Fman99

="Centerfield":5wbs4bv6]I heard the Mets are about to make a serious run at Ben Sheets.[/quote:5wbs4bv6] Don't tease us. Where did you hear this CF? Elster88 Jan 06 2009 08:42 PM ="Fman99":2e62iyx4]="Centerfield":2e62iyx4]I heard the Mets are about to make a serious run at Ben Sheets.[/quote:2e62iyx4] Don't tease us. Where did you hear this CF?[/quote:2e62iyx4] Val's uncle. Rockin' Doc Jan 06 2009 08:56 PM ="Elster88":2uq59gt4]="Fman99":2uq59gt4]="Centerfield":2uq59gt4]I heard the Mets are about to make a serious run at Ben Sheets.[/quote:2uq59gt4] Don't tease us. Where did you hear this CF?[/quote:2uq59gt4] Val's uncle.[/quote:2uq59gt4] Ouch! Spacemans Bong Jan 07 2009 12:39 AM ="Centerfield":1sw59tqo]The way Heyman is reporting on this Lowe situation, you'd think Boras has him in his back pocket. In his blog, he writes that the Mets might be falling behind in the race for Lowe. http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/hot_stove/posts/37542[/quote:1sw59tqo] You just noticed that? Heyman's Boras's boy in the media. Frayed Knot Jan 07 2009 12:20 PM Caught a radio spot with Gammons -- who was saying that, now with the internet being the main source of info these days, "several outlets" have essentially become [u:21mnwbyh]ScottBoras.com[/u:21mnwbyh], a place where the agent can get his message out whether it's actual info or not. He didn't mention Heyman (or anyone else for that matter) by name, but it also was NOT an ESPN appearance so it didn't give the feeling of being a 'all you lesser sites suck' rant either. He then went on to call one of the Brewer front office folks (forget which) "my personal hero" for running down a list of just about every Boras client and saying; "nope", "haven't talked with them", "not him", "not him either", etc., etc. simply because he was sick of hearing/reading public reports that had his team in talks with just about every client Scotty has. Lowe was mentioned as one of those guys who the Brew exec claims they're not talking to. Edgy DC Jan 07 2009 12:24 PM Yes, but I bet he didn't deny "lurking." Number 6 Jan 07 2009 07:53 PM Below is a link to part of the transcript of the Gammons radio interview FK cites. Some other interesting tidbits in there besides the comment on Boras's tactics in using online reporting to manipulate the market, though that's probably the most head-turning. Gammons doing quite a bit of bemoaning, but not wrongly on all points. Plus, the female member of the Globe's Red Sox reporting team is librarian-style cute. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/01/gammonss_take.html John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 07 2009 08:27 PM I'd like to show her my dewey decimal, if you know what I mean. Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2009 07:54 AM ="The Boston Globe"] Lowe to meet with Braves Posted by Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff January 8, 2009 09:10 AM With the news that John Smoltz may be headed to the Red Sox, it should come as a no surprise that the Braves appear to be intensifying their pursuit of another free-agent pitcher: Derek Lowe. According to a baseball source, Lowe is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Braves this afternoon in Atlanta. The Braves have spent much of the offseason looking for another starting pitcher since since acquiring Javier Vazquez from the Chicago White Sox and now appear focused on Lowe as that alternative. Thus far, it has been a tough offseason for the Braves, who have come up empty in pursuits of Smoltz, pitchers Jake Peavy and A.J. Burnett, and shortstop Rafael Furcal, among others. Atlanta always has appeared to have some interest in Lowe, but until now, indications were that Lowe preferred to focus his sights on teams in the Northeast. At the moment, Lowe is believed to have only a three-year offer from the New York Mets worth $36 million, an average of $12 million per year. The Braves may be in a position where they have to guarantee a fourth year at a higher average annual salary in order to get a deal done with the pitcher. The Red Sox are not involved in negotiations for Lowe. metirish Jan 08 2009 07:59 AM Read in the Snooze today that the Mets and Boras are far far apart in the numbers , Boras is thinking 4 years $64 million while Harper says the Mets would go to $40 million to get the deal done but not add more years. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 08:06 AM Good find #6 This part kills me: Q: On whether they Sox will sign Varitek, a Boras client: Gammons: Well, if he calls and says, 'I'll sign at $2 million,' they might do it. ... How Scott Boras looked him in the eye and said, 'By the way, I turned down $10 million [in arbitration],' is beyond me. [Varitek] would have made a minimum of $10 million, maybe $11 million. And there are a bunch of guys like that -- Jon Garland, Orlando Cabrera. There are a bunch of guys who are not even going to come close to what they made in arbitration. Q: On whether Varitek wanted to accept arbitration and Boras steered him a different way: Gammons: I don't know. I know the players' association was strongly advising agents not to take arbitration. They felt that teams were trying to control players for one year at a lesser amount than they'd have to pay down the line. But again, if you're Jon Garland or Ben Sheets or Orlando Cabrera or Jason Varitek, it cost you a lot of money. FK: The MLBPA seems to have this attitude that they won't give in to the owners even in those cases where it hurts their members. HAH! They can't control us. Just watch, we'll have our players take 80% pay cuts just to show them they can't control us!!! Yeah, you showed 'em all right. Fman99 Jan 08 2009 09:37 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1cpmrst4]I'd like to show her my dewey decimal, if you know what I mean.[/quote:1cpmrst4] I'd knock her right in her Breeders' Circle�. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 06:00 AM Ken Rosenthal on Mets Hot Stove Report last night says that, while the Braves are now looking like competition with the Mets for Lowe, as far as he knows, nobody other than the Mets has expressed any interest in Oliver Perez. He's pretty sure that the Mets will end up with either Lowe or Perez. metirish Jan 09 2009 06:31 AM ="Benjamin Grimm":3nzbjmer] He's pretty sure that the Mets will end up with either Lowe or Perez.[/quote:3nzbjmer] Any shot at both? , I think Lowe for what is being talked about would fine in terms of money and more importantly years and Ollie for four years and $40 million would be sweet. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 07:33 AM "Any shot at both?" I highly doubt that. Maybe one of them plus Petey, or plus Wolfie, or plus Redding, etc., but I don't see them inking two $12-$15mil/yr hurlers in the same month, not just on account of the money but also giving up the draft picks that would go with doing that. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 07:43 AM The only way I can see "both" happening is if the Mets sign Lowe and there's really no other market for Perez. In that case Boras might be willing to have Ollie sign a one-year deal with the Mets and try the market again after the 2009 season. Not a likely scenario, I don't think, but a possible one. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 07:45 AM Well, there may be one $12 million guy and one $11 million guy. My mind is open. Let's not cough at Ollie's return. Two interesting stats about him: He had a 3.77 ERA after Manuel and Warthan came in. Lefties slugged. .271 off of him. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 07:50 AM I like Ollie and the only thing that gives me any pause is the Mets seemingly casual attitude about having him back. He's obviously got great talent and some flair, and he;'s healthy as far as we know, yeah? And he's 8 -- EIGHT -- years younger than Lowe. 8! Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 07:57 AM .271! Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 08:22 AM ="Edgy DC":1qbzwli1].271![/quote:1qbzwli1] 105! * Perez's league-leading walk total Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 08:29 AM The walk rate also dropped precipitously after Manuel came in, from 5.97 to 4.21 per nine innings. Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 08:35 AM if he'd done that over his 194 innings he'd have walked 90, still good for 5th most in the leaguw. so his walks went from atrocious to merely bad. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 09:15 AM And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 11:11 AM Petey comes out in favor[/url:nsem0o4a] of the Mets signing Lowe ... he also comes out in favor of the Mets signing Petey!! metirish Jan 09 2009 11:15 AM Hilarious from Pedro in regards to Fred and Jeff. ] "I don't go to the papers a lot, but I know what happened to [team owner] Mr. Fred Wilpon, and I feel very badly for him," Martinez said, referring to Wilpon's investments with alleged swindler Bernard Madoff. "I feel very badly for the whole organization that those things happen. I wish I could do something. I just pray that [Wilpon] bounces back and we can give him the World Series that he deserves." John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 11:32 AM Pedro's pissed because Madoff stole more than he did from the 'pons. Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 11:32 AM ="Edgy DC":er6x240t]And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect.[/quote:er6x240t] he's old and relatively fat, but he was good the last 3 years in LA, i'd take him over Perez. where did you hear he was "dicky"? metirish Jan 09 2009 11:36 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3up0zjlh]Pedro's pissed because Madoff stole more than he did from the 'pons.[/quote:3up0zjlh] Exactly what I was thinking , Pedro at least got away with it. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 11:39 AM It looks like Lowe has been pretty solid. He may not be as flashy as Perez, but I'll take solid over flashy. Especially after the last two seasons. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 11:47 AM ="Nymr83"]="Edgy DC"]And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect. he's old and relatively fat, but he was good the last 3 years in LA, i'd take him over Perez. where did you hear he was "dicky"? It's all over. Say his name out loud right now, and I guarantee, if at least three persons are within earshot, one of them will respond, "That guy's a dick!" Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 11:54 AM That's ambiguous. To clarify, by dick, I mean racially exclusive pill-popping carousing boozehound: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2006/04/lowes_double_bad_day.php metirish Jan 09 2009 11:58 AM What a dick Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 12:03 PM You hear that, Nymr? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 02:07 PM he doesn't count, he read the hit-piece that looks like it came straight from the wife's divorce lawyer. ok, maybe he's a dick, but he pitches well and doesn't look like a distraction on the field (Ramirez-style) so whatever. the Mets need pitching, even pitching with flawed personal lives. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 02:14 PM Yeah, we're looking for a pitcher, not a brother-in-law. Zvon Jan 09 2009 02:28 PM I read they gave Scott Boros a tour of Citi Field the other day. WTF? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 02:33 PM "...and on your right you'll see the private suite we reserve for players' agents, but only if their clients have signed with us..." Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 03:02 PM Since when are you Mr. Tolerate Personal Flaws? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 04:13 PM since we needed the pitching Edgy DC Jan 10 2009 09:29 PM Root the Yankees. They got it all. Me, I'm definitely for the non-dickulous. Frayed Knot Jan 11 2009 09:18 AM Not exactly anything new here, but Newsday's Ken Davidoff suggests[/url:3tucfsf7] that the Mets "remain confident" that they'll wind up with either Lowe or a return engagement by Ollie Perez. He mentions the recent Braves meeting with Lowe - but that's just one team. He goes on to quote pitching-hungry Brewer GM Doug Melvin as saying that; "I haven't even talked to Scott Boras" Also the Phils recent re-upping of CH Park pretty much fills out their rotation. While the BoSox have put a retainer on the rehabbing law firm of Smoltz, Penny, & Saito. Ashie62 Jan 11 2009 09:38 AM Omar hires the law firm Trickem Dickem & Lickem to pursue a starting pitcher. Derek Lowes numbers are solid over the last 3 years. He throws strikes. Is he a dick? As said earlier ask a few people about anyone and we're all dicks. I'm a dick and have a small one to prove it. I wonder if Oliver Twist is pissed the Mets made him sing for his supper this season and is apparently likely to see his price drop. Maybe Ben Sheet's price will go down to reasonable lets take a shot territory.. metsguyinmichigan Jan 11 2009 09:08 PM If the Braves get Lowe, that makes it easier to sign Perez, no? One fewer team with money looking for a starter? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 11 2009 09:46 PM Braves apparently have signed that Kenshin Kawakami guy. If he's a starter, maybe they're out too. Centerfield Jan 12 2009 08:16 AM Ken Rosenthal said they were "all over" Lowe in an article over the weekend. So if you follow the logic of this thread, the Braves really like dick. metirish Jan 12 2009 08:39 AM Here's a new wrinkle to the Lowe talks. Jon Heyman ] Mets: Lowe-ball pitcher needed A secret batting practice session with David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans last September at Citifield convinced all the players that the Mets' new home won't be the pitching park Mets people expected, but rather a launching pad for home runs. And some within their hierarchy have used this inside knowledge to stump for Lowe, a groundball pitcher, suggesting he might work better than Oliver Perez, a flyball pitcher. Lowe is far from a certainty to join the Mets, however. He is in play for the Braves and quite possibly the under-the-radar Phillies. The Brewers and Angels are outside possibilities (the Red Sox have to be out now after signing Cooperstown-bound John Smoltz). At this point, Lowe appears most likely ticketed for one of those three NL East teams. The Braves still have $60 million to $80 million left over from what they didn't spend on A.J. Burnett. But if Lowe goes to the world champion Phillies, that would give them a superb five-man rotation and put them in a dominating position to win the division for the third straight year. Even so, the Mets don't appear to be all in for Lowe to this point. GM Omar Minaya, who met with Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado during their recruitment periods and plans to meet soon with Pedro Martinez, has yet to meet with Lowe, who has huddled with the Braves and Phillies already. It seems that while some Mets people have stumped hard for Lowe, Minaya prefers the young left-hander Perez, which might explain their lukewarm $36-million, three-year offer to Lowe. Unless they change their stance, maybe Minaya will get his wish and be able to go after Perez after all. I had not heard this before , I knew about the BP but not that CF might be a launching pad. Of course we won't know until actual play but still I shudder at the thoughts of that. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 08:53 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2009 09:42 AM ="Nymr83"]he doesn't count, he read the hit-piece that looks like it came straight from the wife's divorce lawyer. Read it again. The depositions are open public records. That he threw his wife over for the FOX chick, that's public knowledge. That he was (is?) using Adderall, prescribed by a team doctor without an exam, that comes from his deposition. That the Red Sox suspected a drinking problem, his deposition also. That he got drunk in the clubhouse after games with the clubhouse manager, that comes from Trinka. But the manager disputes only the degrees, not the facts, though the degrees are higly relevant. That he was busted after a domestic disturbance, there's no independent source, but it can't be hard for a reporter to find one, and we don't get a denial. The explicitly segregated dinners, right out of the horse's mouth.Not in that report, in March 2006, Lowe whined that "he just didn't care" and wanted to go on the disabled list with "emotional distress" because of the hard times brought on him when he was discovered to be a womanizing jock. I mean, carrying on with a TV reporter, who could have expected that to go public? smg58 Jan 12 2009 09:27 AM [url:1dwd0gfh]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:1dwd0gfh] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield. seawolf17 Jan 12 2009 09:50 AM ="smg58":27rfu7sx][url:27rfu7sx]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:27rfu7sx] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:27rfu7sx] That was what I remembered also, not the "launching pad" thing. Heyman's an ass. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 09:56 AM ="seawolf17":18o7iaxe]="smg58":18o7iaxe][url:18o7iaxe]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:18o7iaxe] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:18o7iaxe] That was what I remembered also, not the "launching pad" thing. Heyman's an ass.[/quote:18o7iaxe] I don't buy that linked story either, at least not all of it. I think we'll have to wait and see. I think stuff like the batter's eye and lighting has as much or more to do with it than fence heights and configurations. The Mets have also indicated the fences can go up or down if needed, I think I read somewhere. batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2009 09:57 AM ="smg58":1lloyi2s][url:1lloyi2s]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:1lloyi2s] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:1lloyi2s] This was a good read. By the way, I was always under the impression that Citi Field would favor the pitcher slightly. So Heyman's piece notwithstanding, am I misremembering? metirish Jan 12 2009 09:58 AM No you are not misremembering but I think Heyman read Jeff Wilpon talking about Evens " even hitting them over the wall" and came to the logical conclusion that it must be a launching pad. Frayed Knot Jan 12 2009 10:01 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM According to the Mets, CitiField was designed to be, at worst, neutral and hopefully favoring pitchers somewhat. But like someone said above, the proof is in the playing and all kinds of things can affect the final outcome that may not have been thought of by the planners. It's a lot more than just the numbers on the wall. Was it the new place in Philly or in Cincy (or maybe both) where open areas behind home/3rd led to wind tunnels that carried the balls out towards RF much more than anyone thought. Neither was necessarily designed as homer-happy palaces. CF is going to be more enclosed than Shea and also turned some 25-30 degrees to the north. Not sure how much/if those will factor in. I think Heyman is taking a quickie impression based on an impromptu BP session and drawing a whole lotta silly conclusions from it. batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM ="metirish":3lsk2pws]No you are not misremembering but I think Heyman read Jeff Wilpon talking about Evens " even hitting them over the wall" and came to the logical conclusion that it must be a launching pad.[/quote:3lsk2pws] I'll say this for Heyman in fairness -- like him or not (and I'm not sure where I stand) last season, he was by far, the most accurate reporter at predicting future Mets moves ... especially during the will-they-fire-Willie and when-will-they-fire-Willie phase of the 2008 season. TransMonk Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM I don't know why anyone would think the new park will be a "launching pad". If I had to predict, I would say Citi will play similar to the new Ted in Atlanta. Similar elevation, dimensions and direction. Anything's possible depending on how the wind reacts, but I haven't seen much evidence to this point that Citi will favor HR hitters. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 10:09 AM ="TransMonk":2hobzjr5]I don't know why anyone would think the new park will be a "launching pad".[/quote:2hobzjr5] A single batting practice session with three players, that's why! seawolf17 Jan 12 2009 10:52 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":wqe3qe7s]The Mets have also indicated the fences can go up or down if needed, I think I read somewhere.[/quote:wqe3qe7s] I say they put them up when we're in the field, and down when we're at the plate. Benjamin Grimm Jan 12 2009 11:24 AM Bill Veeck tried something like that in the minor leagues. He had a chain link fence installed on a track on top of the regular fence. When the home team was batting, the fence would be rolled off to the side, and when the visitors were up it would be rolled back into place. Needless to say, he didn't get away with that for long. Nymr83 Jan 12 2009 12:45 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":ips0smpy]Bill Veeck tried something like that in the minor leagues. He had a chain link fence installed on a track on top of the regular fence. When the home team was batting, the fence would be rolled off to the side, and when the visitors were up it would be rolled back into place. Needless to say, he didn't get away with that for long.[/quote:ips0smpy] yeah, but that leads to a better idea that you might get away with... having a higher "portable" fence in games started by your flyball pitchers than you do in games started by your groundballers. Gwreck Jan 12 2009 06:12 PM ="Nymr83":1gekmyvr]yeah, but that leads to a better idea that you might get away with... having a higher "portable" fence in games started by your flyball pitchers than you do in games started by your groundballers.[/quote:1gekmyvr] I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think that's actually prohibited. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 08:02 PM Yes it is. Teams need league permission before changing ballpark dimiensions, and I'm certain they'd be intolerant of a team changing them daily on the basis of who is pitching.. Nymr83 Jan 12 2009 08:47 PM is the height of a wall included in dimensions though? or are "dimensions" just the distance from homeplate to the wall? Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 09:00 PM I guess it's a valid question, but I consider the z axis to be a dimension. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 09:39 PM I am sure that changing fence heights would require prior league approval. Frayed Knot Jan 13 2009 06:16 AM Yeah, something like that would almost certainly be done between seasons and only after notifying MLB and probably after waiting for permission. All Jeffy said was the OF was designed with the possibility of fine-tuning the wall height in mind (and maybe even small changes in distances in some spots) so that if minor adjustments were needed it wouldn't mean tearing out certain seats and blocking the views of others if the place started to look too hitter-friendly (or, presumably, too pitcher-friendly). MFS62 Jan 13 2009 06:46 AM Discussion about whether or not CitiField will be a launching pad is premature because the wind currents when Shea is down are not known yet. Later Nymr83 Jan 13 2009 07:18 AM but isn't shea basically behind homeplate which is closed off anyway? i'd only expect shea to significantly effect the winds there if shea was facing an open part of stadium. i have no proof of this, but i got the feeling every game i went to this year that citifield was having a huge effect on the winds inside shea Centerfield Jan 13 2009 07:54 AM Back to the original topic. Heyman has the Braves going 4 years, close to $60 million for Lowe. Vince Coleman Firecracker Jan 13 2009 08:05 AM ="Centerfield":3os7gt8v]Back to the original topic. Heyman has the Braves going 4 years, close to $60 million for Lowe.[/quote:3os7gt8v] Gak! Where's Ben Sheets? metirish Jan 13 2009 08:07 AM In that same Heyman article he says the Mets are proposing a three year $30 million deal for Ollie , I don't see that getting it done. seawolf17 Jan 13 2009 09:24 AM Lowe's a Brave: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/01/13/braves_lowe.html Edgy DC Jan 13 2009 09:25 AM Welcome back, Ollie! Benjamin Grimm Jan 13 2009 09:27 AM Yuck. seawolf17 Jan 13 2009 09:29 AM ="Benjamin Grimm":26lhjjuj]Yuck.[/quote:26lhjjuj] No, I'm okay with that: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270719119 bmfc1 Jan 13 2009 09:36 AM Heyman seems to be the first to report any news about Boras's clients. Peter Gammons, on January 07, said: "A lot of general managers and those of us in the business kid about a couple of sites referred to as ScottBoras.com, and Scott will float things out there and throw it out there and people will report it...." http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/01/gammonss_take.html I wonder if he was referring to Heyman. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 13 2009 09:37 AM For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie. metirish Jan 13 2009 09:40 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3qgkl57i]For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie.[/quote:3qgkl57i] Exactly , the four years is bad but they also seemed to have blown the door open with the $60 million , who did they think they were competing with? attgig Jan 13 2009 09:49 AM ="metirish":27ncuko8]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":27ncuko8]For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie.[/quote:27ncuko8] Exactly , the four years is bad but they also seemed to have blown the door open with the $60 million , who did they think they were competing with?[/quote:27ncuko8] a mystery team. who else? Fman99 Jan 13 2009 09:52 AM Good. Way too much money/years for a guy who is 36 and has his head screwed on sideways. I like Sheets or Ollie at this point as a #4 guy. Benjamin Grimm Jan 13 2009 09:58 AM I really wanted them to get someone better than Oliver Perez. I wanted a number 2 guy. Oh well. I would have been more optimistic heading into the season with Lowe than Perez. At least Redding should be an upgrade over Pedro. metsguyinmichigan Jan 13 2009 10:02 AM I'm very OK with this. That deal is going to look horrible before too long. Ollie can be lights out. He'll probably toss our first no-hitter. A seven-walk, two hit-batsman no-hitter, granted. smg58 Jan 13 2009 11:08 AM ="smg58":3cvsi3pd]A month or so ago I thought Derek Lowe would present the best value of the free agent pitchers. But I hear more rumors about teams being interested in him than in anybody else. I no longer think he'll come that cheap. He's more consistent and durable than any other pitcher on the market besides CC, but at his age I wouldn't want to be the team that offers him a fourth year at $15M+ per.[/quote:3cvsi3pd] I said that on Nov. 5, and I'm sticking to it. A Boy Named Seo Jan 13 2009 11:13 AM Good job, Mets. I don't doubt Lowe woulda been fine this year, maybe better than Ollie, and maybe good next year, too. But they weren't gonna go four expensive years on a 36-year old guy period, and they stuck to that. MFS62 Jan 13 2009 11:42 AM From age 37-40, Curt Schilling went sometning like 51-24, with ERA+ from 80 (one year) to 150 (best during that span). Not saying Lowe can come close to that, but it can happen. Of course there are probably many examples of rapid declines, too. But Lowe reminds me of Schilling - a bulldog. I wanted him on the Mets. Later Frayed Knot Jan 13 2009 01:21 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":r9o9y1ku]I'll say this for Heyman in fairness -- like him or not (and I'm not sure where I stand) last season, he was by far, the most accurate reporter at predicting future Mets moves ... especially during the will-they-fire-Willie and when-will-they-fire-Willie phase of the 2008 season.[/quote:r9o9y1ku] Heyman has long been a first-rate baseball reporter as far as digging out the facts and getting them right more often than not and often getting them first. And he didn't always get the credit for his scoops due to the tendency of the national press to cite the big-city dailies while overlooking Heyman's suburban-based Newsday. It may have been those frequent slights that prompted him to leave the newspaper biz for the brighter lights of SI, WFAN, SNY, and now MLBTV. Heyman's columnist persona while he was still at Newsday tended to irk a few around here from time to time but that was usually separate from his regular reporter chores. Nymr83 Jan 13 2009 01:30 PM too much and too long for Lowe, i'm glad it wasn't us.

="Mendoza Line":1t341mxj]So is the idea to pick the better player, the better song, or the better Bermanism? I'll go with the better Bermanism. Steve Let It Bieser vs. Norm Sherry Baby[/quote:1t341mxj] Beatles showdown! Steve Let It Bieser vs. Ron "Oh" Darling. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 06 2009 11:56 AM Steve Let it Beiser v. John Cangelosi in the Sky with Diamonds batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 11:59 AM Ron Oh Darling vs. Scott Fixing a Holman (Darryl Strawberry Fields is too obvious) seawolf17 Jan 06 2009 12:00 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3dp494km]Steve Let it Beiser v. John Cangelosi in the Sky with Diamonds[/quote:3dp494km] Steve Let It Bieser vs Ed Let's Lynch The Landlord batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 12:04 PM ="seawolf17":2u477t3c]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2u477t3c]Steve Let it Beiser v. John Cangelosi in the Sky with Diamonds[/quote:2u477t3c] Steve Let It Bieser vs Ed Let's Lynch The Landlord[/quote:2u477t3c] Steve Let It Bieser vs. Grant Doctor Roberts batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 12:11 PM ="seawolf17":1rw013oe]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1rw013oe]Steve Let it Beiser v. John Cangelosi in the Sky with Diamonds[/quote:1rw013oe] Steve Let It Bieser vs Ed Let's Lynch The Landlord[/quote:1rw013oe] seawolf: this matchup's for you --- Stairway to Heh -Vinegar Bend Mizell vs. Rico Suave Brogna Edgy DC Jan 06 2009 12:13 PM ANARCHY! seawolf17 Jan 06 2009 12:24 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":2pjtoq4y]="seawolf17":2pjtoq4y]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2pjtoq4y]Steve Let it Beiser v. John Cangelosi in the Sky with Diamonds[/quote:2pjtoq4y] Steve Let It Bieser vs Ed Let's Lynch The Landlord[/quote:2pjtoq4y] seawolf: this matchup's for you --- Stairway to Heh -Vinegar Bend Mizell vs. Rico Suave Brogna[/quote:2pjtoq4y] YES!! batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 01:03 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 06 2009 01:09 PM If I remember correctly, Berman's Bermanisms were funny because they were long. He'd use long song titles, or sometimes even work well-known long lyric phrases into the player's name instead of the song title. So you'd get something like: Stairway to Heh Vince Coleman vs. Dennis And Good Ol' Boys Were Drinking Whiskey and Ribant batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 01:08 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":1siexn0h]If I remember correctly, Berman's Bermanisms were funny because they were long. He'd use long song titles, or sometimes even work well-known long lyric phrases into the player's name instead of the song title. So you'd get something like: Stairway to Heh Vince Coleman vs. Dennis And Gool Ol' Boys Were Drinking Whiskey and Ribant[/quote:1siexn0h] Or this: Dennis And Good Ol' Boys Were Drinking Whiskey and Ribant vs. Duffy This'll Be the Day That I Dyer Centerfield Jan 06 2009 01:19 PM Dae Sung Koo Koo Ka-Choo Mrs. Robin(son) Ventura batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 01:25 PM ="Centerfield":azzyite0]Dae Sung Koo Koo Ka-Choo Mrs. Robin(son) Ventura[/quote:azzyite0] That's the spirit. How about: Bill (Koo Koo Katchoo Mrs.) Robinson vs. Hideo Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Nomo (Whoa Whoa Whoa) batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 01:31 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":1h0qkwj4]="Centerfield":1h0qkwj4]Dae Sung Koo Koo Ka-Choo Mrs. Robin(son) Ventura[/quote:1h0qkwj4] That's the spirit. How about: Bill (Koo Koo Katchoo Mrs.) Robinson vs. Hideo Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Nomo (Whoa Whoa Whoa)[/quote:1h0qkwj4] Bill Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone A-Wakefield gets the winner of the above matchup. G-Fafif Jan 06 2009 02:38 PM Bill Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone A-Wakefield vs. John "You Know Your Love (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Keeps On Lifting (Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher (Lifting Me) Higher And" Strohmayer. MFS62 Jan 06 2009 02:46 PM Bill Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone A-Wakefield VS Chan Ho MacArthur Park Later G-Fafif Jan 06 2009 02:55 PM Bill Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone A-Wakefield vs. It's Up To You New York, New Yorkis Perez batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 03:33 PM ="G-Fafif":2bdq7a8p]Bill Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone A-Wakefield vs. It's Up To You New York, New Yorkis Perez[/quote:2bdq7a8p] Bill These Little Town Blues Are Melting Awaykfield vs. It's Up To You New York, New Yorkis Perez batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 05:23 PM Wayne When The Moon Is In the Seventh Housie vs. Jeff Let the Sunshine, Let the Sunshine, The Suh-uhn Shine Innis dgwphotography Jan 06 2009 05:45 PM Wayne when the moon is in the seventh housie vs. Carlos In Delgado Da Vita MFS62 Jan 06 2009 05:54 PM Wayne when the moon is in the seventh housie VS Tommy nobody ever loved as much as he, but me, I love you Moore. (from "Pajama Game") Later batmagadanleadoff Jan 06 2009 06:00 PM ="MFS62":36g7dwi7]Wayne when the moon is in the seventh housie VS Tommy nobody ever loved as much as he, but me, I love you Moore. (from "Pajama Game")[/quote:36g7dwi7] Wayne When the Moon is in the Seventh Housie vs. Mike When the Moon Hits your Eyes Like a Big Piazza Pie Willets Point Jan 07 2009 09:06 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":13zmwl5q]If I remember correctly, Berman's Bermanisms were funny because they were long. [/quote:13zmwl5q] Berman was funny? batmagadanleadoff Jan 07 2009 09:11 PM ="Willets Point":26u7xluz]Berman was funny?[/quote:26u7xluz] Go and ask Leather. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 11:44 AM CB: "... and the starter was relieved by Aaron Heil-Hitler-Man" (he wouldn't dare) batmagadanleadoff Jan 15 2009 11:44 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 03 2009 02:41 PM ="Frayed Knot"]CB: "... and the starter was relieved by Aaron Heil-Hitler-Man" I had a strong feeling that your post was gonna kill this thread. batmagadanleadoff Mar 03 2009 10:24 AM ="Iubitul":qzy0y9q0]Wayne when the moon is in the seventh Housie vs. Carlos In Delgado Da Vita[/quote:qzy0y9q0] Carlos In Delgado Da Vida vs. Scott Workin' too hard can give you a heart attack a ka ka Kazmir Edgy DC Mar 03 2009 10:30 AM Carlos In Delgado Da Vida vs. Chuck Baby You Can Drive My Carr dgwphotography Mar 03 2009 12:50 PM Carlos In Delgado Da Vida vs. Hubie Babbling Brooks Edgy DC Mar 03 2009 01:25 PM Iubitul taking on the reigning champ Iubitul. Met Hunter Mar 03 2009 05:31 PM I will dethrone Carlos with a twofer Tuesday. Carlos In Delgado Da Vida vs. Tommie This is the Dawning of the Agee of Aquarius Tommie This is the Dawning of the Agee of Aquarius vs. Pat People are Strange LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 04 2009 07:09 PM Um... yeah. That's, like, against the rules. Carlos In Delgado De Vida vs. Endy-is Mama Cried Chavez Met Hunter Mar 04 2009 09:30 PM OK. Carlos In Delgado Da Vida vs. Dan Keep Your Eyes on the Road Your Hands Upon the Wheeler. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 04 2009 09:37 PM Carlos In Delgado De Vida versus Ed Bouchee Bouchee Ya Ya Da Da Edgy DC Mar 04 2009 09:47 PM Ed Bouchee Bouchee Ya Ya Da Da vs. Shawn Bows and Flows of Angel Hare LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 04 2009 10:32 PM Ed Bouchee Bouchee Ya Ya Da Da vs. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down/Of the big lake they call Kaz Ishii Edgy DC Mar 08 2009 05:37 AM Ed Bouchee Bouchee Ya Ya Da Da vs. Ty I SAID, What's that on your HEAD?! A WIIIIIG!!-inton dgwphotography Mar 08 2009 05:44 AM Ed Bouchee Bouchee Ya Ya Da Da vs. Rick "see ya later" Aguilera batmagadanleadoff Mar 08 2009 08:59 AM Iubi's really good at this. Met Hunter Mar 08 2009 05:27 PM Rick See Ya Later Aguilera vs. Rich Sweet Chiles of Mine dgwphotography Mar 08 2009 06:22 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":1jca620l]Iubi's really good at this.[/quote:1jca620l] I just remember a lot of the old Bermanisms. some of his originals were classics... LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 08 2009 06:38 PM Rich "Sweet" Chiles "of Mine" vs. Raul "Blame it on the" Casanova batmagadanleadoff Mar 08 2009 08:37 PM ="Iubitul":3nzo1sfn]="batmagadanleadoff":3nzo1sfn]Iubi's really good at this.[/quote:3nzo1sfn] I just remember a lot of the old Bermanisms. some of his originals were classics...[/quote:3nzo1sfn] You mean youve been plagiarizing from the man? Say it ain't so, Iubi! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 16 2009 09:11 PM REBOOT: Rich "Sweet" Chiles "of Mine" versus J. J. Putz "the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again"

#2 is almost right. He was always a lazy and indifferent player, or so it seemed, but his natural talent used to compensate for that. But no longer.

Seriously. I still prefer Dunn, who could theoretically slide to 1B after Delgado's contract expires in '010. But is Omar too busy playing footsies with starting pitchers to get us some batting help?

="metsmarathon"]="Fman99"]> isn't... that a dude? That's the joke.

>

You start with the littlest white guy. Duh.

="metirish"]From Wikipedia... ] MLB Network HD MLB Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. All studio programs are shot in HD. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. [7] According to a December 15, 2008 Broadcasting & Cable article: After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080i because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: �That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.� [8] The 720p format is also used by MLB broadcast partner Fox and many of the Fox Sports Net regional sports networks (which hold the rights to local game coverage of several teams), along with ESPN. DirecTV carries both SD and HD.[9] Verizon FiOS has also come to an agreement with MLB to carry the MLB Network in SD and HD[10]. Cablevision has announced they will carry the HD version. [11] Some Time Warner Cable systems do as well. Their decision to go with 720p format sounds interesting , I'm no expert though and to me 480i , 720p and 1080i/p are good selling gimmicks. SNY & YES use 1080i on their broadcasts . I read recently in a trade magazine that with a HD TV and a BlueRay DVD you can get true 1080p. Sadly no HD feed (yet) on our cable system for this channel. I remain hopeful...

Channel 100 upstate on Time Warner. Me likee.

The rickrolling was top-notch. You can't top that.

A or B, but not C. I'd rather see them give young arms a shot at sticking in that 5th spot and/or sign cheaper (than Wolf) free agent "talent" to fill out the rotation.

="KC"]Fm99: I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop <<< I can see it now, someone is referring to this joint elsewhere as the cornpooforum. God I hope so.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]="Fman99"]I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop. What a romantic thing to say! I'll be sure to include a poop-eating scene in my next Asian chick-lit novel. Well if you do it right, it's more of a poop themed corn eating scene. But you're on the right path.

I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop.

These guys are all parsley.

Nixon was a crook. He did appear on Laugh-In, though. Wait, what?

="smg58":39swv4no]I think we should all move to the Bronx. The economy appears to be really, really good over there.[/quote:39swv4no] Couldn't I just punch myself in the face and eat my own shit instead? John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 23 2008 06:02 PM F the MFYs and F Texiera. I hope he has every bit as distinguished a tenure there as Giambi did, speaking of mercenary ****s I don't like. Willets Point Dec 23 2008 06:11 PM I suppose this means the Yankees will be hoisting the World Series trophy for the 27th time this coming October. Sigh. Kong76 Dec 23 2008 07:32 PM EDC: This isn't about us <<< Yeah, I won't even yup� it. Kong76 Dec 23 2008 07:45 PM I'll add that I'm against nearly decade long deals for anyone or anything. Rockin' Doc Dec 23 2008 08:09 PM A lot can happen in eight years. In the short term, it should be a great signing for the Yankmes. In the long term, I'm hoping this deal eventually becomes a millstone that drags down the dark empire for many years. I think the Mets should have Snachez hail Teixeira a cab when he comes to town for the contract announcement. metirish Dec 24 2008 04:28 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2gy0nvub]F the MFYs and F Texiera. I hope he has every bit as distinguished a tenure there as Giambi did, speaking of mercenary ****s I don't like.[/quote:2gy0nvub] Noting to add really except a big fuck yeah. MFS62 Dec 24 2008 05:42 AM Wht couldn't the Steinbrenners have invested all their money with Bernie Madoff? :ater Frayed Knot Dec 24 2008 06:43 AM ="Rockin' Doc":2dvdkd97]A lot can happen in eight years. In the short term, it should be a great signing for the Yankmes. In the long term, I'm hoping this deal eventually becomes a millstone that drags down the dark empire for many years.[/quote:2dvdkd97] That's the danger in long-term deals for ... well, anyone, but 1st basemen in particular; except for DH there's nowhere for them to go once they start aging and if the bat starts to wane they're suddenly not very valuable. And now that I think about it, have there been any 1B/DH types in their late 30s towards the end of a long-term deal who were NOT overpaid? I keep coming up with names like: Mo Vaughn - Greg Vaughn - Todd Helton - Jason Giambi - Jim Thome - Richie Sexson and not a whole lot of the other kind. That Teixeira is a great fielder gives him a bigger margin for error than Giambi (although he's not much more mobile) but at least JG was coming off an MVP season (should have been two) something Teixeira's yet to even near. But Giambi's fatness and steroid use aside, Todd Helton's probably the best comp here: a terrific hitter/fielder in his prime signed to a lengthy deal (11 yrs in Helton's case) who, while still useful as the end nears, has lost his power and is totally unmovable due to the contract. metirish Dec 24 2008 07:08 AM WOW , had totally forgotten about Greg Vaughn. I think with Helton the fans there are a lot more forgiving with him being a lifer in that organization and a general great guy , he's basically Sean Casey now days. seawolf17 Dec 24 2008 07:19 AM Greg Vaughn was an OF, not a 1B, but same deal. He became worthless defensively. I remember my nephew -- now 12 -- being confused as a kid and calling them both "Gregmo Vaughn." Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 07:37 AM See, the Athletics have this theory of "Get guys who can hit and who can walk, and we'll find positions for them." The Yankees seem to have a corrupted version of that thinking though. That works at one level when you're populating the lineup with 21-22 year olds who may not be as gifted with the glove, but still have their youthful suppleness, their foot quickness, their healthy knees, their lean frames. Before this gets too homoerotic, I mean to say it's another thing entirely when you're gobbling these guys up six, seven, eight years into their careers, and they're drifting already towards the right side of the defensive spectrum. They've got a bunch of Xavier Nadys and nowhere to play them. Even if Teixiera doesn't deteriorate, he contributes to the logjam of everybody who does. I'd consider moving him back to third, Rodriguez to short, and Jeter to second. Then I'd dye my hair and move to Belgium. They can always keep bringing left field in, I suppose. DocTee Dec 24 2008 09:11 AM 8 years is a long time. For comparison's sake, look at who was on the Opening Day lineups for 1B men in 2000 and see how many of them you'd want starting this April. That's what the 2017 MFY are looking at. Great deal short-term, harder to justify long-term Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 09:18 AM You're point is strong, but that would be the 2002 starting lineups, wouldn't it? DocTee Dec 24 2008 09:22 AM Stoopid arithmetic Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 09:28 AM I'll do the NL East: Atlanta: BJ Surhoff Florida: Derrek Lee Montreal: Lee Stevens Philadelphia: Travis Lee New York: Mo Vaughn DocTee Dec 24 2008 09:37 AM AL East: Baltimore: Jeff Conine Boston: Tony Clark Tampa: Steve Cox Toronto: Carlos Delgado MFY: Jason Giambi TransMonk Dec 24 2008 09:47 AM NL Central: St. Louis: Tino Martinez Houston: Jeff Bagwell Cincy: Sean Casey Pittsburgh: Kevin Young Chicago: Fred McGriff Milwaukee: Richie Sexson DocTee Dec 24 2008 09:52 AM NL West: Dodgers: Eric Karros Giants: JT Snow Rockies: Todd Helton Padres: Phil Nevin Diamondbacks: Mark Grace DocTee Dec 24 2008 10:01 AM AL West: Oakland: Carlos Pena Seattle: John Olerud Texas: Rafael Palmeiro LAA: Benji Gil AL Central: Chicago: Paul Konerko Cleveland: Jim Thome Detroit: Dmitri Young Kansas City: Mike Sweeney Minnesota: Doug Mientkiewicz Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 10:06 AM I'm not sure what this proves. Some of those first basemen might have been 35 years old and may have been a good choice for that particular season. It doesn't mean their team was planning on keeping them for eight years. If anything, we should see which of those guys was 29 (or younger) in 2002 and then see how viable they still are eight years later. (And anyway, if we're talking eight years shouldn't we be looking at 2001?) DocTee Dec 24 2008 10:08 AM That's thirty teams. Six guys (Delgado, Thome, Konerko, Derrek Lee, Pena, and Helton) who may start. Nymr83 Dec 24 2008 10:30 AM Ben Grimm is right, but i'd look at more than just 2002 if we're narrowing the field to just 29 year olds. i would look at guys who were 28-30 and use a range like 1997-2001 then look 8 years forward on each guy Frayed Knot Dec 24 2008 10:30 AM Yanx without real positions this year. Damon - Probably will play LF cuz he can no longer play the position he was hired for (CF). Contract up after the year. Matsui - Pushed to DH/bench by Damon being pushed to LF. Contract up after the year. Swisher - Lost position before he really had one. Maybe he's the CF (although he's not really very good there) or a still-young semi-expensive utility man under contract for at least two more years. Cabrera - If Swisher plays, he doesn't. And he doesn't hit enough to DH. Then there's the question about whether Posada can still catch and, if so, how often. And it also leaves no room to move Jeter - not that they were going to do that anyway. DocTee Dec 24 2008 10:36 AM ]I'm not sure what this proves. It proves that I would rather do anything other than finish grading papers on Christmas Eve. duh. metirish Dec 24 2008 10:38 AM Also what happens to Posada and first base , I guess they are stuck with him as a full time catcher. duan Dec 24 2008 12:10 PM core talent wise If you asked me to compare the following for their value over the next 3/4 years (when contracts start running out on either side!) Alex Rodriguez v David Wright. Even Derek Jeter v Jose Reyes. Reyes Mark Texiera v Carlos Beltran Even CC Sabathia v Johan Santana Even The 4 yankees have the highest contracts in baseball. We're doing ok in the big ticket areas, we just have to be sure our spoorting cast is better. seawolf17 Dec 24 2008 12:37 PM Would you trade our four for their four, right now, for 2009? I wouldn't. metirish Dec 24 2008 12:39 PM Not a chance I would do that. Nymr83 Dec 24 2008 12:54 PM ]we just have to be sure our spoorting cast is better. we need to "be sure" our roster is better than Philadelphia's, Atlanta's, etc. not the New York Yankees' roster. metsguyinmichigan Dec 24 2008 01:03 PM I would even say I'd take Santana over Sabbathia rather than call that one even! That would give us two -- and without the Jeter stench! Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 01:39 PM So, Nady's the one with a guaranteed job? Frayed Knot Dec 24 2008 02:18 PM Yanx lineup: - 1B: Highest paid 1st baseman, both currently and in the history of the game - 2B: 2nd highest paid active player (behind Utley) at the position - SS: Highest paid at the position in the history of the game - 3B: highest paid player [u:1kg25lk9]of any kind[/u:1kg25lk9] in the history of the game - C: Highest paid at the position in the history of the game - SP: Highest paid starter in the history of the game - RP: Highest paid reliever in the history of the game - The 4 largest contracts (total value) in the history of the game - Their 2008 Lux Tax bill was the same size as the Marlins payroll (which says something about both them and the Marlins). metirish Dec 24 2008 02:19 PM Incredible . Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 02:26 PM The Yankees really have to shore things up at second. Gwreck Dec 24 2008 10:19 PM ="seawolf17":3nh2omhf]Would you trade our four for their four, right now, for 2009? I wouldn't.[/quote:3nh2omhf] I wouldn't either. Maybe Texeira over Beltran...maybe. Beltran's defense at an impact position may still make Carlos more valuable, even if he doesn't have quite the same offensive production as Texeira. The other 3? Forget it. (Yes, even Rodriguez, if only for the baggage he brings). Ashie62 Dec 25 2008 10:02 AM Teixeira sponsorship on Baseball_Reference Somebody got to this quicky..A Yanqui smackdown on www.baseball-reference.com ... seawolf17 Dec 25 2008 12:08 PM ="Edgy DC":25bor5gt]The Yankees really have to shore things up at second.[/quote:25bor5gt] Someone send Hank Steinbrenner a 2005 baseball card of Luis Castillo, then have Omar call him and offer him Castillo for Nady and Cano. Frayed Knot Dec 26 2008 10:54 AM And the last of the teams getting screwed by the Yanx signing Teixeira winds up being Milwaukee, plus, to a lesser extent, Toronto. With Sabathia, Burnett, & Teixeira all being Type-A FAs, obviously only one team can get the Yanx 1st round pick (mid-20s somewhere) in next June's draft. That team turns out to be the Angels based on Teixeira being the top-rated of all those FAs. Sabathia ranks next so the Brews get the Yanx 2nd rounder, while Toronto gets their 3rd round choice (probably up above pick #100) as compensation for losing Burnett. All three teams also get supplemental picks (in the same order I believe) after the end of the first round. So those Brew fans who consoled themselves by figuring they'd get a top-25 pick and a top-40 out of losing big CC wind up with one in the mid-60s or so to go along with the top-40. Oh well. Edgy DC Dec 26 2008 11:07 AM It would be maybe more coolio if maybe the second team who lost a type A to Team Y could get a pick right after the first team. Team Y, for their part, would sacrifice their first round pick for 2009 after signing the first, their first-round pick for 20010 after signing the second, etc. If Team Y is the Yankees, they'd be out first rounders up to 2051 by now, which would be such an abstraction to them, they'd care little, but they care little now anyhow, and at least the team losing their guy to the Yankees would get a prompt and fair (or more close to the intended fairness) compensation. The first year or two under this policy would lead to a bloated round one, but that would even out in subsequent years. metirish Dec 26 2008 11:24 AM Cashman is all about the farm , especially since he gained full control from the Tampa Rowdies a few years back.

Apparently Christmas is the season for ****kicking. I have a big jealous chubby. I wish we would sign an impact bat. It's a bad deal but they print their own cash over there anyway.

Jeez, you'd think Rivera farts cinnamon and shits gold coins. "Don't put his locker near mine, he might contaminate it!" Douche. And of course ol' stupid Mets-hating MFY-loving Bob Klapisch is there to wear Mo's jock like a surgical mask. Fuck these people. This palaver is activating my brain vein.

="metsguyinmichigan"] This is a mock-up on Stadiumpage.com based on a screen capture from MLB 09. Yikes. Apparently the MLB rules about using corporate logos come into play. But c'mon, there are a lot of neat features in the park that could be worked into a decent patch, like the routunda or bridges. It's about as imaginative as a fart.

="Valadius":2pz740g9]Ha, good luck with that. Guy's a head case.[/quote:2pz740g9] I think people were saying that about Ollie Perez before the Pirates sent him to us. Talented, strikeout pitcher, control issues, high ERA, etc. metsguyinmichigan Dec 21 2008 10:29 PM OK, now both the Angels and the Red Sox say they're not going after Texiera anymore. Has Boras finall pushed people over the edge, or is this all just negotiating ploys? Frayed Knot Dec 22 2008 07:05 AM The Angels are claiming that their offer is "off the table" and that there'll be no further negotiating - which at least doesn't sound like a ploy. Boston, for its part, isn't claiming that, only that they think they're not going to be his choice due to other teams raising their offers beyond where they're willing to go. That leaves Teixeira in the position of either taking Boston's "low" offer or going the Baltimore/Washington route which kind of flies in the face of his 'I wanna be a contendah' pledge. Supposedly this was going to be wrapped up by Xmas but it wouldn't be the first time Boras has over-played his hand. Benjamin Grimm Dec 22 2008 07:07 AM There's still Baltimore and Washington. Boras isn't quite out of options yet. metsguyinmichigan Dec 22 2008 07:19 AM Speaking of Boras... Murray Chass MurrayChass.com Now that CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett have signed, other pitchers on the free-agent list are expected to follow. Derek Lowe is probably next on the list in terms of interest, but the interest has been all talk and no offers. His agent's asking price is said to be the reason. Scott Boras has told clubs he wants Barry Zito money for the 35-year-old Lowe, which means $18 million a year. Clubs interested in Lowe have not rushed forward with such offers. The slow-moving market may be just what the Mets want. ...Barry Zito isn't worth Barry Zito money. But Derek Lowe? Is he nuts? Edgy DC Dec 22 2008 01:44 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 22 2008 02:20 PM I'm not sure I'd support the Mets spending $18 million a year for two Derek Lowes. Valadius Dec 22 2008 02:04 PM The MOST I'd spend on Derek Lowe is $8 million a year. $18 million is beyond rationality. Willets Point Dec 22 2008 03:01 PM Oh man, Lowe needs $10 million just for booze alone. MFS62 Dec 23 2008 07:36 AM ="Willets Point":2bf2t6s1]Oh man, Lowe needs $10 million just for booze alone.[/quote:2bf2t6s1] Are you saying this because he associates with Scott Boras? Or is there something else you know about him? Later smg58 Dec 23 2008 11:23 AM Guys who can consistently give you 200+ IP with 15 wins and a sub-4 ERA are worth plenty more than 8 million. I wouldn't go four years with Lowe, on account of his age, but I'd much rather have him than Ollie. Willets Point Dec 23 2008 03:04 PM ="MFS62":3rvs0psj]="Willets Point":3rvs0psj]Oh man, Lowe needs $10 million just for booze alone.[/quote:3rvs0psj] Are you saying this because he associates with Scott Boras? Or is there something else you know about him? Later[/quote:3rvs0psj] Just a joke about Lowe's rumored love of the drink. Valadius Dec 26 2008 09:01 PM Randy Johnson will pursue his 300th win as a San Francisco Giant. Nymr83 Dec 27 2008 01:15 AM he could it be cutting it close with the type of run support the giants give their starters. he needs 5 wins, it took Matt Cain all year to get 8 wins for the Giants with an ERA+ the same as Johnson's last year. Frayed Knot Dec 27 2008 05:08 AM 'Randy Johnson is a Giant' is somewhat of a redundant headline. He's probably been called that since he was in the 4th grade. On the other hand, there must have been plenty in in the Castro district of SF who were excited to hear that someone called 'The Big Unit' was coming to their city. DocTee Dec 27 2008 09:16 AM FK with a late entry for post o' the year. The Giants have had a nice offseason (Renteria, Affeldt, Howry, Johnson) and if local rumors of them adding Adam Dunn are correct, they could be players in a weak West. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 27 2008 09:19 AM I agree. You can definitely quibble with the wisdom of a team's particular moves but I like to see franchises who've had bad years making a bunch of moves in the offseason, whether they are effective or not. Like the Giants... and the MFYs... Frayed Knot Dec 27 2008 03:49 PM X-Rockie, X-Astro OFer Wily Tavarez signs a two-year deal with Cincy. He's good at stealing bases and also .... ummmm, I'll think of something. And Kevin Mensch heads for Japan. The Japanese just might get a look at his monsterously huge head and add a second rising sun to their flag. I think that thing has its own gravitational pull. Frayed Knot Dec 29 2008 07:20 AM Penny for your Sox ... Brad Penny to Boston for 1 yr/$5mil -- pending a physical which could yet throw a wrench into the works. As mentioned elsewhere, this could keep them from chasing the likes of Lowe, Wolf, Ollie, etc. thus reducing the demand pool by one more team. Benjamin Grimm Dec 31 2008 11:20 AM This just in: Brian Fuentes to sign a two-year deal with the Angels. smg58 Dec 31 2008 12:29 PM The Cubs sign Aaron Miles for two years, then trade DeRosa to the Indians for three low level (not even top 20) prospects. At least it's not the Phillies, but that's one mild upgrade over Castillo and one significant upgrade who found takers at prices we could have afforded. Frayed Knot Dec 31 2008 12:30 PM Cubs 2B Mark DeRosa - long rumored as part of a Jake Peavy trade - dealt to Cleveland for a trio of minor league pitchers. smg58 Dec 31 2008 12:36 PM Fuentes got two years at $17.5M, plus a club option. Rotoworld says "Fuentes almost certainly took less money to play close to home," but I'm not sure who was competing with the Angels. Frayed Knot Jan 02 2009 05:47 AM Good news folks, Barry Bonds says that he should be fully recovered from the hip surgery he needs in time for opening day! Nymr83 Jan 02 2009 06:41 AM ="Frayed Knot":1xejc7ja]Good news folks, Barry Bonds says that he should be fully recovered from the hip surgery he needs in time for opening day![/quote:1xejc7ja] Better news- nobody really cares about him anymore, including it seems the GMs of all 30 teams. DocTee Jan 02 2009 04:46 PM Tony Clark returns to D-Baggs: 1 year, 800K. metirish Jan 02 2009 05:34 PM Watching MLB Network Hot Stove and they are reporting that San Francisco have offered Manny Ramirez a four year deal. Dodgers and A Jones have agreed to defer most of his money owed likely leading to him playing elsewhere. Scott Proctor to the Marlins for one year. Ashie62 Jan 03 2009 12:33 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":2ytj1poh]This just in: Brian Fuentes to sign a two-year deal with the Angels.[/quote:2ytj1poh] This just in: Mets do nothing Although the Metsies may be sewing Andruw Jones a jersey and importing steroids for his locker metsmarathon Jan 03 2009 12:40 PM ="Ashie62":hblnrkgs]Although the Metsies may be sewing Andruw Jones a jersey and importing steroids for his locker[/quote:hblnrkgs] i don't believe that for a second. Edgy DC Jan 03 2009 12:58 PM ="Ashie62"]="Benjamin Grimm"]This just in: Brian Fuentes to sign a two-year deal with the Angels. This just in: Mets do nothing Although the Metsies may be sewing Andruw Jones a jersey and importing steroids for his locker Yeah, the Mets by not getting a third closer, are doing nothing. Kong76 Jan 03 2009 01:36 PM Maybe the three closer thing is the way to go after the last two seasons. Ashie62 Jan 05 2009 02:37 PM ="Edgy DC"]="Ashie62"]="Benjamin Grimm"]This just in: Brian Fuentes to sign a two-year deal with the Angels. This just in: Mets do nothing Although the Metsies may be sewing Andruw Jones a jersey and importing steroids for his locker Yeah, the Mets by not getting a third closer, are doing nothing. True..my impatience caused me to jump over Krod & Putz KP DOOTY...I'm just frustrated that the odds of landing a power corner and a decent SP , Sheets, Garland, Lowe..are diminishing and pray the Mets are not newly cash short Burrell has a rep for being a prick but if the Rays can land him at 16 million for 2 years I then wonder why the Mets wouldn't top that and not have to expect 150 games from Murphy and even let Murphy learn 2B at AAA as an experiment. smg58 Jan 05 2009 03:15 PM The Cubs apparently are giving 3 years and $30M to Milton Bradley. They expect him to play right field full time, even though he has had trouble staying in the lineup when he's been the DH. Given Burrell's deal and the fact that Abreu would have made much more sense for them, I really don't get this one. MFS62 Jan 05 2009 04:20 PM ="smg58":1gnuo0ct]The Cubs apparently are giving 3 years and $30M to Milton Bradley. They expect him to play right field full time, even though he has had trouble staying in the lineup when he's been the DH. Given Burrell's deal and the fact that Abreu would have made much more sense for them, I really don't get this one.[/quote:1gnuo0ct] Can't wait to see him go head-to-head with Pinella. Later smg58 Jan 07 2009 05:51 AM And the bargains continue. Jason Giambi returns to Oakland for a year and an option, and Jerry Hairston stays in Cincinnatti for a year and $2M. I don't get the Mets' lack of interest in Hairston at that price. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 07 2009 06:20 AM ="smg58":162h2ehz]And the bargains continue. Jason Giambi returns to Oakland for a year and an option, and Jerry Hairston stays in Cincinnatti for a year and $2M. I don't get the Mets' lack of interest in Hairston at that price.[/quote:162h2ehz] Makes ya crazy. Geez. I mean, about Hairston. Frayed Knot Jan 07 2009 07:18 AM Maybe Hairston gets a chance to start in Cincy and couldn't be sure of that here. Never did even hear a rumor of them looking at him though. Also: - Pavano to Cleveland for a year at a low base with lotsa IP incentives - Cubs deal Jason Marquis (de Sade) to Colorado for LH reliever Luis Vizcaino Edgy DC Jan 07 2009 07:42 AM Andy Pettitte turns down one year and $10 million from the Yanks in a declining market. Edgy DC Jan 07 2009 10:10 AM Yomiuri Giant Koji Uehara signs with Bal'more for two years. Reports say that he's the team's first Japanese player, but they forget Nippo-Hawaiian Len Sakata. Centerfield Jan 07 2009 10:41 AM Len was American. smg58 Jan 07 2009 10:58 AM ="Frayed Knot":2gsb44fr]- Pavano to Cleveland for a year at a low base with lotsa IP incentives - Cubs deal Jason Marquis (de Sade) to Colorado for LH reliever Luis Vizcaino[/quote:2gsb44fr] I'll laugh if Pavano gives the Indians 27 starts (i.e., more starts than he gave the MFY's in four years). The Marquis deal appears to leave Jorge de la Rosa out of the rotation in Colorado. I'd see what the asking price for him is; he finished very strongly last year, and he's at least as good as Tim Redding. Edgy DC Jan 07 2009 11:01 AM ="Centerfield":biqnwx39]Len was American.[/quote:biqnwx39] As I said. Frayed Knot Jan 07 2009 12:00 PM From the; 'How the (somewhat) mighty have fallen' department: 2B Marcus Giles signs a minor league deal with Philly MFS62 Jan 07 2009 12:14 PM ="Frayed Knot":3hnipcdi]From the; 'How the (somewhat) mighty have fallen' department: 2B Marcus Giles signs a minor league deal with Philly[/quote:3hnipcdi] Pure insurance with Utley out for the early part of the year due to surgery. Later metirish Jan 07 2009 08:04 PM From MetsBlog Mike Fitzpatrick of the Associated Press believes the Mets have made an offer to free-agent RHP Tim Redding, who was 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in five starts against the Phillies last season Edgy DC Jan 07 2009 08:56 PM I'll give Redding this: with one inning and six runs, he may be the worst performing Yankee ever. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 07 2009 09:06 PM Bocco Radelli to the Sed Rox. Rockin' Doc Jan 07 2009 10:03 PM If Rocco Baldelli can be reasonably healthy, he could be a great pick up for the Red Sox. I hope he is healthy and has a great season for the Sox. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 07:39 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3gx2svou]Bocco Radelli to the Sed Rox.[/quote:3gx2svou] And quite possibly Smoltz too! Not official yet but several outlets are reporting it's 'bout a done deal. I guess they're promising him a starting job - don't think he would have jumped otherwise. Other reports have Trevor Hoffman going to the Brews ... although this is only one day after others had him headed to the Dodgers. Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2009 07:46 AM Sort of a homecoming for Smoltz. Didn't he start his career with the Braves when they were still playing in Boston? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 08 2009 07:50 AM No, the Tigers. Anywhoo, oughta soitenly remove Boston from the list of potential Lowe suitors (and cause me some concern too: Why don't any of Lowe's former employers want him back?) smg58 Jan 08 2009 07:50 AM The additions of Smoltz and Brad Penny probably take the Sox out of the discussions for Derek Lowe. Assuming Baldelli gets something like what Hairston got, I'd be a little annoyed that we didn't give him a look. We do need another righthanded bat. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 07:57 AM Yeah, I was half-hoping for Baldelli too. He's not a great player and has played fewer games in the last two seasons than Alou had in the two before we got him. But if this problem of his has finally been diagnosed correctly he could be a useful guy to have around. But Omar seems to be on this 'one problem at a time' schedule where nothing can even be talked about until the starter question is answered. metirish Jan 08 2009 08:01 AM Did bucket mis-read Ben's post? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 08 2009 08:02 AM Yes. Yes I did. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 08:14 AM I almost did too because I sometimes confuse the Smoltz trade with the Bagwell one from Boston. The Smoltz from Detroit for Denny Alexander trade happened around the same era as Bagwell for Larry Anderson. Both were done for pennant push help and in each case the minor leaguers were home-town guys (Smoltz is from Mich, Bags from Conn) who turned into HoF possibilities. Edgy DC Jan 08 2009 08:17 AM Doyle Alexander. Now Denny McLain or somebody is getting into the conflation. metirish Jan 08 2009 10:25 AM Looking at a potential nightmare with outfield defense the MFY's are apparently looking to trade Swisher and Nady. Yankees fielding offers for Nady, Swisher Posted by: Jon Heyman The Yankees are fielding trade offers for corner outfielders Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher. There's been some speculation they might consider trading Hideki Matsui, too, but he has a full no-trade clause and is coming off knee surgery, so there's really no way to trade him. A logjam at the corners was created when the Yankees surprised a lot of folks and signed Mark Teixeira to an eight-year, $180 million contract. Swisher previously had been penciled in as the Yankees' first baseman but now becomes part of a crowded mix of accomplished corner outfielders. Swisher is a versatile player and can play some center field, as well. Some National League teams may be interested. However, Nady's trade value is higher after a better offensive season, so he may be just as likely to be dealt. Nady, acquired by the Yankees in a midseason trade with the Pirates, combined to hit .305 with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs for the year, while Swisher finished at .219 with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs for the White Sox before being dealt to the Yankees after the season Vic Sage Jan 08 2009 02:09 PM i'd sure take Nady back, to split time with Church, Murphy and Delgado. But no way the Yanx trade him cross town. Edgy DC Jan 08 2009 02:30 PM You leave Tatis out of that mix. Nady gives you what Tatis gives you, only more and probably better and definitely younger. Tatis' only advantage is playing third. I'd love a Nady around because I think the best way to get something like last year's productivity out of Tatis is to make him earn every at-bat. Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2009 02:43 PM Maybe Murphy will do that, but I'm not counting on it. Edgy DC Jan 08 2009 02:46 PM What's going down, and I think a lot of us feel it, is that a lot of things went kind of right in Omar's offense that could have easily gone wronger, and he's kind of seeming to kind of be counting on a lot of those same thingies to go right again. Fans be pessemistic creatures, of course. Vic Sage Jan 08 2009 03:21 PM Last year, i think we got about as much as we can reasonably expect this year from 1b, ss, 3b and CF. We got nothing from 2b and C, and RF was a mixed bag. But Murphy/Tatis in LF certainly outperformed all expectations and i do not believe for a minute we'll get similar production from that combo again this year. So, we either upgrade at 2b, c, and/or Rf to compensate, or replace the LF combo before it blows up in our faces. Or we go into the season with 1/2 the lineup very well likely to suck, to one degree or another, even as Omar whistles past the graveyard. attgig Jan 08 2009 03:29 PM ="Vic Sage":37m9y64n]Last year, i think we got about as much as we can reasonably expect this year from 1b, ss, 3b and CF. We got nothing from 2b and C, and RF was a mixed bag. But Murphy/Tatis in LF certainly outperformed all expectations and i do not believe for a minute we'll get similar production from that combo again this year. So, we either upgrade at 2b, c, and/or Rf to compensate, or replace the LF combo before it blows up in our faces. Or we go into the season with 1/2 the lineup very well likely to suck, to one degree or another, even as Omar whistles past the graveyard.[/quote:37m9y64n] and you have a wild card at 1b, so it's not even half a lineup. nobody has faith in schnied to produce offensively, and while castro COULD provide some pop, he just gets hurt too often (he must be the worst backup catcher in the league). 2b, nobody has faith in castillo, except he's saying all the right things. and Church... will his head be screwed on straight? it'll be an interesting few more weeks before spring training. Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2009 03:35 PM I agree with Vic, including about left field, but I'd be okay with giving Murphy/Tatis a chance to shine again. But in doing that, you have to protect yourself by beefing up some of the other positions. And as yet, the Mets haven't done anything towards that end. Edgy DC Jan 08 2009 07:12 PM Ramon Castro, not the worst backup catcher in the league. DocTee Jan 09 2009 09:42 AM John Smoltz, Red Sock. metirish Jan 09 2009 12:35 PM Swisher the Yanks' preferred candidate over Nady BY KEN DAVIDOFF | ken.davidoff@newsday.com January 9, 2009 In their current roster logjam, the Yankees would strongly prefer to trade Xavier Nady and retain Nick Swisher, a person familiar with the club's thinking said yesterday. General manager Brian Cashman has received more requests for Swisher than for Nady. With spring training more than a month away and the season opener just about three months away, however, there is no imperative to execute a quick trade. The Mets enjoyed having Nady on their club for the first four months of the 2006 season, and they inquired about him last July, when the Yankees wound up getting him from Pittsburgh. For now, however, the Mets are focused on their starting rotation and are not looking to acquire a bat either through free agency or through a trade. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 01:54 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 09 2009 02:02 PM Swisher switch-hits, and is better and more versatile defensively. He's also signed for the next few years which could be either good or bad depending on whether he regains his hitting from last season's off year. Nady is more likely to hit better (though walk less) and would only be for one year at a price to be determined by arbitration then would be a FA after that. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 01:59 PM If we weren't already loaded with lefthanded hitting outfielders, I'd take Godzilla as a LH bench masher in the Franco/Staub mold. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 02:04 PM As long as the Cranks would pay 90% of the freight and expect nothing back in return, sure. (OK, maybe 70% with a throw-in going the other way would do) Ashie62 Jan 09 2009 05:10 PM I feel safe to say Tatis has had his middle aged career year..I wouldn't put too high a ceiling there. Daniel Murphy needs more seasoning and I still advocate a year at AAA to learn 2B Mr. Nady..wasn't he a Met who know has Yankee cooties? metirish Jan 11 2009 03:46 PM Source: Martinez talking to Marlins By Enrique Rojas ESPNdeportes.com SANTO DOMINGO, Domican Republic -- Pedro Martinez and the Florida Marlins are believed to be in the beginning stages of negotiating a contract and could meet next week, a source told ESPNdeportes.com Saturday night. The Marlins have spoken with Martinez's agent. Martinez, 37, has won three Cy Young awards and has a career record of 214-99, with a 2.91 ERA and 3,117 strikeouts in 17 seasons with Los Angeles, Montreal, Boston and the New York Mets. Martinez struggled last season to a 5-6 record with a 5.61 ERA with the Mets, after battling injuries and dealing with the death of his father. In his first year with the Mets, Martinez won 15 games and struck out 208 batters in 217 innings. But he has been 17-15 in the last three seasons. Martinez owns a house in Miami. Fman99 Jan 11 2009 07:52 PM ="metirish"]Source: Martinez talking to Marlins By Enrique Rojas ESPNdeportes.com SANTO DOMINGO, Domican Republic -- Pedro Martinez and the Florida Marlins are believed to be in the beginning stages of negotiating a contract and could meet next week, a source told ESPNdeportes.com Saturday night. The Marlins have spoken with Martinez's agent. Martinez, 37, has won three Cy Young awards and has a career record of 214-99, with a 2.91 ERA and 3,117 strikeouts in 17 seasons with Los Angeles, Montreal, Boston and the New York Mets. Martinez struggled last season to a 5-6 record with a 5.61 ERA with the Mets, after battling injuries and dealing with the death of his father. In his first year with the Mets, Martinez won 15 games and struck out 208 batters in 217 innings. But he has been 17-15 in the last three seasons. Martinez owns a house in Miami. Pedro really looked spent in 2008, after having a respectable September prior. I don't think he has much in the tank and I would not miss all the drama. Rockin' Doc Jan 11 2009 09:29 PM Marlins not interested in signing Pedro By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com MIAMI -- Don't look for Pedro Martinez to wind up with the Marlins. A day after a report stated the Marlins were in the mix for the 37-year-old right-hander, a league source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday that Florida has zero interest. Reports in the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and SunSentinel also ruled out the possibility of Martinez joining the club. On Saturday night, a report on ESPNdeportes.com stated the Marlins had discussions with agent Fernando Cuza regarding Martinez. The report added Florida may have begun preliminary contract talks, and that the two sides were expected to continue talking this week. As of late Sunday afternoon, the Marlins were not considered a possible fit. Martinez has a home in Miami, and he has expressed privately a desire to pitch for the Marlins. On Monday, Cuza is expected to have discussions with the Mets about a possible return to New York. The right-hander also is expected to test the free-agent market. Hampered by injuries last year, Martinez was 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 starts. He threw 109 innings. Working with minimal financial resources, the Marlins are looking for affordable free agents. The team did explore adding veteran Carl Pavano, who signed with the Indians. The Marlins are prepared to head into Spring Training with a rotation that includes Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad, Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez. Nolasco, eliglbe for arbitration, still has not signed. Florida continues to explore depth at catcher. The team is looking for low-priced options there. A free agent that could be a fit is Ivan Rodriguez, but only if his price tag continues to drop this month. Frayed Knot Jan 12 2009 07:01 AM IOW, the earlier story was an agent plant. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 08:20 AM Yeah, use the threat of the Daddy Warbucks Marlins to trigger a false bidding war. That's the ticket. Rockin' Doc Jan 12 2009 11:09 AM I think that Pedro had far more interest in the Marlins than they had in him. I believe that Pedro is desperate to play another season, but I don't think teams throughout the league are very interested in signing him. Pedro was once a dominant, HOF caliber pitcher, but he seems to be the one person that doesn't see how far removed from his former greatness he now is. metirish Jan 12 2009 11:17 AM If Pedro Martinez retired tomorrow he would surely be in the HOF at first ballot , wouldn't he? Rockin' Doc Jan 12 2009 11:21 AM I was not inferring that Pedro Martinez was not worthy of enshrinement in Coopperstown. He has had a tremendous career and was arguably one of the top 2 or 3 pitchers in MLB for several seasons. I would vote for him (if I had a vote) when his name comes up on the HOF ballot. I was simply stating that he is not nearly the dominant pitcher he once was. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 11:22 AM I think he's pretty aware of what happened last year. If he didn't still believe he could turn it around, he wouldn't be the great pitcher he is. What's more, I believe he could turn it around. In his prime, he had an unprecedented four killer pitches, so it's not like he was fastball-reliant. It's a matter of finding what he can do with what's left of his fastball and using it to complement the rest of his arsenal. That's a far ways from saying he will return to a productive level, but I'm certain he can. Glavine continued to pitch effectively with a powder puff fastball and a change. While his control was still very good, Pedro's has always been even better. And if I'm the Mets, I'm willing to spend some change to find out. Giving him Redding's money with an automatically vesting bonus year of $9 million if he gets 180 innings? Yeah, go for it. I'm certain he can do as well as Redding in 2009, and a damn fine bet to do better. The only thing Redding has over him is a better doctor's report. metirish Jan 12 2009 05:05 PM Michael Young wants out of Texas , can play 2nd base. I should add that Heyman just said on the Hot stove that he has %62 million left on his big contract. smg58 Jan 12 2009 05:22 PM Young's expensive, and the dropoff in his numbers over the past three years has been precipitous. Even if they took Castillo it would still be a $10M payroll hit, and he's just not that good anymore. Frayed Knot Jan 15 2009 01:14 PM Dodgers reportedly to release Andruw before today is out Benjamin Grimm Jan 15 2009 01:52 PM Wow. He's horrendously overpaid, but they're going to have to eat that contract anyway. Is there no hope of him having a bounceback year? Someone will be able to pick him up for minimum wage, and they may get a hell of a bargain at the Dodgers expense. metirish Jan 15 2009 01:56 PM Jones was on MLB Network the other night talking about how he would love to go back to the Braves. Edgy DC Jan 15 2009 02:01 PM No doubt. metsmarathon Jan 15 2009 02:28 PM i'd give andruw a shot, for minimum wage... Frayed Knot Jan 15 2009 05:45 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":2v9kwf3v]Wow. He's horrendously overpaid, but they're going to have to eat that contract anyway. Is there no hope of him having a bounceback year?[/quote:2v9kwf3v] I guess not enough of a chance in their minds to make carrying him all year worth it. They restructured his deal last week with a release in mind so I assume they're going to do similar thing to what we did with Bonilla (only on a much bigger scale): pay out the remainder over a long period to avoid getting hit with it all at once. Benjamin Grimm Jan 23 2009 08:34 AM The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting today that the Phillies are aggressively trying to sign Moises Alou. metirish Jan 23 2009 08:36 AM Would Alou be a starter there or would he be in a limited role , who's in the outfield there along with Ibanez?...Dobbs?....Victorino? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 23 2009 08:37 AM Watch him hit .500 and stay healthy all year. Bastard. Frayed Knot Jan 23 2009 08:44 AM He wouldn't start there - but he'd be a potentially good RH bat off the bench for a predominately lefty hitting squad. Benjamin Grimm Jan 23 2009 08:51 AM The three options (Perez, Wolf, and Sheets) may be soon reduced to two: ="MLB.com":2t16pb69]The deep freeze that's been the Major League free-agent market this winter has shown indications a thaw is coming -- at least for starting pitchers. On the heels of the Mets reaching an apparent agreement on a Minor League deal with right-hander Freddy Garcia, it looks like the Dodgers have taken the inside track in the competition for lefty starter Randy Wolf's services. According to sources for FoxSports.com, Wolf could most likely be signed to a one or two-year deal. Wolf previously pitched for Los Angeles in 2007 and was 12-12 with a 4.30 ERA in a combined 33 starts last season for the Padres and Astros. FoxSports.com said Wolf would get less than the three-year, $28 million offer the pitcher turned down from Houston earlier this winter. [/quote:2t16pb69] metsguyinmichigan Jan 23 2009 08:57 AM Supposedly, Sheets is meeting with the Rangers. metirish Jan 23 2009 08:58 AM Wolf turned down an offer for that much? , and I was thinking he could be had for a song on a one year deal. sharpie Jan 23 2009 08:58 AM Fine. I actually saw Wolf pitch twice last year, at the only game I attended at MFY Stadium and at the game I attended at Petco. Both time he got shellacked. smg58 Jan 23 2009 09:34 AM There are a number of available starters who can give you at least a league average ERA, several of whom have the upside to do significantly better. Randy Wolf is not one of them. I see no point in pursuing a demonstrably inferior pitcher just because he's a lefty. Edgy DC Jan 23 2009 09:59 AM I don't think anybody but Wally Matthews is arguing that his leftiness is important, and Wally is only throwing that pitch to drum up "Mets Gotta Steal Pettitte" angles. Who do you have your eye on? metirish Jan 23 2009 08:11 PM Just turned over to MLB Network after watching "What Not To Wear" and heard Tom Verducci say that Perez is moving closer to signing with the Mets. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 23 2009 08:59 PM Here's the source: Jon "Boras Boy" Heyman ]Mets extend offer to Perez, their top target The Mets have placed an offer on the table for free-agent lefthander Oliver Perez, SI.com has learned, and are hopeful to have an answer in coming days regarding their prime pitching target. The Mets are believed to have improved their original thought, which was for about $30 million over three years. But it isn't certain what their latest offer is. Perez remains the Mets' top choice for the final spot in their rotation, though the team has remained in contact with three other free-agent pitchers -- Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Ben Sheets. They know they'd have competition for Wolf (Dodgers), Garland (Diamondbacks) and Sheets (Rangers, possibly Yankees) but aren't sure what other teams are competing for Perez. The Mets had been hopeful to land free agent Derek Lowe earlier but were surprised when the rival Braves outbid them by $24 million, landing Lowe with a $60-million, four-year contract. Perez, 27, is eight years younger than Lowe, though not quite as consistent. Mets GM Omar Minaya would love to import Perez, so the Mets are not likely to take one of the other pitchers unless he feels his chances for Perez are gone. Nymr83 Jan 24 2009 12:14 PM I hope "the mystery team" comes and raises perez's price too high so we can sign Sheets. Then Boras and Perez can admit there was no mystery team and we get both at a reduced rate! MFS62 Jan 24 2009 01:21 PM If money is the issue, I'd like to see the Mets sign Sheets and with any Ollie Perez money left over, go out and sign Odalis Perez. His ERA was only .10 worse than Ollie's last year, is still only 32 years old, and probably be signed for far less money than any of the other names that have been in the press lately. Later MFS62 Jan 24 2009 01:21 PM Oops. Dupe Sorry Later seawolf17 Jan 30 2009 01:00 PM Varitek back to Boston for one year, $5 million. Frayed Knot Jan 30 2009 02:36 PM Varitek's (read: Boras's) threat to sit out the season and/or retire didn't get the Sox to budge I see. Tek is one of several who turned down arbitration offers this winter only to wind up not only with a much smaller deal than arb would have snagged him but didn't get the multi-year deal either. Now it's hope you play well and the economy improves when you can do the same dance next year. Ashie62 Feb 02 2009 03:56 PM Anyone for Varitek via trade and a pay raise? Fman99 Feb 02 2009 07:27 PM ="Ashie62":2t5ssjz6]Anyone for Varitek via trade and a pay raise?[/quote:2t5ssjz6] .220 metirish Feb 02 2009 07:43 PM Is that his weight or his average? , sucks either way though. metirish Feb 04 2009 11:35 AM ]Left-hander Chase Wright was traded by the New York Yankees to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for outfielder-catcher Eric Fryer. metirish Feb 07 2009 02:23 PM Andruw Jones turns down non-roster spring training invite from the MFY's. Rockin' Doc Feb 07 2009 05:10 PM metirish - "Andruw Jones turns down non-roster spring training invite from the MFY's." Good to see that Jones has his pride. Better to go unsigned than sell one's soul by possibly donning a Yankee uniform. I suddenly have a new sense of respect for Jones. MFS62 Feb 08 2009 07:35 AM ="Rockin' Doc":2e2xwbch]metirish - "Andruw Jones turns down non-roster spring training invite from the MFY's." Good to see that Jones has his pride. Better to go unsigned than sell one's soul by possibly donning a Yankee uniform. I suddenly have a new sense of respect for Jones.[/quote:2e2xwbch] B'sides, they couldn't have the signing photo op soon anyhow. They'd first have to send out Cecil Fielder's uni to have the seams let out to fit Jones. Later Frayed Knot Feb 08 2009 08:45 PM Andruw to the Rangers - apparently gets a ML deal for low-end money (500K) plus incentives. 15mil to practically minimum wage in one year is tough to do. Fman99 Feb 09 2009 06:44 AM ="Frayed Knot":1zv55w66]Andruw to the Rangers - apparently gets a ML deal for low-end money (500K) plus incentives. 15mil to practically minimum wage in one year is tough to do.[/quote:1zv55w66] Yeah, poor guy. My heart breaks for him. /sarcasm Edgy DC Feb 09 2009 07:07 AM It's not like he doesn't get to keep the 15 miills. Vic Sage Feb 09 2009 09:08 AM yeah, i mean basically he just got a raise! Frayed Knot Feb 09 2009 09:26 AM Sure, it just shows a helluva difference between what someone thought he was worth last year vs what they think he's worth barely a year later. How the mighty (and fat) have fallen.

Fireballer Daniel Cabrera goes to the Nats, 1 year, 2.6 million.

="metirish":51v3v590]Apparently this now opens the door for Manny to play the OF , a part of me hopes this circus comes to town.[/quote:51v3v590] If, by "town," you mean the Bronx and not Flushing, then sure, bring it on. seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 11:16 AM Eff that. I'd bring Manny to Shea for two years and $50 million. Centerfield Dec 18 2008 12:25 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1tuzaza8]It could mean the worst outfield in the history of o.b.b., at least defensively. Manny-Johnny-Nady... wow.[/quote:1tuzaza8] Nope. That distinction belongs to any outfield featuring Roger Cedeno in centerfield. seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 01:18 PM ="Centerfield"]="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]It could mean the worst outfield in the history of o.b.b., at least defensively. Manny-Johnny-Nady... wow. Nope. That distinction belongs to any outfield featuring Roger Cedeno in centerfield. "Wait... what?"

Good. I much prefer him in another division.