Tidbits: Fuentes and Vargas sign, DeRosa traded, Marquis soon

A few tidbits on this one of many slow news days.

• Brian Fuentes finally found a team. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for two-years, $17.5 million, with a vesting option for a third year. A little cheaper than K-Rod, eh?
• Claudio Vargas signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. $400,000 base salary with up to $1.4 million in incentives. Why couldn't the Mets do this?
• The Cubs have traded utility man Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians for three minor leaguers. I expect Omar Minaya to land a utility guy for the Mets quite soon. I'm looking at you, Alex Cora.
• The Cubbies are also in talks to trade Jason Marquis to the Rockies for Luis Vizcaino. An upgrade from Heilman, if ever so slightly.

Fletcher wished his readers a Happy New Year, and I will too. Have a safe night and here's to a wonderful 2009 for you, yours and our Mets.

Announcing: The 2008 Met of the Year Award [Voting has begun!]

The 2008 Met of the Year Award will be

awarded to the winner of the tourney.For a printable bracket, click here.
For an large updated bracket, click here.

Here at The 'Ropolitans, I thought it would be both entertaining and interesting to see who the 2008 Met of the Year (MotY) is, as voted on by you, the readers. I have the bracket and polls lined up and over the next two weeks, you will be able to vote in a head-to-head match to determine this years MotY.

Voting can be based on whatever you choose. Stats at the plate, play in the field, a game-winning hit at a game you attended, the fact that he signed your hat at the stadium, how cute he is, VORP -- whatever you choose!

The winner will be awarded a "trophy" and will be entered into The 'Ropolitans MotY Hall of Fame.

The first round of voting begins today, beginning with the Orange Bracket. The White Bracket will be tomorrow, followed by the Black and then the Blue Bracket.

There will be four polls for the first four days, after that it will go down to two polls a day for Round 2 and 3. Round 4 will be held over two days, as will the championship round. The winner will be announced Jan. 1, 2009.

Here are the results [Updated Daily]:

12/19: Orange Bracket Round 1 results.
12/20: White Bracket Round 1 results.
12/21: Black Bracket Round 1 results.
12/22: Blue Bracket Round 1 results.
12/23: VOTING IS OPEN. Polls close at midnight.

Have fun voting and good luck to whichever player you're pulling for.

Let the 2008 Met of the Year tournament...BEGIN!

Muniz gets another shot

The Mets have designated Claudio Vargas for assignment and called up Carlos Muniz for his spot on the roster.

While Vargas had been fairly effective as a long relief man, he surrendered four runs in two innings last night against the Mariners.

Muniz, who had a much lower ERA at the beginning of the year, is now sporting a 3.18 ERA in 28 1-3 innings pitched.

Muniz is 2008's Heath Bell and Royce Ring. Up and down, up and down. Tony Armas Jr. must be wondering what else he must do to get the call.

Move made official

A move we all saw coming in the first inning was made official after last nights game debacle.

With Oliver Perez throwing batting practice to the Giants, he was pulled after only recording one out. Claudio Vargas, now "firmly" situated in the bullpen, came in and pitch 4 2-3 scoreless innings for the Mets. Mike Pelfrey will stay in the rotation, as Carlos Muniz, who allowed four runs on Monday night, was sent down to AAA.

Muniz was sent down to make room for Pedro Martinez, who is making his return tonight against the Giants.

I hope Martinez can do something worthwhile for two reasons:
1. I want him to do well, obviously.
2. The bullpen was slightly overworked last night.

I can see Pedro pitching into the sixth inning, struggling, and coming out with a line somewhere near 5 2-3 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 6 K's and 2 walks. I would happily take that from Martinez on his first start back.

A nightmare inning

Well, another disaster start from Oliver Perez.

It's currently 4-0 in the bottom of the first, only one out.

It's now 6-0. Still one out.

That actually happened as I was writing.

Claudio Vargas is up in the bullpen, making it pretty known what the Mets are going to do when Pedro Martinez is activated tomorrow. Vargas will, or should it be has, moved to the bullpen, while Mike Pelfrey will stay in the rotation.

I like this. Pelfrey is part of the future for the organization, so let him stick around and do his thing. He's been effective between some miserable stretches. He just needs to iron things out.

Perez still has not recorded another out, and his day is done. 1-3 of an inning, 5 hits, 2 walks, 6 runs, and the smallest hop over the first base path I've ever seen him take.

Something needs to be done about Mr. Perez. He just doesn't seem to have "it."

What the heck?

So the 4th inning seemingly ended with a ground out from Caludio Vargas to short. SNY went to commercial, as usual.

They just cut back, with Vargas on base, and Jose Reyes on first. Luis Castillo promptly doubled to left, scoring Vargas. Reyes came around to score on an errant throw.

David Wright just hit his second 2-run home run of the game. It's 6-0 now, and four of them came after the inning was seemingly over.

Ah!!! Gary Cohen just updated us. It was a catchers interference call when Vargas was batting.

So crazy. Did that happen to anyone else?

TSTDIA: Mets 9 -- Rockies 2

An all around solid game from Claudio Vargas on the mound and Carlos Beltran, David Wright and especially Nick Evans at the plate.

So this is what it feels like to win. I forgot what this was like.

Game Recap: Nationals 5 -- Mets 3

I have to be blunt. Aaron Heilman blew it again and this loss is all on his back.

Claudio Vargas was downright impressive in his first start with the Mets. He threw 6 1-3 innings, allowing only one run while on the mound and another was charged to him later on in the inning. He gave up three hits, walking four, while striking out six.

I had my expectations set very low for him, but he surprised me, as I'm sure he surprised you. Well done, Vargas. You earned yourself another start, at the least.

Vargas was handed a lead in the fifth inning when Brian Schneider homered to right field, right off the 1988 NL Division Champs banner for the first run of the game.

I'm very pleased by Schneider's hitting ability. Great to see some pop out of this guy who was billed as a "defensive catcher."

Vargas handed the lead right back, allowing Ryan Zimmerman to crank one off the front of the mezzanine level to tie the game up at 1-1.

Vargas was pulled from the game after issuing a one out walk to Elijah Dukes. Aaron Heilman was called in from the bullpen to try and finish out the inning. He eventually recorded three outs, not before the Nationals scored four runs to take the lead.

All the runs came with two outs, and I believe Heilman had two strikes on every batter he faced. He was even ahead 0-2 on Jesus Flores before allowing an RBI single to him.

Heilman needs a change of scenery. New Orleans or another organization, take your pick.

The Mets rally attempts fizzled out too early, as they scored one run in the 7th and 8th innings, but couldn't scratch out anymore. Schneider picked up another RBI with a ground ball to first base, allowing Endy Chavez to score. Carlos Beltran brought home the Mets final run, singling to right and plating Marlon Anderson.

The Mets went down in order in the ninth inning, striking out twice.

This team has fire, but it's equivalent to a cigarette lighter when they need a bonfire. Spurts are shown here and there, but overall, it's just not there. Moises Alou showed a bit of emotion and fire when he was ejected in the fifth after being called out on strikes. Alou immediately slammed his bat into the ground and was ejected seconds later by home plate umpire Dana Demuth.

You have to beat up on last place teams, and now they're heading into tomorrow's matinee hoping for a split of the series, at best. Not good.

Game Ball: Schneider

The roster shuffle

Off the Mets: Nelson Figueroa and Jorge Sosa have been designated for assignment. Angel Pagan has been placed on the 15-day DL.

On the Mets: Matt Wise was activated off the disabled list. Fernando Tatis and Claudio Vargas were called up from New Orleans.

Bye Figueroa, I'll miss you. Willie Randolph, when speaking to Eddie Coleman on WFAN, said he hopes Figueroa clears waivers and would like to see him as a long man out of the bullpen. I have to agree. Opposing teams are batting well under .200 against Figueroa the first time through the order, so he'd be perfect.

On Sosa, I'm so happy about. Took them long enough. Same for Wise.

The battle between Pagan and Tatis will begin. If Tatis can do anything worthwhile, I can see Pagan staying in AAA after he's healed up. Omar Minaya likes Tatis, so I think Tatis is in for the long haul.

For Vargas, I will abstain comment on until after tomorrow's start.

Overall, good moves by the Mets.

Mets sign Claudio Vargas

The Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with Claudio Vargas.

For once, I have no opinion. He'll be sent to AAA after he completes extended spring training, and wait for another injury to occur so he can try and fill in.

He's not in pitching shape, which is just terrible on his part. You have to think, or at least hope, that a team will come calling sometime during the season. The least you could do is stay in shape so when the team calls you, there might be the chance you're needed immediately and must make an impact. That's just plain lazy.

I guess I do have an opinion on this after all.