A few stray items out of the NL East to share …
- Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he's not looking to trade lefty Cole Hamels, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That Hamels remains unsigned entering his final year of team control is not indicative of the Phillies' plans for him, according to Amaro: "Cole is homegrown," Amaro said. "He's a guy we would like to keep. We're not up against it right now. We have time to deal with it. Cole is a priority, but we have time to deal with it."
- The Mets have commitments from investors to buy roughly seven shares of the franchise at $20MM apiece, a source tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. That's about $140MM of the $200MM the Mets were hoping to raise, although Rubin reports the Mets will be content with what they've sold so far if no further deals come to fruition.
- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria asserts that he is serious about bidding for high-priced free agents like Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com: "All you have to do is look at (new) ballpark and you won't even ask those questions." However, based on their bid for Pujols, Jon Heyman of SI.com continues to hear that Miami is not considered a serious player for the prize of this offseason's free agent class (via Twitter).
- Also, Loria is confident that shortstop Hanley Ramirez would move to another position if the Marlins were to acquire another shortstop, tweets Rosenthal.
Is anybody else getting the “why dont you believe me, Ill show you” feeling from the Marlins? If they are serious… then offer a top prospect a “serious” contract!
But they should have to accept less money for the absolute privilege of playing in that stadium most of the year!
The problem is getting fans into the beautiful new stadium. No one wants to play home games to an empty new building.
And what of the extra money they need to be caught playing in those new uniforms?
Thought the same thing myself. And how does the Marlins playing in a mostly county-financed ballpark prove that the team’s owner is serious about spending HIS money? Well, it doesn’t. As speculated many times by many people, they are just blowing smoke around to appease their fanbase and make it “appear” as though they have tried. Sounds like they are prepping for another non-playoff season and are stocking up on ammo for the critics.
Once again, the Marlins have to clarify that they are serious about being free agency players
Trading Cole would not make any sense, but then again lots of things Ruben has done haven’t made any sense to me either.
You guys would get a pretty nasty package for Hamels though.
And then sign him to a long term deal after 2011 lol. Yah, I know that won’t happen…well, Cliff Lee did anyway…
Well ya.. that would be nice but those things never happen… Exception: Cliff Lee
Actions speak louder then words, Loria
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!
Be careful what you say about Loria, he can have you fired like that!
Great pitching doesnt win you the World Series (2011 Phillies), Amazing offense does not win you the World Series (Brewers,Rangers,Yankees). The perfect combination and balance of the two and the players drive to suceed wins you a World Series. Id say at least listen to offers for Hamels? Wouldnt hurt.
Not true. Getting hot at the right time wins u world series.
Like the Colorado Rockies?
They had a week off between the World Series. While they were sitting at home, the Red Sox were coming back from a 3-1 deficit.
Yes, but that is random because no one knows when a team is going to get hot.
Which is why the playoffs are such a crapshoot
So eliminate them?
I don’t have the answers. Eliminating them would cause all sorts of problems too.
You need to be a good team to get there, after that its random.
Trading Cole would make sense for the right package. He’s a free agent after this season and they have 82 million tied up in Howard, Lee, Halladay, and Papelbon until at least 2014. Eventually, the well runs dry.
Trout for Hamels
Wouldn’t happen but it would have to be a deal like that for them to move him, makes no sense for them to weaken their team like that.
I mean, this isn’t Toronto, Kansas City, or whomever, this team’s expected to go to the World Series.
The Cole Hamels rumors were the result of irresponsible reporting by Buster Olney, which is to be expected, the guy’s a hack. (and I don’t rip media members that often).
His sources told him that the Phillies aren’t talking to Hamels about an extension (in November), so that must mean they want to trade him…
The Phillies, going off history, don’t sign their players untill January that are up for arbitration.
Seriously. It seems like reporters are pulling stuff out from thin air more than usual. Remember Giants may trade Lincecum last week, and now Hamels this week. Who’s next? Dodgers are [not] trading Kershaw?
the marlins don’t have to go out and offer pujols a 150yr/eleventy billion dollar contract within 13 seconds of him hitting free agency to prove that they’re serious, y’know. if they’re the first team to make offers to these players, it’s pretty reasonable to assume that they expect to be upbid, and they’ll increase their offers if need be. if they fail to increase their initial offers when they’re outbid on everyone, that’s when/if you’ll know it’s a sham.
They weren’t the first to offer Pujols a contract, and they offered less than the contract that was already on the table. How is that serious?
i for one am totally intrigued by the Marlins this offseason.
They have a damn good team already on the cheap- they have done a phenomenal job with limited allocated resources over the years. And now suddenly they won the lottery. Will they do silly Werth-type things or be smart? i had heard something about the brilliance of talking Reyes into 3/$60MM…
Plus i am unsure of the wisdom in going public about offering contracts to EVERYBODY. To me it makes them seem less serious. But it’s still awesome to watch a homeless kid running rampant with a credit card in Toys R Us.
Hamels will stay with the Phillies, and the Mets are a mess, they need a new owner. They’re looking at last place for years to come with the Marlins and Nats spending money. The Mets fans should be outraged by their lack of spending and committment.
I’m more outraged at the lack of commitment to amateur talent and drafting for the past two decades. I could care less about how much money they are spending on free agents. They have finally turned a corner there and I have never been more optimistic about their future. You can’t spend money if no one is going to games, and no one will go to games if you can’t develop impact players.
I don’t think the Marlins are signing Reyes. I think they are seriously trying to sign Pujols. If Pujols signs, what do you think they can get back for Gaby Sanchez?
They’re seriously trying to sign Pujols by offering him less than the Cardinals did. Right. He’s making a token effort at best, and has absolutely no chance at luring Pujols away from St. Louis. Trade speculation over Gaby Sanchez is a waste of time.
Loria is certifiably insane. First the uniforms and that stadium, and then that ludicrous offer to Pujols. I can totally see that guy turning around and overbidding on someone in a last-minute attempt to save face within the next month.
Loria is certifiably insane. You might be right. His offers to those players are disappointing and I am sure he ticked off Hanley Ramirez.
The Marlins are wasting their time with Reyes, and they will never sign Pujols… They should be looking for a 3rd Baseman with power, a CF with power, and speed, and a couple of pitchers who can pitch more then 4 innings. A Closer is also very much needed by this team.
“couple of pitchers who can pitch more then 4 innings.”
Huh?? JJ, Sanchez, even Volstad and Nolasco averaged 6+ IP per start….
The team has Bonifacio without a position atm..there is speed waiting for the chips to fall this off season and his defensive position to be set in stone for 2012.
Yeah JJ isn’t getting it done, and Nolasco is an average pitcher at best. Volstad is someone elses problem now. We got a couple of arms which have been good in the rotation but did nothing to help our offense. Reyes is going to be the biggest free agent bust in Marlins history. MARK MY WORDS.
Aramis Ramirez anyone? I had him going to the Marlins in my predictions.. along with K-Rod.
They should have gone after Aramis Ramirez but didn’t…
Loria is a scumbag and so is Samson.
I do this every off season for the METS!! I’m no GM, but have watched the Mets for the past 25 years and know what the front office needs to put a winning product on the field.
#1 – Let Reyes go. He’s a great talent, but a one man show.
#2 – Keep Wright if he wants to stay.
#3 – Sign the following players not named JOSE. Mark Buehrle (3yrs 40 mill) / Sizemore (two years 16 mill) / Rick Ankiel (two years 6 mill) / Joe Nathan (2 yrs 13 Mill)
#4 – Trade Pelf for Huston street straight up.
#5 – Move D. Murphy to 2B.
Opening Day Rotation:
Santana
Buerhle
Niese
Dickey
Gee
Opening Day lineup:
Sizemore – CF
Murphy – 2B
Wright – 3B
Davis – 1B
Bay – LF
Duda – RF
Tejeda – SS
Thole/? – C
Bullpen:
Nathan
Street
Byrdak
Beato
Parnell
Who ever else they can sign.
I would predict 85 wins with that pitching/offense.. With a wildcard spot added this year, it could happen with 85 wins..
I do this every off season for the METS!! I’m no GM, but have watched the Mets for the past 25 years and know what the front office needs to put a winning product on the field.
#1 – Let Reyes go. He’s a great talent, but a one man show.
#2 – Keep Wright if he wants to stay.
#3 – Sign the following players not named JOSE. Mark Buehrle (3yrs 40 mill) / Sizemore (two years 16 mill) / Rick Ankiel (two years 6 mill) / Joe Nathan (2 yrs 13 Mill)
#4 – Trade Pelf for Huston street straight up.
#5 – Move D. Murphy to 2B.
Opening Day Rotation:
Santana
Buerhle
Niese
Dickey
Gee
Opening Day lineup:
Sizemore – CF
Murphy – 2B
Wright – 3B
Davis – 1B
Bay – LF
Duda – RF
Tejeda – SS
Thole/? – C
That’s 30.5 million added to teams payroll for 2012..
My Met Predictions:
1- Sign RHP J.Nathan 1yr 5mill w/incentives
2- Sign RHP J.Marquis 1yr 3mill w/incentives
3- Trade Jason Bay & Cash considerations(mets eat 20 mill of 34 owed) to Red Sox for RHP D.Weiland & OF R.Kalish.
4- Sign OF R.Ludwick
5- Trade OF F.Martinez, SS J.Valespin, & RHP J.Mejia to the Rays for RHP J.Shields
6- Trade RHP Pelfrey to ROckies for H.Street.
Lineup:
1- Pagan CF
2- Murphy 2b
3- Wright 3b
4- I.Davis 1b
5- Duda RF
6- Ludwick LF
7- Thole C
8- Tejada-SS
Bench:
C M.Nickeas
OF R.Kalish
UT W.Harris
UT J.Turner
1b/OF N.Evans
Rotation:
LHP Santana
RHP Shields
LHP NIese
RHP Marquis
RHP Gee
Bulllpen:
Nathan(CL), Street(SU), Izzy(SU), Beato(MR), Parnell(MR), Byrdak(MR), Dickey(LR), D.Herrera(LHP)
Mets don’t need to clean house in terms of players. What they need is to clean house for everyone else. Get rid of the trainers. There is no reason that players should be going down five times with one injury, or taking so long to heal a bruised ankle. And more importantly, SELL THE TEAM. The Mets need new, fresh, ready to spend money, or we will never be a contender again.