Wait!!! What???? Spend $62 million bucks on a starting pitcher?
OK not exactly the headline remotely expected from the Mets front office, where pennies are pinched so much that they melt them down for the copper & zinc and sold off to Liberty Scrap Metal over in Jamaica. After rereading Mr. Sherman’s quote below thanks to BBLB, I started to kick around how such a methodical plan could be achieved with a fan base that could be mistaken for an anorexic. So starving for something, ANYTHING! To root for with a realistic chance of winning more games than not.
“From conversations with multiple executives, I sense the magic number is about $30 million for next year’s budget, to get the overall payroll into the $90 million-ish range again, with plans to steadily increase that over subsequent seasons.” – Joel Sherman, New York Post, September 23.
A flexible 30 million to spend in an offseason on talent, with a quick 25% spent on a one year stop gap, leaving 75% of money left over and seemingly 75% of the roster to make over. We all know how this story ends. All that taken into consideration I think the next move the Mets should make is sign Matt Garza to a four year, $62 million contract. When he is on he is an ace, at his worst he is better than most #3 starters. You can write down double digit wins, a 3.50 ERA a little less than a strikeout per inning.
While a 200 IP has been the conversation, the Mets need someone who can be electrifying. Arroyo would be the safe play; 190 IP, 150 Ks, 10+ wins, but he hardly electrifies. With Harvey gone the Mets will need someone who can stop the four game slides. Neise and Gee are nice but they are what they are, not aces. Garza gives the Mets someone to take the ball on Opening Day.
Paying Garza an AAV of $15 million for four years doesn’t hinder the future, it actually enhances it. Wheeler’s mental toughness for New York has been thoroughly mentioned/questioned in various forms of media. Having Garza in front of him in the rotation would relieve a lot of the pressure. Garza also has the experience of dealing with being the man in a city starving for a pennant. Glancing an eye on 2015 he would slide down the rotation seamlessly. It would also allow the Mets to do as they wish with Montero and Thor – which is spread out the contracts of their rotation and not have them all come up for arbitration in the same 12 month period.
2014 2015
- Garza Harvey
- Niese Wheeler
- Wheeler Niese
- Gee Garza
- Mejia/Dice K Thor
Alternatively, it would also allow the Mets to deal Gee, whose value will probably never be higher. In dealing Gee, perhaps Daniel Murphy, and one of their glut at first base, it would open up another $10-12 million on the books for another corner outfielder or shortstop while offsetting the cost of Garza in addition to the $8 million still on hand.
A deal for Garza would benefit the here and now as well as the tomorrow, allowing the Mets to leverage themselves into position on some of the more high priced talent available through trades.
Pitching wins right?
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This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO reader, John Sasso. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 22,000 Mets fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to us at [email protected]. Or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.
