UPDATE 12:20pm: Costa reports “The Mets have some interest in free agent catcher Rod Barajas but are not making the “hard push” to sign him described in a FoxSports.com report, a team official said Wednesday.”
UPDATE 9:20: Jon Heyman Tweets The Mets have offered a minor league deal to Barajas.
The ever-reliable Brian Costa of the Star-Ledger cites the certainly less reliable Ken Rosenthal at Fox in suggesting that the Mets are apparently seriously trying to ink a one-year deal with veteran catcher Rod Barajas.
If true, this is a potentially excellent move.
Yes, Barajas is older and had a terrible OBP last year, but he also hit 19 HR, 19 2B, and drove in 71 runs. Similar numbers in the 7th or 8th spot in the 2010 Met order would be very welcome, as they almost certainly would surpass the most optimistic projections of the offense our current catchers would provide. In addition, he is generally among the better backstops at throwing out potential base-stealers.
Best of all, it would allow Josh Thole to continue developing at AAA, and avoid a repeat of Daniel Murphy’s situation. Murph did evolve last year, but most or all of a year in AAA surely would have helped him.
Here’s hoping this signing gets done; at this point of the spring, Barajas would also almost certainly come at a very reasonable price.
47 comments
stickguy
2/17/2010-8:09am at 8:09 am (UTC -4)
agreed with your take. Pretty much what I posted in the last thread, so I guess it is true that positiviality thinks alike.
Frankly, Brajas seems to give you everything tha Bengie would have, for 3-5 mill less.
I love the idea of giving Thole more time in AAA. And as I noted, Blanco is no lock to stay on the field, so you could easily see Thole by mid-season anyway.
Hopefully Santos will go to the minors for depth, but I suppose they could also trade him (and his nice cheap salary).
Also not sold on Coste as a viable ML level C, unless it is really as a BU that hardly plays (like on minnesota say). So having Santos available would be nice. Just Make Coste a coach at Bingo and Thole’s personal tutor.
ceetar
2/17/2010-8:52am at 8:52 am (UTC -4)
Agreed on Coste. He’s basically Santos in that he was a career minor-leaguer who suddenly had a decent year or two and got some playing time with the Major league club..but he’s AAAA at best.
I’m kinda tired of catcher rumors in general though.
metsfan4decades
2/17/2010-8:22am at 8:22 am (UTC -4)
So I would assume if they do this signing, this makes Santos the odd man out?
I just hope they did their homework this time. They signed Schneider supposedly for his defensive skills, since his offense was nothing to write home about. Turns out his defense was not all that great either….
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-8:45am at 8:45 am (UTC -4)
Barajas please. Like I was discussing with grave yesterday, the Mets need a real starter, not a backup who is now given the shot to start.
My only small concern would be that by bringing in a pitcher from outside the division, it’ll take him a while to learn the hitters. That’s only a very minute concern.
I’m not expecting Barajas to be some savior, with the bat or behind the plate, but at least he has starting experience.
trs86
2/17/2010-8:48am at 8:48 am (UTC -4)
I like the idea of bringing him in on the cheap. I would even go for a 1+1 deal if it kept things cheap.
I do have a question. Is this one or twelve sentences?
“…the by-product of acquiring barajas, which i had been suggesting as far back as October, is that santos is likely to not be the team’s starting catcher… which, to me, is a good thing… the man can hit, sometimes, but he’s a mess behind the plate… i am sure the Mets would have gone with him, but i never believes they wanted to… also, thole will most likely end up being mentored by Chris Coste in Buffalo, which is probably the best thing for him at this point in his career… he’s close… he needs a bit more direction, in terms of managing a game and the finer points of being a receiver… i love his bat, and his control… he’ll be back, and i look forward to it, because he’s a fun player to watch and root for, and i think he will be a useful and popular player sooner than later…”
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-8:56am at 8:56 am (UTC -4)
You must be reading http://www.fromwhaticangather.com, where the most commonly used word is “i”.
stickguy
2/17/2010-8:56am at 8:56 am (UTC -4)
and of course, we don’t even have to ask where you found that, right….?
metsfan4decades
2/17/2010-9:11am at 9:11 am (UTC -4)
I have to give him credit for finally getting someone to update the design on that blog. Nice job and he gives him credit for the design at the bottom.
Can’t say I like his ‘new style’ of adding his comments to a story. What is so hard about punctuation and capitalization? With all the blogs and comments I read, I tend to skip over the posters who use one, long run on sentence or post like they’re texting, to get their point across. Their defense is always, ‘it’s a blog, not a grammar class’. I just see that as laziness…..
njstuckintx
2/17/2010-8:57am at 8:57 am (UTC -4)
There would be no downside to this, that I can see. Unless you start hearing rumblings that Mets didn’t have the money for Molina, so had to get Barajas instead crapola. But I’ve muted out those negative vibes.
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-9:15am at 9:15 am (UTC -4)
From SI_JonHeyman:
#mets offer barajas minor-league deal at low $. al scout: “right now they have 4 backups.”
trs86
2/17/2010-9:18am at 9:18 am (UTC -4)
Case, can you update this post with that info?
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
My author status hasn’t been updated, so I can only edit my own posts.
trs86
2/17/2010-9:23am at 9:23 am (UTC -4)
I will fix that right away. Thanks.
trs86
2/17/2010-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
Done
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend The Real Dirty Mets Blog against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
I updated it with the new info ok Case.
Apologies to Kingman I never feel comfortable updating other author’s posts. I hope you don’t mind Big Guy.
trs86
2/17/2010-9:29am at 9:29 am (UTC -4)
As the current chief I say we should all be updating each others work to make sure we produce the best up to date product.
As long as it’s news, update away.
Even an opinion piece, if you guys ever want to add anything just put added to by….
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
I agree especially with news items. I appreciate the freedom you give us here but speaking only for myself I don’t think I could ever see myself adding content to someone’s opinion piece without asking them 1st.
There have been times that I will say something in the comment section that I felt was omitted and if the author agreed he updated it with it noting he added such and such after talking with me.
darknova306
2/17/2010-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
I’d be pleased with this. We don’t need an all-star catcher, just a guy who’s not going to be terrible defensively and will give us ‘some’ offense, and Barajas will fit that. A couple mil for him and I’m satisfied with the catching situation. Still happy to see Schneider gone, too.
fongy2
2/17/2010-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
The problem I have with this is the thought that an aging Catcher
is somehow gonna give us 19HR&71RBI in the 7th or 8th spot.
This ain’t The AL and the 2010 Mets line-up isn’t exactly a
lock to be a top notch NL line-up.
Also, as I posted months ago, for what its worth, this guy wasn’t
a very liked guy in The Phils clubhouse,which is w/o question one
of the best in the game, while he was there.
Lastly, whatever the stats say, having seen him everyday a couple
seasons ago, he’s got alot of our guy Scheider in him,in that
those defensive skills are vastly overrated.
I mean, how many Catchers DO we need???
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-9:44am at 9:44 am (UTC -4)
So you’d rather give the job to Santos, Thole, Blanco, Riggins or Coste?
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-9:45am at 9:45 am (UTC -4)
Don’t you think Fongy that all teams have a player that isn’t well liked in the clubhouse?
He or any catcher needs to work well with their pitchers I think and if he can’t do that then off he goes to his next club.
The fact that he is being offered a minor league contract tells m the Mets don’t think highly of him but are willing to give him a shot to see what he can do with it.
Don’t you agree?
fongy2
2/17/2010-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
I do agree AND feel the more the merrier with
these signings. Maybe we get lucky with one or two
who will max out in an attempt to keep their MLB careers going….And of course get paid…Again.
Just stating my opinion.
As for what I’d like to see with the Catching situation, I’d like to see if Santos can con’t &
build upon what he did last yr when he was one of
the few bright spots AND allow Thole to Catch alot
in ST, then maybe let him start @ AAA, while having Blanco as The Met #2C…And see whaT
fongy2
2/17/2010-9:54am at 9:54 am (UTC -4)
Sorry ’bout that….I con’t: See what Coste
has left, he either makes it as the 3rdC/
PH/1B back-up OR goes to Buffalo with Thole. I’m not even looking @ Riggins whos known as a Bat First Catcher that hasn’t hit much.
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-10:05am at 10:05 am (UTC -4)
I’d be down w/ your plan except it seems that the FO and maybe even the pitchers aren’t that keen on Santos as the everyday catcher.
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
I will say one thing and that is since I don’t expect a lot of offense from the catcher’s spot they better be good at handling the staff.
trs86
2/17/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
Hey if Schneider is good enough for the Phills the greatest team of our generation with the best clubhouse of all time, then Barajas will be fine.
ceetar
2/17/2010-9:54am at 9:54 am (UTC -4)
speaking of great clubhouses, I know I read somewhere that the stats suggest players getting married is a bad idea.
Rollins and Victorino both did (not to each other) this offseason, so that’s a good sign right?
fongy2
2/17/2010-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
I think only the SF Giants would allow them to marry each other….
Now THAT would be a story….
Remember Glenn Burke???
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
They even have a stat for that?
Amazin I would love to see that breakdown.
ceetar
2/17/2010-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I don’t know where to find it, but it was in fantasyland (I think that was the name of the book about Taut Wars) and he definitely mentioned the stat but not where to find it. (Perez got married prior to 2009, so hopefully that’s worn off now.
fongy2
2/17/2010-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, it’s P.P.Y.D.W.S.W.,
OR Pct.of Players You Don’t Wan’t to Shower With……….
Like golf, the lower your score,
the better off you are…..
fongy2
2/17/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Great Post….Really adds alot!
trs86
2/17/2010-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
So does your comment on how Barajas is a bad teammate based on media junk and interviews from former teammates who may have an ax to grind. Also, how in the hell do we know what clubhouses are good and what clubhouses are bad?
ceetar
2/17/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
“Also, how in the hell do we know what clubhouses are good and what clubhouses are bad?”
Look at their record. Roughly, the Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Tigers and Angels and Rockies clubhouses are good.
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
Exactly if you win everyone’s happy.
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
Time out you two. Go to your room and stop with the slights.
fongy2
2/17/2010-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
Err, Mr.Teacher man…I don’t think
you finished your thoughts in and
on your first question.
And sorry for bringing it up at all. God forbid I should disagree
with you or Uncle Omar about a
signing and/or need of The Mets!
You go ahead and keep on believing
that what goes on off the field
has nothing to do with what happens on it…….
Jeez…Talk about being a slave
to stats.
Oh, and I’m sure The Phils with all their success the past few yrs
have just hammered Barajas for
the fun of it….Or he was such a
huge(pun intended)figure in that clubhouse that two yrs after he
left they just have to keep taking
slaps at him for the fun of it.
stickguy
2/17/2010-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
to be fair, the Phils did not have a good clubhouse when Barajas was there. They were still in loser mode, fans hated the team, and Chaallee was on the banana peel getting run out of town.
I don’t recall hearing anything negative coming out of Toronto though, and that is more recent.
He would be a joruneyman, 1 year and gone guy anyway. What the heck kind of impact could he even have in the clubhouse?
and with 5 spares, if he didn’t work out, easily replaceable!
trs86
2/17/2010-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
Fongy, you can disagree all you want. I never tell you that you can’t. Your cheap shot with Uncle Omar just shows you don’t have much. You know I want Omar gone so that is pointless.
I just think this love for clubhouse chemistry and using player comments to judge a player is weak. We have no idea what goes on in a clubhouse. Just because a team wins does not mean they have chemistry. I am sure there is great chemistry in the Pirates clubhouse too right?
trs86
2/17/2010-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
“Also, as I posted months ago, for what its worth, this guy wasn’t
a very liked guy in The Phils clubhouse,which is w/o question one
of the best in the game, while he was there.”
While Barajas was there the Phillies clubhouse was “one
of the best in the game”? Really?
Again, far be it for me to question the Phillies opinion on one of their ex players.
They loved Coste maybe we should start him? They value Schneider maybe we should have kept him.
whataputz
2/17/2010-10:53am at 10:53 am (UTC -4)
Schneider is the best .200 hitter this side of the Mississippi, my man.
whataputz
2/17/2010-10:51am at 10:51 am (UTC -4)
Is there any credibility in journalism nowadays? It’s incredible. I’m sure you can find an article saying Santos has the job, an article finding Thole has the job, an article saying it’s a Santos/Thole split, a Blanco/Santos split, Barajas now…it’s a joke. I’m pretty sure I read two days ago that the job was definitely going to Santos and Thole.
GravediggerHebner
2/17/2010-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
Eh. I guess the only negative I can think of with Barajas is he has absolutely no upside. But that’s what Thole is for. Molina had no upside either and Rod is a year younger and has to be cheaper.
Barajas will be merely a stop gap until Thole or if he flops something else better comes along over the course of the next 18 months. I prefer my stop gaps to be not Bengie Molina so if the Mets get Barajas that’s fine with me.
I can only hope he actually provides something positive for the pitching staff since given that none of the guys in the mix except Thole show the ability to hit that’s all they’re here for.
Mr North Jersey
2/17/2010-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
My Dark Horse has been sited.
“Not sure about his glove, but Chris Carter was hitting rockets in BP.
Pretty explosive swing.”
http://twitter.com/lenno212/statuses/9240683928
He said explosive.
Niceeeeeeee!!!
CaseStreet
2/17/2010-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
We have our own, El Caballo!
trs86
2/17/2010-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
No doubt that Carter can hit. I can’t imagine that he would field bad enough not to be a 1B, OF candidate for the bench.