On Sunday, Bill Madden of the Daily News created a stir in Mets circles when he reported that the Mets will only have about $20 million to spend this offseason. Not nearly enough for the Mets to address their myriad of problems. He said that the Mets should not be considered as bidders for free agents Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and John Lackey and that they will certainly reduce payroll from last season. He believes that the Mets will focus instead on second-tier free agents.
Today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that a source told him that the Mets would not pursue starting pitcher Rich Harden.
Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post, also adds that the Mets are in the hunt for Ben Sheets who missed all of last season after tendon surgery on his elbow.
Ben Sheets hasn’t pitched in the majors in more than a year, but that will not keep the Mets from keeping an eye on the former All-Star right-hander this winter. The oft-injured Sheets, who last pitched with the Brewers in 2008, has been sidelined since February because of surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his forearm, but he expects to be healthy by spring training.
A major-league source confirmed that Sheets, 31, would be among a group of second-tier, relatively low-cost starting pitchers the Mets will consider this offseason while continuing their pursuit of top free-agent starter John Lackey.
As much as I like the upside of 28 year old Rich Harden, I can certainly understand the reasoning of the Mets apprehension considering his inability to stay healthy. Still he may still be worth a flyer as a buy low candidate with a high reward.
Sheets is also someone who could give the Mets some value, but it’s important to note that it can sometimes take an entire season to come all the way back from elbow surgery. In other words, he may be ready to pitch by spring training, but will he be able to pitch as effectively as he did before the injury?
What hapened the big Jeff/Omar interview in which they claimed there were no limits on spending? Is that all forgotten now? This story had better be wrong if the Mets want to retain any credibility at all!
That interview was just a case of them telling us what we wanted to hear. How much of it was true? I guess we’ll soon find out.
MASK, DON’T BELIEVE THE INVECTIVE OUT OF VENEMOUS NYPRESS, ALL MADDEN LIKES ABOUT NYM ARE THE APPEARANCE CHECKS HE CASHES FROM DNL GETTING PAID HANSOMLY TO DIS THIS TEAM. ANOTHER JEFF PLOY TO GET ULTIMATE CONTROL FROM A DISGUSTED DAD? WHO KNOWS? WOULDN’T PUT IT PAST THE WEASEL=FACED PRODIGY! FROM WHAT I’VE NOTED, HARPER & VACCARO ARE THE ONLY ONES I TRUST TO BE FAIR. AND NOT TO USE THE PLOY, “IF U DON’T LET ME IN ON WHAT’S GOING ON, I’LL MAKE SH*T UP!”
I said the day of that interview, and still believe everything they said was just talk to keep season ticket holders in place. It was a cheaper/easier complaint to fix the look/memorabilia of Citi than to rebuild the front office, and is another tool to keep ticket sales going. Mets fans should demand substance instead of cosmetics this off season, we want a team that will be a serious contender. If Omar, Jeff, or whoever is the decision maker nowadays does not make the necessary aquisitions to accomplish that this off season, watch the games from home.
I’m not rehashing this pitching anymore. At this point, i don’t care who they get as long as they are happy then I am happy.
My only point of contention is to use your prospects or whoever to get your power at 1B and not in LF. All of our good teams have a history of being strong at 1B (Hernandez, Olerud, Delgado-2006, Milner). We already have starters in CF & RF. You can platoon in LF.
I know you hate when I reply to your posts, but just want to point out that the Hammer was not really a power hitter – he only hit 20 hrs twice in his career. He was a sad story though, smoked heavy and died at 50 from lung cancer.
Here’s some good advice, don’t over-estimate the attention you receive on any internet site. Believe me.
Anyway, I already know about John Milner’s stats and I remember when he played and I have his autograph. I did not say he was a power-hitter, I was implying that he was a good first baseman for us in 1973, that’s it.
I know his highest total for HRs is 23 and he also played OF but he played a pretty darn good 1B in 1973, was a regular there, and was MUCH better than Murphy.
My mistake – I thought you were inferring to power because you said “use your prospects or whoever to get your power at 1B and not in LF” but no you didn’t say that HE had power, and I NEVER said he wasn’t better then Murphy.
I remember him clearly too, I saw him play live, but I do not have his autograph.
while arm injuries generally do take time to heal, and while i have not researched the particular injury/surgery that sheets had, i will say this; from my understanding tommy john recipients generally take a year to regain full arm strength, but there are always the exceptions. case in point would be billy wagner who returned early and throwing gas. food for thought or blind optimism. take your pick but i’ve always been a sheets fan. sorry for the slue of lower case. simply a matter of laziness.
The Mets should go after Edwin Jackson. Hes just had a breakout season and is still only 26. I dont think it would take that many prospects to get him and he can really help out the rotation(3.62 ERA in 214 innings)and he has 90 MPH slider.(I just think thats cool)
Getting Edwin Jackson is a bad move. He had a 5.07 Era after the allstar break.
His full body of work was better than every Mets starter not named Johan. His ERA has gotten better just about every year in the majors and would be an upgrade over Maine, Ollie, Pelf, and Redding. I notice you didnt say what his ERA was in the first half of the season.
The Daily News ranked Sheets as an under-valued FA, saying his health was good. If that’s true, i’d go after him and also Marquis. Regarding Edwin Jaclson? Tigers? Why would Tigers trade him…for ‘not’ many prospects?
The mets are not afraid of any stiking torn tendon. why would they want a pitcher with no history of arm trouble. tht would make too much sense. maybe reyes and sheets can form a tendon appreciation club.
I don’t believe they only have 20 million to spend.
Arg What the Hell.Why are the METS acting like Kansascity or Pittsburgh?? Spend the Money,and youll make more.If you dont spend youll make less.Come on,why shop at a dollar store when your making millions.Go to Macy’s and buy the good players who are worth it.This year you wont lose your #1 pick by signing a free-agent so lets spend.Go get Holliday and Lackey,and Molina.Plus Marquis and Sheets.Murphy is fine at 1st,kinda like Mark Grace with more power and not such a strong glove.Let Evans play,he can platoon with Murphy.
Everything sound good excpet Molina. I think it’s better to keep Santos and Thole this year and sign Mauer next season.
Thole needs atleast another half year in the minors catching everyday.Santos is a decent back-up.Thats fine you dont like Molina id prefer Barajas on a 2 year deal.He could start 5 days a week till Thole proves he is ready to catch in the majors.Then they can platoon till Thole can take over for good.Mauer is a pipe dream,sorry to say.It would be nice put he wont be coming here,Minny will resign him.The Mets are better off trying to get Morneau after they sign Mauer.
Do you think Minnesota has enough money to resing Mauer? It would be very very hard for the Mets to afford Mauer if they already signed Lackey,Holiday Like you suggested.If they don’t go on a spending spree it’s very possible That the Mets get Mauer.
The only problem with the Mets trying to get Mauer from the Twins in a trade from the Twins is that the Mets got Santana from the Twins in a trade.
Hell,As long as none of the Mets Medical staff examine any potential free Agents…I will consider it a win!
The mets once again are scouring the slag heaps (Branyan, Guillen) of baseball and checking into the recently injured (Sheets), all in the name of big spending. As I said at the time they gave the Fat Man that interview, you cannot believe anything a Wontpon says. If you did, you should have known better. Even if they could get a Halladay or a Holliday, they would then turn around and sign 6 cheap non-entities and finish third. It is what they do. Every fifteen years or so they might accidentally get it right. Stay home, folks. Wait the Wontpons out.