Heading into the off-season with a full 40 man roster, the flexibility needed to make any hoped-for-yet-unlikely personnel additions of a significant nature will require Mets team management to make some choices that may signal the end of several players’ association with the organization. While this situation is a regular occurrence following the end of each season, many teams start off with a few slots already available, granting the ability to stave off making what may be some hard decisions until the spring when the composition of the roster has largely been determined.
This time around, the Mets find themselves in a position of having to make several of those decisions earlier in order to protect some highly-touted minor league talent ahead of the Rule 5 draft in December. While some of these choices appear largely self-evident, others will likely depend on a variety of factors including the always mysterious element of “organizational sentiment” and other such types of voodoo.
Certain moves are already of a de facto nature, as with the removal of two of the more veteran members of the squad – Daisuke Matsuzaka and Bobby Abreu– as a consequence of their contracts expiring. In concert with these transactions come the offsetting moves of reinstating both Bobby Parnell and Matt Harvey from the 60-day DL, thus keeping the roster at capacity. So, if the team were interested in retaining the services of Dice-K for next season as say, a swingman at the major league level, someone will first have to be jettisoned from the 40-man to make room. A look at the roster as it now stands yields a list of those likely to be on the bubble:
PITCHERS:
- Jeff Walters – Moved into the closer’s role at Binghamton in 2013, Walters thrust himself into the picture by recording a minor-league best 38 saves. Largely ineffective this year at Las Vegas, he was ultimately shut down for the year after being diagnosed with a torn UCL and slated for Tommy John surgery. He will join Jeremy Hefner in rehab limbo for the next year or so.
- Scott Rice – Another victim of “Perpetual Pedro” syndrome (systematic overuse of a LOOGY), Rice had elbow surgery in July to remove a bone spur. With Josh Edgin likely to retain his spot as a lefty bullpen option, Rice will face competition from scrap-heap prize Dana Eveland, minor league reclamation project Dario Alvarez, and up-and-coming K-meister Jack Leathersich for the role of “lefty number two.” After toiling for as long as he had to in the sticks, you gotta root for the guy to prevail but those are long odds.
- Gonzalez Germen-He and his occasionally effective changeup have bounced around this year, but with Parnell returning, the emergence of the Black-Familia-Mejia triumvirate, and the somewhat surprising success of Buddy Carlyle, there isn’t a whole lot of room left for a guy who basically looks to duplicate Carlos Torres’ role.
- Erik Goeddel-A good enough arm that the team felt compelled to protect him, but he hasn’t shown anything particularly exceptional in terms of performance last year at Binghamton or this year at Vegas. Another case of the numbers game at work as was the case last year with Collin McHugh only with less reason to expect a breakout success like McHugh has scored since leaving the organization.
POSITION PLAYERS:
- Josh Satin-This is pretty much an annual occurrence at this point as Satin continues to play the role of good soldier and organizational filler. He can play a couple positions and swing the bat a bit, but he’s clearly been supplanted by Eric Campbell at the big league level for the role of supersub. He has passed through waivers without a hitch before and likely will again.
- Wilfredo Tovar-As one of the few “true” shortstops at the upper levels of the minors and one that has shown a degree offensive progress this year, I would expect him to stick around. With the Mets’ infield picture getting increasingly crowded by virtue of the Dilson Herrera/Daniel Murphy question, the need to apportion a slot to Wilmer Flores and the possibility of Matt Reynolds entering the picture in the spring, Tovar is likely ticketed for AAA but could also replace Reuben Tejada for the varsity if the latter is dealt.
- Andrew Brown-He is a good bet to make the move to Japan where his power may translate better than it has in his limited trials with the Flushing crew. He would have gone already but was held to his contract as Vegas roster filler and insurance for the big club. He homered on opening day against Stephen Strasburg, remember? How soon they forget.
- Cesar Puello-Seemingly a prospect after a big year at Binghamton in 2013, he came tumbling back down to earth after a suspension for PED’s and had his numbers basically halved in a comparable number of at-bats this year at the hitter’s haven that is Las Vegas. In light of these circumstances, he could likely be exposed to waivers and wind up staying with the organization.
- Eric Young, Jr.-With his primary role seemingly reduced to that of a pinch-runner and with Juan Lagares being auditioned as the new leadoff hitter (and flashing his new base-stealing chops with abandon), his time as a Met is likely drawing to a close. Still, someone has to play the role of 25th man and his ability to play an infield position, provide solid outfield defense, speed, and switch-hit may earn him a reprieve. We’ll see.
- Matt den Dekker-He and Kirk Nieuwenhuis profile similarly, both 27-year old left handed hitting outfielders who can play center and flash a bit of speed and power. Nieuwenhuis has apparently adapted to the role of bench player and den Dekker’s trial as the regular left fielder appears to be primarily a showcase. The lineup would likely benefit more from a right handed hitter with some pop to occupy the position next year but a platoon is always a possibility.
With no indication that the team will be increasing payroll significantly beyond the amount needed to meet the anticipated raises due a number of regulars next season, we will likely see a relatively quiet off-season in terms of personnel acquisition characterized by the usual bit of bargain hunting that has become SOP for this management group.
Still, as many have noted, the development of certain players in key positions (e.g. Duda, Lagares, d’Arnaud) and the fruition of a number of pitching prospects into solid (and sometimes spectacular) regulars in both the rotation and the bullpen have poised the Mets for the long-awaited breakthrough to contention we’ve all anticipated. One can only hope that if any shifts made with the roster as destined to be minor ones, that they will be the right ones and put an end to a fallow period that has gone on far too long for a so-called “big market” team.
