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Saturday, January 31
Caribbean Series Set
by
Lou Di Falco
on Sat 31 Jan 2009 09:47 AM EST
This article is for the complete baseball junkies out there. The wait for live baseball is over. The teams are set for the Caribbean World Series starting Monday and airing live on the MLB Network, two games a day for six consective days.
The qualifying teams from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela are TIGRES de LICEY, VENADOS de MAZATLAN, LEONES de PONCE, and TIGRES de ARAGUA respectively. The format used is a round robin. Each team will play six games, an away game and a home game for a total of six games each. The tournament has a total of 12 games. All games will be played in Mexicali, Mexico, the site of this year's series.
The TV schedule is as follows -
Monday 2/2 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Tigres de Aragua (VN) vs. Tigres de Licey (DR)
Monday 2/2 10:00PM EST/7:00PM PST - Leones de Ponce (PR) vs. Venados de Mazatlan (MX)
Tuesday 2/3 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Tigres de Licey (DR) vs. Leones de Ponce (PR)
Tuesday 2/3 9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST - Venados de Mazatlan (MX) vs. Tigres de Aragua (VN)
Wednesday 2/4 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Tigres de Aragua (VN) vs. Leones de Ponce (PR)
Wednesday 2/4 9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST - Venados de Mazatlan (MX) vs. Tigres de Licey (DR)
Thursday 2/5 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Tigres de Licey (DR) vs. Tigres de Aragua (VN)
Thursday 2/5 9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST - Venados de Mazatlan (MX) vs. Leones de Ponce (PR)
Friday 2/6 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Leones de Ponce (PR) vs. Tigres de Licey (DR)
Friday 2/6 9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST - Tigres de Aragua (VN) vs. Venados de Mazatlan (MX)
Saturday 2/7 5:00PM EST/2:00PM PST - Leones de Ponce (PR) vs. Tigres de Aragua (VN)
Saturday 2/7 9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST - Tigres de Licey (DR) vs. Venados de Mazatlan (MX)
The MLB Network will also reapeat games. Check times and channel number for local listings.
Friday, January 30
"Citi Field" May Not Last As Long As Shea
by
Lou Di Falco
on Fri 30 Jan 2009 11:45 AM EST
New York Newsday reports that two members of the House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and Ted Poe (R-Texas), are demanding that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner dissolve the Citigroup-Mets deal for naming rights to the new ballpark. The demand is being made because of the fact that Citigroup is accepting federal bailout money while planning to spend 400 million dollars for naming rights. Kucinch was quoted as saying "It's just totally unacceptable that Citigroup should be able to spend $400 million in naming rights when they're the recipients of a massive federal bailout".
Honestly I can't say I disagree. We are in the worst financial crises since the great depression. Jobs are being lost at a record pace. Many of those jobs are Citigroup workers themselves. How would you like to be a Citigroup employee recently laid off but know that the company you worked for is still going to spend hundreds of millions to have their name plastered on the Mets new ballpark.
This is the world we live in. Gone are the days of naming teams after the ballclubs that play there, or the areas where they reside, or after a person responsible for the ball club's existence like attorney William A. Shea. Today, and for the past decade, it has been revenue at all costs. I guess that's fine in good economic times but these are not good economic times. The Astros new ballpark was originally named Enron Field. Is there a need to say anything else? Now it turns out that Enron was just the tip of the iceberg.
I had no problem with the Mets naming their stadium Citi Field before this current economic mess. I would paint Coca-Cola on the front of my house if I received a monthly check. But the federal bail out money is our money. It is money from taxpayers that we, are children, and our children's children will be paying back. I agree with President Obama, that the money is needed to stimulate the economy. The depression of the 1930's was prolonged because the government did not act. That said, the money needs to be used to create jobs, not name stadiums.
The Mets and Citigroup are adament that the deal will continue. Geithner has said that all Tarp money should be returned if the deal with the Mets is not dissolved. This is going to be interesting.
In the current economic times, I would like to see the Mets do the right thing. I know I'm being idealistic and as long as Citigroup continues to pay the Mets, the name will stick. But it makes me a bit disgusted. When I go to a Mets game, I freely give in to paying for tickets, parking, food, souvenirs, and anything else that comes with attending a baseball game. The money I pay to the Feds every year should benefit the public trust, not be given to the Mets.
As the article points out, the claim that Citigroup makes, that no bailout money is going to the Mets is a bit gray. Money is money, from what pile of cash do they pay the Mets? Does it really make a difference?
Once again, the Yankees trump the Mets. Their new park is named Yankee Stadium, no chance of controversy there. The Mets should do the right thing. I have an idea, why not name the new park Shea Stadium?
Wednesday, January 28
Photos of Citi Field and Shea Stadium
by
Lou Di Falco
on Wed 28 Jan 2009 10:00 PM EST
Tuesday, January 27
The Colorful World of Citi Field Seating
by
Lou Di Falco
on Tue 27 Jan 2009 09:50 PM EST
There are more colors on the seating chart of new Citi Field than there are in a hundred count box of Crayolas. If you are considering a season ticket plan or will be purchasing tickets to individual games, here's an overview of the many different seating choices at Citi Field.
By comparison, the now demolished Shea Stadium was easy to understand with its four decks. There were box seats and reserved seats and the prices were pretty consistent throughout the park. Citi Field has only three decks but each is broken down into many different levels and sections. Pay attention because there could be a quiz at the end. It's quite confusing.
We will start at the bottom, field level, and work are way up. Behind home plate the first two rows of seats are known as Delta Club Platinum. I don't expect to be sitting there any time soon since these seats will be the most expensive in the house. On the seating chart, Delta Club Platinum is designated as a pale yellow color. Probably because your face will turn that shade when you see the price of these seats.
Delta Club Gold, rows 3 through 8, are directly behind the Platinum section. Then comes Delta Club Silver, rows 9-14. On the seating chart the shade of yellow gets darker with each section. What's a color blind person with money to do? Rows 15 on up are simply referred to as the Delta Club section and are represented by a shade of orange. The Sterling Suites are right behind the Delta Club. You must be a Wilpon or have a similar bank account to watch the game from there. Remember, the Delta section is only behind home plate, from inside of the third base dugout to the inside of the first base dugout. When you venture left or right along the baselines, you have a whole different group of seats.
Behind both dugouts you will find the Metropolitan sections. Like Delta, the Met section is broken down into Platinum, Gold, Silver, and just plain. I'm sure the pricing starts out at exorbitant working it's way down to extremely high. The color coding is also the same as Delta. You following me camera guy?
Beyond the dugouts is the Field Box section, well at least it sounds familiar. The Field Box section is broken up into Gold, Silver and just plain Field Box. Field Boxes are designated in a pink color. Down the lines, beyond the Field Box section, is the Baseline Section indicated as a darker pinkish red. On the third base side, the Baseline Section wraps into fair territory in left field. This is not the case on the right field side.
Unlike Shea, there are seats in the outfield beyond a picnic area. On the first level, these seats are simply known as Right Field and Left Field Reserved, nice and simple. However, the first two rows are labeled Reserved Gold. These seats are designated as a bright pink while deep red represents the majority of outfield reserved seating.
In center field, just to the right of the batter's eye, is the Big Apple Reserved section and is designated on the chart as a dark red. Next to the Big Apple Reserved is the Bridge Terrace, a bright red. Presumably, this is a standing room section. I think it's a clever idea. The bridge evokes many of the steel truss bridges in New York City and can be used by many Mets fans to jump off of when the Mets implode in September (I admit it, that was just down right mean).
Now we can finally move up a deck to what is known as the Club Level. The entire Club Level is known as the Ceasars Club. Right behind home plate, the Ceasars Club is broken down into platinum (first two rows) and gold (row three and higher). Ceasars Club, is this were Mr. Wilpon will come out and turn a thumb up or down after the game? A light purple distinguishes Platinum and a light blue is used to represent Gold. I should point out that the seating chart does indicate a ring of luxury suits right below the Club level but you can not click on them the way you can with the other sections of the park. In other words, keep out!
Fanning out to the baselines is the Ceasars Club Silver (dark purple, first two rows) and behind is the Ceasars Club Bronze (light blue). Further out past first and third base respectively, a darker blue designates the Ceasars Club without further qualification. In left field beyond the restaurant (Acela Grill) in the second deck is the Left Field Landing Gold and non gold. Once again, the first two rows are Gold. Here the colors are a grayish blue for the first two rows and a dark blue for other seating. I'm getting blurry eyed. The shades are beginning to blend together.
Now we can move up to the top level where the last row is about as high as the first few reserved seats in Shea's upper level. As you might predict, the rows and sections are broken up into multiple designations but generically the entire upper level is known as the Promenade. Sounds like it belongs in an opera house. Behind home plate, the first two rows are Promenade Club Gold. I guess they felt if you are sitting in the upper level, platinum would not be a prudent adjective. A dark green indicates row 1 and 2. Behind the first two rows, a light green designates Promenade Club, basically an upper deck box. Above the split is the Promenade Reserved Infield. No first two row designations here. A dark green is used for these seats. The Promenade Infield Reserve goes from dugout to dugout.
Beyond first and third base is the Promenade Box and Promenade Reserved. A light green and a dark green are used to differentiate the two sections. In left field, the Promenade Box and Reserved seats stretch all the way around to center field while in right field it ends down the right field line in foul territory.
The one last section to mention is the overhanging deck in right field which is accessed on the second deck. And according to the seating chart, it has been named the Pepsi Porch. I guess a Coke is going to be hard to come by at Citi Field. The first two rows, colored yet another shade of light blue, is called Pepsi Gold while the seats behind are simply Pepsi Porch, another shade of dark blue.
So 42,500 seats and about 17,000 different colors to depict the many different prices that will be offered at Citi Field. It is unclear what the prices will be for the different seats until individual game tickets will be offered some time in February. At the moment the Mets are offering season ticket plans. Some are already sold out. Season tickets for all 81 home games and the two exhibition games against the Red Sox are still available. For $1,550, ($19 plus per game) you can have a Promenade Reserved seat for every Mets home game (now what color are those?). A year ago, that price might seem reasonable but in the current economic state our country is in, I'm not so sure now.
There are other plans too. There are 40 game plans that offer every other home game and there are also 15 game plans. Many of the latter are sold out. The 15 game Saturday plan has prices as low as $285.00 per seat. That's $19.00 per ticket to sit in seats that are closer to the field than at Shea and no higher than Shea's upper level reserved third or fourth row. Creative fans could go in on a package like this and split up the games. Split three ways, this plan amounts to $190.00 for two seats for five games. Most people pay more for that on beer in a month. The 15 game weekend plan (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) are completely sold out but there are many other plans available. And as I said above, individual game tickets will go on sale soon.
The section numbering is different than it was at Shea too. At Shea, odd numbering was on the first base side of the stadium and even numbering was on the third base side. That is not the case at Citi Field. Numbering starts in right field and works its way around the park. Field level starts with one, the luxury suits start with two, the Ceasars club is qualified with three then the split upper level starts with four for below the split and five above.
If you look carefully at the seating chart, you will notice many areas that feature handicapped seating. Unlike Shea, there is handicapped seating all over the place. Every level including the Pepsi Porch is wheel chair accessible.
The economy will have some say in seat availability at Citi Field but if there is a will, there is a way. I have been looking forward to seeing the Mets at their new park since shovels first went into the ground during the summer of 2006. I don't care if I sit in the Promenade Reserved in left center field in the back row or on the new home run apple itself. I will get to Citi Field this summer. Now if I can just figure out what color my seats are.
Sunday, January 25
More Pics of Shea
by
Lou Di Falco
on Sun 25 Jan 2009 09:14 AM EST
Saturday, January 24
Less that 180 Degrees Now
by
Lou Di Falco
on Sat 24 Jan 2009 10:24 AM EST
Shea Stadium continues to be dismantled. The Upper Deck is almost completely gone. The pedestrian ramps at Gate A and Gate E have been torn down. And what was once a partial circular stadium at about 240 degrees has been reduced to less than 180 degrees. Shea's footprint is diminishing in leaps and bounds.
Regardless of the extreme cold we have experienced recently in the tri-state area, the lack of punishing winter storms has allowed workers to knock down the old yard relatively quick. It appears to me they are ahead of schedule. Jeff Wilpon had talked of the parking lot, where Shea stood, not being completed by opening day. But that was before Shea's razing began. Here is a slide show from WebShots user mdileox35.
Shea Stadium Destruction
Friday, January 23
Why The Mets Do Not Need Manny
by
Lou Di Falco
on Fri 23 Jan 2009 09:56 AM EST
There are a couple of articles in today's papers pointing out that the Mets are not interested in Manny Ramirez. So be it. But that does not stop the lazy media from writing articles about how inept the Mets front office is with player moves. Or how cheap they are compared to the Yankees.
From a baseball standpoint, Manny Ramirez makes any team better when he steps in the batters box. He is one of the greatest hitters who ever donned a major league uniform. Last year, after being traded from Boston to the Dodgers, he knocked in 53 runs in 53 games pushing LA into the playoffs. But as I recall, the Dodgers did not win the World Series. They lost to the Phillies in the NLCS. Still, LA enjoyed a successful run.
So everyone assumes the Mets will get to the playoffs too if they acquire Manny. Apparently, it is the only way they can do so.
There is another side of Ramirez that no one seems interested in. It's the side that forced him out of Boston. A 160 million dollar contract was not good enough for him. So Manny argued, pushed a Red Sox employee to the ground, claimed his knee hurt and couldn't play, begged out of a game against the Yankees, in another game with the Yanks he stood in the batters box against Mariano Rivera and never took the bat off his shoulders as he watched three strikes go right by him. Now I ask you, is that the kind of player you really want on the Mets?
Apparently the Red Sox didn't. A bunch of Boston players marched into Theo Epstein's office and demanded that he get Manny out of the clubhouse. At the trading deadline, Manny was gone.
For those that defend Ramirez and claim the Sox do not win their two world titles without him, here is something to consider. If he had played his heart out for Boston last year, the Sox might have won a third World Series. You saw what he did in LA. Boston had a much better team than the Dodgers and with Manny's ability, he might have helped the Sox win it all three out of the last five years. That had to infuriate Boston management, enough to eat a huge chunk of salary and get him out of town.
But there are some writers who fail to report this. For them it's so much easier to take the cheap shot at the Mets. And their memories are weak if non existent. Let's look at the facts. The Mets ended in second place three games behind the Phillies, one game behind the Brewers in the wild card race. The Mets bullpen collectively were responsible for 29 blow saves. Let me repeat that-29 blown saves. That is a ridiculous amount.
Had the Mets blown 28 saves, they would have tied for the wild card. Had they blown 27 saves, they would have made the playoffs. Had they blown 26 saves, they would have tied with the Phillies giving the Mets the division because their head to head record was better.
Taking it a step further had the Mets blown 20 save opportunities, they would have won the NL East handedly. Do you see a pattern here. Do you understand what the real problem with the Mets was last season. It wasn't David Wright going 0-4 on the last day of the season, regardless of what David himself might say about that. It had nothing to do with Jose Reyes dancing around the field inciting the opposition to hate the Mets. Those reasons are foolish excuses for a media too in love with writing sensational articles instead of reporting the facts.
Omar Minaya and his staff understood the problem. That's why they set out to bolster their bullpen with the likes of Francisco Rodriguez, J.J. Putz, and Sean Grean. It's why the Mets have ridden themselves of Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis. The Mets scored the same amount of runs as the Phillies did. And that's with leaving many runners in scoring position. And while some might say Wright needs another bat to take the pressure off of him, it was the bullpen that put pressure on the entire offense. No lead was big enough last year. How does that wear on a lineup that night after night feels they must score six runs for a chance to win?
I do not doubt that Manny's bat would help the Mets score runs. But I do wonder if he became unhappy, what kind of mess we would see in that clubhouse. A fan on WFAN this morning made an excellent point. He asked rhetorically how many World Series have the Yankees won since they signed Alex Rodriguez. The answer is none. Pitching is what wins, especially in the post season. That's what the Mets should and are focusing on. They still need another starter even after signing Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract yesterday. Their pursuit of Oliver Perez and/or Ben Sheets is the number one priority.
Here's another thing. If the Mets are so wrong about Manny Ramirez, how come, at the moment, there is not one offer for him from any major league team?
Thursday, January 22
Baseball Italian Style
by
Lou Di Falco
on Thu 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM EST
I know many are concerned about players getting hurt during the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC). The only thing I can say is sit back, relax, and enjoy the games. Nothing is going to stop them. Major League Baseball has invested a lot in this tournament in a huge attempt to grow the game globally.
With that in mind the question remains how much are you into it? Some fans I have talked to despise it, some love it, and some are just okay with it. Years ago I would have been disinterested. As much as I loved baseball, my focus was solely on the Mets. As I have aged I still am a die-hard Mets fan but I enjoy the game of baseball more than ever, even if the Mets are not involved. I follow the College tournament which is growing in popularity. I am even looking forward to the Caribbean World Series that starts in a couple of weeks. Why not, it's baseball in February. What baseball fan would not like that? And by the way, those Caribbean games will be televised on the MLB Network.
The WBC will feature 16 teams made up into four pools. Each of the four pools will use a double elimination format to produce a pool winner and a runner up. The four pools in the first round, A through D, will reduce to two second round pools, 1 and 2. Again, a double elimination round will produce two teams each that will end up in the semi finals. The semi finals and finals will be a single elimination format played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. In all, a total of 39 games will be played.
What I find intriguing about the tournament is some of the countries that will participate. Most particularly is Italy. Being of Italian heritage, I find the idea of baseball in Italy, specifically professional baseball, rather interesting. I certainly would not mind being around for the pre-game buffet. If you have ever been to Italy, you know that is a culture that takes it's food seriously-very seriously.
Professional Baseball in Italy has been around for a long time. The game was introduced to Italians by American GIs during World War II. The story goes that a group of GIs recruited young Italian boys to work in a cemetery to help bury those lost in combat. During their breaks, the soldiers taught the boys how to play baseball. The first baseball tournament was held in Italy in 1948. Over the years, as a professional league developed, some American players went there to play. I recall back in the early 80's, former Met Lenny Randle became a star in Italy. I think it had more to do with his personality than his on field skills. My curiosity getting the best of me, I decided to do a bit of research. A quick search on the Internet revealed that pro ball in Italy is alive and well.
The highest professional league in Italy is made up of eight teams and is known as the A1 league. After the season concludes, the two worst teams move down to the A2 league while the two best from A2 move up to A1. This is a concept widely used in European Soccer. There are a number of A2 teams spread throughout Italy. There is a lower level league known as the B league and Italy also boasts a winter league. The four top teams from the A1 league play in a best of seven semi-final. A best of seven final follows.
The Italian baseball season is relatively short compared to ours, just 42 games. They start the season in early April but it concludes at the end of July and they only play about three times a week on the weekend. The playoffs follow and by mid August the seaosn is over.
The 2008 champion of the A1 league was Fortitudo Bologna with a record of 34-8. The worst club was Potocco Rangers Redipuglia with a record of 2-40 (Yikes!, Italy's version of the '62 Mets).
The Italian league includes American ballplayers. The Bologna club featured Cody Cillo, a pitcher who tied two others for the league lead in wins with eight in 2008. Cillo, who led the league with a 1.30 ERA, is on the Italian club that will compete in the WBC. Second baseman Joe Mazzuca and center fielder Richard Austin are two other imports that helped Bologna to the title. These players and others combined with Major League players of Italian decent will make up the Italian roster for the WBC. Mike Piazza, who played for Italy in the 2006 WBC, has signed on to be the hitting coach.
The ballparks in Italy are small as you might expect. A video I found on the Internet of an Italian playoff game surprisingly showed a packed house. It's amazing that baseball appears to be as popular as it is over there but of course it can not compete with futbol. The uniforms look pretty much like ours, not the softball, full colored ones, I remember seeing when Randle played there.
Italy is not the only European country playing baseball. There are many others. The Netherlands will also be sending a team to the WBC. Both the Netherlands and Italy did not fair well in 2006. But the fact that teams from Italy, The Netherlands, Australia and South Africa are competing means that baseball is getting more popular around the globe. Although the talent level does not yet match that of the American continents and the Far East, there have been a handful of players signed from these countries, most notably Australia.
Because of interest in baseball in these foreign countries, the WBC will grow to be one of the most anticipated sporting tournaments of the 21st century.
Wednesday, January 21
Barack and Jackie
by
Lou Di Falco
on Wed 21 Jan 2009 10:36 AM EST
Regardless of your vote, yesterday was an amazing day. A black man taking the oath of Office of the President of the United States of America is something I thought I would never see. But yet it happened. It happened because the time was right, the man was right, and America was ready. The long road that it took for it to happen started on a baseball field more than 60 years ago.
Make no mistake of the connection between Jackie Roosevelt Robinson and Barack Hussein Obama. In many ways they are one in the same. They both possess the same qualities. They both were ready to take on a huge task and write a new chapter in American History.
Our society has changed much since the time when Robinson first donned a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. Some of his own players did not want him on the team. Jackie heard racial insults from the stands constantly. He could not shower and dress in the same locker room with white players or eat or sleep in the same hotel. Thankfully that all changed many years ago. Had Jackie Robinson not defied the odds, there would have been no path for President Obama.
When Robinson broke the color line in baseball, many thought the game would be ruined. The opposite was true. As blacks and other minorities entered the game, baseball got better than ever. It made many baseball historians wonder how much better the game could have been had Negro League players been allowed to play in the Majors in the early part of the 20th century.
Jackie Robinson gave a society mired in segregation hope. Yesterday, the efforts of Robinson and others were realized. Progress is slow but our country has grown.
Are things perfect? Is racism dead? Unfortunately not. I have heard racial slurs and jokes made at the expense of our new president and I am sure you have too. Of course they are all born out of fear that somehow a black man in charge of our country is a dangerous thing. What is dangerous is the ignorance behind such fear. That is one of the messages President Obama is attempting to make. It's a message that Jackie Robinson made too a long time ago.
Once again, America has become a beacon of light for the World. No other country would elect a minority person to the highest office in the land. Somewhere, the spirit of Jackie Robinson is smiling.
Tuesday, January 20
Pitching Candidates
by
Lou Di Falco
on Tue 20 Jan 2009 02:38 PM EST
At the moment, the Mets rotation includes Johan Santana, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey. The other two starters have yet to be determined. While we read the names of various available free agents daily, we really have no idea who will be the Mets fifth starter and who will be the other starter to slot into 2, 3 or 4.
There are in house options. It’s not the sexiest option but Tim Redding, recently acquired, could be the fifth starter. He won ten games last season for a dreadful Nationals team and he throws a lot of innings. Jon Neise and Bobby Parnell are two other options but likely will need more time in the minor leagues. Neise did pitch at the major league level last season and showed signs of promise. He held the Braves scoreless in one appearance but got hammered in another.
Likely the Mets, as reported, will delve into the free agent pool to come up with a starting pitcher. They missed out on Derek Lowe and with good reason. He’s 36 years old and wanted a four year deal. Atlanta gave it to him for 60 million. Lowe is good but to the Mets, he was not worth that kind of money or years.
Oliver Perez is the obvious next choice. There is no question that Perez possesses the stuff to be a dominant left hander. He has already proven to be an excellent pitcher in big games. But for some reason, Ollie has struggled against the also-ran teams, losing games to the likes of Florida or Washington. He often losses his concentration, giving up walks and making bone headed decisions in the field. That’s what drives the coaching staff crazy and why some in the front office really wanted Lowe instead, despite Perez’s younger age.
Like Lowe, Perez is a Boris client and will likely cost the Mets more than they would like to spend. It was reported that the Mets had already offered Perez 30 million over 3 years. Now reports are saying that is not the case, no Mets offer has been made. It’s not clear when the Perez sweepstakes will be completed. The problem is there seems to be no market for the former Met at the moment. With Boras as negotiator, that will surely change. But because of the time it may take to lock up Perez, the Mets may not wait.
Now we are starting to here the Mets have interest in Ben Sheets. Personally, I would sign him at all cost. Sheets has terrific stuff but has suffered unfortunate injuries during his career. A heavily incentive laden contract should be in order for Sheets. The Mets should offer him a contract similar to the one the Red Sox gave Brad Penny, a small base guaranteed with many incentives making the deal attractive. Tom Verducci reported on MLB Hot Stove last evening that the Mets are interested but they and Sheets are far apart on guaranteed money.
Last season Sheets compiled a 13-9 record for the Brewers and pitched 198.1 innings. But his injury late in the season had fans questioning his fortitude. His life time ERA is 3.73 and is only 86-83 in his career. This is where the Mets have some leverage. For as good a pitcher as Ben Sheets is, his stats are not that terrific. I think it would be a good gamble for the Mets to sign this guy. Perhaps in New York in a competitive environment, Sheets at 31 could finally flourish—provided he stays healthy.
Another pitcher often mentioned in conjunction with the Mets is Randy Wolf. Wolf is a step or two down from Perez and Sheets but he does throw a lot of innings. The left hander is 90-72 over his 10 year career. He pitched 190 innings last year for two teams and has pitched over 200 innings three times but not since 2003. That was Wolf’s best year when he went 16-10 with the Phillies. The Mets would likely sign Wolf only if they could not get Perez or Sheets. And that would be a very disappointing outcome for the Mets.
Angel’s pitcher Jon Garland is another option you hear mentioned with the Mets. The right hander is a nine year veteran, all in the American League. He has won 109 games while losing 89. His lifetime era is 4.47. He’s definitely a workhorse. Garland has pitched close to or over 200 innings in seven of the nine seasons he’s been in the big leagues. I would prefer him over Wolf.
The Mets certainly have options. My first choice would be Sheets although he’s risky because he has been prone to injury. I like his stuff though, he can be electric. But so can Perez and he knows the Mets and the Mets know him. It’s hard to tell how much the Boris factor will effect negotiations with Perez. The fact is the Mets need another pitcher and they should be able to land one of the four discussed here.
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