22
2011
Mets Sign Catcher Rob Johnson
An article by 
According to Adam Rubin of ESPN via twitter, the Mets have inked catcher Rob Johnson to a minor league deal. The contract is for one year with an invite to Spring Training.
This move adds some depth to the extrememly thin Mets catching situation. Johnson will likely be in competition with Mike Nickeas for the backup role to Josh Thole.
Although underwhelming with the bat last year (.190/.259/.285), the 28-year old Montana native had a 3.26 catchers ERA, the fifth best of any catcher with at least 50 games started.
To read more about this signing, you can read Rubin’s post on ESPN.com Here.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
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That’s it…. Go Sandy GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
woo hoo! Sandy found an advanced stat he liked and the guy was cheap! Perfect combo.
If this team gets new owners and Joe D is right that they would bring in their own people that would be best news I heard all day because I hope the Wilpons take this TERRIBLE GM with them. This guy may and SHOULD go down as the WORST GM in Mets history and all the fans that for some reason defend this horrific GM should deserve all the agonizingly bad seasons coming to them. Unbelievable how this guy is defended and outside of the few remaining traditionalist here his moves are not questioned
You ever think that his moves aren’t questioned because they shouldn’t be? Everyone seems to understand the state of the Mets except you. And I don’t mean just on this site, I mean in the entire blogosphere and all facets of media. No one questions him but you and a few of your lackeys. You ever think there’s a reason for that?
It’s always something with you. First he only signs players with high OBP because he doesn’t care about defense, and you complain. Then he brings in defensive-minded players who’s OBP is not what you should be worrying about and all you do is complain and compare them to Franceour. You don’t care about the Mets or about their financial situation and how that affects their ability to compete, you’re just concerned that someone (everyone) knows more about baseball off the field than you do and it frightens you. Grow up and get a life.
Oh please X
I know you and Bayonne don’t like each other and will without even a thought immediatly take the opposite position on anything…
But if you believe what you just said and wish to take the Financial situation into account please tell me how signing a guy with a sub .200 BA is a good move when you already have a guy that can do that much on the roster and for League Minimum!
I mean really what is the point of spending money on scrubs?
Wouldn’t it be better to promote some kid to catch the Minors who has some promise instead?
Wouldn’t it be prudent to make a trade for someone who might actually become a starter in the MLB with some time in those Minors?
What is the point of getting this guy? Because he calls a good game?
Really? Why not teach the Pitcher to PITCH a good game so the Catcher doesn’t have to lead or mislead them because he is in control?
I really see no reason for signing this guy, is it a team killer? No but it sure isn’t a progress and if you ask me. if the goal is to build the Minors up so that we can go with a youth movement in two years time then at least make a trade or outright BUY a young catcher from someone who can replace Thole in a year or two!
We talk about wasted money on big money long term contracts but the waste seems to remain only the number of players we are wasting it on is going up!
WHERE ARE THE SMART SIGNINGS?
WHERE IS THE DEEP STATISTICAL ANALYSIS?
WHERE IS THE UNDERVALUED METRIC ACQUISITIONS?
WHERE THE HELL IS GOOGLE BOY and WHAT IS HE DOING?
Inquiring minds want to know!
I can find no sabermetrically (nor any other statistical) reason for getting the guy we have got this year!
And the truth is if this is what we are relying on I would rather rush a kid because at least a kid might succeed as opposed to getting someone who has already failed miserably!
the only guys in the minors that even vaguely look like viable C prospects are down in A ball (might even be low A). Can’t really promote them to AAA or the show.
If they had someone at AA, then hell yeah, push him along.
Thats Fine Any
I understand you can’t jump a guy from A ball to MLB…
But are those prospect BA top 100?
If not then they won’t require a BA top 100 in return either!
If Catcher is something we need a little more immediatly then trade that A Ball guy and maybe something else we do not want and go and get a better AA or AAA Candidate that can be rushed to Buffalo and serve the role this guy will serve!
And if you get the right guy you don’t need to sign someone next year if Thole continues to disappoint!
I am more than willing to be patient and like I said this guy is really small potatoes in the grand scheme of Acquisitions but if we are going after players for the MiL then we should be trading for something a little more promising than a Sub Mendoza with a catcher’s mitt!
If what we have isn’t close then trade them for someone who IS because if Catcher is such a concern this year then that A ball Catcher we do have is not going to be ready in time even 2 years from now!
A) this cost no money
B) this IS the kid from the minors they might promote.
C) there is no sabermetric reason for this signing. The reason for this signing is because he’s a good defensive catcher and the organization has none.
The problem with your ilk who doesn’t understand sabermetrics is that you don’t know where it fits into the game. There’s no reason to use sabermetrics on every decision.
Why would we promote a sub .200 hitter pray tell?
Why not just stick with Nickeas as he fits that role just fine!
I thought Nickeas was a good defensive catcher?
No there is no reason to use Sabermetrics at all!
They are only ever used when the guy’s traditionals are so bad they need Sabers to justify the acquisition!
We don’t have any “kids with promise” at catcher in the minor leagues. We have a 21 year old kid who has a chance to be part of a tandem at catcher but he was in A- last year.
Two full years away from even being able to provide credible depth just in case and that’s IF he progresses.
Josh Thole had 170 minor league games at catcher and 150 at 1B in the minors when he made his Met debut. Is that what your advocating? Bringing a guy up here who isn’t a Major league capable catcher? I think it is. Trust me we’ve gone that route plenty of times recently. It doesn’t work.
So trade him and something else that is NOT two years away…
Isn’t that what the braves and Philles would do over the last 25 years of their brilliance?
BTW still waiting for your proof list of their smart picks that got them to the WS in 91 and their decade of dominance.
Did not see it in the thread, stop stalling!
Oh, it’s just that easy?
I guess some people don’t understand what a minor league deal is. Or how money works.
I guess you don’t realize that there is no difference in wasting 20 Mil on one player and wasting 20 Mil on 10!
Wasted money is Wasted money no matter how many chunks you spread it out into!
Thanks for proving my point.
MiL deal with a ST invite?
basically, unless he makes a team out of ST, it costs them room/board and meal money in PSL.
no hit catchers always get signed for the spring anyway, since they need a lot of guys in ST to catch all the pitchers.
people understand donal.. its you that doesn’t understand. minor league deals don’t mean much on mostteams. But when yopur team, led by the over the hill and out of touch lord sandy makes these his big moves and comes up with BS lines about them, they deserve blasting. And guys like you who can’tend the affair, procve over and over that its you who don’t understand. Go back to your lordship and tell him he needs to come upo with new lines and lies. The old ones are exhausted, except to you and three others.
Hey, fanboy. Didn’t I explain to you what you’ll have to do to be graced with my attention? I’ve grown tired of brightening your day for nothing.
From now on, you type like a grown adult and have a coherent point or you’ll just end up yelling at yourself…again.
PS: Bobby Abreu is available! For only $9 million a year! Think your other mancrush would be interested in trading Harvey for him? Maybe throw in a few other prospects?
Can’t wait for you (Jessup) to take Donal to task for this!
I will NOT hold my breath here!
bad Donal. baaaaad Donal
how was that?
PERFECT, Illustrates my point perfectly…
That being that you really don’t care about snark and insults being posted on MMO just as long as the Poster who does it is a Jessup approved Minion!
You’re right. Sandy should just spend all the non-existing money and spend spend spend.
With a career .197/BA it’s safe to say this is all about his glove.
If he is that good with working with pitchers I would like to see him in Triple-A working with Familia, Harvey and Mejia in 2012.
I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Effective immediately I will be resigning my post as MMO’s Mets News guru, to pursue my dreams with the New York Mets. It was a pleasure serving all of you.
Lol that’s great. I was thinking of putting something in this post about this coincidence.
Perhaps I should have let you get this piece for the sake of pure irony Lol.
whooo- that’s a sexy pickup…..seriously….with Ivan Rodriguez still out there? He could mentor Thole and he still can hit. Mike Nikeas is a waste…..#Unoccupy Citi Field
Just another example of Sandy and CO taking those Padre scraps and using them to destroy the team. These guys worked to bring down SD and they will work here in NY as well.
salty, you really need to get that font fixed dude.
I still say someone needs to show Google Boy how to sort the columns by DESCENDING because it would seem that he keeps getting replacements that are worse than the guys we have!
Bat over .270 and your traded or discarded
Bat under .240 you get signed!
And HoJo I would be happy to have you on the team!
AT least someone in the clubhouse would be able to tell everyone what is happening in the world of Baseball and what good teams do compared to us!
LOL
wait, weren’t you part of the group screaming about not having a strong defensive/handling pitchers catcher, every time a no hit like Blanco signs?
Now they get a guy that is exactly that, and you grump about him not being a big enough bat?
Nope…not me!
I blamed Pelfrey for not holding runners and the fact there is a Knuckleballer in the rotation for the high PB numbers!
When did he give up benig a sucky QB?
I’m broke for the holidays cant afford much.. My team is broke everyday and can’t afford anything! All they are doing is remodling the house a bit with fence found behind a home depot and bringing in the worst of the worst. Here is an idea..SELL THE TEAM! Do you really think people with money want to plunk down $20 million to hang with mr met and be given some BS business card that says owner? How ignorant and obnoxious of you Fred! The fans will not be coming out to watch this team..Sell now, and slink out of the baseball business forever. You are destroying not only a team but, a loyal fan base. You stink at investing, you”re a worse team owner. Maybe if your vaunted front office took some pay cuts you could afford soem real players..
I swear its like watching the movie Major league.
athis guy is signed to a minor league contract.j he will probably fill out the AAA roster.
We’re so thin at the catcher position that this signing makes alot of sense. Given the obvious state of the team financially I hope they make another similar minor league signing if they don’t make a bigger splash with a more productive catcher..
yeah i mean why go the extra mile and spend all of that 1.25 million for an experienced catcher like Henry Blanco or maybe even Pudge Rodriguez?
I mean catching is only maybe the next most important position on a team next to pitcher. Why do you think they call it a “battery” If your battery is weak you ain’t gonna last long
May as well go as cheap as possible on it and sign a guy that is 5th in league in catcher’s ERA. I guess that’s Sandy finding “value” where nobody else is? Or maybe everybody is ignoring the guy for a reason?
I never heard the word “value” mentioned so much before in my life.
Let’s look for “value”
there’s “value” in this signing. Value, value, value. Value this.
And the more I hear the word “value” around here the more the Mets stink.