Arroyo Applesauce - Mets interested in Reds' starter, Francoeur's media push, Halladay relied on 9 year old

by Joe Budd on Dec 18, 2009 8:43 AM EST in Applesauce

Finally, a free man once again. Now to figure out what's been happening in the world.

Meet the Mets

The Mets finally have sealed the deal with Ryota Igarashi. The damage: 2 years, $3 million. Not too bad, actually. Nicely done. Next up, Jason Bay? Today?

Jeff Francoeur continues to show up everywhere, this latest wave is mostly about his ignoring OBP. Patrick Flood has some wonderful commentary.

Omar appears to be interested in relieving the Reds of Bronson Arroyo's contract. Apparently the Mets are trying to unload someone's contract before this happens.

The Mets were one of the many teams checking out Aroldis Chapman's bullpen session.

Around the NL East

Roy Halladay relied on his 9 year old's advice when deciding whether to accept the Phillies' offer. That's so cute. That'll last until he gets booed for giving up his first three run homer.

The Marlins are offering their own take on the home run apple. This stadium does intrigue me a lot, actually. Florida also agreed to a $3.8 million contract with Ricky Nolasco, avoiding arbitration with the pitcher.

DC is impressing Matt Capps and Jason Marquis. There is still a lot of interest in Capps from other teams, though.

Around MLB

Nick Johnson looks likely to return to the Bronx. This is probably the final nail in the Johnny Damon Yankee coffin.

Ted Berg walks the fine line between politics and baseball.

Tweet Comment 28 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

We should be fair Joe

we booed Johan and Beltran also (Beltran kinda justified because his 05 was pretty awful by his standards.

And on Nolasco: Damn. I’d love to get him when his value was low. I wish he never had that 17k game last year and just tanked at the end followed by a non-tender.

by MetsKnicksRutgers on Dec 18, 2009 9:48 AM EST reply actions

I pretty much agree, although teams can do whatever they want. I don’t think MLB would ever ban it or anything. The Yankee Stadium incident was pretty ridiculous, IMO. When you’re paying that much to go to a game, you should be able to get up and leave whenever you want.

by Prince on Dec 18, 2009 9:55 AM EST reply actions

Reds and the Mets

I believe Scott from peekskill posted a really good talking point regarding trade possibilities with the Reds on Fanposts.

The consensus seemed to be that Harang could be had for C prospects on account of it being a salary dump. I think we could all agree that the Reds would make a good trade partner.

by Coolpapabell on Dec 18, 2009 9:57 AM EST reply actions

Oh yea

I’d love me some Harang for a Francisco Pena and we eat his salary

by MetsKnicksRutgers on Dec 18, 2009 10:10 AM EST up reply actions

Wait:

What do I get to eat?

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Dec 18, 2009 10:17 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs

HAHAHHAHAHA

I never thought Livan was Kanye douschey wearing sunglasses indoors

by MetsKnicksRutgers on Dec 18, 2009 10:48 AM EST up reply actions

Haha, rec'd

Asking a General Manager to slim down his budget is like asking an alcoholic to blow up a distillery.

by scott from peekskill on Dec 18, 2009 11:02 AM EST up reply actions

hmm

is it weird that i don’t hate that new marlins HR thing?

by Rob Castellano on Dec 18, 2009 12:01 PM EST reply actions

yes

it’s creepy. Looks like something out of the old Monty Python show from in-between skits.

on the other hand, unlike Citi’s apple, it will probably work, so there’s that.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions

I like it too

I will be very entertained by it at the very least, but I tend to like the more ridiculous sorts of things like that. It’s sorta out of the movie “Yellow Submarine”

Travis Hafner is made of gold

by Super Mario on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

It looks like Las Vegas threw up.

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!?

by CharlieH on Dec 18, 2009 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

Bill Veeck would be proud

I like it too.

by James Kannengieser on Dec 18, 2009 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

Hopefully we won't hear from Bay today and we'll move to Holliday.

by Michkin on Dec 18, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions

is it too early to start

talking Mauer?
Just wondering.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 1:46 PM EST reply actions

also, Cliff Lee should get a xmas card from Omar

since he’s pissed at Philly. What better way to get back at them than by signing with Metz in 2010?

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM EST up reply actions

Probably

I don’t think Mauer hits the open market, but if he does I imagine we’ll be priced out. He’ll probably be looking for more than what Tex got. And Omar apparently doesn’t have the payroll management skills for us to be able to afford that AND it not prevent us from resigning Reyes/Wright. Unless maybe they move Beltran a year early or don’t spend big on anyone this off-season.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

why wouldn't he hit the open market?

He does play for Minny still, right? I have a dream…

Maybe, just maybe, the Yanks and Sawx will be temporarily “exhausted” by all the acquisitions of the past two years. Even Theo and Ca$hman occasionally reign in spending, and the Metz occasionally find themselves the last org standing when it comes to big ticket items. And they have really been throwing it around. Then the new Metz GM can throw everything they have at Mauer, Lee, Crawford, etc. Mauer and Lee alone would go a long way to fixing this team, IMO. And making me man-drool. Thoughts like these will get me through the coming, sure-to-be disastrous campaign.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 2:46 PM EST reply actions

replyFAIL

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

He's from Minnesota

so he’s the hometown kid+ face of the franchise, moving into a new stadium it’s hard to imagine Minnesota won’t break the bank to keep him, he’s one of those players who it makes sense to overpay for for marketing purposes. And since a new stadium should lead to increased revenue, and considering they’ve let Hunter and Santana go the last 2-3 seasons, it’s hard for me to imagine they won’t lock him up by any means necessary. And if they don’t they’ll likely move him to a team who’s going to be giving up so many prospects to get him that they’ll have to lock him up by any means necessary. I’d expect a similar thing to happen with Crawford if they don’t lock him up they’re going to be trading him for so many prospects that the team trading for him is going to be trying to lock him up. It’s possible they both hit, I’d just think it’s incredibly unlikely.

And considering contract escalations, plus having to resign Wright/Reyes, and if the money we may end up spending on Bay, and the fact we apparently aren’t going to be raising payroll much anytime soon. Even all of them were to hit the market since they’d be hitting in their late 20s I imagine the prices they’d demand would make it hard for us to sign even one let alone three of them. Think about it we weren’t even in on bidding for Tex last year.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Dec 18, 2009 3:17 PM EST up reply actions

this is all wishful thinking countered with idle spectulation

unicorns vs. smurfs at this point. but there are reasons to stay hopeful, whether or not Minaya gets canned in July. Perhaps the new GM will want to make a NY splash.

considering they’ve let Hunter and Santana go the last 2-3 seasons, it’s hard for me to imagine they won’t lock him up by any means necessary.

I think that evidence could be interpreted either way.

they use $$ in Minny too, so Mauer is familiar with the concept, and perhaps he enjoys having a lot of it; we’ll have to wait and see if Mauer “owes it to himself” to test FA. For the sake of argument, I say the Metz go into “Knicks waiting for Lebron” mode with Mauer; they already have the bottomless losing part down.

$ is the least of teh Metz problems and throwing it is one of their few organizational strengths. I wanted Tex too, but there was more too it than just $. The Yankers had the inside track. If for some reason the Yanks and Sawx don’t enter the Mauer sweepstakes, or cancel each other out, or aren’t participating for some unanticipated reason (see Beltran, Santana), the Mets have as good a chance as anyone. They can offer him TARP stadium naming rights and lifetime handjobs from Lil’ Jeffy, as long as they get it done.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 4:16 PM EST up reply actions

How did the Yankees have the inside track?

They weren’t even interested until months had passed and it looked like he was going to go to the Red Socks cheap.

And how do the mets have the money to spend? Like I said they have Reyes and Wright to extend, and if they land Bay that’s another 15 million, never mind if they back load the contract, plus any other money they spend this off-season?

And yeah while it’s speculation the point is there’s no reason to think he will hit the market at this point, same reason for Crawford, so it’s not like it’s any more or less wishful thinking than the mets signing either of them.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Dec 18, 2009 4:21 PM EST up reply actions

1. inside track=

a. they’re the Yankees, not the Metz
b. the “surprising” revealed preferences of Madam Tex. Some Red Sox front office members certainly thought they were strung along. I very badly wanted the Metz to forget Delgado and bid for Tex, but I think their poor decision making not to get involved went beyond just worries about money was my point.

2. the Mets are or were one of the richest teams in baseball with one of the highest payrolls every year. Even with the fan flight (and loss of revenues) I predict will be coming soon if the product continues to be terrible, it’s a safe assumption for the foreseeable future that they can be players on most free agents, at least safer than assuming that certain extensions and money not spent yet in winter 2009 are going to constrain them. Not sure I see why players signed until 2012 are going to be the biggest factor in Met GM X’s decisions next winter.

3. Minny let the fellas you mention go b/c of $$.

My point is mainly that the Metz SHOULD be planning for Mauer, as top priority.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 18, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

re: 3

Because they’ve already shown reluctance to bid on the highest free agents the last two winters, no bids in on Lackey, none in on Holliday so far, none on Tex, Sabathia, Burnett and only went as high as 12 million for Lowe. Because we have players with escalating contracts, and because they’ve shown no plans on increasing the payroll past 150 million.

Now if they weren’t bidding on top priced free agents when they were paying other guys peanuts, why are they suddenly going to bid on them when they’re looking at the cost of Wright and Reyes doubling? along with Frankie’s price from 8 million this year, to up to 17 million in 2012. Plus if Bay accepts the contract you’re looking at adding up to 16 million per, and nearly 20 million in the same in 2013, when they will have to resign Reyes to a market value contract. Not to mention replacing other holes that will likely pop up especially if all things don’t go as planned with prospects. Unless the Wilpons suddenly show a willingness to majorly increase payroll, or Omar shows the ability to manage it better, I just don’t see any reason to think they’re going to be bidding upwards of 20 million on Mauer, if he even hits free agency, while looking at a number of other holes they’re going to have to fill, and the increasing cost of Reyes and Wright.

And I’m not sure why increasing costs down the road wouldn’t affect a gms decision? If you know that signing a player this season would only leave you 10 million to spend next season and you had a player who was going to cost 15 million to sign, these are just arbitrary numbers, why wouldn’t that fact into your decision?

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Dec 18, 2009 6:36 PM EST up reply actions

Also it's not just an assumption based on nothing

It’s an assumption based on the frugalness they’ve shown, like the not bidding on higher priced free agents, and the trading guys like Wagner and Castro as basically straight cash dumps just to save 2 million here or 3 million there. They just haven’t exactly been loose enough for the purse strings for it to seem realistic, at least to me, that they’re going to add a 16 million dollar player this season and then go out and bid on a guy who’ll likely cost 20 million+, if he hits the market, especially considering they haven’t even been willing to bid on Holiday or Lackey for less than that.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Dec 18, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

i would add

I think your generalizing from one and a half off-seasons is premature. Other than Tex (baseball mistake to chose Delgado and his affordable option IMO) and Sabathia (they had just signed Johan), situations where they would have had to compete with the Evil Empire, the free agents they’re not bidding on you’re talking about don’t approach Mauer’s status. Lackey and Bay in particular aren’t Mauer-like. If Omar has “done” anything right, it’s been not biting on (or not ending up with) really high ticket items like Zito, or overspending on Lowe (albeit signing Ollie). My feeling is that its not that the Mets suddenly stopped wanting to throw money around, its that they thought (and keep thinking) the team they had was good enough. The Mets and Omar have bid on plenty of high priced free agents: just not last winter.

Signing Mauer would be a Piazza-like move and even Fred and Jr could be made to see that narrative. Plus, we don’t know if this regime plans to or will resign Beltran or even Reyes when their contracts are up. In addition, even if we have seen a “correction” the past few years, it isn’t the most surprising thing in sports to see baseball payrolls continue to escalate. Finally, even Omar would be hard pressed not to understand Mauer’s potential value to the Mets. Of course, a bad sign would be a Molina signing past one year.

And I’m not sure why increasing costs down the road wouldn’t affect a gms decision?

i didn’t say they wouldn’t affect a gms decision at all, I said biggest factor next offseason. I’m sure even the Metz have some idea of the big picture contract-wise, but for a special player like Mauer, the Metz have shown the willingness to break the bank over and over again. Assuming the Madoff thing did not hurt them, there is nothing structurally different I can see (new park should mean more revenue) other than possible declining revenues due to fan revolt/disinterest. I’d worry more that Mauer doesn’t hit the market, but no one knows if he’ll decide to forgo free agency. I doubt it though.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Dec 19, 2009 12:08 AM EST up reply actions

i jus hope everyone knows the bay deal if it gets done will be hated by everyone in 2 years

by IB on Dec 18, 2009 6:04 PM EST reply actions

Not if he becomes Superman, magically, without the help of PEDs.

Unlikely, but…

"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 18, 2009 8:59 PM EST up reply actions

Flood's satire of Francoeur interview

You really thought Patrick Flood’s commentary was ‘wonderful’? Did you read it? I made the mistake of reading it, and he comes off as a guy who’s nowhere near as clever or funny as he thinks he is — basically an asshole.

by Curtis3331 on Dec 20, 2009 1:11 AM EST reply actions