Mike Pelfrey Signed For What!

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• jessep January 17, 2012 at 12:30 pm

  “Pelf should have been packaged in a trade a long time ago. ” To who? For what? Who wanted him?

  “12 million for Francisco – was there even an attempt to try and land Andrew Bailey? At this rate I would have settled for one year of Brad Lidge at 8 million” — You realize Francisco is making $5.5mil this year not $8mil right?

  Also, I realize Bayonne you probably don’t know how arbitration works but basically Player A submits a salary request while Team A submits a salary offer. These demands/offers are submitted directly to the arbitrators. The team’s offer cannot be 80% less than his previous year salary OR 70% less than the year prior to that.

  Then an arbitrator picks whichever deal is closest to a salary of players with similar talents or time in the big leagues. The arbitrator is not allowed to consider the teams finances, its all about the player and his contributions to the team and comparison to similar players.

  So an arbitrator may look at a guy like Joe Blanton for example as a comparison. (No I’m not saying Pelf IS Joe Blanton, but he’s the closest guy I can think of right now off top of my head)

  Part of the problem for teams in the arbitration process are they actually have to stand in front of the player (or usually his agent) and say WHY he’s NOT worth what the player demanded. You may think that’s an easy thing to do, but its not.

  If the Mets low balled an offer to an arbitrator and Pelfrey/Agent make a convincing case for $7mil lets say, then guess what… Pelf is making $7mil.

  That’s why teams avoid arbitration. They don’t want to go through the process of telling their own guy why he isn’t worth X *AND* they don’t want a 3 person arbitration panel to dictate how much a player is worth to the team.

  Free lesson there for you.
  • jessep January 17, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    Just to amend so it makes more sense. I’m not saying the arbitrator uses Joe Blanton for Pelf. I’m saying he’s a similar pitcher.

    The arbitrator will use players in Pelfrey’s “service time class” So pitchers with 4 years service time and since he has less than 5 years, they add on a 5th year for comparisons.
  • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    again – no answer, only more butt licking for Alderson by this leader of the butt licking crew. Meanwhile all the other posters are not happy with this move at all so maybe this guy should address them instead of wasting space with a non-answer for me.

    Instead he defends Sandy.
    • jessep January 17, 2012 at 12:43 pm

      Try understanding the system, it will help your understanding of the economics of baseball.

      Teams all over the league are avoiding arbitration today. This isn’t a Sandy Alderson trick. This is something everybody does, and I just explained to you why.

      Also per Carl S: Just as an FYI its so rare it almost never ever happens that a player doesn’t get a raise through arbitration. The player gets to dictate a large portion of where the hearings go, and its generally a compromise on the 2 figures submitted. No player is going to submit they get a decrease in salary.

      Just to give you an example in 2010 only 8 players went the distance on full arbitration hearings while everybody else worked a compromise between player/team submissions

      Winners: Cody Ross, over $2mil raise, Jeff Mathis, almost million dollar raise, Corey Hart over million dollar raise
      Losers: Sean Burnett 300k raise, Brian Bruney 250k raise, Wandy Rodriguez $2mil raise, Ryan Theriot over $2mil raise

      So even the ones who went the full distance, got raises.
      • NJstuckinTX January 17, 2012 at 12:45 pm

        But there is no such thing as the economics of baseball! Just the “playing” of baseball. Silly Jessep. (end/sarcasm)
      • Des January 17, 2012 at 1:16 pm

        Jessep — good job but convincing those confused by facts is the Lord’s work.

        Small correction:

        The club’s salary offer to a player under its control may not be less than 80% of the player’s total compensation from the prior year, and may not be less than 70% of his compensation from 2 years earlier. These rules, however, do not apply to free agents who are offered arbitration.

        NOT
        “The team’s offer cannot be 80% less than his previous year salary OR 70% less than the year prior to that.”
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 1:48 pm

          Good typo catch Des, thanks
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:08 pm

          Des: It’s comical that people pull their hair out over a system they don’t even understand. Teams AND Players hate the arbitration system. Neither party wants to go the hearing, so they try to come to their own agreement before hand. Solely based on Pelf’s innings and performence over the last 4 years (this is not just a what did you do in 2011 system) he probably could have won MORE than he signed for.

          If you’d like to be SA and gamble that you don’t think he’s worth it, then you submit your offer… go to a hearing and explain to 3 people why a guy wearing your uniform doesn’t deserve X dollars.

          Then when/if you lose, 3 people who do not care a thing about your finances decide on his contract.
  • Ghost of Omar January 18, 2012 at 8:27 am

    Your response jessup is the reason nobody can discuss any alternative move with you or any of the alderson lapdogs. Discuss an idea and you all just berate the author and make gun of the fact that that person, unlike you has a brain, that functions on its own. Meanwhile, when you are correctly labeled by a thinking person, you whine and cry about how you all are attacked and why can’t there be any civil discussion,. in fact your idea is blind obedience. Your only idea is blind obedience. Why is that? I believe you all are on the Met staff, and since the Met front office is incapable of improving the team, you all are told to spend your time defending your master hoping that people with functioning brains, become the brainless thoughtless entities that you are. Tell your lordship it don’t work. and certainly enjoy the sacred emptiness of the morgue that fred built this year.
    • jessep January 18, 2012 at 9:04 am

      Ghost: So my logical response with the actual realities of baseball is why “nobody” can discuss any moves with me? That makes sense.

      I see you went again with this lordship play, which is so ridiculously old it’s not even that funny anymore. Nothing I said was uncivil yet you go into attack mode.

      What was the alternative move that was being discussed? Not avoiding arbitration and allowing 3 people who care nothing about the Mets finances to decide what Pelfrey is worth? I’m sorry if explaining why that is NOT in the Mets interest hurts your feelings but its true.

      You want the Mets to what? Decline arbitration? That ship has sailed, that’s like complaining today about the Mets not signing Reyes. You can’t go back and change the course of history you have to deal with the reality in front of you.

      So the Mets had 2 options Ghost. Either A) Agree on a 1 year deal with Pelfrey, or go through the arbitration process where Pelfrey and his agent submit a salary demand, the Mets submit there’s and then it’s up to 3 arbitrators.

      Explain to me how that is better for the Mets than just agreeing to a 1 year deal? Please enlighten me. Tell me which option was better for the METS not to Sandy Alderson, but for the METS. Then we can talk about blind obedience.

      By the way:

      “I believe you all are on the Met staff, and since the Met front office is incapable of improving the team, you all are told to spend your time defending your master hoping that people with functioning brains, become the brainless thoughtless entities that you are.”

      I just pee’d a little I laughed so hard.
      • will January 18, 2012 at 9:22 am

        ghost the bottom line is jessep is just a tool who talks out both sides of his mouth, the archives prove that, and someone who defends his savior no matter the move. 7 straight losing seasons (soon to be 8) and SA never does anything wrong, at least in jesseps world, maybe when he gets off his knees and cleans up maybe he will notice the empty stands at citi and the toilet bowl rating on SNY and realize SA cannot run a t ball team and needs 2 other clueless tools to do that.
        • jessep January 18, 2012 at 9:43 am

          Yes the bottom line is tht when things like arbitration or minor league contracts or rule 5 picks occur, I speak with logic rather than hysteria. I will guarantee you that if Phillips, Omar, or sandy were the GM during arbitration hearings, I would say the same thing.

          The only people who make it about Sandy Alderson are the ones who have nothing else to say but need to chime in with hysteria and fantasy scenarios.

          Mike Pelfrey was going to be offered arbitration, we already knew that. Complaining about his 1 year deal to avoid a hearing is such a waste of time and energy is just proves that certain people will complain about anything and everything.

          If the Mets chose to go all the way in arbitration and Pelfrey got lets say $5.8 mil, all of the Ghost’s and will’s of the world would be screaming “why didn’t they sign him, why let 3 arbitrators decide the Mets fate!?”

          You refuse to take a step back and think “every team does this because teams don’t like giving power to arbitrators to decide how they spend their money.” and guess what players don’t like it either.
          • trs86 January 18, 2012 at 10:02 am

            I think it also has to be factored in that neither group really wins when they go to arbitration. Often the relationship between player and team is never the same.
        • trs86 January 18, 2012 at 9:25 am

          Wow, all this because he has a different opinion.
• Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 12:11 pm

  Joe don’t tell that to any, srt, jesshup, xtreem, donal and the rest of the army because this is the ONLY way to go about things according to them.

  Pelf should have been packaged in a trade a long time ago.

  5.7 million for Pelf
  12 million for Francisco – was there even an attempt to try and land Andrew Bailey? At this rate I would have settled for one year of Brad Lidge at 8 million
  3.5 million for Rauch.

  Yeah, real smart spending but according to Sandy’s army – do not question him but it’s okay to question past GMs
• Sponge Bob January 17, 2012 at 12:18 pm

  You would have been better off just burning the six million than having us suffer thru another season of watching Pelfrey destroy the Mets chances for a win and burn out the bullpen. This was a complete and utter waste of money!
• Russell Zanca January 17, 2012 at 12:19 pm

  Hi Boss,

  I know I suck eggs and was more or less a colossal flop last year, but I think a big raise is in order. “Why, yes, Mike, you’ve earned it.” The boss continues, “Please keep entertaining our dwindling crowds with your licking, face wiping, talking-to-yourself idiocy, as we go down by four or more runs in the fourth or fifth inning every time you take the ball.”

  If only I had a job in the Alice in Wonderland World that is Citifield!
• Mr North Jersey January 17, 2012 at 12:20 pm

  The arbitration system is what it is. Many reports were close on what Pelfrey could expect. Pelfrey has one thing and that is he puts up a lot of innings though the quality of those innings is something else all together. Also I am concerned if Pefrey’s arm can continue to hold up with the reports of him having pitched through pain at times in years past.

  I’m not high on the Francisco signing but Ramirez looks to be promising and Rauch is growing on me (no pun intended).
  • Kranepool7 January 17, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Hey I couldn’t help noticing your comment regarding Pelfrey pitching in pain at times. I had never heard that before. What kind of pain was it?
    • NJstuckinTX January 17, 2012 at 12:43 pm

      It was an optical pain. All watching actually experienced the same type pain. Symptoms include headache, nausea, desire to consume alcohol, upset stomach, loss of the desire to live and confusion.
      • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 12:49 pm

        anyway, the unfunny stuff aside what prospects could have been used to try and land Andrew Bailey therefore freeing up the money wasted on Francisco & Rauch on maybe SP and a catcher while packaging Pelf and/or with Wright along with Havens or Valdespin for SP as well all the long while using the money smarter by signing Reyes, since FLA is only paying him 10 million this year, etc, etc.

        Or…just follow along with Sandy like the robotic Fred Flintstone going Yabba…Dabba…Doo
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 12:53 pm

          Which team was going to send a SP for a guy you just declared isn’t even worth a $5.6mil arbitration contract, plus a 29 year old 3B approaching a contract year making $15mil, and then two borderline prospects?

          What kind of team is going to send a good SP (obviously you’d want young-ish right?) in exchange for taking on salary, and probably a worse SP in Pelfrey plus 2 guys who aren’t anything special right now, 1 of which who can’t even stay healthy?

          You’ll take this response on negative, but its realistic. Your fantasy world where other teams GMs are going to hand the Mets players is comical at times.
        • NJstuckinTX January 17, 2012 at 12:56 pm

          You can hindsight this all you want. Oakland would not have moved Bailey for an increase in their payroll, at all. They would not want Wright or Pelfrey, or even Niese for that matter. They are jettisoning 1st year Arb players. So I don’t see how that would have been a match at all.

          Yes, I do wish Sandy had been more active on the trade front, but I don’t want to see any prospects at this current time traded for a run at mediocrity. There are more than 2 or 3 holes on this team.
          • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 1:01 pm

            but you can hindsight GMs like Minaya or Phillips. I’ve hated most of Alderson’s moves right from the beginning.

            It’s coming to the point where it’s actually starting to get easy to think of better moves than what Alderson is doing. Maybe this GM really is that BAD. This GM may be god-awful horrendous by the time all is said is done

            This guy makes so many bad moves it’s becoming an epidemic
            • Chris January 17, 2012 at 1:19 pm

              and how do you know these “better moves than what Alderson is doing” are moves that actually could be made even if he wanted to?
      • Mike Lloyd January 18, 2012 at 12:17 am

        LOL…Thats the single best line ha ha LOL.
    • Mr North Jersey January 17, 2012 at 12:57 pm

      “I had a strained rotator cuff and a strained posterior capsule almost the whole season,” – Mike Pelfrey regarding his 2010 season

      http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-mike-pelfrey-chance-opening-day-prove-ace-johan-santana-article-1.114179
• Carl S. January 17, 2012 at 12:20 pm

  Why didnt they go to arbitration with him? There is no way an arbitrator would have sided on a raise for Pelfrey, no way.
  • theonlymaskman January 18, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Yes, it’s hard to believe the arbitrator would have awarded him more than this amount. I continue to believe that SA has one of the easiest jobs around. Since there is no money to be had, don’t expend any effort on finding talent. Then just roll over and pay big bucks to make the few pickups that are possible and sign the easy contract to shut up the existing players. What an easy job! Anybody could do that.
• Original Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 12:23 pm

  Somebody is not minding the store. Not thrilled with this offseason’s moves at all.
• Kranepool7 January 17, 2012 at 12:37 pm

  Adding more to the folly of paying a pitcher like this $5MM+ were all the rumors that Niese was on the trade market rather than this guy. If the Mets had simply just waved Pelfrey, would there be any team that would have given him more than a one year deal for $1.5 million dollars?
• Raylo January 17, 2012 at 12:41 pm

  In 2011 Reyes will make $10 million or about the same as Pelfrey and Rauch combined. The Marlins, Nats, Braves and Phillies GM’s can run rings around Alderson and Co.
  • Donal January 17, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    It helps when you don’t have to cut your payroll by nearly half.

    and Ruben amaro Jr hasn’t run rings around anyone. He took over the organization Pat Gillick built and has been hanging on since.
• Donal January 17, 2012 at 12:53 pm

  We may think that this is an outrageous amount, but look at what other guys who did the same or worse than Pelfrey are making. Guys like Burnett and Lackey. $5 million and change doesn’t look so bad then.

  Also, yes, Pelf had a rough 2011. But, that isn’t all the arbiter looks at. Pelfrey over the last 4 years has been a decent back of the rotation pitcher. $5-$6 million for a #4 who gives you 30 starts is about average.

  Cap had a better 2011, but how was he the previous few years? Also, he’s making less money in 2012 to gurantee a job for 2013.
• Trade Wright for Nolan Arenado January 17, 2012 at 12:56 pm

  Just another funny signing from the most hilarious joke in sports…The New York Mets.
• Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 12:59 pm

  Seriously, what is going on here… we can get $5 pelfrey’s at his salary.. miguel batista at 40 years of age will out pitch this piece of ****… my god… this front office’s crew is the WORST by far… 62-100 might be a posibility after all..
• Chris January 17, 2012 at 1:09 pm

  still a possibility he can be traded. Rockies just did a sign-and-trade with Smith.

  but who makes his starts?

  I know you all love to assume that every free agent wants to play for the Mets and every GM wants to hand over prospects and major league ready talent to them for nothing. but that is not how it works.

  30 starts is not easy to replace.
  • Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    Chris, other than the mets and this group of GM’s in the front office, who will pay this bum $5 million?? sorry, not happening, this guy is a bum, IS AMAZING how some people still defend alderson and the moves he makes, btw, when are we getting the franchise players he promised us (Roll eyes)
    • Chris January 17, 2012 at 1:23 pm

      that’s all great, but you didn’t answer my question.

      who makes his starts?

      be careful, now.
    • Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 1:50 pm

      Gee,Santana, Dickey, niese, batista, hell, pat misch… and the list of FA pitchers STILL availbale that are better than that Bum.:

      http://www.sportscity.com/mlb/2012-mlb-free-agents-pitchers/

      look at all he pitchers cheaper, better than pelfrey… we could’ve had a few of those for what we paying pelfrey, but sandy is not even trying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      • Chris January 17, 2012 at 2:31 pm

        well, Gee, Santana, Dickey, and Niese are already making starts, so not quite sure how they can make Pelfrey’s starts also.

        Batista hasn’t started 30 games since ’07, and the most games Misch has started in the majors is seven.

        and the list on that website is outdated. a lot of those guys have signed already, and the ones that are left don’t really seem like they are desperate for a job so they prob wouldn’t come to the Mess for any reasonable price.

        it’s quite possible they just want to build trade value so they can get something for him at the deadline. If he is pitching well, and Harvey, Familia, or Wheeler are ready, they can get something nice for him, especially with one year of arbitration left. And also, he is an every-other-year pitcher. This is his on year. That’s really more a joke than anything. But it is true.
  • Joe D January 17, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    30 solid starts are not easy to replace, but Pelfrey gives the Mets only 8-10 solid starts and that is very easy to replace.
    • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:03 pm

      If you want to just look at the runs he gave up compared to innings pitched
      4-22: 7IP 1ER (Took Win) 4-1
      5-5: 7.2IP 1ER (Took Win) 5-2
      5-10: 6.2IP 3ER (Took Win) 4-3
      5-16: 7IP 1ER (ND) 1-2
      5-28: 7.2IP 2ER (ND) 2-5
      6-8: 6IP 2ER (ND) 6-7
      6-13: 7IP 2ER (Took Loss) 1-3
      6-18: 9IP 1ER (Took Win) 6-1
      7-5: 6IP 0ER (Took Win) 6-0
      7-10: 6IP 2ER (Took Loss) 2-4
      7-27: 9IP 2ER (Took Win) 8-2
      8-1: 6IP 2ER (ND) 3-7
      8-24: 6IP 3ER (Took Win) 7-4
      9-9: 6.2IP 3ER (ND) 5-4
      9-14: 7IP 0ER (Took Loss) 0-2

      That’s 15 starts.
      • Donal January 17, 2012 at 2:07 pm

        And that was his “worst year ever”.
      • Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 2:18 pm

        Jesse,P, of course you’d defend pelfrey in order to make sandy look good, don’t forget that as “ok” as he looks on those starts, this is how bad he looked on the rest ok:

        4/1: 4.1 IP 5 ER
        4/6: 2 IP 7 ER
        4/11: 5.1 IP 4 ER
        4/15: 5 IP 4 ER
        4/29: 4 IP 4 ER
        5/22: 6 IP 5 ER
        6/2: 5 IP 7 ER
        6/30 4.2 IP 4 ER
        7/17: 5 IP 4 ER
        7/22: 6 IP 4 ER
        8/8: 6.1 IP 4 ER
        8/13: 4 IP 3 ER
        8/19: 5 IP 4 ER
        9/4: 4.2 IP 3 ER
        9/20: 6 IP 5 ER
        9/25: 3 IP 5 ER

        Do the Math…. he’s a horrible pitcher and does not deserve that contract… another terrible job by sandy but hey, he’s a genius
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:27 pm

          Alex: You would have been better off replying “I don’t understand baseball economics”

          this way you would have cut to the chase with your post.

          By the way, funny how now I’m defending Mets players, yet a few hours ago you said I hate all Mets players. Which is it?

          Go study up on MLB arbitration. Just like you probably didn’t know what the Rule 5 draft was until last year, arbitration will be a nice wikipedia page to read
          • Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 2:35 pm

            you’re not defending pelfrey, you/re defending sandy alderson, by saying pelfrey’s not as bad as it looks for the money he’s getting.. hell, jonathan sanchez just got $5.5 in arbitration by the royals… stop licking the man’s balls and admit he’s the worst GM in met history and has been taken to school by every GM in the NL East, and please, do not give me that crap about the mets had not $, he can make trades to at least show the fan base he’s trying something, spending $ on relivers with 3.50 abd up ERA’s are not good moves, all you needed to know about the man as a GM was in how he handled the reyes signing…
            • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:37 pm

              The same Jon Sanchez who had 19 starts and 4 wins in 2011 and has thrown over 165 innings once in 4 years? That Jon Sanchez? Wow, you got me there.
              • Ghost of Omar January 18, 2012 at 8:31 am

                Obviously, the Mets are going to be the world champs this year, since you alderson lovers/worshippers are now declaring that there is not one pitcher in baseball who can replace the underpaid and undervalued Mike Pelfrey. Who runs this manure for you all? Certainly not Jay Horwitz. You all are incredible. NOT
            • Chris January 17, 2012 at 2:49 pm

              oh so he should be making trades to “at least show the fan base he’s trying something”? regardless if they are good baseball moves or not. but just to show the fans he’s trying.

              this is getting hilarious.
              • Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 2:54 pm

                so wait a minute, if he makes a trade for bailey or gio, or someone who can help us why would it be view as a bad trade??? i don’t like the man, but if he makes a move that is good for the team and to make us better i’m up for it, he signed ronny cedeno, i said i thought it was a good move, i like cedeno and i think he’ll help us, but the man is not trying.. he had a good day according to some IDIOT and went hybernation mode…
      • Joe D January 17, 2012 at 2:18 pm

        Still nothing here that tells me he is irreplaceable. Dickey had close to 25 quality starts in comparison. A pitcher who gives you 15 quality starts out of 33 in a No. 5 starter – hardly irreplaceable.
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:25 pm

          Replaceable by whom though? Everybody is replaceable on the Mets… are you siding with the argument above about that Batista+Pat Misch would be better than having Pelfrey if so then frankly you are dead wrong.

          Dickey had 22 starts comparable to the list I provided with Pelfrey. I’m not sure what that proves? Dickey could have gone to arbitration last year but he chose to sign a 2 year guaranteed deal instead.
• Joe Diaz January 17, 2012 at 1:10 pm

  I would’ve non-tendered this basketcase and signed a guy like Piniero to a minor league deal.If you’re crying poverty you don’t spend 6 million on a guy like Pelfrey.
  • Mr North Jersey January 17, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t?
• Alex68 January 17, 2012 at 1:13 pm

  Braves signed Jurrjens for $5.5MM.
  • Raylo January 17, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    I mentioned in another post that NL East GM’s run rings around Alderson, this just ices it.
  • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Jurgens signs for less the Pelfrey – UNBELIEVABLE

    ALL HAIL SANDY ALDERSON – HE IS OUR LEADER THOU SHALT NOT WANT!
    • jessep January 17, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      See its comments like this that create a divide between Mets fans. There’s bats**t crazy and sane. No in between it seems. Why does Jurrjens’ contract warrant such a comment when you clearly do not even understand the process for which Jurrjens got his contract?

      You don’t understand that the fact Jurrjens has missed at least 10 starts each of the last 2 years impacts the arbitration offer he will receive. This was Jurrjens 2nd year of arbitration, he got a $3million raise last year and then a $2 million raise this year. Pelfrey’s salary DROPPED due to the contract he had when he was drafted during the 2009 season from just over $3mil DOWN to 500k in 2010.

      Jurrjens lack of health compared to Pelfrey’s is reason enough for him to deserve the extra $100,000 you are flipping out about.

      You say Jurrjens is a better pitcher, and I agree with you but show me why in 2010 Jurrjens deserved just as much money as Pelfrey?

      You don’t understand the process and you’re making a big deal out of $100,000 because it just adds to your hysteria, even though it doesn’t make sense.
  • Chris January 17, 2012 at 1:38 pm

    not quite understanding the comparison here. are you saying the Mets should have tried to get Jurrjens, or are you saying look what the Braves get for their five and a half million and look what we get for ours?

    Jurrjens is in his second year of arbitration, Pelfrey is in his last. Pelfrey has made 30+ starts the last four years. Jurrjens has made 23 and 20 starts the last two years.

    Compare Pelfrey to a pitcher like him, duribility-wise, and then we can talk. If Jurrjens started 120+ games the last four years he would be making a lot more than 5.5 million. you understand how that works?
    • Joe D January 17, 2012 at 1:56 pm

      This is both their second go-round at arbitration. Pelfrey still has another year of arbitration and won’t be a free agent until after the 2013 season..
  • Joe D January 17, 2012 at 1:58 pm

    You dont have to go that far to make a comparison. R.A. Dickey will make $1.5 million less than Pelfrey in 2012.
    • Donal January 17, 2012 at 2:01 pm

      how many innings and starts does Dickey have the last 4 years?
      • Joe D January 17, 2012 at 2:06 pm

        I’m more concerned with how many innings and starts they will have in 2012 and how good those innings will be. To suggest Pelfrey is better than Dickey is something I will have to agree to disagree with you on..
        • jessep January 17, 2012 at 2:11 pm

          That’s not the arbitrator’s job. It’s not to project how he’ll do in 2012. It’s what he’s done up until the point when that players arbitration hearing happens.
          • Chris January 17, 2012 at 2:42 pm

            I think this is still a case of people just not understanding the process of arbitration.

            30 ok starts on average for 5.6 million is a steal in todays starting pitcher market. 2011 was the first time Pelfrey wasn’t worth 5.6 million since starting full time.

            I hate Pelfrey as much as everyone else, but without a viable replacement that you can pencil in for 30 starts, this move made sense. Not because Alderson made it, but because it’s a good baseball decision. Letting 30 starts just walk when you don’t have a sure replacement for them just isn’t smart. Especially, when you are already a starter short.
        • srt January 17, 2012 at 3:00 pm

          Per a Heyman tweet a little while ago:

          ‘remember, arb prices are based largely on service time. so value vs. salary may seem skewed in many cases.’

          I don’t think many fans understand the whole arbitration process, for the most part. They just see the salary agreed to, compare it to last year’s numbers – and make a decision just based on that if a player is worth it.
        • Donal January 17, 2012 at 3:04 pm

          I agree with you that Dickey will likely have a more productive 2012. But it goes deeper than that. Like it or not, Pelfrey’s had a more productive career to this point. And he has age on his side.

          And knuckle ballers are not known for their consitency.
    • Chris January 17, 2012 at 2:05 pm

      yeah not quite getting that comparison either.
• Joey D. January 17, 2012 at 1:16 pm

  At least I’m glad to see the Mets spending money on the roster and avoiding arbitration. Even if it’s Pelfrey, it’s a small moral victory.

  Very small.
• Metstheory22 January 17, 2012 at 1:21 pm

  Great Country and great game. If he was a Lefthander, he might have gotten more. Let him walk at the end of his contract if we can’t trade him.
  • Mr North Jersey January 17, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    “Great Country and great game.”

    Agreed
    • Metstheory22 January 17, 2012 at 4:06 pm

      Where else can you this bad and get a 1.75 million dollar raise
• Mike Lloyd January 18, 2012 at 5:45 am

  Joe D, You forgot to mention that Pelfrey, can make an additional 1 mil. as a national spokesman for Kentucky Fried Chicken…lol, on a serious note however, it’s just as likely Pelfrey will bounce back as completely tank. After the flashes he’s shown in the past, and all kidding aside, the Mets would have been better served, IMHO, moving on from Pelf… You have to wonder if the kid will ever be
  able to produce in NYC…He just might be
  better suited to pitch in KC or Oakland or Pirtsburgh. I’m sure that the Mets could have gotten more bang for their buck than 15 or 16 quality starts starts out of 33. I saw the argument above that 200 innings is hard to replace…Well, guys get hurt year in and year out, sometimes after only 1 or 2 starts in a season, and somebody always manages to
  step up and replace those innings don’t they?
  Didn’t the great Chris Young last year? Pelfrey for 5.7 million…really? seriously? Now thats finger lickin’ good…
• Hitman January 18, 2012 at 11:16 am

  You got to be kidding me! No way in hell is Pelfrey worth anywhere near $5.7 million. Stupid, stupid move by the Mets.
  • jessep January 18, 2012 at 11:25 am

    And when an arbitrator disagreed with you and says he’s worth more, then what?
    • Hitman January 18, 2012 at 11:34 am

      What arbitrator in his right mind would say that Pelfrey is worth more?
      • trs86 January 18, 2012 at 11:40 am

        The lowest the Mets could have offered would be 3.1M then Mike would have most likely matched with around 6M. Then the Mets would have to go to the table with Pelfrey there and proclaim how crappy of a pitcher he is and how he is not worth but…. then an arbitrator would look at his 2 year average and his comparable and most likely side with Pelfrey. If not then you would have a cheaper Pelfrey who would be even more of a basket case than he is now.
        • Mike Lloyd January 18, 2012 at 2:32 pm

          No they should have just cut him loose in December and not offered arbitration period. The expectation of a near six million dollar salary should have alerted the FO to just saying NO to begin with…
          • trs86 January 18, 2012 at 2:36 pm

            And went with who? Also, you do know that they don’t have to pay Pelfrey this amount right? He can be released in ST with little money owed. So why not sign him while you look for a bargain elsewhere?
  • trs86 January 18, 2012 at 11:18 am

    So in return they should have….
• Mike Lloyd January 18, 2012 at 3:44 pm

  Why not renounce rights in december when there is many more possible replacements? Why wait until spring?