Jul
18
2011

Is Alderson Adding Pitching Depth For A Reason?

An article by Dan Valis

Recently Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson has made some minor league signings that made me wonder. I know our starting pitching depth is lacking, but is that the only reason he has added these players on? There have been players available all season, but he has not made any signings, even when we got hit with injury after injury. Why is he adding players now all of a sudden with the season more than half over?

In the past two weeks he has signed Miguel Batista and Gustavo Chacin to minor league contracts. Both were once good pitchers, and could serve as potential starters or even help in relief should some players be dealt.

With the trade deadline looming a few weeks away, the last singing of Chacin just had me wondering. Is he making these signings because they have become available, or is this part of his plan. Is he planning on dealing some of our starting pitching at the trade deadline, such as Mike Pelfrey, Chris Capuano? I also believe that the veteran relievers we have in the pen, Byrdak, Izzy and possibly D.J. Carrasco are as good as gone.

While it makes sense to add starters as the season goes along, why wait so long? I just feel like he added these guys for a reason. To me he added these guys, and may add more as protection for what he’s about to do int he coming weeks. We should expect a trading frenzy at the deadline, and the guys he has picked up along the way will fill in as their replacements when they are gone.

Anyone else agree with me on this?

About the Author: Dan Valis

I am a staff writer for Mets Merized Online. I am a Mets team analyst with a focus on the minor league system, as well as the major league club. I am a lifelong New Yorker who was born and raised to be a Mets fan. The ups and downs of being a Mets fan is what makes following this team so much fun, but at times so frustrating. You can follow me on Twitter @BgAppleMetsTalk.

23 Comments + Add Comment

alex68 July 18, 2011 at 11:58 am

he gave up on the season, that’s the only reason imo he got those, i mean, gustavo chacin!!???? really??? he was release from the WORST TEAM IN MLB and our genious GM picked him up.. go figure. also, i wouldn’t mind him trading pelfrey, he’s complet garbage, complete..
- metsaddict77 July 18, 2011 at 12:02 pm
  
  i’ll drive pelf to the airport if he gets dealt.
  - alex68 July 18, 2011 at 12:08 pm
    
    LMAO, good one Metsaddict!!!
- NYMetsfan July 18, 2011 at 12:25 pm
  
  I look forward to the day you wake up and learn that he didn’t give up on the season, but made an investment in the future.
  
  I have high hopes………….
  - alex68 July 18, 2011 at 12:32 pm
    
    i am glad you remain optimistic, can’t say the same mets fan
    - NYMetsfan July 18, 2011 at 12:41 pm
      
      So you’d rather tie up the money next year on an overpaid player, just because? That makes sense.
      
      We sure did need KROD this weekend, wow really missed him.
      
      Ok – let me say this, I thought KROD did a helluva job while here and is in the top of all closer, so don’t misinterpret these words too, but its BAD BUSINESS to play a gut 18M for three outs.
      - alex68 July 18, 2011 at 12:54 pm
        
        did you see the bullpen stat for those 3 games?? please check and get back at me? also, this is NY, this ain’t san diego, futility here we come!!
        
        NYMetsfan July 18, 2011 at 12:59 pm
        
        Again, get out from behind the keyboard and REALLY what is going on with NY and the finances of this team.
        
        alex68 July 18, 2011 at 1:02 pm
        
        if you can’t afford the team.. sell it, don’t feed us crap about rebuilding, we’re competing with the phillies who are NOW spending, the braves who got talent and can afford some quality players if they want, and the marlins who always draft good prospects, ohh, and the nats, who got up and coming talented players, so is not like the NL west who every year you got 2 or 3 teams sucking horrendously in the division and they don’t spend money!!!!!1
        
        Donal July 18, 2011 at 1:02 pm
        
        what does geography have to do with it?
  - t agee July 18, 2011 at 1:16 pm
    
    Well said NYMetsfan.
    
    As long as guys who were cut by other teams represent an increase (or even a possible increase) in our AAA talent level what is the problem?
    
    That’s how we got Pridie, Dickey and Turner.
Donal July 18, 2011 at 11:59 am

From what I’ve heard, these signings are pretty standard. Injuries are piling up on the farm, so we need some warm bodies down there. Plus, if Pelf and/or Cap do get dealt, we’ll need to bring up someone like Schwinden and deplete Buffalo even more.
- alex68 July 18, 2011 at 12:02 pm
  
  would you want scwinden here?? idk, seems a little premature wouldn’t you say??
  - Donal July 18, 2011 at 12:34 pm
    
    Maybe. They’d have to put him on the 40 man, but why not? Is there a better option?
    - alex68 July 18, 2011 at 12:55 pm
      
      i guess is better than seeing gustavo chacin?? right??
      - Donal July 18, 2011 at 1:52 pm
        
        Probably.
- t agee July 18, 2011 at 1:19 pm
  
  I’d certainly consider trading Capuano because we’ll lose him for nothing at the end of the season. Pelfrey I would bring back hopeing to get either a good first half and prospects next year or offer arb and pick up a supplemental and who knows, maybe even a 1st or 2nd round pick too.
  - t agee July 18, 2011 at 1:20 pm
    
    Pelfrey’s 100 IP in the first half or 200 IP in the whole 2012 wouldn’t kill our bullpen either.
Jay July 18, 2011 at 12:35 pm

I think this is a sound educated guess but I think another sound educated guess is these signings could simply be motivated by the fact that the Buffalo rotation is thin & underwhelming & could use whatever help is available.
Tommy2cat July 18, 2011 at 1:45 pm

I think the AAA signings will allow Alderson to promote someone like Schwinden should Pelfrey or Capuano get packaged with Beltran for legitimate prospects.

Alderson is very, very calculating and very, very smart.

The one signing he didn’t make that I truly lament is not bringing Takahashi back to the Mets. If the Mets can waste tens of millions of dollars on Ollie and Castillo, why wouldn’t they spend a few million wisely and retain someone like Takahashi who…

- demonstrated that he could close
- demonstrated that he could pitch middle relief
- demonstrated that he could spot start
- is left-handed and could be used situationally
- demonstrated that he had the maturity to handle New York

I saw Takahashi shut down the Mets just after the lit up Dan Haren.

Other than that, Alderson’s moves have been calculated and intelligent.
jdon July 18, 2011 at 2:16 pm

Has Takahashi been worth 4 million this year to the Angels? That is my measuring stick. To my mind, he asked for too much and Sandy was right. Just because Omar overpaid Stupid does not mean we should overpay Takahashi. Simply being a productive pitcher does not entitle you to a fortune. He is not worth 4 mil, not nearly. Plus, he was not even a LOOGY. He did not have a pitch to take care of lefties. He was a nice pitcher, but I would classify him as a middle reliever. Certainly not a specialist of any kind. No to 4 million on middle relievers. Especially for 2 years.
- t agee July 18, 2011 at 2:43 pm
  
  Takahashi is about the same pitcher he was here for us last year. At 1,000,000 he more than fulfilled his contract but at 2/8. Not in my book.
  
  Now if we truly (not delusionally) has a solid team, not in transition, with a solid chance at winning the Division then I’d say the 2/8 while a reach is a worthwhile expenditure. If at the beginning of the season we projected to be one of 6 teams or so 7 or 8 games BACK of the Wild Card then the answer is no. He’s not worth it.
  
  Put the 8 M into getting players that get us closer to winning a Division, then pay the extra.
Sach July 18, 2011 at 3:16 pm

Well said metsaddict77! I would also drive Pelfrey to JFK airport if he got traded. Sandy, trade that big stiff. Call-up Schwinden. Sandy also has a lot of heavy lifting to do with the Met bullpen with most likely Izzy,Byrdak,Igarashi and Acosta gone after this season. Chacin makes sense for next season’s replacement for Misch who Sandy doesn’t care for at all.

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	24	18	.571	-
Nationals	23	20	.535	1.5
Phillies	20	23	.465	4.5
Mets	16	24	.400	7.0
Marlins	11	32	.256	13.5

Last updated: 05/18/2013

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