come up losers here.

* * *

Thanks to Ken S. for sending me this pic.



Bobby V. never tasted so good. What other manager can get you drunk?

From ESPN.com Rumor Central:

Nov 15 - Mets GM Omar Minaya may be willing to offer Billy Wagner as much as $36 million over three years, the New York Daily News reports. Like he did for Pedro Martinez last winter, Minaya may even add a fourth year to land the 34-year-old closer.

Wagner is scheduled to visit the Mets early next week.

It's on 'till the break of dawn...If Omar wants him, he shall have him.

Also from ESPN.com Insider, Jerry Crasnick polled some GMs about some hot topics to gauge what direction they think some things will drop.

1. Where will Manny Ramirez be playing on Opening Day?

Responses: Boston Red Sox 10, New York Mets 4, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 1.

It's either the Mets or Boston and if the Red Sox sign Damon, it looks like he'll be staying put unless the Red Sox want round two of Cliff Floyd.

2. Which team will sign Paul Konerko, and how much will it take?

Responses: Chicago White Sox 10, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 1.

I just know it won't be the Mets.

3. Will Roger Clemens return to pitch in 2006?

Responses: 11 say Clemens will pitch again next season, 4 say no.

I'd agree here. He is just padding his record stats and was too good to walk away. Not many walk away at the top, but Roger has a chance to retire for the 100th time and walk away on top of his game. Would I quit now? Shit now, but I'm not him.

4. If money were no object, which premium closer would you rather sign -- Billy Wagner or B.J. Ryan?

Responses: 12 for Wagner, 2 for Ryan, and one no-decision.

No doubt that Wagner is the best closer out there and that is why Omar wants him. Ryan is younger, but he is no Billy Wagner.

5. Will Rafael Palmeiro return to play in 2006?

Responses: 12 of those surveyed say Palmeiro is finished, while three think he'll play one more season.

Does anyone care?

6. Of the following "oldies but goodies" -- Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa or Frank Thomas -- which player is most likely to have a productive, bounce-back season next year?

Responses: Thomas 8, Piazza 5, Bagwell 1, one no-decision.

I'd love to see Mike put up a .275/.280 average with 25 homers.

Wagner is going to tour the Metro area.

The agent for free-agent closer Billy Wagner said yesterday that he has told Mets general manager Omar Minaya that "no amount of money'' can persuade his client to join the Mets if Wagner and his family don't feel comfortable in the New York metropolitan area.

When ever any says it's not about the money, we all know it's about the money...and the guaranteed years. Omar will show him the City, take him to Bergen County, maybe out to Westchester, and kiss his ass for a few days, but in the end, it's about the $$$$$. Let's be real and Billy has stated that to the Phillies. If you want me, you need to give me this.

Omar is not going to sleep until sometime in January.

"We're following up on trade talks from the meetings," Minaya said. "We've had some discussions and a name could come up that makes it work."

Baez could still come here to set up for the Mets in what could become the best pen in the NL if that were to happen. In a trade, the three top pieces of bait that he has been peddling are Mike Cameron, Kris Benson, and Steve Traschel, but would trade Jae Seo or Aaron Heilman should the right deal present itself.

The Padres like Mike Cameron, The Metropolitans like Josh Barfield and Javy Vazquez wants to be a Met.

A few days ago, Peter Gammons had an interesting tidbit in his column that referred to some Bill James predictions from his Bill James Handbook.

There are many fascinating sections that make "The Bill James Handbook" the prize of our winter hibernation. One of them is projected career totals. Prior to the 1990s (apply your own title), there were 15 players in baseball history with 500 homers.

James projects the following numbers, if these players remain relatively healthy:

Mike Piazza 500
Albert Pujols 830
Manny Ramirez 696
Alex Rodriguez 816
Gary Sheffield 594
Alfonso Soriano 506
Sammy Sosa 694
Mark Teixeira 641
Frank Thomas 512
Jim Thome 554
Rafael Palmeiro 617
Andruw Jones 677
Chipper Jones 610
Ken Griffey 686
Adam Dunn 662
Jim Edmonds 512
Carlos Delgado 565
Barry Bonds 900
Jeff Bagwell 516
Vlad Guerrero 649

Pujols' projected 3,800 hits would place him fourth and his 1.037 OPS sixth all-time. Ramirez is projected to 3,036 hits and a .981 OPS. Others projected to get 3,000 hits: Edgar Renteria, Guerrero, Bonds, Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Pudge Rodriguez, Craig Biggio and Miguel Tejada.

• Incidentally, for 2006, James projects: Ryan Howard to hit 44 homers; Marlins rookie Jeremy Hermida to hit 27 homers with a .946 OPS; Nats 3B Ryan Zimmerman .315; BJ Upton .270 with 13 homers; Delmon Young .284 with 16 HR; Rickie Weeks .267 with 26 HR; Rockies 1B Ryan Shealy .301 with 13 HR; Cubs CF Felix Pie to hit 21 HR and an .874 OPS; Mets 2B Anderson Hernandez .295 with a .336 OBP; Chris Ddenorfia .308; Cubs INF Ronnie Cedeno .310 with an .800 OPS; Murton .318 with an .859 OPS; and Orioles rookie Nick Markakis .315 with a .910 OPS.

Cubs fans, take note of Murton, Pie and Cedeno.

Piazza 'ain't hitting no' 500 homers, but I did find Anderson Hernandez's numbers interesting. If the Mets pick up a big bat, I wouldn't mind seeing him get a chance though he looked overmatched in September

Thoughts On Manny

Manny, Manny, Manny. Where will Manny land if he lands anywhere at all? The two teams that pop up the most in the Manny trade rumors are the Mets and the Angels. The Angels have prospects and depth in the minor league system to get it done, but do not offer much ML talent outside of Ervin Santana and Casey Kotchman who can figure on making the 25 man roster opening day of 2006. On top of that, the Angels were reluctant to add Mike Sweeney and his big dollars last season and only lost three players in Tim Salmon, Bengie Molina, and Paul Byrd that made over million dollars off of last year's roster. Basically, all their big ticket items are still there. Throw on top Garret Anderson already in left and not interested in being a DH with the dollars owed to Manny and the inability to give the Red Sox any impact players to help out this year, and that is not exactly a perfect fit for the Red Sox, who are not in rebuilding mode. So who is realistically left? Possibly the White Sox should they not be able to retain Paul Konerko, but I cannot see them assuming that much salary in any way and probably cannot give the Red Sox much help on the ML level.

Who does that really leave? Basically, just the Mets. The Mets can offer major league help in the form of pitching and gold glove centerfielder with a prospect thrown in. Cammy fills a void that they have and they would rather not give Damon four years and would probably love him for two. They can't have that, but they can have Mike for two years. With Pedoria possibly being ready at some point this year, Jed Lowrie moving fast, and the short stop position filled for the foreseeable future , they probably want Hanley Ramirez in center in 2007/2008. This deal helps them accomplish that and frees up money for Konerko, whom they have interest in, as well as filling in a starting pitching void with Tracshel, Benson, Seo, or even Heilman (who I would rather they try and hang onto if possible).

Trading Manny makes a lot of sense for the Red Sox and they should be motivated and the Mets should not have to give up Milledge too because of the sheer dollar amounts they will be talking about. No other interested team can offer starting pitching/bullpen help/salary relief/centerfielder (Finley is not appetizing). If the Red Sox want to move Manny and Manny definitely wants to be moved, the Mets very may well be the ONLY suitors that really make sense or have the juice to get this deal done. Whether or not that is the right idea is another discussion. The emergence of David Ortiz as the most potent bat in the Red Sox lineup means they can go with a Konerko, Dunn, or Huff to supplant the offense while freeing up cash otherwise invested in Manny. He's a tough bat to replace, but no one said the Red Sox needed the same amount of offense to replace him. The Sox have some holes, but none of them are offensive. If Omar wants to go down this road, and we know he does, he needs to view this like he is in the driver's seat.

* * *

The Cubs tell Nomah to find another employer.

The Cubs have not exactly told Nomar Garciaparra to take a hike, but they have advised the veteran free agent to feel free to see if he can "find a better fit" elsewhere.

The Mets have decided to jump in the pool with their clothes on and the cell phone in their pocket when it comes to Billy Wagner.

Philadelphia, with a new GM in Pat Gillick, is scheduled to meet with Wagner and his agent on Wednesday. The club has already made an "informal" offer of two years with an option for a third year that will vest based on his number of appearances. The Mets are willing to guarantee three years at $10 million each and, if necessary, throw in a fourth. It was that guaranteed fourth year Pedro Martinez away from the Boston Red Sox last winter.

They are prepared to outbid everyone for his services and if it comes down to "Stand" Pat Gillick vs. Omar Minaya, is there even a shot the Phillies retain him? The Phillies simply do not have as much wiggle room as the Mets when it comes to cash and if they cannot find some salary relief by way of moving Thome, they might not be able to go punch for punch with the Mets.

BA chat highlights with Matt Meyers on the Mets:

Q: Chris from Kansas asks:
If Mike Pelfrey had signed by now, where would he rate in the organizations top 10 and how long is it going to take for him to be in NY? Thank you.

A: Matt Meyers:
I knew there would be some Pelfrey questions about his potential ranking so I figured I would start there. If he had signed, he would have been #2 or #3. He was probably the best pitcher in the draft and has an electric fastball. I had this debate with someone in my office and I would have leaned towards staying with Petit at #2 simply because he has been dominant in pro ball for two years, but Pelfrey does have a higher ceiling.

Though BA tabbed Petit as the 46th highest rated prospect prior the season (I'm not sure how much stock we can put in that since Eric Duncan was 36th) so we can figure on Pelfrey being in the 40th to 50th range from what Mr. Meyers is saying with a possibility of cracking into the high 30's if they decided that arm is going to carry him there without throwing a pitch professionally yet.

Q: Matt from Brooklyn, Ny asks:
Great chat, what major leaguer now would you compare lastings milledge to?

A: Matt Meyers:
One scout gave me a Torii Hunter comparison on Milledge, but if you look at their minor league numbers, Milledge's dwarf those of Hunter. I think he was speaking more about his motions in the field and on the bases. So I will say Torii Hunter, with 25 extra points of batting average and OBP.

A rich man's Torrii Hunter? Sold.

Q: chaz from port charlotte, florida asks:
thanks for taking time to answer some of our questions. The Mets system(on the surface) lacks any true lefthanded power pitchers in the top 10(Marlins have a bunch), do you know of any that might be seen as a true prospect in the lower levels as a future mlb starting pitcher?

A: Matt Meyers:
The Mets have very little in the way of lefthanded pitching. The best they have is Jon Niese, who they nabbed in the 7th round this season and he only fell that far because teams thought he was a tough sign. He is very projectable and his fastball touched 94 this summer in the GCL and he has advanced feel for his change and curve. He is one of my favorite guys in the system.

Sounds good to me.

Q: Ryan from New York, New York asks:
How would you rank the top ten simply in terms of upside?

A: Matt Meyers:
1. Milledge, 2. Gomez, 3. Martinez, 4. Petit, 5. Hernandez, 6. Humber, 7. Jacobs, 8. Soler, 9. Hernandez, 10. Bannister. Humber is a big X-factor there depending on how he recovers.

In five years the Mets system could have produced a whole lot, or a whole little. I think feast or faminie would describe the overall state of the system.

Q: steve from long beach asks:
LHP... how about Eddy Camacho ( very solid at Brooklyn '04 ) a non drafted guy that skipped Hagerstown and had good numbers at St Lucie.

A: Matt Meyers:
I had once scout tell me he thought Camacho was a prospect and should get a shot at starting even though he is relieving now. He pitches at 90 mph with excellent feel for a change and a good idea how to pitch. His change has a nice fade and works well against righties.

Any guy who flashes promise should be a starter and not a minor league reliever.

Q: Sam from NJ asks:
Can you give some information on how Hector Pellot has looked? So he's the purest hitter from the Mets draft of 2005 thus far...

A: Matt Meyers:
He looked great in instructional league by all accounts. He plays with a lot of energy and has an excellent line drive stroke. The Mets' did not get much in the way of hitters in the 2005 draft, so yes, he takes the title.

Hector's performance will go a long way in making this past draft horrific or better than originally thought. Either way, it still will not be remembered as a good one.

Q: Anand from Brooklyn, NY asks:
What's your read on Andy Wilson? Might he have a future as a catcher, or is he another guy who's too old for his league and doesn't have a position?

A: Matt Meyers:
Wilson's bat looks legit as he has hit at every level, though he has been a little old for every level he has played. He doesn't really have a position and the Mets have tried him as a catcher though scouts aren't buying it. Once scout gave me a Kevin Millar comparison on him which I think would delight Mets fans if that happened, as long as we are not talking about Millar v. 2005.

Mets seem to be stockpiling big bat, no position guys like they stock five tool outfielders.

Anyone Notice...

That Jason Bay stole over twenty bases this year? That's all I got. Weak I know, I was just impressed when I saw it. Solid, solid player.

* * *

It's on. The Mets and Yankees are competing head to head for more free agents this year than probably ever in the past. Both are ineterested in Scott Eyre most likely and have interest in Kyle Farnsworth as well as BJ Ryan amongst others. In an effort to have a bullpen of closers, the Yankees are trying to get Ryan and Farnsworth to set up Rivera. Who doesn't hate them?

Gordon Edes states the painfully obvious in saying it would be tough to give up Manny.

The Sox don't have the luxury to fall back into full rebuilding mode. They need a Ramírez trade, and the money they save by losing Ramírez's salary, to fill some of their immediate holes: first base, second base, outfield, bullpen. But the true value of trading Ramírez is making sure they identify, and acquire, the kind of premium talent that will help them the rest of the decade. A Lastings Milledge (Mets), perhaps, or a Brandon Wood (Angels). If not, keep him.

First off, the Red Sox would have to get Konerko and can afford him if they should let Manny go while putting Cammy in center. Secondly, Big Pappi is the new Manny. Without him, there is no way they can think about making the deal. With him, they just need to find a bat to supplement Ortiz and not necessarily replace Manny. The are going to be getting some more pop should Manny go and they might have to risk not getting Konerko or making sure he is in place, but if the Mets are taking on that salary, you can forget Milledge going there. That is just ridiculous.

Other stuff happened in the new today, but have no time to look at it. Enjoy the weather....