Mets Offseason Thread | Mets sign Mike Jacobs

[metsfreak]

This is where we can put all the rumors and personal wants and wishlist's that are sure to be coming in a lot now that the season is officially over. This is a very important off season for this franchise. We are in limbo here. There still hasn't been a clear cut answer as to whether Omar is gonna be given the freedom with the payroll to go out and do what needs to be done to complete our team.

I hope that addresses the starting pitching (at least 2 guys), bullpen (another couple arms), left field,catcher and first base.

[metsfreak]

Here is where the free agents can be found:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/1...lb-free-a.html

[The Dark Knight]

aaaaallrighty then, lets get this puppy rollin' then

[The Dark Knight]

The Angels have re-signed OF Bobby Abreu to a two-year deal, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse. Jon Heyman, in a post to Twitter, is reporting the deal has a vesting option for a third year, but the financial parameters are not yet known.

…interesting how Abreu didn’t sign until the final hour of the off-season this past year, and is the first player off the free agent board this year…

…he had a great year for the Angels and is probably a better fit there than he would have been for the Mets…

Abreu hit .293 with 15 home runs and 103 RBI and he drove in 100 runs for the seventh consecutive season.

Update, 3:46 pm:
According to Price, the deal is worth $19 million guaranteed with a $9 million option for 2012 that can be triggered with a certain number of plate appearances, or a $1 million buyout.

He will earn $9 million in 2010 and 2011.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

Peter Gammons of ESPN.com is reporting that the Red Sox have acquired Jeremy Hermida from the Marlins in exchange for ptchers Jose Alvarez and Hunter Jones.

Hermida was the Marlins first round pick in 2002 and finished this season hitting .259 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 129 games, making just one error in 205 chances in both left and right field.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

In an appearance on the MLB Network today, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said the Mets would ‘love a do-over’ with free-agent LHP Randy Wolf, who they had a chance to sign to a one-year deal last off season, but instead they chose to re-sign Oliver Perez.

The 33–year-old Wolf was 11–7 with a 3.23 ERA in 34 starts for the Dodgers in 2009, during which he struck out 160 batters in 214 innings.

…wolf signed with the Dodgers, left, then signed with the Dodgers again… he was born in that area of California, and he is said to love playing out there… the Dodgers need pitching and he had a nice season for them… and so, it’s hard to see him not staying put… but, of course, money talks… it’s just, as much as i am intrigued by wolf, and think he’d be a nice fit for the Mets, in terms of acquiring a reliable and effective pitcher, i am not sure he is worth overpaying for…

Additionally, Heyman believes the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Braves, and may be the Giants, will all be players for free-agent OF Matt Holliday, who, he says, “is a long shot to re-sign with the Cardinals.”

On the other hand, he said free-agent OF Jason Bay enjoyed his time in Boston, where he would love to return, and while the Red Sox would like to bring him back, all of the teams who are interested in Holliday will also be interested in Bay.

Heyman believes free-agent RHP John Lackey could get close to $100 million, “and the Yankees are definitely looking at him.”
To read more from Heyman, follow him on Twitter, here, and read his Daily Scoop column for SI.com, here.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

In a poll to MetsBlog yesterday, here, roughly 4,000 people who voted were split, 50–50, when asked if Matt Holliday is worth a seven-year deal, which would pay him $17 million per season.

…i can certainly understand why people would not be comfortable giving that kind of cash to Holliday, but i have to agree with Matt in that Holliday is probably the only free agent i would spend whatever it takes to get him, even if it means overpaying him…it doesn’t mean i think he is worth what Carlos Beltran is worth because i don’t think he is the entire package, which is what Beltran is at this point, and i think that the team shouldn’t stop at Holliday when trying to upgrade the outfield either…

…that said, this is a Boras client, he is probably the best hitter on the market, he is a perfect fit in that he is a right handed hitter with power who would fill a black hole in left field, and much like what the Mets had to do to get Pedro Martinez back in 2004, i think the Mets simply should be over-agressive and go crazy, and like Pedro, worry about the back-end of the contract later because i believe if they can establish a commitment to premium talent, it will make the club more attractive for other free agents to join now as it will appear the Mets are committed to putting the best team possible back on the field…

…with the studies that have recently been put out, combined with the Mets braintrust’s analysis and perspective on offense at Citi Field, there should be no detracting factor in play when it comes to the Mets courting of Holliday…

Matt relayed a story from the St. Louis Post Dispatch here that said the Cardinals are discussing the parameters of a six year, $96 million contract with the Holliday camp, but as reported here, no official offer has been made yet, with the exclusive negotiating rights expiring on November 20 for St. Louis.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

Andy Martino, in a report for the Philadelphia Inquirer, says that the Phillies will not retain Brett Myers. Myers told Martino:

“I officially won’t be a Phillie next year.”

In eight seasons with the Phillies, Myers went 73-63 with a 4.40 ERA in 240 games, and had numerous off-the-field issues including a verbal altercation with Cole Hamels earlier this week in the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

Tim Dierkes, in a post to MLB Trade Rumors, examines both the trade and free agent market for right fielders. Among the names Dierkes mentions are Jermaine Dye who’s option was not picked up by the White Sox, Vladimir Guerrero, and Brad Hawpe.

…i think all of these players would be considered as second options if the Mets are unable to land either Matt Holliday, or Jason Bay in a free agent deal, or Carl Crawford in a trade…

…it’s easy to be enamored with Dye…he does hit for a lot of power, but his skills are diminishing at the age of 36, and he is likely going to be seeking more than a one year deal…

…Guerrero was supposedly on his way to the Mets in December 2003 before he signed his deal with the Angels as the Mets thought his back would be bad, and it wasn’t…that said, he is intriguing because of his big time power to all fields…but he will be 35 on opening day, he only played in 100 games in 2009, and just seems to be better suited as a designated hitter at this point…

…Hawpe has been discussed here since the end of the regular season, and i still think he is interesting as he put up solid numbers this past season, but evidently is a poor outfielder and doesn’t hit left handed pitching well as he hit .243 against them this past season, which would mean the Mets would likely end up needing a platoon…

For the entire list plus Dierkes take on the market for right fielders, check out MLB Trade Rumors.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[The Dark Knight]

The Chicago White Sox have bought out the 2010 option for 36 year old outfielder Jermaine Dye, making him a free agent. The option called for $12 million for 2010, but the White Sox opted to buy him out for $950,000.

Dye finished the year hitting .250 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI for the White Sox.

http://www.metsblog.com/

[METS4LIFE]

Get me Dye, Myers, and Thames.

[metsfreak]

No, NO and hell NO!

[NYY NYJ NYK]

Bradley Being Discussed In Three-Way Deal
By Howard Megdal [November 9, 2009 at 5:55pm CST]
A very interesting idea is being reported by Ken Rosenthal: a three-way deal, with Milton Bradley going to the Blue Jays, Luis Castillo to the Cubs, and Lyle Overbay to the Mets. Rosenthal said "The teams indeed have discussed the framework of such a deal, though not in direct fashion, according to major-league sources."

Breaking it down, the trade makes the most sense for the Mets, who would clear second base for long-coveted Orlando Hudson, a free agent. Overbay has also mashed righties for his entire career - .847 OPS career, .905 in 2009 - and could be paired with Daniel Murphy or Nick Evans for a high-reward platoon.

Castillo does block the movement of Ryan Theriot to second base when Starlin Castro arrives, but adding Castillo's on-base percentage would be a boon to the top of Chicago's lineup.

As for the Blue Jays, the deal would open up first base for Adam Lind, with Bradley slotting in as designated hitter. The question is: Overbay slugged .466 in 2009, while Bradley slugged just .397 - so is this an upgrade?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/1...eway-deal.html

If this trade happens I could see the Mets possibly going after Orlando Hudson

[metsfreak]

[The Dark Knight]

that would make for a good trade if the Mets sign Hudson quickly soon after