GaryMrMets
01-05-2005, 04:13 PM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_news.jsp?ymd=20050103&content_id=926724&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp
01/03/2005 10:00 AM ET
Floyd in the outfield, or just out?
Beat writer Kevin Czerwinski answers fans' questions
By Kevin Czerwinski / MLB.com
What is happening with Cliff Floyd for the upcoming season? Do they still plan to trade him, or did they decide to keep him? -- Shara F., Palm Beach County, Fla.
Shara, the Mets have shopped Cliff Floyd this winter in a not-so-quiet manner. They have grown weary of his inability to stay healthy, and many in the organization were put off last season by his outspokenness. He is owed $13 million over the next two years, which is not an astronomical sum considering what the likes of free agents Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado are asking. But he has a great deal of baggage that comes along with that price tag. General manager Omar Minaya has made it fairly clear that he's intent on ridding the team of just about everyone who was here before he arrived. He wants to shape the team in his own way, so he'll continue to talk to other teams about moving Floyd.
I think that the Mets should somehow get rid of Victor Zambrano and sign Odalis Perez. Perez would love to come to the Mets and work with Pedro Martinez. The rotation of Martinez, Tom Glavine, Perez, Kris Benson, and Steve Trachsel would probably be one of the best rotations in the Majors, if not the best. Besides, we won't have to worry about his health, would we? -- John L., N.Y.
John, Perez may well end up in a Mets uniform before all is said and done, but it won't be at the expense of Zambrano. While it's true that Zambrano has had health issues during his career, those issues won't deter Minaya from holding on to the crafty right-hander. Zambrano is working out at home this winter, his elbow and ankle are healed and he is eager to get back to Spring Training to show the Mets what he is truly capable of doing on the mound.
Besides, moving Zambrano would be a public relations nightmare. Because the Mets traded Scott Kazmir to get him, Zambrano will likely remain with the club for some time. And the team has a pretty formidable rotation as it stands right now. Adding another quality hurler such as Perez would be nice, but it's not something that's in the picture at the moment.
What's happening with Phil Humber? Are the Mets going to sign him? Also, if the Yankees are out of the Carlos Delgado sweepstakes since they signed Tino Martinez, does that make it more likely that the Mets will stop going after Beltran and get more seriously involved with Delgado? -- Zeke L., Queens, N.Y.
Thanks for the weekly Phil Humber question, Zeke. The negotiations have stalled, and there really appears to be no end in sight to the standoff between the two sides. Humber wants big money, more than the Mets are willing to offer in terms of a bonus. It's gotten to the point that if the situation isn't resolved soon, Humber will miss part or all of Spring Training and be set back even further in his development than he already is.
As for Delgado, it is true that the Yankees may no longer need his services, but don't expect the Mets to dive into that pool just yet. The Beltran situation could play out one way or another this week, because he has to make a decision on the Astros by Saturday. Minaya is worrying about Beltran first, and Delgado, if he's still available, will be addressed if and when the Beltran negotiations are completed.
I know that when John Olerud left the Mets a few years ago, he said that he wanted to go back to Seattle, but now that Seattle let him go and considering that Mets manager Willie Randolph coached him on the Yankees, do you think there might be a chance he could come to Shea? -- Mike D., Redlands, Calif.
What the Mets do at first base is still unclear simply because of the Beltran situation. If Minaya pulls off the coup of the winter and lands Beltran, he likely won't have the money to sign Delgado. Even if he doesn't land Beltran, he may not opt to sign Delgado, who is playing hardball in negotiations.
Minaya has already brought in Andres Galarraga as a possible part-time first baseman and mentor. Bringing in Olerud, who has said that he would welcome a return to the Mets, to split time with Galarraga might not be a bad idea. Olerud is defensive-minded -- something the Mets need with their young infield -- and Randolph spent much of the Winter Meetings professing his desire to have a defensive specialist at first base.
With the signing of Chris Woodward, I have to ask what the Mets' problem is with Danny Garcia. He's young, he's athletic, he's cheap and he plays hard all the time. His on-base percentage last year was great, and he's not afraid to get hit to get on base. And yet the Mets constantly are putting guys like Rey Sanchez, Jay Bell, Ricky Gutierrez, Jeff Keppinger and now Woodward ahead of him. What's the deal? -- Andrew H.
That's a fair question, Andrew. The bottom line, however, is that some of those other players you mentioned, particularly Keppinger, either have a better upside or a better track record. I wasn't particularly enamored with the Sanchez signing, but he was a proven commodity. Bell, meanwhile, turned out to be an outstanding clubhouse guy and the best possible tutor for Ty Wigginton. Who knows what Woodward will bring to the table?
Garcia will have every chance to make the team this spring, but he has consistently been unable to make a good impression or make the most of the many opportunities he's been given. Sure, he's a hard-nosed player, but in roughly the same number of at-bats, Keppinger hit .284 to Garcia's .232. In addition, Keppinger is a better and more versatile fielder, and he quickly won over the coaching staff last season, something Garcia was unable to do.
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/2004/07/05/W2eSsTOT.jpg
Will Cliff Floyd have a new position or a new home in 2005? (George Widman/AP)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2004/07/30/33rSukAC.jpg
01/03/2005 10:00 AM ET
Floyd in the outfield, or just out?
Beat writer Kevin Czerwinski answers fans' questions
By Kevin Czerwinski / MLB.com
What is happening with Cliff Floyd for the upcoming season? Do they still plan to trade him, or did they decide to keep him? -- Shara F., Palm Beach County, Fla.
Shara, the Mets have shopped Cliff Floyd this winter in a not-so-quiet manner. They have grown weary of his inability to stay healthy, and many in the organization were put off last season by his outspokenness. He is owed $13 million over the next two years, which is not an astronomical sum considering what the likes of free agents Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado are asking. But he has a great deal of baggage that comes along with that price tag. General manager Omar Minaya has made it fairly clear that he's intent on ridding the team of just about everyone who was here before he arrived. He wants to shape the team in his own way, so he'll continue to talk to other teams about moving Floyd.
I think that the Mets should somehow get rid of Victor Zambrano and sign Odalis Perez. Perez would love to come to the Mets and work with Pedro Martinez. The rotation of Martinez, Tom Glavine, Perez, Kris Benson, and Steve Trachsel would probably be one of the best rotations in the Majors, if not the best. Besides, we won't have to worry about his health, would we? -- John L., N.Y.
John, Perez may well end up in a Mets uniform before all is said and done, but it won't be at the expense of Zambrano. While it's true that Zambrano has had health issues during his career, those issues won't deter Minaya from holding on to the crafty right-hander. Zambrano is working out at home this winter, his elbow and ankle are healed and he is eager to get back to Spring Training to show the Mets what he is truly capable of doing on the mound.
Besides, moving Zambrano would be a public relations nightmare. Because the Mets traded Scott Kazmir to get him, Zambrano will likely remain with the club for some time. And the team has a pretty formidable rotation as it stands right now. Adding another quality hurler such as Perez would be nice, but it's not something that's in the picture at the moment.
What's happening with Phil Humber? Are the Mets going to sign him? Also, if the Yankees are out of the Carlos Delgado sweepstakes since they signed Tino Martinez, does that make it more likely that the Mets will stop going after Beltran and get more seriously involved with Delgado? -- Zeke L., Queens, N.Y.
Thanks for the weekly Phil Humber question, Zeke. The negotiations have stalled, and there really appears to be no end in sight to the standoff between the two sides. Humber wants big money, more than the Mets are willing to offer in terms of a bonus. It's gotten to the point that if the situation isn't resolved soon, Humber will miss part or all of Spring Training and be set back even further in his development than he already is.
As for Delgado, it is true that the Yankees may no longer need his services, but don't expect the Mets to dive into that pool just yet. The Beltran situation could play out one way or another this week, because he has to make a decision on the Astros by Saturday. Minaya is worrying about Beltran first, and Delgado, if he's still available, will be addressed if and when the Beltran negotiations are completed.
I know that when John Olerud left the Mets a few years ago, he said that he wanted to go back to Seattle, but now that Seattle let him go and considering that Mets manager Willie Randolph coached him on the Yankees, do you think there might be a chance he could come to Shea? -- Mike D., Redlands, Calif.
What the Mets do at first base is still unclear simply because of the Beltran situation. If Minaya pulls off the coup of the winter and lands Beltran, he likely won't have the money to sign Delgado. Even if he doesn't land Beltran, he may not opt to sign Delgado, who is playing hardball in negotiations.
Minaya has already brought in Andres Galarraga as a possible part-time first baseman and mentor. Bringing in Olerud, who has said that he would welcome a return to the Mets, to split time with Galarraga might not be a bad idea. Olerud is defensive-minded -- something the Mets need with their young infield -- and Randolph spent much of the Winter Meetings professing his desire to have a defensive specialist at first base.
With the signing of Chris Woodward, I have to ask what the Mets' problem is with Danny Garcia. He's young, he's athletic, he's cheap and he plays hard all the time. His on-base percentage last year was great, and he's not afraid to get hit to get on base. And yet the Mets constantly are putting guys like Rey Sanchez, Jay Bell, Ricky Gutierrez, Jeff Keppinger and now Woodward ahead of him. What's the deal? -- Andrew H.
That's a fair question, Andrew. The bottom line, however, is that some of those other players you mentioned, particularly Keppinger, either have a better upside or a better track record. I wasn't particularly enamored with the Sanchez signing, but he was a proven commodity. Bell, meanwhile, turned out to be an outstanding clubhouse guy and the best possible tutor for Ty Wigginton. Who knows what Woodward will bring to the table?
Garcia will have every chance to make the team this spring, but he has consistently been unable to make a good impression or make the most of the many opportunities he's been given. Sure, he's a hard-nosed player, but in roughly the same number of at-bats, Keppinger hit .284 to Garcia's .232. In addition, Keppinger is a better and more versatile fielder, and he quickly won over the coaching staff last season, something Garcia was unable to do.
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/2004/07/05/W2eSsTOT.jpg
Will Cliff Floyd have a new position or a new home in 2005? (George Widman/AP)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2004/07/30/33rSukAC.jpg