Tag Archives: Matt Holliday

Dec 15

Sorting things out ….

Posted on by

BAY: Still on Mets' radar, but they'd better hurry.

BAY: Still on Mets' radar, but they'd better hurry.

The Mets are dealing with the fall out from the bombshell dealings of yesterday.

I don’t know if stonewalling Jason Bay was a ruse by the Red Sox to get John Lackey. I didn’t think they were going to get him anyway, and it has nothing to do with them misreading the pitching market.

Even so, they should be more aggressive in their pursuit for him if he’s their target. Let’s face it, he has to be because they aren’t going to give Matt Holliday what the Cardinals are reportedly willing to do.

If the Mets think Bay will “fall back” to them like Johan Santana did, they could be mistaken. The first impression, and I had it yesterday, was Seattle wouldn’t go for him because they’ll need the money for Cliff Lee.

Perhaps that was premature.

Wouldn’t Seattle be a little more enticing to Lee if there was power in that line-up? Maybe, with Lee, the Mariners see an opening to win this year and will still pursue Bay. Truth is, the Mariners haven’t said Bay is no longer an option.

And, what about the Angels? With Lackey gone and Halladay no longer an option, they have to be looking to do something. Bay was on their radar before. He might still be on it unless the Angels are bent on those middle-tier arms the Mets have been talking about. Truth is, for what they saved in Lackey, they might be able to swing both Bay and a pitcher. And, Bay has to be a better option than Hideki Matsui.
Continue reading →

Dec 14

More Bay watching ….

Posted on by

The Mets believe they’ll get a handle on the Jason Bay landscape toward the end of the week. One thing is clear, the Mets’ initial offer of $65 million over four years won’t be enough to get it done.

If their offer is the Mets “real” evaluation of Bay, then they’ll have to overpay to get the 31-year-old outfielder. A guaranteed fifth year could get it done, as Bay’s agent has said there’s a fifth year offer from an unnamed team on the table.

The Mets prefer Matt Holliday, but he’s a Scott Boras client and it will be closer to $100 million to get him. The Red Sox are also considering Holliday. Boston’s offer is a four-year, $60-million package. The Red Sox say they won’t go higher, but that seems like posturing to me.

The Mets haven’t heard from Bay on their offer. GM Omar Minaya said he’s also going to look at his non-tendered options, which include Cincinnati’s Jonny Gomes and Oakland’s Jack Cust, who hit 20 and 25 homers, respectively last year.

Another power option – and a cheaper alternative to bringing back Carlos Delgado at first – is San Francisco’s Ryan Garko.

Dec 12

Another look at Bay ….

Posted on by

BAY: Is he the right fit?

BAY: Is he the right fit?

The offer is out there, four years at $65-million, which I don’t believe is enough to bring Jason Bay to the Mets. I may have overestimated in an earlier post on Bay’s asking value, but hold fast the Mets’ initial offer won’t get it done.

Before jumping on the Bay Bandwagon, let’s kick the tires a bit and look at some of the reasons to be cautious with him.

* He’s a dead pull hitter, which everybody is saying fits the style for Citi Field. That said, don’t you think pitchers know that and will give him nothing but breaking stuff over the plate? I can envision another David Wright dropoff.

* What does it say to you that the team that knows him best prefers Matt Holliday and is holding firm at four years, $60 million. Posturing? Perhaps. But, it must be considered.

* At 31, he’ll be 35 at the end of a presumably back-loaded contract. If the Mets make it five years, he’ll be 36. There are reports in Boston the Red Sox would have to move Bay to the DH slot at the end of his contract for concern of him being a defensive liability.

* Bay is a strikeout machine, fanning 162 times last season and not less that 129 in his career.

Dec 10

Baywatch?

Posted on by

Reports out of Boston has the Mets interested in Jason Bay. Why wouldn’t they be? However, interest and willingness are two different things. Omar Minaya said they are in contact with agents and general managers.

This would include the agent for Bay.

Because Bay would be the cheapest of the Big Three – John Lackey and Matt Holliday – he would be a more probable signing. Even so, the reported numbers are still steep at $!6 million a season for five years. That’s an $80 million chunk of change, and my impression is if the Mets spent that kind of money they’ll spread it over several areas.

Bay is a good player, but not that good.

Dec 08

Minaya: Warns of trading depth ….

Posted on by

Omar Minaya insists the Mets have the chips to make a trade – but barely.

SANTANA: No blockbusters like him on the horizon.

SANTANA: No blockbusters like him on the horizon.


Citing the amount of players given up in the Carlos Delgado and Johan Santana deals, Minaya said: “You have to be careful that you don’t continue to go into the farm system … You don’t always want to trade your prospects to fill your major league needs.”

Minaya insists the Mets aren’t opposed to making a deal, but will be cautious. There probably won’t be deals like Santana where they deal four or five prospects for one major league commodity.

Translated, if the Mets are to make a splash, it would likely be in the FA market. But, considering their desire to keep their spending down, it would be a middle-tier splash as they will not spend to get John Lackey, Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.

Minaya said it isn’t just the Mets, but other teams, because of the need to build payroll flexibility by building from within, teams overall prefer to hold their cards.

“People value their prospects more,” Minaya said. “As time goes by in the game, I’ve noticed more value of a player that has zero to three that can perform than in past years. You value those guys that can perform.”

The key, remember, is guys who can perform.