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Thinking Outside The 1B Box

2004-12-07T22:30:00.000-05:00

The problem I'm having with the discussions surrounding who the Mets should acquire to play first base for 2005 and beyond, is that the discussion is inevitably limited to available free agents and players who have been publicly placed on the trading block.

In my humble opinion, this to a degree is a necessary evil for those of us discussing the available options, but it certainly shouldn't be the basis for GM Omar Minaya's jaunt to the Winter Meetings this week.

What's the problem with, instead of choosing from a list of castoffs and imperfect selections, actually identifying the guy who would be perfect, identifying his current team's needs, and then overwhelming them and getting the guy you actually want?

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not implying that I could talk anyone into any deal described here. I'm just laying out some ground work to create discussion and an alternative way of thinking. The idea is not to say that this is a viable course of action, but that it suggests an alternative way of thinking, to wit, finding the best option and discussing ways to acquire him, as opposed to discussing which of the non-perfect fits is the best available option.

That said, let's kick around some parameters of how we might identify the "perfect" fit. He should have at least a partial year and preferably a full and successful year of Major League ball under his belt so he can step in right away with D-Wright and Reyes and form the infield of the next 5 years. He should be under age 30. He should be a solid or even spectacular defensive player. He should hit for average and power, and OBP and not strikeout too much. He should be left handed. He should run decently and not have a history of being injured. Am I missing anything? That seems like a good list to start with. So lets take a quick spin around the league and see who fits that description.

Justin Morneau in Minnesota fits pretty well, though he is not particularly famous for his skill with the leather. Mark Teixeira in Texas knocks it all around pretty solid. Though he doesn't have the prerequisite time and success in the big leagues, Casey Kotchman of Anaheim's minor league performance was so dang impressive, it'd be hard not to be happy about having him as a solution.

It becomes pretty clear pretty quickly that, when all is said and done, Teixeira would be the ideal target, while Morneau and Kotchman would be solid secondary objectives.

So let's take a quick look at the Texas Rangers and what their needs are and see if we can't put together a deal that would pry a prize like Teixeira from them. First off, the Ranger's have a top prospect in Adrian Gonzalez waiting in the wings at first base, so they're not left with a huge hole to fill and that makes moving Teixeira feasible if not desirable. They do, of course, have major pitching problems, as Kenny Rogers was their ace last season, they're stuck with Chan Ho Park's albatross of a contract, and aside from a decent year out of Ryan Drese, they relied on periodic shellings of ex-Mets Scott Erickson and Mike Bacsik to fill out their rotation. Additionally, they were hurting last year at the corner outfield and DH spots, running another ex-Met Gary Matthews, Jr. out there on a regular basis along with utility man David Dellucci, and getting a sub par final frame out of veteran Brian Jordan. The Rangers are also without a serious player at catcher, asthey feature veteran Rod Barajas who is really a reserve in an ideal situation.

Despite all that, the Rangers finished 2004 just out of the running, 3 games back in the AL West with an 89-73 record and with a little pitching and some corner outfield/DH help could be right there in the mix for 2005.

So how can the Mets help? Well, the first thing they could do to whet the Rangers' appetite is offer to take Chan Ho Park off their payroll. Sure, that's an ugly contract for the Mets to take on. Park has two more years and $29M left on his deal. Though it's ugly, it's gonna be the start of the price tag to pry away Teixeira. You have to eat it. You're paying $29M to get to the table.

Secondly, you have to return some pitching and a good place to start is Steve Trachsel. Trachsel will provide the Rangers with a proven solid middle of the rotation pitcher who will eat innings and keep the Rangers run scoring machine within shooting distance every fifth day. He's cheap, and reliable, and with Rogers will allow the Rangers to use the money they save on Park to get a top of the rotation starter to finish out a vastly improved rotation.

Next, the Rangers need a stick to replace some of Teixeira's production. A good fit might be Cliff Floyd. Floyd could DH and would represent an upgrade from Brian Jordan. At $6.5M per for two more years, Floyd will represent a relatively inexpensive option who will likely thrive in the hitter's paradise in Texas and without the everyday defensive wear and tear on his wheels, will provide a quality veteran lefty stick for the second half of the Rangers already impressive lineup. Adding Floyd to the deal also takes a little of the sting out of picking up the Park contract albatross.

Finally, the Mets will have to cough up some youth, and they might be able to interest the Rangers in hitting machine Victor Diaz who could shift back and forth with Floyd between DH and LF depending on Floyd's health and Diaz's glove. To seal the deal, the Mets could kick in A ball pitcher Yusmeiro Petit who continues to mesmerize hitters at every level despite not possessing the "stuff" of a highly touted prospect.

In summation, the Mets would get Teixeira and Chan Ho Park for Steve Trachsel, Cliff Floyd, Victor Diaz and Yusmeiro Petit. The Rangers unload Park's hideous contract, solidify their rotation, add punch and youth to their LF/DH dilemma, and get the Mets top pitching prospect, while the Mets get a third young cornerstone to add to D-Wright and Reyes, solve their 1B problem for the foreseeable future, and cross their fingers that Park stays healthy and finds that a return to the NL and to a pitcher's park help him regain the form that made the Rangers sign him to that gawdawful contract in the first place.

Alternatively, if you can't get the Rangers to bite, you could lead with Trachsel to Minnesota as well, as they will be looking for a way to replace Brad Radke and Trachsel will provide that at a much cheaper cost than Radke would demand, but the Twin's secondary needs are harder for the Mets to fill, as they don't have a hefty contract like PArk's to dump, and they would probably have no interest in Floyd because they are stocked in the outfield. You could probably get them to bite on Diaz and Petit, and then possibly sell them on relief pitching like Orber Moreno and Tyler Yates, though I don't know if that'd be enough to corral Morneau, since the Twin's don't have the prodigy waiting in the wings like the Rangers do in Gonzalez.

If you could get the Rangers to do that deal, it would leave the Mets with Glavine, Benson, Park, Zambrano, and Seo in the rotation and maybe the Korean-Konnection fires up both Park and Seo, or perhaps the Mets then round out their rotation with Carl Pavano or Matt Clement (I know, I know...Pedro...yuck). That would leave them with only Piazza left to unload, and only a couple of corner outfielders left to find.

Delgado-Be Kidding Me

2004-12-05T17:30:00.000-05:00

The NY Post's Mark Hale, who is the goods and wouldn't run with it if he didn't have something, writes today that the Mets have contacted Blue Jays free agent Carlos Delgado to express interest and plan to pursue him as their solution at first base at next week's winter meetings in Anaheim.

Sometimes, it's as if the Mets make decisions based on what is most likely to piss me off.

This is not to slam Carlos Delgado, as he is a fine big league player who has had a terrific career in Toronto, and were a team on the cusp of competing he might be a valuable addition. However, in my opinion, the Mets do not fit that description, and Delgado is the wrong man for the job.

First of all, Delgado, 32, just completed a 4 year, $68M dollar deal in Toronto, and the contract he signs this offseason is likely to be his last of significance. He is going to want 4 or 5 years and he is going to want money, and lots of it. You're not going to get Carlos for 3 years and $30M. He's going to want 4 for $50M or 5 for $60M or something like that. Anyway you slice it, by the time the Mets are realistically looking to compete, Delgado will be a 7 figure albatross of a contract that you're looking to get rid of and can't.

Secondly, Delgado missed 33 games last summer due to a rib cage sprain, and while I'm not insinuating that it will become a chronic rib cage injury, one does have to give pause to a guy who is 32, coming off his worst season in a decade, and coming off an injury that might be consider indicative of a player being on the wrong side of 30. Not that Delgado wouldn't be worth the minimal injury risk in the right situation, but for the Mets, who are coming off now 3 consecutive 90+ loss seasons, adding one big slugger or two or an ace pitcher or all of the above won't catapult them to contender status. In the Mets current circumstance, every piece has to be consider for it's value not just in 2005, but for 2006, 2007 and beyond.

Will Delgado still be a good investment at $12M or more per season in June of 2007 when he turns 35? Will he still be a productive player? Will he still be able to stay healthy for an entire season? Methinks not, or, at least, one has to acknowledge that it's a tossup.

Thirdly, one additionally has to consider that the Mets have not had specifically good results importing American League hitting stars and on top of that power hitters, and putting them into Shea Stadium and the National League. In fact, their history in this area is a clear indicator that one ought to give pause before considering importing a player that fits either of those descriptions, let alone both. Especially, when you consider that the Toronto Skydome ranks 4th overall by Park Factor as a run scoring park, and 7th for homeruns, versus 16th and 26th respectively for Shea.

When you combine that with Delgado's .269/.372/.535, the money factor, the age factor, and the NL factor, you are looking at a guy who could have an ugly season or four and have 'em at a hefty price tag.

You want a first baseman to dream about? Find a kid that you can stick there for 10 years with D-Wright and Reyes like James Loney who devalued himself a little with a funky season in the Dodgers system or find a cheap veteran with a low price tag who's offensive game is better suited to Shea like Doug Mientkiewicz who is a great defensive player and who is cheap enough that you can trade or cut him if he doesn't work out or if you find someone better.

But for Pete's sake, PLEASE stop trying to find the oldest guy with the best career numbers and throw the biggest contract at him to make the biggest media splash without considering whether or not the guy is actually a good player for this team right now and/or for the future. Carlos Delgado is not the right piece for this Mets team, he's just the biggest name available. And that's the same mistake the Mets have been making for years.

Prototype 2: Naming Names

2004-12-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

The fallout from yesterday's NYFS piece on the characteristics the Mets should be looking for in acquiring players this offseason, continues to focus primarily on people asking for specific players who fit the prototype and teams who seem to have used a similar prototype with success.

The best examples in actual practice are probably the Twins, the A's, and the Marlins. Minnesota and Oakland have used the formula effectively for years, routinely finding their way into the playoffs, and Florida put together a World Champion roster using a similar philosophy. The Rangers have only recently begun implementing a similar strategy, but by doing so have quickly constructed a fabulous young core of players featuring Hank Blaylock, Lance Nix, Mark Teixeira, et al. The Blue Jays also seem to be creating a similar style team in Toronto, as have the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who are featuring Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, Aubrey Huff, and BJ Upton.

The obvious response to that list is, all those teams are small/mid media market teams and they construct their teams in that way because they have to. The Mets are a large market team with more resources and don't have to wait for young players to develop to fill needs.

However, in actual practice, both the Yankees and the Braves used a similar strategy in the late 80s and early 90s to build the core of the teams that dominated baseball for more than a decade. So the theory doesn't only apply or work in smaller markets, in fact, it could be effectively argued that it works regardless of market size, but that it certainly improves the chances of having long term success if your team has the resources to keep it's young players once they reach free agency, and to add quality veteran players once the core has been established.

The difficulty in identifying specific players for the Mets to pursue is that it's nearly impossible to have any realistic or accurate information about what players of this ilk are available. Generally they are not free agents, and their availability would be based on teams being willing to trade them from depth to fill other needs. In part, that's what led to identifying a prototype as opposed to naming names in the first place, and I suppose it's also why so much of the modern day Hot Stove activity focuses on free agents, who's availability is widely and publicly known.

Any young players who fit the prototype that I would identify as possible targets could easily and irrefutably be shot down by saying, "Ed, that team will never trade that kid." and whether it's true or not, it cannot be argued irrefutably either way.

However, the Mets do have assets that they can use to acquire excellent young players, and there are teams with depth at the Mets' positions of need, so despite the bleak outlook of the naysayers, deals can be constructed.

One of the Mets' best assets is their ability to eat bad contract money. It's one resource that they rarely exploit. The Mets could act as facilitators in deals between other teams and receive talented players in exchange for providing cash that makes deals between small market teams more feasible. Additionally, the Mets have some veteran players that could prove to be more valuable to teams on the cusp of competing, especially if the Mets are willing to swallow considerable portions of the money remaining on their contracts. Players like Cliff Floyd, Steve Trachsel, and Tom Glavine can bring back value in trades, because they represent proven quality players, with short term contract commitments, that may become attractive to a contending team, especially if the Mets make them low cost options and thusly better values than other potential solutions.

Additionally, the Mets have some pitching depth that may be attractive to smaller market budget oriented teams. Particularly Jae Seo who has reportedly asked to be moved this offseason, the aforementioned Trachsel who is still a reasonable value under his current contract, and young pitchers like Aaron Heilman and Matt Ginter who have had mixed results at the big league level, but may thrive in a different setting and thusly be more valuable to a small market team with outfield depth but holes in their pitching staff.

So, as for specifics - and again, I offer these as examples of the types of deals and don't mean to imply that I think or know the players involved are actually available - the Mets might look to the Minnesota Twins who have an extraordinary amount of depth in their outfield, but are battling with losing ace Brad Radke from an already thin pitching rotation. Steve Trachsel would provide a similar pitching solution to Radke for much less money than Radke will command as a free agent. Players like Michael Cuddyer (who is from Norfolk like Wright) might fit the prototype, or maybe Lew Ford or Michael Restovich or first baseman Justin Morneau.

Another interesting potential trade partner might be the Toronto Blue Jays who also have some extraordinary depth in their outfield, but lack inexpensive starting pitching. Perhaps a Jae Seo for Gabe Gross exchange would benefit both teams, or an Alex Rios for Steve Trachsel and Ginter type move.

The Rangers are another team with excellent depth at the Mets' positions of need, particularly at firstbase and in the outfield, who are starving for pitching, and as was pointed out on the NYFS boards, the Mets might be able to get them to overpay with a talented kid like 1B Adrian Gonzalez by eating some of Chan Ho Park's unpleasant contract and sending them a pitcher.

Again, these aren't necessarily doable deals. A lot depends on Omar Minaya being able to identify teams with depth in his areas of need, and needs in his areas of depth. The Mets have additional assets that would have value to other teams (Vance Wilson, Victor Diaz, Craig Brazell, Jason Phillips) who had specific needs, who may bring back surprising returns for Mets fans in the right situations. There is no way to hypothetically compose three way trades where the Mets primary contribution would be providing financial relief that moves the deal through for other teams.

But there are players out there who can be had, and the Mets do have the assets to acquire them. It's only a matter of finding the right dance partners and having the courage to ask them to dance.

Rebuilding In New York

2004-11-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

The critics always say "you can't rebuild in New York". You can't build your roster around young unknown, untested, unproven players and watch them develop together as a team. That's what they say. That's been the rationale both the Mets and the Knicks recent history, however, someone forgot to give 2nd year Knicks' GM Isiah Thomas the memo.

Don't get me wrong. I was a doubting Thomas when the Knicks hired Isiah. I was wrong about him. He has done everything right. He has brought in a young core of players (Marbury, Crawford, Mohammed, Thomas, Ariza) kept the right pieces that were here when he got here (Kurt Thomas, Sweetney) and sprinkled in a couple of the right types of veterans (Hardaway and Jerome Williams), given them a veteran coach they respect, and built a team that you can't help but love.

Last night, these young Knicks held off the Toronto Raptors 108-102 in the second half of a home/home back to back, Jamal Crawford hitting for his first 30 point game as a Knick, Marbury doling out a season high 15 assists, and Nazr Mohammed who had his third straight double-double, hitting for 19, while corralling 10 boards. Most impressive though is that the young teammates are starting to build a team, to have some experiences together that will lead to them being able to withstand the rigors of postseason basketball. Not this season, maybe, but a year or two down the road.

This is the perfect example of not just that you CAN build a team in New York, but that in fact, you must.

Because this is a team New Yorkers want to and will come see. Young guys with flair and a future learning to perhaps be great. No one came to see Allan Houston and Dikembe Mutombo struggle to reach .500, but the Garden was packed last night to see Marbury, Crawford, and Mohammed achieve that feat.

This lesson is apparently lost on the Wilpon led Mets. Another offseason packed with rumors of Sammy Sosa and Magglio Ordonez and Pedro Martinez as they continue to mis-perceive the marketplace as needing to have big name stars to make a splash to sell tickets. They plan another lost season of 35+ year old fading stars, failing to live up to their own legends, unable to stay healthy and on the field to perform, struggling to reach .500, and failing to grab the interest of the New York fan.

Meanwhile, the blueprint for how to succeed is being executed to perfection at the Garden where the fans are leaping to their feet and opening their wallets, while the Mets continue to miss the whole point.

Enjoying The Leftovers

2004-11-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

For many, today will be a day that Thanksgiving dinner leftovers will be enjoyed. For some, the day after turkey/stuffing/cranberry sandwich on Friday is as good if not better than the meal itself.

However, as Mets' fans, too often we have been left eating the leftovers of the free agent market and that is a dish that has proven not to be nearly as palatable as the prime cuts. Not that the Mets have ever failed to spend money. The Wilpon's can not really be accused of being cheap, just that the money never seems to be well spent, always opting for a past their prime star, or a discounted veteran due to injury, or a second tier player, and never the pick of the litter.

Not always by design either, it's certainly been the case that at times players have just chosen to go elsewhere, leaving the Mets to find other solutions. But somehow, Mets' fans are are always seemingly left wanting. more often than not, it seems, we are left holding the leftovers.

This offseason seems to be heading in a similar direction as Carlos Beltran is being wooed elsewhere while the Mets discuss Sammy Sosa, Shawn Green and Magglio Ordonez. Alas, it seems no matter who steers the good ship Metropolitans, clipping the iceberg is an unavoidable outcome.

m2c2c2 you poor pitiful bastard

m2c2c2 is currently choosing to bash me and this blog via ESPNs message boards. Including saying "gawd, I hate this fraud. Now that people have proven that the "secret inside source" he was bleating about was Heals on a public message board". :sigh:

Nicely done. First of all, "Heals" is my friend, and a writer for NYFS, the AP, and Mets Inside Pitch, so yeah...he certainly qualifies as a source. We fact check with each other and just share info all the time. So if you feel that a writer who writes for my site, posting something on my public message boards, in the same hour as I post it on my blog makes me or my sources a fraud, then so be it.

More importantly though, m2c2c2 has now been banned from at least 4 sites that I know of for attacking me over the last six months. What a sad and pitiful existance it must be to have so little to do with one's time and to be so angry and bitter and resentful that you can find no way to cope other than to attack someone who does nothing except share information with Mets' fans whenever he gets it.

So during these holidays, I ask that you think of m2c2c2 and when you meditate or reflect or pray or whatever it is that you do, please have him in your thoughts. You can send him messages of support and well wishes at m2c2c2@aol.com . I can't imagine a sadder or more miserable existence than the one he must live for him to be so angry and bitter. Lets all try and rally the Mets fan community around m2c2c2 during his time of need and share a little of the happiness we all enjoy during this happy time of year! Bless you m2c2c2!

Comments/Sources

2004-11-24T15:20:00.000-05:00

I had to turn the commenting feature off. The whole point here is that I have sources I can't always double/triple confrim so I don't want to post them on NYFS. Some people have proven that they can only be assholes. So now, no commenting.

Well done. Have a nice day.

Sosa No Go

2004-11-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

My secret inside sources are telling me that Sammy Sosa will not be plying his trade in Flushing next season, with the sticking point being the Mets will absolutely not budge of giving Slammin' Sammy an extension, and that's the only possible way to deal with Sosa's $18M vesting upon being traded option for 2006.

So there will be no chest-tappin'/finger kissin' going on at Shea next summer.

However, that doesn't preclude the Mets from finding another high-cost/high-risk option for rightfield as they still are discussing the possibility of sending Mike Piazza to Los Angeles for the enigmatic Shawn Green, and toying with the idea of White Sox OF Magglio Ordonez who is coming off of a knee injury and is a Scott Boras client, meaning he will demand a long and high priced contract, even though he is coming off a serious injury and is on the wrong side of 30.

In other news, all around good guy and baseball guru Guy Conti has been promoted to Mets' bullpen coach, after being the Minor League Field Coordinator in St. Lucie for the last few years. Conti is incredibly well liked and respected. He knows more about the Mets system, the kids in the organization coming up, and how things run that probably anyone.

In addition to be a hands on tireless worker and a former pitching coach, Guy Conti is the minor league coach that held Pedro Martinez's hand as he came up through the minors. In fact, in this Boston Globe story which I bring you via the Dallas News, AP writer Gordon Edes wrote: "The Dodger organization was very good to its Dominican players, Pedro says. In Great Falls, Guy Conti, the pitching coach, used to sit beside Pedro on the team's marathon bus rides, helping him to learn English. Pedro calls Conti "my white daddy.""

It remains to be seen whether or not Pedro will attempt to reunite with his...ummm...white daddy. :grin:

Seo Long Jae

2004-11-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Korea Times is reporting that Jae Seo has quietly asked the Mets to move him elsewhere, since he is not in their plans, and he has clashed with pitching coach Rick Peterson. "I told my agent that I want to play for a team that really needs me and where I can start regularly." Seo reportedly told reporters, which, in all fairness, seems a pretty reasonable request. Hopefully the Mets will be able to accomodate Jae, since he is a fine kid and works his butt off.

Jae really deserves an opportunity to pitch regularly. He is one of the hardest working guys every spring, runs long before and long after most of the pitchers have left to make their tee times. Plus, he is a community fixture here in St. Lucie. His US family lives here. I can't imagine him being elsewhere.

It'd be nice to see the Mets keeping and coddling the young pitchers and dumping the aging veterans, however, that never seems to be their strategy.

Also of note are the players left off the Mets 40 man roster after this weeks final pre-Rule V draft machinations. Possible prospects that the Mets could lose via the draft include Chris Basak, Ken Chenard, Brett Harper, Joe Heitpas, Jeremy Hill, Jake Joseph, Chase Lambin, Tim Lavigne, Bobby Malek, Neal Musser, Royce Ring, Jason Scobie, Orlando Roman, Kole Strayhorn, Tyler Davidson, Celso Rondon, Wilson Batista, Blake Whealy, David Bacani, Blake McGinley, Corey Ragsdale, Jonathan Slack, Kevin Deaton, Joe Jianetti, Wayne Ough, Robert Paulk, Miguel Pinango, Alhaji Turay, and Luz Portabanco.

Lot of friends, good people, and terrific ballplayers on that list. I think you can probably kiss Royce Ring and Blake McGinley good-bye. McGinley, in particular, is a shame to lose. In addition to being a terrific lefty pitcher, he is as low key and personable as they come, and has a competitive streak a mile long and twice as wide. I hope he slips through the cracks somehow. Probably would help if I stopped writing how great he is on my well visited web sites, eh? :grin:

The Knicks put a 98-88 hurting on the Cavs last night, and continue to show how much fun it is too watch a team of young guys coming together, as opposed to watching another season of aging and declining veterans failing to live up to preseason expectations.

Wilson In? Piazza Out?

2004-11-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

How about a little freakin' love from the Mets for Vance Wilson? The guy has given the best years of his career, or his "Prime" as they say, playing (or not playing) behind a certifiable first ballot Hall of Famer and quietly has become one of the best throwing catchers in baseball. He could certainly be starting somewhere. Yet the Mets continue to yank him around on year-to-year contracts that when added up don't even total one year of what they wasted on Roger Cedeno. Then...when there is FINALLY an opportunity, they give Jason Phillips 750 ABs and allow him to hit under .200 for the final 500 of those, while Vance hasn't even got 750 ABs in his entire Mets' career.

The only difference between Vance and the $14M Mike Matheny has gotten from the Cardinals over the last four years is opportunity and circumstance.

Would it kill the Wilpons and Omar Autominaya and Jim Duquette to call Vance in to the offices and say, "Look, we know you have sacrificed a lot for this organization. We're trading Piazza this offseason, we want to reward you and provide you some security for your family, here is a 2 year/$2.5M deal, and the Opening Day job is yours to lose."

The very least they could do is give him and his lovely family some financial security for a change. He's earned that, and it surprises me that he hasn't gotten that already from an organization that talks so much about family and loyalty. No one has demonstrated more sense of family or loyalty to the organization than Vance Wilson.

Besides, the Mets are going to need Vance on board because it looks more and more likely that Mike Piazza will not be back. Despite failing to trade him to the Angels for Jose Guillen, it's likely he will be gone...and at his request. That's what I'm hearing: that Mike wants out before Spring Training starts. I don't really have a source I can cough up for you on that, it's just what I heard. He wants to go elsewhere.

Also, the scuttlebutt is that Gary Carter will be managing the Mets Gulf Coast League team next year as a non-travel, short schedule, intro to the rigors of managing. It'll be interesting to see how he handles today's young players and how his joyous and effervescent personality rubs off on the kids.

AFL Over - Bannister and Lambin And Lydon and Hietpas

2004-11-20T18:07:00.000-05:00

The Phoenix Desert Dogs won the Arizona Fall League Championship yesterday on an eighth inning grand slam by Royals' prospect Don Murphy who ironically had entered the game the previous inning as a defensive replacement. Well done there.

This was not a banner year for the Mets' entries in the AFL, though there were some notable performances (see BA's AFL stats for more detail), including a robust .313 AVG posted by Joe Hietpas who is a highly rated defensive catcher and a heck of a nice guy, and a .284 AVG and 14 SBs in 29 games for Wayne Lydon who was further rewarded by the organization yesterday by being added to the 40-man roster, along with fellow Mets OFer Angel Pagan, and P Matt Lindstrom, who touched 100mph on a gun in St. Lucie this past season.

My friend Chase Lambin had a pretty good run in Arizona as well, particularly if you note that for the first part of the season out there the Mets apparently failed to deliver him his contact lenses, so with that grain of salt, his performance takes on a different light, particularly when you consider he hit a bomb over the batter's eye in CF at one of the parks that drew the OHMYGAWDS! from league regulars who couldn't recall that feat being accomplished ever.

But perhaps the best news comes from NYFS supporter and also my friend Brian Bannister, who continues to make me look smart and others look...well..less smart, by moving on up like George and 'Ouisy, posting a 3.77 ERA and whiffing 17 in 14.1 IP. In addition to a super breaking ball and change up combo and superb control, Brian is as smart a guy getting a paycheck for playing baseball as I have met.

Malicious Marketing To Minors

2004-11-20T17:30:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you have kids or are a kid or not, but either way, this drives me insane. I hate the use of popular kids icons to sell food to kids that will kill them. It was one thing when it was including a crap toy in a Happy Meal. But now, they are actually branding foods with characters from popular kids shows and movies to get your kid to say, "Oh Daddy I want a Shrek Twinkie!" as you walk through the supermarket. Oh yes, you heard me right...a Shrek Twinkie.

It's not even like there is a picture of Shrek on the Twinkie, or that it is any way different from a regular Twinkie other than having the cream inside be green instead of white (See photo).

The worst offenders though are not Twinkies...but "cheddar crackers". Man, there are Scooby Snack Cheese crackers, Sponge Bob, Dora The Explorer. Cheese Nips come as Shrek, Scooby, or The Fairly Odd Parents...they crank out different shapes of the same nasty orange dye infused fake cheese board for pretty much every character to show it's face on Nickelodeon. It's amazing and disgusting at the same time.

Those are some evil bastards.

Rotation Returns. :rolls eyes:

2004-11-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the ink is reported drying on Kris Benson's new 3 year $23M deal and the scoop around the watercooler is that Al Leiter's return is also imminent which is great news (don't step in the dripping sarcasm), because now we can expect last year's 90+ loss rotation to return completely intact for the 2005 season!

Also, I have it from now 3 independent sources that the only one of the 5 starters from last year with projectable top of the rotation hopes, Scott Kaz...oh wait, Victor Zambrano, is actually still nursing injuries to both his arm and his ankle. In fact, I've heard off the record that Spring Training is iffy. Sweet, eh?

Additionally, rumblings now include Sammy Sosa being a no go. Though the Mets missed out on Guillen, who was traded to the wheelin' and dealin' Exp...errr....Nationals, the rumor is that the Mets have soured on Insipid Sammy (go ahead...use babelfish to translate Sosa), and that it ain't happenin'. So with Floyd for Sosa undone, and Piazza for Guillen off the table, the Mets are still stuck with the two $30M declining injury prone albatross contacts. Woo hoo.

Look for the Mets to turn their attention to the Dodgers (which would have me winning the office pool!) and trying to fob off Piazza there, in exchange for Shawn Green, because well...because what would a Mets offseason be with out acquiring another overpaid underperforming star big name player who's best years are behind him?

The Daily News reported today that the Mets might have interest in Nick Johnson, which would actually be sweet as he hits lefty, has an excellent OBP, and is a good defensive 1B, filling three Mets needs.

That'd give the Mets a young, exciting infield of Johnson, Matsui, Reyes, and D-Wright. Go get me a couple of studly young corner outfielders and some young pitchers and I could actually LIKE that team.

Speaking Of Liking A Team

Last night's NBA Brawl left me depressed that my Knickerbockers weren't a part of the melee. How sad is that? Actually, I guess I am happier right now about the state of the Knicks than I have been in years. I still wish they had Doc Rivers at the helm instead of Lenny Wilkens, however, I love the team. Young scrappy streetballers with upside and talent. They are a fun bunch to watch. This weeks 1-3 road trip may not have shown up in the win column, but it showed me a young team that is going places.

Bonus Coverage: Reputable Sources

The Star-Ledger actually has Al Leiter talking turkey with the Yankees and Marlins, however, they are playing fairly loose with their sources. And I quote: "The person also said Leiter had received a contract offer from the Florida Marlins." A person. Sweet. It doesn't get more reliable than "a person" when you are scooping news for an actual newspaper.

Granted, I said I had "3 independent sources" earlier in this blog...but then..this is a blog. One I specifically created because I had stuff like this that I didn't want to run with, using unnamed sources, on NYFS. If you're an actual reporter, you gotta have better than "a person".