Poor Tim Byrdak. The Mets sent their only other lefty out of the pen, Robert Carson, down to Triple-A on Friday, and called up Jack Egbert. Egbert is a former starter who has had some success out of the bullpen for Buffalo. And the Mets are trying lots of different… Read More →
A few pieces of business to get to before the Mets take on the Pirates starting tonight. Vinny Rottino, the flexible corner infielder/outfielder with catching privileges, is up and starting tonight at first base. Chances he can become a star, after a long, middling minor league career? Minimal. Chances he… Read More →
After Saturday’s game, the Mets Announced that D.J. Carrasco has completed his rehab assignment and has been called up. Jordany Valdespin will be returned to Triple-A Buffalo. This has the potential to be significant for the Mets. They desperately need a reliever who can come out of the bullpen and… Read More →
The Mets added a pair of potentially useful pieces this evening, signing infielder Brad Emaus and outfielder Fred Lewis to minor league deals. The deals aren’t the kind to lift a team into contention, but are worth praising. Lewis plays all three outfield positions, and has a solid .780 OPS… Read More →
It is official: Andres Torres is on the disabled list with that calf injury suffered Opening Day, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis- just the latest product of baseball factory Azuza Pacific- will play center field in his major league debut on Saturday. The question is: what should Mets fans expect from him?... Read More →
Ted Berg made the following observation over at his blog yesterday: “It doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense to trade Ike Davis or David Wright right now, since both are arguably at the nadir of their value. Davis missed most of 2011 with a lingering ankle injury…. Read More →
Good morning! Some worthwhile notes from around Mets land, as spring training still looms roughly a month away. The Mets avoided arbitration with all four eligible players. Mike Pelfrey will earn $5.68 million, Andres Torres checks in at $2.7 million, Ramon Ramirez will receive $2.67 million, and Manny Acosta will… Read More →
Fangraphs does a good job (link below) running down why it isn’t crazy that the Mets exposed Fernando Martinez to waivers to make room on the 40-man roster for Ronny Cedeno and Scott Hairston. (Tiny reliever Daniel Herrera also got the waiver treatment.) Back in 2007, Martinez was the uber-prospect,... Read More →
There appear to be two schools of thought about the decision by the Mets to sign middle infielder Ronny Cedeno to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. Arguing against the signing is Cedeno’s putrid .286 career on-base percentage. And this weakness really can’t be overestimated. Among all major league hitters with… Read More →
In a solid move sure to warm the cockles of my heart- I enjoy a fourth outfielder more than most- the Mets are bringing back Scott Hairston on a one-year deal worth a reported $1.1 million, if Jon Heyman is to be believed (and why wouldn’t you?). I liked the… Read More →
Happy new year, LoHud Mets Blog folks! We’re only about seven weeks out from spring training, but the Mets have plenty to do between now and then. And no, not just find a bunch of minority partners. To that end, the Mets signed Omar Quintanilla to a contract Tuesday. This… Read More →
Color me skeptical that anyone, Sandy Alderson included, can build a winning team in 2012 with the extremely limiting financial parameters currently facing the Mets. But if anyone can, it’s Alderson. He needs pitching depth, as previously discussed. And he needs to do it with minor league free agents. So… Read More →
Just confirmed from the Mets that the team did not place a bid in the sealed bidding process for Nippon Ham Fighters hurler Yu Darvish. Hey, it never hurts to ask. Darvish, who projects as a frontline starting pitcher, presumably exceeded the team’s remaining player budget, which is [THIS SPACE… Read More →
You know, unless Johan Santana can’t start the season, and then he’s your fourth starter. Or there’s another injury as well, always possible with pitchers, and then he’s your third starter. That’s the only reasonable conclusion out of Sandy Alderson’s comments yesterday, when he pointed out something obvious- Johan Santana,... Read More →
The Mets gave up some outfield depth and right-handed hitting at the catcher position by non-tendering Mike Baxter and Ronny Paulino. Baxter, a Queens native, had pop and could play the outfield corners. The move leaves the Mets in even greater need of backup plans for presumed starters Jason Bay,... Read More →