MLB – NY Mets:
The New York Yankees released that they were going to wear a inaugural season patch on their jersey in ‘09 a while back. It looked pretty good to me. They will be on both the home and away uniforms, and will be placed on tons of merchandise/memorabilia. As we all know, the Mets are getting a new ballpark as well. They came up with a inaugural season patch as well, but there isn’t much to it. The patch doesn’t mention the stadium, show any part of the stadium, and it looks like a Dominoes Pizza logo.
http://zellspinstripeblog.com/2009/01/13/mets-new-uniform-patch-pales-in-comparion-to-the-yanks
The news that Derek Lowe decided to sign with Atlanta hardly fazed or surprised the New York Mets. They had been preparing for this for nearly a week, after the Braves felt compelled to act boldly when John Smoltz left for the Red Sox, and they have a backup plan.
hat involves going back to the agent Scott Boras, who represents Lowe, and trying to re-sign Oliver Pérez. The Mets have yet to offer Pérez a contract, but they are expected to extend one within the next day or so. They are also weighing a run at Ben Sheets, but are wary of his injury history.
"He was one of a group of pitchers that we've been looking into to fill a starting spot, but we've also felt that there are other guys out there who we like," Omar Minaya, the Mets' general manager, said about Lowe on Tuesday night. "We'll regroup and move on."
Source: New York Times
Spoke with Billy Wagner today. I'm sure he's a distant memory to most Met fans since the acquisitions of K-Rod and Putz, but Wagner is doing well and progressing ahead of schedule. He's been working out three times a week, strengthening his elbow and shoulder in his native Virginia, and he's very close to throwing again. His Met status remains quite uncertain, but undoubtedly he'll be spending a good chunk of time in Port St. Lucie trying to get himself ready. For what remains the question. Wagner is shooting to get back sometime in August, but where that is will depend not only on the quality of his progress but also the progress made by the bullpen that he had to leave last August - a bullpen that systematically self-destructed down the stretch.
http://www.wfan.com/pages/3614663.php?contentType=4&contentId=3316800
While they keep looking for another starter, the New York Mets hope to see Tim Redding match some of his own numbers from 2008. Redding completed his $2.25 million, one-year deal with the Mets on Monday, saying he would pitch in whatever role the team wants. "Starter, reliever, it doesn't matter to me," the right-hander said on a conference call. Redding made 33 starts for Washington last year and went 3-1 against the two-time NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies. He was 10-11 overall -- leading the Nationals in wins -- with a 4.95 ERA. "I think we can feel comfortable that we've added 182 innings to the staff," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "The value for us is very important."
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/11252359/rss
I believe Lowe gives the Mets the best chance to win now and in future seasons. Groundball pitchers age more gracefully than power pitchers (see: Pedro Martinez), and I think concerns about him suddenly breaking down due to injury are nothing more than wild speculation. Comparisons to older injured pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Randy Johnson are unfair, as Smoltz has battled arm problems his whole career, and Glavine and Johnson didn’t get hurt until they hit their 40’s. If Lowe can be had for three years, $42 million with a fourth year option there is no reason not to sign him.
http://www.metsgeek.com
The Mets were linked to Texas shortstop Michael Young as a possible second base option earlier this winter and Young recently demanded a trade when the Rangers told him he would have to move to third for 2009. Asked about Young Monday, Minaya said, "I can't comment on a player on another team. Right now, we're not in the position player market. We're in the pitcher market."
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/01/12/2009-01-12_mets_gm_omar_minaya_rates_chance_of_more.html
AA – B-Mets:
2008: Lucas Duda had a disappointing 2008 in which he hit .263/.358/.398 for St. Lucie. To be considered a top prospect and project as an everyday player at either corner, he’ll simply have to hit more than that and none of his other tools really stand out. He struggled adjusting his leg kick and timing mechanisms over the course of the summer. More troubling than any of his rate stats, none of which was terribly Impressive, was that Duda struck out 129 times in 133 games. I believe in the sabermetric tenet that at the Major League level, a strikeout is no worse than any other kind of out. However, this is NOT true in the minor leagues. At the advanced-A level, when a player strikes out once per game, that serves as an indicator that the player is struggling to make consistent contact, which could presage drops in batting average as he moves up the ladder. Projected 2009 start: AA Binghamton
http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/12/41-lucas-duda
A+ - Lucy:
2008: Roy Merritt was very successful coming out of the bullpen in Brooklyn, Hawaii and then Puerto Rico. He began the year with St. Lucie after working for the K-Mets in 2007, but like many of his FSL teammates did not have a strong April. After a strong summer as a Cyclone which culminated with Merritt allowing just one run in his final 16.2 innings in Brooklyn, Merritt then had one of the stronger winters of any Mets farmhand, fanning more than a batter an inning in both Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Projected 2009 start: St. Lucie. Merritt has nothing to prove below the FSL, where he struggled a little to begin 2008.
http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/12/40-roy-roydrick-merritt
A – Gnats:
Top 5 Hitting Prospects Born in 1991
1. Wilmer Flores (A) - http://www.prospecttube.com/video/wilmer-flores
2. Eduardo Sosa (Rk)
3. Jefry Marte (Rk) - http://www.prospecttube.com/video/jefry-marte
4. Eduardo Soto (Rk)
5. Juan Duran (Rk)
Flores is the only player in this group that played above rookie ball, and based on scouting reports, sounds like the real deal. Sosa, Marte, and Soto all had impressive DSL showings, combined with solid reports from scouts. Duran is the big bonus baby, but struggled in his professional debut. A lot can happen (or not happen) with 17-year-olds, so this list could make me look like a genius or a fool in 12 months.
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/1/12/718189/2009-top-5-hitting-prospec
Low A – Clones:
2008: Juan Lagares’ 2008 began late because of an arm injury. Assigned to Savannah, he improved on his batting average from 2007, but, at age 19, did not hit for any more power nor did he draw anymore walks than he did the year before at age 18. In the middle of August, the Mets moved Lagares down to Brooklyn, where he had nearly the same number of doubles as he did in the SAL in fewer than half the AB. Moreover, Lagares played at third for the first time as a professional. He committed four errors in five games at the hot corner. Projected 2009 start: I have no idea. In 2007, the Mets jumped Lagares from the DSL over the GCL, APP, and the NYP straight to full-season ball in the SAL where he has struggled over the last two seasons. He’s done little to merit a promotion to St. Lucie, but sending him back to the SAL for the third straight year might be demoralizing. Keeping him in extended spring training and assigning him to Brooklyn to enjoy a summer in Keyspan Park could also be an option.
http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/13/39-juan-lagares
Saber:
Since being traded for each other: Scott Kazmir WAR: 17.3… Victor Zambrano WAR: ~1.5
Fantasy:
The Player Best Avoided In The First Round - Ryan Braun - Fantasy owners love Ryan Braun’s youth and become duck soup for his flirtation with 40 HR whilst swiping more than a baker’s dozen worth of bags. However, last season, Braun produced a 37 HR-14 steals combo and still barely produced as a Top 20 batter. The cause? A middling batting average of .285, certainly above the league average but not at an elite level. Fantasy owners tend to shrug off average as a volatile category, but it tends to be the modus operandi of a hitter and sets the agenda for all-around value. Braun’s .285 AVG came with 129 strikeouts, a 79% contact rate that portends a slight but not huge improvement in the average category. Braun also walks 6% of the time, slightly below average. Last year, he posted a pitiful OBP of .335, which may explain why a guy who hit 37 HR only managed to score 92 times.
http://www.fantasyballjunkie.com/?p=51
Alumni:
The Astros are in negotiations with Paul Lo Duca. He could join the mix on a minor league deal
In 1985 and 2001, Ed Kranepool and Andy van Slyke both got shut out of the Hall of Fame balloting. But they acheived an even better sort of immortality as the namesakes of two awesome baseball blogs … The Eddie Kranepool Society and Where Have You Gone Andy van Slyke?
http://homerderby.com/archives/3180
RP Jesse Orosco received one vote for the Hall of Fame yesterday.
The Dodgers added an arm to a bullpen that is days removed from losing closer Takashi Saito by agreeing to terms of a one-year contract with right-hander Guillermo Mota, according to baseball sources who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. The deal is pending a physical, which Mota is scheduled to undergo Tuesday. Mota, 35, pitched for the Dodgers in 2002 and '03, posting a 2.60 earned-run average as Eric Gagne's setup man. He was 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 58 games with the Milwaukee Brewers last season.
http://www.sonsofstevegarvey.com/2009/01/i-guess-that-means-piazza-wont-be.html
General Baseball News:
2009 Veterans Committee Ballot - Post-WWII Players - The election will end on Jan. 18 at 8 PM Eastern. Eligible candidates: Dick Allen, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Al Oliver, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant, Joe Torre and Maury Wills. - Rules: 9. Voting: The Committee shall consider all eligible candidates and voting shall be based upon the individual’s record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game. Electors may vote for as few as zero (0) and as many as four (4) eligible candidates deemed worthy of election. Write-in votes are not permitted (Editor’s note: though if you want to post them, I’m not going to stop you from doing that). 10. Number to be Elected: All candidates receiving votes on at least 75% of ballots cast on will earn election.
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/hall_of_merit/discussion/2009_veterans_committee_ballot_post_wwii_players
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