14
2011
Done Deal – Mets Sign RHP Jon Rauch For $3.5 Million
An article by 
The New York Mets today announced the club has signed free agent righthanded pitcher Jon Rauch to a one-year contract.
Rauch, 33, appeared in 53 games with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, finishing 5-4 with 11 saves. He compiled a 4.85 ERA (28 earned/52.0 innings) with 36 strikeouts and pitched 1.0 inning or more in 39 of his 53 appearances.
Since 2006, Rauch leads all relievers in wins (31) and has appeared in the second-most number of games (434).
He was 3-1 with 21 saves and a 3.12 ERA (20 earned runs/57.2 innings) in 2010 with the Minnesota Twins.
Over his eight-year major league career, Rauch has also played for Chicago (AL), Montreal/Washington and Arizona. He is 39-31 with 58 saves with a 3.82 ERA (221 earned runs/520.2 innings). Righthanded batters have hit .241 against Rauch for his career, while NL East opponents have batted .230.
The 6-11, 290-pound native of Louisville, KY was drafted by the White Sox in the third round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and is currently the tallest player in major league baseball.
Original Post 12/6
According to Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio, the Mets have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with RHP Jon Rauch.
Duquette is reporting that the deal is for $3.5 million and is pending the physical.
Rauch instantly takes over as the Mets tallest player. He went 5-4 with a 4.85 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 53 games for the Blue Jays in 2011. He allowed 11 home runs, 14 walks and 56 hits in 52 innings while striking out 36 batters.
My tweet from this afternoon says it all…
I’m not a big Rauch fan…
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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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4.0 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 6.5 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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I can live with Rauch. He’s consistently kept his FIP below 4.00 and the only two season his ERA was above 4.00 was when he had a little trouble with the longball, something that should be neutralized in Citi Field. He’s got a good K/BB rate and an acceptable WHIP. He probably came cheap, and he’s not bad. He’s not the answer, but he’s an upgrade.
Acc. to Bob Nightengale, there is now a mystery 3rd team in on Pujols and all 3 teams- this team , the Cards & Marlins have offered at least 10 years and 200MM to Albert.
The Marlins ownership and FO are nuts. Jose for six, and Albert for ten?
Their new stadium holds only 37,000 but is top loaded with suites and high priced boxes. In three years we might see a fire sale. At that time there will be no Bud Selig to give them another interest free loan.
I bet that Pujols does not sign with Florida. No way he doesn’t accept a no trade clause and no way the Marlins provide one.
NJ: Tom Verducci made a good point.
Half way through Pujols’ contract (10 years) with Miami, he’d get trade protection for being a 10 year vet with 5 years on the same team.
However, I agree, I still think he ends up with STL.
I hear you. I would think they would sell the farm again before year 5 though.
Agreed. St Loo will get it done.
Cot’s Baseball Contracts says Pujols’ deal with Angels:
– includes no-trade protection
– includes 10-year personal-services contract to begin once player contract expires
If Pujols is signed by the Fish, the terms and conditions of his contract will be passed through to the any subsequent owner. How many teams would want to pick up Albert’s very long remaining years? Albert will be 32 by the time the teams go to spring training in 2012. At ten years, he’ll be on someone’s roster until he’s almost 42.
Rauch certainly didn’t come cheap – 3.5MM plus performance bonuses. I think Sandy is crazy.
Yeah, that is a little much. I think he’s pretty good, but that money doesn’t excite me.
the only reason you like Rauch is because of sabermetric beliefs and NOTHING to do that with it would really be a good move to make the Mets a better baseball team.
…cuz Sandy sez so….
I like Rauch because he’s been a consistently good relief pitcher. That is all.
Rauch is a strange type of reliever. He seems to be a closer type yet hasn’t been overly consistant so I wouldn’t hand him the role. I still do not see a front runner to close but then again does it really matter. It’s not like we are going to be in true competition this year anyhow.
3,5 freakin mil. You gotta be kidding right. Whatever.
I’m pleased with the acquisition of Jon. His cool neck tats are a good fit for the Big Apple. He’ll hopefully take some pressure off our young guys in the bullpen
Definite candidate to close, but definitely not a shoe-in.
I said in the past that Rauch wasn’t going to come cheap. He did earn 3.75MM with the Jays last season and will probably earn at least that or even more with performance bonuses. Now the the Mets have the $$$ to spend like that on some questionable 8th inn. set-up man? Considering him a closing option is a stretch. Maybe Sandy is growing senile now?
If we re-sign C. Young, he’ll no longer be tallest!
This market is a little silly. So much money for so few good players…
I don’t think the Market is silly. People make decisions not the market.
My pet peave- I dont like Baseball players with tattoos all over there body.
Apparently the Mets are working on a trade (maybe) for an additional bullpen piece, while still working to sign someone else also for the ‘pen. I’ve been very critical of future commish so far this offseason, but he vowed to improve the bullpen, and he’s trying. I’m excited because I decided not to expect to go .500 until 2014; so everything we do is good, especially if it follows company policy to have all players able to be off the books after 2013.
Change of scenery trade Possibly Bay for soriano and marshall LOL Yeah right.
Hank, Sherman says the Mets are close with someone, but won’t give any more details.
If they somehow get rid of Bay, I think we will all rejoice and party like it’s 1999.
3.5 is pretty high for Rauch….they must be paying him by the inch.
Good one…
The word is it’s Pagan for Ramon Ramirez and torres. I’m not a big fan of this move but it could work out I suppose. Would this mean that Kirk is going to get the nod in center?
Torres plays center.
I LIKE signings like this, a veteran, has been in closer roll, coming off poor seson so he’s afforable, faith being restored, pleased — now Mets are involved in a 3-team trade, can’t wait …
Too bad the Mets brought the walls in at Citi Field. Rauch gave up 11 homers in 50 innings, that’s like 44 in 200 IP. This could get ugly.
Joe — To be fair you have to look at where those HR’s were hit. Citi Field isn’t going to turn into a HR park. Shea wasn’t, Citi is still bigger.
8 of those 11 HR came in parks ranked in top half of the sport in HR allowed. Including his Home Park which ranked 6th in the league and was 4th in the league last year
@ NYY #4
@ SEA #13
@ TB
tex #6
Bal #6
Bos #6
@Atl
@Bal #8
@TB
@Tex #1
Min #6
Agreed. Always look deeper. His only issues in the two years he was subpar was the long ball. As I said, Citi will neutralize that.
only thing I see thats questionable X is that he lost a few ticks on his fastball. less velocity equals easier to square up and hit a long way.
True, but it wasn’t significant. He lost about one MPH. Could be the start of something, but it’s not a drastic enough decline to be confident that he’s declining or anything like that. Comsidering Capps got $4.75 mil and Boxton got $4.5 mil, I’ll take Rauch for $3.5 mil every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Everyone’s forgetting the improvement factor under Dan Warthen. (Gulp)
Torres and Ramirez for Pagan, I read.
I just saw that too. If future commish can close this deal, I will be very pleased.The Giants (see Beltran for Wheeler) are becoming to the Mets, what the Astros have been to the Phillies. Sure the Astros give up all stars, but hey, at least the Giants are making us better.
Pagan and Torres are a wash to me. And we get an added bullpen arm, who’s good. Well done future commish, well done.
At least Torres knows what base to throw to.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says the Giants have proposed to trade Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez to the Mets for Angel Pagan, saying it’s “not definite, but promising.”
Meanwhile, Andy Martino of the Daily News says the Mets might trade for a position player and a relief pitcher, plus sign a free-agent reliever “as soon as tonight.” Martino says the deal is agreed upon, pending physicals (although the players remain unknown).
Please? Pretty please?
Sherman says Rauch will set up. Whomever is acquired tonight will close.
According to Steve Popper of the Bergen Record, the Mets have acquired Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez in exchange for OF Angel Pagan.
Confirmed. I think I just soiled myself.
3.5 million for Rauch?
Could that money have been used towards a SP? Can anybody add to that? I’m old school and would condition the minors to have the SP go deeper into the games. I think 3.5 million for a journey man relief pitcher is a waster of money.
Davidoff and Rubin confirm the Met ssign Frank Francisco to two-year deal. Terms not disclosed.
Pujols will wind up with the Marlins then Marlins in turn will trade Hanley
Don’t count on it. Maybe, but I think this SEC thing is now a big concern. Without a no-trade clause if the ish hits the fan, he couldn’t leave if he wanted to.
3 arms for the BP and cheaper similar version of the CF. Nice deal.
And I love that we heard nothing about this. Loose lips sinking ships and all that.
[...] jon rauch metsmerizedonline.com [...]
$3.5 million for this guy???? wow.. we’ll is done already, it seems the mets overpaid in my opinion, but hey, the genius here is sandy alderson not me. he must’ve seen something only sabermetrics see…
Agreed, not worth a penny over $2M. So much for managing the Moneyball game – go bargain hunting and then overpay anyway.
Capps had similar numbers and kinda set the market on this deal by getting paid way more than he was worth. Rauch’s contract might be more than he was worth, but it’s only one year, and with Rauch targeted for the 7th inning barring injury or ineffectiveness by other guys, it’s a lower “pressure” situation, so it could be fine. Also, it’s only a year, and we’re not trying to win until 2014.
Keep that in mind, it’ll help keep your sanity. Oh, and help you sleep at night too.
Oh, I forgot; we’re not trying to win! OK, now I feel better. I’ll remember that when we’re in the cellar and tickets cost a bundle.
LOL, Mets are too cheap and will not spend money. Mets are idiots and overpay. Mets are not concerned with winning so they won’t make a move. Mets are…. do you ever get tired of whining?
Do I think 3.5 should be too much? Yeah but I think these three additions make our bullpen a hell of a lot better than it was at the end of the season. Could they have waited and gotten someone maybe just as good and cheaper? Maybe but as I said above if they had done that you would have whined too.
Interesting. Last year Rauch’s HR/FB % was at 12.9% where as it was 3.7% the year before. His HR/9 in 2010 was .47 last year it was 1.9.
Guy was clearly victimized by the long ball playing the in the HR happy AL East. Lets see what it returns to in the NL in more pitcher friendly parks (other than Philly of course).
Funny tweet from Rubin.
Daniel Herrera listed at 5-foot-6 and Jon Rauch listed at 6-11. So #Mets employ tallest and shortest active MLB player, it seems.
http://twitter.com/AdamRubinESPN/statuses/147128819474644992
Is that true? Is Herrera the shortest active MLB player?
According to Mark Newman of MLB.com, Daniel Herrera is the shortest active player.
Player Team Height
Daniel Herrera Mets 5’6″
Jose Altuve Astros 5’7″
Tim Collins Royals 5’7″
Alexi Amarista Angels 5’8″
Tony Campana Cubs 5’8″
Chone Figgins Mariners 5’8″
Mike Fontenot Giants 5’8″
Rafael Furcal Cardinals 5’8″
Johnny Giavotella Royals 5’8″
Josh Harrison Pirates 5’8″
Maicer Izturis Angels 5’8″
Aaron Miles Dodgers 5’8″
Antoan Richardson Braves 5’8″
Jimmy Rollins Phillies 5’8″
Matt Young Braves 5’8″
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110926&content_id=25224992&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Nice find. Thanks Des.
What’s your point? I’m 5’1″ and I can pack a mean bunch!!! lolol
I guess that’s the long and short of it.
Cue drum-roll.
Off Topic: Where did the MMO Twitter button go?
For some reason it was creating a slow page load this afternoon, so I temporarily disabled it. All good now. Thanks for reminding me, lol
No prob. I don’t have your twitter page bookmarked cause I normally just click the button so when I went to do so only to find it missing I thought it was maybe on my end with the page refreshing slow or something.
Looks like Iggy found a new home.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/12/pirates-to-sign-ryota-igarashi-.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Love the Santa shot with the screaming terrified kids, just like we Mets fans and our SA nta.
Ahhh, you removed the Santa shot. That was a nice touch, but now it’s gone, while it was here for a brief time it was very apropos.
4.85 ERA huh?
Can someone please show googleboy how to use the sort column feature on his spreadsheet?
Me thinks he has the wrong guys at the top of his list!