Joe D. | New York Mets Report- We have a little more clarity on the Cespedes front as the calendar flips to 2016, and none of it is particularly good news for the free agent who bellowed his demands for a six-year deal three months ago. It turns out that the Orioles never had any intentions of coming close to the $150 million Cespedes and Roc Nation had set their sights on. The two sides are reportedly not even in the same zip code. As for the other frontrunner on the south side of Chicago, their interest in Cespedes is limited to a deal for no more than three years.Sound familiar? It should. Three years was the most Sandy Alderson and the Mets were willing to offer Cespedes.
(Chris Soto: Say what you want about the "frugal" Mets...but Alderson team is full of smart, intelligent, data oriented folks. If they aren't offering more than 3 years, its because they felt that the market wouldn't bear more than 3 years for Cespedes.....so far they are right. Almost makes you wonder if this could potentially re-open the door for Cespedes to come back to the Mets and meet them halfway by dropping his demands to 4 years. Would the Mets be willing to do 4yr @ $20M per season??? I don't think so....but the probability would be much higher than their willingness to do a deal for 6yr @ $25M per.)
Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- Last year, former Mets catcher Mike Piazza fell 28 votes shy of being elected to the Hall of Fame. In his third year on the ballot, Piazza collected 69.9 percent of the vote, just missing the 75 percent threshold required for induction. On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce the Hall of Fame class of 2016, and Piazza appears likely to be among the group that will be enshrined in Cooperstown this summer. The former Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers star is viewed as the greatest offensive catcher in history and finished his 16-year career with a .308/.377/.545 slash line, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI. His 396 homers as a catcher are the most ever.
(Chris Soto: Piazza came SO close last year it what was a really strong ballot year so you had to have a really good feeling that he was going to make it this year. The primary obstacle for Piazza has been these painfully annoying performance enhancing drug allegations. Piazza admittedly stated that he was a user of the drug "Andro" before the MLB banned the substance, but, unlike Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa, Piazza's numbers didn't skyrocket late in his career like it did for the others. He had a normal career progression and regression and suffered through all the pains that come with being a catcher. My assumption is that because of this, voters are more willing to put him into the HOF and it is looking very likely that he will get in.)
(Chris Soto: Say what you want about the "frugal" Mets...but Alderson team is full of smart, intelligent, data oriented folks. If they aren't offering more than 3 years, its because they felt that the market wouldn't bear more than 3 years for Cespedes.....so far they are right. Almost makes you wonder if this could potentially re-open the door for Cespedes to come back to the Mets and meet them halfway by dropping his demands to 4 years. Would the Mets be willing to do 4yr @ $20M per season??? I don't think so....but the probability would be much higher than their willingness to do a deal for 6yr @ $25M per.)
Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- Last year, former Mets catcher Mike Piazza fell 28 votes shy of being elected to the Hall of Fame. In his third year on the ballot, Piazza collected 69.9 percent of the vote, just missing the 75 percent threshold required for induction. On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce the Hall of Fame class of 2016, and Piazza appears likely to be among the group that will be enshrined in Cooperstown this summer. The former Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers star is viewed as the greatest offensive catcher in history and finished his 16-year career with a .308/.377/.545 slash line, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI. His 396 homers as a catcher are the most ever.
(Chris Soto: Piazza came SO close last year it what was a really strong ballot year so you had to have a really good feeling that he was going to make it this year. The primary obstacle for Piazza has been these painfully annoying performance enhancing drug allegations. Piazza admittedly stated that he was a user of the drug "Andro" before the MLB banned the substance, but, unlike Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa, Piazza's numbers didn't skyrocket late in his career like it did for the others. He had a normal career progression and regression and suffered through all the pains that come with being a catcher. My assumption is that because of this, voters are more willing to put him into the HOF and it is looking very likely that he will get in.)
Ryan Thibs | BBHOF Ballot Tracker(updated 1.3.2016)
Ken Griffey Jr. | 100%
Mike Piazza | 87.4%
Jeff Bagwell | 81.8%
Tim Raines | 80.4%
_______________________________________
Trevor Hoffman | 61.5%
Curt Schilling | 60.8%
Mike Mussina | 56.6%
Barry Bonds | 49.7%
Edgar Martinez | 49.7%
Roger Clemens | 49.0%
Alan Trammell | 46.2%
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Japanese RHSP Kenta Maeda to an 8 yr deal worth only $25M guaranteed. The contract reportedly has significant performance bonuses that could make the deal far more lucrative for Maeda.
Ces9exes at 4 yrs, $80? Pull the trigger.
ReplyDeletePizza belongs in Hall this year. Early tally makes it appear to be almost a shoo-in.
Back to work....when's the next holiday?
I still say the Mets have put already together a pretty solid 25man roster (see, staying positive in 2016).
ReplyDeleteThe Mets are still loyal to David WWrightand Travis d'Arnaud and they can't assume they're gonna be injured half the year.
They've put faith (as of today) in Lucas Duda .
Mets could always use another stud bat but for all we know Conforto is going to be that stud bat this coming year so dont waist the money on Cespedes.
The one thing I still don't necessarily agree with is the idea of hoping players with huge 'splits' can form a solid platoon.
It didn't work with cuddyer or mayberry. Not for Campbell. Not for ey jr. Why try de aza now? Id rather just have a right handed centerfielder play everyday. ........which is why I, like some of u as well, are hoping that Lagares basically waists Mets money by being healthy and solid again, thus making de aza a pure backup.
Ernest -
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting watching FOX News (yeah, I'm one of them...) this weekend and they had a panel of their experts on giving New Year's predictions.
One predicted that Michael Conforto and Noah Syndergaard would lead the 2016 Mets to becoming the WS champions.
Well, we'll well - Sandy is smart after all - maybe he could even build a team that makes the World Series!
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Piazza isn't in the Hall already is criminal and based on BS speculation about steroids - so unfair
ReplyDeleteI read a great article yesterday about how Piazza's defense was much better than believed
The fact that Piazza isn't in the Hall already is criminal and based on BS speculation about steroids - so unfair
ReplyDeleteI read a great article yesterday about how Piazza's defense was much better than believed