Peter Gammons

Here's 7 thoughts on Peter Gammons latest offering from ESPN.com.

1. Gammons is right about the Mets. I am surprised that he did not mention what could be their biggest upcoming disaster - the $15 million option on Richard Hidalgo. My guess is that management is pressured into picking up this bloated contract.

2. I had forgotten that Hee Seop Choi was with the Dodgers until Gammons mentioned his name. LA has not been good for Choi - he's hitting just .158 (only slugging .228!) with ZERO HR since being traded to the Dodgers. Yuck!

3. Orlando Cabrera turned down 4-years / $30 million from the Expos (because he was sick of losing). It would be great if he signed with the Red Sox for the same amount. That would really put the icing on the cake as far as the Garciaparra trade is concerned.

4. They say that any time you stoop to call someone a Nazi - it means you have lost the argument:

Roberts is right about Cabrera, and the same thing can be said about Derek Jeter -- who the stats Nazis will insist from their garages isn't an exceptional shortstop -- and Brian Roberts. On the other hand, there are some star-type players that are not as good on a pennant contender.

I can't recall how many Yankee games I've seen where Jeter just couldn't get to a ball that Nomar certainly would have gobbled up. Jeter just doesn't have good range.

5. Classic Gammons just throwing things up on the wall to see what sticks:

Six players who are not free agents whom most would be surprised to see in the same uniform next season.

Alfonso Soriano, Phil Nevin, Jacque Jones, Mike Sweeney, Cliff Floyd and Shawn Chacon.

6. Just for the record - I picked Johnson before the season started as the Cy Young and I still think he deserves the award:

Randy Johnson complained that ESPN did not list him among three top contenders for the NL Cy Young Award.

Johnson has a legitimate beef, because he has been the best starting pitcher in the National League. But he's not going to win because of his low win total, which isn't fair and a function of pitiable support.

7. This one I find a bit bizarre:

Another option that may not get picked up is Craig Biggio's $3 million deal for 2005. He was 0-for-20 in the first five games of this current Astros road trip.

For $3 million - there is no way that Biggio is released by the Astros. NO WAY! Especially when you consider that it would cost them $1 million to buy him out.