This morning I asked the following Twitter Poll question: Are you happy with the end result of how Omar Minaya handled Billy Wagner? Red Sox get two high draft picks (1st round pick, sandwich pick) Braves get their new closer; Billy Wagner Mets get two low level prospects; Chris Carter and Eddie Lora Here are some of the responses. Unhappy with the end results… chrisbirckhead - Not at all… a poor attempt at cost savings. nymetropolitans - “Baseball is a business, there’s [...]

Can you guess what the magic word is for this chilly December 1st day? To begin, Toronto starting pitcher Roy Halladay has given the Blue Jays a deadline for trading him or he will invoke his no trade clause according to Buster Olney of ESPN. Roy Halladay, the All-Star pitcher who has been the subject of much trade talk since before the July deadline, will not approve any proposed deal after he reports to spring training, according to [...]

This off season John Maine is a potential non-tender candidate and there has been talk that the Mets will non-tender him today, the deadline for offering your players arbitration. The Mets can still sign Maine if they do non-tender him but being non-tendered is sought of like being fired and the club telling you you’re not worth the price you will get in arbitration. I have been a supporter of John Maine’s for the last [...]

On Monday, an Associated Press report by Ronald Blum revealed that the average annual salary for major league baseball players rose from $2,930,000 to $2,996,000.  Although the 2.4% increase in salary represents the smallest rise in player wages since 2004, the stage has now been set for next year being the first season in which the average major league baseball player will earn $3 million. The figures for each team were calculated by taking the [...]

Rob Bradford of WEEI in Boston. is reporting that the Mets are awaiting the results of a physical before officially announcing that they have signed infielder Alex Cora to a one year deal for $2 million dollars. The deal also includes a vesting option that could guarantee a second year if Cora reaches a minimum number of plate appearances or games played. According to source familiar with the negotiations, former Red Sox infielder Alex Cora is close [...]

Last week Topps released its All-Star Rookie team for 2009 and while there were some justified selections and some questionable ones, the player that has the most intrigue for me is the Mets’ Omir Santos. He beat out phenom Matt Wieters, who most thought would be in contention to take home the Rookie of the Year award in the American League. Did Santos’ season really justify the award? First let’s take a look at his [...]

Last week, Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post told me that the Mets are not looking to block the arrival of first base prospect Ike Davis because they view him as an All Star first baseman waiting in the wings. Judging by what we’ve seen and heard from several scouts and MLB executives, maybe the hype on Davis is somewhat justified. I sincerely hope it is, although I personally would like to see Davis continue [...]

Sources have told Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune that commissioner Bud Selig plans to step down after the 2012 season, when his contract is up. The good news is that we’ll be rid of him in three years. The bad news is we still have to endure him for another three years. Hopefully he won’t foul up the game more than he has already in his Napoleonic reign. Selig was first named as acting commissioner [...]

On Friday, the new Hall of Fame Ballot was released for the 2010 class. The most notable newcomers include: 2B Roberto Alomar - An all-around threat in a 17-season career that included World Series championship years with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and ’93. Alomar won 10 Gold Glove Awards for fielding and was a career .300 hitter with 2,724 hits, combining power (210 home runs) and speed (474 stolen bases). Alomar, part of a [...]