From the New York Mets via press release:

FLUSHING, N.Y., January 31, 2011 – The New York Mets today announced that they have signed righthanded pitcher R.A. Dickey to a two-year contract with a club option for 2013.

Dickey compiled a 11-9 record in 2010 and finished seventh in the National League with a 2.84 ERA.   He became the first pitcher in team history to go 6-0 in his first seven starts and tossed the 35^th one-hitter in franchise history on August 13 at Citi Field to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 1-0. The only hit he allowed was a sixth-inning single by pitcher Cole Hamels.

 “R.A. had a breakthrough season for our organization last year, meriting this new contract,” said Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson.  “We expect R.A. to be a major part of our success going forward.”

 Dickey, 36, had his contract selected from Buffalo (AAA) of the International League on May 19. The Nashville, TN native set career highs in wins, starts (26), innings (174.1) strikeouts (104) and complete games (two).

 The 6-2, 216-pounder finished with 11 victories even though he didn’t pick up his first until May 25.  It was only the fifth time in club history that a pitcher reached double figures in wins in a season after not recording a victory in any of the team’s first 45 games (Bob Shaw, 1966; Rick Aguilera 1985 and 1986 and Dwight Gooden, 1987).

 Last season with Buffalo, Dickey he threw a near perfect game and set a Buffalo modern-day record when he retired 27 straight hitters on April 29 vs. Durham.  Fernando Perez singled on an 0-2 pitch to start the game before Dickey set down the next 27 hitters in order.

 The Mets have now reached agreements with two of the three players who were eligible for salary arbitration. The team signed Mike Pelfrey to a one-year contract on January 18, while outfielder Angel Pagan has yet to reach an agreement.

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I will be a guest tonight on the Seamhead National Podcast Network show What’s On Second on Blog Talk Radio. I will be on at 9:30PMET

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Another day another story of the Skill Sets getting duped in another hocus-pocus financial scheme. The NY Times has a story on Freddy Skill Sets and Uncle Saul getting involved with a guy named Samuel Israel III in a hedge fund that went sour and ended costing Freddy and Saul $13 mil to get out of hot water. I swear, I my take a leave of absence from my job to write a screen play for a movie about the Skill Sets and their financial hanky panky.

Of course when you go public with news that part of your team is up for sale, you get every Tom, Dick and Civil Rights leader coming out of the woodwork saying they want in. They all want in at 20-25 % AND want a say in what goes on in the comings and goings of the team. Remember what I told you about the devil you know.

Oh yeah, as a real co-winky dink, MLB has award the 2013 All Star Game to the Mets.  The Used Car Salesman will help the Skill Sets by any means necessary as he faces a real shit storm here with the Mets taking on water and the battling McCourt’s  in LA tarnishing his two top NL franchises.

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As a guy who has trouble balancing a check book, all this financial talk of the Skill Sets and the financial stability of the franchise has my head aching. What The Skill Sets knew and when they knew it about the Madoff Ponzi scheme is still not known and if an out of court settlement comes about, we may never know but what we do know is the brand of the New York Mets has been tainted.

Maybe this is why the organization has embraced the Mets blogging community, why not go to the folks whose love for the team is undying and let them be involved in events that we never dreamed we’d be a part of. I am very much appreciative of the organization for the opportunity they have given me with access to Sandy Alderson, Terry Collins and various players but the folks the organization really needs to reach out to you guys who read this site and other Mets blogs and buy the tickets and watch SNY and buy team merchandise because you are the life blood of the franchise.

The news of the Skill Sets cash call could not come at a worse time. Season ticket sales are down and there doesn’t seem to be a big demand for single game tickets either, those go on sale in March. The biggest argument and it is a very fair criticism, is that the ticket prices are way to high. Now add in the news that the Skill Sets are strapped for cash most fans will feel that by buying a ticket to a Mets game will be paying for the Skill Sets Defense Fund. I’m not saying it is but that’s the perception.

A couple of pluses could come out of this firestorm. Yesterday I attended SABR DAY at Foleys Bar in Manhattan an event that was put together by SABR and Baseball Prospectus. It was a great afternoon of baseball talk with baseball fans and writers. Two of the panelists were Mets play by play man, Gary Cohen and Newsday baseball writer, Ken Davidoff. When the Q & A session began the Skill Sets money woes came up. Cohen didn’t have much to say on the topic and with good reason I guess, but Davidoff claimed that as far as the baseball operation goes it may be good for the team. It seems this had been brewing for some time and Davidoff confirmed what I’ve been told for years and what I’ve written about here, that Jeffey Skill Sets is a big part of the problem. Between Jeffey and Omar they wanted to be friends with everyone from players to front office people and anytime a tough decision had to be made neither man could pull the trigger. The Tony Bernazzard firing is a prime example, the team had to be humiliated by the media before they’d let Bernazard go as he was friends with both Jeffey and Omar. Davidoff stated this will not happen under Sandy Alderson as he will not tolerate it. The panel consensus was by putting Alderson in charge it takes Jeffey out of the baseball ops decision making except on money issues. So if there is a plus out of this fiasco it’s muzzling Jeffey. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard folks who cover the team say “Now there is an adult in charge” well, you’d be looking at a 25 % owner of the Mets.

The Mets will have to really work hard on marketing this team for 2011 and beyond. The best way to start is by ripping out those club seats behind home plate and replace them with seats that honest to goodness baseball fans can purchase. Not only would be good business but it go a long away to getting some positive baseball atmosphere in Citi Field. Every time you tune into a Mets game on TV, those seats are empty because the ticket holders for those seats couldn’t care less about the game going on as long as the free booze and food are flowing in the Delta Club. The organization lowered some ticket prices but they are still ridiculous. The Skill Sets have taken a massive hit on their credibility, if they want to win the fans back they have a lot of wooing to do. This is year three of Citi Field and the place still has no identity. Is it a playground for the well to do? Is it a food court with a ball park attached? How games have you sat in your seats watching a game a looked out toward centerfield marveling at the line of people who stand on line waiting to buy a hamburger? When people would rather wait on a line for a half hour to forty-five minutes for a burger than watch your team, you have a problem.

It’s time Mets ownership comes to the realization that in order to make this franchise great again it has to embrace the working stiff Mets fan. One thing you know about us working stiffs, we are loyal to the team and we show up and support the club in good times and in bad. Not like some rich thieving scumbag who but a knife in the Skill Sets back.  You want to sell 25 % of the club? Just make the real true blue and orange Mets fan feel like you actually care about them and make the Citi Field experience that wants fans to  come back rather than say good riddance and I guarantee you’ll see so much success that this cash call will be just a bad dream.

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My old man had a saying for times like these “Sometimes the Divil (devil) ya know, is better than the Divil ya don’t know”

While some of us in the Mets flock are rejoicing in the sudden financial troubles of the Skill Sets, and from reading various stories this morning it looks as though this 25 % sell off could turn out to be a lock, stock and barrel affair. You gets control of the team could either be a boon or our worst nightmare. If Irving Picard can prove all of alliagations in court about what the Skill Sets and Uncle Saul knew and when they knew it, then there will be an under new management sign out on the Citi Field concourse.

I’ll get into who would be good and bad candidates later as right now I’m off to Foley’s for SABR DAY

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The company line out of Freddy, Jeffey and Uncle Saul has been, this situation with the Madoff swiddle DOES NOT EFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE NY METS, well that seems to be an untruth or as a we say in Brooklyn a bunch of bullshit.

The Skill Sets announced today that they are looking to add a “strategic partner” a/k/a deep pocket investor, to take a minority share of the ball club. The reason they need to raise cash fast (I guess Cash 4 Gold couldn’t cut it for the Skill Sets) and the only asset they have that would bring them the coin they need is the Mets. So much for the bullshit that was thrown at Mets fans that the New York Mets baseball team will not be effected by the Madoff heist.

Not only is Sterling Equities the subject of lawsuits but the Wilpons are now talking abour personal law suits that will be brought against them. Who knows what will come out in these court cases about what the Wilpon’s knew and when they knew it?

In my uneduated opinion, this looks to be the start of the Fall of the Skill Sets Empire. I’m sure as soon as this news broke, Jim Dolan got on the horn to make his offer.  I don’t know the what the details of the Mets/Wilpon ownership share is with SNY but Dolan would love to his hooks on SNY and fold it into MSG network and have the Mets as his much needed summer programing.

The Skill Sets will have no shortage of suitors to get on board but it could come with a price more than money. I’m sure there will be a right of first refusal clause in any deal and I’m sure there will be a sign off on any contracts or deals that the next investor would want. So whoever becomes the new Skill Sets partner has them by the balls. Who knows how much it will cost in legal fees and payouts to settle this Madoff mess?  This could be the first step in having new ownership for the NY Mets.

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The only good thing about staying outside and shoveling snow for 4 hours yesterday was the baseball chatter between me and my neighbors. Your back and arms don’t hurt as much when your discussing the Mets and Highlanders starting rotation (there were four of us out there, two Mets fans, two Highlanders fans) the future of Derek Jeter (we all agree he needs to get off shortstop) and what teams announcers are the best (Highlander fans conceded this one early as the only guy the like is Paul O’Neil)    I guess the baseball talk keeps us sane as we look forward to pitchers/catchers in 17 days because I need something as I’m totally SNOWBLIND.

I had quite an interesting encounter this morning near my office. I’m standing on the corner of Thomas St and Church St headed up to Broadway. As I waited for the light to green so I could cross the street, a guy standing next to me is staring at me. Just as I was ready to ask him “What the fuck are you looking at” the guy says “oh a Mets fan uh”? Now I’m wearing a Mets jacket with my classic blue Mets cap so Sherlock Fucking Holmes has cracked the case.  As we both cross the street, this little hobit then says “You know I’m a season ticket holder. Maybe we can exchange e-mails and if you ever need tickets…..”? I turn to this cretin and tell him “Chief, the only way you’d get my e-mail address is if you morphed into Christina Hendricks in the next three seconds”   Of course he didn’t. What a douchebag.

Time for News and Views:

NEWS: Freddy Skill Sets wants Omar Minaya to stay with Mets

View:  What’s the fucking point? The biggest weakness the Skill Sets have is they never can say good-bye (no, no, no, now)Nothing against Minaya but for Christ sake man, you got canned as GM and all of your staff was given pink slips have some pride and walk away. Look if Freddy wants to give you a desk and a phone so you can stay in contact with folks around MLB to find employment that’s fine but com’on Freddy, I know breakin’ up is hard to do but stop making Omar you’re Calendar Girl. I don’t want to think of you as the King of Clowns.

NEWS: Freddy Skill Sets says he’ll cut your ass if you can’t play.

View: Now that’s how to walk like a man

NEWS: Mets Farm System is Rank

Views:  Seems the folks who are expert in minor league baseball feel the Mets crop of farm hands is not of fine vintage. It seems Sandy Alderson is of the same mind set as he has spoken about rebuilding the minor league system and doing so in a uniform fashion.  Last year we saw the near destruction of RHP Jenry Mejia but the mission failed so it seems, but Mejia is ranked #1 or #2 in just about every ranking survey (great job by Ed Ryan of Mets Fever by the way of posting the links) with Wilmer Flores right behind him and RHP Matt Harvey right behind them.  The Mets have two picks in the Top 50 picks of the 2011 First Draft, hopefully Sandy Alderson will not stir this draft with a slotted spoon.

NEWS: Strawberry to run in the Race To The Top of The Empire State Building   

VIEW: Outstanding!  I hope he wears Mets gear while running.

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The life of Bobby Valentine is a reality show waiting to happen. After I realizedI wasn’t making it to work today, I turned on Ch2 news (I watch Ch 2 news because I have a huge crush on Mary Calvi. Not only is she gorgeous but even as she’s telling me it’s another Snowgedon day it just seems much more pleasant when she explains it) and all I hear about is this awful traffic jam on I95 near Stanford CT. As the on scene reporter is giving the details, in the background there is a man directing traffic, not just any ordinary man but none other than Stanford’s Safety Director and former Mets manager, Bobby Valentine.

Seems a couple of tractor trailers jack-knifed on the highway and being the conciencious civil servant that he is, Valentine came out to help help get the cars and trucks flowing again.

No truth to the report that one of the tractor-trailer drivers was Armando Benitez.

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I want to thank everyone who has contacted me letting me know how much they enjoyed my interview with Jerry Koosman last night on THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN. I had hoped to get 20 minutes with Kooz and instead I chatted for the full hour and Jerry was a great guest. If you haven’t listened to it yet I hope you can some time to give it a listen.

Adam Rubin went out to snowy Citi Field today to watch utility infielder Chin-lung Hu take a picture with his new Mets jersey. There were rumors that Hu would be issued #17 but someone came to their senses and realized that #17 should be taken out of circulation, so instead Hu will don #25 instead. You’re no Frank Thomas, Mr. Hu.

Rubin also had these tidbits from his visit to Queens today. Johan Santana is NOT throwing after Sandy Alderson said that Johan was cleared to start throwing:

“To my knowledge, he’s not throwing at this point,” Alderson said. “But, again, that’s his own decision and based on how he feels. I think the PT [physical therapist] recommended that he continue to do certain exercises, and when he feels like he’s ready to toss, he will. He’s medically cleared, but to my knowledge he hasn’t actually started throwing yet.”

Hummmm not to go all Jay Cuttler here but there seems to be a bit of a contradiction, Alderson claims Santana is “medically cleared” but Johan doesn’t feel he’s ready yet. By no means should Santana start a throwing program until he feels he’s ready but after the last few years where conflicting medical reports were the norm, I hope the front office will refrain from that practice. Sometime “we’re not sure” is a good answer.

Howard Johnson has to feel kind of awkward as Alderson tries to find a place for him in the organization. HoJo managed one year in Brooklyn but the Mets do not look at him as managerial timber. The hitting coach jobs in Buffalo (Mike Easler) and Binghamton (Luis Natera) have been filled so where in the world will HoJo land?

Matt Artus has a great post on last weeks Citi Field Kids event at Citi Field and the Q & A the bloggers had with the players who attended. Oh and the guy standing next to Big Pelf in the picture is yours truly.

Darryl Strawberry feels the Mets missed the boat on not hiring Wally Backman as manager. His chief reason is because Wally played for the ’86 Mets. From speaking to Terry Collins on a couple of occasions they only difference I see between him and Backman is Collins didn’t play for the ’86 Mets.

Congratulations to Omar Minaya for getting hired by the New York Highlanders as a Major League talent coordinator.

Speaking of the Bronx Bastards, what the hell is going on in Da Boogy Down? First Pee Wee Cashman, thinking he was with Dr. Phil instead of the Sports Pope, starts to purge his soul by saying that El Capitan will eventually moved to center field. I don’t know what all the hub bub is over this as eventually Jeets will have to go to the outfield I mean why the outrage? It’s not like Pee Wee told the Sports Papal audience that The Captain signed an endorsement deal with Bosley Hair Restoration (oooops did I say that out loud!!!!)

And what’s with this censorship of Highlander State Commissioned bloggers? Gee you’d think they were involved in the distraction of Not So Highlander Classics (Video of games the Highlanders actually lost) instead of stating the obvious that the team got hosed in the Rafael Soriano deal. This is grounds for a repriamand? When did Michelle (WHICH CAMERA!!!!!!WHICH CAMERA!!!!!!!!!)  Bachmann was named team president.

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Join me tonight at 10PM ET for THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio. My guest will be former Mets LHP and Mets Hall of Famer, Jerry Koosman.

If you can’t join us live tonight, you can listen to the podcast here at Kranepool Society (lower right side bar) or at our show page on Blog Talk Radio. You can also download the show on iTunes as well.

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