According to the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, the Mets offered a minor league deal to pitcher Kelvim Escobar. Although not published or confirmed by any mainstream source, it was posted via Twitter by Efrain Zavarce and was re-tweeted by Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.
Last week, the NY Post’s Joel Sherman tweeted that Escobar might pitch in the Venezuelan winter league to prove his health, and that both the Yankees and Mets had checked in on the free agent pitcher.
Escobar had labrum surgery on his shoulder in August of 2008 and is said that he will be ready to pitch again by spring training.
This story is a little underwhelming as compared to John Lackey being on the verge of signing with the Red Sox, but underwhelming is exactly what the Mets have been in the last three years.
The 33 year old Escobar, won 16 games for the Angels in 2007 while posting a 3.40 ERA in 30 starts. If the right hander can get back to the level he was at before the injury, this could be a significant addition for the Mets.
There are several other teams interested in Escobar including the Yankees.
*Mets Merized Online Needs Your Help*
As long as the amount of money is reasonable I don’t see the harm in this deal. Escobar, when healthy could make for an above average back of the rotation starter.
However, the Mets already have three reclamation projects in the pitching staff (Pelfrey, Maine, Perez) so I think they should focus on signing guys that are dependable.
Wow WOW Holy crap.Is everyone asleep today???????????????Lackey to the Red-sox Halladay to the phillies?? We wont get Bay.Lets just sleep in till mid-february and see which pitchers show up with our 10 man catching staff.Give me a break.Wake up Omar.Ya go and sign another guy coming off an injury.Omar you are the biggest idiot in professional sports.The Wilpons are the Dumbest owners of a large market team,in the history of sports.Why do they act like a fucking red headed step child?????????????
It make sense the guy is building his all Latin team.
This was a panic move by Minaya as soon as he heard that Lackey was heading to Beantown.
Absolutely a panic move, there’s no doubt about it.
PANIC MOVE! ZOMG! OMAR IS TERRIBLE! FREDDY COUPONS! I’M HAVING AN ANEURYSMGAAAAAAAH!!!!
It’s a minor-league offer to a pitcher who was quite good back for 3 years as a starter between 2005 and 2007… low-risk, high-reward. This is a smart move. If you’re hyperventilating over this, you should spend more time actually reading about Kelvim Escobar or, alternatively, step away from the screeen and spend more time with your family.
(Hubbuch apparently got it wrong, btw– he’s retracted his initial report; it’s an offer, but the scuttlebutt is that he’s leaning Met-ward, due to the Johan/Frankie contingent.)
If we are going to have a panic move, why not a Ben Sheets panic move? Do we think he will blow up in one year?
Halladay to the Phillies
^&*$#% Omar Miniya %$^$ up our system.
Maybe we can challenge the Nats for 5th place.
I have been saying for a couple months now, the race we are in is for the Cellar.
Teams are now acting quickly to improve for next year. Lackey to the Red Sox. Halladay to the Phils. Lee to the Mariners. Mets asleep at the wheel. But on;t fear, we’ll try our best to get Kelvim Escobar. Watch out for the Jays to sign Marquis, before we even get an offer out to him.
The Mets are working on Bay, or so they claim. They can only handle one thing at a time. Walking and chewing gum at the same time is too much to ask for. Wilpons need to do 1 of 2 things:
1. Fire Omar!
2. Sell the team!
It’s their call. Get real or get out!
Maybe they could do both.
The Mariners are doing a number on us. First they unload the busted crap Putz on us and now they grease the skids for Halladay to the Phils.
We got Kelvim Escobar!!!! All right!! who needs those over priced hacks Halladay and Lackey we got Kelvim Escobar!!!! Who the hell is Kelvim Escobar?! Hey Omar whats Aaron Heilman doing these days, does he need a job too?
This isn’t a terrible move. When he is healthy he is a middle of the rotation kind of guy. We have our ace and I would not pay ace-like money for lackey who does have trouble being healthy. I say go out and pay jason bay. Its going to come down to offense and he could really help this line up. If maine is healthy he is very good and I believe people are doubting this team. We need to find some offensive help in bay and delgado(if he’s healthy).
The phils acquiring bay is big but it won’t mean they are going to win every game. He is only one starter and gives them 32/33 starts. We can still compete and its stupid to give up or over critisize moves when we didn’t have the prospects to trade anyways. We have johan now we need to find guys like kelvim that would prove they could fight for a spot and make this team better.
According to Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post, Escobar signed with the Mets.
Is this Omar’s plan E or F or G????He already missed Plan’s A,B,C and D.
I hear Sheets wants 11 million. If he gives us two thirds of a season he is still worth more than Ollie for three at thirty six. Perhaps, after Omar is fired, we could do something at the trade deadline.