What's Omar Thinking?The Mets have given 41 year old Orlando Hernandez a two-year $12 million contract, 40 year old Moises Alou $8.5 million for one season, and 37 year old Jose Valentin $4 million for one season. They are ready to give 41 year old Tom Glavine more than $10 million for another season, and are even letting Glavine demonstrate his strong preference to return to the Braves.
Pedro Martinez will make $15 million next season even though he might not throw a pitch, but GM Omar Minaya says that's okay.
Yet they are letting reliever Chad Bradford go. The Mets would not match Baltimore's offer of 3 years for $10.5 million.
Perhaps Bradford's postseason career ERA of 0.00 turned the Mets off.
Are the Orioles overpaying for a pretty good journeyman relief pitcher? Perhaps. But by the middle of next season, you can be sure that the Mets will be desperately looking for reliable bullpen help. And they'll pay a high price in players and prospects if they are able to find anyone.
There is simply no logic to the Mets wildly overpaying player after player, and, offseason after offseason, suddenly insisting on fiscal responsibility when it comes to certain members of the pitching staff.
Don't worry, though. Omar is surely working hard to bring back Jorge Julio.
posted on 11/28/2006
