Video: Rosenthal on Carlos Beltran Trade Market

DENVER, CO - MAY 12:  Carlos Beltran #15 of th...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The Mets did a job on the Phillies yesterday during the Fox game of the week. Of course, Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports had his say on the Mets trade market. Everything seems to be focusing on Carlos Beltran right now. In the video below, Rosenthal says that Beltran won’t be with the Mets for much longer and that the Mets are willing to pick up the majority of his $6M salary that’s left this season to get top prospects back.

Rosenthal says that the Giants, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Phillies have interest in Beltran. We’ve heard before that Beltran may be willing to waive his full no-trade clause to go to a contender. He even met with Scott Boras last week when the Mets were in LA to talk about trade scenarios.

At this point, the Mets are 11 games behind the Phillies for the division and 7.5 games behind the Braves for the wild card. And there are four teams ahead of them for the wild card. Playoff chances are fairly unlikely so it would make sense, if the Mets can’t close ground on the Braves in the next week and a half, to trade Beltran and raise the white flag on the 2011 season.

http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swfMLB on FOX: Trade rumblings

Mets’ Carlos Beltran Moves to Right Field

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: Carlos Beltran #15 ce...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Carlos Beltran told manager Terry Collins today that he would accept a move to right field so that Angel Pagan can take over center. Beltran is still slightly hobbled by the knee surgery he had just over a year ago. Although he played center field in the second half of last season, he really couldn’t move very well and was playing more on reputation than skill.

At first blush it seems like an altruistic move by Beltran. He puts the team first and moves out of the way for the young buck, Pagan. Apparently, Carlos Delgado and Scott Boras helped him come to this conclusion. You know if Boras is involved that there’s more to it than putting the team first.

I have to think that there’s a strategy here. Beltran said that he thinks he can still play center and if he had more time that he’d be able to get in shape to play a solid center field. Since this is a contract year for Beltran, I believe that this is a strategic move to maximize Beltran’s value for another contract.

Check out the video below to hear Beltran talking about the adjustments he’ll need to make switching from center to right field.

http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf

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Last Day of 2010 Mets Season

382643 34: Flea from the music group 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' gives the photographer the finger at the 'My VH1 Music Awards' November 30, 2000 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Chris Weeks/Liaison)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsAbout 600,000 fewer of us visited Citi Field in 2010 than in 2009. That pretty much says it all. There just hasn’t been a reason to get excited about this team all year. Although the Mets were mathematically eliminated in recent weeks, we’ve known since after the All-Star break that this team was going nowhere. That 2-9 road trip to the west coast coming out of the break took what was left of the wind out of their sails.

Nobody other than Scott Boras cares if Mike Pelfrey gets his 16th win today. It’s a meaningless feat for an  irrelevant team.

The good news, depending upon your perspective, is that the firings will start tomorrow. You’ve probably heard the rumors that Omar Minaya will be fired or moved to another job where the damage that he does is contained. Jerry Manuel won’t return as manager. Most of us knew that when the Mets didn’t get off to that hot start that Manuel talked about all spring. He was cooked by April.

I, for one, happily say “goodbye” to the 2010 Mets. And good riddance.  I won’t miss you when you’re gone.

Carlos Beltran and Oliver Perez – Same Injury, Same Agent

Jun. 08, 2010 - Washington, DC, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - epa02192870 Sports agent Scott Boras chats on the phone prior to his client Washington Nationals' pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg making his Major League Baseball debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park, in Washington, DC, USA, 08 June 2010. Boras helped Strasburg sign a record 15 million US dollar contract as the Nationals' top draft choice a year ago, and Boras is also the agent for the Nationals' top choice this year, 17-year-old Bryce Harper.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsOne of the comments on my last post inspired me to write this one so keep the comments coming:

Carlos Beltran and Oliver Perez share the same agent and have the same injuries. Here are some interesting facts:

Back in 2000, injuries limited Carlos to only 98 games while with the Kansas City Royals and he lost the starting centerfield job to Johnny Damon, another Scott Boras client. Yes, you guessed it! The injury was a “bruised knee”. In July of that year Carlos refused a rehab assignment in Florida on the advice of Scott Boras. Kansas City management then suspended Carlos for almost a month and when he came back he ended up rehabbing in the minors anyway.

I know this was 10 years ago and should be ancient history but is it?

Back then Carlos’ desire to play for the Royals was questioned by teammates and management alike. These same questions could now be asked again of Beltran and of Perez.

Fast forward to 2009 where Boras has advised Beltran to have surgery on the same knee without consulting the Mets and now another of his clients, Perez, is also out with a similar mysterious right knee injury. Continue reading “Carlos Beltran and Oliver Perez – Same Injury, Same Agent”

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 Move Oliver Perez To Bullpen

New York Mets BullpenThe only logical conclusion occured from Oliver Perez‘ early season struggles, he’s going to the bullpen to get “right”. Many of you were in favor of shipping him off to Triple-A Buffalo but that wasn’t likely to happen. Perez was afforded a veto of an option to the minors due to his major league service of more than five years.

As I wrote yesterday, Perez should be in the bullpen. Ken Takahashi will take over Perez’ start on Friday against the not-so-lowly Pirates.

In case you were wondering, Perez’ last and only career relief appearance was on September 2, 2002 for the Padres against the Rockies. He gave up one hit, no runs, and had 3 strikeouts.

It’s interesting to note that Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon made the trip all the way to Atlanta today for this decision. There was some talk that Perez may have a slight knee problem that could put him on the disabled list, then in the minors. But I’d have to think that Perez and Scott Boras would object to that plan since the knee problem seemed to be very minor.

If you think about this from Perez’ perspective there’s very little to gain from accepting a demotion to Buffalo. Then he’s stuck with no leverage about when he comes back. Certainly, the Mets wouldn’t want to pay $12 million/year for a minor league pitcher. But look at what’s happened to Dontrelle Willis. He’s been stuck in the minors since last season.

If I were Perez, there’s no way that I would accept the option to Buffalo either. I’d tell the Mets if they don’t want me on the major league roster to release me and pay out the rest of my $36 million. I have a feeling that conversation happened in not-so-many words.

Mets Executives In Atlanta To Discuss Oliver Perez

Omar MinayaSeveral of the Mets beat reporters are writing today that Mets GM Omar Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon are on their way to Atlanta today. The purpose is to discuss the ongoing Oliver Perez saga. Presumably, they’re going to try to convince him, and his agent Scott Boras, that it’s in everyone’s best interest for him to accept a demotion to Triple-A Buffalo.

I get nervous whenever Jeff Wilpon sticks his nose into something. Remember, Jeff is the one responsible for Kaz Matsui and the much-maligned Citi Field. The Wilpons are the ones that forgot that the Mets play at Citi Field, not the Dodgers, and that fans would actually like to see the whole field from their seats.

Perez has the right to refuse an assignment to the minors. That’s his right under the Collective Bargaining Agreement as a player with more than five years of MLB experience. Jeff Wilpon’s involvement certainly doesn’t inspire confidence that this situation will be resolved properly.