2012 Mets Offseason Score Sheet

20 Comments + Add Comment

• Petey Pete September 24, 2011 at 11:37 am

  Great job Joe! The section that really intrigues me is the Rule 5 guys. I believe 7 guys on that list HAVE to be protected or else the Mets will surely lose one. My magnificent 7 are: Familia, Nieuwenhuis, Havens, Holt, Lagares, Wilmer Flores and Cesar Puello. I am a little on the fence about Brant Rustich, if he comes to ST 2012 healthy, he could easily be put in somebody’s big league pen, since he has all the pitches and talent necessary.
  • Metstheory22 October 20, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    That is the list I was looking at also. It depends on what teams are in position to keep someone all year like we did with Beato.
  • Ian October 21, 2011 at 10:15 am

    I don’t think the lower guys need to be protect. Why would a team pick up a rule IV guy who is probably not ready for the majors?
    • Nester October 21, 2011 at 10:21 am

      You have the way it works confused. There’s a minor league and major league portion to the Rule 5. If someone drafts Reese Havens from Double-A the team that selects him must keep him in Triple-A or higher all season.

      You can draft players from Double-A or lower to play for their Triple-A affiliates for $12,000.

      You can draft players from Single-A teams or lower to play for their Double-A affiliates for $4,000.
      • Ian October 21, 2011 at 11:28 am

        Oh my bad. Excuse my ignorant comment then.
• Metsie September 24, 2011 at 1:58 pm

  Great job Joe!

  reyes is the key domino of this offseason, what happens there ripples through the rest.

  Of the other FAs we have here is who I think will be resigned and why (not that I will agree with all of the whys)
  •SP Miguel Batista – Possible Middle and long relief role here (Maybe)
  •SP Chris Capuano – I wasn’t sure we would resign capuano but the fact that we did not trade him to the Sox tends to suggest Sandy wants first crack at him at least (will resign if the price is right – I somewhat agree)
  •OF Scott Hairston – prob will not be here, unless we are determined to put Murphy in the OF and need defensive help)
  •OF Willie Harris – Better candidate for that defensive OF relief and he is more versatile and can play infield.
  •RP Ryota Igarashi – Gone!
  •RP Jason Isringhausen – Depends on how we do looking for Pen help
  •SS Jose Reyes – If the price is right! (I feel pay him what he wants it will be worth it!)
  •SP Chris Young – Prob Minor League contract with MLB acceleration. Can’t really give him much until he shows he can pitch. and we won’t know that until FA is over and ST starts!

  In regards to the Arbi eligable…

  •RP Manny Acosta – Should be tendered was one of our better Pen arms
  •RP Taylor Buchholz – Gone!
  •CF Angel Pagan – Will prob be tendered but at minimum in hopes someone takes him
  •RP Bobby Parnell – Can go either way here I think he is not worth keeping
  •C Ronny Paulino – Depends on what you think about Thole! Save some other option there I think he comes back!
  •SP Mike Pelfrey – You have to offer Arb just to get some picks for him. He’s not a long term answer for us but until one comes along better to hold on to him hope he has a good run and trade him for something!

  Santana and Young are both in the same boat, same injury and same status. Until we see them pitch we can not say if they will be part of the problem or part of the solution.
  You can not count ON or dis count what they will give!

  The Reyes question is key as it will determine everything from who gets protected in Rule5 and who gets traded in the offseason for other concerns!
  If reyes is retained it opens up a possible avenue for trading for a CF or Catcher. If not then you have to protect all those middle IFs until you know who is your SS and who is your 2B!

  The Bullpen is the one area where money is not a major factor. Most pen arms are cheap and we have at least one starter who is going to get bumped to the pen or traded FOR pen help this offseason merely with the return of Santana. (and I have proposed Santana himself could go there as our Closer!)

  The rule 5 situation only underlines the need to make some trades this offseason. We may not like that notion but it really is the only way to ensure we can fit everyone we intend to use on the MLB level on the roster and still get some players we need in return. I expect to see one or two multiplayer deals (in some combo of MLB talent and MiL guys) in order to open up some roster spots for the kids we intend to promote in the future.
  Those deals may be no better from a trade perspective than the Beltran or K-Rod deals in the way that you get something for a player you are probably going to lose anyway!

  It will be an interesting offseason to say the least, Much more interesting than last year where half way through the FA signing period we were still cobbling together our FO and managerial/coaching staff!

  They have a good sense of what we have by now (or should!) and they won’t be playing catch up like they were last year!

  We have enough promising kids to use as trade bait and some with a proven MLB resume as well.

  But it all depends and revolves around what happens with Reyes.
  He is the most important domino is the lineup!
  • t agee October 20, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Metsie, Agree on most.

    I would not sign Capuano. He was real bad on the road and with fences being moved in will get worse at home plus he can only go 5 innings.

    Bucholtz I would non tender but offer a minor league deal to and hope to stash him.

    Young isn’t going to pitch this year, pass. Paulino I’d lean no unless we can carry three catchers.

    Pagan I would tender and look to pair him with a RH bat capable of playing CF. Hairston perhaps and I would force Fern to step up and give him half of Bays AB’s against RHP.

    Agree on the rest.
    • Metsie October 20, 2011 at 8:50 pm

      Like I said on Capuano I somewhat agree…
      I prefer we spend that money of Pen help myself and if they are not willing to spen enough to get a #2 or #3 I don’t really see the point in spending on SP at all!
      • t agee October 21, 2011 at 2:47 pm

        Carasco should be cut and resigned to a minor league deal to save a roster spot for a guy not ready to help the Major League team and stashed in AAA for the inevitable bullpen injury. He’ll get his guarantee anyway plus a minor league salary (50K or so) If he refuses just cut him.
• sarge September 24, 2011 at 10:31 pm

  My only comment is despite his play at the end Harris has to go.
  He was supposed to be the LH bat off bench and he has been awful.
  Hitting under .200 with 4 rbi don’t get it, Pridie can provide that at a cheaper salary.

  Mets have to be wise in protecting their young pitching, as shown by Tampa, cause it is what will make up for hitting deficiencies.
• Rickeybobby September 25, 2011 at 8:32 pm

  Awesome writr-up, so many decisons, brutal!! Starter i think Pa;efrey may have pitched himself off the team, I think they sign a dent guy to go along w Santana Dickey, Niese, Gee..Thole somewhat of a disappointment, i see similar situation next year platoon w Paulino or maybe someone else..as of now i see similar situation at 2b , split time btwn Tejada, Turner and Murphy w hope that Havens crushes ut first half and plays second half..i totally expect ryes back if not all bet offs on how this team is sturctured, thne it will be Tejada and we’ll have some money to spend giving us flixibility to make moves trades..setup close tbd, nedd BG upgrade..Duda gets 140 stars replacing beltran w/ poss hairston return or poss Evans or diff vet..

  i expect good not great seasons from Santana and Bay w pelfrey and Pa-gone outta here

  i think reyes will be back, poss hairston or similar type,outside chance bautist becomes long man spoit starter..ab to acosta, parness and paulino , and poss pagan if they cant or dont beleive they can upgrade.

  Theyy have a ton of flxibility on that 40-man roster, they;;ll be able to protct their top guys.

  They need too spend some mon ey and get 3 or 4 good arms and hopefully better CF
• alex68 October 20, 2011 at 2:36 pm

  wow, with the update, this make me wanna cry…
• any October 20, 2011 at 4:00 pm

  actually, the answer to the question about who replaces Beltrans bat in the middle of the order should be Ike.

  Assuming Duda does end up being the starting RF (plan as of today it seems), if he hits like he did over the 2nd half (after he became a starter), and Ike can actually come back to pick up where he left off last year, that is a lot of LH power and production in the middle of the order.

  of course, IFs, but if you want to look at what has to happen to compete, those 2 in the middle raking will help immensely.
  • Metstheory22 October 20, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Agree.
• Tommy2cat October 20, 2011 at 10:20 pm

  Joe D – Awesome job! Saved it on “My Favorites” for reference this winter.

  “Rule 1 Draft” – We must retain Jose Reyes.

  One way to open up $$$ to re-sign Reyes is to trade Wright to Colorado for blue chip prospects LHP Drew Pomeranz & Phenom Catcher Wilin Rosario.

  If we executed that trade, then Mejia & Familia could be used in a package to acquire Baltimore’s Adam Jones, who is THE type of IMPACT PLAYER this team needs. He’s like Agee with a better bat. We would still have Wheeler, Harvey & Pomeranz in the fold.

  Equally important, we would be so strong up the middle with Rosario behind the plate, Reyes at short, Tejada/Havens/Turner at 2nd & Jones in center.

  I could go on and on…but let’s see what Sandy can REALLY do.

  Joe D – thanks for equipping all of us with the important benchmarks for this off-season.

  2-Cat.
  • Bayonne Mets Fan October 20, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    This is the best off season plan i read from anyone so far!!!

    Nice! That is definitely a plan to work with
    • Bayonne Mets Fan October 21, 2011 at 12:04 am

      I would still prefer to move Wright for major-league ready starting pitching in order to compete in 2012 but at least this is a template to work with.
      • Tommy2cat October 21, 2011 at 6:16 am

        Thanks, Bayonne.
• Metstheory22 October 21, 2011 at 11:57 am

  Would not mind seeing this lineup next year.
  1B I. Davis
  2B Tejada
  SS J. Reyes
  3B D. Wright
  LF Lucas
  CF Bourjos
  RF Martinez/Evans
  C Y. Molina

  SS1 Santana
  SS2 Zambrano
  SS3 Niese
  SS4 Dickey
  SS5 Wang
  SS6 Gee
  Closer J. Rauch
  • Metsie October 21, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    I would support any lineup without Jason Bay! LOL