Yes, we do have a closer, but one with more baggage than Kate Winslet’s fiancé when he boarded the Titanic.
Rafael Soriano has great numbers. Almost across the board. Great WHIPs, great K/9 and H/9, and really fine stats any way one looks at them.
KRod has shown repeatedly that he simply is a hothead who cannot be counted on to remain calm and reliable. In addition, who knows if he is even going to be the same pitcher after his self-inflicted injury?
Why not try to sign Soriano, for 2-3 years? He then could be what we hoped Putz would be when we signed him, i.e. a top-of-the-line setup man and backup closer; and to take it even further, closer of the future. Signing him, considering KRod’s injury and behavior, would be the perfect way to kill several birds with one signing: drastically improve the bullpen instantly, make the fan base very happy, and virtually ensure that KRod’s option will not vest.
If Collins decides to use Soriano as a closer once a week, or even twice a week if performance dictates it, there is simply no way that the players union or KRod and his agent could accuse the Mets of foul play in keeping KRod’s games finished down.
The team would clearly be seizing the opportunity to sign a first-rate closer/reliever, who has surprisingly lasted this long on the market and may wind up being less costly in dollars and years than first thought. The team would be doing what it clearly has already done (with Putz when they already had KRod) so this would not at all be viewed as a sinister move designed primarily to kill KRod’s option. The team’s pitching staff is largely a series of question marks; signing Soriano would instantly push Parnell and Carrasco to the 7th inning where they belong, and would also greatly lessen the pressure on our supermodel-thin starting rotation, by hopefully finally having a true 8th inning man along with a closer. Should Parnell/Carrasco/to-be-named lefty pen guy be solid, we would just need 5 or 6 good innings from our starters.
This move might be a longshot, but when really examining it, it would be a great start to rebuilding this team.
Soriano just turned 31 and does not have a ridiculous amount of mileage on his arm. He might very well be eager to come to a place like NY after spending his career in SEA, ATL, and TB.
If he is willing to spend a year as an 8th inning guy/co-closer, with the understanding that great performance makes him the Mets’ closer in 2012–when the team will have seen the end of the contracts of Beltran/Ollie/Slappy/maybe KRod and will have money to spend while at the same time hopefully seeing the continued maturity of Ike/Thole/Mejia/etc.—Soriano might see this as a great career move.
2 years for$17 million? 3/25? Possible? Likely?
Hard to say, but again, the more this writer thinks about this, the better it sounds. How many of the Sheets/Webb types ever rebound? Why even bother with a Young or a Francis? Why spend several of our obviously few available millions of dollars on an injured pitcher when you could possibly corral an arm like Soriano’s?
Sign Soriano and see which starter is still available at a bargain price when spring training is about to start, roll the dice with Gee as 5th man and Misch as the lefty in the pen/6th starter, and make a move which could be a serious concrete step towards being a force to be reckoned with in 2012 and beyond.
Often Met fans bemoan the idea of waiting a year to begin spending for the longer-term future. While Alderson’s plan does seem prudent–especially in wake of the terrible state Omar’s methods left the team in–signing Soriano appears to be about as good a move as this team could make right now with 2011 and beyond in mind. Somewhat costly sure, but not overly expensive, and certainly affordable; while at the same time truly improving the team both instantly and in the future, which most definitely cannot be said for the idea of spending millions on Francis or Young.
19 comments
stickguy
1/2/2011-3:49pm at 3:49 pm (UTC -4)
I agree about getting another strong back-end RP if they can. And Soriano is not a type A, so no draft pick lost.
But, I don’t see him being signed. Partly for the money, but also not wanting to go multi-years on a 31 YO RP.
I also don’t think (MHO only of course) they are trying to plan around the K Rod option like this, but who knows, maybe they are. But again, is this the guy you want to hitch the wagon to for the long haul?
Probably more likely is they hope that they can dredge up a guy to serve the same role on the cheap, and steal some of his saves that way!
Oh, and they also need another SP (even if it is a Young/Francis guy) no matter what else they do, just to have a full rotation at this point.
TRS86
1/2/2011-4:26pm at 4:26 pm (UTC -4)
Hey I think my Fuentes idea had a better shot
kingman 26
1/2/2011-4:31pm at 4:31 pm (UTC -4)
Hey, I am always all about pitching; I almost jumped through the roof of my apartment when we got Putz.
I would love Fuentes too; just thinking that while he might be less pricey, he also is older.
But either one would do the job; make the pen SO much better, and give a rational and easily explained way to avoid KRod’s option—assuming that Sandy and Co. WANT to avoid KRod’s option…
TRS86
1/2/2011-4:36pm at 4:36 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah my thought with Fuentes was price as well as handedness (using my coined word again).
rustyjr
1/2/2011-4:39pm at 4:39 pm (UTC -4)
I dont see the Mets paying that kind of money for a reliever when they still need to fill the starting rotation
TRS86
1/2/2011-4:41pm at 4:41 pm (UTC -4)
1 there is not much left to spend money on in the rotation and 2 it as I mentioned saves us a ton of money longterm.
rustyjr
1/2/2011-4:43pm at 4:43 pm (UTC -4)
i just don’t see that as part of Sandys grand plan – I am sure the players union will bitch if the Mets were trying to purposely hinder frankie from having his option vest
btw I have a feeling that John Maine will get a invitation to spring training
kingman 26
1/2/2011-4:47pm at 4:47 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, but doesn’t the fact that we tried to do the same thing with Putz in 2009 sort of show that the Mets just might believe in it?
Also, KRod is coming off a major injury AND off-field issues.
I think that if there was ever a way to easily and justifiably ensure that KRod’s option does not vest, it would be to sign Soriano OR Fuentes.
Plus, they can be closer in 2012, so it is not short-sighted.
Plus, there are no starters even remotely worth spending money on.
njstuckintx
1/2/2011-10:17pm at 10:17 pm (UTC -4)
I think you bring up a big point about Krod’s injury. And while we would love Parnell to be the Met’s closer (AKA homegrown, cheap and a flamethrower to boot), knowing that he is the backup closer and not there yet, pushing to get a BP guy with closer experience may well be worth the extra mill or 2.
kingman 26
1/2/2011-4:43pm at 4:43 pm (UTC -4)
True Rusty, but there are no starters out there even remotely close to being as good as Fuentes or Soriano.
kingman 26
1/2/2011-4:45pm at 4:45 pm (UTC -4)
LHB hit .196 VS Soriano last year.
I still vehemently oppose the whole idea of handedness, in a batting order or in the pen.
Remember, “loogies” and “roogies” are the WORST pitchers in the majors.
They are not good enough to start or close or be 8th inning setup men. They are not good enough to be long men. They suck.
rustyjr
1/2/2011-4:55pm at 4:55 pm (UTC -4)
Mahay and beimel are still out there
kingman 26
1/2/2011-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
I would actually love to see them sign either one of them, for half or less of what Pedro and Taka got.
They would be perfect.
njstuckintx
1/2/2011-10:18pm at 10:18 pm (UTC -4)
I’m thinking you are right. Unfortunately I see neither happening either.
metsfan4decades
1/2/2011-7:54pm at 7:54 pm (UTC -4)
I just don’t see Soriano signing to be KRod’s 8th inning set up guy. I could be wrong but I’m thinking he’ll see that as a step back. Relief arms just don’t make as much as closers. If he gets multiple offers, I just don’t see him accepting a Met deal to be an 8th inning guy.
Also…I thought he was a Type A FA? Plus MLBTR projects at least a 2 year contract worth about 18MIL. So that isn’t happening. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be all for it but I’m thinking it’s a long shot.
Anyway…can you see the Mets ‘almost’ promising him the closer job in 2012 w/o making that known to KRod?
njstuckintx
1/2/2011-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
I think we, as fans, see a lot of opportunities that would make the team competitive for this and the next few years, but I am really getting the feeling this brain trust is going to squeeze every last nickel of the dollars they spend. So I think we’ll see some late Jan. signings.
Now I am in the camp of spending an extra 10+ mil this year and make back all that money spent with all the cash coming off the books next year. So signing a Fuentes or a Soriano, or spending the cash for Millwood & Young (IE 2 SPs) will make this team better now and down the line with nothing crazy along the way of salary spent.
It just kills me to think they are being penny wise and dollar foolish on this. Should the optimism go wrong, and the patchwork rotation fall apart (Gee can’t make the jump, whomever they sign succumb to their previous injuries), not spending for the extra fail-safes will end up with less people in the seats, less revenue, and so on and so forth. So spending some extra cash this year (by signing 2 SPs and allowing Gee to start in the minors, spending some money for BP arms with closer experience) could pay for itself in keeping this team just above .500 or close to it, even if/when injuries occur.
metsfan4decades
1/2/2011-11:39pm at 11:39 pm (UTC -4)
Good points – all the way around. I started thinking the same thing myself a couple of weeks ago. Spend a little extra money this year (as long as it’s spent wisely), knowing a boatload is coming off the books next year. Could definitely pay for itself 10 fold, as you suggested.
TRS86
1/3/2011-8:17am at 8:17 am (UTC -4)
One thing to keep in mind is that if they can get these guys on great deals then they will be in a strong position at the trade deadline. If they are not in it then they can trade these guys for valuable prospects and if they are in it then well hell what’s the down side of that?
kingman 26
1/3/2011-9:06am at 9:06 am (UTC -4)
There is no downside of signing Soriano or Fuentes.
Both are consistent performers, will unquestionably strengthen a VERY thin pitching staff, and as you also suggest, will put us in a stronger trade deadline position whether we are buyers or sellers.