Meet the Mets
The Rule 5 draft came and went yesterday with the Mets losing Elvin Ramirez but gaining second baseman Brad Emaus and Pedro Beato, two pieces who figure to be in play for key spots on the 2011 roster. Mack puts them both high on his top Met prospect list already (not sure if that says something about these players or the Met farm system, but still...) The Mets also poached three minor leaguers who don't have the same roster limitations as the major league draftees. Toby Hyde breaks them down here.
This winter meeting really put the new found Met austerity in perspective for a lot of the fans and certainly some media figures as well. What the more rational and patient fans see as building a sustainable plan for the future, others who are more interested in selling newspapers and getting listeners see as cheapskatery and timidness. Ted Berg offers a simple, yet effective way to make it stop: stop listening/buying papers. If you need some light at the end of the tunnel, just look at how Boston is doing this week.
If you needed any more evidence that this new front office is the real deal, they have been slow to introduce the new organizational managers because they wanted to make sure that everyone was on the same page with the team's philosophy and goals. That being said, expect that the team will announce Tim Teufel as the Buffalo manager and Wally Backman as the manager in Binghamton.
In terms of actual player news, Johan Santana's return looks to be on pace for the middle of June.
Around MLB
The guys at Royals Review are rolling with their team's acquisition of everyone's favorite, Jeff Francoeur. For one thing, their breakdown of the horrors of this deal is here. But, even better, they try to figure out who's going to bring more intangibles to the clubhouse, Francoeur or Jason Kendall.
Mike Rizzo has made a name for himself while getting the Nationals' brand some recognition. Now, he gets a profile in Sports Illustrated.
Despite all the assumptions, Adrian Gonzalez says that he still does not have a contract agreement in place with the Red Sox yet.
John Sickels gives his take on yesterday's Rule 5 draft.
Jay Bruce is going to be a Red for another 6 years.
Nolan Ryan's approach to the Cliff Lee negotiations has Lee's agent scratching his head.
Noel Murray has an excellent piece in the A/V Club about the state of sports broadcasting, with important stuff about the internets.
Ron Santo's funeral will include a Wrigley Field standing O.
And, finally, Pete Rose comments on the legendary Joe DiMaggio.