Mets Fever

Poll: Who Will Lead The Mets In Home Runs?

2012-01-27T12:00:00.001-05:00

With the biggest move of the off season taking place in the outfield, the dimensions of Citi Field have certainly been adjusted in the favor of David Wright and Jason Bay. Each should reap the benefits of a lowered, shortened porch in left field, but will that be a enough do assume the teams power crown?

What do you think? Will David Wright return to the 30+ potential we saw only a few years ago? Will Jason Bay finally display the type of power that forced Omar Minaya to sign him? Or..will it be the more tradition type power hitters, in Ike Davis or Lucas Dude, to lead the team this upcoming season?

Should the Mets grab a veteran catcher...

2012-01-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

I know the team already put this to bed, but I'm still not convinced of Thole/Nickeas and there apparently are some veteran catchers available. Don't get me wrong I would rather have had Pudge five years ago but on a minor league deal to see what he has left, what would be the harm. I don't have any interest in the rest but I would definitely give Pudge a chance especially when Nickeas is the back-up and Thole struggled at times last year...

The Cardinals, Rays, Marlins, Athletics, Mets, Rockies, Cubs and Pirates all have unsettled backup catching situations at the moment, but none seems especially interested in signing a free agent. Besides Pudge and Varitek, Ramon Castro and Ronny Paulino are struggling to find jobs as well. No one from the group figures to get more than a minor league contract. source Hardball Talk

Mets in a good position with LHB OF market...

2012-01-26T16:35:00.000-05:00

Earlier today we heard the Mets were keeping tabs on the left handed hitting outfield market, there are several decent outfielders available who meet that description. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN believes because of the glut in the market that despite their financial struggles the Mets are in a good place on this one...

If not Frances maybe Duke

2012-01-26T14:29:00.001-05:00

I'm a bit annoyed that another serviceable player has slipped through the Mets grasp at a reasonable price, Jeff Francis going to Cincy on a minor league deal says something about the state of the Mets. When was the last time the Reds were a more appealing destination then NY when the Nasty Boys were pitching...

Like I said when the rumors leaked last week; Francis is better then his numbers indicate, he's a lefty and he's versatile. Seeing four teams in play I figured we'd be outbid for his services but that's not the case at all, the other destination was simply more appealing...

So if Francis is off the board, then who's left: I suggested Ross Ohlendorf in a post the other day but if they want a lefty Zach Duke might be an option.

Duke is a 28 y/o lefty in his first six seasons he was a starter with mixed results, he was an All-Star in 2009 in which he posted a 4.06 ERA in 215 innings. But the very next year he posted a 5.72 ERA in only 159 innings, and during the off-season was traded to the D-Backs.

In Arizona he made nine starts in 21 appearances, of those 12 relief appearances five were game finishes and one was a save. Last year Duke posted a 12.00 BB/SS ratio (1 BB/12 SO) in 74 PA against LHB in which he allowed a .225 BAA. As a reliever he posted a 3.86 ERA while as a starter he had a much better BB/SO ratio ( 2.36 / 0.75).

Fukudome could return to Japan - should Mets look first

2012-01-26T08:10:00.000-05:00

Cody Ross was seen as a back-up outfielder who could become a starter and play center field, making the bench entirely right handed made him a less then perfect fit which is why I can't fault them when he went to Boston for 3M on a major league deal.

Kosuke Fukudome is left handed and played over 100 games in center as recently as 2009, he wouldn't be an exciting signing but he might fit or needs and I'd hope he'd pick a minor league deal with the Mets over returning to Japan. The 34 y/o in four major league seasons has compiled a BA of .260 with an OBP .361, Slg. .399 and a .760 OPS.

According to Ken Rosenthal he wants to stay in the majors but some believe he'll end up back in Japan...

Fukudome, who had a combined .712 OPS last season for the Cubs and Indians, wants to remain in the majors, according to a source with knowledge of his thinking. Some executives, however, believe he may end up back in Japan. source Fox Sports

Izzy not expected back...

2012-01-26T07:37:00.003-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Dan Martin of the NY Post reports that the Mets don't expect Jason Isringhausen back. The former All-Star closer had a commendable return to the bigs after injuries stifled his career.

But even in returning it wasn't flawless as injuries and fatigue limited his abilities in the second half of the season.

Even on a minor league deal I can't see Izzy breaking camp with the team and rem. last year he was reluctant to accept extended spring training. So while the door will be left open it kinda makes sense that the two sides are moving in different directions...

“There probably isn’t a fit for him here,” another source said. “He’s been talking to other teams, and we think he’ll wind up elsewhere.” source NY Post

Three Mets pitchers in top 100

2012-01-25T23:13:00.000-05:00

Minor league guru Jonathan Mayo of MLB just released his list of the top 100 prospects and three Mets pitchers made the list. That brings the Mets to five top prospects with Wilmer Flores at #9 on the 3B list and Reese Havens #9 on the 2B list. Zack Wheeler came in at #28, Matt Harvey #28 and #90 Jeurys Familia.

 It started with Matt Harvey, the college product with the big right arm. Then Jeurys Familia began outpitching his projections, and one became two. Soon after, the Mets traded Carlos Beltran for another top arm, Zack Wheeler, and two grew to three. source MLB.com

Niese underrated sleeper

2012-01-25T22:22:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

In an article at Roto Authority on Busts and sleepers Jon Niese is identified as a sleeper.

The 25y/o lefty has two full seasons under his belt, in which he has posted a 4.30 ERA/ 1.43 WHIP in 56 starts over those two years.

Roto Authority compares him to Ricky Romero and sees him as an undervalued #3.

With Niese's peripherals already rivaling pitchers who are being drafted far sooner (11 rounds, in Romero's case) than him, the southpaw is one to keep in your back pocket. He's had a couple injuries (unrelated to his arm) already in his career, so don't reach too far, but you'd be wise to regard him as someone who could bring real value to your roster if things break right rather than someone who's just filling out the back of your rotation. source Roto Authority

Young could return...

2012-01-25T00:25:00.001-05:00

It appears the Mets are focused on finding rotation depth, veteran pitchers willing to accept minor league deals who can be called up so that the prospects aren't rushed. Alderson admitted the Mets would be interested in bringing back Young who says his arm feels better then it has in years and is scheduled to be back to pitching in April. Young was the best pitcher in the Mets rotation the problem was that it only lasted for four starts...

Almeida looks like a developmental signning...

2012-01-24T16:36:00.000-05:00

Adrian Almeida looks like an international signing more on the developmental side then anyone who's going to contribute. Probably no information on him because he's a kid. When I asked for more information this was the response I received...

Up-date on Almeida...

2012-01-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Here is the original tweet Adam Rubin tweeted..

Here's a translation: The #Mets of new York they signed to the left-handed launcher Adrián Almeida. In Venezuela belongs to #Brave of Margarita.

But that's not the end of the mystery On the Braves of Margarita page he is not listed and he isn't listed on MLB winter league stats.

Mets may have signed a lefty..

2012-01-24T15:31:00.000-05:00

Adam Rubin tweeted that there were reports out of Venezuela that the Mets may have signed LHP Adrian Almeida, Rubin quipped that he had no idea who he was. Well nor does the rest of the world, maybe he's the next Sidd Finch since in the vast world of the internet I can't find one thing on any pitcher by that name. Could be translation error in the report...

Ross could be deciding today...

2012-01-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Looks like the Mets finances will once again get in the way, even a bench player like Cody Ross can find a better bid on his services. Ross is said to be deciding today and it appears it won't be the Mets since all there offering is a minor league deal. There is more of a chance for Ross to find playing time with the Mets since the entire outfield is a roll of the dice but of course there not considered a contender. It's not that I think missing on Ross will be a big deal it's just frustrating to see how far they have fallen, when they're not even competitive on players of Ross' ilk...

Who are the three guys I would invite...

2012-01-23T01:19:00.001-05:00

Ok, here is the game: based on what is already on the roster what three players would I sign to minor league deals with an invite to spring training. The player has to be realistically willing to accept a minor league deal with the Mets...

My first pick would be Ross Ohlendorf the 29 y/o right hander had two solid years as a starter for the Pirates, prior to that he was used as a reliever for two seasons by the Yanks. He knows the pressure of playing in NY while his value is down after posting an 8.15 ERA in Pitt. last year while only making nine starts. The Mets wouldn't have much competition signing him and could tuck him away in Buffalo, then call him up as a starter or reliever.

Number two would be Mark Teahen, the bench needs a left handed bat and Teahen can play everywhere except catcher, center and short. I know he only hit .200 last year but that's exactly why he could fall to the Mets on a minor league deal, beside Depo drafted him in 2002. In just 2009 he played five positions as a left handed hitter and batted .271 with 12 HRs, 34 doubles and 50 RBIs.

My final pick would be Brian Tallet; again rem. the game, it's not only who will sign a minor league deal but who will sign with the lowly Mets. Last year was basically an injury wash for the lefty which is why he might be available, but the year before might be why I'd give him a chance. In 2010 in the tough Al East as a Blue Jay Tallet as a reliever held left handed batters to a .176 BAA with a 4.67 SO/BB ratio while making five starts in which he posted a better ERA then as a reliever.

None of them may work out but of the list of players who are left these are the three I think would fit the Mets needs, would be willing to sign a minor league deal with the Mets and could end up contributing to the team at some point in the season...

If not Francis it will be someone...

2012-01-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

On Friday it was reported that the Mets along with three other teams were interested in Jeff Francis. I like Francis because he's a lefty and I believe he's better then his numbers indicated last year. Unconnected to the rumored market heating up, Fangraph did a piece on Francis basically saying despite solid peripherals he's going to need solid defense with an 85mph fastball.

Rich Coutinho believes that if it isn't Francis the Mets will bring in someone so that the youngsters aren't rushed. Were not talking about an impact pitcher more of a journeyman or coming back from injury type of pitcher.

Here is who is left on the starting pitcher market;
Kyle Davies, Zack Duke, Jeff Francis, Jon Garland, Rich Harden, Livan Hernandez, Edwin Jackson,Scott Kazmir, Ross Ohlendorf, Roy Oswalt, Brad Penny, Branden Webb, Chris Young, Clay Hensley, Sergio Mitre

Are Mets concerned with Duda as a starter...

2012-01-22T17:19:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Why are the Mets looking for or looking at a right handed bat ?

Cody Ross isn't the first time we have heard that the Mets are looking for a right handed outfielder. Metsblog in this post reported that Alderson was looking to round out the bench with a right handed hitting outfielder.

While the line-up is balanced with four lefties (Thole, Murphy, Duda and Davis), three righties (Wright, Bay and Tejada) and a switch hitter in Torres. The potential bench candidates are already righty dominated, the front runners for bench positions are all right handed (Nickeas, Cedeno,Turner and Hairston) the only left handed candidates are long shots ( Mike Baxter and Adam Loewen).

It seems obvious that they're prepared in the event that Murphy can't field 2B as a starter by not trading right handed Justin Turner and signing Ronny Cedeno. If either were to take over at 2B then Murphy would be a lefty off the bench.

Hairston maybe seen as strictly a bat off the bench who will see very limited time in the field, we didn't see much of it last year but Hairston came over with the knack of clutch hitting off the bench.

If the Mets are concerned with anointing Duda the starting right fielder and view Hairston as a limited player, then Ross or any other right handed outfielder makes sense. Like Murphy if Duda is on the bench there's your lefty with a righty on the field.

Let's not forgot that in 2008 it took just 30 games and a .313 BA to decide that Murphy could be the starting left fielder in 2009. Without a back-up plan we saw a rotisserie of Gary Sheffield, Cory Sullivan, Fernando Tatis, Fernando Martinez, Marlin Anderson and Angel Pagan.

Duda has only 42 games in two seasons in right field and while the dimension changes have made right easier to field, I still say that he moves more like a 1B then an outfielder. Couple his defensive limitations with the fact that last year his offense struggled due to his own confidence issues and your almost foolish to not have a back-up plan. With Ross you would have both a replacement for Duda and a fill-in for Torres.

And yet, first manager Terry Collins and then Duda -- both unprompted -- used that word in dissecting the rookie's 4-for-5, three-double, four-RBI performance Saturday in a 14-5 rout of the Texas Rangers. As in, maybe this finally will give Duda the confidence to believe he belongs at the major league level. source ESPN NY

Mets trying to sign Cody Ross...

2012-01-21T18:41:00.000-05:00

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN is reporting that the Mets are attempting to sign Cody Ross, as a right handed bat Ross really doesn't make sense. Had he been signed instead of Hairston I could understand that but now with Hairston, if they sign Ross the bench will be righty dominated.

Otherwise Ross can legitimately play center field and hit for power. Over the past 8 seasons the 31 y/o has averaged .261 BA, .323 OBP, .456 Slg. and OPS .779.

Why You Shouldn't Boycott The Mets In 2012

2012-01-21T10:48:00.001-05:00

Mired in mediocrity since that fateful day in October of 2006 when the New York Mets failed to advance to the World Series, the franchise finds itself at a bit of a tipping point. With all of the financial cards stacked against them, team owner Fred Wilpon recently stated that fan attendance will be the "lifeblood" of the organization going forward. Its a loaded statement. He's trying to compel you to go to the game under the guise that your money will directly translate into a high payroll, and therefore a better product. I'm here to tell you that your money will have no effect whatsoever..and that's precisely why you shouldn't bother boycotting the Mets this season.

The idea behind any such boycott is the hope of forcing the Wilpons to sell. Its a decent idea and not necessarily one without merit, but the reality of the situation is such. The Mets averaged just over 30,000 in attendance last season in the process of reportedly losing $70 million dollars. For the record, that's only 2000 fewer tickets sold per game than during the 2010 season. Why was there no riveting financial loss that year?

The answer to that question is that the Wilpons aren't in financial turmoil because of the Mets day to day operations. And while I understand that they've recently acquired to "short term" loans for operating capital, fans must realize that the reason the team seems so poor right now, is that the Wilpons have to divert their money elsewhere. They have money going towards the SNY loans, Citi Field loans, interest payments and..lets not forget their defense of the Madoff trustee lawsuit. The other 300 pound gorilla in the room would be the threat of a nine figure settlement from that aforementioned lawsuit.

While its not my place to tell you how to spend your money, the Wilpons are bleeding cash so badly that I just don't see your $100-$200 bucks making a difference. Even an organized boycott, which at best might lower average attendance by 5,000 per night would at most filter an estimated $15 to $20 million from the Wilpons' wallet. What's another $20 million when the Wilpon's current financial commitments, even before this lawsuit is settled, are approaching nearly $1 billion dollars?

Its not that I'm not mad too. Its not even that I don't think fans should send a message to ownership that the direction of the franchise is unsatisfactory (to put it kindly). Its just that..I don't think you should deprive yourself of Mets baseball for the purpose of pushing Fred Wilpon out the door. That day is coming regardless, so don't punish yourself for his faults and poor decisions in the meantime.

Follow me on Twitter @RobPatterson83

Rox still like Turner...

2012-01-20T20:09:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Justin Turner has been linked to the Rockies for over month, initially it was said that if the Mets wanted to swap Turner for Eric Young Jr. the Rox would be on board.

But with the signing of Ronny Cedeno, Young doesn't appear to be needed. The same could be said of Justin Turner who now looks like a spare part destine for the bench or Buffalo.

It was said earlier today that the Rox were close on Marco Scotaro but the Boston Globe shot that rumor down tonight.

Troy Renck mentioned that the Rox may look for someone more like Justin Turner now that they're out on Scotaro...

What Do Mets Fans Have Left To Look Forward To?

2012-01-20T07:30:00.002-05:00

As February nears, so too does the start of spring training. In a normal year, that would likely bring with it, the thoughts of what might happen. Could this be the first time in 26 seasons that the Mets return a World Series title to Flushing? The first home run title since HoJo? The first batting title since that guy who now plays in Miami? What does the 2012 season have in store for the New York Mets and their faithful fans?!?

The large majority of you would say that this season will be the most recent episode of desperation and despair. The Mets are team now struggling to find itself in the midst of an organization trying to repair both its image and its bottom line. Yes, as ESPN dually pointed out when the Sunday Night Baseball schedule was released devoid of our favorite franchise, the New York Mets are no longer a prime time ball club! Providing more story lines than sports related headlines, why should Mets fans tune in this season?

First off, fans should tune in early on to watch the remainder of the David Wright experience. A Mets fan turned Mets player, Wright has been with the organization since 2001, appearing in five All-Star games and one Home Run Derby in that time. With the reduction in the Citi Field dimensions, Wright should be able to overcome his offensive struggles, as he will no longer be required to take a Paul Bunyunesque swing in an attempt to collect his 30 homers per year. Yes Mets fans, tune in to see the once ever popular boy wonder before he is exchanged for a set of prospects who likely won't sniff the major league level for years go come. David's days are numbered and there is no better time than the present to show him how much he means to the blue and orange faithful.

Furthermore, fans should be excited to see the latest crop of potential reach for the stars. Ike Davis, fresh off a catastrophic ankle injury that cost him the majority of last season, and Lucas Duda, who will hope to provide enough defense to justify keeping his bat around, are both seemingly here to stay (at least for the time being). While they're here, its reasonable to assume they will be littering the Shea Bridge with plenty of free baseballs this season. The Bash Brothers? Maybe not..but there could be a power battle this summer in Flushing. One most Mets fans shouldn't dare miss.

Finally, fans should tune in to watch the Mets turn the corner towards will be their immediate future. Gone are the days of $140 million dollar payrolls. The players who once comprised that roster will be replaced with younger, cheaper talent. That talent should not be so easily dismissed either. While some, maybe most, of the organization's prime minor league talent won't experience a successful transition to the major league level..the next set of home grown all-stars should be upon us at some point this season. Who would want to miss that?

Yes, you see while the 2012 season won't be one littered with awards, trophies and parades, it will be another chapter in what is the every complex evolution of the New York Mets. This chapter, like those that preceded it, will go a long way to shape the future of the franchise. That future, which many view as being not so bright, is the future nonetheless and its for that reason that you should look forward to the 2012 season. The future may not be here yet, but its well on its way. Players will come..players will go..but its the team that remains. Mets fans should look forward to supporting their team..regardless of what dark cloud might hang overhead.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Video: Get to know Matt den Dekker

2012-01-20T01:40:00.001-05:00

The Mets announced that CF prospect Matt den Dekker would be invited to major league spring training. Here's a few videos of the young prospect; first batting, second a nice catch and the third showing a little base path speed...

Mayo ranked Flores #9 third-base prospect...

2012-01-19T17:01:00.000-05:00

Photo By Michael Baron

Jonathan Mayo is going through his top prospect lists by position, today he posted the third base list and Wilmer Flores was ranked #9.

I noticed this year that a lot of prospect watchers have been down on Flores as they've constructed their prospect lists. The kid is still only 20 y/o, he's outgrown his natural position of SS and looks to be moving to 3B full time this season.

The Mets just posted an article on Flores basically saying that the development of his bat is key to his success ( source MLB).

9. Wilmer Flores, Mets: It's easy to look at Flores' numbers and feel like he's been disappointing, especially for a highly-touted prospect. But considering he's still just 20 years old, and will be for most of 2012, and that he's reached the Class A Advanced level, it might soften those criticisms. Flores still has things to learn, particularly in the plate discipline department, but he rarely strikes out and there's power to tap into. A shortstop for the first few years of his career, the move to third most predicted started in Venezuela this winter. This is a big year for Flores, who needs to start turning potential into performance, perhaps while playing in Double-A. source MiLB

Why Reyes wasn't traded and why Wright won't either...

2012-01-18T18:09:00.001-05:00

I went to one of Carlos Beltran's last home games as a Met against the Cardinals and there was a large contingent of fans in right field, in fact the crowd was larger then what had become normal in June/July.

Many have questioned why Jose Reyes wasn't traded at the deadline, most feel we would have received more in return from a trade then the two picks. The same rumblings are beginning to stir about David Wright, should he be traded or should they attempt to re-sign him.

Unless things change drastically, I believe we'll see David Wright go down the exact same path, keep him till contracts end and make a feeble attempt to re-sign, while hoping someone gives them an excuse by over paying.

I believe Fred Wilpon said it himself when he called attendance the lifeblood of the Mets, in a bad season who do the non-die fans come to see, the home grown stars. Beltran was different because of the injury risk but I believe Reyes was kept for his draw and I believe they will do the same with Wright.

It's not that the Mets aren't a valuable commodity in fact Forbes ranked them the 44th most valuable sports team which puts them #5 amongst baseball teams ( Yanks, BSox, Dodgers, Cubs). It seems that they're cash broke and their revenue flow wasn't constructed properly. So even if they aren't squirreling money away for a settlement or supporting their struggling real estate entities through the Mets, if the Wilpon's stay they are constructed to be cash broke.

Most teams will rank their sources of cash revenues, in order of TV, naming rights/sponsorship/merchandising and then attendance/concessions. But just like the team maybe valuable, so is the TV station, we've all heard that SNY in it's own right is a very appealing commodity but that doesn't mean it's earning the team cash flow.

Apparently the way the Wilpon's set up the contracts regarding SNY they won't receive TV revenue shares from the league the way most teams get much need infusions of cash, while the stock value of the network goes up the cash flow doesn't.

Supporters of the New York Mets should be jumping for joy at the recent surge in television rights values. After all, other than perhaps the bankrupt Los Angeles Dodgers, who may get much more than $200 million a year for their next television deal, no team could use a pile of cash more than the Mets. The team lost $70 million in 2011 net of debt payments, could not afford to sign their best player, Jose Reyes, are slashing the team’s payroll for the upcoming season, and are trimming their minor league operations.

But Mets fans will not get the halo effect of surging tv fees because team owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz also own 65% of SportsNet New York (Time Warner and Comcast own the remainder), the RSN that televises Mets games. As a result of the deal that was put in place at the inception of SNY, the revenue stream from SNY to the Mets is set for at least the next 20 years, according to someone who has seen the contract, regardless of the appreciation in the value of those rights. No opt out for the baseball team here. Wilpon and Katz will enjoy a big increase in their equity value in SNY, but Mets fans will only see modest increases in television money that goes towards payroll. The New York Times reported that local broadcasting revenue, most of it from SNY, will only increase from $68 million in 2011 to $83 million in 2015. source Forbes

Couple that with the fact that as the team brand is impacted negatively by consecutive years of poor on the field results, merchandising revenues decrease and sponsorship offers become less lucrative.

Which is why such an emphasis is placed on attendance revenues and while many are planning to boycott attending, what will put people in the seats when a bad team is being fielded, home grown stars. In two years when Wright's contract is up, there hoping the farm will produced a winning team and they will have Ike Davis as the face of the franchise.

Mets Have History Of Ignoring Medical Advice

2012-01-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Some interesting stuff tonight from ESPN's Adam Rubin with regards to the Mets medical staff and a pattern of negligence on the part of Mets' executives when it comes to heeding their warnings. There is no question that the Mets have seeming had to wait through more injuries than the average team, but this is some new information into the mismanagement of those injuries. Enjoy:

Without question, some pretty damaging stuff from someone who is certainly in the know when it comes to all things New York Mets!!

Comparing Pelf to the market

2012-01-17T21:41:00.004-05:00

Mike Pelfrey and the Mets settle on a one year deal to avoid arbitration, $5.675 M got the Mets a 27 y/o who made 33 starts averaging 5.84 innings per start for 193 innings with an ERA of 4.74, WHIP 1.47 and a 7-13 record.

I'm no fan of Pelfrey's and wish the Mets had dealt him as a change of scenery guy, but lets compare him to the market to see what type of value we got for him. I did not include the big contracts like C.C., C.J. and Buehrle.

I separated the the lefties from the righties as they usually have more value but only Saunders was paid more. Saunders was clearly the better pitcher last year and only three years older, from the other lefties none were more durable but Bedard, Chen and Maholm in shorter stints produced more and received less. Cappy's deal looks bad next to Pelf both in performance and years.

Amongst the righties Dempster's deal looks really bad since there numbers were essential the same but cost the Cubs 8M more. Harang's deal looks solid getting just slightly more then Pelf for better numbers in almost the same amount of innings. Kuroda had solid numbers but at 35y/o moving to the AL east I would be concerned at 10M. Garcia, Wang and Marquis all are making less and pitched less but pitched better when they did. The guys on minor league deals are on them for a reason.

Pelfrey basically got 1M over his current market value for his stamina, as much as he's become our Carl Pavano there really wasn't an alternative for what your getting, at the price your getting it at.

============================================================

Joe Saunders- $6M- 30 y/o LHP 3.69 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 212 innings

Chris Capuano- $5M for 2yrs- 33y/o LHP 4.55 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 186 innings
Eric Bedard- $4.5M- 32y/o LHP 3.62 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 129 innings
Bruce Chen-$4.5M for 2yrs- 34 y/o LHP 3.77 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 155 innings
Paul Maholm- $4.75M- 29y/o LHP 3.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 162 innings

Jo-Jo Reyes- minor- 27 y/o LHP 5.57 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 140 innings

=============================================================

Ryan Dempster- $14M- 34y/o RHP 4.80 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 202 innings
Hiroki Kuroda- $10M- 36y/o RHP 3.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 202 innings
Aaron Harang- $6M for 2yrs-RHP 33y/o 3.64 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 170 innings

Freddy Garcia- $4M- 35y/o RHP 3.63 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 146 innings
Chien-Ming Wang- $4M- 31y/o RHP 4.04 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 95 innings
Jason Marquis- $3M- 33y/o RHP 4.43 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 132 innings

Bartolo Colon- minor- 38y/o RHP 4.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 164 innings
Aaron Cook-minor- 32 y/o RHP 6.03 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 97 innings
Joel Pineiro- minor- 33y/o RHP 5.13 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 145 innings

Mets reach arbitration all four of their players

2012-01-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

Mets have reached agreements with all four of their arbitration eligible players.

Mike Pelfrey- $5.675 M
Ramon Ramirez- $2.65 M
Andres Torres- $2.70 M
Manny Acosta- $875 K

Total- $ 11.9 M

The team on Tuesday avoided arbitration with Mike Pelfrey, Andres Torres, Ramon Ramirez and Manny Acosta by agreeing to terms with each player. Oliver Perez in 2008 was the last Mets player to actually go to arbitration source NY Post

Audio; Josh Lewin

2012-01-17T08:09:00.001-05:00

There are reports that Josh Lewin is the leading candidate to replace Wayne Hagin in the radio booth. Here is some play by play of Lewin....

Ankiel running out of teams but is he too expensive

2012-01-17T00:17:00.001-05:00

As currently constructed the Mets bench isn't perfect, it seems to have a lack of power and duplication of services. Nickeas, Hairston, Turner, Cedeno and Loewen or Baxter.

I'd use one of Turner's options and tuck him away in Buffalo while we see how Murphy does at 2B and replace him with a power hitting corner infielder, Zack Lutz or a FA agent who accepts a minor league deal.

It makes sense to have a left handed outfielder to compliment Hairston but I'd prefer to have someone more proven then Loewen or Baxter.

Rick Ankiel would be a nice fit on the bench and the Mets were interested in him earlier this off-season.

Ankiel, of course, would bring his own heavy baggage. A onetime St. Louis pitching phenom who lost his ability to throw strikes, Ankiel remade himself as an outfielder. His return to the Cardinals seemed like a fairy tale - until the Daily News reported in 2007 that Ankiel had received a 12-month supply of human growth hormone in 2004, linking him to a national illegal-prescription, drug-distribution operation.Now, Ankiel is just a strong-armed outfielder attempting to re-establish himself after a down season. source NY Daily News

After some buzz surrounding the outfielder the Ankiel market seems to be cooling off, Washington Times says the Nats haven't ruled bringing him back. The Nats have room to bring him back as a 4th-5th outfielder but Ankiel maybe looking for a bigger role. His agent is selling him as a late bloomer after converting from a pitcher.

Rick Ankiel another free agent Boras client, is still developing as a Major Leaguer, according to the agent. “We have not seen his best years," Boras said. "It’s certainly clear the Nats liked what they saw. It’s just pretty hard to find guys who can play center field, who have that arm strength and who can hit for power.” source MLBTR

The Reds had interest in Ankiel but went with Ryan Ludwick instead, so did the Yanks but after re-signing Jones they're at five outfielders. So who gives him a better chance for playing time the Nats or Mets and which team is willing to give him more then an invite...

Will the pen have a 2nd lefty and if so who...

2012-01-16T14:22:00.001-05:00

On January 5th Sandy Alderson in a phone conference stated he was still looking for one more bullpen arm (source Metsblog). Since then they have signed Miguel Batista and Fernando Cabrera to minor league deals with invites to spring training.

I thought placing Daniel Herrera on waivers and risking losing him to claim showed that the Mets weren't truly committed to him as anything more then a AAAA player even if the risk was minimum.

Here is what the pen looks like at this time:

Frank Francisco- closer
Jon Rauch- set-up man
Ramon Ramirez- 7th inning
Bobby Parnell- ROOGY
Tim Byrdak- LOOGY
Manny Acosta- middle reliever

That leaves one spot for D.J. Carrasco, Josh Stinson, Daniel Herrera, Pedro Beato, Chuck James, Garrett Olson, Miguel Batista and Fernando Cabrera.

To quickly rule out a few I think Beato and Stinson will start the year in Buffalo along with Olson who will be kept stretched out as a starter.

Cabrera has never matched his AAA production at the major league level, that said; he strikes out righties (MLB- 130 SO in 430 PA, 3.51 SO/BB) as a hard throwing side-armer. Could he start the year as a ROOGY with either Parnell being used as middle relief or demoted to work on those elusive secondary pitches.

If the team wants a swing man on the roster then Batista would be ideal since he can spot start or work multiple innings in relief, but I think the team would be better off with him in Buffalo and then calling him up in the case of an injury.

Only thing keeping Carrasco around seems to be his 1.2M contract and as they showed last year that only gets you to camp.

Traditional wisdom over the past five years in the NL east has been that you need two lefties, since your pen will more then likely face all-star caliber left handed bats twice in the late innings, once in the sixth when the starter runs out of gas and again around the eighth with the game on the line.

As I said above I thought they had the second lefty slot filled by Herrera but if the designation is any indicator then Herrera is more destine for Buffalo then Queens. I think the early off-season hype about Robert Carson was more of a diversion then anything else, it just doesn't seem feasible for a guy struggling in AA to make the jump.

That leaves Chuck James as the only alternative currently signed by the Mets, the 30 y/o lefty signed a minor league deal with an invite earlier this off-season. What makes James appealing is that he could spot start, relieve for multiple innings or get a lefty out. What makes him un-appealing is that he hasn't done it on the major league level successfully since 2007, he did appear in the league in 2008 but that was shortened by injuries.

After losing all of 2009 he pitched in the Nats minors in 2010 posting a 1.59 ERA as a reliever in AA and a 3.92 as a starter in AAA. Last year he spent most of the year with the Twins AAA affiliate posting a 2.30 ERA in 38 relief appearances (62 innings), 14 game finishes and 1 save. He then came up for eight relief appearances with the Twins but posted a 6.10 ERA. In reading several articles from Minnesota they were never committed to James, he was strictly depth who was going down again no matter what he did. His demise was a four run, one inning outing against Texas, prior to that he gave up three runs in seven games.

If the Mets chose to sign a lefty to a minor league deal here is what's left on the market...

Mike Gonzalez
Damaso Marte
Trever Miller
Arthur Rhodes
Brian Tallet

5 Resons to be Optmistic--"IF you want"

2012-01-16T12:56:00.003-05:00

Since the collapse of the 2007 squad down the stretch, the magic hasn't been in a number to clinch the division but rather a word that has been thrown around in conjunction with a team that has completely done it an injustice.

The word "If", meaning to grant or supposing that something will happen, has been mistreated and should probably look into filing a lawsuit against the New York Mets. The franchise has simply given the word a negative reputation. I need not give examples of how this applies, but since we're 5 weeks to the date away from spring training I'll throw it out there anyway. Does this seem familiar?

IF Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran can make it back healthy before the All Star Break the Mets MIGHT have a chance.

IF Johan Santana can continue to perform, IF Oliver Perez can regain form, IF John Maine isn't a headcase, IF Pelfrey can take the next step, IF Ike Davis is called up and IF David Wright can bounce back the Mets MIGHT have a chance.

IF Jose Reyes has a good year, IF Johan Santana is back by the All Star Break, If Carlos Beltran and K-Rod perform exceptionally, IF Jason Bay can bounce back and IF that kid Brad Emaus can turn into something productive the Mets MIGHT have a chance.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that "If" is simply indicative of the very harsh reality that as a fan base we've been collectively looking through rose colored glasses at a team that has shown for years a potential to be great, but a mediocre one at best if things didn't go well. While there were certainly a lot of bright spots in 2011, there are 5 reasons to be optimistic heading into 2012 IF you want to be excited about baseball. IF not, well, I head that the Miami Marlins have a pretty big bandwagon(and stadium) that they'll need help filling.

Player Development- You will, of course, hear the people that will scream about how player development should occur in the minor leagues and that a franchise in New York City should be acquiring the cream of the crop to play for the major league team whether it be through free agency or the trade market. If that's your belief, fine, and I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the statement. The reality of the situation is that we're faced with accepting what's happening on the field or diverting our attentions elsewhere. I'd rather watch baseball every night knowing that there's a glimmer of hope than sit in the cold as the days grow shorter---but maybe that's just me. Ruben Tejada is certainly an interesting case and with Terry Collins not opting to put him in high pressure situations early on he should be given the chance to relax and hopefully produce. If nothing else he's a pleasure to watch defend and if he can put up something close to last season, things might be exciting. The return of Ike Davis should be something as well, as he was on a torrid pace last season. Seeing Lucas Duda patrolling right field might not be easy on the eyes, but his big swing and home runs to the Pepsi Porch should be, at the very least, a spectacle. Seeing if Dillon Gee and Jonathon Niese can take forward strides will be imperative, almost as much so as if their catcher Josh Thole can reduce the amount of passed balls and improve his game calling abilities.
New Dimensions- The new dimensions, if anything else, will serve as perhaps the most exciting offseason acquisition. David Wright and Jason Bay will probably benefit the most from this, with both men looking to regain their power strokes after off years in 2011. The new dimensions certainly won't hurt line drive hitters like Daniel Murphy and Andres Torres, who very well may surprise a few with their offense output this year. Let us not forget that while 2010 may have been a fluke for Torres, he did prove he has 15 HR potential. The dimensions should also serve in helping Lucas Duda from misplaying more as Torres will be able to cover more ground. Overall, a win/win.
Improved Bullpen- I'll try to make this one as simple as possible: The Mets had the most blown leads after the 7th inning in the National League. The back end of the 'pen severely suffered when K-Rod was sent packing to the Milwaukee Brewers, but the bullpen, if anything, should assure that the amount of blown leads(over 20) will be cut down dramatically. Ramon Ramirez has been one of the most consistent relief pitchers since 2008, having posted an ERA under 3 in each of the years. While his walks may be a tad high(3.4/9) his strikeout ratio jumped from 6.6 in 2010 to 8.7 in 2011 with about an even workload. Some may question the Jon Rauch signing, but Frank Francisco was lights out during the second half of 2011 and, if anything, has more experience than Bobby Parnell closing out games. Plus, if Francisco falters or gets injured there's reliable insurance this year in both Ramirez and Rauch, with Manny Acosta and or Bobby Parnell looking to make impressions as they enter critical years of their career.
Payroll Flexibility- Perhaps one of the most short sighted moves by Mets fans this offseason has been the dramatic drop in Sandy Alderson's approval rating (If there were to be an official one, it wouldn't exactly be in line with Crude Oil prices). While his decision to never make a formal offer to Jose Reyes was criticized, he must also be commended for having two separate plans and not going into panic mode when plan A didn't work out. Spending money to spend money is never a wise decision, and saving some money in order to either take on money mid-season or make a few moves gives the Mets greater opportunities to pick up a piece or two if they can manage to hang around in July. Many see it as a long shot, but if the money had been spent NOW and was preventative of putting them over the top in July, there wouldn't be much of a difference with the end results. Ultimately the team now has less financially restricting contracts, more flexibility to make moves in season if necessary and a solid plan and foundation for the future. Those who praised Alderson for looking to develop the system and sticking to a plan have turned rather quickly. Patience is going to be a key factor in turning this franchise around, but Alderson is no fool.
The Element of Surprise- Look, the Mets, in all likelihood, won't be having a World Series parade in October after a dramatic 7 game series victory in which David Wright hits a walk-off home run off of Mariano Rivera. That's saved for the video games. The fact of the matter is this: Baseball is the greatest sport because anything can truly happen. The 2012 Mets won't be nearly as bad as the 1962 Mets despite what blogs have lead many to believe and a turnaround isn't out of the realm of possibility...IF a lot of things go right. What's baseball without a few surprises, though? The San Diego Padres pushed their season to the last game in 2010. The Pittsburgh Pirates were a 10 game losing streak removed from finishing in contention for the NL Central crown and the Arizona Diamondbacks, one year removed from the cellar, were crowned National League West champions. Need I remind you of the heroics of Wild Card Wednesday? There aren't any guarantees in baseball, and much like Sports Illustrated crowned the Mets as World Series Champions prior to the 2009 season, there's still that: The season to be played.

For those looking for a reason to cheer, enjoy the spring, summer and America's past time...there will always be one. As fans we can't control the team and make roster changes as we'd like, but we can control our outlook on the game. Time, much like patience, is a virtue, and while sitting through another 70-something win season isn't something that really gets anyone's heart pumping, focusing on the positives and realizing that--hey, let's try to have fun while we can and remember that it's all just a game---can be just as rewarding.

Even if we're cursing out Frank Francisco for blowing a lead.

Who leads off if Torres is more '12' then '11'...

2012-01-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Over the last seven seasons the Mets have had Jose Reyes and his .341 lifetime OBP leading off. Since 2005 Reyes played in at least 126 games or more aside from his basically lost 2009 season in which he only appeared in 36 games.

Injury reasons aside the Mets will enter the season with a new lead-off man for the first time in many years.

Terry Collins has already anointed Andres Torres as the lead-off man, we've already scene one center fielder in Angel Pagan buckle under the pressure of trying to fill Reyes' shoes. Maybe Torres being a veteran who wasn't here during the Reyes tenure wont feel the same pressure.

But what Torres might feel is his own pressure to prove that 2009-2010 wasn't a fluke. With only 89 major league games to his credit, the journeyman outfielder suddenly came into his own in 2009 at the age of 31 y/o. That year he played in 74 games hitting .270 with a .343 OBP and before anyone could say it was too small a sample pool, he would produce mirror image numbers ( BA .268/ OBP .343) the very next season as the starting center fielder in 139 games.

Then came 2011 which Torres attributes to nagging injuries that he says he is 100% recovered from, he played in 112 games in which he only hit .221 but more alarmingly for a lead-off hitter only produced a .312 OBP. To compare Reyes last had an OBP below .312 in 2005 when he produced a .300 OBP and Angel Pagan hitting lead-off in 31 games hit .289 with a .322 OBP.

So what if Torres turns out to be a .312 OBP lead-off man and the team decides they need to move him to the bottom of the order who would replace him. The only obvious replacement on the roster, barring the signing of an invitee who makes the team is Ruben Tejada. The young middle infielder in his second season produced solid numbers hitting .284 with a .360 OBP in 96 games but hit lead-off in only 7 games in which he hit .222 with a .250 OBP.

Despite having the range to play SS Tejada doesn't have the traditional speed to hit lead-off and the Mets were reluctant to put top of the order pressure on the youngster. But Tejada also has to prove he can hit as he did last year, in his rookie year he played in 78 games and only hit .213 with a .305 OBP.

The only other option I can see would be to promote Kirk Nieuwenhuis 24 y/o left handed center fielder is believed to be close to ready for the majors. In 2011 he played in 53 at Buffalo in which he hit .298 with a .403 OBP, the year before in Buffalo he played in 30 games hitting .225 with .295 OBP in his first exposure to that level.

Video; One to watch Urbina

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

I noticed at Fansided Seedlings to Stars that Juan Urbina made their list of snubs from the top 100 list. The young lefty seems to be getting a lot of buzz lately, while the numbers aren't there yet scouts seem to love his raw stuff. Here's an excellent scouting report of him from Scouting the Sally and an interview from Mets minor league ball.

The Mets are thin from the left side of the mound Urbina appears to be the second best LHP they have behind Darren Gorski. Although depending on how Steven Matz looks when he returns from injury, Matz could dump him down a notch.

Here's a video of the young pitcher, from most of what I read he tends to lose his mechanics at times and his secondary stuff needs refining.

Could Lutz earn a spot on the bench...

2012-01-14T17:16:00.002-05:00

Kevin Kouzmanoff was just signed to a minor league deal by the Kansas City Royals, Adam Rubin speculated that the Mets may be looking for a RH power bat for the bench who played 1b/3b making Kouz a perfect fit especially when you consider he played under this front office in San Diego.

It's also believed that they wouldn't promote a youngster for the bench, instead opting to get them more playing time in the minors. But what if a player is projected to be a bench player and has struggled with injuries as a starter, it might make sense to use him off the bench in the majors.

Zach Lutz might be that type of player, despite dropping down on the prospect list due to injuries and age (25y/o), Lutz was ranked by Baseball America as the top power hitting prospect. Maybe the way to keep him healthy is to use him sparingly off the bench, last year he was considered a Sept. call-up candidate but post concussion symptoms ended his season.

The Mets’ September call-ups will be limited, and in two stages -- when rosters expand Thursday and after the Triple-A season ends Monday. Outfielder Mike Baxter will be part of the latter group. Among position players, the Mets seemed likely to promote two of three players among infielders Josh Satin, Zach Lutz and Valentino Pascucci. However, Lutz may land on the DL at Triple-A Buffalo with continued concussion symptoms, which presumably would eliminate his candidacy. source ESPN NY

The 25y/o has primarily played third base in his minor league career but has had some exposure to 1B including 14 games in Buffalo last year. Despite only averaging 66 games a season in his first four he has also averaged 11 homeruns, 13 doubles and 44 RBIs.

I know some will argue the same could be said of Josh Satin but at 27 y/o with only 38 AAA games and hitting .200 in his first try in the majors he's looking more like a AAAA player to me. Lutz could be the same type of player but with Turner having options I'd like to at least see a potential power threat on the bench then a non-power hitting third second baseman. If Lutz is a flop then you can always bring Turner back up.

Fred Wilpon Requests That You To Give His Team "A Try"

2012-01-13T13:00:00.002-05:00

The forecast for this upcoming season is a dreary one for the New York Mets, but that hasn't stopped Mets' owner Fred Wilpon from providing his two cents to the Mets' fanbase. Yes, in his first really public comments since calling his own team snake bitten and criticizing the value of his now departed leadoff man, Mr. Wilpon had the following to say:

"I think we're going to be better than you think," he said. "We would hope that Mets fans enjoy going to the ballpark and give this team a try." Wall Street Journal

Undoubtedly feeling frisky by the news that his best buddy and MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig, will be on board through the 2014 season, Fred Wilpon has decided to bring his own personal spin to this upcoming season. Give his team a try...

Wilpon also makes a variety of other comments with regards to filling the seats at Citi Field, and how its necessary to field a good team, without issuing faulty long term contracts in the process to do so.

You can be certain of one thing, Mr. Wilpon has a plan. What is that plan? Well its to continue to give you the idea that he's making these changes in your best interest. To stop issuing risky long term deals to players in their prime, simply because they haven't worked out in reason years. Not because he's trying to figure out how to keep the lights on come August.

Give the team a try... I don't mean to be negative Mr. Wilpon, but I've tried your team on for size in reason years. I've even bought in to the hype..as recently as last season. This season, however, will be different. There will be no hype. No anticipation of great things to come. No sir...my only anticipation entering the 2012 season, is that it will be your last, for that is the only thing that can turn this franchise around!

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

2012 Mets: You Get What You Pay For!

2012-01-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

With the news this week that the Mets are essentially done adding major league pieces to their roster for this upcoming season, it appears as though they will enter the year with a payroll hovering around $90 million dollars. That will prove to be a tough pill to swallow for most Mets fans, as the franchise hasn't entered a season with a payroll this low since 2000.

To be fair, when done correctly $90 million can buy you a hell of a ball club. In fact, a $90 million dollar payroll should still position the Mets in the top half of the league. The issue however, is that this particular roster hasn't been constructed with the precision necessary to field a winner at those numbers. That's not to say that its Sandy Alderson's fault either. He is still wading through a variety of ill advised contracts to the likes of both Jason Bay and Johan Santana (amongst others).

So what will the Mets and their fans get for $90 million dollars this season? First and foremost they'll likely see a lineup, who if healthy, is of playoff caliber. The Mets led the division last season with 718 runs scored (five more than the Phillies). While the loss of Jose Reyes will undoubtedly hurt that level of production, the team stands to benefit from the redesigned Citi Field, which plays directly into the hands of both David Wright and Jason Bay. Will the team match last year's level of production? Probably not..but the offense should remain potent nonetheless.

Yes..$90 million dollars appears to be well spent on the offensive side of the diamond. The same cannot be said for the starting staff. With the exception of Johan Santana, whose aforementioned bloated contract is worth $24 million dollars next year alone, the Mets have committed an estimated $11 million to the remainder of their starting rotation. Those final four (Dickey, Niese, Pelfrey & Gee), complete a starting rotation with only mediocre potential and which would really need to have an outstanding year to see the Mets complete.

The team's financial restrictions not only prohibited the front office from adding quality to the starting rotation, but it also wouldn't allow Sandy Alderson to add the depth necessary to navigate a full year. In a perfect world, a major league team uses between 8-10 starting pitchers over the course of a 162 game season. At this point, the Mets appear set to provide the likes of Miguel Batista and DJ Carrasco with a chance to save the day when (not if) someone gets injured. Simply put...this is a recipe for disaster.

So what will $90 million buy the Mets in 2012? With the aid of a shortened outfield, the Mets will without a doubt outscore some much higher payrolls. The unfortunate part of that equation is that the pitching staff..which will bear the majority of the burden for the franchise's new thrifty approach, will give up far more runs that its offense can overcome. Ultimately, Fred Wilpon's new $90 million dollar New York Mets will find themselves lucky to win 70 games next season. And to be perfectly honest...if the Mets only forfeit seven wins off last year's total in the process of shedding nearly $50 million dollars in payroll...we should consider ourselves lucky as well.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Was Sandy creative enough for you...

2012-01-12T16:08:00.001-05:00

This is truly an open ended question and not one to direct the discussion in a negative direction. I personally am a fan of the big three front office and feel that they are doing the best they can in a fluid situation that is continually getting worse.

The three trades they have made I have been very impressed with; a balky knee free agent to be Beltran turned into a top pitching prospect, an expressive volatile closer can be unloaded and a change of scenery disappointment can turn into his replacement along with a solid reliever are all excellent moves.

But with the news that the Mets are essentially done for the off-season aside from a few minor league invites, I've heard grumblings that Sandy didn't do enough.

I'm not talking about those fans who have been complaining since Alderson came here that he was bringing money ball to NY, I don't think those fans will ever be happy with him and that's their prerogative.

There are fans who truly understand the restraints that the front office is faced with and still feel that the off-season could have been more productive. At first I found it hard to understand how anyone could complain about the overall job Alderson and Co. did, sure there have been a few head scratchers most recently DFA FMart over Carrasco. But when you consider that they've shaved 37% of the payroll in one season and will have the lowest payroll since 2002ish, I thought they did a solid job.

If I understand the sentiment it's not about how much they spent but more to do with how they built the roster, which is essentially the same; minus Reyes, plus the returning injured and some spare parts.

Were there players they missed or passed on they should have signed or claimed, what about the trade market should they have been more aggressive. There were so many rumors this off-season and so little actual movement; while I disagree, I can understand how some felt not enough was done.

So below are just a few examples of how an aggressive/creative front office could have changed the complexion of the team while remaining within the shrinking budget.

David Wright for 3-4 top prospects, Jon Niese for two top prospects, Jason Bay as a salary dump paying a large chunk, Familia or Harvey as the cornerstone for Garza or Gonzalez.

So was Sandy creative enough for you...

How Herrera couldn't elect free agency...

2012-01-11T22:06:00.001-05:00

I thought the rule was that a player with less then three years after going through waivers once then had the option to elect for free agency instead of accepting assignment. So how did Daniel Herrera not have the option to become a free agent, apparently despite moving between three teams last year he never made it through waivers...

tpgMets provided the following explanation...

From what I could gather, Herrera was DFA'd by the Brewers, but then Milwaukee changed their minds, reinstated him, and optioned him to AAA. The rule is that a player can only be outrighted once in his career without his consent, after which he has the option of becoming a free agent instead of accepting the outright assignment (he also earns that right once he accrues 3 years of Major League service). The Reds were going to outright Herrera last May, but they never got the chance because the Brewers claimed him. The Brewers were then going to outright Herrera last June, but they changed their minds and optioned him instead. So this is the first time in his career that he's been outrighted. Since that's the case, and since he has less than 3 years of Major League service, he had no choice but to accept the outright assignment to Buffalo.

Explanation on Carrasco

2012-01-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Most of us would have liked to have seen D.J. Carrasco on waivers before FMart even if FMart ended up on waivers at some point.

The reliever really didn't show much last year posting a 6.02 ERA. I can understand keeping him around to see what he looks like in camp since your paying him 1.2M but not instead of FMart.

Even if I thought I would eventually cut FMart because that's how bad his knees are, Carrasco would have to go first.

But as many roster decisions are based upon, this came down to the contract, the Mets were paying him whether he stayed or not.

Herrera makes it through waivers and remains w/ Mets

2012-01-11T15:54:00.002-05:00

Daniel Herrera has made it through waivers and will remain with the organization. Andy Martino explains that Herrera didn't have the option to elect for free agency. Last year Herrera was claimed off waivers by the Brewers from the Reds and later the Brewers would DFA him in which he would make it through and stay with the Brewers in the minors until his trade to the Mets.

I thought players could elect for free agency after their first time through waivers but maybe it's their first time through with that organization...

FMart claimed by Astros- end of the big three...

2012-01-11T15:27:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Around 2006 it was once dreamed that the Mets would have this stud group of outfielders, who were all home grown.

Lastings Milledge in left field, Fernando Martinez in right field and Carlos Gomez in center field.

Now they're all gone and the only one who turned out productive for the Mets was Carlos Gomez who was the center piece in the Johan Santana trade.

After winning the starting job as the Twins center fielder, Gomez would be traded to the Brewers for J.J. Hardy and has been their center fielder since. A defensive stand out with great speed and a solid arm, his bat still hasn't matured to that of a five-tool prospect ( .243 lifetime BA).

Milledge was traded by the Mets to the Nats for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. Church was traded a year later for Jeff Francoeur and a year later Francoeur was dumped for Joaquin Arias, who was non-tendered after the season.

In Washington Milledge was traded with Joel Hanrahan for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett, after the season Milledge was non-tendered by the Pirates and signed a minor league deal with the White Sox. After a year with the Sox AAA affiliate he has signed with Tokyo Yakult Swallows.

But of the others there was the jewel of the system Fernando Martinez, as the other two were traded and became less then what they were projected or at least hoped to have become, FMart was the one we held onto. And as injuries have ravaged his career maybe the Mets held on too long and should have taken one of those rumored trades, but it still feels like the team jumped the gun.

While Milledge produced a decent catcher and two productive corner outfielders and Cargo helped bring back Johan, it's still hard to believe that FMart was essentially given away...

One-time top Mets prospect Fernando Martinez is now a Houston Astro. Houston, which has first dibs in waiver claims by virtue of its MLB-worst record in 2011, selected the 23-year-old outfielder. source ESPN NY

Mets sign Batista & Cabrera MiLB...

2012-01-10T14:33:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

The Mets have re-signed Miguel Batista, the 40 y/o right hander is an asset because of his flexibility especially on a minor league deal.

Batista can spot start or pitch out of the pen as a longman, the guy has a rubber arm in which he hasn't lost significant time to injury in 16 years.

Last year after coming to the Mets late in the season he appeared in 9 games with 4 starts to a 2.64 ERA.

They also signed Fernando Cabrera, probably this years Dale Thayer the dominant closer in AAA. Cabrera has produced 8 dominant seasons in AAA pitching to a 2.67 ERA and 61 saves in 149 game finishes. He also has 388 SO in 328 innings while on walking 137.

But that same success hasn't occurred in the majors, over seven seasons he's appeared in 132 games to a 5.24 ERA. Despite the lack of success he has still produced solid SO numbers, in 175 innings he's struck out 193 while only walking 98. The Mets were interested in Cabrera in 2009 before he signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox.

FMart and Herrera on waivers ?

2012-01-09T18:02:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have placed Fernando Martinez and Daniel Herrera on waivers to make room for Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno.

Even if he's unclaimed Herrera can opt for free agency, since he was through waivers twice last year. Either the Mets don't plan to carry a second lefty or Herrera isn't the primary candidate for the position.

I'm amazed that FMart is in the first round of cuts, maybe it's just because of how big a prospect he once was then his current value. Six seasons and not one of them has he been able to stay healthy for more then 90 games and he has chronic bad knees.

If unclaimed FMart remains with the organization as his first time through waivers.

One-time top prospect Fernando Martinez as well as left-hander Daniel Herrera may be in their final days with the organization. A source told ESPNNewYork.com that both players are on waivers to clear the roster spots for Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno. source ESPN NY

Roster discussion- Two need to go...

2012-01-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

This week the Mets signed two players to major league contracts, Scott Hairston is believed to have already been to NY for his physical and Ronny Cedeno's contract is awaiting a physical.

With the Mets roster already at 40 they need to make two moves; they can cut players outright, DFA a player, hope they can make it through waivers and accept the assignment ( if they have the option to decline) or make a trade.

Those two spots might not be the only ones they need as they're still looking for a reliever and bench players. Even if they sign them to minor league deals, at some point they're going to need to add them.

Here are some thoughts on the roster;

Fernando Martinez- It was reported earlier this off-season that the Mets are considering unloading the former #1 prospect. Is it time to consider a 22 y/o power hitting outfielder a bust because injuries have side tracked his career. I wouldn't, but it has taken FMart so long to stay healthy that other outfield prospects like Kirk Nieuwenhuis are almost ready for the majors making him replaceable. They could DFA him, hope he makes it through waivers and since it would be his first time he couldn't opt for free agency.

Justin Turner- I don't believe signing Ronny Cedeno was meant to have any implications for Turner, it was simply finding a player who could fill-in at shortstop. But with Cedeno in the mix Turner now seems like a duplication of services. I think Turner's biggest assets are his two options, that he hit .350 with RISP and concerns over Dan Murphy's health/defense. Had the Mets not valued Turner they would have sent him to Colorado for Young Jr.

Dan Murphy- I still think Dan Murphy is more valuable as a trade chip to a small market AL team instead of as our starting 2B. I'm a strong believer in up the middle defense ( C, SS, 2B, CF) and I still think that Murphy's bat doesn't out weigh his lack of glove.

Armando Rodriguez- The 23y/o is having some success as a starter but many project him to be a power arm reliever. He has talent but has only pitched as high as A+, they might take the chance and try to slide him through waivers.

Chris Schwinden- Schwinden is a AAAA pitcher who can fill in at the back-end of the rotation, spot start or be a long reliever, all from Buffalo. That's not to say he isn't valuable, in fact the Mets need those type of pitchers and should still be in the market for more of them. But more then likely Schwinden wouldn't be claimed and if he was, could be replaced. Schwinden came up for four starts going 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA, in AAA he went 8-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 28 starts.

Jeremy Hefner- I think it's either Schwinden or Hefner whoever they feel is more valuable as starting depth in Buffalo. Hefner was selected by Sandy/Depo in the 5th round of the 2007 draft while Omar picked Schwinden in the 22nd round of the 2008 draft. Hefner has never been in the majors, last year in AAA he made 28 starts with a 4.98 ERA and a record 9-7. They can't risk both back-up starters but one of them could be designated.

Daniel Herrera- The Mets have their primary lefty Byrdak and Chuck James could end up being the second lefty as a long reliever type instead of a specialist. Herrera is a trick pitcher, using a screwball and sidearm delivery, they usually get figured out quickly. Herrera already did his job for this team by getting the Mets out of Frankie's contract. He made it through waivers last year and I suspect he could again this year.

D.J. Carrasco- Most of us would put Carrasco at the top of the list but I think his 1.2M contract will get him to spring training, that money would stop a team from claiming him but he could collect his money while electing for free agency. He posted a 6.02 ERA in 45 appearances, 15 of those appearances were game finishes in mop up duty ( no saves) and as evident by his 67 innings he can pitch multiple innings.

Not discussing trades this would be my order of DFA; Carrasco, Rodriguez, Schwinden, Herrera, Hefner, FMart, Turner ( Murphy strickly a trade option only)...

A complete look at who could take last spot on Bench

2012-01-06T17:44:00.000-05:00

Adam Rubin believes that the Mets will fill out the bench with a right handed power threat bat who can play 1b/3b, he finds it very unlikely that a player lacking MLB experience like Zach Lutz which be on the bench.

I still think a left hander would make more sense since a righty would make the entire bench right handed. But Sandy did say he was looking for a right handed outfielder for the bench even after re-signing Hairston.

In case they stick to the outfielders here's the list I compiled yesterday...

Right Handed Outfielder:

Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Greg Golson, Jonny Gomes, Conor Jackson, Austin Kearns, Ryan Ludwick,  Magglio Ordonez, Jason Repko, Cody Ross, Marcus Ryan Spilborghs, Marcus Thames, Vlad

Left Handed Outfielder:

Rick Ankiel, J.D. Drew, Kosuke Fukudome, Willie Harris, Corey Patterson, Juan Pirre, Raul Ibanez, Luke Scott

Here is a list of 1B/3B, I left off players who are probably still starters like Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena...

RHB free agents that could fill out the bench in the corner infield:

Jorge Cantu would be the best fit for Rubin's specification he hit 10 HRs in 2010 and in addition to both corner infield positions he can play 2B/LF/RF. Wes Helms hit 10 HRs 2006 while playing 1B/3B/ corner outfield, Xavier Nady hit 12 HRs in 2008 in addition to RF/1B he played 9 games at 3B, Kevin Kouzmanoff only plays 3B but he's practiced and been discussed as a 1B he hit 11 Hrs last season, Felipe lopez is right handed and can field the right positions but has no power.

LHB free agents that could fill out the bench in the corner infield:

Russell Branyan plays both corners and the outfield he hit 15 HRs in 2010, Wilson Betemit plays multiple positions and hit 13 HRs in 2010. Dan Johnson is primarily a 1B but has 9 games at 3B and hit 7 HRs in 2010, Eric Chavez has a few games at 1B hit 15 HRs in 2007, Craig Counsell like Lopez can field the positions but has no power, Ross Gload and Brad Hawpe only have experience at 3B, while Casey Kotchman has only played 1B

Mets close on Cedeno...

2012-01-06T16:11:00.003-05:00

Multiple reports indicate that the Mets are closing in a deal with Ronny Cedeno, the 28 y/o right handed hitter is a lifetime .246 hitter will serve as a back-up to Ruben Tejada and Dan Murphy on the middle infield. Cedeno was a gold glove candidate last year, so he could easily take over defensively if someone was injuried or couldn't field their position. In 2010 he stole 12 bases so he can also fill-in at the lead off spot in the order.

For more details on Cedeno see this post.

What Options Do The Mets Have If Johan Santana Is Not Ready?

2012-01-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday while in a conference call with the New York media, Mets' GM Sandy Alderson stated that the team expects Johan Santana to be ready for spring training. Alderson explained that Santana is three weeks into his offseason throwing program, which at this point includes him throwing on consecutive days and from 75 feet. All of this sounds pretty good, but lets level with one another. Johan Santana is attempting to come back from a serious shoulder surgery and is basically floating in uncharted waters, as there are few before him who've made it back from this particular surgery.

Its for that reason, in his live chat yesterday, that I asked ESPN's Adam Rubin what type of fall back plan the Mets might have should Johan not be ready. He responded:

"If Johan cannot pitch, it would be catastrophic.  Sandy Alderson said last month he was still in the market for a "swing" pitcher who could go to the bullpen or Triple-A if Santana, Dickey, Niese, Pelfrey and Gee are all healthy.  Right now, aside from DJ Carrasco -- who is going to have an uphill battle to make the team, despite a $1.2 million salary -- there's Jeremy Hefner who was claimed off waivers as well as Garrett Olson and Chris Schwinden."

So with these options in mind, here is some information on each of what seem to be the most likely options to fill in should either Santana not be ready, or should one of the other pitchers eventually go down.

Jeremy Hefner: Claimed off waivers by the Mets on December 12th, Hefner is coming off his fifth minor league season with the San Diego Padres since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 entry draft. He features three pitches, including an 88-91 mph fastball, a sweeping slider and a heavy change up that he uses more effectively against left-handed hitters. Though not overpowering, Hefner is described as a cerebral competitor who has a heightened concept of how to get hitters out. Having pitched nearly 700 innings through every level minor league baseball has to offer, Hefner averages nearly eight strikeouts per nine innings and is not particularly susceptible to the long ball.

Garrett Olson: Signed to a minor league contract on December 12th, Olson is a former first round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2005 entry drive. He has some major league experience in each of the last five seasons, however his only "full" year of major league service was 2008, when he started 26 games for the Orioles, pitching 132.2 innings and pitching to a 9-10 record in the process. Since that time, Olson has bounced back and forth between the majors and minors, acting prominently as a reliever whenever called up. Originally thought to be a middle of the rotation caliber guy while in the Orioles organization, Olson no longer appears to be even a semi-long term fix at the major league level.

Chris Schwinden: The only home grown option on Rubin's list, Schwinden was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2008 entry draft. Probably the most realistic option of the group, Schwinden started four games for the Mets in the fall of 2011, going 0-2 while pitching to a 4.71 ERA and striking out more than seven batters per nine innings. Ideally, Schwinden projects to be a Dillon Gee type of pitcher who could possibly aid in shoring up the back half of the Mets rotation in the event that someone goes down due to injury. He will not be over powering, but it does appear that he can be effective.

This list could be one of the most important any Mets fan lays eyes on this offseason, as there is very little depth in terms of the team's starting rotation. Its likely that we will see all three of these guys as the season progresses, with Schwinden being the organization's first option. Chris Young, who Sandy Alderson also discussed yesterday may eventually find his way into this pool of quick fixes, however he too should not be considered a sure thing. The Mets rotation is probably the team's weakest link, but they will also be its most important as the team tries to overcome yet another tumultuous offseason.

You can follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Sandy met with Chris Young

2012-01-06T09:20:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Sandy Alderson stated that the team would be interested in bringing back Chris Young if the situation was right and yesterday during his conference call admitted that he has met with Young. In regard to the pitcher he will not be ready to return to start the season but has stated he would like to rehab with a team instead of signing after he's healthy.

Rumor: Mets Hire Turnaround Consultants For Potential Sale?

2012-01-05T20:47:00.001-05:00

Update (10:07pm):

This evening, Eno Sarris of Amazing Avenue reported that according to a source familiar with the situation the Mets have hired the turnaround consultants, CRG Consulting, that handled the bankruptcy sale of the Texas Rangers a short time ago. He is a short excerpt from the post:

A source familiar with the situation has said that the Mets have hired CRG Consulting — the turnaround consultants that handled the Rangers' bankruptcy sale — and that a team sale with or without bankruptcy is on the table. CRG Consulting would not talk about the subject and the Mets declined to comment, but neither has categorically denied the report.

The article concedes that this move doesn't necessary mean that a bankruptcy and/or sale is imminent, but if true it is another testament to the financial difficulties current facing the franchise. Furthermore, Sarris provide good information with regards to the sale of the Rangers and how the circumstances are so very different.

Its a very good post and I'd recommend you check it on in full HERE.

Mets are still looking for a back-up middle infielder

2012-01-05T18:34:00.001-05:00

I thought Omar Quintanilla would take the Mets out of the market for middle infielders but according to Jon Heyman the Mets are still looking for a utility infielder who can play shortstop.

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What's left on the free agent market for outfielders...

2012-01-05T16:15:00.002-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

The Mets now have their right handed outfielder on the bench in signing Scott Hairston, they could leave the left handed spot up to Fernando Martinez, Mike Baxter and Adam Loewen.

Currently the outfield is made up of Bay (RHB), Torres (Switch), Duda (LHB) and Hairston (RHB).

But as Adam Rubin reported the Mets are looking to up-grade the bench from outside the organization, more then likely a left handed hitter but not Willie Harris.

The Mets currently have lefty-hitting outfielders Mike Baxter and Adam Loewen under their control, but Sandy Alderson acknowledged Thursday the Mets are looking to upgrade for that role. source ESPN NY

While there's still some solid righties left, we can probably rule out the RHB with Hairston returning...

Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Greg Golson, Jonny Gomes, Conor Jackson, Austin Kearns, Ryan Ludwick,  Magglio Ordonez, Jason Repko, Cody Ross, Marcus Ryan Spilborghs, Marcus Thames, Vlad

The left handed hitting outfielders are much more scarce then the righties, here is the group of available free agent outfielders...

Rick Ankiel, J.D. Drew, Kosuke Fukudome, Willie Harris, Corey Patterson, Juan Pirre, Raul Ibanez, Luke Scott

Scott Hairston to re-sign with the Mets

2012-01-05T10:08:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

According to Joel Sherman the Mets have re-signed Scott Hairston to a major league deal.

Just like last year Hairston is a solid pick-up, he can play all three outfield positions and hit off the bench for power. His first season with the Mets wasn't great but compared to what's available he's a solid bench player.

The 31 y/o right handed hitter is a lifetime .244 hitter, he generally hits about 10 home runs and 12 doubles a season. Last year he was just slightly below those numbers, in 79 games he hit .234 with 7 HRs and 7 doubles.

While he's had a few years of 100 games, he's mostly been a bench player and averaged 80 games a season over his 8 year career. He was known for his clutch hits off the bench for San Diego in 2010.

As a reminder here's an interview I did with a popular Padres blog, Gas Lamp Ball last year when we originally signed Hairston...

Mets sign Wimberly and Stevens to MiLB

2012-01-04T16:49:00.002-05:00

Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have signed RHP Jeff Stevens and Utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals. Both appear destine for Buffalo but Stevens did make it up for 10 appearances with the Cubs last year and Wimberly was a candidate for the Pirates bench out of spring training.

Wimberly is a 27 y/o switch hitter who in seven minor league seasons carries a .297 BA and in 2010 with the Oakland affliate stole 56 bases. In 2009 he lost part of the season due to a hand injury and last year only played 56 games as he was slowed by injuries. He had a chance to make the Pirates out of spring training but botched his chances at SS, he's played 2B/SS/3B/CF and LF. By the way he is on twitter here.

The Pirates acquired Wimberly from Oakland for RHP Ryan Kelly. Wimberly is a poor man’s Chone Figgins: a small (he may be as little as 5’6″), very fast player who gets on base, steals bases, has no power at all, and plays a number of positions. Primarily a secondbaseman initially, he’s seen significant time at short, third, center and left in recent years. Regretful at having traded Figgins away, the Rockies started grooming Wimberly for a super-utility role in 2008. He has good range defensively and an adequate arm, but his fielding and throwing haven’t been consistent. At the plate, he’s strictly a slap hitter and will frequently try to beat out bunts. source Pirates Prospects

Jeff Stevens was traded from the Reds to the Indians in the Brandon Phillips deal and then from the Indians to the Cubs in the Mark DeRosa deal. Since the trade Stevens has come up briefly for the Cubs over the last three seasons, all as a reliever. In 33 appearances he has a 6.27 ERA/ 1.71 WHIP, in four AAA seasons he has a 3.93 ERA and struck out 163 in 153 innings.

Should Jeurys Familia be traded...

2012-01-04T11:15:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

You should trade from an area of depth and while the players value has peaked. Jeury's Familia maybe in that exact position right now in his career.

I don't expect the big four to be in the Mets rotation in 2-3 years, the odds against that happening are astronomical. I'm confident that Wheeler and Harvey, barring injury are going to land at the top of the rotation but Mejia and Familia are another story.

By many accounts Mejia and Familia are destine for the pen, possibly as closers. So there's your glut, you don't need two closers, if either prospect was seen long term as a starting pitching then it would make sense to hold onto them. But as a high end reliever, depth is not as valuable to a club as is their value on the market to a club lacking a prospective closer.

Mejia coming off surgery and a failed, albeit rushed and improperly used stint in the majors has little value above his potential.

Familia on the other hand's value is at it's highest; just last year Mack's Mets ranked him the highest at #8, Keith Law, Mets Prospect hub and Toby Hyde all ranked him 10th while Matt Eddy, Jon Sickels and BP didn't have him in the top ten at all. ( this Mets Fever page is a compilation of all the lists).

But after a solid year as a starter in AA Familia has been vaulted to a ranking #3 on some lists, the 22 y/o righty made 17 starts with a 3.49 ERA/ 1.36 WHIP in which he struck out 96 in 87 innings and only walked 35 ( 2.74 BB/SO ratio).

So he has value as a potential starter, but even if club's recognize he's probably going to be a closer, if they don't have a Mejia type prospect then he's going to still have significant value to that club.

In 2014 I see the rotation looking like Wheeler, Harvey, Niese, Gee and Fulmer with Mejia as the closer, that leaves Familia as the odd man out. The Mets don't have any top flight power bats in the system, could they lure a club into giving up a big bat that would be ready around 2014 by selling Familia as a starting pitcher and #3 prospect.

He's a nice piece, but I think his value has peaked and he's not necessarily critical to the team's future. As we've seen with FMart and Milledge once that window passes you wish you could get the offers you once passed up...

How The Mets Match Up: Braves

2012-01-04T07:00:00.003-05:00

Catcher: McCann is the better ballplayer...and its not even close. This is not just a case of experience over youth. McCann is far better behind the plate and while they sport a similar batting average, McCann offers an element of power that will never be part of Jose Thole's arsenal.

1st Base: Despite being two years his senior, Ike Davis and Freddie Freeman have roughly the same amount of major league experience. Both play an above average first base and feature a nearly identical career batting average in roughly the same number of at bats. However, while Freeman can hit for power, Ike simply has more and its for that reason that he gets the edge here.

2nd Base: This match-up makes for an interesting argument. Neither player can play a lick of defense. Murphy hits for average, while Uggla hits for power. In the end, its those power numbers as well as his health, that give Uggla the nudge.

3rd Base: If we're comparing careers, the nod would have to go to Chipper Jones, but we're not. David Wright is coming off of a career worst season and is primed to bounce back. Hitting into the now reduced dimensions of Citi Field, Wright simply poses a bigger threat than Chipper at this point in his career.

Shortstop: The shortstop position poses more questions than answers for both teams. Ruben Tejada has more major league experience than Tyler Pastornicky (provided he earns the position out of camp), and improved mightily at the plate last season, but there is no telling how either will fare over the course of their first full major league season.

Left Field: This is a big mess for both teams as well. Jason Bay, the consistently inconsistent underachiever, versus Martin Prado, the also oft-injured outfielder approaching decline. Based upon 2011 statistics, the edge would have to go to Prado, but I honestly believe Bay will benefit from the changed dimensions at Citi Field as well. That upside makes this race a lot closer and shows no clear winner.

Center Field: This is the second position where the Braves have the clear advantage. Michael Bourn is not only four years younger than Andres Torres, but he has a better bat, better speed and most importantly, better health. This makes him the unanimous winner of this matchup.

Right Fielder: The final position up for debate features two former prospects still trying to cut their teeth at the major league level. Duda has had significantly more success at the plate than Heyward, but is not a natural outfielder. Ultimately, its Duda's power, better batting average and ability to stay on the field that provide him the edge going into 2012.

Conclusion: The Mets outscored the Braves by 77 runs win 2011, however the Braves will not have to absorb the loss of a premiere player like the Mets will with the departure of Jose Reyes. Ultimately, I don't foresee that loss causing a 77 run swing in the offense. While the Braves have the advantage of experience and a true leadoff man, the Mets simply have more offensive potential, particularly if David Wright and Jason Bay benefit from the altered dimensions, as I believe they will. Final Verdict: New York Mets

***"How The Mets Match Up" will be a four part column taking a closer look at the Mets' position players, versus those of each member of the NL East. Please check back for the other segments, which will be up in the coming weeks, to include separate sections with pitching comparisons.***

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Baxter and Loewen could be the bench...

2012-01-04T00:26:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

We've heard all off-season that the Mets are looking for at least a 4th and maybe a 5th outfielder on the free agent market. But as the financial situation has become bleaker, where they went with Quintanilla as the back-up short stop because the cost of a Jack Wilson/Ronny Cedano/Ryan Theriot was too prohibitive there is the distinct possibility that one or both outfielders are already signed.

I'm sure Mike Baxter and Adam Loewen when they were originally signed were considered back-up players destine for Buffalo but the way things are shaping up they could end up on the bench.

There's plenty of time and players left available but I wouldn't be surprised to hear them say that there's nothing left better then what we have at what it will cost.

Mike Baxter is a 27y/o left handed bat off the bench without much power (aside from his 2010 AAA career year), he's a lifetime .277 MiLB hitter and primarily a RF with 1B as a secondary position ( some LF/CF exposure). Adam Loewen is going into his fourth full year of conversion from pitcher to position player. Loewen had a break out year in AAA last year but it was a hitter friendly league, he hit .306 BA with 46 doubles, 17 homeruns, and 85 RBIs. As a former pitcher Loewen has a cannon arm and can play all three outfield positions.

Baxter to me looks like a AAAA player and I'd rather have someone else fill the spot on the roster, Loewen on the other hand I think is worth a shot as the 5th outfielder...

As it stands today, Baxter and Loewen are the two favorites to land backup jobs in New York. That may change if the Mets make an additional signing prior to Spring Training, looking to add veteran depth as they did with Willie Harris and Scott Hairston a year ago. source MLB.com

Omar Quintanilla signing..

2012-01-03T15:01:00.001-05:00

Well it looks like the Mets have their middle infielder, they have signed Omar Quintanilla to a minor league deal. The former 2003 first round pick can play 2B/SS and 3B but is only a .213 career hitter in 523 major league at bats.

The Mets now have Dan Murphy, Justin Turner, Vinny Rottino and Quintanilla to compete at 2B and fill-in at SS, I'd be surprised if any of those veteran middle infielders come aboard after this.

Braves not so interested in Theriot

2012-01-03T11:06:00.003-05:00

Last week it was reported that the Mets were interested in Ryan Theriot, it makes sense for the team to bring in a middle infielder. One who could take over full time at 2B if Murphy is a bust at the position or play short for two weeks if Ruben Tejada goes on the DL.

Of the group of free agent middle infielders Ryan Theriot is the most appealing compared to aging players like Craig Counsell and Jack Wilson or a player who is all glove/no bat like Ronny Cedeno. Granted Theriot's worst position is SS which is the primary reason he'd be signed, since Turner can fill in at 2B, but he's serviceable at the position and provides a decent bat. I haven't put much validity into the rumors because if the Mets can't close a deal on Cedeno or Wilson then how can they afford an upgrade in Theriot.

The only way I see Theriot signing with the Mets is if he falls into our laps, he sees a utility player at 2B and a rookie at SS and believes it's his best chance at what's available to start. Then it will take someone else not over paying him to be their utility man.

When the rumors surfaced just after Christmas it was reported that the Rays, Braves and Mets were interested in the 32 y/o middle infielder. Yesterday, beat writer for the Braves David O'Brien discounted the Braves interest in him. So if it comes down to the Rays and Mets, then I think they have a fair shot ( of course there's always the last minute jump in on the bidding team) and he would be a nice pickup.

I’m going to say the Braves’ interest in Theriot was  overstated, based on what I’ve gathered in the past few days. I’ll stop short of saying it was inaccurate, since it’s no fun explaining why a team suddenly makes a move that you (meaning me) had just said or indicated they would not make. Source ajc.com

Anything to worry about with Familia's delivery...

2012-01-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

The Mets once had Generation K, three widely vaunted pitching prospects who fans hoped would anchor the rotation for years to come. Many people forget that Bobby Jones was a 1st round pick who also came up with Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson and Bill Pulsipher. Aside from Jones who isn't even mentioned in the group the other three never became staples in any rotation. The three promising prospects all lost their chances to injuries, Isringhausen was the only one to even have a career but as a closer not a starter.

So what about this four, I keep hearing wait till 2013 were going to have an incredible rotation. It kinda reminds me of around 1993-ish when the last of the 86-88 team was completely gone and we were waiting for Generation K to mature....

Many blamed the Mets for Generation K's injury problems for over using their and rushing them to the majors. Sounds similar to Mejia who was the first to go down and was completely miss-used in 2010. Was Mejia destine for injury or would you have to almost solely blame his use in 2010.

When the Mets traded for Zack Wheeler there was concern over his elbow, however; most of those concerns have subsided since he reverted to his original delivery.

While it's not an injury concern, I did post yesterday that Matt Harvey went from really good to dominant due to improved control which was a result of stretching out his landing leg during his delivery.

What about Jeurys Familia's delivery, I'm not a pitching coach but from a layman's point of view it doesn't seem like a natural delivery. It doesn't seem like he's using much of his lower body, instead slinging the ball which would be a lot of torque on his arm especially with how hard he throws.

Baseball Instincts felt that Familia had improved his delivery during the 2011 season, as quoted below.

Familia has cleaned up his mechanics since the 2010 season. He comes more over the top than he had prior. With that said there is still some recoil in his arm action and that recoil puts added stress on the shoulder that is unnecessary.
He gets decent leg extension and overall isn’t using max effort to get his premium velocity.

The first video is of him in 2009 and the second is in 2011...

Difference for Matt Harvey was the stretch...

2011-12-31T22:17:00.000-05:00

Conventional wisdom had Zack Wheeler as the number one Mets prospect with Matt Harvey a close two, as MLB and Baseball America ranked the two pitchers.

But as the prospect lists have started to come out not everybody has gone with conventional wisdom; Jon Sickels of Minor League ball, Bullpen Banter, and Mets Prospect Hub all rank Harvey as the top prospect.

Mack's Mets page on the sidebar has Wheeler one and Harvey two but in an informal poll for Baseball Instinct his writers reversed that order.

I haven't seen a list come out yet from Keith Law of ESPN or Kevin Goldstein of BP.

So what happened to Harvey this past season that vaulted him into a competition for the top spot on the prospect list. Let's not forget that Harvey was selected with the overall 7th pick in the 2010 draft, but coming out of college the biggest concern was his control. Matt dominated A+ ball and after initial struggles in AA came on strong at the end of the season.

He's averaging over one walk less per nine (BB/9= 3.1/4.7) then Wheeler while posting the same amount of strikeouts (SO/9=10). The difference in their ERA/WHIP is marginal with Harvey holding slightly better numbers ERA 3.32/3.68 and WHIP 1.26/ 1.36.

With Harvey looking good in AA while Wheeler hasn't been above A+, the debate has been called polished=Harvey Vs. potential=Wheeler. I've heard many say Harvey is getting the benefit of the doubt because he's closer to the majors while most believe Wheeler has the higher ceiling.

But what made Harvey come on so strong, Baseball Instincts believe they figured it out. It seems like a tweak in his delivery specifically to his landing stretch improved his control...

There was a simple tweak that was made during spring training and in this second video, this one from Bullpen Banter, you can see his leg extension is more exaggerated: The change is what allowed him to make a strength out of what has been the biggest enemy. His command. Through college, his upright delivery has made command of his pitches difficult. His pure ability allowed to still outshine most of the competition anyway. And now, his command is becoming one of his biggest strengths. source Baseball Instincts

New York Mets 2011 Year In Review

2011-12-30T07:00:00.007-05:00

As the year comes to a close I think its safe to say that 2011, much like the four years before it, will go down in the history books as a year most Mets fans would like to forget. The Mets entered the year in the midst of a total front office overhaul. New general manager, Sandy Alderson, hired Terry Collins to lead a relatively unchanged roster into the year surrounded by questions concerning the team's finances.

After what some would describe as a promising first half of the season, the team mustered only a 77-85 record, finishing fourth in the NL East and well removed from playoff contention. The highlight of the year was undoubtedly Jose Reyes' somewhat controversial batting title, the first in team history.

The end of the season brought with it the anxiety filled months that lead up to the departure of said batting champ, Jose Reyes, who took his proverbial talents to the Marlins as a free agent. Adding to their woes, financial restrictions have continued to handcuff the team's front office, forcing the Mets to once again scrape through its second consecutive offseason as bottom feeders in the free agency pool.

Top 10 Stories Of 2011
1) Fred Wilpon & Saul Katz Sued In Connection With The Madoff Ponzi Scheme.
2) Jose Reyes Signs With The Miami Marlins
3) Fred Wilpon's Negative Comments towards Jose Reyes & The New York Mets.
4) Jose Reyes Wins The NL Batting Title.
5) Carlos Beltran Traded To San Francisco, Krod Traded To Milwaukee.
6) Mets Receive $25 Million In Loan From MLB, Then $40 Million From BOA.
7) Mets release Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo.
8) Ike Davis Out For The Season After Collision With David Wright.
9) David Wright Eventually Misses Two Months After Collision With Prince Fielder.
10) Still No Sign Of Johan Santana.

A quick review of those ten gems and it easy to see why 2011 is a year we'll always remember, despite the urge to quickly forget. However, all is not lost! One thing fans can take away from this past season was the acquisition of Zack Wheeler in exchange for Carlos Beltran. Furthermore, as the days on the calendar reach zero, so too does the patience of Major League Baseball when it comes to the Mets' ownership team which finds itself overcome in debt.

Yes, I can say with a good bit of certainty that 2011, irregardless of the club's record, was one of the worse years in franchise history. However, we can also conclude that things could begin to turn themselves around over the course of the 2012 campaign. Team ownership may find itself between a rock and a hard place once the Madoff lawsuit is settled. Additionally, the team's young arms will start making their arrival by mid-year, giving Mets fans a glimpse of the future. This upcoming season brings with it the first opportunity for both the franchise and its fans to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start putting the pieces back together. 2012 likely won't find the Mets in a run for a pennant, but it can't get much worse..right?

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Another infielder rumor- Theriot..

2011-12-29T15:15:00.000-05:00

It's clear that the Mets are in the market for a player who could fill in for more then a few games at shortstop. If Justin Turner was to be the middle infielder on the bench the Mets have already said they'd only be comfortable using him a short for a day or two.

In regard to the farm as I chronicled in this post Jordany Valdespin is still learn short and will he appears athletic enough to make the transition his .925 Fld pct. shows he's still learning. Bringing Wilmer Flores would be more the a stretch at this point in his development.

So the Mets are in the market for a middle infielder, why haven't they signed one yet it's not like their expensive, Mark DeRosa just signed for one year If I had to guess they're hoping one will sign for a minor league deal.

The Mets have been linked to Jack Wilson and Ronny Cedano all off season but have not signed either, what could possibly be the reason it's taken so long, is the asking really that prohibitive. Now the Mets are being linked to Ryan Theriot, I can't see him being any cheaper then the others.

The Mets seem to have some standards in regard to the position as they allowed Andres Blanco to sign a minor league deal with the Nats.

Of course Omar Vizquel won't be filling that role, but if all else fails Craig Counsell might be a fit.

Is Valdespin temper-mental...

2011-12-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

John Sickels of Minor league ball has posted his 2012 preliminary Mets top 20 prospect list.

Overall, the assessment of the system seems pretty fair and it's nice to see the farm returning to relevancy. The system appears quite stacked in regard to pitching but still a bit thin in the hitting dept., as they say; Rome wasn't built in a day.

One comment Sickels made that did surprise me was in regard to SS/2B prospect Jordan Valdespin.

12) Jordan Valdespin, 2B-SS, Grade C+: Will probably rank higher on other lists. Tools and athleticism stand out, developed more power this year, but high-maintenance mercurial personality and sloppy strike zone judgment make me wary that he'll fulfill his potential. source Minor League Ball

I don't recall hearing about Valdespin's mercurial personality as Sickels put it, in fact the last thing I recalled hearing was Depodesta singing his praise.

“I think at the Double-A level, a lot of the guys we had there weren’t necessarily ready to come here. But (infielder) Josh Satin had a terrific year and is now in Triple-A and hasn’t missed a beat. (Middle infielder) Jordany Valdespin had a great year, and has actually played shortstop extremely well and has gotten better month after month and is now, I think, absolutely a viable major league shortstop. source ESPN NY

The 24y/o left handed hitting middle infielder has been in the Mets system for five seasons in which he has a career BA of .283, OBP .330, .428 Slg and .758 OPS. In 2010 he was promoted from A+ to AA for 28 games and hit .238. Last year he started the season in AA and after hitting .297 with 15 HRs and 24 doubles in 107 games he was promoted to Buffalo where he hit .280 in 27 games.

Overall, he's played 207 games at 2B and 145 games at SS ( one game in LF in his first season), but until last year he predominantly played 2B. Of the 145 games he's played at SS 98 games came last year. Initially he struggled in his first stint as a regular shortstop making 26 errors in 347 opportunities in Binghamton, in Buffalo he made 6 errors in 76 opportunities, overall in his first full season at SS he had a .925 Fld % between the two leagues.

I tried to do a little digging on what Sickels was referencing in his top 20 list and there were several vague comments or innuendos but nothing substantial, until I found this Bison notebook article which chronicled his struggles...

But the book on Jordany Valdespin isn't restricted to the normal on-field growing pains. 

In June of 2009, while playing with Class-A Savannah, Valdespin was involved in an incident within the team circle that resulted in him being banished to extended spring training for two months.

While the organization has never revealed what took place, the rumor mill spun that Valdespin had issues getting along with some teammates.

Valdespin's woes didn't end there as earlier this season he found himself in Binghamton manager Wally Backman's doghouse because of his lack of intensity.

But after riding the pine for a few games Valdespin returned to the lineup with a newfound and attitude.

"He's showed his teammates a lot more respect," said Wally Backman. "He's had a few issues with players in the past. And this year, he's been good. I think its showed in the way he's played the game."
 source MetroWNY

So was last year in Buffalo an aberration or has he matured, maybe the higher level of competition made him focus more on the field then off. One thing seems clear Backman had his number and after receiving some of Wally's tough love he was in check for the rest of the season, which could be a good thing for the up coming season since both will be in Buffalo together...

Mets Rightfully Ask That Dickey Not Climb Kilimanjaro

2011-12-27T18:45:00.000-05:00

As reported by several news outlets today, the New York Mets have asked that R.A. Dickey not climb Mount Kilimanjaro this winter. Dickey, who has planned this trip as a fundraiser for the Bombay Teen Challenge, is still reportedly planning on making the trip, however it will be against the team's wishes. In a letter to Dickey the Mets basically said that they reserve the right to void the final year of his contract should anything bad happen on the assent.

Oddly enough, many Mets fans have taken exception to the fact that the Mets would prefer that Dickey not make the trip, likely due to the charitable nature of the venture. I however think that the Mets are absolutely 100% within their right to ask that Dickey not make the climb.

According to UltimateKilimanjaro.com, there are an estimated ten deaths annually on the mountain. Other sites, including MtKilimanjarologue.com claim that of the 30,000 people who attempt the climb every year, roughly 40% don't reach the summit for a variety of reasons including injury and sickness. Basically, what everyone should note when addressing this subject is that this trip is extremely dangerous.

Those dangers will be very real to the pitcher, who the Mets have committed another $5.3 million dollars to over the next 12 months. RA Dickey is an investment from a baseball standpoint. Remember, this is a business, and while what Dickey has in mind from a fundraising standpoint is great, it does not supersede his commitment to the New York Mets.

People so often forget that baseball is a business. This situation is no different. The Mets have an organization to run and cannot allow one of the most solid pieces of their ball club to risk his career..even if it is for the greater good.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Mets Edition: All I Want For Christmas!!

2011-12-25T16:25:00.000-05:00

Stability: [stuh-bil-i-tee] noun 1: the state or quality of being stable.2: firmness in position. 3: continuance without change; permanence.

I know a lot of people might say money, but in my opinion if there is one thing that the New York Mets need it would be stability. This is a pretty new problem for the Mets and not a problem when it relates to the team's front office. Since 1997, a little more than fifteen years ago now, the Mets have had only five managers. The same can be said for general managers (excluding interims) since that same time. Yes, organizational stability has not been their problem.

No, their problems have come to light in the past twelve to eighteen months. On the heels of two consecutive losing seasons, the financial bottom feel out last winter. Since then, it has been nothing but uncertainty and worry about the future of the franchise. Those finances, which continue to spiral out of control, seem to be reaching rock bottom with the recent news that there is growing concern amongst those in Major League Baseball as ownership's debt reaches unreasonable proportions.

There is no telling what this season or the next will bring, but the immediate future doesn't seem bright. It would appear that the best we can hope for over the course of this season might be that some stability will begin to creep into the picture. What more can we ask for at this point, as stability will allow for the organization to move forward with more than a goal to reduce payroll and the franchise can start looking forward to Mets' baseball again. Stability will also offer the opportunity for the focus to return to baseball, rather than loans, lawsuits and court cases. Yes, stability at this point is all I want for Christmas this year!

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Rubin on Turner and Eric Young Jr

2011-12-25T12:30:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Adam Rubin during his weekly Thursday chat discussed Eric Young Jr and Justin Tuner. I know Turner is a fan favorite and the numbers explain why he's become such a favorite; he hits over .350 with runners on in scoring position even when there's two outs.

But Turner can't play SS making it necessary to sign a player who can back-up Ruben Tejada, most any utility short stop is going to play most of the infield making Turner redundant on the bench.

Young would provide flexibility that Turner can't; he can fill in at 2B but he's more of an outfield, he would also be the only pinch runner on the bench and when in the line-up could be a base stealing threat.

Eric Young Jr. is definitely on the radar. I was told that two days ago. He's more of an outfielder than second baseman, and Colorado has a glut of outfielders, which is why they're motivated. I was told point blank by a source that the deal would get done if the Mets offered Justin Turner. He would be a backup, capable of spelling both Andres Torres in CF and Daniel Murphy at 2B, I suppose. source ESPN NY

You'd be trading bench player for bench player. It's not like it's Jon Niese for Eric Young Jr. source ESPN NY

Oakland designated two the Mets should be interested in...

2011-12-24T13:13:00.001-05:00

After the Gio Gonzalez trade the Oakland A's had to designate two players for assignment, two days before Christmas Laden Powell and Jai Miller found out they are no longer on Oakland's major league roster.

Powell is the least interesting of the two to me because of the signing of Rob Johnson, Powell is a 29 y/o right handed catcher who was a first round pick in 2004 by Oakland. After a tremendous NCAA carreer in which he was named to the NCAA College World Series Legends Team, in Oakland he was in the shadow of Kurt Suzuki. Both catchers drafted in the same year. Suzuki got the bulk of the playing time and was therefore, promoted more aggressively. After two years of injury set backs in the minors ( 2007-2008) he became the back-up catcher in 2009 and served in that role since, appearing in about 40 games a season while hitting .207. Powell is another one of those weak hitting defensive catchers, he caught Branden Dallas' perfect game and has a 39% caught stealing rate. He can play some 1B and I wouldn't mind if the Mets claimed him but realistically he's an older duplication of Nickeas/Johnson while only having one more option left.

Jai Miller is the player I hope the Mets win a claim on, the 26 y/o right handed outfield has yet to break out in the majors but if his minor league numbers are any indication of what he can do, this is a kid who can play center, steal a base and hit for power. In four seasons at AAA he's averaged 21 HRs, 23 doubles, 11 stolen bases, 63 RBIs with a BA of .271. He's 523 minor league games in center field and 205 in right field, along with a hand full in left. Last season with Oakland's AAA affiliate he put up some impressive numbers, still has only played in 28 major league games between three organization ( Fla., KC, Oak.).

 Miller, meanwhile, spent the majority of 2011 with Triple-A Sacramento, hitting .276 with 32 home runs and 88 RBIs in 110 games. As a September callup in Oakland, the outfielder went 3-for-12 with one homer and two RBIs in seven games and, by season's end, was expected to compete for a starting-outfield job come spring. source Athletics.com

Miller seems like a perfect fit for what the Mets need especially since he still has options left, I think the most vulnerable player on the 40 man roster would be Armando Rodriguez. The 23 y/o power pitcher is in his 5th season with the Mets, his second on the 40 man and is yet to pitch about A+ ball. Last season in St. Lucie he made 16 starts with a 3.96 ERA/ 1.18 WHIP and averaged almost a strike out per inning.

Wright to Philly rumor...

2011-12-23T20:49:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

Here's an interesting rumor that surfaced today about David Wright, a Phillies site is reporting that they've heard Wright could be traded to the Phillies.

A site called ThePhillyPhans at their twitter account originally tweeted the rumor. The founder of that site Kevin Kee is the one who made the tweet. Now this site is much like Mets Fever a fan site, however; Kee states he has sources.

It appears that after getting some flack about the rumor Kee continued to clarify his position, to see the actual tweets here's a link to the twitter account.

But he does a nice job on Facebook of explaining himself...

Let me get this through again. We were just passing along information that came our way, believe it or not. Now the source will remain anonymous. Also when I got the message I said really and questioned whether or not to post it. This source has been 100% correct in the past, but never gave information on trades before. Now, I am not backing down from the prior post; however, just like you, I won't believe it until it is official. Oh and btw, threats are not cool. Thanks, Kevin. source ThePhillyPhans Facebook

I not disparaging this site or their rumor, I am skeptical of any fan site that reports rumors. Not that I believe anyone would just blatantly mess with people but sometimes the sources a blogger can obtain aren't the most reliable ones, which is why I've always stayed out of the source game.

To their defense in looking into the site it appears that they have broke some signings this off-season.

I've been asked in the past when I've posted a rumor like this, why I lend credibility to such reports. My response is that if your any kinda fan like myself then your interested in any type of rumor there is no matter how remote it is, it's up to the reader to decide how much credence they're going to put into the report.

As far as this particular report, it would not surprise me if Wright was traded even if it was to the Phillies, whether they'll admit it or not the Mets are rebuilding, so why not trade Wright if the package is worth it. This is the most negative I've seen the fan base and it's a fan base know to be negative, so it can't get that much worse.

As for myself, I'm skeptical of the rumor but at the same time I wouldn't be surprised by anything the Mets do, after all they're dropping payroll by almost 40% in one off-season.

A look at newly signed Rob Johnson

2011-12-22T22:37:00.000-05:00

Mets announced today that they have signed Rob Johnson to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The 28 y/o right hander is considered to have a strong arm and works well with pitchers, but had issues toward the end of his stay in Seattle with passed balls despite being described as a defensive specialist. Below is a video of Johnson throwing out Willie Bloomquist who stole 20 bases, from his knees...

Johnson was selected in the 4th round of the 2004 draft by the Mariners out of the University of Houston. He made his major league debut in 2007 appearing in 7 games for the Mariners, over the next three seasons he would appear in 155 games in Seattle serving mostly as the back-up catcher. The Pads would trade for him and last season he appeared in 67 games. Offensively his numbers are stark; .197 BA, .275 OBP, .297 Slg. and .573 OPS.

This would have been Johnson's first year of arbitration and it was estimated that he'd make $422k, If he catches on with the Mets they can control him for two more years.

As I said before, while his offensive numbers are stark, his appeal is behind the plate...

"I had a discussion with Joh, and we try to prioritize what's most important for this club," Wakamatsu said. "Getting hits is not the No. 1 thing. Winning ball games is, and having a belief system with the starting pitcher, and pitchers in general. Rob right now seems to have a strong relationship with the guys that he's catching. Joh's done a lot of things well. He's throwing the ball extremely well. He's raised his average." source Seattle Times

He kind of sucks at blocking balls. His 2009 rate of passed balls was twice the league average, and the Mariners were a bottom-third team in wild pitches. In addition, I couldn't tell you how many times I saw Johnson flat-out drop a pitch that hit him in the glove. source Look out landing

Johnson felt his poor defensive performance at the end of his stint in Seattle could be attributed to recovering from multiple surgeries. That notion seems to be supported by not only his handling of pitchers but his rebound defensively in San Diego...

Johnson said that he could have played better with Seattle in 2010.
"First of all I knew going into the season it was going to be tough," he said.
That is because the Butte native, who lives with his wife, Kristan, and family in Arizona, had four surgeries within a month following the 2009 season.
"I had surgery on my left wrist in Seattle (Nov. 17, 2009), hip surgery for torn labrum (on his right hip, (Oct. 15) and left hip (Nov. 3) in Vail, Colorado, and eye surgery in Arizona," said Johnson, who was still the Opening Day catcher for Seattle in 2010. source Montana Standard

As a result Johnson struggled with both his duties as a catcher  and as a hitter. “I couldn’t get into  the catching stance that I wanted to get into,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t as  quick as I normally had been. I wasn’t getting the balls out of the dirt I felt  like I should have been getting to. I wasn’t swinging the bat well because I couldn’t  rotate like I wanted to.”

After the season, Johnson finally received the time off he  needed to heal up and get back to feeling a hundred percent. However, the  Mariners decided it was time for a change and they traded him to the Padres. “It’s  just a completely new chapter in my life,” Johnson said. “I think it was time  to turn the page. I am thankful the Padres picked me up and I am really  enjoying my time over here."

>Manager Bud Black is also thankful to have Johnson on his  roster. “He is a guy that can catch,” Black said. “When he gets behind the  plate we feel comfortable about him doing the right things as far as pitch  selection and handling the pitching staff.” source San Diego Sports

Regarless of whether it was Seattle or San Diego and despite the defensive struggles in 2009-2010, one thing can be said about Johnson pitchers like throwing to him and have better results when they do...

Johnson, carries just a .197 lifetime average in 228 Major League games, but he posted a 3.26 catcher's ERA with the Padres last season, the fifth-best mark in the Majors among backstops with 50 or more starts. source Padres.com

Mets Minority Ownership..Perks?

2011-12-21T16:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday in the New York Times, a list of "perks" for potential minority owners were almost jokingly published. Those included:

Access to Mr. Met, the team mascot, although the degree of access is not entirely spelled out. It definitely means you, as a part-owner, can schmooze with Mr. Met at Citi Field. It’s less clear whether you could get him to come to your child’s birthday party without a fee.

A formal business card, complete with the prominent designation: “Owner.”

And if you are a wealthy doctor, commodities trader or real estate mogul who wants to try to swat the ball over the newly pulled-in outfield fences at Citi Field on a Mets day off, you are entitled to attend what appears to be an exclusive kind of fantasy camp: “Owners’ workout day.

Other "perks" include:

Parking will not be a problem for new owners, the document makes clear. A single spot at the ballpark is reserved for anyone who signs on for $20 million. The chance to throw out a game’s first pitch will be an annual privilege.

Lets be honest, this is essentially a super fan pack that is being floated to potential investors by the Wilpons. Lets also call it what it is, a JOKE! Mets fans across twitter clearly think the same as the morning was spent mocking the idea. Here are some of the more comical tweets that came across my timeline:

Its to the point now where all we can do is joke because its so embarrassing its sad...

You can follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Mets Unlikely To Make A Major Trade

2011-12-21T12:00:00.001-05:00

If there is anything we've learned since the winter meetings, it is that the Mets' front office is willing to discuss a trade for anyone. Jon Niese, Justin Turner, Ike Davis...no one is safe, or so it would seem.

Due to the nature of the team's farm system, which is not in a position to immediately assist the big league club, and the seemingly stingy ownership group he is operating under, Sandy Alderson is looking to set a course towards better times in Flushing. Those better times are likely a few years down the road. There in lies the problem he faces.

A quick look at the current roster reveals only a select few who may still grace this franchise with their presence in just two years time. Jon Niese represents the only pitcher on the staff who is young, full of promise and under team control. Ike Davis and Lucas Duda, both young and under team control themselves, represent the only players on the roster with clout at the plate. It is their presence, as much as their skill set, that make them more valuable to the Mets than any other team they could be dealt to.

Sandy Alderson has been dealt the difficult task of rebuilding a team featuring so few players to build around. David Wright can exit via free agency, just as his close friend Jose Reyes did, following the 2013 season. Therefore, with the exception of the prospects to come, assuming the Mets don't find themselves with an unexpected windfall of money, Alderson only has these three young men to work with.

Exchanging their services for prospects at this point in time, leaves no one to play in their absence. None make enough money to provide the type of salary relief necessary for the team to be able to fill their void via free agency. So essentially, they're stuck! Bear in mind, that isn't in infer that the Mets, or we fans, should be upset that they're still with us, its just that due to their surroundings and circumstances, they're simply too valuable to part with.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

More Cost Cutting: Mets To Eliminate MiLB Team

2011-12-21T10:00:00.002-05:00

The team announced on Tuesday its decision to eliminate the a minor league team from its array of clubs scattered about the eastern half of the country. Originally believed to be its rookie team in Kingsport, TN, there is now some belief it will be the organizations Gulf Coast League team, based out of Port St. Lucie, FL. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets will inform the Gulf Coast League after the new year whether or not the franchise will pull its team from league play.

As seen above, the move could save the Mets roughly $800,000 per year moving forward. While this certainly doesn't seem like a lot of money considering the Mets sport close to a $100 million dollar payroll, it would appear that the organization will need every penny to get by. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, accurately points out that the organization will be left with eight minor league affiliates, with corresponds with the number supported by their closest neighbors, the Phillies and Yankees.

Mets Release Spring Training Dates

2011-12-21T06:00:00.005-05:00

Multiple sources on Tuesday reported that the pitchers and catcher will have to report to spring training by February 20th. ESPN's Adam Rubin also noted that the teams first workout will take place on the 22nd. Position players will have to report no later than February 25th. Games will start less than two weeks later when the Mets host the Nationals on March 5th at 6:10pm.

Young rumors showed Turner bad roster fit...

2011-12-20T18:30:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

It was reported earlier today that the Mets were interested in flipping Justin Turner for Eric Young Jr. In reading several die hard Mets fans tweets and message board it doesn't sound like this is a very popular idea.

Let me preface this by saying since those rumors were reported the Turner portion has been debunked. It seems like the Mets and Rockies are bantering names such as Niese, Smith and Young.

While Turner has become a fan favorite for his clutch performance in the first half of the season. Overall; Turner hit .260 BA, .334 OBP, .356 Slg. and .690 OPS. The first two months of the season he hit .320 then had an up and down year, two months ( June/Aug) he hit .200 and two months (July/Sept.) he hit .280.

This isn't about Turner's offensive ability, he's probably a better hitter then most middle infielders who are available at the price the Mets are willing to pay. There really isn't a spot for Turner who is out of options but without acquiring someone who can play 2B they have to keep him.

Murphy has enough offense for the team to carry a weak hitting caddy, for late in close games but what they don't have is a back-up SS. By all accounts Flores and Valdespin aren't ready even in a pinch, therefore the Mets have to sign a back-up who can play SS. Turner plays 2B or 3B, for a game or two he can play 1B or corner outfield. There is no room for Murphy, Turner and Wilson/Cedeno type with Lutz, Havens and Satin in AAA on the roster and with options. Turner's offense is similar to Murphy in which he has no speed with line drive power, not really making his spot justifiable as a pinch hitter/runner.

The Mets have plenty of 3B/1B options and corner outfield making Turner a bad fit for the roster. Young or a guy like Young can caddy for Murphy at second, play all three outfield positions and pinch run. Last year in 77 games Young only hit .247 BA, .342 OBP, .298 Slg., and .640 OPS, but stole 27 while only getting caught 4 times. He played 48 games at 2B and 58 games in the OF at the major league level last year, in AAA he played 18gms. 2B, 14 gms. LF and 33 gms. CF.

Mets interested in Luis Martinez

2011-12-19T23:50:00.000-05:00

I mentioned him earlier today in the roster post and according to the NY Post the Mets are interested in catcher Luis Martinez. The 26 y/o catcher looked to be the back-up catcher in San Diego until he got caught in a roster crunch after the Latos trade.

He has two options left and five years of control. While he only hit .203 in 22 games in his first exposure to the majors last season, but before that he was hitting .323 in 58 games in AAA and the year before he hit .282 in 106 games.

His right handed so he can push Nickeas and if Nick was unable to hit, which is a concern Martinez could step in as the right handed back-up to Thole.

He has a strong throwing arm, as can be seen in the below video and caught 33% of would be stealers...

Matt Eddy of Baseball America listed Martinez as the best defensive catcher in the San Diego system for the 2011 season. Here;s what his manager Bud Black said about him when he was promoted to replace an injured Nick Hundley

Martinez, 26, was the Padres 12th-round pick in the 2007 draft. He was hitting .313 in 38 games with Triple-A Tucson this season around two trips to the Pacific Coast League disabled list with hamstring strains.

Martinez is regarded by the Padres as the top defensive catcher and handler of pitchers in their farm system. But he has struggled offensively.

“Catching came natural for me, hitting was the tough part,” said Martinez. “In the past, I had an open stance. Starting last fall (in the Arizona Fall League) I switched to standing straighter and narrowing the zone.”

“The defense is solid,” said Black of Martinez. “He can handle the defense and the handling of pitchers in the major leagues.” source Sign-on San Diego

Where is there room on the 40 man

2011-12-19T16:12:00.001-05:00

Now that the Mets have made Frank Francisco officially their closer for the next two years, the roster is once again at 40. Not only do they have holes to fill on the active roster but this is the time of year when there are some really nice claims to be made do to other club's roster issues.

For example; after the Pads netted four players in the Matos trade they had to expose their back-up catcher Luis Martinez to waivers. Martinez is a 26 y/o catcher who has two options left and five years of control, all while hitting .323 in AAA last year. But he will cost someone their roster spot, exposing them to waivers or allowing them to become a free agent.

I find it highly unlikely that no one will interest them who is on waivers or that they can find a middle infielder, two outfielders and probably a starter all on minor league deals. So then the question becomes who is vulnerable on the 40 roster. It also has to be taken into consideration that if it's a players first time through waivers if they go unclaimed they remain controlled by the team, whereas veterans can opt for free agency.

Adam Rubin tweeted about this topic this afternoon and I tend to agree with his list. Rubin in a second tweet included Daniel Herrera. I would also add Robert Carson to the group as well, the lefty doesn't seem as valuable with James in the mix. Rodriguez and Schwinden would remain under club control if they made it through waivers while the others could opt for free agency. None of these guys are no-brainers to cut like the days when we carried Robinson Cancel as a third catcher but at the same time I wouldn't miss them if they were gone.

Who is Ronny Cedeno...

2011-12-19T00:51:00.000-05:00

A few days ago Jon Heyman tweeted that the Mets are still looking for a middle infielder. It would seem they need someone who could play both SS and 2B, coming off the bench but could jump into a starters role if necessary. We've been hearing Jack Wilson's name for a while, in fact I did this post on him, but Cedeno I seemed to have neglected. On a quiet Sunday night with very little to talk about, I thought it might be interesting to profile Cedeno...

The 28 y/o right handed hitter was nominated for the gold glove this year, at SS while playing with the Pirates.

On Monday, ESPN released the names of three league finalists at each position. Walker joined Brandon Phillips (Reds) and Omar Infante (Marlins) on the list of second basemen. Cedeno, Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies) and Alex Gonzalez (Braves) were the shortstop nominees.source MLB.com

Cedeno was signed as an amateur free agent 1999 by the Cubs and would make it to the majors in 2005. He would remain with the Cubs until after the 2008, prior to 2009 he was traded to the Mariners for Aaron Heilman. In 2009 Cedeno was traded again, this time to the Pirates, he was one of four players sent to Pitt. for Ian Snell and Jack Wilson.

In seven seasons he's averaged 100 games in which he produced the following numbers; BA .246, OBP .286, SLG .353 and OPS .639. He's played mostly SS with a little exposure at 2B and 3B, while playing one game in CF and eight in LF. In 2007 he played CF in winter ball as the Cubs considered making him the CF for 2008...

Mets remained interested in Endy...

2011-12-18T23:07:00.002-05:00

I figured after they obtained Andres Torres, that Endy Chavez would would be viewed as a duplication of services. At the very least they would be in the market for a right handed center fielder to platoon with Torres should he look more like 2011 then 2010 or a power bat off the bench who could play better corner outfield then Murph. But according to Andy Martino the Mets remained interested in Chavez until he chose the Orioles, I wouldn't be too concerned with the Chavez signing there are plenty of 4th outfielder available...

Sources said that the plan to use Torres as the starting centerfielder made a reunion with Chavez -- who was a Met from 2006-2008, and made a iconic leaping catch in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS -- less likely, but that the Mets were still considering it.source Daily News

Niese for Smith rumors...

2011-12-16T22:27:00.001-05:00

According to Tracy Ringolsby the Mets are interested in a trade in which the principle pieces are Jon Niese and Seth Smith.

The 25 y/o left hander cost the Mets 425k last season for 26 starts with a 4.40 ERA / 1.41 WHIP. The Mets will have Niese under control for four more years at a reasonable cost in which is rare for a quality starter in the majors. Of course, his career ERA is 4.40 a slight drop off and he's a below average starter who wont have the value he currently has.

Smith is a 29 y/o switch hitting outfielder who has spent 155 games in RF and 190 in LF during his five year major league career. His career numbers are BA .275, OBP .348, Slg. .485 and OPS .833 in which he's averaged 15 homeruns and 50 RBIs a season. This is his first season of arbitration in which it appears he'll make around 2.5M and will be a free agent in 2014.

Here's a rotisserie type of idea; if the Mets are interested in bringing in Smith with Bay in left and Smith not a center fielder then the only spot he could go is RF. But then they have to fill the hole left in the rotation by trading Niese and there were those rumors about Ike. What if the reason the Mets are in on Gio is because they're willing to move Ike for Gio since Duda can move to first with Smith in RF.

With Cuddyer in right and Gonzalez in left, the Rockies could have a major offseason move remaining by shopping Seth Smith for a starting pitcher. Mets lefty Jonathan Niese is believed to be available in a package built around Smith. source MLB Buzz

A Franchise Running Out Of Money Vs. A Fan Base Running Out Of Patience

2011-12-16T12:00:00.014-05:00

Its an age old argument. Which came first..the chicken or the egg? When applying that question to baseball, it becomes what comes first..the talent or the money? The New York Mets currently find themselves lacking a good bit of both. A roster currently devoid of enough talent to be considered a serious contender backed up by a front office and ownership group devoid of the money necessary to do anything about it. Something has to give, right?

The Mets have spent the offseason making every change possible, with the exception of retaining/signing top tier talent, in order to fill the stands next year. They've lowered ticket prices, changed their uniforms and even brought the walls in. They're trying..but the fans aren't having it.

The fans have shown their disgust. All reports seem to indicate that season ticket sales are down. No one is optimistic about this upcoming season. Hell, the 7 Line is even producing 'Sell The Team" shirts in the hopes of imploring the Wilpons to move on. The level of pessimism and cynicism is at an all-time high, and with pretty good reason.

In the past 50 years, the Mets have made only seven trips to the playoffs, winning just two World Series. While those are undoubtedly better than the results seen by fans of the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, many fans are jaded by the past five years which brought with them promise of big things, only to deliver nothing but heartbreak and despair.

As a result, fans aren't so ready to invest more heart, and more importantly more money, in a franchise seemingly unwilling to do the same. Its hard to make an argument that fans should make such an investment, as ownership funds appear destined to go everywhere but towards the on-field talent. So what will force a change? Does young talent eventually lead to wins, which draws fans back to the ball park or will fans break first, unable to stay away from Mets baseball? Both sides seem entrenched..more so than ever. Who can wait the other out..and more importantly, how ugly will it get in the process?

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

James was a solid pick-up - in-depth look...

2011-12-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Mets announced that they signed Chuck James to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, the 30 y/o left hander is the exact type of pitcher Alderson described less then a week ago. Someone who could either pitch out of the rotation or the pen and could start the year in Buffalo.

Selected in the 20th round of the 2002 draft by the Braves, he was the #96 ranked prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America prior to the 2006 season. James made his major league debut in 2005 when he pitched in two games as a Sept. call-up. In his rookie season (2006) he went 11-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 18 starts of 25 appearances. The next year he would spend the entire season in the rotation as a #3 in which he went 11-10 with a 4.24. 2008 would be his last season as a Brave making seven starts with an ERA of 9.10 and a record of 2-5.

Reminiscent of the Mets medical staff, James would express concern about discomfort which the medical staff could not find. A second opinion would result in a minor procedure to clean up the shoulder that turned into a complete rebuild.

Finally, James sought a second opinion. By the end of the ’08 season, he said, “I got to where I couldn’t throw any more.” He agreed to surgery in September 2008, when doctors told him they would clean up debris in his pitching shoulder. The surgery, they said, would take 30 minutes. Instead, they spent more than four hours repairing the damage from a tear in the labrum and a tear in the rotator cuff. James said they also removed his bursa sac. source Syracuse.com

He would miss the entire 2009 season and rehab in the Nationals minor leagues during the 2010 season. Between AA and AAA he made made 26 appearances, seven starts and 4 game finishes. A combined 2.32 ERA with a record of 10-1 and two saves.

He would sign with the Twins for the 2011 season, starting the year in AAA where he appeared in 38 games (68 innnings) with an ERA of 2.30. He finished 14 games but only recorded one save for the season. He came up briefly with the Twins, appearing in eight games with a 6.10 ERA. It didn't appear that James was ever in the Twins plans and they let him go at the end of the season.

He has two years of service so this season if he were to make the team he would have options and going forward would be arby eligible for three years...

Chuck James was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster space for September call-up Liam Hendriks and passed through waivers unclaimed, so he remains at Triple-A but is no longer on the 40-man roster. James was fantastic at Rochester, throwing 63 innings with a 2.30 ERA and 67-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he struggled in 10 innings for the Twins and they never seemed particularly interested in giving the 29-year-old lefty an extended chance. source Aaron Gleeman

Mets In On Gio Gonzalez?

2011-12-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported tonight that the Mets are amongst several teams who remain interested in acquiring Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland Athletics. Gonzalez, who won 16 games in 2011, will remain under team control through the 2015 season. As a result, the Athletics will certainly seek premium in return.

On the surface, I simply see no way the Mets can offer the best package when looking at the teams they're potentially offering against. My best guess tells me that the Mets would have to offer a minimum of one of their top for pitching prospects, along with several other various players/prospects. My guy also tells me that their interest in Gio might be the result of the fact that he will still be on the team, possibly on the cheap, when whatever remaining pitching prospects reach the major league level.

Ultimately, I see this as nothing more than a tease by the front office. It would deplete the farm system they've tried so diligently to build over the last 12 months. Could I be wrong, maybe. Would I be happy if they made the deal, possibly. I just don't think its going to happen.

A look at the roster: when contracts expire, years of Arby. and options

2011-12-15T13:33:00.001-05:00

Last week I completed this post on the budget, basically were sitting at about $93M unless they take into consideration the entire 40 man roster.

Here's a look at when this group will be leaving or at least need to be re-signed to be kept. The Mets currently have 8 players who are under major league contract, who are out of options, the year next to their name indicates the last year of the contract.

Johan Santana - 2013 club option for 2014
Jason Bay- 2013 mutual option for 2014
David Wright- 2012 club option for 2013
R.A. Dickey- 2012 club option for 2013
Frank Francisco- 2013
D.J. Carrasco- 2012
Jon Rauch- 2012
Tim Byrdak- 2012

As we know four players were offered arbitration, none of our current players are super twos so arbitration means they are out of options. These players become free agents after the season of their last year of arbitration.

Mike Pelfrey- last year of arbitration 2013
Manny Acosta- last year of Arby. 2014
Ramon Ramirez- last year of Arby. 2012
Andres Torres- last year of Arby. 2013

The next group gets tougher to figure, how many options controllable players have left and when they become free agents. Since none of these players have reached arbitration yet, they at least have four years left ( one controllable and three arbitration).

Daniel Herrera, Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese, Dan Murphy, Fernando Martinez, Justin Turner and Josh Thole all appear to be on their last option, making them arbitration eligible next year and free agents in 2016, except for Thole who looks to be a super two giving him another year of arbitration ( 2017). Ike Davis was on schedule to be a super two as well, giving him one more option but four years of arbitration but I'm not sure how his injury will impact that status.

Last year Lucas Duda, Pedro Beato, Dillon Gee, Ruben Tejada and Mike Nickeas used their first option this past season giving the team two more years of options and then three years of arbitration, free agency will come for this group in 2017.

There were several players who came up for short stints, I don't believe they were up long enough to have burned an option but I could be wrong. Players like Jenrry Mejia, Josh Satin, Chris Schwinden, and Josh Stinson.

Non roster invites Adam Loewen, Lucas May, Garrett Olsen, and Vinny Rottino all have very little major league service time and it looks like if they caught on with the would have options.

Everyone else on the 40 man roster has not been to the major league level, from the time they were placed on the roster they have six years until free agency and three option years. To be remove from the roster they have to make it through waivers, the first time through waivers the club can automatically keep them but any other time after that the player has the option to become a free agent.

Pagan/Torres swap more then just numbers...

2011-12-14T23:51:00.000-05:00

In trading Angel Pagan for Andres Torres the Mets are giving up almost 40 points in batting average and 30 more strike outs a season. So was the addition of power arm Ramon Ramirez the only reason the Mets down graded an offensive position on a team that will need to score runs.

Watching the above posted video Kevin Burkhardt and Andy Martino discuss Angel Pagan's struggles last year which just weren't on the field. Apparently after getting off to a slow start, a struggling Pagan was miserable to the extent Martino and Burkhardt debated whether to consider him a clubhouse malcontent.

Like Pagan, Andres Torres struggled last year hitting only .221 while only playing in 112 games due to injuries. But unlike Pagan he was beloved by fans and positive/inspirational leader in the clubhouse. He still only projects to be a 4th outfielder but in reading Giants blogs he plays some stellar defense. This deal appears to be more about the clubhouse then the field...

This isn't going to make sense to anyone else. If a White Sox fan sat me down and asked if I'd heard the good word about Scott Podsednik, I'd chew my arm off if it gave me a chance to escape. So don't pretend like we can explain this to other people. Loving Torres is something that's uniquely Giants fan. source McCovey Cove

The ever-positive Torres was recognized as the team's 2010 "Willie Mac" Award  winner. The honor is named for Hall of Famer Willie McCovey and is voted on by  the players, coaches and training staff to recognize the team's most  inspirational player both on the field and in the clubhouse. source San Francisco Examiner

Video; Hefner pitching...

2011-12-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

On Monday the Mets claimed Jeremy Hefner off waivers from the Pirates. The 25 y/o right hander was once a mid-level prospect of the San Diego Padres. Alderson said he was looking for flexibility and Hefner will provide that, with options and some degree of success in AAA he's a legitimate candidate to be called up. For those interested in getting a look at him, here is a video of him pitching in the minors back in 2009...

Video: Torres inspirational documentary

2011-12-14T13:36:00.001-05:00

On the day he's introduced it only seems fitting to show this inspirational video of Andres Torres...

The Good Old Days: 2006 Mets Walk Off Moments

2011-12-14T12:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure if its good to relive this stuff, or depressing... Nonetheless, here's a good look at some Mets wins in walk off fashion from 2006, featuring our good friends: David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Endy Chavez, Jose Valentin and many more!!

The Wilpons: In Over Their Heads And Sinking Fast

2011-12-14T07:00:00.008-05:00

To say the Wilpons have been bad owners would be unfair. Since acquiring the team in its entirety in August 2002, they have spent $1,159,942,209 on payroll (source), averaging nearly $116 million annually on opening day. At no point during that time, did the organization enter a season lower than seventh in terms of payroll, in all of MLB. Baseball fans can ask for little else than to have an owner who doesn't hesitate to invest in their team. However, to say the Wilpons have been bad investors, is a totally different story.

Monday's news that the team has taken on a $40 million dollar bridge loan, care of Bank of America, certainly has to signal the beginning of the end for the Mets' front office spendthrifts. This is the second time in just over a year that the organization has had to reach out for operating funds, having borrowed $25 million dollars from MLB in November 2010. The loans, when combined with the fact that the Mets reportedly lost $70 million dollars in 2011, appear to signal that the end is near for the now cash strapped ownership group.

Let us not forget that this likely all started due to an erroneous decision to invest in Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme, which has resulted in a lawsuit that could cost the Wilpons as much as $300 million. Their response to that, was the sale of an estimated 20% of their beloved team to David Einhorn. The deal would have provided the Wilpons with at least $200 million, but fell apart in September 2011 when ownership altered the deal at the last moment. Their latest venture in hopes acquiring operating capital, involves selling off $20 million portions of the team. Those portions can be redeemed after six year at a rate of 3% interest, which as ESPN's Adam Rubin tweeted, is the equivalent of assuming even more debt.

Unfortunately, the debt trail doesn't end there. Staring the Wilpons in the face long term, as pointed out by Bob Klapisch, are debts of $430 million against the team due to be paid by 2014, $450 million against Sports Net New York (SNY) due to be paid by 2015 and $600 million in bonds used to finance the construction of Citi Field, which will be paid off in $25 million dollar increments every six months for the foreseeable future.

The question now becomes how long can the Wilpons hold on for. There is little relief in sight for their struggling franchise as they will effectively slash payroll by almost one third heading into 2012. The loss of Jose Reyes, combined with a bleak outlook for next season and the overall negative aura surrounding the team won't exactly drive fans into the ballpark either. Furthermore, the income derived from the SNY network, estimated to be as much as $300 million annually in some circles, may not be enough to offset these issues.

Ultimately, with every misstep going forward it would appear more and more likely that MLB may have to take action, as they did with the LA Dodgers, despite Sandy Alderson's accurate statement that the situations are entirely different. They may in fact be different, but the common denominator is that the Wilpons, like the McCourts, simply do not have the funds to support a Major League franchise any longer.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Nickeas really seems to be the plan...

2011-12-14T00:21:00.000-05:00

Mets really appear to be set on Nickeas as the back-up, to be honest; I thought saying they were prepared to use Nickeas as their back-up was a negotiation tool with free agent catchers. But it seems like the team is truly prepared to roll the dice with Nickeas and whether he can hit enough to be a major league back-up catcher. I thought the perfect fit would be Kelly Shoppach, nice power off the bench with 12 HR last year and a great reputation with pitchers. Shoppach went to the Red Sox's for a max. of 1.75M if he reaches all his incentives. It's also reported that the Mets are on the periphery of Pudge and leaning towards Nickeas...

Photo by Michael Baron

Sandy looks for flexibility in starters..

2011-12-13T23:31:00.002-05:00

Sandy Alderson said today that if the Mets bring in a starting pitcher it will need to be someone who gives them flexibility. A pitcher who could be in the rotation or a longman out of the pen or someone who could start the year in Buffalo. A pitcher with experience in both the rotation and the pen, who had options or signed a minor league deal. Earlier this month it was reported that the Mets were interested in re-signing Miguel Batista, this seems to be the type of pitcher they're looking for...

“There are some interesting names out there. We have to hit the right spot with the guy that gives us the kind of flexibility that will ultimately give us the depth. And that’s not always easy to find. source ESPN NY

Mets Fever Holiday Book Giveaway -- Reminder

2011-12-13T18:45:00.000-05:00

Hey folks, with a little more than 24 hours until the contest closes, we wanted to remind everyone to get their entry in for your chance to win one of two copies of The Amazins!!

You can read more about the book by going HERE and can enter by emailing me the name of your favorite Met, HERE!!

The contest ends at 11:59 pm on Wednesday night. Good Luck!!

Exploring a Trade of Jonathan Niese

2011-12-13T16:12:00.003-05:00

As the landscape of professional baseball continues to shift toward homegrown, cheap, controllable players, the one glaring market inefficiency has become the most prized asset on the field: The starting pitcher.

It's no secret that pitchers, especially the elite ones, who reach free agency will set their families up to live extremely comfortable lives for several generations. Often scooped up by the big market teams in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Chicago, these players are often paid for their past results while teams hope that their futures will only be marred with minor injuries and bigger successes. Oftentimes this isn't the case, and with the drought of quality starting pitching those who are mediocre to above average are beginning to wreak the benefits. There's no need to dive into Oliver Perez's albatross of a contract, because even that looks tame in comparison to the contract the Boston Red Sox awarded John Lackey prior to the 2010 season. Having not played in a full season in 2 years, Lackey was the most sought after free agent pitcher on an extremely weak market, ultimately landing a 5 year agreement worth $82.5 Million. For 2 years of work, Lackey has made 61 starts while ultimately contributing a healthy 5.26 ERA and a WHIP above 1.5. This isn't about Lackey, but he serves as a prime example of how desperate teams have become for quality starting pitching.

This offseason has seen its fair share of contracts that are ticking time bombs as well: Going into his age 33 season, Mark Buehrle agreed to terms on a 4 year, $58 Million agreement with the Miami Marlins. While Buehrle's aggressive style of play may have made for a solid transition to the National League before he signed his contract extension with the Chicago Whitesox, at 33 years old Buehrle will begin his natural decline. Add in that he has pitched over 200 innings or more in 11 consecutive seasons and there's bound to be a serious bite toward the end of the contract.

Looking beyond, former New York Met Chris Capuano received a 2 year, $10 Million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a deal that will be a big boost to the club if Capuano remains healthy, but is likely a slight overpayment for the aging lefty. Along similar lines, Aaron Harang with join Capuano in Los Angeles on a similar agreement, a move for a mediocre pitcher that very well may hurt the club in the end. Oh, and need I mention CC Sabbathia's contract extension?

Several days ago the Tampa Bay Rays inked rookie sensation Matt Moore to a club friendly deal, the type the Rays have become synonymous with. The 22 year old will earn a guaranteed $14 Million over the next 5 years, with Tampa holding options for 3 consecutive years after for a contract that could be worth a total of close to $40 Million. It's a model that I predict will become increasingly popular in baseball, and the cash strapped Mets should be taking notes from Andrew Friedman.

During the winter meeting last week, names began popping up like whack-a-moles at an arcade as to who the Mets were exploring in the trade market. Would it be the young, power slugging 1st baseman in Ike Davis? Would David Wright be on the move? Angel Pagan had already been shipped out to San Francisco, who knew what Sandy Alderson could do?

The only name that had any real intrigue was Jonathan Niese. Niese, entering his age 25 season, will be arbitration eligible for the first time in 2013 and isn't scheduled to hit the free agent market until 2016. Niese's main concern has been staying healthy, although his injury in 2009 was a freak accident and he only missed his last remaining 4 starts in 2011. Although his ERA hasn't been sparkling, his peripherals show that he'll become much more effective in the near future. Sporting a healthy 7.9 K/9 to a 2.5 BB/9, his rates went in the right direction for the second consecutive year, and it peaked the interest of many clubs, many of whom seemed willing to overpay for the southpaw. The question isn't whether or not to trade Jonathan Niese, the question should be: When do the Mets trade Jonathan Niese, if ever?

As it stands, there are two conceivable routes the Mets should look to take with the Lima, Ohio native: Explore extending Niese to a team friendly contract while providing a measure of guaranteed financial security for Niese, or seriously consider moving him while the Mets await the further development of prospects. It would, however, seem nonsensical to move Niese while his value is at a low point: Despite his peripherals, Niese is coming off of an injury and a season that sported a 4.40 ERA. Niese has started strong in 2 consecutive seasons, carrying a 3.67 ERa into the end of June in 2011 and a 3.43 ERa into the end of July in 2010. Trading Niese mid-season would likely net a bigger return, while teams who are on the brink and in need of quality starting pitching will be looking to dish out a much bigger haul.

Trading Niese could certainly benefit the Mets in the long haul if the package is right and they can receive an adequate return, possibly a highly touted catching prospect or starting pitchers with a higher ceiling. However, doing so now would send a poor message to the fan base, many of which are looking for reasons to believe for the future. If Niese can step into his shoes and perform to his peripherals, the Mets will either be able to secure a big return or look into making him a staple of a future winner.

Mets Continue To Hemorrhage Cash - Borrow $40 Million From Bank Of America

2011-12-12T20:57:00.000-05:00

Word came tonight from the New York Times, that the Mets have taken out another loan. This loan, from Bank of America, is to the tune of $40,000,000! When combined with the $25,000,000 loan that they received from Major League Baseball back in February, the Mets have now borrowed $65,000,000 in less than a year.

The loan, which according to the New York Times, is being described as a bridge loan, designed to hold the organization over until they begin to receive funds from the shares of the team they are attempting to sell. In correspondence with the loan announcement, the team believes that funds from the sold shares will be available by spring time.

Mets claim Hefner and sign two more to MiLB

2011-12-12T16:17:00.001-05:00

The Mets have claimed Jeremy Hefner from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Hefner is a 25 y/o right handed pitcher. The front office should be very familiar with Hefner as he spent the first five seasons of his career in San Diego during the time when Alderson and Depodesta were running the team.

Last year in AAA he made 29 starts to a 4.92 ERA in which he struck out 120 in 157 innings while walking 61. The year before in AA he made 28 starts to a 2.95 ERA with 115 strike outs in 167 innings while walking 51.

The Mets signed catching depth in Lucas May and lefty reliever Garrett Olson to minor league deals. Hefner takes another roster spot in an already crowded roster, when the Mets announce Rauch/Francisco deals they will need two spots...

The Mets have claimed right-hander Jeremy Hefner off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. They also have signed catcher Lucas May and left-hander Garrett Olson to minor league deals, sources told ESPNNewYork.com. source ESPN NY

Exclusive Interview: Zack Wheeler On 2012, Our Fanbase & The Future

2011-12-12T07:00:00.101-05:00

On the off chance you don't know, Zack Wheeler was drafted sixth overall by the San Francisco Giants in the 2009 Entry Draft. This past summer, he was acquired by the Mets in the trade that sent Carlos Beltran to the Giants. As per Baseball America, Wheeler immediately became, and remains, the top prospect in the Mets farm system which now boasts several quality prospects.

This weekend, Zack was nice enough to give me a few minutes of his time and answer a few questions by way of twitter. Here's what he had to say:

Rob Patterson:  Having regularly interacted with fans on Twitter, do you feel any additional pressure knowing we are anxiously awaiting your promotion to the major league level?

Zack Wheeler:  No not at all.  I know the Mets fans are waiting but it will happen when it needs to.

RP:  Everyone has their idols..Is there anyone you've fashioned your game around?  Someone you're looking forward to working with/pitching against?

ZW:  To tell you the truth not really, but I like watching Justin Verlander because he sort of reminds me of myself.  So I watch him a good bit.

RP:  2012 will be your third professional season. Is there something particular you would like to accomplish this upcoming season?  What are you goals?

ZW:  Yeah, last year I developed my curve and slider to the point I never have before and this year I would like to work on locating them wherever I want so that I can be a better pitcher every time out.

RP:  Clearly people have their expectations, but what would you say to Mets fans who are eager to get through these troubling times?

ZW:  The fans just have to be patient.  The Mets are in a rebuilding mode.  We have some really good players down in the minors who are ready to win in the next few years.  So just hold tight and we will be good to go.

RP:  Zack, I really appreciate your time.  Best of luck this season..hopefully I can catch up with you again during the season!

ZW:  Alright thanks.  No problem.

As always, we appreciate Zack taking the time to talk with us. Its good to know he's got his focus on developing his secondary pitches to accompany the low to mid nineties fastball we've all heard so much about. Its also good to know he's got his pulse on both the fan base and the overall direction of the organization. Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to speak with him again during the season so we can bring you more.

If your not already, you can follow Zack on Twitter --> @Wheelerpro45

You can also follow me on Twitter --> @RobPatterson83

A look at the available OF right handed bats

2011-12-11T14:39:00.001-05:00

Looking at the Mets outfield what I feel the Mets need is a right handed outfielder with power potential who can hit off the bench and play all three outfield positions. With Duda being left handed, Torres is listed as a switch hitter but a much better lefty hitter and FMart being the most major league ready prospect also a lefty, Bay could use a little help on the right side.

Here is a list of available free agent outfielders who are switch hitters or right handed batters, the budget will probably afford a deal like Harris /Hairston received last year, a one year deal around 1.5 M with incentives. So who would your realistic pick be...

Carlos Beltran, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Mike Cameron, Brett Carroll, Coco Crisp, Michael Cuddyer, Darren Ford, Greg Golson, Jonny Gomes, Scott Hairston, Conor Jackson, Reed Johnson, Andruw Jones, Austin Kearns, Ryan Ludwick, Joe Mather, Jason Michaels, Lou Montanez, Magglio Ordonez, Cody Ransom, Jason Repko, Aaron Rowand, Marcus Thames, Reggie Willits

Here are my thoughts;

Carlos Beltran, Coco Crisp, Magglio Ordonez and Michael Cuddyer would be too costly. Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, and Aaron Rowand just aren't appealing to me, they appear washed-up. Cody Ransom is more of a weak hitting back-up infielder despite being listed as an outfielder. Otherwise the affordable right handed outfielders break down into two groups;

Corner outfielders with some power: Conor Jackson, Jonny Gomes, Austin Kearns, Ryan Ludwick, Marcus Thames

Fill-in center fielders with no power: Brett Carroll, Darren Ford, Greg Golson, Reed Johnson, Joe Mather, Jason Michaels, Lou Montanez, Jason Repko, Reggie Willits

One player who could spend regular time in center field or come off the bench and has double digit homeruns.... Andruw Jones

I do wonder what Mike Cameron has left, always known as a great clubhouse guy he was let go by the Marlins at the end of the season for a conduct issue but nothing more came out about it.

I think Scott Hairston stands out in this group as well, he only had seven homeruns last year but with the fences in this year, I think that would increase and he can play all three outfield positions.

Who would you pick from the group...

Here is the list of free agent outfielders form MLB, lefty/righties are not sorted...

Murphy and Gonzalez further show multi-tasking approach

2011-12-11T12:09:00.001-05:00

Photo by Michael Baron

The priority this off-season was to re-build the bullpen, Alderson didn't methodically sign or trade for one piece at a time. He checked in with the big names ( Lidge/K-Rod), took a look at the lesser options ( Qualls/Ayala) and looked in on the trade front. Once he had a feel for the market in a window of two hours he completely revamped the entire bullpen in my opinion Tuesday night was quite a display of multi-tasking.

If that wasn't enough of an example of how Alderson operates then maybe some of the rumors that have leaked since the meetings will clarify. It's been reported by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that the Dodgers were attempting trade for Daniel Murphy but the Mets found a better deal with the Giants, not only is Torres a better option then Gwynn but Ramirez was a great pick-up.

But Colletti said the trade he thought might happen instead unraveled when the other club satisfied its need elsewhere without trading the player he wanted. That apparently was a reference to the Mets' acquisition of Giants outfielder Andres Torres. It's not clear who the Dodgers would have sent to the Mets, although Tony Gwynn Jr. is also an outfield defensive specialist. source Dodgers.com

However, had Murphy left via trade it looks like Sandy was lining up his replacement by offering Alex Gonzalez a contract ( source Metsblog).

So while a rumor like Jon Niese doesn't make sense on the surface, it's hard to tell what the entire plan was or how many layers would be involved in such a deal.

MLB News: Ryan Braun Tests Positive for PEDs

2011-12-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

This evening, MLB announced that reigning National League MVP, Ryan Braun has tested positive for a performance enhancing drug (PED). You'll recall that Braun and former-Met Jose Reyes battled for the National League batting crown until the final game of the season because Reyes controversially pulled himself from the game following a first inning single, eventually winning the award by .05 points.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Braun failed a test he performed during the 2011 playoffs and was informed about the result in late October, prior to winning the MVP title. An additional test was performed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and it was determined that Braun's elevated level of testosterone was the result of a synthetic substance.

Braun has told teammates that he did not knowingly take a banned substance, however that would not be sufficient grounds for appeal. Braun could have several routes to an appeal, but would have to prove he consumed a substance that had been tampered with. If the result is confirmed, he would face a 50 game suspension to start the 2012 season and would lose $1.94 million in the process.

Mets Fever Holiday Book Giveaway!!!

2011-12-10T13:17:00.000-05:00

On behalf of Mets Fever and the Independent Publishers Group, we'd like to offer you the opportunity to win one of two copies of The Amazins!

The Amazins profiles the greatest players ever to wear the blue-and-orange scripts "Mets" across their chests: Tom Seaver recalls the highlights of a Hall of Fame career in which he won three Cy Young Awards as a Mets. Daryl Strawberry considers how his life might have turned out had he not left the Mets after the 1990 season. Post columnist Mike Vaccaro looks back at Dwight Gooden's unprecedented 1984 season. John Franco shares the emotion of reaching 400 career saves. Mike Piazza reflects on returning to the field after the 9/11 attacks.

The Amazins is a celebration of the New York Mets' first 50 years, including:
- More than 100 stunning color and archival images
- 22 in-depth player profiles
- The 24 most memorable games in Mets history
- Aerial views of the Mets three home ball parks
- Feature stories on managers and franchise-builders
- a half-century of Mets broadcasters

The Amazins also includes special sections focused on the Mets' managers, executives, ballparks, and broadcasters. It is a unique look at the people and events that have shaped the past half-century of National League baseball in New York.

This book is pretty impressive all around. A crash course in Mets history, the book contains a plethora of great information and great photos from every era of Mets baseball! If you want more information, or would like to purchase the book independently, you can do so HERE.

Contest Rules:
-Simply email me (HERE) your favorite Mets player of all time to enter.
-Winners (2) will be notified shortly after the contest closes at 11:59pm Wednesday.

Why The Mets Should Aim For 2014

2011-12-10T07:00:00.004-05:00

The last five years haven't been fun. Two collapses, three lost seasons to follow and more injuries than any three people could count. Awful contracts, questionable trades and an ownership group on the brink of financial ruin. Being a Mets fan isn't much fun right now, but the front office has a plan.

For the first time in a long time, the idea of a rebuild has crept into the minds of the Mets faithful, despite the organization's refusal to acknowledge as much. What other option is there? The Mets simply have too many mediocre players in too many positions to turn this thing around quickly. Even if the blank checks of the Omar Minaya years were still available, its unlikely the Mets could make the changes necessary to overcome the 25 games they trailed the Phillies by last year, in a single offseason.

I implore you to be both confident and patient, that the current front office knows this, and that they're planning accordingly. While they appear interested in remaining competitive in the meantime, their ultimate focus is building around the prospects who are due to make their appearance in the 2014-2015 time frame. This might sound like a long time (because it is), but its also about as quickly as things could possibly get turned around.

Although there is no telling what the future holds, the Phillies are due to get old in the coming years. The Marlins too, will find all of their new acquisitions, along with Josh Johnson, north of 30 with father time breathing down their necks. As it stand right now, they are the teams to deal with, so it makes sense to prepare for the time when they're demise seems logical.

The 2012 and 2013 seasons may not be fun, but they are necessary if the team is going to return to greatness. The Mets cannot afford to continue making the same mistakes. Its time to ride out the struggles and prepare for a time when the can both compete on the field and maintain financial effectiveness off of it on an annual basis. The 2014 season may be the first time the organization makes that step. If that means they've done it right, then I'm okay with it, but are you?

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So who's vulnerable or how will they make room...

2011-12-09T18:25:00.001-05:00

The Mets current 40 man roster is at 39 players, that's without adding the newly signed Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco. Which is probably why they haven't been formally announced, that's not even mentioning the vacancies they may need to fill that they don't fell they can from within.

I expected a move today, as the day has passed without a move I wonder how long they can keep these contracts pending. In regards to the rest of the roster, if I had to guess I would bet they are waiting to see who gets non-tendered before making any decisions.

So what will the Mets do; it seems like the easiest solution is to not offer Ronny Paulino a contract, the team was dissatisfied with him and his spot along with what he would earn through arbitration would be better spent.

But what about the two outfielders, a middle infielder, and possibly a back-up catcher. I'll assume that any starters who are brought in, are done so on a minor league deal.

Now that the rule five is over they could try to slip a player they protected through, the player would be subject to waivers but because it's their first time, if they weren't claimed they would stay in the system.

After that it appears Mike Baxter, Justin Turner, Daniel Herrera and Josh Satin are the most vulnerable.

Of course, there could be an addition by subtraction, the Mets make a trade, maybe the return are non-roster players or players who fill some of their needs...