According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Brewers have agreed to a deal with utility infielder Brock Holt.

After starting his career with the Pirates, Holt has spent the majority of his major league career with the Red Sox, with whom he posted 6.2 fWAR over parts of seven seasons. He was a valuable part of the Red Sox’ 2018 World Series run, when he posted a career-high 109 wRC+ in 109 games.

While he has a just-okay 93 wRC+ for his career, Holt brings a ton of versatility to the table. He has played the most innings at second base in his career, but has also seen time at first, third, shortstop, and all three outfield spots.

Holt is not the first veteran infielder to join the Brewers this offseason, as the club has also signed Jace Peterson, Jedd Gyorko, Eric Sogard, and Logan Morrison, among others.

The Brewers, who finished two games back of the first-place Cardinals last season, are adding a lot of veteran presence to their team in the hopes of adding the slight boost that they need to get over the hump. In Holt, they now have a decent, experienced hitter who can play pretty much anywhere they need him to.

The post MLB News: Brewers Sign Brock Holt appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a deal with the Logan Morrison. It is a one-year deal worth $6.5 million with a vesting option and escalators that could bring the value of the deal to $16.5 million.

In 149 games (601 plate appearances), the 30-year old hit 38 homers and drove in 85 runs while hitting to a .246/.353/.516 clip.

At first in 2017, he was good for 1 DRS and a 1.2 UZR in 1,077.2 innings. He has also spent time in left and right field in his career.

Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors projected Morrison to receive a three-year, $36 million contract at the beginning of the offseason, so he certainly got less than expected.

The Mets were rumored to be interested in the first baseman/outfielder before signing Adrian Gonzalez and Jay Bruce to sure up both spots.

The post Logan Morrison Agrees to Deal With Twins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Logan Morrison

Position: 1B/OF

Throws: Left – Bats: Left

Born: August 25, 1987 (Age 30)

2017 Stats: .246/.353/.516, 149 G, 512 AB, 38 HR, 85 RBI, 135 OPS+, 3.6 bWAR

With the news that GM Sandy Alderson was unimpressed with the six-week look at top prospect Dominic Smith, the Mets have been rumored to be checking in on free agents with experience playing both corner outfield and first base. With the team potentially flirting with an eight man bullpen to open the season, that leaves one less roster spot for a position player, making the versatility of whoever the team signs or trades for that much more important.

Thirty-year-old Logan Morrison is one potential fit.

Drafted in the 22nd-round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the then Florida Marlins, Morrison put together his finest season of his eight-year career in 2017. The left-handed slugger posted career highs in home runs (38), RBI (85), walks (81), SLG (.516), OPS (.868), and wRC+ (130) with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Morrison held his own at first in ’17, checking in at roughly average with 1 defensive run saved (DRS) and 1.2 ultimate zone rating (UZR). He does have experience playing both outfield corners, however, Morrison hasn’t spent substantial time at either position since 2014 (70.2 innings). In addition, you won’t mistake Morrison for a Gold Glove caliber outfielder, as his defensive metrics rate far from favorable.

Morrison came up as a first baseman in the Marlins’ system, however, was moved to the outfield to get his bat in the lineup. Morrison has stated in the past that he is far more comfortable at first, and it shows. From 2010-12, Morrison played in 240 games in the outfield, posting a combined DRS of -32 and a -27 UZR. During that span, only Matt Kemp (-39.6) and Carlos Quentin (-32.5) posted worse UZR among all outfielders with minimum 2000 innings played.

While the Mets are looking to prioritize defense moving forward, they’ll also need to fill the missing power lost by trades of veterans Lucas Duda, Neil Walker, and Jay Bruce. Not to mention Michael Conforto, who could possibly miss the start of the 2018 regular season due to his shoulder surgery this past September. Morrison certainly intrigues in the power department, as his .270 ISO was good for 11th best in all of baseball last season.

While some will say Morrison’s ’17 season was a potential fluke, as his previous career high in home runs was 23 back in 2011 with the Marlins, it’s important to note that Morrison seemed to have invested himself in the fly ball revolution taking place in baseball. Morrison posted a fly ball rate of 46.2 percent in ’17, up 11.5 percentage points from 2016. That in turn helped produce his best HR/FB ratio of his career at 22.5 percent, good for 19th best in all of baseball and ahead of such sluggers as Nelson Cruz, Edwin Encarnacion, and Jay Bruce.

Contract:

There are several teams looking to add a first baseman this winter, as the Red Sox have already contacted Morrison’s representatives to set up a meeting. Among free agent first baseman, Morrison is among the top in fWAR (2nd behind Hosmer), ISO (2nd behind Duda at .270), and first in BB % (13.5 percent). With the Rays not extending a qualifying offer to Morrison, an interested team won’t have to worry about surrendering a draft pick or international money upon signing.

Having just turned 30 at the end of August and coming off his finest season of his career, I’d envision Morrison landing a three-year, $30-33 million contract.

Recommendation:

With a limited budget to spend this offseason, I believe the Mets shy away from a long-term contract for a first baseman. Alderson recently called out Dominic Smith, stating that Smith didn’t win the first base job in September and that the 22-year-old will need to be “careful” in his conditioning going forward. This seems to indicate that Smith certainly isn’t guaranteed a role on this team, however, the message from Alderson will hopefully resonate with Smith and have him head into spring training in peak shape.

With MMO’s Minor League Player of the Year, Peter Alonso showcasing raw power while looking to work on his defense at first this winter, I don’t foresee Alderson giving a multi-year deal out to for a first baseman. Not to mention, if the Mets are indeed looking to add a first baseman that can play the outfield, adding a guy like Morrison might be counterproductive, given that it’s been nearly three years since he played more than 50 innings in the outfield, all while posting negative marks in DRS and UZR.

If the Mets are looking for an inexpensive first baseman to have on the roster for a year, I’d circle back with old friend Lucas Duda and look to bring him back into the fold on a one-year deal, who could platoon with Wilmer Flores. If Morrison offered a bit more versatility in the outfield, he would be of more value to the Mets.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Logan Morrison, 1B appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

About ten minutes after announcing that they had acquired Corey Hart to their roster, news broke that the Seattle Mariners have also acquired Logan Morrison from the Marlins for right-hander Carter Capps, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

Morrison has been mostly injured and ineffective for the past two seasons, hitting just .236 with a .708 OPS in 178 total games, but he has good plate discipline and 25-homer power from the left side of the plate and is still just 26 years old.

With Hart and Morrison both off the boards, the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, who are both in the market for first basemen, have seen their options drastically reduced.

As of now, only James Loney and Kendrys Morales remain as free agents, while Mitch Moreland, Ike Davis, Mike Carp and Michael Morse look to be available in trades.

Also, the Mariners now have their own glut at first base which could mean Justin Smoak is now available.

The plot thickens… Isn’t this kind of fun?

The post With Hart and LoMo Off The Boards, Plot Thickens For First Base Market appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s a done deal. The Mariners have signed Corey Hart according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Both the Mariners and Brewers had offers to Hart who said he was torn by decision.

There was a connection to Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik who drafted Hart when he was the Brewer’s scouting director in 2000.

Now we’ll see what the Brewers do next.

Tom Haudricourt reported that they wouldn’t pursue Davis for what the Mets wanted, and that “before they’d do that, they’d go with Juan Francisco and if he didn’t pan out, give prospects such as Hunter Morris and Sean Halton a chance.”

We’ll see…

10:00 AM Update

Wednesday should be the day that the Brewers hear back from free-agent first baseman Corey Hart as to whether he’ll accept their offer and return to Milwaukee.

Tom Haudricourt of the Journal-Sentinel says that the Brewers made what they considered to be their best offer to Hart’s agent, Jeff Berry, on Tuesday afternoon and hoped to hear back later that night. Melvin finally received a late text from Berry saying they would get back to him on Wednesday morning.

It sounds like there might have been a little back and forth, and possibly a tweak or two, but Melvin said he basically has made the best offer he feels is suitable for a player he really wants back but also is coming off surgeries on both knees, forcing him to miss the entire 2013 season.

As far as other options like Ike Davis and Logan Morrison, who they were both monitoring, Haudricourt reports that the Brewers are no longer talking to the Marlins about Morrison and that all discussions with the Mets ended when “New York insisted on a young, controllable pitcher such as Tyler Thornburg in return.”

He further says on the Mets’ front, that “the Brewers aren’t about to give up a promising young pitcher such as Thornburg for Davis.

“Before they’d do that, they’d go with Juan Francisco and if he didn’t pan out, give prospects such as Hunter Morris and Sean Halton a chance.”

Stay tuned for a potential Hart announcement today and another potential trade partner for Ike Davis vanishing.

The post Mariners Agree To Deal With Corey Hart appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Alderson said prospective buyers are exploring other options, whether it is in the trade or free-agent markets.

Some teams could be offering the Mets little in return, while others want to explore the free-agent market first.

There are a lot of reasons why a trade doesn’t get done.

“That’s always the case,’’ Alderson said. “There’s always going to be an alternative. That’s what provides the tension of negotiating a deal. [Teams] are always looking at what their alternatives are. That’s what provides the tension of getting something done and not getting something done; simply there are other options.’’

Currently, James Loney and Corey Hart are in the free-agent market, while Miami is trying to deal Logan Morrison and Texas is attempting to trade Mitch Moreland.

Of course, it could take one phone call to change everything. A team could offer the Mets a sweet deal, or Alderson can cave just to make a trade.

The latter is highly unlikely.

“Could we do something?’’ Alderson asked. “Yeah, we have that ability. Whether we do it or not is a function of what we can get and what our other options are.’’

The Brewers are waiting on a decision from Corey Hart and yesterday a Brewers official told me that talks with Mets for Ike Davis are pretty much dead. The price for Davis was a real turnoff and has them taking a second look at their internal options if they fail to sign Hart.

Joe D. considers Ike Davis persona non grata and I tend to agree with him. There’s a sense that the Mets don’t want to leave here with Davis still in the fold. However, it’s never as easy as it sounds.

Alderson told us moving someone depends on finding a willing partner.

“Everybody is aware of what we have. We don’t have to advertise that,’’ Alderson said. “As far as marketing, [other teams] do their own evaluations. If somebody is not inclined to make a deal for a particular player, it is difficult to talk them into it and get something in return.’’

We’ll know much more once the Brewers make an expected decision in the next few hours.

The post Ike Davis Could Be An Ex-Met By End Of Week appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“It makes more sense for us to re-sign Corey Hart and we won’t have to lose any assets to get him.”

At the time, we believed that talks for Davis with the Brewers were dead.

There was a rumor late this afternoon that the Brewers and Mets were talking again, but Jim Duquette then reported an hour ago that the Brewers are out, confirming what our source initially told us.

Source: Mets asked Brewers for young, controllable pitching for Ike – Thornburg among others. MIL said no and were told they're out.

— Jim Duquette (@Jim_Duquette) December 11, 2013

Tyler Thornburg, 24, had a solid season in 2013 going 3-1 in 18 games (seven starts) with an ERA of 2.03 in 66.2 innings.

The Brewers are getting antsy, reports Adam Rubin, and would like a decision from Hart soon. If that falls through, maybe Milwaukee comes back to the Mets?

We’ll see…

Original Post 12/9

The Mets intend to find a trade partner for either Ike Davis or Lucas Duda during the Winter Meetings this week.

Newsday’s Marc Carig writes that though both have been mentioned as trade candidates, it appears that Davis is more likely to be moved.

David Lennon, also of Newsday, agrees saying that the Mets sound more invested in Duda’s growth than Davis. and that Davis could be dealt this week.

Our own John Delcos said that there seems to be an urgency to want to trade Davis now, even though it could mean getting less.

The Brewers, Pirates, Orioles and Rays have showed varying levels of interest, but it’s Milwaukee who seems to have the most serious interest. Marc Carig of Newsday confirms that the Brewers and Mets did talk today. But one person we spoke to with knowledge of the situation said there is nothing imminent. The Brewers are more interested in re-signing Corey Hart and have made him a priority. The other three teams’ interest ranges from lukewarm to distant.

Neither Davis or Duda alone will be enough to get the Mets the shortstop they need or a starting pitcher who can give them the innings they want. But a source told Carig that the Mets remain confident that there are enough potential trade partners remaining for first basemen with power.

That may be true, but there are other options available. The first-base market is flush with trade possibilities in the Marlins’Logan Morrison, the Rangers’ Mitch Moreland and the Red Sox’s Mike Carp, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Other choices include free agents James Loney, Corey Hart and Kendrys Morales. The Rays, Pirates and Brewers are three teams looking for first basemen.

It certainly looks like Davis’ days with the Mets are numbered and that the front office is resigned to moving him as quickly as possible so they can move on from this first base controversy.

The post Brewers Continue To Pursue Hart, Out On Davis appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Nats Sign Nate McLouth

The Nationals agreed to terms on a two-year deal with free agent outfielder and left-handed hitter Nate McLouth, according to the Washington Post. McLouth spent most of the past two seasons serving as Baltimore’s primary left fielder last season.

McLouth, 32, played 146 games for the Orioles and posted a .258/.329/.400 slash with a .729 OPS. McLouth boasts a career .334 on-base percentage and won a Gold Glove for his center field play for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008. He hit 12 home runs in 2013, and hit 46 between 2008 and 2009 when he played everyday. He’ll likely fill a 4th outfielder role with the Nats behind Harper, Span and Werth.

Garrett Jones To The Marlins

The Marlins have agreed to terms on a two-year, $7.5 million deal with free agent first baseman Garrett Jones, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

MLB Trade Rumors reports the terms of the deal as $2.5 million for 2014 and $5 million for the 2015 season.

Jones, 32, batted .233/.289/.419 with 15 home runs in 144 games for the Pirates last season. The outfielder/first baseman slugged 27 homers the previous season.

Report suggest that this signing could be a precursor to a trade involving Logan Morrison, the Marlins’ incumbent first baseman and the subject of many trade rumors.

Arencibia Inks Deal With Rangers

The Rangers and catcher J.P. Arencibia have agreed to a one year deal worth about $1.8 million dollars with an additional $300K in incentives, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Arencibia, 27, had an awful season in 2013 batting .194/.227/.365  with a 59 OPS+ and a .592 OPS. He did wallop 21 home runs but did more damage than good offensively.

CBS Sports says that his on-base percentage was the lowest in baseball history among players to hit 20+ homers in a season.

The post Hot Stove News: Nationals Sign Nate McLouth To Two-Year Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Scott Boras recently summed up the Mets over Alderson’s three-year tenure:

“The thing with the Mets is they’re interested in everybody and interested in nobody.” Alderson is on the clock to make at least a ripple, if not a splash, this winter.

Alderson cited “payroll concentration” as the reason the Mets will avoid chasing the highest-priced free agents.

The team is expected to have a payroll around $90 million next season, but wouldn’t want nearly half that amount tied up in two players. As it stands, David Wright is scheduled to make $20 million next year.

That is exactly what I speculated during the GM Meetings when it was learned that the Mets would not pursue any players looking for $100 million.

At the time Alderson said this:

“We’ve been in that stratosphere once recently with David Wright,” Alderson said. “Those were special circumstances. I think it would be difficult to duplicate that again — not from a financial standpoint, just in terms of team-building. I think it’s difficult to concentrate those kinds of resources into very few players. It’s not really the way you build a quality, sustainable, winning team, I don’t think.”

Everyone assumed he was discussing a $100 million dollar player, but I believed Alderson was speaking unilaterally and that he was dismissive of having two players earning the same average annual salary as Wright at the same time.

In other words, even a player wanting a three year $50 million dollar deal like a Curtis Granderson or Jhonny Peralta as an example, would be prohibitive. Because he DOES NOT want two players tying up more than a third of his $90 million payroll. That was my point then, and that is what it is now, and I’m glad to see someone else come out with that.

“If you want to look at the data, the way we look at data and associate winning teams with payroll concentration, you realize there are limits to how effective an overall team can be with your payroll concentrated in a small number of players,” Alderson said. “It’s not an absolute rule, but it’s a pretty clear correlation. It’s a function of how much you have to spend.”

This is why they feel and I’ve been saying that they will be priced out on not only top free agents, but also mid tier free agents as well.

This is a bull market and teams have over $1.5 billion in new money to spend this offseason… Look for their biggest signature acquisition to come via a trade and brace yourself for a signature piece or two to be moved.

The post Boras Says Mets Interested In Everybody And Interested In Nobody appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Carlos Torres and Daisuke Matsuzaka both pitched well in their respective starts of today’s doubleheader against the Marlins, however the Mets were only able to capitalize on one of their outings as they split the twin bill with Miami by a score of 0-3 and 3-1 respectively.

Torres was on the mound for the first of the single-admission doubleheader and bounced back from his rough start in Washington with six solid innings in which the 30-year old allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while punching out a season high eight batters, unfortunately going for the loss.

The first run of the game came on a Logan Morrison blooper that scored Donovan Solano who was plunked to lead off the inning, becoming all the offense the Fish would need.

For good measure, Solano added insurance run to lead off the sixth with his third homer of the season to make it 2-0.

The offense was unable to get anything going against Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez hurled seven shutout innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Matt den Dekker was the only one who picked up a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.This afternoon’s loss was the Mets 82nd this season, clinching their fifth straight losing season.

The second game ended on a much more positive note as Matsuzaka, yes Matsuzaka, dealt seven one-run frames,allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out three. The lone Marlin run came in the fourth on a Justin Ruggiano fly to left that would go for his seventeenth homer on the year. Matsuzaka ended up taking home the win, his first in over a year.

The Amazin’s bats came to life in the evening half of the double header early and often as Wilmer Flores emerged from his recent slump to rip one through the hole at short to drive in the first run of the game. Then in the bottom of the third, Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda led off the frame with back-to-back homers to make it a three-run Mets lead.

The Mets wrap up their weekend series with Miami tomorrow at 1:10pm with Dillon Gee on the hill. Stay tuned as we will have live coverage of all the action tomorrow at Citi Field!

The post Torres and Matsuzaka Solid, Mets Split Twin Bill With Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.