Reyes Watch: Still not a Marlin.
Maybe because the Marlins seems to be after Pujols now. And by after him I mean leaking the offer of a low AAV deal to drum up interest in the team. Hmm, it seems like they have done this before. I'm not saying the Marlins won't sign Pujols or Reyes, I am just saying this all seems awfully fishy. No other team seems to have their offers leaking all over the place. I also love how Tim Brown can just make up a number and it gets reported in other places as fact. JOURNALISM~! As for Reyes, well, at least one person wants him back on the Mets next year. PROMOTE DAVID WRONGZ.
The Mets search for a Proven Closer (tm) continues as they met with Frank Francisco's agent. Francisco wasn't terrible last year, though he was a bit homer prone. He seems like a perfectly reasonable choice. I'd certainly take him over Matt Capps, who has forgotten how to strike people out, and is a bit more of a pitch to contact guy than I would want in a relief ace anyway.
The Mets made a few minor league moves, signing Valentino Pascucci and Vinny Rottino to minor league deals. Not much to see here, so you can just fuggedaboutit. Rottini is basically the older, Italian version of Nick Evans with better contact skills and less pop. As for Pascucci? Well, Ted Berg will be pleased, but Cole Hamels? Not so much.
More minors news as Toby Hyde is reporting that Jefry Marte will miss the rest of the AFL with a broken left wrist, but he should be fine by Spring Training. He also has an update on 2009 draft pick Steven Matz. Finally, Toby joins the usual suspects for another edition of the Mostly Mets Podcast.
Ted Berg has a respectful and understated elegy for some player called Nick Evans. I hope this Evans fellow does well for himself in the future, whoever he is.
The Managers of the Year were announced yesterday, and there's no big surprises as Joe Maddon and Kirk Gibson took home the hardware. Terry Collins did garner a single third place vote from Adam Rubin. I have no real problem with that, I guess. I mean, there's no real criteria for the award other than manager of team that did better than we thought it would.
To wrap up your Mets news, Jerry Seinfeld has a new dog. As someone who has a dog named Endy Chavez, I can't really disapprove.
Notgraphs reviews the baseball episode of Star Trek: Deep Space 9. For like 3000 words. I read all of them.
And now, your hot stove highlights:
The Phillies are not trading Cole Hamels, you guys...Dale Sveum seems to have the inside track on the Cubs job...Having met with Jose Reyes, the Brewers are now going to 'kick the tires' on Jimmy Rollins...the Cardinals have not signed a deal with Albert Pujols...the top pitcher in Korea will stay in Korea for another season...and the Phillies re-upped with itinerant back-up catcher Brian Schneider.
CJ Wilson would like you to pay him a lot of money to come pitch for you.
And finally, Tim Wakefield, clearly inspired by R.A. Dickey, is looking to pitch another season. Hey, if the Red Sox don't want him back, let's double our knuckleballers. At least it won't be boring. Plus, Wakefield looks exactly like Bruce Boxleitner, so the MSPAINTZ possibilities are endless.