Category: Roster

Carlos Beltran Begins Final Season with Mets

Carlos Beltran

Image by tedkerwin via Flickr

In Port St. Lucie today, Carlos Beltran is scheduled to make his spring training debut against the Red Sox as a designated hitter. His achy knee still isn’t well enough to play the field more than a year removed from surgery that the Mets didn’t authorize. Today begins the seventh and final season of Beltran’s run with the Mets that has gone from disappointing to exhilarating and back to disappointing again. Most seven year contracts will have their up’s and down’s but this one has been a wild ride. The final season of that long-term contract begins with serious question marks about how effective Beltran can be, especially in the field. Beltran already deferred to Angel Pagan in center field, moving to right field. The last time he played a game in right was in 2000 with the Royals.

I haven’t talked to any Mets fan that makes an argument that Beltran will, or should, be back with the team next season. Frankly, I don’t think he’ll be with the Mets for the entire 2011 season despite his full no-trade clause. The Mets financial situation combined with Beltran’s $18.5 million salary and dim prospects for a playoff berth should lead the new “All-Star” front office to do everything they can to trade Beltran during the season. Probably sooner than later.

Year Age Tm G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2005 28 NYM 151 650 582 83 155 34 2 16 78 17 6 56 96 .266 .330 .414 .744
2006 29 NYM 140 617 510 127 140 38 1 41 116 18 3 95 99 .275 .388 .594 .982
2007 30 NYM 144 636 554 93 153 33 3 33 112 23 2 69 111 .276 .353 .525 .878
2008 31 NYM 161 706 606 116 172 40 5 27 112 25 3 92 96 .284 .376 .500 .876
2009 32 NYM 81 357 308 50 100 22 1 10 48 11 1 47 43 .325 .415 .500 .915
2010 33 NYM 64 255 220 21 56 11 3 7 27 3 1 30 39 .255 .341 .427 .768
NYM (6 yrs) 741 3221 2780 490 776 178 15 134 493 97 16 389 484 .279 .366 .499 .864
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2011.

A reasonable expectation in 2011 is for Beltran to play as well as possible for a 34 year-old outfielder rehabbing a major knee surgery. Unfortunately for Beltran, this happens to be a contract year. Don’t feel sorry for him though, he’s made about $116 million in his career to this point. So I think he’s pretty well set financially. MLB Trade Rumors posted a good piece this week about this being a make or break year for him. And it is.

If you look at Beltran’s career as a whole, he’ll have spent his prime years with the Mets. He spent seven years with the Royals and he’ll spend six and a half or seven with the Mets. The bulk of the statistics he’s accumulated during his career came with the Mets. Beyond the Box Score did a good comparison of how he compares to some of the top center fielders in history. If he continues to play fairly well until age 40, he should be on target statistically for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He would likely go in as a Met. That would be ironic for a player that had a hard time adjusting to New York by underperforming in 2005, offered to take less money to play for the Yankees, and is best known for the 2006 NLCS watching strike three from Adam Wainwright. That’s the paradox of Beltran’s Mets career.

Video: Mets Spring Training, Oliver Perez, Ticket Plans

PORT ST LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Luis Castill...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Kerel Cooper of On The Black and I are doing a weekly video chat this season talking Mets baseball. This week we discuss the Mets arriving in PSL, the potential of Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo to make the roster, the new partial season ticket packs, and the Phillies.

It’s a great time of year with the Mets starting up camp in Florida. But the news hasn’t been good for the Mets between the Madoff mess and the roster dilemna they’ll face with Perez and Castillo.

Check out the video below and let me know in the comments if there are any issues that we should address this week.

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Mets Pitching Report – Dickey Signed, Mets Add To The Bullpen Mix

Blaine Boyer, a Major League Baseball player i...
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Dickey Signs 2 Yr Deal – Is This The Last Big Contract The Mets Sign? Ever?

The big pitching story of the week is R.A. Dickey’s “huge” contract. It’s a huge contract in terms of this is the most expensive contract the Mets may be signing for quite a while due to the Wilpon’s new financial troubles. I haven’t heard the final numbers of this contract but sources are reporting this contract to be 2 yrs, $8 million with a club option for a 3rd year.

On a side note R.A. did say that after the 2010 season, he was going to compete in a triathlon — a 25-mile bicycle ride, a six-mile run and a one-mile swim. No word on how that turned out but triathlon training is notorious for preventing injuries as your working out the vast majority of muscles in your body. I know someone must be able to locate Dickey’s triathlon results? Continue reading “Mets Pitching Report – Dickey Signed, Mets Add To The Bullpen Mix”

Mets Sign Dickey To 2-Year Contract

R. A. Dickey
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The Mets and R.A. Dickey have avoided arbitration with a multi-year contract. Several sources are reporting the contract as 2-years/$8 million with an option for a third year. The Mets and Dickey knew they were going to land somewhere near $4 million for 2011 and this contract allows the Mets to buy out one or two years of free agency from Dickey.

Overall, it’s a good contract for both parties. Dickey was a real professional last season and gave 100% effort in every start even when the team behind him wasn’t very good.

Dickey had some great splits that you like to see last year too. He made 11 starts at home to a 1.99 ERA over 81.1 IP. He also had an incredible July, making 6 starts going 1-3 with a 1.51 ERA over 41.2 IP. He also had a complete game 1-hitter against the Phillies on Aug. 13 at home.

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Mets Pitching Report – Starters All On 1 Yr Contracts, Perez Has Competition

Chris Young San Diego Padres pitcher
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With just 3 weeks till Spring Training this was a very busy week for the Mets who continue to put together a solid pitching staff while getting their financial house in order.  With all their starters on 1 year deals (not including Johan Santana who is on the DL) the Mets have made it clear this staff is temporary and all options on are the table for 2012.

Here are some of the highlights of the week:

Starters:

R.A. Dickey and the Mets enter arbitration. Dickey asks for $4.7 million. Mets counter with $3.35 million. Dickey still expressing interest in a 2 year deal but it’s looking more like he’ll get 1 just like everyone else. Great competitor and work ethic just like…

Chris Young who “finally” signs with the Mets. Young was out of baseball for all of 2010 due to Tommy John surgery but an ESPN quote from Adrian Gonzalez (who played with Young on the Padres in ’06 – ’09) states how the RHer is one of the most competitive people he knows. With a base salary of $1.1 million and incentives, Young could max out at $4.5 million. I like the fact Young is a competitor with a great work ethic. Two things the Mets have lacked the last few years.

Mike Pelfrey settled with the Mets this week on a 1 year deal to avoid arbitration. The deal will pay Pelfrey $3.925 million during the upcoming season. He can earn $50,000 extra in performance bonuses. Terry Collins has also named Pelfrey the opening day starter.

With Pelfrey, Dickey, Jon Niese (who is also on a 1yr contract) & Young as your 1 – 4 starters, this is turning into a solid starting staff. I’m looking forward to the competition for the fifth spot. Continue reading “Mets Pitching Report – Starters All On 1 Yr Contracts, Perez Has Competition”

Mets Pitching Report: Starters Unclear, Bullpen Taking Shape

Meeting on the mound
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With just under four weeks till pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, the 4th and 5th spots of the rotation are up in the air but the bullpen is starting to take shape. Here are the highlights (or lowlights) of this week:

Starters:

With the 1 – 3 spots expected to be filled by Mike Pelfrey, R. A. Dickey & Jon Niese, Chris Capuano, Dillon Gee and Jenrry Mejia will all be vying for those back-end spots.

Free agent Jeff Francis signs with the Royals for a one year, $2 million contract and could earn another $2 million in incentives, too steep a price for the budget-conscious Sandy Alderson. Francis was one of two starters that the Mets targeted for the rotation and would have slotted in as the number 4 starter. So the Mets focus their energy on their 2nd choice…

Chris Young, the other free agent on the Mets radar is still close to making a decision on where to play. He is the top remaining starter available now that Jeff Francis has signed with the Royals. The Mets have been rumored to be close to signing Young for two months now. The Nationals were also rumored to have an interest in Young.

Johan Santana has been cleared by Mets doctors to begin a throwing program leading into spring training. That does not mean he will start throwing just that he has been cleared to throw. He’s expected to be out for the year but being the bulldog that he is we may be lucky enough to see him pitch this year. Continue reading “Mets Pitching Report: Starters Unclear, Bullpen Taking Shape”

Five Mets That Need To Have A Big 2011

José Reyes
Image via Wikipedia

Many would call this a transition year for the Mets.  The Phillies are clearly ahead of the pack in the National League East, and the Metropolitans will have their work cut out for them if they hope to make a run at the Wild Card.

But as the Giants proved last season, some big years from some key players can launch a team to the promised land.

I’ve compiled a list of the five Mets that the team needs to have a big season from if they have any hopes of playing serious September/October baseball.

1. Jose Reyes-

We all need a big season from the franchise shortstop.  The fans need it, the team itself needs it, and most importantly, Jose needs a big season for himself.  When Reyes is healthy, there’s no arguing that he is one of the most tantalizing players in baseball.  But in 2011, Reyes needs to prove that his body is not already starting to break down at the age of 27.  Realistically, this could be the last season that Jose Reyes is a Met.  He’s a free agent after the season, and if he has a big year he will undoubtedly be targeted by several teams who could use an upgrade at shortstop.  If the Mets don’t plan on resigning him, you could see him used as trade bait in late July if the Mets aren’t in contention. Continue reading “Five Mets That Need To Have A Big 2011”