Yesterday, I was quite surprised by the trade that sent Dan Uggla to the Braves for utility infielder Omar Infante and reliever Mike Dunn. The fact that he was traded isn’t what surprised me. We all knew the writing was on the wall once Uggla turned down a four-year deal worth $48 million dollars from the Marlins last week, but what I couldn’t grasp was how little the Marlins got in return for trading away one of the most popular [...]

Here is a message from Sandy Alderson to the fans. Dear Mets Fan: As you might have heard last night or this morning, we have completed the first round of interviews in the search for our new Manager. We’ve invited Bob Melvin, Wally Backman, Terry Collins, and Chip Hale back for a second round of interviews while we are at the MLB meetings in Orlando. We are meeting with Bob and Chip today; and with [...]

Things are starting to move rapidly, and it won’t be long until a new Mets manager is named. [tweeted]http://twitter.com/KenDavidoff/status/4919945662038016[/tweeted] Adam Rubin adds, Bob Melvin has arrived at the GM meetings, and will kick off the final-round managerial interviews later Wednesday. Chip Hale also goes later in the day. On Thursday, Wally Backman will interview midday, followed by Terry Collins wrapping it up. As we reported yesterday, last night the Mets confirmed that the four managerial finalists [...]

Sandy Alderson told reporters that he has no illusions that Johan Santana will be ready for Opening Day. “Really the question is, when exactly will he be ready?” Alderson said. “Nobody has told us he’ll miss the season or anything of that sort, but certainly we have to assume he won’t start the season.” Santana is coming off surgery to repair the capsular in his left shoulder. He is in the fourth year of a six year, $137.5 [...]

The Braves fired the opening salvo to the Hot Stove Season when they acquired powerful second baseman Dan Uggla today from the Marlins for utility man Omar Infante and lefty reliever Mike Dunn. Wow, that one kinda snuck up on everybody… Somebody please tell me what the Marlins were thinking? Even if you were to ignore the fact they traded him to a division rival, how can you justify a return like that for one of the [...]

Today Ken Rosenthal reported that the Brewers would listen to offers regarding several players, one of those players is Rickie Weeks.  Weeks has one year left on his contract.  In 2010 Rickie Weeks will be making $2.75 million dollars.  The Mets we know need someone at second base as it’s highly likely that Castillo won’t be playing full time if at all for the Mets in 2010.  Also I believe that Ruben Tejada would benefit [...]

In a must read article by Joel Sherman of the NY Post, Larry Bowa gives managerial candidate Terry Collins a glowing endorsement and also sheds light on one of the concerns about Collins. If there is a worry concerning Collins, it is about how his tour with the Angels ended. He managed the Angels to second-place finishes in both 1997 and ’98, just as he did in managing the Astros from 1994-96. But in 1999 [...]

Fangraphs posted their Mets Top 10 Prospects list today. Have a look: 1. Wilmer Flores 2. Kirk Nieuwenhuis 3. Matt Harvey 4. Juan Urbina 5. Fernando Martinez 6. Alderin Rodriguez 7. Reese Havens 8. Cesar Puello 9. Cory Vaughn 10. Robert Carson That’s the first time I’ve seen Nieuwenhuis ranked so high on any Mets top prospects list. John Sickels, who has been doing this for decades, ranked him at #14 in the organization just last [...]

I won’t sugar coat things for you (as if you’ve ever worried about the Coop doing that)…I LOVE Wally Backman.  LOVE HIM.   When My Summer Family was still in operation, I wrote a piece called “Backman is the Answer.  What was the Question?“  This detailed why I was upset that the Mets didn’t at least interview him in 2004, before they went on a comedy of errors hiring Willie Randolph to his muddled firing to [...]

Does it seem to you, as it does to me that in many respects the job Sandy Alderson has is about as contentious and uphill as Chris Christie – Governor of New Jersey? No matter your political persuasion – if you have one at all – one has to admit that both men have more than their hands full over the next few years. Don’t get me wrong I’m not comparing the intricacies and obvious [...]