Mets Hot Corner

Bats Get Going in Intrasquad #2

2009-02-24T12:22:00.003-05:00

The Mets have begun their second intrasquad game of the season today before they head to Fort Lauderdale to take on the Orioles tomorrow.

This time the lineups are essentially major league starters (minus Schneider) vs bench players/minor leaguers.

The major league lineup looks like this:

Luis Castillo, 2B
Jose Reyes, SS
Carlos Beltran, CF
Carlos Delgado, 1B
David Wright, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Daniel Murphy, LF
Omir Santos, C
Fernando Martinez, DH for both teams

Interesting lineup, one we've never seen before. Manuel is holding to his thinking of having Castillo leadoff to get him jump started.

Anyway, the Mets have shaken the rust off their bats. Beltran and Wright have both hit home runs, and Reyes and Pagan have each hit an opposite-field double.

John Maine, JJ Putz, and Freddy Garcia have all pitched. Oliver Perez and Rule 5 pick Rocky Cherry are also scheduled to pitch.

Check out MetsBlog for some great videos and pictures from the game. There is a video of Garcia warming up in the bullpen, and he looks terrible to me. Hopefully it was at the very beginning with him just getting loose.

Mets v.s. Mets: Intrasquad Game

2009-02-23T13:46:00.002-05:00

Adam Rubin of the Daily News was providing live updates of the intrasquad game from Tradition Field, but he stopped after the fifth inning.

Jerry Manuel stood in shallow centerfield, right in the middle of the action, to get a good look at the game. The other coaches sat in folding chairs behind a screen near homeplate.

The game was still scoreless through five. However, the top of the third was ended early due to Nelson Figueroa reaching a certain pitch count. The bases were loaded with one out when the inning was halted.

Just two hits had been recorded- a Nick Evans single and a Fernando Martinez infield single.

Jon Niese went two perfect innings with two strikeouts.

There were a couple of broken bat groundouts and quite a few strikeouts. The lack of offense is likely due to the fact that these guys haven't seen live pitching in a few months. They're working their way back into the groove.

According to Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog, most of the everyday players had been removed from the game by about 1 pm. He even saw Luis Castillo taking extra batting practice in the cages after he came out of the game.

Intrasquad Game Lineups

2009-02-23T13:36:00.002-05:00

The Mets began an intrasquad game at Tradition Field at about 11 A.M. Sandy Alomar Sr. manages against his son.

Alomar Sr.'s team looks like this:

Alex Cora, SS
Marlon Anderson, 2B
Daniel Murphy, LF
Carlos Beltran, CF
Fernando Tatis, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Nick Evans, 1B
Brian Schneider, C
Fernando Martinez, DH

On the mound is Jon Niese.

Here is Alomar Jr.'s team with prospect Dillon Gee on the mound:

Luis Castillo, 2B
Jose Reyes, SS
David Wright, 3B
Carlos Delgado, 1B
Bobby Kielty, RF
Jeremy Reed, CF
Ramon Castro, C
Cory Sullivan, LF
Rene Rivera, DH

Looks like Sr. got the real outfield while Jr. got the real infield (minus Schneider).

Outfield Market Gets Moving; Murphy Ready to Go

2009-02-11T16:16:00.004-05:00

The free agent market, which has been somewhat stagnant for a while, has started moving again. Outfielders Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn have signed contracts.

Abreu and the Angels have agreed on a one-year deal worth roughly $5 million plus incentives. The Mets were only willing to talk about Abreu if his price fell below $4 million.

NL East rival Washington has signed Adam Dunn to a two-year deal worth $20 million. Dunn is certainly worth the $10 million, but with this shaky market I thought he could be netted with a cheaper deal.

Dunn more than makes up for his low batting average (career .247) and high strikeout rate (at least 120 K's in every full year of his career) with his phenomenal home runs and ability to get on-base.

Dunn has hit at least 40 homers in the past six straight seasons. He has gotten on base at a .385 clip in five of those seasons.

Going into spring training the Mets will have Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis splitting time in left field. Some Mets fans are uneasy with this tandem but I'm perfectly fine with it.

Last season, Murphy and Tatis combined to hit .302 with 13 homers and 64 RBI in 404 at bats.

Murphy has already arrived at the Mets Spring Training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He has been working out alongside David Wright, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, Nick Evans, and others.

According to Bart Hubbuch from the New York Post, Murphy impressed in sprints this morning, beating his teammates. Hubbuch also said that Murphy is in great shape and seems to be ready for the season to start now.

Mets Interested in Bobby Abreu?

2009-02-09T15:19:00.002-05:00

Outfielder Bobby Abreu has yet to receive any enticing contract offers. While the Mets are no longer looking to make any big offseason moves, Abreu's price could fall to $3 million for a one-year deal.

In that case they'd have to look into it. The Angels, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners are other potentially interested teams.

The biggest detriment to signing Abreu would be that he hits left-handed. I don't see this as a problem. In fact, Abreu hit better against lefties (.315) last year than he did against righties (.287)! He even has a career .280 average against southpaws.

Abreu does not have a tremendous amount of power, but his high on-base percentage would certainly be helpful to the Mets lineup. He has a career .405 OBP and would fit nicely in the two-hole hitting between Jose Reyes and David Wright.

Abreu's outfield defense would likely be equal to that of a Tatis/Murphy combination. Abreu will not sacrifice his body like Tatis or Murphy would, but his experience in the outfield would make up for that.

Having Abreu would allow Murphy to spend a year in Triple-A getting used to playing whatever position the Mets feel suits him (outfield or first base). Also, Tatis would be a nice right-handed bat coming off the bench. Cory Sullivan or Jeremy Reed, whomever wins the final outfield job, could spell Abreu in the late innings as a defensive replacement.

Abreu would be a nice fit for the Mets, however, I am perfectly fine with a Murphy/Tatis platoon.

Martinez, Dessens, and Castro

2009-02-06T00:30:00.003-05:00

Mets top prospect Fernando Martinez hit a game-winning pinch hit two-run homer on Wednesday night to lift the Dominican Republic over Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series.

However, Martinez will not participate in the remainder of the series. He will fly to New York to be checked by a doctor after experiencing tightness in his elbow. It is not believed to be serious.

In other news, the Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Elmer Dessens to a minor league deal. His last full season in the majors was 2006, when he posted a 4.56 ERA in 62 relief appearances with the Royals and Dodgers. He almost certainly won't make the big league club out of spring training but he'll be there in Triple-A in case he's needed.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are trying to trade backup catcher Ramon Castro. He is due to be paid $2.8 million dollars this season. The Mets would like to free up that money, especially because they think Robinson Cancel can handle the backup duties just as well.

Minaya Did the Right Thing Avoiding Sheets

2009-02-05T23:28:00.003-05:00

With the recent signing of Oliver Perez all the clamor among Mets fans has been about how the team hasn't changed since last year. Many fans (myself included) were calling for Ben Sheets to be the guy to fill out the Mets rotation.

Well, it turns out Omar Minaya knew something the fans didn't (as usual).

It was reported by MLB.com that Sheets will most likely need surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow.

The Rangers and Sheets were apparently very close on a two-year deal but a physical stopped the deal when the torn tendon was revealed. The Brewers will likely have to pay for Sheets to have the surgery since he was employed by them when he was injured.

Sheets is still on the open market, so a team could possibly sign him to a two-year deal and allow him to rehab.

Oliver Perez is a Met Again

2009-02-02T14:53:00.002-05:00

The New York Post is reporting that the Mets have signed pitcher Oliver Perez to a three-year deal worth $36 million.

I'd have to to say the Mets have won this battle with Scott Boras. The original offer from the Mets was three years, $30 million, so they only had to come up $2 million per year. The biggest part is the length of the contract. Boras and Perez were asking for five years at the beginning of the offseason. The Mets got what they wanted with only three years and didn't even have to include an option.

The Mets can now go into spring training in two weeks with a good rotation that will consist of Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, John Maine, and either Tim Redding, Freddy Garcia, or Jon Niese.

Some Mets fans feel this offseason has left something to be desired. Maybe Omar's not done yet, we'll see. Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf are still on the market as well as several high profile outfielders.

Three Pitchers, Outfielder Sign Minor League Contracts with Mets

2009-01-30T13:11:00.002-05:00

The Mets signed pitchers Tony Armas Jr., Valerio de los Santos, and Matt DeSalvo to minor league contracts along with outfielder Bobby Kielty.

Armas was with the Mets last season. He made only three appearances in the majors and spent most of his time in Triple-A. He had an excellent season with New Orleans, posting a 2.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. However, he had an ugly 7.56 ERA in 8 1/3 innings with the big league club. He will likely spend 2009 in Triple-A and serve as insurance in case of injuries to the Mets starting rotation.

Kielty struggled in the minors last year. He will compete for a job in spring training, but his numbers are dismal and with the abundance of outfielders in the organization I don't even see him getting a spot on the Triple-A Buffalo roster. He is a right-handed bat in contrast to the three left-handed hitting outfielders the Mets have acquired this offseason (Reed, Sullivan, Mackowiak).

DeSalvo has the biggest upside of the four signees. The 28-year-old right hander with a September 11th birthday has thrown just 29 2/3 major league innings. He has a horrid 7.89 ERA in that small sample but has put up decent minor league numbers. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 starts with Triple-A Scranton in 2007.

De los Santos is that left-handed reliever some fans have been hoping for. It seems that Omar has scooped him up off the scrap heap and will give him a chance in Spring Training and see if he can make the ball club. He has a career 4.57 ERA.

Garland Signs With Arizona

2009-01-29T00:57:00.003-05:00

According to the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Diamondbacks have signed free agent pitcher Jon Garland to a one-year deal with an option for 2010.

The deal is worth somewhere in the range of $6-8 million dollars. Quite a bargain considering Garland made $12 million last season.

Garland was 14-8 with a 4.90 ERA for the Angels last season. He is not a high-profile pitcher (4.47 career ERA), but is very reliable considering he has made at least 32 starts while throwing at least 190 innings every year since 2002.

You can cross Garland off the Mets list of possibly starting pitchers. Oliver Perez is still the top target, though the Mets have been having talks with Ben Sheets.

Perez doesn't really seem to have any other suitors besides the Mets and maybe the Cardinals. The Yankees are probably (though you never know with them and Boras) out of the running since they re-signed Andy Pettitte, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin has said is not interested in Perez.

Sheets has been talking with the Texas Rangers as well, and they are reportedly going over his medical records once again.

Behind Sheets and Perez is lefty Randy Wolf. If things go right he will not be a Met in 2009.

Heilman Traded to Cubs

2009-01-28T22:33:00.002-05:00

The Seattle Mariners have traded former Mets pitcher Aaron Heilman to the Cubs in exchange for pitching prospect Garret Olson and shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

Heilman was traded from the Mets to Seattle earlier this offseason in the trade that brought J.J. Putz to New York. Heilman owns a home in a Chicago suburb and will likely compete with Sean Marshall for the fifth spot in the Cubs rotation.

Mets Sign Freddy Garcia

2009-01-22T22:23:00.003-05:00

Adam Rubin from the New York Daily News is reporting that free agent pitcher Freddy Garcia has signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets.

Garcia has been plagued by injuries. He pitched in just 11 games for the Phillies in 2007. After having surgery on his right shoulder he pitched in three games in September of 2008 with the Tigers.

Garcia was an integral part of the 2005 World Champion White Sox. He had a 3.87 ERA and pitched 228 innings. In the postseason that year he won three games with a 2.14 ERA.

In contrast to his recent injury-plagued seasons, Garcia was once very reliable. He pitched at least 200 innings for six straight seasons from 2001-2006.

If Garcia makes the big league club and meets all incentives, he could earn $9 million dollars in 2009. He will likely compete with Tim Redding and Jon Niese for the fifth spot in the Mets rotation.

The Mets are still pursuing Oliver Perez and Ben Sheets to fill another hole in the rotation.

Mets Avoid Arbitration with Church, Pagan

2009-01-21T00:57:00.002-05:00

Outfielders Ryan Church and Angel Pagan, both in their first year of arbitration eligibility, agreed to contracts on Tuesday according to Marty Noble at MLB.com.

Church will be paid $2.8 million in 2009 and Pagan will make $575,000.

Church had an excellent start to the 2008 season, hitting .311 with nine homers, and 31 RBI in April and May. Church suffered a concussion in late May when he collided with Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar. Symptoms from the concussion lingered throughout the season limiting Church's playing time.

Pagan played well in April hitting .276 with a .352 on-base percentage while filling in for the injured Moises Alou. However, Pagan injured himself while making a catch against the wall in Dodger Stadium and needed surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder.

John Maine and Pedro Feliciano remain the lone Mets without a contract. Both players and the Mets submitted their salary numbers on Tuesday.

Maine is asking for $3 million while the Mets have offered $2.2 million.

Feliciano is asking for $1.95 million and the Mets have offered $1.35 million.

Arbitration hearings will take place in February, so there is still plenty of time for Maine and Feliciano to settle with the Mets and sign contracts.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Mets have gone to an arbitration hearing just one time since 1992. It was last year with Oliver Perez and he won.

Outfield Depth Increases with Signing of Sullivan

2009-01-20T14:37:00.003-05:00

The Denver Post is reporting that the Mets have signed outfielder Cory Sullivan to a one-year, $600,000 contract. The deal also includes $300,000 worth of incentives.

Sullivan played all three outfield positions for the Rockies the last four seasons. He was a bench player for the last two seasons and appeared in just 18 games in 2008.

Sullivan is excellent defensively and sports a career .279 batting average.

This gives the Mets a ridiculous amount of depth in the outfield. You have the starters Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church, and the assumed left field platoon of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis. Also under major league contracts are Angel Pagan (awaiting arbitration or settlement), Jeremy Reed, Marlon Anderson, and now Sullivan.

Nine outfielders (including Nick Evans), better safe than sorry I guess (that and the AAA outfield will be pretty good). One of these guys could step up and contribute.

Mets Avoid Arbitration with Sanchez, Reed

2009-01-19T21:05:00.003-05:00

According to the Associated Press, Reliever Duaner Sanchez and the New York Mets agreed to a one-year deal worth about $1.7 million.

Outfielder Jeremy Reed, acquired from the Mariners alongside J.J. Putz, also avoided salary arbitration by signing a one-year, $950,000 contract.

The Mets have only gone to an arbitration hearing one time since 1992. That was last off-season with Oliver Perez (thanks Scott Boras).

John Maine, Ryan Church, Pedro Feliciano, and Angel Pagan have also filed for arbitration, but are expected to settle on a contract.

Mets Sign Fossum, Cooper to Minor League Deals

2009-01-19T18:21:00.002-05:00

Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog is relaying the news that Mets have picked up LHP Casey Fossum and minor league outfielder Justin Cooper.

These two agreed to minor league deals on Sunday.

Fossum has a career 5.47 ERA, but it couldn't hurt to have another arm (especially a left-handed one) at AAA in case of emergency. Lefties hit .243 against him last season. If the need arises he could be used as a long reliever.

Jason Cooper is a career minor leaguer, but he brings some good karma to the Mets organization as he has won three straight Community Service Awards from the Buffalo Bisons.

Mets Sign Cora

2009-01-19T18:02:00.002-05:00

The Mets have signed free agent infielder Alex Cora. Boston's WEEI was the first to report the one year, $2 million deal.

Cora will be the Mets backup infielder and could end up being a very important signing because of Luis Castillo's health concerns.

Cora hit .270 with a .371 on-base percentage in 152 at bats with the Red Sox last season. Cora has not had a significant starting role since he played second base for the L.A. Dodgers in 2004. He has played shortstop, second, and third base in his 11-year career.

Omar Minaya seems to have a knack for acquiring "has-been" infielders.

Jose Valentin, who was picked up off the scrap heap in 2006, stepped in and contributed nicely (.271, 18 HR, 62 RBI, 324 ABs) for the NL East Champion Mets.

Last season's backup infielder, Damion Easley, stepped up and hit .298 in June, July, and August while filling in for the injured Castillo.

Lowe Signs With Atlanta; What's Next For Mets?

2009-01-14T00:49:00.002-05:00

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that the Braves have reached an agreement with Derek Lowe on a four-year $60 million contract.

The Braves have finally made a signing after missing out on several targets this offseason, including Jake Peavy, Rafael Furcal, and John Smoltz.

For the first time this offseason, the New York Mets have missed out on one of their top targets. The Mets had Lowe at the top of their wish list of starting pitchers and appeared to be in good position to sign the Scott Boras client.

General Manager Omar Minaya had a three-year $36 million offer on the table and appeared willing to give more money. It seems the deal breaker for the Mets (and what sealed the deal for Lowe and Atlanta) was guaranteeing a fourth year.

The Mets have signed starting pitcher Tim Redding, but still have a gaping hole in their rotation that needs to be filled.

Next on their list is Oliver Perez.

The Mets reportedly offered Perez a three-year deal worth about $10 million per season on Monday. The Mets will likely need to up their offer for Perez, also a Boras client, to bring him back to New York.

Perez has shown promise in his two and half years with the Mets, posting a 3.56 ERA in 2007, but struggles with control issues. He led the majors with 105 walks in 2008.

The market for Perez is unclear, as no other teams have shown much interest thus far.

Randy Wolf is the other likely option for the Mets.

With Lowe gone, maybe Minaya will look into ex-Brewer Ben Sheets, who had an excellent 3.09 ERA last season. Sheets usually strikes out many batters and walks very few (career 3.85 K/BB), but is very injury prone, and the Mets have yet to show interest in him.

Pedro Martinez also remains an option to compete for a spot in the rotation, though it is unlikely the Mets will bring him back.

Having a strong rotation is just as important as solidifying the bullpen. We'll see what Minaya does next.

Mets Make Offer to Perez

2009-01-13T00:13:00.002-05:00

Matt Cerrone at MetsBlog is reporting that the Mets have made a contract offer to left handed pitcher Oliver Perez, citing SI.com's Jon Heyman as a source.

The offer is reportedly for three years and somewhere around $30 million. I would certainly take Perez at that price, but with Scott Boras as his agent, negotiations will continue. Perez made $6.5 million last season when he went 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA for the Mets.

Perez (read Boras) was seeking a five-year $80 million deal at the beginning of the offseason.

This is a great move by Omar Minaya to jump into the Perez talks early. The Mets are still talking with Boras about Derek Lowe, but with the Braves apparently offer three years at $40-42 million with a possible fourth year option things are looking grim on that front.

If Minaya had waited to get serious about Perez, he would have found himself in trouble if Lowe signed with the Braves, as the Boras would have all the leverage knowing that the Mets would be desperate for Perez.

It's looking like the Mets will end up with one of the two pitchers at the top of their list (Lowe, Perez).

Former Met Rickey Henderson Elected to Hall of Fame

2009-01-12T21:31:00.005-05:00

It was announced on Monday that base stealing champion Rickey Henderson and Red Sox slugger Jim Rice will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Baseball Writer's Association of America voted in Henderson and Rice, who will join Joe Gordon (elected by Veterans Committee) in the class of 2009.

Henderson was in his first year of eligibility and was on 94.8% of ballots. This ranks him 13th all time in terms of highest percentage of ballots. Jim Rice was voted into the Hall on his 15th and final ballot, with 76.4 of the votes, just seven votes above the minimum.
Henderson was a member of the 1999 Wild Card Mets, and served as the teams hitting/first base coach for part of the 2007 season.

The flashy Henderson was a lock to get in the Hall on his first ballot. Some expected him to pass Tom Seaver's record of 98.84% of votes, and a few even thought he would be on all 536 ballots.

Henderson is the career leader for stolen bases, a record that will likely never be broken. He stole 1406 bases in his 25-year career. That number is 468 more that the second place man, Lou Brock (938).

Some Mets fans might be thinking, well maybe Jose Reyes can break the record. Think again. Reyes, age 25, currently has 290 steals. If he played until age 40 (15 more seasons), Reyes would need to average 75 steals per season to break the record.

Henderson also holds the single-season steals record with 130, and reached 100 steals in a season three times in his career.

Adding to Henderson's gaudy stats are his record 2295 runs, 10 all-star appearances, an AL MVP award, a Gold Glove, and two World Series rings. Not to mention he is a member of the 3,000 hit club.

For some interesting anecdotes about Henderson, who always referred to himself in the third person, click here.

Boston great Jim Rice put up some impressive numbers as well in his 16-year career. Rice amassed 382 home runs, 1,451 RBI, and a .298 batting average. He also was selected to eight all-star teams, won the 1987 AL MVP, and led the AL in homers three times.

Gordon, Rice, and Henderson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY on July 26, 2009.

Mets Sign Pitcher Tim Redding

2009-01-10T15:04:00.010-05:00

The Mets have signed free agent starting pitcher Tim Redding to a one year deal worth $2.25 million.

The former Nationals pitcher will compete with Jon Niese for the fifth spot in the Mets starting rotation. Last season, the Rochester, NY native had a 10-11 record and a 4.95 ERA.

Redding's best season came in 2003 with Houston when he posted a 3.68 ERA. He will not be a lights out go-to pitcher, but Redding could provide some stability for the Mets as a reliable fifth starter, something they have lacked in the past few seasons.

Mets fans will be happy to know that Redding was 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA against the Phillies last season.

This signing does not mean the Mets are done pursuing starting pitchers. GM Omar Minaya continues to have discussions with agent Scott Boras about Derek Lowe.

The Mets biggest competition for Lowe's services appear to be the Braves. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Lowe had a visit with the Braves on Friday which included a video message from country music star Alan Jackson.

I'm a fan of Jackson's music, but let's hope Lowe isn't. To see a video of Jackson performing his 9-11 tribute song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" click here.

Lowe Declines Mets Offer

2009-01-02T01:44:00.002-05:00

According to the Boston Globe, Derek Lowe has rejected the Mets' three-year $36 million offer. Lowe, with superagent Scott Boras apparently want to explore the market for a better deal.

The Mets won't quite here however. At the beginning of the offseason Lowe was seeking a five-year $90 million dollar deal. As far as I can tell he won't get that kind of a deal. The Mets have a good chance of signing him for a deal somewhere in the range of 3-4 years and 13-16 million dollars per season.

Mets Make Offer to Lowe

2008-12-31T13:15:00.006-05:00

The Mets have offered Derek Lowe a three-year contract worth a total of 36 million dollars ($12 million per year). That's much smaller than the five-year $90 million deal Lowe was apparently seeking at the beginning of the offseason.

There isn't much competition for Lowe, if there is any at all. The Red Sox are the only other team that have been mentioned and they just signed Brad Penny to round out their rotation. Boston now has Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, and Penny. Plus Clay Buchholz is waiting in the wings, so it appers the Sox don't need Lowe at all.

Lowe would be a great addition to the Mets rotation and would give them one of the strongest rotations in the NL. He would also help ease the bullpen's workload because he throws many innings. Since becoming a starter in 2002, Lowe has averaged 208 innings pitched and just 57 walks per season. Last season, Lowe walked just 45 batters.

Mets Close to Deal with Lowe

2008-12-24T14:26:00.002-05:00

The Mets are reportedly close to signing free agent pitcher Derek Lowe. Earlier in the offseason when analyzing the Mets starting pitching, I hoped they would sign Lowe.

The deal is expected to be for 3-4 years at $14-16 million per season.

The market for Lowe had been slow because he is represented by super agent Scott Boras. Once Boras completed negotiations with the Yankees for Mark Teixiera (8 years, $180 million), talks about Lowe were able to become more serious.

The Red Sox appear to be the only other team seriously considering Lowe.

Negotiations will be put on hold for the Christmas holiday, but the deal could be done by New Year's day.

Wright to Play for Team USA

2008-12-22T21:10:00.003-05:00

Mets third baseman David Wright will play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in March according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Alex Rodriguez was the third baseman for the US in the 2006 classic, but has announced that he will play for the Domincan Republic this time.

Wright will battle Braves star Chipper Jones for the starting job at third base. Davey Johnson, manager of the 1986 World Champion Mets, will be the manager for Team USA at the '09 Classic.

Johnson has a strong desire to win the gold medal and asked Wright if he was ready to play nine innings. "I'll be ready to go 18 if you want," Wright responded.

Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, Grady Sizemore, Mark Derosa, Ryan Braun, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, and John Lackey have announced they will play for Team USA along with Wright.

Team USA will be playing the first round in Toronto (Pool C) against Canada, Italy, and Venezuela.

"All Systems Go" For Putz

2008-12-19T01:12:00.002-05:00

The Mets officially introduced J.J. Putz to the media today. Putz, the former Mariners closer, was acquired from Seattle on December 10th. For details of the trade click here.

Putz was presented with a number 40 jersey. He wore number 20 with the Mariners, I'm not sure why he changed, but it's not a big deal.

Putz made two trips to the disabled list last season. One with a hyperextended pitching elbow, and another with right torso inflammation. When asked about the status of his injuries, he said he has been throwing and working out on his off-season program for a few weeks and that everything felt just fine. Putz added, "it's all systems go."

The Mets new setup man seemed excited to pitch in the spotlight in the big city. He displayed a cool, calm, and collected demeanor.

One thing I'm excited about is that Putz is somewhat of a prankster. Putz mentioned that he was a fan of shaving cream pies and that plenty of those will be handed out this season. He even commented that he would get SNY's Kevin Burkhardt with a pie.

This is exactly the type of thing the Mets need, some fun to lighten things up during a long season. I look forward to seeing Putz sneak up on an unsuspecting teammate with a towel full of shaving cream after a big win.

To see videos from the press conference and Putz's interview with Kevin Burkhardt click here.

Minaya Says No Manny for Mets

2008-12-18T17:51:00.003-05:00

In an interview with WFAN radio, Omar Minaya expressed his interests for the remainder of the offseason. He will be looking for pitching, speed, and defense. When asked if he would make an offer to Manny Ramirez, he said, "No."

The Mets don't need Manny Ramirez.

They need pitching. The offense is fine. In 2008, the Mets ranked 2nd in the National League in runs scored. Meanwhile, they ranked 13th in bullpen ERA.

We can look to 2006 to see what makes the Mets succesful. In 2006, when the Mets reached the NLCS, they led the NL in bullpen ERA. Pitching is the answer.

An offense consisting of Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado is going to be just fine. Plus there will be contributions from Ryan Church (whether they will be big or small remains to be seen).

The bullpen has been solidified with arguable the best one-two punch (Putz and K-Rod) in the majors. The Mets might be looking for a left handed reliever and are certainly looking for another starting pitcher.

Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez are the free agent targets to make a big impact in the rotation. Other pitchers such as Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, or Jason Marquis may be acquired to compete with Jon Niese for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Bullpen Taking Shape, Mets Possibly Looking for a Lefty

2008-12-18T00:46:00.009-05:00

The Mets have certainly improved their bullpen this offseason with numerous moves including the acquisitions of Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz.

Those two elite pitchers have the closer and eigth inning setup roles locked down. The remainder of the Mets bullpen will consist of lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano, Sean Green (acquired with Putz from Seattle), and several pitchers competing for the final three spots.

Brian Stokes is a likely candidate to take the long relief role. Duaner Sanchez, Robert Parnell, Connor Robertson, Rule 5 draftee Rocky Cherry, Eddie Kunz and Carlos Muniz are all candidates for spots in the Citi Field bullpen.

The Mets have had two left-handers (Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis) in their 'pen for the last two seasons and could be looking to add a second lefty for the 2009 bullpen.

Joe Beimel, who posted a 2.02 ERA with the Dodgers in 2008, is top lefty reliever. However, he will likely command $4 million per season. Since the Mets are already paying $4.4 million for Putz to be their setup man, they are unlikely to sign Beimel.

More likely options are Japanese pitcher Ken Takahashi, former Braves reliever Will Ohman, and ex-Brewer Brian Shouse.

Acquiring a starting pitcher or two seems to be the priority right now, but Omar Minaya is likely keeping an eye on the lefty reliever market.

Mets Trade Schoeneweis to Arizona

2008-12-12T22:14:00.005-05:00

The New York Mets traded left handed relief pitcher Scott Schoeneweis to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for RHP Connor Robertson.

Schoeneweis served as a lefty specialist for the Mets for the last two seasons. He had a 3.34 ERA in 2008 and lefties hit just .178 against him.

Schoeneweis was scheduled to make $3.6 million in 2009. The Mets will cover $1.6 million of his 2009 salary. Perhaps Omar Minaya is trying to cut down payroll a little to make room for the contracts of Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, as well as making more deals.

Connor Robertson appeared in six games for the Diamondbacks last season. The reliever allowed four earned runs in seven innings pitched.

Robertson, who will likely make the league minimum ($400,000) in 2009 (if he makes the big league club), had success in the minor leagues. In 306 minor league innings, Robertson racked up a whopping 383 strikeouts (11.3 K/9) while issuing 123 walks (3.11 K/BB). He has a career 3.32 ERA in the minors.

Last offseason, he was sent to Arizona from Oakland alongside Dan Haren.

Robertson will likely compete with Eddie Kunz and Robert Parnell for a spot in the bullpen.

Mets Acquire Putz, Solidify Bullpen

2008-12-11T02:47:00.004-05:00

Late Wednesday night the Mets picked up another piece for their bullpen puzzle. Former Mariners closer J.J. Putz is a now a member of the New York Mets.

The trade, which suddenly emerged on the forefront of rumors at about 9 P.M. eastern time Wednesday, also involved the Cleveland Indians.

The Mets have already signed free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez, so Putz will serve as the 8th inning setup man. This now turns the Mets bullpen from the worst in the majors to one of the best.

Putz struggled with injuries last season but previously was dominate for Seattle. In 2007, Putz posted a 1.38 ERA with a 0.70 WHIP and 82 strikeouts against just 13 walks (10.30 K/9, 6.30 K/BB).

The 6-foot-5, 250 pound Putz is under contract for 2009 and has an option for 2010.

Here are the details of the three team, twelve player trade:

Mets Receive:

RHP J.J. Putz

RHP Sean Green

OF Jeremy Reed (all from Seattle)

Mariners Receive:

OF Franklin Gutierrez (from Cleveland)

RHP Aaron Heilman (from New York)

OF Endy Chavez (from NYM)

1B Mike Carp (from NYM/Class AA)

LHP Jason Vargas (from NYM/AAA)

RHP Maikel Cleto (from NYM/A)

OF Ezequiel Carrera (from NYM/A)

Indians Receive:

RHP Joe Smith (from NYM)

INF Luis Valbuena (from Seattle/AAA)

Mets fans will be sorry to see Endy Chavez leave, meanwhile I'm sure many of those same fans are at Aaron Heilman's house now ready to take him to the airport. More on this and analysis of the trade will come later.

Rockies Sign Embree, Talks for Street Continue

2008-12-10T17:26:00.002-05:00

Now that the Mets have the closer role filled with K-Rod, they will move to looking for a set-up man. At the top of the list is former closer Huston Street.

Street is currently a member of the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies needed a left-handed relief pitcher and were interested in Pedro Feliciano as mentioned in an earlier post.

Well, Colorado has agreed to a two year deal with left hander Alan Embree. I assume they won't be needing Feliciano anymore, but that's alright because Omar Minaya didn't want to include him in the deal anyway.

So now Minaya will have to package Aaron Heilman with a prospect to get Street. Rumors suggest that Minaya wants to include someone like Mike Carp, but the Rockies prefer Nick Evans.

K-Rod is a Met

2008-12-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

The New York Mets and pitcher Fransisco Rodriguez have agreed on a three-year contract worth $37 million per season. Rodriguez will need a physical examination to complete the deal. It includes an option for a fourth year worth $14 million dollars.

The Mets have begun to shore up their notoriously shaky bullpen and Omar Minaya and Mets executives can now move on to acquiring more bullpen help and a starting pitcher or two.

A press conference is expected to occur by tomorrow to officially announce the signing.

The market played the Mets way this time and they were able to sign Rodriguez to a reasonable deal. A closer is not the only answer to the bullpen woes, however, and hopefully the Mets can acquire someone like Huston Street, Juan Cruz, Brandon Lyon, or Joe Beimel to anchor the back end of the pen with K-Rod

Mets Offer K-Rod Two Year Deal

2008-12-08T20:18:00.003-05:00

The previously mentioned offer the Mets made to Francisco Rodriguez is reportedly a two year contract with an option for a third year. No monetary terms were mentioned and when approached by reporters K-Rod said the Mets told him not to discuss the negotiations.

Omar Minaya is doing a nice job playing the market in his favor. It looks like there are very few teams, if any, that are willing to pay the necessary money for K-Rod. The Mets and Indians seem to be the only interested teams at this point with the Brewers preoccupied with CC Sabathia. Rodriguez's former team, the Angels, seem ready to move on with someone else, perhaps Scott Shields or Jose Arredondo, at closer.

With such little demand for closers and a great amount of supply (K-Rod, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, Trevor Hoffman, and closers rumored to be available via trade), Minaya certainly has the upper hand in these negotiations.

If Rodriguez and agent Paul Kinzer leave the offer on the table for too long the Mets can turn to another option, leaving K-Rod out in the cold with smaller market teams and an offer significantly smaller than what he was expecting coming into the offseason.

This contract would be ideal for the Mets, although negotations will continue and Kinzer will likely try to get a third year guarenteed.

Mets Pursuing Huston Street

2008-12-08T19:55:00.006-05:00

The Colorado Rockies acquired Huston Street from the A's earlier this offseason as part of a deal that sent Matt Holliday to Oakland. Now, Colorado is willing to deal Street elsewhere.

Mets' GM Omar Minaya has been actively talking to Rockies' GM Dan O'Dowd about a trade for Street. The Mets would like to use Street as their set-up man in 2009 and the former closer would be a nice fit.

The 25-year-old Texan will not be eligible to become a free agent until 2011 and sports a career 2.88 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.

The centerpiece of the deal on the Mets side is maligned reliever Aaron Heilman, whom the Rockies believe could be an effective starting pitcher. The Rockies are looking for a left-handed set-up man and are interested in Pedro Feliciano. However, Omar Minaya does not seem to want to include him in the deal, prefering to trade a prospect instead. The two sides continue to work on the deal as they tend to their other business at the Winter Meetings.

After struggling with injuries in 2008 and early 2009, Street lost his closer's job in Oakland to rookie Brad Ziegler. Nonetheless, Street finished strong with a 1.74 ERA in September.

Winter Meetings Underway, Minaya Goes to Work

2008-12-08T15:24:00.004-05:00

The Winter Meetings kicked off this morning in Las Vegas, Nevada. General Mangers and other executives from all 30 Major League teams as well as a plethora of player agents and even some players themselves are at the Bellagio hotel discussing contracts and trades.

According to Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog, several players including Francisco Rodriguez and CC Sabathia have been spotted in the lobby of the Bellagio.

Mets GM Omar Minaya and his team of executives arrived last night along with owner Jeff Wilpon. Apparently, Minaya enjoyed a steak dinner with free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez shortly after arriving in Vegas.

According to SI's Jon Heyman, the Mets offered K-Rod a three-year contract possibly with an option for a fourth year. The deal is expected to be for $12-13 million per year.

So much for the talk of Rodriguez receiving a five-year deal worth $15 million per season, which would have been ridiculous. In October, I expressed concern about the Mets signing Rodriguez, saying he wasn't worth his asking price and could be on the decline. Although I still think K-Rod's saves record means nothing, a three-year deal sounds good to me and I'll be happy to have Rodriguez on those terms as long as the Mets acquire a quality set-up man to go with him.

Now that the offer is on the table its K-Rod's move. Minaya will not sit around and wait for his answer, as the Mets GM has already met with free agent closers Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman this afternoon.

Stay tuned for more from the Winter Meetings.

Murphy Will Play Left in 2009

2008-11-20T22:00:00.004-05:00

Omar Minaya was on Mets Hot Stove on SNY tonight. He informed the public that
Daniel Murphy strained his hamstring in the Arizona Fall League and will skip Winter Ball to prepare himself for Spring Training.

Minaya added that Murphy would have played left field in winter ball and that most of his playing time will be in left in 2009.

So it looks the like the Mets will go with Murphy and Tatis in left field. They will likely try to trade Luis Castillo and his big contract. Castillo will make $18.75 million over the next three years.

The Mets will already be paying two people that will not be of service to the team in 2009. They are Billy Wagner and Willie Randolph. The signing of a free agent second baseman will likely be dependent on how much of Castillo's contract they are able to unload, if any at all.

Orlando Hudson, a three-time Gold Glove winner, is the top candidate for the job, however he might not be an affordable option due to Castillo's contract.

If the Mets are unable to unload Castillo's contract I suggest that they hang on to him and sign a less expensive second baseman/utility man such as Nick Punto or Willie Bloomquist to platoon with Castillo.

Punto is a hard nosed player who would fit right in with Jerry Manuel's new strategy of situational hitting.

A Look Ahead to 2009, Part I: Starting Pitching

2008-11-13T23:51:00.011-05:00

The MLB hot stove is heating up. At midnight, when the calendar turns to November 14th, teams can be begin to sign free agents.

At midnight, General Manager Omar Minaya and the Mets will begin perhaps their most important offseason in team history. In this three part series, I will look at the Mets needs for the 2009 season and how I think Minaya should take care of them.

The biggest need for the Mets this offseason is pitching. The most glaring weakness is the bullpen, but I will start with a look at the starting rotation. You know the saying, "pitching wins championships," and it all starts with the guys who take the hill to begin the game. Consistent quality starts from the rotation can work wonders for the bullpen.

Under Contract

Johan Santana, 2008 Stats: 16-7, 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 206 K's.

The biggest piece of the Mets rotation was acuired last off-season. Santana proved to Mets fans this year that he can be an the ace in New York. His complete game shutout on three days rest in a must-win game was an incredible feat, especially since Santana did it with a torn meniscus in his knee.

Santana led the National League in ERA and innings pitched en route to finishing third in the Cy Young voting in 2008. The Mets will rely on him to carry the load in 2009 and he will set the tone for the rest of the rotation.

Mike Pelfrey, 2008 Stats: 13-11, 3.72 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 110 K's.

Omar Minaya was able to hold onto Pelfrey, who could have been part of the Santana deal, and it worked out in his favor. Mets' fans were growing impatient with the young prospect, but the 6'7" Pelfrey had a breakout season in 2008.

After a slow start, Pelfrey emerged as a solid pitcher for the Mets during the summer months when he posted a 3.00 ERA to go with an 11-2 record. Pelfrey's success can be attributed to his regaining his confidence and subsequently pounding the strike zone with his mid-90's sinking fastball. Big Pelf tied for the National League lead with 29 double plays. Expect Pelfrey to build on his success in 2009 at Citi Field.

John Maine, 2008 Stats: 10-8, 4.18 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 122 K's.

After a solid 2007, Maine seemed to struggle throughout 2008. Maine often had problems finding the strike zone, as evidenced by his 1.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio. This often led to high pitch counts and leaving the game early. Maine pitched into the seventh inning in just 3 of his 25 starts, which didn't help the struggling bullpen. Altough, these problems could be attributed to injury. Maine made two trips to disabled list after the All-Star break, and had surgery to remove bone spurs from his shoulder at the end of the season.

Maine is expected to be ready to go for spring training and I think he will bounce back from his disappointing 2008 campaign and put up outstanding numbers in 2009. A healthy John Maine is a great asset to the Mets rotation.

Bring Back Perez?

A big question coming into the off-season is whether or not the Mets will resign Oliver Perez. Unsurprisingly, Perez filed for free-agency in October indicating he would like to test the market. With the wily Scott Boras as his agent, Perez is likely to command a large sum of money. It is believed that Boras wants a deal for Perez similar to the one that Carlos Silva signed last offseason. Silva signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Mariners. The Mets have expressed that they have no interest in retaining Perez for longer than three years.

The Mets should let Perez and his league leading 105 walks go elsewhere, and collect the two draft picks they will recieve due to Perez's status as a type-A free agent.

Open Slots

Assuming the Mets do not resign Perez, they have two spots open in their starting rotation. There are several options in free agency and the trade market that will be considered. I think Derek Lowe should be the top candidate to fill one of the positions.

Lowe is 35-years-old, but he has been nothing but consistent since coming to the Dodgers in 2005. In four years in Los Angeles, Lowe never had an ERA higher than 3.88. The two biggest reasons for acquiring Lowe are that he throws strikes and eats innings. Since becoming a starter in 2002, Lowe has averaged 208 innings pitched and just 57 walks per season. Last season, Lowe walked just 45 batters. Oliver Perez reached that walk total on June 7.

The key to Lowe's success is his sinker, and this will likely allow him to continue competing at a high level into his early-40's. An important part of Lowe's resume is his postseason and September success. Lowe was dominant in the midst of a pennant race in September 2008 when he recorded a 0.59 ERA. The 6'6" Lowe boasts a career postseason ERA of 3.35, and he won the clinching game of every series for the 2004 World Champion Red Sox.

There are several things the Mets could do to fill the fifth spot in their rotation. They could sign a free agent such as Jon Garland, or Randy Wolf. They could also explore the trade market for a guy like Javier Vazquez, who holds an expensive contract that the White Sox would like to unload.

The Mets could also look to within their system to fill the final slot in their rotation. Top pitching prospect Jonathan Niese could be given a chance to pitch a full year in the majors. Jason Vargas, a former Marlins prospect who has pitched very well in the Arizona Fall League, could compete with Niese for the job in spring training.

The top priority for the Mets this season will be pitching. A solid rotation that goes deep into games will only help the bullpen. Up next I take a look at the offseason outlook for the Mets bullpen.

Mets' Youngsters Performing Well in Arizona Fall League

2008-10-26T23:42:00.009-04:00

The Arizona Fall League is a six-team league in the Phoenix area created by Major League Baseball. The purpose is to get prospects some extra playing time and hopefully accelerate their path to the majors.

Each MLB team sends six players most of whom are Double-A and Triple-A players. Each team is allowed to send just one Class-A player. No player with more than one year of MLB service is eligible to participate with the exception of Rule 5 draftees. The six AFL teams have thirty players each.

Several of the Mets representatives already have some Major League experience. The Mets prospects, led by Daniel Murphy, have joined forces with White Sox, Padres, and Cardinals prospects to lead the Peoria Saguaros (11-5) to the best record in the league thus far.

Joining Murphy in the desert are pitchers Eddie Kunz, Bobby Parnell, and Jason Vargas, as well as catcher Josh Thole, and third baseman Shawn Bowman.

Bowman and Thole have emerged from the shadows and are hitting .297 and .375 respectively.

After a brief major league stint that consisted of 2.2 innings in 2008, Kunz is serving as the closer for the Saguaros (a type of cactus). Kunz was superb in his first four innings in the AFL. He didn't allow a run while recording two saves. Unfortunately, he imploded in his fifth outing, surrending eight earned runs in just a third of an inning against Mesa. Hopefully, Kunz will be able to recover from this poor outing. He holds an ERA of 12.79 in 6.1 innings for Peoria.

The other Mets pitchers have fared much better. Parnell, who had a 5.40 ERA in 5 September innings with the big league club, has a 2.84 ERA in 6.1 innings in the AFL. In his last outing, Parnell threw four innings while allowing just one hit and striking out five.

Jason Vargas, who was acquired from Florida prior to the 2007 season, has been dominant this fall. Vargas, who was recovering from hip surgery this season, has yet to allow a run in 12.2 innings. Furthermore, he has surrendered just five hits and one walk while striking out seven.

On to the man who everyone is eager to hear about: Daniel Murphy.

Murphy has had quite a fall so far. In ten games he has hit .400 with a .480 OBP, two homers, and 11 RBI, and leads the team with 12 runs scored.

Murphy has been playing second base for Peoria, however this will probably not be the position he plays in New York. According to Omar Minaya, Murphy is seen as the man who will take over for Carlos Delgado at first base, perhaps in 2010. For now, Murphy will likely play the outfield in New York.

The Arizona Fall League season runs up to the week prior to Thanksgiving. The Mets youngsters and the Saguaros have 22 games remaining.

Three Mets Prospects Participate in Rising Stars Showcase

2008-10-26T20:51:00.004-04:00

New York Mets' prospects Daniel Murphy, Eddie Kunz, and Josh Thole participated in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Showcase on Friday, October 24th.

Murphy came into all-star game as a pinch hitter and drew a walk, typical of the disciplined Murphy who has a .480 on-base percentage in ten Arizona Fall League games.

Catcher Josh Thole also walked and knocked in a run with a single in two plate appearances.

Kunz, on the other hand struggled, allowing a walk, two hits, and a run in two-thirds of an inning. He was stuck with a blown save when his American team lost 7-6 to the National team.

Why the New York Mets Should NOT Sign Francisco Rodriguez

2008-10-15T01:21:00.010-04:00

The moment it was announced that Billy Wagner needed Tommy John Surgery and would likely miss the entire 2009 season (the remainder of his contract with the Mets), Mets fans began anointing Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez as the new closer.

The current Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer sits atop most Mets fans' off-season wish lists. His record-breaking 62 saves during the 2008 season just added fuel to the fire of Mets fans' desire for Rodriguez.

Unlike the masses, I don't think signing Rodriguez to the lucrative deal he is looking for would be such a good idea. Sure, K-Rod is a good closer at this point in time, I will not deny that; but, for several reasons, I don't want the Mets to sign him.

"Rivera Money"

According to Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, he wants at least five years at "Mariano money." Mariano refers to Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera who before the 2008 season signed a three-year deal worth $45 million. So, Rodriguez will be looking for a five-year contract worth about $75 million.

Rodriguez is good, but he is not Mariano Rivera. With the Mets needing to fill holes in other areas such as middle relief, starting pitcher, and possibly second base, it would not be wise to spend that kind of money in one place.

Saves Are a Misleading Stat

Francisco Rodriguez recorded 62 saves this season, breaking the single-season record of 57 held by Bobby Thigpen. This led many fans to declare Rodriguez as the best closer in the major leagues. I disagree.

Rodriguez had 69 save opportunities in 2008. The closer with the next highest amount of save opportunities in 2008 was Houston's Jose Valverde with 51. Rodriguez had 18 more opportunities than any other closer. EIGHTEEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES! Of course he's going to have more saves than anyone else if he gets that many more opportunities.Rodriguez did convert 90 percent of his save opportunities, which is very good, but there were closers who fared better. Phillies closer Brad Lidge converted all 41 of his save opportunities, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera had a 98 percent conversion rate, and Royals' closer Joakim Soria converted 93 percent of his save opportunities. Among closers with at least 20 save opportunities, 11 converted at least 87 percent of their save opportunities.

In my opinion, Mariano Rivera, Brad Lidge, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, and Joakim Soria are better closers than Francisco Rodriguez.

K-Rod on the Decline

Francisco Rodriguez stormed onto the seen very late in the 2002 season. During the Angels run to the World Championship in the playoffs, Rodriguez was an important part of the Anaheim bullpen. The baby-faced 20-year-old was armed with a 98-mph fastball, and earned the nickname "K-Rod" by striking out 28 batters in 18.1 postseason innings.

However, since taking over the closer role in 2004, things seem to have changed a little. K-Rod has lost some velocity on his fastball, which now tops out at 94 miles per hour. Also, with the exception of 2006, K-Rod's stats have been on a steady decline. Here is his WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), K/BB (strikeouts per walk), and K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings) from 2004-2008:

Year WHIP K/BB K/9

2004 1.00 3.72 13.17

2005 1.14 2.84 12.16

2006 1.10 3.50 12.08

2007 1.25 2.64 12.02

2008 1.29 2.26 10.14

Over the years, Rodriguez has been allowing more base runners while walking more batters and striking out fewer batters. This is definitely not a good trend.

Rodriguez's 2008 WHIP of 1.29 places him 69th among relievers with at least 40 innings pitched. At some point, base runners will lead to runs.

I will not argue that Rodriguez is a good closer. However, looking at this steady decline leads me to believe that he will not be a good closer in a couple of years.

That is why the Mets should not sign him to a 5 year contract, and should not pay him "Rivera money", because fans will expect a Rivera quality closer, and that is not what they will get.