A blog dedicated to the New York Mets with some other baseball thrown in.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Ummm..Yeah...

Cesear Carillo? Tim Stauffer? Scott Linebrink? What do all those names have in common? What some delusional Yankee fan thought the Padres would give up to get a 43 year old pitcher that has injury and anger issues. I get why the Diamondbacks and the Padres wanted the guy. His peripherals were not bad at all and moving from the AL East to the NL West could actually make him a top ten Cy Young candidate in '07. However, the fact is the going rate for him was simply not very high. The argument against why the price should not be so low has been that the Yankees are not broke and are not looking to dump salary, but the Yankees were looking to cut payroll. They had no leverage and they had a guy who will really not be able to prove his health until the season starts after coming off his second back surgery.

The Yankees are operating in an extremely different manner than they have in the last five or so off-seasons and Johnson is not exactly a joy to have around. If Randy was not happy and wanted to go home, he certainly limited the Yankees ability to deal him as he limited them to trading him to one of three or so teams. In the end, a bounty of Luis Vizcaino, Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, and Alberto Gonzalez with the D-Backs eating all of his salary is not a bad deal really. If Humberto Sanchez can be effective out of the bullpen, the Yankees could very well have a dominating bullpen. Throw on top of that the idea of Roger Clemens making a return to the Yankees and you could certainly say that Brian Cashman had a pretty good game plan followed by great execution this off-season.

What is even funnier than people thinking Johnson is really worth several top players is how the same people who wanted the Padres to give up that much for Johnson are probably the ones that say that Milledge for Blanton is not enough for the A's. NOT ENOUGH! A batting average against of over .300 for batters on each side of the plate and an ERA cresting 5.00 is pretty bad. He had a nice '05 season, but if you watched him, he looked eminently hittable. I do not care what is written, he features an 88 mph fastball that has to be spotted. It does not have great movement and he is nothing more than a mid to back end starter that might be able to eat innings if he can manage to not get knocked out of the game.

He has value, but mostly to the team that has him right now in the A's. He'll give you cheap and consistent innings behind your ace and nothing more. Worth a top prospect? Certainly not. Especially not one of the best prospects in the game. Just a silly, silly assertion that such a straight up deal could even been bandied about. My favorite comment of the day was on MLBTradeRumors.com, which provides literally minutes and minutes of fun for me between insane rumors quoted by blogs and even more insane comments about those rumors.

droptop,

more like 90-91, with the occasional venture into 92.

i love how white pitchers scouting reports get a mph or 2 added to their velocity, and have the luxury of being able to "touch" 94 becuz some gun in Alabama clocked them there once 5 years ago.

i have a flaming monkey that is waiting to burst out of my ass the day blanton throws 94.

4 ERA my ass.

his stuff is flat and it has no life. he doesn't have the height to get enough downward plane on his pitches to be anything more than a solid innings eater right now.

his only chance at being above average is to add a cutter. something tells me they would have given him one already if it was possible.

you're looking at a slightly below average fat righty who will need to get by on command. it doesn't get more mediocre.

heck, we could get yusmeiro petit back for half price, and petit will probably be better within a few years.

petit has better command and the same "stuff".


I do not think many people believed this rumored deal was good on any planet. It is entirely possible that Humber and Pelfrey could put up a performance on par with Blanton and not come at the cost of Lastings Milledge. I'm not even sold Dave Williams could not do the same. Would it be nice to have more certainty in Joe Blanton in the rotation? Of course. However, Joe Blanton is not worth enough in a trade for it to make sense for Billy Beane to trade him with the price of mediocre pitchers at an astronomical level. In fact, it makes more sense for him to deal one of his front end guys in Haren or Harden because he can most likely get an arm with ace potential and a solid position player for one of the two. This rumor never made sense from the start and Joe Blanton will not have to worry about changing his address and will be free to eat all the Ghirardelli chocolate he wants. I will admit this though, I was fooled for a moment. I thought Omar had gone crazy. That will be the last time my faith in Omar waivers and I apologize to the master of all that is baseball.

* * *

  • Dayn Perry? Drinking the Kool-Aid....

    New York Mets GM Omar Minaya has already established himself as one of the most effective execs in the game today, and this winter has done nothing to change that.

    Since the Mets came up short in the NLCS, Minaya has re-upped with Tom Glavine for less money than Gil Meche will make in 2008, inked Moises Alou, who can still rake, to a modest one-year contract, and re-signed Jose Valentin for another season.


  • To continue with more on Milledge....

    Some ridiculously handsome blogger asked a great question and got the answer he was looking for from Mr. Callis.

    Mike (NY): If Milledge was still rookie eligible, where would he rank overall and in the Mets system. Lots of people are down on him but forget he?s 21 with only 1100 minor league at-bats.

    SportsNation Jim Callis: I'd still rank him No. 1 in the Mets system and he'd be one of the better prospects in baseball.


    ...Lastings was a hot topic in chats of late...

    Roger, IL: Where would you rate the Mets Farm System? Do you think Milledge will get better with more ABs in the Minors?

    SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:16 PM ET ) I put the Mets at No. 14 on my own personal list, more for their star power than for depth. I still think Milledge will be very good and a few more Triple-A AB won't hurt.


    ..finally...

    Joe (Philadelphia): Do you not consider Milledge a prospect anymore, or is he really not in your top 20 as far as outfielders go?

    SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:43 PM ET ) He has exceeded the rookie maximum for AB, so Milledge doesn't count as a prospect any longer. He'd definitely be in the middle of that mix if he did.


    Everyone needs to back off Lastings. Even if the kid took two more years at AAA, he would only 24 years old on opening day of 2009. Do we want to see him quicker? Yes, but toolsy guys sometimes need more time and just like Reyes was brought up too quickly, I wouldn't mind letting Milledge sit in AAA until he forces the issue.

  • This question from the above Jim Callis chat deserves to be shown for a few reasons.

    Jack Bauer (unknown): What are your top ten farm systems?

    SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:19 PM ET ) Fine question. My Top 10 in order is: Devil Rays, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Angels, Yankees, Brewers, Royals (almost solely for the big three of Gordon, Hochevear, Butler), Tigers, Reds (again for the star power at the top).


    The obvious thing is that Jack Bauer is asking baseball questions. The other reason is that the Yankees system has cracked the top ten in a non-Yankee fan's eye. My mind has officially been blown....

  • Fernando a top five prospect? Smart money says he will become one.

    Matt (NYC): Does Fernando Martinez have the potential to be a top 5 prospect in 2 years?

    SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:53 PM ET ) Yes.


  • If push comes to shove and I have to choose between Ohka and Armas, I guess I'd go with Armas but I would want no more than one year deal and at his age, it would serve him well to try and prove he's healthy to get a decent contract while he is on the right side of 30. With the Mets big park, a playoff caliber team, and Rick Peterson in the fold, the Mets might be Armas' best shot to get back on track what once looked like a promising career.
  • 15 Comments:

    Blogger I.M. Forme said...

    your question to callis =just like my thinking
    your take on dawn perry=just like me

    that's why i stopped thinking. this is better than tv.

    1:30 AM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Who needs to think anymore? I stopped years ago.

    I really am disturbed about just how many accolades I've given Cashman this year. It just that I've pegged him very wrong and thought he was no good. I'm truly impressed with him and slighty disturbed that he managed to get his farm system to a top ten system and still have the talent he has at the big league level. Truly scary. Even when your worst enemy does good, you just have to respect it sometimes.

    Conversely, on the other side of town...the Mets have a system that Callis ranked around 14 with Reyes, Wright, Milledge, Perez, Maine, and Heilman all at the big league level and 25 and under...Scary. Mets are poised for big things. I'm loving the Mets and their future right now. If Omar stays the course and stays true to his word, the Mets will be a force for quite a while. He just needs to start getting some good drafts in which is my major complaint. The Mets should have inked Beato prior to the draft and picked up Betances as well, but now I'm nit-picking.

    8:40 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    SHOULD HAVE inked Beato is clear!! This trying not to buck the slot system is stupid and is even more to the point when you look at the cost of major league average pitching talent.

    Armas/Ohka. Ohka/Armas. Armka/Okas. Do I make my point?

    Pre-injuries, the above conundrum would not exist. Armas would be earning at least upper-Meche money (and very likely over) had he not had such a lousy arm. Now, they're one and the same - well, Ohka is probably more valuable as he has less of an injury history. Armas is a five inning pitcher at this point.

    I don't care which one they sign. Really I don't care. I just think it's time for some decisive action again. Omar was quick at the gate with a team that needed a limited amount of work. That enabled him to get most of his work done, but he still needs a good finish, which for me translates to an added, viable (and inexpensive) arm with some major league experience.

    What most people seem to overlook as they crit O's current rotation is that the Mets have at least one top of the rotation arm ready for the bigs by mid-season and very possibly three. Well, let's take two and split the difference!

    Neither Pelfrey nor Humber needs more than a half season in tropical New Orleans. At least one will very likely contribute this year, and in a very positive way at that. Petey is a less sure thing but not impossible.

    Anyway, agree on Lastings. Agree on Cashman. Mega-agree on Blanton. Caveat on Perry is that at least it's some pretty good koolaid!

    11:00 AM

     
    Blogger I.M. Forme said...

    im sorry cashman lovers, maybe the news didn't reach your puffy cloud: Cashman signed Doug Mancanthitz, who somehow still manages to be overrated although he cant hit a lick. Hardly something a GM wants on his tombstone.

    And Petite for $16 mil. And he might play Roidger Clemens' half season game. And how is cleaning up your own mess (Shef, Unit) equal to great GMing? Maybe Cash will sign some more juicers when he can get his hands on the list.

    Put that in your pipes and smoke it.
    I.M. Forme(troublemaker)

    12:40 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Well, either is ok as long as it is a one year contract, but I suspect it might take two. If one will take a one year, that’s the guy. Also, if their cost is low, then two years won’t be bad if they can be shifted into the bullpen or something or traded if they are marginally effective.

    As for overlooking the young guys, that is why Omar is not desperate. Why block them with anyone less than an ace? Expendable guys like Ohka and Armas can be shifted with no consequences. Omar is on the ball which is why he is not panicking. The Mets have a quite a few arms and they are not looking for all of them to step up. Merely three of them and I do feel good about the odds of three stepping up…then Pedro comes back. I know we shouldn’t count on him, but everything seems to be moving along rather well.

    Itsmetsforme,

    We have to keep in mind what he was working with when he apparently gained his autonomy from the big Stein and his Tampa folks. When you factor that in and the going rate for marginal pitchers these days, Pettitte is a good deal. I wouldn’t necessarily call it his mess as Unit and Sheff are seemingly Steinbrenner’s signings anyway.

    1:05 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Although they didn't get Carillo, Linebrink, or Stauffer, I think the Yankees got a nice return for Randy "41 years old with a bad back" Johnson.
    The Yankee bullpen is gonna be very good.

    It doesn't matter how good Milledge plays, his batting average will never be as high as Blanton's batting average against...

    I don't know what type of production or performance fans were expecting from him. Being the youngest player in the entire national league. And if just 5 more hits dropped in, Milledge would have had a .270 average and nobody would hate him.

    I think I'd go with Ohka. But to be honost, it doesn't even matter. Interchangable mediocrities. And I wouldn't mind either of them in the rotation just taking up space while Humber and Pelfrey stay in the minors.

    I always liked Cashman and felt that no one ever appreciated him because he was the Yankee GM. Steinbrenner tells him to go get Randy Johnson? It took him a couple of months but he somehow got it done, despite having the same exact freakin' players as he did in the June!
    Thats props.

    2:11 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Mike, I just got your "some ridiculously handsome blogger" asking a question. Ha ha - nice

    8:04 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    boston just signed piniero... good move. he can pitch. he's just been hurt

    8:09 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    I was told by a scout who works for the MLB scouting bureau that the Mets wanted to give Beato $1mil to sign and Beato a local kid was dancing and ready to sign as we wanted badly to be a Met. But MLB specificly Frank Coonelly Senior VP/General Counsel Labor Relations told the Mets there would a punishment handed down to them if they didn't comply.

    There reasoning was Beato was a draft so if Beato signed for big money it would screw up the sloting bounuses.

    A bunch of bullshit if you ask me.

    9:59 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Unless an overwhelming trade comes up then obviously holding onto Ledge is on. A top flight pitcher...say a Mark Beurhle (with an extension) is the type.

    Not Vasquez, Suppan or Benson!!!!

    5:00 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Fuck dayn perry - you just brought up something I wanted to bring up. About this whole trading Milledge for pitching.

    What does every one think about Joe Blanton for Milledge. I say its a disaster waiting to happen. If Milledge is our highest valued trading chip, why on earth do we want to trade him for Steve Trash-ball-lite? Esp when we can have the real thing for like $1mm.

    I just want Spring training to start already. I'm getting pissed off with all this ridiculous trade talk.

    11:11 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Damn Coop, you made a very special appearence on metsblog yesterday. Posting all day everyday.

    I'm just hoping thos Blanton for Milledge rumors are over. Just a disgusting idea.

    1:26 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Benny! I didn't even see you on Metsblog, unless you were a phantom reader. I like how Cerrone singled me out. I don't know but is he a Willie lover? I criticized Willie and he seemed to jump all over me.

    4:52 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    I try to post and try to find reasons to respond but sometimes I don't feel like it. Sometimes someone else already said what I wanted to say or what usually happens is I read the news item too late and there's not point in even writing anything.

    I used to hate Cerrone but I do respect and appreciate the things he does. I mean most of the stuff he does is just recycle and direct you to news articles but sometimes he goes hard and makes calls to people that hook him up with credible information.

    He does seem to hate us renegades.
    I was banned from there for like... a day until I e-mailed him asking him "yo... wtf!?"

    3:17 AM

     
    Blogger I.M. Forme said...

    i hate ca$hman. He's a spanker. No takers? OK, moving on.

    Coop I've read and posted on Cerrone's blog for years and never got so much as a howdayado. Maybe it's cause i'm ridiculously handsome. Then again I've never been asked to leave either...

    Blaa-ton for Milledge is dumb.

    Without taking sides on whether Omar has done enough this offseason, it has been kind of boring, no? I had a whole bunch of infantile shit planed to do on my blog to greet each major signing this winter, but I can't duct tape up the lockers and break out the champaigne for David Newhan.

    So i am just pretending that Omar signed a free agent named "Not-Steve Trachell"--and that makes me happy enough.

    PS welcome back Rodger Cedeno!

    10:57 PM

     

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