Gather the wood. . .time to fire up the Stove!!

[Guest holychicken]

NO SORIANO!!!

I believe him to be the most overrated baseball player today. Sure, he hits some homeruns and steals some bases. However, we had an OBP of 322 last year, 26th overall last year. On top of that our slugging percentage was 16th overall and 8th in the NL. That could certianly be improved, but our inability to get on base is a much more pressing issue; the last thing we need is another guy who is going to be creating outs possibly more than 7 out of every 10 times he comes to bat (considering his H/A splits).

Seriously, I don't understand why so many people are so hot for this guy. Below average defense (I think) and poor OBP. He's got about 2 tools. . . and they are artificially inflated by playing half his games in a hitter's park.

Again, I repeat, NO SORIANO!!!!! Unless, of course, the price is really really low, which it most certainly will not be.

[Elster88]

It would be exciting to have the top TWO stolen base guys from the NL on the same team. Does anyone else still feel shocked at all this speed when remembering the years when the Mets were near the bottom of the league in SB?

Edit: Talking about Furcal here, obviously, not Soriano.

[Guest holychicken]

NO SORIANO!!!!
And I am talking about NO SORIANO!!!! here, not Furcal.

[Elster88]

I agree, my fine feathered friend.

[Guest GYC]

Elster88 wrote: It would be exciting to have the top TWO stolen base guys from the NL on the same team. Does anyone else still feel shocked at all this speed when remembering the years when the Mets were near the bottom of the league in SB? Edit: Talking about Furcal here, obviously, not Soriano.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051031&content_id=1263013&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

[Elster88]

I love sentences like this.

]They can't negotiate with him until after the final day of the free agency filing period, Nov. 11, but they can speak with him about playing second base and other salient points, other than money.

Omar: So Furball, how is your family?
Furcal: Just fine thanks. I sure miss them though. I've felt like I was 15 million miles away from them for the past three years.
Omar: I'm sure it's gotta be tough. I agree with everything you've said. Well, thanks from coming in, and we'll see you on the eleventh.

[Elster88]

]Trachsel, who underwent back surgery in March, will earn $2.5 million for 2006. He earned $6,782,500 for 2005 when he pitched merely 37 innings and qualified for none of the incentive clauses that would have dramatically increased his 2006 salary.

Ugh. Not fair. Shitty time to get an injury. Throw a little more green at him, I say.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Why?

[Guest Rotblatt]

S-M-A-R-T

That's how I feel about our organization right now for pursuing Furcal right now. At the very least, it's going to drive up his price for the Braves.

I'm concerned about Furcal's H/A splits, however. .891 OPS/.657 OPS this year, and between 2002 & 2003, it was .820/.737.

His OPS at Shea over that span in 108 AB is .602, although he posted a .906 OPS there last year in 39 AB.

Anyway, despite my concerns, I'd see his signing as a good move. He's young, excellent defensively, durable, fast as hell, puts the ball in play and gets on base at a decent clip.

[smg58]

I am against Soriano, but not necessarily Furcal.

The Braves have Wilson Betemit, and they've let plenty of other guys walk in the past and survived. I'm not sure they'd be the Mets' primary competition.

Furcal did play some 2B when he first came up, so he wouldn't be learning from scratch.

I'm surprised by the home/road splits. I wouldn't have considered Atlanta a hitter's park, but perhaps it's an easy place to get singles or beat out ground balls? Does anybody know anything on that?

I'm not sure he's a great option, but he might very well be the best option available.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: Why?

Because it's not my money.

[nymr83]

] Omar: So Furball, how is your family? Furcal: Just fine thanks. I sure miss them though. I've felt like I was 15 million miles away from them for the past three years. Omar: I'm sure it's gotta be tough. I agree with everything you've said. Well, thanks from coming in, and we'll see you on the eleventh.

kinda like how they do it in the bronx....
George (to Rudy): we can offer that guy 8mil
Rudy (to FA pitcher): i think the yankees can offer you 8mil
FA pitcher (to Rudy): i was hoping the yankees could offer 9 mil
Rudy (to George):......
....

[MFS62]

What does everyone think Frank Thomas will get on the free agent market?
If the dollars are "right" (say, under $3 million plus incentives for two years) do you think the Mets should make a play for him?

Later

[Willets Point]

Not many places to put a DH on the Mets.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

MFS62 wrote: What does everyone think Frank Thomas will get on the free agent market? If the dollars are "right" (say, under $3 million plus incentives for two years) do you think the Mets should make a play for him? Later

Not that public reaction should guide their moves, but it would be seen as Mo Vaughn all over again.

[metirish]

Jesus Lord no way to Frank Thomas,he's a DH and I'm sure he thinks the same thing.

[Elster88]

Pick him up for $1 million and stick him on the bench. It's not my money.

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: Jesus Lord no way to Frank Thomas,he's a DH and I'm sure he thinks the same thing.

Actually, according to my friend Shoeless Don the White Sox fan, The Hurt thinks just the opposite. The big galoot is very sensitive (no, really) and he didn't like the "he's only a DH" stuff. So, a few years ago, he really worked on his defense. My pal says that he's improved all the way up to the level of "average major league first baseman" since then.
And part of his problems with management a few years ago was that they didn't let him play the field enough to show that improvement.
But I'm not sure if his recent round of injuries has started a decline in those defensive skills.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

A big honkin' difference between Thomas and Mo would be the Mets framing the commitment themselves versus the Mets inheriting much of Anaheim's commitment on Vaughn.

[nymr83]

i still think he's a DH only at this point and if we signed him i doubt he'd appear in 100 games.

[Frayed Knot]

Thomas was just barely [u:194c0e95cc]ever!![/u:194c0e95cc] anything more than a DH, and he isn't likely to become more of a fielder now as leg/foot/age issues throw numerous wrenches into his considerably large works.

[metirish]

Hells Bells from AC/DC could soon(or not) be playing for the next closer at Shea...

]Padres' Hoffman on Mets' horizon? BY DAVID LENNON STAFF WRITER November 2, 2005 The Mets could add Trevor Hoffman to their shopping list of prospective closers now that he seems to be at an impasse with the Padres over a contract extension. Hoffman, who turned 38 last month, reportedly is seeking a three-year deal worth between $25 million and $27 million. Last week, the Padres offered two years for $10 million, and that may prompt Hoffman to try the open market. "Trevor's first choice has always been to remain a Padre. But it's looking more and more like it won't happen," Rick Thurman, Hoffman's agent, told The Associated Press. "Put it this way: Their offer made Trevor upset enough to have his locker cleaned out at the stadium." But it may take more than that for Hoffman to uproot his family from San Diego, where he has pitched since 1993, and the Mets, nearly 3,000 miles away on the other coast, would be a long shot. Not that he doesn't fit their needs. Hoffman had 43 saves last season, with a 2.97 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 572/3 innings. The Mets already have declined their $5.5-million option on former closer Braden Looper, and they're ready to spend for his replacement. The Phillies' Billy Wagner and Orioles' B.J. Ryan figured to be the top two targets this offseason, but if Hoffman truly wants out of San Diego, that will dramatically change the landscape. "There are 16 teams where their closer spot is up in the air right now," Thurman said. "It's a pretty good year to be a free-agent closer." The Padres hold exclusive negotiating rights to Hoffman until Nov. 11, but Thurman added that roughly 10 teams have expressed interest. Mets GM Omar Minaya did not return a phone call last night.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

] METS PLAY BILLY BALL By MARK HALE The bullpen is number one on the Mets' list of things to address right now, and the club is already showing how much it covets the best reliever on the market. The Mets are hungry for Billy Wagner. The free-agent period has only been open for four days, but Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow, said the Mets already had been in touch with him twice. The most recent call came on Monday, Stringfellow said. One major league executive with knowledge of the Mets' thinking said that the Mets' chief target right now is the bullpen. Another major league official said the closer is the Mets' top priority, with Wagner being the top man on their list. Stringfellow said last night that Wagner is "definitely intrigued by the Mets." The Phillies, with whom Wagner played for the last two seasons, have exclusive negotiating rights with Wagner through Nov. 10, so the Mets cannot offer him a contract now. With that in mind, the fact that they have already spoken to him twice is a good indicator of their strong interest. Keep in mind that last year the Mets called Scott Boras, the agent for Carlos Beltran, for 31 straight days. The Mets have also expressed interest in free-agent relievers Tom Gordon and Trevor Hoffman, and indications are that they have done the same for B.J. Ryan. Wagner, however, is clearly the market's finest reliever. This past year, the 34-year-old flame-throwing lefty converted 38 of 41 save opportunities, posted a 1.51 ERA and struck out 87 in 772/3 innings. Stringfellow said approximately eight clubs have called on Wagner so far. The pitcher could still return to the Phillies, though he is unlikely to re-sign with them within the exclusive negotiating period. According to Stringfellow, Wagner will not sign for less than three years (the Phillies have already offered him a three-year contract). The agent said Wagner "wants to win a world championship, at least one," and wants to get 116 more saves to reach 400 in his career. * The Mets are interested in free agent Rafael Furcal as a second baseman, though Furcal has only played the position for five games in the last five years. He's also played it in winter ball, according to agent Paul Kinzer. Kinzer said Furcal will consider teams that want him to play second base, though the Cubs are also interested and, according to Kinzer, they "want a shortstop and a leadoff hitter." Unlike what they did two years ago when they signed Kazuo Matsui, the Mets will not consider moving Jose Reyes to second to accommodate Furcal. * Three teams have shown interest in Mike Piazza, according to agent Dan Lozano. There are no current talks between the Mets and the free-agent catcher, though neither side has completely ruled it out. * Multiple teams have expressed interest in Mike Cameron. . . . According to Lozano, the Mets have expressed interest in free agent Tony Graffanino for what Lozano termed a "super utility role." Graffanino hit .309 with seven homers with Kansas City and Boston this past year and played at least one game at every infield position. �Additional reporting by Joel Sherman

[Guest KC]

I realize Hoffman is effective, but I'm really hoping the Mets are going
to stay away from multi-year multi-million dollar deals for players who are
about to wrap up their long careers for other teams who are pushing 40.

[Elster88]

KC wrote: I realize Hoffman is effective, but I'm really hoping the Mets are going to stay away from multi-year multi-million dollar deals for players who are about to wrap up their long careers for other teams who are pushing 40.

Exactly

[Guest Rotblatt]

Me too.

Wagner would be alright on a multi-year deal, but Hoffman's old.

I'm pretty happy we're pursuing Graffanino as a utility man. That's also S-M-A-R-T. As is our reported willingness to bring Loop back in a set-up role.

So far, I'm pretty happy with our offseason outlook, at least from what I can glean from the rumor mill.

Now that I've said that, we'll start going after Sosa again . . .

[Guest Edgy DC]

]...Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow...

Are you kidding me? "Bean Stringfellow"?

Meet Mr. Bean.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'd have to call him Stringbean Fellow.

[Guest sharpie]

We were without a short lefthanded reliever last year for the first time in many years. Clearly, management sees a need to fill that void.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Will they be able to find one who's shorter than John Franco?