Taking a break from the Beltran and Mets saga, I thought it would be a good idea to look at the top remaining FA for 2010.
Position players: (Compiled from MLBTR)
C) B. Molina, Torrealba, J. Molina, Barajas
1B) Blalock, Delgado, Garko, Tracy, Thome
2B) Belliard, Hairston JR, Hudson, Kennedy, Lopez
SS) Amezaga, Cabrera, Tejada
3B) Mora, Quinlan
LF) Damon, Gomes, Thames, Winn, Dye, Nady
CF) Ankiel, Endy, Sullivan, Baldelli, Erstad
RF) Giles, See LF
Pitchers
SP) Bedard, Garland, Davis, Lowry, Pedro, Looper, Padilla, Odalis, Pineiro, Smoltz, Sheets, Wang, Washburn
RP) Gregg, MacDougal, Calero, Ohman, Beimel, Dotel
So where do these guys rank? Who did I miss?
Where do they end up?
Which ones if you were Omar would you pursue?
35 comments
GravediggerHebner
1/14/2010-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
With the caveat that I am at a low ebb of “Mets emotional energy” right now, my thoughts are these.
What I would do:
Sign Jose Molina, Jerry Hairston Jr., Rick Ankiel, Jon Garland, Ben Sheets and Will Ohman.
What I think Omar will do:
Sign Bengie Molina, Carlos Delgado and Joel Pineiro.
DNDJohan aka kistics
1/14/2010-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
LOL
dirtysanchez
1/14/2010-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
I would really try and get garko for RH 1b backup
Hairston JR for the bench and is very versatile
sullivan/ankiel for OF
Wang on minor k/ Pinero,Garland on low cost/year deal
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-12:44pm at 12:44 pm (UTC -4)
Holy Mike Nichols!
From this list I’d prioritize: Garko; Ankiel or Winn; Gregg, Calero or Smoltz; Pineiro or Garland AND Sheets. But not necessarily in that order.
The catchers are all the same to me. And not in a good way.
GravediggerHebner
1/14/2010-12:49pm at 12:49 pm (UTC -4)
Precisely why I’d just go for the cheaper Molina brother. Between he and Blanco, with Coste, Thole and maybe Santos a short flight away if necessary, I’m OK with that.
Blanco and Jose should go a long way to calling a good game (from what I’ve read) and slowing down opposing baserunners.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:06pm at 1:06 pm (UTC -4)
Given the fact that another major need has been presented, I’m inclined to agree that spending a lot of money at C might be a bad idea. The Mets will at least have a lot of bodies and could ride the hottest hand from among J. Molina (for example), Blanco, Santos and Thole.
trs86
1/14/2010-1:40pm at 1:40 pm (UTC -4)
But what are they going to spend that extra money on?
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:44pm at 1:44 pm (UTC -4)
I would hope other players at positions of increasing need, i.e. OF, P, etc.
trs86
1/14/2010-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
Thing is which ones of those would Molina keep you from getting?
None of those options should make the Mets say, we don’t have the money.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
Individually, no. But quite clearly the Mets have multiple needs and their list is growing with addition of CF.
Plus, there may be players available via trade that we are not aware of that would require some extra bucks.
The bottom line will is whether Bengie Molina will provide (and I thought you were staunchly opposed to him anyway?) a $5m upgrade over his little brother or whether that $5m couldn’t result in a greater improvement in the rotation or elsewhere.
trs86
1/14/2010-2:01pm at 2:01 pm (UTC -4)
I was but I have warmed as the FA were signed and the injury to Beltran has sealed the fate.
I look at it this way, say we sign Barajas. That’s going to cost say 2 million. Thus Molina’s 6 is now 4. I can’t think the Mets will let 4 million get in the way of multiple upgrades. Of that list there are few that would even cost 4 million.
I guess what I am saying is baring a trade, which they seemed willing to do anyway, I would like to see who we are getting with that extra money that we could not have gotten anyway.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-2:06pm at 2:06 pm (UTC -4)
Four million would have been just about enough to have signed Adam Laroche.
Perhaps if they weren’t intent on Molina they could have had Barajas and Laroche rather than Molina and… possibly no one.
trs86
1/14/2010-2:07pm at 2:07 pm (UTC -4)
But my point is that they are not that strapped for cash to start with so they could have afforded both.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
That would be $27m and change this offseason with Bay and Iagarashi.
Doesn’t leave much room for the rotation or the final spot(s) on the bench and in the pen.
I guess it would be possible. But if we’re operating under your 28-32m offseason budget, it doesn’t seem like it would have worked.
trs86
1/14/2010-2:15pm at 2:15 pm (UTC -4)
I have not added it up but how much did you count Bay as?
trs86
1/14/2010-2:18pm at 2:18 pm (UTC -4)
Also, I know we have discussed this but I don’t see any major BP guys being added, regardless of money.
But either way I don’t think the 4 million would dictate much.
trs86
1/14/2010-1:39pm at 1:39 pm (UTC -4)
LOL, by my spelling standards only missing about 5 is a good day. Thanks for keeping me straight.
trs86
1/14/2010-12:47pm at 12:47 pm (UTC -4)
I think that Hairston JR seems to have too many suitors so I am afraid his price may be more than what it should be. But I agree he would be ideal.
I would go with
Bengi because it’s going to happen regardless
Thames to back up Murphy and play some OF
Hudson because I think he will be cheap and improves the starting lineup
Pineiro or Washburn
Smoltz
CaseStreet
1/14/2010-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
Yesterday on MLB Hot Stove, they were asked who improved the most.
Heyman said the Mariners. Verducci (I think) said Red Sox. Rosenthal said the Mets (if they sign Pineiro and Molina).
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:03pm at 1:03 pm (UTC -4)
Jerry Hairston has only played 119 gms in CF and only 98 starts. That doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy we’d want to rely upon as an everyday CFer once Pagan breaks his annual finger nail.
Not to mention I think we are all a little fooled by his outlier season of 2008. His career average of .259/.328/.373 is not inspiring.
Randy Winn seems like much more of a safe bet as a fall back plan, a veteran switch hitter who can also provide some insurance if Franceour continues to hit like a girl against right handed pitchers.
Ankiel doesn’t have much more experience in CF than Hairston (177 games) but at least might still have some untapped potential.
trs86
1/14/2010-1:44pm at 1:44 pm (UTC -4)
I guess we are thinking Winn’s .262 .318 .353 .671 last year was a fluke and that he can still play CF well enough to pass. I guess the thinking is that Hairston can also play other positions.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
Hairston can play other positions, true. But his most obvious need would be at a position with which he has little experience. Your latest plan as expressed above has no one with any experience to back up Pagan in CF.
I won’t get into the uselessness (again) of looking only at a player’s previous season when there is also a substantial body of work before that (your selective reliance on this point should lead you to want Joel Pineiro if it were to become a consistent viewpoint) but I will point out that Hairston’s career numbers are just a hair better than Randy Winn’s worst season.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
Also regarding Hairston, you don’t have much need for him at his other positions with Cora already capable of playing them.
trs86
1/14/2010-1:58pm at 1:58 pm (UTC -4)
I am not sure I would count Cora as a capable 3B. As to your point on stats, I agree that Winn was a better hitter. At some point doesn’t age factor in? Of course he is only 2 years older than Hairston but I am afraid that Winn may not recover.
The 3 prediction tools fangraphs uses has them very similar next year. Bad.
I guess I would rather have the younger more versatile one to be on the bench.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-2:03pm at 2:03 pm (UTC -4)
Hairston has played 62 games at 3B in 46 starts. I’m not sure that qualifies him as all that capable either.
Anyway, given the fact that the opening day CFer is the fragile Angel Pagan and the opening day 3B is the durable David Wright, I think it might be better to have a more experienced CFer than a slightly more experienced 3B.
trs86
1/14/2010-2:05pm at 2:05 pm (UTC -4)
I see your point Wanny but I am also under the impression that they still need to fill out the bench. So the hell with it. Sign both. LOL.
wannybackstra
1/14/2010-2:10pm at 2:10 pm (UTC -4)
I guess that would be a good way to settle the dispute and save attorney fees.
The way the market is shaping up right now these guys should just be happy to get work.
If they were to do that the bench would be Blanco, Cora, Hairston, Winn and then they’d have to keep one of Carter or Evans or sign a Garko behind Murphy. That would be a pretty nice bench.
I wonder if they plan to cut ties with AHern or send him to AAA. If for a reason unbeknownst to any of us decided to keep him on the 25 man, that would be an impediment to Hairston.
trs86
1/14/2010-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I think Ahern starts in AAA but they could be thinking otherwise. I don’t like Cora at SS or 3B but…
As for the 1B backup it would need to be someone with pop but Carter or Evans would work. Carter makes sense to give LF and RF a break but Evans makes sense for Murphy.
metsfan4decades
1/14/2010-1:06pm at 1:06 pm (UTC -4)
My choices?
Whichever is most likely to remain healthy and on the field for ’2010. Jeesh….
Although if Sheets’ price was less expensive than what’s being reported I might be tempted to take a flyer on him.
Some random thoughts:
Mets Hot Stove on SNY ought to be interesting tonight. David Wright is scheduled to be on but I’m sure they won’t have a problem looking for topics to discuss.
SNY is airing live, that 2pm conference with Ricco.
Devin Burhardt tweets: ‘Let me clarify 1 thing – Mets knew about this, but didn’t agree with surgery.’
I knew there could be no way Beltran just went behind their backs and didn’t consult with them or keep them in the loop. It appears to me, he went along with them last year and it cost him the season and the start to this one. If this surgery was suggested last year and Mets talked him out of it, then they’ve got to take some responsibility for Beltran not being ready to go this year.
Lidge had his knee scoped yesterday, which sounds like the same thing Beltran had done. Phillies report if he won’t be ready by opening day, he won’t be far behind that’.
DNDJohan aka kistics
1/14/2010-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
If Bengie and the Mets got any closer, they’d be making out…
dirtysanchez
1/14/2010-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
ewwwwwwwwwwwwww
trs86
1/14/2010-1:48pm at 1:48 pm (UTC -4)
Could you imagine the head of the child between Molina and Mr. Met?
dirtysanchez
1/14/2010-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
hahahhaha….my mind cannot wrap around the thought of that loll
Gary: And heres the pitch…another pitch get caught on by the graviational pull of mr mets son..
trs86
1/14/2010-2:20pm at 2:20 pm (UTC -4)
Someone answer me this question. What the hell is baseball activities? Is that limited to swinging and running the bases? Will it be 12 weeks AND another 3 weeks to get in baseball shape?
CaseStreet
1/14/2010-4:04pm at 4:04 pm (UTC -4)
sounds right