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

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Morning Met Headscratchers, Nov. 4:

Daily News

]The Mets are mulling a pursuit of Julio Franco, which would pair the veteran, righty-hitting first baseman with rookie Mike Jacobs in 2006. Franco, 47, hit .275 with nine homers and 42 RBI in 233 at-bats for the Braves last season. Signing an affordable first base complement such as Franco, who could assume a more regular role should Jacobs falter, would allow the Mets to devote more spending on Billy Wagner or B.J. Ryan as closer, Rafael Furcal as a second baseman and Ramon Hernandez or Bengie Molina at catcher.

Jon Heyman's typically overblown column prolly deserves its own discussion but inclides these lines:

]The Mets scouted Jojima heavily this year, and if they go for Jojima, that's a great call, according to my own baseball scouts. .... Minaya has some nostalgic leanings, so nobody should rule out Julio Franco, even if his AARP card is already in the mail, but maybe Eduardo Perez (11 home runs in 161 at-bats and 11 years younger than Franco, who's listed as 47) would work. In either case, that would save some loot for the star targets.

[MFS62]

Another alternative for a righty first base platoon is Olmedo Saenz, who I think is about a year or two younger than Perez.

Note to Heyman: watch those AARP comments. We may be old, but we're feisty.

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

"his own baseball scouts"?

[MFS62]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: "his own baseball scouts"?

I think that line deserves to be placed in the "So, You Want To Be A Sportswriter" thread Hall of Fame.

Later

[metirish]

Jon Heyman should have his own humor thread...Mark Hale says the Mets front-office types visted Wagner at his home in Virginia...

]November 4, 2005 -- The Mets cannot offer Billy Wagner a contract yet, but they are doing just about everything else they can do right now to show the star closer their interest. The latest step in Wagner's recruitment came on Wednesday, when several Met executives traveled to Virginia to meet with Wagner at his home, according to a person familiar with the meeting. The meeting included Mets GM Omar Minaya, as well as assistant GM John Ricco and special assistant Tony Bernazard.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I hope Omar doesn't speak Spanish to Wagner. That's how he screwed up the Delgado deal last year.

[Guest Edgy DC]

They can bring along Stu Sucherman to speak German.

[smg58]

I'd only see the need for a righthanded bat if Victor Diaz is involved in a trade. That's certainly possible, but the idea of one of these guys coming and taking playing time away from Diaz concerns me.

I hope the Mets show a bit more caution in how they court a Japanese player this time around. Like doing enough homework on the guy so that they know that his throwing arm cuts it on the major league level and won't necessitate a position change in a year before telling us how wonderful his defense is.

[MFS62]

Is there an issue with jojima's ability to speak English/communicate with his pitchers?
There are a number of Americans playing in Japan. Have any of them pitched for Jojima's team? If so, did he speak English to them, or did the pitchers have to learn to speak Japanese?

Later

[Guest heep]

Very exciting -

and smart. Aggressively pursuing Wagner.

Signing Dotel is also very smart. He is still young and can be very effective along with Heilman as a set up man.

I don't see any credibility to Heyman's article published today. The idea of a Japanese speaking catcher who speaks little English is illogical at best.

Has Jacobs caught at all this Winter? If not, it looks like he will be the starting 1b this Spring - and I can't say I have a problem with that. He can't do any worse than the production we got this year at 1st.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Of course, the idea isn't to avoid getting somebody worse than Mientkiewicz. The goal is to get enough production out of first base to help the team contend.

I'm not saying Jacobs can or can't do that; it remains to be seen. But saying that he'll be okay because he's not worse than Mientkiewicz kinda misses the point.

[Elster88]

We should keep Minky. We need his defense at first.

(I really wish ezboard hadn't crashed and burned.)

[Valadius]

Kenji Jojima, the Japanese catcher I brought up months ago. I ought to look for that thread...

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

From Newsday:


Mets set to pay Wagner
BY DAVID LENNON
STAFF WRITER

November 5, 2005

The Mets are ready to beat any offer for Billy Wagner. And with the Phillies already preparing contingency plans in case they lose their free-agent closer, there is a sense that the whole process will be wrapped up quickly. It could be completed in a matter of days after the exclusive window for teams to negotiate with their own free agents closes Thursday.

The Phillies have until that time to lock up Wagner before any other team can talk salary figures with him, but he has stated his desire to test the market. With as many as 16 teams seeking a closer, Wagner, a lefthander who hits 100 mph on the radar gun, can set the terms.

One person familiar with the situation said Friday that Wagner could push for as many as four years, at a minimum of $10 million per year. Wagner has the benefit of supply-and-demand in his favor, but there are few clubs that will push that envelope. Count the Mets among them.

General manager Omar Minaya and a contingent of front-office members visited with Wagner at his Charlottesville, Va., home this week, and it seems the only way the Mets will lose out is if he decides he wants to stay put. If the determining factor is money, remember that the Mets outbid every other team for the free agents they wanted last winter.

"What impressed me about the Mets was they know exactly what they need and I felt like I was a priority," Wagner told MLB.com. "They answered some concerns that my wife and I had."

Should Wagner remain in Philadelphia, the Mets already have had preliminary discussions with the agents for Trevor Hoffman and B.J. Ryan, and both appear willing to bolt their former clubs. Wagner, 34, is considered a notch above both, but Hoffman, 38, has 436 saves on his resume and the head to handle New York.

Hoffman's agent, Rick Thurman, is skeptical that the Padres will do what's necessary to keep his client despite the fact that Hoffman has pitched in San Diego since 1993. Hoffman is seeking a three-year deal in the $27-million range, and the Padres have yet to go beyond two years for $10 million.

]One person familiar with the situation said Friday that Wagner could push for as many as four years, at a minimum of $10 million per year.

$10 million per year for a relief pitcher. I think that's nuts, but then again, it's not my money.

[seawolf17]

Interesting side note about Hoffman; the Padres just hired his brother Glenn to coach third base. Wonder how that plays into his plans, if at all.

[nymr83]

seawolf17 wrote: Interesting side note about Hoffman; the Padres just hired his brother Glenn to coach third base. Wonder how that plays into his plans, if at all.

i feel like that has to be either a strong gesture towards him or an agreement with him to return

[smg58]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: From Newsday:One person familiar with the situation said Friday that Wagner could push for as many as four years, at a minimum of $10 million per year. Wagner has the benefit of supply-and-demand in his favor, but there are few clubs that will push that envelope. Count the Mets among them.

What makes this so bizarre is that Wagner DOESN'T have supply and demand in his favor; yes he's the best reliever on the market, but the market is glutted with pitchers that have closing experience.

Rivera makes $10.5M per year, and Gagne makes $10M per year, so it's not unprecedented. But Wagner doesn't have Rivera's reputation or a Cy Young in his pocket. Plus, Gagne shows the risk involved with committing that much to a closer. I would pass on four years and $40M.

[metirish]

The NY Times reports that Joey Eischen from the Nats is on the Mets radar...

] By BEN SHPIGEL Published: November 5, 2005 As the Mets continue their pursuit of the free-agent closer Billy Wagner, their top priority this off-season, they have reached out toward improving other areas of their bullpen. They have inquired about the left-handed reliever Joey Eischen, who spent last season with the Washington Nationals, Eischen's agent, Alan Nero, confirmed yesterday. Eischen, 35, was used primarily as a situational left-hander last season, when he went 2-1 with a 3.22 earned run average in 57 appearances, and he may have made an impression on the Mets with how he handled Cliff Floyd. Eischen would be expected to be a situational left-hander for the Mets, and possibly work as an occasional set-up man for their new closer. It is no secret that the Mets would love for that to be Wagner, and several Mets executives visited him and his agent, Bean Stringfellow, at his Virginia home on Wednesday to prove their keen interest in him, according to a baseball executive familiar with the meeting who did not want his name used out of concern that it might affect the competition for Wagner's services. Wagner is the top closer on the market, but the Mets cannot offer him a contract until Nov. 12 because the Phillies have exclusive negotiating rights with him until then. Wagner is believed to be seeking at least a three-year deal. Nero also said the Mets have expressed interest in another of his clients, the free-agent catcher Bengie Molina, who played for the Los Angeles Angels last season. More Articles in Sports >

[smg58]

Lefties had a higher OPS against Eischen than righties did (.700 to .675), and the 19 walks in 36 IP concerns me. He's had some good years, but I wouldn't block Ring or Hamulack for him.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Mets could just dig up some corpse parts out at Calvary Cemetary and build their own Joey Eischen.

[metsmarathon]

hey! are we gonna have a free agent prediction contest this year, or am i thinking of a different site?

[MFS62]

="Edgy DC"]The Mets could just dig up some corpse parts out at Calvary Cemetary and build their own Joey Eischen.

Igor just informed me that even he wouldn't want to dig up something that looks like that.

Later

[nymr83]

metsmarathon wrote: hey! are we gonna have a free agent prediction contest this year, or am i thinking of a different site?

set it up!

[metsmarathon]

OK

[metirish]

Here are today's Met rumors...Burrnett, Delgado ,Manny anf others are all in the mix..

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/mlb/mets/

[Guest Rotblatt]

According to the Post, Heilman is on the block.

Personally, I think that's fucking retarded.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Are you saying Heilman should be untouchable?

I certainly wouldn't go that far.

I wouldn't be looking to dump him, but his trade value may be at its peak. Remember what everyone thought of him only seven months ago.

If he can help the Mets land a high-quality player, they have to at least consider it.

[Guest Rotblatt]

No, I don't think he should be untouchable, but I don't understand this whole "making him available" thing. We should make it clear that if someone want Heilman, they're going to have to blow us away because he was absolutely dominant last season, is young, and is cheap as hell.

[smg58]

I agree with Rottblatt where Heilman is concerned; if we can stick with him through the lean years, we can hold on to him when he starts to realize his potential. We should be talking to people who want Trachsel or Zambrano, not Heilman.

Burnett will not be worth anything close to his price.

Do the Marlins want major league or minor league help for Delgado? Or both?

[Guest Rotblatt]

smg58 wrote: Do the Marlins want major league or minor league help for Delgado? Or both?

I haven't read anything about their demands, but I'm guessing they'd be happy with a minor leaguer if the recepient takes on Delgado's entire salary.

It looks like the Fish are in fire sale mode--there are rumors of a Patterson for Pierre exchange.

Of course, the downside is that they're not going to want to trade to someone within the division, and if they do, we may have to throw on a little extra.

Regarding Delgado, if he gets traded, he can apply for free agency after this year. Most reports seem to think that's a negative, but I think that's a total positive. At his age, who wants him for another 3 years anyway? I'd happily pay Delgado $16M for 2005 then wave bye-bye to him.

I'd much rather overpay him for one year than for four.