If you're waiting for Alex Rodriguez to don a Mets uniform - or any uniform for that matter - in the near future, just keep waiting - and don't hold your breath while you're at it. A-Rod's agent is Scott (Bring Me The Bounty) Boras, and history tells you one thing in particular about Boras and his methods - he'll wait and push the envelope until the very last minute, playing each side against the other and both sides against the middle, until he squeezes the last possible nickel out of the winning bidder. Remember - Carlos Beltran, a Boras client, did not sign with the Mets until January 11, 2005 - about a month before spring training began - and only after Boras went back to the Yankees with a last-ditch, last-minute discount offer. This should take some time and if it doesn't, it will be totally out of character for Scotty B.
The Mets wasted no time in exercising their $7.5 million option on Moises Alou and justifiably so. Although limited to just 87 games and 328 at-bats and missing in action for 2 1/2 months due to a lingering quad injury, Alou was stupendous last season. He batted .341, constructing a Mets record 30-game hitting streak down the stretch. Alou had 13 HR, 19 doubles and 49 RBI, struck out only 30 times and had a .392 OBP. Alou mirrored the team's struggles with runners in scoring position this year. Moises hit .348 with RISP and less than 2 outs - with 2 outs he dropped down to .205. The Mets as a team batted .277 with RISP - but hit almost 40 points less (.238) when there were two out. Yes he's fragile, and yes, he'll turn 42 midway through 2008 - but the dude can flat out hit and you still can't sneak a fastball by him. I'll take the 100-120 games you hope that he can stay healthy for, cross your fingers and go.
The Mets also re-upped with Damion Easley, another good sign. Easley hit .280 overall before ripping up his ankle in late August. He was very productive, smashing 10 HR with 26 RBI in 193 at-bats - half of Easley's long balls either tied the game at the time or gave the Mets the lead. Easley can play all four corner positions and made 36 starts at second base.
The Mets have holes to fill at 2B and catcher and of course are always looking for more pitching depth. They have talked with Paul LoDuca and they will talk with Luis Castillo. Here's hoping that they'll speak at some point with the Minnesota Twins to gauge the availability of one Johan Santana. Who knows what the Twins will do, but as I've said before, overwhelm them and find out. You need durable pitchers and the Mets had exactly one starter give them 200 innings last season and that was Tom Glavine who may or may not be back. Since 2004, Santana has averaged 228 innings pitched per year. He has allowed on average just 176 hits per year in those innings. In those four seasons, Santana has averaged only 49 1/2 walks while striking out an average of 246 - a 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio. If there's a glitch, he does give up home runs - 33 to be exact in 2007 - and an average of 26 long balls since 2004. But an ace in his prime (28) to team with Pedro Martinez and other young starters is too enticing to overlook. Anyone notice what Josh Beckett did in this year's post-season and can mean to the Red Sox in future years?
How To Fix The Mets How to fix the 2010 New York Mets. A gargantuan task to say the least. Not an easy cure-all, but you have to start somewhere. For starters, they could use another solid starting pitcher. And a power hitter...
Putting A Wrap On '09 So it's not just the Mets who have perfected the art of blowing big leads late in September. The Tigers did them one big one better by proceeding to blow a 3-game cushion with just 4 games to play...
MEDICAL UPDATE ON JOSE REYES The Mets today announced that shortstop Jose Reyes will undergo surgery to clean up scar tissue around the accessory hamstring tendon behind the right knee (semi tendinosis tendon).
METS ANNOUNCE 2010 COACHING STAFF CHANGES The New York Mets today announced that Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and First Base Coach Luis Alicea will not be returning for the 2010 season. Alomar Sr. will be offered another position within the organization.
Mets Lower Ticket Prices For 2010 The New York Mets today announced across the board decreases in the price of Season Tickets for the 2010 season at Citi Field with no increase in the price of any ticket next year. The average ticket price on a full-season basis will drop by more than 10 percent.
A Wild Thought All right, nobody asked me but........everyone seems obsessed at this time of year trying to find better ways to keep the wild-card winners at a competitive disadvantage during the baseball playoffs.
Thoughts On A Rainy Night In Georgia No runs scored over 18 consecutive innings - and now an interminable rain delay at Turner Field. There's just no end to the excitement that these 2009 Mets are producing.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
The Mets wasted no time in exercising their $7.5 million option on Moises Alou and justifiably so. Although limited to just 87 games and 328 at-bats and missing in action for 2 1/2 months due to a lingering quad injury, Alou was stupendous last season. He batted .341, constructing a Mets record 30-game hitting streak down the stretch. Alou had 13 HR, 19 doubles and 49 RBI, struck out only 30 times and had a .392 OBP. Alou mirrored the team's struggles with runners in scoring position this year. Moises hit .348 with RISP and less than 2 outs - with 2 outs he dropped down to .205. The Mets as a team batted .277 with RISP - but hit almost 40 points less (.238) when there were two out. Yes he's fragile, and yes, he'll turn 42 midway through 2008 - but the dude can flat out hit and you still can't sneak a fastball by him. I'll take the 100-120 games you hope that he can stay healthy for, cross your fingers and go.
