5
2010
2010 Off To Good Start, Looking Forward To What’s Next
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The Mets have started 2010 the right way as Jason Bay is officially a New York Met after passing a physical. Later on today the Mets will have a press conference introducing Jason Bay as the newest Met. The deal is for 4 years and is worth $66 million dollars with a vesting option for a 5th year. Some have problems with the contract but the Mets needed Jason Bay to fill that very sizable hole out in left field.
I preferred Bay as I believe he is better suited for hitting at Citi Field than Matt Holliday. Bay is not strictly a power hitter and in Citi he can hit doubles and drive in runs as well as knock the ball out of the park. The Mets lineup if healthy and back to 100% has now become a very formidable one. This potential lineup is better than the 2006 team that just missed out on the World Series.
Bay’s signing is a great way to start 2010 but there is still work to be done. The Mets need a catcher and it looks like this game of chicken between the Mets and Bengie Molina is going to continue into the new year. I applaud the way the Mets are handling these negotiations with the veteran catcher. Molina needs to lower his expectations as 3 years is just out of the question. I know the Mets would like a 1 year deal with an option for a 2nd but if you look at what other free agent catchers have gotten that is not going to be enough. The Mets need to offer Molina a 2 year guaranteed deal, if he doesn’t want that walk away and go after another catcher.
Now that the Mets have Bay in left field the biggest concern is pitching. This year’s free agent class is very weak for pitching. The best pitcher on the free agent market was John Lackey and he is signed. The best pitcher on the trading block was Halladay who we all know was traded to the Phillies. My pick for a 2nd tier pitcher was Jason Marquis who is now off the market so the Mets need now to be aggressive and go after the better remaining pitchers on the market. I don’t believe the Mets will trade so looking at the free agents still available I’m thinking the Mets are going to go after Joel Pineiro. Pineiro record last year was 15-12 with an ERA of 3.49. He pitched 214 innings, the first time in his career he pitched over 200 innings. I do feel that the Mets or any team that sign him is going to overpay for his services, that’s the way the market looks right now.
There are pitchers out there coming off of injuries that could be good for the Mets such as Chien-Ming Wang. Wang as we all know pitched for the Yankees before being non-tendered last year. Wang had won 19 games two years in a row before hurting his ankle rounding bases that ended his 2008 season. Wang came back last season and the results weren’t pretty. He struggled for the entire season, some thinking that the injury to his ankle forced him to change the way he pitched which resulted in him getting knocked around all last season. Wang was sent down to Tampa to work on his mechanics and it was discovered that he had weakness in both his hips and was put on the DL. Eventually Wang would get shoulder surgery ending both his 2009 season and his tenure with the Yankees. Wang could be very good for the Mets but I suspect after last season the Mets are staying away from guys with injury history and won’t attempt to sign him. I understand the thinking and if Wang does have a good season with whatever team signs him I won’t hold it against the Mets. Wang is a big risk to a team that has really no depth in the rotation, not performing or getting injured would really hurt the Mets and they can’t afford that.
Overall Bay’s signing is a great way to start 2010 but there is still work to be done. I believe that Bengie Molina will eventually be our starting catcher and the pitcher that the Mets do sign will not be met with 100% satisfaction whether it’s Pineiro or Sheets or Wang or whomever.
About the Author: Greg Pomes
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Pinero is a duncan project, stay away, garland is cheaper n pretty much the same pitcher.. Get molina to strengther our lineup n go to war..
Alex, just when I was holding out hope for u as an independent thinker u hit me with this “Loudmouths” mantra of Pineiro negative as a Duncan Product. I don’t underastand, I know Duncan’s rep as a reclaimation project magician for pitchers nearing their expiration dates, Piniero’s going to be 32 for our first Playoff series in Sept. far from going sour. If he was taught to manage games better by Duncan does this mean he gets amnesia with a uni change? I think not. I remember his managing us all too well last season; but I don’t expect him to be a 1A OR a 2; but more of a 4,5 option instead of Neise,Neive. For that job, he’d be perfect. BTW there aren’t any true 1As in our div. Hamels? Not after a 10-11 season & being cuffed around last postseason. Lowe? No! I’ll be pillaried for this; but I do believe that with Molina behind the dish, Santana,Pelfrey is at least as formidable as Halladay,Hamels.
I honestly don’t tink pinero is worth 10 mill per year, maybe 6 at best, if he was worth it the cards would’ve retain him.. He had 1 good season last year on contract year.. Shocker, get garland who’s cheaper n is almost the same version of him, n wit molina we can maybe have 3 200 ip guys in santana, pelfrey n garland, at worst we’d have 2 in garland and santana
Welcome back from your tour of the DARKSIDE, Alex. your points are spot on succinct & poignant re. Pineiro & Garland. For some reason, they seem to favor Pinero & as long as they get one, for what I assume would be #4/5 slot I don’t have an issue. Re. Contract cost it is what it is. NY Teams don’t ever seem to be offerered the low priced option by desperate agents since they assume there’s more to spend in NY & BTW take it from a NY expatriot for the past 34 yrs. the tax ramifications are a KILLER CONSIDERATION AS 10M in NYC NETS ABOUT THE SAME AS 6/7 IN STL OR HOU. #1 TX has no local income taxes, STL, no city income taxes & more reasonable sales taxes. While, I love the metro area, now that I’m on fixed income there’s absolutely no way I’d ever return despite my grandkids being there. I certainly couldn’t afford it, even after 10yrs in LA & esp since these past 10 are in NC.
But 62, lets say they do sign him for 10/11 mill a year and he’s a bust, then we’re gonna have 40% of our starters being garbage n overpaid, plus make that santana making 20+ mill is gonna be lik 43 mill per year dfor basically 1 good pitcher, then we’re back where we were before, in the need of a 1a/#2 pitcher.. If pinero is a #4 or #5 why pay him #2 or #3 money? While garland is gonna give u the same production while being cheaper n for less years..
Hey guys just heard on Sny that there is a possible move between the Boston Red soxs and the New york Mets….Luis Castillo for Mike Lowell!
http://www.metsblog.com/ which is off of sny has it on their page.
I think we should take a shot on Wang
Only if they’re adding 2 SP. As long as they first add a Pineiro or Garland then they can take a shot on a flier for a Big unexpected BONUS.
I would like to see the Mets try and get a minor league deal of a $1-2 million with incentive with Wang. This would give him time and we can have him as a back up if and when we need him. Garland would be better but we need to see what trades are available. It would be great if we could do something with the Reds and get Phillips as part of the deal.
Moose, everything I’ve read indicates the Reds are trying to actually start to build from within & view Phillips as a key essential to any rebuilding foundation. A more realistic view would show a F/A inking, like Hudson, would be Castillo’s replacement if need be.
Alex, I’m not a Pineiro fan; but at the same time find it difficult to condemn a guy for success under a specific pc. The more I think about it, I’d prefer Castillo for Lowell than Lowell for Arroyo as basics, if milb fodder is needed to get it done that type of deal seems to make strong finacial sense as NYM get a sp good for 30+ GS/200ip with 15W capability in front of a decent lineup & better defense. Reds would get a strong alternate 3B to alleviate Rolen workload for $1M net investment. Arroyo set to earn $11M in ’10, Lowell, $12M. The Reds presently are showing 7 man rotation available for ’10 per MLB Depth chart. They’d most likely push for it to be underperforming Harang & his 12.5M. either way both could flourish as steady #4 options with a much improved offense. With the caviat that 2B offense is enhanced with a Hudsonesque acquisition, I’d sign for that deal in a heaertbeat.
Reds are not doing that, Lowell has no role for the reds, lowell had good numbers last year, all of a sudden he is a bench player?
Anthony, just spitballing putting a couple of floating rumors together. Rolen played in around 128 games, Lowell, 119 games last season & btw when being traded to a team’s starting or bench role, the player typically has a job to do & little room for complaint. Mets can’t improve 2B without moving Luis & eating contracts is never on Fred’s menu. One can dream otherwise; but working with what is typically is more useful than with what should be. Reds do have 2 sp accounting for a huge piece of their payroll & are rumored to be trying to move at least one, either serves my proposal & Reds get some additional offense.
While I concede converting a 3B to 1B is generally one of the easier conversions; but Lowell’s hip issues briongs us right back to Delgado. No? Why else would NYM consider such a deal? certainly they’ve no other use for Lowell. If not to move on for pitching or convert to 1B, Lowell has zero value in NY.