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Post by Mets »

Since it's never been a secret who my favorite team is, I'll keep everyone here up to date on their offseason, season & post season from a fans perspective.


My Mets wish-list:
(x) Alou
(x) Marlon Anderson
(x) Get rid of Glavine (while he wasn't bad, he's never been a guy a true Met fan could root for).
( ) Left handed power bat to replace Delgado or play RF. (There needs to be seperation between Beltan & Alou. Alou kills LHP, so bringing in a LHP to face the #5 hitter would mean only using him for one batter if Alou is hitting #6. Sadly, Delgado's bat speed was down most of the year and not as effective as years past).
( ) Ronny Paulino via trade
( ) Jason Jennings (always liked Jennings, if healthy, could be a steal)
( ) Octavio Dotel (bring him back to where he started out. Mets have enough young arms if he doesn't work out).
(x) Luis Castillo (Castillo didn't do anything wrong, and he'll be great for the first half before his knees fall apart again. Gotay proved he can do a good job filling in to give Castillo rest).



All in all, the Mets fell apart because of a few reasons.

1. Willie was trying out guys like Mota, Shoeneweiss, Sosa, etc so he'd know who he can trust in the playoffs, and every game they lost counted in the end. Not his fault, just a mistake from an inexperienced manager.

2. El Duque had his annual disappearing. One of the Mets best pitchers over the majority of the season, him not being there the last few weeks caused the Mets to turn to the likes of Brian Lawerence.

3. Jose Reyes picked the wrong time to have the worst slump of his career. Wright, Alou, Beltran were plenty clutch, but they had to go above and beyond every game because Reyes wasn't there, and it took it's toll.
Last edited by Mets on Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
2008-2023 Mets: 1,054-1,223...463%
2006-2008 Rockies: 242-244...498%

IBC Total: 1,296-1,467...469%
2022: lost WC
2023: lost WC
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Post by Mets »

Continuing their rundown of every Major League farm system, Baseball America released its rankings and scouting reports of the Metsí top 10 prospects.

John Manuel, writing for BA, ranked them in this order:

1. Fernando Martinez, OF
2. Deolis Guerra, RHP
3. Carlos Gomez, OF
4. Kevin Mulvey, RHP
5. Eddie Kunz, RHP
6. Brant Rustich, RHP
7. Philip Humber, RHP
8. Jon Niese, LHP
9. Nathan Vineyard, LHP
10. Robert Parnell, RHP


Regarding the farm system as a whole, Manuel writes:

Scouts from other organizations say the Mets have little immediate help on the way in the farm system. The jury is still out on how much Pelfrey and Humber will contribute, and thereís not much in the way of upper-level position players behind outfielders Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez.

The lack of talent reflects New Yorkís decision not to wield its large-market resources to acquire talent the last two years, particularly in the draft. The Mets have surrendered their first-round choice as free-agent compensation in each of the past two drafts, and havenít tried to compensate by exceeding MLBís bonus guidelines with other picks. Minaya said that could change in the near future.
2008-2023 Mets: 1,054-1,223...463%
2006-2008 Rockies: 242-244...498%

IBC Total: 1,296-1,467...469%
2022: lost WC
2023: lost WC
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Post by Mets »

Mets Catcher News:

According to the Baltimore Sun, the Mets inquired about Ramon Hernandez before deciding that the Orioles' asking price was too much.

The Orioles are said to have asked for "a high-end prospect" in return, which might have been reasonable before Hernandez turned in his worst season since 2002 while playing just 106 games because of a groin injury.

According to the New York Daily News, Ramon Castro and the Mets have "wrapped up a two-year deal."

The contract is said to be worth just over $4 million and will become official once Castro takes a physical. He's expected to continue as a backup, with the team reportedly hoping to pair him with Yorvit Torrealba, who could also be on the verge of signing with the Mets.

which brings us to one of the more head scratching signings we'll see this offseason:

According to New York Newsday, Yorvit Torrealba "will probably choose a team as early as" Thursday.

The newspaper reports that "Torrealba is now holding three-year offers from both the Mets and Rockies." The Denver Post believes that he'll pick New York. The Mets are said to have offered around $5 million per season, which seemingly should be enough for a 29-year-old career-long backup who hasn't hit that well even with Coors Field as his home.

Godspeed Paul Lo Duca & your .690 OPS.

I liked Lo Duca, but I won't miss how every broadcaster has to remind me that he's a New Yorker because his bio says "hometown: Brooklyn". He was born there and moved to Arizona when he was 2, where he lived his whole pre-professional life.
2008-2023 Mets: 1,054-1,223...463%
2006-2008 Rockies: 242-244...498%

IBC Total: 1,296-1,467...469%
2022: lost WC
2023: lost WC
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Post by Giants »

I'd like the thank the Mets for guaranteeing me a modestly useful 500 AB projection for Torrealba and his defense next year.
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Post by Mets »

You jinxed it man.

I'm somewhat happy Torrealba isn't going to be a Mets. I guess Michael Barrett is the best option now, with Ramon Castro getting over 300 ab's. Problem is, Castro can only hit a fastball or hanging change up. If he's playing regular, that'll get exposed...but he's still got a lot of pop.

I hope they don't go after Johnny Estrada when he gets released. There's been talk of a Castro/Piazza platoon...but that can be quickly squashed.

I said from the start that Lo Duca is the best option, but now it might be too late.

If I had my way, I'd see the Mets get Ronny Paulino from the Pirates (while maybe asking about Jason Bay too). I can see Paulino going for a package of Carp/Mulvey & a A-spect.
2008-2023 Mets: 1,054-1,223...463%
2006-2008 Rockies: 242-244...498%

IBC Total: 1,296-1,467...469%
2022: lost WC
2023: lost WC
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Post by Mets »

Talks with the Twins:

Over the past two weeks, I have heard numerous reports that the Twins and Mets might be a good match. The Twins are seeking young alternatives to plug into the OF, the Mets are looking for young pitching.

Taking Johan out of the equation, it's been quite funny to hear NY radio personalities scramble to research who Matt Garza, Kevin Slowey & Scott Baker are.

My question would be, where do we rank the following names in terms of talent:

(my rankings)
Garza
Milledge
Slowey
Carlos Gomez
Scott Baker

Sim baseball aside, I think that a guy like Milledge would be more valuable to the Twins than Slowey is right now. Especially with Swarzak, Perkins, Blackburn burning through the pipeline.

Also, how much value would a guy like Boof Bonser have right now. Surely he'd rank near the bottom of the list. You'd have to think he'd be better suited for a park like Shea in the NL. I'm not a fan of his, but if the Mets are going to throw guys like Brian Lawrence on the mound, Boof would've been a huge improvment.
2008-2023 Mets: 1,054-1,223...463%
2006-2008 Rockies: 242-244...498%

IBC Total: 1,296-1,467...469%
2022: lost WC
2023: lost WC
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Post by Giants »

Yorvit must have a shockingly bad agent, I mean did anyone watch him play last year? He should be saying thank you to anyone offering him a multiyear deal and a starting job. He's a really nice defensive replacement but wow, what's he thinking turning down the Mets?
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Post by Padres »

Athletics wrote:Yorvit must have a shockingly bad agent, I mean did anyone watch him play last year? He should be saying thank you to anyone offering him a multiyear deal and a starting job. He's a really nice defensive replacement but wow, what's he thinking turning down the Mets?

I am reading that the Mets may have turned YT down due to concerns about his shoulder ...

An example, though I know I have more specific info somewhere:

The Mets were willing to offer Torrealba, who played for Colorado last season, a three-year contract despite his lackluster statistics away from Coors Field (.212 average) and his poor caught-stealing rate. They awaited only the results of his physical, usually a formality, before announcing the deal. Torrealba missed the first two months and the final three weeks of the 2006 season with a strained right shoulder, and he was unable to throw as well after the injury.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/sport ... f=baseball

After agreeing on the finances of a three-year, $14.4 million deal with the free-agent catcher Torrealba, the Mets abruptly pulled out Saturday. The team offered no explanation. The lone remaining hurdle to complete the agreement had been passing a physical.

"We do not have an agreement with Yorvit Torrealba and there are no ongoing negotiations with him or his agent," Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said.

Melvin Roman, Torrealba's agent, declined to comment.

The catcher's reps were already believed to be back in contact with Colorado GM Dan O'Dowd last night trying to reengage the Rockies, who had offered a two-year contract with a vesting option. The Mets also had outbid the Marlins for Torrealba.

Torrealba had battled a sore shoulder the past two seasons, which accounted for a low percentage of runners caught.

A new addition to the Rockies in '06, he showed up at spring training that year having gone through an extensive winter weightlifting program in Venezuela with a personal trainer. That was intended to give him the strength to be a first-string catcher for the first time in his career. Instead, O'Dowd was said to be aghast when he watched his acquisition unable to throw to second base because of shoulder trouble believed to be related to the added bulk.

Torrealba never did have the shoulder repaired, but is not believed to have missed time because of that issue this year. He spent extensive time with the team's trainer this season doing flex exercises and long-tossing. One AL scout who watched Torrealba this season noticed he rarely threw to second base between innings, as catchers typically do.

"It looked like he was conserving his arm," the scout said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... ml?ref=rss
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