Category: Roster

Worst Mets Contracts Ever and Oliver Perez

New York Mets starting pitcher Oliver Perez reacts after being pulled from the game in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field in New York City on May 9, 2010. UPI/John Angelillo Photo via Newscom

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsIf the Mets weren’t getting renaissance pitching from R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi (can’t believe I’m typing this), this season would not be as exciting as it has been. In the offseason, much of the skepticism about the 2010 Mets was directed at their pitching staff. Would Mike Pelfrey become a solid number two? How would John Maine bounce back from injury? Will Oliver Perez ever live up to his potential and his contract? We now know that only one of those starters has a future in New York.

With that said, where does Oliver’s hefty contract rank among the worst signings in Mets history? Oliver was traded as a throw in from the Pirates in ’06 when Duaner Sanchez, a dominant setup man at the time, went down for the season. After watching Perez pitch game 7 of the NLCS, we all saw the trade as a steal. We received a young lefty with the ability to dominate when he maintained  his control. Losing Xavier Nady’s bat wasn’t easy, but Perez was more than needed come playoff time. From 2007-2008 Ollie was as unpredictable as any starter in Mets history. Nonetheless, The Mets inked him to a 3-year $36 million dollar contract on the second of February 2009. Since that signing, Oliver Perez has been a nightmare. He posted a 3-4 record last year with a 6.82 ERA, and this year he has somehow managed to do worse going 0-3 with his ERA again over 6. If that wasn’t enough, Ollie has refused assignment to Triple-A and ticked off his teammates and manager. The team had no choice but to shed the dead weight by putting Perez on the DL with what could very well be a phantom injury. With the Mets playing so well, it seems like a great time to laugh at some of the signing blunders of years past. With Ike Davis launching homeruns to the Shea Bridge and David Wright raking in RBIs nightly, we are all ready to believe again. So let’s look back at the players who tested our patience and had us launching TV remote controls across the living room. Continue reading “Worst Mets Contracts Ever and Oliver Perez”

Jenrry Mejia Injured, Mets Trade Chip Damaged

June 06 2010: Mets' relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia (32) delivers a pitch during MLB action between the New York Mets and the Florida Marlins at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. The Mets beat the Marlins 7-6.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe timing couldn’t be any worse for the Mets. The word from Metsblog is that Jenrry Mejia left yesterday’s start in the second inning with shoulder stiffness. He had only thrown 44 pitches and I’m sure we’ll be getting updates throughout the day. He was pitching for Double-A Binghamton.

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is coming up on July  31 and the rumors are that the Mariners are ready to deal Cliff Lee now. The Mets biggest trading chip in the organization is suddenly damaged goods, possibly untradeable.

We’ll need to prepare ourselves for the cost of getting a Lee or Roy Oswalt to include Jon Niese. Sure, there are other good players in the organization. But these big deadline deals usually include some young, promising pitching.

The timing for this injury is the worst.

Cubs Could Trade Ted Lilly

Ted Lilly of the Chicago Cubs throwing a pitch...
Image via Wikipedia

With the Cubs season already locked in an early summer downward spiral, it is becoming more and more likely that the club may look to shop left-handed starting pitcher Ted Lilly. The 34-year-old Lilly is 2-6 with a 3.28 ERA, but has fallen victim to anemic run support so far this season with the Cubs. Lilly, like Cliff Lee, would be considered a rental, however, at a far lower cost. Lilly is likely to become a type-B free agent next off season.

Obviously, Lilly would be looked at as a poor man’s version of Cliff Lee by Mets fans if acquired. However, I’ve always looked at him as an effective starter throughout his career. As noted earlier, the Cubs asking price would not be nearly as high as the M’s asking price for Lee. A combination of the likes of Dillon Gee, Jeurys Familia, Nick Evans, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis would be realistic in dealing for Lilly. Unlike Lee, Lilly would not be worth giving up players like Jenrry Mejia, Jonathon Neise, or Wilmer Flores.

I think Lilly would be a good fit for the Mets. He has pitched in New York before, and has been a part of winning teams in Chicago as recently as 2007 and 2008. He’s left-handed and could pose match-up problems for NL East bats like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jason Heyward, among others.

As much as I’d love for the Mets to land Cliff Lee, I certainly feel that Ted Lilly would be a much more worthy alternative than Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie, Jake Westbrook, and even Fausto Carmona.

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Mets Trading Prospects Not Depth For Cliff Lee

May 11, 2010: Cliff Lee for the Seattle Mariners pitches during a game against the hometown Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. The Mariners beat the Orioles 5 - 1.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsTrade month is almost upon us, and the Mets definitely look to be buyers this season. With that said, any talk of trading Angel Pagan (selling high) needs to be thrown out immediately. I’m not saying the 29 year old will be a major cog in the next couple of years. Who knows? But it is simply a matter of depth.

Carlos Beltran’s knees are never again going to be a sure bet. Pagan is also not a player who has been kn0wn to avoid the disabled list. It doesn’t hurt having four more than capable outfielders sharing time. Just yesterday, Angel was pulling himself out of a game because of a strained muscle. Depth in the outfield, and in general, is essential and in our case could be a strength.

We all remember what happened in past seasons when we lost key players late. Losing Fernando Tatis in 2008 helped to make our offense as inept as any in baseball at that time. The year before, we lost an aging Alou and Valentin who were key offensive pieces. Depth will allow the hot bats to find the lineup and give a manager the ability to get more creative. Continue reading “Mets Trading Prospects Not Depth For Cliff Lee”

Forget Cliff Lee, Mets Need Roy Oswalt

May 26, 2010- Milwaukee, WI. Miller Park..Houston Astros starting pitcher Roy Oswalt pitched for 8 scoreless innings giving up only 4 hits to the Milwaukee Brewers..Milwaukee Brewers lost to the Houston Astros 0-5..Mike McGinnis / CSM.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsYou know by now that there are two pretty appetizing starting pitching options on the Mets’ radar right now.

Those two, obviously, are Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt. Both are outstanding pitchers on underachieving teams that are trying to dump them in order to clear payroll or to acquire young talent.

But which one is better for the Mets, both for now and down the road?

If this Mets team was a World Series or bust team, the decision would be pretty apparent: Cliff Lee. He’s comparable to Johan Santana in how he can dominate a game, and would add a third lefty to go along Santana and Jon Niese, in a division with lefty sluggers such as Chase Utley, Jason Heyward, and Ryan Howard. Add Mike Pelfrey to that mix, and you have a deadly starting rotation.

But right now, the Mets are not a World Series or bust team. They’re a team that has a legit shot at a postseason birth, both this year and in the years to come. Remember, outside of Rod Barajas, all the important cogs in this Mets lineup and starting rotation will still be here.

For a Mets team that could make some noise for a while, it makes more sense to go with a pitcher that gives the Mets more roster security. That pitcher is Roy Oswalt. Continue reading “Forget Cliff Lee, Mets Need Roy Oswalt”

John Maine Suffers Setback In Rehab Start

New York Mets starting pitcher John Maine delivers a pitch to the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of play in their MLB National League baseball game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 4, 2010. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe road to recovery for John Maine just hit another speed bump. John Maine pitched Friday night for Buffalo and only went 4.1 IP while throwing 88 pitches without being able to increase velocity. Jerry Manuel told reporters before Sunday’s game that Maine didn’t feel well after the start and needs to be re-evaluated by team doctors.

It’s too bad for Maine for this to happen in his walk year. He looked like a rising start in 2007 only to have three injury plagued seasons to follow. Manuel also told reporters that he wasn’t considering removing Hisanori Takahashi from the rotation at this point. And Omar Minaya told reporters that he didn’t see Maine as a fit in the Mets bullpen.

The message is pretty clear from those statements. There isn’t a spot on the big league roster for Maine. If he gets healthy and they can’t put him on the roster, most likely he’ll be designated for assignment. I really do think Maine’s days with the Mets are numbered.

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Mets Option Jenrry Mejia To Binghamton

April 22 2010: Mets' relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia (32) delivers a pitch in the 9th inning during MLB action between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. Mets defeated the Cubs 5-2.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets have finally given up on the idea of Jenrry Mejia relieving at the big league level this season. According to multiple media reports he’s been optioned to Double-A Binghamton to stretch out and start again.

Bobby Parnell will replace Mejia in the bullpen. He’s been pitching fairly well at Triple-A Buffalo where he’s 1-1 with a 4.14 ERA in 41.1 IP. He pitched in 68 games including 8 starts for the awful 2009 Mets to a 5.30 ERA.

I’m still not sure that I see Mejia as a starter. He’s clearly still a “thrower” not a pitcher. But the velocity that he generates and the lack of secondary pitches seems to me would be more of a fit in the bullpen than the rotation. Either way, he’s not developed enough to succeed in the majors in either capacity right now.

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