Bradford

Wow, this is bad news. Loss of Bradford and Mota, with unknown Sanchez, plus Wagner sucking, does not bode well for bullpen next year. I don't know how they didn't go all out for Bradford. Unless they have some super confidence in their rookie pitchers or are planning some blockbuster trade, so far this offseason Minaya's marks are low..

Baked Zito

Andrew Hintz over at MetsGeek makes the case that goofy Barry Zito will not be the worth the contract he commands. And not b/c he's goofy.

Another trade

On yahoo.com:

The Mets did add a pair of young pitchers Monday, acquiring left-handers Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick from Florida for hard-throwing prospects Henry Owens and Matt Lindstrom.

Vargas and Bostick are both 23. Owens and Lindstrom are both right-handers.

Here's some info on the incoming hurlers:

Vargas will be 24 at the start of the next season. He's started and come out of the bullpen for the Marlins. Here are his ugly numbers. But we have Peterson!

Bostick's still in the Southern League and has put up some mixed numbers in the farms.

Owens of course was the guy who destroyed double A this year until he came up to the Mets and started walking the park. Lindstrom throws 100 MPH but can't seem to separate himself at the AA level.

Mets sign Easley

According to Mets.com, 2b/IF Damon Easley has been inked to a one-year deal worth $850K. The good news? He's cheap. The bad news? He's old. The reason for signing him? Omar says he can "play all over the field."

The only pertinent piece of information? Easley sucks. He's always sucked. He's a coiled up steaming dung pile.

If the Mets want to continue to sign 30-somethings with no skills for 6-figure contracts, please contact this blogger.

Free agents

Shea Hey Kids
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the free agent market is very underwhelming yet the Mets needs are real so they must trade. Minaya seems to agree: "Minaya said the price for free agents in general and the lack of appealing options is going to force teams to look at trades to solve a few issues. With that being the case, Minaya is actively working trade possibilities to see about starting pitching."

As I also mentioned, the Mets need to move quickly because the Phillies new GM, Pat Gillick, has quite a winning track record also, and is rumored to be moving strongly on Soriano. Make no mistake, with Gillick at the helm the Phillies will be doing all they can to compete with Mets.

I still like the idea of going after Gagne (assuming he passes a medical exam). Then we have the flexibility to package some combination of Wagner, Heilman, Milledge, Valentin, and Green for either a starter, 2nd basemen, or outfielder.

It's also worth pointing out that except for Wright and Reyes (and hopefully Milledge), I doubt anyone's #s in the lineup are going to be as good or better than this year. Lo Duca had an unusually strong 2nd half compared to last 4 years. Beltran had a career year for HR, RBI, and OBP. Delgado might be able to sustain his #s for one more year, but I doubt he'll exceed them. So it would be nice to replace Floyd and get a solid hitter in 6 spot.

Mets make a trade

so sayeth Mets.com.

Johnson sounds like an interesting addition, a speedy outfielder who will be a good bench option for Willie, and could grow into something more.

Adkins has big-league experience and something Bell and Ring didn't have: a chance to be used in meaningful situations. Even in the middle innings, Bell and Ring weren't getting into any late September or October innings. Adkins has been around the block a few times, including a post-season with the '05 champion WhiteSox, and Willie likes those kind of guys.

In other bullpen roster news, the article states:

The Mets have had contact with the representatives for reliever Chad Bradford and remain optimistic an agreement will be reached, though the returns of free agents Roberto Hernandez, Guillermo Mota and Darren Oliver -- who teamed to pitch middle and late innings for the Mets in the second half last season -- appear less certain.

El Duque signed for 2 years

So says all of the internets. Orlando will be, what, 73 at the expiration of his contract?

Meanwhile, this news does not exactly quell my unease about the Glavine situation. Despite the fact that every logical argument ends with Glavine resigning with the Mets, the Duque signing gives me yet another reason to think the Mets are unsure what Tommy will decide to do.

2B filled for '07

Valentin will be back.

In other news, the Mets swung and missed on Matsoozakaka. And, as already discussed, Glavine is going FA (although discussions are certainly not done yet). Guess I might get that 5 young arms rotation yet.

Heilman/Pelfrey/Maine/Bannister/Perez anyone?

Glavine to be FA

As this article points out, Glavine has turned down his contract option for '07, and the Mets will not exercise the club option either. This will trigger a $3 Mil cash-out settlement for Glavine, who will then be a free agent and able to puruse a new contract.

Since the Mets didn't exercise their option, they must be planning on offering him a contract of less than $11 Mil for '07. Any more than that and they'd end up paying more than they would have by exercising their $14 Mil club option.

So if the Mets are planning on offering him 8 to 10 mil for next year, they may actually be indifferent about losing him to the Braves.

That's my take, anyway.

Free Agency Rumblings

From the Newark Star Ledger, the Mets are apparently opening negoitations with Mark Mulder.

And from the Post, two articles of note:

The Mets are planning to bid on Daisuke Matsuzaka, who they grade out as a major-league "ace" caliber starter. The same article says that an unnamed source outside the organization said the Mets are pursuing Zito; an unnamed source inside the organization said they grade Zito out as either a #2 or a #3 guy.

Pedro also is mentioning retirement as a possibility.

If the Mets were to bring in Zito, Mulder, Matsuzaka, and re-up Glavine, they'd be...spending lots of money. That said, I don't think you can be more confident in that group than you could with Glavine, Heilman, Pelfrey and Maine. Mulder was terrible all year and hurt. Matsuzaka is a "?" until he actually pitches in the US. And Zito eats innings, but if he doesn't come up big in the post season, as he didn't yet again in '06, what's the point? A cheap rookie can eat innings and be a playoff question mark just as easily.

Mota

Are you kidding me? This is a serious blow, what the hell was Mota thinking???

Now we've got no Pedro through at least first half of season, no Mota for 50 games, unclear Sanchez, and Heilman who wants to start (if not with Mets then he wants trade). Mets MUST re-sign Bradford and Feliciano now.

Let the games begin..

Free agency market looks to be interesting, see here.

How about going after Gagne and then being able to offer Wagner as trade bait? You could get a lot for Wagner + Milledge. How about picking up Sean Casey as additional trade bait? Or adding Jeff Weaver as a 4th or 5th starter, who we can trade mid-season next year if all of our rookies pan out.