Tag Archives: John Lackey

Nov 20

Let the frenzy begin ….

Posted on by

Today is the first day teams are able to negotiate with free agents. I don’t know about you, but I find it extremely coincidental that Commissioner Bud Selig came out with the announcement several teams lost money.

The market is open.

The market is open.


I don’t believe it for a second. I don’t because the owners have always cried poverty yet continue to spend. The owners have also never been willing to let a neutral third party audit their books. Then again, you could cook the books any way you want.

The three top free agents are John Lackey, Matt Holiday and Jason Bay.

Bay has already turned down the Red Sox, but you knew that was just posturing for the market to open so there’s competition to drive up the price.

The Mets say they will spend and I believe them. I just don’t believe they’ll spend enough to land Holliday or Lackey. I would be stunned to see either as a Met. But, I also don’t believe they aren’t willing to make a splash.

Regardless of whether the market came back to them or not, the Mets did bring in Johan Santana and signed him to a $137.5 million extension two winters ago. Last year, they spent $36 million for Francisco Rodriguez.

In previous seasons, they spent for Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, Billy Wagner and Carlos Delgado. Remember, their payroll was on the MLB’s highest. The problem, is they haven’t gotten the return on their money.
Continue reading →

Nov 18

Marquis wants to be a Met ….

Posted on by

At 31, he has mileage left. He was an All-Star last season, so we know there is talent. He’s 94-83 during his ten-year career, which is the definition of a middle-tier pitcher the Mets reportedly will pursue this winter.

MARQUIS: Wants to be a Met.

MARQUIS: Wants to be a Met.

And, Jason Marquis, who grew up in Staten Island, told Bart Hubbuch of the Post he wants to play with the Mets.

“There’s definitely interest there,’’ Marquis said. “We’ll see what direction they want to go. … It would always be nice to come back home and represent your hometown.’’

Marquis went as far as to call it an “honor’’ to pitch for the Mets.

But will he?
Continue reading →

Nov 15

What would it take to get Halladay?

Posted on by

Roy Halladay in the Mets’ rotation sounds appetizing. With the Blue Jays willing to deal, there are only a handful of teams that fit economically, with the Mets among them, presumably able to come up with a $20-million per season contract.

HALLADAY: Would cost a fortune.

HALLADAY: Would cost a fortune.


So are the Yankees and Red Sox, who figure to be greater factors in trade talks this winter than at last July’s trade deadline because the Blue Jays appear more inclined to be willing to trade him within the AL East. If trading within the division is feasible, the main unanswered questions are whether the Blue Jays want to trade. If Toronto believes it is able to compete for at least a wild card, then the decision could be to hold him for this year knowing he’ll walk next winter.

As the Blue Jays prepare for 2010, dealing Halladay now would send the white flag message to its already shrinking fan base. The fallback would be to wait until the trade deadline and assess things then. That way, if they are struggling, they would get more than compensatory draft choices.
Continue reading →

Nov 13

Do you really believe?

Posted on by

You guys know the Mets. You know their history, their tendencies, the promises made that have long since been forgotten.

Almost gone now are Jeff Wilpon’s words after the debacle known as the Summer of 09, the Mets would be an aggressive trading and spending bunch this winter. A little over six weeks later, with the Hot Stove rumors starting to fire, I don’t believe John Lackey or Matt Holliday will be Mets this summer. I see the Mets slipping back into old habits of hoping for their best, in this case, having their wounded back healthy and doing some patchwork here or there.

Patchwork does not come in the form of $90 million or more packages.

I know a lot of you want Lackey and Holliday, or would be willing to settle for only one. That said, how many, knowing what you know about the Mets, actually believe you’ll get one?

Nov 10

Minaya faces rough road ahead ….

Posted on by

Mets general manager Omar Minaya faces a daunting task in rebuilding the Mets, and let’s face it, tweaking will not get it done.

MINAYA: Looks perplexed.

MINAYA: Looks perplexed.


“Some years are better than others. I think we have to find a way to slug more,” said Minaya in defining the market and one of his team’s needs.

Signing a guy like Matt Holliday or John Lackey won’t get it done. Signing both won’t get it done, either.

For the Mets to become the team they have promised they will be, there’s tweaking in some areas, hoping in a few more, and throwing money at several others in what has been described as a less-than-stellar free-agent market.
Continue reading →