It’s starting to look like the Mets are going to go after Derek Lowe to fill their starting pitching needs.

Of course, he’s the best pitcher on the market, but is he worth it? Think about it. Lowe will be 36 in June and if the Mets have to give him a four-year, $60 million contract, the team will be paying him $15 million to pitch when he’s 40. To me, that’s not a good investment.

Sure Lowe will give you over 200 innings a year and will throw to a low-3 ERA, but for how long. Just looking at the recent history of four-year contracts the Mets gave out to pitchers in their mid to late 30s, you can see how the team has gotten burned.

Tom Glavine never regained the Hall of Fame form he had in Atlanta and while he had some good seasons, they were dominate. Pedro Martinez’s arm went out during his second season of a four year contract and Billy Wagner will get paid around $10 million in 2009 to rehab his arm.

This is not to say Lowe will be like those players, but he’s hardly a Hall of Famer, and if history shows us one thing, it’s that older pitchers break down much, much easier.

Personally, I would like to see the Mets re-sign Ollie Perez, who is 27 and has shown no signs of breaking down. A four year contract will put him at 32 when a four year deal ends, since his birthday is in August.

The Mets are better off paying a guy for what he will do, not what he did for other teams.

Posted under Commentary, Free Agency, Hot Stove

Ok, I uploaded the Jerry Manuel interview from the Winter Meetings. You can hear it to the right or by going to Blog Talk Radio.

Also please join us on Tuesday at 9 p.m. for another episode with Joe and Steve

Posted under Pro Baseball Central

Last night, Steve and I did a show where we discussed the options for the starting pitching slot, plus we also went into the Yankees signings.

Also I uploaded the K-Rod Press Conference from Wednesday, which was recorded by ESPN’s Rich Coutinho.

So please listen on Pro Baseball Central.

Posted under Pro Baseball Central

Our friends at the StadiumPage.com have new photos of Shea, Citi Field and New Yankee Stadium.

Take a look at Shea, where the top of the stadium is now coming down. Pretty soon there will be nothing left.

Neat stuff!

Posted under Citi Field, Pictures, Shea Stadium

PBC returns on Thursday at 9 p.m. when Steve and I discuss the the press conferences of the week and the Madoff affair.

So please join us.

Posted under Pro Baseball Central

With a nod to Duran Duran, the Mets have opened up to free agent Randy Wolf in order to fill the void in the rotation.

According to Marty Noble, Wolf acknowledged that interest and is also intrigued about returning to the northeast.

As you may remember, Wolf, 32, spawned the Wolf Pack in Philly where a group of fans would wear werewolf masks when he pitched. Hopefully that doesn’t come to Citi Field.

Wold pitched for San Diego and Houston last season and went 12-12 with a 4.30 ERA, but was 6-2 with a 3.57 ERA with the Astros.

Posted under New York Mets

The Mets  have called, not one, but two press conferences this week.

On Wednesday, they will introduce Francisco Rodriguez to the media at the team’s holiday party which will take place at the Citi Building in Long Island City. “Santa” Mike Pelfrey, John Maine and Jerry Manuel will also be there.

Then on Thursday at Citi Field, Joseph Jason Putz will have his introductory press conference.

So it will be a full week for the Mets. And we will have live reports.

Also PBC returns on Thursday at 9 p.m to recap the week.

Posted under New York Mets

Just when you thought it was safe to do some Christmas shopping, the Mets pulled off another trade, sending Scott Schoeneweis and $1.6 million to the Arizona D’backs for righthander Connor Robertson.

As you may recall, it was Schoeneweis who gave up the go ahead homer in the last day of the season and much like Aaron Heilman was a bullpen pariah when all was said and done.

And the Mets get back Robertson, 27, who was 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in nine games with Arizona this past season. In 7.0 innings, he allowed eight hits, four runs, earned, with two walks and two strikeouts. In addition, the 6-2, 220-pounder went 7-4 with a 5.02 ERA in 47 contests with Tucson (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League. In 71.2 innings, he surrendered 69 hits, 45 runs, 40 earned, with 30 walks and 72 strikeouts.

Posted under New York Mets

Well I am back home – actually came home yesterday and had to get a few things done at home with the baby and all.

Anyway the Meetings had to be considered a success with the Mets getting K-Rod and JJ Putz, while getting rid of no one of consequence.

Now the Mets will turn their eyes to a starter with either Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf or maybe Derek Lowe coming to Citi Field.

It should be interesting over the next week as the Mets will probably want to wrap this up by Christmas, yet don’t count out it dragging onto the new year, especially if the the other big names are not signed by then.

Also the Raul Ibanez signing by the Phillies is a lateral move in my opinion, because Met killer Pat Burrell will no longer be on Broad Street.

Posted under Winter Meetings

Mets Get

J.J. Putz, Jeremy Reed, and Sean Green from the Mariners

Mariners Get

Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Jason Vargas, Maikel Cleto, Ezequiel Carerra and Mike Carp from the Mets and Franklin Gutierrez to the Indians.

Indians Get

Joe Smith [Mets] and Luis Valbuena [Mariners]

All in all the Mets give up seven – although none of consequence and get back three.

A good trade.

Posted under Hot Stove, Trade, Winter Meetings