Blue Jays Sign Tomo Ohka
UPDATE: The Blue Jays signed Ohka to a one-year deal with incentives. He’s guaranteed $1.5MM and can double it by reaching incentives.
The Washington Post reports that Tomo Ohka will likely decide on a team today or tomorrow. The Nats are unlikely, and he’s leaning towards Toronto. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Ohka now only wants a one-year deal. Looks like he couldn’t get three years so he’d rather re-enter the market in ’08 after a hopefully solid year. The Pirates are definitely out of the running. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review mentions that the Mets are still in on Ohka.
The Bucs, however, have turned their focus to Tony Armas Jr. Several teams are interested in him, with the Pirates in the lead. Though he’s not particularly good, he is relatively healthy and on the right side of 30. Beggars can’t be choosy.
Mets Still Discussing Joe Blanton
John Delcos of the Journal News mentions in his blog that the Mets are still talking to Oakland about Joe Blanton. Would it require Lastings Milledge? Ray Ratto seemed to think so back at the end of December.
Blanton would probably fare well in the NL, though not significantly better than John Maine. The Mets are still lacking a front-rotation type pitcher.
Mets Still Trying For Dan Haren?
UPDATE: Spoke to my Mets source, and he indicated that the below trade possibility could be expanded to include Michael Devaney and Santiago Castilla.
According to a Bay Area official speaking to Gotham Baseball, the Mets and A’s "are finally discussing a deal that could send right-hander Danny Haren to the Mets in return for Aaron Heilman, Lastings Milledge and a minor league pitcher."
Gotham’s source goes on to say that the A’s would prefer to put Joe Blanton in that deal instead but the Mets are holding out for Haren. Can Omar Minaya and Billy Beane find common ground here?
Schoeneweis Signs With Mets
UPDATE: $10.8MM over three years, or $3.6MM annually. Score another one for Boras. Jamie Walker should’ve held out for more.
ESPN reports that the Mets are close to a three-year deal with 33 year-old southpaw Scott Schoeneweis. That’s a lot of years for a lefty specialist with a 1.47 K/BB over the past couple of seasons. His main skill is keeping the ball on the ground; he’s not going to impress in strikeouts, walks, or hits allowed.
The Blue Jays essentially gave Schoeneweis to the Reds in August, but I guess 14 dynamite innings for Cincinnati has the Mets convinced.
Thomson Had Some Words
John Thomson had some interesting things to say in his press conference today.
On Paul Lo Duca:
"As far as just looking at Paul Lo Duca across the field, I’m not really into how he acts behind the plate."
Unfortunately, the Mets and Blue Jays won’t meet in interleague this year to create a showdown.
On the Mets’ and Jays’ outfields:
"And then with Vernon Wells in center field, I’m not really concerned about the outfield with him out there. … Just watching the Mets’ outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there it’s not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he’s a little shaky."
The thing is, the Mets have a guy in center field, goes by the name of Beltran…he’s not too shabby with the glove. Other thing is, Floyd is a free agent and won’t be back with the Mets. Still, in general, the Jays do have a better defensive outfield than the Mets. Mostly because of Shawn Green.
Thomson says his shoulder is OK now, and can earn $4MM with incentives.
Mets Consider Remaining Free Agent Starters
According to the New York Times, the Mets are interested in Tomo Ohka or Tony Armas Jr. to fill in the middle of their rotation. Both pitchers played under Minaya when he was GM of the Expos. Ohka would likely require a two-year deal, while Armas might be had for one year and $5MM or so.
Meanwhile, the New York Post adds that the Mets could give Jeff Weaver a second chance in New York. They’d be unlikely to exceed a two-year deal, and I have a hunch someone could offer three. Once again, Scott Boras and Weaver are signing a contract late in the free agent season.
Mets Could Add Tomo Ohka
According to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, the Mets are likely negotiating with free agent righty Tomo Ohka. Omar Minaya is familiar with Ohka from his time in Montreal.
Three teams have looked at Ohka’s medical records, and one NL East team besides the Mets is in the mix. The Marlins and Phillies don’t make sense, leaving the Braves or Nats as possibilities. Washington made Ohka an offer a month ago but it wasn’t enough.
UPDATE: The Washington Post confirms that the Nationals are still in the mix.
Click here to view my full profile on Ohka.
Milledge-Blanton Swap?
Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle slipped in this nugget:
"The Athletics are likely to also dispatch their winningest pitcher, Joe Blanton, to New York as part of a deal that would fetch one of Billy Beane’s longest-held desirables, outfielder Lastings Milledge."
I’m not sure if Ratto is just making this assumption based on past rumors from this winter, or if this is a brand new rumor. But he seems fairly certain that Blanton will be dealt. That would leave the A’s with a Haren-Loaiza-Harden-Kennedy rotation, with a fifth starter battle between Chad Gaudin, Jason Windsor, Kirk Saarloos, and the like.
A groundballer like Blanton could be a nice fit for the Mets, whose middle infield defense was among the game’s best in 2006.
Plan E For The Mets
Daisuke Matsuzaka, Kei Igawa, Barry Zito and Jeff Suppan are off the board. The Mets want one more solid starter, but don’t need to do anything desperate.
One option is to hit up Billy Beane for Rich Harden or Danny Haren. Bob Klapisch reports that Omar Minaya spoke to Beane ten days ago, hoping for a deal of Aaron Heilman and Lastings Milledge for Harden. Beane countered with Carlos Gomez and one of Milledge/Philip Humber/Mike Pelfrey. Those talks are proposals are pretty far apart.
There’s speculation the Mets could trade for Jake Peavy, Dontrelle Willis, Brad Penny, Jon Lieber, Rodrigo Lopez, Javier Vazquez, or Jon Garland. Right now that appears to be pure speculation. It’s doubtful that the White Sox would deal yet another starter, though Mike Pelfrey could convince Kenny Williams to continue dismantling.
John Delcos says Jeff Weaver wants a four-year, $40MM deal. Taking a one-year deal last winter was a wise choice for Weaver despite his lousy 2006. If the Mets do that, it would be a desperation move.
Rangers To Boras: Call Us Back
The Rangers won’t put up with Scott Boras playing hard to get much longer – they want a response on Barry Zito by this weekend or else they’ll move on. Boras’s leverage with Texas has decreased with their acquisition of Brandon McCarthy.
The implication of the weekend deadline is that Texas’s offer still stands. There had been reports that they were all but out of the Zito sweepstakes. Meanwhile, Boras hopes to pit the Yanks and Mets against each other for Zito. At the least, neither New York team is acting desperate right now.
Back to McCarthy for a second – is there more to this story?