As many of you know the rules in the CBA could force a new group of FA to look for a home in the coming weeks. I won’t pretend to know the exact rule but there is money and years involved. We heard earlier in the spring that a guy like Ankiel could be available if he doesn’t make the Nats roster. Last night MLBTR posted this:
AL Central Links: Lillibridge, Guerra, Indians, Inge
Hidden in this link was the following:
“Felix Pie and Ryan Spilborghs can each opt out of their minor league contracts with the Indians on April 3, tweets MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Fred Lewis, another non-roster invitee, can opt out on June 1.”
So there are at least 2 guys with CF experience that could hit the market from just the Indians. One would expect that there will be other candidates as well.
64 comments
Ceetar
3/22/2012-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
I suspect if we do get to April 3rd and Torres is not going to be ready (AND Hairston) for Opening Day, Alderson will definitely be scouting for someone.
If it’s only going to be 4-5 days though, they may just try to force it with Baxter or something.
TRS86
3/22/2012-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
I think it would be wise to look either way as you currently have no true backup to Torres because of Kirk’s injury.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Hairston, and both injuries look to be minor, and they’ll know for sure by the time those guys are released.
Kirk was never getting the job this early.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
If neither Torres or Hairston will be ready – and last I read Kirk N. had an oblique issue, they have to do something. Unless the injuries to Torres or Hairston will be short term.
Going into the season expecting the starting CF long term to be Baxter or Loewen or trying Valdespin is crazy. Especially with Duda playing RF.
Stick
3/22/2012-10:06am at 10:06 am (UTC -4)
I think this was overlooked all along by the posters that were screaming about not having enough depth. First of course is you can only go so deep (impossible to have 4 ML quality guys at 1 position). But mostly, there was still the opportunity to make changes before the season started.
Sort out some of the questions in ST, then snag another guy if you are short. That’s where they got Pridie from last yer I believe.
so no, it would not surprise me at all to see them grab another guy that can play CF.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
depth issue was always overplayed. The entire subset of major league players is the depth chart, because if they need something, they can go get it. It’s not like backup guys are hard to find. And most teams don’t have depth.
Stick
3/22/2012-10:28am at 10:28 am (UTC -4)
but it is a handy stick to beat on Sandy with. especially after years of seeing Omar burned for it.
of course, Omar also went short on starters, and it is a bigg differnece looking to adjust the roster in ST vs. the home stretch!
Ceetar
3/22/2012-10:50am at 10:50 am (UTC -4)
Omar was kinda super burned on it too though. He signed Alou and grabbed abunch of back up guys like Ben Johnson and Newhan (and Endy?) and they all got hurt, sucked, or both. And it seemed like Fernando Martinez was looming the way Nieuwenhuis is now.
Mets haven’t had a lot of luck with outfielders post Beltran. got a good year and a half from Pagan, and another sorta okay one (and injuries there too). Hopefully Duda bucks the trend.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-10:32am at 10:32 am (UTC -4)
Chipper Jones to Retire after the 2012 season, MLBTR reporting.
Finally.
Hell of a career though. Heading to the HOF now.
saltygary
3/22/2012-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
I have never hated and respected a player more than him.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-10:53am at 10:53 am (UTC -4)
Exactly.
Hard not to respect his career. Easy to hate that a good portion of those good numbers came against the Mets, especially at Shea.
saltygary
3/22/2012-11:06am at 11:06 am (UTC -4)
and he named his daughter Shea. That one will always sting.
TRS86
3/22/2012-11:29am at 11:29 am (UTC -4)
I never hated him, I only feared him. Guy was/is a class act and a role model for guys around the league.
saltygary
3/22/2012-11:39am at 11:39 am (UTC -4)
Not even in ’99. I was so caught up in the rivalry and it was awesome. I HATED ALL OF THEM.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-10:51am at 10:51 am (UTC -4)
*shrug* Have to see it to believe it. Guy retires more than Petitte.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
He does have an option for the 2013 season but I can see him retiring after this season. His mind might not want to but I think his body would be saying thank you.
TRS86
3/22/2012-11:09am at 11:09 am (UTC -4)
The Braves actually need him to. They don’t have a lot of money, got kids to pay and McCann coming up for FA soon.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-11:14am at 11:14 am (UTC -4)
Good thing they don’t have a lot of money. Otherwise, chance we might be seeing Wright patrolling 3rd for Atlanta.
Or….if Philly fans had their way, they’ll take him off our hands for a couple of scrubs.
TRS86
3/22/2012-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
Honestly as long as a couple of high level pitching prospects come back from Atlanta I don’t have anywhere near the same level of fear for him going there as I do him going to Philly or the Bronx. Atlanta would most likely be appealing to him once he settles down a little too.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-12:12pm at 12:12 pm (UTC -4)
I hear ya on Philly. I’d really hate that.
Can’t see him going to the Bronx They’re kind of stuck with ARod over there at 3rd and even when Jeter presumably comes off the books next year, I can’t see them moving ARod back to SS to go after Wright for third.
Bad enough though seeing Reyes in the NL east. I’d just assume not see Wright in the NL east.
Actually, I just assume not see Wright anywhere but on the Mets through 2013. What happens after that will in a large part depend on $$ and Wright’s performance.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
eh, Wright’s not going anywhere.
TRS86
3/22/2012-11:46am at 11:46 am (UTC -4)
LOL, Didn’t you say that about Reyes too?
Ceetar
3/22/2012-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
yeah. Of course, I thought the payroll was still going to be 120 when I was saying it.
But Reyes leaving only reinforces this. They’re not going to gut the team. I guess it’s a different story if he suddenly completely sucks, but I don’t see that happening.
TRS86
3/22/2012-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
Ceetar I think you are speaking based on what the Mets used to do or what they have already done. For now I don’t think that applies. Also even if payroll was 120M I STILL don’t think Reyes would be here with that awful contract he was offered by the Marlins.
Reese
3/22/2012-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
Corey Wimberly who is hitting well in the minor league camp can back up both in the middle infield and centerfield. Three times he’s stolen over 50 bases in the minors and has a career .294 minor league average. However, he makes Herrera look downright stout by comparison to his puny physique.
saltygary
3/22/2012-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
Never even heard of the guy. After looking him up he is a modern day Jose Oquendo and has played every position except catcher. He has played in AAA for 2 years now but it doesn’t look like they have given him any chance to hit this spring. Maybe they should now.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
Never heard of him either.
Paul Festa
3/22/2012-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
I like Spilborghs. I saw him play in Colorado for a few years. He’s a good defender, and had a few solid years hitting there (though the numbers could have been skewed by the altitude).
Ceetar
3/22/2012-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
unrelatedly, CBS Sports just sucks at fantasy. couldn’t get it to work at all. Does someone else want to try? otherwise I could just recreate a Yahoo league with a draft monday night if people would do that.
darknova306
3/22/2012-1:57pm at 1:57 pm (UTC -4)
It’s all good to me. I’ve never used CBS Sports before, so I have no clue if there’s some workaround for the password issue.
saltygary
3/22/2012-3:09pm at 3:09 pm (UTC -4)
That is surprising. I’ve been using CBS for 10 years and never have had a problem. Do you have 10 people? If so I will set it up.
As for yahoo, I am all set with that place.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-3:26pm at 3:26 pm (UTC -4)
I think we had like 6-7..but I’m sure some didn’t chime in yet or whatever.
Set it up and send me and email/comment here/password/DM/Tweet or whatever. Maybe I’m doing it wrong?
saltygary
3/22/2012-3:20pm at 3:20 pm (UTC -4)
That shout box in MMO is pretty funny. It’s like the kids in detention and they act like no one else can see what they say.
Just picked this up:
Met Maniac to Bay: “You have to stop taking their bait because now they actually have a contest to see who gets you to flip out first”
Met Maniac “just seeing what they do and say. Watch for this guy Kingman. It’s too bad because as a player I loved Kong, and yhis guy does him no justice.”
Now bay is off crying to Joe.
Now I doubt none of us are stooping to that level, but I hope people have better things to do thought the day. Also my understanding is that King goes there to just yell at TRS for his “crusade to make the insane reasonable” and if Bay interjects, then King professes his true feelings about him.
My feeling is if you have enough time to pick on him then waste the time over here and contribute more. If you need someone to argue with then come at me bro, because Reyes is made of glass and I’m glad he’s gone.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-3:31pm at 3:31 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t want to talk about Reyes (and you’re wrong)
Can we talk about Justin Turner? I think he makes a non-embarrassing backup player, and hey, who knows, maybe he even improves a little in his second season, but he’s also probably completely expendable because Cedeno plays 2B. He’s not really a first baseman, but I guess he won’t be horrible there. But a guy like Rottino could probably handle those corners too..or even Lucas May? Or Josh Satin who’s on teh 40man.
Satin or Turner (and it’s likely Satin just the way these things look) is not making Opening Day on the Mets. need the 40 man spot and they’re redundant.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-4:05pm at 4:05 pm (UTC -4)
Going to be interesting to see which way they go. And I think some of the decision is going to factor in that 40 man, not totally who is better suited.
Think they’re going to have to make some adjustments to the 40 man roster if Torres and Hairston start on the DL and they need a CF. That might factor in who gtes the last couple of bench spots.
Stick
3/22/2012-4:08pm at 4:08 pm (UTC -4)
If it is a real ST need, they could go with a guy like Lagares(?) who is already on the 40 man.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-5:18pm at 5:18 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I’m not up on who all is on the 40 man roster.
Stickguy
3/22/2012-7:37pm at 7:37 pm (UTC -4)
kind of limited, because there are guys they had to put on it to protect them that really aren’t ready for a call up (pretty sure Flores is on it and that Lagares (or Puello? guy). So, no room for the spare part fill ins.
Ideally, Kirk would be the guy coming up to fill the gap, or one of the other prospects that has already had enough time to be on the 40 man, so should be ready to get called up.
Stick
3/22/2012-4:07pm at 4:07 pm (UTC -4)
I like Turner. Still peeved they did not call him up in Spetember 2010. But you are right, not someone impossible to replace. he does at least back up SS too.
Satin, not going to shed tears there. And at least Turner has probven he can add some value in the majors.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-4:02pm at 4:02 pm (UTC -4)
‘Reyes is made of glass and I’m glad he’s gone.’
LOL…them is fighting words to some.
Stick
3/22/2012-4:11pm at 4:11 pm (UTC -4)
I do like the way they talk about people in there, as if it wasn’t showing on the home page.
some of the comment steams too are mind boggling. the same nonsense over and over from the same couple people, and not even relevant to the Mets now. More concerned with proving each other wrong than discussing anything important.
saltygary
3/22/2012-4:23pm at 4:23 pm (UTC -4)
I know that why I rarely comment anymore, it’s boring. If TRS keeps it up he is going to be viewed in the same light as those guys LOL.
Stick
3/22/2012-4:28pm at 4:28 pm (UTC -4)
you know the old joke about why you don’t wrestle with a pig? You get dirty and the pig enjoys it.
gategem
3/22/2012-5:49pm at 5:49 pm (UTC -4)
Stick, I’m too much of a gentleman to reply to this comment. But believe me the temptation was there.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-5:35pm at 5:35 pm (UTC -4)
There’s no excuse for some of that disgusting talk in that shoutbox nor the name calling in the comment section.
Excuses of ‘being bated’ by some of them over there don’t fly. No one is forced to comment to anyone. Fact is, some just cannot help themselves. I purposely ignore some, especially Bay b/c he’s called me one too many names. Didn’t help. I posted a comment on the Keith Hernandez article and he came right after me. Joe D deleted his comments. I don’t get why Joe tolerates it.
darknova306
3/22/2012-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
The problem is people are crap. It’s far more common for people to be interested in emotional shouting matches than logical discourse.
Stickguy
3/22/2012-6:16pm at 6:16 pm (UTC -4)
I hate people. And Illinois Nazis. they are the worst.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-7:19pm at 7:19 pm (UTC -4)
I’m almost afraid to ask just what an Illinois Nazi is. lol.
kingman 26
3/22/2012-7:34pm at 7:34 pm (UTC -4)
It’s from the original Blues Brothers movie—Jake (Belushi) and Elwood (Aykroyd) are trying to drive through Chicago, and they get stopped by cops because a handful of Nazis in Illinois (there WAS a publicized movement based in Skokie I think in the 70s/80s) are holding a rally and tons of people are protesting….Belushi says “I hate Illinois Nazis.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv5RXPHEn5c
Stickguy
3/22/2012-7:41pm at 7:41 pm (UTC -4)
where the heck did a version dubbed in Polish come from?
Classic movie. one of the best of all times. Fantastic soundtrack too.
kingman 26
3/22/2012-8:11pm at 8:11 pm (UTC -4)
Oh man, I did not even have the sound on! Sorry about that!
Absolute classic, along with Neighbors as part of the WAY-too-small Belushi/Aykroyd genre of comic brilliance.
Great, hilarious move, outstanding showcase for great musicians, and just a truly enjoyable event of a move even 30 years later.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
I haven’t seen that movie in years. Now I gotta go back and watch it again.
Hazmet
3/22/2012-9:57pm at 9:57 pm (UTC -4)
hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut
kingman 26
3/22/2012-6:48pm at 6:48 pm (UTC -4)
MF4D—You should wear it as a badge of honor that Bayonne gives you grief–I certainly do.
I view you as intelligent, respectful, funny, and a pleasure to have as one of our “core” members here.
Bayonne’s misogyny is vile, but ultimately it is 100% a comment on HIM—absolutely not on you or women in general.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-7:15pm at 7:15 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you, my friend.
Unlike a small handful of them over there, I refuse to be baited into those ridiculous arguments. But that Bayonne…he just takes it to another level. That’s one angry Met fan.
kingman 26
3/22/2012-7:31pm at 7:31 pm (UTC -4)
You are welcome. And this is another thing about you I have admired for years–your maturity.
kingman 26
3/22/2012-6:42pm at 6:42 pm (UTC -4)
HAHAHA!
Wow, that’s both funny and extremely sad.
I actually go there a few times a week to see how idiotic it is—today Joe–sorry, he’s kind of a fool too–he HOSTS the campaign of idiocy–said something about Bay’s fielding like “I don’t care what his UZR or whatever is”–yeah, Bay’s a terrible outfielder. Sure Joe, he’s a great hitter too.
And yesterday I think I visited ONE thread—Metsie replied to a comment citing Wright’s games played by saying he hasn’t played 150+ games the last three years when the stats cited he did in 2010, and another moron talking about how Wright misses loads of games every year.
There are things that are he said/she said, there are things where there are two valid sides, but the comment section there–while there are some perfectly reasonable and intelligent people–is dominated by a handful of the most ignorant, obnoxious, outcast losers in all of Met Nation.
That’s SO comical and sad that they talk about me. Wow. Hard to believe anyone could be as stupid as Bayonne and a few more over there.
As for Ceetar? No, Reyes is not made of glass—he has played more than 133 games in FOUR of the last NINE years!!
Mr North Jersey
3/22/2012-6:56pm at 6:56 pm (UTC -4)
“come at me bro, because Reyes is made of glass and I’m glad he’s gone.” LoL
YOU HAVE NO MUHBLES!!!
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-5:44pm at 5:44 pm (UTC -4)
What the hell is wrong with my fellow females?
Watching a news story on CBS tonight asking who’s the hottest athlete in NY. Not Tebow, or Sanchez (football guys so don’t know the spelling), nor ARod, or Wright.
The winner:
‘Nothing is sweeter than Jeter’ says the ladies.
I don’t think so……
Stickguy
3/22/2012-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
Guess that whole metro-sexual concept is taking off after all.
Ceetar
3/22/2012-7:29pm at 7:29 pm (UTC -4)
Come on..the free memorabilia is the tipping point right? Plus getting treated like he’s ashamed of you by sneaking you in back entrances.
MetsFan4Decades
3/22/2012-8:52pm at 8:52 pm (UTC -4)
hahaha. Talk about a badge of honor. We’ll be seeing some of that stuff on EBay someday.
saltygary
3/22/2012-10:34pm at 10:34 pm (UTC -4)
Jeets would make me sweat in a room alone. LOL Plus the money.
Hazmet
3/22/2012-10:18pm at 10:18 pm (UTC -4)
Clearly the answer is: Mookie Wilson = Minnie Minosa :p