Tag Archives: Mets 2009 Hot Stove

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 12

What about Wang?

Posted on by

WANG: Could be a low-risk, high-reward move.

WANG: Could be a low-risk, high-reward move.

Yes, he’s been injured, but at 29 Chien-Ming Wang is young enough to where he might bounce back into being a solid pitcher. The Yankees cut him lose today. It’s worth taking a flier on him. Give him one year with incentives. What could it hurt?

There’s no fifth starter currently. It’s worth taking the chance to see if he can regain his form. If so, the Mets would have a steal.

Colorado also non-tendered Garrett Atkins. He can hit, but is coming off a down season.

Each of these guys will be signed by somebody. Your thoughts on it being the Mets?

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 12

Tender deadline tonight ….

Posted on by

Clock is ticking on some.

Clock is ticking on some.

At midnight today is the deadline to teams to tender contracts.

On the plus side, John Maine, Pedro Feliciano and Jeff Francoeur will be tendered. No for Tim Redding and Jeremy Reed.

“Thing could get interesting,’’ Mets GM Omar Minaya said. “It’s like a whole new wave of free agents with the non-tender guys coming in.’’

Dec 08

Manuel: Fast start is needed ….

Posted on by

Despite how last season unraveled, and the collapses of the previous two years, Mets manager Jerry Manuel insists his team doesn’t have a delicate psyche and said a fast start wasn’t essential for a good year.

MANUEL: He needs a fast start.

MANUEL: He needs a fast start.


It is, however, important for something else.

“If they want to keep me around it is,” Manuel joked.

Manuel also admitted the Phillies are the team to beat in the National League.

“How can I say we’re the team to beat,” Manuel asked. “We haven’t won anything. The Phillies are the team to beat.”

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.

Dec 07

You’re not going to like this ….

Posted on by

Omar Minaya just spoke with the Mets beat writers. He said progress is being made in dialogues with agents and other general managers, but he’s not close on anything.

MINAYA: Banking on a lot.

MINAYA: Banking on a lot.


He also said he believes the Mets have enough pitching without them making a move.

“Do I think we have enough pitching? Yes, I think, if our pitchers pitch to their potential,” he said. “Yes, but they have to pitch to their potential.”

OK, a show of hands, please. How many think that’s going to happen. Are you willing to gamble 1) Mike Pelfrey takes a positive step, 2) John Maine comes back healthy, 3) Oliver Perez comes back healthy and with a clue, and 4) somebody from within the organization will step forward to be the fifth starter?

Dec 07

If money were no object ….

Posted on by

If the Mets didn’t have to worry about the cost factor, then all right, go for Matt Holliday and John Lackey, get Jason Marquis, too. It doesn’t work that way. The Mets, which contrary to popular opinion, aren’t a cheap organization.

You don’t build stadiums and have the one of the highest payrolls in the game if you’re cheap. But, the Mets are proceeding with caution on the dollar front. None of the big three – Holliday, Bay and Lackey – will be at Citi this summer in the home whites.

Not happening.