METS SET SIGHTS ON STARTING PITCHING

Music to my ears. I know most of you have a deep respect for wood a la Larry David, but without pitching you can have all the ash, maple and old hickory you want, you won’t win. Pitching wins period.

The top pitcher around that the Mets could get is Roy Halliday but the cost both player/prospect wise and money wise makes Halliday a dream that won’t come true. The next on the list is John Lackey, who is doable. Contract wise that is. If it takes an AJ Burnett 5yr/$82 mil deal to get Lackey here so be it. Sure he comes with a warning label as he hasn’t made over 30 starts in the last two seasons but the Mets are dessssssssssssperate for a #2 to Santana’s #1 and the they can piece together the rest of the rotation by adding two of the usual suspects from Jason Marquis, Joel Piniero, Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and the coming off injuries, Ben Sheets, Erik Benard, and Noah Lowry, and my trade up specials Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Gil Meche to go with Mike Pelfrey as the 4^th or 5^th starter then and only then will progress be made in Flushing.

By the way I agree with this from Mack’s Mets to make John Maine the 8^th inning set up man to Frankie Rodz and I would also make Ollie P a reliever as well and have Bobby Parnell and Perpetual Pedro Feliciano as my 7^th inning mix and match set and throw Sean Green in for shits and giggles.

Nothing gets accomplished here until the pitching is squared away.

“WHAT THEY ACTUALLY LIKE THAT BLUE AND ORANGE STUFF”?

Can’t you just imagine, Jeffey Skill Set saying that? How out of touch can you be about your fan base and the history of the close to <places right pinky to right corner of mouth> $1 billion dollar baseball franchise he and his family own?

The Skill Sets had to be hit over the head by their fan base to paint the walls blue and orange, add a Mets Hall of Fame that even the great unwashed can gain entrance to, and go back to the uniform that the vast majority of Mets fans revere.

METS-MARLINS IN SAN JUAN, WHO NEEDS TWO?

So MLB wants the Mets and Marlins to play a series in San Juan which would be taken from the Marlins home schedule. Now how does this help the Marlins? The only time they get big crowds at Your Name Here Stadium is when the Mets come to town, plus with the construction of a new ball park shouldn’t the Marlins be trying build a better relationship with their fan base so they fill the new place once it’s up? The weird thing about the Marlins fans is they support the team very heavily through TV and Radio so maybe it doesn’t matter if they play in San Juan or San Quentin.

Also in this story there is a blurb about the Mets looking at signing Jack Cust. Hopefully it’s for a bartender’s job at the Acela Club.

As far as I’m concerned there are three spots open in the rotation. Johan Santana is of course the ace and with his pittance of a contract picked up Big Pelf gets a spot as well. So who gets the other three spots? John Maine and Ollie Perez are in the mix if both are still around as the rumblings are that Maine could be non-tendered and maybe Omar can get someone drunk at the winter meetings to take on OP but even with them still on the roster, I say the need to show that they belong. Both pitchers along with Big Pelf, Jon Niese , Fernando Nieve and Nelly Figs should fight for the 4 or 5 spot. Which means the Mets need to bring in two solid big league pitchers, so here are my candidates:

John Lackey

Lackey would be the signing of the off season but how much will it take and do the Skill Sets have the scratch to pay him? This will be the theme of the off season. Jeffey Skill Sets proclaims he and his daddy and Uncle Saul are far from broke, in fact we found out they made $48 mil off of Bernie The Kid Madoff Field of Scheme ,so do they go toe to toe and dollar for dollar with the Bronx Bastards for Lackey’s services? Do the Texas Rangers get in the mix as well as Lackey is from outside of Dallas and rumors are he’d love to pitch in Arlington and for Nolan Ryan. What to do, what to do and how high to you go? 5yrs/$75-$80 mil which is AJ Burnett money ? As much as the Highlanders need another starter and all their bluster about going after stars, I don’t think even they can take on another contract like that. So let’s see how much hair Jeffey’s got on his balls and make that offer to Lackey and see if he turns it down.

Jason Marquis

Word on the street is Marquis wants to be a Met but at what price? Marquis made a shade under $10 mil last season, so what would be his price 3yr/$36-$40 mil ? He is a workhorse and he has won 10 or more games the last 6 years with last year and 2004 as 15 game win seasons but is he a number 2 starter ? More of a 3 or 4 if you ask me.

Randy Wolf

Omar Minaya fucked up royally last season when he didn’t sign Wolf. He now has a chance to redeem himself. After signing with the Dodgers last year for about $5mil, Wolf finds himself on the free agent stroll again and a two year with an option should be what it takes to sign this journeyman.

Aaron Harang

I have always been intrigued by Harang and if the Mets wanted him and are willing to pick up the bulk of his contract they could get him for a couple of low level minor leaguers. The last two seasons have not been good for Harang  and he is due $12.5 mil in 2010 and $12.75 in 2011 and if he is traded his contract calls for Harang to make $14 mil mutual option or a $2.5 mil buyout. If I were the Mets GM I’d grab Harang at worst he’s a solid 3 at best he’s a strong #2 and excellent compliment to Santana.  This is the best low risk high reward move the Mets could make.

Bronson Arroyo

If Omar wanted to break Mike Francesa’ heart he’s go after Mike’s Man-Crush Arroyo. Both Harang and Arroyo cleared waivers last summer as their price tags are prohibited. Arroyo is owed $11mil in 2010 with a club option of $11 mil in 2011 or a $2mil buyout. Would you deal for both Harang and Arroyo ? I’d be very tempted to go for both and  I don’t think the price would be outlandish but again the Mets would be taking on close to $24 mil in salary for both so that looks like a long shot but taking either Arroyo or Harang would be a plus for the Mets.

If you’re Omar you also have to at least kick the tires on Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets again low risk/high reward types. Both pitchers are coming off suergy and both can be had for 1 yr deals so why not take a look see.

So if I’m ranking who I’d go after to fill the starting rotation next season it would be:

1. Lackey

2. Harang

3. Arroyo

4. Marquis

5. Wolf

5a. Bedard

6 Sheets

I think Lackey is a pipe dream as it will take a lot of years and money to land him so I don’t see him as a Met. Harang and or Arroyo is a much better bet via trade and I can see either Marquis or Wolf in Mets clothing next year.

I don’t know what the pundits wanted Joe Giraridi to do other than pitch AJ Burnett on three days rest. Do these experts know the other choice to pitch is Chad Gaudin? The same Chad Gaudin who was cut by the Padres this season and a guy who has not thrown a baseball that counts in a month? You think Girardi enjoys being short in the starting pitching department? And why is he the bad guy here? Joey G has done a lot of things this post season to draw the ire of Highlander fans but their anger at JG on pitching Burnett on short rest is not his fault. The wrath of the fans should be on Pee Wee Cashman for not having the foresight to get a veteran starter (Gil Meche, Aaron Harrang to name two who would have been available) at the trade deadline. And by the way, when you sign a deal like Burnett did to pitch for the Highlanders who have to know what you do from April to September doesn’t mean jack shit, it’s what you do in the  post season where you earn your dough. Last night Burnett came up a few bucks short.

Anyone want to bet that Phil Hughes will be in the starting rotation in 2010? But it won’t be in the Bronx that’s for sure. Probably Pittsburgh or Kansas City I’d say.

On the FOX Pre-Game show last night, a show by the way, that makes Public Access TV look like Masterpiece Theater, host Chris Rose, who is so far over his head here he needs to go back to showing clips of golfers getting hit in the balls with their clubs, ask his panel of “Mad Men” extra Mark Grace, “Sufferin’ Succotash” Eric Karros and Charo’s  younger brother Ozzie Guillen, “if Derek Jeter is the greatest Highlander player ever”? At first the Gang of Three were as stunned with the ridiculous question in fact I was waiting for Guillen to throw out an F-Bomb and a scream out “PENDEJO”!!!! but no Oz said that not only was “Jeter God” he was the greatest Highlander ever. Well, I think that’s what he said because when Ozzie started talking I press the Closed Caption button on and my TV and on the screen it said “Are you fucking kidding”? Karros and Grace then agreed with Oz and I just sat there trying to pick up my jaw that his the ground. Jeter better than The Babe? Joe D? The Mick? The Iron Horse? Chicken Stanley? All right he’s a better hitter than Stanley but seriously has everyone lost their mind? His name is Derek Jeter not Derek Jesus.

Taking off my Mets cap and putting my Mets fandom aside for a moment, as a baseball fan I have to hope the Phuck Phaces win tomorrow night to not only set up a Game 7 but for the sheer joy of watching the flop swear flow from Highlander fans. Loosen them collars folks!

 A-I-D-A. Get out there - you got the prospects coming in. You think they came in to get out of the rain? A guy don’t walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They’re sitting out there waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?} 

Blake from Glengarry Glennross.

You could change the name to Omar from the NY Mets as it pertains to the Derek Lowe/Scott Borras negotiations.  So it seems that Lowe/Borras are not very happy with the 3yr/$36mil contract the Mets have offered but to me it’s more years and more money that anyone else has put on the table. In fact Lowe has stated he wants AJ Burnett money but the problem with that the only team offering stupid money is the Highlanders and they don’t seem to want Lowe or maybe they do but not at the stupid money price of $16mil per.

According to Boras, the Phillies and Braves are in the running for Lowe’ services. If the Mets played in the AL East Boras would tell us the Highlanders and Red Sox were serious bidders. If the Mets played in the Middle East Baseball League, Borras would tell us the Israeli’s and the Palestinians are serious bidders.

Oh of course there is the “Mystery Team” that may be the Milwaukee Brewers but of all those teams mentioned only the Mets have made an offer. So my question to Scott Boras is “Where are the fucking leads”?

If any team wants to give Lowe  4yr/$64mil go right ahead and as much as I wanted Lowe on the Mets there is no way in hell I’d give him that deal. In fact if I’m the Mets GM I say here is 3yr/$42mil then I’d flip over a three minute egg timer and tell Lowe/Borras that when that timer goes off so does my offer.

Derek Lowe wants $16mil a year for four years and I want to brush my hair out of my eyes. Neither one is happening.

Think of how many rag armed pitchers have stepped on the Shea mound over Heilman and none of them with anything close to the talent of Heilman and I’m surprised he kept quiet this long.

As Megdal points out the free agent market for starting pitching will be insane especially if CC Sabathia stays true to his word and plays on the West Coast, the Highlanders and Red Sox will throw money around like they were hedge fund managers. I’m sure Sabathia will be getting phone or text messages from Derek Lowe, AJ Burnett and Ollie Perez to please take that Angels offer so they can’t become filthy rich.

So what would be so bad with keeping Heilman and Niese in the 4-5 spots and taking a flyer on Freddie Garcia or signing Jon Garland and spending that money saved on a payout or sweetener in trading Gimp Castillo and signing Orlando Hudson?