The LoHud Mets blog

Jan. 07: Weaver not much on option afterall

2007-01-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

Jeff Weaver's name has been thrown out as a possibility to fill the rotation, but don't look for it to happen. He wants too much money. Four years at $40 million is too much for somebody who pitched well in a few playoff games. GM Omar Minaya remembers that he was 3-10 with a 6.29 ERA in 16 starts with the Angels before he was designated for assignment. And, while the Mets and Yankees are different animals, Minaya is wary of him pitching in New York, and is considering free agents Tomo Ohka and Tony Armas. Neither is clear cut better than the Mets' current options.

Jan. 05: Yankees would do well to dump Johnson

2007-01-05T15:29:00.000-05:00

There is a possibility Randy Johnson is healthy in 2007 and has a great year. I think there's a greater possibility he'll break down. That the Yankees free themselves of his contract and get some prospects in the process is a plus. If Johnson stays with the Yankees, who couldn't imagine a season of the disabled list and another early exit in the playoffs?

Jan. 05: What about Weaver?

2007-01-05T10:48:00.000-05:00

Jeff Weaver has to be somewhere between the pitcher who imploded while with the Yankees and the one who pitched well in the World Series. Wouldn't that make him a No. 3 or No. 4 quality starter? And, that could be enough to fill out the rotation. There's no question Weaver didn't handle things well emotionally while with the Yankees, but that was four years ago and people can change. Remember, it wasn't so much New York, as it was in dealing with all that nonsense with George Steinbrenner. I covered the Yankees at the time and Steinbrenner publicly ripped Weaver and chose Jose Contreras over him. Steinbrenner made it impossible to Weaver to succeed here because he let it be known he wanted Contreras. His preference with Contreras had nothing to do with ability at the time, but everything to do with justifying winning the bidding war with the Red Sox over him. New York can be an intimidating place, but Weaver wasn't flustered in October. And, don't forget, pitching for the Yankees and Steinbrenner is different than pitching for the Mets. It's New York, but it's still different. Weaver could be worth the gamble, but not at four years and $40 million.

Jan. 04: Hope you're all doing well

2007-01-04T11:10:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a great Holiday season. Got an email from the Mets, pitchers and catchers report on the 15th. Hotel reservations for the season about done. Time to book spring training flight. It will be here before you know it. Took in ``We are Marshall,'' the other night. Very well done. It could have been overdone but it wasn't. ``The Good Shepherd,'' by the way lost me. There were too many holes in it. Too many unanswered questions. I was expecting a lot more. We're re-designing the blog. The new version should be out shortly. Mostly design stuff. I hope you'll like it. My gut feeling on the Mets, by the way, is what you see is what you get for spring training. I can't see them doing anything major between now and Port St. Lucie. Assuming that's the case, how do you feel about that? Are you confident with what the Mets have now?

Dec. 29: Was there a second plan in place?

2006-12-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

The question has been raised, and rightfully so: Did the Mets have a Plan B or was it all about Zito? It's hard to believe Omar Minaya would have gone into the offseason that shortsighted. Yeah, they talked trade for Freddy Garcia. Yeah, they talked trade with Oakland. Yeah, they looked at Jeff Suppan. Yeah, they inquired into a few others. So, I can't say it was all Zito. However, all their passion was for Zito. They never really went after anybody with intensity. If they had, it stands to reason with their resources they would have come away with another pitcher. If there was a miscalculation by the Mets, it was the market price for Zito, but that only puts them in the same boat as everybody else. The Mets' gamble was to let the market come to them, figuring they had more to offer than Texas. Nobody, the Mets included, thought Zito would get $126 million over seven years. Considering the limit they wanted to spend, with the benefit of hindsight, they should have been more aggressive early in the market and signed a replacement for Steve Trachsel (they needed to replace 15 wins) and perhaps put more pressure on Tom Glavine. Even so, they are better off going into the season with inexperience at the back end of their rotation than to be saddled with a bad contract.

Dec. 29: Thinking of Bobby

2006-12-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

I hope you'll include Bobby Murcer in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy and complete recovery. When I covered the Yankees, he was always one of my favorites to talk with. Was always in a good mood. Always had something positive to say. Just a good man.

Dec. 28: Putting things into perspective

2006-12-28T17:27:00.000-05:00

First things first, the Mets were never in this. GM Omar Minaya has gotten a lot of high marks from a lot of you, but this might be one of his better decisions. To tell ownership not to cave in on the years, even though the Mets probably have the resources, was the responsible thing to do. Seven years is way too much for a pitcher, and despite Barry Zito's durability history, I'm willing to bet he won't have a breakdown or two, or maybe more, during this contract. The Mets are going into next season with a questionable rotation, but that's far better than possibly going into the next seven years hamstrung. The remaining free agent market is thin, with Jeff Weaver maybe the best available. The rest? Tony Armas Jr., Russ Ortiz, Mark Redman and Tomo Ohka, not to mention Steve Trachsel. There's not much available in the trade market either. They looked at Javier Vazquez, but with the White Sox already dealing Freddy Garcia and Brandon McCarthy, they won't deal a third starter. Don't look for the with Oakland for either Dan Haren, Joe Blanton and Rich Harden to be revived. The A's wanted a lot then - Lastings Milledge, Aaron Heilman and Phil Humber - but with the market even thinner now, they aren't likely to back off those demands.

Dec. 28: The leaves say San Francisco

2006-12-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Word is Barry Zito just agreed to terms with the Giants on a seven-year, $126 million contract, which just goes to show Scott Boras is leading a charmed life. That's roughly two years and $51 million more than the Mets wanted to pay. All this brings me back to a post I made a week or so ago. It is about the MONEY. Your thoughts?

Dec. 28: Reading the tea leaves

2006-12-28T11:05:00.000-05:00

There's no need any more for the Mets to give Boras because the Rangers did. One team is enough. Boras won't be intimidated by a deadline. I don't expect Boras to cave and grab the Rangers' offer, without first giving the Mets and the other players a chance to beat it. Given that, the Mets will have a safety net. If Boras doesn't bite on the Rangers, that narrows the field for the Mets. Then it's only San Francisco and Seattle. I would worry more about the Giants because they have some flexibility with Bonds getting a lot of his salary deferred, and with Jason Schmidt and Moises Alou gone. Plus, the Giants are a Coastal team as Zito wants, and he doesn't have to leave home.

Dec. 27: A Zito stat to remember

2006-12-27T17:31:00.000-05:00

Here's something the Mets should consider before throwing millions of dollars at Barry Zito. His career record is 102-63, which is 39 games over .500. Pretty good. However, his record over the past four years is only nine games over .500, which you'd take from a No. 4 or No. 5 pitcher. It is not what you would expect from a supposed ace.

Dec. 27: Let the guessing begin

2006-12-27T17:14:00.000-05:00

A federal appeals court ruled this afternoon government investigators are entitled to names and urine samples of nearly 100 players who tested positive in 2003. Undoubtedly, the names will soon be leaked to the media and it should be an interesting summer. The samples were collected by MLB to ascertain the level of steroid use and were to remain confidential. However, the court rejected the agreement between MLB and the Players Association. It is believed since these positive tests were prior to MLB's substance abuse policy that there won't be suspensions. In short, we're not going to see 100 players suspended during the season.

Dec. 27: Remember him?

2006-12-27T16:33:00.000-05:00

I just scanned the list of available free agents and I noticed Steve Trachsel's name. He hasn't been linked to anybody. Fifteen wins, you'd somebody would talk with him.

Dec. 27: Rangers place Zito deadline

2006-12-27T15:54:00.000-05:00

I suggested yesterday the Mets issue a deadline to agent Scott Boras on Barry Zito. They have not, but the Texas Rangers did, saying they want something done by this weekend. In an email to the The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, owner Tom Hicks wrote: ``We've made a very strong offer. If we don't have agreement with his agent by this weekend, we will pursue other alternatives.'' Evidently, the Rangers fear the Yankees getting involved. If the Mets really want Zito, they should have the same fear. The only way Zito gets $100 million is in a bidding war, and the way to avoid that is to force Boras to a deal before the Yankees become an issue. But the Mets have to play this carefully. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and right now Boras only has one offer. If the Mets fear losing Zito to the Rangers, they should make a take it or leave it offer now. If not, and they believe Zito wants to come to them, they should wait out the deadline, then make one of their own.

Dec. 26: Time for the Mets to issue deadline

2006-12-26T18:29:00.000-05:00

The more I think about it, and the more I read, the less I am inclined to think the Yankees are interested in Barry Zito, even if they unload Randy Johnson. Again, if the Yankees really want him, they have the money to get this done right now. Meanwhile, the Mets are either dragging their feet or playing chicken with Scott Boras. Jeff Suppan is off the market, which takes away an option, but even without that, the Mets seem to hold most of the leverage. Reportedly, the Giants and Seattle are interested, but neither has made an offer, and neither want to give six years for a pitcher. No other teams have been mentioned, but then again do a roll call and see what teams are willing to pay that much. Right, not many. If I'm the Mets, I put my best offer on the table now and say ``take it or leave it.'' If Zito really wants the Mets, he'll come. As of now, Boras hasn't been able to play one team against another, and there's no guarantee he'll be able to entice the Yankees. If the market is coming to the Mets, they should push the envelope now.

Dec. 26: The Zito and Johnson scenario

2006-12-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

If the Yankees are successful in dumping Randy Johnson (give GM Brian Cashman kudos if he does) and they make a run at Barry Zito, they will get him. The Yankees have the resources not only to make an offer, but take the hit if it doesn't work out. The Yankees, however, have given no indication they want Zito. With Texas trading for Brandon McCarthy and Jeff Suppan off the board, the Mets have appeared as front runners for Zito. However, for a team in dire need of pitching, they don't seem that aggressive. If they are waiting for the market to drop and Zito to come to them, that's a gamble. The Mets say they are serious about Zito, but they've dragged their feet. The last thing they needed was to get in a bidding war for him with the Yankees.

Dec. 26: Back to work

2006-12-26T13:20:00.000-05:00

Greetings ... I hope you all enjoyed the Holidays. The Mets were quiet over the weekend and figure to be slow this week, also. That's not to say things haven't happened. Texas acquired pitcher Brandon McCarthy from the White Sox and Jeff Suppan is off the board, headed for Milwaukee. Both impact the landscape for Barry Zito, in favor of the Mets. Rangers GM Jon Daniels said, ``I'm not terribly encouraged,'' when asked about Zito, and, obviously, not having Suppan available has to put the focus on Zito. Meanwhile, the Yankees would like to trade Randy Johnson, and if they can, that frees up money to go after Zito without adding to their luxury tax bill. Then again, if the Yankees were really interested, nothing would stop them.

Dec. 23: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all

2006-12-23T12:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the well wishes. I wish you and your families nothing but health and happiness during the holiday season. Enjoy this time together with those you love. John

Dec. 21: Suppan update

2006-12-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

If the Mets are serious about Jeff Suppan they'd better hurry. Milwaukee made a four-year offer this afternoon, thought to be around $10 million a season. Here is a telling comment from Brewers' GM Doug Melvin: ``My gut feeling is, they're going to wait until Zito.'' Melvin could be miscalulating, but what if he's not? If their interest in Suppan is sincere, they'd better move. If it was only for leverage in the Zito negotiations, then their bluff has been called by a third party. Once Suppan goes off the market, it will drive the price for Zito. Suppan, 31, was 12-7 with a 4.12 ERA for St. Louis last season. He had a 0.60 ERA in two starts against the Mets in the NLCS and was MVP.

Dec. 21: Mets in the Morning: Suppan a back end option?

2006-12-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

The Mets' Zito Posse is home, and it is unlikely they've made an offer. They are digesting Boras' salary demands, which we know will be excessive. Jeff Suppan is the best FA pitcher left on the market other than Zito, so it makes sense the Mets would check him out. He's a little better than .500 lifetime, which would make him an ideal No. 4 or No. 5 starter. He had a good playoff run, so you know he's able to pitch under pressure. The back end of the Mets' rotation was a mess last season, and Suppan would provide expensive stability. That's the key. More often than not he'll provide quality, which translates to at least six innings. Where that is important is in preserving bullpen innings.

Dec. 20: Is it always the money?

2006-12-20T22:37:00.000-05:00

I wrote, that it is always the money, and despite several posts in disagreement, I stand by that. Yes, there are other reasons why a player would leave a team as a free-agent. Among them: 1. A chance to play fulltime, but playing fulltime over part time would always entail a bump in pay. How could it not? 2. A chance to play at home at the end of one's career. Well, that's what Andy Pettitte said. But, for a couple of million more - even though he already is set for two lifetimes - he's leaving Houston again. 3. Leaving a bad situation. What's a bad situation? Not enough money? Not playing fulltime? Playing a position you don't want? All these reasons could prompt a player to leave, but I'd bet they'd suck it up and stay if the money were right. Maybe I'm too jaded, but few players pass on the money. Cal Ripken and Kirby Puckett gave up more on the open market to stay home, but they were exceptions and special players. Both achieved icon status in their cities and had other avenues of revenue for staying home. I'm talking the routine free-agent, and in the end money talks loudest.

Dec. 20: Mets contingent heading home

2006-12-20T22:02:00.000-05:00

The Mets' delegation had productive talks with Scott Boras and Barry Zito, which is to say they'll talk again. In case Zito falls through, or to give Boras something to think about, they also spoke with the agents for Mark Mulder and Jeff Suppan. The Rangers say they have not offered Zito a $100-million package, but that doesn't mean they won't later. The Mets' parameters are five years and $73 million. After talking with Boras they could bump that up, but by how much we don't know yet.

Dec. 20: Mets, Zito talks

2006-12-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

The Mets and agent Scott Boras are talking today in LA. The Giants and Seattle are believed to have had discussions with Boras at the winter meetings, but nothing formal since. It stands to reason if they have interest they'll be some sort of meeting, which means it doesn't get done this week. After that come the offers. As of now, the Mets haven't made one but are discussing parameters. They like five years and $73 million; Boras is thinking six and $100 million. Anything over three years is a considerable risk for a pitcher. The Yankees did it with Mike Mussina and weren't burned, even though he had a few DL stints. There was nothing blowout major with Mussina, which is always the fear. Since Zito is single, it stands to reason he'll take an apartment in the city he plays in, including Manhattan, so scouting the town isn't as much a priority. David Wright can always get him a unit in his building. It has been reported Zito wants to play in a major city, preferrably on one of the coasts. This precludes the Rangers, but if the priority is a big city, presumably with a night life, then Dallas is right there. You don't think he can't hook up with a Cowboys cheerleader or model in Big D? The Rangers are reportedly more willing to go closer to the magic $100 million figure than the Mets. If there's a $25 million difference in the offers, why wouldn't he take the money and go with the Rangers? Please, don't say anything about having the best chance to win. That's a lot of smoke. If that were the case, he'd stay in Oakland, which has been pretty much a playoff fixture, with more October appearances over the past five years than any of the other teams interested, including the Mets. Remember: IN THE END IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY.

Dec. 19: Meeting again in the morning

2006-12-19T23:14:00.000-05:00

Went out to dinner tonight with friends, and halfway through somebody asked me, ``I have to ask you something.'' Before he got his question out I said, ``I don't know if they are going to get Zito or not, but if they want him they can get him.'' Point being, if the Mets want to spend Zito is theirs. The Mets have the resources, but Texas has the history of caving when it comes to dealing with Scott Boras. I know the Mets don't want to go as high as $100 million, but I have a feeling will take something in that neighborhood to get it done. They met today and will talk again tomorrow. That's when they'll talk money. Boras wants six guaranteed, and the Mets prefer four, but could go to five. They might get around this by offering option years. They have the money now, and will definitely have no problem at the end of the contract, regardless of the length, because of their new stadium and the naming rights.

Dec. 18: Mets to meet Boras tomorrow

2006-12-18T20:46:00.000-05:00

It's on. Mets VP Jeff Wilpon, GM Omar Minaya and executives Tony Bernanzard and John Ricco will fly to LA tomorrow to meet with Scott Boras and Barry Zito. They'll talk tomorrow, have dinner, then talk again Wednesday. I would think if Zito were really interested, there would be a trip to NY to scout out homes. It's one thing to come here as a traveling player and stay in hotel. It's another to come here looking for a place to live for five or six years. So, how should the Mets play this? Should they go back and forth with Boras or should they put their best offer on the table right away and say take it or leave it?

Dec. 18: New stadium update

2006-12-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

To monitor the progress of the Mets new ballpark, go to StadiumPage.com.