Dec 11
According to Bart Hubbach and several other tweets, White Sox get JJ for 1 year/$ 3 mil.
-Speaking of, who will be setting up games for K-rod? Are they going to go with the Parnell experiment again or get someone like Mike Gonzalez (which im sure will command more than 3 mil)?
MLBTradeRumors
Link: The Second Half Push: Harvey, Montero,... { Even though I didn’t see... } – May 26, 12:46 AMLink: The Second Half Push: Harvey, Montero,... { ‘Things may appear bleak now,... } – May 26, 12:38 AM
Link: The Second Half Push: Harvey, Montero,... { Cue Knog and the 6... } – May 25, 11:47 PM
Link: The Second Half Push: Harvey, Montero,... { Well it did help us... } – May 25, 11:45 PMLink: Should It Be Called Moneyball Or... { Yeah, the problem is they're... } – May 25, 11:43 PM
33 comments
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
Right now I think it’s Stokes and Feliciano.
dirtysanchez
12/11/2009-1:48pm at 1:48 pm (UTC -4)
great…..setup by committee i guess it is then
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
I like those guys just fine. I don’t think it’s a worthwhile investment for a team to spend significant dollars on relief pitchers, whose performance often fluctuates wildly from year-to-year.
$3 mil doesn’t offend me, I think that’s a good limit. Why the Astros brought in Brandon Lyon for 3/$15 is beyond me. Maybe he’ll justify that if he is a successful closer for them, but they also acquired Matt Lindstrom so it’s not like they’ve anointed Lyon closer. $5 mil to set up is nuts IMO.
If the Mets can bring in a current FA reliever to set up for $3 mil or less, I’ll be OK with that. If they start getting too far above that I’ll question the worthiness. Between minor leaguers and major league scraps they can assemble a bullpen just as likely to succeed as by spending tons of dough on one.
dirtysanchez
12/11/2009-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
agreed. I wonder if some of the AAA guys will win jobs in the pen as well but i hope they dont over do it with like you said 5mil for a setup guy.
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
What’s the prognosis for Kunz?
dirtysanchez
12/11/2009-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
I dont think the mets are very high on him anymore…last i looked at his #’s, not all that impressive
trs86
12/11/2009-3:14pm at 3:14 pm (UTC -4)
Penicillin and lots of rest.
wannybackstra
12/11/2009-1:50pm at 1:50 pm (UTC -4)
I’d like Gonzalez. But I also like Kiko Calero, who should be much cheaper, though less of a sure thing for a high leverage role.
dirtysanchez
12/11/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
kiko did good for the marlins last year, should be considered for the pen. All i know is PF would welcome any lefty relief guy at this point lol
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-2:46pm at 2:46 pm (UTC -4)
Gonzalez will get as much or more than Lyon.
Beimel would be a good LOOGY. Plus he comes out to a Johnny Cash song, that’s gotta count for something.
CaseStreet
12/11/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Hopefully Parnell steps up and he never starts a game again
wannybackstra
12/11/2009-2:19pm at 2:19 pm (UTC -4)
Do you have any faith that such hope might be fulfilled? I have very little. The guy has just never had a lot of success despite his big fastball.
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
I think it could happen. He’s still figuring it out. Has the stuff, right?
wannybackstra
12/11/2009-2:57pm at 2:57 pm (UTC -4)
Are you confident enough that it could happen to enter into a season trying to win a championship with him as a primary option for a late inning role in he bullpen?
I would prefer he work his way up from the bottom of the pen.
His ordinary minor league track record (4.04 ERA, 1.397 WHIP, 8k/9 and 4 BB/9) doesn’t give me much confidence that he can succeed against another team’s top hitters in a tight spot.
We also saw what Stokes did last season: hammered in the 8th inning to a tune of .271 .369 .424.
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-4:21pm at 4:21 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not confident enough to start the season with him as a designated 8th inning guy, no.
I think you grab another decent RHP for the pen to compete with Parnell, Stokes, and Green for opportunities. I don’t think there’s a need–and with Lyon’s contract, there won’t be the money–to begin the season with a designated 8th inning stopper, like they began last year with Putz.
That would be 4 RHPs, 2 LHPs (PF & somebody better than Misch, I hope), then K-Rod.
CaseStreet
12/11/2009-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
If millwood can bring back a reliever with closer experience so can castillo (sarcasm)
whataputz
12/11/2009-2:13pm at 2:13 pm (UTC -4)
At 3 million, I would have given Putz another shot. Whats my username going to be now? WhataFelciano/stokesdependingonthesituation ..i hope not.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/11/2009-2:16pm at 2:16 pm (UTC -4)
That’s a cool screen name.
dirtysanchez
12/11/2009-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
hahahaha
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-2:39pm at 2:39 pm (UTC -4)
Mets gave 3mil+ to Schoeneweis to be the #2 lefty. That signing happened about a week after they let Bradford sign with the Orioles for about the same money. Bradford IS consistently good.
Yeah, I’d be fine with 3mil/1yr for Putz. He was cool with the role.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/11/2009-2:15pm at 2:15 pm (UTC -4)
I realize there’s lots hole to fill, but I think BP has to be one of the top priority. Otherwise I see 2008 all over again (except for KRod). Mets need to get a solid setup man. I would take a good look at who’s available via non-tender
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-2:22pm at 2:22 pm (UTC -4)
I agree completely about the non-tender thing. MLBTR’s list of potential non-tender guys has some interesting names on it. They’re all flawed in some way of course but that’s why they might be non-tendered.
I’m a fan of Taylor Buchholz, and I read somewhere today that DJ Carrasco might be non-tendered. If had cheap and short I’d take a flier on either guy for a 6th/7th if good morph into 8th role.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/11/2009-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
I also think Garko is a very interesting platoon choice at 1B with Murphy. And cheap alternative to Delgado.
trs86
12/11/2009-3:16pm at 3:16 pm (UTC -4)
Has he been non-tendered yet? I would love to get him if he is but unless they sign another 1B they will most likely keep him.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/11/2009-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
His name was on potential non-tender list on MLBTR. But then John Maine’s name was on it too.
manicmcreynolds
12/11/2009-4:23pm at 4:23 pm (UTC -4)
If the Giants get Uggla they’ll move Sanchez to 3B and Sandoval to 1B.
DNDJohan aka kistics
12/11/2009-4:28pm at 4:28 pm (UTC -4)
They already have Ishikawa as 1B, unless he’s no good.
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-2:52pm at 2:52 pm (UTC -4)
Just as food for thought, and this is just 1 team, a team that was often maligned for it’s bullpen’s performance, yet they somehow made it to the World Series.
Here are the top 5 guys (in terms of number of appearances) that the Phillies used to set up Lidge, and their salaries.
Park – $2.5 mil
Madson – $ 2.3 mil
Durbin – $1.6 mil
Condrey – $650,000
Eyre – $2.0 mil
You can win an NL pennant with a bullpen that doesn’t pay a non-closer more than $2.5 mil.
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-3:02pm at 3:02 pm (UTC -4)
Hell, Phil Coke, Philip Hughes, Dave Robertson, Brian Bruney and Alfredo Aceves are being fitted for WS rings.
You just need young pitchers with good stuff, not big salaries or tons of experience.
CaseStreet
12/11/2009-3:18pm at 3:18 pm (UTC -4)
yes sir, which is why I’m cool in hoping Parnell can step up to the plate.
wannybackstra
12/11/2009-3:16pm at 3:16 pm (UTC -4)
But can you do so with a starting staff that won’t give you many innings and/or quality starts?
GravediggerHebner
12/11/2009-3:36pm at 3:36 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think there is a definitive answer to your question. I merely believe a team can be successful (i.e. a playoff contender) without paying big salaries to veteran set up relievers.
The Phillies didn’t have a single starter total over 200 innings. Their bullpen was often asked to throw 2 2/3 or 3 innings.
Blanton averaged 6 1/3 a start, Hamels 6, most of the other guys were bounced in and out of the rotation so I can’t quickly access their IP per start. Lee 6 2/3 but he was only there for 12 starts, he didn’t allow them to sit their pen prior to August.
Of course they had a stellar offense that was capable of late inning comeback after comeback, but that’s a separate issue.
The White Sox paid Dotel $6 mil and Linebrink $4.5 mil to finish 4 games under .500.
You CAN pay set up guys big money and win or lose, just as you can pay them next to nothing and win or lose.
The Mets did worse than the Phils in terms of starter length (Santana 6 2/3, Pelfrey and Maine under 6, Perez under 5!), and therefore would need more quality performance from the bullpen than the Phils did to succeed, but I’m not convinced just throwing money at previously successful relievers solves that problem.
I believe that the Mets, with their current salary structure, need to find and establish relievers that make less than the average salary of a 25 man roster spot (which I believe is roughly $4 mil on the Mets) to be successful. Otherwise I fear they won’t have enough money to acquire more back up catchers.
My hope is the Mets will use their scouts and coaches to find guys with talent and ability at lower cost among the coming non-tenders or even as late as some spring training cuts, or minor leaguers blossoming.
trs86
12/11/2009-3:39pm at 3:39 pm (UTC -4)
Of course that is also assuming the Mets do not take steps to improve that SP issue which I think is predetermined to a point.