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New Blue Jay Thomson rips Lo Duca's catching

Gwreck Jan 10 2007 05:03 PM

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2726797[/url] New Blue Jay Thomson rips Lo Duca's catching Associated Press TORONTO -- John Thomson was surprisingly candid Wednesday about one of the reasons he chose the Toronto Blue Jays over the Mets: He didn't want to pitch to New York catcher Paul Lo Duca. Thomson agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Blue Jays on Tuesday and will get a chance to win a spot in their rotation during spring training. The right-hander said the Mets also offered a major league deal, but he wasn't interested. "As far as just looking at Paul Lo Duca across the field, I'm not really into how he acts behind the plate," Thomson said on a conference call. "I know a bit about [Toronto catcher] Gregg Zaun and I know he wants to win and he's not going to let anything get in his way to do that, and I like that. "And then with Vernon Wells in center field, I'm not really concerned about the outfield with him out there. ... Just watching the Mets' outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there it's not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he's a little shaky. "I just liked what's happening in Toronto." Floyd is a free agent and almost certainly won't be back with the Mets next season. Thomson pitched for the Mets in 2002, going 2-6 with a 4.31 ERA in nine starts. Lo Duca and Floyd weren't with New York at the time. Thomson said the Mets initially offered a minor league deal before offering him a major league contract. He said Toronto offered more money in performance bonuses, but that wasn't a factor. Thomson will get $1.5 million if he makes the Opening Day roster. General manager J.P. Ricciardi said Thomson can earn as much as $4 million based on how many starts he makes. Thomson went 2-7 with a 4.82 ERA in 18 games, including 15 starts, for the Atlanta Braves last season. The 33-year-old Thomson pitched only 80 1/3 innings in 2006 because of mild fraying in his right shoulder and blister problems on his throwing hand. "Everybody else I was talking to was offering minor league deals," said Thomson, whose last two seasons have been marred by injury. "A bunch of the teams were kind of leery about signing me because of my shoulder problem that I had last year at the end of the season. As of right now it's fine. It was fine at the end of last year. There's nothing structurally wrong. I didn't have to have surgery on it." He asked Braves manager Bobby Cox to pitch in late September so he could he prove his health. "It was very important," Thomson said. "I sat down and said, 'Bobby, look, I'd like to get into a game toward the end of the season."' Thomson pitched a scoreless inning against the Mets on Sept. 27 with Atlanta leading 13-1 in the ninth -- his first appearance since July 9. "I threw nine pitches. I threw eight strikes and I got three outs so I was pretty happy," Thomson said. He said he's been told his spot in the rotation is his to lose in spring training. He'll compete with Josh Towers, Casey Janssen and Shaun Marcum for the two open slots behind ace Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin. Thomson went 14-8 with a 3.72 ERA with Atlanta in 2004. He is 62-84 with a 4.69 ERA in 214 career games (210 starts) spanning nine major league seasons. He also has pitched for Colorado and Texas. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Rockin' Doc Jan 10 2007 06:32 PM

The Mets need pitching, but I doubt John Thomson was the answer. He really didn't do much when he was with the Mets in 2002 and he has had only one winning season in his career. He's average at best with no real upside that I can see. As Toronto's fifth starter, he'll get knocked around by the Yankees and Red Sox next season. Good riddance. I'd rather the Mets give Trachsel an incentive laden 1 year deal.

seawolf17 Jan 10 2007 07:46 PM

I hate to break it to John Thomson, but he sucks. Have fun getting lit up by the Yankees five times this year, dickhead.

metirish Jan 10 2007 08:05 PM

What a fucking wanker,talking crap about Cliff like that...wasn't saying that crap abput LoDuca when he was in the NL East...

seawolf17 Jan 10 2007 08:10 PM

Paul LoDuca, career vs. John Thomson: 4-for-10, double, 2 HR, 2 RBI Suck it, JT.

metsguyinmichigan Jan 10 2007 10:30 PM

Um, if Barry Zito or somebody we actually cared about said they didn't want to come because of Paulie, that's one thing. But John Thomson? I'm not gonna lose any sleep over that one. I can only hope Jaret Wright, Derek Freaking Jeter and other piles o' pooh feel the same way. The only shame of it is that we won't play the Jays this year.

Edgy DC Jan 10 2007 10:42 PM

A guy whose career is on the rocks took the best deal. No shame in admitting that you took the bigger offer, man. Of all the ways to avoid saying that, arguing that Toronto's centerfielder is a better outfielder than the Mets injured leftfielder who won't be back anyway is about as stupid as they come. I realize that Toronto is set at the corner outfield spots, but it'd be funny if they signed Cliff.

cleonjones11 Jan 11 2007 12:25 AM

Who's John Thomson?

Nymr83 Jan 11 2007 12:41 AM

the lack of knowledge in the internet age startles me sometimes.

cleonjones11 Jan 11 2007 11:09 PM

I was being sarcastic

Edgy DC Jan 12 2007 08:21 AM

Yesterday's most popular lookup: John Thomson. First win ever. Caught without a blue hat.

Yancy Street Gang Jan 12 2007 08:26 AM

Roger Craig also got his first win this week. Probably because of that article that Johnny linked to.

soupcan Jan 12 2007 09:13 AM

Today's New York Times Mets Notebook Mota’s Admitting Mistake Is Impressive to the Mets By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Jan. 11 — An assortment of Mets players and front-office officials were on hand Thursday in Santo Domingo as the organization presented a $25,000 donation to Esperanza International, an organization that assists families in starting small businesses. General Manager Omar Minaya was present, as was the team’s executive vice president, Jeff Wilpon. Six players — David Wright, Moises Alou, Julio Franco, Anderson Hernández, Alay Soler and Ambiorix Burgos — were also in attendance. But not present was the reliever Guillermo Mota, who lives in the Dominican Republic, and whom the organization indicated earlier this week would be part of the event. Mota, a right-handed reliever, was suspended Nov. 1 for the first 50 games of next season for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He immediately took responsibility for the positive test and apologized in a public statement in which he said he had used “extremely poor judgment.” Five weeks later, the Mets signed Mota to a two-year contract worth $5 million, with Minaya issuing a statement that said Mota had handled himself in a “stand-up manner” in taking responsibility for his actions. Under the terms of his current suspension, Mota is allowed to participate in spring training with the Mets and to pitch in exhibition games. He is also allowed to take part in public events representing the team. Wilpon said Wednesday that he would have no problem with Mota’s serving as one of the faces of the Mets while he is suspended. “Omar and his staff made that decision a long time ago that we wouldn’t have signed him if we were worried about that stuff,” Wilpon said. “He apologized, he was sincere about his apology and we are moving on.” Wilpon said he did not know if Mota would be part of yesterday’s Santo Domingo event, “but if he is, that is great, if not, he is fine.” “If he wants to be charitable, that is terrific,” Wilpon added. In the end, Mota was not at the event. The team spokesman Jay Horwitz said Mota did not attend because he had another engagement and not because the Mets had had a change of heart on the issue. Mota was acquired by the Mets from the Cleveland Indians at the end of late August and immediately turned his season around. With the Mets, he went 4-0 with a 2.39 earned run average in 25 appearances and he was heavily used in the National League playoffs. When he returns next season, he is likely to play a key role in the Mets’ bullpen. MAINE DEFENDS LO DUCA A day after pitcher John Thomson said in a conference call that he chose to sign with Toronto instead of the Mets partly because of the questionable catching style of Paul Lo Duca, the Mets’ pitcher John Maine defended Lo Duca, saying that he was one of the best catchers he has ever worked with. “He is known as a hitter because he hits .320 every season, but he is great to throw to,” Maine said. “He knew the hitters and knew my strengths and called to my strengths. “He hasn’t thrown to him,” Maine said of Thomson. “I don’t know why he would say that.” Maine, who was obtained by the Mets from Baltimore before the 2006 season, was a pleasant surprise last season, going 6-5 in the regular season with a 3.60 E.R.A. and winning Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against St. Louis. He is seen as a strong candidate for one of the openings on the starting staff for this season. SLOW GOING ON RANDOLPH TALKS Significant differences still appear to remain over the terms of a contract extension for Manager Willie Randolph. Randolph is going into the last year of a three-year deal worth $1.8 million — a relatively modest sum in today’s market — and he and Omar Minaya have stated that they would like to get an extension worked out before spring training. Still, with a little over a month before pitchers and catchers are set to arrive here, a deal has not been worked out. On Thursday, Randolph said that he did not want to discuss the matter. “We are still talking and that is it,” he said. “It is a private issue.” Randolph was more candid about the left-handed reliever Scott Schoeneweis, whom the Mets are about to sign to a three-year deal. “I remember Schoeneweis as more of a starter and I always liked his stuff,” Randolph said. “There is a transition he has made to being a reliever pretty well.”

A Boy Named Seo Jan 16 2007 02:03 AM

Marty Noble was on Charlie Steiner's radio show on XM today, and when asked about the Lo Duca/Thomson thing, Noble said he didn't know much about Thomson but said there was this one thing... Steiner immediately asked if it had to do with a particular tattoo Thomson had and Noble said yes. Steiner then explained that Thomson proudly wears a Confederate flag tattoo on his arm, Noble then recalls asking Mo Vaughn if it would cause a problem when Thomson was traded to the Mets (Mo said no), and then Noble reiterates he doesn't really know Thomson, but hints at that as a possible reason Thomson came off hot for seemingly no reason.

Nymr83 Jan 16 2007 05:43 AM

its too bad we don't ban those (confederate symbols.)

Frayed Knot Jan 16 2007 09:33 AM

During the time he was here briefly a few years back, Thomson - a Vicksburg, Miss native - made it pretty clear that he wasn't enamored by the thought of living & working in NYC. With that in mind, I see this dissing of LoDuca as just a clumsy way of trying to say to his new employers (plus the press and any fans listening) that he chose them not just because they gave him the best deal but also that he genuinely prefers their city over "that other place", and what better way than to illustrate the fact that you found NYC to be loud and abrasive then to point out how the guy you'd be throwing to has been known to get loud & abrasive. Oh yeah, and that guy in LF is no good either. "What? ... he's not there anymore? ... ahh whatever".

metsmarathon Jan 16 2007 10:15 AM

if we banned confederate flags, we wouldn't be able to ridicule them.

Edgy DC Jan 16 2007 10:20 AM

Come on. Banning confederate flags would only lend credibility to their wielders.

Yancy Street Gang Jan 16 2007 10:29 AM

I hate Confederate flags, but I'm not in favor of banning them. It's not the American way. I would love to see us get to a point where most of those who display it with pride have a change of heart. Maybe that can happen in a few generations, but I'm not too optimistic. The Civil War has been over for 140 years and that flag is still alive and revered.

Nymr83 Jan 16 2007 01:50 PM

it is a symbol of racial hatred, as bad as Nazi symbols (which are rightfully banned in Germany.)

metsmarathon Jan 16 2007 02:04 PM

there are those who would argue otherswise, that it is a symbol of regional pride, and that they hold fast to that particular definition rather than ascribe to any definition assigned by someone else - that the confederacy was about much more than just slavery and/or white supremacy, and just because you say it means slavery and racism doesn't make it so. that wiggle room should be enough to stave off the censors. that and its silly to outright ban a symbol such that the simple display of it becomes a criminal act. if people want to wear a shirt that says "i am a racist" i think they should be allowed to. its easier when the idiots announce themselves, instead of forcing you to figure it out for yourself.

Edgy DC Jan 16 2007 02:35 PM

Banning Nazi symbology in Germany has not kept Nazi ideology from spreading, but has given recruiters an angle with which to hook potential converts, allowing them to position themselves as an opressed minority. Let them fly their thingies, so that we might know them.

metsmarathon Jan 16 2007 02:47 PM

i think that thingies should be kept hidden, irrespective of the ideology of the attached body.

Edgy DC Feb 17 2007 08:34 PM

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Veteran outfielder Cliff Floyd is among the position players reporting to camp early. The Chicago native, entering his first season with the Cubs, answered recent criticism from Toronto Blue Jays pitcher John Thomson. When Thomson chose the Jays over Floyd's previous team, the New York Mets, last month, he singled out Floyd's glove as a reason, saying: ''Just watching the Mets' outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there, it's not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he's a little shaky.'' Floyd's response: ''I thought to myself, I could have called a couple of people and blasted him back and dissed him. But at this point in my career, the only people he hurt were my mom and dad, which meant a lot to me. As far as retaliating ... let him be him. From what I've seen, he's not one of the greatest pitchers in the game, so it didn't really affect me in terms of my pride or anything. ''People who talk a lot always seem to be on the short end of the stick. So I wish him the best of luck. Hopefully, his luck will change over there in Toronto, but it didn't change much in the National League.''

metsmarathon Feb 17 2007 09:09 PM

i miss cliff already...

metirish Feb 17 2007 09:12 PM

Cliff......smooth as ever....that response was just brilliant.