FLASH: - Albert Pujois

The Chicago Cubs have reached out to the agent for Albert Pujols to express their interest in the three-time Most Valuable Player, a baseball source told ESPN.com Tuesday.

Although discussions between team officials and agent Dan Lozano are in the early stages, the Cubs appear poised to join the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins in an active pursuit of Pujols, a nine-time All-Star who hit the free-agent market in October.

The Cubs' overtures to Pujols come amid speculation that they also have interest in former Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder. The speculation was ratcheted up a notch last week when the team hired former Brewers coach Dale Sveum as its new manager.

for more...  http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7294424/source-chicago-cubs-call-albert-pujols-reps-express-interest

FLASH: RP Matt Thorton

Email:  Phlavio to me:

The White Sox are trying to move reliever Matt Thornton, who has two years,$12 million remaining on his contract.

There may be a match here for the Mets and White Sox to make a deal.  Now... The Mets trade money (I don't know how much) and Bay to the Sox for Thornton.  Matt can fill the closer role or the Mets would still be free to pursue a closer like Frank Francisco and use Thornton as a over-priced setup guy.

Chicago can use Bay in the OF assuming that Viciedo IS a 3B

Anonymous Messages - by Mack Ade

Anonymous Messages

By Mack Ade  11-28-11

Who sends these things?

My writers here on Mack’s Mets try very hard to come up with something both authentic as well as entertaining and there’s always a couple of nameless people that take this as an opportunity to not to attack the content, but to go after the writer.

Is Mack’s Mets’ National Geographic?

I’ve decided to do some research here and hired the services of my Ozone Park’s top hacker, Joey Two-Boards, to help me pull the IP addresses out from these individuals and identify who they are and where they are coming from.

Are they home office people? Could they be beat writers? Are any of them named Toby? So many questions.

What I can report is the following:

1. They are devout cowards. They hide behind their anonymity, even if I did spell that word wrong.

2. At last count, none of them have had an improper sexual relationship with Herman Cain. Yet.

3. A couple of them apply the Associated Press version of the English language, if you know what I mean.

4. Most seem to be stunads who’s most important task they perform all day is this action. Nice way of saying they are really fucking stupid.

5. All of them couldn’t go two rounds with the writers they are attacking.

6. Let’s get back to Cain…  all of them are less six inches.

7. None… I repeat, none…  have ever played a single inning of minor league or major league baseball.

8. A couple go back as far as my NYFS and Mofo days. That’s a long time for someone to hate someone they have never met or talked to their entire life.

9. None have a life.

10. And none would meet Frank, Charlie, and I, on 101^st Avenue and 95^th Street next Saturday night at 11pm so we could express ourselves properly on this subject.

The Competition is harsh and getting better

FLASH: - RP - Octavio Dotel

The Mets are strong players for right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. Dotel, who celebrated his 38th birthday last week, posted a 2.61 ERA for the Cardinals in October after compiling a 3.28 ERA, 32 strikeouts and five walks for St. Louis in 24 2/3 innings this season.

A former closer who saved 21 games for the Pirates in 2010, Dotel could potentially assume that same job in New York or slide into a setup role. General manager Sandy Alderson has not ruled out signing more than one free-agent reliever to bolster the back end of his bullpen.

For more...  http://mlb.mlblogs.com/

FLASH: More Draft Changes

More Draft Details From The CBA

Posted Nov. 29, 2011 11:26 am by Jim Callis
Filed under: Draft Dope

More details about draft changes resulting from baseball's new collective bargaining agreement continue to trickle out. Some highlights:

• The draft has been reduced from 50 to 40 rounds.
• The draft caps for all 30 teams for the first 10 rounds will total approximately $185 million in 2012, varying depending on the number of supplemental picks created by free-agent compensation and failure to sign 2011 draftees from the first three rounds. The competive-balance lottery selections don't come into play until 2013.
• Any attempt to circumvent the draft cap, such as an under-the-table agreement, is expressly prohibited.
• For more... http://ht.ly/7IDHn 

STUFF: - Mitch Houck, Winter Meetings Coverage, Top 2360 Prospects

I talked with 6-1 LHP Mitch Houck this week. Regarding his DL’s shoulder: “I'm doing very well. Shoulder is starting to loosen up. I'm a few months into a throwing program, so I'm moving along slowly but steadily.” I also commented to him the fact that his site has all sorts of baby pictures on it: “Yes, tons of baby pictures. My son just turned 3 months old this past Saturday. We're praying for a lefty!” Mitch will pitch 2012 as a 25-year old and should start off in either Brooklyn or Savannah. The rotation rosters are pretty full so there is also a good chance he will come out of the St. Lucie pen.  In three professional seasons, he has never had an ERA over 3.73 (I suspend DL players from “The Keepers”, but he’ll be back up in the spring).

So, here’s the deal on the live posts from the winter meetings. Sports Management Worldwide, in conjunction with Lynn University & Baseball America are holding a Baseball Career Conference Dec. 4-5 at the Dallas Hilton Garden Inn during the winter meetings. Dr. Theodore Curtis, who is one of the professors at Lynn University that teaches sports management, will be attending the two-day meetings with his class. Both he and his students will be posting live on Mack’s Mets what they find out about the Mets during that period. I’m just going to open up the site to them for those two days and we’ll see what we get. Should be fun. Attention other Mets Bloggers:  You can contact Ted at:

                                                                                 Prof. Theodore R. Curtis, Esq.
Department of Sports Management
LYNN UNIVERSITY

3601 North Military Trail / Boca Raton, Florida 33431
Phone: 561-237-7857 / Fax: 561-237-7768 / E-mail: tcurtis@lynn.edu 

My man, Matt at http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/p/top-2000-prospects.html?spref=tw is always too narrow based when he comes up with his top minor league list. I mean, it only ranks the top 2,360 players J Here are the current top 10 Mets on the list, plus the last Met on it:

30 Jenrry Mejia , P , NYM A

42 Fernando Martinez , OF , NYM A-

100 Wilmer Flores , SS , NYM A

111 Jeurys Familia , P , NYM A-

183 Matt Harvey , P , NYM C+

186 Gilbert Gomez , OF , NYM A

190 Kirk Nieuwenhuis , OF , NYM C+

193 Mark Cohoon , P , NYM C+

228 Chris Schwinden , P , NYM D+

237 Zack Wheeler , P , NYM C

2332 Manuel Alvarez , P , NYM

Hey Manny… good news…  you’re still listed on a prospect list… bad news…  you’re 2332^nd.

FLASH: Jonathan Broxton Signs 1-year Deal

Royals sign Jonathan Broxton to a one-year deal

By Juan Dominguez
11/29/11

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a one-year deal with right handed pitcher Jonathan Broxton. Rosenthal adds the deal is pending physical. Last week, we learned that Broxton was close to making a decision. We a (read more)

A Met Fan's Letter To Santa

Dear Santa,

I know that I might not believe in you, and I also know that I may not go to the church that celebrates your holiday, but I still thought I'd send you a note. Every year you look at your list to try and decide which gentile children are naughty and which ones are nice. I'm writing you on behalf of all those NICE fans of the New York fans. I'm pretty sure that I can speak for all of us when I say I know what we want.

• Jose Reyes Signs to Stay in Queens: Met fans have put up with a lot over the past few years. We had Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez and a closer who hurt the elderly. We even had to deal with a friendly Canadian outfielder who no longer hits the ball. Must we deal with losing one of our favorite players because two Jewish fellas who invested their money poorly own the team? #7 leading off in our stockings would be worth a stadium filled with Milk and Cookies.

• David Wright Extension: Keeping Reyes is high on our list but it just won't be the same if #7 isn't standing next to #5 on the left side of the infield. Surely there is enough good will to keep both of our guys in the fold. I mean it's not like we're asking for a bee-bee gun that will put our eyes out.

• Health, Wellness and Good Will Towards Prospects: Ike Davis, Johan Santana and Daniel Murphy need to stay healthy and productive for the whole of the season. To this meagre list I add Jenrry Mejia who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Mets have not had great luck in the health department lately and it would mean a lot to us fans if they could have a bit of your magical protection... maybe a few elves could join the medical staff.

• Perhaps a Little Christmas in July: Nothing big... you know... just an All-Star 2nd baseman, and an Ace or two coming up from the farm in a timely way where they actually succeed in the majors.

Oh... and maybe a hula hoop.