A's, Mets are talking swap
Susan Slusser, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, October 17, 2003
New York -- Any talks between the Mets and Rick Peterson so far are of the informal variety, because the A's still have not given New York permission to negotiate with their pitching coach.
Oakland officials have indicated they are open to letting Peterson out of the final two years of his contract because he would like to be closer to his family in New Jersey, but apparently the official word has not come down because the teams are still discussing possible compensation for Peterson, according to those with knowledge of the situation.
If Peterson does wind up going to the Mets, the arrangement might require New York to trade a low-level prospect for disgruntled A's outfielder Terrence Long, who described his relationship with manager Ken Macha as "beyond repair'' the day after the season ended and also said 20 of the A's 25 players do not want to play for Macha.
After those comments, general manager Billy Beane said trading Long was "not a unilateral decision. There has to be someone who wants him.''
Beane has not returned calls this week, but this may be the means for Oakland to unload Long, who came up through the Mets' system and got along well with Art Howe when the current New York skipper managed the A's. Long, who hit .245 with an on-base percentage of .293 and had his playing time dip dramatically last season, has two years remaining on his $12 million deal.
The Mets might not be the only team with interest in Peterson. The Yankees might want to pursue him if Mel Stottlemyre retires, because the A's have led the league in ERA the last two years, although New York has several prominent in-house candidates to replace Stottlemyre.
Barry Zito, the 2002 Cy Young Award winner, is especially close to Peterson and has worked with him since he was a teenager.
"I think a lot of people are kind of pessimistic about this whole thing, '' Zito said of the possibility of losing Peterson. "Some people say, 'If I had pitching like that, I'd be good, too,' but Rick helped Izzy (Jason Isringhausen) mechanically and mentally, and Billy Koch mechanically. Then Billy went to Chicago and struggled, and Rick did stuff with Keith Foulke this year that helped him.''
Susan Slusser, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, October 17, 2003
New York -- Any talks between the Mets and Rick Peterson so far are of the informal variety, because the A's still have not given New York permission to negotiate with their pitching coach.
Oakland officials have indicated they are open to letting Peterson out of the final two years of his contract because he would like to be closer to his family in New Jersey, but apparently the official word has not come down because the teams are still discussing possible compensation for Peterson, according to those with knowledge of the situation.
If Peterson does wind up going to the Mets, the arrangement might require New York to trade a low-level prospect for disgruntled A's outfielder Terrence Long, who described his relationship with manager Ken Macha as "beyond repair'' the day after the season ended and also said 20 of the A's 25 players do not want to play for Macha.
After those comments, general manager Billy Beane said trading Long was "not a unilateral decision. There has to be someone who wants him.''
Beane has not returned calls this week, but this may be the means for Oakland to unload Long, who came up through the Mets' system and got along well with Art Howe when the current New York skipper managed the A's. Long, who hit .245 with an on-base percentage of .293 and had his playing time dip dramatically last season, has two years remaining on his $12 million deal.
The Mets might not be the only team with interest in Peterson. The Yankees might want to pursue him if Mel Stottlemyre retires, because the A's have led the league in ERA the last two years, although New York has several prominent in-house candidates to replace Stottlemyre.
Barry Zito, the 2002 Cy Young Award winner, is especially close to Peterson and has worked with him since he was a teenager.
"I think a lot of people are kind of pessimistic about this whole thing, '' Zito said of the possibility of losing Peterson. "Some people say, 'If I had pitching like that, I'd be good, too,' but Rick helped Izzy (Jason Isringhausen) mechanically and mentally, and Billy Koch mechanically. Then Billy went to Chicago and struggled, and Rick did stuff with Keith Foulke this year that helped him.''
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