Bleacher Report - Articles by Dominick DiFucci

Mets Worse Than Little Leaguers

Dominick DiFucci — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:00:14 -0400

You can't sugar coat what we have been seeing this year from the Mets. It is clearly a team that is unwatchable at this point. The more Mets fans clamor over getting a trade done, the more Omar comes out and says he will stand pat with what he has (Keeping his prospects)... Is he kidding? I have seen better play from Little Leaguers this year. At least they catch the ball...

Another point is, when the Mets come home next week—stay home! The Mets will get the point. The Dodgers will come in and pound the baseball and outscore the Mets. That's all you have to do, let the Mets make a couple of errors or walk the bases loaded and wait for the big hit from the opposition. Even the great Johan Santana has let his guard down in recent starts...

So let's get it straight Mets Fans, no trades because we have players coming off the DL soon (we hope). By then the Mets will be 7-10 games behind and looking up at the Phillies again...

The Mets don't care that we want to see a winning product on the field, they just care about their pockets...

I think Omar overrates his minor leaguers. Nick Evans is nothing special to watch, neither is F-Mart (who is now hurt). Daniel Murphy could be something, but is now pressing. Jon Niese did not impress me or the Mets (obviously Minors). Can we do better than Gary Sheffield? C'mon.

It's really, really sad that in a big market, the Mets can't get back on track by making a move, but instead making excuses.

Show some balls Wilpons and spend some money!

Omar must pull the trigger, but for what??

Dominick DiFucci — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:28:41 -0400

Everyone knows the Mets are struggling to stay off the mash unit.

Omar Minaya has to figure there must be an upgrade in his offense, but which defensive position must it be?

He has Jose Reyes on the shelf for a month, but chances are he will let Cora make the best of his time in the lineup. I like Cora's grit to handle the lefties, but remember he is also playing hurt and could be a candle in the wind before we know it.

Does Minaya make a play for a infielder especially that can play shortstop or second base? There has been much speculation about beleaguered Bobby Crosby, but he is always hurt. Next!

How about Orlando Cabrera, the guy is a little older, but can hit and even make a couple of appearances at third base. It might not cost much, but the Mets might not want to take on his salary and Reyes.

Then you have the Carlos Delgado situation, which is a no brainier to let young Daniel Murphy play there. The other option is to put Murphy back in the outfield and get a first baseman. It could be a handful of names that we hear like Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins, Adrian Gonzalez or Nick Johnson. If Delgado comes back, what do you do?

Now that Pagan and Church are on the shelf, the Mets might pursue a big-time outfielder. I have heard the buzz that Carlos Lee and Matt Holliday might be in the picture. Both make big bucks, but I think Lee might be a better fit in the clubhouse.

What can the Mets offer for one of these guys? Unless the Mets make a package deal that includes Oswalt and Lee.

Guys you might hear in a trade rumors are Church, Niese, Evans, F-Mart and Tejada.

It sucks J.J. Putz is not in the Mets' bullpen, but Parnell has earned himself a spot for the eighth inning. I have seen this guy reach 100 miles per hour. I think if Putz was healthy, they might of used him in a deal.

It's only a amount of time before we see what happens, nothing might happen until July 31. It might be too late by then for the Amazin's fate.

Shock us Omar  . Make a trade!

New York Mets Need a Quick Fix in the Rotation

Dominick DiFucci — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:33:15 -0400

I was at home watching the latest installment of the New York Mess....The Mets ended up giving the game to the Phillies with walks, sort of brings me back to the days of Kenny Rogers.

The Mets' problems do not stem from their manager, but it seems the pitching is at question here.

Oliver Perez has been horrendous and it seems the Mets should of not re-signed him. The Mets options are to send him to the minors and let him re-tool or make him work out of the bullpen. The possible candidates to replace him would be Jon Niese, Nelson Figueroa, Brandon Knight, or Dillon Gee..

Oliver Perez's Stats:

2009 Season Stats
SPLITS	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	P/GS	WHIP	BAA	ERA
Season	5	5	0	0	21.2	28	24	24	3	21	20	1	2	90.2	2.26	.315	9.97
Career	180	179	3	2	1021.0	924	560	511	149	549	1047	56	62	99.3	1.44	.242	4.50
Last 7	5	5	0	0	21.2	28	24	24	3	21	20	1	2	--	2.26	.315	9.97
Projected	35	35	0	0	148	197	169	169	21	148	141	7	14	90.2	2.26	.315	9.97

Other inquires that seem at hand here are Sean Green. Is this guy the next and coming of Aaron Heilman? By the way, Heilman gave up six runs the other day in a Cubs uniform (good call).

Sean Green's Stats:

2009 Season Stats
SPLITS	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	SV	HLD	BLSV	WHIP	ERA
Season	12	0	0	12.1	18	12	12	2	8	11	0	2	0	3	1	2.11	8.76
Career	172	0	0	191.1	209	106	98	9	91	141	9	9	1	36	8	1.57	4.61
Last 7	7	0	0	7.2	12	10	10	1	6	5	0	2	0	1	1	2.35	11.74
Projected	85	0	0	85	127	85	85	14	56	77	0	14	0	21	7	2.11	8.76

The Mets need a guy behind Johan and fast. Mike Pelfrey has looked decent in recent starts, Maine has been improving, and Hernandez is hot and cold..

If you are the GM, you have to look down the road and inquire about pitchers that will be available.

Here are some that you would have to look into:

Roy Oswalt

Yeah, he is not what he used to be. But maybe the Mets can give up some young talent that Houston does not have..They need to bolster the farm.

Oswalt's Stats:

2009 Season Stats
SPLITS	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	P/GS	WHIP	BAA	ERA
Season	6	6	0	0	33.0	35	14	14	6	10	20	0	2	85.5	1.36	.282	3.82
Career	259	247	15	6	1655.0	1608	626	578	141	380	1355	129	66	91.8	1.20	.256	3.14
Last 7	6	6	0	0	33.0	35	14	14	6	10	20	0	2	--	1.36	.282	3.82
Projected	41	41	0	0	223	236	95	95	41	68	135	0	14	85.5	1.36	.282	3.82

Jake Peavy

I have been saying it all winter: GO GET PEAVY!. The Cubs loom large for him, maybe it's time for the Mets to get him...

Peavy's Stats:

2009 Season Stats
SPLITS	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	P/GS	WHIP	BAA	ERA
Season	6	6	0	0	39.1	35	21	20	4	14	40	2	3	103.5	1.25	.241	4.58
Career	205	205	6	3	1300.1	1124	505	475	132	421	1296	88	65	103.2	1.19	.232	3.29
Last 7	6	6	0	0	39.1	35	21	20	4	14	40	2	3	--	1.25	.241	4.58
Projected	39	39	0	0	253	227	136	130	26	91	259	13	19	103.5	1.25	.241	4.58

Roy Halladay

This guy is a solid pitcher...Maybe with the economic being the way they are J.P. Ricciardi might be inclined to get something for him now rather than later.ESPN say the Blue Jays are not shopping him just yet, but that will change.

Halladay's Stats:

2009 Season Stats
SPLITS	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	P/GS	WHIP	BAA	ERA
Season	6	6	0	0	44.0	45	19	18	5	5	38	5	1	108.5	1.14	.263	3.68
Career	287	261	40	11	1851.2	1808	807	724	155	425	1325	136	67	83.0	1.21	.255	3.52
Last 7	6	6	0	0	44.0	45	19	18	5	5	38	5	1	--	1.14	.263	3.68
Projected	37	37	0	0	274	280	118	112	31	31	237	31	6	108.5	1.14	.263	3.68

Any one of these pitchers will do the trick, but the Mets need to get a quality pitcher.

Here is a second thought: Does anyone know what Leo Mazzone is doing now? Oh, he is just a color commentator on Fox and ESPN.

If the Mets were to fire Dan Warthen, would you go and get the best possible replacement? Enough said!

Orlando Hudson Signs with Los Angeles Dodgers

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:00:01 -0500

The New York Mets have lost another option at second base. According to MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Orlando Hudson have agreed on a one-year contract.

The deal is worth $3.4 million, with another $4.6 million in possible incentives.

Hudson was rumored to replace Luis Castillo at second base, though the Mets could not find it in their hearts to sign Hudson and have Castillo on the pine.

Hudson, however, will cost the Dodgers their first-round draft pick in June (No. 17 overall) as a Type-A free agent that was offered salary arbitration by the Arizona Diamondbacks and did not accept.

It's not clear how the dominoes will fall with Hudson's addition. Blake DeWitt, the presumed incumbent to Jeff Kent at second base, could move to third base, with Casey Blake moving to right field. DeWitt could also be squeezed out, with Juan Pierre remaining in left field.

The three-time Gold Glover and 2007 All-Star will take over the position for the retired Jeff Kent. Hudson had originally sought a multi-year deal at $10 million annually, but the free-agent market crashed, and he slashed his asking price.

The deal came together quickly after it was reported that the Dodgers had also begun talks with another free-agent infielder, Orlando Cabrera.

Jose Reyes Comments on Phillies, Possible Lineup Change

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:56:32 -0500

Jose Reyes was in Spring Training and he was opening up the media mailbag about Phillies taunts. The media was asking him if he had heard about the Mets being "Choke Artists" and all the other comments made all along.

Reyes had some expressive comments towards the Phillies: "We don't worry about Philly," Reyes said. "I don't know why they worry so much about the New York Mets. They are the ones to win the World Series, not us, and we don't say nothing about them. We just say congratulations to the Phillies.

"They always seem like they're talking something about us. I don't know why. I mean, they have to be happy because they win the World Series. Why are they focusing on us? If they don't like us, that's OK."

Reyes also heard about the Phillies teasing Shane Victorino—comparing him to Reyes—after the center fielder raised his finger rounding first base to celebrate a postseason home run. A photo was hung in his locker with the caption J. REYES underneath it.

"I don't know why they say that," Reyes said. "I'm not the only one when I hit a home run I'm pimping. A lot of people do that. People from Philadelphia, too, they stand there for a couple seconds at home plate and nobody says nothing."

As for the supposed lineup controversy, with Jerry Manuel suggesting that Reyes could be dropped from the leadoff spot to third, the shortstop didn't seem to mind. Manuel is thinking it might be better with Luis Castillo atop the order, where he can be more of a pitch-taking pest, and Reyes could use his gap-to-gap power at No.3.

"I'm here to do whatever they want me to do," Reyes said. "People called me and said I'm not going to lead off any more, but I'm here to help this team win. No matter where they put me—third, second, fourth, fifth, whatever. I'm here to play baseball and try to help this team win a championship."

It is starting to sound like Jose Reyes has matured and could be one of the Mets' most productive players in the NL this year. If he bats third, he might have close to 100 RBI this year.

Mets will try to let Castillo get on base to set the table and let Reyes and David Wright drive them in.

Jerry's New Projected lineup

1. Castillo

2. Beltran

3. Reyes

4. Wright

5. Delgado

6. Church

7. Murphy/Tatis

8. Schneider/Castro

What Dom D thinks the Mets lineup should be

1. Reyes

2. Church

3. Wright

4. Delgado

5. Beltran

6. Murphy

7. Castillo

8. Schneider

What do you think the best lineup is for the Mets? Give your thoughts.

Luis Castillo Comes to Camp in Shape...

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:04:47 -0500

Luis Castillo, the most hated player by Mets fans, came in great shape to spring training. He lost 17 pounds compared to when he came into spring training last year.

Castillo is trying to take advantage of a situation where the Mets could not trade him this winter. Many have discussed the possibility of signing free agent Orlando Hudson, but the Mets could not do that because Castillo is still in the mist of getting nearly $18 Million over the next three seasons. The Mets could not afford both...

Now Castillo who has vowed himself to play better and be healthier and trying to be the player that Omar Minaya thought he had last year when he signed him to a four year deal.

According to Howard Johnson, the Mets batting coach, he has seen a big difference in his approach. Castillo has been hitting the ball with more authority.

"He has more life in his body," Johnson said. "He looks younger. I think the knee last year really hurt him as far as his preparation. What happened with him is there wasn't any way to get on track last year. He was playing catch-up and that's a dangerous place to be when baseball season starts because there's no letup."

Castillo only played 84 games last year and was bothered by knee and hip problems. Castillo, a shell of his All-Star self, struggled to field his position and was lost at the plate, hitting a career-low .245. The Mets fans at Shea continued to boo him near the end of the season, and it had some effect on him.

"That was the first time I got booed and it was hard for me," Castillo said.

Castillo returned to the Dominican Republic, he worked with Rafael Landestoy at the team's baseball academy. Castillo said his daily workouts lasted about four-and-a-half hours, and without any issues, he arrived here with a peace of mind, too.

Now that he is healthy, he has this year plus the next two seasons after that to make everyone love him again. Will it happen? Who knows, but at least coming into shape makes it a little bit better...

A-Rod Is Now A-Roid

Dominick DiFucci — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:37:49 -0500

It is old news that Alex Rodriguez has taken steroids, especially during his Texas days. Now he is in every newspaper and media outlet making his apologies known.

It's making it out like we have to feel sorry for him.

The people I feel sorry for are the fans who thought he was the greatest player in the majors to date. Now to know that he is a fraud just like Giambi, Bonds, and many who have come out of closet with such knowledge.

Mets fans only have been hampered with the fact that their old clubhouse attendant was the guy players came to when they needed a boost... Mets Fans also can appreciate the fact that now A-Rod is not playing shortstop or third base for their team. Everybody thank Steve Phillps for that kind 24 + 1 gesture—it could of been a whole lot worse.

In the meantime, we will sit back this season and embrace the torture by the opposing teams fans. They will taunt A-Rod to the fullest and we will see how he will face adversity.

If you thought it was bad when he did not come through in the clutch pre-known steroid use, think how it will be now!

I heard Frank Russo (who has great Yankee insight) on Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest last night saying that A-Rod might pack it up because A-Rod's friends (sources) don't think he will be able to take all the criticism. I am sure if that was the case, the Yankees would not have a problem with dissecting the next nine years and $250 Million from their payroll. They can get two more pitchers for the price of one A-Rod.

A-Rod is not a nice guy and I think you can contribute that's why no one else has been mentioned out of the 104 players in the same report. Let's face it, he does not have that likable appeal that David Wright does...

Another reason why he was mentioned now is because the timing. With Torre's new book coming out saying he is a "A-Fraud", it makes everything sound so plausible.

So far 2009 has not been the way A-Rod would of liked it to start and it will only get worse. Jose Canseco says more juicy tales from his crypt are coming. How can it get any worse?? Speaking of which, I think everyone owes Canseco an apology...He told the truth when no one wanted to believe the impossible.

A-Rod is a "A-Fraud", "A-Roid" and a "A-Hole".

You know what Yankee fans? He's still laughing all the way to the bank. Rodriguez has made $197,000,000 in his career. A-Rod does not know the term recession, but he knows that every Yankee fan that wears his jersey and pays a ticket to see him just makes him richer..

A-Rod's ESPN Video:

A Possible Setback For F-Mart

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:19:58 -0500

With spring training still a few weeks away, the Mets top prospect, Fernando Martinez, is already injured.

Following his clutch home run in the Caribbean Baseball World Series, Martinez began to feel elbow discomfort. While he insisted it was nothing, the Mets played it safe and sent Martinez back to New York to be evaluated by team doctors.

David Lennon is now reporting that team doctors have found that Martinez suffered an elbow strain, and have recommended that he take three weeks off before resuming play.

That in itself is not all that terrible, however as RotoWorld points out that the elbow strain could potentially lead to the need for Martinez to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Barring no setbacks, the recovery time for the surgery would be somewhere around six months. While that sounds all well and good, in reality the recovery time will probably be a couple months longer than expected.

Martinez, who signed with the Mets at age 16, instantly became the organization’s top prospect. Every year, however he seems to be ridden with injuries. Last season, though, he managed to play in 86 games at the Double-A level and hit for a respectable .287 average with eight home runs.

The only upside to this news is that Martinez will be able to play in this upcoming season, and can push the surgery off until next offseason.

Either way this is obviously very discouraging news for such a talented young player, who has already gone through numerous injuries.

The most important thing for Mets fans to do is to not give up faith in the young prospect, as he is only 20 years old and has time to rebound from his injuries.

Just remember how injury prone Jose Reyes was in his early years. And, now all these years later Reyes has become one of the top stars in all of baseball.

There is not a doubt in my mind that we will see Martinez roam the outfield at Citi Field, however my hunch is it will not be this season.

Mets Look for Right-Handed Bench Help

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:20:06 -0500

The New York Mets have already said they will not pursue any big ticket names from free agency, but look to upgrade the bench with a right-handed bat.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday thinks Rich Aurilia who has New York ties and with Omar Minaya.
Aurilia, 37, was born in Brooklyn and played for Xaverian High School and then St. John's.

When the Rangers selected him in the 24th round of the 1992 amateur draft, Minaya was part of Texas' front office.

A former All-Star shortstop, Aurilia played in 83 games as the Giants' first baseman, 63 as their third baseman, and one at second base in 2008. He put up a .332 on-base percentage and .413 slugging percentage. Against left-handed pitching, those numbers ballooned to .377 and .526.

The Phillies and Giants are aggressively pursuing him. However, Mets have not knocked on Aurilia's door.

The Mets can look elsewhere like Nomar Garciaparra, Jay Payton, Kevin Millar, and Jose Vidro.

According to Davidoff, the Mets are looking to find a lefty reliever. They think the Casey Fossum or Tom Martin (non-roster invitees) can be one of the candidates to fill that role. They also can look at Joe Beimel, Ron Villone, and Will Ohman, who are on the free agent block.

Finally, the Mets are looking to shed Ramon Castro's $2.5 million off the payroll via trade and think Robinson Cancel can take over the job. The Brewers had a fair interest in Castro, but manager Doug Melvin consulted with his old coach Willie Randolph about such a deal and they rebutted.

Fernando Martinez Pushes Dominican Republic Past Puerto Rico

Dominick DiFucci — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:43:02 -0500

We finally found Fernando Martinez!

Martinez, who thinks he has what it takes to be a star in the majors, is doing it on another level—the Caribbean World Series for the Dominican Republic.

The top prospect in the Mets organization hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to push the Tigres de Licey past Puerto Rico's Leones de Ponce, 2-1, in Tuesday's matinee at Estadio Casas GEO.

Martinez has a history of success. The 6'1", 190-pound center fielder was named to the Futures Game in 2007 and 2008. In 2006 he was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect team.

Last season the 20-year-old combined to hit .292 in 90 games for the Mets' Gulf Coast League team and Double-A Binghamton. The left-handed hitter smacked eight home runs while driving in 43 runs and striking out 73 times.

The biggest knock on Martinez has been his health—or lack thereof—as he was slowed by a hamstring injury last season. There is also some concern with the fact that he hit only .217 against left-handed pitching. That said, he hit an impressive .317 against right-handed pitching.

On Tuesday he impressed again, entering the game as a pinch-hitter with two outs and hitting the game-winning homer off reliever Jose Vaquedano to give the Dominican Republic a 2-1 lead. Jose Bautista also scored on Martinez's homer.

Fernando was asked where he thinks he'll be next year and he said, "Right now I think I'm going to be in Triple-A, but I'm always thinking of being in the Major Leagues," Fernandez said. "I'm going to go in and have a good Spring Training. You never know."

Source: MLB.com

Minaya Says No Manny for Mets

Dominick DiFucci — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:08:21 -0500

According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, The Mets will rule out any big time player which includes Manny Ramirez. The Mets are trying to fill the last pieces of the puzzle by acquiring a left hander in the bullpen (minor league deal). The Mets would also like to acquire a right handed bat for bench, perhaps a spring training trade.

The Mets will most likely rule out a return of Pedro Martinez, now that Oliver Perez is signed.

The Mets will have the same payroll as last year which will be around $143 Million, said Jeff Wilpon. It does not take a whole lot to figure that Bernie Maddoff's scandal had to play a role in how much they were going to spend.

Here is a quote from Scott Boris on Manny's flirtation to the Mets:

"You're always going to get the call because it's just good business to 'walk the dog' in each situation. Those calls often bring about further discussion, and sometimes they don't. I think the thing about the Mets is that bullpen, starting pitching is what they felt they had to address. And the focus of our discussions had been in those areas for the last five or six weeks. Now that that's completed, as to where they go and what they do, we're certainly open to the discussions."

Looks like we are going to see Murphy and Tatis in left field, but it would of been nice to see number 24 in the lineup.

Orlando Hudson Has New York Mets, Three Other Teams in Pursuit

Dominick DiFucci — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:03:02 -0500

According to the Sporting News, Orlando Hudson says that four teams have interest in him. The teams are the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Nationals.

The Mets face a big obstacle to sign the O-Dog because Luis Castillo is still on the roster. No one wants to acquire him via trade. He would be a great addition.

The Yankees have met their quota of Type-A free agents with the additions of Tex, Sabathia, and Burnett. That immediately eliminates them.

The Dodgers are thinking of playing Blake DeWitt at second base, now that Jeff Kent is officially retired.

That leaves the Nationals as the only logical choice—they are unsettled at second base.

Hudson was looking for a long term contract, but it seems that he would accept anything at this point.

Can the Mets get rid of Castillo's contract before spring training? Seems like a long shot!

Ty Wigginton Signs Two-Year Contract with Baltimore Orioles

Dominick DiFucci — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:44:53 -0500

According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles have signed Ty Wigginton to a two-year contract.

Wigginton will receive $6 million for the two years, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Wiggy hit .285 with 23 home runs and 58 RBI with the Astros last season.

He will likely serve as a right-handed hitting first baseman and DH, replacing free agent Kevin Millar. He will also back up Melvin Mora at third base.

The Mets missed the boat on another former player that Fans can relate to. I guess $3 million a year was going way beyond what the Mets wanted to spend.

Citi-group Looking to Bail Out of Deal?

Dominick DiFucci — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:08:42 -0500

According to NY Reuters, Citigroup is exploring breaking the $400 Million dollar marketing deal on the Mets new stadium.

Officials at Citigroup have made no final decision about whether to try to void the 20-year agreement, which includes naming the Mets' new baseball stadium after the bank, the people told the paper.

The Mets deal was attacked last week as an example of misplaced spending by financial institutions that needed bailout funds, according to the paper.

A Citigroup spokesman in New York told Reuters on Tuesday that "no TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) capital will be used for Citi Field or for marketing purposes."

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich and Ted Poe, wrote to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner last Wednesday, asking him to push Citigroup to dissolve the Mets deal, the paper said.

"Citigroup is now dependent on the support of the federal government for its survival as an institution," the paper quoted the letter as saying. "As such, we do not believe Citigroup ought to spend $400 million to name a stadium at the same time that they accept over $350 billion in taxpayer support and guarantees."

If Citigroup backs out of its agreement with the Mets, it's likely that would not happen immediately and could involve the bank paying a break-up penalty to the Mets, the paper said, citing people familiar with the situation.

Citigroup "signed a legally binding agreement with the New York Mets in 2006," the Citigroup spokesman in New York told Reuters.

"The Mets are fully committed to our contract with Citi," Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz told the Journal.

I still say the Mets should try and land MET-LIFE as their stadium sponsor. Get Met - It pays!

Manny turns down Dodgers Offer.....

Dominick DiFucci — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:50:46 -0500

According to the LA Times, Manny Ramirez has turned down a 1-year deal worth $25 million from the LA Dodgers.

It appears that Manny is looking for a multi-year deal. Either that or he is playing coy with them to get the years up. It is sort-of like saying, "How bad do you want me".

Meanwhile, the Mets have finally come to terms with Oliver Perez...Thank God.

Now Mets fans, this is where it gets interesting; when we all bicker and clamor for a big bat. I have read in many other blogs that some people would entertain the possibility of Adam Dunn. I disagree with that only because he strikes out more than he hits and he is left handed.

The Times list the Mets, Angels, and Nationals looking at Manny, but not at Manny prices. They simply do not want to pay more than $20 million per year for his services.

According to Metsblog.com yesterday, Cerrone said that WFAN's Tony Paige (who does the overnights) heard from a good source that the Mets have interest in Ramirez and might pursue him this week.

Since the Mets have lost such a good amount of money (Maddoff Scandal) and they are close to the luxury tax threshold of $160, they would prefer not to even glance at Ramirez, but look for another right handed bat of lesser amount.

The Mets are not done. I believe they still need another lefthander in the bullpen. There are a couple of names out there like Will Ohman or Joe Beimel. Ohman was a workhorse for Atlanta and was second in appearance last year with 83.

Oliver Perez Back with Mets: The Drama Is Finally Over

Dominick DiFucci — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:27:36 -0500

According to ESPN, the Mets and Oliver Perez have agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract.

The deal is pending a physical, the sources said.

Perez rejoins a rotation headlined by Johan Santana and also including right-handers John Maine and Mike Pelfrey. Newly signed right-handers Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding will vie for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Perez was 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts last year. He struck out 180 and also walked 105 in 194 innings. His 4.87 walks per nine innings were fourth highest in the majors, behind only Barry Zito, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Ian Snell.

He will receive $12 million in each of the three seasons, up from the $6.5 million he made last year after winning in salary arbitration.

Mets getting close to signing Oliver Perez

Dominick DiFucci — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:56:42 -0500

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Mets seem closer than ever to retain Oliver Perez. The Mets are pushing to give Oliver three years plus a four-year vested option.

Perez, 27, was 25-17 with a 3.91 ERA the past two seasons with the Mets. He would rejoin lefty Johan Santana and righties John Maine and Mike Pelfrey in the team's rotation.

The Mets will look find their 5th starter out of a bunch of pitchers that include Tim Redding, Freddie Garcia, Jon Niese and a bunch of others.

Omar and Mets seem to think that Pedro might be an option to return and compete for the 5th spot as well. The Mets will use the WBC as a barometer to see if he can perform the way the Mets would like him to perform.

How Can the New York Mets Finish the 2009 Offseason?

Dominick DiFucci — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:45:35 -0500

Omar Minaya has been re-tooling the NY Mets for the 2009 campaign. His order of business was to rebuild a beleaguered bullpen by addition by subtraction and one free-agent closer. Keep building the rotation around Johan Santana, plus Mike Pelfrey and John Maine and to sure up the the outfield and infield.

Here is what the Mets have done this offseason:

Additions
Subtractions

Date		Transaction

1/23/09		Signed OF Rob Mackowiak, who had been with the Reds, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

1/22/09		Signed INF Alex Cora, who had been with the Red Sox, to a one-year contract. Signed RHP Freddy Garcia, who had been with the Tigers, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

1/18/09		Invited 1B Michel Abreu to Spring Training. Invited C Josh Thole to Spring Training. Invited LHP Michael Antonini to Spring Training. Invited OF Fernando Martinez to Spring Training. Invited RHP Dillon Gee to Spring Training. Invited RHP Esmailin Caridad to Spring Training. Invited SS Jose Coronado to Spring Training. Signed C Omir Santos, who had been with the Orioles, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

		Signed LHP Casey Fossum, who had been with the Tigers, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

1/15/09		Re-signed 2B Argenis Reyes* to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

1/12/09		Signed RHP Tim Redding to a one-year contract. Signed LHP Tom Martin to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

Date		Transaction

12/12/08		Acquired RHP Connor Robertson from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for LHP Scott Schoeneweis. Non-tendered RHP Ambiorix Burgos and INF Argenis Reyes*.

12/11/08		Selected RHP Rocky Cherry from the Baltimore Orioles and RHP Darren O'Day from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the Rule 5 Draft.

12/10/08		Signed RHP Francisco Rodriguez to a three-year contract. Acquired RHP J.J. Putz, RHP Sean Green and OF Jeremy Reed from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Aaron Heilman, OF Endy Chavez, LHP Jason Vargas, INF Mike Carp, OF Ezequiel Carrera and RHP Maikel Cleto.

12/3/08		Re-signed LHP Adam Bostick, RHP Nelson Figueroa and INF Andy Green to Minor League contracts and invited them to Spring Training. Signed C Rene Rivera to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

*Re-signed at a later date

2009 Mets Roster:

Active Roster
	Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	30 Rocky Cherry	R/R	6-5	225	08/19/79
	25 Pedro Feliciano	L/L	5-10	190	08/25/76
	48 Sean Green	R/R	6-6	235	04/20/79
	35 Brandon Knight	L/R	6-0	195	10/01/75
	40 Eddie Kunz	R/R	6-5	265	04/08/86
	33 John Maine	R/R	6-4	200	05/08/81
	32 Carlos Muniz	R/R	6-1	190	03/12/81
	49 Jonathon Niese	L/L	6-4	215	10/27/86
	36 Darren O'Day	R/R	6-4	225	10/22/82
	39 Bobby Parnell	R/R	6-4	200	09/08/84
	34 Mike Pelfrey	R/R	6-7	230	01/14/84
	22 J.J. Putz	R/R	6-5	250	02/22/77
	44 Tim Redding	R/R	5-11	225	02/12/78
	29 Connor Robertson	R/R	6-2	220	09/10/81
	75 Francisco Rodriguez	R/R	6-0	195	01/07/82
	50 Duaner Sanchez	R/R	6-2	210	10/14/79
	57 Johan Santana	L/L	6-0	210	03/13/79
	43 Brian Stokes	R/R	6-1	210	09/07/79
	13 Billy Wagner	L/L	5-11	205	07/25/71
	Catchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	4 Robinson Cancel	R/R	6-0	190	05/04/76
	11 Ramon Castro	R/R	6-3	260	03/01/76
	23 Brian Schneider	L/R	6-1	195	11/26/76
	Infielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	1 Luis Castillo	S/R	5-11	190	09/12/75
	12 Alex Cora	L/R	6-0	200	10/18/75
	21 Carlos Delgado	L/R	6-3	265	06/25/72
	7 Jose Reyes	S/R	6-1	200	06/11/83
	5 David Wright	R/R	6-0	215	12/20/82
	Outfielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	9 Marlon Anderson	L/R	5-11	200	01/06/74
	15 Carlos Beltran	S/R	6-1	205	04/24/77
	19 Ryan Church	L/L	6-1	190	10/14/78
	6 Nick Evans	R/R	6-3	210	01/30/86
	28 Daniel Murphy	L/R	6-3	210	04/01/85
	16 Angel Pagan	S/R	6-2	195	07/02/81
	18 Jeremy Reed	L/L	6-0	200	06/15/81
	3 Cory Sullivan	L/L	6-0	180	08/20/79
	17 Fernando Tatis	R/R	5-11	195	01/01/75

How Can you finish the 2009 Offseason, here are a couple of solution solvers:

1) Sign Manny Ramirez- (Pipe Dream) Listen...I would love the Mets to sign him, but I don't see it. The Mets have a plethora of young guys that don't match the offensive machine he is, but...the Mets do have Sullivan, Reed, Pagan, plus Murphy and Tatis . That's a lot of guys for one position. Sorry Manny!

2) Sign Oliver Perez - We need Ollie back in the rotation to compliment Johan, give him three years, $38 million and throw in a car, LOL!

3) Sign Pedro Martinez - Give him another shot to prove himself in a lesser role maybe Long Man, could not hurt.. Also it will bring Pedro back with Manny!

4) Sign Joe Beimel - Mets need another left-hander in the bullpen. The Mets really have only Pedro Feliciano on the left side. Wagner looks like a total loss for the season but imagine if he every did come back for the playoffs. Nasty Boys Two: Wagner, K-Rod, Putz...

What the Mets have to find out in spring training is:

1) Is Luis Castillo ready to become the second basemen the Mets signed to a four-year deal or will someone like Alex Cora to take the spot light. Don't forget Murphy played some 2B and you have Marlon Anderson..

2) Is there anybody that will step up out of Sullivan, Reed, Pagan, and a couple of others? Like I said it will determine the bench and role players in the outfield. Figuring that Murphy and Tatis are the regulars.

3) Who will their fifth starter be? Mets have Jon Niese, Conner Robertson, Bobby Parnell, and Tim Redding and Freddie Garcia. That's why Oliver is so essential to slot behind Maine....It will set up their depth.

All in all it will be interesting to see what Omar does, but clearly he needs to fill in the blanks. Tell me what you think will happen and I will post the best ones.....

Go Mets!!!

New York Mets Need To Consider Ruben Gotay

Dominick DiFucci — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:42:28 -0500

Heading into this year the Mets have many question marks surrounding the roster.

Their pitching staff has multiple holes that have yet to be filled; their bullpen is still lacking a second left handed pitcher to complement Pedro Feliciano.

However, their biggest question mark lies in the middle of the infield at second base. Luis Castillo, a once solid hitter and stellar defensemen, has shown that he is most likely at the tail end of his career.

After all, the once .300 hitter, came into spring training in poor physical condition and went on to hit .245.

In an attempt to ease Mets fans’ and management’s concerns, Omar Minaya hit the free-agent pool and signed veteran infielder, Alex Cora.

While Cora plays well defensively, he is not much of a hitter. This is fine for a reserve player, but what happens by mid-June when Castillo is back on the DL, and we all know he will be.

Cora will likely become the Argenis Reyes of 2009 in terms of offensive production, if thrust into the starting job.

The Mets need a talented and low cost second basemen candidate to help provide additional depth. Orlando Hudson is currently not an option due to him seeking a pricey multi-year deal.

The current crop of free agent second basemen is rather thin after Hudson including two former Mets (Damion Easley and Ramon Martinez).

There is one name that pops up at me from the list and that name is Ruben Gotay. Mets fans may remember Gotay, who was acquired in the 2006 trade that sent Jeff Keppinger to the Royals.

Gotay played in 98 games with the Mets in 2007 before being claimed off of waivers in early 2008 by the division rival, Atlanta Braves.

During his short stint with the Mets, Gotay was productive. He hit .295 with four home runs and 24 RBI. While those numbers are nothing to rave about, they certainly are an upgrade over Castillo’s.

The 26 year old, Gotay, would most likely come at a rather cheap price due to his poor performance with the Braves (.235 BA in 102 ABs).

When evaluating Gotay’s struggles in 2008, it is important to take into consideration that most of his at-bats came in the form of pinch hits.

Pinch-hitting is no easy task and there are many stars, such as David Wright, who have trouble doing it because they are not used to it.

It was Omar himself, who said that some of the best free agent signings are the under-the-radar ones, thus I believe it would be foolish on his behalf to not at least offer him a minor-league deal.

New York Mets Upgrade Offer to Ollie Perez

Dominick DiFucci — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:07:01 -0500

According to Jon Heyman of Si.com, the Mets extend the offer to Oliver Perez. Which means they have now upgraded their offer from what was proposed three years, $30 million. No one knows for sure what the upgraded Mets offer is though.

The Mets seem to be the lone hunters for Perez's services while Randy Wolf is being sought out by the Dodgers, Ben Sheets by the Rangers and possibly the Yankees, and Jon Garland being looked at by the Diamondbacks. Other news on the back burner is that Andy Pettitte is looking to go back home again in Houston, but paper reports say that there has not been mutual interest.

The Mets know what they have in Oliver Perez and he has been battle tested. The other alternative is to let him go and collect draft picks for him. The Mets wanted Lowe, but the enemy Braves paid $21 million more than the Mets for him...no time for the Mets to get cheap!

Mets Must Pull Trigger on Manny Ramirez

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:08:46 -0500

The Daily Debate goes on about Manny Ramirez and a lot of talk has Mets fans believing that he is not an option for us.

The New York Post's Mike Puma had a good article on the situation with the Mets. It reported that Jeff Wilpon has said that Omar Minaya's baseball staff does not think that Ramirez is someone they are likely to pursue for the 2009 campaign. This, even though star third baseman David Wright thinks he has the "right stuff" to be a Met (OK stupid pun).

Without Ramirez, the Mets would most likely use the platoon of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis in LF. While I would love to see Murphy get a chance to play almost everyday, you can't question the offense of Manny because he is a future hall of famer.

His numbers last year with the Dodgers speak for themselves and he would bring a little fear to opposing NL pitchers who faced the Mets. Manny is not the greatest in the field, but his bat alone is worth the admission.

The Mets seem to be pinching their pennies again as they still try to land a quality starter to compliment Johan Santana at the top of the rotation.

They tried to go cheap on Lowe, but that did not work.

They are playing the same game with Oliver Perez now, and that seems to be going no where. My guess is the Mets would like to get the draft picks for him because he is a Type A free agent.

Other options for the rotation are disappearing fast.

Randy Wolf appears to be heading to LA according to rumors and reports from MLB.com.

That leaves Ben Sheets and Andy Pettitte, both who are question marks going into 2009. Do the Mets give Sheets a laden incentive contract to play in New York? His stuff, when healthy, is nasty. If the Mets don't decide he is the answer, I guess the Mets believe they have enough depth at starter with their bullpen that includes Putz and K-Rod.

That leaves the question, what are the Mets doing? Are they saving their money because they have made bad investments? Or are they just cheap?

The problem I have is that the Mets don't get what they want unless it's available at the price they want. I know the Mets got burned on Castillo's contract, but by now they should have traded him for a bag of balls. I know the Mets are paying for Willie Randolph and Billy Wagner's absence, but that should not be the case for such cheapness.

The Mets need to pull the trigger and get Man-Ram on board, enough said. Go Mets!

J.J. Putz Choosing Winning Over Saves

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:42:02 -0500

Put aside the rumors that J.J. Putz does not want to set up for Francisco Rodriguez. Putz, at his press conference at Citi Field, said that setting up is fine with him as long as he wins.

"It would've been great closing," Putz said. "Now I'm setting up and it's fine." He added, "The bottom line is, I want to win. I didn't really have a chance to do that in Seattle."

Putz was Eddie Guardado's setup man in Seattle early in his career, so he says he knows the role. "I'm looking at it as my job to go out in the eighth and close the game in the eighth," Putz said. Guardado also helped Putz learn the split-fingered fastball, his out pitch.

"I have an aggressive style of pitching," Putz said. "I like to throw my fastball and put guys away with my split."

Putz is known as a practical joker, and his favorite prank is to put pies in people's faces. He even warned Kevin Burkhardt that he might be a victim too. "I think pies (in the face) are the funniest," Putz said. The Mets have not had a prankster in the bullpen since Roger McDowell, which is good because it keeps the team loose and the Mets need all the loosening they can get!

For all that want to know, his name is pronounced "Puts," but that might not stop many from calling him the Yiddish version of the word PUTZ.

Omar Minaya Interviews with Boomer and Carton

Dominick DiFucci — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:28:22 -0500

The King of Comedy to Mets Fans, Craig Carton, was at it again with Mets GM Omar Minaya on WFAN this morning.

I finally got to listen to what Minaya and Boomer/Carton had to say and I thought it was a very candid interview with a lot of things to ingest.

In the interview Carton congratulated Omar on getting K-Rod. What really surprised me was that Rodriguez wanted to be a Met all along because he likes the city and was willing to take less to come here.

Minaya also said that the addition to J.J. Putz took a lot of work, but now the bullpen is really improved. Putz has given no indications that he wants to close and will accept his role. He is happy to be here because he is a competitor and wants to win.

On the starting pitching front, Minaya would like to add at least two veterans to the staff. It sounds like he will try to land a higher tier guy like Perez or Lowe and try to get a lesser valued guy like a Wolf or Redding for the back end.

He also said that the Mets have to be creative and that could mean that they could bring in a Bartolo Colon or Freddie Garcia for protection.

In addition he said that he likes that the Mets have two kids like Parnell and Niese to battle it out in spring training for the fifth spot.

Carton was hinting to Minaya about trying to land Manny Ramirez, but Minaya said that after he fine tunes the rotation and pitching overall he would see if he can add offense to the team.

He acknowledged that Manny was a great player, but does not think that Manny Ramirez is a solution because he believes that Murphy and Tatis can get it done in left for the time being.

Minaya believes that his offense was not the problem last year, and vows to get more pitching. The motto he likes to live by is "Pitching, speed, and defense."

About the second base position he said that Luis Castillo is our second baseman for now. Luis is working out in the Mets facility trying to get in better shape.

Carton hinted to Minaya about Orlando Hudson and Minaya responded that he has a Christmas wish list, too. (I guess he is on it). What I took from that is if the Mets could get rid of Castillo and bring in Hudson they would do it in a New York minute.

On the Cole Hamels comments made about a week ago—that they are "choke artists"—Minaya responded by saying that he does not believe in talking about other teams and he doesn't think his players should either.

He does not think that it was a fair assessment about his team. He believes that the Mets played the best they could and they overachieved considering what the pitching staff went through last year. He realizes that the Phillies took care of business on the field and congratulated them.

Last but not least, Carton asked Minaya about the Madoff Scandal that supposedly rocked Fred Wilpon's company and if it would have any effects on the Mets' personal decisions going forward.

Minaya said that he spoke to Jeff Wilpon about the issue and it would not have any effects on the Mets' decision process because they are two different entities. Minaya said the Mets are in full game mode and intend to improve this team. They are looking at "A" free agents and the baseball side is operating normally.

If you want check out the audio from this morning, click here!

Mets' Starting Pitching Wheel of Fortune

Dominick DiFucci — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:05:45 -0500

The Mets have to get themselves one or two starting pitchers, but which ones will fit the bill?

The Mets have many options to fill the rotation. Here are some pitchers that the Mets are looking at starting high and working back to minor league contract level—basically the bottom of the barrel.

I call this the starting pitching wheel of fortune:

Derek Lowe

The Mets would love to get their hands on this RHP, but his price will be close to $14-15 million annually. He is 36 years old and wants a four-year contract. The last time they have someone a contract like this, was Pedro Martinez. See what that got them? A lot of grief.

Oliver Perez

This lefty has shown he can play in the city. He is very erratic at times and the Mets feel he is not worth the price tag, reportedly five years for $70 million. The thing Perez has on his side is he is left handed and he is younger than most pitchers on the market.

Ben Sheets

The Mets have not looked into Sheets because of his injury history. They would rather get someone who is more stable for the money. It would take an incentive-laden deal to get him to Queens, and that's not going to happen.

Andy Pettitte

The Yanks want him back, but at their price. I don't know if the Mets are willing to give Pettitte more than $10 million, but you never know at this point.

Randy Wolf

The Mets will have interest in Wolf if they don't land Perez. He is left handed and he won't demand so much. He is 32 years old and has played in Philly!

Jon Garland

I don't understand why this pitcher is not signed. He is 28 years old and has played on a championship team. He is not a strikeout pitcher, but does put the ball in play a lot. Maybe the Mets and other teams feel too much!

Tim Redding

Redding is 30 years old and played for the Nationals last year. He won 10 games with a bad team and his agent feels he could have won 15. He would have to be a fall back option...

Pedro Martinez

Many like Jose Reyes want Pedro back because they say he brings energy to the team and everyone likes him. But does that mean he can still pitch? I can see the Mets giving him a minor league deal to prove himself, but will Pedro do that? Maybe a long reliever in Minaya's eyes?

Bartolo Colon

Here is someone Minaya knows pretty well. But he has to fall in the same category as Pedro at this point (low risk, high reward).

Eric Milton

What can Milton bring to the table at this point? He is a lefty and probably will be a last resort. Minor league deal would have to suit him.

Freddy Garcia

Minaya had his eyes on him last year coming off surgery, but I can't see Minaya giving him anything but an incentive-based deal to land on the big club.

The Mets will end up with one or two of these gems. They will also give a shot to Jon Niese in spring training for the fifth slot. So it might be more realistic if the Mets get another right-hander like Lowe. That is if his price drops dramatically.

Mets Won't Putz Around, K-Rod is Their First Choice

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:33:07 -0500

According to MLB.com, The New York Mets' first choice is Francisco Rodriguez and not merely because he passes his 27th birthday next month. Younger, more accomplished and seemingly more ready to embrace a hire-wire role in a big market, K-Rod is what the Mets see. And the only reason they haven't pushed more to this point is that they have seen no reason to do so.

They don't want to extend an offer and be the ones to establish the first parameter of the K-Rod market, according to MLB.com.

The Mets don't anticipate returning from Vegas with Putz, or any other closer, for that matter, on their roster. They view Putz and free agent Brian Fuentes are comparables and not merely because each has passed his 30th birthday. Neither is comparable, in the Mets' view, to Francisco Rodriguez.

Mets Vegas Wish List

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:08:51 -0500

The Mets go into the Winter Meeting in Vegas knowing what needs to be done. The Mets have to find a closer, a starting pitcher behind Johan, that can throw innings. Then after the Mets accomplish that task they can move on and look into maybe fulfilling someone in the outfield and a second base.

Closer: In the closer department, the Mets will look to revamp the pen and find a closer that can replace Billy Wagner. The Mets main targets will be free agents Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes. The Mets can look for other trading alternatives like Huston Street (COL), who the Mets see better suited as a setup guy. There is also Jose Valverde on the chopping block in Houston, J.J Putz who recently was made available to the trading public.

Starter: In the starting pitching market, it seems the Mets will Make a move on Derek Lowe, but Mets will have a lot competition with the Red Sox and Yankees. A.J. Burnett seems to much of a risk and the Mets might make moves on the second tier guys like Randy Wolf and Jon Garland, who I think will benefit from coming to the National League.

The Mets may think that Jon Niese is ready for the fifth spot, so I only expect the Mets to get one veteran. Oliver Perez could be a real possibility if his price drops. I could see the Mets offering him a four-year, $52 million contract. He is a lefty and there are not many available.

Left field: The Mets have two guys on their roster that can play left field next year. They have Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis. But if they feel they can upgrade from that, I would think that Raul Ibanez could be a serious candidate. The Mets can also make a smaller move and bring in Juan Rivera.

Trade-able commodities: There is no secret here that the Mets would like to dump Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, and Luis Castillo under the Jeff Wilpon "Addition by Subtraction Theory."

Aaron Heilman: Is going to be a big piece to this off-season. He is either going to go in a trade for a setup guy like Huston Street or a starter like Edwin Jackson. It would not surprise me if the Mets traded Ryan Church in a package with Heilman to get the young Jackson. This would open the door for Ibanez or Abreu to play right. Probably Abreu since he was not offered arbitration and the Mets would not give up draft picks to get him.

Scott Schoeneweis: Seems like the Mets don't think much of him anymore. The Mets will have to find a taker. Maybe the Tigers, Rays, Rockies, someone always needs a lefty in their pen.

Luis Castillo: After pleading his case to the Mets, will the Mets let him play second this year? There has already been a hoopla over Orlando Hudson wanting to play here with his friend Carlos Delgado. The Mets will have to eat his contract and ship him elsewhere to even think about Hudson. Someone is going to have to be pretty desperate to want him.

If I had it my way:

Sign K-Rod
Trade Church/Heilman for Edwin Jackson.
Sign Bobby Abreu to play RF
Sign Juan Cruz
Trade Castillo for a bag of balls, Sign Hudson.
Trade Kunz / Schoeneweis for Huston Street.

But it's not my call, good luck in Vegas Omar!

The Yankees are in a bad position for starting pitching...

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:25:40 -0500

The days of the Yankees getting what they want, might be over. Today, Jason Stark of ESPN is saying that CC Sabathia might be loured in by the San Francisco Giants.

The Yankees thought that they had CC in their back pockets with their $140 million deal. It appears that Sabathia is true to his word by saying he wants to be on the West Coast. If the Giants do get him, the rotation will be a interesting one. They would have Sabathia, Cain, Lincecum, Zito, and Sanchez. It's not bad especially if Zito rebounds.

The Angels are very interested in Sabathia and have made him a prime target over Mark Teixeria, for right now. The problem is that CC might feel more comfortable in the National League after his success with the Brewers. I guess you can say pitching to eight (pitcher hitting) is better than pitching to nine (DH).

The Yankees are also having other problems with Andy Pettitte, who has already been in contact with Joe Torre and might be Hollywood bound. They also did not offer him any arbitration, so they will not get compensation if he goes elsewhere.

The Moose, Mike Mussina, has retired after winning 20 games, so you can't count on him.

The Braves are in motion after they acquired Javier Vazquez and now are looking to ink another Yankees target, AJ Burnett. They are in the process of offering the oft injured RHP, five years for $80 million. The Yankees are very hesitant to give five years to Burnett.

The Yankees will certainly be in competition of the services of Derek Lowe, who the Mets and Red Sox have interest in. It might be noted, that he might go back to his old team, the Red Sox. That will be another slap in the Yankees' faces.

So where will the Yankees go for pitching? Will they give the Padres the prospects they need for Jake Peavy? That might not be a wise thing to do because it would leave a glaring hole in their farm system, which they cannot afford.

The Yankees might have to rely on Wang, Chamberlain, Hughes, and Kennedy as their front four in the rotation. It could be another repeat in the Bronx. Let it be dearly noted that I am heartbroken over the mess in the Bronx.

What is wrong with Jake Peavy, that nobody wants him?

Dominick DiFucci — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:40:48 -0500

All is quiet on the Jake Peavy front. The originators of the Peavy talks, the Braves have moved into a new direction by acquiring Javier Vazquez. They gave up four pretty good prospects to get Vazquez and shunned away from the prize of Peavy.

In recent weeks, the Cubs have been somewhat interested. They resigned Ryan Dempster to sure up the rotation and Lou Piniella was adamant about the Cubs pitching staff, saying he was content what they had and they moved away from Peavy. Then we heard later that the Cubs were still interested and a third team might get involved like the Orioles, but now we are hearing that it can be all hearsay.

So what is wrong with Peavy, that nobody else wants him? ...Is he hurt?.... Does he have personality problems that we don't hear about?... All I know is this, he is an ace, he is affordable and he relatively young (at 28).

If I were the Mets, I would sit back (like they did for Johan Santana) and wait for the price to drop and make a run for Peavy. The Mets would have Santana and Peavy at the top of the rotation, who would be better than that in the NL?

It's only amount of time we are going to see some strange dark horse team jump in the picture. It could be the Cardinals , who need pitching. The Brewers could make a run at him, they could offer Prince Fielder and the Padres can reship him to another team to get what they desire. The Dodgers can have an impact on where Peavy goes, they sure have the young talent to get him. The Giants could easily jump in it if they don't get CC Sabathia.

It's going to be an interesting winter meetings to see where Peavy ends up. I just hope it's the Mets that he pitches for!

New York Mets: Blockbuster Trade on Tap?

Dominick DiFucci — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:55:45 -0500

Yesterday, it was quoted by COO Jeff Wilpon during the Citi-Field media tour, Omar Minaya has been working the phones with other GM's to work out trades and such.

He also mentioned the Mets do not have a budget or particular number Omar is shooting for (which I don't believe). Does this mean besides trading the likes of Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, and Luis Castillo, we could be in the midst of seeing a blockbuster trade in the works? Or is this all smoke and mirrors, and the Mets will just make some minor adjustments?

We can now count out the Javier Vazquez deal, as he is on his way to Hotlanta. There have been talks about the Rays moving either Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine, but that would require the Mets to move Ryan Church plus Heilman.

If that happened, it would almost guarantee Bobby Abreu or Raul Ibanez a spot in right field in 2009.

The Houston Astros are looking to cut some loose change from their payroll, and there have been talks around Jose Valverde and Ty Wigginton. The Mets can also take a look into Carlos Lee, who is making around $75 million over the next four years. Maybe the poorly run Astros would take a package to get his large body and salary out of Houston.

Then you have the Rockies, who would like to dish off Huston Street. The Mets would like him to set the table for the next closer they sign. The Rockies would like Heilman and Feliciano in return for Street. Maybe the Mets might end up giving up Schoeneweis instead of Feliciano. That would rid them of two headaches, and would also mean the Mets would have to get something more than just Street.

Plus, the Mets would have to fill a left-handed void in their pen.

All in all, I hope it will be a interesting couple of days at the baseball winter meetings. I'd like to see the Mets do something no one has been talking about or rumored.

Have the Mets changed directions? Going after Putz instead of K-Rod?

Dominick DiFucci — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:45:00 -0500

The Rockie Mountain News is reporting that the Mets are targeting J.J. Putz as their priority, instead of signing K-Rod or Fuentes. The reason is he will come a lot cheaper than both Fuentes and Rodriguez. Putz is expected to make $5 million in '09 and $8.5 million in '10. He also has a $1 million dollar buyout.

The Mets would love this because 1) He is affordable and the Mets are still paying Billy Wagner $10.5 Million and 2) He does not have a long term contract, which the Mets do not want.

The negative is, he will be 32 years old at the start of the 2009 season. If the Mets do make a trade for Putz, it could open up the bank for other moves including building up the offense or maybe getting a higher grade pitcher.

Here is a look at J.J. Putz's last 3 years:

Last 3 years	Team	G	GS	W	L	SV	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	BAA
2006	SEA	72	0	4	1	36	0	0	78.1	59	20	20	4	13	104	2.30	0.92	.207
2007	SEA	68	0	6	1	40	0	0	71.2	37	11	11	6	13	82	1.38	0.70	.153
2008	SEA	47	0	6	5	15	0	0	46.1	46	20	20	4	28	56	3.88	1.60	.256
Career		308	0	22	15	101	0	0	323.0	270	115	110	32	104	337	3.07	1.16	.227

The first time I heard of them targeting Putz was in Jason Stark's column yesterday, where he was told by a baseball source that if J.J. Putz becomes available he will be on the top priority over the free agent group...

I found some video of J.J. Putz on YouTube, Enjoy....