Yardbarker: Huston Street

Angelswin.com Arizona Fall League Report

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:06:23 -0500

By Jock Thompson - Angelswin.com ColumnistThe 2008 season ended too prematurely once again for the Angels. But even as teams were being eliminated in the MLB postseason, interesting baseball was starting up on the West Coast in Phoenix. Kicking off every October, the Arizona Fall League ...

Angelswin.com Arizona Fall League Report

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:17:11 -0500

By Jock Thompson - Angelswin.com Columnist

The 2008 season ended too prematurely once again for the Angels. But even as teams were being eliminated in the MLB postseason, interesting baseball was starting up on the West Coast in Phoenix. Kicking off every October, the Arizona Fall League ...

Mets looking at all options to fill closers role...

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:07:47 -0500

According to Jack Curry of the NY Times, the Mets are looking at all options to fill their closer role. Which include trade possibilities. The Mets have potential trade partners with the Astros (Valverde), Mariners (Putz), White Sox (Jenks), Rockies (Street).

There is a reason why all these teams want to trade their closer. The Astros would like to lower their payroll, The Mariners think that Brandon Morrow can replace Putz, The White Sox would like to get younger and use Jenks as a chip, and the Rockies already have a closer in Manny Corpus.

The Mets remain interested in signing either free agent Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes, but the prices for those closers remain high. The Mets are also looking into cheaper options in Kerry Wood and Trevor Hoffman.

The Mets would like to stabilize their bullpen by trading for a closer or signing a cheaper option before going into negotiations with the agents of Fuentes and K-Rod because it will give them some leverage.

The Mets can pull away from signing a top tier free agent closer if they can get two closers from either via trade and sign.

Fuentes is looking for a contract between the $10-11 Million dollar mark for the next three years. Francisco Rodriguez is looking for a Mariano Rivera type contract around $15 Million a year, for 5 years. The Mets would like to get involved in the K-Rod sweepstakes if he would take a 3-4 year deal.

If I'd had to take a guess, I would say that the Mets will end up with Huston Street and K-Rod, but who knows at this point, maybe that will change by next week...

Hot Stove League: Mets Appear To Covet Everyone

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:23:53 -0500

The New York Mets covet _________. Those words have been uttered in every Hot Stove rumor out there, because they are more than just rumors. The Mets, who had a second straight free fall from first place in 2008, are apparently looking to fix more than their horrendous bullpen as they move ...

Think Low budget on the pen....

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:01:50 -0500

After two years of extremely inconsistent pitching from the corps of relievers in the bullpen, it appears Omar isn't willing to spend big money to solve the problem. Most of us are hoping to see the Mets sign Joe Beimel, Juan Cruz or Brandon Lyon but just as some of us were disappointed to see ...

Mets get price for Fuentes, Some talk about Ibanez and Ollie...

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:12:58 -0500

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all .....

Today in the Daily News, Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have found out the price for closer Brian Fuentes through his representative. He is asking between $10-11 Million for the next three years. The Mets think that the price is a little high, but the Mets still remain interested in the former Rockies closer.

Signing the 33-year-old Fuentes, who made $5 million last year, over the more expensive K-Rod ($10M in 2008) would make acquiring a higher-priced set-up man - such as Colorado's Huston Street - easier to justify. Street, shipped to the Rockies this month after compiling 94 saves over the past four seasons with Oakland, may be flipped to another organization. He made $3.3 million last season and is arbitration eligible. Street won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2010 season - the same offseason Aaron Heilman becomes a free agent.

Raul Ibanez:

Minaya also confirmed the Mets' widely reported interest in free agent outfielder Raul IbaA?ez, although the GM noted that pitching is the priority for now. Minaya acknowledged trying to acquire IbaA?ez from the Mariners last July.

"Last year we did talk to them during the trading deadline about him," Minaya said. "Unfortunately, we were not able to get a trade done. We've heard very good reports about him - not only as a player, but as a person. I understand the Phillies, they're one of the teams that's considering him. We are also keeping an eye on that situation, even though we're focusing right now on pitching primarily. But he is a good player."

Oliver Perez:

As for re-signing Oliver Perez, Minaya said: "We definitely have Oliver on our radar, but I don't know what his asking price is. Sometime during the winter meetings we will probably sit down with (Perez's agent) Scott (Boras) and kind of get a better feel for what exactly he is looking for."

More Dirt Tomorrow,

Have a Good Turkey Day!

Why Heilman wasn't traded...

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:08:30 -0500

It makes absolutely no sense for the Mets not to make a trade for Huston Street if the asking price is Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano. Either the rumor is inaccurate or there is some other consideration as to why the deal wasn't consummated.

Looking at the trade rumor itself: Huston Street ...

K-Rod ices Mets...

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:26:22 -0500

It's only fair, after three weeks of playing second fiddle to any reliever in the league with at least one save under his belt, when the Mets finally reach out to K-Rod his agent agrees to meet with them but not for another two weeks.

Lets see we've heard the Mets were the only big market team in ...

A's trying to shake up the AL West

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:07:40 -0500

The Oakland Athletics, the team that traded away Joe Blanton and Rich Harden last year in what looked to be rebuilding moves, are ready to rebuild a little sooner than we thought.

They already traded for Matt Holliday, unloading underperforming Huston Street in the process. Now reports are that Rafael Furcal - whom the A's reportedly offered a 4-year, $48-million deal - toured Oakland yesterday and had lunch with GM Billy Beane.

If the Athletics can sign Furcal, he would be an upgrade over Bobby Crosby. The displaced shortstop could in turn be traded. The assumption is that there is a great chance Jason Giambi will also land with the A's, suddenly making the lineup much more formidable with Furcal, Holliday, Eric Chavez, Jack Cust and Giambi.

If the Angels lose Mark Teixeira and miss out on CC Sabathia, the tide could turn in the AL West.

We Now Own The Mets

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:03:21 -0500

Congratulations, Fellow Taxpayer! Thanks to the continuing bailout efforts of people who really, truly believe in capitalism until it fails to make them money, we're going to give Citibank some free money, under the theory that they are too big to fail.

Let's see... some Saudis who act as the de ...

Mets could have Street for Heilman and Feliciano...

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:23:50 -0500

NY Post's Joel Sherman is reporting that after the Rockies acquired Huston Street, the Mets offered Aaron Heilman for the former A's closer. According to Sherman, the Rockies countered that they wanted Pedro Feliciano with Heilman in exchange for Street. The Mets refused.

The Rockies have a need for a left handed reliever, plus they would like to make Aaron Heilman a starter. Something that Heilman would love to be this coming season.. It would also mean the end of eighth inning nightmares for Mets Fans.

The Mets have interest in Huston Street as a setup, rather than having him close out games himself.

To me, I don't know what the Mets are thinking about. Pedro Feliciano is not the greatest pitcher in the world and can be replaced. The Mets have other alternatives like Joe Beimel out there, who can replace Feliciano.

I think the Mets will wait and see how the closers market resolves itself , before they get into who sets up the closer of choice.. But it won't be Heilman..

This deal is something the Mets will definitely have to revisit, at least they know it's out there!

Two Closers Are Better Than One

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:40:27 -0500

Joel Sherman of the New York Post, reports that soon after the Colorado Rockies acquired Huston Street in the Matt Holliday deal, the Mets checked in and made an offer for Street. Sherman explains that the Mets wanted to trade reliever Aaron Heilman, but that the Rockies wanted Pedro Feliciano as well. The Mets said no, and that was the end of the negotiations. I would have pulled the trigger on that... Not only would we have jettisoned Heilman out of here, but it would have given the Mets more leverage in a K-Rod deal. In his article, Sherman also writes, "The more I talk to Met officials the more I sense they want to use Street as the eighth-inning guy and still obtain a closer such as Brian Fuentes or Francisco Rodriguez. The Mets recognize they do not just have a ninth-inning problem, but that their whole late-inning contingent was troublesome." As I wrote last week, the Mets need more than just a closer, they need to construct a bridge to the closer with a reliable setup man and two reliable specialists. I believe we have a solid righty specialist in Joe Smith. After that it's just a wild gamble. If somehow Feliciano and Schoeneweis are back next season, I guess one of them would be the lefty specialist, though I'd rather have a fresh face in the role. I do like the Mets thought process on this though, and I am glad they feel the need to get not just one closer, but a second one as backup who will fill the setup role until he is needed. It's a solid plan.

We may need a new GM

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:53:43 -0500

If there is truth to this report, I'm truly at the end of my faith in Omar. Something that signing K-Rod may not restore, because lets face it one of the closers is coming here by default. But it's not the big signing deals that make a GM, just like a pitcher it's the peripherals and Omar has ...

NYBD : Joe DeMayo's rumor mill...

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:08:32 -0500

In Mike Silva's NYBD blog, Joe DeMayo writes his latest rumor mill report:

He says the Mets are still in the hunt for Derek Lowe, but they have back up plans in Jon Garland, Kevin Millwood, and Javier Vazquez.

Luis Castillo remains to be the second basemen for 2009, but the Mets still can offer him in a trade preferbly for Javier Vazquez.

If Castillo is dealt, it would open up the door for Orlando Hudson, who the Mets like, but he also has a lot of other potential suitors bidding on him.

Joe says don't believe the hype over the catcher situation, Schneider/Castro tandem will remain...

According to DeMayo's sources, the Mets remain high on the idea of signing K-Rod. They would like to offer him preferbly 3 years with a fourth year option. The Mets have the Rodriguez's medical records and are reviewing them and suppose to have a face to face with the Mets bigwigs to discuss dollars and cents this week..

If the Mets can't get K-Rod to settle , they will look to Brian Fuentes. They also would like to only go 3 years on him. According to DeMayo, the Mets have other trade possibilities in J.J. Putz and Jose Valverde, but the Mets would like to just sign a player rather than giving up prospects.

DeMayo says that the Mets have a legitimate interest in Huston Street and they would like for him to set up for either Fuentes or K-Rod. The Mets might use Aaron Heilman as the main chip here to land Street, who Joe says the Rockies like. So Much that they are willing to put him in the rotation. That would be a good thing for Heilman , who has requested to start this season and the Mets do not want to do...

Always check out the latest rumors and rumblings from Joe DeMayo and the staff at NYBD. Remember to check out Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest at blogtalk radio show every Wed and Sun night @ 7PM. Tonight Mike will have on SNY's Ted Berg and CBS Phil Allard. You can always check out the replays of the show on Dom D's Mets Fan Blog..

Despite A Fist Full Of Dollars, Mets Won't Spend A Few Dollars More

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:06:55 -0500

Despite drawing 4 million fans last season, and the expectations of even more riches on the horizon with Citi Field, the Mets will be winging it this off season rather than using all of their riches to address the teams most glaring needs. No team in the National League has more team revenue then the New York Mets. The have a treasure chest of cash flow from record breaking attendance, one of the most successful sports cable networks in recent years, a huge windfall from the naming rights to their new stadium, and a new era of record revenue from Citi Field. And yet, they refuse to spend one red cent on C.C. Sabathia even though they know it would give the Mets the most lethal 1-2 punch in baseball. Instead they set their sights on Derek Lowe because they thought he would come cheap... Now they found out that the Yankees and Red Sox are hot on his trail too, so they are scrambling for a Plan B. John Harper of the Daily News explains... The Mets aren't conceding anything yet, but privately they admit they didn't expect Lowe to be in such high demand, and they worry that with the Yankees and Red Sox in the hunt, they may have to lower their sights for a starting pitcher. So now they may have to set their sights even lower... They have K-Rod at their finger tips, but still they are poking around for a Huston Street or J.J. Putz because they don't want to spend the cash. Initially they were going to get rid of Castillo and even eat his contract if they had to, but now they announced that he is getting a second chance. They could have gone after a big time slugger for left field, but they decided to pass on Matt Holliday and wouldn't even consider Manny Ramirez. The Mets have shaved off almost $40 million in salary because of Pedro, El Duque, Alou and Oliver Perez. Also, Delgado will get paid 4 million less than he did last season and will offset increases for Wright, Reyes and maybe Church. Beltran, Schneider, and Castillo will make the same. Nobody in the bullpen is expected to get a significant raise, not surprisingly so. So where is all that money going to? It sickens me that after two straight disastrous seasons, the Mets are not willing to do what it takes to bring a championship to Flushing, New York. Instead they would rather pinch pennies and give their fans a whole bunch of lip service.