Jason Bay Says "Let Them Eat Crow!"

Longtime readers of Studious Metsimus probably know that Jason Bay has been a target of our wrath for the better part of his two seasons in New York.  We called him a human windmill last year, a benchwarmer this year, and have advocated booing him at Citi Field.

Despite all his troubles at the plate, Bay has continued to be a professional and has done other things to help the team win.  He has played a very good left field, has been patient at the plate (Bay's 50 walks lead all current Mets - Carlos Beltran drew 60 bases on balls before being traded to San Francisco), and has been an intelligent baserunner (11 stolen bases in 12 attempts), hustling on every play, both on offense and defense.

Earlier today, Jason Bay was named National League Player of the Week, becoming the second consecutive Met to win the award (David Wright took home the honors last week).  For the week ending Sept. 11, Bay hit .481 (13-for-27) with five doubles, two home runs (including a grand slam) and 10 RBI.  Bay also had five multi-hit games for the week.

Up until recently, you had to have knowledge of Photoshop to use a picture like this.

For the year, Bay is now hitting .246 with 12 HR and 56 RBI, numbers that are still far below expectations.  Despite that, Bay still has a chance to lead the Mets in both home runs and RBIs.  Carlos Beltran collected 15 HR and 66 RBI before he was dealt away.  Bay leads all current Mets in RBIs and is tied with David Wright for the team lead in home runs.  With four more homers and 11 additional runs batted in, Bay would surpass Beltran's totals.

Who would have thought that Jason Bay would be mentioned in a sentence about team leaders in the power categories?  Certainly not us.  But over his past 63 games (since June 28), Bay has picked up 13 doubles, 9 HR and 40 RBI, striking out only 49 times in 262 plate appearances.  Prior to June 28, Bay had a mere four doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI.  He was also victimized by strike three 52 times in only 219 plate appearances.

It's time to eat the proverbial crow on this one.  Jason Bay has finally arrived in New York.  It may have been almost two years too late and not exactly during a pennant race, but it sure makes things interesting for 2012.  Bay might not be a question mark entering next season the way he was this past April.  Who'da thunk it?

The Giants World Series defense could end this weekend

On July 28, the Giants had a 4 game lead and added Carlos Beltran to the lineup.

If you told me 33 games later that the NL West could be wrapped up, I'd say "Well, the Diamondbacks had a nice year, but it is the Giants division."



Instead we have the Giants, the defending World Champs, the great new team to market and promote, are fighting for their very lives.



The best way to illustrate how the Diamondbacks and the Giants have gone in different directions in the past 33 games is to look at their records since July 28th.



The Diamondbacks are 22-11.

The Giants are 11-22.



The Giants are 6 games out.

The Diamondbacks magic number is 20.



The Giants MUST win 2 of 3.

They SHOULD win all 3.



A sweep will mean it is a 3 game hole.

2 of 3 for the Giants would mean a 5 game hole.



LOSING 2 of 3 would mean the Giants would be behind a week in the standings with only 3 weeks left to play.



If the Giants get swept... they will be down 9 games in the standings with 22 games to play.

The Diamondbacks Magic Number would be 14.



Come on Giants! Show a little something. I do NOT want to see a Phillies-Diamondbacks series.

Duda Mets Give Lucas An Everyday Job In 2012?

Prior to 2010, Lucas Duda was a fringe prospect. From 2007-2009, Duda played in a total of 310 minor league games and combined to hit .277 with 24 HR and 151 RBI in 1,112 at-bats. Despite the relatively low amount of home runs and the so-so batting average, Duda showed a good eye at the plate, drawing 161 walks over the three seasons to give him a .374 on-base percentage.



That all changed in 2010, when Duda exploded upon the scene. He combined to hit .304 for AA-Binghamton and AAA-Buffalo, with 23 HR and 87 RBI. He improved his on-base percentage to .398, while slugging at a .569 clip.



Upon his promotion to the major leagues, Duda's production suffered, as he had difficulty adjusting to major league pitching, hitting .202/.261/.417 in 92 plate appearances. He did, however, continue to hit with power (when he did hit), picking up six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI.



Duda began the 2011 season at the major league level but continued to disappoint at the plate, hitting a measly .100 and slugging a paltry .150 over his first month with the Mets. He was then sent back down to Buffalo and rediscovered his stroke, mashing minor league pitching while displaying a keen eye (.302/.414/.597 in 157 plate appearances).



But once July rolled around and the trade deadline approached, it became obvious that Carlos Beltran was going to be traded, opening up a spot for Lucas Duda to play every day, an opportunity that Duda has taken full advantage of.

Lucas Duda should be at the center of more celebrations for the Mets in 2012 and beyond.

Since the All-Star Break, Duda has played in 30 games (24 starts). In 95 plate appearances, Duda's batting average (.333), on-base percentage (.426) and slugging percentage (.577) have all improved exponentially. He has also made excellent contact while continuing to be selective at the plate (12 strikeouts, 12 walks).



Most importantly, Duda has taken Carlos Beltran's place in the batting order and has produced Beltran-like numbers. At the same time, Beltran has struggled in San Francisco, producing a .244/.261/.356 line in 11 games for the Giants. He has failed to hit a home run and has only driven in a pair of runs, after leading the Mets with 15 HR and 66 RBI. The injury bug that he escaped in New York in 2011 caught up with him in San Francisco, as a hand injury has kept Beltran out of the lineup for the past week.



The right field position has been like a game of musical chairs for the Mets since Darryl Strawberry left the team following the 1990 season. In the two decades since Darryl's departure, no Met has played more than 290 games in right field (Jeromy Burnitz has the honor of most games played in right since 1990). In fact, although third base used to be considered the revolving door of positions for the Mets, with 145 different players manning the hot corner, it's right field that has seen the most players. Including the 2011 season, a total of 205 men have played the position for the Mets, with seven of them doing it this year alone (Beltran, Duda, Jason Pridie, Scott Hairston, Mike Baxter, Willie Harris, Fernando Martinez and Nick Evans).



Lucas Duda is only 25 years old. He is just beginning to spread his wings in the major leagues. He hits with power, doesn't strike out much and knows how to take a walk. In other words, he is exactly the type of player Sandy Alderson likes (and that's not even including his low salary).



The Mets haven't had stability in right field in over two decades. Why not give Lucas Duda a shot to make the position his own? Ike Davis will be back at first base in 2012 (he is coming back, right?), leaving right field as the only position available for Duda to play. Duda has filled the hole in the batting order left by the departure of Beltran exceptionally well. Now it's time for him to fill the hole in right field as well.



"Now starting in right field for the New York Mets - Lucas Duda." Get used to it, Mets fans. You should be hearing plenty of that at Citi Field in 2012 and beyond.

The Giants and Rockies took my advice

I like to think that most GMs like to read Sully Baseball on a daily basis and they take my suggestions to heart. And it seemed that the Giants and the Rockies may have done just that.

Last May I gave the Giants some advice in what looked like a potential playoff run.

Brian Sabean listened to some of my advice (recalling Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey sooner than later and giving Pat Burrell a shot) and ignored others (signing Jermaine Dye and seeing if Eric Hacker could handle long relief).

One thing I suggested was dealing Zack Wheeler for a bat. I figured that while you almost never deal young pitching, this was the exception if it would bring a difference making bat. Now as it turned out, they didn't need the difference making bat last year. There is no way that even bringing Albert Pujols onto the 2010 Giants would have improved anything.

Put away the calculators and getting ready to show me Pujols' OPS+ and Base/Hit to Contact Adjusted ratio. (I just made that up, but I am sure it is being used by SOME stat head.)

If you put Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton on the 2010 Giants, the end result would not have improved... because the end result was a World Series Championship.

Well I for one gave a big grin when I saw Wheeler was dealt for Carlos Beltran, a deal that screamed "No Brainer" for me.
Sure Wheeler has a chance to be a big time pitcher for the Mets. Beltran has a chance to help cement the Giants as a national brand.

People are noticing the Giants, and as I suggested in the video we made last January, they are slowly becoming an alternative bandwagon to the ultra serious and competitive Red Sox and Yankees turf wars.

Another October run with this cast of characters could solidify them as a big time franchise and destination place for free agents. Ask yourself, 4 or 5 years ago was Philadelphia considered to be a desirable landing spot for star players?

If the Phillies could make that kind of turn around based on a World Series title, some more post season appearances and a dash of cool, why not the more extroverted Giants?

A nice pitching prospect is a small price to pay for helping build a national brand, especially with Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Volgelsong and Sanchez all still in the rotation.

I know the Giants are only 2 games up on Arizona. No part of me is worried. They are heading back to the playoffs and have as good a chance of anyone to get to the World Series.

Meanwhile the Rockies did EXACTLY what I told them to do. A few weeks ago I begged them to deal Ubaldo Jimenez while people still thought he was an ace pitcher.

I don't think he is. I think he is a good pitcher who had a great half of a season. He's not an ace. He's an ace flavored product.

And if the Rockies dealt him while he still looked and felt like an ace, they would get more in a haul for him then if they waited for Ubaldo to reveal that he isn't a true #1.

While I admire the Indians for going for it and picking up a guy who clearly isn't a rental, it's unlikely that Cleveland would have parted with four players including highly touted prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, if Jimenez started piling up .500 seasons with mediocre ERAs in Denver.

Yeah Jimenez was a popular member of the Rockies. So was Matt Holliday. The Rockies dealt HIM when he still had a "potential MVP" aura about him and wound up getting Carlos Gonzalez and Huston Street in the deal.

I think before long, the dealing of Matt Holliday and Ubaldo Jimenez, as unthinkable as it may have been when they were contending for big awards, might be the best thing that ever happened to the Rockies franchise and could lead directly to another pennant very soon.

Just glad they took my advice.

Zack Wheeler: Is He Nolan Ryan Or Oliver Perez?

The trade of Carlos Beltran to the Giants became official earlier today, as the longtime Mets' outfielder agreed to join the NL West leaders. In return, the Mets received top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2009 Amateur Draft.

Wheeler was ranked No. 55 among all prospects prior to the 2011 season, but moved up to No. 35 in the recently released mid-season rankings. Clearly, Wheeler is expected to someday produce at the major league level or else Sandy Alderson wouldn't have asked for him when he traded away his All-Star rightfielder.

Right now, Wheeler has a slight problem controlling his pitches. Okay, slight might be an understatement when you consider his career minor league numbers.

Since playing in his first professional game in 2010, Wheeler has pitched in 37 games (29 starts). In 146.2 innings, he's walked 85 batters, averaging 5.2 walks per nine innings. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Wheeler has also thrown 19 wild pitches and hit 11 batters.

Let's put these numbers in perspective. There are six pitchers in the National League who have already surpassed 146.2 innings this season. Therefore, it's fair to say that Wheeler has pitched the equivalent of what some National League pitchers have pitched this year.

Currently, J.A. Happ is leading the National League in walks, handing out 60 free passes this season. That's 25 fewer than Wheeler.

Those 19 wild pitches thrown by Wheeler? That's almost twice as many as the National League leader, Hiroki Kuroda, who's uncorked 11 wild ones. No one else in the NL has more than nine.

Wheeler's 11 hit batsmen would also be pacing the National League, as that total surpasses NL leader Randy Wolf by one.

Of course, Wheeler still has plenty of time to work on his control, as he is only 21 years old and will be pitching for the St. Lucie Mets. Still, one can't help but wonder if Wheeler is going to someday challenge for the Triple Crown of Pitching (leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts, as Dwight Gooden did for the Mets in 1985) or the Triple Crown of Wildness (leading the league in walks, wild pitches and hit batsmen).

Nolan Ryan was also wild in the minors, walking 200 batters in his first 291 minor league innings. Then again, so was Oliver Perez, (you thought you'd never see his name in a Studious Metsimus post again, didn't you?) who issued 150 walks in his first 322 professional innings.

Of course, Nolan Ryan learned how to harness his talent and translated it into a Hall of Fame career. Oliver Perez has used his talent to teach his minor league teammates which fast food restaurants are the best in and around Harrisburg, PA, which is where he has toiled as a member of the Washington Nationals Triple-A squad.

Hopefully, the Mets won't promote Wheeler through their minor league system until he has shown improvement with his control. Yes, he's managed to strike out his share of batters (168 Ks in 146.2 innings), but so did Ollie (554 Ks in 517.1 career minor league innings).

It is imperative that the Mets take their time with Zach Wheeler. In a few years, Wheeler might be part of a young pitching staff that includes fellow prospect Matt Harvey, along with 10-game winner Jonathon Niese and nine-game winner Dillon Gee. That staff could rival the 1986 staff, or it could be the second coming of Generation K.

Zack Wheeler is expected to be a big part of the Mets' future. For that to happen, he'll have to put his wild past behind him and focus on improving his control in the present. Nolan Ryan was able to do it. Oliver Perez was not. It's up to Zack Wheeler to figure out if he wants to take a limo to Cooperstown or a bus to Harrisburg.

Who needs Beltran?

Seriously, all the Giants need to do is get 2 runs a game and they can beat the likes of Cole Hamels and the Phillies.

Isn't that the game plan that won them a World Series last year?

Carlos Beltran Is Out Of The Lineup...For Now

According to a tweet by the New York Post's Joel Sherman, Carlos Beltran will not be in today's starting lineup because of flu-like symptoms. Those flu-like symptoms must have found their way into Beltran's body overnight, because they surely were not evident when Beltran smoked his 14th home run of the season last night over the center field fence, just slightly to the right of the home run apple.

Sandy Alderson may or may not be actively showcasing Beltran for other teams (wish he would just come out and say it instead of beating around the bush when approached with the topic). Having Beltran out of the lineup for however long these flu-like symptoms fester in his system will clearly hurt the team in more than one way.

Is this an example of "flu face"? No, it's probably just gas.

First, if the team was looking to make one last push for the wild card, putting out a lineup that has no Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Ike Davis will not cut it. Reyes and Wright should be back next week. Beltran will hopefully only miss today's game. The Mets are dangerously close to being double digit games back in the wild card race. The team must stay together if they hope to play meaningful games in September.

Second, no team is going to trade for Beltran if he's out for too long or can't produce once he comes back. We already saw what Beltran can do (or not do) when he comes back before he's ready. Last year, Beltran returned to the Mets after the All-Star Break sooner than he should have and the team suffered as he struggled to return to form.

Carlos Beltran is going to help the Mets one way or another this year. He will either stay on the team and help them in their quest to win the wild card, or he will be traded to a contender for a top-notch prospect or two, giving the Mets hope (and salary relief) for a brighter future. But if he's only playing at 85% capacity, he's not going to help anyone.

Perhaps these flu-like symptoms are just that, and don't turn into a full-blown case of the flu or something worse. With the Mets' recent history of players missing significantly more time than originally expected (hello, Ike Davis), it's easy to be concerned anytime a player is out of the lineup. One of these days, a player is going to miss an entire season because of a paper cut. Let's hope that "paper cut" isn't Carlos Beltran's flu-like symptoms. The Mets need him to stay on the field for more reasons than one.

17 Games To Decide The Season

In 2007, the New York Mets were sitting pretty atop the National League East, owners of a seven game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies with 17 games to play. They failed to make the playoffs.

The following year, they held a 3½ game lead in the division when the season was down to its final 17 games. Once again, the Mets did not advance to the postseason.

Everything changed for the Mets in 2007 and 2008 during those two 17-game stretches. Hopes were dashed as seasons crashed. Now the Mets are heading into another critical 17-game stretch. Although this one won't decide the outcome of an individual season, it might end up determining the direction of the entire franchise for years to come.

Beginning with tonight's second-half opener against the Phillies, the Mets play 17 games between now and July 31, the date of the trade deadline. The Mets have already traded away closer Francisco Rodriguez and have numerous teams interested in rightfielder Carlos Beltran.

Sandy Alderson has publicly stated that whether or not the Mets trade Beltran by July 31 rests on the performance of the team between tonight and the trade deadline. Should the team do well and inch closer to the Braves in the race for the wild card, Beltran might remain with the Mets past July 31. Should the team falter over the next two and a half weeks...well...you get the picture.

The Mets have already failed on two occasions when all they needed to do was play decently over a do-or-die 17-game stretch. Had the Mets gone 6-11 over the last 17 games of the 2007 season, they would have won the division title. Instead, they went 4-13 and found their way into the darkest pages of the history books. If they had only gone 8-9 over their final 17 games in '08, Milwaukee would have come to Shea Stadium for a one-game playoff to determine the NL Wild Card. Instead, the Mets went 7-10 and we Shea'd Goodbye earlier than we would have liked.

Failure over the next 17 games won't end the season. The Mets will still be playing baseball over the next two months. But losing over the next 2½ weeks would be tantamount to raising the proverbial white flag. If the Mets don't do well, Carlos Beltran will be traded for a prospect who may or may not be a part of the Mets' future, Jose Reyes might entertain thoughts of packing his bags once the season ends, and fans will come to Citi Field in August and September dressed as empty seats.

The Mets haven't had a winning season since they moved to Citi Field. They haven't won when the games have mattered the most for longer than that. Isn't it time for the Mets to scratch that 17-game itch?

Beltran vs. Kobayashi: Wiener War III - For All The Mustard

Two years ago, Carlos Beltran took down Takeru Kobayashi in their initial hot dog eating contest by pulling the hidden bun trick on the legendary competitive eater. Last year, Kobayashi vowed to have his revenge on Beltran. However, Beltran was prepared for Kobayashi's chicanery, which involved using the Phillie Phanatic to shoot hot dogs at him at a high speed. Kobayashi then chose to blame a contract dispute for his failure to appear at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, when in reality, he was just embarrassed that Beltran had found a way to thwart his plans.

This year, the sauerkraut-stained gloves are coming off. This one's for all the mustard. In the most eagerly-anticipated finale to a trilogy since Major League: Back To The Minors, it's time for Wiener War III between Carlos Beltran and Takeru Kobayashi!

Let's get ready to mumble! (Especially if they talk with their mouths full.)

Before we continue, let's fill you in on what the competitors have been up to since last year's Wiener War.

Carlos Beltran has once again become a threat in the middle of the Mets' lineup, leading the team in home runs and RBI. With a diet rich in hot dogs, Beltran is 100% healthy and will get the opportunity to show off his skills in this summer's All-Star Game.

Takeru Kobayashi has not been as fortunate as Carlos Beltran over the past 12 months. When he found out that Sandy Alderson was retooling the bullpen, Kobayashi decided to try out for a middle relief job with the Mets. However, during spring training, the former wiener winner was released before he threw his first pitch. His release was not due to the fact that he couldn't actually pitch, but because fellow relievers complained that their sunflower seeds were constantly missing. Kobayashi was then given a job as a hot dog vendor at Citi Field, but was relieved of his duties on Opening Day for undisclosed reasons.

Both athletes have seen their share of highs and lows during their respective careers, with Beltran currently living the high life and Kobayashi trying to eat hot dogs via satellite. But this year it will be different. Kobayashi will not be allowed anywhere near the stage, thereby allowing Beltran to compete without the possibility of a potential distraction. Instead, Joey Chestnut (see photo, right) will be wolfing down the wieners in Kobayashi's seat.

It's time to begin the Wiener War! Let's go down to Studious Metsimus roving reporter/culinary expert Joey Beartran for the play-by-play.

Joey? Um, Joey, are you there?

Okay, we seem to have a change in plans, as Joey doesn't seem to have his headset on. Wait a minute. What's this? Oh, no.

Apparently, Joey Chestnut has been arguing with the celebrity judges over something. While he was arguing, our own Joey Beartran jumped into Chestnut's seat and is apparently about to compete against Carlos Beltran.

A dozen hot dogs? That's just an appetizer for Joey Beartran.

Well, while you were busy looking at the photo above, we learned that Joey Chestnut had a slight problem with his entrance application. It appeared that his last name had been altered from Chestnut to Beartran, allowing our roving reporter/culinary expert to add competitive eater to his job description.

Chestnut was enraged by this and argued vehemently with the panel of judges, with one judge disagreeing with him, one judge willing to allow him to participate and the celebrity judge too busy to notice. Then again, due to budget constraints, the organizers of the contest also hired the celebrity judge to be the event's official photographer and to handle the official Twitter play-by-play.

That might have been their mistake, as they hired former U.S. Representative from New York, the appropriately-named Anthony Weiner, to be the celebrity judge/photographer/head Tweeter. Apparently, background checks were not included in the event's budget as well.

Celebrity judge Anthony Weiner got a little emotional after his involvement in the Chestnut/Beartran name-switch snafu.

While all this was happening, the contest had already begun, with both Beltran and Beartran chomping away on dozens and dozens of frankfurters. Takeru Kobayashi was doing the same via satellite, hoping to take down the Mets player and the Mets bear. A few minutes later, this reporter was given a tip to watch closely on the monitor broadcasting the feed from the Kobayashi Kamp.

The feed being shown was running on a continuous loop.

Of course, the two non-celebrity judges were arguing amongst themselves over the two Joeys and the celebrity judge was busy apologizing for not being a responsible photographer/Tweeter for the event, so no one else seemed to notice that Kobayashi was not actually eating his hot dogs on live TV.

So where was he? What was he doing? And why would he ever stop eating hot dogs for any reason?

It was at that moment that everything stopped. Carlos Beltran stopped eating. The judges stopped bickering. Even Joey Beartran took a break to burp. What had made this event come to a complete standstill?

Apparently, Carlos Beltran had just been traded.

Even Carlos Beltran appeared to be disgusted that he was traded away at a most inopportune time.

A hush came over the crowd, especially from the Mets fans in attendance. It had been expected that Beltran would be traded to another team at some point this season. But did it have to come during the final Wiener War? And to make matters worse, was he traded to a contending team? Was he going to the American League to be a DH? No, my friends. It was far worse than that.

He was traded to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League.

Of course, this reporter knew something was wrong with the trade immediately after it was announced. Granted, Beltran was traded to a contender, as was widely expected. (Fukuoka was tied for first place with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters with identical 38-20 records as of last night.) But the Hawks already have three outstanding outfielders in Nobuhiko Matsunaka, Seiichi Uchikawa and Hitoshi Tamura. In fact, centerfielder Uchikawa is currently leading the Pacific League with a .363 batting average. Surely, Beltran was not going to displace him in the outfield.

Not only that, it was never announced who he was being traded for. It was just said that Beltran was traded for a player to be named later, which would have been the first trade in Japanese baseball history for the dreaded PTBNL.

So let's put all the facts together. Beltran is traded to a Japanese baseball team during the hot dog eating contest. Kobayashi (who just happens to be Japanese) is nowhere to be found, with his live satellite feed running on a continuous loop. The team he is traded to has "SoftBank" in its name. Who needs the Scooby Gang when unraveling this mystery was so easy?

Takeru Kobayashi had sabotaged the contest. AGAIN!

Takeru Kobayashi would've gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling Studious Metsimus kids!

So this is how it all went down. Takeru Kobayashi was on Twitter one night, going through numerous tweets, trying to find out tips on how to finally defeat his nemesis, Carlos Beltran. He came across a particular hashtag that was being repeated as if on a loop. That hashtag was #beltranissoft.

At the same time, Kobayashi noticed the Twitter chatter on the possibilities of Beltran being moved at the trade deadline. So he came up with the plan to have Beltran traded as far away as possible so that he would never win another hot dog challenge again. And since apparently, Beltran was soft, he should be traded to a team where being soft is not only acceptable, it's part of the team name, hence the trade to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The #beltranissoft hashtag being repeated ad nauseum also gave Kobayashi the idea to put his satellite transmission on a continuous loop so that no one would notice the machinations going on behind the mustard curtain.

But how exactly did we find out about Kobayashi's evil plans for world hot dog domination? It looks like our own competitive eater had something to do with it.

Let's hear it for Joey Beartran, whose keen eye (and full stomach) helped expose Kobayashi's plot.

You see, after that first dozen hot dogs, Joey Beartran came down with a bear-sized tummy ache. Apparently, no one had bothered to tell the culinary expert that having a pre-contest appetizer was not the best of plans for someone who was about to enter the Wiener War. By the time Joey had bowed out of the contest, the other Joey (Chestnut) had already decided it was too late to continue pleading his case to the judges in an effort to enter the contest. That left Carlos Beltran as the only competitor left standing, and the Wiener War winner, provided he didn't drop out of the competition.

As Joey Beartran walked away from the stage, he got bored so he decided to watch a little TV while he was waiting for Beltran to finish his last hot dog. Of course, he got frustrated when the TV he was watching kept "skipping". The TV he happened to be watching was the Kobayashi so-called "live" feed and the "skipping" was the repetition of the same hot dog being eaten over and over again. To the naked eye, it appeared as if Kobayashi was eating numerous hot dogs, but to a trained eater's eye such as Joey Beartran's, he noticed the tomfoolery immediately.

It was then that Joey came over to his colleague (yours truly) and reported what he had just witnessed. (Remember that "tip" I mentioned 17 paragraphs ago? That was Joey Beartran saving the day.) Needless to say, the two remaining judges (Anthony Weiner had been relieved of his duties due to excessive tweeting on topics not related to what he was hired for) declared Carlos Beltran the undisputed Wiener War champion of the world and the trade to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks was rescinded, making Beltran one happy Mustard Belt recipient.

Carlos Beltran relishes the moment as he shows off the Mustard Belt he received for his victory in Wiener War III.

That concludes the final Wiener War between Carlos Beltran and Takeru Kobayashi. Let's give you a happy recap of today's events.

Carlos Beltran remained the undisputed hot dog eating champion of the world, although the term "undisputed" might not be entirely accurate, as disputes were rampant during this year's Wiener War.

Joey Beartran finally had to push food away from him, as his pre-contest appetizer denied him the opportunity to finish the competition. He also was not available for the post-war interview, claiming he had some papers to shred. (Speaking of which, we never did find out what happened to Joey Chestnut's application to enter the competition. Hmm. It makes you wonder...)

Joey Chestnut decided to drown his sorrow at not being allowed to participate in the event by having some Nathan's beer-battered onion rings. And some hot dogs. And some french fries. And some more onion rings. And a burger or two. Or ten.

Anthony Weiner. Who cares? He's just a d*ck in Wiener's clothing.

As for Takeru Kobayashi, as of last check, he was posting bail and working on getting a reality show with the Food Network. There was also a rumor started on Twitter that he was planning to go to Arizona for next week's All-Star Game, but Kobayashi rebuffed the rumor, claiming that he was not attending because fellow countryman Ichiro Suzuki failed to make the All-Star team for the first time in his 11-year major league career. We think his denial had something to do with the restraining order placed on him by Carlos Beltran, who will also be in Arizona as a member of the National League All-Star team.

Well, that does it for this year. We hope all of you have a wonderful Fourth of July, doing everything that makes you proud to be an American (even if it includes stuffing your face with hot dogs). Carlos Beltran is proud. Joey Beartran is proud (and full). And so am I. Have a great holiday, everyone!

I'm standing by my pick of the Angels

Back in March, I picked the California Angels (yes, I still call them that) to win not only the American League West but also make it all the way to the World Series.

I thought they had the best pitching to win the West. I thought the weight of Toronto being taken off Vernon Wells' shoulders would have led to a resurgence in his bat. And with Kendry Morales due back at mid season, they would get a nice jolt.

And I also figured in a short playoff series, the combination of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana would have them win both the Division Series and the ALCS.

Well that pick looks... well... not so good now.
But unlike my out of the blue picking of Oakland in 2009, I am standing by my pick.

Yes their offense is awful. They keep grounding into double plays and they've been shutout as many time this year as they had all last year.

Morales isn't coming back, Wells has been a total bust and here we are in Mid June with the Angels 5 games under .500.

But here's the thing. There is talent in the lineup. Mark Trumbo has shown some pop, Howie Kendrick is a decent hitter and Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Maicer Izturis all have ability. They are in a funk.

Hitting is easier to fix than pitching, and this Angels team CAN pitch. Weaver and Haren are still pitching well, even if their win loss record doesn't reflect it. Young Jordan Walden has stepped into the closer role.

The Angels need to make a move and they need to make it sooner rather than later.

If they could bring in a player to give the team an offensive spark, the effect could be felt up and down the line up.

Imagine a player like Carlos Beltran plugged into the lineup. Remove him from the purgatory of Flushing and have him play in an outfield with Torii Hunter and Peter Bourjos (would there be a better defensive outfield in the game?)

And having him go on one last contract run could mean the likes of Abreu and Hunter and Trumbo could see more fastballs.

And also remember the Angels are only 5 games back of the Rangers with about 2/3 of the season to play. AND the Rangers always have a tough time of it in August.

(Even last year, the Rangers had a losing August. They just had such a big lead that none of the other AL West teams could take advantage of it.)

Give this lineup a new spark and the Angels could start scoring more runs and getting on a roll. Just take a look at the Red Sox to see how quickly things can turn around for a talented club.

But Arte Moreno and the management have to make a deal involving some prospects too.

Last year they made the right move, realizing that they got the best of what they could out of Joe Saunders and packaged him off for Dan Haren.

In the past the Angels have held on to players long before they have any worth in the majors or as trade bait.

(Dallas McPherson? Robb Quinlan? Brandon Wood?)

Bring Beltran to Anaheim and see the line up click.
Then see that 5 game deficit crumble.
Then see one of my picks look pretty good.

Yup. I'm standing by my pick.

Carlos Beltran Campaigns For Jose Reyes' Return

According to Mike Puma in today's New York Post, Carlos Beltran has expressed his desire to see Jose Reyes in a Mets uniform in 2012 and beyond.

After the Mets scorched the Pirates for seven runs over the final three innings of yesterday's 7-0 victory, Beltran had this to say about the front office and his teammate:

"They should make the effort and try to sign him, for sure. He grew up in this organization. I don't know what's in his mind, but players like him, they don't come too often. He's had nothing wrong with him. He's playing the game and having fun every day, so you want to have a player like that."

Carlos Beltran has always been a quiet leader on this team. His words are few and far in between, but when he says them, they're meant for people to listen. Beltran has been in the league for many years and knows a good player when he sees one. But Jose Reyes is more than just a good player. He's a great player, the type of player you build a team around, the type of player you win with.

Although Carlos Beltran might not be patrolling the outfield at Citi Field next season, he knows that the Mets shouldn't part with Reyes. Supposedly, Jose Reyes' agents have not been contacted by Sandy Alderson as of this time. It would behoove the Mets' GM to begin the conversation with Team Reyes soon. Any time wasted is time ticking away towards Reyes' departure from the only organization he's ever known.

Alderson might shy away from long-term deals, but we're not talking about D.J. Carrasco and R.A. Dickey here, who both got two-year contracts during the off-season. This is Jose Reyes, the "real" face of the franchise. (Sorry, David Wright, but this team is winning right now without you. The same would not be the case if Jose Reyes were on the DL.)

Carlos Beltran can see it. I can see it. Heck, Stevie Wonder could probably see it. Hopefully, the Mets' front office will see it as well. Jose Reyes should be a Met in 2012 and beyond.

Tom Seaver will always be known as "The Franchise". But Jose Reyes is "The Franchise" for a new generation of Mets fans. If the front office truly wants to do what's best for the team, they must re-sign the new version of "The Franchise". The Mets already had a dark time from 1977-1983 after Tom Seaver was let go. Re-signing Jose Reyes would ensure that the light of hope will continue to flicker at Citi Field for many years to come.

We (Finally) Believe In Comebacks

Comebacks. A nine-letter word that sometimes resembled a four-letter word to the Mets. After all, the Mets had not won a game in which they trailed by more than four runs all season. In fact, the last time the Mets rallied from a five-run deficit or greater was last September 15, when they defeated Pittsburgh at Citi Field. In that game, the Pirates held an early 5-0 lead, only to watch the Mets score seven runs in the fourth inning en route to the one-run victory. That game was started by Paul Maholm.

Fast forward to this afternoon. The Mets fell behind early to the Pirates by giving up an early touchdown. By the third inning, it was already 7-0 Pittsburgh (the Pirates, not the Steelers). Paul Maholm (that name sounds awfully familiar) was in control and it appeared as if the Mets were about to lose their third straight game to the Pirates.

Then after consecutive two-out singles by Jose Reyes and Justin Turner, Carlos Beltran smoked a three-run homer off the facade of the left field landing. The score was 7-3 and the rally was just beginning. The Mets then added four runs in the sixth inning to tie the game and took the lead with a two-run eighth. The second run in the eighth, which scored on a bases loaded walk by Carlos Beltran (his fourth RBI of the game) proved to be the game-winner, as Frankie Rodriguez gave up a run in the ninth before putting the 9-8 victory in the books.

So for the second straight year, Paul Maholm was given a seemingly comfortable lead at Citi Field and then watched it all crumble away as the Mets posted two unlikely comebacks.

Today's game marked the first time since June 30, 2000 that the Mets erased a seven-run deficit to come out on top. Only once have they come back from a larger hole to post a victory, wiping out an 8-0 deficit versus the Astros on September 2, 1972, to win 11-8.

The Mets' marketing slogan last year was "We Believe In Comebacks", something they did very little of in 2010. They might be a year late, but today the Mets finally believed enough to come back and post a victory in a game where they were left for dead. It's up to them to continue believing if they want to "come back" in the NL East standings.

Freddy Got (Middle) Fingered

The Mets didn’t have a game scheduled for today, but they’re still all over the back pages of the tabloids. No one threw a firecracker in a crowded parking lot. No one threw bleach on anyone. No one shouted homophobic slurs at anyone. In fact, no players were involved in the controversy. But the man who pays them is.

Mets’ chief cook and bottle washer Fred Wilpon made some interesting comments recently that were published in this week’s edition of the New Yorker magazine. In particular, he singled out four of the team’s best players. But perhaps the article may have been edited before it went to print.

The Studious Metsimus staff believes we may know what Mr. Wilpon really said to the New Yorker. After all, we once got an e-mail from him that started with “Dear Mets Friend”, so you could say we know what makes him tick. (Never mind that thousands of other people received the same e-mail. He sent it to us with love!) Here is what was printed in the New Yorker followed by what he really meant to say:


What He Said:
“(Jose Reyes) thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money. … He’s had everything wrong with him. He won’t get it.”

What He Meant:
“I wish I had Carl Crawford’s money.”


What He Said:
“We had some schmuck in New York who paid (Carlos Beltran) based on that one series. He’s sixty-five to seventy percent of what he was.”

What He Meant:
“He hit the Cardinals so well in the ’04 NLCS. Why couldn’t he take the g*dd*mn bat off his shoulders against them in the ’06 NLCS? Adam Wainwright’s got a good curve, but it ain’t no Sandy Koufax curve.”


What He Said:
“(David Wright is a) really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”

What He Meant:
“David Wright is a really good kid. A very good player. But he’s not Sandy Koufax.”


What He Said:
“(Ike Davis is a) good hitter. … Sh**ty team – good hitter.”

What He Meant:
“Ike Davis is a sh**ty hitter on a good team. No, wait. Ike Davis is a good hitter on a team with a sh**ty owner. No, that can't be right. Ike Davis took a sh*t today. Ah, f**k it! Ike Davis is Jewish like Sandy Koufax - that makes him good.”






Fred Wilpon has been alive for three-quarters of a century. He’s been collecting Social Security for over a decade now. (Hope he’s saving it.) In other words, he should be retired already! If Julio Franco could walk away before he was half a century old, than why can't his former employer do the same?

If Fred Wilpon truly loved the Mets, he’d sell the team and quit while he’s behind. The Mets have a long way to go before they can hand out World Series rings. Hopefully, the next time they do, none of them will say Wilpon on it.

First Quarter Recap: Things We Observed By Watching

Okay, so technically the first quarter of the season ended in the middle of the fifth inning on Monday, when the Mets had played 40½ games. But blogging isn't an exact science and my watch wasn't working, so let's just say the first quarter of the season just ended today. After their second consecutive shutout victory over the Washington Nationals, the Mets' record stands at 21-22. For a team that started the season by losing 13 of their first 18 games, they've made quite a turnaround.

So as we look back on those first 43 games and look ahead to the next 118 (because I'm still convinced that the Mets will have a game rained out that doesn't get made up), let's see what we observed during the first quarter and what we can look forward to over the next three-quarters of the season.

There are two things we noticed about Jason Bay. Neither one of them is very positive. Let's ignore that he banged out three hits today. Instead, let's focus on home runs and runs batted in, or the lack of them.

We still think Jason Bay is a nice guy who tries his best. Too bad his best produces strikeouts and pop-ups.

These are the career batting statistics of two former Mets, followed by Jason Bay's numbers as a Met (through games of May 18, 2011):

• Player A: 17 doubles, 5 triples, 6 HR, 60 RBI, 70 runs scored.
• Player B: 15 doubles, 5 triples, 7 HR, 65 RBI, 59 runs scored.
• Jason Bay: 23 doubles, 6 triples, 8 HR, 54 RBI, 60 runs scored.

As you can see, Player A and Player B both have career numbers comparable to Jason Bay. Who are these players? Player A is Tom Seaver and Player B is Dwight Gooden. At least Bay can say that he has numbers that compare to two of the best players ever to put on a Mets uniform. Of course, those weren't exactly the Mets players fans had in mind when they envisioned the batting marks Jason Bay would approach.

So do you know which hitter Jason Bay resembles the most? How about Chico Walker? The man who made the final out AGAINST the Mets in the game that clinched the 1986 NL East division title and the final out FOR the Mets the last time they were no-hit, put up numbers stunningly similar to the Mets' current $66 million man:

• Chico Walker: .268 AVG/.322 OBP/.382 SLG, 9 HR, 55 RBI, 21 SB in 440 at-bats.
• Jason Bay: .250 AVG/.340 OBP/.388 SLG, 8 HR, 54 RBI, 12 SB in 428 at-bats.

Perhaps with a little surge in the second quarter of the season, Bay might approach Richie Hebner's career stats for the Mets (.268, 25 doubles, 10 HR, 79 RBI in 473 at-bats).

Richie Hebner hated New York and Mets fans. I wonder if he can claim John Rocker as a dependent.

What was the other thing we noticed about Jason Bay this season? In 23 games, the Mets' leftfielder has driven in seven runs. In the last four games alone, second baseman/third baseman Justin Turner has knocked in nine.

Here are a few other things we observed over the first quarter of the season that have nothing to do with Jason Bay.

One of the newest members of the Buffalo Bisons, Chin-Lung Hu didn't do very well in his time with the Mets. In fact, he finished the first quarter of the season with more body parts in his name (two - Chin and Lung) than base hits collected (Hu notched one safety in 20 at-bats).

Jose Reyes is back to leading the National League in stolen bases, a feat he accomplished three times from 2005 to 2007. His 16 stolen bases are two more than Astros' speedster Michael Bourn. What's amazing about Reyes' stolen base total is that he also has 20 extra-base hits on the year. For those who aren't aware, it's a little difficult for Jose to steal second base when he's already standing on it or past it because he keeps churning out extra-base hit after extra-base hit. Can you say contract year, kids?

What about Reyes' partner in grime, David Wright? The recently-DL'ed third baseman has struck out 43 times in 146 at-bats this season (an average of one strikeout every 3.4 at-bats). The Mets' starting rotation (Mike Pelfrey, Jonathon Niese, R.A. Dickey, Chris Capuano, Dillon Gee) has struck out 25 times in 65 at-bats. But Chris Capuano has struck out nine times in 12 at-bats. Therefore, the other four starters have gone down on strikes only 16 times in 53 at-bats, or once every 3.3 at-bats. Perhaps his time on the DL will remind David Wright that he should stop running away from good pitches and start making contact with them.

You can run, but you can't hide (from strike three).

Over the past two seasons, the Mets finished a combined 61-101 away from Citi Field (compared to an 88-74 record at home). This year, the opposite is true, as the Mets are 11-10 on the road and 10-12 at home. Their improvement on the road will come in handy during the second quarter of the season, as the Mets will play 33 of 49 games in their road grays (and blacks) from June 7 through July 31.

Upcoming Milestones Within Reach

David Wright is tied with Darryl Strawberry for first place on the all-time runs scored list (662). But with Wright on the disabled list, Jose Reyes should become the club's all-time leader in runs scored sometime this weekend. Reyes is currently third with 660.

Similarly, Wright and Reyes are both close to passing Cleon Jones for second place on the franchise's all-time hits list. Jones is currently in second place with 1,188 hits. Wright has 1,182 safeties and Reyes has 1,178.

Carlos Beltran is 12 home runs away from cracking the top five in home runs. Dave Kingman is currently fifth with 154 home runs as a Met, while Beltran has 142. With 22 RBIs, Beltran will surpass Cleon Jones (521, 7th all-time) and Edgardo Alfonzo (538, 6th all-time) in runs batted in. Of course, with each home run and RBI, Beltran becomes more attractive to teams looking to make a trade for the rightfielder.

Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 74th save as a Met today, good for seventh on the team's all-time list. However, with 13 more saves he will pass Roger McDowell (84) and Tug McGraw (86) to enter the top five. Of course, if he finishes 38 more games this season, he will get plenty of opportunities to go even higher on the all-time saves list, as he will reach the 55-game plateau needed for his 2012 contract to vest.

Let's Enjoy Carlos Beltran While He's Still Here

Carlos Beltran has never been many things. He's never been the most popular player on the Mets. He’s never been a media darling. He’s never been the vocal rah-rah type of leader some teams have. He’s never had to be any of these people because for years, Beltran has let his play on the field do the talking for him. Yet he still has his critics.

There are some fans who will never forgive him for keeping the bat on his shoulders against Adam Wainwright. Others have difficulties with Beltran for getting injured and playing when he’s only been 85% healthy. Some fans blame him for anything they can think of, hiding behind the hash tags of #BlameBeltran on Twitter (even though the hash tag was originally created to be ironic).

The Wilpons’ financial problems? #BlameBeltran. Angel Pagan’s poor start before getting injured? #BlameBeltran. Chicken nacho stand at Citi Field out of nachos? #BlameBeltran.

It has almost gotten to the point that Beltran has become the scapegoat for any little negative blip on the Mets’ radar. Yet through all this, the Mets’ rightfielder has continued to give his best effort on the field, not allowing the negativity surrounding the team and their fans affect his production.

The latest example of this came last night in Colorado. With a lineup featuring Willie Harris as the No. 2 hitter, slumping Jason Bay batting cleanup, and Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner hitting fifth and sixth, respectively, the Mets appeared to lack punch. So what did Carlos Beltran do about it? He blasted three home runs off three different pitchers, with one coming from the left side of the plate, one from the right side and one from the mole side.

Carlos Beltran traded in his Wheaties for Rice Krispies and it showed against the Rockies. Snap! Crackle! Pop!

Beltran now has 20 extra-base hits on the season. His 12 doubles lead the league (tied with Jose Reyes, among others) and his eight home runs are one more than he hit last year after he returned from the disabled list at the All-Star Break. He has done this despite the fact that he missed most of spring training (playing in only three Grapefruit League games) and had to adjust to a new defensive position on the field.

Carlos Beltran is playing for a new contract in 2012. The last time he was playing for baseball security was in 2004 when he split his season between the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros. That year, he finished the regular season with 38 HR and 42 SB and then put up the type of dominant numbers in the post-season that are usually reserved for the 14-year-old mustachioed kid on a pre-teen Little League team.

Some might say that Beltran’s quick start for the Mets in 2011 is because of the walk year factor. If that’s the case, then what was his motivation for the 2006 to 2008 seasons, which rank among the best three-year stretches of any player in franchise history? In 2009, Beltran was hurt for most of the season, but still managed to play 81 games (exactly half the season). Even with his extended stay at the DL Hotel, he still reached double figures in home runs and stolen bases, while hitting a career-high .325, scoring 50 runs and driving in 48. In other words, he was on pace for a typical Carlos Beltran season.

Last year, he was hurt again and might have returned too quickly from his injury. However, he turned his game up a notch in September, hitting five of his seven home runs in the final month of the season and raising his batting average from the Mendoza Line to .255 at season’s end.

So yes, playing for a new contract has brought out the best in Carlos Beltran (as it would for any major leaguer), but so has good health. He didn’t have that in each of the past two seasons. Mets fans are now being treated to a healthy Carlos Beltran for the first time in three years.

There will always be people out there who will never like Beltran even if he saved their one-of-a-kind John Cena action figure from a house fire. I feel bad for those people. Instead of bad-mouthing a player who has been through all the ups and downs of the past seven seasons, giving his best on the field whenever he’s been healthy enough to play on it, they should be enjoying watching him play during his renaissance season.

More than likely, this will be Beltran’s final season (or half-season if he’s traded) with the Mets. Over the years, he has been one of the most complete players to ever put on the orange and blue, but at the same time, he has also been one of the most underappreciated players. It’s time to give Carlos Beltran the appreciation he deserves. Let’s stop trying to find new ways to #BlameBeltran and enjoy our rightfielder while he’s still here. You never know. It may be some time before a player of his caliber graces our outfield again.

The Mets and Cubs should trade their trash

I am currently writing a new post for The Hardball Times where I try to put together a mega trade involving lousy contracts.



I wrote two similar pieces last off season... one where I had a three way trade involving Vernon Wells, Alfonso Soriano and Barry Zito.



The other one was a 9 team 11 player deal that was totally insane... although one part of it DID come true: Carlos Silva was in fact traded for Milton Bradley.



So I was doing the same thing this year... put together a mega trade of insanely bad long term contracts (Zito, Wells and Soriano are still subjects although Wells did have a good year for Toronto.)



And I was going to suggest which expensive short team deals should be swapped. (As I said before, who knows? A change of scenery might be what some of these guys need.)



As I was compiling a list of rotten 2011 contracts, I noticed something.

A lot of them were Met players.

And a lot of them were on the Cubs.



It just goes to show that a big payroll does not always mean a winning product.

The Cubs had the highest payroll in the National League.

The Mets had the third highest payroll in the National League.



Both had losing seasons and were not a factor in any playoff chase.



But guess what, Cubs and Mets fans! A lot of the same players who put on an uninspired yet expensive show for you ARE COMING BACK!



I say let's shake a few things up.



Take the bad contracts for the Mets, swap them for the bad contracts from the Cubs.

The worst thing that will happen is they will both have bad teams with big payrolls.



But guess what? That will happen no matter what!



The best thing that could happen is one of the players blossoms in a new environment. Maybe a new coach will give him some good advice. Maybe a player will relax wearing a new uniform without people reminding him how awful his contract is.



Maybe a new player will just fit in well with a different group of guys.



Maybe someone will say "Hey, my contract is running out. I should pull an Adrian Beltre and put together a great season."



So let's make the big trade.

The Cubs acquire





Carlos Beltran





Jason Bay





Francisco Rodriguez





Luis Castillo



plus Cash

The Mets acquire





Carlos Zambrano







Aramis Ramirez





Kosuke Fukudome





Carlos Silva





John Grabow

So let's take a look at what each team gets...



THE CUBS

If they catch lightning in a bottle, they can get Carlos Beltran playing for one more contract and have the yoke of New York off of his shoulders.



They can get Jason Bay happy to be swinging in a hitters ballpark again.



It is safe to say that Francisco Rodriguez isn't fitting in with New York. But what if all he needs is a change of scenery?



And Luis Castillo... wouldn't it be nice to see the guy who hit "The Bartman Ball" in Wrigleyville?



THE METS

Carlos Zambrano's time in Chicago might be winding down. Yeah he looked like a good soldier coming back, but anytime a team's ace needs time away for some sort of anger management, it might be time to change addresses. If he gets his act together he can be a wonderful 1-2 punch with Santana. Or he could beat up new manager Terry Collins. Either way, it would be fun to watch.



Aramis Ramirez has been super injury prone since signing his behemoth of a contract so maybe a change of position would be ideal for him. First base? Left field? Or probably sitting his butt on the bench while on the disabled list.



Kosuke Fukudome hasn't been the Ichiro type of superstar that the Cubs were hoping for. But he has some pop in his bat and maybe decreased expectations could help. Thanks to Kaz Matsui, there is no way he will ever be the biggest Japanese flop in Mets history. And if he plays badly for the Mets, it's not like he has a last name that New York fans could turn into an obscene chant.



With Carlos Silva the Mets get a guy who got off to a great start last year before injuries caught up with him. Perhaps he can stay healthy long enough to contribute. After Santana, Pelfrey and Zambrano, he'd be a nice #4 starter.



And John Grabow had a truly rotten year for the Cubs... but he is left handed and can pitch, ergo he is a millionaire several times over.







After the dust settles on this trade, the Cubs would have sent $82.16 million in payroll to the Mets.



The Mets would have sent $87 million in payroll to the Cubs (so the cash makes up the difference.)



And after 2011, all of the players would be off the Mets roster save for Carlos Zambrano who would have one more season at $18 million... so they would have almost $65 million of salaries coming off the books for 2012.



The Cubs? They would be on the hook for Jason Bay, but he could be an ideal fit in that hitters ballpark the way he was in Boston. Meanwhile they'd have $55 million to spend after the 2011 season.



But then again, neither one of these teams seem very good at spending money wisely. Otherwise they wouldn't have to deal all of these big contracts.



Now for those of you who are wondering why I didn't include Alfonso Soriano nor Oliver Perez in these deals... well just wait. I am working out two more blockbuster trades that should happen but won't.



Players WILL be on the move!



At least in my strange parallel universe.