METS 2001 OFF-SEASON NEWS
February 10 Mets and Shawn Estes agreed to a 1-year $6.2 million dollars contract, avoiding arbitration. Estes can make another $175,000 in bonuses, based on innings pitched. Last season, Estes was 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA when his salary was $4 million. Mets haven't had a player go to arbitration since David Cone in 1992.
January 31 Mets signed Inf. John Valentin to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. If he makes the team, he will receive $550,000 and with an additional $450,000 in incentives. Valentin has been injured the past 2 seasons with a ruptured knee tendon and foot problems, but he is a career .281 hitter with 127 home runs. However, Valentin worked out a couple of weeks ago and says he is 100%. Valentin will back up the infield and play some left field if he makes the team.
Mets sent Ross Gload back to the Rockies. Gload was a part of the Jeromy Burnitz' 3-way trade.
January 21 In a 3-team, 11-player trade Mets acquired power hitting OF Jeromy Burnitz from the Brewers. Along with Burnitz, Mets got OF Mark Sweeney, P. Jeff D'Amico, utility man Lou Collier, and money from the Brewers. Rockies sent minor leaguers Craig House and Ross Gload to the Mets as well. Mets traded P. Glendon Rusch and PH Lenny Harris to the Brewers and Brewers also received OF Alex Ochoa from the Rockies. Mets also traded 1B/3B Todd Zeile, OF Benny Agbayani, and money to the Rockies.
The key person is Burnitz, who returns to shea for the 2nd time, will fill a huge hole in Mets outfield. Last season, Burnitz hit .251 with 33 hrs and 100 rbis. D'amico is a bit of a risk because last season he appeared in only 10 games because of a compressed nerve in his upper arm. However in 2000, D'Amico was 12-7 with a 2.66 ERA. Both Sweeney and Collier saw limited time with the Brewers last season. Zeile became expendable after Mets got Mo Vaughn, he hit .266 with 10 hrs and 62 rbis, but had elbow surgery in November. Rusch was 8-12 with a 4.63 ERA and is an enigma. Harris became MLB's pinch hit leader (151) in October. Agbayani only appeared in 91 games hitting 6 hrs and 27 rbis, but had season-ending surgery on his right hand.
January 16 Mets signed P. Pedro Astacio to a 1-year contract worth $5 million, but he can make additional $6 million in performance bonuses if he pitches 230 innings. Astacio's contract will become guarantee for 2003 if he pitches 180 innings. Astacio was 8-14 with a 5.09 ERA in 26 starts for the Rockies and Astros last season. However, Astacio had a partial tear in his right shoulder at the end of the season, but with a rehabilitation program he was able to pitch in the Dominican Republic winter league and he was pain free in 4 starts. Mets saw him pitch in those starts and are confident his arm is healthy. Phillips said "you never have assurances, there is some level of risk, but we expect him to be healthy." Mets brought Astacio to NY today for a MRI and it was negative. Astacio, 32, is 103-96 with a 4.50 ERA lifetime.
Mets also signed OF Darren Bragg to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Last season, Bragg played for Mets and Yankees.
January 10 Mets signed pitcher Adam Walker to a 1-year contract. Walker was acquired with Bruce Chen for Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook in July.
Mets announced Ted Robinson will join their broadcast team. Robinson will broadcast 100 games both on radio and on TV. For the last 9 years, Robinson broadcasted games for the SF Giants. Robinson, 45 and a NY native, also does the Olympics, tennis, and basketball,
December 28 Mets purchased the contract of Gary Mathews Jr. from the Pirates. Mathews, an outfielder, batted .227 with 14 hrs and 44 rbis last season with the Cubs and Pirates.
Mets also signed lhp John Frascatore to a minor league contract and invited him to Spring Training.
December 27 In a blockbuster trade, Mets acquired 1b Mo Vaughn and cash from the Angels for P Kevin Appier. Originally, Mets and Angels completed the trade last weekend pending Vaughn restructing his contract to defer some of the money. Vaughn and Mets agreed on a contract Wednesday night, but the Players' Union stepped in and they objected at some of the language in it. So today, Vaughn's agent, Jeff Moorad, and Steve Phillips worked out a contract that the Union approved. Vaughn will get a set payout schedule of the deferred money instead of an interest rate adjustment. Vaughn will also received an increased no-trade protection
Vaughn was injured all last season, he suffered a ruptured left biceps tendon. However, a Mets contingent traveled last week to Mo's house in Boston to see him take batting practice. Phillips said Mo looked very healthy and ready to have a big comeback season. In 2000, Vaughn hit .272 with 36 hrs and 117 rbis and has 299 career hrs. Vaughn, 34 and a native of Connecticut, wanted to come home and is very happy. Appier was 11-10 with a 3.57 ERA. Vaughn is due to make $10 million in 2002 while Appier is due $9 million.
December 20 Mets did not tender a contract to reliever Rick White, thus making him a free agent. White was 4-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 1 save in 55 appearances last season.
December 19 Mets signed OF Benny Agbayani to a 1-year contract worth $600,000 plus incentives, thus avoiding arbitration. Agbayani was rumored to be signing a contract with a Japan team, but it fell through. Mets also signed 1B/OF Mark Johnson and reliever Bobby Jones to 1-year deals and invited them to Spring Training.
December 16 In yet another trade, Mets acquired LHP Shawn Estes from the Giants for OF Tsuyoshi Shinjo and INF Desi Relaford. Estes was 9-8 last season with a 4.02 ERA in 27 starts. Estes was an All-Star in 1997 when he won 19 games and is 64-50 with a 4.25 ERA in 160 career starts. Estes, 27, thinks a change of scenery might help him. In his first season with the Mets, Shinjo was impressive hitting .267 with 10 hrs and 56 rbis and was great defensively. Shinjo led all rookies with 12 outfield assists. Relaford, basically a journeyman, had a great year hitting .302 with 8 hrs and 36 rbis.
December 14 Less than a week that Mets traded for him, Mets traded David Justice to the Athletics for reliever Mark Guthrie and a minor leaguer pitcher Tyler Yates. Mets also gave the Athletics $1.2 millions to offset Justice's salary. Guthrie, a lefthander, was 6-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 1 save. Guthrie gives Mets insurance in case John Franco is not ready for Opening Day. This move frees up about $5 millions for Mets to go after a power hitting outfielder.
December 13 You can go home again as Mets signed OF Roger Cedeno to a 4-year deal worth $18 millions. Cedeno played for the Mets in 1999. Last season with the Tigers, Cedeno hit .293 with 55 stolen bases. Cedeno is thrilled about coming to the Mets again and he took less money to play for them. Roger also received a $1.5 million signing bonus.
In the second move of the day, Mets signed reliever David Weathers to a 3-year contract worth $9.4 million dollars that includes incentives and a $1 million dollars signing bonus. Weathers was 4-5 with a 2.40 ERA and 4 saves last season with the Brewers and Cubs. Weathers will assume Turk Wendell's spot in the bullpen, the 7th and 8th inning set-up man. Weathers appeared in a career best 80 games last season.
Mets also completed the Roberto Alomar's trade by sending Billy Traber, Mets #1 draft pick in 2000, and Earl Snyder to the Indians as the players to be named later.
December 11 Today, Mets obtained 12 time perennial All-Star Roberto Alomar from the Indians in an 8 player swap. Mets traded OF's Matt Lawton and Alex Escobar, relief pitcher Jerrod Riggan, and 2 players to be named. Mets also received 2 minor leaguers, Mike Bacsik and Danny Peoples. Alomar, 33, is considered one of the 10 best 2nd baseman in MLB history. Robbie can do it all; he can hit, hit for power, run, and he is great defensively. Last season, Alomar batted .336 with 20 hrs, 100 rbis, 34 doubles, 12 triples, and 30 stolen bases. He also made only 6 errors. Alomar is thrilled about coming to NY, batting in front of Mike Piazza, and the chance to be in the World Series. This trade was in the works for a long time; GM Phillips called Indians' GM Mike Shapiro almost every day since the World Series. Matt Lawton, obtained from the Twins for Rick Reed in July, only batted .246 with 3 hrs and 21 rbis. Jerrod Riggan pitched well last season, going 3-1 with a 3+ ERA. Alex Escobar showed some flashes in 18 games, but he is prone to the strikeout. To get a quality All-Star, you have to give up quality in return. This trade also means Edgardo Alfonzo will move over to 3rd base next season.
December 7 In the first trade of the cross-town rivals in more than 8 years, Mets traded 3b Robin Ventura to the Yankees for RF David Justice. This is pretty much of a even trade; both players are coming off a sub-par season, both are entering the final year of their contracts, and Ventura will make 8.25 millions while Justice will make 7 millions. Justice batted .241 with 18 hrs and 51 rbis, but he spent 2 stints on the DL and he looked terrible in the World Series. However, he will provide the Mets with the much needed left-hander, power hitting outfielder. Ventura batted .237 with 21 hrs and 61 rbis. Ventura will be most remembered by hitting the "Grand Slam Single" in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS in the 15th inning.
OF Timo Perez will have surgery to remove a bone he fractured in his right hand during Winter Ball. He should be ready by the start of spring training.
December 3 Pitcher John Franco underwent successful elbow surgery to remove scar tissue from his right elbow. He should be ready by the middle of spring training. Franco experienced the pain during the season, he tried resting it in November, but it didn't solve the problem. Mets expect Franco to be back and fully healthy.
December 1 Mets signed Japanese pitcher Satoru Komiyama to a 1-year contract worth $200,000 with an option for 2003. Komiyama will also receive a $300,000 signing bonus. In Japan, Komiyama is known as the "Japanese Greg Maddux" because he has outstanding control. Last season, he went 12-9 with a 3.03 ERA. Komiyama, 36, was a seven-time All-Star in Japan.
November 28 Mets resigned utility man Joe McEwing to a 1-year contract worth $750,000, avoiding arbitration.
John Stearns has decided to stay with the Mets as a Major League scout.
November 6 Mets picked up the option on Tsuyoshi Shinjo's contract that will pay him $1.35 million dollars for next season. Shinjo, in his first season with the Mets after coming from Japan, batted .268 with 10 home runs and 56 rbis in 111 games. Shinjo also led all rookies with 11 outfield assists.
Todd Zeile underwent successful elbow surgery, removing bone spurs and should be ready for spring training.
October 26 Mets named Bobby Floyd as the manager of Norfolk Tides in Triple A, replacing John Gibbons. Floyd was let go as the Bench Coach, but decided to accept the manager job. Gibbons was said to be unhappy because he thought he should have gotten a coaching position when Floyd and John Stearns were let go.
October 19 Mets shook up their coaching staff a little, reassigning John Stearns and Bobby Floyd, and hiring Matt Galante as the 3rd base coach and Tom Robson as the bench coach. Galante became available after Astros manager, Larry Dierker, resigned and is a very experienced 3rd base coach. Galante is from Staten Island, but spent 20 years in the Astros' organization, he is thrilled to be coming home. Robson will begin his 3rd tour of duty with the Mets, but this time as the bench coach. The last 2 times, he served as the hitting coach. Robson will be also available to Dave Engle if a certain player needs any help.
The rest of the coaching staff will remain the same; Charlie Hough - Pitching Coach, Dave Engle - Hitting/Catching Coach, Mookie Wilson - 1st Base/Outfield Coach, and Randy Niemann - Bullpen Coach.
