4415 replies to this topic

[In A Silent Way]

Tonight's lineup

Torres-CF
urphy-2B
Wright-3B
Hairston-LF
ottino-1B
uda-RF
ohnson-C
uintanilla-SS
ee-RHP

[In A Silent Way]

Valdespin back up. No word on who's going down yet.

For a combined AAA-MLB squad, our boys are doing OK. It's a bit late for spring training, but it's fun seeing the kids compete for roster spots.

[GoPlastic]

enough posts about Cole Fucking Hamels. Mets thread. he's not signing with the Mets, so next topic. my best friend designs shirts at MV Sports, and does plenty of the A through AAA affiliate apparel work for MLB. he made up and gave me a sweet Kingsport Mets tee. i'll take a #1 of it some time soon and post it here. so sweet.

[GoPlastic]

hey, what's with the MTA lettering for today's lineup card, Dave?

[In A Silent Way]

I miss my home town.

[Julius]

OK I admit it. I'm a secret Mets fan.

[Julius]

But fuck the Jankees!

[GoPlastic]

I miss my home town.

me too.

OK I admit it. I'm a secret Mets fan.

not a problem here.

[James420]

I loved how Gary Cohen was making fun of the Phillies for sending Ruiz to Philly for an MRI yesterday. He's like, we have doctors in NY, pretty good ones. And people who can perform MRIs and send it to their doctors in Philly in 10 seconds.
I just thought of that since I read he could be back in the lineup tonight.

[In A Silent Way]

Did you hear Keith shredding the official scorer? "If he wants to be a scout, we'll give him some Sans-a-Belt pants and a radar gun."

[In A Silent Way]

This is how I remember it.

[concert andy]

enough posts about Cole Fucking Hamels. Mets thread. he's not signing with the Mets, so next topic. my best friend designs shirts at MV Sports, and does plenty of the A through AAA affiliate apparel work for MLB. he made up and gave me a sweet Kingsport Mets tee. i'll take a #1 of it some time soon and post it here. so sweet.

So we are not allowed to have intelligent Baseball conversation because it does not apply to the Mets.

I am trying to give you inside information that is not reported in NY.

PS. Hamels would sign with the Mets if they offered him the most money. I am sure they do not, but he would.

PPS. Josh Hamilton would look good in a Mets uniform for the right price, of course. Ooops, cant talk about that because it will never happen.

PPPS. I thought that is what fans do. Talk about how they could improve their team instead of being content with what they give us.

[GoPlastic]

just umpiring the thread, Andy. relax...i saw a little bit too much non-Mets talk in gram-man and then your posts about Hamels, and felt like reining it in...and look what it's gotten us: classic Shea memories, and Julius is out of the closet.

[gram-man]

Someone pass GoP a chill pill.

And too much non-Mets talk from me?? Where? All I did was respond to Andy's post about his wish for a Hamels on the Mets.

And Andy...feel free to bring up anything you want in this thread so long as it pertains to baseball (won't hurt if it's got Mets content as well). GoP will deal.

[jme]

while we're on the topic of intelligent... there is nothing intelligent about bringing a fat, drunk, Santeria practicing 20+ mil DH to the mets.

and they aren't paying anyone stupid amounts of money... for 2-3 more years at LEAST.

Any 20+ mil player to the Mets is like Everton signing Eden Hazard. (soccer reference)

[concert andy]

while we're on the topic of intelligent... there is nothing intelligent about bringing a fat, drunk, Santeria practicing 20+ mil DH to the mets. and they aren't paying anyone stupid amounts of money... for 2-3 more years at LEAST. Any 20+ mil player to the Mets is like Everton signing Eden Hazard. (soccer reference)

I know, I know. But this is New York.

Now that they are picking and choosing who to pay big dollars I think Miggy short term (3 years) and Hamels (6 years) is worth it. I would not give more than 4 years for Hamilton this off season. But the article I posted shows that they are far from paying anyone big money anytime soon.

Spending is not bad. They just need to spend wisely.

classic Shea memories, and Julius is out of the closet.

This!

[In A Silent Way]

All y'all STFU. The game's on!

[In A Silent Way]

Stupid bullpen. At least Duda is out of his slump.

[GoPlastic]

realistically, there goes the 8-3 homestand. a 3-1 run against the Cards would give them 7-4, which would be good enough against this competition. they're going to need to muster up some inner strength against a strong Cards squad, however.

i hope Beltran gets a warm reception...he didn't ask to leave NY, and deserves a welcome back from the Flushing faithful.

[In A Silent Way]

Nine runs. Nine fucking runs.

[gram-man]

I expect Beltran to get a reception like Reyes got. Polite applause when he's come out, and then boos if he does something good.

[In A Silent Way]

Shoulda let Gee try to get Ruiz out.

[gram-man]

Shoulda let Gee try to get Ruiz out.

Agreed! Yes, he was at 110 pitches, he was doing fine with the last person he pitched to. Torres was completely out of position to make that catch. Not a minute earlier Keith was commenting on how shallow a center field he was playing. I can't wait till we're done w/Torres and Nieuwenhuis is our full time center.

I'd have let Gee pitch to Ruiz. He couldn't have done any worse than Parnell did.

[In A Silent Way]

I'd have let Rob Johnson pitch the last two innings.

[gram-man]

Speaking of Johnson...

When Thole is healthy, who does down to the minors? Nickeas or Johnson?

[concert andy]

Speaking of Johnson... When Thole is healthy, who does down to the minors? Nickeas or Johnson?

Didn't Thole have a set back last. I saw Adam Reubin Tweet they took him out of the lineup last night.


And my point I made yesterday about Hamels (from Buster Olney again).
There has been no change in the negotiations between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cole Hamels -- no progress -- and some rival executives fully expect the left-hander to become a free agent. "Unless the Phillies give him one of the top deals in history, why wouldn't he test [the market]?" said one NL official. "He's so close to free agency."

[gram-man]

Thole was out of the lineup due to paperwork issues, not a setback.

And that's fine to let Hamels test the waters, I don't see Alderson giving him what he's looking for. Not when he's got two top pitching prospects on the horizon almost ready to break into the majors. Granted prospects don't always turn into major league players...I think Alderson will take his chances on them over overpaying Hamels.

[concert andy]

Thole was out of the lineup due to paperwork issues, not a setback. And that's fine to let Hamels test the waters, I don't see Alderson giving him what he's looking for. Not when he's got two top pitching prospects on the horizon almost ready to break into the majors. Granted prospects don't always turn into major league players...I think Alderson will take his chances on them over overpaying Hamels.

Ah, Reubins tweet was like "thole removed from line up, cant be good".

That is a good sign though.

As mentioned I do not expect the Mets to sign Hamels, or anyone of real value this offseason, but I would as GM of the Mets.

[gram-man]

But hasn't that right there been the main issue most have had with our past GMs? That they spend a fortune on other people's talent who then don't perform when they get to NY? Between Phillips and Minaya the list of players who didn't play up to what we paid them is the size of my arm!

Slow and steady is the course to take. Let our young players develop. Let the core of the team gel into something substantial. And then once you have that going, find the one or two missing pieces you need to take the team to the next level. Above all else, make sure that person is a good fit for the rest of the team! Last thing we need is onther "poison pill" like Bonilla.

[jme]

But hasn't that right there been the main issue most have had with our past GMs? That they spend a fortune on other people's talent who then don't perform when they get to NY? Between Phillips and Minaya the list of players who didn't play up to what we paid them is the size of my arm! Slow and steady is the course to take. Let our young players develop. Let the core of the team gel into something substantial. And then once you have that going, find the one or two missing pieces you need to take the team to the next level. Above all else, make sure that person is a good fit for the rest of the team! Last thing we need is onther "poison pill" like Bonilla.

[concert andy]

But hasn't that right there been the main issue most have had with our past GMs? That they spend a fortune on other people's talent who then don't perform when they get to NY? Between Phillips and Minaya the list of players who didn't play up to what we paid them is the size of my arm! Slow and steady is the course to take. Let our young players develop. Let the core of the team gel into something substantial. And then once you have that going, find the one or two missing pieces you need to take the team to the next level. Above all else, make sure that person is a good fit for the rest of the team! Last thing we need is onther "poison pill" like Bonilla.

Minaya admittedly overpaid for Pedro. But have the Mets ever signed a BIG TIME free agent pitcher? Oliver Perez and we outbid ourselves as no one else offered him a deal, and we paid in in February.

The Mets have overspent on Bats. From bonilla, to Luis Castillo.

My point is spend smart. Cole Hamels is 27. You give him a 6 year deal he is 33 when contract is done or 34 at worst.

For all the bad signings that Steve Phillips team did make the playoffs a couple of times and a world series. Minaya made the playoffs. So not everything they did were bad. Using your own argument against you here. Aren't most of the players on the team today drafted by Minaya.

I am ok with spending. You just cant gaurentee money to a player past the age of 33. 33 is the downside of 90% of all MLB players careers.

I just do not want to see the Mets signing their own players like the Phillies. Like the Ryan Howard deal (4 years left) , or the Utley (2 years left) deal both will be well into their late 30's.

Spend smart, not because they are the best options on the free agent market, and not to compete with the Yankees for back page attention.

Slow and steady is still probably 3 or 4 years away. I say that because the two big time pitching prospects will need a year or 2 to get through the growing pains. Meaning 2014 or 2015, right were I said before the season.

The point is I want to win, and it is not my money.

[gram-man]

I want to win too. But lets take a look at our pitching rotation.

1: Johan Santana. Hey look!! A pitcher we paid BIG money for. On the payroll till '14.
2: Mike Pelfrey. Love 'em or hate 'em, the man eats up innings. Questionable if The Mets re-sign him after this year
3: R.A Dickey. His contract w/the Mets is up at the end of the season. They'd be foolish not to offer 'em more years and more pay.
4: Jon Niese. Pitches well and isn't costing us a lot.
5: Dillon Gee. Same as Niese

Now lets look at what's on the horizon and due to be pitching in NY in the near future.

1: Jenrry Mejia - coming back shortly from Tommy John surgery. Could be a starter or reliever depending on The Mets needs.
2: Matt Harvey - Doing well in the minors, perhaps a year out from playing for the big team
3: Zack Wheeler - Considered as good as Harvey.
4: Jeurys Familia - another solid prospect working his way up to the bigs.

That's a lot of pitching either doing well or working their way up to the big club.

It's good to want to win, but if you somehow sign Hamels for 6 years, what does that do the big picture? You won't have 'em this year. Next year Mejia, Harvey, and Wheeler will all be looking for spots in NY. Right now I only see possibly one open rotation spot and that's Pelfs. I just don't see where you're gonna put Hamels w/o seriously disrupting what we have going on right now.

[concert andy]

Santana - I like.
Pelf (dont like) - will either be back on the cheap or gone next year, but he is a 4th starter at best.
Dickey - Really you want to offer a 38 year old pitcher more money and more years when his contract is up? NOT ME. May be a 1 year deal. But if you really think Harvey and Wheeler are ready, let him walk and open that spot for them.
Niesse - I like him.
Gee - Not as much upside as Niesse, but not a future Ace.

I think Mejia, Familia are more relievers in the future.

The future hinges on Harvey and Wheeler. Signing Hamels hedges that bet.

I think we will still need a veteran Starter for this year who is better than Chris Young types.

What do we do when we sign Hamels? Hamels is a stud. Start him over anyone of them as he is a Superior pitcher compared to anyone other than Santana. Then we would have a very good 1-2 combo. I would put Gee as 5th starter in competition with the youngsters next spring training.


What I think you are missing is the idea of 2014. How about a rotation of

Hamels, Santana, Niesse, Harvey/Wheeler/Gee.

My goal is long term as well as short term.

And we also know the Mets history of young pitchers (other than doc) injuries were always an obstacle. I am just accounting for the inevitable injury. So until I see Harvey and Wheeler succeed at the Major League level I am hopeful, but skeptical.

[James420]

As for Dickey, at 37-38, he's not old. I dont believe he has a lot of innings on his repaired arm, and knuckleballers last longer anyway. Wakefield won 16 games at 39 and 17 games at 41. With the way he's pitching now, I think it's fair to expect 40 wins from him in the next 3 years. Maybe 35-40 would be fairer. So if he'll take whatever that's worth, they should resign him.

[murg]

If I am Met brass I am locking up Dickey ASAP for atleast 2 years and maybe 3. The guy is just starting his career. As a knuckleballer he could pitch until he is 45. He is also loved by NY and the fans need as many guys as they can get behind as possible

[concert andy]

If I am Met brass I am locking up Dickey ASAP for atleast 2 years and maybe 3. The guy is just starting his career. As a knuckleballer he could pitch until he is 45. He is also loved by NY and the fans need as many guys as they can get behind as possible

Dickey is not the same pitcher as Wakefield. Wakefield threw junk, his fastball was at most 75mph. Dickey hits 90 on the radar gun.

I would sign Dickey to a series of 1 year deals. If that ends up being 3 or 10 years great, but do not commit 2 years to someone who will be 40 at the end of the contract.

Fans will get behind who ever wins. Period.

[In A Silent Way]

The Mets placed Schwinden on waivers.

[concert andy]

The Mets placed Schwinden on waivers.

I hear the kid they are bringing up has been lights out in AAA. Rule 5 pick taken from the Mets by the nationals. He got hurt, and the Nats returned him in spring training and so to not have to keep an injured player on the active 25 man roster.

[murg]

Dickey is not the same pitcher as Wakefield. Wakefield threw junk, his fastball was at most 75mph. Dickey hits 90 on the radar gun. I would sign Dickey to a series of 1 year deals. If that ends up being 3 or 10 years great, but do not commit 2 years to someone who will be 40 at the end of the contract. Fans will get behind who ever wins. Period.

He has no mileage on his arm though...

[In A Silent Way]

I hear the kid they are bringing up has been lights out in AAA. Rule 5 pick taken from the Mets by the nationals. He got hurt, and the Nats returned him in spring training and so to not have to keep an injured player on the active 25 man roster.

Elvin Ramirez "has been in the Mets' minor league system for six seasons, compiling a 3.80 ERA, walking 4.6 and striking out 7.9 every nine innings along the way. In eleven games this season for AAA Buffalo, he's maintained a 0.00 ERA while giving up just five hits, walking one, and striking out nineteen over fourteen and two-thirds innings."

Johnson sent to down to make room for Thole.

[In A Silent Way]

Friday lineup vs. St. Louis:

Baxter-LF
Nieuwenhuis-CF
Wright-3B
Duda-RF
Murphy-2B
Davis-1B
Thole-C
Quintanilla-SS
Santana-LHP

[concert andy]

He has no mileage on his arm though...

A little research shows that he has thrown 1283.0 innings in his minor league career, and 890.1 innings in his major league career. That sums to 2,173, in comparison Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals has thrown 2202.1 innings in his career and is the same age as Dickey. Almost equivalent.

And Santana has 1967.2 innings in his ML career.

[GoPlastic]

A little research shows that he has thrown 1283.0 innings in his minor league career, and 890.1 innings in his major league career. That sums to 2,173, in comparison Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals has thrown 2202.1 innings in his career and is the same age as Dickey. Almost equivalent. And Santana has 1967.2 innings in his ML career.

good point - Dickey's also relatively new to the knuckler...those innings pre-2006 were conventional style.

still, i'd give him a 2-3 year deal to lock him down in orange and blue.

[jg]

An interesting article on the Beltran-Wheeler trade
http://www.nj.com/me...turns_mets.html

[In A Silent Way]

It looks like Johan is having a decent game.

[In A Silent Way]

Well done, Johan.

[gram-man]

PUT IT IN THE RECORD BOOKS!!!!

[Count P-Funk]

That was fun. Congrats Mets fans.

[Jack Straw]

[elder]

Damn. I was hoping they were gonna trade him.
I mean, enjoy Mets fans