Nothing But Coal Under the Mets Christmas Tree

As seen on Bleacher Report.com.
You better watch out!

You better pout!

You better cry, and I'm telling you why!

Santa Minaya, and the Wilpon Elf's are coming to ruin your Christmas.

In case you have been preoccupied with holiday shopping, family gatherings, caroling, and way too much egg nog, the Mets have found a way to make the retail economy look like the good ole surplus days of the 1990's.

The Mets have done absolutely nothing this off-season, and I am counting the signings of R.A. Dickey and Henri Blanco.

Once the disaster that was the 2009 season came to an end on Oct. 4, the Wilpons promised their fans that the Mets would do everything in their power to improve the club on the field. They even went on Mike Francesa's radio show on WFAN to proclaim that the Bernie Madoff fiasco that reportedly cost the team roughly $400 million would not curb their spending on potential big ticket free agents.

Then the Mets went to Indianapolis with rumors swirling faster then a tornado that the team was very interested in signing John Lackey, was curious about the prospects, although very slim, of acquiring Roy Halladay, and was on target to sign both Bengie Molina and Jason Bay to long term contracts.

Instead, nothing happened.

The Mets watched Lackey, instead, sign a deal with the Boston Red Sox and watched as divisional rival and reigning NL Champions Philadelphia Phillies scooped up Halladay in a trade that didn't require top major or minor league talent.

They have stood and watched other free agent pitchers; i.e., Randy Wolf sign with the Brewers, Jason Marquis sign with the Nationals, and, yes, even Brad Penny sign with the St.Louis Cardinals.

Meanwhile, the Mets don't appear close to signing outfielder Jason Bay. Many expect Bay to eventually sign with the Mets, but the Mets have been here before while blowing their chances at signing their guy; and, with Molina, the Mets refuse to offer him a third year on the contract.

The Mets' lack of activity has many questioning the legitimacy of the Mets franchise.

Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio delivered a monologue dedicated to blasting the Mets as a peanut franchise that plays the Clippers to the Yankees' Lakers, questioning the front office's belief that the Mets are an upper tier franchise in Major League Baseball when in fact it is not.

New York radio hosts, Joe Beningo, Evan Roberts, Mike Francesca, among others, are perplexed by Omar Minaya's refusal to get anything done this off-season while trying to sell season ticket packages for a year-old stadium at Citi Field and compete with the best team in baseball, the Yankees, for every available dollar and back page.

A lot of the hysteria stems from the flurry of moves the Yankees and Phillies have made. The Yankees added Curtis Granderson, Javier Vazquez, resigned Andy Pettitte, and for all we know could swoop in and scoop up Bay before he ever signs with the Mets. The Yankees are 50 days removed from winning a World Series, and they are shopping like a team yearning to win another title.

What have the Mets won? Nothing. For 24 years.

Once Roy Halladay got traded to Philadelphia, a lot of Mets fans were ready to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, burn their season tickets and throw all of that Mets memorabilia into the trash. Truth is, the Mets never had the prospects to get Halladay, but the frustration of the Met fan is understandable.

To quote Vince Lombardi, "What the hell is going on out here?"

The Mets' inactivity this off-season mirrors the trend from last December. Last year the Mets were able to get Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz but balked at the opportunity to acquire Orlando Hudson, Jason Marquis, Randy Wolf, Derek Lowe, and Manny Ramirez. In fact, if one recalls, the Mets low-balled Lowe on a three year contract when the pitcher wanted four.

The Mets lost Lowe to Atlanta and had to fool themselves into relying and overpaying Oliver Perez, and trusting unreliable commodities in John Maine, Mike Pelfrey, and Nelson Figueroa to get the job done behind ace Johan Santana. Injuries and inconsistencies soon followed, and the Mets were left with a decaying franchise in need of a huge boost.

Now the Mets are at it again, failing to acquire the pieces they need to be a solid team.

Should Omar Minaya take the fall if he ends up dropping the ball on the Molina signing and watches Bay sign with the Yankees and Matt Holliday with the Cardinals? The fans most certainly think so, but keep in mind Jeff Wilpon gave Minaya a four year extension this past year, so who's to say that Minaya will be canned?

Perhaps the Mets brass is thinking about 2011 and not 2010. Next year, the likes of Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Carlos Pena, Cliff Lee, and Josh Beckett will become available. Maybe they are thinking of conserving enough money to make a run at two of these guys.

If that's the case, then the Mets will be following a similar risky strategy that the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets are following: tank the season now and reap the benefits later by signing LeBron James and/or Dwayne Wade.

Here is the problem with such a strategy: if the team stinks, why in God's name would a top free agent want to come play there? Because it is New York?

The main reason players come to New York is to play for the Yankees, a team that is steeped in success and whose history of victories deflects the venom of the New York media and its fans.

When players come to the Mets, they are risking the chance of being tarred and feathered as bums.

Just ask Roberto Alomar.

Before coming to the Mets in 2002, Alomar was the best second baseman in the game; once his struggles became bigger than the team's struggles, Alomar was ripped apart by the fans and media as a total bust.

Can you see Albert Pujols leaving St. Louis to sign with a Mets team that on paper right now may win 65 games if the stars align themselves correctly? I don't think so.

This year the Mets are staring at the prospects of having to rely on the erratic Perez, the always injured Maine, the always flustered Pelfrey, as well as the possibility that Daniel Murphy will be the every day first baseman, especially if Carlos Delgado fails to show anything in winter ball, if he ever plays in that league. Nice work, Omar, for putting all your eggs in one basket.

The problem with the Mets is their arrogance. They believe that the market will come back to them, and in the meantime they get hit in the face with pies when all of the so- called "key" free agents that the Mets have an apparent "interest" in sign with other teams.

In order to be a contender you have to make like a contender during the off-season. That is what the Mets used to care about in 2005 and 2006 when they brought in Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran and Delgado, and worked their way to an appearance in the NLCS.

Then again, maybe the Mets made like bandits in off-seasons past just so they could fool you and me into buying season tickets.

Maybe the Mets will finally learn this year as they watch the empty seats decay in the hot summer sun what the fans truly want — a winner.

Yankees Acquire Javier Vazquez, deal Melky Cabrera

Believe in second chances?

Well the Yankees most certainly do.

The Yankees traded outfielder Melky Cabrera on Tuesday to the Atlanta Braves for right hander Javier Vazquez in a suprising move for the World Champions.

In case you need to be reminded, Vazquez spent one mediocre season with the Bronx Bombers in 2004, when he went 14-10 with a 4. 91 ERA. He was best remembered for giving up a grand slam to Johnny Damon, then of the Red Sox, in game seven of the 2004 ALCS.

Still, Vazquez is highly regarded to this day. Last season he went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA with 238 strike outs with the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees believe that Vazquez has turned the corner and can be a servicable number three starter.

As for Cabrera he was an average outfield at best. He never really fit in any outfield positon, although he had a propensity to play a decent center field. Cabrera had his moments, like a game winning homer against the Twins early in the regular season. He hit .274 with 13 homers and 68 RBI.

What does this mean for the Yankee outfield?

It could mean that the Bombers will pursue Jason Bay, or Matt Holliday more vigorously. Bay has a five year offer from the Mets, but has yet to accept the deal. Bay's hesitation to sign with the Mets could open the door for Yankees to get him. Then again, the Yankees could always settle for Johnny Damon in left. But, the outfielder outpriced himself out of an offer to resign with the Yankees; plus, Damon is not a great outfielder any more.

Giants Blow Away Redskins, Stay in Playoff Hunt

GIANTS 45
REDSKINS 12

How about that high powered Giants offense? Better yet, how about that Giants defense?

On Monday night in Washington D.C. the Giants D finally stepped to the plate and delivered a needed home run. In a year, where the Giants have battled injuries to linebackers, safties and corner backs, as well as increased pressure from outside the orgainization to fire Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan, the Giants held the Redskins to just 12 points, the lowest total allowed since the Giants beat the Oakland Raiders 44-7 on October 11!

The Giants harrassed Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell all night, sacking him five times, and picking him off twice. The Giants even managed to knock Campbell out of the game in the second quarter, although he did return after halftime.

As for the Giants offense, they were spectacular. Eli Manning led the way with 268 yards passing and three touchdowns, which included a 23 yard TD to Derek Hagan, and a 25 yard pass to Mario Manningham.

The Giants racked up 387 yards of offense and 23 first downs on the Redskins, to sink Washington to 4-10 on the season.

The Giants improve to 8-6, with their slim playoff hopes still alive. Box score.

Jets Playoff Hopes Die At Chilly Giants Stadium

FALCONS 10

JETS 7

It's all over folks!

When people look back at this 2009 season for the New York Jets, they will remember all of the missed opportunities that Gang Green had this year. Whether it be the two games against Miami, or the brutal losses to Buffalo and Jacksonville, this season has been full of disappointment.

In a windy and chilly Giants Stadium, that was so cold, that you could watch your beer turn into a Popsicle, Mark Sanchez and the Jets went belly up against the Falcons.

The game was marred by a series of hideous mistakes for Gang Green. Numerous times, the Jets had a chance to put this game away, and they failed to do so.

Three times the Jets had an opportunity to kick a field goal, and all three times they found a way to screw it up, most notably the botched snap by Kellen Clemens that prevented kicker Jay Feely from kicking a chip-shot 19 yard field goal.

Still the talk after the defeat was Mark Sanchez and the Jets D.

To be fair to the Jets, their defense held Matt Ryan and the Falcons to three points for the entire game, it is not easy to keep a high octaine offense from scoring a touchdown. Did Gang Green blow their coverage on Tony Gonzalez in the end zone? Yes. But the fact remains, that the defense played a hell of game, and should never have been in that position to begin with.

Now, as for Sanchez, he was horrible. The rookie continues to make huge mistakes when protecting the football; he threw three interceptions on the day, and still looks baffled on his reads.

What should the Jets do with him? They have to keep throwing him out there - the only way he will learn is if he plays, especially at this stage in his career. He will be a second year pro next year, and it is clearly his job to lose. The Jets will have to bring in a veteran to pressure Sanchez next spring and summer, but Sanchez will be the guy since so much is invested in him.

This was a terrible lose for the Jets, but like the Dolphin games, the Jaguar game and the Bills game, this lose to Atlanta was revealing as to what the Jets are, and what they need to do to become a better football team.

Hideki Matsui Now A Former Yankee, Signs With Angels

World Series MVP Hideki Matsui is no longer a member of the New York Yankees.

Matsui whose six RBI in game six of the World Series won him the MVP award agreed to a one year $6.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Matsui, A.K.A. Godzilla, had a terrific 2009 season. He hit .274 with 28 homeruns and 90 RBI in his first year since missing time due to a knee injury the year before.

Matsui didn't play the outfield at all in 2009. When the Yankees played in National League ballparks, he usually came up in pinch hitting situations. However, as a DH, Matsui is lethal.

The Yankees will miss his powerful left handed swing for sure. His bat was a huge reason for the success of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Tiexiera. Matsui's uncanny ability to stroke baseballs to the short porch in right made him a home run threat for every at bat.

Bad News For the Mets: Roy Halladay Is a Phillie

The New York Mets are in real trouble now.

Before last July's trade deadline, there was a rumor that the Mets had rejected a trade proposal for Roy Halladay. That rumor turned out to be false, but the Mets missed their chance to get the best pitcher in the game next to Johan Santana.

Instead, Roy Halladay will be a Philadelphia Phillie.

In an explosive trade, the Phillies aquired Halladay, while sending Cliff Lee, who was brilliant in the postseason for Philadelphia to the Seattle Mariners. The Phillies, in turn, would send Phillies outfielder Michael Taylor, Phillies catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and a Phils pitcher -- either Kyle Drabek or J.A. Happ to Toronto.

Halladay won 17 games last year for Toronto, but more impressivley struck out 208 batters, and holds 49 complete games in his career. Halladay pitched to a 2.79 ERA in the American League, and it is fair to say that he will be even better in the NL, where the lineups are not as volatile.

According to ESPN, Halladay is close to working out a contract extension of three years and only $60 million - cheap, considering the price tag that many expected he would receive. Could the Mets have afforded that? We will never know, but I don't think the Mets had the prospects anyway.

Lackey Signs With Red Sox

Well, John Lackey will not be a New York Met after all.

For the past month since the season ended, rumors swirled that Angels right hander John Lackey would sign with the Mets, Yankees, Rangers, or re-sign with the Angels, but instead the Red Sox turned out to be the real player for him.

The Red Sox signed Lackey to a five year, $85 million deal, where he will make roughly $16 million per season.

Lackey returned from elbow inflimation to win 11 games for the Angels, pitching to a 3.83 ERA. Lackey is 102-71 in his career.

He will give the Red Sox a formidable rotation of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Lackey, which will make things very difficult for the World Champion Yankees in the AL East.

Meanwhile, the Mets were left without ever offering, or negotiating with a pitcher, many thought the team should have pursued this off-season.