NewsMarquis eyes return home with Mets
Staten Island native tells newspaper team is 'perfect fit'
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
11/18/09 11:24 AM EST
Jason Marquis wants to pitch for the Mets, and he has no intentions of keeping that a secret.The 31-year-old right-hander told the New York Post in a report that ran on Wednesday that he considers the Mets "a perfect fit" to be his next destination.
"It would always be nice to come back home and represent your hometown," said Marquis, who grew up and still resides in Staten Island, N.Y. "This is where I'm from, so to come back here and play in front of friends and family would be an honor."
The Post, citing a source, added that the Mets like Marquis, but have him below other free agents such as John Lackey and Joel Pineiro in terms of priority this offseason. Marquis and Pineiro are each Type B free agents, while Lackey is ranked by Elias as a Type A.
Marquis, who is appearing on Thursday night at the annual Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation dinner at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island, said his agent has spoken to the Mets, who would be free to negotiate with him starting Friday.
"There's definitely interest there," Marquis told The Post. "We'll see what direction they want to go."
Marquis, who told Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur during the season that he'd like to pitch for the Mets, called Citi Field "just a beautiful stadium" and said New York should bounce back from last season's 70-92 record.
"The Mets are definitely contenders with the lineup they have," Marquis told the Post. "They're tough to pitch to when their lineup is healthy. They had a lot of injuries last year, but the Mets have pieces in place. With a few more pieces, they have a great chance to play in October."
In his first season with the Rockies in 2009, Marquis made the National League All-Star team and finished 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA in 33 starts. For his 10-year career, he's 94-83 with a 4.48 ERA. He's also one of the top hitting pitchers in the game, having won an NL Silver Slugger Award in '05 and collecting five home runs and 48 RBIs in his career.
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
