In other non-shocking news...

[nymr83]

]I think Holliday costs too much and is a butcher in the field and on the bases

12 steals caught once this year, 11 steals caught 4 times last year, so unless he makes a bunch of baserunning blunders like timo perez i dont know where you are getting "butcher on the bases" from.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah, shitty baserunner, getting worse, not an athlete.

[Theoldmole]

He carries a cleaver.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That too.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

For what they'd cost in prospects, I'd much rather Ibanez, Dunn or Rivera (who might be available for cheap, seeing how poorly he's hit this year) than Holliday, who's split away from Coors absolutely terrifies me.
I would think about just signing Lofton and keeping all our prospects, though.

[Guest AG/DC]

At his age, how many weeks will it take to get in big-league game shape?

He's also got very little left as an outfielder.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

AG/DC wrote: At his age, how many weeks will it take to get in big-league game shape? He's also got very little left as an outfielder.

Well, I can't speak for how long it would take him to get in shape, but here's his FRAR/FRAA for the last 2 years:
2006, LAD: 6/-12
2007, CLE: 7/1
2007, TEX: 5/-7

For comparison, Moises Alou:
2005, SF: 6/-7
2006, SF: 11/0
2007, NY: 7/-3

I figure he'd be about the same as Alou in left defensively. He's nothing great, but he doesn't make a ton of outs at the plate and he wouldn't cost anything.

[Guest Kong76]

Alou = torn hammy, out for season - Omar on SNY

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

KC wrote: Alou = torn hammy, out for season - Omar on SNY

Too bad. I was really rooting for him to make it back, both for the team and his own benefit. He seems like a guy who was willing to do anything he could to stay on the field, but his body kept failing him.

[seawolf17]

Fucking hell, Moises.

[Benjamin Grimm]

KC wrote: Alou = torn hammy, out for season - Omar on SNY

At least this gives us some clarity.

Is there an AL contender who needs pitching badly enough to trade a solid outfielder for Oliver Perez?

If the player we get back is good enough, I'd have to consider that deal. We can't count on continued visits from "Good Ollie" and right now his trade value is as high as it's likely to get.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

Vince Coleman Firecracker wrote: ="KC"]Alou = torn hammy, out for season - Omar on SNY Too bad. I was really rooting for him to make it back, both for the team and his own benefit. He seems like a guy who was willing to do anything he could to stay on the field, but his body kept failing him.

I definitely wanted his bat back in the lineup, but I have a hard time believing he takes proper care of himself if he can't step on the field without pulling a muscle. as said previously, try some water and more bananas - and maybe a few less beers as well.

[Centerfield]

Well that's that. Rumor has it that Alou tore his other hammy while being moved from the 15 day DL to the 60 day DL.

[HahnSolo]

Just to toss a couple more names out there. Is it worth it to inquire about these guys, and is it worth it to give up anything worthwhile for them?

Brian Giles
Brad Wilkerson
Craig Monroe
Randy Winn (if the Giants pick up a good portion of his 09 salary)

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

HahnSolo wrote: Just to toss a couple more names out there. Is it worth it to inquire about these guys, and is it worth it to give up anything worthwhile for them? Brian Giles Brad Wilkerson Craig Monroe Randy Winn (if the Giants pick up a good portion of his 09 salary)

I like Winn out of that group. And it ain't my money, so would prefer if they ate the salary and did not give up any talent.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Exactly. If the Mets take on salary, they'll be able to give up less talent.

[batmagadanleadoff]

With Alou Out, the Mets Seem Ready to Go Shopping

By BEN SHPIGEL
Published: July 11, 2008

If this is how it ends, Moises Alou�s time with the Mets will be remembered less for his glorious September last season than for four visits to the disabled list and unfulfilled expectations. Alou signed with the team anticipating another World Series championship, or at least trips to the playoffs, but his latest injury � a torn left hamstring � may signal the end of his career.

The Mets may pursue Xavier Nady, a versatile outfielder who can also play first base.

After feeling a cramp while diving for a ball Wednesday night during a rehabilitation game for Class AA Binghamton in Norwich, Conn., Alou, 42, had a magnetic resonance imaging test in New York on Thursday morning. The results revealed the severity of the injury, and General Manager Omar Minaya said the team�s medical staff recommended surgery.

�He�ll have to decide that,� Minaya said after the Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants, 7-3. �The reality is that he�s going to be out for a very long time and possibly may miss the year.�

Asked whether there were any circumstances under which he could expect Alou to return, Minaya shook his head.

�It�s going to be tough based on what the doctor told me,� Minaya said.

The Mets had hoped that Alou, already on the disabled list with a strained left calf, could return to help justify the $7.5 million option they exercised on him before this season. They have surged into contention without him and their other corner outfielder, Ryan Church, who is dealing with postconcussion symptoms. But with the July 31 trade deadline less than three weeks away, Minaya will explore deals for suitable replacements.

�To overcome a loss of that magnitude, of our fifth and sixth hitters, at this level for an upper-division � what you consider yourself as an upper-division club � something else has to happen in the other parts of the game,� Manager Jerry Manuel said.

The Mets have started 11 players in left field this season; together, their production ranks near the worst in baseball. Combined, they have hit .246 with four home runs, which ranked 29th before Thursday night�s games; 36 runs batted in, which ranked tied for 28th; and a .331 slugging percentage, ahead of only Toronto and the Dodgers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.*

As well as Endy Ch�vez and Fernando Tatis have played while Alou and Church have been hurt, it is unrealistic that they will maintain that level of production over the final 72 games. So the Mets would figure to pursue a versatile outfielder, someone they could acquire without having to dip into a farm system mostly barren of talent.

The underachieving Mariners, having begun looking to the future, released first baseman Richie Sexson on Thursday and could be persuaded to deal the 36-year-old Ra�l Ib��ez, who had averaged 27 home runs and 114 R.B.I. over the past two seasons. A familiar name, Xavier Nady, could play both corner spots as well as first base. His Pittsburgh teammate, Jason Bay, is equally alluring but would come at a higher price. Jos� Guill�n has a few deterrents � his combustible personality, his streaky hitting, the $12 million owed for each of the next two seasons � but he would supply right-handed power and strong defense.

�Are we going to be in the marketplace looking for guys to improve? Yes,� Minaya said. �But it has to be the right guy.�
_______________

My edit:
* The Met team record for starting the most Left Fielders was set by the pennant winning 2000 squad -12 LF'ers started that year - just one more than the current team. Your starting LF'ers in 2000 were:

Benny Agbayani (88 games)
Rickey Henderson (28)
Darryl Hamilton (12)
Jason Tyner (10)
Joe McEwing (6)
Joe Nunnally (6)
Lenny Harris (4)
Timo Perez (3)
Melvin Mora (1)
Bubba Trammell (1)
Matt Franco (1)
Mark Johnson (1)

Jorge Toca and Jay Payton also played LF in 2000, though never as starters.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

nice work. I can't imagine how shitty it would be to be a Dodgers or Jays faan and get less out of left field than we have so far.

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: nice work. I can't imagine how shitty it would be to be a Dodgers or Jays faan and get less out of left field than we have so far.

Not to mention you have to watch Joe Torre pick his nose every night or walk around saying "aboot" and eating moose jerky.

[MFS62]

Looking at that list makes me wonder what it would take to get Melvin Mora from the O's.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

MFS62 wrote: Looking at that list makes me wonder what it would take to get Melvin Mora from the O's.

Mike Bordick?

[Guest AG/DC]

He was diving for a ball!?

Aren't rehab games in the minors where you go partially so you don't feel as guilty about taking it a little easy out there?

[Benjamin Grimm]

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Do you wanna see this year's list of starting LF'ers? Cover your eyes if you do. Here it is:

Angel Pagan (20)
Marlon Anderson (15)
Moises Alou (13)
Endy Chavez (13)
Fernando Tatis (11)
Nick Evans (7)
Trot Nixon (6)
Damion Easley (2)
Chris Aguila (2)
Brady Clark (2)
Andy Phillips (1)

[Guest AG/DC]

The really amazing thing is how par for the course this is. We haven't had stability of any sort at the corner outfield spots since Straw and McReynolds left. If you look at who started the most games at those two positions each year, the most enduring name is Cliff Floyd, and he was healthy one year. After that is who? Benny? Huskey?

Year LF-RF
1992 Boston-Bonilla
1993 Coleman-Bonilla
1994 McReynolds-Orsulak
1995 Orsulak-Everett
1996 Gilkey-Ochoa
1997 Gilkey-Ochoa (wow! twice!)
1998 Gilkey-Huskey
1999 Henderson-Cedeño
2000 Agbayani-Bell
2001 Agbayani-Perez
2002 Cedeño-Burnitz
2003 Floyd-Cedeno
2004 Floyd-Hidalgo
2005 Floyd-Diaz (Diaz led that team in right field appearances?!)
2006 Floyd-Nady
2007 Alou-Green
2008 Chavez-Church

It shouldn't be that indicting that they haven't successfully put a long-term plan into effect. In theory, you should always be able to find a corner outfielder who can hit a little, and solving other issues long term are higher priorities.

The problem is that they haven't always found that guy. In fact, you can say they usually haven't.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Cardboard Gods features Ken Henderson today iramically

[Guest AG/DC]

Wow.

[batmagadanleadoff]

What about this guy?

[metirish]

="batmagadanleadoff"]What about this guy?

Absolutely don't know if it means anything but one report I read stated that Fred Wilpon is very close to Selig and in no way would he take on Bonds, that was one reason given.

[soupcan]

="batmagadanleadoff"]What about this guy?

Which one?