Have you seen the back sports page of today's edition of Newsday???

 

:thumbdown

What does it say?

Color photo of Delgado with headline -

 

"Mets may revisit Delgado pursuit"

METS

 

Second chance at 1st

Marlins shopping Delgado, giving Mets another shot at slugger

 

BY KEN DAVIDOFF

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

 

November 10, 2005

 

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- The Mets could have a chance to try again on their biggest whiff of last winter.

 

Carlos Delgado chose the Marlins over the Mets while a free agent in January, and now, with the Marlins needing to slash payroll, he is being shopped around the general managers' meetings, according to an industry official.

 

The Mets would be a last trade resort for the Marlins, given that they share space in the National League East. Yet the Mets would be able to pick up a significant amount of the money ($48 million over three years) that the Marlins owe Delgado. The Mets badly want an impact, power bat, and if acquiring Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox proves impossible, then Delgado, a first baseman, would become more desirable.

 

Also at the meetings yesterday, Mets general manager Omar Minaya and his staff met with Darek Braunecker and Mark Rodgers, the representatives for free-agent starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. Despite having an abundance of starters, the Mets are looking to upgrade their rotation, with Kris Benson and Steve Trachsel the most likely trade chips.

 

Burnett and Delgado were Marlins teammates in 2005, and Delgado lived up to his four-year, $52-million contract, hitting .301 with 33 homers and 115 RBIs in Pro Player Stadium, a pitcher's ballpark.

 

The Marlins finished a disappointing third, however, and their efforts to land a new stadium in downtown Miami, with a retractable dome, failed again. Hence the need to trim their $65-million payroll.

 

Delgado, who does not have a no-trade clause, said that team owner Jeffrey Loria assured him, late in the regular season, that he wouldn't be dealt. Yet Loria hasn't publicly repeated that assertion. Yesterday, Marlins GM Admin Beinfest declined comment about Delgado's situation.

 

On Tuesday night, Delgado's agent, David Sloane (who clashed with some Mets officials during last year's free-agent negotiations), arranged a conference call for his client with Miami area reporters.

 

While reiterating his desire to stay with the Marlins, Delgado expressed his frustration with the rumblings that the Marlins were gauging his worth among other teams.

 

"The more I think about it, the more distracting it is," Delgado said from his Puerto Rico home. "I'm getting married next month. I'd like to have an idea where I'm going for spring training."

 

Sloane added, "I told Admin all he had to do was say, 'We're not shopping Carlos.' He said, 'I don't want to do that.' "

 

The Mariners and Orioles have interest in Delgado, and the Marlins would prefer to trade him to the American League, making a Delgado arrival at Shea Stadium less likely. But if the Mets struggle to acquire Ramirez, Adam Dunn or Gary Sheffield, they could offer more money to keep Delgado in the division.

 

The Mets might also have to work through the tensions of last year to land Delgado. Sloane and Mets executive Tony Bernazard clashed so much that Delgado's side eventually requested that Bernazard be kept out of the discussions. During spring training, Delgado observed that the Mets focused too much on his Latino heritage while recruiting him.

 

The Mets lost Mike Piazza's huge salary from their payroll, and officials are confident they'll at least be allowed to match their 2005 budget of roughly $101 million, if not increase it.

 

Burnett, the pitcher expected to hit the best free-agent payday, seems like a poor fit for the Mets, given his maturity problems with the Marlins. The Blue Jays already have hosted Burnett and are the favorites to land him.

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

Crap... :crying

I honestly dont think Carlos is going anywhere

Call me an idiot, call me delusional, call me overly optimistic, but the fact still remains, this "headline" comes as a result of three things:

 

1) A slow sports day in New York because the Knicks game was in Portland and the Rangers never get headlines.

 

2) No Yankee new of consequence, or any further Mets related Manny/Ryan/Wagner news.

 

3) The insistance of the local Florida media to beat a dead-horse with this Delgado story. Delgado's been "shopped" since seemingly the day after he signed. If the local media simply followed Beinfest's lead and took a "no comment" on non-news, there wouldn't be endless speculation on out of town papers.

 

The Post, Newsday, the Daily News, the Bergen Record, etc. are not reporting "new news" they're simply regurgitating Capozzi's "anonymous" reports and putting a Mets friendly spin on them.

 

FWIW, Gammons said yesterday that he doesn't see a situation that allows the Marlins to unload Delgado's salary and keep winning, and since he said we need to keep winning to make progress on the stadium front (which is probably the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year), he thinks that in the end Delgado stays.

 

Is it alarming that Beinfest wouldn't give a definitive answer? Yeah, but most of you know that I think Beinfest is a poor GM when it comes to dealing with the media and other people. Heck, if you remember he almost walked away from Delgado all together last offseason because he was tired of Sloane's negotiating process, Samson made him stick in it. Beinfest's not exactly a people person...

Call me an idiot, call me delusional, call me overly optimistic, but the fact still remains, this "headline" comes as a result of three things:

 

1) A slow sports day in New York because the Knicks game was in Portland and the Rangers never get headlines.

 

2) No Yankee new of consequence, or any further Mets related Manny/Ryan/Wagner news.

 

3) The insistance of the local Florida media to beat a dead-horse with this Delgado story. Delgado's been "shopped" since seemingly the day after he signed. If the local media simply followed Beinfest's lead and took a "no comment" on non-news, there wouldn't be endless speculation on out of town papers.

 

The Post, Newsday, the Daily News, the Bergen Record, etc. are not reporting "new news" they're simply regurgitating Capozzi's "anonymous" reports and putting a Mets friendly spin on them.

 

FWIW, Gammons said yesterday that he doesn't see a situation that allows the Marlins to unload Delgado's salary and keep winning, and since he said we need to keep winning to make progress on the stadium front (which is probably the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year), he thinks that in the end Delgado stays.

 

Is it alarming that Beinfest wouldn't give a definitive answer? Yeah, but most of you know that I think Beinfest is a poor GM when it comes to dealing with the media and other people. Heck, if you remember he almost walked away from Delgado all together last offseason because he was tired of Sloane's negotiating process, Samson made him stick in it. Beinfest's not exactly a people person...

 

 

Wow a positive statement from Gammons on the Marlins huh? Well it makes the most sense because if this team starts to lose again like it did a few years ago and attendance drops, there is no way in a cold day in Miami that the Marlins will be given the money to get that new stadium. The fact remains that this team needs to stay competitive and the FO needs to keep a winning product on the field for as long as possible. I don't care what the New York media says, Delgado isn't going anywhere including the Mets.

I find Delgado and Sloane's growing conflict with the Marlins Front Office mildly interesting, but nothing else new in the article. I do find it funny that all of the speculation that Dlegado could be dealt is nothing but the media's imagination, but if Gammon's has a feeling he won't be dealt it's as good as words from Loria's mouth and "the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year" . Give it a break, Gammons hasn't said anything intelligent in 10 years -- that "feeling" was probably him just taking another crap in his Depends.

 

On Edit:

And FWIW I hope he stays in Miami, I want no part of that ridiculous back loaded contract.

but if Gammon's has a feeling he won't be dealt it's as good as words from Loria's mouth and "the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year" . Give it a break, Gammons hasn't said anything intelligent in 10 years -- that "feeling" was probably him just taking another crap in his Depends.

 

 

I was referring to him saying that winning in the short term is more important for the team than saving money in the short term given the undecided stadium situation. Reading comprehension goes a long way towards snuffing out name-calling.

 

and since he said we need to keep winning to make progress on the stadium front (which is probably the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year)

:thumbup

but if Gammon's has a feeling he won't be dealt it's as good as words from Loria's mouth and "the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year" . Give it a break, Gammons hasn't said anything intelligent in 10 years -- that "feeling" was probably him just taking another crap in his Depends.

 

 

I was referring to him saying that winning in the short term is more important for the team than saving money in the short term given the undecided stadium situation. Reading comprehension goes a long way towards snuffing out name-calling.

 

and since he said we need to keep winning to make progress on the stadium front (which is probably the most intelligent Marlins related info to come out of the national media all year)

:thumbup

 

:lol :notworthy

I will side with Mets_bs on one thing, though, the war of words between Sloane and the front-office is interesting.

Sloane is just protecting his client and his client may be antsy because his bride-to-be is antsy.

 

There's a million reasons (well, not a million but you know what I mean) why Delgado/Sloane are reacting to rumors this way. It almost seems like he's inviting a trade, but since we have to depend on the hack community to report what transpired on the conference call, it's really difficult to know the motivation behind it.

It almost seems like he's inviting a trade

 

 

What makes you think that???? He's not opposed to a trade if the Marlins are going to suck.

Sloane is just protecting his client and his client may be antsy because his bride-to-be is antsy.

 

There's a million reasons (well, not a million but you know what I mean) why Delgado/Sloane are reacting to rumors this way. It almost seems like he's inviting a trade, but since we have to depend on the hack community to report what transpired on the conference call, it's really difficult to know the motivation behind it.

 

 

Here's what I was referring to:

 

Comments by Delgado's agent upset Marlins

By Joe Capozzi

 

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

 

Thursday, November 10, 2005

 

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. ? Marlins officials are angry that Carlos Delgado's agent turned to the media to complain about the team's unwillingness to dismiss trade rumors about the first baseman.

 

"We've got a business to run. We're not going to respond to every stunt an agent decides to pull off," Marlins Vice President P.J. Loyello said Wednesday.

 

Owner Jeffrey Loria and President David Samson had no comment, but sources said both men were livid that agent David Sloane publicly questioned the team's motives Tuesday night in a hastily planned conference call.

 

It's unclear whether the episode will affect Florida's efforts to unload Delgado, who is owed $48 million in the next three years under a four-year, $52 million contract he signed in January.

 

Although Delgado said Loria told him in September he would not be traded, the front office has been telling teams at the general managers' meetings here that Delgado and third baseman Mike Lowell are available.

 

There also is a chance both players still will be Marlins when spring training opens because of the difficulty of unloading $66 million in contract obligations.

 

"There aren't too many clubs that can take on that kind of salary," said New York Mets GM Omar Minaya, whose team lost out to the Marlins last winter in bidding for Delgado.

 

The Marlins, who finished second-to-last in NL attendance, are trying to cut costs by unloading both contracts. But the irony, according to industry sources, is that the team may have to sweeten potential trades by paying for some of those contracts, a strategy the Marlins probably can't afford.

 

"I don't know how they're going to do it," said one American League official who has been briefed on Florida's plans.

 

It's not impossible. In 2002, the Marlins were able to dump $54 million in contractual obligations to outfielder Preston Wilson and catcher Charles Johnson by pulling off a complicated three-team trade.

 

Under that deal, the Colorado Rockies got Wilson and Johnson and sent pitcher Mike Hampton to the Atlanta Braves. The Marlins got center fielder Juan Pierre and relief pitcher Tim Spooneybarger and agreed to pay Atlanta $30 million toward Hampton's contract in the next three years.

 

Florida could pull off a similar deal to unload Delgado and Lowell.

 

"There is no impossible task when it comes to moving contracts and players," said Palm City attorney Mark Rodgers, who helped engineer the 2002 deal as Hampton's agent.

 

"The difficulty is it takes a lot of energy and creativity and it takes willing parties. There's going to be interest in (Delgado) and the Marlins have proven in the Hampton situation to be extremely creative in doing what it took to get that done within reason."

 

Delgado made $4 million in 2005 but is owed $13.5 million in 2006. His contract, which does not have a no-trade clause, was structured to escalate each year because the team anticipated new revenue from a stadium deal, which has stalled.

 

The Marlins also have competition in finding takers because the Phillies are trying to move first baseman Jim Thome. Thome, who missed most of last season with injuries, is owed at least $46 million in the next three years, but the Phillies may be content to stick with Ryan Howard, who filled in for Thome and won the National Rookie of the Year award.

 

Delgado was bothered by hand and wrist problems but played in 144 games and batted.301 with 33 home runs and 115 RBI.

 

The Mets are said to have interest in Delgado but the Marlins may be reluctant to trade him to a division rival. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles could be possibilities, especially if those teams acquired him as a possible designated hitter.

 

If Delgado is traded to a New York team, the $13.5 million he is owed next year would increase by more than $1 million in 2006 because of a kicker in his contract that increases pay to account for New York's state income tax.

 

Lowell, who won his first Gold Glove, is owed $9 million each in 2006 and '07. But his batting slump dates to the second half of the 2004 season and he finished last season at.236 with six homers and 57 RBI.

 

 

Again, the meat of this story comes from Capozzi's "anonymous sources" so take of it what you will.

We all have to remember there's more to this than what we get from the media. Obviously there's a backstory here we're not privy to and all we can do is guess at the motives of Sloane, Delgado and Beinfest (and the organization).

 

As I proffered above, it may have nothing to do with baseball per se.

 

I have noticed that none of the local papers have mentioned Delgado's "out clause", while out of town papers have. If anything ruins Delgado's trade value it's that. For example, from the Seattle Times:

 

"... If Delgado became available, he could be the ideal acquisition. He hit .301 for the Marlins, with 33 homers and 115 runs batted in, numbers the Mariners once envisioned for him at Safeco Field.

 

The downside: the money, the knowledge that Delgado has balked in the past at being a designated hitter, and the fact he could demand a trade after one season (having been dealt in the midst of a multi-year contract)."

 

 

http://www.king5.com/sports/mariners/stori...G.29011f8c.html

There are two issues being confused here, as I see it:

1. whether Delgado IS ACTUALLY being shopped at the GM Meetings

2. whether Delgado SHOULD BE shopped (here is where the debate should be)

 

 

1. I don't understand why there is the constant denial of the fact that he is being shopped. It makes sense for a team with low revenue streams to look into exchanging their most expensive asset. I fail to believe that mlb.com or Peter Gammons would comment on the story of Delgado being shopped without first confirming it through their own sources. Debating this point is silly since none of us have any idea what's actually going on.

CONCLUSION: I don't have much doubt that he is actually being shopped.

 

 

2. This is a matter of opinion, obviously. Here is the debate... I, for one, see no problem with looking into it. See what offers are put on the table. If there is something that makes fiscal sense and makes the team better, then you pull the trigger. However, I do know some people don't agree because of the message it sends or the damage to the Marlins' reputation.

Penn, put another way, there is no "right" answer. It's a matter of conjecture and as long as we're only getting part of the story, all we can do is make an educated guess. It kind reminds me of that old decision-making tool where you take a piece of paper and divide it down the middle, listing the Pros to one side and the Cons to the other.

 

There's a case to be made on both sides.

Unreal that some of you honestly believe this is the media's fault. You are in denial that Delgado is being shopped. The same people who said this was all dug up in September by a Gammons story and that nothing since has any truth to it, we now find out that the media reports are accurate. Delgado is being shopped. The Mets, indeed, as was reported are interested. When Delgado is traded, and it is so clear that he will be, I can't wait to read your responses. The facts are in your faces and you choose to ignore them. The team has botched this badly. No big name free agent will look to sign here after seeing how Delgado is twisting in the wind. Not that the team is in position to sign any big free agents because this club will not win more than 75 games next year. Losing Jack is going to prove to be the biggest loss of the season. The club never won before Jack arrived and we will see if they can win now that he is gone.

this club will not win more than 75 games next year.

Can't wait to watch you eat crow next season. :thumbup

Unreal that some of you honestly believe this is the media's fault. You are in denial that Delgado is being shopped. The same people who said this was all dug up in September by a Gammons story and that nothing since has any truth to it, we now find out that the media reports are accurate. Delgado is being shopped. The Mets, indeed, as was reported are interested. When Delgado is traded, and it is so clear that he will be, I can't wait to read your responses. The facts are in your faces and you choose to ignore them. The team has botched this badly. No big name free agent will look to sign here after seeing how Delgado is twisting in the wind. Not that the team is in position to sign any big free agents because this club will not win more than 75 games next year. Losing Jack is going to prove to be the biggest loss of the season. The club never won before Jack arrived and we will see if they can win now that he is gone.

 

The club never won before Jack arrived and we will see if they can win now that he is gone

 

I do recall a certain 1997 trophy.

this club will not win more than 75 games next year.

Can't wait to watch you eat crow next season. :thumbup

 

I hope they do. I hope I am eating crow. I just am calling it like I see it. Objectively. The team will lose Delgado, trade Lowell and Pierre. By the ASB Lo Duca will be traded if the team is out of it. I hope I am wrong. I sincerely doubt it. If the team wants to rebuild, they should say so and do it. Not keep fooling around.

That's what rebuilding is all about :plain

That's what rebuilding is all about :plain

 

 

Funny, I've heard nothing about rebuilding this team.

Let me look more into this than I should.

 

OK, what if this trade is a sign of things to come? The FO knows this will have a very bad effect on the fans, and they will alienate everyone in Miami. Could the FO have said "f*** it, lets cut our losses and move"?