Mets Fans Forever

Cora close to Resigning with Mets

Author: Will Sommer

The Mets are close to re-signing Alex Cora to a one-year deal worth two million dollars. It will be made offical as soon as Cora passes his physical.

Cora is a great team player. He plays hard and knows his fundamentals. That being said, the question I keep asking myself is if Alex Cora is worth 2 million dollars. Now if the Mets go out and sign a big free agent this won't matter, since it would be clear that the Mets have no money problems. But right now based on reports, it looks like the Mets won't go after Lackey, Holliday etc. because of the Wilpon's money problems. So couldn't the Mets get a fine backup infielder for a much cheaper cost? I haven't looked at the available back up infielders who are free agents, but my guess is that there are plenty out there who the Mets could sign for very little.

Bud Selig Era Coming To An End in 2012

Author: Greg Pomes

Besides the world coming to an end in 2012 Phil Rogers of The Chicago Tribune reported yesterday that something else will be coming to an end and that is the reign of Bud Selig. Selig's current contract is up in 2012 and he will not seek to renew his contract.  

I think this is the best news baseball fans have heard about the sport in a long time.  Bud Selig has been terrible for the game of baseball from his reign as "acting" commissioner that started in 1992 until he became the official commissioner in 1998.  Selig has been the perfect commissioner for the owners and the players union.  Bud Selig, an owner himself has made the owners a lot of money over the years.  Their wallets have gotten bigger while the game has suffered.

Let's not forget that Selig came to power in a late night coup against Fay Vincent with the backing of several owners, including George Steinbrenner.  Fay Vincent was the opposite of Bud Selig in that he was a free thinker and always had the best interest of the game at heart instead of making the owners and players union richer.  He was also ethical and was against illegal activities such as gambling and drug use and believed in fair play.  To get an idea of the kind of ethics that Bud Selig has here is a story about his good friend George Steinbrenner.  A lot of people don't remember this or have chosen to forget this but good old George was banned for life from baseball because he hired a person who allegedly had ties with the mafia to investigate and find dirt on Hall Of Famer Dave Winfield so he wouldn't have to pay Winfield the rest of his contract.  The amount of that contract is a reported $300,000 that Winfield was going to donate to charity.  Selig in one of his first acts as the commissioner lifted the ban on George and the rest is history as they say. Pete Rose, the all time hits leader has applied several times for reinstatement, even admitting to Selig 2 years before he went public that he gambled on baseball games.

Looking back at Selig's reign one could see that he does not care about the tradition of this game.  Selig was there to help the owners get richer off the fans dime.  He broke up the 2 leagues into smaller divisions adding another division which only adds profit to the owners after they had to pony up 280 million to the players union in a collusion case where they the owners tried to tamper with the free agent system.  Let's not forget also that he canceled the World Series in 1994, a move in which many fans and people who cover baseball feel was to get back at the players union for having the guts to take the owners to court and take money that was owed to them.  

Selig has ruined the All-Star game too as well as the World Series during his reign of terror on Major League Baseball.  I find it ridiculous that the All-Star game determines home field advantage.  This was done for one reason: to appease Fox and gain ratings, putting more money in the pockets of the owners and himself.  The tie in the All-Star game was his fault as he insisted on letting every player play during regulation.  It was an unheard of tie in baseball that ended the All-Star game that year.  The game was for fun, an event for the fans and the chance for the players to rest and have a good time during a grueling season.   

Let's not forget that he turned a blind eye to the steroid epidemic in the sport.  Now I'm not saying that he sold the steroids or injected them or shoved them down the gullets of players like Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettite, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, etc...  Balls were being hit out of parks like never before, 20 year veterans were bigger and in better shape than when they were in their prime and Selig claimed he did not know any steroid use was going on.  His performance in the Congressional hearings were so awful he made Mariah Carey's acting in Glitter look good. Records were broken that had no business being broken all to further fatten the wallets of everyone while cheating the game and the fans. The steroid enforcement is a joke.  Past discretions are ignored and forgiven while the testing that MLB does now does nothing but make players more creative in getting past those test.  The fact that MLB does not test for HGH shows the lack of seriousness he has to cleaning up the sport for good.

I will give the devil his due with the Wild Card.  I know a lot of people still don't like the Wild Card but I think it adds excitement to the season and the playoff's.  There have been several Wild Card teams that have won the World Series.  While it was not to improve the game but to make people richer it was a good idea.  Where it falls short however is the trade deadline.  More teams think they have a chance now and do not make trades at the deadline holding out for the chance of making the Wild Card. For some reason he does not move the deadline back a few weeks where it would be painfully obvious that a team is not in contention for the playoffs.  

Overall the Selig era cannot end soon enough for me.  I do feel sorry for the next commissioner of baseball as he is going to have a lot of damage to repair not to mention deal with owners and to an extent a union that is used to getting their way with the commissioner.  

Mets Display Class With Uniform Changes

Author: Will Hernandez

The changes keep on coming.

First it was Citi Field and now the Mets' uniforms will have a different look in 2010. The organization today confirmed the team will don a throwback home uniform throughout next season.

"The design combines new and old elements of Mets uniforms," the organization said in a press release. "The Mets created the retro uniform following research and positive responses to the jerseys the 1969 World Champion Mets wore during their 40th anniversary celebration in August."

The Mets will still wear the snow white jerseys and keep the black one as alternative, much to the dismay of many fans.

Over the years, I've learned I'm one of the few people who enjoys the black uniform. I especially like the black uniforms on the road because it sends a message to the opposing fans: "We're from New York. We're the bad guys. We wear black." But the throwback uniforms are something many fans have wanted to see for years.

The uniforms bring a touch of class and nostalgia back to the organization. And there is no better period for the uniforms to represent than the 1960s, a decade that saw the franchise's birth and first World Series title.

My hope is that Mets fully embrace this look and wear the uniforms more than occasionally. We'll definitely see them Opening Day, but the organization shouldn't limit them to a "Sunday" uniform like the Braves do with their red jerseys. Wear the jersey against old rivals like the Cubs and Cardinals. Don it when the Dodgers and Giants come to town. And have them on hand against the Yankees.

The uniform change gives the Mets a chance to form a new identity in a new ballpark. Hopefully, it will be a winning one.

Citi Field Changes Welcome, But Complaints Were Embarrassing

Author: Will Hernandez

Happy now?

The New York Mets Saturday announced some changes next season that will be noticeable inside and outside of Citi Field. The stadium will have more of a Mets “feel” with a franchise Hall of Fame and museum space, more orange and blue paint (don’t forget the pretty flowers) and banners saluting former players. The Mets even named the bridge in right centerfield, though Shea wouldn't have been my first choice. 

The Mets listened to their fans (and the media) and made some nice changes. I applaud them for their actions. Whether they were absolutely necessary is another argument. What I won’t applaud was the constant and unbearable amount of complaining Mets fans did prior to these changes. The complaints have been all over the place, from the color of the seats to the homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Some complaints have been amusing, others just downright embarrassing to hear and read. Not many have merit. Here are three complaints that particularly left me baffled, in no particular order:

1. The seats are green: I live in Chicago now and have been to my fair share of Cubs games, mostly when the Mets are in town. Guess what color the seats are inside Wrigley Field? Green. Citi Field is supposed to have a throwback feel to it. What better way to do that than make the seats green? Many old stadium had green seats. Fenway Park still has green seats. I shake my head when fans say they want the Mets to paint the seats blue. It’s not necessary. Painting the seats blue cancels out the retro atmosphere Citi Field presents to fans. If you want blue seats, wear blue Mets gear.

2. Do the Brooklyn Dodgers play here?: When the Mets first revealed the plans for Citi Field earlier this decade, I marveled at the resemblance to Ebbets Field. The old Dodgers’ home was a place many of us never had a chance to see. As a Brooklynite, I was excited to see the replica. But it became apparent when Citi finally opened, many fans expressed displeasure. Maybe it was the green seats, maybe it was the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, or maybe the Ebbets Club. I thought they were legitimate gripes, but when I first made a walk around the stadium (inside and outside) a lot of things screamed Mets, but in a subtle way. And that is a good thing.

3. I’m still calling it Shea: This statement is the biggest head scratcher, especially when it's printed on t-shirts. Let me give you a little bit of a behind-the-scenes look at Shea Stadium. As a former sportswriter, I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in the press box, roaming both clubhouses, and walking through both dugouts. I’ve even seen what it looks like underneath the stands. Ladies and gentlemen, the place was a dump. It was falling apart, it was outdated, and the multiple layers of paint couldn’t hide the many cracks in the concrete. Sportswriters, broadcasters, and players “hated” the place. Sure, many great memories were forged inside Shea. I saw a few myself over the years. But Shea needed to go. I’ve never seen a fan base reject a stadium like this one. Instead of embracing a great looking stadium, one that many people believe has the atmosphere of Camden Yards, people criticize it as much as the product on the field. Just enjoy it.

In Omar I Trust

Author: Lenny Chiarello 

Regardless of all the harsh press that he gets, I still admire Omar Minaya. In my early teens, I grew up with Steve Phillips and Jim Duquette at GM. I did see a pennant, but I also did see Mo Vaughn, Jeremy Burnitz, Robbie Alomar, and Victor Zambrano.

 

From 2002 to 2004, the Mets lost 272 games, which averages to roughly 91 losses per season. Duquette is ousted and headed to Baltimore, Art Howe (who was the Manager of the dominate A’s teams of the early 2000s) is fired, and the team goes through a complete overhaul.

 

First, the New York Mets hire Omar Minaya, long time General Manager of the now-defunct Montreal Expos (Vive Les Expos!). The new GM goes out and gets then-Yankee Bench Coach Willie Randolph and finally gives Willie his shot to manage (and he will be a Manager again). Omar then goes out and gets Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran; Pedro had been coming off a World Series Championship season with the Boston Red Sox, and Beltran had just finished the most successful playoff run of any offensive player in baseball history.

 

Immediately, the Mets are back in the spotlight- Pedro Martinez kind of has that effect on teams. Omar Minaya gave us credibility again, and the press had an infatuation with the New York Mets. This was one of the top teams to watch in the future- It’s so funny what five short years can do to you.

 

In 2005, the Mets won 83 games, their first winning season since 2001. We all know about 2006, but here’s the season in one sentence: The best team in baseball collided with baseball’s hottest team in the St. Louis Cardinals- the Cards won the World Series, and Met fans were left befuddled and longing for April baseball once again.

 

There was a new feeling in Queens, dare I say, “swagger?” In the late 90s, Valentine, Piazza, and Co. gave us a reason to believe again. The early 2000s were a mess, and it seemed as if the middle of the decade was going to be our time. But, as we all now know, our plans were far from reality.

Mets Shouldn't Trade For Roy Halladay

Author: Greg Pomes

I know with just the headline people are going to line up and complain, they will call me a hack or just a plain idiot but please read the article and you will see that my reasoning is sound for why the Mets should not trade this off season for Roy Halladay.

First off there is no arguing that Roy Halladay is one of the best pitchers in the majors today. He has a career ERA of 3.43 with a career record of 148-76 in an 11 year career.  In those 11 years he has struck out 1,495 batters and he has pitched 49 complete games with 15 career shutouts.  Halladay is a 6 time MLB All-Star and a former Cy Young Award winner. Now I know people are asking why would I not want the Mets to acquire Roy "Doc" Halladay via trade this off season after a quick rundown of his career stats, to most people it will be a no brainer, trade and sign Halladay to an extension ASAP but it is not that simple.

Trading for Halladay and signing him to an extension is going to cost any team a lot of money.  Halladay is seeking an extension of about 6-7 years and hoping to make about $46 million a year. The Mets are already paying that money to Santana; I don't think they could afford to pay 2 pitchers that kind of money, especially since there are more holes the Mets must fill this off season if they want to be successful in 2010.  Another factor is the years that Halladay wants.  Halladay is not a spring chicken, he will turn 33 years old this May, by the end of his contract he will be pushing 40.  

Not only will Halladay cost money but the Blue Jays are going to want to get excellent young players in return for him.  Don't be fooled Mets fans in thinking that the Blue Jays will make the same mistake the Twins did by trading Johan Santana to the Mets for mediocre prospects.  The Blue Jays know Halladay is worth a lot to any team, especially a team that is coming off a horrendous season with a fan base ready to riot if something doesn't change in 2010.  You can expect the Blue Jays will ask for Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Jerry Mejia and Mike Pelfrey and perhaps Murphy.  Davis has shown that he has the potential to be a good player, he had a great AA season, he played well in the World Cup and he is having a great season in the Arizona Fall League.  Thole impressed me a lot in his cup of coffee with the majors. Granted he had a slump but he never looked lost at the plate the way F-Mart did this past season. Thole and Davis are going to be big factors for the future of the Mets; there is no doubt in my mind about that.  Mejia has had a bit of a setback in his development but the league still values him as a prospect to watch and believe he can be a top of the rotation starter.  As far as Pelf go he had a great 2008, had some mental setbacks in 2009 but he is a pitcher that I want to stick with.  I think if he gets his head on straight he will return to 2008 form.

The Mets will be best served to go after John Lackey.  He will not cost the Mets any of their prospects and he will not cost as much money as Roy Halladay will.  The Mets can take the money they save on Halladay and go out and sign other free agents such as Matt Holliday.  They can then also pick up another pitcher such as Jason Marquis to help fill out the rotation.  Lackey also has playoff experience which is a plus and is something that Halladay has not yet experienced.  

Ok I'm ready for everyone to blast me, have fun.

 

Analysis: Mets Infield

Author: Drew Costello

  The Mets infield during the 2009 season was the victim of many injuries. Every member of the Mets infield spent time on the disabled list including Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes who sustained season ending injuries. The infield has a lot of questions going into 2010 and there may not be answers on the free agent market for every position. A lot will have to do with health and the money the Mets are willing to spend. 
 

Mets Catchers in 2009 

Omir Santos: 

2009 Production: The Mets turned to Omir Santos and Brian Schneider for most of the catching during the 2009 season. Santos surprised people batting .261 with 7 home runs, 40 RBIs and played stellar defense throwing out 30% of runners trying to steal. Santos also provided ma ny clutch hits including a 2-run, game winning, homerun against Jonathan Papelbon in May.  

2010 Prospects: The Mets will likely bring back Santos as at least a back up catcher in 2010. Santos is only making the veteran minimum and will be a cheap option for the Mets. 

Brian Schneider: 

2009 Production: Schneider had a mostly disappointing season in 2009. He only appeared in 59 games and hit a measly .218 on the season with 24 RBIs and a very poor .282 OBP. Schneider was one of the Mets that spent time on the disabled list and it was during this time that Omir Santos carved out his spot on the Mets roster. 

2010 Prospects: Schneider is all but certain to be let go as he is a free agent. He will likely latch on to some team as a veteran back up catcher.  

Josh Thole:  

2009 Production: Thole was called up when the rosters expanded at the end of August and took advantage of his opportunity. In a small sample, Thole hit .321 in 59 plate appearances with 9 RBIs and 3 extra base hits.  

2010 Prospects: It is not out of the realm of possibilities that the Mets could go with a Santos/Thole platoon for 2010. However, it could be argued that the Mets may be wise to go out and get a full time catcher. Thole had less than 100 at bats and it is yet to be seen if at some point in 2010 he will be exposed in the big leagues.  

Free Agent Catchers of Note

Rod Barajas (34) (.226, 19 HR, 71 RBI, 34% CS)

Bengie Molina (34) (.265, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 23% CS)

Ivan Rodriguez (38) (.249, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 35% CS)

Ramon Hernandez (34) (.258, 5 HR, 37 RBI, 35% CS)

Jason Varitek (38) (.209, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 13% CS) 

As you can see from the list above of potential Mets targets in the catchers’ free agent market, the list is very mediocre and most of them are on the older side. No name on this free agent list is worth giving money to because catchers tend to break down before the rest of position players. A prime example is Jason Varitek. If this was 5 years ago, I would jump at the chance to sign a proven leader like Varitek. However, his numbers have plummeted and likely will only find a job as a back up catcher because of his numbers and his age. 

While all the recent talk around MLB centers on Mark McGwire and steroids, it’s easy to forget that Spring Training is creeping up.

Cactus League play begins on March 3 and Grapefruit League starts a day before that.

This is a good time to look at the  future <a href="http://www.sportsbetting.com/sportsbook/mlb-baseball-betting/" title="MLB baseball odds" target="_blank">baseball odds</a> to win World Series that <a href="http://www.sportsbetting.com/sportsbook/" title="Sportsbook" target="_blank">sportsbook</a> currently have posted.

New York Yankees

When we last left MLB, the New York Yankees were hoisting their 27th World Series title.

The “Evil Empire” will enter the 2010 season as defending champions and as a matter of fact, the Yanks are odds-on favorites to repeat at +300.

The Bronx Bombers’ roster will look a little different going into the season as 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui migrated west to the Los Angeles Angels and his place in the lineup, as it stands, will be taken by Nick Johnson, according to an mlb.com report.

The Pinstripes re-signed southpaw Andy Pettitte to a one-year deal and dealt outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitchers Michael Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino along with some cash to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for righty Javier Vazquez and lefty Boone Logan, who was subsequently signed for one year.

In Vazquez’s last 16 starts last season, the Braves went 12-4.


Philadelphia Phillies

On first glance, the fact that the Phillies traded away pitcher Cliff Lee to Seattle doesn’t make sense, as Lee went 13-4 (including the playoffs) after joining the Phillies from Cleveland in late-July.

In the postseason Lee went 4-0 with an ERA of 1.56 and he was on the mound for both of Philadelphia’s World Series victories.

But when you factor in that Philadelphia added Roy Halladay to its rotation, there is logic behind the Lee deal.

Doc Halladay started 32 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last year and had a record of 17-10 with an ERA of 2.79 and will be a welcome addition to the Phillies’ pitching staff.

Philly is listed at +600 to win this year’s World Series and if it does, it would be its second title in three years.


New York Mets

The New York Mets fell well short of expectations last season, finishing with a record of 70-92 so there was a need to bolster the roster with the 2010 season approaching.

While the Yankees are the ones that usually make the big splashes in free agency, the Mets one-upped their cross-town rivals this offseason, in terms of big-name signings, when they inked former Boston Red Sox leftfielder Jason Bay to a four-year deal.

The Mets are hoping that Bay will be a big piece of the puzzle in their pursuit of the NL East title and hopefully, a World Series.

The Metropolitans are listed at +1900 to win it all in 2010.


Seattle Mariners

Despite not making the playoffs last year, the Seattle Mariners still had a relatively successful season, going 85-77.

If its offseason is any indication of how its regular season will be, Seattle should make the playoffs or better.

As mentioned, the club traded for Philly’s playoff ace Cliff Lee and it did a number of other things to improve.

The Mariners plucked 3B Chone Figgins away from the division rival Los Angeles Angels; re-signed Ken Griffey Jr. to a one-year deal and extended young ace Felix Hernandez’s deal by five years.

The only move that can be considered something of a head-scratcher is the trade for volatile Chicago Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley.

Seattle is listed at +1600 to win the World Series in MLB futures betting.

Spring Training will be starting up again soon and shortly after that, the start of another MLB season.

Please visit SPORTSBETTING.com for all your <a href="http://www.sportsbetting.com/" title="Sports Betting Online" target="_blank">online sports betting</a> needs.

Till Death Do Us Part

Author: Clare Lafferty

All little girls dream about their wedding day. Even though I was a tomboy, I too thought about my wedding and how it would be. But, I had a Mets frame of mind on my big day presented to me courtesy of my dad.
My dad was the one who got me liking all sports, but especially baseball. When I told him at age 8 that I wanted to follow the Mets, he was all for it. You see, my dad, aside from his full time job as an advertising executive in NYC, was a writer for our small home town paper and wrote little stories with a bit of wry thrown in. He decided to write a story about me and my wedding day with a Mets twist. 
Here's how it was supposed to play out. First, the wedding would be between games of a doubleheader. The two families would come out from the dugouts - bride's from the home dugout; groom's from the visitors. The bride and groom would be brought to the field by the bullpen cars (you see, in 1968 we had bullpen cars still - I really miss that). 
The cermony was to be held at home plate of course. And the bride would wear white -the white home Mets uniform naturally. When the ceremony was done, instead of that first dance as husband and wife, how about a run around the bases with a slide at home plate for good measure?  
The reception would be held at the Diamond Club at Shea and then the couple would be off on their honeymoon - to Cooperstown. 
The coolest thing about the whole article was not just that all my friends saw it, so did someone from the Mets. A few weeks after the article was published, I received a letter from the Mets and some tickets for a future game. I was so thrilled! 
My dad has been gone now since 1998 and I didn't get married at Shea. But I always remember that time in my life with special meaning. I was just starting my love affair with the Mets and have my dad's article to look back on with great fondness. 
I have a daughter of my own now and she is also a Mets fan. Hmmm.. a future wedding at Citi Field perhaps??
   

The Great Debate: What to Make of Daniel Murphy

Author: Lenny Chiarello

If you visited Citi Field in 2009 and browsed at the jersey selections by the 40,000 spectators, you’ll get the usual suspects- David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Johan Santana. For some reason, joining these four superstars was Daniel Murphy, who grew to be a fan favorite for the Metropolitans.

I’m not sure when this love affair began. Maybe it was when he became the first Mets rookie to record 10 hits in his first 20 at-bats. Maybe it was when Daniel Murphy finished 2008 with a .313 batting average. Or, maybe it was when Jerry Manuel announced that Daniel Murphy would be the starting left fielder for the 2009 Mets in the first weeks of Spring Training-- before Murphy had a chance to win the job on his own.

Granted, I cannot say that I was always “Anti-Murph.” I regretfully admit that I was once a member of this group of people who enjoyed watching Murphy play. When did this end for me? Let me flash you back to April 12, 2009—the New York Mets were facing the Josh Johnson and the Florida Marlins at Land Shark Stadium (is that what they call it now?). It was Daniel Murphy’s decisive error in left field that allowed the go-ahead run to score, resulting in a 2-1 loss.