Category: Roster

Links: Mafia And The Mets, Jason Bay And More

Citi Field at Night

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I haven’t been posting links to good Mets reading lately and I’d like to get back to that in 2010. So here we go in no particular order:

  • James Fanelli of NY Post– This is a good article on the sketchy construction firms that the Mets used to help build Citi Field.
  • John Delcos’ New York Mets Report- Predicting the 2010 Opening Day starting lineup and batting order
  • Amazin’ Avenue– They’re doing a good series on the Mets All-Decade team including this link on third base
  • Ken Belson of NY Times– He writes a good piece about fellow Mets fans and their displeasure with the team leading to slow season tickets sales in December
  • Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated– This is a good column on why the Mets had to get Jason Bay this offseason
  • Beyond The Box Score– This is another good slant on Bay signing with the Mets and how the last couple of years of his contract will likely have Bay getting paid much more than his performance value
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Poll: Mets And Free Agent Starting Pitchers

NEW YORK - AUGUST 15: (FILE) Erik Bedard #45 ...

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Many were clamoring for John Lackey when the free agent signings started. He ended up in Boston and the drop off to the next level of free agent is huge. I never thought that the Mets would end up with Lackey, nor do I think they need another starter with #1 type of stuff.

I’d like to know of the remaining free agents, which players do you think that the Mets should be after? Be wary of the injured former stars like Ben Sheets and Erik Bedard. That kind of signing could really blow up in the Mets face if they rely on a player with a terrible injury history. It probably wouldn’t blow up as badly as the Oliver Perez contract did though.

The poll is after the break.

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Bay Signing May Give Daniel Murphy First Base

NEW YORK - JUNE 22: Daniel Murphy #28 of the ...

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Although we’re still waiting for the official confirmation that Jason Bay passed his physical for the Mets, I started thinking about the repercussions this could have on the rest of the positions that the Mets need to improve. If the Mets couldn’t sign Bay or Matt Holliday, the pressure would have been on Omar Minaya to sign free agents or look for splashy trades to improve other positions in the field.

The biggest beneficiary of the Bay signing could very well be Daniel Murphy. The light-hitting first baseman was a prime candidate to be a victim of an upgrade at his position. But the offensive pop that Bay adds to the lineup could make Murphy a starter in 2010 or maybe a platoon player if the Mets can find a right-handed hitter to compliment him at first base.

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Video: Jason Bay Signs With Mets

Jason Bay at a game between Orioles and the Re...
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The Mets finally bagged Jason Bay for 4-years/$65 million with a vesting option that could take it to 5-years/$80 million. That’s a fair deal in my mind. Surprisingly, the Mets didn’t bid against themselves to overpay for Bay. I would guess that the impetus for Bay signing now is that Mark DeRosa signed with the Giants already. So there was one less suitor for Bay.

If you’ve been reading this site for a while now, you know that Bay or Matt Holliday in left field was my priority for the team. So… “mission accomplished” to quote George Bush. Now it’s time that the Mets move on to resolving the starting catcher and a middle/back of rotation starting pitcher. If they could trade Luis Castillo away for a bag of balls I’d be thrilled too.

Video is after the break. Continue reading “Video: Jason Bay Signs With Mets”

Video: Jason Bay To Red Sox Still Possible

Cesar Izturis and Jason Bay

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I’ve included some ESPN video with Jerry Crasnick after the break for you on the slight possibility that Jason Bay winds up back in Boston. Although I seriously doubt that’ll happen, mostly because the Sox already got Jeremy Hermida and signed Mike Cameron. The Red Sox are just under the luxury tax for 2010 and they’d be paying a 22.5% premium if they went over. I can’t figure out how Bay makes sense for them unless they unload Hermida and Cameron.

Crasnick goes on to say that the Giants and Angels are still in the mix for Bay but I think the Mets are his best option financially. Speaking of financially, the video includes some info about Matt Holliday and the Cardinals. How can they open the vault for Holliday when Albert Pujols is a free agent next year? They can’t. Don’t be surprised if Holliday/Scott Boras come back to talk to the Mets before all of this is said and done.

Video is below the break.

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Kelvim Escobar Signs With Mets

BOSTON - OCTOBER 5: Kelvim Escobar #45 of the ...

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The Mets signed Kelvim Escobar off the scrap heap but the real surprise is that they gave him a Major League contract. Escobar has only pitched in one game in the last two seasons due to shoulder problems. But he has had a nice career in the American League. He’ll be this spring’s version of Freddy Garcia or Livan Hernandez. That is, seeing if he still has enough to pitch in the big’s at 33 years-old.

Escobar spent his first seven seasons in Toronto, coming up in 1997. He’s a Venezuelan that most recently pitched with the Angels. So I would assume that the Mets got some feedback from Francisco Rodriguez about him before the signing. Who would know him better than K-Rod?

If you look at Escobar’s split stats, he’s very consistent versus lefties and righties. He’s also pitched five games in his career against the Phillies going 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA. He also seems to have the most trouble from pitches 1-30 in his career, once he gets past that point in the game he’s pretty formidable. Maybe he can rekindle some of that old magic.

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Non-tendered List Includes Wang, Atkins, And Cust

{{w|Chien-Ming Wang}}, Taiwanese pitcher for t...

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The list of players not offered contracts for 2010 became clear today after last night’s deadline. The list is highlighted by Chien-Ming Wang, Garrett Atkins, and Jack Cust. Also closers Mike MacDougal and Matt Capps were let go. Ryan Garko was let go by the Giants as well after not fulfilling his potential in both Cleveland and San Francisco.

I wrote about the list of players that the Mets non-tendered today as well. There weren’t any major surprises there. But I do think that the Mets will be talking to some of the players that the other MLB teams cut loose.

Wang has a huge upside. He won 19 games in both 2006 and 2007 but has been beset by injuries for the last two seasons. So has John Maine and the Mets are holding onto him. And he has nowhere near the potential that Wang has.

Cust is a low-average, power-hitting RF/DH. I’m not sure where he would fit in with the Mets considering he’s an adventure in the outfield. But we all know that the Mets are in desperate need of some power. He could be a Matt Stairs-type of player for the Mets.

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