Heilman

So Heilman's agent says he either wants to be a starter or be traded.

I have only one thing to say to that: don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Arizona Fall League stats

Here are our boys with the Peoria Saguaros:

Daniel Murphy (2B) .397 avg, .487 OBP, .619 SLG
Eddie Kunz (RP) 1-2, 10.95 ERA, .368 BAA, 12.1 IP, 9 BB, 11 K
Bobby Parnell (SP) 3-1, 2.81 ERA, .246 BAA, 16 IP, 8 BB, 17 K

Did Jerry & Omar absolutely kill Kunz' confidence this past year or what? Dump him into a failing bullpen, right in the middle of the pennant race, name him the closer and then refuse to pitch him in closing situations, and bail on the kid after his first 2 or 3 rocky appearances (total garbage time for him after that) in favor of Luis friggin' Ayala.

I'm Hearin' Tings...

1) According to Minaya, Luis Castillo will be our starting 2B next season. Hoo-f'ing-ray...
Hopefully this is just talk to help distract other suitors from knowing we're seriously in the hunt for Orlando Hudson.

2) Apparently the Mets are willing to go as high as 12M to bring back Ollie but Boras wants more. The word "high" here holds specific importance with regards to both parties...

3) An angle that I had forgotten about: the Mets are super-focused on Lowe because of his experience as a closer. Hmmm, interesting...

4) We may have found 2 potential suckers, I mean suitors. Seems that both the D-backs and Rays have interest in Heilman. Tampa has parts we're targeting (Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnenstine) but are not as high on Aaron as Zona is. Looks like we'll be building a package...

Delgado's option exercised by Mets

Or so it says here.

2 Free Agent targets

According to this article, the Mets are planning on pursuing Derek Lowe (who has been reliable but is 35) and closer Brian Fuentes.

Hey, SHK--

Have you come in from your ledge yet?

Gues you can finally get some sleep--Sox are done, Brady's on the shelf, J-E-T-S S-U-C-K...oops, looks like you've still got issues to gripe about.

Oh, well.

Next time I'll be paying attention to baseball will be once the Hot Stove League starts (the best time of year for baseball--the anticipation of what could be always trumps what actually happens...).

You have got to be kidding me

GRRRRRR...

I had figured the Rays would be immune to this type of stupidity, but apparently not. How do you blow a 7-0 lead in the 7th, up 3 games to 1, about to close out the series? By giving up the greatest comeback since 1929 apparently.

Great.

I'm just saying

If the BlowSox come back down 3-1 to win the ALCS, like they did against Cleveland last year, and like they did down 3-0 to Yanks in '04, I am going to lose it. I'm just saying.

Why the Rays might win the ALCS

No, the reasons aren't Kazmir, Garza, and Sonnestine. The Angels had Lackey, Santana, and Saunders, and that didn't matter. The reason the Rays might beat the Sox is because they are too young to know that when they play the almighty Red Sox they are apparently supposed to completely forget all baseball fundamentals they performed perfectly in the regular season, and instead fold meekly in the playoffs.

Hey Fredo

I'd like to go ahead and go in on those playoff tickets you won.

I only know one thing

Every year I hear about how THIS is the year that the angels or indians are for real. This is the year they are going to move ahead in the playoffs and beat the Sox.

And it never happens.

Bring back Bobby V?

Hmmm....

Would you make this trade?

Jose Reyes for Scott Kazmir, straight up. Reyes is our lowest-paid, high-impact player, so his salary would probably be tolerable to the Rays. Also, they are very weak at SS, so it's a great fit for them. Can you imagine a 1-2-3 of Santana - Kazmir - Pelfrey?

What Are Our Options?

Found a site that lists all upcoming free agents by position and includes their current ages:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/2009-mlb-free-a.html

So far, I'm hearing a lot of interesting rumors.
The Mets will not pursue Sheets, Sabathia, Burnett, Perez, or Martinez.
They are leery of offering big money to K-Rod after the Wagner debacle: $44 mil+ for 96 IP.
Despite sending Murphy to winter ball to learn 2B, they will pursue Orlando Hudson.
Schoenweis, Heilman, and Castillo will be traded with the Mets eating most of his remaining contract.
They will pursue back-end starters, specifically Derek Lowe and Jason Marquis.
Delgado's option will be picked up (cost to cut ties is $4 mil, cost to pick up is $12 mil so it only really costs $8 mil...). If they trade him from there is anyone's guess.

As per SHK's request for gritty, gutty players I perused the FA list and saw a few guys that fit the bill.
Mark Millar--OK glove, decent bat, huge fire. One of the real soul guys for the Sox in their comeback.
David Eckstein--doesn't fit a position as of now unless we move Reyes, leave Murph in LF, and abandon further 2B pursuits.
Ryan Dempster--probably high cost after this season but is reknowned for being one of the funniest men in baseball and a clubhouse leader.
Sean Casey--to paraphrase TR, "speak constantly and carry a small stick." Called the Mayor for a reason. Beloved by everyone, great defender, minimal O. Would need to get a thumper in LF to compensate.
OF prospects are pretty similar--no outstanding character guys. Quite a few quiet producers though...
Tons of middle men but who knows what you ever get there.
Closers are kinda sparse but I think they're overrated as big names. Find someone with good stuff and give him a chance rather than overpay on what amounts to a gamble.

Anyone see anything real attractive here? I'm typing this on my Blackberry so it's kinda tough to do major analysis right now.

And what are our REALISTIC trade moves? I heard Reyes+ for Doc Halladay but I think you need a ton more to land him.

There's only one question left to answer

Which is a bigger meltdown: the financial markets today, or the Metties?

Well, there is one thing we do know

Today's action was a sweet catharsis, and vindication, for Willie. At least he won't have to go through any of these press conferences any more, and can just laugh at his back-stabbing replacement.

That's about right

Same team. Same season. Same meltdown. Same inability to hold a lead, score runs when needed, or come from behind. Different year.

On the plus side, I'll have more free time this week.

Chip Caray of TBS

Most annoying douche announcer ever.

'Nuff Said

Since July 4, Santana is 9-0 with a 2.09 ERA in 17 starts. He threw his third complete game this season, and it was the sixth of his impressive career. The last Mets pitcher to throw a shutout on three days' rest was Dwight Gooden on Sept. 16, 1987.

First in the NL in ERA and IP, and up to 16 wins. Unlike Lincecum or Webb, Johan's kept his team in the playoff hunt down to the last day of the season. Cy Young?

So this is where we are

We're down to Johan possibly pitching on 3 days rest after a 125-pitch marathon outing. There's most likely 2 ways this goes: (1) Johan can only go 5 or 6 innings, after which the bullpen blows whatever good work he did, or (2) he goes 7-8 innings, but is now exhausted for possible Wed playoff game. I hope Johan has the arm strength to pull this off down the stretch, but it's definitely a reach.

I am a "Second Chance" NLDS ticket raffle winner

Meaning that the first set of winners said, "ain't no way we're making a deposit in the Bank of Shea, only to not get our money back for three months."

Bought four seats.

Shea Hey Kids contributors get first dibs if they'd like to come. SHK? DC? Tix are $67 each, Loge Reserved.

Now THAT's a box score

This is why Johan is the best.

IP: 8.0
H: 7
ER: 2
BB: 2
SO: 10
HR: 0
PC-ST: 125-86
ERA: 2.64

Omar re-upped

Omar on the verge of getting signed for 4 more years. Hmmm, so I guess when Wilpon said at the end of last year that it was Omar's decision on whether to retain Willie and he would "sink or swim" with him, he wasn't worried about sinking with Manuel?

At the end of the day someone has got to be held accountable for relying heavily on old and/or injured players with questionable futures (Alou, El Duque, Pedro, Sanchez, Valentin, and Castillo, to name a few). And that someone is Omar if we don't advance in the playoffs this year, especially given the payroll.

Let's be honest: while Omar has made some good trades, I think there are a lot of GMs who could step into his situation and do a good job. His situation being that he's given the largest payroll in NL (and consistently top 5 in all of baseball), and only needs to put together a 90-win team to make the playoffs each year.

Maine ready to go?

Simulated a 5 batter inning, with no ill effects. The plan is to have him in the pen pitching 1 inning per outing, maximum.

Please, please, please, get activated soon.

End of an era

Obviously, there are no major Yankee sympathizers on this blog. But yesterday was an important day in baseball history.

Yankee stadium's beginnings, in the early '20's, marked the period of time when baseball began to pass boxing and horseracing as our most popular sport. A greater collection of superstars played in the Bronx than any other stadium, and the number of chamionships speak for themselves.

Many current and former Yankee players are obviously classy guys, and it was good seeing Whitey, Yogi, Goose and Willie getting to revel in one last spin around the diamond.

That said, it's nice to think back to the beginning of the Yankee stadium era. The senior circuit team in NY, the Giants, had been the dominant squad in the first two decades of the century, had more titles and, in John McGraw, the greatest manager in the game at the time (and some would say of all time). With the rise of Ruth and Bronx Bombers, McGraw banished the Yankees from the Polo Grounds, causing the need for Yankee stadium. This was a turning of the tide in NY (and US) sports history.

I don't want to deny the greatness of the things the Yankees accomplished at Yankee stadium, nor the importance of the venue. But perhaps 2008 will ultimately be remembered for another turning of the tide, and the balance of power in NY will shift back to the senior circuit. And maybe in 80 years, when Citi Field is being replaced, people will think back on David Wright as a latter day Gehrig, and a dozen stars we don't even know about yet will get a similar and fitting tribute.

Hmmmm

That's strange, I could've sworn that I told Minaya at the end of last year to dump Blowenweis. Even if I didn't, surely he couldn't have been dumb enough to keep a guy who can't pitch to more than one batter, and even that one batter is iffy. So surely it wasn't "The Show" in there blowing another game today. Surely it was someone else.

And surely Minaya went out of his way in the offseason and before the trading deadline this year to beef up our bullpen, so we're not stuck with the same bunch of losers down the stretch this year as in '07. Never mind, what am I saying? We got rid of mota, how silly of me to forget.

Rejected

Well, I got my official form rejection email today from the Mets for NLDS tix. With some slight modifications we have this rejection for the Mets themselves:

2008 POSTSEASON TICKET OPPORTUNITY
-- Thank You for Participating
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Mets Fan Player:

Thank you for participating in the online random drawing for
the opportunity to purchase tickets for potential 2008 Mets
postseason games scheduled to be played at Shea Stadium regular season.

While Since your entry was not selected to purchase tickets for
potential play in the National League Division Series games, YOU DO NOT REMAIN REGISTERED for random drawings for talent-based opportunities to purchase tickets for potential play in the 2008 National League Championship Series and World Series games most likely not scheduled to be played at Shea, should since the Mets will almost certainly not participate, and for any additional Division Series drawings post-season games.

Thank you again for your participation meekly folding.


The New York Mets MLB and Mets Fans.

When will he listen

Omar, if you want to turn the Mets into a team worthy of their enormous payroll next year, BEEF UP THE BULLPEN. I'm not sure how many times we need to make the point for him to listen, but with all the blown saves they've had this year, especially the ones where we gave up 3 or more runs to blow the lead, it is time to fix it. There's going to be a lot of spots to replace, since Sanchez, Wagner, Heilman, Feliciano and Smith all are useless. But that's what it's going to take. A wholesale replacement.

Which Mets Starter should become the closer?

Maine

Overall OPS: .694
1st inning OPS: .633
High Leverage OPS: .924


Perez

Overall OPS: .722
1st inning OPS: .814
High Leverage OPS: .631


Pedro

Overall OPS: .857
1st inning OPS: 1.053
High Leverage OPS: .750


Pelfrey

Overall OPS: .731
1st inning OPS: .737
High Leverage OPS: .656

And I thought Ayala was the answer.

No, not really. I'm just kidding.

I sure hope Maine comes back soon, and goes straight to the pen.