Santana In Venezuela Applesauce - Chapman To Throw, Non-Tender-Palooza and Kendall Tweets

by James Kannengieser on Dec 14, 2009 10:02 AM EST in Applesauce

A slow weekend means abbreviated Applesauce.

Meet the Mets

Johan Santana made a trip home to Venezuela to hold his annual Cy Youngazo ("Great Cy Young") event, where he hands out Christmas presents and organizes baseball and soccer tournaments. A nice read on this Monday.

Aroldis Chapman will throw a side session for teams on Tuesday.

Jason Bay's agent says his client has moved on from the Red Sox and at least one team has offered more than four years to the slugging left fielder.

Metsmerized interviews Brian McRae, a good guy whose greatest contribution to the Mets was being traded for surprisingly productive Darryl Hamilton.

Around the NL East

Braves blogs Talking Chop and Capitol Avenue Club provide input on the Kelly Johnson non-tendering.

The Nationals brought back Scott Olsen after non-tendering him.

The Good Phight looks at some low-risk, high-reward free agent targets.

Around MLB

Brew Crew Ball links to some of the funnier Tweets about the Jason Kendall signing.

Garrett Atkins celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday by being non-tendered. No word if the Rockies will offer him a membership to the Jelly-Of-The-Month Club as a parting gift.

McCovey Chronicles is incredulous about the possibility of the Giants signing Scott Podsednik. The first two paragraphs are gold.

Tweet Comment 26 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Have their been any reports about this team offering a 5th year?

with a source other than Bay’s agent?

by Gina on Dec 14, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions

Or are we just bidding against ourselves again?

by deadspy3 on Dec 14, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions

The Mystery Mobile

I haven’t read anything concrete. Cerrone seems to think it might have been the Mets. His reasoning is that they have made suggestions that they would offer an option year, and Bay’s agent has not said anything about a guaranteed fifth year, only that the mystery team is willing to go a fifth year.

I also read that the Giants were willing to give Bay a fifth year, but he is not interested in playing in SF.

by Coolpapabell on Dec 14, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

Lackey taking a physical with the sox?

by Coolpapabell on Dec 14, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions

Good news bad news

Good news – if Lackey signs with Boston, we won’t overpay for him
Bad news – if the Red Sox aren’t out of the bidding for Bay, we’ll probably overpay for him

I really hope the Giants are seriously looking at Bay. The good thing is that Sabean throwing a 5th year at Bay is totally plausible. Meanwhile, the market for Holliday is SO quiet that I wonder if Omar will swoop in at the end. Wishful thinking, I know.

by Joamiq on Dec 14, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

It's kind of sad

that the best case scenario is other teams forcing our gm to settle for the best player.

by Gina on Dec 14, 2009 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

Mets extended escobar a minor league offer

I think this was the best attempt they have made all winter

by Coolpapabell on Dec 14, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions

I'm all for 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 14, 2009 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

Jorge Anguare said Escobar wants to play for the Mets because we have

Santana, K-Rod, and…… Henry Blanco

by Syler on Dec 14, 2009 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

Loved that move

Escobar was brilliant 2-3 years ago – if his surgery doesn’t affect his performance, we could have the steal of the offseason. He nearly helped me make the playoffs in my fantasy league!

Best-case scenario – about a 3.40 ERA, 6.5 IP/GS, 7 K/9, a full season of pitching, and Johan Santana countryman bonus.

"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 14, 2009 8:24 PM EST up reply actions

Really Cerrone posted that SF was above the mets on his list

And lol @ the giants

by Gina on Dec 14, 2009 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

On the non-tendered relievers

Donnelly could be a nice pick-up, last year he was very good, and he seemed over his injuries. I’d prefer either him or maybe even MacDougal to Capps. Capps got shellacked last year. MacDougal really keeps the ball down, and has only given up 6 homers in his last 110 innings or so. But his walks can be a problem of course.

by Mackey Sasser on Dec 14, 2009 11:46 AM EST reply actions

Right

Walks are definitely more manageable than homers

by deadspy3 on Dec 14, 2009 11:47 AM EST up reply actions

With a good pitching coach

Not sure we have that.

by Mackey Sasser on Dec 14, 2009 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

Imagine the Mets with Dave Duncan?

I actually forgot who our pitching coach was for a second, which is pretty bad! (It’s Dan Warthen)

Or, maybe we should go after the former pitching coach of the Reds… he’s available.

"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 14, 2009 8:30 PM EST up reply actions

Can I take the opportunity of a slow applesauce

to ask the origin of this usage?

if you search “applesauce” alone google puts AA on the frontpage as its top news result.

by Pack Bringley on Dec 14, 2009 12:10 PM EST reply actions

Stuff

I don’t believe Santana is in Venezuela for said event. I think he was secretly dispatched to rescue the kidnapped Josh Thole, super agent style!

I wonder why Jason Bay “moved on” from the Red Sox. From what I could tell, both the fans and management treated him well. Oh well, whatever. Let’s hope that either: (A) We are not that mystery team or, (B) that mystery team’s offer doesn’t prompt Omar to extend/enlargen the offer he already made.

"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 14, 2009 12:54 PM EST reply actions

Are you sure you don't mean

super agent Brian Stokes?

by JoshNY on Dec 14, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

Who do you think taught Santana?

"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 14, 2009 2:23 PM EST up reply actions

Roy Halladay better be overpaid…

by nelsonc on Dec 14, 2009 5:29 PM EST reply actions

oops! wrong post

by nelsonc on Dec 14, 2009 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for that Podsednik post.

If nothing else, it reminds me that there’s at least 1 other GM with even less of a clue than Omar. Also, 1324 comments on that one post?

by BobbyV_Incognito on Dec 14, 2009 8:55 PM EST reply actions

One thing I can't understand

Why would Dayton Moore (born and raised a Royals fan in Wichita) sign Jason Kendall!? That is assuredly worse than the Scott Podsednik signing by Brian Sabean.

The Royals now have Yuniesky Betancourt, Jason Kendall, and quite possibly, the least offensive (or most offensive, depending on how you look at it) outfield staff in all of baseball.

Moore himself said “If I didn’t feel I could have total autonomy to put (the Royals) on the right track, I wouldn’t have been the general manager at Kansas City, Atlanta, New York or wherever.” He’s putting this team on the right track… to hell. Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria and any sudden breakout player, would be the best 3 players on this team. Sad.

In unrelated news, the Royals admitted the betrayed ex-Met Adam Bostick as a Spring Training NRI. I really hope he makes the team!

"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 14, 2009 10:58 PM EST reply actions

you forgot DeJesus

but yeah. I think Moore is just really bad at baseball decisions.

by Gina on Dec 14, 2009 11:33 PM EST up reply actions

DeJesus is part of that least offensive outfield staff, alongside Jose Guillen, Mitch Maier, and some other benchwarmer.

The other listed being Willie Bloomquist.

David DeJesus, 3.2 WAR (I don’t know how, but his defense seems awesome, according to fangraphs)
Mitch Maier, 0.3 WAR
Willie Bloomquist, -0.1 WAR
Jose Guillen, -2.0 WAR

Total, 1.4 WAR (or -1.8 WAR, without David DeJesus)

The Royals really do have the worst offense, and presumably, the worst OF staff. I didn’t even check, but I guess I didn’t have to. These RAR figures stake that claim.

The Mets OF had the highest batting average in 2009.

"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 15, 2009 11:00 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah that's why DeJesus still belongs as one of the best three players

because of his defense, the same reason guys like Guitterez and Endy are so awesome despite putting up so-so offensive numbers. He’s consistently a 3-4 WAR player.

by Gina on Dec 15, 2009 8:27 PM EST up reply actions