Frayed Knot

Wagner also playing the "not ready" card. Also talked about wanting to get more familiar with his new team. If these players continue to defect like this it's not going to be a good sign for the WBC as a whole. The players - as a whole - signed off on this but now too many individuals aren't so enthusiastic and this pulling out just gives credence to the nay-sayers who claim it's too much too soon even as MLB tries to promote it as something everyone's on board with.

Keep in mind that a trade for Soriano is a trade to take on $10mil - plus it's a one-and-out situation. I think that alone makes it less likely than many here fear (and many elsewhere hope). So unless Washington is going to take back KazMat's money and stick him as SS while sitting Guzman and all his millions ...

BTW, since we're making reference to old Jose Reyes arguments: Pitt SS Jack Wilson; 3 years/$20 mil, starting next year ('07-'09) Wilson has 5 yrs ML service: .263/.304/.368 - much of that 'dragged up' by his best year in '04: .308/.335/.459 No other year breaks the .306 OBA mark. He's been about 2 yrs older than Reyes (.277/.303/.395 career to date) at similar stages of their careers. Not sure what Jack is being paid this season, the last of his arb-years. He got $1.85mil & $3.25 over the last twos so I'd guess somewhere in the $5 range. He's a better fielder than Jose at this point and a good, though not quite as good, baserunner. IOW, he's a 2-yr older version of where Reyes will be entering his year 6, assuming that Reyes gets no better over the next 3 years

I didn't see him as making the squad anyway as I thought that Matsui had better odds of finding his lost skills than Boone did at turning back the clock. Now I wonder if this makes the team go looking for another candidate to challenge Matsui? Not sure that they're ready to turn things over to Andy Handy if they do find a taker for the Kaz-man.

I believe that number came from BP's "PECOTA" projection and it was for the 2006 season -- although I think that may have been done a while ago and they may have an updated one since. My new BP handbook is on order so I haven't seen it or their specific numbers yet but I did read recently that PECOTA is projecting Reyes for a "breakout" season (usually defined as an increase of X% or more).

we always went with "tie-PAY". Yup!

The entire grid for those jonesing for your TV baseball fix. There will prolly be local stations - like the Ch 9 example from SI's post - that will pick up games listed as only available over ESPN Deportes.

Yes, Patchy Fogg deserves a significant assist for Adam's visit. It certainly helps when you're inviting a guest to have someone already in contact lie to ... umm, I mean vouch for the fact that this site isn't filled with a bunch a stereotyped screaming internet weenies with an MTV-like attention span and the social skills of Boo Radley. Well, not most of us anyway. P.S. I think we can un-stick this one now.

What made Mookie Mookie was his Mookiness

metirish wrote: All his kids names start with a K.... And Knucklehead was already taken

Adam Rubin's column in today's Daily News features Willie discussing lineup machinations: * Beltran probable for #3 and doesn't necessarily buy the cause-and-effect differences in his career stats between hitting 2nd & 3rd (on that point I agree) * as hinted at in his visit last night ... Matsui is a possibility for the #2 slot on days LoDuca sits (providing Kaz shows something during ST) as a less disruptive alternative to swapping Beltran's spot every few days * Not automatically adverse to letting the lefties (CF & CD) hit back-to-back * defends his "break-in" process with Wright last year

Thanks Adam, Between your earlier visits plus tonight I think you've gone above and beyond. And I think it's safe to say that many here are looking forward to the book.

And as a bit of a follow-up to some of Rotblatt's questions about minor leaguers: I noticed during the few times I've heard you on the radio and also in some of your columns from last year that you have a pretty good grasp on Met minor leaguers - something it's always seemed to me that the big city media has ignored for the most part over the years. I've also seen some of the other papers (Newsday most notably) start to pay more attention in the last year or so as well. Is this something you and/or your paper have made a conscious effort to follow more closely as compared to previous years?

"I think there's a chance you may see Matsui as the No. 2 hitter on a part-time basis this year." I'm gonna guess that means Matsui as #2 while Castro is catching and LoDuca sitting, but we can wait until tomorrow's edition for that answer.

Hi Adam, welcome back, In general, how much stock do you put into the adage that it's much tougher for players - particularly new ones - to thrive while playing in NYC? While I suspect that there is such a thing as players getting spooked by the increased scrutiny, I wonder if we Noo Yawkers aren't sometimes too quick to cite the bright lights/big city as cause-and-effect whenever a newcomer's numbers slip from their previous levels simply because it fits the pre-determined story line. Are there signs you look for as to whether or not it really is the increased glare that's causing an off-season and are there some (Beltran maybe?) who you definitely thought were affected (and is any of this a part of the book)?

I'm always leery when somebody(ies) suddenly "discover" oodles of deserving yet un-honored H-o-F-ers

Yancy Street Gang wrote: A lot of people are Googling Elio Chacon today. I have no idea why. 86 Across in this week's Sunday NYTimes crossword was: 'Shortstop Chacon of the 1962 Mets' which could have sent numerous folks scrambling for Google in an effort to decipher; E L I O I realize that you posted this on Saturday but those with home delivery often get some of the supplements ahead of time and, amongst certain Manhattan-ites, there's almost a race to see who can buy the first full "Sunday" copies as they begin to hit the stands late Saturday afternoon.

Maybe, but I think his problem is that only Venezuela wants to use him as a CFer, not the O's.

Apparently his "position problems" are with Venezuela not with the Orioles. The national team wants him to play CF in the WBC and he's reluctant to switch there only to switch back once it's over. And I guess that he's in a contract year only exacebates his unease.

Just a reminder to all that Adam Rubin is scheduled to be by for a "live" online chat at 9 PM tonight to discuss both the state of the Mets in general and his upcoming (Wednesday) book in particular. The are no specific rules set up for this and it's not going to be "moderated" in any way; but I'm thinking that since this is a "real time" chat - as opposed to his early visits when he answered a bunch of our longer pre-submitted queries - maybe we can aim this towards a series of shorter questions which would allow all present to get a question or two in and not take A.R. too long to answer any one. An attempt to keep them to a more-or-less one at a time pace would also be preferable to throwing out a whole bunch at 9:02. So come on by if your schedule permits. Nothing like a little first-hand baseball talk to help deal with your curling withdrawl.

Cablevison to carry SNY says Bloomberg (the business service, not the Mayor). No contract is yet signed, but according to "people familiar with the negotiations" ... "Cablevision Systems Corp., the New York-area's No. 1 cable television operator, reached agreement to carry the network that shows Mets baseball games". What this all sounds like is that they know they can't force SNY onto a "pay tier" status since they tried and lost that battle in court with YES a few years ago. So they're going to carry the channel prolly with details (like price) still to be determined. Without the $$ figures it's still possible it can fall apart I suppose but right now this gives them a leg up on 'Direct TV' and should stem mass defections. Then all they'll have to do is figure out what to put on their MSG channel between the time the Ranger season ends this Spring and the new one begins next October.

Nationals P Brian Lawrence was diagnosed with a torn labrum and is out until after midseason. Dammit, I knew this was going to happen as soon as the WBC got going. Oh, wait a minute!

The fact that there are numerous flicks on that list just since 2000 that I've never heard of makes me think that I'm not likely to put a big dent into this list (or even try to) anytime in the near future. Plus, there are a number of movies listed that, while good, are hardly ones I'd stick in a must-see-before-you-croak category.

I haven't followed this uber-closely but it seems to me that Bagwell has been pretty stand-up here. He claims that he believes he can still play and wants to use ST to prove it, but that if he is UNable to go he'd "sign the papers himself" declaring that he's physically not up to par and allowing the 'Stros to recoup their money via the insurance co. What he's objecting to is that the Astros seem to be pre-emptively deciding that's he's too hurt to go because they realize that he's not going to be worth the $17mil he's owed this year even if he can play and are looking for a way to weasel out of it just as the Yanx searched for any out in Giambi's deal a year ago. What's gonna hurt the Astros here is that they willingly put him on their active roster at the tail end of last season and would have a tough time explaining how he was good enough for their stretch drive then but damaged-beyond-repair now. The only real scenarios which could play out in their favor are the one where Bags agrees that he's shot, or the one where they get several doctors to swear that he can't play at all. So far they've had no luck in the latter strategy.

So let me get this straight, if we refuse to change the name of this site your captors will do horrible and possibly painful things to you? Hmmmm ... Yo Mods, is there some way we can make our current logo bigger?