Category: Roster

Carlos Beltran Responds to Mets on Surgery

Carlos Beltran

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

It didn’t take long for Carlos Beltran to recover from his minor knee surgery enough to issue a response to the Mets. The team sure didn’t like his actions in having surgery, supposedly without their consent. But Beltran claims that the team knew all along what his plans were.

From The Star-Ledger:

I am totally surprised by the reaction to my recent knee surgery. I have done nothing but follow the directions of my doctors. Any accusations that I ignored or defied the team’s wishes are simply false.

On Tuesday, Dr. Steadman consulted with the Mets’ doctor — Dr. Altchek — about my knee. Dr. Altchek agreed with Dr. Steadman’s diagnosis that I needed surgery, and said he would relay his approval to Mets management.

I also spoke to Omar Minaya about the surgery on Tuesday. He did not ask me to wait, or to get another doctor’s opinion. He just wished me well. No one from the team raised any issue until Wednesday, after I was already in surgery. I do not know what else I could have done.

The most important thing here is that the surgery was a total success and I expect to be back on the field playing the game I love sooner rather than later.

It doesn’t look like this controversy will be going away anytime soon from Beltran’s statement. A big problem here is that the Mets need to keep him happy and productive, at least for the next two seasons, if they have any chance of being successful. This is just what this struggling team didn’t need right now.

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Video: ESPN On Carlos Beltran Surgery

Here’s some video from Buster Olney at ESPN on the Mets’ problem with Carlos Beltran’s surgery. Angel Pagan isn’t a bad option in center field for a month and a half. I wouldn’t sign another free agent outfielder to play center, like a Rick Ankeil. See Olney’s opinion below.
http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf

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Carlos Beltran Surgery Highlights Mets Medical Problems

Antonio Margarito v Kermit Cintron

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By now you’ve likely heard the news that Carlos Beltran had knee surgery without the Mets permission. The surgery was performed by Beltran’s doctor in Colorado. His contract requires that the Mets provide written permission to have elective surgery from the reports that I’ve heard. At issue is whether the knee surgery was medically necessary or not. Now Beltran will miss spring training and likely won’t be able to play until mid-May.

There are several factors involved here including:

  • NY Times– Beltran’s agent, Scott Boras, says that they did have the Mets permission for surgery
  • NY Post- David Wright wonders like every Mets fan why the surgery is being done now?
  • Always Amazin’– Beltran has gone against team medical advice before, in 2000 with the Royals and got suspended for 30 days by the team

This is where the Mets are going to get killed by us and the media for not making any changes to their medical staff after last season’s miscues. Every star player was on the disabled list at some point last year and there was constant confusion about what to do with the players. Remember Carlos Delgado flying to San Francisco for the Mets series there, only to be sent home to go on the disabled list? This situation goes as far back as the 2008 season when Ryan Church was flying around the country with the team after his second concussion of the season.

Continue reading “Carlos Beltran Surgery Highlights Mets Medical Problems”

Mets Links: David Wright, Jay Marshall, John Smoltz

Mets vs. Marlins

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It’s 27 degrees and windy outside right now. I’m watching the NFL playoffs, but I’m thinking of warmer times when baseball is the sport of the season. With that, I’ve got some more links for you on this Sunday afternoon. Here are the links:

  • Jay Marshall claimed off waivers– I like this move. Marshall is a sidearming southpaw that has had great success in the minors, even at Triple-A level. But had no success at the big league level. He’s 26 years-old and it’s worth a shot to see if he can figure things out. This is a nice, low-risk move.
  • David Wright expects to bounce back in 2010– Mark Hale of the Post got an interview with Wright. Of course, he says all of the right things. He doesn’t blame Citi Field or the depleted lineup for his lack of production. Wright is media-savvy enough to make his 2009 10 HR, 140 K season all about himself.
  • Mets considering John Smoltz– Smoltz looked totally washed up to me last season. His 8.32 ERA with the Red Sox was atrocious. There are many options better than Smoltz at this point. The only way that I’d consider Smoltz a viable candidate is if he would take a minor league contract, and I don’t think there’s any way he would do that.
  • The Mets are actively scouting in Dominican Republic– Always Amazin’ has a link to a Peter Gammons-led discussion with Theo Epstein and Omar Minaya about the two teams being very active in the Dominican.

Mets 2010 Prospect Rankings

Mets vs. Brewers

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I was reading a post by Tejesh at Mets Prospect Hub on his final ranking of 2009 for the Mets top prospects. Sometimes I think that minor league prospect lists require some explanation about the logic used to determine value in a list. For example, the players that spent significant time on the Mets Major League team in 2009 were Fernando Martinez (#1), Jon Niese (#9), Josh Thole (#10), and Nick Evans (not on top list).

Readiness for big league play isn’t prioritized as a qualifying factor. Total future upside appears to be the priority. I love to read blogs about the Mets minor leaguers, and there are several good ones, because I just don’t have the opportunity to see the minor league players in action especially the low-level leagues. My focus is always on which players are Major League ready or will be in the near future.

I’m still hoping to see Niese get a shot at the rotation in 2010 after missing the rest of the season last August when he tore his hamstring in an ugly scene on the mound. The 23 year-old made five starts last season, having two good ones and two that were kind of ugly, and the final start on August 5 when he got hurt. He ended with a 4.21 ERA over 25.2 IP. Not bad.

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Mets Introduce Jason Bay At Citi Field

WBC Photo Day: Canada

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Today was the dog and pony show that the Mets held for Jason Bay at Citi Field. The 31 year-old will be entering his eighth big league season. His career 162 game average slash line is .280/ .376/ .519. The Mets will be the fourth team that he’s played for after San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Boston.

This post is filled with multi media from today’s festivities including audio and video. You’ll get more than your fill of Bay from this post to last you until spring training.

The Mets did the right thing by making offense a priority this offseason. I know that some of you think the rotation is the biggest weakness. But the Mets already have resources committed to the rotation, they just need to get them producing on the field and add a middle/back of the rotation piece.

There’s still going to be some fanfare for the Mets, but nothing on the level that Bay brings. I expect Bengie Molina to sign eventually when he realizes that nobody is going to offer him a three-year deal. And I also expect a starting pitcher to sign with the Mets before the end of this month.

We’ll get to those signings when they happen. Today is Bay’s day with the Mets. The audio and video is after the break.

Continue reading “Mets Introduce Jason Bay At Citi Field”

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.