Prioritizing The Mets Off Season Needs

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• Jim Seguine October 10, 2009 at 10:08 am

  Tough call between 1st and a #2 starting pitcher. Gotta go with the pitching though. Good pitching can cover up a mediocre offfense.
• METS62FAN October 10, 2009 at 10:23 am

  CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
  #2SP,1B,LF,#1C NEED FILLING I PROPOSE 2 TRADES, 3 SIGNINGS
  TRADE TARGETS: PRINCE FIELDER,CARL CRAWFORD
  FREE AGENT TARGETS: JON LACKEY, JASON MARQUIS(2 REPL SP-PELF LIKELY LOST IN DEAL/MILW)
  LINEUP:
  REYES
  CRAWFORD
  BELTRAN
  FIELDER
  WRIGHT
  FRENCHY
  MOLINA
  CASTILLO
  PITCHER
  ROTATION: SANTANA, LACKEY,MARQUIS, PEREZ,MAINE
  BENCH: MURPHY,A-HERN,SANTOS,PAGAN
  BULLPEN: BASICLY, AS IS
  PROPOSED PAYROLL APPROX THE SAME
  CONTRACTS EATEN: NONE
  • Steve October 10, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    1-offer JJ Putz contract laden with incentives
    2-Offer contract to Sheilds laden with incentives
    3-Trade Castillo and sign Hudson
    4-Figure a way to get rid of Perez
    5-Offer contract to Lackey and Marquis
    6-Feilder and Crawford good choices
    7-Use Pelfry for trade to get bullpen help. Never have enough in bullpen.
    What do you think/
    • METS62FAN October 12, 2009 at 11:19 am

      STEVE, I DOUBT THEY CAN/WILL DEAL LUIS & EATING CONTRACT IS NOT WILPONESQUE
      RE. BULLPEN I’D RATHER BELIEVE THEY WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK & TRY TO RESIGN PUTZ TO A SETUP LEVEL DEAL, THAT CONSIDERING FRANKIE’S HAD HIS CONTROL ISSUES MIGHT READ 2Y/5M WITH A CAVIAT UPPING IT TO 8M PER IF PROMOTED TO CLOSER. BONE CHIP REMOVAL SHOULDN’T BE AN EFFECTIVE CAREER ENDER & A FULL SEASON W/PUTZ MAY BE LESS RISKY THAN ELSEWHERE. AT LEAST WE KNOW HE’S GOT THE STONES TO CLOSE IF NECESSARY. I STILL BELIEVE LAST YEAR HAD THE RIGHT FORMULA; BUT “ACTS OF GOD” INTERFERED. NYM KNEW THEY NEEDED LFer & #2SP; WHICH IS WHY ENOUGH PAYROLL LEFT UNDER LUXURY CAP TO AFFORD EITHER HOLLIDAY OR HALLADAY ON 7/31. THE PLAN WAS THERE THE NECESSITY WASN’T, DUE TO PLAGUE OF INJURIES DECIMATING EVERYTHING.
• mark October 10, 2009 at 10:40 am

  Seriously Joe, setup man and catcher are the least of our concerns. It really boils down to a starting pitcher first and foremost and I dont want to hear the names of Misch or Figueroa as far as rotation guys. If we just got Halladay or Lackey, I think we can even get by with Murphy at 1B and Pagan in LF. Maybe the Mets could get away with a platoon partner for Murphy with power.
  • steve October 10, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    I totally agree.Starting pitching wins.Lackey and Halladay.Then sign Barajas as the catcher.Then Holliday Bay or Figgins.
    • mathew October 23, 2009 at 10:20 am

      Starting Lineup
      1. Jose Reyes

      2. Luis Castillo

      3. David Wright

      4. Matt Holliday

      5. Carlos Beltran

      6. Bengie Molina

      7. Jeff Francouer

      8. Daniel Murphy
      Pitching Rotation

      1. Johan Santana

      2. Jason Marquis

      3. Mike Pelfrey

      4. John Maine

      5. Oliver Perez
• Paul Nassau October 10, 2009 at 10:49 am

  If we got Halladay and Lackey and nobody else, we immediately become favorites in our division.
  Pops
  • METS62FAN October 11, 2009 at 11:14 am

    YOUR ANSWER WAS ALREADY TRIED THIS YEAR IN THE WEAKER NL CENTRAL DIV BY STL, ONLY WE DON’T HAVE PHAT ALBERT. DAYS OF PITCHING WITHOUT OFFENSE ARE LONG GONE AS ANYTHING MORE THAN JUST A FEARED OPPONENT FOR THE REAL CONTENDERS. EVERYONE LIKED STL FOR THEIR DUAL ACES; WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY LOSE? IT’S CALLED BEING SWEPT IN THE POSTSEASON. CERTAINLY WE NEED MORE THAN WHAT’S ON HAND FOR 1B,C,LF LACKEY & HALLADAY CERTAINLY ARE AWESOME ADDITIONS; BUT EVEN THEY CAN’T WIN 0-0 BALLGAMES.
• jdon October 10, 2009 at 11:01 am

  I don’t believe that the Mets holes, both physical and emotional, can be filled in one year. They have to look at what they are left with, evaluate it honestly, and decide where they are going. Asking Omar to patch it together, which is all he has ever tried to do, let’s face it, with checkbook management, just delays the inevitable: consecutive years of underachievement. This so called core has to be broken up Right now the only tradeable commodities are Wright and Beltran. If everyone believes Wright and Beltran will bounce back to former levels, then a smart GM can get useful players for them, despite what the writers say. These executives are not intimidated by one bad year. But if your GM is not smart enough to make the right arguments for why these guys are still very valuable….. I am not sure Omar is smart enough to do that.
  • yosi October 11, 2009 at 3:32 am

    I would consider Reyes and Santana untradeable too. Everyone else can go though.
  • METS62FAN October 11, 2009 at 11:27 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    I TOTALKLY DISAGREE SINCE, IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS YR PROVED HOW LITTLE THERE IS WITHOUT “THE CORE”; BUT I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHAT DO U ANTICIPATE GETTING IN RETURN FOR BELTRAN OR WRIGHT. I DON’T BELIEVE U EVER GET ENOUGH TO NOT ONLY REPLACE WHAT U RELINQUISHED; BUT ALSO ADDED MORE OF WHAT U NEED, OFFENSE. AS I STATED ABOVE, NO PITCHER CAN WIN A 0-0 GAME! IN TODAY’S ECONOMY THERE ARE VERY VERY FEW FRANCHISES CAPABLE OF ADDING AN 18.5M SALARY FOR 1 YR(2010 FOR BELTRAN)
    RE. WRTIGHT @ 10M FOR ’10 OR EVEN A REYES’ AT 9M FOR ’10.
    IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE TEAMS ARE LOOKING TO SHED TALENTS LIKE FIELDER OR CRAWFORD TO SAVE 10.5 & 10 RESPECTIVELY THE MARKETPLACE IS CERTAINLY SHRUNK FROM WHAT IT WOULD’VE BEEN 5 YRS AGO. BETTER TO CONTINUE TO ADD BY INVESTING IN BOTH THOSE TALENTS OF FIELDER & CRAWFORD FOR A 20.5M INVESTMENT FOR 1 YR. IT’S ONE THING TO BREAK SOMETHING UP IF U CAN IMPROVE & QUITE ANOTHER TO DESTROY OUT OF FRUSTRATION OR LACK OF IMAGINATION. ARGUABLY REYES, WRIGHT,BELTRAN ARE TOP 5 IN MLB AT THEIR POSITIONS BOTH DEFENSIVELY & OFFENSIVELY. REPLACING THEM AS WE’VE SEEN, IS NOT PRETTY.
• andy glass October 10, 2009 at 11:29 am

  The ideal situation might be to add Halladay (and that does not appear to be likely – (but neither did Santana) and bring Delgono back on an incentive laden deal. If he sucks, then Murphy is the starter. If Carlos wants more than a few million guaranteed, then tell him to have fun DH’ing in KC, Oakland, etc… Murphy did pretty well for a first year player being bounced around to two new positions. Anyone trashing him b/c he didnt hit 320 with 115 rbi’s in his first year is being very unrealistic. Remember how well Piazza did at firstbase ? I also dont see anything to get excited about a singles hitting catcher. If he can play major league defense and call a strong game – great… but if he is challenged in both dept’s then just get a defensive oriented pro. We need a guy who can benefit and bring out the best in the pitching staff.
• Sach C. October 10, 2009 at 11:41 am

  #2 starter, though I don’t think that’s likely.
• I’m Reading: Suspicious, Priorities, Championship Teams October 10, 2009 at 12:20 pm

  [...] Joe D from Metsmerized Online gives his take on the Mets priorities this [...]
• Anthony October 10, 2009 at 12:34 pm

  Mets don’t have enough trade pieces to trade for either Fielder or Crawford, however Halladay is another story, especially the fact that he has a no-trade clause and can walk after the year. Fernando Martinez and Josh Thole would have to be in the deal to start with, but in order to be able to part with them, u have to sign a FA OF and C first. Now as far as C goes Bengie Molina makes a lot of sense, Omar has been trying to get Molina since 2006 when they got Lo Duca, this off-season maybe the time they get em. Now as far as OF, Holliday seems to be the logical fit here, but if John Heyman is correct in what he said that Vlad Guerrero is only going to get a 2 year deal for 10 mil per at best, then I think u have to take a long hard look at that, i mean 5-7 years for anywhere between 85(over 5 yrs) and 120 mil(over 7 years) for Holliday as compared to 2 yrs 20 mil(10 mil per) for Guerrero…..u do the math…. plus a note on guerrero, guerrero has played at least 140 games every year in his career except 2 yrs, this year being one of them, so yes he can play the field. Now as far as a 1b goes, i think will be either Murphy or Adam Laroche, one or the other. Now getting back to the starting pitching, bringing Molina in could also help as far as recruiting Lackey to NY, remember Molina was lackey’s battery mate in 2002 with the Angels when they won the title, so keep that in mind here. As far as a Halliday deal goes….Martinez, Thole………I don’t think Neise could be in it now because of the injury…….u hate for Jerry Mejjia or Brad Holt to be in the swap, but 1 of them might have to be, maybe a Wilmer Flores…..Or if the Mets had a intent in bringing in Lackey as well as Halliday(doubtful), then maybe Pelfrey could be in the swap. So either ur looking at Pelfrey, Thole and Martinez as one package or Thole, Martinez, and 2 of 3 as far as either Holt, Mejjia or Flores goes as far as another package, note if the Mets sign Adam Laroche to play 1b, Daniel Murphy could be another complementary piece thrown in a Halliday offer as well, like I said he would be a complementary piece in a deal, he could not be a centerpiece of a deal. A lot of this depends on of course how much $$$ Wilpon is willing to spend.
  • METS62FAN October 13, 2009 at 9:19 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    ANTHONY, ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, Ls ROCHE AIN’T LEAVING ATLANTA OF HIS OWN ACCORD SINCE HE WAS PUBLICLY CRUSHED WHEN ATL DEALT HIM TO PITT & HE’S BEEN VOCALLY BENT ON RETURNING EVER SINCE, EXPECT A DEEP DISCOUNT TO ATL TO STAY & BTW HE’S A BUST IN THE FIRST HALF OF EVERY SEASON. HALLADAY IS CERTAINLY THE BEST POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE SP OUT THERE; BUT LIKELY NOT DEEMED AFFORDABLE LONG TERM WITH SANTANA COMMITMENT FORGET THIS”WHATEVER OMAR NEEDS” OR “WHATEVER IT TAKES” CRAP; THE TRUE CEILING LINE FOR THE METS UNDER FRED IS THE “I’LL NEVER PAY A DIME IN LUXURY TAXES” LUXURY TAX LINE.THIS YR IS 170M IN 2011 IT’S 178M MEANING THE FURTHER OUT U GO THE LESS WRIGGLE ROOM WITH 2 SUCH CONTRACTS. WITH A NEED FOR A #2 & AN ACE ALREADY ON BOARD, I SEE THEM EYEING LESSER LACKEY, A TRUER #2 & USING TRADE ASSETS FOR 1B OR LF, BTW THE NYM HAVE HAD THE HIGHEST NL PAYROLL SINCE ’03 (7 STRAIGHT YRS WITHOUT LUXURY TAXES, NEVER,EVER PAID THEM SINCE FRED’S PROCLAIMATION AFTER HE LOST HIS FIGHT AGAINST THEM)
    • Anthony October 13, 2009 at 9:51 am

      I am just thinking realistic, I don’t see the mets making all these fancy moves like everyone else does, and u make a great point about wilpon never going paying a luxury tax, which he will never do, which is got me leery about how many moves there going to make and jeff wilpon also talked improving the farm system and u don’t do that my giving first round picks away and signing FA’s, however this year is a different story because the mets did finish among the top 15 worst records in baseball so therefore by rule if the mets sign a Type A FA which is what Lackey is, they would not lose their first round pick. So maybe ur Lackey thought makes sense, however they will have to overpay for the man, because he is the best pitcher on the FA market, i just don’t want to settle for guys from a FA SP standpoint. Now the thing with Fielder, i like Fielder, the problem is he is on the last year of his deal and his agent is Scott Boras, and Boras always takes his clients to free agency, i’d be leery of trading for a guy we could end up with for only 1 year, especially when the player has Boras as the agent. Now the reason I would do Guerrero, first off, he will not be offered arbitration, which means i don’t give up a pick for him, I am only giving him a 2 yr deal, 10 mil a year is nothing, and 20 for 2 yrs for him, is better then going 5 to 7 years for Holliday or Bay, plus in 2 yrs, Beltran’s contract and Guerrero’s contract will be up….maybe I’ll go after Pujols in 2 yrs, whose agent is not Scott Boras. So my moves I guess now that i take ur Wilpon thought into account with the Luxury Tax thing would be Lackey, Guerrero….and maybe if they have money left over, Bengie Molina…..but no way to Rod Barajas, he is awful with the bat, if i am going to sign him, i might as well bring back Schneider or sign Jason Varitek, geez.
  • METS62FAN October 19, 2009 at 8:13 am

    ANTHONY, WHAT U PROPOSE, WHILE CERTAINLY IMPRESSIVE & I ASSUME DOABLE, IS LESS THAN IDEAL SINCE BY TRADING & SIGNING HALLADAY, U’VE PLACED THE NYM IN THE UNENVIABLE POSITION OF GUTTING THEIR FUTURE WHILE NEGOTIATING A PITCHER’S EXTENSION FROM THE WEAKENED POSITION OF “MUST SIGN” AS WE WERE WITH JOHAN, ONLY HALLADAY IS 2 YRS OLDER THAN SANTANA. MAKING HIM 33 THIS COMING MAY AND IN A POSITION TO COMMAND A SANTANESQUE DEAL COMPLETE WITH FULL NO-TRADE PROVISION. THAT PLACES OUR PAYROLL AS LOCKED INTO 3 HUGE NO-TRADE DEALS IN SANTANA,BELTRAN & HALLADAY(VERY YAMKEEISH) WE’D BE IMMOBILIZED CONTRACTUALLY, La ROCHE IS A LOUSY FIRST HALF, SPECTACULAR SECOND HALF PLAYER WHO’LL HAVE TO BE DYNOMITED OUT OF ATL.
    CONSIDERING FROM YOUR OTHER POSTING, YOU FEEL NYM DON’T HAVE THE CHIPS TO DEAL FOR BOTH FIELDER & CRAWFORD, IS ACCURATE ONLY IF BOTH BREWS & RAYS WERE LOOKING FOR THE SAME RETURN. BREWS ARE DESPERATE FOR SPing VOWING TO ADD 2 THIS OFFSEASON. RAYS ARE DEALING SPing & TYPICALLY ARE INTERESTED IN YOUNG POSITIONAL BLUECHIP PROSPECTS THEY CAN GROOM & CONTROL FOR YRS. THE 2 DEALS CAN OCCUR; BUT A HALLADAY, CRAWFORD DEAL CAN NOT. THE ECOMOMY IS OUR FRIEND IN DEALUING WITH A LACKEY SINCE THE OTHER BIG GUNS, NYY & BOSOX WILL HAVE AN EYE OUT FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED HALLADAY OPTION. WITH HALLADAY WE’RE IN A CORNER OF NOT BEING ABLE TO “WALK AWAY”, THE STRONGEST NEGOTIATING TOOL IN THE BOX IN ANY NEGOTIATION, WITH LACKEY, THERE AREN’T MANY OTHER BIG SPENDERS IN THE MKT SO I’D GAMBLE THAT A 4/60 IS TOP BID(MUCH LIKE K-ROD ATMOSPHERE WHERE ACTUAL YRS/$ DIDN’T MATCH FORCASTS). ASK YOURSELF IF THE CHC,DET,PHL,LAA,LAD ARE IN THAT MKT OR THAT SPENDING POSITION. THOSE ARE THE CLUBS WITH PAYROLLS RIGHT BELOW OURS. POSITIONS 3-8. RE VLAD, I BELIEVE THAT SHIP SAILED YRS AGO; BUT WITH A GIMPY LEG & A CAREER .964 LOUSY F%, BY WAHAT MIRACLE CAN HE BE EXPECTED TO COVER THE VAST CITI LF WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE TO BELTRAN’S KNEES? IS HE RELOCATING TO LOURDES? UNFORTUNATLY I SEE A SLIGHTLY YOUNGER ALOU POTENTIAL THERE. HALLADAY WOULD BE A BAD DEAL FOR A GREAT SOLUTION, TOO ONE-SIDED. LACKEY, A LESSER SOLUTION, IS MORE MANAGABLE & MORE AFFORDABLE #2.
• steve October 10, 2009 at 1:25 pm

  Gee Wow. I like your idea of Halladay and Lackey.But Molina is the slowest person in Professional sports.Rod Barajas is my pick behind the plate.He has alot more power and isnt afraid to take a walk.Plus he wont slow the lineup as much as Bengie.So my priorities are.1st trade for Halladay,then sign Lackey-Marquis-Harden or Bedard.Then sign Holliday or Bay,or Figgins.Sign Barajas.Then sign Beimel and Dotel.I believe with help 4free agents and 1 trade,and everyone healthy the Mets can win.
  • mathew October 23, 2009 at 10:33 am

    bengie 265 average 20 homeruns

    rod 226 average 19 homeruns

    my pick bengie
• jdon October 10, 2009 at 1:54 pm

  What we have in our system will not get us much in trade. So it is sign sign sign. It hasn’t worked before and it will not work again. Not with this crew in charge.
• Anthony October 10, 2009 at 2:07 pm

  Well, u have to tell me how much the Wilpon’s are willing to spend and also if u trade for Halladay, 1st-are they willing to pay Halliday Santana money and have 2 25 mil SP’s on the roster and 2nd are they willing to sign a 2nd SP like Lackey if Pelfrey is in the deal with Thole and Martinez for Halladay, next I think getting Lackey and Halladay and Holliday will be difficult, a lot of money there.Also I don’t know if Lackey signs with the mets if Bengie Molina is not the C, just a thought, also how much interst is there from the Mets in signing Laroche, like i said also, 2 yrs 20 for Guerrero maybe a lot safer then going 5yrs 85 mil or 7 yrs 120 mil for Holliday or Bay. But remember before u can consider trading Thole or Martinez or Pelfrey in a Roy Halliday deal, u have to sign a C, LF and SP first. and if u intend on trying to put Murphy in that swap, then Laroche has to be signed first as well. Will see, i like the idea of Dotel and/or Biemel in the bullpen as well, so will see.
  • METS62FAN October 12, 2009 at 11:01 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    FYI, La ROCHE WAS CRUSHED, PUBLICLY, WHEN ATL DEALT HIM TO PITT, HE’S EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH REACQUISITION & UNLIKELY TO LEAVE VOLUNTARILY & BTW HE’S AN ESTABLISHED SECOND HALF ONLY PLAYER WHICH HE FREELY ADMITS. STAY AWAY FROM La ROCHE MILWALKEE DENIES FIELDER AVAILABILITY; BUT PROCLAIMS THEIR DESPERATION FOR 2 SP. OFFER THEM PKG BUILT AROUND PELFREY/NIESE & I BET THEY REALIZE WITH BORAS AS AN AGENT FIELDER’S GONE AFTER ’10 REGARDLESS & THEY’LL DEAL HIM. FIELDER’S PRICETAG FOR 2010 IS 10.5M & HE SHOULD OWN “THE PORCH”! WE’D NEED TO KEEP BOTH MURPH & DAVIS SINCE W/BORAS HE’D ONLY BE OURS 1Y. THAT’S ALL WE’LL NEED.
• oldtimer October 10, 2009 at 3:18 pm

  Like most a #2 starter heads my list but I think it’s unlikely.I’d settle for 2 #3 starters-Myers,Wolff, Marquis,Garland.Piniero,or a gamble like Harden,Hudson,Bedard,or Penny and one #3 starter.
• Brian October 10, 2009 at 3:22 pm

  I thought of a potential trade last night between the Mets and Cubs and while it’s not ideal it’s realistic. Mets get Carlos Zambrano and Milton Bradley for Ollie Perez and Luis Castillo. Now clearly there are obvious downsides in they would be taking on 2 head cases, especially Bradley, and a ton of money (maybe the Cubs could throw in some dough). But on the upside we would be getting rid of 2 guys who have worn out their welcome, be filling 2 needs (LF and #2 SP) in one trade without giving up any prospects, and open up 2B to sign a player like Orlando Hudson. Then since Zambrano just replaced Perez they could still sign a John Lackey or Jason Marquis to add to the rotation. And they would still have all their prospects to trade for a big time 1B like Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez. Or perhaps, but less likely, the Cub deal could be expanded to include Derrek Lee if Fielder and Gonzalez are not doable.

  Lineup:
  Reyes
  Hudson
  Beltran
  Fielder/Gonzalez/Lee
  Wright
  Francoeur
  Bradley
  catcher
  pitcher

  Rotation:
  Santana
  Zambrano
  Lackey/Marquis
  Pelfrey
  Maine
  • captain crunch October 11, 2009 at 9:18 pm

    With all these moves, the Mets payroll has just jumped up from $149mil to almost $200mil. This is more like a fantasy roster and moves and not very realistic. The Cubs would never give both Zambrano and Bradley for Perez and Castillo. First, Zambrano has a no-trade clause, Secondly the Cubs are happy with Fontenot at 2B. As for the rest of your moves, let’s be more realistic here.
    • METS62FAN October 12, 2009 at 9:53 am

      CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
      CAP’N, TWO ITEMS TO CONSIDER IS JEFF HAS PUBLICLY ADMITTED TO “NOT SERIOUSLY CUTTING” PAYROLL. WE STARTED ’09 WITH A 149M NUT. I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF INS & OUTS BEHIND IT; BUT COTS REFLECTS A STARTING 2010 COMMITMENT FOR 92.113M LEAVING LOTS OF ROOM. I CERTAINLY BELIEBVE REPORTS MILW IS TRYING TO UNLOAD THE LAST YR OF FIELDER @ 10.5M & TAMPA IS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ON CRAWFORD’S TEAM OPTION OF 10M. WITH BOTH ONLY BEING 1Y COMMITMENTS I THINK WE CAN FULFILL BREWS’ STATED NEED FOR 2 SP WITH PELFREY & NIESE, WHILE RAYS LOVE TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN CHEAPLY MAY BE INTERESTED IN OUR EARLY PRO TALENT. THE BEST TALENT ON MKT IS SPing IN LACKEY, MARQUIS, PINIERO. HALLADAY WILL BE AVAILABLE & IS THE BEST; BUT NYM JUST CAN’T DO 3 TRADES & BOTH FIELDER & CRAWFORD ARE BEST AVAILABLES AT NEEDED POSITIUONS. MOLINA OR BARAJAS CAN BE OBTAINED FOR #1C POSITION. STARTING @ 92M HER’S THE SKINNY:
      START 92
      FIELDER 10.5/1 YR
      CRAWFORD 10.0/1 YR
      LACKEY 15.0/3-4 YRS
      MARQUIS/
      PINIERO 12.0/3 YRS
      MOLINA/
      BARAJAS 6.0/2 YRS

      PROJECTED 145.5M SPENT VERY WISELY.
      I’D GO TO WAR FEELING 100% SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT ASCCOMPLISHED. WHO WOULDN’T?
  • Tommy2cat October 12, 2009 at 1:37 am

    Think I’d pass on the two Cubbie headcases. That, we can do without.

    As much as I like O-Dog, he’s injury prone. Not that I’d tolerate another season of Castillo, he of the whopping 12 doubles. My worst case scenario for 2b is to shift Daniel Murphy there.

    But, as I will always maintain, the best first solution for the 8 regulars is to get our paws on Cincy’s Brandon Phillips – young, strong and durable. Outside of Santana, Reyes, Beltran & Wright, there are no ballplayers that I wouldn’t trade to acquire BP.

    We don’t need Jason Marquis, as I think we need to move away from mediocrity. I’d rather role the dice with a trade for Halladay and a 3-year K to Joel Pineiro.

    Rotation: Santana, Halladay, Pineiro, Maine, Niese/Nieve/Figgy/Misch/Redding

    Line-up:

    Pagan
    Reyes
    Wright
    Beltran
    Phillips
    Murphy
    Francouer
    Thole/Santos

    Bench: Chris Carter, Evans, Tatis, AHern, Santos/Thole

    Bullpen: K-Rod, Putz, Parnell, Stokes, ChadBrad, Feliciano, Adam Bostick
• Vito October 10, 2009 at 3:31 pm

  I agree getting Laroche for first base.Gives u pop and play a great first base.Getting Halliday as # 2 is great idea,but do we have enough to give Toronto.Go get a jason Marquis or lackey in free agent signing.Get a power hitting left fielder.Bolster up ball pen with a Dotel.Keep Pagan as a 4th outfielder.Resign Tatis as a bat off bench and spot starter.Hopefully everyone remains Healthy and say a Pray everynight in d off season that they will. P.S.Best trade Omar made is Franceaur for Church.
  • captain crunch October 11, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    The Mets must decide if Daniel Murphy or Ike Davis (who has done very well in minors and will be playing AAA this year) is their future 1st baseman. If not, then LaRouche could be a good choice. I believe that Halladay will be available in the off-season, but I don’t believe the demands on him will be as high as it was during this season. I know we all want the big names via FA and or trades, however; let’s be realistic here, the Mets can’t afford no more than 2 players. I like the thought of looking into getting Lackey and Crawford (if the Rays make him available). I also like to look into a few players who had off years (performance or injuries), if Nady/Glaus/Bedard/Sheets are all completely healthy, I would consider 1 yr deals w/incentives for 2 of them (1 pitcher/1 position player).
• Anthony October 10, 2009 at 5:18 pm

  Well, I get the Castillo/Bradley part of that deal, but why would the Cubs do the Zambrano/Perez part of it? Just asking. Halliday could happen, he has a full no trade so he has all the power of where he goes like Santana did. I think we would have just enough in a trade for Halliday if were putting Pelfrey, Martinez and Thole in the swap, now before u deal any of them, u have to be committed to having 2 25 million dollar starting pitchers on ur roster as well as signing a LF, C, another SP and maybe a 1b if u intend to put Murphy in this deal as well.
  • Brian October 10, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    Well the #1 reason they would move Zambrano is his huge contract which he still has 3yrs at $53.75M left on plus a vesting option at $19.25M. That is more than double what Perez has left on his contract without considering the option which could potentially automatically kick in. And for all that money they got 9 wins and numerous DL trips and temper tantrums. They also feel he is a head case, lazy and doesn’t work hard especially in the offseason and on conditioning which contributes to the inconsistencies and time on the DL. They paid him a couple years ago to be their ace and he has not come close to living up to that. A change of scenery could be good for him, especailly a move from Wrigley to Citi, and he’d slot in much more comfortably behind Santana than as an ace in Chicago.

    Why on earth would Toronto want Pelfrey in a trade for Halladay? He’s been average in the NL and they want him in the AL East? Just asking.
    • steve October 10, 2009 at 10:46 pm

      The rumoured trade in the summer went.Ruben tejada-Fernando Martinez-Jon Niese-and I cant remember the last player.I believe that was fairly close to what Toronto wanted then.I dont think they want Thole a singles hitting catcher.But Parnell-meija-tejada-Bowman-Ike Davis would do.It might even be too much.
      • Anthony October 10, 2009 at 11:01 pm

        The last player in that rumored Halliday deal was Parnell. The first thing that has to be decided before any halliday deal is done is do the mets want 2 25 mil a year starters on their team……I’d do it of course based on the ballpark were in. Hey with maybe only 30 mil to spend some people will say…..not me…but some people will say why pay halliday 25 mil, when u could get Lackey for 15-16 mil, Guerrero for 10 mil, Pudge for 1-2 mil and dotel or Biemel for 1-2 mil. And nobody is taking castillo off the mets hands, i don’t care how well he did.
        • steve October 11, 2009 at 11:17 am

          1st Halladay would be the ace by the end of April.Toronto knows they have to deal him,he will not resign with them.Boston isn’t going to resign Bay.They have other priorities SS.Castillo has been linked to Detroit,who is losing Polanco.But is looking at shedding salary players Robertson and Bonderman.
        • METS62FAN October 14, 2009 at 10:51 am

          ANTHONY, WHILE HALLADAY IS CERTAINLY, ON PAPER, THE BEST SP OUT THERE, I BELIEVE STRIPPING THE TEAM OF THEIR BEST YOUTH AS WELL AS SURRENDERING ANOTHER SANTANAESQUE CONTRACT EXTENSION IS ILL CONCEIVED AS WELL AS BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY WITH SANTANA COMMITMENT OF 20M IN ’10 & ADDING ANOTHER M EACH SUBSEQUENT YR UNTIL 2014 & BELTRAN WITH 18.5M ADDING ANOTHER 20M PLAYER WITH ANOTHER NO-TRADE CLAUSE WHILE REFUSING TO PAY OUTSIDE OF SLOTS FOR DRAFTEES IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE BEST PROSPECTS IS A PATH TO SELF-ELIMINATION. PITCHING CERTAINLY WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS; BUT HITTING & SCORING RUNS QUALIFIES U OVER 162. THOUGHTS OF INCORPORATING MURPHY,THOLE,SANTOS,PAGAN INTO A FINAL SOLUTION IS AT BEST A WILDCARD COMPETITOR EVEN WITH HALLADAY WHO’LL ONLY EFFECT 30G WHEN WE DESPERATELY NEED TO EFFECT 162 AS BEST WE CAN MEANING AT LEAST 50+ MORE HR THAN ’09 WHEREVER THEY CAN COME FROM. BTW, NO TEAM HAS EVER BEEN TRULY STRONG COUNTING ON LESS THAN A COMBINED 2Y EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE DISH ESPECIALLY WITH YOUTHFUL PITCHING ON THE TEAM. THOLE IS NICE; BUT THINK MURPHY,DIAZ,VAIL BEING RELIED UPON ON EVERY STINKING PITCH OF A GAME, NOT JUST HIS AB. JEFF’S MILB IMPROVMENT STATEMENT MUST REFER TO HOW IT’S RUN NOT HOW IT’S PLAYED, WHICH IS A PARTICULARLY LESS IMPORTANT ALTERATION. HAVEN’T WE ALREADY SEEN THAT 1 DOMINANT SP IS NOT AN ANSWER. ONE MORE ISN’T EITHER.
• theonlymaskman October 10, 2009 at 7:39 pm

  My priorities would be to get Holliday or Bay to plug the hole in LF. Get Adrian Gonzalez or Fielder for 1B and trade Murphy to the AL. Fill the #2 SP slot with Halladay. Those 3 moves would conclude the offseason and set the team up in great shape for next season. How do you accomplish all that? I don’t know; that’s why Omar gets the big bucks.
• Lifelongmetsfan October 10, 2009 at 8:11 pm

  I love how everyone just types. “Yeah we get Hallday.or Bay to play LF Lackey… Hudson, Cooper, etc etc as though the Mets can just cherry pick available players and POOF they are on the roster. haha…

  Why would the Angles let Lackey get away?
  Why would St. Louis not resign Halladay?
  The Brewers have stated publicly Fielder is not available.
  Why would the Mets trade away Castillo now that he is finally healthy and producing? Even if the Mets could somehow pull off miracle to move Castillo and get Hudson on the roster why would they? Castillo had a more productive year and projects to be equally productive in 2010.
  Why wouldn’t the Red Sox resign Bay?
  The Padres have also stated that Gonzalez is not available. Even if the Padres do move Gonzalez the won’t make a trade until July of next year.
  • theonlymaskman October 11, 2009 at 10:13 am

    I think you set your priorities high and make the best effort possible to achieve them. If that’s not possible, then you move on to the Plan B’s. But at least you need to try.
  • METS62FAN October 12, 2009 at 8:25 am

    CAPSLOCLK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    LIFER, RE. LACKEY, I FELT THE SAME AS U Re. ANGELS LIKELY TO FIGHT TO RETAIN HIM; BUT IN RECENT ARTICLE BILL NADDEN EXPLAINS THEIR COMMITMENT TO KAZMIR HAS WEAKENED THEIR NEED/DESIRE ON LACKEY. SINCE MY PREFERENCES FOR 1B & LF ARE FIELDER & CRAWFORD, I KNEW THEY DODN’T HAVE THE ASSETS TO PULL OFF 3 DEALS(FIELDER,CRAWFORD,HALLADAY); BUT COULD ONLY FILL EVERYTHING BY GOING TO THE MARKET. THE F/A MKT HOLDS LITTLE TO DESIRE @ IB OR LF. MY OPINION HOLLIDAY IS A DISASTER IN CITI, NOT ENOUGH D OR POP TYO CONQUER DIMENSIONS. THAT LEFT ME WITH MKT FOR PITCHING. THERE’S PLENTY OF VALUE IN LACKEY,MARQUIS,PINIERO WITH ONLY LACKEY GUARANTEED #2 CALIBER, MARQUIS’ STATS THIS YR ARE SUPRISINGLY VIABLE TO LACKEY’S. CHECK IT OUT! MADE ME RETINK. ESP AFTER FRENCHY ENDORSEMENT AS WARRIOR. 10 STRAIGFHT PLAYOFF SEASONS PITCJING IN CHC & COL. BODES WELL FOR BIG CITI RESULTS.
• Kevin October 10, 2009 at 8:11 pm

  #2 starter has to be their top priority. Good starting pitching makes a bullpen better. However, they desperately need a bat. 2 possible scenarios: Sign Lackey and trade for Gonzalez or trade for Halladay and sign LaRoche. I prefer the second scenario. I doubt they have the financial resources to do more than this. Frankly, I don’t see them having the horses to get someone like Gonzalez or Fielder. However, Toronto is over a barrel with Halladay so they will have to compromise ala Minnesota with Santana. They also need to sign a solid defensive catcher. Unless Thole improves his defense dramatically, I don’t see a future for him behind the plate. Santos is a nice backup.
• Lifelongmetsfan October 10, 2009 at 8:13 pm

  Opps. Cooper? Haha I meant to type Fielder. I somehow thinking of C. Copper the old time Brewer 1st baseman.
• Lifelongmetsfan October 10, 2009 at 8:16 pm

  I think Kevin is right. A #2 starter should be the top priority.
  Kevin makes great points. I think it’s a distinct possibly for the Mets to obtain Roy Halladay via. trade although say goodbye to Ike Davis.
• Anthony October 10, 2009 at 9:59 pm

  Lifelong, I agree, i think Halliday is a possibility also and Ike davis is another guy that will be considered in a deal for him. Now I’ll answer ur questions 1 by 1:

  Why would the Angles let Lackey get away?

  When the Angels traded for Kazmir, it made signing Lackey less of a priority for them, plus Angels won’t pay Lackey AJ Burnett money which is what he wants(5 yrs 82 mil)

  Why would St. Louis not resign Halladay?

  Carpenter’s contract is up after this coming season, they have to sign him and Pujols’ contract is up the year after, they have to sign him, he wants 30 million a year. They won’t have the money to sign Holliday to a 5 yr 80 plus mil deal or a 7 year 120 mil, plus 1 more factor, Holliday’s agent is Scott Boras, he goes for the highest offer. Cardinals not exactly a big market, they made a huge mistake signing Kyle Louse to a 4 year 48 mil deal, that deal will come back to bite em.

  The Brewers have stated publicly Fielder is not available.

  Mets don’t have pieces for Fielder and I agree with u.

  Why would the Mets trade away Castillo now that he is finally healthy and producing? Even if the Mets could somehow pull off miracle to move Castillo and get Hudson on the roster why would they? Castillo had a more productive year and projects to be equally productive in 2010.

  I agree with u a 1000% on this, Castillo is a Met next year.

  Why wouldn’t the Red Sox resign Bay?

  I agree, he stays a red sox without a doubt.

  The Padres have also stated that Gonzalez is not available. Even if the Padres do move Gonzalez the won’t make a trade until July of next year.

  Very good job, Gonzalez is from there, they won’t trade him in the off-season, maybe at the deadline like u said.

  I agree that Halliday is a possibility here, as far as OF goes i think Guerrero(2 yrs 20 mil-10 mil per), Abreu and Dye are more realistic options then Holliday and Bay. Lackey is a possibility especially if Molina is the mets new C, if the Mets get a FA 1b, i think it will be Adam Laroche, they had interest in him at the deadline. A lot of this of course depends on how much Wilpon is willing to spend and how the market shapes up in terms of prices and bids for these guys. I guess Holliday could be a possibility if we failed on our pitching targets, but will see. I hear Guerrero may not even be offered arbitration from the Angels which i think is crazy, so he would not cost us a draft pick for him, plus say the mets did sign Lackey then we would not have to forefit our 1st round pick to the Angles do to the fact that we finished in the top 15 in terms of bad records. Will be a interesting off-season that’s for sure.
• Brian October 10, 2009 at 10:40 pm

  Last offseason every Met fan would have given anything to get Castillo off this team but there was no way anyone would’ve taken him even for free because he was so awful. Now he has one season where he hits .300 and stays relatively healthy and no way we can move him. Now is precisely the time to trade him when his value is actually back up to a respectable level and a team might actually be willing to take him. Do you really think that Castillo will be able to duplicate the health and performance again next season? He walks around like he has 2 peg legs. Plus he is not good defensively and has no power whatsoever. And Hudson is not the only available replacement just the most frequently mentioned because of how vocal he’s been about wanting to play here which is refreshing. Plus if he was only able to get a 1 yr $5M deal late last offseason he could probably be had real cheap this offseason. Here is a list of other potential 2B options:

  Second basemen
  Ronnie Belliard (35) – Type B
  Jamey Carroll (36)
  Alex Cora (34)
  Craig Counsell (39)
  Mark DeRosa (35) – Type A
  Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) – Type B
  Orlando Hudson (32) – Type A
  Akinori Iwamura (31) – $4.25MM club option with a $250K buyout
  Adam Kennedy (34)
  Felipe Lopez (30) – Type B
  Mark Loretta (38)
  Pablo Ozuna (35)
  Placido Polanco (34) – Type A
  Freddy Sanchez (32) – $8MM club option with a $600K buyout – Type B
  Juan Uribe (31)

  Shortstops
  Orlando Cabrera (35) – Type A, can’t be offered arbitration
  Alex Cora (34)
  Craig Counsell (39)
  Bobby Crosby (30)
  Adam Everett (33)
  Chris Gomez (39)
  Alex Gonzalez (32) – $6MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
  Khalil Greene (30)
  Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) – Type B
  John McDonald (35)
  Marco Scutaro (34) – Type A
  Miguel Tejada (36) – Type A
  Omar Vizquel (43)
  Jack Wilson (32) – $8.4MM club option with a $600K buyout
• Kevin B October 10, 2009 at 10:45 pm

  We are not getting fielder or crawford. I would recommend not trading any more prospects because we are still hurting from the santana and putz trades even though none of the players involved in those trades have made a HUGE difference with thier teams. I would like lackey but i think in the long-run he will not be worth. If we can somehow get rich harden for 2, 3 years max i say sign him. has ace-like stuff when he is healthy also he is a projected type-B free agent which wont cost the mets a draft pick because of where they are in the draft. I doubt we could trade castillo or perez but if possible sign o-dog. we should also possibly go after chone figgins. we will probably not get holliday or bay. everyone says we will but we are not the only team that wants them. so hopefully
  1. Santana
  2. Lackey OR Harden
  3. Pelfrey
  4. Maine
  5. Perez

  Lineup
  1. Reyes
  2. O-dog OR castillo
  3. Wright
  4. Beltran
  5. French
  6. Murphy
  7. Hawpe
  8. Thole or santos (or just a boulder to block balls)
  9. pitcher
  • Brian October 10, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    Hate to break it to you but that team, especially with Harden and Castillo, would finish in 3rd place in the NL East next season. It’s also unfortunately a much more likely scenario than all the people talking about Halladay and Holliday and the like.
• alan October 11, 2009 at 10:06 am

  Is it a coincidence that 41% of the people who voted on this question believed that the team needs a good starting pitcher above all? Seems the number 41 is a bit familiar no? LOL…

  Okay…..the smart voters know that pitching is 70% of what baseball is all about and the truth is that we would need to package 2 players of quality and take in a big salary to get a slugging first baseman. If healthy there is no reason to believe that Carlos Delgado can’t do the job we need. A big time catcher comes along rarely so the next issue is do we entrust left field to Angel Pagan? I would like to see the Mets go after a slugging leftfielder but will the free agents like Jason Bey or Matt Holiday be out there and how many years will we need to give them?

  Bottom line is that the Mets should go after not one but two starters because they can’t count on Oliver Perez at all and there are too many questions yet to be answered about John Maine’s durability and MIke Pelfrey’s growth in general.

  If we had starters to get us into the 7th or 8th inning on a regular basis than we woiuldn’t need to overwork a bullpen again and our closer wouldn’t be used to just get some work because of a lack of save opportunities.
• Metsdude October 11, 2009 at 1:02 pm

  Even if the Mets got a #2 starter and a big time outfielder they still have too many holes to fill. Last season, everyone said the Mets just needed to fix the bullpen (specifically a set-up man) and then they would be ready to win it all. So Omar got K-rod to replace the injured Wagner and Putz to set up and Omar held a press conference proclaiming he fixed the problem and the Mets are ready. Well, now Putz is gone and we need a legitimate set-up man once again..Everyone is now saying that it’s no big deal and we have bigger needs to fill but last year everyone was saying it was the bullpen that is so important and was to blame for the collapse(Heilman being ineffective, etc.). Also, K-rod is worrisome..He had a the worst year of his career and a worse year than Wagner (who is also no longer a Met)ever had as a Met. I’m sure at the end of next year everyone will be saying that all Omar needs to do is add a set-up man and we’re good to go..
• Devin October 11, 2009 at 5:14 pm

  Good pitching beats good hitting all the time. Get the pitcher first. Why build a pitchers park and then just have one good pitcher on your staff? Thanks Omar.
• Anthony October 11, 2009 at 9:16 pm

  I wonder how much consideration there is to bringing Delgado back for 1 year if Delgado is willing to take about 75% less money compared to what he made this year. I mean most people seem to not want Murphy to be the 1b and i can’t totally disagree. I mean if they bring in a SP, LF and C along with a middle reliever, is it so bad to bring back delgado at a real low number compared to what he was making this year? And by the way that was a big time hit by Guerrero in the 9th today.
• captain crunch October 11, 2009 at 9:40 pm

  please, this is for all Met fans who are considering this, We do not need Vladamir Guerraro. he is strictly a DH and his skills are declining.
• captain crunch October 11, 2009 at 9:52 pm

  The answers to all your questions can be found on mlbtraderumors.com
• Anthony October 11, 2009 at 10:52 pm

  First of all, Guerrero has played at least 140 games or more every year except 2 yrs, this one being one of them, second, the guy has hit 300 or better 11 yrs in a row and hit 295 this year, the guy went on a tear when he came back from injury on aug 4th hitting 360 with 11hr’s and 30 rbi’s, the guy hit 400 in the playoffs, the guy is hardly done, if heyman is right about guerrero getting only 2yrs and 20 mil(10 mil per year) i would rather take him for that and not trade any players at all, I would also rather have Guerrero for that price then pay Holliday or bay 5 to 7 years for anywhere near 75 to 120 million dollars. Then I would go get Molina and Lackey, if Delgado is willing to come back for a really low number compared to what he made last year, i would highly consider it. If the mets could sign bengie molina to C along with a middle reliever like dotel or biemel, so be it. I believe a lineup of Reyes, Castillo, Guerrero, Beltran, Wright, Delgado, Franceour and Molina is more then formidible. A rotation of Santana, Lackey, Perez, Pelfrey and Maine is fine. A bullpen of K-rod, Dotel or Biemel, Stokes, Parnell, Felicano could be ok…..maybe this Jerry Mejjia could contribute in the pen, they say he throws 100mph. I think lackey for 4 yrs 60 mil(15 mil per year is possible), I think delgado in the 3-4 mil range is possible, Molina in the 4 mil range is possible, 2 yrs 20 mil for Guerrero(10 mil per) I would do in a second if Heyman is right. Dotel or Biemel in the 2 mil neighborhood is quite possible.
• steve October 12, 2009 at 7:50 am

  Please stop with Molina love in.The guy is the slowest person in professional sports.400 lbs dart players can run faster than him.He is too old.Lets get a younger more agile catcher ROD BARAJAS.I agree with all your other players except Molina.The Mets dont need a singles hitter who is going to clog the basepaths.
  • METS62FAN October 12, 2009 at 8:47 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    STEVE, BASED UPON THESE COMMENTS, I’M THINKING EITHER U’VE A BLIND CRUSH ON BARAJAS OR YOYU’RE HIS AGENT; POSSIBLY TRANDFERING SOME YADIA ANGST TO BIG BROTHER. CONSIDERING YR “KID” BARAJAS IS ONLY 1 YR YOUNGER THAN BENGIE, THE “SINGLES” HITTER WHO PLAYED IN MORE GAMES & HAD MANY MORE X-TRA BH THAN BARAJAS. MORE 2B,3B,HR. NON-DSTATISTICAL ADVANTAGES: BENGIE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH NL HITTERS’ WEAKNESSES & STRENGTHS. IT’S FAIRLY TOUGH TO CLOG BASEPATHS AS U SAY WITH 8 MORE EXTRA BASEHITS & A COMPARISON:

    MOLINA BARAJAS
    BA .265 .228
    OBP .285 .258
    SLG .442 .403
    OPS .727 .661
    SO, CAN WE GET OFF THE BARAJAS SCHTICK? I TOO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT AGE; BUT SUPRISED TO SEE BENGIE, DOB 7/20/74 Vs. BARAJAS 9/05/75. EITHER WAY, I’M THINKING 2Y DEAL 12M MAX. NL FAMILIARITY IS DECIDER IN MY BOOK.
    BARAJAS WOULDN’T BE TERRIBLE CHOICE. I LIKE THOUGHTS OF BENGIE AGGRESSIVLY SHEPARDING OUR BACKEND THROUGH THE LINRUPS OPPOSED.
    • mathew October 23, 2009 at 11:03 am

      bengie 265 average 20 homeruns

      rod 226 average 19 homeruns

      my pick bengie

      Matt holliday 313 average 24 homeruns over a farther avay fence 109 rbis

      Jason bay 267 average 36 homeruns over the 300 feet away green monster and 119 rbis

      my pick matt

      john lackey 11-8 3.83 era

      jason marquis 15-13 4.04 era

      my pick get both you will dominate the nl east 3 star pitchers 1 good pitcher (john maine) and one on and off pitcher (ollie perez) in the playoffs use the 3 stars and if you need to john maine
  • METS62FAN October 13, 2009 at 9:02 am

    CAPSLOCK…ETC.
    STEVE, COULDN’T FIND YOUR “ONLY 2 MOVES” NOTE; VLAD IS GOING TO BE 35 BEFORE ST & ONLY PLAYED IN 100G IN ’09. MY 2 MOVES WOULD BE HALLADAY & FIELDER; BUT WHY ONLY 2? IF THEY LIMIT IT THUS, THEY’LL SURRENDER DIV TO PHL WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT. THEY NEED AT LEAST 3. MY BEST 3 WOULD BE FIELDER,HALLADAY,CRAWFORD; BUT FAILING THAT AS TOO MANY TRADES, I REPLACE HALLADAY W/LACKEY THEY’VE ALREADY GOT A #1 SP; BUT CAN SETTLE FOR A #2 IF ADDING 50HR POTENTIAL @ 1B+LF FIELDER OWNS THE PORCH IF ACQUIRED!
• Anthony October 12, 2009 at 12:56 pm

  I was debating between Halliday and Lackey……and part of me is very leery about giving Lackey a deal in the 5 yr 80 mil range, I know Halliday would command a much bigger price in terms of prospects and in terms of an extension, but he is by far a much more of a sure thing. What do u guys think? Halliday is not a Boras client, so chances are u could get an extension done after u trade for him.
• Anthony October 12, 2009 at 8:38 pm

  Question, if u could only make 2 moves this off-season for mets and have to deal with the rest, what would they be?

  For me it would be trading for Doc Halliday and signing Guerrero to a 2 yr deal. So that means the rotation is halliday, Santana, Perez, Pelfrey, Maine, ehh that’s ok. That means the lineup would be something like…..Reyes, Castillo, Guerrero, Beltran, Wright(or Wright, beltran, Guerrero, u decide)Murphy, Franceuor and Thole….Not great, but it’s a little better and those Mets fans that want to see young guys play get to see Murphy and Thole play everyday. Then the bullpen would be…..K-rod, Mejja(i hope), Parnell, Stokes, Felicano, not exactly horrible.
  • METS62FAN October 13, 2009 at 11:48 am

    ANTHONY, RE. LUXURY TAX CEILING AND SPENDING LIKLIHOOD YOU MAY WANT TO SCOPE OUT THE PROJECTED PAYROLL COSTS I POSTED EARLIER ON THIS THREAD. I BELIEVE PRUDENT COMBOS OF TRADES & SIGNINGS CAN FILL HOLES WELL & STILL KEEP PAYROLL UNDER 150M WHICH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT STILL ACCOMODATES AN IN SEASON HALLADAY ACQUISSITION BEING 28M UNDER THE LINE.
    LUXURY LINE SET FOR ’09 WAS 162M, 2010 IS 170M, 2011 IS 178M…

    ONE OTHER NOTE U MAY HAVE MISSED IS VLAD WILL TURN 35 IN OFFSEASON & BELTRAN’S KNEES CAN’T COVER LINE-2-LINE ANOTHER SEASON. SO BIG D IS NECESSARY IN LF. ELIMINATES HOLLIDAY & BAY, IN MY OPINION. CRAWFORD IS THE BEST GOLDPLATED ANSWER TO BAT SECOND & ROAM LF. IMAGINE THE HEATERS HE’LL SEE BEHIND REYES. THAT’D BE FEASTING BORDERING ON GLUTTONY. PORCH’S NEW UNOFFICIAL NAME WOULD BE “FIELDER’S PORCH” IN THE NL WHO WOULD CHALLENGE THIS DEEP A LINEUP:
    REYES, CRAWFORD, BELTRAN, FIELDER, WRIGHT, FRANCOUER, MOLINA,CASTILLO
    SUPPORTING ROTATION:
    SANTANA,LACKEY,MARQUIS,PEREZ,MAINE
    IF HEATH RESTORED THE ONLY QUESTIONS ARE THE PRICE OF POSTSEASON DUCETS
    I’D ALSO GIVE STRONG CONSIDERATION TO RESIGNING PUTZ TO A MORE COST EFFECTIVE SETUP CONTRACT WITH A BUILT IN BUMP IF HE BECOMES THE CLOSER. OTHERWISE OTHER THAN MAYBE MISCH/BOSTICK AS 2nd LOOGIE TO FELICIANO I’D KEEP PEN AS IS.
    THE ABOVE FIGURES PELFREY & NIESE GET DEALT IN FIELDER DEAL.
    BECAUSE FIELDER IS IKELY ONLY 1 YR ANSWER, MY UNTOUCHABLE IS DAVIS & THE 2011 POTENTIAL F/A CLASS OF 1B IS:
    Player Club
    First Basemen
    Lance Berkman HOU *
    Wes Helms FLA
    Jason Giambi COL
    Ross Gload FLA
    Paul Konerko CWS
    Derrek Lee CHC
    David Ortiz BOS *
    Lyle Overbay TOR
    Carlos Pena TB
    Albert Pujols STL *
    • METS62FAN October 13, 2009 at 11:52 am

      BAD FINGERS…SHOULD READ IF HEALTH RESTORED… NOT INPMY REACQUISITION OF HEATH BEALL(LMAO)
• Anthony October 13, 2009 at 10:48 am

  Well I still think the over/under on the amount of needs type moves the mets make is 2, Wilpon did say the FA market was a little light and kept emphaizing trades, so let me throw this out there, i have a pretty good idea what it will cost for Doc Halliday, but now, not that I am exactly for bringing this guy in here, because i am not, but I could see it happening, what would it cost in a trade to bring in OF Brad Hawpe from the Rockies? Could we get both Halliday and Hawpe in trades? I could see it happening that the mets get these 2 guys and go with Thole and Murphy at C and 1b respectively and maybe Mejja for the bullpen with what we got, maybe they bring in a LH guy like Biemel, but after those 2 I might not see a whole lot happening.
  • Anthony October 13, 2009 at 7:54 pm

    Guys the mets are not raising the payroll to 160 or 170 mil payroll. Be real. The mets are not taking Fielder and Crawford on the last year of there deals unless they know they can get an extension on either. And with Fielder we know that won’t happen with Boras. I think they do 1 trade and 1 FA as far as a note worthy move goes. Maybe Halliday, maybe Brad Hawpe and if he is allowed to maybe Bengie Molina, after that, that’s it, I think they have a better chance of getting a big pitcher then a big hitter, lower the expectations on the big hitter folks, because the mets are not getting a star hitter, maybe a Hawpe type. Halliday in a trade or Lackey in the FA market is possible as far as a big pitcher goes, but there not getting a mega hitter, Hawpe or Abreu type… perhaps, but the idea of a Holliday, Bay, Guerrero, Fielder, Crawford….ur dreamin……
    • METS62FAN October 14, 2009 at 11:51 am

      ANTHONY, FIELDER FOR ONE YEAR IS A PERFECT SOLUTION SINCE THEY NEED ONLY A 1Y BRIDGE TO GET TO IKE DAVIS AND 10.5M IS EASILY DOABLE ESP IF IT DOESN’T COST TONS OF PROSPECTS. SINCE BREWS’ GM ALREADY ANNOUNCED A PRIORITY FOR ADDING 2 ARMS TO THE ROTATION & A WILLINGNESS TO DEAL THEIR TOP PROSPECT TO DO SO, I BELIEVE A PELFREY+NIESE OFFER GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION ESP BY NOT DEMANDING THAT PROSPECT. THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL WAY OF DEALING WITH A BORAS CLIENT IS ON A 1Y ONLY DEAL & BTW METS’LL REAP THE DRAFT PICK COMPENSATION IN THE END. CRAWFORD IS REP’D BY BRIAN PETERS & HAS 6Y OF MLB SERVICE & MAY REMAIN AFFORDABLE TO KEEP AFTER HE PLAYS OUT HIS OPTION. THE POSSIBILITY OF SOLVING 1B,LF & HR OUTAGE FOR ONLY 20.5M FOR 1Y IS TOO AWESOME TO LET PASS WITHOUT A STRONG EFFORT.
      • Anthony October 14, 2009 at 7:13 pm

        Here is what I’ll say ok, if the mets sign Lackey as a FA, big if because they will have to overpay to get em, if they do, then ur idea of trading for either Crawford or Fielder makes sense, and it will be one or the other and not both and if they do get one of those guys it will be because they think they can get one of those guys to an extension and if Lackey is signed, the hitter I think they would trade for out of either Crawford or Fielder is Crawford, boras is not his agent, his speed will help and if he has to be he can be the leadoff hitter if reyes cannot start the season on time. But there only making one trade, there not getting Fielder and Crawford and Halliday i think they only get one of them. But if they sign Lackey as a FA, i could see them trading Fernando Martinez and Mike Pelfrey to get Crawford, I could see it. Then I could see Luis Caastillo getting traded for either Bonderman or D-train to replace Pelfrey, both Bonderman and D-train are on the last year of there contract. Then if they trade Castillo then I can see Orlando Hudson being signed to play 2b. If they sign a get another 1b, I think it will not be Adam Laroche based on what u said about Lacroche crying when he got traded from Atl to Pitt, I remember that, I think that the mets would sign either Nick Johnson or bring back Delgado back for about 25% of what he last year. I don’t see them bringing in a big-time power bat in here. But if u everyday position players of C Bengie Molina, 1b-Nick Johnson, 2b Orlando Hudson, SS Jose Reyes, 3b David Wright, LF-Carlos Crawford, CF-Carlos Beltran, RF-Jeff Franceour, i don’t think it is that bad, especially if u have Lackey and Bonderman in the rotation to go with Santana, Perez and Maine, if u sign say Biemel and make him the other lefty in the pen with Felicano and this Mejja that throws 100mph makes the team to go with K-rod, stokes, Parnell, i don’t know if this team would win the division, but i think they would be a very tough team to knock out of the playoffs. To me it would be a lot like the 1999 team.
        • METS62FAN October 24, 2009 at 11:02 am

          ANTHONY, WHAT’S YOUR SOURCE INDICATING A DETROIT INTEREST IN CASTILLO? MAGIC 8-BALL? IF, AS U CLAIM HE WAS A LOUSY SIGNING, HAS 90 YR OLD KNESS, ETC. WHY IS DETROIT SUPPOSED TO BE INTERESTED WHEN HUDSON’S ON MKT? IT’S ILLOGICAL. FIELDER @ 1B FOR PELFREY,MAINE,MURPHY IS LOGICAL & IMMEDIATLY COST EFFECTIVE.FROM TONE OF BREWS’ PETERSON ANNOUNCMENT HE HAS MUCH THE SAME PITCHING INFLUENCE AS HE HAD W/NYM. PERUSE BREWS’ CURRENT ROTATION, CONSIDER LOOPER LIKELY TO WALK & TELL ME WHERE THEY GET THEIR REQUIRED 2 ‘ESTABLISHED’ SP? THE ONLY TRUE DOWNSIDE TO A FIELDER ACQUISITION IS AN ARBITRATION HEARING Vs BORAS AFTER ’10 IF AWARD IS ASTRONOMICAL THEY’LL EITHER PAY IT OR RELEASE HIM WHEN DAVIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE READY AND BOTH BERKMAN & POUJOLS ARE F/A. MUCH STRONGER POOL OF F/A IN ’11.
• Anthony October 13, 2009 at 10:40 pm

  I got a question because somebody mentioned it, why would anybody look to trade Castillo for Bonderman or Robertson on the Tigers, they both have been awful for the past couple years.
  • Anthony October 13, 2009 at 10:57 pm

    U want to tell me, Bonderman because he is on the last year of his deal…..eh maybe, i don’t love it but, u get me Halliday with Pelfrey in the deal…..eh perhaps…….another guy to consider with that team is the D-train as well, he would be on the last year of his deal, u want to tell me D-train or Bonderman being there on the last year of their deals….ehh maybe, i know there is a chance of getting Orlando Hudson if u do that but the thing that gets me is we got one Oliver perez already, i don’t know if i want another one.
    • METS62FAN October 15, 2009 at 9:39 am

      ANTHONY, BEWARE OF O’DAWG.
      CONSIDER THIS…AZ LET HIM WALK. HE WAS A LATE, LAST MINUTE P/U NY LAD WHO WERE QUICK TO INTERRUPT HIS IMPRESSIVE YR TO GIVE HIS SPOT TO JOURNEYMAN BELLIARD, A GNATS CASTOFF.
      3 PLAYERS I FEAR WHO WON’T PLAY UP TO PAST STATS: ABREU,VLAD,HUDSON. I CAN’T PUT MY FINGER ON WHY, JUST SAY IT’S MY GUT FEELING ON ALL 3. PERHAPS THEY’VE COME OF AGE AS HUDSON,32, GUERRO,35, ABREU,36. WHEN SANS JUICE 33 IS ‘OLD’ LIKE IT USED TO BE. MAYBE, MAYBE NOT; BUT THE WRITING ON THE WALLS, SAYING HUDSON’S LOST HIS JOB TWICE IN 2 YRS; GUERRO IS LISTED AS A DH NOW, ABREU IS ABREU STILL ALLERGIC TO FENCES & WALLS.

      NO MATTER HOW U ANALYZE IT THE METS DO NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL CLEANUP HITTER ON ROSTER WITHOUT DELGADO MAKING FIELDER THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AN ACQUISITION.
      HERE’S HOW I SEE THEIR MUST HASVES FOR ’10: #2 SP, 1B, #1C, CLEANUP HITTER. TO THE DEGREE ANY OF THE POSITION FIXES ARE CLEANUP HITTERS THAT’S GRAVY. FIELDER IS ONLY DUAL SOLUTION I SEE. 1Y IS PERFECT SINCE THEY’LL GET THE ADDED FIRST ROUNDER & 1B F/A POOL MUCH,MUCH BETTER IF DAVIS REALLY NEEDS MORE TIME… 2010 1B POTENTIAL F/A:
      Player Club
      First Basemen
      Hank Blalock TEX
      Russell Branyan SEA
      Carlos Delgado NYM (B)
      Nomar Garciaparra OAK
      Jason Giambi COL
      Ross Gload * FLA
      Aubrey Huff DET (B)
      Nick Johnson WAS (B)
      Adam LaRoche ATL (B)
      Kevin Millar TOR
      Robb Quinlan LAA
      Matt Stairs PHI
      Mike Sweeney SEA
      Jim Thome LAD
      Chad Tracy ARZ
      2011 POTENTUIAL FREE AGENTS:

      Player Club
      First Basemen
      Lance Berkman HOU *
      Wes Helms FLA
      Jason Giambi COL
      Ross Gload FLA
      Paul Konerko CWS
      Derrek Lee CHC
      David Ortiz BOS *
      Lyle Overbay TOR
      Carlos Pena TB
      Albert Pujols STL
      FIELDER AT 1B FOR 2010 @ 10.5M IS A REDUCTUION FROM DELGADO’S 12M IN ’09
      WITH BREWS STATED TARGET TO ADD 2 ROTATION ARMS, I BELIEVE PELFREY+NIESE GETS IT DONE ESPECIALLY SINCE FIELDER’S 10M IS 25% OF THEIR CURRENT ’10 PAYROLL COMMITMENT. THE BIG TRICK IN GETTING BOTH FIELDER & CRAWFORD IS KEEPING DAVIS AWAY FROM RAYS DEMANDS SINCE U MAY NOTICE PENA IS ON THAT ’11 LIST. I WOULDN’T WALKAWAY @ DAVIS INCLUSION; BUT I WOULD HESITATE & TRY OFFERING OTHERS. HISTORICALLY RAYS LOOK FOR YOUNG PROSPECTS WHICH DOESN’T HINDER FIELDER OFFERING. BOTH TRADES CAN BE SOURCED WITH DIFFERENT ASSETS. 20.5M FOR A COMBO OF FIELDER & CRAWFORD FOR 1Y IS A STEAL OF A HUGE SOLUTION TO ’10 ROSTER HOLES.
• Anthony October 14, 2009 at 10:25 am

  I could see Halliday as the player we trade for, not Crawford or Fielder, sorry guys. Pelfrey, Martinez and Thole…..maybe Mejja as well, maybe not for Halliday. I could see Castillo getting dealt to Det for either Bonderman or D-train, both on the last year of their deals. I could see the Mets getting either Hawpe via trade or Abreu via FA as the OF we get, I could see Hudson if castillo is dealt and maybe Bengie Molina at C. Maybe Biemel as that extra lefty, are there a lot of flashy names there, yeah one, but that’s it, but that’s what i see, i don’t see all these falshy names coming in. Reyes, Hudson, Beltran, Wright, Hawpe/abreu, Franceour, Murphy, Molina, not terrible but not that great. Rotation-Halliday, Santana, Bonderman/D-Train, Perez and Maine. Bullpen-K-rod, Stokes, Parnell, Biemel, Felicano, maybe Mejja also if he is not traded, interesting team, they better then the Phillies……eh don’t know, could they make the playoffs with that team, maybe.
  • METS62FAN October 15, 2009 at 9:44 am

    ANTHONY, I DON’T SEE CASTILLO BRINGING THAT MUCH ESP WHEN OTHER TEAMS ARE AWARE OF FAN’S IRE TOWARDS HIM & METS’ MOTIVATION. I BELIEVE LUIS HAS BECOME MORE VALUABLE TO US THAN TO OTHERS. I DO SEE METS PASSING ON HALLADAY, SIGNING LACKEY & PERHAPS MARQUIS IF PELF IS DEALT. I WOULD PUT
    SANTANA,LACKEY,MARQUIS,PEREZ,MAINE UP AGAINST ANY OTHER NL ROTATION. ESP IF THEY ADDED 80+ HR IN FIELDER,CRAWFORD,MOLINA. ALL DOABLE AT >150M PAYROLL FOR ’10.
  • METS62FAN October 15, 2009 at 11:03 am

    ANTHONY,WHEN U LOOK AT THE ENTIRE NYM PICTUIRE SURROUNDING 1B U’LL REALIZE A 1Y SOLUTION IS ALL THEY REALLY NEED THERE. IKE DAVIS IS POLANNED TO DEBUT IN 2011. IF HE’S NOT READY, THE F/A 1B POOL IS MUCH BETTER FOR 2011 THAN 2010. A LT COMMITMENT TO SOMEONE NOW ISN’T REALLY IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS @ 10.5M TO FILL BOTH 1B & CLEANUP HOLES FOR 1 YR IS A BARGAIN TOO GOOD TO LET PASS. BREWERS, STATED A #1 PRIORITY, IS ACQUIRING TWO CHEAP, CONTROLLABLE ROTATION ARMS. WE’VE GOT A BEVY OF 3,4,5 SP IN PEREZ,PELFREY,MAINE,NIESE,NIEVE,MISCH. ALL BUT PEREZ QUALIFY ON BOTH COUNTS CHEAP & CONTROLLABLE. BREWS INDICATED A WILINGNESS TO SACRIFICE THEIR #1 PROSPECT TO GET 2 SUCH SP. THEY’RE GOING TO LOSE FIELDER AFTER THIS YR ANYWAY & 10.5M PRINCE CONSTITUTES A HUGE CHUNK OF THEIR CURRENT 2010 PAYROLL(39M). I’M NOT SAYING THIS IS ALL GOING TO HAPPEN. I’M JUST SAYING THE MOVES I PROJECTED ARE ALL POSSIBLE TO HAPPEN. THE EVIDENCE RE. FIELDER IS MUCH STRONGER THAN DET INTEREST IN CASTILLO, I BELIEVE. WHY WOULD BREWS BALK @ GETTING 2 SP & KEEPING THEIR PROSPECT? ESPECIALLY FOR A PLAYER THEY’RE LOSING ANYWAY.
    • Anthony October 15, 2009 at 12:57 pm

      There not trading big prospects for a 1 yr solution, if there going to do a 1 year solution at 1b, it will be Murphy or delgado at 30% of the salary he made last year, my guess, it is murphy at 1b, he makes no money and if he fucks up hitting wise at 1b, they will call up Davis in the middle of the year to see what he’s got. I think they will either trade for Halliday or Crawford, forget Fielder. The only way the Crawford thing happens is if they sign Lackey, which is a little bit of a long shot considering u will have to outbid 5 to 10 teams to get em and overpay for him. If they want a 1 year solution at C, the darkhorse candidate their is Jason Varitek, until Thole is ready if he is not traded. I think if they get Halliday in a trade, I think they will get a Brad Hawpe type OF, if they get lackey, i think then they trade for Carlos Crawford or a OF like that. Lets remember Jeff Wilpon is the real GM of the mets, not Omar, Omar is a puppet with 3 yrs left on his contract.
      • METS62FAN October 16, 2009 at 8:51 am

        ANTHONY, I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS THAT OMAR’S MAIN PURPOSE AS DEFINED BY FRED IS TO ACT AS A SECRET SERVUICE AGENT & THROW HIMSELF IN FRON OF THE BULLETS INTENDED FOR JEFF. THAT’S HIS PRICE TO PAY TO HAVE WHAT MUST’VE BEEN HIS DREAM JOB. HE WAS SHAFTED OUT OF IT WHEN AN INSECURE PHILLIPS SOLD HIS ATTRIBUTES TO MLB TO PLAY GM FOR EXPOS
        AFTER A CAREER IN SCOUTING, ONE WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME, BEING GM FOR YOUR CHILDHOOD TEAM IS WORTH ALMOST ANY PRICE. I DON’T THINK HE’S BEEN AS POWERLESS AS GAMMONS INDICATES SINCE I BELIEVE IT WAS OMAR THAT KEPT WILLIE FROM BEING FIRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ’07 COLLAPSE AND OMAR WAS SUCCESSFUL PLEADING WILLIE’S CASE BEFORE FRED IN OPPOSITION TO JEFF UNTIL WILLIE F’D IT ALL UP WITH HIS “RACIALLY MOTIVATED” INDICTMENT INTERVIEW. WILLIE SIGNED HIS OWN EXECUTION ORDER WITH THAT ONE. CERTAINLY HE APOLOGIZED; BUT U CAN’T UNRING A BELL. FRED’S MORTIFICATION ESP IN FRONT OF RACHEL ROBINSON MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE. THINK ABOUT IT. WHY ELSE WOULD OMAR HAVE PUT HIMSELF INTO A POSITION OF HAVING TO ENDURE A TURNAROUND R/T BICOASTAL FLIGHT, IF HE EXPECTED TO PULL THE TRIGGER BEFORE THE TEAM BUS LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT. FRED CHANGED HIS MIND, JEFF POUNCED IMMEDIATLY, JEFF LIKELY WOULD’VE DONE IT VIA TEXT OR PHONECALL, THE COWARDLY IDIOT SON. HE PROBABLY WROTE THE BERNAZARD ANNOUNCEMENT.
        JEFF, IS THE CULPRIT BEHIND OUR DISMAL TALENT PIPELINE. JEFF IS THE ONE THAT BENEFITS FROM THE FOG SURROUNDING NYM DECISION MAKING. THINK OF IT AS A SMOKESCREEN. JEFF IS ALSO EXECUTIVE IN-CHARGE OF SNY. EXPLAINING THE ANTI-MET PROGRAMMING POSTURE. WHY? SO HE CAN APPEAR TO BE THE WHITE KNIGHT SAVING THE FRANCHISE. EVER WONDER WHY HE & NOT OMAR WAS THE SOLE MET NEGOTIATOR OF THE SANTANA DEAL? OMAR HAS THE REPUTATION & CONTACTS, JEFF STAYS IN SHADOWS ON FAILURES & ONLY STEPS UP ON SURE THING POSITIVES. I COULD GO ON FOR PAGES ON JEFF’S DILITANTE ACTIONS DESTROYING THIS FRANCHISE; BUT I WON’T. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THE FACTS HAVE ALL BEEN PRESENTED PIECEMEAL ENOUGH TO REQUIRE A LOT OF ATTENTION TO PUT TOGETHER. JEFF IS THE PROOF TO THE RENOWNED “PETER PRINCIPLE” & THE FOIBLES SURROUNDING HIRING FAMILY.
        • Anthony October 16, 2009 at 10:12 am

          And Jeff is the one making the decisions about what the team will go after this off-season, so why should Mets fans have any confidence at all in Jeff doing what needs to be done this off-season?
        • Anthony October 19, 2009 at 11:08 am

          Sounds like mets plan is Roy Halliday and Matt Holliday-Joel Sherman-NYPOST-[link] also, Times had it that Mets were going after Roy Halliday as well, also according to Heyman says Mets were looking for a LH hitting C, not a RH hitting C and Mets had interest in Vartiek last year and probably have interest in him again. Seems like Murphy would be the 1b and would get a RH compliement for Murph off the bench. It’s also being talked about that the mets are going to re-work Putz’s option and bring him back. So it sounds like the Mets plan is Holliday in FA, Halliday via trade, Vartiek at C with thole in the minors, and Putz. Also in the Sherman article it says Lackey is from Texas, wants no part of NY and wants to pitch for the one of the Texas teams, i guess he’s out.
• Anthony October 15, 2009 at 9:56 am

  Mets are not bringing in Fielder and Crawford, one or the other, if they sign Lackey, big if at that, I think they bring in Crawford for Pelfrey and Martinez and sign Crawford to an extension. There not bringing in a guy for 1 year.
  • METS62FAN October 24, 2009 at 10:40 am

    ANTHONY, IT’S VERY LOGICAL THAT FIELDER IS CERTAINLY ATTAINABLE FOR REASONABLE NON=PROSPECT TRASDE PKG. I’VE OUTLINED MY LOGIC IN AN E-MAIL TO EXPATRIATED NY FANS I’M FRIENDLY WITH. IT’D LONG, VERY CLEAR & VERY LOGICAL I’LL ASTTEMPT TO COPY IT HERE AS IT’S TOO MUCH TO RECREATE:

    CONSIDER THIS: FIELDER IS SIGNED TO A CONTRACT THAT EXPIRES AT END OF 2010 FOR 10.5M A HUGE CHUNK OF THEIR PAYROLL MORE THAN 12%. IN 2011 PRINCE WILL HAVE ONLY 4.068 YRS OF SERVICE TIME, SHORT OF 5Y REQUIREMENT TO EARN FREE AGENCY RELEASE. THAT WILL MAKE 2011 AN ARBITRATION YEAR. PRINCE IS REPRESTENTED BY SCOTT BORAS. NOT AN EASY ARBI OPPONENT WHO ALREADY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS CLIENT, RYAN HOWARD, HOLDING THE PRESENT DAY ARBITRATION AWARD RECORD. I CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT BORAS WILL DEMAND FOR PRINCE IN A WINNER TAKE ALL ARBITRATION CONTEST; BUT 20M IS NOT TOTALLY OUT OF THE QUESTION, SHOULD HE WIN BREWS WILL EITHER HAVE TO BREAK THEIR PIGGYBANK OR RELEASE FIELDER SANS ANY COMPENSATION MAKING PRINCE A TOTAL F/A A YR PRIOR TO EARNING IT BY SERVICE TIME. A 26 YR OLD CAREER .280+ HITTER WHO’S AVG 40 HR/SEASON HIS ENTIRE CAREER(4 FULL SEASONS) WILL CERTAINLY PROVE TOO COSTLY FOR A MIDMARKET TEAM IN MILWALKEE.
    A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON BREWS PAYROLL POSITIONS:
    Milwaukee Brewers

    Contract information is unofficial & collected from various published reports.
    Service time in years & days (through 2008 season)

    A group led by Mark Attanasio bought the Brewers in 2005 for $223M. (The Allen “Bud” Selig Trust had purchased the club for $11M in 1970.) Forbes magazine valued the club at $347M in April 2009.

    Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster
    (salaries plus pro-rated signing bonuses):
    2009: $ 80,182,502 (RANK 17th IN SIZE)

    2008: $ 80,937,499 (15th)

    2007: $ 70,986,500 (19th)

    2006: $ 57,568,333(24th)
    2005: $ 39,934,833 (27th)

    2004: $ 27,528,500 (30th-LAST)

    2003: $ 40,627,000 (28th)

    2002: $ 50,287,833 (21st)

    2001: $ 43,886,883 (23rd)

    2000: $ 35,800,000 (23rd)
    2010-14 payroll obligations
    2010 payroll obligations for former players:
    $7,150,000 (Bill Hall)
    AN INCREASE OF FIELDER’S SALARY FROM 10.5M TO 20M WOULD VAULT THE MILW PAYROLL TO A HIGHPOINT OF APPROX #12-15. AN UNSUSTAINABLE ELEVATION FOR THEIR PLAYOFFLESS MIDMKT TEAM. GM BOB MELVIN & ASS’T GM GORDON ASH CAN CERTAINLY SEE THIS WRITING ON THE WALL AS PLAINLY AS I CAN & I BELIEVE ALL THEIR ASSERTIONS OF NOT DEALING THE MIGHTY FIRSTBASEMAN ARE AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE OTHER CLUBS COME TO THEM, A POSITION OF STRATEGIC DEALING STRENGTH.
    THE BREWS PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED AN INTENTION TO ACQUIRE 2 “ESTABLISHED” ROTATION ARMS TO AUGMENT THEIR CURRENT ROTATION THAT COMPILED A 5.3+ ERA(HIGHEST OF ANY ROTATION IN 2009) THEIR MOST EFFECTIVE ’09 SP, BRADEN LOOPER:
    STATS SUMMARY
    W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV SVO IP H R ER HR HB BB SO AVG WHIP GO/AO
    SEASON 14 7 5.22 34 34 0 0 0 0 194.2 226 123 113 39 5 64 100 .289 1.49 1.29

    HAS A REFUSABLE TEAM OPTION OF 6M FOR 2010. RUMORS ABOUND HE’S CONSIDERING TURNING IT DOWN IF P/U PREFERRING OPEN MKT FOR MORE YRS/$.
    THE BREWERS JUST HIRED RICK PETERSON AS THEIR NEW PITCHING COACH.
    THERE ARE FEW FRANCHISES OUT THERE WITH A PLETHORA OF AFFORDABLE “ESTABLISHED” SPers. WHO NEED A 1B FOR 1Y MAKING 10.5M.
    ALL OF THESE FACTORS FUTHER ENHANCE MY BELIEF THAT A PKG WITH A NUCLEUS OF 2 SP FROM (PEREZ,PELFREY,MAINE,NIESE,NIEVE,MISCH) ALL 3 THRU 5 ESTABLISHED STARTERS WITH PELFREY & MAINE, 2 PETERSON FAVORITES, BEING MOST LIKELY WILL GET IT DONE! THE METS CERTAINLY NEED PROVEN POWER, PREFERABLY LH TO BAT CLEANUP WITH THESE STATS, THERE’S NONE BETTER IN MY OPINION:
    STATS SUMMARY
    G AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS GO/AO
    SEASON 162 591 103 177 356 35 3 46 141 110 21 138 2 3 .299 .412 .602 1.014 1.08
    CAREER 675 2380 382 675 1310 139 8 160 453 345 66 535 14 9 .284 .381 .550 .931 0.97

    CAREER STATS

    SEASON▲ TEAM▲ G▼ AB▼ R▼ H▼ TB▼ 2B▼ 3B▼ HR▼ RBI▼ BB▼ IBB▼ SO▼ SB▼ CS▼ AVG▼ OBP▼ SLG▼ OPS▼ GO/AO▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲
    2005 MIL 39 59 2 17 27 4 0 2 10 2 0 17 0 0 .288 .306 .458 .764 0.73 158
    2006 MIL 157 569 82 154 275 35 1 28 81 59 5 125 7 2 .271 .347 .483 .831 1.01 158
    2007 MIL 158 573 109 165 354 35 2 50 119 90 21 121 2 2 .288 .395 .618 1.013 0.83 158
    2008 MIL 159 588 86 162 298 30 2 34 102 84 19 134 3 2 .276 .372 .507 .879 1.01 158
    2009 MIL 162 591 103 177 356 35 3 46* 141 110 21 138 2 3 .299 .412 .602 1.014 1.08 158
    CAREER 675 2380 382 675 1310 139 8 160 453 345 66 535 14 9 .284 .381 .550 .931 0.97

    * TIED RYAN HOWARD FOR ML LEAD IN ’09

    THERE IS ACTUALLY AN OBVIOUS UNCOMFORTABLE DOWNSIDE TO THIS FROM A NYM OWNERSHIP PERSPECTIVE. THEY’VE AVOIDED ARBITRATION HEARINGS LIKE THE PLAGUE, THE ONLY ONE IN PAST NUMBER OF YEARS WAS WITH OLLIE PEREZ BEFORE THE ’08 SEASON( A LOSS TO BORAS).
    WORST CASE SCENERIO WOULD BE RELEASING PRINCE AFTER 1Y IF HEARING GOES DISMALLY, THERE’S NO WAY BORAS SETTLES OUTSIDE OF OR BEFORE ARBITRATION. HE KNOWS THE SCORE. THEY CAN ALSO SWALLOW HARD & PAY “THE KID” HIS DUE SINCE IT WOULD NOT ENTAIL LUXURY TAX VIOLATION. UNFORTUNATLY, THOUGH U MAY WANT TO, U CAN’T WIN & TOTALLY AVOID BORAS’ CLIENTS. SOONER OR LATER U MUST FACE THE DEVIL. AT LEAST IN THIS CASE IT’S A YOUNG TURK POWERHITTER OF STATURE IN A POSITION WITH AN OPENNING,. AS A BONUS PRINCE WORKED HARD & IMPROVED HIS DEFENSE & RANGE IN ’09.
    IN ADDITION TO SIGNING LACKEY AS #2SP THEY SHOULD INK MARQUIS TO REPLACE PELF @ #3 ANY ROTATION BEGINNING WITH SANTANA,LACKEY & MARQUIS IS STRONGEST IN FLUSHING SINCE ’86 REGADLESS OF #4 & #5 W/FIELDER @ 1B INK MOLINA & GO TO WAR!
• Anthony October 18, 2009 at 11:28 pm

  Sounds like the mets real plan this off-season is-Matt Holliday in FA, Roy Halliday via trade and Jason Vartiek in FA, and note it sounds like they will re-work JJ Putz’s option to bring him back, thougts……………………………….

  Details
• mathew October 23, 2009 at 11:09 am

  mets get matt holliday lackey/jason marquis and a first b with power to hit 25 or ,more homers
• Anthony October 24, 2009 at 4:13 am

  Mets likely to make a run at two of the most expensive free agents – John Lackey and Matt Holliday – in an attempt to fill the team’s two biggest holes-newsday.com, link-chapman article
  • METS62FAN October 24, 2009 at 9:12 am

    ANTHONY, YOUR LAST 3-4 POSTINGS ARE ALL OVER THE MAP. SEEMS U JUST WANT TO TRASHTALK RATHER THAN BE SERIOUS. CERTAINLY U R ENTITLED TO DISLIKE OMAR FOR PEREZ & CASTILLO DEALS. A TAD OFFBALANCED IF U IGNORE PEDRO,BELTRAN,BENSON,MILLEDGE,SANTANA,CHURCH DEALS. ALL IN ALL THE FAIR MINDED OF US WOULD TRUST IN OMAR’S ABILITY TO MAKE A TRADE MORE THAN HIS ABILITY TO SIGN A FAIR CONTRACT. HE’S CERTAINLY BEEN AT HIS BEST WHEELING & DEALING WITH OTHER TEAMS. CLUNKERS? NONE FOR POSITION ASSETS. PITCHING INS & OUTS ALL OWNED BY PETERSON,PITCHING CZAR, SEE JOB ANNOUNCMENT BY JEFF WHEN HIRED. PETERSON IS RENOWNED FOR HIS “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY” APPROACH THAT JEFF EMPOWERED BY GIVING HIM ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER NYM PITCHING ASSESTS & FRANCHISE APPROACH. NOT JUST THE ML ROSTER, THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE. SO HE BANISHED KAZMIR,BELL, LINSTRUM, BANNISTER, OWENS AND APPROVED THE IMPORTING OF ZAMBRANO,PEREZ,MAINE, VARGAS,BOSTICK IN RETURN. IGNORING ALL DEALS INVOLVING PITCHING DISCARDS/ACQUISITIONS THE PAST 5 YRS. ARE AMONGST THE BEST TRADE YRS, POSITIONALLY, EXCLUDING CASHEN YRS. OMAR’S STRENGTH IS TALENT EVALUATION, HIS WEAKNESS IS MARKET PREDICTING & FIN’L PLANNING. THUS THE BIGGEST CONTRACT FOR SANTANA WAS THE PERVUE OF JEFF EXCLUDING OMAR. OMAR ACQUIRED, JEFF SIGNED. ALL THIS BS IS TYPICAL MET BLURRING OF RESPONSIBILITIES & WE FANS NEED A SCORECARD TO TRULY ASSESS CREDIT & BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS. SORRY FOR POST LENGTH; BUT UNRAVELING IT ALL ACCURATLY TAKES WORDS TO EXPLAIN.
• Anthony October 24, 2009 at 9:53 am

  Well my last post of the mets going after Lackey and Holliday is in Newsday in the Chapman article, secondly u have this prince fielder fetish, get it out of ur mind, they are not going after prince fielder, period. There not making deals for guys on the last year of there deals unless they know they can sign them. U want them to trade for a star in Fielder keep him for a year and let him leave, are u clueless or something, the mets are not doing that. Oh and Omar’s best asset is talent elvaluation huh, ok, great job on castillo, giving him a 4 year deal to a guy with 90 yr old knees and hardly is ever in shape, Moises Alou, signed him for 2 yrs and those 2 yrs he has been hurt both times, Oliver perez, signing him to a 3 yr 12 mil per deal when he was bidding against himself for that piece of S$$$. Pedro Martinez, i loved the signing but lets faced facts, they signed him to a 4 yr deal and he was healthy for a year and a half. Milledge for Schneider and Church, garbage trade. Carlos Beltran signing, yeah he is somewhat productive, but he is anywhere near the player he was when he was with the royals and astros, he came here he stop stealing bases totally, this was a 30-30 guy, not with the mets though. Trading bannister to the royals for that reliever, that really worked out. trading Lidstrom and heath bell for nothing. Loduca was not bad, but he faded after a year, wagner was ok, but got hurt his third year and was really not healthy the 4th year either. tim redding and livan hernandez were lousy signings. Bradford was a good signing, but then he lets him walk and signs scott schowensis, terrible job. Sheffield was a no brainer for the price, but he could not hold up health wise either, signing a 50 yr old Juilo Franco to a 2 yr contract….ughh no comment on that. The thing that could cost him is job is his idea that Daniel Murphy could play LF when he was a 3b/some 1b in the minors, mostly 3b, never played OF and he thought he could LF at citifield at that. It was only when Santana came forward and voiced his displeasure did they decide to get him out of LF and now he thinks Murphy is an everyday player when he may now proof once and for all that he is not, make no mistake they have a mindset of getting an OF and starting Murphy at 1b there is no doubt in my mind. Omar’s tenure has been about 50-50, u can be a omar apologist all u want but while he has done some good things he has done some real lousy things also. This is a huge off-season he better get it right or he’s out come next year.
• Anthony October 24, 2009 at 10:00 am

  Omar’s job is online the line, if i was him, I’d be trying to bring in Lackey, Holliday or Abreu for LF, Bengie Molina(who he has wanted since 2005)or Pudge(who he has wanted for the last 2yrs but could not trade schneider or castro until it was too late) to C, Nick Johnson or Laroche for 1b,(Johnson my preference, he can’t go with murphy with his job on the line, he has to make the playoffs or he is out.) and Biemel. Jeff Wilpon has made it clear to Omar that he is not trading the organizations top prospects, so his only avenue is FA.