Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Report: Mets agree to four-year deal with closer Wagner
November 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Fireballing lefthander Billy Wagner apparently will be the new closing act for the New York Mets.
According to a report on FOXSports.com, the Mets have agreed on a four-year contract worth $43 million with Wagner, who recorded 38 saves and a 1.51 ERA with National League East Division rival Philadelphia last season.
Wagner's reported deal comes after closer B.J. Ryan signed a five-year, $47 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees has the highest annual salary among relievers. He signed a two-year extension worth $21 million after the 2004 season.
The 34-year-old Wagner, who visited with Mets officials last week, also had been courted by the Phillies and Atlanta Braves, among other teams.
Wagner has recorded at least 30 saves in six of the last eight seasons and 284 in all. He set a career high with 44 to go with a 1.78 ERA with Houston in 2003. He was traded to Philadelphia that offseason and went 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 21 saves in his first season with the Phillies in 2004.
One of the National League's most fearsome closers for nearly a decade, Wagner has struck out 840 batters in 630 1/3 innings. He set a career high with 124 strikeouts with the Astros in 1999 and fanned 87 in 77 1/3 innings this past season.
Braden Looper, who served as the Mets closer this past season, struck out only 27 batters in 59 1/3 innings.
The reported deal with Wagner is the latest in a flurry of moves made by Mets general manager Omar Minaya this month. He has acquired outfielder Xavier Nady, slugging first baseman Carlos Delgado and outfielder Tike Redman in trades with San Diego, Florida and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

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Report: Mets agree to four-year deal with closer Wagner

November 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Fireballing lefthander Billy Wagner apparently will be the new closing act for the New York Mets.
According to a report on FOXSports.com, the Mets have agreed on a four-year contract worth $43 million with Wagner, who recorded 38 saves and a 1.51 ERA with National League East Division rival Philadelphia last season.
Wagner's reported deal comes after closer B.J. Ryan signed a five-year, $47 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees has the highest annual salary among relievers. He signed a two-year extension worth $21 million after the 2004 season.
The 34-year-old Wagner, who visited with Mets officials last week, also had been courted by the Phillies and Atlanta Braves, among other teams.
Wagner has recorded at least 30 saves in six of the last eight seasons and 284 in all. He set a career high with 44 to go with a 1.78 ERA with Houston in 2003. He was traded to Philadelphia that offseason and went 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 21 saves in his first season with the Phillies in 2004.
One of the National League's most fearsome closers for nearly a decade, Wagner has struck out 840 batters in 630 1/3 innings. He set a career high with 124 strikeouts with the Astros in 1999 and fanned 87 in 77 1/3 innings this past season.
Braden Looper, who served as the Mets closer this past season, struck out only 27 batters in 59 1/3 innings.
The reported deal with Wagner is the latest in a flurry of moves made by Mets general manager Omar Minaya this month. He has acquired outfielder Xavier Nady, slugging first baseman Carlos Delgado and outfielder Tike Redman in trades with San Diego, Florida and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

posted by David at 10:48 AM 0 comments  

Report: Mets agree to four-year deal with closer Wagner
November 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Fireballing lefthander Billy Wagner apparently will be the new closing act for the New York Mets.
According to a report on FOXSports.com, the Mets have agreed on a four-year contract worth $43 million with Wagner, who recorded 38 saves and a 1.51 ERA with National League East Division rival Philadelphia last season.
Wagner's reported deal comes after closer B.J. Ryan signed a five-year, $47 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Earlier Monday, B.J. Ryan finalized a $47 million, five-year agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays. The total of Ryan's contract is the largest for a reliever. The previous marks for total and average were held by New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.
"It's good not to have an unsigned closer right now, to be in the market for a closer," said Rick Hahn, assistant general manager of the World Series champion Chicago White Sox. "It certainly is an indication of this robust market for free agents."
With Wagner headed to New York, Philadelphia is considering Tom Gordon and Trevor Hoffman. The Yankees have a two-year offer out to Gordon and also have been negotiating with Kyle Farnsworth.
Another sign of the premium placed on pitching was the deal Oakland gave to starter Esteban Loaiza, who went 12-10 with a 3.77 ERA for the Washington Nationals last season. He agreed to a three-year contract with the Athletics worth $21,375,000.
And in a deal finalized Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs gave a $12 million, three-year contract to right-handed setup man Bobby Howry, who joins left-hander Scott Eyre in their beefed-up bullpen.
Moments after pulling on a Mets jersey at Shea Stadium, Delgado explained why he won't continue his refusal to stand on the field during "God Bless America," a stance he took the last two seasons while playing with Toronto and then Florida. Delgado, who spurned New York last offseason to sign with the Marlins, spoke about his anti-war protest with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
"I gave him my views on that subject and I also said I would not put myself in front of the team," Delgado said. "The Mets have a policy that everybody should stand for `God Bless America' and I will be there. I will not cause any distractions to the ballclub."
New York also has offers out to free agent catchers Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez, and the Mets haven't ruled out trying to acquire Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox.
In Chicago, Jim Thome was introduced by the White Sox, who acquired him in a trade from the Phillies last week. He said he already tried to be a recruiter, calling free-agent first baseman Paul Konerko.
"Please come back," was Thome's message. "I put a call into him this weekend. We have not talked. I've known Paulie for a long time. ... I just wanted him to know from my end. We'll connect I'm sure. He probably has a lot going on and vice versa."
Considered by many the top reliever on the free-agent market, Wagner saved 38 games for Philadelphia last season. The Phillies offered just more than $30 million over three years to retain the 34-year-old left-hander, a four-time All-Star whose fastball reaches 100 mph.
Philadelphia was set to increase the money at 4 p.m. Monday but 45 minutes earlier received a call from Wagner's agent informing the club of the pitcher's decision.
"Three years we felt very comfortable with. Going to a fourth year as the Mets went to, we didn't feel that comfortable," Gillick said.
Wagner needed to pass a physical, which was likely to take place Tuesday. New York spokesman Jay Horwitz declined comment, but the Mets scheduled an afternoon news conference at Shea Stadium.
In Toronto, Ryan was asked at his news conference if he was worth the money.
"I don't know," he said. "I guess I'm going to go out on that field and see. When you sign a deal like this, you want to hold up your end of it."
A left-hander who turns 30 on Dec. 28, Ryan has 42 career saves, including 36 last season for the Baltimore Orioles.
"He stands among the few pitchers in baseball worthy of a five-year contract," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "I know our starting pitchers will be very happy to hear this news."
Ryan's deal tops the $39.99 million, four-year contract Rivera got from the Yankees from 2001-04. Wagner's average salary of $10.75 million tops that of Rivera, who has one season remaining under a $21 million, two-year contract with New York.
Loaiza made 34 starts last season, striking out 173 and walking 55 batters in 217 innings. A two-time All-Star, he bounced back from a 1-4 start to go 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA in 23 outings after June 1.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane had money to sign Loaiza after trading aces Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder in a three-day span last December. Support from Oakland's new ownership group headed by Los Angeles real estate mogul Lewis Wolff also allowed the deal to get done quickly.
"For us, it was an opportunity to add a player without subtracting a player," Beane said. "Our history here, usually we're trading a player to acquire a player."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

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Report: Mets agree to four-year deal with closer Wagner

November 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Fireballing lefthander Billy Wagner apparently will be the new closing act for the New York Mets.
According to a report on FOXSports.com, the Mets have agreed on a four-year contract worth $43 million with Wagner, who recorded 38 saves and a 1.51 ERA with National League East Division rival Philadelphia last season.
Wagner's reported deal comes after closer B.J. Ryan signed a five-year, $47 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Earlier Monday, B.J. Ryan finalized a $47 million, five-year agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays. The total of Ryan's contract is the largest for a reliever. The previous marks for total and average were held by New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.
"It's good not to have an unsigned closer right now, to be in the market for a closer," said Rick Hahn, assistant general manager of the World Series champion Chicago White Sox. "It certainly is an indication of this robust market for free agents."
With Wagner headed to New York, Philadelphia is considering Tom Gordon and Trevor Hoffman. The Yankees have a two-year offer out to Gordon and also have been negotiating with Kyle Farnsworth.
Another sign of the premium placed on pitching was the deal Oakland gave to starter Esteban Loaiza, who went 12-10 with a 3.77 ERA for the Washington Nationals last season. He agreed to a three-year contract with the Athletics worth $21,375,000.
And in a deal finalized Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs gave a $12 million, three-year contract to right-handed setup man Bobby Howry, who joins left-hander Scott Eyre in their beefed-up bullpen.
Moments after pulling on a Mets jersey at Shea Stadium, Delgado explained why he won't continue his refusal to stand on the field during "God Bless America," a stance he took the last two seasons while playing with Toronto and then Florida. Delgado, who spurned New York last offseason to sign with the Marlins, spoke about his anti-war protest with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
"I gave him my views on that subject and I also said I would not put myself in front of the team," Delgado said. "The Mets have a policy that everybody should stand for `God Bless America' and I will be there. I will not cause any distractions to the ballclub."
New York also has offers out to free agent catchers Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez, and the Mets haven't ruled out trying to acquire Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox.
In Chicago, Jim Thome was introduced by the White Sox, who acquired him in a trade from the Phillies last week. He said he already tried to be a recruiter, calling free-agent first baseman Paul Konerko.
"Please come back," was Thome's message. "I put a call into him this weekend. We have not talked. I've known Paulie for a long time. ... I just wanted him to know from my end. We'll connect I'm sure. He probably has a lot going on and vice versa."
Considered by many the top reliever on the free-agent market, Wagner saved 38 games for Philadelphia last season. The Phillies offered just more than $30 million over three years to retain the 34-year-old left-hander, a four-time All-Star whose fastball reaches 100 mph.
Philadelphia was set to increase the money at 4 p.m. Monday but 45 minutes earlier received a call from Wagner's agent informing the club of the pitcher's decision.
"Three years we felt very comfortable with. Going to a fourth year as the Mets went to, we didn't feel that comfortable," Gillick said.
Wagner needed to pass a physical, which was likely to take place Tuesday. New York spokesman Jay Horwitz declined comment, but the Mets scheduled an afternoon news conference at Shea Stadium.
In Toronto, Ryan was asked at his news conference if he was worth the money.
"I don't know," he said. "I guess I'm going to go out on that field and see. When you sign a deal like this, you want to hold up your end of it."
A left-hander who turns 30 on Dec. 28, Ryan has 42 career saves, including 36 last season for the Baltimore Orioles.
"He stands among the few pitchers in baseball worthy of a five-year contract," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "I know our starting pitchers will be very happy to hear this news."
Ryan's deal tops the $39.99 million, four-year contract Rivera got from the Yankees from 2001-04. Wagner's average salary of $10.75 million tops that of Rivera, who has one season remaining under a $21 million, two-year contract with New York.
Loaiza made 34 starts last season, striking out 173 and walking 55 batters in 217 innings. A two-time All-Star, he bounced back from a 1-4 start to go 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA in 23 outings after June 1.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane had money to sign Loaiza after trading aces Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder in a three-day span last December. Support from Oakland's new ownership group headed by Los Angeles real estate mogul Lewis Wolff also allowed the deal to get done quickly.
"For us, it was an opportunity to add a player without subtracting a player," Beane said. "Our history here, usually we're trading a player to acquire a player."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

posted by David at 10:46 AM 0 comments  

Delgado to stand alongside new Mets teammates for `God Bless America'
November 28, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- As far as Carlos Delgado is concerned, team rules come before personal politics. And that's why he's willing to stand on the field with the rest of the New York Mets when "God Bless America" is played next season.
"I think the most important thing about integrity is to realize what your priorities are," Delgado said. "I'm a baseball player, I'm not a political activist."
Moments after pulling on a Mets jersey at a Shea Stadium news conference Monday, the team's new first baseman was peppered with questions about his protest of the U.S.-Iraq war. Delgado's refusal to stand on the field during "God Bless America" the past two seasons attracted nearly as much attention as his long home runs -- especially when he came to New York as a visiting player.
But now that he's been traded by the cost-cutting Florida Marlins to the Mets, the slugger said he has no problem adhering to his new club's rule.
New York manager Willie Randolph expects his players to "stand at attention and honor the flag" during the song. So Delgado said he will be right there alongside his teammates when it's played at big league ballparks during the seventh-inning stretch.
"I'm employee No. 21," Delgado said, referring to his new uniform number. "I'm here to follow orders."
Many major league teams have played "God Bless America" at home since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and Delgado doesn't mind that at all. In fact, he donated $25,000 to New York firefighters and another $25,000 to police soon after 9-11.
But he thought the song came to represent support for the United States' invasion of Iraq, which he called "the stupidest war ever" while he was playing for Toronto in 2004.
"They tied up `God Bless America' to the war in Iraq and I said, `What is going on here?"' Delgado said. "I was against the war in Iraq."
So when the song was played he would quietly remain on the bench or disappear up the dugout tunnel. His Blue Jays teammates accepted his right to express his opinion -- even if it was a particularly unpopular one at the time -- and nobody else even noticed for about a month.
"I wasn't throwing a tantrum out there," Delgado said. "It wasn't an issue."
Until he talked about it in the Toronto Star that summer and a column appeared in The New York Times. Then, when the Blue Jays played at Yankee Stadium, the first baseman was booed each time he batted.
It wasn't the first time he shared his political views. Delgado, from Puerto Rico, also opposed the U.S. military's longtime use of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques for weapons testing.
"He's a man of his word, he's a man of conviction and he's not afraid to speak his mind. I respect him for that," Randolph said. "I think it's really, to me, blown a little bit out of proportion."
Delgado, who spurned the Mets last offseason to sign with Florida, spoke about his anti-war protest with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
"I gave him my views on that subject and I also said I would not put myself in front of the team," Delgado said. "The Mets have a policy that everybody should stand for `God Bless America' and I will be there. I will not cause any distractions to the ballclub."
Wilpon said the matter had been discussed during negotiations when Delgado was a free agent after the 2004 season, and the slugger promised to follow whatever policy was set by Randolph.
"His comment was: If Willie and the Mets have rules, he will follow the team rule," Wilpon said Monday. "So he's going to have his own political views, which he's going to keep to himself."
Last offseason, Delgado said he didn't like the way the Mets tried to recruit him, saying they focused too much on his Hispanic heritage. But he and his agent, David Sloane, said Monday that was simply an outgrowth of tough negotiations -- and both sides agreed there were no hard feelings.
New York also reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $43 million, four-year contract with free-agent closer Billy Wagner.
As for Delgado, who is planning to get married in the next month, he knows what to expect now that he'll be playing his home games in the Big Apple.
"If you hit, they're going to like you. If you don't hit, they're not going to like you," he said.
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this story.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

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Delgado to stand alongside new Mets teammates for `God Bless America'

November 28, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- As far as Carlos Delgado is concerned, team rules come before personal politics. And that's why he's willing to stand on the field with the rest of the New York Mets when "God Bless America" is played next season.
"I think the most important thing about integrity is to realize what your priorities are," Delgado said. "I'm a baseball player, I'm not a political activist."
Moments after pulling on a Mets jersey at a Shea Stadium news conference Monday, the team's new first baseman was peppered with questions about his protest of the U.S.-Iraq war. Delgado's refusal to stand on the field during "God Bless America" the past two seasons attracted nearly as much attention as his long home runs -- especially when he came to New York as a visiting player.
But now that he's been traded by the cost-cutting Florida Marlins to the Mets, the slugger said he has no problem adhering to his new club's rule.
New York manager Willie Randolph expects his players to "stand at attention and honor the flag" during the song. So Delgado said he will be right there alongside his teammates when it's played at big league ballparks during the seventh-inning stretch.
"I'm employee No. 21," Delgado said, referring to his new uniform number. "I'm here to follow orders."
Many major league teams have played "God Bless America" at home since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and Delgado doesn't mind that at all. In fact, he donated $25,000 to New York firefighters and another $25,000 to police soon after 9-11.
But he thought the song came to represent support for the United States' invasion of Iraq, which he called "the stupidest war ever" while he was playing for Toronto in 2004.
"They tied up `God Bless America' to the war in Iraq and I said, `What is going on here?"' Delgado said. "I was against the war in Iraq."
So when the song was played he would quietly remain on the bench or disappear up the dugout tunnel. His Blue Jays teammates accepted his right to express his opinion -- even if it was a particularly unpopular one at the time -- and nobody else even noticed for about a month.
"I wasn't throwing a tantrum out there," Delgado said. "It wasn't an issue."
Until he talked about it in the Toronto Star that summer and a column appeared in The New York Times. Then, when the Blue Jays played at Yankee Stadium, the first baseman was booed each time he batted.
It wasn't the first time he shared his political views. Delgado, from Puerto Rico, also opposed the U.S. military's longtime use of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques for weapons testing.
"He's a man of his word, he's a man of conviction and he's not afraid to speak his mind. I respect him for that," Randolph said. "I think it's really, to me, blown a little bit out of proportion."
Delgado, who spurned the Mets last offseason to sign with Florida, spoke about his anti-war protest with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
"I gave him my views on that subject and I also said I would not put myself in front of the team," Delgado said. "The Mets have a policy that everybody should stand for `God Bless America' and I will be there. I will not cause any distractions to the ballclub."
Wilpon said the matter had been discussed during negotiations when Delgado was a free agent after the 2004 season, and the slugger promised to follow whatever policy was set by Randolph.
"His comment was: If Willie and the Mets have rules, he will follow the team rule," Wilpon said Monday. "So he's going to have his own political views, which he's going to keep to himself."
Last offseason, Delgado said he didn't like the way the Mets tried to recruit him, saying they focused too much on his Hispanic heritage. But he and his agent, David Sloane, said Monday that was simply an outgrowth of tough negotiations -- and both sides agreed there were no hard feelings.
New York also reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $43 million, four-year contract with free-agent closer Billy Wagner.
As for Delgado, who is planning to get married in the next month, he knows what to expect now that he'll be playing his home games in the Big Apple.
"If you hit, they're going to like you. If you don't hit, they're not going to like you," he said.
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this story.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

posted by David at 10:45 AM 0 comments  

Scouting Mets' Prospect #43: Joe Hietpas
Date: Nov 29, 2005
The New York Mets selected catcher Joseph Hietpas with their 16th round draft choice in the 2001 draft out of Northwestern University and has earned a reputation in the Mets' farm system as one of the best defensive catchers in professional baseball. It's his defensive prowess behind the dish that has ranked Hietpas #43 among the Top 50 Mets' prospects.

Source: http://story.scout.com/

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Scouting Mets' Prospect #43: Joe Hietpas

Date: Nov 29, 2005
The New York Mets selected catcher Joseph Hietpas with their 16th round draft choice in the 2001 draft out of Northwestern University and has earned a reputation in the Mets' farm system as one of the best defensive catchers in professional baseball. It's his defensive prowess behind the dish that has ranked Hietpas #43 among the Top 50 Mets' prospects.

Source: http://story.scout.com/

posted by David at 10:44 AM 0 comments  

First Delgado, now Wagner to Mets
November 28, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- Billy Wagner became the latest star to join the New York Mets, reaching a preliminary agreement Monday on a $43 million, four-year contract only hours after first baseman Carlos Delgado was introduced at a Shea Stadium news conference.
Considered by many the top reliever on the free-agent market, Wagner saved 38 games for Philadelphia last season. The Phillies offered just more than $30 million over three years to retain the 34-year-old left-hander, whose fastball reaches 100 mph.
The Phillies were set to increase the money at 4 p.m. Monday, but 45 minutes earlier they received a call from Wagner's agent informing them of the pitcher's decision.
"Three years we felt very comfortable with. Going to a fourth year as the Mets went to, we didn't feel that comfortable," Philadelphia general manager Pat Gillick said.
New York spokesman Jay Horwitz declined comment. Wagner must pass a physical, which is likely to take place Tuesday, before the deal can be completed.
"The offers are moving at a rapid pace, so you never know what to expect," Gillick said. "So consequently, we were disappointed that Billy is not coming back to the Phillies but at the same time, you can't say you're shocked or surprised that something like this would happen."
The four-time All-Star will receive $10.5 million in each of the next four seasons, a high-ranking baseball official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been finalized.
The Mets have an $8 million club option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout. If exercised, the deal would be worth $50 million over five seasons.
Lack of production at first base and a struggling closer in Braden Looper were two of the biggest deficiencies last season for the Mets, who faded in September and finished tied for third in the NL East at 83-79, seven games behind first-place Atlanta.
"These are two key acquisitions," Gillick said. "It's going to make them even more of a force to be dealt with in the East."
New York also has offers out to free-agent catchers Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez.
Wagner's average salary will be the highest for a reliever, topping the $10.5 million Mariano Rivera is earning from the New York Yankees under a two-year contract that started last season. Earlier in the day, Toronto finalized the largest overall deal for a relief pitcher, a $47 million, five-year contract with B.J. Ryan.
Wagner went 4-3 with a 1.51 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 75 appearances this year. He has 284 career saves.
His departure could leave free agents Tom Gordon, Trevor Hoffman and Bob Wickman as the best options for the Phillies. Gordon and Hoffman could get three-year contracts despite being 38.
"I think you're dealing in dangerous waters getting into four and five years with players," Gillick said. "It's risky. I think it's very risky."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

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First Delgado, now Wagner to Mets

November 28, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- Billy Wagner became the latest star to join the New York Mets, reaching a preliminary agreement Monday on a $43 million, four-year contract only hours after first baseman Carlos Delgado was introduced at a Shea Stadium news conference.
Considered by many the top reliever on the free-agent market, Wagner saved 38 games for Philadelphia last season. The Phillies offered just more than $30 million over three years to retain the 34-year-old left-hander, whose fastball reaches 100 mph.
The Phillies were set to increase the money at 4 p.m. Monday, but 45 minutes earlier they received a call from Wagner's agent informing them of the pitcher's decision.
"Three years we felt very comfortable with. Going to a fourth year as the Mets went to, we didn't feel that comfortable," Philadelphia general manager Pat Gillick said.
New York spokesman Jay Horwitz declined comment. Wagner must pass a physical, which is likely to take place Tuesday, before the deal can be completed.
"The offers are moving at a rapid pace, so you never know what to expect," Gillick said. "So consequently, we were disappointed that Billy is not coming back to the Phillies but at the same time, you can't say you're shocked or surprised that something like this would happen."
The four-time All-Star will receive $10.5 million in each of the next four seasons, a high-ranking baseball official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been finalized.
The Mets have an $8 million club option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout. If exercised, the deal would be worth $50 million over five seasons.
Lack of production at first base and a struggling closer in Braden Looper were two of the biggest deficiencies last season for the Mets, who faded in September and finished tied for third in the NL East at 83-79, seven games behind first-place Atlanta.
"These are two key acquisitions," Gillick said. "It's going to make them even more of a force to be dealt with in the East."
New York also has offers out to free-agent catchers Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez.
Wagner's average salary will be the highest for a reliever, topping the $10.5 million Mariano Rivera is earning from the New York Yankees under a two-year contract that started last season. Earlier in the day, Toronto finalized the largest overall deal for a relief pitcher, a $47 million, five-year contract with B.J. Ryan.
Wagner went 4-3 with a 1.51 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 75 appearances this year. He has 284 career saves.
His departure could leave free agents Tom Gordon, Trevor Hoffman and Bob Wickman as the best options for the Phillies. Gordon and Hoffman could get three-year contracts despite being 38.
"I think you're dealing in dangerous waters getting into four and five years with players," Gillick said. "It's risky. I think it's very risky."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

posted by David at 10:42 AM 0 comments  

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Milledge leaves his mark on AFL
11/11/2005
Lastings Milledge is getting a lot of attention on the Hot Stove circuit. That may have something to do with how the 20-year-old outfielder performed with the Grand Canyon Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.
Milledge collected hits in 21 of 24 games en route to a .330 batting average. He also hit five homers, collected 23 RBIs and scored 24 runs.
The Florida native wasn't the only Mets farmhand to gain some notoriety in the AFL. Here's how the other hopefuls fared this season:
LHP Evan MacLane -- MacLane produced his third straight quality start on Nov. 7 in an 8-3 win over the Peoria Javelinas. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out a season-high six in five innings. Overall, the 23-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA in six starts.
C Andy Wilson -- Wilson had an 11-game hitting streak snapped with a 0-for-3 performance on Nov. 10 against the Phoenix Desert Dogs. The 24-year-old went hitless in just two games while compiling a .279 batting average this fall. He also homered and drove in two runs.
RHP Henry Owens -- Owens appeared in five games out of the bullpen after replacing Jeremy Hill in late October. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 6.48 ERA and struck out nine in 8 1/3 innings.
SS Chase Lambin -- Lambin went 1-for-8 during the final week as his average dipped to .250. The 26-year-old hit one homer and drove in six runs in 17 games for the Rafters.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

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Milledge leaves his mark on AFL

11/11/2005
Lastings Milledge is getting a lot of attention on the Hot Stove circuit. That may have something to do with how the 20-year-old outfielder performed with the Grand Canyon Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.
Milledge collected hits in 21 of 24 games en route to a .330 batting average. He also hit five homers, collected 23 RBIs and scored 24 runs.
The Florida native wasn't the only Mets farmhand to gain some notoriety in the AFL. Here's how the other hopefuls fared this season:
LHP Evan MacLane -- MacLane produced his third straight quality start on Nov. 7 in an 8-3 win over the Peoria Javelinas. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out a season-high six in five innings. Overall, the 23-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA in six starts.
C Andy Wilson -- Wilson had an 11-game hitting streak snapped with a 0-for-3 performance on Nov. 10 against the Phoenix Desert Dogs. The 24-year-old went hitless in just two games while compiling a .279 batting average this fall. He also homered and drove in two runs.
RHP Henry Owens -- Owens appeared in five games out of the bullpen after replacing Jeremy Hill in late October. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 6.48 ERA and struck out nine in 8 1/3 innings.
SS Chase Lambin -- Lambin went 1-for-8 during the final week as his average dipped to .250. The 26-year-old hit one homer and drove in six runs in 17 games for the Rafters.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:58 AM 0 comments  

Mailbag: Fans opinionated on Manny
11/14/2005
Do the Mets really want a dramatic, older outfielder such as Manny Ramirez, especially if they have to give up a boatload to get him? -- Keith H., Rutland, Vt.
Why would the Mets trade Lastings Milledge and Yusmeiro Petit? Have they not learned from trading Preston Wilson, Terrance Long, A.J. Burnett and Scott Kazmir? Ramirez is not the answer in left. He is 33 years old, and we would be committing a lot of money to him. Plus he's a problem on a team, much like Terrell Owens. What's your take? -- Greg L., Delray Beach, Fla.
One of the great things about being a Mets fans the last five years has been waiting for David Wright and Jose Reyes and seeing them develop. I'd like to do the same with Milledge. I have no interest in seeing Manny Ramirez try to play the outfield at Shea Stadium. -- Sandy K., Boston
If this were 1996, I'd take Ramirez in a minute and put up with his [behavior] and his defense. But what are the Mets asking for here? A problem who's undoubtedly closer to the end of this career than the middle of it. So now they get him, pay him millions and then they'll say they have to cut payroll in two years. -- Thomas K., Suffern, N.Y.
Manny and Terrell Owens may indeed have the same disruption gene, though it seems Owens may be a more actively disruptive force. Matters such as these always come down to whether the projected benefits -- run production in Ramirez's case -- will be offset or exceeded by the predicted problems. No question, Ramirez created ripples in Boston and, to a lesser degree, in Cleveland. And the New York media, by its sheer number, is an issue in the most benign circumstances. Unrest does seem to follow Ramirez. And Shea Stadium doesn't have a scoreboard to serve as his hiding place.
His playing in his hometown is another issue. Most players -- and clubs -- believe it's a problem. And Ramirez's defense is another potential problem, particularly if he returns to right field, which he hasn't played regularly since his days with Indians.
But Ramirez hits, and Shea Stadium, as pitcher friendly as it is, won't hold him. Then again, he usually has been surrounded by other hitters. Depending on whom the Mets would deal to obtain him, their batting order will match neither the Red Sox's of the last five years nor the Indians' from 1995 to 2000.
Because Ramirez would come in a trade and not as a free agent, the Mets would have to pay in players as well as money. Their finances are their business. We know neither their revenue nor the expenses. But dealing promising, young (and, for now, inexpensive) talent for an expensive, 33-year-old, probably productive, defensively-challenged player with a history of unsettling his clubhouse seems to be tempting fate.
The Mets have to consider Ramirez's influence on younger Latin players, too. If they are interested in signing Julio Franco, that may suggest they don't see quiet and reserved Carlos Beltran or Pedro Martinez, who is neither, as sufficiently positive influences.
There is a school of thinking that says homegrown talent has greater fan appeal -- see the '80s and Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and Wally Backman -- all else being equal. And there already is a buzz about Milledge and Petit.
That said, the Mets obtained Mike Piazza and Al Leiter in the deals that, respectively, cost them Wilson and Burnett. And Piazza and Leiter arguably were the most critical components in the Mets' 1998-2000 run of success. We don't know about Kazmir yet, and Long didn't develop as the club had projected.
There are no universally-held tenets in creating a successful team, but the Orioles and Dodgers of the '60s, the Dodgers, Reds and Royals of the '70s, the Mets and Twins of the late '80s, the Yankees and Astros of the mid-'90s and the Braves of the last 14 years seemingly have found success by developing and retaining young talent.
General manager Omar Minaya has identified David Wright, Jose Reyes and -- even though he is imported -- Beltran as the Mets' "core" players and said Milledge is likely to become one. Ramirez, who turns 34 in May, won't become part of the core.
I've been seeing reports that the Mets are looking at a possible deal with the Devil Rays for Danys Baez and Aubrey Huff. If this is true, why not pursue that and look to add Alfonso Soriano to the lineup? That would prevent a young team in search of an identity from having to take on the baggage of a Ramirez type. I don't see anything wrong with that potential lineup. Young, hard-working talent across the board. All the Mets would have to lose would be Aaron Heilman, Petit or Jae Seo. Seems like a good deal to me. What's the chance of this happening? -- Jesse J., Rochester, N.Y.
The Mets are shooting higher than Huff to be the run producer they add and Baez to be the closer they obtain. And by pursuing Rafael Furcal, they are saying Soriano isn't the only solution for their problem at second base. I think you may be underestimating what the Mets could acquire by dealing any combination of those pitchers; not that they wouldn't have to give more -- a position player, perhaps -- in either of the two deals you advocate.
Evidently, Huff doesn't fit in the Devil Rays' plans, so a package of say, Heilman and another player -- not Seo or Petit -- might work.
It seems every team that asks for Heilman wants him to be a starter, yet the Mets are committed to keeping him in the bullpen. Why does it seem that these teams know something Mets management doesn't? I understand Heilman's importance in the shaky bullpen, but wouldn't he be more valuable as in the starting rotation? Then the Mets could look to trade a different starting pitcher for another reliever? -- Matt D., Newark, Del.
Perhaps it's the other way, that the Mets know more about their players -- Heilman, in this case -- than the other clubs do. Just because another club wants Heilman to start doesn't mean he is better suited for that role. It may be merely that the other club needs a starter and likes its bullpen as is. The Mets believe Heilman needs to throw higher quality strikes with his fastball -- i.e., spot his fastball -- to be an effective starter or closer.
Why not create a John Olerud/Mike Jacobs platoon at first base, trade Kaz Matsui and a prospect for Ivan Rodriguez, sign Billy Wagner, keep Heilman, get Ramirez for Mike Cameron and Kris Benson, keep Cliff Floyd, re-sign Braden Looper and lastly, trade Petit and Seo for Jason Schmidt?
So this would be next year's starting lineup: Jose Reyes, shortstop; Furcal, second base; Floyd, left; Ramirez, right; Carlos Beltran, center field; Rodriguez, catcher; David Wright, third; Jacobs/Olerud, first. Starting pitchers: Martinez, Jason Schmidt, Tom Glavine, Steve Trachsel and Victor Zambrano. Relievers: Wagner, Heilman, Looper. -- Thomas J. B., Clifton Park, N.Y.
Wow! Hope all that wasn't in one breath. First of all, Olerud and Jacobs both bat left-handed, so your first base plan doesn't have the usual benefits of a platoon. To trade Matsui and a prospect for a Major League regular -- even if it were a 34-year-old catcher as Rodriquez is -- the prospect would have to be Willie Mays.
And if Benson, Seo and Petit were traded and Schmidt were the only starter imported, who would be the protection for the rotation in 2006 and beyond? The average age of your 2006 rotation would be 34. Moreover, no club is going to deal its No. 1 starter for two pitchers whose combined big league record is 22-24.
We all know the bullpen woes on the Mets as well as the other MLB teams, especially when it comes to lefties. However, what's the deal with Felix Heredia? If the Mets are just trying to keep him off the field, injured or not, why don't they just release him and eat his contract and move on? -- Chris D., Pt. Jefferson, N.Y.
The Mets declined to exercise the option on Heredia's contract. They will pay his $200,000 buyout rather than a 2006 salary of $2.5 million. Heredia filed for free agency Thursday.
In light of Omar Minaya's reported pursuit of A.J. Burnett (and my wish for a pursuit of Kazmir in a few years), in your experience, how much does a player who was traded away want to play for the team that originally drafted him? -- Kirk L., Irvington, N.Y.
Interesting question. I suspect how long a player plays for the organization that drafted him before he is traded influences his feelings about the organization. Kazmir wasn't pleased about being traded to the Devil Rays in 2004. He probably doesn't know how he'd feel if he were traded back to the Mets.
Lee Mazzili was delighted to return to the Mets in 1986 -- they were in first place. He had been traded in 1982 after coming up through the Mets organization. Hubie Brooks, dealt in the Gary Carter trade in 1985, returned to the Mets in 1991 and enjoyed his second tour. The same can't be said for Jeromy Burnitz, who like Brooks, signed with the Mets as an amateur. Traded to the Indians in 1995, Burnitz returned in 2002 and didn't enjoy his return because he struggled throughout the season.
Jacobs had 11 home runs in 100 at-bats and batted .310. He deserves a chance at first base. Multiply his production by four for 400 at-bats, and you get 44 home runs. Not bad. He has a very smooth swing with power. Can he play the outfield? -- Edward R., Bridgewater, N.J.
The game's history is littered with players who produced at remarkable levels in their first weeks as big leaguers and then struggled. Jacobs had a nice start. But I'm comfortable predicting he won't hit 44 home runs in his first 400 at-bats in 2006. He may get his chance at first base, but not in the outfield.
I love how the Mets have been sticking with their youth movement. Can they Mets stick with Jacobs at first and pick up Tino Martinez? Tino would bring veteran leadership and a steady glove at a cheap prize and be insurance in case the Jacobs experiment doesn't work out. -- Trevor V., Hoboken, N.J.
The club is more inclined to bring in a veteran right-handed-hitting first baseman -- possibly Franco -- to share time with Jacobs.
Do you think that Furcal be willing to play second base, considering the Cubs and Braves would allow him to play shortstop? -- Stefan C., Old Tappan, N.J.
Chances are the deciding factor will be money. Furcal has played second base in the big leagues and winter ball. It doesn't appear to be an issue. If offers from the Mets, Cubs and Braves were equal, he probably would opt to play shortstop.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

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Mailbag: Fans opinionated on Manny

11/14/2005
Do the Mets really want a dramatic, older outfielder such as Manny Ramirez, especially if they have to give up a boatload to get him? -- Keith H., Rutland, Vt.
Why would the Mets trade Lastings Milledge and Yusmeiro Petit? Have they not learned from trading Preston Wilson, Terrance Long, A.J. Burnett and Scott Kazmir? Ramirez is not the answer in left. He is 33 years old, and we would be committing a lot of money to him. Plus he's a problem on a team, much like Terrell Owens. What's your take? -- Greg L., Delray Beach, Fla.
One of the great things about being a Mets fans the last five years has been waiting for David Wright and Jose Reyes and seeing them develop. I'd like to do the same with Milledge. I have no interest in seeing Manny Ramirez try to play the outfield at Shea Stadium. -- Sandy K., Boston
If this were 1996, I'd take Ramirez in a minute and put up with his [behavior] and his defense. But what are the Mets asking for here? A problem who's undoubtedly closer to the end of this career than the middle of it. So now they get him, pay him millions and then they'll say they have to cut payroll in two years. -- Thomas K., Suffern, N.Y.
Manny and Terrell Owens may indeed have the same disruption gene, though it seems Owens may be a more actively disruptive force. Matters such as these always come down to whether the projected benefits -- run production in Ramirez's case -- will be offset or exceeded by the predicted problems. No question, Ramirez created ripples in Boston and, to a lesser degree, in Cleveland. And the New York media, by its sheer number, is an issue in the most benign circumstances. Unrest does seem to follow Ramirez. And Shea Stadium doesn't have a scoreboard to serve as his hiding place.
His playing in his hometown is another issue. Most players -- and clubs -- believe it's a problem. And Ramirez's defense is another potential problem, particularly if he returns to right field, which he hasn't played regularly since his days with Indians.
But Ramirez hits, and Shea Stadium, as pitcher friendly as it is, won't hold him. Then again, he usually has been surrounded by other hitters. Depending on whom the Mets would deal to obtain him, their batting order will match neither the Red Sox's of the last five years nor the Indians' from 1995 to 2000.
Because Ramirez would come in a trade and not as a free agent, the Mets would have to pay in players as well as money. Their finances are their business. We know neither their revenue nor the expenses. But dealing promising, young (and, for now, inexpensive) talent for an expensive, 33-year-old, probably productive, defensively-challenged player with a history of unsettling his clubhouse seems to be tempting fate.
The Mets have to consider Ramirez's influence on younger Latin players, too. If they are interested in signing Julio Franco, that may suggest they don't see quiet and reserved Carlos Beltran or Pedro Martinez, who is neither, as sufficiently positive influences.
There is a school of thinking that says homegrown talent has greater fan appeal -- see the '80s and Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and Wally Backman -- all else being equal. And there already is a buzz about Milledge and Petit.
That said, the Mets obtained Mike Piazza and Al Leiter in the deals that, respectively, cost them Wilson and Burnett. And Piazza and Leiter arguably were the most critical components in the Mets' 1998-2000 run of success. We don't know about Kazmir yet, and Long didn't develop as the club had projected.
There are no universally-held tenets in creating a successful team, but the Orioles and Dodgers of the '60s, the Dodgers, Reds and Royals of the '70s, the Mets and Twins of the late '80s, the Yankees and Astros of the mid-'90s and the Braves of the last 14 years seemingly have found success by developing and retaining young talent.
General manager Omar Minaya has identified David Wright, Jose Reyes and -- even though he is imported -- Beltran as the Mets' "core" players and said Milledge is likely to become one. Ramirez, who turns 34 in May, won't become part of the core.
I've been seeing reports that the Mets are looking at a possible deal with the Devil Rays for Danys Baez and Aubrey Huff. If this is true, why not pursue that and look to add Alfonso Soriano to the lineup? That would prevent a young team in search of an identity from having to take on the baggage of a Ramirez type. I don't see anything wrong with that potential lineup. Young, hard-working talent across the board. All the Mets would have to lose would be Aaron Heilman, Petit or Jae Seo. Seems like a good deal to me. What's the chance of this happening? -- Jesse J., Rochester, N.Y.
The Mets are shooting higher than Huff to be the run producer they add and Baez to be the closer they obtain. And by pursuing Rafael Furcal, they are saying Soriano isn't the only solution for their problem at second base. I think you may be underestimating what the Mets could acquire by dealing any combination of those pitchers; not that they wouldn't have to give more -- a position player, perhaps -- in either of the two deals you advocate.
Evidently, Huff doesn't fit in the Devil Rays' plans, so a package of say, Heilman and another player -- not Seo or Petit -- might work.
It seems every team that asks for Heilman wants him to be a starter, yet the Mets are committed to keeping him in the bullpen. Why does it seem that these teams know something Mets management doesn't? I understand Heilman's importance in the shaky bullpen, but wouldn't he be more valuable as in the starting rotation? Then the Mets could look to trade a different starting pitcher for another reliever? -- Matt D., Newark, Del.
Perhaps it's the other way, that the Mets know more about their players -- Heilman, in this case -- than the other clubs do. Just because another club wants Heilman to start doesn't mean he is better suited for that role. It may be merely that the other club needs a starter and likes its bullpen as is. The Mets believe Heilman needs to throw higher quality strikes with his fastball -- i.e., spot his fastball -- to be an effective starter or closer.
Why not create a John Olerud/Mike Jacobs platoon at first base, trade Kaz Matsui and a prospect for Ivan Rodriguez, sign Billy Wagner, keep Heilman, get Ramirez for Mike Cameron and Kris Benson, keep Cliff Floyd, re-sign Braden Looper and lastly, trade Petit and Seo for Jason Schmidt?
So this would be next year's starting lineup: Jose Reyes, shortstop; Furcal, second base; Floyd, left; Ramirez, right; Carlos Beltran, center field; Rodriguez, catcher; David Wright, third; Jacobs/Olerud, first. Starting pitchers: Martinez, Jason Schmidt, Tom Glavine, Steve Trachsel and Victor Zambrano. Relievers: Wagner, Heilman, Looper. -- Thomas J. B., Clifton Park, N.Y.
Wow! Hope all that wasn't in one breath. First of all, Olerud and Jacobs both bat left-handed, so your first base plan doesn't have the usual benefits of a platoon. To trade Matsui and a prospect for a Major League regular -- even if it were a 34-year-old catcher as Rodriquez is -- the prospect would have to be Willie Mays.
And if Benson, Seo and Petit were traded and Schmidt were the only starter imported, who would be the protection for the rotation in 2006 and beyond? The average age of your 2006 rotation would be 34. Moreover, no club is going to deal its No. 1 starter for two pitchers whose combined big league record is 22-24.
We all know the bullpen woes on the Mets as well as the other MLB teams, especially when it comes to lefties. However, what's the deal with Felix Heredia? If the Mets are just trying to keep him off the field, injured or not, why don't they just release him and eat his contract and move on? -- Chris D., Pt. Jefferson, N.Y.
The Mets declined to exercise the option on Heredia's contract. They will pay his $200,000 buyout rather than a 2006 salary of $2.5 million. Heredia filed for free agency Thursday.
In light of Omar Minaya's reported pursuit of A.J. Burnett (and my wish for a pursuit of Kazmir in a few years), in your experience, how much does a player who was traded away want to play for the team that originally drafted him? -- Kirk L., Irvington, N.Y.
Interesting question. I suspect how long a player plays for the organization that drafted him before he is traded influences his feelings about the organization. Kazmir wasn't pleased about being traded to the Devil Rays in 2004. He probably doesn't know how he'd feel if he were traded back to the Mets.
Lee Mazzili was delighted to return to the Mets in 1986 -- they were in first place. He had been traded in 1982 after coming up through the Mets organization. Hubie Brooks, dealt in the Gary Carter trade in 1985, returned to the Mets in 1991 and enjoyed his second tour. The same can't be said for Jeromy Burnitz, who like Brooks, signed with the Mets as an amateur. Traded to the Indians in 1995, Burnitz returned in 2002 and didn't enjoy his return because he struggled throughout the season.
Jacobs had 11 home runs in 100 at-bats and batted .310. He deserves a chance at first base. Multiply his production by four for 400 at-bats, and you get 44 home runs. Not bad. He has a very smooth swing with power. Can he play the outfield? -- Edward R., Bridgewater, N.J.
The game's history is littered with players who produced at remarkable levels in their first weeks as big leaguers and then struggled. Jacobs had a nice start. But I'm comfortable predicting he won't hit 44 home runs in his first 400 at-bats in 2006. He may get his chance at first base, but not in the outfield.
I love how the Mets have been sticking with their youth movement. Can they Mets stick with Jacobs at first and pick up Tino Martinez? Tino would bring veteran leadership and a steady glove at a cheap prize and be insurance in case the Jacobs experiment doesn't work out. -- Trevor V., Hoboken, N.J.
The club is more inclined to bring in a veteran right-handed-hitting first baseman -- possibly Franco -- to share time with Jacobs.
Do you think that Furcal be willing to play second base, considering the Cubs and Braves would allow him to play shortstop? -- Stefan C., Old Tappan, N.J.
Chances are the deciding factor will be money. Furcal has played second base in the big leagues and winter ball. It doesn't appear to be an issue. If offers from the Mets, Cubs and Braves were equal, he probably would opt to play shortstop.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:57 AM 0 comments  

Milledge keeps moving toward big-city lights
11/16/2005
PHOENIX -- When it comes to playing in New York, there will always be questions about whether or not a player has the mental makeup to handle that unique cauldron. Talent alone isn't enough, not when every move you make is scrutinized to the umpteenth degree as it is in the Big Apple.
So when Team USA manager Davey Johnson doesn't hesitate to say that Lastings Milledge can handle the bright lights in the big city, it's worth noting. Johnson, after all, spent seven years as a skipper in New York, watching the rise and fall of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. He speaks from experience when discussing what he believes the future can hold for Milledge, who is currently playing for Johnson in the CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifier.
"Lastings is a smart, tough kid," Johnson said. "He'll be able to handle it. Talent only goes so far. I haven't had any conversations with him about Doc or Darryl, but I'd be more than happy to. He's tough, though, and he gives it as much as he takes it. He was giving it to me about my watch [a Rolex] the other day, and I told him he needs to get some time in the big leagues before he gets on my back.
"You just don't want to rush him and push him too fast, though. I think he had, what, a cup of coffee at Double-A this year? If he had a full year at Double-A, or whatever, I think he'd probably be able to make that jump. In an ideal world, I'd like to see him put up solid numbers over a full year. He's close, though. He's a smart player, and he knows how to make adjustments."
Milledge, whom the Mets drafted with the 12th overall pick in 2003, split this season between Class A Advanced St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, and performed better at the higher level. He hit .337 in 48 games in the Eastern League with four homers and 24 RBIs after hitting .302 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 62 games in the Florida State League. He added 94 at-bats for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League, batting .330 with five homers and 23 RBIs.
Yet, like Johnson, Milledge sees no need to rush. He says he has no plans on being in New York in 2006 and that he expects to spend a full season in the Minor Leagues, whether that means splitting time at Binghamton and Triple-A Norfolk or spending the whole year in the International League. Either way, he's says he's comfortable.
"I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll be there the whole year," Milledge said Wednesday morning before Team USA took on Mexico. "I won't get my shot until '07, maybe '08. I think everyone is ready to play in the big leagues. But putting up numbers and succeeding in the big leagues is different. And I don't want to just go up there for a cup of coffee. I want to go up there and stay. So I can go up and stay there in '07."
There's little doubt that Milledge will make it to the Major Leagues. There are still some questions, though, about whether it will actually be in New York. Milledge's name has been tossed into several trade rumors, most notably the deal that would have brought Manny Ramirez to the Big Apple back in July.
Milledge shrugs off such talk. Reaching the Major Leagues is his goal and if that means playing in Boston or Tampa Bay or someplace other than New York, he's fine with that. He'd prefer to play for the Mets but knows it's out of his control.
"People get all caught up in that, but I don't pay attention," Milledge said. "It's not like I'd be getting released. I'd just be in another uniform. It's not a big deal. I can't say having me makes a team better than having Manny Ramirez. It's hard to say I'd make the Mets better because I'm still in the Minor Leagues. I can say, though, that I'd be playing longer."
Johnson said he isn't necessarily in favor of trading young players, such as Milledge, who turned 20 in April. He pointed to New York having traded Scott Kazmir and said he believes that will ultimately come back to haunt his former club.
"They traded him for a right-hander (Victor Zambrano) who was established," Johnson said. "But Kazmir has a chance to go past Zambrano. Zambrano is a good pitcher, but the question is, will the left-hander be better when he hits his potential, and I think he will. That's the danger of trading a young prospect, whether it's a fleet-footed outfielder or a hard-throwing left-hander."
While the Mets don't seem inclined to include Milledge in a deal for anyone other than Ramirez, one Major League executive said that he wouldn't be surprised if he were dealt for someone else.
"It depends on what they would get back, but I wouldn't be surprised," he said. "That's the history of what they do. But he has a chance to be a very good player in the Major Leagues for a lot of years, so if they do trade him, they'd better get someone very productive at the Major League level. You can think about Ramirez long and hard, but those deals always have to be tempered.
"Would trading Milledge be a mistake? You'd have to wait and see. If he becomes a good player it might be."
For now, though, Milledge is on course to remain a Met. And that's an idea that appeals to Johnson, who likened Milledge to his former center fielder, Mookie Wilson.
"Lastings isn't your prototypical on-base guy, and he has more power than your normal leadoff guy," Johnson said. "For me, it's just a question of his maturity with the bat and where you hit him in the lineup. Defensively, he can run and go get them and he has a pretty strong arm. Like Mookie, though, he isn't really a table-setter or an RBI guy. But like Mookie, when he's going good, he can make things happen. He's electrifying."
And there are many who believe there's enough electricity in Milledge to light up Shea Stadium for many a summer night.

Source: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/

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Milledge keeps moving toward big-city lights

11/16/2005
PHOENIX -- When it comes to playing in New York, there will always be questions about whether or not a player has the mental makeup to handle that unique cauldron. Talent alone isn't enough, not when every move you make is scrutinized to the umpteenth degree as it is in the Big Apple.
So when Team USA manager Davey Johnson doesn't hesitate to say that Lastings Milledge can handle the bright lights in the big city, it's worth noting. Johnson, after all, spent seven years as a skipper in New York, watching the rise and fall of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. He speaks from experience when discussing what he believes the future can hold for Milledge, who is currently playing for Johnson in the CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifier.
"Lastings is a smart, tough kid," Johnson said. "He'll be able to handle it. Talent only goes so far. I haven't had any conversations with him about Doc or Darryl, but I'd be more than happy to. He's tough, though, and he gives it as much as he takes it. He was giving it to me about my watch [a Rolex] the other day, and I told him he needs to get some time in the big leagues before he gets on my back.
"You just don't want to rush him and push him too fast, though. I think he had, what, a cup of coffee at Double-A this year? If he had a full year at Double-A, or whatever, I think he'd probably be able to make that jump. In an ideal world, I'd like to see him put up solid numbers over a full year. He's close, though. He's a smart player, and he knows how to make adjustments."
Milledge, whom the Mets drafted with the 12th overall pick in 2003, split this season between Class A Advanced St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, and performed better at the higher level. He hit .337 in 48 games in the Eastern League with four homers and 24 RBIs after hitting .302 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 62 games in the Florida State League. He added 94 at-bats for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League, batting .330 with five homers and 23 RBIs.
Yet, like Johnson, Milledge sees no need to rush. He says he has no plans on being in New York in 2006 and that he expects to spend a full season in the Minor Leagues, whether that means splitting time at Binghamton and Triple-A Norfolk or spending the whole year in the International League. Either way, he's says he's comfortable.
"I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll be there the whole year," Milledge said Wednesday morning before Team USA took on Mexico. "I won't get my shot until '07, maybe '08. I think everyone is ready to play in the big leagues. But putting up numbers and succeeding in the big leagues is different. And I don't want to just go up there for a cup of coffee. I want to go up there and stay. So I can go up and stay there in '07."
There's little doubt that Milledge will make it to the Major Leagues. There are still some questions, though, about whether it will actually be in New York. Milledge's name has been tossed into several trade rumors, most notably the deal that would have brought Manny Ramirez to the Big Apple back in July.
Milledge shrugs off such talk. Reaching the Major Leagues is his goal and if that means playing in Boston or Tampa Bay or someplace other than New York, he's fine with that. He'd prefer to play for the Mets but knows it's out of his control.
"People get all caught up in that, but I don't pay attention," Milledge said. "It's not like I'd be getting released. I'd just be in another uniform. It's not a big deal. I can't say having me makes a team better than having Manny Ramirez. It's hard to say I'd make the Mets better because I'm still in the Minor Leagues. I can say, though, that I'd be playing longer."
Johnson said he isn't necessarily in favor of trading young players, such as Milledge, who turned 20 in April. He pointed to New York having traded Scott Kazmir and said he believes that will ultimately come back to haunt his former club.
"They traded him for a right-hander (Victor Zambrano) who was established," Johnson said. "But Kazmir has a chance to go past Zambrano. Zambrano is a good pitcher, but the question is, will the left-hander be better when he hits his potential, and I think he will. That's the danger of trading a young prospect, whether it's a fleet-footed outfielder or a hard-throwing left-hander."
While the Mets don't seem inclined to include Milledge in a deal for anyone other than Ramirez, one Major League executive said that he wouldn't be surprised if he were dealt for someone else.
"It depends on what they would get back, but I wouldn't be surprised," he said. "That's the history of what they do. But he has a chance to be a very good player in the Major Leagues for a lot of years, so if they do trade him, they'd better get someone very productive at the Major League level. You can think about Ramirez long and hard, but those deals always have to be tempered.
"Would trading Milledge be a mistake? You'd have to wait and see. If he becomes a good player it might be."
For now, though, Milledge is on course to remain a Met. And that's an idea that appeals to Johnson, who likened Milledge to his former center fielder, Mookie Wilson.
"Lastings isn't your prototypical on-base guy, and he has more power than your normal leadoff guy," Johnson said. "For me, it's just a question of his maturity with the bat and where you hit him in the lineup. Defensively, he can run and go get them and he has a pretty strong arm. Like Mookie, though, he isn't really a table-setter or an RBI guy. But like Mookie, when he's going good, he can make things happen. He's electrifying."
And there are many who believe there's enough electricity in Milledge to light up Shea Stadium for many a summer night.

Source: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/

posted by David at 9:56 AM 0 comments  

Mets near Cameron deal; Delgado next?
11/16/2005
NEW YORK -- If tests show Mike Cameron has no lingering vision problems resulting from that sickening outfield collision he had with Carlos Beltran in August, the Mets will trade him to Padres by the week's end and, it appears, then pursue a trade for Marlins left-handed slugger Carlos Delgado.
Those developments came to light Wednesday after word of a Mets deal with the Padres -- Cameron for versatile right-handed hitter Xavier Nady -- spread throughout the game. One person familiar with the Mets' plans confirmed the trade and characterized it as conditional, noting the need for Cameron to have his vision tested. The person also made a point of saying Nady would play right field.
Another person familiar with the club's strategy said the Mets intend to use Nady primarily in right -- thought by the Padres to be his best position -- and then pursue a deal with the Marlins for Delgado to add the offensive firepower they lacked last season, at first base.
The presence of Nady appears to be something of a safeguard for the Mets because he can also play first base. If they are unable to acquire Delgado, the Mets can use Nady at first base, platoon him with left-handed-hitting Mike Jacobs and then try to make right field the position that will provide the added offense.
But dealing Cameron to the Padres would likely eliminate one of the players -- perhaps the primary one -- the Mets could move to the Red Sox in a deal for Manny Ramirez, the player the Mets could import to play right and provide an offensive upgrade.
That the Mets would deal Cameron appears to indicate that Delgado, and not Ramirez, is their primary objective in a trade. And that apparent indication is consistent with the thinking of a number of clubs who recently have turned their backs of the chance of taking Ramirez's bat, baggage and burdensome contract off the Red Sox's hands.
Delgado may have some baggage as well. He rejected the Mets when they pursued him as a free agent last year at this time, saying he was uncomfortable with how they tried to use his Hispanic heritage to induce him to sign with them. The same tact had proved successful when the Mets pursued Beltran and Pedro Martinez.
But before any of these issues can be addressed or dominoes can fall, Cameron must pass a vision test. If he does, he will be playing center field in PETCO Park in San Diego next season, the site of the collision that caused him to miss the final six weeks of the Mets season.
Cameron acknowledged in September that his vision occasionally was blurry, as a result of the Aug. 11 collision with Beltran in right-center field. He suffered broken cheeks and a broken nose in the collision. The multiple fractures have healed completely. In fact, the Mets were told by doctors that Cameron was clear to box, if he chose, as a means of measuring the healing process.
However, as recently as Tuesday, Cameron still was suffering from headaches that resulted from the collision. He had resumed running without complications other than the headaches.
If he moves to the Padres, he will be returned to his favorite position, center field, the position he played in 2004, his first season with the Mets. The Mets' signing of Beltran forced Cameron to right, where he played so well in merely 67 starts that longtime Mets observers considered him the best defensive right fielder in franchise history and considered the Mets 2005 outfield alignment -- Cliff Floyd in left, Beltran and Cameron -- as the best the Mets have had since the days of, left to right, Kevin McReynolds, the center-field platoon of Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra and Darryl Strawberry.
Nady, who turned 27 on Monday, won't be that kind of right fielder. He started only seven games in right last season, compared with 34 at first base, 28 in center field, six in left and two at third base. But his offensive potential, particularly against left-handed pitching, is what makes him appealing.
He began last season, his third in the big leagues, with meaningful at-bats and a .324 career average against left-handed pitching, albeit in only 139 at-bats. He had 124 more swings against left-handed pitching in 2005 and batted .323. His career average against right-handed pitching, though is nothing comparable -- .232 in 513 at-bats.
He batted .261 overall with 43 RBIs and 13 home runs in 326 at-bats last season.
The trade seems lopsided in the Padres' favor except that they assume a $6 million obligation, Cameron's salary, for 2006. No exchange of money is included in the deal. Nady, who earned $488,000 last season, will not be eligible for salary arbitration. He has only two years, 59 days of Major League service, and the threshold for Super 2 status is expected to be about two years, 135 days.
The money the Mets save in the transaction can go toward paying Delgado -- if they succeed in obtaining him. His salary in his first season with the Marlins was $4 million. The remaining obligation on the four-year contract he signed last season is $48 million, an average of $16 million over three seasons.
Ramirez's contract is worth an annual average of $19 million for the next three years.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

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Mets near Cameron deal; Delgado next?

11/16/2005
NEW YORK -- If tests show Mike Cameron has no lingering vision problems resulting from that sickening outfield collision he had with Carlos Beltran in August, the Mets will trade him to Padres by the week's end and, it appears, then pursue a trade for Marlins left-handed slugger Carlos Delgado.
Those developments came to light Wednesday after word of a Mets deal with the Padres -- Cameron for versatile right-handed hitter Xavier Nady -- spread throughout the game. One person familiar with the Mets' plans confirmed the trade and characterized it as conditional, noting the need for Cameron to have his vision tested. The person also made a point of saying Nady would play right field.
Another person familiar with the club's strategy said the Mets intend to use Nady primarily in right -- thought by the Padres to be his best position -- and then pursue a deal with the Marlins for Delgado to add the offensive firepower they lacked last season, at first base.
The presence of Nady appears to be something of a safeguard for the Mets because he can also play first base. If they are unable to acquire Delgado, the Mets can use Nady at first base, platoon him with left-handed-hitting Mike Jacobs and then try to make right field the position that will provide the added offense.
But dealing Cameron to the Padres would likely eliminate one of the players -- perhaps the primary one -- the Mets could move to the Red Sox in a deal for Manny Ramirez, the player the Mets could import to play right and provide an offensive upgrade.
That the Mets would deal Cameron appears to indicate that Delgado, and not Ramirez, is their primary objective in a trade. And that apparent indication is consistent with the thinking of a number of clubs who recently have turned their backs of the chance of taking Ramirez's bat, baggage and burdensome contract off the Red Sox's hands.
Delgado may have some baggage as well. He rejected the Mets when they pursued him as a free agent last year at this time, saying he was uncomfortable with how they tried to use his Hispanic heritage to induce him to sign with them. The same tact had proved successful when the Mets pursued Beltran and Pedro Martinez.
But before any of these issues can be addressed or dominoes can fall, Cameron must pass a vision test. If he does, he will be playing center field in PETCO Park in San Diego next season, the site of the collision that caused him to miss the final six weeks of the Mets season.
Cameron acknowledged in September that his vision occasionally was blurry, as a result of the Aug. 11 collision with Beltran in right-center field. He suffered broken cheeks and a broken nose in the collision. The multiple fractures have healed completely. In fact, the Mets were told by doctors that Cameron was clear to box, if he chose, as a means of measuring the healing process.
However, as recently as Tuesday, Cameron still was suffering from headaches that resulted from the collision. He had resumed running without complications other than the headaches.
If he moves to the Padres, he will be returned to his favorite position, center field, the position he played in 2004, his first season with the Mets. The Mets' signing of Beltran forced Cameron to right, where he played so well in merely 67 starts that longtime Mets observers considered him the best defensive right fielder in franchise history and considered the Mets 2005 outfield alignment -- Cliff Floyd in left, Beltran and Cameron -- as the best the Mets have had since the days of, left to right, Kevin McReynolds, the center-field platoon of Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra and Darryl Strawberry.
Nady, who turned 27 on Monday, won't be that kind of right fielder. He started only seven games in right last season, compared with 34 at first base, 28 in center field, six in left and two at third base. But his offensive potential, particularly against left-handed pitching, is what makes him appealing.
He began last season, his third in the big leagues, with meaningful at-bats and a .324 career average against left-handed pitching, albeit in only 139 at-bats. He had 124 more swings against left-handed pitching in 2005 and batted .323. His career average against right-handed pitching, though is nothing comparable -- .232 in 513 at-bats.
He batted .261 overall with 43 RBIs and 13 home runs in 326 at-bats last season.
The trade seems lopsided in the Padres' favor except that they assume a $6 million obligation, Cameron's salary, for 2006. No exchange of money is included in the deal. Nady, who earned $488,000 last season, will not be eligible for salary arbitration. He has only two years, 59 days of Major League service, and the threshold for Super 2 status is expected to be about two years, 135 days.
The money the Mets save in the transaction can go toward paying Delgado -- if they succeed in obtaining him. His salary in his first season with the Marlins was $4 million. The remaining obligation on the four-year contract he signed last season is $48 million, an average of $16 million over three seasons.
Ramirez's contract is worth an annual average of $19 million for the next three years.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:55 AM 0 comments  

Special day for former Met Teufel
11/16/2005
Tim Teufel wasn't quite sure what to make of what he had heard. The other voice in the telephone conversation had asked whether he would be available to attend a ceremony at the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame. Before he could check his schedule and respond, Teufel had to answer silently questions of his own: "The Cape Cod League Hall of Fame? ... There's such a thing?"
The league itself hadn't come to his mind very often in the 26 years since his one and only -- and grand -- summer playing at the Cape in one of the country's outstanding amateur leagues. Truth be known, Teufel knew almost nothing about the league and far less about its Hall of Fame. But there he and six others were on Saturday morning in Chatham, Mass., being inducted.
"Gary's got nothing on me now," Teufel said, playfully tweaking his Mets colleague Gary Carter, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003. "It was pretty cool. The whole thing caught me by surprise. But we really enjoyed ourselves. It's nice to be recognized."
A's outfielder Bobby Kielty and former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini also were among those in the sixth class of inductees for the league.
Teufel, an important component in the Mets' 1986 run to the World Series championship, made his Massachusetts mark as a slugging second baseman with the Cotuit Kettleers in 1979, not only leading the league in home runs, but establishing a home run record, 16, that still stands.
"Aluminum bats," he said laughing. "It will be preserved forever."
But players who evolved into legitimate big league sluggers -- Mo Vaughn, Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas among them -- played in the Cape league and never hit 16 home runs.
And to set the record straight, Teufel added this footnote: "And I had one fogged out. I hit one my first at-bat against Walt Terrell [another future Met]; he already had a big name then. But the game was fogged out in the third."
Teufel was more than a slugger that summer. He batted .351 with 52 RBIs and 48 runs in 48 games. His production then and during his ensuing senior season at Clemson gave him a significantly higher profile. After being selected by the White Sox in the 12th round of the 1979 amateur draft and offered a $5,000 bonus, he was drafted by the Twins, in the second round in 1980, and he signed for $15,000.
He reached the big leagues with Minnesota in 1983 and played regularly in 1984, batting .262 with 61 RBIs and 14 home runs in 568 at-bats. His production and playing time diminished somewhat the following season.
Teufel, who has managed the Mets' St. Lucie team in the Class A Florida State League for two seasons, never developed into a slugger -- he hit 86 home runs in his 11 big league seasons, including 34 in 4 1/2 seasons in Queens. But the Mets were intrigued by the 24 home runs he had hit in two full seasons.
The Mets believed his acquisition from the Twins in the 1985-86 offseason was critical to their success in 1986 because his right-handed bat helped balance their batting order.
The Mets had switch-hitter Wally Backman to play second, but Backman wasn't nearly as productive against left-handed pitchers as he was against their right-handed counterparts. Right-handed-hitting Kelvin Chapman, the Mets' Opening Day second baseman in 1979, had made his way back to the big leagues in 1984, playing for Davey Johnson, and he served well as a complement to Backman that summer.
But Chapman was unproductive the following year, so the Mets traded for Teufel to make themselves less vulnerable to the left-handed pitchers, particularly those of the Cardinals, the 1985 division champions, would throw at them to defuse Backman, Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez.
Teufel didn't have a particularly successful run in his first National League season -- a .247 average, 31 RBIs and four home runs in 279 at-bats, but he, all-purpose rookie Kevin Mitchell, Carter, Ray Knight and George Foster made life more difficult for left-handed pitchers. And Teufel did help set the tone for the Mets season with his first home run.
He batted second, following Mitchell -- yes, Mitchell was a leadoff hitter and a shortstop in the big leagues for a while against southpaw John Tudor on April 27, when the Mets played their fourth straight game in St. Louis. Mitchell hit a home run against Tudor in a three-run rally in the fourth inning, and Teufel hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, providing what proved to be the decisive runs in a 5-3 victory that completed a series sweep and sent a message -- a warning of future dominance -- to the defending division champions.
Teufel produced his finest season in 1987, matching the 14 home runs and 61 RBIs he had with the Twins in 1984, but doing so in 269 fewer at-bats while batting a career high .308. He was then traded to the Padres for Garry Templeton in 1991, and retired after the 1993 season.
Now 47, Teufel returned to the Mets in 1999 to work as a scout, and then as a Minor League instructor. He has managed for three seasons.
And now he's a Hall of Famer.
"I told Kid [Carter]," Teufel said, "I just have a few more letters than he does -- CC HOF."

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

 [+/-] show/hide this post

Special day for former Met Teufel

11/16/2005
Tim Teufel wasn't quite sure what to make of what he had heard. The other voice in the telephone conversation had asked whether he would be available to attend a ceremony at the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame. Before he could check his schedule and respond, Teufel had to answer silently questions of his own: "The Cape Cod League Hall of Fame? ... There's such a thing?"
The league itself hadn't come to his mind very often in the 26 years since his one and only -- and grand -- summer playing at the Cape in one of the country's outstanding amateur leagues. Truth be known, Teufel knew almost nothing about the league and far less about its Hall of Fame. But there he and six others were on Saturday morning in Chatham, Mass., being inducted.
"Gary's got nothing on me now," Teufel said, playfully tweaking his Mets colleague Gary Carter, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003. "It was pretty cool. The whole thing caught me by surprise. But we really enjoyed ourselves. It's nice to be recognized."
A's outfielder Bobby Kielty and former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini also were among those in the sixth class of inductees for the league.
Teufel, an important component in the Mets' 1986 run to the World Series championship, made his Massachusetts mark as a slugging second baseman with the Cotuit Kettleers in 1979, not only leading the league in home runs, but establishing a home run record, 16, that still stands.
"Aluminum bats," he said laughing. "It will be preserved forever."
But players who evolved into legitimate big league sluggers -- Mo Vaughn, Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas among them -- played in the Cape league and never hit 16 home runs.
And to set the record straight, Teufel added this footnote: "And I had one fogged out. I hit one my first at-bat against Walt Terrell [another future Met]; he already had a big name then. But the game was fogged out in the third."
Teufel was more than a slugger that summer. He batted .351 with 52 RBIs and 48 runs in 48 games. His production then and during his ensuing senior season at Clemson gave him a significantly higher profile. After being selected by the White Sox in the 12th round of the 1979 amateur draft and offered a $5,000 bonus, he was drafted by the Twins, in the second round in 1980, and he signed for $15,000.
He reached the big leagues with Minnesota in 1983 and played regularly in 1984, batting .262 with 61 RBIs and 14 home runs in 568 at-bats. His production and playing time diminished somewhat the following season.
Teufel, who has managed the Mets' St. Lucie team in the Class A Florida State League for two seasons, never developed into a slugger -- he hit 86 home runs in his 11 big league seasons, including 34 in 4 1/2 seasons in Queens. But the Mets were intrigued by the 24 home runs he had hit in two full seasons.
The Mets believed his acquisition from the Twins in the 1985-86 offseason was critical to their success in 1986 because his right-handed bat helped balance their batting order.
The Mets had switch-hitter Wally Backman to play second, but Backman wasn't nearly as productive against left-handed pitchers as he was against their right-handed counterparts. Right-handed-hitting Kelvin Chapman, the Mets' Opening Day second baseman in 1979, had made his way back to the big leagues in 1984, playing for Davey Johnson, and he served well as a complement to Backman that summer.
But Chapman was unproductive the following year, so the Mets traded for Teufel to make themselves less vulnerable to the left-handed pitchers, particularly those of the Cardinals, the 1985 division champions, would throw at them to defuse Backman, Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez.
Teufel didn't have a particularly successful run in his first National League season -- a .247 average, 31 RBIs and four home runs in 279 at-bats, but he, all-purpose rookie Kevin Mitchell, Carter, Ray Knight and George Foster made life more difficult for left-handed pitchers. And Teufel did help set the tone for the Mets season with his first home run.
He batted second, following Mitchell -- yes, Mitchell was a leadoff hitter and a shortstop in the big leagues for a while against southpaw John Tudor on April 27, when the Mets played their fourth straight game in St. Louis. Mitchell hit a home run against Tudor in a three-run rally in the fourth inning, and Teufel hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, providing what proved to be the decisive runs in a 5-3 victory that completed a series sweep and sent a message -- a warning of future dominance -- to the defending division champions.
Teufel produced his finest season in 1987, matching the 14 home runs and 61 RBIs he had with the Twins in 1984, but doing so in 269 fewer at-bats while batting a career high .308. He was then traded to the Padres for Garry Templeton in 1991, and retired after the 1993 season.
Now 47, Teufel returned to the Mets in 1999 to work as a scout, and then as a Minor League instructor. He has managed for three seasons.
And now he's a Hall of Famer.
"I told Kid [Carter]," Teufel said, "I just have a few more letters than he does -- CC HOF."

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:53 AM 0 comments  

Mets meet with Ryan, mull options
11/18/2005
The first round of the Mets' free agent pursuit appears to be complete, although the club has not met with two of the players on its list of targets.
While the Mets were giving reliever B.J. Ryan a tour of Shea Stadium, such as it is, on Thursday, they learned Japanese free agent catcher Kenji Jojima had cancelled his trip to New York and was returning to Japan.
And as the day wore on, the club became convinced that Rafael Furcal would sign with the Cubs and be eliminated as a potential solution for the Mets' second base situation.
Jojima, said to have traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles on Thursday, was to fly to back to Japan on Friday for what were termed "personal reasons," leaving the Mets to speculate that he either would sign with the Mariners, who have offered him a contract, or not return to the United States at all, but resume his career in his homeland.
There was no indication, the Mets said, that Jojima would meet with them if he did return from Japan. And that possibility didn't distress the club. The Mets were not convinced that the language barrier could be bridged and understood that lack of communication between pitchers and a catcher could be more dangerous than a communication breakdown in the middle infield or between one pitcher and a catcher.
"If there were no other options," a member of the Mets hierarchy said, "I think we could try to make it work with [Jojima]. But it probably was going to be a problem sometime, and we do have options."
The alternatives to the Japanese catcher are Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez, the free agent catchers the Mets met with last week after leaving the general managers meetings in California. Indeed, they both ranked higher than Jojima on the Mets' wish list.
The person familiar with the thinking of Mets general manager Omar Minaya and manager Willie Randolph said "The relative strengths and weakness [of the two catchers] make them just about equal in our view."
Randolph declined to identify his preference -- if he has one. He acknowledged only that he was seen more of Molina, an Angels lifer, recently. The Mets played the Padres only six times in 2005, Randolph's first season in the National League since 1992. Hernandez didn't play in four of the games.
Randolph had participated in the Mets' effort to create an alternative in their quest for a closer Wednesday night, when the manager, Minaya, and assistants John Ricco and Tony Bernazard dined with Ryan and his representatives.
Signing Billy Wagner to be their closer remains their primary offseason objective. They will "show" New York and satellite communities to Wagner and his wife on Monday and probably make an offer by Tuesday. But they made Ryan the fourth free agent they have met. Furcal wasn't among the four.
"I like Ryan," Randolph said on Thursday. "He reminds me a little bit of Goose [Gossage]. He can be effectively erratic. You won't see guys digging in against him."
Randolph expressed no preference in terms of which closer, but the Mets' preference has been clear for weeks: They want Wagner. His signing would address their greatest need and weaken the Phillies, no small consideration.
A similar scenario exists with the Mets' designs on Carlos Delgado. The Mets could weaken the Marlins and eliminate one of their own nemeses by dealing for the veteran first baseman. Delgado hit four home runs, scored eight runs, drove in 10 and walked 13 times in 78 plate appearances against the Mets in his first National League season.
Randolph declined to discuss the Mets' plans to import a run producer -- Delgado or Manny Ramirez. But the source who spoke with MLB.com about Jojima said that he understands that Randolph would prefer Delgado if only because there would be less chance for behavior problems with him than with Ramirez.
The person also noted that the likely acquisition of Xavier Nady from the Padres Friday -- in exchange for Mike Cameron -- would allow the Mets to import Delgado or Ramirez. Nady would play right field with some regularity and first base occasionally if Delgado were acquired, and first base with some regularity if Ramirez were obtained.
"He gives us depth at two or three positions," the source said. "He could fill in for Cliff in left, share first base if we decide to use [Mike] Jacobs against right-handed pitchers, or spell [Delgado] at first if we got him."
The club's preference is to use Nady in right field at least partially because that would mean Delgado was at first.
Nady will become a Met if Cameron passes his eye test in California Friday.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

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Mets meet with Ryan, mull options

11/18/2005
The first round of the Mets' free agent pursuit appears to be complete, although the club has not met with two of the players on its list of targets.
While the Mets were giving reliever B.J. Ryan a tour of Shea Stadium, such as it is, on Thursday, they learned Japanese free agent catcher Kenji Jojima had cancelled his trip to New York and was returning to Japan.
And as the day wore on, the club became convinced that Rafael Furcal would sign with the Cubs and be eliminated as a potential solution for the Mets' second base situation.
Jojima, said to have traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles on Thursday, was to fly to back to Japan on Friday for what were termed "personal reasons," leaving the Mets to speculate that he either would sign with the Mariners, who have offered him a contract, or not return to the United States at all, but resume his career in his homeland.
There was no indication, the Mets said, that Jojima would meet with them if he did return from Japan. And that possibility didn't distress the club. The Mets were not convinced that the language barrier could be bridged and understood that lack of communication between pitchers and a catcher could be more dangerous than a communication breakdown in the middle infield or between one pitcher and a catcher.
"If there were no other options," a member of the Mets hierarchy said, "I think we could try to make it work with [Jojima]. But it probably was going to be a problem sometime, and we do have options."
The alternatives to the Japanese catcher are Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez, the free agent catchers the Mets met with last week after leaving the general managers meetings in California. Indeed, they both ranked higher than Jojima on the Mets' wish list.
The person familiar with the thinking of Mets general manager Omar Minaya and manager Willie Randolph said "The relative strengths and weakness [of the two catchers] make them just about equal in our view."
Randolph declined to identify his preference -- if he has one. He acknowledged only that he was seen more of Molina, an Angels lifer, recently. The Mets played the Padres only six times in 2005, Randolph's first season in the National League since 1992. Hernandez didn't play in four of the games.
Randolph had participated in the Mets' effort to create an alternative in their quest for a closer Wednesday night, when the manager, Minaya, and assistants John Ricco and Tony Bernazard dined with Ryan and his representatives.
Signing Billy Wagner to be their closer remains their primary offseason objective. They will "show" New York and satellite communities to Wagner and his wife on Monday and probably make an offer by Tuesday. But they made Ryan the fourth free agent they have met. Furcal wasn't among the four.
"I like Ryan," Randolph said on Thursday. "He reminds me a little bit of Goose [Gossage]. He can be effectively erratic. You won't see guys digging in against him."
Randolph expressed no preference in terms of which closer, but the Mets' preference has been clear for weeks: They want Wagner. His signing would address their greatest need and weaken the Phillies, no small consideration.
A similar scenario exists with the Mets' designs on Carlos Delgado. The Mets could weaken the Marlins and eliminate one of their own nemeses by dealing for the veteran first baseman. Delgado hit four home runs, scored eight runs, drove in 10 and walked 13 times in 78 plate appearances against the Mets in his first National League season.
Randolph declined to discuss the Mets' plans to import a run producer -- Delgado or Manny Ramirez. But the source who spoke with MLB.com about Jojima said that he understands that Randolph would prefer Delgado if only because there would be less chance for behavior problems with him than with Ramirez.
The person also noted that the likely acquisition of Xavier Nady from the Padres Friday -- in exchange for Mike Cameron -- would allow the Mets to import Delgado or Ramirez. Nady would play right field with some regularity and first base occasionally if Delgado were acquired, and first base with some regularity if Ramirez were obtained.
"He gives us depth at two or three positions," the source said. "He could fill in for Cliff in left, share first base if we decide to use [Mike] Jacobs against right-handed pitchers, or spell [Delgado] at first if we got him."
The club's preference is to use Nady in right field at least partially because that would mean Delgado was at first.
Nady will become a Met if Cameron passes his eye test in California Friday.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:52 AM 0 comments  

Petit leading Mets' winter brigade
11/18/2005
The pitcher mentioned in so many reports involving Mets trades -- those that are real and those that are fantasy -- is demonstrating his skill is anything but fantasy while pitching for the Magallanes Navigators in the Venezuelan Winter League. Yusmeiro Petit is making a name for himself in his homeland and underscoring the name that appears in all the reports.
The right-handed pitcher, who turns 21 Tuesday, has produced a 4-3 record in 11 starts, but his record is deceiving. Petit also has a 2.15 ERA and has allowed merely 51 base runners -- eight on walks -- and struck out 53 in 50 1/3 innings.
Petit's performance constitutes a rebound from his work in his first exposure to Triple A hitters. He had an 0-3 record and 9.20 ERA in three starts for the Mets' Norfolk affiliate. Those results hardly were consistent with his work with the Mets' Double A Binghamton affiliate -- a 9-3 record over 117 2/3 innings, a 2.91 ERA in 21 starts and two complete games. He allowed only 117 baserunners and struck out 130, almost forcing the Mets to promote him.
Another Mets pitcher, one who may be play a significant role in the 2006 bullpen, also is performing well in winter ball. Juan Padilla has a 3-1 record and 3.08 ERA in 20 appearances and 26 1/3 innings with the Caguas Criollos. The 28-year-old right-hander, who pitched for the Yankees and Reds in 2004, split his 2005 between Norfolk and Shea Stadium, producing a 1.42 ERA in 37 appearances and 63 1/3 innings in Triple A and a 1.49 ERA in 24 appearances and 36 1/3 innings with the Mets.
Other Mets involved in winter ball include Aaron Heilman, Mike Jacobs and Anderson Hernandez. Heilman also has been mentioned in many trade reports, and Jacobs and Hernandez could be the right side of the Mets' infield if no major acquisitions are made in free agency.
• Pitching as a starter -- the Mets see him as a setup reliver -- Heilman has a 2-1 record and 3.15 ERA in four starts and 20 innings with the Licey Tigers in the Dominican Republic.
• Jacobs, who started slowly, has his average up to .235 with Pastora of the Venezuelan League. But after hitting 11 home runs in his first 100 at-bats in the big leagues, he has hit just one in 81 at-bats.
• Hernandez, who had a composite .315 average in 534 at-bats split between Double A and Triple A, is batting .318 in 66 at-bats with Licey.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

 [+/-] show/hide this post

Petit leading Mets' winter brigade

11/18/2005
The pitcher mentioned in so many reports involving Mets trades -- those that are real and those that are fantasy -- is demonstrating his skill is anything but fantasy while pitching for the Magallanes Navigators in the Venezuelan Winter League. Yusmeiro Petit is making a name for himself in his homeland and underscoring the name that appears in all the reports.
The right-handed pitcher, who turns 21 Tuesday, has produced a 4-3 record in 11 starts, but his record is deceiving. Petit also has a 2.15 ERA and has allowed merely 51 base runners -- eight on walks -- and struck out 53 in 50 1/3 innings.
Petit's performance constitutes a rebound from his work in his first exposure to Triple A hitters. He had an 0-3 record and 9.20 ERA in three starts for the Mets' Norfolk affiliate. Those results hardly were consistent with his work with the Mets' Double A Binghamton affiliate -- a 9-3 record over 117 2/3 innings, a 2.91 ERA in 21 starts and two complete games. He allowed only 117 baserunners and struck out 130, almost forcing the Mets to promote him.
Another Mets pitcher, one who may be play a significant role in the 2006 bullpen, also is performing well in winter ball. Juan Padilla has a 3-1 record and 3.08 ERA in 20 appearances and 26 1/3 innings with the Caguas Criollos. The 28-year-old right-hander, who pitched for the Yankees and Reds in 2004, split his 2005 between Norfolk and Shea Stadium, producing a 1.42 ERA in 37 appearances and 63 1/3 innings in Triple A and a 1.49 ERA in 24 appearances and 36 1/3 innings with the Mets.
Other Mets involved in winter ball include Aaron Heilman, Mike Jacobs and Anderson Hernandez. Heilman also has been mentioned in many trade reports, and Jacobs and Hernandez could be the right side of the Mets' infield if no major acquisitions are made in free agency.
• Pitching as a starter -- the Mets see him as a setup reliver -- Heilman has a 2-1 record and 3.15 ERA in four starts and 20 innings with the Licey Tigers in the Dominican Republic.
• Jacobs, who started slowly, has his average up to .235 with Pastora of the Venezuelan League. But after hitting 11 home runs in his first 100 at-bats in the big leagues, he has hit just one in 81 at-bats.
• Hernandez, who had a composite .315 average in 534 at-bats split between Double A and Triple A, is batting .318 in 66 at-bats with Licey.

Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/

posted by David at 9:51 AM 0 comments  

Mets finalize Nady-Cameron trade
11/18/2005
NEW YORK -- The Mets finished a major part of their winter workload early, finalizing a deal Friday to acquire first baseman-outfielder Xavier Nady from the San Diego Padres for outfielder Mike Cameron.
The trade is one that aids the Mets' flexibility going into the Hot Stove portion of the winter, while adding Nady's raw skills to the organization.
A promising hitter with good tools, the 27-year-old Nady batted .261 with a career-high 13 home runs and 43 RBIs for San Diego in 2005, homering in four straight games through one torrid June stretch.
Several newspaper reports indicated that the Mets might consider re-dealing Nady as part of a larger trade before Spring Training, but in a conference call Friday night, Mets general manager Omar Minaya indicated the club sees Nady as a piece worth holding.
"We envision him as a young player with power potential," Minaya said. "Hopefully he can develop and be part of a core group of guys. ... We see Xavier hopefully being with the Mets and developing with the Mets."
The Mets had shown interest in Nady, who is vacationing in Mexico until after Thanksgiving and was unavailable for comment, since at least the end of the regular season.
With a deal under the gun, Minaya said there was no benefit to holding back on trading Cameron, who was limited to just 76 games this year by injuries and voiced a desire to return to center field.
Though Cameron has two Gold Gloves and is grouped among the best center fielders in the game, his value on the trade market was hindered by an Aug. 11 collision with Carlos Beltran in San Diego that shattered two of Cameron's cheekbones, his right orbital socket and broke his nose.
That collision not only ended Cameron's season, but it also, for all intents and purposes, put a stop to Cameron's one-year experiment in right field.
Cameron -- who also missed all of April recovering from wrist surgery -- said he could have come back to try right field alongside Beltran again, but told Minaya in end-of-season conversations that he'd prefer to play center field.
"He understood it," Cameron said. "There was never any intention of me going in there and saying, 'Look, get rid of me by this date.' That's not the way you approach certain things."
"I think it's fair to say Mike really did not feel comfortable," Minaya said. "He expressed to us that right field was something that he was struggling with."
Cameron said he expects to be healthy for the start of Spring Training -- a fact the Padres confirmed by putting the outfielder through a rigorous physical examination, including eyesight tests, this week.
Still, Minaya said it was to the Mets' benefit to complete a deal now, rather than wait until January or February, when Cameron's salary -- he'll earn $6 million in 2006 with a 2007 team option for $7 million or a $500,000 buyout -- could have become a greater hindrance.
"When Spring Training comes around, what are you going get for a player when a lot of teams have settled for their center fielders or have spent their money?" Minaya said.
"In my experience, in Spring Training, teams are asking you to take back some dollars. In this trade, we were able to get a player who, in our estimation, is an everyday player."
A second-round selection in the June 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Nady has spent most of his first two Major League seasons serving as something of a supersub for the Padres -- he has experience playing first base, third base and all three outfield positions -- though he projects best at first base and a corner-outfield position.
That's attractive to the Mets, who now have an opening in right field with Cameron's departure. Nady figures to compete with Victor Diaz -- who batted .257 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs in 2005, mostly filling in for Cameron -- for outfield playing time and could platoon with Mike Jacobs at first base, barring movement on the free agent or trade market.
Factored in with emerging stars like third baseman David Wright and shortstop Jose Reyes, Minaya said he could envision Nady growing into an important part of the Mets' core.
"We're trying to build to win now," Minaya said. "We're fortunate enough to be able to have some