The 63-63 Mets don't seem to be in contention, but GM Omar Minaya told John Harper of the New York Daily News that his team is "still in the hunt." Regardless of what Minaya says, some of his players are already looking ahead to 2011. Here are the details on two of the team's potential trade candidates, a star who wants to stay, and an insight into the Mets' managerial hunt:
- Luis Castillo was unhappy with his role on the Mets earlier in the month and not much has changed for the second baseman. He told the Daily News that he'll talk to his agents about finding a "different kind of situation," even if that means a trade.
- Oliver Perez told Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com that he wants to return to the Mets in 2011. "I want to have a championship because I know the fans want it and I want it, too," Perez said.
- Jose Reyes wants to keep playing for the Mets, reports Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. "I love it here. My family is here, I love (living) on Long Island, I want to stay," Reyes said. The Mets have an $11MM club option on Reyes for 2011 that they're likely to pick up, and it appears both sides are interested in working out a longer-term contract.
- Rather than spend on a big-name manager like Joe Torre or Bobby Valentine, the Mets could install Wally Backman as the manager for 2011, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post.
Candidates for trade? I suppose . . . but why would the Mets want to bring either one of these guys back next year and why would any team want them? I have to believe that both are more likely to be released than traded.
What you say makes absolute sense. Unfortunately were talking about the Mets here. The only reason Castillo and Perez have not been traded is that no one wants them, especially at their salaries. The Mets could have found takers early on, but refused to eat any parts of the contracts. That is why they’re still on the team. The Mets refuse to cut them and have to pay the bulk of the contract while they play for some other team. Don’t be surprised if they are still on the team come spring training.
Nobody wants these guys and Perez is more likely to win a championship in AAA.
Don’t you mean the IL?
don’t you mean he’ll never win a championship ever, even if he’s on the bench and never plays for the Yankees, who somehow managed to make it into the little league world series?
Please your giving Ollie to much credit , the kids in the little league series would tear up Ollie for 7 or so runs in the first inning 😉
What the hell is Ollie smoking?! If he’s so concerned with the fans, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out the fans want him GONE, and never wanted to sign him to this contract in the first place. And really? Does he honestly believe he can contribute to a championship team…positively? C’mon dude, get a clue.
Cut bait and sever all ties…
Absolutely
This is a misquote. Minaya didn’t say the ‘team is still in the hunt’ he said ‘the team is stuck in a rut’
Omar said …his team is “still in the hunt”…
Well of course they are. In the hunt for a new GM, a new manager…
In the hunt for a better draft pick?
He is toting the company line because he knows all he does it collect a paycheck and has to do nothing – of coarse he wants to be with them, free money
I hope the Red Sox claim Beltran.
As for Ollie & Luis Castillo, I give up.
Because we don’t have enough injured outfielders?
You need to replace Mike Lowel’s $12m hip with Beltran’s $18m knee
I hope the Mets decide to sell this winter because I would love for the Orioles to get a shot at trading for Reyes.
Crawford in NY might not be a bad thing to watch, how they make that work with their current roster I don’t know. F-Mart in the mix at some point. They still need another starting pitcher. I’d rather go after Lee and give him 4 years but they may settle for Lilly at 3.
Mets are on the bubble of having a protected 1st round pick in 2011’s draft, which is supposed to be a deep one. Their financial situation is also sticky. It should be interesting for them. Half measures are not going to be enough, its either buy or sell in 2011.
If the Mets sell I would possibly give the Mets half of our farm system for the reds. We need a future shortstop desperately cause we having nothing in the wings unless you count Janish, Frazier and Valikia is 2nd basemen. Jose could fill out our leadoff role that we need so Dusty will stop freakin batting Phillips there. Now i would love if that happened
.323 OBP fills your leadoff role?
That number is a bit too high for Dusty, as Reyes clogs the bases more than 30% of the time.
Mets won’t trade Reyes, he is what makes their mediocre offense go. Also keep in mind that next year is his walk year.Would the Orioles make a serious offer to the Mets, knowing that he would not come cheap. and then offer a big contract knowing that he could go elsewhere.
Sell
I hate Oliver Perez.
I grew up and used to love the Mets but now I HATE them.When was the last time anything positive happened for us? Seriously, we are an embarassment to the city of NY.
So much for Cerrone’s “Reyes has been fantastic ” comment yesterday. As a fellow Latin I’m not even proud of him anymore he’s SOFTER THAN WET NEWSPAPER. As for Wright is a choker and only hits when we don’t need him.
Minaya and Manual have no sense of urgency.
Wilpons are worse than broke, they are heartless and don’t even care/love their fanbase/customers.
I am not going to game next year if Castillo and Oliver Perez are on the team.
Is anyone out there? Am I talking to myself?
It’s demoralizing
Ollie shouldn’t even be allowed to speak.
So, Castillo is looking to be traded. To quote JP Riccardi, “who wants you?”
who’d he say that to? Adam Dunn?
He never actually said it to anyone. He said it when he was talking about Gregg Zaun who had said he wouldn’t care if he was traded.
Derp my name is Oliver Perez and I think I can contribute to a championship derp.
id be willing to bet Ollie read that straight from a teleprompter…Ollie for President !
Coffin nail?
Not a “glowing mark” for Omar’s resume’ when it comes to evaluating, if you can call your team “in the hunt” at the present time…
Wasn’t it Backman who made a huge public ass of himself a few years back in a way that led most to believe he would never get a big league managing gig?
Maybe someone with a longer memoory than mine can clear this up.
But then, if I’ve forgotten what it was, maybe potential employers can overlook it, too.
The Mets need a manager, so between the two high profile guys, Bobby V is the better choice. Torre is not really all that good of a manager. He’s just great at handling the media.
I remember getting Oliver Perez’s autograph in 2004 and thinking that I could have just gotten a future ace’s autograph. Unfortunately, I think that Manny Sanguillen’s autograph on that same ball is worth more.
stupid comment by ollie perez, he probablly will be pitching in the minors next year
I grew up and used to love the Mets but now I HATE them.When was the last time anything positive happened for us? Seriously, we are an embarassment to the city of NY.
So much for Cerrone’s “Reyes has been fantastic ” comment yesterday. As a fellow Latin I’m not even proud of him anymore he’s SOFTER THAN WET NEWSPAPER. As for Wright is a choker and only hits when we don’t need him.
Minaya and Manual have no sense of urgency.
Wilpons are worse than broke, they are heartless and don’t even care/love their fanbase/customers.
I am not going to game next year if Castillo and Oliver Perez are on the team.
Is anyone out there? Am I talking to myself?
It’s demoralizing
Your frustration,passion and hurt can be felt in your post.And for the most you’re right on with what you say. But you should temper what you say when it comes to ethnicity. I hate when a small number of narrow minded bigots complain about their being to many Latinos on the Mets. EVERYONE should be proud of their heritage and there’s nothing wrong with ethnic pride, but you should not be disappointed in Reyes because you’re both Latino. You should be angry at him just as you are at Wright because he’d plaiyng lousy ball. If you need ethnic pride to keep you going, how about Angel Pagan’s, or Johan Santana’s play? There’s something to be proud about.
I thought after Backman’s 4 day, 0 game stint as the D-Backs’ manager and subsequent revelations of DUI charges, arrests for fighting, shady business dealings, bankruptcy, etc. that Backman’s big league managing career was effectively over.
Would the Mets really be willing to take the tabloid headlines dredging all of this back up if they brought him on?
Yes. Going by the events these past 2 years, it’s nothing big. Backman’s history is well documented and it did not happen in NY. While all the minute details have not been splashed in the headlines, its common knowledge. The Mets have him managing their low A team in Brooklyn and he’s having a winning season there. He remains a fan favorite because of his gritty reputation, winning attitude and link to their ’86 team legacy .The concerns should be can he manage grown men in the Majors? His experience is with young kids and minor league umpires. His in your face attitude may quickly get him in trouble with the NY media, who still like him but have become accustomed to the warm and fuzzy, always accessible, sound bite dispensing and patient Manuel. Compound that with the somewhat complacent handful of Mets players who have underachieved and it could get ugly real quick.Mets management is in a truly dysfunctional state right now,the Wilpons trying to market a losing team, trying to ride out bad contracts and keeping bad players. Minaya, oviously working with his hands tied and Manuel’s fate pretty much sealed are a bad fit for Backman right now.That being said, I believe the Wilpons will offer him the job, for less money than Manuel. This in order to bring back disgrunted and believing fans and Backman will accept, getting a shot in the Bigs with his career making team.
I consider myself a realistic Mets fan, which means that I think we should be building on luck for 2011 and realisticly for 2012. That means keeping Beltran and Reyes next year. Beltran will be in a definite walk year and will be playing for a contract and Reyes, if the Mets are smart, will be playing for an extension. If it all works out, Beltran leaves as a type A and Reyes leaves as a type A (or earns an extension). Again, if we’re lucky we’ll have a GM who is aggressive in the draft (i.e. not Omar).
As for Crawford, I don’t think he’s worth the investment. He’ll end up demanding a near Beltran-like contract, which will have us stuck with a speed guy in his mid 30’s at the end of his contract. Here’s my plan:
1) Keep Beltran
2) Play Franceur every day in 2010 to build what little trade value he might have.
3) 2011 outfield: Pagan, Beltran, Bay (has to get better than this year)
4) Bring up Flores, Havens, Tejada, Valdespin to compete for 2b in Spring training.
5) Invest in a starting pitcher
6) Promote Mejia to AAA as a starter in 2011 and have him wait for the first ML starter to crap out.
I like your ideas, except i see a problem with this one.
“4) Bring up Flores, Havens, Tejada, Valdespin to compete for 2b in Spring training.”
Flores hasn’t even seen a pitch in AA yet, you can’t rush him. Havens can’t be called up yet, he needs to learn how to stay healthy. I’m not sure if Valdespin is ready yet, he’s only played 6 games in Binghamton. He’s a very underrated prospect.
Yeah I was just trying to think of a way to add some life to the lineup through 2b. I’m having trouble believing in Tejanda. Anyone have any realistic trade ideas? Oh, and:
7) Play Castillo every day in 2010. If his trade value increases a little, maybe you can get a bag of SIGNED balls. Send down Tejada. Dude looks resigned at the plate.
8) Let Ollie start now! Maybe we can trick some teams into taking him if he has some miracle run.
I’m with you about starting Ollie and Castillo, and yeah i know what you mean about trying to add life to 2B, but all of our legit prospects are some time away, I think we’ll have to look at the FA/Trade market for a 2B.
People are enamored with Reyes and all they see is the potential. Currently he is no better than an average SS. He is hurt way too much. The Mets have a real dilemma when it comes to Reyes. He has Superstar potential but I feel he will never figure it out. He will probably be looking for an extension in the neighborhood of 5 years at 15 million per at least. Thats a lot to pay for potential rather than consistency. Any thoughts?
My thoughts on Reyes are this: I agree that he is no better than the average SS. While his hitting appears to be impressive, it’s only because he’s a ‘bully hitter’. He’ll go 3/4 or 2/3 againist mediocre pitching but when it’s crunch time againist a good pitcher, he’ll come up short. His defense is excellent, and to his credit, it seems that he has matured and has grown out of the petulant dope he was in the past. I think its time to shed the potential tag, he’s been in the league for seven years now, he is what he is. The statement that he is hurt too much is not really valid, as he’s really not injury prone. He was hurt most of last year, and he missed a few games recently, but the time he missed early this spring was due to the suspicious thyroid condition that he came upon. If you look at his history: He missed significant time in ’04 due to hamstring issues but in ’05 he played 161 games,’06-153, ’07-160,’08-159. Last year he missed most of the year, but overall he’s been on the field. The Mets have gotten their money’s worth. As for the future, he’s not getting 15MM from anyone, much less the penny pinching Wilpons.The Mets are not going to spend big money next year, especially after 4 years that have been brutally painful and disappointing. The team may very well be transformed after this season ,so Reyes and his agent need to be very careful with their contract demands. Aside from Santana, Bay, because of his contract,and Davis, who is home grown and a fan favorite, no one is untouchable on this team. I would guess that he may come in with a 10 MM asking price, if he’s smart and wants to stay in NY.
I think he’s been better than most give him credit for. He’s been the only one consistently hitting since the break. On the other hand, I doubt very much he’s getting 15 million per. His injury track record conjoined with his vocal desire to retire a Met don’t help his case. Couple that with a home town discount and I think absolute MAX is $12million per, and even that’s a stretch. I’d say 5/$50 give or take.
In post-related news. Check this out! It’s just low-level ball, but I’m still campaigning for Wally Backman as 2011 manager. Check out the standings. Not even close! Best record in the league!
brooklyncyclones.com/gameday/standings/
WALLY BACKMAN will be perfect for the Mets!! He is a smart manager who uses statistics! He is a great in game manager! Players LOVE playing for him. He is a great motivator and teacher! He has fire, passion, grit, and a REFUSAL TO LOSE!! He will take the Mets to the playoffs in 2011!! WALLY BALL BABY!!