10/27/09

Minors Stuff




New York Mets


A recent story in the Boston Herald suggested that Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran could be an intriguing contingency plan for the Red Sox this offseason should Boston fail to re-sign left-fielder Jason Bay. If Bay were to depart, the report suggested, the Sox could entertain the idea of trading for Beltran — one of the best defensive players in the game, and a middle-of-the-order hitter to boot — and moving Jacoby Ellsbury to left field.

However, it appears that there is virtually no chance that such a deal could happen. While Beltran — who has two years, each at $18.5 million (though with $5.5 million of each season’s salary due in deferred, interest-gathering payments), left on his seven-year, $119 million deal — would undoubtedly be both affordable and attractive to the Sox or just about any other team seeking an outfielder, there is virtually no chance that he will be dealt.


John Lackey, RHP, Angels - He is making himself some money with his postseason performance, but it doesn't appear he'll get it from the Angels. Look for Texas or the Mets to show an interest. -- Boston Globe .....


Maybe there was a curse of Shea Stadium.

Maybe the baseball gods put the hex on the Yankees after they celebrated on the Mets home field. Nine years have passed since Mike Piazza’s flyball looked oh so close to going out, only to fall gently into Bernie Williams’ glove.

Yet, now Shea Stadium is gone and the Yankees are going back to the World Series, playing of all teams, the Philadelphia Phillies. It’s a Met fans’ nightmare. Them against them. The same type of suffering the Yankee fan had back in 1986. Does a Met fan root for a Phillies dynasty or the completed purchase of No. 27?

This is what Sam Kinison meant when he spoke about the “Big Menu.”

Even though this seems like a tough choice, it’s actually pretty obvious, Met fans need to back a New York team here. Sure it’s easy to say, “I’m not watching.” But unless you really love CSI and NCIS, there’s really nothing else on TV. Football only happens on Sunday and unless you are a Ranger fan, all the other New York teams stink.

And forget HBO, because outside of the hour of Curb Your Enthusiasm, there’s really nothing on there either, unless you are a fan of Madagascar 2.

Escogido Leones (4-3) - Tobi Stoner is pitching well with two starts and a 1.64 ERA.

Estrellas de Oriente (3-4) - Fernando Tatis is hitting .353.

That's a question that I've been asked several times in the last few days. With the Yankees and the Phillies kicking off the World Series on Wednesday night, friends and family have been keen to find out how I will manage my emotions for the next week to 10 days.

Do I root for the Yankees, by virtue of the fact that they represent New York and that they will be trying to derail a bitter rival's quest for back-to-back championships? Do I root for the Phillies, who by winning the Series would shut the mouths of the legions of "diehard" Yankee fans that have suddenly re-appeared this year? My answer so far has been that I will simply be rooting for a meteor to strike Yankee Stadium right before the first pitch of Game 1 is thrown. My real answer is a lot more complex. In a perverse way, I am actually glad that the Yankees and Phillies are their respective league champions. It's a nightmare scenario for Mets fans, of course, but it is also a nightmare scenario for ownership and management. The Wilpons seem to react only to shame and embarrassment, and watching the Mets' crosstown rivals do battle with the three-time NL East champions allows those feelings to cut even more deeply.

Dan Duquette, former Red Sox general manager - He was being considered for the Blue Jays CEO/president position, but it doesn't appear that current CEO Paul Beeston is leaning in Duquette's direction. --Boston Globe
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors/mlb

Licey Tigers (5-3) - Wily Mo Pena is trying to make a come back and is at .167 in two games.
Estrellas de Oriente (3-4) - Early in the season Evan MacLane has been the mound ace with an 0.90 ERA in two starts. He has pitched 10 innings, giving up seven hits and walking three against nine whiffs.


http://myworldofbaseball.com/wordpress/?m=200910



2010 Draft:

The Bo Jackson Five-Tool Championship event held on Saturday lasted an excruciating four hours, but the top three player performances belonged to outfielder Wagner Mateo (Dominican Republic), outfielder Chevez Clarke (Marietta, Ga., HS) and third baseman/righthander Kaleb Cowart (Cook County HS, Adel, Ga.). The event was a good idea, but still has some kinks to be ironed out. Most of the scouts left after players ran their 60-yard dashes and threw from the outfield because they had no interest in watching two rounds of metal-bat BP. But there were some interesting highlights like Mitchell Shifflett’s (Cosby HS, Midlothian, Va.) running a 6.38-second 60-yard dash, Cowart’s 100 mph reading from right field and Mateo’s epic home run.

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