http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28481925/

Here we go.

> The rich get richer. It's becoming more and more apparent that the bigger markets are crushing the smaller markets with these signings.

I guess he missed that parade of All-Stars in and out of Atlanta back in the Ted Turner days?

Surely we can find some examples of Larry and the gang winning and losing with less than class, let's say, if we dig into the annals.

The Mets have made an offer to Derek Lowe. At 3 years and $36 million it's quite a bit lower than $75 million over 5 years that Lowe and his agent Scott Boras hoped to get.

The New York Post reports:

"Lowe is the Mets' first choice for the glaring hole in their rotation, with Oliver Perez Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf still possibilities if a deal can't be struck with Lowe. A Mets official termed it unlikely that the team would sign more than one starter from the group that includes Lowe, Perez and Wolf."

Does it seem like a lose-lose situation when it comes to the Mets spending money? If they don't spend enough, they're cheap. If they spend a lot of money, they're attacked as trying to be like the Yankees and/or buying a pennant. They're being big market bullies. If they spend a lot of money and the Yankees still spend $20 million more, they're trying to do it on the cheap and not making the commitment to winning. There's never any accountability for what did you get for the money you spent. MLB is never going to love the Mets because they can never have a $40 million payroll and make the playoffs like Tampa Bay or Minnesota.

omar is not doing much. getting puts and k-rod is nice, but we're not done yet and he needs to wake up. the yankees are spending like crazy, getting CC, Burnett, and teixara. to put it in perspective, the royals and marlins' payrolls COMBINED equal less than 15 million dollars. the yankees' is 209 million. wow. anyway, assuming the yankees are finally done spending, the red sox still have a lot of money and could use a pitcher, which means they will probably be our main compeition for lowe. we should wait until febuary when he is desperate and then resign perez for cheap i think to bolster that rotation, but as long as we get one of wither lowe, perez, or ben sheets i am happy with our rotation.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year to all members of I Heart Mets (formerly known as the Amazin Moments Clubhouse) and listeners to the Amazin Moments podcast. It was a heckuva year that we went through in 2008. Here's to a better (dare I say championship) one in 2009.

I really didn't consider the Phillies rivals. At least, not like the Cardinals in the 80s or the Braves this decade. Then, Cole Hamels called the Mets....chokers. We can call us Chokers...but, how dare he. NOW, this is a rivalry. I hate the Phillies.

I've been too seething with rage at them since October to see what that team in Philadelphia has been doing this offseason by themselves or to counteract what we've done. Has anyone been watching what their media and/or fans are saying about their offseason? I still remember being at college in VT when we won the Series in '86 and the very day after the Mets won it they were already getting slammed in the papers about how they weren't as good as everyone said and wouldn't repeat in '87, etc. Wondering if there's the same talk down the pike.

On this episode of Amazin Moments podcast:

• My reaction to the way the 2008 season ended
• The whole Citi Field bailout controversy
• The Mets picking up K-Rod and J.J. Putz
• The Mets sending Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez and Joe Smith on their way
• The possibility of Manny…