Loading ...Join Joe McDonald and Steve Keane tonight at 9PM ET on Blog Talk Radio for another edition of PRO BASEBALL CENTRAL as we look at what has transpired at the MLB Winter Meetings in Indianapolis.
To join in the conversation you can reach us at (646) 595-4462.
If you can’t join us live, you can listen to the podcast at our PRO BASEBALL CENTRAL site or right here at Kranepool Society or on iTunes.
Posted under Pro Baseball Central
This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 10, 2009
We are just about done with April and the first month of the 2009 MLB season and both the local teams are treading water but there is still much to discuss so join Steve Keane and Joe Mc Donald as we breakdown the first month of the season for the Mets and Yankees and also a preview of the Mets-Phillies series this weekend in Philly.
As always you can join in to the conversation by calling in the show at (646) 595-4462
Posted under Pro Baseball Central
This post was written by Joe McDonald on April 29, 2009
Join Steve Keane and Joe McDonald as they preview the 2009 MLB season tonight at 9PM EDST. Call in and join the baseball conversation at (646) 595-4462
Posted under Pro Baseball Central
This post was written by Joe McDonald on March 26, 2009
Randy Wolf (MLB Headshots)
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
This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 16, 2008
LAS VEGAS – Both the Star-Ledger and MLB.com are reporting the Mets are in serious discussions to acquire closer J.J. Putz to pitch in the eighth inning.
The 32 year-old lost his closer job last season when the Seattle Mariners elevated Brandon Morrow to the ninth.
The names be tossed around on the Mets end are Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith and Mike Carp and there could be a third team [Cleveland] involved as well.
If consummated, this would be a great deal for the Mets as Putz only makes $5.5 million next season, which is perfect for an eighth inning guy. He also has a team option in 2010 for $9.1 million [or a $1 million buyout]. Also the Amazins will get a setup man with closer experience which is something they are looking for, since they got burned last season when Bill Wagner went down with an injury.
Last season Putz went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 15 saves in 47 games for the Mariners. But in 2007, he had a banner year with a 6-1 record, a 1.38 ERA and 40 saves in 68 games.
Posted under Hot Stove, Trade, Winter Meetings
This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 10, 2008
In his MLB INSIDER column, Ken Davidoff wrote the Mets spoke to the Texas Rangers about catcher Gerald Laird. The catcher heavy Rangers are looking for MLB ready young pitching.
Davidoff goes on to say, the Mets were 12th in the NL in catching offense but second in defense.
Personally, I think the Mets should stay with Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro and be more concerned with pitching needs.
Posted under Hot Stove, New York Mets
This post was written by Joe McDonald on November 30, 2008
According to published reports in all the papers, the Yankees went for a quick strike with CC Sabathia by offering him a “slightly better contract” than Johan Santana, which means something in the $140 million range.
Marty Noble reported on MLB.com, the Mets are not interested in the lefty if the money is that high, which refuted a report from the Daily News yesterday.
MLB.com also reported the Dodgers pulled their 2-year, $45 million contract offer off the table to Manny Ramirez, but said they will continue to talk.
As for the relievers, not too much to say, except the Mets seem ready to let the market come to them, figuring they can out offer any other team for a closer.
Let the games begin!
Posted under New York Mets
This post was written by Joe McDonald on November 15, 2008
Bob Raissman reports in the News that SNY has decided not to renew Lee Mazzilli as their lead studio analyst. He goes on to say Harold Reynolds won’t be back either because he is going to the MLB Network.
It’s been reported Bob Ojeda is in talks to fill a vacant spot.
Posted under New York Mets
This post was written by Joe McDonald on November 14, 2008
The World Series will resume tomorrow at the earliest. Thanks for not pushing us through another bad night of rain, wind and cold. Waiting an extra day is the right thing to do. Trying to force it tonight would have been a mess.
The announcement is play will resume at 8:37 p.m., which is truth in advertising. Actually, this would have been a perfect opportunity to try an earlier resumption time, but you can’t have everything.
MLB also gets kudos for an admission of a blown call on Evan Longoria’s tag of Jimmy Rollins. I’ve ripped MLB a number of times on a decline in the quality of umpiring, but an admission of bad calls is a step in the right direction.
Posted under New York Mets
This post was written by NYMR Archive on October 28, 2008
Message to Bud: Don't pray for it, make it happen.
After Carlos Pena’s single drove in B.J. Upton with the tying run, and the grounds crew practically following him across the plate, Selig said he would have not allowed the Phillies be crowned champions with a rain-shortened victory.
“It’s not a way to end a World Series,” Selig said. “I would not have allowed the World Series to end that way.”
I believe he wouldn’t. He would have played his “best interest in baseball,” card and done the right thing.
Giving that, why couldn’t he have done the right thing earlier? Perhaps not start the game at all, given the forecast? Or, once it started, said, “if we have to stop this, we won’t have a rain-shortened winner?”
The late start times and scheduling are other matters he needs to correct. My thinking is the World Series is the ultimate. It’s baseball’s showcase event, and it should be treated that way. Too often MLB lets those who don’t love it make the decisions and that has to stop.
If Selig’s words are to be believed, he must follow them up with actions that mean something. So far, his legacy as commissioner has been the steroids era, interleague play, new divisional alignments and a work stoppage that killed the 1994 World Series.
Time to change that for the better. Schedule the Series start times so people can see the game, and if worse, to give you more leeway time with the weather. If you don’t like playing this late in October, then you’re going to have to do something about shortening the playoffs?
Since you won’t reduce the number of games, then you must alter the regular season schedule. I have already suggested in these pages to have at least one day-night doubleheader a month. That would give you six days to play with. There are things that can be done, and in the end they won’t hurt as bad as the embarrassment that was last night.
Posted under New York Mets
This post was written by NYMR Archive on October 28, 2008
