One more outfielder off the board. According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a three-year contract with free agent outfielder Cody Ross. Jim Bowden of ESPN says the deal is worth $26 million, including a $1 million buyout of a fourth-year club option.
Ross, 31, is coming off a bounce-back season with the Red Sox in which he hit .267/.326/.481 iwht 22 home runs and 34 doubles. In early November, Buster Olney reported that Ross was asking for a three-year deal worth $25 million in his negotiations with Boston’s front office. He was using the three-year $21 million contract thatJosh Willingham got last offseason as a baseline, likely out of the Mets’ price range.
The only outfielder on the free agent market now that looks to be in the Mets’ price range and fits the type of player they want is Scott Hairston. He will probably be significantly cheaper than Ross, asking for the same type of money (two years, $10 million) that Jonny Gomes got in his deal with Boston.
In order to significantly upgrade their outfield, the Mets may now have to turn to the trade market, even if they are able to re-sign Hairston. Oddly enough, the Diamondbacks may be open to a trade now that they have a surplus of outfielders on their roster, including Justin Upton and Jason Kubel. Other teams the Mets could target include Oakland, Colorado, and Minnesota.
28 comments
darknova306
12/22/2012-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
Good. This keeps the Mets from making the mistake of signing him.
srt
12/22/2012-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
Agree.
3 years, Cody Ross? No thanks.
Stick
12/22/2012-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
he had a decent year but was a journeyman make good basically, and they don’t usually (especially at 32+) tend to keep going up. So odds are a team is going to get burned giving long years/big money.
Key is, find the next 28-30ish guy like him ready to have a career year on the cheap (which i guess Hairston just did!) and get him instead.
Mr North Jersey
12/22/2012-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
I think if the Mets ended up trading for Upton some fans would not be able to handle it and pass out due to shock. So in the interest of health the Mets won’t trade for him.
TX
12/22/2012-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
Come on… Upton and Figgy, coming to town.. Sing it!
Stick
12/22/2012-1:07pm at 1:07 pm (UTC -4)
Real’s head just exploded I think.
greggofboken
12/22/2012-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
I’m disappointed. I liked the idea of Ross a whole lot more than re-upping Hairston….
I imagine the Diamondbacks will shop Upton — not a matcn in terms of need/salary. Were they to shop their younger guys AJ Pollock seems blocked right now. That’d be someone to pursue. D-backs at third look wanting.
Connor O'Brien
12/22/2012-1:09pm at 1:09 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not sure. Ross hit 39 of his 57 XBH last year at Fenway. .298 at home vs. .232 on the road
greggofboken
12/22/2012-1:26pm at 1:26 pm (UTC -4)
A fair point, but in Ross’ time in SF his home splits weren’t so lopsided. .749 OPS there. .262 BA. 8 HR and 21 2B in 323 AB’s. Not great….but better than what we’re looking at.
Stick
12/22/2012-1:58pm at 1:58 pm (UTC -4)
is it really worth making the “big splash” and getting probably the only large $ FA for the next couple of years be a mediocre guy like this (that will be no kind of difference maker) just because the bar of “better than the crap we have” was set so low?
Willis
12/22/2012-4:01pm at 4:01 pm (UTC -4)
The next shoe to drop will be Upton to Texas for one of the shortstops.
Matt Mo
12/22/2012-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
No doubt. Texas is desperate now.
Stick
12/22/2012-1:14pm at 1:14 pm (UTC -4)
Good. I was not really looking forward to Ross. Not in a park that penalizes RH hitters like him. I think he would have been a big disappointment on the Mets, especially since he would have been our big FA for the next couple of years.
I am not excited by Hairston either, but at 2 years and 1/2 the cost, as long as he is strictly a platoon guy you can live with it. But would rather find a younger guy needing his chance to prove what he can do than to go to the Hairston well again.
Stick
12/22/2012-1:17pm at 1:17 pm (UTC -4)
Upton? So hard to figure out what he will do, given his age, history, stats. But I would love to have him to find out, but just not for the likely cost to get him.
It would make a huge improvement to the lineup next year having him at least.
Mr North Jersey
12/22/2012-1:20pm at 1:20 pm (UTC -4)
Upton for Mr Met and the original Shea HR Apple?
darknova306
12/22/2012-1:36pm at 1:36 pm (UTC -4)
Not only an instant improvement over the current dregs in the outfield, but Upton would also come with a mountain of upside.
Looking at his numbers over the years, it seems he’s got that Josh Beckett odd-even year performance split thing going on. He’s really good in odd numbered years, and average-ish in even years. Three years left on the contract, two of them are odd numbers, so boom. He’s perfect.
TRS86
12/22/2012-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
Want Upton, then you are most likely going to have to figure out how to pry Andrus or Profar from Texas. Good luck with that.
TRS86
12/22/2012-2:39pm at 2:39 pm (UTC -4)
That being said Parra would be a decent option for lead-off and CF or RF.
Stick
12/22/2012-2:47pm at 2:47 pm (UTC -4)
well, lets send them Tejada if they need a young shortstop!
Though didn’t they already trade for some SS?
TRS86
12/22/2012-4:49pm at 4:49 pm (UTC -4)
You are right, they got the Gorgeous one or something. I guess it’s possible Murphy and or Flores could be fits for their 3B issues?
wanny
12/23/2012-8:10am at 8:10 am (UTC -4)
parra is another lefty with platoon splits. unless you get rid of baxter or want to put kirk in aaa, he doesnt do much for the mets.
Stickguy
12/23/2012-8:37am at 8:37 am (UTC -4)
Unless you pry away one of the almost-ready prospects, the only OF on that team that really makes sense, or could be a difference maker, for the Mets is Upton.
At this point, go big or stick with the mediocrity we already have for another year.
wanny
12/22/2012-3:25pm at 3:25 pm (UTC -4)
Sounds like kubel is the one going.
Not a fit for the Mets.
Stick
12/22/2012-3:47pm at 3:47 pm (UTC -4)
Nope.
If this new FO regime (and team philosophy) changes anything, I hope it is to get players that actually can play defense too. Enough with the one dimensional guys with no position.
TX
12/22/2012-3:57pm at 3:57 pm (UTC -4)
Wouldn’t mind Para though.
darknova306
12/22/2012-3:51pm at 3:51 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, Kubel’s an expensive Duda in my eyes. No thanks.
Willis
12/22/2012-4:05pm at 4:05 pm (UTC -4)
Far be it for me to disagree with you after your call on Cowgill, but I’m thinking Upton to Texas for a shortstop. Based on nothing, of course
SaltyGary
12/23/2012-8:47am at 8:47 am (UTC -4)
This guy would of been better that anything we have out there right not. Plus with all the dollars being thrown out right now, this contract was downright reasonable. We are a 65 win team right now and don’t have the ability to be picky.