" Good Luck Pedro !!"
Goodbye ” Perpetual” Pedro Feliciano, it pains me to see you go, but with your advanced age (35), and diminishing skills due to being overused the last three seasons, I would rather get the sandwhich pick than to see you start to break down on a nightly basis.
With the recent defections of Feliciano and Hisinori Takahashi, along with the release of Raul Valdes , well the Mets bullpen has become alot thinner of late.
Our bullpen currently consists Ryota Irigashi, Manny Acosta, Bobby Parnell, and Francisco Rodriguez – in other words we are three pitchers short of having a somewhat decent bullpen. Yes we have some in house candidates such as the unimpressive Tobi Stoner,the recently resigned Mike O’Connor along with Sean Green ( if he doesn’t get non tendered ). It is also possible that the Mets extend spring training invites to former major league relievers Brian Bruney and Chad Cordero. Terry Collins did over see their production last season when he was the minor league field coordinator last , when both Cordero and Bruney were optioned to the Buffalo Bisons.
The Mets could also sign a free agent reliever if they can’t swing a trade for one or if they don’t like their minor league options.
Here is the list of currently available free agent relievers courtesy of MLBTR.com :
Right- handed relievers
Grant Balfour (33) – Type A, offered arb
Miguel Batista (40)
Denny Bautista (28)
Boof Bonser (29)
Manny Corpas (28)
Jesse Crain (29) – Type B, offered arb
Juan Cruz (30)
Elmer Dessens (40)
Brendan Donnelly (39)
Chad Durbin (33) – Type B, not offered arb
Kelvim Escobar (34)
Kyle Farnsworth (35)
Chad Gaudin (28)
Matt Guerrier (32) – Type A, not offered arb
Aaron Heilman (32) – Type B, offered arb
Bob Howry (37)
Mike Lincoln (36)
Mike MacDougal (34)
Doug Mathis (27)
Guillermo Mota (37)
Fernando Nieve (28)
Micah Owings (28)
Chan Ho Park (38)
J.J. Putz (34) – Type B, offered arb
Jon Rauch (32) – Type B, not offered arb
David Riske (34)
Takashi Saito (41) – Type A, not offered arb
Chris Sampson (33)
Scot Shields (35)
Jeff Suppan (36)
Koji Uehara (36) – Type B, not offered arb
Tyler Walker (35)
Jeff Weaver (34)
Dan Wheeler (33) – Type A, not offered arb
Jamey Wright (36)
Left-handed relievers
Joe Beimel (34)
Tim Byrdak (37)
Bruce Chen (34)
Randy Choate (35) – Type B, offered arb
Scott Downs (35) – Type A, offered arb
Pedro Feliciano (34) – Type B, offered arb
Randy Flores (35)
Mark Hendrickson (37)
Ron Mahay (40)
Will Ohman (32)
Dennys Reyes (34)
Arthur Rhodes (41) – Type A, not offered arb
J.C. Romero (35)
Bobby Seay (33)
Scott Schoeneweis (37)
Hisanori Takahashi (36)
Taylor Tankersley (28)
Randy Williams (35)
Granted there are no real sexy names on this list that the Mets can afford to go after , but I feel that Joe Beimel, Will Ohman and Chad Gaudin should be offered contracts.
We all know that more than likely this will be a transitional year for the Mets and there will not be alotof money thrown around by our front office this season. So how would you go about re-structuring the bullpen?
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating birthdays today are :
Today would have been Cookie Lavagetto’s 98th birthday (1912) . He was the Mets first base coach in ’62 and ’63 . He was also a beloved Brooklyn Dodger.
One of the most disliked Mets ever, George Foster celebrates his 62nd birthday today (1948) .
Current Mets pitching coach, Dan Warthen is 58 (1952) .
Reliever from the ’90 season, Dan Schatzeder is 56 (1954).
Reliever from the ’92 team, Tom Filer is 54 (1956) .
One time outfield prospect, Herm Winningham is 49 (1961). He would later be included in the trade that would bring Gary Carter to the Mets.
Mets reliever from ’89-’90, Julio Machado is 45 (1965).
Reliever from ’97-’99, Greg McMichael is 44 (1966) .
New York Mets traded pitcher, Bob Miller to the Los Angeles Dodgers for first baseman,Tim Harkness and utility infielder, Larry Burright on December 1, 1962.
Houston Astros drafted reliever, Jack DiLauro from the Mets on December 1, 1969.
New York Mets traded relief pitcher, Ron Herbel to the Atlanta Braves for third baseman, Bob Aspromonte on December 1, 1970.
Cincinnati Reds signed pitcher, Pete Smith of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 1, 1994.
New York Mets traded catcher, Todd Hundley and pitching prospect, Arnold Gooch to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder, Roger Cedeño and catcher, Charles Johnson on December 1, 1998. and just a few hours later the Mets flipped Charles Johnson tot he Baltimore Orioles for headcase closer, Armamndo Benitez.
Philadelphia Phillies signed catcher, Brian Schneider of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 1, 2009. Mets fans everywhere yawned in unison.
And don’t forget – there are just 121 days until the Mets open the 2011 season against the Florida Marlins in Miami and
128 days until the Mets 2011 home opener against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.
Mo Vaughn is making his list and checking it twice !
31 comments
kingman 26
12/1/2010-8:47am at 8:47 am (UTC -4)
Escobar, Mota, Heilman, and Schoeneweis! It’ll be like the 1986 pen all over again!!
I still think Benitez gets a raw deal from Met fans. He choked in some big spots, but damn, he was really good over most of the year. Hey, kind of like Jose Reyes, but without the dancing!
I think George Foster will always occupy a unique role for Met fans of a certain age—after several abominable years, I think we thought he would come in and hit 40 HR and lead us back to relevance.
rustyjr
12/1/2010-8:52am at 8:52 am (UTC -4)
But he played the race card instead
kingman 26
12/1/2010-9:05am at 9:05 am (UTC -4)
Yes sir, as dimwits do when they cannot think of anything else to say!
Damn, I remember being SO excited when we got him.
The year before the team was in on Winfield before he signed with the Yanks, and we got George Foster instead. So few people remember that he was the only MLB player to hit 50 HR in like a 25 year period.
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:11am at 9:11 am (UTC -4)
Winfield was a monster. Always liked that dude. Mr. May!
kingman 26
12/1/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
Agreed!
Drafted by MLB, the NFL, the NBA AND the ABA!
Imagine what he must have been like in every sport in high school!
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:10am at 9:10 am (UTC -4)
If I had my druthers, I’d take these 4:
Koji, Downs, Rauch & Ohman. I like Balfour as well, but I didn’t want to be greedy.
Wanny brought up the point a few days ago that we don’t lose out if the Mets snag a Type A, so might as well go for the gusto, right? I know the suggested available spending cash couldn’t afford those 4, but I’m not limiting myself here. Bust out the credit card.
Crane & Gueirrier are getting some play from the masses.
rustyjr
12/1/2010-9:14am at 9:14 am (UTC -4)
The limited payroll will put the kibosh on a type a free agent except for Dan wheeler maybe
stickguy
12/1/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
they still lose out. Just lose a 2nd round pick instead of a 1st round pick.
and I don’t think I want to give up even a 2nd rounder for a 35 YO middle reliever.
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
Oh… well in that case…
stickguy
12/1/2010-11:09am at 11:09 am (UTC -4)
I guess you can look at it this way. If they can sign downs for 1 year (and teams usually don’t forfeit a pick to a 1 year deal), and get him for ~4mill, you would have effectively traded Pedro and a 2nd round pick for Downs and a sandwich pick.
kistics
12/1/2010-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
Do the Mets lose the sandwich pick (from Feliciano) if they sign another type B or A?
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
no, not if i read it correctly.
kistics
12/1/2010-9:25am at 9:25 am (UTC -4)
So the Mets don’t lose any picks if they sign type B. I would assume if they sign type A, they would lose 2nd round pick, no?
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
well, if i am again reading it correctly, they do not lose a pick signing a type A because their pick is protected this year. I’m not sure if being protected means they lose the 2nd round pick instead.
stickguy
12/1/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
they lose their 2nd round pick instead.
kistics
12/1/2010-9:28am at 9:28 am (UTC -4)
What is this fascination with Green? Why are the Mets even considering to tender his contract? I understand that they can still release him before the season start and only pay $160K, but that’s still $160K too much for him.
He has done nothing for the Mets BP ever since he got here.
kingman 26
12/1/2010-9:30am at 9:30 am (UTC -4)
Desperation?
The pen is not bad right now, it does not even exist on an MLB level!
But I agree; bad results and injuries—precisely NOT the type of player the team should even be considering.
Move on Sandy!
kistics
12/1/2010-9:35am at 9:35 am (UTC -4)
By getting rid of Green, the Mets talent level in the pen would go up.
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:44am at 9:44 am (UTC -4)
haha
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:38am at 9:38 am (UTC -4)
MF4D is going to flip
metsfan4decades
12/1/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
You all beat met to it! I couldn’t agree more, kistics.
But looking at that list….I wouldn’t be surprised to see Green with an invite to ST.
I’ve never been enamored with side armed type pitchers. Why they ever screwed with Green’s delivery (and whose idea was that anyway?), I’ll never know. From what I’ve been reading, that’s what lead to that cracked rib.
I wonder if he’ll go back to his previous delivery style now. Either way, I still have no faith in him. Way too unpredictable.
kistics
12/1/2010-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
I think he’ll be invited too. But to me, he kinda represents what the Mets were in ’09-’10. Injured, tinkering with the approach, and mediocre at best. I just don’t see the need for him at all.
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
And honestly, it’s not like we have a new Pitching coach to bring him back to what he was.
Ceetar
12/1/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
I’m not sure, honestly. His numbers never looked that bad, he just never had control and walked too many guys. I really have no strong feelings or memories about the guy myself.
I mean, he’s mostly worthless from what I can tell, but fans seem disproporationately hateful towards him.
rustyjr
12/1/2010-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
In regards to green they can re-sign him cheaply – and if he sucks during spring training they can cut him and pay him a tenth of his salary
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-9:43am at 9:43 am (UTC -4)
I’d rather they used the 160K to lower beer prices by a nickel.
kistics
12/1/2010-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
agreed. or use it to sign new talents.
TRS86
12/1/2010-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
Well they could use it to buy TRDM and make it the official Mets blog? I am sure they could save some money that way.
rustyjr
12/1/2010-10:03am at 10:03 am (UTC -4)
Lol does that mean I’d get a raise
njstuckintx
12/1/2010-10:08am at 10:08 am (UTC -4)
No, but you get a nickel off your beers! Just return the empty can for your reimbursement.
rustyjr
12/1/2010-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
LOL