There’s no time for the Mets to reflect and relax as today the team goes into offseason mode and begins to prepare for the 2016 season.
First thing on the agenda is activating Zack Wheeler, Josh Edgin, Buddy Carlyle, Rafael Montero, Jack Leathersich, Wilfredo Tovar, and Darrell Ceciliani from the 60 day disabled list.
All of them must be activated to the 40 Man Roster today or be designated for assignment.
There will be plenty of room should the Mets want to keep all of them as several players will be filing for free agency today and tomorrow.
The Mets will also need to decide which players they want to protect from the Rule 5 Draft which will be held at the Winter Meetings at Nashville, Tennessee on December 10.
Players who are eligible to be selected include Brandon Nimmo, Matt Bowman and Wuilmer Becerra to name a few. Some big decisions to be made.
What follows is a summary I compiled of our 2016 Payroll Commitments, Arbitration Eligible Players and Free Agents, along with some observations.
Guaranteed Contracts
David Wright – $20,000,000
Curtis Granderson – $16,000,000
Michael Cuddyer – $12,500,000
Jon Niese – $9,050,000
Juan Lagares – $2,500,000
The New York Mets have $60,050,000 in guaranteed contracts committed to these five players. Michael Cuddyer‘s contract looks like an albatross at this point, but I have to believe they will try to unload Jon Niese to anyone team that would take him this Winter. I doubt they’re going to put him back in the rotation next season, and $9 million is pretty expensive for a middle reliever.
Arbitration Eligible
Eric Young Jr. – $1,000,000 ($750K)
Buddy Carlyle – $725,000 ($1.1M)
Ruben Tejada – $1,880,000 ($2.5M)
Lucas Duda – $4,200,000 ($6.8M)
Addison Reed – $4,875,000 ($5.7M)
Carlos Torres – $585,000 ($800K)
Anthony Recker – $520,000 ($700K)
Jenrry Mejia – $2,595,000 ($2.6M)
Matt Harvey – $650,000 ($4.7M)
Jeurys Familia – $525,000 ($3.3M)
Josh Edgin – $520,000 ($600K)
The first number represents their salary for the 2015 season, and the second number in parentheses is the projected salary by MLB Trade Rumors.
Lucas Duda, Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia alone represent roughly $7 million in raises. I can’t see them offering Addison Reed arbitration and the same can be said about Jenrry Mejia.
The others are all on the bubble although Ruben Tejada and Eric Young Jr. have a better than 50 percent chance of returning next season.
Free Agents – 2015 Salary
Bartolo Colon – $11,000,000
Yoenis Cespedes – $10,500,000
Tyler Clippard – $8,300,000
Daniel Murphy – $8,000,000
Juan Uribe – $7,500,000
Eric O’Flaherty – $5,500,000
Bobby Parnell – $3,700,000
Jerry Blevins – $2,400,000
Kelly Johnson $1,500,000
The only two players on that list who could come back are Jerry Blevins and Kelly Johnson. Otherwise, it’s safe to say we’ve seen the last of Daniel Murphy who’s been with Mets organization since being drafted by the Mets nine years ago.
Trade Deadline additions Yoenis Cespedes, Juan Uribe and Tyler Clippard and Eric O’Flaherty are as good as gone.
No rest for the weary, as the Mets front office goes back to work today.
