Compensation? We Don't Need No Stinking Compensation.

Thanks to Benny for pointing this out...

In the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there will be no compensation picks for singing free agents anymore.

The new deal won’t have any major changes from the past, but there were be several subtle alterations that will have a long-term benefit. The two sides have agreed to eliminate draft choice compensation for teams losing free agents, and they will have a slotting system for bonus money paid to June draft choices.

At first look, this helps the richer teams who will be picking studs whose contracts expire and are leaving small market teams while not having to surrender anything to do it. However, the compensation idea has hampered free agency to the point where it inhibits who will actually pursue who. Small markets teams who depend on their draft picks are forced to look elsewhere sometimes when there is a guy they like, but will cost them their first round pick if they did not own a top fifteen draft pick.

Additionally, this hurts the ball players themselves. There are guys that have their markets limited because they are offered arbitration and some teams have been undoubtedly deterred from going after certain players because they could not lose a pick. It opens up the market completely with no caveats. While the system was geared to help teams that could not afford some of their departing players, it did work both ways. For one, rich teams like the Red Sox sometimes had more picks than any other teams in the first round and compensation round. Second, there are plenty of teams who do not have deep pockets that couldn't risk offering big ticket players on the chance they could accept and let those players walk away anyway. It became a vehicle for teams like the Yankees to offer whomever's contract is up arbitration so they can stockpile picks.

The system should either have been chucked or re-worked so it did benefit poorer teams, but if the rules were not going to help poor teams, this was the way to go. There are plenty of poorer teams that have enough trouble affording one first round pick much less two or three and bypass some of the better players just so they can stay within a budget. Maybe it is for my own selfish reasons like my favorite team has deep pockets and is usually giving their picks away, but I really do not think that is it. Ultimately, it makes sense and if they want to help some of the poorer teams, I'm sure there is a better way. For now, Omar can just concentrate on spending on whomever he wants without any impact on their draft...swellicious.

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Why would Tom even want to go back to the Braves? Ten wins on that team is far from a guarentee and with the Mets, he will have an exceptionally easier time notching his 300th win. I do not care what excuses he has about family and needs to head back to Atlanta for them, but it makes more sense for him to stay with the Mets, get more wins, and have a shot at winning another World Series title.

The rich man's Steve Trachsel is going to cash in on his next contract.

ESPN.com's Buster Olney estimates Suppan added $15-$20 million to his next contract by virtue of his stellar Game 7 performance in the NLCS.

Adam Rubin has the four keys to the Mets off-season.

1. Re-sign Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, Guillermo Mota and Chad Bradford

I would not complain about The Duque coming back, but with the Mets need to bring in a bonafide ace, John Maine looking like a keeper, Oliver Perez looking like a starter in 2007, and Glavine most likely coming back, it will be a crowded situation. I would also like to keep a spot open for Humber or Pelfrey, but having them get one full year at AAA would not be the worst thing in the world. When Pedro comes off the DL, he would push Maine, The Duque, or Oliver Perez into the bullpen and hopefully that would be a tough decision. Mota, Bradford, and Glavine are musts, but Hernandez is not a must, but not a bad luxury item to crowd the rotation.

2. Trade Lastings Milledge for an ace

I would package Milledge and Heilman up for an ace in a second. But ONLY a true ace on the right side of 30. That, of course, is dependent upon Dirty being ready to go also.

3. Sign Moises Alou and Julio Lugo

I cannot argue with these choices as long as Moises is here on a one year contract. Next year is kind of a transitional year for the Mets in the outfield as they are buying time for some of their young studs to develop more.

4. Stockpile starters

Adam Rubin does not think the Mets would run with John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Pelfrey/Humber for the first half of the season, but I believe in Maine and Perez a lot. I guess it depends what camp you are in.

How much is Willie-Time worth? If you ask me, not much. He will be signing an extension for sure and I will get to enjoy is managerial prowess for years to come. Good seasons to not mean you necessarily have a good manager and he did make some mistakes this season as all mangers do, but he is far from the upper echelon of managers. The Mets need a guy who is in that upper echelon but that will have to be tabled for long, long time.

Apparently, the Mets like to try and kill their ushers. Who knew?

According to the complaint, other elderly ushers were reassigned to jobs they were sure to fail at. One suffered a fatal heart attack soon after he was sent to work the upper deck. Two others were demoted to the commissary, "a position that is very difficult for elderly people," according to the complaint. One died soon after, the documents said.

Omar wants The Duque back.

I'm a big fan of El Duque," he said. "To me, he brings a lot to the table, not only between the white lines. He brings a lot to the table in the clubhouse. He's a competitor. He's the kind of guy who makes us better."

Like I said, I have mixed feelings on this but it certainly would not be a bad thing.