Month: October 2008

Mets 2008 Off-Season Needs: Second Baseman

I think it’s universally agreed upon at this point that one of Mets GM Omar Minaya’s biggest mistakes was signing Luis Castillo to a long term contract. He’s a shell of his former self, with bad knees plaguing his ability to contribute to the Mets. Frequently, during the 2008 season Castillo sat on the bench watching Damion Easley, Argenis Reyes, and even Ramon Martinez start at second.

Castillo just finished the first year of his 4-year/$25 million contract. He received a $1 million bonus when he signed the deal and he’s scheduled to receive $6 million/year thereafter.

If that wasn’t enough to turn your stomach, here’s the bad news: I fully expect Castillo to be the Mets starting second baseman on opening day 2009 in Cincinnati. The reason is 100% financial. I don’t think the Wilpons will be of a mind to eat all or most of Castillo’s contract as has been suggested by some, including one of my favorite writers Matthew Artus.

You don’t need me to give you Castillo’s statistics for 2008 to know he was terrible. I heard you booing him at Shea in September, including when Jerry Manuel benched him just to avoid being treated so harshly by the home crowd. Castillo lost his starting spot during the most important games of the season in September to journeyman Ramon Martinez. Need I say more?

The sad truth is that Castillo isn’t going anywhere. The Mets have too many holes to fill in the free agent market this off-season in the outfield, bullpen, and rotation to eat Castillo’s contract. Billy Wagner’s $10.5 million isn’t covered by insurance because his injury was a pre-existing condition. So the Mets are eating that money already. And don’t forget that they’re paying Willie Randolph $2.25 million in 2009 to watch on his favorite network SNY. They won’t eat another big contract.

The bottom line is don’t get your hopes up about Orlando Hudson or Brian Roberts. The only way that will happen is if the Mets can trade Castillo for another player with a bad contract like the D-Backs’ Eric Byrnes. He’s got $22 million coming to him over the next two seasons. That may be a fit because they’ll need to fill a hole at second base when Hudson leaves. And the Mets need some help in the outfield.

Barring that type of deal, you should expect to see Castillo at second base again next season. I don’t see the Mets eating most or all of his contract.

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Mets Maine Positive After Shoulder Surgery

John Maine had a bone spur removed from his right shoulder this week successfully. He spoke to the media about the surgery:

“I feel great. I feel like I want to start throwing now,” Maine said. “That’s what I wanted to hear. So now I can be ready.”

Maine can start throwing again in December and expects to be ready for spring training. Good news for the Mets. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and the Mets will be counting on him more than ever in 2009. With Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez  becoming free agents, the Mets really need Maine to step up his game.

Citi Field Luxury Boxes Sell Out

Apparently, things aren’t that bad on Wall Street yet. The Mets announced this week that they sold out their 2009 luxury suites for Citi Field.

The announcement was that 39 Empire Suites went for $275,000 each and 10 Sterling Suites got $500,000 each. That’s great news for the Mets and maybe for us too. The Mets can afford to bring in some big free agents on the backs of the corporations buying up these luxury suites.

Hopefully, we’ll have these same corporations to thank when Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia arrive in Queens.

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Audio: Bobby V., Manuel, And Heyman

I’ve got some more audio links to help you get through what’s turned into a longer off-season than expected.

Jerry Manuel joins WFAN’s Mike Francesa and Eddie Coleman to talk about his contract to continue managing the Mets

Jon Heyman joins Francesa to talk Mets, Yankees and the post-season action

Bobby Valentine joins Steve Somers to talk US and Japanese baseball, and the Mets hiring of Jerry Manuel

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Mets Bernazard Interviews In Seattle

The Seattle Mariners interviewed Mets VP of Player Development Tony Bernazard on Friday for their vacant GM position. The word is that Bernazard is a long shot for the job. Last off-season Bernazard interviewed, unsuccessfully, for the Pirates GM job.

Its difficult to gauge exactly what value Bernazard brings to the Mets. You’ll remember he was the subject of scrutiny in June of quietly engineering the firing of Willie Randolph. Who knows if there’s any truth to that?

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Mets To Exercise Delgado’s Option

Omar Minaya announced that the Mets will excercise the one year option on Carlos Delgado’s contract for 2009. The option is for $12 million as opposed to the $4 million buyout they would have had to pay Delgado. Effectively, they’re getting Delgado for $8 million for the season.

If Delgado continues to be motivated under Jerry Manuel next season, it’s a great deal. You wouldn’t find another first baseman on the market with numbers like Delgado’s for that price. This season he hit .271 38 HR 115 RBI. And that was after doing nothing for the first 2.5 months under Willie Randolph.

The only other viable options in free agency were Mark Texeira and Jason Giambi. I’m sure the Wilpon’s don’t have the stomach for another player with a monster contract on the Mets like Texeira will command. And Giambi probably doesn’t have that many good years left in him.

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