Let the Speculation Begin

[metirish]

i would suggest that, with the holes this team has, "utility infielder" should not be high on the list of concerns. That being said, i have no love for either Hernandez OR Cora, and would be grateful for any upgrade there. How about Jonny Lunchbucket's fave, Jerry Hairston?[/quote:1xovv4or]

Ray Durham is not his favorite anymore?

Durham's nickname is "The Sugarman"......I never knew that ....and he's a FA again.....if he ever does make ot to the Mets Val needs to fix that nickname.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That FA list sux.

- forget Crawford; TB ain't gonna let him walk.
- I think Holliday was a Coors hitter, exposed in the AL, now on a hot streak hitting behind or in front of Pujols. I wouldn't sink $20m/yr into him, but he may be the only bat available, and we need one;
- Bedard is a permanent occupant of the DL;
- Lackey is the one SP i would pursue;

[/quote:2ah9bsj3]

--They'd have to trade for Crawford, really. He'd cost a bunch, but if he gives you what he's given TB... he's worth it. He'd also be ridiculously fun to watch in CitiField.
--I thought the same about Holliday... then I looked closer. In this "off" year, he has a wOBA of .388 (better than Werth, Ibanez and Damon... just below A-Rod, Justin Upton and Morneau), and that's after having a terrible March/April. Also, "protection" is a bit of a myth. AND even if you do believe in protection, the Cards lineup was so weak outside that they gave up a prime asset in Brett Wallace to shore it up. Also ALSO, Holliday is much better defensively than Jason Bay... and MUCH better than the other big-hitting options. Basically, this offseason, he's the best, safest bet for Mets offensive insurance.
--Bedard is not a player I love. But the injuries could work in our favor-- he'll come a lot cheaper than a player of his quality normally does. Same for someone like Sheets (still out there).
--Lackey could command Sabathia/Burnett/Lowe money. Could you live with a Pineiro, getting ground balls to a Reyes-and-Wright-led infield?


--Also, re: 1B vs. LF: we've got 3-4 credible platoon options in-house (Evans, Murphy, Davis... and Chris Carter?) for first; there are none, really in left. Also the LF market is much, MUCH deeper. Even if we want the top guy, the presence of Bay, Dye, et.al. should help keep Holliday's price semi-reasonable.
Hairston would make a good cheap addition to the bench.

[smg58]

Odd tidbit about Anderson Hernandez: He has a .784 career OPS batting righthanded and a .532 OPS batting left. Why does he bother switch-hitting?

I'm also surprised by the huge disparity in his defensive metrics between second base and shortstop. If he was just a little better at short I'd feel more comfortable keeping him around, but he's actually a liability.

[Vic Sage]

Wolfie,

Freel has never played SS, at least not in the majors. He played a little in AA, over a decade ago... so he's probably as a much a SS as Tatis!

and as for LWFS,

--They'd have to trade for Crawford, really. He'd cost a bunch, but if he gives you what he's given TB... he's worth it. He'd also be ridiculously fun to watch in CitiField.

forget it. its not happening.

--I thought the same about Holliday... then I looked closer. In this "off" year, he has a wOBA of .388 (better than Werth, Ibanez and Damon... just below A-Rod, Justin Upton and Morneau), and that's after having a terrible March/April. Also, "protection" is a bit of a myth. AND even if you do believe in protection, the Cards lineup was so weak outside that they gave up a prime asset in Brett Wallace to shore it up. Also ALSO, Holliday is much better defensively than Jason Bay... and MUCH better than the other big-hitting options. Basically, this offseason, he's the best, safest bet for Mets offensive insurance.

Holliday is so much better than anything they have now in LF, or could get, that its pretty much a no-brainer. but i'm just not convinced he'll be worth, in absolute terms, what he gets. I think i might rather put the money in a SP like Lackey, and take a cheaper option in LF, like Bay or Dye, until F-Mart is ready (if ever). But i could be convinced otherwise pretty easily. I certainly wouldn't be UNhappy if they got Holliday.

--Bedard is not a player I love. But the injuries could work in our favor-- he'll come a lot cheaper than a player of his quality normally does. Same for someone like Sheets (still out there).

We need some stability behind Santana. Bedard doesn't give you that. If you wanted to take a flyer on him AFTER signing Lackey, go right ahead.

--Lackey could command Sabathia/Burnett/Lowe money. Could you live with a Pineiro, getting ground balls to a Reyes-and-Wright-led infield?

If i thought Pineiro was a reliable option, i'd support that. But it just seems to me that, outside of Dave Duncan's magical influence, he could be another big ??

--Also, re: 1B vs. LF: we've got 3-4 credible platoon options in-house (Evans, Murphy, Davis... and Chris Carter?) for first; there are none, really in left. Also the LF market is much, MUCH deeper. Even if we want the top guy, the presence of Bay, Dye, et.al. should help keep Holliday's price semi-reasonable

.

2 issues of definition: define "credible"... to me, it just seems like we have mediocre or unproven options at 1b, not "credible" ones. And define "semi-reasonable" price for Holliday... if he's enough to keep them from pursuing a top SPer, he's too much. If Bay or Dye could be had more cheaply, allowing room for a Lackey, rather than a Piniero, I'd rather go that way.

[Vic Sage]

Basically, i guess what i'm saying is that, for the Mets to have a good shot next year, they need to take that $30m in payroll coming off the books and reinvest it in 2 players: Holliday and Lackey. That's about what those 2 are going to get combined next year, though Fred might need to kick in a little more to close the deal.

If they end up with Bay or Dye, and Bedard or Piniero, or worse yet, do nothing and count on "getting healthy" to be enough", I think we end up a day late and a dollar short.... again.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Basically, i guess what i'm saying is that, for the Mets to have a good shot next year, they need to take that $30m in payroll coming off the books and reinvest it in 2 players: Holliday and Lackey. That's about what those 2 are going to get combined next year, though Fred might need to kick in a little more to close the deal.

If they end up with Bay or Dye, and Bedard or Piniero, or worse yet, do nothing and count on "getting healthy" to be enough", I think we end up a day late and a dollar short.... again.

[TransMonk]

Is it too early to start speculating about Bobby V. coming back as well?

I dont hate Jerry, but I'd welcome Bobby back with open arms. I guess a lot of changes would need to be made in order for this to happen. At this point I'm all for change, though.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm pretty sure that, despite what we may want, the next Mets manager, whenever it happens, will be somebody other than Bobby Valentine.

[nymr83]

If they end up with Bay or Dye, and Bedard or Piniero, or worse yet, do nothing and count on "getting healthy" to be enough", I think we end up a day late and a dollar short.... again.

I don't want Bedard/Piniero and agree that Lackey is the guy to pursue, but I'd be happy with Bay in the outfield.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

If they end up with Bay or Dye, and Bedard or Piniero, or worse yet, do nothing and count on "getting healthy" to be enough", I think we end up a day late and a dollar short.... again.

I don't want Bedard/Piniero and agree that Lackey is the guy to pursue, but I'd be happy with Bay in the outfield.

[metirish]

I'm going to specualte on possible new owners.....




200/1

Dolan is selling his assets these days


500/1
Looking to build arena for Islanders


50/1
Would love a NY Team


25/1

Seaon ticket owner , I'm sure he could work out something with Bud about the Marlins



10/1
Me , when I win the $350 million tonight I will buy the team.

I'll need a board of directors....

[nymr83]

you'll need to win the mega million another 2 times to hav enough money, and likely 2 or 3 times after that when they're done taxing your winnings.

if dolan buys the mets i'm a marlins fan.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[metirish]

you'll need to win the mega million another 2 times to hav enough money, and likely 2 or 3 times after that when they're done taxing your winnings.

if dolan buys the mets i'm a marlins fan.[/quote:3blz93lh]

Wilpon would snap my wrist off if I flashed even $40 million at him....

[Guest Kong76]

ny83: if dolan buys the mets <<<

Please, I'm going to have nightmares.

[Fman99]

[/quote:2wiw21tm]

I'm a weird fucking midget!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Hmm. Hmmmmm.

Duncan has expressed displeasure over the way his son Chris, a Cardinals outfielder who was traded to Boston earlier this summer, had been treated in the news media, and he ceased speaking to the St. Louis-area newspapers. He did take time to speak to an out-of-town reporter and pondered for a moment the notion that the highly successful partnership he and La Russa forged during the 1980s might soon be disbanded. �It would be different,� he said. �Who knows what the future will bring?�

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah, what we need is a guy sensitive to what that vicious St. Louis media corp says.

"Dave, excuse me, Dave ... Tell us, Dave, how great a coach are you?"

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yeah, what we need is a guy sensitive to what that vicious St. Louis media corp says.

"Dave, excuse me, Dave ... Tell us, Dave, how great a coach are you?"[/quote:ljybazvt]

If next year ended up anything like this year, he'd be REALLY entertaining-- like a high-priced FA Bernazard!

But yeah, point taken. Just spinning wheels, and thinking of our sunken costs (Pelf, Perez).