How about Heimlich Field?

After the "Heimlich" maneuver (when the Mets choke next year)?

Ambulance chaser.

Wasn't there an Enron field? What do they call that now??

Minute Maid Park

Thank you, JL. Except for this bizarre loyalty to the Mets, you are a wise and knowledgeable man!!

Source: Mets, K-Rod agree

ESPN.com news services

Updated: December 9, 2008, 3:12 PM ET

Mets Close To Deal With Francisco Rodriguez

The New York Mets agreed to a three-year deal with free-agent reliever Francisco Rodriguez, a source told ESPN.

The deal, worth $37 million plus addition incentives, is pending a physical.

It is a one-year increase over the two years and $24 million the team is said to have initially offered Rodriguez, who broke the major league single-season saves record last season with 62.

FoxSports.com previously had reported that the Mets had offered Rodriguez a third year.

The Mets, whose bullpen was a major culprit in the team's September collapse, are in need of a front-line closer to replace the injured Billy Wagner, who likely will miss all of 2009 following elbow surgery.

The contract would pay Rodriguez about $3 million more than he was offered by the Los Angeles Angels in spring training and $6 million less than Wagner's deal with the Mets.

Congrats to the Mets fans. KRod's a terrific closer.

I was laughing this morning when I heard the announcers on the radio saying that because he "only" got $3 million more from NYM than LAA, that must be a reflection of the economy. On CBS880, they said that $1 million a year is NOTHING for a baseball player.

Just chump change, I guess.

I think it's actually a very good deal for the Mets. He's only 26, and it appears he really wanted to be a Met. There's also talk that Wagner could return late in the season and be a possible setup man.

So much for the Mets bullpen woes.



Putz goes to Mets in 3-team trade with Indians

By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer 5 hours, 9 minutes ago


LAS VEGAS (AP)—The New York Mets overhauled their much-maligned bullpen with two big moves Wednesday, obtaining J.J. Putz from Seattle as part of a three-team, 12-player trade that gives them a setup man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Hours after completing a $37 million, three-year contract with Rodriguez, New York dealt seven players—six to the Mariners and one to Cleveland—to get three back in a huge swap at the winter meetings.

“All I kept on hearing in the streets of New York when you go get bagels in the morning was, `Omar, please address the bullpen,”’ Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. “Well, to all you Mets fans, we’ve addressed the bullpen.”

New York shipped reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez, lefty Jason Vargas and three minor leaguers to the Mariners for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green in the first trade by new Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik.

Promising outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was sent from the Indians to Seattle. Cleveland got reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and 23-year-old second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.

“It helps all of us,” Zduriencik said.

An All-Star in 2007 when he saved 40 games, Putz was 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 15 saves in 23 chances last season when he missed long stretches with ribcage and elbow injuries. But Minaya wasn’t concerned about the pitcher’s health, saying New York had a scout at his final game of the season and Putz maintained a 98-99 mph velocity.

Before the trade was announced, Putz’s agent, Craig Landis, said the right-hander wanted to remain a closer. But Minaya said he spoke with Putz, who was excited about his new team and role.

“It’s about winning championships,” Minaya said. “I’ve always said it’s about the team and putting teams first and going for that ring. To win, you’ve got to sacrifice yourself.”

The Indians had been interested in acquiring Putz before nearing a two-year contract with free-agent closer Kerry Wood, who needed to take a physical before that deal could be finalized.

Once the Indians closed in on Wood, the three-team trade came together quickly.

“We dealt from an area of depth,” Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro said, referring to his club’s young outfielders.

The key to the deal for Seattle was Gutierrez, who batted .248 with eight homers and 41 RBIs. A skilled defender, he played right field in Cleveland because the Indians have All-Star Grady Sizemore in center.

“That’s one of the things that we wanted to do is make our defense stronger,” Zduriencik said. “I think it’s helped us shore up our prospect status.”

Zduriencik said it was uncertain who would close for Seattle and too early to determine what role Heilman would have.

Heilman was inconsistent in his setup role with the Mets and would prefer to be a starter. He was 3-8 with a 5.21 ERA last season and was among the bullpen culprits as New York folded in September for the second straight season.

When Billy Wagner got hurt, the rest of the relievers struggled as they tried to adjust to different roles.

“We’ve proven that sometimes, unfortunately, one closer is not enough,” Minaya said.

Smith, a submarine-style right-hander who gets plenty of grounders, was 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA.

“Joe Smith clearly goes right in the major league bullpen as a guy we’ve had long-term interest in,” Shapiro said. “A different look, complements our ‘pen well. We think he can be an important part of the back end of a ‘pen.”

The three minor leaguers New York sent to Seattle were first baseman Mike Carp, right-hander Maikel Cleto and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera.

Putz will earn $5.3 million next season, and the Mets inherit an $8.9 million option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout. New York had 29 blown saves in 72 chances this year, and its 4.25 bullpen ERA ranked 13th in the NL.

“To get one closer like Frankie would have been a good winter. I think to get two guys like this is a great winter,” Minaya said.

I'll miss Endy Chavez, but this is a BIG step in the right direction. I'm not giddy or anything, but I'm leaning toward being cautiously optimistic.

Until Klyd logs on and chops me down to size.

At least we won't have to close our eyes with a 2 run lead in the 8th inning anymore.

No, we don't.

All kidding aside, we now now have a premier closer and a top notch "second" tier guy in Putz.

My only fear is the heartless New York media after he blows his first save. The headline: WHAT A PUTZ!

You know it's coming sooner or later.

I had a math professor in college named Putz, but he insisted that we pronounce it POOTZ. Yeah, like THAT happened.

You gotta feel bad for a guy with that name playing professional ball in NY of all places. Let the poor bastard have one bad inning and I don't know who will be worse - the press or the fans.

Yeah, it could get ugly.

I'm looking forward to it.

That's funny. The first thing I thought of after this signing was the fun the Post will have. Now they have to find a fireballer, named Doofus.

Actually, these two acquisitions were very good for the Mets. Chavez is a good player - always better than his numbers would show.

Chavez was a good role player. When he was forced to play on a more regular basis, he got really exposed, and his production died. He's excellent as a pinch hitter, 4th or 5th outfielder, and defensive replacement. He's not productive enough to play everyday though.

I posted this early last night, then on the 10 o'clock My9 News, Russ Salzberg went on and on about it!

Russ is still a Jewish Brooklyn boy at heart, so he knows just what this guy is in for if he messes up.

Good riddance.


Friday, December 12, 2008
D-backs trade for Schoeneweis
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets traded left-hander Scott Schoeneweis to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, cutting loose one of the most maligned members of last season's shaky bullpen.

Schoeneweis went 0-3 with a blown save and a 5.40 ERA in September as New York collapsed down the stretch for the second straight year. He became the third Mets reliever to be traded this week, joining Joe Smith and Aaron Heilman.

New York, which had 29 blown saves in 72 chances last season, overhauled its bullpen at the winter meetings by signing free-agent closer Francisco Rodriguez and acquiring J.J. Putz from Seattle. Smith went to the Indians and Heilman was dealt to the Mariners in the three-team deal that put Putz and reliever Sean Green in New York.

Schoeneweis was 2-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 73 games -- including 1-4 with a 4.66 ERA after the All-Star break.

"We feel that Scott will help balance our bullpen," Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes said in a statement. "Given his success against left-handed hitters over the last several seasons, he provides us another weapon late in games."

The 35-year-old Schoeneweis limited lefty batters to a .178 average (18-for-101) last season.

New York agreed to pay $1.6 million of Schoeneweis' $3.6 million salary for 2009 and acquired right-hander Connor Robertson from the Diamondbacks. Robertson, who came over to Arizona in the Dan Haren deal, was 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in six games this year.

Schoeneweis was implicated in a 2007 ESPN.com report that said he received six shipments of steroids in 2003 and 2004. Schoeneweis declined comment at the time of the report and the commissioner's office said there was insufficient evidence to penalize him for any violation of the sport's drug agreement with the players' association.

Schoeneweis, a survivor of testicular cancer, is 45-55 with a 4.91 ERA and nine saves in 10 major league seasons.

Also Friday, the Mets decided not to offer 2009 contracts to right-hander Ambiorix Burgos and infielder Argenis Reyes. Both became free agents.

Burgos, who spent last season on the disabled list following elbow ligament replacement surgery, is awaiting trial for a hit-and-run accident that killed two women in the Dominican Republic. He is accused of abandoning the victims and fleeing, charges that can carry six months to two years in prison.

Arizona didn't offer 2009 contracts to infielder Chris Burke, outfielder Jeff Salazar, catcher Robby Hammock and left-hander Wilfredo Ledezma. Salazar hit .211 in a career-best 90 games this year.

Amen to that!

I liked Argenis Reyes. I thought he could be a good utility infielder.

Wilpon’s Losses in Fraud Case May Affect Mets

By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

Fred Wilpon and Bernard L. Madoff grew up in the 1940s less than a dozen miles from each other in middle-class neighborhoods of New York City. Wilpon went on to become a wealthy real estate investor and the principal owner of the Mets, and Madoff one of the most successful traders on Wall Street.

Madoff and Wilpon have had a close personal and financial relationship for more than two decades, and Wilpon entrusted Madoff with hundreds of millions of dollars to invest, according to several people with knowledge of their relationship. But Madoff’s investment firm has collapsed in what federal authorities are describing as a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, and questions are being raised about whether the fraud could harm the Mets’ status as a big-payroll franchise.

Bob DuPuy, the president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, said Saturday that he and Commissioner Bud Selig had spoken with Wilpon on Friday. DuPuy said that all three believed that the fraud case would have no effect on the Mets’ operation.

But interviews Saturday with several people with knowledge of Wilpon’s business dealings revealed concern about significant problems that Wilpon and the Mets could encounter because of the reported fraud. Although it is unclear how much money Wilpon may recoup, any significant financial loss by a team owner raises questions about how those losses may affect the franchise.

“Any fraud that has been committed against Fred is something of deep distress to all of us and we feel very badly about the entire matter, but we all believe that this will not affect the team,” DuPuy said in a telephone interview.

Wilpon invested his own money and that of his investments firm, Sterling Equities, with Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities. That company had a long track record of strong and steady returns, but Madoff was arrested Thursday morning by federal agents at his apartment in Manhattan and later charged with securities fraud for operating what the authorities were portraying as the biggest Ponzi scheme in financial history.

DuPuy said that the Mets were a separate entity from Sterling Equities and Wilpon’s other investments.

“The Mets are completely self-sufficient, and we have confidence that none of the other investments will affect the team,” DuPuy said. “They have been one of our most successful franchises on and off the field, and they are going into a magnificent ballpark next spring, and we expect it to be business as usual.”

Wilpon bought the Mets in 1980 in a partnership with Nelson Doubleday and became the team’s principal owner in 2002, when he bought Doubleday’s share of the team. The losses that Wilpon has sustained as a result of the Madoff fraud case could hamper his ability to pay back debt related to that buyout.

The losses could also hurt Wilpon’s ability to help the Mets weather the current economic downturn. Many sports leagues, including Major League Baseball, are bracing for lower revenue next season as consumers cut back on discretionary spending.

Perhaps most troubling is the possibility that losses incurred by Sterling Equities could put pressure on Wilpon to raise money by selling other assets. Because Sterling invested money directly with Madoff, Wilpon may have to come up with money to reimburse some of his own investors for losses. That may cause him to sell valuable assets, including a portion of his ownership in the Mets.

This year, Forbes magazine estimated the value of the Mets to be $824 million, making it the second-most valuable baseball franchise, behind only the Yankees.

After Wilpon became the Mets’ principal owner, the team had several down years. In recent years, Wilpon has made a concerted effort to put a more competitive team on the field. The payroll has surged as the team started its own television network, SportsNet New York, which broadcasts Mets games.

In 2008, the Mets had the second-highest payroll in baseball. Despite the current economy, the Mets have planned to keep their payroll at the same level in 2009. This week, the Mets signed Francisco Rodríguez to a three-year, $37 million contract to be the team’s new closer.

One person who has worked directly with Wilpon said that Wilpon and Saul Katz, the president of the Mets, who is a co-founder and president of Sterling Equities, were very close with Madoff.

“They were more than just business associates; they were friends and there was an enormous amount of trust,” the person said.

That friendship may or may not end up being something that Mets fans regret.

Eric Dash and Jack Styczynski contributed reporting.

Just wanted to let you Mets fans know that Modells is having a HUGE sale. My friend's son is a Mets fan. I got him a $90 Mets Santana jersey for Christmas for $20. The ad was in the paper today, even though the sale wasn't supposed to start until Sunday, so with tomorrow's anticipated snowstorm, they were already being sold out.

The Yankees jerseys were on sale, too, and I tried to get me and Mr. Babe any, and they only had Chamberlains. I wanted to get him a Rivera and get myself a Jeter, but no luck. He said they may get more in tomorrow.

1/30/2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two congressmen want Citigroup out of Citi Field.

Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Ted Poe sent a letter to new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday, urging the government to demand that the company drop its $400 million, 20-year agreement for naming rights to the New York Mets' ballpark. The stadium opens in April.

"At Citigroup, 50,000 people will lose their jobs. Yet in the boardroom of Citigroup, spending $400 million to put a name on stadium seems like a good idea," said Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat. "The Treasury Department, which forced Citigroup corporate executives to give up their private jet, should also demand that Citigroup cancel its $400 million advertisement at the Mets field and instead begin to repay their debt to the taxpayers."

Citigroup reached its agreement with the Mets three years ago. It is among several American banks that have received financial assistance from the federal government in recent months.

"Citigroup claimed it was on the brink of financial disaster, then demanded and took $45 billion from the taxpayers through government giveaways," said Poe, a Texas Republican. "While average Americans are hunkering down worried about their jobs, food, clothes, and mortgage payments, these irresponsible executives are blowing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars."

Monday, February 2, 2009
Sources: Perez to return to Mets
ESPN.com news services

Left-hander Oliver Perez will be taking the hill for the New York Mets again next season.

Perez and the Mets agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal, sources told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand. The agreement was first reported by the New York Post.

Perez rejoins a rotation headlined by Johan Santana and that also includes right-handers John Maine and Mike Pelfrey. Newly signed right-handers Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding will vie for the fifth spot in the rotation.

In 194 innings last season, Perez was 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA.

The Post reported that Perez's signing all but signals that Pedro Martinez, also a free agent, will not return to the team for the 2009 season.

The Mets signed Gary Sheffield. I feel very ill right now. WTF do they need this over the hill piece of shit?

I was just going to post that, JL. Sheff was very talented in his day, but even then he was not much of a team player. Add his nastiness to his loss of ability, and that's quite the package you're getting!!!