Call it the Air Conditioner

[Guest Swan Swan H]

'cause it's too warm out for the hot stove.

I don't think we have a thread for rumors and such leading to the trade deadline, so this should suffice.

Watching Andy Patoot getting cuffed about by the Jays, and Michael Kay casually mentioned that Alex Rios might be moving across the river to Queens. I wasn't paying all that much attention, and he didn't make it sound like anything was imminent, but he did put it out there. Has anyone heard anything about this or is Kay pulling stuff out of his bunghole?

[metirish]

Yeah I've heard his name mentioned along with his team mate Wells.

[Guest Edgy DC]

If Michael Kay is the best source on a rumor, it's probably not a particularly hot one.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

This has the distinctly-tart whiff of a Kay browneye.

The Blue Jays are edging toward the point where they're looking to shed payroll (the better to lock down Halladay forever and ever), and Rios has been mentioned as a candidate (mostly because Wells' contract is Zito-brand hur'ble).

As anyone who's ever demonstrated semi-competence with the stick is being pitched as a Met possibility, he's in play, obviously. But I haven't heard anything outside of idle, "he'd-make-a-good-fit"-type speculation. (Even among speculative writings, I read names like Huff or Teahen a lot more often.)

[metirish]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

To a degree I would say Kay is wishful-thinking the Jays out of the AL East pennant race, knowing as he does they have no biz there.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Even more so, he has an interest in promoting Baltimore, Toronto, and Tampa as feeder programs.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I think Rios had a contract that was kinda heavy with a number of years left on it. Other than Delgado and Wagner, do we have big money pacts expiring after this season?

As for Sheffield, keep in mind that we're getting all this with the Tigers paying most of the freight.

[Frayed Knot]

This stuff starts because someone speculates that Rios could be moved and then looks around at which teams that can handle a big contract need an OFer and starts playing matchmaker. None of that means that the teams have talked.

I did hear Rios mentioned in conjunction w/the Mets but only via talk radio by someone clearly making shit up.
Specifically he said they need to trade Rios in order to be able to sign Halladay & Wells -- except that Halladay is signed thru 2010 and Wells is inked at Beltran-type money thru about 2014.

And even if Rios is available - and I suspect he might be (Hey look, I'm another "source") - it's because he is owed hefty money for the next 5 years or so which is just about the same length of time that his stats have been steadily dropping.

[metirish]

="metsguyinmichigan"]I think Rios had a contract that was kinda heavy with a number of years left on it. Other than Delgado and Wagner, do we have big money pacts expiring after this season? .

According to this the Mets so far are obligated to pay in salary or buyouts for 2010 just over $92 million , payroll right now is over $149 million

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p4ew-fwu2XT2R6BFbZ5C_Ww

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/new-york-mets.html


2010 FA Class


http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2001/05/2010-free-agents.html

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yankee
A shortstop
He ain't got too much range
The better guy's at third base
And it's more than passing strange

Yankee
Announcers talk
To the gullible of the world
Though so far this century
No banners have been unfurled

I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
But what can I do?!

Yankee
Defectives
On radio and tv
Cos Yankee propaganda
Comes seven days a week

Never mind the facts and truth
It's Rios to the Mets
Why not Luke Scott and Adam Jones?
And any of Tampa's threats

I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
But what can I do?!

I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
I'm so bo-o-ored with the Mi. chael. Kay!
But what can I do?!

Move on, Sterling!
And Waldman, Hey!
Suck it, Paulie!
It's Michael Kay!