Out of Options
As mentioned earlier, Ruben Gotay is “out of options”. If we are to trust the list on MLBTradeRumors, there are a number of players who could be available at the end of spring training, and might fit into the Mets’ plans.
Although the Mets’ roster — other than the 25th man — appears to be set before an exhibition game is played, anything can happen over the course of the spring. For example, an injury could open up a spot. A trade is not out of the question. Someone might be caught with PEDs. Or, it could be that no one player clearly grabs the 25th roster spot.
We’re assuming that one of Ruben Gotay, Olmedo Saenz, Angel Pagan, or Brady Clark win the spot. We can’t completely count out Ben Johnson, Jose Valentin, Michel Abreu, Fernando Tatis, and Anderson Hernandez, either. But, it’s possible none of those players overwhelms the Mets’ coaching staff. There’s also a slight possibility that the Mets figure out a way to bring one less pitcher north, since they won’t need a fifth starter for most of April, and therefore another roster spot opens up — albeit temporarily. With those ideas in mind, plus the fact that it’s fun to contemplate other teams’ players, let’s take a look at a list of players out of options who may become available and could be of interest the Mets.
Rangers – Jason Botts and Nelson Cruz
I’ve mentioned this pair several times this winter. They’re both righthanded hitting outfielders, who hit with power, and still young. One or both could be available in April.
Indians – Andy Marte
The Mets have no use for the young third baseman, but he was the top prospect in baseball a year ago. Maybe he could be transitioned to 1B or the outfield.
Athletics – Dan Johnson
I have some kind of weird man-crush on this guy, because he takes his walks and in the past looked like he’d be a great hitter. The Mets will need a first baseman in 2009.
Red Sox – David Aardsma
We’ve mentioned him before — he was a big-time NCAA closer who has been bouncing from one team to another since being drafted in the first round by the Giants in 2003. He’s only 26 and still has time to emerge as a setup man in the mold of Dan Wheeler.
Royals – Justin Huber
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see Huber return to the organization? The big Aussie still hasn’t earned an MLB spot, but he’s hit well in the minors. There’s no guarantee he makes the KC roster, where Ross Gload, Billy Butler, and Ryan Shealy are ahead of him at his primary position of first base. He’s a righthanded hitter, he plays first base, the outfield, and can catch in a pinch. Hmm … sounds like exactly the kind of utilityman the Mets need.
Dodgers – Delwyn Young
A switch-hitter who has proven he can hit in the minors, but hasn’t proven he can play anywhere defensively. He’d be a decent outfield option off the bench — but is he any better than Angel Pagan?
White Sox – Gavin Floyd
Once the jewel of the Phillies’ organization, Floyd has been a bust in Chicago and may not make their big club after a 5.27 ERA last season. If no one takes the long relief role, it might behoove the Mets to consider this 25-year-old as a reclamation project for Rick Peterson.
Rays – Edwin Jackson
As Floyd was to the Phillies, Jackson was to the Dodgers only a few years ago. Like Floyd, he’s been a bust since being part of a major trade. He went 5-15 last year, but is only 24 years old. The Rays might keep him around despite his struggles.
Braves – Chris Resop and Royce Ring
I always liked Royce Ring, though it’s doubtful Omar Minaya would bring back a “Duquette guy”. Resop has been mentioned here before — he’s a converted outfielder still learning to pitch who throws in the mid-90s.
Anyone else out there worth thinking about? Post your comments below.
Gotay Could Be Gone
As has been pointed out by several MetsToday readers, Ruben Gotay is “out of options“, meaning that if he does not make the 25-man roster coming out of spring training, the Mets would have to place him on waivers — thus making him available to all other MLB teams — before sending him to the minor leagues.
Considering that Luis Castillo is the Mets second baseman for at least the next four years, that there is only one positional roster spot up for grabs, and that spot would most effectively be used by a strong righthanded hitter, there is a very good chance that Ruben Gotay will be in an organization other than the Mets come April.
This could turn out to be a good thing for Gotay. Because the Mets would prefer to get something in return for him, rather than lose him through waivers, he should be getting every opportunity to make the big league squad and/or display his wares to other teams’ scouts. A strong showing by Gotay could net the Mets a couple decent minor leaguers in a March trade. So don’t be surprised if you see less of Luis Castillo — under the guise of “taking it slow after offseason knee surgery” — and more of Gotay at the keystone. My guess is that Gotay will also be given plenty of time at shortstop, third base, and anywhere else he might be used (RF? 1B? C?). The way I see it, the only way Gotay makes the 25-man roster is by 1) hitting well from the right side; and/or 2) proving to be extremely versatile.
While there is the argument that the Mets wouldn’t have a legit backup shortstop if Gotay’s not around, that’s a moot issue. Jose Reyes is expected to play 150-155 games, and should something happen to him, Damion Easley can play the position in a pinch. Heaven forbid Reyes would be out for more than a day, the Mets can easily reach down to AAA and bring up Anderson Hernandez.
There is, however, a possibility that Gotay doesn’t make the team, and the Mets are able to keep him. Looking around MLB, there aren’t a whole lot of teams desperate for a second baseman with Gotay’s skills and experience. Off the top of my head, the San Francisco Giants appear to be a team that could benefit by getting younger in the middle infield. Depending on whether the A’s plan to trade Mark Ellis and/or Bobby Crosby, Oakland could be a destination for Gotay; same goes for Baltimore and what they do with Brian Roberts. The Cubs might be interested, but it appears they’re after Roberts. Anyone else out there I’m thinking about?
Other than Gotay, I don’t *think* there is anyone else the Mets have to worry about as far as options go. But please correct me on that if I’m wrong … the rules are complicated and after years of studying them, I still don’t completely understand them.
Next post: combing over the players out of options from other teams.
Bret Boone is Back
After muddling through the transactions over the past week, I couldn’t help but take note of Bret Boone’s return to the ballfield.
Boone signed a minor league contract with the Nationals but only recently was promoted to the big league camp (he was participating in the minor league camp).
According to the Washington Post, he’s doing better than expected:
“We didn’t think he’d be this far advanced” in his conditioning and baseball skills, said General Manager Jim Bowden, who watched Boone work out Friday. “And certainly, he can compete with the players in this camp. . . . We have a small window to make a decision here, so it’s more valuable to have our asset here than it is to wait and stall his progress.”
During Saturday’s infield drills, Boone stood in at second base, along with incumbent starter Ronnie Belliard, while Felipe Lopez — who is considered a candidate to start at either middle infield position — worked out at shortstop along with Cristian Guzman. Boone has said he is not interested in switching positions or playing in the minor leagues.
“Obviously, if this is going to work and I’m going to go out and play for another year or two years,” he said, “this is not going to be normal spring training.”
According to inside sources, he has yet to shed a tear.
Shannon Stewart Off the Market
The Blue Jays have signed veteran outfielder Shannon Stewart to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Remarkably, the Athletics will receive a supplemental pick at the end of the first round in the 2008 draft as compensation. Isn’t it time that MLB takes another look at the compensation structure? I realize Stewart is a solid .290 hitter, but consider that the A’s get essentially the same compensation as the Phillies will receive for Aaron Rowand, and the D’Backs for Livan Hernandez. Something is amiss.
Several MetsToday readers were supporters of a Stewart signing, but I’m not losing any sleep over him signing north of the border. Yes, he fits the veteran RH OF bat they need, but he’s also old, fragile, and not accustomed to a bench role.
By the way, the signing of Stewart creates something of a logjam in the Jays’ outfield. It would appear that 24-year-old lefty slugger Adam Lind or veteran RH hitter Reed Johnson could get squeezed out. Something to keep an eye on.
Other player movement in the last few days …
Major League Deals:
- Byung-Hyun Kim with the Pirates
- Josh Fogg with the Reds
- Shawn Chacon with the Astros
Minor League Contracts / ST Invites:
- Trot Nixon with the Diamondbacks
- Tomo Ohka with the White Sox
- Jason Tyner with the Indians
- Russell Branyan with the Brewers
- Ron Villone with the Cardinals
- Bubba Crosby with the Mariners
- Odalis Perez with the Nationals
- Alex Cintron with the Cubs
- Bret Boone with the Nationals (!)
- Matt LeCroy with the A’s
In addition, Jeremy Brown — immortalized in Moneyball
Finally, C-OF Craig Wilson was released by the Reds after spending only a few hours in camp.
Per the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Wilson, who was in camp Wednesday, apparently failed his physical. He had signed a minor-league deal with the Reds.
The Reds did not say why Wilson failed the physical and were non-committal about a possible return.
“I don’t know,” Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said Thursday. “We’ll see.”
Beltran Guilty of Plagiarism
According to Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Beltran has committed plagiarism.
The evidence was published in an interview on MLB.com; following are the most important quotes.
First, the lawbreaker’s comment…
“To Jimmy Rollins: We are the team to beat,” Carlos Beltran said.
Next, the response …
“Two things come to mind,” Jimmy Rollins said. “One, there are four other teams in our division who are going to make sure that doesn’t happen, and two, has anyone ever heard of plagiarism?
There it is folks … Carlos Beltran, guilty as charged.
From Merriam-Webster, the definition of plagiarizing:
: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own : use (another’s production) without crediting the source intransitive verb : to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
Wow … it’s pretty clear that Beltran stole Rollins’ words, though he might be able to prove he gave Rollins credit. It’s not fair, really, since Beltran is from Puerto Rico, where plagiarizing is legal as well as part of their culture. Luckily the Mets have a large team of high-powered attorneys on retainer, who can probably keep Beltran from serving his sentence until after the season. My guess is they’ll start with a change of venue to hold up the conviction.
Interestingly, Jimmy Rollins also said this in the MLB.com interview:
“The pressure is back on them,” Rollins said. “They were on paper the best team in the division last year and supposed to win and didn’t.”
Strange … the Phillies were ‘the team to beat’ last year, yet Rollins also says the Mets were the best team.
Pitching Competition Begins
Pitchers and catchers have now been playing catch for a week, and in less than six weeks from today, only two catchers and 12 pitchers will be leaving Port St. Lucie as New York Mets. Unless something drastic occurs between now and then, the backstops will be Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro (sorry, Robinson Cancel and Raul Casanova). The pitching staff, however, is another story.
We’ll assume the following pitchers are positively guaranteed a spot, barring injury:
1. Johan Santana
2. Pedro Martinez
3. John Maine
4. Oliver Perez
5. Orlando Hernandez
6. Billy Wagner
7. Aaron Heilman
For the remainder of the spots, the following pitchers have the best chance:
8. Duaner Sanchez
9. Pedro Feliciano
10. Scott Schoeneweis
11. Jorge Sosa
12. Matt Wise
Hmm … many would argue that the above five are pretty close to guaranteed a spot on the staff as well. If that’s true, then what’s the competition?
A few things to consider: first, at least one or more arms will go down with either a minor or serious injury — that’s the odds, particularly when your staff includes El Duque. Second, no one is sure exactly what to expect from Sanchez yet. Yes, he looks in great shape, and appears healthy. But he hasn’t thrown an MLB pitch since July 2006. We don’t know for certain that he’ll be able to regain the velocity and movement that made him a lights-out setup man. Third, there’s a chance that of someone not on the above list has an unbelievable spring — good enough to push someone out.
Still, had I not put up that list of 12, would you have realized the pitching staff was so close to being “set”? Take a look again … do you see anyone missing who you thought for sure would be in that group?
Let’s take a look at “everyone else” — the pitchers who will have to fight for the chance to go north:
(from the 40-man roster)
- Joe Smith
- Mike Pelfrey
- Stephen Register
- Ruddy Lugo
- Brian Stokes
- Willie Collazo
- Carlos Muniz
- Jason Vargas
- Adam Bostick
OK, from Lugo down, we’re looking at guys who likely already have their AAA ticket. But Smith would have been a shoo-in for the 25-man roster had he not burned out last June. Pelfrey of course was the top candidate for a rotation spot before that lefty from Minnesota showed up, and we’ve heard enough about Register to think he’s the next Nolan Ryan. Yet all three could start the year in New Orleans.
Non-roster Invitees:
- Tony Armas
- Ricardo Rincon
- Juan Padilla
- Andy Cazavos
- Nate Field
- Nelson Figueroa
- Joselo Diaz
- Ryan Cullen
- Eddie Kunz
- Brant Rustich
- Jon Niese
- Bobby Parnell
We know that Cullen, Kunz, Rustich, Niese, and Parnell don’t have much of a shot to make the big club, but have been brought in just in case one of them turns out to be the next Joe Smith. Before pitching in Japan, Joselo Diaz was the Mets’ annual February wunderkind, the phenom who hit triple digits on the first day of spring training. Nice to see him back in camp to light up the guns; wouldn’t it be great if he could finally find the strike zone?
Of the veterans, we’d think that Armas had the best opportunity — presumably to take the long relief / spot starter / poker partner role that Aaron Sele slept in last year. Rincon has an outside shot to be a LOOGY if the other four LOOGYs car pool to camp every morning and have the misfortune of driving off a bridge. Juan Padilla was the 2004 version of Duaner Sanchez (almost) and it would be a fantastic story if he could come back from his myriad injuries. No one has any idea why Cazavos, Figueroa, and Field are in camp, but I suspect they really weren’t invited but rather were inspired by the movie Wedding Crashers.
Bottom line: there isn’t nearly as much open space on the pitching staff as many of us may have imagined. In fact the competition appears to be as tight as the fight for the 13th position player.
Going to Spring Training
For your information, MetsToday will be in Port St. Lucie as of next Wednesday, checking out the Mets from February 27th through March 2nd.
I’ll be watching games, taking pictures, hanging around the Mets’ complex, and generally making a nuisance of myself while soaking in the sunshine.
If you have any requests, questions, or other information you’d like me to dig out while there, drop me a line. If you’ll be down there at the same time, be sure to let me know.
Jay Horwitz, if you’re reading this, I’d LOVE to get a press pass!
How Brady Clark Can Help
You may already have heard the breaking news — the Mets have signed Brady Clark to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Big woop, right? Clark is a journeyman who will simply compete with Ruben Gotay, Olmedo Saenz, Fernando Tatis, and Jose Valentin for the 25th spot on the roster. Why should we care?
There are a number of things I like about this signing; in particular …
- As was pointed out by Walnutz, Clark has a “James Brown” rep in MLB — he’s one of the hardest working men in baseball. But don’t take it from me; check out ESPN’s 2005 All-Grunt Team. (Never mind that it was three years ago, nor that Julio Franco was also on that “team”).
Per ESPN:
One of the hardest-working players in the game, at age 32, Clark doesn’t take a day in the majors for granted after being undrafted, released twice and traded once while in the minors. “Whenever my career is over, I don’t want to have any regrets. I just want to know that every time I stepped on the field, I did my best.”
After last year’s complacency — never mind the collapse — getting a grinder on the team is a great idea. It’s hard for anyone to slack off when they’re watching a guy like Clark wring out every last bit of his talent every day of the season. I’m not saying the Mets are a bunch of lazies, but as we’ve seen they are prone to spurts of lackadaisical effort. Having a hard-nosed hustler like Clark busting it around the field can help keep everyone motivated.
But the statheads can’t measure “intangibles” like that, and therefore they don’t matter. So let’s take a look at some numbers that suggest Brady Clark can help the Mets in a part-time role.
- He’s a good pinch-hitter, batting .269 with a .367 OBP in over 200 plate appearances
- He’s been consistently solid against all pitchers: .279 vs. righthanders and .273 vs. lefties.
- He is a career .328 hitter at Shea Stadium
- He has a .417 batting average (5-for-12) while wearing Mets across his chest. Why did we ever place him on waivers?
- He gets on base fairly frequently, sporting a .358 career OBP
- He’s batting 1.000 on 3-0 counts (OK, that’s a little misleading; he’s 1-for-1 with 33 walks)
Want to take a guess at which position in the batting order he has hit in more than any other? Leadoff, where he was penciled into the starting lineup 210 times. Obviously, he won’t be leading off very often with Jose Reyes, Endy Chavez, and Luis Castillo around, but it does suggest that his managers trusted him in the past with one of the most important spots in the batting order.
The minuses, of course, include his age (35) and the fact he’s not the most gifted ballplayer on the diamond. However, he won’t be asked to carry the team, but merely provide a solid bat and glove off the bench. If he makes the team, he could be a valuable extra part — he is above average at all three outfield positions, is a solid if unspectacular Major League hitter who consistently puts the bat on the ball, and he hustles all over the place. A good, no-risk pickup by the Mets.
In related news, the Mets officially announced the signing of Ben Johnson. Again, another guy who could be described as a “grinder” and can help the Mets both in the outfield and with the bat. There won’t be enough room on the roster for all these outfielders, but Johnson likely won’t be ready until mid-May and after last year, we know the Mets can never have enough outfielders.
10 Questions for Mets’ Spring Training
Hope springs eternal during the first week of spring training — every team has high hopes, big dreams, and is gunning for the World Series. Previously injured players are miraculously healthy — in the best shape of their lives — and those who had off years spent all winter working on a way to bounce back. It’s a great time in the baseball season, perhaps the best. But for the glass-half-empty crowd, there is one doubt for every dose of optimism.
Johan Santana made it to Port St. Lucie, as did all the other pitchers and the catchers and David Wright. To a cynic, that is about the extent of the certainty after one day of spring training. For many Mets fans — especially in the wake of the “collapse” — spring training is a six-week process that hopefully answers burning questions.
Following are ten questions that need to be answered by April.
1. Is Duaner Sanchez healthy and can he pitch at the same level prior to the infamous midnight ride for Dominican cuisine?
2. Is Carlos Delgado’s hand (broken during game 162) 100%, and can he regain the bat speed that made him one of the most feared hitters in MLB before 2007?
3. Can Moises Alou get through six weeks in Florida without injuring himself, and therefore open the season in the starting lineup?
4. Can El Duque join Alou on the Opening Day roster?
5. Does Mike Pelfrey have a second pitch to go with his fastball, and is it good enough to retire Major League hitters?
6. How will Pedro Martinez handle NOT being “THE MAN” for the first time in over ten years?
7. What kind of pitcher is Pedro now? Is he the cunning, five-inning soft-tosser that went 3-1 last September or has he recovered enough to resemble the flamethrower that dominated MLB from 1993-2004?
8. Are any of the young guns (Brant Rustich, Eddie Kunz, etc.) talented enough to make an impact this season?
9. After minor knee surgery, is Carlos Beltran finally healthy enough to be the superstar the Mets have been paying him to be?
10. Speaking of knee surgery, what about Luis Castillo? Is he physically back to being the guy who sparked the top of the Marlins lineup for so many years or are those days long gone?
11. (bonus) Will Ruben Gotay get a chance to win the job of 25th man, or will he be played just enough to lose out to someone like Olmedo Saenz?
This list could have gone on to 20 or 30, but I’d like to keep the glass half-full. What question or questions do YOU think need to be answered in the next six weeks?
Duaner Sanchez Looking Trim
Tommy Lasorda didn’t look this good after drinking SlimFast (the first, second, nor third time). Weight Watchers wishes Ron Darling would have done as well.
Before
After
WOW.
Last year at this time, Duaner Sanchez weighed in at a sloppy 230 pounds. Now he’s down to 205.
“Now I’m in the best shape of my life,” Duaner Sanchez said. “I haven’t looked like this since I was 19.”
His weight and lackadaisical attitude drew the ire of Willie Randolph, who reprimanded him on more than one occasion — and sent him home.
“I had to get more serious than before and be more responsible,” Sanchez said Tuesday after a workout at the Minor League complex. He has arrived before many of his fellow pitchers. “I wasn’t giving it my best last year. Willie was right to be mad.”
(from Marty Noble, Mets.com)
What motivated him to lose all the weight?
“That picture on MetsToday.com made me sick to my stomach — and I had a big stomach at the time so you can imagine how sick I was. Just because my nickname is Dirty and my stuff is filthy doesn’t mean I have to look like a big fat pig. If not for seeing my sickening, bloated self on MetsToday.com I would have never had the motivation to lose the fat. I owe it all to MetsToday.com.”
OK, that last quote wasn’t REALLY from Duaner …
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