Your questions, my answers
I got a whole bunch of comments on this entry from yesterday -- a first-week blogger's thrill that I believe I owe to my friend Matt Cerrone -- and I started to answer them in the comments section. But then I thought it might be a better idea to take the questions and answer them in a whole separate entry. So I hope those of you commented yesterday are still reading today, and that I can help answer your questions.
QUESTION from "bmfc1":
Dan--please correct this portion of a sentence:
"the Mets have the Yankees called"
Who called whom?
ANSWER:
Sorry. Fixed that. It should have read (and now reads) "the Mets have called the Yankees" several times about Xavier Nady. Guess I will miss those editors after all...
QUESTION from "2P093xMdle5gI05cPTCFB5bUEQ--":
Dan, which has a greater chance of happening? The Mets getting both Lowe and Perez, or Pedro coming back for a 1 year incentive based deal?
ANSWER:
I have to believe the latter. As I understand it, their hope is to get Lowe OR Perez (preferably Lowe) and then go out and get another veteran starter to compete for the #5 spot. That's where Tim Redding and guys like that come in. I guess Pedro could fit that description, if he'd do it, but the likelihood is that they'll cut ties with Pedro.
QUESTION from "2P093xMdle5gI05cPTCFB5bUEQ--":
Is the Wilpon's disinterest in Manny due to the money he'd command, or the controversy he'd stir with his antics?
ANSWER:
Catchy name, by the way. The Wilpons' lack of interest has to do with having Manny in their clubhouse. They don't want him on the team. If it was about money, they'd have traded for him in July when he was practically free (the Red Sox paid the rest of his 2008 salary, remember, when they dealt him to the Dodgers), made the playoffs with him and said good-bye before he hit the open market. They fear he'd create distraction, which is silly. Who wouldn't trade for all the success the Red Sox had the past six years with Manny on their team?
QUESTION from "grab22":
Why is Orlando Hudson still not signed (or even rumored to be close to signing)? Is he really holding out for the outside chance the Mets could deal Castillo?
ANSWER
I have heard, about Hudson, that he wants to play in New York and is waiting to see if the Yankees or Mets make a move with their second basemen before signing somewhere else. If that's the case, he's likely to have to wait a long time. The Yankees aren't likely to find a deal they like for Robinson Cano, and the Mets aren't likely to find anybody to take Castillo off their hands. I think a big part of the Hudson situation is that there just isn't much market for him yet. The big pitchers signed. The big sluggers are only now starting to sign. The market's taking its time to get to the second basemen, and Hudson has to wait.
QUESTION from "fallingissa":
Dan, firstly, I'm glad to see that you are up and commenting on baseball again. I imagine you must be looking for a new NY gig. Any possibilities?
I am a likely minority but kind of lean Ollie in terms of who the Mets resign. My real hope is that the Mets follow the Dodgers lead and BUY OUT LUIS CASTILLO!!!! That would open up a spot for Orlando Hudson who is rumored to want to play hear and probably save Castillo's mental health as this year, he's in for HELL!
Further, small suggestion, perhaps a date for each of your postings?
ANSWER:
Thanks, yes, and not as of yet.
You may be in the minority in terms of Ollie, but there are people in the Mets' organization who believe as you do -- that Perez would be preferable to Lowe because of the age difference and the fact that he's left-handed. But the decision has been made to prioritize Lowe, and they're doing that for now.
They have no plans to buy out Castillo, and it's a shame that he's in for hell. He's a good guy and a good player who had a rotten year, and there's no reason to think he won't come back and make SOME kind of contribution in 2009 if given the chance.
As for the dates on the posts -- that's driving me NUTS. I spent an hour trying to figure that out today, changed templates, did all kinds of things. Maybe I need my friend Matt Cerrone's help on that too.
Anyway, thanks for all the comments, and keep em coming. I'll do my best to return the favor.
QUESTION from "bmfc1":
Dan--please correct this portion of a sentence:
"the Mets have the Yankees called"
Who called whom?
ANSWER:
Sorry. Fixed that. It should have read (and now reads) "the Mets have called the Yankees" several times about Xavier Nady. Guess I will miss those editors after all...
QUESTION from "2P093xMdle5gI05cPTCFB5bUEQ--":
Dan, which has a greater chance of happening? The Mets getting both Lowe and Perez, or Pedro coming back for a 1 year incentive based deal?
ANSWER:
I have to believe the latter. As I understand it, their hope is to get Lowe OR Perez (preferably Lowe) and then go out and get another veteran starter to compete for the #5 spot. That's where Tim Redding and guys like that come in. I guess Pedro could fit that description, if he'd do it, but the likelihood is that they'll cut ties with Pedro.
QUESTION from "2P093xMdle5gI05cPTCFB5bUEQ--":
Is the Wilpon's disinterest in Manny due to the money he'd command, or the controversy he'd stir with his antics?
ANSWER:
Catchy name, by the way. The Wilpons' lack of interest has to do with having Manny in their clubhouse. They don't want him on the team. If it was about money, they'd have traded for him in July when he was practically free (the Red Sox paid the rest of his 2008 salary, remember, when they dealt him to the Dodgers), made the playoffs with him and said good-bye before he hit the open market. They fear he'd create distraction, which is silly. Who wouldn't trade for all the success the Red Sox had the past six years with Manny on their team?
QUESTION from "grab22":
Why is Orlando Hudson still not signed (or even rumored to be close to signing)? Is he really holding out for the outside chance the Mets could deal Castillo?
ANSWER
I have heard, about Hudson, that he wants to play in New York and is waiting to see if the Yankees or Mets make a move with their second basemen before signing somewhere else. If that's the case, he's likely to have to wait a long time. The Yankees aren't likely to find a deal they like for Robinson Cano, and the Mets aren't likely to find anybody to take Castillo off their hands. I think a big part of the Hudson situation is that there just isn't much market for him yet. The big pitchers signed. The big sluggers are only now starting to sign. The market's taking its time to get to the second basemen, and Hudson has to wait.
QUESTION from "fallingissa":
Dan, firstly, I'm glad to see that you are up and commenting on baseball again. I imagine you must be looking for a new NY gig. Any possibilities?
I am a likely minority but kind of lean Ollie in terms of who the Mets resign. My real hope is that the Mets follow the Dodgers lead and BUY OUT LUIS CASTILLO!!!! That would open up a spot for Orlando Hudson who is rumored to want to play hear and probably save Castillo's mental health as this year, he's in for HELL!
Further, small suggestion, perhaps a date for each of your postings?
ANSWER:
Thanks, yes, and not as of yet.
You may be in the minority in terms of Ollie, but there are people in the Mets' organization who believe as you do -- that Perez would be preferable to Lowe because of the age difference and the fact that he's left-handed. But the decision has been made to prioritize Lowe, and they're doing that for now.
They have no plans to buy out Castillo, and it's a shame that he's in for hell. He's a good guy and a good player who had a rotten year, and there's no reason to think he won't come back and make SOME kind of contribution in 2009 if given the chance.
As for the dates on the posts -- that's driving me NUTS. I spent an hour trying to figure that out today, changed templates, did all kinds of things. Maybe I need my friend Matt Cerrone's help on that too.
Anyway, thanks for all the comments, and keep em coming. I'll do my best to return the favor.
2 Responses to "Your questions, my answers"
Post a Comment