19
2011
Weighing In On Recent Mets Flurries
An article by 
For four weeks nothing but radio silence, then out of nowhere, two straight weeks of pandemonium and when the dust settled we find ourselves a couple of catchers, a couple of outfielders, a middle infielder, three relievers and two starting pitchers richer. Whew… I’m gonna need a few days just to figure out what the heck just happened.
First things first, I love the additions of both Chris Capuano and Chris Young. Are they world-beaters? Absolutely not, but for what we’re paying them they will provide quality innings and add depth to the rotation. If they’re both healthy and pitch to their normal levels, they will provide incredible value. Considering the fact we’re working on a shoestring budget, you can’t ask for more than that.
Yesterday, the Tigers DFA’d pitcher Armando Galarraga to make room for Brad Penny. Yes that Galarraga. I’m sure there’s plenty of interest from some Mets fans this morning, but the odds that he even makes it out of the American League on waivers are slim, and even if he did, do you really want to trade for him and his 4.58 ERA and 1.37 WHIP? His near-perfecto not withstanding, Galarraga just isn’t that good.
I thought catchers Ronny Paulino and Raul Chavez were decent pickups… Paulino backs up Thole, no harm there, and Chavez backs up Paulino until he serves out the remaining 8 games of his suspension. I assume that when Chavez serves his usefulness on the major league roster, he’ll take over at Triple-A Buffalo and stay there until he’s needed again. No biggie.
However, I did have a problem with the Willie Harris and Scott Hairston signings. What was that all about??? After being beat up for most of last season for my fondness for Jeff Francoeur and Rod Barajas and their terrible on-base percentages, I am a little bit surprised that we now signed two players who had even worse OBPs last season in Harris (.291 OBP) and Hairston (.295 OBP). What happened to that whole argument that the problem with the Mets anemic offense was that we were giving too many at-bats to sub .300 OBP players?
Additionally, where does this leave Nick Evans? There must be some deep rooted animosity for Evans in the organization because for some reason they don’t want to give him a fair shot. Bottom of the ninth, man on third, two men out with a left hander on the mound… Who would you rather have at the plate Harris, Hairston or Evans? You catch my drift?
The other troubling thing about signing Harris and Hairston is that it probably spells the end of Nick Evans’ career with the Mets as he is now out of options according to Adam Rubin. Don’t expect him to make it through waivers because 24 year old prospects with a career .820 OPS (.907 in 2010) in the minors don’t grow on trees.
Speaking of out of options, other Mets players that fall into that category include Chin-lung Hu, Jason Pridie, Manny Acosta, Luis Hernandez and Pat Misch. Hu, Acosta and Misch are virtual locks to make the team.
It was nice to see the Mets settle with Pelfrey yesterday, but sooner or later shouldn’t the subject of an extension come up? Or are we just gonna let him walk out the door after 2012?
So Lucas Duda now seems to be the odd man out and has been assured that he will be starting the season in Buffalo?
We’ve heard stuff like this before last year at this time with Ike Davis, and we all know how that turned out.
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Harris and Hairston end up like Gary Matthews Jr. and Mike Jacobs did last season.
Apparently, Duda is going to be playing a lot of first base up in Buffalo for the Bisons, but I would caution him to keep his outfielders glove close by because I’m betting he’ll be back with the Mets by early May and that he’ll end up getting 250 or more at-bats this season and impress everyone. Call it a hunch…
Anyhow, that’s all I got for now… try to stay out of the cold…
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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Apples and oranges, re: Francoeur/Barajas vs Harris/Hairston
Harris and Hairston are being paid peanuts and aren’t expected to be starters like the others were. They also offer defensive versatility, which Francoeur did not — he was a RF and a RF only. Now, if Hairston were signed to be an everyday player, that’s a different story.
I agree with you though — the Mets’ offseason has been solid, considering the shoestring budget. They might surprise this year. And next offseason will be more exciting, when there is some $$ to work with.
I wouldn’t call the off season “Solid” although I know why you blindly all it that.
It wound up getting a little better but not “solid”. I wouldn’t all 2 “high-risk, high reward” pitching signings “solid”. Yes it’s high risk, high reward and not “low risk, high reward” because the Mets have no room for error. None. If any of those 2 pitchers or both of them reinjure themselves the the season could be over quickly. To me that’s high risk, not low risk..and I don’t mean low risk in terms of finance either.
I would have done things differently but it is what it is. Could it work out?
Yes but it’s more precarious than solid.
It’s high risk, high reward because if any of those 2 pitchers or both of them re-injure themselves the the season could be over quickly?
Since when was the Mets season riding on the backs of Young and Capuano?
If you feel their signing are of that high a significance fine but I think most will see that these are low risk due to the financial commitment High reward due to the return on the investment the Mets may get if the Mets guessed right and they have a rebound year.
Bayonne is right; it’s HIGH risk. Two starters with a history of injuries puts the rotation at risk. If they go down, the season is in the tank even with Johan coming back at mid-season. Most teams need 5 serviceable starters to make it through the season. If injuries reoccur, the Mets will be hard pressed to field 5 serviceable starters. The risk is from the performance and reliability aspect. Stop looking only at the spending aspect. Great if it works out, but it just might not, thus the risk.
sorry i disagree. the season rides on the backs of pelfrey, dickey and niese. the back end of the rotation while still important are pieces that can be swapped out if need be due to injury with the likes of gee or misch. young n cap r no 4 and 5 guys that if they regain their old form will b better than many teams 4 and 5 guys.
I wouldn’t write off Evans so quickly. Harris and Hairston, IMO, have to come to spring training and earn a spot on the roster. These signings do a couple of things for the Mets. One, they provide depth in case of a spring training injury. If something happens to Bay, Beltran, or Pagan in camp they are covered and don’t have to scramble to make a trade in ST to get a backup OF who can fill in. They should already be covered. Two, they provide competition. It makes the other guys competing for bench spots (i.e., Evans and Pridie for example) work that much harder and focus more on winning a job.
That kind of competition is healthy for both the younger guys and the veterans too. It keeps complacency from setting in. In the end I feel that the bench will be filled out by whoever performs the best in training camp, not necessarily the guys with the bigger MLB resume. If I had to make out the bench, this is the way it might look:
Backup Catcher: Ronny Paulino
Middle Infield: Chin-Lin Hu
Corner Infield: Brad Emaus
4th Outfielder: Willie Harris
5th Outfielder: Nick Evans
This assumes what most of us HOPE: that Luis Castillo is DFA’d to make room for Chris Young and 2B is manned by Daniel Murphy / Brad Emaus. When not starting Emaus can PH and backup Wright @ 3B, while Hu backs up Reyes. Evans can fill in @ 1B, LF, & RF, while Harris can play all 3 OF spots. Since they already have two solid CF’ers in the starting lineup in Pagan and Beltran the need for a pure backup CF is lessened. Should one of the two get hurt, Evans or Harris can fill in LF or RF as needed and Pridie could be recalled from Buffalo. It may not be the best bench in the NL, but I think this could be a very solid one overall.
but there’re too many right hand batters in the bench?
86, But where does Hairston fit in your scenario? I don’t see his name on your bench list.
I have an idea. Being we have Nick Evans out of options and Jason Pridie too, why not offer them to the Tigers for Galarraga? Both teams end up getting useful parts and it wont cost each team very much either.
Harris and Hairston are low $ minor league contracts with Spring Training invites. Even if either or both make the big club, they will be bench players.
Also, Ike Davis came up last year because there was no one to play first base. Murphy was injured and all the back ups were horrendous. Not the same situation as Duda.
I hope they give Evans a shot, and leave Harris and Harriston to the minors until they expand the roster in September. That would make the most sense.
Welcome back JoeD,hope all is well.
I also for awhile have wondered what issue is with Evans.
He can play LF and came up as a 1B, a good bat and a good fill in for Davis and for LF. The only problem would be if CF needed to be covered. Mets need to carry an extra OF that can play center AND hit some.
I hope he plays his socks off in the spring and force Mets to take him north cause he is a player with some future whereas Harris and Hairston are on their last legs.
Wow, imagine if any starter has to be out more than a couple of games, who would you rather have fill in, Harris-Hairston or Evans? Easy choice for me.
Lets Go Mets.
Sarge, here is something that should put a smile on your face.
“All he’s done is hit,” Collins said about Evans. “When he’s gotten his chances, he’s hit. I want to give him as good a chance as anybody to make this team. That right-handed power that he can possess off the bench — or if he can play a couple of positions – would really give us some versatility. So I think he’s going to get a good shot at it. Willie is going to get a chance as a non-roster guy. And I haven’t seen a lot of Willie Harris, but I’ve seen a lot of Jason Pridie. I like him too. So I’m not counting him out of any situations also, because I know he can play center.”
espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/13510/collins-nick-still-has-chance
options are good. Should be a few nice battles in ST.
just personal opinion, but I prefer not to see harris and Hairston as both BU OFs.
the needs for the bench also depend on whether Beltran stays in CF. If so, then Pagan is the BU CF, so the other spare OFs don’t have to be able to play CF on a regular basis.