According to multiple reports, many listed in the MLBTR report below, the Mets have agreed to sign Brandon Lyon pending a physical. No word yet on the contract detatils but we do know it’s for one year.
“Lyon, 33, split the 2012 season between the Astros and Blue Jays. He posted a 3.10 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 37.5% ground ball rate in 61 innings of relief work. The 11-year veteran averaged 90.2 mph with his fastball. Lyon earned $5.5MM in 2012, but the terms of his deal with the Mets are not yet known.”
Alderson mentioned last week that if the deal with Lyon was completed then he was likely done with the pen. The Mets weakness last year has potential to become a strength this year but still has a lot of pitchers with question marks.
68 comments
Prismo
2/7/2013-12:18pm at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)
I definitely would not say the bullpen has become a strength. I think we have a lot of options for it, and solely based on the odds (when you have like 8 guys who have the talent to be above average relievers…) it should be an above average bullpen. But most of those guys have question marks hovering over their names as well, so let’s not be shocked if they’re sub-par once again.
TRS86
2/7/2013-12:20pm at 12:20 pm (UTC -4)
That’s the point Prismo, if those guys with question marks perform well it very well could be a strength.
FFF
Lyon
Parnell
Edgin
Pedro F
Atchinson
Hawkins
Kids
That has potential to be a very solid if not good pen. It’ doesn’t have a lock down closer but if those guys perform up to their abilities…
Prismo
2/7/2013-12:32pm at 12:32 pm (UTC -4)
Absolutely, I wasn’t disagreeing with anything you said.
But…look at last season. We got Rauch, Frank Frank, and Ramirez. All guys we expected to be above average relievers – Rauch ended up being decent, Frank was injured half the time, and Ramirez was horrid.
You just never know!
TRS86
2/7/2013-12:35pm at 12:35 pm (UTC -4)
Of course not, but do you not feel better about this one as oppose to how you felt about the last one?
greggofboken
2/7/2013-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
I felt pretty good about the last one too. Frankie Frank, Ramirez, Acosta, and Carrasco all performed under what their baselines had been.
So….haiving learned from my mistakes….I feel pretty good about this one too.
TRS86
2/7/2013-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
I thought that it was a very thin pen last year. To me this year it seems a little more balanced.
Prismo
2/7/2013-12:53pm at 12:53 pm (UTC -4)
Honestly I don’t remember how I felt! But I doubt it was that different. Ramon Ramirez had a 2.77 ERA in 276 games over the 4 previous years – how could you not think he’d be a real force in our pen?
TRS86
2/7/2013-12:56pm at 12:56 pm (UTC -4)
Oh I am on record saying I loved the Ramirez pickup and thought the trade was a good one because I did not even think they were going to tender Pagan a contract. Funny thing is I liked the FFF signing more than Rauch and thought they jumped the gun on him and could have had him cheaper… and of course he turned out to be the only solid pickup of the group.
greggofboken
2/7/2013-1:08pm at 1:08 pm (UTC -4)
My feelings were the same TRS. I thought the Rauch signing was an error at the time. You make an extremely good point about what lies underneath here.
Last year, the backup plan was Batista, Schwinden, Hefner and the like. This year the backups include Familia, possibly Mejia, Carson, and either Feliciano or Edgin. That’s a far better contingency in my eyes.
TRS86
2/7/2013-1:20pm at 1:20 pm (UTC -4)
It’s not just those guys but it’s Hawkins, Atchinson, Laffey, Pedro, Byrdak later, …
Stick
2/7/2013-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
at least this year they have multiple lefties, and not all of them are LOOGys (or at least IMO should not have to be). That there is a big step forward.
though I bet if you give Terry 4 lefties, he would OOGY them all. Every freaking day. All of them.
kingman 26
2/7/2013-3:21pm at 3:21 pm (UTC -4)
I feel MUCH better.
I hated the FF signing, as he never, ever has been a successful closer for a full season and never will be.
And Rauch just is not all that good.
And from all of the kids, at least 1 or 2 should be good.
Closer might be an issue unless someone among the many choices steps up, but really, the rest of the pen could be very good.
If Parnell or Lyon can successfully close? It could be a really good pen.
Stick
2/7/2013-4:49pm at 4:49 pm (UTC -4)
best case, the veterans give a couple of the young arms a chance to settle in, and work up the “high leverage” ladder (7th/8th/closer path) and by the end of the year, have at least 1 of them taking the job going forward.
going into an off season with an established back end of the pen would be truly amazin. and quite unexpected.
Parnell, Familia, Edgin, or one of the younger dark horses maybe?
either way, I like (in concept) how they put the pen together.
but bottoom line, emulating the Braves and pulling young live arms out of the minors every year or 2 to set up and close is absolutely the way to go. Just have to finish baking them in the minors!
TX
2/7/2013-4:58pm at 4:58 pm (UTC -4)
Leatherface for closer!
kingman 26
2/7/2013-5:05pm at 5:05 pm (UTC -4)
Pretty much just what I am thinking Stick–of Parnell/Mejia/Familia/Edgin/Carson, there is a chance at least that we can end up with a really nice homegrown closer/setup combo here.
wanny
2/7/2013-5:18pm at 5:18 pm (UTC -4)
Leatherman? Nothingman? Better man? Just listened to a PJ concert where they played those songs consecutively.
Stick
2/7/2013-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
I like the move. Yeah, no guarantees, but a decent chance that the pen ends up being fine.
what I do like is they have a nice assortment of expereinced guys that have been good recently (including last year), with spares as back up, and that it should give the group of young live-arm types a chance to get ready in the minors earlier in the year, so if one of the old guys goes down, they have a ready replacemnet in AAA that deserves to come up!
Vegas pen could end up being pretty decent too, a good sign.
and while I think that FFF will be, on paper, the nominal closer, that job is up for grabs and will be all year unless (until?) someone grabs it and does not give it back.
dudley doright
2/7/2013-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
Gm Alderson has done an A1 job rebuilding the Bullpen. It’s too bad he didn’t rebuild the OF too. However there is still time. If Bourn doesn’t work out there are several teams with extra outfielders that would be an upgrade to what the Mets have.
TX
2/7/2013-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
I hope that we are in the mix and Minnesota is sucking, so we can import the hammer to solidify the OF.
TRS86
2/7/2013-1:18pm at 1:18 pm (UTC -4)
Not really that high on the Hammer either. He would have to play RF and have you ever seen him play RF? It’s awful. I watched him in Washington live it was damn painful.
TX
2/7/2013-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
I guess crappy OF play gets a pass when you put up the Hammers numbers.
See Duda vs. Dunn.
Stick
2/7/2013-2:43pm at 2:43 pm (UTC -4)
yes, if you are going be be a ston glove butcher, you better hit. a lot.
TRS86
2/7/2013-3:05pm at 3:05 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah but imagine an OF of Duda and Hammer. Bourn would just as soon to retire.
TX
2/7/2013-4:29pm at 4:29 pm (UTC -4)
That’s were all them dollars invested in Bourn would pay off!
srt
2/7/2013-1:14pm at 1:14 pm (UTC -4)
If this year’s BP fails, you can’t say it’s b/c of a lack of effort or attention.
So hard to predict what one’s BP will do from year to year.
I like this Lylon signing.
darknova306
2/7/2013-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
In the words of SRT: “this”.
Couldn’t agree more. We’ve see over and over why it’s silly to hand out big deals to relievers. The current methodology of Sandy to make the low risk, high reward, signings for the pen is wonderful to see.
Predicting a bullpen’s performance is a lot like predicting the weather: you’re really just throwing darts at a board and hoping you’re right.
Stick
2/7/2013-2:23pm at 2:23 pm (UTC -4)
this time, I will agree with you (so be afraid). With the caveat that the guys at least need to have some base level of talent or previous success to base it on. While some “good” guys (see ramon) can fall apart, rarely does a suckarse pitcher come up and be really good. If you got nothing, you will get hurt.
srt
2/7/2013-6:43pm at 6:43 pm (UTC -4)
Couldn’t agree more with handing out big money to BP arms. Remember the Schoenwiess signing?
Speaking of weather…..predictions right now have me in the 8-12 foot range for snow. Dang….
TX
2/7/2013-6:52pm at 6:52 pm (UTC -4)
12 feet? dang.
srt
2/7/2013-6:55pm at 6:55 pm (UTC -4)
LOL….meant 8-12 inches.
8-12 feet….hope I never see anything like that. SS Sandy was enough for me in my lifetime. My property still looks like a bomb was dropped on it and I’m looking at tearing off the roof and replacing it come spring.
Stick
2/7/2013-6:55pm at 6:55 pm (UTC -4)
tough out here in the NE, you puget wimp.
I’m am just a little south outside of Philly, and we are supposed to be in the 1-3 range, but these things are always subject to change.
darknova306
2/7/2013-9:26pm at 9:26 pm (UTC -4)
1-3 feet or inches? Cause in Rochester, a 1-3 inch snow event was called a standard day of lake effect. 1-3 feet is a different matter, where us upstate NY folks might have some sympathy for you.
Stick
2/7/2013-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
inches. We are on the bottom end, but you go just a little up the coast and it could be a foot up by NYC, and goes way up from there into CT and Mass.
darknova306
2/7/2013-10:45pm at 10:45 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I’m hearing all sorts of crazy predictions. I’d personally love another Blizzard of ’93 event (40″+ here in Ithaca), but that was a crazy confluence of weather events. I just want this “mild winter” nonsense to end.
gategem
2/8/2013-12:26am at 12:26 am (UTC -4)
A foot of snow accompanied 60 mph winds is being predicted for Long island.
An old friend used to describe his winters in Edmonton, Alberta as 20, 20 and 20. The temperature was minus 20, there was 20 feet of snow on the ground and the wind velocity was 20 mph.
darknova306
2/8/2013-1:23am at 1:23 am (UTC -4)
That sounds like heaven to me. I really need to move to Alaska or the middle of the Canadian plains.
TX
2/7/2013-2:21pm at 2:21 pm (UTC -4)
Bowden hears from an interested team that Bourn is more likely to sign for $14-15MM per year than for $11-12MM per year
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#yVGXADdiVDjl1Py6.99
Now, read that post again. Bourn is more interested to sign for more money than less… huh… who would have thought that.
Stick
2/7/2013-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
I certainly hope that means Bowden is speculating Bourn is likely to get the higher amount. Otherwise yeah, a giant “duh”. Unless of course you are the baby that does not want more cash?
greggofboken
2/7/2013-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
Marinets coughing for $175M for King Felix. One less suitor for Bourn?
Stick
2/7/2013-2:56pm at 2:56 pm (UTC -4)
would not think so. I don’t bel;ieve their payroll was all that high, and he was getting paid a pretty healthy salary already.
if anything, this should make them more likely to go after some real palyers (all in? at least halfway in?) you would think to make it worthwhile.
Though that division is still going to be tough for the next few years, just like the NLE.
Prismo
2/7/2013-3:00pm at 3:00 pm (UTC -4)
He was going to make $19.5M this season. If they really want Bourn they might be able to lower that a bit to accommodate the new contract. Felix is pretty much the only player on the books after this season…they can handle both large contracts if they really want to.
kingman 26
2/7/2013-3:16pm at 3:16 pm (UTC -4)
I love this signing, and I love the pen’s potential.
FF was never a good choice to be closer, and Rauch is a mediocrity.
So, although I expected a LOT more from Ramirez, when one considers the new additions as well as the pool of Mejia/Familia/Edgin/Carson, and the return of the maturing Parnell, this pen has the potential to be much better than last year’s.
Sign Bourn and it is an A offseason.
TX
2/7/2013-4:30pm at 4:30 pm (UTC -4)
Kong. It is glorious up here today. Just had to say that, cause, well, the sun came out.
kingman 26
2/7/2013-5:08pm at 5:08 pm (UTC -4)
Wait till summer—this time of year can be tough–I arrived there in Nov 1989 and it was one of those winters when the sun was out maybe 10 times in Dec/Jan/Feb.
But if you hated the Texan humidity just wait—the summers there are about the most beautiful anywhere–long days, blue skies, 75 degrees, minimal humidity….but it generally rains every July 4th.
Here in upstate NY? Awaiting a potential historic blizzard—starting tomorrow afternoon it is supposed to snow all night and we are supposed to get at least 8–12 inches and very possibly more.
Have I mentioned that I miss Seattle?
Pretty cool if they steal the Kings from Sac to make up for OKC stealing the Sonics!
TX
2/7/2013-5:19pm at 5:19 pm (UTC -4)
Rumor on the street is also the Coyotes, the oilers or even possibly the islanders could slide out to Seattle as well.
Hazmet
2/7/2013-7:34pm at 7:34 pm (UTC -4)
Forget the Islanders they signed a long term deal to go to Brooklyn a few months ago. Not that I’d really care as a Ranger fan ;P
You’ll get used to Seattle. My sis lives out there on a boat and she absolutely loves it. They routinely cruise the San Juan Islands and up to Vancouver. Great area.
darknova306
2/7/2013-9:42pm at 9:42 pm (UTC -4)
8-12 inches is an historic blizzard for upstate NY? I can recall more than a few that gave me more in Central NY over my 30 years here. And that’s just the way I like it
Prismo
2/7/2013-3:25pm at 3:25 pm (UTC -4)
Get ready to cry everyone, because I did some math on King Felix’s contract:
In three starts Felix will earn as much as a $60k salaried employees will earn over 40 years.
Oh sorry I have to get back to slaving away for my pennies!
kingman 26
2/7/2013-3:36pm at 3:36 pm (UTC -4)
Over the last two years Johan Santana has been paid the same amount for EACH of his amazing six wins as that $60k salaried employee will earn over 125 years.
So 125 years at 60K is equal in value to one tainted no-hitter!
Prismo
2/7/2013-3:55pm at 3:55 pm (UTC -4)
I wish you liked the Mets.
kingman 26
2/7/2013-4:31pm at 4:31 pm (UTC -4)
You know I love them.
Actually since years before you were even born.
6 wins for 45 M in two years and he is eager to get out there and get injured in the WBC before the season even starts?
Lame.
Cannot wait until he is gone.
His first year was amazing, but for the most part he has been a colossal disappointment and a waste of tens of millions of dollars.
darknova306
2/7/2013-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
I said at the time that I hated giving a pitcher, regardless of his talent, a 7 year contract. I honestly can’t stand long term contracts for any player. Outside of the Game 161 and the No-hitter, I’ve been pretty much vindicated. Huge contracts are almost always disasters. Hopefully Santana pitches well and can net the team some decent talent in a mid-season trade.
TX
2/7/2013-4:32pm at 4:32 pm (UTC -4)
The whole team is tainted, so it is appropriate.
kingman 26
2/7/2013-4:37pm at 4:37 pm (UTC -4)
Precisely!
And Beltran smacking the double made it PERFECT and a classic Met moment!
Hazmet
2/7/2013-7:36pm at 7:36 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve always found it amusing that the Mets have, “The Imperfect Game” and now the “Imperfect No-Hitter”.
srt
2/7/2013-6:45pm at 6:45 pm (UTC -4)
I just cannot relate.
Especially right now when it looks like my salary will be cut some 20% due to being furloughed one day a week starting April thru end of Sep……
darknova306
2/7/2013-9:36pm at 9:36 pm (UTC -4)
I had kind of a similar situation early last year at Ommegang. They cut production, so all the worthless clowns in the office on salary were fine, but us on the production floor had to cut our hours by 1 day a week. We had to do a “work share” thing with NY state where we got half our lost hours replaced by unemployment. What a joke that place was.
Sounds like you’re in an even worse spot (especially with your house’s roof situation – hopefully insurance gets most of that cost). I truly hope everything works out for you. What a crappy time for that work furlough nonsense to happen. Ugh
srt
2/7/2013-10:18pm at 10:18 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks. And yes, contrary to so many in this area, our insurance company was great. Paid for just about all the damage we had.
Not that I wouldn’t like a 4 day work week but…..if DOD takes this bigger budget cut come March, that loss of salary affects my retirement annuity with no hope of gaining it back. I just keep telling myself I’m lucky to be getting a retirement when so many are not….
darknova306
2/7/2013-10:33pm at 10:33 pm (UTC -4)
Really happy to hear that about your insurance company. Having a David Wells sized hole in your roof has to be pretty crappy, especially a few weeks back when overnight temps were -5 to -10 (at least in my area). Can’t wait to hear you report about your brand new roof this summer
Do you work directly for DOD, or for a contractor? My 4 years of work before going insane and brewing for a living were spent at a contractor doing work for DOD and NGA. Layoffs for us got fierce back in 2010, and I think they’ve gone through 4 more rounds since I got canned. Ugh.
gategem
2/8/2013-12:36am at 12:36 am (UTC -4)
Having a retirement pension is outstanding. Once my 401K runs out I’m on welfare.
gategem
2/8/2013-1:13am at 1:13 am (UTC -4)
Nova, before my part time consulting I spent 40 odd years toiling in company r&d facilities. We were prima donnas and charged over head with unlimited sick leave. I recall spending my days under a shady old tree located on company premises researching topics. My start time was when I showed up and quitting time was whenever I left.
srt
2/8/2013-8:06am at 8:06 am (UTC -4)
We had a roofing contractor come in Dec and temporarily patch the hole for the winter. Keeping our fingers crossed it makes it through this snowstorm.
I work directly for DOD Navy – Federal civil servant.
Prior to this go ’round, our contractors were virtually unaffected. This time around though, not so…Plan is to start laying them off and try and pick up the slack with the civilians. This is just not good for anyone…..
srt
2/8/2013-8:07am at 8:07 am (UTC -4)
Yikes, gategem. Hopefully, your 401 lasts the duration. Or you can hit the lottery. At least your 401 was not invested with Madoff…..
gategem
2/8/2013-2:54pm at 2:54 pm (UTC -4)
SRT, there are a number of ships, including a line of nuclear submarines that have my design on them. So we have something in common.
Stick
2/7/2013-10:08pm at 10:08 pm (UTC -4)
It will just make you appreciate retirement even more next year of whenever it hits.
At my pace, I’ll never retire. Makes it much easier to plan for it that way.
srt
2/7/2013-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
In this economy, it’s probably the worst time to be contemplating retirement. Logically I know this but that brass ring is just within reach now……
darknova306
2/7/2013-10:22pm at 10:22 pm (UTC -4)
My dad’s going through the whole “almost at retirement, but things are getting worse so I have to put it off indefinitely” thing right now. He likely won’t retire until he’s 70 (he’s 64 now). Ugh. What a crappy era.
gategem
2/8/2013-1:15am at 1:15 am (UTC -4)
It helps that my house is bought and paid for but I’m going to have to live on a tight budget if I no longer want to work.