Rob Bradford of WEEI in Boston. is reporting that the Mets are awaiting the results of a physical before officially announcing that they have signed infielder Alex Cora to a one year deal for $2 million dollars. The deal also includes a vesting option that could guarantee a second year if Cora reaches a minimum number of plate appearances or games played.
According to source familiar with the negotiations, former Red Sox infielder Alex Cora is close to a one-year deal with a vesting option for second with the New York Mets. The deal, which would guarantee the 34-year-old the same $2 million he made in ‘09 during at least the initial year of the contract, is expected to be finalized upon Cora passing a physical.
Alex Cora played in 82 games with the Mets last season before succumbing to torn ligaments in both thumbs that ended his season.
He hit .251 while taking over for Jose Reyes who was lost for the season due to leg and hamstring injuries.
I really don’t understand the urgency in locking in a roster spot to a utility player whose best days are behind him. His limited performance was not so outstanding that it warranted a two million dollar deal. Especially when he has yet to swing a bat after off season surgery on both of his hands.
Assuming the Mets stick to their game plan and sign the righthanded bat to platoon with Murphy at first base, an everyday leftfielder, and a starting catcher, it could mean that the Mets bench will once again feature Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, Angel Pagan, Jeremy Reed and Alex Cora.
I don’t know about you, but it sounds a little bit too familiar for a team that is looking to shed the stigma of last season. But that’s just me.
Pinch me I must be dreaming. First Elmer Dessens and now Alex Cora, how lucky can we get?
“I don’t know about you, but it sounds a little bit too familiar for a team that is looking to shed the stigma of last season. But that’s just me.”
It’s not just you — unfortunately, Omar Minaya is and continues to demonstrate he is a moron.
If I’m doing my math right, with Dessens and Cora on the 25 man roster, the Mets now have four spots left.
This means that Oliver Perez is pegged for the rotation and that Maine is your number 2 starter, barring a trade or someone getting designated for assignment.
It also means that with a full bench, the Mets must make either Murphy or Pagan an everyday player.
The 4 open spots are needed for 1 catcher, 1 corner outfielder, 1 setup man, 1 corner infielder.
Happy Holiodays Mets fans.
Disagree, actually. You’re right that the bench looks the same, but there wasn’t really anything wrong with last year’s bench. What we perceived as bench weakness was the fact that our ENTIRE BENCH was pressed into starting duty due to injury, which few bench players are capable of handling long-term, and the people who replaced them on the bench were terrible (due to the weakness of our minor league system).
Murphy, though, I would imagine would be in the lineup, so theoretically that bench/platoon spot will be taken by a righty with (hopefully) some pop, something that was missing from last year’s bench. Furthermore, I really don’t see Jeremy Reed coming back (though Sullivan might). I don’t think there are many excellent MI options that are willing to take bench duty, and really have no problem with Cora. If we had a credible 2B (looking at you Castillo), then we wouldn’t need to expect Cora to sub in there more than a handful times during the year. Omir Santos is an above average backup catcher (though I pray he won’t be pressed into starting service), and Pagan is more than talented enough to hold down a 4th OF job. One can hope that with some change of blood elsewhere (Holiday? Molina? Blanco? Hudson? etc.), and a healthy team of veterans around the whole season, Pagan might not fall into those mental traps.
And Mets Maniac, Cerrone at Metsblog makes a good point about this, that Minaya isn’t wrong to go into the Winter Meetings with a relatively full roster, and then see where he can upgrade. Going into negotiations with clear, desperate needs is not a good place to be – now we can only hope that the Wilpons give him the budget to create a good team.
Yay! Now lets bring back pedro martinez, moises alou, resign anderson hernandez, bring a 40 yr old reliever in tow, and give jose lima 2 million to make a comeback. We set for life. Minaya is so dumb. Can anyone explain wtf has cora done to deserve 2 million? You fill your bench at the end of free agency when ppl will sign cheaply. Totally dumb to make ur first priority to resign a guy who can’t hit for shit and his defense isn’t exactly spectacular
Wow, I could already see where the 2010 season is going. Minaya and Manuel wont make it past June. So there is some thread of good news with the Cora signing.
well, Castillo gets traded. High probability in my view. Ollie may well wind up in AAA if he stinks up the joint in ST. Pelfrey could be traded (in a package for Crawford, i hope). Pagan could go in that package. These moves for Cora & Dessens were expected i think. A lot can change.
2 million!!! Folks, start bailing. This team never learns. This guy just is not very good. ‘Not very good’ does not warrant 2 million, not to sit on the bench. He is a below average fielder with below average range. He is also old. Can we stop with the old?
I dont see the big problem with with this move. He is a great back up that can play just about every infield spot and gives us flexibility on the bench. He was batting well before he hurt his thumb sliding into 2nd base. Who knows if Reyes will stay on the field so the Mets grabbed some insurance.
who was Omar bidding against this time?
I can see the benefit of a Cora but as we learned last year he has no range at SS is better at 2B but 2 million, was the demand for his services that hot that Omar couldn’t wait till winter meetings? I thought that his contract last year was too much and then giving him the same contract plus a option, hopefully a team one, for next year just perplexes me. I understand that our bench had to play more cause of injury but when do you start changing the faces, don’t sign aging players or keep it too 2 or less for the bench or fill in but please keep the roster a bit younger please.
If you want him for a Cliff Floyd type role then say so and sign him as a coach/player type, I would not have a problem being upfront about this.
Seems like the Julio Franco/Marlon Anderson type contract we’ve all been dreading.
i like Cora as a backup. How much is he over-paid? The average MLB base is 3mm. He gives us a good over-all backup at multiple positions and he gives us grit.
Omar is doing the easy and perplexing stuff first. Signing Chris Coste is definitely a setup for ‘something’ next week. i hope Crawford is, indeed, at the end of the rainbow.
To be honest, I don’t have a problem with the Mets projected bench at this time. You have to be patient, its not spring yet and I think that things may change. Also, I think if you look at each player you would agree that the bench isn’t really the problem. I am sure you could dig up the stats and prove otherwise, however, this season was injury plagued and provides very little basis for comparison.
Angel Pagan hit well and impressed me enough that if the Mets did have a big bat at first base, picked up another #1 type pitcher, and acquired a true number 3 type pitcher like Marquis or even better Randy Wolf, Pagan would be a perfectly adequate starting left fielder for us in 2010. It sounds like there is a good chance that he is our fourth outfielder next year which I believe gives us one of the best fourth OF’s in the game. He is versatile and has excellent speed. Next, you have Santos. With the options available, I am thinking he may be one of the better choices. (He may also wind up starting about half of our games next year.) I think Barajas would give us a very inexpensive and effective platoon which would make Santos a part time bench player anyway. Daniel Murphy gets one more year in my opinion unless we can make the right trade to improve the team. (This is one that still may happen). He is still young enough that I would be sad to see him go. I don’t think he is the next Tony Gwynn, nor do I think he is ready to start or platoon on the 2010 New York Mets. I do think that he could become part of the future plan and if other things get done and I would bet that he is much better next year. How much better remains to be seen. Jeremy Reed will be the one competing for one of the last roster spots. I can take him or leave him. I would definitely look for a steal like the Andruw Jones signing that just happened. Maybe a player like Ankiel could be available on the cheap. There are also a few minor leaguer’s that could earn a spot on next year’s team. Fernando Martinez, Ike Davis to name a few. That brings us to Cora. He is definitely over-paid when evaluating talent but in terms of leadership, intangibles, and overall intelligence he is said to be as good as they get. Team chemistry and fundamentals are important and Cora will be able to influence the young players. The players respect him and he can help to show them the way. The coach/player relationship is different than the player/player relationship. The players have a camaraderie that is different than the one the team shares with the coaches. This gives the team a type of player-coach that reinforces the fundamental concepts. I am sure you agree that the %$@!$#!$ Phillies have that X Factor and a lot of it has to do with these type of signings. You have to look below the surface to see the real value to properly build a winner. Cora has been there before and he is a professional. He is also has the right attitude and most importantly, is capable of getting the big hit in a big spot. I like this signing a lot. Every Met’s fan should.
With rosters today ridiculously small (they should be increased to at least 26 per team given everyone uses 12 pitchers, especially in the NL), using one of your five bench spots on Alex Cora is absolutely ridiculous. The Mets need leaders from the STARTING LINEUP, not from the bench players.
Was the signing of Alex Cora the opening salvo in the current offseason dealings or a shot in the dark that no one heard? Assuming that a Luis Castillo for Milton Bradley and cash trade can be be made, which of the two scenarios are the Mets better off?
Scenario 1 (current)
Rightfield Jeff Francoeur $4 million (approx)
Second Base Luis Castillo $6 million
reserve IF Alex Cora $2 million
with Luis Castillo as a potential trading chip and NO real possibility of upgrading these positions through a trade or free agency.
What you see is what will be on the field in 2010 and probably 2011.
Scenario 2
Right Field Milton Bradley $9 million
Second Base Alex Cora $2 million
reserve IF Anderson Hernandez $0.5 million (approx)
with Jeff Francoeur as a potential trading chip and a possibility of upgrading second base through a trade or free agency, moving Alex Cora back into the reserve infielder spot.