January 1st
January 1st-No entry
January 2nd-No entry
Thursday, January 3rd 2002
6:35 PM
Just 30 seconds ago, Steve Somers reported on the FAN that the Mets are now closer to signing JuanGon. He said that the reports they had heard were for roughly 2 years, $25M, an average of $12.5M a year. While ESPN.com and MLB.com has nothing new on JuanGon, the report may hold water. Even though just yesterday there were quotes from Steve Phillips saying that the Mets' owners wouldn't agree to raise the budget in order to sign a marquee player such as Gonzalez, that could just be a negotiating ploy. While I don't expect JuanGon to be playing at Shea next year, I wouldn't be surprised if he does.
January 4th-No entry
Thursday, January 5th 2002
11:40 PM
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Fred Wilpon is a saint. Earlier today Wilpon made a statement saying that he is allowing Steve Phillips budget flexibility in signing a free agent if it would help the team considerably. Translation: Wilpon to Phillips: Get JuanGon.
Jeffrey Moorad, JuanGon's agent, has said that Gonzalez will choose between the Mets, Rangers, and Orioles by the end of the week. The Mets have reportedly offered him a two year, $25M deal, while the Orioles have offered him 2 years for between $20M and $23M and the Rangers are yet to offer him and official deal. Gonzalez has made it very clear he'd rather not play for the Orioles, so unless they outpay the other candidates by a considerable amount, you can be sure he won't be playing in Baltimore next year. While Texas is interested in him, they seem to be concentrating on pitching this offseason and probably wouldn't offer him much more than the Mets. If what we've been told is true (that Gonzo wants to come play for us), I would say it is now probable that we see Gonzo in leftfield next year.
I am not a satisfied fan. I'm a very happy fan, but I'm not satisfied. Although Steve Phillips has escaped criticism better than Harry Houdini could escape a locked and sealed box, he hasn't satisfied me yet. A true fan is only satisfied once a year, at most. Once your team gets the final out in the last game of the World Series, that is the time to be satisfied, but only until free agents can be signed. Then it is time, once more, to want more.
And now, I want more.
If it's JuanGon, great. If that's not do-able I want to see a trade for a leftfielder or a starting pitcher. The other hot rumor the past two days has been a possible trade with San Diego for ex-Met Bubba Trammell. The rumored deal is Bruce Chen, Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani, and Dicky Gonzalez for Trammell, outfielder Mike Darr, and pitchers Brian Tollberg and Jason Middlebrook. I guess I don't need to see a move for a leftfielder, no matter how much I like Gonzo and Trammell. If the Mets don't want to give Gonzo the money he wants, they should go after a cheaper pitcher, and leave leftfield open for (drumroll)... Super Joe, also known as Little Mac, The Giant Slayer, and, more commonly, Joe McEwing. While McEwing's primary position is second base (he was the Cardinals' starting second baseman in 1999), he played 62 games in the outfield last year including 42 starts, totaling 379 innings, while commiting a grand total of 0 errors. While he may be Super Joe, he's not Superman. He drove in only 44 runs in 152 games in 1999, and he has a career average of only .267. However, he'd be a great guy to bat in front of Payton and Rey Ordoņez. In the seasons he's been a semi-regular player he's hit .275 and .283, while providing speed on the basepaths. After Mo Vaughn, there's no more real power in the lineup, and to have Jay Payton batting right after Vaughn would have Payton coming up to bat with the bases empty most of the time. No one's expecting McEwing to drive in runs, so if he's sort of a second leadoff man, he could be very valuable. With him on base, pitchers would have to pitch to Payton and Ordoņez more conservatively, therefore boosting their stats as well.
While getting Juan Gonzalez would probably give us the best one through six in baseball, the $10M to $15M a year dedicated to him could actually help the team more if put into pitching. By picking up a guy like Rick Reed through a trade, we would add only a few million to the payroll, yet add tremendous stability to the rotation. While I'm abandoning my cause here, I guess I don't really want Juan Gonzalez that much. While I would dance in the streets if we got him (remember, he is a two-time MVP and perennial All-star), I feel Joe McEwing would do a fine job in leftfield and JuanGon's money would be much better invested in a quality pitcher.
January 6th-No entry
January 7th-No entry
January 8th-No entry
January 9th 2002
The great Gonzo chase is over.
And not in a good way.
Juan Gonzalez is a Texas Ranger once again. I don't really mind, but imagine the lineup we would have had. On the back page of the New York Post, the caption read "WEASEL."
I ask you, how is JuanGon a weasel? HE WAS NEVER WITH THE METS.
I like the idea of trading for Bubba Trammell although I don't think Trammell, Mike Darr, Brian Tollberg, and Jason Middlebrook are worth Bruce Chen, Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani and Dicky Gonzalez. Trammell takes Agbayani's spot (upgrade), Sarr takes Payton's (downgrade), and Tollberg and Middlebrook would audition for Chen's (downgrade). Overall the additions don't seem to cover the losses, but a tweak here or there could make the deal very appealing.
As I said on the fifth, I feel Super Joe (Joe McEwing) could do a better job in left than Agbayani, setting the table for Payton and Ordonez, so going after a pitcher may be the best choice.
I like the idea of trading for Rick Reed, although if the Twins can't trade him by March 15th he become's a free agent, and we could probably get him cheaper then if he wants to return to the mets. I wouldn't mind getting astacio because he pitched well while not with the Rockies and even after spending over 5 years in Denver his ERA's only 4.50. I DO NOT want Rick Helling. He is one of the worst starters in the majors and the only way I'd take him is if they payed me to. I'm not yet sold on James Baldwin, and he may be better to get in July rather than January.
Even though our bullpen is solid (in fact, very good), why not make it awesome? Mike Jackson (with the Astros past two years, was Cleveland's closer before that) would be great for us, although we may not agree on how much he's worth. One guy who goes unnoticed and would be a cheap pick-up who would help the bullpen is Bill Simas (White Sox). He's cheap, unknown, and reliable.
January 10th-No entry
January 11th-No entry
January 12th-No entry
January 13th-No entry
January 14th-No entry
January 15th 2002
5:25 PM
Our division and pennant push has just been kicked down the stairs, yet we might be able to catch our team.
Gary Sheffield is now an Atlanta Brave.
At around 3:30 this afternoon, Sheffield was traded to the Braves for Brian Jordan, pitcher Odalis Perez, and a minor leaguer. I may be alone but I think the Braves' offense is now better than the Mets':
Braves:
Mets:
Edge By Slot:
1st-Cedeņo vs. Furcal
2nd-Alfonzo vs. Franco or Giles
3rd-Alomar vs. Chipper Jones
4th-Piazza vs. Sheffield
5th-Vaughn vs. Andruw Jones
6th-Payton vs. Lopez
7th Agbayani/McEwing/Perez vs. Castilla
8th-Ordoņez vs. Franco or Giles
There is good news though. Apparently the Mets have slowed negotiations with the Padres for Bubba Trammell, and are now pursuing Pedro Astacio most heavily. If they get Astacio, they can trade a pitcher, such as Glendon Rusch for an outfielder, such as Jeromy Burnitz. But there's more. The most recent trade rumors are a three way trade between the Mets, Brewers, and Rockies. The Mets send Rusch and Todd Zeile to the Brewers for Burnitz, Jeff D'Amico, and infielder Lou Collier, though they pay as much as half of Zeile's salary next year, $3M. The Brewers then trade Zeile to the Rockies for Alex Ochoa. Not only do we get a power outfielder, but we get a great pitcher when healthy. Though he is often hurt, when he's pitching, he is amazing. Collier would probably be our backup infielder if he made the team out of Spring training. We also finally get rid of Zeile, and although we pay some of his salary, we get free up at least $3M. The only downside to the deal besides for the questions about D'Amico's (pronounced Da-MEE-co) health is Burnitz's salary. He's being payed only $6.5M next year which is fine, although $11.5 in 2003, which is much more than he's worth. All in all though, I'd do the deal in a heartbeat, since we give up nothing and we get back a ton of potential.
January 16th 2002
11:15 PM
Pedro Astacio is ours. Against much criticism among many Met fans (myself in no way included), Steve Phillips signed a legitimate number 2 starter in Pedro Astacio.
When you look at his stats, you see the ERA and you think, "Is Phillips crazy?" The answer is no, and a defiant no at that. Since 1997, he has pitched in Coors and Enron Fields, the two most hitter-friendly parks in the majors, causing the stat inflation. As soon as he enters roomy Shea Stadium, we will see a comfortable man in a comfortable park with a comfortable ERA.
While signing Astacio shores up our rotation to a great extent, the best part about it is what is sure to come. Glendon Rusch and Bruce Chen might as well say goodbye now, because one of them will be pitching for the New York Mets next year and the other will not. Rusch may be situated in Milwaukee next year in a three-way deal that would bring Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff D'Amico, and Lou Collier to Shea, while Todd Zeile and Benny Agbayani go to Colorado as the Rockies send Alex Ochoa to the Brewers. Chen could easily find himself in San Diego, probably along with Agbayani, and maybe others, in a deal that would bring back at least Bubba Trammell.
While Steve Phillips has 100 times what a Met fan at the end of the season could have expected him to do, there are still hungry souls out there needing to be fed with a Jeromy Burnitz or Bubba Trammell, or even better, a Jeromy Burnitz and a Jeff D'Amico. Steve: feel our hunger, see the market, make your move.
January 17th-No entry
January 18th-No entry
January 19th 2002
12:40 PM
Everywhere I turn, one name pops out: Jeromy Burnitz.
The signing of Pedro Astacio is what lead to this, which is why it was such a good signing. Since Astacio joined our squad we have had 6 starters for the second time this offseason. On December 17th, we added Shawn Estes off San Francisco, proving to be as smart acquisition even before a game was played, since it enabled us to trade Kevin Appier to Anaheim for Mo Vaughn. After the Estes pick-up, everyone thought either Glendon Rusch or Bruce Chen would be heading out of town, and in the end Appier ended up being the one who got shipped. While something like that could happen here, it is a different scenario. Last time, Vaughn was completely off the radar until it was announce the Mets and Angels had a deal in place that would bring Vaughn to Shea. Now, all everyone sees and hears is Jeromy Burnitz.
Babe Ruth once described himself as having "[swung] big. Either I hit big or I miss big." While Burnitz, a ten year veteran, is no Babe Ruth, the same can be applied to him. Even though he has hit 27 or more homers each of the last five years, the lowest number of K's he has managed to pile up during a season in that stretch was 111 in 1997. In the five year stretch he made a name for himself, he has hit a combined to hit 163 home runs. At the same time, he has wiffed 664 times, equal to just over 4 strikeouts per homer. Even more shocking, in his career he has totalled 399 extra-base hits and 822 strikeouts, more than twice as many K's as H's.
See Burnitz's Full Stats
All this said, I'd still want him. Another 30 homers can never be taken for granted, and even though he strikes out a lot, Vaughn would see more pitches if he had a 30 guy behind him. Plus, with just one big bopper in our lineup after Piazza, southpaws could pitch around Piazza and expect to get Vaughn out, but with two sluggers, even if they're both lefties, it's not a given that Piazza stays at first. A happy little factoid: with Burnitz in our lineup the top 6, if healthy, would hit at least 145 homers.
His one downside is similar to Armando Benitez's but for a different reason. Both are not people you'd want pitching or hitting for you in a pennant race or in the playoffs. Benitez has a way of getting too wrapped up in his emotions, leading him to lose control and become very hittable. While Burnitz doesn't change anything, his style is one that is not suited for tight games. As I said earlier, he swings big or misses big, and when you need a bunt or a single into right to advance a runner first to third, Burnitz is not the guy to want up there.
Right now I'm having a feeling of déjā vu. MLB.com has an article entitled "Report: Mets close to landing Burnitz," the New York Times has article entitiled "Mets Near Deal: Burnitz in; Zeile, Rusch, Agbayani and Harris out" and as I said earlier, everywhere you turn, all you see is the name Jeromy Burnitz. This sounds familiar.... I remember a time when everyone said a player was coming to the Mets, but in the end he signed with a different team.... When could this have happened?... Who was this?... Oh right, it was Juan Gonzalez. Basically, I don't feel that this is as close to a done deal as the reports say it is. Maybe they're talking heavily, but that doesn't mean we should count Burnitz on our team just yet, just as we shouldn't have counted JuanGon on our team a few weeks ago.
January 20th-No entry
January 21st 2002
10:35 PM
WE ARE NO LONGER JUST THE AMAZIN'S! WE ARE NOW AMAZING!
Not only is Todd Zeile off our back, Jeromy Burnitz and Jeff D'Amico are ours! You've heard all about Burnitz and frankly I'm somewhat sick of talking about him, but if you haven't, see my January 19th entry. D'Amico is, as Ed Coleman (the Mets' pre- and post-game announcer on the FAN) put it, "the sleeper in the deal."
The full deal:
Mets get:
D'Amico has a million upsides, yet a million risks. If hes healthy the whole year I would not be surprised if he were as good as Al Leiter, yet the Expos have a better chance of finishing first than Jeff D'Amico does of pitching 200 innings. In his most successful campaign, 2000, he was great, finishing the year with a 2.66 ERA, only 8 points behind Kevin Brown, the league leader. Yet when you look closer you see that he has never pitched more than 162 innings in a year and is no one stencil in the rotation for the whole year.
This is still an amazing deal. Here's a break-down of just how good it is:
Cons:
January 22nd-No entry
January 23rd-No entry
January 24th-No entry
January 25th-No entry
January 26th-No entry
January 27th-No entry
January 28th-No entry
January 29th-No entry
January 30th-No entry
January 31st-No entry
January 2nd
January 3rd
January 4th
January 5th
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January 12th
January 13th
January 14th
January 15th
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January 31st
Brewers get:
Rockies get:
Pros:
As Joe Benigno just put it on the FAN, What's not to like about this deal?
