Mike's Mets: November 2006 Archives

Ten Things I Like About Zito

(Thanks to Wikipedia, JockBio.com, the Oakland Tribune, MLB.com, and Robert Zemeckis) 10) His Strikeouts for Troops charity sends $200 to wounded GI's for each one of his strikeouts. 9) Zito has never missed a scheduled start in his career. That's the kind of dependability the Mets need, especially with the...

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By NostraDennis, posted at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mets Ice Cold Stove

Editor's Note: Most of you know Shari Forst from Take the "7" Train. This is her first contribution to this blog. - M.S. Hi All- Shari here from MostValuableNetwork.com's Take The "7" Train- I have been less than impressed with the moves Omar and company have been making so far...

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By Shari Forst, posted at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

Here is my disclaimer - I don't do well with change. I like the status quo. I'm comfortable with things that work. Chad Bradford out of the bullpen worked. I'm no longer comfortable. I am going to venture a guess that it wasn't the money but the length of the...

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By Joyce Mandelkern, posted at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Our Little Experiment

We began version 2 of this blog Monday night with Joyce's piece on Tom Glavine. Since then we've introduced several people who you can expect to see posting here as often as they have something to say about the Mets that they wish to share with you. I've been really...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 7:44 PM | Permalink

A Great Time to Be a Mets Fan

Editor's Note: This is Dave Mills' first submission to this blog. - M.S. To be a Mets fan is to experience true agony with some rare ecstasy. Two World Championships and four World Series appearances in 45 seasons is OK, but nothing to write home about. Beats being a Cubs...

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By Dave Mills, posted at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Omar Won't Let Us Down

It's true. We only have two returning starters for next year. It's true. Our bullpen, our strongest asset from last season, seems to be falling apart. It's true. Soriano is not going to be a Met ... and don't even think about Ramirez. It's true. There have been no major...

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By Steve Vogel, posted at 2:24 PM | Permalink

Opinion: Glavine to Atlanta

Editor's Note: This is Fred Pirelli's first submission to this blog. - M.S. If recent scuttlebutt is true then say good bye to Mr. Glavine. Bill Shanks on Braves.Scout.com is reporting that the Braves have signed Tom Glavine for 8 million for one year with a no-trade clause. If this...

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By Fred Pirelli, posted at 12:35 PM | Permalink

Hot Stove Dollars

Editor's Note: This is Alan Vogel's first submission to this blog. He will be a frequent contributor. - M.S. I imagine you were expecting Mike when you clicked on today's blog. Don't worry, Mike is still here, but you'll be hearing from me on the site as well. I'm not...

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By Alan Vogel, posted at 7:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What's Cooking?

Editor's Note: This is John Strubel's first submission to this blog. Many of you will remember John from the popular MetsDaily.com web site. - M.S. This month Mets GM Omar Minaya has signed Moises Alou (40), Damian Easley (37) and re-signed Jose Valentin (37), Orlando Hernandez (37, or at least...

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By John Strubel, posted at 6:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Glavine's Lack of Communication Speaks Volumes

Editor's Note: This is Steve Vogel's first submission to this blog. - M.S. Tom Glavine had a heck of a 2006 season. He pitched like the Tom Glavine we all thought we were getting when he signed with the lifeless Mets at the time. Fast forward to 2006, and our...

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By Steve Vogel, posted at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Is Chad Bradford Gone?

On ESPN.com, Buster Olney is citing reports out of Baltimore that the O's and reliever Chad Bradford are close to a 3-year deal that would, of course, remove Bradford's sidearm funk from the bullpen equation for 2007. This rumor comes the day after we've heard that the Mets and Bradford...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Chunky Bits of Tid

Editor's Note: Dennis McCarthy (aka NostraDennis) has been leaving terrific (if slightly deranged) comments on this site for a while. This is his inaugural full length effort. - M.S. I can make a good steak, too. But it's getting a little nippy outside, so how about a nice hot hearty...

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By NostraDennis, posted at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Editor's Note: This is the first post to this blog by an author other than myself. Please welcome passionate Mets fan Joyce Mandelkern to this web site. - M.S. Tom Glavine has a decision to make. He has known for quite some time now that he needs to make this...

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By Joyce Mandelkern, posted at 7:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

A Different Kind of Offseason

Last offseason Omar Minaya got off to a blazing fast start in his winter makeover of the New York Mets' roster. By Thanksgiving Day 2005, Omar had already traded Mike Cameron for Xavier Nady and acquired Carlos Delgado from the Marlins. He was also closing in on signing Billy Wagner...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Omar Must Work Harder To Earn Wallace Matthews' Respect

Sorry I haven't posted more over the holiday weekend. There really hasn't been anything going on that has motivated me to sit down and write. When a Wallace Matthews silly rant is the Mets mainstream media highlight of that 4 day span, even the die-hards like myself take a step...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

About Chuck Rothman

I haven't always been a Mets fan, since I started following baseball one year too early. But I've been rooting for them since 1965, and is so much a fan that I actually remember Sean Fitzmaurice's big league debut, that Chuck Estrada was the winning pitcher for Tom Seaver's first...

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By Chuck Rothman, posted at 11:11 PM | Permalink

Looking For A Few Good Writers

As promised, here is an update on the decisions I have made regarding the future of this blog. I realized towards the end of last season that I would have to make some changes to how I do this to be able to keep going forward. I have been contacted...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thank You

Thank you for your donation to Mike's Mets. It's greatly appreciated, and we promise we'll continue our efforts to provide you with the best possible independent coverage of the New York Mets. Sincerely, Mike Steffanos Return to Mike's Mets Home Page...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:03 PM | Permalink

About Alan Vogel

I'm a long time Met fan, but not a Yankee hater. I practiced law in my own firm for 20 years in Fairfield County Ct, propagandized (or I should say inculcated) Met values to my daughters, twins, now serious Met fans at 24. My wife is a Yankee lover not...

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By Alan Vogel, posted at 12:12 PM | Permalink

About Dennis McCarthy (NostraDennis)

I was born in the Bronx in 1960, but moved to Long Island six years later. I became a Mets fan in '69, thanks to my Aunt Ellen, who still lived in the Bronx. Got in trouble with Mrs. Kozak in 8th grade in 1973 for sneaking a transistor radio...

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By NostraDennis, posted at 11:42 AM | Permalink

About Joyce Mandelkern

I am an insanely passionate die-hard Mets fan since 1962 who is also a season ticket holder and usually can't bear to look and buries her head in her hands or starts pacing when I'm home when things get tense (especially when the closer is in) and begins to pray...

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By Joyce Mandelkern, posted at 6:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

About Barry Duchan

I've been following the Mets since 1962. Have to admit I was a Yankee fan as a kid, but I found it to be so much more interesting to see how a young team could build itself up rather than following a team where the season didn't really begin until...

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By Barry Duchan, posted at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

About John Strubel

John Strubel has been freelance writing and broadcasting for 21 years. Strubel started his broadcasting career in upstate New York including stints in Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs and Albany. He also worked in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Wilmington, Greenville and Greensboro, North Carolina and now Charleston, South Carolina. Strubel began his writing...

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By John Strubel, posted at 11:43 AM | Permalink

About Jack Dickey

Although I am only 16, having just completed my tenth grade year, I can perhaps pinpoint my Mets fandom to a bizarre childhood adoration of Masato Yoshii and Bobby J. Jones. I knew at a young age that I hated the Yankees for all their various excesses, and for Roger...

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By Jack Dickey, posted at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Analysis: The Mets Hot Stove Season So Far

The 2007 hot stove season has been as eventful in the early going as it was a year earlier -- with the major difference being, of course, the caliber of the players involved in the moves. In 2006, the early action revolved around big names like Mike Cameron, Carlos Delgado...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Mets Sign Alou and Trade for Young Pitching

In a press release on Mets.com, the Mets are announcing that they have reached agreement on a 1-year $7.5 million contract with free agent outfielder Moises Alou. There is also a club option for 2008. Alou, who will turn 41 in July, is expected to be the team's starting left...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Older and Less Athletic

I understand the justification for the Mets signing Moises Alou, which many news sources are reporting as imminent. I actually think it makes sense to sign a solid veteran stopgap player while the Mets wait for their kids to come up, and think Alou will fit in well with this...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

The Glavine Saga Continues

In an article in yesterday's New York Post, Mark Hale quotes Tom Glavine that it's "50-50" whether he pitches next season in New York or Atlanta. I know there are some that feel this is a negotiating ploy on Glavine's part to get more money out of the Mets, but...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:35 PM | Permalink

The Future of This Blog

I'll catch up on the hot stove stuff tomorrow (Damion Easley can surely wait another day), but if you'll indulge me, I'd like to ask a favor of some of the regular readers of this blog. I have some decisions to make going forward, and I'd appreciate very much any...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Mets Hot Stove: Quick Hits

I'm in the process of writing something important that I'll post later on (please check back), but in the meantime, here are a few hot stove happenings for today: Manny Both ESPN's Buster Olney and SI.com's Jon Heyman speculate that Manny Ramirez just might possibly be dealt this winter, with...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Firing Up the Stove At Last

As I passed along earlier, the Mets have traded Heath Bell and Royce Ring to San Diego for young outfielder Ben Johnson. I've only seen him play a couple of games, so I don't have much of an opinion on him at this point. From what little I remember, and...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Mets Hot Stove: The First Shot Is Fired

According to Fox.com's Ken Rosenthal and SI.com's Jon Heyman, the Mets have traded relievers Heath Bell and Royce Ring to the San Diego Padres in return for 25-year-old outfield prospect Ben Johnson and right-handed reliever Jon Adkins. Johnson batted .250 with 4 HR and 12 RBI in 120 ABs with...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A Seller's Market for Pitching

In his column at FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal takes the Red Sox to task for spending so much money on the unproven Daisuke Matsuzaka. Rosenthal points out that given a reported $42 million signing bonus, if the Sox wind up signing Matsuzaka to a 3-year deal for $36 million he'll wind...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Nothing Personal

There have been lots of comments and e-mails to what I wrote on Saturday and Sunday taking exception to Buster Olney's speculation on ESPN InSider blog that the Mets would somehow represent a fallback position for the Red Sox should they fail to come to terms with Daisuke Matsuzaka. What...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Oh Buster, You So Crazy

Buster Olney clarifies his silly Mets rumor in his blog today. Basically yesterday Olney cited the private speculation of unnamed baseball executives that proposed a scenario where, if the Red Sox failed to sign Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Mets would send most of the Sox' posting fee and prospects to the...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Mets Hot Stove: Absolute Absurdity from Olney

As you may have heard by now, although nothing is official yet, there is a persistent rumor that the Red Sox have outbid all other teams by a substantial margin for Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka. In his InSider blog on ESPN.com ($ required), Buster Olney is citing those ubiquitous unnamed...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Mets Can't Afford To Be Held Up By Glavine's Indecision

I returned from my short vacation last night. As much as I enjoyed it, it felt good to return to all of the good things of home. [Begin shameless suck up] While Lisa is, of course, right at the top of that list [end suck up], I also appreciate returning...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Checking In From the Road

Hi everyone. I'm about halfway through my vacation. My brother and I are in Frederick, Maryland. We're both Civil War buffs, so we're visiting some of the battlefields. We've been in Harpers Ferry and Antietam so far, and will be visiting Gettysburg tomorrow. I'll post a few pictures when I...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Pitching For Starters

In today's Daily News, Bill Madden pens a column about the difficult task that both Omar Minaya and Brian Cashman will face trying to add pitching in a market that has soared out of control. It's not the sort of column that you usually see around here -- much more...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

No Shock about Pedro, And It Changes Nothing

By now, you've already heard that Pedro Martinez has told the Associated Press that he would consider retiring if his shoulder does not return to full strength. Needless to say this is being treated as a major news story, given the hold that Pedro has on Mets fans and around...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

DVD Review: NY Mets Vintage World Series Films DVD

New York Mets Vintage World Series Films DVD 1969 & 1986 World Series Highlight Films 1 DVD / 75 Minutes A&E Home Video This past spring I reviewed the terrific 9-DVD boxed set of the 1986 World Series, which is certainly a must-have for any New York Mets fan. That...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 6:36 PM | Permalink

Book Review: The Great New York Sports Debate

The Great New York Sports Debate: Two New York Sportswriters Go Head-to-Head on the 50 Most Heated Questions Authors: Roger Rubin and David Lennon Paperback, 304 pages, Plume When it comes to sports, those of us in the New York area are both knowledgeable and deeply opinionated. Unlike fans in...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:15 PM | Permalink

What Omar Is Thinking

Omar Minaya did a conference call today with some of the local media that covers the Mets. Bryan Hoch has a story posted at Mets.com. Among the details: Minaya confirms that very little dialogue has taken place with Glavine's representatives, pending the southpaw's discussions with his family. Omar expects that...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 7:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Eating Those Innings

Yesterday I wrote why I wouldn't be in favor of a "whatever it takes" approach to acquiring Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins. My fear is that Willis' value would be based on his 2005 Cy Young caliber season, which at this point looks like somewhat of a career year where...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Guillermo Mota Suspended 50 Games

The AP reports that reliever Guillermo Mota will serve a 50-game suspension at the beginning of next season for violating MLB's drug policy, most likely for steroids. Mota is not denying the positive test and takes full responsibility for his actions: I have no one to blame but myself. I...

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By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Mike's Mets

New York Mets discussion, news and historical perspective -- now getting by with a little help from my friends.

November 30, 2006

Ten Things I Like About Zito

Mets Ice Cold Stove

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

November 29, 2006

Our Little Experiment

A Great Time to Be a Mets Fan

Omar Won't Let Us Down

Opinion: Glavine to Atlanta

November 28, 2006

Hot Stove Dollars

What's Cooking?

Glavine's Lack of Communication Speaks Volumes

Is Chad Bradford Gone?

Chunky Bits of Tid

November 27, 2006

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

A Different Kind of Offseason

November 26, 2006

Omar Must Work Harder To Earn Wallace Matthews' Respect

November 24, 2006

About Chuck Rothman

Looking For A Few Good Writers

Thank You

About Alan Vogel

About Dennis McCarthy (NostraDennis)

November 23, 2006

About Joyce Mandelkern

About Barry Duchan

About John Strubel

About Jack Dickey

November 22, 2006

Analysis: The Mets Hot Stove Season So Far

November 20, 2006

Mets Sign Alou and Trade for Young Pitching

November 19, 2006

Older and Less Athletic

November 18, 2006

The Glavine Saga Continues

November 17, 2006

The Future of This Blog

November 16, 2006

Mets Hot Stove: Quick Hits

November 15, 2006

Firing Up the Stove At Last

Mets Hot Stove: The First Shot Is Fired

November 14, 2006

A Seller's Market for Pitching

November 13, 2006

Nothing Personal

November 12, 2006

Oh Buster, You So Crazy

November 11, 2006

Mets Hot Stove: Absolute Absurdity from Olney

November 10, 2006

Mets Can't Afford To Be Held Up By Glavine's Indecision

November 7, 2006

Checking In From the Road

November 5, 2006

Pitching For Starters

November 4, 2006

No Shock about Pedro, And It Changes Nothing

November 3, 2006

DVD Review: NY Mets Vintage World Series Films DVD

Book Review: The Great New York Sports Debate

November 2, 2006

What Omar Is Thinking

Eating Those Innings

November 1, 2006

Guillermo Mota Suspended 50 Games

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