1st Baseman

[brainstew]

The rumors have the Mets interested in Olerud, Mientkiewicz, and of course Delgado. Who do you want?

Olerud- 7 hole type hitter hitter, excellent glove, cheap, old.
Mient...- 8 hole type hitter, goldglove glove, not cheap/not expensive, youngish.
Delgado- Legit Cleanup hitter, supbar glove, expensive, middle aged.

Call me crazy but I would want Mientkiewicz. He won't cost what Delgado does, he is the best fielding first baseman in the league, and he won't break down like Olerud may. I don't trust Olerud or even Delgado to play a whole season at first. Who is the backup? Jason Phillips? eck.

[Enyalois]

I would say Doug would be your best bet. Olerud has slipped dramatically in the last few years. Delgado struggled to start off last year, is a poor fielder as you indicated and wants more than he's worth. And back to Doug(my attempts to avoid spelling his last name) gold gloce as mentioned though I'd like to add that his bat isn't as bad as you say. Wasn't he the 3 hole with the Twins. Granted not the best lineup, but good enough to win their division. He hits for a good average.

[brainstew]

And back to Doug(my attempts to avoid spelling his last name) gold gloce as mentioned though I'd like to add that his bat isn't as bad as you say. Wasn't he the 3 hole with the Twins. Granted not the best lineup, but good enough to win their division. He hits for a good average.
Good point, but in his last 4 years he has hit .306, .261, .300, and .235. With about 12 hrs and 60 rbi. When hes hitting .300 hes great, but that only happens every other year. Who knows what Mientkiewicz will show up.

[Enyalois]

Good point, but in his last 4 years he has hit .306, .261, .300, and .235. With about 12 hrs and 60 rbi. When hes hitting .300 hes great, but that only happens every other year. Who knows what Mientkiewicz will show up.
Hmm, I didn't know his average dipped that much last year. Either way it would appear as if he's due this year.

[brainstew]

Well it looks like Delgado could likely be a Met. Here are some snippets frin various national newspapers:

The Rangers are expecting Delgado to sign with the New York Mets for $12-$14 million per year. The Rangers have already shown a reluctance to go higher than $10 million per season.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/10616812.htm?1c (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/10616812.htm?1c)

Deal to bring Delgado to Texas looks unlikely
January 11
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (registration required): "The Rangers remain open to any possibility that could arise in the remainder of the off-season. But right now, they are dubious about the possibility of pulling off a double play that would send second baseman Alfonso Soriano to the Houston Astros and free up money so they can sign free-agent first baseman Carlos Delgado."

Delgado may be asking too much
January 11
Palm Beach Post (registration required): "Free-agent first baseman Carlos Delgado is seeking a contract in the $15 million to $17 million annual range, according to reports, a number that certainly would knock the Marlins out of the competition."

O's Trail in Race for Delgado
January 11
Washington Post (Scroll Down) (registration required): "The Baltimore Orioles trail the Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers and New York Mets in bidding for first baseman Carlos Delgado."

[Boik14 is the shiz]

The only way I want Dougie long name or Olerud near this team. I view them as late inning defensive replacement types not starters; certainly not starters for a good team. Olerud I like but hes old. Dougie, cant hit his wait and is awful with RISP which this team had enough problems with the last few years.

Delgado is the only option here. His injury last year was the only significant 1 in his entire career and now all of a sudden he wouldnt get through a few years? I dont buy it at all. Hes had 9 straight 30 hr seasons and is a reliable 100 rbi guy. Hes a consistant hitter for average as well and would take a ton of pressure off of beltran and Piazza. Hes one of the few true cleanup hitters in the game and hes tremendous with RISP.

If its not Delgado then Omar better find a better option than Travis Lee, Dougie Longname, or Olerud. I know he inquired about Sean Casey months ago and was rebuffed but there are other alternatives besides the 3 retreads on the list.

[brainstew]

Its not that I don't trust him to go through a few years in terms of injuries, he has only averaged like 10 or so games played as a DH the past 3 years, so he is a true first baseman, so there wouldn't be an NL problem. And he does have a good injury history. Its that I don't trust him to go out and play 150 games at first with his bad glove. With Mientkiewicz the infield defense would be spectacular, and if Cameron stays the outfield will be as well. Mientkiewicz will save a helluva lot more runs than Delgado with his D... but, Delgado does have a huge bat. Delgado's bat would make up for the runs he allows with his bad D, no doubt. Delgado would obviously be better for the team, I guess I just like the idea of a spectacular defense. I don't know of anyone availble on the FA market with Delgado's bat either.

[Boik14 is the shiz]

Its not that I don't trust him to go through a few years in terms of injuries, he has only averaged like 10 or so games played as a DH the past 3 years, so he is a true first baseman, so there wouldn't be an NL problem. And he does have a good injury history. Its that I don't trust him to go out and play 150 games at first with his bad glove. With Mientkiewicz the infield defense would be spectacular, and if Cameron stays the outfield will be as well. Mientkiewicz will save a helluva lot more runs than Delgado with his D... but, Delgado does have a huge bat. Delgado's bat would make up for the runs he allows with his bad D, no doubt. Delgado would obviously be better for the team, I guess I just like the idea of a spectacular defense. I don't know of anyone availble on the FA market with Delgado's bat either.We could always find a late inning replacement at 1b. Olerud and Lee are still useful in that role. Tony Clark too.

[brainstew]

Delgado AND Olerud would be a coup!

[Boik14 is the shiz]

I only put olerud in there to satisfy your request for a late inning replacement. i dont think we actually need him if we get delgado.

[brainstew]

Yeah, Olerud is not a necessity, but it would be nice to have a great defensive player on the bench. Nothing wrong with excess.

[Boik14 is the shiz]

Yeah, Olerud is not a necessity, but it would be nice to have a great defensive player on the bench. Nothing wrong with excess.Agreed. Plus Olerud is one of my favorite mets from his 1st tour of duty here.

[grinandbearit34]

Olerud had offseason surgery. According to Bobby V. he won't be ready for the start of the regular season.

[Boik14 is the shiz]

Looks like we've got serious competition for Delgado. Heres a artcile from NY Times website:


Mets Plan to Visit Delgado, With Marlins in Pursuit

By TYLER KEPNER
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Published: January 13, 2005


http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/dropcap/t.gifhe Mets outbid the Boston Red Sox to sign starter Pedro Martínez and the Houston Astros to sign outfielder Carlos Beltran. But as they try to add a third prized free agent this winter, the Mets have a National League East rival standing in the way.

That rival, the Florida Marlins, is serious about signing Carlos Delgado, a free-agent first baseman who has spent his 12-year career with the Toronto Blue Jays. According to a person who has been briefed on the negotiations, the Marlins' owner, Jeffrey Loria, plans to cut short a trip to France to meet with Delgado in Miami this weekend. Delgado will fly in from Puerto Rico for the meeting.

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"They're making a very strong push this weekend to see if they can get it done," the person said.

The Mets are also taking an aggressive approach to Delgado. They will hold a news conference in Puerto Rico today to show off Beltran, a Puerto Rico native who signed for seven years and $119 million on Tuesday.

A Mets contingent including General Manager Omar Minaya and Tony Bernazard, an assistant to Minaya, will be there and hopes to visit Delgado as well. David Sloane, Delgado's agent, said late yesterday afternoon that a meeting had not yet been arranged.

Beltran is a friend of Delgado's, and after signing with the Mets, he called Delgado to tell him. "He was very happy about it," Beltran said yesterday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. "I hope we can sign him, because we need a first baseman."

Beltran's news conference today will be at noon in San Juan, and Delgado will make a charity appearance in that city at 8 p.m. But Beltran did not invite Delgado to his news conference.

"I'm not going to invite him because I don't want to put pressure on him," Beltran said. "I want him to make the decision that's best for him the same way I did it. He knows what is best for him and he will make the right decision no matter what."

Sloane suggested that Delgado was encouraged by the Mets' spending spree.

"The call was obviously a nice thing, but the signing was the important thing," Sloane said, referring to Beltran's contract. "A call doesn't really take much. But him signing there obviously changes the landscape for everybody. Other ball clubs have to sit up and take notice, and obviously Carlos is going to sit up and take notice as well."

Sloane did not comment on the meeting with the Marlins, but an obvious problem for Florida would be meeting Delgado's price. He is coming off a four-year, $68 million deal and could command a five-year contract worth $75 million. The Marlins' opening offer was reportedly for three years and more than $30 million.

But the Marlins could increase their offer in the hope that Delgado would help rally support for public financing of a new stadium. If Loria decided to sell the team, a prospective buyer could view Delgado's long-term contract as an asset.

Losing Delgado to the Marlins could severely affect the Mets' chances in the N.L. East. The Marlins, who were 83-79 and third in the East last year, could install Delgado as their cleanup hitter, after Juan Pierre, Luis Castillo and Miguel Cabrera and before Mike Lowell. The Marlins also signed their catcher, Paul Lo Duca, to a three-year, $18 million contract extension yesterday.

Delgado has never played in the postseason, and the Marlins, who won the 2003 World Series, might give him a better chance than the Mets, the Baltimore Orioles or the Texas Rangers, who are all pursuing him. Yesterday in El Vocero, a newspaper in Puerto Rico, Delgado said that winning would be more important to him than location.

"I go to the United States to play ball," he said. "I don't go there thinking that it's a question of being more relaxed in a certain place. It's not a question of where I would be more 'chilling.' It's all about a team that's a contender; that is the major obligation. That is what will influence."

[brainstew]

The Marlins reportedly offering 3 yrs 30 mil. I would offer him 3/39. See if he takes it. If the Marlins go 4 years then the Mets should follow suit.

[Boik14 is the shiz]

The Marlins reportedly offering 3 yrs 30 mil. I would offer him 3/39. See if he takes it. If the Marlins go 4 years then the Mets should follow suit.I agree. that contract would be comprarable to Sheffs who hes not better than so Id agree it sounds fair to say the least.