So over at BleacherReport Adam Rosen has a interesting post about “The 10 Worst Signings In New York Yankees History” Now with all the talk of Cliff Lee’s upcoming free agency and if he is or is not worth signing to a big contract it got me to thinking what are the Mets 10 Worst Signings Of All-Time?
I can think definitely of one that has to be on that list. His name is Bobby Bonnilla and his 5 year, $29 million contract. Who else should be in that Top 10?
By the way the Yankees 10 worst went as follows.
- Dave Collins, 1982: 3 years, $2.5 million
- Danny Tartabull, 1992: 5 years, $27 million
- Hideki Irabu, 1997: 4 years, $12.3 million
- Jason Giambi, 2002: 7 years, $120 million
- Jaret Wright, 2005: 3 years, $21 million
- Carl Pavano, 2005: 4 years, $40 million
- Kyle Farnsworth, 2006: 3 years, $17.5 million
- Kei Igawa, 2007: 5 years, $46 million
- Roger Clemens, 2007: 4 months, $18.7million
- Chan Ho Park/Nick Johnson 2010: Combined 2 years, $6.7 million
63 comments
youngvalerawest
6/25/2010-1:18pm at 1:18 pm (UTC -4)
The Mets seem to be burned more often by trades, i.e., George Foster, Mel Rojas, Carlos Baerga, Roberto Alomar than by free agents.
Bonilla is the obvious posterchild for free agent blunders.
Vince Coleman is right behind him. What an ass.
Pedro Astacio should be on the list because of the money.
Guillermo Mota was another (he was good after they traded for him because he was on the juice for which they rewarded him a two year deal).
Moises Alou burnt them with injury.
njstuckintx
6/25/2010-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
The Bonilla thing drove me nuts, cause Bonds (the skinny, smaller headed one) was to be a free agent the following year. I had hoped they would save their dollars to throw at him.
Mr North Jersey
6/25/2010-1:22pm at 1:22 pm (UTC -4)
So did you hear that KROD will be considered as trade bait for Lee?
“However, Martino says the Mets are willing to trade Jenrry Mejia, Francisco Rodriguez and other minor league players.”
http://www.metsblog.com/2010/06/25/mets-unwilling-to-trade-angel-pagan/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+metsblogfeed+%28MetsBlog.com%29
Of course it is a typo the article actually says FMart not KRod. Something that Martino has already had to address in a tweet.
It is not. That was an error by Metsblog RT @pAuLiE_bRuZ i read somewhere that you said the #mets are willing to deal k-rod is this true??
18 minutes ago via web
SurfingTheMets
Andy Martino
http://twitter.com/SurfingTheMets/statuses/17029274033
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-1:25pm at 1:25 pm (UTC -4)
Seems nutty.
Who is then our closer?
The M’s seem unlikely to add salary.
Will we also get Aardsma?
How could we trade KRod?
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-1:28pm at 1:28 pm (UTC -4)
Our new closer will be Aaron Heilman… back from the dead….
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-1:35pm at 1:35 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe the Marlins signed Armando Benitez to a minor league deal just to trade him to us….
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
Great question!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-1:33pm at 1:33 pm (UTC -4)
Santana admits to having consensual sex with accuser….
He’s definitely sleeping on the couch…
njstuckintx
6/25/2010-1:35pm at 1:35 pm (UTC -4)
Nah, the pool house or someother house on his complex. Look for the Kobe Ring on Mrs. Santana’s finger!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
that’s a good point. he probably has 3 more apartments/houses he own…
or he can afford to stay at Waldorf Astoria for the next 20 years…
or I’m sure Omar’s got a spare bedroom for him…
johan4cy
6/25/2010-1:38pm at 1:38 pm (UTC -4)
Ok, very off topic but I felt the need to say this: Bay and Holliday are no longer that same “donut.” Holliday is batting .310 with 7 more homeruns than Bay.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-1:42pm at 1:42 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, pretty much since the day I dared to suggest they were similar disappointments (also the day the Cards moved Holliday to 2nd in the batting order) Holliday has taken off. My motivational tool was used by the wrong guy.
Maybe Bay needs to bat 2nd?
johan4cy
6/25/2010-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
Well Holliday and his manager both think his success comes more from changing his batting stance than moving up in the lineup. (He’s on my fantasy team so I got that from yahoo) But still, who wouldn’t want to bat ahead of Pujols?!
youngvalerawest
6/25/2010-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
also off topic, wally has the cyclones at 5-2 and has earned his first ejection.
i really do think wally will teach the mets youngsters how to win, fight and gain entry to an insane asylum.
ceetar
6/25/2010-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
David Lennon’s being extremely bitter/critical about Beltran and the possibility of moving Pagan.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
I wasn’t following him since I can’t read his paper, perhaps I should nonetheless?
ceetar
6/25/2010-2:10pm at 2:10 pm (UTC -4)
I only follow a small portion of the beat writers, since most stuff they say is the saeme. Lennon talks/converses more than others, but he’s basically saying he thinks Beltran’s knee is going to explode.
following metswfan?
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:17pm at 2:17 pm (UTC -4)
Yes I am following metswfan. I hope you don’t mind but I am going to your profile to cherry-pick some to follow that I haven’t figured out on my own to follow. I found Carlos Beltran but he doesn’t tweet very often.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
I just swiped 27 accounts to follow from you, thank you!
I see you already had Carlos Beltran so much for my coup.
ceetar
6/25/2010-4:02pm at 4:02 pm (UTC -4)
don’t forget NewYorkMets and MLB
omg you’re looking at my following list! the horrrrror!
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
I think Wanny’s alter ego covered it well above. Otherwise:
Rick Cerone?
Brett Butler?
Roger Cedeno?
Graeme Lloyd?
Kaz Matsui?
Of those guys to me Cedeno and Matsui stand out as bad.
I suppose it’s a slightly different conversation to debate the merits of Pedro Martinez, either Hernandez brother, and more recently KRod & Bay.
youngvalerawest
6/25/2010-2:03pm at 2:03 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, good calls. Kaz has to be near the top of the list.
But Butler was very good for the Mets in his 90 games (311 .381 .392 with 21 SBs).
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Upon further review you are right I should not have lumped Butler in with that group. I was more focused on the idea that the Mets signed a 37 year old CF than I was the fact he actually produced after they signed him.
oleosmirf
6/25/2010-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Oliver Perez is the worst signing in Mets history
njstuckintx
6/25/2010-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
I was waiting for this one. And it probably isn’t too far from the truth.
oleosmirf
6/25/2010-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
3 years 36 million and he has been one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball since that signing…
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
Can’t argue with that, what makes it even worse is the same thing that makes me forget about it in the context of free agent signings – he didn’t come from another team.
oleosmirf
6/25/2010-3:01pm at 3:01 pm (UTC -4)
the contract was worse, however Bonilla at least contributed to the team. He even hit 30 HR one season and in 95 he was very good before he got traded.
Ollie is terrible for someone on a minor league deal!!!
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-2:40pm at 2:40 pm (UTC -4)
2nd worst after Bonilla.
In adjusted dollars, that Bonilla contract dwarfs Ollie’s.
But I do think Ollie must be 2nd worst.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-2:16pm at 2:16 pm (UTC -4)
Castillo?
I think Pedro is a pretty bad signing too if you are strictly speaking productions.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-2:44pm at 2:44 pm (UTC -4)
Feliciano in CF and Thole at C tonight.
Friday Night lineup: Reyes-SS, J.Feliciano-CF, Wright-3B, Davis-1B, Bay-LF, Thole-C, Francoeur-RF, Tejada-2B, Pelfrey-RHP
njstuckintx
6/25/2010-2:47pm at 2:47 pm (UTC -4)
Hope Pelf Pitches Perfect tonight.
LGM.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
I guess Pagan’s not feeling any better.
Why Thole before Frenchy? and please don’t say Lefty-Righty thing, because you have Righty-Righty in Frenchy and Tejada… so I would think it’d make sense that Thole bats between Frenchy and Tejada.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-3:11pm at 3:11 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t follow why it would make sense if the 2 righties Frenchy & Tejada were split by a lefty but it doesn’t make sense that the 2 righties Bay & Frenchy be separated by one.
My opinion on why Thole is where he is is that he offers Bay better protection than Frenchy, who is 1 for his last 17, right now.
Further I think if Pagan were healthy and starting in CF that Frenchy would probably get a rest in favor of Feliciano or Carter, but with Pagan already out Manuel may be hesitant to add a 5th Bison (Feliciano, Davis, Thole, Tejada) to his starting 8.
stickguy
6/25/2010-3:39pm at 3:39 pm (UTC -4)
Frenchy ha sgotten this streaky thing down to a science. Take out that what, 2 week hot stretch a few weeks back, and his #s would make most pitchers blush!
I was going to lump bay in with him, but he has actually been reasonably consistant. Not consistantly good of course, and with zippo power, but steady!
man, who would have thought that at the tail end of June, while beeing healthy and playing FT, Bay would be 6th on the team in HRS!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/25/2010-3:40pm at 3:40 pm (UTC -4)
Good point on Frenchy. But I’m with you that the order should be Bay-Frenchy-Thole-Tejada. Even though Frenchy is struggling, his experience alone should put him there.
whataputz
6/25/2010-4:21pm at 4:21 pm (UTC -4)
I know this is of topic here, but I’m going to go on a little bit of a rant here.
When I first saw that Pagan and Mejia for Lee was a possibility I thought “no way! I wouldn’t give up that much for Lee.” However, the more I think about it, the more I think that if the Mariners call the Mets and say ” We have an offer we are about to accept, last chance, Mejia and Pagan or Lee is a (insert team name)” the Mets have to pull the trigger. Especially if they can buy some more time before they have to make the deal for Beltran to get back to baseball. I think it comes down to this. Next year Beltran is under contract, and Bay is here for a while, so poof there go 2 OF spots off the bat.You can then give Frenchy/ F-Mart a chance to compete, or you can even sign another OF. So, the questions you have to ask yourself are:
1. What is better for the team: Adding Lee and solidifying our staff, while helping our pen, or Are they better off going after a middle of the road starter and letting Beltran rehab at a luxurious pace, and platooning Pagan and Frenchy when he is back?
2. Do you trust Pagan who has never played a full season to play healthy and keep this up?
3. Does committing to an outfield of Bay Beltran and Franceur hurt the team more than the addition of Lee?
4. How productive will Beltran be and how long will it take for him to be back?
And when I ponder these questions this is my response. No matter how slow he takes or how bad he is at first, you’re giving Beltran CF when he is done in the minors. You’re playing him at least 5 times week. Remember Beltran is a superstar when locked in and can be a kind of threat that Pagan just can’t match. We are seeing the best Pagan can give, and don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome. He hustles, brings enthusiasm, is very clutch, fields the position well, and is an all-around good player. However his health problems do concern me, and so does the fact that this is new territory for him. The thing is once Beltran is back and settled in, he is our CF without a doubt, so Pagan becomes kind of the 3.5th outfielder if that makes sense. Who knows how he’ll still produce playing 1-3 times a week.
Cliff Lee is one of the top 10 pitchers in the game, and has proven to be good in big games, and has succeeded in the NL East, so you KNOW he can do it. If we can get into the playoffs with Lee Pelf and Santana, we are just as good as any other team. He was lights out in CBP, and I’m sure he would be amazing in Citi Field, plus he is playing for a contract.
We all know Mejia’s got potential, but how many times have we seen can’t miss prospects miss. I know you have to build with the future in mind, but we have a very good team here with a chance to go the distance, and adding an ace puts them over the top. I don’t have to tell you all how long it’s been since we’ve won, and there comes a point when you gotta grab life by the balls and just go for it. I say the Mets go for it!
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-4:29pm at 4:29 pm (UTC -4)
To show how different opinions can be on potential trades I actually think offering Mejia & Pagan alone to SEA for Lee is an insult to SEA. If they were willing to accept that offer I think you have to do it quick before they change their minds.
But (you knew this was coming) the problem the Mets have is who plays CF? We just don’t know when Beltran is coming back and even when he does how healthy he’ll be and therefore how often he might play or how productive he’ll be when he does.
Trading Pagan leaves a gaping hole in CF so I endorse doing the deal but only if the Mets can make a side deal for a decent 4th OF to play CF until Beltran comes back and to help him once he does come back. I don’t think Jesus Feliciano cuts it as the everyday CF for the next month.
whataputz
6/25/2010-4:37pm at 4:37 pm (UTC -4)
I think you just gotta trust Beltran. He’s one of the best CF in the game. I’m willing to risk playing him in CF with Feliciano and F-Mart backing up if necessary, or like you said maybe add a 4th outfielder if it means getting Cliff Lee. If they were to pull the trigger for Lee they’re not going to do it if they don’t think Beltran can play CF. I think they believe he can play CF. He’s not too old, and players get injured, it happens.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-4:58pm at 4:58 pm (UTC -4)
I want to trust Beltran, but reading this quote today reminded me that trusting him involves great risk:
-”What Mets fans need to understand about Beltran: He’ll never be ‘healthy’ again. Knee is bone on bone, it’s just about what he can play thru.”
Again I stress I’m all for trading Pagan & Mejia (in generic terms trading a 29 year old career 4th OF with a lengthy injury history and 1 high ranked 20 year old prospect) to get Lee but the Mets need to protect themselves in CF as a condition of my being all for it.
stickguy
6/25/2010-4:39pm at 4:39 pm (UTC -4)
Insult? Don’t think so.
right now, Seattle is dead in the water, and Lee is walking at the end of the year.
So the equation really becomes, are they getting back talent that is worth more than a supp. and a 2nd round pick in next years draft (along with the money they save this year).
If so, it is a good deal for them.
flip side, whoever gets him gets a minor (relatively) salary hit, and 2 picks to replace that talent. Meaning it is much easier (and way more comment) to trade prospects, since when you trade a starter, it opens up other cans of worms.
whataputz
6/25/2010-4:41pm at 4:41 pm (UTC -4)
In an ideal world we get Lee and keep Pagan.
oleosmirf
6/25/2010-4:40pm at 4:40 pm (UTC -4)
well if they were to trade Pagan to Seattle (which i dont see happening regardless) I would also ask for Milton Bradley in return for Oliver Perez.
now before you tell me how terrible Bradley is (b/c i know he is)…he’s got more value than Perez.
stickguy
6/25/2010-4:35pm at 4:35 pm (UTC -4)
at least you thought it through…
Not sure how I feel about this. But anytime you step up to a ML starter (which Pagan has been now for the last 600 ABs or so), then the return should go up (unless of course he stinks!) over some prospects, which by definition, have never proven they can produce in the majors.
So, if they want pagan, take out Mejia. Substitute Familia say, and another AA prospect type.
I just don’t see them doing pagan + mejia at this point.
Then again, I wil lstill eb shocked ifBeltran makes it back to the Mets, and is able to play erasonably FT for more than a few weeks. So you really better have a plan B for that, better than Jesus playing everyday in CF!
stickguy
6/25/2010-4:36pm at 4:36 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, there is also the minor fact that Frenchy is back to proving he kinda stinks as a hitter.
whataputz
6/25/2010-4:38pm at 4:38 pm (UTC -4)
He’s streaky no doubt, but at the same time who’s to say Pagan keeps this up? He has absolutely no track record, and is currently sitting out his 3rd consecutive game with an injury. Plus Bay can only get better then what he has been so far.
ceetar
6/25/2010-5:52pm at 5:52 pm (UTC -4)
no? before this season he has pretty good numbers with the Mets. And those numbers were better than Frenchy.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
He was a part-time player and his by far biggest claim to fame last year was his incredible number of mental errors in the field and on the bases.
He is almost 29, and has now played well (not great; well) for 40% of one season as a starter.
Putz is completely right in wondering if Pagan can keep this up, and the idea of losing Pagan holding up a potential trade for Lee is just ludicrous.
ceetar
6/25/2010-6:10pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)
No, not if it’s the only thing holding it up, but there are other factors to consider and I’d be reluctant to weaken the current major league team to acquire a guy for 15 starts.
Pagan over his 481 PA with the Mets before this year was batting
.300/.346/.463 with 29 doubles, 12 triples and 18 SB. It’s not an All-Star line, but it _is_ a very acceptable one, particularly for the role he would’ve been in.
Slash line with the Mets overall .300 .354 .456
He certainly shouldn’t stop us from doing something, but he’s a very nice, athletic, player that I wouldn’t want to give up if I didn’t have to.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, he has proven that consistently for years now.
But, if we added Lee without losing Ike, Niese, or FMart, the team might be so strong this year that we can survive with Frenchy hitting 6th as long as he keeps hustling and playing good D.
And I am NOT changing my tune; always said I would be for Lee as a rental if we did not have to give up Ike, Niese, and one of Mejia/FMart.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
I think I am sold.
If we get Lee now for JUST Mejia and Pagan, do it.
We keep Niese, Ike, FMart and everyone else.
We have Lee, Johan, Pelf, Niese, Dickey. A VERY varied and strong rotation which will throw tons of innings and keep the pen fresh.
We then have KRod, Feliciano, (the possibly matured?) Parnell, Takahashi, Dessens in the pen.
We have Bay and Frenchy to play every day, and we have Beltran, Feliciano, and FMart for CF.
This really could be a title contending team.
I have to say I like it, but ONLY if we do not have to somehow include Ike, Niese, FMart, Havens, Thole, or any other either top notch or almost ready prospect.
ceetar
6/25/2010-5:56pm at 5:56 pm (UTC -4)
I’d be willing to include Thole or Havens for sure, probably before Pagan.
I just am not sure Lee is the right move, or really that a half season 15 game rental is the right move.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-5:59pm at 5:59 pm (UTC -4)
Havens before Pagan?
Pagan is a 29 year old career bench player with 70 good games under his belt.
Havens has infinitely more potential.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
And Thole is probably our catcher for next year.
Small sample to be sure, be he looked very promising at the plate last September.
Bring back Barajas to platoon and tutor Thole and you have at least adequate-to-good catching probably for at least another year.
ceetar
6/25/2010-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
Pagan is contributing now, weakens are team if we trade him (hence making the ‘net gain’ lower). Havens is a prospect that could easily never see the major leagues. I rarely have a problem trading prospects I haven’t seen.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-6:18pm at 6:18 pm (UTC -4)
Losing Pagan and obtaining Lee makes ARE team weaker?
Uh, OK.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-6:25pm at 6:25 pm (UTC -4)
I think the concept is who plays CF?
Pagan, who can accurately be described as a (soon to be) 29 year old career 4th OF who has never played 100 games due in part to injury history, can also accurately be described as in the conversation for 2010 Mets 1st half MVP.
So yes the rotation improves but I don’t think the club can just plug Jesus Feliciano into CF and not miss a beat. The offense and the defense are likely to suffer at the expense of the pitching staff.
That is the tragic irony in trading Pagan in a package for Lee. Beltran’s injury allowed Pagan the opportunity (which he took advantage of) to improve his game and therefore his worth in a trade, but Beltran’s injury also made Pagan more valuable to the Mets right now.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-6:32pm at 6:32 pm (UTC -4)
Certainly cannot argue with much of that, but I feel that (in the VERY unlikely event) we were offered Lee for just Mejia and Pagan, the gain to the club would be so huge that a 3-headed Beltran/FMart/Feliciano (or even just the latter two if Beltran cannot play) would be more than adequate.
And I think the Pagan-is-Met-MVP talk is a bit overstated.
Pelf. Dickey.
Wright.
Reyes lately.
Even KRod.
All of these guys have contributed nearly as much or more than Pagan.
GravediggerHebner
6/25/2010-6:37pm at 6:37 pm (UTC -4)
I agree and that’s why I carefully phrased it as “in the conversation for” MVP. He does lead the team in BA w/RISP.
I said somewhere above I’m all for it if the M’s will accept Pagan & Mejia for Lee, I just think that as a condition the Mets need to do something else to shore up CF at least until Beltran comes back which might be next week, might be August, might be never we just don’t know.
Ultimately I think I’m with you though because bottom line if the M’s say ‘you can have Lee but we must have Pagan’ I say ‘thanks for everything Angel, enjoy Seattle’ and then I worry about how to fix CF.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-6:42pm at 6:42 pm (UTC -4)
Completely agree. Big surprise, huh?
I would imagine that there is something we could do to shore up CF; maybe FMart, maybe another trade, maybe some free agent, who knows.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-6:21pm at 6:21 pm (UTC -4)
The net gain of the MLB team losing Pagan and gaining Lee would be mammoth, even if Feliciano played every day and hit .220 with no power.
ceetar
6/25/2010-6:55pm at 6:55 pm (UTC -4)
It’s still less than if you traded prospects like Thole. That’s all I’m saying. And Lee would pretty much strictly be a rental, so it’s really about this year. I’d probably do Mejia-Pagan, but I’d certainly hesitate.
Kingman 26
6/25/2010-7:03pm at 7:03 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed on everything except if we could get Lee for just Mejia/Pagan, I would jump on it.
Nice debate, but I doubt Seattle would take that offer!