Ollie says, "Cha-Ching"

The New York Post reports that the Mets and Oliver Perez have agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract.

A fine deal for the Mets. In last year's market, Perez would have been in line for a five-year contract, possibly one worth $70 million. It's quite possible he won't prove to be a $12 million-per-year pitcher, but on a three-year contract, he's well worth taking a chance on at this price.

Now for my take...$12M per yr for a career record of five games under 500. I tell you what, I'm bringing Boras with me to my year-end evaluation. I should be in line for a handsome little sum based on my production to the corporate bottom line.

Websters definition of over paid - To pay a person in excess. Ironic enough, Ollie's grill was plastered adjacent to the entry.

I'm hoping for a good season out of Ollie, say a minimum of 15 victories and a sub 4.00 ERA.

Looks like Sheets will no longer be an option for the Mets. IMHO, it's time to bring in a stick. Dollars to doughnuts, Manny is not gonna be roaming LF in Citi Field for them this season. In as much as I would love to see Adam Dunn brought in with an eye on moving him to first in 2010, Omar and Manuel have made it clear their preference is for a bat on the right side of the dish.

That leads me to the X-man, Nady. The Yanks are shopping him for a set up man, Omar let's punch up some digits and find out what it's gonna take. Perhaps a package with Brian Stokes as the centerpiece will allow the Mets to procure Nady's services.

Garland and Diamondbacks Agree to 1 yr +option

The Arizona Republic is reporting the signing of Garland to a one year contract with an option for 2010.

The specifics of the deal are not known, but Garland's guaranteed money is believed to be in the $6 million to $8 million range.

The deal is pending a physical.

Given that, his decision to decline arbitration from the Angels was viewed as a surprise in the industry. In arbitration, he only would have received a one-year contract, but it would have been worth more than the $12 million he made in 2008.

It's crunch time for the Mets front office. How long will they allow Boras and Perez to drag out negotiations in hopes a mystery time steps forward? If there is not a time certain date on the Mets last offer to Ollie, they're asking for trouble. Garland is the first domino to fall, how long before Randy Wolf decides he's had enough of waiting around in hopes that Ollie's negotiations fall through?

Now, I've been a humongous supporter of bringing in Ben Sheets to a one year incentive laden contract with a club option for a second year, assuming his physical checks out. However any leverage the Mets had will be quickly fading as each SP option comes off the board. In addition, I believe Ben Sheets needs to throw a bullpen session to elevate any linger doubts the Mets might have.

Omar, please take the initiative in negotiations with Boras and let him know in no uncertain terms, the last offer was a take it or leave it offer. Oh, and btw, you have till Thursday evening to give us an answer. Most people believe the Mets are bidding against themselves for Ollie's services. In fact, Matt Cerrone reported the General Manager of the Brewers, Doug Melvin has shown virtually no interest.

It's time to move on!

Is Ben Sheets This Year's Biggest Bargain?

Buster Olney of ESPN Magazine, makes a forceful case for Ben Sheets being this year's biggest bargain. And I tend to agree with him.

Olney is quick to point out several contracts in the not so distant past, or as he puts it, "days of economic bliss", which might leave Sheets green with envy.

• Carlos Silva a four-year, $48 million deal
• Miguel Batista got $25 million over three years
• Jeff Suppan signed a four-year, $42 million contract
• Jarrod Washburn received a four-year, $37.5 million deal.

Wow! Suppan's contract must be a tough one for Sheets to swallow. Let's see, Sheets was the Ace of that staff, right? By most estimates, Sheets won't be getting an offer for half of Suppan's.

Here's what Olney had to say:

Over the past five seasons, the 30-year-old Sheets has an ERA of 3.24; his ERA has never been higher than 3.82 in any season, and was as low as 2.70 in 2004. His strikeout-walk ratio has never been worse than 2.87-1. Hitters have never had an OPS against him, in any season, higher than .705. When he has pitched, he's been significantly better than Silva, Batista and Suppan.

Think about that: In 2008, Sheets made 31 starts, threw 198 1/3 innings, posted an ERA of 3.09 while pitching in Milwaukee's bandbox, held opposing hitters to a .390 slugging percentage, started for the National League in the All-Star Game, struck out 158 while walking just 47 -- and in an industry that provided a $48 million deal for an innings-eater like Silva just 13 months ago, Sheets might be looking at a deal for less than half of that.

Omar, wake up and smell the Bostello Cafe!!!

Mets Extend Offer To Ollie - Sheets New Medical Records

John Heyman of SI.com, reports on two fronts Met fans are interested in.

First, the Mets are believed to have increased their original offer of 3 yrs and $30M to Oliver Perez. Not much is known about the details of the new offer, however I find it curious as to the timing. The word on the street this afternoon was the Mets are now willing to go to four years for Ollie's services.

Just say no!

However, Ben Sheets just became more marketable.

Secondly, Heyman reports on Ben Sheets. Teams interested in free agent right-hander Ben Sheets have a new medical report to examine, according to MLB executives, and it is this new information that may have sparked some renewed interest in the talented pitcher.

Sheets has made available to several baseball executives updated medical information. You can bet all teams vying for his services are doing their due diligence, while combing through his reports with their medical staffs.

Mets Willing To Go 4 Yrs With Ollie

Andrew Marchand of ESPN Radio reports, the Mets may be willing to go four yrs for Oliver Perez.

Here are the Highlights as reported by Andrew Marchand:

A source tells 1050 ESPN New York that the Mets will eventually be willing to go to four years for Oliver Perez. Meanwhile, the Mets have growing interest in Ben Sheets. A source says that the Mets don't think Sheets' arm is perfect, but it is not terrible either.
The source says he didn't think the Perez negotiations will be completed too soon. A red flag on Sheets, according to the source, is that he started more than 30 games last season, but hadn't done that before since 2004.

To my way of thinking, Sheets for two yrs and and option for a third is a much more prudent utilization of their resources. Ben Sheets will slot in as 1A in the Mets rotation. Imagine Johan and Sheets at the top of the rotation...SCARY!!!

O-Dog, Sheets, and Dunn Equals WS Title

Let me start off by saying, I don't think Omar has the payroll flexibility/juice to get this premium combo package signed, sealed and delivered. I pride myself on not pretending to know the financial situations of others, but in Team Wilpons case I'm willing to make the rare exception. The Madoff Ponzi Scheme has been all over the news, the blogoshpere and of course talk radio, it's time to acknowledge the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

According to Josh Alper, Wilpon's company, Sterling Equities, invested hundreds of millions of dollars with Madoff. I've heard loose estimates from $200M to $400M.

Alper, sums it up this way:

The mets have a new park and their own cable channel, which should provide enough revenue to keep the team running even as Wilpon rushes from criminal to criminal in attempts to increase his fortune. If things get tight enough, however, he may need to sell off a portion of the team and that could impact the way the Mets are run.

Team Wilpon, now is the time to give your loyal fans the championship they so richly deserve. Here's the beauty of it all. You can do so by spending a fraction of what your crosstown rivals, the Yankees spent this off-season. Who knows, you may even pop up on the back page of the local fish-wrap again.

In short, Mr. Wilpon, I'm asking you to take advantage of MLB's double coupon days.

Step one... Bring the O-Dog to town, right quick, fast and in a hurry!!!

Ken Rosenthal, of FOX Sports, puts it this way. Hudson is a switch-hitter. His effervescent personality would be perfect for a Mets team that has collapsed in each of the past two Septembers. And the high-energy, slick-fielding double-play combination of Hudson and Jose Reyes would be a fan's delight.


Can you think of a more suitable representative than O-Dog? He fits the quintessential profile of what Team Wilpon is looking for and can flat out play ball. I believe he will thrive in the limelight of NY sports and take pressure off D-Wright, being the lone soldier answering questions at the end of a game. O-Dog is active in the charitable works arena, specifically with his passion to fight autism. Did I mention he wants to play for the Mets?

To learn more about the C.A.T.C.H Foundation (Curing Autism Through Change and Hope), please visit http://orlandohudson1.com/catch.html

Here's what he will bring to the ballpark every day:

• 08 Season - O-Dog .305 BA/ .367 OBP/ .450 SL/ .817 OPS

CASTILLO - .245 BA/ .355 OBP/ .305 SL/ .660 OPS

• Oh, and just for craps and giggles, O-Dog's OPS 1.171 at Shea, eclipses the greatest all time career mark set by the Babe, 1.164. Believe me I'm not comparing him to the Babe!!! BTW, his second best OPS was Turner Field, 1.020. Yes, I'm aware of the sampling size.
  

SHEA- .400 BA/ .438 OBP/ .733 SL/ 1.171 OPS

• NL Gold Glove winner 2006 and 2007.

Step Two... Ben Sheets- Make Ollie a take it or leave it offer of 3 yrs/ $27-30M. If as I suspect, he does not accept, it's time to move on to Ben Sheets.

• Much is made of Sheets' injury problems, however he did manage to pitch 198 innings in 31 games last season.
• Highlights for 2008: Top Ten NL 3.09 ERA (5), Complete Games 5 (2), and WHIP 1.15 (7)
• Three time All-Star
• Double Digit victories in all but one of eight seasons

Step Three... Adam Dunn - Plz don't bring out the strikeouts. Dunn's OBP more than makes up for it.

• Last year's stats; .236 BA/ .386 OBP/ .513 SP/ .898 OPS. To put his numbers in proper perspective, Dunn would be second to D-Wright in OBP, SLG and OPS, had he been with the Mets last year. D-Wright's stats were .302 BA/ .390 OBP/ .534 SL/ .924 OPS. Dave, plz continue to spoil us!!!
• Highlights for 2008; First in NL with 122 walks, Second in NL with 40 tape measuring BOMBS and Top Ten in OBP and OPS.
• Rumor has it the ball is carrying in Citi Field... Watch out Pepsi Porch! I believe LGA air traffic control may have to utilize alternate flight plans when Dunn is in town.
• Dunn will patrol left this season, however next year Delgado comes off the books and he can slide over to first base.
  

Well Isn't That Precious!

Lowe agrees to $60 million deal with Braves

David O'Brien, of The AJC, is reporting that D-Lowe is now the latest catch for the Atlanta Braves revamped pitching staff. It took 4 yrs and $60 million, but they went out and made it happen. Lowe will be joining fellow winter imports Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami, in addition to up and comer Jair Jurrjens, to form a solid staff.

Omar and Team Wilpon, it's time to get off your culo and seal the deal on Oliver Perez. I can see it now, Boras is burning up the lines to find another dancing partner for Ollie's services.

I love the work Omar has done with the bull pen, however you need to get to F-Rod and company, before they slam the door shut! At what point do the Mets enter in to discussions for Ben Sheets?