As the Mets enter the off-season, there are questions swirling about how much money will be available to Sandy Alderson and what the payroll will look like next season. With big names like Max Scherzer and Hanley Ramirez hitting the open market, here are five guys that few are discussing that could make an impact for the Mets. Of course money is always a concern with the Mets, but none of these players will break the bank.
1. Nick Markakis: Markakis has spent his entire career in Baltimore and at age 30 he is now ready to become a free agent for the first time. He signed an extension with the Orioles in 2009 and has a team option for $17.5 million in 2015. It seems unlikely that Baltimore will exercise that option because of its high price. Instead they will probably pay the $2 million buyout and move on from the veteran outfielder. Markakis is a career .290 hitter and ranked 49th in Major League Baseball this season with a .342 on-base-percentage. He would have ranked second to only Lucas Duda had he been a Met this year. He could likely move from right-field to left-field and fit nicely into the middle of the Mets lineup. My guess is that he’ll command a 3-4 year deal worth $12 million per year.
2. Colby Rasmus: Rasmus was once a highly thought of prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He was traded in 2011 to the Blue Jays in a veteran swap that included Trever Miller, Edwin Jackson and Corey Patterson. Since joining the Blue Jays, he’s hit .234 with 66 home runs in 4 seasons. He’s an above average defender and could move from center field to left field. Rasmus reminds me of a power hitting version of Matt den Dekker. He can run and while his batting average isn’t immensely high, he hits for a bit of power which could do wonders for the Mets. Rasmus will become a free agent for the first time this year and will command a 3-year deal worth roughly $8 million per year. That type of deal will take him to the ripe old age of 31.
3. Jed Lowrie: Could Lowrie go from one moneyball team to another? Currently a member of the Oakland A’s, Lowrie put together a mediocre season with the bat at an inopportune time. He’ll enter free agency with a .249 batting average and just eight home runs, compared to 15 and 16 the last two seasons respectively. While many have discussed J.J. Hardy as a possible upgrade for the Mets at shortstop, Lowrie’s name has flown under the radar. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Mets gave him a long hard look this winter.
4. Andrew Miller: One thing the Mets haven’t been able to find in their farm system is a dominant left handed reliever. Miller hits the open market this year after being bounced around between the Tigers, Marlins, Red Sox and most recently the Orioles. Since becoming a reliever full time in 2012 he has a 2.57 ERA over 133.1 innings. This season, lefties hit just .163 against him. Miller is actually as good against righties as he is against lefties but signing him could open a path to trading away one of the other talented men in the Mets bullpen.
5. Torii Hunter: It’s odd that I’m including a guy that will turn 40 during next season on this list but Hunter brings more to the table than his offense and defense. He is obviously a gifted outfielder and was able to hit .286 with 17 home runs this year for the Tigers. What Hunter would bring is more than the statistics though. He is a bonafide leader and a veteran presence with a winning attitude. There’s nothing like a veteran presence to help David Wright and Matt Harvey teach this team how to win. Hunter could be a perfect fit in left field if he’s willing to take a one or two year deal worth around $10 million per season.
Are there any players that you can see the Mets targeting that haven’t been discussed?
