Hello again my readers, welcome back and thank you coming! As we sit here shivering in the tri-state area, news tidbits are emerging from Mets camp down in sunny Florida. Amongst the news nuggets from the past couple of days includes a couple of interesting quotations, and a brand new signing to talk about. So without further ado, let’s delve on into the stories!
In case you missed it, Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon made a rare media appearance, speaking and providing quotes for the media throng down south. He said he’s as much of a Mets fan as any of us are, and claimed the offseason was "torture" for him to endure. Guess we’re not alone after all my friends. But the thing I don’t get is why it was torture for him? Was it because he had to live with a 70-92 2009 record? Or was it because other teams in the league were shopping and making improvements, while the Mets were a one and done deal after the Jason Bay signing?
If the torturous feeling stems from the latter, well then why didn’t he do something about it? After all he does own the team. If Fred wanted to improve the club so desperately, then why didn’t Fred open up his wallet a little bit and bid on a John Lackey, or an Octavio Dotel? I know he said that he and his son don’t pick the players, but can’t you encourage Omar to get the best guys available? I don’t know, sounds a little hypocritical to me. Wilpon also said that money is absolutely not an issue for the Mets, and that the Madoff scheme will not force the Wilpon family to sell the team. In fact, he even said that the Wilpon’s would like to own the Mets for generations to come. Hmm, I’ll bet that’s got all of Metland jumping for joy. Ugh…
Another silly quote that Wilpon provided us with was how the Mets have the best medical staff in baseball. OK stop right there. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to interject for a moment. I know injuries are kind of fluky occurrences, and that they can happen to anybody, but I just don’t see why a comment like that one should be thrown around like that. Let’s not forget how silly the Mets organization can behave from a public relations point of view. People everywhere probably get a kick out of watching the Mets commit public relations nightmare after public relations nightmare, the fire is certainly ablaze. Don’t go and add fuel to it! Maybe if team goes injury-free one year, then you can go and laud the medical staff about keeping the players healthy, and on the field for 162 consecutive games. Saying things like "We’ve got the best medical staff in baseball" after a season that was completely lost and damned because of about fifteen key players succumbing to the injury bug, just makes you sound foolish and stupid. The Mets are already enough of a laughingstock for the rest of Major League Baseball Fred. Don’t add fuel to that fire.
In addition to the boss’s comments, the Mets also made some news by signing catcher Rod Barajas to a 1 year major league contract worth a million bucks. The Mets originally offered Barajas a minor league contract, but after hearing that the Texas Rangers offered him a minor league contract as well except worth more money, the Mets sweetened their offer. Whoa! It pains me to admit this, but I think that may be the largest amount of aggression the Mets displayed all offseason long right there! Torture…you got that right Freddie. Anyway, with this move you can officially ticket Omir Santos and Josh Thole for AAA, and expect Barajas to get the majority of starts behind the plate for the Mets, with Henry Blanco there to back him up. All and all, Barajas and Blanco will make a good defensive tandem, and will throw out plenty of would-be base stealers for the Mets in 2010. As a hitter, Barajas may have decent pop for a catcher (19 HR’s in 429 AB’s in 2009) but aside from that he doesn’t offer much, hitting for a puny batting average and rarely drawing a walk. He’s got his pros, but he is far from a guy who doesn’t possess any cons.
What do you guys have to say? Rod Barajas, like, love, hate, indifferent? And what do you think about Fred Wilpon’s quotes? Do you think he made some good remarks, or did he say some things that left you feeling displeased? Reveal your opinions below my friends, I look forward to reading them. And as always, thank you very much for stopping by!
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