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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Mets Non-tender Redding, Sullivan, Reed, Broadway

Tim Redding

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The Mets didn’t offer contracts to Jeremy Reed, Cory Sullivan, Tim Redding, and Lance Broadway before the midnight deadline last night. None of these guys would make or break the 2010 season anyway. Redding was the only player that I had any expectations for last season. If you look at his game log for 2009, he got hammered with frequency and only sprinkled in a few good games here and there.

I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Sullivan come back as a fifth outfielder/pinch hitter. Although he finished with only a .250 avg, I liked what I saw of him in the field and on the bases. He also hit .321 with RISP.

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Mets, Jason Bay Closer To Contract

BOSTON - JULY 05:  Jason Bay #44 and David Ort...

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In a report for Foxsports, Ken Rosenthal writes that Jason Bay has officially turned down the offer that was on the the table from the Red Sox. It was widely reported at the end of the season that the Sox had offered Bay a 4-year/$60 million contract. Last week the Mets trumped that slightly with a 4-year/$65 million offer.

It appears that the Red Sox aren’t willing to move from their original offer. Rosenthal notes that the Mariners and Angels are both rumored to have some level of interest in Bay as well. The Mets are now in a stronger bargaining position than ever. That’s good news for those of us that would like to see Bay come back to the Mets organization.

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MLB Winter Meetings 2009 Rumors And Trades

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There are a million sources for the unfounded rumors of trades and acquisitions out there. I thought that I’d share a few links to some of the best.

MLB Hot Stove Blog

SI.com Jon Heyman

ESPN Live Buzz

Yahoo Sports Winter Meetings Coverage

CBS Sports Danny Knobler Blog

Mets And MLB Winter Meetings 2009

Jason Bay at a game between Orioles and the Re...

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We haven’t seen much from the New York Mets yet this offseason but it’s still early. None of the big free agents that the Mets should be interested in have come off the board yet anyway. It’s been in the news since yesterday that Chone Figgins signed a 4-year/$36M deal with the Mariners. As far as I’m concerned, that’s fine with me. I like Figgins but don’t see where he would fit in with the Mets roster. Maybe left field. But that’s a stretch for a guy with a long term contract at $9M/year.

At least the Mets are set at catcher. That was easy. Chris Coste will be the third string guy staying in shape at Triple-A Buffalo. And Henry Blanco should back up Omir Santos. Yahoo Sports wrote that the Mets are still in the market for a starter at catcher like Bengie Molina, Yorvit Torrealba, or Rod Barajas. But I think the Mets have bigger fish to fry than another catcher.

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NY Times: Mets Should Trade For Halladay And Wells

Vernon Wells

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A couple of writers that I’ve never heard of at the NY Times are touting the idea of the Mets trading for Roy Halladay and Vernon Wells. I hope that Elena Gustines and Jay Schreiber are only temporarily filling in for Ben Shipgel on the Bats blog there. We need the voice of reason back.

The writers touch on the idea of multiple needs on the Mets (and forgot to mention the Mets need a first baseman that can hit). They also only touch on the fact that trading for Halladay and Wells adds $36 million to the Mets payroll next year, which is the total amount that the Mets are likely to add based on the salaries that are coming off the books.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind the idea of bringing in Halladay and Wells. The problem that Gustines and Schreiber don’t address is how complicated it’s going to be to reconfigure the roster to address the existing shortcomings at catcher and first base within the $140 million payroll.

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