Baseball hot stove talk - Offseason talk about any and all teams

[PollyannaFlower46]

I think we'll keep him....at least I hope so....

[Bloody Anus]

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Mike Hampton will rethink blocking a proposed six-player deal that would send him from Colorado to the Florida Marlins, the pitcher's agent said.

The Marlins and Rockies agreed Wednesday to a tentative trade that would move Hampton and outfielder Juan Pierre to the Marlins for catcher Charles Johnson, outfielder Preston Wilson, left-hander Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna.

Hampton and Johnson both have no-trade clauses and have until midday Saturday to decide whether to waive them. Before the deal was agreed to by the teams, Hampton said he would block it.

[PeterDragon]

According to the Newark Star Ledger,
Mets: Nakamura makes nonverbal contact
Nakamura, the right-handed slugger whose body type resembles Benny Agbayani's (not a good thing), hit 42 home runs and knocked in 115 runs this past season, while hitting .294 in 140 games for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes.

It seems that Nakamura made gestures to mets far-east scout; in the quiet protocol of Japan this seems to indicate he is interested in coming to US, and would like to talk to Mets.

He isn't the accomplished hitter Godzilla Matsui is, but he is a good defensive 3B who would command less money. He is more of a mistake hitter, but he has been doing well in this series vs American Stars.
Mets haven't indicated whether or not they are interested in him, or in resigning Alfonzo.

Personally I'd like to see Alfonzo come back - He has been the Mets most professional hitter for several years, and is a guy who has been in their system for his whole career - a rarity. If Mets don't want to re-sign alfonzo, Nakamura seems much more interesting than the stop gap David Bells/ Ty Wigginton that has been talked about.

[krahzee]

I want to see Alfonzo stay as well. On a team that shit the bed last year, him and perez were the only two guys hitting.

That said, the Mets have good reason to balk at signing him to a long term deal. He has a history of back problems and is now forced to play 3rd because of Alomar. While Alfonzo has not publically bitched about playing 3rd too much ( he's too classy a guy), he isn't happy there either.

As far as this Japanese player goes, if he comes cheap they should consider it. If they don't who will they get? There are really not alot of good 3rd basemen out there right now that they could land without giving away alot in return.

The team should think past this season coming up to 2004. hopefully by then Reyes will be ready to play everyday shortstop and be the player everyone thinks he will be. Till then they should concentrate on putting the other pieces of the puzzle together:

1) Try to move Burnitz. Even if he has a decent year, him and Vauhgn still combine for too many strikeouts a season.

2) Get starting pitching. Leiter is getting older by the second and Astacio can't carry a teamk by himself. The Mets must get another strong starter or two to complement Astacio.

If the Mets can do this they will be in good shape. Alomar, Cedeno and Piazza are bound to have better years than they did this season and are far from washed up. Reyes & Perez are the future. With the right role players surrounding them this team could be pretty good in 2004.

[PeterDragon]

Today it looks like the Mike Hampton to Fla deal will go through, as long as Hampton is then dealt. Rumor has it that he will then be dealt to the Braves.
While this might make Glavine's days with the Braves over, I'll be hoping beyond all hope that Hampton never regains his stuff. It was bad enough when he went to Colorado instead of NY (yeah, tell me more about the schools), but to go to the Braves, after they get Sheffield, well that might be too much if they get a good deal out of it.:fuckoff:

Mets are reported to be looking at a Burnitz & Ordonez for Denny Neagle deal - which might give the Mets 3 left handed pitchers if they still sign Glavine, with Basick still in the Mix.

[krahzee]

I like the idea of the Mets going after Glavine. The guy is great pitcher and has beed for years. Neagle isn't an all-star pitcher in my eyes, but he's an improvement over most of the staff they have now. If they can move Ordonez and Burnitz in the process it is a good move.

[HedCold]

That said, the Mets have good reason to balk at signing him to a long term deal. He has a history of back problems and is now forced to play 3rd because of Alomar. While Alfonzo has not publically bitched about playing 3rd too much ( he's too classy a guy), he isn't happy there either.

i hate how the mets ALWAYS do this. they have some older player whos only going to play for like 2 more years so they trade away some young prospect or younger player because he plays the same position. other teams always do the opposite, but not the mets, and it never works out :angry:
and yea a realize alfonzo isn't too young, but hes still younger then alomar

[krahzee]

I don't disagree with you in principle Hedcold.

That said, if Alfonzo wants more than a three year deal the Mets have a right to be concerned. Look at Mattingly with the Yankees. He was a great player untill he fucked his back up. After the injury he was never the same and was plagued by chronic back problems until he retired. It cost him a trip to Cooperstown IMHO.

Back injuries have a nasty way of shortening careers and dropping production on guys, even if they have "recovered" from them.

The Mets are thinking long term if they choose to let Alfonzo walk over resigning him to a long-term deal ( longer than 3 years). Suppose they resign him and he drops in production significantly over then next year or two? If they have him signed to a long term deal, they are stuck with his salary for years. If they get him to a three year deal, the most they will have to put up with him is a few years. They already took on Vaughn's contract as well as a long term deal to Piazza. Why take the risk on adding another for a guy with a history of back problems. Vaughn's torn bicep is one thing, those heal fully with time, backs never do. Take it from me, someone with a fucked up back.

I say try to get him for three years, and if not let him go. Play Wigginson or anyone else you can find at third, and wait for Reyes to be ready to fill Alfonzo's place and production in the batting order.

[PeterDragon]

HedCold. it is not exactly that scenario with Alfonzo, but as a "long suffering Mets Fan", I know what you mean. Typically the Mets look short term instead of long term. I was one of the few who didn't like the Alomar trade - mostly because they gave away Billy Traber, a young pitcher, to acquire a player who didn't fit. Alfonzo has been a player I've always rooted for - he is the anti-ordonez offensively. He knows when to take pitches, when to hit behind runners, etc. He switched positions more than once (remember Jeff Kent?). He is one of the few home grown.

Having said all of that there is still concerns that he is older than reported, his back is achy, and most importantly to Mets, he is looking for money bigger than current market value. Is he an $8million player? not today. Of course Mets have overpaid in the past and have to pay for it now.

Once again the Braves show why they keep beating the Mets. Mets will probably get 37 yr old Glavine, but Braves will get 30 yr old Mike Hampton for Tim Spooneybarger & a prospect; The Braves will owe Hampton about $35.5 million over the next three years, with the Rockies and Marlins paying off the final three years of the deal.

The Mets, who geve up Octavio Dotel & Cedeno (coming off a good year) for hampton for 1 year, and the Braves get this deal? If hampton returns to his former talent, Mets will suffer for 6 or 7 more years.

Mets didn't have anything better than Spooneybarger to offer?
I tell you, Mets will regret this for a long time.

[krahzee]

PeterDragon correct me if I am wrong but out of three "untouchable" prospects the Mets have, aren't two of them pitchers, with thrid being Reyes? If the mets can get i guy like Glavine to bridge the gap until those two are ready, they might be alright. I agree that they should have gone after Hampton, but who would they trade to get him? They can't afford much more salary due to the new competitive balance agreements. Who do they have that other teams want making close to what it would have taken financially, to make that trade other than Piazza or Alomar?

[PeterDragon]

PeterDragon correct me if I am wrong but out of three "untouchable" prospects the Mets have, aren't two of them pitchers, with thrid being Reyes?

not exactly, but they do have some good prospects.
Heilman closest, Kazmir the youngster with best prospects, but he wasn't eligible to be traded. the 2 other "untouchables" were catcher Justin Huber & 3b David Wright (along with Heilman & Reyes).

You can never have too much good young pitching. Look at the A's.

They can't afford much more salary

The Braves will pay Hampton less than Glavine will make. If it was still 15mil per, that would be a different story. as to who we would trade, is a relief pitcher like Spooneyberger such a high cost?

Hampton is more of a gamble, but by being 7 years younger, Hampton has the bigger possible reward. Not to mention he has successfully pitched in NY. And he already hits better than Ordonez.

I hope I'm wrong, but Braves have gotten me spooked. I can't think of the last time that they made a wrong decision.

[krahzee]

As far as Hampton being traded to the Mets, I agree with you PeterDragon. Still, he had a no trade clause he had to waive to go to Florida. I'm sure he knew all along that that was going to lead to Atlanta. Do you see him waiving it to go to Shea? I don't. Atlanta ,like it or not, looks more attractive than the Mets would to a guy like Hampton.

[x-file]

So far this has been an interesting off season. If your a mets fan, you still have to worry about the braves. But you have to wonder, the once untouchable starting rotation has only one person remaining, maddux. Instead of millwood, maddux, glavine and Moss....its Maddux, hampton, byrd, ortiz? From what these guys have done on former teams, it doesn't really scare you, but now there on atlanta, so anything can happen.

And my beloved yanks, yeah yeah yeah we finally signed Godzilla, but what about finding a reliever. I understand letting go stanton, but mendoza? and then you bring in some old reliever from atlanta who pitched 1 good year? And what about starting pitching? In the end, the yanks will be left holding there junk and not have colon, vasquez or clemens.

[PeterDragon]

Well, after Braves made that puzzling move dealing Millwood to Phillies for a BACKUP CATCHER,
ESPN is reporting that Mets have agreed to terms with Free Agent Cliff Floyd.

[diceisgod]

The Phillies are going to win the whole fucking thing.

[FAST FREDDY]

Bravo,Dig! Bravo!


mokey:

[x-file]

Mets signing of cliff floyd, does that mean the trade for burnitz and cedeno to coloroda for neagle isn't to far off in the near future? I'd have to say, the mets are going out there getting people they want. Glavine is a given, but I think floyd being back in the NL east, playing against teams he's seen before, healthy and batting in the middle Vaughn, Piazza and alomar...he's gonna be a great pick-up.

I still think the mets will fall flat on there face in april and may and then come up short of the playoffs, AGAIN. Phillips fired by all-star break.

[Sir O]

Phillips fired by all-star break.

Yeah...for a Yanks fan, you really do want the most for the Mets, don't you.

And Yankees didn't lose much in Stanton...he's a dime-a-dozen pitcher, really. You'll see that this year. Unfortunately...

[PeterDragon]

And Yankees didn't lose much in Stanton...he's a dime-a-dozen pitcher, really

I couldn't disagree more. Maybe Stanton lost his stuff, and maybe he wasn't worth the money he wanted. But all Yankee people spoke so highly of him (Cashman, Torre, Michael Kay, John Sterling, etc.) that he obviously was more than that for them.
What I had heard is Yankee scouts thought he had lost something off his fastball, and in today's economics they didn't want to pay him for his past. Just the fact that Cashman took time to apologize to him after they let him go means something.

Phillips fired by all-star break.

NOTHING would make me happier.

[x-file]

Stanton had an off year this past one. Over the seasons before last, he's come in and nailed it down. If the yankee's would of had somebody proven to sign rather than hammond, I'd say I can live with it. Stanton will be missed, but not as much as mendoza will be.