But he's pitched in the AL! Your point proved nothing. It proved for the trashy ass Carla Pavano. Clemens won't have the 2.35 ERA in the AL, understandable. But an ERA in the mid-3's as the #2 is perfectly fine, especially the lack of the back end rotation at this point.
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9934191 1 year, $1.725M, with game- and plate appearance-related incentives.
Ramon Castro also signed a 1-year deal to avoid arbitration. Good job by the Mets avoiding arbitration for the 15th year in a row (David Cone was the last case they've had to go through).
Finalize deals for Schoeneweis and Jorge Sosa: Mets finalize deals with lefty Schoeneweis, righty Sosa Jan. 16, 2007 NEW YORK-- With their starting rotation shaky, the New York Mets are fortifying their bullpen. The Mets finalized a $10.8 million, three-year contract with left-hander Scott Schoeneweis and a $1.25 million, one-year deal with right-hander Jorge Sosa on Tuesday. In addition, New York settled its two arbitration cases, agreeing to a $1,725,000, one-year contract with postseason hero Endy Chavez and an $850,000, one-year deal with backup catcher Ramon Castro. The 33-year-old Schoeneweis was 4-2 with a 4.88 ERA and four saves in 71 games last season for Toronto and Cincinnati, which acquired him Aug. 16. He takes the left-handed setup role that opened when Chad Bradford left to sign a $10.5 million, three-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. "We felt he was one of the better relievers on the market," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said from Houston, where he was attending scouting meetings. "He's very good at getting left-hander hitters out. He had some closing experience last year, so he's very versatile." Schoeneweis was 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA and three saves in 16 appearances for the Reds. He has held left-handed batters to a .209 average in the last two years and has allowed just one homer to a lefty (Kansas City's Matt Stairs) in the last three years. He grew up in Long Branch, N.J., as a Philadelphia Phillies fan but called New York "the Mecca of baseball." He said the Yankees also pursued him but the Mets stood out because of their three-year offer. "I want to play for a winning team, have the opportunity to win. It makes it a lot more fun during the season," the Phoenix native said by telephone while looking at possible homes in Greenwich, Conn. "I haven't played at Shea, but I've been in New York numerous times, and I've always been excited to come here and play." Sosa, a 29-year-old right-hander, was a combined 3-11 with a 5.42 ERA last season for Atlanta and St. Louis. He became a free agent last month when the Cardinals failed to offer a 2007 contract. He went 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA for the Braves the previous season, and the Mets hope pitching coach Rick Peterson will be able to help him. "He has the ability to start, relieve or be a long man," Minaya said. "Hopefully under the tutelage of Rick Peterson, he'll be able to get back to his '05 performance." With Pedro Martinez out for the first half of the season, New York has a large group competing for jobs in its rotation behind Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez, a group that includes John Maine, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Dave Williams. Chavez's agreement meant the Mets didn't have to swap proposed figures with him in arbitration. Chavez reached far above the left-field wall to snare Scott Rolen's sixth-inning drive in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series, keeping the score tied at 1. Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer in the ninth, helping St. Louis win 3-1. Chavez, who turns 29 next month, batted .306 with four homers and 42 RBI in his first season with the Mets. Because of injuries to Cliff Floyd, Chavez had 353 at-bats. Last year, Chavez made $700,000. In addition to his base salary this year, he could earn $100,000 in performance bonuses: $12,500 each for 120 and 130 games, and $25,000 each for 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances. Castro hit .238 in 126 at-bats last year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2734082 Pirates trade Lefty Gonzalez for LaRoche. Not a bad deal for both sides. Braves finally got that closer, but they are losing a lot of offense this offseason.
Sources: Braves trade LaRoche to Bucs for Gonzalez By Jerry Crasnick ESPN.com The Pittsburgh Pirates, filling their need for a left-handed power bat, acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday for lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez, two sources confirmed to ESPN.com. ESPN.com could not immediately confirm if other players were involved in the deal. LaRoche hit 32 homers and drove in 90 runs last season and finished in a tie for seventh in the National League with a .561 slugging percentage. Gonzalez went 3-4 with 24 saves and a 2.17 ERA for the Pirates in 2006. Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN Insider.
Based on all of the rumors in the past, I would be stunned if Pittsburgh isn't trading an additional player or two in this deal. Losing LaRoche will hurt their offense, but I can't say I'm looking forward to dealing with that bullpen duo of Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano for the next five years.
Another steal by the Braves. LaRoches can be replaced. Gonzalez is a STUD. Pirates feed the Braves a fucking steal.
Anyone read "The Bad Guys Won" by Jeff Pearlman. A friend just gave it to me, and said it was great. Apparently, debauchery at its absolute finest. http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Guys-Won-Jeff-Pearlman/dp/0060507330/ref=ed_oe_p/103-7039586-1763048
Phillies agreed to terms with second baseman Chase Utley on a seven-year, $85 million contract. Quite a deal for a player still three years away from free agency. Utley probably would have made about $25 million in his arbitration years, so the Phillies are spending $15 million per year on him for his first four years of free agency. It's a risky deal, especially since second basemen tend to age poorly. Still, he's showed that he's worthy of such a contract with his performance the last two years. Jan. 21 - 12:25 pm et
Mets fan posed as reporter...got access to players with phony credentials. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/24/bc.bbn.mets.fakejournal.ap/index.html
