Month: January 2009

Mets Pitchers And Catchers Report To Spring Training Feb. 13

We finally got some news today about the spring training reporting date for the Mets pitchers and catchers. They need to be in Port St. Lucie on February 13th with physicals on the 14th and on-field workouts on the 15th. If you’re into really early spring action, you can now make your travel plans.

Games don’t start until February 25th. Position players need to be in PSL on February 17th with their physicals the next day. The first day of full squad workouts is on February 19th.

Thanks to the NY Post for the information.

Scott Boras To Meet With Mets

Super-agent Scott Boras is in New York this week for the introduction of Mark Teixeira with the New York Yankees. While he’s here he’ll stop by to meet with Mets executives to talk about Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez.

The meeting is set to take place on Wednesday. We’ve heard news about the potential deal with Lowe for weeks now. So I won’t go on about it here. I do expect something to happen this week though. Whether Lowe strikes a deal with the Mets or moves on to greener pastures elsewhere should be decided very soon.

Report: Several Teams Talking To Derek Lowe

Russell Martin (left), Derek Lowe (center) and...
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SI.com’s Jon Heyman is reporting today that the Mets are falling behind in the negotiations with free agent starter Derek Lowe. Last week the New York Times reported that the Mets made an initial offer of 3-years/$36 million to Lowe.

Since then, Heyman writes, that the Phillies, Braves, Brewers, Angels, and Red Sox have engaged in talks with Lowe’s agent Scott Boras. Heyman says that the Braves aren’t likely to better the Mets offer, and the Phillies still have Adam Eaton’s spot in the rotation to fill. The Angels already have solid starters but haven’t re-signed Jon Garland.

I think the Brewers are the most likely destination for Lowe. They were ready to spend big money on CC Sabathia. And they haven’t re-signed Ben Sheets. They’re in severe need of a number one starter. They could get Lowe for half of the $100 million they offered to Sabathia and still be in decent shape.

The Brewers just have a greater need for Lowe than the Mets do. Although the Mets have a bigger wallet, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to use it on a pitcher that will be 36 years old next season. I like Lowe but I wouldn’t go to $80 million for him, as he’s reported to be looking for. The Mets will be just fine with Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets, or Jon Garland joining Santana, Maine, and Pelfrey. The fifth spot in the rotation could be settled in a spring training competition between Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Nelson Figueroa, Pedro Martinez, or Freddy Garcia. The fact is that the Mets only need the fifth starter probably twice during the month of April. They have plenty of time to settle that position in the rotation.

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Andruw Jones Restructures Contract; Mets Still Pass On Deal

Several media reports today have indicated that Andruw Jones has restructured his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in an attempt to facilitate his exit from LA. The deal with allow the Dodgers to pay Jones his $15 million salary, that he was scheduled to make this year, over the next six years. The Dodgers will pay no interest on the deferred funds.

Obviously, both Jones and the Dodgers don’t want him to be in LA for the 2009 season. The word is that Jones has requested a trade and if he can’t be traded the Dodgers will likely release him.

Buster Olney of ESPN is reporting that a Mets source is telling him that even with the Dodgers paying Jones’ salary this year there’s no chance that the Mets will trade for Jones.

As I wrote last week, this deal barely makes sense for the Mets even if the Dodgers would take Luis Castillo in the trade. Carlos Beltran IS the Mets center fielder and Jones won’t be happy playing a corner. There’s no question in my mind about that. Not to mention the fact that Jones is overweight and just plain hasn’t hit for two consecutive seasons now.

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State Lawmaker: Delay Citi Field Vote

It’s been widely reported this week that NY state assemblyman Richard Brodsky released a letter on Friday January 2nd requesting that the city Industrial Development Agency delay a vote on additioanl public bonds. Both the Yankees and Mets have requested additional public bonds to help finance their new stadiums.

From MLB.com:

The Yankees are asking for another $259 million in tax-exempt bonds and $111 million in taxable bonds, on top of the $940 million in tax-exempt bonds and $25 million in taxable bonds already granted for its $1.3 billion stadium.

The Mets want another $83 million, in addition to the $615 million already approved for their $800 million park.

Brodsky maintains that the initial public bond funding for the parks was provided without proper public input. Although I find public financing of stadiums somewhat distasteful, it’s become an economic reality.

I’m very skeptical of unknown politicians making a very public stand on issues that are sure to attain media attention. Although Brodsky may have the tax payers best interest at heart, I’m leaning toward this being a grand-standing move to gain public attention. Watch for Brodsky to run for congress representing Westchester County in 2010. You can get Brodsky’s contact information at his state assembly page here if you’d like to make him aware of your feelings on the subject of public bond financing for Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

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