With the nonwaiver deadline having past now attention turns to the waiver deadline of August 31st. Many analyst have said that the waiver period could be very active because many teams will not claim players with higher salaries because of the economy.
One of those such analyst is John Heyman who has an article looking at who would clear, could clear and will not clear.
Looking at some of the names the Mets could be interested in:
Would Clear: Arroyo, Harang, Huff, Miguel Batista (classic Omar), Wiggy and Overbay. Overbay intrigues me as he could be a solid option for 1B next year and is not that expensive.
Could Clear: Garland, Davis, Meche and Rios. I can’t see Davis or Meche clearing but again any of these guys would benefit the Mets and all but Davis have a contract or option for next year.
Would not Clear: Not that it matters but Sheffield is on the list. If we are sellers then I would allow him to be claimed and try and work out a deal.
So as we struggle towards .500 Omar will have another choice to make. Do we try and pickup players to make a run or dump players such as Sheffield, Schneider, and our cast of injured in Wagner, Delgado and Putz if they make it back in time?
Update:Â Wagner pitched a perfect inning in his rehab appearance today.
GCL Marlins Bottom 6th from MILB.com
- Pitcher Change: Billy Wagner replaces Michael Hebert.
- Terrence Dayleg pops out to second baseman Ray Van Gurp.
- Marcell Ozuna flies out to right fielder Scott Grimes.
- Thomas Hickman flies out to center fielder Javier Rodriguez.
23 comments
whataputz
8/3/2009-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think we should go after any of these guys. I think next years free agent period should be concentrated on making a full court press for Crawford, and Lackey, and trying to acquire another talented pitcher via trade or maybe take a shot at a Duscherer or Sheets.
trs86
8/3/2009-1:55pm at 1:55 pm (UTC -4)
Crawford most likely won’t be out there. They would pick up his option and trade him.
trs86
8/3/2009-1:56pm at 1:56 pm (UTC -4)
One name that is not on there but should be is Carlos Pena. He still has a moderate salary and not having his best year. Would not be bad if the Mets could pick him up to tryout and see if we would want to pick up his option. Maybe even Wagner for Pena?
dentulous
8/3/2009-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
I dont see them doing anything until the offseason. Pena would be great though.
trs86
8/3/2009-2:05pm at 2:05 pm (UTC -4)
I just think Wagner for Pena would make sense. Salaries balance and the Rays need a closer next year. They could try him out to see if it would be worth picking up his option?
jaded1983
8/3/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Tough position to be in. I’d say be a buyer if it would net us something for next year (and beyond if possible), if not then there is no point. Try and unload some of the vets we have (getting any prospects is better than just letting them walk to FA), call up some of the younger guys to keep “excitement” up and plan for 2010.
trs86
8/3/2009-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, I really hope Wagner, Putz, Delgado, Sheff and Schneider all get traded.
jaded1983
8/3/2009-2:29pm at 2:29 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with that list, although to be honest I am iffy on Putz. Is his option worth picking up for next year? Could he be a useful piece to the mets? Could we trade him after he rehabs and his value is higher? Could we hold him until the deadline next year and ship him back to a contender in the AL for better prospects than we’d get now?
trs86
8/3/2009-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
It’s just that option is so expensive.
jaded1983
8/3/2009-2:35pm at 2:35 pm (UTC -4)
Mmmm good point. Although the gain (whether it be production or prospects) to the mets would totally justify it. I guess the big question is if Omar/Wilpons see it that way?
Selling now, IMO, would be selling short on him.
trs86
8/3/2009-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
Like I said it just depends on if they want to pickup his expensive option. If not then they should trade him now.
CaseStreet
8/3/2009-3:05pm at 3:05 pm (UTC -4)
idk, seeing how the Mets have operated the past few years, unless they’re traded, I think we’ll be seeing F-Mart, Murph and Niese starting the season up w/ the Mets.
IMO, they see these guys at least as avg. ML players. The Mets don’t keep ML ready players in the minors. Like Pelfrey a few years ago, they’ll let them start the season in NY and send them down if they falter.
Niese would’ve been the 5th starter if Livan didn’t do so well in ST.
Murph has been an everyday player, and likely wouldn’t be sent to AAA.
F-Mart is the only one that may spend time in AAA, but I think they’ll have an open competition for LF w/ Pagan or someone like that. Either way, F-Mart is the LF of the future, so even if we get someone else for next yr. it’ll only be for 1 yr.
We have to think of the money involved. If you can get almost similar production, teams would much rather pay league minimum to a rookie, than pay 7 figures to a non-core player. That way they can extend the core players and add an elite player where there are holes.
GravediggerHebner
8/3/2009-3:24pm at 3:24 pm (UTC -4)
“We have to think of the money involved. If you can get almost similar production, teams would much rather pay league minimum to a rookie, than pay 7 figures to a non-core player. That way they can extend the core players and add an elite player where there are holes.”
This paragraph is precisely the philosophy that has made the Mets “just not quite good enough” for the last 3 years.
The Mets never sign an average guy. They sign superstars and reclamation projects. When the reclamation projects work out the Mets reap the reward, when they don’t the Mets fall short with nothing but more reclamation projects to fall back on.
Speaking specifically about the major league 25 man roster, this is Omar’s biggest weakness. He can identify and lure the cream of the crop. He hasn’t shown that he can give them an adequate supporting cast with which to thrive.
trs86
8/3/2009-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
Agree, that is my plan a little of all 3. Go get Halladay (superstar) Molina (solid) and Ankiel (reclamation).
jaded1983
8/3/2009-3:40pm at 3:40 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting and thought provoking TRS. Who are you trading for Halladay? I’d rather trade away FMart then one of our pitching prospects.
jaded1983
8/3/2009-3:44pm at 3:44 pm (UTC -4)
As the centerpiece I should have said. obviously we would have to give up some pitching for halladay
trs86
8/3/2009-3:45pm at 3:45 pm (UTC -4)
The last package was what?
Jonathon Niese, Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell and Ruben Tejada
I would do Holt or Mejia, Fmart, Parnell and Tejada even for only a year. Hopefully they would allow you to have a negotiation window.
CaseStreet
8/3/2009-4:41pm at 4:41 pm (UTC -4)
that’s alot, but to have Santana and Doc, I’d do it.
There's Always '09
8/3/2009-5:02pm at 5:02 pm (UTC -4)
Would Halladay have to change his nickname? You know, like the way Yankee fans wanted wags to change his song? Would it be an insult to the most storied franchise in all of world history for someone on the Mets to have the same nickname as a great Yankee?
GravediggerHebner
8/3/2009-6:51pm at 6:51 pm (UTC -4)
No but given the injury history of this team he better be a real doctor.
CaseStreet
8/3/2009-3:43pm at 3:43 pm (UTC -4)
does this plan have a name? May i suggest “The Real Dirty Project”
trs86
8/3/2009-3:46pm at 3:46 pm (UTC -4)
Sounds good, I will file it beside of the one where we replace Manuel and his entire staff with Joey Cora and a staff of his choosing.
CaseStreet
8/3/2009-3:44pm at 3:44 pm (UTC -4)
tnx, I’m Omar’s understudy.