While sitting in gridlock holiday traffic in midtown Manhattan yesterday, Steve Phillips and his advisors hashed out the many possibilities the Mets have for replacing John Olerud’s lost offense. Perhaps it was an appropriate setting for such a meeting because the loss of Olerud creates a considerable jam for Phillips and the Mets.
The GM said yesterday was a day of information gathering and developing strategies, and that that he didn’t expect any transactions to take place until the winter meetings, which begin tomorrow in Anaheim. But once the meetings begin, Phillips anticipates being a major player.
“I’m sitting in one of those seats that hopes to be active,” he said.
The Mets have kept in touch with a variety of free agents and teams regarding possible trades, and many of those contacts were re-visited yesterday and in the hours following the news about Olerud’s signing with the Mariners for three years and $20 million.
The easiest option would be to sign free agent first baseman David Segui, who can hit and is a very good fielder. Scott Boras, the agent for Segui, said the established price for his client of slightly less than $6 million per year was fair (the Mariners offered three years at $17.5 million and Boras called that the “established price”) but said Segui wants four years.
“Whoever gives him four years will get him,” Boras said.
The only problems is that the Mets would like the option of moving Mike Piazza to first base in fewer than four years. But more important than that, there doesn’t appear to be much of a market for Segui. Boras said Toronto wants to re-sign him, but they have very little money to spend and already have Carlos Delgado, who doesn’t want to DH. That leaves only the Red Sox as a possible suitor for Segui, which means the Mets are in a strong position to get a good price on him.
Rangers first baseman Lee Stevens remains a distinct possibility, although a Met source was unsure if he were still available. The Mets spoke with the Rangers during the GM meetings about Stevens and at the time the Rangers wanted pitching in return, but the Mets apparent offer of Chuck McElroy and Luis Lopez was flatly rejected. It would probably take a starter like Bobby Jones to do it.
Stevens hit .282 average last year and 24 homers and 81 RBI. If the Mets did make that deal, they could then look to enhance their offense even more in the outfield, as Phillips has suggested he would like to do.
Phillips also intimated he would speak again with the Mariners about Ken Griffey Jr., but team sources are not now confident about anything happening with that.