Kevin Collazo at 7-Train thinks the Stokes signing won't be half bad.

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Chicago Mets Fan found a video showing Tony La Russa's sobriety test....wow

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Y2K chimes in on Johan Santana.
 
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Courtesy of Andrew at the 'Ropolitans, David Lennon reports back on his visit to Citi Field.

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The Ballclub continues their recap of the 1999 postseason.

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Mike's Mets scoffs at all the ridiculous rumors around MLB these days. I agree Mike.

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BMF thinks that that Dan Haren is the way to go, while Mets Fever wants Joe Blanton. The A's rumors will never die.

According to Mets.com, the team acquired relief pitcher Brian Stokes today from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for cash.

The 28-year-old right-hander was 2-7 with a 7.07 ERA in 59 games for Tampa Bay last season, allowing 49 runs and 90 hits in 62 1-3 innings.

Is anyone else tired of hearing rumors about Johan Santana? Well, I am that's for sure. Just for the record, I don't think the Mets will do what is required to acquire Johan which is probably a good thing.  Lately, I've heard it quite a bit that he's a lock to join the Yankees. Now, certain writers say the Mets are once again in the hunt.

To be honest, I think it's a lack of originality that forces these writers to keep revisiting this "dead-horse" topic.  But overall, rumors are just that, rumors, until someone actually makes them fact.  Then, once that happens we shall see which writers were right, and which ones were just bored.

Look, there's no other pitcher I would rather have join the team (without giving up too much), but let's not get in a tizzy about something that may not even happen until at least the winter meetings start. And that goes for you too Yankee fans.

Go to Mets.com to see their new 2008 schedule.

The last game ever at Shea will be on Sunday, September 28, against the Marlins.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that former Mets pitcher and current Atlanta Brave Mike Hampton, is hurt again.

MLB.com notes what each postseason participant will receive from the players' pool which is formed from 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series and 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first four games of the League Championship series and the World Series. 

A portion of this was awarded to the four regular season second-place clubs that were not Wild Card participants, which includes the Mets.

Share of Players' Pool: $524,593.91; value of each full share: $9,411.28 - The Mets were awarded 41 full shares, 14.63 partial shares and two cash awards.

Confused? Yeah, me too, but Matthew Cerrone at Metsblog breaks it down.

The AP is reporting that Kerry Wood and the Cubs agreed to a 1-year deal today.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wood was used exclusively in relief last season for the first time in his career. He was 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 22 appearances after making his season debut Aug. 5 vs. the Mets.

I was at that game, which was also Tom Glavine's 300th win. When Wood came into the game, the crowd reacted as if Cy Young himself had run in from the bullpen.

In other Cubs news, the club may be on the verge of losing RHP Mark Prior.  The Cubs could make the oft-injured Prior a non-tender free agent if he does not agree to a deal that gives them an option for 2009.

In an announcement entitled "The Value of Loyalty" posted to his website (www.chanhopark61.com) on Monday, the 34-year-old pitcher Chan Ho Park declared his decision to give up a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers to stay with the Korean national team for Olympic preliminary games.

"After giving long and deep thought to the matter, I concluded that I should respect loyalty," Park wrote.

I think it was based more on the fact that he's washed up here in the states but hey, that's just me.

According to the Associated Press, Tom Glavine has signed a one year, $8 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves are yet to make an official announcement, but according to “a person familiar with the deal”, Glavine has already taken a physical for the team.

I'm somewhat torn on how to feel.  I'm glad this "game" is finally over, and he's back where he belongs, but the Mets just lost a pitcher who consistently averaged 200 innings, and gave them a few decent years. Now he is back to our division rival whom he has always been affiliated with, even while with the Mets.

It was clear he was going back to Atlanta, and the Mets thought so too. His effectiveness is yet to be determined, but it has certainly declined somewhat of late. At least they also get a draft pick out of it.  Like I said, I'm just glad it's over.

I am admittedly not a big "hot stove" kind of guy for several reasons. During the span of the regular season, stresses come in many shapes and sizes; whether it is the Mets losing a game where they held the lead, or chasing an elusive pennant, the emotional hills and valleys which occur over 162 games leaves me somewhat spent after the season is through.

But afterward we have the "hot stove", and all that comes with it.  The Mets want A-Rod and David Wright will switch positions...oh wait, the A-Rod circus likes the Yankees again. Newsflash! The Mets signed Yorvit Torrealba...oh wait, they didn't!

I agree that it is relevant for this fan to follow the comings and goings of players on the team, but anticipating and predicting what may or may not happen has never been high on my list of priorities. 

Speculating on possible scenarios and acquisitions is certainly relevant, but I will leave the majority of that to the beat writers to scratch their heads and lick their pencils over. What rumors will abound next, Mets to trade six players for Jake Peavy?  I will naturally continue to follow all of the buzz, but don't expect me to like it.

As the signing of Yorvit Torrealba seems imminent, it will be interesting to hear what Paul Lo Duca has to say about his time with the Mets.  He was always very candid and never held back any opinion, so I'm interested in hearing some of the E! True Paulywood Stories that he is certain to share as he parts ways with the club. Maybe he will shed some light on what went on in the clubhouse during the abysmal final stretch of the season.

Lo Duca has always been brutally honest with the media, and the team's failure to re-sign him will certainly make him a bit peeved. I wasn't against keeping the aging catcher but don't think that Torrealba is a bad signing either. Although I do think the potential 3 year deal is a bit much, he should be a good fit in a tandem with Ramon Castro.

Just my two cents.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Orioles GM Andy MacPhail likely will begin conversations with Mark Pieper, Erik Bedard's agent, about a contract extension for the pitcher before the winter meetings, which begin Dec. 3 in Nashville, Tenn.

Jeff Zrebiec writes:

He also notes that the Mets expressed interest in catcher Ramon Hernandez, but the asking price, a high-end prospect, was more than what the team was willing to give up.

Bedard has improved every year and is definitely worth a long discussion by the Mets brass. He is one of the targets the team should definitely focus their sights on.

Jesse at Twinkie Town (odd name), propose a couple of packages that the Mets could prepare to acquire Johan Santana.

"Package #1:  David Wright and Fernando Martinez.  Package #2:  Milledge, Gomez, Pelfrey and Martinez.  Swapping out Pelfrey for Humphrey is fine; cutting Martinez out of package #2 makes it much more realistic and a little less appealing from the Twins angle.  I realize I'm expecting a lot, but I should hope that Minnesota would be asking other teams to make difficult decisions as well."

I know it's fun to think about these things but Santana is not coming to the Mets. If he does I'll be the first to say I was wrong.