09-10 Offseason – Page 18

Willets Point Suit Thrown Out

November 30, 2009 by Joe Janish

You may or may not know that the construction of Citi Field was a central part of a redevelopment plan in the gritty, commercial area of Queens known as Willets Point. Part of that plan included the “eviction” of many businesses in the area, particularly the auto repair shops and salvage yards that are viewed … Read more

2009 Analysis: Cory Sullivan

November 30, 2009 by Joe Janish

cory-sullivan-19 Back in January, the Mets made a series of blockbuster moves to sate the hunger of disgruntled fans. First they picked up lights-out LOOGY Casey Fossum, then they brought back Argenis Reyes, before capping the excitement with the signing of Cory Sullivan.

At the time, the Mets were unaware that Jeremy Reed was part of the trade with Seattle — they were so excited and busy patting each other on the back after hoodwinking the Mariners into handing over J.J. Putz that Reed was an afterthought. Further, the person who inked Sullivan had not yet received the telegram from the department of the organization that drafted Carl Loadenthal in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft (perhaps the message was sent by Pony Express, which tends to be slower in the snowy winter months).

We assume these things because Sullivan, Reed, and Loadenthal are all essentially the same player:

The Price for Roy Halladay

November 28, 2009November 27, 2009 by Joe Janish

According to a “high-ranking official” cited in an article by The National Post, the Toronto Blue Jays will take as much time as needed to trade Roy Halladay — if they trade him at all.

Would they actually keep Halladay through 2010 and allow him to leave via free agency next winter?

Wilson Valdez Signed – But Not By Mets

November 26, 2009 by Joe Janish

After providing stellar defense and hitting .256 through 41 games as a replacement shortstop / utilityman for the Mets, Wilson Valdez was not re-signed and given the chance to test the market.

It didn’t take long for Valdez to find a taker — he’s been signed by

Manuel Motivated – Minaya Next?

November 26, 2009 by Joe Janish

So far, the Mets are making good on their promise to overhaul the entire organization, from top to bottom.

It is no coincidence that a number of former managers — such as Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge — were considered for Jerry Manuel’s coaching staff, nor that at least two possible replacements for Manuel (Wally Backman, Terry Collins) have been hired for ancillary positions in the organization.

Such moves and considerations make it crystal clear that Manuel is on the hot seat, and will be under a magnifying glass from the beginning of spring training. Some might call it “motivation”.

But Manuel is not the only one on the hot seat — his boss Omar Minaya may be similarly “motivated”.

Jones, Gonzalez, Vizquel Off the Table

November 26, 2009 by Joe Janish

The first free agents of this winter’s pool have agreed to terms with new teams: Alex Gonzalez has moved on to the Toronto Blue Jays, and both Andruw Jones and Omar Vizquel are moving from Texas to the Chicago White Sox.

How do these signings affect the Mets?

Rate the Mets Free Agent Targets

November 25, 2009 by Joe Janish

With a four-day weekend coming up, you’re bound to have some downtime. During those doldrums, have fun rating the Mets Free Agent Targets. There are 83 players to vote for, on a scale of 1 through 10. It’s completely up to you to decide what those numbers mean. Enjoy.

Giving Thanks

November 25, 2009 by Joe Janish

On the day before Thanksgiving, I’d like to take this time to give thanks to you, the reader of MetsToday, for visiting and for sharing your opinions in the comments section. Without you, it would be pretty boring here. In fact, there wouldn’t be much point at all in blogging about the Mets if you … Read more