Jason Bay is a good player.

"Here the New York Mets go again, throwing money at a big-name free agent whom they misguidedly convince themselves will solve their troubles."

???

I'm rooting against the Mets and take some delight in their misery.

But their biggest problems in 2009 were (a) the Phillies and (b) injuries.

Jason Bay doesn't solve their problems if Santana, Reyes, and Beltran are injured -- nobody said he did.

I don't think anybody expects 36/119 with the bigger home ballpark and the inferior lineup. But he's a good player and good players are a key ingredient of good baseball teams.


"All of this highlights an endemic problem with the Mets that they try to cover with their payrolls, which provided among the highest cost per win in baseball this past decade: Their player-development system is a mess, and not the kind of mess a toddler makes at dinner. It is whole-cafeteria-food-fight bad, and in that respect, the coupling of Minaya and the Mets seems perfectly matrimonious."

That's probably true. But Bay is a second-tier player who just signed for third-tier prices -- I fail to see how this signing severely strains the Mets' finances.


"Together, they have spent hundreds of millions to go backward. There was the ill-fated Pedro Martinez deal. And the on-deathbed-ill-fated contract for Oliver Perez. They blew money ($25 million on Luis Castillo). They lavished it ($37 million in a closer-loaded market for Francisco Rodriguez, with an easily attainable $17.5 million option). They spent themselves out of all the good will engendered by the tremendously club-friendly contracts for David Wright and Jose Reyes."

Pedro? Bad deal because he was too old.

Oliver Perez? Very bad deal because he's bad.

Luis Castillo, K-Rod, Wright, and Reyes are all good players.


"Wright and Reyes represent the only worthwhile thing the Mets can call their own. Since 1985, the Mets have signed and developed five players who later wore their uniforms in an All-Star game. Five. Wright, Reyes, Todd Hundley, Edgardo Alfonzo and Bobby Jones. Even Kansas City can say it has passed eight homegrown All-Stars through its system."

Which is why you sign Jason Bay rather than waiting for Lastings Millege.


"Still, it speaks to the team’s recognition that baseball trades in a new currency – youth – and that the Mets always arrive late to the party of the latest trend."

I don't really think baseball trades in a new currency called youth.

But, even if it did, Bay is relatively young and relatively cheap.

It's not like the two-year Julio Franco deal.

The Mets will be fine. They just need to swap DLs with Philly.

The more Cashman denies it ...

"It appears as though the Evil Empire isn't going to add insult to injury this offseason by swooping in and taking Jason Bay, after all.

...

'It won't be a big-name situation,' he said. 'I can promise you that.' "

Well, "promise" is a strong word.

But I remember when Bubba Crosby was going to be the CFer, when Mike Lamb was going to be the third-baseman, and when Todd Williams was going to be the primary setup man.

You seriously don't think the Yankees are going to sign Bay?

Archives.

Mike Lupica on January 29, 2006: "You have to say that the Red Sox don't lose much offense replacing Johnny Damon with Coco Crisp, and pick up younger legs in the process. In Boston they now think of Johnny Damon as the guy who used to play center for the Red Sox right before Cocoa [sic] Crisp."

Mike Lupica suddenly loves Johnny Damon.

I clearly remember when the Yankees signed Damon, Lupica praised the Red Sox for obtaining Coco Crisp -- "same player for 1/3rd the price," or something to that effect.

During Damon's Yankee career, Lupica endlessly ripped Damon's age and Damon's arm.

Now that Damon is leaving the Yankees, check it out:

"If the Yankees aren’t trying to drive down the price on Johnny Damon the way they did last season with Andy Pettitte — another time when they talked about a 'budget' that is about as real as the Loch Ness Monster — they are going to miss Damon next season.

They are going to miss a perfect No. 2 hitter for their team.

They are going to miss the pop in his bat.

And they are going to miss the kind of winning ballplayer that you don’t just let walk out the door.

Other than that, I guess they’ll pretty much be fine."

They will be fine, though I detect irony in your tone.


Are you unaware that the Yankees acquired Curtis Granderson? Who will bat second for the Yankees?

Granderson has more speed, more power, and a better arm. Granderson is a much better fielder. Granderson is a lot younger and a lot less expensive.


Oh, and by the way, the Yankees are the reigning Champions.


"Curtis Granderson was saying the other day that not only are he and Joe Girardi both Chicago guys, but they both like Italian food and right away I was thinking: Boy, what are the odds?"

Very good journalism.

Entering Yankees get ripped. Exiting Yankees get praised.

Zzzzzzzzz.

Lupica, you really need a new thing.


"If Jason Bay is the Mets’ left fielder next season, he makes them a better baseball team.

And they’re not offering the moon to get him.

And so I guess my question to Mets fans is:

One more thing on Tiger: If his sponsorship with Accenture was supposed to be such a big deal for it and a crushing loss for it — how come I have no idea after all these years what Accenture DOES?"

"My question to Mets fans is:"

Your question to Mets fans is: "how come I have no idea after all these years what Accenture DOES?"


Okay, okay, I'm sure that's just a misprint/editing goof. Lupica really had a question for Mets fans. I'm sure it was very enlightening, such as, "Who's going to pitch the ball for your team?"

Because Mike Lupica noticed the Mets don't have a deep starting staff.

Because Mike Lupica is New York's premier sportswriter.



See, the Yankees are going to sign Bay.

So, as long as Lupica thinks Bay is going to the Mets, Lupica will praise Bay. Lupica probably voted Bay for AL MVP last season.

But as soon as Bay signs with the Yankees, Lupica will find twenty reasons to dislike Bay.

I'm still worried about Justin Verlander in the playoffs.

"Phil Coke, a lefty out of the bullpen, is gone in the Granderson trade, Coke being the latest young pitcher the Yankees fell out of love with at warp speed, especially after Damaso Marte remembered how to get people out in October and November."

Get people out in October?

Unlike, say, Jonathan Papelbon?

Sorry, Lupica. I know it's a painful memory for you.

Also, Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols.

It's easy being an imaginary General Manager.

Not everything, just baseball.

Kind of an odd criticism to direct towards the current champs:

"Has there ever been a single baseball winter out of the last 10 or so when the Yankees weren't declared the champions of everything and everybody all over again?"

I don't really know, actually. I haven't ever paid attention to the winter meetings reactions. They got Granderson for garbage, so I don't think the Yankees made out too poorly.

Has there ever been a single baseball winter out of the past 10 or so when Mike Lupica didn't root for the Red Sox?

Yankees acquire outfielder described as "hard-nosed."

We're looking at you, Melky.

Melky, you seemed a little too happy to miss the last few games of the World Series with a hamstring injury.

Who knew one could injure their hamstring while jogging half-speed to first base?