One year ago today, the Mets released Livan Hernandez. So far in 2010, Hernandez has a 3.06 ERA and ranks in the top ten in the NL in innings pitched and complete games. He doesn't strike anybody out, but his walk rate is low and he's headed for the 200 IP plateau once again. Here are some links for Friday as we contemplate Hernandez's surprising season…
- Brandon Inge and Johnny Damon are now on waivers, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). We should soon know if the two Tigers clear.
- Baseball America presents the compensation picks in the 2011 draft and total bonuses from 2008-10. The Nationals, Pirates and Blue Jays have have spent the most on bonuses.
- This doesn't count towards their draft spending, but the Pirates signed Colombian shortstop Dilson Herrera for $220K, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney doubts that Ted Lilly would clear waivers this month. The left-hander, who tossed a two-hitter last night, would likely be claimed by a contending team.
- Jamey Newberg lists the hurdles the Rangers will face if they want to acquire Manny Ramirez from the Dodgers this month. As Newberg explains on MLB.com, a lot would have to fall into place for the Rangers to acquire the slugger.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out that the Mets' decision to let Darren O'Day go at the beginning of last year has not worked out for New York.
- Mark Kiszla of the the Denver Post says Todd Helton “needs to hang up his No. 17 Colorado uniform and retire.”
- Joe Beimel, a free agent after the season, would like to keep playing in Colorado, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).
Well, as a Jays fan, I’d love for Wells to hang up his jersey and retire so we can save some money. Unfortunately, that’s not how things work when the player has exorbitant amounts of money still to come their way.
If they every do move him they’re going to have to eat a huge chunk of that money, so in a sense it’s kinda pointless. He’s had a nice year so far and if he can continue it might as well keep him around.
I’m fine with Wells’ play, I was just making a point about how it’s not that easy to ask a guy still owed ~$40M to no longer accept that money.
Yeah, I hear what your saying. Must suck.
I assume you’re referring to Wells’ contract…he is owed $86MM from 2011-14.
Lol. Making 23 Million next season alone. Worst contract in baseball.
At least he’s still an everyday player and productive…Oliver Perez is trying to say hello…
I guess Oliver’s cancer factor does top Vernon.
Maybe he’ll opt out and choose to go to a contender.
haha how did this become a vernon wells discussion!
Well i guess when your signed to a 100 million dollar+ contract people feel the need to talk more about you. Either how good you are ( Pujols, Jeter) how you didn’t know what you were injecting (a rod) or how you are worth no where close to your assigned dollar amount. (wells, soriano, zito, hampton, )
I forgot about Zito. Vernon’s contract doesn’t look so bad compared to his.
The way i see it is. This contract looks so bad for 3 reasons. 1) he’s not a elite player, getting paid elite dollars and his regression/injuries 2) he’s on a team that for the most part hasn’t been that competitive. and 3) the team has limited their spending. leading everyone to the ‘well if we didn’t sign wells to 23 a year we would have money for …..’I think the contract will look worse and worse BUT as rogers has re established faith in a new GM and giving him coin to do as he sees fit. If it becomes a bad contract for a decent player on a competitive team that hasn’t been held back by it, then it becomes kinda moot point. Rogers can afford it easily.
Manny to the Rays!!
That would be hilarious
“Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out that the Mets’ decision to let Darren O’Day go at the beginning of last year has not worked out for New York.”
Welcome to the end of the 2009 season.
I still don’t understand why the Dodgers acquired Lilly, Dotel, and Theriot…
I agree with Joel Sherman, playing Barajas and Francouer makes absolutely zero sense for the Mets. But I guess that’s what happens when a manager is desperately trying to keep his job; the longterm view for the club isn’t much of a factor in his decisions.
I agree but, uh, have you seen what platoon players Jerry has to work with?
Anything is better than Barajas and Failcoeur
Mark Kizla needs to retire. He’s a horrible writer that stoops to the dramatic to get people to read his garbage.
Regarding Todd, or any player, I’ll never call for one to retire, they are men getting paid to do something almost every grown man would give their right arm for and have dreamt for since childhood. Careers are so short and once its gone its gone forever. How can someone say with a straight face that they should quit and give that up?
Ask Kizla if he would retire if he still had 20m+ left on his contract, I’m guessing the honest answer would be no.
I’ve always wanted the Phillies to sign Beimel, he’s been pretty good the last few years.
we could use him right about now too
Being reminded of how the mets let go of O’Day hurts. and who they called up after they designated him… Casey Fossum and all 4 innings of him.
Damon back to the Red Sox? Might not be too bad of an idea to finish him out in left field with all the other injuries to the outfield and only a month and a half left to go.
I think it’s a really good sign for the future that the Pirates, Nats, and Jays spent the most on the draft.
This should be an MLBTR poll, which trio will have the best career…Harper, Solis and Cole…Or Taillon, Allie, Rojas Jr.
For a good laugh, type the name Charles Alston Tebeau in the baseball-reference player search engine. Make sure you’re not drinking milk though!
Haha, favorite baseball nickname of all-time.
Also search Russel Kuntz.
That’s great! We need players like that these days. I’d like to hear Vin Scully announce Ol’ Rusty coming up to bat.
The Angels are probably kicking themselves more than the Mets with giving up O’Day.
Alright, here’s my (wishful) prediction. The Cards acquired Pedro Feliz so that they could fake out the other teams that were potentially blocking them from getting Brandon Inge into believing that they now have a replacement for third base and so no longer were interested in Inge. Inge now clears waivers, the Cards release Feliz and snap up Inge – – all to the dismay of the other teams that let Inge through on waivers thinking the Cards no longer needed him. Mozeliak is then awarded manager of the year for his brilliant work in outsmarting everyone. Okay, I need to go back onto my medications now.
You should check out Inge’s 2nd half splits for this season and the last 3.
That’s why the Cardinals didn’t want him.
He was injured second half last year but still played… Inge’s first half of 09 is what teams are looking for
His hand is still sore too. I doubt any team takes a chance on him.
detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=201008…
Oh if only we could get rid of Manny and actually get something back.
I thought it was interesting to see the 3 year breakdown regarding total dollars spent in the draft. Maybe we can end this notion that the Yanks and other big markets were outpspending smaller market teams trying to steal players (even though the Red Sox do spend pretty freely). Yanks never ranked higher than 8th in spending and I think were around 12th overall in the 3 years combined. It was sad to see the Marlins were among the bottom 5. How can you have the smallest mlb payroll AND skimp on the draft as well. Even though the Marlins to have a good farm it’s sad to see that they pocket so much money.