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Mets Sign Another Out of Work Reliever to Fill Billy Wagner's Void

Matt WatsonPosted Aug 21st 2008 3:25PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Mets, NL East, MLB Injuries

Al ReyesBilly Wagner, who was eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday, has been told by his doctor that he's still three weeks away from returning to action. Needless to say, that's not what the Mets wanted to hear, prompting the team to sign yet another reliever. After adding the extremely indisposible Luis Ayala earlier this week, the Mets signed Tampa Bay cast-off Al Reyes to a minor league deal.

Reyes, who saved 26 games last year before being replaced as Tampa Bay's closer by Troy Percival over the winter, posted a 4.37 ERA in 22 2/3 innings before being released 10 days ago. He'll report to Double-A Birmingham, but he's expected to return to the big leagues soon. From the New York Daily News:
"As I've said, we're looking at guys who are not having the best years," GM Omar Minaya said, referring to the lack of closers to have made it through waivers. "There was a major league offer, but he's chosen to go with us.

"How he would be used (if brought up) would be up to (manager) Jerry (Manuel)."
And what does Manuel think of him?
"I wouldn't know him if he walked into the room," Manuel said.
That's not exactly a ringing endorsement. For Reyes' sake, here's to hoping Manuel sticks to Baseball-Reference and not Google to learn more -- I'm sure Manuel stumbling across an article talking about how Reyes was taken down with a taser after starting a bar fight (and spitting blood on patrons) this past April isn't the first impression he's hoping for.

NL East More Than Up for Grabs

Andrew JohnsonPosted Aug 12th 2008 5:00AM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Marlins, Mets, Phillies, NL East



Say what you want about the National League West. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers might only need 84 wins to capture the division crown, but at least both teams are trying to get better. The NL East appears to be a stronger overall than its counterpart in the West, but there's a whole lot more desperation and angst to go around on the Atlantic seaboard.

In Queens, there is plenty of reason to panic over the shape of the Mets' bullpen, which blew another lead in the ninth inning in a loss to the Pirates Monday afternoon. Whether it has to do with having a certain mentality or not, it's clear that Billy Wagner is the only New York reliever who is reliable in the ninth inning, and he's going to be out for a few weeks.

Wagner and the bullpen is a microcosm for the problem the Mets seem to keep stumbling on -- they have no depth on their roster. (It's worth noting, too, that GM Omar Minaya did nothing to fix that problem at the trade deadline.) A season-ending injury to Wagner, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran or Johan Santana would devastate New York in a way unlike a similar injury to one of Philadelphia or Florida's stars.
Continue Reading NL East More Than Up for Grabs

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 31

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 31st 2008 12:41PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Pirates, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Twins, White Sox, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Red Sox, Marlins and Pirates are indeed working on a three-way deal that would send Manny Ramirez to South Florida, Jeremy Hermida and prospects to Pittsburgh and Jason Bay (and possibly reliever John Grabow) to Boston. The trade is still a long way from being completed, however, with the teams expected to haggle right up to the deadline on the prospects heading to the Pirates. The deal is fragile because it involves three teams and prospects from both Florida and Boston, so it could go right down to the wire, and there's always a chance the deal collapses.

But there is also a different feeling in Boston this time around with Ramirez, much like the feeling in 2004 when GM Theo Epstein swallowed hard and got rid of the beloved Nomar Garciaparra. If the three-way deal with the Pirates collapses, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Red Sox would then deal directly with the Marlins. And remember this: while the Red Sox would love to have Manny Ramirez in their lineup in October, it won't be as difficult as you'd think to replace his production over the final two months of the season because he is so poor defensively.

- GM Kenny Williams has already added future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. to the White Sox's roster, but he might not be done. With Scott Linebrink on the DL and closer Bobby Jenks just off of it, Chicago is looking for bullpen depth. Williams and the White Sox have been connected with Oakland closer Huston Street for a few weeks now, and there are indications from the Windy City that he'll make a final push to acquire him before the 4PM ET deadline. Eamonn Brennan has already covered the Nick Swisher-Street swap speculation already at FanHouse and correctly assumes that a deal is unlikely.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 31

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 28

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 28th 2008 5:54PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Blue Jays are back above the .500 mark and might not even be willing to deal right-handed pitcher A.J. Burnett at this point, but if they decide to move him, the Cardinals remain the most likely destination. Burnett, an Arkansas native, grew up rooting for St. Louis and Tony La Russa's club could use a pitching upgrade, particularly following Milwaukee's acquisition of CC Sabathia and Chicago's acquisition of Rich Harden.


For now, GM John Mozeliak appears resolved to wait and see what the rehabbing Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter can provide and pursue relief help. Still, it's hard not to wonder about Burnett, particularly as the Cardinals muse about converting Wainwright back to relief for the remainder of the season. Wouldn't St. Louis look a lot tougher to beat if on Aug. 1 Burnett was in the rotation and Wainwright was closing out games as he did when the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006?

- Other than the Rockies, the Braves have been the toughest team to figure out over the last few weeks as they vacillate between punting the season and going for it in the NL East. Even as they move closer and closer to dumping Mark Teixeira, the team has apparently been working on a deal for Pittsburgh's Jason Bay, which was only nixed when Pirates' ownership stepped into the fray. Bay has long been thought to be the Bucs' best trade chip, but that's made the price tag too steep for many clubs. Still, Atlanta was close to dealing a package of four prospects, including Brent Lillibridge and Brandon Jones, for the left fielder. For a team like the Braves, with little hope of contending this year, that might seem strange, but Atlanta expects to be back in the hunt in 2009 and Bay is already under contract for next season.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 28

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 26

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 26th 2008 5:20PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Brewers, Mariners, Mets, Nationals, Red Sox, Rockies, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Mets are continuing to pursue a corner outfielder, but with Pittsburgh's trade of Xavier Nady and Cleveland's trade of Casey Blake, the list of potential additions has dwindled. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday are still out there, but New York simply doesn't have the chips to acquire an All-Star caliber bat. Seattle's Raul Ibanez is the one name remaining that the Mets have been linked to and is likely in the team's price range.


GM Omar Minaya probably can't afford to hone in on one target, though, so it's likely he'll make calls over the next few days to gauge what the Padres would want in return for Brian Giles and perhaps what the Reds would want in return for Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey Jr. The Mets are on a hot streak, but the team still has flaws -- flaws that can be taken care of in the next few days.

- Manny Ramirez was a very late scratch for Friday night's game against the Yankees, which the Red Sox lost 1-0, and the Boston Globe's Dan Shaugnessy is wondering if this is the final straw for the slugger in Boston. "Manny Being Manny" is a mantra that has come to mean many different things over the years, and part of it are these little dramas, which usually come to nothing. But the Red Sox have an option on Ramirez for next year, one they aren't even certain they will pick up, so perhaps this time it really is THE time to explore finding Ramirez's replacement. That means a middle-of-the-order bat, one which they could potentially acquire over the next few days. It wouldn't be a great surprise if GM Theo Epstein started making inquiries about Mark Teixeira, Adam Dunn and Matt Holliday, even if once again, this all amounts to nothing.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 26

Wilpon on Firing Willie: 'I Know I Screwed Up'

Matt WatsonPosted Jul 24th 2008 2:55PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Mets, NL East

Fred WilponThe Mets have no reason to second-guess their decision to replace Willie Randolph. Since putting Jerry Manuel in charge, the Mets have been one of the hottest teams in baseball and are in sole possession of the first place in the NL East. That said, owner Fred Wilpon does regret the way Randolph was fired, in the dark of night just one game into a west coast road trip. From Bloomberg News:
``I know I screwed up,'' Wilpon told reporters at SportsNet New York's Manhattan studios. ``I should have said, `wait a second.'''

[...] Wilpon said he regrets not speaking up when Minaya told him the next day that he was going to fly to California and tell Randolph in person after the game. Because of the three-hour time difference, the announcement of Randolph's firing was left out of New York newspapers.

``I wasn't smart enough to say, `you are going to cut the New York press out?''' Wilpon said. ``I didn't even think of it.''
This won't make Randolph feel any better -- in other words, all Wilpon is saying is that he regrets not being able to tell the world sooner that he canned his manager. But reading between the lines -- which is always dangerous but so, so fun -- am I the only one who thinks it's interesting that Wilpon is pinning all of the blame on Minaya? It's one thing to say, "I know I screwed up," and it's another thing to say, "I know I screwed up by not reining in my GM." It wasn't all the long ago that Minaya was on the hot seat -- is this Wilpon's way of telling Minaya not to get too comfortable?

Willie Randolph Will Attend All-Star Game as George Steinbrenner's Guest

Matt WatsonPosted Jul 15th 2008 6:05PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Mets, Yankees, AL East, NL East, MLB All-Star Game

Willie RandolphWillie Randolph will be attending the All-Star Game tonight. This wouldn't be news if someone told you this a month ago -- Randolph was originally expected to serve as one of the National League's coaches -- but since being unceremoniously canned by the Mets, it seemed like the only way he'd get through the gates would be if he bought his own ticket.

But as it turns out, Randolph won't need to scalp a ticket after all; he'll be in the buidling as the personal guest of the Steinbrenner family. It's no secret that the Yanks' ownership still has an affinity for their former player and coach -- Hank offered Willie a job just days after Omar Minaya's axe came down -- but this is still a bit unexpected. From William C. Rhoden of the New York Times:
"George invited Willie Randolph to the All-Star Game," said Howard Rubenstein, the spokesman for George Steinbrenner. "George urged him to attend and he accepted."

[...] "George had some great things to say about him," Rubenstein said. Then, referring to the entire Steinbrenner family, Rubenstein added: "They truly love him."
Should this be interpreted as some kind of snub to the crosstown rival Mets? Probably not. Randolph has a long history with the Yankees, winning a combined six titles as a player and coach. And besides, while some feel that Randolph was unfairly branded a scapegoat for the Mets' troubles, the decision to fire him seems to have paid off: the Mets have gone from two games under .500 before his dismissal to seven games over now, thanks largely to their nine-game winning streak heading into the break.

In all likelihood, this is just a nice gesture being extended to an old friend -- though I wouldn't be surprised if the Yanks still hope to convince him into returning in some capacity down the road.

Are The Mets Interested in Barry Bonds? Depends Who You Ask

Josh AlperPosted Jul 8th 2008 9:15AM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: New York, Mets, NL East, MLB Media Watch

As a lifelong New Yorker, I'm accustomed to the way the city's collection of tabloids constantly try to one-up the others while reporting the same exact story. Or the same exact non-story. So it wasn't surprising to peruse the papers today and find that they are both offering their views on whether or not the Mets will try to fill their outfield void by employing Barry Bonds.

Newsday headlines their article "Mets have no interest in Bonds." The New York Post counters with "Omar Minaya won't say no to Bonds." To come up with such different conclusions, each paper must have had interviews with Minaya in which he contradicted himself, right?

Nope. Both articles are based on the exact same quote by Minaya during what must have been a session with several reporters. He was asked if the team would be courting Bonds.
"I would say that I'm going to focus on our guys and our guys hopefully will be OK."
I think I'd headline that story "Minaya remains stubbornly optimistic about injured outfielders." That's not the most interesting article in the world but neither is the umpteenth bit of navel gazing about a team that's shown no interest in Bonds continuing to show no interest in Bonds. Bonds ain't coming to Shea and each day that goes by makes it less and less likely he's going anywhere.

The Dugout: Why Gary Carter Will Never Manage a Major League Team

Jon BoisPosted Jun 25th 2008 1:02PM by Jon Bois (author feed)
Filed under: MLB Gossip, The Dugout

The consensus opinion of Gary Carter's recently highlighted failure to obtain a major-league managerial job is that he's advertised himself too enthusiastically.

But Gary smells a rat, and I'm with him on this. Baseball has clearly colluded to blackball Gary Carter. Yes, that's right. General managers and owners sit in a smoke-filled room as we speak, unscrupulously grasping at schemes to protect their sport from a really good catcher from the 1980s.

Today's Dugout is after the jump.
Continue Reading The Dugout: Why Gary Carter Will Never Manage a Major League Team

Willie Randolph Lets Some Bitterness Fly

MulletPosted Jun 18th 2008 2:55PM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: New York, Mets, NL East, MLB Gossip

I'm starting to think that Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya aren't going to be seen together at any charitable functions anytime soon. Eamonn already schooled you to Willie asking to be fired before flying to Anaheim if indeed the axe was falling. Randolph also gave an interview to one of the other papers in town, and re-iterates that he was surprised that he was erased from the picture.
"No, I thought he [Minaya] was talking about whacking a couple of my coaches," Randolph told reporters in the driveway of his Franklin Lakes, N.J., home.

"That's why I was stunned," Randolph said. "The way he was talking to me, I thought I was secure for the time being."
It might be interesting to note that Randolph knew that it might be his coaches, yet never hinted (at least in this interview) that he would stick up for them (especially Nieto, seemingly fired for being a "Randolph guy" according to some radio speculation here) or take the firing on their behalf. I'm not judging ... just throwing that out there.

Continue Reading Willie Randolph Lets Some Bitterness Fly
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