GaryMrMets
02-26-2004, 07:16 PM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_news.jsp?ymd=20040226&content_id=641741&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp
02/26/2004 3:17 PM ET
Notes: Mets plan to keep Weathers
Club evaluates Sedlacek; Trachsel named No. 2 starter
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- David Weathers will be a free agent after this season but isn't necessarily eager to test the market. That's a good thing because the Mets aren't in any hurry to see the veteran right-hander leave New York.
The club doesn't make a habit of signing players to extensions before or during the season but general manager Jim Duquette said on Thursday that it would be hard to let Weathers walk away.
"We're definitely going to keep an open mind toward re-signing him," Duquette said. "He's had success in New York and he's able to pitch in tight situations. Those kinds of guys aren't easy to find. We haven't talked to anyone about it yet but we'd be anxious to re-sign him this winter."
Weathers was the subject of several trade rumors this winter, the most notable of which had him going to the White Sox. But a reassuring phone call from Duquette during the winter meetings helped allay and concerns Weathers may have had.
"There was that persistent rumor going around that we were going to trade him to the White Sox but we wouldn't trade him," Duquette said. "I called him and said that we had no discussions regarding you."
Weathers had more important things to worry about this winter than whether or not he was going to be dealt. His second child, daughter Karly June, was born in November so Weathers was busy being a father and not a ballplayer.
"I was told I wasn't going anywhere so I didn't worry about too much this winter," Weathers said. "I was told this is where you're at. Jim basically said it's not going to happen. You know you spend your whole career trying to get to an area or a place where you're wanted and not just needed. A lot of time you can just be roster filler where they just need you for a few months.
"But I'm wanted here in the clubhouse and on the field. I've had that here since day one. This is how I want to come to the park. So thinking about getting traded doesn't bother me. I'm not a guy who looks at things and thinks it's going to be greener on the other side anyway. It's been a great fit and I've enjoyed it very much."
Weathers appeared in 77 games last season, posting a 3.08 ERA with seven saves.
Happy anniversary: Thursday marked Shawn Sedlacek's one-month anniversary as a Met after coming over in a deal with Kansas City for Jaime Cerda. Sedlacek's had a month to adjust to the idea of no longer being a Royal after spending his entire six-year career with the same organization.
"The trade kind of came out of the blue," said Sedlacek, 27, who posted a 3-5 record with a 6.72 ERA during a 16-game stint with the Royals in 2002. "I got used to everything there and I guess they just got used to me. I needed freshening up a bit and a whole new outlook on things. I had been there since '98 and I knew everyone.
"But I guess everything runs its course and it was time to move on. It was my first time moving to a new organization and it caught me a little off guard."
Sedlacek, an Iowa native who lives in Kansas City, said the Mets haven't given him any indication whether they will use him as a starter or reliever. He has 142 minor-league appearances, 105 of which have been starts.
The Mets are hoping that he will resemble the pitcher who went 15-6 with a 3.66 ERA while pitching for Double-A Wichita in 2000. He was named the Royals' minor league player of the year that season by Baseball America.
"We want to see how he fits as a starter, that's my first thought," Duquette said. "The early reports on him are good and he has a good sinking fastball."
Rule 5 roundup: The Mets lost a pair of high-profile pitching prospects in David Mattox and Lenny Dinardo to the Reds and Red Sox, respectively, in December's Rule 5 draft. Mattox appears to have a legitimate shot at making the Cincinnati rotation though he is currently suffering from soreness in his elbow and has had to shut it down for a few weeks. Dinardo has had shoulder problems and has also been sidelined.
The Mets wanted to protect Mattox during the Rule 5 draft but needed a roster spot open to choose Pittsburgh's Frank Brooks, whom they sent to Oakland in a pre-arranged deal partly as compensation for allowing Rick Peterson to become the Mets pitching coach.
Both players must remain on the 25-man roster of their respective clubs for the entirety of the season or be offered back to the Mets for $25,000.
This and that: Several teams, including Texas, have expressed an interest in Aaron Heilman in recent weeks but the Mets aren't in a rush to deal the former first-round pick. They want to see how he responds to working with Peterson before making any judgments. ... A day after naming Tom Glavine as the Opening Day starter, manager Art Howe said that Steve Trachsel would start the second game in Atlanta and Al Leiter the third. He wants to break up the left-handers, adding that each of the first three starters would get a dozen starts through the beginning of June while the fourth and fifth starters would get roughly eight and five starts, respectively. "We want to keep Tom on turn because he seems to pitch best when he stays on turn," Howe said.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2004/02/26/jWG36pRH.jpg
David Weathers' seven saves in 2003 were a career high for the 13-year veteran. (Gregory Smith/AP)
02/26/2004 3:17 PM ET
Notes: Mets plan to keep Weathers
Club evaluates Sedlacek; Trachsel named No. 2 starter
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- David Weathers will be a free agent after this season but isn't necessarily eager to test the market. That's a good thing because the Mets aren't in any hurry to see the veteran right-hander leave New York.
The club doesn't make a habit of signing players to extensions before or during the season but general manager Jim Duquette said on Thursday that it would be hard to let Weathers walk away.
"We're definitely going to keep an open mind toward re-signing him," Duquette said. "He's had success in New York and he's able to pitch in tight situations. Those kinds of guys aren't easy to find. We haven't talked to anyone about it yet but we'd be anxious to re-sign him this winter."
Weathers was the subject of several trade rumors this winter, the most notable of which had him going to the White Sox. But a reassuring phone call from Duquette during the winter meetings helped allay and concerns Weathers may have had.
"There was that persistent rumor going around that we were going to trade him to the White Sox but we wouldn't trade him," Duquette said. "I called him and said that we had no discussions regarding you."
Weathers had more important things to worry about this winter than whether or not he was going to be dealt. His second child, daughter Karly June, was born in November so Weathers was busy being a father and not a ballplayer.
"I was told I wasn't going anywhere so I didn't worry about too much this winter," Weathers said. "I was told this is where you're at. Jim basically said it's not going to happen. You know you spend your whole career trying to get to an area or a place where you're wanted and not just needed. A lot of time you can just be roster filler where they just need you for a few months.
"But I'm wanted here in the clubhouse and on the field. I've had that here since day one. This is how I want to come to the park. So thinking about getting traded doesn't bother me. I'm not a guy who looks at things and thinks it's going to be greener on the other side anyway. It's been a great fit and I've enjoyed it very much."
Weathers appeared in 77 games last season, posting a 3.08 ERA with seven saves.
Happy anniversary: Thursday marked Shawn Sedlacek's one-month anniversary as a Met after coming over in a deal with Kansas City for Jaime Cerda. Sedlacek's had a month to adjust to the idea of no longer being a Royal after spending his entire six-year career with the same organization.
"The trade kind of came out of the blue," said Sedlacek, 27, who posted a 3-5 record with a 6.72 ERA during a 16-game stint with the Royals in 2002. "I got used to everything there and I guess they just got used to me. I needed freshening up a bit and a whole new outlook on things. I had been there since '98 and I knew everyone.
"But I guess everything runs its course and it was time to move on. It was my first time moving to a new organization and it caught me a little off guard."
Sedlacek, an Iowa native who lives in Kansas City, said the Mets haven't given him any indication whether they will use him as a starter or reliever. He has 142 minor-league appearances, 105 of which have been starts.
The Mets are hoping that he will resemble the pitcher who went 15-6 with a 3.66 ERA while pitching for Double-A Wichita in 2000. He was named the Royals' minor league player of the year that season by Baseball America.
"We want to see how he fits as a starter, that's my first thought," Duquette said. "The early reports on him are good and he has a good sinking fastball."
Rule 5 roundup: The Mets lost a pair of high-profile pitching prospects in David Mattox and Lenny Dinardo to the Reds and Red Sox, respectively, in December's Rule 5 draft. Mattox appears to have a legitimate shot at making the Cincinnati rotation though he is currently suffering from soreness in his elbow and has had to shut it down for a few weeks. Dinardo has had shoulder problems and has also been sidelined.
The Mets wanted to protect Mattox during the Rule 5 draft but needed a roster spot open to choose Pittsburgh's Frank Brooks, whom they sent to Oakland in a pre-arranged deal partly as compensation for allowing Rick Peterson to become the Mets pitching coach.
Both players must remain on the 25-man roster of their respective clubs for the entirety of the season or be offered back to the Mets for $25,000.
This and that: Several teams, including Texas, have expressed an interest in Aaron Heilman in recent weeks but the Mets aren't in a rush to deal the former first-round pick. They want to see how he responds to working with Peterson before making any judgments. ... A day after naming Tom Glavine as the Opening Day starter, manager Art Howe said that Steve Trachsel would start the second game in Atlanta and Al Leiter the third. He wants to break up the left-handers, adding that each of the first three starters would get a dozen starts through the beginning of June while the fourth and fifth starters would get roughly eight and five starts, respectively. "We want to keep Tom on turn because he seems to pitch best when he stays on turn," Howe said.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2004/02/26/jWG36pRH.jpg
David Weathers' seven saves in 2003 were a career high for the 13-year veteran. (Gregory Smith/AP)