"El Gordo"

"El Gordo" strikes again.... The fat one is the best name for any lotto game in the history of the world. That is fore sure.

Some quotes of the day from yesterday (and two days ago)....

This one is actually from Joe Posnanski from the Kansas City Star that was in Matt's article today about Met pitching.

The simple truth: Kris Benson is average. He’s astonishingly average. He’s the essence of average. He’s as average as average can be. This decade, Benson is 46-47, almost exactly .500. His ERA is 4.30. The league ERA this decade: 4.31.

In fact, I think Kris Benson is the single most average major-league pitcher of the 21st century. That’s something, right? You know how there’s a Mendoza line for hitters. There should be a Benson Baseline for pitchers. Everyone better than him is above average. Everyone worse is below average.

Classically classic.

Julian Tavarez. The Mets needed to bulk up their middle relief and there are really no other better options that do not require a trade. Too bad that Benson for MacDougal and Affeldt deal was horseshit and had no chance of going through, but it is what it is. People are scared off by Tavarez and his demeanor and the fact that Boras is looking for four years, but Benny sheds some light on the topic that makes sense.

Tavarez wouldn't be soo bad. Sometimes a team needs a little character. And I personally wouldn't mind a guy who doesn't take no bullshit from nobody.
I kinda like the idea that when one of my guys gets hit, expect somebody else's guy to go down, preferably the head. Maybe a brawl will ensue. That's one of my dreams. That when I go to a game there will be a brawl. With Jules Tavarez, my dream just MIGHT come true...

I have to kind of agree. The post about team chemistry yesterday still stands as an important factor, but Taverez is a guy who teammates respect as a competitor and you would rather have him on your side than against you. Problem is the Mets do not want him on their side for three or four years. That is too much to give a reliever of his stature and at the dollars he is looking for right now, but do they have a choice? Hopefully a market never really develops for him and hopefully all the big reliever contracts have been handed out so the Mets could possibly be in the driver's seat in those negotiations.

On the Manny front, nothing is new.

The Mets say they are currently monitoring the Manny Ramirez situation with the Red Sox. That’s another way of saying there is absolutely nothing brewing — for now.

But the Red Sox’ bungling of the Johnny Damon negotiations has made Ramirez even more angry, a source said yesterday, and he’s now open to a trade to the Mets.

However, the Mets haven’t engaged in serious talks with the Red Sox since Boston’s new front-office structure was announced earlier this month, and the two teams didn’t talk yesterday. The Mets believe it will be more difficult to pull off a trade now that Damon is out of Boston.

If the Mets were highly interested in making a deal, they could approach Ramirez’ agents and ask if he would waive his no-trade clause. However, they haven’t done that this winter, sources said.

Manny would come, but it's just not happening especially without Cameron to give in any deal and Adam Rubin lays the smack down.

From a Mets perspective, obtaining Ramirez also could be dangerous down the road considering the organization's other financial obligations. The slugger is owed $57 million over the next three seasons. When 2008 arrives, the Mets will be in the final year of Pedro Martinez's contract, when he's 36 years old and making $11.5 million. They also will be in a final guaranteed year at $16 million (with $4 million paid by the Marlins) with Carlos Delgado, who will be 36 then. Billy Wagner will make $10.5 million and be 37 in '08. Carlos Beltran will be making $18.5 million (with $8.5 million of that deferred). Plus, David Wright and Jose Reyes' salaries figure to increase dramatically as they enter arbitration and approach free agency.

Precisely. Manny is nice, but you have to consider the long term and that is not an optimal situation. A good GM needs to make today's team better with an eye on the future. Short sightedness is obviously a bad thing and leads to what the Mets just went through from 2001 through 2004.

I'm dying for a blockbuster to go down. A package starting with Prior for Tejada would satisfy that need. I would love for the Orioles to beef up their staff so they can help take down the Yankees and I'm sure Cub fans are drooling at the thought of Tejada, Lee, Ramirez, and Pierre in the same lineup. The Cubs would need a starting pitcher if that deal is to go down as Wood might open up the year on the DL (what else is new) and the Mets have a surplus of it.

Kurt Ainsworth was non tendered. The hard throwing righty has had a myriad of injuries over the years and is worth a shot for the bullpen. He is not going to have many opportunities out there and was once a highly touted prospect. If the Mets are going to do what they did last year with inviting a 100 arms to Spring Training and not figuring out the best bullpen until September again, Ainsworth might as well be in the mix. Joe Borowski is another obvious name as he was non tendered after posting a 4.47 ERA (3.82 with the Rays) with a 1.08 WHIP and a .222 BAA. He will actually be looking for a decent amount of dollars, but the Mets could get away with a probably two years and might be more attractive than giving three or four to Tavarez. Ramon Ortiz and Ryan Franklin should get a look too. Omar might not have the greatest options out there, but there are options.

Anyone want to give Alex Escobar a shot again?

Thanks to Anthony P. for the fangraphs.com link that I used for my Metsgeek.com article.

UPDATE: Anthony, I just read your Metsgeek.com comment. I was going to give you credit here since I was not sure how the other's felt about shout out-type things in articles...I wouldn't forget to give you credit. I take care of people like a Costa Rican hooker (and no I've never had one).