Ex-Mets Moves

Maybe this is of interest to nobody except me, but whenever I hear that (for example) Timo Perez signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers, I always remember that Timo was once, and forevermore will be, a Met. With that in mind--and on the off chance there are more of you out there like me--this blog will report any transactional moves involving former Mets.

There have been four such moves that I noticed this week, starting with this one: Timo Perez signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers.

Timo didn't log a single at-bat in the big leagues last year; he spent the whole 2008 season with AAA Toledo--he also spent most of 2007 with Toledo. His numbers were very similar both seasons: over 400 at-bats, at least 30 doubles, 13 home runs, over 60 RBI, and batting averages of .309 and .302. His last big-league action came with the Tigers in '07, when he batted a sparkling .389 in 96 late-season trips to the plate. Here's hoping he gets another chance to show his stuff in the majors.

Steady reliever David Weathers re-signed with Cincinnati, thus avoiding arbitration. Dave was a workhorse out of the Met bullpen for 2½ years earlier this decade, as he has been elsewhere before and since. He's appeared in over 60 games in each of the last ten seasons.

Former favorite whipping boy of the intolerant Mets fans Aaron Heilman got traded from the Mariners to the Cubs without ever having thrown a pitch for Seattle. It was long rumored that the Cubs were interested in Aaron; now they have their man. I never fully understood the Mets fans' dissatisfaction with Heilman; even in the years he was pretty good for them, he was always an easy target for fast, unjustified booing. Good luck in Chicago, Aaron. Hope we meet you in the playoffs!

Lastly, another popular target of the Mets fans' scorn, Jeff Kent, announced his retirement after seventeen stellar seasons. Jeff merits a post all his own, which will be soon forthcoming.