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Alou

Johnny Dickshot Nov 18 2006 09:10 PM

Hurts lefties. ]Mets move closer to landing Alou Posted: Saturday November 18, 2006 6:32PM; Updated: Saturday November 18, 2006 6:36PM By Jon Heyman, SI.com NEW YORK -- The New York Mets are closing in a deal to sign free agent outfielder Moises Alou, SI.com has learned. It is believed the deal could be for one year plus an option. An announcement could come early next week, after the physical. Alou, 40, is expected to replace Cliff Floyd in left field and could also free up Lastings Milledge to move in trade. The Mets never entered the high-priced Alfonso Soriano or Carlos Lee derbies. The signing is something of a coup for the Mets, as the bidding was spirited for Alou, a career .301 hitter with a lifetime .516 slugging percentage. The Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians are believed to have made two-year offers for more money. The Oakland A's were reportedly also looking at Alou as a potential replacement for Frank Thomas, who signed with Toronto. Barry Bonds is another player Oakland will consider. The Mets' deal with Alou is believed to include a team option for 2008 and a buyout. The Mets badly wanted another big right-handed bat, and Alou slugged .571 last year. He is a versatile hitter and can bat almost anywhere in a lineup but looks likely to bat behind rising star David Wright with the Mets. While Alou was limited to 98 games in 2006, he is generally seen as sturdier than Floyd, the man he replaces. Floyd had hoped to return, but the Mets preferred a right-handed bat and a less-injury prone player. General manager Omar Minaya has long been an admirer of Alou's, and the Mets have targeted Alou for months and actually had a trade in place last July before the Giants decided they were too close to the race to sign off on it. Alou his .301 last year with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs.

Centerfield Nov 18 2006 10:04 PM

Well this sucks. I didn't realize that one of the goals this offseason was to field as old a team as possible.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 18 2006 10:14 PM

ESPN: ]Reports: Mets close to signing outfielder Alou ESPN.com news services At the end of the Mets' playoff run last season, Cliff Floyd said he wanted to return to the team. It now looks like New York will replace their oft-injured left fielder with a player who was also hobbled much of last season. Multiple media outlets in New York reported on Saturday that the Mets were close to completing a deal with free agent Moises Alou. Newsday said the deal would be for at least two years at $8 million annually. The 40-year-old Alou batted .301, hit 22 home runs and drove in 74 runs for the San Francisco Giants last season. But he played in only 98 games due to a variety of injuries, including a back strain. Floyd, who is also a free agent, is coming off Achilles tendon surgery. Alou decided not to entertain offers to return to the Giants, in part because the team did not renew the contract of his father, manager Felipe Alou. Jeepers creepers.

DocTee Nov 18 2006 10:26 PM

Bad deal. Too old and only 1 100-rbi season of late.

Farmer Ted Nov 18 2006 10:40 PM

Alou. 2 years. $8 million per? I ned a thorough explanation, Omar. This makes no sense to me.

DocTee Nov 18 2006 11:19 PM

Not so fast-- MLB.com says Oakland is in the Alou hunt.

Nymr83 Nov 18 2006 11:20 PM

2 years to Franco, 2 years to el duque, and 2 to Alou? Omar needs to learn when offering a 2nd year is unwise. ]Alou, 40, is expected to replace Cliff Floyd on the disabled list i fixed the article.

cooby Nov 18 2006 11:41 PM

Made me laugh, but alas, it's probably so...

patona314 Nov 19 2006 07:25 AM

ah fudge!!! but on the bright side, at least he's not sosa.

Farmer Ted Nov 19 2006 08:45 AM

If this signing goes through, set a shower aside for Moises. Oh, piss boy... http://www.slate.com/id/2100652/

Frayed Knot Nov 19 2006 09:22 AM

Alou is - or at least can be - a terrific hitter who'll give us RH punch ... but I don't like this a bit. He's a lousy outfielder who's often injured and can no longer run very well. And how, exactly, do guys previously contemplating retirement suddenly rate two-year deals? I would have preferred Cliff for those terms. Hey Omar, what happened to 'younger, cheaper & more athletic'? If true, this also seems to throw Milledge head-long into the trade market.

sharpie Nov 19 2006 10:52 AM

I don't mind him for a one-year deal. He can definitely hit. He's right-handed. Yes, he'll spend some time on the dl, yes he doesn't field all that well any more, but year to year he's still an effective player.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 19 2006 11:57 AM

ESPN's backed off their report of the 2-year deal (they were citing Newsday as the source), but Newsday's still running with it. ESPN: ]The deal, worth about $8 million to $9 million, would contain an option for 2009. Alou would have to pass a physical before the contract is finalized. The negotiations were disclosed by a baseball official who spoke on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing Newsday: ]The deal could be announced as soon as this week, and it is believed to be a two-year contract worth as much as $8 million annually.

smg58 Nov 19 2006 12:52 PM

It's an interesting call, but not necessarily a bad one. If the market turns out to be even more player-friendly than 2000, there are reasons not to be the team that makes the big long-term deal. A one year deal for Alou is a safer option than a long-term deal with Lee, for example, and AB for AB Alou will likely be a better hitter next year than Lee. It would also allow the Mets the luxury of giving Milledge another year of seasoning without blocking him indefinitely. So it would be a short-term upgrade with mimimal long-term risk.

Nymr83 Nov 19 2006 01:10 PM

if its really a year then thatsfine but 2 years to a guy who is 40 and deems to get hurt all the time is madness.

OlerudOwned Nov 19 2006 02:17 PM

I really would've like 1 year plus an option. 2 years...ehh. 2 years plus an option is just insane.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 19 2006 03:20 PM

I don't think anyone's reporting 2 years plus an option, but, yeah, that would be insane. Thankfully we kept Valentin and signed Easley to keep the team's average age down.

duan Nov 19 2006 03:29 PM

thing is; Milledge could do a very good job and get plenty of abs as a RH platoon partner for Shawn Green and a rest partner for Moises Alou. You don't have to deal him but at least you can if you want to. The other thing is, if this is genuinely another high water mark in free agent deals (a la A-Rod & Manny year) sticking to 1/2 year deals is the way to do it. Especially when the talent is so mediocre. A 2 year spin on Moises Alou is risky, due to his injury history, but it's a lot better then going 5/6 years on Carlos Lee (as someone might) or paying 136 million to Alfonso Soriano for 8 years as it looks like the cubs will.

duan Nov 19 2006 03:31 PM

hey smg! believe it or not I started my reply a few hours ago, left it and came back to it. Sorry if it seems i'm just parroting yours! snap!

Edgy DC Nov 19 2006 03:34 PM

I was writing something along those lines and pulled out. The two-year deal (and I'll believe it when I see it, as we've supposedly signed the guy before) may be after hearing further out prices from others.

Frayed Knot Nov 19 2006 04:16 PM

ESPN: "The deal, worth about $8 million to $9 million, would contain an option for 2009" Either that's a typo or it implies the deal is for two years with an option for a 3rd. Hard to tell. I'd be less upset with a 1-year deal.

seawolf17 Nov 19 2006 05:29 PM

Urg. Don't think I like this one at all.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 19 2006 05:44 PM

That Soriano thing is outlandish. Alou for 1 or 2 years at a fraction of the price and length of what Soriano got, and what Lee and to a lesser extent Drew will probably get, may not be so bad. Moises had a higher OPS than all 3 last year. Just have to keep the old dude healthy.

Nymr83 Nov 19 2006 06:15 PM

I don't worry too much about the dollar sign on 1-year deals, what i worry about is being stuck with an old, injured, overpaid player for more than 1 year. i'd rather have the Mets throw him 11 million for one year than 8 each for 2 with an option for a 3rd. of course i'd just rather they stayed away.

smg58 Nov 19 2006 07:29 PM

Well, after the Soriano deal I reiterate my statement that this could be the year to avoid the big long-term deal. I'm really not sure I'd guarantee a second year to Alou, but at this point it's best not to comment further without some official confirmation.

Zvon Nov 19 2006 07:56 PM

Alou is one of the most uninspired players Ive ever seen play the game. Right up there with JD Drew. This move sucks.

Farmer Ted Nov 19 2006 08:03 PM

It looks like Omar is getting as many serviceable parts in the field to go full throttle on starting pitching. I think Zito is coming,

cleonjones11 Nov 19 2006 08:47 PM

Farmer Ted wrote: It looks like Omar is getting as many serviceable parts in the field to go full throttle on starting pitching. I think Zito is coming, I'll always so you said it first!

metsmarathon Nov 19 2006 11:17 PM

i'm cool with a year for alou. not so much with two years. it gives us backups at both corner outfield spots who will both have a good chance of permanently replacing the more highly priced vets before the season is over, and who can still provide good defensive replacementing if called on to do so. that said, one of ben johnson or lastings milledge should be starting the year in AAA, presuming we still have endy around. we will still have endy around, right?

Frayed Knot Nov 19 2006 11:22 PM

]Alou is one of the most uninspired players Ive ever seen play the game I never got that impression from Moises. Mainly he's just old and immobile as a result of several major leg injuries in his career - one while in Houston and one from way back in his Montreal days - plus a host of less serious ones.

metirish Nov 19 2006 11:25 PM

I think this means Lastings wil be part of a trade...I have no problem with Alou for a year,can he stay away form the DL?,probably not but if he can then this could bea cool move.

metirish Nov 20 2006 09:03 AM

1 - Reyes 2 - Beltran 3 - Alou 4 - Delgado 5 - Wright 6 - Lo Duca 7 - Green 8 - Valentin I can't wait...

Edgy DC Nov 20 2006 09:18 AM

Frayed Knot wrote: ]Alou is one of the most uninspired players Ive ever seen play the game I never got that impression from Moises. Mainly he's just old and immobile as a result of several major leg injuries in his career - one while in Houston and one from way back in his Montreal days - plus a host of less serious ones. Agreed. I'm not even sure I feel that way about Drew.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 20 2006 11:31 AM

Drew got a lot of flak out here for his McReynolds-like perceived aloofness and unfairly, I think, for being a devout Christian. People absolutely questioned his competitiveness and whether he isolated himself too much from his teammates. Ned Colletti even took a swipe at him and his faith in the papers when he found out Drew opted out of his contract. "I know J.D. is a spiritual guy and a man of his word. I guess he changed his word. You learn never to be surprised when you're dealing in this arena. People change their minds. People change their word. They move on." I don't want him because 1) he's another lefty, 2) he'll likey cost a lot more and for a lot longer than Pee Hands, and 3) despite Alou's injury issues, Drew's way more brittle and has missed a lot more time than Moises over the last few years, as well as over the length of both of their careers. Screw Drew.

metirish Nov 20 2006 11:36 AM

Yeah and with the Soriano deal the price for the likes of Drew and Lee likely went up....

Edgy DC Nov 20 2006 11:44 AM

If you leave people an option to exit their contracts...

A Boy Named Seo Nov 20 2006 11:51 AM

Well Colletti didn't, but you're right just the same. Ned said he was pissed because after the playoffs, Drew gave him every impression he wanted to be back, and I guess Colletti started forming his offseason plan accordingly. But, yeah, you give a guy the option to change his mind, you can't really be upset when he does.

attgig Nov 20 2006 12:11 PM

metirish wrote: 1 - Reyes 2 - Beltran 3 - Alou 4 - Delgado 5 - Wright 6 - Lo Duca 7 - Green 8 - Valentin I can't wait... i see reyes lo duca beltran delgado wright green alou valentin

DocTee Nov 20 2006 12:12 PM

I'm more concerned with: O. Hernandez Pelfrey Maine Bannister Perez

Frayed Knot Nov 20 2006 05:00 PM

Per FAN: Done Deal Alou 1 year plus an option; $7.5mil plus some buyout for year 2 so probably around $8 total

Nymr83 Nov 20 2006 05:14 PM

i like it, but i'm not sure if thats because i would have liked it a week ago or because its not the 2 yeas or 2 + an option that i was dreading. The Mets should start spreading false rumors that they are about to sign guys to an extra year or two, then the fans will like the actual results more.

heep Nov 20 2006 05:42 PM

I like it. Alou is a pro's pro type of hitter. He knows what he is doing, and balances our lineup. As Buster Olney noted, is Alou is inked into out lineup, it is probably the best in the NL, if not one of the best in baseball. Now they have to figure out a way to keep him healthy. Defense is by no means a non-issue, but it is somewhat off-set with Chavez. Go Omar! I endorse this signing, and I also endorse a subsequent trade of Milledge + reliever, for, say Jake Peavy/Dontrelle Willis caliber starter, pending whether Mileedge's value is good enough. I believe they are think more highly of Gomez, and even higher of Martinez, who had a 10 game hitting streak in the AFL this fall as an 18 year old. My bet is that they both see action at Shea sometime in 2007. I am looking forward to seeing these two players in action. Gomez is reportedly faster than Reyes, and Martinez is described as fearless. Only 3 months till spring training.....

Hillbilly Nov 20 2006 06:00 PM

Alou brings much needed balance to the lineup, so I'm happy with the one year plus an option despite Alou being at the end of his career. Things are starting to heat up on the hot stove.

OlerudOwned Nov 20 2006 06:01 PM

I like it, I like it, I like it. A very good righthanded bat to balance out the lineup, who we can give time off to because of the solid outfield depth. And we didn't have to commit to a 41 year-old, only the 40 year-old model.

KC Nov 20 2006 06:09 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 20 2006 06:17 PM

I'm not excited about this one bit, and other than he didn't look too polished when he was up why has Lastings's stock dropped so much? Seems like the Mets have been getting Alou for the last five years, I think it's five years too late but the proof will be in the pudding.

Hillbilly Nov 20 2006 06:16 PM

I wouldn’t assume this means Lasting’s is on the way out or anything. It may just mean ‘they’ think he’s not ready to be handed a full time starting job yet. Alou and Green aren’t at the stage of their respective careers where they’ll be playing anywhere near 162 games. We’ll see, I guess.

Nymr83 Nov 20 2006 06:51 PM

between Alou and Green i'd guess there will be a MINIMUM of 100 outfield starts to handout to Milledge and/or Chavez, thats plenty.

seawolf17 Nov 20 2006 06:58 PM

Nymr's right. One year, sounds good. If we get what he gave San Fran last year (375 AB, 22 HR), I'm okay with that.

Gwreck Nov 20 2006 07:21 PM

Don't count out Ben Johnson, either. I could see a situation in which Green, Alou, Johnson and Milledge each get about 250-300 at bats.

Edgy DC Nov 20 2006 07:41 PM

With a one-year deal, let Milledge steal Alou's lunch. I don't care what this means to Milledge. It doesn't have to mean much. I care that it means bye-bye for Cornelius.

Willets Point Nov 20 2006 07:43 PM

You can never have to many old, injured guys on the bench. Or in the rotation for that matter.

TransMonk Nov 20 2006 09:40 PM

Alou steals Valentin's #18 as part of the contract.

smg58 Nov 20 2006 10:47 PM

When you look at the length of the Soriano deal and the depth of minor-league talent the Mets have at the outfield position, it made sense to look short-term. And given the market, Alou is a bargain at that price.

Frayed Knot Nov 20 2006 11:27 PM

I'm OK with this now that they're not committed to a 2nd year. 'Mets set to sign Alou to 2 yrs and $16mil' were the last words I heard as I drifted off to sleep Sunday night ... except for the "NOOOOOOOO!!!" I screamed after it. The details and the sober light of Monday made it better. Alou is one of the great "hands" hitters around. He'll hit some seemingly impossible pitches by pulling his hands in on an inside pitch that would splinter the bat of almost anyone else. Russo (the Giant fan) claims he's not all that bad a fielder (I disagree) and will be helped by moving from PacBell's spacious RF to Shea's smaller LF (I agree). Admits he's an atrocious baserunner though. One year also means that any potential deal for Milledge should stand on it's own merits rather than being neccesitated by this signing. And, while we're at it, let's remember that Lastings was the youngest position player in MLB last season before we start in on the 'his stock has dropped' stuff or start declaring that he's been surpassed by Single-A teenagers and others who have yet to get to where LM is already at. The one thing I question is the timing of it all. Alou is a 'Type-A' FA and - because he was signed so early - the Giants get to "offer" him arbitration risk-free and snag our 1st round draft pick out of it. Would have liked to save that pick (even though it's 29th overall) or at least save it for a real big FA signing. Oh well.

Rockin' Doc Nov 20 2006 11:39 PM

Seeing as the Mets really needed a right handed bat to go with Wright and this deal is for only one year with an option, I'm pretty pleased with Alou's deal. If the Mets can only keep him on the field with some regularity. There should be plenty of playing time for Endy Chavez and Lastings Milledge in the Mets outfield.

TransMonk Nov 21 2006 12:16 AM

I'm pretty lukewarm about the deal. I'm content because it's only one year, it's relatively cheap and a need was filled. I'm concerned because it's another signing of a guy that's over 35 and past his prime. I'll be happy if Alou can put up consistent numbers with what he did last year in as many games. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he stinks up the joint either. As for Milledge, I agree that this doesn't change his trade value at all. No one is untouchable, but if he is to be dealt, it should be for value. I am very happy that he is not getting the LF job, but also wouldn't mind hanging on to him to give him another year to mature and see what he can provide in '08. I also echo Marty Noble's mets.com report which opines that anything we can do to get Frank Robinson into Mets camp would certainly help the tutelage of Milledge. Robinson is exactly the type of mentor I would want for him.

duan Nov 21 2006 07:02 AM

i'm sad to say good bye to cliff; he's like Moises Alou a little light though.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 09:24 AM

So, remind me how the new labor agreement changes free-agent compensatory picks.

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 09:37 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Nov 21 2006 10:20 AM

The new agreement; - eliminates 'Type C' FAs so there's no compensation due there - limits the amount of 'Type A' & 'Type B' FAs by tweaking the pcts to qualify. - changes the compensation for 'Type B' players signed Type A used to mean in the top 30% at a position but now is for those in the top 20%. The compensation doesn't change: 1st (or 2nd) round draft pick plus a supplemental Type B moves from the 31-50% range to 21-40% and now nets only a supplemental pick, no direct picks from the signing team P.S. The classification changes start next year, while the compensation changes begin with this off-season.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 09:41 AM

So, since we're not going to offer arbitration to Floyd, and we're unlikely to offer it to Trachsel (though we could), the only way I see us getting a first-round pick back is if the Braves (or Yankees or Sawx) snag Glavine. OE: I'm not saying that's a high priority.

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 10:22 AM

If they don't re-sign Glavine I doubt they'll offer him arbitration either.

metirish Nov 21 2006 10:25 AM

I'm starting to tire of Glavine.

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 10:30 AM

I had almost forgotten that Moises will be the 2nd in his family to be a Met -- 3rd actually cuz there's some sort of convoluted relation between him and ... Mel Rojas. In any case, he doesn't have to do too much to out-perform either "cousin" Mel or [url=http://www.ultimatemets.com/profile.php?PlayerCode=0234]uncle Jesus[/url]

RealityChuck Nov 21 2006 10:41 AM

Rojas and Alou are cousins. Alou's name is actually Moises Rojas Alou, taking his name from his father Felipe Rojas Alou. This means that Moises's grandfather's name was Rojas. (The Alou brothers took their last name from their mother's last name, not their father's.) Mel Rojas's names is Melquiades Medrano Rojas, meaning that his mother's name was Rojas. So Mel and Moises share a grandfather.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 10:43 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Nov 21 2006 10:57 AM

"So, Mookie and Preston Wilson are one of two pairs of father-son Mets and one of two pairs of uncle-nephew Mets?" "I know, Honey. It's sounds Chinatown-ish, or at least Hamlet-ish, but it's a really nice story, I swear."

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 10:53 AM

I remember an article on Felipe (I think it was in SI a bunch of years back) which featured an Alou family tree as a sidebar. As I recall it was pretty convoluted, complicated by the fact that papa Felipe was married about 3 times and produced offspring both within and outside those marriages. So yeah, Mel is a cousin, I'm just not so sure it's as simple as your usual first-cousins who share a single set of grandparents type.

Farmer Ted Nov 21 2006 11:55 AM

MBTN take notice, Alou to sport the #18.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 12:04 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 21 2006 12:44 PM

it's already up at MbtN, but there's a meaty quote in the reports. With Alou's affection for the number 18, Minaya had to reach out to the previous owner, Jose Valentin, to see how he felt about giving it up. When Minaya told him the player who wanted it was Alou, there was no hesitation. Said Valentin, "You tell him he's got the number."

Johnny Dickshot Nov 21 2006 12:25 PM

I believe Valentin has some equity in 22, which went to Nady, then to Tucker, last year. I'd be surprised if he's not in 22 next year.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 01:09 PM

Twenty-three hundred lousy square feet for $1.949 million? Mercy, what has the world come to? The things you find when looking to spy Austria Alou.

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 01:26 PM

"[it's] bittersweet ... I'm so close to Cliff, it won't feel right without him. He and I have text-messaged a few times. Not about baseball. I guess he had an idea this could happen. That doesn't make it easy. We have such a special bond. I hate to see him go." "Bringing in Moises is great for the team. He's such a good hitter and clutch player. He's a class act. And I know we struggled against left-handed pitching at times, so he's just what we needed. I just wish there was room for him and Cliff." -- D. Wright "I have always understood the business, and when you understand the busineess, it's easier to digest things like this," said Floyd. "I understand. I am very happy they got what they wanted. I'll move on like they'll move on. But I'll miss the people. I'll miss D-Wright." -- C. Floyd

metirish Nov 21 2006 01:34 PM

Cliff is a class act.

smg58 Nov 21 2006 02:30 PM

Yes. As much as I think the Mets need to move on from Cliff, he's a very easy guy to like, and I wish him good health and good luck wherever he winds up.

Centerfield Nov 21 2006 02:54 PM

I want to re-sign Cliff. Is it too early to trade Alou? The new CBA got rid of deadlines and stuff right?

iramets Nov 21 2006 03:57 PM

Let me understand you: you don't like Alou and you want to sign Floyd because the Mets need an outfielder who'll be healthy?

Rotblatt Nov 22 2006 04:09 PM

From BP: ]Not all of the money being spent this offseason is going for naught, although you do have to look around for the bargains. The Mets got Moises Alou to come to New York on a one-year deal for $8.5 million, which reads like a typo amidst all of these other deals. Alou may not be able to get on the field for 150 games, but the 110 or so that he will play will make the Mets better. He can still hit. This is, by far, the steal of the fall.

Rockin' Doc Nov 22 2006 11:04 PM

A one year deal to Alou seems to be a good move for the Mets. As much as Cliff was a favorite of mine, I think that Alou is just as likely, if not more to remain healthy most of the season. The Mets needed a righthanded bat that could punish lefties and Alou far better fits that need than does Cliff. If there was a DH in the NL, thankfully there isn't, I would be for signing Cliff to a one year deal at a reasonable rate. As it is, I wish Cliff healthy season, wherever he lands in 2007. He'll always be a favorite of mine.

metirish Nov 23 2006 03:46 PM

Wally ain't in a giving mood. ] Mets making turkeys of fans November 22, 2006, 7:47 PM EST On the joyous occasion of Thanksgiving Day, let us take a moment to thank the New York Mets. For nothing. Last week, the club gleefully announced its sweetheart stadium deal that will hand over to them, rent-free, tax-free and finance-charge free, a virtually limitless source of income for the next several generations of Wilpons. And in return, they give us Moises Alou. And Jose Valentin. And Orlando Hernandez. And let us not forget Damion Easley. These four gentlemen have one important thing in common. They are all old, verging on ancient. The youngest is Easley; he turned 37 on Nov. 11, a month after Valentin. The oldest, of course, is El Duque, whose official age is also 37, but whose actual age can only be verified through carbon dating. Then there is Julio Franco, the only active Met who can get into Shea on a seniors pass. Somewhere in the middle sits Alou, 40 years old and more importantly, healthy enough in 2006 to appear in just 98 games. That is one more than the man he is expected to replace, Cliff Floyd, who was let go because, well, he gets hurt too often and misses too many games. What this means is that the Mets have done the near impossible. They have managed to find themselves an outfielder not only older than Floyd, but equally infirm. If there is logic in this sort of thinking, it must exist on an intellectual level I am incapable of comprehending. In my simple way of thinking, in baseball, older generally does not mean better. It means more likely to break down late in the season, at precisely the moment when a team will be least able to afford it. Kind of like what happened at the end of last season, when, in rapid succession, the Mets lost Floyd, El Duque and Pedro Martinez to a malady no doctor can cure: old age. Yes, we know Pedro is a mere 35, but his arm is 150. Clearly, the Mets learned nothing last year about the fragility and unreliability of old bodies on a baseball field. They claim to be "building" off their near-miss/collapse (your choice) of 2006, but the only thing they are building is a nursing home. Right now, it is a toss up which will be retired first, Shea Stadium or half the Mets roster. And have I mentioned that the Mets are still pursuing 41-year-old Tom Glavine for not one, but two more years? Last year, it looked as if GM Omar Minaya had a master plan to keep the Mets in perpetual contention and the Wilpons in perpetual cable subscriptions and season-ticket renewals. Now, the plan appears to be Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran and an annually-changing cast of aging mercenaries. They passed on Alfonso Soriano, who would have owned leftfield until Jeff Wilpon was old enough to shave, and if they make a big expenditure this winter, it is likely to be on Barry Zito, who at his best will merely be one more slop merchant in a rotation of junkmen. And that is another lesson seemingly lost on the Mets. You sign a comparatively-young outfielder -- Soriano is 30 -- for seven years, you can bank on seven years of high-level production. You sign a pitcher for seven years, you can bank on many trips to Birmingham, Alabama and the office of Frank Andrews, orthopedic surgeon. Take your pick from the laundry list of potential disasters: rotator-cuff blowout, Tommy John surgery, torn elbow tendons, dead arm syndrome, etc. Just look at the recent history of long-term deals for free-agent pitchers: Randy Johnson. Carl Pavano. Kevin Brown. Mark Mulder. Kevin Millwood. They worked out well, didn't they? And, oh yeah, there's Pedro, who may well have thrown his last pitch as a Met but has two more years of paychecks coming. As bad as the Mets season ended, so far their off-season has been worse. The best deal they have made was to trade away poor old Bill Shea for 20 years worth of $20 million checks. When they announced the stadium deal last week, plenty of Mets fans swallowed the Wilpon spin, that even though their would be 10,000 fewer seats, higher ticket prices and, possibly, personal seat licenses, it would all work out for the best because now the team would be able to spend money in Yankee-like excess. So far, they have spent like the Florida Marlins and signed like the Kansas City Royals. They take and take and take from the good people and bad politicians of this city, and they give you back Moises Alou. Even on Thanksgiving Day, being a Mets fan remains a thankless task.

KC Nov 23 2006 05:05 PM

WM: >>>So far, they have spent like the Florida Marlins and signed like the Kansas City Royals. They take and take and take from the good people and bad politicians of this city, and they give you back Moises Alou<<< Oh the drama, Wallace. Let's get some freakin' pitching before pitchers and catchers start thinking of reporting and then we can talk take and take. Good people and bad politicians ... huh? Go eat a drumstick.

Nymr83 Nov 23 2006 05:54 PM

]And that is another lesson seemingly lost on the Mets. You sign a comparatively-young outfielder -- Soriano is 30 -- for seven years, you can bank on seven years of high-level production. 8 years. and we showed in the other thread how often teams regret deals like that one. passing on Soriano might make idiot writers mad in 2007, but when 2010 comes around and he's stinking up the joint you won't hear them apologizing, they'll be too busy ripping the mets for not signing another guy for too much money over too many years.

metirish Nov 23 2006 06:00 PM

Wally is something else.... ] They passed on Alfonso Soriano, who would have owned leftfield until Jeff Wilpon was old enough to shave, and if they make a big expenditure this winter, it is likely to be on Barry Zito, who at his best will merely be one more slop merchant in a rotation of junkmen.

smg58 Nov 23 2006 06:47 PM

I've got no problem with slop merchants who get guys out. So does Matthews think Soriano would have come to the Mets at a discount, or does he think he would have been worth outbidding the Cubs to get?

KC Nov 23 2006 06:50 PM

I'm not jazzed about giving Zito a big fat long term contract, but I guess I've said that in other threads. Wally's fun ... I'm certain he hangs out on the boards ... hi, Wally.

cleonjones11 Nov 23 2006 08:28 PM

Zito will do well in the National League...He will be a Met...

Rockin' Doc Nov 23 2006 08:35 PM

Nymr - "...Soriano might make idiot writers mad in 2007, but when 2010 comes around and he's stinking up the joint you won't hear them apologizing, they'll be too busy ripping the mets for not signing another guy for too much money over too many years." Yup©. I think the Cubs ownership and Cub fans will ultimately rue the signing of Soriano. He should put up monster numbers for a few years, but I doubt he will be nearly worth his paycheck in the later years of the deal. Meanwhile, the Cubs will likely be unable (or unwilling) to afford the pitching they desperately need to be serious contenders while sadled with his contract.

metirish Nov 23 2006 08:42 PM

cleonjones11 wrote: Zito will do well in the National League...He will be a Met... I agree,and with this offence behind him he could win 20 games.....

KC Nov 23 2006 09:17 PM

20 game winner? Oy. I agree he's probably coming, but I doubt he'll make us happy.

metirish Nov 23 2006 09:20 PM

KC wrote: 20 game winner? Oy. I agree he's probably coming, but I doubt he'll make us happy. I'm an optimist to be sure..i remember posting that Pedro would win 20 when he came here...

metsmarathon Nov 23 2006 09:49 PM

]Now, the plan appears to be Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran and an annually-changing cast of aging mercenaries. uh, wally... we're only about half a month into this year's plan. we scratched out heads at some of last years deals that turned out rather favorably. i think mabe omar has a tad bit more equity in the bank than ripping on him for not way overpaying for soriano, and seemingly sveltely getting a good deal on alou, at least comparaatively to what the rest of the marketplace is doing. sheesh.

Nymr83 Nov 23 2006 10:15 PM

how exactly has the team gotten closer to a cast of "aging mercenaries" than it was before? (and why is it necessarily a bad thing if you've got a solid core?)

duan Nov 24 2006 07:20 AM what a load of horse shite.

from wally.

Frayed Knot Nov 24 2006 09:38 AM

Mathews is all wet on this one. Maybe he can find us some examples where 8-year deals for players who will be 31 before the term even starts were good ideas? ARod was 25 when his lenghty deal started; Jeter was 27 for his, Helton 26 & Manny 28. Pedro was 26 when he signed w/Boston and Beltran not yet 28 on his NYM debut. Soriano turns 31 in January. Oh yeah, he's also not as good as any of the above.