Ah It CAN get worse

I would only be mildly surprised if Jose Reyes returns with a peg leg.

Ugh. Sports Illustrated is trying to stay in the game by flinging some outrageous rumors, now that Erin Andrews has stolen the sporting world's attention (Not the awkward Espy's from last night).


We can't be stopped.

ITEM 1.
Mets general manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel have been reassured by club higher-ups that their jobs are not in jeopardy, league sources told SI.com.

If you're going to do this, Fred/Jeffy-poo, at least keep it a secret.

Of course, the Mets can't even put out a coherent rumor, seeing as the media is batting this one all over the place. If this turns out to be true, it just confirms what we suspected: the Mets will blame injuries entirely for this season, not Omar's winter bumbling. It certainly reminds me of the way they announced Omar's extension in the middle of its second straight regular season collapse last year. It's like they're trying to demoralize the fan base.

ITEM 2.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reported that the Mets had rejected a deal that would bring Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay to New York in exchange for Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Ruben Tejada.

If you're going to do this, Omar, at least throw yourself off of a bridge.

The Mets rejection of a trade for Roy Halladay, if not complete bullshit (and it may be entirely phony), could end up eclipsing Omar's dumbest moves, because of the following points:

*Halladay is not a rental, he's signed through 2010, and Omar has been able to work out extensions in the past. This is Omar's only strongpoint, trading when it falls in his lap and cutting checks.
*If the Mets think they're getting Reyes and Beltran back among the walking before their contracts are up (and really, that's anyone's guess), then by their own logic they'd see themselves as competitors for 2010. So uh, if Halladay will waive his no-trade and consider an extension, then why not make the team better?
*Are the three guys anywhere near major league ready in this deal interesting prospects? Sure they are. But when you can get a pitcher like Halladay without fending off the Yankers and Sawx (I feel the Jays wouldn't trade him within their own division), you have to do it. Structurally, this is the same as the Johan deal, except for the Phillies. Boston and the Yankers are probably content if the Jay ace goes elsewhere. And nobody else has the same awful spending habits.
*Perhaps most importantly, if the Phillies land him, the Mets are toast til 2011. If he signs an extension another generation of Mets fans will watch the Mets be unable to even win their own division. If the Mets aren't a player, then they have to hope the Phils look at the NL East and realize they don't really need Halladay.
*It's only money, and it's not mine.

Sigh.