Just hours after we found out about a deal being in the works to bring Jason Bay to Flushing another significant free agent signing is being reported.
ESPN Radio’s Rich Coutinho is reporting that the Mets are close to signing catcher, Bengie Molina, to a two-year deal. Financial terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Last season with the San Francisco Giants, the 36 year-old Molina hit .265 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI’s.
Despite what some analysts have said I believe that this is a solid signing by Omar Minaya as it gives the Mets some much needed power behind the plate that they haven’t had since the days of Mike Piazza.
Next on the agenda for Minaya and the Mets will hopefully be a starting pitcher, but I must say that these two signings are definitely a step in the right direction.
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i agree, but i do worry how much we have left to go after pitching. We need 2 starters, not 1. That’s the problem; that’s the rub. Our entire rotation has ‘health’ issues. To expect all of them to rebound in 2010 is folly. We need depth in the rotation. i just pray Madden was all wet with his ‘22mm’ number and we had 30+ to begin the off season.
Bob, consider this 16.5M for Bay+ 6M for Molina Madden’s wrong! typical anti-met nypresscorps crap trying to push our buttons & is there anyone being so transparently petty & vindictive than Ruben?
He is a 36 year old catcher with a very bad body. We will have to hold our breath and hope. He might wind up being on the DL as much as Castro (another bad body who looked like he was 36) was. I might have preferred Barajas. Power is not a necessity from the catcher position, though. And with Bay, Francoeur, Beltran for a full season, and “possibly” Wright, power should be upgraded. Good arm and defense are more important behind the plate.
e is 35 not 36, and he has a bad body???? He has played an average of 138 games in the last three seasons. Only 5 other catchers can say that. Stop being so dramatic.
Alot can change in one day. signing both Bay and Molina will help us out alot.
Our lineup now looks like this.
1 Reyes
2 Castillo
3 Beltran
4 Bay
5 Wright
6 Francouer
7 Molina
8 Murphy
Good lineup. I wonder if we can get LaRoche for a one year deal. I know he wants three but I don’t know who wants him now that the Braves have Glaus and the Giants have Derosa and Sandoval. It would be nice to have a left handed power bat in the lineup.
Just for the fun of it
1 Reyes
2 Castillo
3 Beltran
4 Bay
5 Wright
6 LaRoche
7 Francouer
8 Molina
Holy Smackers.
Well, it isn’t exactly like bringing in Gary Carter in 1985, and bringing in a catcher at 35/36 when they’re supposed to be breaking down isn’t my idea of Jerry Grote. But he calls a good game, works well with the staff, stays healthy, throws some guys out and hits a few dingers, he’s definitely an upgrade over what we’ve had. Now Omar needs to grab a Sheets or even an Zambrano and perhaps get Orlando Hudson in here to help the chemistry.
Yes, totally agree. Molina + Bay + improved power #s from Wright, Beltran, Murphy, Francouer, Reyes will make us a solid ’scoring’ team in 2010. Now, we need pitching depth and a good, defensive, 2B. Sheets? Hudson or Adam Kennedy. How do we get rid of Castillo?
The way you get better is to upgrade wherever and whenever you can. The way I see it, Jason Bay and Bengie Molina is an upgrade over Gary Sheffield and Brian Schneider. No matter how the statheads want to spin this, the fact is that the Mets just got infinitely better.
I do agree we need starting pitching but i think the Mets will get one. We have Santana, Maine, Pelfrey,Neise and Perez…They are not going to get two even though they need it.
They do need two. I agree. I don’t think a serious team can have more than 2 question marks in their rotation.
I think they bring Delgado back for 1 more year for 1b, i think they roll the dice on sheets and i think they get the LH reliever in the bullpen we need in Biemel.
Reyes
Castillo
Wright
Beltran
Bay
Delgado
Franceour
Molina
Santana
Sheets
Perez
Pelfrey
Maine
K-rod
Biemel
Escobar
Japanese pitcher(whatever his name is)
Parnell
Feliciano
Stokes
I could so see this happening…I like this setup
Alou, El Duque, Julio Franco,-Molina will fit right in the DL parade. Ridiculous!
I believe the Mets are a serious team cause here they made these players come to them under their terms and still have money left to sign 2 more mid rotation pitchers. Lets Go Mets!
If Mets bring Delgado back, on their terms, then it should be on a $5 million with incentive contract and he needs to play in AAA to get ready for season. He, like Bay and Molina, needs us or he can go to AL to DH.
Molina will bring plusses and minuses. The pluses are power from the catching position and his skills with pitchers. The minuses are that he will clog the basepaths and we will need to keep our fingers crossed regarding his physical availability. I just worry that when he have to keep our fingers crossed about something, it usually does not work out. I just hope he doesn’t wind up on the DL excessively.