For four weeks nothing but radio silence, then out of nowhere, two straight weeks of pandemonium and when the dust settled we find ourselves a couple of catchers, a couple of outfielders, a middle infielder, three relievers and two starting pitchers richer. Whew… I’m gonna need a few days just to figure out what the heck just happened.
First things first, I love the additions of both Chris Capuano and Chris Young. Are they world-beaters? Absolutely not, but for what we’re paying them they will provide quality innings and add depth to the rotation. If they’re both healthy and pitch to their normal levels, they will provide incredible value. Considering the fact we’re working on a shoestring budget, you can’t ask for more than that.
Yesterday, the Tigers DFA’d pitcher Armando Galarraga to make room for Brad Penny. Yes that Galarraga. I’m sure there’s plenty of interest from some Mets fans this morning, but the odds that he even makes it out of the American League on waivers are slim, and even if he did, do you really want to trade for him and his 4.58 ERA and 1.37 WHIP? His near-perfecto not withstanding, Galarraga just isn’t that good.
I thought catchers Ronny Paulino and Raul Chavez were decent pickups… Paulino backs up Thole, no harm there, and Chavez backs up Paulino until he serves out the remaining 8 games of his suspension. I assume that when Chavez serves his usefulness on the major league roster, he’ll take over at Triple-A Buffalo and stay there until he’s needed again. No biggie.
However, I did have a problem with the Willie Harris and Scott Hairston signings. What was that all about??? After being beat up for most of last season for my fondness for Jeff Francoeur and Rod Barajas and their terrible on-base percentages, I am a little bit surprised that we now signed two players who had even worse OBPs last season in Harris (.291 OBP) and Hairston (.295 OBP). What happened to that whole argument that the problem with the Mets anemic offense was that we were giving too many at-bats to sub .300 OBP players?
Additionally, where does this leave Nick Evans? There must be some deep rooted animosity for Evans in the organization because for some reason they don’t want to give him a fair shot. Bottom of the ninth, man on third, two men out with a left hander on the mound… Who would you rather have at the plate Harris, Hairston or Evans? You catch my drift?
The other troubling thing about signing Harris and Hairston is that it probably spells the end of Nick Evans’ career with the Mets as he is now out of options according to Adam Rubin. Don’t expect him to make it through waivers because 24 year old prospects with a career .820 OPS (.907 in 2010) in the minors don’t grow on trees.
Speaking of out of options, other Mets players that fall into that category include Chin-lung Hu, Jason Pridie, Manny Acosta, Luis Hernandez and Pat Misch. Hu, Acosta and Misch are virtual locks to make the team.
It was nice to see the Mets settle with Pelfrey yesterday, but sooner or later shouldn’t the subject of an extension come up? Or are we just gonna let him walk out the door after 2012?
So Lucas Duda now seems to be the odd man out and has been assured that he will be starting the season in Buffalo?
We’ve heard stuff like this before last year at this time with Ike Davis, and we all know how that turned out.
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Harris and Hairston end up like Gary Matthews Jr. and Mike Jacobs did last season.
Apparently, Duda is going to be playing a lot of first base up in Buffalo for the Bisons, but I would caution him to keep his outfielders glove close by because I’m betting he’ll be back with the Mets by early May and that he’ll end up getting 250 or more at-bats this season and impress everyone. Call it a hunch…
Anyhow, that’s all I got for now… try to stay out of the cold…
