A Diary of a Slimeball

Sloane really is a scumbag. Before I just kind of thought it, but now I really believe it.

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"Carlos knew what to expect playing in Toronto," Sloane says, "plus none of the teams were locks to get into the playoffs."

The Dodgers sat first, one-half game ahead of the San Francisco Giants, while the Rangers were in first by two games over Oakland. The Red Sox were seven games back of the Yankees and one game up on Oakland in the wild-card race and the Marlins were in third place. "No one interested had a 12-game lead," Sloane says. "If a team is willing to talk about a contract extension, fine, but what's the point? He shouldn't go as a hired gun. He delivers a championship, then what? It doesn't mean he'd be re-signed, he doesn't earn any more money."

Sloane says that Delgado is a streak hitter, going stretches where Sandy Koufax couldn't get him out, and then have 2-for-20 skids. "What if he has a rough start in a new location?"

How'd the Red Sox's season turn out? And sorry, ONLY 1/2, ONLY 2, and ONLY 1 games leads. Sorry no one with a slam dunk guaranteed playoff spot wanted your client. A pennant race is not enough to motivated your client? How far behind was Toronto at this point? How really unfamiliar is a team like the Red Sox that he plays every year 20 games a year and are in the same division so he'll be seeing the same teams he is used too? Maybe switching leagues I can understand, but c'mon now. Your client is supposed to be one of the best in the business right? Moving the Red Sox is not like moving from centerfield to right field, that is impossible (or umpossbile as Ralph Wiggum would say). Sounds like a cop out to me.

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"Why restrict an interested team and cost them two draft picks?"

But there is also the worry Delgado will be portrayed as the bad guy if he doesn't accept arbitration.

A confident Sloane also tells Delgado: "While you are in Toronto, pick up a menu from the House of Chan ... I'll submit it at the arbitration hearing rather than your numbers ... and still win."

Actually, I'd like to see him submit a House of Chan menu and win. I'm not sure how the arbitrators would have actually worked with a fiscal offer from the Blue Jays and a Chinese food menu from Delgado. Maybe they'll just order out and award in favor of the team, I'm not sure, but I'd like to see it happen.

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Sloane asks Loria, "What if at the trade deadline you can deal for Barry Zito, does Carlos' signing here prevent you from making the deal from a financial standpoint?"

Loria answers: "No it wouldn't, I'd make that deal."

I bet patted himself on the back after that revealing question because I'm sure they will be big players at the deadline for high priced guys. But really, how dumb is that question? That is like me on a job interview getting asked if I mind working hard.

Interviewer: "Mike, do you mind working hard and burning the midnight oil? Sometimes these days can be a bit long."

Me: "Shit no, I like to come in around 10:00, eat breakfast, go to the throne, take a nap, eat lunch, read about the Mets, look at some porn, throw back few vodka on the rocks, and go home to beat my girlfriend. I'd prefer to do as little as possible at work and even less at home."

What was Loria really going to say here? Regardless if he actually will follow through, it's a dumb question that anyone could have predicted what Loria would actually say.

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Meanwhile, the Mets have given no-trade clauses to Martinez and Beltran and larger bonus packages.

Sloane says "we thought that without Carlos the Mets were a fourth-place club and we thought that with Carlos they were still a fourth-place club."

I seriously hope Willie pins that one up against the wall for the players to see everyday, before every game. I hope Pedro plunks Delgado to remind him they still have to play the games.

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Then, the Rangers made Sloane promise not to shop the offer or it would be pulled off the table. They insist upon a Sunday deadline.

Sloane told them "please don't do this, I know how Carlos will react."

Please don't make me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry.



...nobody backs Baby into a corner. You hear that Hicks?

Wow, upon looking for a picture of the Hulk, I stumbled up on this dandy done with what looks to be Microsoft Paint and this dandy of two studs on Halloween with fantastic costumes (if you are going to go through the trouble of dressing up on Halloween, do it right like this guy at least and actually look like you tried).

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The Mets insist on a deadline since their fan fest is about to begin.

Sloane phones Delgado and tells him of the Mets' deadline. Delgado tells Sloane not to phone the Mets back.

ESPN's Karl Ravech phones to check on the talks and Sloane tells him the Mets are out.

Ravech writes the news on ESPN.com. Minaya is told the news and phones Sloane roughly 15 times, but Sloane has his phone turned off.

Omar and the Mets apparently did not get memo about The Hulk's apparent disdain for teams imparting a schedule on them so they can go about their business and build their team rather than waiting for their offer to be shopped, shopped some more, and shopped a bit more. The world doesn’t revolve around Mr. Sloane and Mr. Delgado. Is there any harm in asking for an answer by a certain time? No. Also, the Mets obviously had no hard deadline as they continued to negotiate and be used a bargaining chip. Someone should tell Sloane that big people do business a different way and keep their cell phone on like real man instead of a turning it off like a weasel. Something did not smell right with this one.

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Look, some people may think he did a good job, and I guess judging by the end result it was for Delgado. However, he is a punk who got his fifteen minutes and really hurt his credibility if he had any. I would bet that Omar, Hicks, and a lot of other GMs would think twice about dealing with him in the future if Sloane actually lands another large client.

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"Who better to discourage him from going to New York?" Leiter asks. "In New York you have seven or eight competing papers, TV networks and their affiliates and peripheral periodicals. It's fine when you are dealing and kicking butt."

The reality is, Leiter tells Delgado, that doesn't happen.

"It just chip, chip, chip, chips away at your resolve, cracking away your protective toughness," Leiter says. "Every bad game it's like 'are you worried? ... the manager says this ... are you worried?' You begin to doubt yourself. That's why slumps in New York are so elongated.

"Then, the guys on (talk radio) get on you, move it up another notch and everyone driving to the game listens. You get to the park and your home fans are booing you and after the game you say something stupid."

Poor Al, enjoy your time in Florida. If it was so bad here, why'd you want to come back? Why would you want to put yourself out there again? It's easy, win, you are the talk of the town. You are at the top of the league and payroll and finish last twice and fourth the year after, you will get shit. Sorry, that's the way it is around here. You want NY money, you have to take NY pressures.

What?

"I figured being here, back with all the pitching coaches that have known me over the last 10 years, would be the best spot for me. Not knowing if I was going to be ready or not, I thought it would be good for me to be here. The bottom line is, I'm either going to get healthy or I'm not. And if I'm not, it doesn't really matter where I am, because I'm no good to anybody anyway."

Good to see both Roberts and Strickland seem to be healthy, but what they hell did Grant just say?

Phil Humber plunked Galaraga yesterday who is old enough to be his father.

"I'm just lucky he didn't hit me on the bone," Galarraga said. "He throws hard." Galarraga has huge, cannon-like arms, so he just shook off the blow. "

It would have been better if he was actually trying to come inside rather than letting one get away. If he takes the inside like Mark Prior and brings his nasty curve and 94 mph heat, look out. He could learn a few things from Pedro for sure if he ever decides to come out of hiding.

A healthy Victor means a successful Victor according to Phillips and Peterson.

Kaz Matsui was told that a fastball was coming from Victor Zambrano, as per the guidelines of yesterday's live batting practice session, and so when he saw a pitch belt-high, on the inner half of the plate, he prepared to pull the trigger on his swing.

Only at the last instant, Zambrano's fastball acted more like a Mariano Rivera cutter, exploding up and in on the left-handed hitter at 90-plus mph. The pitch so tied up Matsui that he tried too late to check his swing, instead taking one of the ugliest swings you'll ever see.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are making progress with Jared Weaver. Weaver was gracious enough to knock $2,000,000 off his asking price and knocked the figure down to $8,000,000 over four years.

The AL West has cornered the market on the top rookies according to BA. Seven of the top 20 top rookies belong in the AL West and the A's own four of them. No Mets on the list and one ex-Met who's name shall go unwritten.

Pay-per-view polygraph? You cannot make this stuff up.