ESPN has reported that Yorvit Torrealba is about to sign with the Mets. They usually don’t post things like that on their website unless they’re true.
Score one for the buzz machine. On to the next issue … which is, pitching. If the Mets are going to give away both the 8th and 9th spots in the order to people who can’t hit, and the best offensive player in MLB is re-signing with the Yankees, they better find a way to lower the number of runs scored against them.
Well, he wasn’t my first choice by any stretch, but at least we didn’t have to give up anything for him. There were certainly plenty of other options I would have prefered. I certainly hope he’s one of those guys about to breakout that omar was finding several years ago. Good luck to Paulie wherever he ends up. Hopefully he signs somewhere before 12/1 so we get a pick out of it.
I think one of the advantages of having Torrealba that shouldn’t be
overlooked is that he’s bilingual. That should be a valuable asset when
catching Mota, El Duque, Sanchez (if he makes it back), Ollie Perez, etc.
Also, he is younger and should be injury free, so hopefully that means
we will never have to see Mike Defilece anywhere near the Mets dugout
in 2008.
RockStar, good point on the bilingual factor — I’m with you on that one.
However, the younger / injury point is questionable. Torrealba will be 30 years old by the All-Star break next year, which isn’t old but isn’t young either, especially for a catcher. Further, he has a well-documented, chronic shoulder injury going back to the winter of 2005. The fact that his shoulder is a concern, combined with Ramon Castro’s back issues, makes me think that re-signing Mike DiFelice and/or Sandy Alomar and/or another backstop with MLB experience (JR House? Kevin Cash?) to a minor league deal would be a no-brainer.
Since when is speaking Spanish worth $15-mil? It’s not like these pitchers can’t speak english, either.
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