walkoff_homerun

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If we were his only suitor why would we give him such a large amount of money? I mean, if nobody wanted the guy we should have offered him much less, correct? It's obvious we were bidding for his services against SOMEBODY. 660195[/snapback] At the time Yankees were showing some interest and Al wanted to stay in NY. 660199[/snapback] Oh so the Marlins weren't the only team who wanted him? So Loria actually did have to talk him into coming here instead of the NEW YORK YANKEES? 660205[/snapback] Al spoke to the Yankees but their interest was mixed. I don't remember but I think the Yankees spoke to him and never really made him a good offer. Yankees explored the possibilty because they needed a lefty for their Redsox rivalry. But I do remember the Marlins went after AL hard and were very aggressive. Met fans were surprised at the figure AL was able to get. Met fans were also wondering if the Marlins were going to sign him before the abritration deadline for Al to resign with the Mets. The Marlins would of lost a draft pick. But the Marlins waited. I guess they finally figured out that they were bidding against themselves.

If we were his only suitor why would we give him such a large amount of money? I mean, if nobody wanted the guy we should have offered him much less, correct? It's obvious we were bidding for his services against SOMEBODY. 660195[/snapback] At the time Yankees were showing some interest and Al wanted to stay in NY.

Omar gave him a lowball 4million take it or leave it offer figuring he would leave it. But Al actually took it so Omar had to pull the offer. :blink:

great, go talk about it on a Mets board. 660178[/snapback] I was trying to talk about Marlins pitcher Al Leiter.

Actually I think Zambrano is going to make Met fans forget about Kazmir. 660159[/snapback] yea, that wont be happening 660171[/snapback] Zambrano is about 12-0 vs the NL. Is a career 37-27 on a bad Rays team. Was actually their ace. He is an intimidating pitcher. Batters do not exactly feel comfortable standing in the batters box when he pitches.

How many white guys are on the Mets now? Piazza, Phillips, Wright, and who else? If Al Leiter was the reason the Mets traded Kazmir for Zambrano than Minaya is racist. 660160[/snapback] Sorry I don't follow your logic. Jim Duquette was the GM not Minaya when Kazmir was traded.

oh yea.. mets knew they made a STUPID move in trading Kazmir.. might as well blame it on Leiter. 660151[/snapback] Actually I think Zambrano is going to make Met fans forget about Kazmir. Zambrano got hurt so the fans got down on him because he was traded for Kazmir. As far as Al goes. I'm just trying to give Marlins fans a feel about what his role was in the Mets org Fred Wilpon listened to his advice. Both Leiter and Glavine. Rumor has it that Leiter pushed for Zambrano.

there's a delgado thread 660140[/snapback] If you want to add the article to the Delgado thread go ahead. My intention is to have a thread on Leiter. :hat

Before Omar Minaya took over the GM job for the Mets many of the org's baseball decisions were made by team owner Fred Wilpon and an array of baseball advisors he hired or had an ear for. Fred is not baseball savy and he had to many cooks offering their input. It only resulted in poor decision making. Among those who Fred Wilpon relied on for advice and input which by the way Fred listened and adhered to their advice were players like Glavine, Franco and Leiter. You get a sense why the Mets made many poor decisions and were the laughingstock in baseball. Al Leiter had plenty of influence and rumor has it that he was behind the Mets decision of trading Scott Kazmir for V. Zambrano. Leiter is very intelligent well liked and kept good contact with political figures such as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It is well known that once Al retires he may enter a career in politics or join the broadcast booth. He had strong ties in NY and never wanted to leave. He along with other aging ballplayers had too much of a grip on the Mets ownership and front office. Omar Minaya had to do a house cleaning. Al Leiter needed to go if the Mets are to move forward. Al was an undermining threat to Omar Minaya and his ability and need to have autonomy and success. Al also is at a point where his skills and ability to stay healthy are erroding. He is barely a 5 inning pitcher and in recent years has struggled to get to the 6 inning barrier. It appears it didn't take Al long to entrench his influence in the Marlins ownership and front office as well. Al has that ability. Maybe he should retire and become a GM. So to all Marlin fans, beware and keep an eye out. At this point in his career his skills are fast erroding but his mouth only becomes more refined.

Mets: Leiter out to beat ex-teammates Wednesday, January 19, 2005 BY DON BURKE Star-Ledger Staff Shunned last month by Mets general manager Omar Minaya, Al Leiter was an integral part of that nine-man Florida Marlins SWAT team that rolled out the teal carpet for Carlos Delgado in Miami last weekend. Leiter loves New York and, until six weeks ago, he loved the Mets. But this was business, and if he could keep Minaya from having another smiling Diamond Club press conference to announce still another free-agent signing, Leiter wanted to do his part. Now a member of the Marlins rotation, Leiter said he didn't badmouth the Mets while chatting with the free-agent first baseman for the better part of Saturday afternoon. Instead, the pitcher tried to sell his former teammate with the Toronto Blue Jays on the merits of becoming a Marlin. In a phone conversation yesterday, Leiter -- who signed with the Marlins after negotiations with the Mets fell apart -- reiterated he would have preferred to remain in Flushing. But the pitcher said it was clear almost from the moment Minaya took over in September that he was no longer wanted. "My intention was not to leave New York," Leiter said. "I was living out my childhood dream. My intention was to sign back with the Mets, but it was clear that Omar had other ideas. "I'm absolutely convinced that Omar does have full autonomy. It's his show. I know, for a fact, that Fred and Jeff Wilpon (the Mets principal owner and his son, the team's chief operating officer) didn't want me gone. Jim Duquette (the team's senior vice president of baseball operations) didn't want me to leave. Omar did, and that was pretty clear right from the start." After reaching an impasse in their negotiations, the Mets and the 39-year-old Leiter had agreed to explore other options. But when Leiter went back to Minaya and said he was willing to accept the team's most recent offer, he said Minaya told him there was no longer an offer on the table. "At some point, after we agreed we'd explore other options, Al said he was interested in coming back," Minaya said the day Leiter signed with the Marlins. "I thought some things out, and I had some potential deals out there. ...There were some things in the market that I felt as general manager, we should explore." One of those things, of course, was the signing of Pedro Martinez, whom the Mets eventually landed with a four-year, $53-million deal. "There are ways to negotiate that make it look like you want to get a deal done even when you don't," Leiter said. "(Minaya) should have just said, 'I don't want you.'" So Saturday, the unwanted Leiter found himself seated at Joe's Stone Crab, a Miami institution, with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, general manager Admin Beinfest and several other Marlins officials. All were trying to convince Delgado and his agent, David Sloane, that south Florida -- and not Queens -- was the place for the slugger to continue his career. Leiter pointed out the proximity of Miami to Delgado's native Puerto Rico. He mentioned the advantages of playing at the newly christened Dolphins Stadium (formerly Pro Player Stadium) rather than at Shea Stadium which, statistically, is one of the most difficult ballparks in the majors for home-run hitters. And he asked Delgado about the allure of becoming the final piece in what the Marlins hope will be an all-Latin infield. "I was straightforward. I wasn't there to bash," Leiter said. "I wasn't about to say anything derogatory about the Mets. I was just an example of someone who had played recently in New York. "I love the city. I immersed myself in it, but I've played in different cities. I just wanted him to know why it's different (in New York)." Marlins officials met with Delgado again yesterday. In an e-mail message, Sloane described the meeting with the Marlins as "very productive." "We will continue to talk to all four teams (Mets, Marlins, Orioles and Rangers) in the hope that our dialogue moves us closer to a deal for Carlos," he wrote. Meanwhile, the Mets sent a bevy of representatives to the Dominican Republic yesterday. Minaya, manager Willie Randolph and center fielder Carlos Beltran, among others, traveled to the organization's training complex on the outskirts of Santo Domingo. There, the Mets are scheduled to hold a clinic for local children today and they hope to meet with Delgado and Sloane before returning home. "He's a good guy," Leiter said of Delgado. "He brings so much more than just home runs to a team. He's smart. He's articulate. He's an imposing guy to have in the lineup. I'd love to have him down there." As for the Mets, Leiter said he doesn't "care what they do." "I'm no longer a fan," he said, "at least while I'm still playing." Mets: Leiter out to beat ex-teammates