Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Too bad Berkman's out at least the first month. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Newsday is saying the Mets and Boras are "4 or five millions dollars apart" on Beltran and the Yankees are still in it, as Boras and the Yankees met throughout the day Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfaJack 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 I'm just so unbelievably pissed at the moment that I can't even talk. There's no one, NO ONE, for the Astros to sign anymore and Beltran waited until the very last second to screw us over. Blame Beltran all you want, but the Astros put themselves in this situation by basing their entire offseason around him. If they had set a drop dead long ago (like they should have), there might be moves left for them. Beltran, while a very good player, should not dictate a team's entire offseason. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Astros were only willing to open the bank for Beltran. So it's not like other teams who can afford to go after 2-3 high profile free agents. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike546 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Even if I wasn't a Yankee fan, if the Yanks come in and scoop up Beltran, and inturn screw the Mets, that would be prtetty god damn funny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Even if I wasn't a Yankee fan, if the Yanks come in and scoop up Beltran, and inturn screw the Mets, that would be prtetty god damn funny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Mets have the ability to suck the greatness out of everyone they sign. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Mets have the ability to suck the greatness out of everyone they sign. except Bernard Gilkey, Lance Johnson, and maybe Braden Looper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Precious Roy 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Mets have the ability to suck the greatness out of everyone they sign. Agree. I think Pedro will have a great season because the guy has huge balls, but if Beltran goes to Shea I see a big letdown in relation to the money they'll pay for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Shea Stadium is a terrible hitters park, that is why the Mets have been a subpar offensive team most of the time. It's not the franchise that makes the players suck, it's the ballpark, where it's basically impossible to hit homeruns in April and May. The ball just dies at the track at Shea, ask Mike Piazza, ask Cliff Floyd and ask Bobby Murcer about playing there when Yankee Stadium was being renovated. He still has nightmares. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Who cares. Beltran isn't nearly as wonderful as everyone has made him to be. I'd rather have Vlad Guerrero and not nearly was made of his free agency last year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Sunday, January 9, 2005 By BOB KLAPISCH SPORTS COLUMNIST The stunning news was delivered minutes after midnight, that Carlos Beltran had severed his ties to the Astros and was extending his free agent courtship for an indefinite period. That was good news for the Mets, who were privately bracing for Beltran's return to Houston, but no one was celebrating at Shea. Not yet. According to one major league executive, the Yankees will now become players in this cash orgy, and are certain to outbid the Mets and Cubs. That's no small undertaking, considering the Mets fattened their offer Saturday to seven years, $120 million and even included a vesting option for an eighth season. .... Ironically, one day last week, Ruben Sierra and Beltran went to dinner with their respective families in San Juan, at which point it appeared certain Beltran would reject the Mets and Cubs. According to a mutual friend, Sierra told Beltran, "I don't know about you, but it's more important for me to be happy than to make the most money." Sierra was talking about the one-year $1.5 million deal he was about to sign with the Yankees, rejecting the Orioles' offer that promised nearly twice that amount, and a second guaranteed year. Sierra went on to explain the virtues of winning, and how, as he put it, "the Yankees make me feel me wanted." Beltran didn't just listen politely, he absorbed the unspoken advice Sierra was offering, adding it into a growing number of reasons to remain with the Astros. But the Mets were still holding out hope. In fact, they'd been so focused on luring Beltran away from the Astros, their talks with Carlos Delgado had practically come to a halt in the last two weeks. The free-agent first baseman countered the Mets' original offer of three years, $40 million, but he apparently asked for so much, the Wilpon family chose to back-burner the negotiations until Beltran made his decision. ......... After all, everyone in the baseball community had expected the Yankees to become 11th-hour suitors. But a member of the Bombers' brain trust indicated that Steinbrenner only was prepared to enter the sweepstakes today. According the Basic Agreement, Houston is now prohibited from negotiating with Beltran until May 1, which would effectively end his career there. According to the Yankee source, "if this [negotiation] is still alive [today], then we'll jump in. But not just yet. [steinbrenner] doesn't want to be used in a bidding war." That was Boras' plan all along: lure The Boss into the cash orgy, get the asking price to more than $120 million, and let Beltran pick from the turbo-dollar offers. But in the last few days, the center fielder was said to be committed to the Astros. Why would Beltran have even considered rejecting a superior offer? For one, his wife, Jessica Lugo, expressed a strong interest in remaining in Houston. And the dinner with Sierra cemented the family's sentiment that money isn't everything - not when the Astros came within a game of a trip to the World Series. A mutual friend of the two players said Sierra all but challenged Beltran to explain why he'd even consider the Mets or the Cubs. "It's all about winning," the friend said, repeating Sierra's words. "The last thing I want to do is go to Baltimore and spend the rest of year reading about how great the Yankees are doing. That's not for me." Beltran made no secret of his admiration for manager Phil Garner, who inherited a dying clubhouse from Jimy Williams at the All-Star break. With his superior communication skills and upbeat manager, the Astros were baseball's best team in the second half and are counting on Beltran to sustain that in 2005. __________________ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Prepares to give Met fan a black armband. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Prepares to give Met fan a black armband. I knew Beltran wasn't coming to the Mets to begin with, so I probably won't be as devastated as other fans, they just need to refocus on signing someone else. Never jump the gun as a Mets fan. EVER And if Beltran does land with the Yankees, keep in mind Jason Giambi (if he is still on the team) must play 1st base every day, because Bernie Williams will DH. I don't see how Tino Martinez (or Reuben Sierra) will get any playing time whatsoever. This all depends on the status of Giambi obviously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Classy gesture by Corey Koskie taking out a full page in both local papers thanking the Twins and the fans for their support during his time with the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve J. Rogers 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Sunday, January 9, 2005 By BOB KLAPISCH Who I'd put as much stock in as Buster Onley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 I just recently started looking over this thread, and felt compelled to post a few transactions my team, the Brewers, made this winter: 11/28 - Signed C Damian Miller to a 3-year Major League contract (posted earlier, but the Brewers needed a good catcher desparately, so this was important) 12/11 - Traded RHP Dan L. Kolb to the Atlanta Braves for RHP Jose Capellan and a PTBNL (non-roster RHP Alec Zumwalt) (Brewers get the Braves top pitching prospect) 12/13 - Traded CF Scott Podsednik, RHP Jose Vizcaino and a PTBNL to the Chicago White Sox for LF Carlos Lee (Lee should help the Brewers' lacking offense tremendously) 12/15 - Traded IF Keith Ginter to the Oakland Athletics for RHP Justin Lehr and OF Nelson Cruz (this one is kind of "eh, we'll see"...Ginter was popular, but he didn't have a spectacular season or anything...I think this will be fairly even for both teams) They also did a bunch of other minor signings and re-signings. Hopefully the Brewers are getting closer to actually having a winning season, for the first time since '92. At least they actually went out and got some people who could make a difference this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 They won't win but they could conceivably finish fourth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Mets have the ability to suck the greatness out of everyone they sign. except Bernard Gilkey, Lance Johnson, and maybe Braden Looper Never use the words Braden Looper and greatness in the same sentence again. Ok? Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheDon Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Bernard Gilkey only had one good year with the Mets and that was in 1996. The rest of his stay was subpar. He was able to get into the first Men in Black movie I believe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Sunday, January 9, 2005 By BOB KLAPISCH Who I'd put as much stock in as Buster Onley Thank you. Klapisch is just as unreliable. Fuck them up their asses. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The Mets have the ability to suck the greatness out of everyone they sign. except Bernard Gilkey, Lance Johnson, and maybe Braden Looper Never use the words Braden Looper and greatness in the same sentence again. Ok? Thanks. there were stretches last year where Looper was tremendous. My point was that some people have their career years with the Mets, and those were 3 clear examples. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 The players I think got better as Mets were Al Leiter (1998-2002 Leiter) and Steve Trachsel (after he came back from the minors in 2001). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Newsday is reporting Beltran to the Mets for 7/119. If it's true or not, well who knows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Newsday is reporting Beltran to the Mets for 7/119. If it's true or not, well who knows. Newsday's usually a better bet in sports than the others (except for maybe the NY Daily News) so WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 It's now on ESPN.com mainpage. Looks like the Mets are really serious about getting 3rd place this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 It's now on ESPN.com mainpage. Looks like the Mets are really serious about getting 3rd place this year. What did the Marlins do this offseason besides signing Al "Five Innings" Leiter and resigning Mike Lowell? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Failed Mascot Report post Posted January 9, 2005 Time for Omar to break the bank on Delgado and set his team up for major financial restraints come 07. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 They didn't need to do nearly as much. And they did much better by doing less than the Mets did. They gave Pedro Martinez one of the worst contracts ever. Beltran is good, but the salary is inflated; good thing the Mets can afford it. As for the Marlins, they were in a much better starting place than the Mets, so they didn't need to add nearly as much. And Al Leiter is the 4th starter, so don't act like they are counting on him to save the franchise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 I hope Beltran gets booed big time in Houston. He gave up playing for a good, playoff ready team for an extra 14 million dollars? Can't wait for him to complain in the middle of May when the Mets are already mathematically eliminated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
