Hot Stove 2009-2010

[metirish]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Speaking of celebratory MFY Moments, where's Rogers been?

Doing research for Madden on his new steinbrenner book.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Yeah, I hate it when those decent human being types end up on the Yankees. Well, it's never actually happened before, but I hate it in theory.

[ashie62]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Aw hell. I LIKED Granderson. Nice guy when I interviewed him last year.

I've heard he was well liked.

Doesn't hit lefties.

Tigers did very well here

[Guest attgig]

defense is also suspect this past year. previously, he had been pretty good, but this past year, he deteriorated. we'll see if it's a one year fluke.

[metirish]

Heyman saying it looks like the Mets "came up short" on Wolf....to the Brewers for $9 million....I assume that's not $9M per.....

[nymr83]

the yankees got what they wanted here, they have the money to likely never regret dealing jackson or kennedy, they can buy guys like they might become.
arizona, to me, got shafted here. Scherzer is imo the 2nd best player in this deal and 2 years from now may look better than Granderson

[metirish]

Interesting to read David Lennon today, he has starting pitching as Minaya's top priority, I like it.

INDIANAPOLIS - After another long day in the Mets' hotel suite, Omar Minaya and his front-office staff began seriously crunching the numbers last night on free-agent pitchers, from John Lackey to Joel Pi�eiro to Jason Marquis. With that as the top priority, once the Mets add another front-line starter the team expects to pull the trigger on a trade, and there remains the possibility it could be the John Maine-for-Corey Hart deal with the Brewers that first surfaced late Monday. Despite the club's disturbing lack of power last season, Minaya has repeatedly suggested during the first two days of the winter meetings that improving the rotation is his most pressing concern. He also was not ready to close the door on any of the free-agent options, including Lackey, who is believed to be seeking a deal that surpasses the five-year, $82.5-million contract that A.J. Burnett scored from the Yankees last winter. When asked if the Mets were still in pursuit of the big-ticket free agents, a group that also includes Matt Holliday and Jason Bay, Minaya nodded, though Lackey figures to be atop that list. "I think we have a chance to be a player with most of the guys," Minaya said. "We're in discussions with them. There might be a team or two that has an offer out there. But I think a lot of clubs are kind of similar to us. We're kind of just having dialogue and at some point in time, somebody's going to step out and there's going to be a domino effect." Minaya said Randy Wolf was still "on the board" late Tuesday afternoon amid continuing reports that he was closing fast on a three-year deal with the Brewers. Milwaukee appeared to have an agreement with Wolf on Monday night and it was unclear if the Mets had been able to wedge themselves back into the running for the lefthander. The sticking point, as always with the Mets, is length of contract, and they seemed unwilling to go to three years with Wolf or four for Pi�eiro. For Lackey, the top free-agent pitcher on the market, getting him for under five years would be virtually impossible. "Right now they're [length of contract discussions] a little bit longer than what we thought," Minaya said. "But that's usually the case at this stage of the negotiations." After a relatively uneventful two days, however, Minaya sounded optimistic that the activity could pick up during the backstretch of the winter meetings. The Mets needed to look no further than the Yankees' three-team swap for Curtis Granderson if they required any additional motivation to boost their sagging franchise. "My experience is when you get to the last 24 hours, things can happen," Minaya said. "But some of the free agents that are out there are going to take a little bit longer, past the meetings." On the catching front, Minaya met with the agent for Yorvit Torrealba Tuesday morning as a short-term alternative to Bengie Molina, who is seeking a three-year deal. But with the Giants saying they had no intention of re-signing Molina, the Mets seemed confident that he would fall back to them, perhaps with a two-year contract and option for a third. The Denver Post also reported late Tuesday that the Rockies had offered Torrealba a two-year deal worth $5 million, which is likely to exceed any offer by the Mets. Torrealba still has a grievance pending against the Mets - for roughly $7 million - after they backed out of their three-year, $14.4-million agreement with him in 2007. But Torrealba's camp said that would not be a problem if the two sides agreed to another deal this time. Braves DFA Church. In a surprising move, Atlanta designated Ryan Church for assignment. The Mets sent Church to the Braves for Jeff Francoeur last July in a swap with their longtime rival that actually worked out in their favor. When told that he earned a 'W' for that trade, Minaya laughed. "I haven't had too many 'W's' so I'll take it," he said.

[metirish]

metirish wrote: Heyman saying it looks like the Mets "came up short" on Wolf....to the Brewers for $9 million....I assume that's not $9M per.....

WOW, apparently it would be for $9M per year in a three year deal......that's bloody crazy money for a guy who to me screams " .500 pitcher here".....

[Guest Edgy DC]

The sticking point, as always with the Mets, is length of contract...

Yeah, they were really stingey on the length of Castillo's deal and Schoeneweis's also.

That logic just ties me up and rapes me.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: That logic just ties me up and rapes me.

Thank you for that Hallmark moment.

LOL!

Later

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: The sticking point, as always with the Mets, is length of contract... Yeah, they were really stingey on the length of Castillo's deal and Schoeneweis's also. That logic just ties me up and rapes me.

Kurt Cobain was a Mets fan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8fTaHmSJSI

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

De-doo-do not, We-wah-wah-want. Is not as bad as three-year deal.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/on-the-mets-beat-1.812057/mets-closing-on-molina-could-lackey-come-later-1.1644964

[MFS62]

WFAN is reporting that Jon Heyman has tweeted that he has learned that Omar has been given permission to "open up the purse strings" and they will now strongly go after the "big three".

Later

[metirish]

From the link

Molina

two-year deal, in the $12-million range.....

I don't mind that deal one bit........

[Guest Edgy DC]

That would be a lot of OBP sapped at the bottom of the lineup with Francoeur and Molina. Bring on Thole.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

metirish wrote: From the link Molina two-year deal, in the $12-million range..... I don't mind that deal one bit........

I think it's smelly.

[metirish]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: metirish wrote: From the link Molina two-year deal, in the $12-million range..... I don't mind that deal one bit........ I think it's smelly.

That smell you are smelling might be the anus that LFWS is going to eat.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

metirish wrote: metirish wrote: From the link Molina two-year deal, in the $12-million range..... I don't mind that deal one bit........ I think it's smelly. That smell you are smelling might be the anus that LFWS is going to eat.

Am NOT.

I don't mind being moored to the guy for a year. I don't love it, but whatever-- slim pickings (if you don't seriously consider trades), and Thole's a year from full-time duty away (methinks), at least.

But he's not nearly as valuable an offensive contributor as 15-20 HRs and a .270 average might imply, as he seems allergic to walks and is a highly BABIP-dependent hitter. His defense compares to Posada; his baserunning ability compares to a codeine-overdosed Posada running through peat. $6-7 million of value next year is what you HOPE for out of him, given his skill set and age; it's not what you should expect.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

metirish wrote: Heyman saying it looks like the Mets "came up short" on Wolf....to the Brewers for $9 million....I assume that's not $9M per.....

I didn't want Wolfie for that. maybe Lackey comes to us, who knows.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't think I'd eat any anuses over a two-year deal for Molina, although I'd prefer a one-year deal. I'd like to think that Thole will be totally ready to take over in 2011. And if that happens, and Molina is still under contract, then either Molina is an expensive backup, or he gets traded. (Of course, how tradeable his contact is will depend on what kind of 2010 he has.)

[smg58]

I'd prefer one year and an option, but he could be dealable at that price next year if he remains productive with the bat. He's not much to get excited about, but I don't think he'll hurt us either.

[smg58]

metirish wrote: WOW, apparently it would be for $9M per year in a three year deal......that's bloody crazy money for a guy who to me screams " .500 pitcher here".....

Other than last year, Fangraphs has never valued Wolf at more than $9M over a particular season. And he's at an age where he's far more likely to go backward than forward.

On the other hand, he'll be getting his 10 minutes with Rick.

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't think I'd eat any anuses over a two-year deal for Molina, although I'd prefer a one-year deal. I'd like to think that Thole will be totally ready to take over in 2011. And if that happens, and Molina is still under contract, then either Molina is an expensive backup, or he gets traded. (Of course, how tradeable his contact is will depend on what kind of 2010 he has.)

Molina is supposed to be 35 years old, the age at which catchers historically begin a rapid decline. If they do sign him, I'd prefer a one year deal with an incentive-laden option.

Oh, this just in. Julio Franco said that Benji Molina was his boyhood idol.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

MFS62 wrote: Oh, this just in. Julio Franco said that Benji Molina was his boyhood idol.

What, did he belong to some sort of circle-worshipping faith?

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

MFS62 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: That logic just ties me up and rapes me. Thank you for that Hallmark moment.

The Police say, "You're welcome."

And when their eloquence escapes me. Their logic ties me up and rapes me...

[ashie62]

Wolf 29.75 Million Molina wants no less than 2 years

and to think Seaver was run out of town for having the gall to ask for more than $225,000

[ashie62]

Would anyone here want Vlad Guerrero? He wants two years..He is recovered and could play left. A proven winner

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Ashie62 wrote: Wolf 29.75 Million Molina wants no less than 2 years and to think Seaver was run out of town for having the gall to ask for more than $225,000

Yup. Then they flooded the valley to bring in the hydro-'lectric and after that, I tell ya kids, nothin' was ever the same.

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: MFS62 wrote: Oh, this just in. Julio Franco said that Benji Molina was his boyhood idol. What, did he belong to some sort of circle-worshipping faith?

Better than a circle jerking faith

[metirish]

Rafael Soriano to the Rays ,
Rich Harden to the Rangers for $7.5M
Kevin Millwood to the Orioles for Chris Ray.