B-Brawlin'

Ron Artest sucks. He should receive criminal charges as should the fan who initially threw the cup at him. While the cup would not cause physical damage, it was wrong. However, not as wrong as Ron Artest attacking what looked like the wrong person. He appeared to start throwing haymakers at a person that did not throw the cup. Fans are jerks a lot of the times. They say a lot a horrible stuff that is wrong, but either security needs to do something about it, or it will continue. But nothing, NOTHING should allow a player to physically attack any spectator. Security needs to get involved if a fan is out of control. Artest should get be granted that month off that he wanted. There is no place in sports for this crap.

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In his latest chat on ESPN.com Jayson Stark douses some water on the flames in regards to the Sammy Sosa rumors.

Andrew (New Jersey): What are the chances of the Mets actually getting Sosa? Judging from the radio talk shows, most Mets fans (including me) don’t want him and see him as a club house cancer after his antics last season. We'd rather see someone like Magglio signed and use the rookie Diaz for the other corner spot. Your thoughts on the situation?

Jayson Stark: I think people have overstated how "close" this deal is to happening. Yeah, the Cubs would take Cliff Floyd and Omar Minaya would take Sammy. Yeah, the union would sign off on Sammy waving that option year. But there would need to be more to the deal. And the biggest problem is this: Sammy isn't giving up that option year without getting something in return. My guess is that he'd want a two-year extension at lower dollars. And do the Mets really want to commit to him for three years? I doubt it. If he'd take a one-year extension, it could happen. But we're not there yet. I'm with you. If I had assurances Magglio Ordonez was healthy, I'd much rather have him than Sammy at this stage of their respective careers. But the Mets also want to find a taker for Floyd, and this might be their best match.

Kris Benson has finally been inked and I do believe this will be a good thing. He still has a lot of upside and I'm predicting his first sub 4.00 ERA since 2000.

John Franco says other teams want him. I say let them have you.

The Mets are eyeing Nick Johnson? According to the Daily News they are.

But the Guillen trade also gives the Expos four viable outfielders, Guillen joining Brad Wilkerson, Endy Chavez and Termel Sledge. Bowden acknowledged Wilkerson might be moved to first base next season, and a source familiar with the team's thinking said the Mets would have interest if the slick-fielding Johnson is made available.

A quote on Omar:
"Omar has a way of getting close to players," said a baseball man who worked with Minaya at a former stop. "He gets to know the player's mother and father. He gets to know the whole family. And players find a comfort level with him that they don't get very often with other general managers. He can throw a lot of things out there that appeal to Sosa. So I bet he can get it done if anyone can."

Another American League team has intentions to pursue Matt Clement. The Toronto Blue Jays have made it a priority to sign the free agent right hander.

"Toronto is one of those teams that wants to sit back and wait until the Dec. 7 arbitration date because of their concerns about losing a draft pick, and we aren't in any rush because some of the teams are ones Matt is interested in," Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod, said yesterday.

and check this out:

Clement is considered a work in progress with a sinker in the low 90s and a hard slider. Cubs manager Dusty Baker demoted him to the bullpen down the stretch last season after he developed back and shoulder tightness. Baker was also reportedly unhappy that Clement left the team briefly to be with his wife, who was experiencing complications with the birth of the couple's second child in their hometown of Butler, Pa.

If Baker was really 'unhappy', he is a scumbag. Some things are more important than baseball.

Ray Gatto from the San Francisco Chronicle thinks it is time to break up the Big Three. I don't really care about that, but check this quote:

But first, let's pick the one to go.

Zito.

There. That was simple.

But why? you ask.

Two years of so-so results, plus he's left-handed, plus he has the kind of off-field profile (read: Alyssa Milano) that could easily blind another owner (read: Fred Wilpon of the Mets) to the danger of ridiculously overpaying in return.

Really, I mean if the Mets gave up Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano, think of what they'd give up for a 26 year old left hander two years removed from a Cy Young! I wonder why people laugh at me when I say I'm a Met fan.

Not that I expect any player's agent to say he is NOT interested in talking to any specific club, but Carl Pavano is interested in speaking to the Mets.

"Carl is familiar with Shea Stadium and is familiar with the organization, having faced them so many times over the last couple of years. I've known Omar for a long time. He's a terrific guy. I think his reputation precedes him, and he's a phenomenal general manager. He's going to make moves to put the Mets in a position to compete. They would be another team that Carl would absolutely be interested in talking to."

Also from that article:

In roster moves, the club added outfielders Ambiorix Concepcion and Angel Pagan, as well as pitcher Matt Lindstrom to the 40-man roster, which now stands at 37.

Leiter is not a slam dunk to come back, but I think he will be in Met uniform in 2005.

The Angels may turn their attention and money from Jared Weaver to Kendry Morales. Boras got luckily when the Tigers bailed him out from his requests of Pudge Rodriguez's contract demands, Kevin Millwood suffered from him his ridiculous demands, and now Jared Weaver may have no team because of his insistence on a deal close to Mark Prior's that Chicago game him. Someone should tell him Jared Weaver is no where near Mark Prior and potentially does not even have the same ceiling as Humber, Verlander, and Neimann.