Gotay waived before trip
-
- March
- 27
Ruben Gotay was on the travel squad this morning, but when the bus left for Orlando he was sitting by his locker with a cell phone in his ear.
The Mets waived Gotay this morning, but hope to re-sign him to a minor league contract if he clears. They should know tomorrow afternoon.
“I thought I did a good job last year that I didn’t deserve this,’’ Gotay said.
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on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 10:01 am by John Delcos.
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John, who is scheduled to pitch today besides Perez? Have you heard anything about the Mets looking at Claudio Vargas, who was waived by the Brewers as a number 5 starter? His stats aren’t earth shattering.
Look for ex-Expo rejects to see who this GM might pick up.
Aaron Heilman would start for alot of teams, I would love to see him get a shot at the # 5 spot…
He is going to leave when his contract is up to be a starter somewhere…..can’t blame him, when you see what an average starter makes salary wise…......
Heilman has no chance of starting.
Vargas probably won’t be picked up unless Mets are certain Eldud is done. And even then I think it is unlikely.
What a stupid move to waive Gotay in favor of Tatis.
How can Omar defend this move? Who plays short in an emergency? Easley? Tatis?
Heimann starting: Even Heilmann knows he’s never starting for the Mets. He leaves, he leaves, its his choice when he’s a FA,
Man, did they really have Gotay show up to go to game and then tell him to go screw? that’s humiliating a guy…
you people act like players never get put on waivers, it happens all the time, and the team then resigns the player to a minor league contract, which is most likely to happen here. No team wants to take on Gotay, who has no options, and have to guarantee him a spot on their 25 man roster. He’ll be back. And why Tatis over Gotay? Isn’t our problem needing someone who can hit lefties? Gotay can’t. And Gotay can’t play the outfield, can’t play short, and isn’t very solid at second base. I like him as a player for the future, but when you’re talking this year, and a guy who will do the little things to help you win off the bench, Gotay doesn’t cut it. He’ll be back though.
John,
What I don’t understand about Tatis is this: if he’s so good, then why didn’t he get called up last September?
It is not a question of Tatis being so good or bad. Mets need another RH bat. They have no other.
The complaint you should have is that Omar did not plan for a better contingency.
On the other hand, with no one to trade, he really has no way to make a move.
So the real complaint is that he has not developed a farm system
Tatis isn’t “so good” but he is the only RH bat we have who can provide anything off the bench. Besides, you don’t give Septmember call-up to 32 year-old journeymen.
I like Gotay, and I think he will help this season, but he is not what the Mets need in April. Besides, Gotay vs. Tatis is not going to be the difference in whether the Mets make the post season or not.
Lastly, he only got “waived” because he was out of options – if he had an option, he would have been sent to the minor league camp and no one would have any heartburn about it. I don’t think anyone is going to claim him because I am sure Omar shopped him around hte league and got ZERO interest
It is pretty simple economics for Heilman. Stay a Met and stay a setup guy and make maybe 2MM.
Go FA and become a starter and maybe make 10MM.
If I was his advisor, I take the latter.
Omar has no one to trade because they a) all went to Minnesota or b) can’t be traded (Pelfrey, Parnell, Niese, Fernado!, etc).
Honestly, the best trading chip we have for a ML bench player is Gotay, who I doubt anyone wants.
sloppy gotta agree that they should have handled that better. No reason to embarass Gotay.
Whatever. I’m through trying to figure out what Minaya is doing with this bench. I just can’t see how Tatis is a better option than Gotay or Clark… I’m sorry, but I don’t.
but let’s just hope that Gotay was on the bus b/c they were still trying to trade him. Not that they are so disorganized and unable to make decisions. Not sure which to think is the cause.
Let this be a lesson to Met minor leaguers. It doesn’t matter if you bust your butt for a shot at the Show, then when that shot comes you actually play very well… if Omar wants to give one of his buddies a job, you’re out the door.
I have never played that card on Omar once, but Tatis over Gotay is BS.
Tatis is better than Gotay b/c he can hit RH. Gotay batted .199 last yr I believe as a RH.
It also helps, in any walk in life, to be buddies (or at least to be known) by your future boss from a past life (ie., the Expos connection). Fact is, Omar and other GMs pick guys they know.
So he wins out over Clark b/c of the above.
Gotay was not really a Mets minor leaguer.
It is a competive world, not just in sports.
Right time, right place, better to know somebody than to be good is the way of the world (no always, but often).
So Gotay didn’t spend part of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 in the minors trying to reach the bigs?
Scoop, thanks for the life lecture, tell me something I don’t know. It’s one thing to bring in buddies who are somewhat competent (Endy, Schneider, Church), but Tatis? Omar is in the business of winning baseball games, he should be worried about keeping his job and getting this team to the WS.
I really hope someone picks up Gotay and gives him a shot to start.
Your comments sometimes seem to indicate you need a life lesson or two.
A Mets MiL to me means someone who spent a significant amount of time coming up thru the system. Not somebody who had already been in MLBB when they got here.
Gotay will probably be better off if he goes elsewhere. If you are truely concerned for his well-being, you should be happy that he will (may) be gone b/c he did not have a chance here.
You can be absolutely certain that Omar is concerned w/his job. He didn’t make this move b/c he thought it would be detrimental to his position.
“A Mets MiL to me means someone who spent a significant amount of time coming up thru the system. Not somebody who had already been in MLBB when they got here.”
This is a matter of semantics. So I’m not even wasting my time here.
“Your comments sometimes seem to indicate you need a life lesson or two.”
Whatever you say. It might be best to stick to baseball. Regardless, it’s still BS when someone loses out on a job due to some kind of friendship when he is more qualified than the person who got the job. So yeah, no kidding it happens, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t BS.
Gotay was right, he didn’t deserve this. My concern is partly for his well being and I do hope he lands somewhere else. But since the Mets are my favorite team, I am concerned with their willingness to let a young player who showed promise when given an opportunity cast aside, especially when their minor league system is a bit shallow right now.
“You can be absolutely certain that Omar is concerned w/his job. He didn’t make this move b/c he thought it would be detrimental to his position.”
Again, thank you for stating the obvious, I doubt there is anyone who believes Omar just makes moves willy nilly without concern for his job security. But if he continues to make poor choices regarding role and bench players he’s going to be out the door. It’s easy to pull the trigger on a deal for Johan, or to sign Pedro, Beltran, and trade for Delgado. His track record in minor trades since he acquired Perez for Nady is pretty horrendous.
It’s not a huge deal, but I’m annoyed about this move. I like Gotay’s approach at the plate. He sees a high number of pitches, takes a fair amount of walks, fouls things off, and seems to put the ball in play when necessary. I think he’s got the potential to continue improving his hitting, and athletic enough to improve defensively. Gotay’s also a young and cheap player, which is something the Mets are in short supply of.
I don’t see the desperate need for a RH bat off the bench. We have Easley. Chavez, when he’s not starting, hits LHP better than RHP. Pagan is a switch-hitter. We could use Casanova/Castro against LHP.
Given that most relief pitchers are right-handed, I think a bench of:
Anderson/Gotay/Pagan against RHP, Easley/Pagan against LHP
is better than:
Anderson/Pagan against RHP, Easley/Tatis/Pagan against LHP.
scoop says : “Tatis is better than Gotay b/c he can hit RH. Gotay batted .199 last yr I believe as a RH.
Based on the fact that in the last FOUR season Tatis has earned a grand total of 56 ABs, it is very fair to say Tatis cannot hit anybody…. Three out of the last four years he couldn’t make any team and suddenly he’s supposed to be a guy who can help win a pennant. Right (not)
Obviously, the last move ain’t a critical move but the way it was apparently done shows a real lack of class on the part of the Met FO. When all else is equal on a FA signing the Mets will lose because of stuff like this.
Keith: I believe even the Nady trade was a bad trade in that Perez was so deep in the dog house in Pittsburgh that the Mets could have gotten him for the famous and too often traded ” player to be named later”.
As far as I know Tatis is not on the 40 man roster. He was a non-roster invite to camp. If this is the case then he does not have to clear waivers to go to New Orleans.
Why so many of you think that Tatis is now going to make the team makes no sense to me. Also to use Tatis as the reason Gotay did not make this team is just plain stupid.
I said yesterday that Gotay or whoever is the last guy on the bench will most likely get no meaningful AB’s in April.
I also said that if Gotay was so good don’t you think Willie, who was an All-Star 2nd baseman would see this.
This is no Omar conspiracy against young guys, wake up to that fact.
I expect you Scott from Pelham to be one of the first ones booing when Tatis comes up and makes Julio Franco look good in an 8th inning PH role…......I don’t think Randolph has any say in the make up of this team. How many games does this bum have to cost a team before it matters. How many games did Franco cost the team last year. If the answer is one or more it mattered, a damn lot didn’t it. How many games did having a bum like Mota cost the team, or Sele. It only takes one doesn’t it… How fast they forget…....
Keith, you were the one who ramped up the volume after I made the life comments. Not me.
If you don’t like those comments. Don’t respond if you don’t want me to respond back.
“You can be absolutely certain that Omar is concerned w/his job. He didn’t make this move b/c he thought it would be detrimental to his position.â€
Again, thank you for stating the obvious, I doubt there is anyone who believes Omar just makes moves willy nilly without concern for his job security.”
Your original comment indicated that you were unaware that this was in case the fact. So it did not seem obvious to me that is was obvious to you.
And he didn’t deserve it.
But, y’know, Castillo was totally great five years ago.
Blah.
If there’s any team built for the 2003 NL East pennant…
“Your original comment indicated that you were unaware that this was in case the fact. So it did not seem obvious to me that is was obvious to you.”
Come on scoop… don’t be obtuse.
ghost: How do you know Tatis will even make the team. He is not on the 40 man roster, this is fact not fiction.
Gotay is not that good to justify most of the statements being made here. If he could hit like Dan Uggla no one would care about his defense.
How you can compare a 33 yr old Tatis who still can play the field with a 48 yr old stiff in Franco is beyond me.
If you think Omar does not ask Willie’s opinion when it comes to middle infielders than you are clueless.
“Gotay is not that good to justify most of the statements being made here.”
How do you know how good Gotay is? He’s barely been given a shot. And he’s only 25 years old. Defense is a skill one can improve upon.
RE: 40 man
Per the 40 man on Mets.com as of this moment, there are only 37 players on the 40 man, however Gotay is still listed. Take him away and that is 36. So it would be easy for Tatis or Clark to be added to the 40 man.
I don’t know why you’re giving Ghost such a hard time about Tatis. It’s widely reported he has vaulted into the lead for the last spot on the bench.
“Also to use Tatis as the reason Gotay did not make this team is just plain stupid.”
I don’t see how this would be “stupid.” If Tatis is on the team and Gotay is not, I will personally find that ludicrous, therefore being angered that Tatis is on the team over Gotay.
“I also said that if Gotay was so good don’t you think Willie, who was an All-Star 2nd baseman would see this.”
To presume that Willie has an eye for talent (specifically 2B) just because he himself was an All Star 2B would be incorrect. Although, he may in fact have an eye for talent.
Basically, no, I don’t think he would necessarily see this. Further, as a human being, he could be wrong.
Again, the ultimate point on Gotay is that he is still only 25, therefore he still has the potential to improve and develop. He embodies a kind of player the Mets are in short supply of.
Kieth: The reason I gave Ghost such a hard time is simple.
He used an irrational reason to give me a hard time with my opinion. “I expect you to be one of the first booing Tatis…”
I find it insulting that anyone boo’s bench players. Well at least boo’s them before they get up. I also used to find it insulting the way people used to boo Kaz Matsui before he even got to the plate.
I think you in a backhanded way insulted Willie big time.
You do not get where he is without knowing more about baseball than any of us will ever know.
I also posted earlier that I think Gotay would benefit from spending April in New Orleans where it least he will get some AB’s something it is highly unlikely he would get spending April with the Mets. Gotay would also get more time to work on his defense. Yes he 25 but if all he projects to get is around 100-150 AB’s at the ML level for the whole year he could get 75 in April in the minors where he could improve his hitting especially against lefty’s.
“He used an irrational reason to give me a hard time with my opinion. “I expect you to be one of the first booing Tatis…—
Fair enough.
“I find it insulting that anyone boo’s bench players. Well at least boo’s them before they get up. I also used to find it insulting the way people used to boo Kaz Matsui before he even got to the plate.”
Ah, this makes me recall the days when fellow Mets fans would yell at me for giving Matsui a standing ovation when his name was announced. I’m with you here Scott.
“I think you in a backhanded way insulted Willie big time.
You do not get where he is without knowing more about baseball than any of us will ever know.”
Eh, we disagree somewhat here. It’s not a backhanded compliment, it’s just the truth. Willie is where he is in large part because he was blessed with a ton of athletic ability. I never really agreed with this general thesis. IMO, it’s a copout response for managers when they do stupid things. “Well, you wouldn’t understand having never played the game.” I mean, we’re talking about baseball here. We all played as kids. It’s not exactly rocket science.
Further, while he may know “baseball” that doesn’t mean he has an eye for talent. There is a reason why some ex ballplayers become GMs (Omar) and others become managers (Willie).
“I also posted earlier that I think Gotay would benefit from spending April in New Orleans where it least he will get some AB’s something it is highly unlikely he would get spending April with the Mets.”
Again, I totally agree with you, but since he is out of options I would prefer they don’t lose him.
Kieth: I do not believe the Mets will lose Gotay on waivers, but we shall see.
I re-read a lot of the posts and while Gotay is a better player than Tatis or Clark. Both of Tatis & Clark could be the right handed bat the Mets need off the bench.
I think one thing that is forgotten is that maybe Tatis could be a right handed version of Anderson. I do not think he will get a long leash so to speak. If he does not cut it by the end of April the Mets will look elsewhere. Tatis will earn league minimum so money is not an issue as it was with Newhan.
Will anyone who is a Gotay defender actually admit that he is just so-so if he is not claimed?
Manny Ramirez cleared waivers, is he so-so?
Yes, I understand the absurdity of the above comment, but it’s to prove a point. One thing does not necessarily have anything to do with another. It could, but to just make a blanket statement like that would be inaccurate. I mean, Tatis could have a ML job, does he belong in the bigs? Probably not.
And I’ll say it right now. Gotay is a so-so player, but he is a so-so player who has shown some potential to be something more. the guy is young and has UPSIDE… which are two things you cannot say about Tatis.
so-so player but has something more?
Wow. If you were a scout I think they would ask you to do something else in the org.
I agree that Tatis is not good. But who else can be the 2nd RH bat off the bench?
Scoop, now you’re just being obnoxious.
Gotay is a so-so player right now, but he’s still young and was a top prospect for a reason.
And I’ve given a fairly detailed explanation as to why I believe Gotay could be, at the least, a very good LH part of a 2B platoon.
I’ll say it again, the posters here have no appreciation for the league average player.
I have a question for you scoop. Did Gotay, or did he not play well for us last season?
Keith says: “the posters here have no appreciation for the league average player.”
But, there seems to be great appreciation for the player so below average he can’t find a job year after year. Maybe its rooting for the ultimate underdog….
Gotay played well for Mets last yr. But his role this yr would be different. He would be coming off the bench to pinch hit. And it would probably be mostly agaisnt lefties. He doesn’t do that well. Nor does he play good defense. The other role that the bench has to perform at least adequately. So he is not what they need right now.
Tatis is not what they need either. But Omar has no spare parts (I would not trade any picthing right now-you never know if Pedro will go down or if Sanchez will be back and be effective) to get some RH hitter who is better.
“And it would probably be mostly agaisnt lefties. He doesn’t do that well. Nor does he play good defense.” You’re talking about church right? not Gotay!
The Montreal Mets, or are we the New York Expos??? Well, whatever,
The odds of Luis Castillo even playing 130 games this season on two surgically repaired knees are slim to none. Gotay isn’t just going to be pinch-hitting: he’s going to be playing at least 30 games in the field, and more likely 40-50.