Mets Rumor Mill: Possible Acquisition Tracker

by Sam Page on Dec 11, 2009 9:03 PM EST

With so many rumors and nothing actually happening for the Mets at the Winter Meetings, I decided to start a running post of all players the Mets have been linked to, with updates as to their current status. These links are only meant to represent the team's position, not external actors or opinions.Of course the Mets will be linked in some form to most every free agent, so I tried to give some indication where it seemed there was more than just nominal interest. Consider this thread an update on the Winter Meetings thread and post any links you want me to add in the comments.

Parentheses separate unique links:

Free Agents

OF Jason Bay--(Offer Extended)

OF Matt Holliday--(Uninvolved)

"C" Bengie Molina--(Offer Extended)

C Rod Barajas--(Interest)

1B Nick Johnson--(Interest)

1B Carlos Delgado--(Interest)

2B Adam Kennedy--(Interest)

2B Orlando Hudson--(Preferential Interest)

3B Mark DeRosa--(Interest)

SP John Lackey--(Preferential Interest) (Agent Contacted)

SP Joel Piniero--(Interest) (Agent Contacted)

SP Ben Sheets--(Agent Contacted)

SP Doug Davis--(Interest)

SP Jason Marquis--( Interest)

SP Jon Garland--(Interest)

MR Kelvim Escobar--(Interest)

MR Darren Oliver--(Interest)

International Free Agents

SP Aroldis Chapman--(Interest, Will Attend Throwing Session)

MR (RHP) Ryota Igarashi [NPB Tracker: Player Profile] —(Interest)

MR (LHP) Hisanori Takahashi [NPB Tracker: Player Profile] —(Interest)

Trade Targets

OF Josh Willingham--(Expressed Interest) (Negotiations Not Ongoing) (Told Untouchable)

OF Juan Rivera--(Expressed Interest) (Negotiations Not Ongoing)

OF Corey Hart--(Expressed Interest) (Negotiations Not Ongoing)

OF Pat Burrell--(No Interest)

OF Juan Pierre--(Expressed Interest, Link Missing [Reported by Jon Heyman])

OF Milton Bradley--(No Interest, Link Missing [Reported by Joel Sherman])

SP Roy Hallady--(Not Optimistic About Chances)

SP Gil Meche--(Expressed Interest, Discussions)

MR Ronald Belsario--(Expressed Interest)

MR Cory Wade--(Expressed Interest)

Trade Candidates

2B Luis Castillo--(Trade Unlikely)

SP John Maine--(Will Be Tendered Contract) (Discussed)

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Comments

So we're interested in everybody

except the best player on the market who could be signed to a steal of a contract.

makes sense.

by Gina on Dec 11, 2009 10:29 AM EST reply actions

I love the quotes

around “C” for Molina.

by Eric Simon on Dec 11, 2009 11:51 AM EST reply actions

Hah, beat me to it

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 11, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

Brilliant and depressing.

by Joamiq on Dec 11, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions

To refresh...

There is no DH on National League teams, which means…

Pinch-hitter? Nope – he’s not getting $7.5 million/year to do that.
Pinch-runner? Yeah, if you want to lose badly – smells like a possible gambling scheme.
Paperweight? I think we’re onto something here…

"The picture looked like I was in the dugout, but they got it all wrong. I absolutely was never in the dugout."

- Mr. B.V. Incognito

by sj10689 on Dec 12, 2009 2:43 AM EST up reply actions

Hey guys

Remember back when we had Darren Oliver and didn’t pay him like he was the ridiculously good reliever he is? Remember how we let he and Chad Bradford walk thinking Guillermo Mota an post-surgery Duaner Sanchez could hold the bullpen together? Good times, good times.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 11, 2009 1:13 PM EST reply actions

ah yes those were the days when we were young

and so full of hope….

by KeithsMoustache on Dec 11, 2009 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

Darren Oliver was not "ridiculously good" at the time

Before 2006, he had been nothing more than a crappy starter/long reliever, and his 2006 was largely fueled by luck.

It wasn’t until he went to the Angels that he actually became good.

I agree on Bradford, but seriously, it’s complete hindsight to suggest Omar was wrong for letting Oliver go

by Syler on Dec 11, 2009 2:49 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah maybe a little bit

But he was effective in 2006, and it wasn’t entirely a product of luck. His BABIP was low but his HR/FB was also over 15%. His 4.00 xFIP was much better than his FIP, and d his 4.28 tRA* was much better than his tRA. He had a high GB% and a low BB%. He was probably less lucky than Sanchez was, and its not as if he went off and signed a mega-contract. I’ll grant I didn’t think it was nearly as much of a mistake to let him walk as it turned out to be, but I wasn’t happy about it at the time.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 11, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions

and who should be the one to think it was a mistake

the guy sitting in his mother’s basement, or Omar Minaya?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Dec 11, 2009 7:01 PM EST up reply actions

And also

My point was just as much about the other players the FO misevaluated. There was much more reason to believe Oliver’s effectiveness was legit than Mota’s and yet Mota got two guaranteed years and a lot more money.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 11, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't go so far so as to say "ridiculously"

You want ridiculously good!? How about the likes of Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, Jonathan Papelbon, Jonathan Broxton and the recently-maligned Scott Downs? (J.P. Howell, Rafael Soriano and Jeremy Affeldt* receive honorable mentions)

* might receive upgrade

Darren Oliver, for his worth, is not of that ilk. The same goes for K-Fraud.

"The picture looked like I was in the dugout, but they got it all wrong. I absolutely was never in the dugout."

- Mr. B.V. Incognito

by sj10689 on Dec 12, 2009 2:54 AM EST up reply actions

Perhaps I'm crazy, but I seriously doubt we are uninvolved with Holliday

by Syler on Dec 11, 2009 2:46 PM EST reply actions

Well theres been 0 reports of meeting with Boras that I know of

or even them even expressing interest in him, and that’s all we really have to go in.

by Gina on Dec 11, 2009 3:22 PM EST up reply actions

They did meet with Boras - see link

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091111&content_id=7654136&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

Agree with Syler. The Mets are interested in Holliday. They just want to sign their big name sooner than later, so they know how much money that have left over for other signings. Omar is afraid that Boras will drag the Holliday game on well through the holidays (that won’t get old) and into next year. That will screw up the Mets ability to sign a SP (or two), a 1B and some bullpen help.

by MangoMetsFan on Dec 11, 2009 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

Then why not sign the pitcher or two first?

Especially since those seem to be moving off the market much faster, i’d say the best choices are already gone and we’re already stuck with the scrap heap, rather than coming in with a big offer to the lesser of the left field free agents before even seeing what type of offers the better one receives.

by Gina on Dec 11, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

I think Omar doesn't want to accidentally price himself out of Holliday/Bay by signing pitchers.

Of course, with the contracts of Cora and Blanco, that’s obviously not a concern of his…

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 11, 2009 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

Why not make the offer you want to make to Holliday first?

If he accepts you get cost certainty. If not, you get cost certainty.

Though this does require good judgement—you don’t want to offer 6/120 when he would have signed for 5/90…

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 11, 2009 4:27 PM EST up reply actions

With Holliday, I think everyone is "afraid" to make the first offer, because it'll invariably be rejected by Boras, to drive up costs.

That’s the only logic I see with that.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 11, 2009 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

Understood, but if Holliday's your preferred choice why not

make the offer you want even if there’s only a 5% chance of getting him? If it drives up the price for other clubs that’s a side effect you’re happy to live with.

At the end of the thread I posted a summary of where clubs are wrt Holliday. If I were Boras I’d be getting a little anxious.

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 6:02 AM EST up reply actions

Scott Boras clearly owns Omar Minaya

In fact, it probably stands to reason that Omar is practically scared of Boras. So scared that in a drunken-like stupor, an unspeakable deal was made last year that I won’t even mention. Omar probably has delusions that Boras is involved in the baseball illuminati, a la ‘The Da Vinci Code’. (But hey, who knows?)

With that said, I really think Omar should hire an attorney to negotiate with Boras for him. Omar has shown through the cracks, the inability when pressured, to make rational decisions under fire. And speaking of fire, hint hint…

"The picture looked like I was in the dugout, but they got it all wrong. I absolutely was never in the dugout."

- Mr. B.V. Incognito

by sj10689 on Dec 12, 2009 3:06 AM EST up reply actions

It just seems like too many contradictions to me

He didn’t make a move on the better pitchers available because he didn’t want to get priced out of Holliday/ Bay, but now he’s going to come in with a high offer to Bay, before the market is even set for the better player, so as to avoid being priced out of the crappier pitcher left overs?

Not to mention they should have the payroll flexibility, with the tax moving up to 170 and only 90-110, if they take everyone to arbitration and don’t non-tender anyone, in obligations to not have to worry about being “priced” out of anything. I can understand if bidding goes to high, but there’s no evidence of their being any chance of that, they’d be priced out but they shouldn’t suddenly not be able to sign Holliday for 18 million per because they paid 9 million to some crappy pitcher.

by Gina on Dec 11, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

Bay at 4/65 is definitely not the best deal out there,

so if there’s $30m in the budget for acquisitions and you sign a couple of starters to good deals, and as a result wind up having to pick up a second-tier OFer, what’s wrong with that?

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 5:16 AM EST up reply actions

Because 1. you're not getting the best bang for your buck

if you spend all 30 million on the crappy left over pitchers currently on the market and “second-tier OF” 2.which I’m not even sure who the second tier outfielders would be since it’s unlikely they’d go after Cameron and Damon seems pretty likely to resign with the the Yankees. Theres Winn and Byrd but at best spending 30 million on one of them + even two of the left over pitchers is going to just equal the value just signing Holliday alone, and conceivably with 10-12 million left to spare after signing Holliday.

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions

oh, you already covered the logical inconsistency

of course, like I say below, just b/c it’s logically inconsistent doesn’t mean it’s not what Omar is really thinking. He’s proven to be pretty logically inconsistent before

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Dec 12, 2009 5:45 AM EST up reply actions

so wait

he doesn’t want to negotiate with Holliday so that he doesn’t miss out on any pitchers or other pieces, but he doesn’t want to sign pitchers or other pieces so that he won’t price himself out of the Holliday market?

That seems like circular logic – which, regarding Omar, probably means it’s true

by cjmulrain on Dec 12, 2009 5:43 AM EST up reply actions

That's our good friend Omar!

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 12, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions

Interest != involvement

and it’s all time sensitive. I just meant to say they’re holding out right now.

by Sam Page on Dec 11, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

Artistically speaking,

interest is only merely a primer. But it’s the negotiations that paint the picture.

"The picture looked like I was in the dugout, but they got it all wrong. I absolutely was never in the dugout."

- Mr. B.V. Incognito

by sj10689 on Dec 12, 2009 3:08 AM EST up reply actions

2B

Why is Felipe Lopez not on the list? Did he sign somewhere already?

by Nomenclaturist on Dec 11, 2009 2:56 PM EST reply actions

If you have a link

I’ll put it

by Sam Page on Dec 11, 2009 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for doing this Sam. Great idea.

I suspect this is more advanced than the Mets FO’s method of tracking…

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 11, 2009 4:28 PM EST up reply actions

Btw, unless the Yankees are seriously blowing smoke

by way of their negotiations w Damon, the market for Holliday is becoming more of a buyer’s market.

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 11, 2009 4:30 PM EST reply actions

similar to Manny last year

it might be a situation where everyone is scared off by his perceived price tag that nobody ends up getting involved for him.

by cjmulrain on Dec 12, 2009 5:46 AM EST up reply actions

International Free Agents

MR (RHP) Ryota Igarashi [NPR Tracker: Player Profile] —(Interest)

Sports Hochi says the countdown is running toward a move to the Mets, and that Omar Minaya is getting his intelligence on Igarashi from none other than Bobby Valentine. via NPB Tracker

MR (LHP) Hisanori Takahashi [NPR Tracker: Player Profile] —(Interest)

Sports Hochi has an article saying that his representatives have gotten interest from multiple teams, including the Nationals, Mets and Dodgers. via NPB Tracker

by nelsonc on Dec 11, 2009 8:37 PM EST reply actions

Thanks

I’ll make IFA a separate list.

by Sam Page on Dec 11, 2009 9:03 PM EST up reply actions

OOPS, it's not "NPR Tracker"

Correction: It’s “NPB Tracker”

by nelsonc on Dec 11, 2009 9:27 PM EST up reply actions

I knew that too

by Sam Page on Dec 11, 2009 9:30 PM EST up reply actions

National Public Radio

now scouts for the Mets

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Dec 12, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

Do the mets have an official relationship with Bobby V as far as scouting Japan?

If not, they should

by HotChipWillBreakYourLegs on Dec 12, 2009 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

So who is going after Holliday?

The Mets are willing to settle for Bay.
The Red Sox were willing to sign Bay for 4/60, afaict.
The Yankees seem to be negotiating seriously with Damon, though apparently they offered 2/19 and he’s asking for 4/52.
The Angels just announced they won’t be pursuing Holliday. (Which actually seems like a good way to teach an obnoxious agent a lesson for future negotiations: play games with us and we’ll hurt your bargaining power.)
The Dodgers didn’t even offer Wolf arb.
The Rangers dumped Millwood in order to sign Harden.

Is there anyone left who can give Holliday something like 6/102?

So whose lap is Holliday going to fall into? I have the feeling he

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 6:00 AM EST reply actions

St. Louis?

There really aren’t that many teams out there who could afford him outside of the Mets or Red Sox. Most of the teams that had a high payroll last year are trying to cut back for 2010. I just don’t see how we could get outbid for him. Unless Omar is super restricted about adding payroll, there’s no excuse why he shouldn’t be a Met in 2010.

by Brittannia on Dec 12, 2009 6:30 AM EST up reply actions

And there's definitely no excuse to sign Bay before even making an offer to Holliday

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 11:50 AM EST up reply actions

You have the feeling he...? Yeah? I hate cliff-hangers!

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 12, 2009 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

also apparently st. louis current offer

which as far as anyone knows is the only offer currently on the table, is at most 18 million per.

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 11:52 AM EST up reply actions

Any news on how many years? I haven't been able to find anything specific...

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

No word yet on how many years

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/cardinals-make-formal-offer-to-matt-holliday.html
SATURDAY, 8:44am: Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post Dispatch spoke to a source that says the deal “does not offer an average annual value of $18 million.” That number is significant because Holliday rejected a similar offer to remain in Colorado.

So it looks like we could get him for 5/90 or 6/108.

by Brittannia on Dec 12, 2009 6:35 PM EST reply actions

Sold!

by deadspy3 on Dec 12, 2009 7:01 PM EST up reply actions

Problem is, afaik, that the Mets have already announced they won't be signing Holliday,

figuring negotiations will prove too protracted.

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 8:49 PM EST up reply actions

If a mystery team really did offer Bay a fifth year...

What are the chances that Omar is just bidding against himself again? Even if it is a different team, doesn’t that just mean that we’ll offer him another year?

by djg2111 on Dec 12, 2009 7:07 PM EST reply actions

Apparently Bay is ready to "move on" from the Red Sox

He’s rejected their latest offer, whatever it is, and thinks he’s worth more. Omar also probably thinks so. This scares me. I really, really hope there’s some other mystery team that wants him even more, so Omar will be forced to “settle” for Holliday at around 5/90 or 6/108.

by Joamiq on Dec 12, 2009 7:53 PM EST reply actions

Yup--if 4/65 isn't going to do it for Bay, then we're talking something like 5/85 to get it done.

I think by now no one—including Boras and Holliday—believes Holliday will be getting Teixeira money. Would Holliday accept a one-time offer of 6/105?

If not, what’s the lowest one-time offer anyone here thinks he’d take?

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 8:54 PM EST up reply actions

Cora reportedly injured in winter ball.

http://metsmerizedonline.com/2009/12/alex-cora-suffers-injury-insert-joke-here.html

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 9:24 PM EST reply actions

And a vesting option for a third year to Bengie!

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/mets_need_to_lengthen_offer_to_land_T4gfgTN9yT5tEPsdsuGdxJ

by SeanSchirmer on Dec 12, 2009 9:26 PM EST reply actions

I want to stab someone

“The Mets’ thinking is that Holliday is not only too expensive — he is expected to command up to $100 million — but also a poor fit offensively at cavernous Citi Field.”
“The Mets’ statistical analysis, confirmed by a team source, shows the right-hand swinging Bay’s dead-pull style is better suited to left field at Citi.”

Unless the Mets are playing hard to get, this basically confirms that Holliday won’t be a Met.
LOL @ statistical analysis.

“The Mets also are awaiting Molina’s response to their Thursday contract offer, which is believed to be two years for about $12 million. A league source said yesterday that the Mets’ offer includes a vesting option for a third year. The Mets initially were reluctant to offer Molina more than one year, but felt the need to up the offer because two years has been the minimum going rate for veteran catchers this winter.”

That whole article is just migraine inducing. I’m done, I can’t take this anymore.

by Brittannia on Dec 12, 2009 9:42 PM EST up reply actions

I really think it's time for a class action suit

pain and suffering

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 10:13 PM EST up reply actions

I'm with you

Drastic times call for drastic measures. This is too much. By the time ownership realizes Omar has no idea what he’s doing, Reyes and Wright and Beltran will be long gone.

by Joamiq on Dec 13, 2009 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

I fear for 2010-2020

i imagine it will just be a decade of pain

by Gina on Dec 13, 2009 9:10 PM EST up reply actions

A VESTING OPTION?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Dec 12, 2009 11:25 PM EST up reply actions

Omar must have learned about vesting options recently

He’s suddenly in love with them

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 11:37 PM EST up reply actions

He doesn't quite understand what Vesting Options mean, but...

with all of the anger and outrage directed towards Tony Bernazard when he removed his top, Omar wants to prevent any such criticism again by providing anyone and everyone he signs this winter with vests.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 12, 2009 11:43 PM EST up reply actions