Results tagged ‘ Adam Dunn ’
Mets Seem to Be Done For Real Now; Still Recruiting
While I would like to stick with just the project for now, this is still a Mets blog and today’s news was too big not to blog about. Bobby Abreu signed with the Angels for around $5 million, and Adam Dunn signed with the Nationals, but we still don’t know the money. Either way, this means that the Mets are done for the offseason. The top players left on the market for any position are gone now, and I am expecting anyone without a contract now to sign within the next two days. The Mets signed Jose Valentin again, which makes me very happy. In case you didn’t know, Valentin was the Mets’ left fielder in 2006, and the second baseman in 2007. He was in AAA in 2008 after getting hurt, but we got him back. He is one of the Mets’ trademarked “Super Subs.” If the Mets have any money left, I hope they spend it on Ivan Rodriguez, but I just don’t see him as a fit in New York.
Now, for the project that all you seem so interested it (I am too, I really wish it could move faster). While I am very pleased with the number of you that showed your interest and the quick new readers I got for my blog, I still think we need more people to join in. Trust me, this really is a group community project. I just happen to be running it. I am going to continue to comment on blogs and advertise it. If you want this to go faster maybe you will help. Eventually, I will begin posting questions for you to answer and assigning people another MLBlog to do…. something with. I really want to say the whole plan now but it wouldn’t make for as great an ending as I am planning. So please, just be patient and keep checking back, and you will be highly rewarded!
Almost There
Well as I write this I am thinking to myself, “‘Spring Training starts in less than 3 days, and look at all the free agents that are still available.”
We still have Ivan Rodriguez, Adam Dunn, Manny Ramirez, Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, Orlando Cabrera, Joe Crede, Garret Anderson, Kevin Millar, and Jim Edmonds. Most of the pitchers seem to be in place, though, Pedro Martinez still hasn’t found a job. There are minor league deals flying around all over the place, like storks and other exotic birds that many teams will be seeing in Florida.
Pedro Martinez is probably going to be playing for the Domincan Republic during this year’s World Baseball Classic. He said if he couldn’t get a contract by then, it would be his job interview.
I think that the Mets are pretty much set for the 2009 season. Things have quieted down with Manny Ramirez, and now he probably going to sign the next offer from the Dodgers, or from the Giants if they offer a multi year deal. The Mets could easily get him if they wanted to, but they really want to stick to a budget I guess. That and the fact that he was practically free at the Trading Deadline.
But if Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu are smart, they will drop their prices now. Just to get a major league deal. I heard Abreu might even be falling into the $2-3 million range. Wouldn’t it be crazy to be having Bobby Abreu and Alex Cora making the same money? How about having Adam Dunn in the minor leagues? The Mets can still go after them, but don’t forget that they still have to pay Billy Wagner.
And Manny, how does that Worcester Tornadoes offer look now?
I Think The Mets Are Done
The starting pitcher’s market is getting very small. With the resigning of Andy Petitte with the Yankees, the only names that still come to mind are Tom Glavine, Oliver Perez, and Ben Sheets. The Mets continue signing nobody players to minor league contracts, with the recent signing of not only Freddy Garcia, but Rob Mackowiak, Kyle Snyder, and Jon Switzer. The Mets are using up all their money. After Spring Training, we’ll never hear these names again. So stop wasting time, Omar Minaya. Sign Oliver Perez already. I would ask you to sign Ben Sheets instead, this way we could sign Adam Dunn or Orlando Hudson or Ivan Rodriguez as well and maybe use the nobodies you’ve already signed so you can look like a genius, but I know that isn’t going to happen. So at least sign Perez already. I think its inevitable at this point, but watch what Scott Boris can do. Maybe we can at least get Perez for cheap if we wait, like the Yankees did with Petitte who turned down a $10 million offer to later accept a $6.5 million with incentives deal. But I think the Mets are done. Now, I am going to waste my time and run through some possible options for the Mets to go with if they choose Sheets instead, even though I know they won’t happen. Consider it a gift since I took so long to post a new post.
Adam Dunn: The Mets have about a million left field options in Daniel Murphy, Fernando Tatis, Angel Pagan, Jeremy Reed, Fernando Martinez, Nick Evans, Marlon Anderson, Rob Mackowiak, and Cory Sullivan. While I think the Murphy/Tatis platoon is a good idea, Murphy could turn out to be an Ian Kennedy, a player who came off great and then stunk. Tatis is old, he will not have another season like 2008. Adam Dunn is a lot cheaper than Manny Ramirez, and he is an enormous power bat. Plus, he can play first base if Delgado can’t produce.
Orlando Hudson: I think Luis Castillo can have a good 2009 at second base, despite his horrible performance last year. However, I know Orlando Hudson can have a better 2009. And while it might be a bit of work, I am sure you can get something in return for Castillo in a trade.
Ivan Rodriguez: The Mets want to upgrade at catcher, it just isn’t their top priority. It’s no secret that Brian Schneider isn’t much good, and while I am a big Ramon Castro fan, he gets hurt way too much.
Eddie Gaurdado: After the Mets traded away Scott Schoenweis, they needed another lefty reliever to compliment Pedro Feliciano. They signed Casey Fossum and plucked Darren O’ Day from the Rule 5 Draft, but like I previously said, they are nobodies. Everyday Eddie is a veteran who has closing experience, and he tought J.J. Putz his signature splitter. He would be an amazing asset to complete our bullpen.
Oliver Perez: That’s right, sign Ben Sheets instead of Oliver Perez and then use the money you saved to sign Perez. Doesn’t make sense? Nobody else wants Perez. If you sign Sheets at a bargain deal, all the other teams looking for a starter will probably choose to upgrade at offense instead. Perez won’t sign. He’ll need a deal, and he’ll drop down to a ridiculously low price. The Mets can at that point sign him to perhaps a 2 year, $18 million deal, and have a starting rotation of Santana, Sheets, Perez, Pelfrey, and Maine, with backup of Garcia, Redding, Niese, and Parnell.
This is What Makes Jerry Manuel Successful
We were all holding our breaths last night, just waiting to see Joe Smith or Pedro Feliciano blow the save. When Eddie Kunz didn’t come in during the ninth inning I thought Jerry Manuel was off his rocker. But it worked. Just like all of the wierd moves he makes for no apparent reason, it worked. And that is what makes Manuel a success as a manager. He makes all the right moves, and he has a great presence in the clubhouse. All of the players respect him, and they all have a great relationship with him, but he isn’t afraid to get down and dirty when need be. Jerry Manuel takes a situation where you have one everyday outfielder, no second baseman, a backstop that is constantly taking turns getting hurt, and a pitching staff that is never has a full 5-man rotation, and he scraps together a playoff-calibur team with a bunch of no-names. Incredible.
2 trades were made in the past days. Adam Dunn was shipped to the D-Backs for 2 players to be named later. There are rumors that Micah Owings might be one of them. And Paul Byrd was traded to the Red Sox for a player to be named later or cash. I say neither trade will have an impact, because I predict the Dodgers winning the NL West, the Rays winning the AL East, and the Twins winning the AL Wild Card.
Gary Sheffield was placed on waivers after complaining he doesn’t like his DH platoon role in Detroit. Should the Mets place a claim? I don’t think so. Sheffield has an option for 2009 in his contract, and with Fernando Martinez around the corner, and the emergence of Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans, the Mets just need a rental. Sheffield also has a history of ruining the team chemistry, which throughout the bullpen woes and hitting slumps, remains the Mets high point. I say stick to what you have now. Let the prospects show what they can do in a pennant race, it will have to happen sooner or later. Ryan Church should be back soon so there really is nothing to do. When Wagner comes back the bullpen should be solid again, so I say no worries.
One last note, John Maine was taken off the DL and the Mets optioned down to AAA Carlos Muniz. Maine will start tonight and there is a possibility that he will then move to the bullpen, although I say the Mets rotation will stay intact.
Some More Trading
I was going to post an entry earlier this morning, but something told me to wait. Now I know why.
First off, let me talk about the Nady trade. That’s right, Xavier Nady was traded to the Yankees last night along with LHP Damaso Marte for 4 minor leaguers, including Ross Ohlendorf. What does this meaan for the Mets? I say its actually a good thing. From the way things were looking, the Mets were nowhere near to making a deal with the Pirates for Nady, and I completely gave up all hope that they would about 4 days ago. The benifit for the Mets here is that some other NL club, like the Braves, who aren’t dead yet, didn’t get him, so they won’t have to deal with him.
The next trade had a bit of a bigger impact for the Mets. The Dodgers acquired IF/OF Casey Blake for 2 minor leaguers earlier today. Blake was on the list for possible outfielders for the Mets, but not anymore I guess. Raul Ibanez, Jaun Rivera, Adam Dunn, and Mark Kotsay still remain available, but Omar Minaya said yesterday that he doesn’t plan to make a big move. I think Dunn would be a great fit for the Mets, who could definitely use a little more power, but I don’t thikn the Mets could afford to give up the prospects for him.
And lastly Anthony Reyes. The once-top-prospect-but-now-lowly-regarded pitcher was sold to the Cleveland Indians. The Mets, along with the Phillies and Braves, had expressed some interest in the righty, but any talks that happened were quickly put aside as not serious.
At this point, I would say if the Mets do make a trade, it would be for Padres OF Brian Giles. Giles used to be in the Mets organization, but was traded for Jason Bay (I forget, if anybody could just jog my memory I would appreciate it). With Ryan Church just recently cleared for light activites, I think this would be a great acquisition for the Mets because I think Church is not ready to come back. I think he is going to get hurt again, so any outfield coverage at this point would be nice. There is no way Chavez and Tatis can keep this up for 2 (hopefully 3) more months
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