David Robertson

Position: Relief Pitcher
Bats/Throws: R/R
Age: April 9, 1985 (33)

Traditional Stats: 8-3, 3.23 ERA, 69 G, 69.2 IP, 1.033 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9, 11.8 K/9
Advanced Stats: 1.0 bWAR, 1.5 fWAR, 136 ERA+, 2.97 FIP

In 2017, the Yankees were looking to bulk up their bullpen in order to help them make a deep run in the postseason.  One of the player the organization turned to was an old friend in Robertson.  When Robertson put the pinstripes back on, he was a much better pitcher than the one he was with Chicago.

After posting a 1.03 ERA in the regular season, Robertson would pitch in eight of the Yankees 14 postseason games.  Aside from a blowup in Game 6 of the ALCS, Robertson was dominant.  While you could be disappointed in a gassed pitcher blowing up in a key game, you have to realize the Yankees would not have even made it to that point without him.  After all, if not for his 3.1 scoreless innings in the Wild Card Game, the Yankees never would have been in position to make that comeback.

In many ways, that is indicative of not just what Robertson is but also what he has become.

Up until the point Mariano Rivera retired, Robertson was a key set-up man for the greatest closer in Major League history.  After Rivera retired, Robertson became the man for the Yankees, and he performed well, so well in fact, he found himself with a big free agent contract to go to the White Sox.

In his two-and-a-half years with the White Sox, Robertson was a good, albeit not a great, closer.  He walked 3.2 per nine while striking out 11.8 per nine.  He converted 84.8 percent of his save opportunities.  More than his converting his save chances, Robertson was durable.

In fact, over his 11 year Major League career, Robertson has had just two stints on the disabled list.  Of note, he has not had a stint on the disabled list since 2014, and he has not landed on the disabled list with an injury to his pitching arm.

While he has been a good closer with the Yankees and White Sox, Robertson was not used in that way last season.  Realistically speaking, no matter how good you are, you are not going to be used in that role when the Yankees paid Aroldis Chapman $86 million to be their closer.

Instead, Robertson was used in a variety of roles.  Over the course of the season, Robertson made appearances in every inning except the first three.  He was predominantly used in higher leverage situations with the Yankees being tied or having a lead.  Judging by his only having four blown saves, he did that job.

Overall, that’s what Robertson does – his job.  No matter what position you put him in, Robertson does his job.  It doesn’t matter if it’s the fourth or the ninth inning.  He goes out there, strikes people out, and holds the lead.

Contract

Interestingly enough, MLB Trade Rumors predicts the Mets will sign Robertson to a three year $33 million contract. Certainly, those negotiations would be interesting considering Brodie Van Wagenen is a former agent turned GM, and Robertson is representing himself.

Considering Bryan Shaw received a three year $27 million deal ($9 million AAV) last season, the $11 million per year may be a little light for Robertson.  After all, even though Robertson is two years older, he strikes out more batters, and he has closing experience.  Between that and the escalating prices for free agent relievers, we may see Robertson eclipse the $12 million mark.

Recommendation

As noted in the MMO Free Agent profile for Jeurys Familia, the Mets should be all-in on Robertson and Familia as both pitchers not only have thrived as closers, but they have thrived in New York.  While the New York factor may be a bit overstated at times, it should not be completely discounted.

If you have the opportunity to add a versatile reliever who you can trust in pressure situations, you have to do it.  When you consider Robertson’s durability, he’s exactly what the Mets need this offseason, and as such, the team should pursue him aggressively.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: David Robertson, RHP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After agreeing to terms with veteran reliever Anthony Swarzak earlier in the day, Sandy Alderson told reporters on Wednesday that the Mets are not actively looking for additional bullpen help. Instead, the team will focus its pursuits on second basemen and first base/outfielders.

Even before Swarzak was brought aboard, the relief market had diluted immensely over the past few days, with big names such as Bryan Shaw (Colorado), Tommy Hunter (Philadelphia), Brandon Morrow (Chicago), Jake McGee (Colorado), and others finding new homes. The Mets are also out on Greg Holland and Addison Reed, who are both close to signing.

This latest news, while not unexpected, is frustrating to those who called for an improvement over last season’s bullpen, which finished 29th in all of baseball with a 4.82 ERA. Only two teams (Texas and Detroit) had relievers who gave up hits at a higher rate than the Mets, and the New York ‘pen also issued the fourth-most walks.

As MMO’s Michael Mayer notes, Jerry Blevins, Jeurys Familia, and A.J. Ramos are all set to hit unrestricted free agency after the upcoming season, so it’s slightly perplexing when you realize Swarzak will be the premier reliever on the books in 2019.

However, this enhances the importance of some of the arms that were acquired in 2017, namely Gerson Bautista, Jamie Callahan, and Jacob Rhame, and fast-rising prospects like Tyler Bashlor and Adonis Uceta (although Uceta’s fate in Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft is to be determined).

The post Mets Not Actively Looking For Another Reliever appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After seeing the Mets bullpen last year, and really the bullpens assembled by Sandy Alderson during his tenure as the Mets general manager, the team needs to add at least one impact late-inning reliever this free agency. Alderson has acknowledged as much, and the Mets have been linked to a few big-name targets.

In this edition of the MMO Roundtable, our writers name the reliever the Mets should prioritize this offseason:

Matthew Brownstein – Bryan Shaw

There are several distinguishing factors that set Bryan Shaw apart from most of the other available arms on the free agent market.

Since 2013, Shaw has appeared in the most games (378) in the majors among relievers, and has made at least 70 appearances the last five seasons. The durability and reliability factors are of major influence when deciding on adding an arm to the back-end of the bullpen, and Shaw easily passes that test.

The velocity on his cutter has increased over the past several seasons, along with steadily increasing over the 2017 season. By September, Shaw’s cutter was averaging close to 96 mph, according to Brooks Baseball.

Along with the uptick in velocity, Shaw has seen a steady increase on his ground ball rate the last several seasons. Shaw posted a 45.8 percent rate in 2015, and followed that up with a 53.7 percent and 55.9 percent rate in 2016 and 2017.

What’s also noteworthy is along with the increase in groundball rate, Shaw has lowered his fly ball rate substantially over that same time frame. In 2015 Shaw posted a 30.5 percent fly ball rate, and in 2017 he posted a 22.1 percent rate, 10th lowest among relievers.

Of course, one can’t discount the familiarity Shaw has with newly minted Mets manager, Mickey Callaway. Their work relationship will go a long way in terms of Callaway knowing when to utilize and pull back the reins on Shaw.

The last factor for signing Shaw would be financial. Many experts have pegged former Met reliever Addison Reed to obtain a four-year deal this winter. With the team’s limited budget, Shaw should come cheaper in free agency, as teams that lose out on a Wade Davis or Greg Holland might look to Reed at closer money.

Logan Barer – Bryan Shaw

My first instinct was to go with a familiar face and say Addison Reed should be the highest bullpen priority. When he was with the Mets and Jeurys Familia was healthy, Reed was one of the best setup men in baseball, if not the best.

Then upon deeper thought it occurred to me that Reed has likely earned at least one offer to be a team’s closer which could drive his price range up. After taking age and price into consideration, Bryan Shaw is my choice.

He would be cheaper and likely just as effective. He has also proven he can stay healthy, appearing in at least 64 games every season since 2012 and leading the American League in appearances three times during that span.

While he posted a career-worst 3.52 ERA this season, he posted a career-best 2.96 FIP — a number that should mean much more to you than ERA. He is as consistent as they come and at just 30 years old he is well worth an investment.

Ed Leyro – Tommy Hunter

Although Bryan Shaw’s name has been bandied about, the Mets should seriously consider signing Tommy Hunter instead. Shaw has posted a WHIP north of 1.20 in each of the last three seasons, while Hunter has a 1.09 WHIP since becoming a full-time reliever in 2013, including a 0.97 WHIP last season.

The Mets’ bullpen as a whole walked 4.3 batters per nine innings in 2017. Hunter has walked 1.9 batters per nine innings since 2013. Hunter’s the guy.

Rob Piersall – Bryan Shaw

In my opinion, Bryan Shaw should be the Mets main target. While the team has reportedly extended him a multi-year offer, things have been rather quiet.

However, with how durable he has been over the last couple seasons while also being effective, I’d love to see him take that to New York. Plus if Mickey Callaway is as great of a guy as he seems, it wouldn’t surprise me to think that him and Shaw have a good relationship. Maybe that can persuade him to come here.

John Jackson – Bryan Shaw

Under Sandy Alderson’s tenure as general manager, the Mets have struggled when handing out Major League contracts to relievers during the offseason. Pitchers like Fernando Salas, Antonio Bastardo, Brandon Lyon, Jon Rauch, and Frank Francisco all struggled after being signed in the offseason by the Mets.

New York isn’t the easiest place to play by any stretch of the imagination and relief pitchers are more prone to produce radically different numbers from one season to the next. With that being said, there are two relievers whom the Mets should pursue more than others: Addison Reed and Bryan Shaw.

Out of those two it makes the most sense to sign Shaw. While Reed is familiar with New York and pitched excellent in his time with the Mets, he’ll likely require a larger contract, possibly limiting the Mets from pursuing another piece to their roster. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Reed will eventually land a four-year, $36 million contract while Shaw would garner a three-year, $21 million deal.

Shaw would be a slightly cheaper option and he brings three other qualities with him as well: durability, consistency, and familiarity. Shaw has led the American League in appearances three of the last four years.

His highest single-season ERA of his career was still a respectable 3.52 this past season. Furthermore he has worked directly with Mickey Callaway the past five seasons in Cleveland. All in all, Shaw would likely make a smooth transition to Queens.

Michael Mayer – Addison Reed

If I was the Mets I would prioritize bringing back Addison Reed if I had to choose one reliever. Reed posted a 2.09 ERA, 2.47 FIP, 1.01 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 in parts of three seasons with the Mets and even served as the closer to begin 2017. We’ve also seen that Reed can pitch in New York. I like Bryan Shaw a lot too but his massive usage, MLB leading 442 games over last five seasons, worries me.

Another reason I would decided on Reed is that Jeurys Familia and AJ Ramos are both free agents following the 2018 season meaning the Mets would be looking for a closer. Reed could step in as the closer if they didn’t bring back Familia/Ramos.

Josh Finkelstein – Brandon Morrow

In all honesty, the relief pitchers I have heard the Mets connected to in the free agent market all intrigue me so far. However, the guy I want to see them take a chance on is Brandon Morrow.

In his first season full season as a reliever he posted a 2.06 ERA while striking out 50 batters in only 43.2 innings. Another impressive aspect of his stat line was his superb 0.92 WHIP. His velocity is the thing that impressed me though as he led all free agent relievers with a 97.7 MPH average fastball.

While some might attribute this to a fluke season, he did have a 1.69 ERA in 18 appearances with the San Diego Padres in 2016. If the Mets can sign him to a 3-year deal, they should jump at it.

Dilip Sridhar – Bryan Shaw 

John Sheridan – Hector Rondon

Understandably, most people are looking for a reunion with the next reliever the Mets sign whether that be the return of Addison Reed or uniting Shaw and Callaway in New York. Both would be good choices, but ultimately the Mets should focus on Rondon.

However, with the health issues of Jeurys Familia as well as his impending free agency, Rondon would be a good insurance policy as he was the Cubs closer until the team obtained Wade Davis (also a free agent).

Rondon is coming off his worst year leading to his being non-tendered by the Cubs. The off year was interesting because Rondon has not lost any velocity, and he maintained a high strikeout rate. Looking over the stats, it appears a major factor in his relative struggles was a career-high walk rate. From 2014-2016, Rondon had a 1.9 BB/9. That blew up to a 3.1 BB/9 last year.

Part of this could be attributed to the Cubs having extremely poor pitch framing last season. If that is truly the case, the Mets have Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki slated to do the catching duties next season, both of whom have good pitch framing numbers. Therefore, if Rondon’s problems are truly related to missing that call on the corner, he’s a great bet to bounce back next year.

As an added bonus, with him coming off a weak year, he should come cheaper than a Shaw or Reed, which would give the team more money to address the other holes in the bullpen and the rest of the roster.

By and large, it appears the MMO staff appears to believe Shaw should be the guy.  Do you agree with this assessment, or do you believe the Mets should sign someone not mentioned by one of our writers? We look forward to reading your suggestion in the comments.

The post MMO Roundtable: Which Reliever Should Mets Prioritize This Offseason? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning Mets fans! Representatives from every MLB organization head down to Orlando tonight for the annual Winter Meetings that start tomorrow.

Yesterday, the news was largely dominated by the New York Yankees after agreeing to a deal to acquire Giancarlo Stanton and $30 million in cash from the Miami Marlins for Starlin Castro and minor leaguers Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers. This deal is still pending medicals.

Latest Mets News 

The Mets are set to meet with Jay Bruce‘s agent at the Winter Meetings according to Mike Puma.

Puma also reports that the Mets made an offer to Bryan Shaw around Thanksgiving, but he is planning to wait till after Wade Davis and/or Greg Holland sign to get the best offer possible.

Marc Carig reports that the Mets have interest in a reunion with Addison Reed and actually discussed an extension in Spring Training.

Carig also tweeted that while the Mets will contact the Marlins about Castro, it is unlikely that a deal will materialize.

Furthermore, he also reports that the Mets are willing to discuss trades for starting pitchers not named Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom.

Finally, he reports that the Mets have had trade talks to acquire Jason Kipnis and Ian Kinsler, but also might make a push for Josh Harrison.

Latest MLB News

CBS released a report of the least and most expensive stadiums to watch a game at. See where the Mets rank here.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have given a strong indication that they do not expect Jung Ho Kang to return to the team in 2018.

The Los Angeles Angels introduced Shohei Ohtani today. Mike Scioscia said that the plan is for him to be a two-way player, but he will not be playing the outfield this season.

Latest NL East News 

Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post questions where the Stanton trade leaves the Bryce Harper situation with the Washington Nationals.

Bob Nightengale reports that the newly-acquired Castro is already on the trade block.

David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution argues that Dale Murphy belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Roy Halladay‘s son, Braden Halladay, committed to Penn State University.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall opines that it would be a bad move for the Mets if they acquired Castro.

Piersall also gives his MMO Offseason Plan ahead of the Winter Meetings. Michael Mayer and Joe D. have also given their plans.

This Day in Mets History

1971: The Mets acquire Jim Fregosi from the California Angels in exchange for Nolan Ryan, Leroy Stanton, and Don Rose.

1982: The Mets traded Mike Scott to the Houston Astros for Danny Heep.

1984: The Mets trade for Gary Carter from the Montreal Expos in exchange for Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, and Herm Winningham.

1999: The Mets acquired Jesse Orosco from the Baltimore Orioles for Chuck McElroy.

2008: The Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez to a three-year contract.

Birthdays: Ted Martinez turns 70, Dan Wheeler turns 40, and Victor Diaz turns 36.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Left Looking For Other Fish In The Sea appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Yesterday, the Mets hosted a Christmas party for kids, but a few Mets players spoke to the press during the course of the day. One of those players was relief pitcher Jerry Blevins, who spoke to the press on a variety of topics.

However, one stood out above the rest as he was asked about what the team needs to contend next season to which he responded as follows:

“It’s pretty obvious that we have a need back there for another big arm, especially with some of the limits we are going to have on the starting pitching between coming back from injury and lower innings limits,” he said. “If we can an Addison Reed type or a power arm at the back end, it will take a lot of pressure off [Jeurys] Familia, myself and AJ [Ramos] to be able to handle some of that workload.”

So let’s dissect that response.

Blevins clearly voiced the obvious need of at least one more reliable reliever being added. It has become a foregone conclusion that the Mets will add a solid relief pitcher to the bullpen this offseason whether it be in the form of Bryan Shaw, Brandon Morrow, or in the name he directly mentioned in Addison Reed.

Another part he mentions is the starting pitching limitations the Mets plan to enact next season to preserve their starters over the course of the season. Once again, he is right to say that this needs to be a factor in the Mets decision making.

Lastly, he spoke of his belief that this could significantly lessen the workload on AJ Ramos, Jeurys Familia, and even himself. After a season in which he appeared in a career-high 75 games and finished seventh in the league in this category, it is not surprising for him to give this subtle hint to the Mets front office.

Hopefully, Blevins will get his wish as the Mets need to do something to bolster the bullpen that at the same time could help the rotation.

The post Bullpen is the Priority and Everybody Knows It appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning Mets fans! The MLB non-tender deadline is tonight at 8 p.m. and will likely add some more players to free agency.

The Mets have nine arbitration eligible players and all are expected to be tendered a contract.

Latest Mets News 

Jon Heyman on the Fan Rag Sports Network reports that the Mets are looking at five potential trade candidates at second base.

He also reports in the same article that the Mets have internally debated making a run for Eric Hosmer, but are unlikely to actually sign him.

He also writes that the Mets have interest in bringing the recently fired Adam Fisher back into the fold.

Marc Carig of Newsday reports that the Mets and Jay Bruce have expressed mutual interest in a reunion.

Latest MLB News 

Toronto Blue Jays former player Gregg Zaun has been fired from Sportsnet for sexual misconduct.

Neil Best writes that a tentative date of September 2018 has been set for Craig Carton’s trial.

Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors has the latest on the Shohei Otani sweepstakes.

Derrick Goold reports that Matt Holliday made a strong sales pitch to Giancarlo Stanton to join the St. Louis Cardinals.

Seattle Mariners hitting coach, Edgar Martinez, released a statement on Mariners DH Nelson Cruz winning the award in the former’s honor.

The Los Angeles Angels acquired Jim Johnson from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league pitcher Justin Kelly and an undisclosed amount of international pool money. Angels GM Billy Eppler admitted this is with the hopes of enhancing their efforts to sign Otani.

Latest NL East news 

Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post debates what role Erick Fedde will have on the 2018 Nationals.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network has the latest on a potential deal they would consider with the San Francisco Giants. He also writes that while not guaranteed by Stanton’s camp yet, team officials are optimistic that he would waive his no-trade clause in this scenario.

Jon Heyman reports that Matt Adams “won’t be with the Braves” in the for long with the upcoming arbitration deadline.

Tim Malcolm of Phillies Nation wonders what the Phillies should do with Maikel Franco.

Latest on MMO

Mets Minors reports that Jose Leger is leaving the Mets organization to work for the St. Louis Cardinals. Leger had been the Columbia Fireflies manager the past two seasons.

Matt Mancuso does an MMO Free Agent Profile for RP Bryan Shaw.

Mathew Brownstein conducts an MMO Exclusive Interview with former MLB reliever Mike Stanton.

Michael Mayer discusses potential non-tender candidates that could interest the Mets.

This Day in Mets History

1977: The Mets sign free-agent IF/OF Elliott Maddox.

Birthdays: George Foster turns 69, Dan Warthen turns 65, Dan Schatzeder turns 63, Tom Filer turns 61, Herm Winningham turns 56, Julio Machado turns 52, and Greg McMichael turns 51.

The post Morning Briefing: Hot Stove Getting Warmer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Bryan Shaw

Position: Reliever

Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Born: November 8, 1987 (30)

2017 Stats: 4-6, 79 G, 76.2 IP, 73 SO, 22 BB, 3.52 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, .245 AVG Against, 3 SV

Advanced Stats: WAR 1.6, FIP 2.96, BABIP .311

The most consistent reliever in baseball over the past half-decade, Bryan Shaw is a hot commodity in free agency. The Mets, whose bullpen ERA was last in majors in 2017, are a perfect fit for the 30-year-old reliever.

In 2017, Shaw led the MLB in appearances. For the past five seasons, he’s been one of the most durable relievers, leading the majors in pitches thrown and tying the MLB lead in innings pitched. As one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, Shaw finished 2017 with a 4-6 record, having a 3.52 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 28 holds, which was sixth in MLB.

His ground-ball percentage, which has always been his strength, increased to 55.9% this season. He also reduced his fly ball percent to 22.1%. Shaw’s 2017 has been the norm for him for the past half-decade.

Shaw has been remarkably consistent for the past five years, never ending a year with his ERA above 3.52. He set new career lows in 2017 with his 2.96 FIP and his 2.58 BB/9. He excelled in the first half, pitching to a 2.81 ERA in 41.2 innings, but peaked in June, allowing 19 runs in his final 35 innings. Shaw had a 130 ERA+, which when adjusted to ballpark standards, showed that he was 30% better than the typical pitcher.

Bryan Shaw pitches very similar to Kenley Jansen, succeeding with only two pitches, his cutter and his slider. Albeit less effective, Shaw’s cutter is the fastest cutter in the game, averaging almost 95 mph. Even more impressive was that 2017 was the second consecutive year that he gained velocity on his cutter. In the beginning of the 2016 season, he threw it 94 mph; but by the end of the August 2017, he was averaging 96 mph with his preferred pitch. His second pitch, which he threw 11.3% of the time, was his unhittable slider. His slider generated a lot of ground balls and when Shaw threw it, he only allowed eight hits. Shaw’s array of pitches completely dominated his opponents.

Although Shaw has always been a reliable arm in the bullpen, his excessive usage could also be a deterrent for a long-term deal. Over the past five seasons, he has thrown a major-league high 5,892 pitches for a reliever. Another red flag was his incompetence to deliver in important situations. In high leverage spots, Shaw allowed .550 SLG, which may make other teams wary that he failed in such significant matchups.

Contract:

Obviously, the Mets need more help in their bullpen this offseason. The Indians are already worried that Shaw’s contract will be too much for their already strained payroll, so its unknown if the Mets will attempt to sign Shaw. Despite having similarities to Mike Dunn, who signed a 3 year, 19 million dollar deal with the Rockies in 2016, Shaw will command a heftier deal than Dunn. Due to competition for his services, I project Shaw to sign a 3 year, 25 million dollar contract.

Recommandation:

I want the Mets to sign Bryan Shaw as he is the dependable and consistent reliever the Mets need in their bullpen. If the Mets were to sign Shaw, he would join Jeurys Familia, A.J. Ramos, Jerry Blevins, Paul Sewald and Chasen Bradford to form a solid 2018 Mets bullpen.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Bryan Shaw, RP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

One of the Mets’ biggest offseason tasks is to improve their bullpen by acquiring a quality reliever or two. The 2017 bullpen combined for a 4.82 ERA which ranked 29th in the majors.

While bullpens are commonly unpredictable on a year-to-year basis, keeping it as is would not be a wise recommendation. The Mets should consider Bryan Shaw; one of the many free agent relievers on the market.

Outside of Jerry Blevins, Jeurys Familia, and AJ Ramos, there aren’t many top-notch in-house options remaining for the Mets currently. Familia and Ramos aren’t guarantees at this point either after a rough 2017 season for both players.

Relievers like Hansel Robles, Paul Sewald, Chasen Bradford, and Josh Smoker have showed glimpses of brilliance at times, but those were merely glimpses. Robles and Smoker have struggled with major inconsistency at times. Sewald and Bradford did fine in 2017, but only have part of a decent season under their belts.

It’s fine to have those types of players fill a spot or two in the bullpen, but they shouldn’t make up most of the bullpen.

The Mets have plenty of options in free agency aside from Shaw between relievers like Reed, Wade Davis, Greg Holland, Mike Minor, Anthony Swarzak, Brandon Morrow, Brandon Kintzler, Steve Cishek, and Tony Watson among others. That begs the question: Why Shaw?

Affordability Factor

First off, Shaw is affordable for the Mets unlike Davis or Holland. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports predicts that he will get a three-year, $24 million contract. Also in Heyman’s article is an expert’s prediction that he will receive a two-year, $12 million deal.

Heyman’s predicted deal for Shaw is similar to his predicted deals for the rest of the relievers mentioned aside from Reed, Davis, and Holland.

The expert’s pick that Heyman cites makes Shaw the most affordable reliever when compared to the expert picks of all the other relievers mentioned. This would allow the Mets to get another important piece for 2018; perhaps even an additional reliever.

This affordability factor is a prerequisite when talking about potential matches for the Mets and Shaw passes the test.

Durability Factor

The words “durable” and “Mets” couldn’t be used in many sentences the last two seasons unless the word “not” was also in there. To avoid filling up a good portion of your screen with names, you can find FOX Sports’ 2016 Mets’ injury report here and their 2017 injury report here.

Every team loses players to injury each year, but the Mets lost more than the average team. Among those losses were important pieces to their success.

It would be a smart idea for the Mets to consider durability in any somewhat significant investment they make in their near future.

Shaw fits that bill perfectly. In 2017 he appeared in a league-leading 79 games for a reliever. This wasn’t just one isolated case either.

Shaw led American League relievers in appearances three of the last four seasons. In the one season that he didn’t lead, he still appeared in 74 games.

Shaw’s 378 appearances since 2013 are more than any big league reliever during that stretch. It’s an understatement to say that Shaw has been a durable player.

Production Factor

Durability alone won’t do the trick. A reliever could appear in 90 games a season, but his impact wouldn’t be felt in a positive way if he possessed a 9.00 ERA.

Luckily in Shaw’s case, that is not a problem. Not only does he stay healthy, but he also produces good results.

In 2017 he pitched to the tune of a 3.52 ERA, 1.213 WHIP, and 2.96 FIP while striking out 73 in 76 2/3 innings. He set a personal record for innings pitched and tied a record for strikeouts. At the same time his 3.52 ERA was actually the worst of his career.

In three of his other six seasons he had a mid-to-high 2.00 ERA while in the other three he had a low-to-mid 3.00 ERA. All seven seasons combined gives him a career 3.13 ERA.

Obviously ERA isn’t the best lense to look through when evaluating a reliever, but the fact that he doesn’t have any outliers helps prove his consistency over the years.

His other career numbers are good as well. He has a 0.7 HR/9 rate, 3.0 BB/9 rate, and 8.0 SO/9 rate.

The best marks he has put up in each of those categories were a 0.5 HR/9 rate, 2.5 BB/9 rate, and 9.3 SO/9 rate. The worst marks he has put up in each of these categories were a 1.1 HR/9 rate, 3.8 BB/9 rate, and 6.2 SO/9 rate.

Once again there weren’t any huge outliers in these numbers which further shows his consistency and positive production over the years.

Familiarity Factor

The icing on the cake is his familiarity with the Mets’ new manager Mickey Callaway. While that may only result in a minimal difference, it’s a positive one. Callaway and Shaw have worked together for the past five years as they both came to Cleveland in 2013.

Sometimes a change of scenery can change a player’s career for better or for worse. Mets fans have seen that after players like Jason Bay have entered New York and after players like Justin Turner have left.

In the case of Shaw, the less change the better. If he comes to Queens and produces the same way he has done since 2011, there shouldn’t be too many complaints.

Not only could this familiarity with Callaway be a positive in terms of production, but it could also be a positive in terms of signing Shaw.

Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com recently reported that two unknown teams have made Shaw an offer. The Mets are believed to be one of the teams which would makes sense due to Callaway’s presence.

Shaw Would Be A Cog In A Rejuvenated Bullpen

In 2016 the Mets bullpen combined for a 3.53 ERA which was good for sixth in the majors. That season they received spectacular full season performances from Familia, Blevins, and Reed as well as a pretty solid campaign from Robles. In addition they received an excellent month of September from Fernando Salas.

The Mets bullpen has the potential to be really good in 2018 if Familia stays healthy, Blevins continues to perform well, and Ramos and Robles bounce back. However, that’s a lot of “ifs.”

There are never any guarantees in life, but some things are still more likely to happen than others. Signing Shaw would give the Mets true consistency for a team that lacks that more than anything. It also wouldn’t limit their spending as much as other options might.

In an offseason where the Mets have to be smart with their acquisitions, Shaw would be a great choice.

The post Signing Bryan Shaw Would Certainly Bolster The Mets Bullpen appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Happy Thanksgiving Mets fans! We are extremely thankful for the support you guys give us here at MMO.

Latest Mets News 

Mike Puma of the New York Post says that he would not be surprised if the Mets make a move on a reliever soon. He keeps hearing the name Bryan Shaw being thrown around. Shaw leads major league baseball with 418 appearances since the beginning of the 2012 season.

The Mets signed outfielder Zach Borenstein to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big league Spring Training yesterday.

Kristin Ackert of the New York Daily News reports that Yoenis Cespedes‘ hamstring injuries have healed and that he will resume normal baseball activities.

Latest MLB News 

Mike Francesca doubles-down on his proclamation that he could manage the New York Yankees.

Mark Feinsand reports that Todd Frazier is being pitched to teams as both a third and first baseman.

Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports that former Mets catcher Juan Centeno has been placed on outright waivers to clear space on the Astros’ 40-man roster.

Jon Heyman reports that while Dee Gordon‘s name has come up in trade discussions with the San Francisco Giants, other teams have greater second base needs. He lists the Mets as one of the teams that fit the bill.

Latest NL East News

Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post wonders if the Nationals will pursue Shohei Ohtani or any of the Atlanta Braves prospects that were made free agents.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that Fox Sports Florida has fired Marlins play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz. Jeff Conine and Preston Wilson were also dismissed.

Jonathon Mayo of MLB.com has all the details about what is next for the recently released Atlanta Braves amateur international free agents.

Matt Breen of Philly.com reports that the Phillies have named 28-year-old Pedro Guerrero as the team’s assistant hitting coach for the 2018 season.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall gives his MMO Report Card grade for Steven Matz.

He also writes about how Ian Kinsler could be a good fit for the Mets in 2018.

This Day in Mets History

1964: The Mets acquire Warren Spahn from Milwaukee less than a week after acquiring another future Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra.

2010: The Mets introduce Terry Collins as the club’s 20th manager in their history.

Birthdays: Tom Hall turns 70, Rich Sauveur turns 54, Ryan McGuire turns 46, and Justin Turner turns 33.

The post Morning Briefing: Callaway Could Reunite With Familiar Reliever appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Steve Cishek

Position: Reliever

Bats: Right- Throws: Right

Born: June 18, 1986 (31)

Stats: 3-2, 49 G, 44 2/3 IP, 41 SO, 14 BB, 2.01 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, .167 AVG, 1 SV, 3 BS

Most people probably remember this submarine reliever from his days with the Miami Marlins as their closer. After securing the job over the course of the 2012 season, Steve Cishek went on to record 88 saves in 98 attempts over a three-year span through 2014.

That all changed though in 2015 when he struggled to the tune of a 4.50 ERA in 32 innings of work and lost his closer’s job in April. He was eventually traded away to the St. Louis Cardinals where he would actually finish the year strong with a 2.31 ERA in 27 appearances.

Cishek continued his success in 2016 with the Seattle Mariners and became a key reliever in their bullpen with a solid 2.81 ERA in 64 innings that season

In 2017, he started the year on the disabled list and struggled when he returned in May in his first five outings as he allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings. As the season went on though, he continued to improve and was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in July for Erasmo Ramirez.

In Tampa Bay, Cishek would have a 1.09 ERA in 26 appearances and combined with his 3.15 ERA in Seattle, he would finish the season with an incredible 2.01 ERA and 0.896 WHIP.

Contract: 

Cishek is likely looking at a contract in the two year, $15-$20 million range. While he is one of the more consistent relievers on the market this offseason, he is very comparable to pitchers like Pat Neshek, Bryan Shaw, Joe Smith, etc. He is below the closer-tier of Greg Holland and Wade Davis which just by that standard lowers his overall value. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports Network predicted he would receive a three year, $21 million contract.

Recommendation: 

If the Mets could get Cishek at a reasonable price, like the ones listed above, it would be wise to sign him. He has shown the ability to maintain consistency over his short career so far. Consistency is often a question with relievers, but in the case of Cishek that should not be a problem.

For a team that struggled with their bullpen this past season, the Mets should really try to get a reliever of this caliber on the cheap. So, in all likelihood, they will sign the one of the previously mentioned crops of relievers. The decision on a pitcher like Cishek will likely come down to which reliever they could get the cheapest. However, Cishek stands out the most in terms of upside and he should be very affordable which makes him a great fit for the 2018 Mets.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Steve Cishek, RP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.