Mets Off-Season Thread

[thrillhouse]

Big rumors coming out that the Mets and A's are looking to swap Rich Harden and a AA prospect for Milledge, Heliman and either Oliver Perez or John Maine.

Apparantly, the deal wont have any effect on a potential deal with Zito.

Harden
Zito
Glavine
Duque
Maine/Perez

Drool....

And don't forget about Pedro coming back eventually...hopefully, which would be nothing more than a bonus.  Then theres still guys like Pelfrey, Bannister and whoever else in the minors.

[BigEd76]

they don't have Bannister anymore.  he was traded to KC earlier this week

[DH]

Bannister was nothing more than an ex-players son anyway.

Phillip Humber will be the next big SP on this team. He was taken a pick after Verlander a few years ago.

[DH]

Apparantely, if MLB finds that Boston had no interest, than he will be awarded to the next highest bidder....

Los Mets.

[phattymatty]

this is about a year old, but still pretty awesome.

the entire game 6 from the 86 WS with Scully announcing set to RBI baseball. 

http://www.sandiegoserenade.com/2006/04/1986_world_series_game_6_reena.html

[DH]

Minaya, Wilpon and Bernazard are flying to LA to meet w/ Boras and Zito today.

Ruben Sierra may be signed to a minor league deal.

Jorge Cantu's name has come up in trade talks. Alex Rios too...

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Minaya, Wilpon and Bernazard are flying to LA to meet w/ Boras and Zito today.

I sure hope they sign him, considering he really doesn't want to play there and will only become a problem.

[DH]

Minaya, Wilpon and Bernazard are flying to LA to meet w/ Boras and Zito today.

I sure hope they sign him, considering he really doesn't want to play there and will only become a problem.

If he takes considerably less money from the Mets than from Texas, I'd say he must "want" to play there.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

You really think that would happen?  Trust me - if you hear that he took less money to play for the Mets, be very skeptical.  An agent would be an out-and-out idiot to not make the Mets pay a premium, considering how much they usually spend... and Boras is no idiot.

[DH]

I think he will take less money to play for the Mets for the following reasons:

1. He's been known to be a guy who wants to be on a coast
2. Marketing/Advertising opportunities
3. Texas is a hole for pitchers. See Chan Ho Park.

I could be wrong, but I'd be willing to bet Zito will be a Met for 85/5 faster than he would be a Ranger for 105/6.

[thrillhouse]

Minaya, Wilpon and Bernazard are flying to LA to meet w/ Boras and Zito today.

I sure hope they sign him, considering he really doesn't want to play there and will only become a problem.

If he takes considerably less money from the Mets than from Texas, I'd say he must "want" to play there.

Or he really doesn't want to go to texas.

[Rome]

The BP @ Arlington was a hole for Park because Park sucked. 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I think he will take less money to play for the Mets for the following reasons:

1. He's been known to be a guy who wants to be on a coast
2. Marketing/Advertising opportunities
3. Texas is a hole for pitchers. See Chan Ho Park.

I could be wrong, but I'd be willing to bet Zito will be a Met for 85/5 faster than he would be a Ranger for 105/6.

1.  He's been known to be a guy who wants to be on the WEST coast.  Now, it's "a" coast?  Sure.
2.  Naturally, but that hasn't given New York athletes an incentive to play for less in general.  After all, the cost of living in New York is ridiculously high compared to the Dallas/Arlington area.
3.  Chan Ho Park was never that good anyway.  The desperate Rangers gave him big dollars based on a decent season in the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.

So, he'll take an average of $500k less a year, undoubtedly with some sort of buyout/option for a 6th year?  That's hardly a significant dip in money.  Basically, Boras won't take anything that can't be looked at as significantly less than another offer.

And before you say that Boras doesn't have the final say, allow me to laugh.

[DH]

The NY papers and radio have been saying that he wants to play on either coast. If I'm worng, then theyre all wrong too. But, even if he wanted to play on the West coast, with no team interested (barring the Giants dont step up), wouldnt that leave only one coast left?

Zito is an interesting cat. He acts, sings, performs and does all that eclectic crap. Thats the marketing I was talking about - not the Joey Harrington sized billboard type of marketing. If he's looking for a contact to bridge him into life after baseball in a city where he can spread his artistic wings and do whatever it is that he does - its NY; not Dallas.

Forget the 500K more per year he would get from Texas...It's the 6th and possibly a 7th year that Boras wants, and the Mets have repeatedly said they want to stay in the Oswalt range of 5/73. Obviously, thats unreasonable, so I think an offer of 85/5 would be fair market value.

If thats no good, so be it - let him fail in Texas. The Mets will probably just sign Zambrano next year.

[BlueHeart]

The Mets always go balls out when they're pursuing someone they really want. Minaya is jacking up the pursuit, so, expect him to bend over very soon if necessary...