Category: Latest News

Mets Trade Church To Braves For Francoeur

Flickr photo courtesy of Keith Allison
Flickr photo courtesy of Keith Allison

We have the announcement of a trade this afternoon with the Mets sending Ryan Church to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur and cash. It’s basically a swap of under-performing right fielders. Despite Jerry Manuel’s denials, I think we all knew that Church was in his dog house.

We all know Francoeur, we’ve seen him a million times with Atlanta. He’s got a huge arm in the outfield and decent range. He strikes out a LOT and last season was a nightmare for him and he hasn’t been able to turn it around this season either. He’s 25 years-old and in his fifth big league season. He’s making $3.375 million compared to Church’s $2.8 million. That’s why the Mets are getting cash back.

It sounds like a fair deal to me. It won’t change the fortunes of either team in any big way this season or beyond. Both players weren’t meeting expectations, so maybe a new start will work out for them.

Church never seemed like the same player after he suffered a concussion in Atlanta last May. Until then, he was the most valuable player on the Mets. Then the Mets botched his medical situation and flew him around the country with a concussion. He ended up on the disabled list and has never been the same. I like Church as a player but don’t think he’ll ever have much success hitting lefty pitching.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t give us any indication of the direction that Omar Minaya is taking at the trading deadline either. This move doesn’t really improve the team other than adding a right handed bat to a lefty-heavy lineup.

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Oliver Perez Returns To Mets; Redding To Bullpen

OliverPerez1As expected the Mets are moving Tim Redding to the bullpen to make way for Oliver Perez‘ return from demotion “injury”. Perez made two start at Triple-A Buffalo going 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA. That’s not exactly lighting the world on fire in the minors. Perez also had 9 K’s and 9 BB’s in his two starts. The word is that Perez will start at home on Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Redding and his 6.99 ERA are headed to the bullpen, I assume to be the long man. Of Redding’s nine starts this year, I would only classify three of them as being “quality”. He’s a good emergency starter, but isn’t much more than that.

The only real question now is who Perez will replace on the roster. My assumption is that Elmer Dessens will be designated for assignment. Redding will assume his role as the righty-long reliever.

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John Franco Calls Out Mets David Wright

Flickr photo courtesy of alpineinc
Flickr photo courtesy of alpineinc

Former Mets closer Johnny Franco called out David Wright and the Mets for lacking leadership from the players. Franco said he’s spoken to Wright about taking a more active role as a leader on the team but it hasn’t worked.

The interview was on Sirius XM Radio and covered the current state of the Mets as well as other topics. But Franco’s comments about the lack of leadership on the team, and Wright specifically are garnering national media attention.

From ESPN:

“I tried talking to him and tell him to come forward and be that guy, but I think David feels that being that he’s such a young player and you have the [Carlos] Delgados and [Gary] Sheffields and veteran guys like that, he’s afraid that they’ll look at him like, ‘Be quiet and sit down.'”

Wright told reporters that he’s unconcerned about what anyone outside of the Mets organization says.

“With all due respect to Johnny, he doesn’t know what’s going on in this clubhouse,” Wright said Wednesday, after the Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 to stop a five-game losing streak. “I don’t feel the need to have to defend myself as a leader. If these guys in here respect me and think of me as a leader, that’s what I need.”

“I don’t worry myself about outside people saying what they’re going to say,” Wright said. “It doesn’t matter. What matters to me are these 24 guys in here and the coaching staff. Whatever anybody else wants to say, they can say whatever.”

This isn’t a new line of discussion. Every one of us that listens to sports talk radio in New York has heard this before. I’m a little surprised that Franco would come out publicly with this line of discussion after doing some work for the Mets this spring. I guess he doesn’t plan on doing any further work for them in the future.

My take on this is that if I was a 35 or 40 year old player on the Mets, I wouldn’t necessarily look at Wright as a leader on the team either. Sheffield has 500 home runs and Delgado is knocking on the door. Even Livan Hernandez was a World Series MVP. Beltran is a 4-time All Star, Rookie of the Year, with three Gold Gloves, and two Silver Sluggers. This just isn’t a team that every player is going to look up to Wright at this point in his career.

On a team with a different makeup, I could see Wright being a leader. On a younger team like the Pirates or Rays, I’m sure he would be a leader. But the Mets are a team with some veterans that have serious resumes. Franco should recognize that fact too because he was a veteran with a serious resume at one point himself.

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MLB 2003 Positive Steroid Test List

Photograph taken by Googie Man 05:11, 22 Septe...
Image via Wikipedia

I have no idea how accurate this list is or where it came from. But a site called Rotoinfo posted a list that purports to contain the names of all of the players that tested positive during MLB’s steroid survey sampling tests. They do write that the list is unconfirmed so take it with a grain of salt.

The list contains quite a representation of Mets and former Mets including K-Rod and Pedro Martinez.

From Rotoinfo:

1.Nomar Garciaparra
2.Manny Ramirez
3.Johnny Damon
4.Trot Nixon
5.David Ortiz
6.Shea Hillenbrand
7.Derek Lowe
8.Pedro Martinez
9.Brian Roberts
10.Jay Gibbons
11.Melvin Mora
12.Jerry Hairston
13.Jason Giambi
14.Alfonso Soriano
15.Raul Mondesi
16. Aaron Boone
17.Andy Pettitte
18.Jose Contreras
19.Roger Clemens
20.Carlos Delgado
21.Vernon Wells
22.Frank Catalanotto
23.Kenny Rogers
24.Magglio Ordonez
25.Sandy Alomar
26.Bartolo Colon
27.Brent Abernathy
28.Jose Lima
29.Milton Bradley
30.Casey Blake
31.Danys Baez
32.Craig Monroe
33.Dmitri Young
34.Alex Sanchez
35.Eric Chavez
36.Miguel Tejada
37.Eric Byrnes
38.Jose Guillen
39.Keith Foulke
40.Ricardo Rincon
41.Bret Boone
42.Mike Cameron
43.Randy Winn
44.Ryan Franklin
45.Freddy Garcia
46.Rafael Soriano
47.Scott Spiezio
48.Troy Glaus
49.Francisco Rodriguez
50.Ben Weber
51.Alex Rodriguez
52.Juan Gonzalez
53.Rafael Palmeiro
54.Carl Everett
55.Javy Lopez
56.Gary Sheffield
57.Mike Hampton
58.Ivan Rodriguez
59.Derrek Lee
60.Bobby Abreu
61.Terry Adams
62.Fernando Tatis
63.Livan Hernandez
64.Hector Almonte
65.Tony Armas
66.Dan Smith
67.Roberto Alomar
68.Cliff Floyd
69.Roger Cedeno
70.Jeromy Burnitz
71.Moises Alou
72.Sammy Sosa
73.Corey Patterson
74.Carlos Zambrano
75.Mark Prior
76.Kerry Wood
77.Matt Clement
78.Antonio Alfonseca
79.Juan Cruz
80.Aramis Ramirez
81.Craig Wilson
82.Kris Benson
83.Richie Sexson
84.Geoff Jenkins
85.Valerio de los Santos
86.Benito Santiago
87.Rich Aurilia
88.Barry Bonds
89.Andres Galarraga
90.Jason Schmidt
91.Felix Rodriguez
92.Jason Christiansen
93.Matt Herges
94.Paul Lo Duca
95.Shawn Green
96.Oliver Perez
97.Adrian Beltre
98.Eric Gagne
99.Guillermo Mota
100.Luis Gonzalez
101.Todd Helton
102.Ryan Klesko
103.Gary Matthews

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Mets Brass Tells Manuel To Shut Up

Jerry_ManuelMichael Kay of ESPN Radio is reporting this afternoon that Mets upper management is not happy with Jerry Manuel‘s candid comments to the media. Specifically, they don’t like his discussion of treading water until injuries heal and his talk of needing to trade for a bat.

Manuel has been able to develop such a good relationship with the media that upper management is afraid that they’ll be the ones to blame if the 2009 team goes down in flames. Personally, I appreciate that Manuel doesn’t insult my intelligence by saying anything but the truth that we all already know. Those of us that watch this team know that they don’t have enough offense right now. We know that the injured players are killing this team. Every other team knows that too. They’re not stupid.

Mets management needs to worry less about what Manuel is saying and more about how to avoid a disaster in the inaugural season at Citi Field.

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Mets, Minaya And Barry Bonds, Richie Sexson

Flickr photo courtesy of John H. Kim
Flickr photo courtesy of John H. Kim

There’s been so much talk, as there always is this time of year, about the Mets trade possibilities. I’m as guilty as the next person is about writing and talking about it. But I started thinking today that the Mets could get some much needed offensive help right off the street. There are two players that could walk in and start on this team right now that are unsigned. Omar Minaya needs to get creative before the non-waiver trading deadline and here’s how to do it.

Richie Sexson– Sure, his ’07 and ’08 seasons were forgettable. And I know he got a reputation as a locker room problem in Seattle. But didn’t Gary Sheffield come with baggage? And he’s worked out pretty well so far to say the least. Sexson is 34 years-old and a lifetime .261 hitter with 306 home runs. I’d much rather see him at first base until Carlos Delgado gets back than Daniel Murphy/Fernando Tatis. Big Sexy for first base.

Barry Bonds– I know, I know. I keep advocating for Bonds. But he could fit in nicely for the last 90 games of the season as an outfielder/pinch hitter. A Bonds/Sheffield platoon situation in left field would keep both players fresh and provide some more power in the lineup.

As much as the Mets are trying to showcase Fernando Martinez for a trade, he needs to hit to be traded. And that hasn’t happened, not even close. The Mets don’t need to empty the farm system and trade Bobby Parnell (the most attractive trading chip the Mets have) to get some help. Both Bonds and Sexson would definitely play for the prorated minimum salary that gives the Mets the flexibility to cut them if they don’t work out. It’s a win-win situation that will keep this team moving in the right direction until the injury situation resolves itself.

Murphy clearly isn’t a major league player yet, in the field especially or with the bat. He should be optioned to Triple- A Buffalo. Unfortunately, Fernando Tatis just hasn’t worked out this season. It’s time that the Mets eat the rest of his $1.7 million contract and let him go. That clears two roster spots for Bonds and Sexson.

Let me know your thoughts below in the comments.

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Mark DeRosa To Cardinals Limits Mets Trade Options

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

For the last two months, since Carlos Delgado went on the disabled list, I felt that Mark DeRosa was the best fit from a trade perspective for the Mets. That possibility was gone yesterday with the announcement that the Indians traded DeRosa to the Cardinals for Chris Perez and a player to be named later. Perez is a 23 year-old reliever with a very good fastball. That’s a better package than the Mets could have offered the Indians.

DeRosa can play any infield position and the outfield corners. He’s a right-handed hitter with power that would’ve been perfect for the Mets current needs. I don’t like Aubrey Huff or Adam Dunn for the Mets this season. Dunn has too much money coming over the next year and a half. And I never liked his “walk-strikeout-home run” game.

The more limiting possibilities are Matt Holliday and Maglio Ordonez. Holliday doesn’t have the versatility to play first base until Delgado gets back from the DL. And Ordonez is having a terrible season and has a huge contract with the possibility of vesting options guaranteeing future years based on plate appearances.

My guess is that the Mets try to acquire someone like a Ty Wigginton type of player. I don’t think they’ll make a splash by acquiring a big name. There’s too much risk this season with the Mets players that are currently injured. If Delgado, J.J. Putz, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez, and John Maine can’t come back to the team healthy and make significant contributions, the season is over for the Mets anyway. Making a major investment in a trade for a big name would be completely useless. Holliday couldn’t carry this current Mets team to the playoffs… And that’s the bottom line.

Omar Minaya should wait for as long as possible to pull the trigger on any trades until right before the non-waiver deadline on July 31. That’ll give him time to evaluate the health situation of so many key players on this team. No matter what happens with the currently injured players, I don’t expect the Mets to become sellers at the deadline. But I think they would stand pat and ride out the season if they aren’t going to get some of their premier players back this season.

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