hello everyone,

I am thanking all at Amazing Avenue for allowing me to share my ideas as I am stepping away from the blogging world for a while.  I have been dealing with significant health issues of late.  I guess my lame ideas in my lame attempt at an "AAOP" was my way of thanking you guys.

  I tried using a fanshot, but can't for some reason, so here is the fanpost, sorry :). geeze, I am such a non-techno nerd/geek I don't even know how to use a post system hah!

but I wanted to say I felt extremely welcome by all of you and you guys totally make the season and off-season fun, interesting, and thought-provoking with your insights, comments and jokes.  Its always nice to find a community of fellow Mets fans who share their passion with for their team along with actual data and facts (!!).

I will still follow AA however as I recover, just wanted to let everyone know I'll still be around, but not gone for good.

thanks Eric and the Gang for the superb blogging site.

Feslenraster

Let's Go Mets!

Don't know what parameters Eric set for this season's AAOP, but here's my try, and I lied-you guys inspired me to do one.

1) re-sign Jose Reyes to 5 years $90M with 2 option years and full no trade clause. PAY THE MAN

minor free agent stuff: UT Willie Bloomquist (2 years $4M),Micah Owings, Hong-Ching Kuo, Joel Zumaya, to minor league deals. Release DJ Carrasco ($1M).

6 big trades in the off season:

1) David Wright with RHP Armando Rodriguez to Rockies for 3B Nolan Arenado, OF Delta Cleary, and LHP Christian Fredrich. I love David Wrongz, but I am scared of his zooming K rate and his throwing problems, and the Rockies probably won't give up this much for him....

2) later flip Christian Fredrich with Brad Holt to Marlins for Logan Morrison($0.414M). probably won't happen, but this way the Marlins get a future closer in Brad Holt, and get a problem player off their hands in LoMo.

3) trade RHP Chris Schwinden with Josh Satin to A's for C Josh Donaldson or Kurt Susuki(4 years $16.25M).

4) fantasy dream swap ALERT: If Omar Minaya signs as GM with Angels: trade Jason Bay with $10M cash to the Angels for OF's Peter Bourjos($0.414M), Bobby Abreu($9M).

5) trade Bobby Abreu to Indians for RHP Nick Hagdone. lastly:

Forget CJ Wilson, he'll cost too much in years and money. I am aiming for Houston's Wandy Rodriguez(3 years $34M- 2012 at $10M). I am hoping their GM is still stupid enough to take little in return for their ace.

6) last big trade: Dillon Gee, Francisco Pena, LHP Marc Cohoon, and F-Mart for Wandy. unlikely, but you never know...

so the 2012 team will look like this:

first base: Ike Davis, a healthy Ike is going to hit 25 HRs, you can bet on it.

second base: Ruben Tejada, is only keeping the bag warm for Jordany Vadelspin or Reese Havens.

shortstop: Jose Reyes($18M. just pay the man.

third base: Daniel Murphy

catcher: Kurt Susuki ($3.4M)

left field:Logan Morrison

center field: Peter Bourjos

right field: Lucas Duda

bench: Willie Bloomquist($2M), Micah Owings, Josh Thole, Justin Turner.

pitching Staff: Johan Santana($24M) Wandy Rodriguez($10M) Jon Niese R.A. Dickey($4M) Mike Pelfrey ($5M)

bullpen Manny Acosta, Bobby Parnell, Nick Hagdone, Pedro Beato, or Joel Zumaya, Tim Byrdak, Daniel Ray Herrera, Huo-Chi Kuo($1M) $10M cash to Angels (Bay).

I didn’t calculate any monies, but I should be well under $110/120M since I traded David Wright AND Jason Bay.

I realize the chances of trading Bay is next to nil, even if the team ate half or most of the contract, even IF Omar signed on with the Angels! so, when that doesn't happen, add Bay's and re-sign Angel Pagan for 1 year $5M.

I also didn't go after an established closer because I don't believe in them. I'd rather attempt to develop our own homegrown closer that the team can control for several years.

The Brewers completed a deal for Zack Greinke and Ss Yuniesky Betancourt, and $2M for the following players: shortstop Alcides Escobar, center fielder Lorenzo Cain, and pitching prospects Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi. So much for Dayton Moore wanting middle infield prospects and top guys like Kyle Drabek. Could the Mets have pulled off such a package for Zack?  I guess the Brewers are really going for it this year. Nice move by Doug Melvin and the Brewers. Do you think the Brewers' new rotation now can match up with the powerhouse pitching staffs of Giants and Phillies? Have at it.

Hello everyone, Note to all: I am entering because I want to see AA community opinions, (if I somehow win) I do not really want the prizes. They should go to a true blue Mets fan. As you know from my comments I am a "tweener" when it comes to our beloved Mets, but I do not believe they are ready for 2011. Once all the bad contracts are done and the time and opportunity for the new regime to employ their draft strategy...after 2011 I will have more hope.

my plan: I have a plan and I think I may at least have a plan:

 Release John Maine

 Demote Oliver Perez to St. Luice, while I hate to muck up the rookies' spirits, I want to see if a full minor league season might do Oliver wonders. plus, I want him to stew.

 Pipe dream trade: Luis Castillo and Chris Carter to Mariners for Ss Jack Wilson and RHP Shawn Kelly. this does two things: get rid of Luis and gives the Mariners a potential secondbase replacement. Jack Wilson is terrible, but is an okay fielder and his contract and Luis's are a wash. This also assumes Jack isn't non-tendered, and that the Mariners are dumb enough to do this.

 Trade Sean Green and Fernando Martinez to the Rockies for C Chris Iannettea (27) and IF Chris Nelson (24/AAA) or C Michael McKenry (25/AA). I have no clue if the Rockies will do this, but they had major issues with the pen when Hutson Street went down in 2010, and they had some backup outfield issues too. This gives the Mets a reliable veteran catcher in Iannetta, who comes pretty cheap at $5M. Or Michael McKenry who put up some decent numbers in the minors and the Rockies have a few catchers too many right now, so McKenry might not get a chance with them.

 Take LHP Edgar Osuna(Braves) in the Major League Rule V draft this month and 2B Kevin Melilo in the minor league portion. I have a feeling Edgar can pan out to be a sneaky-good LOOGY.

play Justin Turner at second base full time, I think he is equivalent to Jeff Keppinger.

Go after free agents like Jeff Francis (29), Vincente Padilla (33). I love Francis' potential away from Colorado and when healthy, but I think he is a tough sign. I would offer both one year $2M and see who bites, but club options for a second year on Jeff Francis. Note, I did not say Vincente is better, just easier to sign to fill the innings.

Sign Jon Rauch (32) and Hideki Okajima (36) to 1 year $2M deals a piece with club options on Rauch. Rauch will probably do a good job as a long middle man and as emergency closer. Okajima, if he can bounce back to previous years will fill the LOOGY role perfectly.

When and if Voltron comes back healthy and has hot streaks, trade him for some prospects (one top prospect) and chip in half the money for the contract. I also assume Johan Santana will not come back in 2011, but I am adding him for completeness below:

 thanks for reading.

Hey John,

I am not sure if you ever did a Prospect Retro on Brad Radke, who retired today....for some reason I've always liked him.  (always had him on all of my fantasy teams!)

Who is he comparable to?  What grades would he have gotten?

He's one of the rare breeds that stayed with his team his entire career, a professional and a good innings' eater.  I guess that's why I've always liked Brad, he gave off a nice, personable demeanor and not arrogant like Greg Maddux.

Was he a number true one? Or a number two?  I don't think he was a number one, but a good solid number two.

What do most people think of Mr. Gopher Ball?

Career for Radke:
148 W
139 L
2451 IP
2643 H
326 Gopher Balls
445 BB
1467 SO
4.22 ERA
1.26 WHIP
37 CG
10 SHO

There goes an old reliable....