With the Rule V draft over, the mass exodus from the Gaylord Opryland hotel is underway. The Mets selected two righthanded relievers -- Steven Register and Garry Bakker -- and you can scroll down to read more about their picks.
As for the winter meetings, GM Omar MInaya insisted that he was still alive in potential trades for "big names" even as nothing came to fruition here in Nashville. Contrary to some reports, the Mets did have interest in possibly extracting Dontrelle Willis after he was traded to the Tigers, but team officials acknowledged that opportunity is pretty much dead. Johan Santana also 
seems like a no-go as long as the Mets refuse to include Jose Reyes -- they won't -- and A's GM Billy Beane insisted this morning that is not actively "shopping" any of his pitchers.
So where does that leave the Mets? Next up is the team's holiday party at Shea on Tuesday, and the featured entertainment will be the two 15-game winners -- John Maine and Oliver Perez. Not sure which one is dressing up as Santa. But given the scandalous tabloid rumors about Maine this past week -- since debunked by Maine himself -- some mischevious elf might try to get him to wear the Mrs. Claus suit made famous by Anna Benson.
The Rule V info follows below:
METS SELECT RHP STEVEN REGISTER IN RULE 5 DRAFT
The New York Mets today selected righthanded pitcher Steven Register from the Colorado Rockies’ Tulsa affiliate in Major League Baseball’s Rule 5 draft.
Register, 24, was 1-3 with 37 saves with a 4.03 ERA in 61 games last year for Tulsa (AA) of the Texas League. In 58.0 innings, he allowed 63 hits, 27 runs, 26 earned, with 16 walks and 48 strikeouts.
The 6-1, 170-pounder was originally drafted by the Rockies in the third round in 2004 from Auburn University where he saved the sixth-most games in SEC history (25).
Register was a starter in Colorado’s minor league system from 2004-2006. He went 19-28 with a 4.73 ERA in 69 starts during that span.
Garry Bakker who was born in Suffern, NY and resides in Sloatsburg, NY was selected by New Orleans during the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft from the Chicago White Sox organization. Bakker was rated the No. 1 high school player in New York by Baseball America in 2001.
The 6-2, 210-pounder went 2-7 with a 3.67 ERA in 31 games (11 starts) for Winston-Salem (A) of the Carolina League last season. In 83.1 innings, he allowed 79 hits, 47 runs, 34 earned, with 45 walks and 64 strikeouts.
Bakker, 24, was 13-16 with 11 saves with a 4.60 ERA in 123 contests in four years in Chicago’s minor league system.
Comments (28)
DO NOT LET OMAR ON THE PLANE....LEAVE HIM ON THE TAR MACK !!!!! LOSER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll take Anna Benson for Jose Reyes!
as a die-hard mets fan and the baseball sid at auburn, i couldn't be happier with the mets rule 5 draft pick today. reggie is a GREAT kid and will hopefully make an impact immediately. hopefully this works out a-la joe smith last year, though hopefully for all 162 games plus playoffs.
LETS GO METS!
what john maine rumors?
The fact they wasted gas for nOMAR to go to the meetings is scary. The guy is a horrible!
No need to feel anxious yet. The big names didn't jump into anyone else's rotation either. Are all the teams in trouble because they didn't deal? Let's wait till spring before we jump all over the Met management. If we don't see at least some individual fire show up we can jump on the players who haven't exactly shown a great deal of motivation.
The other teams did just do the biggest collapse in MLB history. The other teams have an Ace......OMAR BLOWS and NEEDS TO BE FIRED !!
I heard Buster Olney today on 1050 ESPN Radio, and he said that a package of Aaron Heilman & a B Level Prospect could get Toronto to send back A.J. Burnett!!!!! If this is true, why in the world haven't the Mets gotten him yet??? I know Burnett is injury prone, but if healthy, he is definitely a top of the rotation type pitcher.
FIRE OMAR TODAY !!!!
Guaranteed that Milledge will make off the field headlines in '08 when teams up with new teammate Elijah Dukes.
It will be like dropping off 2 punks in the middle of Queens with $5.00 each after doing some time in Rikers.
Whatever - you racist idiot.
FIRE OMAR....FIRE RANDOLPH...SELL THE TEAM !!!!
I find it amusing that most fans here rather see the Mets turn into the NHL Rangers, by giving up everything they have in their very talentless farm system, yes Minaya could have done more in this area, but had to start some where 4 years ago when the Mets both as a team and organization was in shambles. Minaya did what he had to do and in less then 2years on the job he turned the Mets in winners. The next two years will prove if Minaya really is a good general manager, for this year it clearly shows that maybe if he had went with building up the farm system first instead of turning the Mets into winners, might have helped him this year. Yes last off season Minaya was too hesitant, and it cost him this past September. However, the future of the Mets if the Mets hold onto most of their top prospects will be not only brighter but the Mets will be an absolutely a championship team for years. We need to be patient, the September fall was to let Minaya and the team to know that yes things are better then they were from 2001 to 2004, before Minaya and Randolph arrived, however the Mets were a completly an organizational mess. Remember Rome or even in that matter Earth were not made in 1 day or in 4 years took many years and many changes. This is one of those growing pains the mets will have to change.. The farm system needs a makeover more then ever now.
I find it amusing that most fans here rather see the Mets turn into the NHL Rangers, by giving up everything they have in their very talentless farm system, yes Minaya could have done more in this area, but had to start some where 4 years ago when the Mets both as a team and organization was in shambles. Minaya did what he had to do and in less then 2years on the job he turned the Mets in winners. The next two years will prove if Minaya really is a good general manager, for this year it clearly shows that maybe if he had went with building up the farm system first instead of turning the Mets into winners, might have helped him this year. Yes last off season Minaya was too hesitant, and it cost him this past September. However, the future of the Mets if the Mets hold onto most of their top prospects will be not only brighter but the Mets will be an absolutely a championship team for years. We need to be patient, the September fall was to let Minaya and the team to know that yes things are better then they were from 2001 to 2004, before Minaya and Randolph arrived, however the Mets were a completly an organizational mess. Remember Rome or even in that matter Earth were not made in 1 day or in 4 years took many years and many changes. This is one of those growing pains the mets will have to change.. The farm system needs a makeover more then ever now.
efnorlando....You are clueless!!!
This is NYC, not Boise Idaho.....The MEts simply needed relief at the start of last year...He blew it.....He could of got Manny Ramirez or a # 2 pitcher at the start of last year....HE blew it !!!
Now we need an Ace.......Nothing.
This is a NOW TEAM.....We paid all that money to Pedro, Delgado, etc.... Theses guys are getting older not younger.
We just had the worst collapse in the HISTORY of sports......
FIRE OMAR.
So, jose reyes would like the Mets to acquire Johan Santana for the organization's two top-rated prospects in Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez.
Instead of playing G.M. jose reyes, he of the incredibly mentally-challenged, child-like behavior, over-rated, over-hyped, should use what few brain cells he possesses and try and produce a consistent season – FROM START TO FINISH!
jose reyes is the one who should be traded for Santana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jose reyes is a lazy bum .... Trade him !!!
Omar is on SNY....Says he wants a team made up of speed, pitching, and defense....
Is this clown kidding me ? Where is the pitching coming from? Why did he not replenish the bullpen last year? Where is the Ace?
I agree anon....Fire this clown!
Now we know why Omar did not even offer LoDuca a contract.
Good for the Mets!
Well, this site seems to be attracting Mets fans who are stuck in their own personal winter of discontent. Call me a glass-half-full--guy, but now that Dan Haren is gone, and the Twins have their SS and 3B, could it really be possible that Omar is well-positioned to get Johan Santana? The Twins won't demand Reyes, and we have Aaron Heilman who still wants to start, and two CF prospects. I refuse to give up hope!
Arizona just emptyed the farm to get a ring....Do the same nOMAR !!! You MORON !!!
Recent news coverage of the new stadium's ticket supply, and prices, should end any debate about whether to demise of Shea is good for the average fan. The Davidoffs and Lennons that attend for free should keep in mind many of us will be unable to attend. The best opportunity for most of the fan base to see games is Omar continuing to look hard at crappy vets and draft garbage. A sub .500 season in 2010 should open seats up in the second half.
The Mets still haven't been able to find rotation help. Will they soon be scaping the bottom of the barrel like they did last year?
My take:
http://www.rotorob.com/baseball/mets-beating-the-bushes-for-pitching/
RotoRob
Roto..you are dumber than your name
Nice that this blog has been updated zero times in the last three weeks.
Agreed! 'Tallyho'
The lack of effort is particularly galling in light of the production at Newsday's Yankee Blog. KO has the blogging thing down, whoever is in charge here obvious sees it as a waste of his time.
As a Met Fan, I'm very disappointed in Omar's handling off season. He has not made a good trade since Delgado & Beltran. This team shows a lot of inadequacies which are not being addressed. The status quo will not lead to a championship. What's going on? Why haven't there been any moves to improve the team?