Met fans were already counting him as one of their own and you desperately need someone like him- a front of the rotation guy. You guys are in trouble if you don't get one.
But Matsuzaka is worht $100 mil? come on, who cares what the salary is they NEEDED this player and it's a tremendous defeat not to get him- at least for noe b/c Omar may have something up his sleeve to make this a non issue but Met fans better hope so.
Zito can't hold Matsuzaka's jock. He's more overrated than Nolan Ryan, and that's saying a lot. He made a good move going to the NL, in two to three years he wouldn't even be a #4 in the AL. Plus Matsuzaka is only signed for $53 million over 6 years.
Right, Zito who has had success in the MLB and won a Cy Young award cant hold a pitcher who hasnt thrown one pitch in the Majors' jock? C'mon.
That is the relevant question, and I'm afraid I have no idea. Who is on the last year of their contract? That would be a good place to start.
After a quick search: Kris Benson Mark Buerhle Paul Byrd Matt Clement Bartolo Colon Aaron Cook Zach Day Livan Hernandez Randy Johnson Jon Lieber Mike Maroth Odalis Perez Carlos Silva Josh Towers Can't confirm anything, though.
^ 2 guys that strike me as guys that Omar might target and IMO arn't great options but A) Livan Hernandez and B) Carlos Silva
For one, the Mets will acquire a hopefully completely healthy Pedro Martinez. It wouldn't be a bad deal to give Mark Mulder an incentive-laden deal since he could help out a lot later in the season too.
If Matsuzaka was coming out of AAA instead of Japan, NO ONE would bring up that argument. Would any Yankee fan take Zito over Hughes? Would any Met fan take him over Pelfrey? The Japanese professional leagues have consistently rated higher than AAA, yet those prospects are seen as more reliable? The Cy Young award is meaningless. Look at some of the pitchers that won a single Cy with a fluke season, guys like Pat Hentgen and Bob Welch. He didn't even deserve it that year anyway. The Sox alone had two better candidates in Pedro and Lowe. Both were better in ERA, WHIP, ERA+, and both won at least 20 games. Pedro also was better in K, K/9, K/BB, and W%. Zito also allowed the 5th most walks that year. Even Wakefield had better numbers in a lot of those categories. The point is, if anyone had a 26 year old prospect with the stuff, resume, composure, and makeup of Matsuzaka, he'd be the most hyped prospect in a LONG time. I don't get how coming from a BETTER league than AAA means he has more questions about him.
^ Well Pat Hentgan was actually a very good pitcher but he pitched in Toronto so nobody really noticed and the year Welch won he went 27-6 wow ironically both Hentgan and Welch were born in Detroit. Some interesting Cy Young facts 2 KC Royals won the award within a 5 year period: Brett Saberhagen (1989) and David Cone (1994) In 1984 the Cy Young award winner and MVP came from the same team with Rick Suthcliffe and Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs in the NL and Willie Hernandez of the Tigers winning both the Cy Young and MVP in AL. The feat was accomplished again in 1990 but for the 1st time all 4 award winners were different with Oakland's Bob Welch and Ricky Henderson winning Cy Young and MVP and Doug Drabek and Barry Bonds winning the awards in the NL. 1968 was unique because the Cy Young award winner was the MVP award winner in both leagues Denny McLain 31-6 1.96 ERA and Bob Gibson 22-9 1.12 ERA and 268 Ks 1967 was the 1st year he award was given to 2 players, from 1956 (inception) until 1966 it was awarded to the best pitcher in baseball. That being said I am pissed that Zito signed with the Barroids
Good Zambrano is obviously far and away the best potential FA pitcher next offseason, but I have no idea if the Cubs are trying to keep him or are planning to let him walk after this year.
I missed this yesterday but want to comment on it. Where does the perception come from that El Duque is some kind of innings eater? He's pitched 94, 146, 84, 128 and 162 innings the last 5 years. Glavine is the closest the Mets come to a guy that consistently gives you innings and he's 41 years old. The overuse of the bullpen all year long came back to bite the Mets in the postseason and it looks like the Mets are going to be relying heavily on the pen once again this year. Zito would've been the perfect guy for the Mets rotation.
That may be true but Matsuzaka has to actually PITCH in the ML's before we can say that and Zito has had alot of success and pitched very well in postseason pressure- those guys aren't easy to find. "Only" $53 mil plus the 51 mil to negotiate w/ him, that's almost as muich as it cost for Zito.
