Category: Trades

Video: Mets 2010 Potential Trade Deadline Moves

New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran (15) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Nationals on September 18, 2008 at Nationals Park in Washington. (UPI Photo/Mark Goldman) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsFox Sports is doing a virtual GM piece with Jim Bowden in the video below. If you can get past his odd looking hair, he actually does a pretty good job of assessing the Mets situation coming up to next month’s non-waiver trade deadline.

Bowden says that the Mets will be looking at starting pitching, Carlos Beltran’s health, and a potential upgrade at second base. Of course, all of those are easier said than done. But the national media aren’t always on when it comes to analyzing team needs. In this video, Bowden is pretty much dead on.

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Video: Virtual GM: Mets

Mets’ Angel Pagan: A Refined Talent

Angel Pagan
Image by slgckgc via Flickr

Entering the 2010 campaign, the ceiling of Angel Pagan was seemingly an enigma. A talented outfielder plagued by injuries and bone-headed on the field mishaps, all we could really be confident about was that Pagan was a better alternative in center field than the great Gary Matthews Jr. Up to this point though, hitting in a line-up that lacks a true identity, Pagan has been an offensive propeller for the Mets.

So far this season, Pagan has proved all of his critics wrong. Boasting a solid .283 BA, he’s hit in all different slots of the Mets lineup and is well on his way to scoring 100 runs on the season. Pagan has also proved that he’s more of a threat on the bases this year with 12 swipes in 15 chances. He was gunned down a third of the time last season by opposing catchers. Continue reading “Mets’ Angel Pagan: A Refined Talent”

Peter Gammons Backs Omar Minaya

NEW YORK - APRIL 10: General Manager Omar Min...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The roller coaster season continues, but the noose has seemingly disappeared from Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel’s necks (for now). This weekend The Mets did what winning teams are supposed to do: beat bad teams. Philly fans can poo-poo the weekend as we’d expect, but the truth is that is how you stay in contention.

It is crucial for teams to beat up and pad stats on their lessers. This team must put some distance between themselves and the .500 mark in preparation for tougher series’ ahead. Now that we seem to do be doing so, Minaya is getting a much needed pat on the back from one of baseball’s senior voices. In an article for MLB.com, Peter Gammons praises Minaya for his ability to whether the storm in New York.

People up and down the Mets’ organization are fiercely loyal to Minaya, because he accepts the heat and deflects it from those who work for him.

Gammons also continues pointing the finger at the Mets’ leadership around Minaya for perpetrating a “blame game”. Gammons’ isn’t really shedding light on anything Mets fans don’t already know. We are impossible to deal with at times, and ownership needs to block out the sports talk radio hosts as well as the papers. Nowadays, everyone thinks they have the right to play GM, maybe because of the endless access to information/opinion from blogs (ahem). Continue reading “Peter Gammons Backs Omar Minaya”

Mets Must Pursue Roy Oswalt

MLB: Houston Astros at Los Angeles Dodgers

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsHouston Astros’ ace Roy Oswalt recently told management he wanted to be traded.

The Mets have lost three starting pitchers in the last two weeks, two to injury and one to… well, awfulness.

I’m not the only one who sees a fit here, right?

Oswalt’s W-L isn’t the best this season at 2-6, but that’s heavily influenced due to a terrible Houston team behind him. His ERA is 2.66 (career 3.21) and he has 60 strikeouts on the year, putting him on pace for 221.

Oswalt would be under the Mets’ control for the remainder of this season and next season, with a club option for 2012, so this move would be more than just a four-month rental. It would set our top three starting pitchers as Johan Santana, Oswalt, and Mike Pelfrey. Not sure there’s a better 1-2-3 in the majors. Continue reading “Mets Must Pursue Roy Oswalt”

Mets Starting Pitching Options – Niese and Perez

MLB: Mets vs Rockies APR 14

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe Mets lost two of their starting pitchers in Florida, Jon Niese due to a hamstring injury, and Oliver Perez due to being dreadful.

Hisanori Takahashi will start in Jon Niese’s place on Friday night, while R.A. Dickey will start in Perez’s place tonight against the Washington Nationals.

Takahashi has seemed to relish in the long man spot, a la Darren Oliver in 2006 for the Mets, and he should be kept there as he’s been extremely valuable in that spot. R.A. Dickey, who started 14 games in 2008 for the Seattle Mariners, went 5-8 with a 5.21 ERA. Continue reading “Mets Starting Pitching Options – Niese and Perez”

Mets Trade For Gary Matthews, Jr.

MLB: Angels v Rangers July 5, 2007

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The news came in today that Brian Stokes was sent to the Angels for Gary Matthews, Jr. Not only that but the Angels are paying $21.5 million of the $23 million left on his contract (over two years). Now that’s a team that really wanted to get rid of a player. When I first heard that the Mets got Matthews, I assumed that Luis Castillo was going to the Angels. I’m still shocked that the Mets couldn’t dump Castillo on the Angels in return for Matthews.

This trade shouldn’t make that much of a difference in the 2010 season. If it does, the Mets are in trouble. That means that Carlos Beltran didn’t recover from knee surgery and return in May as planned. And Matthews ends up getting more playing time than anyone could have anticipated. He’ll still have to fight off Angel Pagan for playing time in center while Beltran is out. I like Pagan’s chances in the match up.

Continue reading “Mets Trade For Gary Matthews, Jr.”

Jason Bay Physical, Darryl Strawberry Apprentice, And More

New York Yankees vs New York Mets at Citi Field in New York

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Things are finally starting to heat up this offseason for the Mets. Jason Bay is in the house and due to be introduced tomorrow at a press conference. But that’s not the only action going on after a slow start for the Mets.

  • NY Post– Bay passed his physical in spite of past knee and shoulder problems
  • Mets.com– Former Met and current SNY broadcaster Darryl Strawberry will be in this year’s cast of “Celebrity Apprentice”
  • Amazin’ Avenue– A tweet from Jerry Crasnick of ESPN has the Mets and Red Sox talking about a Luis Castillo for Mike Lowell trade
  • Remembering Shea– A great picture of sunny, warm Tradition Field to get you fired up for spring training

Talk back in the comments below about the Castillo for Lowell trade. I like it. Although I think that I’d like any trade that moves Castillo at this point. Lowell could be a nice platoon at first base and we know he’s a solid citizen in the clubhouse who has overcome a lot in his life.