Menageatrois Anyone?

Alright, it's been too long since I proposed a convoluted trade and I usually do not like to do them for obvious reasons. It is hard for us normal, non-baseball people to value prospects properly, not skew the trade in our home team's favor, and properly gauge the payroll/cash considerations involved as well. However, I'm bored so here we go.....

This deal kind of spun out of the comments section yesterday and it involves three teams that are seemingly open to potentially dealing these respective players.

The Deal:

Diamondbacks Get:
Mike Cameron (from NYM)
Jose Cruz Jr. (from TB)
$4,000,000 (from NYM)

Mets Get:
Aubrey Huff (from TB)
Danys Baez (from TB)

Devil Rays Get:
Conor Jackson (from AZ)
Matt Lindstrom (from NYM)
Koyie Hill (from AZ)

Before anyone gets their panties in a bundle, let me explain. The Devil Rays and Vincent Namoli are always looking to cut some payroll. Aubrey Huff costs money, but he produces big time and only makes $12,000,000 over the next two seasons. However, $12,000,000 dollars over the next two seasons to a team that had spent $49,186,667 over the past two seasons is a lot. If they stay steady at about $30,000,000 for the next two seasons and spend $60,000,000 overall in 2005 and 2006, the Mets could help them shave off 28% of what they would have paid. If you take Huff's $4.5 mill salary in 2005 and his $7.5 mill salary in 2006 with Danys Baez's $3.5 mill salary and his $1 mill buyout, the Devil Rays can save $16,500,000 over the next two years. If they can move Cruz to the D-Backs, that is a savings of almost 33% off what they would have spent over the next two years. It looks like they Devil Rays are getting the short end of the stick, but I believe that Namoli and Lamar would be open to any move that can save them that much money.

Danny Baez had a good year in '04 and is worth the salary he is getting paid as a closer, but salary relief is the name of the game in Tampa Bay and they really do not need him. He'll be long gone before they are good and Jesus Colome and his 100 mph heater can be downright nasty and he might as well start taking his knocks in the closer's role now. Lance Carter proved to be a solid set up man in '04 and can close if needed as well. So, can the D-Rays live without Baez? Absolutely. As for Huff, he'll be long gone before they are good as well. Why not get something back for him before he just leaves? In return, the D-Rays get an outfielder who can also play first base, which is a need for them organizationally and could be ready as early as late 2005 or more likely early 2006, a power arm in Matt Lindstrom that is an intriguing prospect, and a guy in Koyie Hill to fill in a catching void as big as Star Jones. The D-Rays are rumored to be looking for a major league starter, preferably a pitcher, and two top-notch prospects. Hill satisfies one need, though not a pitcher, as a starter since he has nothing left to prove at AAA and was regarded as one of the top catching prospects in the minors over the past few years, Jackson and Lindstrom are solid prospects, and the D-Rays save a boatload.

The D-Backs get their centerfielder that they have been looking and one that is a legit 30/30 threat in the BOB (3rd best park to hit homeruns in overall) and a switch hitting right fielder that can keep the seat warm until 2006 when Carlos Quentin should be ready that could also push 30 homeruns in the right park. The D-Backs also deal prospects from positions of strengths as Chris Snyder looks like a better catching prospect than Koyie Hill and the D-Backs have plenty of outfielders when you add Scott Hairston in the mix, who projects better to be an outfielder unless he fixes his fielding woes at second base. If this ever got done, a lineup of Luis Gonzalez, Jose Cruz Jr., Troy Glaus, Chad Tracy, Mike Cameron, Chris Snyder, Alex Cintron, and Scott Hairston does not look so bad and has a lot of youth there with some more on the way.

The Mets satisfy two needs in getting a right fielder with some pop that can bat fourth and a legitimate guy to set up games for Looper and one that can even close should Looper falter or succumb to an injury. They add on a minimal amount of payroll in case they need to thrown a million or so to the desert with Cameron to help fray some of the $14 million owed to him over the next two years. If the Mets throw the D-Backs $4,000,000 for Cammy over the next two seasons, he only costs them an average of $5,000,000 per year and only $4,000,000 in 2005. I know money is tight right now and adding $7,500,000 more in '05 seems like a lot for Arizona to absorb, but it makes them a better team. This all would leave the Mets with about a $108 million dollar payroll with a very, very solid and well rounded team with their bullpen questions somewhat answered by getting another reliable arm.

Sure a guy can be added or substituted, but you get the idea on the main cogs. The Mets could switch out Matt Lindstrom and add Shawn Bowman to upgrade the package on their end to Tampa Bay, the Mets can toss in Jae Seo or Matt Ginter as a warm body who they can stick into the rotation who can resemble a major league pitcher, the D-Backs can switch out Koyie Hill for the player formally known as Adriano Rosario, The D-Backs could add in another mid-level prospects with the Mets throwing in money, etc. Will this ever happen? There is not a chance in hell, but it sure makes sense to me.

* * *

As I was reading this piece, I starting seeing Hideki Matsui's name pop up regularly. I did not check out who the author was, but I started getting the sneaking suspicion that it was resident Yankee lover, Buster Olney. Sure enough it was. Is Hideki the player with the quickest release? Maybe, but I've never really heard much about Hideki's fielding prowess and he sure does not look like an above average fielder when he's out there. He looks like a guy how just does what he's supposed to do and not much more. Besides, isn't something like that a bit hard to quantify with the naked eye? Accuracy and arm strength I can see, but it seems like Bustery had to satisfy his need for Yankee talk. What Matsui can get to, he does get. He does not have great range and can handle center if necessary and I would consider him an average fielder really. Nothing special. It really does not surprise me that Hideki's name was all over this with Olney as the author since he just loves to talk Yankee baseball whenever he gets the chance.

Eric Byrnes signed a one year deal with the Oakland A's for $2.2 million, which is less than I thought he would end up getting.

The Tigers are set to sign Magglio Ordonez.

Ordoñez, a three-time All-Star and the last big-name free agent of this baseball off season, is on the verge of joining the Tigers for a deal estimated to be for five years and $75 million, Newsday has learned. Similar to the contract to which the Tigers signed catcher Ivan Rodriguez last off season, it is voidable if Ordoñez misses a number of games with the meniscus tear in his left knee that torpedoed his 2004 season.

It seems like a lot of money for a lot of years, but it is voidable based upon his meniscus tear so there is nothing really to complain about. It really gives the Tigers the lowest risk possible with their investment since they will not be on the hook for any cash should he go the way of Mo Vaughn.

I Enjoy Slapping Balls..And I'd Do It Again

The Soxaholix have another great post making fun of my favorite person to make fun of, Slappy McSlaperton.

"I was brought here as the final piece of the puzzle, and we were supposed to win," Rodriguez says. "For that, I accept the blame."

It's not the first time A-Rod has issued a blanket mea culpa, but he knows words won't soften the memory of him slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove in the eighth inning of Game 6. Rodriguez still says it was a "smart play, one I would make again" but it was an unforgettable landmark on the way to the Yankees' collapse. It also started an off-season newspaper war between Rodriguez and Curt Schilling, who called the third baseman "classless." A-Rod has decided against further escalation, insisting, "I'm done talking about him."

How was that smart again? Look no further than rule 7.08 from the Major League Baseball rulebook to prove that he is cheater through and through.

7.08 Any runner is out when_(b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not. A player is especially out if he makes an attempt to dislodge the ball with a feminine slap.

Look, it was the playoffs. It was the heat of moment. I can excuse the move, just admit you were a cheater and you made a mistake. It was a smart play? One you'd make again? A-Rod is a joke of player on a team that suffered the worst defeat in the history of this storied game by watching a seemingly insurmountable three game lead blown to pieces. Admit you made a mistake and it was the heat of the moment. Even Roger Clemens tried to make an excuse for throwing a piece of bat at Mr. New York baseball, Mike Piazza, by saying he thought it was the ball even though no where in the rulebook does it allude to baseball turning into dodgeball at any time. A-Rod is not even trying to make any excuses. Not only does he admit to cheating, but he would do it again! That is like Sammy saying that corking his bat was a smart move and he would do it again. That is like Gary Sheffield saying ingesting steroids was a smart move and he would do it again. Get a clue you ball slapping pretty boy. Also, no one likes your "it's all my fault, blame me routine". No one cares.

* * *

For me, the start of spring training no only represents the greatest game on the Earth being close to starting, but it also means that more abuse is coming my way.

The small of the freshly cut grass…the crack of the bat….the sound of “Play Ball!!”

Ah…baseball is almost here.

12 days until Met pitchers and catchers report
60 days until Pedro loses his first game as a Metropolitan
61 days until Heredia gives up his first long ball as a Met
67 days until Franco records his ninth career save against the Mets
74 days until Reyes blows out a hammy
90 days until Floyd is officially placed on the DL
157 days until Kaz reaches the 100 mark for strikeouts
178 days until Glavine is traded to a contender
204 days until Piazza pulls up gimp running to first base – season over
213 days until the Mets are officially eliminated from playoff contention

Yes, that is the first email of many to come from Yankee fans trashing the Mets.

Cause and effect is a simple concept. To determine causes, ask, "Why did this happen?" To identify effects, ask, "What happened because of this?". I do not think Fred Wilpon will need to pay someone a lot of money to research why he's receiving such early positive returns on ticket sales. In 2004, the Mets fooled 2,318,951 people into coming out to Shea stadium and in 2003 they fooled 2,140,599 into coming out to Shea.

According to Dave Howard, the team's executive vice president of business operations, sales of season- and partial-season ticket packages have increased by between 200 and 300 percent over last season.

They have already topped one million tickets sold and hope to be at two million by opening day. Can they hit three million this season? They absolutely can if they can get off to a quick start. The buzz is already here any they need to capitalize of that. Wilpon can almost pay for his new investments in gate receipts alone.

According to Steve Popper:

A Mets official said Thursday that the team is considering sending someone to watch the upcoming workouts by Magglio Ordonez in California. The hard-hitting outfielder still holds some intrigue to the team even after two knee operations left some wondering what he has left.

According to another team official, "We're monitoring the situation." What the Mets likely are wondering is how high the competition will go for the services of Ordonez. The Tigers have reportedly offered him a five-year deal despite his problems, and if workouts go well, others could jump into the chase - including the Mets.

Anthony Reyes, who is the Cardinals top prospect according to BA, had a ridiculous 7.85 K/BB ratio at AA last season. The Cardinals top six prospects are right handed starting pitchers and there are seven pitchers in their top ten all together. You think they maybe feel like they are deep enough in that area?

Farnsworth is being shopped by the Cubbies.

They are in negotiations about a possible trade of reliever Kyle Farnsworth, the likeliest move general manager Jim Hendry might make before pitchers and catchers report for spring training in Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 16. Farnsworth could be dealt for another major-league reliever, and other scenarios have the Cubs landing two or three prospects for the strong-armed but enigmatic 28-year-old.

The talk of imminent deals by the D-Backs is being downgraded to not-so-imminent.

Ken Kendrick, one of the team's four general partners, said earlier this week that a deal to secure a replacement for Steve Finley was well on course and virtually imminent, but when a new team entered negotiations late Wednesday, it put the Diamondbacks in neutral again.

The Player Formally Known As Adriano Rosario

For a lack of better things to do, this is as good as time as any to look at the prospects that are being bandied around in the trade rumors with the Diamondbacks.

When the Diamondbacks signed Adriano Rosario in 2002 for $400,000, they thought he was 19 years old. However, it turns out that was actually 22 and his name was Ramon Antonio Peña Paulino. Furthermore, he's on the 40 man roster so I really see no need for him at this point since he creates a need to make another roster move. There is no doubt he has good stuff as BA reports he has a fastball that sits at about 97-98 mph, but he has baggage. He is not in the country at this point and does not have a visa to get into the country. While he could be used in the pen possibly and help out sooner rather than later, the below options are much better.

Conor Jackson was the 11th rated prospect in the Texas League and the 5th rated prospect in the California League according to Baseball America.

He has a quick bat, a willingness to use the entire field and developing power. He should hit for average and produce 20-30 homers annually.

“He doesn’t swing at bad pitches,” Inland Empire manager Daren Brown said, "and he doesn’t miss good ones."

Seen by many as the offensive mirror image of Quentin, Jackson doesn't offer as much with the glove. His below-average speed and arm strength had some observers predicting an eventual move to first base, where he'd still have enough bat.

Carlos Quentin was rated the #4 prospect in the in the California League and the #7 rated prospect in the Texas League by Baseball America. He was amazingly hit by 43 pitches in 2004.

John Manual from BA:

I don't put it past Quentin to be in Arizona next year. This year was a long time coming for the D-backs; everyone saw they aged quickly, everyone knew about the huge deferred payments, and that it would be imperative for the farm system to produce everyday players who were cheap, because so much deferred money is still being paid out. So to me, Quentin could earn a shot next year; I think he's tough to get a read on ceiling wise. That high OBP is inflated by 43 HBPs, and is he going to keep taking doses like that in the major leagues? I don't know how that will happen. To me, the most likely scenario is Quentin hits .270 with 25-30 homers and brings a team all kinds of grit, toughness and character. I think he can be a starter on a championship team.

Sergio Santos was the 6th rated prospect in the Texas League by Baseball America. He is a shortstop that could develop plus power that I'm sure can easily slide over the second base.

Santos was moving quickly before a left shoulder injury slowed him this season. He went on the disabled list for good in July after playing through the pain for four months, but still showed off two well-above-average tools: his raw power and his arm. Some scouts grade both tools as 70 on the 20-80 scale.

Baseball America said that Jackson and Quentin were considered offensive mirror images of each other and that was dead on. Take a look at their 2004 numbers between A and AA.

Year	G	AB	R	H	2b	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG
Jackson	135	484	97	157	32	17	91	69	72	.324	.406	.512
Quentin	125	452	103	150	33	21	89	43	56	.332	.435	.549

Really, it looks like all of those guys are great picks and would help the Mets out with the exception of Ramon Antonio Peña. If Omar can do something to strengthen the pen and the farm system while freeing an outfield spot for a possible deal with Magglio, then he just might get my vote for smartest man alive.

BP Speaks On the Mets Pen

THE BULLPEN: Baseball Prospectus is on board, are you?

With Beltran on board, the Mets can expect to mash a little bit, and Pedro Martinez wearing blue and orange means that the other starters, with nary an ace among them, now have an outside shot at filling the shoes they're wearing. But Martinez's biggest problem is endurance, and that leads the Mets right into the heart of their biggest problem: the bullpen.
What does PECOTA think of this crowd? Some of what it cranks out might surprise you:

Player ERA EqERA
Heath Bell 3.55 3.84
Mike DeJean 3.97 4.29
Bartolome Fortunato 4.09 4.42
Matt Ginter 4.57 4.94
Felix Heredia 4.28 4.62
Braden Looper 3.48 3.76

We've shown you both the ERA projection and the Equivalent ERA projection to emphasize the effect of Shea Stadium. It's nothing special, but it's no horror show, especially if minor-league veteran Heath Bell emerges as PECOTA expects him to.

Would New Yorkers feel so nervous about the Met bullpen if it had an name-brand closer at the back end? Closers are nice, but their impact may be more psychological than real. Looper had his best season in '04, with a dramatic improvement in his control, so he's an asset in the ninth inning. The Met pen is low on star power, but has some depth thereafter. If a reliever is what will separate the Mets from the postseason, then they will have plenty of time to correct that during June and July.

Foolishly or not, I remain optimistic about the bullpen and the depth of the bullpen. This goes back to the question, would you rather have a rotation consisting of a guy who is equivalent to a #1 pitcher, a guy who is the equivalent to a #3 pitcher, two #4's and a guy like Imsmael Valdez holding down the last spot? Or would you rather have two #2's and three #3's. I liken this to the Mets situation because they do have a reliable closer and while Looper is not elite, he is certainly good enough to get the job down regardless of his late year antics. He clearly had his best season and maybe Professor Rick had a profound effect on him. Braden has some very good stuff. Mike DeJean is certainly not as bad as his Baltimore stats in 2004, but probably not as good as his Met stats in 2004. There is no reason why he cannot emerge to be a reliably 8th inning guy, but he will never be devastating. The rest is up for grabs and there are some wildcards in the mix, but the main idea is there is depth. There are choices and some actually do not look bad and a bullpen with six capable guys is not out of the question.

* * *


Anyone think Major League Baseball will start allowing valuable marketing real estate on players jerseys to be occupied like in the Caribbean League? I just could not see it happen, but really, nothing would surprise me at this point.

Here is an interesting tidbit from the piece on the Caribbean League:

Other than Tejada, Furcal, Durazo and Castilla, other Major Leaguers in action include Padres catcher Ramón Hernández playing third base for the Venezuelans; Diamondbacks shorstop Alex Cintrón with a young Puerto Rican squad; and with the Dominicans, Royals pitcher José Lima and Giants infielder Pedro Feliz.

Ramón Hernández is one catcher that I have an eye on for 2006 and it is pretty interesting to know he has the versatility to play third base.

Pedro is exactly what the Mets needed in their rotation. A guy who is not afraid to go inside and intimidate hitters.

Then there's Martinez. In his greatest season, with Boston in 2000, he hit 14 batters and had exactly one wild pitch. Hitters couldn't seem to get their at-bats over with that season, waiting out only 32 walks in 217 innings. Their aggressive approach resulted in a .167 batting average and 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

"Pedro just treats hitters with contempt," a scout said. "That's the thing that has always made him Pedro."

One thing I found curious was the honorable mentions, which were Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, Kevin Brown and Jeff Weaver. No Randy Johnson? As for Weaver, I thought people usually laughed at him more than anything.

Cammie is no longer limp wristed damaged goods. He can feel free to swing a bat and he will be ready for opening day. Thanks to Bada for pointing that the deal for a centerfielder is imminent for the D-Backs.

"We will complete a transaction," Kendrick, one of the team's general partners, said Tuesday night. "We feel confident we're going to bring in a new center fielder to complete the team."

Although neither Kendrick nor Garagiola would discuss any trade specifics, it is known that the players most clubs generally ask about in connection with possible deals include starting pitcher Brandon Webb, new first baseman Chad Tracy and top prospects Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, Sergio Santos and Ramon Antonio Peña.

Umm...if Cammie brings Webb or Quentin, I'd wave goodbye in a second. Even if there is no Magglio in RF.

Damn. The Cubs will pay $16.15 million of the $25 million Sosa was still owed under his $72 million, four-year agreement, according to details obtained by The Associated Press. Baltimore is responsible for just $8.85 million of Sosa's $17 million salary this year, with the Cubs paying the rest.

I'm pretty happy that Norihiro Nakamura backed out of a deal with the Mets in 2002, but I still hope he gets some chin music when the Mets face the face the Dodgers.

The Pirates are asking the Devil Rays about the availability of Aubrey Huff, but the D-Rays are reluctant to deal him. The Rays said it will take an everyday player, preferably a pitcher and two top notch prospects for them to part with Aubrey.

I Want to be a New York Yankee

For the life of me, I'm not sure why players want to be a New York Yankee. I know the Yankees offer the best chance for a player to win a championship year in and year out, but they chew up and spit out just about every free agent and player received via a trade lately. Maybe professional players want the opportunity to play in a stadium that could be considered the grandest stage in all of baseball. The idea that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere may play a factor into it as well. But the utmost reason people come to the Yankees is most likely not the opportunity to win, but the money.

The desire to be a Yankee not only resonates with baseball's free agents and players demanding to be traded to the Yankees and the Yankees only like Randy Johnson, but in international scouting as well. When you have players out of Cuba, Japan, and other countries, the Yankees are the biggest and most recognizable name. They get first dibs on anyone because of their mystique and the honor to put on the pinstripes on a daily basis.

Over the past few years, many people have seen players beat down, cast off, and run out of town. Playing for the Yankees is like playing in a pressure cooker. There is no tolerance for marginal play or underperforming players. Mediocrity will not be tolerated no matter if your past achievements and a player may not get much time to prove themselves. Is that necessarily a bad thing? No, however, players have to choose whether or not they really want to subject themselves to that. The Yankees is an organization where pitchers that can start on other teams become 6th or 7th starters who rarely see playing time. The Yankees are where some young pitchers on verge of becoming one of major league's elite go to become the goat. The Yankees are where guys who are considered one of the top five young pitchers in the Major Leagues to not even be a starter in the playoffs. The Yankees are where people come who leave their families back in the home country come to play to get ridiculed by the organization and sent packing when they could not handle it. The Yankees are where many people just leave with a sour taste in their mouth.

Todd Ziele's short stint there was a memorable one. Just not memorable in a good way.

"I have no desire to play again for that organization," Zeile said.

"I think some of the things that happen over there are different than any other organization in baseball. I have a pretty good track record to judge that," Zeile said, citing his numerous stops across the majors. "Every day is potentially the end-all," he said. "It's whatever they need that day. It sometimes can be unsettling for people in role positions there. ... I don't really have a desire to get back into that mix."

Javier Vazquez was considered on of the premier pitchers in all of baseball. He was traded from the Expos to the Yankees and signed a very lucrative extension and was able to satisfy his desire to stay near Puerto Rico on the East Coast so his wife can fly up to see his games. He was a top of the world at the All-Star break and ended out the season by not making the post season rotation and being relegated to mop up duties. Sure the Yankees used him to upgrade the rotation by bring in RJ, but at the expense and uneasiness of Vazquez. I guess someone should have warned him that something like that may happen.

Jason Giambi was once pumping his body full of steroids and full of life in Oak-town. He was a party animal and very much in the public portraying a young party animal. Then he came into the personality vacuum known as the Yankee organization. As soon as Giambi signed a deal with the devil, he was cleanly shaven making bad commercials about just saying "NO!" to B.O. What a far cry from the Jason Giambi that was in Oakland. You think he regrets leaving Oakland for a few more million per year? I know Billy Bean doesn't, but I think he might.

Jeff Weaver was on the verge of a breakout year by going 6-8 with a 3.18 ERA in 121.2 innings pitched before being traded to the Yankees which began what is undoubtedly the worst year and a half of his life. The Yankees finally granted Weaver parole by jettisoning him to the National League and as far as way from New York without being traded to the Yomiuri Giants.

Jose Contreras was highly sought after by the Red Sox and Yankees and was considered the best pitching in the world not in the Major Leagues. Jose was offered more money by the Red Sox and when the Yankees stole him from under the Sox’s noses it prompted Larry Luchino to call the Yankees the “Evil Empire”. I have no hard proof in the form of some good quotes or a person familiar with the situation, but it's safe to assume Jose would rethink signing on the dotted like for Steinbrenner again.

The Braves actually offered Dioneer Navarro more money than the Yankees, but Dioneer was swayed by the Yankees and their evil international grasp. Instead of possibly being where Johnny Estrada is sitting within the Braves organization, he's now been on three teams this off season. He probably will not start for the Dodgers this upcoming season and still has an uncertain future when it comes to which organization he is going to call home. Someone should have told him prospects have zero chance of actually making the Yankees Major League squad.

If Jason Giambi did not learn that honesty is not the best policy from Aaron Boone, then I do not know how he will every learn it. Lie like Gary Sheffield and you will be OK. Tell the truth like Aaron Boone, and you will be in great shape. I'm sure Mr. Boone is not exactly enthralled with the Yankees despite him playing some basketball, which was not allowed by his contract.

Bubba Trammell chose not to play baseball at all instead of putting on those pinstripes one more day. I really cannot blame him.

While Hideki Matsui is no doubt a Boss favorite now, Steinbrenner called him out in the NY papers in 2003. He said something to the effect of "this is not the player we thought we were getting". This is not the first nor the last time George used the papers to make digs in players. He's done it to Jeter before amongst others. No one is safe. It is like a soap opera every year in the Bronx.

The above players were not the only ones in the past few years to get discharged by Yankee organization or labled goats and they will certainly not be the last. Yankee Stadium is not the easiest place to succeed and will anyone be surprised to see two more names added to the dubious list above? Raise your hand if you do not see the same things happening to Pavano, Wright, or both of them. No hands up? Didn't think so.

I guess sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for and wishing to be a New York Yankee could be the worst thing.

* * *

The Mets are mulling Magglio according to Newsday.

According to a National League source, the Mets are taking a close look at free-agent Magglio Ordoñez. Having already added high-profile free agents Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, the Mets have held internal discussions about going after the 31-year-old, who missed the bulk of the 2004 season with serious left knee problems.

To that end, the Mets could schedule a workout very soon to see Ordoñez perform.

The Detroit Tigers have been the most aggressive suitors for Ordoñez's services, having extended a five-year offer that, similar to the contract to which they signed Ivan Rodriguez last year, would be voidable if the bone-marrow edema in Ordoñez's left knee persists.

If that clause is in there to void the contract if the bone-marrow edema persists, I say do it. Though, from what I understand, the edema is not the long term problem. The problem will be the meniscus that he has had to repair surgically twice. I would certainly hope that would be part of any clause, but I think an incentive laden deal is what the Mets have to try for. Cameron is obviously not very happy and he still can net something positive back in a trade. If Cameron can be dealt for pieces to improve the team and the organization, it has to be looked at since a healthy Magglio would conceivably be a better fit anyway.

Meanwhile, the Tigers negotiations have hit a snag. They are offering five years, and he wants seven. Who is going to pony up seven years for Magglio is the real question. The answer is no one. Also, since the Cubs appear to be on the verge of signing Jeromy Burntiz, the field for Magglio is not that big right now. So far it is the Tigers bidding against themselves for time being unless the Mets decide to join.

There is no doubt that the there are problems with the payroll disparities of baseball today. Big market teams have an advantage every season by the simple fact they can buy what they need and do not necessarily have to bargain shop. However, I do take offense to the statement of one Kevin McClatchy.

For once, the Yankees aren't being fingered as the villains. What drove McClatchy to complain to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last weekend was the Mets' off-season spending binge - and not so much the money they paid to superstars Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran as the pricey deal the Mets gave to former Pirates pitcher Kris Benson.

"It seemed like there was sanity for a couple of years, but now all my brethren decided to go crazy," McClatchy said. "It just hurts the industry. When somebody goes out and pays an average pitcher $7 million a year, then anybody who's an average pitcher says he needs $7 million a year.

"As we go toward a new [CBA], there's going to have to be some form of constraints because these guys can't control themselves. I'm tired of other people affecting the marketplace and making it more challenging for small-market teams . . . I've been talking to a lot of owners, and a lot of us are concerned. And we're going to speak up."

In Kris Benson's last year of arbitration, he earned $6,150,000. He is now earning an average of $7,500,000. Basically Benson got a 22% raise. It does not take a brain surgeon to know the Mets were in a different situation with Kris in that they gave some good prospects and a solid major leaguer to get him with the idea he'd be a Met for a few years. Besides that, teams sometimes pay for what they think he'd be worth in the future. If the Mets thought he'd post something similar to the 4.97 and 4.70 ERAs like he did in 2002 and 2003 for the next three years, they presumably would not have valued him so high when they traded for him or offered him his contract. For reasons right or wrong, they felt they had to hold onto him and if that meant paying him $500,000 to $700,000 dollars more per year than Mr. McClatchy would have approved of, then so be it. The Mets really did not overpay by that much.

The Yankees paid $40 million for a guy who had only had one good year. I'm not sure Kris Benson's contract is outrageous at people think. The going rate for a ace is $10 million or above. A back end of the rotation guy would get $5 million or less. The rest get somewhere between. A number three pitcher on a large market team would surely earn about what Kris Benson is getting and the Mets certainly view him as that with the ability to become something more. After all, he just spend the last four of five years being the Pirates #1. There was not way he was going to get a salary lower than he earned in 2004 and ultimately it comes down to how much player is worth to a team, which was Kris Benson for $22.5 million over three years for the Mets.

Besides, the Washington Nationals paid almost $17,000,000 for four years of Christian Guzman. Is there anyone in baseball who thinks he is worth that amount of money? That was one of the first signings of the off season and was certainly a curious one. The Mets are not the only team that could be accused of overpaying for anyone this off season. If fingers should be pointed at anyone for overpaying they should maybe be pointed at the Diamondbacks and the Mariners who seemingly set off a spree of overpayments on position players. Everyone just loves to hate the Mets. The Mets also barely have a higher payroll than the second place Chicago Cubs. Their outrageous spending has basically put them in line with every large market team not named the Yankees.

Taxes? I don't want to pay no stinkin' taxes.

Some things are just plain wrong. You can steal a guy's woman, take his job, or even kick his dog. But don't mess with a man and his unhealthy affection for the Simpsons.

A woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to selling on eBay three nonexistent cases of Duff brand beer — the favorite of cartoon character Homer Simpson.

Tara Edith Woodford, 28, pleaded guilty in the Mackay Magistrates Court in northern Queensland state to three charges of dishonestly gaining money by false pretenses.

Prosecutor Gavin Burnett told the court Woodford was paid a total of 1,951 Australian dollars (U.S. $1,511) by three separate buyers after advertising the bogus beer on the eBay Internet auction site.

That's just wrong on so many levels.

I've just wasted a half hour of work doing this. (Not to mention the time I've wasted doing this page)

BA has their first round projection out.

1. Justin Upton, ss/of, Great Bridge HS, Chesapeake, Va.
2. Cameron Maybin, of, T.C. Roberson HS, Asheville, N.C.
3. Alex Gordon, 3b, U. of Nebraska
4. Mike Pelfrey, rhp, Wichita State U.
5. Luke Hochevar, rhp, U. of Tennessee
6. Tyler Greene, ss, Georgia Tech
7. Jeff Clement, c, U. of Southern California
8. Wade Townsend, rhp, Rice U.
9. Troy Tulowitzki, ss, Long Beach State U.

A steady defender and emerging hitter, he beat out Tyler Greene as Team USA’s starting shortstop.

The Mets picking a shortstop with their first pick?

10. Ryan Zimmerman, 3b, U. of Virginia
11. Stephen Head, 1b/lhp, U. of Mississippi
12. John Mayberry Jr., 1b/of, Stanford U.
13. Sean O’Sullivan, rhp/of, Valhalla HS, El Cajon, Calif.
14. Mark McCormick, rhp, Baylor U.
15. Justin Bristow, ss/rhp, Mills Godwin HS, Richmond, Va.
16. Craig Hansen, rhp, St. John’s U.
17. Jordan Danks, of, Round Rock (Texas) HS
18. Zach Putnam, rhp, Pioneer HS, Ann Arbor, Mich.
19. Taylor Teagarden, c, U. of Texas
20. Travis Buck, of, Arizona State U.
21. Brian Bogusevic, of/lhp, Tulane U.
22. Chris Volstad, rhp, Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) HS
23. Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade (Fla.) HS
24. Daniel Carte, of, Winthrop U.
25. Brett Jacobson, rhp, Cactus Shadows HS, Cave Creek, Ariz.
26. Austin Jackson, of, Ryan HS, Denton, Texas
27. Brandon Snyder, c/ss, Westfield HS, Centreville, Va.
28. Henry Sanchez, 1b, Mission Bay HS, San Diego
29. Cliff Pennington, ss, Texas A&M U.
30. David Adams, 3b, Grandview Prep, Boca Raton, Fla.

I Coulda Been a Contenda...I Coulda Been Somebody

Two key components of the Mets 2005 bullpen that could take them from a group of guys that are "serviceable" or that can "get the job done" to being a very good bullpen are Scott Strickland and Grant Roberts. There is obvious uncertainly surrounding them due to the fact that they are coming back from surgeries, but if they show up to spring healthy, it will be a big boon for the Mets bullpen. Not only do they add more depth, but they add some experienced players that have had major league success in the past and depth that is still relatively young.

Strickland will be 29 in April and Roberts will be 27 until September '05. Both guys have always been regarded as players with big upside and they could breakout if given the chance and their health is on their side. For Grant, health has never been on his side. Is there any reason to believe this year will be different? He's always had trouble going on back to back days with some resilience issues with his arm, but who knows, maybe his last surgery rectified his past problems. Strickland has been healthy for his career until he needed Tommy John surgery, but nowadays, there is a pretty good track record of people returning after a year or year and a half after TJ. It seems like it is easier to count who has not had TJ than the people who have had TJ. Scott has a career .224 BAA and has enough stuff that he can dominate at times. As is well documented around the blogsphere, he absolutely dominates righties holding them to a .194 BAA since 2002, but lefites hit him for a .293 BAA clip in the same period. His career K/9 is 9.19 and could be a valuable strikeout guy coming out of the bullpen. Scott has a bit of a control problem and walks entirely too many people, but he is the type of guy that Rick Peterson loves to work with. He's got stuff to overpower people and he has all the tools to be very good set up man. Strickland has put together some good years and if he's healthy, Professor Rick may be able help him realize his potential.

Scott Strickland's Mets stats:

Year	W	L	G	IP	H	H/9	R	HR	BB	BB/9	K's	K/9	K/BB	AVG	ERA
2002	6	9	68	67.2	61	8.1	27	7	33	4.39	67	8.91	2.03	.236	3.59
2003	0	2	19	20	16	7.2	5	1	10	4.50	16	7.20	1.60	.219	2.25
Met Totals	6	11	19	20	16	7.2	5	1	43	4.41	83	8.52	1.93	n/a	3.29

Grant Roberts 2001-2003 seasons:

Year	W	L	G	IP	H	H/9	R	HR	BB	BB/9	K's	K/9	K/BB	AVG	ERA
2001	1	0	16	26	24	8.3	11	2	8	2.77	29	10.04	3.63	.240	3.81
2002	3	1	34	45	43	8.6	11	3	16	3.20	31	6.20	1.94	.257	2.20
2003	0	3	18	19	19	9	8	0	3	1.42	10	4.74	3.33>	.257	3.79
3 yr. Avg	4	4	68	90	86	8.6	30	5	27	2.70	70	7.00	2.59	n/a	3.00

Grant does not overpower anyone. His K/9 rates are unspectacular and his BAA is not great, but they are not something that concerns me too much. He exhibits solid control and gives up a minimal amount of homeruns for anyone, much less a contact pitcher. In 2001 through 2003 he had only given up five homers in 90 innings, which is good for a .5 HR/9 ratio. He is more of a groundball pitcher and has a 1.42 G/F ratio on his career and could really benefit from the Mets shiny new infield that can flash the leather. Grant can be an effective part of the bullpen and if he's healthy, he can be one reliable reliever. He's had only one healthy half a season in his career and he posted some pretty sharp numbers.

Year	W	L	G	IP	H	H/9	R	HR	BB	BB/9	K's	K/9	K/BB	AVG	ERA
2002 1st Half	2	0	28	36.2	36	8.6	8	1	15	3.58	27	6.45	1.80	.255	1.91

Again, decent K/9 and not a dominating BAA, but he was very effective. He's still young enough that he can rebound to be a good reliever at this stage in his career. Many people, including myself, have kind of put him to the back of their minds because he has never actually been healthy and such a notion is foreign to anyone who has watched the Mets over the past few years. However, Roberts was the #4 rated prospect in 1997, the #1 rated prospect in 1998, the #3 rated prospect in 1999 & 2000, the #5 rated prospect in 2001, and the #8 rated prospect in 2002 according to Baseball America. He obviously has some skill, though he has never achieved the success predicted for him. Things are not looking as bleak around Shea these days so maybe Grant will benefit from some of the good will being thrown around by the baseball gods in Flushing.

For me, these two represent some possible answers to some questions in 2005 bullpen. Chances are that both of them may start the season at AAA in 2005 to get them back on track, but later in the year the biggest impact on the bullpen may come from the three guys coming back from surgeries. Orber, Scott, and Grant can form a solid core of right handed middle relievers that can get people out with three different styles. Throw in DeJean and you have yourself a foundation for pen that can strike some people out and bridge the game from the starters to Looper.

The Mets problem was not their bullpen in 2004. John Franco and Mike Stanton specifically were problems, but they are gone. Between all the guys who came in from the bullpen for the Mets in 2005, they posted a 3.90 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, 7.45 K/9, 2.10 K/BB, .86 HR/9, and were 24-30 with 31 saves. If you remove Mike Stanton, Jose Parra, R. Bottalico, D. Weathers, Dan Wheeler, John Franco, P. Feliciano, V. Darensbourg, Todd Zeile, and Tyler Yates (simply because he will be out all year), their numbers sure look impressive. In 194.2 innings, they posted a 7.58 K/9, 2.64 BB/9, 1.27 WHIP, 2.88 K/BB, .65 HR/9, and a 3.24 ERA. The body of work is not huge when you consider that fact that it is only 37% of the total relief innings last year, but they are still numbers that they churned out. The argument can be made that those situations were not high leverage situations, but no one got the chance and they all preformed in the roles and duties they were asked to do. If you want to take away positives, there are plenty to take. With the above two guys thrown into the mix and healthy, a perceived weakness could turn this bullpen into a source of reliability.

* * *

The Mets beef up their bullpen? Can you really call it beefing up their pen? Maybe Grade F Government Beef, but certainly no beef fit for human consumption.



Please. Just say Mets Try and Hit Triple Digits in Minor League Contracts in '05 or something like that. Look, it cannot hurt, but when you have so many relievers, it is hard to find out what you have by ten or fifteen spring training innings.

James Baldwin pitched 12.0 innings and posted a 0.75 ERA in Spring Training 2004. Nuff said.

Um, no. No, no, no. Floyd for Wilson? I'm thinking about it. However, trading Cammy for someone who costs in one year what he costs in two without getting relief help back is not happening. No way, no how. Although, Cammy might be intrigued with the idea of being able to knock 40 out at Coors.

The infamous person familiar with the situation has spoken about the Magglio situation.

"I think the Mets are about to get knee-deep in this thing now," a source familiar with the situation said Monday.

Say it ain't so Snoop! Could the same guy who played Huggie Bear really do this?

An Emmy-winning makeup artist hit Snoop Dogg with a $25 million lawsuit yesterday, accusing the gangsta rapper and his posse of gang-raping her on the set of Jimmy Kimmel's late night show.

Age Analysis

The 40-man roster is starting to take shape and below is rough of idea of how it will look on opening day. Strickland, Moreno, or Roberts could be on it and I took Jeff Duncan off because he'll presumably be knocked off when they need to make some space. When the average age of a team is calculated, it is done off of the entire 40-man roster. With the below figures, the Mets average age is about .6 years younger than their 2004 squad. At least they are moving in the right direction.

Player	2004	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Mike Cameron	32	33
Carlos Beltran	28	29	30	31	32	33	34
CliffFloyd	32	33
Doug Mientkiewicz	30
Kazuo Matsui	29	30
Jose Reyes	22	23	24	25
David Wright	22	23	24	25	26
Mike Piazza	36
Eric Valent	28	29	30	31	32
Andres Galaraga	44
Miguel Cairo	31
Joe McEwing	32
Jason Phillips	28	29	30	31
Tom Glavine	39	40
Pedro Martinez	33	34	35	36
Kris Benson	30	31	32
Steve Trachsel	34	35
Victor Zambrano	29	30	31
Braden Looper	30
Koo Dae-Sung	35
Felix Heredia	30
Heath Bell	27
Alay Soler	25
Philip Humber	22	23	24	25	26
Ambiorix Concepcion	22
Aaron Heilman	26
Bob Keppel	23
Jae Wong Seo	28
Mike Jacobs	24
Criag Brazell	25
Danny Garcia	25
Angel Pagan	24
Wayne Lydon	24
Matt Lindstrom	25
Bartolome Fortunata	30
Matt Ginter	27
Victor Diaz	23
Jeff Keppinger	25
Aarom Baldiris	22
Mike Dejean	34
Average Age	28.40	29.67	28.70	29.14	39	33	34

After I spent all this time doing this table, I asked myself why I did. It really serves no purpose and adds no value to anyone's knowledge of the team. But since I made it, I figured I would post it anyway. I hope someone gets something out of it. I know I didn't.

* * *

In case you missed some quotes from this article and you do not read The Eddie Kranepool Society, here you go:

Red Sox execs were thrilled and relieved that the Yankees passed on Beltran. Though Randy Johnson's a true ace, a Boston exec termed him "risky" and said of Beltran, "Over the next seven years, maybe nobody will produce more."

and

Ian Bladergroen -- or Blade, as he's known -- was a loss for the Mets, who sent him to Boston for Mientkiewicz. Said one Mets exec, "We may regret this in three years."

The Cubs are confident that they can add some production to soften the blow of losing Sammy Sosa.

Whether it's Ordonez, free agent Jeromy Burnitz or a trade for the Mets' Cliff Floyd, the Cubs feel they can pick up the production slack left by Sosa's departure. That remains to be seen, but the Cubs believe they ultimately are adding by subtracting Sosa, who didn't want to be back after ripping manager Dusty Baker at the end of last season.

Johan Santana rejected the three year, $25 million offer from the Twinkies.

The Tigers are looking like they are giving Magglio a contract offer for four or five years at $11 million dollars per year even though no other team has made an offer besides them that we know of. Lynn Henning seems to think the Tigers will be able to put some clause in the contract that satisfies their concerns about his health.

Q. Why are there no other heavy bidders?
A. Clearly, Ordonez's knee has made teams nervous. But the Tigers aren't known for being reckless in these situations, so why they're able to craft contract language that satisfies their concerns, and why other teams don't seem as motivated or as equipped to do the same, is curious.

I'm Taking My Ball and Going Home

Doug Mientkiewicz has agreed to let the Red Sox borrow the ball. This entire situation is completely nuts. I mean who the hell would know if that ball is not from earlier in the inning as opposed to the last out? I'd assume there are a few game balls lying around and while major league can authenticate the ball as it pertains to a game and possibly even the inning, I doubt they can get as granular as the out. Which brings me to my point, who cares if it's the real ball? Most of these Red Sox fans are still hung over and some are even still throwing a few back and are in midst of a four month inebriated binge while celebrating their World Series victory. I hope Doug pulled the ole’ switcharoo on those Bean Towners while leaving the real ball safely secured and out of their grubby tea party starting hands.

In case you cannot read between the lines, here’s what was really said to each other in the ESPN article:

Quote:
"Doug was a key part of our stretch run and postseason victories and he won over our fans in a very short period of time," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "We thank him for his many contributions and are pleased that our fans will be able to get close to the ball. We wish him the best of luck in the other league in 2005."

Translation:
"We would have won the game without that ball stealing piece of shit and he pissed all of RSN off in a very short time," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "We still think he's worthless and cannot believe he thinks it is his fucking ball. I hope he gets face planted by Kyle Farnsworth this year a-la Paul Wilson."

Quote:
"There was never a fight, there was never works exchange" over ownership of the ball, Mientkiewicz said this week. "It was very cordial, and we worked something out."

Translation:
"They threatened to cast me off into bowels of hell known as Shea Stadium and the Mets organization, but I never thought they would actually do something so drastic" over ownership of the ball, Mientkiewicz said this week. "They threatened to take my balls if I did not hand over their ball, and then we worked something out."

* * *

Anna Benson has some Q & A with the NY Post. Unfortunately it's g-rated since it is in the paper, but she still has some gems anyway.

Q: If you were married to the president and he had fooled around with Monica Lewinsky, how would you have handled it?

A: Well, if I was married to the president, I would really be running the country, so I wouldn't really care about what he was doing, 'cause he would be out of my way.

Q: Best piece of advice either your mother or father gave you?

A: Keep your legs crossed and your mouth shut. I didn't follow that, but it was good advice.

Keep those legs umm....un-crossed.

She does not even miss a chance to plug her a new sponsor:

Q: With Mike Piazza getting married to a former Playboy Playmate, how does it feel vying for the crown of Baseball's Sexiest Wife?

A: Mike's fiancée is beautiful and sexy, it gives me more of a reason to work out even harder. Being that Kris and I travel to NYC so often, and have to stay in hotels - its nice to know that a place like New York Sports Clubs has opened its doors to us and I can keep up my sexy figure.

In the who cares department, Mika Piazza tied the knot yesterday. Every time someone gets married, I cannot help but hear the phrase another one bites the dust run through my head.

Omar has a piece in the NYTimes today.

Our solid core of young players - Beltran (27 years old), José Reyes (21), David Wright (22) and Kazuo Matsui (29), among others - provides a base for long-term success. These players embody the elements of our strategy for success. Within the next five to six years, we plan to add similar impact players from our minor league system, while our core players are still within their prime years.

Not to dwell on the past, but here's BA's top ten minor league pitchers.

1. Felix Hernandez, rhp, Mariners
2. Scott Kazmir, lhp, Devil Rays
3. Adam Miller, rhp, Indians
4. Chad Billingsley, rhp, Dodgers
5. Matt Cain, rhp, Giants
6. Jeff Niemann, rhp, Devil Rays
7. Edwin Jackson, rhp, Dodgers
8. Jeff Francis, lhp, Rockies
9. Dan Meyer, lhp, Athletics
10. Mike Hinckley, lhp, Nationals

The ChicagoSports.com believes that a four year, $40 million dollar contract could land Ordonez in Detroit, which would be similar to the deal that Pudge had signed a year earlier. They also mention that Ordonez would be looking for an opt-out clause, which is seemingly becoming a staple for any client that Boras thinks is not getting enough cash and gives them the opportunity to get more money should they out perform their current compensation. It is not the five year, $70 million deal that Boras is looking for, but I cannot see anyone putting up that kind of cash since Delgado did not even get that with no injury risk.

Now, with the Cubs having moved Sosa while being unclear on if they consider four or five years the right move on Magglio, the Orioles filling a void with Sosa and taking them out of the Magglio sweepstakes, the Rangers watching from afar, and the Tigers being..well being the Tigers, I maybe see an opportunity for Omar to do something. Cliffy to the Cubs for two years now becomes something they very well could be interested in with the loss of Sosa if they choose to pass on Magglio. Four years for $10 million per year is a something that seems like a palatable risk if he works out and doctor's give the OK. The Mets always have Victor "call me mr. insurance" Diaz to split playing time if he is not ready to go full tilt right away.

Jon Heyman says Maggs is still in play, but it would be an offer similar to the on they offered Vlad Guerrero last off season.

Sloane asks the hard questions that need to be asked.

Delgado's agent, David Sloane, asked Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria during negotiations: "If the A's put Barry Zito [on the trade market this summer], do you make the deal?" In other words, will there be money left if Delgado signs? :The answer was yes. That meant a lot.

Sloane is an idiot. Of course Loria is going to say yes. Is he going to say, no, we are all tapped out? Besides, with Delgado making $4 million this year, I'd assume they have cash. The better question is can they add payroll in years 2, 3, 4, and if there is a five? Invariably, the answer will be no if they intend to replace or resign Burnett next year. If they choose to resign him it could cost a lot, especially if he has a good year and hits the market as a 28 year old power arm. The Marlins are going full tilt for this season because next season who knows that their pitching staff will look like or their financial situation when Delgado starts getting paid.