Writing the Pine

We’re all friends here at Writing the Pine. We e-mail each other constantly about everything whether it be about sports, work, going to Vegas, girls, whatever. There’s always a thread going on. From time to time we’ll post some of the threads because if we were as active on our blog as we were on our e-mail threads, then there wouldn’t be days (weeks) that go by without a post. (Sorry, that’ll be improved on in 2010. A WtP resolution if you will.) The big news of the day was Jason Bay signing with the New York Mets so here’s an unedited reproduction of what was said on that…

CAUTION: STRONG LANGUAGE IS USED AT TIMES

Rich (aka fivetoolplayer): JASON BAY
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/sports/baseball/30mets.html?ref=sports

Eden (aka Pinesol): congrats mets fans yall made a move!

Young (aka Young): the contract is stilll undisclosed i believe.

any takers on the contract the mets gave him? 9 years 180 million? when he was only asking for 5?

lol.

Eden: LOL holy shit thats ridiculous!!!

are u sure about those numbers? my coworker told me it was in the 4 year 65 mill area

Young: lol no i said that as a joke, considering the mets and their horrible front office.

if its a 4 year deal, then its a good deal.
if its a 5 year like bay wanted, its a horrible one.

Eden: ooo ok hahahahah. damn. imagine if isiah thomas was a baseball GM in a big market city? everyone would be getting 10 year deals.

David (aka davidim): 4 year 66 million

backloaded. i think around 10 million the first year and upwards of 19 million the last year

David: oh also vesting option for a 5th year

Young: this is SUCH a bad deal for the Mets. You fans should be outraged that the Mets gave him anything. Bay’s repeatedly said he doesnt wanna play in Queens.

Young: “I think he’d rather be playing in Beirut than Queens.”

- Peter Gammons describes his impression of Jason Bay’s interest, or lack thereof, in signing with the Mets, during an appearance on WEEI in Boston.

Young: oh my friend at work gave him a link to this reallly good baseball blog. ( a major reason how i knew about the grandy trade, this bay trade, etc)

http://bases.nbcsports.com/

Eden: if he didnt want to play in queens why did he accept the offer? the money?

Young: because there’s no other team that wants him.

Young: for that kind of money. Why the Mets decided to pay him what he wants is beyond me.

Eden: is his hate for queens or for the mets?

Young: i think it’s both. The pressure of New York w/o the glamour of being a Yankee. (and i don’t mean that in an insulting way for Mets fans) but I mean you’re getting scrutinized in New York either way, but you’re playing for an organization that a) has it’s share of bad publicity and b) haven’t been good despite a very good roster

David: keep the back and forth going i’m gonna post this tomorrow

Peter (aka HometownHero): But its just young….

Eden: yea i understand where hes coming from, but the mets had a terrrrrible season last year. horrible luck with the injuries and giant david wright helmets. they still have a crapload of talent. just need some pitching to help johan out.

David: i agree the mets still need pitching help otherwise this move will not pay off until 2011 at the earliest (if ever).

Rich: sigh…the baseball blog i strive to be…

mets needed something/someone in left. i just wonder how his power will translate to citi without the friendly green monster in left. and ultimately it weakens the red sox although I would have loved for them to get into a bidding war with the mets and tie up their “let’s throw our money at joe mauer” budget for next year’s offseason.

Bay’s been pretty healthy his whole career (knock on wood) and will get his 5th year vested. then again he is joining the mets and may become new york’s next carl pavano.

Young: LOL peter.

What’s wrong with the Mets is that they stay see-sawing in the middle of the baseball world in everything. They don’t know which way to go. It’s like they’re at a fork in the road and instead of going anywhere, they just stare at it.

They either overpay or refuse to pay. Unfortunately, they overpay for middle talent and refuse to pay for star talent. And somehow they still end up with one of the biggest payrolls in baseball. They’ve overpaid for Bay (who i’m not convinced is a star) but they don’t wanna pay “star” money to a pitcher.

Eden: well this free agent class was lacking pitching talent to begin with (except for lackey) and i think they paid fair market value for santana.

Young: If the Mets are smart, they should sign Pinero and/or Sheets/Garland depending on how much they each want. Actually they need to.

Johan was gotten via trade and one of the terms was to work out an extension or no deal. That’s a diff scenario than signing a free agent.

Young: Pinero, Chapman, Arguelles, Sheets, Garland, Bedard, Doug Davis

That’s probably the top 7 FA pitchers available. The Mets gotta sign any 2 of those 7 me thinks.

David: Let me congratulate you guys in advance on getting Joe Mauer next year.

Eden: yea its different from signing a free agent but what they gave up and ended up paying him was definitely fair.
id say go for bedard. i think he can reestablish himself as a good pitcher in the nl and especially in citi field. sheets if his arms healthy and they can get him for cheap

Eden: a middle of the lineup consisting of arod teixera and mauer gets me hot and bothered

Illinois Dave (aka The Writing Illini): Just saw avatar imax 3d hands down top 3 movie of all time. Thank god for jason bay but still that isn’t even a splash. Phone was ringing off the hook 35 emails lol

Young: oh i agree completely. i wasnt pointing out whether that was fair or not. It was a steal for the mets imo. I was saying that they’re horrible when it comes to FAs.

dave, you think so? you don’t think he’ll stay in minny? Crawford to NY? Cliff Lee

Eden: trueeeeee. i think mauer likes it in minny but if dude wants to win a world series he has to GTFO.

Rich: haha..he said tje FA pitching market was lacking except lackey.

ok bye

Eden: hahaha i was hoping you would pick up on that

David: what are the other 2 movies in the top 3

Illinois Dave: Yo this pickup was absolutely necessary to placate the fanbase. To win the fans back we’ll need to make big moves next year. I agree that we have to make up our mind about being big market or middle. Can’t just be cheap and then pay superstar money to avg players in panic mode. Bay was overpaid and he’s a dick but I think overall good move.

Gene (aka TheFinalWord): Jason bay is a VERY good hitter…good power to all fields. But we absolutely overpaid for him, compared to his market value. He’s not a superstar but you’re in good shape if he’s hitting in the 5 hole in your lineup. I think pitching and bullpen help was much more important…and defense also which bay is only adequate.

Illinois Dave: Yeah but no more pitching left. Unless we went after halladay… Everyone else is bleh.

So the consensus seems to be that the Mets overpaid for Bay, he’s not a superstar, but the Mets needed to make a splash and this was it.  Time will tell to see if this was a good move…