Randy Johnson, the dominant lefthander who scared hitters and low-flying doves alike, announced his retirement from baseball after 22 seasons.  Johnson finished his career with the San Francisco Giants, the team with which he achieved his 300th career victory on June 4, 2009.  Ironically, his 300th win came against the Washington Nationals, who used to play in Montreal, which was the team Johnson made his major league debut for in 1988. Johnson’s blazing fastball and [...]

Andre Dawson finally received the call he’s been waiting nine years for.  However, he won’t be celebrating by going to Disneyworld.  Instead, he’ll be going to Cooperstown as the newest member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In one of the closest votes in Hall of Fame history, Dawson was named on 77.9% of the 539 ballots cast by the members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.  His 420 votes were fifteen more [...]

When Jason Bay runs out to play left field for the Mets on Opening Day in April, he will be doing so with a #44 on his back.  It is the same number he wore during his season and a half in Boston.  Here’s a brief history for you on his uniform number choices. Before being traded to the Red Sox in 2008, Bay wore #38 during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He changed [...]

With the acquisition of free agent Jason Bay, the Mets have filled the hole they had in left field.  For the next four years, they do not have to employ platoons or put in players more suited for the fourth outfielder’s job (Endy Chavez a few years ago and Angel Pagan this past year).  They won’t have to put players there out of position (I’m talking to you, Daniel Murphy) and they won’t have to [...]

After watching other teams sign free agent after free agent, the Mets finally made some headlines with a signing of their own. There will be no more Baywatch in Flushing as the Mets have signed Jason Bay to be their leftfielder for the next four years, pending the obligatory physical. Seven years after then-Expos GM Omar Minaya traded Jason Bay from Montreal to the Mets, he has brought Bay back to the team that foolishly [...]

The Toronto Blue Jays waved goodbye to the face of their franchise by dealing starting pitcher Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies.  The three-team deal, which also involved the Seattle Mariners, will be considered complete once all the players involved take (and pass) their physicals. On paper, it looks as if the Phillies improved themselves drastically by adding arguably the best American League pitcher of the past few years.  However, while I was focusing on [...]

On a day when a few extra coals have been added to the Hot Stove, the Phillies are close to trading for ace pitcher Roy Halladay, while Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that John Lackey will be signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. In related news, the Mets have announced the signing of Jack Squat.  Squat hasn’t done much in the past and might go unnoticed in the Mets [...]

According to David Lennon of Newsday, Rockies’ catcher Yorvit Torrealba may be on the Mets radar.  Again. Earlier today, Omar Minaya spoke to Melvin Roman, the agent for free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba.  If Bengie Molina continues to ask for a three-year deal, the Mets might consider Torrealba. However, if you recall, two years ago the Mets had signed Torrealba to a three-year, $14.4 million deal before they decided to trade for Brian Schneider instead.  [...]

First it was Chris Coste.  Then it was Henry Blanco.  Earlier today, Joe D posted that the Mets might go after Rod Barajas if they can’t get Bengie Molina.  SI.com’s Jon Heyman is now saying that the Mets are considering offering Molina a one-year deal worth $6 million, plus an option for a second year.  Heyman states that teams in the larger markets aren’t in need of frontline catchers.  Therefore, the Mets feel they can [...]