Winter Meetings Outhouse

I couldn't help but think upon the rumours of Milledge for lefty starter Mark Buehrle going sour how much Buehrle looks like Derek Jeter. Perhaps these photos don't capture the resemblance as accurately as the caffeinated imagination at 6:30 in the morning but there you go.

SO do the Mets now have Señor Ambiorix Burgos in their clammy paws?

I would be a tad sad to see Brian Bannister go after the promised hammies went south but this new guy's name alone is worth a few words, forget about the potential of, as Metsradamus aptly notes the 2007 version of Jorge Julio joining our side...

Briefly, Abriorix was

"the leader of the Eburones, a Belgian tribe. In the winter of 54/53 BCE, he destroyed of one of the legions of Julius Caesar, which resulted in the annihilation of his tribe."

Sounds like the sort of up and down season Burgos had with the Royals in 2006.

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The Lastings Milledge for Joe Blanton rumour is a very intriguing back up plan to not signing Zito. Blanton would be a middle of the rotation sort of fit with his Zitoesque curve and a fastball reaching into the low 90s. So-so slider and average change up. The Zito Lite of the A's pitching staff, so to speak, for the moment but under the right tutelage, could develope into something even more promising, plus he's only soon-to-be 26. Barry big upside even if he doesn't necessarily solve the problem of ACE, in which case, the Mets will need at least one more big middle innings reliever, someone to set up the set up man, Duaner Sanchez. We might come away happy with this sort of steal deal and let Lastings flower elsewhere. If little else, Blanton is an innings-eater a la Trachsel with a stronger upside.

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Lastly, let's address the rumour of Mark Mulder signing as a free agent, another cheaper alternative to Zito but one who wouldn't be available to start the season which makes him even cheaper, perhaps a bargain even. And now that Glavine is a Met again, he's out on the recruiting trail:

"I'll try to put in a good word with him," Glavine said. "To me, he'd be an intriguing pickup. I don't know him much; just a couple of hellos. But from what I hear from Gregg and Rick, he's a good guy and good teammate."

"Intriguing" pickup.



At least he's not a John Cougar Mellencamp, this is my America sort-of-pick up.