Jan
10
2012

Mets Sign Three To Minor League Deals

An article by Hojo's Mojo

The New York Mets today announced the club has signed righthanded pitcher Miguel Batista and righthanded pitcher Fernando Cabrera to minor league contracts and invited both to major league Spring Training.

Batista, 40, split last season between St. Louis and the Mets, finishing 5-2 with a 3.60 ERA (24 earned runs/60.0 innings) in 35 games, five starts between the two clubs. The 6-1, 210-pounder started the year with the Cardinals and went 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA (15 earned runs/29.1 innings) in 26 games, one start, before the team released him on June 22. He signed with the Mets on July 5 and made 10 appearances with Buffalo (AAA) of the International League, compiling a 3-0 record and a 4.24 ERA (22 earned runs/46.2 innings) for the Bisons. The Mets selected his contract on August 26 and Batista went 2-0 with a 2.64 ERA (nine earned runs/30.2 innings) in nine games, four starts for the team. He became the oldest pitcher in franchise history to toss a complete-game shutout when he blanked Cincinnati, 3-0, on September 28 of last year in the final game of the season.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by Montreal in 1988, Batista ranks 15^th among active players in games pitched (623) and 22^nd in innings pitched (1903.2). He is 101-112 with 41 saves and a 4.48 ERA (947 earned runs/1903.2 innings) in 623 career games, 243 starts.

Cabrera, 30, spent last season with Sacramento (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, finishing 4-3 with a 2.71 ERA (19 earned runs/63.0 innings) in 53 games. The 6-4, 225-pound righthander has major league time with Boston (2009-2010), Baltimore (2007-2008) and Cleveland (2004-2007), compiling an 8-7 record, one save and a 5.24 ERA (102 earned runs/175.1 innings) in 132 games out of the bullpen.

The club also announced the signing of shortstop Sean Kazmar, who will report to minor league camp. Kazmar, 27, hit .253 (117-462) with three home runs and 45 RBI in 127 games for Tacoma (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League last season. Kazmar appeared in the major leagues in 2008 with San Diego, hitting .205 (8-39) in 19 games.

Batista did a nice job for the Mets at the end of last season and we can certainly use some starting pitching depth in Buffalo. Otherwise nothing earth shattering here.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

23 Comments + Add Comment

K Maxx January 10, 2012 at 1:48 pm

Strike up the band.
Alex68 January 10, 2012 at 1:53 pm

I’m telling you, all this move by sandy alderson is making me wanna rush to buy season tickets…
trs86 January 10, 2012 at 2:27 pm

Nothing more than fillers. Miguel pitched well in his role last year and it’s a minor league contract. I am not calling it a good move but these minor league signings can’t really be bad moves.
- Bayonne Mets Fan January 10, 2012 at 5:01 pm
  
  Filler is all Sandy has been signing for the last 2 years and then every time he signs these type of .205 hitting players, somebody brushes it off as “oh well it’s just filler”.
  
  That’s all he does. The man is not even trying to win. Add up all this “filler” for the last 2 years, combine that with using his brain to try and make some creative trades to try and compete and he could have gotten some decent major league players. Other teams are.
  
  This guy does not give a hoot, he ain’t even trying.
  - XtreemIcon January 10, 2012 at 5:10 pm
    
    When will you realize that all Sandy’s allowed to do is sign fillers and minor leaguers? Do you have to trip over Fred panhandling in a PATH station to realize the Mets are broke?
    - Joe D January 10, 2012 at 5:41 pm
      
      http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/beggars-cant-be-choosy.html
      - XtreemIcon January 10, 2012 at 5:47 pm
        
        So what you’re saying is, while Fred’s got the public transportation crowd covered, Jeff is handling the rotunda?
    - Ghost of omar January 10, 2012 at 5:45 pm
      
      If what you say is true, then why does Sandy (I’m not allowed to do a nything) need two GMs helping him to do nothing. i guess its ok to waste money on friends but not on trying to field a winning, make that respectable team. got it. thanks for the info.
      - XtreemIcon January 10, 2012 at 5:46 pm
        
        Because one is familiarizing himself with the organization so he can take over as GM? Don’t you read the news?
        
        Ghost of omar January 10, 2012 at 5:51 pm
        
        Stop blowing the bull. Your schtick is more hapless than donal’s is. Its pure incompetence, except you can’t say it because lord sandy has taken ownership of your brain.
        
        XtreemIcon January 10, 2012 at 6:01 pm
        
        I don’t even understand what that means. You have no idea what’s going on with the Mets, do you?
        
        any January 10, 2012 at 5:52 pm
        
        one of them is in charge of player development (minor leagues, not sure about scouting). So he has nothing to do with GMing. other than having been one himself in the past. He is not sitting around the FO BSing about making trades, etc.
        
        the other one does something. Not sure what. Assistant something? But every FO has assistant GMs.
MetsMan86 January 10, 2012 at 2:45 pm

Depth?
- trs86 January 10, 2012 at 2:51 pm
  
  depth
  [depth]
  noun
  1.a dimension taken through an object or body of material, usually downward from an upper surface, horizontally inward from an outer surface, or from top to bottom of something regarded as one of several layers.
  2. the quality of being deep; deepness.
RickeyBobby January 10, 2012 at 2:58 pm

Overall its a good move, everyteam can use a swingman. Miguel seemed to fit in and pitched a great game towards end of season..it’s just would have rather them get a solid #2 or 3 starter..didn happen,,tit is what it is, small mkt team next couple years, need miracle step up seasons from starters ..

Bullpen looking Byrak, Ramirez, Rauch, Francisco then between Acosta, Batista, Beato, Carrasco, and Parnell ..am i forgetting a lefty or anyone ?? Pretty solid pen especially compared to last season. If our starters out perform expectations and give us quality starts i think bullpen can step up…
- Ghost of omar January 10, 2012 at 5:48 pm
  
  Really, a better bullpen than last year??? Really now., On this awesome bullpen that you are raving about, which one is a superior closer to KROD??? And which one is a superior set up man to Isringhausen? Oh nobody,,, yeah its an awesome bullpen for a team that doesn’t give a crap about winning games. And I guess the returnees will be far superior to what they were last year because of what Dan Warthen? Wake up..
  - XtreemIcon January 10, 2012 at 6:00 pm
    
    K-Rod wasn’t part of the pen for nearly half the season. It was good with him, bad without him. As far as your other question, Ramirez was far better than Izzy (who was a Sandy pickup; aren’t you supposed to hate him?) last season and Rauch has had a very similar career in twice as many innings since 2006, when he became full-time, which includes his aberration last season. The Mets downgraded in the “closer” role, but upgraded in two others, and Francisco’s not that much worse than K-Rod.
Vinny B January 10, 2012 at 3:21 pm

Batista is awful. Yeah he had one nice game, but one nice game doesn’t make you a good pitcher. He’s going to be 41, and last year, he was relased midseason by he Cards, and in total, he walked more guys than he struck out – He’s terrible.
TJ January 10, 2012 at 4:57 pm

Yep thats are team trolling the garbage heaps for ‘depth’…
Joe D January 10, 2012 at 6:32 pm

I’m having Kelly design a Lord Sandy graphic. Halo or no halo?
- NJstuckinTX January 10, 2012 at 8:44 pm
  
  Maybe a split screen, saintly on one side and Dark Lord on the other?
- Donal January 11, 2012 at 7:45 am
  
  Halo and stigmata.
Metfan Lou January 10, 2012 at 7:38 pm

Aaron Heilmann just signed a contract with the Mariners. Whew that’s one guy Alderson won’t be going after. Thank you Mariners-I owe you one..

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	26	18	.591	-
Nationals	23	22	.511	3.5
Phillies	21	24	.467	5.5
Mets	17	25	.405	8.0
Marlins	13	32	.289	13.5

Last updated: 05/21/2013

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