I spent most of yesterday on the road, so here’s a quick look back on what happened, and what’s developing today, with my comments where appropriate.
- More and more sources, like this one, are beginning to suggest Oliver Perez will be a Met by this weekend, or he won’t be one in 2009. According to speculation, if the Mets fail to sign Perez by this weekend, their focus will immediately turn to Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf.
- Citi Field may no longer be. Two congressmen want Citi Group to cancel their $400 million sponsorship with the Mets new stadium, and instead, use that money to “repay their debt to taxpayers.” When you take government money, the government thinks it can tell you what to do.
- John Maine and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million deal to avoid arbitration. Good. Some people have pointed to Maine as a break down candidate. I think he’s going to be a bounce back candidate.
- Mets Blog reported on Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings & Grumblings, and quotes a source saying, “signing Manny Ramirez is not going to happen” for the Mets.
- If the Mets pass on Manny, but end up wanting another free agent bat, they may have to wait. Ken Rosenthal suggests that it makes more sense for players like Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu, among others, to wait until mid-season to sign a deal. By then, teams will have gotten more desperate, and their demand will go up. I wonder which New York team might be scrambling for a bat come June or July?
- Newsday says Omar Minaya’s sit down with Pedro Martinez was more of a courtesy than a contract negotiation.
- The Mets signed four more players to minor league deals this week. Mack’s Mets has the breakdown.
