The John Delcos New York Mets Report Featuring Mets' commentary, analysis and news.

MARTINEZ: One more year?

I remember talking with Pedro Martinez the last day of the season and him telling me he never felt ready between rehabbing injuries and taking time off to visit his ailing father.

“I don’t want to leave this way,” Martinez told me then. “I didn’t feel right this year. I know I can still pitch.”

Martinez had his moments last season, both good and bad, but a guy with his heart shouldn’t be easily dismissed. If his pride lets him be a fourth or fifth starter, then he’s worth it. Let’s face it, could he be any worse than Freddy Garcia or Tim Redding?

There’s a report out of the Dominican Republic that has Omar Minaya meeting with  Martinez about bringing the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer back for an encore to his four-year, $53 million contract.

Let’s face it, the Mets aren’t set with their rotation. With no assurances they’ll re-sign Oliver Perez, bringing back Martinez in a stop gap role makes sense. He’s not the young stud we’d all like, but there aren’t any guarantees Jon Niese is that guy, either.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Aaron Heilman’s stay in Seattle was shorter than some of his appearances on the mound this summer. Heilman was traded to the Cubs today for infielder Ronny Cedeno and pitcher Garrett Olson.

Immediate speculation is this deal would enable the Cubs to free up some of their young pitching to re-start trade talks with San Diego for Jake Peavy.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Mets manager Jerry Manuel was in New York the other day at a charity function and was asked about Manny Ramirez. He wants him, but knows it’s not happening.

Said Manuel: “We have to deal with what we have. And, we have a pretty good team.  We feel like we have enough tools to make it to the playoffs.”

Do you agree? As they are comprised now, do you believe the Mets are a playoff team?

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

PEREZ: Get it done.

You would think with less than three weeks before spring training there would be a market for a 27-year-old lefthander who throws heat.

There’s not.

If Oliver Perez were to get five years as agent Scott Boras wants, he would have gotten them by now. A combination of Perez’s wildness, his agent, and perhaps the prevailing thought he’d always wind up with the Mets is keeping teams at bay.

C’mon, let’s cut through the smoke. Give him three years at $12 million each with an option for a fourth year, and get this thing done.

I spoke with Boras this summer when the Mets were in LA and remember him telling me Perez wasn’t erratic. I didn’t believe him then and I don’t believe him now. If Boras really had that much faith in his client, he’d take two years and jump at the chance to do this again when Perez is 29.

Why do you think he hasn’t?

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

RAMIREZ: The image that scares them off.

Manny Ramirez is still floating out there, his thundering right-handed bat a temptation 29 teams have managed to resist. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers have an offer on the table, and Ramirez’s refusal of $45 million over two years seems stunningly arrogant considering the line

Nobody knows which.

Last week, Jeff Wilpon told Bloomberg News the Mets weren’t interested, but he wasn’t speaking for manager Jerry Manuel, who, during a TV interview, said he’d love to have Ramirez on his team.

“To have a shot at managing him would be exciting for me,” Manuel said. “I’d love to have the opportunity to watch Manny hit every day.’’

Manuel called Ramirez “one of the best right-handed hitters in our generation,’’ and broached the topic of his reputation with the confidence of a snake charmer.

Manuel is convinced he would avoid this serpent’s tooth.

“I don’t have a problem with people that produce in the form and fashion that Manny Ramirez produces,” Manuel said. “We don’t spend, shouldn’t spend that much time in the locker room, anyway.’’

You don’t?

Players start drifting into the clubhouse five hours before game time, far longer than the time of game. But, if not concerned about the clubhouse, how about the field?

If Ramirez’s stars aren’t all aligned he’s been known to dog it on the bases and give up at-bats. Even though they won two World Series with him, Ramirez had no allies in the Red Sox clubhouse late last summer, including David Ortiz.

Jose Reyes has enough problems maintaining his attention as it is. Do you really want him looking up to Ramirez? And, for the money Ramirez is asking, they can sign a pitcher and a bat such as Adam Dunn.

They’ve resisted temptation so far. Hope they keep that strength.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

HEILMAN: Change of scenery.

Aaron Heilman could have ripped the Mets, but took the high road when asked about his time in New York when questioned by The Seattle Times.

“Playing in New York is the only existence I’ve known and I think you get used to it,” Heilman said. “You learn to accept the fact that you are dealing with a very passionate, very knowledgeable fan base. … New York’s one of those markets where unless you win the World Series, it’s not a good year.”

Clearly, Heilman wanted to start, but the Mets valued him in the bullpen. It was always presumed he would have left when he became a free agent. However, the Mets beat him to the punch and included him in the J.J. Putz trade.

“I certainly didn’t look at it as I really wanted to get out of New York,” Heilman told the paper. “I was kind of looking forward to going back and showing that last season was an aberration and to get back to what I normally can do.”

When he’s on his game, and he wasn’t for much of last season, he’s capable of getting hitters out from either side of the plate.

Heilman had productive stretches both in 2007 and last season, but didn’t come close to his 2006 effectiveness. Especially, when it came to keeping the ball in the park.

More than a few times he denied he was scarred by giving up the Game 7 homer in the NLCS.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

UTLEY: Says he'll be ready for Opening Day.

If the Mets were counting on Chase Utley’s hip injury to keep them close to the Phillies out of the gate, they’ve got another thing coming as the All-Star second baseman says he’ll be ready by Opening Day, contradicting initial reports his rehab from surgery would keep him out through May.

Utley has been working out with the Phillies training staff five days a week, and said he’ll be swinging a bat soon.

“In two to three weeks – that would be nice,” Utley said. “If everything goes as planned, that’s what we want to do. And right now, we’re on schedule. … It’s about listening to my body. Right now, we are listening and it’s responding well. If that continues to happen, then I don’t see why I won’t be ready for Opening Day.”

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Let’s assume for a moment the Mets are done, that they don’t re-sign Oliver Perez. We can also accept Manny Ramirez will not be in left field. Given those two factors, who’s on your 25 man roster that will break camp?

Posted under Uncategorized

Alex Cora is finally official, being announced to a one-year, $2 million deal by the Mets. The veteran infielder, 33, can play any where in the infield save catcher.

Cora will give manager Jerry Manuel a quality rest for David Wright and Jose Reyes. I know what most of you are thinking: He’ll most likely spend a lot of time at second base.

Cora hit .270 last year at Boston, so he’s not automatic out.

Said GM Omar Minaya: “You win championships with a 25-man roster.”

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

GARCIA: Worth the gamble.

GM Omar Minaya said a team can’t have enough pitching, that he’s always interested in stockpiling bodies for spring training.

Freddy Garcia, 34, who has pitched in just 14 games the last two seasons because of an injured shoulder, qualifies more as a body than he does certified pitching. He’s logged only 73 combined innings with Detroit and Philly the last two years, but was worth the risk to be signed to a minor league deal last night that could balloon to $7.5 million with incentives (starts and/or innings).

Garcia won 17 games for the 2006 White Sox, and the Mets had some interest after that season.At this point, Garcia is another body, but a good signing if he’s healthy for that cost. It also sends a message to Oliver Perez they aren’t waiting.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09