Tag Archives: Red Sox

Dec 26

Dec. 26.09: Pitching market not great ….

Posted on by

The real trend-setter for starting pitcher’s contracts isn’t John Lackey but Randy Wolf, he of the 101-85 career record in 11 years (basically 10-9 a season), who signed a three-year contract with Milwaukee for $29.75 million.

Ben Sheets, despite his injury history, wants $12 million per season and Joel Pineiro wants a four-year deal with a higher annual average than Wolf. Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban defector who has never thrown a pitch in the major leagues, has a $15.5 million offer on the table from the Red Sox.

Also, lurking are Pedro Martinez, Erik Bedard, John Smoltz, Randy Johnson and Brett Myers. There are three Hall of Famers there, but that’s in the future and past tenses. Present tense, well, they aren’t much better than whom the Mets have now.

For the Mets to add pitching, their choices are to overpay for mediocrity, or in the case of Sheets, take a health gamble. The Mets are gambling their current rotation will progress, and if it doesn’t, then at least they have the economics on their side (save Oliver Perez).

Not encouraging, is it?

Dec 26

Dec. 26.09: Movin’ On ….

Posted on by

I hope everybody had a happy and safe holiday. I enjoyed spending time with my family. I don’t get out here that often, so the time is special.

I wrote several days ago it was time for the Mets to take a “take it or leave it” approach with Jason Bay. With his agent, Joe Urban, talking to the Red Sox and stonewalling the Mets, it’s obvious where Bay’s heart lies.

BAY: End the fantasy.

BAY: End the fantasy.


The Mets are ignoring one of the cardinal rules in dating when it comes to Bay, which is some girls play hard to get until they become hard to take.

It has come to that with Bay. It’s time to cut the fantasy with him.

He doesn’t want to play for the Mets, but would be willing to for five years and not four. I’m not deluded into thinking Bay is any different from any other free agent. He’s following the money.

The Red Sox don’t want to go over the $170 million luxury tax marker, so Urbon will have to be creative in backloading the deal. I would have to think the Red Sox would rather have Bay in their batting order over Mike Cameron (making him a fourth outfielder).

But, what about your heroes? Who’s going to play left field for them? They should be thinking hard about this because it should have been obvious to them Bay was a longshot.
Continue reading →

Dec 24

Dec. 24.09: On the Night Before Christmas ….

Posted on by

…. And all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, and that includes the Internet. In Ohio visiting my father for the holidays, and I won’t have reliable Internet until I get home Monday. I will try to post something on a daily basis and as often as possible. I did want to explain the lull between threads.

I did hear the Red Sox might not be done with Jason Bay. Playing it close to vest like they did with John Lackey. Maybe they heard the rumblings about the Yankees sniffing around and got antsy. Maybe it was fallout from the Javier Vazquez trade. Whatever, if true, and the Red Sox want him, there’s precious little the Mets can do about it.

It is quite possible the delay by the Mets might cost them Bay. But, I wouldn’t jump all over them for that. Bay is not worth the five years, whether or not the Red Sox are in it or not.

But, what remains clear is that the Mets remain stagnant, and on the night before Christmas, the Mets aren’t doing much stirring.

Oct 27

Talkin’ Baseball: Stayin’ Alive Edition.

Posted on by

Can the Rays stay alive?

Can the Rays stay alive?

Good evening folks. What I’m hoping for tonight is for the Rays to prolong the Series and drag it out to seven. Just like the Red Sox did. Remember the beer commercial that had “man laws.”

I’m thinking there should be some baseball laws, too. The home team should win on Opening Day and the World Series should go seven. And, it would be nice if the National League won an occasional All-Star Game or two.

Anyway, I can tell by the nature of a lot posts that you guys are itching for the Hot Stove Season. It will be here enough. But, we’ve got a World Series to finish.

Oct 21

Gooood Morning: Scanning the headlines and asking your favorite WFAN voice.

Posted on by

The FAN and Mets extend contract.

The FAN and Mets extend contract.

Lots of good discussion last night in Mets Chat Room. We’ll keep it up every Monday night in the off-season and, of course, we’ll talk during the World Series.

Woke up this morning with these items:

-The Mets and WFAN have re-upped their contract. It was a no-brainer. This is as good a time as any to ask who is your favorite and least-liked WFAN personality.

-Joba Chamberlain got into it with after being heckled by a Red Sox fan in a Nebraska strip club. Evidently, he was missed Crash Davis’ lecture that day. The papers said the Yankees would give Chamberlain “a second chance.” Really?

-The Yankees and Dallas Cowboys are in bed together. Legends Hospitality Management, a name that indicates a believe they are better than everybody else. It’s about concessions and merchandising sales. I’m waiting for the day when they merchandise oxygen.

Oct 20

Quote of the Day: Baldelli relieved.

Posted on by

Baldelli: Relieved at beating Sox. Future Met?

Baldelli: Relieved at beating Sox. Future Met?

Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli, who is from Rhode Island, on beating the Red Sox in the ALCS: “This might sound funny to everyone, but I don’t want to go home and have to see every single person that I know rub it in my face every single day for the rest of my life. And that would happen [if we lost]. I’m 100 percent serious. To beat those guys and not have to listen to everyone where I live, it’s a nice feeling.”

Baldelli will be a free-agent after the World Series and would fit in nicely in the Mets’ outfield.

Oct 19

Talkin’ Baseball: Game 7.

Posted on by

Talkin' Baseball: Game 7. The ultimate.

Talkin' Baseball: Game 7. The ultimate.

Game 7. The ultimate in sports.

The Rays let the Red Sox back into the ALCS, and now Boston is on the verge of coming back for a third time since 2004 from a 3-to-1 deficit to advance to the World Series.

Whatever happens tonight, history will get made. Hope you join us tonight.

Oct 19

Gooood morning: On tap for today.

Posted on by

Goood Morning: What's on your mind today?

Goood Morning: What's on your mind today?

It has to be a good morning somewhere. Boston, perhaps? Gotta think they didn’t get much sleep in Tampa last night. If you’re the Rays you have to be a little concerned. The Red Sox have come back before.

Twice they’ve been down 3-to-1 (including 3-0 to the Yankees in 2004) and rallied. This is a team with a backbone. And, with Jon Lester pitching tonight, you have to like their chances. The decision to go to the bullpen instead of giving Scott Kazmir a shot to work out of trouble could be the turning point to the series.

Of course, I’ll blog the game with you tonight. I’ll also have a post up at 1 p.m., for those watching football.

Should be a fun day.