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Odds & Ends: Giants, Cubs, Mets

By Zach Links [November 2, 2009 at 10:00pm CST]

Some links on this Monday evening...

The Giants have hired Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens as their hitting coach, writes Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Meulens - who previously held the same position with San Francisco's Triple-A affiliate - recorded an OPS of .641 in his Major League career.
MLB.com's Chris Haft brings us a look at Bam Bam's resume. Meulens was the only candidate manager Bruce Bochy spoke to before he and GM Brian Sabean made their choice, writes Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News.
In a radio interview this morning on WGN-AM 720, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said that he wants the Cubs' payroll to remain in the top three in baseball. Signing John Grabow to a new deal would help towards that goal.
MLB.com's Mets beat writer Marty Noble answered fan questions in his latest mailbag installment and says that he is not sure that the club wants to rid themselves of John Maine or Fernando Martinez. However, the Mets would be willing to part with them in a deal to acquire a much needed number two starter or power hitter.
More Mets news from Noble as Jeff Francoeur is expected to be ready in time for spring training after undergoing thumb surgery. Francoeur, who is entering his second year of arbitration, will likely be retained by Omar Minaya & Co. However, it remains a slight possibility that the Mets do not tender the 25-year-old an offer.

Comments

Thus continues the trend of hiring poor hitters in the past as a team's hitting coach. I guess the best coaches are not only the ones that are good at teaching, but also the guys that knew what they had to do, but was just incapable of doing it.

Posted by: weareoffthemark.wordpress.com | November 02, 2009 at 06:00 PM

I always wondered how the conversations with the players turn out.
Hitting coach: Guys, I'm gonna make you stars, you'll all be great hitters by the start of the year.
Player: But you had an under 700 OPS in the majors... how did these techniques not work for you?

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 02, 2009 at 06:09 PM

I wouldnt trade maine and f-mart unless we are getting a proven starter back.

actually maine has been a good #3 starter for us when healthy and f-mart still has a world of potential, people seem to forget that he is only 21 years old and still developing. he could spend 3 more years in the minors and still come up as a 24 years old player.

Posted by: metsfan08 | November 02, 2009 at 06:09 PM

Trading FMart when his value is probably down would be stupid. But not atypical of the Mets.

Posted by: jaydh2 | November 02, 2009 at 06:10 PM

"Those who do, do. Those who cant, teach."

Posted by: PL | November 02, 2009 at 06:16 PM

Maine really isn't an attractable trade piece.. he's due solid payout ($3-4M I would guess) in arbitration for a guy who is a bit of a question mark as a starter.

Posted by: Baseball Nut | November 02, 2009 at 06:22 PM

I'm slightly worried by how many times Ricketts said "I don't exactly know the details..."

Posted by: AdamU | November 02, 2009 at 06:28 PM

Most pitchers are a question mark. When healthy Maine has been good with the ability to dominate at times. I'd rather keep him though, He can be the #4 with Perez as the #5.

Posted by: jaydh2 | November 02, 2009 at 06:43 PM

Hensley Muelens. Damn. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. A long time.

Posted by: Monkeyspanked | November 02, 2009 at 06:44 PM

Wow, this is exactly what gives Mets fans a bad name. In the Marty Noble article, one Mets fan asked if the Mets would trade KRod for Pujols, and if the Cards would do it!

LMAO

Posted by: Johan57 | November 02, 2009 at 06:49 PM

The fact that a Mets fan actually wants to trade Fernando Martinez right now speaks volumes about how stupid some baseball fans can be. Amazing.

Posted by: wesmantooth87 | November 02, 2009 at 07:06 PM

Yeah, Johan. I had to read that after seeing your post.

I really pray that he himself typed that, just to use an example. No one should be that stupid.

I suggest a system on here, which allows bad comments to be rated down by fellow readers, and good comments to be rated up. If a bad comment gets enough bad ratings, it is either hidden, or deleted.

But I guess that's something I have to suggest to Type-pad.

Posted by: Tomahawk368 | November 02, 2009 at 07:06 PM

This site would lose about half of its posts just from idiotic trade proposals under that system. I mean, reading some of the proposals that get thrown around here have made me laugh harder than I could have ever imagined.

Posted by: wesmantooth87 | November 02, 2009 at 07:09 PM

Nice to hear that Ricketts is willing to spend, let's hope they do it wisely. Given their resources there's not reason other than rebuilding for them not to be in the top five payrolls in baseball.

Posted by: pageian | November 02, 2009 at 07:11 PM

Odd that he would even to take the time and energy to address a Pujols/KRod trade question.

Posted by: vtadave | November 02, 2009 at 07:18 PM

"Odd that he would even to take the time and energy to address a Pujols/KRod trade question."

Marty Noble likes to make examples out of stupid ass questions like that. And that sure was a stupid one.

Posted by: new here | November 02, 2009 at 07:27 PM

Engadget has a really good comment rating system. Describes exactly what Tomahawk described.

Posted by: bjsguess | November 02, 2009 at 10:47 PM

I wish we would stop getting links to Marty Noble. He is a dinosaur that doesn't believe in stats. Even though he "invented" a stat that he somehow thinks is important, RBI per PA. Lol. You guys should link to AmazinAvenue for some good reading and takes on the Mets offseason. Best Mets blog that I have come across.

Posted by: nrmax88 | November 03, 2009 at 12:26 AM

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/11/2/1098558/why-omar-minaya-failed-and-what-it#storyjump

this for example.

Posted by: nrmax88 | November 03, 2009 at 12:42 AM

I'm going to follow that blog regularly...and I'm not even a Mets fan. Excellent read. Thanks for the link, nrmax

Posted by: East Coast Bias | November 03, 2009 at 01:43 AM

John Maine and Fernando Martinez are like apples and oranges.

Nice work, Marty.

Posted by: melonis rex | November 03, 2009 at 07:56 AM

"Marty Noble likes to make examples out of stupid ass questions like that. And that sure was a stupid one."

I would hope he has something better to do with his time. That type of suggestion has been going on at least as long as I've been around. It starts with a 7 y.o. trying to trade 4 guys with 10 HRs for one guy with 40 HRs. The morphs into fantasy BB with someone offering you Youk and 2 SPs (that are worse than any of your SPs), for Pujols. That eventually morphs into even fairly knowledgable posters suggesting that you trade good prospects for Halladay, and then taking on Wells' contract almost as an aside.

Logic should be taught in school in grade 1.

Posted by: Joey B | November 03, 2009 at 08:00 AM

Marty Noble is absolutely clueless. I really don't understand how he is still gainfully employed. Thole's stance is limiting his power?? Gee, Mets minor league coaches, Jerry Manuel, Howard Johnson, and scouts, you're all wrong. Marty Noble knows much about baseball than you all do!! What a buffoon. On what planet does your stance have anything to do with your power. You can stand on your head, as long as you get your hands in place and weight shifted at the right time your stance doesn't matter. What a noob.

Posted by: JoseJoseJoseeee | November 03, 2009 at 03:15 PM

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Odds & Ends: Giants, Cubs, Mets

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