Latest Mets News

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Jon Heyman of the NY Post reported that the New York Mets have signed starting pitcher Sean Manaea to a two-year deal. The contract is reportedly worth a total of $28 million and includes a player opt-out after the 2024 season.

Latest MLB News

The Los Angeles Angels announced on Saturday that they agreed to a one-year contract with right-handed pitcher Zach Plesac. As part of the move, they outrighted Adam Kolarek to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Latest on MMO

Ricky Keeler analyzed how the Harrison Bader signing continues the New York experience trend.

Johnluke Chaparro wrote a free agent profile on center fielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger.

Jack Markowski discussed the Mets’ 2024 plan to focus on run prevention.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Francisco Rodriguez (42), Jorge Toca (53), Craig Shipley (61), Carlos Diaz (66)

The post Morning Briefing: Zach Plesac Officially Signs With Angels appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets, following an impressive stretch last week, stagnated as they lost two of three to both the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels this week. There was a silver lining, however, as Francisco Lindor sustained his torrid play while Adam Kolarek impressed in his first handful of outings as a Met.

Hitter of the Week

Lindor is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career, but it feels as though he’s flown under the radar despite being one of MLB’s finest talents.

Lindor opened his week with a 2-for-5 showing against the Braves on Monday, which included a three-run home run in the sixth inning off former teammate Brad Hand as part of a 10-4 Mets win. On Tuesday, he drew a walk and tallied a double before reaching base three times in Wednesday’s contest.

Lindor supplied the Mets’ only run of the game against the Angels on Friday with a solo shot off Patrick Sandoval in the third inning. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday’s games, he went 2-for-9 on a pair of singles.

Lindor finished the week hitting .304/.385/.609 with two home runs and four RBIs.

Pitcher of the Week

After being drafted in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Mets, Kolarek is finally getting an opportunity in the majors with his original organization after spending parts of seven seasons elsewhere.

Kolarek’s first appearance of the week came against Atlanta on Tuesday as he threw two scoreless innings while allowing no hits and one walk to go with strikeouts of Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson. His next outing was against the Angels on Friday night as he completed a shutout inning with strikeouts of Nolan Schanuel and Mike Moustakas before finishing his week with yet another scoreless inning on Saturday.

In total, Kolarek threw four innings over the course of three appearances this week, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out five hitters.

The post Players of the Week: Lindor and Kolarek Provide A Spark appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Adam Kolarek, Photo by Herm Card

Kolarek entered Friday night’s game in the seventh inning, relieving Kodai Senga with lefties Nolan Schanuel and Shohei Ohtani coming up. On a 1-2 pitch, Kolarek froze Schanuel on a low-and-away slider to end the inning. In the eighth, the southpaw retired Ohtani on a grounder to Pete Alonso, hustling over to cover first base and get the out. After an infield single by Brandon Drury, Kolarek got Mike Moustakas to whiff on another down-and-away slider for the second out of the inning. Trevor Gott relieved Kolarek and struck out Luis Rengifo to strand the inherited runner on base.

Kolarek has never been a player who blows opponents away with velocity, but his funky delivery has always made him difficult to hit. Drury’s single, which registered at just 73.5 miles per hour, was the first hit Kolarek allowed as a Met, making his opponents just 1-for-14 against him.

Kolarek doesn’t get a ton of whiffs on his sinker, but he entered Friday’s action with a 40% whiff rate against his slider. Opponents also had just a .166 xBA (expected batting average)and .218 xSLG (expected slugging percentage) against Kolarek before Friday. Kolarek has always generated ground balls at a high rate, and he’s recorded just two outs in the air since coming to New York, compared to five groundouts. For his career, the 34-year-old owns a strong 62.5% ground ball rate.

What a play by Adam Kolarek! pic.twitter.com/VCutzeiC9i

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 23, 2023

A true lefty specialist, Kolarek has held southpaws to a weak .187/.239/.255 batting line, compared to a .308/.384/.485 line against righties. Unfortunately, the three-batter minimum hurts a pitcher like Kolarek, but if he can return to his 2020 form, where he pitched to a 0.95 ERA in 19 innings, then the Mets might have stolen an arm to lengthen their bullpen.

Kolarek has thrown as many as 55 innings in the majors and finally has an opportunity to play in the majors this year. With the Mets only having one other lefty in the bullpen currently (Brooks Raley, who has reverse splits), Kolarek should continue to get opportunities, especially against left-handed hitting. The lefty can’t hit free agency until after the 2025 season, and he could be a nice piece for the Mets’ bullpen as they look to get back into contention next year.

The post Adam Kolarek Impressing After Call-Up appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jeremiah Jackson. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets made two final deals before the trade deadline. First, they sent relief pitcher Dominic Leone to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for infield prospect Jeremiah Jackson. Then, to end the day, they acquired a duo of relievers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek for cash considerations.

The Mets originally signed Leone back on May 4 to a one-year deal with a base salary of $1.5 million. The 31-year-old right-handed reliever tossed 30 1/3 innings for New York posting a 4.40 ERA to go along with 33 strikeouts. His FIP of 5.26 indicated he was not the most effective when called upon, but he was able to eat up some innings helping preserve the bullpen at points.

In exchange for Leone, the Mets received an intriguing prospect in Jeremiah Jackson. Jackson, 23 years old, can play second base, third base, and shortstop. He was the Angels’ ninth-rated prospect before the season began according to MLB Pipeline and was ranked 18th midseason by Baseball America.

The former second-round pick owns a .248/.321/.447 slash line which equates to a  .768 OPS this year in Double-A. He has flashed some power, hitting 14 home runs last season and another 15 already this season. He has also stolen 21 bases as well. He has a career .816 OPS in the minor leagues.

Of course, he is not the prospect that the Angels thought he would develop into, but getting a top-20 ranked prospect (per Baseball America) in any team’s system, even one weaker such as the Angels, for a veteran reliever who owns subpar underlying numbers is an intriguing move.

As for the the final move of the day, New York brought in a pair of relievers with extensive MLB experience in Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek. Bickford has a 5.14 ERA (4.39 FIP) and 48 strikeouts across 42 innings with the Dodgers this season. Before posting a subpar 4.72 ERA in 2021, Bickford was very strong for Los Angeles in 2021 as he had a 2.50 ERA across 50 1/3 innings. He has struggled mightily with walks throughout his career. Bickford is under team control through the 2027 season.

Lastly, Kolarek has only worked 1 1/3 innings in the majors this season, buts own a decent career ERA of 3.73 across 144 2/3 career major-league innings. The unorthodox left-handed pitcher has a 2.40 ERA across 30 innings in Triple-A this season. He is due to be a free agent after the 2025 season.

Note, the first to report the Leone deal was Will Sammon of the Athletic. The first to report the Bickford/Kolarek deal was Robert Murray of FanSided.com.

The post Mets Trade Leone To Angels; Acquire Two Relievers From Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For the past few seasons, the Mets bullpen has been a major weakness. They have consistently ranked among the league’s worst, and they did not perform much better this past season.

In 2013, the Mets bullpen finished in the bottom ten with a 3.98 ERA (21st), 1.324 WHIP (22nd), .256 BAA (27th), and their 6.96 K/ was the worst in the majors.

However, help is on the way. Despite these struggles, the relief corps can become a strength in the future for the organization. The Mets have many talented relief prospects who have the ability to become successful at the major league level and some are already knocking at the door and were invited to Big League camp.

Here are my top five relief prospects for the Mets:

#5: Beck Wheeler

Beck Wheeler was absolutely dominant for Low-A Savannah in 2013. His ERA settled in at 2.32, and his WHIP was a dazzling 0.93. He also struck out 74 batters in just 50 innings pitched.  While the 24-year-old is an older prospect for his level, his age is deceiving.  He’s still an inexperienced pitcher because he did not start his time on the rubber until his senior year of college.  He still has a lot to prove moving forward, but he has potential to be a fast riser in the Mets’ system.

#4: Bret Mitchell

After missing the entire 2012 season due to hip surgery, Bret Mitchell was fabulous in 2013. He posted a 2.35 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP in 30 innings first half innings with Savannah, and he was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Mitchell was rewarded for his strong showing and got promoted to St. Lucie, where he continued his success.  Mitchell’s ERA against Florida State League competition stands at 1.76, striking out 34 in 30 innings.  Although there are many reasons to like Mitchell, there are also some concerns. He walked 6.5 batters per 9 innings with St. Lucie, and he has yet to pitch above High-A.

#3: Adam Kolarek

Adam Kolarek, the Mets’ 11th round pick in the 2010 draft, was one of the key pieces in Binghamton’s fabulous bullpen this year. He owned a 1.71 ERA and 1.09 WHIP through 63 innings of work, striking out 63 batters. The 6’3”, 215-pound lefty has a low 90’s fastball, and has been solid throughout his professional career. For the past three seasons, he’s owned a sub-3.00 ERA. If Kolarek can continue his success in 2014 with AAA Las Vegas, he could be a factor in the big league  bullpen next season.

#2: Jack Leathersich

Jack Leathersich has shown tremendous promise ever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round in 2011. His career minor league ERA is 3.46, and he has struck out 241 batters in only 143 innings.  In 2013, Leathersich could not have started his season any better. His ERA was a brilliant 1.53, while striking out 16.9 batters per 9 innings with AA Binghamton. Leathersich’s terrific first half with the B-Mets earned him a promotion to Las Vegas, but he encountered a rough patch. The hard-throwing lefty posted an awful 7.76 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP in 29 innings pitched for Las Vegas. He struggled the most with his control, walking 9 batters per 9 innings. While his second half for Las Vegas was discouraging, I expect him to rebound next season. Leathersich is a deceptive southpaw, and he has an explosive fastball with good movement.

#1: Jeff Walters

Jeff Walters wasn’t on many people’s radar heading into 2013, but his terrific performance this year has earned him a lot of recognition. He posted a terrific.2.09 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts  in 56 innings pitched for Binghamton. Walters led the Eastern league in saves, and also shattered Binghamton’s all-time single season record in with 38 saves. The right-hander has a blazing fastball that can reach the mid 90’s and he isn’t afraid to pound the zone. Walters ranks as my number one relief pitcher because he has a high upside, and could potentially make his debut sometime in 2014.

In addition to these five pitchers, the Mets have more intriguing young relievers in the minors. Other notable minor league relief pitchers include Chasen Bradford, Chase Huchingson and Hamilton Bennett.

The New York Mets also have an excellent young reliever already at the major league level as well in Jeurys Familia. With this impressive arsenal, and two swing-and-a-miss pitches, it is very likely that he steps forward in a very big way this season and emerges as a shutdown reliever in the very near future.

(Photos: MiLB.com, Baltimore Sun)

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The New York Mets were defeated 2-0 on Saturday, losing a pair of exhibition games to the Toronto Blue Jays at Olympic Stadium in Montreal before their home opener on Monday.

Today’s contest featured some great pitching on both sides as the game remained scoreless into the bottom of the eighth when Melky Cabrera blasted a two-run homer off Adam Kolarek to end the deadlock and give the Jays the sweep.

Daisuke Matsuzaka tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits while walking none and striking out eight batters. Dice-K has pitched incredibly well in his final two spring starts.

Other than that, Eric Young, Jr. led off and went 1 for 2 with a walk, and Daniel Murphy ad the only other hit of the day for the Mets.

The Mets will now head back to New York to get ready for their Opening Day matchup against the Washington Nationals on Monday at Citi Field. Dillon Gee will oppose Stephen Strasburg in a 1:10 PM start.

This is it… From here on in everything matters!

The post MMO Game Recap: Blue Jays 2, Mets 0 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

He’s a dark horse of sorts at the Mets spring training complex in Port St. Lucie. With so much attention fixed on young Met pitching guns, a list that includes Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, Jacob deGrom, and Cory Mazzoni, this tall left-handed relief specialist doesn’t command much hype. Yet, don’t be surprised if by the end of the Met’s Florida camp, if 24-year old Adam Kolarek has turned the heads of Met fans.

Quietly, Kolarek has built an impressive pitching resume in the Mets minor leagues. With each year, and at every level he pitches, the 6’3,” 215-pound lefty keeps getting better. Note Kolarek’s ERA totals pitching in four seasons in the minors for the Mets; 3.13, 2.85, 2.70, 2.28. Kolarek was brilliant out of the pen last season in Binghamton throwing in 44 games covering 63.0 innings, with a 1.71 ERA, while fanning 63 batters and walking only 22. Kolarek only allowed 47 hits in 2013 and only 3 of his pitches left the park.

Several factors might contribute to Kolarek’s steady progress and upward trend as he marches through the Mets system. Baseball is part of Kolarek’s DNA. Kolarek grew up with the game. Adam’s Dad, Frank was a catcher in the Oakland A’s system from 1976-1982 and currently works as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles. “When I was a kid, I didn’t feel like I had to be forced to go outside. I’d hurry up to get home from school just to meet back up and play before the sun went down.”

Frank Kolarek has been and continues to be a baseball mentor to his son. “As a catcher he learned physically and mentally on how to attack hitters with certain pitches in certain counts, and that’s something I never take for granted,” Kolarek told David Smith in an on-line interview earlier in his career. Father and son continue to analyze hitters and dissect each of Adam’s outings on the mound.

Kolarek should be comfortable getting the call to enter a game from the bullpen. Unlike many young prospects, he entered professional baseball as a relief specialist. Kolarek pitched out of the pen for the University of Maryland before signing to pitch for the Mets meaning the lefty has profited from a season-by-season refinement of the nuances that come with relief pitching.

And, finally the even-keeled Kolarek seems to have a temperament well suited for relief pitching success. The young Met pitching prospect understands the value of preparation, sets performance goals and works meticulously to realize them.

A low 90’s fastball that reaches 93 mph, moves away from left-handed batters, and has late sink is Kolarek’s go to pitch. Yet, Kolarek cites the improvements he’s made with his slider and change-up for his career best 2013 season. “The biggest difference has been my slider and change-up have made my fastball better, because I’m able to throw sliders and change-ups when I’m behind in the count. I’ve kind of been pitching backwards,” Adam told Craig Clary of the Baltimore Sun at the close of the 2013 season.

It’s just might be plausible that Kolarek’s backwards pitching consistency might help the Mets finally begin moving forward. The fact Kolarek retires right-handed batters as well or even better than lefties, makes the Met lefty and intriguing bullpen option, a guy who can do more than simply be asked to get a single out against a left-handed batter. Eastern League right handed batters hit less than .200 against Kolarek in 2013.

Even more compelling is that fact that the teams where Kolarek has pitched have all make the post season; in 2010 for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the NY/Penn League, in 2011 for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Gulf Coast League, in 2012 for Port St. Lucie of the Florida State League and last summer for the B-Mets in the Eastern League. Kolarek’s record as a ‘lucky charm’ might be reason enough to keep him in the Met pen this summer.

Kolarek has experience as both a closer and setup man. The lefty led Port St. Lucie with 18 saves in 2012 before acting as a bridge to B-Met record setting closer Jeff Walters last year. Kolarek was a mid and post season St. Lucie Met All-Star and the Mets MLB.com Organization All-Star in 2012.

Met fans have grown up learning to cheer for the underdog. In some ways we see a bit of ourselves in the passion we direct at the Mets. There’s a place in most Met fans that can relate to the plight of the underdog. After watching Pedro Lopez summon Adam Kolarek from the bullpen and hand him the baseball many times last summer in Binghamton, I’ve grown to admire and trust this kid’s work on the mound. I’ll be cheering loud should Kolarek beat the odds and get Sandy Alderson’s call to join the Met roster in Flushing this year.

(Photo courtesy of Baltimore Sun)

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#5: Beck Wheeler

Beck Wheeler was absolutely dominant for Low-A Savannah in 2013. His ERA settled in at 2.32, and his WHIP was a dazzling 0.93. He also struck out 74 batters in just 50 innings pitched.  While the 24-year-old is an older prospect for his level, his age is deceiving.  He’s still an inexperienced pitcher because he did not start his time on the rubber until his senior year of college.  He still has a lot to prove moving forward, but he has potential to be a fast riser in the Mets’ system.

#4: Bret Mitchell

After missing the entire 2012 season due to hip surgery, Bret Mitchell was fabulous in 2013. He posted a 2.35 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP in 30 innings first half innings with Savannah, and he was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Mitchell was rewarded for his strong showing and got promoted to St. Lucie, where he continued his success.  Mitchell’s ERA against Florida State League competition stands at 1.76, striking out 34 in 30 innings.  Although there are many reasons to like Mitchell, there are also some concerns. He walked 6.5 batters per 9 innings with St. Lucie, and he has yet to pitch above High-A.

#3: Adam Kolarek

Adam Kolarek, the Mets’ 11th round pick in the 2010 draft, was one of the key pieces in Binghamton’s fabulous bullpen this year. He owned a 1.71 ERA and 1.09 WHIP through 63 innings of work, striking out 63 batters. The 6’3”, 215-pound lefty has a low 90’s fastball, and has been solid throughout his professional career. For the past three seasons, he’s owned a sub-3.00 ERA. If Kolarek can continue his success in 2014 with AAA Las Vegas, he could be a factor in the big league  bullpen next season.

#2: Jack Leathersich

Jack Leathersich has shown tremendous promise ever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round in 2011. His career minor league ERA is 3.46, and he has struck out 241 batters in only 143 innings.  In 2013, Leathersich could not have started his season any better. His ERA was a brilliant 1.53, while striking out 16.9 batters per 9 innings with AA Binghamton. Leathersich’s terrific first half with the B-Mets earned him a promotion to Las Vegas, but he encountered a rough patch. The hard-throwing lefty posted an awful 7.76 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP in 29 innings pitched for Las Vegas. He struggled the most with his control, walking 9 batters per 9 innings. While his second half for Las Vegas was discouraging, I expect him to rebound next season. Leathersich is a deceptive southpaw, and he has an explosive fastball with good movement.

#1: Jeff Walters

Jeff Walters wasn’t on many people’s radar heading into 2013, but his terrific performance this year has earned him a lot of recognition. He posted a terrific.2.09 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts  in 56 innings pitched for Binghamton. Walters led the Eastern league in saves, and also shattered Binghamton’s all-time single season record in with 38 saves. The right-hander has a blazing fastball that can reach the mid 90’s and he isn’t afraid to pound the zone. Walters ranks as my number one relief pitcher because he has a high upside, and could potentially make his debut sometime in 2014.

In addition to these five pitchers, the Mets have more intriguing young relievers in the minors. Other notable minor league relief pitchers include Chasen Bradford, Chase Huchingson and Hamilton Bennett.  New York also has plenty of young relievers already at the major league level as well. Those include Vic Black, Gonzalez Germen and Jeurys Familia. With this impressive amount of young and talented relief pitchers, it is unlikely the Mets bullpen will continue to struggle in the future.

Who are some of your favorite minor league relief pitchers you will be keeping an eye on in 2014?

The post Top 5 Mets Relief Prospects appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Like two peas in a pod, Adam Kolarek and Chase Huchingson have been bedrock solid out of the bullpen for Binghamton this year. The left-handed pitching specialists have several similarities; both tall and imposing on the hill, both with multiple pitch weaponry anchored by low 90’s fastballs, and both almost automatic outs, especially against lefthanded batters.

Although Kolarek and Huchingson share many similarities on the pitching hill, they took very different paths to arrive in Binghamton. The 6’ 3,” 215-pound Kolarek’s baseball resume models consistency. The B-Met lefty has an advantage over many minor league pitchers who work out of the pen in that he pitched in relief at Maryland in college before signing to play professionally. Many minor league pitchers are converted starters meaning Kolarek has profited from a season-by-season refinement of the nuances the come with relief pitching.

Kolarek, too, has benefited from an at home pitching mentor in his Dad, Frank, who paved a patch for his son playing ball at Maryland and spending several seasons catching in the Oakland A’s minor league system. Kolarek soaked up the knowledge and preparation his Dad could offer on his baseball journey. “As a catcher he learned how pitcher’s prepare physically and mentally and how to attack hitters with certain pitches in certain counts, and that’s something I never take for granted,” Kolarek told David Smith in an on-line post earlier in his career.

An even-keeled guy with an unchanging temperament, Kolarek doggedly pursues pitching goals counting on meticulous preparation and consistency in approach to attain success. A low 90’s fastball that is quick out of his hand, moves away from left-handed batters and has some late sink, is Kolarek’s go-to pitch. The lefty relief specialist has used a solid change-up since college, but saw his outputs soar when he added a slider to his repertoire since pitching professionally. Improved command of the slider allows Kolarek to use the pitch to quickly get ahead of batters or, when ahead in the count, to lure batters of offer at sliders placed intentionally off the plate or in the dirt.

Kolarek, used primarily as a set-up man as a B-Met, is 3-3 out of the bullpen with a 1.96 ERA, a 9.05 strikeout rate per 9 innings and a very respectable 1.12 WHIP. Kolarek has fanned 9.71 batters per nine innings over 224.1 innings of his minor league career.

Compared to Kolarek Chase Huchingson’s baseball ride followed the up-and-down trajectory of a whitewater rapid ride. For starters, Huchingson chose the pitching route later on his baseball journey converting from the outfield to the hill. Raised in the college town of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Huchinson work high school play caught the eye of coaches from the University of Arkansas who offered him an early scholarship. But, Huchingson opted to consider all options, eventually signing with the fabled college baseball factory at Arizona State.

Arizona State changed pitching coaches after the 6’5” lefty had signed and the new coach, after watching Huchingson pitch in a summer league wasn’t impressed. Arizona State couldn’t pull back the scholarship offer but informed the young left-hander they would be reducing the amount of his scholarship after the first semester. That disappointment and prohibitive out-of-state tuition costs saw Huchingson take his baseball game the JUCO route to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.

After a lights out first season where he nearly led the conference in ERA at Arkansas Fort Smith, Huchingson was drafted in the 23rd round by the Astros but could never come together with the National League team on terms of a contract. Things spiraled in the opposite direction when Huchingson subsequently struggled at Arkansas Fort Smith and was not named again in the draft.

Pitching for a summer league team out of McKinney, Dallas in the Texas Collegiate League, a wood bat league, saved Huchingson’s career. The tall lefty didn’t allow an earned run all summer long and caught the eye of a Met scout attending games to check up on another pitcher the Mets had signed who threw for McKinney. Huchingson agreed to sign with the Mets after he finished his senior year of college.

Huchingson has changed roles from relief pitcher to starting pitcher early in his professional career. After a promising year pitching as a sometime starter and other time relief pitcher in Savannah, Huchingson was used almost exclusively in the starting rotation in 2012 in St. Lucie.

Perhaps, Huchingson’s brilliant work out of the pen this year in Binghamton has finally landed a steady baseball role. A 3-2 win/loss record with a shining 1.71 ERA and just over one strikeout per inning in 65 innings of work should make Huchingson a contender for a future spot in the Met bullpen.

Towering and lanky with a funky like pitching delivery, Huchingson is fun to watch. Huchingson hides the ball well in his delivery making it tough to pick up, especially for left-handed batters. His fastball has movement and sink and generally arrives at between 88-91 mph. A good mix of pitches includes a solid change-up and emerging breaking ball. A student of the game, Huchinson is a competitive guy who relishes every opportunity to get the ball.

Although the paths they took to Binghamton may have differed, in the late innings Kolarek and Huchingson bring a similar approach to the NYSEG Stadium mound. Both lefties pitch to their strength and aggressively attack batters. Both use their fastball as the foundation of their battle plan, working to get ahead in the count so they can best employ their other pitching options. And both left-handers, provide B-Met skipper Pedro Lopez with two, big, similar left-hand options from the bullpen, a huge consideration in Binghamton’s 2013 Championship baseball run.

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Disclaimer: I am not necessarily in favor of trading Bobby Parnell, but since there’s a recent post for the opposite side of this argument, I figured I could play a little devil’s advocate.

Bobby Parnell is arguably one of the hottest names on the back-end relief market right now. He hasn’t allowed a home run all year, his WHIP is under 1.00, and his ERA sits at 2.30 with 17 saves. In his first full year as the Mets closer, Parnell has more than lived up to the task, despite what his 5-4 record might say. Proficient late-inning relievers are always a hot commodity in the second half of July because contending teams could always use an extra arm, for the 7th, 8th, or even 9th inning. Very few people seriously think that the Mets will trade Parnell, but here are a few reasons as to why it might be a good move.

His Age

If Bobby Parnell were a few years younger, then there would be no conversation. However, he’s 28, turning 29 in September, having his career year. Typically, this age range is when many players peak, and there’s obviously no way of knowing how Parnell is going to pitch even beyond this month. Many pitchers have all of a sudden lost their stuff and been relegated to middle relief or even the minor leagues. If Sandy Alderson has some concern about Parnell’s 2013 being somewhat of a flash in the pan, he could consider moving him to a contender who might overpay, which leads to…

The Return

When the Mets traded Carlos Beltran to the Giants in 2011, it was widely agreed upon that Sandy Alderson fleeced San Francisco in getting Zack Wheeler back in the deal. There’s admittedly no way that he could pull off a trade of equal magnitude for Bobby Parnell, but Alderson and the scouting team could do well to find a diamond in the rough outfielder or middle infielder who could help the Mets out sooner rather than later. It’s a bit of a stretch, but crazier things have happened. If it does happen, trading Parnell would be another large step towards…

The Future

The Mets farm system is relatively strong in the pitching department, and not just for starters. There are a handful of relievers waiting to get their turn to come to Queens and prove that they can be a part of the plan moving forward. A long list of guys all over the system are making strides towards being a part of the future Mets bullpen, including but not limited to: Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Jack Leathersich, Chase Huchingson, Rainy Lara, Adam Kolarek, and Chasen Bradford. Bobby Parnell may be in the midst of a career year, but there are other guys who can come up to help fill the void if he gets moved.

The Mets shouldn’t necessarily trade Bobby Parnell this month, but it would be foolish not to field some calls. If someone brings an attractive offer to the table, Sandy Alderson has to at least give it a listen.

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