The Sky Is Falling!!!!

The Mets made me want to puke last season. I was at the final game of the season and was enjoying some PBRs in the parking on a beautiful day fully expecting my Mets to make it to the playoffs. John Maine just came off one of the best pitched games of the season for the Mets and undoubtedly the biggest game he pitched all year and the Mets had to beat the Marlins one more time to clinch. Of course you know the rest and the game was over before I even sat down.

However, there are things we all need to keep in perspective.

1) Second Base: Jose Valentin gave us 45 games at second with three homers and a .247/.310/.380 line. Damion Easley provided some nice pop at second and started with a flourish there, but tapered off. Ruben Gotay was great in his 37 games, but there were still 80+ games of underwhelming production there. Now I am not the biggest Castillo fan and thought his deal was a bit silly, but the man hit .296 with a .371 OBP and played solid defense while stealing 10 bases in just fifty games. Sure he has no pop, but Willie will use him in the second hole and he does not create outs giving the Mets best hitters many chances in '08 to make things happen. Castillo will give the Mets more wins by playing from day one and provide some consistency there for sure.

2) Right Field: .273/.326/.398. That is what the Mets got out of right field in '07. If the Mets had not dealt Milledge for Church and it had been someone else moved for him, I would have applauded the move as I think he is an undervalued player that got jerked around in Washington. For a moment, we will set aside the actual trade and look at the player. Church hit .272/.349/.464 last year and plays a good outfield which is a stark contrast to Shawn Green, who was a disaster. The Mets had nine guys compile those numbers and Church will easily top that production and add more stability and consistency from the position with some upside to his 2007 performance. In '07, he got killed by lefties but was a full .030 under what his three year splits where against lefties. His .287 against righties was in line with his three year splits against righties so I am confident that Church has room to grow in '08 over his '07 season.

Also, we know that RFK is a disaster for power hitters. The outfield is pretty uniform and an enclosed circle so I would assume it is as equally as bad for hitters from either side of the plate whereas Shea favors left handed hitters. Church pounded 43 doubles last season and hit 59 XBHs in 144 games. In comparison, the Mets got 48 in 162 games. Ryan Church cannot really be compared to Milledge in '08 since we cannot know for sure what he'll do, but Church is certainly a large upgrade in right field in many facets. I expect him to perform a bit better when you take into account the park change, team change, and improved lineup surrounding him. 60+XBHs from one right fielder? When is the last time the Mets had that?

Ok, not buying it? Let us say you do not agree with me and think Church is a platoon player at best, which I do not think he is. The Mets can still pair him up with Easley to create some pretty good production from right field and should still greatly eclipse what the Mets got out of right field last season. I would rather have Milledge at this point, but you simply cannot argue the Mets did not get better in this area....well I guess you could argue with me about it, but you wouldn't be right.

3) The Outfield: While Alou cannot be counted on for 162 games, the Mets outfield depth stands to be a lot better. With Church in the fold, they can certainly absorb the loss of Alou better and a Gomez/Chavez tandem will be just fine in filling in for him when/if he gets hurt. Also, if Alou gives the Mets 120 games next season, that will be an unabashed improvement over the 84 games he gave the Mets last year. Anything over 84 is a bonus that will just add wins over last year’s production. Also, Beltran only gave the Mets 141 games in center and people cannot forget how much of a disaster the Mets outfield was with Green out there, Chavez going down, Milledge hurt, Alou missing, and Beltran missing a bit too many games. Two words...Ricky Ledee. That is how bad things were.

The Mets outfield is going to be better from day #1 and deeper overall. 150 games from Beltran and Church with 120 games of Alou would make this one formidable outfield with guys that can hit at all three positions. Even if Alou does go down again, the Mets can more capably fill the hole in 2008 than they did in 2007 barring any more disasters. Not only will right field be more consistent and stable, but the entire outfield should be as well and light years better than 2007.

4) Catching: Again, the fact that Milledge was dealt for Schneider has no context in whether he will be an upgrade over the Mets '08 catching situation. There seems to be some people confused about Paulie Ballgame being some superior offensive player to Schneider. A lot of LoDuca's value is in his batting average and he simply is not all that good anymore. In 2007, LoDuca's ISOP was .106 while Schneider's was .101. They both had virtually the same amount of XBHs and had the same RBI total in 2007. Schneider played in ten more games but tallied up about 40 less at-bats due to this novel idea of taking pitches.

LoDuca's ISOD was a paltry .039 while Schneider's was .091. That is not even in the same stratosphere and though we cannot assume Schneider will have a better season, it certainly is reasonable he gets his average up another .020 points and continues to take walks with vastly better plate discipline than LoDuca, who at 36 is not destined to improve offensively or even play to his career averages at this point. All this does not even factor in the immense defensive upgrade Brian represents.

The move to acquire Schneider was not one of my favorites and the fact he is inked for another season after this does not help. However, in terms of an upgrade, he certainly makes the Mets a better ball club by being a sideways move offensively at worst, with the possibility of being a slight upgrade, and a defensive upgrade over Paul LoDuca. With Castro still around, the Mets managed to get bit better behind the plate overall, however small that margin is.

5) Rotation: Pedro, Pedro, and Pedro. He gave the Mets 32 innings last season. Even if the manages to give the Mets only 150 innings, that is a tremendous upgrade over what the Mets had and will add quite a few wins overall. Then you factor in that Maine and Oliver should build off their '07 performance and become more predictable and you have a rather formidable front three. After that, the situation is a bit muddied. We have talked about Livan and Lohse in this space before and of course The Duque can still be the fourth starter. I'm going to consider Pedro's innings separate from simply replacing Glavine's. They are a bonus. I am hoping to cover Glavine's performance in this fourth spot.

In 2007 Glavine's ERA+ was 96, Livan's ERA+ was 95, and Lohse's ERA+ was 98. I am still holding out hope The Duque heads to the bullpen as a capable reliever and solid fallback option in the rotation while the Mets pick up Livan or Lohse. Either one of those guys will replace Glavine's innings and his 2007 production easily in my eyes. Sure, they won't be able to match his professionalism or his crotchety factor, but I think the Mets will manage. Also, it is only fair to mention that it is a distinct possibility that The Duque will hold this spot. He put up a 115 ERA+ in '07, which I do not expect him replicate, in 150 innings. Even if he is the guy and goes down and gives the Mets only 150 innings again, whoever gives the Mets those other starts will probably drag the overall ERA+ for that spot to around the Glavine territory thereby essentially replacing his production. Either way, this spot should be a wash.

This brings us to the fifth spot. Fact: Mike Pelfrey was tragic in the first half of '07. Fact: Mike Pelfrey was marginally better in the second half showing some flashes of improvement. Sure he still got pounded and had a high BAA, but he was still walking over 4.5 guys a game. For his big league career, he has walked 4.88 per 9 and for his minor league career he walked 3.17 per 9. In college, he never topped 2.00 per 9. Once he gets confident and more experience, that big league total will shrink and he will get better. He simply is not this bad and showed flashes of decent secondary stuff at times in '07. ZiPS sees 24 starts for Pelfrey with a 4.86 ERA and I do not think that is optimistic at all and that would be a tremendous improvement over what the Mets got from the fifth spot last season. It should also be noted ZiPS has a hard on for Mulvey and sees him being John Maine with less strikeouts. ZiPS predicts a 4.17 ERA in 23 starts, but sees 5.39 ERA in 26 starts for Humber, which seems very pessimistic to me. Mulvey was a bit optimistic most likely due to his ability to keep the ball down and great HR/9 ratio and Humber was hurt a bit by pitching in the PCL.

Basically, the Mets should have a viable option in the fifth spot to give them some slightly below league average innings with the potential to be much better than that. If the Mets can manage 150 innings from Pedro (which is low), get Lohse or Livan, and have Pelfrey get marginally better, I think people are vastly underestimating this rotation. Last year, there was no depth. People got hurt, Pelfrey sucked, and it was a mess. This season, if Omar does the right thing and moves The Duque to the pen, his rubber arm will be ready to go with Mulvey and Humber also in the wings waiting to give the Mets solid options for the rotation. This team should be more consistent #1 through #5 and much deeper and able to maneuver through some injuries.

* * * * * * *

Are the Mets the most improved team? Not at all, but they were better than people think they were last year and had less improving to do than other teams and I just do not think the Phillies and Braves had blowout off-seasons. In 2008, stability and consistency will be something that this team will enjoy and it will translate into wins. I see the Mets has a 91 win team with a chance to be better if things fall into place, but I see a solid team without a lot of holes that should make the playoffs. Underwhelming in some spots? Sure, but no immense drop offs and no spots devoid of talent.

Do not buy into the national media's hype, the local media's hype, or some other fearmonger's off base predictions. Omar can still improve this team through under the radar moves that made the 2006 Mets so good. Wise, Schneider, Church, and Livan will never make an All-Star team, but they could be the four guys that put this team in the playoffs for the second time in three years.

* * *

You know what it is never too early for? Yes...beer....but smack talking too. Combine both into one activity and you have my undivided attention.

"It was very disappointing because we know that we had the best team. And I believe that we still have a great team," the first baseman said Thursday on a conference call.

I await Jimmy Rollins' response. Of course he has the obvious evidence on his side that the Mets finished below the Phillies to prove his point, but the historic collapse needed to take place and the Mets essentially beat themselves with the final nail being hammered by Tom Glavine.

"We kind of assumed, for a lack of a better term, that we were going to win," Delgado said. "If you look back to 2006, which was a magical year for us, where everything kind of went our way, maybe we thought it was going to be the same way. And we kind of didn't play it out the last three weeks."

Why?

"I don't think it had anything to do with extracurricular activities," he said. "You've just got to kind of narrow your mind and go out and do what you've got to do and don't have any other thoughts in your mind except to win that game instead of thinking, oh, when we make it to the playoffs, we might play San Diego."

Who do you blame for the lack of focus....let's see...who could we possibly blame? If you don't manage all that well and you cannot keep your team focused, what exactly are you getting paid to do?

This is just too good. Too fucking good.

Roger Clemens says he was injected with "lidocaine and B-12" and not steroids or human growth hormone by former trainer Brian McNamee, according to a portion of an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" released Thursday.

"Lidocaine and [vitamin] B-12. It's for my joints, and B-12 I still take today," Clemens told Mike Wallace in the interview, which is scheduled to be shown Sunday night. It is Clemens' first interview since the release of the Mitchell report in December.

Ah...that explains it! I'm satisfied with that, aren't you? Of course McNamee said he might sue if claims Clemens lies about this so it all fits nicely in that he did not actually call McNamee a liar, just misguided about what he was doing.

"Brian has a master's degree in sports medicine," Ward told ESPN The Magazine's Shaun Assael. "He knows the difference between lidocaine, B-12 and testosterone. What he injected into Roger Clemens wasn't lidocaine or B-12. It was testosterone."

Another lawyer for McNamee, Richard Emery, has threatened to sue Clemens for defamation.

"I think that this is a lawyers' game, which allows him to try and attempt to say that McNamee didn't know what he was injecting or that at least Clemens didn't know what he was injecting," Emery said.

Classic. Of course as the article mentions, this is not the first time. Rafael Palmeiro had said Miguel Tejada gave him a tainted vial of B-12 and he unknowingly shot up with steroids. Good stuff. Also, his angry tirade seemed a bit contrived to me in an effort to seem geniune. For me, it backfired.

Angel Pagan will not make you forget about Lastings Milledge, but he will give you a decent player should the shit hit the fan again. A nice little move by Omar to improve the outfield depth a bit.

No need for this. See above for explanation.

Awesome.

Hypothetically Speaking

Let us say for a moment that the Mets needed to include Gomez, F-Mart, Mulvey, and Pelfrey to compete with the packages of the Red Sox and Yankees for Johan. Of course I have no idea if that is truly even and offer, but Jayson Stark mentioned that the Twins had asked for all of them in addition to Humber. You cannot blame them as you have to start somewhere and leave room for the Mets to negotiate down.

Would that be a remotely intelligent move? I have a hard time believing so. As stated yesterday, Oliver Perez is set to hit the market with The Duque and Pedro. Of course they can all come back, but it would cost close over $35 million to do so on top of the $20 million they are paying Johan and the raise John Maine would be due to get.

Then, you would have to look at the depth of the system and gag just a bit with a complete dearth of talent at the top of the system with the exception of Phil Humber able to contribute meaningfully at the big league level. If you are counting on the three picks of the '08 draft that have not even been picked yet to bolster this team's future, that might be a little optimistic. Those picks need to be a supplement of players already in the system.

Deolis Guerra, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz, Phil Humber, Brant Rustich, Scott Moviel, Nate Vinyard, Robert Parnell, and a few others are still around, but that would unequivocally be one of the worst three systems in baseball. Three picks, even if they all pan out and the Mets are able to score top tier talent that dropped a bit are not going to change that much. Also, the only meaningful players set to step on a big league diamond before 2010/2011 will be Humber and a few relievers.

Not that I enjoy adding more caveats, but the likelihood of those guys stepping on the field being impact players their first season or two is extremely unlikely which pushes back the time line a bit for them to be a vital part of this team. Of course, that is all predicated upon these guys, who have so far to go, working out. It is scary out there on the free agent market and with more teams having cash and letting less and less talent go, you simply need to be able grow some players. By the time Reyes and Wright are done being cheap, the Mets are set to virtually have no cheap help from within barring anything big going on and they will have plenty of holes to fill.

If you are are not developing, you are not winning. I want Johan and who wouldn't? But it can certainly be argued that the Mets are not in as dire of a need as many think with Pedro, Ollie, and Maine leading the team. They give the Mets a shot to win in a short series and provide a solid foundation for the pitching staff in '08. This 'get Johan at all costs' idea does not resonate all that well with me and the Mets are not quite at the point where they can trade five top prospects for one player, but should strive to get to that point with a few good drafts, holding onto their top picks, and paying out over slot.

Johan makes the Mets favorites, but it is a big gamble and big loss if they do not win it all. It is tough to pass up on a deal like this, but if Omar truly cares about 2009 and beyond, he better tread lightly. I am not saying there is no package the Mets can put together that makes sense both now and long term, but the ones we have heard bandied about that it will take to land Johan are certainly not a positive thing for this team after 2008.

* * *

Swisher dealt to the White Sox for Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Sweeney, and Faustino De Los Santos? Wow. I have to say that Kenny Williams has made some bold moves this off-season, but he does have two young and extremely solid to very good outfielders on his hands now. I like Swisher a lot, as many of you all do, and he is still under control for a while. If you are going to trade youth, you need to get youth back. I'm sure people will be saying Williams gave up a lot to get him, but it seems fair in my eyes given the contact status of Swisher.

I was not all that huge of a fan of the Garland move, but Williams has put together an interesting off-season if nothing else and definitely made some aggressive moves to cover some holes. At this point, Beane absolutely needs to just rid the team of Blanton and whatever other tradeable commodities there are, but you have to be ok with his current haul so far if you are an Oakland fan. It is never easy to see your team rebuild, but doing it intelligently should cushion the blow.

So Dirty....You'll Beg For A Shower

It is time we take a break from baseball to bring this to everyone's attention.

That guy is creepy enough for me to believe it is real.* * *

First off, let me apologize for that. Second, Keith Law sheds some light onto a situation that has been perplexing us Met fans for a bit.

Brandon (RVC,NY): Should I be worried as a Met fan that the Mets won't have the ammunition to get top starter this offseason?

SportsNation Keith Law: (1:03 PM ET ) Ridiculous. I've seen that mentioned in some NY papers, and it's absurd. Carlos Gomez is very highly-rated within the game. Fernando Martinez (who seems to be their one untouchable) is still one of the top 10-12 prospects in the game. Pelfrey hasn't even turned 24 yet, and he's still mid-90s with plus sink. I have no idea why it's fashionable to bash the Mets' young players, but they have plenty of assets to go get another starter. Whether they choose to part with them or not is the question.

I figured we were not crazy here. While I know the Mets cannot stack up against the Dodgers, Angels, and BoSox overall in terms of prospects or the Yankees pitching prospects, the Mets are not exactly barren. That being said, they are top heavy and might not be best advised to overpay and liquidate for an ace when there are other workable options that are arguably as optimal when considering the bigger picture. Of course if they can make a fair deal, make it happen.

I'm going to be lazy today and leave it to ube. From the comments last night:

You know, a lot of little things went wrong last year (besides the epic collapse). Burgos blowing his arm was bigger than we all thought. Omar got him to be this year's Duaner (at the time of the trade, was Bannister for Burgos really any different than Seo for Sanchez?) With Burgos in the mix, and Mota being halfway effective, there is no room for Bell, Owens, or Lindstrom. They were all getting old, so Omar spun Owens and Lindstrom off for two younger, lefty starters, and traded Bell for OF depth in case he traded Milledge for an arm.

So what happens? Burgos blows out his arm, Mota wasn't within nuclear distance of halfway decent, Duaner and Padilla both get re-injured, we have 6 major injuries in the OF (Alou, Green, Milledge, Johnson, Gomez, and FMart), we spend the whole year looking for one more bullpen arm, and WE STILL MISSED THE PLAYOFFS BY ONE GAME and the best record in the NL by two.

Do we all remember where this franchise was before Omar? How am I reading things about this being a make-or-break season for him? Are you kidding me????? Hasn't he brought us, oh, I don't know, Beltran, Pedro, Maine, Perez, El Duque, Alou, Delgado, Duaner and Wagner??? Bitch all you want, but every single one of those players was WAY better than the guy in their role previously. So Omar took a couple minor gambles and they didn't work out last year. Seriously, though, who was the best player we gave up? Bannister? Really? Sure, he had a good year and he's serviceable. Would we feel comfortable counting on him to be anything better than a #4 starter next year?

And it's not like we are a second division team right now. Today - with no moves - I'd still take us to win the NL East. We have 5 core players who we can expect to only keep getting better - Wright, Reyes, Maine, Perez, and Milledge. We are in good shape; maybe not to win the WS this year (although maybe), but certainly going forward.

While I'd still love to see the Mets pick off Harden from the A's for his upside (and I think you can get him somewhat cheaply) and add Livan or Silva for innings, I've come around to accepting we will lose some prospects this year because everyone is running around like their hair is on fire.

So here's what I say. The three young guys who I'd say are tradeable are:
- Gomez: well thought of around the league, and since we need Milledge this year and FMart is a superstar, don't see room for him in the future.
- Mulvey: coming off a great year that is likely as high as his value will get.
- Heilman: again, coming off a great year likely as high as his value will get.
- Nick Evans: see Heilman & Mulvey

So put Gomez, Mulvey, Heilman and Evans on the table for Haren + something or Bedard + Ramon Hernandez (plus maybe take a bad contract like Baez off the O's hands). First team to bite make the deal. Sign Livan, move El Duque to the bullpen. Sign Dotel. Keep the rest of the prospects so they can get healthy / rebuild their value.

Does a rotation of Pedro, Bedard, Maine, Perez, Livan not give us the best rotation in the NL? Is a pen of Wagner, Dotel, El Duque, Feliciano, Smith and junk not one of the better pens? Wouldn't we still have Pelfrey, Humber, FMart, Guerra, Parnell, Niese, and Carp as upper-level prospect depth? Is it just me, or is the sky not falling here???

I have said the key word for this off-season should be prudent. The Mets should not feel forced to do anything rash, but if they can make a good move, make it happen. The Mets do not have as big of a need as people think and it cannot be forgotten how much the injury bug has plagued them. In '06, Pedro and The Duque went down for the playoffs and they still made it all the way to game seven. Then Pedro was out for all of '07 for the most part, The Duque went down again during the stretch run, and Alou missed too much time.

This season, the Mets need to not rely on The Duque as a starter this season and need to replace him in the rotation. Pedro, Bedard/Haren, Maine, Perez, and Livan/Silva does give us best rotation in the NL and even Pedro, Maine, Perez, Livan/Silva, and Pelfrey/Humber works for me. The Mets should also stash Freddy Garcia in their back pocked for the second half of '07 which gives you either Pelfrey or Humber, Garcia laster in the season, The Duque can shift in from the bullpen, and Mulvey later in the season as a guys who you can insert into the rotation and that for me is plenty of depth. If you do manage to pull off a deal for a Haren or Bedard, I would prefer rolling with Pelfrey or Humber in the fifth slot rather than getting Livan or Silva, but it is hard to argue picking one of them up.

Basically, the Mets have options and are not in as bad of a place as people think. I think the Mets are in a good position to put together a team capable of doing very good things. A full year of Milledge and a healthy Chavez to spell Alou and serve as a capable replacement should he go down will go a long way for this team and I think this team has depth where it needs it.

ESPN says the Red Sox and Twins are talking Santana.

The Red Sox and Twins are discussing the framework of a Johan Santana deal that would have Boston sending four players to Minnesota in return for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, including center fielder Coco Crisp, pitcher Jon Lester and minor-league shortstop Jed Lowrie, the trio that would anchor the deal.

Red Sox pitcher Michael Bowden has been discussed as a possible fourth player, sources say, but the identity of the fourth player is in flux.

Wow. If that is the deal on the table, the Red Sox should be pulling the trigger.

Wowee

I guess the Twins got what they wanted. They were interested in Young, B.J. Upton, and Gomez and they got Delmon Young for Matt Garza. The Rays also netted a shortstop to hold down the fort and give Reid Brignac some extra time while the Twins added some much needed outfield depth in their system with Jason Pridie.

The Rays are also looking to add Troy Percival to the bullpen and all of sudden they have a rather formidable front two. They also have Andy Andy Sonnanstine, James Shields, and Edwin Jackson, who had a nice second half in '07, to compliment them and all of sudden have a deep rotation with plenty of solid arms still in the system with Niemann probably targeted to be a bullpen arm down the line.

You have to like this deal from both sides of the coin though you can say the Twins came out hair ahead because Young's considerable upside. The Twins get their right handed power bat and the Devil Rays got a front end starter. It would not shock me at all to see Jason Kubel break out this year to give the Twins a solid offensive team to go with a sterling pitching staff if Santana stays around.

* * *

Back to Santana and how this deal will come into play with any possible Santana deal. First, it kind of changes the type of players they might want back. We know they have a first baseman, catcher, right fielder, left fielder that I hope they do not give up on, and a second baseman. Also, they have another guy they got from Tampa that they could possibly plug into centerfield from day one, but is a place that is not a burning need, but a mild need. That leaves third base, short, center, and the mound as possible places to upgrade.

The Yankees have been rumored to have to give up Melky and one of Hughes/Joba/Kennedy while the Red Sox need to give up Ellsbury and Buccholz/Lester. Am I the only one is missing something? Maybe if Joba was in for sure, then a two player deal would be doable in my eyes, but Kennedy and Cabrera as a possible deal for Santana? That deal would have been done in a nanosecond if it was on the table, but I just cannot see that as being enough. The Yankees by far have the worst deal on the table if Joba is not included.

If the Twins cannot greatly improve in center with a Milledge or Ellsbury or get a high ceiling guy like Gomez, I am not seeing the point in a guy like Melky to place hold since Pridie could probably come close to his mediocre production. Basically, the Yankees deal looks even worse for the Twins than it did before unless they sweeten the pot with Joba or Hughes and Kennedy with another young high ceiling A baller stuck in.

The Mets might need to part with Reyes according to John Harper's source and Adam Rubin echoed that. Santana is arguably the best pitcher in the universe, but Reyes is a vital part to this team's future. I'm sorry, but the Mets simply cannot do that. If they need to give Milledge, Maine, Heilman, and something else, so be it. But Wright and Reyes should be off limits and not even part of the discussion. If this is truly being considered, the Mets really need to reevaluate their plan. Yes, they need an ace, but they cannot significantly weaken the team by dishing off Reyes who is probably the top catalyst in the league. There are a lot of good arms available after '08 and they simply need to get a Tom Glavine level replacement, which should not be hard to do. Let us not forget he posted an ERA+ below 100 so it would not be as hard as everyone thinks to replace his output.

The Mariners conjured up package of Adam Jones, Brandon Morrow, and Jeff Clement is not such a good fit anymore and they would probably be gunning for something else and suddenly the Dodgers and Angels are the only two teams with a real good fit, though they have been lukewarm in regards to any deal. This thing is spiraling out of control, but the Twins should focus on the best group of players over the best fit anyway. However, it is increasingly obvious that they will get a nice haul of players, but I just hope the Mets do not go too far off the deep end in an act of desperation. Dan Graziano has a different take and says the Mets are not truly in the mix for Santana because or their lack of top tier arms and their stance on not giving any pitcher over five years.

If you are looking for a good laugh....you have found it.

Lennon admits they probably don't have the chips to get Johan Santana, which makes me wonder how they'd have enough to get Blanton or Haren.

Omar Minaya and Billy Beane discussed these guys a year ago, and couldn't come to an agreement. Now Beane's price has risen - Lastings Milledge and Aaron Heilman won't cut it (not sure if it would've last year anyway). I'm not sure if adding any Mets pitching prospect to that pair would be enough to get Blanton, who would have a lesser price tag than Haren. Add Carlos Gomez to the package and you might have something.

Might have something? First, that is not a bad haul at all for Haren and is defendable in both directions. I'm sure Beane would want a young pitcher back as well, but not a horrible deal for either side. However, for Blanton? Milledge straight up for Blanton would be a waste if you ask me. Just get Carlos Silva who had rather similar ERA+ over the last four years with the exception of a down '06. Yes he costs money, but that trade is just ridiculous. Or at worst, get Livan as a one year stopgap to eat some innings as I kind of view him and Blanton in the same fashion or just look towards Japan and take a risk.

Blanton is not a game changer and let us not overvalue innings. Yes, they are important for obvious reasons, but not at the expense of your system and the exact bullpen you are trying to save. This notion that Blanton is some proven and reliable starter needs to stop. His fastball is underwhelming to say the least, he cannot miss bats, and is portly. Not that I have an issue with portly people, but he is young enough for it to be somewhat of a concern. I would not mind him on this team, but there does not seem to be a great fit in regards to a trade between the two teams since the Mets are lacking after Gomez and Milledge.

The Mets acquired something to throw at the wall to see if it sticks.

One and done. Tom, we hardly knew ye'. I vote to bring back Fran Healy.

Gobble Mother Fucking Gobble

I wake up on such a glorious day of gluttonies only to read this article.

This was blockbuster news because previously, during the same time period in which the Yankees had lost to the midges, passed their ownership torch from George to Boy George, fired one guy named Joe, hired another and entered into negotiations with three big-ticket free agents, the only activity in Mets camp was the removal of a bunion from El Duque's foot. At least they think it was a bunion. The guy's so old, it might have been a vestigial toe.

Um, except those big ticket free agents were already on the team so that does not exactly count. I love the people who say the Yankees had the best off-season so far by simply retaining the same players who they had last year. If you have a team that did not make it out of the first round of the playoffs, did nothing to improve themselves, and might lose Andy Pettite, why all the praise?

Is Estrada A-Rodesque? I think we can all answer that question. Obviously he is not, but with a huge catching vacancy and a dearth of talent, Omar's move was solid. It gives him leverage to negotiate for the catcher he really wants and can simply non-tender him later, but has a very good insurance plan to platoon with Castro. Throw on top of that the fact Willie no longer can irrationally use Mota as his go to guy anymore as he was jettisoned off and this team is in a much better place than before trade, which is the sign of a good move, no?

Outside of possibly still targeting another catcher, the offense is set and stands to be much better than last year with a full year of Milledge (if he is even still around come opening day) and hopefully 120 games of Alou. Then you look to the bullpen and if The Duque is tossed out there like he should be, the Mets are shaping up to have a pretty good bullpen and they still should be able to bring in one of the many capable arms out there on the free agent market.

Then they received another first round pick for Glavine, which is pretty damn important, and are still eyeing one starting pitcher. The one thing here is that I do not want Omar to get an ace at all costs and no, I do not think Blanton is an ace. There have been many rumors of what it will take to get Haren or Santana over here, but every deal is just too hard to judge.

I like Beane as a trading partner as he seems to be fair most of the time so I am confident Beane will not try and act like other GMs. Too many simply fail to improve their team because instead of making a fair deal, they simply go for the rip off and nothing else even if it means failing to the do the right thing for their team. However, that is why Orioles will always be the Orioles and remain as the dregs of the AL East while everyone else gets better.

Omar should only improve the rotation if the price is right. He should not be in the mindset that he needs to get an ace at all costs. Of course, an ace would be nice, but you truly need to balance out the future and I would be fine with picking up Carlos Silva or Hiroki Kuroda. I think their rotation would be deep enough, if unspectacular, and should be able to do a fine job. The Mets have a solid top three and could have a solid end of the rotation. Give me a solid five and future rather than an ace and a solid four and a barren system.

If the Mets did happen to dish out Milledge for a starter, I would be fine adding Fukudome into the mix. The idea is the Mets have plenty of options at this point and the off-season is not about doing as many things as you can early, but making good moves. I expect Omar will do the right thing and I am not nervous at this point. There are plenty of names still out there on the free agent market and plenty of names out there than can be acquired through a trade. I fully expect the Mets to be better than they were in 2007 and I hope no one is getting antsy yet. Things are looking just fine in Met-land and the Mets have money and they have options.

* * *

Wow. Who saw this coming? Hunter on the Angels is a pretty good move by them, but they still needed to add more offense. It should be noted though, his average annual pay is more than Beltran's, which is nuts. Beltran's contract looks great when you look at what has gone on the last two off-seasons. Also, if they can add Miguel Tejada at this point, they would have to be prohibitive favorites to win the entire thing.

Four years and $19 million for Linebrink? Insane.

Back To Square #1

Just when you think things are a done deal, they fall back apart. Now, the Mets are back out looking for a catcher after their deal with Yorvit fell through. I for one, am a bit disappointed. Not because I think Torrealba was the lynchpin to the season, but because now they have to go back out there and find another catcher in a market that is just not good for catchers.

Laird? Texas knows there are not other attractive options and will not just give him away. They have no incentive to. If it would cost a low level hard thrower, then possibly. However, those guys are nice to have for any team and giving one up for Laird would probably not be a great thing. Shoppach? He will cost more than Laird. The Indians presumably love having him as they can give Victor Martinez some time at first or DH and not lose much at catcher. He is a luxury item for them.

Overall, Torrealba was the best fit. Was he getting overpaid? Shit yeah, but the Mets were giving up a few more dollars than they should have to retain draft picks, which Michael Barrett will cost, and to get someone that is on the right side of 30 that could have capably shared a job with Ramon Castro. I do not know why the deal was broken off, but injuries and a possible inclusion on Mitchell's soon to be infamous list have been bandied about. Either way, the Mets are back to needing a catcher. Orangeandbluebood said it best though:

If the Torrealba deal is dead a new catcher is needed. I hope the Mets wait and let the market develop. If the Padres do not offer Barret I say go after him. Since Castro is in the fold I think Barret is a good upside risk. If Barret is offered arbitration and would cost the Mets #22 pick and the Braves have signed Glavine Barret may still be an option since the Braves would give the Mets the #18 pick by signing Tom, Not So Terrific Glavine. I wouldn't complain if the Mets went for a solid defensive catcher with average offensive skills. Consider Mike Leiberthal or someone like him. A solid defensive catcher who would be cheap for a short term contract and up until last year was a .275 hitter with .315 OBP skills and more power than LoDuca. Better defense than LoDuca, better power and similar average and OBP skills and he could likely be had for a one year $2M deal. No matter what, the available catchers are all #8 hitters so why not get low cost, low years, and good defense. My preference would be Castro and Barret but I think the #18 and 22 pick in the draft may be worth Castro and Leiberthal.

At least the Mets have locked up second base, but four years for Castillo seems excessive for a slap hitter extraordinaire. Obviously less than $6 million per year is not going to break the bank, but I hope this is not backloaded. Maybe $7 million for the first two years, $6 million for the third year, and $5 million for the last season. I guess there was more competition for Castillo than we all expected and Eckstein wanting a $36 million dollar contract added up to overpaying for Castillo. But with Gotay in the fold, I am not all that concerned since he probably is a better choice right now anyway so second base will be capably filled at all times.

* * *

Five years and $93 million dollars? Hopefully Santana takes that deal and if he does not, I think they might work things out either way. Maybe they should tack on some vesting options or some nice mutual options to sweeten the deal.

Also, if they ink Santana, trading Garza or Slowey not only becomes more likely, but almost a certainty in my eyes.

The Braves just gave the Mets their 18th pick of the 2008 draft. Thanks Tom! Now if the Mets squander their pick other first rounder on Michael Barrett, that will be upsetting. The upside would be that they still have a first round pick, but the Mets really need to try to bolster their system this year.

Also within the piece:

David Wells is one name that is expected to be pitched to the Mets. The 44-year-old free-agent left-hander finished last season with the Dodgers.

Wells is considering retirement, but the Mets are among the teams for which he would consider pitching.

Um, let me think about this one. No thanks. The Duque, Pedro, and Wells?

How ironic is this?

Says Willie, "I felt all year long we didn't have that killer instinct consistently that we should've had. We had at it times when our backs were against the wall, and we did show some fight (the Mets went 8-2 after the first four-game sweep by the Phillies), but you have to be careful when you put your back against the wall, because you can't always get off that wall. In the end, that's (exactly) what happened."

It is ironic because that is the persona Willie projects. Don't get too high. Don't get too low. Keep it even keeled. Even keeled Willie drove this team and their lack of urgency reflected his leadership style. Even when we could all smell collapse, he did not exhibit any urgency and is now shocked at the way his team played? I've been saying all off-season that the Mets needed someone at the helm to create a spark if no one there was going to do it. It is time to get someone with fire in there, which Willie clearly does not have.

Common Sense Prevails!

The LoDuca lovers (just speculation that he is the apple of their eye) are out in full force. Look, I do not love Yorvit. However, what else was out there? The trade possibilities were uninspiring and the Mets need to hang onto whatever little prospects they have if no one was appreciably better. Besides, you cannot overlook the fact that Ramon Castro, who might be better than anyone they have been looking at or rumored to be looking at, is still around and will get a large chunk of playing time.

Jonathan (Dallas, TX): The Mets have officially signed Yorvit Torrealba. The downfall of Omar Minaya has begun.

SportsNation Keith Law: Torrealba's not a good player - didn't make my top 50 free agents - but what were the alternatives on the market? He's not blocking anyone. They didn't pass on a significantly better free agent catcher, unless you want to roll the dice on Barrett bouncing back (which he will, but there's risk there). In the abstract, it's a bad signing. In context, it's understandable.

If you can name some type of scenario where the Mets make out better, I would love to know. Ramon Hernandez would have been nice, but he was not going to share time with Castro and he would have cost a top prospect and would not have been a complete salary dump. Laird? Is he all that much better of a choice? Shoppach? I'm a big fan of him, but there is still some uncertainty there and he would have cost more talent than Laird even though Castro could be better.

jLuft: So Shoppach can't hit outside breaking pitches. Yorvit can't hit...at all. Aren't there minor leaguers, salary dumps (Ramon Hernandez?), or younger and cheaper players (Shoppach) that would easily be able to equal or beat Yorvit's production and not require a multi-year deal? I don't see how this is a defensible signing. What do you project Yorvit to hit next year with Shea as his home park?

SportsNation Keith Law: You have to give something up in players to get those other guys. And I don't think the Mets wanted to deal any of their better prospects to fill the catching hole when they might want to have them available to go after a big SP.

I think the main thing people are glazing over with this signing is that Yorvit will not be the everyday starter and there will be two guys getting significant amounts of time. I will guarantee that the two headed monster of Torrealba and Castro will put up better numbers than anyone the Mets were looking at. This is not a bad thing at all. Is it a great thing? Shit no, but it is more of an innocuous move that does not deserve as much ire and attention as it is getting. Remember, the key word to this off-season should be prudent. The Mets simply cannot panic as a result of their meltdown and this move was a prudent move when you factor in the other options and Ramon Castro.

* * *

Now to second base....

Andre (GA): Hey Keith, I have a 2 part question: I kinda feel Luis Castillo is too old, almost no power and too expensive to man 2B for the mets. How ready is Ruben Gotay to play there as a regular and is he worth it?? and two with Minaya expressing his desire to trade young talent for an ace pitcher, who do see becoming a trading partner with the Mets and what player might be involved??

SportsNation Keith Law: The Mets don't feel Gotay is good enough defensively to handle 2b. I think his range is fine, and he needs work turning the double play, but that can improve with work. His bat is ready - I'd take his bat over Castillo's, especially since Castillo is old, slowing down, and getting a little thick. The Mets will kick the tires on any #1/#2 starters made available, but right now only Erik Bedard really fits that bill, and Baltimore would like to make sure they can't sign him long-term before they shop him.

As Danny stated yesterday and as we have discussed before, a Gotay and Easley platoon would be just fine. No need to go crazy at second if you do not have to and it certainly gives the Mets some leverage. They are not desperate, but it would be nice to upgrade.

Castillo for longer than two years would be a disaster and Omar should know that. The fact that Houston is looking at Castillo for a long time and are looking to add Cordero as well is mind boggling. When they should be looking at rebuilding, they are looking at bringing in more pieces that will not be around when they are winning. Fucking ponderous.

It looks like Jake Peavy and the Padres are going to be talking contract extension and that is upsetting. However, not as upsetting as I thought it would be since I thought he was going to be a free agent after the '08 season, but it turns out he had an option for '09 anyway. The Padres are not poor and Barry Axelrod is not Scott Boras. I fully expect something to be in place prior to the beginning of the season.

Wallace Matthews is being a negative nelly again and he did not have to wait long to eat his words.

If anyone is being used here, it's the Yankees, but they must know this, mustn't they? Because if they believe they're getting Rodriguez in a room by himself, they must also believe somebody can do a better job of managing this team than Joe Torre. (Oh, wait a minute ... )

Ziiiiing! Ha ha...he's so funny with that subtle knock at the Yankees. First, Joe Girardi is probably going to be a better manager than Torre in many, many, many respects. Second, A-Rod has signed already.

The sides still are working on putting together a provision that would allow Rodriguez to share revenue created by his pursuit of the career home record held by Barry Bonds, who was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction charges. A-Rod has 518 homers, 244 shy of the mark.

Well, Matthews is part right I guess because A-Rod's deal has Boras written all over it. It is a bizarre and hard to determine provision. Or at least I would presume it to be hard to determine for a team that already sells out all of it's games and maximizes their revenue.

"Because he's generating such enormous revenue potential, both to the player and the club, there should be some way for the player and the club to capitalize on that achievement in some fashion," said Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer. "The devil will be in the details. The minds of men and women in the sport should be able to figure this out."

Shocking statement from the player's union. Really, take more money out of the owner's pocket and put it into the pocket of a player?

"There are a few cynics who say, 'Well, he really couldn't get this there,' " Steinbrenner said. "Trust me, he would have gotten probably more. He is making a sacrifice to be a Yankee, there's no question. ... He showed what was really in his heart and what he really wanted."

Everyone is in save face mode. The Yankees are saying he came crawling back to them. A-Rod is saying he finally had an epiphany. Who gives a shit. Everyone made out and no one is going to give two shits about this come the start of the season much less three years from now. I am just very excited the A-Rod watch is over.

I think Neyer said it best though...

We've been reading that A-Rod came back to the Yankees because he's been so disturbed by all the nasty things people have been saying about him. Sorry. I'm not buying that. I think he's come back for the same reason the Yankees have reneged on their sworn promise to spurn all negotiations if he opted out of his old deal: business.

Rodriguez simply wasn't going to get that $35 million per season that Scott Boras was talking about. Not from the Yankees or anyone else. And it seems he wasn't going to get even $30 million from anyone else. Teams really have wised up. Crawling back to the Steinbrothers is simply good business for A-Rod and his agent.

The Yankees need a third baseman. They literally have more money than they can spend this winter, considering the thin crop of free agents who might be slotted into the roster. Yes, they look a little silly, negotiating with A-Rod so soon after swearing they absolutely, positively would not. You know what? Nobody's going to care. People say things they don't really mean all the time, and the grown-ups all knew it (even if I didn't). Locking up A-Rod forever is simply good business for the Yankees.

None of this is about pride, or redemption, or egos. It's about business.

Just an aside, A-Rod is still a big douche.

Jeter is a criminal. So is Bonds.


Wait. Barry did steroids? Get out of here. I'm shocked. Can we all stop this? Barry did roids and lied about it, but a lot of other people did as well. Sure, not in front of a Federal Grand Jury, but we are talking about baseball and steroids. He impeded a legal proceeding, which is a bad thing, but so did the former President of the United States.

Now this is all supposed to tarnish his legacy? It should be just as tarnished as it was two days ago, which is marginally and I'm not buying "but now we reeeaaalllllyy know" argument. To act like this is all Bonds' fault it nuts. This steroid debacle was everyone's fault and is similar to the mortgage mess. The mortgage mess is the brokers fault for originating the loans, the investors fault for having an appetite for riskier loans with high interest rates which had driven the entire market, the rating agencies faults for putting those risky securities on par with government bonds, the borrowers faults for not being a more educated consumer (I mean it is only the biggest investment you will make in your life), etc.

How has Bonds become the fall guy for this steroid era? When the Mitchell report comes out, many, many, many big names will be named and yet everyone wants to vilify Bonds for taking steroids as if he was the only one. Again, cheating in the game of baseball has been around since the first pitch in many forms. For me, I do not seperate forms of cheating. In sports, everyone tries to get a leg up on the competition. That does not make it ok, but cheating is certainly not isolated and certainly not new.

If this impacts his Hall of Fame bid, it will be a shame. It is widely believed he was a Hall of Famer anyway and I could see how steroids would take a borderline guy out, but he is not a borderline guy. What if it comes out that Roger Clemens took them? Nothing. He will not be vilified and he will be in the Hall of Fame and I wonder why Bonds is getting treated differently.

10 Things That Need To Happen

Dayn Perry lays out his ten things that need to happen most in regards to this off-season.

1. Alex Rodriguez to the Angels

That is what many people saw as the ultimate destination for A-Rod and there is obviously the great need for offense that the Angels have. However, the biggest priority for the Yankees this off-season should be retaining A-Rod and it looks like that is something they have come to terms with.

2. Johan Santana to the Mets

Given Santana's peerless skills and the demand for him on the market, it'll take a lot to get him — say, a package of Fernando Martinez, Lastings Milledge and Philip Humber. Still, nabbing Santana means the Mets would be the power team in the NL. They've got the deep pockets to sign him to a long-term extension.

If that was the deal on the table, I would do that in a heartbeat. My only fear is that leaves Carlos Gomez as the only to position prospect and he has a lot more uncertainty than Lastings Milledge in my eyes.

3. Miguel Cabrera to the Yankees

The Gotham media and Yankee partisans have a long-standing habit of A) Grossly overestimating the team's mid-grade prospects and B) Assuming other teams, when it comes to making trades, will gleefully and deferentially bend over. That's not how things work (at least not since the A's were in Kansas City). You can keep Philip Hughes, Yanks, but getting a player of Cabrera's gifts is going to cost you Joba Chamberlain and Jose Tabata.

I do not think Perry could have nailed this one on the head any more. Yes, he would be a great fit and yes, the Yankees mid-level prospects are grossly overrated. Outside of their pitching duo of Hughes and Chamberlain, only Cano could be included as a centerpiece for a big time player.

4. Mariano Rivera to the Tigers

That would be something else, no? The Yankees lose A-Rod, Pettite to retirement, and Mariano to the Tigers? Dare to dream..... I guess that would mean Joba is definitely back in the bullpen for the time being until Humberto Sanchez gets healthy, which could be 2009.

5. Miguel Tejada to the Blue Jays

A package of young arms centered around Ricky Romero (plus the salary relief) should be enough for the O's.

He would be nice there, but Romero is basically a non-prospect these days. I used to love him back in his Long Beach days, but he is simply in the Jeremy Sowers arena when it comes to being a prospect. I just do not see a great fit unless the Blue Jays want to pony up Adam Lind in any deal which would probably get the Orioles attention.

6. Torii Hunter to the Dodgers

That would certainly seem like a good fit if they fail to get A-Rod because they need to add some serious pop. It could also be argued that he would be a better fit overall than A-Rod if they give Kemp, LaRoche, and Loney full time spots from day one.

7. Francisco Cordero to the Cubs

Signing Cordero not only gives the Cubs a huge upgrade at closer, but it also deprives their chief division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers, of their best reliever.

I don't know much about #2 since he is not going back to the Brewers anyway and they give the Brewers their first round draft pick, but Cordero makes any team instantly better so it is hard to argue with the Cubbies really making their solid bullpen into a tremendous one.

8. Jon Garland to the Brewers

For the Brewers to trade anything away for one year of Garland would be curious. If they planned to chase him as a cheaper alternative to Ben Sheets that is one thing, but they certainly wouldn't be well advised to trade for him to make a run at the playoffs in '08. The Brewers have a good thing going and are on their way to being a contender for a while. They would be better off trading Sheets for a younger arm that could contribute down the line.

9. Geoff Jenkins to the Indians

Have we dropped off this precipitously already? The 9th most important move is for a role player?

10. Bartolo Colon to the Phillies

This is a smart deal for a team that needs pitching badly. There simply is not much out there and the Phillies need to get creative. In regards to getting creative, the Mets should definitely seek out Freddy Garcia and see if he can give anything in the rotation or the bullpen in the second half of the season.

Overall, I think Dayn Perry did a good job here in objectively evaluating talent needed in trades and definitely targeted good fits.

* * *

Why would Posada rule out the Mets at this point?

"We're working on it, we're working on it with the Yankees," Posada said, noting that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement. "We're going to hear from the Mets [tomorrow]."

It is called leverage. Posada makes tons of sense to the Yankees, but not to the Mets and he will ultimately end up back in the Bronx. The rumored deal is not done officially just yet, but it will be any day now.

If Lowell walks, the Red Sox would undoubtedly check into the possibility of A-Rod coming to Boston. In 2007, the New York Yankees spent $189,639,045 and the Boston Red Sox spent $143,026,214. With the Yankees set to lose a substantial amount of payroll, the Red Sox might overtake the Yankees as the team with the highest payroll. The Yankees have not been anything but #1 in that category since 1998. Would John Henry have to rethink this "Evil Empire" tag that he gave the Yankees?

Joel Sherman muses about some third sacker options for the Yankees. I actually like the idea of Scott Rolen in pinstripes despite the obvious injury concerns, but the Cardinals need offense badly so they may as well just hang onto him since they probably will not extract all that much in terms of value from trading him.

'Twas a close one in the NL, but the AL was a landslide. You can argue all day about Braun and Tulo, but what Braun did was mesmerizing.
Tulo was good, but what Braun did was extremely rare and extremely impressive. He kept pace with the universe's best player during one of his top three best seasons in the history of his eventual Hall of Fame career.

The ESPN bloggers had some interesting stuff on an uninteresting daythe other day.

First, Neyer did a quick piece on Mark Cuban.

I got my turn, too. I asked him what's happening with the Cubs. He said, "I'm tryin'."

I asked if he really thought the owners would let somebody like him own a team. He said, "I'm tryin'." And then it was on to the next guy.

Like a lot of baseball fans -- and maybe every Cubs fan, and baseball writer -- I'd love to see Cuban own a team. I just don't think will happen

During the Q&A portion of Cuban's appearance, he said, "I'm a ready-fire-aim kind of guy."

Read that again. I thought Cuban misspoke. Wouldn't you know it, the next question from the audience was, "Mark, did you misspeak a minute ago when you said 'ready, fire, aim'?"

He smiled and said, "Let me think about that ... ready, fire, aim ... yeah. That's right." Another smile (that might be more accurately described as a #@%&-eating grin).

When was the last time the owners allowed a ready-fire-aim guy to join their little club?

I've spoken about how much I would love Cuban to own a big league team, but I do not think the Cubbies should be that team. They are already a team that spends money and has resources. However, a team like the Pirates or some other small market team would greatly benefit from the likes of a Mark Cuban who would truly do what it takes to make that team competitive.


Second, Keith Law laid out who he thought should win the AL and NL Cy Young, MVP, and Rookie of the Year Awards. Law was behind David Wright as the MVP, which we know will not happen.

NL MVP
1. David Wright
2. Chase Utley
3. Jake Peavy
4. Albert Pujols
5. Matt Holliday
6. Chipper Jones
7. Hanley Ramirez
8. Brandon Webb
9. Jimmy Rollins
10. Prince Fielder

Likely winner: Rollins

I'm tilting at a windmill here; voters will say the Mets didn't make the playoffs and therefore Wright can't be the MVP. Of course, in those fateful 17 games when the Mets went 4-13, Wright had a hit in every game, had multiple hits in eight, had eight extra-base hits, and in total hit .397/.451/.575 over that span. Yeah, it was all his fault.

Utley probably would have won the award hands-down had he not missed three-plus weeks due to a broken hand, and he would have passed Wright in total value anyway. But with Utley out and the Phillies still winning, the voters needed someone else to fall in love with, and Rollins was sitting right there on the other side of second base -- think of him as the "rebound MVP candidate."

He obviously hit the AL and NL CY Young winners as he laid out Sabbathia and Peavy and his choice of A-Rod is going to be correct since he carried the Yankees for so long.

He also just missed on Tulo, though it was close enough to give him a pass on and hit the Pedroia on the head, though he curiously thought Jeremy Guthrie should have won it.

He also had a quick bit on Brian Bannister.

Bannister is an interesting story and deserves to be on the ballot, but among him, Guthrie and Matsuzaka, he's the one I most expect to experience a sophomore slump. He had some extraordinary luck, and in general pitchers who don't miss bats or get groundballs end up giving up a lot of hits and home runs.

If you were reading my site in 2006, you know my thoughts on Bannister and they are echoed by Law above. However, I think he might have given the Mets that extra win they needed to sneak into the playoffs and Omar's deal is a horrific one in hindsight (in fairness to Omar, a healthy Burgos might have notched that extra win as well). Going forward is another issue. I fully expect a significant regression in 2008 for Bannister and his 2007 will be a distant memory shorty.

There is always a chance he is one of those guys that just gets it done no matter what scouts say, but I just cannot see that happening. He should be a good 4th or 5th starter in the bigs, but that is really nothing to cry about losing.

From Mr. Neyer:

Doug, Nashville, TN: What happened in 2006-7 that would make it into a new edition of BASEBALL BLUNDERS? Thanks. PS: Tell those coming for the meetings to make it to the Loveless Cafe. Best biscuits in the world.

SportsNation Rob Neyer: The Brewers didn't handle Ryan Braun particularly well, and Willie Randolph is widely held to have mismanaged his bullpen down the stretch. That said, I don't think either of those would merit a whole chapter.

It seems Willie's inabilities have circulated into baseball circles which is a good thing when it comes to getting someone a bit better than him at the helm.

Kalyan (Minneapolis, MN): I have to say Rob, Willie Randolph's mismanagement of the bullpen wasn't just down the stretch, it was all season long. If we're struggling at the All-Star Break we need to fire him.

SportsNation Rob Neyer: Really? Didn't the Mets have a fantastic relief ERA through the spring? Anyway, I think talk of firing is premature. But assuming he made some mistakes last summer, we'll see if he learned from them. Some guys never do.

The Mets appear to be ready to trump everyone for Torrealba.

The Mets have zeroed in on Torrealba, who played for the National League champion Colorado Rockies, and could offer him a multiyear deal worth as much as $5 million annually, which would be a hefty raise from the $1.075 million he was paid last season. The Rockies remain interested in retaining Torrealba — the Florida Marlins are suitors, too — but have reportedly capped their offer at $7 million for two years and would not match what the Mets would give him.

While not ideal, he is certainly more attractive than LoDuca in my estimation for the simple fact he is 29. I think there is probably more to him than was seen in 2007 and he will not cost any talent. However, a guy like Gerald Laird still might be a better choice, but he would cost some talent (however little, it would still be talent) for someone that is better defensively, but not all that much better overall.

Besides, if the Mets bring back Castro, things would be all good. The Mets appear to be set to give him more playing time and he could very well be better than anyone they are looking at on the market and via trade, but Torrealba would provide a solid alternate (though expensive) option should he not be be able to handle increased playing time.

I have not used the term Sugar Pants in a while much to many people's happiness, but this quote outlines why David is Sugar Pants.

"It was more to say hello and he wanted to tell me to be prepared to be the third baseman in 2008," Wright said Monday while visiting sick children at NYU's Medical Center. "That's what I took from it and that's how I'm going about my business."

"I wanted to let him know that in no way, shape or form does he have to go through me about anything. His job is to make the trades, sign the free agents and I told him that I want to win, first and foremost. But as far as talking about changing positions, talking about Alex Rodriguez, his name did not come up once in the conversation."

Not good reports on Kunz.

The Mets have four pitchers on the Scorpions: lefties Adam Bostick and Eddie Camacho and righties Eddie Kunz (the Mets top pick in 2007) and Carlos Muniz.

Here's the take from Deric McKamey, advisor to the St. Louis Cardinals and author of the soon-to-be-released, third annual "Minor League Baseball Analyst" (available through BaseballHQ.com or via Amazon):

"I like Bostick a little more than Camacho. I think Bostick can be a swing-man or two-inning reliever. Camacho to me is a LOOGY (lefty one-out guy). Muniz is going to have trouble getting lefties out, so he's a ROOGY; and you don't see too many of those in the majors."

"As for Kunz," McKamey continues, "I'm not as big a fan as some scouts. He throws 89-to-94 with a slider in the low-80s and a developing change. His command is an issue, a big problem for a short reliever. He struggled with his control for Oregon State even. I see him as a notch below an Aaron Heilman, more of a seventh-inning guy."

An American League East scout in attendance at a recent AFL game agrees with McKamey. "I can't believe Kunz was a first-round pick. I think his ceiling right now is Aaron Heilman and not many players reach their ceiling." Technically, Kunz was a first-round sandwich pick (42nd overall).

If true, you have to wonder what is going on with the Mets and their scouting.

Tom Glavine is inching closer to becoming a Brave again, which we all expected.

The Red Sox do not appear to be willing to budge on their three year offer to Mike Lowell. Inevitably, the Yankees are not wasting time jumping into the fray, but Mike Lowell's chance to use the Yankees as leverage might evaporate pretty quickly. The Yankees have warmed a bit to the idea of bringing A-Rod back because they would be in trouble without him.

The New York Yankees are getting close to re-signing third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a multi-year contract that would pay him as much as $290 million, multiple baseball sources told MLB.com as the owners gathered here Wednesday for the final quarterly meetings of the year.

As long as A-Rod gets a contract above his $250+ million and the Yankees pay less than $30 million a year, everyone saves face.

Youlk finally shaved that disaster on this chin.

Lastly....for Jake.

Just Say No to A-Rod

The Angels are joining the Mets in chasing A-Rod? I had no idea the Mets were even chasing A-Rod. I do not care what is out there, the Mets are not chasing A-Rod.

Scott Boras is scheduled to meet with the Mets this week concerning you-know-who, and Tuesday the new GM of the Angels certainly made it known his team will be in the A-Rod sweepstakes.

But other than the Giants and Dodgers, who have previously expressed their intention to explore the A-Rod situation, only the Mets and Angels seem interested in Alex Rodriguez and his hefty price tag.

I know many people think that any play for A-Rod would be a good one, but I seriously do not agree and it seems to be a square peg in a round hole situation no matter how it shakes out. Too much money over too many years when the Mets already have a great third baseman as is. Of course, a good GM is always open to anything.

It would not be shocking if they made a similar pitch in this spot to see if they could get Rodriguez at a price that would make a significant roster shuffle - likely Wright to a new position - worthwhile. But it is probably even more likely that they simply will not make an offer and concentrate their full attention on finding pitching in this difficult market.

The article does mention that the Mets are most likely just humoring Boras and trying to keep a good working relationship rather than being genuinely interested, which makes sense. However, one has to wonder if Wright would be more likely to hang around after his contract expires if he stays at third versus being moved to first. Would he rather go play third base for someone else if the Mets move him?

I do not think this is a black and white situation and it is not just as easy as move Wright and Delgado, who they will most certainly have to eat $6 million to $10 million when you factor in the buyout. It is easier to find offense at first than any where else and though A-Rod makes this team a better offensive team in 2008 and beyond, his signing could have bigger implications than just money. No matter what Wright says about being a good soldier to accommodate A-Rod, one has to wonder what he would ultimately do and I think this is more delicate than people realize.

* * *

Tom Glavine looks like he might be heading back to Atlanta and that is just fine by me.

"I think it would be nice for our fans if Tommy finished as a Brave," Wren said. "At the same time, we're looking for a quality pitcher, and we feel Tommy is still that."

He did some nice things here and I will not deny that, but it is 100% time to move on for the Mets. Besides, the insistence by Willie to use him as their #1 scares me when I think about the Mets in the playoffs and this is truly a case of addition by subtraction in many ways.

The Yankees are possibly looking to acquire Miguel Cabrera.

A canvas of executives indicated the Yanks would have to trade Melky Cabrera and one of their high-end starters, perhaps Ian Kennedy, but more probably Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in a package. And there are no signs the Yanks are willing to part with their best young pitchers, even to replace A-Rod.

Melky and Ian? First, the is a bizarre report that the Yankees would balk at that. At least that is what they are saying now. Second, that would be truly a ridiculous trade and if the Marlins do not get Phil or Joba back, that trade would be a horrific one for the ages.

I think Kennedy is a solid pitching prospect, but not in the same tier as the other two and you will excuse me if I do not think Melky is good enough to be a centerpiece of a deal of that magnitude. I am not nearly as high on him as many Yankee fans are and just think he is going to be a mediocre regular player down the line. Other teams would have to give up the likes Kershaw, Kemp, Wood, etc. and the Yankees would give up Melky and Horne? Ridiculous. People are crazy and Yankee fans are crazy for thinking this deal is even discussed without Hughes or Joba.

It seems I have been proven 100% wrong.

“It is about the two draft picks," Cashman said. “By offering arbitration, we get the first-round pick of the team that signs him and a sandwich pick."

It really seems that LoDuca's days as a Met are over.

It looks like instant replay is backed by the vast majority of big league GMs.

With the Mets and Yankees among those in favor, baseball's general managers formally recommended that the sport adopt instant replay.

After several years of discussion, the GMs voted on the issue for the first time yesterday, and replay was approved 25-5. It would be used only for "boundary calls" such as whether a ball is fair, clears a wall or is touched by a fan.

"It just makes sense to me to use everything available to get it right," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.

Marlon gets two years and $2.2 million. He truly seems to flourish here and he is certainly welcome back.

I would not mind Silva, but I do have my limits.

The Mets have interest in free-agent pitcher Carlos Silva and planned to meet here with Silva's agents, Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro. Yet they are wary of the large price that Silva (perhaps five years and $50 million) could command on the open market.

Of course, that is way to much and Silva is getting a lot of attention making it likely that he does receive that amount. This is one of the worst markets in recent years which is saying a lot because they have been rather paltry the last few years. Silva may cash in big time and he might become a bit expensive for rational GMs.

Wow. There is a video as well and this has to be one of the stranger things that I have seen.

Carlos Gomez for Matt Garza? Sign me up. I know Gomez has some immense upside, but Garza has front end potential and is under control for another four years. The Mets would be dealing from an obvious position of strength and this would truly be a tremendous move for Omar if he can get this done.

You cannot make this stuff up.

Millions of Chinese-made toys have been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contain a chemical that converts into a powerful date rape drug when ingested. Two children in the United States and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads.

The Astros continue to venture down a very perplexing road.

The Phillies made a great deal to get Brad Lidge form the Astros, which allows them to move Brett Myers back into the rotation after he did a decent job as a makeshift closer. The Astros received Michael Bourn, a talented outfielder, as the main piece in return, and he has a chance to be pretty good. No great surprise that new Astros GM Ed Wade dealt with his former team.

Why maximize the value of your players?

This team is so far away from winning, they might as well blow things up. Oswalt would be in his mid-30's by the time they might become competitive and it will be extremely difficult to become competitive without trading him. He may be an icon down there, but anything that is not tied down should be dealt with only Pence as an untouchable.

Especially with a horrific free agent class, they can look to really cash in with three guys who would be in the in the top ten of available free agents with ease.

As for the other side, Nate Silver likes the deal for the Astros. However, the caveat I would add to this is that Lidge is not necessarily for one year as the Phillies could easily afford to extend him. Even so, I would still take my chances with a sandwich pick and a first rounder instead of those two beacons of mediocrity.

Cordero for Gomez or Pelfrey? If I did not like Cordero for Humber, I certainly do not like that deal as I still maintain Humber or Pelfrey would be solid arms out of the bullpen for much cheaper and much longer with some upside in the rotation. For me, this is no brainer to not do and the Nationals could just sit and stew in their horribleness.

It looks like the Mets do have some interest in a Japanese import.

A pitcher the Mets have their eye on is Japanese righty Hiroki Kuroda. The 32-year-old is a free agent, though it's uncertain whether he'll head to the United States or what his timetable is.

Eleven of this year's free agents have been nabbed for steroids. Good times!

Moving Right Along....

So Curt Schilling is off the market. He was only looking for a one year deal which would have suited the Mets just fine and allowed them to move on from Tom Glavine, but that was not necessarily the best move they could have made. I still think the Mets should stay the course and not do anything crazy. Crazy would be classified as getting A-Rod or signing anyone that costs their first round draft pick.

If you like puking in your mouth, read this. The likes of Woody Williams, Dave Roberts, Roberto Hernandez, etc. were Type A free agents and just reinforces how screwed up the old system was. Luckily, that has changed and the Mets should be focusing on anyone that does not classify as a Type A free agent.

AL Rankings
NL Rankings

Of course, under the new collective bargaining agreement, only Type A free agents would net a compensatory pick, Type B free agents only net a sandwich pick for their old team, and Type C free agents no longer exist. Good times! If you are like me and wonder how they come up with theses rankings, just keep reading.

Elias determines the which 'Type' (A, B, or neither) each MLB player is, and not just free agents. They are put in 1 of 5 groups depending which position they appeared in the most games at over the 2 seasons.

Group 1: first basemen, outfielders, and designated hitters
Group 2: second basemen, third basemen, and shortstops
Group 3: catchers
Group 4: starters
Group 5: relievers

Here are the stat categories used for each of the five position groups.
1B/OF/DH: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI
2B/3B/SS: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding percentage, Total chances at designated position
C: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding percentage, Assists
SP: Total games (total starts + 0.5 * total relief appearances), IP, Wins, W-L Percentage, ERA, Strikeouts
RP: Total games (total relief appearances + 2 * total starts), IP (weighted slightly less than other categories), Wins + Saves, IP/H ratio, K/BB, ERA

The new system is great. It no longer prohibits teams from picking up finishing pieces to their team that previously cost them first round or second picks. That means the Mets can pick up decent bullpen arms, middling starting pitching, and mediocre catchers and not give anything up.

I still think the Mets do not need to do anything drastic. I think it is a must that The Duque heads into the bullpen and I am warming up to the idea that the Mets should give a long hard look at Carlos Silva. Honestly, I had been really liking the idea of Schilling for no commitment, but he was a Type A free agent and Silva may end up being the innings eater that the Mets need. I am still interested in Hiroki Kuroda and I said I preferred him to the more expensive Silva, but I'm leaning towards the more expensive option at this point partly because of some news and the fact that he might not be all that much cheaper. However, either should give the Mets a capable arm in the rotation, which is what they need and not necessarily and ace.

Outside of that and the bullpen, it is all really minor moves for the Mets. LoDuca, Torrealba, or Ramon Hernandez? Who gives a fuck. It seems like Castillo will be back and that is just fine at this point. Outside of one starter and one reliever (I am resigned to the fact that Humber and/or Pelfrey will be back in AAA), the Mets are just looking to make some minor moves. If the Mets can get Siliva or Kuroda and then add a reliever like Riske, they would not be giving up any picks and would be playing it rather safe.

The starting eight would look like this:
Reyes, Wright, Castillo, Delgado, Alou, Beltran, Milledge, and LoDuca/Torrealba/Hernandez

The rotation would look like this:
Pedro, Ollie, Maine, Silva/Kuroda, and Humber/Pelfrey

The bullpen would look like this:
Wagner, Heilman, Hernandez, Feliciano, Smith, Schoe, and Riske/Affeldt/Linebrink (getting rid of Mota is a must or see if he will pass through waivers)

With the bench looking to be pretty decent again with Gotay, Easley, and Marlon already in the fold, I would be comfortable with that team. Also, that team would have to still be the prohibitive favorites of the entire National League again even after their collapse.

* * *

I'm conflicted. Jeter and Palmeiro among others have made the Gold Glove a joke, but Wright and Beltran winning it makes me happy.

One thing Wright's Gold Glove does do is quell some of the desire to unnecessarily bring in A-Rod. As I have stated before, if the Mets want to open up their wallets for A-Rod, let him move.

The Rockies and the Mets might just end up trading catchers.

The Rockies anticipate they may lose catcher Yorvit Torrealba and their top target to replace him is Met free agent Ramon Castro. Colorado imagines Castro's power being even more overt playing home games in Coors Field rather than Shea Stadium. The Rockies also have strong interest in free agents Paul Lo Duca and Jose Molina as replacements for Torrealba.

Again, any big bid on Posada for the Mets would be a mistake. Really, the guy had his best year by far and should only stand to go downhill from his 2004 to 2006 numbers. I'm sorry, this would be a disaster.

However, if the Mets are just going to help drive up his value and leave a couple of years where the Yankees are sorely overpaying, great. I love driving up the price for the Yankees.

There is no reason to turn on Reyes just yet. Everyone was anointing him the golden boy of baseball earlier in the year and now he is chop liver? Give the kid a break. Maybe it was his attitude. Maybe it was not. If it was, he surely had some time to clear his head and get back on track.

If you had one move.....

Benny pointed this John Delcos post out the other day and I had said that I wanted to discuss it here.

OK, you’re the Mets’ general manager for the day. You can make only ONE move. What is it?

Go into this exercise realizing the chances of making a trade for Johan Santana are just about zero.

That is, I wanted to discuss it until I thought about it for a few seconds. With all the options Omar has with a few of his free agents, contracts expiring, and miscellaneous holes to fill, it is impossible and kind of pointless. It really is not even thought provoking because what is the point? One move makes this team much worse than they were in 2007 by the simple fact they would have some A-ball caliber players on their team in at least one spot with plenty of AA to AAA players mixed in.

I guess one thing that could be taken away is basically what the Mets need most. In all honesty, if I played John Delco's game, then the Mets need a catcher. They can put Gomez and Milledge in the outfield to plug it up, Gotay at second, Humber, Pelfrey, Bostick, Vargas, Smith, Kunz, etc. into the open holes on the staff, but they have no catcher. So thinking logically, that is my choice but it really does nothing to fuel any intelligent conversation. So, the real question is, what is the biggest area of concern?

For me, it is the bullpen as I have stated before. I would actually love for Omar to sit The Duque down and see if he would be OK being a contributer in the bullpen. Why would he do that? I truly do not think he would, but the last two seasons in a row he was unable to contribute down the stretch when he was most needed. Frankly, that is a large risk for the Mets to take at this point and might actually be able to make it through an entire season. If he takes that assignment, the Mets would have Wagner, Heilman, Mota, Schoeneweis, Feliciano, and Hernandez in the bullpen with the possibility of them having a seventh arm out there.

One thing that jumps out at me is the fact that Mota needs to be removed. Once Mota is removed, Smith can be included into the mix because he needs to be with an option there for the Mets to strengthen their bullpen with a seventh arm should they decide they do not need a deep bench, which is a likely scenario. If the Mets do go in that direction, I would love to see Humber or Pelfrey get that last spot. Of course to start the year, whomever it is should start at AAA since you do not even need a fifth starter to begin the season, but hopefully they would be next in line. Wagner, Heilman, Schoe, Feliciano, Hernandez, Smith, and Humber/Pelfrey is a bullpen I would be more than happy to do battle with. They have a guy who is death on lefties, a few guys that are death on righties, and a few that are effective against both sides.

If that shook out, the Mets would need to find one starter. Already, Pedro, Oliver, Maine, and Humber/Pelfrey (whomever is not in the bullpen) are in and I am alright with that. If you are not going to use Hernandez in the rotation, which I would prefer not to since his rubber arm would be tremendous out of the bullpen, then who? One option is Hiroki Kuroda. While the Mets have not had that much luck with Japanese players of late, I think it warrants a look. I certainly hope the Mets are not going to be shy going down this avenue in the future and I think he could be a very affordable option when compared to the Carlos Silva's of the world. Also, you are asking him to hold down the back end of the rotation rather than carrying the rotation.

Why not go for a trade? For one, no trade seems worth it for what it would cost the Mets. Second, there are plenty of teams that can give up more. Gomez and Mulvey for Blanton seems like a popular one, but does that really do that much and probably would not even be accepted? Is it worth it to trade the farm for a Bedard or Santana? At some point it will be too much and I think any possible deal will include the Mets giving up too much. While playing it safe does not sound like the intelligent way to operate after the Mets collapse exposed some large holes, the Mets do have to worry about 2009 and beyond. The above also gives rotation depth as Hernandez can start and do it very effectively if needed and there still is another buffer in Humber/Pelfrey.

Even though it is not exactly and exciting staff, I think the depth is there and it has the chance to be effective and give the Mets a chance make it to the World Series. Outside of pitching, the Mets need to fill in second base and catcher and re-up Alou. Really, there are some interesting moves out there that might be able to bring in Ramon Hernandez and/or Orlando Hudson, but giving up too much does not excite me when the Mets can capably fill those positions in without giving anything up. If Hernandez is simply a salary dump, it is a no brainer for me. However, Hudson would not be and I would prefer to take my chances with Castillo and Gotay than give all that much up when they can just make a run for him after 2008. With the lackluster options out there, the Mets should concentrate on holding onto their draft picks and save their youth while not sacrificing much in terms in effectiveness in the process.

* * *

Milledge should 100% get a full time shot in right field from day #1. If Lastings does not get a full time shot in right field, I will be protesting daily. The ridiculousness of not giving him shot will really tell me a lot about the direction of this franchise if they do not start trusting their young talent.

Edward Salcedo is still lurking out there and many scouts think he is worth $750,000 to $1,000,000 dollars. Boras is presumably still holding out for $3,500,000 which is just nuts. I get why he thinks that since a comparable American player would be garnering bigger bucks, but scouting and competition is a bit different. If he is Fernando-esque with the bat and truly figures to stay at short, it would seem like $2,000,000 would be an acceptable figure.

It looks like Rudy is not coming and that seemed like an unnecessary distraction anyway.

"I love Rudy like a brother, but it would be totally unfair to bring him in after I interviewed him as manager," Minaya said. "It wouldn't be fair to HoJo, who did an outstanding job as hitting coach. If you look at the numbers, everything in the second half of the year we were up in."

A quick thing about the rotation....

I was reading the Mets mailbag and there was some hub-bub about Glavine. Yes, the Mets would be losing 200+ innings by not bringing him back, but I think it is time to part ways with him and I do not have to think about it too much. It is a risk heading into the season that way, but there are not plentiful options out there and Tom is just too dependent on the umps these days for me to reasonably count on him in a big spot. He does not have the ability to rise to the occasion anymore if he is not assisted by getting balls called strikes.

Outside of him, who out there could provide innings? Bartolo Colon? No thanks. Curt Schilling? No thanks. This off-season is a tough test. There is not even someone to throw boatloads of cash at and is primarily represent by mediocrity. When in that situation, sometimes you need to gamble. I would rather not gamble on a Marquis-like contract to a Marquis-like contract and beating the dead Tom Glavine horse is not what the Mets need. You simply cannot make something out of nothing and this off-season proves why it is vital to have a productive farm system and Omar needs to find out if he has just that.