Mets News

Mets hire Manuel pal
Comment
November 20
New York Post
 
"The Mets gave Jerry Manuel a minor vote of confidence on the eve of free agency yesterday by hiring his longtime friend Dave Jauss as bench coach. Jauss, whose relationship with Manuel dates to their time in the Expos' system in the early 1990s, was tabbed over Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge. Jauss replaces the fired Sandy Alomar Sr. The selection of Jauss, 52, is significant because Melvin and Wedge are recent major-league managers and could have stepped in should Manuel -- who is in the final year of his contract -- get off to a slow start. Jauss, a former bench coach of the Dodgers and Orioles, has never been a big-league manager."
Luis Castillo's fate key to offseason moves for New York Mets
Comment
November 20
New York Daily News
 
"The New York Mets offseason hinges on whether or not Luis Castillo stays with in Flushing. It's day 16 after the Yankees won the World Series, which means the Mets finally can begin bidding on free agents and reestablishing their relevance. That, or begin frustrating their fans anew. On the shopping list: a catcher to replace Brian Schneider; a power upgrade in left field; a second baseman if Luis Castillo can be traded; rotation help; an eighth-inning reliever, and a second lefthander in the bullpen to pair with Pedro Feliciano. All must be done while watching the bottom line. "We'll just continue to follow up," GM Omar Minaya said of conversations already under way. The Mets are not ..."
The Mets Finished Last in 2009 Draft Spending
Comment
November 20
New York Times
 
"The Mets divvied $3,134,300 among their 35 signed picks, more than 50 percent less than their 2008 outlay, when they had two first-round selections and a first-round supplemental pick. By contrast, the average for all 30 teams was a shade more than $6 million. Without a pick until the second round, No. 72 over all, the Mets' spending was destined to decrease. But their 2009 strategy resembled that of a small-market club that sometimes bypasses talented players in earlier rounds because it does not want to spend more on them than players available deeper in the draft. The Philadelphia Phillies, who ranked 29th in 2009 spending, were the only other team not to have a first-round pick or a ..."
Mets ready to shop, spend on open market
Comment
November 19
MLB.com
 
"Beginning at any point after midnight tonight, the widely held but unfounded notion that the Mets are unwilling to invest in expensive free agents may take a few more hits. When the free agent filing period ends at midnight, the Mets and 29 other Holliday shoppers became free to launch their pursuit of Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, John Lackey and any other of the more than 300 free agents -- Minor League players included. Given the holes in their big league roster and the desire to interrupt the decline that began after their 2006 postseason ended prematurely, the Mets can be expected to pursue and, within reason, compete for the talent available in what is not considered a particularly deep ..."
Amazin's need to make big splash in offseason
Comment
November 19
New York Post
 columnist Kevin Kernan
"THINK big. General manager Brian Cashman and the Yankees got the memo last off-season and it resulted in the club's 27th World Championship. You can be sure the Yankees still are thinking big this offseason, and that they are figuring out ways to sign Matt Holliday and/or trade for Roy Halladay, a pitching deal I've been pushing since July. The Mets need to take the same approach. The player at the top of their shopping list must be right-hander John Lackey. If not, why are the Wilpons even in the game? The Mets should pull a Cashman and sign both Lackey and Holliday. Win now and the victories come in summer. Sign Lackey, at the least, and the rest of the pieces can fall into place. Sign ..."
Holliday, Bay, Lackey top Mets' shopping list
Comment
November 19
New York Post
 
"The Mets have talked a good game about spending money and retooling this offseason. Now it's time to back it all up. With free agency at hand starting at 12:01 tomorrow morning, all eyes will be on the Wilpons and general manager Omar Minaya to see if they follow through on their public vow to be major players in the market this winter. Coming off this year's 70-92 disaster, the Mets have a pressing need for more power and openings that include a left fielder, a No. 2 starter, a veteran catcher, a platoon first baseman and a setup man for All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez. The Mets have identified Matt Holliday and Jason Bay as top candidates to fill the power void in left, John Lackey ..."
Mets Seeking Top Hitter, With Other Holes to Fill
Comment
November 19
New York Times
 
"The Mets need a new catcher, a starting left fielder, bullpen help and another quality starter and may try to upgrade at first and second base. Their general manager, Omar Minaya, has a busy off-season ahead, but he seems to have identified his priority: With a glut of starters and fewer sluggers available, the Mets appear more likely to make a free-agent splash on offense."
After top few free agents, expect bargains
Comment
November 18
Bergen Record
 
"What would happen if there were teams all set to spend to secure talent and there was little talent there to bid on? We will find out beginning Friday, when free agency begins, and the answer is most likely that a handful of players are going to find themselves the object of an intense bidding war with their price escalating. The flip side is that some baseball executives believe that the rest of the free agent crop will fall through the cracks, sitting and waiting unless they are willing to take a bargain deal. That means that Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be the target of every team with an outfield or big bat vacancy. Chone Figgins will be pursued by teams with needs at third base ..."
Backman in Brooklyn
Comment
November 18
New York Post
 
"The Mets officially named fiery fan favorite -- and potential Jerry Manuel replacement -- Wally Backman as manager of their Single-A Brooklyn affiliate yesterday. Backman, who was practically drummed out of baseball in 2004 when legal and financial problems caused him to lose the Arizona Diamondbacks' managerial job after just five days, will be introduced today at a news conference in Coney Island. Backman, a popular second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s and one of the heroes of their 1986 World Series team, had been coaching in the independent leagues since the Arizona controversy."
Marquis calls Mets 'perfect fit'
Comment
November 18
New York Post
 
"Jeff Francoeur wasn't kidding when he told The Post this summer that free-agent right hander Jason Marquis badly wants to be a Met in 2010. Marquis backed that up this week, telling The Post he considers the Mets "a perfect fit" while expressing his admiration both for their lineup and Citi Field. "It would always be nice to come back home and represent your hometown [as a member of the Mets]," said Marquis, who grew up in Staten Island and still lives there. "This is where I'm from, so to come back here and play in front of friends and family would be an honor." As much as the 2009 All-Star wants to pitch for the Mets, the interest would have to be mutual. A source said the Mets like ..."
Wally looks as if he could be Jerry's Mets successor
Comment
November 18
New York Post
 
"Having served his time in baseball purgatory, Wally Backman was at KeySpan Park in Coney Island yesterday to be introduced by the Mets as manager of their Single-A Brooklyn affiliate. Next stop: Citi Field? With Jerry Manuel on a very short leash, the notion that Backman could replace him if the Mets get off to a slow start in 2010 seemed to be the unspoken theme of the team's elaborate welcome-back ceremony for its fiery former second baseman. But first things first, which for the 50-year-old Backman involves still more image rehabilitation five years after the Arizona Diamondbacks fired him as manager just four days into his tenure over various legal and financial woes. "I take full ..."
Shortstop Scutaro open to staying with Jays
Comment
November 17
Foxsports.com
 
"Teams are inquiring about free agent Marco Scutaro not just as a shortstop, but also as a second baseman, according to his agent, Peter Greenberg. One team even asked if Scutaro would consider moving to third. Scutaro, who played Gold Glove-caliber defense for the Blue Jays last season, will "entertain all possibilities," Greenberg said — including a return to the Jays on a one-year deal if, as expected, he is offered salary arbitration. The Jays offered Scutaro a contract extension during the season and another after the season ended, Greenberg said. Scutaro wants to explore the free-agent market, but he likes the city, team and manager Cito Gaston, who gave him his first chance to play ..."
Backman in Brooklyn
Comment
November 17
New York Post
 
"The Mets officially named fiery fan favorite -- and potential Jerry Manuel replacement -- Wally Backman as manager of their Single-A Brooklyn affiliate yesterday. Backman, who was practically drummed out of baseball in 2004 when legal and financial problems caused him to lose the Arizona Diamondbacks' managerial job after just five days, will be introduced today at a news conference in Coney Island. Backman, a popular second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s and one of the heroes of their 1986 World Series team, had been coaching in the independent leagues since the Arizona controversy. Backman's most recent managerial stop was with the independent Joliet (Ill.) Jackhammers until he was ..."
Mets eye durable free-agent pitcher Joel Pineiro
Comment
November 17
New York Daily News
 
"The Mets, in search of an innings-eater to stabilize their rotation, are particularly intrigued by free-agent righthander Joel Pineiro, according to a team insider. Pineiro, 31, had 15 wins with the Cardinals in 2009, one shy of the career high he set with Seattle six years earlier. While tossing a career-high 214 innings, Pineiro produced a 3.53 ERA, struck out 105 and walked 27. Pineiro's walks-per-nine-innings rate (1.14) was the best in the majors in four years among pitchers who reached 200 innings, and was ahead of runner-up Roy Halladay's 1.32 this season. That would distinguish Pineiro on a Mets staff that walked 616 batters last season, one off the franchise record set in 1999."
Mets name Wally Backman manager of Single-A affliate
Comment
November 16
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Wally Backman is a Met once again, headed to manage the team's Single-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones, the organization announced on Monday. Backman played second base for those wild 1980s Mets teams and hit .320 for the 1986 championship team. He retired in 1993."
Yanks savor $uite victory over Mets
Comment
November 16
New York Post
 
"The Yankees can now legitimately claim to be twice as good as the Mets -- at generating cash for the city. The World Series champs produced "at least $200,000" by selling seats in the luxury suite turned over to the city in the new Yankee Stadium, according to a team official. The city's suite at the Mets' new Citi Field is expected to bring in about half of that. Since the teams don't have to provide official accountings until 120 days after the baseball season ends, both figures are estimates."
No lack of interest in Angels pitcher
Comment
November 15
MLB.com
 
"All eyes were on John Lackey as a 23-year-old rookie when he won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, and all eyes are on him seven years later now that he's finally a free agent. The big Angels right-hander is in the enviable position of being the top name in the pitching category of the Hot Stove season, and already the clubs are lining up to have a word with his agent, Steve Hilliard. As a busy Friday turned into a relatively quiet Saturday, Hilliard and Lackey could take a weekend to reflect on the interest that's already white-hot even before the Angels lose exclusive negotiating rights next Friday a minute after midnight. The Red Sox, Mets and Brewers have already had discussions with ..."
Sources: Wedge on Mets' bench coach short list
Comment
November 15
Foxsports.com
 
"Former Indians manager Eric Wedge, former Mariners and Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin and former Orioles bench coach Dave Jauss are candidates to be the Mets' next bench coach, according to major-league sources. The Mets, however, are considering numerous other names as well, and do not appear close to a decision. The position could be a stepping stone; Mets manager Jerry Manuel, coming off a 70-win season, is entering the last year of his contract. Wedge, who is getting paid by the Indians through 2010, can be selective in choosing his next job. Melvin interviewed for the Astros' managerial position and also drew consideration from the Nationals. Jauss previously worked as a bench coach ..."
Twenty-five years after his phenomenal rookie season, Dwight Gooden takes aim at his demons
Comment
November 15
New York Daily News
 
"Nobody hangs up Ks for Dwight Gooden anymore. A mural of him - in mid-windup - no longer occupies the whole side of a building in Times Square. More than half his life has passed since the spectacle of Gooden in his No. 16 Mets uniform, so young and strong and utterly gifted, fueled a frenzy the likes of which this town may never see again - a frenzy that reached everywhere, even to Mickey Mantle, underaged icon of another generation, and another borough. "If I could pick somebody to be, that's who I'd be - Dwight Gooden," Mantle said. Of course Dwight Gooden thinks about those days sometimes, but he's in no rush to go back there, even if he could, nor to revisit a fall that was almost as ..."
Backman to manage Brooklyn Cyclones
Comment
November 14
New York Daily News
 
"Wally Backman  is expected to be named manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones early next week. The fiery Backman, 50, had been hired to manage the Diamondbacks in November 2004, but Arizona officials backed out four days later, after prior off-the-field incidents came to light. Backman reportedly pleaded guilty to a harassment charge, a misdemeanor, and received probation in 2001 after a domestic incident. A year earlier, he was convicted of driving under the influence in Kennewick , Wash. After the Diamondbacks dropped him, Backman managed in independent ball. His return to the Mets ' organization marks his first employment with a major-league team since the turmoil with Arizona. ..."
Mets renovating bullpen area at Citi Field
Comment
November 14
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"For those of you who might be curious to see what Citi Field looks like on a chilly, overcast day in November, here are a couple pictures I shot Friday. Not a whole lot going on outside of the team office building just beyond right field. One exception was the bullpen area, which is undergoing a full renovation. The bullpens had been set up so that the Mets' bullpen was in front of the visiting bullpen, but this led to an obstructed view from the visiting bullpen, which the Padres complained about during the Mets' first regular-season home series here. Now, the bullpen area is being rebuilt to have it split in the other direction. If you look closely at the photo to the right, you'll see ..."
Omar Minaya will keep close eye on Carlos Delgado; return to Flushing still possible
Comment
November 14
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Carlos Delgado's days in a Mets uniform may not be over just yet. General manager Omar Minaya said Friday he plans to travel to Puerto Rico next month to watch Delgado play in winter ball and has not ruled out re-signing him to play first base in 2010. The 37-year-old free agent is coming off hip surgery and an oblique injury that limited him to just 26 games last season. Delgado would have to show that he is healthy and would likely have to accept a low guaranteed or incentive-heavy contract to return to Flushing. And the Mets will no doubt consider other options, including their own Daniel Murphy , to start at first base. But Minaya's interest in monitoring Delgado's progress makes ..."
Mets Will Hire Backman to Manage Brooklyn Cyclones
Comment
November 14
New York Times
 
"After five years in exile, Wally Backman is making a return to a Major League Baseball affiliate with the Mets, the club that originally drafted him and brought him into professional ball. The Mets will name Backman, their fiery former second baseman, as manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones, their Class A affiliate, early next week. According to a baseball executive with knowledge of the situation, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter, an announcement of Backman's return to the Mets' organization should come by Tuesday. A former minor league manager of the year, Backman will be working for a major league affiliate for the first time since 2004. In November that year, ..."
Amazin's 'absolutely in' on Chone
Comment
November 12
New York Post
 
"Though they are fixated on adding a power bat such as Matt Holliday's or Jason Bay's, the Mets are in the words of an involved party "absolutely in" on free agent Chone Figgins. One Mets official said Figgins would be "hard to fit" into their current situation. Translation: It would be a whole lot easier if they could trade the two years and $12 million left on Luis Castillo's contract to create money and a second base opening for Figgins. "Castillo is definitely in play," an NL executive said. For example, the Mets talked to the Diamondbacks about flipping Castillo for catcher Chris Snyder, a discussion that now appears dead. The other alternative would be to play Figgins in left field ..."
Beltran: Bring back Delgado
Comment
November 12
New York Post
 
"Carlos Beltran knows who he would like to see play first base for the Mets next season, and his name isn't Daniel Murphy. The All-Star center fielder, appearing at a charity event yesterday in Harlem, put in a strong plug for Puerto Rican countryman Carlos Delgado to be brought back. "Honestly, I would love to," Beltran said when asked if he would like to see the Mets re-sign the 37-year-old slugger. "That's up to the team, but Delgado is a guy who, when healthy, you're going to get a lot of contributions from him." Delgado, who filed for free agency last week, missed all but 26 games last season due to hip surgery and a strained oblique. But he told Beltran recently that he plans to play ..."
Prospects for a deeper hole very real for Mets
Comment
November 12
New York Post
 columnist Joel Sherman
"Understand that what is at stake for the Mets is not just Omar Minaya's job or the franchise's status in 2010. To say that the Mets are at a crossroads is to undersell this moment in time. It is not just that the Yankees have won another World Series, giving them an upper-hand on influencing another generation of New York fans to join the pinstripe nation. It is not even that the Phillies have won three straight NL East titles, two straight pennants and one title. What is most dangerous for the Mets is that they teeter above a potential precipitous fall they might not get up from for years. I asked five executives from outside the NL East to rank the NL East in order by best major league ..."
Met fans tixed off
Comment
November 12
New York Post
 
"The Mets are not only losers, but liars, long-suffering fans howled yesterday. After wrapping up their dismal season, the team promised ticket prices would drop by an average of 10 percent. But when season-ticket holders received their bills this week for 2010, many were incensed to discover the price cut was as little as a 1 percent. Thomas Cooney said his seats in the Promenade Reserve Infield, which in 2009 were $4,050 for two seats, are now $3,955 for 2010 -- a drop of 2 percent. "Wow, what a discount," he grumbled."
Beltran sees healthy New York Mets as World Series contenders
Comment
November 12
New York Daily News
 
"It was frustrating enough for Carlos Beltran this past season, after a bone bruise in his right knee kept him on the disabled list most of the summer. Then the center fielder had to watch the crosstown Yankees celebrate another World Series title after beating the Mets' division rival Phillies. "I turned the TV off," Beltran joked Wednesday, when asked about the Game 6 aftermath. "No, I watched it. It has to be one of the best feelings you can probably feel. I bet for (Derek) Jeter - he's been in the World Series before - I bet it felt amazing being able to win. That has to be a dream come true. I just hope before I retire, I can get that opportunity." For Beltran to win his first ring, ..."
Mets eye free agents Orlando Hudson, Chone Figgins
Comment
November 12
New York Daily News
 
"Trying to rid themselves of an ill-advised contract, the Mets shopped Luis Castillo during the GM Meetings that concluded Wednesday. Still, despite the veteran second baseman hitting .302 this season and staying healthy, GM Omar Minaya may have a difficult time moving Castillo. Castillo is midway through a four-year, $25 million deal that blocked the Mets from signing free agent Orlando Hudson last winter. Castillo had met with team officials at the end of the 2008 season to apologize for his performance and request to remain with the team. The Chicago Tribune reported the Cubs are interested in Castillo and are attempting to rope in a third team such as Tampa Bay or Texas as a way of ..."
Mets Monitoring Safety of Prospect in Venezuela
Comment
November 12
New York Times
 
"Amid kidnappings and war rhetoric in Venezuela, the Mets may recommend that the catching prospect Josh Thole return home from his winter league team there. On Tuesday, the former Mets pitcher Victor Zambrano's mother, 56-year-old Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano, was rescued in a commando-style raid after being kidnapped Sunday from her home at her son's farm in Aragua. She is one of several relatives of baseball players who have been kidnapped for ransom in Venezuela in recent years. Meanwhile, President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela spoke this week of preparing for war with neighboring Colombia over its agreement to allow the United States to use seven military bases there, and has reportedly moved ..."
Unlike Minaya, Cashman Stands on Solid Ground
Comment
November 12
New York Times
 
"After two and a half days of meetings with colleagues and agents here, Omar Minaya and Brian Cashman were both headed back to New York on Wednesday, yet still somehow going in different directions. After five years in which Minaya's Mets seemed to travel in the same stratum as the Yankees, if not occasionally on a higher plane, the old order has been re-established. Once again, Cashman's Yankees are the dominant force in New York and in major league baseball, while the Mets have reverted to their traditional role as the weaker, younger sibling across town."
Mets 'absolutely in' on Figgins, could replace Castillo
Comment
November 11
New York Post
 
"Though they are fixated on adding a power bat such as Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, the Mets are in the words of an involved party "absolutely in" on free agent Chone Figgins. One Mets official said Figgins would be "hard to fit" into their current situation. Translation: It would be a whole lot easier if they could trade the two years at $12 million left on Luis Castillo's contract to create money and a second base opening for Figgins. "Castillo is definitely in play," an NL executive said. For example, the Mets talked to the Diamondbacks about flipping Castillo for catcher Chris Snyder, a discussion that now appears dead. The other alternative would be to play Figgins in left field and try ..."
Mets won't get Lee from Astros
Comment
November 11
New York Post
 
"I thought I had come up with a possible option for the Mets to be that slugging left fielder they so badly crave. Astros GM Ed Wade admitted his team needs to have its payroll "go south" and the highest-paid player on the team is Carlos Lee, who is owed $55.5 million over the next three seasons. He also has hit at least 24 homers in each of the last 10 seasons. The only player with a longer streak is Alex Rodriguez at 12 years. However, Wade put the kibosh on this theory by saying, "He is going to be our left fielder. He has a complete no-trade clause and he has made it very, very clear that he does not want to go anywhere.""
The Mets are interested in Joel Pineiro
Comment
November 11
SI.com
 
"The Mets are interested in Joel Pineiro, who's said to want a three-year deal for $30 million. Minaya met with Pineiro's agent, Arn Tellem. The Cardinals helped resurrect Pineiro's career, but they do not seem likely to pursue him -- not with so much else on their docket. Similarly, Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene are expected to leave via free agency."
Mixed signals from Mets' Holliday meeting
Comment
November 11
SI.com
 
"People who have spoken to Minaya suggest he is extremely interested in Holliday, who some Mets people see as the perfect middle-of-the-order and clubhouse presence they need to try to turn things around. Minaya has never shied away from the high-priced star player. Mets people clearly prefer Holliday to Bay and the Mets seem like a logical landing spot for Holliday (others include the Giants, Cubs, Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners and incumbent Cardinals) since they were the only team not to hit 100 home runs in '09 and have a gaping hole in left field. Yet, there are mixed signals about how aggressive they'll be in pursuing Holliday. While Minaya appears to be a major fan of Holliday, ..."
Minaya going after, well, everybody
Comment
November 11
Foxsports.com
 
"The Mets plan to pursue virtually every big name on the free-agent and trade markets, from Roy Halladay and John Lackey to Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. Agents and rival executives, however, are skeptical that the Mets actually will land any of those players, believing that the team ultimately will settle for second-tier talent. Mets general manager Omar Minaya loves to play at the top of the market. And the Mets, coming off a 92-loss season, are not about to tell their fans that they will aim low. Still, the Mets' needs are significant enough that one or two major additions might not put the team in contention. Minaya says he wants to add at least one starting pitcher. The Mets also need ..."
Minaya plans to be aggressive on market
Comment
November 11
MLB.com
 
"The Mets suffered through a 92-loss, injury-plagued 2009 season. But Omar Minaya, the team's general manager, is trying to avoid a repeat performance. To that end, Minaya said the Mets will be very aggressive in the free-agent market this winter with the top priorities being a slugger for the middle of the lineup and more starting pitching. "After last year, our offense is an area we want to address," Minaya told the media as the GMs gathered for their annual meetings here on Tuesday and Wednesday. "We led the league in hitting, but I think we need to find a way to score more. I'd like to see us slug more than we did this year. Starting pitching is another area we have to look at, we have ..."
Mets open talks with Holliday, eye Molina
Comment
November 11
New York Post
 
"Omar Minaya met with Scott Boras for 45 minutes last night to begin to determine the price on Matt Holliday. The meeting comes at a time when the Mets are still debating whether to big-game hunt this offseason for offense (Jason Bay or Holliday) or simply augment around their core of fragile, but talented players. "We need a left fielder and two of the best are in the [free-agent] market," one Mets executive said. "We are not doing our jobs if we don't look into it." Another official said he thought the Mets were not averse to giving a contract for as many as six years to a player of Holliday's ilk. However, officials from other teams who have talked to the Mets said they expect the team ..."
Mets must make splash with free agents Matt Holliday and John Lackey
Comment
November 11
New York Daily News
 columnist John Harper
"It was a little more than a month ago that Jeff Wilpon told everyone how committed Mets ownership is to rectifying a disastrous season by putting a "championship-caliber" ballclub back on the field as quickly as possible. But is he willing to spend what it takes to back up that kind of talk? There doesn't seem to be any other way to make it happen quickly. For that matter, considering the Yankees and Phillies proved to be the two best teams in baseball in 2009, the Mets need to spend big just to make themselves relevant again. Even if all their injured players come back healthy next season, the Mets aren't even a lock to finish third in the NL East, ahead of the on-the-rise Braves and ..."
Boras likens Matt Holliday to Mark Teixeira
Comment
November 11
New York Daily News
 
"Despite believing the bidding for outfielder Matt Holliday will exceed their appetite, Mets officials intended to meet with agent Scott Boras before leaving the GM meetings, which conclude today. Boras has set the bar high. The agent Tuesday night labeled Holliday a "franchise player" and maintained his client merited a contract similar to the eight-year, $180 million deal he negotiated for Mark Teixeira last offseason. Unlike Teixeira, Boras said Holliday already has "served that example" as a franchise player because he led the Rockies to the 2007 World Series. "Last year we had one club that went out and made a commitment to a franchise player and they won a world championship," Boras ..."
Around the majors
Comment
November 10
SI.com
 (scroll down)
"• Andy Pettitte has indicated to teammates that he is leaning toward returning to the Yankees for one more year. If they need it for further convincing, one of the Yankees' sales points will be that 10-15 more wins will aid his Hall of Fame candidacy. • The Phillies are expected to try to lock up Cliff Lee, though with a year to go before free agency, they'll be looking at something less than nine figures. • While the Phillies declined the option on defensively adept third baseman Pedro Feliz for $5.5 million, they're interested in bringing him back at a slightly lower figure. • The Red Sox will still consider Alex Gonzalez after declining his $6 million option and also look at free agent ..."
Yankees won't lack for Lackey, Mets hesitant
Comment
November 10
SI.com
 
"The Yankees are expected to make a play for top free-agent pitcher John Lackey, as was reported here on Monday, and there are indications that they are considering something in "the range of A.J. Burnett,'' which means $82.5 million over five years. Lackey is better than Burnett in many ways. But, considering a diminishing appetite for big contracts among other teams, one competing GM opined, "If the Yankees do that, they'll get him.'' Beyond Lackey plus outfielders Matt Holliday and Bay, the market is one of the weaker ones in years. Some very needy teams (i.e. the Mets) are generally unenthused about the market, especially from a starting pitching standpoint. "Some years are better than ..."
Halladay more likely to go than Gonzalez
Comment
November 10
SI.com
 
"Baseball people seem to believe that of the two superstar players available in trade -- Roy Halladay and Adrian Gonzalez -- Halladay is more likely to be moved for a few important reasons, such as: 1) He's eligible for free agency after this year, whereas the Padres have Gonzalez for two more years. 2) He makes $16 million to only about $5 million for Gonzalez, who has $10.25 mil over two remaining. 3) He wants out of Toronto. In an especially weak free-agent starting-pitching market, Halladay, 31, would draw interest from several teams, and with a new GM in Toronto (Alex Anthopoulos replaced J.P. Ricciardi), the whole game could change. It isn't known how Padres GM Jed Hoyer or ..."
Cubs trying hard to trade Bradley
Comment
November 10
SI.com
 
"The Cubs are trying hard to dump the perennially malcontented Milton Bradley here at the GM meetings, as it isn't just manager Lou Piniella who didn't connect with him in his season here. Apparently, several key members of the team -- including Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano -- barely speak to Bradley. "I don't think they dislike him. But Milton's a unique guy who doesn't fit in, like the oddball kid in class,'' one Cubs-connected person said. "He doesn't try to fit in. The other guys tried to take him in, but he's one of those kids that simply doesn't want to be part of anything,'' one Cubs person said. The Chicago Tribune reported that a Bradley blowup with now-deposed hitting coach ..."
Agent: Putz would consider set-up role
Comment
November 10
Foxsports.com
 
"Teams in search of late-inning relief help will not lack for options. Right-hander J.J. Putz, a free agent, is one intriguing possibility. The Mets, as expected, declined Putz's $9.1 million option; Putz did not pitch after June 4 due to an elbow problem that required surgery. But Putz, the Mariners' former closer, is again healthy and throwing. Under the right circumstances, he would be willing to accept a setup role, according to his agent, Craig Landis. "He has a preference to be a closer, but absolutely will not rule out an eighth-inning job depending upon many factors," Landis said. "Money obviously will be one. Location, how good the team is, the coaching staff. If everything else ..."
Free-agent market thin at first base
Comment
November 10
MLB.com
 
"Last year, the first-base class of free agents had a first-class front-runner in Mark Teixeira. This time around, it's more of a contender-by-committee situation, with talent available but no Type A headliner to pull in anything close to what Big Tex commanded on his joyride to the Bronx. Carlos Delgado was on the "A Team" a few years back, but after hip surgery and a down year in New York, he's Type B and a possible question mark in the areas of mobility and bat speed at the age of 37 (38 in late June). And speaking of question marks, Nick Johnson, another attractive free-agent option because of his high on-base percentage (career .402), just can't seem to stay healthy for a full ..."
Holliday, Bay bidding may surpass Mets' appetite
Comment
November 10
New York Daily News
 
"Omar Minaya arrived at the GM Meetings at the O'Hare Hilton on Monday night maintaining it was his obligation to investigate the price tags of top-tier free agents. However, a team insider told the Daily News he expected that the salary demands of outfielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay would exceed the organization's comfort level. Instead, the Mets expect to sign a left fielder from the second tier group of free agents, or acquire one via trade, a team source said. Picking up a power bat in left field would allow the Mets to follow through with their intention of using Daniel Murphy as the primary first baseman next season. One report listed Mike Cameron as a potential target for left ..."
Insider says Mets won't pay top dollar for pricey top-tier free agents
Comment
November 10
New York Daily News
 
"Omar Minaya arrived at the GM meetings Monday night maintaining it was his obligation to investigate the price of top-tier free agents. However, a team insider told the Daily News he expected the salary demands of outfielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay to be too high for the Mets. Instead, they expect to sign a left fielder from the second tier of free agents, or acquire one via trade, a team source said. Picking up a power bat in left field would allow the Mets to follow through on their intention of using Daniel Murphy as the primary first baseman in 2010. One report listed Mike Cameron as a potential target for left field because of his power and defense, but a source close to the ..."
Strategy split hangs over Omar's survival
Comment
November 10
New York Post
 columnist Joel Sherman
"You remember the Mets, don't you? Opened a new park last year, too; run by the owner's son. There was something about a lot of injuries, but it was so long ago, who can remember? Recently, the Mets have had the visibility of the New York Liberty, going into hibernation while their best of enemies, the Phillies and Yankees, played in the World Series. They are now back in a season that matters. Omar Minaya arrived yesterday at what very well may be his final GM Meetings unless he figures out a way to address the club's needs adequately enough to push the Mets into the postseason next year. And right now the Mets have what even one of their executives described as "a split camp." One ..."