The Mets Mack Attack - 1-20-9

There is no Mack Attack Today.

Today is too important for sports reporting like this.

Mack

The Mets Mack Attack - 1-19-9

MLB – NY Mets:

The Mets have signed Casey Fossum to a minor league deal. Fossum, 31, was 3-1 with a 5.66 ERA for the Tigers in 2008.

Former 1999 first round pick of the Boston Red Sox's, Casey Fossum is reported to have signed a minor league deal with the Mets. So there's the invite LOOGY that most of us were expecting. Fossum had a tremendous collegiate career but never lived up to expectations in professional ball. He has a lifetime ERA of 5.47 with a record of 40-53. He spent his first three years with the Red Sox and then a year with the D-Backs before spending another three years with the Rays. When the Rays released him in 2007 I completed this post, he went on to bounce from the Padres, to Pittsburgh and finally Tigers. Omar had said he would look for guys like Darren Oliver who resurrected his career as an invitee and it appears that's what he's looking for in Fossum...

http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2009/01/mets-ink-fossum-to-minor-league-deal.html

Six Mets players, including Jeremy Reed, the outfielder the club obtained in the J.J. Putz trade last month, have filed for salary arbitration. The club faces possible hearings with Ryan Church, Pedro Feliciano, John Maine, Angel Pagan and Duaner Sanchez, as well. But chances are most of the six will settle and avoid hearings, as is the case with most clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090115&content_id=3746314&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss_nym

7-23-01 – Baseball America’s Top Baseball Prospects:
Batters: #6 Jason Phillips
Pitchers - #2 Casey Fossum

http://www.crackerjackbaseball.com/arc/news/html/teams/team_15_top_prospects.html

AAA – Buffalo:

Mets right-hander Nelson Figueroa (Mets) didn't surrender a hit over nine innings for the Cardenales. He fanned 10 and allowed a hit and a walk over nine-plus frames en route to the victory. Entering the 10th inning with a 1-0 lead, Figueroa gave up a single to center field to Zulia's Alberto Callaspo (Royals). The right-hander went 4-7 with a 4.43 ERA and struck out 97 in 20 appearances with Triple-A New Orleans and was 3-3 with a 4.57 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 16 appearances with the Mets during the 2008 campaign.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090118&content_id=3749091&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Mets farm director Adam Wogan, speaking at a luncheon in Buffalo on Friday, projected the roster for the Mets' new Triple-A club - with the caveat that anything can happen in spring training. The potential roster would be highlighted by prospects Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese and Bobby Parnell and should also include minor-league free agent Casey Fossum. Fossum, who turned 31 on Jan. 6, went 3-1 with a 5.66 ERA in 31 releif appearances for Detroit last season and at least gives the Mets lefthanded insurance, since Pedro Feliciano is the lone southpaw at the major-league level.

Other projected Buffalo Bisons: RHP Nelson Figueroa - LHP Adam Bostick - RHP Eddie Kunz - RHP Carlos Muniz - C Robinson Cancel - C Rene Rivera - C Omir Santos - 1B/OF Nick Evans - 1B Michel Abreu - IF Andy Green - OF Jesus Feliciano - OF Jason Cooper - OF Caleb Stewart


Alumni:

OF Prentice Redman and If Chris Woodward was invited to the Seattle Mariners' ST camp…

General Baseball News:

Remaining Free Agents:

Player Age Status Old Team Rank

Manny Ramirez, LF 36 Free Agent (A) LA Dodgers 3
Adam Dunn, LF 29 Free Agent (A) Arizona 7
Oliver Perez, SP 27 Free Agent (A) NY Mets 10
Orlando Hudson, 2B 31 Free Agent (A) Arizona 12
Bobby Abreu, RF 34 Free Agent (A) NY Yankees 14
Juan Cruz, RP 30 Free Agent (A) Arizona 16
Brandon Lyon, RP 29 Free Agent Arizona 20
Orlando Cabrera, SS 34 Free Agent (A) Chicago Sox 21
Ben Sheets, SP 30 Free Agent (A) Milwaukee 23
Randy Wolf, SP 32 Free Agent (B) Houston 24
Andy Pettitte, SP 36 Free Agent (A) NY Yankees 26
Jim Edmonds, CF 38 Free Agent Chicago Cubs 32
Joe Crede, 3B 30 Free Agent Chicago Sox 34
Jon Garland, SP 29 Free Agent (B) LA Angels 36
Ken Griffey Jr., RF 39 Free Agent (B) Chicago Sox 37
Paul Byrd, SP 38 Free Agent (B) Boston 38
Gregg Zaun, C 37 Free Agent Toronto 39
Braden Looper, SP 34 Free Agent (B) St. Louis 43
Pedro Martinez, SP 37 Free Agent NY Mets 44
Ivan Rodriguez, C 37 Free Agent (B) NY Yankees 46
Jason Varitek, C 36 Free Agent (A) Boston 49
Will Ohman, RP 31 Free Agent Atlanta 51
Eric Hinske, RF 31 Free Agent Tampa Bay 54
Garret Anderson, LF 36 Free Agent (B) LA Angels 55
Frank Thomas, DH 40 Free Agent (B) Oakland 57
Eric Gagne, RP 33 Free Agent (B) Milwaukee 61
Dennys Reyes, RP 31 Free Agent (B) Minnesota 62
Brian Shouse, RP 40 Free Agent (B) Milwaukee 65
Ray Durham, 2B 37 Free Agent Milwaukee 67
Russ Springer, RP 40 Free Agent (A) St. Louis 68
Juan Uribe, 3B 29 Free Agent (B) Chicago Sox 70
Joe Beimel, RP 31 Free Agent (B) LA Dodgers 72
Kenny Rogers, SP 44 Free Agent Detroit 75
Nomar Garciaparra, SS 35 Free Agent LA Dodgers 76
Sean Casey, 1B 34 Free Agent Boston 77
Cliff Floyd, DH 36 Free Agent Tampa Bay 78
Omar Vizquel, SS 41 Free Agent San Francisco 80
Craig Counsell, 3B 38 Free Agent Milwaukee 81
Emil Brown, LF 34 Free Agent Oakland 85
Brad Wilkerson, RF 31 Free Agent Toronto 87
Mark Grudzielanek, 2B 38 Free Agent (B) Kansas City 88
Curt Schilling, SP 42 Free Agent Boston 90
Daryle Ward, 1B 33 Free Agent Chicago Cubs 92
Moises Alou, LF 42 Free Agent (B) NY Mets 97
Luis Ayala, RP 31 Free Agent (B) NY Mets 98
Jacque Jones, LF 33 Free Agent Florida 100
Adam Melhuse, C 36 Free Agent Colorado NR
Alex Cintron, SS 30 Free Agent Baltimore NR
Ambiorix Burgos, RP 24 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Aquilino Lopez, RP 33 Free Agent Detroit NR
Argenis Reyes, 2B 26 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Brad Ausmus, C 39 Free Agent Houston NR
Brendan Donnelly, RP 37 Free Agent Cleveland NR
Charlie Haeger, SP 25 Free Agent San Diego NR
Chuck James, SP 27 Free Agent Atlanta NR
Damion Easley, 2B 39 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B 34 Free Agent Pittsburgh NR
Eddie Guardado, RP 38 Free Agent Minnesota NR
Elmer Dessens, SP 38 Free Agent Atlanta NR
Freddy Garcia, SP 32 Free Agent Detroit NR
Gary Bennett, C 36 Free Agent LA Dodgers NR
Henry Blanco, C 37 Free Agent Chicago Cubs NR
Jairo Cuevas, SP 24 Free Agent Kansas City NR
Jamey Wright, RP 34 Free Agent Texas NR
Jason Isringhausen, RP 36 Free Agent (B) St. Louis NR
Jason Jennings, SP 30 Free Agent Texas NR
Javier Valentin, C 33 Free Agent Cincinnati NR
Jay Payton, LF 36 Free Agent Baltimore NR
Jeff Kent, 2B 40 Free Agent (B) LA Dodgers NR
Jeff Salazar, OF 28 Free Agent Arizona NR
John Parrish, SP 31 Free Agent Toronto NR
Jon Lieber, RP 38 Free Agent Chicago Cubs NR
Jonny Gomes, DH 28 Free Agent Tampa Bay NR
Josh Fogg, SP 32 Free Agent Cincinnati NR
Juan Rincon, RP 29 Free Agent Cleveland NR
Julian Tavarez, RP 35 Free Agent Atlanta NR
Keith Foulke, RP 36 Free Agent Oakland NR
Kent Mercker, RP 40 Free Agent Cincinnati NR
Kevin Millar, 1B 37 Free Agent Baltimore NR
Lance Cormier, RP 28 Free Agent Baltimore NR
Livan Hernandez, SP 33 Free Agent Colorado NR
Luis Gonzalez, LF 41 Free Agent (B) Florida NR
Luis Rivas, SS 29 Free Agent Pittsburgh NR
Mario Alvarez, SP 24 Free Agent LA Dodgers NR
Mark Mulder, SP 31 Free Agent St. Louis NR
Mark Sweeney, 1B 39 Free Agent LA Dodgers NR
Matt Wise, RP 33 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Miguel Cairo, 1B 34 Free Agent Seattle NR
Mike Timlin, RP 42 Free Agent Boston NR
Odalis Perez, SP 31 Free Agent Washington NR
Orlando Hernandez, SP 39 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Paul Bako, C 36 Free Agent Cincinnati NR
Paul Lo Duca, C 36 Free Agent (B) Florida NR
Ramon Martinez, 2B 36 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Randy Flores, RP 33 Free Agent St. Louis NR
Ricardo Rincon, RP 38 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Rich Aurilia, 1B 37 Free Agent San Francisco NR
Ron Villone, RP 39 Free Agent St. Louis NR
Rudy Seanez, RP 40 Free Agent Philadelphia NR
Sal Fasano, C 37 Free Agent Cleveland NR
Scott Elarton, SP 32 Free Agent Cleveland NR
Sidney Ponson, SP 32 Free Agent NY Yankees NR
Tom Glavine, SP 42 Free Agent Atlanta NR
Tom Gordon, RP 41 Free Agent Philadelphia NR
Tony Armas, SP 30 Free Agent NY Mets NR
Ty Wigginton, 3B 31 Free Agent Houston NR
Tyler Johnson, RP 27 Free Agent St. Louis NR

The Mets Mack Attack - 1-18-9

MLB – NY Mets:

If the Mets are going to continue to ignore Manny Ramirez's availability and take a lineup that has significant question marks into the 2009 season, then they need to think boldly about filling the final spot in their starting rotation. In other words, if they're going to try and win a championship with a pitching-dominant formula, then they need to think hard about signing Ben Sheets. The idea is to win a championship, right? And not just field a competitive team now that they have their shiny new ballpark that ensures big crowds on a nightly basis. I'm not saying they should do anything stupid. Sheets' history of injuries, which includes six stints on the disabled list, makes the idea of a long-term contract too risky, which is why he's still unsigned this deep into the offseason. Indeed, baseball people say there has been so little interest shown in Sheets that they believe he could be signed to a two-year deal that would include incentives based on his staying healthy. It's not as if there wouldn't be any risk in re-signing the inconsistent Oliver Perez, who seems to be the Mets' top choice after Derek Lowe signed with the Braves last week. As for other possibilities, the Mets also have interest in Randy Wolf, and perhaps Jon Garland, but there are indications that since losing out on Lowe they have begun to take a more serious look at Sheets.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/01/17/2009-01-17_mets_should_fill_gap_in_starting_rotatio.html

The oft-injured Sheets is a calculated risk, and in this market, so late in the offseason, he could wind up being a relative bargain. As for Pettitte, a person familiar with the club's thinking said the Mets are not involved with the former Yankee. Perez remains the top priority, Sheets appears to be a wild card, and Randy Wolf and Jon Garland are next in line. The Mets also are among four teams in the hunt for Freddy Garcia, who could pick one this week, according to a person familiar with the situation. The other three are the Yankees, Rangers and White Sox. Garcia, 32, visited the Mets last year in spring training during his rehab from shoulder surgery and later signed a minor-league deal with Detroit, where he went 1-1 in three starts but allowed seven earned runs in 15 innings before being shut down again because of shoulder tightness

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spmets186003292jan18,0,3164273.story

Johan Santana , who spoke to reporters yesterday made a pitch for Perez's return. This came a day after Lowe agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal with the Braves. "Oliver is a guy who learned a lot last year," Santana said. "Hopefully Omar will find a way to keep him, because he's more mature and he learned a few things from last year. He sometimes let emotions take over, but I'm pretty sure he's going to be more mature this year." Noting that Philadelphia is the reigning world champion and Atlanta has made offseason strides with Lowe's addition, Wagner - who likely won't pitch in 2009 as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery - says the Mets may have to think in terms of two additional arms for the rotation. Along those lines, Wagner's gut tells him Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon will bring Pedro Martinez back into the fold.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01152009/sports/mets/omars_pressed_to_re_sign_ollie_150194.htm

Peter Botte of the New York Daily News has a handful of Mets rumors to pass along: One Mets official says the team is "probably not" interested in Andruw Jones, even if he comes cheaply. Botte did hear from one person familiar with the team's thinking who believes the Mets could check in with Jones if he's still available when Spring Training begins. One baseball official said the Mets "are not even in on" Manny Ramirez. The Mets don't expect to come to any sort of agreement with Oliver Perez in the next few days. They've been in regular contact with the representatives for Randy Wolf and Jon Garland, who are considered fallback options if they don't sign Perez. The Mets have talked with Freddy Garcia.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com

The upper levels of the farm system gave us Argenis Reyes, who may move on to another team or be back with the Mets ' organization in the spring, but is clearly nobody's choice as the future starter. Reese Havens made his pro debut with Brooklyn as a shortstop, the position he played in college, but he may be moved to second base. He could be a couple of years away, or may not be a factor at all. It's too early to tell. One-time top prospect Hector Pellot has shown little progress and at this point doesn't figure in any plans. We may very well know the Mets' future at the position soon, if Castillo is dealt away and a younger second baseman is signed, but right now it's all speculation. So, in 47 years the Mets have gone from one former all-star they hoped might regain his skills (Charlie Neal) to another (Castillo). There have been some good ones along the way, most notably Millan, Backman, and Alfonzo, but mostly it's been a series of bad decisions. Just maybe the Mets can solidify second base as they have at third base and shortstop with Wright and Reyes. Maybe Omar Minaya has a signing or trade up his sleeve. We'll see.

http://www.mikesmets.com/2009/01/a_history_of_the_mets_at_secon_8.html


A+ - Lucy:

From Baseball America: —Brant Rustich, a second-round pick by the Mets in 2007 out of UCLA, ultimately went 3-4, 3.62, posted a .231 opponent average in 20 games (eight starts) and struck out 48 in 50 innings for low Class A Savannah, while gutting through pain last season. He also eventually was diagnosed with a small tear of the labrum and partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Doctors recommended that Rustich rehab rather than undergo shoulder or elbow surgery. The logic: The medical staff believes Rustich's pain was attributable to the fracture. The elbow tear isn't significant enough to operate on unless pain persists next season. Rustich has been throwing this winter without the elbow causing discomfort. Rustich, 24, still displayed the best slider in the Mets farm system last year. He finished the season by limiting South Atlantic League opponents to just two runs and 10 hits while striking out 18 and walking two in four August appearances spanning 16 innings. Team officials have suggested it's yet to be established whether Rustich eventually reaches the Mets as a starter or reliever. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Rustich has a fastball that ranges from 91-96 mph.

With an uncertain economy and chilly temperatures in the forecast, Paul Taglieri, New York Mets director of Florida operations, was unsure what to expect when spring training tickets went on sale Saturday morning. But Taglieri was all smiles when he pulled into work to see about 175 fans lined up in front of the ticket office at Tradition Field. “This is solid,” Taglieri said. “I expressed the other day that with the state of the economy I really didn’t know what to expect, but this is still an affordable form of entertainment. I’m very pleased to see this line. This is promising.” By the end of the day, single-ticket sales were down a little less than 10 percent, according to Traer Van Allen, Mets assistant director of Florida operations.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jan/17/mets-fans-line-early-snag-spring-training-tickets/?partner=RSS

A – Gnats:

P Kyle Allen, who’s well built at 6’3” and 195 lbs, sports a fringy fastball with an unusually well developed offspeed repertoire. Allen’s heater hit 91, but was more regularly 89. Both his changeup and curveball approach average MLB movement, although his command of both, particularly his change, is below average. In terms of pitching sequence to hitters, especially rookie ball hitters, Allen fell too in love with his offspeed stuff. He actually had more success working off his fastball, which is the pitch he commands best. 2008: Six of Allen’s first seven appearances came out of the bullpen, while his final four appearance of the year came as a starter. All told, he had a very strong K/BB ratio (4.5) and struck out more than a batter an inning with a groundball to flyball ratio approaching two. In short, it was a fine statistical year. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah rotation.

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/16/33-rhp-kyle-allen

The Australian 3B/1B Stephan Welch has shown gap power from a line drive stroke and an tall thin frame as a teenager. Listed at 6’4” and 192 lbs, he has more than enough room to fill out. Welch has also made lots of contact, striking out in only 14% of his plate appearances. The eight triples hint at Welch’s athletic ability. 2008: He spent two thirds of his time at third base, and one third at first. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/16/32-3b1b-stefan-welch

International:

It was reported last month that 29 y/o right handed starting pitcher Yadel Marti defected from Cuba. Newsday reported this week that Marti along with fellow defector OF Gomez have made there way to New York and are looking to sign with Jaime Torres ( Jose Contreras agent). Torres believes that both players could be major league ready for opening day. The last time the Mets dipped into the Cuban market Aloy Soler was a complete bust but of course El Duque had his moments. I question whether the paperwork can be organized that quickly...

http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2009/01/marti-working-out-in-ny.html

The Mets Mack Attack - 1-17-9

MLB – NY Mets:

Single-game tickets for Met spring training games in Port St. Lucie, Fla., go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at Mets.com

Here is a retrospective look at the Top 50 Pitching Prospects list from 2004.
5) Scott Kazmir, LHP, New York Mets, Grade A-: Excellent when healthy.
18) John Maine, RHP, Baltimore Orioles, Grade B+: Effective when healthy.
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/1/16/725034/top-50-pitching-prospects

The Mets' most recent design has not been as warmly embraced. The uniform patch that commemorates the opening of Citi Field has caused a stir on the Internet, Dave Howard, the Mets' executive vice president for business operations, said the Mets signed off on the design presented to them by Citigroup, which is paying the team $400 million over the next 20 years for naming rights to the stadium. "Everyone has their own point of view," Howard said. "Taste is very subjective, and we understand that and appreciate the passion of Mets fans." The sleeve patch is a variation of the official Citi Field logo introduced last year, with the words Inaugural Season in white letters on a blue square. Below is an orange square that says 2009, also in white. -- NY Times



AAA – Buffalo:

The New York Mets today announced they have signed long-time Bisons outfielder and fan favorite Jason Cooper to a minor league deal. Mets’ Director of Minor League Operations Adam Wogan announced the signing to an appreciative crowd at the team’s annual Hot Stove Luncheon at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Cooper, 28, holds the Bisons Modern Era record for games played with 410, a mark he set last season with the team. He ranks in the Top-10 in virtual every offensive category in the Bisons Modern Era, including at-bats (1,359 -2nd), hits (331, 5th), doubles (81, 2nd), triples (19, T2nd), home runs (49 6th), RBI (212, 2nd), walks (170, 3rd), runs scored (203, T3rd) and total bases (597, 3rd). In 2008, Cooper hit .247 with nine home runs and 45RBI in 102 games with the club. He finished 2nd on the team in triples (4), 3rd in games, T3rd in home runs and 4th in RBI and doubles (19).

The Buffalo Bisons will have an exciting and dynamic new look when they take the field to start a new era in team history on Opening Day, Thursday, April 9 at Coca-Cola Field. Today, the team unveiled their new home, road and alternative uniforms and caps to Bisons fans at their annual Hot Stove Luncheon at the Adam’s Mark Hotel Grand Ballroom. All three styles connect the Bisons to their new parent club, the New York Mets, while each design features a level of uniqueness that is unmatched in minor league baseball. All three designs are complimented by a cap from New Era Cap Company, the official cap provider of Major League Baseball and the Buffalo Bisons.


A+ - Lucy:

The Mets' Junior Guerra, a pitcher on the Triple-A Buffalo roster, received a 50-game suspension Friday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, according to the commissioner's office. Guerra, who turned 24 Friday, is the seventh member of the Mets' organization to test positive since 2006. Guerra tested positive for a metabolite of nandrolone, an anabolic steroid. He went 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 18 relief appearances at four different minor-league stops last season, none higher than Class A St. Lucie.

A – Gnats:

For those looking for a twist on a typical box of chocolates or dozen roses for Valentine’s Day, look no further than Gnate. T. Gnat. The Love Bug will once again be available to deliver a dozen roses on either Friday, February 13 or on Saturday, February 14. A bouquet of one-dozen roses and a personalized message will be delivered by Gnate himself from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on either Friday, February 13 or Saturday, February 14. Gnate will also deliver any additional gifts you would like to give that special someone along with the roses as long as arrangements are made in advance. For more information on ordering and pricing, please contact Tara Vaglica with the Savannah Sand Gnats at 912.351.9150.

Fantasy:
There are a few techniques you can use to ensure you’re getting the maximizing the innings you get from your closers.

1. Always put relievers in your reliever slots. - This seems pretty obvious, but last season there were plenty of people using starters with reliever eligibility (guys like Johnny Cueto and Zach Greinke) in their reliever roster slots. Don’t do this. It may be tempting when a good starting pitcher has a favorable match-up, but there are no circumstances where this is a good move.

2. Use closers with starter eligibility. - This was more of a factor in 2007, when there were often four closers available with starter eligibility: Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Gregg, Brett Myers, and Brad Hennessey. The top teams all made extensive use of these players, generally having at least one, and often two in their lineups. There was a lot of complaining from players about the fact that position eligibility for these pitchers wasn’t updated by Rotohog during the season, and they promised to do so in 2008. This was never really put to the test, as the only potential closers with starter eligibility (John Smoltz and Chris Carpenter) were quickly shut down with injuries before it became an issue. That said, position eligibility for hitters was adjusted very slowly, so there may still be opportunities in this area.

3. Use relievers who have doubleheaders. - Unless a closer is extremely bad and there is another reliever with a very favorable match-up, relievers with doubleheaders are going to be worth using. When there’s a doubleheader on the schedule, I almost always use the closers for both teams. Even if you think the manager wouldn’t use their closer in both games, the added chance of them using them in a save opportunity in at least one game makes this a good move. And closers get the save in both ends of a doubleheader surprisingly often.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/maximizing-closer-innings-in-rotohog

International:

One fact was certain about the 2008 European baseball season: No one club dominated. This year featured a handful of different teams taking home each of the continent’s biggest trophies and league championships. Those mixed results had a major impact on the second annual Mister-Baseball European Top 50. As evidence of the closeness at the top, only one-half a point separated the four highest ranking clubs. This year’s top ranking squad, L&D Amsterdam, narrowly secured the Mister-Baseball title following its national championship run in the Netherlands. Just behind the hoofdklasse winners were two Italian clubs: T&A San Marino and Danesi Caffe Nettuno. San Marino won Italy’s national title but fell to Nettuno in the finals at CEB’s Final 4 competition. Hoofdklasse runners-up Corendon Kinheim would have likely placed first in the rankings for a second-straight year if the club had attended and performed well at the CEB Final 4. Although Kinheim lost in the Dutch finals to Amsterdam, the team did win a European Cup title. Completing the top five was FC Barcelona, which placed just ahead of Spanish national title winner Marlins Puerto Cruz. FC Barcelona finished second in Spain’s title race, but won CEB’s other European Cup trophy.

http://www.mister-baseball.com/2008-misterbaseball-final-european-top-50


Alumni:

Scott Kazmir will pitch for the USA in the WBC.

Because Florida doesn't have any strong alternative to take over as closer, many experts consider Matt Lindstrom a good value in the late rounds of drafts. Certainly a closer who is going around the 19th round of drafts can't be too terrible a pick, but there is definitely reason for some concern. In 2007, Lindstrom was excellent, striking out 8.5 batters per nine innings and walking 2.9 to go along with a good groundball rate (47.4%). Unfortunately, Lindstrom took a major step backward in 2008, striking out only 6.8 per nine innings and walking 4.1. In a starting pitcher, that kind of change would likely indicate arm trouble. Because of the limited number of innings they pitch, reliever statistics are generally going to have more variance, and we can't really draw any conclusions from Lindstrom's decline. Maybe he was hurt. Maybe he just wasn't as good as his 2007 season suggested. Either way, I think there's a good reason that he's going as low as he is in 2008 drafts.

http://waiverwire.blogspot.com/2009/01/matt-lindstrom-2009.html

Rays left-handed pitcher Scott Kazmir has added close to 20 pounds of muscle since the end of last season due to an increased off-season training regimen designed to improve his strength and balance. -- St. Petersburg Times

The Mets Mack Attack - 1-16-9

MLB – NY Mets:

Carlos Delgado knows there will be much riding on his back when he dons his World Baseball Classic jersey for Puerto Rico in March. The Met first baseman has been given permission by Roberto Clemente's family to wear No. 21, a number considered sacred on the island because of the selfless icon who wore it for the Pittsburgh Pirates.No Puerto Rican player has worn No. 21 in international competition since the Puerto Rican winter league officially retired it after the 1998 season. Delgado says he's "honored and flattered" that Lou Melendez, the GM of Puerto Rico's team, asked the Clemente family's permission and they said yes. There's nerves, too - "I have to make sure I don't embarrass myself," Delgado said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/01/15/2009-01-15_carlos_delgado_will_honor_roberto_clemen.html

Last night on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove, Mets GM Omar Minaya was asked if he could bring in a player, like Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu or Manny Ramirez, on a one-year deal, and said: “Yes, I could possibly bring in a player. But, what I don’t want to do invest the capital I have on an offensive situation when I have not yet taken care of the pitching situation… When my pitching situation is taken care of, then, then we’ll review that and see what’s out there and can we bring in a guy on that one-year situation, expecting possibly Fernando Martinez in 2010… But, what I don’t want to go is get ahead of myself and invest in areas until my pitching is taken care of.”

http://www.metsblog.com/2009/01/16/quote-minaya-on-manny-offense

Baseball America ranked OF Jeremy Reed the 4th top prospect in 2004:

4. Jeremy Reed - OF White Sox - Age 22 - ETA: July 2004
.333/.431/.477, 4 HR, 52 RBI, 17/41 K/BB, 27 SB in 222 AB for Single-A Winston-Salem
.409/.474/.591, 7 HR, 43 RBI, 19/29 K/BB, 18 SB in 242 AB for Double-A Birmingham

A left-handed line-drive hitter with 15-homer power and an outstanding eye at the plate, Reed looks like he could become baseball's best leadoff man someday.


There isn’t a clear-cut “worst first baseman” for the Mets. There are so many embarrassments that it’s difficult to find someone who was good enough to stick around for more than a handful of games but still really, really bad. David Segui was truly awful as a Met—I have him a few runs below replacement at first base offensively—but he only appeared in 85 games there. I can say similar things about Marv Throneberry and Doug Mientkiewicz. I guess I’ll go with Mike Jorgensen who appeared in 241 games. Jorgensen wasn’t a worthless player, because he’d take a walk and he had a solid glove at first, but his bat was still below replacement level. Among players who appeared in more than 100 games at first, Jorgensen, who appeared in 241, contributed the least value per game, by my count. Honorable mentions go to Mo Vaughn, Tim Harkness, Butch Huskey, Dave Kingman, and Willie Montanez. If you want to argue in favor of any of them I’d certainly listen; they were uniformly terrible. If Montanez had a worse glove, he’d be the easy choice.

http://www.metsgeek.com/articles/2009/01/15/position-retrospective-first-base-part-ii

"Right now, we're not in the position player market. We're in the pitcher market." - Omar Minaya, Jan. 13, 2009. OK, here's the thing: It's the same market. Maybe a different aisle, but the same market. I get that the Mets lost out on Derek Lowe. And I realize that they need a starting pitcher. And I understand that they do not have unlimited resources. But to say, "We have XX dollars to purchase one starting pitcher" is about the worst approach imaginable.
http://web.sny.tv/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090115&content_id=1488023&oid=36018&vkey=31

David Ardsma was designated for assignment today. This was a 1st rounder that came out of college in 2003, opened at the A+ level, and rushed to the majors in 2004. He has already pitched for 4 major league teams, has a combined major league record of 10-3, 5.29, 1.65, in 128 appearances, and has thrown 139 Ks in 144.2 IP... and, the 6'5" RHP is only 26. This is the kind of player the Mets should lock up and play all year at AAA.

A+ - Lucy:

Elvin Ramirez is here on the basis of nice size at 6’3” and a slightly plus fastball. In July, before he was shut down with back problems, Ramirez was throwing 91-94 while sitting 92-93. His second pitch was a curveball that was very inconsistent. , He snapped off a few sharp ones with nice movement, and some that just didn’t break at all. 2008: Ramirez didn’t pitch again after July 9. Ramirez excelled in two related statistical metrics: groundball to flyball ratio (1.77) and HR rate (1 allowed in 81 IP). However, Ramirez did not meet two of the more important statistical markers for prospects: he did not strike out a batter an inning, nor did his K/BB climb above 2.5. Projected 2009 Start: St. Lucie rotation
http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/15/35-elvin-ramirez

A – Gnats:

Zach Lutz tore the cover off the ball for a month… and then got hurt. Whereas in 2007, he broke his foot on opening night, in 2008 at various moments, he was diagnosed with a strained quad, a lower back problem and an ankle injury. Projected 2009 Start: A-ball. Either St. Lucie or Savannah, with the FSL a likelier possibility.

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/15/34-zach-lutz


Alumni:

Edgardo Alfonzo, yes THAT Edgardo Alfonzo, is making a bid to return to the big leagues. Remember when we had the best defensive infield ever? Magical times my friends...magic. In a story reminiscent of Fernando Tatis, Fonzie was last seen in a big league uniform in 2006, when he hit a paltry .126 for the Angels and Blue Jays. He was a former star and still young when he departed. It seems as if his true promise was never met. He has now dropped a few pounds and is raking in the Venezuelan leagues to the tune of a .322 BA, with 8 dingers and 42 RBIs in 60 games

http://nysportsdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/fonzie-rising-comeback-in-offing.html

Former Mets first baseman Rico Brogna has been hired as an assistant football coach at Wesleyan University. It will be Brogna’s second stint with the Cardinals, where he coached the wide receivers in 2004. Coach Frank Hauser said Brogna will help with the offense, but does not yet have a specific role.

http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2009/01/15/ex-met-brogna-finds-new-job

General Baseball News:

The last time Todd left comment on my blog was December 14th which few days before he knew he got a cancer, he wrote:
Jessica,
The rotation is looking very good indeed. I feel this is going to be a Cy Young year for Wang.
Later on, he posted his last post about baseball and him on December 22th. If you guys have chances, please go to his blog(Yankees For Justice) to read his writing. I always told Todd he got incredible and amazing ability of writing. But, this is not the thing I remember he the most. The most I remember him is his upbeat and friendly personality. I remember I told him I probably regret not to be old Yankees stadium at least once last year. Todd asked me to go and not to worry about anything. He would get tickets and everything else ready for me. Now, I really regret not to go because I will at least meet Todd once, not because of old Yankees stadium. I started blogging back to May 2007. At the beginning, one event happened and made me almost give up blogging. Todd encouraged me and gave to the supports I need to keep blogging. Rest in Peace, Todd Drew. I always will remember you and what you said to me.

http://fightingyankees.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-miss-you-and-will-remember-everything.html

The Mets Mack Attack - 1-15-9

MLB – NY Mets:

Carlos Beltran, 31, is also coming up on the anniversary of his famous "team to beat" prediction, a jab back at Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who started the war of words in 2007. But as Mets fans are loathe to recall, Rollins' Phillies backed up the claims both seasons, culminating in a World Series title for Philly last fall. It was the first championship for the City of Brotherly Love since 1980. Phillies ace Cole Hamels recently added fuel to the bonfire by calling the Mets "choke artists." Beltran claims not to have heard about Hamels' barb and the veteran does not jump into a spicy verbal battle with his division rival. He certainly doesn't reiterate the "team to beat" boast, now that the Phillies are defending champs. But the normally soft-spoken Beltran is not opposed to sending a small warning shot either.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/01/14/2009-01-14_swing_training_carlos_beltran_is_gearing.html

Along those lines, Billy Wagner's gut tells him Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon will bring Pedro Martinez back into the fold. "How [Martinez] has changed the organization and put them back on the map, it's awful hard for me to see them not having loyalty to bring him back," Wagner said. "Pedro Martinez still carries some weight." Though no other known suitors have emerged for Perez, Wagner chuckled at the idea the lefty would return to the Mets for a three-year deal. "Only if Oliver gets scared and signs," Wagner said. "But right now I don't see any reason for Oliver to get scared. There's definitely a market. They'll find it."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01152009/sports/mets/omars_pressed_to_re_sign_ollie_150194.htm

It doesn't appear to me that any of those guys is a better fit for the Mets' rotation than Pettitte. Unlike Perez, you absolutely know what you're getting: 30 to 35 starts a year, 200-plus innings, a minimum 14 wins. If you make it to October, you have a starter guaranteed not to rattle under pressure, and almost always guaranteed to put you in a position to win. (Pettitte went 13-8 in the postseason for the Yankees, who never lost an ALCS game he started. But because they haven't been to the ALCS in quite a while, it's possible they forgot that stat.) Plus, it would be a tremendous PR coup for the Mets, who frankly have looked like jerks the past few years watching the Yankees rescue their castoffs (Gooden, Strawberry, Cone, Nady) but now have the opportunity to return the favor.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spwally155999281jan15,0,5292419.column

Alex Cora | Major Leaguer 1998-2008
Positions: SS-910, 2B-461, 3B-16, DH-2, LF-1, 1B-1
Full Name: Jose Alexander Cora
Born: October 18,1975 in Caguas, Puerto Rico Map
Height: 6-0 Weight: 180 Bats: Left Throws: Right
High School: Bautista (Caguas,PR)
College: University of Miami
Drafted: Selected by Los Angeles Dodgers in 3rd Round (88th overall) of 1996 amateur entry draft (June-Reg)
Signed by Scout: Camilo Pascual
MLB Debut: June 7,1998
Batting Statistics:
2006: Boston .238/.312/.298/.610
2007: Boston .246/.298/.386/.684
2008: Boston .270/.371/.349/.720
MLB Lifetime: .245/.313/.348/.661

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/C/Alex-Cora.shtml


Johan Santana plans to represent Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but said that won’t be his call. “It will be a medical decision,’’ Santana said this morning in a conference call. “The team will need to approve it. … There are a lot of things here that the Mets want to protect, and if they don’t want me to play I will not play.’’ Santana had arthroscopic surgery in October to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and has not begun his off-season throwing. He will be examined next week in Port St. Lucie, and then could begin a long-toss throwing program. “I want to play, but at this point I don’t really know what’s going to happen,’’ Santana said. “If everything is not right they will not let me go.’’

http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com/2009/01/14/santana-wbc-is-mets-call

How will the Mets round out their rotation? Watching Lowe join the rival Braves had to sting. Now the Mets have to sort through a group of inferior pitchers including Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf, Pedro Martinez and Jon Garland as they look for a fifth starter. All the bullpen upgrades in the world aren't going to mean much if the rotation is in shambles by July

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/01/14/from-the-windup-a-dozen-questions-as-hot-stove-season-starts-to

AAA – Buffalo:

According to El Universal, Fernando Martinez (.160 in 25 Abs) has been let go from Leones del Caracas of the Venezuelan Winter League. “Martinez is a great player,” Leones President Luis Avila told the newspaper, “but unfortunately he couldn’t hit as we hoped. We informed him of our decision yesterday and he took it in a very professional way.”

The Mets signed catcher Omir Santos

Pito Santos | Major Leaguer 2008-2008 - Positions: C-528, 1B-1
Full Name: Omir Santos - Born: April 29,1981 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico Map
Height: 6-1 Weight: 200 Bats: Right Throws: Right
College: East Central Community College
Drafted: Selected by New York Yankees in 21st Round (635th overall) of 2001 amateur entry draft (June-Reg) - MLB Debut: September 5,2008
2008 AAA .269/.328/.323/.651



A+ - Lucy:

SP Bradley Holt (Mack’s Mets Prospect #2) has been invited to the Mets ST team.

Scott Shaw: (Mack’s Met’s Prospect #28) The big right-hander had an excellent debut first in Brooklyn and then in Hawaii. Shaw’s fastball, which he commands well, lived in the upper 80s with a few 90s sprinkled in for good measure. From a righty, this is below average. Shaw worked off a curve and a changeup, which at 81-84 did not have a huge separation from his fastball. 2008: Shaw finished fourth in the NYP in strikeouts and sixth in WHIP (1.09). Shaw finished up his season in the final Hawaii Winter Baseball stanza where he was fourth in the league in innings pitched and fifth in strikeouts. Dr. Pangloss Says: Shaw throws enough strikes to get a look as a starter or middle reliever. On the Flipside: The lack of an average MLB fastball could short-circuit Shaw’s big league chances. Projected 2009 Start: St. Lucie


Alumni:

According to Ken Rosenthal, free agent starter Paul Byrd will sit out the first half of the season and then possibly join a contender. Byrd said he had "nice, competitive" offers to play all year but wants to spend more time with his family.

If some major league team calls, Rickey Henderson still wants to play, be it with the A’s or anybody, one day, one week, one season, whatever; his door is wide open. Rickey is still for hire. Now he just comes with a bronze Hall of Fame plaque. Henderson and Jim Rice were at a press conference at the Waldorf-Astoria yesterday, the two newest Hall of Famers. After saying he was retired, Rickey went on to add, “but if a club came out and said they needed a left fielder, they needed a guy to get on base and steal a few bases, they can always ring my phone and I’ll come on down and help their ballclub, that’s how much I love the game.” Rickey at the age of 50 is still the Man of Steal, and if given the opportunity, he incredibly said he would lead the majors in stolen bases. “I believe today, and people say I’m crazy, but if you gave me as many at-bats that you would give the runners out there today, I would out-steal every last one of them,” Henderson said with typical bravado.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/rickey_to_big_league_gms_dont_lose_my_number

Mets Mack Attack 1-14-9 - Part 2

MLB – NY Mets:

If Oliver Perez is signed, the Mets rotation will look like this:

Johan Santana, LHP, 16-7, 2.53, 206 K, 1.15 WHIP
John Maine, RHP, 10-8, 4.18 ERA, 122 K, 1.35 WHIP
Oliver Perez, LHP, 10-7, 4.22 ERA, 180 K, 1.40 WHIP
Mike Pelfrey, RHP, 13-11, 3.72, 110 K, 1.36 WHIP
Tim Redding, RHP, 10-11, 4.95 ERA, 120 K, 1.43 WHIP

http://nysportsdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/is-adding-ollie-enough.html

In Perez, the Mets are chasing a pitcher with a higher ceiling and more scintillating stuff than Lowe, but also more frustration, too. When Lowe was Perez's age, 27, he'd put together just an 11-18 career record, not emerging as a star until 2002, when at age 29 he was 21-8 for Boston. That started a string of seven straight seasons of double-figure victories for Lowe, but over the last two years, Lowe was 26-25 for the Dodgers, hardly the sort of numbers that you can't let get away. Perez was 10-7 last year and 15-10 in 2007. Twice he has ranked in the top 10 in the National League in ERA and has been among the top 10 in strikeouts three times. He's also a lefty with a track record of success against the predominantly left-handed Phillies and who has pitched his best in big games. All of that makes him alluring enough to the Mets to soften the blow of losing out on Lowe. But it also ticks another name off the list of possible starters for a team in need of one. While Perez is next on the list of pitchers among Boras' clients, Minaya wasn't certain that the loss of Lowe would speed this process up. "It depends whom you're talking with," he said. "Scott does a very good job."

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/mets/Ollie_must_be_jolly.html

The temptation to give in Lowe's demands must have been enormous, but history shows that short-term gain usually leads to long-term pain. The Mets have been burned throughout their history by adding extra guaranteed years to free agent deals - Bobby Bonilla, Kevin Appier, Julio Franco, Scott Shoeneweis, Marlon Anderson and even Pedro Martinez all are on that sad list. Giving in to Derek Lowe's demands would've made headlines, but ultimately would've only added one more name to that Pantheon of Poor Decisions.

http://productiveouts.blogspot.com/2009/01/non-roster-move-braves-sign-derek-lowe.html

The Mets' gaze now likely falls on Oliver Perez to fill the final spot in the rotation, although I remain hopeful that Minaya makes a two-year, incentive-laden offer to Ben Sheets at some point.

Some people seem to think that the Yankees won’t be able to succeed with two young rookies in the rotation. (Chamberlain & Hughes) With Andy Pettitte’s chances of returning on the decline, people want the Yankees to go after some other player. One name that has been brought up is Pedro Martinez. There are two players I dislike more then anyone in baseball..and they are Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. Have we all forgotten about Petey? This guy threw Don Zimmer to the ground and threatened to throw a bean ball at Jorge Posada. We all know that Pedro is not well liked in NY, as he played for the Yankees biggest rivals.

http://zellspinstripeblog.com/2009/01/14/pedro-martinez-doesnt-belong-on-the-yankees

AAA – Buffalo:

Given a normal growth curve, Fernando Martinez should be an excellent player. But the shape that excellence will take is unclear to me. We should also keep in mind that not all growth curves are normal. It's easy to say that he's 10 years from his prime and will develop into a monster, but what if he's an early peaker and tops out his skills at age 23? Even that should still make him excellent, of course. My point is that there is so much we don't know yet about F-Mart. In an alternate universe the Mets kept him in rookie ball last year and he hit .350. In a case like that we'd say "he's very promising but we need to see him at higher levels" and no one would bat an eyelash at the caveat. In his case, due to the unusual way he's been handled, we have to say "he's very promising but we need to see what happens with another year under his belt."

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/3/19/306761/assessing-fernando-martine


A+ - Lucy:

James Fuller is a little like Roy Merritt on this list in that he’s a bullpen lefty off the Cyclones. However, Fuller’s superior, average MLB fastball lands him the higher ranking. Before the draft, Baseball America described Fuller as throwing, a “solid-average 88-91 mph fastball, fringy breaking ball and effective changeup.” 2008: Fulller missed just about all of July for the Brooklyn Cyclones, but was untouchable when he was on the hill. The Mets drafted Fuller in the 21st round of the 2008 draft after unearthing Dillon Gee in the 21st round in 2007. Twenty-one: good in the casinos, better on the Mets draft board.Dr. Pangloss Says: Fuller, who’s just 5’10” will fit nicely into the Mets bullpen in a few years. On the Flipside: The effort in his delivery could lead to injury problems that prevent Fuller from contributing consistently. Projected 2009 Start: St. Lucie bullpen

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/14/37-lhp-james-fuller

A – Gnats:

Eduardo Aldama earns his place here with something that looks like an MLB fastball from a thin frame. When I saw him in July, he was throwing his heater 89-94 mph, while sitting at 91. His command of the pitch is below MLB caliber. At age 19 in 2009, he is still projectable and will have a chance to iron out his delivery and potentially add a few ticks to his velocity as he fills out. His secondary offerings include a curveball from 74-78 that was mostly 76 and a changeup. He showed some feel for the pitch. 2008: Pay no attention to the ERA. In the GCL, Aldama struck out almost eight batters per nine innings and had a strikeout to walk ratio above three. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah, or XST with a move to Kingsport in June

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/13/38-eduardo-aldama


Saber:

I've made some changes to the WAR spreadsheet in the hopes of making it more accurate and easier to use. Download it by clicking here. Changes since the beta:

The option of using OBP and SLG instead of wOBA. Make sure they are park-adjusted, though. To use OBP/SLG instead, change the TRUE underneath "wOBA?" to FALSE to force the Hit calculation to use (1.75*OBP + SLG) / 3 to compute wOBA instead of using whatever's in the wOBA column. (The wOBA column will remain blank, though, except for the team totals row.)

New baselines for replacement-level team wins. I started with 48 wins per team (a .300 team), added two wins for NL teams (because they are worse, but compete against each other), subtracted two wins for AL teams (similar reason), subtracted 1 win from AL teams as an estimate of added production from DHs, and subtracted 1.5 wins from all teams as a rough estimate of the average number of wins created by leveraging relievers in a bullpen. The result is a 48.5 win baseline for NL teams and a 43.5 win baseline for AL teams.

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/1/14/719648/war-spreadsheet-version-1

Fantasy:

Top 5 Fantasy Catchers:
1. Brian McCann-is a middle of the order hitter in the Braves lineup. He hit 23 HRs and 87 RBI is 2008 with an OPS near .900. Bill James Projection: 24-98-68-.301-.370-.525

2. Geovany Soto-the Cubs catcher was solid in his rookie year hitting 23 HR and 86 RBIs. He could be the #1 catcher in 2009. Bill James Projection: 23-89-71-.293-.370-.499

3. Russell Martin-doesn't have the power that Soto and McCann have, but could steal 20 bases for you. Torre should get him a capable backup so he can improve upon his terrible 2nd half. Bill James Projection: 15-79-91-17-.292-.390-.439

4. Bengie Molina-Molina hit in the middle of the Giants lineup in 2008, and flourished, leading the team with 95 RBI. He could drive in 90+ again for SF in 2009. Bill James Projection: 17-83-45-.281-.347-.439

5. Chris Iannetta-Iannetta lived up to his potential in 2008 with 18 HR and an OPS near .900. He could break the top 3 catchers in 2009.Bill James Projection: 21-79-71-.272-.382-.488



Alumni:

Mexican Pacific League Playoffs - Mochis 4, Hermosilla 3 - Mexican League vet Victor Bojorquez tied the game with an RBI triple and Jason Bourgeois (Brewers) polished off Mochis' comeback victory with his run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The win evened up the semifinal series at 1-1. Despite a strong effort from Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez, who allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings, he was left with a no-decision after Jon Adkins (Reds) failed to come through in the save opportunity.

Mets Mack Attack - 1-14-9

MLB – NY Mets:

The New York Yankees released that they were going to wear a inaugural season patch on their jersey in ‘09 a while back. It looked pretty good to me. They will be on both the home and away uniforms, and will be placed on tons of merchandise/memorabilia. As we all know, the Mets are getting a new ballpark as well. They came up with a inaugural season patch as well, but there isn’t much to it. The patch doesn’t mention the stadium, show any part of the stadium, and it looks like a Dominoes Pizza logo.

http://zellspinstripeblog.com/2009/01/13/mets-new-uniform-patch-pales-in-comparion-to-the-yanks

The news that Derek Lowe decided to sign with Atlanta hardly fazed or surprised the New York Mets. They had been preparing for this for nearly a week, after the Braves felt compelled to act boldly when John Smoltz left for the Red Sox, and they have a backup plan.

hat involves going back to the agent Scott Boras, who represents Lowe, and trying to re-sign Oliver Pérez. The Mets have yet to offer Pérez a contract, but they are expected to extend one within the next day or so. They are also weighing a run at Ben Sheets, but are wary of his injury history.

"He was one of a group of pitchers that we've been looking into to fill a starting spot, but we've also felt that there are other guys out there who we like," Omar Minaya, the Mets' general manager, said about Lowe on Tuesday night. "We'll regroup and move on."

Source: New York Times



Spoke with Billy Wagner today. I'm sure he's a distant memory to most Met fans since the acquisitions of K-Rod and Putz, but Wagner is doing well and progressing ahead of schedule. He's been working out three times a week, strengthening his elbow and shoulder in his native Virginia, and he's very close to throwing again. His Met status remains quite uncertain, but undoubtedly he'll be spending a good chunk of time in Port St. Lucie trying to get himself ready. For what remains the question. Wagner is shooting to get back sometime in August, but where that is will depend not only on the quality of his progress but also the progress made by the bullpen that he had to leave last August - a bullpen that systematically self-destructed down the stretch.

http://www.wfan.com/pages/3614663.php?contentType=4&contentId=3316800

While they keep looking for another starter, the New York Mets hope to see Tim Redding match some of his own numbers from 2008. Redding completed his $2.25 million, one-year deal with the Mets on Monday, saying he would pitch in whatever role the team wants. "Starter, reliever, it doesn't matter to me," the right-hander said on a conference call. Redding made 33 starts for Washington last year and went 3-1 against the two-time NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies. He was 10-11 overall -- leading the Nationals in wins -- with a 4.95 ERA. "I think we can feel comfortable that we've added 182 innings to the staff," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "The value for us is very important."

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/11252359/rss

I believe Lowe gives the Mets the best chance to win now and in future seasons. Groundball pitchers age more gracefully than power pitchers (see: Pedro Martinez), and I think concerns about him suddenly breaking down due to injury are nothing more than wild speculation. Comparisons to older injured pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Randy Johnson are unfair, as Smoltz has battled arm problems his whole career, and Glavine and Johnson didn’t get hurt until they hit their 40’s. If Lowe can be had for three years, $42 million with a fourth year option there is no reason not to sign him.

http://www.metsgeek.com

The Mets were linked to Texas shortstop Michael Young as a possible second base option earlier this winter and Young recently demanded a trade when the Rangers told him he would have to move to third for 2009. Asked about Young Monday, Minaya said, "I can't comment on a player on another team. Right now, we're not in the position player market. We're in the pitcher market."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/01/12/2009-01-12_mets_gm_omar_minaya_rates_chance_of_more.html

AA – B-Mets:

2008: Lucas Duda had a disappointing 2008 in which he hit .263/.358/.398 for St. Lucie. To be considered a top prospect and project as an everyday player at either corner, he’ll simply have to hit more than that and none of his other tools really stand out. He struggled adjusting his leg kick and timing mechanisms over the course of the summer. More troubling than any of his rate stats, none of which was terribly Impressive, was that Duda struck out 129 times in 133 games. I believe in the sabermetric tenet that at the Major League level, a strikeout is no worse than any other kind of out. However, this is NOT true in the minor leagues. At the advanced-A level, when a player strikes out once per game, that serves as an indicator that the player is struggling to make consistent contact, which could presage drops in batting average as he moves up the ladder. Projected 2009 start: AA Binghamton

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/12/41-lucas-duda

A+ - Lucy:

2008: Roy Merritt was very successful coming out of the bullpen in Brooklyn, Hawaii and then Puerto Rico. He began the year with St. Lucie after working for the K-Mets in 2007, but like many of his FSL teammates did not have a strong April. After a strong summer as a Cyclone which culminated with Merritt allowing just one run in his final 16.2 innings in Brooklyn, Merritt then had one of the stronger winters of any Mets farmhand, fanning more than a batter an inning in both Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Projected 2009 start: St. Lucie. Merritt has nothing to prove below the FSL, where he struggled a little to begin 2008.

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/12/40-roy-roydrick-merritt

A – Gnats:

Top 5 Hitting Prospects Born in 1991

1. Wilmer Flores (A) - http://www.prospecttube.com/video/wilmer-flores
2. Eduardo Sosa (Rk)
3. Jefry Marte (Rk) - http://www.prospecttube.com/video/jefry-marte
4. Eduardo Soto (Rk)
5. Juan Duran (Rk)

Flores is the only player in this group that played above rookie ball, and based on scouting reports, sounds like the real deal. Sosa, Marte, and Soto all had impressive DSL showings, combined with solid reports from scouts. Duran is the big bonus baby, but struggled in his professional debut. A lot can happen (or not happen) with 17-year-olds, so this list could make me look like a genius or a fool in 12 months.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/1/12/718189/2009-top-5-hitting-prospec

Low A – Clones:

2008: Juan Lagares’ 2008 began late because of an arm injury. Assigned to Savannah, he improved on his batting average from 2007, but, at age 19, did not hit for any more power nor did he draw anymore walks than he did the year before at age 18. In the middle of August, the Mets moved Lagares down to Brooklyn, where he had nearly the same number of doubles as he did in the SAL in fewer than half the AB. Moreover, Lagares played at third for the first time as a professional. He committed four errors in five games at the hot corner. Projected 2009 start: I have no idea. In 2007, the Mets jumped Lagares from the DSL over the GCL, APP, and the NYP straight to full-season ball in the SAL where he has struggled over the last two seasons. He’s done little to merit a promotion to St. Lucie, but sending him back to the SAL for the third straight year might be demoralizing. Keeping him in extended spring training and assigning him to Brooklyn to enjoy a summer in Keyspan Park could also be an option.

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/01/13/39-juan-lagares

Saber:

Since being traded for each other: Scott Kazmir WAR: 17.3… Victor Zambrano WAR: ~1.5

Fantasy:

The Player Best Avoided In The First Round - Ryan Braun - Fantasy owners love Ryan Braun’s youth and become duck soup for his flirtation with 40 HR whilst swiping more than a baker’s dozen worth of bags. However, last season, Braun produced a 37 HR-14 steals combo and still barely produced as a Top 20 batter. The cause? A middling batting average of .285, certainly above the league average but not at an elite level. Fantasy owners tend to shrug off average as a volatile category, but it tends to be the modus operandi of a hitter and sets the agenda for all-around value. Braun’s .285 AVG came with 129 strikeouts, a 79% contact rate that portends a slight but not huge improvement in the average category. Braun also walks 6% of the time, slightly below average. Last year, he posted a pitiful OBP of .335, which may explain why a guy who hit 37 HR only managed to score 92 times.

http://www.fantasyballjunkie.com/?p=51

Alumni:

The Astros are in negotiations with Paul Lo Duca. He could join the mix on a minor league deal

In 1985 and 2001, Ed Kranepool and Andy van Slyke both got shut out of the Hall of Fame balloting. But they acheived an even better sort of immortality as the namesakes of two awesome baseball blogs … The Eddie Kranepool Society and Where Have You Gone Andy van Slyke?

http://homerderby.com/archives/3180

RP Jesse Orosco received one vote for the Hall of Fame yesterday.

The Dodgers added an arm to a bullpen that is days removed from losing closer Takashi Saito by agreeing to terms of a one-year contract with right-hander Guillermo Mota, according to baseball sources who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. The deal is pending a physical, which Mota is scheduled to undergo Tuesday. Mota, 35, pitched for the Dodgers in 2002 and '03, posting a 2.60 earned-run average as Eric Gagne's setup man. He was 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 58 games with the Milwaukee Brewers last season.

http://www.sonsofstevegarvey.com/2009/01/i-guess-that-means-piazza-wont-be.html

General Baseball News:

2009 Veterans Committee Ballot - Post-WWII Players - The election will end on Jan. 18 at 8 PM Eastern. Eligible candidates: Dick Allen, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Al Oliver, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant, Joe Torre and Maury Wills. - Rules: 9. Voting: The Committee shall consider all eligible candidates and voting shall be based upon the individual’s record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game. Electors may vote for as few as zero (0) and as many as four (4) eligible candidates deemed worthy of election. Write-in votes are not permitted (Editor’s note: though if you want to post them, I’m not going to stop you from doing that). 10. Number to be Elected: All candidates receiving votes on at least 75% of ballots cast on will earn election.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/hall_of_merit/discussion/2009_veterans_committee_ballot_post_wwii_players

Met's Mack Attack - 1-13-9

MLB - The Mets:

They were going for an old-time feel - but not that old! Spanking-new, $850 million Citi Field is already beginning to rust. A Post reporter spotted brown water from a rusty beam creeping down the wall of the front entrance of Citi Field's main gate in Flushing, Queens, on 126th Street. The Mets are set to move there in April

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01122009/news/regionalnews/queens/rusty_start_for_mets_149806.htm

The Mets are a hard team to evaluate at this point in the offseason as they're one of the teams actually looking to invest in their team, which they obviously need to do while Delgado's still decent, Beltran's not aging, and Wright/Reyes are cheap (both signed through 2011 at well below market value). The Mets, more than most other teams, would be smart to overpay for an inning eater for the rotation now that the problems with the bullpen have been filled aggressively. There are still some questions that need to be answered at a few positions, most notably 2B (as already debated over in Dialed In earlier this week). The Mets will likely stand pat with the starting lineup as much as possible. Overall, the Mets should be one of the best NL teams in 2009. Choking is overrated - the team came up short due to some holes and they've been doing their best this offseason to fill them. And yes, I know Billy Wagner's injured and not going to pitch in 2009. I know I reiterate this kind of thing every time in the disclaimer, but in my experience, disclaimers are rarely read.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/oracle/discussion/2009_zips_projection_new_york_mets


Not only did the Mets get shortchanged by their bullpen, one of their official sponsors is stiffing them as well, according to a new lawsuit. The Amazin's are suing a Canadian marketing company that hasn't paid for more than $500,000 of advertising at Shea Stadium. Vancouver's Alphatrade became an "Official Sponsor of the New York Mets" in early 2007, agreeing to pay $1,050,000 to place signs in Shea for two seasons.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01122009/news/regionalnews/mets__sponsor_stole_signs_149809.htm
One of the final pieces the Mets need to obtain prior to spring training is a left handed reliever. I would be satisfied with a rebound type of lefty on a minor league contract, they could bring back Ricardo Rincon who is a free agent or someone like that. After all the Mets have a primary lefty in Pedro Feliciano and only need another lefty for early inning situations and when Feliciano is unavailable. But the way the market is working out they maybe able to obtain another solid lefty at a price they're willing to pay.

http://metsfever.blogspot.com/


AAA – Buffalo:

Puerto Rican Winter League Playoffs - Arecibo 6, Santurce 5, 10 innings - Mets farmhand Jesus Feliciano smacked a three-run double and Jorge Padilla doubled twice, collected an RBI and scored a run to lead the Lobos, who opened a 2-1 lead in their semifinal series.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090111&content_id=3739864&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Current voting going on at MiLB.com:
Which prospect had the best winter in the Caribbean leagues?

Michael Antonini 47 votes (11%)
Juan Francisco 100 votes (24%)
Dillon Gee 58 votes (14%)
Jesus Guzman 156 votes (37%)
Gerardo Parra 60 votes (14%)
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp


A – Gnats:


The Savannah Sand Gnats will host their third annual Chili Bowl Cook-Off from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Historic Grayson Stadium. The winning chili recipe will receive a $500 first-place prize with the runner-up earning $250. The cost to enter the cook-off is $50 per team. Proceeds from the entry fee and admission to the event will help benefit America’s Second Harvest. Tickets for the event are $5 in advance and $7 at the gate. In 2007, Big Water Catering and Events of Riverview Drive in Savannah won the first-place prize of $500 out of the eight-team field. Georgetown Woods Apartments took home the second-place prize.

Low A – Clones:

Regular readers may be aware of my admiration for the PR/Fan Relations departments for minor league clubs. Far more so than at the big league level, these people must go beyond conventional means to attract crowds. So today, imagine my piqued curiosity when I learned that the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Rookie-ball team for the New York Mets (my team, my borough), will be changing their name for one night only to… The Baracklyn Cyclones. On Tuesday, June 23rd, the Cyclones will “honor” the President-elect with a day of his own (as if the guy hasn’t been honored already enough by the mass populace. I mean, not to downplay the significance, but… am I the only one who thinks that we’re already thinking about his presidency in the past tense?).

http://umpbump.com/press/2009/01/12/the-baracklyn-cyclones

Saber:


The last thing the blogosphere needs is another cleverly-named projection system for players. And that's exactly why we at Walkoff Walk decided to add our collective voice to the statistical noise: we're just a bunch of jerks. Introducing the first-ever player projection forecasting system that dispenses with the OBPs and the FIPs, instead deciding to group every single player by age and write something mildly interesting about them. We call it BONILLA, or Based On Nothing Interesting, Let's Look At Age.

http://www.walkoffwalk.com/2009/01/walkoff-walk-presents-the-boni-1.html

Fantasy:

I have seen many fantasy “experts” say that Jose Reyes’ numbers are par to sub par in many fantasy leagues. I know that he did have Some let-down numbers in 2007, and had better numbers in most of his categories in 2008, but give me a break. Jose Reyes is still one of the best fantasy shortstops out there. These guys saying he cannot compare to the likes of Hanley Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins is ridiculous. I know Rollins was out and his numbers were down a little but to say Reyes can’t compare is wrong just wrong. Look for Reyes to probably be out there possibly after round 2 or even 3 since some people are just fed up with the Mets, but his numbers are worth starting in all fantasy leagues. As far as pitching for the Mets Johann Santana will be his usual self and will put up amazing fantasy numbers. Every league has different categories, but Santana will give you solid numbers in all categories. Another pitcher who could be a good pick up in later rounds would be John Maine. I am not sure people will take him too soon but if healthy he should supply numbers that could make you happy.

http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=6141

Alumni:

Speaking of Bobby Valentine, you wonder if Rangers President Nolan Ryan might make a pitch to bring Valentine and innovative pitching coach Tom House back to the organization if it doesn't contend in Ron Washington's third season. Valentine has been told his lucrative contract won't be extended beyond 2009, which makes him a candidate to manage in the majors in 2010, if not before '09 is over. He says "when someone calls in the middle of the season, I can talk to them." -- Chicago Tribune

Today Rickey Henderson will receive a phone call telling him he's been elected to the Hall of Fame. I realize it's presumptuous to declare someone's election before the Hall elects him, but ... c'mon. He's going in and everyone knows it. He is one of the players I've been able to follow for virtually his entire career. The 1982 All-Star game was one of my first baseball memories, and in it Henderson led off with a single and scored what turned out to be the American League's only run of the game. Henderson's pursuit of Lou Brock's stolen base record that season was the first baseball event I can remember. One early memory of Henderson that sticks out for me comes from a time the A's appeared on The Game of the Week. Henderson led off an inning, and—as he was prone to do—stole second and third. When a teammate hit a routine fly out, Henderson came home to score. As a kid, I didn't think too much of it. That's what leadoff hitters are supposed to do, right? But Henderson created that run all on his own.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-wonder-of-rickey

Venezuelan Winter League Playoffs - Caracas 3, Zulia 2 - Giants prospect Jesus Guzman drove in two runs and Blue Jays infielder Marco Scutaro scored twice as the Leones improved to 5-3 in the round-robin playoffs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090111&content_id=3739864&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

General Baseball News:

Other good hitting pitchers that I can remember are Steve Avery, Josh Beckett, and Tom Seaver; all were within the past 30 years, but to look beyond this timeframe go to the Baseball Think Factory and look at their article on pitcher hitting. In my opinion, High School and College pitchers should be held accountable to work on their hitting skills almost as much as they do their pitching. For proof, just look at players like Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals. You just never know!