Tag: Luis Castillo

Mets Links: Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo, Jerry Manuel, More

New York Mets Jerry Manuel walks with his head down to the dugout against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field in New York

I’m trying to be positive on the day that Mets single game tickets go on sale. It’s tough to do that after the team drove straight into a brick wall in 2009, but this is a new season. I’m ready for the Mets to start winning some games next month when the real games start. And I’m hoping that they can get some payback on some teams, especially in the division, that beat them down pretty badly last year.

The links below are pretty negative about the team, in general. I think that’s partially due to the news about the team but it’s also because it’s so much easier to write a negative story than a positive one. Negative stories seem to attract more attention than stories about how everything in great in Mets nation, if there is such a thing. I don’t think the Mets situation is ideal right now but I’m not completely down on them either.

How can you be completely down on the team with the highest payroll in the National League? The highest payroll certainly doesn’t guarantee wins as we saw last year. But it sure gives the Mets a chance to be in it to the end. This isn’t a Pirates situation going on here. There’s no rebuilding or looking forward to two or three years down the road. The Mets roster has a legitimate shot to be in the race late in the 2010 season.

Continue reading “Mets Links: Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo, Jerry Manuel, More”

Mets 2010 Pitchers and Catchers Reporting

Mets Spring Training - Johan Santana

Image by wallyg via Flickr

Many Mets fans believe that the Mets have some glaring flaws in the roster, maybe even fatal ones, and I agree with that notion. But there’s something exhilarating about that day when pitchers and catchers start working out at Tradition Field, and all over Florida and Arizona. There’s hope for the Mets having a great season and a championship run for the first time in 24 years. There’s also something, for me, about the impending change of seasons from the typically rotten Northeast U.S. winter to spring and summer soon to follow.

The Mets pitchers and catchers need to be in Port St. Lucie by Thursday February 18. Already, many players have been arriving and working out. The best early coverage that I’ve seen is Adam Rubin’s blog at the Daily News.

There are some major problems with the roster: Carlos Beltran is out until May, the Mets don’t have a legitimate first baseman or catcher, and they didn’t improve a questionable starting rotation. And to everyone’s chagrin, Luis Castillo is still a Met. Even with all of those perceived problems, there’s still something exciting about the players reporting to work outs. It’s one of my favorite days of the year.

The middle of February is about the time each year that I’ve about had it with the Connecticut winter. The weather is awful and it’s great to start thinking about warm weather and sunshine. There really is nothing better than the beginning of spring training. Those roster flaws that I mentioned haven’t gotten me down yet, although they likely will soon enough. For this week, it’s thrilling to be a baseball fan. That’s all I’m thinking about until I start to see the Mets full-time lineup shake out later in the spring.

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Poll Results: Mets 2010 Worst Contract

Oliver Perez 18 votes 58%
Omar Minaya 7 votes 23%
Carlos Beltran 3 votes 10%
Entire Team 1 vote 3%
Jerry Manuel 1 vote 3%
Luis Castillo 1 vote 3%

 

It’s not a huge surprise that Perez ran away with this poll. The faux knee injury last year and his “rehab” stint in the minors was a terrible omen for the rest of his 3-year/$36 million contract.

I have to say that I thought that Castillo would garner more votes. And Beltran is looking like he may be a waste of $18.5 million this year if he doesn’t come back healthy enough to make an impact this year.

You can see the original poll post and let me know in the comments here if you didn’t get a chance to vote. Who do you think is the biggest waste of money for the Mets this year?

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.

Video: Jason Bay Signs With Mets

Jason Bay at a game between Orioles and the Re...
Image via Wikipedia

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”

NY Times: Mets Should Trade For Halladay And Wells

Vernon Wells

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

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.

Continue reading “NY Times: Mets Should Trade For Halladay And Wells”