Comments on: From Left Field: The 5th Bench Spot

By: Mets8fan

Mets8fan — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:02:50 +0000

How about Captain Kirk makes the team out of ST as the starting CF and Torres becomes the 5th OF??? I would love to see that!

By: Lisa P.

Lisa P. — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:53:05 +0000

Now that is something I would love to see.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:42:52 +0000

Something to keep in mind but Captain Kirk is also a LH bat. Is it possible he makes it out of ST as the LH caddie for Bay and compliment to Torres? There surely would be enough AB’s for him to not just be sitting around on his hands.

By: srt

srt — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:33:52 +0000

6 years of major league service time.

By: srt

srt — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:33:00 +0000

SA said the other day on his WFAN interview that he does expect there will be guys available due to this rule. Even insinuated guys that the Mets looked at to begin with that wound up signing with another team on a minor league contract.

By: any

any — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:26:49 +0000

a lot of these guys are going to have to roll the dice and either go FA and potentially sit at home, or go to the minors knowing they can opt out on 6/1. i bet a lot of guys take the 6/1 option to show they can still play.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:25:54 +0000

Countless veterans sign minor league deals with invites to spring training with no intentions or really thoughts that they might not make the MLB team. They looked around and saw things like Nationals are expecting to compete, maybe I could net a starting spot in CF…

By: any

any — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:25:45 +0000

Most of the names floated around had their own issues (in many cases no particular ability to play the field), and for the mets needs, baxter or Loewen (he also really intrigues me) cold just as easily do the job.

if not, they will find someone else in ST before the season starts. there are always plenty of last men on the bench types up for grabs.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:24:09 +0000

Because many have no intentions of playing in the minors to start with.

By: any

any — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:23:36 +0000

I think the idea is that other teams might be able to offer a ML gig.

say the nats are full and want to send Ankiel down, but the Mets need a 25th man and will offer him a spot on the 25 man ML roster. Which do you think he is taking?

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:22:10 +0000

I don’t believe for a second that it was they could not afford those guys. I think those guys are looking for a place they can have the most impact or where they are comfortable. Those types of guys are exactly who will be left after Baxter and Loewen have been given a chance to earn the spot.

By: Squidoo

Squidoo — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:12:03 +0000

I think too much is being made over this. $100,000 is like $5 bucks to a major league team. And why would it benefit any of these free agents to leave one minor league contract for another? Wouldn’t they have already weighed which minor league team they wanted to sign with in the first place when they signed the minor league deal?

By: FL Met Fan Rich

FL Met Fan Rich — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:09:01 +0000

There will be plenty of cuts at the end of Spring Training. There is a new rule in effect that 5 days before the season starts9^ yrs service I believe if you are not on roster, they must give player $100k if they send him to minors plus they can be free agents in June.

By: Hodges14

Hodges14 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:08:49 +0000

When you consider what Ankiel signed for and Endy, it’s kind of a bummer we didn’t have enough left for one of them after spending $20 million on the bullpen. Baxter sounds like a nice guy and all, when the chips are down and Collins needs a pinch hitter off the bench, it doesn’t matter how nice you are, you still need someone productive at the plate that gives you a chance for a something meaningful to happen.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:54:26 +0000

Great point with the rule changes there will be some names out there for sure.

I am also very intrigued by Loewen. He’s still only 27, hit for power and had some speed as well last year in AAA. I expect at this point Baxter and Loewen to compete for that spot with the loser being not only off the MLB team but perhaps out of the organization, a winner take all battle could be intriguing.

By: Steve S.

Steve S. — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:46:45 +0000

I wonder who might be cut by another team in spring training to be the LH OFer on the bench?