When it comes to watching sports I'm not one of those fans who follows all 4 sports leagues, for me it is all about the NBA & my 1st love MLB. So with the baseball season now over all I have left is the NBA to keep my sports interest up, the problem is that since the day of Patrick Ewing my passion for the NBA has been missing, and with the Knicks off to another dismal start, all I have left as a Knick fan is to wait for next year Lebron James sweepstakes.For the past 3 seasons Met fans have seen it all, as an organization the vibe is not good, management has taken a hit, the system has not been able to produced another Wright or Reyes, & on the field the team is still looking for that 2006 magic that as fans of this team we still want to believe is still in this core. But how long can we wait for this core to get back up? All I know is that it can't get any worst & that better days are ahead of us. But just in case you had a bad case of amnesia let me break down how the last 3 seasons has been for us Mets hopefuls, In 2007 we endure the teams biggest collapse, then in 2008 we were battling the fighting Phillies but we lost Alou for the 2nd straight year in the critical stretch run, & Billy Wagner would be lost for the final month, blowing a 3 game lead with just over a week to go, collapse #2, to top that off you had this past season which was like Friday the 13th the entire year, Met fans never had a chance. When you put all that together the resume is not been good, it has been freaky timely injuries, bad luck, & bad baseball overall, the NY Mets of Omar Minaya seem to be in it's final year, & if the Mets are to get off to another poor start in 2010 you can say goodbye to the Minaya Era.
With that said, it is time to get talking about some HOTSTOVE, time for our annual wish list & predictions, time to get rid of the bad apple's and get some new faces on board. So lets start with the defending champions NY Yankees who have a few decisions to make before they start adding some new faces, they have a trio coming off the books in Damon, Matsui, & Pettite, 3 guys who played a major role during the playoffs & WS run. Do you let them all walk away thinking their time with the team has seen their best days?, do you bring them all back? as you can see not an easy decision to make. If I had to bring 1 back that's Andy Pettite who in the WS & throughout the playoffs showed he can still be counted on, but will he take a 1 year deal? this is a guy who for years has said he want to retire, & this year he said it again, but throw him a 2 year deal I'm sure he'll take it & come back. And what about Damon who is already looking for at least a 3 year deal, sure the guy that throws like a girl can still hit, but for how long can the old body keep up?, and for the type of money he is demanding is he even worth locking up for another 3 years? & don't forget you're dealing with Scott Boras here, so again no easy task.
Then you have Hideki Matsui who is coming off his WS MVP performance, he may come back on a one year deal but then again he may want use his recent success as leverage and may want something more then a 1 year gig, whatever the Yankees do with these guys they have some money making decision to make. Like I said they may bring them all 3 back, but if I had to let one of the 3 walk it will probably be between Damon & Matsui, Damon is already making things hard for himself wanting that 3 year deal so it will be hardball time with Boras & Cashman.
But who do the Yankees decide to add to the team? who will be the new faces to join forces? who wants a ring? Could this be the year the Yankees decide to pass on the weak crop of FA? I doubt it, but you never know, they won't go all crazy like they did last year when they signed the 3 best FA the market had to offer, this year there is no Texiera or Sabathia on this list, but there is a Burnett type and his name is John Lackey. Rumors have already began swirling that the Yankees may be interested, but so have the Mets & teams like Rangers & Dodgers, & you know the Yankees always get the best man available. If the Yanks don't bring back Damon then who plays in left? will they just give the job to a guy like Brett Gardner? I don't see why not, but that just not how the Yankees go about things they want a big name guy at every position & you can't stop them, so if there is no Damon in LF does that mean Bay or Holliday?
And what about the Mets, I already told you about the hex of a year we had, so what will Omar do to try and make things better & save his job? we all know he is on a short leash & come 2010 another bad beginning to the season could be the end for the Dominican GM from Queens. We herd from the Wilpon's saying that money will not be an issue, and that Omar can do what he wants, but with a weak crop to choose from do you really want to lock up players to long contracts just to make a splash and save your job? as a Met fan I hope not.
The big names in this FA class are Matt Holliday, John Lackey & Jason Bay, of the 3I'm going after pitching so Lackey is the guy who I go after, sure the Mets have a void in LF, but do I want Bay? I'm not too thrill, & what about Holliday? this guy is a Boras client and he would want the moon for a guy who's numbers may have been inflated by playing in Colorado, is he worth signing to a 5 year deal that will easily exceed the $100 million mark? hell no! sure he is a good player but I'm not going to throw Carlos Beltran money on him, If I can get Jason Bay for about $30 for 3 years I would prefer going that route, but as a fan of the Mets I am also ok taking my chance with what we have or trading for someone of lesser value. The Mets also need a catcher & I here Bengie Molina is available, perfect! get him on the team, you can do no wrong by having a Molina behind the plate, plus the guy is coming off his best offensive season leading the SF Giants as a major run producer,
yes he is 35 but I'm taking my chance, so Omar get him in a Mets uniform!
Then there is the 1st base situation, do be go with Daniel Murphy? the problem is the team is looking for power and Murphy is more of a double's man, I don't mind sticking with him, but fans want more of the long ball from that position, so it's another tough decision for Omar to make, you here names like Lyle Overbay or Nick Johnson's being tossed around but if that's the case leave me with Murphy at 1st, then again you can still bring back Carlos Delgado who's contract is up, or do we just move on? the way I see it if the choices are guys like Overbay or Johnson I rather bring back Delgado for 1 more year at around 6 mil, so Carlos if you ok with that I give you another shot.
As a Met fan a perfect world would be this, Get Lackey & a guy like Randy Wolf as your #4 or 5 guy, Get Molina to do the catching, & at 1st you leave Murphy or you bring back Delgado, if he stays healthy, along with all the other Mets who are coming off injuries, the power & the team will be ok to compete. Now unless you can get me Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres to play 1st then I'm estactic.
This is my prediction, for the Yankees they will land Matt Holliday & don't be surprise if they get John Lackey too. As for the Mets they will get Jason Bay, and my crystal ball says they will acquire Roy Halladay via trade, yup it will be right out of nowhere from Omar but he will get it done cause he has too.
Now that I got you thinking what do you have to say?
22 comments:
Let me start w/the Yankees. Wow, Holliday and Lackey? I really dont see that happening. Holliday is going to want way too much money and years and I dont see the Yankees doing it. I saw this guy in Oakland playing in a pitcher's park and he wasn't very good. He's a AAAA player, so I can see him staying in St. Louis or I wouldn't be shocked to see him in the Mets. Lackey? That'll be Kevin Brown 2.0. As for the Yankee free agents if I'm Cashman this is what I do: Resign Pettite to another 1 year deal. At this point in his career Pettite is content with going with 1 year contracts. I'd offer Matsui a 1 year deal with a 2nd year option, take it or leave it. As for Damon, I'd offer him arbitration and give him a 1 year deal and let it play out. No way would I give him a 4 year deal, if you look at his numbers they were impressive for this last season but no single player benefited the most from the short porch at the new Stadium. I like Damon but I would let him walk.
As for the Mets, they have so many needs I dont know where they can start. After Santana do you trust any other starters. Do you trust anyone in the bullpen?
Your crystal ball is seriously malfunctioning. You're saying that the Yankees will sign Holliday? Why would they? If they do sign someone it'll be a 2nd tier guy. Ask yourself this. Why blow there load now when in 2010 Joe Mauer, Crawford, Halladay, Lee and Beckett all hit free agency. You're also predicting that the Mets will get Halladay? Are you serious? With what? The Mets dont have anything of value to trade. If Omar can pull that off then they need to sign Omar to a 10 year deal.
No I said Yanks get Holliday but to not be surprise if they get Lackey too, and about the Mets getting Halladay you say the Mets don't have anything but they didn't have anything when they got Santana, Hey it's just a wish list and some predictions, you give your wish list, Danny gives his & we see who comes closest.
Keep looking in that Crystal ball dude. No way that Lackey comes to the Yanks. No way! He is strictly an NL player. He's not one of those guys that can play in either league. He is to say, "not as good as advertised."
Mets. Ray do you even trust Santana? I'm talking about injury-wise. I don't.
Don't be surprised if you hear the Yanks name in all of these people. ALL OF THEM. It's just strategy to drive the price up for Boston, and many other clubs, who by gone it, do quite well in merchandising. They have plenty of money as the Mets do to do whatever they want. Owners sure are greddy. I'm looking forward to next year when Mauer becomes a FA. If the Yanks can sign him, Cashman should get signed for a long time. I think Mauer stays in Minnesota but it would be a dumb move for him in terms of baseball history. That's his hometown and I don't expect him to go anywhere.
I said Lackey, I was talking about Holliday. Holliday is the NL player I was referring to in the first paragraph.
As much as I would LOVE to see Mauer in Yankee pinstripes, I dont see it happening. I think he'll stay w/the Twins and thats a good thing even though it doesn't benefit the Yankees.
Holliday is definetly a AAAA player, like I said I saw him a lot here in Oakland and was not impressed. Grant it, Oakland is a pitcher's park and they didnt have the best line up but he goes back to the NL and starts killing it. Great point about all the agents using the Yankees to drive up the prices. Was thinking about the Mets, I wonder how hard of a time they will have to sign big hitters. The cavernous Citi Field is going to be a deterrant in getting hitters to want to come to the Mets. Hitters are not going to want to see there numbers dive playing at that park. Should be interesting to see how the next 2 months play out in Queens.
Well like I said don't be surprise if Lackey ends up with the Yankees, I predicting he ends up in Boston. Oh you was talking about Holliday? don't be ridiculous saying things like Holliday is a NL player, do you really think that if the Yankees were to get Holliday that he would not be putting up solid numbers? with that lineup? in that dinky ballpark? Hey that's just my predicting & it all boils down if the Yankees are ready to part ways with Damon. He is not that good, but on a team like the Yankees, everyone looks good.
I'm a little worried about Santana, but you just have to hope that he can bring it like you know he can.
Do I give a shit if teams make money off of merchandise? sure owners are greedy bastards, it is their business that they are running.
If Mauer is to leave Minny, it will be to the NY Yankees, they have the money & or course they will over pay to get him because they want the best, hopefully he stays at HOME.
Yea great point about the AGENTS using the Yankees to hike up the price tag, that's why I hate Boras!
Yeah, Holliday would be better in the Yankee line up but remember he's a right handed hitter not a lefty so the whole dinky ball park theory doesn't really work.
I would be shocked and disappointed if Mauer were to leave Minny for the Yanks, Sox, Mets or any other big spending team. From everything I have heard and read about the guy, he's perfectly happy being in Minnesota and as long as they dont low-ball him I can't see him jumping ship. If for whatever reason he does decide to jump ship can you imagine the bidding war that would erupt among the Yankees, Sox and Mets? I hope it doesnt happen.
Lackey is staying in warm weather - period. Only obscene gobs of cash will change that.
Lackey is staying in warm weather - period. Only obscene gobs of cash will change that.
Sounds like the Yankees, my guess is he will end up in Boston.
Ray you make it sound like hitting a hr in LF in Yankee stadium is a mile away, remember this is the new Yankee stadium, balls will fly unless your a righthanded hitter with no power. you forget that all the good power hitting Yankees are pretty much switch hitters who hit better, & for power from their left side, only AROD is a pure righthanded power hitter on that team. Like I said put Holliday on the Yankees and he will do what he has done with the Rockies, who believe it or not have more on that team then Oakland, talk about a AAA team.
I said obscene. He isn't coming here or there. You don't get it. This guy likes warm weather. What part of that do you not understand? I can see him totally going to the Rangers and their revamped outlook on pitching. Or he'll stay where he is. If he wantsd to win, he'll leave.
Ray you make it sound like hitting a hr in LF in Yankee stadium is a mile away, remember this is the new Yankee stadium, balls will fly unless your a righthanded hitter with no power.
You are dead wrong. You would have to hit it down the line. I mean pull it hard for it to be short. Right center field in Yankee stadium is one of the deepest parts in all of any MLB parks. Also knowns as no man's land. Any true basball personality knows this. Call me when you are ready to graduate from AAAA.
Graduate? you need to understand that the New Yankee stadium is just like the Park in Philadelphia, the 2 biggest bandboxes in MLB.
come back at me when your in the Majors
Ok, lets look at facts. Yes, Yankee Stadium plays small to right field, its the 3rd smallest park when you go right down the line. Only Boston and SF are smaller. The left field is also short like Danny said, 318 which is ranks 4th shortest behind Houston, Tampa Bay and Boston. Now lets look at the rest of "bandbox" as you like to refer to it. Left Center goes 399, its the 2nd longest in the majors, second only to Comerica Park in Detroit. Centerfield is 408 feet, only 6 parks are bigger to center. Out of the 6, 3 of them are only bigger by 2 feet; Dodger Stadium, Citi Field and Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City. Right Center at Yankee Stadium goes 385 which ranks 4th in the majors behind San Fran, Atlanta and San Diego. So if its a bandbox, thats a pretty big bandbox. You need to look at the entire park and not just down the lines.
No, I didn't say it was a mile away but anyone who watches the Yankees knows that the Stadium is more conducive to lefties than it is to righties. Yes, a lot of homeruns were hit this past season at the Stadium but when you look at the Yankee line up with the likes of Damon, Tex, Cano, Swisher, Posada and Matsui you can see why. They are lefties or switch hitters so of course you will see a lot of homers.
Ok now that you got the facts in about all the dimensions, my question to you is this, if you had to pick the 2 biggest bandboxes in MLB which 2 will it be?
I'm pretty sure Philly will be one, don't forget that whatever the outfield walls at the New Yankees stadium have on display are not what they say, in other words what they say it is not accurate.
I think Camden yards is the biggest sandbox of all time.
"Forget what the walls say cause they are wrong"
You act like MLB isn't involved in this.
I give you Camden Yards, what is the involment MLB is in that you talk about?
It's just that you think they Yanks can make stuff up as they go along. This is done in-line with MLB as is every other park
From what I read about the walls at the new Yankee stadium it was just a simple miscountculation.
So what exactly are the dimensions of Yankee Stadium then?
I don't know exactly the dimensions but this is what I read a while back when I was doing my Yankee Stadium write up.
The field dimensions for the outfield fences have the same distance markers as the original facility prior to closing yet the dimensions are not identical.[28] Due to the design of the right-field stands and the inclusion of an embedded manual scoreboard, the right-field wall is an average of 5 feet closer to home plate.[29] Overall, the fences measure 318 feet to left field, 399 feet to left-center field, 408 feet to center field, 385 feet to right-center field, and 314 to right field.[20][21] At the old Yankee Stadium, the right field wall curved from the right-field corner to straightaway center, while at the new ballpark the fence takes a sharp, almost entirely straight angle.[29] This results in a difference at certain points between the right field markers of as much as 9 feet.[29] The dimensions in left field are substantially the same despite the presence of an embedded auxiliary scoreboard there as well.[29]
The outfield fences measure 8 feet 5 inches (2.57 m) high from the left-field foul pole until the Yankees' bullpen, when the fences begin to gradually descend in height until the right field foul pole, where they are only 8 feet (2.4 m) tall.[20] This also marks a decrease from the previous Yankee Stadium, where the outfield walls stood at a height of approximately 10 feet.[28] The distance from home plate to the backstop is 52 feet 4 inches (15.95 m), a reduction of 20 feet (6.1 m) from the previous facility.[21] The field is made up of Kentucky bluegrass, the same surface as the previous stadium, which is grown on a 1,300 acres (530 ha) farm in Bridgeton, New Jersey. The grass is equipped with a drainage system (featuring over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) of pipe) that makes the field playable an hour after taking 2 inches (51 mm) of rain.[20]
What is it with this copy and paste crap?
proving to you that the new Yankee stadium is not accurate.
be original
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