11/8/10

Cutnpaste: - Trading K-Rod, Mets Blogs, Wally Backman, Cather, and Lucas Duda


Michael G. Baron
 Trading K-Rod:


The New York Mets are open to trading closer Francisco Rodriguez, who is entering the final year of a three-year, $37 million contract that will pay him $11.5 million in 2011.


Would the Angels be interested in re-acquiring K-Rod? Possibly, if his legal problems related to an altercation with his father-in-law are resolved this winter.


The Angels don't have a proven closer after trading Brian Fuentes and watching Fernando Rodney struggle with his command in his late-season trial as bullpen stopper. So if the team doesn't believe power arms Kevin Jepsen and Jordan Walden are ready for the role, why not make a play for K-Rod?


ocregister.  


Mets Blogs:


The Mets are the aware of blogs, and their importance to the baseball community. This has become increasingly obvious, but it was still a shock to be invited to a conference call with Mets VP Dave Howard who not only was kind enough to do this call with us, but also confessed to reading at least one Mets blog. He also got in a subtle dig at Yankee fans (seems to be a common topic lately) when he mentioned how passionate Mets fans are and how many more Mets blogs there are than Yankees blogs. The topic of the day was the new ticket information; something that affects everyone from blogging fans to casual fans. For specific details about the new pricing schemes, giveaways, and breakdowns (and really for future details, since he’s always on top of it) go read Mets Police’s breakdown. On the Black has a recap of the call as well, as do others that I haven’t yet seen this morning


ceetar.   



Wally Backman:


Backman’s appeal to Alderson is rooted in the belief he can affect change in the Mets’ underachieving culture; Who, after all, was the last Met manager to actually inspire anyone? Probably Bobby Valentine in 2000. Ten years is just too long. Since then, the clubhouse has bred indifference, and, under Manuel, cynicism.


Maybe it’s because Manuel and his coaches lost touch with the players – they all stopped venturing into the room when it became obvious the manager was doomed. The void was at least partially filled by Charlie Samuels, the clubhouse manager who, as reported by The Daily News, is being investigated by the NYPD and Queens District Attorney for allegedly being part of a gambling ring.


north jersey  



Mack Ade
 Catcher:


If you're not ready to hand the everyday catcher's job to Josh Thole, Ramon Hernandez makes some sense as one who could play often, against both righties and lefties, while continuing to teach and mentor Thole, who could still see a good amount of playing time.



Hernandez, who nearly became a Met after the 2005 season (the team traded for Paul Lo Duca instead) had a career-best .364 on-base percentage and seven home runs in 97 games at age 34, admittedly aided by playing 52 games at offense-friendly Great American Ball Park.



http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets





Lucas Duda:



11-8-10 from: - http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101107&content_id=16024590&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss_nym - Organizational Player of the Year - Lucas Duda, 1B: Duda begain the year as perhaps more of an organizational type, a seventh-rounder out of the 2007 Draft who was starting his second season in Double-A. By season's end, he was firmly on the map and in the big leagues after hitting .304/.398/.569 across two levels in the Mets system. He tied for the organizational lead in homers (23) while leading it outright in RBIs (87) and finishing third in batting average.

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