The Mack Attack - 12-29-8

The Mack Attack - December 29, 2008

MLB – NY Mets:

Omar Minaya on whether Johan Santana will play in the WBC: ““He should be O.K., but we’re going to be conservative. If we have a little bit of doubt or concern, we’d rather have him not play. We’re pro-Classic, but we always have to be mindful and protective of our players.

”BleacherReport.com predicts that both P Derek Lowe and C Jason Varitek will sign with the Mets…their comments on Lowe: “The 35 year-old Lowe is coming off his best year since 2002, after winning 14 games for the Dodgers last season, in the course of posting a 3.24 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. While his ability to sustain that success is highly questionable, Lowe is the best free agent pitcher remaining on the market, and he's likely to earn himself a nice payday because of it. The Mets are reportedly deep in discussions with Lowe, but an offer has yet to be confirmed. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are rumored to be lurking on the periphery and could bring him back if the price is right. If neither of those pans-out, the Brewers, Braves, and Nationals could attempt to lure the sinkerballer.”…their comments on Varitek: “The Red Sox's Captain remains one of the premier pitch-callers in baseball, but Varitek's bat has gone south in a hurry, and he's no longer an adequate thrower, having nabbed just 22.2 percent of opposing base-stealers in 2008. While the 36-year-old figures to improve on the .220 average and .672 OPS he posted this year, even Scott Boras will have trouble marketing him based on his bat. If the Red Sox are able to acquire a viable backstop via trade, or opt to go with another free agent such as Gregg Zaun, Varitek may struggle to get more than a one-year deal worth far less than he'd like to earn…

they also predict that P Pedro Martinez will sign with the Pirates, and P Oliver Perez with the Nationals…

the 2008 Mets finished 55-38 under Jerry Manuel…

David Lennon on Martinez: “The ever-competitive Pedro is 38 and seems determined to find ways to win. However, he went 5-6 despite nearly 5 runs of support per game last year. He is by no means the pitcher he used to be, and I feel that his time in New York is rightfully up. If he chooses not to retire, someone will take a chance on Pedro, similar to how the Giants just did with 45-year-old Randy Johnson. I guess I'm just surprised to see that someone who came into New York like a lion, has gone out like a lamb.”

Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes, “The Mets have quietly continued to gauge the market for Luis Castillo, and if they find a taker for at least some of his salary, that would leave them in position to pursue Orlando Hudson”…

AAA – Buffalo:

Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz, batting .556, hit a two-out walk-off grand slam off Royals reliever Leo Nunez to give the Gigantes the dramatic win in a game that took just over four hours. Juan Francisco (Reds) added a solo homer in support of Mets reliever German Marte, who recorded two outs in the eighth to pick up the win for Cibao…

ChicagoTribune.com lists OF Fernando Martinez as one of the standout players from the winter leagues this past month…

the current Bisons roster, listed on their website, has only four players etched in stone… P Eddie Camacho, P John Madden, OF Carl Loadenthal, and 1B Michel Abreu…

A+ - Lucy:

ScoutingBook.com now ranks 1B Ike Davis as the 67th top prospect in baseball, saying: “Ike is a legitimate threat to hit 40 homers in the big leagues, and the Mets are one of the best places for a young first baseman to be right now. His refined college approach to the strike zone means he should do it without Howardesque strikeout numbers. One of the 2008 draft's most polished picks, Davis should be ready by late 2009.

Fantasy:

From RotoAuthority: “Looking for double digit HRs and SBs from your shortstop? At this point I'm projecting six options: Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Jimmy Rollins, Alexei Ramirez , Rafael Furcal , and Derek Jeter. If you don't spring for one of the first-rounders, you're looking at Ramirez (fifth round), Furcal (sixth round), and Jeter (eighth round). All three have their flaws, but Alexei interests me the most. Sophomore slump or a leap into fantasy stardom? Five other shortstops who could sneak into double digits in both HRs and SBs: Michael Young, Mike Aviles, Edgar Renteria, Felipe Lopez (assuming 13 games cuts it), and Asdrubal Cabrera. Three with playing time questions: Brandon Wood, Clint Barmes, and Ben Zobrist.

Alumni:

OF Victor Diaz’s winter numbers: .313/.382/.662/1.044, 17 HRs, 50 RBIs …

Endy Chavez, recently traded from the Mets to the Mariners, hit a three-run homer in the fourth to help Magallenes beat Aragua, in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Edgardo Alfonzo, batting .320, went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Navegantes…

RP Willie Collazo signed with the Florida Marlins…

ScoutingBook.com now lists SP Maikel Cleto as the 228th top prospect in baseball, though he wasn’t listed before the trade…

General Baseball News:

From TheBallclub.com: The 2006 Mets were the Championship Team that wasn't. They kicked off a wild ride that began with aspirations of serious contention for a playoff spot, and ended up taking off with such a fury that, by Mid-June, it was apparent that they were going to run away with the NL East. And, they did. They did not have any serious challenges from any other team in the Division, though there were moments that Atlanta and Philadelphia came close. But as the season went on, things just got more and more fun as the Mets proved themselves to be in every game they played, and got outstanding performances all around, from David Wright, to Carlos Beltran, to Jose Reyes, to Delgado, to unexpected guys like Jose Valentin, Endy Chavez, Chad Bradford and Darren Oliver. The mix of talented youngsters and wily, experienced veterans meshed perfectly, the team playing with constant joy and flair. And it culminated on September 18th, when they nailed down the NL East and touched off a Wild Celebration. In the Postseason, they faced off against the Dodgers, and whenever it seemed that LA would dance and jab, the Mets would respond with a haymaker, eventually overwhelming their opponents and shoving them off the dance floor in a 3-game sweep. Things looked unstoppable. But the injuries and inconsistency finally caught up with them, ending on October 19th in a game of Beautiful Misery. But it was a team that made it fun to be a Mets fan again, and a team that made us believe.