Thursday Applesauce

by Eric Simon on Dec 4, 2008 1:22 PM EST in Applesauce Comment 7 comments

The Mets have signed Nelson Figueroa, Adam Bostick, Andy Green and Rene Rivera to minor league deals. Whoopie!

Ted Berg took a tour of Citi Field and offers his thoughts on the layout as well as a stab at how the field might play once it opens.

At MetsGeek, Mike Newman looks at Aaron Heilman's chances of being a credible starting pitcher next year.

At The Hardball Times, Tom Tango makes the Hall of Fame case for Tim Raines. Raines will have a tough row to hoe this year, with Rickey Henderson -- a better version of Raines -- a certainty to be voted in on his first shot. Raines is an underappreciated player, a great player for a long time, who will hopefully have is day in Cooperstown sooner rather than later.

South Side Sox tries to figure out what Kenny Williams is thinking by trading Javier Vazquez to the Braves for a mostly-nothing-special group of players.

Beyond the Boxscore rounds up some of the smaller moves made yesterday, including Russell Branyan signing with the Mariners and Bobby Howry signing with the Giants.

Rany Jazayerli talks about how easy it is to game the free agent compensation system for Type B players.

Also, be sure to check out the new SBN Hot Stove hub, which features stories and analysis from around the network on all things hot stove.

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So . . .

how many HoF voters will tie themselves into knots explaining why Rickey Henderson wasn’t on their ballot because he didn’t deserve to be voted in his first year? Conlin (natch)? Anyone else?

'Catsmeat!' he cried. 'I see it all. It was that chump, Catsmeat.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Dec 4, 2008 1:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You have to be a LEGEND to be voted in your first year

And you have to wait 15 years if your name is “Rice”. I don’t make the rules; I just enforce them.

"When the little children start to speak they once said 'Mama' and 'Papa', but with the fans we got they say the first thing, 'Metsie, Metsie, Metsie'." - Casey Stengel

by Prince on Dec 4, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ted Berg's Citi Field article

“Wow!” is all I can say about the ballpark. Unfortunately, the link to “images” was down, but a quick trip to MLB.COM provided me with an updated tour of Citi Field. The place looks fantastic. I would like to see more pics of the Jackie Robinson rotunda. So far it seems like a great central point for the incoming fans. This definitely warrants a trip to New York to catch a series or two next season.

Kudos to the METS, New York and all those who put in the hours to build it. Now, lets hope the METS play as well as Citi Field looks.

" Whatcha got ain't nothin new. This country's hard on people, you can't stop what's coming, it ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity. "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Dec 4, 2008 1:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm already stoked

About Ricky’s HOF acceptance speech. I hope he does the whole thing in the 3rd person.

by Gina on Dec 4, 2008 1:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

"Rickey is stoked about it also"

says Rickey

by deadspy3 on Dec 5, 2008 12:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

2 thoughts

First, the White Sox are having the most bizarre offseason I can remember. Kenny Williams is aware that his team won the AL Central and does not need to be blown up, right? I have no idea what he’s trying to accomplish with the Swisher and Vazquez deals.

Second, I’ve been on the Raines bandwagon for a long time, but as with anything that requires votes from the herd of idiots known as baseball journalists, illogic will rule because Raines spent most of his very best years in a French-speaking city in another country.

Or to put it another way: had Jim Rice played with Montreal, and Tim Raines with Boston, Raines would already be in the hall, and Rice would have been disqualified for lack of votes long ago.

Vote change: DePodesta/Acta in 2009!!!

by Greenpoint Ian on Dec 5, 2008 12:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs