Frayed Knot

Biggest local question is Pedro Feliciano. Adam Rubin seems to think that they'll NOT make an offer for fear of getting stuck with a $4mil price tag on an aging LOOGY who appeared in 468 games just last season alone. The restriction about not being able to then make a deal with your own non-arb offered player no longer exists so the Mets & Pedro could still reach an agreement separate from this process, only with the other 29 teams being able to compete as well. That means the only drawback to NOT offering is, that as a 'Type B' FA, Pedro signing with another team would net us a Supplemental Round pick in next year's draft. No arb = no pick regardless of if/where he signs.

So I guess that means they'll be slotting in Rene Lachman as pitching coach

Now he's a guy who could clearly get a better deal elsewhere - at least a longer one. As long as there's a team who decides that ~$15/per for a closer is worthwhile said team would most likely be willing to take a shot at 2 years with him, even at age 41.

What happened w/ Omir Santos last year? Warthen made some comments - I think it was last spring - to the effect that Omir wasn't exactly the favorite target for most of the pitchers. Rubin's comment that maybe some players felt that way also is a new one at least to me.

outgrow as in literally outgrow ? He's already reportedly VERY slow afoot and teenagers still growing don't generally get faster/quicker as they age - so, yeah, outgrow in both a physical sense but also in that MOST teenage short-stops don't stay there so he was almost a certainty to get moved off there as he advances to higher levels and faces stiffer competition whether he gets a lot bigger or not.

Edgy DC wrote: What did the crack about Reese Havens and Mookie Wilson mean? Nothing. Those were answers to separate questions. The part about Havens "resting comfortably" is certainly a crack about him constantly being in a state where he's recovering from something - but it was unrelated to whatever he said about Mookie.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: So what are you gonna ask Adam? About his views on the CPF Ranking system of course.

Fman99 wrote: Now, Jeter is the modern-day Babe Ruth, at least according to his agent (quoting the Yankees vaguely). The point Casey Close [the agent] is making is that the Yanx were all too happy to tout Jeter's worth as more than just his ball-playing skills and bill him as "their Ruth" for this generation ... but now that it's time to actually pay him they're making sure to tell anyone with a notepad that this is "strictly a baseball contract". Mathews is saying that even though it's a different time and different rules, given the NYY track record, Close shouldn't be surprised that this is how the team plays hardball. What makes it even worse for the player/agent side is the days of a Steinbrenner bending over for an agent with a last-minute, above-market contract based on appeals to sentimentality or short-term back-page pub [George w/Bernie, Hank w/ARod] appears to be over as the bean-counters seem to be totally in charge in Yanqui-land these days. I still think Jeter winds up in the Bronx and probably gets more than the 3x$15 that's being floated about (no formal offer made so far apparently) but it's going to be interesting to see how willing to dig their heels in each side is going to get.

Okey-doke, I think we're done here as a two-year deal delivers Mr. Collins to Queens, New York. TEAMMgr - Sept �10STATUS / UpdatedMgr (NEW) 2011A�sB. GerenOption Picked up for 2011B. GerenANGELSM. ScosciaUnder Contract thru 2018M. ScosciaASTROSB. MillsUnder Contract thru 2012B. MillsBLUE JAYSC. GastonRetiredJ. FarrellBRAVESB. CoxRetiredF. GonzalezBREWERSK. MachaFiredR. RoenickeCARDINALST. LaRussaUnsigned - Re-upped for 1 yr + optionT. LaRussaCUBSM. QuadeInterim - Signed 2 yr deal 10/19M. QuadeD�BACKSK. GibsonInterim - Signed 2/yr deal on 10/4K. GibsonDODGERSJ. TorreRetiredD. MattinglyGIANTSB. BochyUnder Contract thru 2011B. BochyINDIANSM. ActaUnder Contract thru 2012M. ActaMARINERSD. BrownInterimE. WedgeMARLINSE. RodriguezInterim - Rcv'd extension thru 2011E. RodriguezMETSJ. ManuelFiredT. CollinsNATIONALSJ. RigglemanRenewed w/contract thru 2011J. RigglemanORIOLESB. ShowalterUnder contract thru 2013B. ShowalterPADRESB. BlackUnder Contract thru 2013B. BlackPHILLIESC. ManuelUnder Contract thru 2011C. ManuelPIRATESJ. RussellFiredC. HurdleRANGERSR. WashingtonUnsigned - Re-upped thru 2012R. WashingtonRAYSJ. MaddonUnder Contract thru 2012J. MaddonRED SOXT. FranconaUnder Contract thru 2011T. FranconaREDSD. BakerUnsigned - Rcv'd 2/yr extension on 10/4D. BakerROCKIESJ. TracyUnder Contract thru 2012J. TracyROYALSN YostUnder Contract thru 2012N. YostTIGERSJ. LeylandUnder Contract thru 2011J. LeylandTWINSR. GardenhireUnder Contract thru [crossout]2011[/crossout] 2013R. GardenhireWHITE SOXO. GuillenUnder Contract thru 2011O. GuillenYANKEESJ. GirardiUnsigned - Resigned for 3 yrsJ. Girardi

Reportedly a [u:3d7krm5v]Two-Year Deal[/u:3d7krm5v] - which means I can really put off worrying about that third year players' revolt.

I'm optimistic ... at least in the short term. His track record suggests wearing out his welcome by year 3 or so but I'm not going to pre-worry about 2013 now.

Rubin via ESPN.com NEW YORK -- Eleven years after he last served as a major league manager, Terry Collins again holds that title. The New York Mets have selected the 61-year-old Collins as the 20th manager in franchise history, according to a team source. Collins served as the organization's minor league field coordinator this past season. He previously managed the Houston Astros from 1994 to 1996 and the then-Anaheim Angels from 1997 to 1999, compiling a 444-434 record. He emerged from a field of 10 managerial candidates, including fellow finalists Wally Backman, Chip Hale and Bob Melvin. Collins most recently managed the Orix Buffaloes in Japan in 2007 and 2008, then China's entry in the World Baseball Classic last year. He had appeared in line to succeed Jim Tracy as Los Angeles Dodgers manager five years ago, but that unraveled when Paul DePodesta was pushed out as general manager during the managerial interview process. DePodesta recently joined general manager Sandy Alderson's staff with the Mets as vice president of player development and amateur scouting. "I was the minor league director and the field coordinator over there," Collins recalled last week. "I knew the young players, and they were starting to go young. So I thought I had a real good chance there. Certainly when Paul got let go, I was probably as disappointed as anybody." Collins had been one of three finalists the last time the Mets cast a wide search for a manager. Instead, Willie Randolph was hired by then-general manager Omar Minaya to lead the team into the 2005 season and beyond. Then-Texas Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo was the other finalist. DePodesta recently heaped praise on Collins, calling him an "absolute star in player development," and suggesting Collins' experience in Houston and Anaheim would be an asset in his third stint as a major league manager. "I think any of us who have been in these jobs in various organizations learn a lot every step of the way," DePodesta said. "I've been through four organizations now. I'm hopeful some of the things I've been exposed to over that time will be helpful to the Mets, and I think the same could be said for Terry. He's been a major league manager a couple of different times. You learn an awful lot from that. He's been in the Far East. I think, again, he's had a lot of success in player development. So I think there are a lot of things about his experiences that are worthwhile. Everyone likes different personalities. I really like Terry's intensity. I think he's a tremendous organizational guy." and so on

Mets have gotten some decent to good contributions out of recent middle/later round picks such as Thole, Parnell, Niese, Murphy, Gee, Duda, just in the last two seasons. Tough to know how much the scouting director had over any or all of those as ultimately it's the GM's call but it's certainly not a bad record for a small sample. But I'm sure the new guys have their own ideas and maybe own people in mind, plus the structure could be different enough to simply eliminate that job title and have the duties absorbed by either Riccardi or DePodesta. As far as what it means for the guys already drafted I can't see how who drafted them should matter in the evaluation of where they are now and their track record as pro players.

Edgy DC wrote: Has anybody asked Davey Johnson what he thinks? He probably has an opinion about who can run a team, though he'd probably be politic about shooting any candidacy down. Davey says" 'Make mine a Collins'

Took me a second to figure which was the wife and which the daughter. Both are lookin' good.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Or maybe the Mets will sign Jeter and move Jose to second base! Heard that suggested on FAN just last night ... by a Met fan!! And he appeared to be serious too - claimed it would send attendance soaring.

Initial reports have the Yanx offering Jeter a contract of 3 x $15 sometime in the next few days - a deal which represents a pay cut both from the average per/yr rate of the just-expired contract ($18.9) and especially the last years of that deal (~$21). It also takes him just through age 39 as compared to the deal for his fellow left-side infielder which runs until he's 42. The fun part comes via rumors that are starting to come out - at least some of which have all the markings of intentional leaks from Levine or the Steinbrenner boys. One says the team wants to pay him "strictly as a ballplayer" (implication: NOT as an icon) while another suggests that this is a good deal "unless his ego gets in the way", something which sounds like a preemptive strike against higher/longer requests. One report talked about the two sides being some $45-50 million apart - implying that maybe the (officially silent so far) Jeter camp is doing some leaking of its own about wanting something closer to 5 x $18.

Dave Lennon (via radio) chimes in with a Melvin prediction. Says Collins also has a shot but doesn't even mention the other two.

G-Fafif wrote: Danny the Rational (Sometimes) Mets Fan phones the Mets to inform them they can expect one fewer renewal if Bob Melvin is named manager. YAWN! - 'We can't have him cuz he's been fired before' -- So has virtually every non first-time manager ever. - 'Twice!' -- Oh, well in that case - "People close to him" say he won't like NYC, he doesn't like the media -- Yeah, how close exactly? His cousin? His barber? Also, it sounds like what we heard about Olerud. - 'Melvin is boring while Backman "bleeds orange and blue' -- Spare me! - He's the only manager that will cause fans to cancel -- Really ... ya gonna stick with that one?

Edgy DC wrote: I'm pretty sure that Jim Carrey's life is still pretty good. He is, as of very recently, a grandfather. He's 48, his daughter (his only child from what I can tell) 23.

Ceetar wrote: metirish wrote: What really grinds my gears in this "debate" is saying that Hernandez didn't pitch in any meaningful games after May, what an insult to the player , and the game no? It's also an implication that Sabathia's not very clutch and pitches worse under pressure, so why should we give him the award anyway? and I'd argue that Sabathia was pitching with a safety net anyway, not exactly do or die games. Especially since the Yanx via Girardi all but flat out stated down the stretch that they weren't playing to win the division - that as long as they finished ahead of Boston and whatever other Central & West teams were next closest things were just fine and dandy.

MoY hardware gets Gardenhire a 2-year extension TEAMMgr - Sept �10STATUS / UpdatedMgr (NEW) 2011A�sB. GerenOption Picked up for 2011B. GerenANGELSM. ScosciaUnder Contract thru 2018M. ScosciaASTROSB. MillsUnder Contract thru 2012B. MillsBLUE JAYSC. GastonRetiredJ. FarrellBRAVESB. CoxRetiredF. GonzalezBREWERSK. MachaFiredR. RoenickeCARDINALST. LaRussaUnsigned - Re-upped for 1 yr + optionT. LaRussaCUBSM. QuadeInterim - Signed 2 yr deal 10/19M. QuadeD�BACKSK. GibsonInterim - Signed 2/yr deal on 10/4K. GibsonDODGERSJ. TorreRetiredD. MattinglyGIANTSB. BochyUnder Contract thru 2011B. BochyINDIANSM. ActaUnder Contract thru 2012M. ActaMARINERSD. BrownInterimE. WedgeMARLINSE. RodriguezInterim - Rcv'd extension thru 2011E. RodriguezMETSJ. ManuelFired---NATIONALSJ. RigglemanRenewed w/contract thru 2011J. RigglemanORIOLESB. ShowalterUnder contract thru 2013B. ShowalterPADRESB. BlackUnder Contract thru 2013B. BlackPHILLIESC. ManuelUnder Contract thru 2011C. ManuelPIRATESJ. RussellFiredC. HurdleRANGERSR. WashingtonUnsigned - Re-upped thru 2012R. WashingtonRAYSJ. MaddonUnder Contract thru 2012J. MaddonRED SOXT. FranconaUnder Contract thru 2011T. FranconaREDSD. BakerUnsigned - Rcv'd 2/yr extension on 10/4D. BakerROCKIESJ. TracyUnder Contract thru 2012J. TracyROYALSN YostUnder Contract thru 2012N. YostTIGERSJ. LeylandUnder Contract thru 2011J. LeylandTWINSR. GardenhireUnder Contract thru [crossout]2011[/crossout] 2013R. GardenhireWHITE SOXO. GuillenUnder Contract thru 2011O. GuillenYANKEESJ. GirardiUnsigned - Resigned for 3 yrsJ. Girardi

bmfc1 wrote: Press conference Tuesday. We're getting Pujols?!?!?!!?

Caught about 10 minutes of Francesa who - to his credit - was defending the Felix CY ... at least sort of. He'd do a decent job of explaining to disgruntled Yanqui fans about baserunners allowed, and ERA, and run support, and how those things trump the simple calculation of wins, and how if you swapped teams the W/L results would be very different, yyybbb. Where he then hedged his bet was in trotting out the argument that Hernandez, in contrast to Price-Abathia, didn't have to pitch in any tough games so "they still need to adjust the formula". No, Mike, there is no formula to adjust. Placement is still a judgement call just like it always was, it's just that now the voters are utilizing more info than they ever did to get to those placements. The part that cracks me up about this 'statsaphobia' some of these old-timers have is the notion that 'Wins' (or RBI in the case of MVP awards) isn't just a stat itself and the only thing different about the recent voting trend they're screaming about is that today's writers are merely using more and different stats in place of the old limited and misleading ones to go along with their judgements.

There's two groups this is going to upset and I'm happy to see both get their panties in a knot 1) YLDBs who'll rant and rave about anti-Yanqui bias and jealousy yyybbb. 2) Non-baseball sports geeks. When this question came up a lot at the tail end of the season the strictly baseball guys (Olney, Kurkjian, etc.) for the most part both supported and predicted King Felix to win. Five or six years back, they admitted, would be a completely different story but they now not only were they on board about the newer/better interpretation of stats and year-end records but believed most baseball writers "got it" also. It's going to be the non-baseball guys, those multi-sport writers/announcers (who in my view hate baseball to begin with) who will denounce this as 'Geeks Gone Wild' and another step in baseball's demise before they start sermonizing about how 'Bob Gibson would have found a way to win those games' and other such horse-shit.