Tag: Carlos Beltran

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.”

Mets Links: Beltran, Minaya, Stearns, SpongeTech

Mets vs. Rockies

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I was just talking to someone the other day about how early January can be kind of slow for happenings with the Mets. I thought the biggest news might be the team signing a free agent pitcher or Bengie Molina. Then that old Mets dysfunction reared its ugly head again late this week when Carlos Beltran had unauthorized knee surgery.

There have been a few other lesser stories going on as well this week. Here are the links:

  • NY Times– Omar Minaya says that the Mets don’t have a problem with Beltran and he’s smoothed over the issues with him. Yeah, sure.
  • NY Post– The Mets are suing SpongeTech for bouncing checks and failing to make payments since October on their advertising contract for Citi Field
  • NY Post– A good article about John Stearns and what he’s up to now

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.
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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 News Aug. 31, 2009 Santana, Beltran, Perez, Thole

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Image by ddoyle1112 via Flickr

The Mets are flying from Chicago to Colorado today. There’s no game but still plenty of news. Today is also the deadline for any trades of players that cleared waivers to play on the acquiring team’s postseason roster.

Anyway, here’s the news:

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Poll: Mets Angel Pagan An Everyday Player

Angel PagaonOne of the things that I’ve wanted to get your opinion about is whether or not you think that Angel Pagan is an everyday player. He seems to be one of those five-tool players that’s always hurt. Pagan has tremendous athletic ability but he occasionally makes silly plays in the outfield or on the bases that make you shake your head.

Pagan has never played in more than 77 games in a season during his short career. Some of that was due to being an inexperienced player and some due to injuries. Clearly, he’s playing as well as he ever has as a Met since Carlos Beltran went on the disabled list. He has 211 at-bats this season, by far the most of his career.

The most likely determining factor into Pagan getting a shot to play everyday in left field next season is first base. Do the Mets continue with light-hitting Daniel Murphy at first and get a slugging outfielder in free agency? Matt Holliday and Jason Bay are both free agents after this season. Or do the Mets get a slugging first baseman and go with a more athletic outfielder like Pagan in left?

For those viewing this in a feed reader there’s a poll embedded in the post. Please visit the site to vote.

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