1. I sadly hope that Adam Rubin is correct about Angel Pagan leaving. I have enjoyed Pagan during the time he has been a Met, but I’m committed to the 2013-2014 plan and he just isn’t in it. I have been more disappointed in his defensive…err… skills this season and he just isn’t the center fielder that is needed to cover CitiField. There’s no reason to spend $5mil in 2012 on him when the solution to this problem is either still in the pipeline (Matt den Dekker, Kirk Nieuwenhuis) or on the 2013 free agent list (Michael Bourn, Matt Kemp, B.J. Upton). First, I would play Nick Evans somewhere on a winter ball team and cut a deal with them to play him only in CF. After that doesn’t work, go sign someone in the $2-3mil range to hold the fort down for one year, while Evans stays up as a utility OF/3B/1B.
2. As I understand it… and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong… but the Madoff –mess judge has ruled that the MAXIMUM amount that the Mets could owe those that are suing, is $83mil, which was based on profits over a 2-year period. I assume that could also be paid over a 2-year period, which would be $41.5mil per year. Continuing on this, I also assume that both parties could settle this right now for around $30mil a year for 2-years. So, if Cot says the 2011 payroll was #143mil, then the team could operate 2012 and 2013 at $110mil and be done with this by 2014. Kewl… oh… just read they could owe close to $340mil… err… never mind.
3. Wednesday might have been the most outstanding night of baseball… ever. Four teams trying to get in the playoffs and most of them go into extra innings… are you kidding me? There is no way to beat what we watched late into Thursday morning. This is why we watch baseball. This is why some of us write about it. Unbelievable.
4. Should the Mets try and resign 40-year old Miquel Batista? I mean, a two-hit shutout to finish the season? I can’t see anyone giving him a multi-year deal so why not bring him back for the 2012 season while the kids mature down in Buffalo?
5. We’ve added another great writer here at Mack’s Mets. Frank Gray, of The Bleacher Report, has joined us and will start off by posting twice a week, Monday and Thursday, at 2pm EST. Our goal here is to continue to bring you the best information on the New York Mets, by the best independent writers out there on the Internet. Welcome Frank.
1) You still want to have a good product on the field. If you are not going to actually spend the money elsewhere, I spend the money on Pagan and hope he returns to 2010 form.
ReplyDelete2) My understanding was they COULD be on the hook for at most $83 Mil in profit and $300 Mil in principle. They only have to worry over the principle if there is PROOF of wrong-doing. I'm not a lawyer, I'm not 100% sure.
3) Agreed
4) Batista can come to the team if he accepts a minor league deal.
5) Welcome Frank.
Yeah, they might actually be on the hook for 380+ million tops, but only if they are proven guilty of wrong doing. The trusty suing them has appealed that ruling or is going to, and to me, this is going to drag out for a long time. If he doesnt think 380 million is enough, the Wilpons have a problem. The 83 million figure, is based on the two years of withdrawls the Wilpons made before Madoff was busted. If this trusty cant prove they knew about the Ponzi scheme, or willfully where blind to it, then it's 83 mill. If he proves them guilty, then it's 380+ mill. By him appealing the ruling, that tells me he knows he can't prove it, and is trying to get that minimum number increased somehow via a settlement or the judges ruling being overturned in appeal. Who wouldn't be excited about possibly recovering 380 million? He must know it'll never happen because he has no case and he'll get stuck with just the 83 million figure. The Wilpons lawyer should be dragging this whole appeal through the media, making this nut job settle. Unfortunately, that trusty has already billed over 220 million in legal fees for his firm since being appointed the trusty in charge of recovering as much of the money as possible lost in the scheme. That much cash is huge incentive to keep these lawsuits in court for as long as possible.
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