The all-overpaid and all-underpaid teams

…Great article from the Sporting News – It lists the best players who have reasonable contracts as well as players who don’t live up to the contracts they have.

Amongst the list of best “Underpaid players” is Jose Reyes of the NY Mets:

#8 – Jose Reyes, $2.8 million, New York Mets. This 24-year-old shortstop is arguably the most exciting player in the game.

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Looking at the top stories entering ’08

…Here is an article from MLB.com that takes a closer look into the top stories of the upcoming 2008 Baseball season. The article mentions the Mets saying:

“Johan, Pedro and the mighty Mets: It’s tough to knock the Yankees off the back pages, but chances are the Mets will do that at least two out of every five days this summer. With the addition of Johan Santana to a staff that already included future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, New York’s NL team has two of the most compelling pitchers in baseball, not to mention the best in the business, alongside the best of the past decade.

The Mets scored plenty last year; they just weren’t quite good enough at preventing runs. Adding Santana changes the entire balance of power in the NL East and makes them must-watch baseball at least three times a week.”

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Mets’ Oliver Perez looking ahead

…Great article from SI.com that takes a closer look into the upcoming season for Oliver Perez.

Perez had this to say:

“Right now, I’m just trying to learn about last year,” Perez said Tuesday after a workout at the Mets’ spring training complex. “That was a really good year for me. I have to take the routine I was making, and I have to learn about the bad things I was doing so I don’t make too many mistakes this year.”

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SNY extends Keith Hernandez

“I am thrilled to be coming back to SNY,” said Keith Hernandez. “It’s going to be an exciting season to cover the Mets with Gary [Cohen] and Ronnie [Darling] — especially with the addition of Johan Santana, and the final season at Shea Stadium where I have so many fond memories. I’m looking forward to calling Mets games on SNY for many years to come.”

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Mets sign infielder Olmedo Saenz

…The New York Mets announced today they have signed infielder Olmedo Saenz as a six-year minor league free agent and invited him to Major League spring training. Saenz, one of the most productive pinch hitters in the big leagues over the last four years, is a career .256 hitter (72-for-281) off the bench with 12 home runs and 58 RBI.

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What to expect from John Maine & Oliver Perez for 2008

…Great article from the NY Sun:

Amongst other things the article says:

“John Maine, the Mets‘ no. 3 starter, was born in May 1981. Oliver Perez, the no. 4 starter, was born three months later. The Mets stole each in seemingly minor deals in 2006. Last year, each won 15 games and ranked in the top 20 in the National League in earned run average: This year, they could make the difference between a team that rates among the best in baseball’s weaker league, and a team that rates as the best in baseball. If they pitch as well as they did last year, the Mets will probably win the division. If one does and the other raises his game, they’ll almost certainly win it. If both find a new level, they might win 100 games.”

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Strawberry to pay IRS back taxes, interest

…Former baseball star and New York Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry will pay the IRS more than $430,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest.

A judgment was signed Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks. Strawberry was convicted of tax evasion in 1995 over income from autographs and memorabilia. He is agreeing to pay the IRS for tax years 1989 and 1990.
Court papers show that Strawberry has already paid the IRS more than $8,600 of the total amount.

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Twins pick up free-agent hurler Hernandez

…So the family reunion apparently will not happen, at least this season. Livan Hernandez has signed a 1-year deal with the Minnesota Twins:

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Pelfrey Looks to Make Mets’ Decision Difficult

…The 2008 campaign should be the season where Mike Pelfrey truly comes into his own. Since the 2006 season, Pelfrey has shown flashes of how good he can be. Unfortunately, his lack of experience has hurt him be consistent and just trust his “Stuff”. Hopefully, the fact that the Mets acquired Santana along with the rest of the staff moving down a spot in the rotation, will take some pressure off of Pelfrey and enable him to just pitch.

Here is a great article from Ben Shpigel and the NY Times which looks closer into the upcoming season for Mike Pelfrey. Amongst other things, the article says:

“Mike Pelfrey is alone. Not stranded-in-the-Sahara alone. He did, after all, have a 2 p.m. tee time Monday with John Maine, Duaner Sánchez and others. But still, he is the only member from a group of five upper-level prospects to last through the winter without changing addresses, making him conspicuous in the Mets’ clubhouse for reasons other than his height.”

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Best 6 teams in American League?

…Great article from the Baltimore Sun which takes a closer look at the unbalance of power between the AL and NL:

Amongst other things, the article says:

“The NL might have gained some momentum this offseason when pitchers Dan Haren ( Arizona Diamondbacks) and Johan Santana ( New York Mets) and shortstop Miguel Tejada ( Houston Astros) were traded from the AL to the NL, but it’s still not enough.League balance of power is often cyclical. But this one is rooted more in economics than happenstance.

The Yankees and Red Sox, baseball’s superpowers, outspend other clubs by a considerable margin. Teams that want to compete with the big boys for the AL title need to spend freely.In the NL, the payroll disparity isn’t as great. So it’s not as crucial for teams to spend as lavishly as long as they have the young talent.The NL has the parity, but this season the AL should, unquestionably, have the best talent – maybe as much as it ever has.”

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