Category: Roster

Olney: Mets Determine Closer Market

Buster Olney added a blog post at ESPN stating that the Mets call the shots in the closer market. There have been several reports recently that the Mets may make several simultaneous offers to K-Rod, Brian Fuentes, and possibly Kerry Wood. Whoever is the first to jump at the Mets offer gets the job.

The Mets are really sitting in a strong position, as perhaps the only big-market team intent on spending good money on a reliever, and their intention is to present the offers with this marching order: The first reliever who accepts our offer is going to be our closer.

The other teams out there looking at closers right now are the Brewers, Cardinals, Tigers, and Angels. From all of the reports that I’ve read, none of those teams want to be at the highest salary point for a free agent closer this off-season. I agree with Olney that situation does leave the Mets in the drivers seat right now.

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Report: Mets Aren’t After Sabathia

What a shock! The Mets aren’t interested in having two $100 million starting pitchers on the team. Marty Noble at MLB.com confirms that the Mets won’t be offering CC Sabathia a contract.

The word in the press is that the Yankees already offered Sabathia 6-years/$140 million. And I’m sure the Yankees will go as high as it takes to get Sabathia.

The Mets going after Sabathia never made sense from the beginning. With holes in the outfield, bullpen, and rotation, there’s no room for another $100 million contract on this team.

It’s a nice dream to think of Johan Santana and Sabathia pitching back-to-back days all season, but it’s not happening.

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Perez, Easley, And Wise File For Free Agency

NEW YORK - MAY 16: Damion Easley #3 and Jose ...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

On the first day that players are eligible to file for free agency Oliver Perez, Damion Easley, and Matt Wise all filed. The period runs through November 13th for players to file with the league.

No surprises here. But Perez is probably the only player that the Mets have targeted to talk about another contract. Easley spent too much time suffering from injuries this season. He fought through it like a trooper but couldn’t make a serious impact on the team.

Matt Wise was a complete bust. He hurt his forearm in April and spent the rest of the season trying to recover while on the disabled list.

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Mets Re-Sign Fernando Tatis

The reigning NL Comeback Player of the Year will be back with the Mets next season. Fernando Tatis signed a one-year contract for $1.7 million today.

I’m thrilled that the Mets were able to keep Tatis. He had such a great season and his clutch hitting was astounding. Just the other day I wrote about his award winning season.

He seems like a good guy and at 33 years old he certainly doesn’t appear to be past his prime, even though he was out of the league for several years. Sure, he’s an adventure in the outfield sometimes but he usually manages to get his glove on the ball.

Great start to the off-season Omar.

Mets Tatis Comeback Player Of The Year

Mets outfielder Fernando Tatis received a well-deserved award this week from the Major League Baseball Players Association, the Comeback Player of the Year Award. His work in the outfield was a little shaky at times, but you can’t deny that his offense was fantastic. Tatis had more clutch hits this season than any player, including the guys that were out there every day.

Tatis’ line was awesome: 92 G| 273 AB| .297| .369| .484| 11 HR| 47 RBI| 123 OPS+. Compare that to Carlos Delgado’s OPS+ of 127.

Tatis was even more valuable to the Mets than expected with Moises Alou going down for the season again in May. There’s no way that Omar Minaya expected to get 273 AB’s out of Tatis when they brought him up to the majors. Hopefully, the free agent will sign a new deal with the Mets. If they signed Marlon Anderson last off-season to a two-year deal, they should certainly offer two years to Tatis.

Check out this Q&A that David Brown from Yahoo Sports did with Tatis.

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Mets Maine Positive After Shoulder Surgery

John Maine had a bone spur removed from his right shoulder this week successfully. He spoke to the media about the surgery:

“I feel great. I feel like I want to start throwing now,” Maine said. “That’s what I wanted to hear. So now I can be ready.”

Maine can start throwing again in December and expects to be ready for spring training. Good news for the Mets. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and the Mets will be counting on him more than ever in 2009. With Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez  becoming free agents, the Mets really need Maine to step up his game.

Mets To Exercise Delgado’s Option

Omar Minaya announced that the Mets will excercise the one year option on Carlos Delgado’s contract for 2009. The option is for $12 million as opposed to the $4 million buyout they would have had to pay Delgado. Effectively, they’re getting Delgado for $8 million for the season.

If Delgado continues to be motivated under Jerry Manuel next season, it’s a great deal. You wouldn’t find another first baseman on the market with numbers like Delgado’s for that price. This season he hit .271 38 HR 115 RBI. And that was after doing nothing for the first 2.5 months under Willie Randolph.

The only other viable options in free agency were Mark Texeira and Jason Giambi. I’m sure the Wilpon’s don’t have the stomach for another player with a monster contract on the Mets like Texeira will command. And Giambi probably doesn’t have that many good years left in him.

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