One Reason to Like Cole Hamels

[SOURCE ESPN]


He's young, tall, attractive, has a girlish voice, and has a World Series ring strapped around one those delicate fingers of his... but he's a Phillie. A dastardly Phillie, and there is no question that he nears the top of my "Most Hated, Want to Kill, But Wouldn't Mind Switching Places With" list. But finally.. we have a reason to like Cole Hamels.

Your words, Mr. Hamels:
"For the past two years [the Mets] have been choke artists... that's kind of what we believed and I think we're always going to believe that until they prove us wrong."

Choke artists! The Mets! Hah! Truer words have never been said! And for the third straight year, the Mets and Phillies are talking smack during the offseason. If the Mets even dare to respond to the World Series Champion and defending back-to-back division winners, they must be losing their damn mind. I'd like to see Carlos Beltran proclaim his team as the 'team to beat'... so that Ryan Howard can put down his delicious Subway sandwich and beat him with a stick.

Let's hope a year from now the Braves can start talking a little smack and make this division interesting again.
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Winter Meetings: Mets Add to Bullpen Again, Nats Pursue Tex

So lets say I'm Omar Minaya, general manager for the New York Mets. I have the largest payroll in the National League, the best pitcher in baseball, and two of the ten best hitters in baseball. Sure I haven't helped get my team to the postseason in two years.. but its the offseason! The winter meetings, I can remedy that right now! I have the money and the prospects to make some noise right here in Vegas! I just signed the best closer in baseball in K-Rod, things are looking up my friends! Let's keep the ball rolling... and trade for JJ Putz!


Wait, JJ Putz? Really? The former Mariners closer who spent nearly all of last season either injured or blowing saves? You want him to come in and be your set up guy.. rather than using Schoeneweis or Feliciano like you had been for a couple years (and its worked). You traded Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Joe Smith and FOUR minor leaguers as part of a three-team, twelve-player deal... FOR JJ PUTZ???

Does this remind anyone of the Red Sox trade for Eric Gagne in '07? When the Mets signed K-Rod, they basically put themselves back into position to be the Mets from opening day last season. Great closer out, new great closer in. Still lots of holes on the roster. And their big follow-up move is to deal two pitchers, a local legend (have you seen this catch?), and prospects for a pitcher on his way down after being incredible for a couple years (well, they did also receive P Sean Green and OF Jeremy Reed in the trade)... as a Braves fan I like it, but as a baseball fan I don't think I quite understand it. Putz is an incredible talent who came into last season one of the best closers in baseball, but he ended the season as a middle reliever who had lost it. It'll be interesting to see if he can return to form, the Mets appear to be banking on it.

Putz's 2008 Stats: 6-5, 3.88ERA, 15/23 in save opportunities, 46IP


More fun news out of Vegas:

• The Cleveland Indians have signed former Cubs closer Kerry Wood to a 2 year deal worth $20 million. The perpetually-injured Wood had a resurgent year in 2008 as a dominant closer for the division-winning Cubs, but did spend a considerable amount of time on the disabled list. Ten million a year is definitely over paying for the amount of innings Wood is likely to give you, but he's still one of the most talented pitchers in baseball. I personally hope, for his sake, that he finds success in Cleveland.
  
  
• The Washington Nationals have made a play for Maryland native and former Brave Mark Teixeira. They've reportedly offered him an 8 year, $160M deal. I know he wasn't in Atlanta very long, but I just don't enjoy the idea of playing against Tex over a dozen times a year for the next decade. But oh well, we've got Kotchman!
  
  
• Also the Yankees appear set to send disappointing outfielder Melky Cabrera to the Brewers for gold glove-winner Mike Cameron. This move should come as no surprise after the Yankees expressed interest in the former Met earlier this offseason, and that Cameron became good friends with newly-signed Yankee CC Sabathia during their time in Milwaukee. Cameron, an Georgia native, missed the first couple of months of last season after being suspended for using a banned substance. A potential outfield of Matsui, Nady, Cameron and Swisher apperas imminent for the Yankees, who seem to be on solid starting pitcher away from contending again.

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Mets Sign K-Rod. But Don't Be Scared.

Francisco Rodriguez is coming to the NL East. The New York Mets have reportedly agreed upon a 3 year/$37M contract with the closer, who set a new single-season record with 62 saves last season with the Angels. K-Rod is 26 years old and has 208 saves already in his short career- if you remember he was the set up guy for Troy Percival in 2002 when the Angels won the World Series. The Mets, who lost Billy Wagner last season to Tommy John surgery, faltered late in the season mainly due to a lack of an effective bullpen. And K-Rod's presence sure addresses that, but it doesn't fix the fact that the road to K-Rod is flawed and that this is a Mets team that even with Billy Wagner closing games could not run away with the division (see 07 collapse and the mediocre 08 season). This was clearly a necessary move for the Mets, but its not the only move. If they do not address the rest of the bullpen, the starting rotation, and the outfield, then don't expect the Mets back in the playoffs any time soon. Read Full Article!